Ship Money Levied on Inland Towns
| Artifact Summary | |
|---|---|
| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1596 |
| Period | |
| City and country of origin | |
| Abstract | |
Entry
[Acts of the Privy Council, Vol. XXV., pp. 237-38, 492-93.]
[25 February, 1596.] A letter to the Bailifs, etc., of Tewkesbury. Whereas her Majestie hath thowght yt very expedient forthwith to set to seas her Navy Royall for the defence of her realm, and for the better execucion hereof hath given order to sondry of her subjects to furnish owt and put in readines a convenient nomber of ships to attend on her said Navy, of which nomber of ships the citty of Bristoll is to prepare three, and in SHIPPING contribucion to this charge the Maiour and Aldermen of the cittie of Gloucester are required and have yeilded to contribute two hundred pounds, which wowld be overburthensom for them to bear but by th' assistance of that town of Tewkesbury, which taketh benefite by trafficke to the seas and not far from the port of Gloucester, and therefore [ought] to yeild supply herein as uppon like occacions yt formerly hath don in the year 1588. Wee have therefore thowght good and accordingly do require you forthwith to impoze and levie of th' inhabitantes of that town of Tewksbury the somme of fortie pounds, and the same withowt delay to pay to the hands of the Maiour of Gloucester towards the making up of the said somme of two hundred pounds, which wee doubt not but you will have care forthwith to accomplish, that the intended service be not throwgh your default hindred, being of so great importaunce and concerning the safetie of your selfes and the realm in generall. And so, etc. [26 June, 1596.] A letter to the Mayour of Bristoll. Whereas you have made complaint unto us by those whome you have appoynted to sollicite us in your behalf that unto the greate charges you have borne in settinge foorth certaine shippes (as was required of you heeretofore by our letters) to attend her Majesty's Navie Royall now at the seas, diverse persons refuse to yeald any contribucion, of whome the same have beene dulie and justlie demaunded, and especiallie certaine gentlemen and gentlewomen widdowes that havinge landes abroade in the countrie do inhabite within your cittie, and keepe howses there (as it seemeth) to avoyde the charge of the ordinary services of the countrie.
Forasmuch as we thinck it verie meete and reason- able that you should have the assistance in the bearing of this charge of all the inhabitantes in your cittie that are of any good habilitie, and that suche persons are least of all to be excused that make their habitacion there serve them for a shifte to avoyde any goode service for her Majestie, we do therefore will and require you and by theis our letters authorize you to demaund and receave a reasonable contribucion of all suche persons in- habiting in your towne, be they esquires, gentlemen, widdowes of gentlemen or of citizens that are left of good estate and habilitie, ratinge their howses according to the rente of the same if they pay rent for their howses, or if they dwell in howses of their owne free holde, according to a valuacion of a reasonable yearely rent if the said howses were to be lett, and uppon an estimate of suche rent to require payment of them toward the charges of your citie aforesaid in like sort and rate as if they were to be charged for the same value uppon their landes and dwellinges in the countrie. Whereunto if they refuse to yeald, you shall do well to certefie us of them, and to let them know from us that we will not faile to take order to reforme their disobedience. And so, etc.
