AS touching the pay­ments of Tithes in the Citty of London, and the Liberties of the same: It is fully ordered and decréed by the most reuerend Father in God Thomas Archbishop of Can­terbury, Primate and Metropolitane of all England. Thomas Lord Wrio­thesley, and Lord Chancelour of Eng­land. William Lord Saint Iohn, pre­sident of the Kings Maiesties Coun­sell, and Lorde great Maister of hys Highnes houshold, Iohn Lord Russell, Lord priuie seale, Edward Earle of Hertford, Lord great Chamberlaine of England, Iohn viscount Lisle high Admirall of England, Richard Lister Knight chiefe Iustice of England, and Roger Cholrneley Knight, chiefe Ba­ron of his Graces Eschequer, this [Page] present twenty and foure day of Fe­bruary, Anno Domini secundum cur­sum & computationem Ecclesié Ange­licanè millesimo quingentesimo qua­dragesimo quinto, according to the sta­tute in such case lately prouided. That the Cittizens and inhabitants of the sayd Citty of London and Liberties of the same, for the time beeing, shall yéerely without fraud or couin for euer pay their tithes to the Parsons, Vi­cars, and Curates of the sayd Citty, and their successours for the time be­ing, after the rate héereafter follow­ing, that is to wit, of euery tenne shil­lings rent by yeare of all and euerie house and houses, shops, warehouses, sellers, and stables, and euery of them, within the saide Citty and Liberties of the same sixtéene pence halfe penny. And of euery twenty shillings rent by yeare of all and euery such house and houses, shops, warehouses, sellers, and stables, and euery of them, with­in the saide Citty and Liberties, two shillings and nine pence: And so a­boue the rent of twenty shillings by [Page] yeare, ascending from x.s̄. to x. s̄. ac­cording to the rate aforesaid.

Item that where any lease is or shal be made of any dwelling house or hou­ses, shops, warehouses, sellers, or sta­bles, or of any of them, by fraud or co­uin, reseruing lesse rent then hath béen accustomed, or is, or that any such lease shall be made without any rent reser­ued vpon the same, by reason of anie fine or income payd before hand, or by anie other fraud or couin: That then in euery such case the tenaunt or far­mour, tenaunts or farmours thereof, shall pay for his or their tithes of the same, after the rate afore said, accor­ding to the quantitie of such rent or rents, as the same house or houses, shops, warehouses, sellers, or stables, or any of them were last letten for, without fraud or couin before the ma­king of such lease.

Item that euery owner or owners, inheritor or inheritors, of any dwel­ling house or houses, shopps, ware­houses, sellers, or stables, or anie of them within the said Citty & liberties, [Page] inhabiting or occupying the same him­selfe or themselues, shall pay after such rate of tithe as is aboue sayde, after the quantity of such yearely rent, as the same was last letten for, without fraud or couin.

Item if any person or persons haue taken, or héerafter shall take any mese or mansion place by lease, and the ta­ker or takers therof his or their execu­tors or assignes doth or shall inhabits in part therof, and haue or hath with­in viij. yeares last past before this or­der or héereafter will or shall let out the residue of the same: That then in such case, the principall Farmour or Farmors or first taker or takers ther­of, his or their executors or assignes, shall pay his or their tithes after the rate aforesaid, according to his or their quantity therin, and that his or theyr executors assigne or assignes, shall pay his or their tithes after the rate aboue sayd, according to the quantity of his or their rent by yeare.

And that if any person or persons, haue or shall take diuers mansion hou­ses, [Page] shops, warehouses, sellers, or sta­bles in one lease, and letteth, or shall let out one or more of the said houses, and kéepeth or shall kéepe one or more in his or their owne hands, and inha­biteth or inhabiten in the same: That then the said taker or takers, and his or their executors or assignes, shall pay his or their tithes after the rate aboue sayd, according to the quantity of the yearele rent of such mansion house or houses retayned in his or their hands. And that his assigne or assignes of the residue of the sayde mansion house or houses shall pay his or their yearelie tithes after the rate aboue said, accor­ding to the quantity of their yearely rents.

Item if such Farmour or Farmors, or his or their assignes of any mansion houses, warehouses, shops, sellers, or stables, hath at any time within eight yeares last past, or shall héereafter let ouer all the sayd mansion house or hou­ses contayned in his or their lease to one person or to diuers persons: That then the inhabitants leases or occupi­ers [Page] of them, and of euery of them shal pay their tithes, after the rate of such rents as the said inhabitaunts, leases, or occupiers, and their assigne or as­signes, béen or shal be charged withal, without fraud or couin.

Item if anie dwelling house with­in eight yeares last past was or héere­after shall be conuerted into a ware­house, storehouse, or such like, or if a warehouse, storehouse, or such lyke within the saide eigh [...] yeares, was or heerafter shalb [...] conuerted into a dwel­ling house: That then the occupier or occupiers thereof shall pay tithes for the same, after the rate aboue declared of mansion hous [...] rents.

Item that where anie person shall demise anie Diehouse or Brewhouse with implements conuenient and ne­cessarie for dying or brewing, reser­uing a rent vpon the same, as well in respect of such implementes, as in respect of such Diehouse or Brew­house. That then the tenaunt shall pay his tithes, after such rate as is a­boue said, the third peny abated. And [Page] that euery principall house or houses with key or wharf, hailing any Crane or gibet belonging to the same, shall pay after like rate of their rents as is aforesaid the third penny abated. And that other wharfes belonging to hou­ses, hauing no Crane or gibet, shal pay for their tithes as shalbe paid for man­sion houses in forme aforesaid.

Item that where any mansion house with a shoppe, stable, warehouses, wharf, with Crane, timberyard, tein­teryard, or Garden belonging to the same, or as parcell of the same, is or shall be occupied together, that if the same be héereafter seuered or deuided, or at any time within viij. yeares last past were seuered or deuided: That then the farmour or farmours, occupi­er, or occupiers, thereof shall pay such tithes as aboue said for such shops, sca­ble, warehouse, wharfe, with Crane, timberyard, teinteryard, or gardē aforesaid so seuered or deuided after y^e rate of their seuerall rents thervpon reserued.

Item that the sayde Cittizens and inhabitaunts shall paye theyr tithes [Page] quarterly, that is to say, at the feast of Easter, the Natiuity of S. Iohn Bap­tist, the feast of S. Michael the Arch­angell, and the natiuity of our Lord by euen portions.

Item that euery housholder paying ten shillings rent or aboue, shall for him or her selfe be discharged of theyr foure offering dayes: but his wife, children, seruant, or others of their fa­mily, taking their rights of the church at Easter, shall pay two pence for their foure offering dayes yéerely.

Prouided alwayes, and it is decréed, that if any house or houses, which hath béen, or heereafter shall be letten for tenne shillings rent by yéere or more, be or hath at any time within eyght yeares last passed, or héereafter shal be deuided and leased into small parcels or members, yéelding lesse yéerely rent then tenne shillings by yeare: That then the owner or owners, if hee or they dwell in any part of such house, or else the principall lease or leases, if the owner or owners doe not dwell in some part of the same, shal from hence­forth [Page] pay for his or their tithes, after such rate of rent as the same house was accustomed to be letten for before such deuisiō or deuiding into parts or mem­bers. And the vnder Farmour and Farmours, lease and leases, to be dis­charged of all tithes, for such small parcels, parts, or members rented at lesse yearely rents then ten shillings by yeare, without fraud or couin, pay­ing two pence a péece yéerely for their foure offering dayes.

Prouided alway, and it is decréede, that for such Gardens as appertayne not to any mansion house, and which any person or persons, holdeth or shall hold in his or their hands for pleasure, or to his owne vse, that then the per­son so holding the same shall pay no tithes for the same. But if any person or persons, which holdeth, and shall holde any such Garden, contayning halfe an Acre or more, doth or shall make any yéerely profit therof by way of sale: that then he or they shall pay tithes for the same, after such rate of his rent, as is héerein first aboue spe­cified.

[Page] Prouided also that if any such Gar­dens now being of the quantity of half an Acre or more, be hereafter by fraud or couin deuided into any lesse quantity or quantities, then to pay tithe, accor­ding to the rate aboue said.

Prouided alway that this decrée shal not extend to the houses of great men, or noble men, or noble women, kept in their owne hands, and not letten for any rent, which in time past hath pay­ed no tithes, so long as they shal so con­tinue vnletten, nor to any hals of crafts or companies so long as they be kept vnletten, so that the same hals in time past haue not vsed to pay any tithes.

Prouided alwayes, and it is decréed, that this present order and decrée shall not in anie wise extende to binde or charge any sheds, stables, sellers, tim­ber yards, no teynter yards, which were neuer parcell of any dwelling house, ne appertayning or belonging to any dwelling house, ne haue accu­stomed to pay any tithes: but that the said Citizens & inhabitants shal therof [Page] be quiet of payment, of any tithes, as it hath béen vsed and accustomed.

Prouided also, and it is decreede, that where lesse summe then after the rate of sixtéene pence halfpeny in the tenne shilings rent, or lesse summe then two shillings and nine pence in the twen­ty shillings rent, hath beene accusto­med to be payd for tithes, that then in such places, the saide Cittizens and in­habitants shall pay but only after such rate as hath been accustomed.

Item, it is also decreede, that if any variance, controuersie, or strife doe or shall heereafter arise in the sayd Cit­tie for no payment of any tithes: or if any variance or doubt arise vpon the true knowledge or diuision of any rent or tiths within the liberties of the said Citty, or of any extent or assemblant thereof, or if anie doubt rise vpon any other thing contayned within this de­cree: that then vpon complaint made by the party greeued to y^e Mayre of the City of London for the time being, the sayd Mayre by the aduise of counsaile shall call the sayd parties before him, [Page] and make a finall ende in the same, with costs to be rewarded at the dis­cretion of the sayd Maire and his assi­stants, according to the intent and pur­pose of this present decrée.

And if that the said Maire make not an end therof within two moneths af­ter complaint to him made, or if any of the sayd parties finde themselues grée­ued: That then the Lord Chaunceller of England for the time béeing vpon complaint to him made within thrée moneths then next following, shall make an ende of the same, with such costs to be rewarded as shalbe thought conuenient, according to the intent and purpose of this said decree.

Prouided alwayes, that if any per­son or persons take any tenement for a lesse rent then was accustomed to be letten for, by reason of any great ruine and decay, burning, or such like occasi­ons or mis-fortunes: That then such person or persons, his executors or as­signes shall pay tithes onely after the rate of the rent reserued in his or their lease, and none otherwise, as long as the same lease shall endure.