An Ordinance for the Regulating of the Rates on the Customes and Excise of Tobacco.

FOrasmuch as the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, have taken notice of the Rates, Customes, and Excise, laid and imposed on Tobacco of all sorts, to bee greater and higher than it will now well beare, in regard of the disturbance of Trade in foraign parts, and present distractions of this Kingdom: For the regulating where­of, and for the incouragement and ease as well of the Importer, as Ingrosser, and Sel­ler of Tobacco;

It is Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that all Tobaccoes of the English Plantations, imported or remaining in the hands of the Merchant or Importer, or the Ingrosser or Buyer thereof, shall bee liable to such Rates for the Excise, and such rules observed for the same, as are set down and prescribed in a late Ordinance of the 23. December, 1643. And for all Spanish Tobacco, not of the English Plantation, imported and remaining in the hands of any Merchant or Importer, or the Ingrosser or Buyer thereof, at the day of the date of this Ordinance, there shall bee paid only six pence for every pound Excise for the same. Provided alvvayes, that no person shall have any benefit of this moderation, but only such as shall within foureteen dayes after the publication of this Ordinance, make his personall appearance at such Office of Excise, under which his dwelling place shall bee, and there de­liver in a true particular account of all such Spanish Tobaccoes, not of the English Plantations, as were remaining in his hands at the date of this Ordinance, and for which the Excise hath not been paid as a foresaid, and shall presently, according to the respective rate of six pence upon a pound weight, pay and cleare the said duty of Excise, for all such Tobacco as hee had at, or before the day of the date hereof, re­maining in his hands, but bee proceeded against without favour or pardon, according to the said former Ordinance of Excise of the eleventh September last.

And it is further ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that for all Tobaccoes which have not before this Ordinance, paid the Custome and Excise, or shall from the day of the date hereof bee Impor­ted by any Merchant or others, into the Kingdome of England, Dominion of Wales, and Port and Tovvn of Barwicke, the Importer or Ingrosser thereof, shall pay Custome and Excise for the same, as followeth, viz. For all Spanish and other Tobacco, not of the English Plantation, the Importer shall pay six pence for every pound weight for Custome, and the Ingrosser or first Buyer, one shilling Excise for the same. And for all Tobaccoes of the English Plantations, which shall bee Imported as aforesaid, the Importer shall pay one penny per pound Custome, and the Ingrosser or first buyer, two pence per pound for Ex­cise of the same, which respective summes of one shilling and two pence, are to bee paid by the Ingros­ser or buyer, upon sale thereof, as is prescribed in the said Ordinance of the eleventh September last.

And lastly, It is ordered and ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that no part of the Customes or Subsidy paid by the Merchant or other, at the time of the Importation of his Tobacco, as is expressed in the second Article in the Booke of Rates, shall be allowed by the Commissioners of the Customes, or other officer or officers of the severall Custome-houses, to any Merchant or others upon the exportati­on of any Tobaccoes. Any order or Ordinance heretofore made to the Contrary in any wise, notwith­standing: Provided that this Ordinance shall continue in force for the space of one whole yeare from the day of the date of this Ordinance, and no longer.

Joh. Browne Cleric. Parliamentorum.

Printed at London, by Richard Cotes, and John Raworth, 1644.

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