TAXES AND CONTRIBUTIONS. l8l 



petition was refused ; and though the attainder and mysterious 

 death of Clarence have given an impression of Edward's harsh- 

 ness, it must be remembered that Clarence had, by his extra- 

 ordinary perfidy, forfeited all claim to the king's confidence, 

 and was universally unpopular. 



The only grant to Richard III was the old subsidies on ex- 

 ports and imports, with 33^. ^d. for the sack of wool and twelve 

 score woolfells, and 66s. 8d. for the last of hides in the case 

 of denizens, 66s. 8d. and 735-. 4^. being levied in the case of 

 strangers. These duties are granted for the king's life. They 

 are granted for a similar term to Henry VII, in the first year 

 of his reign. But no fifteenths or tenths are granted till 1487, 

 when two of each are given with the usual deduction of 

 6000 on each, and with the customary exceptions. The 

 licence duties on aliens are likewise renewed. In 1488 a grant 

 of 10,000 archers is also made, the cost of which is now 

 estimated at 100,000. To supply the means for this charge 

 an income-tax is levied by the Commons to the extent of 

 75,000 on the estates of Commoners, and a property-tax on 

 the owners of all chattels over ten marks in value, at the 

 rate of twenty pence for every ten marks some exceptions, as 

 wearing apparel, money, and the like, being made from this 

 taxable capital. A similar tax is granted by the Lords spiritual 

 and temporal ; the three northern shires being excepted in 

 both grants from any liability. In 1491, two whole fifteenths 

 and two whole tenths were also granted, with the customary 

 deduction of 12,000. 



The custom of pressing wealthy citizens and others to 

 make free loans or benevolences to the king appears to have 

 been commenced by Edward IV, was relinquished formally by 

 Richard III, and was revived, under the plea that the statutes 

 of an usurper had no authority, by Henry VII. A singular 

 statute, ii Hen. VII, cap. 10, recognises the liability of these 

 loans. In 1496, the Commons, on the plea of Scotch dis- 

 turbances, gave the king two fifteenths and two tenths, with 

 the usual deduction of 12,000, but with no specification of 



