i6a ST NICOTINE 



creation of a new and lucrative business for the sale of 

 distinguished titles and high offices of State, where he 

 himself possessed the sole monopoly, would naturally see 

 his way to a further stroke of 'good business' in the 

 tobacco market. Accordingly, we are not surprised to 

 learn that, viewing with a jealous eye the flourishing state 

 of the new industry, the idea occurred to him that the 

 State coffers might be replenished by taking a still deeper 

 interest in the weed. Hence the issue of a royal 

 proclamation to his loving subjects that they were 

 forbidden to deal in tobacco unless they purchased Royal 

 Letters Patent granting them a license to do so. These 

 could only be procured, on payment of a yearly sum, from 

 the persons who farmed from the King the right to enforce 

 and collect the tax. In the Stafford Letters, compiled 

 by Gerrard, relating to the collection of the new tax, it is 

 stated that 'some towns have yielded twenty marks, ;io, 

 jS, ;6, fine and rent ; none goes under. I hear that 

 Plymouth hath yielded ;ioo and as much yearly rent. . 

 . . The tobacco licences go on apace; they yield a 

 good fine, and a constant yearly rent. . . .' In some 

 instances a life-lease to deal in tobacco was granted on 

 payment of a lump sum. As to the King's method of 

 dealing with State affairs of the kind, let Sir Anthony 

 Weldon speak from personal knowledge. He says of the 

 King that 'he was so crafty and cunning in petty things, as the 

 circumventing any great man. He had a trick of cousen 

 (cozen) himself with bargains under hand, by taking ^1,000 

 or ;i 0,000 as a bribe, when (at the same time) his Counsel 

 was treating with his Customers to raise them to so much 

 more yearly ; this went into his Privy purse ; wherein he 

 thought he had over-reached the Lords, but consented 

 himself; but would as easily break the bargain upon the 



