f 23 ) 
Pound, and often mix’d other Herbs with 
it to encreafe its Weight. 
Though it feems to have been brought 
into England during the Reign of King 
"James L yet we find little Notice of it be- 
fore the Ufurpation, when it was imported 
in fuch large Quantities, that it came under 
the Cognizance of that Government, for in 
1660 a Duty of 8 d . per Gallon was laid on 
the Liquor made and fold in all Coffee- 
houfes (but cannot fay whether this was 
the firft Duty laid on it, or only a Renewal 
of it, in the fame, or fome other Shape) 
which was no fmall Prejudice to the Li- 
quor, and Inconvenience to its Drinkers , 
for the Excife Officer was to furvey it be- 
fore any could he fold, and was not to fur- 
vey it above once or twice a Day. Ever 
fince that Time, the Duty on ’Tea has been 
made one of the hereditary Cuftoms to the 
Crown, though the Parliament has, at fun- 
dry times, by different Adis, fix’d divers 
Duties on it, as in thofe Ads made in the 
1 2th Year of King Charles II. and in the 
6th of King William III. and in the 2d and 
7th of Queen Anne , and in the icth of 
King George I. which laft, though not the 
moft equitable, yet then thought the moft 
C 4 com- 
