THE Antient Duties of Subsidy and Aulnage have been in the Possession of the Crown almost Three Hundred and Forty Years; and all that time Collected without Intermission, and Confirmed by Statutes in every King and Queens Reign, since they were first given.

These Duties are two distinct Duties, and were Collected by distinct Officers for many Years.

First, THE Aulnager was an Antient Officer of the Crown long before the Subsidy was Granted; and his Business was to Measure Cloathes betwixt the Buyer and Seller.

Secondly, [...]. Sceccar. Ed. 3. R [...]t. 1▪ 3. Pars Inst. fo. 60. THE Subsidy (for which the King appointed a Collector) was given him in lieu of Antient Customs the Kings of England had on Wool Transported, (such Transportation being Prohibited) as appears by the Records; but never as a Recom­pence for Searching of Cloathes.

Note, THE Subsidy on a Broad Cloath is Four Pence, the Aulnagers Fee is but an half Penny.

THE Office of Aulnager as to Measuring, [...]6 Ed. cap. 6. [...]5 Phil. & Mar. 5 Eliz. 10 Eliz. 20 Eliz. 10 Jac. 2 Jac. 18 Car. 25 Car. 2. 32 is taken away by 5 and 6 Edw. 6. and many subsequent Statutes; and 21 Jacobi, Cap. 18. lays a Penalty on the Aulnager if he offers to Search any Cloaths. YET by these Statutes the Aulnagers Fee is reterved, and made part of the said Revenue; insomuch that now the Business of the Aulnager, is only to Collect his own Fee and the Subsidy.

WHICH obviates the Clamorous suggestion of Selling Seals, and not Executing the Duty of the Office of Aulnager, for indeed the Seals are now no more than as Coquets of the Customs, given on Payment of the said Customs, and is the greatest Accomo­dation imaginable to the Makers: For, whereas the Law obliges them to bring their Cloathes to a certain place to be Sealed, they are, if they define it, (to save the expence and trouble of so bringing them) furnished with Seals, to be put on by themselves.

AND forasmuch as there is another Complaint of Compounding Seizures for small Sums, It is Humbly hoped (if such things have been done, and are Errors) that they are Errors on the Right hand, they being wholly for the Ease and at the Request of the Clothiers; for the Cloath being Forfeited, the Value might as well have been Exacted.

The Complaints against these Duties are not, That they are Grievous in themselves, but in the Collecting of them.

TO which the Persons Concern'd in Management of the said Duties, Answer:

THAT since their being Concerned, all Persons have been Accomodated with Seals, with as much or more ease than the Law provides.

THAT all Searches have been made at Seasonable and Proper Times; That no Remnants have been Seized but where the Head-end remained, being the place where the Seal is to be affixed and remain.

THAT they have not suffered any Wagons or Pack-Horses to be Searched on the Road, nor received Shop-Rents from Drapers, Mercers, or Sales-men.

THAT they have not received any other or more Duty than they are Legally Entituled unto; nor were there ever so few Law-Suits touching the Aulnage, as in their time, which is for Eight Years last past.

THAT in all the Complaints made the last Parliament, the Farmers produced good Authorities of Law for what they had done, and hope they are still able to Justifie their Proceedings by Law.

THAT in the said Complaints such Matters as were Clamorous, (viz.) the Abuses of Searching Goods on the Road, &c. were proved to be before these Farmers times, as appears by the Committees Reports.

IN fine, That Clothiers, Merchants, and other Traders in the Woollen Manufactures, have never been so well Treated as by the present Farmers; which is ready to be made appear, (it this Honourable House shall think fit to Enquire thereinto) notwithstand­ing the many False and Noisy Papers, daily dispers'd by Persons, who make it their Livelihood in the Interval of Parliaments, to go and send round the Kingdom, and raise Money by Contributions, (as the Manager of the Bill now brought into this House, hath done) upon promise, That these Duties shall be destroyed: Which is the True, and no other, Just Reason of these Clamours.

Their Majesties have a Settled Inheritance in these Duties, and are Impowered by 17 Edw. 4. cap. 5. and other Statutes, to let the same to Farm on such Rent as can be Agreed on: Accordingly the said Duties have been from time to time Let to Farm, and Farmed to the Family of Richmond and Lenox, ever since the 3d. of King James the First, pursuant to the Directi­ons of the said Statutes, upon several Considerations, and reserved Rents; the last Patents being for 60 Years, from Decem­ber, 1664.

THE Duke of Richmond upon his Marriage with the present Dutchess, 1667 Settles 2000 l. per Annum for her Jointure, out of the said Duties.

THE Dutchess for 7600 l. paid the Dukes Executors towards Payment of his Debts, 1681 Purchases the Dukes Interest in the Remaining term of the said Lease.

THE Dutchess and her Trustees for 9000 l. Fine, 1682 Demise the said Subsidy and Aulnage for 21 Years, at the Yearly Rent of 3138 l. 10 s. unto the present Farmers.

SO that the Bill being a Project to destroy the King's Inheritance as well as the Legal Right, Interest and Property of per­ticular Persons, derived under the best Title, and upon Valuable Considerations, upon a pretence, That the Collection of these Duties, according to Law, are Grievances.

Whether this Honourable House will thereupon Deprive Purchasers of their Estates, is Humbly Submitted to their Considerations.