Stamps Act 1697

IX. 5 & 6 W.&M.c.21. 8 & 9 W. III. c.20. § 12.

And whereas such or the like Duties as are by this Act charged for ever upon the several Skins Sheets or Pieces of Velum Parchment and Paper herein before enumerated or mentioned are also charged upon and payable for the same respectively until the First Day of August One thousand seven hundred and six by several former Acts of Parliament in that Behalfe. so that in Effect the Duties (as to X1 Skins Sheets or Peices of Velum Parchment and Paper in this Act before particularly expressed) are doubled until the said First Day of August One thousand seven hundred and [X2 six] but the said Duties by the said former Acts and those by this thereupon are appropriated or applicable to different Purposes soe that it is necessary to have distinct Accounts kept of the same. Now for the better secureing His Majestys Dues and for distinguishing of such Skins Sheets or Pieces of Velum Parchment and Paper as are doubly charged as aforesaid from those which remain lyable only to the single Duties on the said former Acts: and to the Intent that the said Duties upon this and the said former Acts upon Velum Parchment and Paper may be issued and applied to the respective Uses to which they are severally appropriated or intended.

Every Skin of Vellum, Parchment, &c. liable to Double Duty, and being once stamped, to be stamped with a Second Mark before being wrote upon; except such as are liable only to single Duty.

Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Velum Parchment and Paper herein before charged and whereof the Duties are hereby intended to be doubled for a Time as aforesaid shall before any of the Matters or Things herein before mentioned to be thereupon ingrossed or written (such Writeing or ingrossing being after the said First Day of August One thousand six hundred ninety eight and before the said First Day of August One thousand seven hundred and six) be first brought to the Head Office for the said Duties to be stamped and marked with Two Marks or Impressions (that is to say) every [X3 such] Skin Sheet or Piece of Velum Parchment and Paper having One Mark or Stamp set thereupon pursuant to the said former Acts or any of them before the Writeing or ingrossing any of the Matters or Things as aforesaid thereupon shall be brought to the said Office to be stamped with a Second Mark or Impression of the same Kind. And every Skin Sheet or Piece of Velum Parchment or Paper having not been stamped or marked with a single Stamp or Mark pursuant to the said former Acts or any of them shall before the Writeing or ingrossing any of the [X3 Matters] or Things as aforesaid thereupon tither the said First Day of August One thousand seven hundred & six be brought to the said Office to receive Two several Marks or Impressions [X3 of the same Kind of all which double Marks or Impressions] the One shall denote the Duty by the said former Acts or some of them and the other the Dutie by this present Act thereupon. Except such Skins Sheets or Pieces of Velum Parchment and Paper which do still remain liable onely to the single Dutyes on the said former Acts during the Terms thereby granted and are to have only a single Mark or Stamp according to the Directions of the said former Acts namely.

Circuit or Newgate Pardon.

Every Skin or Piece of Velum Parchment or Sheet of Paper upon which any general Circuit or Newgate Pardon shall be ingrossed or written liable [X3 only] to the single Duty of Fourty Shillings by the said former Acts.

Certificate of Degree in the Universities; except Bachelor of Arts.

Every Skin or Piece of Velum or Parchment or Sheet or Piece of Paper upon which any Register Entry Testimonial or Certificate of any Degree taken in either of the Two Universities or Four Inns of Court shall be ingrossed or written (the Register or Entry of the Degree of any Batchelor of Arts being always excepted) for which Skins Pieces or Sheets respectively a Duty of Fourty Shillings is payable by the said former Acts only during the Continuance thereof.

Conveyance or Surrender of Grants or Offices, &c.

Every Skin or Piece of Velum or Parchment or Sheet of Paper upon which any Conveyance Surrender of Grants or Offices Release or other Deed whatsoever shall be enrolled of Record in any of the Courts at Westminster or in any other Court of Record whatsoever or by any Custos Rotulorum or Clerk of the Peace shall be ingrossed or written whereof the Duty payable as aforesaid by the said former Acts is Five Shillings.

Marriage Licence.

Every Skin or Peice of Velum Parchment or Sheet or Peice of Paper upon which any Lycence for or Certificate of Marriage shall be ingrossed or written which are to be liable only to a Duty of Five Shillings by the said former Acts.

Writ of Covenant.

Every Piece of Velum or Parchment upon which any Writt of Covenant for levying of Fines shall be ingrossed or written whereof the Duty remaining upon the said former Acts is Five Shillings.

Writ of Entry.

Every Piece of Velum or Parchment upon which any Writt of Entry for suffering a common Recovery shall be engrossed or written which is subject to the like single Duty of Five Shillings.

Habeas Corpus.

Every Skin or Piece of Velum or Parchment or Sheet of Paper upon which any Writt of Habeas Corpus shall be ingrossed or written which is also liable to the single Duty of Five Shillings.

All [X3 which] Matters and Things so liable only to the said single Duties until the said First Day of August One thousand seven hundred and six shall be marked and stamped only with a single Mark or Stamp according to the said former Acts. Any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.

X2 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: the O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

X3 interlined on the Roll.