Hearth Money Act 1688

Revenue of Hearth Money grievous to the People.

Whereas His Majestie haveing beene informed that the Revenue of Hearth Money was Grievous to the People was pleased by His Gracious Message sent to the Commons Assembled in Parlyament to Signifie his Pleasure either to Agree to a Regulation of it or to the takeing it wholly away as should be thought most convenient by the said Commons And whereas upon mature Deliberation the said Commons doe finde That the said Revenue cannot be soe Regulated but that it will occasion many difficulties and Questions and that it is in itselfe not onely a great Oppression to the Poorer sort but a Badge of Slavery upon the whole People Exposeing every mans House to be Entred into and Searched at pleasure by Persons unknowne to him Wee Your Majestyes most Dutifull and Loyall Subjects the Commons being filled with a most Humble and Gratefull sence of Your Majestyes unparallell'd Grace and Favour to Your People not onely by Restoreing their Rights and Liberties which have beene Invaded contrary to Law but in desireing to make them Happy and at Ease by takeing away such Burthens as by Law were fixed upon them by which Your Majestie will Erect a lasting Monument of Your Goodnesse in every House in the Kingdome Doe most humbly beseech Your Majestie That the said Revenue of Hearth-Money may be wholly taken away and Abolished And bee it Enacted by the King and Queens most Excellent Majestyes by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parlyament Assembled and by Authoritie of the same That an Act made in the Parlyament begunn at Westminster the Eighth day of May in the Thirteenth Yeare of the Raigne of His late Majestie King Charles the Second Entituled An Act for the Establishing an Additionall Revenue upon His Majestie His Heires and Successors for the better Support of His and their Crowne and Dignitie

15 Car. II. c.13.

And another Act made in the Second Session of the said Parlyament in the Fifteenth Yeare of His said late Majestyes Raigne Entituled An Additionall Act for the better Ordering and Collecting the Revenue ariseing by Hearth-Money

16 Car. II. c. 3.

Repealed.

And another Act made in the Sixteenth Yeare of the Raigne of His said late Majestie Entituled An Act for Collecting the Duty ariseing by Hearth Money by the Officers to be appointed by His Majestie And all and every the Articles Clauses and Things in the said severall Acts contained shall be and are hereby wholly Repealed Annulled and utterly made void and are hereby Enacted and Declared to be null and void to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever

II. Proviso for collecting Hearth Money due 25th March 1689, and Arrears.

Provided alwayes and bee it Declared and Enacted That nothing in this Act contained shall be taken or construed to hinder or prejudice the Collecting Levying Answering or Paying the said Revenue ariseing by Hearth Money which shall grow due on the Five and twentyeth day of March in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred eighty nine and all Arreares of the said Duty which now are due and payable by the said Acts But that all and every the Powers Clauses Articles and Matters in the said former Acts shall continue and remaine in force for the Collecting Levying and Recovering of the said Duty of Hearth Money soe growing due on the said Five and twentyeth Day of March One thousand six hundred eighty nine and all the Arreares of the said Duty already due as by the said Acts they might have beene Collected Levyed and Recovered if this Act had not beene made and noe otherwise.