36

HISTORY OF ENGLAND,

CnAP.

XI.

1689 .

Abolitionof thehearth

money.

been made to James for life had been annulled by his abdi-cation. *

It was impossible to make a new settlement of the revenuewithout inquiry and deliberation. The Exchequer was orderedto furnish such returns as might enable the House to formestimates of the public expenditure and income. In the mean-time, liberal provision was made for the immediate exigenciesof the state. An extraordinary aid, to be raised by directmonthly assessment, was voted to the King. An Act was passedindemnifying all who had, since his landing, collected by hisauthority the duties settled on James; and those duties whichhad expired were continued for some months.

Along William’s whole line of march, from Torbay to London,he had been importuned by the common people to relieve themfrom the intolerable burden of the hearth money. In truth,that tax seems to have united all the worst evils which can beimputed to any tax. It was unequal, and unequal in the mostpernicious way: for it pressed heavily on the poor, and lightlyon the rich. A peasant, all whose property was not worthtwenty pounds, was charged ten shillings. The Duke of Or-mond, or the Duke of Newcastle, whose estates were worthhalf a million, paid only four or five pounds. The collectorswere empowered to examine the interior of every house in therealm, to disturb families at meals, to force the doors of bed-rooms, and, if the sum demanded were not punctually paid, tosell the trencher on which the barley loaf was divided amongthe poor children, and the pillow from under the head of thelying-in woman. Nor could the Treasury effectually restrainthe chimneyman from using his powers with harshness: for thetax was farmed; and the government was consequently forcedto connive at outrages and exactions such as have, in every

Grey's Debates, Feb. 25, 2G, and 27. 1682.