SHIP MONEY

The celebrated tax imposed by Charles I. without authority of parliament, which proved one of the most immediate causes of the discontents that ended in the great rebellion. This device was first put in practice in 1634. It was by a writ, directed to the sheriff of every county, to provide a ship for the king's service; accompanied by written instructions, appointing a sum of money to be levied instead. This writ was framed by Attorney- General Noy. The tax was paid for about four years without opposition; when the question of its legality was raised by the refusal of Hampden to pay his share. It was argued before the judges in the Exchequer Chamber, of whom a great majority gave judgment for the crown. The act " whereby all the proceedings in the busine of ship-money were adjudged void, and disannulled, and the judgments, enrolments, and entries thereupon vacated and cancelled," was one of the first proceedings of the Long Parliament. (See Clarendon, books i. iii.) SHIPS, [s. 1125]