The “parchments in the Tower” might readily have included the following, which exhibits an historical precedent for the ship money:

“1008. Rex Anglorum Aegelredus de ccc. x. cassatis unam trierem, de novem vero loricam et cassidem fieri, et per totam Angliam naves intente praecipit fabricari.” 1 Florentii Wigorniensis Monachi, _Chronicon ex Chronicis_, 160.

The History of Parliamentary Taxation in England — Part 140

1 Freeman, _Norman Conquest_, 647, note LL., cites 3 _Codex Diplomaticus_, 351, to show that before 1008 a levy of ships was not unknown. Archbishops Aelfric upon his death gave to the people of Wiltshire and Kent a ship. Wiltshire is an inland county. It is justifiable, then, to believe that “per totam Angliam” may be taken literally, and that Ethelred really exacted a ship from every 310 hides throughout England.

The History of Parliamentary Taxation in England — Part 140

[356] Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 443; Trevelyan, _England Under the Stuarts_, 163.

The History of Parliamentary Taxation in England — Part 140

[357] Clarendon, _History of the Rebellion_, i, 136.

[358] Gardiner, _Const. Doc._ 108, note 2.

[361] Mr. St. John did not enter into a consideration of the legality of the modern impositions of the outports, levied by authority of the Crown.

[362] The digest of the argument here given is based upon that of Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 446, 447, who follows closely 2 Hallam, _Const. Hist. Eng._ 23-27. Extracts from St. John’s speech are given in Gardiner, _Const. Doc._ 109-115.

[363] Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 448. 2 Hallam, _Const. Hist. Eng._ 30.

[370] See the list of members in 2 _Parl. Hist._ 597-629.

[371] Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 455, quoting 1 Clarendon, _Hist._ 171.

[372] The time was from 25th May, to 15th July, 1641.

[373] The Act is given in Gardiner, _Const. Doc._ 88-91.

[374] The Act is given in Gardiner, _Const. Doc._ 115.

[375] By subsequent statutes, an end was put to purveyance, distraint of knighthood, and forest extension. Parliament then came forward with a grant of six subsidies and a poll tax equivalent to six subsidies more.

[376] 2 Hallam, _Const. Hist. Eng._ 138, 139.

[378] For further details see Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 483, 484; and 2 Dowell, _Taxation and Taxes_, 8 et seq.

[379] The text is in Taswell-Langmead, _Eng. Const. Hist._ 512-518 and in Adams and Stephens, _Sel. Doc._ 462-469.