In 1635 Charles
I faced a financial
crisis. Unwilling to summon another Parliament, he had to find other
ways of raising money. He decided to resort to the ancient custom
of demanding Ship Money. In the past, whenever there were fears of
a foreign invasion, kings were able to order coastal towns to provide
ships or the money to build ships.
Charles sent out letters
to sheriffs reminding them about the possibility of an invasion and
instructing them to collect Ship Money. Encouraged by the large contributions
he received, Charles demanded more the following year. Whereas
in the past Ship Money had been raised only when the kingdom had been
threatened by war, it now became clear that Charles intended to ask
for it every year. Several sheriffs wrote to the king complaining
that their counties were being asked to pay too much. Their appeals
were rejected and the sheriff's now faced the difficult task of collecting
money from a population overburdened by taxation.
In 1637
John
Hampden was
prosecuted for refusing to pay the Ship Tax on his lands in Buckinghamshire
and Oxfordshire. He appeared before the Court Exchequer and although
he was found guilty, the publicity surrounding the case made him one
of the most popular men in England.
Parliament
abolished Ship Money in July 1641.
(1)
Charles
I, letter to the Sheriff of Anglesey
demanding Ship Money (11th February, 1628)
Spain and France are joining
together to root out our religion... They have a large number of soldiers
in Brittany ready to invade us... The great business of providing
money for ships, which used to be charged on the port towns and neighbouring
shires, is too heavy for them alone, therefore the Council have cast
up the whole charge of the fleet, and have divided it among all the
counties.
(2)
Thomas Knyvett, letter to his wife (11th November, 1637)
The business now talked
on in town is all about the question of the ship money. The king is
pleased to give way to those subjects that refuses to pay, whereof
Mr. John Hampden is one, to have their counsel to argue the case in
point of law in the exchequer chamber before all the judges, and Mr.
St John hath already argued for the subject very boldly and bravely.
Yesterday was the first on the king's part. I cannot relate any particulars
because I heard it not. Although I was up by peep of the day to that
purpose, I was so far from getting into the room that I could not
get near the door by 2 or 3 yards, the crowd was so great.
(3)
Sheriff of Flintshire, letter to the Privy Council (20th June,1640)
I cannot devise any way
to get it (Ship Money) until corn harvest... Most of it is unpaid...
whether poverty... a disease which hath been too long in this county...
or the new charges for maintenance of soldiers, or the news of the
Parliament's dissolution or other causes... I know not.
Available
from Amazon Books (order below)
