
Recognizances before Justice of Peace, Copies of Surrenders, Marriage Certificates of Seamen's Widows, Proceedings of Court Martial on Common Soldier, Decrees, &c. of Commissioners of Sewers and Court of Stannaries exempted from Stamp Duties;Whereas several doubts and difficulties are arisen upon the interpretation of several Clauses in an Act
of Parliament made in the Fifth and Sixth yeares of the reigne of their Majesties King William and
Queen Mary intituled An Act for granting to their Majesties several duties upon Velum Parchment and Paper
for Four yeares towards carrying on the Warr against France. For  explaining and remedying the said doubts
and difficulties Bee it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majestie by and with the advice and consent of the
Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliam assembled and by authority of the same
That the said Act nor any clause therein contained shall bee construed to charge with any duty specified in the
said Act any warrant made by or recognizance taken before any Justice or Justices of the Peace or any surrender
of any Coppyhold Estate or Coppies for such Estate or any certificate of marriage of Widdow of any Seaman
or any proceedings of any Court Marshall which relate to the tryal of any common Soldier or any orders decrees
or proceedings before any Commissioners of Sewers or in the Court of Stannaries but the said warrants recognizances
surrenders coppies certificates orders decrees and proceedings shall and are hereby declared to bee exempted from
the payment of any the duties mentioned in the said Act.
II. 
And bee it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid That the clause in the said Act whereby
the duty of Forty shillings is laid upon the register or entry of any degree in any of the two Universities shall
not extend to charge with the said duty of Forty shillings the register or entry of any Batchelor of Arts who is
hereby exempted from the payment thereof.
III. 
And bee it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid That the clause in the said Act whereby
the duty of Forty shillings is laid upon Letters Patents shall not extend to Commissions of Rebellion in Processe
but that the Commissions of Rebellion shall bee and are hereby exempted from the said duty of Forty
shillings.
IV. 
And bee it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid That the clause in the said Act whereby
the duty of Forty shillings is laid upon Admittances of Officers in any Court whatsoever shall not bee extended
to charge any annual Officer in any Corporation or inferiour Court whose Office is under the value of Tenn pounds
per annum in salaries fees or other perquisitts but the said annual Officer is hereby exempted and discharged from
the said duty.
V. 
And bee it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid That the Officers att sea shall pay the
same duty that the Officers  att land pay and noe more Any thing in the said Act to the contrary in any wise
notwithstanding.
VI. 
And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That the penalty of Five hundred pounds mentioned in
the said Act shall noe longer stand and bee in force but is hereby altered and changed into the penalty of Five
pounds onely and that for the future in all cases where by the said Act the offender was to forfeit Five hundred
pounds hee shall forfeit no more then Five pounds to bee recovered with Costs of Suit any thing in the said
Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
VII. 
And be it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid That all persons that have already incurred
the said penalty of Five hundred pounds upon any clause in the said Act  and are hereby pardoned indempnified
and discharged from the said forfeiture of Five hundred pounds and every part thereof and of and from any
prosecution thereupon Any thing in the said Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
VIII. 
£6 per Cent. Allowance for ready Money.
And for the better distribution of the said Velum Parchment and Paper and that the Subjects may have the
same with more conveniency and att an easier rate then formerly Bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid That
the Lord High Tresurer of England or Commissioners of his Majesty's Tresury for the time being shall once in the
yeare att least sett the prices of all sorts of stampt Velum Parchment and Paper that it shall bee sold att And
that the Co[m]missioners appointed for putting the said Act in execution shall stamp the said price soe sett upon
every piece or skin of Velum or Parchment or sheet or piece of paper soe by them to bee sold And that
the said Co[m]missioners shall likewise allow and pay to every person that shall bring Velum Parchment or Paper to
bee stampt (the duty whereof shall amount to the sum of Ten pounds or upwards) after the rate of Six pounds
in the Hundred pounds per annum for Three months upon present payment of the said duty upon the said Velum
Parchment & Paper soe by them brought And that any persons that shall buy of the said Commissioners or their
Agents Velum Parchment or Paper the Duty whereof amounts to the like su[m]m of Ten pounds or upwards shall
have the same allowance of Six pounds in the hundred pounds.
IX. 
Another Way of measuring Ships appointed.
And whereas great inconveniences and discouragements to Trade and Navigation are found by admeasuring of
Ships and Vessels according to the Act made in the Fifth and Sixth yeares of the reigne of King William and
Queen Mary intituled An Act for granting to their Majesties several rates and duties upon Tunnage of Ships and
Vessels and upon Beer Ale and other Liquors for securing certain Recompences and Advantages in the said Act
mentioned to such persons as shall voluntarily advance the sum of Fifteen hundred thousand pounds towards carrying
on the War against France Bee it enacted That from and after the First day of June in the yeare of our Lord
One thousand six hundred ninety five all Ships and Vessells shall bee measured in order to the paying the duty
imposed by the said Act by taking the length of the Keel of every Ship or Vessel soe much as she treads on the
Ground and the breadth to bee taken within Board by the Midshipp Beam from Plank to Plank and halfe that
breadth shall bee accounted for the depth, of every Ship or Vessell then multiply the length by the breadth and
the product thereof by the depth and divide the whole by Ninety foure and the quotient shall give the true contents
of the Tunnage which such Ship shall pay for Any thing in the said recited Act to the contrary notwithstanding.
X. 
And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That from and after the said First day of June there shall
not bee raised levied collected or paid for the use of his Majestie his Heires or Successors for the Tunnage of any
Shipp or Vessell within the time in the said Act mentioned trading Coastwise any other or greater su[m]m or rate
then for soe many Tuns of Goods as are or shall be actually laden on board such Shipp or Vessell Any thing
in the said Act contained to the contray thereof in any wise notwithstanding.