Coal Duties for Rebuilding Saint Paul's Act 1685
1685 CHAPTER 15 1 Ja 2
An Act for Rebuilding Finishing and Adorning of the Cathedrall Church of St. Pauls London.

Car. II. c. 3. § 36; 22 Car. II. c. 11. § 38–42.
Eighteen Pence; per Chalder or Ton laid upon Coals brought into the; Port of London, &c; To be paid to Archbishop of Canterbury, &c. before Bulk broken or Meter assigued; Receipt to be given on Payment of Duty without Fee.Whereas by a late Act of Parlyament a small part of the Imposition upon Coals imported in or neare
the City of London was given towards the Rebuilding the Cathedrall Church of Saint Pauls wholly ruined
by the dreadfull Fire of London which (and all other Supplyes) carefully expended have made some considerable
advance in the said Worke but soe farr short of finishing a Fabricke of soe large Dimensions That without further
encouragement by a Supply from the Publick the said Worke in a litle time must be left imperfect and uselessse
and consequently all the said former Expence totally lost to the dishonour of our Establisht Religion and to the
reproach of the said City And whereas by the said late Act the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Lord
Bishop of London and the Lord Maior of London for the time being or any two of them were impowered
to imploy and dispose part of the said Imposition upon Coals towards the Building the Cathedrall of St. Pauls
Therefore for Enableing the said Lord Arch-Bishop and Lord Bishop of London and the Lord Maior of London
for the time being or any Two of them to finish soe great and Pious a Worke Bee it Enacted by the Kings
most Excellent Majestie by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the
Commons in this present Parlyament Assembled and by the Authoritie of the same That for all sorts of Coals
which from and after the Twenty ninth day of September One thousand six hundred eighty seven and before
the Twenty ninth Day of September One thousand seven hundred shall be imported or brought into the Port
of the said City of London or the River of Thames within the Liberty of the said City upon the same River
there shall be paid by way of Imposition thereupon over and besides all other Impositions and Duties according
to the Rates hereafter mentioned that is to say for all such sorts of Coals or Culm as are usually sold by the
Chaldron for every Chaldron thereof containing thirty six Bushells Winchester measure the summe of Eighteene
pence and for such sorts of Coals as are sold by the Tun for every Tun thereof containing twenty hundred
weight the like summe of Eighteene pence which said Imposition of Eighteene pence for every Chaldron or Tun
of Coals shall from time to time dureing the terme aforesaid be answered and paid unto the said Lord ArchBishop of Canterbury Lord Bishop of London and Lord Maior of London for the time being or any Two of
them or to their Deputy or Deputyes Officer or Assignes thereunto appointed and constituted under their Hands
and Seales or the Hands and Seales of Two of them by every Master Owner or Owners or other Person or
Persons takeing charge of any Shipp or Vessell whereupon such Coals shall be Laden before they shall breake
bulke or deliver out any Coals or have a Meeter assigned for the measureing or weighing of any Coals aforesaid
to be delivered from on board any such Shipp or Vessell the said Imposition to be paid at such place or places
as by the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior or any two of them shall from time to time be
appointed for the Receipt thereof whereupon the Party appointed to recieve the same shall without delay Fee
or Reward deliver a Receipt to the Person or Persons who shall pay the said Imposition or Duty which Receipt
shall for soe much be a sufficient Discharge.
Coal-Meters for London to give to Officers of Archbishop, &c. a Certificate in Writing of the Sorts and Quantities of Coals delivered.
II. 
Default, Suspension for a Year, and Penalty of £10; If more Coals appear than Duty paid for; further Duty of 58. per Tun; Refusal of Payment; Ship, &c. attached by Warrant till Payment.
And to the end that the said Imposition may be duely answered and paid without Fraude or Covin and for
the better Levying and Collecting thereof and for discovery of the just quantities of all sorts of Coals to be
Imported as aforesaid Bee it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That 'the Coale-Meeters for the City of
London appointed or to be appointed and every of them and their respective Deputyes in their turne and course
of Attendance respectively soe soone as any Shipp or Vessell fraught with Coals shall be unladen shall forthwith
deliver a true Certificate in Writeing unto the Deputy or Deputyes Officers or Assignes of the said Lord ArchBishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them (who shall be appointed to receive
the said Imposition) of the sorts quantities or number of Chaldrons or Tunns of Coals respectively which shall
be measured or weighed and delivered from on board any Shipp or Vessell on paine for his or their default
therein to be suspended from the Execution and Benefitt of his or their Office or Imployment for one whole
yeare from thence next following and to forfeite the Summe of Ten pounds And in case it shall appeare by such
Certificate or otherwise that there was on board any such Shipp or Vessell a greater number of Chaldrons or
Tuns of Coals then for which the said Imposition shall have beene answered and paid as aforesaid That then in
such case there shall be paid to the said Lord Arch-bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or
any two of them for every Chaldron or Tun of Coals soe concealed over and above the Imposition aforesaid the
further Imposition or Summe of Five shillings for all which Impositions (in case of refusall to pay the same)
such Shipp or Vessell or any the Tackle Furniture or Apparell thereof may be attached and detained by Warrant
from the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them untill
payment thereof.
If Payment of Duty for Surplusage of Coals within 24 Hours, Penalty discharged.
III. 
Provided neverthelesse That if the Importer upon such Certificate delivered in by the Coale-Meeter shall within
foure and twenty houres give in his Post-Entry and satisfie and pay the whole Duty for the Surplusage of Coales
appearing upon the unlading of such Shipp or Vessell that then upon such payment the Penalty aforesaid shall be
discharged
Archbishop, &c. may appoint Inspectors of Meters, &c.
IV. 
Bee it further enacted That it shall be Lawfull for the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for
the time being or any two of them by Warrant under their Hands to appoint an Officer or Officers to goe on
board all Shipps and Vessells laden with Coals and to inspect the Coale-Meeters and their Deputyes in their Worke
Store and full cleareing and livering every such Shipp and Vessell and to Certifie as directed by the said Warrant
Money applied in rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral.
V. 
And bee it further enacted That all and every such Summe and Summes of Money which shall be raised upon
the Receipt of the said Imposition of Eighteene pence for every Chaldron or Tunn of Coals or by such Additionall
Imposition or Duty in case of Concealment as aforesaid shall in the first place be applyed and disposed unto the
Rebuilding Finishing and Adorning the said Cathedrall of St. Pauls.
Books of Receipts and Disbursements provided and kept.
VI. 
Free Access to such Books without Fee; Archbishop, &c. to transmit Abstract of Books into the Exchequer yearly; Free Access thereto without Fee.
And to the end the Moneys to be raised upon the Imposition aforesaid may be duely applied to the Uses for
which the same is by this Act appointed Bee it further enacted That there shall from time to time be provided and
kept by the said Lord Arch-bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior or two of them or by their Deputy or Deputyes
Officer or Assignes appointed as aforesaid one or more Booke or Bookes of Vellom or Parchment in which all Moneyes
thereupon to be received shall from time to time be Entred and sett downe and alsoe other. like Booke or Bookes
wherein the Accompts of all Payments and disbursements out of the same shall be likewise Entred expressing the
time when, the occasion for which and the Name of the Person or Persons to whome the same were soe paid or
disbursed and that it shall and may be Lawfull to and for all and every person or persons that shall or may be in any
wise concerned soe to doe to have free accesse unto and view the said respective Books of Receipts and Disbursments
at all times when the Office is open without any Fee or Reward to be taken br demanded for view or Inspection
thereof. And that the Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them
before the end of Michaelmas Terme in every yeare after the yeare One thousand six hundred eighty-seven shall
transmitt and deliver into the Receipt of Exchequer a true Abstract of the aforesaid Books of Accompts containing
the Receipts and Disbursments of all Moneys which shall be raised and paid by or out of the said Imposition upon
Coals in the yeare preceeding and ending upon the Foure and twentyeth day of June next before there to be received
gratis by the proper Officer and kept amongst the Records of the said Court where it shall be Lawfull for any
Person or Persons who shall be in anywise concerned soe to doe to have accesse thereunto and to view and peruse
the said Bookes of Accompts without any Fee or Reward to be taken or received for the same.
Money raised by Act to be applied as the Archbishop, &c. by Warrant under their Hands and Seals shall direct.
VII. 
And bee it further enacted That all and every Summe and Summes of Money which shall be raised or paid by
vertue of this Act shall bee imployed and disposed for and towards the Rebuilding Finishing and Adorning the said
Cathedrall Church of St Pauls according to such Order and Direction as by the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop
and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them shall be given in that behalfe And the same shall
from time to time be issued out and paid accordingly unto such Person and Persons as they or any two of them
shall by Warrant under their Hands and Seales for that Purpose Direct and Appoint which Warrant and such Person
or Persons Acquittance shall be a sufficient Discharge in Law to him or them who shall thereupon pay any such
Summe or Summes of Money
Archbishop, &c. may make Allowances to Officers.
VIII. 
And bee it further enacted That for all Moneys paid and disburst by vertue of this Act it shall and may be
Lawfull for the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them under
their Hands and Seales to dispose of any Summe or part of the said Moneys not exceeding in the whole Foure
pence in the Pound unto such Person or Persons who shall be appointed from time to time to be Treasurer or
Treasurers Paymasters Book-keepers Collectors or Accomptants for the said Money in lieu of the trouble hazard and
incident Charges attending the Receipt and Payment thereof
Power to Archbishop, &c. to borrow Money on Credit of Duties.
IX. 
And forasmuch as the Moneys to be raised by the Impositions aforesaid will not in a long time raise such a Stocke
or Summe of Money as may be sufficient for the effecting the ends and purposes of this Act It is hereby further enacted
That the said Lord Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop and Lord Maior for the time being or any two of them shall be and
are hereby impowered by Indenture under their Hands and Seales to ingage the Proffit ariseing out of the respective
Impositions by this Act or any part or parts thereof as a Security for any Summe or Summes of Money by them to
be borrowed for the ends and purposes of this Act to any Person or Persons that shall or will advance any Summe or
Summes of Money upon such Security All which Money soe to be borrowed shall be imployed for or towards the
Rebuilding Finishing and Adorning the said Cathedrall Church according to the true intent of this Act.

X. 
General Issue; Double Costs.
Provided alwayes and bee it enacted That if any Action or Suite shall be brought or proceeded against any
Person or Persons for any matter or thing done committed or executed by vertue of this Act or of any Clause or
Article herein That then and in every such case the Defendant or Defendants may pleade the Generall Issue (Not
Guilty) and give this Act and the speciall Matter in Evidence at any Tryall thereupon to be had And if a Verdict
shall passe for the Defendant or the Plaintiffe shall be Nonsuit or discontinue his Action after the Defendant hath
appeared the Defendant shall recover double Costs to be awarded for his or their wrongfull Vexation in that behalfe
Monies borrowed to be received by Persons appointed by Archbishop, &c. Security given by such Persons.
XI. 
Approved by Lord Chancellor, &c.
And bee it further enacted That all such Moneys soe to be received upon Accompt of the said Imposition shall
from time to time be paid to such Person or Persons as the said Lord Arch-bishop Lord Maior or any
two of them shall from time to time appoint under their Hands and Seales to be Receiver or Receivers Generall soe as
such Person or Persons doe first give good Security to the Deane and Chapter of the said Cathedrall Church of St Pauls
London for the due Repayment of all such Moneys as they shall receive in pursuance of this Act That they may be
expended according to this Act The said Security being first approved under the Hands of the Lord Chancellor or Lord
Keeper of the Great Seale Lord Chiefe Justice of the King's Bench Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas and Lord
Chiefe Baron for the time being or any two or more of them
22 Car. II. c. 11. § 38.
XII. 
22 Car. II. c. 11. § 41; Reciting that divers Parish Churches mentioned in said Acts remain unbuilt or unfinished; Archbishop, &c. may appropriate any Part of the Duties, not in any one Year exceeding a Fifth Part, to the finishing the said Parish Churches; Remainder to rebuilding St. Paul's.
And whereas by the Additionall Act for Rebuilding the City of London made in the Two and twentieth yeare of
King Charles the Second an Imposition of Eighteene pence per Chaldron upon Coals was appointed for Rebuilding
fifty one Parochiall Churches named in the said Act by the Warrant and Direction of the said Lord Arch-Bishop of
Canterbury the Lord Bishop of London and Lord Maior of London for the time being or any two of them And whereas
by a Provisoe in the said Act One fourth part of the said Imposition was appointed to be imployed by the like Warrants
for the Rebuilding the Cathedrall Church of St Pauls by which meanes the Fabricke of the said Cathedrall hath beene
considerably advanced Now soe it is that the said fourth part haveing beene deducted the remainder of the said Imposition
will by Estimate fall short of finishing all the said Parochiall Churches soe that foure of the said fifty one Churches
may remaine unbuilt and the Towers of some other Churches not perfected To the end therefore that the said
Parish Churches appointed by name in the said Act to be Rebuilt may have due benefit of the said Imposition
upon Coals Bee it Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull for the said Lord Arch-Bishop
of Canterbury the Lord Bishop of London and Lord Maior of London for the time being or any two of them to
appropriate by Warrant under their Hands and Seales such part of the Imposition granted by this Act as shall
in their Discretions seeme sufficient for the compleating of any the said Parochiall Churches that may happen to
remaine unfinished at the Expiration of the aforesaid Act made in the Two and twentyeth yeare of King Charles
the Second soe as the same doe not in any one yeare exceede one Fifth part of the Imposition granted by this
Act And when the said Churches shall be competently finished then to apply and appropriate the whole Remainder
of the said Imposition to the Rebuilding of the said Cathedrall of Saint Pauls and to noe other use nor purpose
whatsoever.
Not to extend to One hundred Chalders of Coals yearly to Chelsea Hospital.
XIII. 
Notice by Mayor, &c. of Newcastle to Archbishop, &c. of Delivery of such Coals.
Provided That this Act nor any thing therein contained shall not extend or be construed to extend dureing
the continuance of this Act to charge or lay any the Duties or Impositions aforesaid upon a certaine yearely
Rent or Allowance of One hundred Chalders of Coals which are to be answered and delivered by the Maior
and Burgesses of Newcastle upon Tyne for the use of His Majestyes Royall Hospitall now in Building in or neare
Chelsea in the County of Midlesex for a certaine long terme of yeares yet to come (the said Maior and Burgesses
for the time being or their Agents giveing notice from time to time dureing the continuance of this Act to the
Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Lor  Bishop of London and Lord Maior of London or any Two of them of
the intended delivery of such Coals for the use aforesaid three dayes at the least before the delivery thereof) any
thing before herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.