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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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ship money
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Tax by means of which *Charles I sought to avoid having to summon parliament during the 1630s. It was traditionally the right of the monarch to levy ship money on property in coastal counties and cities for defence in time of war, and to do so without the involvement of parliament. In 1634 the king levied it on the argument that there was a possibility of war; in 1635 he extended it to inland areas; and he made a further claim in 1636. It was beginning to seem like a permanent tax, by-passing *parliament's right to control revenue. A policy of non-payment was led by John *Hampden, and one of the first acts of the *Long Parliament in 1640 was to declare ship money illegal.
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