er some efforts by the king to gather increased
duties, the "Confirmation of the Charters" (1297) forbade any increases
on the amounts fixed in 1275, which were henceforth known as the ancient
customs. Another attempt was made to obtain a higher scale of duties by
arrangement with the merchants. The foreign traders consented to the
royal proposals, which comprised duties on wine, wool, hides and wax, as
well as a general tax of 1-1/4% on all imports and exports. Thus, in
addition to the old customs of half a mark (6s. 8d.) per sack of wool
and on each three hundred woolfells, and one mark (13s. 4d.) per last or
load of leather, the foreign merchants paid an extra duty (or surtax) of
50% and also 2s. on the tun of wine--the so-called "butlerage." The
privileges granted in the Carta Mercatoria (1303) were probably the
consideration for accepting these enhanced dues. The English merchants,
however, for the time, successfully resisted the application in their
case of the higher charges, and consequently remained under the old
prisage of wine. In spite of parliamentary opposition, on the ground
that they amounted to an infringement of the Great Charter, the new
customs were maintained in force. After being suspended in 1311 they
were revived in 1322, confirmed by royal authority in 1328, and finally
sanctioned by parliament in the Statute of the Staple (1353). They
became a part of the permanent crown revenue from the ports, and, with
the old customs, were the basis for further development.

Just as the old direct taxes were first supplemented by, and then
absorbed in, the general taxation of movables, so the customs, in the
strict sense, were followed by the subsidies or parliamentary grants.
One great source of English wealth in the 14th century was the export of
the peculiarly fine wool of the country, and the political circumstances
of Edward III.'s time suggested the manipulation of the trade in this
commodity for purposes of policy as well as revenue. Sometimes, in order
to influence the towns of Flanders, the export of wool was absolutely
prohibited; at others, export duties of varying amounts were imposed on
wool, skins and leather. In the early years of the reign these
arrangements were settled by agreement with the merchants. The subsidies
of this class began in 1340 and henceforward were frequently granted,
though complaints were very often made. Thus, in 1348 the Commons
objected to the subsidy of an export duty o