# Taxation (Coals and Culm) Act 1697, Section IV: Commissioners of Customs to appoint Meters and Weighers;


who are to measure and weigh and grant Certificate thereof.; Penalty £100.; If it appear by Certificate that there is greater Quantity of Coals, &c. than for which Duty has been paid, Penalty.; Ship, &c. to be sold, if Duty for concealed Coals, &c. not paid, with Costs.
And to the end that the said Impositions and Duties may be duely answered and paid without Fraud or Covin and for the better levying and collecting thereof and for the Discovery of the just Quantities of all sorts of Coals and Culme from time to time shipt or waterborne to be shipped or carried by Sea imported or unladen as aforesaid Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull to and for His Majesty His Heires or Successors or to or for any Foure or more of the said Co[m]missioners of the Customes for the time being by Writing under their Hands and Seales from time to time to assigne and appoint within every or any Port or Place within the said Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick upon Tweed such and so many Meeters Weighers or Measurers of the said Coals and Culme as shall within the Terme aforesaid be imported brought or landed in such Port or Place wherein or for which such Meeters Weighers or Measurers shall be assigned or appointed as aforesaid who shall from time to time measure and weigh all such Coals and Culme so imported or brought and when and as soon as any such Shipp or Vessell shall be unladen shall forthwith deliver a true Certificate in Writing under his or their Hand or Hands unto the Person or Persons appointed to receive the said Impositions or Duties within such Port or Place of the Sorts Quantities & Numbers of Chalders or Tuns of Coals or Culme respectively which shall be measured or weighed and delivered from on board any such Shipp or Vessell under the Penalty of One hundred 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 Chalders or Tuns of Coals or Culm than for which the said Impositions or Duties hereby imposed shall have been answered and paid as aforesaid that then in every such Case there shall be paid unto His Majesty His Heires and Successors by the Master or Owners of such Shipp or Vessell for every Chalder or Tun of Coals or Culm so concealed over and above the Impositions and Duties aforesaid the Su[m]m of Ten Shillings for which in case of refusal to pay the same such Shipp or Vessell with the Tackle Furniture and Apparel thereof or any part thereof shall and may be attached and detained by the Officer or Officers for the time being in such Port or Place appointed to receive the said Impositions or Duties or to measure or weigh the said Coals or Culme until Payment thereof and to sell the said Shipp or Vessell Tackle Furniture & Apparel or any part thereof in case all the said Impositions Duties or Payments before mencioned for the said concealed Coals or Culme shall not be paid and satisfied with reasonable Costs and Charges for such attaching detaining or selling rendring the Overplus which Sale shall be good and effectual in the Law.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Will3/9/13/section/IV (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/taxation-coals-and-culm-act-1697/section-IV
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.