Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/327

 Ch. 8. three years; which was looked upon as a tartling propoal: though lord Clarendon tells us, that the peaker, erjeant Glanvile, made it manifet to the houe, how very inconiderable a um twelve ubidies amounted to, by telling them he had computed what he was to pay for them; and, when he named the um, he being known to be poeed of a great etate, it eemed not worth any farther deliberation. And indeed, upon calculation, we hall find, that the total amount of thee twelve ubidies, to be raied in three years, is les than what is now raied in one year, by a land tax of two hillings in the pound.

grant of cutages, talliages, or ubidies by the commons did not extend to piritual preferments; thoe being uually taxed at the ame time by the clergy themelves in convocation; which grants of the clergy were confirmed in parliament, otherwie they were illegal, and not binding; as the ame noble writer oberves of the ubidies granted by the convocation, who continued itting after the diolution of the firt parliament in 1640. A ubidy granted by the clergy was after the rate of 4s. in the pound according to the valuation of their livings in the king's books; and amounted, ir Edward Coke tells us, to about 20000𝑙. While this cutom continued, convocations were wont to fit as frequently as parliaments: but the lat ubidies, thus given by the clergy, were thoe confirmed by tatute 15 Car. II. cap. 10. ince which another method of taxation has generally prevailed, which takes in the clergy as well as the laity; in recompene for which the beneficed clergy have from that period been allowed to vote at the elections of knights of the hire ; and thenceforward alo the practice of giving eccleiatical ubidies hath fallen into total diue.

lay ubidy was uually raied by commiioners appointed by the crown, or the great officers of tate: and therefore in the beginning of the civil wars between Charles I and his parliament, Rh