AS touching the paiments of Tithes in the Citie of London and the Lyberties of the same : It is fully ordered and decréed by the most reuerend Father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury , Primate and Metropolitane of al England . Thomas Lord Wriothesley & Lord Chancellour of England . William Lord , Saint Iohn president of the Kings Maiesties Councel , and Lord great maister of his highnesse householde , Ihon Lord Russell , Lord priuie seale , Edward Earle of Hertford , Lorde great Chamberlaine of Englande , Iohn viscount Lisle high Admirall of England , Richard Lister knight chief Iustice of England , & Roger Cholmeley knight , chief baron of his Graces Eschequer , this present twentie and foure day of February , Anno Domini secundum cursum & computationem Ecclesiae Angelicanae millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo quinto , according to the statute in such case lately prouided , That the Citizens and inhabitants of the said Citie of London and liberties of the same , for the time being , shall yearely without fraud or couin for euer pay their tithes to the Parsons , Vicars , and Curates of the sayd Citie & their successours for the time béeing , after the rate héereafter following , that is to wit , of euery ten shillings rent by yeare of all and euery house & houses , shoppes , warehouses , cellers , and stables , and euery of them , within the sayde Citie and liberties of the same .xvi. pence halfe peny . And of euery twentie shillings rent by yere of all and euerye such house & houses , shops , warehouses , cellars and stables , & euery of them , within the said Citie and liberties , two shillings and nine pence : And so aboue the rent of xx . s . by yeare , ascending from . x.s . to x.s. according to the rate aforesayd .

Item that wher any lease is or shall be made of anye dwellyng house or houses , shops , warehouses , cellars , or stables , or of any of them , by fraud or couin , reseruing lesse rent then hath ben accustomed , or is or that any such lease shal be made without anye rent reserued vpon the same , by reason of any fine or income payd before hand , or by any other frand or couin : That then in euery such case the tenaunt or fermour , tenaunts or fermoures therof , shal pay for his or their tithes of the same , after the rate aforesaid , according to the quantitie of such rent or rents , as the same house or houses , shops , warehouses , celars or stables , or any of them were last letten for , without fraude or couin before the making of such lease .

Item that euery owner or owners , inheritor or inheritors , of any dwellyng house or houses , shops , warehouses , cellers , or stables , or anye of them within the said citie & liberties , inhabiting or occupying the same himselfe or themselues , shall paye after such rate of tithe as is abouesayde , after the quantitie of such yearelye rent , as the same was last letten for , without fraud or couin .

Item if any person or persons haue taken or héerafter shal take any mese or mansion place by lease , & the taker or takers theroff his or their executors or assignes doth or shal inhabite in part theroff , & haue or hath within viii . yeares last past before this order or héereafter wil or shall let out the residue of the same : That then in such case , the principal fermour or fermors or first taker or takers therof , his or their executours or assignes , shal pay his or their tithes after the rate aforesayd , according to his or their quantitie therin , & that his or their executors assigne or assignes , shal pay his or their tithes after the rate abouesaid , according to the quantitie of his or their rent by yeare .

And that if any person or persons , haue or shall take diuers mansion houses , shops , warehouses , cellers , or stables in one lease , & letteth or shall let out one or more of the said houses & kepeth or shall kéepe one or more in his or their owne hands , & inhabiteth or inhabiten in the same : That then the said taker or takers , & his or their executors or assignes , shall pay his or their tithes after the rate abouesaid , according to the quantitie of the yerely rent of such mansion house or houses reteyned in his or their handes . And that his assigne or assignes of the residue of the said mansion house or houses shal pay his or their yerely tithes after the rate abouesaid , according to the quantity of their yerely rents . Item if such fermour or fermours , or his or their assignes of any mansion houses , warehouses , shops , cellers , or stables , hath at any time within eight yeares last past , or shall héereafter let ouer all the sayd mansion house or houses conteyned in his or theyr lease to one person or to diuers persons : That then the inhabitauntes leases or occupiers of them , and of euery of them shall pay their tithes , after the rate of such rents as the sayd inhabitaunts , leases , or occupiers , and their assigne or assignes , ben or shal be charged withall , without fraud or couin .

Item if any dwelling house within eight yeares last past was or héereafter shall be conuerted into a warehouse , Forehouse , or such lyke , or if a warehouse , storehouse , or such like within the said eight yeares , was or heereafter shal be conuerted into a dwelling house : That then the occupier or occupiers thereoff shall pay tithes for the same after the rate aboue declared of mansion house rents .

Item that where any person shall demise any Diehouse or Brewhouse with implementes conuenient and necessary for dying or brewing , reseruing a rent vpon the same , as well in respect of such implements as in respect of such Diehouse or Brewhouse . That then the tenaunt shall paye his tithes , after such rate as is abouesaid , the third penie abated . And that euery principall house or houses with key or wharfe , hauing any Crane or gibet belonging to the same , shal pay after like rate of their rents as is aforesaid the third penny abated . And that other wharfes belonging to houses , hauing no Crane or gibet , shall pay for theyr tithes as shal be paid for mansion houses in forme aforesayd .

Item that where any mansion house with a shop , stable , warehouses , wharfe , with Crane , timberyard , teinteryard , or garden belonging to the same , or as parcel of the same , is or shal be occupied together , that if the same be héereafter seuered or deuided , or at any time within .viij. years last past were seuered or deuided : That then the farmour or farmours , occupier , or occupiers theroff shal pay such tithes as abouesayd for such shops , stable , ware-house , wharfe with Crane , timberyard , teinteryard , or garden aforesaid so seuered or deuided after the rate of their seueral rentes therevpon reserued .

Item that the sayde citezens & inhabitantes shall paye their tythes quarterly , that is to say , at the feast of Easter , the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist , the feast of S. Michael the Archangell , and the natiuitie of our Lorde by euen portions .

Item that euery householder paying ten shillinges rent or aboue , shall for him or hir selfe be discharged of theyr foure offeringe dayes : but his wyfe , children , seruaunt or others of theyr family , taking theyr rightes of the Church at Easter , shall paye two pence for theyr foure offeringe dayes yéerely .

Prouided alwayes , and it is decréeed , that if any house or houses , which hath ben or héereafter shal be letten for x. shillings rent by yeare or more , bée or hath at anye time within eyght yeares last passed , or héereafter shal bée deuided and leassed into small parcels or members , yelding lesse yéerely rent then x. shillings by yeare : That then the owner or owners , if he or they dwell in any part of such house , or els the principal lease or leases , if the owner or owners doe not dwell in some part of the same , shal from hencefoorth pay for his or their tithes , after such rate of rent as the same house was accustomed to be letten for before such deuision or deuiding into parts or members . And the vnder farmour and farmours , lease and leases , to be discharged of all tithes , for suche small parcels , parts or members rented at lesse yearely rents then x. shillings by yeare , without fraud or couin , paying two pence a péece yearely for their .iiij offering dayes .

Prouided alway , & it is decréede , that for such gardens as apperteyne not to any mansion house , and which any person or persons , holdeth or shal holde in his or their handes for pleasure , or to his owne vse , that then the person so holding the same shall paye no tithes for the same . But if any person or persons , which holdeth and shal holde any such garden , conteininge halfe an Acre or more , doth or shall make any yéerely profite thereoff by way of sale : that then he or they shall paye tithes for the same , after suche rate of his rent , as is héerein first aboue specified .

Prouided also that if any such gardens now béeing of the quantitie of halfe an Acre or more , bée héereafter by fraude or couin deuided into any lesse quantitie or quantities , then to pay tith , according to the rate abouesayde .

Prouided alwaye that this decrée shall not extend to the houses of great men , or noble men , or noble women , kept in theyr owne handes , and not letten for any rent , which in time past hath payed no tithes , so long as they shall so continue vnletten , nor to any halls of craftes or companies so long as they be kepte vnletten , so that the same halls in time past haue not vsed to pay any tithes .

Prouided alwayes , & it is decréed , that this present order and decrée shal not in anye wise extende to binde or charge any sheddes , stables , cellers , timber yardes , ne teynter yardes , which wer neuer parcel of any dwelling house , ne apperteining or belonging to any dwellinge house , ne haue accustomed to paye any tithes : but the the sayd Citizens & inhabitants shall thereoff be quiet of payment , of any tithes , as it hath ben vsed and accustomed .

Prouided also , and it is decréede , that where lesse summe thou after the rate of sixtéene pence half penny in the tenne shillinges rent , or lesse summe then two shillinges and nine pence in the twentie shillinges rente , hath ben accustomed to be payde for tithes , that then in such places , the sayde Citizens and inhabitantes shall pay but onely after such rate as hath bene accustomed .

Item , it is also decréede , that if any varyaunce , controuersie , or striefe do or shall héereafter aryse in the sayd Citie for no payment of any tithes : or if any variaunce or doubt arise vpon the true knowledge or diuision of any rent or tithes within the liberties of the said citie , or of any extent or assemblant thereoff , or if any doubt rise vpon any other thing conteined within this decrée : that then vppon complaint made by the partie gréeued to the Mayre of the citie of London for the time being , the sayd Mayre by the aduise of counsaile shall call the sayd parties before him , & make a finall ende in the same , with costs to be rewarded at the discreation of the sayd Mayre & his assistants , according to the intent & purpose of this present decrée .

And if that the sayd Mayre make not an ende thereoff within two moneths after complaynte to him made , or if any of the sayde parties finde themselues grieued : That then the Lord Chauncellour of England for the time being vpon complainte to him made within thrée monethes then next following . shall make an ende of the same , with such costes to be rewarded as shal be thought conuenient , according to the intent and purporse of this said decrée .

Prouided alwayes , that if any person or persons take any tenement for a lesse rent then was accustomed to be letten for , by reason of any greate ruine and decay , burning , or such lyke occasions or misfortunes : That then such person or persons , his executors or assignes shal pay tithes onely after the rate of the rent reserued in his or their lease , & none otherwise , as long as the same lease shall endure .