The excise, during the civil wars, was levied on bread, flesh-meat, as well as beer, ale, strong waters and many other commodities.

After the king was subdued bread and flesh-meat were exempted from excise.

The customs on exportation were lowered in 1656.[***] In 1650, commissioners were appointed to levy both customs and excises.

Cromwell, in 1657, returned to the old practice of farming.
Eleven hundred thousand pounds were then offered, both for customs and excise, a greater sum than had ever been levied by the commissioners:[****] the whole of the taxes during that period might at a medium amount to above two millions a year; a sum which, though moderate, much exceeded the revenue of any former king.[v] Sequestrations, compositions, sale of crown and church lands, and of the lands of delinquents, yielded also considerable sums, but very difficult to be estimated.

Church lands are said to have been sold for a million.[v*] None of these were ever valued at above ten or eleven years' purchase.[v**] The estates of delinquents amounted to above two hundred thousand pounds a year.[**] Cromwell died more than two millions in debt;[v***] though the parliament had left him in the treasury above five hundred thousand pounds; and in stores, the value of seven hundred thousand pounds.[v****] * Scobel, p.