from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A tax formerly paid on all chimneys in England.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A crown duty formerly paid in England for each chimney in a house. Also called hearth-money.
Sorry, no etymologies found.
If perchance thou hast forgotten, mayhap 'tis proper to quote it: "Every fire-hearth and stove of every dwelling, and other house within England and Wales, except as pay not to Church and poor, shall be chargeable with two shillings per annum, payable at Michaelmas and Lady-Day, to the king and his heirs, which payment is vulgarly called chimney-money."
They clamour against the chimney-money, and say they will not pay it without force.
By coach with both Sir Williams to Westminster; this being a great day there in the House to pass the business for chimney-money, which was done.
'tis credibly reported _he raises more in a year by contributions à-la-mode de France than the king's land taxes and chimney-money come to, and thereby is enabled to bribe clerks and officers_, IF NOT THEIR