Legal Definitions - butlerage

Butlerage was a historical form of taxation in England, specifically a duty imposed on wine imported into the country. This particular tax was unique because the revenue generated from it was payable directly to the royal butler, who was responsible for the monarch's wine provisions and cellars. It represented a significant, albeit specialized, source of income for the royal household during various periods of English history.

• Imagine a merchant ship arriving in the port of Bristol in the year 1350, laden with casks of Gascon wine intended for sale in English taverns. Before the wine could be unloaded and distributed, the ship's master or the importing merchant would be required to pay the specified butlerage duty on the entire consignment to the representative of the royal butler.

  This scenario directly demonstrates butlerage as a duty on imported wine, collected at an English port, and destined for the royal butler's coffers.

• Consider a wealthy English lord in the 15th century who wished to stock his personal cellar with exquisite Portuguese wines, arranging for their direct shipment to his estate near the coast. Even though the wine was for private consumption and not for commercial sale, upon its arrival in England, the lord would still be obligated to pay butlerage on the imported quantity.

  This example highlights that butlerage applied to all imported wine, regardless of its ultimate use (commercial or private), as long as it entered English territory.

• During a period of increased royal expenditure, King Henry VIII's royal butler might have meticulously reviewed the accounts of butlerage collected from various ports across England. A significant portion of the funds used to purchase new barrels, maintain the royal cellars, or even acquire more wine for state banquets could have originated from these specific import duties.

  This illustrates the practical application of butlerage as a direct revenue stream for the royal household, managed and utilized by the royal butler for their specific responsibilities related to wine.