fumage

[ fyoo-mij ]

noun

, Old English Law.

1. a tax payable to the king for each hearth in every house owned by a person not exempt from church taxes and poor taxes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fumage¹

From the Medieval Latin word fūmāgium, dating back to 1745–55. See fume, -age

Example Sentences

The principle of the tax was not new in the history of taxation, for in Anglo-Saxon times the king derived a part of his revenue from a fumage or tax of smoke farthings levied on all hearths except those of the poor.

From Project Gutenberg

They chatted about everything from Aristophanes to "fumage"�a new art form produced by holding a lighted candle under a piece of paper and "being unconsciously you."

From Time Magazine Archive

As early as the conquest mention is made in domesday book of fumage or fuage, vulgarly called smoke farthings; which were paid by custom to the king for every chimney in the house.

From Project Gutenberg

Another of Sir William Petty’s helps in the arithmetic of population was the Chimney Tax, a revival of the old fumage or hearth-money - smoke farthings, as the people called them - once paid, according to Domesday Book, for every chimney in a house. 

From Project Gutenberg