Fumage, Fuage, or Fouage (vulgarly called smoke-farthings), a tax paid to the sovereign for every house that had a chimney. It is probable that the hearth-money, imposed by 13 & 14 Car. 2, c. 10, took its origin hence. This hearth-money was declared a great oppression, and abolished by 1 W. & M., st. 1, c. 10; but a tax was afterwards laid upon all houses, except cottages, and upon all windows, by 7 Wm. 3, c. 18. The window duty was repealed by 14 & 15 Vict. c. 36.
View Judgments Citing this Phrase