The duties were levied at first by agreement with merchants (poundage in 1302, tonnage in 1347), then granted by Parliament in 1373, at first for a limited period only.
[2] Charles I's first parliament, known as the Useless Parliament, broke with tradition and granted the king tonnage and poundage for a year rather than life out of concern over the manner in which the tonnage and poundage's life grant of 1604 had been used by James I to justify impositions, which were additional duties imposed on certain items.
When Charles moved to adjourn the parliament, members held the speaker, John Finch, in his seat until three resolutions could be read, one of which declared anyone who paid unauthorised tonnage and poundage to be a betrayer and enemy of England.
The refusal of and subsequent disputes about tonnage and poundage rights is seen as one of the many events bearing responsibility for the English Civil War.
By acts of Queen Anne and George I the duties were made perpetual, and mortgaged for the public debt.