Legal Definitions - prisage

Definition: Prisage was a royal duty on wine imported into England. It was replaced by butlerage during the reign of Edward I.

Example: If a merchant brought a shipment of wine into England, they would have to pay a fee to the king, known as prisage. This fee was based on the quantity of wine being imported.

Explanation: Prisage was a way for the king to collect revenue on imported wine. The amount of the fee was determined by the quantity of wine being imported, so the more wine a merchant brought in, the higher the fee they would have to pay. This helped the king to fund his government and maintain his power.