Quinto

A contribution that was once paid in Madeira, which we have already discussed on page 304 of Volume I of this work in the article 'Contribuições'. In addition to the 'quinto', abolished by the law of September 11, 1861, there was in ancient times the so-called 'quinto dos açucares', which we referred to on pages 14 and following of the same volume, and which ended with the decree of October 15, 1688, from then on, an 'oitavo' was collected on the sugars produced on the island. The 'quinto dos açúcares' was established by the charter of August 6, 1515, transcribed on page 494 of 'Saudades da Terra', and these same sugars had previously been subject to the payment of the 'quarto', as seen in the same charter. By a contract celebrated in 1452 and transcribed on page 665 of the same work, the Infante demanded for himself one-third of all the sugar produced in the only mill that existed on the island!