"tax on goods," 1494, from M.Du.
excijs, apparently altered from
accijs "tax" (by infl. of L.
excisus "cut out or removed," see
excise (v.)), traditionally from O.Fr.
acceis "tax, assessment," from V.L.
*accensum, ult. from L.
ad- "to" +
census "tax, census." English got the word, and the idea for the tax, from Holland.