Friday, the 11th of November, 1653.
Duty on Tobacco.
MR. Caley reports from the Committee for inspecting
the Treasuries, and regulating Officers and Salaries,
A Certificate from the Commissioners of Excise: Which
was now read; viz.
To the honourable Committee of Parliament for inspecting the Treasuries, and regulating Officers and
Salaries:
May it please your Honours,
FORASMUCH as, by Act of Parliament of the
Third of September last, there is a Rate of Three-pence
set and imposed upon every net Pound of English
Tobacco, of the Growth of this present Year, to be paid
to and for the Use of this Commonwealth, by the first
Buyer or Buyers thereof: And forasmuch as great Quantities of Tobaccos are daily bought up, and shipped out
for beyond the Seas; amongst which, those of the English Growth being intended likewise to be sent out, we
have more than a probable Suspicion, that the Growers
and Buyers combining together, will, to elude the Duty
thereof, conceal the Sales, and enter the same outwards,
in the Name of the Growers or Planters; by which the
Intention of the Act before-mentioned, will be wholly
frustrated and avoided; this Duty being not receivable
till Sale.
For the Prevention whereof, it is humbly prayed, That
the Parliament may be moved to declare, that, in case
any English Tobacco, of this present Year's Growth, shall
happen to be shipped off, or out of any Port, or other
Place of this Commonwealth, by the Grower or Planter,
or Curer thereof, that the Excise then payable by the first
Buyer, as aforesaid, shall be paid by every such Grower,
Planter, or Curer, before he or they shall be permitted
to ship out, or ship off, any of the same, upon Payment
of Forfeiture of double the Value thereof, to be levied by
Distress or Imprisonment, as in other Cases for Excise is
directed and appointed.
Resolved, by the Parliament, That Mr. Caley do bring
in an Act for the Redress and preventing of this Abuse.
Registering Marriages.
Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee of the
Law, to prepare and bring in an Act of Explanation to
the Act touching Marriages, upon the Debate of the
House; and report the same to the House.
Sale of Forests.
Sir William Roberts reports from the Committee who
brought in the Amendments to the Bill for Sale of Forests,
The Names of Officers to be inserted into the Bill: Which
were now read; viz. Edward Cressett, Wm. Webb, Josias
Berners, John Parker, Henry Pitts, Robert Aldworth,
Francis Mussenden, Trustees; Ralph Hall, Surveyor
General-Register; Wm. Benson, Register-Accomptant;
Charles Deoyly, Colonel Mathew Shepherd, Treasurers.
Resolved, by the Parliament, That Edward Cressett
Esquire be one of the Trustees.
Resolved, That Wm. Webb Esquire be one of the Trustees.
Resolved, That Josias Berners Esquire be one of the
Trustees.
Resolved, That John Parker Esquire be one of the
Trustees.
Resolved, That Henry Pitt Esquire be one of the
Trustees.
Resolved, That Robert Aldworth Esquire be one of
the Trustees.
Resolved, That Francis Mussenden Esquire be one of
the Trustees.
Resolved, That Ralph Hall be Surveyor-General and
Register in this Bill.
Resolved, That Wm. Benson be Register-Accomptant.
Resolved, That Charles Doyley shall be one of the
Treasurers.
Resolved, That Colonel Mathew Shepherd be the other
of the Treasurers.
Resolved, That there be Two Treasurers, and no more.
Resolved, That the Quorum of the Trustees shall be
Four.
The Question being put, That these Words, Folio 4th,
Line the 4th, beginning with these Words, "so as,"
unto the Word "so," in the 8th Line, do stand in the
Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
The Question being put, That the Clause, beginning,
Page 7th, Line 14th, with "Provided also, " and ending
with these Words, "Demand thereunto," in the 9th
Line of the 8th Folio, do stand in the Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
The Question being put, That these Words, Folio 8th,
Line 11th, "by virtue of such Offices," do stand in the
Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
The Question being put, That the Clause, Line 11th,
of the 8th Folio, beginning in these Words, "that claim
any Right," unto the Words, "all Persons," Line 15,
of the same Folio, do stand in the Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
Resolved, That in the 8th Instruction of the Trustees, these
Words be inserted, "under Fourteen Years Purchase."
Resolved, That the next Blank, in that Instruction, be
filled with "Seven and a Half Years Purchase."
Resolved, That the Third Blank, in that Instruction,
be filled with "Four and a Half Years Purchase."
The Question being put, That the Fourth Blank be
filled with "Three and a Half Years."
It passed in the Negative.
Then the Question being put, For "Three Years after
Twenty-one;"
It passed in the Affirmative.
So it was Resolved, That the Fourth Blank be filled
with "Three Years."
Resolved, That the next Blank be filled with "Seven
Years Purchase, after one Life."
Resolved, That the next Blank be filled with "Four
Years, after two Lives."
Resolved, That the next Blank be filled with "Two
and a Half Years, after Three Lives."
Resolved, That the Sum to be borrowed upon the
Security of these Lands, be 400,000£.
The Question being put, That the Blank, in the 4th
Line of the 34 Folio, be filled up with these Words,
"Three-pence in the Pound;"
It passed in the Negative.
The Question being put, That these Words, in the
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Lines of the 34 Folio, viz.
"other than the upon the Pound, hereafter
mentioned, payable to the Trustees and other Officers
upon each Contract," do stand in the Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
Resolved, That the Blank in the 20th Line of the 35
Folio, be filled with "One hundred Pounds, to be
allowed to the Clerks and Tellers Extraordinary."
Resolved, That the Blank in the last Line of the same
Folio, be filled with "Fifty Pounds."
Resolved, That the Blank, in the Fourth Line of 37
Folio, be filled with "Ten Days."
The Question being put, That the Clause, beginning
with these Words, "And be it," in the 14th Line of the
44 Folio, and ending with this Word, "accordingly," in
the Third Line of the next Folio, do stand in the Bill;
It passed in the Negative.
The Question being put, That the Salary for the Trustees
shall be three hundred Pounds a Year apiece;
It passed with the Negative.
Resolved, That the Salaries for the Trustees shall be
Two hundred Pounds by the Year to each of them.
Resolved, That the Salary of the Treasurers shall be
Two hundred Pounds a Year to each.
Resolved, That the Salary of the Register Accomptant
shall be One hundred and Fifty Pounds a Year.
Resolved, That this Clause following be inserted, in the
14 Line of the 44 Folio, instead of that which is omitted;
viz. "And be it Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid,
That the said Trustees, for their Pains and Service in the
Premises, shall have allowed to every of them the yearly
Salary of Two hundred Pounds: And the said Treasurers shall be allowed, unto each of them, the yearly
Salary of Two hundred Pounds: And that the said
Register-Accomptant shall have and receive, for himself,
the yearly Salary of One hundred and Fifty Pounds: All
and every which said Salaries shall be paid and defalked
by the said Treasurers on the 24th Day of June, and
the 24th of December, yearly, by equal Portions, upon
Warrant from the said Trustees, or any Four or more of
them; the first Payment to be made on the 24th Day of
June 1654.
Resolved, That this Act be ingrossed.