May, 1646

[23 May, 1646.]

Whereas the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled have, by their Ordinance of the 18th of October, 1644 (which in some printed Copies is dated the 16th October, 1644), intituled "An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for an Assessment, through the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, for the present Relief of the British Army in Ireland," Ordained, That a Weekly Assessment should be had, made, and levied, through the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, for the Relief of the Army in Ireland, to commence from the First Day of September then last past, and to continue for One whole Year, as by the said Ordinance more at large appeareth; and whereas the said Lords and Commons have, by another Ordinance, dated the 15th of August, 1645, Ordained and Declared, That the fore-mentioned Ordinance of the 18th of October, 1644, for laying the said Weekly Assessment for One whole Year, should, after the Time limited therein for Continuance thereof, be revived and have Continuance for the Space of Six Months longer, to commence the First of November, 1645, and to end the last of April, 1646, with the Alterations Limitations and Provisos therein mentioned: And whereas, by another Ordinance, of the 9th of March, 1645, the said Lords and Commons have Ordained, That the said Weekly Assessment, first to be rated, taxed, and levied, for One whole Year, by the aforesaid Ordinance of the 18th of October, 1644; sithence revived and continued by another Ordinance of the 15th of August, 1645, for Six Months longer, to commence the First of November, 1645, and end the last of April, 1646; shall, after the Times limited in those Ordinances, have Continuance for the Space of Six Months longer, to commence the First Day of May, 1646, and to end the last of October then next following; to be assessed, levied, collected, and paid, according to the true Intent and Meaning of the aforesaid Ordinances, as in and by the said Ordinances, to which relation being had, it doth and may more at large appear.

Now, for the more speedy levying, and more certain bringing in, the said Assessments, and of all such Monies and Arrears as are yet behind and not assessed, uncollected, and not paid in, upon the said Ordinances, or any of them; it is further Ordered and Declared, by the said Lords and Commons, That the said Ordinances, and every Clause and Thing therein contained, the several Taxes and Payments therein expressed, and the Power and Authority thereby given and appointed to all and every the Committees and Persons named in the said Ordinances, or any of them, or herein to be appointed, with such further Restrictions, Power, and Limitations, as are herein further given and granted, mentioned and contained, shall be of Force, and continue, for the respective Time and Times therein limited, to all Intents and Purposes as if the same had been at first made to have Continuance for Two whole Years as aforesaid.

And forasmuch as the respective Times of the said Two former Ordinances are near elapsed and expired, and much of the Monies ordained to have been assessed and collected thereupon are in Arrear, and yet unpaid; therefore it is now further Ordained, That the said respective Ordinances, shall continue in full Force and Effect, after the Expiration of the respective Time and Times therein limited, for and until all and every the said Monies therein respectively ordained to be assessed, levied, and collected, shall be so assessed, levied, collected, satisfied, and paid; and that the Committee of the Lords and Commons for the Affairs of Ireland, appointed by Ordinance of the First of July last past, and the Treasurers in the said Ordinances of the 15th of August and Ninth of March respectively mentioned, or any Five or more of them, whereof Three of them at least to be Members of the Houses of Parliament, shall and may proceed to act, execute, perform, and do, all and every such Act and Acts, Thing and Things, and exercise such Power and Authority, as the said Committee of Lords and Commons appointed by the Ordinance of the First of July last might have done, for bringing in the said Assessments; and shall have and use such other Power and Authority in the Premises as at any Time or Times heretofore hath been given or granted, acted, made, or done, or might lawfully have been acted, made, or done, by any Committee and Committees, Person or Persons, trusted and authorized by any Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament, for causing and compelling the assessing, collecting, levying, receiving, and paying in, of the Monies Ordered and Ordained to be assessed, levied, and received, for Maintenance of the Armies under the Command of His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfàx Knight, or of the Scottish Army in England, by the Committee of Gouldsmiths Hall, to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes whatsoever, as if all and every the Intitulings, Dates, Contents, and Effects, of all and every the said respective Orders and Ordinances for those Purposes had been herein particularly mentioned and expressed; so as the Person of no Peer of this Realm shall, by virtue of this Ordinance, be proceeded against, but shall stand exempt from the same.

And be it further Ordained, That all and every Person and Persons named and appointed Committees, in the several Counties of this Kingdom and Dominion of Wales, for raising Monies, maintaining the Forces under the Command of the said Sir Thomas Fairfax, as all others who are nominated Committees of Parliament, for settling the Militia, sequestering of Malignants Estates, or regulating the Affairs in the several and respective Counties of this Kingdom and Dominion of Wales (not being already named in the said Ordinances respectively), shall be added to the Committees therein named for this Service.

And be it further Ordained, That the Allowances hereafter mentioned be the Allowances which shall be given and taken for such as shall be employed in bringing in, keeping, and paying out, of the said Monies which are not yet brought in, upon the said Ordinances of the said 15th of August and 9th of March 1645; (videlicet,) for the Treasurers named in the said Ordinance, Three Pence upon the Pound; for the Keeper of the Cheque, One Half-penny; for the several High Collectors and Subcollectors, to be divided betwixt them by the respective Committees, Three Pence; for the Agents to be employed in dispersing the said several Ordinances, and other Services and Solicitations for getting in those Monies, Six Pence; and to the Clerks of the Committees of the several Counties and Places where the said Monies are payable, a Half-penny; the several Allowances aforesaid to be made, by the said Treasurers, out of each Twenty Shillings which shall be paid to them at Grocers Hall, upon the said Several Ordinances last mentioned.

And whereas Ten Thousand Pounds in English Money is forthwith to be advanced by the said Treasurers, and Thirty Thousand Pounds in Pieces of Eight, within the Month of June next, for the Service of Ireland; the said Pieces of Eight to be accounted valued at Five Shillings Sterling each Piece, and to weigh Seventeen Penny Weight apiece at least; be it further Ordained, That the said Ten Thousand Pounds in English Money, and Thirty Thousand Pounds in Pieces of Eight, to be advanced as aforesaid, being paid unto such Person or Persons, and in such Manner, as by the said Committee of Lords and Commons for the Affairs of Ireland, by the Consent of the Lord Lieutenant of the same, shall be Ordered, and the same testified by Acquittance or Acquittances of such Person or Persons as shall receive the Monies so Ordered; that then the said Treasurers be hereby authorized and enabled to re-pay and reimburse to themselves, or to any other who shall lend any Monies towards the Advance of the said Forty Thousand Pounds, with Interest for the said Ten Thousand Pounds in English Money, after the Rate of Eight per Centum per Annum; which Interest for the said Ten Thousand Pounds the said Treasurers are hereby authorized to take and re-pay to themselves, or any other who shall advance the same, or any Part thereof, at the End of every Six Months, for so long Time as the Ten Thousand Pounds shall remain unpaid; and that the several Lenders of the said Forty Thousand Pounds, their Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, shall be reimbursed and repaid the said Sum of Forty Thousand Pounds, and the Interest of the said Ten Thousand Pounds after the Rate aforesaid, and in Time as aforesaid, out of the First Monies that shall be assessed, had, levied, collected, paid, or brought in, upon all or any of the said Assessments, made, or to be made, upon or by virtue of the said Ordinances of the 15th of August and the 9th of March, or either of them, upon the Cities of London and Westminster, the Counties of Middlesex, Kent, Essex, Sussex, Hertford, Cambridge, Isle of Ely, Suffolk, Norfolk. Huntingdon, Bucks, Beds. Northampton, and Surrey, and the Cities, Towns Corporate, and Places, within those Counties, after the Sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds be first raised and levied, by virtue of the said Ordinances of the 15th of August and 9th of March last; and the said Thirty Thousand Pounds being so raised and levied the said Thirty Thousand Pounds in Pieces of Eight so to be lent shall be next paid and satisfied; and after the Payment thereof, then the Ten Thousand Pounds, with the Interest which shall be then due, shall be also satisfied and paid as aforesaid; And if there shall be a Failure of Payment of the said Forty Thousand Pounds, and the Interest of the said Ten Thousand Pounds, at such Rate as aforesaid, or any Part of the same, out of the Assessments and Collections hereby appointed for the Payment thereof; it is hereby Ordained, that so much thereof as shall be unpaid at the End of Twelve Months after the passing of this present Ordinance shall, together with Interest for the same, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum by the Year, be satisfied and paid out of such Receipts and Monies as both Houses of Parliament shall appoint, who do hereby undertake the Payment thereof accordingly.

And to the End the full Benefit of the fore-recited and all former Ordinances, in which any Money hath been appointed to be raised for the Service of the State in Relation to the War in Ireland, may solely redound and be applied unto the right End, namely, for carrying on of the War in the said Kingdom of Ireland; be it lastly hereby Ordained, That all Monies raised, and to be raised, by virtue of all or any the Ordinances of Parliament before-mentioned, shall be paid in unto, and received by, the respective Treasurers in the said several Ordinances mentioned, and no other; and that neither the Committee appointed by Ordinance of Parliament for taking or receiving the general Accompts of the Kingdom, nor any Sub-committee by their Direction or Appointment, nor any other Person or Persons other than the Treasurers in the said respective Ordinances mentioned, shall intermeddle with, take, or receive, any Part of the said Monies, by virtue of any the Ordinances before-mentioned, assessed, levied, or raised, or to be assessed, levied, or raised, for the Service of the State, in carrying on the War in the said Kingdom of Ireland.