April 1648: An Ordinance for the better payment of Tythes and Duties to the Ministers of the City of London.

April, 1648

[4 April, 1648.]

Repeal of a Proviso in an Ordinance of 8 Nov. 1644.; All Ordinances concerning tythes shall extend to the City of London and Liberties.; This Ordinance not to extend to any other kind of Tythes or Duties, then such as have been paid since the beginning of this Parliament, or two years before.

Whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament of the eighth of November, Anno Dom. 1644, entituled, an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the true payment of Tythes and other such Duties, according to the Laws and Customes of the Realm, there is a Proviso, That the said Ordinance, or any thing therein contained, shall not extend to any Tythes, Offerings, Yearly payments, or other Ecclesiastical Duties, due or to be due for any Houses, Buildings, or other Hereditaments within the City of London, or the Liberties thereof, which be otherwise provided for by Act of Parliament: And whereas some doubt and scruple hath been made, whether the Lord Mayor of the said City of London be sufficiently authorized to relieve such Ministers within the said City or the Liberties thereof, as have been put into any Benefice or Ecclesiastical Living by way of Sequestration by both or either Houses of Parliament, or by the Committee for Plundered Ministers, or any other Committee of Parliament; Be it therefore Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That the said Proviso in the before-mentioned Ordinance of the Eighth of November, 1644. be hereby Repealed, and wholly made Null and Void; And that the said Ordinance of the Eighth of November, 1644. and the Ordinance of the Ninth of August 1647, entituled, An additional Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the true payment of Tythes and other Duties; and the Ordinance of the Three and twentieth of August, 1647. entituled, An Ordinance for keeping in Godly Ministers, placed in Livings by Authority of Parliament; And all other Ordinances of Parliament, concerning the payment of Tythes, Rates for Tythes, Rents, or other Duties, do extend unto the said City of London, and the Liberties thereof, and be put in Execution by the Lord Major of the said City for the time being, or by any two Justices of Peace within the said City or Liberties thereof, who are hereby authorized and required respectively, to require and command the Aid of all Constables and other Officers, that shall be by the said Lord Major or Justices of Peace as aforesaid appointed for their assistance in the due execution of this Ordinance, as well within their several Parishes or Precincts, as without, as well in cases of Sequestration as otherwise, to all intents and purposes, and in the like manner, as in and by the said Ordinances is Ordained, Limited, and Appointed to be executed and done in any other Place or Places within the Kingdome of England, by the respective Justices of Peace, and other Officers in the said Ordinances mentioned.

Provided, That this Ordinance, or any thing therein contained, shall not be construed to extend to the payment of any other kind of Tythes, Payments, Rents or Duties, then such as have been paid at any time since the beginning of this Parliament, or two years before.