September, 1659: An Act for the Continuance of the Customs and Excise.

September, 1659

[28 September, 1659.]

Excise and Customs continued from 30 Sept. to 1 Jan. next.

Be it Enacted, and it is hereby Enacted and Declared by this present Parliament and the Authority thereof, That the Duties and Revenue of the Excize and New Impost, Customs and Subsidies, shall be, and are hereby continued to be paid by every person and persons within this Commonwealth, from and after the Thirtieth day of September, One thousand six hundred fifty nine, until the first day of January next ensuing, in such maner, and according to such Rules, Rates and Proportions, as the same were paid or payable at any time within Six Moneths next before the Sixth day of May last past, or any time since: And that all Acts, Ordinances, Orders and Powers made and exercised under any Authority or Power whatsoever, for or concerning the Paying, Collecting, Levying and Enforcing the said Duties before the Sixth day of May last past, or any time since, are hereby Enacted, Appointed and Declared to be, and shall be in full force for Paying, Levying, Collecting and bringing in the said Duties with all their arrears, to all intents and purposes, and in as large and ample maner, as if the same had been Enacted and made by Authority of this present Parliament.

Names of Commissioners of Customs.; Names of Commissioners of Excise.; Sub-Commissioners and other officers continued.

And it is further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That William Harrington, Richard Downs, John Ireton Esq; John White and Richard Baker, Esqs; or any two or more of them, and no others, are and shall be Commissioners and Collectors for the said Duties of Customs and Subsidies, and by themselves, their Deputy or Deputies to manage and Collect the same, in such maner, and according to such Authorities and Powers, as in the said Acts, Ordinances, Orders and Powers are set forth, limited and appointed, and shall retain unto themselves out of the Receipts thereof, the sum of Two pence in the pound, for their Salaries and Pains therein: And that Thomas Atkins Alderman of London, Thomas Bulstrode, John Pargiter, Benjamin Goodwin and Thomas Lenthal, Esqs, or any two or more of them, and no others, be, and are hereby Constituted and Appointed Commissioners and Governors of the Excize and New Impost, to all intents to Govern and Manage the same according to the Authorities and Powers aforesaid; And shall have, retain, and take to their own use, out of the Receipt thereof, the sum of Two pence in the pound for their Salary: And that all and every the Sub-Commissioners, and other inferior Officers and Persons which were imployed upon the Seven and twentieth day of September, One thousand six hundred fifty nine, for Managing Collecting, and Levying the said Duties and Revenue, shall remain and continue in their several Imployments in such maner, and under such Regulations, Alterations, and Controls, as by the said Acts, Ordinances, and Powers is declared and appointed. And Col. William White, Luke Robinson, Adam Bains, Doctor William Parker, and John Jackson, Esquires, or any three or more of them, and no others, are hereby Authorized and Impowred to exercise and put in Execution, all and every the Acts, Ordinances, Orders, Declarations and Powers, for the Paying, Collecting or Levying the said Duties and all Arrears thereof from time to time; and for Indempnity relating to all Officers Imployed, or which shall be Imployed in and about the same, in as full and ample maner as any Committee of Parliament, for regulating the Excise, Committee for the Navy, Commissioners for Appeals, or Committee for Preservation of the Customs were appointed to do, or might have done.

Allowances for salaries

And it is further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Col. William White, Luke Robinson, Adam Bains, Doctor William Parker, and John Jackson, Esquires, shall receive the sum of one Peny in the Pound, out of the receipt of the said duties of Customs and Subsidies; and the like sum of one Peny in the pound out of the receipt of the Excise and New Impost, for their Salaries and Pains, which shall be paid from time to time by the Commissioners of the Customs and Excise respectively.

Merchants to have no more credit till arrears of import accounts discharged.

Provided nevertheless, and be it Enacted and Declared by the Authority of the present Parliament, That from and after the first day of November, in the year one thousand six hundred fifty nine, no Merchant or Importer whatsoever, that hath or shall have any Import Accompt, depending in the Office of Excise, within the Port of London, or in any the Out-ports of this Commonwealth for Goods and Merchandizes formerly entred, who shall refuse or neglect from time to time to clear his said Accompts, when duly summoned and required thereunto by the Commissioners for the Excise and New Impost, or their Sub-Commissioners respectively, within their several divisions (as by the Laws of Excise they are directed and enjoyned) be permitted or allowed by the said Commissioners or Sub-Commissioners to have any further Credit for the said Duty, until he or they respectively shall have duly cleared and balanced all their Accompts in relation to the Excise: But all and every such Merchants and Importers shall pay the Excise for all Goods, Merchandizes and Commodities he or they shall Import from time to time, upon the first entry, until they shall have fully cleared and payed in the arrears and ballance of their Accompts as aforesaid, Any Law, Statute, Ordinance, Custom or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

What powers shall be exercised

Provided always, and it is hereby Declared, That no other Powers or Authorities shall be exercised by any Justice or Justices of the Peace whatsoever, for the Levying or Paying of any the Penalties, Fines or Forfeitures, set or imposed for or concerning the duty of Excise or New Impost, other then such Powers as are mentioned and contained in one Act of this present Parliament, Entituled, An Act for the speedy Raising and Levying of Moneys, by way of New-Impost or Excise, but that the Commissioners and Sub-Commissioners of Excise and New Impost put the same Powers in execution they did, might or ought to have done, by virtue of the said Act or any other Act or Ordinance of this present Parliament, Anything to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

Amount of Customs on tin and fishery.

Provided nevertheless, and be it Enacted and Declared by this Parliament and the Authority thereof, That such Customs and Impost be Imposed and taken for, or upon the Tynne and Fishery of this Commonwealth, as have heretofore been Imposed or taken by Authority of this Parliament, at, or before the twentieth day of April, in the year one thousand six hundred fifty three, and no other, Anything in this Act, or in any other Act or Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.