December, 1659: An Act for further Continuance of the Excize and Customs.

December, 1659

[27 December, 1659.]

Excise and Customs to continue till 1 March, 1659.

Be it Enacted, and it is hereby Enacted and Declared by this present Parliament, and the Authority thereof, That the Duties and Revenue of Excize, and New Impost, Customs and Subsidies, shall be, and are hereby continued to be paid by every Person and Persons within the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Islands and Territories to them or any of them belonging, from and after the one and thirtieth day of December, One thousand six hundred fifty and nine, until the First day of March, 1659. in such manner 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 in full force for Paying, Levying, Collecting, and Bringing in the said Duties, with all their Arrears, to all Intents and Purposes, 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.; Their salary.; Sub-Commissioners and inferior officers continued.

And it is further Enacted and Declared, by the Authority aforesaid, That William Harrington, John White, James Wainwright Esquires, Mr. George Foxcroft, and Mr. Alderman Love now one of the Sheriffs of London, 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 manner, 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 Tho. Atkins Alderman of London, Tho. Bulstrode, Jo. Pargeter, Benjamin Goodwin and Thomas Lenthall, Esquires, or any Two or more of them, and no others be, and are hereby Constituted and Appointed Commissioners and Governours of the Excise 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 Inferiour Officers and Persons which were imployed upon the Six and twentieth day of December, One thousand six hundred fifty and nine, for Managing and Collecting the said Duties and Revenue, shall remain and continue, in their several Imployments in such manner, and under such Regulations, Alterations and Controles, as by the said Acts, Ordinances and Powers, is Declared and Appointed. And Colonel William White, Luke Robinson, Adam Baines, 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 and Persons imployed, or which shall be imployed, in and about the same, in as full and ample manner as any Committee of Parliament, for Regulating the Excise, Committee for the Navy, Commissioners for Appeals, or Committee for Preservation of the Customes, were appointed to do, or might have done. And it is further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Colonel William White, Luke Robinson, Adam Baines, 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 Customes 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 this present Parliament, That 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 Excise and New Impost, or their Sub-Commissioners respectively, within their several Divisions (as by the Laws of Excise they are 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 duely cleared and ballanced 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 paid in the Arrears and Ballance of their Accompts as aforesaid, Any Law, Statute, Ordinance, Custome or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

What powers to be exercised.

Provided always, and it is hereby Declared, That no Powers or Authorities shall be Exercised by any Justice or Justices of the Peace whatsoever, for the Levying or paying of any of 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 vertue of the said Act, or any other Act or Ordinance of this present Parliament, Anything to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

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; and upon Tynne and Fishery of this Common-wealth, 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: Any thing in this Act, or in any other Act or Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.