December 1642: An Ordinance Made for the better and more speedy execution, of the late Ordinance of the 29 Nov. 1642.

December 1642

[14 December, 1642.]

Assessors to appoint Collectors.; Persons too highly assessed to have Rebatement.; Penalty for a false declaratio; Assessors and Collectors not liable for overvaluation, unless corruption proved.

Whereas according to an Ordinance and Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament of the 29th November last, the persons whose names are subscribed are appointed, and since approved of, by both Houses of Parliament, to be Assessors and Collectors of It is now ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, And the said persons, are hereby required and authorized, upon the receipt of this order, forthwith to proceed, effectually and diligently, to execute the said Ordinance according to the tenor thereof in every behalfe, without omission, favour, dread, malice, or any other thing, to be attempted by them or any of them, to the contrary thereof: And for that end; It is further Ordained and Declared: That the said Assessors, shall hereby have authority to call before them, as well such persons, as they shall think fit to theire assistance: As also, all or any such persons as are to be assessed. And the said Assessors shall appoint the said Collectors, in their severall Divisions and Precincts for gathering the sums that shall be assessed; And give notice of the summe and summes of money, at which every person, in their divisions and precincts shall be particularly assessed. And whereas it is expressed, in the said Ordinance (So as the assessment exceed not the twentieth part of the estates of the persons to be assessed) It is hereby declared, for prevention of all inequality in the said assessment: That if the said Assessors, or any foure of them, proceeding in their Assessment according to their Judgments, and best Information, shall assess any person above the twentieth part of his estate; And that the person so assessed, doth find himselfe grieved, with the same assessing or rating: that then the party so assessed, (paying one moiety of the summe he shall be assessed at, within six dayes next after assessment, and notice thereof given, or left, at the dwelling-house of the party so assessed) may, (during six daies, after his having paid the said moiety as aforesaid) have liberty, and may addresse himselfe for remedy and reliefe, unto the persons nominated by the said Ordinance, to nominate the said assessors, or any foure of them, and may tender his voluntary Oath, or Protestation, to such persons, that he is over-rated and of the true value of his estate (if he please) and after due examination, and perfect knowledge thereof had, and perceived; The said Persons authorized to nominate assessors as aforesaid, or any foure of them, shall hereby have power to Order such abatement of the said assessment according as shall appear unto them just, and equall upon the same examination. And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, that the person so assessed and sworne, shall within three days next after the Order of abatement, in that behalfe made, pay unto, or be repaid by the Treasurers who received the other moiety of such assessment, such summe or summes of money, as by the said Order of abatement, shall be appointed; and in case the said person, so sworne and assessed, shall not pay within the said three dayes, next after Order of abatement made, the summe thereby ordered to be paid, That then the same summe shall be recovered by distresse, or otherwise, as is provided in the said Ordinance of the 29 of November last, (in case the summes assessed shall not be paid into the Guild-hall, London, according to the true meaning of the same) And if it be proved by witnesses, or by the parties owne confession, or other lawfull wayes or means, within six months after any such Oath made, that the same person so rated, and sworne, was of any better or greater estate, in Lands, Goods, or other things above specified, at the time of the making the said Ordinance, than the said person so sworne, did declare upon his oath, That then, every person so offending, shall lose and forfeit, so much lawfull money of England, as he, the same person so sworne, was first assessed at, or taxed to pay by vertue of the Ordinance aforesaid: To be recovered by distresse, or otherwise, as is provided, in the said Ordinance of the 29 November last, (in case the summes of money to be assessed by vertue of the said Ordinance shall not be paid into the Guild-hall, London, according to the true meaning of the same) And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, That the said Assessors and Collectors shall incurre no damage by reason of their overvaluing the estate of any person assessed, or to be assessed, or recovering or receiving the same, by vertue of the Ordinance aforesaid, unlesse some corruption or indirect carriage therein shall be proved in Parliament against them.