December 1650: Commissions and Instructions.

December, 1650

[25 December, 1650.]

The Parliament of England doe enact and ordaine and be it by authority of Parliament Enacted and ordained that Oliver Cromwell Lt. Gen. and Gen. Governor of Ireland, Henry Ireton Deputy Gen. of Ireland, Edmond Ludlowe Esqr., Lt. Gen. of the horse in Ireland, Miles Corbett Esqr. John Jones Esqr. and John Weaver Esqr. Commissioners of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England or any three or more of them, are hereby authorized and required, to assesse and lay upon the Countys, Cittys and Townes of Ireland for and towards ye maintenance of the fforces there such monthly tax and Assessment as they shall finde the Condicion of those respective places will and may well beare not exceeding the sume of thirty thousand pounds by the Month, to be rated taxed and leavyed in such manner as they shall finde most expedient to begin from the first day of March 1650. And they or any three or more of them are hereby authorized and required to appoint such Commissioners Treasurers, Collectors, Assessors or other persons, as they shall finde fitt and necessary, for the assessing leavying and collecting thereof And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That the said Commissioners or any three or more of them as aforesaid shall and may have power and are hereby authorized and enabled to administer such oath and oathes as are requisite to be administered in the Execucion of the power hereby given them, to any person or persons within the said Dominion of Ireland in all matters and causes or Complaints comeing and appeareing before them. And likewise have power to send for parties, witnesses, papers and Records and to committ to prison all such persons as they shall finde and Judge to be dangerous or Enemys to the Commonwealth of England or Dominion of Ireland. And be it further Enacted That all the Lawes Ordinances and Acts of Parliament now in fforce for Sequestracion of Papists and Delinquents Estates, for the assessing, collecting, and leavying the duties of custome Tonnadge poundage or Excize within England, shall be and are hereby declared to be in force in Ireland. And that the said Commissioners or any three of them as aforesaid shall and may and are hereby required and authorized, as well by themselves, as by such other person or persons as they shall appoint to putt or cause to be putt the same in Execucion. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That the sevall Lawes, Ordinances and Acts of Parliament now in force in England and made and established by this present Parliament for the punishment of Treasons, Felony Drunkennesse, Adultery, Incest, fornicacion, profanacion of the Lords day, blasphemy, perjury, prophanesweareing and curseing, the abolishing of the hierarchy and the Service Booke, commonly called the booke of Common prayer. An Act for abolishing the Kingly Office in England Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging. An Act prohibiting the pro claimeing of any person to be Kinge of England or Ireland or the Dominions thereof. An Act for repeale of the Sewall clauses in the Statutes of Primo Eliz and Tertio Iacobi toucheing the oathes of allegiance obedience and supremacy, and an Act concerning Oathes to Mayors and other officers shall be and are hereby declared to be in fforce in Ireland. And the said Commissioners or any three of them as aforesaid may and are hereby required and authorized, as well by themselves as such other person and persons as they shall appoint to put and cause the same to be putt in Execucion. And the said Commissioners or any three or more of them as aforesaid shall and may and are hereby required and authorized to putt in Execucion and cause to be duely executed all and every the Instrucions and powers seuerally given to them by the Parliament or Councel of State appointed by their Authority. Provided that this Act continue for the space of three yeares from the first of January, One thousand six hundred and fifty and noe longer.