William and Mary, 1690: An Act for Appointing and Enabling Commissioners to Examine Take and State the Publicke Accounts -of the Kingdome. [Chapter XI. Rot. Parl. pt. 3. nu. 10.]

Reasons for passing this Act.

Commissioners appointed to take the Accounts of the Public Revenue in the Receipt of the Exchequer; and of Monies in the Hands of Receiver General; and of £412,925 14s. 6d. granted by 1 W. & M. Sess. 1. c. 13. c. 14. c. 20. c. 24. c. 28.; and by 1 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 3.; c. 1. c. 5.; c. 6.; c. 7.; and by a W. & M. Sess. 1. c. 2.; c. 4.; and by 2 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 1.; c. 3.; c. 4.; c. 5.; and of Prizes taken during the War; and of Crown Lands and all other Branches of the Revenue; and of the public Stores; and of Ships, Yachts, Money, Provisions, &c. in the Naval and Military Service.

Whereas many great Revenues Sum[m]s of Money and Provisions have beene Expended Granted Raised and Assigned for the necessary Support of Their Majesties Government and the Warr against France and the Reduceing of Ireland since the Fifth day of November One thousand six hundred eighty and eight on which day the Kings Majestie (being then Prince of Orange) Landed in England Wherefore to the intent that Their Majesties and this Kingdome may be satisfyed and truely informed whether all the same Revenues Moneys and Provisions have beene faithfully Issued out Disposed Ordered and Expended for the Ends and Purposes aforesaid And that Their Majestyes Loyall Subjects may thereby be incouraged more chearfully to undergoe the like Burthens for the Support of Your Majesties Government and for the further Prosecution of the present Warr against France and the Reduceing of Ireland Bee it Enacted by the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authoritie of the same That Sir Robert Rich Knight and Baronet Sir Thomas Clarges Knight Paul Foley Esquire Collonell Robert Austen Sir Mathew Andrews Knight Sir Benjamin Newland Knight Sir Samuell Barnardiston Baronet Sir Peter Colliton Baronet and Robert Harley Esquire or any Five or more of them shall and are hereby Constituted Commissioners for takeing of the Accounts of all Moneys of the Publick Revenues of the Crowne which were in the Receipt of Their Majestyes Exchequer on the said Fifth day of November One thousand six hundred eighty and eight or at any time since have beene or shall be before the Power and Authority for the takeing and examineing of these Accounts be determined and of all Arrears thereof And of all such Moneys then and at any time before the determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid in the hands of the Reciever Generall or Cashiers of the Customs Excise or Hearth money And of the Summe of Foure hundred and twelve thousand nine hundred twenty five pounds fourteene shillings and six pence granted to Their Majesties by one Act of the first Session of the late Parlyament Entituled An Act for the Granting a Present Aid to Their Majesties And of the Money collected recieved and paid or payable into the Exchequer by one Act Intituled An Act for Raising Money by a Poll and otherwise towards the Reduceing of Ireland And by one other Act Intituled An Act for Preventing Doubts and Questions concerning the Collecting the Publicke Revenue And by one other Act Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majesties of an Aid of Twelve pence in the Pound for One Yeare for the necessary Defence of the Realms And of one other Act Entituled An Act for an Additionall Duty of Excise upon Beere Ale and other Liquors And one other Act For Appropriating certaine Duties for Paying the States Generall of the United Provinces their Charges for His Majesties Expedition into this Kingdome and for other Uses And of one other Act of the second Session of the said Parliament Entituled An Act for Preventing all Doubts and Questions concerning the Collecting the Publicke Revenue And of one other Act Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majestyes of an Aid of Two shillings in the Pound for One Yeare And of one other Act of the same Session of Parlyament Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majesties of an Additionall Aid of Twelve pence in the Pound for One Yeare And of one Act Entituled An Act for the Charging and Collecting the Duties upon Coffee Tea and Chocolate And one other Act Entituled An Act for Review of the late Poll granted to Their Majesties and for an Additionall Poll towards the Reduceing of Ireland And by one other Act Entituled An Act for Raising Money by a Poll and otherwise towards the Reduceing c. 3. of Ireland and Prosecuteing the War against France And by one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to Their Majesties for their Lives and the Life of the Survivour of them certaine Impositions upon Beere Ale and other Liquors And one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to Their Majesties a Subsidie of Tonnage and Poundage and other Summes of Money payable upon Merchandize Exported and Imported. And by one other Act Act of this present Session of Parlyament Intituled An Act for granting an Aid to Their Majesties of the Summe of Sixteene hundred fifty one thousand seven hundred and two pounds eighteene shillings And by one other Act Entituled An Act for Doubling the Duty of Excise upon Beere Ale and other Liquors dureing the space of One Yeare And by one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to Their Majesties certaine Impositions upon all East India Goods and Manufactures and upon all wrought Silks and severall other Goods and Merchandize to be Imported after the Five and twentyeth day of December One thousand six hundred and ninety And by one other Act Entituled An Act for the continuance of severall former Acts therein mentioned for the Laying severall Duties upon Wines Vinegar and Tobacco and of such Prizes as have beene taken dureing the present Warr at any time since the said Fifth day of November and shall be taken before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid for Their Majestyes use and of the Money paid for any such Prizes to any Reciever or other Persons Authorized to recieve the same or otherwise And of all the Crowne-Lands First Fruits and Tenths of the Clergy Wine-Licences Fines Forfeitures and of all other Branches of the Revenue of the Crowne and all other Publicke Moneys whatsoever that by any wayes or means whatsoever have since the said Fifth day of November One thousand six hundred eighty and eight arisen beene granted collected ordered recieved or raised Or at any time or by any wayes or means whatsoever shall arise be granted collected ordered received or grow due before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid by any Person or Persons whatsoever And how and in what manner and by whome and to whome the same have beene ordered paid or disposed And alsoe for takeing Accounts of all Their Majestyes Stores Provisions Habiliments of Warr as well for Land as Sea Service in the Tower or in any other of Their Majestyes Garrisons Storehouses Yards or elsewhere as were upon the said Fifth day of November or at any time since have beene or hereafter shall be before the Determination of the Power and Authoritie aforesaid And to sett downe what numbers of Shipps Yachts or Boates were on the said Fifth day of November or at any time since have beene or shall be before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid belonging to Their Majestyes And what Summe or Summes of Money Provisions Victualls Stores and other things whatsoever have beene Provided Issued Paid or Assigned at any time since the said Fifth day of November or at any time shall be before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid for or towards the Payment Use or Maintenance of any of Their Majesties Land Forces in England or Ireland or elsewhere or Their Forces by Sea and the numbers of them respectively And for and towards the Building Repairs Fitting Furnishing or Setting out to Sea any of the Shipps or Navyes employed at any time since the said Fifth day of November and before the Determination of the Power aforesaid

II. Officers of the Exchequer, Officers of the Ordnance, and of the Public Stores and Treasury, to observe Orders of Commissioners for taking the said Accounts.

And for the better enableing the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them to take the said Accounts Bee it further Enacted That the Auditor of the Receipt otherwise called the writer of the Tallys of Their Majesties Exchequer and the Clerke of the Pells there for the time being and all other the Officers Auditors Tellers Chamberlain and Ministers of the Exchequer and the Receipt thereof and the Secretary at Warr and Treasurer at Warr Mustermaster and Paymaster of Their Majestyes Land Forces in England and Ireland by what Name or Names they or any of them are called or distinguished And all Treasurers Receivers Paymasters Principall Officers and Commissioners of the Navy and Ordnance respectively And all Officers and Keepers of Their Majesties Stores and Yards and all and every other Person or Persons whatsoever Employed as Commissioner or Commissioners or otherwise in or about the Treasury or in the management ordering paying recieving or disposing of Their Majesties Treasure Revenues Provisions Victualls or Stores of Warr or any part of the same and all and every other Person and Persons whatsoever whome the said Commissioners or any Five of them shall thinke [fitt (fn. 1) ] to Examine in order to the takeing of or inquireing into the Accounts aforesaid shall and are hereby Required to observe and execute such Orders and Directions as they or any Five or more of them shall by Writeing under their Hands Direct and Ordaine for and touching the takeing of the said Accounts and all things requisite for the Knowledge and Discovery thereof

III. Commissioners to meet in the Inner Court of Wards at Westminster;

and to send out their Precepts, &c.; and to administer an Oath; Officers to execute such Precepts.; Commissioners to employ Clerks, Messengers, and to give them Oath to execute their Duty.; Such Clerks, &c. to take nothing but their Salary.

And for the better Executing of this present Act the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them are hereby Authorized to Meete and Sitt from time to time in the Roomes called the Inner Court of Wards at Westminster or in any other Place where they shall thinke fitt with or without Adjournment and to send their Precept or Precepts for any other Person or Persons whatsoever and such Books Papers Writeings or Records as they shall judge necessary for their Information in all things relateing to the said Accounts and Matters aforesaid and to administer an Oath for the better discovery of the Truth of the Inquiries by them to be made to any Person or Persons therein concerned And all Bayliffes Constables Sheriffes and other Their Majestyes Officers are hereby Required to obey and execute such Orders and Precepts as shall be sent to them or any of them by the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them touching the said Accounts and Premisses And the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them are hereby authorized to appoint and employ such Clerks Messengers and Officers as they shall thinke meet and to give to every of the said Clerks and Officers an Oath for his true and faithfull demeanour in all things relateing to the Trust and performance thereof in him reposed by the said Com[m]issioners or any Five or more of them and in all other things touching the Premisses Which Clerks and Officers are hereby required faithfully to execute and performe the said Trust in them reposed severally and respectively without takeing any thing for such their Service other then such Salary or Reward as the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall thinke fitt to Direct and Appoint in that behalfe

IV. Two of the Commissioners to take Oath before Chancellor of Exchequer, &c.

And bee it further Enacted That Two of the said Commissioners first named in this Act before they enter upon the Execution of the same shall take an Oath before the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Master of the Rolls for the time being which they and either of them are hereby Authorized and Required to Administer to them the Tenour whereof shall be as followeth That is to to say

Form.

I A B doe Sweare That according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge I shall Faithfully Impartially and Truely demeane myselfe in examining and takeing the Accounts of all such Summe or Sum[m]s of Money and other Things brought or to be brought before me in Execution of one Act Entituled An Act for Appointing and Enabling Commissioners to examine take and stake the Publicke Accounts of the Kingdome according to the Tenour and Purport of the said Act.

The other Commissioners to take same Oath before said Two Commissioners.

And every other of the said Commissioners in the Act named before he enters upon the Execution of the said Act shall likewise take the same Oath before the said Two Commissioners herein first named who are hereby Authorized to Administer the same unto them after they shall themselves have taken the said Oath as aforesaid

V. Treasury to issue £2,000 for Payment of Clerks, Messengers, &c. and for defraying other necessary Charges.

The same to be accounted for.; What Fee, &c. for issuing such Money may be taken.; Commissioners to give Account in Writing under Hand and Seal to Their Majesties and Parliament.

And bee it further Enacted That the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or Lord High Treasurer of England for the time being are hereby Authorized and required to issue [or (fn. 2) ] cause to be Paid all such Summe or Sum[m]s of Money not exceeding Two thousand pounds to such Person or Persons as the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall by Writeing under their Hands desire or direct out of any part of Their Majestyes Treasure or Revenue to be employed in or for the Payment of Clerks Messengers and other Officers and in defraying all other necessary Charges in or about the Execution of the Powers of this Act and in such manner and in such proportions as shall be appointed by the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them by Writeing under their Hands in that behalfe the same to be accompted for by the Person or Persons to whome the said Money shall be issued or paid according to the course of Their Majestyes Exchequer without any Fees or other Charge to be taken or demanded for the Issueing or Payment of the same Money on the passing of such Accompt other then such Summe as the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall appoint And the said Commissioners shall from time to time being thereunto required and at the determination of their Examinations and Proceedings by vertue of this Act give an Account thereof in writeing under any Five or more of their Hands and Seals to the King and Queens Majesties and to both Houses of Parliament if then Sitting or at their next Meeting that Their Majesties and both Houses of Parliament may thereby receive a full and true accompt how the Publicke Treasure Revenues and other things have beene disposed of.

VI. Accountants to account in the Exchequer.

Provided alwayes and it is the true Intent and meaning of this present Act That all Accomptants to Their Majesties of all such Summe or Summs of Money soe by them recieved and Issued or to be recieved or issued as aforesaid shall render and make their respective Accompts in Their Majesties Court of Exchequer according to the usuall Course of the said Court Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary thereof notwithstanding

VII. Continuance of Act as to Accounts, &c.

This Act as to the Powers of takeing examining and stateing the accompts and administring of Oaths to Endure for the space of One Yeare from the Five and twentyeth day of January One thousand six hundred and ninety and noe longer

VIII. Salary of £500 to Commissioners payable Quarterly.

And bee it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or Lord High Treasurer of England for the time being are hereby authorized and required to issue and pay or cause to be Paid the Summe of Five hundred pounds to each Commissioner in this Act named for his and their Care and Pains in the Execution of this Act the same to be paid by Quarterly Payments from the said five and twentyeth day of January

IX. Commission in the Reign of Jac. II. to repair the Navy, recited.

The said Commissioners to take ań Account of the Monies thereunder issued.

And whereas dureing the Raigne of the late King James a Commission was granted to certaine persons therein named to repaire his said Majesties Navy or Shipps of Warr and diverse great Sum[m]s of Money were Yearly Ordered and recieved for that Service but the said Shipps were not repaired Bee it therefore Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That the said Commissioners for takeing the Accounts aforesaid or any Five or more of them shall in like manner as aforesaid take an Account what Sum[m]s of Money were Ordered and Paid dureing his said late Majesties Raigne to any such Com[m]issioners for repairing the Fleet as aforesaid how the said Su[m]ms of Money were employed and whether the same were expended for that Service

X. Proviso for their Majesties Privy Purse.

Provided alwayes That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the giveing any Power or Authority to the Commissioners appointed by this Act to Inquire into or to demand an Account of the disposition of any Summe or Sums of Money which have beene or shall be paid to Their Majesties Privy Purse or which have beene or shall be expended for and towards secret Service Any thing herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding

XI. Commissioners not disabled from taking an Account on Oath of Provisions, &c. paid to Members of Parliament.

Provided alwayes That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed or understood to hinder or disable the Commissioners by this Act appointed from takeing and requireing an Account upon Oath from the respective Officers of all the Pensions Salaries and Sum[m]s of Money paid or payable to Members of Parlyament out of the Revenue or otherwise.