August 1643: An Ordinance for the speedy supply of Monies within the City of London, and Liberties thereof, for the reliefe and maintenance of the Armies raised and to be raised for the necessary defence of the City, and Liberties aforesaid.

August 1643

[18 August, 1643.]

Loan in City of London.; Aldermen, etc., of each Ward to be Committee of the same.; Their Powers.

The Lords and Commons finding that there is for the present an urgent necessity for the speedy raising and levying considerable summes of mony, for the necessary defence of Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, and of the City of London with the Liberties thereof, the chiefe objects of our enemies malice, have hereby ordained and be it ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that all and every person and persons, as well Aliens as Strangers, borne out of the Kings obeysance, as Denisens, and others inhabiting, or who at any time since the beginning of this Parliament, did inhabit within this said City of London, and Liberties thereof, forthwith after publication hereof, shall by way of Loane for every summe of foure shillings which every person and persons paid, or was rated or assessed to pay for twenty shillings Lands, in any one of the two last of the six first Subsidies granted this present Parliament, lend for the service aforesaid, and pay to the Treasurers hereafter appointed, the summe of ten pounds; and for every summe of eight shillings, which every such person or persons paid or was rated or assessed to pay for three pounds goods in any one of the said two last of the first six Subsidies granted this present Parliament, the summe of twenty pounds, and so rateably according to that proportion for all and every greater summe and summes of money rated and assessed upon any person or persons, for the aforesaid Subsidies, either for goods or lands, within the said City and Liberties. And it is further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that the Alderman, Aldermans Deputy and Common Councell men of each Ward within the said City and Liberties, or the greater number of them, shall be a Committee in their severall Wards, forthwith to nominate and appoint some trusty, able and well affected persons, either amongst themselves or others, inhabiting within each Ward respectively, who upon sight of the Rolls of the said former subsidies shal cause the said rates and assessements hereby Ordained to be lent, to be paid in as aforesaid. And the said Alderman, Aldermans Deputies, and Common Councell of each Ward, or the greater number of them, calling into their assistance such as they shall thinke fit, shall also within their severall Wards have hereby power and authoritie to rate and assesse in such proportionable manner as they shall thinke fit, towards the payments of the said monies for the service aforesaid, such other person and persons, as well Strangers as others, who being of ability to pay, were notwithstanding not rated nor assessed in the said former Subsidies.

Assessments when to be paid.; If any fail to pay, their tax to be levied by distress; If no sufficient distress be; found, to be imprisoned. and Estates sequestered.; Moneys to be paid to Treasurers at Guildhall.; Security of Common Seal and Chamber of London to be given.; All persons rated that shall not pay within 6 days, and all Collectors, etc., that shall not bring in moneys collected within same time, to be punished.

And it is also Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that all and every person and persons rated and assessed by vertue hereof shall, within three daies after demand made by such person or persons as the said Committees, or the greater number of them shall appoint as aforesaid, after notice thereof given and left at his usuall dwelling place, pay to the Treasurers hereby appointed, or to any two of them, one halfe of the sum so rated or assessed, or to be rated and assessed upon him or them, and the other halfe within the space of one moneth after publication thereof: And if any person or persons so assessed or to be assessed by vertue of this Ordinance, shall faile therein, that then the said Committees, or any two of them within their severall Wards by such person or persons as they shall appoint shall levy the sum so assessed or to be assessed by distresse of the Goods and Chattells of such person or persons so assessed, or to be assessed, and neglecting or refusing to pay the same in manner aforesaid, and sell the goods so distrained for the service aforesaid; and if no sufficient distresse can be found, that then the said Committees or any two of them within their severall Wards, by such person or persons as they shall appoint, shall certifie the names of every such person, and persons, to the Committee of the House of Commons for Examinations sitting at Westminster, or to the Committee of the Militia of London, or any three of them, who shall hereby have power respectively to commit such person and persons to safe custody without Baile and Maineprize, wheresoever the said person shall be found, whether within the said Citie and Liberties or without, and his Estate shall be moreover sequestred by the Committee of sequestrations for the said Citie of London, or of such County where his Estate shall be found to be imployed for the service aforesaid, untill the sum so charged upon him be satisfied. And the said Lords and Commons doe further ordaine that all and every person and persons shall pay in their proportion of Money hereby rated and assessed upon them and every of them according to this Ordinance at the Guild-Hall London, unto Sir Iohn Wollastone Knight and Alderman, Mr. Alderman Iohn Warner, Mr. Alderman Towse, and Mr. Alderman Andrewes, or to such other person or persons as shall be from time to time hereafter nominated and chosen by the Common Councell of London, for that purpose, or to any two of them, who are hereby appointed Treasurers for the receiving and issuing forth of the monies aforesaid. All which shall be issued forth and paid by warrants under the hands of the Committee of the Militia of London, or of such others as the Common Councell of the said Citie of London shall appoint for the intent and purpose aforesaid. And for all such persons as shall pay in their monies according to the true intent and meaning of this Ordinance, It is hereby ordained, that they shall have the security of the Common Seale and Chamber of London, in manner as it was granted and agreed upon by Act of Common Councell the 11 of this instant August, 1643. And it is further ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that (all pretences and delayes set aside) all and every person and persons inhabiting within the said City and Liberties, heretofore rated and assessed, to pay any sum or sums of money by vertue of any Act or Ordinance of Parliament, or of any Act of Common Councell for the service aforesaid: And all Aldermens Deputies, Common Councell men, Collectors, or any other person or persons within the said City and Liberties that now have, or hereafter shall have, by vertue of this or any other Act or Ordinance of Parliament, or of any Act of Common Councell heretofore made, or by any voluntary Subscriptions, any summe or summes of money in their or any of their hands, collected for the service aforesaid, and shall not within six daies after publication hereof, or after receipt of such summe or summes of money, bring in the said severall summes to the Treasurers and Receivers appointed for that purpose, shall respectively undergoe the like penalty as is hereby formerly appointed to be imposed upon those that shall neglect or refuse to pay in their money, rated and assessed according to the proportions of the Subsidies expressed in this Ordinance.

Persons that neglect to execute Ord. to be imprisoned.; Persons excepted.

And it is further ordained, that the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen within the said City of London shall have power, and are hereby authorized to commit to prison any person or persons hereby appointed to execute this Ordinance, that shall wilfully refuse the same, or shall be negligent in the execution thereof. Provided alwayes, that this Ordinance shall not extend to give power to rate or assesse any of the Peeres, Members, Assistants, or necessary attendants of either of the two Houses of Parliament, or of any person whose estate is seised upon by the Kings Forces, Power, or Command, for his good affection, or conformitie to the commands of the Parliament: and hath been necessitated to withdraw himselfe from his ordinary place of habitation to the City of London.