October 1643: An Ordinance for the raising of 66,666l. 13s. 4d. by way of loane for the better enabling of our brethren of Scotland, for our assistance and defence, in this common cause of our Religion and Liberty.

October 1643

[27 October, 1643.]

Whereas the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the better resisting and suppressing the malice of the common enemies of our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, and for the speedier setling of a blessed peace, have held it necessary to desire the assistance of our brethren of Scotland in this warre, who by certaine Articles or propositions sent unto both Houses have declared their willingnesse herein. And for the better enabling them thereunto have desired the advance of a competent summe of money from us; and whereas for the procuring and City of London, to procure by loane or otherwise, the said summes of money, and have passed an Ordinance of Parliament for securing the repayment of those moneys to the persons that should lend the same. And although divers well affected persons both before and sithence the publishing of the Ordinance, have lent and subscribed to lend divers summes of money, yet very many of the most able and wealthiest persons in such places where the said loane hath been propounded, have refused to lend any competent summes of money for this purpose, notwithstanding the security tendered for the moneys desired to be borrowed of them, is such, as cannot in reason be excepted against. So that it may be justly feared, that the whole summe of money which we have promised to pay unto our brethren of Scotland will not be raised by free and voluntary loanes.

Wherefore we the Lords and Commons, considering the dangerous estate and condition of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland, and the great advantage and assurance that though Gods blessing we may in all humane probability expect from the assistance of our brethren of Scotland; And holding it just and most reasonable, that those who are to receive equall benefit by their assistance, should likewise equally contribute thereunto.

66666.l. 13s. 4d. to be speedily raised as loan on those that have not hitherto lent money.

Doe hereby Order, Ordaine, and Declare, that 66666l. 13s. 4d. part of the sum agreed to bee paid to our brethren of Scotland by the before mentioned Articles or Propositions, shall with all convenient speed be raised by way of loane upon such able and wealthy persons, as have not already, nor shall hereafter voluntarily and proportionably to their estates and abilities lend any sums of money for the purposes aforesaid, and according to the true Intent of the said Ordinance of the Lords and Commons published the sixteenth day of this instant October.

Places and sums to be assessed.

The said sum to be raised within the Cities, Towns, Counties, and places, and according to the proportions hereafter mentioned and expressed, that is to say, Within the Cities of London, Westminster, and places adjacent, within the Bils of Mortality, the sum of twenty six thousand six hundred threescore and six pounds thirteen shillings and foure pence. The County of Hertford three thousand pound. The County of Bedford two thousand pound The residue of the County of Middlesex one thousand pound. The County of Essex five thousand pound. The County of Suffolke five thousand pound. The County of Norfolke, with the City and County of the City of Norwich six thousand pound. The County of Kent, with the City and County of the City of Canterbury six thousand pound. The residue of the County of Surrey one thousand five hundred pound. The County of Sussex foure thousand five hundred pound. The County of Cambridge with the Isle of Ely two thousand pound. The County of Huntington one thousand pound. The County of Northampton two thousand five hundred pound. The County of Rutland five hundred pound.

None to be forced to lend unless his estate exceed 1000. l.; Ministers and Churchwardens to set greatest loan upon most rich men.

And it is further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, That no person within any the Cities, Townes, Counties, or places aforesaid, shall be forced to lend any of the said summes, unlesse his ability and meanes of livelihood, in Lands, Leases, Money, and other personall estate, exceede the summe of one thousand pounds of lawfull English money. And for the equall sessing and apportioning the said summe of twenty six thousand pounds within the Cities of London and Westminster, and other places adjacent within the Bils of Mortality, it is hereby further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, That whereas the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London, appointed for the raising of the said summes of money for our brethren of Scotland, have heretofore within those precincts appointed the Minister, the Churchwardens, and a certaine number of other persons within each parish, to call before them the parishioners, and to receive their voluntary Loanes, whereby they have the better informed themselves of the willingnesse or backwardnesse, and likewise of the abilities of the severall persons within those precincts, that the said Ministers, Churchwardens, and persons, or others, as by the said Committee shall be thereunto appointed, shall rate and sesse the said severall parishes, who are hereby required so to demeane themselves in this service, as that the greatest Loane be set upon the most able and rich men, and who have not either upon this or the like occasions of money heretofore manifested their good affections to the publike.

Power to Committee of Parliament, etc., to distribute assessment in just proportion on each parish.

And that the said Ministers, Churchwardens, and other persons may the better know what proportions of Money in reference to the whole summe will be fit to be set upon each person within the parishes; power is hereby given to the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London, calling unto them all or some of the persons aforesaid, to distribute and proportion so much of the said sum of 66666. l. 13. s. 4. d. upon each particular parish as shall be reasonable.

Returns to be made of persons whose ability exceeds 1000. l., and who have not voluntarily lent money.; After such Returns Inhabitants to be rated in proportion to their ability.

And for the sessing and setting of the before mentioned sums to be borrowed, in each of the said other Cities; great Townes, Counties, and places upon each particular person: It is further ordered, ordained, and declared, that the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London, shall have power to nominate in each County, City, or great Towne, three or more persons of ranke and integrity, which persons so named shall have pow to nominate and appoint two or more persons within each Hundred, City, or great Towne respectively, which persons so last nominated shall returne unto the other persons to be named by the said Committee, the names of all such persons within the respective Hundreds, Cities, and great Townes, whose ability and meanes of livelihood in Lands, Monies, and other personall Estate, shall exceed the before mentioned summe of one thousand pounds of lawfull English Money, and shall not have voluntarily lent any summe of Money to the purpose of this and the before mentioned Ordinance, proportionable to his estate. And after such returnes the persons to be named by the said Committee, by and with the assistance of the said other persons that shall make such returne, shall assesse, and rate the severall Inhabitants within the said Hundreds, Cities and great Townes, who are hereby likewise required so to demeane themselves in this Service, as that the greatest loane be set upon the most able, and richest men, and who have not either upon this, or the like occasions of money heretofore manifested their good affections to the publique

Names of persons assessed and sums set, when to be returned.

And it is hereby further Ordered, ordained and declared, that the persons appointed and to be appointed within the Cities of London, Westminster, and other the places adjacent within the precincts of the bils of mortality, for the setting of the proportions of the said loans upon the particular persons there shall returne the names of the persons within their severall parishes, and the sums so set upon them unto the said Committee, within three dayes after the delivery of the said Ordinances unto them respectively; And the persons to be nominated by the said Committee within the Cities, great Townes, Hundreds and other places in the Counties of Kent, Surry, Middlesex, Essex, and Hertford, shall returne the names of the persons within their severall Cities, great Townes and Hundreds, and the summes set upon them unto the said Committee, within twelve dayes after the delivery of the said Ordinances unto them respectively; And the persons to be nominated by the said Committee within the other Cities, great Townes, Counties, and other places herein mentioned, shall make the like returnes at such times as by the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London shall be directed.

Assessment Tickets.; Forfeiture on persons that receive tickets and fail to pay.; Power to Assessors to appoint Collectors.; Collectors' Powers.; Collectors' Allowance.; Persons that refuse to pay or have not sufficient distress, to be imprisoned.

And the persons hereby appointed to sesse, and set the loanes of money upon the particular persons within the Cities of London and Westminster and parts adjacent, within the precincts of the bills of mortality, and likewise within the other cities, great Townes and Counties, are hereby required, immediately after the setting of the said loanes, to send Tickets unto all the persons, upon whom the same shall be set, thereby to give them notice of the summe set upon them; And of the persons and places where, and to whom the said summes of money are to be paid; And in case any person upon whom any summe of money shall be set, shall not within eight dayes after the leaving of the said Ticket, at the place of his, or her usuall abode, or other notice, pay the same accordingly; Then the persons so fayling, shall, after the said eight dayes, for every day the same shall be unpaid, forfeit, and pay so much money as the twentieth part of the summes so assessed upon him shall amount unto. And it is further ordered, ordained, and declared that the respective persons appointed, and to be appointed to set the said sums in the severall parishes, within the Cities of London and Westminster and parts adjacent within the Bills of Mortality, or any two of them, and the respective persons appointed to set the same within the other cities, great Townes and Counties, or any two of them respectively, are hereby authorized to make and constitute Collectors within the respective parishes, Cities, great Townes, and Hundreds, in such number as shall be most convenient; Who shall have power to levy such summes and forfeitures by distresse and sale of the Goods and Chattels of the persons that shall not pay the summes set upon them, to the persons, and in the manner in this Ordinance expressed, wheresoever the Goods and Chattels of such persons shall be, or remaine within the Realme of England; And in case of refusall, shall in the daytime have power to breake open the houses of such persons, and for their paines and travaile in the said Collections shall have 2.s. in the pound, of every summe for which any distresse shall be made, to be paid out of the Goods and Chattels of the party distrained. And in case of wilfull refusall, to pay the summes that shall be so set, or for want of sufficient distresse, the bodies of such persons shall be committed to prison, there to remaine untill the summes so set upon them, and the said forfeitures shall be fully paid; And for the better effecting thereof within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the parts adjacent within the Bills of Mortality, the respective Collectors shall make returne of the names of such persons unto the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London, who thereupon shall have power to commit such persons to prison; And within the other Cities, great Towns and Counties, their respective Collectors shall make returne of the names of such persons unto the respective persons nominated by the said Committee, or any two of them, in their respective Cities, great Townes and Counties, who there upon shall have like power to commit such persons to prison.

Committee of Parliament still to endeavour to raise money by voluntary loan according to Ord. of 16 Oct.; Persons lending money on former Ord. to be first repaid.; Security then to be extended for repayment of money lent on this Ord.; Moneys lent on this Ord. to be paid to Treasurers.; Allowance to persons employed in execution of Ordinances.

And the Lords and Commons doe further declare, that notwithstanding this present Ordinance for compelling the most able and rich men (who upon this or the like occasions of money have not so fully manifested their affections to the publique) to lend the said summe of 66666.1. 13.s. 4.d. part of the money agreed to be paid to our brethren of Scotland; their intent is, that the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London according to the true intent of the before mentioned Ordinance of the sixteenth of this present October, shall still proceed and endeavour to advance the service of raising the residue of the said summe, by voluntary loanes and contributions. And for the further encouragement of such persons as have or shall voluntarily lend any summes of money to that purpose, without being compelled thereunto by vertue of this present Ordinance. It is hereby Ordered, Ordained and Declared, that all such sum and sums of money as shall be so willingly lent by any person or persons whatsoever, shall be first payd: and that no part of the 66666.1. 13.s. 4.d. to be raised by vertue of this Ordinance, by the loane of any persons who shall be sessed thereunto, shall be paid untill such time as the other persons shall be fully satisfied and paid: And that the security tendered to such as shall lend those moneys, and the manner of repayment thereof may be the better knowne, the said Ordinance of the 16 of this present October is herewith to be printed. And it is hereby declared, that after the payment of the said summes of money voluntarily lent, and to be lent as aforesaid, the security in the said Ordinance mentioned, shall be extended and continued for the repayment of the 66666.l. 13.s. 4.d. to be lent upon this present Ordinance, in such manner as in the said Ordinance is mentioned, for and in behalfe of the summes of money that shall be borrowed, according to the intent of the said Ordinance. And it is further ordered that the summes of money to be lent upon this present Ordinance within the Cities of London and Westminster and places within the bills of mortality, shall be paid to Richard Waring and Michael Herring of London, appointed to be Treasurers by the before-mentioned Ordinance, in such manner, and upon such Acquittances, as therein are mentioned, who thereupon are likewise to receive the same allowances, as in the said Ordinance is expressed; and that the summes of money to be lent upon this present Ordinance in other the Cities, great Towns, and places, shall be paid unto such persons, and in such places, as the persons named by the said Committee of Parliament and City of London shall be appointed. And that any writing under the hands of any such persons, testifying the receipt of any such sums of money, as shall be lent by vertue of this Ordinance, shall sufficiently enable the persons that shall lend such summes, to demand and receive the same. And for the encouragement of such persons as shall be imployed in carrying the said Ordinances and Tickets, and receiving of the money to be lent, or otherwise, in the execution of the said Ordinances, The Committee of Parliament, and the City of London, are hereby authorized to make such allowances and satisfaction unto them, for their paines to be sustained therein, as shall be meet; And for the more speedy and effectuall execution of the said Ordinances, The said Committee are hereby authorised and required to take care of the execution of them, and to give such orders and directions to that purpose, and for the equall and indifferent proceedings therein, to the respective persons that shall be imployed therein, as may render them most effectuall to those ends, for which they were made. And of their proceedings therein, the Houses are resolved to take a strict account.

Members of Parliament assessable only by their own House.

Provided, that no member of either House of Parliament be assessed by this Ordinance, but by the respective Houses whereof they are Members.