September 1647: An Ordinance for Members of both Houses to be a Committee for the Army for disposing the 60000l. a moneth, and appointing Treasurers at Wars.

September, 1647

[23 September, 1647.]

Ord. June 23, 1647, as to maintenance of Sir T. Fairfax' Army.;Names of Treasurers at War.; To receive all moneys paid by virtue of above Ord.; Names of Committee for managing assessment.; Powers.

Whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament of the three and twentieth of June last past (entitled, An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, For the raising of Moneys to be employed towards the maintenance of Forces within this Kingdom, under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax Knight; and for the speedy Transporting of, and paying the Forces for the carrying on of the War of Ireland) the Monthly sum of Sixty thousand pounds is to be forthwith assessed on the respective Counties, Cities, and places therein mentioned, within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, to continue for Twelve Months from the Five and Twentieth of March last past, 1647. until the Five and Twentieth of March next, 1648. but no persons are nominated and appointed by the said Ordinance to receive and issue the said Moneys; To the end therefore that the Moneys appointed to be taxed and levyed by the said Ordinance of Parliament, may be more orderly received and issued out, The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled have Ordained, and be it Ordained by Authority of Parliament That Sir John Wollaston, Knight, Thomas Adams, John Warner, Thomas Andrews, and George Witham, Aldermen of the City of London, Francis Allein, and John Dethick, of London, Merchants, shall be Treasurers at Wars for the receiving and issuing forth of all the Moneys to be assessed, levied and paid by vertue of the said Ordinance of the 23 June last past, for the purposes therein mentioned, according to the Directions hereafter expressed. And be it likewise Ordained, That the said Treasurers at Wars shall receive from the several Collectors and Officers appointed and to be appointed by vertue of the said Ordinance, all the Moneys to be taxed, levied and paid by vertue thereof; and all and every the said Collectors and Officers are hereby enjoyned and required to pay unto the said Treasurers all the said several sums of Money which shall be by them received by vertue of the said Ordinance, to be by the said Treasurers issued forth to the intents and purposes therein mentioned, and the charges incident to the same: And that every County, City, Borough, and other place, may be fully assessed, according to the rate by the said Ordinance of the 23 of June last, intended to be taxed and assessed upon them: And in case there should be default in any of the Commissioners appointed by the said Ordinance, in the making of the said Assessment, or in any County, City, Borough or other place in paying of the sums assessed or to be assessed, or any negligence or default in any Assessor, Collector, or other Officer, Minister or Agent appointed or to be appointed by vertue of the said Ordinance; And for the more effectual carrying on of the whole work, Be it ordained, That the Earl of Northumberland the Earl of Kent, the Earl of Rutland, the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Salisbury, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Viscount Say and Seal, the Lord Wharton, the Lord Howard, Mr. Sollicitor, Sir Henry Vane junior, Mr. Crew, Mr. Pierrepont, Colonel Montague, Nathaniel Fiennes. Sir John Evelyn, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Reynolds, Colonel Venne, Mr. Thomas Hodges, Mr. Pury, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Bond, Sir Arthur Hazelrigg, Mr. Scawen, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir Thomas Widdrington, Mr. Leman, Mr. Luke Hodges, and Mr. Robert Jennour, Members of the Commons House of Parliament: And the said Treasurers, or any five of them, Whereof four to be Members of either of the Houses of Parliament, shall have the care and managing of the businesses upon the said Ordinance, for the better bringing in of the moneys assessed or to be assessed upon or by vertue of the said Ordinance, for payment of the said Forces therein mentioned, and of the charges incident thereunto, with all such powers and Authorities to them or any of them, given, limited and expressed in an Ordinance of Parliament bearing date the fifteenth day of February, 1645. And the said Committee and Treasurers, or any five of them as aforesaid, shall have full power, and they are hereby authorized in as full and ample manner, to all intents and purposes, as are given, limited or mentioned in an Ordinance of Parliament dated the Twelfth day of June 1645. unto the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall for Scots Affairs, to manage the Ordinance of the Twentieth of February, 1644. to cause the full and speedy assessing, collecting and bringing in of the said Moneys, either by making Dispatches, appointing of Forces, or giving Directions, Rules or Instructions, or otherwise to cause obedience thereunto, as to them in their wisdoms and good discretions shall seem most fit and expedient, be it by Fine or Imprisonment of the Parties offending, the Fine not exceeding Twenty pounds, to be employed for the use of the aforesaid Forces mentioned in the said Ordinance.

Warrants from House of Commons to Treasurers.; Moneys raised by said Ord. to be used only for purposes thereof.

And be it further Ordained, That the Receipt of the said Treasurers, or any two of them, shall be a sufficient discharge to every Collector or other person that shall pay in any money that shall be taxed, levied, and paid by vertue of the said Ordinance of the three and twentieth of June last past: And that the said Members of the House of Commons, or any five of them, shall have power, and are hereby authorized to give Warrants to the said Treasurers at War, or any two of them, for the issuing forth of such moneys as they shall receive by vertue of the said Ordinance; And in the same Warrant it shall be expressed for what purpose the money contained in the same is to be issued: And the said Warrants, with a Receipt thereupon under the hand of the party to whom the same is directed to be paid, or his Assignee or Assignees, shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Treasurers and every of them, for so much as they shall thereupon issue forth. And it is also Ordained, That all the moneys raised or to be raised by vertue of the said Ordinance, shall be employed only for the purposes, uses and intents therein mentioned and expressed, and no otherwise: And no Warrant shall be made from the said Committee, or any other, or if issued, shall be obeyed, but only for the purposes aforesaid.

Allowance to Treasurers.; Further allowances for persons employed by them.

And it is also further Ordained, That the said Treasurers at Wars for their pains in receiving and issuing forth of all the moneys raised or to be raised and received by vertue of the said recited Ordinance, and this present Ordinance and in Consideration they shall execute the employment of the Treasurer at Wars, shall have three pence for every pound they shall receive and issue forth of the moneys taxed, levied and paid by vertue of the said recited Ordinance, or this present Ordinance; And shall also have three pounds five shillings four pence per diem, to be disposed of as they shall think fit, for the payment of such persons as they shall think most to make use of, for the better execution of the said employment of Treasurer at Wars, and all other charges allowed to Sir Gilbert Gerrard as Treasurer at Wars, and shall issue moneys for the same without any further or other allowances, the said allowances to be paid monthly.

Free quarter.; Instructions of 16 May, 1645, to be put in force.

And be it further Ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the said Committee and Treasurers at Wars do make due allowance and payment of all Free-quarter taken by any of the Forces mentioned in the said Ordinance, since the said Five and twentieth day of March last, and also from henceforth to be taken by them, or any of them, according to such proportions and in such manner as they or any of them did allow the same or cause to be paid out of the assessments for the Army in the association; and to put in execution the Instructions, Rules, and Directions, made and Ordained in that behalf by both Houses of Parliament, bearing Date the Sixteenth day of May, 1645.