May 1648: An Ordinance for the speedy getting in the Arreares of such Money as is Assessed on the Citie of London and Liberties thereof, for the maintaining of the Forces raised by Authority of Parliament.

May, 1648

[30 May, 1648.]

Ords. of 15 Feb. 1644; 13 Aug. 1645; 16 April, 1646; 23 June, 1647; 15 March, 1647/8; and 24 April, 1648, recited.; Three months of assessment under Ord. of 23 June, 1647, remitted to those who pay nine months

Whereas by vertue of severall Ordinances of Parliament, dated the Fifteenth of February, 1644. the thirteenth of August, 1645. the sixteenth of Aprill, 1646. the Three and twentyeth of June, 1647. the Fifteenth of March, 1647. and the Four and twentieth of Aprill, 1648. divers summs of money were appointed to be assessed and collected within the City of London, towards the raising and maintaining of Forces by the Authority of Parliament, for the defence of the Kingdome. And whereas severall summs assessed within the City and Liberties thereof are yet in Arrear, and unpaid, by reason of disaffection to the Parliament, and some other Obstructions, viz: Upon pretence of being unequally rated, and others for want of Assurance that the Three moneths remitted by an Ordinance of the Four and twentieth day of December now last past shall be allowed unto them, because the time therein limited for the payment of the Six moneths was elapsed before the Estreats came forth for collecting thereof: For the removing whereof, and for the more speedy getting in of the said Arrears so assessed as aforesaid; Be it Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, That the Collectors appointed by the said Ordinance of the Three and twentieth of June, 1647. are hereby authorized to crosse the Rolls, and thereby fully discharge all such persons as shall within Thirty dayes after the passing of this Ordinance, pay and satisfie to the said Collectors Nine Moneths of the Twelve moneths assessed, or to be assessed by the said last recited Ordinance, according to the Rates assessed by the Deputy and Common-Council-men in their severall Wards: And that the other Three moneths is remitted by Ordinance of the Four and twentyeth of December last, is hereby remitted as if payment had been made of the first Six moneths within the time therein limited.

Deputy and Common Councilmen in wards of London to be Commissioners for execution of said Ords.; Their powers.; To call collectors to account.; Names of Commissioners in City of London.; Persons refusing to pay to be returned to Sequestration Committees.;Disposal of moneys raised.; Allowances to clerks and others.; Indemnity.

And for the like speedy and better getting in of all the Arreares due upon all or any of the said Ordinances so assessed as aforesaid, and for the removing of Obstructions hindering the same; Be it further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That the Deputy and Common-Council-men for the time being of the severall Wards within the City of London, and the Liberties thereof, or any two or more of them shall, and are hereby appointed Commissioners within their severall and respective Wards, for the severall Taxes and Assessments so made as aforesaid, to put the said severall Ordinances in execution; And have power, and are hereby authorized to execute and perform all and every the Powers and Authorities comprised in the said Ordinances, or any of them, for, and concerning the collecting and levying of the said Assessments so made as aforesaid, in as full and ample manner, to all intents and purposes, as any of the Committee or Commissioners in the said Ordinances named, or any of them, might, or could doe or perform the same. And that the said Deputy and Common-Council-men in their severall and respective Wards, or any two or more of them shall have power, and are hereby authorized to call the severall Collectors within their respective Precincts, to accompt and to peruse their Estreats, and take notice who have paid, and who not, and the reasons given by them that have not paid; And also to cause the said Collectors rom time to time to pay the said Treasurers at War, such Moneys as are, and shall bee in their hands. And it is further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That the Lord Maior, and Alderman of the City of London for the time being, and Deputy Johnson, Thomas Noell, John Owfield, Richard Chiverton, Edwid Browne, Randall Baskerville, Humphrey Foard, John Everet, Stephen Estwick, John Hatley, Deputy Clowes, James Storey, Thomas Steed, Mark Hilsley, Deputy Fretherick, Robert Winch, Deputy Adams, Deputy Haisley, Deputy Maurice Gething, Deputy Antrobus, George Ward, Colonell Manwaring, Deputy Boothby, Deputy Green, Edward Vaughan, Thomas Blackwell, Deputy Camfield, Thomas Knowles, Mathew Fox, Roger Peel, Robert Dyver, Deputy Babbington, Colonell Hayes, Deputy Whitwell, William Bateman, Edward Wood, John Cock, Thomas Dawney, Arthur Juxon, William Rowen, or any six of the said Alderman and Commons shall be and are hereby authorized and appointed Commissioners for the said severall Taxes and Assessments so made as aforesaid in the said City and Liberties thereof, to put the said severall Ordinances in execution: And shall have power, and are hereby authorized to remove such obstructions as they shall be informed, are not remedied by the said Committee, of Deputy and Common-Council-men before mentioned, And they are likewise hereby authorized to Execute and performe all and every the Powers and Authorities comprised in the said Ordinances or any of them, for and concerning the collecting and leavying of the said Assessments, so made as aforesaid, in as full and ample manner to all intents and purposes, as any the Committee or Commissioners in the said Ordinances named, or any of them might or could doe or perform the same. And in case the said Commissioners of Aldermen and shall find any persons obstinately refusing the payment of their Assessments, according to the limitations aforesaid, and by their evill examples become an incouragement unto others to do the like, and thereby shew their disaffection to the Parliament, That then the said Committee of Aldermen and Commons, or any six of them, shall present the names of such persons so refusing and the severall summs by them in Arreare according to the said Assessments, And such other forfeitures as are expressed in the said Ordinances or any of them, incurred for non-payment thereof, unto the severall Committees for Sequestration of the said City and Counties, where such person and persons so refusing shall have any Estate; And the said Committee for Sequestration are hereby authorized and appointed to leavy such summe and summes of money as are so presented unto them to be unpaid by such person and persons so returned, together with such penalties, forfeitures and other charges, as by the Ordinances of Sequestration is limited and appointed, and that the said Committee of Sequestration so leavying the said monies, retaining to themselves and their Officers such allowance for the leavying thereof, as by the said respective Ordinances for Sequestration is allowed unto them, shall pay the remainder unto Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest to the Treasurers at Warre. And it is also Ordained, and the Treasurers at Warre are hereby authorized to pay from time to time, unto such Clerks and Officers as shall be imployed in the said service, such allowances as the Committee before named, shall severally and respectively agree upon and present unto the said Treasurers, not exceeding three pence in the pound, for such moneyes as shall bee collected after the passing of this Ordinance; And lastly it is Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, that all and every person and persons that shall act or doe anything by vertue of this Ordinance, shall be saved harmlesse and Indempnified by Authority of Parliament.