August 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the better regulating and speedy bringing in the Sequestration-monies, arising out of the Real and Personal Estates of Papists and Delinquents...

August, 1648

[25 August, 1648.]

Additional Ordinance for better bringing in Sequestration-money arising out of Papists and Delinquents estates.

The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, for the better regulating and more speedy bringing in the Monies arising out of the Real or Personal Estates of Papists and Delinquents already sequestered, or which hereafter shall be sequestered, and for reforming and preventing Abuses and Miscarriages in managing of the same, do order and ordain, and be it Ordered and Ordained; (videlicet,)

1. That the Treasurers, Collectors, or Solicitors, or any other Person or Persons who have received any Sequestration-monies, shall, within Forty Days next after Notice of this Ordinance, respectively produce unto the Treasurers at Guildhall, London, (or whom they shall appoint) their several Warrants and Acquittances, to justify their Receipts and all Payments by them issued out of the Sequestration-monies by them received, to any Person or Persons, excepting only for such Sum or Sums of Money as they have paid, or caused to be paid, to the said Treasurers at Guildhall, that so the said Treasurers may place the same to Accompt, as appertaineth, and give them Discharge for what they have duly paid.

2. That every Person or Persons employed, or to be employed, as Solicitors, Collectors, or Treasurers, in or about the Sequestrations, that have not taken the Oath prescribed by the Ordinance of the 27th May, 1643, shall take the said Oath accordingly, before they do further intermeddle with the Sequestrations, presently after Notice of this Ordinance.

3. That the said Treasurers at Guildhall have Power to dispose of Two Pence in the Pound of all such Monies as they shall receive by virtue of this Ordinance, for and towards the Salary and Expences of such Persons as they shall employ about the Execution of this Ordinance.

4. That whereas divers Surcharges remain before the Committee of Accompts, or their Sub-committees, in divers Counties and Places within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, upon divers Persons, Accomptants, for several Sums of Money not by them paid in to the said Treasurers at Guildhall; that therefore the said Committee, and all their respective Sub-committees, are hereby required, within Fourteen Days (after Notice of this Ordinance given them), to send to the said Treasurers at Guildhall an exact Particular of every such Surcharge as remaineth with any of them, against any Person or Persons that have been employed about the Affairs of Sequestrations, together with such Information as they can give concerning any fraudulent or indirect Dealing that hath been used in or about the Premises; and that all such Person or Persons as shall be found to have any Sequestration-monies in their Hands shall pay or cause the same to be paid in to the Treasurers at Guildhall, within Six Days after Notice of this Ordinance, if they reside within the City of London and the Lines of Communication; and all others within Forty Miles of London shall pay in the Monies as aforesaid within Twenty Days; and such Person or Persons as do or shall reside about Forty Miles from London shall pay, or cause to be paid, all Sequestration-monies remaining in their Hands unto the said Treasurers, within Forty Days after Notice hereof; and also all other Sequestration-monies which they or any of them shall hereafter receive, in the Places and Limits before expressed respectively, shall be brought in to the said Treasurers at Guildhall within the respective Times before mentioned, upon Pain of forfeiting Two Shillings and Six Pence in the Pound for every Week he or they shall detain the same after the respective Times herein limited, that the Assignment made by the Parliament upon the said Treasurers may be the sooner discharged: Provided, That this Ordinance doth not extend to any Order or Ordinance of both or either Houses of Parliament formerly granted for the disposing of Sequestration-monies, nor to such as have formerly disposed such Monies for the Service of the Parliament, or to such Persons as have or shall dispose such Monies by virtue of any Order or Ordinance of both or either Houses of Parliament, or for the emergent Service of the Parliament.

5. If any Solicitor, Collector, or Treasurers for Sequestrations, perform not his or their Duty according to this and other former Ordinances for Sequestrations (as may be feared too many will not), there is no Power given, either to compel or question any such, whereby the Service will be much retarded: It is therefore hereby further Ordained, That Captain William Steavenson, as Deputy to the Serjeant at Arms who attends the House of Commons, shall be a Messenger, and is hereby appointed and authorized, to bring up any Person or Persons to the Committee for Indemnity, that shall not obey this and other former Ordinances of Parliament, as he shall be directed by the said Treasurers at Guildhall, to answer for their Contempt of the Authority of Parliament, and to receive condign Punishment, according to their Demerits; and the said William Steavenson shall have Forty Pounds per Annum Salary, to be paid him Quarterly by the said Treasurers, besides his Riding Charges when he shall be employed by the said Treasurers abroad in the said Service; and in case of Sickness, or other lawful Impediment, the said Serjeant at Arms shall have Power, and is hereby authorized, to constitute a Deputy Messenger, to be employed by the said Treasurers in the said Service as often as Occasion shall require.