February 1655: An Order and Declaration of His Highness the Lord Protector, with the Advice of his Council; Touching the Continuance of the Duty of Excize and New Impost.

February, 1655

[28 February, 1654/5.]

Whereas in the Seven and twentieth Article of the Government of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, it is expressed, That a constant yearly Revenue shall be raised, setled and established for Maintaining of Ten thousand Horse and Dragoons, and Twenty thousand Foot in England, Scotland and Ireland, for the Defence and Security thereof; and also for a convenient number of Ships for Guarding of the Seas, besides Two hundred thousand pounds per Annum, for Defraying the other necessary Charges for Administration of Justice, and other Expenses of the Government; which Revenue shall be raised by the Customs, and such other Ways and Means as shall be agreed upon by the Lord Protector and Council, and shall not be taken away or diminished, nor the Way agreed upon for raising the same altered, but by the consent of the Lord Protector and the Parliament: And whereas His Highness the Lord Protector and His Council, taking into consideration how the said Revenue might be raised with greatest ease and equality to the People; and it being found by experience that the Revenue arising by the Receipt of the Grand Excize and New Impost is an equal and indifferent Levy for and towards the Ends aforesaid; It was before the Meeting of the last Parliament Agreed and Declared in Writing by His Highness the Lord Protector, and His Council, That the said Revenue should be raised (amongst other things) by the Duty of Excize and New Impost; the Rates whereof, together with the ways and means for Raising, Levying, Bringing in, and Managing the same, were setled and continued by an Ordinance of the Seventeenth of March, One thousand six hundred fifty three, Entituled, An Ordinance for Continuing the Excize, and by several other Ordinances and Orders of His Highness and Council, made before the Third of September, One thousand six hundred fifty four; In pursuance therefore of the said Seven and twentieth Article of the Government, and of the Agreement and Declaration aforesaid, His Highness the Lord Protector and His Council, Do Declare and Order, That the several Acts, Ordinances and Orders relating to the Excize, that were in being the second of September, One thousand six hundred fifty four, are, and do continue, and be on force to all intents and purposes, from and after the five and twentieth of March, One thousand six hundred fifty five, until the same shall be altered by consent of the Lord Protector and the Parliament; And it is also Ordered and Declared by His Highness and His Council, That the persons, who by the said Ordinance of the Seventeenth of March, One thousand six hundred fifty three, are, or such others as shall from time to time be by His Highness the Lord Protector constituted and appointed Commissioners and Governors of the Excize and New Impost; And also the persons, who by the said Ordinance of the Seventeenth of March, One thousand six hundred fifty three, now are, or shall hereafter by His Highness be authorized to receive Appeals in Cases of Excize, or any three or more of them respectively, are, and be Impowered, Authorized and Required to exercise and put in execution all and every the Powers and Authorities, which by all or any of the said Acts, Ordinances and Orders, they might or ought to have put in execution the said Second of September, One thousand six hundred fifty four.