August, 1659: An Act enabling the Commissioners for the City of London to raise Three Moneths Assessment for paying Incident Charges to the said Militia.

August, 1659

[2 August, 1659.]

Act of 7 July, 1659, for settling Militia in London.

Whereas by a late Act of this present Parliament, for setling the Militia of the City of London and Liberties thereof, Power and Authority is given to the Commissioners thereby appointed, or any seven or more of them, to Assess and Charge all and every such person and persons Inhabiting and Residing, or who have any Estate within the said City or Liberties thereof, proportionably according to such Estate there, as shall be meet and fit to be Charged, (according to the Limitations and Directions of the said Act) for the finding of Horse, Arms and other Furniture, and toward the finding and providing of Drums, Colours, Powder, Match and Bullet, as more fully in the said Act is contained.

Additional three months' assessment on real estate for charges of Militia.

And forasmuch as the said Commissioners have Charged persons onely in respect of their Personal Estates, and none for their Real Estates within the said City and Liberties (who are Chargeable towards finding and providing of Horse and Arms) and have not assessed any other persons (intended by the said Act) for the finding of Drums and other Provisions aforesaid, lest by so doing they should too much lessen their Foot Regiments, and have desired to finde out some more easie and indifferent way of Assessing and Raising of Moneys within the said City and Liberties, for the Provision aforesaid, and to defray other charges incident to this service, Be it therefore Enacted by this present Parliament and the Authority thereof, That for and towards the finding and providing of Drums, Colours, Powder, Match and Bullet, and other Charges aforesaid, there shall be paid at one entire Payment, by all and every the Inhabitants and Occupiers of all and singular Houses and Lands within the City of London and Liberties thereof, within Ten days now next ensuing, Three Moneths Assessment, according to the Monethly Rate now laid upon all and every the said Houses for the present Twelve Moneths Assessment for the Army, from the 24th June 1659. over and besides the said Twelve Moneths Assessment: And the Collectors that now are or shall be appointed in the several Wards and Places of the said City and Liberties, to Collect and Gather the said Twelve Moneths Assessment, shall, and have hereby full Power also to Collect and Levy the said Three Moneths Rate upon Houses, without further Warrant, in such maner, and by such ways and means, and under such penalties as are prescribed in the Acts for the said Twelve Moneths Assessment. And the said Collectors upon the like penalties shall forthwith upon Receipt of any Sum or Sums of Money to be Collected as aforesaid by vertue of this Act, pay the same at the Guildhall London, unto Mr. Robert Barret, Treasurer, appointed by the said Commissioners, who from time to time is to Issue and Pay out the same, as the said Commissioners for the Militia, or any seven or more of them, shall order or appoint for the purposes aforesaid.

Tenants paying to deduct from rent.

And be it Enacted, That every Tenant paying the said Rate of Three Moneths Assessment, shall be acquitted and discharged for so much money as the same shall amount unto, as if the same had been actually paid unto such person or persons, unto whom his Rent should have been due and payable.

Persons charged with horse and arms to maintain those serving with horse.

And further it is Enacted, That all Persons charged by the said Commissioners with Horse or Arms, by vertue of the said Act for setling the Militia of the City of London and Liberties thereof, shall allow to the persons that serve with their Horses and Arms, for maintenance of Man and Horse, and to the persons that bear their Foot Arms, such reasonable Allowance and Wages by the day, for every day, and day and night they shall be absent from their Dwellings and Callings by occasion of the said Service, as the said Commissioners or any Seven of them shall direct and appoint; And if any person or persons shall refuse or neglect to pay his or their Soldiers according to such Rates and Allowance as the said Commissioners or any seven or more of them shall direct and appoint as aforesaid, Then it shall be lawful to and for the said Commissioners, or any Seven or more of them to inflict a penalty upon such person or persons, not exceeding Twenty shillings, And upon refusal or neglect to pay the same, to cause the said Penalty, together with the Pay or Allowance due to the said Soldiers as aforesaid, to be Levied by Distress and Sale of the Goods of such person or persons so refusing or neglecting as aforesaid, rendring the over-plus to the Party distrained, necessary Charges for Levying being first deducted: The said Penalty to be employed for carrying on of the said Service.