February, 1659/60: An Act for Constituting a Committee for the Army and Treasurers at War.

February 1660

[February 2, 1659/60.]

For the more effectual and speedy bringing in an orderly Management, disposing, and issuing forth of all Moneys that heretofore have been, are, or before the tenth Day of October next ensuing shall be appointed for the use and payment of the Armies Garrison and Land-Forces of this Common-Wealth and the incident Charges thereof.

Be it Enacted by this Present Parliament, And it is hereby Enacted by the Authority thereof, That Tho, Pury the elder Esq; Col. John Downes, Colonel Thomas Lister, Edmond West Esq; Richard Lucy Esq; and Anthony Samuel Esq; or any three of them, shall be, and are hereby appointed and authorized to be a Committee for the Army and Forces aforesaid, and shall have full Power and are hereby Authorized to set down and give such Orders as they shall think fit and meet for the full Assessing, Re-assessing, Due Collecting, Leavying, and Payment of all and every the Sum and Sums of Money, that now are, heretofore have been, or within the time aforesaid shall be Appointed, set apart, or Ordered, for the Use and purposes before expressed: And such Orders and Directions as shall be therein Given by the said Committee, shall be Observed and Obeyed by all and every the Commissioners, Assessors, Collectors, Sub-Collectors, Receiver, and other Persons whatsoever, that have been, are, or shall be Intrusted with, or Imployed in the Assessing, Leavying, Collecting, Receiving, or Payment of all or any part of the Moneys before mentioned. And the said Committee for the Army are hereby further Authorized and Impowered upon any neglect of Duty, abuse of Trust, or Complaint made of the Miscarriages of any Person or Persons already Imployed or Concerned in the Apportioning, Assessing, Leavying, Collecting, Receiving, or Payment of any part of the aforesaid Moneys, to Hear and Examine, redress and Determine of and concerning the same, and aswel therein, as in all matters of Difference that are, or shall happen to be, between any the Counties, Cities, Towns, and Places in England and Wales, or between any the Hundreds, Divisions, Town-ships, or Hamlets therein, to Order, Conclude, Adjudge, Execute, and do as they in their Discretion shall think fit; and to punish all and every such Person and Persons as shall neglect or abuse any Trust Committed, or that shall be Committed to them in or concerning the Premises be it by Fine or Imprisonment of the Parties offending, the Fine not exceeding Twenty Pounds, to be Imployed to the Use of the Army; and shall take care for the speedy Execution of their Orders, Directions, and Instructions, by appointing of Forces or otherwise to cause Obedience thereunto.

And Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Committee for the Army shall have Power, and are hereby Authorized by their Warrants from time to time to Issue forth Assigne, and Dispose of all and every such sum and sums of Money aforesaid, or any part thereof, as are or shall be due and payable to the Forces and Garrisons that are or shall be Imployed in the Service of this Commonwealth, according to their to their present allowance of Pay, or such other allowance Pay, Orders, or Establishments as shall be Appointed by the Parliament, or Council of State, and also for the Payment and Satisfaction of such Provisions of Cloaths and Victuals as shall be by Order of Parliament or by the Council of State from time to time contracted for, and bought for the use of the said Forces and Garrisons, or other the Land Forces of this Commonwealth, and for payment and satisfaction for such Druggs and Medicaments and other Necessaries, for any sick or wounded Souldiers, whilst they continue in the Army, as the said Committee for the Army shall find Necessary to be bought and provided for the Use of all or any part of the aforesaid Forces, and for all other the Incident Charges of the Army and Forces aforesaid, and other the purposes in this Act Expressed.

And the said Committee for the Army shall be and are hereby Authorized and Impowered from time to time to Order, Direct, and Appoint the transmitting and sending such sum and sums of money, as they shall from time to time find necessary to be allowed and sent into Ireland and Scotland for the use and payment of the Forces that are or shall be imployed in the Service of this Common-wealth, in either of the said places, and to give their Orders to the Treasurers at War hereafter in this Act named, their Deputy or Deputies for the payment of the said Forces and Garrisons and Incident Charges thereof, out of the Moneys that shall be so transmitted and sent to either of the said places, according to such Warrants as they shall receive in that behalf from the Parliament, the Council of State, or Commissioners for the Army, according to their present allowance of pay, or such other allowance of Pay or Establishment as shall be hereafter made by the Parliament or Council of State. And the said Committee for the Army shall be and are hereby impowered to Impresse, Take up, or Imploy, such Carriages by Land and such Ships or Vessels not being in the pay or service of the Common-wealth, as they shall find necessary for the safe Carriage and Transporting of such Treasure as shall be by them appointed and assigned to be sent into Ireland and Scotland, or to any other place for the use of any of the Forces in the service of this Common-wealth, and to pay for such Carriages and Ships as they shall have occasion to use for the purposes aforesaid. And the said Committee for the Army shall be and are hereby Impowered and Authorized to Nominate, Appoint, and Imploy such Clerks, Agents, messengers and Servants, and to make and give unto them such Sallaries, Allowances, and Satisfactions, as they shall think fit, having respect to the profit and advantage of the Common-wealth.

And be it further Enacted, And it is hereby Enacted by the Authority afore said, That the said Committee for the Army shall in every Warrant granted by them, expresse for what purpose the Money contained in the same is to be issued. And the Treasurers at War hereafter in this Act named, and all other former Treasurers at War are hereby enjoyned and required to observe such Warrants or Orders as they shall receive from the Committee for the Army, or any three of them for the purposes aforesaid, the which said Warrant or Warrants, together with the Receipt thereupon under the hand of the person or persons to whom any sum shall be directed to be paid, or his Assignee or Assignees, shall be to all and every the said Treasurers at War a sufficient Discharge.

And be it Enacted, And it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That James Nelthorpe Esq; and John Lawson Esq; shall be, and are hereby appointed to be Receivers-General and Treasurers at War for the Receiving, Paying and Issuing forth of all Moneys that heretofore have been, or before the tenth Day of October, 1660, shall be appointed for the use and payment of the Forces aforesaid, and Charges incident thereunto. And the respective Receivers in the several Counties, that now are, heretofore have been, or hereafter shall be appointed to receive any part of the Moneys herein before mentioned, shall forthwith after the Receipt thereof transmit and pay, or cause to be paid, the Moneys by them so received unto the said Treasurers at War, and Receivers-General herein before named, or where or to whom they shall appoint to Receive the same, and the Receipt of the said Receivers-General and Treasurers at War, shall be to the said respective Receivers, and to all other Persons, who shall by Vertue of this Act pay any Money unto them for the purposes aforesaid, a sufficient Discharge: And the said Receivers-General and Treasurers at War herein named, for their pains in Receiving, paying, and Issuing forth of all such Moneys as shall be by Vertue of this Act Received by them, and Defraying the necessary Charges and Expences they shall be put unto in the doing thereof; And in consideration that they shall execute the Imployment of Treasurers at War, until the Tenth day of October One thousand six hundred sixty, shall have and receive after the rate of four and twenty hundred pounds by the Year together with such extraordinary Charges as shall be occasioned by the Portage, or Transporting of Moneys by Land or Sea, which the said Committee for the Army, or any three of them, are hereby authorized and appointed by their order to allow unto them, from time to time, as they shall think fit. And Be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, that the Committee or Commissioners for the Army, for the time being, or any three or more of them, do at or before the end of one whole year now next ensuing, and from henceforth yearly once every year, call to accompt the said Treasurers at Warr, or the Heires, Executors, or Administrators of them, or such of them as shall be deceased (if any shall happen so to be) for all the Monyes which shall be by them received, either as Receivors-Generall of the Assessments, or Treasurers at Warrout of the Assessments or by any other wayes or meanes, saving and excepting such Monyes as shal be by them received at the Receipt of the publick Exchequer, and to give unto them, ingrossed in Parchment under their hands, a Discharge for so much of the said Monyes as shall be by them duly and justly accompted for. And it is likewise Enacted and Declared, That the first and second Remembrancers of the publick Exchequer, upon tender unto them of such Discharge as aforesaid, shall record and inroll the same in the respective Offices, which being so Recorded and Inrolled, or the Inrolment or Exemplification thereof shall be unto the said Treasurers at War, their heirs, Executors and Administrators, and their and every of their Estates reall and personall, a good, valid, and sufficient Discharge to all intents and purposes whatsoever, without any other or further Accompt to be rendred or made for the said Monyes, to accompted for as aforesaid, or any part thereof.

And it is further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Treasurers at Warr, their Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, do and shall, when they shall be thereunto required by the said Committee or Commissioners for the Army, or any three or more of them, within such time, and according to such Rules, as shall be appointed, directed, or given in that behalf by the said Committee or Commissioners, or any three or more of them, pass and perfect their Accompts for the Monyes so to be accompted for as aforesaid, and every part and parcell thereof.

And Be it Enacted, and it is hereby further Enacted, That John Blackwel and Richard Dean Esquires late Treasurers at War, shall forthwith pay unto the present Treasurers at Warr by this Act constituted, all and every sum and sums of Mony remaining in their hands as Treasurers at Warr, and do henceforth forbear, and are hereby discharged, to receive or dispose of any Monyes, any way assigned for the Armies and Forces of this Commonwealth.