Charles I, 1640: An Act for a speedie contribuc[i]on and loan towards the releife of his Majesties distressed Subjects of the Kingdome of Ireland.

Murders and Massacres of Protestants in Ireland, and Distresses of those that have been obliged to flee, recited.

Churchwardens, &c. to ask and gather Charitable Donations within their Parishes;; and the Sums received, and the Names of the Persons giving, to note and deliver to High Constables, who are to pay and deliver the same to the Sheriffs, who, and the said Constables, are to give Acquittances for the same. ; How such Monies are to be collected, &c. in London.

Whereas sithence the begining of the late Rebellion in Ireland diverse cruell Murthers and Massacres of the Protestants there have beene and are daily comitted by Popish Rebells in that Kingdome by occasion whereof great multitudes of godly and religious people there inhabiting togeather with theire wives children and families for the preservation of theire lives have been inforced to forsake theire habitations meanes and livelihood in that kingdome and to [flee (fn. 1) ] for succour into severall parts of his Majesties Realme of England and Dominion of ( (fn. 2) ) Wales having nothing left to depend upon but the charitable benevolence of well disposed persons. The Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament taking the same into theire charitable considerac[i]on for the honour of Almightie God and the preservation of the true Protestant Religion and Professours thereof have resolved presently themselves to contribute towards the necessities of the said poore distressed christians who being many in number it is thought expedient that through all his Majesties Realm of England and Dominion of Wales a generall collection should with all expedition be made for that purpose. And forasmuch alsoe as a present supply of money is necessary for the raising of men to suppresse the said Rebellion which otherwise may indanger the peace and safety of this kingdome May it therefore please your most excellent Majestie that it may beenacted And be it enacted by the Kings Most Excellent Majestie and the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authoritie of the same that all and every the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poore within all and every the severall places and parishes in all and every county or counties Cities or Townes whatsoever within his Majesties said Realm of England and Dominion of Wales shall and may forthwith and before the first day of June which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God 1642. within theire respective parishes and places aforesaid and for the purpose aforesaid aske take receive and gather the severall gifts and charitable benevolences of all and every person and persons to and for the uses aforesaid and the sums soe received and gathered in each severall place or parish togeather with the persons names that shall give the same they or some or one of them to set downe in a Note in writing in words at large and not in figures and the same Note togeather with the said su[m]ms of money forthwith to pay and deliver to the severall High Constables of every hundred circuit or division where such collection is or shall be made who shall forthwith pay and deliver the said severall su[m]ms and notes thereof to the severall Sheriffes of each countie which said Sheriffs and Constables are to give severall acquittances or discharges for the same respectively saving and except that within the citie of London the su[m]ms soe to be collected and the notes thereof in writing so taken shall be immediately delivered to Sir Edmund Wright Sir James Cambell and Sir George Whitmore Knights Aldermen of the Citie of London and Robert Bateman Esquire Chamberlain of the said Citie And the su[m]ms to be collected within the Citie of Westminster and Notes thereof taken to Sir Arthur Ingram and Sir Robert Pye Knights William Wheeler and William Bell Esquires which persons before named are by this act appointed Receivers and Treasurers for that purpose and to give acquittances and discharges for the same.

II. Sheriff to pay and deliver the said Money and Notes to Receivers, &c. appointed by thisact who are to give acquittances.

And be it furtherenacted by the authority aforesaid that the said severall Sheriffes from and after such receipt of the said severall su[m]ms of money shall with all possible speede and before the first day of July which shall be in the said yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred fourty and two pay over all the said severall sums of money and deliver the said notes to the Receivers and Treasurers by this act appointed or some or one of them who alsoe are to give severall acquittances and discharges for the same and are by this act to be accomptable and responsable to the Parliament for the said severall su[m]ms

III. Commissions to issue under the Great Seal for Collecting such Monies to the Commissioners named in c. 2. ante.

Commission to Bristol.; To the Cinque Ports. ; Dover.; Folkstone.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that for the better collecting and receiving of the said severall su[m]mes by this act appointed or intended severall Commissions shall forthwith be made and directed by the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper for the time being out of the Court of Chancerie under the Great Seale unto the severall Commissioners named in one act lately made in this present Parliament intituled An act for the releife of his Majesties Army and the Northerne parts of this Kingdome And alsoe one other Commission for the Citie of Bristoll to the Maior for the time being and to John Taylor John Gunning John Tomlinson Andrew Carleton Richard Helworth William Jones Ezechiell Wallis George Knight and John Lock Esquires And other Commissions to every of the Cinque Ports that is to say To the Maior for the time being Steven Munnings Thomas Day John Brome William Richards Samuel Dell Robert Brome Jurates for the towne and port of Dover and theire eight members For the towne and port of Folstone The Maior for the time being Robert Culverdown Thomas

New Romney. ; Lid. ; Hithe. ; Sandwich. ; Rye. ; Tenterden. ; Winchelsea. ; Schedule of Tenor of act to be affixed to Commission.; Commissioners to exhort the people in their respective Limits to contribute; ; and to collect Monies; ; and such Monies, together with Notes in Writing of the Names, of the Persons contributing, to transmit, under their Hands, to the Sheriffs, who are to give Acquittances.; Monies contributed in London and Westminster to be paid to the Receivers before mentioned, who are to give Acquittances. Interest at £ 8. per Cent. on Monies lent.

Inneth For Feversham To the Maior for the time being Master Bois Master Marlow Master Crump For the towne and port of New Rumney To the Maior for the time being Robert Wivell Steven Etherick John Wilcock William Lancaster Gentlemen For the towne of Lid To the Bayliffe for the time being Thomas Tapp Thomas Struggle John Bate William Godfrey Gent For the towne and port of Heith and the members thereof To the Maior for the time being William Deede John Down John Hogben John Crump John Lambert For the towne and port of Sandwich and the Members thereof To the Maior for the time being [Stephen Inckpet William Nelson George Wood Mathew Peak Jurats For Rye with y^e members of it To y^e Maior for y^e time being (fn. 3) ] Robert Ewen Richard Cockram Joseph Bembrick Allen Gribble Jurates For Tenterden To the Maior for the time being Robert Pope Samuel Short Esquires John Austen Thomas Short Jurates For the town of Winchelsea To the Maior for the time being and Daniel White a Jurate And to every of the said Commissions one or more Schedules containing in them the tenor of this act shall be affixed by which Commission the Commissioners in every such Commission named according to this act or any three or more of them shall by vertue of this act before the first day of March which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred fourty and one summon and call togeather at such places and times and by such waies and meanes as they or any three or more of them shall appoint such person and persons residing within the severall Counties where they shall be appointed Commissioners as they in theire discretions shall thinke fitt and earnestly to move and perswade them liberally to contribute and lend money toward so good a worke And the said Commissioners are alsoe required to collect and gather such sums of money as themselves or any of them shall thinke fitt to give or lend to the uses aforesaid it being hoped and expected that by theire good example herein they will incourage others to doe the like and such su[m]ms of money as shall be soe lent to the uses aforesaid by any person or persons whatsoever together with notes in writing of the said severall su[m]mes and of the names of the severall Lenders thereof under the hands of the said Commissioners or any twoe or more of them to be paid and delivered over with all possible speed to the Sheriffes of the said severall Counties respectively where such person or persons so lending shall be resident the said Sheriffes giving severall Acquittances for receipt thereof (saving and except) that within the Cities of London and Westminster the sums which shall be there so lent shall be immediately by the persons lending the sum paid and delivered to the Treasurers and Receivers before menc[i]oned for the said respective Cities who shall give severall acquittances for the same All which acquittances shall be a sufficient Warrant for the persons producing the same to receive the severall su[m]ms of money soe by them lent as aforesaid with interest for the forbearance thereof after the rate of eight pound per centum for a yeare out of such moneys as shall be raised by an act of Parliament to be made for that purpose for the well and true payment whereof this present act doth give publique faith and security

IV. Sheriffs to pay and deliver Monies and Notes to Treasurers, who are to give Acquittances;

and to be responsible to Parliament.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that from and after such receipt of the said severall su[m]ms which shall be so lent as aforesaid the said severall sheriffs shall with all possible speed and before the first day of July which shall be in the yeare One thousand six hundred fourty and two pay and deliver over all the said severall su[m]ms of money so lent as aforesaid together with the said severall Notes of the said severall su[m]ms and of the severall lenders thereof in writing under the hands of the said Commissioners or any two or more of them to the said Treasurers before mentioned or some or one of them who alsoe are to give severall acquittances to the said Sheriffes respectively for the same and are by this act alsoe to be accountable and responsable to the Parliament for the same as aforesaid.

V. The said Monies to be distributed as by both Houses of Parliament appointed.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that all the said severall su[m]ms which shall be given or lent as aforesaid shall be issued out and distributed to the uses aforesaid to such persons and in such manner as from time to time appointed by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled and not otherwise or in any other manner

VI. Notes, &c. of collections to be printed and published.

And for the better discovery of the true payment of all and every the severall su[m]ms of money aforesaid and the avoiding of all deceits and evil dealing touching all and every the p[re]misses Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that all and every the said severall Notes or Schedules of collections (after the, same shall be so returned to the said Receivers and Treasurers aforesaid) shall be imprinted and published

VII. Members of the Commons to send Copy of act to Sheriffs, who, together with Mayors, &c. are to publish and execute the same.

Sheriffs, Mayors, &c. in England and Wales, to take Notice of act, and all Parsons, &c. are to make the same known.

And for the more speedy execution of this p[re]sent act in respect of the said p[re]sent and pressing necessity of the said poore distressed persons. Be it further likewise enacted that immediately after the imprinting of this Act the severall Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons of the Cinque Ports for this present Parliament shall forthwith respectively send unto the Sheriffs of the said severall Counties and to the Cities Boroughs and Ports for which they serve one or more severall books of this present act of Parliament which said act the said severall Sheriffs of each severall Countie and the Maiors Bayliffs and Head Officers of each severall City Borough and Towne Corporate or Port are hereby required to receive and forthwith by all good and lawfull wayes and meanes to publish and put the same in due execution And all Sheriffs Maiors Bayliffs Head Officers Ministers Parsons Vicars Curates Church Wardens and Overseers of the Poore whatsoever within this Realme of England & Dominion of Wales are by this act required to take notice of the p[re]misses And also all Ministers Parsons Vicars Curates Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor to use theire best endeavors for the performance thereof by publishing the same in the severall Parish Churches and Chappels within [this (fn. 4) ] Realme of England and Dominion of Wales as by all other good wayes and meanes whatsoever

VIII. Sheriff, &c. neglecting to execute act answerable in Parliament.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that in case any Sheriffe Commissioner Maior Bailiffe Head Officer Minister Parson Vicar Curate Churchwarden Overseer of the Poore or other Officer or Officers or other person or persons whatsoever by this act nominated or required to be aiding or assisting in the due execution thereof shall neglect the due performance of his or theire duties therein that he or they shall be accomptable and answerable in Parliament for such his or theire neglect.

IX. Continuance of act.

Provided alwaies That this act shall not be put in execution touching any such collection Loan or contribution as aforesaid longer then or from or after the first day of June which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God 1642.