FOr the Administration of Iustice in the cases of Probates of Wills, and granting of Administrations in the late Provinces of Canterbury & York, Be it Enacted by this present Parli­ament, and the Authority thereof, That Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper Baronet, Sir Henry Blunt, Matthew Hales, William Steel, John Sadler, Charls-George Cock, Thomas Manby, Thomas Blunt, Josias Berners, John Desborow, Samuel Moyer, Matthew Thomlinson, John Fountain, John Fowk, William Packer, Esqs Mr. Hugh Peters, Sir William Roberts, John Mansel, John Rushworth, John Sparrow [Page 1941] [...] [Page 1942] junior, Esqs or any five or more of them, shall be, and are hereby constituted and appointed Iudges for the Probate of Wills and granting of Administrations in all and every the counties & cities of England and Wales; And shall and may use, exercise and put in execution, all such fur­ther Powers and Authorities touching the Probate of Wills and granting of Administra­tions, with the Incidencies and Dependancies thereupon in the late Provinces of Canterbury and York, that Sir Nathaniel Brent lawfully did or might have done in the late Province of Can­terbury: And shall and may, if they see cause, di­vide themselves into several places for the exe­cuting of the power given them by this Act, so as there be five of them present there; and that they, or any five or more of them, shall and may issue out Commissions, Proces and Proceed, to Hear, Sentence and Decree all matters touch­ing Wills, Administrations and Inventories; and also the Incidencies, Emergencies and De­pendancies thereupon in all places in England and Wales, as the said Sir Nathaniel Brent lawful­ly might have done in the late Province of Can­terbury: And that they do and execute all other things necessary and incident to the execution of the premises; and that they or any five or more of them, shall and may hear, sentence and de­cree all matters and things touching Wills, Administrations and Inventories, that were depending before the said Sir Nathaniel Brent the day of his decease, Saving unto every person & persons, Body Politique and Corporate, All such Right, Title and Interest, that they or any of them have for the execution of any of the Au­thorities concerning the Premises, given by this Act.

[Page 1942] And be it further Enacted, That the Profits which shall arise during the continuance of this Act, by lawful Fees for the Probate of Wills, and granting Administrations; And likewise all Fees to be taken by the Registers, shal be im­ployed for the use of the Navy, and the satisfy­ing such Clerks, and such other Ministerial Of­ficers as shall be necessary for to be imployed in the said service: & that Dennis Bond, Cornelius Hol­land, Francis Allein and John Downs, Esqs Commis­sioners for inspecting the Treasury, or any three of them do and shall direct and appoint, the Fees and Salaries that shall be allowed and paid un­to such Clerks and such Ministerial Officers as shall be imployed as aforesaid; which said Fees and Salaries shall be paid out of the said grow­ing Profits, by Warrant from the said Commis­sioners or any three of them: And the remain­der of the said Profits shall be paid according to the Warrant of the said Commissioners, for the use of the Navy.

And be it further Enacted, That the said Com­missioners shall and may call all such persons to an Accompt that shall receive any of the said Profits: And in case such person shall refuse to Accompt, or pay the Monies so received, That then they or any three of them may secure the person of such Offender, until he shall Accompt or pay in the Monies.

Provided always, That this Act shall be in force until the First day of October, which shall be in the year One thousand six hundred fifty and three, and no longer.