WHereas the time for recei­ving the Duty of Excise and New Impost, is neer expiration, and it being ne­cessary for the peace and safety of this Common­wealth that the same be continued, both for the sa­tisfaction of the publick Debts charged upon the said Grand Receipt, as also for carrying on the weighty Affairs of this Commonwealth, His Highness the Lord Protector, with the Ad­vice and Consent of his Council, doth Ordain, [Page 2] and be it Ordained, That all and every the Acts, Ordinances, and Orders of Parlia­ment touching the Excise, and every Clause, Sentence and Article in them or any of them contained, and now in force, aswel for the col­lecting, gathering and receiving, as concerning the Government and Ordering of the Excise and New Impost, be continued, and the Duty of Excise and New Impost, according to the se­veral Rates in them, or any of them expressed, be recived, collected and paid in and through England, and Wales, and Town and Port of Barwick upon Tweed, untill the five and twen­tyeth day of March next comming; And that Luke Hodges, Thomas Bulstrode, & William Parker, or any two or more of them, be and are hereby constituted and appointed Commissioners of the Grand Excise and New Impost, and are hereby impowred and authorized to exercise and put in execution all and every the Powers and Authorities given or granted by, or con­tained in all or any the said Acts, Ordinances, or Orders of Parliament, touching the Excise and New Impost, as well for the collecting and receiving the Several Rates aforesaid, as concerning the Government & Ordering of the said Excise and New Impost, as fully and am­ply as any Commissioners for Excise, at the time of the making of this present Ordinance, may or ought to have done, and shall observe such further Orders and Directions as they shall from time to time receive from His Highness the Lord Protector, and his Coun­cil, touching the same; And for their Care, Paines, and Service therein, they shall have one penny in every twenty shillings raised and [Page 3] levyed for Excise and New Impost. Provi­ded nevertheless, and it is hereby declared, that from and after the nine and twentyth day of De­cember 1653. The Commissioners afore-named shall not let to farm, or admit any person or per­sons to farm the Excise of any Goods, Mer­chandizes and Manufactures that are excise­able by any Act, Ordinance, or Order of Parliament, without the Order and Direction of such Persons as shall be appointed thereunto by His Highnesse the Lord Protector, and his Council, But the said Commissioners, or any two or more of them, shall mannage and carry on the same, according to the best of their Iudgements, by such good Wayes and Means as may be most for the Ease of the People, and Advantage of the Common-wealth.