Die Mercurij 14,
Decemb. 1642.
AN ORDINANCE, MADE BY THE LORDS AND COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED, For the better and more speedy execution, of the late Ordinance of the 29. of November, 1642.
WHEREAS according to an Ordinance and Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, of the 29. of November last, the persons whose names are subscribed are appointed and since approved of, by both Houses of Parliament, to be Assessors and Collectors of [...] It is now ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament. And the said persons, are hereby required and authorized, upon the Receipt of this order, forthwith to proceed, effectually and diligently, to execute the said Ordinance, according to the tenor thereof, in every behalfe, without omission, favour, dread, malice, or any other thing, to be attempted, by them, or any of them, to the contrary thereof: And for that end; It is further Ordained and Declared: That the said Assessors, shall hereby have authority to call before them, as well such persons, as they shall thinke fit to their assistance: As also, all or any such persons, as are to be assessed. And the said Assessors shall appoint the said Collectors, in their severall Divisions and Precincts, for gathering the sums that shall be assessed; And give notice of the summe and summes of money, at which every person, in their divisions and precincts shall be particularly assessed. And WHEREAS it is expressed, in the said Ordinance, (So as the assessement exceed not the twentieth [...]art of the estates of the persons to be assessed) It is hereby Declared, for prevention of all inequality in the said assessement: That if the said Assessors, or any foure of them, proceeding in their assessement according to their Judgements, and best Information, shall assesse any person, above the twentieth part of his estate; And that the person so assessed, doth find himselfe grieved, with the same assessing or Rating: That then the party so assessed, (paying one moiety of the summe he shall be assessed at, within sixe dayes next after assessement, and notice thereof given, or left, at the dwelling house of the party so assessed) may, (during sixe daies, after his having paid the said Moiety, as aforesaid) have liberty, and may addresse himselfe for remedy and reliefe, unto the persons nominated by the said Ordinance, to nominate the Assessors, or any foure of them, and may tender his voluntary Oath, or Protestation, to such persons, that he is over-rated, and of the true value of his estate (if he please) and after due examination, and perfect knowledge thereof had, and perceived; The said Persons authorized to nominate Assessors as aforesaid, or any foure of them, shall hereby have power to Order such abatement of the said assessement, according as shall appeare unto them just, and equall upon the same examination. And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, that the person so assessed and sworne, shall within three dayes next after the Order of abatement, in that behalfe made, pay unto, or be repaid by the Treasurers who received the other moiety of such assessement, such summe or summes of money, as by the said Order of abatement shall be appointed: And in case the said person, so sworne and assessed, shall not pay within the said three dayes, next after Order of abatement made, the summe thereby ordered to be paid; That then the same summe, shall be recovered by distresse, or otherwise, as is provided in the said Ordinance of the 29. of November last, (in case the summes assessed shall not be paid into the Guild-hall, London, according to the true meaning of the same) And if it be proved by witnesses, or by the parties owne confession, or other lawfull wayes or meanes, within sixe monethes after any such Oath made, that the same person so rated, and sworne, was of any better or greater estate, in Lands, Goods, or other things above specified, at the time of the making the said Ordinance, then the said person so sworne, did declare upon his Oath. That then every person so offending, shall lose and forfeit, so much lawfull money of England, as he the same person so sworne, was first assessed at, or taxed to pay, by vertue of the Ordinance aforesaid: To be recovered, by distresse, or otherwise, as is provided, in the said Ordinance of the 29. of November last, (in case the summes of money to be assessed by vertue of the said Ordinance shall not be paid into the Guild-hall London, according to the true meaning of the same) And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, That the said Assessors and Collectors shall incurre no damage by reason of their over-valuing the estate of any person assessed, or to be assessed, or recovering or receiving the same, by vertue of the Ordinance aforesaid, unlesse some corruption or indirect carriage therein, shall be proved in Parliament against them.