VVHereas by an Act made this pre­sent Parliament, Intituled, an Act for the relief of the Cap­tives taken by Turkish, Moo­rish, and other Pirats, and to prevent the taking of others in time to come, a Subsidy of one per Cent. was im­posed on all goods and Merchandize ex­ported out of, or imported into this King­dom of England and Dominion of Wales, which was to be one first part more then the Customes and Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, according to the Book of Rates: Since the Passing of which Act, the House of Commons by Order of the tenth of March 1641. for divers reasons did Order, That Bonds should be taken by the Collectors of that duty to stand to the Order of Parliament: And whereas both Houses of Parliament intending to carry on that good work, did on the 24. of October 1644. Order, that only one fourth part of the moneys due by the said Bonds [Page] being one shilling in every twenty shil­lings Custome, should be paid by the re­spective Merchants of the City of London, having by their Petition set forth y ^e great inconveniency that might happen, as well in relation to the Advancement of the work, as to the unequall burthen that might rest upon the wel-affected Mer­chants, in regard sundry persons ill dispo­sed to that work, and dis-affected to the Parliament, did, during the time of the said Act, make ill use of the favour of the Parliament; and did fraudulently make entry of their goods in the names of insol­vent and unknown persons, by whom Bonds were likewise sealed. And the du­ty being now required, no such persons ap­pear, nor moneys can be collected for the carrying on of that work; yet the said wel-affected Merchants being desirous that the work might go on, are ready not only by way of Advance forthwith to pay in all such monyes as they themselves owe upon those bonds, but likewise willing to discover the fraud in those il-affected per­sons, and to use their best indeavors, to re­cover [Page] in the moneys due upon such Bonds so as they might be enabled by an Ordi­nance of Parliament for continuance of that duty of one fourth per Cent. for ano­ther year to reimburse themselves out of the one moyety of the Collections of that duty or otherwise all such moneys as they shall pay in and advance as aforesaid. It is therefore Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament; That Samuel Avery, Esquire, Alderman or the City of London, Walter Pell, Robert Low­ther Rouland Wilson Senior, Thomas Hodges, William Methold, Edmund Cason, Robert Abdy, Samuel Mico, Charles Snelling, Richard Leg, Thomas Rich, Jonathan Andrews, Nathaniel Wright, Thomas Burnell, Richard Chiverton, Nathan Wright, Richard Hill, Benjamin Delan­noy, William Vincent, Henry Hunt and Hugh Wood, or any three of them shall be a Com­mittee, and have power to receive from the Chamberlain of London, who is here­by required to deliver all such Bonds of Merchants heretofore taken for the satis­fying of that duty by vertue of the said Order of the 10. of March 1641. And shall [Page] have further power to receive all moneys due upon the said Bonds, from the seve­rall Merchants, according to the Rule following: That is to say, of all such Merchants, that shall before the 24. of July next, voluntarily pay in the one fourth part of the one per Cent. in obedi­ence to the Ordinance of the 24. of October 1644. Vpon their said Bonds they shall ac­cept thereof, and deliver up their Bonds cancelled to the respective Merchants; but of all others, which shall refuse to ac­cept of the benefit of this Ordinance, and to pay in their moneys on their Bonds by the day prescribed, or any others that they shall discover fraudulently to have made their entries in unknown names to elude the Ordinance of Parliament, They shall have power to require and receive the whole duty of one per Cent. or the whole penalty of the said Bonds, as they shall think fit. And if any shall refuse upon de­mand to make such payment, then to leavy the same by distresse upon the goods and Estates of such persons, and the same to sell and dispose of for the satisfaction of [Page] the said Bonds, and the overplus if any shall be, to return it to the parties so refu­sing. And for the better execution of this service, they shall have power to send for parties, Witnesses, other then Peeres, papers, and Records at a certain time and place, where they shall constantly sit. And it is further Ordained, That after the sum of Ten thousand pounds shall be rai­sed and Collected upon the said Bonds, for the carrying on the said work, such Mer­chants shall, on, or before the said 24. day of July, pay in their said moneys in obedience to this Ordinance, shall be repaid the same out of the surplus of such moneys, as shall arise upon the said Bonds in turn as they did pay in their moneys, and what part shall be wanting for the full reimburse­ment of every particular Merchant, shall be paid out of the one moyety of the Re­ceipts that shall be Collected in the Port of London, on an Ordinance of Parliament passed this present day, for the continuance of the said duty of one fourth of one per Cent. from the 10. of December next inclu­sive. Provided, if any Merchant shall not [Page] pay in the money due by his Bonds, on or before the 24. of July as aforesaid, shall not enjoy the benefit of this Clause▪ or any thing in this Ordinance [...].

And it is further Ordained, That this Committee shall have power to appoint a Treasurer to receive and issue [...] moneys as shall be Collected on the said Bonds as he shall receive order from time to time from the Committee of the Navy appointed by Parliament, which shall be to him a sufficient discharge, and to im­ploy such other person or persons in the execution of this service, and to give such reward for their care and pains, as to them with the approbation of the Com­mittee of the Navy shall be thought fit.

Lastly, it is Ordained, That if after the said 24. day of July, any person or persons shall be discovered eluding of the said Or­dinance of Parliament for the payment of that duty to have made fraudulent en­tries, and to cause bonds to be giver in the names of unknown or insolvent persons, such persons so discovered shall be liable to the penalty of the said bonds, and to such [Page] further punishment as shall be thought fit by Parliament to be due to offences of that nature one moyety of the said Fine and penalty shall be to such person or per­sons that shall make such discovery, and the other moyety to the State, to be im­ployed, to and for the Redemption of the said distressed Captives▪ And the Com­mittee of the Navy are to take care for the putting this Ordinance in execution, and to give such▪ further Instructions from time to time, as shall be needfull for the better carrying on of this Service.