VVHereas by an Act made this pre­sent Parliament, intituled, An Act for the Relief of the Captives taken by the Turkish, Morish, and other Pyrates: And to prevent the taking of others in time to come, A Subsidy of One per Centum was imposed on all Goods, Wares, and Merchandize, of what nature, kinde, or quality whatsoever to be exported out of, or imported into this Kingdom of Eng­land and Dominion of Wales; which Sub­sidy or imposition was to continue by the said Act, during the space of three yeers, expiring the tenth of December, 1644. And whereas the Lords and Commons by their Ordinance of the twenty fourth of October, 1644. for the carrying on that so pious a work, the Releasing of the said [Page 4] distressed Captives: And withall, ha­ving respect to the Incouragement of Merchants in their Trade, did thereby Declare and Order, That onely one Fourth part of the Moneys due on the severall Bonds taken and due by the said Act; That is to say, one Fourth part of the One per Cent. which is one shilling in every Twenty shillings paid for Cu­stome and Subsidy, according to the now Book of Rates established by Authority of this present Parliament, should be paid by the severall Merchants so in­debted, and to continue the payment of the said fourth part of one per Cent. as be­fore, upon all Goods and Merchandize exported and imported unto the expira­tion of the said Act.

Now the said Lords and Commons finding the said work will require far greater sums of mony then could be rai­sed by vertue of the said former Act and Ordinance, during the time therein li­mited by the said one fourth part, do Or­der and Ordain: That the said Ordi­nance [Page 5] of the twenty fourth of October, 1644. concerning the Collecting of the said duty and imposition of one fourth part of one per Cent. which is one shil­ling in every twenty shillings, paid for Custome and Subsidy, according to the now Book of Rates established by Au­thority of this present Parliament, upon all Goods and Merchandize ex­ported or imported into this Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Port and Town of Barwick, shall stand and continue in full force and power, from the said Tenth of December, 1644. inclusive, unto the Eleventh of Decem­ber, 1645. And that the Chamberlain of the City of London for the time being, his Deputy or Deputies, be hereby ap­pointed Collectors, who are hereby en­abled to receive all such sums of Mo­ney as shall hereafter, during the con­tinuance of this Ordinance, be payable or payd for, and in respect of the said duty, who are heereby required to at­tend at the severall Custome-houses in [Page 6] the Port of London, and out-Ports, at the usuall hours, between Nine and Twelve in the morning, to receive the same, And to take such further course for dispatch of the service, as he or they in their wisdoms shall think fit.

And it is further Ordained, That all such sums of Money as shall be colle­cted and received for the said duty a­foresaid, shall from time to time be is­sued, imployed, disposed and payed by the said Chamberlain, for and towards the Redemption of the said distressed Captives, in such manner as by the Lord Admirall for the time being, and the Committee for the Navie of the Commons House of Parliament, or in the absence of the Lord Admirall, by the Committee of the Navy shall be or­dered and directed, whose order from time to time shall bee his sufficient dis­charge.

And that the said duty may be duly collected and paid according to the true intent and meaning of this Ordinance, [Page 7] It is Ordained, That no Officer or Officers belonging to any Custome­house in the Kingdom of England, Do­minion of Wales, and Town of Barwick, do passe any Warrant Cocquet, or per­mit any Goods to passe by any War­rant cocquet, unlesse the same be signed or subscribed by the Chamberlain of Lon­don, his Deputy or Deputies.

And for the better incouragement of the said Chamberlain, The Lords and Commons do Ordain, That whatsoever Act or Acts, the said Chamberlain, his Deputy, Deputies, or any one of them, shall do in the Execution of this Ordi­nance: And whatsoever money they shall receive and Issue out by vertue of the same; They, their Heirs, Exe­cutors and Administrators shall be ac­quitted, discharged, and saved harm­lesse, by the Power and Authority of both Houses of Parliament. Provided, That the said duty be not demanded or levyed of the Merchant-Strangers, Trading upon the Composition Trade at Dover. Provided also, And it is the [Page 8] true intent and meaning of this Or­dinance, That no Merchant-Stran­ger whatsoever, as to this duty, do pay any more then the Merchant-Denizen doth; and likewise, that as touching the duty hereby Imposed, there be no Deduction or Defalkation of fifteen pounds per Cent. any thing contained in this Ordinance to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.