AN ACT For taking and receiving the ACCOMPTS OF THE Commonwealth.

With Instructions concerning the same.

[coat of arms for the Commonwealth of England]

London Printed by WILLIAM LARNAR Mes­senger to the Committee for taking and receiving the Accompts of the Common-wealth, Octob. 15. 1649

AN ACT For taking and receiving the ACCOMPTS OF THE Common-vvealth.
With Instructions concerning the same.

THe Parliament of England now assembled, taking in­to their Consideration that divers sums of Mo­ney, Plate and Goods have been raised and received of the People of the Nation, for which no Accompts have been yet rendred for publique satisfaction: And thinking it very ne­cessary, That all and every the Colle­ctors and Receivers of such Money, [Page 2] Plate and Goods, should make a perfect Accompt of all the said particulars, Do Enact and Ordain, and be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authori­ty of the same Parliament, That the persons hereafter named, that is to say, Richard Wilcox, Thomas Richardson, Nicholas Bond, Henry Broad, Mat­thias Valentine, John Greensmith, Edward Fielder, John Ʋfflet, Henry Robinson, William Maddison, and Pierce Robin­son, or any five or more of them, shall be a Committee for taking and recei­ving the Publique Accompts of the Common-wealth. And because several Orders and Ordinances of Parliament have been formerly made and publish­ed, for taking Accompts, particularly an Ordinance, entituled, An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in [Page 3] Parliament for Taking and receiving the Ac­coumpts of the whole Kingdom, dated the two and twentieth of February, 1643. and one o­ther explanatory Ordinance of the ele­venth of July, 1644. and also another additional Ordinance of the six and twentieth of June, 1645. Be it, and it is here­by further Declared and Enacted, that all Committees named in any such Order or Ordinance, and all Sub-Committees by them named and appointed, shall be, and hereby are discharged from their service here­in; And are hereby required, upon demand of the Committee herein named, to deliver up all their books of accompts, writings, Vouchers, Inventories, Appraisments, Ren­tals, and all other evidences and papers what­soever, which are in their or any of their cu­stodies, or in the hands of any other person or persons by their order or appointment, and do any way relate to the Publique ac­compts [Page 4] of the Common-wealth. And it is further Ordained and Enacted, that the Committee herein named, shall be, and here­by are enabled and authorized to put the said Orders, Ordinances, and all and every clause and clauses therein contained, or so much of them as they shall think fit, in execution, with as full and ample Power and Authority, to all intents and purposes, as the Committees therein named, or any of them are enabled to do: Provided, that this following clause be added to the Oath which is to be taken by every person which shall enter upon this ser­vice.

Nor wittingly, willingly, or causlesly molest or trouble any person to his prejudice, and for his vexation, under the pretence or colour of the Authority committed unto me by the Parliament▪

And for the better taking and expediting the said accompts, Be it, and it is hereby [Page 5] further Declared and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That such person or persons within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Liberties thereof, as shall find themselves any way chargeable or accomptable to the Com­mon-wealth, shall within two and for­ty dayes after the Printing and publish­ing of this Act, deliver unto the Com­mittee herein named, a true and per­fect account, fairly written, and subscri­bed with their names, of all Moneyes and other things whatsoever, with which they now are, or heretofore have been chargeable or accountable, to the use of the Common-wealth: And all o­ther persons within this Nation, and the Dominion of Wales, who are yet ac­countable as aforesaid, shall deliver in their Accompts fairly written and sub­scribed as aforesaid, to the said Com­mittee, [Page 6] within six months next insuing the Printing and publishing of this Act, unless this Committee shall in the mean time appoint other persons to receive the same: All which accompts shall be brought and delivered in at the Office for accompts, situate and being in Wor­cester-house. Provided, that if any per­son shall come and make it appear to the Committee, upon just and Lawful reasons, that his accompts cannot be brought in within such time as aforesaid, then such persons shall be allowed some convenient time, with respect to the length of his accompt, as to the Commit­tee shall seem meet. Provided also, that if any person hath duly and truly past his accompts with, and received his dis­charge from Parliament, or other per­sons Authorized thereunto, then such person is hereby required to bring in [Page 7] his Acquittances and Discharges onely, to the Committee, within the time be­fore limited, to the end they may be there taken notice of, and Registred. Provided also, That if any person or persons have delivered in a just and per­fect Accompt to the former Commit­tee of Accompts, or to any other person or persons authorized by Parliament to receive the same, and have not recei­ved a Discharge therein, Then and in such case the Committee herein named, or any five or more of them, shall con­sider of the same Accompts so delivered in formerly; and if they find them to be just and true, then to give a ful discharge and acquittance to such person or per­sons for the same, by Authority of this present Act of Parliament. And it is further Enacted, That if any person or [Page 8] persons at the time of Publication of this present Act, shall have any sum or sums of money remaining in his or their hands, upon any accompts hereafter to be examined and determined, and shall forthwith make payment of the same unto the Treasurers hereafter named, it shall be allowed unto him or them up­on the determination of his or their ac­compts; and in the mean time the Ac­quittances of the said Treasurers shall be to them and every of them a plena­ry and sufficient discharge. And it is further Declared and Enacted, That whosoever shall after the time aforesaid given for making and bringing in ac­compts, discover by the Oaths of two credible witnesses, That any Person or Persons, who according to this Act ought to be accomptable, hath not with­in [Page 9] the time before-mentioned given in his accompt, or appeared before the said Committee to desire time so to do; or having given in his accompts, That the said Person or Persons had any sum or sums of money remaining thereupon, and not paid in according to this Act; or that he or they had received more money or other things then is acknow­ledged upon his or their accompts, then every such Person, who upon due proof and examination before the said Com­mittee, shall be found faulty in the pre­mises, shall forfeit to the use and benefit of the Common-wealth, one full fifth part of the money and other things so concealed, over and above the sum due from the said Person; which fifth part the Committee herein named are Au­thorized to Levy upon the estate Real [Page 10] and Personal of such Persons: And eve­ry such Discoverer, if he be a Person to whom the Parliament is engaged for arrears of pay as a Soldier, or for mo­ney or other things upon the publique Faith, shall receive his arrears or Debt due from the Common-wealth, out of the sum so discovered: Provided it ex­ceed not one third part of the value brought in; and if such Discoverer shall not have any money due as aforesaid, then he or they shall have and receive for his charges and paines, one fifth part of the moneys or other things so disco­vered as aforesaid: Provided, That such discovery or surcharge be made within two years from the making and pub­lishing of this present Act. Be it fur­ther Enacted, that all persons, who un­der pretence of Authority from the [Page 11] late King, or any acting under him, have le­vyed or received Moneys upon any persons of England or Wales, by way of assess, or o­therwise, be and are comprehended in this Act, to the end they may be brought to ac­compt by the persons named in this Act, and in the same manner as is therein expressed; and that all such persons shall make a just ac­compt how these moneyes have been dispo­sed of, to the end that what moneyes do ap­pear to remain in their hands, may be dispo­sed of to the relief of the persons from whom they have been taken, or otherwise as the Parliament shall think fit. And it is also En­acted by the Authority aforesaid, That the several sum and sums of money brought in and raised by force and vertue of this present Act, shall be paid by Order of the said Committee, and not otherwise, unto Natha­nael Stirrop, and Lieutenant Colonel George [Page 12] Crompton of Westminster, who are hereby no­minated and appointed Treasurers for the same; All which moneyes (such Salaries being first allowed and paid unto the several Officers imployed by the said Committee, and such other incident charges, as the said Committee shall find necessary in the exe­cution of this Service, whose VVarrant shal be a sufficient discharge to the Treasurers for payment of the same) shall be issued out, and disposed of for the service of the Common­wealth, and not otherwise, by Order of Par­liament. Provided, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Treasurers, to deduct one penny in every Twenty shillings value of such money as shall be paid unto them, for and towards their Charge and Paines in the execution of this service.

INSTRUCTIONS
For the Grand Committee for taking and receiving the Ac­compts of the Common wealth, according to an Act of this present Parliament.

I.

FIrst, you are to examine the Accompts of all persons whatsoe­ver, who are any way accomptable, according to this Act, since the third day of November, One thousand six hundred and forty, unto tbis time, and so forward, until it shall be otherwise Or­dered and Enacted by Parliament.

II.

Secondly, you are upon the examination of any Accompt, to keep the Vouchers and Proofs relating thereunto; and in case you find a real Discharge, such as you shall approve; you are then to pass such Accompts, without any further trouble or examination of the Ac­comptants, and to certifie the same, if you shall be thereunto desired: And in case upon the examination of any Accompts, you shall find them perfectly and faithfully cleared, you are then to give the Ac­comptants a full and absolute Discharge under your hands, which shall hereafter be good and valid, to all intents and purposes what­soever.

III.

Thirdly, you are to cause the Accompts of each City, County or other place, to be Printed severally, or so much thereof as you shall think fit, for the satisfaction of the Common-wealth: And you are to give liberty to any person, to receive a Transcript or Extract of any Accompt, if he shall desire the same, for which the Officer that takes paines therein, shall and may take such allowance as is given [Page 14] by any former Ordinances of Parliament made in that behalf.

IV

Fourthly, in case any person or persons accomptable according unto this Act, be already deceased, or shall decease before the deter­mination of his or their Accompts, Then you are to cause such Ac­compts to be prosecuted to a determination by the Heyrs, Execu­tors or Administrators of such person or persons so accomptable.

V.

Lastly, In case you shall find out any person or persons that have notoriously defrauded the Common-wealth, you are to return the names of such person [...] persons to the Parliament, or such as they shall appoint to receive the same, That such exemplary Punishment may be inflicted upon them, proportionable to their Offences, as the Parliament in their wisdoms shall think meet.

Provided alwayes, that this Act, or any thing therein contained, shal not extend to the taking of any Accompts, which by the Law are to be taken and passed in the Court of the publique Exchequer.

ORdered by the COMMONS assembled in PAR­LIAMENT, That this Act be forthwith Printed and published.

Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti.

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