AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.

FOraſmuch as the Fortifications and Guards within the Cities of London and Weſtminſter, and parts adjacent, within the Lines of Communication and weekly Bills of Mortality, are very neceſſary for the ſafety and de­fence of the ſaid Cities and places, and preſervation of the Parliament in theſe times of di­ſtraction and danger, and for that the Citizens and Inha­bitants2 within the ſaid Cities and places have been and are daily at great charges in maintaining the ſame, For rai­ſing of money to pay the charge of the Fortifications and Guards aforeſaid, and for ſatisfying the great debts there­by already incurred, and other neceſſary uſes: The Lords and Commons in Parliament aſſembled, have Ordained, And be it Ordained by the ſaid Lords and Commons, That there ſhall be monthly charged and levied upon the Cities of London and Weſtminſter, The Hamblets of the Tower, and Burrough of Southwark, and all other Pariſhes and places within the Line of Communication, and week­ly Bills of Mortality, the ſumme of ſix thouſand nine hundred ſixty two pounds foure ſhillings: that is to ſay, upon the City of London, five thouſand foure hundred eighty two pounds ten ſhillings three pence. Upon the Ci­ty and Liberty of Westminſter, ſix hundred ſixteen pounds ten ſhillings eight pence halfe penny. Upon the Hamblets, foure hundred ninty three pounds foure ſhillings ſeven pence. Upon the Burrough of Southwark; three hundred ſixty nine pounds eighteen ſhillings five pence farthing, for the purpoſes aforeſaid, for ſix moneths, To commence from the firſt day of November laſt paſt, And to the end the ſeverall ſummes of money, may be duly raiſed, levied and paid; as hereafter is directed.

Be it further Ordained, by the ſaid Lords and Com­mons, That the Lord Major and Aldermen of London, ſhall be Committees for the City of London and Liber­ties thereof, And the Lord Major and Aldermen of Lon­don, and ſix ſuch perſons of every of the Sub-committees for the Militia, within the Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality, as the ſaid ſeverall and reſpe­ctive Committees ſhall nominate and appoint, for this ſervice, and the former Committees named in the Ordi­nance3 for the two laſt months aſſeſsements for the City of Weſtminſter, Burrough of Southwarke, Hamblets of the Tower, and other places within the Line of Commu­nication, and Weekly Bills of Mortality, without the Ci­ty of London, and Liberties thereof, ſhall bee Committees for the ſaid City of Westminſter, Burrough of South­warke, Hamblets of the Tower, and places aforeſaid without the City of London, and Liberties thereof, within their ſeve­rall and reſpective diviſions: which ſaid Committees in their ſeverall and reſpective diviſions or any two or more of them reſpectively are hereby authorized and required to direct their warrants to ſuch number of perſons as they ſhall thinke fit, within their ſeverall and reſpective diviſions to be Aſ­ſeſſors for the ſaid Rates, which ſaid perſons are hereby authorized and required to aſseſs all and every perſon and perſons whereſoever they ſhall live and inhabite, either within the ſaid Limits, or without, having any reall or perſonall Eſtate within the Limits, Circuits, and Bounds of their re­ſpective Diviſions, according to the rate and proportion in this Ordinance mentioned.

And bee it further Ordained by the Lords and Com­mons, That the ſeverall ſummes which ſhall be hereafter aſſeſſed or taken upon the ſeverall Cities and Places afore­ſaid, ſhall bee aſſeſſed and taken both for Lands and Goods, upon ſuch Perſons and Eſtates, and in ſuch man­ner and forme, as is directed for the Weekly Aſſeſſments in an Ordinance of Parliament of the fourth day of March, 1642. Intituled, An Ordinance of both Houſes of Parliament, For the ſpeedy raiſing and levying of Money for the maintenance of the Army raiſed by the Parliament, and other great Affaires of the Common-wealth by a Weekly Aſſeſſement: and to the end that the ſaid Rates be equally and indifferently aſſeſſed, and the Moneys duly4 Collected, and true accompt thereof made; the ſaid Aſ­ſeſſors are hereby required, within ſix dayes after ſuch aſſeſſement made, to deliver two Copies of their reſpective aſſeſſements fairly written and ſubſcribed by them unto the ſaid Reſpective Committees, or to any of them; whereof one to remain with the ſaid Committee, and the other to be delivered to the Collectors, with Warrants to levy the ſaid Moneys. And the ſaid ſeverall Committees, or any three of them are hereby reſpectively authorized from time to time to nominate one or more ſufficient and honeſt Perſons in every diviſion or allotment, to be Collectors of the ſaid Moneys ſo aſſeſſed and Rated; which ſaid Col­lectors are hereby authorized and required to collect the ſaid Moneys ſo aſſeſſed, and the ſaid reſpective Commit­tees, or any ſix of them, are hereby authorized to allow and pay unto the ſaid reſpective Collectors two pence in the pound for their paines in collecting the ſaid Moneys, and one penny in the pound to their Clerkes for their paines in fair writing the ſaid Aſſeſsements: And if any Perſon or Perſons whatſoever, ſhall refuſe or neglect to pay any Summe or Summes of Money, whereat he, or they ſhall be Rated and aſſeſſed, That then it ſhall and may be lawfull to, and for the ſaid Collectors, or any of them, to leavy the ſumme ſo aſseſsed by Diſtreſs, and the Sale of the Goods of ſuch perſon or perſons ſo refu­ſing or neglecting to pay; deducting the ſumme aſseſsed, and the reaſonable charges of Diſtraining, and reſtore the overplus to the owner thereof. And likewiſe to breake open any Houſe, Cheſt, Truncks, Boxe, or other thing wherein any ſuch Goods are, and to call to their aſſiſtance any of the Trained Bands, Conſtables, Headboroughs or any other Forces within the Cities and Places where a­ny reſiſtance ſhall be made, or any other perſon or perſons whatſoever; which ſaid Forces and perſons, are hereby5 required to be aiding and aſſiſting in the premiſes, as they ſhall anſwer the contrary at their perills. And if any Queſtion or difference ſhall happen to ariſe upon the ta­king ſuch Diſtreſs, between the parties diſtrained and diſtraining, the ſame ſhall be ended and determined by the ſaid Committees, or any two of them: and the ſaid ſeverall Committees or any two or more of them are hereby authorized and required to uſe ſuch other wayes or meanes for the ſpeedy levying of the ſaid Aſseſsements as to them ſhall be thought fit. And if any perſon or perſons ſhall pur­poſely convey away his or their Goods, or any other per­ſonall Eſtate whereby the ſumme of money ſo aſseſsed, can­not bee levied according to this Ordinance; Then the ſaid reſpective Committees or any two of them are here­by authorized by themſelves, or ſuch other perſons as they ſhall appoint, to impriſon the perſons; and the Sequeſtra­tors to ſequeſter the Eſtates of every ſuch perſon, for the advancement of the ſaid ſervice. And the Tenants of all Houſes and Lands, which ſhall bee rated by vertue of this Ordinance, are hereby required and authorized to pay ſuch ſummes of money, as ſhall bee rated upon every ſuch Houſe and Lands, and to deduct out of their Rents ſo much of the ſaid Rates, as in reſpect of the Rents of every ſuch Houſe and Lands, the Landlords ſhould or ought to pay, or beare; and the Landlords both medi­ate and immediate, according to their reſpective Intereſts, are hereby required to allow ſuch deductions and payments upon the receipt of the reſidue of their Rents, and to give Acquittances for their whole Rents, as if no deducti­ons had been made. And if any Landlord refuſe to make any ſuch deduction or allowance, or to give ſuch acquittan­ces, then the reſpective Committees for the ſequeſtrations in the Cities and places aforeſaid upon proof thereof made be­fore them, are hereby authorized for every time they ſhall6 ſo refuſe to ſeize and ſequeſter for the ſervice aforeſaid, one full halfe yeeres rent payable to ſuch perſons ſo refuſing, allowing out of the ſame the ſumme of money ſo paid by that Tenant as aforeſaid. And if any difference ſhall a­riſe between Landlord and Tenant or any other concer­ning the ſaid Rates, the ſaid ſeverall Committees or any two of them in their ſeverall diviſions have hereby power to ſettle the ſame as they ſhall thinke fit. And the ſaid Collectors, and every of them are hereby required from time to time to pay ſuch ſumme and ſummes of money as ſhall be by them collected by vertue of this Ordinance, to ſuch Treaſurer or Treaſurers for the City of London and Liberties thereof, as the Common-Councell of the ſaid City ſhall appoint. And for the Lines of Communica­tion, and within the Weekly Bills of Mortality without the City and Liberties to ſuch Treaſurer or Treaſurers as the reſpective Sub-Committees in their ſeverall Diviſions ſhall appoint. And the ſaid ſeverall Committees are here­by required to take ſpeciall care, that the ſaid Monethly Aſſeſſements be conſtantly levied, collected and paid to the ſaid Treaſurer or Treaſurers once in every Moneth, during the continuance of the terme mentioned in this Ordinance.

And be it further Ordained by the ſaid Lords and Com­mons that if any perſon or perſons ſhall wilfully neglect or refuſe to take upon him any Office or place herein men­tioned incident to this ſervice,For lecting. or having taken upon him ſuch Office or place ſhall refuſe or neglect to execute or performe the ſame, or if any other perſon or perſons ſhall neglect or refuſe to perform his duty in the due and ſpeedy execution of this preſent Ordinance, the Lord Major of the ſaid City for the time being, or any two of the Aldermen of the ſame City, for the City of London, and the Liberties thereof, and the ſaid reſpective Committees without the7 Liberties of the ſaid City, and within the Lines of Commu­nication and weekly Bills of Mortality, or any five of them, have hereby power to commit ſuch perſon or perſons ſo re­fuſing or neglecting this ſervice, as aforeſaid, to priſon, there to remain without Bail, untill he ſhall conform himſelf; or otherwiſe to impoſe upon ſuch perſon or perſons ſo refuſing or neglecting the ſaid ſervice or their duties therein, ſuch Fine or Fines as to them ſhall be thought fit; and cauſe the ſame to be levyed by diſtreſs, and ſale of goods in manner and forme aforeſaid.

Provided, That no fine to be impoſed upon any of the ſaid Committees ſhall for any one offence exceed the ſumme of five pounds, and that no fine to be impoſed upon any Aſſeſ­ſor, Collector or any other perſon to be imployed by the ſaid Committees in the ſaid ſervice, or refuſing to be imployed therein, ſhall for any offence exceed the ſum of five pounds: And that no priviledged place or perſon, within the Cities and places aforeſaid, ſhall be exempted from the ſaid Aſſeſſe­ments and Taxes.

And be it further Ordained, That the ſaid ſeverall and reſpective Committees, and every of them ſhall from time to time give a true and perfect account of all their doings and proceedings in the execution of this Ordinance, (viz.) The Treaſurer or Treaſurers for London, and the Liberties, to the Major, Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the ſaid City of London, or to ſuch perſons as they ſhall appoint; And the ſaid Sub-Committees and their Treaſurers to the Committee for the Militia of the ſaid City.

And be it further Ordained, that the Treaſurers appointed to receive the money by vertue of this Ordinance, are appoin­ted & hereby authorized to iſſue out the ſaid Monies ſo gathe­red and received for the purpoſe aforeſaid, and not otherwiſe, within the City and Liberties, as the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons in Common-Councell aſſembled, or ſuch8 perſons as they from time to time ſhall appoint for that pur­poſe; and without the ſaid City and Liberties, and within the Line of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality; as the ſaid Sub-Committees within their ſeverall diviſions ſhall appoint for the uſes aforeſaid, and not otherwiſe.

And be it laſtly by the ſaid Lords and Commons further Ordained, that all and every the reſpective Committees, Aſſeſſors, Treaſurers, and Collectors, of the reſpective Di­viſions aforeſaid, and all that ſhall aſſiſt them in the premiſſes ſhall be by the power of Parliament Protected and ſaved harmleſſe, both for what according to the true meaning of the Premiſſes, they have or ſhall do therein.

Provided alwayes, that ſuch Rates and Aſſeſſements as ſhall be made by vertue of this Ordinance upon any Peeres of this Kingdome, or Members, Aſſiſtants, or Attendants upon either the Houſes of Parliament, ſhall before the ſame be levied, be preſented to the reſpective Houſes, whoſe Members, Aſſiſtants, or Attendants, ſhall be concerned therein reſpectively, and by ſuch reſpective Houſe allowed and approved of, any thing in this preſent Ordinance to the contrary notwithſtanding.