July 1652: Relief of Counties doubly charged with Assessments, by default of Treasurers, Receivers-General, &c.

July, 1652

[16 July, 1652]

No part of the Assessment to be forborn.; Relief for counties or persons doubly charged with Assessments.; Receiver or Collector detaining money received to be imprisoned and sequestred.

Forasmuch as the Assessments which by the Parliament have been appointed towards the Maintenance of the Forces raised by their Authority for the Service of this Commonwealth, Have for several years past been much less than what is required for payment of the said Forces, and no more then what was necessary, together with all Supplies that could any way be had from the other Publique Treasurers of this Commonwealth, to carry on the War, and preserve this Commonwealth from the great Burthen and Inconveniency of Free-quarter, so that no part of the said Assessments can be forborn or suffered to miscarry by any accident whatsoever, but must of necessity be wholly cleared and paid into the Treasury for the Army; Therefore, and for that also the Parliament are desirous by all means possible to prevent any double or unnecessary Charge from falling on such, who willingly pay their due Proportions towards the said Assessments, Be it Enacted, and it is hereby Enacted, That if any person or persons who have at any time heretofore been Treasurer, Receiver-General, Collector or Sub-Collector of any the Assessments appointed for the maintenance of the Forces raised by the Authority of Parliament, have or shall detain in his or their Hands any sum or sums of money which he or they have or shall receive by vertue of any Act, Order or Ordinance of Parliament appointing such Assessment, and not pay the same, as in and by such Act, Order or Ordinances is directed, by means whereof the County or place for which such Treasurer, Receiver-General, Collector or Sub-collector was or is appointed, is put to a further charge for the providing and paying in to the Treasury for the Army, the sum so detained as aforesaid; That then and in all such cases, the Commissioners for such County or place named in the Act of this present Parliament appointing an Assessment for Six Moneths, at the Rate of Ninety thousand pounds a Moneth, to commence the Four and twentieth of June, One thousand six hundred fifty two; or in such Act, Order or Ordinance which appoints the payment of the Assessment, part whereof is so detained, or so many of the said Commissioners as are in the like cases authorized by the Act beforementioned, to proceed against any Receiver-General, Collector or Subcollector, who shall detain in his or their hands any sum or sums of money received, or that shall be received by them by vertue of that Act, shall be, and are hereby required and authorized, to Imprison the persons, and Sequester the Estates of such Treasurer, Receiver-General, Collector or Sub-collector, or of the Heir, Executor or Administrator of such Treasurer, ReceiverGeneral, Collector or Sub-collector, and upon satisfaction of the sum so detained as aforesaid, to the County or place, which by reason thereof is put to such further charge as aforesaid, together with such reasonable damages as they shall be thereby put unto; The said Commissioners, or so many of them as in the aforesaid cases have power to imprison and sequester, are hereby directed and required to certifie to the Committee for the Army such satisfaction: And the Committee for the Army are upon such Certificate hereby authorized to release the persons, and free from Sequestration the Estate of such Treasurer, ReceiverGeneral, Collector or Sub-collector, their Heirs, Executors or Administrators.