June, 1654
[21 June, 1654.]
Whereas upon Consideration had, it is found necessary, That
the Moneys and other payments arising by the Publique
Revenues of this Commonwealth, or which shall be raised for the
uses thereof, should be paid into one Treasury, to the end the
same may from time to time the more readily be imployed and
disposed as the occasions of the Commonwealth shall require.
That the Charges arising by the multiplicity of Treasuries and
Receipts may be reduced, and the persons who shall be imployed
in receiving the same, be brought to a due Accompt. And
whereas also the Receipt of the Publique Exchequer at Westminster is judged most fit and convenient for that purpose.
The Receipt of the Exchequer of His Highness.; All Moneys shall be paid in thither.; For Payments, Tallies shall be levied.
Be it Ordained by His Highness the Lord Protector by and
with the Advice and Consent of His Council, That from and
after the four and twentieth day of June, one thousand six
hundred fifty and four, the said Receipt shall be, and shall be
called, The Receipt of the Exchequer of His Highness the Lord
Protector, and shall be kept and executed in the usual and
accustomed Places, Method, Maner and Way of Receipt of
Exchequer as formerly. And that all and every Sum and Sums
of Money, and other payments, which upon and after the said
four and twentieth day of June, One thousand six hundred fifty
and four, shall be received or taken, or shall become due or
payable to, or for the use of His Highness the Lord Protector and
the Commonwealth, by any Commissioner, Treasurer, Receiver,
Collector, Sheriff, Bayliff, Steward, Escheator, or other Officer,
Minister or Person, Bodies Politique or Corporate whatsoever,
for any Fee-farm Rents, Quit-rents, Dry-rents, Out-rents, Annual
Tenths either of the Laity or Clergy, or for first-fruits of the
Clergy, or for or out of the Rents, Issues or Profits of any of the
Honors, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, Royalties,
Franchises, or other Revenues certain or casual, Tithes Appropriate, Impropriations, or Rectories Impropriate, with their
appurtenances, late of or belonging to the late King, Queen and
Prince, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons and Deacons, in right of their Offices, as also of Delinquents and Recusants, or any of them, or for or in respect of
any Debts due to the late King, Queen or Prince, or to the late
Keepers of the Liberty of England by authority of Parliament,
or forfeited by any the said Delinquents or Recusants to the
Commonwealth, or for or in respect of any Composition,
Contract or Sale of or for any the premises, or any part or parcel
of them, or for or in respect of Customs and Subsidies upon
Merchandizes, New Impost and Excise, Sale, or other Disposition
of Prize-goods, or for or in respect of any Confiscation, Seizure,
Forfeiture, Fine or other Penalty or Contempt, or upon or by any
Judgement, Decree, Order or Award of any Court, Commissioners
or Committee thereunto authorized; And all and every Sum
and Sums of Money, and other Payments whatsoever, which
upon the said four and twentieth day of June shall be due, and
from thenceforth shall arise, accrew, or grow due or payable to
His Highness and the Commonwealth, by or from any Person
or Persons whatsoever, Bodies Politique or Corporate, by all
or any the Ways and Means aforesaid, or by any other Ways
or Means then are before specified, shall be paid unto the said
Receipt of the Exchequer, by all and every the Person and
Persons, Bodies Politique and Corporate, who shall receive, or
be liable to pay the same, Any Law Statute, Ordinance or Order
of Parliament, or any other matter or thing whatsoever to the
contrary hereof, in any wise notwithstanding. For the payment
of which Moneys, and every of them. Tallies levyed and allowed
according to the usual and accustomed course of the Exchequer,
with the Alteration of the words upon the Tally from Latine to
English, shall be to every Person and Persons, Bodies Politique
and Corporate, so paying, and their Successors, Heirs, Executors,
Administrators and Assignes respectively, sufficient Acquittance
and Discharge.
Moneys to be issued by such as by Letters Patents shall be appointed.; Fees, Wages and Allowances to be contained in the Letters Patents.
And be it further Ordained and Declared by the Authority
aforesaid, That from and after the said four and twentieth day
of June, the said Receipt of the Exchequer of His Highness the
Lord Protector, shall be governed and ordered; and the Moneys
therein from time to time being and remaining, and to be there
paid as aforesaid, shall be received and kept, and charged and
accompted for, and also issued and paid out (by Warrant, as is
herein and hereby declared) according to the ancient method,
usage and practice of the Receipt of the Exchequer, by such
Person and Persons, Officer and Officers onely, and no other
then such as His Highness the Lord Protector shall from time
to time, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal, constitute and
appoint. And that every Person and Persons, Officer and
Officers to be hereafter in that behalf so constituted and
appointed as aforesaid, shall and may from time to time have,
use, exercise and enjoy all and every the like lawful Powers,
Priviledges, Preheminences and Authorities, in relation to his
and their several Offices and Places, and the execution thereof,
as any other Person or Persons, Officer or Officers of the Receipt
of the Exchequer at Westminster, in the Administration or
Execution of their or any of their Offices or Places at any time
heretofore lawfully have, or of right might have, had, used or
enjoyed. And shall have and receive for and in respect of his
and their execution of, and attendance in and upon his and their
said Offices and Places respectively, such moderate Fees, Wages,
Rewards and Allowances onely, as His Highness the Lord
Protector, with the advice and consent of His Council, by the
said Letters Patents, shall think fit to limit and appoint.
Such as shall take more, shall forfeit their places and treble as much.
And be it further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That
if any Person or Persons, Officer or Officers so authorized as
aforesaid, shall at any time directly or indirectly upon any
pretence whatsoever, by color of such his or their Office or
Imployment, take or receive any other or greater Fee or Fees,
Sum or Sums of Money, or other Gift, Reward or Gratuity
whatsoever, that then all and every such Person and Persons,
Officer and Officers shall upon proof or confession thereof before
His Highness Council, forfeit and lose his and their Place and
Places, Office and Offices; and the Letters Patents in that behalf
shall from thenceforth become void. And all and every Person
and Persons, Officer and Officers so offending, shall also forfeit
and pay treble the value of such Fee or Fees, Sum or Sums of
Money, Gift, Reward or Gratuity unto such Person and Persons,
as shall sue for the same by Bill, Plaint or Information in any
Court of Record.
No moneys to be paid out but by Warrant under the Great or Privy Seal.
And be it further Ordained, That all and every the Sum and
Sums of Money, which from and after the said four and
twentieth day of June, shall be brought and paid into the said
Receipt, shall be from time to time thence issued and paid by
Warrant and Authority under the Great Seal, or under the
Privy Seal, and not otherwise.
But as to the issuing of the Money mentioned in the nine and
twentieth Article of the Government of the Commonwealth of
England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Dominions thereto
belonging, the same shall not be granted but by Consent of
Parliament, or of the Lord Protector and major part of the
Council, in the Intervals of Parliaments.
This not to extend to Ireland.
Provided, That this Ordinance, or any thing therein contained,
shall not extend to any the Revenues of Ireland, or Moneys
raised there for the Publique use, until His Highness the Lord
Protector, or His Council, shall give order therein.
Nor to the Revenues of the Lord Protector, or His Successors in any other Capacity.
Provided also, That this Ordinance, or any thing therein
contained, shall not extend to any the Lands, Tenements,
Hereditaments, Revenues or Possessions of, or belonging to His
Highness the Lord Protector, or His Successors Lords Protectors,
in any other Capacity then as Lord Protector onely.