WHereas there was passed an Ordinance by the Lords and Commons assembled in Par­liament, entituled, An Ordi­nance of Parliament concerning the Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, to continue from the first day of Iuly 1642, unto the first [...]y of March then next ensuing, which [...] Ordinance, by a later of the 21 of Ianuary 1642. for the setting forth of severall Ships and Fleets to Sea, [Page 2] for the guarding of this Realm, and o­ther his Majesties Dominions, in these times of imminent danger, and for car­rying on the Affaires of the Navy, was ordered to stand & continue in full force and power from the time of the said Or­dinance expiring, unto the 26 day of March 1644; and from thence by ano­ther Ordinance of the 18 of September 1643, to continue unto the 25 of March 1645. And whereas the said Lords and Commons have taken into their consi­deration the necessity of the continuance of severall Fleets of ships abroad at sea, for the said service, and the same will re­quire great summes of money, which cannot be supplied and provided for, but out of the collections of duties arising on Goods and Merchandize exported out of and imported into this Kingdom. Be it therefore ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the said first Or­dinance, entituled An Ordinance of Parlia­ment concerning the Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, together with the Book of Rates lately agreed on by the Commons House of Parliament, and by their Or­der [Page 3] published in print, and all and every the Articles and Instructions in the said Ordinance and Book of Rates specified and contained, shall stand and continue in full force and power from the said 25 of March 1645 inclusive, for and untill the 26 of March 1647 exclusive: and that the Commissioners and Collectors for the time being, or such other Persons as shall be at any time hereafter nominated and appointed to receive the said duties by both Houses of Parliament, are and shall be enabled to receive all such sums of money which shall at any time here­after be payable or payed for Tonnage and Poundage, or advanced by way of Loane, or otherwise, for and in respect of Goods and Merchandize exported out of, or imported into the Port of London, and all other Ports within the Realm of England, Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Berwick, in such manner as the Duties of Tonnage and Poun­dage have beene formerly received by the late and now Commissioners and Collectors of the Customs; which said Commissioners and Collectors, and such [Page 4] other Persons hereafter to be appointed by both Houses of Parliament, as afore­said, their Deputy or Deputies, or any one of them, shall have full power and authority to give allowance by way of defalcation, after the rate of 15 per Cent. out of all such moneys as shall bee ad­vanced according to the said Ordinance, and Book of Rates; all which moneys the said Commissioners and Collectors, and such other Persons hereafter to be appointed as aforesaid, their Deputy or Deputies, shall receive upon account, and shall from time to time issue out the same, as they shall be authorized by Or­der of the Lords and Commons in Par­liament, or by Order signed by five at the least of the Committee of the Navy of the Commons House of Parliament, sitting the Committee, for the use of the Navy and the Fleet now at Sea, or hereafter to be employed by Authority of both Houses of Parliament, for the guarding of the Seas, and defence of the Kingdome, and for other necessary charges for the managing the Service aforesaid, whose Order from time to [Page 5] time shall bee their sufficient discharge. And for the better encouragement of the said Commissioners and Collectors, the said Lords and Commons doe or­daine, That whatsoever Act or Acts the said Commissioners and Collectors, or such other Persons to bee appointed as aforesaid, their Deputy or Deputies, or any one of them, shall doe in the execu­tion of this Ordinance, and whatsoever moneys they shall receive and issue out by virtue of the same, They, their Heirs, Executors, and Administrators shall be acquitted, discharged, and kept harm­lesse from any other or further trouble, question, or account whatsoever, then to the said Lords and Commons. And they doe further declare and promise, that when any Act of Parliament shall bee past for Tonnage and Poundage, provision shall be made by that Act, as well for the indempnity of the Mer­chant advancing the said duties, and summes of money according to the said Ordinance and Book of Rates, as for the security and indempnity of the said Commissioners and Collectors, and such [Page 6] other Persons to be appointed as afore­said, in performance of the said Service, and of such other Person and Persons who shall be employed therein. And it is likewise ordained by the said Lords and Commons, and they doe hereby en­joyne all Merchants, aswell Denizens as Aliens, to make due entries of all such goods and merchandizes as they shall export or import, from the day of the date hereof, for, by, & during the continuance of this present Ordinance. And it is further Ordered and Or­dayned by the Authority aforesayd, That if any such goods or other mer­chandize, wherof any the duties afore­sayd, are or shall be due, shall at any time hereafter bee shipped or put into any Boat or Vessell, to the intent to bee carried into the parts beyond the Seas, or else be brought from the parts beyond the Seas, into any Port, Place, or Creek of this Realm, or other his Majesties Dominions, by way of mer­chandize, and unshiped to bee layd on land, the Customes and other duties due by this Ordinance, or to bee due [Page 7] for the same, not payd, or the Collector thereof or his Deputy, with the con­sent and agreement of the Comptroller and Surveyor there, or one of them at the least not agreed with for the same, in the Custome House, according to the true meaning of this Ordinance; That then from the first day of February 1644 all the same Goods and Merchandize whatsoever shall be forfeited, the one halfe to bee employed to the use of the State, and the other moity to him or them who will seize or sue for the same: And for that purpose, the said Lords and Commons doe require the Custo­mers, Comptrollers, Surveyors, Searchers of the said City of London, and all other the Ports respectively, that they doe carefully attend their se­verall charges, and make due seizure as forfeited, of all such goods and mer­chandize as shall not bee entred accor­ding to the intent of this Ordinance. And such Goods so seized by the said Officers, or any other Person whatso­ever, they are required from time to [Page 8] time to Register, with the Officer ap­pointed for that purpose in the Custom-House London: and to proceed by way of Bill, plaint, or information in his Ma­iesties Court of Exchequer, against such goods and persons so offending, contra­ry to the true intent and meaning of this Ordinance: And it is lastly ordained, That the Baron or Barons of the said Court of Exchequer, & all other Officers of the said Court respectively, for the time being, do, and shall, and are hereby authorized and required to proceed to Iudgement upon such Bill, Plaint, or Information according to the course of that Court. And the said Baron or Barons, and Officers of the said Court respectively, shall be hereby indempni­fied and saved harmlesse for their so do­ing. Provided, that the Ordinance lately made for the Regulating of the Rates of Tobacco, doe stand in force without allowance of 15 per Cent. accor­ding to the true intent and meaning of the former Ordinance, any thing in this Ordinance to the contrary notwith­standing. [Page 9] Provided alwayes, That for the better encouragement of all Mer­chant Strangers and others, using the Composition Trade of Dover, It is ordained, That the said Merchants Strangers and others, using the said Composition Trade, shall not pay any Customes, Subsidies or any other Im­position whatsoever, more then the 2. ½. per Cent. which usually heretofore was by them paid for that Composition Trade, any Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.

It is further ordained, That the se­verall Ordinances of Parliament of the 26 of August 1642. and 19 Ianuary 1642. inhibiting the Importation of Cur­rans, bee hereby Repealed and made voyd; And that it shall and may bee lawfull from the date hereof, for all Merchants of the Levant Company, to Import in English Bottomes, Cur­rans as in former times, paying only such Customes and Duties as are due, and payable by the now Book of Rates [Page 10] established by the Authority of this pre­sent Parliament: Provided that one third part of the profit that shall arise out of the Customes payable upon Cur­rans, shall be appropriated to the Gar­rison of Gloucester.