WHEREAS there was an Ordinance made by the late General Convention of this Kingdom, assembled by His Majesties authori­ty, intituled, An Ordinance for the speedy raising of Moneys for His Ma­jesties Service, and Dated the first day of March 1660; which Ordi­nance was for raising a double Pole; And whereas We have re­ceived information that in the leavying of the Moneys charged by the said Ordinance, there have been great Misdemeanours in the Colle­ctors and Sub-Collectors thereof in several Counties, by charging the people with more Money than in the Books of Assesments deli­vered to the Collectors were charged on them, exacting in some cases double, and in some cases treble the sums charged on them, and in exacting Moneys towards payment of the said double Pole from o­thers who were not charged in the said Books of Assesments; which Moneys so unduly recei­ved, the said Collectors and Sub-Collectors have taken and converted to their own private uses, without rendering any Accompt for the same to His Majestie; by which misdemeanours in the said Collectors and Sub-Collectors, his Majesty hath been abused, and his Subjects oppressed: We therefore (who have it in charge from his Majesty to preserve his Subjects from wrongs and oppressions) being abundantly sensible of those miscarriages, and being desirous to apply such remedy thereunto, as may tend not onely to the just punishment of the Offenders, but also to the relief of those who have been oppressed; do in Order thereunto, by this Proclamation in his Majesties Name strictly charge and command, all and every the Commissioners appointed for taxing the said double Pole in all and every the Counties of this Kingdom, That where they have not as yet returned to his Majesties Receiver General or his Deputy, Duplicates of the Books delivered to the Collectors of the said Moneys, that they do forthwith cause the said Du­plicates to be returned to His Majesties said Receiver General or his Deputy, without refer­ring him to the returns of the first single Pole; wherein if they fail (it being that which they ought long since to have done) as We may thereby have cause to suspect that some of them have at least purposely connived at the frauds of the Collectors or Sub-Collectors: so they may justly expect to be proceeded against for their so long neglect in returning the said Duplicates; And the said Commissioners of every County are to take Order that the Clerk employed by them in tran­scribing the said Books, do attend the next going Iudges of Assize into the County where such Clerk was so employed, and there on the first day of the Session of the said Iudges of Assize, for that County where such Clerk was employed, that the said Clerk do deliver to the said Iudges a Duplicate of the said Books, attested by some of the said Commissioners, and there to attend during the Sessions of the said Iudges for that County; And the said Iudges of Assize are then and there to hear and examine all complaints that shall be exhibited unto them, against any of the said Collectors or Sub-Collectors, or others, for or concerning any frauds or abuses commit­ted or concerning the levying of the said double Pole, and to proceed according to Law against such persons, as shall be found to have misdemeaned themselves therein, and that in such sort as may be not onely for the just punishment of such Offenders, but also exemplary for others to take war­ning by, that they presume not to offend in that kind, and also for satisfaction and reparation to be made to the persons injured; And the said Iudges of Assize are at their return from the Cir­cuite to give an Accompt in writing at this Board of their proceedings herein.