THe firſt Meeting of the Commiſſioners is to be on or before the Fourteenth day of February next; There they agree to divide themſelves into the ſeveral Diviſions of the County. And at the ſame firſt Meeting they are to ſend out their Warrants into all the parts of the County, ſummoning Inhabitants, High-Conſtables, &c. as they think fit, to appear before the ſaid Commiſſioners in their ſeveral Diviſions, at ſuch time and place as by their Warrant they ſhall appoint, within eight days after their firſt Meeting.

At their ſecond Meeting they are to give in Charge the Act; which, for the better diſpatch, is in brief here ſet down.

WHereas by an Act of this preſent Parliament, entituled, An Act for raiſing Money by a Poll, and otherwiſe, towards the Maintenance of the preſent War; It is provided, That all and every perſon and perſons (Excepting only ſuch as receive alms from the Pariſh, and the children of any perſon remaining in his or her family, who by reaſon of their poverty doth not contribute to the Rates for Church and Poor, and who are under the age of ſixteen years) ſhall pay unto His Majeſty the ſum of Twelve pence; And that over and above the ſaid ſum of Twelve pence, all perſons and Bodies Politick and Corporate, having perſonal Eſtate in Debts or ready Moneys, which he or they do not account deſperate, over and beſides ſuch Debts as they ſhall bona fide owe, ſhall pay for every Hundred pounds thereof, the ſum of Twenty ſhillings; Except Moneys lent, or to be lent to His Majeſty upon Security of any Act paſſed, or to be paſſed by this preſent Parliament. And that all perſons having any Office or publick Imployment, who are taxed to the Monethly Aſſeſsment in reſpect thereof, their Deputies, Clerks and Subſtitutes, ſhall pay unto His Majeſty the ſum of Twelve pence for every Twenty ſhillings, which ſhall be rated and paid in the place where the Office is executed: And for ſuch Offices and Imployments as are not ſo taxed to the Monethly Aſſeſsment, the ſum of Three ſhillings for every Twenty ſhillings accruing to them by ſuch Office in one year, allowing one third part of the profits thereof towards the charge of executing ſuch Office. And that all perſons having any yearly Penſion or Stipend from His Majeſty, under his Great or Privy Seal, ſhall pay unto His Majeſty for every Twenty ſhillings thereof received in one year, the ſum of Three ſhillings. And that all Serjeants at Law, Councellors, Attornies, Sollicitors, and Scriveners, and all Advocates, Proctors, and publick Notaries, and all perſons practiſing Phyſick, ſhall pay unto his Majeſty for every Twenty ſhillings which they receive by their practice in one Year, the ſum of Two ſhillings, allowing one third part thereof towards their Charge. And that every Servant receiving yearly Wages, ſhall pay out of every Twenty ſhillings therof, the ſum of Twelve pence (except for Board-wages.) All Aliens to pay double.

And that every perſon of the degree of a Duke of England, Scotland or Ireland, reſiding within this Kingdom, ſhall pay to his Majeſty the ſum of Fifty pounds: Of the degree of a Marqueſs of either of the ſaid Kingdoms, Forty pounds: Of the degree of an Earl of either of the ſaid Kingdoms, Thirty pounds: Of the degree of a Viſcount of either of the ſaid Kingdoms, Twenty five pounds: Of the degree of a Baron of either of the ſaid Kingdoms, Twenty pounds. Every eldeſt Son of a Duke of England, Scotland, or Ireland, reſiding within this Kingdom, and being of the age of one and twenty years, Thirty pounds: Every eldeſt Son of a Marqueſs of any of the ſaid three Kingdoms, Twenty five pounds: Of an Earl, Twenty pounds: Of a Viſcount, Seventeen pounds Ten ſhillings: Of a Baron, Fifreen pounds: And every perſon of the degree of a Baronet of any of the ſaid three Kingdoms, and reſiding within this Kingdom, the ſum of Fifteen pounds: Of the degree of a Knight of the Order of the Bath, Fifteen pounds: Of a Knight Bachelor, Ten pounds: Of a Serjeant at Law, Ten pounds: Of an Eſquire, Five pounds: Of the degree of a Gentleman, having an Eſtate of the value of Three hundred pounds or more, Twenty ſhillings, though a Minor. And every Widow reſpectively to pay one third part rated by this Act upon her Husbands degree, except the Widows of Eccleſiaſtical perſons. And that every perſon of the degree of a Dean, ſhall pay the ſum of Ten pounds: Of the degree of an Archdeacon, Forty ſhillings: Of the degree of a Canon or Prebend, his Prebend being not rated in the Exchequer at above Thirty pounds, the ſum of Fifty ſhillings: And every perſon of the degree of a Doctor in Divinity (having a Benefice) and Doctor of Law or Phyſick, the ſum of Five pounds.

Theſe are therefore to require and command You, on or before the Firſt day of March next, to make and return unto Us in Writing, one perfect Certificate of the Names and Sirnames, Qualities, Dignities and Titles of all and every the Perſons dwelling or reſiding within your reſpective Pariſhes; taking care that no perſon chargeable as aforeſaid be omitted; and that every perſon be aſſeſſed for his Poll, Perſonal Eſtate in Debts or ready money, Office, Imployments, Wages, Penſion from the King, and Title; or as many of theſe as every ſingle perſon is ſubject unto; And to aſſeſs every of them accordingly,The Eſtimate what might be raiſed by this Bill, in the Houſe of Commons, was 500000 li. which is to be applied unto the War. without Concealment, Love, Favour, Dread, or Malice, upon pain of forfeiture of Five pounds for every default: Together with the Names of two or more ſufficient perſons within your reſpective Pariſhes or Places, to be Collectors of the Money ſo aſſeſſed by vertue of the ſaid Act; for whom the Pariſh is to be anſwerable. In the Execution whereof you are to be careful. And hereof fail not, at your peril.

Upon the Return of the Certificate and Aſſeſsments, then the Commiſſioners are to iſſue out their Warrants unto the Collectors to levy all the moneys charged on every perſon ſo aſſeſſed; and to require them to make Demand of the Parties themſelves at the places of their laſt abode, within ſix dayes after the receipt of the Eſtreat; and to levy and pay the ſame unto the High-Collector, on or before the Eighth day of April 1667. And if the Commiſſioners, or any three or more of them ſee cauſe, they ſhall and may examine the Preſenters thereof, and alter the Aſſeſsment, taking care that every perſon be aſſeſt for his beſt Title only, and for as many other Capacities as he is chargeable withal. The ſaid Commiſſioners are impowered to authorize the High-Collector to diſtrain the Sub-Collector in caſe of failure on his part; And to require the High-Collector to pay in the full Sum to be by him paid unto the Receiver-general, before the Fifteenth Day of April next. And the Receiver-general to pay his whole Collection before the Thirtieth day of April next. And the Commiſſioners are further required, That a Duplicate of the whole Sum charged within every Hundred, Pariſh, or Place aſſeſſed, without naming the perſons, ſhall be returned into the Exchequer before the Twentieth day of April next; All Appeals being firſt determined, wherein the Party by Oath may diſcharge himſelf: And a like Duplicate unto the Receiver-general and Head-Collectors, according unto their reſpective Collections; That all the money may be paid into the Exchequer by the time aforeſaid. But for ſuch perſons as ſhall prove Defaulters, they are perſonally to be returned into the Exchequer; there to be proceeded with, &c.