WHereas upon Conside­ration had, It is found necessary, That the Moneys and other payments arising by the Pub­lique Revenues of this Common-wealth, or which shall be raised for the uses thereof, should be paid into one Treasu­ry, [Page 394] to the end the same may from time to time the more readily be imployed and dispo­sed as the occasions of the Common-wealth shall require.

That the Charges arising by the multiplicity of Treasuries or 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,

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 twentyeth 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, Manner, and Way of Re­ceipt of Exchequer, as formerly. And that all and every Summ and Summs of Money, and other Payments, which upon and after the said four and twentyeth 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 Common-wealth, 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 [Page 395] of the Layty or Clergy, or for first Fruits of the Clergy, or for or out of the Rents, Is­sues or Profits of any the Honours, Man­nours, 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, Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Arch-Deacons 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 Parlament, or forfeited by any the said Delinquents or Recusants to the Common-wealth, or for or in respect of any Composition, Contract, or Sale, of or for any the premisses, 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 Iudgement, Decree, Order or Award of any Court, Commissioners or Commit­tee thereunto Authorized; And all and every Summ and Summs of Money, and other Payments whatsoever, which upon the said four and twentyeth day of June shall be due, or from thenceforth shall arise, accrue, or grow due or payable to his Highness and the Common-wealth, by, or from any Person or Persons whatsoever, Bodies Politique, or Corporate, by all or any the Ways or Means [Page 396] aforesaid, or by any other Waies or Means than are before specified, shall be paid into 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 Parlament, 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, Execu­cutors, Administrators, and Assigns, respec­tively, sufficient Acquittance and Discharge.

And be it further Ordained and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said four & twentyeth 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, than such as His Highness the Lord Protector shall from time to time, by Letters Patents under the Great Seal, constitute and appoint. And that every Person and Persons, Officer [Page 397] 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 law­full Powers, Privileges, 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.

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 colour 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 [Page 398] 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.

And be it further Ordained, That all and every the Sum and Sums of Money, which from and after the said four and twentyeth 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 Common-wealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Dominions thereto belonging, The same shall not be granted but by Consent of Parlament, or of the Lord Protector and major part of the Council, in the Intervals of Parlaments.

Provided, That this Ordinance, or any thing therein conteined, shall not extend to any the Revenues of Ireland, or monies raised there for the publique use, until His Highness the Lord Protector, or His Council, shall give Order therein.

Provided also, That this Ordinance, or a­ny thing therein conteined, 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 than as Lord Protector onely.