THe Representatives convened in General Assembly, in all humble and dutiful Acknowledgement of their Majesties most Gracious Favour and Regard to the Subjects of this Province, by Commissionating and Appointing over them, a Person to be their Governour, who is endued with most excellent Qualities, and hath given most signal Demonstration of his constant Loyalty and Fidelity unto their Majesties, by his prudent care and conduct, since his arrival into this their Majesties Province, and who by his unwearied vigilence hath visited the Frontiers of the same, and hath put them into such posture as that all the Subjects are in safety, tho' inviron'd with a powerfull Enemy; In the deepest Sence thereof become humble Sup­pliants unto their most Excellent Majesties, and pray that they would be gra­ciously pleased to accept, as a token of their most Loyal and Sincere Affection unto their Majesties, and their Government established here, One Penny for every Pound value of all the Real and Personal Estates of all and every the Free-holders and Inhabitants within this their Majesties Province and Depen­dancies; and do likewise humbly pray, that your most excellent Majesties would be pleased to give & allow the same unto Benjamin Fletcher Esq Capt. General and Governour in chief in and over their Majesties Province of New-York, and Territories thereon depending, in America, and pray that it be so enacted,

Be it therefore enacted by the Governour and Council, and Representatives convened in General Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That there be Assessed, Levyed and Collected One Penny for every Pounds value of all the Real and Personal Estates of all and every the Free-holders and Inhabitants within this Province and Dependencies, to be assessed, levyed, collected and paid in manner and form following, that is to say, The one half or moyety of the aforesaid Assesments of One Penny for every Pounds value of all the Real and Personal Estates, as aforesaid, to be assessed▪ levyed, col­lected and paid unto their Majesties Receiver General at New-York, at or be­fore the first day of September next, which shall be in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety and Three, and the other half or moyety of the said Assesment to be paid in like manner at or before [...] September then next following, which shall be in the Year of [...] Thousand Six Hundred Ninety and Four.

And for the more due and orderly Collection of the [...]

[Page]Be it therefore Enacted by the Governour, Council, and Repre­sentatives convened in General Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That all and every Person and Persons within this Govern­ment, having any Personal Estates, either in their Possessions, or in the Possessions of others, in trust for them, over and beside the House­hold Goods and Implements they use, and such Sums of Money as they really owe or ought to pay, shall yield and pay to the use afore­said, after the rate of One Penny per Pound. And to the end that this Tax may be laid with as much Equality and Indifferency as may be, upon all Lands within this Government, and that a due regard may be had to the many Tracts of uncultivated [...] Lands, which produce rather a [...] there [...]f, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Lands, and other Real, as also the Personal Estates shall be, and are hereby charged for one Year only, and no longer, with One Penny for every Pound clear Value.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Free-men within this Province and Territories, who have been out of their Servitude by the Space of six Months, and shall n [...]t be other­wise Rated by this Act, nor worth one hundred Pound, shall pay unto the Use aforesaid the Sum of Six Shillings per Head. Provided always, That our chief Proprietary and his late Deputies in Govern­ment shall not be assessed or otherwise chargeable by virtue of this Act. Provided also, That no Person or Persons shall be taxed by this Act who have a great charge of Children, and become indigent in the World, and are so far in debt that the clear Value of their Real and Personal Estate doth not amount to thirty Pounds.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That for the better assessing, ordering, levying and collecting the several Sums of Money, so to be paid as aforesaid, and for the more effectual put­ting this Act in Execution, It shall and may be lawful for all or any two or more of the Members of this Assembly, within the Respective Counties for which they serve, to call to their assistance three of the Justices, or other substantial Free-holders of the respective Counties, and within two Months after the publication hereof, to meet t [...]gether at such place or places within each County, as they shall respectively agree upon, in order to assess the Rates mentioned in this Act, and also to appoint Receivers or Collectors to receive or gather the same. And after such Meeting had, the said assessors shall by Warrant from some Justice of the Peace of the proper County, cause the Constables within the said County, to bring in Cirtificates in Writing of the Names of every pers [...]n residing within the Limits of th [...]se places, with which they shall be charged; and of the Substances and Values [Page] of every of them, who are to be rated by this Act; which said Con­stables shall be paid or allowed by the Collectors three Pence per Pound for their trouble therein. And the said assessors are hereby injoyned, to assertain and inform themselves, by all lawfull means they can, of the true Valuation of the clear Estates, both real and personal, within th [...]se Counties and Limits, with which they shall [...] [...]spectively. And being so thereof ascertained, they are [...] themselves, and others for and in respect of the said Estates, according to Rates afore-mentioned, having due regard to the ability of the people, and to the unprofitable Land they held, and thereupon to appoint such and so many Collectors or Receivers thereof as they the said assessors shall think fit, within their respec­tive Limits; for which service the said assessors shall receive or be allowed six pence per Pound out of the said assessment.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Rates, Assesments and Taxations aforesaid, shall be made and ascer­tained with what Expedition may be, so that the moiety or half part thereof may be levyed, collected and paid in to the Receivers respectively on or before the tenth day of the ninth Month next, and the other half thereof on or before the tenth day of the second Month, in the Year 1694. at such places as the said assessors shall appoint. Which said assessments, with the Names and several Values of their Respective Estates, together also with the real Sums levyed by this Act, shall be [...]turned and fairly certified by the said Collectors to the next General Assembly, after the same is assessed, as aforesaid.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any of the said assessors shall neglect or refuse to make such assessments, as by this Act is required, or in case the Collectors, so as aforesaid chosen, shall deny, neglect or refuse to collect any sum or sums of Money, in form afore-maetioned assest, and be convicted thereof, shall be fined at the discretion of the Justices of the respective County Courts.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons whatsoever within this Government, who shall be assest [...] any sum or sums of Money, by virtue of this Act, to be levyed, shall deny, refuse or delay to pay the same, that then it shall and may be lawful for any such Collector, by virtue of a Warrant under the Hand and Seal of any Justice of the Peace for the County where such Offender shall reside, who by virtue of this act are required & authorized to grant such Warrants to levy the same by distress and sale of such person or persons Goods and Chattels, returning the Over-plus, if any be, to the Owners, after the sum assessed or distrained for, with all Charges, are deducted.

[Page 4]Provided alwayes, That no Mayor, Alderman or Justice of the Peace shall be troubled, sued or molested for any Omission, Offence or Neglect by Virtue of this Act, but within the space of one Year after such Omission, Offence or Neglect, and not any time hereafter, any thing contained herein to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

Always Provided, and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the several Collectors of each respective City and County, as aforesaid, shall have liberty to pay the several respective Sums assessed, as aforesaid, at the Time and Days aforesaid in Currant Money at New-York, or for want thereof, in good, sufficient and merchantable Provisions at the currant Market Price.