Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/151

 A. D. 1763. Anno quarto Georgit III. '. C. 2. 101 4 {ion of the -faid former double Rates, which were on the faid Papifts, or Perfons who have fince taken ' ing by the Rack-rent, and utmoft improved Value of their Eftates) towards the faid Sum of one million ' nine hundred eighty-nine thoufand nine hundred Pounds eighteen Shillings and nine Pence, if a fuitable ' Remedy be not provided;' Be it therefore enafted by the Authority aforefaid, That where the Lands, where Lands Tenements, Rents or Hereditaments of a whole Parifh, Town or Place, which fhall have a Proportion to ftrmerly doubly raife, in purfuance of this Aft, fhall be charged with more than four Shillings in the Pound, upon the taxed are liable yearly Value (reckoning by the Rack-rents, and the higheft Improvements made of fuch Lands, Tene- ^"iL'° a k° s ' e ments or Hereditaments) towards the faid Sum of one million nine hundred eighty-nine thoufand nine ' ' hundred Pounds eighteen Shillings and nine Pence, by this Act granted, becaufe the Eftates of Papifts, and other Perfons formerly doubly taxed, as aforefaid, by their taking the faid Oaths, or the Eftates being come to Proteftants by Purchafe bona fide, or the Death of fuch Papifts, or any other Perfons formerly doubly taxed, as aforefaid, are or may be liable only to a fingle Affeffment ; in all and every fuch Cafe and Cafes, it Commifilmers, fhall and may be lawful to and for the Commiffioners of the Hundred, Lathe, Wapentake, Rape, Ward, on Complaint, to or other Divifion, in which fuch Parifh, Town or Place doth lie, or any two or more of them, and in gamine mtrnhe like manner to and for the Commiffioners of any City, Borough, Port or Town, for which Commiffioners lu ' ere ' are by this Aft appointed, or any two or more of them, upon Complaint thereof to them made, for or on Behalf of the Owners or Occupiers of the Lands, Tenements, Rents and Hereditaments in any fuch City, Borough, Port, Parifh, Town or Place refpectively, to examine into the Matter of fuch Complaint ; and if they are fatisfied of the Truth thereof, the faid Commiffioners, or any two or more of them, are and toeertift the hereby required and impowered, at any Time before the twenty-ninth Day of September one thoufand (even fame to the Bj- hundred and fixty-four, and not afterwards, to certify to the Barons of his Majefty's Court of Exchequer " ns ° f tl)e E *- for the Time being, the Names of fuch Perfons formerly doubly taxed, as aforefaid, and how much their cl »?9 uer » be -, 01 '= double Tax did amount to, and how much the Sum charged by virtue of this Acl:, upon the Land's, Te- '^ ^ • 1 7 *i nements, Rents or Hereditaments in fuch City, Borough, Port, Parifh, Town or Place, by occafion of" their Lands being now liable to a fingle Affeffment, as aforefaid, doth exceed four Shillings in the Pound of the full and true yearly Value thereof: And the faid Barons of the Exchequer, or any two or more of them, are hereby authorized and required to enquire and inform themfelves, by the Oaths of two credible Wit- neffes at leaft, concerning the Truth of the faid Certificates ; and in all Cafes where they fhall be fatisfied who are to tiif- therein, the faid Barons, or any two or more of them, have hereby Power by their Difcretions, at any charge the Over- Time before the laft Day of November one thoufand feven hundred and fixty-four, to difcharge, or caufeto i'^r 6 * 018 - n 16 ' be difcharged, the Overplus, or fo much of the Sum by this Aft charged or chargeable upon fuch City, ,'' 6, i a? '° °'"' Borough, Town, Parifh or Place, towards the faid Sum of one million nine hundred eighty-nine thoufand nine hundred Pounds eighteen Shillings and nine Pence, as fhall, by the Occafions aforefaid, exceed the Rate of four Shillings in the Pound ; and the faid Overplus fhall or may be difcharged upon the Dupli- cates to be returned for fuch City, Borough, Town, Port, Parifh or Place refpeftively, and fhall be allowed upon the Account of the refpeftive Receivers General ; and the Inhabitants of every fuch City, Borough,. Port, Parifh, Town or Place, fhall be acquitted againft his Majefty, his Heirs and SucceiTors, for and touching the Payment of fuch Overplus Monies fo difcharged, or ordered to be difcharged, by the Barons of the Exchequer, or any two or more of them, as aforefaid ; any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithftanding; and that fuch Parifh, Town, Port or Place, fo difcharged by the Barons, and no others,, fhall have the Benefit of the Sums fo difcharged by this Aft; and no other Officer, or Deputy or Clerk whatfoever, fhall take any Fee, Reward or Gratuity, for or upon account of fuch Difcharge : Which faid Certificates of " refpeftive Certificate or Certificates, or a true Copy or Copies thereof, whereby the faid Parifh or Parifhes, c ' lieSim! #r- Place or Places, have been difcharged by the faid Barons of the Exchequer of fuch Overplus Sums, fhall chal '? ed t0 b f be produced by the Perfons claiming the Benefit thereof, to the Commiffioners of the Land Tax at their comfclffibneV next General Meeting, to afcertain the Proportion on each Divifion, after fuch Certificate or Certificates at their next have been obtained. Meeting. CXIV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That it fhall and maybe lawful to and for Commiffioners the Commiffioners who fhall have Power to execute this prefent Aft, within any Hundred, Divifion, Parifh may fummon or Place refpeftively (other than fuch Commiffioners as have been Colleftors of any Land Tax there) or Colleaors, w h the major Part of them, who fhall be prefent at any publick Meeting or Meetings for this Purpofe, at their f" e ,!: n " c ] [J ed ufual Place of Meeting for fuch Hundred, Divifion, Parifh or Place refpeftively, to iffue their Precept or n jes to their own ' Precepts to all and every fuch Colleftor or Colleftors, who are or fhall be fufpefted by fuch Commiffioners, trie; or the major Part of them then prefent, to have received or levied any Sum or Sums of Money within any Parifh or Townfhip, by or under Colour or Pretext of any Aft or Afts of Parliament, which at any Time or Times within feven Years next before the Beginning of this Seffion of Parliammt have been made or palled for granting to his late Majefty, or his prefent Majefty, a Land Tax or Land Taxes, jointly with any other Tax or Taxes in fuch Aft or Afts comprehended, and to have converted the fame fraudulently to his and their own Ufe and Ufes ; and if fuch Colleftor or Colleftors be dead, then to iffue fuch Precept or their Heirs, to their Heirs, Executors or Adminiftrators refpeftively, thereby requiring all and every fuch Colleftor or &=• Colleftors, theirHeirs, Executors or Adminiftrators, to appear before the faid Commiffioners, at the Time and Place in fuch Precept or Precepts to be prefixed : And upon their or any of their Appearances, or making Default (after Summons delivered to them, or left at the ufual Places of their Abode refpeftive- ly) the faid Commiffioners, in their refpeftive Divifions or Diftrifts, or the major Part of them, which fhall be prefent at any Meeting or Meetings in this Behalf, as aforefaid, fhall and have hereby Power to enquire by Examination of Witneffes upon Oath, or any other lawful Ways or Means, by which die Truth 1
 * the faid Oaths, or whofe Eftates are fince come to Proteftants, as aforefiid, fome Parifhes, ToWnfhips,
 * or other Places, may be overburdened, or charged with more than four Shillings in the Pound (reckon-