Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/675

Rh XXI. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Church-wardens of the said Parish for the time being, together with four, three or more substantial Housholders thereof, shall upon the Tuesday in Easter-week next after the end of this Session of Parliament, or at any time within ten days after the said Tuesday, and so yearly for ever, proportionably tax, rate and assess the yearly Sum of One hundred pounds upon the Inhabitants and Occupiers of Lands, Houses, Tenements and Hereditaments within the said Parish for the payment of the Preacher-Assistant to be nominated and appointed, as aforesaid ; which said Assessment shall be confirmed and allowed in such manner as other the Assessments hereby appointed to be made, as aforesaid, and be collected and paid yearly to the Church wardens for the time being, by such person or persons as the said Church-wardens shall appoint at the four usual Feasts, or times of the year before-mentioned. The first payment to begin and be made at the Feast of St. John the Baptist next after the taxing and assessing thereof; And the said Church-wardens, or either of them, shall pay the said yearly Sum of one hundred pounds, over and above all Charges and Deductions for collecting the same to the said Preacher-Assistant for the time being, to be nominated, as aforesaid, upon the said four usual Feasts or Terms in the year, by even and equal portions ; The first payment to begin at the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist last mentioned.

XXII. And it is hereby enacted and ordained, That in Case a default of payment happen of any of the Sums aforesaid, to be paid by the Church-wardens for the time being, or any of them, to the said Preacher or Preacher-Assistant, or Clerk, and lawful Demand thereof being made at the Dwelling-house of any of the said Church-wardens, that then the two next Justices of the Peace of the place shall and may, upon Complaint of the Party grieved in this behalf, give Relief according to the true intent of this Act, and shall and may cause the Church-warden or Church-wardens offending therein, to be imprisoned, till payment be made of what shall be so behind and unpaid.

XXIII. And be it enacted, That the said Church-wardens, together with four, three or more made, substantial Housholders, as aforesaid, shall and are hereby authorized from time to time, to make Rates and Assessments upon the Inhabitants and Occupiers, as aforesaid, for the raising Money for the payment of Scavengers or Rakers for cleansing the Streets of the said Parish, and likewise for repairing and amending the Church, Steeple, Church-yard and Vestry-Room of the said Parish, when need shall be. The said Rates, Taxes and Assessments for repairing and amending the Church and Premisses, to be paid to the Church-wardens of the said Parish, and those and all other the be paid to the said last mentioned Rates, Taxes and Assessments to be made and collected, confirmed and allowed, as aforesaid.

XXIV. Provided always, and be it enacted, that for the better and more easie taxing and making as other of the Assessments for the payment of a Preacher-Assistant, as aforesaid, the Church-wardens shall on Notice to be every Easter-day, after the end of this Session of Parliament, give Notice in the Church by Name to such and so many subftantial Housholders, as they think fit to assemble and meet with them on the next Tuesday after in the Vestry or Chancel of the said Church to make the said Assessment.And if notice be not given, and a Meeting thereupon had by and with the persons so named, then every of them offending therein, which shall not make proof of a reasonable Cause of his absence before some one Justice of the Peace of the City and Liberty of Westminster, shall forfeit the sum of five pounds to the said Preacher, rice or Meeting, to be levied by Distress and Sale of the Offenders Goods, by Warrant under the Hand and Seal of any one Justice of the Peace, as aforesaid, rendring the Overplus to the Owner thereof, after deduction of Preacher, reasonable Charges for levying the same.

XXV. And be it further enacted, That if any of the said Assessments shall be taxed or assessed en any person not of ability to pay the same, or upon any House that after the making thereof shall become void, whereby the same cannot be collected, or that through any wilfulness or deficiency of a Collector, or any Mistake or Accident whatsoever, there be a deficiency in one of the said quarterly or other payments, or sums of Money payable by this Act, the same shall be re-assessed or added to the next succeeding Assessment, and be therewith re-assessed, collected and levied in manner, as aforesaid. XXVI. Provided always, and be it enacted, That if any person nominated to be a Collector of, or for any_Tax or Assessment made by virtue of this Act, shall refuse to accept the Office, or be negligent in his Duty therin, he shall forfeit for evrey Offence the sum of forty shillings to the use of the Poor of the said Parish, to be levied by Warrent of any one Justice of the Peace, as aforesaid. And if any person shall refuse or neglect to pay the sum or sums of Money on him or her rated or assessed by Remedy to levy virtue of this Act, it shall and may be lawful for the said Collectors by Warrant under the Hands and Seals of any two Justices of the Peace of the place, to levy the same by Distress and Sale of the Goods of the Offender, rendring the Overplus to the Owners thereof after deduction of reasonable Charges Penalty for making the same.And if any person or persons so refusing or neglecting, as aforesaid, shall convey away their Goods, whereby the sum assessed cannot be levied,any two Justices of the Peace, as aforesaid, are hereby impowered by Warrant under their Hands and Seals, to imprison the Offender, (not being a Peer or Peeress of this Realm) and to cause him or her to be detained in the Common-Goal of the said City and Liberty of Westminster till the Sum on him or her taxed, and the Charges for bringing in the same, be satisfied. And if any difference shall arise between Landlord and Tenant, or any other person concerning any of the said quarterly Assessments, or if any person shall find him or herself grieved with any Assessment or Tax made by virtue of this Act, any two Justices of the Peace, as aforesaid, shall and have hereby power finally to hear, settle and determine the same as they shall think meet. APPEND.