Taxation (No. 4) Act 1640

VII. Persons neglecting to pay Rate within four Days,

Double Rate to be levied by Distress.; Further Punishment.; Persons dissuading others from paying the Rate, or consenting that others shall be under-rated, proved on Oath of two Witnesses,; Imprisonment.

And be it further enacted That if any person or persons shall neglect to pay such rate or proportion as is appointed for him or her by and according to the tenor of this Act or any part thereof within foure dayes next after the time limited by this Act for the payment thereof and demand to be made to such person or in his absence at the house or other most usuall place of abode or resort then every such person so making default shall pay double the sum so assessed upon him or her by vertue of this Act the same to be leavied by distresse and sale of his or her goods in such sort as is before limited for the said other su[m]ms and shall be lyable to such further punishment as by this Parliament shall be thought fit to be inflicted upon him or her And if any person or persons shall disswade any other person from paying the rates or sums so to be rated and paid as aforesaid by force or vertue or according to the tenor of this Act or by corruption shall give consent that any person shall be rated below or under the proportion which any such person ought to pay by the true intent and meaning of this Act and the said Offences or any of them shall be proved by the Oath of two Witnesses before any two or more of the said Commissioners who shall have power by this Act to administer the said Oath shall by the said Commissioners or any two or more of them be committed to the Common Goale of the same Countie there to remaine till he or she shall be thenceforth delivered by the Justices of Assize or Justices of the Peace at the Generall Quarter Sessions to be holden for the same County wherein any such Offence shall be committed.