Poor Relief Act 1662

VII. If President and Governors signify to Common Council, Quarter Sessions, &c. the Want of Money, &c. Common Council, Quarter Sessions, &c. may ascertain the Amount;

and may rate Towns, Parishes, &c. accordingly.; Appeal to the next open Sessions.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if the President & Governours of any of the said Corporations shall certifie under theire co[m]mon Seale theire want and defect either of a present stocke for the foundation of the Worke or for supply thereof for the future and what su[m]m or su[m]ms of money they shall thinke fitt for the same to the Co[m]mon Council of the said City of London and the Burgesses and Justices of Peace in theire Quarter Sessions of the said City of Westminster and the Liberties thereof or the Justices of the respective Counties of Middlesex and Surrey assembled in either Quarter Sessions that thereupon the Co[m]mon Council of the said City of London the Burgesses of the said City of Westminster and the Justices of Peace of the said Cities and Counties in theire Quarter Sessions assembled are hereby required from time to time to set down and ascertain such competent su[m]m and su[m]ms of money for the purposes aforesaid not exceeding one yeares Rate from time to time usually set upon any person for or towards the releife of the Poore and the same to proportion out upon the several Wards Precincts Counties Divisions Hundreds and Parishes as they shall thinke fit And thereupon the Aldermen Deputies and Comon Council men of every Ward in the Cityes of London and Burgesses and Justices of the Peace of the City of Westminster and the Liberties thereof and Justices of the Peace of the said Counties of Middlesex and Surrey shall have Power and Authority and are hereby required equally and indifferently according to the proportions appointed as aforesaid for the several Wards Precincts Cities and Parishes as aforesaid to tax and rate the several Inhabitants within the said respective Wards Precincts and Parishes as well within Liberties as without with which Tax if any person or persons find him or themselves aggreived supposeing the same to be unequal he or they shall and may make theire complaint knowne to the Justices of the Peace at the next open Sessions who shall take such final order therein as in like cases is already by the Law provided