Excise Act 1663

IX. Recital of 12 C.II. c.23. §18. 12 C.II. c 24. § 32.

and that Commissioners do not keep Officers in Towns where Entries may be made, and yet exact the Penalties of the said Acts.; Commissioners.; &c. to appoint Persons in Market Towns to receive Entries.; Office to be published. Hours at which such Officer to attend.; Penalty.; Persons coming to such Market Town, and tendering Entry and Payment, not liable to Penalties.

And whereas by the faid recited Acts it is enacted That noe person shall be compelled by the Commissioners or Sub Commissioners of Excise to travell for the makeing of his Entryes or Payment of the Dutyes of Excise or other [X1 Clause] whatsoever touching or concerning the same if he live in a Market Towne out of the said Towne, and if he live out of a Market Towne then to noe other place then to the next Market Towne to his habitation in the same County on the Market day, and neverthelesse the Commissioners and Sub Commissioners or their Officers have not accordingly kepte Officers in the Market Townes in many Countyes within England and Wales whereby such Entryes and Payments for the Dutyes of Excise might be had and made and yet doe take and levy the Penaltyes and Forfeitures in the said Acts mentioned for non Entry and Payment of the Duty and doe otherwise thereupon grieve and vexe His Majesties Subjects contrary to the true intent and meaning of the said Acts, Be it therefore enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That from and after the said First day of September in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixtie and three the Commissioners Farmers or Sub Commissioners in each County within England and Wales shall constitute and appoint or depute under their hands and seales such person or persons as they shall thinke needfull in each respective Market Towne to be there upon every Market day in some knowne and publique place for the receiveing of the said Entryes and Dutyes of Excise and for performing all other matters and things touching the said Duty according to the said Acts and this present Act, which said person and persons soe, constituted or deputed (and the place where they intend to hold or keepe such Office, being on the next Market day after such Constitution or Deputation published in full and open Market) shall attend at such Office on every Market day in such Market Towne and shall keepe the said Office open from Nine of the Clocke in the morning untill Twelve of the Clocke at Noone, and from Two of the Clocke in the Afternoone untill Five of the Clocke in the Afternoone, And in case such Office shall not be soe kepte and attended in each Market Towne respectively the Commissioners Farmers Sub Commissioners or other person or persons so negclecting or refuseing to doe the same shall for every Market day forfeite Ten pounds, the one halfe to the Kings Majestie His Heires and Successors and the other halfe to him or them that will informe and sue for the same in any of His Majesties Courts of Record by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information wherein noe Essoigne Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed, And such person as shall come to such Market Towne to make such Entry or Payment of the Dutyes and shall tender the same according to the said Acts and be able to prove such Tender by the Oath of one or more sufficient Witnesse shall not be lyeable to any Penaltie or Forfeiture imposed by the said Acts for such weekely or monethly Entryes or Payments as should have beene made or paid on such Market day, Any Article Clause or Thing in any or either of the said Acts or this present Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: Cause O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]