Bank of England Act 1696

XXXVII. Officers of Exchequer to keep true Accounts of all Monies due to the Bank, on Account of the yearly or other Funds.

Company to have free Access to Accounts without Fee.; Payments to be made in course.; Officers of the Exchequer neglecting, &c. to keep Accounts, or to pay in course, &c; Loss of Office, Incapacity, and Penalty.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Auditor of the Receipt of his Majesties Exchequer for the time being and all Tellers Receivers and Officers whatever in the said Receipt of Excheq[uier] shall from time to time for ever hereafter keep just and true Accounts in a Book or Books fairely written of all Moneys coming to their and every of their Hands which are or shall be appropriated belonging due or owing to the said Governor and Company of the Bank of England as the same shall from time to time come into the Receipt of Exchequer or shall come to their several Hands either on account of the yearely Fund of One hundred thousand pounds per Annum payable to the said Governour and Company by virtue of the said Act of Parliament for erecting the Bank or on account of any Parliamentary Funds on the Creditt of which the said Governour and Company already have or shall hereafter have lent or advanced any Su[m]m of Money or on account of the Principal Moneys or Interest due or to be due to the said Governor and Company on any Tallies to them belonging to which Books the said Governour and Company their Assigns Agents and Servants shall have free Accesse from time to time and att all seasonable Times without any Fee or Reward to be paid for the same to inspect search examine and copy out of the said Books as they shall think fitt which said Auditor of the Receipt shall from time to time duely direct the said Orders and the Clerk of the Pells shall record the same and the Tellers in the Receipt of the Exchequer shall duely make payment thereupon in their due course without delay to the said Governour & Company their Agents Servants & Assignes and if any such Auditor Teller Receiver or Officer of the Exchequer for the time being shall either neglect or refuse to keep such Accounts or to direct record or make such Payments in due Course and Order as are herein before required or shall delay or putt off the Payment thereof or divert or misapply any of the Moneys so as aforesaid or any otherwise due or belonging to the said Governour and Company in such case hee or they so offending respectively for any such Offence shall forfeit his or their Places and be ever afterwards uncapable of enjoying any Office or Place of Trust whatsoever and also shall be liable to pay double the Value of any Su[m]m or Su[m]ms so delayed to be paid or so diverted or misapplied as aforesaid to the said Governour and Company or to any Person or Persons grieved thereby and who will sue for the same to be recovered in any of his Majesties Courts of Record in Westminster by any Action of Debt or on the Case to be framed and founded on this Act or by Bill Plaint or Information wherein no Protection Wager of Law Essoigne Priveledge of Parliament or any other Priveledge shall be allowed nor any more than one Imparlance.