Marriage Duty Act 1694

XIV. Commissioners' Clerks to have 1d. per Pound for writing Warrants, &c. Persons neglecting, &c. to pay Rates.

Collector to distrain, and to keep the Distress Four Days at Owners Charge; then, if no Payment, appraised and sold, and Overplus restored; Officer breaking open Houses, &c. in the Day-time, to call to his Assistance Constables, &c. who are to be aiding; Persons appointed to pay Duties neglecting, &c. If no Distress, Commissioners or Justices may imprison; Persons aggrieved after Notice of Assessment may complain, and Commissioners may abate or increase Assessment, and then estreat Assessment into Exchequer.

And for the careful writing and transcribing the said warrants estreats and duplicates in due time bee it further enacted That the Clerks of the Commissioners who shall respectively performe the same shall by warrant under Two or more of the Commissioners hands have and receive from the respective Receivers General their deputy or deputies One peny in the pound of all such money as hee shall have received by virtue of such warrants or certificates who is hereby appointed and allowed to pay the same accordingly And if any person or persons shall refuse to pay the several sum and su[m]ms and proportions appointed by this Act for such person to pay upon demand made by the Officer or Collector of the place according to the precept or estreats to him delivered by the Commissioners appointed by this Act itt shall and may bee lawfull to and for such Officer or Collector who are hereby thereunto authorized and required for Non payment thereof to distraine the person or persons soe refusing by his or their goods or chattells and the distresse soe taken to keep by the space of Foure days att the costs and charges of the owners thereof and if the said Owner doe not pay the respective sums of money due by this Act within the said Foure dayes then the said distresse to bee appraised by Two or more of the inhabitants where the said distresse is taken and there to bee sold by the said Officer for payment of the said money and the overplus coming by the said sale (if any bee) over and above the charges of taking and keeping the said distresse to bee immediately restored to the owner thereof And moreover it shall and may bee lawfull to break open (in the day time) any House and (upon warrant under the hands and seales of Two or more of the said Commissioners) any chest trunk box or other things where any such goods are calling to their assistance the Constable Tythingman and Headborough within the Counties Cities Townes and places where any refusal neglect or resistance shall bee made which said Officers are hereby required to bee aiding and assisting in the premises as they will answer the contrary att their Peril And if any person or persons appointed to pay any of the duties charged by this Act shall refuse or neglect to pay the said su[m]m or su[m]ms soe appointed to bee paid by the space of Ten Days after demand as aforesaid where noe sufficient distresse can or may bee found whereby the same may bee levied in every such case Two or more of the Commissioners or Two Justices of the Peace by this Act appointed for any such City County or Place are hereby authorized by Warrant under their Hands and Seals to committ such person or persons to the Common Goal there to bee kept without Bail or Mainprize until payment shall bee made And if any person certified assessed or rated find him or her selfe agrieved with such assessing or rating and doe within Ten Days after Notice of such Assessments given as herein after is directed by reading thereof in the Church complaine to the said Commissioners who signed or allowed their Rate they or any Three or more of them shall and may within Ten days next after such Complaint particularly examine the party soe complaining upon his or her Oath of his or [X1 her] Rank Degree Qualification or Estate and upon due Examination or Knowledge thereof abate defalk encrease or enlarge the said Assessment and the same soe abated encreased or enlarged shall bee estreated by them into the Exchequer in manner aforesaid And to that end the said Commissioners are hereby required to meet together for the determining of such Complaints and Appeals accordingly.

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.