Taxation (No. 3) Act 1694

XXV. If Action for executing Act, General Issue.

Treble Costs; Receivers General to give Head Collectors Receipts gratis; Head Collectors to give Receipts gratis to Sub-collectors. Sub-collectors to deliver a Schedule to Head Collectors, of Defaulters where there is no Distress; which Schedule is to be delivered to Receiver General and returned into the Exchequer.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Acc[i]on Plaint Suite or Informac[i]on shall be co[m]menced or prosecuted against any person or persons for what he or they shall doe in pursuance or in execuc[i]on of this Act such person or persons (soe sued in any Court whatsoever) shall and may plead the Generall Issue (Not guilty) and upon any issue joyned may give this Act and the Speciall Matter in Evidence; and if the Plaintiffe or Prosecutor shall become Non-suite or forbeare further Prosecu[i]on or suffer a discontinuance or if a Verdict passe against him the Defendants shall recover theire Treble Costs for which they shall have the like Remedy as in any case where Costs by the Lawe are given to Defendants: And the said Receivers Generall shall give Acquittances (gratis) to the said Head-Collectors for all moneys of them received; And the said Head-Collectors shall alsoe give acquittances (gratis) to the Sub-collectors for all such moneys as shall be paid them in pursuance of this Act, And the said Sub-collectors shall make and deliver to the said Head-Collectors a perfect schedule fairely written in parchment under theire hands and seales signed and allowed by any Two or more of the respective Comissioners containeing the names sirnames and places of abode of every person within theire respective collecc[i]ons that shall make defaulte of payment of any of the su[m]mes that shall be rated or assessed on such person by virtue of this Act where noe sufficient distresse is to be found nor other satisfacc[i]on made and not otherwise and the su[m]me and su[m]mes charged on every such person the same schedule to be delivered by the Head-collector to the Receiver Generall of the County City or Place respectively to be by him returned into his Majesties Court of Exchequer Whereupon every person soe makeing default of payment may be charged by processe of the said Court according to the course of the Court of Exchequer in such cases:-