AN ORDINANCE OF THE Lords and Commons ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT, For charging and taxing a Monthly rate of 300. pounds upon the County of Essex, for the safety and Defence of the said County,  
And to continue until the first day of December next, if this unnatural War shall so long continue.  
Henry Elsing Cler. Parl. Dom. Com.  
LONDON Printed for Edward Husband April 2. 1645.   

 Tudor rose  Scottish thistle  French fleur-de-lis  depiction of Irish harp  
3. Martii 1644.  
An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, for charging and taxing a Monthly Rate of 300. pounds upon the County of Essex, etc.  
WHereas the County of Essex in obedience to an Ordinance of Parliament, entitled an Ordinance for putting the Assotiated Counties into a posture of Defence, hath raised a considerable number of Horse, Foot, and Dragoones, and must be at great charges in maintaining of adjute Officers, to order and exercise the said Forces, and other trained Regiments, and in providing other things requisite for the defence and safety of the said County, And without the raising of Moneys to defray the said charge, the County cannot be put into such a Posture as is necessary.  
It is therefore Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, that for the intents and purposes aforesaid, there shall be monthly charged, rated, taxed, and levied upon the said County from the first of February 1644. the sum of three hundred pounds a month, until the first day of December next, if this unnatural war shall so long continue.  
And be it further Ordained, that every person or persons, that were or are to be assessed or taxed by virtue of an Ordinance entitled, An Ordinance for raising and maintaining of Forces for the defence of the Kingdom, under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, shall be assessed and taxed by this Ordinance, in the same manner as they are or may be assessed, and taxed by virtue of the said retired Ordinance, and shall be liable to as gr●at forfeitures, and penalties, for not paying the surance or sums to be assessed, as they should or might have been, if the same had been assessed by the said recited Ordinance, and the Committees named and trusted in the said last recited Ordinance, to take care for the assessing, collecting or Levying of ●ny monies in the said County, are named and trusted in this Ordinance, and have as full power and authority given them by this Ordinance to nominate and appoint Collectors and assessors, and to levy, distrain, fine, imprison, or sequester, as they or any of them have by virtue of the said last recited Ordinance.  
And the said Collectors shall pay the several sums by them collected, to the high Constables of the several hundreds, and the Mayors or other head Officers of Corporations respectively, within the said County, who shall pay over the said monies to such Treasurers, as shall be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant, Deputy Lieutenants of the said County, or any three or more of them, who are to issue forth the same, for the use and service of the said County, by the vote of the Major part of the said Deputy Lieutenants present, or any three of them present, & by their order in pursuance thereof under their hands, and not otherwise.  
And it is further Ordained that three pence in the pound shall be allowed for every sum of money which shall be collected and paid, whereof one penny shall be for the Collectors, one penny for the high Constables and Mayors or other head Officers of Corporations, and one penny for the Treasurers.  
And the Treasurers shall keep a Register book of the several sums received and paid by them, and the said Committees or any three of them, have hereby power given them, to call all Treasurers, Mayors and other head Officers of Corporatitions, high Constables, collectors and others, that have or at any time shall be thought to have any of the said monies in their hands, or any other monies due upon the Ordinance, for the new posture, to an account, and if any of them shall refuse to account or to pay in their moneys wherewith they are charged, than the said Committees or any three of them, shall fine them double the sum charged upon them, which if it be not paid within six days after the sum is set, & notice thereof left, at his or their dwelling house, It shall be lawful to destraine for the same, and if there be not sufficient distress wherewith to satisfy, than the said Committees may imprison the offender herein, and sequester his estate until the money charged and the fine set, be levied and paid.  
And in case the said Treasurers; Mayors and other head Officers of Corporations, high Constables, or collectors to be nominated as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to levy or receive the sums of money to be assessed, and set by virtue of this Ordinance, or the Ordinance for the new posture, It shall be lawful for the said Committees or any three of them, to fine the said Treasurers, Mayors and other head Officers of Corporations, high Constables or Collectors not, exceeding the sum of ten pounds, and to levy the same by way of distress and the sale of their goods or by imprisonment as they shall think fit.  
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FINIS.