Instructions AND DIRECTIONS FROM THE House of COMMONS, TO The High Sheriffs, Commissioners, Collectors, High Constables, Churchwardens, and Overseers For the poor, and all other Officers, whom they may concern, touching the Levieing, Collecting, and speedy sending up of all the Arrears upon the Acts of the first six Subsidies, Polemoney, Contribution, and loan, and the first payment of the bill of 400000 pound.  


Published by order of the Honourable House of Commons.  
Hen. Elsing, clear. Parl. Dom. come.    
EX IGNE RESVRGIT VIRTVS  blazon of the Stationer's Company  monogram of Richard Badger consisting of the letters "RICHARD BADGER"  blazon of Richard Badger  printer's device with the motto "ex igne resurgit virtus," depicting a phoenix in flames and bearing the monogram of Richard Badger (1602-42) with his arms to the right of it and those of the Stationers 'Company to the left of it. (McKerrow no. 417)  
LONDON, Printed for Laurence Blaiklocke, and are to be sold at his Shop joining to Temple bar.  
1642.   

Instructions and Directions, From the House of Commons, to the high Sheriffes, Commissioners▪ Collectors, high Constables, Church-wardens, and Overseers for the poor, and all other Officers, whom they may concern, touching the levying, Collecting, and speedy sending up of all the arrears upon the Acts of the first six Subsidies, Pole-money, Contribution, and loan, and the first payment of the bill of four hundred thousand pounds.  
WHereas by several Acts of Parliament, there hath been care taken for the raising of several sums of money, for the necessities of this kingdom and that of Ireland, Which if they had been levied and paid in according to the times limited in the Acts, would have saved the expense of great sums payed for interest of moneys borrowed in lieu of those which they should have received of their own, but also well nigh have supplied the present occasions: And whereas several orders have issued out of this House at several times, for the expediting of those levies whereof they have not hitherto reaped any such fruit answerable to their expectation, by reason of the neglect of Officers, and such as have been entrusted for those services. That House being very sensible hereof, and having not leisure amid those weighty affairs, that lie upon them for preservation of the kingdom at present to take the particular care upon themselves, as otherwise they would, have thought good to transmit the charge thereof unto a special Committee, to whom they have given power to appoint some men of trust, who shall sand their Agents into every county, by whom they expect to understand, where those obstructions lie, and what arrears of moneys rest in any Officers or collectors hands, of which they are informed there are considerable sums in divers Counties; and do therefore will and require all those whom it doth or may concern to take notice of these their ensuing directions and commands, and that all those that have been entrusted as Commissioners for them, by any the said Acts, to give their Agents herein their best aid and assistance.  
And first, whereas divers orders have issued out of this House for the bringing in of the Arrears of the first six Subsidies, at a certain day long since past, and for clearing all accounts concerning the same, which yet is not done by many. Therefore these are strictly to charge and require you the several Collectors of each Counties respectively, who have not cleared your accounts▪ that you within fourteen days after notice hereof given, do bring in the moneys that are in arrear of those said six Subsidies unto the Receivers and Treasurers, appointed by those Acts respectively, and such as shall fail or neglect to perfect their accounts by the time appointed upon the return of their names, shall be proceeded with according to the law in that case made and provided for.  
This House likewise taking further notice of the neglects of Sheriffs and Commissioners, appointed by the act of Polemony, in not returning such certificates, as by the several Orders of this House they have been required, whereby there could not be that means used for the getting in of the arrears due upon that Bill, as was requisite for the service of the commonweal in that respect, And being also given to understand that in many Counties of this kingdom, there hath not been that diligence used, neither in advancing the Contributions and loans for Ireland, neither in the speedy returning of the moneys collected according to that Act, as the necessities of that distressed kingdom did require, which they impute to the malignity of some disaffected to the service of God and the true Religion, but withall taking notice of the liberality of many well disposed persons in divers parts of this Kingdom, which they cannot pass by without due commendation. To the intent therefore that some speedy course may be taken, for the speedy getting in of the Arrears upon either of these Acts, and that upon the latter of these, the liberality of the well disposed might not be obscured, but made known according to the Collections made in every several parish throughout the kingdom, this House hath thought fit, by these agents appointed in every Shire, to deliver unto you the Commissioners of every county appointed by these Acts respectively, blank books of all the Hundreds and Parishes in every of your Counties, willing and requiring you upon receipt of them to call before you in your several Divisions and Precincts where formerly you have sate, all high Constables, petty Constables, Churchwardens, and Overseers of the poor, and all such other Officers and Collectors as you shall think convenient for this service, and there strictly to require them respectively within a short time after to bring in an exact account of all such Pole-money as hath been received in every several division and Precinct where any Collector for the same hath been appointed, and of all Contribution or loan money levied in every reveran parish, which you are to enter accordingly in these blank books, that so by the publishing therof, right may bee done to every Parish, and withall to require them to make known unto you, what moneys they have received by virtue of these Acts, and what any of them have in their hands, what they have paid, and to whom, and that they return up all such arrears as they have in their hands in any kind, within fourteen dayes after this meeting and notice given in such sort, as by another order of this House herewith sent, they are directed; and that they give notice of all such as have refused to pay in their Pole-money or payed less than they ought, and to certify their names unto you. Of all which you are required to take a particular account, and to certify the same, and Withall the names of all such as shall bee negligent or refractory or diligent and industrious in this service by these agents, who are appointed weekly to give advertisements thereof unto this House, or such as are appointed by us, to the intent that those that refuse may be sent for hither to answer their neglects, and those that take pains either in writing, or receiving, and returning up of moneys, may be rewarded accordingly, of which there is special regard taken by the appointment of this house.  
And lastly, whereas by the Bill of four hundred thousand pounds, the first payment of two hundred thousand pounds should have been assessed, levied and paid in by the twentieth of July last past, whereof many Counties have as yet returned up nothing, and most very little, and being informed that under the vain and false pretence, that that bill was not signed by his majesty, there hath in some Counties of this kingdom been a great neglect of that service, Wee do therefore will and require you the Commissioners of each county respectively, where such assessments are not yet made or perfected forthwith to proceed and to expedite them according to the intents and purpose of the Act, and where they are already assessed and Collectors appointed, that you the Collectors do with all possible expedition, gather in and receive the said moneys, and sand them up to the receivers and treasurers respectively appointed by that Act, and that you the Commissioners certify by these Agents all your proceedings therein, that so the service may not be retarded but expedited according to the urgent necessity of the kingdom, which your care and endeavours herein, this House will take as an acceptable service done unto the Common wealth, the contrary no less than neglect and contempt of them.  
FINIS.