INSTRUCTIONS to be Held and Observed by the several Surveyors Appointed for the better Ascertaining the Duties upon Houses, and upon Marriages, Births, Burials, and upon bachelors and Widowers, pursuant to the Act of Parliament in that behalf.  
First, YOU are carefully to red the Act of Parliament made in the Seventh and Eighth Year of His Majesties Reign, for Granting to His Majesty certain Rates and Duties upon Houses, &c. Also another Act in the Sixth and Seventh Year of His Majesties Reign for Granting to His Majesty certain Duties upon Marriages, Births, &c. and the Abstract thereof. As also one other Act made the Seventh and Eighth Year of His Majesties Reign for Enforcing the Laws which Restrain Marriages, &c. And one other Act made the last Session of Parliament for making Good the Deficiency of several Funds therein mentioned, from Pag. 322. to 328. to the end you may fully inform yourself of the Nature of the Duties for which you are appointed Surveyor, how the same ought to be ranted, Charged and Paid, and Omissions Rectified, and His Majesty not Defrauded of any part of the same.  
Secondly, You are forthwith to repair to the County for which you are appointed Surveyor, and there Consult with the Receiver General of the Taxes, where to begin, and how to proceed in making the Survey of all Dwelling-Houses within the said County( Except Cottages and Houses already ranted Ten Shillings) and to Enter fairly in the Books herewith delivered you, Copies of the Assessments already made by the Assessors, expressing in the first Colum for that Purpose the Number of Windows in each House contained in such Assessment, and in the next Colum the Number of Windows which you shall find in every such House upon your Survey, where the same shall differ from what are already Charged, and in the extreme Colum for that purpose, the Charge or Sum of Money already ranted or to be ranted upon every House.  
Thirdly, You are to take Care that no House, in any Village or Place within the County for which you are appointed, liable to be ranted by Virtue of the said Act, escape such Taxation, nor that any House Assessed be continued to be ranted at a less Sum than is directed by the said Act for Granting the said Duty upon Houses.  
Fourthly, Where any House shall have been omitted, you are to Enter in your Book the Parish and Place, the Name of the Person Inhabiting such House, as also the Number of Windows( not exceeding Twenty) in the same, and Rate such House according to such Number of Windows as is directed by the said Act.  
Fifthly, After you have made and regularly entred the Assessments and Survey of the County for which you are appointed, you are to cast up the Books of the same, and sand us an Account of the Total Charge of each Parish, distinguishing in one Colum what was the Charge upon the former Assessment, and in another the Charge by your Survey.  
Sixthly, You are carefully to inspect the Registers of Marriages, Births and Burials, and of Christenings in every Parish or Place within the County for which you are appointed, as aforesaid, and to observe whether such Registers are kept according to the Acts of Parliament, and to take such Extracts or Copies of the same from time to time, as may Enable you to know the Sum of Money that ought to be paid by the Collectors of every Parish to the Receiver General for the said Duties, and to use all possible means to Discover whether Persons liable to the Payment of the same, are ranted for their Qualities according to the Act. And likewise to make particular Enquiry concerning bachelors and Widowers, and their Qualities, that they also( who generally have hitherto Escaped) may be Taxed, as by the said Act is appointed, and so in case of the Removal of such Person, as by the said Act, Pag. 307.  
Seventhly, You are to take especial Care that upon the Burial of any Person who was Relieved where he Inhabited, by Virtue of any Act of Parliament for Relief of the Poor, that the Duty for such Burial be paid by the Church Wardens, according to the Direction of the Act, Pag. 313. & 314.  
Eighthly, You are to take Care that all Quakers, Papists or reputed Papists, &c. be Charged for and do Pay the Duties Imposed by the said Act, and give Notice of their Marriages, and that the Penalty be Levied as by the said Act. Pag. 325.  
Ninthly, You are to take Care that Notice of the Birth of every Child be given according to the Direction of another Act for Enforcing the Laws concerning Marriages, &c. Pag. 737 & 738, and that Notice be given of Persons butted in other Parishes than where they Resided, according to the Act last mentioned. Pag. 738 & 739.  
Tenthly, You are also from the Registers, as aforesaid, or otherwise to Enable yourself, to sand us when the same shall be Required, an Account of the Total Sum of Money Charged, Due or Payable in each Parish within your Survey, for or in respect of Marriages, Births, Burials, bachelors and Widowers, and their respective Qualities as Rateable by the said Act.  
Eleventhly, In all Cases of Assessments where Houses have been under ranted, or are omitted, you are to Apply to the Justices of the Peace Acting in the Division where such Under Assessment or Omission shall happen to be,( unless the Assessors will of themselves Amend their Assessment) that such Rates may be set upon every Person and premises as are according to the said Act for Granting the Duty on Houses: And so in all Cases where the Collectors of the Duties upon Marriages, Births and Burials, and upon bachelors and Widowers, shall neglect or refuse to Charge and Demand the Duties Payable in respect of any Quality, or otherwise for the same, you are also to Acquaint the Justices of the Peace, as aforesaid, as also the Receiver General of the County; whom you are to Consult upon all Difficulties, that such Methods may be taken for His Majesties Service as are according to the several Acts of Parliament for Granting and Ascertaining the Duties aforesaid.  
Twelfthly, If any Collector or Assessor shall neglect or refuse to Admit you to take Copy or Copies, or Extracts of the Assessments, as aforesaid, or any Constable, &c. shall refuse to Assist you in making the Survey of Windows for the Duty on Houses, or other Person refuse upon reasonable Demand to show you the Register, or to take Extracts or Copies of such Register, according to the Direction of the late Act of Parliament, you are also to Apply to the next Justice of Peace, and forthwith to Acquaint us therewith, that such Methods may be taken as are according to Law, and to Acquaint us also if any Justice of Peace shall neglect or Refuse to do his Duty, according to the Act of Parliament in that behalf.  
Lastly, You are to demean yourself in the Execution hereof, and in every Part of your Duty as may give no Just Occasion of Complaint, and in all things to Govern yourself by the several Acts of Parliament, and Acquaint us with your Proceedings from time to time.   

LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceased, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1697.