By the King, A PROCLAMATION.  
WILLIAM R.  
Whereas it hath been represented unto His Majesty, That divers Frauds and Abuses have been and are Committed by Collectors and others concerned in Assessing, Collecting and Paying of the Duties Granted unto His Majesty, by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth and Seventh Years of His Reign, Entitled, AN Act for Granting to His Majesty certain Rates and Duties upon Marriages, Births and Burials, and upon Bachelors and Widowers, for the term of Five Years, for Carrying on the War against France with Vigour; Which said Duties were, by another Act made in the Eighth Year of His Majesty's Reign, Entitled, An Act for Making good the Deficiencies of several Funds therein mentioned, and for Enlarging the Capital Stock of the Bank of England, and for Raising the Public Credit, continued payable to His Majesty until the First Day of August, One thousand seven hundred and six: And whereas by means of the said Frauds and Abuses, the Sums of Money intended to be Raised by the said Acts, for and toward Satisfaction of the Principal and Interest Monies charged thereupon, falls greatly short: And whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Ninth and Tenth Years of His Majesty's Reign, Entitled, An Act for Preventing Frauds and Abuses, in the Charging, Collecting and Paying the Duties upon Marriages, Births, Burials, Bachelors and Widowers, It is amongst other things Enacted, That the Commissioners appointed thereby for Raising and Levying the said Duties, should on or before the First Day of August, One thousand six hundred ninety and eight, and so from time to time once or oftener in every Three Months, Meet together at some convenient Place or Places within their respective Limits or Divisions for the Execution of the said Acts, who are thereby Empowered to Warn, not only the respective Assessors and Collectors, but also the Surveyors, Inspectors and Receivers General, and (if need be) any Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Parish-Clerks, and others concerned, in relation to the said Duties, or any of them, to Appear before them, and other the Commissioners, at every such Meeting, and Requiring them, or such of them, to whom it appertains respectiuly, to bring in their Assessments, Presentments and Accounts for or concerning the said Duties, and also the Registers of Marriages, Births and Burials, or Copies thereof, as shall be directed; and if Default be made therein contrary to such Warning given, than the said Commissioners, or the major part of them present at such Meeting, shall and may Fine the Offenders for every such Default, not exceeding Five Pounds; And the said Commissioners, or any Two or more of them, shall and may proceed to Examine the said Assessments, Presentments and Accounts, and also the said Registers, or the Copies thereof; And if they, or any Two or more of them, do find that any Person or Persons are Omitted, or not fully Charged, shall and may cause such Person or Persons to be Taxed and Charged according to the true meaning of the said Acts, and thereupon to Allow and Sign the Assessments or Presentments, and to cause Abstracts or Duplicates of the gross Sum or Sums, which from time to time shall appear to them to have accrued, or which ought to have accrued to His Majesty in every Parish or Place, for the said respective Duties upon Marriages, Births, Burials, Bachelors and Widowers, to be made up and Signed by them, or any Two or more of them, and to be forthwith transmitted into the Exchequer, to wit, into the Office of the King's Remembrancer there; And that the respective Collectors of the said Duties, shall render their Accounts, upon Oath to the best of their Knowledge, which Oaths shall and may be Administered by the said Commissioners, or any Two or more of them; And in default of rendering such Account, when thereunto required by the said Commissioners, or any Two or more of them, every Collector making such Default shall and may be Fined by the said Commissioners, or any Two or more of them, not exceeding Twenty Pounds: And whereas by an Act made in the Eleventh and Twelfth Years of His Majesty's Reign, Entitled, An Act for Granting an Aid to His Majesty, by Sale of the Forfeited and other Estates and Interests in Ireland, and by a Land Tax in England, for the several Purposes therein mentioned, It is amongst other things Enacted, That all and every the Persons Appointed to be Commissioners for putting that Act in Execution for the said Tax or Assessments, within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, be also Commissioners for putting in Execution the several Acts for the Duties upon Marriages, Births and Burials, Bachelors and Widowers, and all the Powers in the said several Acts contained, within all and every the several and respective Countries, Ridings, Cities, Boroughs, Cinque-Ports, Towns and Places for which they are Commissioners by the said Act, during the continuance of the several Acts for the said Duties respectively; And that the said Commissioners, or any Three or more of them, should have full Power and Authority, and they and every of them are thereby Required and Empowered to Act, Do, Proceed and Finish in all Matters and Things relating to the said Duties upon Marriages, Births, Burials, Bachelors and Widowers, and the Arrears thereof, as fully and effectually as if the said Commissioners were particularly Named and Appointed in the said Acts for the aforesaid Duties of Marriages, Births, Burials, Bachelors and Widowers, during the time aforesaid: And whereas the said Frauds and Abuses have been in a great measure occasioned by the not meeting of the said Commissioners, and calling to Account the said Collectors, and other Persons concerned in the said Duties, pursuant to the Directions of the said Act; His Majesty therefore (with the Advice of His Privy Council) hath thought fit to Issue this His Royal Proclamation, hereby Commanding and Requiring all Persons whatsoever, any ways concerned in the Assessing, Levying and Paying any of the Duties Granted by the aforesaid Acts of Parliament, to be Careful and Diligent in Performing their several Duties by the said Acts Required, and His Majesty doth hereby strictly Charge and Command, all and every the Commissioners Appointed by the said Acts for managing the said Duties, That they do, pursuant to the said Acts, meet at their usual Places of Meeting in their respective Limits or Divisions, once in every Three Months, or oftener, if need require, and to Summon before them not only the Assessors and Collectors of the said Duties, but also the Surveyors and Receivers General, and (if need be) any Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Parish-Clerks, and others concerned in relation to the said Duties, to bring in their Assessments and Accounts, and Registers, or Copies thereof, to the end the said Commissioners may inform themselves whether the said Assessments are made, Accounts taken, Registers kept, and the Duties Answered, pursuant to the Directions of the said Acts, and Punish them that shall be Negligent in their Duty, or Act any thing contrary to the Directions of the said Acts. And His Majesty doth hereby likewise strictly Charge and Command every Ecclesiastical, or other Person Required by the said Acts, or any of them, to keep a Register of Persons Buried, Christened, Born or Married; That they do in the same Registers respectively, according to the best of their Knowledge and Information, together with the Name of every Person so Married, Buried, Christened or Born, Set down and Express, or cause to be Set down and Expressed in Writing, the respective Degree, Condition or Quality, according to which His Majesty's Duty ought to be Paid for every such Burial, Birth or Marriage respectively; And in the case of Burials, the Names of the Heirs, Executors, Administrators, Fathers, Mothers, Guardians, Churchwardens, Overseers or others, who by the said Acts ought to Pay for the same, and where they dwell respectively; And in case of Births, the Names of the Fathers, Mothers, or those that take on them the Guardianship or Care of such Children so Born, and where they Live respectively; And in case of Marriages, the Places of Abode of the several Husbands, on Pain of being Prosecuted for the Penalty of Twenty Pounds Imposed by the said Act on those who shall refuse so to do, with Intent to Defraud His Majesty of any Part of the said Duties.  
Given at Our Court at Kensington, the Fifth Day of December, 1700. In the Twelfth Year of Our Reign.  
God save the King.   

LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceased, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1700.