blazon of the Commonwealth  
AN ACT Appointing COMMISSIONERS FOR THE EXCIZE.  
WHereas by sundry Acts, Ordinances and Orders of Parliament, several Rates & Charges by way of New-Impost or Excize, for discharging of public Debts, and defraying of the Charge of the Commonwealth, have been and are imposed upon divers Commodities, Merchandizes and Manufactures, imported, made or growing, or put to sale or consumed within England and Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, as in the said Acts, Ordinances and Orders of Parliament is expressed, and doth more largely appear: The Parliament have thought fit to Enact and Ordain, and be it Enacted and Ordained by this present Parliament, and by the Authority thereof, That from and after the Nine and twentieth day of September, One thousand six hundred and fifty, George Snelling Esq Thomas Bulstrode Esq Thomas Foot Lord Major of the City of London, William Parker Doctor of Physic, Maurice Thompson and Richard Downs, Esqs and no others, are and shall be, and are hereby declared, constituted and appointed Commissioners and Governors of the Excize or New-Impost; and are hereby authorized and required, by themselves or their Subcommissioners, Deputies, and other Officers to be by them authorized and appointed under their Hands and Seals, to collect and receive all such Sum and Sums of Money which shall at any time hereafter from and after the said Nine and twentieth day of September, One thousand six hundred and fifty, become due and payable for the Excize of any Goods, Wares, Merchandizes and Manufactures, imported, or made, or growing, or put to sale, or consumed within England and Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, in such sort as the said Duties have been, or aught to have been collected by virtue of any Act, Ordinance or Order of Parliament, or any other Instructions from the Parliament, or by Authority of Parliament, which are now in force. And it is hereby Enacted and Declared, That the said George Snelling, Thomas Bulstrode, Thomas Foot, William Parker, Maurice Thompson and Richard Downs, shall have the same Power and Authority to do all and every act and acts, thing and things that John Towse Esq deceased, John Langham, Thomas Foot, John Kenrick, Thomas Cullum, Esqs Aldermen of London, Simon edmond's, John Lamot and Edward Claxton, Citizens of London, or any of them, by virtue of any Acts, Ordinances or Orders of Parliament or otherwise, might or could lawfully do.  
And it is further Enacted and Declared, That the said Commissioners of Excize appointed by this Act, shall have power to let out, and to Farm the Excize or New-Impost of all Commodities, or any part thereof charged to pay Excize by Authority of Parliament within this Commonwealth, according to such Rules and Instructions as the Parliament, or Committee of Parliament appointed for Regulating of Excize, shall from time to time give unto them: And the said Committee are hereby impowered to give Rules and Instructions accordingly.  
And be it further Enacted and Ordained, That the said Commissioners shall have and take to themselves for their care and pains, Three pence in the pound for all and every such Sum and Sums of Money respectively as shall be raised, collected and gathered for Excize or New-Impost, and for all such Fines, Forfeitures and Amerciaments, which shall be imposed, assessed and collected to the use of the State, for or by reason of the same.  
And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That all Subcommissioners, and other Officers and persons now employed in the Service of the Excize under the late Commissioners for the Excize, shall remain and continue in their respective Employments, until such time as the Commissioners herein named, shall by and with the consent and approbation of the Committee for Regulating the Excize, otherwise Order and Appoint, Any thing in this Acts contained to the contrary notwithstanding.   

Die Jovis, 26 Septembr. 1650.  
ORdered by the Parliament, That the Act appointing Commissioners for the Excize, be forthwith printed and published.  
Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti.   

London, Printed by Edward Husband and John Field, Printers to the Parliament of England, 1650.