AN ACT FOR accounts, And clearing of public Debts: And for discovering Frauds or Concealments of any thing due to the Commonwealth.  

Friday the 7th of October, 1653.  
ORdered by the Parliament, That this Act be forthwith Printed and Published.  
Hen: Scobell, Clerk of the Parliament.   
London, Printed by John Field, Printer to the Parliament of England. 1653.   

AN ACT FOR accounts, AND Clearing of public Debts; And for discovering Frauds or Concealments of any thing due to the Commonwealth.  
FOr the due stating and clearing of public Debts, in order to their payment by the Commonwealth, and for discovering of Fraud for the time past, and preventing it for time to come; Be it Enacted by this present Parliament, and it is Enacted, That all persons whatsoever, that since the Five and twentieth of March, One thousand six hundred thirty and eight, have taken or received for the use of the Commonwealth, Money, Plate, Horses, Arms, or any thing else, upon any Receipt or Bill given for the public Faith, thereby to charge the Commonwealth as debtor on the public Faith; or by virtue or pretence of any Order, Ordinance or Act of Parliament, or otherwise( except onely monthly Assessments for the Army or Navy) or have given Certificates of any Money or other things advanced, received or paid for the use of the Commonwealth, do and shall, before the Five and twentieth day of December, next after the date of this present Act, deliver in to the Commissioners in this Act hereafter name, a plain Alphabetical List or Register of all the persons, and their place of abode, from whom, and Sums of Money, or other things which they have so taken, received or certified, with the times thereof, and date of any Order, Ordinance or Act of Parliament, overpowering them to do the same.  
And it is further Enacted, That all Committees, Commissioners, Auditors or other persons, who have been entrusted by the late Parliament to audite, state or allow, any Soldiers or other accounts; or to give Debentures, thereby making the Commonwealth Debtor on the public Faith, or otherwise, do likewise before the said Five and twentieth day of December next, deliver in to the said Commissioners, such a List or Register of all the persons, and sums so by them stated, audited or allowed, with the times thereof, and by what Power and Authority they did the same.  
And it is further Enacted, That all Commissioners, or other persons that have been entrusted by the late Parliament to pay or satisfy any Bill of public Faith, Debenture, or public Debt by ready money, or by doubling in any Purchase, or any other way, do and shal, before the said five and twentieth day of December next, deliver in to the said Commissioners, such a List or Register of all such Bills, Debentures, sum or sums of Money, paid, doubled or satisfied in whole or in part, with the persons to whom, and the times when, and the Powers by which they were satisfied, paid or doubled.  
And it is further Enacted, That all persons claiming any public Debts from the Commonwealth upon the public. Faith, or upon such Debentures or Bills of Arrears for wages, or any service or other accounts as Soldiers; or any Officer belonging or relating to the Militia of this Commonwealth, do and shall, before the Five and twentieth of March next following, bring or sand to the said Commissioners, All and every such claim in writing, with his Name, surname, and place of abode, affixed to the sum or sums so claimed, and the times thereof, & maner how the same came due: And that all and every claim and pretence to any such public Debt or Debts that shall not be so delivered in, within the time, and in the maner aforesaid, shall at all times after the same Five and twentieth day of March, be held and judged voided and counterfeit, and never be allowed as a Debt from the Commonwealth, or from any person or persons in the same. And that all and every person, That by Fraud doth or shall claim any such Debt, which shall not be found and adjudged good, or sufficiently proved to be lent, or appear a true Debt charging the Commonwealth; or conceal any Lands, Debt, Money, Plate, jewels, or any thing else of right due or belonging to the Commonwealth; or at any time since One thousand six hundred and forty, belonging to the late King, Queen or Prince, or by any of their Warrants raised; or since the year One thousand six hundred forty and six, belonging to any Bishop, Dean or Chapter, in right of such Office or place; or to any Delinquent, not being yet discovered to the respective Trustees appointed by Parliament, or by them not Surveyed or Inventoried, and shall not discover the same before the Five and twentieth of December next, shall forfeit triple to the value claimed or concealed, and be sequestered till the said Forfeiture be fully paid to the Commonwealth.  
And it is further Enacted, That all and every person neglecting or offending in any of the premises by this Act required, shall be liable to any Action at Law to be brought by, and to full satisfaction of any person damnified by such neglect or offence; besides all other Fines or penalties, that may and shall be adjudged upon Indictment, Presentment, Information, or other lawful complaint on behalf of the Commonwealth.  
And it is further Enacted, That if any person shall discover any Lands, Tenements, Money, Plate, jewels, Debt, or any thing else, which of right is or shall be due, belonging or pertaining to the Commonwealth, concealed, or not discovered or accounted for by any person whatsoever that concealeth the same; such person so discovering any such concealment, shall be allowed as the Commissioners shall judge meet, not exceeding a fifth part of all that shall be duly recovered to the Commonwealth by their discovery; or shall be satisfied for their own just Debts due to them from the Commonwealth, out of the said discoveries, if there shall be enough duly recovered to satisfy the same: But if any persons shall unjustly molest any other, on pretence of any such Concealment, Fraud, or breach of any public Trust, They shall fully satisfy and pay to the person by them accused, all damages sustained by such unjust molestation; which said damages shall be adjudged by the said Commissioners, or by such others as the Parliament shall appoint; for which purpose, before any person shall be molested or summoned upon any such Information, the person Informing shall give security, in such sum, and with such Sureties as the said Commissioners shall allow of, to make good his Information, in such sort as the said Commissioners shall approve; or to satisfy such damages to the party grieved, as shall be awarded to him as aforesaid.  
And it is further Enacted, That if any Delinquent, his Heirs, Executors or Administrators, Legatees or Assigns, shall first discover any of his own Estate or Debts, not yet sequestered, or the Estate or Debts of such Delinquent not yet sequestered; such Discoverer shall be admitted to Composition for the same, and be freed from all Sequestrations for any Delinquency past, for a fourth part of any such Estate; Provided such discovery be made within Three Moneths from the time of the passing this Act.  
And it is further Enacted, That mayor William Bridges, John Greensmith, Simon Cressy, Mark Coe, Robert Perwich, Philip Tandy and William Maddison, or any four of them, be Commissioners to receive, order and direct, all the several Lists, Claims and Discoveries in this Act required, and to keep them all distinct: And from time to time they are to certify to the Committee for public Debts what they find claimed, acknowledged, or stated on public Faith, Arrears or otherwise, by virtue of any Order, Ordinance or Act of Parliament, and what is not yet stated or cleared to be due from the Commonwealth; and what undue Demands or Receipts they find; and what Concealments discovered, or Frauds, by which the Commonwealth is or shall be damnified; with all the sums of Money, or other things they shall discover to be due to the Commonwealth, or by fraud gotten or detained from it: And to these ends, they are Impowred to sand for Persons, Records, accounts, Books, or any Writings of public Interest, and to inquire and examine upon Oath; and in case of contempt, to commit to safe Custody.  
And it is further Enacted, That all persons that for the space of thirty days shall detain any sum of Money, or other things, adjudged and certified by the said Commissioners to the said Committee, and by them to the Commissioners for Composition, shall be sequestered from all their Estates real and personal, till such Moneys, or other things so adjudged and certified, shall be paid in to the Treasury, by the Parliament appointed or to be appointed: And the said Committee are from time to time to acquaint the House with all cases of difficulty, that there may be particular directions for the paying of what shall be duly stated: And for due stating and clearing of all such Claims as shall appear to be just, and not already settled or directed by the Act for Ireland, or other Acts or Orders of Parliament.  
Hen: Scobell, Clerk of the Parlaiment.