AN ORDINANCE OF THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT, FOR The better Execution of the former ORDINANCES for Sequestration of Delinquents and Papists ESTATES.  
Together with an OATH that is to be taken within Ten days after notice given of this present Ordinance, by the several Sequestrators, Committees, and persons employed by virtue of the said Ordinance.  

Ordered by the Commons in Parliament, that this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published.  
Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
Printed for Laurence Blaiklock. May 27. 1644.   

An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better Execution of the former Ordinances for Sequestration of Delinquents and Papists Estates.  
WHereas the former Ordinances of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for Sequestration of Delinquents Estates, have not been put into such effectual and speedy Execution in divers places as was expected, to the great disservice of the Commonwealth;  
For remedy thereof, and for the more speedy Collecting and bringing in of all such moneys, Rents, and Goods as are or shall be due upon the said Ordinances or any of them, the said Lords and Commons do further Declare and Ordain in manner and form following:  
I. That the several Sequestrators and Committees heretofore or hereafter to be appointed by Authority of Parliament, and the several Solicitors, Collectors, Treasurers, Appraisors, and all other persons by them employed by virtue of the said Ordinances, or either of them, shall within ten days after notice of this present Ordinance to them given, or before the intermeddling therewith take this ensuing Oath:  
I A. B. do swear, that I shall well and truly according to the trust reposed in me, Execute for the best advantage of the Common wealth, all and every of the Ordinances made by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, for Sequestration of Delinquents and Papists Estates; and that I shall not for fear, favour, reward, or affection, spare, connive at, or discharge any of the said Delinquents or Papists; So help me God.  
Which Oath shall be taken by the said Committees before any Deputy Lieutenant, Justice of Peace of the County, City, Borough, or place where such Committees shall sit, who are by this Ordinance authorized to Administer the said Oath, and by the said Solicitors Collectors, Appraisors, and other Officers before the said Committees or any two of them, who are also hereby Authorized to Administer the same; which said Deputy Lieutenants, Justices of Peace, and Committees respectively are hereby required and enjoined to certify unto the Speaker of the House of Commons the Names of all such persons as shall take the said Oath, and also the names of all such as shall neglect or refuse to take the same.  
II. That all Officers, and every other person whatsoever, who hath in his custody any Goods of any person whose Estate is sequestered, shall bring the same into the several and respective Committees of sequestration within the said County within ten days after notice of this Ordinance, or otherwise within five days after the Expiration of the said ten days, pay ready money to the Committees for the same, according to such Rates as they shall be appraised upon Oath, by two able appraisors appointed by the said Committees, and in default of bringing in such Goods or payment for the same, shall forfeit for every week he or they shall detain or not pay the same, the sum of two shillings six pence for every twenty shillings worth of such Goods, to the use of the Commonwealth.  
III. That all suspentions of Sequestrations of any Delinquents or Papists estates, made by the Committees in any County or Corporation, without express Order of both Houses of Parliament, shall be forthwith taken off, and cleared, and no suspension or excuse of persons Sequestered allowed, but what is warranted by the Ordinances of both Houses.  
FOUR That all Debts made for goods sold, shall within ten days after this Ordinance be paid in by the persons owing the same to the Treasurers of the several places where they are due, and in default thereof the said Debts immediately after the said ten days, to be paid by the several parties that sold the same, under pain of forfeiting the sum of two shillings six pence in every pound for every week they remain unpaid after the said ten days, in regard the Ordinances appoint no sale but for ready moneys.  
V That all the sequestered Houses and Lands now standing void and unlet, shall forthwith be let, Tenanted, or improved by the respective Committees, and their Officers for the best advantage of the Commonwealth, upon pain of such punishments in case of wilful negligence as the Houses shall inflict.  
VI That active, able, trusty men, who will diligently attend this service, shall be added to all Committees of sequestrations where there is cause, and that the Committees of accounts of the Kingdom shall from time to time present the names of such persons to both Houses of Parliament.  
VII. That the several Committees for Sequestration in each County, three or more of them shall constantly meet and sit upon this service two set days at the least every week to be by them appointed, and shall increase or alter the number of their Collectors; and if any neglect or misdemeanour shall be found in any Solicitor in the execution of his said Office, the said Committee or any three or more of them shall certify the same unto the Committee of Lords and Commons for sequestrations.  
VIII. That no Treasurer appointed by the Sequestrators, shall be allowed above two pence in the pound for moneys received by him, and that every Committee and Treasurer residing in the City of London, or within the Line of Communication, who shall receive any sum or sums of moneys upon sequestrations, shall pay the same to the Treasurers for sequestrations at Guildhall London within six days after his or their receipt thereof; and the Committees and Treasurers that are to pay in their money to the said Treasurers at Guildhall aforesaid, residing within forty miles of London, shall pay the moneys they receive within 15. days after the receipt thereof, and such Committees and Treasurers who live above 40. miles from London, shall within thirty days after the receipt thereof pay the same to the said Treasurers, under pain of forfeiting two shillings six pence in the pound for every week he or they shall detain the same, after the respective times herein limited.  
IX. That the several Collectors and Solicitors for sequestrations, that have not heretofore pursued, or shall not hereafter pursue the several Ordinances of sequestrations, and the trust thereby in them reposed; shall be disallowed upon their Accounts, all fees, or sums of money appointed unto them by any Ordinance whatsoever.  
X. That the several Solicitors and Collectors for sequestrations shall from henceforth keep several exact accounts of all Goods, Lands, Rents, and profits sequestered, and enter the same into several Books of Accounts to be kept for that purpose, and shall within ten days next after notice of this present Ordinance make several books of account of all Debts, Rents, and profits than arreere, unreceived and uncollected, and of the particulars and values of all the Goods, Lands, Rents, Tenements, and Revenues of every person sequestered within their several divisions, and shall likewise quarterly make and deliver the like accounts unto the several Committees under whom they are employed, to the end the certain value of the sequestration may be discovered, and a constant revenue raised.  
XI. And it is further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that all and every of the penalties in and by this present Ordinance imposed, or to be inflicted upon any person or persons offending contrary to this Ordinance or any Article therein contained, shall be levied by the said respective Committees, their Collectors and Agents, by distress and sale of the party's goods so offending.  
XII. And it is further ordained, that no Committee or Committees whatsoever shall without valuable consideration dispose of any sequestered goods, or make any loans thereof without the consent of both Houses of Parliament.  
XIII. That all Officers, and every other person whatsoever, who hath detained in his hands any sequestration moneys, or hath received any of the said moneys without a sufficient Warrant for his so doing, and contrary to former Ordinances, shall bring in and pay all such moneys so by them detained or received to the Treasurers for sequestrations at Guildhall London, within twenty days after notice of this Ordinance, and in default thereof shall forfeit two shillings six pence for every twenty shillings, for every week he or they shall detain or not pay the same to the uses aforesaid; and the moneys so detained, together with the said forfeiture, shall be levied by the said Respective Committees, their Collectors or Agents, by distress or sale of the party's goods so offending: and where no sufficient distress can be found, the parties so offending, to be committed to prison till the money be paid as aforesaid.  
XIIII. And it is further Ordained, that for the prevention of all fraudulent and indirect dealing, and for the present and future satisfaction of the Kingdom, All Treasurers and Collectors in the Associated Counties, under the command of the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Manchester; as also in the County of Kent and Surrey, where by several Ordinances of Parliament they have power to detain one third part of all the Sequestation money within the said Counties, for the better maintaining of the Forces by them Raised, respectively for the preservation of the Parliament and Kingdom; shall bring in to the Treasurers of Sequestrations at Guildhall London, every three months, or oftener, if they shall be thereunto required, an exact account of all the Sequestration moneys by them received and issued out for the third part as aforesaid or otherwise, and produce Receipts for the same; to the end the said Treasurers at Guildhall may keep account of all the Sequestration moneys, as by former Ordinances was Ordained, and to take care that the said moneys be equally divided and applied, as by the said Ordinances is intended; and that the like course is to be observed by all particular men for all Sequestration moneys they shall receive, in any County or place under the Power or Command of the Parliament, by virtue of any particular Ordinance obtained by them, that they may receive no more than is intended and appointed by their several Ordinances Respectively.  
XV. And it is further Ordained, that john Madden Gentleman, shall be a General Solicitor for the better Execution of this and the former Ordinances of Sequestrations, And is hereby Authorized to keep due correspondence with all Committees, Solicitors, Treasurers, Collectors, and other Officers, employed about the Sequestrations; and shall give his best advice and assistance to the said Treasurers at Guild Hall for the better promoting and advancing of the said service: And when he shall discover any obstruction or disorder in any person or persons therein employed, he shall acquaint the Committee of the Lords and Commons for Sequestrations therewith: And for his pains and attendance on this service, the said Treasurers at Guild Hall shall pay unto him weekly twenty shillings; and shall also pay to the said John Madden all his necessary charges and expenses which he shall disburse, if he shall find it needful, with the advice of the said Treasurers at Guild Hall, to travel into any of the Counties under the power and Command of the Parliament, for the better and more speedy effecting of the Premises, and for Postage of Letters.  
FINIS.   

Die Veneris, Maii 24. 1644.  
IT is this day ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, that this Declaration and Ordinance for Sequestration of Delinquents and Papists Estates, be forthwith Printed and published.  
Henry Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.