A DECLARATION By the Committee of Safety of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Touching the Payment of the Duties of custom and Excise.  
 blazon or coat of arms of the Commonwealth of England  


Friday, Decemb. 9. 1659.  
ORdered, That this Declaration be forthwith Printed and Published.  
WILL. ROBINSON Clerk of the Committee of Safety.    
LONDON, Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to the Committee of Safety, 1659.   

By the Committee of Safety. A Declaration touching the Payment of the Duties of custom and Excise.  
WHereas in one Act made in the Parliament begun and held at Westminster the seventeenth day of September, One thousand six hundred fifty six, entitled, An Act for the continuing and Establishing the subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, &c. there is( amongst other things) contained a Clause in these words, viz. Whereas the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament did, upon the sixteenth of December, in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred forty seven, make and publish a certain Ordinance, entitled, An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for establishing of the subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, together with the Book of Rates, to stand and continue from the six and twentieth day of March, One thousand six hundred forty eight, for certain time which is since expired; And the Parliament taking into consideration the necessity of this Commonwealth for money to carry on the affairs thereof, and for the safeguard of the Seas, the Convoy of Merchants Ships and Goods, and the securing of Trade, do therefore Enact, and be it Enacted and Declared by his Highness the Lord Protector, and the Parliament, and by the Authority thereof; that the said Ordinance of the sixteenth of December, One thousand six hundred forty seven, and also the Book of Rates of Merchandise therein mentioned, with the Instructions thereunto annexed, and all and every the Articles, Instructions, matters, and things in them or either of them, specified and contained, other then such Articles, Instructions, matters and things, as have been heretofore repealed or altered, or shall by this present Act, or any other Act of this present Parliament be repealed or altered, be and are hereby revived, and shall stand and continue to be in full force, as well within Scotland and Ireland, and the Islands thereunto belonging, as within England, Wales, and the Town of Barwick upon tweed. And in the same Act another clause is contained in these words, viz. And it is hereby further enacted, that one half part of one per cent. which is two shillings in every twenty shillings paid for custom and subsidy, according to the Book of Rates, established by Authority of Parliament, shall from and after the four and twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred fifty seven, be raised, levied and paid over and above the said custom and subsidy, of and from all and every of such Goods, wears and other Merchandises, to be imported into this Commonwealth, the said sum of one half part of one per cent. to be raised, paid and continued, until the four and twentieth day of June, which will be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and sixty; And to be received and taken by their Deputy or Deputies, and by them to be laid out, payed and employed for the redeeming of Captives of this Commonwealth taken at Sea, by Turkish, Moorish, or other Pirates, and for no other use whatsoever, in such manner as by his Highness the Lord Protector, by and with the advice and consent of his Council shall be Ordered and directed. And if any goods, wears, or merchandises, brought from beyond the Seas, whereof the said sum of one half part of one per Cent. is or shall be due and payable by virtue of this Act, shall at any time hereafter be landed or put on shore, within this Common-wealth before due entry thereof, and the said sum of one half part of one per Cent. due, and the same not paid and satisfied, All the said goods, wears or other merchandises whatsoever, shall be forfeited and lost; the one moiety of the value thereof to be to him or them that will seize or sue for the same, before the Barons of his Highness Exchequer, and the other moiety to be employed for the use aforesaid. Provided always, That the whole duty of the one half of the one per Cent. for the redemption of Captives as aforesaid, as shall be paid for any goods or merchandise Imported, and as shall be afterwards exported, shall upon the exportation thereof be repaired in such manner, as the half Subsidy is or ought to be paid.  
And whereas in one other Act made in the same Parliament, entitled, An Additional Act for the better improvement and advancing the Receipts of the Excise and New Impost, There is, amongst other things, contained a Clause in these words, Viz. His Highness the Lord Protector, and the Parliament, taking into serious Consideration the Engagements which at present lye upon the Receipts of Excise and New Impost, and finding the imposition of the Excise to be the most easy, and indifferent Levy that can be laid upon the People, as well for and towards the discharging of those Engagements, as for the carrying on the other urgent and pressing affairs of this Common-wealth, and defraying the Charges of the Naval Forces thereof, in the present War with Spain, and against the common Enemy, Do therefore, for the better advancement & improvement of the said Receipt, in order to the ends aforesaid, Enact, and be it hereby Enacted by his Highness the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, & this present Parliament assembled, and by authority thereof, That the several Rates and Charges hereafter set down in the Schedule, and according to the Book of valves hereafter mentioned, and every of them, and none other, shall be set, laid and imposed, and are hereby set, laid, and imposed, to be had, levied demanded, collected, received, recovered, & paid, in and through England and Wales, and Town and Port of Barwick, and Scotland, Ireland, and the Islands thereunto belonging, upon all and every the Commodities, merchandises & Manifactures, as well Native as foreign in the said Schedule & book of valves mentioned in maner following.  
And whereas also in one other Act of Parliament, published in print by Order of the twenty eighth day of September, One thousand six hundred fifty nine, entitled, An Act for the continuance of the customs and Excise, there is contained this Clause following, Viz. Be it Enacted, and it is hereby Enacted and Declared by this present Parliament and the Authority thereof, That the Duties and Revenue of Excise and New Impost, customs and Subsidies, shall be, and are hereby continued to be paid by every person & persons within this Common-wealth, from and after the thirtieth day of September, One thousand six hundred fifty nine, until the first day of January next ensuing, in such manner, and according to such Rules, Rates, and Proportions as the same were paid or payable at any time within six Moneths next before the sixth day of May last past, or any time since.  
And also in the same Act, amongst other things is contained another Clause, in these words, Viz. And that all Acts, Ordinances, Orders, and Powers, made and exercised under any Authority or Power whatsoever, for or concerning the Paying, Collecting, Levying and enforcing the said Duties, before the sixth day of May last past, or any time since, are hereby Enacted, Appointed, and Declared to be, and shall be in full force, for Paying, Levying, Collecting, and bringing in the said Duties, with all their Arrears to all intents and purposes, and in as large and ample manner, as if the same had been Enacted, and made by Authority of this present Parliament.  
By which last recited Clause in the said last mentioned Act, both the before recited Acts made in the said Parliament, begun and held at Westminster, the 17. day of September, 1656. & all other Ordinances, Orders & Powers, made before the said 6. of May, 1659. or since, for the Paying, Levying, Receiving, and Collecting the said Duties of custom & Excise, as well for time to come, from and after the said first day of January next, as until that time; as also the Duty of one half of one per cent. for the Redemption of Captives until the said 24, day of June, 1660. are Enacted, Appointed and Declared to be in full force.  
But forasmuch as some persons, desirous to interrupt the Payment of the said Duties( upon the due payment whereof the carrying on of the affairs of the Common-wealth, as well in guarding the Seas, and securing the Trade of this Commonwealth, as payment of the Armies, and Forces thereof, doth chiefly depend) have given out, and do endeavour to possess the mindes of men that the said Duties are to continue onely to the first of January next, contrary to the express words of the last recited Act, wherein there is not any words to restrain the payment of the said duties of custom and Excise to the first of January and no longer, but the said two first recited Acts are expressly and fully confirmed without any limitation of time. For the better satisfaction of such persons, as by such undue and sinister means, may be seduced and misled, and thereby at unawares brought under the penalties set and imposed by the said Acts for non-payment of the said Duties respectively, and to the end all persons concerned may be warned of the danger they may run into by any wilful or obstinate refusal of payment of the said Duties or any of them,  
The Committee of Safety have thought fit to publish, and do hereby publish and declare, That as the said Duties of custom and Excise, and also the said Duty of one half part of one per cent. for Redemption of Captives taken by Turkish, Moorish, or other pirates, until the said four and twentieth day of June, One thousand six hundred and sixty, are continued and settled to be paid for the ends and purposes aforesaid: So it is expected that all and every person and persons therein concerned, do duly pay the said Duties, according to the said several Acts, as they would avoid the penalties by the said Acts and Ordinances set and imposed for non payment thereof.   

friday, December 9. 1659.  
ORdered by the Committee of Safety That this Declaration be forthwith printed and published.  
William Robinson, Clerk of the Committee of Safety.