ACT anent the EXCISE.  
Edinburgh 1. May 1646.  
FOrsamiekle as the Estates of Parliament for the greater in couragement to His Majesty's liege's, for the timous and thankful payment of the Excise, Ordained the Gudlines advanced by the Burrowes and their Burgesses for Arms brought home to the Kingdom, and the prices of the silver Work given in for the use of the public, With the quarterings of Soldiers, and the Annualrents of the Moneys addebted be the public, To any person in Burgh or Landwart, to be paid out of the foresaid Excise; And gave power to the Commissioners for the Excise, to receive in, fit, and allow the whole Counts of the Quartering, With the Bands, Warrants, and Securities, granted for payment of the Gudlines, Silverwork, and other public Debts; And after sight thereof, and fitting and allowing of the said's Counts, To give precepts and warrants for payment of the famine out of the Excise. Likeas, The saids Estates of Parliament have Ordained the said's Commissioners, To be careful in the ingathering of the said Excise, and to call for the Counts thereof, and to make and set down all such Acts and Ordinances as they shall find  and expedient for that effect: And the said's Commissioners for the Excise, taking to consideration, That as yet there is little or no Excise Counted for, And that the Counts of the Quartering, with the Bands, Warrants, and Securities, granted for pay meant of the Gudlines, Silverwork, and others public Debts, Are not brought in to them, conform to the Act of Parliament made thereanent; And finding it necessary and incumbent to them, to take some course how the same may be timely and effectually done; They have therefore Ordained, And hereby Ordains, All Persons whatsomever liable and subject in payment of Excise, within the Landwart Parichones of this Kinhdome, To give up and deliver ane just and perfect Compt thereof for the hail time bygone To the Elders and Deacons of the said's Landwart Parochines, and to the Collectors of the parochs appointed by them, Who are hereby Ordained, To give up and deliver the just and perfect Counts of the famine, To the Collectors of the Shires nominate and appointed by the saids Commissioners: And also Ordains all persons whatsomever liable and subject in payment of Excise within the Royal Burrowes of this Kingdom, pendicles, and liberties thereof, to give up and deliver ane just and perfect Compt of the famine Excise for the hail time bygone, to the Magistrates and Council of the said's Royal Burrowes, or to the Collectors appointed by them: And Ordains the Collectors of the said's Shires for Landwart, and the Magistrates and Council of the said's Royal Burrows, To give in and deliver to the said's Commissioners, ane just and perfect Compt of the hail Excise within their bounds, ilk ane of them for their own parts respectiuè, for the hail time bygone, for the which the said Excise is payable, conform to the Acts of Parliament made thereanent, And that betwixt and the days following, viz. The Sheriffedomes of Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Stireling, Fife, Kinrose, Clackmannan, Hadingtoun, Berwick, and Peebles, als well to Burgh as Landwart, betwixt the date hereof and the fifeteenth day of June next to come. The Sheriffedomes of Pearth, Dumbartan, Lanerk, Renfrew, Air, Wigtoun, Kirkcudbright, Drumfreis, Roxburgh, and Selkirk, als well to Burgh as Landward, betwixt the date hereof and the first day of July next to come.  
And sicklike, Ordains the whole parochs, Shires, and burgh's of this Kingdom, betwixt and the days respectiuè foresaids, To bring in to the said's Commissioners, the Counts of the hail Quarterings addebted to them preceding the first day of March 1645. With the Bands, Warrants, and Securities, granted for payment of the Gudlines, Silverwork and others public debts; To the effect that the said Counts being fitted and allowed, And the said's Bands, Warrants, and Securites, seen by the saids Commissioners, Precepts and Warrants may be granted by them for payment of the saids Gudlines, Prices of the Siver work, Quartering, and Annualrents out of the said Excise, conform to the said Act of Parliament; With certification to all these who shall failyie herein, and not give in their counts betwixt and the days respectiuè abovewritten, in manner before prescribed, That they nor none of them shall at no time thereafter get any payment or allowance out of the Excise of their saids Gudlines, Prices of their Silverwork, Quartering, or Annualrents addebted to them, But shall be compelled to make payment of their hail bygone Excise, without any respect to their saids Gudlines, Silverwork, Quartering, or Annualrents; And that the said's Commissioners will give Order and Warrant for Quartering of Horse and Foot, upon them ay and while they make thankful payment thereof; And also will set a particular rate and quantity of Excise upon ilk deficient person liable in payment of Excise, Parochine, Shire, or Burgh, & will assign the same to the Regiments of Horse and Foot for their pay, And give Order and Warrant to them, to Quarter upon the saids Deficients till they pay the rate and quantity which shall be laid upon them: And further, If any Shire, Parochine, Burgh, or particular Person shall be deficient in giving in of the Counts of their bygone Excise, in manner before mentioned, or in payment of their Excise in time coming, conform to the Acts made thereanent, or in payment of the Monthly maintenance, borrowed Moneys, or others public Deuce, after ordinary diligence shall be used against them; The said's Commissioners Ordains the Committees of War of the Shires, and all Officers of War within this Kingdom, to be assistant to the Collectors by giving of Troupers or Footmen To quarter upon the Deficients by free quarters, ay and while payment be made; And if need be, The saids Commissioners do hereby give power and warrant to the said's Collectors, als well to Shires as parochs, by the advice of the Committee of War of the Shire, To raise six or eight Horsemen for ingathering of the saids Excise, Monthly Maintenance, and others public Deuce, to be entertained as ordinar Troupers upon such Deficients of ilk Shire, parochine, or Burgh, as the Committee of War of the Shire shall appoint and direct; And incase of the refuse or neglect of the Committee of the Shire herein, The saids Commissioners do hereby give power and warrant to the said's Collectors by themselves, after the using of horning against the Deficients, To lift, direct, and employ the said's six or eight Troupers for the use and to the effect foresaid; And Ordains their presents to be printed and published at the Market Crosses and Paroch Kirks of this Kingdom, That none may pretend ignorance hereof. Extractum de libris actorum Commissionartorum excisa per me Jacobum campbel Clericum ejusdem.  
James campbel.   

Edinburgh Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1646.