arms of Charles II HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE dieu ET MON DROIT. By the King. A PROCLAMATION Concerning the Collecting and Answering His Majesties Revenue arising by Fire-hearths and Stoves.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas His Majesties Revenue arising by Fire-hearths and Stoves( notwithstanding His great care in appointing Collectors, Surveyors, and other Officers for the Collecting, Surveying, and Managing thereof) hath been of late impaired and lessened, and much thereof remains in arrear in several parts of this Kingdom, which is occasioned by concealing of many Fire-hearths and Stoves which by Law are chargeable with the said Duty, and refusing to permit His Majesties Officers to make their Views and take Distresses, contrary to the Statutes made concerning the said Revenue: And whereas His Majesty hath by Letters Patents under His Great Seal of England, bearing date the Thirteénth day of June now last past, Constituted and Appointed Abraham anselm, John perry, and Edward Buckley of London Esquires, their Deputies, Agents, Substitutes and Assigns, to be His Majesties Officer, and Officers for the Receiving, Collecting, and Answering the Duty arising by the said Fire-hearths and Stoves, by virtue of the several Acts of Parliament in that behalf, or any of them, which shall grow due upon, and after the Feast of Sa●nt Michael the Archangel next ensuing, for and during the term of Five years, to be computed from the 26th day of March last past before the date of these Presents, And for the present Viewing, Surveying and numbering of the several Chimney-hearths and Steves mentioned in the said Acts of Parliament, and for the inspecting and examining the several Rolls, Certificates, and Returns thereof made and to be made, from time to time into His Majesties Court of Exchequer, in pursuance of the said Act, or Acts, or any other thing belonging to the same, and to do and execute all and every other the matters and things directed and authorised to be done by a late Act,( entitled, An Act for Collecting the Duty arising by Hearth-money by Officers to be appointed by His Majesty) which by the said Letters Patents they are enabled to do forthwith, and as often during the said term as to them shall seém expedient for His Majesties service; But they are not by virtue thereof to Receive or Collect any Arrears of the said Duties incurred or grown due before the 10th day of April last past. His Majesty, to the intent that all His Loving Subjects may have due notice of the same, and that Iustices of the Peace, and Chief Magistrates, and all inferior Officers in their respective Places and Offices may give due and effectual Assistance to the said Abraham anselm, John perry, and Edward Buckley, and their Deputies, Substitutes and Agents, hath thought fit( with the Advice of His Privy Council) to Declare, And His Majesty doth hereby Publish and Declare His Royal Will and Pleasure to be, That all Arrears of the said Revenue, as well those that were incurred at or before the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary now last past, as also all future growing Duties, shall with all possible speéd and diligence be Collected, Levied by, and Paid unto His Majesties Officers, and their Deputies appointed for that purpose; That is to say, What was due on or before the said Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary last past, to such Receivers, or Collectors, as before the said Letters Patents were, and now continue, or shall at any time hereafter be Commissioned by His Majesty in pursuance of the said Act of Parliament in that behalf, and none other; And what shall grow due on the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel next, and so forward during the said term of Five years, to the said Abraham anselm, John perry, and Edward Buckley, their Deputies, Agents, Substitutes and Assigns. And His Majesty doth hereby strictly charge and command all Iustices of the Peace, Chief Magistrates, Headboroughs, Constables, tithingmen, and all other Officers whom it doth or may concern, That they, and every of them in their respective Office and Places, be aiding and assisting to the said Abraham anselm, John perry, and Edward Buckley, their Deputies, Agents, Substitutes and Assigns, in the Collecting and Levying the said Duty, whereof they are appointed Collectors in manner aforesaid: And His Majesty doth hereby strictly charge and command all His Loving Subjects whatsoever, to permit and suffer them from time to time to enter, and make perfect Views and Surveys for the numbering all Fire-hearths and Stoves within each County, City, and Place within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed; And in case of any resistance or refusal, His Majesty doth hereby command all Iustices of the Peace, Chief Magistrates, Headboroughs, Constables, tithingmen, and all other Officers, that they be aiding and assisting to the utmost of their respective powers, that such Views and Surveys may be duly and thoroughly made. And His Majesty doth further require, That all illegal and undue Certificates be forthwith discharged, to the end that no person may thereby pretend to be exempted from the said Duty, which he ought to pay by Law: And herein His Majesty doth expect and require from all His Loving Subjects such effectual care and diligence, That all concealed Fire-hearths and Stoves may be speédily detected, all illegal and undue Certificates for exempting of any persons from payment of the said Duty discharged, and all Obstructions in the Collecting and Levying of the said Revenue removed, and that all persons that shall oppose or injure the said Officers, or any of their Deputies in the due execution of the said Acts, be punished according to Law, upon pain of His Majesties high displeasure, and of being proceéded against as Contemners of His Royal Authority. And to the end this His Majesties Will and Pleasure may be made known, His Majesty doth hereby Will and Require all Sheriffs, Mayors, and bailiffs, in their several and respective Counties, Cities, and Towns Corporate of this Kingdom, to cause this His Royal Proclamation to be Published in all and every the Market-places within their respective limits, upon some Market-day within fourteén days after their receipt thereof, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Windsor, the 14th day of July, 1674. In the Six and twentieth Year of Our Reign.  
God save the King.   

LONDON, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1674.