royal arms of England, circa 1666 
〈…〉  
dieu ET MON DROI●  By the King. A PROCLAMATION For the more exact and punctual Collecting and Answering His Majesties Revenue arising upon Fire-hearths and Stoves.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas Our Revenue arising by Fire-hearths and Stoves, hath of late time been very much in arrear, and continues still behind and unpaid in many parts of Our Kingdom, partly through the misdemeanours of some persons who have presumed to conceal many Fire-hearths and Stoves, for which by Law they are chargeable, And to prevent the discovery of such Frauds, refuse to permit Our Officers or their Deputies to make their views, or to take Distresses; And partly through the neglect or connivance of several Iustices of Peace, chief Magistrates, Ministers, Constables, and Churchwardens, who have given too much countenance to illegal and undue Certificates, and too little assistance to Our Officers and their Deputies in Collecting the said Revenue, whom they have in some places suffered to be reproached, and sometimes assaulted, without punishing the Malefactors, although it be the Duty of all Constables, Headboroughs, and other inferior Officers, to accompany, assist, and defend Our Officers and their Deputies in their Collections, and the duty of all Iustices of the Peace, and chief Magistrates in their respective Places and Callings, and with the utmost of their Authority to support Our Revenue, so well established by Law, and so necessary to the safety and defence of us and Our good Subjects: We therefore resolving for the time to come to take a strict account of all such persons as shall hereafter be found wanting in their Duty to us, and to the Laws of Our Kingdom, have thought fit by the advice of Our Council, to Declare, and do hereby Publish Our Royal Will and Pleasure, That all Arrears of Our said Revenue, as well those which were incurred at or before the Feast of St. Michael, in the year of Our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and five, as those which have incurred since, and all future growing duties, shall forthwith, and with all possible speed and diligence, be collected and levied by, and paid unto Our respective Officers and their Deputies appointed for that purpose; That is to say, What was due, at or before Michaelmas 1665. to such Receivers or Collectors as already are, or shall be Commissionated by us in pursuance of the Act of Parliament in that behalf, and to none other; And what did grow due for the half-year ended at Lady day 1666. and not before, and so forward, to the Farmers of Our said Revenue, their Sub-farmers and Substitutes during their Term; The said Farmers, their Sub-farmers or Substitutes having no Authority, nor being any way concerned in the Receiving or Collecting any part of the said Revenue which did grow due before Our Lady day 1666. aforesaid, nor of any Penalty or Forfeiture which was not incurred till after Michaelmas 1665. And We do hereby straitly Charge and Command all Iustices of Peace, chief Magistrates, Headboroughs, Constables, tithingmen, and all other Officers and Ministers of Iustice whom it doth or may concern, That they be aiding and assisting to Our said Officers and their Deputies in the Collecting and Levying the said Arrears; and also in the Collecting and Levying all such further sums of money as hereafter shall grow due and payable for or by reason of any Fire-hearths or Stoves, according to the utmost of their power: And herein We do expect and require from them and every of them, so vigorous and effectual assistance, that all concealment of any Hearths or Stoves may be speédily detected, all illegal and undue Certificates discharged for exempting of any persons, all obstructions in the Collecting of Our said Revenue removed, and all persons which shall assault or affront Our Officers or their Deputies either in word or deéd, exemplarily punished, upon pain of Our high Displeasure, and of being proceéded against as Contemners of Our Royal Authority, and as persons ill affencted to the Peace and Safety of Our kingdom. And to the end Our Will and Pleasure herein may be made known, We do hereby Will and Require all Sheriffs, Mayors and bailiffs in the several and respective Counties, Cities, and Towns-corporate of this Our Realm, to cause this Our Proclamation to be Published in all and every the Market-places within their Limits, upon some Market-day within Fourteén days next after their Receipt thereof, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the 19th day of December, in the 18th year of Our Reign. 1666.  
God save the King.   

In the SAVOY, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, His Majesties Printers, 1666.