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By the King and Queen, A PROCLAMATION For Collecting and Levying the Arrears of HEARTH-MONEY.
William R.
WHereas His Majesty having been Informed, that the Revenue of Hearth-money was grievous to the People, was Pleased by His Gracious Message sent to the Commons assembled in tHis present Parliament, to signifie His Pleasure, either to Agree to a Regulation of it, or the taking it wholly away, as should be thought most convenient by the said Commons: Whereupon the said Com∣mons being filled with a most humble and grateful Sense of His Majesties unparallelled Grace and Favour to His People, not only by restoring their Rights and Liberties which had been Invaded contrary to Law, but in desiring to make them Happy and at Ease, by taking away such Burthens as by Law were fixed upon them (by which His Majesty would erect a lasting Monument of His Godness in every House in the Kingdom) did most humbly beseech His Majesty, that the said Revenue of Hearth-money might be wholly taken away and abolished for the future; And thereupon it was Enacted in and by one Act made at tHis present Par∣liament Entituted, [An Act for the taking away the Revenue arising by Hearth-money] That the several Acts of Parliament for the Establishing, Ordering and Collecting the said Revenue, and every the Clauses and Articles in the said several Acts contained, should be wholly Repealed and made void with a Proviso, That nothing the said Act contained, should be taken or construed to hinder or prejudice the Collecting, Levy∣ing, Answering or Paying the said Revenue which should grow due on the Five and twentieth of March in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred eighty nine, or any ••••••••••s of the said Duty which were then due and payable by the said former Acts; But that all the Powers and Articles in the said for∣mer Acts relating to the Collecting and Levying of the said Duty, and the Arrears thereof, should continue and remain in force for the Collecting, Levying, anb Recovering of the said Duty of Hearth-money so grow∣ing due on the said Twenty fifth day of March One thousand six hundred eighty nine, and all Arrears of the said Duty, as if the said Act had not been made. Nevertheless, some Ill-advised Persons do raise and revive several Questions and Disputes concerning the Payment of the said Revenue and the Arrears there∣of now due, with intent to obstruct and hinder the Answering and Paying of the said Arrears, albeit the said entire Revenue is for the future by Their Majesties Grace Wholly remitted and taken away for ever; And albeit the said Questions and Disputes are contrary to Acts of Parliament made concerning the said Duty. Wherefore to the intent no Persons may pretend Ignorance in the Premisses, and for the more speedy and easie Collecting and Answering the Duty and Arrears due as aforesaid, and preventing Di∣sputes about the same, Their Majesties have thought fit to Charge and Require, and by the Advice of Their Privy Council, do hereby Charge, Require and Command all and every Their Subjects whom it may con∣cern, That they readily, and without Dispute, pay all and singular the Arrears of the said Duty, in pur∣suance of the said Acts, and that all Iustices of the Peace proceed in the Hearing and Determining of all Matters relating to the same as by Law they ought; And that they, and all Sheriffs, Mayors, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other Officers whatsoever, be Aiding and Assisting in the Collecting, Re∣ceiving and Levying the same accordingly; And hereof they, each and every of them, are not to fail in any wise, as they will answer the same at their Peril.
Given at Our Court at Hampton Court the Sixth Day of June, 1689. In the First Year of Our Reign.
God save the King and Queen.