WHereas Our Revenue arising by Fire-hearths and Stoves , hath of late time beén 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 connivence 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 vs and Our good Subjects : We therefore resolving for the time to come to take a strict Accompt of all such persons as shall hereafter be found wanting in their Duty to vs , 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 vs 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 , Tythingmen , 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 affected to the Peace and Safety of Our Kingdome . And to the end Our Will and Pleasure herein may be made known , We do hereby Will and Require all Sheriffs , Mayors and Bayliffs 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 .