Public Accounts Act 1690
1690 CHAPTER 11 2 Will and Mar Sess 2
An Act for Appointing and Enabling Commissioners to Examine Take and State the Publicke Accounts -of the Kingdome.

Reasons for passing this Act.
Commissioners appointed to take the Accounts of the Public Revenue in the Receipt of the Exchequer; and of Monies in the Hands of Receiver General; and of £412,925 14s. 6d. granted by 1 W. & M. Sess. 1. c. 13. c. 14. c. 20. c. 24. c. 28.; and by 1 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 3.; c. 1. c. 5.; c. 6.; c. 7.; and by a W. & M. Sess. 1. c. 2.; c. 4.; and by 2 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 1.; c. 3.; c. 4.; c. 5.; and of Prizes taken during the War; and of Crown Lands and all other Branches of the Revenue; and of the public Stores; and of Ships, Yachts, Money, Provisions, &c. in the Naval and Military Service.Whereas many great Revenues Sum[m]s of Money and Provisions have beene Expended Granted Raised and
Assigned for the necessary Support of Their Majesties Government and the Warr against France and the
Reduceing of Ireland since the Fifth day of November One thousand six hundred eighty and eight on which
day the Kings Majestie (being then Prince of Orange) Landed in England Wherefore to the intent that Their
Majesties and this Kingdome may be satisfyed and truely informed whether all the same Revenues Moneys and
Provisions have beene faithfully Issued out Disposed Ordered and Expended for the Ends and Purposes aforesaid
And that Their Majestyes Loyall Subjects may thereby be incouraged more chearfully to undergoe the like Burthens
for the Support of Your Majesties Government and for the further Prosecution of the present Warr against France
and the Reduceing of Ireland Bee it Enacted by the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled
and by the Authoritie of the same That Sir Robert Rich Knight and Baronet Sir Thomas Clarges Knight Paul
Foley Esquire Collonell Robert Austen Sir Mathew Andrews Knight Sir Benjamin Newland Knight Sir Samuell
Barnardiston Baronet Sir Peter Colliton Baronet and Robert Harley Esquire or any Five or more of them shall
and are hereby Constituted Commissioners for takeing of the Accounts of all Moneys of the Publick Revenues
of the Crowne which were in the Receipt of Their Majestyes Exchequer on the said Fifth day of November
One thousand six hundred eighty and eight or at any time since have beene or shall be before the Power and
Authority for the takeing and examineing of these Accounts be determined and of all Arrears thereof And of
all such Moneys then and at any time before the determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid in the
hands of the Reciever Generall or Cashiers of the Customs Excise or Hearth money And of the Summe of
Foure hundred and twelve thousand nine hundred twenty five pounds fourteene shillings and six pence granted to
Their Majesties by one Act of the first Session of the late Parlyament Entituled An Act for the Granting a
Present Aid to Their Majesties And of the Money collected recieved and paid or payable into the Exchequer
by one Act Intituled An Act for Raising Money by a Poll and otherwise towards the Reduceing of Ireland And
by one other Act Intituled An Act for Preventing Doubts and Questions concerning the Collecting the Publicke
Revenue And by one other Act Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majesties of an Aid of Twelve pence
in the Pound for One Yeare for the necessary Defence of the Realms And of one other Act Entituled An Act
for an Additionall Duty of Excise upon Beere Ale and other Liquors And one other Act For Appropriating certaine
Duties for Paying the States Generall of the United Provinces their Charges for His Majesties Expedition into this
Kingdome and for other Uses And of one other Act of the second Session of the said Parliament Entituled An
Act for Preventing all Doubts and Questions concerning the Collecting the Publicke Revenue And of one
other Act Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majestyes of an Aid of Two shillings in the Pound for One
Yeare And of one other Act of the same Session of Parlyament Entituled An Act for a Grant to Their Majesties
of an Additionall Aid of Twelve pence in the Pound for One Yeare And of one Act Entituled An Act for
the Charging and Collecting the Duties upon Coffee Tea and Chocolate And one other Act Entituled An Act
for Review of the late Poll granted to Their Majesties and for an Additionall Poll towards the Reduceing of
Ireland And by one other Act Entituled An Act for Raising Money by a Poll and otherwise towards the Reduceing
c. 3.
of Ireland and Prosecuteing the War against France And by one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to
Their Majesties for their Lives and the Life of the Survivour of them certaine Impositions upon Beere Ale and
other Liquors And one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to Their Majesties a Subsidie of Tonnage and
Poundage and other Summes of Money payable upon Merchandize Exported and Imported. And by one other Act
Act of this present Session of Parlyament Intituled An Act for granting an Aid to Their Majesties of the Summe
of Sixteene hundred fifty one thousand seven hundred and two pounds eighteene shillings And by one other Act
Entituled An Act for Doubling the Duty of Excise upon Beere Ale and other Liquors dureing the space of One
Yeare And by one other Act Entituled An Act for granting to Their Majesties certaine Impositions upon all
East India Goods and Manufactures and upon all wrought Silks and severall other Goods and Merchandize to be
Imported after the Five and twentyeth day of December One thousand six hundred and ninety And by one
other Act Entituled An Act for the continuance of severall former Acts therein mentioned for the Laying severall
Duties upon Wines Vinegar and Tobacco and of such Prizes as have beene taken dureing the present Warr
at any time since the said Fifth day of November and shall be taken before the Determination of the Power and
Authority aforesaid for Their Majestyes use and of the Money paid for any such Prizes to any Reciever or
other Persons Authorized to recieve the same or otherwise And of all the Crowne-Lands First Fruits and
Tenths of the Clergy Wine-Licences Fines Forfeitures and of all other Branches of the Revenue of the Crowne
and all other Publicke Moneys whatsoever that by any wayes or means whatsoever have since the said Fifth day
of November One thousand six hundred eighty and eight arisen beene granted collected ordered recieved or
raised Or at any time or by any wayes or means whatsoever shall arise be granted collected ordered received
or grow due before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid by any Person or Persons whatsoever
And how and in what manner and by whome and to whome the same have beene ordered paid or disposed
And alsoe for takeing Accounts of all Their Majestyes Stores Provisions Habiliments of Warr as well for Land
as Sea Service in the Tower or in any other of Their Majestyes Garrisons Storehouses Yards or elsewhere as
were upon the said Fifth day of November or at any time since have beene or hereafter shall be before the
Determination of the Power and Authoritie aforesaid And to sett downe what numbers of Shipps Yachts or Boates
were on the said Fifth day of November or at any time since have beene or shall be before the Determination of
the Power and Authority aforesaid belonging to Their Majestyes And what Summe or Summes of Money Provisions
Victualls Stores and other things whatsoever have beene Provided Issued Paid or Assigned at any time since the
said Fifth day of November or at any time shall be before the Determination of the Power and Authority aforesaid
for or towards the Payment Use or Maintenance of any of Their Majesties Land Forces in England or Ireland or
elsewhere or Their Forces by Sea and the numbers of them respectively And for and towards the Building
Repairs Fitting Furnishing or Setting out to Sea any of the Shipps or Navyes employed at any time since the said
Fifth day of November and before the Determination of the Power aforesaid
Officers of the Exchequer, Officers of the Ordnance, and of the Public Stores and Treasury, to observe Orders of Commissioners for taking the said Accounts.
II. 
And for the better enableing the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them to take the said Accounts
Bee it further Enacted That the Auditor of the Receipt otherwise called the writer of the Tallys of Their Majesties
Exchequer and the Clerke of the Pells there for the time being and all other the Officers Auditors Tellers
Chamberlain and Ministers of the Exchequer and the Receipt thereof and the Secretary at Warr and Treasurer
at Warr Mustermaster and Paymaster of Their Majestyes Land Forces in England and Ireland by what Name or
Names they or any of them are called or distinguished And all Treasurers Receivers Paymasters Principall Officers
and Commissioners of the Navy and Ordnance respectively And all Officers and Keepers of Their Majesties Stores
and Yards and all and every other Person or Persons whatsoever Employed as Commissioner or Commissioners
or otherwise in or about the Treasury or in the management ordering paying recieving or disposing of Their
Majesties Treasure Revenues Provisions Victualls or Stores of Warr or any part of the same and all and every
other Person and Persons whatsoever whome the said Commissioners or any Five of them shall thinke fitt to
Examine in order to the takeing of or inquireing into the Accounts aforesaid shall and are hereby Required
to observe and execute such Orders and Directions as they or any Five or more of them shall by Writeing under
their Hands Direct and Ordaine for and touching the takeing of the said Accounts and all things requisite for
the Knowledge and Discovery thereof
Commissioners to meet in the Inner Court of Wards at Westminster;
III. 
and to send out their Precepts, &c.; and to administer an Oath; Officers to execute such Precepts.; Commissioners to employ Clerks, Messengers, and to give them Oath to execute their Duty.; Such Clerks, &c. to take nothing but their Salary.
And for the better Executing of this present Act the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them are
hereby Authorized to Meete and Sitt from time to time in the Roomes called the Inner Court of Wards at
Westminster or in any other Place where they shall thinke fitt with or without Adjournment and to send their
Precept or Precepts for any other Person or Persons whatsoever and such Books Papers Writeings or Records as
they shall judge necessary for their Information in all things relateing to the said Accounts and Matters aforesaid
and to administer an Oath for the better discovery of the Truth of the Inquiries by them to be made to any
Person or Persons therein concerned And all Bayliffes Constables Sheriffes and other Their Majestyes Officers
are hereby Required to obey and execute such Orders and Precepts as shall be sent to them or any of them by
the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them touching the said Accounts and Premisses And the said
Commissioners or any Five or more of them are hereby authorized to appoint and employ such Clerks
Messengers and Officers as they shall thinke meet and to give to every of the said Clerks and Officers an Oath
for his true and faithfull demeanour in all things relateing to the Trust and performance thereof in him reposed
by the said Com[m]issioners or any Five or more of them and in all other things touching the Premisses Which
Clerks and Officers are hereby required faithfully to execute and performe the said Trust in them reposed severally
and respectively without takeing any thing for such their Service other then such Salary or Reward as the said
Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall thinke fitt to Direct and Appoint in that behalfe
Two of the Commissioners to take Oath before Chancellor of Exchequer, &c.
IV. 
And bee it further Enacted That Two of the said Commissioners first named in this Act before they enter
upon the Execution of the same shall take an Oath before the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Master of the
Rolls for the time being which they and either of them are hereby Authorized and Required to Administer to
them the Tenour whereof shall be as followeth That is to to say
Form.
I A B doe Sweare That according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge I shall Faithfully Impartially and
Truely demeane myselfe in examining and takeing the Accounts of all such Summe or Sum[m]s of Money and
other Things brought or to be brought before me in Execution of one Act Entituled An Act for Appointing
and Enabling Commissioners to examine take and stake the Publicke Accounts of the Kingdome according to
the Tenour and Purport of the said Act.
The other Commissioners to take same Oath before said Two Commissioners.
And every other of the said Commissioners in the Act named before he enters upon the Execution of the said
Act shall likewise take the same Oath before the said Two Commissioners herein first named who are hereby
Authorized to Administer the same unto them after they shall themselves have taken the said Oath as aforesaid
Treasury to issue £2,000 for Payment of Clerks, Messengers, &c. and for defraying other necessary Charges.
V. 
The same to be accounted for.; What Fee, &c. for issuing such Money may be taken.; Commissioners to give Account in Writing under Hand and Seal to Their Majesties and Parliament.
And bee it further Enacted That the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or Lord High Treasurer of England
for the time being are hereby Authorized and required to issue or cause to be Paid all such Summe or Sum[m]s of
Money not exceeding Two thousand pounds to such Person or Persons as the said Commissioners or any Five or
more of them shall by Writeing under their Hands desire or direct out of any part of Their Majestyes Treasure
or Revenue to be employed in or for the Payment of Clerks Messengers and other Officers and in defraying all
other necessary Charges in or about the Execution of the Powers of this Act and in such manner and in such
proportions as shall be appointed by the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them by Writeing under
their Hands in that behalfe the same to be accompted for by the Person or Persons to whome the said Money
shall be issued or paid according to the course of Their Majestyes Exchequer without any Fees or other Charge
to be taken or demanded for the Issueing or Payment of the same Money on the passing of such Accompt other
then such Summe as the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall appoint And the said
Commissioners shall from time to time being thereunto required and at the determination of their Examinations
and Proceedings by vertue of this Act give an Account thereof in writeing under any Five or more of their
Hands and Seals to the King and Queens Majesties and to both Houses of Parliament if then Sitting or at their
next Meeting that Their Majesties and both Houses of Parliament may thereby receive a full and true accompt
how the Publicke Treasure Revenues and other things have beene disposed of.
Accountants to account in the Exchequer.
VI. 
Provided alwayes and it is the true Intent and meaning of this present Act That all Accomptants to Their
Majesties of all such Summe or Summs of Money soe by them recieved and Issued or to be recieved or issued as
aforesaid shall render and make their respective Accompts in Their Majesties Court of Exchequer according to the
usuall Course of the said Court Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary thereof notwithstanding
Continuance of Act as to Accounts, &c.
VII. 
This Act as to the Powers of takeing examining and stateing the accompts and administring of Oaths to
Endure for the space of One Yeare from the Five and twentyeth day of January One thousand six hundred and
ninety and noe longer
Salary of £500 to Commissioners payable Quarterly.
VIII. 
And bee it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or Lord
High Treasurer of England for the time being are hereby authorized and required to issue and pay or cause to
be Paid the Summe of Five hundred pounds to each Commissioner in this Act named for his and their Care and
Pains in the Execution of this Act the same to be paid by Quarterly Payments from the said five and twentyeth
day of January
Commission in the Reign of Jac. II. to repair the Navy, recited.
IX. 
The said Commissioners to take ań Account of the Monies thereunder issued.
And whereas dureing the Raigne of the late King James a Commission was granted to certaine persons therein
named to repaire his said Majesties Navy or Shipps of Warr and diverse great Sum[m]s of Money were Yearly Ordered
and recieved for that Service but the said Shipps were not repaired Bee it therefore Enacted by the Authoritie
aforesaid That the said Commissioners for takeing the Accounts aforesaid or any Five or more of them shall in like
manner as aforesaid take an Account what Sum[m]s of Money were Ordered and Paid dureing his said late Majesties
Raigne to any such Com[m]issioners for repairing the Fleet as aforesaid how the said Su[m]ms of Money were employed
and whether the same were expended for that Service
Proviso for their Majesties Privy Purse.
X. 
Provided alwayes That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the giveing any
Power or Authority to the Commissioners appointed by this Act to Inquire into or to demand an Account of the
disposition of any Summe or Sums of Money which have beene or shall be paid to Their Majesties Privy Purse
or which have beene or shall be expended for and towards secret Service Any thing herein before contained to
the contrary notwithstanding
Commissioners not disabled from taking an Account on Oath of Provisions, &c. paid to Members of Parliament.
XI. 
Provided alwayes That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed or understood to hinder or disable the
Commissioners by this Act appointed from takeing and requireing an Account upon Oath from the respective
Officers of all the Pensions Salaries and Sum[m]s of Money paid or payable to Members of Parlyament out of
the Revenue or otherwise.