The ordinance and declaration of the Lords and Commons, for the assessing all such who have not contributed sufficiently for raising of money, plate, &c. with His Maiesties declaration to all his loving subjects upon occasion thereof.

An Ordinance and Declaration of the Lords and Commons in Parliament.

WHereas the King, seduced by wicked Counsell, hath raised an Army, and levied War against the Parliament, and great number of Forces are daily raised under the commands of Pa∣pists and other ill affected persons, by Com∣missions from His Majestie; And whereas divers Delinquents are protected from pub∣like Justice by His Majesties Army, and sundry outrages and rapines are daily committed by the Souldiers of the said Army, who have no respect to the Laws of God or the Land, but burn and plunder the Houses, & seize and destroy the persons and goods of dive••s His Majesties good Subjects; And where∣as for the maintenance of the said Army divers Assessements are made upon severall Counties, and His Majesties Subjects are compelled by the Souldiers to pay the same; which said Army if it should continue, would soon ruine and waste the whole Kingdom, and overthrow Religion, Law, and Liberty, For suppressing of which said Army and ill-affected persons, there is no probable way under God, but by the Army raised by Authority of the Parliament; which said Army so raised, can∣not be maintained without great summes of Money, yet for raising such summes, by reason of His Majesties withdrawing himself from the advice of the Parliament, there can be no Act of Parliament passed with His Majesties assent, albeit there is great justice that the said Moneys should be raised. The Lords and Commons in Parliament, having taken the same into their

serious consideration, and knowing that the said Army so raised by them, hath been hitherto for the most part maintained by the voluntary contribution of divers well-affected persons, who have freely contributed according to their abilities.

But considering there are divers others within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Suburbs of the same, and also within the Borough of Southwark, that have not contributed at all towards the maintenance of the said Army, or if they have, yet not answerable to their Estates, who notwithstanding re∣ceive benefit and protection by the same Army, as well as any others, and therefore it's most just, that they should as well as others be charged to contribute to the maintenance thereof.

Be it therefore Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, & by Authority thereof, That Isaac Pen∣nington Lord Major of the City of London, Sir Iohn Wollaston Knight and Aderman, Alderman Towes, Alderman Warner, Alderman Andrewes, Alderman Chambers, Alderman Fowkes, Sir Thomas Seham Knight and Alderman, Samuel Vassell, Iohn Ven, Morries Thompson, & Richard Warrin, Citizens, or any four of them, shall hereby have power and Authority to nominate, and appoint in every Ward within the City of London, six such Persons as they, or any four of them, shall think fit, which said six so nominated, or any four of them, shall hereby have power to enquire of any that shall remain, or be within the said severall Wards that have not contributed upon the Propositi∣ons of both Houses of Parliament, concerning the raising of Money, Plate, Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, for defence of the King and both Houses of Parliament, & also of such as are able men, that have contributed, yet not according to their Estates and Abilities. And the said six persons so nominated, or any four of them within their severall and respective wards and limits, shall have power to assesse such person or persons as are of ability and have not contributed, and also such as have con∣tributed, yet not according to their ability, to pay such sum or

sums of Money according to their Estates, as the said Assessors or any four of them shal think fit and reasonable, so as the same exceed not the twentieth part of their Estates, and to nominate and appoint fit persons for the collection thereof. And if any person so assessed shall refuse to pay the Money assessed upon him, it shall be lawfull to and for the said Assessors and Col∣lectors or any of them, to levy the said summe so assessed by way of distresse and sale of the goods of the person so assessed, and refusing: And if any person so distrained shall make re∣sistance, it shall be lawfull to and for the respective Assessors and Collectors or any of them, to call to their assistance any the Trained bands of the said City of London, or any other His Majesties Subjects, who are hereby required to be ayding and assisting to the said Assessors and Collectors in the premisses. And it is hereby further ordained, That the respective Burgesses of Westminster and Southwark; together with the severall Com∣mittees appointed for the subscriptions of Money, Plate, Horse, Horsemen and Arms within the said City and Borough, shall respectively have power hereby to nominate Sessors for the same City and Borough, in such manner as the Lord Major, &c. hath for the City of London, and the said Assessors, or any four of them, to name Collectors as aforesaid; which said Assessors and Collectors shall have the same power respective∣ly within their respective limits, as those to be nominated within the said City of London have hereby limited to them. And for the Suburbs of London and Westminster, the respective Knights of the Shires where the said Suburbs are shall have hereby the like power to name Assessors, and they so named, or any four of them, and the Collectors by them to be nomi∣nated, or any of them within their respective limits, shall have the like power respectively as the Assessors and Collectors for London have by vertue of this Ordinance. And be it ordained that the summes so assessed and levied as aforesaid shall be paid in at Guild Hall London, to the hands of Sir Iohn Wollastone,

Knight, Iohn Warner, Iohn Towes, and Thomas Andrewes Alder∣men, or any two of them: And the Assessors and Collectors to be nominated by vertue hereof shall weekly report to the Committee of the House of Commons, for the propositions aforesaid, what summes of money have been assessed, and what summes have been levied weekly according to the pur∣port hereof, and the said Moneys so levied and paid in shalt be issued forth in such sort as the other Moneys raised upon the propositions aforesaid, and not otherwise.

Die Martis, 29. Novemb. 1642.

WHereas a late Ordinance is passed by both Houses of Parliament, for the Reasons therein declared, for the Assessing of all such persons within the Cities of London and Westminster and the Suburbs thereof, with the Borough of Southwark, as have not contributed upon the Propositions of both Houses of Parliament for raising of Money, Plate, Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, for defence of the King; Parliament and Kingdom, or have not contributed proportionably to their estates and abilities. And whereas it is thought fit, that some additions be made for further explanation and better executi∣on of the said Ordinance. Be it further ordained and declared by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That such persons as shall be assessed by the respective Assessors in the said Ordinance appointed, and shall within six dayes next after notice given them, or left at their severall houses with∣in the said Cities, Suburbs, or Borough, pay in the one moi∣ty of the said sums of Money so assessed, and within twelve dayes after the said notice given as aforesaid, the other moity there of, unto the Treasurers of Money and Plate Guild Hall London, or unto the Collectors appointed by the said Ordi∣nance, respectively to receive the same, that then the said Treasurers, or Collectors, shall give Acquittances for the same,

as hath been done to such who have lent Moneys or Plate, up∣on the Propositions of both Houses as aforesaid. And the said Moneys so paid to the said Treasurers, or to the said seve∣rall Collectors, shall be repaid upon the Publike Faith, as all other Moneys lent upon the said Propositions of both Houses. And as for those who shall so farre discover their disaffection, as not to bring in the severall sums of Money so assessed upon them to the persons before appointed, within the times limit∣ed, that then their goods shall be distrained and sold accord∣ing to the said Ordinance. And if no sufficient Distresse be found, that then the said Collectors shall respectively have power to enquire of any sum or sums of Money due, or to be due unto them respectively so assessed from any person or persons for any Rents, Tithes, Goods, or Debts, or for any other thing or cause whatsoever. And the said respective Collectors shall have power by vertue of this Ordinance, to receive all, or any part of the said sums due, or to be due unto them or any of them so assessed, untill the full value of the sum or sums so assessed, and the charges in levying and recovering of the same shall be received and satisfied. And the said re∣spective Collectors shall have further power to compound for any of the said Rents, Tithes, Goods, or Debts due unto the said person so assessed respectively as aforesaid, with any per∣son or persons by whom the said Rents, Tithes, Goods, or Debts, are, or shall be owing, as also to give full and ample dis∣charge for the Money by them so received, upon composition or otherwise, which discharges shall be good and effectuall to all intents and purposes. And if the summe or summes of Money so assessed cannot be levied by any of these meanes or wayes, then the persons so respectively assessed, shall be im∣prisoned in such places of this Kingdom, and for so long time as the Committee of the House of Commons for Examinati∣ons, shall appoint and order: And the families of all such per∣sons so imprisoned, shall no longer remain within the Cities of

London and Westminster the Suburbs & the Counties adjacent.

And be it further Ordained, that all and every the Assessors and Collectors of the said severall summes, shall have the pro∣tection of both Houses of Parliament for their indemnity indemnity in this service, and receive such reasonable allowances for their pains taken, and charges disbursed; or to be disbursed therein, as the Committee of Lords and Commons for advance of Money and other necessaries for the Army raised by the Parli∣ament, shall apportion and appoint.

An Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, for the better Provision of Victuals, and other Necessaries for the Army, and for payment and satisfaction to be made for such Provisions.

Die Martis, 29. Novemb. 1642.

It is Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That Committees shall be named in all Counties, to take care for provisions of Victuals for the Army raised by the Par∣liament, as likewise for the taking up of Horses for service in the Field, Dragoneers, and Draught-Horses; as likewise for borrowing of Money or Plate to supply the Army. Which Committees, or any two or more of them, shall have power and authority to value all kinde of Provisions both for Men and Horse, all kinde of Horse for Service or otherwise, which shall be voluntarily offered to be lent upon the Publike Faith, or likewise to receive any Money or Plate to be lent as before; and that upon Certificate of any two of such Committees, the same provisions of Horses, Money, and Plate, and the value thereof shall be entred by the Treasurer of the Propositions, and shall be repayed to the party from whom the same was re∣ceived, with like Consideration as other Money lent.

And in case the owners of such provisions, Money, Plate, and Horses, shall refuse or neglect to bring in the same upon

Publike Faith, for the use of the Army, for the better prevent∣ing the spoyle and embezeling of such provisions of Money, Plate, and Horses, by the disorder of the Souldiers, and that they may not come into the hands of the Enemies, It is further ordered, That the Committees afore mentioned, or any two of them, be hereby authorized and enabled to send for such Provisions, Money, Plate, and Horses, and take the same into their custody, and to set an indifferent value and rate upon them; which value they shall certifie to the Treasurers for the Propositions, to be repaid at such time, and in such manner, as shall be Ordered by both Houses of Parliament. It is like∣wise Ordered, That the said Committees of the severall and respective Counties shall meet and consult with the Commit∣tees of the adjacent and neighbour Counties, unto the place or places where the said Army, or any part thereof, shall passe and remain, concerning the receiving, procuring, valuing, and disposing of such provisions, Horses, Money, and Plate. And if they cannot conveniently meet, that then it shall be lawfull for any two, or more of the Committee, to execute the seve∣rall Services above mentioned in the adjoyning Counties, as well as in the County wherein he is named a Committee; and that such certificates as they shall make of any Provisions, Horses, Money, or Plate, shall be as effectuall for the securities of the parties, as if the same were received and taken within the County for which he or they are named Committees. And the said Committees, or any two, or more of them, shall cause the said provisions to be delivered to the Commissary for the Victuals, or to his Deputy, and such other Officers of the Ar∣my, who may be charged with the same upon their accompt, and shall certifie the Treasurer of the Army, or his Deputy, that so defalcation of the value thereof may be made out of the pay of such Officers and Souldiers as shall receive the same.

And the said Committee shall likewise cause all such Money and Plate to be delivered unto the Treasurer of the Army, or his Deputy, who shall take care to convey the Plate unto the Treasurer for the Propositions, and shall be charged with all such Money upon his ac∣compt, as with other Money received from them.