All the ordinances and orders of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the indempnity or saving harmlesse all those that have acted or done any thing by sea or land by the authority and for the service of the Parliament.

Die Veneris 21 Maii, 1647. AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT. For the Indempnity, or saving harm∣lesse all those that have acted or done any thing by Sea or Land by Authority of Parliament.

THe Lords and Commons taking notice, That divers well-affected persons have beene sued, indicted, prosecu∣ted, or molested, and others are like∣ly to be sued, indicted, prosecuted or molested for such acts and things which they have

acted and done by Authority of this present Parlia∣ment, or for the service and benefit thereof, during these late Warres and Troubles, doe hereby Ordaine and Declare, and be it by authority of Parliament Ordained and Declared, That no person or persons whatsoever, who have since the beginning of this present Parliament acted or done, or commanded to be acted or done, any act or thing whatsoever by authority of this present Parliament, or for the ser∣vice or benefit thereof, by Sea or by Land, ought to be sued, indicted, prosecuted, or molested, for the same; and that every such person or persons whatso∣ever are and shall be hereby fully acquitted and dis∣charged of all Actions, Suits, Indictments, Infor∣mations, Prosecutions, Judgements, Executions, and Molestations whatsoever, for or concerning the same; and all Judges, Justices, Sheriffes, Mayors, Bailiffes, Jurors, Officers, and Ministers of Justice whatsoever are hereby required to take notice thereof, and duly to observe the same.

And for the ease of all such persons who are or shall be sued, Indicted, Prosecuted or Molested for any such Act or thing as is aforesaid, It is hereby Declared and Ordained, That in every Action, Suit, Indictment, Information, or Prosecution whatso∣ever, wherein or whereby they shall bee so sued, indicted, prosecuted, or molested, as is aforesaid, con∣trary to this Ordinance, It shall be lawfull to and for all persons aforesaid, their Heires, Executors, Ad∣ministrators and Assignes, to plead the generall issue, that they are not guilty, or any other generall issue, as the case shall require, and shall and may give in

evidence to the Jury that shall try the same, That the matter in question was an Act or thing acted or done, or commanded to be acted or done by autho∣rity of this present Parliament, or for the service or benefit thereof, which Evidence being proved, shall be admitted and allowed by the respective Jud∣ges, Judge, or Justice, or Justices & Jury before whom it shall be tried, as sufficient to maintaine the said generall issue: And if the Verdict shall passe, with the Defendant or Defendants in any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Suit, as is aforesaid, or the Plaintiffe or Plaintiffs shall be nonsuit therein, or suffer any dis∣continuance thereof, the respective Judges or Justi∣ces shall award unto the said Defendant or Defend∣ants treble costs, for which the said Defendant or Defendants shall have the like remedy, as in the like Cases they ought to have by the Lawes of this Realme: And what any Judges, Justices, Sheriffes, Mayors, Bayliffes, Jurors, Officers and Ministers of Justice shall doe according to this Ordinance, or in pursuance thereof, they shall be justified and saved harmelesse by Authority of Parliament for and con∣cerning the same.

And because such persons who have acted or com∣manded to be acted or done any such act or thing, as is aforesaid, may be poore, and not able to defend a Suit at Common Law, or may finde themselves agrieved in the proceedings thereof; now for a further and certaine reliefe of all such persons, It is hereby Ordained and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That any such persons so sued, indicted, prosecuted, or molested, as is aforesaid, may at any time hereafter, when & as often as they shall be sued,

indicted, prosecuted or molested for any such act or thing, as is aforesaid, either before or after a tryall at the Common Law, make their complaint to

ALgernon Earle of Northumberland, Henry Earle of Kent, Iohn Earle of Rutland, Philip Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery, Theophilus Earle of Lin∣colne, Charles Earle of Nottingham, James Earle of Suffolke, William Earle of Salisbury, Robert Earle of Warwicke, Bazell Earle of Denbigh, James Earle of Middlesex, Edward Earle of Manchester, Edmond Earle of Mulgrave, Henry Earle of Stamford, Walter Lord Viscount Hereford, William Lord Viscount Say and Seale, Charles Lord De-la-War, George Lord Berkley, Philip Lord Wharton, Francis Lord Wil∣loughby, Dudley Lord North, John Lord Hunsdon, Wil∣liam Lord Grey of Warke, John Lord Robartes, Edward Lord Howard of Esc. Thomas Lord Bruce, Members of the House of Peeres.

Master Holles, Colonell Birch, Master Swynfen, Master Maynard, Master Bois, Colonell Purefey, Co∣lonell Harvey, Master Recorder, Master Solicitor, Sir Philip Stapleton, Colonell Morley, Sir William Allenson, Colonell Massey, Master Whitlocke, Sir Gil∣bert Gerrard, Sir William Waller, Master Edwards, Master Challener, Lieutenant Generall Cromwell, Ma∣ster Tate, Sir William Massam, Sir Samuel Luke, Ma∣ster Lisle, Field Marshall Skippon, Master Francis Al∣len, Colonell Walton, Master Rigby, Sir John May∣nard, Master Selden, Master Gott, Sir William Brere∣ton, Master Grimston, Master Darley, Master Dove, Sir John Bampfield, Lord Menson, Sir Michael Livesey, Sir Thomas Widdrington, Sir Arthur Hasilrig, Master

Bainton, Master Necholas, Master Weaver, Master Na∣thaniel Fiennes, Colonell Rainsborough, Major Har∣rison, Master Walter Long, Master Hallowes, Master Myles Corbet, Colonell Tompson, Master Drake, Sir Thomas Middleton, Master William Pierpoint, Mem∣bers of the House of Commons, or any five of them, who are hereby constituted a Committee of Parlia∣ment, for the releife of all such persons, in such cases as is aforesaid. And the said Committee, or any five of them, are hereby authorized and required, to receive, heare, and determine such aforesaid Com∣plaints; and to that end to examine Witnesses up∣on Oath; and to commit to safe custody (if they shall see cause) all such person or persons, who shall so sue, indict, prosecute, or molest, any person or persons whatsoever, for acting or doing any such Act or thing, as is aforesaid; And also to order and award to every such person or persons so sued, in∣dicted, prosecuted, or molested, treble so much as they shall make appeare to the said Committee, that they have been dampnified by any such Suit, In∣dictment, Prosecution, or Molestation, as is afore∣said, if they have not before recovered the same by the proceedings at Common Law, according to this Ordinance. And that when the said Committee, or any five of them, shall have made any Order or Award, in such aforesaid cases respectively, that the said person or persons ought not to be sued, indicted, prosecuted, or molested, for such Act or thing re∣spectively, then upon shewing the said Order or Award to the Solicitors, Atturnies, or Counsellors of the party or parties so suing, indicting, prosecuting,

or molesting, as is aforesaid, the said Solicitors, At∣turnies, and Counsellors, shall presently forbeare to prosecute, or assist, counsell, or advise the said Party or Parties to sue, indict, or prosecute any further, for such Act or thing respectively: And that if thereup∣on, they shall not forbeare so to do, the said Commit∣tee, or any five of them, are hereby authorized and required, to commit to safe custody any such Solici∣tors, Atturnies, or Counsellors, so offending as is aforesaid, if they shall see cause.

Provided alwaies that this Ordinance, nor any thing herein contained, shall not extend to discharge any such person or persons aforesaid, who have acted, or done, or commanded to be acted or done, any Act or thing by Authority of this present Parlia∣ment, or for the Service or benefit thereof, from making their true and just Accompts to any Com∣missioners or Committee of Parliament, appointed or to be appointed for that purpose, of what they have taken, received, or had, for the Service and be∣nefit of the Parliament, as is aforesaid.

Joh. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.