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For as much as the well managing of the Militia, is under God, in all places, of great import, and concernment, for pub∣lick peace, and safety: It is Ordered, That (beside a general stock of guns, powder, shot, match, &c. provided and kept in store by each plantation in this Jurisdiction, according to for∣mer agreements of the Commissioners for the united Colonies, and Orders of this Court, which they are hereby required to
keep continually ful, and in a constant readiness for service, upon all occasions, and by their Deputies to make a true Certi∣ficate thereof yearly to the General Court) every Male within this Jurisdiction, from sixteen, to sixty years of Age, (not freed by publick allowance,) shal be, and from time to time continue wel furnished with arms, and all other suitable pro∣vision; namely a good serviceable gun, such as shal be ordered by the Court, and allowed by the Military Officers, to be kept in a constant fitness in all Respects for service, with a fit, and sufficient Rest, a good sword, bandaleers, or horne, a worme, a scourer, a priming wire, shot bagg, charger, and whatsoever else is necessary for such service, with a pound of good powder, four pounds of pistol bullets, or four and twenty bullets fitted for the gun, four Faddom of serviceable match, for a match∣lock gun, five or six good flints fitted for every firelock gunn, under the penalty of ten shillings for any defect; and the mili∣tary Officers are hereby required to give or send in an account yearly in May, from each Plantation, to the general Court, or Court of Magistrates, how the Inhabitants are furnished, and provided.
That in each Plantation within this Jurisdiction, according to the number of Soldiers, in their Trained band, and as they are furnished with able men for such a service, and trust, mili∣tary Officers as need requireth shal from time to time be cho∣sen, And all the Freemen in each Plantation, shal have their Vote, in the nomination, and choice of them; Provided that none but Freemen be chosen, And that every Cap∣taine, and chiefe Officer, chosen in any of the Plan∣tations, for the military affaires, shal from time to time be propounded to the next General Court, after he is chosen for approbation, and confirmation. And if the said Court, have any just Exception, against any so pro∣pounded, The Freemen shall proceed to a new choice, That the Jurisdiction may be furnished with such Offi∣cers, as in whom they may satisfyingly conside.
That in each plantation, the Captain, or chief military Offi∣cer shal once in each quarter of a year at least, but oftner if there be cause, order, or take a strict view, how every Male, from six∣teen to sixty years of Age, is furnished with arms, and provisi∣ons, according to the former directions, and where any are found faulty, the Clark or some other Officer shal duly present their names, with each defect to the next plantation Court, or to such Officer (where there is no Court) who hath a trust in civil affairs, that the Fines and penalties may from time to time be duly leavied. And if this view of arms, &c. shal at any time be neglected, or the defects not duly presented; the Cap∣tain or chief military Officer, or the other Officers ordered to take this view, or the Clark, or Officer appointed to present, &e. shal pay forty shillings each quarter, when this service, or any part of it, is omitted, as the fault upon examination shal joyntly or severally be justly charged.
There shal be in each Plantation within this Jurisdiction, every year at least six Training daies, or daies of publick mi∣litary exercise to teach and instruct all the Males, above sixteen years of age, (who are not freed from that service) in the com∣ly handling, and ready use of their arms, in all postures of war, to understand and attend all words of command; And further, to fit all such as are in some measure instructed for all milita∣ry service, against there be occasion, under the penalty of forty shillings, to be leavied of the military Officers, as the Court upon examination shal find them more or lesse faulty, and with Respect to their places, the greater Trust paying the greater Fine for neglect; which dayes of Training shall be some of them in the Spring of the year, before harvest, and some in the latter end of the summer, before winter, as may best suit each Plantation, but at no time any two of these tray∣nings shal be within fourteen dayes one of another. And it is further Ordered, That on every such Training day, the Cap∣tain, or chief Military Officer present, cause the Names of all the Soldiers to be read, at least in the forenoone, but in the afternoon also if he see cause. And whosoever in any Training day, shal be totally absent, shall pay five shillings for every such default, whosoever shal at any time of the day withdraw himself from the service, without leave from the chief Military
Officer present, he shal pay either as for total absence, or a greater or lesse Fine, as the offence considered in all circum∣stances may require; And whosoever shal come late, shal pay for each such default one shilling; and for any other disorderly offensive carriage, according to the nature and measure of it. This Court expecting from each Plantation, that they suffer not men to neglect, or grow slight in a service of such im∣port.
That a fourth part of the Trained band in every Plantation shal in their course, as the military Officers shal order, come constantly to the publick worships of God every Lords day; And (such as can come) on Lecture dayes, to be at the meeting∣house, at latest, before the second Drum hath left beating, with their arms compleat, their guns ready charged, their match for their match-locks, and flints ready fitted to their fire-lock guns, with Shott and powder for at least five Shot, beside the charge in their guns, under the penalty of two Shillings Fine, for every person negligent, or defective in Furniture, and for late coming one Shilling, The sentinal also, and they that walk the Round shal have their matches lighted, during the time of their meeting, if they use their matchlocks, and shal diligently and Faithfully attend their duty under such further penalty as the breach of such a trust may require.
That a strict watch be constantly kept in the night, in all the Plantations within this Jurisdiction, according to all such Orders, as shal from time to time be made, either by the Gene∣ral Court, or by Plantation Courts, or Officers intrusted for Ci∣vil affairs, where there is no Court; And that both for number of Watchmen, in each plantation, the time of setting or begin∣ning the Watch every night, their rising, and leaving it in the morning, and all other carriage, and duties in managing this trust; they duly attend and observe all directions given. And it is left to the care and consideration of the Governor, Magi∣strates, Officers, or any of them, as the case may require, to double, or further to increase the watch by night, in times of danger, and to appoint some competent number of men to ward or walk by day, with their armes, in, or about the plan∣tation, as may best tend to the publick safety; And if any watch man, or Warder do at any time neglect his duty, either in co∣ming
too late to the service, or departing too soon from it, not coming compleatly furnished with Arms, according to order, or any other way neglecting duty, or falsifying his trust, he shal pay such Fine, or receive such punishment as his neglect or unfaithfulnesse deserves, that both himselfe may be warned, and others may feare to be slight, or false in a matter of such concernment.
But upon consideration of publick service, and other due re∣spects, It is ordered, That all Magistrates within this Jurisdicti∣ction, and teaching Elders, shal at all times hereafter, be freed, not onely in their persons, but each of them, shal have one son, or servant by vertue of his place or office, freed from all watch∣ing, warding, & training. And it is further ordered, That all ruling Elders, Deputies for Courts intrusted for Judicature, all the chief Military Officers, as Captains, Liefteants, and En∣signes, the Jurisdiction Treasurer, Deacons and all Physitians, Schoolmasters & Surgeons allowed by authority in any of these Plantations, all Masters of ships and other vessels, above 15 tun, all publick Millers, constantly imployed, with others for the pre∣sent discharged for personal weakness & infirmity, shal in their own persons, in time of peace and safety, be freed from the said services; And that all other Seamen and ship Carpenters, and such as hold Farms, above two miles from any of the Plantati∣ons, train onely twice a yeare, at such times as shal be ordered, either by the authority, or or by the Military Officers of the Plantation. But all persons freed and exempted from the respective services, as before, shall yet in all respects, provide, keep, and maintain in a constant readinesse, compleat Arms, and all other military provisions as other men, Magi∣strates and teaching Elders excepted, who yet shal be constantly furnished for all such sons and servants as are hereby freed from the forementioned services.
Ministers maintenance, see Ecclesiastical provisions.
Judg: 5.8. 1 Sam: 13.19, 22. Luk: 22.36.
G••n: 14.14. 2 Chro: 12.33 2 Chro. 17.18 2 Sam: 1.18.
Nehem: 4.16. to the end.