May 1649: An Act For settling the Militia Within the Hamblets of the Tower of London.

May, 1649

[23 May, 1649.]

Be it Enacted by the Commons in Parliament assembled, that Major General Skippon, Col: Francis West, Lieutenant of the Tower of London; Thomas Hubbert, Solomon Smith, Maurice Thomson, Hilary Mempris and George Cooper, Esqs; Col: John Ven, Col: Francis Zachary, Col: William Willoughby, Col: John White, Lieut: Col: William Levet, Michael Sausome Gent. Capt. John King, Capt. Manning, Capt. John Taylor, Capt Henry West, Capt. Robert Hackwel, Capt. Robert Dennis; Mr. Coke of Stepney; Mr. William Pennoyer, Mr. George Wilmore, Mr. Edward Ausby, Mr. Richard Tyler, Mr. John Hazel, Mr. John Hoxton, Mr. Robert Crowley, Mr. Fulk Wormlayton, Mr. Thomas Hall, Mr. Osmond Coppin, Mr. Thomas Fawson, Mr. Thomas Nash, Mr. Richard Loton, Mr. Abraham Jesson, Mr. Francis Reinoldson, Mr. Anthony Grace, Mr. Abraham Clark and Mr. John Beck, Gent. are hereby made and constituted a Committee; and that they, or any five or more of them, shall have power, and are hereby authorized, to act, settle and order the Militia within the Hamblets of the Tower of London; and by their Warrants or otherwise, to require the assistance of all Constables, Headboroughs, and other Inhabitants whatsoever; and for the refusing of their or any of their assistance therein, to imprison their persons as they shall see cause. And be it further Ordained and Enacted, That the said Committee, or any five or more of them, shall have power to assemble and call together all the Inhabitants within the said Hamlets, and them to charge with Horse or Foot Arms, according to their respective abilities and capacities, as occasion shall serve. And it is further Ordained, That the said Committee, or any five or more of them, shall hereby have full power and authority to assemble, muster, array and weapon, or cause to be assembled, mustered, arrayed and weaponed, all such Horse and Foot Forces within the said Hamblets, and to form them into Companies, Troops and Regiments; and to make, nominate and appoint, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Maiors, Captains, and all other Officers of War, and to grant Commissions unto them, authorizing them respectively to train, muster & discipline according to order of War, the said Horse and Foot Forces; and to lead, conduct and imploy them for the suppression of all Rebellions, Insurrections, Tumults, or Invasions that may happen within the said Hamblets from time to time; and further to authorize them with the said Forces, to oppose seize, secure, disarm, kill and slay, all such persons as shall cause or make any Tumults, Insurrections or Invasions, or levy any force against the Authority of Parliament; and to Lead and Conduct them out of the said Hamblets, for the purpose aforesaid, if by Parliament they shall be thereunto ordered or required. And it is futher Enacted and Ordained, That the said Committee, or any five or more of them, shall have hereby full power and authority to impose a Fine, not exceeding Forty shillings, on every person that shall be charged to finde or serve on Horse, and twenty shillings on every Foot Soldier, for every day that they shall make default of their aforesaid Service, and to levy the same respective fines by distress, and for non-payment thereof, or want of sufficient distress, to Imprison their persons by the space of Ten days, and not longer, for every such default: And also, That the said Committee, or any five or more of them, shall hereby have full power and authority to disarm all Papists, Delinquents, and disaffected persons, and all such as shall raise and endeavor to raise any Tumults, Insurrections or Invasions, and to secure and Imprison their persons if they see cause; and to put the Arms of Papists and Delinquents, into the Hands of such well-affected persons as they shall think fit to serve with the said Arms, and to cause them to pay to such as shall so serve with their Arms, such reasonable sallary as they shall think fit, not exceeding two shillings the day and nights duty; and for default of payment thereof, to levy the same by distress, or to Imprison their persons as aforesaid: And for the raising of moneys necessary for the managing of the said Service, and for the payment of sundry debts contracted by the former Committees for the Militia in the said Hamblets, the said Committee, or any five or more of them, are hereby authorized to gather in, or cause by what persons or instruments they think fit, to be gathered in, the Arrears of all former Assessments made by all or any of the former Committees of the Militia there, by vertue of any former Ordinance of Parliament whatsoever; and also to cause a new Rate and Assessment to be made upon all persons, Lands and Goods within the said Hamblets, not exceeding the sum of Five hundred pounds; and to have and use all such power, and give such allowance for the collecting and receiving of all the said Arrears, and of the said new Assessment to be made as aforesaid, as is given to the respective Commissioners named in the Ordinance of the Three and twentieth of June, One thousand six hundred forty and seven, For the raising of moneys to be imployed towards the maintenance of the Forces within this Kingdom, under the Command of his Excellency the Lord Fairfax. And it is further Enacted and Ordained, That if any person or persons shall finde him or themselves agrieved that he or they are over rated, and shall within six days after demand made, complain to the said Committee, That then the said Committee, or any five or more of them, shall have power to relieve such persons, as they shall see just cause. And it is further Enacted, That if any Constable, Headborough, or other Peace Officer within the said Hamblets, shall sleight, neglect or refuse the Service and Authority of Parliament, or to ayd and assist such as are lawfully deputed and authorized by the Parliament, or their Committees, for the Sevice of the State, That then the said Committee, or any five or more of them, upon complaint and just proof made thereof unto them by two witnesses, shall be hereby impowered and authorized to remove and displace any Constable, Headborough, or other Officer so offending as aforesaid; and to nominate and place such other faithful and well-affected persons in their stead, as they shall think meet: And to present, and cause such persons as shall be by them so nominated and chosen as aforesaid, to be sworn by the next Justices of the Peace within the said Hamblets, unto the aforesaid Offices, according to Law.