December 1643: An Ordinance for the Erecting and maintaining of a Garrison at New-Port-Pagnell, in the County of Buckingham.

December 1643

[18 December, 1643.]

Newport-Pagnell to be fortified and garrisoned.; Counties of Bedford, Hertford, etc., to raise £1,000 for this purpose.

The Lords and Commons taking into their serious considerations the great importance of the Town of Newport-Pagnell in the County of Buckingham, to the safety of the Counties adjacent and of all the associated Counties under the Command of the Earle of Manchester; Do Order and Ordain, That the said Town of Newport-Pagnell shall be strongly fortified, and furnished with all necessary provisions for a Garrison And for defraying of the charges thereof, and maintenance of a Garrison there, the said Lords and Commons do Ordain, And be it Ordained; That the Counties of Bedford, Hertford, Northampton, Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, Suffolke, Norfolke, with the County and City of Norwich, Huntington and Essex, and the three hundreds of Newport in the County of Buckingham, shall joyne in the charge of the said Garrison and Fortifications, for the raising of 1000.l. in manner following, and according to the Proportion and Articles hereafter mentioned: That is to say,

In what Proportions.

In the County of Bedford, one hundred eighty seaven pounds ten shillings.

In the County of Hertford, one hundred twenty five pounds.

In the County of Northampton, one hundred twenty five pounds.

In the County of Huntington, forty five pounds.

In the County of Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, fourscore pounds.

In the County of Suffolke, one hundred twenty five pounds.

In the County of Essex, one hundred twenty five pounds.

In the County of Norfolke, with the City and County of Norwich, one hundred twenty five pounds.

And in the three hundreds of Newport, sixty two pounds ten shillings.

If £1,000 insufficient, more to be raised.

And it is ordered and Ordained, That if the said Fortifications shall arise to more then the said sum of one thousand pounds, That the same shall be raised in the Counties and Hundreds abovesaid, according to the Proportion aforesaid.

Monthly sum of £4,000 to be raised in said Counties.

And the Lords and Commons doe Declare and Ordain, That there shall be raised in all the said Counties and Hundreds the monethly summe of foure thousand pounds, in manner following: That is to say;

In the County of Bedford, seven hundred and fifty pounds.

In the County of Hertford, five hundred pounds.

In the County of Northampton, five hundred pounds.

In the three Hundreds of Newport, two hundred and fifty pounds.

In the County of Huntington, one hundred and fourescore pounds.

In the County of Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, three hundred and twenty pounds.

In the County of Suffolke, five hundred pounds.

In the County of Norfolke, with the City and County of Norwich, five hundred pounds.

In the County of Essex, five hundred pounds.

First month to run from 1 Dec., 1643.

And if is also Ordained, That the first Moneth shall be accompted, from the first day of December, 1643. last past; and so forward, until it should be otherwise Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament.

Said Counties to send Soldiers to Garrison.; To number of 1,200.

And it is Ordained by the Lords and Commons, that the County of Bedford shall within fourteen dayes next after the passing of this Ordinance, send into the said Garrison two hundred twenty five able and armed men, for Souldiers: The County of Hertford, one hundred and fifty: The County of Northampton, one hundred and fifty: The three Hundreds of Newport, seventy five: The County of Huntington, forty five: The County of Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, one hundred and five: The County of Suffolke, one hundred and fifty: The County of Essex, one hundred and fifty: The County of Norfolke, with the City and County of Norwich, one hundred and fifty, like able men; all the said men so sent in, being one thousand two hundred, to be put into one Regiment, under the Command of such Governour and Officers as his Excellency shall appoint; and shall be from time to time recruted, for the keeping of the said Regiment full, out of the said respective Counties, according to the Proportions before specified.

Powers to Committees to levy money for maintenance of Garrison, etc.; Persons over-rated to be relieved on complaint to Committee.; Distress of goods on refusal to pay.; Sequestration of Estates.

And it is further Ordained, That aswell for the raising of the said monethly Payment, as also the said moneys for Fortifications, the Committees for the weekly Assessments in the Counties of Bedford, Buckingham, Hertford, Northampton, Huntington, Cambridge with the Isle of Ely; Suffolke, Norfolke, with the City and County of Norwich and Essex, already established by Parliament or any two or more of the said Committees respectively, shall by vertue of this Ordinance, have power to leavy and raise the aforesaid summes of monyes aswell for the Fortifications, as for the maintenance of the said Garrison, for provision of armes, Ammunition, and other incident charges, with the best equality they, or any two or more of then respectively can, upon each severall Parishes, Town-ship, or Place, within their severall Counties and Liberties, according to the rule of the weekly Assessements for the Parliaments Army; and shall send forth their Warrants to the high-Constables or such other persons as they, or any two or more of them respectively shall think fit, for the Rating, Assessing, and Collecting of the severall Sums, Taxed or Rated upon the said severall Parishes, Town-ships and Places: Which sums so Rated and Taxed, to be raised by distresse and sale of the goods of all and singular such persons as shall refuse or delay after lawfull demand, to pay their proportion so Rated upon them, by Warrant under the hand of any two or more of the said Committees respectively. And if any person shall finde himself grieved by any such Tax, That such person, upon complaint to the said Committees, or any two of them respectively, if they shall thinke fit, shall be relieved, in such sort as they, or any two of them respectively, shall find reasonable: Provided that such complaint be made within six dayes after notice of his said Tax; And if any person or persons within the said respective Counties, which by vertue of this Ordinance shall be rated to pay any summe or summes of money, shall obstinately refuse or delay to pay the same, and if no Goods of such person or persons can be found, whereby he may be distreyned for payment thereof, that then it shall be lawfull to, and for the said Committees, or any two, or more of them respectively, to cause such person so refusing or delaying, to be imprisoned, and there to be detained and kept, untill he or they shall pay their said Rates and Taxes: And also the said Committees or any two of them respectively, shall cause the Estate of such person so refusing or delaying, to be forthwith sequestred, and the profits thereof to be taken and imployed for the use of the said Garrison, untill they shall make payment of their said Rates and Taxes.

Power to Committees to press men.; Punishment for refusal to serve.

And it is further Ordained, That (the better to enable the said Committees respectively to raise the said severall numbers of Souldiers for the said Garrison) it shall be lawfull to and for the said Committees, or any two of them respectively, To send forth their Warrants to the Constables, or any other person or persons whome they shall think fit to presse such able men as they shall see good for the said Service, according to an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, intituled, An Ordinance, etc. All such persons so Pressed, and refusing to serve, to be dealt withall according to the said Ordinance.

Treasurer.; His Allowance.

And it is further Ordained, That a Treasurer shall be chosen by the Committees of the several Counties, or the major part of them, for the receiving and paying forth of the said Moneys, who shall give his personall and constant attendance in the said Garrison upon the said Service, and for his paines therein, shall have the allowance of five shillings the day; he rendring account from time to time, to such Auditor or Auditors as the Committees of the said Counties respectively shall appoint.

Committees of several Counties to choose one Com. to attend Service at Newport Pagnell.; Power of such Committee.; Allowance.

And it is further Ordained and Declared, that the Committees of the severall Counties afore-mentioned, shall choose one of the Committees of the severall Counties, or such other sufficient person as they shall approve of, to attend the Service of the Garrison of Newport-pagnell; which persons shall have power hereby to joyne in Consultation with the Governour, for the benefit of the Garrison, for the taking of the Muster of the Forces in the said Garrison, issuing out of Warrants under five of their hands at the least, to the Treasurer for the paying of moneys for requiring the proportions of men and moneys, from time to time, out of the severall Counties, for the Garrison, and for the taking of the accompts of the Treasurer, when they shall be there unto required by the Committees of the said respective Counties, or any two of them; for which their pains each of them shall receive daily five shillings out of the Treasury of their severall Counties by Warrant under three of the Committees Hands at the least.

Companies in Garrison to be kept up complete.; Captains' Pay to be abated for incomplete Companies.; Governor may compel able-bodied Inhabitants to serve in time of need.; And charge richer Inhabitants with Arms for the Poorer, and expel such as refuse. Major of Newport.

And it is further Ordained by the Lords and Commons, That the Field-Officers and Captaines, appertaining to the said Garrison, shall keep up their Companies compleat, as they shall be appointed thereto by the consent of the aforesaid Counties, and shall make up their Recrutes of Armes out of the pay of the Officers and Souldiers of the Companies to the said Garrison belonging; and if they faile a fifth part of the number of the Company, they shall abate a fifth part of their Captaines Pay; if a fourth part, a fourth part of their Pay, and so forward; And if they faile to make good their Recrutes of Armes upon the Muster, that the Committee of each County residing in the Garrison, shall make stay of so much money, out of their Pay, as shall make good the Recrutes of the said Companies with Armes. And likewise the said Governour of Newport for the time being, is hereby authorized to compell all the Inhabitants of Newport, able of body, within the Line, to List themselves under Command, and doe Duty in time of Siege, Alarum, and Assault onely: And the said Governour, and any three of the Committees of the said Garrision of Newport, shall have power to charge the richer sort of Inhabitants with so many Armes for Arming the poorer sort, as they shall be of ability to provide; And if any disobey, He, and the aforesaid Committees shall have power to put them and their Families out of the Garrison; and the Committees of the said Garrison, or any three of them, with the Governour for the time being, are hereby Authorized to appoint a Major of the Town of Newport to receive and give Orders, and to command the Townsmen in time of Siege, Alarum or Assault; For which he shall have allowed him nine shillings by the day

Pay for 300 Horse to be allowed out of the £,4000 monthly.

And it is likewise Declared That out of the foure thousand pounds of moneth raised as aforesaid, There shall be allotted the Pay for three hundred Horse, with their Officers, during such time as they shall there continue for the safeguard of the Garrison, and preservation of the Parts and Counties adjacent; the said Horse to be such as his Excellencie the Earle of Essex shall appoint.

Committees to review Forces once fortnightly.

And lastly, it is Ordained, That the Committees of the said Garrison, or any three of thom shall once in fourteen dayes, at the least, by themselves or such as they shall Appoint, View and Muster all the Forces, both of Horse and Foot belonging to the Garrison, and see them duly paid.