June 1644: An Ordinance For Associating of the Counties of Pembrooke, Carmarthen and Cardigan.

June 1644

[10 June, 1644.]

Counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, and Cardigan to be associated.; Names of Committee for Association.; Rowland Laughorn to be Maj. Gen. of Forces raised.; Powers.; Security for moneys contributed.; Powers of Committee.

The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, taken into their consideration the present condition of the County of Pemboke which by the wonderfull power of Almighty God, manifested in weak means is delivered from the Tyrannie and intollerable oppression of the Forces raised against the Parliament & Kingdom, under the Command of the Earl of Carberry; and that by the further Assistance and Blessing of God, if timely care be taken for the maintaining and prosecuting of the said great work, the rest of the Counties of South-Wales may be reduced to the obedience of the King and Parliament, who cannot but be deeply sensible of the great miseries they have in like manner sustained under the same Tyrannie, and how great a benefit and comfort it will be to them, to be also delivered from the same; Have thought it necessarie, that over and above such Provision of Armes and Ammunition, as have been already Ordered to be made for the said County of Pembroke, such further competent supplies and provision be had and established for the maintenance of such Officers and Souldiers; as shall be employed in the preservation of the peace of the said County of Pembroke, in the reducing of the rest of the said Counties, as during the time of the said service shall be requisite: And doe therefore Order and Ordain, and be it Ordered and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That the three Counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, and Cardigan, shall enter into an Association, and are hereby Associated for the mutuall defence and safety of each other, And that Sir John Merrick, Kt., John White, Symond Thelwall, John Langhorne, Griffith White, Captain Swanley, Rowland Langhorne, Arthur Owen, Hugh Phillips, Sampson Lort, John Lort, Thomas Powell, Rice Powell, Henry White, Walter Cany, Francis Merrick, Roger Marchurch, Henry Bowen and John Poyer, Esquires, Herbert Perrott, Rice Vaughan, Thomas Barlow Gent; Griffith White, Sampson Lort, Esquires, Thomas Powell Gent. John Elliot, Esquire; George Adams, Gent.; Thomas Bowen of Treloyn, John Phillips, Esq.; John Lort, George Hayward, William Laughorn, Thomas Woogan, John Mathias, Gent. Thomas Warren, Esquire; James Bowen, George William Griffith, John Lloyd of Killrue, David Morgan, Thomas Jones of Newport, Gentlemen; shall be, and are hereby named to be a Committee, to meet at such times and places as they shall thinke fit, for raising of Men, Money, Horses, Arms and Ammunition, upon the Proposition formerly agreed on by both Houses of Parliament, or by any other way that they shall judge convenient for the suppressing of the present Rebellion, stirred up by the Malignant persons, who desire and endeavour to subvert the happinesse of this Kingdom: and shall have power to do all things necessary thereunto upon all occasions, And to joyn with any other Forces raised, or to be raised by Authority of Parliament; and that the Earle of Essex Lord Generall, be desired to grant a Commission to the said Rowland Laughorn to Command in chiefe as Major Generall of the Forces raised and to be so raised within the said three Counties and ebery of them, and the said Rowland Laughorn to have power to lead and carry the said Forces to such places as he shall thinke fit, and to subdue, fight with, kill, slay, and Imprison all such persons as shall leavy Warre without the consent of both Houses of Parliament; And that what Money, Horse, Arms or Ammunition, shall be contributed by any person towards this service, shall be secured to be repaid with Interest after Eight pounds per cent. by the Publique Faith of both Houses of Parliament, upon the shewing an Acquittance or Certificate under the hands of any foure of the said Committee, of the Receipt of the said Moneys, or Apraisement of the said Horses, Arms or Ammunition; And the said Moneys so brought in shall be issued in every of the said Counties, by the appointment of any foure of the said Committee.

To execute ordinances for sequestrations and weekly Assessments; To let Lands sequestered.; To administer the Covenant.

And be it further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the said Committee, or any foure or more of them, shall have full power and authority to put in execution within the said County of Pembroke, and the said other Counties when the same shall be reduced, The Ordinances of this present Parliament, hereafter mentioned, That is to say, The Ordinances for Sequestration of Malignants, Delinquents and Papists Estates: and the Ordinance for Weekly Assessments; And shall have full power and authority to set and let the Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments of all Papists and Delinquents, which are, or shall be seized and sequestred according to the Ordinance of Parliament for Sequestration, within the said severall Counties or either of them, from year to year, or by Lease or Leases, for the intents and purposes aforesaid, so long as the said Sequestration shall continue. And shall have power and authority, and are hereby required to administer the Covenant, appointed to be taken by the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to all persons within the said three Counties, and every of them, who ought to take the same by the late Ordinance and Instructions for that purpose, and have not already taken it.