May 1644: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the Maintenance of the Forces of the Sevne associated Counties under the Command of Edward Earl of Manchester.

May 1644

[13 May, 1644.]

Ordinance for Maintenance of the Forces of the Seven associated Counties of Essex, Suffolk, &c., under the Command of the Earl of Man chester

Whereas the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolke, Essex, Lincolne, and the other Counties with them associated, out of their loyal Respect to His Majesty, their pious Disposition to the Peace and Happiness of this Kingdom, in Obedience to the Orders of Parliament, have raised and maintained to the Number of Fourteen Thousand Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, or thereabouts, and with them, within Five Months last past, have done many Services against the common Enemy, tending much to the Safety of the Kingdom; and intend to raise a far more considerable Force both of Horse and Foot; and have also brought many Arms and Ammunition, and must buy more, whereby to furnish themselves with a Train of Artillery; and have been, and must be, at great Charges, in maintaining and recruiting the said Forces, and in keeping several Garrisons, making and erecting of Fortifications. Magazines, Courts of Guard, and other Things requisite and necessary for the Defence an Safety of the said Association against the Incursions of the Enemy; by all which Means the said Association is become much indebted, and, without the speedy raising of large and considerable Sums of Money, proportionable to their vast Expences, cannot long subsist in a Condition to keep themselves from Ruin, and to advance the Public Safety: It is thereupon Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, That, for the Intents and Purposes aforesaid, the several Weekly Sums of Money hereafter in this Ordinance mentioned shall be charged, rated, taxed, and levied, upon the several Counties, according to the Proportions herein expressed, the same to be paid in Weekly to the several Collectors, and by them to the Treasurer or Treasurers appointed by this Ordinance for the receiving hereof; that is to say, upon the County of Essex, the Weekly Sum of One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-seven Pounds, Ten Shillings; upon the County of Suffolke, the Weekly Sum of One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy-five Pounds; upon the County of Norfolke and City of Norwich, the Weekly Sum of One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy-five Pounds; upon the County of Hertford, the Weekly Sum of Six Hundred Seventy-five Pounds; upon the County of Cambridge, the Weekly Sum of Five Hundred Sixty-two Pounds, Ten Shillings; upon the County of Lincolne and City of Lincolne, the Weekly Sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Eighteen Pounds, Fifteen Shillings; and upon the Isle of Eley, the Weekly Sum of Two Hundred Twenty-one Pounds, Five Shillings; and the said Weekly Payments are to begin from the First Day of May, in the Year of our Lord 1644, and to continue Weekly for Four Months next ensuing from the said First of May: And be it further Ordained, That every Person or Persons that were to be assessed or taxed by any former Ordinance of Parliament shall be assessed and taxed by this Ordinance, and shall be liable to as great Forfeitures and Penalties for not paying of the Sum or Sums to be assessed, as they should have been if the same had been assessed by virtue of the last Ordinance for the Weekly Payment for the said Association, made the 20th of September last; and the several respective Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, named and trusted within the said Association, or any Part thereof, by the said recited Ordinance, to take Care of the assessing, collecting, or levying, of any Monies, are named and intrusted by this Ordinance, and have as full Power and Authority given them by this Ordinance to nominate and appoint Collectors and Assessors, and to distrain, fine, imprison, or sequester, as they or any of them had, by virtue of the said recited Ordinance, in all or any Part of the said associated Counties; and the several Collectors shall pay their several Sums by them collected, at the Place or several Places where the Earl of Manchester and the Committee for the Association attending the said Earl shall appoint, to the Treasurer or Treasurers to be by them named, which Treasurer or Treasurers are to issue out the Monies received for the Purposes aforementioned, according to the Warrants or Directions of the said Earl of Manchester. any of any Two of the said Committees for the said Association which shall be appointed thereunto by the said Earl, and a full Committee, consisting of One for every County at least, and of the Commissary General for the Time being of the said Earl of Manchester; and that no Monies be issued out without Order under the Hands of the said Earl, such Two of the said Committee, and the said Commissary General, nor yet without the Privity of the whole Committee attending the said Earl.

And the said Lords and Commons do further Ordain, That all Monies collected, and not disposed of, or to be collected, upon the Fifth and Twentieth Part of Mens Estates, or of the last Three Months Pay, and all the Monies or other Benefit arising by virtue of any Ordinance for the Third Part of Sequestrations, settled upon the Earl of Manchester, shall be paid unto the Treasurers appointed as aforesaid, and from thence to issue out again for the Intents and Purposes aforementioned; and the said Earl and Committee for the said Association have hereby Power given them, to call all Collectors, Treasurers, or others that have, or are thought to have, any of the said Monies in their Hands, to an Accompt, and to cause the said Monies in their Hands to be paid unto the Treasurers appointed by the former Ordinance; and if any Collectors, Treasurers, or others, shall refuse to account, or to pay in the Monies wherewith they are charged, then the said Earl and Committee shall fine them Double the Sum charged upon them, which if it be not paid within Six Days after the Sum is set, and Notice thereof left at his or their Dwelling-House, it shall be lawful to distrain for the same; and if there be not sufficient Distress wherewith to satisfy, then the said Earl and Committee may imprison the Offender herein, and sequester his Estate, until the Money charged and Fine set be levied and paid.

And it is Ordained, That Six Pence in the Pound shall be allowed for every Sum of Money which shall be collected and paid to the said Treasurer, whereof Three Pence shall be for the Collectors, and Three Pence for the Treasurer; and the said Treasurer shall keep a Register-book of the several Sums received and paid out by them, and shall render an Accompt thereof unto the said Earl and Committee Once every Month at least.

And be it lastly Ordained, That the said Earl, Deputy Lieutenants, Committees, Collectors, Assessors, and every One of them, and every other Person that shall be aiding and assisting to them, or any of them, in doing any thing by virtue of this Ordinance, shall be defended and saved harmless therein by Authority of both Houses of Parliament.