December 1647: An Ordinance concerning Free-Quarter.

December, 1647

[24 December, 1647.]

Six months' assessment of £60,000 per mensem out of nine months in arrear, to be paid by 15 Jan. next.; If so paid, balance remitted, and free-quarter to cease; Compliance with Ord. invited, for easing people from grievance of free-quarter,

Whereas an Army, and many other great Forces have of necessity been raised, and kept up for the security and service of this Kingdome, and for want of payment of the said Army and Forces in due manner, they have been necessitated to take, and live upon Free Quarter in the severall places and Counties of this Kingdom, to the great charge and burden of the said places and Counties where they have been so quartered for many months last past; And though the Parliament, for the prevention of that, and other inconveniences, and paying the said Forces, did think fit to lay an Assessment of 60000l. per mensem to have beginning at the 25 of March last past; which said Assessment is now nine moneths behinde, and in arreare, so as the Forces unnecessarily kept up, could not be disbanded, nor the standing Army paid; which hath for a long time inforced and caused the taking of free Quarter: The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, taking into their serious consideration, how, for the present the Kingdome may be eased of so great a burden, and that freequarter may be prevented for the time to come, have thought it necessary that a proportionable sum of money be presently raised and paid, for the paying of those Forces that are to be disbanded, and the future provision of the Army, that no more free quarter may be hereafter taken by them: And doe therefore Order and Declare, That for the purposes aforesaid, the full sum of six Moneths Assessment of the 60000l. per mensem, of the nine moneths now behinde and in arreare, be leavyed and paid by the fifteenth day of January next in ready moneyes, to the Treasurers at Warres, without any defalcation; And upon the speedy payment thereof, the said Lords and Commons do further Order and Declare, That the last three moneths of the said nine moneths, now in arreare, shall be, and is hereby ordered and declared, to be remitted and taken off; and the said charge of that monethly Assessment to proceed on from the 25 of December instant, for the constant pay of the continuing Army. And the said Lords and Commons do further order and declare, That the said severall and respective places and Counties shall from the time of the payment of the said six moneths Assessment, be forthwith discharged of free-quarter by disbanding of those Forces which are not to be kept up, and by the withdrawing of all other Forces into Townes and Garrisons, so, as for the future it may be, and it is hereby provided and ordained, That no Officer or Souldier shall enter into the house of any person or persons who shall duly pay their Assessments within the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales, without his consent, except Innes, Tavernes, Victualling Houses, or Ale-houses, nor shall take any moneyes, victuals, or other Provisions for horse or man, without consent of the owner, and due satisfaction given unto him for the same, but that the said Officers and Souldiers do make their own provisions out of their pay allowed to them by the State: And the said Lords and Commons, upon the consideration of the Orders and Declarations aforesaid, do expect a ready complyance hereunto, by all and every the respective Counties, Cities, and Townes, within this Kingdome and Dominion of Wales, in regarde they finde it impossible to discharge them of the burden of the Forces remaining upon them, that exceed the Establishment of the Army, and to ease the people of that pressing grievance of free-quarter, without a performance of the payment of the summes and Assessements, as aforesaid