April 1648: An Ordinance for constituting a Committee of Militia within the Borough of Southwark.

April, 1648

[14 April, 1648.]

Names of Committee of Militia for Borough of Southwark and other places in Surrey.;Powers.

The Lords and Commonsin Parliament Assembled, taking into their serious consideration the estate and condition of the Kingdome of England and particularly of the Borough of Southwarke, and parts adjacent on the South side of the River of Thames in the County of Surrey, doe Ordaine and Declare, and be it Ordained and Declared by the authority of this present Parliament, That George Thompson, George Snelling, John Corbet, Richard Wright, Cornelius Cooke, and Robert Haughton Esquires, Colonell John Hardwicke. Master Richard Harford, Mr. Will. Hiccocks, Mr. Samuel Hyland, Mr. Thomas Cooper, Mr. Francis Pritchard, Mr. Daniel Mercer, Mr. Samuel Pepular, Mr. John Humphryes, Captaine Robert Moulton, Mr. George Bashfield, Mr. James Gunter, Mr. John Sanden, Mr. James Burton, Mr. Peter Delanory, Mr. Samuel Lynn, Mr. Andrew Houldsworth, Mr. Robert Banyard Mr. Richard Lewen, Lieutenant Colonell Gaven Goldegan Mr. William Hester, Mr. William Smiter, Mr. Ambrose Andrewes, Mr. Mawris Cradocke, Mr. Clement Cowley, Mr. John Parker, or any seven or more of them be, and are hereby made, constituted and appointed a Committee for the Militia of, and within the severall Parishes of Olaves, Saviours, Georges, Thomas, Magdalen, Bermondsey, Lambeth, Mary Newington and Redderiffe, within the weekly Bills of Mortality, on the South side of the River of Thames in the County of Surrey, and shall have power, and are hereby authorized to assemble, and call together all and singular person and persons within the Burrough of Southwarke and parishes aforesaid, that are meet and fit for the Warres, and them to traine, exercise, discipline, and put in readinesse, and them after their abilities and faculties well and sufficiently from time to time cause to be arrayed, and weaponed, for the suppression of all rebellions, insurrections, tumults, and invasions that may happen within the said parts. And likewise shall have further power and authority to lead, conduct, and employ the persons aforesaid arrayed and weaponed as well within the said part, or within any other part of the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales, for the suppression of all Rebellions, Insurrections and Invasions that may happen, according as they shall from time to time receive directions from the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and that the said Committee, or any seven, or more of them, shall have power, and are hereby authorized to constitute, to make Colonells, Captaines, and other officers from time to time, as they or any seven, or more of them, as aforesaid, shall see cause, and that the said Committee, or any seven, or more of them shall have the same power and authority within the said parts, and respective places, as any Committee for the Militia of the City of London had the twentieth day of July Anno Dom. 1647. By any Order or Ordinance of Parliament for the well ordering and carrying on of the Militia there, and whereas by authority of several Ordinances of Parliament, severall Assessments have been layd on the Inhabitants of the Boroughe of Southwarke, and said places adjacent, which have been leavied, and yet remaine in the hands of the Treasurers, Collectors, or other respective Agents.

May call to account treasurers, collectors, etc., for moneys remaining in their hands on former Ords previuos to 1 Dec. 1645. and employ the same for Militia.; Tax on Southwark for maintenance of Militia.; Not to exceed £600.;To have same powers for levying tax as under Ord. 23 June, 1647; Indemnity, as by former Ord. of 21 May, 1647.; Books, accounts, etc., belonging to late Sub-Committees to be delivered to this Committee.

It is ordered and ordained by the authority aforesaid, and the said Committee, or any seven of them, are hereby inabled and authorized, to call to accompt all such Treasurers, Collectors, and their respective Agents, and of them to demand, and receive such sum or sums of money as shall be found remaining in his, or their hands, due upon any Ordinance of Parliament bearing date before the first of December 1645. and the same to imploy towards the setling and ordering of the said Militia, and upon receipt of any sum or sums of money so remaining in the hands of any Treasurer, or other persons as aforesaid, the Acquittance of the Treasurer appointed, or to be appointed by the said Committee shall be a sufficient discharge for the payment of the same. And forasmuch as the said Militia cannot be setled and carried on without a supply of monies, It is therefore ordered, and ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the said Committee as aforesaid shall have power and authority, and are hereby enabled and authorized to assesse the Lands, Houses and Goods within the said Burrough and respective parishes aforenamed, of every person and persons for the service aforesaid; Provided that such tax, or Assessment exceed not the sum of six hundred pounds. And the said Committee are hereby authorized and inabled with such power and authority for the collecting and leavying the same as is given in the Ordinance, or Ordinances for raising of moneyes for the maintenance of the Forces under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, bearing date the three and twentieth of June 1647. And likewise that the said Committee as aforesaid, shall and may appoint fit persons to collect the same, who are hereby required to pay the respective summes so collected unto such persons as the said Committee as aforesaid, shall appoint to be Treasurer. And it is further ordered and ordained, that such Treasurer shall not pay or issue out any of the said moneys but by order from the said Committee, or any seven, or more of them, as aforesaid, And that all, and every person and persons, who shall Act, or doe any Act or thing whatsoever by vertue of this, or any former Order or Ordinance of Parliament concerning the said Militia, shall be saved hereby, harmlesse and indempnified concerning the same by authority of Parliament; And shall have benefit and advantage of the Ordinance of Lords and Commons of the one and twentieth of May 1647. for saving harmlesse and Indempnifyed all persons as have acted by authority and for the service of the Parliament. And be it further ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that all persons whatsoever that have books, accompts, or other writings whatsoever belonging to the late Subcommittees for the Militia in the Burrough of Southwarke, or any of them, are hereby required forthwith to deliver the same Books, Accompts, and Papers to the Committee, or any seven, or more of them, or to any person whom they shall appoint to receive the same, and this present Ordinance is to continue till it shall be otherwise ordered by both Houses of Parliament.