January 1649: Ordinance concerning Assessments for the Army;- and for disbanding supernumerary Forces.

January, 1649

[9 January, 1648/9.]

Whereas, by virtue of an Ordinance of Parliament of the 15th of March last, past intituled, "An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for raising Monies, to be employed for Maintenance of the Forces then under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefax Knight," the Monthly Sum of Sixty Thousand Pounds, then to be taxed and levied upon the respective Cities, Counties, and Places, therein mentioned, within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, for Six Months, from the 25th of March last past, to the 29th of September following; which said Ordinance, and every Clause therein contained, and the said Monthly Sum of Sixty Thousand Pounds therein expressed, is, by another Ordinance of the 6th of October last, to endure and continue for Six Months longer, from the said 29th of September last, to the 25th of March now next coming; but no Persons are nominated and appointed, by the said Ordinance of the Sixth of October last, to receive and issue out of the said Monies: And whereas it appeareth the said Sixty Thousand Pounds per Mensem will not be sufficient to pay the Forces in Field and Garrison under the Command of the Lord Fairefax as now they are; and to the End the said Monies appointed to be taxed and levied as aforesaid may be received, issued, and employed, so far as the same will extend, for Payment and Maintenance of the Army and Garrison Forces of the Kingdom, and of such other Forces now in Being within this Kingdom which the General shall approve to be continued, and are not otherwise provided for by particular Establishment: The Lords and Commons in Parliament have ordained, and be it Ordained by Authority of Parliament, That the Committee of Lords and Commons instituted and appointed in and by an Ordinance of Parliament of Three and Twentieth of September, 1647, intituled, "An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for Members of both Houses to be a Committee for the Army, for the disposing of the Sixty Thousand Pounds per Mensem," as also all other Persons sithence added to the said Committee, and the Treasurer at Wars appointed by Ordinance of the last of September, 1647, and the Powers and Authorities by the said several Ordinances, and by another Ordinance of the 24th of April last past, given and appointed to the said Committee, Treasurers, and Persons, jointly and severally, or to any of them, named or mentioned in the said Ordinances, or any of them, shall be continued in full Force, Strength, and Efficacy, for the more orderly taxing, receiving, and issuing of the said Monies, raised and to be raised, by virtue of the said Ordinance of the 6th of October last, for the Purposes aforesaid, as fully and amply, to all Intents and Purposes, as is expressed in the said Ordinances of the 23th and last of September, 1647, or either of them, and 24th of April last, or any other the Ordinances of Parliament therein mentioned and expressed; and the said Treasurers at War shall have and be allowed all such Pay and Allowances as is mentioned in the said Ordinance of the 23th of September, 1647, and shall pay and issue out all Monies to be received by them as Treasurers at War, according to such Directions as are set down in the said Ordinances of the 23th of September, and last of September, 1647, or such other Directions and Rules as the said Committee, or any Five of them, shall appoint, for the Use of the Army and Forces aforesaid, whose Directions or Warrants shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Treasurers, and every of them, for what they shall pay and issue: And it is further Ordered and Ordained, by the Authority aforesaid, That the General do give Order, and publish a Declaration, that from the Time the Army shall begin to be paid, out of the Monies raised, and to be raised, upon or by virtue of the said Ordinance of the 6th of October last, that all Free Quarter be immediately taken off, and cease; and that the said Army and Forces do maintain themselves and Horses out of their Pay, according to the rules and Directions heretofore given by both Houses of Parliament, and the General, in and about January last, in this Behalf: And it is further Ordained and Declared, That, in the mean Time, such of the supernumerary Forces above the last Establishment shall be discharged, and the rest reduced to the Proportion of the said Establishment, as the General shall find may be spared, and as Monies can be had for the Disbanding of them, with reasonable Satisfaction for Arrears due unto them for the Service in the Year last past.