October 1644: An Ordinance for a weekly Assessment on the County of Glocester, and on the City and County of the City of Glocester.

October 1644

[2 October, 1644.]

Whereas the Committee nominated in a former Ordinance of Parliament for raising and maintaining of Horse and Foot for the Garrison of Glocester, and for the Counties of Glocester, Hereford, Monmouth, Glamorgan, Brecknock and Radnor, are not able by the Ordinances of Sequestration of Delinquents and Papists Estates, and the Ordinance of raysing Moneys by taxing such as have not contributed, or not according to their estates, to raise such present summes of Money, as are expedient for the maintenance of the present Forces within the said Garrison and County of Glocester.

Power to Committee named by former Ord.; to tax Gloucestershire, for use of Garrison and Forces there.; No Horse or Money to be raised without consent of Committee.; Free-quarter.; Officers' and Soldiers' Pay.; Horses and Cattle taken from Enemy to be used towards Public Charge.; Allowance to Soldiers for such service.

It is therefore Ordained, and be it hereby ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the said Committee nominated in the said Ordinance, or any foure or more of them shall have, and hereby hath power and authority to rate and taxe upon the said County of Gloster, the summe of one thousand pounds a weeke, and on the said City and County of the said City of Gloster, the summe of one hundred pounds a weeke, to begin from the sixteenth day of August last past, and so to be weekly paid for the space of five moneths, unlesse the said Houses of Parliament shall make any other Order concerning the same; To be rated, taxed leavied and collected in such sort, manner and forme, as is prescribed in the former Ordinances of the weekly Assessments, and in lieu of the said weekly Assessments, and to be imployed for and towards the maintenance of the said Forces, in the said Garrison and County of Gloster, and City and County of the City of Gloster aforesaid: And for preventing disorders in raysing Horse, leavying Moneys, and taking and seizing goods without authoritie, It is hereby Ordered and Ordained by the said Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That from henceforth no Horse shall be there raysed, or Money leavied, or goods taken of any person or persons without consent and order of the said Committee, or the major part of them then present, expressed by warrant under their hands. And that no free quarter shall be assigned or taken of the Inhabitants under Contribution, by the Commanders and Officers of horse and their Troopers, but by like order and consent of the said Committee by Warrant as aforesaid. And so long time as any of the said Troopers have free-quarter, they are to have but halfe pay, and the Officers to allow in proportion out of their pay. And that all Officers and Souldiers, both horse and foot shall be paid according to the late establishment of the Lord Generalls Army. And no Commander or Officer there shall receive pay, but such as duly attend their charge, unlesse otherwise especially imployed in service of the Parliament. And that no other Commander or Officer shall be payd but such as are received now into service, and such as shall be hereafter received and aprooved of by the said Committee or the Major part of them, And that no Officer or Commander shall receive pay there as an Officer and Commander both of Horse and Foote by vertue of any Commission granted to any one person for Horse and Foote, except Collonel Massey Governour of Glocester. And that all such Horse, Beasts, and Cattle, as shall be taken and driven by any of the Forces in the said severall Counties out of the enemies quarters, shall bee delivered to the said committee or such persons as they shall appoint, to the end they may be imployed towards the publique charge according to the said Ordinance, save reasonable reward to be allowed to the Souldiers who shall doe the said service as the said Committee shall thinke fit.

Assistance.; Indemnity.

And it is hereby Ordained, That all Commanders Officers and Souldiers in the said Garrison of Glocester, and several Counties aforsaid, shall be and are hereby required to be from time to time ayding and assisting unto the said Committee, in the execution of the said former Ordinances, and of this present Ordinance, and that the said Committee and their Agents and Assistants, in execution of the premisses, shall bie saved harmelesse, and protected by authority of Parliament

Punishment of those disturbing proceedings of Committee.

And lastly, it is hereby Ordained by the said Lords and Commons; That the said Committee or any five or more of them, may imprison all such as shall make any attempt, or doe any act tending to the disturbance of the proceedings of the said Committee, or the peace of the said County, and them to fine not exceeding the sum of ten pounds upon every such offender, every such offender to remaine in Prison untill he have satisfied and paid the said fine, which shall be imployed to the uses exprest in the said former Ordinance.