January 1643: An Ordinance for the Assessing all men of ability within the Counties of Northampton, Leicester, Derby, Rutland, Nottingham, Huntingdon, Bedford, and Buckingham...

January 1642/3

[14 January, 1642/3.]

The Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled being certainly informed that Papists and other wicked and ill-affected persons have traitorously combined together, and entered into association, and have raised and daily doe raise great Forces both of Horse and Foot, in severall Counties of this Kingdome, and have plundered, spoiled, and destroyed multitudes of His Majesties good Subjects, and if not timely prevented, will utterly subvert and destroy the true Protestant Religion, which is their chiefe designe, the laws of the Land, the privileges of Parliament, and the liberty of the Subject.

Association of Counties of Northampton, Leicester, etc., for mutual defence.; Money to be raised in said Counties by Assessment.; Treasurers, Collectors, etc., to be appointed by Committee.; Sums assessed to be levied by distress on such as refuse to pay.

The said Lords and Commons having formerly declared, that they held it fit, and necessary for the Counties of Northampton, Leicester, Derby, Rutland, Nottingham, Huntingdon, Bedford, and Buckingham to associate for the mutual defence in pursuance of the same, and for the better preventing of the spoyling and plundering of the said Counties, and the parts adjacent, and to have further means for the furnishing of Armes and Ammunition, making of Fortification, and payment of the Garrisons, Officers and Souldiers, and other publique necessary charges, that there be forthwith raysed in the said severall Counties respectively, and in the Corporations, Constabularies, and Parishes thereof, such sums of money as shall necessarily be disbursed and dispended for the uses aforesaid; the same sum to be rated and assessed in like sort, as was the 400,000l. granted by Act this present Parliament, wherein the persons who have not subscribed to the Parliaments late Propositions shall be assessed; and their Assessments levied in such sort, as by the Ordinance late made for the City of London, and the parts adjacent, such like persons are to be assessed, and their assessments levied. And for the better levying of the said sums of money, the said Committee named in the Ordinance of Association of the said Counties respectively, or any three or more of them, shall or may assesse and taxe, or cause to be assessed or taxed the said sums upon the said severall Counties, and the Corporations, Townes, Constablaries, And Parishes within the same, in like manner as is aforesaid; and that they or any three or more of them, nominate and appoint Treasurers, Collectors, and Assessors in every the said Counties, for assessing, receiving and collecting the said sums of money, and shal and may grant warrants under their hands and Seales, in writing to any Constable or other Officer whatsoever, to raise and levy the said summes so to be assessed and taxed as aforesaid, upon all such persons upon whom any such sums shall be so assessed and set, that do refuse or neglect to pay the same: It shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Assessors, or any other person to whom Warrants by the Committees respectively shall be granted, to levie the said sums so assessed by way of distresse and sale of the goods of the persons so assessed and refusing. And if any person so distrained shall make resistance, it shall and may be lawfull to and for the respective Committees to send any of the Trained bands or other Souldiers of the respective Counties aforesaid, to compell the said parties so refusing to Obedience of this Ordinance. And in case no distresse is or may be found, then the respective Committees aforesaid, or any three or more of them shall or may commit such person and persons refusing to pay as aforesaid, to some common Gaole, there to remain until payment made of such sum and sums aforesaid. For which sums of money so rated and levied, and expended as aforesaid, the said Committees shall be accomptable to both Houses of Parliament, and to none else.