June 1645: An Ordinance enabling the Committee of Southampton to put in execution all Ordinances of Parliament for Leavying of Money, and Raising of Forses for the safety of the said County.

June, 1645

[10 June, 1645.]

Whereas the County of Southampton hath been and is miserably oppressed, not only by the Enemies Armies, but by their Garisons there, and in the adjacent Counties;

Power to Committee for Southampton to execute former Ords. for levying moneys.; To appoint Collectors and Treasurers.

Be it Ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That the Committee hereafter named, or any five or more of them, and no other, are hereby Authorized to put in execution the Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, for Sequestring the Estates of Papists and Delinquents in the County of Southampton, the Ordinance for raising the Fifth and Twentieth parts and all other Ordinances of Parliament, not yet executed, for the Raising and Leavying of Money in the said County, and are to have as full and ample power as any of the Committees in any of the aforenamed Ordinances had thereby for the raising thereof, by vertue of any of the said Ordinances. And the said Committee to be nominated by vertue of this present Ordinance or any five of them, shall nominate and appoint Collectors for the said Moneys, and a sufficient Treasurer or Treasurers for the receipt of the said Money from the Collectors; and have also power hereby to call to an Accompt all Collectors, Treasurers or others of the said County, that have or shall be thought to have any Moneys in their hands Raised or Leavyed by any of the Ordinances aforesaid, and to cause the Money in their hands to be paid to such Treasurer or Treasurers of the said County, as shall be nominated by vertue of this present Ordinance.

Penalty for Collectors and others making default.

And if any the said Collectors, Treasurers or others, shall refuse to accompt or to pay in such Moneys which shall appear before the said Committee, or any five of them, by the Testimony of two sufficient Witnesses, or by the parties own confession, or by any other sufficient proof so appearing, to remain in his or their hands; Then the said Committee or any five of them, shall and are hereby Authorized to grant a Warrant or Warrants to distrain for the same: And at the end of three days after such distress taken, to sell the same for the payment thereof, and to return the overplus to such person or persons distrained as afore said.

Power to fortify places, raise Forces, etc., for reduction of County.

Be it also further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That for the relieving and more speedy reducing the said County, the Committee hereafter named, or any five or more of them, whereof three to be Members of Parliament, shall have power to Fortifie any Place or Houses in the said County, and to raise and regulate the Forces of that County both Horse and Foot, according to the commands of Parliament, or Committee of both Kingdoms; and to nominate and appoint Commanders over the said Forces both of Horse and Foot, who upon their recommendation, or any five of them, whereof three to be Members of Parliament, to the Members of both Houses of the Committee of both Kingdoms, are to have from them, or any five of them, Commissions for the said Commanders, the said Members of both Houses of the said Committee of both Kingdoms being hereby Authorized for their granting thereof.

To press soldiers.; Penalty or such as refuse to be imprest.

And it is also hereby further Ordained, That the said Committee or any two or more of them, shall and are hereby authorized and injoyned to Raise, Leavy and Imprest in the said County, such a number of Soldiers as shall be necessary for the service aforementioned, and to command all Constables and other Officers, to be Ayding and Assisting them in the said Service of Impresting; and if any person or persons shall wilfully refuse so to be Imprest for the said Service, that then it shall and may be lawful to and for the said persons so Authorised as aforesaid, to commit them to Prison until they shall yield obedience, or pay the sum of five pounds to the said Committee for the supply of the said service.

Persons exempted from being pressed.

Provided always, That this Ordinance shall not extend to the pressing of any Clergymen, Scholar or Student in any the Universities, Inns of Court or Chancery, or House of Law, or any the Trained-Bands in the County, or of any person rated in the last Subsidies granted by Parliament, or the son of any person rated at five pounds goods, or three pounds Lands in the Subsidy Books, or of any person of the rank or degree of an Esquire or upwards, or the son of any such person, or the son of the Widow of any such person, or to the pressing of any person under the age of eighteen, or above the age of fifty, or of the Members or Officers of either Houses of Parliament, or of the menial servants of the Peers of the Kingdom, or Officers of either of the said Houses, or any the Assistants or Attendants of the Lords House, or any of their menial servants, or any the Inhabitants of the Isle of Wight or Cinque Ports, or of any Mariner, Seaman, Waterman or Fisherman, or any Officer imployed in the Office of Excize, or in the Office of Customs for Tunnage and Poundage.

Power to Committee to tax County, not exceeding £600 weekly.

And for the purposes aforesaid, It is Ordained, That the said Committees or any five or more of them, whereof three to be Members of Parliament, shall have hereby full power and authority to Tax and Assesse the said County what they in their discretion shall think fit, so that it exceed not the sum of Six hundred pounds by the Week, and to constitute and appoint Assessors, Collectors and Treasurers for the Assessing, Leavying and Receiving of the sum Assessed, and shall have full power and Authority to compel the payment thereof, and punish the several Assessors, Treasurers, Collectors and other Officers neglecting their duty therein either by Fine or Imprisonment, so the Fine exceed not the sum of Ten pounds, nor the Imprisonment the time of two Moneths.

Moneys, how to be used.

And be it further Ordained. That the several sums of Money raised in the said County by this present Ordinance, or by vertue of any of the forementioned Ordinances, shall be issued out for the purposes aforesaid, and for payment of the Debts of the County contracted for the service of the Parliament, by Warrant of the said Committee, or any five of them, whereof three to be Members of Parliament.

Committees for execution of Ord.

And be it Ordained, That the persons hereafter named and no other, shall be Committees to put in execution this present Ordinance (viz.) Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, and William Earl of Salisbury, Sir Henry Worsley and Sir William Lewis Baronets, Sir William Uvedal, Sir Thomas Iervoise, Sir Ihon Evelin, Sir William Waller, Sir Henry Mildmay and Sir Ihon Compton, Knights, Robert Wallop, Richard Whitehead, Richard Norton of Southwick, William Iepson, Edward Dodington, Richard Iervoise, Iohn Lisle, Iohn Button, Edward Hooper, Iohn Bulkley, Iohn Kemp, Iohn Saint Barbe, Iohn Hook, Richard Major, Nicholas Love, William Pit, Iohn Wouldridge, Edward Douse, Henry Campion, Iohn Fielder, Thomas Bettesworth of Chidden. Francis Rivet, William Ball, William Wither, Thomas Cole, Henry Bromfield, Iames Tut, Richard Moor and Thomas Creswel of Heckfield, Esquires, Robert Knapton, Alexander Wilson, William Woulgrave, Iohn Hildesly, Thomas Dowse of Elden, William Goor, Thomas Gale and Iohn Eliot, Gentlemen Moor Faunticroy, George Gallop and Edward Exton Esquires.

No Soldier to be Collector or Treasurer.

Provided always, That no Soldier be any Collector or Treasurer of any Moneys within the said County, without special Warrant.

Freequarter.

And be it so provided, That no free quarter be taken in that County but by Order from the Committee or five of them; and if that upon any necessity free quarter be taken either by Horse or Foot raised or maintain as aforesaid, upon complaint, the said Committee or any five of them, shall have power to give satisfaction to the party agrieved there, and shall conduct a reasonable Allowance for the same out of the pay of the Officers and Soldiers taking the same as aforesaid.

Isle of Wight expected.

And be it lastly Provided, That this Ordinance nor any clause therein contained shall extend to the Isle Wight.