May 1647: Declaration and Instructions for taking the Accounts of the Souldiery of the Kingdome.

May, 1647

[28 May, 1647.]

Committee for taking accounts of whole kingdom to take accounts of all officers and soldiers that have served under under Parl.; Former Instructions to be followed.

The Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled, taking into their serious consideration, the great and faithfull Service of the Officers and Souldiers who have been imployed in these Warres under their Command, And the hopefull condition to which this Kingdome by the blessing of God is thereupon now recovered; And calling to mind their owne resolutions formerly declared for the just satisfaction of all those who by such service have given large testimony of their affection had to this cause, wherein the welfare of the Church and State hath been so much concerned; And taking likewise speciall notice of the great summes of money that are issued forth to Officers, and Souldiers upon Accompts undetermined; And the great inconvenience that may happen thereby to the State and Souldiery; And well observing the civill carriage of all such who though their Demands are as just, and Necessities as great as theirs, who attend here dayly for theire Arreares, Yet out of confidence of the reall Intentions of the Parliament, and Dutifull respect to their ease and quiet, have forborne to offer them the least disturbance in their proceedings. And that the pretences of all Officers, and Souldiers, which are groundlesse, and unwarrantable, and the just demands of those whose actuall and faithful service renders them worthy of their pay, may truely appeare, Be it Ordained, and it is Ordained by the said Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled, That the Committee for taking the Accompts of the whole Kingdoms, shall be the Committee for the taking, examining, and determining the Accompts of all Officers, and Souldiers whatsoever, who have served in these Warres under the Command of the Parliament, or the Heires, Executors, Administrators, or Assignes of any such Officer or Souldier, who shall be deceased or absent, which said Committee, or any three or more of them shall have power, and are hereby authorized, and required to take, examine, and determine the Accompts of all Officers who have so served, according to the Instructions agreed upon by both Houses, the 28 day of May Intituled, Instructions agreed upon by the Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled, to be observed in taking, examining and determining the Accompts of all Officers, and Souldiers, who have actually and faithfully served under their Command in the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales, from or since the beginning of these Warres.

Books of Musters, Accounts, &c. to be produced.

And the said Committee shall have power and are hereby authorized, and required by Warrants under their hands, or any three, or more of them to require from all Muster-masters, Treasurers, Receivers, and all other Officers, and persons whatsoever, that are or have been intrusted and imployed in any Army, Brigade, County, or Garrison, or otherwise under the Command of the Parliament; All suche Bookes of Musters, Payments, Accompts, Certificates, Papers, Records, etc. And by all other waies and meanes so to informe themselves, as may most conduce to the furtherance and effectuall execution of this service; And all Muster-masters, Treasurers, Receivers, and other Officers, and persons as aforesaid, are hereby required to give obedience to every such warrant accordingly.

Oath for officers, soldiers, witnesses, &c.

And the said Committee or any three or more of them respectively, shall have power, and be hereby authorised to administer an Oath as they shall see cause, to all Officers and Souldiers who shall make their addresses to them, for the taking and determining their Accompts, according to this Ordinance, and the Instructions herein mentioned; or to any person who may be concerned in any such accompt, or enabled to give any evidence for cleering the truth thereof; the tenour whereof shall be as followeth. viz.

The Oath.

"I. A.B. doe sweare I shall according to my best knowledge give into, this Committee or Sub-Committee, a just and true accompt of all and every summe and summes of money by me, or any other by my appointment, or to my use received for my pay by vertue of any act of this present Parliament, Order, or Ordinance of both or either of the Houses of Parliament, or by colour or pretence of any such Act, Order or Ordinance, or for which I am any way chargeable, or accomptable, without any concealement whatsoever, So helpe me God."

Indemnity.

And the said Committee or their Sub-committees, and all others that shall be in and about the said service, shall be therein protected and saved harmlesse, by the power and authority of both Houses of Parliament.

Instructions agreed upon by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, to be observed in taking, examining, and determining, the Accompts of all Officers and Soldiers who have actually and faithfully served under their Command, in the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, from or since the Beginning of these Wars.

I.

Instructions to be observed in Settling the Accompts of Officers and Soldiers.

That all Officers of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, who have served under the Command and Pay of the Committee of any Association, County, or Garrison, shall have all the Accompts for their Pay certified, according to Muster, by every such Committee, or any Three of them, under their Hands, respectively; (videlicet,) how long every such Officer hath actually served, with a Regiment, Troop, or Company, under his Command; and what Number, to his Knowledge, that Regiment, Troop, or Company, did consist of, during that Time; by what Commission; under whose Command; in what Quality; and what Money, to their Knowledge, every Officer hath received for or towards his Pay; and what he hath received, in Horse, Arms or other Goods for which he may be charged by, and accomptable to, the State: And in case the Committee for any Association, County, or Garrison, shall give Notice to the Committee or Subcommittee appointed for this Service, that they are unable to certify on the Behalf of such an Officer, or that such an Officer hath not served under their Command, then the Commander in Chief of every such Garrison, Regiment, or Regiments, under whom such an Officer hath served, and the next in Chief under him that shall then survive respectively, with the Captain, if then living, who shall be concerned in any such Certificate to be given on the Behalf of his Officers, shall certify the same, according to Musters as aforesaid, under their own Hands and Seals; which they are to do with such Care, as they, and every of them, may deliver the same upon their Oaths, if required, before the Committee for this Service, or their Sub-committees; which Accompts, so certified by the Committees or Officers as aforesaid, shall be returned to the Sub-committee appointed by the Committee for the Accompts of the Kingdom, for taking the Accompts of that County where such Officer hath served, and from them to be transmitted to the Committee appointed for this Service, to receive such further Charge as they shall be able to give, and afterwards to be by them determined according to these Instructions, and speedily returned to the said Sub-committee, who are to deliver the same to the several Officers and other Persons who are concerned therein.

II.

That all Officers whatsoever, who do or have served in the grand Armies of the Kingdom, and have not had Relation at the same Time to particular Counties or Garrisons, shall, according to Muster, have such and the like Certificates from the Two Superior Officers (which shall be surviving) of the Regiment wherein they have actually served; and in case the Certificate concern any Officer under the Degree of a Captain, then that Captain, if living, who is concerned in that Certificate, on the Behalf of his Officer, shall join in certifying the same accordingly and from them transmitted to the Committee for this service.

III.

That no Certificate shall be taken, where the Parties that give it have not made it first to appear to the Committee appointed for this Service, or their Sub-committee, that they have not been cashiered from their Command for any Misdemeanor; and shall likewise have given in to the aforesaid Committee, or Sub-committees, their Hand, Seals, and Qualities; with which Addition they shall afterwards certify, and no other Ways.

IIII.

That, in Case any Committee of both Houses of Parliament, or any General, have heretofore granted any Warrants, by Authority from the Parliament, for Payment of any Arrears due to any Officer for his Service, and that the same, or any Part thereof, doth still remain unpaid; then, in every such Case, the Committee appointed for this Purpose shall make Deduction upon every Warrant, according to the Directions herein exprest; and the Remainder appearing due thereupon shall be accompted to every such Officer a just Debt from the State.

V.

That all Officers and Soldiers, who have already received any Sum of Money in full Satisfaction from the respective Counties where they served, though it was not agreeable hereunto, shall not by virtue of this Ordinance (any Clause herein contained) claim any such pretended Arrears.

VI.

That all Governors of Cities, Castles, Towns, or Forts, unto whom any Allowance is due, either as Governor, or for Pay, Spies, Intelligence, Fortifications, or Monies necessarily laid out, for Horses, Arms, Ammunition, or otherwise, for the Service of the State, and hath not received the same, shall have the Accompts of such Pay and Charges, examined, allowed, and determined, by the Committee appointed for this Purpose, as an Arrear to them due.

Provided always, That the Governor aforesaid shall take his Corporal Oath, that neither in Money, Horse, Arms, or other Goods appertaining or belonging to the State, he hath received any Part of the Money which he accounts as due unto himself; and shall, upon the same Oath, deliver in an Accompt of whatever remaineth in his Hands belonging to the State.

VII.

That no Officer, of what Quality soever (who hath received any Money or Goods from the State, or other Ways, for which he is to be accomptable), shall have his Accompts determined by the Committee appointed for the same, before he hath delivered in an Accompt thereof to the Committee for the Accompts of the whole Kingdom, or their Sub-committees respectively; and in case it shall appear, at any Time within Two Years after Determination of any such Accompt, that any such Officer is further chargeable, he shall, for Default herein, forfeit to the State Double the Sum which shall appear he hath not formerly acknowledged upon his Accompt.

VIII.

That no Officer of Horse or Dragoons, in Commission, shall receive Pay for any Horses, in order to their respective Qualities, other than he shall make to appear by the Musters he kept for the Service of the Parliament, and for such Time only as it shall so appear he kept them.

IX.

And forasmuch as the Greatness of the Debt due to the whole Soldiery, who have served faithfully in this War, hath occasioned heretofore Part of the Pay to them so due to be respited on the Public Faith, for a present Ease; yet, considering the same Debt will at Length become payable from the Commonwealth, of whom the Soldiery of this Kingdom have been necessitated to take Free Quarter, when Monies could not be provided for them; and when they have received Monies for their Pay, they have many Times left their Quarters undischarged, so that the Public will be in Danger to suffer in both: It is therefore Ordered, That no Sum of Money due to any Officer or Soldier shall be so respited; but the Committee appointed for this Service shall have Power, and are hereby authorized and required, to deduct respectively, out of the whole Sum demanded for Pay by any Officer or Soldier, for their Service in this Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, the several and respective Proportions of Money hereafter expressed, for their Quarters, due to the Commonwealth.

X.

From all Foot Soldiers and Officers of Foot, whose Pay is Seven Shillings a week or under, Three Shillings a Week, for their Quarters.

XI.

From all Serjeants of Foot, Four Shillings and Six Pence a Week, for their Quarters.

XII.

From all Officers of Foot in Commission, of what Quality soever, One Fourth Part of their respective Pays, for their Quarters.

XIII.

From all Officers belonging to the Train of Artillery, One Fourth Part of the respective Pay to them due.

XIV.

From all Officers of Horse or Dragoons, of what Quality soever, One Third Part of the Pay to them due for themselves and Horses.

XV.

From all Private Troopers, Eight Shillings a week, for their Quarters: Provided, That this extend not to such Officers in Commission that have served in any Garrison, County, or Grand Army, and shall make it appear by sufficient Testimonies to the Committee for this Purpose, or their Sub-committees, that they have discharged their Quarters during the Time for which they crave Allowance.

XVI.

That all Private Soldiers, as well of Horse as Foot, disbanded, or to be disbanded, who have not received Satisfaction for their Service in the Armies, or Counties, where they have served, shall receive the same from the Committees of the several Armies or Counties where they have done or now do the Service; for the evidencing whereof, every such Soldier shall bring to the respective Committees a Note under the Hands and Seals of his Officer, that he is so many Weeks in Arrear, who are to deduct out of such Arrears for his Quarters, according to the Rate hereby ordered, both for Horse and Foot: Provided, That this extend not to any Private Soldier, whether of Horse or Foot, who hath left the Service of that Army, Garrison, or County, without lawful Discharge, although he hath forthwith listed himself in some other Place for the Service of the Parliament; or that hath not, or hereafter shall not, deliver in to the respective Committees aforesaid such Horse and Arms with which he hath served, or a Certificate under the Hand of his superior Officer, that such Horse and Arms with which he hath served did not appertain to the State, or was lost in actual Service; whose Accompts, cast up as is expressed, upon Certificate from the Committees for the respective Armies and Counties aforesaid, of such a Debt due to the Private Soldier of that Army or County, they shall forthwith be enabled to discharge the same.

XVII.

That all Accompts that have heretofore been stated, by Order of Parliament, or any Committee thereof, shall be regulated, according to the Instructions herein contained, by the Committee appointed for this Service, except such who have received the Sums of Money so certified, or some Part thereof, in full of their whole Demand.

XVIII.

That all Officers, who were in actual Service the 25 Day of March, Anno 1647, shall have their Accompts made up to that Time, and all others disbanded to the Time of their Dismission: Provided, That this extend not to any officer, of what Quality soever, who hath had a Commission for a Regiment, Troop, or Company, and with the same hath not been for the Time he craveth Allowance in actual Service: Neither shall any Certificate be made for longer Time than any such Officer hath had such a Regiment, Troop, or Company, actually under his Command, upon Penalty of the Loss of their whole Arrears, who shall certify the same: Provided, That this Exception shall not any way Debar from Payment, that Regiment of Reformadoes under the Command of Colonel Saunderson; but they, and every of them, abating for their Quarters One Third Part of their respective Pays, shall have their Accompts made up according to the Agreement made then with them as Reformadoes; and what Money remains due to them for that Service, shall be accompted as a Debt from the State: And it is further Provided, That where it shall appear any Officer hath had a Regiment, Troop, or Company, under his Command, for which he craveth Allowance, which did not consist of above the Number hereafter specified; that is to say, in a Regiment of Foot, Three Hundred; in a Regiment of Horse, One Hundred and Fifty; in a Troop of Horse or Dragoons, Five and Twenty; in a Company of Foot, Forty; all Officers included; that he or they shall have his and their Accompts made up after the Proportion of a Third Part of the full Allowance of Pay hereafter expressed, and not otherwise.

XIX.

That the Accompt of all Officers, who have served in such Garrisons, for which there hath been Establishments made for a smaller Pay than the Allowance for Horse and Foot, before the Twentieth of March, 1643, made to the late Lord General the Earl of Essex, shall have their Accompts made up no otherwise than by the Allowance of Pay established for that Garrison; but shall have no Part of what resteth due unto them deducted for Free Quarter; but every such Officer shall bring to the Committee appointed for this Service, or their Sub-committee, a Certificate, under the Hand and Seal of the Mayor, Bailiff, or the Supreme Civil Officer of that City or Town, that he hath paid for his Quarters the Time of his Command in that Garrison; which Certificate, so brought, shall sufficiently assure the Committee for this Service, that such an Officer hath paid his Quarter.

XX.

That all Accompts, except of the Officers of the Garrisons for which there hath been particular Establishments, and of the Reformadoes before mentioned, shall be determined according to the Allowance of Pay made to the late Lord General the Earl of Essex's Army, before the Twentieth Day of March, 1643.

XXI.

And lastly it is Ordered and Ordained, That all and singular Sum and Sums of Money, that shall appear to be remaining due upon the several Accompts, which shall be taken, examined, allowed, and determined, by the Committee appointed for this Service, according to the Instructions herein exprest, shall be accompted as a just Debt from the State.