June 1647: An Ordinance for the enabling the Committee of the Militia of London to make Searches, and to raise Horses.

June, 1647

[11 June, 1647.]

Committee for Militia of London may search for and expel papists and malignants,; And search for and seize arms and ammunition; Resistance.; Power to charge inhabitants with horses, riders, and furniture.; Penalty for refusal to find horses, &c.; Disposal of Fines.; Sub-Committees.; Obedience to Warrants of Committee and Sub-committees.

The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament doe hereby declare and Ordaine, That the Committee of the Militia of London, shall have power, and are hereby authorized, by themselves, or such as they shall appoint, to search all houses and places within the Lines of Communication, and Parihses mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mortality, and Hamblets of the Tower, where the said Committee shall have cause to suspect that any Papists are, or other persons who cannot give a good accompt of their businesse or aboad within the Limits aforesaid, or who have or shall discover their ill affection to the Parliament by any Offence for which they ought to be sequestred, questioned, or punished by any Ordinance of Parliament; And likewise to search for Armes, Ammunition, and Materials for Warre, in the custody of such persons, and to seize and take away the same; and to commit such persons to safe custody, or to expell them out of the Limits aforesaid, if they shall see cause: And in case of resistance, to command any Constable or Constables to breake open any house or place within the said Limits, where any resistance shall be made. And it is further Declared and Ordained, That the said Committee shall hereby have Power and Authority, to charge such Inhabitants who are constantly dwelling within the Lines of Communication, and Parishes mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mortality, and the Hamblets of the Tower, or such persons who have any stocks going in Trade within the Limits aforesaid, and absent themselves (as shall appeare to them to be able) to finde and maintaine horses with Riders and Furniture, at their proper charge, for the defence of the City and parts adjacent (so as no person shall be charged for the raising and maintaining more then two horses) to be put under such Commanders and Officers as the said Committee shall thinke fit. And if any person or persons who shall be charged to finde horses, riders, and furniture, as is aforesaid, and shall refuse or neglect to provide the same within three daies after notice thereof given to them, or left in writing at their dwellings, shall forfeit and pay 20l. And if they shall neglect or refuse to send forth their horse or horses with Riders provided and furnished, as is aforesaid, when, and as often as he or they shall be summoned thereunto by the said Commissioners, or such Commanders or Officers as they shall appoint, in default thereof that then they shall forfeit and pay ten shillings upon every such failing, or suffer foure daies imprisonment without bayle or mainprize to be inflicted upon every such Offendor, in such manner and form, and by such Officers and persons as are appointed for the inflicting of penalties upon the failing of the foot Souldiers of the Trained Bands, expressed in an Ordinance dated the second day of May, Anno Dom. 1643. and the said fines to be imployed by the said Committee towards the payment of the Commanders and Officers of the said Horse, and for such other uses as the said Committee shall finde necessary for the better carrying on the said Service. And be it hereby further Declared and Ordained, That for the better executing of this present Ordinance, and such former Ordinances which are now in force concerning the Militia of the City of London, and the places aforesaid, power and authority be hereby given to the said Committee, to make one or more Sub-Committee, or SubCommittee within the said limits as they shall thinke fit for the executing of this and the said former Ordinances; And all Constables, Headboroughs, and other inferior Officers within the said limits, and all Commanders and Souldiers of the said Militia are hereby required to obey, and execute such Warrants as they from time to time shall receive from the said Committee, or Sub-Committee, or Sub-Committees, for and concerning the execution of the same accordingly.

Members of both Houses exempted.; Ordinance to continue 1 month only.

And lastly, that no priviledged place, or person within the limits aforesaid shall be exempted from the power of this Ordinance except the Peeres of this Realme, and Members of the House of Commons, and assistants of the House of Peeres, and Officers and Attendants of both Houses of Parliament respectively, who shall be exempted from this Ordinance and all things contained therein. Provided that this Ordinance shall continue for a moneth and no longer.