January 1643: Order for raising Forces within the County of Wilts.

January 1642/3

[10 January 1642/3.]

Whereas it is found necessary (for the Security and Protection of the Persons and Estates of the Inhabitants of the County of Wilts, and Parts adjacent, and for the Common Defence of the Kingdom from the Rapines and Plunderings of the Enemy, and for the Prevention of any Meeting, Invasion, or Incursion of the Enemies Forces at Oxon and in the West) that considerable Strength and Force of Men and Horses should be forthwith prepared and raised within the said County:

It is therefore Ordered and Ordained, by the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, That Two Regiments of Horse, consisting of Four Troops apiece, and One Regiment of Dragooners, consisting of a Thousand Men, shall forthwith be raised, within the said County, to be disposed of, within the said County or elsewhere, in such Manner as the Lord General shall from Time to Time appoint, or think fit, for the purposes aforesaid, under the Command of such Person or Persons as his Excellency the Earl of Essex shall nominate and appoint: And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That, for the Payment of the Regiments and Forces aforesaid (after the Rate and Proportion of the Parliament's Pay to other Forces of the like Nature), that no Monies shall be raised in the County of Wilts (by virtue of this Ordinance) but out of the Estates of Papists, Delinquents, Bishops, Dean and Chapter, Prebendaries of Sarum, and other Prebendaries or Pluralists within the County; or out of the Estates of such as have not contributed unto the Parliament; or have opposed or assisted against the Parliament, or such as have been solicited to contribute to the Propositions, and have refused; or such Clergymen or others as have either refused to observe and obey the Orders and Ordinances of Parliament, or otherwise have expressed any Disaffection to the Parliament, or Proceedings thereof.

And it is Ordered and Ordained, That Sir Edward Baynton, calling to him any Two or more of the Deputy Lieutenants, or any Two or more of the Committee for Subscriptions, shall have Power, and is hereby authorized and required, to rate, tax, and assess, and charge, all or any the Persons aforesaid, their Lands, Goods, and Tenements, at such Rates and with such Sums of Money and other Charges, and in such Manner and Proportion, as they shall think fit, and the Necessity of the Occasion shall require (using the best Indifferency and Moderation they can), not exceeding the Twentieth Part of their Personal Estate, or the Fifth Part of their Yearly Revenue, excepting Papists, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Dears, and Chapters, and such notorious Delinquents as have taken up Arms against the Parliament, or have been active in the Commission of Array; and to appoint such and so many Persons to collect, gather, and levy, all such Sums or other Charges, so assessed or charged, by such Ways and Means as by them shall be directed.

And further, the said Sir Edward Baynton shall have Power, by Virtue of this Ordinance, to receive and take all such Monies, Plate, and Horse, as are or shall be raised upon the Ordinance of Subscriptions within that County, to be employed by them in this Service, upon Accompt.

And, in Case that present and sufficient Sums of Money cannot be gotten by any of the Means and Ways aforesaid, for Maintenance of the Force aforesaid, that then, if any Person or Persons shall lend any Sum or Sums of Money for the Advancement of the present Service, an Acquittance under Sir Edward Baynton's Hand shall be a sufficient Warrant to such Lenders to require Payment of the same, with Consideration after the Rate of Eight per Cent. upon the Public Faith.

And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That Duplicates of Rolls be made, containing the Names and Surnames of every Person charged by virtue of this Ordinance, and the Places of their Abode, together with the particular Sums upon each of them set and assessed; and that like Duplicates be made of all such Sums of Money, or other Things, as shall be received, disbursed, employed, or expended, in this Service, upon a just Accompt to be made, and allowed by the Commons House of Parliament; and that, in so doing, the said Sir Edward Baynton, the Deputy Lieutenants, those of the Committee, and all others employed by them, and observing their Commands and Directions, or that join with and assist them in executing any of the Premises, or that shall willingly submit to perform and pay such Rates and Monies, and perform such Services, as shall be imposed on and required of them by virtue of this Ordinance, shall be protected, defended, and saved harmless, in their Estates, Lands, Goods, and Persons, by the Authority and Power of Parliament.