January 1643: An Ordinance for New Loans and Contributions as well from the United Provinces, as from England and Wales, for the speedy relief of the miserable and distressed estate of the Protestants in the Kingdom of Ireland.

January 1642/3

[30 January, 1642/3.]

Whereas the gasping condition of the Protestants in Ireland is too much manifest, their Estates devoured, their lives daily sacrificed, not onely to the malice of their and our bloody Enemies, the Popish Rebels, but likewise to the more unavoydable Executioners, starving, cold and hunger, their sorrowes hardly to be equalled, nor their utter destruction possibly to be prevented, but by the great and undeserved mercy of God, upon some speedy supply of their grievous necessities. In a deep sence and compassion of their sad Estate, and not so much doubting the charity of all good Protestants here, (which hath been so fully manifested before) as to use many Arguments to invite them to a liberal contribution and Loan, for the present relief of those of our own blood and profession, and to hinder the Rebels from being sharers in the execution of those devilish Plots, which they and their adherents in England have devised, and too far effected amongst us, (who can expect no safety here, if that Kingdome be not preserved unto us, that hath so neer a relation and dependance upon this), and for the more speedy raising, collecting, and disposing of such supply as God shall incline the hearts of his people to afford their brethren in Ireland; which can be no otherwise procured at this time, by reason of the unhappy distemper here.

Publick faith given for money lent, or Victuals, Arms, Ammunition, etc., for Ireland; Satisfaction by Rebels Lands.; Persons to receive the money, victuals, etc..

The Lords and Commons in Parliament, do hereby Order and Declare, That all and every of his Majesties well-affected Subjects of any his Kingdomes and Dominions, and any person or persons of the Dutch Nation under the government of the States General of the united Province; that at any time hereafter shall bring in and disburse any sum or sums of money, to be imployed and laid out for the maintenance of the Army in Ireland against the Rebels, or that shall bring in and deliver any Victual, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, or Commodities fit and necessary for the better supply of the said Army, to be received and indifferently apprized, and valued by such person and persons as the Committee for the Irish affairs made the 30 September 1642, or any eight of them shall be appointed for that purpose by those intrusted with this service, and that are hereafter named; That all and every such person and persons shall have the publick faith of the Parliament; And both Houses of Parliament do hereby engage the publick faith of the Kingdome, to be satisfied and contented, and that such persons shall be satisfied and contented for the same, either out of the Rebels Lands in Ireland forfeited, or that shall be forfeited and confiscate, when it shall please God that Kingdome shall be reduced, in proportions answerable, and according to the several sum or sums of money, in manner and form aforesaid to be brought in, and in all respects and things to their best advantage and contentment, as the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland, according to the former Propositions and several Acts of Parliament, or any of them, therefor made and Enacted this present Session, shall have their Lands set out unto them, or otherwise at their Election, shall be re-satisfied their moneys or the value of their goods with interest for the same, after the rate of eight pounds per centum for so long time as it shall be forborn, to be paid out of the common Treasure of this Kingdome; And for the better ordering and managing of this affair, and to the end that such moneys, victuals, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, and Commodities thus to be brought in, may onely be imployed for the maintenance of the said Army and not otherwise: The Lords and Commons do hereby nominate, authorize, and appoint, Sir Paul Pinder, Mr. John Kendrick, Mr. William Pennoyer, Mr. Maurice Thompson, Mr. Michael Casteel, Mr. Benjamin Goodwin to be Treasurers, and to have the receiving of the said money, Victual, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, and Commodities, and to nominate, appoint, and employ all such persons under them for the purposes aforesaid, as they shall think fit: And the said Money, Victulas, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, and Commodities, to pay and deliver out for the maintenance of the said Army in Ireland, and for no other cause whatsoever; and to reward the persons to be imployed under them for their service, in such manner as the Committee, or any eight of them shall from time to time order, direct, and appoint; and the persons to be imployed under the Treasurers before named, to be rewarded for their service in such a manner and porportion as the said Committee, or any eight of them shall from time to time order and appoint: And the receipts and payments of Monies coming at, and issuing out by vertue of this Ordinance, shall be kept in Guild-Hall London, by the said Treasurers, and others by them appointed, and that an Acquittance under the hands of any two or more of the said Treasurers shall be a sufficient discharge to any person, paying any sum or sums of Money to them, by vertue of this Ordinance,

Publication of this Ordinance.; Collection.; What shall be a sufficient Warrant to demand satisfaction.; Register.

And for the more speedy and better effect of this Ordinance, The Lords and Commons in Parliament have commanded that the same be forthwith put in Print, and be published and dispersed in every Parish in England and Wales; as well within Liberties as without: And the Parsons, Vicars, or Curates of the said Parishes respectively, are hereby required to read this Ordinance in the several Parish Churches and Chappels upon the next Lords day, after the same shall be delivered unto them, and to exhort the People to a free and liberal Contribution to so necessary and godly a work as this is. And the Church-wardens or Overseers for the poor where there are no Church-wardens of the said Parishes respectively, are hereby authorized and required, after the reading of this Ordinance as aforesaid, to go from house to house to every the Inhabitants of the said Parishes respectively, and as well to collect and gather the free and charitable benevolence of all the Inhabitants thereof, from the best to the meaner sort of people, that shall be willing to contribute any thing herein, at all and every other summe and summes of Money, as also Victual, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, or Commodities, that any the said Parishioners respectively, shall be willing to lend and disburse, to be re-satisfied for the same, as is herein before expressed: And the said Church-wardens and Overseers for the Poor, shall cause to be written down in a Schedule thereof indented, as well the name and names of the several givers as of the lenders, with the several summe and summes of Money which shall be by every of them lent or given. And the said Churchwardens and Overseers for the Poor having subscribed their names at the foot of one part of the said Schedule indented, shall deliver that part, together with all such sum and sums of Money, Victual, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, and Commodities, as shall be given or lent in the said respective Parishes unto such person or persons as shall be therefore imployed and intrusted by Order of the said Committe, or any eight of them; And the said Persons so intrusted, shall upon receipt thereof from the said Churchwardens and Overseers for the Poor, subscribe the other part of the said Schedule, to remain with the said Churchwardens or Overseers for the Poor, and Parishioners, the producing whereof to the said Lords and Commons in Parliament, or to such Person or Persons as they shall appoint for the same, being well attested at the time of the subscription, under the hand-writing of the Parson, Vicar, or Curate, and four or more of the principal Inhabitants of the said Parishes respectively; and all and every time and times then afterwards shall be an authentique and sufficient ground for all and every such Person and Persons, their Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, that shall lend any sum or sums of Money, or other Goods above mentioned, to be imployed as aforesaid, to have, demand, and receive the same back again, or such content and satisfaction to be therefore made, and given unto them, as the said Lords and Commons have herein before Declared and undertaken. And the said persons so intrusted for receiving the said Money, Victuals, Arms, Ammunition, Goods, Wares, or Commodities in the said several Parishes, shall with all convenient speed after the receipt thereof, return the same unto the said Treasurers herein before named, at the Guild-Hall London: And the said Committee are hereby directed to appoint a Register, and entries to be made of all and every the said Schedules, sums of Money, and premisses to be thus received, whereby the persons lending the same, may be the more justly satisfied, and to remain upon Record as an Act of great bounty and piety, and much conducing to the safety of all His Majesties Dominions.