June 1643: An Ordinance for reducing to obedience of Parliament, and for securing of the Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey.

June 1643

[12 June, 1643.]

Whereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, have received credible Information, that very many Papists, notorious Delinquents, and other ill-affected persons inhabiting within the severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, and Flint, in the Dominion of Wales, have in meere opposition to, and contempt of the Power and Authority of this present Parliament, entered into an hostile and dangerous Assotiation amongst themselves, and with many other persons of like condition with them, inhabiting in other adjacent Counties, for the raising and promoting of an intestine and civill Warre within this Kingdome: and in pursuance thereof, have (contrary to their allegiance) levyed, and do daily levy great forces both of Horse and Foot within their said severall Counties, compelling the common people by Imprest, Imprisonment, and other violent courses, to enter into acts of hostility and rebellion with them, and inforcing the Inhabitants of the said Counties, by illegall, unjust, and insupportable taxations, to support and maintaine them in their said Rebellion and Force, contrary not only to the ancient known laws of this Kingdom; but also to severall Acts made and consented unto by his Majesty this present Parliament: and multitudes of his Majesties good Protestant subjects have been, and daily are robbed of all their estates, imprisoned, ruined and destroyed by them; Which proceedings of the said persons, doe tend not only to the disturbance of the peace, and tranquility of this Kingdom; but also to the subversion of the fundamentall Government thereof, and of the Protestant Religion therein professed, in case they should receive into their ayd and assistance any considerable number of the Irish Rebells, which is not improbable; It being the ayme (as it is probable) of all the Papists now in armes in this Kingdome, and in the Kingdome of Ireland, to free themselves from the Laws established against them, and the cruell and bloudy outrages committed by them upon the Protestants of both Kingdomes, (in ruining whole Families, consuming by fire whole Townes, and using his Majesties Name for their authority to countenance their treasonable practises) making it evident to all men, that the said Rebellion and civill Warre in both Kingdomes, have sprang from the same Roote, and must needs live and dye together; The said Lords and Commons taking the same into their serious considerations, doe hold it necessary (for the more speedy suppressing of the said Rebellion, and reducing of the said Papists, Delinquents, and ill-affected persons to their due obedience) that the said severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, and the adjacent Counties, be with all convenient speed secured, aswell from insurrection, as forraigne Invasion, being seated on the Irish Coasts.

Lords Lieutenant, Officers, and others in Counties of Denbigh, Montgomery, etc.; And those in Counties of Chester, Salop, and Lancaster; to form an association for mutual defence against Delinquents, Papists, etc.; Their Powers.; To observe commands of Parliament and Lord General.; Persons entering into association to be saved harmless.; Sir T. Middleton to be Serj. Maj. Gen. of all Forces in Denbighshire, Montgomery, etc.; His Powers.

Be it therefore ordayned by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Lord-Lievtenants for the said severall Counties, and all Collonels, Lievtenant-Collonels, SerjeantMajors, Captaines, and other Officers, and all other persons well affected to the Protestant Religion, and the peace of the Kingdome, inhabiting within the said severall Counties, shall, and lawfully may associate themselves together; and likewise enter into mutuall association to, and with the said severall Lord-Lievtenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Collonels, Lievtenant-Collonels, Serjeant-Majors, Captaines, and other Officers, and all other person or persons inhabiting within the severall Counties of Chester, the County of the City of Chester, and the Counties of Salop and Lancaster, and any other adjacent County or Counties, and actually ayde, succour, and assist one another, in the mutuall preservation and defence of themselves, and of the peace of all the said Counties, from all rapine, plundering, and spoyling by the said Delinquents, Papists, and other the said ill-affected persons; And that the said Lord-Lievtenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Collonels, Lievtenant-Collonels, Serjeant Majors, Captaines, and other Officers, shall have power to raise forces of horse and foot, and to lead them into any place, or places, which shall bee fitting and convenient, either within, or out of all, or any of the said severall Counties: And to give battell to: and to fight with all such forces as are, or shall bee raised against the Parliament, and against all other forces raised, or to be raised without authority and consent of both Houses of Parliament; and likewise against all such persons as do or shall make any insurrection, or otherwise plunder or destroy any of his Majesties good Subjects, and them to invade, resist, suppresse, subdue, pursue kill, slay, and put to execution of death, and by all means to destroy, as enemies to this Kingdom: and also to performe all other things needfull for the preservation of the safety and peace of all the said severall Counties, Cities, and parts adjacent; observing from time to time such other directions and commands, as they shall receive from both Houses of Parliament, or from his Excellency the Earle of Essex, Lord Generall; And that all the said persons, and other the Inhabitants of the aforesaid severall Counties, that shall enter into such said Association, by vertue of this present Ordinance, or doe any other act or acts in obedience to, and pursuance of, this or any other Ordinance of the two Houses of Parliament, shall for his, and their so doings, be saved, defended, and kept harmlesse by the power and authority of Parliament. And the said Lords and Commons taking likewise into their serious considerations, aswell the danger this whole Kingdom is likely to fall into, if any of the Irish Rebels, or other forraign Forces should land in any of the aforesaid severall Counties, being Maritine, and bordering on the Irish Seas, and should joyn with the said Delinquents, Papists, and other the said ill-affected persons, now already in arms against the Parliament; as also the necessity of appointing a Commander of the Forces which shall be raised within the severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, or in any of them for the aforesaid service, do Ordain, That the said Earl of Essex, the Lord Generall shall be desired to grant Commission unto Sir Thomas Middleton, Knight; being one of the Members of Parliament, to command in chief as Serjeant Major Generall of all the Forces both of Horse and Foot, raised, or to be raised in all or any of the said severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, or in any of them for the service aforesaid; and to have power to lead, command, and carry the same to such place and places, within the said severall Counties or without, as he shall thinke fit and necessary, for the mutuall defence, assistance, and aid of all the said severall Counties; and for the preservation of the peace of them, or any of them; and likewise to give the same Order and Instructions in his said Excellencies absence, for regulating of the Souldiers, which are or shall be under his Command, as his Excellencie hath given to his Army; and to use Martiall Law to compell obedience thereunto, as occasion shall require; and also to make, nominate, and appoint all other Commanders under him, for the levying raising, conducting, and leading of the said Forces, as he shall from time to time thinke fitting; and to raise Souldiers in all, or any of the said severall Counties for the aforesaid service.

And whereas the Inhabitants of the said severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, are now wholly subjected to the power and Tyrany of the Commissioners of Array, and others of the said Delinquents, by reason whereof, no Commissioners have been named for the putting in execution of any of the Ordinances of Parliament, in any of the said Counties, (the well-affected in those parts being over-awed.)

To appoint Commissioners, etc., for sequestration of Delinquents Estates.; To receive and keep for the public service all Moneys, Horses, etc., so sequestered.; To receive submission of those that surrender.

Bee it therefore further Ordained, That the said Sir Thomas Middleton shall have full power and authority, and is hereby authorised, to name and appoint Commissioners Soliciters, and Agents, for the putting in execution the Ordinance for the seizing and sequestring of the Estates, aswell reall as personall, of certain notorious Delinquents, in the said severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, and every of them; and to require, and take accompt or accompts from time to time, of such said Commissioners, Soliciters, or Agents, of their, and every of their doings and proceedings therein; and to receive into his charge and custody all such summes of Moneys, Horses, Cattell, Plate, Goods, and other things whatsoever which shall bee seized and sequestred, in all, or any of the said last mentioned severall Counties, by vertue of the said Ordinance of Sequestration; and the same to detain and keep for the publique service and imployment of the Parliament and Kingdom, rendring an accompt thereof to the two Houses of Parliament only, or to such persons as they shall appoint; and to receive the submission of such persons inhabiting within the said severall Counties, or any of them, as shall upon due summons come in, and yeeld obedience to the power and authority of the two Houses of Parliament, and willingly aid and assist the said Sir Thomas Middleton in the said service; and to forbeare to put the said Ordinance of sequestration in execution against the said persons, untill the further pleasure of the two Houses of Parliament be signified therein.

Further Powers to to Sir T Middleton.

And be it further ordeyned, that the said Sir Thomas Middleton, shall have full power and authority, and hereby is authorised to impose, and lay such assessments and taxes upon, the said severall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, for the maintenance of the forces according to the severall Ordinances for the levying of money, which shall be raised for the preservation of the peace of the said Counties, and reducing of the said Papists, and Delinquents to their due obediences, to the power and authority of Parliament; and to cause the same by distresse or otherwise, to be levyed upon the Inhabitants of the said Counties accordingly Rendring an accompt thereof to the two Houses of Parliament: and if any person or persons so assessed, or taxed, shall refuse to pay his or their assessment, or convey away his, or their goods, or other personall estate, so as the summes of moneys so assessed or taxed, cannot be levyed according to this Ordinance; Then the said Sir Thomas Middleton shall have power, and is hereby authorised by himselfe, or such other persons as hee shall appoint, to seize, and sequester, the estates, both reall and personall, of all and every such person and persons, as shall so refuse to pay his, or their assessments, or shall convey away, or obscure his, or their personall estates, or any part thereof, as aforesaid: so that the same cannot be found or met with, whereon to make distresse, as being persons ill-affected to the Common-wealth, and refractory, and disobedient to the power and authority of Parliament, and to detaine, and keep the same for the publick service of the Parliament and Kingdom; Rendring an accompt thereof to the two Houses of Parliament.