July 1643: An Ordinance Concerning the Militia of the City of London,

July 1643

[29 July, 1643.]

Powers of Committee for Militia of London to enlist fit persons.; Sub-Committees.; How the forces raised are to be employed.

The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, taking into their serious consideration; That according to divers Ordinances of both Houses, the Committee for the Militia of London, and divers others well-affected persons, by approbation of the said Committee, have raised great Forces of Horse and Foot, have made Courts of Guard, Forts and Lines of communication from one fort to another, as well within the said City and Liberties, as without, in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, have caused those forces to be listed, arrayed, weaponed, trained and exercised, and divers of these Courts of Guard, and Forts to be manned and furnished with Ordnance; and have appointed Colonels, Captains, and other officers over them. That the said Committee and well-affected persons are raising more forces of Horse and Foot, and providing more Armes and other necessaries. That the said Forces, Courts of Guard, and Forts have been, and are intended to be constantly imployed for the safeguard of this present Parliament, and of the said City and parts adjacent; whereon our Religion, Lawes, Liberties, and publique safety do so much depend. That the charge of raising and maintaining the said Forces, Courts of Guard, and Forts hath been, and is like to be very great, and hitherto borne chiefly by the said City and well-affected Citizens thereof; That it is necessary to continue this charge till our Religion, Laws, and Liberties be by other meanes secured; That it is most just that all persons inhabiting within the said Forts and lines of Communication, and Parishes adjacent, being in the more safety thereby, should therefore contribute to the said charge, and put their shoulders to the burthen, which will make it be much the more easily undergone. That it will eminently tend to the safety of all the said inhabitants, if all the said Forces raised and to be raised within the Commands of the said Forts and lines of Communication and Parishes adjacent, be subordinate to the command of the Committee of the Militia of London, next under both Houses of Parliament. That for the better carrying on the work, it is necessary some persons be added to the said Committee; That the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Common-council of the said City have petitioned to that purpose. Hereupon the said Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled doe ordaine and declare, and be it ordained and declared, That the said Committee for the Militia of London, shall have full power and authority to cause all and singular his Majesties subjects, inhabiting within the command of the said Forts, or lines of Communication, and Parishes adjacent, mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mortality, that are meet and fit for the Warres, from time to time to be assembled and called together, and to be listed, well and sufficiently arrayed, weaponed, trained, exercised, and put in readinesse in places most fit for that purpose, excepting such as are Peeres, or Members of the House of Commons, or Assistants or attendants to the House of Peeres, and all their meniall servants, and the Students of the severall Innes of Court and Chancery. And for the better execution of this Ordinance, to make as well one or more Sub-committees, consisting of so many persons as they shall think fit; as also Colonels and Captaines, and other officers, and to remove them out of their places, and to make others from time to time, as they shall think fit for that purpose; And to lead, conduct, and imploy the said Forces, arrayed and weaponed, as well for the disarming of all such within the command of the said Forts and lines of Communication, as shall refuse to give obedience to this Ordinance, and for the safe guarding of the said Forts and lines of Communication, as also for the suppression of all rebellions, insurrections, and invasions that may happen within the same, and of Forces raised without authority of Parliament, and to give battail and fight with them and their adherents, and all others that shall approach with any such force towards or against the Parliament, or Cities of London and Westminster, and places adjacent, or shall cause any insurrection within command of the said Forts or lines of Communication, and them to invade, resist, represse, subdue, pursue, kill, and slay, and by all meanes to destroy as ennemies of the Kingdom, and to perform all things else needfull for the preservation of the Parliament and Cities aforesaid, either by water or land: observing from time to time such other directions or commands, as they shall receive from both Houses of Parliament.

Persons inhabiting Forts, Lines; of Communication, etc., to contribute to charges of forces.; Additional Commissioners.; Committee for Militia and others to be saved harmless.

And it is further ordained and declared by the said Lords and Commons, That all persons inhabiting within the command of the said Forts or lines of Communication and Parishes adjacent in the weekly Bill of Mortality, except the persons before excepted, shall contribute towards the said charge in such a reasonable proportion as shall be thought fit by both Houses of Parliament, and that all the Forces raised and to be raised within the said Forts and lines of Communication, and Parishes adjacent, mentioned in the weekly Bill of Mortality, except the persons before excepted, shall be ordered and disposed of from time to time, by the said Committee for the Militia of London, any former Order, Ordinance, or Declaration, or other matter to the contrary hereof, in any wise notwithstanding; And that Isaac Pennington, now Lord Maior. John Kendrick, Alderman; Richard Turner, senior; William Hobson, Theophilus Reyley, Richard Bateman, Edward Cooke, Richard Turner, junior; Robert Tichborne, Tempest Milner, William Antrobus, Thomas Player, senior; and Samuel Harsnet, Citizens of London, shall be added to the said Committee. And it is further ordained and declared, That as the good endeavours of the said Committee for the Militia, and of other well-affected persons aforesaid, are and shall be taken as real testimonies of their good intentions for the common good and safety, and the execution there of a good and acceptable service to the Commonwealth, so the said persons shall be by power of Parliament saved harmlesse, both for what (according to the true meaning of the premises) they have done, and what they or any others shall doe in the execution of this Ordinance from time to come.