October 1644: An Ordinance for the maintaining of the Forces of the seven Associated Counties under the Command of Edward Earle of Manchester...

October 1644

[2 October, 1644.]

Seven Associated counties to be charged weekly for maintennance of their Forces Rates following.

Whereas the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Lincoln, and other Counties with them Associated, out of their loyall respect to His Majestie, their pious disposition to the peace and happinesse of this Kingdome; in obedience to the Orders of Parliament, have raised and maintained, to the number of Fourteen thousand Horse, Foot, and Dragoones or thereabouts, and with them have done many great services against the common Enemie, tending much to the safety of the Kingdome; And have also bought many Armes and Ammuinition, and must buy more, whereby to furnish themselves with a Traine of Artillerie; and have been, and must be at great charges in maintaining and recruiting the said Forces, and in keeping severall Garrisons, making and erecting of Fortifications, Magazines, Courts of Guards, and other things requisite and necessary for the defence and safety of the said Association, against the incursions of the Enemie: By all which means the said Association is become much indebted, and without the speedy rising of large and considerable sums of Money proportionable to their vast expences, cannot long subsist in a condition to keep themselves from ruine, and to advance the publique safety. It is thereupon Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and by authority of the same, That for the intents and purposes aforesaid, the severall weekly sums of Money hereafter in this Ordinance mentioned, shall be charged, rated, taxed and leavied upon the severall Counties, according to the proportions herein expressed; The same to be paid in weekly to the severall Collectors, and by them to the Treasurer or Treasurers appointed by this Ordinance for the receiving hereof. That is to say.

Upon the County of Essex, the weekly sum of one thousand six hundred eighty seven pounds ten shillings.

Upon the County of Suffolke, the weekly sum of one thousand eight hundred seventy five pounds.

Upon the County of Norfolke and City of Norwich, the weekly summe of one thousand eight hundred seventy five pounds.

Upon the County of Hertford, the weekly sum of sixe hundred seventy five pounds.

Upon the County of Cambridge, the weekly sum of five hundred sixty two pounds ten shillings.

Upon the County of Huntington, the weekly sum of three hundred and thirty pounds.

Upon the County of Lincolne and City of Lincolne, the weekly sum of one thousand two hundred eighteen pounds fifteene shillings.

Payments to begin Sept., 1644, and continue 4 months

Upon the Isle of Ely, the weekly sum of two hundred twenty one pounds five shillings.

And the said weekly Payments are to begin from the first day of September, in the yeare of our Lord 1644, and so to continue weekly for foure moneths next ensuing from the said first of September.

Persons assessed by former Ord. to be assessed by his and able to same penalties for non-payment.; Deputy-Lieutenant and Committees entrusted with execution of Ord Their Powers.

And be it further Ordained, that every person or persons that were to be assessed or taxed by any former Ordinance of Parliament, shall be assessed or taxed by this Ordinance, and shall be liable to as great forefeitures and penalties for not paying of the sum or sums to be assessed, as they should have been, if the same had been assessed by vertue of the last Ordinance for the weekly payment for the said Association, made the 20, of September last: And the severall respective Deputy-Liev tenants and Committees named and trusted within the said Association or any part thereof, by the said recited Ordinance, to take care for the Assessing, Collecting, or Leavying of any Moneys, are named and trusted by this Ordinance, and have as full power and authority given by this Ordinance, to nominate and appoint Collectors and Assessors, and to distraine, fine, and imprison, or sequester, as they or any of them had by vertue of the said recited Ordinance, in all or any part of the said Associated Counties.

Moneys ho[w] to be paid and issued.

And the severall Collectors shall pay the severall sums by them collected, at the place or severall places where the Earle of Manchester, and the Committee for the Association attending the said Earle shall appoint, to the Treasurer or Treasurers, to be by them named; which Treasurer or Treasurers are to issue out the Moneys received for the purposes aforementioned, according to the Warrants or directions of the said Earle of Manchester, and of any two of the said Committees for the said Association, which shall be appointed thereunto by the said Earle, and a full Committee consisting of one for every Countie at the least, and of the Commissary Generall for the time being of the said Earle of Manchester; And that no Moneys be issued out without order under the hand of the said Earle, such two of the said Committees, and the said Commissary Generall, nor yet without the privitie of the whole Committee attending the said Earle.

Surplus Moneys to be paid to Treasurers; Lord Manchester and Committee to call Collectors etc., to account.

And the said Lords and Commons do further Ordain, that all Moneys collected and not disposed of or to be collected upon the fifth and twentieth part of mens estates, or of the last foure moneths pay, and all the Moneys or other benefit arising by vertue of any Ordinance for the third part of the Sequestration setled upon the Earle of Manchester, shall be paid unto the Treasurers appointed as aforesaid, and from thence to issue out again for the intents and purposes aforementioned; and the said Earle and Committee for the said Association have thereby power given them to call all Collectors, Treasurers, or others that have, or are thought to have any of the said moneys in their hands, to an accompt, and to cause the said Money in their hands to be paid unto the Treasurers appointed by the former Ordinances.

Penalty for Collectors, etc., that refuse to pay in or account.

And if any Collectors, Treasurers, or others shall refuse to accompt, or to pay in the Moneys wherewith they are charged: then the said Earle and Committee shall fine them double the summe charged upon them, which if it be not paid within six dayes after the sum is set, and notice thereof left at his or their dwelling house: it shall be lawfull to distrein for the same: and if there be not sufficient distresse wherewith to satisfie, then the said Earle and Committee may imprison the offender herein; and sequester his estate, untill the money charged and fine set, be leavied and paid.

Allowance; Register-Book.

And it is further Ordained, that foure pence in the pound shall be alowed for every sum of money which shall be Collected, and paid to the said Treasurer, whereof two pence shall be for the Collectors, and two pence for the Treasurer: And the said Treasurer shall keep a Register book, of the severall sums received and paid by them, and shall tender an account thereof, unto the said Earle and Committee, once every moneth at least.

Three Commissioners to reside in the Army.; Earl of Manchester to admit them to his Counsel and arm them with Powers to prevent misdemeanours.

And be it further Ordained, that three Commissioners hereafter to be nominated and appointed, to reside in the Army, shall take speciall care that they keep constant correspondency with the two Houses of Parliament, and with the Committee of the Members of the House of Commons, appointed for the Associated Counties; and that they take such course that no Commander or Officer shall receive any pay, but such as duely attend their charge: And it is desired, that the said Earle of Manchester doe admit to his Counsell for the purposes aforesaid, the said Commissioners residing in his Army, to advise with them, and arme them with power to view and examine the Musters of the said Army; and to take such course as shall be thought most fit for the preventing of dead payments, false Musters, free quartering without warrants, Plundering, Seizing of Horses or Armes, or for the avoyding of any other misdemeanor which may turn to the prejudice of the Common-wealth. And that the said Commissioners, shall once in a moneth, certifie the state of the Army, and give an accompt of their proceedings unto the Parliament, or to the aforesaid Committee, for the Associated Counties, and likewise certifie what further instructions shall be agreed upon by the Counsell of Warre, touching the same, and the aforesaid Commissioners shall be nominated and appointed, by the Committee for the Associated Counties sitting at Cambridge, or the Major part of them out of their own number.

And be it lastly Ordained, that the said Earle, Deputy-Lievtenants, Committees, Collectors, Assessors, and every one of them, and every other person, that shall be ayding and assisting to them, or any of them, in doing any thing by vertue of this Ordinance, shall be defended and saved harmlesse therein by authority of both Houses of Parliament.