April 1648: An Ordinance for the further ascertaining the arrears of the Soldiers upon their Debentures, and securing all those that shall purchase the same.

April, 1648

[22 April, 1648.]

Ords. 24 Dec., 1647, recited.

Whereas by several Ordinances of Parliament of the four and twentieth December last past, for security of the Arrears of the Souldiery, It was and is Ordained and Provided, That the monies arising out of the remaining part of Bishops Lands (after such engagements as are charged thereupon should be first satisfied, shall be imployed for the payment of the Arrears due to the Souldiery that have faithfully served the Parliament, and that two third parts of the Lands of all the Delinquents comprehended in the three first qualifications of the Proposition for Delinquents sent to the King into the Isle of Wight not then pre-disposed of, or the Fines to be set upon those Delinquents should be imployed to the same use. And further by another Ordinance of Parliament of the same date, the sum of six hundred thousand pounds is charged upon the moyety of the Receipts of Excise, in course towards payment of the Arrears of the Army that is to be kept up, and of the supernumeraries then appointed to be disbanded. And by another Ordinance of the same date, That the sum of Six hundred thousand pounds, was, and is charged upon all and every the securities above mentioned, for the uses aforesaid to be in the first place satisfied.

And whereas by several other Ordinances of Parliament of the same date, the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Army, as also Commissioners of the several Counties, are appointed and authorized to state and audit the Accompts and give Debenters for the Arrears of the Souldiery (as well those to be kept up, as those then to be disbanded) And the Registry of such Debenters is appointed to be kept by such person or persons, as the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Army should nominate and appoint; And that for such Debenters as should be thereupon given out, and signed by the said Committee of the Army, and Commissioners, or any three of them, and Registered as aforesaid, the State should be lyable to the payment thereof, and that the same shall be paid and satisfied respectively out of the moneys and securities assigned, or Ordained as aforesaid by the Parliament, or further to be Ordained for those uses, as in and by the said several Ordinances may appear.

How Debentures shall be satisfied.; A List shall be made of all the Souldiery to whom Debenters are due.; As any are satisfiedit shall be entered.; Purchasers of Assignees of Debenters shall receive the money in Course.

Now the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, do hereby further Declare and Ordain, and it is Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that for such Debenters as are or shall be given out, Signed and Registred as aforesaid, according to the said Ordinances, the sums thereby charged (as moneys shall arise out of the said securities, and some into the hands of the Treasurers at War towards the discharge thereof) shall be satisfied and discharged by the said Treasurers upon the Warant of the said Committee for the Army to the several and respective persons to whom the same by the said Debenters is due, or to their respective Assignees in course, according to such order, method, and proportions, as by the said Committee of Lords and Commons for the Army (upon advice with the Lord General concerning the same) shall be prescribed, and set down to the said Treasurers, and the said Committee of Lords and Commons are to take order that a perfect List of all the Souldiery, to whom such Debenters are or shall be given (expressing the sum of Arrears to them severally due) shall be made up and kept in such order and course as they shall be set down and appointed to be paid in as aforesaid, and that the same be kept in a publique and open Registry, and that as any of the said Souldiery shall be satisfied any proportion of their said Arrears, it shall be entred and expressed in the same Registry upon the aforesaid general List, so as any person in the said List, to whom any such Arrears are due, or any other in his behalf, may at any time see and finde in the said Registry, in what Order, Method, or Course, and by what proportions he is to be satisfied, and who was last paid, and when his own turn or course will come, and if any Person to whom any Arrears upon such Debenters are or shall be due, shall sell or assign the same to any other, It is hereby declared, that the Purchasor, or Assignee shall duely receive the moneys thereupon due in the same order and course, and by the same Proportions, as the party himself expressed in the Debenter should or ought to receive the same, and the Acquittance or Acquittances of the party to whom such Debenters shall be assigned as aforesaid, shall be a sufficient discharge for such sum and sums of money they shall receive thereupon from the Treasurers at War according to the intent of this present Ordinance.

No stop of payment in course.

And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, that as to the whole Arrear of any private Souldier, or non-Commissioned Officer, or to any part thereof, or to the first moyety of the Arrears of any Commission Officer due upon such Debenter as aforesaid, there shall not (in relation to any Surcharge expected, and not brought in, and made to appear before the monies become payable according to such course as aforesaid) be any stop or delay made to the payment hereof in course as moneys shall come for the discharge thereof, any thing in any former Ordinance contained to the contrary notwithstanding.