William III, 1698: An Act for granting an Aid to His Majesty for disbanding the Army and other necessary Occasions. [Chapter I. Rot. Parl. 10 Gul. III. p. 1. n.1.]

On or before the 26th March 1699 the Army to be disbanded as herein mentioned; Exception.

Be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That the Army and all the respective Regiments Troops Companies Officers and Souldiers of the said Army within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Towne of Berwick upon Tweed shall on or before the Six and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety nine be disbanded except such Regiments Troops and Companies consisting only of His Majesties naturall born Subjects not exceeding Seaven thousand Persons Commission and Non commission Officers included as before the First Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety eight shall be particularly expressed in and by His Majesties Royall Proclamation under the Great Seale of England in which Proclamation the particular Number only of each Regiment Troope and Company shall be expressed.

II. The said Army disbanded.

And be it further enacted and declared That immediately from and after the said Six and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety nine the said Army Regiments Troops and Companies (except as before is excepted) is and are hereby actually disbanded.

III. Regiments, &c. in Ireland, not being natural born Subjects, disbanded.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That immediately from and after the said Six and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety nine all the Regiments Troops and Companies Officers and Souldiers within the Kingdom of Ireland not being His Majesties naturall born Subjects be and are hereby enacted and declared to be actually disbanded.

IV. The like as to other Regiments, except as to 12,000 Soldiers natural born Subjects expressed in Proclamation.

And be it further enacted That all other the Army Regiments Troops Companies Officers and Souldiers within the said Kingdom of Ireland shall on or before the First Day of May One thousand six hundred ninety nine be disbanded except such Regiments Troops and Companies consisting only of His Majesties naturall born Subjects not exceeding Twelve thousand Persons Commission and Non commission Officers included as before the Tenth Day of Aprill One thousand six hundred ninety nine shall be particularly expressed in and by His Majesties Royall Proclamation under the Great Seale of Ireland in which Proclamation the particular Number only of each Regiment Troop and Company shall be expressed

V. The said Army disbanded.

And be it further enacted and declared That immediately from and after the said First Day of May One thousand six hundred ninety nine the said Army Regiments Troops and Companies in Ireland (except as before is excepted) is and are hereby actually disbanded.

VI. Forces in Ireland not disbanded, maintained at the Charge of Ireland.

And be it further enacted and declared That all such Forces within the said Kingdom of Ireland not hereby directed to be disbanded which shall be maintained within that Kingdom shall be maintained at the sole Charge of the said Kingdom of Ireland

VII. Disbanded Officers exercising Authority, and Persons aiding the keeping together of disbanded Regiments,; Premunire, and disabled to sue.

And be it further enacted That all and every Commission Officer and Officers who shall exercize any Power or Authority over the Souldiers in their respective Regiments Troops or Companies after such Officer or Officers shall be disbanded and every Person or Persons that shall wittingly and willingly advise frame contrive countersigne or putt in Execution any Proclamation Commission Act Order or Command whatsoever for continueing together any of the said Regiments Troops or Companies or parts of Regiments Troops or Companies after they shall be disbanded as aforesaid he or they soe offending shall incurr and sustaine the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures limitted ordained and provided in and by the Statute of Provision and Premunire made in the Sixteenth Yeare of King Richard the Second and being thereof lawfully convicted shall from thenceforth be disabled during his Life to sue or implead any Person in any Action reall or personall in his owne Right or to make any Guift Grant Conveyance or other Disposition of any his Lands Tenements Goods or Chattells which he hath to his owne Use either by Act executed in his life time or by his last Will or otherwise or to take any Guift Conveyance or Legacy to his own use And none of the said Souldiers or Non commissioned Officers disbanded as aforesaid shall after the space of Two Daies after such disbanding continue together above Ten in a Company.

VIII.

Loan for £800,000; Interest at £7 per Cent. per Ann; Repayment out of First Supplies of the present Session

And for the Payment of the severall Regiments Troops and Companies in England hereby declared and appointed to be disbanded and for supplying other necessary Occasions of the Kingdom and alsoe for the Payment of the Arreares due to the Forces in Ireland hereby appointed to be disbanded during their Continuance upon the English Establishment Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull to and for any Person or Persons Natives or Forreigners Bodies Politick or Corporate to advance and lend to His Majesty at the Receipt of His Majesties Exchequer any Sum or Sums of Money not exceeding the Sum of Eight hundred thousand Pounds which Sum and Sums soe to be advanced and lent shall and may be charged upon the Creditt of His Majesties Exchequer in Generall and Tallies of Loane and Orders for Repayment of the same shall be levied accordingly of which said Sum of Eight hundred thousand Pounds soe much shall in the first place be applyed for the paying off and disbanding the Regiments Troops and Companies within this Kingdom hereby enacted to be disbanded as shall be sufficient for that Service and the Overplus shall be afterwards applyed for other necessary Occasions of the Kingdom And all and every Sum and Sums of Money soe to be advanced and lent not exceeding the said Sum of Eight hundred thousand Pounds together with Interest for the same not exceeding the Rate of Seaven Pounds per Centum per Annum to be paid every Three Months untill Satisfaction of the Principall shall be payable and be paid or satisfied in course according to the Daies or Times of lending the same unto the respective Lender or Lenders of the same his her or their Executors Administrators Successors or Assignes out of the first Aids or Supplies granted or to be granted to His Majesty in this present Session of Parliament and shall immediately be transferred unto such Aid or Supply Any thing in this present Act or any other Acts or Acts of Parliament contained to the contrary notwishstanding.

IX. Naturalized Persons not considered as natural-born Subjects, for the Purposes of this Act.

Provided alwaies and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Alien who hath been or at any time shall be naturalized within the Kingdom of Ireland by virtue of any Act of Parliament made or to be made within that Kingdom or by reason of any Act or Thing done or to be done in pursuance thereof shall be adjudged or reputed to be His Majesties naturall born Subject within the meaning of this Act nor shall any such Person soe naturalized or to be naturalized be capable of being continued within any Regiment Troop or Company which shall be excepted by either of His Majesties said Proclamations.

X. Proviso for disbanded Troops. already embarked.

Provided alwaies and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That in case any Regiments Troops or Companies or parts of Regiments Troops or Companies which are to be disbanded or discharged from His Majesties Service by virtue of this Act shall be embarked or ready to be embarked to be transported beyond the Seas and shall be hindred by contrary winds or weather beyond the said Six and twentieth Day of March no Person or Persons shall incurr the said Pains and Penalties by this Act ordained for such their Continuance together during such hindrance as aforesaid Any thing herein to the contrary notwithstanding.