January 1642/3
[10 January 1642/3.]
Whereas it is found necessary (for the Security and Protection
of the Persons and Estates of the Inhabitants of the County of
Wilts, and Parts adjacent, and for the Common Defence of the
Kingdom from the Rapines and Plunderings of the Enemy,
and for the Prevention of any Meeting, Invasion, or Incursion
of the Enemies Forces at Oxon and in the West) that considerable Strength and Force of Men and Horses should be forthwith
prepared and raised within the said County:
It is therefore Ordered and Ordained, by the Lords and
Commons now assembled in Parliament, That Two Regiments of
Horse, consisting of Four Troops apiece, and One Regiment of
Dragooners, consisting of a Thousand Men, shall forthwith be
raised, within the said County, to be disposed of, within the said
County or elsewhere, in such Manner as the Lord General shall
from Time to Time appoint, or think fit, for the purposes aforesaid, under the Command of such Person or Persons as his
Excellency the Earl of Essex shall nominate and appoint:
And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That, for the Payment of the Regiments and Forces aforesaid (after the Rate
and Proportion of the Parliament's Pay to other Forces of the
like Nature), that no Monies shall be raised in the County of Wilts
(by virtue of this Ordinance) but out of the Estates of Papists,
Delinquents, Bishops, Dean and Chapter, Prebendaries of Sarum,
and other Prebendaries or Pluralists within the County; or out
of the Estates of such as have not contributed unto the Parliament; or have opposed or assisted against the Parliament, or
such as have been solicited to contribute to the Propositions, and
have refused; or such Clergymen or others as have either refused
to observe and obey the Orders and Ordinances of Parliament, or
otherwise have expressed any Disaffection to the Parliament, or
Proceedings thereof.
And it is Ordered and Ordained, That Sir Edward Baynton,
calling to him any Two or more of the Deputy Lieutenants, or
any Two or more of the Committee for Subscriptions, shall have
Power, and is hereby authorized and required, to rate, tax, and
assess, and charge, all or any the Persons aforesaid, their Lands,
Goods, and Tenements, at such Rates and with such Sums of
Money and other Charges, and in such Manner and Proportion,
as they shall think fit, and the Necessity of the Occasion shall
require (using the best Indifferency and Moderation they can),
not exceeding the Twentieth Part of their Personal Estate, or the
Fifth Part of their Yearly Revenue, excepting Papists, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Dears, and Chapters, and such notorious
Delinquents as have taken up Arms against the Parliament, or
have been active in the Commission of Array; and to appoint
such and so many Persons to collect, gather, and levy, all such
Sums or other Charges, so assessed or charged, by such Ways and
Means as by them shall be directed.
And further, the said Sir Edward Baynton shall have Power,
by Virtue of this Ordinance, to receive and take all such Monies,
Plate, and Horse, as are or shall be raised upon the Ordinance of
Subscriptions within that County, to be employed by them in this
Service, upon Accompt.
And, in Case that present and sufficient Sums of Money cannot
be gotten by any of the Means and Ways aforesaid, for Maintenance of the Force aforesaid, that then, if any Person or Persons
shall lend any Sum or Sums of Money for the Advancement of
the present Service, an Acquittance under Sir Edward Baynton's
Hand shall be a sufficient Warrant to such Lenders to require
Payment of the same, with Consideration after the Rate of Eight
per Cent. upon the Public Faith.
And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That Duplicates of
Rolls be made, containing the Names and Surnames of every
Person charged by virtue of this Ordinance, and the Places of
their Abode, together with the particular Sums upon each of them
set and assessed; and that like Duplicates be made of all such
Sums of Money, or other Things, as shall be received, disbursed,
employed, or expended, in this Service, upon a just Accompt to
be made, and allowed by the Commons House of Parliament;
and that, in so doing, the said Sir Edward Baynton, the Deputy
Lieutenants, those of the Committee, and all others employed
by them, and observing their Commands and Directions, or that
join with and assist them in executing any of the Premises, or
that shall willingly submit to perform and pay such Rates and
Monies, and perform such Services, as shall be imposed on and
required of them by virtue of this Ordinance, shall be protected,
defended, and saved harmless, in their Estates, Lands, Goods, and
Persons, by the Authority and Power of Parliament.