January 1642/3
[14 January, 1642/3.]
The Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled being
certainly informed that Papists and other wicked and ill-affected
persons have traitorously combined together, and entered into
association, and have raised and daily doe raise great Forces both
of Horse and Foot, in severall Counties of this Kingdome, and have
plundered, spoiled, and destroyed multitudes of His Majesties
good Subjects, and if not timely prevented, will utterly subvert
and destroy the true Protestant Religion, which is their chiefe
designe, the laws of the Land, the privileges of Parliament, and
the liberty of the Subject.
Association of Counties of Northampton, Leicester, etc., for mutual defence.; Money to be raised in said Counties by Assessment.; Treasurers, Collectors, etc., to be appointed by Committee.; Sums assessed to be levied by distress on such as refuse to pay.
The said Lords and Commons having formerly declared, that
they held it fit, and necessary for the Counties of Northampton,
Leicester, Derby, Rutland, Nottingham, Huntingdon, Bedford,
and Buckingham to associate for the mutual defence in pursuance
of the same, and for the better preventing of the spoyling and
plundering of the said Counties, and the parts adjacent, and to
have further means for the furnishing of Armes and Ammunition,
making of Fortification, and payment of the Garrisons, Officers
and Souldiers, and other publique necessary charges, that there
be forthwith raysed in the said severall Counties respectively, and
in the Corporations, Constabularies, and Parishes thereof, such
sums of money as shall necessarily be disbursed and dispended
for the uses aforesaid; the same sum to be rated and assessed in
like sort, as was the 400,000l. granted by Act this present
Parliament, wherein the persons who have not subscribed to the
Parliaments late Propositions shall be assessed; and their
Assessments levied in such sort, as by the Ordinance late made
for the City of London, and the parts adjacent, such like persons
are to be assessed, and their assessments levied. And for the
better levying of the said sums of money, the said Committee
named in the Ordinance of Association of the said Counties
respectively, or any three or more of them, shall or may assesse
and taxe, or cause to be assessed or taxed the said sums upon the
said severall Counties, and the Corporations, Townes, Constablaries, And Parishes within the same, in like manner as is
aforesaid; and that they or any three or more of them, nominate
and appoint Treasurers, Collectors, and Assessors in every the
said Counties, for assessing, receiving and collecting the said
sums of money, and shal and may grant warrants under their
hands and Seales, in writing to any Constable or other Officer
whatsoever, to raise and levy the said summes so to be assessed
and taxed as aforesaid, upon all such persons upon whom any
such sums shall be so assessed and set, that do refuse or
neglect to pay the same: It shall and may be lawfull to and for
the said Assessors, or any other person to whom Warrants by the
Committees respectively shall be granted, to levie the said sums
so assessed by way of distresse and sale of the goods of the
persons so assessed and refusing. And if any person so
distrained shall make resistance, it shall and may be lawfull to
and for the respective Committees to send any of the Trained
bands or other Souldiers of the respective Counties aforesaid, to
compell the said parties so refusing to Obedience of this
Ordinance. And in case no distresse is or may be found, then
the respective Committees aforesaid, or any three or more of
them shall or may commit such person and persons refusing to
pay as aforesaid, to some common Gaole, there to remain until
payment made of such sum and sums aforesaid. For which
sums of money so rated and levied, and expended as aforesaid,
the said Committees shall be accomptable to both Houses of
Parliament, and to none else.