August 1643
[12 August, 1643.]
Whereas, by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, Five
Hundred Horse are charged upon the County of Essex, to make
up a Body of Horse, with others Counties, for the Preservation,
Peace, and Safety of the People of this Kingdom, and securing
their Persons and Estates from the Rapine and Fury of the
Soldiers, and whereas, by an Order of the Committee for the
Safety of the Kingdom, One Thousand Dragoons are charged
upon the said County, for the Defence of the Kingdom; and that
in Pursuance thereof, the Deputy Lieutenants and Committees
of Parliament of the said County have set an equal Proportion
of the said Thousand Dragoons upon the several Hundreds of the
said County, to be levied according to Ability; and have charged
the same County with the Sum of Thirteen Thousand and Five
Hundred Pounds, for the raising and arming of the said Five Hundred Horse, and for a Month's Pay for them, and also for the arming
of the said Thousand Dragoons, and for a Month's Pay for them,
and that the same Sum of Money shall be rated and levied
after the Manner and Proportion of the Weekly Assessments for
the Payment of my Lord General's Army: It is Ordained, by
the said Lords and Commons, That the said Levy of One Thousand Dragoons, and Charge of Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred
Pounds, set by the said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees
upon the said County of Essex, and the Rates and
Levies made thereupon, according to the Manner and
Proportion of the Weekly Assessments, shall be ratified and
confirmed by the Authority of the said Lords and Commons:
And it is Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That if any
Person which shall be rated towards the raising of the said One
Thousand Dragoons shall refuse or neglect to pay his Rate, the
said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, or any Two or more
of them, shall or may set a reasonable Fine upon the Person so
refusing or neglecting; and the same Fine to levy by Imprisonment of his Body, and Sequestration of his Estate, until the same
shall be fully satisfied: And also it is Ordained, That if any
Person, which shall be assessed as aforesaid, towards the Payment
of the said Sum of Money, shall refuse or neglect to pay his Rate
or Assessment to the Collector appointed, the said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, or any Two or more of them, shall
charge the said Person so refusing or neglecting, with as much
more Money as the said Person shall be rated at; and if the said
Person shall refuse or neglect to pay the said Sum so doubled
upon him, then it shall and may be lawful for the said Deputy
Lieutenants and Committees, or any Two or more of them, to
commit the said Person so refusing or neglecting to Prison, and
also to sequester his Estate, till the same be satisfied: And it is
Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That if any Assessor
or Collector, appointed by the said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, or any Two or more of them, shall be negligent or faulty
in the said Service, the said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, or any Two or more of them, shall and may commit
such Assessor or Collector to Prison, and set such Fine upon
him as they shall think fit, not exceeding the Sum of One
Hundred Pounds, the same to be levied by Distress and Sale of
the Offenders Goods, to the Uses aforesaid: And it is Ordained,
by the said Lords and Commons, That Edward Berkhead, of
Rumford, Esquire, shall be Treasurer, for receiving of the said
Sum of Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred Pounds, and shall not
issue out any of the same but by Warrant from the Deputy
Lieutenants of the said County, or any Two or more of them:
And it is Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That the
Committees of the Weekly Assessment, or any Two or more of
the several Divisions of the said County, shall forthwith certify
to the said Treasurer, under their Hands, a Copy of the Weekly
Assessment of their several Divisions: And it is further
Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That the Captains,
Officers, and Soldiers, of the Trained Bands, Voluntiers, or other
Officers, shall be assistant to the Collector of those Monies, if
Need be: Lastly, it is Ordained, That all those that do any
Thing in the Performance of this Service, or in Execution of
this Ordinance, or the said Ordinance for raising a Body of
Horse as aforesaid, shall be saved harmless and indemnified, by
the Power and Authority of the said Lords and Commons in
Parliament.