May 1644
[13 May, 1644.]
Ordinance for Maintenance of the Forces of the Seven associated Counties of Essex, Suffolk, &c., under the Command of the Earl of Man chester
Whereas the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolke, Essex, Lincolne,
and the other Counties with them associated, out of their loyal
Respect to His Majesty, their pious Disposition to the Peace
and Happiness of this Kingdom, in Obedience to the Orders of
Parliament, have raised and maintained to the Number of Fourteen Thousand Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, or thereabouts, and
with them, within Five Months last past, have done many Services against the common Enemy, tending much to the Safety
of the Kingdom; and intend to raise a far more considerable
Force both of Horse and Foot; and have also brought many
Arms and Ammunition, and must buy more, whereby to furnish
themselves with a Train of Artillery; and have been, and must
be, at great Charges, in maintaining and recruiting the said
Forces, and in keeping several Garrisons, making and erecting
of Fortifications. Magazines, Courts of Guard, and other Things
requisite and necessary for the Defence an Safety of the said
Association against the Incursions of the Enemy; by all which
Means the said Association is become much indebted, and, without the speedy raising of large and considerable Sums of Money,
proportionable to their vast Expences, cannot long subsist in a
Condition to keep themselves from Ruin, and to advance the Public
Safety: It is thereupon Ordained, by the Lords and Commons
in Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, That,
for the Intents and Purposes aforesaid, the several Weekly
Sums of Money hereafter in this Ordinance mentioned shall be
charged, rated, taxed, and levied, upon the several Counties, according to the Proportions herein expressed, the same to be paid
in Weekly to the several Collectors, and by them to the
Treasurer or Treasurers appointed by this Ordinance for the
receiving hereof; that is to say, upon the County of Essex, the
Weekly Sum of One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-seven
Pounds, Ten Shillings; upon the County of Suffolke, the
Weekly Sum of One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy-five
Pounds; upon the County of Norfolke and City of Norwich, the
Weekly Sum of One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy-five
Pounds; upon the County of Hertford, the Weekly Sum of Six
Hundred Seventy-five Pounds; upon the County of Cambridge,
the Weekly Sum of Five Hundred Sixty-two Pounds, Ten
Shillings; upon the County of Lincolne and City of Lincolne,
the Weekly Sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Eighteen
Pounds, Fifteen Shillings; and upon the Isle of Eley, the Weekly
Sum of Two Hundred Twenty-one Pounds, Five Shillings; and
the said Weekly Payments are to begin from the First Day of
May, in the Year of our Lord 1644, and to continue Weekly for
Four Months next ensuing from the said First of May: And be it
further Ordained, That every Person or Persons that were to be
assessed or taxed by any former Ordinance of Parliament shall
be assessed and taxed by this Ordinance, and shall be liable to as
great Forfeitures and Penalties for not paying of the Sum or
Sums to be assessed, as they should have been if the same
had been assessed by virtue of the last Ordinance for the Weekly
Payment for the said Association, made the 20th of September
last; and the several respective Deputy Lieutenants and Committees, named and trusted within the said Association, or any
Part thereof, by the said recited Ordinance, to take Care of the
assessing, collecting, or levying, of any Monies, are named and
intrusted by this Ordinance, and have as full Power and
Authority given them by this Ordinance to nominate and
appoint Collectors and Assessors, and to distrain, fine, imprison,
or sequester, as they or any of them had, by virtue of the said
recited Ordinance, in all or any Part of the said associated
Counties; and the several Collectors shall pay their several Sums
by them collected, at the Place or several Places where the Earl
of Manchester and the Committee for the Association attending
the said Earl shall appoint, to the Treasurer or Treasurers to be
by them named, which Treasurer or Treasurers are to issue out
the Monies received for the Purposes aforementioned, according
to the Warrants or Directions of the said Earl of Manchester.
any of any Two of the said Committees for the said Association
which shall be appointed thereunto by the said Earl, and a full
Committee, consisting of One for every County at least, and of
the Commissary General for the Time being of the said Earl
of Manchester; and that no Monies be issued out without
Order under the Hands of the said Earl, such Two of the
said Committee, and the said Commissary General, nor yet
without the Privity of the whole Committee attending the
said Earl.
And the said Lords and Commons do further Ordain,
That all Monies collected, and not disposed of, or to be
collected, upon the Fifth and Twentieth Part of Mens Estates, or
of the last Three Months Pay, and all the Monies or other Benefit arising by virtue of any Ordinance for the Third Part of Sequestrations, settled upon the Earl of Manchester, shall be paid unto
the Treasurers appointed as aforesaid, and from thence to issue
out again for the Intents and Purposes aforementioned; and the
said Earl and Committee for the said Association have hereby
Power given them, to call all Collectors, Treasurers, or others that
have, or are thought to have, any of the said Monies in their Hands,
to an Accompt, and to cause the said Monies in their Hands to be
paid unto the Treasurers appointed by the former Ordinance; and
if any Collectors, Treasurers, or others, shall refuse to account, or
to pay in the Monies wherewith they are charged, then the said
Earl and Committee shall fine them Double the Sum charged upon
them, which if it be not paid within Six Days after the Sum is set,
and Notice thereof left at his or their Dwelling-House, it shall be
lawful to distrain for the same; and if there be not sufficient
Distress wherewith to satisfy, then the said Earl and Committee
may imprison the Offender herein, and sequester his Estate, until
the Money charged and Fine set be levied and paid.
And it is Ordained, That Six Pence in the Pound shall be
allowed for every Sum of Money which shall be collected and
paid to the said Treasurer, whereof Three Pence shall be for the
Collectors, and Three Pence for the Treasurer; and the said
Treasurer shall keep a Register-book of the several Sums received
and paid out by them, and shall render an Accompt thereof unto
the said Earl and Committee Once every Month at least.
And be it lastly Ordained, That the said Earl, Deputy Lieutenants, Committees, Collectors, Assessors, and every One of them,
and every other Person that shall be aiding and assisting to them,
or any of them, in doing any thing by virtue of this Ordinance,
shall be defended and saved harmless therein by Authority of both
Houses of Parliament.