CHARLS by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, De­fender of the Faith, &c. To Our Right trusty, and Right welbeloved Cousin and Councellor, William Marquesse of Hertford, Greeting.

Whereas there are now at and neer the City of Lon­don, great Forces levying, and Monies raising by way of Contribution and otherwise, towards the charge of the raising, and maintaining an Army or Forces, by Order of Our two Houses of Parliament, not onely without Our Consent, but contrary to Our severall expresse Commands, published by severall Proclamations, Let­ters, and otherwise; and the same Forces are actually in so much forwardnesse, as that there are divers Horsmen daily Exercised, and Trained in places about Our said City of London, and great numbers of Foot raising, and a Generall, and other principall Officers declared; We have found it necessary to raise and levie Forces for the defence of the Protestant Religion, Our Person, the two Houses of Parliament, the Laws of the Land, the Li­berty and Property of the Subject, and Priviledges of Parliament. And for the speciall trust and confidence We have and do repose in your approved Wisdom, [Page 4] Fidelity, Valour, and great Ability, Do name, assign, constitute & ordain you the said William Marq: of Hert­ford, to be Our Lieutenant Generall of all such For­ces, as by vertue of this Our Commission shall be levied and raised, or by vertue of this Our Commission shall be brought unto you within all or any Our Counties of Devon, Cornwall, Sommerset, Dorser, Southampton, Glou­cester, Berks, Oxon, Hereford, Monmouth, Radnor, Breck­nock, Glamorgan, Carmarthen, Pembroke, Cardigan, and in Our Cities of Exeter, Bristoll, Gloucester and Oxford, and the Counties of the same; And likewise in Our Ci­ties of Bath and Wells, New Salisbury and Hereford, and also in Our Towns of Pool, Southampton and Haverford­west, and the Counties of the same Towns. And there­fore We do give you full Power and Authority, in case of any Invasion, Insurrection and Rebellion, or any of them; and for the suppression or prevention of acting, or further executing the same, to raise and levie Forces, as­well of Our Trained-B [...]nds as others, within all or any of the said Counties and places, aswell within Liberties as without, meet and apt for the Wars: And likewise to command and enjoyn the Commissioners of Our Commissions of Array, and Sheriffs of Our said seve­rall Counties, and all Our Lieutenants, which are or shall be of or for Our said severall Counties, and every or any of them respectively from time to time, accord­ing to such direction as you shall receive from Us, or as you in your good discretion for the purposes afore­said shall think fit to send, or cause to be sent unto you such numbers of Our said Subjects, apt and meet for the Wars, Armed and Arrayed as aforesaid, to such place or places, and at such times as shall be directed by Us, or [Page 5] as you by your wisdom and good discretion for Our said services shall require, or from Our said Commis­sioners, Sheriffs or Lieutenants, to be sent, brought or conducted unto you. And We do further by these pre­sents give you full power and authority to try, Array, and put in readinesse the persons so by you to be raised, levied, or assembled, sent, conducted, or brought unto you and them also, and every of them after their abi­lities, degrees and faculties, well and sufficiently to cause to be armed and weaponed, and to take the Musters of them from time to time in places most meet for that purpose after your good discretion: And also the same Our Subjects so Arrayed, tryed and armed, aswell men of Arms as other Horsmen, Archers and Footmen of all kindes of degrees meet and apt for the Wars, to con­duct and lead, aswell against all and singular Enemies, Rebels and Traytors, and every of their Adherents, at­tempting any thing against Us, Our Crown and Digni­tie, in any of the said Counties or places, from time to time as occasion shall require: And the said Enemies, Traytors and Rebels to invade, represse, and in case of opposition or resistance, to slay kill, and put to execu­tion of death, by all wayes or means, according to your go [...] discretion; And to do, fulfill and execute all and singul [...]r other things which shall be requisite for the le­vying, conducting and government of the said Forces for the conservation of Our said Realms and Subjects in peace: And also We give you full power and au­thority t [...] [...] constitute, and ordain Laws, Ordinan­ces and [...]ions from time to time, as the case shall re [...] [...] the good government and order of all the Force [...] [...] shall be under your command, and the [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] same and every of them to cause to be duly proclaimed and performed, and executed against the said Enemies, Traytors & Rebels, and every of them, their and every of their Adherents; And of such offenders apprehended, or being brought into subjection, to save whom you shall think good to be saved. And Our further will and plea­sure is, and We do by these presents give unto you full power and authority, in case any Invasion of Enemies, Insurrections or Rebellions shall happen to be moved in any place in this Our Realm, within or without the limits of this Our Cōmission, that then (as often as need shall require, by your good discretion, or as you shall be directed by Us by any speciall commandment) you, with such power to be levied within the limits of this Our Commission as you shall think requisite, or as shall be directed from Us as is aforesaid, shall with all dilli­gence repair to the place or places where any such Inva­sion, Rebellion or Insurrection shall be made, to subdue, represse and reform the same, aswell by Battell or other kinde of force as otherwise, according to the Laws of this Our Realm, and according to your good discretion. And our further will and plersure is, & We do by these presents give unto you full power and authority, in case any Invasion of Enemies, Insurrections or Rebellions shall happen to be moved in any of the said Counties or places, That then, and as often as you shall perceive any such offences or occasions to grow or arise, you with all the power you can make, shall with all dilligence re­pair to the place where any such Invasion, Insurrection or Rebellion shall happen to be made, and to subdue, re­presse and reform the same, and every of them. And We do give full power and authority to you, for the [Page 7] execution of this Commission, to appoint and assigne [...]ll Commanders and Officers necessary and requisite for government & cōmand of Our Army. And further also, That in case you shall in your discretion think fit to di­vide or dispose the said Forces by land or by sea, into se­verall parts, that then you may as often as occasion shall [...]e, divide & dispose the same for the purposes aforesaid, [...]nto such parts and places at your pleasure, and appoint [...]uch Commanders over such parts of the said Forces, as in your discretion you shall think meet: And We do further give and grant unto you full power and au­thority for Us & in Our name (as occasion shal require, according to your discretion) by publike Proclamati­ons to make tender of Our Royall Grace and Pardon to all such Traytors and Rebels (if any shall be) as shall submit to Us, and desire to be received to Our Mercie; And for the better execution of this Our service, We do further give and grant to you full power and autho­rity (as occasion shall require) whensoever you shall (according to the intent of these Our Letters Patents) have an Army, or Forces under your command, in Our absence to command all Our Forts & Castles now forti­fied, or hereafter to be fortified, in or neer the parts or places where the said Army shall be, and to remove, dis­place or continue the Captains, Lieutenants, Comman­ders and Souldiers, as you shall think meet, for the good and safety of this Our Kingdom.

Wherefore We will and Command you Our said Lieutenant Generall, with all dilligence duly to Exe­cute the Premisses with effect; And whatsoever you shall do by vertue of this Our Commission, and accord­ing to the tenour and effect of the same, touching the [Page 8] Execution of the Premisses, or any part thereof, you shall be for the same by these presents discharged in that behalf against Us, Our Heirs and Successours. And further, We will and command all and singular Our Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, Officers of Our Ordnance, Justices of Peace, M [...] Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and [...] Our Officers, Ministers and Subjects, meet and [...]pt [...]o [...] the Wars within the said Counties and pl [...]ces, to whom it shall appertain, that they [...]n [...] [...]very of them from time to time shall be atten [...]ant, [...]iding, assist [...]nt and helping to you, and at the commandment of you as aforesaid in the Execution hereof, as they and every of them tender Our pleasure, and will answer for the con­trary at their utmost perils. Neverthelesse Our will and pleasure is, That you the said William Marquesse of Hertford, in the Execution of this Our Commission, shall from time to time proceed according to such pri­vate Instructions as are or shall be delivered unto you under Our Signe manuall.

In Witnesse whereof, We have made these Our Let­ters to be made Patents, and to have continuance during Our pleasure.