HAving by our Proclamations at large set forth the occasions and necessity of disposing and orde­ring the Militia of this Kingdom, and concerning the legality of our proceedings therein, wee have in pursuance of that legall power and for the necessary defence of Vs, our Kingdoms, and your Country au­thorized, you our Commissioners, or any three or more of you by our Commission of Array, to Array and train all the inhabitants in your County (as wel within Liberty as without) which are of body able, [Page 2]and estate competent to beare armes, every one of them according to their estates and faculties, and to assesse and distraine such as are able in goods and lands, (and beare no arms) to finde armes for other men in a proportion sutable to their estates (so that such persons as are so arrayed for the defence of the Kingdome, take no wages nor costs, so long as they stay at home) and to dispose of the persons so array­ed into Regiments, Companies, or other Divisions as shall be convenient. We have also assigned you or any three or more of you, whereof you Spencer Earle of Northampton, or you Francis Lord Dunsmore, to be one, to command or enjoyn our subjects so arrayed, as well to the Sea Coasts as other places, for expul­sion, suppression & dest [...]uction of our enemies from time to time when need shall require. We have also assigned you or any three or more of you from time to time, to take view and musters of our said men, and to proclaime, order, and examine, that all our men so arrayed appeare in such Musters with their own arms (not other mens) under pain of lo­sing them, except only such as are to be arrayed at the cost of other men, as aforesaid.

And you are hereby authorized to arrest and at­tach all such persons as rebell or make opposition, [Page 3]and commit them to our prisons, there to remayne till they be thence delivered according to law (requi­ring you strictly upon your allegiance, that forth­with upon the receit hereof, you cause your selves to be well and securely prepared and armed, and call before you at such days and places as shall be expe­dient, all such persons, by whom such array and de­fence is to be prepared, and so that they be compe­tently provided, arrayed, and armed, and that they continue in such array, and also to provide and place Beacons in usuall and convenient places, whereby our good people may receive timely notice of all in­vasions and commotions, so that for defect of such defence, array, or conduct, by your negligence, da­mage accrew not to our people in any sort.

And wee have likewise given strict charge and command to all Earls, Barons, Majors, Bayliffs, Constables, and all other Officers of the Peace, and all our liege people, that in all and singular the pre­mises they aid and assist you. And to our Sheriff of our County, to whom you are to direct your War­rants, that he issue Warrants to the Constables to as­semble our people at such days and places as you or any three of you shall ordain and appoint, and to keep and detaine in prison such persons, as shall be committed for their rebellion or contempt herein [Page 4](as more at large by the Commission appeareth.)

And being unwilling in our Princely care for our people, to bring any increase of charge upon them, we hope for the present it will be sufficient, that you only summon and traine the ancient and free-hold bands of the County (and your number be supplied with sufficient and able persons) taking speciall care that they be well arrayed, and under conduct of such persons as are persons of quality, having considera­ble estates and interests in the County, and not strangers, unlesse you finde it shall be well pleasing to our people, and for the necessary defence of the Country to make any augmentation of their arms.

And you are to take notice that Recusants being disabled in law to beare arms, are to be assessed to contribute to find arms for other men, and if their tenants that are Protestants beare arms, you are to receive them. For the better knowledge of your par­ticular duties herein, you are all to take Copies of these instructions, and to take transcripts of our said Commission, the originall to remayne with one of those of the Quorum, and of your proceedings here­in we expect speedy and plenary accompt.