WHereas the Lords and Commons now Assembled in Parliament, doe finde by continuall experience, That very great quantities of Ordnance, Armes, and o­ther Warlike Ammunition, and many Commanders and Souldiers have bin brought into New­castle, and other parts of this Kingdom from forreign parts, and especially from the Low countries (notwith­standing the prohibition given by the States of the U­nited Provinces to that effect) to be imployed against the Parliament, and their Adherents, the wel-affected persons of this Realm,

And wheras divers of his Majesties wel-affected Subjects out of their Loyall respect to His Majesty, their pious disposition to the peace & happinesse of this Kingdom, and as much as in them lyeth to prevent and hinder all such supplies as shall be sent from any forreign parts, to the prejudice of this Nation, have lately made known to the said Lords and Commons their voluntary dis­position and readinesse to set forth some Ships and Pin­naces warlikely appointed, equipped, manned, and victualled, at their owne proper cost and charges, so that in recompence of their charge and adventure therein, [Page 2]they may have and enjoy to their own uses al such Ships, Munition, Goods, Moneys, and Merchandizes which they shall take and surprize by Sea or by Land, intended or designed against the Parliament and their Adherents, the wel-affected perfons of this Kingdome, as aforesaid, or that have carried, or they shall take carrying any the said supplies to the intents aforesaid, Which being well approved by the Lords and Commons in Parliament as a good and acceptable service, they doe commend the same for a pious and laudable undertaking, and are wil­ling to give it all the encouragement and advancement that may be, to bring it to a good & successeful issue, as tending very much to the honour of the King, and the welfare of this Nation; And therefore for the better en­abling the performance of this so free and commenda­ble undertaking and enterprize, It is Ordered, establish­ed, and Ordained by the Lords and Commons Assem­bled in this present Parliament, and by the authority of the same; That it shall and may be lawfull for any of his Majesties good and loyall Subjects of this Kingdom of England (to be approved and therto appointed by the Commissioners of the Admiralty established by the Parliament) in warlike manner to equippe and furnish for the said intended imployment, such and so many Ships and other Vessels as they shall thinke fitting, and to place in them competent numbers of Souldiers, Ma­riners, and Gunners, with necessary Armes and Provisi­ons for that service, and to appoint over them such Commanders, Captaines, and Officers as they shall think fit; and the same Ships and Vessels so manned, e­quipped, armed, and provided to set forth to the Sea, and with the same to seize, surprize, and take all, and all manner of Ships and Vessels with the Ordnance, Ammu­nition, [Page 3]Goods, Commanders, and Souldiers therein, that they shall finde or understand are sent, or are come to any parts of this Kingdome, to the prejudice thereof, as aforesaid; and further to surprize and take all and all manner of Pirats and Sea-rovers of what Nation soe­ver, and their Ships and goods whatsoever; And for the better encouragement of all such Adventurers in the said enterprize, It is by the Lords and Commons like­wise Ordered and Ordained, That the said adventurers shall have and enjoy as their proper goods, all Ships, Goods, Moneyes, Plate, Armes, Ammunition, Victu­als, Pillage and Spoyle which shall be seized, or taken by any persons by them to be imployed by force and ver­tue of this Ordinance, which by definitive sentence to be given in his Majesties high Court of his Admiralty, shall be pronounced at the time of the taking or seizing thereof, to have bin sent, designed, or intended to come into this Kingdome against the Parliament, and all wel­affected persons their Adherents in this Nation, or to have belonged to any Pirats or Sea-Rovers whatsoever: and the same to have and enjoy to their owne use, with­out any account whatsoever thereof to be made; Onely reserving the Tenths accustomed in such cases to be paid to the Admirall. And it is further Ordered and Ordai­ned, That there shall be true and faithfull Inventories ta­ken of the Ships, Ammunition, Moneyes, Goods, Plate, Pillage and Spoile which shall be taken by vertue and authority of this present Ordinance, and a true Ap­praysement made of the same, and the same together with all papers and writings found in any Ship, or other Vessell by them to be taken, shall be carefully pre­served, and two or three of the Officers of every Ship, or other Vessell so taken, shall be exami­ned [Page 4]before the chiefe Officer of the next Port of Eng­land, and the said Examinations with the said Papers, Inventories, and Appraisements, shall be sent into the Registrie of the high Court of Admiraltie aforesaid; to the end, that the taking of the said Ships may thereby be justified, or restitution by the said Adventurers (if there shall be just cause) there made. And more particu­larly, it is hereby Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons aforesaid, and they doe by vertue of this Ordinance, give unto the persons to be set forth to the Seas as aforesaid, and to every of them, power, authoritie, and warrant, That if they shall happen upon the Seas, or in any Port, Harbour, or Creeke, to meet with any Ship or Ships that shall not willingly yeeld them­selves to be visited, and proved by Law and Justice, but will defend themselves by force and violence, then they shall by all meanes possible, and with all force compell them to yeeld, and submit themselves to reason and Ju­stice; although it doe fall out, that by fighting with them one or more be maimed, hurt, or slaine in the resi­stance.

And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That the Owners, Captaines, Masters, and two or three other of the principall Officers of every of the Ships and Pinna­ces, so to be set forth upon the said enterprize, shall be­fore their going to Sea, enter into a Bond in the High Court of Admiraltie, in the summe of two thousand pounds, to the use of the Kings Majestie; That the said Ships or Pinnaces respectively, nor their Captaines, Masters, nor any of their companie, under colour or pretence of this Ordinance, shall Rob, Spoyle, or In­dammage any of the Kings Subjects, Friends, or Allies, other then such particular persons of His Majesties Sub­jects, [Page 5]Friends, or Allies, as shall be found to have carri­ed, or shall be found carrying Ordnance, Armes, Am­munition, &c. to the prejudice of Parliament as afore­said, or shall have committed Pyracie, and that true In­ventories and Appraisements shall be taken of the Ships and Goods, before the same shall be vended or disposed; And the same, together with the Papers found aboard any such Ship, and the examinations of the chiefe Offi­cers of the same Ships as is before declared, returned into the Registry of the High Court of Admiraltie aforesaid.

And lastly, it is hereby further Ordered and Ordained, That this Ordinance nor any benefit thereby, shall ex­tend to the setters forth of any Ship or other Vessell, upon the enterprize aforesaid, where Bonds shall not be given as is before expressed, and a Certificate under the Admiraltie Seale, obtained of the putting in of such caution.

Ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parlia­ment, that this Ordinance shall be Printed and published.