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, 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, 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 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, 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.