Instructions unto [...] appointed by Commission from his Highness the Lord Prote­ctor of the Common-Wealth of England, Scotland and Ire­land, by and with the advice of His Council, to be Commissi­oners for Ordering and Mannaging the Militia of the [...].

1. YOU or any three of you shall immediately, upon receiving of the said Commission and these Instructions, meet in some convenient place in your [...] and so from time to time, as oft as the Service shall require it, for putting in execution these Instructions with effect.

2. You or any three of you, are to inform your selves of all Conspiracies, Practises, and secret Meetings of Papists, or dis-affected persons, and from time to time any of you that are in the Commission of the Peace, are to take Informations and Examinations upon Oath in Writing, as you shall see cause, concerning the matters aforesaid, whether expressed by word or action, spoken, printed, written, published, or done wheresoever, against the Peace and Welfare of the Common-wealth.

3. You or any three of you, are authorized and required to disarm, secure or commit all Papists, or other ill-affected persons, that have of late appeared, or shall declare themselves in their words or actions against the present Government, or shall hold correspondence with Charls Stuart, Son of the late King, or with any other person or Nation, tending to the Disturbance of the publique Peace, or have or shall Minister any supplyes to the said Charls Stuart, or any adhering to him, or a­ny other the Enemies or Rebells of this Common-wealth, or who have or shall raise, or endeavour to raise any Tumults or Insurrections within the same, or be justly suspected to do the same, and also to seize the horses of all such persons for the use of the Common-wealth.

4. You are likewise from time to time to observe what Strangers, or other persons from other places resort to your [...] and to what persons they apply themselves, and you are to inform your selves as near as you can of their business and occasions in those parts, and in case you are not well satisfied with their reasons and accompts given you, you are then to acquaint Us, or Our Council, with the names of such Persons, and to endeavour to secure them in the mean time, and till further Order.

5. Whereas many Arms were raised and provided by Authority of the late Militia, and o­ther occasions, which remain disperced into several places, whereof there may be a dangerous use made, to the disturbance of the Peace of this Common-wealth. For prevention thereof; you are to take special care, that all the Arms, so as aforesaid raised, and all other Arms in your [...] as well Ho [...]e as Foot, whether defensive or offensive, and also all Ammunition, provision [...] of War and Trophies, be secured by putting them into safe places, or leaving them in [...]a [...]e [...]ands, in such a way as you upon the place shall judge to be most for the peace and safety of the Common-wealth. And that Inventories be taken and kept of all the Arms, and other things so taken and secured; or left in the Owners hands, to prevent imbezlement and misconversion of the same, And to the end there may be assurance of having them in readiness for the publick use on all needful occasions.

[Page]6. Whereas by our said Commission you are impowred to raise such Horse and Foot, as shall be necessary for the Peace of your [...] under such Field-Officers or Commanders, as We shall appoint, We have herewith sent to you Commissions for Field-Officers, which you shall cause to be delivered to the several persons therein named respectively. And you or any three of you are hereby impowred and authorized to grant Commissions to such inferiour Officers as shall be recommended to you in that behalf by the said Feild-Officer or Officers, upon your approbation of them respectively.

7. Whereas there is a necessity of suppressing the present Insurrection and Rebellion; wherein no delay can be admitted without apparent hazard to the three Nations, you or any three of you in this exigency, are hereby authorized to charge any person or persons with Horse, and Arms within your County, Riding, Libertie or Precinct, with respect had unto the quantity of his or their Estates, and with respect also to the ease of the peaceable and well-affected people of this Nation, that the charge and burden of these Forces may be laid upon the Malignant and dis-affected party, who have been the Cause of this Insurrection.

8. You or any three of you, are to take Care that such Horse, and Arms as shall be char­ged to be provided as aforesaid, and all such other Horse and Arms, as you shall find fit to make use of for the present service during the time of any Insurrection, Rebellion or Invasion, be put into the hands of such well-affected persons, and fit for War, as any three or more of you shall approve of; Which person and persons, are hereby required to serve in Arms, Horse or Footmen, accordingly. And that such persons be listed, trained and mustered in several Troops and Compa­nies, and formed into Regiments as you shall see cause; and you or any three of you are hereby authorized and required to cause the said Forces to be drawn out and employed for suppressing and resisting the present Rebellion, and all other Invasions, Insurrections, and Rebellions in your said County, Riding or Precinct, and to bring the Authors and Abetters thereof to condign punish­ment. And you are to act and proceed further, as you shall receive Orders from time to time from Us or Our Council.

9. You or any three of you may imprison any Mutineers, disordered persons, or such as shall not do their duty, according to such commands and directions as they shall receive from you in pur­suance of these Instructions.

10. You or any three or more of you shall hereby have power to Fine such persons for not send­ing in or appearing with their Horses and Arms (upon any Rebellion, Invasion or Insurrection) the same not exceeding Twenty pounds for each default. The said Fines respectively to be imployed for the service aforesaid. And likewise to levy or cause to be levyed the same on the Lands and goods of the parties so offending.

11. For the better inabling you to put these Instructions in Execution, you are to require the Sheriff of your County, and all other Officers and Ministers to be assistant unto you; And to keep correspondence with the Commanders of the Forces in pay of this Commonwealth, who are here­by required, if [...]here be cause, and as you shall make your application, to give you assistance for the Execution hereof.