FOrsameikle as the Lords of His Majesties privie Councell of this Kingdome, having, according to th [...] offer made in Parliament, and particular Treaty agreed upon with His Majesty and the Parliament [...] England, sent over to Ireland the number of ten thousand men, for the defence of the Protestant Religion, for His Majesties service, and assistance of the Kingdome of England, in suppressing the Popish Rebels there; And having dayly advertisement of the great necessities and wants of the Scots Armie in Ireland, as well Officers as Souldiers, who for want not only of their ordinar [...] pay, but even of victuals in the sparest measure, and clothes, and shoes, are redacted to that extre­mity, that their bodies are daily decaying for want of necessary sustenance to uphold nature, and are not able to endure any considerable time longer, unlesse speedy and timous remeid be provided; The Christian consideration whereof not only belongs to His Majesties Privie Councell in speciall, but to the whole Kingdome also in generall: And because the unhappy differences and distracti­ons in England are such, that the Parliament of England (which is obliged by the said Treatie and capitulation for the monethly pay and entertainment of the said Army) cannot so timely and plen­tifully provide victuall and moneys for payment of their arreares, or supply them for their present maintenance; Besides many other inconveniences will arise, if they be not timously supplied with some money and victuall from this Kingdome: Therefore the Lords of His Majesties Privie Councell according to their bound dutie, and with concourse and consent of the Lords and others Commissioners for conserving the peace, and Commissioners for the common burdens, and they for them­selves having at length considered upon the best wayes and meanes upon the borrowing of moneyes, and providing of victuals, clothes, and shoes to the said Army have resolved, and have determined, that there shall be presently borrowed, for the use foresaid, the summe of twenty thousand p [...] sterling, and as much more or lesse as shall be voluntarily offered betwixt and the first day of May next to come, by Counsellers Commissioners of Commissions foresaid, and every one of them who are within this King­dome, or by any others well affected [...]; and to be paid by them to William Thompson generall Receiver and Commissioner of the said Army, or to John Jossie Merchant in Edinburgh his depute in his absence: Upon the delivery whereof to the said William Thompson, or his said depute, the In-giver of the money shall receive a note subscribed by the said William, or his said depute, granting the receit of the same for the use foresaid, and obliging them to hold count, and depurse the said moneyes, as the saids Lords of Coun­cell, or any having warrant from them, shall appoint for the use foresaid. The which note being shown to the Councell, and regi­strate in their books for a charge upon the receivers, the Lords of Councell will give forth and grant an Act of Councell declaring the same to be lent for the use foresaid; and which Act is hereby declared to be als valid as if the same were done by the Councell, with consent of the Quorums of both the saids Commissions. Likeas the saids Lords of Privie Councell, Commissioners for conserving the peace, and Commissioners for the common burdens, doe hereby oblige them to cause the said summes (so to be lent) be thankfully payd and delivered back again to the saids persons, their heires and assignes, betwixt the date hereof and the Terme of Whitsunday next to come in this instant yeare of God 1643. Together with the ordinary annuall-rent from the date of the lending of the same, so long as the whole or any part thereof shall remain unpaid. And in case that moneyes shall not come timously from the Parliament of England to repay the saids summes so to be lent, or any part thereof in due time, The saids Lords of Privie Councell, with consent and concourse foresaids, Declares, that the same, with annuals, shall remain as a publick debt, due to the saids persons, lenders and advancers thereof, ay and while the repayment of the same by the Parliament of England, or by some other common course to be ta­ken thereanent. Likeas the Lords of Privie Councell, and the Lord Generall, with consent of the Colonels present, and taking the burden on him for the said Scots Armie, doe hereby hypothecate and assigne for repayment of the moneyes to be lent as said is, the first and readiest of the summes of mony due or to be due to that Army by the Parliament of England; and ordains the same to be im­ployed proportionally for that effect: And declares that it shall not be lawfull to the said Commissioner, or his depute, to distribute any of the saids moneyes without speciall warrant of the Councell, but that he shall from time to time, as he receives any moneyes due to that Army, send a note thereof under his hand to the Clerk of Councell, to be registrate in the books of Councell, that the ad­vancers may know the proportion of their repayment and relief: And the saids Lords of Councell, with consent foresaid, do hereby de­sire every one who will contribute their help and assistance to so good and charitable a work, in so great a necessitie, that they should be pleased to lend and advance such summes of moneyes as they shall think fit upon the like securitie and assurance to be given them in manner foresaid: And ordaines these presents to be registrate in the books of Councell, Commissioners of peace, and Commissioners for the common burdens; and to have the strength of an Act of the saids Judicatories jointly or severally: And declares that the dou­ble hereof, under the hand of the Clerk of any of the saids Judicatories, shall be a sufficient intimation to the severall Shires and Presbyteries to whom the same shall be presented.