A DECLARATION AND MOTIVE Of the Persons trusted, usually meeting at Salters Hall in BREADSTREET, to all well affected persons in the severall Parishes within LONDON, and the parts adjacent, for Contributing the value of a Meale weekly, towards the forming of some Regiments of Voluntiers, to be payd during these times of Danger.
WHereas for better preservation and safeguard of the City, against the continued desperate practises, and wretched designes of the many Adversaries of the Peace thereof, visible to every eye not wilfully blinded: The Committee for the Cities Militia, mindfull by all good wayes and meanes, of dischargeing the trust in them reposed, have by the labour and indeavour of some trusted Persons, in nature of a Sub-Committee, by them authorized for that purpose, brought neere unto a readinesse of Listing and forming divers Regiments of Horse and Foot, compounded and made up of honest and well-affected Persons, Refiants in the City and Neighbourhood thereof, under command of known and trustie Officers, which new Regiments are to be as Auxiliaries to the Trained Bands, and to be used for defence of Parliament, Citie, and parts adjacent, as occasion shall require: And whereas for provision of Horse and Arms, weekly disciplining of so great listed numbers, and for defraying of other Charges incident to a service of this nature, and necessary for the carrying on and perfitting this great Worke, so much concerning the preservation of this place, and therein the safety and well-being of the Parliament and the whole State, some course must needs be held; and yet that the same may be with the least trouble and inconveniencie that may bee, and with all possible ease and indifferency; respect being had to the many burdens incumbent upon this City and disbursements of the same: It is therefore upon due consideration had of the premisses propounded, and as a fit way to effect in some good measure the aforementioned good intendments, by direction and advice of the said Sub-Committee, and divers Reverend Divines, and other worthy Persons knowne well-willers and actors for the publike; as their joynt suite and hearty request to all well-affected Persons and Families of the Citie, Suburbs; and parts adjacent, recommended and desired; That during these times of imminent and evident dangers, all such Persons and Families sensible of the premisses, and willing to promote their own safety, and the meanes thereof, will according to the president begun by those who recommend this, be pleased every of them to abstaine and forbeare some one Meale in the Weeke, and on every Munday (the first payment beginning on Munday next the eigth of this instant May) pay and deliver the true value thereof, to the Collectors nominated for their severall Precincts, who are to pay over the same to Treasurers especially entrusted therewith, of whose accounts and disbursements for the ends aforesaid, exact care will be taken, which in all probability will be a good way without burden or difficulty to advance weekly considerable summes for these good uses. And although this be not imposed but desired and expected as a free will offering to helpe on so good a Worke, yet it is hoped that none will oppose it, who are sensible of their owne danger, and love their safeties, especially [...]f they consider (amongst many other weighty Reasons which might be rendred.)
- 1. That all of every condition are concerned in the Danger, and by Gods blessing in the Deliverance, and therfore all ought to contribute their proportion towards their just defence, poore aswell as rich being able to allow their shares herein, for that in effect it takes nothing from their purses.
- 2. This being no Fast properly so called, but a Meales voluntary abstinence once a weeke, is no more then what we do each weeke commonly undergo by reason of our other worldly imployments; and therefore such an abstinence for so good a purpose, should not be thought too strict a performance.
- 3. There is nothing more equall, or can lesse be expected, then that reasonable provision should be made for them that under God are likely to be the Authors of so great a good for us, and are to expose their lives to the utmost hazards for defence of us and ours. We adde no other reasons drawn from policie, as the feared Famine, saving of Victualls, or the like (which with prudent men, and as these times are will bee of no small consideration) but we conclude with this, that the end of our eating and drinking is but to support and preserve our naturall lives, and the end of this abstinence is not onely to preserve our lives and theirs also who adventure for us, but to preserve to us and them and our posterities, what should be more deare then all our lives, even Religion (the life of our lives) and our Laws and Liberties, which no good man will willingly survive, nor wise man doubt, but that they are sufficiently endangered, if not lie a bleeding; and if the Parliament and this Citie (the great maintainers of them) should miscarry (which God forbid) to all humane judgement are quite lost. It will be therefore our wisdome before God and man, and our duty too (as we conceive) to further this, and all other good suggested wayes, tending to the preservation of them. And so we leave the designe to Gods blessing, and the consideration of all such as hereof are made partakers, and are alike with us concerned in the common safety.
It i [...] desired of all the Collectors of the respective Parishes and Precincts, That for every their Parish and Precinct, they make a Role or Booke, and therein enter the Parishoners and parties names, who agree to make the weekely contributions before mentioned, desiring such as can write to put down their own names, and the day of the Month wherein their subscriptions are and the summe they will please so to pay; and for others, to take their marks, and put down their names, which may be done under this or the like generall forme.
We whose names are underwritten, towards the raising, Arming and Disciplining of certaine Regiments of Horse and Foot, raised in London, and the adjacent places, for the defence thereof and of the Parliament, will freely pay in Money each Munday, the value of the best ordinary Meales Meat in our Families weekly (being as followeth) during the continuance of the present troubles, and the Kings distance from his Parliament.
TO appointed Collectors for the Parish or Precinct of [...] by them to be imparted to the severall Househoulders, and others of that Parish or Precinct as they shall thinke fit, and receiving the subscription Moneys, thereof to render an account to the Treasurers for Armes at Salters Hall in Breadstreet every Wednesday morning weekely, so as the same may be issued for the ends before mentioned, whereof due care shall be taken by such as are designed by the Sub-Committee for that purpose, and every person interessed, shall at pleasure have account thereof.
It is lastly the earnest request of the Sub-Committee, to all the godly Ministers of those places where this shall be published; That they taking to their assistance such other willing able persons of their severall Precincts, as will make Conscience to forward this Worke, will be pleased by such Arguments as they shall thinke fit to use, and the matter it selfe prompts, presse on the subscriptions desired, and what may more effectually help to carry on this Worke; Is hereby recommended to the Judgements and good affections of the said Ministers and Collectors, to prepare and put on the performance of the same, and the reward of their labour will be, that of a good Conscience, and the issue by Gods blessing the Common-wealthes, and therein their owne safeties.
From the Sub-Committee for Ʋoluntiers, usually sitting at Salters-hall in Breadstreet, this 4 th. of May, 1643.