A Declaration of the Lords and Commons assemb [...]ed in PARLIAMENT.

THe Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled, being cer­tainly informed, That Papists, and other wicked and ill-aff [...]cted persons, have trayterously combined together, and entred into As­sociation, and have raised, and daily do raise great Forces both of Horse and Foot, in severall Counties of this Kingdom, and have plundered, spoiled, and destroyed Multitudes of His Majesties good Subjects; and if not timely prevented▪ will utterly subvert and destroy the true Pro­testant Religion (which is their chief Design) the Laws of the Land, the Priviledges if Par [...]iament, and the Liberty of the Subject; The said Lords and Commons do declare, That they hold it a thing most fit and necessa [...]y for the present state of t [...]is Kingdom, and do accordingly O [...]der, That all Lords-Lievtenants, Deputy-Liev­tenants, Colonells, Captains, and other Officers, and all other well-affected persons, In­habitants in the severall Counties of Norfolk, Suff [...]lk, Essex, Cambridge, and the Isle of Ely, Hertford, and the County of the City of Norwich, shall and may associate themselves, and mutually ayd, succour, and assist one another, in the mutuall defence and preservation of themselves, and of the Peace of the said Counties, from all Rapines, Plundering, Spoylings of the said Papists and ill affected persons.

And it is further Ordered and Declared, That the said Lords-Lievtenants, De­puty-Lievtenants, Colonells, Captains, and other Officers, have Power and Authority to raise Forces of Horse and Foot, and to leade them into any place which shall be fi [...]ting and convenient, and to give Battell, and to fight with all such as are, or shall be raised to levy War against the Parliament, and all other Forces raised without Au­thority and Consent of both Houses of Parliament; that make any Insurrection▪ and plunder and destroy His Majesties good Subjects, And them to invade, resist, sup­p [...]esse, subdue, and pursue, kill and slay, and put to execution of death, and by [...]ll means to destroy, as enemies to the Kingdom; and to perform all things else needfull for the preserv [...]t [...]in of the safety and peace of the said Counties, either by Water or Land▪ observing from time to time such other Directions and Commands, as they shall receive from both Houses of Parliament, or from the Earl of Essex, Lord Ge­nerall: And that the said Inhabitants of the said severall Counties, and every of them, [Page 4] for so doing, shall be saved and kept harmlesse, by power and Authority of Parliament.

And the said Lords and Commons taking into their serious Considerations the necessity of appointing a Commander in Chief over the Forces which are, or shall be raised in the Counties aforesaid, or any of them for the Service aforesaid, in regard that by particular Commissions already granted to persons in the said severall Coun­ties, there is not power given to leade Forces out of their own Counties; It is Ordered, That the Lord Generall the Earl of Essex shall be desired to grant a Commission to William Lord Grey of Wark, to command in Chief, as Major Generall of all the Forces to be raised in the said Counties, and to have power to leade, conduct, and carry the same to such places within the said Counties, as he shall think fit, for the defence of the said Counties, And likewise power to give the same Orders and Instructions, in his Excellencies absence▪ for regulating the Souldiers, which are or shall be under his Command, as his said Excellency hath given to his Army, And to use Martiall Law to compell Obedience thereunto, as occasion shall require; And also Power and Authority to make and appoint Colonells, Captains, and other Officers, for levying, conducting, and leading the said Forces as he shall think fit.

  • Jo. Browne, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
  • Hen. Elsynge, Cleric. Parl. D. Com.

Instructions for the Lord-Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, and other Officers and Com­manders in the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Isle of Ely, Hartford, and County of the City of Norwich.

THat the Lords Lievtenants of the severall Counties of Nor­folke, Suffolke, Essex, Cambridge, Isle of Ely, Hartford, and the County and City of Norwich, or the Deputy Liev­tenants of the sayd Counties respectively, or any two or more of them, with all convenient speed, do summon the severall gentlemen Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the said severall Counties, as well within Liberties and Corpo­rations, as without; That do, or are able to bear or finde Arms, to such pla­ces in the sayd severall Counties, as they hold most fitting, and at such meet­ings to take a view what Arms and Force can be raised in the sayd Counties [Page 5] respectively, and examine the defects of Arms and Ammunition, and to consult of some fitting course how to have the want of Arms and other de­fects to be supplied, and at such meetings, or at any other fit time and times, the sayd Deputy Lievtenants, or any two of them, with the assistance of the Committee, for the Propositions and Subscriptions in the severall Counties, or any two of them, shall and may propound to all the Inhabitants of the sayd Counties, Cities, and Corporations, that are able to bear or finde Arms, or to contribute towards the same, what present and eminent danger and ne­cessity the whole Kingdom is now reduced unto, by the wicked advise and attempts and conspiracies of Papists and other persons now about His Ma­jesty, and to propound to them, to joyn in Association and mutuall defence of one another, according to the form of an Association hereunto annexed. And to require them to set down in writing, and subscribe what Arms for Horse and Foot, what Horse, either Dragooners or others they will have in readinesse upon every just occasion, for the defence of the said Counties.

Secondly, the better to prevent the plundering and spoyling of the sayd Counties, and to have means for the furnishing of Arms and Ammunition, making Fortifications, and payment of Officers, and other publick necessary charges; That there be forthwith raised in the sayd severall Counties respe­ctively, the fourth part of such like severall Sums as were Assessed upon the sayd Counties, by vertue of the Act lately made in this present Parliament; for the raising of 400000 pounds, The same fourth part to be raised by way of Tax and Rate, upon the said severall Counties respectively.

Thirdly, And for the better levying of the sayd fourth part of the said sum of 400000 pounds, or of any other summe to be Assessed and set upon the said Counties, for the defence and preservation of the same, by consent of both Houses of Parliament. That the Lords Lievtenants, and Deputy Lievtenants of the sayd Counties respectively, or any two or more of them, shall, and may Assesse and Tax, or cause to be Assessed and Taxed, the said sum and sums, upon the severall Cities, Corporations, Hundreds, Towns, and Hamlets in the sayd severall Counties, after the most industrious and usuall proportion of other Rates in the sayd Counties: And that they, or any two or more of them, nominate and appoint Treasurers, Collectors, and Assessors in every County above said; for the Assessing, Receiving, and Collecting such sum and sums of Money as above sayd: And that the sayd Lord Lievtenants, De­puty Lievtenants, or any two or more of them, shall, and may grant War­rants under their hands and Seals in writing, to any Constable or other Of­ficer whatsoever, To raise and levy the sayd sum and sums so to be Assessed and Taxed as above said, upon all such persons upon whom any sum shall be so Assessed and set as above sayd, that do refuse or neglect to pay the same by way of Distresse and sale of the goods of the person so refusing, or neglect­ing to pay the same. And in case no Distresse is or may be found, Then the sayd Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or any two or more of them, [Page 6] shall, and may commit such person and persons so refusing and neglecting to pay as above sayd, to some common Goale, there to remaine without Bayle or Mainprize, untill payment made of such sum and sums as above said.

Fourthly, That all Sheriffes, Justices of the Peace, Majors, Bayliffes, and Constables, and all other His M [...]esties Officers, as well within Liberties, as without; Be from time to time Ayding and Assisting unto the sayd Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants. in execution of the power to them given by both Houses of Parliament, and of these Instructions.

Fifthly, the Lord, Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants of the sayd severall Counties, or any two or more of them, do put in execution in the said Coun­ties all former instructions to them granted by both Houses of Parliament, for the executing of the Militia, disarming of Popish Recusants, and other ill affected persons: And for the preserving the Peace of the sayd Counties.

Sixthly, That no Treasurer and Receiver of any Money, shall issue out any Money, [...]ut under the hands of the Lord Lievtenants, or two or more Depu [...]y Lievtenants in every County respectively; And that the severall Lord Leiv­tenants, and Deputy Lievtenants, do not sign or grant any Warrants for the issuing or paying any sum or sums, but for the furnishing of Arms and Am­munition, making of Fortifications, payment of Officers and Souldiers, and other necessary publick charges, tending to the safety and preservation of the sayd Counties, and not otherwise.

Seventhly, That the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants of every the said Counties respectively, or any two or more of them, shall, and may from time to time, raise such, and so many of the Trained Bands, and other per­sons inhabiting in the sayd Counties, as they shall judge necessary and fitting, to enter into the Houses of all Papists, and other persons that are Voted to be Delinquents, by both, or either Houses of Parliament, or that have put in execution the Commission of Array, Or that have been present with, or Ayding and Assisting to His Majesty in this unnaturall War against the Parlia­ment; Or that being of ability, have not contributed upon the Propositions of raising of Horse, Money, or Plate, for the defence of the King and Parlia­ment; Or that have refused to send Horse and Arms to the Musters, when by the Deputy Lievtenants appointed by power of Parliament, they having been required so to do; Or such Clergy-men and others, that have publickly Preached or Declared themselves to oppose, disgrace, or revile the proceed­ings of both or either Houses of Parliament. And to seize upon the Arms, Ammunition, and Horses fit for service in the War, that belong to such per­son and persons: the same Horses, Arms, and Ammunition to be employed and disposed of by the direction of one, or more of the Deputy Lievtenants of the sayd Counties, for the pu [...]l [...]ck service and defence of the severall Cou [...] ­t [...]es, and in the mean time to [...]e kept in some safe place.

Eighthly, That in every County the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, [...] two [...] of them, do cause the severall Companies of the Train'd [Page 7] Bands and Voluntiers to be put into Regiments; and to nominate, appoint, and place Colonells, Lievtenant-Colonells, Serjeant-Majors, Captaines, Lievtenants, and other Officers in every Regiment and Company, where any such are wanting; or when such as are, and have been nominated, have refused to execute those places.

Ninthly, That the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or any two of them in each County respectively, do nominate and appoint one experienced Souldier in every Regiment to be an Adjutor, to be resident in the sayd Coun­ties to exercise the severall Companies of the sayd R [...]giments, and to be ay­ding and assisting to the Colonell from time to time, and to do and perform all such commands as he shall receive from the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or the sayd Colonell; And also to have in every Regiment, one experienced Souldier to be a Serjeant, to exercise and teach the severall Com­panies, and to execute the commands of the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Liev­tenants, or the Colonell Lievtenant Colonell, or Serjeant-Major of the sayd Regiment, and the said Serjeant to have the pay of a Serjeant to a Company; and also that in each Troope of Horse, there be an experienced Souldier ap­pointed to be a Corporall.

Tenthly, That the Dragooners be put into Companies, And that one hundred and twelve be allotted to a Company; and that each Company of Dragooners have an experienced Souldier to be a Corporall, and he to have the present pay of a Corporall.

Eleventhly, That the Lords Lievtenants, Deputy-Lievtenants in each Countie respectively, or any two, or more of them, shall, and may give com­mand and directions from time to time, to secure, and fortifie all Bridges, Cawses, and Passages, and in times of approach of an Enemy, or fear of any Invasion by an Enemy, to pull down, or stop the Bridges, Cawses, Passages, and to cut the Banks in the said Counties respectively; And to have power to fortifie and secure any Town, Hundred, or Hamlet, where the said Town, Hundred or Hamlet are willing to do the same at their own proper charges; And also to have Power at all times, to seize, and stop all Barge [...], Boats, or other Vessels, passing by Water for the safety of the said Countie.

Twelfthly, That the said Lords Lievtenants, Deputy-Lievtenants, or any two of them, shall, and may Imprison, or commit to safe custodie, all and every such Persons, as being able, and have had due Summons, do notwith­standing refuse, or wilfully neglect to appear at Muster, or to send some able Persons to be allowed of, by the Captains, or chief Officer of the Company in his behalf.

  • Joh. Brown, Cler. Parliamentorum;
  • Hen. Elsinge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.

WHereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, have ta­ken into their considerations, That in times so full of Division and Danger as these are, an union of our Hearts and Forces is most condu­cing to the publike Good, and safety of the whole Kingdom; And have therefore ordayned, That the Inhabitants of the Counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire, together with the Isle of Ely, and County of the City of Norwich, should enter into an Association with one another, for the maintenance and preservation of the Peace of the said Counties: Therefore in pursuance of the said Order, and the better to confirm a mutuall Confidence in one another, we whose Names are hereunto subscribed, do hereby promise, testifie, and declare, To maintain and defend, with our Lives, Powers, and Estates, the Peace of the said Counties, And to ayd and assist one another, under the Command and Conduct of such Person as now hath, or hereafter shall have, by the Authority of both Houses of Parliament, the Command in Chief of all the Forces of the said Counties, according to the true intent and meaning of the said Order of Associati­on. Whereunto we do most willingly give our Assents; and neither for hope, fear, or other respect, shall ever relinquish this Promise.

  • Jo. Browne, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
  • Hen. Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.

We the Inhabitants of the County of [...]

WE whose Names are here under-written, do hereby engage our selves to provide Horses and Arms, and to maintain and finde at our own proper Costs and Charges, and at all times to have in a readinesse, for the service of this and those other Counties now associated together by the Authority of both Houses of Parliament, so many men, compleatly armed and furnished, and such Horses, Geldings, Naggs, Mares, as we have severally and respectively subscribed for; to be commanded, led, and conducted into any parts and places within the said County, by such person as now hath, or hereafter shall have the Command in Chief of all the Forces of the said Counties.

FINIS.

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