A Declaration of the Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT.
THe Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled, being certainly informed, that Papists and other wicked and ill-affected persons, have Trayterously combin [...]d together, and entered into Association, and have raised, and dayly 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 chiefest design) the Laws of the Land, the Priviledge of Parliament, and the Liberties of the Subject; The said Lords and Commons do Declare, That they hold it a thing fit and necessary for the present State of this Kingdom, and do accordingly Order, That all Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, Colonells, Captaines, and other Officers, and all other well-affected Persons, Inhabitants in the severall Counties of Norfolke, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, and the Isle of Elye, Hartford, 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, plunderings, spoiling of the said Papists and other ill-affected persons.
And it is further Ordered and Declared, That the said Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, Colonells, Captains, and other Officers, have power and authority to raise forces of Horse and Foot, and to lead them into any place which shall be fitting and convenient, and to give Battle, 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, suppresse, subdue, pursue, kill and slay, and put to execution of death, and by all means to destroy, as Enemies of the Kingdom; And to perform all things else needfull for the preservation 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 Pa [...]l [...]ament, or from the Earl of Essex Lord Generall: And that the said Inhabitants of the said severall Counties, and every of them 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 chiof over the Forces which are, or shall be raised in the Counties aforesaid, or any of them, for the service aforesaid, in [Page 4] regard that by particular Commissions already granted to persons in the said severall Counties, there is not power given to lead forces out of their own C [...]unties▪ It is Ordered that the Lord Generall the Earl of Essex, shall be desired to grant a Commission to William Lord Gray 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 lead, conduct, and carry the same to such places within the said Counties, as [...], for the defence of the said Counties; And likewise power to lead, conduct, and carry the same to such places within the said Counties as he shall think f [...] for the defence of the said Counties; And likewise power to give the same Ord [...] and Instructions in his Excellencies absence, for Regulating the Souldiers, which is, or shall be under his command, as his said Excellencie hath [...] to his Army; And to use Martiall Law to compell obedience thereunto, as [...] shall require; And also Power and Authority, to make and to appoint C [...]l [...]els, Captaine, and other Officers, for levying, conducting and leading the [...]id Forces as he shall think fit.
- Jo: BROWN, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
- H: ELSYNGE, Cler. Parl: D: Com.
Instructions for the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, and other Officers and Commanders in the Counties of Norfolke, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Isle of Ely, Hartford, and Countie of the City of Norwich.
1. THat the Lords Lievtenants of the severall Counties of Norfolk, Suffo [...]k, Essex, Cambridge, Isle of Elye, Hartford, and the County and City of Norwich, or the Deputy Lievtenants of the said 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, aswell within Liberties and Corporations as without, that do or are able to bear or find Armes, to such places in the said severall Counties, as they hold most fitting, and at such meetings to take a survey, what Arms and Force can be raised in the said Counties respectively, and examine the defects of Arms and Ammunition, and to consider of some fitting course how to have the want of Arms and other defects to be supplyed, and at such meetings or at any other fit time and times; The said 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 said Counties, Cities, and Corporations, that are able to bear or find Arms or to contribute towards the same: what present and iminent danger and necessity [Page 5] 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 joyne in an Association and mutuall defence of one another, according to the form of an Association hereunto anexede And to require them to set down in writing, and subscribe what Arms for Horse and Foot, what Horse, either Dragoneers or others they will have in readinesse upon every just occasion for the defence of the said Counties.
2. Secondly, the better to prevent the plundering and spoyling of the said Counties, and to have meanes for the furnishing of Arms and Ammunition, making Fortifications, and payment of Officers, and other publique necessary charges; that there be forthwith raised in the said severall Counties respectively, the 4th part of such like severall sums as were assessed upon the said 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 Taxe and Rate upon the said severall Counties respectively.
3. And for the better levying of the said 4th part of the said sum of 500000. pounds, or of any other sum 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 Lord Lievtenants, and Deputy Lievtenants of the said Counties respectively, or any two or more of them, shall, and may Assesse and Taxe, or cause to be Assessed and Taxed, the said sum and sums upon the severall Cities, Corporations, Hundreds, Towns, and Hamblets in the said severall Counties, after the most industrious and usuall proportion of other Rates in the said Counties▪ And that they or any two or more of them nominate and appoint Treasurers, Collectors and Assessors in every County abovesaid, for the Assessing Receiving, and Collecting such sum and sums of mony as abovesaid: And that the said Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants or any two or more of them, shall, and may grant warrants under their hands and Seales in writing to any Constable or other Officer whatsoever, to raise and levy the said sum and sums so to bee assessed and taxed as above said, upon all such persons upon whom any sum shall be so assessed and set as abovesaid, 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 said Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or any two or more of them, shall, and may commit such person and persons so refusing, and neglecting to pay as abovesaid, to some common Coale, there to remain without Bayl or Mainprize, untill payment made of such sum and sums as abovesaid.
4. That all Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, Maiors, Bayliffs, and Constables, and all other His Majesties Officers, aswell within Liberties as without, be from time to time ayding and assisting unto the said Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants in execution of the power to them, given by both Houses of Parliament, and of these Instructions.
[Page 6] 5. The Lord Lievtenants Deputy Lievtenants of the said severall Counties or any two or more of them do put in execution in the said counties all former Instruction to them graunted by both Houses of Parliament for the executing of the Militia, disarme those Popish Recusants, and other ill affected Persons▪ and for the preserving the peace of the said Counties.
6. That no Treasurer and receiver of any money, shall issue out any money, but under the hands of the Lord Lievtenants, or two or more Deputy Lievtenants in every County respectively. And that the severall Lord Livetenants and Deputy Lievtenants doe not signe, or grant any warrants for the issuing or paying any sum or summs, but for the furnishing of Armes and Ammunition, making of Fortifications, payment of Officers and Souldiers, and other necessary publique charges, tending to the safety and preservation of the said Counties, and not otherwise.
7. 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 said 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 aiding and assisting to his Maiestie 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 Lieutenants appointed by Power of Parliament, they have been required so to do; or such Clergie-men and others that have publikely 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 imployed and disposed of by the direction of one, or more of the Deputy Lieutenants of the said Counties for the publike service and defence of the severall Counties; And in the mean time to be kept in some safe place.
8. That in every County the Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, or any two or more of them do cause the severall companies of the Trained Bands, and Voluntiers to be put into Regiments; And to nominate, appoint and place Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Sergeant Majors, Captains, Lieutenants, 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.
9. That the Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, or any two of them in each county respectively, do nominate and appoint one experienced [...]ouldier in every Regiment, to be an Adjutor, to be Resident in the said counties, to exercise the severall companies of the said Regiment; And to [Page 7] be aiding and assisting to the Colonell from time to time, and to do and perform all such commands as he shall receive from the Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, or the said Colonels: And also to have in every Regiment one experienced Souldier to be a Sergeant, to exercise and teach the severall Companies, and to execute the commands of the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or the Colonells, Lieutenant Colonell, or Sergeant Maior of the said Regiment, and the said Sergeant, to have the pay of a Sergeant to a Company; And also that in each Troop of horse, there be an experienced Souldier appointed to be a Corporall.
10. That the Dragoneers be put into Companies, and that one hundred and twelve be allotted to a Company, and that each Company of Dragooners have an experienced Louldier to be a Corporall, and he to have the present pay of a Corporall.
11. That the Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants in each County 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, Cawseys, 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 Cawseys, Passages, and to cut the Banks in the said Counties respectively; And to have power to fortifie and secure any Town, Hundred, or Hamblet, where the said Town, Hundred, or Hamblet, are willing to do the same at their own proper charges: And also to have power at all times to sieze and stop all Barges, Boates, or other Vessels passing by water for the safety of the said County.
12. That the said Lord Lievtenants, Deputy Lievtenants, or any two of them, shall, and may imprison, or commit to safe custody, all and every such persons, as being able and have due summons, do notwithstanding refuse or wilfully neglect to appear at Muster, or to send some able persons to be allowed of, by the Captain or chief Officer of the Company in his behalfe.
- Jo: BROVVN, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
- H: ELSYNGE, Cler: Parl: D: Com.
VVHereas 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 Ʋnion of our Hearts and Forces is most conducing to the publike good, and safety of the whole Kingdom: And have therefore Or [...] That the Inhabitants of the Counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge, and Hartfordshire; together with the Isle of Ely, and the 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 Aid 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: BROWN, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
- H: ELSYNGE, Cler. Parl: D: Com.
VVE the Inhabitants in the County of [...] We whose Names are hereunder written, do hereby ingage our selves to provide Horses and Arms, and to maintain and finde all our own proper costs and charges, and at all times to have in a readinesse for the service of this and those other Countries now Associated together by the Authority of both Houses of Parliament, so many Men completely armed and furnished, and such Horses, Geldings, Naggs, Mares, as wee have 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.