WHereas divers persons, within the Citie of London and parts adja­cent, within the lines of Commu­nication, and Parishes mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mortalitie, and Ham­lets of the Tower, that are not fit to beare Armes in their owne persons, yet are able and fit to find Armes, and pay others for bearing the same, but doe neglect and refuse the doing thereof.

And whereas divers Papists, and other ill-affected persons, doe lurke and hide them­selves in divers houses and places within the limits aforesaid, that hold corresponden­cie [Page 2] with, or bring intelligence from the Ene­my, and others that gather together Armes, Ammunition, and other materialls of War, likely to be imployed to the prejudice of the Parliam nt and City.

And whereas by severall Ordinances of Parliament, power is given to the said Com­mittee for ordering the said Militia within the limits aforesaid, & drawing out Forces for service abroad, & that many things men­tioned in the said Ordinances to be put in execution, require the helpe and assistance of more persons in the nature of Sub-Com­mittees; Thereupon power is given to the said Committee, to make one or more Sub-Committeés within the said limits as they shall thinke fit; and for the better enabling the said Sub-Committees so made, or to be made, to performe the services therein contai­ned.

The said Lords and Commons in Par­liament assembled, doe Ordaine & Declare, and be it ordained and declared, That the said Committee of the Militia of London shall have power, and are hereby Authorized, to impose upon all such persons as have any [Page 3] Stocks going in Trade within the limits aforesaid, and absent themselves, or doe per­sonally inhabite or reside within the said li­mits, to find such proportion of Armes, and pay such persons as have beene, or shall be appoynted to bear the same as the said Com­mittee shall thinke fit, not exceeding three foot Souldiers for any one person; and such person or persons as shall disobey the com­mands and directions of the said Committee, of the Militia herein, the said Committee shall have power to impose such reasona­ble Fines upon them, or any of them, as they shall thinke fit, not exceeding the summe of forty shillings for any one offence, and for want of payment thereof, to leavie the same by distresse and sale of their goods and chat­tells, or otherwise to imprison their persons without Baile or maineprise, untill such time as they shall conforme themselves according­ly: But in case such person or persons so of­fending, doe absent themselves without the said limits, where the authority of the said Committee doth not extend, and not a suffici­ent value of his or their goods, or chattells, to be found within the said limits, where­on [Page 4] to leavy the said fines by distresse as a­foresaid, That then the Committeé. for Ex­aminations upon complaint made by the Committeé of the Militia, or such as they shall appoint, do forthwith grant their warrants for apprehending of such person or per­sons wheresoever they shall be, and to com­mit him or them to prison without baile or maineprize, untill he or they doe conforme themselves, or to distraine his or their goods, and bring them to London, and there sell them to pay the said fine or fines: all which fines are to be imployed to such use and purpose, for the safety and defence of this City, as the said Committeé of the Militia shall thinke fit and direct.

And it is further Ordeined that the said Committeé for the Militia shall have power, and is hereby authorised by themselves or such as they shall appoint, to search all hou­ses and places within the limits aforesaid, where the said Committeé shall have cause to suspect that any Papists are, or other per­sons that com from any of the Kings Quar­ters, or cannot give a good account of their businesse, or aboad within the limits afore­said, [Page 5] or that have or shall discover their ill-affection to the Parliament, and likewise to search for Armes, Ammu­nition, and materials for War in the custo­dy of such Persons, and to sieze and take away the same, and to commit such persons to safe custody, or to expell them out of the limits aforesaid, if they shall see cause: and in case of resistance, the said Committeé are hereby authorised to command any consta­ble or constables to breake open any house or place within the said limits, where such resi­stance shall be made.

And it is further ordeined, that the said sub-Committees so appointed or to bee appoin­ted by the said Committeé of the Militia, shall have power, and are hereby authori­sed to cause all or any of the clauses contei­ned in this or any other of the said Ordi­nances, to be put in due execution, when & as often as they shall receive directions from the said Committeé for the Militia, and all Constables, Head-boroughs, and other Officers and Souldiers are hereby requi­red to obey and execute such warrants as they from time to time shall receive from the [Page 6] said Committeé for the Militia, or other sub-Committeés for and concerning the execution of the same accordingly: Provided that no Power hereby granted shall be extended a­gainst any Peére or Member of either of the Houses of Parliament, or any of the Assistants of the House of Peéres. And as­well the said Committee, as also their sub-Committees, and all other persons acting in the premises, according to the intent of this Ordinance, shall be saved harmelesse by Authority of both Houses of Parliament: Provided that this Ordinance shall conti­nue and be in force for the space of two mo­neths, to begin from the publishing of this Ordinance and no longer.