February 1642/3
[11 February, 1642/3.]
Whereas his Excellency the Lord General hath given a Commission to Sir William Waller, to command in Chief, as Serjeant
Major General of all the Forces of the County of Gloucester,
and the City and County of the City of Gloucester, Wilts,
Som'sett, Worcester, and Salop, that are already raised, and
shall be raised, for the Defence of the King, Parliament, and
Kingdom, and suppressing of the malignant Party there, with
Authority to raise Five Regiments of Horse, and Five of Foot,
in the said Counties. It is Ordered and Ordained, by the Lords
and Commons in Parliament, That the Regiments and Forces
aforesaid shall be paid, after the Rate and Proportion of the
Parliament Pay to the other Forces of the like Nature, out of,
the Estates of Papists, Delinquents, Bishops, Deans and Chapters
Prebendaries, and Pluralists, within the said Counties; and out
of the Estates of such Persons of Ability, as have not contributed unto the Parliament, or have opposed or assisted against
the Parliament; or such Clergymen or others, as have either
refused to observe and obey the Orders and Ordinances of
Parliament, or otherwise have expressed a Disaffection thereunto, or to the Proceedings thereof: And it is further Ordered,
That the said Sir William Waller, calling unto his Assistance
the Deputy Lieutenants, or the Committee for Subscriptions,
of the said Counties, or any Two or more of them, shall have
Power to rate, tax, assess, or charge, all or any of the said
Persons, their Lands, Goods, and Tenements, at such Rates, and
in such Proportions, as they shall think fit, and the Necessity of
the Cause shall require; yet with that Moderation, as not to
exceed the Twentieth Part of their Personal Estate, or the Fifth
Part of their Yearly Revenue (excepting Papists, Archbishops,
Bishops, Deans and Chapters, and such notorious Delinquents
as have taken up Arms against the Parliament, or have been
active in the Commission of Array, whose Estates are already
sequestered by Ordinance of Parliament, and by virtue thereof
to be seized); and they shall have Power to appoint fit Persons,
to collect, gather, and levy the same: And it is further Ordered
and Ordained, That Sir Wm Waller shall receive and take all
such Money, Plate, and Horse, as are and shall be raised, upon the
Ordinance of Subscription, within those Counties, to be employed
by him in that Service, upon Accompt: And, in Case that
sufficient Sums of Money cannot be raised by these Ways, for the
Purposes aforesaid, then, if any Person or Persons shall lend any
Sums of Money, for the Advancement of the present Service,
an Acquittance under Sir William Waller's Hand shall be
sufficient Warrant to such Person or Persons to require Payment
thereof, with Consideration after the Rates of Eight Pounds per
Centum, upon the Public Faith: And it is further Ordered and
Ordained, That Duplicates of Rolls be made, containing the
Names and Surnames of every Person charged by virtue of this
Ordinance, and Places of their Abode, together with the
particular Sums upon each of them so set and assessed; and that
like Duplicates be made of all such Sums of Money, or other
Thing, as shall be received, disbursed, employed, or expended,
in this Service, upon a just Accompt to be made, and allowed
by the Commons House of Parliament: and that Sir William
Waller, the Deputy Lieutenants, those of the Committee, and all
others employed by them, and observing their Commands and
Directions, or that join with or assist them in executing any of
the Premises, or that shall willingly submit to perform and pay
such Rates and Money, and perform such Services, as shall be
imposed on or required of them by virtue of this Ordinance,
shall be protected, defended, and saved harmless, in their Estates,
Lands, Goods, and Persons, by Authority of Parliament.