August 1643
[16 August, 1643.]
Arms and Horses of all that took part in Rebellion to be seized.; How to be disposed of; Lands, Goods, etc., of all Insurgents who would-not lay down arms to be seized.; Minor Offenders to be compounded with.
Whereas divers ill-affected persons of the Countie of Kent
have unlawfully and Trayterously assembled themselves together
and in a Warlike and hostile manner, possessed themselves of
divers Townes and places in that Countie, and have Trayterously
and Rebelliously, levied Warre against the King and Parliament
and robbed, killed, and spoyled divers of his Majesties Subjects;
And notwithstanding, they were invited by an Ordinance of
both houses of Parliament to lay downe their Armes, and every
man to depart in Peace to their severall places of habitation,
with an offer, not onely to passe by their offences then already
committed by them, but to give redresse to any just grievance
that they should in a peaceable and Parliamentary way present
to the Parliament, yet they wilfully and contemptuously refused
that favour offered unto them, and gave Battaile to those forces
sent by Authority of both Houses to suppresse that Insurrection,
where, by Gods great goodnesse they were wholly Routed, and
a very great number taken Prisoners; Now to th'end, the like Inconveniences may bee prevented hereafter; and that the Peace of
the Countie may bee better setled, It is Ordained by the Lords
and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, that Sir
Henry Vane senior, Sir John Sidley, Sir Anthony Welden, Sir
Michaell Levesay, Sir Henry Heyman, Mr. Nut, Mr. Augustine
Skinner, Mr. Thomas Blunt, Mr. Thomas Franklyn, Sir Edward
Boyse, M. Brown, Sir William Springate, Sir Edward Master,
Mr. John Boys, Mr. John Boyse, Sir Peter Wroth, Mr. Richard
Lee, Sir Thomas Walsingham, Mr. Thomas Seyliard, and Sir
John Robarts, or any three of them, shall forthwith seize upon
all the Armes and Horses, of all those that have in person
appeared in that insurrection and Rebellion, And of all such as
have willingly assisted or countenanced the same: Or that have
willingly relieved any of the said Rebells, with Armes, Ammunition, Money, or otherwise; Or that have refused to give
their Assistance, (being thereunto required) to suppresse the
said insurrection or Rebellion: And that the Horses that shall
be so seized, shall be sent to the City of London, to the Commissarie for Horses there, to be entred and lysted for the service
of the State; And that the Armes so to bee seized, shall be layd
up in some place of safetie in that Countie; To th'end, the
same may be distributed to the well affected Partie of that
Countie, when occasion requireth; And it is further Ordained
by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Sir Henry Vane senior,
Sir John Sidley, Sir Anthony Welden, Sir Michaell Levesay, Sir
Henry Heyman, M. Nut, M. Augustine Skinner, M. Thomas
Blunt, M. Thomas Franklyn, Sir Edward Boyse, M. Browne, Sir
William Springate, Sir Edward Master, M. John Boyse, M. John
Boyse, Sir Peter Wroth, M. Richard Lee, Sir Thomas Walsingham, M. Thomas Seyliard, and Sir John Robarts, or any
three of them, shall have power, and are hereby authorized to
enter upon, and seize all and singular the Lands, Tenements
and Hereditaments, and the Goods, Cattell, and Chattells, of all
and singular the persons that were Actors, Countenancers, or
Abettors in the said Rebellion, who did not submit to the said
Ordinance, and immediately come in, lay downe their Armes,
and repaire to their places of habitation, and to seize and
imprison their persons, To the end, they be proceeded against
according to the Law, and the merit of their offence; Provided
alwaies, and it is further Ordained by the authority aforesaid,
That the said Sir Henry Vane Senior, Sir John Sidley, Sir
Anthony Welden, Sir Michael Levesay, Sir Henry Heyman,
M. Nut, M. Augustine Skinner, M. Thomas Blunt, M. Thomas
Franklyn, Sir Edward Boyse, M. Browne, Sir William Springate,
Sir Edward Master, M. John Boyse, M. John Boyse, Sir Peter
Wroth, M. Richard Lee, Sir Thomas Walsingham, M. Thomas
Seyliard, and Sir John Robarts, or any three of them, shall
have power, and are hereby authorised to compound with such
of the Persons aforesaid, as they shall thinke to be fit objects of
such mercifull Proceedings, and to receive of them such sums
of Money by way of Fine and Ransome, as they or any three of
them shall thinke fit, having respect to the offence, and the
Estate of the Person offending, and to certifie the names and
sums received of everie Person, and return the same to the
Guild-Hall, London, to the Treasurers appointed to receive
monie and Plate upon the Propositions, and every Person that
shall compound and pay their money according to this Ordinance, shall be freed in their Persons and Estates, and discharged
from any further Prosecution for the Crimes and offences
committed by them in that Rebellion and insurrection, and it
is further Ordained that the said Sir Henry Vane Senior, Sir
John Sedley, Sir Anthony Welden, Sir Michael Levesay, Sir
Henry Heyman, M. Nut, M. Augustine Skinner, M. Thomas
Blunt, M. Thomas Franklyn, Sir Edward Boyse, M. Browne,
Sir William Springate; Sir Edward Master, M. Iohn Boyse,
M. Iohn Boyse, Sir Peter Wroth, M. Richard Lee, Sir Thomas
Walsingham, M. Thomas Seyliard, and Sir Iohn Robarts, and
every of them shall be protected and saved harmelesse by the
authoritie of both Houses of Parliament, for what they shall doe
in pursuance of this Ordinance.