October 1643

[16 October, 1643.]

The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, taking nto their serious consideration the Treacherous and bloody Plots, Conspiracies, attempts and practises of the Enemies of God, against the true Religion, and Professors thereof, in all places especially in the Kingdomes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, ever since the reformation of Religion, and how much their rage, power and presumption are of late, and at this time increased and exercised. Whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdome of Ireland, the distempered estate of this Church and Kingdome, and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland, are present and publique testimonies: And finding that their supplications, remonstrances, protestations, and treaties, have nothing at all prevailed, but that the averse party doth still endeavour the destruction of our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, by force, and open violence. And finding the same popish and Jesuited counsels, and practises, which have brought the two Kingdomes of England and Ireland, into the lamentable condition, under which they now groane, to have in the intentions of the Authors and Contrivers of them, extended likewise unto the Kingdome of Scotland; In this common distraction and danger of all the three Kingdomes, as an effectuall meanes of their preservation; They have thought it necessary that all the well affected to the true Protestant Religion, and just Liberties of the Subjects, in the three Kingdomes, should enter into a neerer union, and association for the mutuall defence of each other; And in pursuance thereof, a solemne league and covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion, the honour and happinesse of the King, and the peace and safety of the three Kingdoms, hath been agreed upon by the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland; Which by the members of both Houses of the Parliament of England, the Members of the Assembly of Divines, and the Commissioners of the Assembly of the Church of Scotland hath been already taken, and subscribed; and is now taking, and to be taken in the Cities of London, and Westminster, the Kingdome of Scotland, and all other parts of this Kingdome, and in the Realme of Ireland. And whereas each person who hath taken or shall take the said Covenant, is bound according to his place and calling, in this common cause of Religion, Liberty and peace of the Kingdoms, to assist and defend all those that enter into the same, in the executing and pursuing thereof; And that it cannot be expected that the contrivers and authors of our present troubles, will thereby be any whit moved to desist from their wicked enterprises, but rather that their malice will be the more encreased; Therefore, for the better resisting thereof, and the speedier setling of a blessed peace there are likewise certaine Articles agreed upon by the two Houses of Parliament, and the Kingdome of Scotland; whereby, among other things our Brethren of the Kingdome of Scotland for our assistance in this present war, are speedily to send an Army of one and twenty thousand Horse and Foot, and a traine of Artillery sutable, into this Kingdome: And whereas the charge of levying, arming and bringing those Forces together furnished: As likewise the fitting the traine of Artillery, will necessarily require great sums of money, which our Brethren of Scotland by reason of the many charges that have laine upon them of late by their Irish Army, and late Warres, are not able for the present to raise within that Kingdome, And so much the rather, by reason that the brotherly assistance is not yet paid unto them, we are by these Articles presently to pay unto them the summe of one hundred thousand pounds by way of advance, towards, the monethly payments to be made to their Army, after such time as they shall make their first enterance into this Kingdome; and by those Articles our brethren of Scotland, to manifest their willingnesse to their utmost ability to be helpfull to this Kingdome in this common cause, have agreed to give the publique Faith of the Kingdome of Scotland, to be joyntly made use of, with the publique Faith of the Kingdome of England, for the present taking up of two hundred thousand pounds sterling, in the Kingdome of England, or elsewhere, for the speedy procuring the said 100000 pound sterling, as aforesaid; as also a considerable summe for the satisfying in good proportion, the arreares of the Scottish Army in Ireland.

Public Faith for repayment of moneys lent with interest; £30000 lent for payment of Arrears of Scottish Army to be repaid.; Also £40000 more out of Sequestration Moneys.; Proviso.

The Lords and Commons likewise since the sending of those Propositions or Articles from the Kingdome of Scotland, being credibly informed, that nothing in humane probability can delay their speedy march into this Realme, but onely the want of money; and considering the great advantages that by delay of their comming, will be lost, and the dangers that thereupon are likely to ensue, not being otherwise enabled to the speedy raising the said summes, as the exigencie of the occasion requires; They have made a Committee to procure by loane, or otherwise, the said summes of money; and whereas divers well affected persons have lent and subscribed to lend divers sums of money for that purpose, and as they believe divers others well affected to our Religion, and the Liberties of the Subject, will doe the like; Now for the security of such persons and provision for the repayment of such summes, the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, doe hereby Ordaine, Order, and Declare, That the severall summes of money so lent, and to be lent as aforesaid, shall together with the consideration of eight pound per cent. for the time of forbearance, be repaid unto the persons that shall lend the same; for performance whereof, they do hereby engage the publique Faith of this Kingdome, being confident that our Brethren of Scotland, according to the agreement in the said articles mentioned, will in like manner joyntly engage the publique Faith of that Kingdome; And for the further encouragement of such persons who have lent, or shall hereafter lend any sums of money to the uses aforesaid, the Lords and Commons doe further Ordaine, Order and Declare, that the thirty thousand pounds heretofore Ordained and appointed by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons towards the payment of the Arreares of the Scottish Army in Ireland shall be paid unto the persons so lending; and doe likewise Ordaine, Order and Declare, That forty thousand pounds more over and besides the said thirty thousand pounds out of the Rents, Issues, and profits that shall be first received upon the Ordinance or Ordinances of Sequestration of the estates of Malignants throughout the Realme of England, shall be paid unto the persons that have and shall lend the said summes of Money: provided alwayes, that this Ordinance shall not in any sort be prejudiciall to any former assignments, or designations of Money, to be paid to any other uses upon the said Ordinance, or Ordinances of Sequestrations.

In case of Reduction of Newcastle, delinquents' Coals to be disposed of for repayment of those that lend Money.; Rates on Coals for 3 years from time of Reduction.; Coal Trade during same time to be under order of Committee of Parl., etc., for Loans.; Sequestered Estates to be employed for repayment.; Also moneys borrowed abroad; Directions for loan and repayment of £200,000 in equal instalments.; Treasurers; Treasurers Allowance.; Money may be sent to Committee in Scotland.; Money may be raised by voluntary loans or contributions.

And whereas by the blessing of God it may be expected, that upon the comming in of our Brethren of Scotland, the Townes of Newcastle, Sunderland, and the members will be reduced to the obedience of the King and Parliament, they being credibly informed, that great quantities of coals belonging to Delinquents, and others, within the Ordinance of Sequestration, are already digged and fit for sale, They doe hereby Ordaine, Order and Declare, That such Coales, as likewise the profits that shall hereafter be made of any Coale-pits, belonging to such persons shall be and remaine and shall be disposed of for the repayment of the persons that shall lend such summes of Money; And they doe further Ordaine, Order, and Declare, that upon the Coales of all other person and persons within the said Townes of Newcastle, Sunderland and the members, two shillings six pence shall be paid out of every Chaldron of Coales that shall be carried by Sea to any part of this Realme; And thirteen shillings and foure pence upon every Chaldron that shall be transported to any parts beyond the Seas; The said Rates to continue for and during the space of three years, from the time that the said Townes shall be reduced to such Obedience; And to the intent, that the profits aforesaid arising upon Coales, may be applyed to the purposes aforesaid, the said Trade of Coales shall, during the time aforesaid, be wholly under the Order, regulation, and surveigh of the Committee of Parliament and City of London already appointed for raising of the said loanes and sums of Money; And whereas no summes of money are by the true intent of the said Articles to be paid towards the maintenance of the Scottish Army, for above the space of three moneths after their comming into this Realme, other then as aforesaid, whereby during that time, great summes of Money may be expected out of the estates of Papists, Delinquents, and others within the Ordinance of Sequestration. It is further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, That the Rents, Issues, and Profits of such estates during that time shall likewise be imployed for and toward the repayment of the sums of Mony lent, and to be lent as aforesaid; And for that purpose shall be wholly, during the time aforesaid, under the Order, regulation & surveigh of the said Committee of the Parliament & Citie, & of such persons as shall bee appointed to Order the Sequestrations, those parts: And in case any sum of mony shall be borrowed in the parts beyond the Seas upon the joynt publique Faith of both the Kingdomes, The said Loanes & sum of money shall, out of the same, bee repaid unto the persons that shall lend the same; And it is further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, that the said summe of two hundred thousand pounds, to bee lent as aforesaid, shall be divided into three equall and even payments, each payment amounting to sixty six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds, thirteene shillings foure pence, And that the persons that shall first advance and lend the summe of 66666. li. 13.s. 4.d. shall bee first satisfied and paid, the said payment to be made in manner following, that is to say, by six equall and even payments, whereof each summe amounteth to eleven thousand one hundred eleven pounds two shillings two pence 3 farthings. The said summe of 11111.li. 2.s. 2.d. 3 farthings to bee proportionably paid to the persons that lent the first summe of 66666.li. 13.s. 4.d. And after the payment of the first 11111.li. 2.s. 2.d. 3 farthings. Then the like payments from time to time to be made until the whole summe of the first 66666.li. 13.s. 4.d. shall bee paid; And the other two payments of the residue of the 200000li. shall be paid in order of time, proportion and manner as aforesaid; And it is hereby Ordered, Ordained and Declared, That Richard Waring of London Grocer and Michael Herring of London Merchant, shall be, and they are hereby appointed to be the Treasurers for the receiving of all such summe and summes of Mony as shall bee lent to the purposes aforesaid, and that any writing under the hands of the said Richard Waring, and Michael Herring, testifying the receipt of any such summs of Money to bee lent as aforesaid, shall sufficiently inable the persons that shall lend such summes of Mony, to demand and receive the same; And the said Richard Waring, and Michael Herring, for their paines and attendance upon the said Service shall bee allowed one penny in the pound, out of the moneyes received by them upon the Loans before mentioned: And it is further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, That the Committee of Parliament, and Citie of London, appointed for raising the said summe and summes of Money or any five of them, shall have power from time to time by bills of Exchange, or otherwise to returne or send such summe and summs of Money as shall bee lent for the purposes aforesaid, unto the Committee now residing in Scotland, appointed by the Lords and Commons, or to any other person that may with most convenience pay the same unto our Brethren of Scotland: And it is hereby further Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, That the Committee of Parliament and of the Citie of London, shall have power and Authority to advance the Service of raising the said summs of money by voluntary Loans or contributions, in such manner, and by such meanes as they shall finde to bee most conducible thereunto.