June 1644
[15 June, 1644.]
Whereas divers persons, within the City 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 of aforesaid, that hold correspondencie 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 Parliament and City.
Power to Committee for Militia of London to make all persons that have Stock in Trade within Lines of Communication find such proportion of arms and pay such soldiers as Committee shall think fit. Penalty for disobedience.
And whereas by severall Ordinances of Parliament; power is
given to the said Committee for ordering the said Militia within
the limits aforesaid, and drawing out Forces for service abroad,
and that many things mentioned in the said Ordinances to be
put in execution, require the help and assistance of more
persons in the nature of Sub-Committees; Thereupon power is
given to the said Committee, to make one or more SubCommittees within the said limits as they shall thinke fit: and
for the better enabling the said Sub-Committee so made, or to
be made, to performe the services therein contained.
Imprisonment of offenders.
The said Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, doe
Ordaine and Declare, and be it Ordained and Declared, That
the said Committee of the Militia of London shall have power,
and are hereby Authorised to impose upon all such persons as
have any 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 been, or shall be appointed to beare 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 Com
mittee, 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 leavy the same by distresse and sale of their goods and
chattels, or otherwise to imprison their persons without Baile or
mainprise, untill such times 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 to leavy the said fines by distresse, as aforesaid, That then the Committee for Examinations
upon complaint made by the Committee of the Militia, or such
as they shall appoint, do forthwith grant their warrants for apprehending of all such person or persons wheresoever they shall
be, and to commit him or them to prison without baile or mainprize, 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 Committee of the Militia shall thinke fit
and direct.
Power to search in suspicious places for Papists and other ill affected persons, and to expel or imprison them.; Power to break open Houses in case of resistance.
And it is further Ordained that the said Committee 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 Committee shall
have cause to suspect that any Papists are, or other persons that
come from any of the Kings Quarters, or cannot give good
account of their businesse, or abode within the limits aforesaid,
or that have or shall discover their ill-affection to the Parliament, and likewise to search for Armes, Ammunition, and
materials for Warre, in the custody of such Persons, and to seize
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 Committee
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.
Sub-Committees.; Constables, etc., to obey Committee and Sub-Committees; Proviso.; Indemnity.
And it is further Ordained, that the said sub-Committees so
appointed or to be appointed by the said Committee of the
Militia, shall have power, and are nereby authorised to cause all
or any of the clauses contained in this or any other of the said
Ordinances, to be put in due execution, when, and as often as
they shall receive directions from the said Committee 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 said Committee for the Militia, or other Sub-committees, for and concerning the execution of the same accordingly: Provided that
no Power hereby granted, shall be extended against any Peere
or Member of either of the Houses of Parliament, or any of the
Assistants of the House of Peers. 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 harmlesse 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.