December 1644
[7 December, 1644.]
Whereas, for the better furnishing of the Public Stores with
Gunpowder and mmunition, several Contracts have been
lately made, as well with such of the Salt-petre Men as are by
Ordinance of Parliament authorized to make Salt-petre within
this Kingdom, as with Samuell Cordwell and James Berisford,
Gunpowder-makers, for the converting of the same, and of such
Foreign Petre as hath been lately bought of William Curteene
and William Toomes Esquires, into Powder; and whereas it is
also thought fit, that some convenient Provision of Match and
Bullet should be made, for the furnishing of the said Stores,
to be made Use of upon Occasion: It is therefore Ordained
by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That
the Sum of Six Thousand Pounds shall be raised, and paid out
of the grand Excise or new Impost, for doing and carrying on the
said Work, in Manner and Form following; (videlicet,) Two
Thousand Pounds thereof upon passing of this Ordinance, and
the other Four Thousand at Three Months and Three Months
after, by equal Portions, unto Sir Walter Erle Knight, Lieutenant of the Ordnance, for the Uses and Purposes aforesaid:
and the Receipt of the said Sir Walter Erle from Time to Time
for the same shall be their sufficient Discharge in that Behalf.