Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660

The full text of legislation passed into law during the Interregnum. Contains over 900 pieces of legislation. ranging from that concerning the trial and execution of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury to the regulation of trade in currants, and from the propagation of the Gospel in the New World to the draining of the Great Fen. Originally published in three volumes, it is here given together, along with a table of acts passed and a substantial introduction.

British History Online (no series). Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1911.

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Table of Contents

Title Page(s)
September 1647: Ordinance to disable Persons from bearing Offices that have been in Arms against the Parliament. 1009
September 1647: Ordinance to settle the Militia of Southwark. 1010-1011
September 1647: An Ordinance for a Committee of Militia for the City of Westminster, the Savoy, Clements Danes, Giles in the Fields, Andrews Holborn, Sepulchres, James Clerkenwel, Mary Islington, and Giles Creplegate in the County of Middlesex. 1011-1012
September 1647: An Ordinance That all Delinquents shall forthwith bring in Fines due upon Bond, to the Commissioners sitting at Goldsmith Hall, or else their Estates to be sequestred till payment be made. 1012
September 1647: Ordinance for Payment of Arrears due in the late Court of Wards. 1013-1014
September 1647: Ordinance for the payment of Fee-farm rents due to the Crown from members of either House. 1014
September 1647: An Ordinance concerning sequestered Book-evidences and Writings. 1014-1015
September 1647: An Ordinance for Members of both Houses to be a Committee for the Army for disposing the 60000l. a moneth, and appointing Treasurers at Wars. 1015-1017
September 1647: An Ordinance for the better security and encouragement of all and every such person and persons, Bodies Politique and Corporate as already have or hereafter shall become Purchaser from the Trustees of any Manors, Lands, &c… 1017-1019
September 1647: Ordinance to secure 30,000l. to the Treasurers at War, advanced by them; and to continue to them the usual Allowances. 1019-1021
September 1647: An Ordinance against unlicensed or scandalous Pamphlets, and and for the better Regulating of Printing. 1021-1023
October 1647: An Ordinance for disabling Delinquents to bear Office, or to have any voyce in the election of any. 1023-1025
October 1647: An Ordinance for bringing in the Arrears of the Assessments for Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army. 1025-1026
October 1647: An Ordinance for the Lord Major and City of London, and the Justices of Peace to suppress Stage-playes and Interludes. 1027
November 1647: An Ordinance for Limiting a time for payment of the fourth part of Adventurers for Lands in Ireland. 1027-1029
December 1647: An Ordinance for removal of Obstructions in the Sale of Bishops Lands 1029-1031
December 1647: An Ordinance for the establishing of the Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage, together with the Book of Rates from the 26 March, 1648. untill the 26 of March 1651. 1032-1042
December 1647: An Ordinance for the constant Reliefe and Imployrnent of the Poore; And the punishment of Vagrants and other disorderly Persons in the City of London and Liberties thereof... 1042-1045
December 1647: An Ordinance of both Houses concerning the chusing of Common-Councell men and other Officers of the City of London. 1045-1046
December 1647: An Ordinance for defraying the Sallaries and Charges of the Committee, and Sub-Committees of Accompts. 1046-1047
December 1647: An Ordinance of the names of the Peers added to the Committee of the Navy and Customs. 1047-1048
December 1647: An Ordinance concerning Free-Quarter. 1048-1049
December 1647: An Ordinance for the payment of the Souldiery out of the moyety of the Receipts of Excise. 1049
December 1647: Au Ordinance for payment of Souldiery out of Delinquents Estates. 1049
December 1647: An Ordinance for payment of the Souldiery out of Bishops Lands remaining not ingaged. 1050
December 1647: An Ordinance for securing of Soldiers Arrears out of Delinquents Estates. 1050-1051
December 1647: An Ordinance for speedy auditing the Accompts of the Forces now or late under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, and securing their Arrears. 1051-1052
December 1647: An Ordinance for disbanding of all Supernumerary Forces. 1053-1054
December 1647: An Ordinance for the severall Commissioners in the respective Counties, to make a Collector for the Monethly Assessement of 60,000l 1054
December 1647: An Ordinance giving power to the Committee of Indemnity to put in Execution the Ordinances concerning Apprentices Freedomes. 1054-1055
December 1647: An Ordinance for the more effectual Relief of Maimed Soldiers. 1055-1056
January 1648: An Ordinance for raising 50,000l. for Ireland, and securing it by several Delinquents Estates. 1056-1057
January 1648: An Ordinance for Constituting a Committee of Militia within the Hamblets of the Tower of London. 1057-1058
January 1648: An Ordinance for prohibiting the Transportation out of this Kingdom of England, Ireland, and Wales, of all Wooll, Woollen Yarn, Wooll-Fells, Fuller Earth, Clay, &c., to any part beyond the Seas. 1059-1061
January 1648: Ordinance to prevent the Exportation of Wool from Ireland, except to England and Wales. 1061
January 1648: An Ordinance for enabling a Committee in the County of Kent to put in execution all former Ordinances of Parliament concerning Indempnity. 1061-1062
January 1648: An Ordinance for the speedy dividing and setling the several Counties of this Kingdom into distinct Classical Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships. 1062-1063
January 1648: An additional Ordinance for enlarging the Power of the Committee for the Militia of Westminster, and Parts adjacent, and for necessary Supply of Monies for that Service. 1063-1064
February 1648: An Ordinance for repairing Churches, and for payment of Church Duties. 1065-1070
February 1648: An Ordinance for the utter suppression and abolishing of all Stage-Plays and Interludes, within the Penalties to be inflicted on the Actors and Spectators therein expressed 1070-1072
February 1648: An Ordinance For raising of Twenty thousand pounds a Moneth for the Relief of Ireland. 1072-1105
March 1648: An Ordinance for removing Obstructions in the sale of Reversions of Bishops Lands. 1106
March 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for committing the Great Seal of England into the Hands and Custody of Commissioners. 1106-1107
March 1648: An Ordinance for Raising Moneys to be imployed for the maintenance of the Forces under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax Knight. 1107-1114
March 1648: An Additional Ordinance for the Explanation and better Execution of former Ordinances for the sale of the Lands and Possessions of the late Archbishops and Bishops within the Realm of England, and Dominion of Wales. 1114-1116
April 1648: An Ordinance appointing Treasurers under a former Ordinance of the Sixteenth of February 1647. 1116-1117
April 1648: An Ordinance for the better payment of Tythes and Duties to the Ministers of the City of London. 1117-1118
April 1648: An Ordinance for the Indempnifying and saving harmless all such persons that have acted or done...in the County of Kent for the same purpose. 1119-1120
April 1648: An Ordinance for setling the jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty. 1120-1121
April 1648: Ordinance to give Power to the Trustees for Sale of Bishops Lands, to convey Land to the Contractors, in Lieu of their Salaries. 1121-1123
April 1648: An Ordinance for constituting a Committee of Militia within the Borough of Southwark. 1123-1125
April 1648: Ordinance for Preservation of Timber in the Forest of Deane, 1125-1126
April 1648: An Ordinance for the further ascertaining the arrears of the Soldiers upon their Debentures, and securing all those that shall purchase the same. 1126-1127
April 1648: An Ordinance for the speedy bringing in the Arreares of the Assessements in the City of London and Liberties thereof 1128-1131
April 1648: An Ordinance for the redressing of the oppressions of Souldiers by taking Free-Quarter, contrary to the Orders of Parliament. 1131-1132
April 1648: An Ordinance for the continuance of the Committee of the Army and the Treasurers at Warres. 1132-1133
May 1648: An Ordinance for the punishing of Blasphemies and Heresies, with the several penalties therein expressed. 1133-1136
May 1648: An Ordinance for setling the Militia, and raising of Forces for suppressing all Rebellions and Insurrections in the Counties of Gloucester, Monmouth, Brecon and Glamorgan... and safety of the Parliament, and the said Counties. 1136-1137
May 1648: Ordinance to settle the Militia of London; and for Colonel West to be Lieutenant of the Tower. 1137-1139
May 1648: Declaration against tumultuous Assemblies, under Pretence of preparing Petitions. 1139
May 1648: An Ordinance for putting all Delinquents, Papists, Ministers, Officers and Souldiers of Fortune that have adhered to the Enemy during the late Warr... 1140-1141
May 1648: An Ordinance for Setling the Militia in the Northern Counties. 1141-1143
May 1648: Ordinance to Enable the Committee for Oxford University to send for Delinquents. 1143
May 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, to make Robert Earl of Warwicke Lord High Admiral of England. 1144-1145
May 1648: An Ordinance for the speedy getting in the Arreares of such Money as is Assessed on the Citie of London and Liberties thereof, for the maintaining of the Forces raised by Authority of Parliament. 1145-1147
June 1648: An Ordinance for the explaining and enlarging of an Ordinance made the 13th January 1647. for raising 50,000l. for the speedy relief of Ireland, and reducing the Rebels there. 1147-1166
June 1648: An Ordinance for putting all Delinquents, Papists, Ministers, Officers, and Soldiers of Fortune, that have adhered to the enemy...out of the Cities of London and Westminster, late Lines of Communication, and Twenty miles distant. 1166-1168
July 1648: Ordinance for the Continuance of the Excise. 1168-1169
July 1648: Ordinance for Salaries for the Auditors of the Army Accompts 1169-1170
July 1648: An Ordinance for taking, stating, and determining the Accompts of all such Officers and Soldiers, or Widdows of the said Officers and Soldiers, that have served the Parliament in the late Wars... 1170-1174
July 1648: An Ordinance for removing obstructions in the sale of Bishops Lands. 1174-1176
July 1648: Ordinance for the Yorkshire Forces to have the King's and Queen's Revenues there. 1176-1177
August 1648: Ordinance to settle the Militia of Middlesex 1177-1179
August 1648: An Ordinance for the further and better regulating the Sequestrations of Papists and Delinquents Estates. 1179-1183
August 1648: Ordinance to associate the Counties of Carnarvon, Merioneth, Denbigh, Montgomery, and Flint, in N. Wales. 1183-1185
August 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, authorizing Robert Earl of Warwick, Lord High Admiral of England, to execute Martial Law upon such Captains, Commanders, Officers, Mariners, Seamen, and Soldiers... 1185-1186
August 1648: Additional Ordinance for Martial Law at Sea. 1186
August 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the better regulating and speedy bringing in the Sequestration-monies, arising out of the Real and Personal Estates of Papists and Delinquents... 1186-1188
August 1648: An Ordinance for The Form of Church Government to be used in the Church of England and Ireland, agreed upon by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, after Advice, had with the Assembly of Divines. 1188-1215
September 1648: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better clearing of one other Ordinance of the said Lords and Commons, of the 14th of April, 1648... 1216-1218
September 1648: Ordinance to prevent the Exportation of Bullion. 1218-1219
October 1648: Ordinance to dispose of Impropriations, late belonging to Bishops, &c. 1219-1220
October 1648: Declaration to prevent Officers from disturbing the Houses on account of their Arrears. 1220
October 1648: An Ordinance for Payment of the Horse Guards that attend the Parliament. 1221-1222
October 1648: A Declaration and Ordinance for Sequestering the Estates both real and personal of Delinquents, to be imployed for and towards the raising and maintaining of a Troop of Horse, for the Service of the Parliament within the County of Surrey. 1222-1223
October 1648: An Ordinance Concerning The Company of Merchants Trading into France. 1224-1226
October 1648: An Ordinance for the true payment of Tythes and other Duties, and for continuance of an Ordinance of the 9th of August 1647. 1226
October 1648: Ordinance for appointing Judges. 1226-1227
November 1648: An Ordinance for enabling a Committee of Lords and Commons to remove Obstructions in the sale of the Lands of the late Archbishops and Bishops. 1227-1233
December 1648: An Ordinance for the setling the Militia in the severall Counties, Cities and places within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Barwick upon Tweed. 1233-1251
December 1648: Order for repealing the former Ordinance for settling the Militia of the Kingdom. 1251-1252
December 1648: An Ordinance for the chusing of Common Council-men, And other Officers within the City of London, and Liberties thereof for the yeare ensuing. 1252-1253
December 1648: An Ordinance concerning the Election of Common-councel men and other Officers in the City of London. 1253
January 1649: An Act of the Commons of England Assembled in Parliament, for Erecting of a High Court of Justice, for the Trying and Judging of Charles Stuart, King of England. 1253-1255
January 1649: Ordinance concerning Assessments for the Army;- and for disbanding supernumerary Forces. 1256-1257
January 1649: An Act touching the Regulating of the Officers of the Navy and Customs. 1257-1260
Januarii 1649: An Act of the Commons Assembled in Parliament, For the setling of the Militia (of the City) of London, and Liberties thereof. 1261-1262
January 1649: An Act of this present Parliament for the Alteration of several Names and Forms heretofore used in Courts, Writs, Grants, Patents &c. and settling of Proceedings in Courts of Law, Justice and Equity... 1262-1263
January 1649: An Act prohibiting the proclaiming any person to be King England or Ireland, or the Dominions thereof. 1263-1264
February 1649: An Act for Repeal of several Clauses in the Statutes of 1° Eliz., and 3° Jacobi touching the Oaths of Allegiance, Obedience and Supremacy. 1