AN ACT For ſetling the MILITIA FOR THE Borough of Southwark, and Pariſhes adjacent.

BE it Enacted by this preſent Parliament, and the Autho­rity thereof, That Lieute­nant General Charls Fleetwood, Sir Henry Vane Knight, Tho­mas Scot, George Thompſon, Na­thaniel Rich, Cornelius Cook, Samuel Hyland, James Walker, Richard Downs, Robert White, Thomas Lee, Edward Hall, Edward Brent, John Sandon, Wil­liam Angel, Eſqs: Major Richard Lewin, Ca­ptain_____Shaw, Captain William Smiter, Griffith Kent, John Shorter, Merchants, William Heſter, William Bab, Edward Leader, Jeremiah Ruſh­ley, John Pope, Francis Neeves, Gent. John Planner, Thomas Burton, James Pitman, William Sledd, James Childe, Nath. Collier, William Fenton, John Pool, Sa­muel Lynne ſenior, Thomas Middleton, John Smith, Morrice Craddock, John Showel, William Lance, James Reading, John Parker, Gent. John Trench­ard, Peter Delanoy, Jeremiah Baynes, William Hic­cock, Chriſtopher Serle, Thomas Wenborne, Tho­mas Walker, Thomas Irons, Charls Crayker, and Richard Lee, Eſqs: or any Seven or more of2 them, be, and are hereby conſtituted and ap­pointed a Committee for the Militia for the Borough of Southwark, and Pariſhes adjacent, viz. Olaves Savior, Thomas Georges, Many Magda­len Bermondſey, Redriffe, alias Rotherhith, Mary Newington, and Lambeth in the County of Sur­rey, mentioned in the weekly Bills of Morta­lity, on the ſouth-ſide the River Thames; And that they, or any Seven or more of them, ſhall have power, and are hereby authorized to aſſemble and call together all and every ſuch well-affected perſon and perſons within the Pariſhes aforeſaid, as are meet and fit to bear Arms, and them well and ſufficient­ly from time to time to cauſe to be Armed, Ar­rayed, and Weaponed, and to Form into Companies, Troops, and Regiments, and to Lead, Conduct, and Imploy, or cauſe to be Led, Conducted, and Imployed, as well within the Pariſhes aforeſaid, as within and into any other places of this Common­wealth, for Suppreſſing of all Inſurrecti­ons, Rebellions, and Invaſions, that may happen to be, and to Fight with, Kill, and Slay ſuch Enemies and Rebels, as they ſhall finde in Arms againſt this Common­wealth. And further to Act and Do accord­ing as they ſhall from time to time receive Directions from the Parliament or Council of State by the Parliament appointed, or to be appointed.

And that the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, ſhall have power and authority, to preſent to the Parliament or Council of State, the names of ſuch per­ſon or perſons, having reſpect to the Qua­lifications3 declared by the Parliament, as they ſhall think fit, to be Colonels, Lieute­nant Colonels, Majors, Captains, and o­ther Commiſſion Officers of the ſaid perſons ſo to be Armed, Arrayed and Weaponed: Which Perſons ſo preſented and appro­ved of by the Parliament or Council of State, ſhall have Commiſſions Signed by the Speaker of the Parliament, as the Of­ficers of the Army have: and being ſo Com­miſſionated, ſhall have power to Train, Ex­erciſe, and put in readineſs, and alſo to Lead and Conduct the perſons ſo to be Armed, Ar­rayed, and Weaponed, by the directions, and to the intents and purpoſes aforeſaid. And for the providing of Horſe and Arms, and the Furniture thereunto belonging, for the Arming & Weaponing the perſons aforeſaid: And alſo for the Defraying and Paying the neceſſary Charges thereunto belonging,

Be it further Enacted, that the ſaid Com­miſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, have hereby Power and Authority, to Aſſeſs and Charge all and every ſuch perſon and per­ſons, inhabiting and reſiding within the Pa­riſhes aforeſaid, or who have Eſtates with­in the ſaid Pariſhes, proportionably, according to ſuch Eſtates there, as are or ſhall be fit and meet to be Aſſeſt and Charged, for the purpo­ſes aforeſaid, for and towards the finding, furniſhing and providing, maintaining and having in readineſs one or more Horſe, or Horſes, Arms, or other Furniture, according to the ſeveral Eſtates and abilities of the per­ſon ſo to be Aſſeſt and Charged.

4Provided, That no one Perſon not having an Eſtate of the clear value of three thouſand pounds (of which the ſaid Commiſſioners are to be Iudges) be Charged or Chargeable with an Horſe, Arms, and the Furniture thereunto belonging, and that no one perſon not having an eſtate of the clear value of four hundred pounds (of which the ſaid Com­miſſioners are to be Iudges) be charged or chargeable with a whole foot Arms and the furniture thereunto belonging.

Provided nevertheleſs, And be it Enacted, That all and every perſon or perſons having an Eſtate of the clear value of one hundred pounds, and under the ſaid value of four hundred pounds, be chargeable by the ſaid Commiſſioners, for and towards the finding and providing of Drums, Colours, Powder, Match and Bullet, ſo that ſuch charge upon any one Perſon exceed not the Sum of twenty ſhillings.

And be it further Enacted, that if any per­ſon or perſons, ſo to be Aſſeſſed or Charged by the ſaid Commiſſioners, ſhall refuſe or neg­lect, by the time to be appointed by the ſaid Commiſſioners, to Provide and furniſh ſuch ſufficient Horſe, Horſes, Arms and other fur­niture, or to pay ſuch Sum or Sums of mo­ney, towards the providing and furniſhing as aforeſaid, That then it ſhall and may be law­ful to and for the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, to inflict a penalty upon ſuch perſon and perſons, not exceed­ing twenty pounds, and alſo, by Warrant under their hands and Seals, to commit5 ſuch perſon and perſons, ſo refuſing or neglect­ing, to Priſon, there to remain, without Bail or Mainprize, til he or they ſhal conform there­unto, and alſo ſhall pay ſuch penalty ſo in­flicted as aforeſaid, or elſe by like Warrant to Levy ſuch Sum or Sums of Money, or the value of ſuch Horſe, Horſes, Arms, and Furniture, and ſuch penalty inflicted, by Di­ſtreſſe and Sale of the Goods of the perſon or perſons ſo neglecting or refuſing (rendring the overplus to the party ſo diſtrained) all neceſſary Charges for Levying thereof being firſt deducted.

And be it further Enacted, that if any per­ſon or perſons ſo to be Armed, Arrayed and Weaponed, ſhall detain or imbezle his Horſe, Arms or other Furniture, wherewith he ſhall be intruſted, That it ſhall and may be lawful, to and for the ſaid Commiſſio­ners, or any five or more of them, to im­priſon ſuch perſon and perſons, till he or they have made ſatisfaction for the Horſe, Arms or other Furniture ſo by him detained or im­bezled, and alſo that if any perſon, ſo to be Armed, Horſed or Weaponed as aforeſaid, ſhall not appear and ſerve compleatly furni­ſhed, with the Horſe, Arms and other Fur­niture wherewith he is intruſted, at the Beat of Drum, Sound of Trumpet or other ſummons, That then and ſo often it ſhall and may be lawful, to and for the ſaid Com­miſſioners, or any five of them, if the de­fault be in the perſon or perſons ſo intruſt­ed, to impriſon ſuch perſon or perſons for the ſpace of five days without Bail or Main­prize,6 or inflict a penalty; if a Horſeman not exceeding twenty ſhillings, and if a Footman not exceeding ten ſhillings, to be paid down without delay or forbearance: And if any per­ſon or perſons ſo aſſeſſed or charged as afore­ſaid, ſhall refuſe or neglect to deliver his Horſe, Arms or other Furniture, upon ſuch ſummons, or other notice as aforeſaid, That then and ſo often it ſhall and may be Lawfull to and for the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any three or more, to inflict a penalty not exceeding five pounds, to be Levied by diſtreſs and ſale of the Goods of ſuch perſon & perſons ſo refuſing as afore­ſaid, rendring the overplus to the party di­ſtrained, (neceſſary charges for Levying being firſt deducted.) And for the better diſcovery of the ability of the perſons to be aſſeſſed and charged, and of all mildemeanors tending to the hindrance of the ſervice aforeſaid, the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any five or more of them, are hereby enabled to examine upon Oath ſuch perſon and perſons as they ſhall judge neceſ­ſary and Convenient. And for the better and more ſpeedie execution of the Premiſes,

Be it further Enacted, And the ſaid Com­miſſioners are hereby required to appoint ſuch and ſo often General meetings of themſelves as they ſhall think fit, and at ſuch General meetings to appoint one or more Treaſurer or Treaſurers, for receiving ſuch money as ſhall be Levied by vertue hereof, of all which Receipts and diſburſements thereof, the ſaid Treaſurers and Receivers are every ſix Mo­neths to give their Accompt in writing to the Parliament or Council of State.

7And be it further Enacted, That the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, ſhall and may Summon all and every Trea­ſurer and Treaſurers of any former Com­mittee, or Commiſſioners for the Militia, within the Pariſhes aforeſaid, or any other perſon or perſons, who by vertue of any Au­thority of Parliament, or otherwiſe, are poſſeſt of any Sum or Sums of Money, Arms or Ammunition, in relation to the ſaid Militia, and to require them and every of them, forthwith to pay every ſuch Sum and ſums of Money, and deliver ſuch Arms and Ammunition remaining in their hands afore­ſaid, to ſuch perſon or perſons as the ſaid Commiſſioners appointed by this Act, or any Seven or more of them, ſhall appoint; and in caſe of non-payment and delivery of ſuch Arms and Ammunition, to Levy the ſame Money or value of the ſaid Arms and Am­munition, by Impriſonment of the perſon, or by diſtreſs and ſale, rendring the overplus to the party diſtrained: All which Moneys ſo Levied and Received, and all ſuch Arms and Ammunition, as aforeſaid, to be delivered, are to be imployed for carrying on of the ſaid ſervice: and at ſuch General meetings the ſaid Commiſſioners are to divide themſelves in ſuch proportions and numbers as they ſhall judge convenient, and into ſuch Precincts and diviſions as may moſt tend to the ſpeedy and effectual advancement of the ſervice. And for the better ſecuring of the Peace of this Commonwealth,

Be it further Enacted and Ordained,8 And the ſaid Commiſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, are hereby enabled and Au­thorized from time to time, by Warrant under their hands & ſeals, to imploy ſuch wel affected perſon or perſons as they ſhall think fit, of which the Conſtable for the time being within his reſpective Pariſh to be one, in the day­time, to ſearch for and ſeize all Arms and Horſes, in y^e cuſtody or poſſeſſion of any Popiſh Recuſant, or other perſon that hath been in Arms againſt the Parliament, or that hath adhered to the Enemies thereof, or any other perſon, whom the ſaid Commiſſioners ſhall judge dangerous to the Peace of this Com­monwealth, and with ſuch Arms and Horſe, to Arm ſuch well affected perſons as they ſhall think fit, or otherwiſe to ſecure ſuch Arms and Horſe, for the uſe of the Com­monwealth; to which purpoſe the perſons ſo to be imployed are hereby Authorized and re­quired to enter into the Houſe or Lodging of any ſuch perſon as aforeſaid, and there to ſearch for, ſeize, and take away ſuch Arms and Horſe as they ſhall finde, and thereof from time to time to give accompt to the ſaid Commiſſioners.

And be it further Enacted, That all high Conſtables, Petty Conſtables, and other Officers and Miniſters within the Pariſhes aforeſaid be and are hereby required to be aid­ing and aſſiſting to the ſaid Commiſſioners, in execution of the Premiſſes; and that all and every Perſon and Perſons, who ſhall Act or Do any thing in execution there­of, ſhall be ſaved harmleſs and Indempni­fied9 by Authority of Parliament.

And be it further Enacted, That it ſhall and may be lawfull, to, and for the ſaid Com­miſſioners, or any Seven or more of them, to impoſe the finding and providing of Horſe and Arms as aforeſaid, by joyning two, three, or more perſons together in the Charge, as to their Iudgements ſhall appear moſt conducible to the ſervice of the Common­wealth.

Provided, That this Act ſhall continue in Force until the Firſt day of March, One thouſand ſix hundred fifty nine, and no longer.