An Ordinance of the Lords and Com­mons aſſembled in Parliament, Concerning divers ill-affected perſons and Papiſts within the Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Me­rioneth, Carnarvon, and Angleſey, &c.

VVHereas the Lords and Commons now aſſembled in Parliament, have received credible Information that very many Papiſts, notorious Delinquents, and other ill-affected perſons inhabiting within the ſeveral counties of Denigb, Mount­gomery, and Flint, in the Dominion of Wales, have in meer oppo­ſition to, and contempt of the power and authority of this pre­ſent Parliament, entered into an hoſtile and dangerous Aſſocia­tion amongſt themſelves, and with many other perſons of like condition with them, inhabiting in other adjacent counties, for the raiſing and promoting of an inteſtine and civill War within this Kingdom: and in purſuance thereof, have (contrary to their allegiance) levyed, and do daily levy great forces both of horſe and foot within their ſaid ſeverall counties, compelling the com­mon people by Impreſt, Impriſonment, and other violent cour­ſes, to enter into acts of hoſtility and rebellion with them, and inforcing the Inhabitants of the ſaid counties, by illegall, unjuſt, and inſupportable taxations, to ſupport and maintaine them in their ſaid Rebellion and Force, contrary not only to the ancient known laws of this Kingdom; but alſo to ſeverall Acts made and conſented unto by his Majeſty this preſent Parliament: and mul­titudes of his Majeſties good proteſtant ſubjects have been, and daily are robbed of all their eſtates, impriſoned, ruined, and de­ſtroyed4 by them; Which proceedings of the ſaid perſons, doe tend not only to the diſturbance of the peace, and tranquility of this Kingdom; but alſo to the ſubverſion of the fundamentall Government thereof, and of the proteſtant religion therein pro­feſſed, in caſe they ſhould receive into their ayd and aſſiſtance a­ny conſiderable number of the Iriſh Rebells, which is not impro­bable; It being the ayme (as it is probable) of all the papiſts now in armes in this Kingdome, and in the Kingdom of Ireland, to free themſelves from the Laws eſtabliſhed againſt them, and the cruel and bloudy outrages committed by them upon the pro­teſtants of both Kingdomes, (in ruining whole families, conſu­ming by fire whole townes, and uſing his Majeſties Name for their authority to countenance their treaſonable practiſes) ma­king it evident to all men, that the ſaid Rebellion and civill Warre in both Kingdomes, have ſprang from the ſame Roote, and muſt needs live and dye together; The ſaid Lords and Com­mons taking the ſame into their ſerious conſiderations, doe hold it neceſſary (for the more ſpeedy ſuppreſſing of the ſaid Rebel­lion, and reducing of the ſaid Papiſts, Delinquents, and ill af­fected perſons to their due obedience) that the ſaid ſeverall counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnar­von, and Angleſey, and the adjacent counties, be with all con­venient ſpeed ſecured, aſwell from inſurrection, as forraign In­vaſion, being ſeated on the Iriſh Coaſts.

Be it therefore ordayned by the Lords and Commons in Par­liament aſſembled, That the Lord-Lieutenants for the ſaid ſeve­rall counties, and all Colonells, Lieutenant-colonells, Serjeant-Majors, Captaines, and other officers, and all other perſons well affected to the proteſtant Religion, and the peace of the King­dome, inhabiting within the ſaid ſeverall counties, ſhall, and lawfully may aſſociate themſelves together; and likewiſe enter into mutuall aſſociation to, and with the ſaid ſeverall Lord-Lieu­tenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonells, Sergeant Majors, Captaines, and other Officers, and all other perſon or perſons inhabiting within the ſeverall counties of Cheſter, the county of the city of Cheſter, and the counties of Salop and Lancaſter, and any other adja­cent county or counties, and actually ayde, ſuccour, and aſſiſt5 one another, in the mutuall preſervation and defence of them­ſelves, and of the peace of all the ſaid counties, from all rapine, plundering, and ſpoyling by the ſaid Delinquents, papiſts, and other the ſaid ill-affected perſons; And that the ſaid Lord-Lieutenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Colo­nells, Lieutenant-colonells, Serjeant Majors, Captaines, and o­ther Officers, ſhall have have power to raiſe forces of horſe and foot, and to lead them into any place, or places, which ſhall be fitting and convenient, either within, or out of all, or any of the ſaid ſeverall counties: And to give battle to, and to fight with all ſuch forces as are, or ſhall be raiſed againſt the Parliament, and againſt all other forces raiſed ▪ or to be raiſed without autho­rity and conſent of both Houſes of Parliament; and likewiſe a­gainſt all ſuch perſons as do, or ſhall make any inſurrection, or otherwiſe plunder or deſtroy any of his Majeſties good ſubjects, and them to invade, reſiſt, ſuppreſſe, ſubdue, purſue, kill, ſlay, and put to execution of death, and by all meanes to deſtroy, as enemies to this Kingdom: and alſo to performe all other things needfull for the preſervation of the ſafety and peace of all the ſaid ſeverall counties, cities, and parts adjacent; obſerving from time to time ſuch other directions and commands, as they ſhall receive from both Houſes of Parliament, or from his Excel­lency the Earle of ESSEX Lord Generall, And that all the ſayed perſons and other the Inhabitants of the afore­ſayed ſeverall Counties, that ſhall enter into any ſuch ſaid Aſſociation, by vertue of this preſent Ordinance, or doe any other act or acts in obedience to, and purſu­ance of this, or any other Ordinance of the two Houſes of Parliament, ſhall for his, and their ſo doings, be ſaved, de­fended, and kept harmleſſe by the power and authority of Par­liament. And the ſaid Lords and Commons taking likewiſe in­to their ſerious conſiderations, aſwell the danger this whole Kingdom is likely to fall into, if any of the Iriſh Rebels, or other forreign Forces ſhould land in any of the aforeſaid ſe­verall Counties, being Maritine, and bordering on the Iriſh Seas, and ſhould joyn with the ſaid Delinquents, papiſts, and other the ſaid ill-affected perſons, now already in arms againſt the Parliament; as alſo the neceſsity of appointing a Com­mander3〈1 page duplicate〉4〈1 page duplicate〉5〈1 page duplicate〉6of the Forces which ſhall be raiſed within the ſaid ſeverall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Angleſey, or in any of them for the aforeſaid ſervice, do Ordain, That the ſaid Earl of Eſſex, the Lord Gene­rall, ſhall be deſired to grant Commſſion unto Sir Thomas Mid­dleton Knight, being one of the Members of Parliament, to command in chief, as Sergeant Major Generall of all the For­ces both of Horſe and Foot, raiſed, or to be raiſed in all or any of the ſaid ſeverall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon and Angleſey, or in any of them for the ſervice aforeſaid; and to have power to lead, com­mand, and carry the ſame to ſuch place and places, within the ſaid ſeverall Counties or without, as he ſhall think fit and neceſſary, for the mutuall defence, aſſiſtance, and aid of all the ſaid ſeverall Counties; and for the preſervation of the peace of them or any of them; and likewiſe to give the ſame Order and Inſtructions in his ſaid Excellencies abſence, for Regulating of the Souldiers, which are or ſhall be under his Command, as his Excellencie hath given to his army; and to uſe Martiall Law to compell obedience thereunto, as occaſion ſhall require; and alſo to make, nominate, and appoint all other Commanders under him, for the levying, raiſing, con­ducting, and leading of the ſaid Forces, as he ſhall from time to time think fitting; and to raiſe Souldiers in all, or any of the ſaid ſeverall Counties for the aforeſaid ſervice.

And whereas the Inhabitants of the ſaid ſeverall Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon and Angleſey, are now wholly ſubjected to the power and Tyran­nie of the Commiſſioners of Array, and others of the ſaid Delinquents, by reaſon whereof, no Commiſſioners have been named for the putting in execution of any of the Ordinances of Parliament, in any of the ſaid Counties, (the well-affected in thoſe parts being overawed.

Be it therefore further Ordained, That the ſaid Sir Thomas Middleton ſhall have full power and authority, and is hereby authoriſed, to name and appoint Commiſſioners, Soliciters, and Agents, for the putting in execution the Ordinance for the ſeizing and ſequeſtring of the Eſtates, aſwell reall as perſonall,7 of certain notorious Delinquents, in the ſaid ſeverall Coun­ties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Angleſey, and every of them; and to require, and take accompt or accompts from time to time, of ſuch ſaid Commiſ­ſioners, Soliciters, or Agents, of their and every of their do­ings and proceedings therein; and to receive into his charge and cuſtody all ſuch ſums of Monies, Horſes, Cattle, Plate, Goods, and other things whatſoever which ſhall be ſeized and ſequeſtred, in all or any of the ſaid laſt mentioned ſeverall Counties, by vertue of the ſaid Ordinance of Sequeſtration; and the ſame to detain and keep for the publique ſervice and imployment of the Parliament and Kingdom, rendring an ac­compt thereof to the two Houſes of Parliament only, or to ſuch perſons as they ſhall appoint; and to receive the ſubmiſ­ſion of ſuch perſons inhabiting within the ſaid ſeverall Coun­ties or any of them, as ſhall upon due ſummons come in, and yeeld obedience to the power and authority of the two Hou­ſes of Parliament, and willingly aid and aſſiſt the ſaid Sir Thomas Middleton in the ſaid ſervice; and to forbear to put the ſaid Ordinance of ſequeſtration in execution againſt the ſaid perſons, untill the further pleaſure of the two Houſes of Parliament be ſignified therein.

And be it further ordeyned, that the ſaid Sir Thomas Middle­ton, ſhall have full power and authority, and hereby is authori­ſed to impoſe, and ſay ſuch aſſeſſments and taxes upon the ſaid ſeverall counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Angleſey, for the maintenance of the forces ac­cording to the ſeverall Ordinances for the levying of money, which ſhall be raiſed for the preſervation of the peace of the ſaid counties, and reducing of the ſaid papiſts and Delinquents to their due obediences, to the power and authority of Parli­ament; and to cauſe the ſame by diſtreſſe, or otherwiſe, to be levyed upon the Inhabitants of the ſaid counties accordingly, Rendring an accompt thereof to the two Houſes of Parliament: and if any perſon or perſons ſo aſſeſſed, or taxed, ſhall refuſe to pay his, or their aſſeſſment, or convey away his, or their goods, or other perſonall eſtate, ſo as the ſummes of moneys ſo aſſeſſ'd or taxed, cannot be levyed according to this Ordinance, Then8 the ſaid Sir Thomas Middleton ſhall have power, and is hereby authoriſed by himſelfe, or ſuch other perſons as he ſhall appoint, to ſeize, and ſequeſter, the eſtates, both reall, and perſonall, of all and every ſuch perſon and perſons as ſhal ſo refuſe to pay his, or their aſſeſſments, or ſhall convey away, or obſcure his, or their perſonall eſtates, or any part thereof as aforeſaid: ſo that the ſame cannot be found or met with, whereon to make diſtreſſe, as being perſons ill-affected to the common-wealth, and refractory and diſobedient to the power and authority of Parliament, and to detaine, and keep the ſame for the publick ſervice of the Parliament and Kingdome; Rendring an ac­compt thereof to the two Houſes of Parliament.