ORDERS PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTY By advice of the LORDS & COMMONS OF PARLIAMENT Assembled at OXFORD, FOR The more indifferent rating and levying of moneys to be raised by way of Contribution, and to prevent the disorders of the Soldiers of His Majesty's Armies, and Oppression of other His Subjects.  
Printed by His Majesty's Command, at the Desire of the Lords and Commons of Parliament Assembled at Oxford.  
BY LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University. 1644.   

ORDERS PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTY, By advice of the LORDS and COMMONS of Parliament Assembled at Oxford.  
1 THat such sums of money as are, or shall be, agreed to be charged or set upon any County or City, shall by the Commissioners apppointed for those Contributions, or greater number of them, be divided and distributed into several proportions upon each respective Hundred or Liberty of the said several Counties, and upon each respective Parish, or Ward of those Cities; according to the Rates used, and accustomed for Collection of monies for public uses in the same Counties and Cities.  
2 That after any certain sum shall be charged, and set upon any Hundred, as aforesaid, the same shall be distributed by the Constables, or Constable of the Hundred, into several proportions, upon each respective Town, parish or place within the same Hundred, according to the usual and accustomed Rates for Taxations.  
3 That after the sums shall be set upon any Town, Liberty, Parish or Place, the same shall at some general meeting to be appointed by the Constables or Constable of the Town, Parish or Place, be subdivided and charged by the Inhabitants of the place, or greater number of them. upon every Inhabitant, Parson or Vicar, and others upon every occupier of Messages, Lands, Tenements, Tithes, Rent, Annuities, and other Hereditaments in the said parish or place, according to the usual and accustomed Rates in their payments for public uses.  
4 That if any person or persons within any Hundred, Town, parish or place, shall find him or themselves grieved by the said rates, and shall complain thereof to any of the said Commissioners, every such complaint shall be heard and ordered by any three or more of the next Commissioners. But if the difference happen to be between several Hundreds, Townes, Parishes, or places, or if any person or persons within the said Hundreds, Townes, Parishes or places, rest unsatisfied with the Commissioners Orders, upon their former Complaint in both those cases, the differences shall be heard and ordered at some general meeting by the said Commissioners, or greater number of them, and not otherwise: with this, that no alteration or abatement shall be made of any Rate or Tax, until after the person or persons complaining have yielded obedience thereunto, and have paid the Tax Imposed on them, nor unless the Complainants give timely notice unto those who made the former Rates, or some of them, or those that shall be chief concerned therein of the time when they intended to complain, & to have the differences examined, to the end the other party or parties may attend (if they please) & be provided for a defence, & so the differences fully and indifferently heard and ended with the least trouble and disquiet to all parties.  
5 That the said Commissioners shall divide themselves into several companies, and so provide, that three or more of them may once every week meet within each Division of the County, to hear and Order the differences arising in any Hundred, Town, Parish, or place, and the Commissioners for Cities shall also weekly meet at some convenient place, to hear & order the differences there arising; & there shall be a general meeting once a month at least, of all the said Commissioners to heart the more public grievances, & from time to time, at every of those general meetings, the time of the next meeting shall be appointed and published.  
6 That the Rates and Assessments to be made in each respective Hundred, Town, Parish and place shall be done within six days next after the Constables or Constable of that place shall receive order for the doing thereof, & within 3 days after the making thereof, the Constables, or Constable of the Hundred, Town, Parish or place shall deliver two schedules in writings of the respective Taxations and Rates, one of them to the said next Commissioners, & the other to the Collector or Collectors of the same Rates, (who shall from time to time be nominated, and appointed by the said Commissioners,) & the said Collector or Collectors, shall within six days after the delivery of the said schedule unto him or them, collect and pay over the same Moneys to the Treasurers or Treasurer of that County or City, to be approved of by the said Commissioners.  
7 That such part of the several Contributions shall be paid in Money, and such part thereof in provisions for Men and Horses, as any three or more of the said Commissioners of that County, Division, or City, where the same Contribution is to be paid shall think fit, and for the Rates and Prices of those Provisions special regard is to be had by the said Commissioners, to the present Rates and Valuations of them in those respective Counties, Divisions and Cities, where for the time being they are to be provided.  
8 That all the Provisions to be delivered according to the next precedent Article, shall be delivered at some convenient places, to be agreed upon between the Commissioners, and the Commissary of the Army, Garrisons, or Regiments, and shall be delivered unto the hands of the respective Collectors, or Commissaries, to be apppointed for that purpose, & books shall be kept by the Collectors, and Commissaries, wherein shall be set down what shall be paid in money, and what, and how much in provision.  
9 That if any Hundred, Town, Parish, or particular person, shall make default in payment, and it appear to the Constable of the place, that the default is made through poverty and inability; then the Constable is forthwith to acquaint the Parishioners thereof, to the end that part, or all his or their Rates, as the case shall require, be laid upon the rest of the Parish, which if they refuse to do, the party grieved may complain thereof to some of the said Commissioners, & any three, or more of them, are to hear and order the same: But if the default be made through stubborness or neglect, than the Collector with the Constables, or Constable, and such a convenient number of Soldiers, as three or more of the said Commissioners shall appoint, shall Levy a double Rate upon the defaulter, one part of fover whereof shall be allowed the Soldiers for their pains, two parts shall satisfy the Rate, and the other fourth part shall go for the ease and benefit of the rest of the Parish for their encouragement.  
10 That the Collectors of the said monies and provisions, pay and deliver the same over to the Treasurers of each respective County or City, where there are Treasurers appointed, and where there are none, to such as the Commissioners shall appoint, and the said Treasurers shall pay and deliver the same, to such Officers or Soldiers of the Armies, Garrisons, or Regiments, as shall be appointed by the Commander in chief, and any three or more of the said Commissioners, to receive and distribute the same unto, and amongst the Soldiers, and the Soldiers shall not intermeddle with the Collection thereof, but in cases of default, as before is expressed.  
11 That the Saturday, which shall be next after the publishing of these Instructions in any Parish-Church, Chapel, or Market-town, every Person that Billets any Soldiers within that Town or Parish, shall bring to the Constable or Tything-man, a lift of the names of all such Officers, and Soldiers as are Billeted in his house, with what is due to him for Billet, and entertainment of them, who shall forth with deliver the same over to the Collector of the Contributions, and he shall deliver it over to the Treasurer or Receiver, and so from week to week, to the end the Billet-money, may from time to time be more surely paid, the debt being manifest to the Treasurer.  
12 That the Officers and Soldiers shall from time to time weekly, satisfy their Hosts for their Diets, and entertainment, according to the proportions hereafter expressed, viz. Captains and superior Officers ten shillings a week, Lieutenants and Cornets, seven shillings a week, other inferior Officers and Troopers, 3 6d per week, Foot Soldiers and Pioneers, 2 6d per week, and shall rest themselves contented with diet and entertainment fit and reasonable for such allowance, and behave themselves orderly in the places where they are Quartered, without offence, by cursing, Swearing or other misbehaviour, & shall also make satisfaction for such other things as they shall make use of for their Horses, at such rates and prizes as for the time shall be set down & agreed by any three or more of the said Commissioners; and if any of them shall fail to make satisfaction as aforesaid, the Treasurer or Receiver of the County, Division or City, where such default shall be, upon Warrant unto him under the hands of any three or more of the said Commissioners, expressing what is to be paid, shall make full satisfaction for the same, out of the Moneys which he hath or shall then next receive for Contribution: and to that purpose shall and may retain and keep in his hands and custody so much money, as from time to time will satisfy the Billet, and entertainment for Soldiers and Horses, as aforesaid.  
13 That no manner of free Quarter or Billeting shall be taken by, or for any Horse or Foot Soldiers, where the Country or City is in Contribution, nor any Tax, Charge, or Imposition of Money, or provision whatsoever (over and above the Contribution) shall be laid upon or required by any Commander, Officer, Soldier or other, from any person of that County, or City, without present payment for the same in Money, or as they shall agree by consent, except only for houseroom according to the quality of the person Billeted, and of the person in whose house he or they are to be billeted, and except for fire and Candle, such as the Master, Mistress or Dame use for themselves and their own Family: And no Commander in chief or other Officer whatsoever of any his Majesty's Armies, shall send forth any Warrant or Warrants, for the raising of Money, Horses, or Provisions, otherwise then is expressed in these Articles; And no Constable, Tything-man, or other Officer, shall execute or disperse any Warrant which is not agreeable to these instructions.  
14 That no Quartermaster, or other Officer, or person whatsoever, shall Quarter any Officer or Soldier without Warrant, not without the assistance and consent or the Major, Bailiff, Constable, or other Officer of the place, and shall give a Copy of the Warrant, and a note of the number he is to Billet, under his hand, unto the said Major, Bailiff, Constable, or other Officer, if it be desired: And no Commander, Officer, or Soldier of His Majesty's Armies, shall be Quartered or Billeted in the dwelling house of any the Treasurers, Receivers, or Collectors of the Contribution-mony.  
15 That no Women, Boys, or Children, following the Army, be admitted from henceforth to have houseroom in the Counties under Contribution, unless it be by Consent or Composition with the consent of the owner of the house for the same.  
16 That if any Horse or Teems of Horses, or Oxen, be impressed or taken hp for His Majesty's special Service, They shall not be employed for more than for one day (unless great necessity shall otherwise enforce) and satisfaction shall be made for every Horse, Teem of Horses and Oxen so employed, according to the proportion hereafter expressed, (viz) for one single Horse after the Rate of 2d the Mile, and after that proportion for as many Horses as there shall be, and one penny half penny a mile for every Ox, the same to be paid by the party that brings the Warrant for the doing thereof, a copy of which Warrant shall be left with the Officer of the place, if it be desired, and in his default, to be satisfied by the Treasurer or Receiver of the Contribution-money of the County or place, as before is expressed.  
17 That if any loss or damage shall be done to any person or persons, in their Horses or other Cattles, or in any their provisions or other goods, by any the King's Officers or Soldiers, either Horse or Foot, such loss or damage, upon proof thereof before any three or more of the said Commissioners, shall be repaid and recompensed to the party suffering, by the Treasurer or Receiver of the weekly contributions of that place, upon Warrant for the same under the hands of three or more of the said Commissioners who took the proof.  
18 That if any Theft, Robbery, or other offence be done or committed against any of the King's Subjects by any Officer, Soldier, or other Person of or belonging to any his Majesty's Armies, the Party suffering shall and may have and take his Remedy against such Offender or Offenders by Indictment or Action according to the course of the Common-Law. And for the better Execution thereof, all Sheriffs, Justices of Peace, Majors, Bailiffs, Constables, and other His Majesty's Officers and Ministers, shall from time to time be ●iding and assisting unto the Party grieved, as the case shall require. And no Commander or Officer whatsoever shall presume to protect any such Offender from a Legal prosecution as aforesaid.  
19 That His Majesty be moved that he would be pleased by His Royal Proclamation to Command, That these Orders be strictly observed by all Persons whatsoever, and duly put in execution.  
20 That these Orders be entered by every the Clerks of the Council of War of His Majesty's Armies, to the end every Commander, Officer, and Soldier may the better know and perform the same.  
21 That these Orders be Printed and Published in every Market, Fair, Church and Chapel within this Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales. And one Book of these Orders be kept in every Parish with the Parish-Accompts, that every man may resort thereunto, when and so often as there shall be occasion.  
FINIS.