INSTRUCTIONS which His Majesty's Commissioners for the loan of money to His Majesty throughout the Kingdom, are exactly and effectually to observe and follow.  
LONDON, Printed by Bonham Norton and john Bill, Printers to the KING'S most Excellent Majesty. 1626.   

Instructions which Our Commissioners for the loan of money unto Us in Our County of _____ are exactly and effectually to observe and follow.  
1 FIrst, with all speed after the receipt of this Our Commission, ye shall assemble yourselves together, and upon conference and advice between yourselves, ye shall determine in what manner ye will proceed to the execution of this Our Commission in the several parts and divisions of this whole County. And before your parting from this first place and time of your meeting, you shall yourselves, for a good example to others, lend unto Us these several sums of money, which are hereby required of you to be lent, testified by the writing of your names with your own hands, that when ye shall in Our name require others to lend, they shall discern your own forwardness, and that you do not move others to that which ye forbear to do yourselves, the Lords and others of Our privy Council attending Our person having already done the same, by the subscription of every of their names. And before your parting, you shall cause so many of those of that County to appear before you, and proceed with them according to these Our Commission and Instructions.  
2 And because We would expedite this service, and ease you of importunity, and leave no way to the partial information of others, in the under or over valuation of men's estates (which is often subject to much error) We have thought this to be the most indifferent and equal way of conjecturing at every man's ability to lend, by taking those rates for Our guide, at which they were assessed in the books of the last Subsidy, and to require the loan of so much money only, as the entire rate and value comes unto, at which they are there rated and set; As namely, He that is set at one hundred pounds in Lands, to lend us one hundred pounds in money, and so after that rate for a more or less sum; And he that is set at one hundred pounds in goods, to lend Us one hundred marks; And he that is set at ten pounds in goods to lend us twenty nobles, and so pro rata for a greater or lesser sum. And where there are bearers or contributors, they shall assist the Subsidy man.  
3 When ye have agreed between yourselves of the several days and places of your sit, and which of you shall attend it, at every several place of your meetings in the several parts of this County (which We would have you to appoint as speedily as may be, and to attend without intermission) you shall send your warrants under your hands, or the hands of two of you at the least, to the high Constables, petty Constables, and other officers, of, and in those several divisions, personally to warn all such persons who were assessed for the last Subsidy, or to leave such warning in writing at their dwelling houses, that they fail not to give you meeting, at the times and places appointed by you, and that those Officers to whom your warrants are directed, fail not to give an account unto you of their service therein. And such as have been warned and do not appear before you at the day and place appointed, you shall send for by warrant, and bind them over to appear before the Lords and others of Our Privy Council.  
4 That at every of those meetings when there is a convenient number assembled, you use all possible endeavours, to cause every of them willingly and cheerfully to lend these Sums unto us, opening unto them the necessity, and unavoidablenesse of this course, and setting before them, that Our Honour, the reputation of this Nation, the true Religion, and common safety of Us and Our people, and of Our Friends and Allies, are all engaged in this common Cause, That there is now no time of disputing, but of acting that which concerns Our common Defence, and assuring them that this course which is at this time enforced by necessity, and to which no ordinary rules of Law can be prescribed, shall not be drawn into example or precedent.  
5 That if ye shall meet with any objections, or scruples raised, which may be impediments to this Our Service, That ye use all diligence to remove them, and satisfy them, And if any shall object or whisper, That if this way of raising of money take place, than no Parliament shall hereafter be called; That ye satisfy such, That the suddenness and importance of the occasions are such, as cannot possibly admit of that delay, which the Summoning, Assembling and Resolutions of a Parliament do necessarily draw with it, And that it is fare from Our heart to make any such use of the love of Our people; But that We are fully purposed to call a Parliament, as soon as fitly We may, and as often as the Commonwealth and State-occasions shall require it; And that by their affections showed unto Us in this way of necessity, they shall the sooner invite Us to the frequent use of Parliaments, being confident in the hearts of Our people.  
6 That ye appoint the days of payment of the Sums of Money to be lent unto Us, to be within fourteen days, and persuade such as shall be able, to pay it at one entire payment, the better to accommodate Our great occasions, which are present and pressing: But to such as in your good discretions ye shall think it more convenient, ye may accept of the one half at fourteen days, and the other half to be paid within three months next after the said fourteen days.  
7 That you treat apart with every one of those who are to lend unto Us, and not in the presence or hearing of any others, unless you see cause to the contrary in your good discretions: And as every one giveth consent, That you cause him or her to set his or her name or mark to a Book, Roll, or List to be made by you, testifying their assent, with a mark or distinction for the times of payment accorded unto; And if ye shall find any, who either shall deny to lend unto Us, or shall make delays or excuses, let them know they do thereby incur Our high displeasure: And if they persist in their obstinacy, notwithstanding that, Than ye shall examine such person upon oath, whether he hath been dealt withal, persuaded or practised with to deny or refuse to lend, or to make excuse for his not lending, who hath so dealt with him, and what speeches or persuasions he or they have used tending to that purpose? And ye shall also charge every such person in Our Name upon his Allegiance not to disclose to any other, what his answer was; And if any shall refuse to lend, or refuse to take this oath, you shall bind him over to appear before Us, or our Privy Counsel, to answer his contempt.  
8 You shall show your own affections and zeal to this business, and to Our service, in your effectual dealing with all men freely and cheerfully to run this course, and in using your powers, favours, & credits which every of you have in the County, amongst the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and others, to advance this business, that it may come off cheerfully and roundly. And that you yourselves by any means discover not any coldness, or unwillingness to the service, whereby any others to their discouragement, may gather that you have no heart to the Work, although for form's sake you must take it upon you, being employed therein: but that in your own persons ye hearty and really intent it as a work of infinite importance to Our service, and the service and ●afety of the Commonwealth.  
9 That in your treating with your neighbours, about this business, you show your own discretions and affections, by making choice of such to begin with, who are likely to give the best examples: and when you have a competent number of hands to the Roll or List of the Lender's, that ye show the same to others as they come before you, to lead them to lend in the like manner.  
10 Ye shall observe and discover by all good ways and means, whether any publicly or underhand be workers, or persuaders of others dissent or dislike from this course, or to hinder the good dispositions of any others to lend unto Us: and as much as you may, ye shall hinder all discourses about it. And ye shall certify Our Privy Council in writing of the names, qualities, and dwelling places of all such refractory persons with all speed, and especially if ye shall discover any Combination or confederacy, against these Our proceed.  
11 Ye shall let all men know whom it shall concern, that we are well pleased, upon lending of these sums required, to remit all that which by Letters in Our Name was desired, upon the late benevolence, as a free gift: And if any have already paid to Our use any such sum, that the same be accepted for so much, as in part of this loan, And if it exceed the sum desired to be lent, that the overplus shall be repaid unto them without fee or charge, and in like sort, where it shall be equal, no further sum shall then be required. And this being made to appear unto the Collector or Collectors of this Loane, either by certificate of such person who collected the said Bencuolence, or privy Seals, or otherwise, it shall be sufficient warrant to the parties that are to lend, to defalk accordingly, as also to the Collector for not requiring or collecting any more.  
12 Likewise if since the last Parliament, any have received privy Seals, Our pleasure is, that if they have not yet paid in any moneys thereupon, that they agreeing to the loan of the sum required, be excused of the payment of the Privy Seals. And if they have already paid into Our Exchequer, or to any Collector to Our use any such sums of money upon those Privy Seals, if the same be less than the money now desired to be lent, it shall be accepted in part of payment thereof, if it be more, than the surplusage thereof, upon demand shall be repaid without fee or other charge: and in like sort, where the Privy Seal shall be equal with the sum hereby desired to be lent, there the Privy Seal to be accepted for the loan. And these Our Instructions, together with your Certificate thereof, shall be a sufficient Warrant for the same.  
13 If ye either know or find any able person not set in the last Subsidy, That ye deal with every such inhabitant in the same manner and according to the same proportion as is held with other Subsidy men, according to your judgements and best discretions: and insert their names and sums in the said book, roll, or list amongst the others of them. But ye are not to admit of any suit to be made, or any reasons to be given for the abating of any sums, the time and the instant occasions not now admitting any such dispute, which would but disturb and protract the service. But where you shall find poverty and disability, there to use a discretion when it comes to be collected.  
14 That ye appoint such and so many fit and able persons to be collectors of the sums of money within this County, as you shall think fit, of whom you shall take good bonds for true payment of the sums they shall receive. The Collectors are to pay in the monies into the receipt of Our Exchequer, without fee or reward to be paid by them, within fourteen days after the receipt hereof. And as soon as ye have finished this service (which We require you to perform with all possible diligence and speed) ye are to certify unto Our Privy Council the names of the Collectors (who shall have such allowance made unto them by the Lord Treasurer as shall be fit) and the names and sums of the several persons, who thus shall lend unto Us, together with the said book, roll, or list thereof.  
15 Ye shall deliver to every Collector nominated by you, a perfect transcript under your hands, or under the hands of two of you, of the names and sums of every person promising and undertaking to lend unto Us, and the Collector who receiveth the monies, shall upon receipt thereof deliver an acquittance for the same, or so much as he receiveth, which shall be a sufficient warrant for the repayment thereof unto the Lender, and a sufficient testimony that he hath paid the same. And every such collector within the fourteen days before ●mited, is to pay in the monies within his Collection as aforesaid, or return in under his hand in writing, the names of all such as refused or neglected to pay unto him the sums expressed.  
16 And if any of the Commissioners shall be absent from the execution of this service, (which we hope will not be) That the rest of you the Commissioners certify their Names, who shall make such default; as also the Names of all such, who upon these Summons do not come and attend you.  
17 And We do hereby explain and declare, That the charge given by the said Commission, or by these Our Instructions upon faith and allegiance to attend this service, be not meant or extended to any of Our Privy Counsel, for that they are daily employed otherwise in Our service: Nor to any Peer of this Realm not Resident in the County where he is named a Commissioner, nor to any other that by Our special direction is otherwise employed in Our service.  
And these Our Instructions We require and command you upon your faith and Allegiance unto Us, to keep secret to yourselves, and not impart or disclose the same to any others.  
These instructions for the ease of transcribing, and the speedier dispatch of the service, are ordered to be Printed, but no more Copies to be made or taken, then shall be delivered to the Commissioners upon their dividing themselves into several parts of the County, for execution of the Commission.  
FINIS.