AN ORDINANCE AND DECLARATION OF THE Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, Allowing and authorising any of His Majesty's good and loyal Subjects in the Kingdom of England, to furnish with all manner of warlike provision, and send to Sea what Ships and Pinnaces they shall think fit, to make stay of all such supplies, as they shall seize upon by Sea or Land, going to assist the Rebels in Ireland. And to take away all Ships, Goods, and other provision belonging to them, or any that have assisted them.  
And the said Adventurers (in recompense of so good a service) shall have and enjoy as their own proper goods, all Ships, Goods, Moneys, Plate, Arms, Munition, Victuals, Pillage, and spoil, which shall be so seized or taken by them, without any account thereof to be made whatsoever.  
Octob. 20. 1642.  
ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That this Ordinance shall be forthwith printed and published.  
J. Brown, Cler. Parliamentorum.  
London, Printed for I. Wright. Octob. 21. 1642.   

AN ORDINANCE AND DECLARATION OF THE Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament.  
WHereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament now assembled have received information that divers ships and other Vessels, warlikely appointed, equipped, and furnished, belonging to the Rebels in Ireland, have been of late set out from the Port of Wexford, and other Ports and places in that Kingdom, and have committed and done many depredations, spoils, and piratical acts upon the ships and goods of his Majesty's good subjects, friends and allies, and do thereby very much disturb, infested, and annoy the public commerce, intercourse, and trade between this and other Nations; And whereas the Lords and Commons aforesaid have further been informed, That not only many supplies of Victuals and Arms have been, and daily are carried to the said Rebels, by French, Dunkirk, and others, but also many ships and goods belonging to his Majesty's loyal Subjects, have been taken and spoilt by them under colour of Commissions from the said Rebels, contrary to the Law of Nations, and practice of Princes in amity in the like cases; And whereas divers of his Majesty's well-affected Subjects, out of their pious and charitable disposition towards their distressed brethren, his Majesty's Protestant subjects in the Realm of Ireland, as also out of their loyal respect to his Majesty, and detestation to that rebellion, and to reduce the rebels in the said Realm of Ireland to their due obedience, and as much as in them lieth to prevent and hinder all such supplies as shall be sent unto those rebels, have lately made known to the said Lords and Commons their voluntary disposition and readiness to set forth some Ships and Pinnaces, warlikely appointed, equipped, manned and victualled, so that in recompense of their charge and adventure therein, they may have, and enjoy to their own uses, all such Ships, Goods, Moneys, and Merchandizes, which they shall take and surprise by Sea or by Land, belonging to any the said Rebels, or to any other that have carried, or they shall take carrying any supplies to the Rebels, Which being well approved by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, as a good means to weaken the said Rebels, and so to reduce them to their due obedience, do commend the same for a pious and laudable undertaking, and are willing to give it all the encouragement and advancement that may be, to bring it to a good and successful issue, as tending very much to the honour of the King, and the speedy and effectual suppressing of the rebellion aforesaid; And therefore for the better enabling the performance of this so free and commendable undertaking and enterprise, It is ordered, established, and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in this present Parliament, and by the authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful for any of his Majesty's good and loyal Subjects of this Kingdom of England, to be approved, and thereunto appointed by the Commissioners of the Admiralty established by the Parliament, in warlike manner to equippe and furnish for the said intended employment, such and so many Ships and other Vessels as they shall think fitting, and to place in them, competent numbers of Soldiers, Mariners and Gunnersd with necessary Arms, and provisions for that service; an to appoint over them such Commanders, Captains, and Officers as they shall think fit; And the same Ships and other Vessels so manned, equipped, armed, and provided to set forth to the sea, and with the same to seize, surprise, and take all, and all manner of Ships, Vessels, Goods, and Merchandise belonging to the said rebels, or any of them, or unto any person or persons that they shall find or understand to have aided the said rebels, or any of them, with Arms, Ammunition or Victuals by Sea or by Land; And also to seize and surprise all manner of Ships and other Vessels, having on board them Arms, Ammunition, or Victuals, bound there with to the Kingdom of Ireland, or any the Dominions of the same, not having on board them a passport or licence from the Commissioners of the Admiralty appointed by the Parliament, as aforesaid, or from the chief Governor or Governors of Ireland, for the time being, appointed by his Majesty, with the consent of both Houses of Parliament, being to carry the same thither; And to invade the said Rebels in any Ports, Harbours, Creeks, Havens, Islands, Castles, Forts, Towns, or any other places in the possession of the said Rebels, within the said Realm of Ireland; And the Rebels therein to take, surprise, vanquish, destroy or kill, and to sack and pillage any such place or places, and further to surprise and take all, and all manner of Pirates and Sea rovers, of what Nation soever, and their ships and goods whatsoever. And for the better encouragement of all such Adventurers in the said enterprise, It is by the Lords and Commons likewise Ordered and Ordained, that the said Adventurers shall have and enjoy as their proper goods, All Ships, Goods, moneys, Plate, Arms, Munition, Victuals, pillage and spoil, which shall be seized or taken by any persons by them to be employed, by force and virtue of this Ordinance, which by proof of witness upon Oath made in the high Court of Admiralty, and the definitive sentence to be given in that Court, shall be pronounced at the time of the taking or seizure thereof to have belonged to any Irish Rebel or Rebels, or any person or persons whatsoever that hath supplied those Rebels, or any of them with Victuals, Arms or Munition, or shall be taken having on Board them Arms, Munition or Victuals bound therewith to the Kingdom of Jreland, or any the Dominions of the same, not having on board them such a passport or Licence as aforesaid, or to belong to any Pirate or Sea-rover whatsoever, and the same to have and enjoy to their own use without any account whatsoever thereof to be made, reserving the tenths accustomed in such cases to be paid to the Admiral to be disposed of by Order of both houses of Parliament.  
And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That there shall be true and faithful inventories taken of the Ships, moneys, Goods, Plate, pillage and spoil which shall be taken by virtue and authority of this present Ordinance, & a true appraisment made of the same, and the same together with all papers and writings found in any Ship or other vessel by them to be taken shall be carefully preserved, and two or three of the Officers of every Ship or other Vessel so taken shall be examined before the chief Officer of the next Port within any of the King's Dominions, And the said examinations with the papers inventories and appraisments shall be sent into the Registry of the High Court of the Admiralty aforesaid, to the end that the taking of the said Ships may thereby be justified, or restitution by the said Adventurers (if there shall be just cause) there made; And more particularly it is hereby Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons aforesaid, and they do by virtue of this Ordinance give unto the persons to be set forth to the service as aforesaid, and to every of them, power authority and warrant, that if they shall happen upon the Seas, or in any port harbour or creek to meet with any Ship or Ships, that shall not willingly yield themselves to be visited, and proved by Law and Justice, but will defend themselves by force and violence, Then they shall by all means possible and with all force compel them to yield, and submit themselves to reason and Justice, although it do fall out that by fight with them, one or more of them be maimed hurt or slain in the resistance; And it is further Ordered and Ordained, that the Captain, Master, and two or three other of the Principal Officers of every of the Ships, and Pinnaces so to be set forth upon the said enterprise, shall before their going to Sea enter into a bond, in the high Court of Admiralty, in the sum of two thousand pounds unto the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament for the time being, to the use of the Commonwealth, and to be disposed of as both Houses of Parliament shall appoint to the use of the King's Majesty, That the said Ships or Pinnaces respectively, nor their Captains, Masters, or any of their Company under colour or pretence of this Ordinance shall rob spoil or endamage any of the King's Subjects, Friends, or Allies, other than such particular persons of His Majesty's subjects friends or allies as shall be found to have aided and relieved the said Rebels, or shall be taken carrying Arms, Victuals, or Munition for Ireland without licence or authority as aforesaid, or shall have committed piracy, And that true inventories and appraisments shall be taken of the Ships and Goods before the same shall be vended or disposed, and the same together with the papers found aboard any such Ship, and the examinations of the chief Officers of the same Ships as is before declared returned into the Registry of the High Court of the Admiralty aforesaid; And lastly it is hereby further Ordered and Ordained that this Ordinance, nor any benefit thereby shall extend to the setters forth of any Ship, or other Vessel upon the enterprise aforesaid, where bonds shall not be given as is before expressed, And a Certificate under the Admiralties Seal obtained of the putting in of such Caution.  
FINIS.