AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT; CONCERNING The proceed of divers illaffected persons and Papists within the counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan and Anglesey, who have in contempt of the Parliament, entered into an hostile and dangerous Association amongst themselves, for the raising and promoting of an Intestine War within this Kingdom.  
For securing and reducing whereof, it is Ordained, That the counties of Chester, Salop, Lancaster, and other adjacent counties, shall actually aid and assist one another for the preservation of their counties; And to Resist, Pursue, Subdue, Kill, Slay, and put to execution of Death all such persons as do or shall make any Insurrection, Plunder, or Destroy any of His Majesty's Subjects in those counties.  
AND That Sir THOMAS MIDDLETON Knight, be appointed by his Excellency, to be Sergeant Major General of all the Forces both of Horse and Foot, for the preservation of the said Counties.  

ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published:  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
Printed for Edw: Husbands. july 11. 1643.   

An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, Concerning divers illaffected persons and Papists within the Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan, and Anglesey, etc.  
Die Lunae, 12. junii, 1643.  
Whereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, have received credible Information that very many Papists, notorious Delinquents, and other illaffected persons inhabiting within the several counties of Denigb, Mountgomery, and Flint, in the Dominion of Wales, have in mere 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 civil War within this Kingdom: and in pursuance thereof, have (contrary to their allegiance) levied, and do daily levy great forces both of horse and foot within their said several counties, compelling the common people by Impressed, Imprisonment, and other violent courses, to enter into acts of hostility and rebellion with them, and enforcing the Inhabitants of the said counties, by illegal, unjust, and insupportable taxations, to support and maintain them in their said Rebellion and Force, contrary not only to the ancient known laws of this Kingdom; but also to several Acts made and consented unto by his Majesty this present Parliament: and multitudes of his Majesty's good protestant subjects have been, and daily are rob of all their estates, imprisoned, ruined, and destroyed by them; Which proceed of the said persons, do tend not only to the disturbance of the peace, and tranquillity of this Kingdom; but also to the subversion of the fundamental Government thereof, and of the protestant religion therein professed, in case they should receive into their aid and assistance any considerable number of the Irish Rebels, which is not improbable; It being the aim (as it is probable) of all the papists now in arms in this Kingdom, and in the Kingdom of Ireland, to free themselves from the Laws established against them, and the cruel and bloody outrages committed by them upon the protestants of both Kingdoms, (in ruining whole families, consuming by fire whole towns, and using his Majesty's Name for their authority to countenance their treasonable practices) making it evident to all men, that the said Rebellion and civil War in both Kingdoms, have sprung from the same Root, and must needs live and die together; The said Lords and Commons taking the same into their serious considerations, do 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 several counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan, and Anglesey, and the adjacent counties, be with all convenient speed secured, aswell from insurrection, as foreign Invasion, being seated on the Irish Coasts.  
Be it therefore ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Lord-Lieutenants for the said several counties, and all Colonels, Lieutenant-colonells, Serjeant-Majors, Captains, and other officers, and all other persons well affected to the protestant Religion, and the peace of the Kingdom, inhabiting within the said several counties, shall, and lawfully may associate themselves together; and likewise enter into mutual association to, and with the said several Lord-Lieutenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Sergeant Majors, Captains, and other Officers, and all other person or persons inhabiting within the several 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 aid, succour, and assist one another, in the mutual preservation and defence of themselves, and of the peace of all the said counties, from all rapine, plundering, and spoiling by the said Delinquents, papists, and other the said illaffected persons; And that the said Lord-Lieutenants, Committee, or Committees of Parliament, Colonels, Lieutenant-colonells, Sergeant Majors, Captains, 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 several 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 Majesty's good subjects, and them to invade, resist, suppress, subdue, pursue, kill, slay, and put to execution of death, and by all means to destroy, as enemies to this Kingdom: and also to perform all other things needful for the preservation of the safety and peace of all the said several 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 Earl of ESSEX Lord General, And that all the said persons and other the Inhabitants of the aforesayed several Counties, that shall enter into any such said Association, by virtue of this present Ordinance, or do 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 do, be saved, defended, and kept harmless 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 foreign Forces should land in any of the aforesaid several Counties, being Maritine, and bordering on the Irish Seas, and should join with the said Delinquents, papists, and other the said illaffected persons, now already in arms against the Parliament; as also the necessity of appointing a Commander of the Forces which shall be raised within the said several Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan, and Anglesey, or in any of them for the aforesaid service, do Ordain, That the said Earl of Essex, the Lord General, shall be desired to grant Commission unto Sir Thomas Middleton Knight, being one of the Members of Parliament, to command in chief, as Sergeant Major General of all the Forces both of Horse and Foot, raised, or to be raised in all or any of the said several Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan 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 several Counties or without, as he shall think fit and necessary, for the mutual defence, assistance, and aid of all the said several 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 Soldiers, which are or shall be under his Command, as his Excellency hath given to his army; and to use Martial Law to compel 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 Soldiers in all, or any of the said several Counties for the aforesaid service.  
And whereas the Inhabitants of the said several Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan and Anglesey, are now wholly subjected to the power and Tyranny 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, Solicitors, and Agents, for the putting in execution the Ordinance for the seizing and sequestering of the Estates, aswell real as personal, of certain notorious Delinquents, in the said several Counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan, and Anglesey, and every of them; and to require, and take account or accounts from time to time, of such said Commissioners, Solicitors, or Agents, of their and every of their do and proceed therein; and to receive into his charge and custody all such sums of moneys, Horses, Cattle, Plate, Goods, and other things whatsoever which shall be seized and sequestered, in all or any of the said last mentioned several Counties, by virtue of the said Ordinance of Sequestration; and the same to detain and keep for the public service and employment of the Parliament and Kingdom, rendering an account 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 several Counties or any of them, as shall upon due summons come in, and yield 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, until the further pleasure of the two Houses of Parliament be signified therein.  
And be it further ordained, 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 several counties of Denbigh, Mountgomery, Flint, Merioneth, Carnarvan, and Anglesey, for the maintenance of the forces according to the several 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 distress, or otherwise, to be levied upon the Inhabitants of the said counties accordingly, Rendering an account 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 personal estate, so as the sums of moneys so assessed or taxed, cannot be levied according to this Ordinance, Then the said Sir Thomas Middleton shall have power, and is hereby authorised by himself, or such other persons as he shall appoint, to seize, and sequester, the estates, both real, and personal, of all and every such person and persons as shall so refuse to pay his, or their assessments, or shall convey away, or obscure his, or their personal estates, or any part thereof as aforesaid: so that the same cannot be found or met with, whereon to make distress, as being persons illaffected to the commonwealth, and refractory and disobedient to the power and authority of Parliament, and to detain, and keep the same for the public service of the Parliament and Kingdom; Rendering an account thereof to the two Houses of Parliament.   

ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
FINIS.