AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS & COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT, For taking, stating and determining the ACCOUNTS of all such Officers and Soldiers, or Widows of the said Officers and Soldiers that have served the Parliament in the late Wars, and have not been under the Entertainment and Pay of the particular Counties or Associations of this Kingdom, nor are of the present Army under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairfax.  

Die Veneris, 1 Septembr. 1648.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Ordinance for taking, stating and determining the Accounts of all such Officers and Soldiers, or Widows of the said Officers and Soldiers, that have served the Parliament in the late Wars, and have not been under the Entertainment and Pay of the particular Counties or Associations of this Kingdom, nor are of the present Army under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairfax, passed both Houses on Thursday 20 Julii, 1648. be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, Septemb. 5. 1648.   

Die Jovis, 20 Julii, 1648.  
An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, For taking, stating and determining the Accounts of all such Officers and Soldiers, or Widows of the said Officers and Soldiers that have served the Parliament in the late Wars, and have not been under the Entertainment and Pay of the particular Counties or Associations of this Kingdom, nor are of the present Army under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairfax.  
BE it Ordained, and it is Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Henry Broad, Richard Wilcox, Nicholas Bond, James Prince, and Thomas Richardson, shall be a Committee for taking, examining, allowing and determining the Accounts of all such Officers, Soldiers, Artificers and Waggoners, and of all Officers and Soldiers that have served the Parliament in the late Wars, and have not been under the Entertainment and pay of the particular Counties and Associations of this Kingdom, or of the present Army under the Lord Fairfax, as well for their pay, as for the Money and Goods they have received from the State, or from any person or persons during the time of their Services, in order to their pay, or the Service of the Parliament, and for which they ought to be accountable; which said Committee hereby Ordained, or any three of them shall have power, and are hereby authorized and required to take, examine, allow and determine the Accounts of the said Officers and Soldiers, as well for their pay, as for the Money and Goods they have received from the State, or from any person whatsoever, during the time of their Services, in order to their pay, or the Service of the Parliament, according to an Ordinance of the Eight and twentieth of May, One thousand six hundred forty and seven, and the Instructions therein mentioned, entitled, Instructions agreed upon by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, to be observed in taking, examining and determining the Accounts of all Officers and Soldiers who have actually and faithfully served under their Command in the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, from or since the beginning of these Wars (Any former Order or Ordinance of both or either House of Parliament concerning the taking and determining the Accounts of the Soldiery of this Kingdom and Dominion of Wales, under the command of the Parliament, or any clause therein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding) And that every Member of the said Committee hereby Ordained, before he enter upon the said Service, shall take an Oath before the Speaker for the time being of either of the said Houses, for the due execution thereof; Which Oath the several Speakers for the time being of both the said Houses shall have power, and are hereby authorized to administer, The tenor whereof shall be as followeth; Viz.  
I A.B. do swear, That according to my best skill and knowledge, I shall faithfully and truly demean myself in taking, stating and determining the Accounts of all such persons as shall come before me, in execution of an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, entitled, An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, For taking, stating and determining the Accounts of all such Officers and Soldiers, or Widows of the said Officers and Soldiers that have served the Parliament in the late Wars, and have not been under the Entertainment and Pay of the particular Counties or Associations of this Kingdom, nor are of the present Army under the Command of THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX, according to the tenor of the said Ordinance, and the Instructions therein mentioned; And that I shall not for fear, favour, reward or affection, give any allowance, or conceal, spare or discharge any, nor receive or take directly or indirectly, by myself, or by any other to my use, any Fee, Reward or Gratuity whatsoever, from any person or persons concerned as Accomptants by this Ordinance, nor any Profit or Advantage whatsoever, other than that Salary appointed by the Parliament, and expressed in an Ordinance of the date of these presents: So help me God.  
And the said Committee shall have power, and are hereby authorized and required, by Warrant under their Hands, or the Hands of any three or more of them, to send for, and require from all Mustermasters, Commissaries, Treasurers, Receivers, Paymasters, and all other Officers and persons whatsoever, that have paid any Money, or have been entrusted and employed in any Army, Brigade, County or Garrison, or otherwise under the command of the Parliament, or have paid any Money by Order or Directions of one or both Houses of Parliament, or by any Committee or Committees of Parliament, All Books of Musters, Payments, Accounts, Lists, upon which payments of Arrears in part have been or are to be made, or authentic copies thereof under their Hands (and upon their Oaths to be administered by the said Committee, or any two of them, which they have hereby power and authority to administer) And also all Certificates and other Papers and Vouchers whatsoever: And are by all other ways and means so to inform themselves, as may conduce to the best and most effectual execution of this service. And all Mustermasters, Commissaries, Treasurers, Receivers, Paymasters, and other Officers and persons as aforesaid, are hereby required to give obedience to every such Warrant accordingly: And the Committee for taking the Accounts of the whole Kingdom are also hereby Ordered to be aiding and assisting to the said Committee by this Ordinance Ordained, in giving them or any two or more of them access and free leave to see and peruse any Accounts, Books or Vouchers remaining in their custody, when and so often as the said Committee shall have occasion to make use thereof in order to this service. And the said Committee hereby Ordained, or any two of them shall have power, and are hereby authorized to administer an Oath as they shall see cause, to all Officers and Soldiers who shall make their addresses to them for the stating and determining their Accounts, according to this Ordinance and the Instructions therein mentioned (or to any person who may be concerned in any such Account, or is enabled to give any evidence for clearing the truth thereof:) The tenor of which Oath shall be as followeth; Viz.  
I A. B. do swear, That I shall according to my best knowledge, give in to this Committee a just and true Account of all and every sum and sums of Money by me (or by my appointment, or to use) received for my Pay, or otherwise in Money or Goods, in order to the service of the State, by virtue of any Order or Ordinance of both or either of the Houses of Parliament, or by colour or pretence of any such Order or Ordinance, or for which I am any way chargeable or accountable, without any concealment whatsoever: So help me God.  
And the said Committee, or any three of them shall have power, and are hereby authorized to give out Debenters under their Hands to the said Officers and Soldiers, for so much Money as shall appear to them to be due upon their Accounts, allowed and determined according to the said Instructions and this present Ordinance; which Accounts and Debenters shall be fairly Entered and Registered into a Book or Books to be kept for that purpose by the Register Accountant, who shall attest under his Hand as Register, the Entry of every Debenter to be given forth by the said Committee as aforesaid, before the same be delivered to the parties therein concerned, whom the said Committee have hereby power to appoint, being one of themselves. And it is hereby Ordained and Declared, That all Officers and Soldiers that shall receive Debenters from the said Committee as aforesaid, may sell, assign and set over the Moneys due upon those Debenters to such persons as they shall think fit; and all such person and persons to whom such Moneys so due shall be assigned, set over and sold, have hereby power and authority to demand and receive the same, as if the said Debenters were in their own Name or Names: Provided, That every such assignment be first showed to the said Committee, and an Entry thereof made by their Register to be by them appointed as aforesaid, to the end it may be the better known to whom the State is indebted. And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared, That for the Moneys as shall appear to be due by such Debenters as shall be so Signed, Registered and given out by the said Committee as aforesaid, The State shall be liable to the payment thereof to the said Officers, Soldiers, or their Widows or Orphans, and the same shall be paid and satisfied out of Two third parts of the Lands and Estate of all Delinquents mentioned and comprehended in the three first Qualifications of the Propositions for Delinquents, sent to the King into the Isle of Wight, not formerly disposed of, or the Fines that shall be set upon those Delinquents by the Houses, and also out of the Moneys arising out of the remaining part of all the Lands and Revenues of all the late Archbishops and Bishops of England and Wales, appointed to be sold by several former Ordinances, after such Engagements satisfied as are already charged thereupon: Provided always, That if any surcharge can be brought upon any Account whatsoever, made and stated by the said Committee, within two years' next after Debenters shall be given as aforesaid, That then defalkation shall be made thereof out of the said Debenter, so as it do not exceed one third part of the whole Debenter: And it is hereby further Ordained, That in case any doubt or difficulty shall at any time arise in stating of any the Accounts beforementioned, so as the said Committee cannot clearly proceed to the determination thereof according to the said Instructions, Then in every such case the said Committee may make their addresses to the Committee of the Army, for their advice and direction therein, which they are hereby required and authorized to give accordingly, as to their best discretions shall seem meet; which Direction by way of Order, shall be a sufficient Rule and Warrant for the said Committee (by this Ordinance nominated and appointed) to proceed by, to the allowance and determination of all such Accounts accordingly. And it is hereby further Ordained and Declared by the authority aforesaid, That the said Committee or any two of them have power and authority to administer to the said Register Accountant, and to the several Clerks, Messengers, or other necessary officers and persons by them to be employed in and about the said service, an Oath for their and every of their faithful demeanour, The tenor of which Oath shall be as followeth, Viz.  
I A.B. do swear, That according to my best skill and judgement, I shall faithfully, and diligently and truly demean myself in the Office of wherein I shall be employed by this Committee: So help me God.  
And it is lastly Ordained, That the said Committee or any three of them shall have power and authority to state, audite and determine the Accounts of all such Officers and Soldiers (as shall be referred to them by the Committee of the Lords and Commons for the Army) that have been of the Army under the command of Thomas Lord Fairfax, for services by them done in other Commands then of the said Army, and to return the same Account so stated to the said Committee. And the said Lords and Commons do further Ordain and Command, as well all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of the Peace, Constables, and other Officers and Ministers of justice, as also all Colonels, Captains, and other Officers and Soldiers under the command of the Parliament, to be aiding and assisting to the Committee in the due execution of this Ordinance. And it is lastly Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the Committee and every one of them and their Clerks and other Officers to be employed in and about the said service, according to the tenor and effect of this present Ordinance, shall be therein protected and saved harmless by the power and authority of both Houses of Parliament.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

29 Augusti, 1648.  
THe Committee herein abovenamed were severally sworn before me the day aforesaid,  
William Lenthal Speaker.   
FINIS.