AN ORDINANCE OF THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT, For the maintaining of the Forces of the seven associated Counties under the Command of EDWARD Earl of MANCHESTER.  
By a Weekly payment upon the said associated Counties; to begin the first day of September, and to continue for four Month's next ensuing.  

Septemb. 26. 1644.  
ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed & published.  
H. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
LONDON: Printed for Edward Husbands.   

26 September, 1644.  
WHereas the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Lincoln, and other Counties with them Associated, out of their loyal respect to His Majesty, their pious disposition to the peace and happiness of this Kingdom; in obedience to the Orders of Parliament, have raised and maintained to the number of Fourteen thousand Horse, Foot, and Dragoones, or thereabouts, and with them have done many great services against the Common Enemy, tending much to the safety of the Kingdom; And have also bought many Arms and Ammunition, and must buy more, whereby to furnish themselves with a train of Artillery; and have been, and must be at great charges in maintaining and recruiting the said Forces, and in keeping several Garrisons, making and erecting of Fortifications, Magazines, Courts of Guards, and other things requisite and necessary for the defence and safety of the said association against the incursions of the Enemy: By all which means the said Association is become much indebted, and without the speedy raising of large and considerable sums of money proportionable to their vast expenses, cannot long subsist in a condition to keep themselves from ruin, and to advance the public safety. It is thereupon Ordained by the Lords & Commons in Parliament assembled, and by authority of the same, That for the intents & purposes aforesaid, the several weekly sums of money hereafter in this Ordinance mentioned, shall be charged, rated, taxed and levied upon the several Counties, according to the proportions herein expressed; The same to be paid in weekly to the several Collectors, & by them to the Treasurer or Treasurers appointed by this Ordinance for the receiving hereof. That is to say,  
Upon the County of Essex, the weekly sum of one thousand six hundred eighty seven pounds ten shillings.  
Upon the County of Suffolk, the weekly sum of one thousand eight hundred seventy five pounds.  
Upon the County of Norfolk and City of Norwich, the weekly sum of one thousand eight hundred seventy five pounds.  
Upon the County of Hertford, the weekly sum of six hundred seventy five pounds.  
Upon the County of Cambridge, the weekly sum of five hundred sixty two pounds ten shillings.  
Upon the County of Huntingdon, the weekly sum of three hundred and thirty pounds.  
Upon the County of Lincoln and City of Lincoln, the weekly sum of one thousand two hundred eighteen pounds fifteen shillings.  
Upon the Isle of Ely, the weekly sum of two hundred twenty one pounds five shillings.  
And the said weekly Payments are to begin from the first day of September, in the year of our Lord 1644. and so to continue weekly for four month's next ensuing from the said first of September.  
And be it further ordained, that every person or persons that were to be assessed or taxed by any former Ordinance of Parliament, shall be assessed and taxed by this Ordinance, and shall be liable to as great forfeitures & penalties for not paying of the sum or sums to be assessed, as they should have been, if the same had been assessed by virtue of the last Ordinance for the weekly payment for the said Association, made the 20. of September last: And the several respective Deputy Lieutenants and Committees named and trusted within the said Association or any part thereof, by the said recited Ordinance, to take care for the assessing, collecting or levying of any moneys, are named & trusted by this Ordinance, and have as full power and authority given by this Ordinance, to nominate and appoint Collectors and Assessors, and to distrain, fine and imprison, or sequester, as they or any of them had by virtue of the said recited Ordinance, in all or any part of the said associated Counties.  
And the several Collectors shall pay the several sums by them collected, at the place or several places where the Earl of Manchester and the Committee for the Association attending the said Earl, shall appoint to the Treasurer or Treasurers, to be by them named; which Treasurer or Treasurers are to issue out the moneys received for the purposes aforementioned, according to the Warrants or directions of the said Earl of Manchester, & of any two of the said Committees for the said Association, which shall be appointed thereunto by the said Earl, and a full Committee consisting of one for every County at the least, and of the Commissary General for the time being of the said Earl of Manchester; And that no moneys be issued out without order under the hand of the said Earl, such two of the said Committees, and the said Commissary General, nor yet without the privity of the whole Committee attending the said Earl.  
And the said Lords & Commons do further ordain, that all moneys collected and not disposed of, or to be collected upon the fifth & twentieth part of men's estates, or of the last four months' pay; and all the moneys or other benefit arising by virtue of any Ordinance for the third part of the Sequestration settled upon the Earl of Manchester, shallbe paid unto the Treasurers appointed as aforesaid, and from thence to issue out again for the intents and purposes aforementioned; and the said Earl and Committee for the said association have thereby power given them to call all Collectors, Treasurers, or others that have or are thought to have any of the said moneys in their hands, to an account, and to cause the said money in their hands to be paid unto the Treasurers appointed by the former Ordinances.  
And if any Collectors, Treasurers, or others shall refuse to account or to pay in the moneys wherewith they are charged: then the said Earl & committee shall fine them double the sum charged upon them, which if it be not paid within six days after the sum is set, and notice thereof left at his or their dwelling house: it shallbe lawful to distrein for the same: & if there be not sufficient distress wherewith to satisfy, than the said Earl and Committee may imprison the offender herein; & sequester his estate, until the money charged & fine set be levied and paid.  
And it is further Ordained, that four pence in the pound shall be allowed for every sum of money which shall be Collected, and paid to the said Treasurer, whereof two pence shall be for the Collectors, and two pence for the Treasurer: And the said Treasurer shall keep a Register book, of the several sums received and paid by them, and shall render an account thereof, unto the said Earl and Committee, once every month at least.  
And be it further Ordained, that three Commissioners hereafter to be nominated and appointed, to reside in the Army, shall take special care that they keep constant correspondency with the two Houses of Parliament, and with the Committee of the Members of the House of Commons, appointed for the Associated Counties; and that they take such course that no Commander or Officer shall receive any pay, but such as duly attend their charge: And it is desired, that the said Earl of Manchester do admit to his Counsel for the purposes aforesaid, the said Commissioners residing in his Army, to advise with them, and arm them with power to view and examine the Musters of the said Army; and to take such course as shall be thought most fit for the preventing of dead payments, false Musters, free quartering without warrants, Plundering, Seizing of Horses or Arms, or for the avoiding of any other misdemeanour, which may turn to the prejudice of the Common wealth. And that the said Commissioners, shall once in a month, certify the state of the Army, and give an account of their proceed unto the Parliament, or to the aforesaid Committee, for the Associated Counties, and likewise certify what further instructions shallbe agreed upon by the Counsel of War, touching the same, and the aforesaid Commissioners shallbe nominated and appointed, by the Committee for the associated Counties sitting at Cambridge, or the major part of them out of their own number.  
And be it Lastly Ordained, that the said Earl, Deputy Lieutenants, Committees, collectors, assessors, and every one of them, & every other person, that shall be aiding and assisting to them, or any of them, in doing any thing by virtue of this Ordinance, shallbe defended and saved harmless therein by authority of both Houses of Parliament.  
H. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.