Three ORDINANCES OF THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
The first for keeping in godly Ministers placed in Livings by Authority of PARLIAMENT.  
The second concerning the regulating the sale of Bishops Lands, and expediting the Conveyances thereof.  
The third for the relief of Chester.  


Die Lunae 23. August. 1647.  
ORdered by the Lords Assembled in Parliament, That these three Ordinances be forthwith printed and published.  
Jo. Brown clear. Parliamentorum.    
London printed for John Wright at the Kings Head in the old Bayley. 1647.   

Die Lunae 23 August, 1647.  
An Ordinance for keeping in godly Ministers placed in Livings by Authority of Parliament.  
WHereas divers Ministers in the several Counties of this kingdom for notorious Scandals and Delinquency, have been put out of their Livings by Authority of Parliament, and Godly, Learned, and Orthodox Ministers placed in their rooms: And whereas the said Scandalous and Delinquent Ministers by force, or other ways, have entred upon the Churches, and gained the possession of the Parsonage-houses, Tithes, and Profits thereunto belonging, and have obstructed the payment of the Tithes and other Profits due by the Parishioners unto the Ministers placed in the said Churches by Authority aforesaid.  
The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament do therefore Order and ordain, and be it Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That all Sheriffes, Mayors, bailiffs, Justices of the Peace, Deputy-Lieutenants, and Committees of Parliament in the several Counties, Cities, and places within this kingdom, do forthwith apprehended, or cause to be apprehended all such Ministers as by Authority of Parliament have been put out of any Church or chapel within this kingdom, or any other person or persons who have entred upon any such Church or chapel, or gained the possession of such Parsonage-houses, Tithes, and Profits thereunto belonging, or have obstructed the payment of the Tithes and other profits due by the Parishioners to the said Ministers there placed by Authority of Parliament, or Sequestrators appointed, where no Ministers are settled to receive the same, and all such persons as have been Aiders, Abetters, or Assistors in the Premises, and commit them to prison, there to remain until such satisfaction be made unto the several Ministers placed by the said Authority of Parliament for his or their damages sustained, as to the said Sheriffes, Mayors, bailiffs, Justices of the Peace, Deputy-Lieutenants, or Committees of Parliament, or any two of them shall appear to be just, upon hearing and proof made upon the Oath of two sufficient Witnesses( which they or any two of them are hereby authorised to administer) who are likewise required to restore, settle, and quiet the possession in such Ministers as have been placed by the said Authority of Parliament, and they or any two of them have hereby power to raise Trained Bands, or any other Forces within the said several Counties, Cities, and places to put this Ordinance in execution, and the said Sheriffes, Mayors, Bailffes, Justices of the Peace, Deputy-Lieutenants, and Committees of Parliament respectively, are hereby required to take effectual course according to the several Orders and Ordinances of Parliament in that behalf made, that all men do pay their Tithes or Profits due unto the said respective Ministers. And it is hereby further Ordered and Ordained, That the Committee appointed for plundered Ministers, have power to see this Ordinance put in execution. And it is further Ordained, That the Committee of complaints do give the like remedy to all such Ministers put in by the said Authority of Parliament, and Sequestrators of the profits against whom any Action shall be brought by any such Delinquent, or scandalous Ministers, or any other claiming by or under them, for their Livings, Tithes, and Profits, as they are authorised unto by any Order or Ordinance in other cases.  
It is Lastly Ordered and Ordained, That if any such scandalous or Delinquent Minister, put out as aforesaid, their Aydors, or Abettors, shall at any time hereafter disturb, molest, or hinder such Minister as is put into such Church or chapel as aforesaid, in the exercising of the Office of his ministry, upon proof thereof made upon the Oath of two Witnesses, before the said Sheriffs, Mayors, Bailiffs, Justices of Peace, Deputy-Lieutenants, or Committees of Parliament, or any two of them; it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Sheriffes, Mayors, bailiffs, Justices of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenants, or Committees of Parliament, or any two of them, to commit such Offendor or offenders, to prison for one month, so often as he or they shall so offend.  
Jo. Brown clear. Parliament.   

Die Lunae 23 August. 1647.  
An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for regulating the sale of Bishops Lands, and expediting the Conveyances thereof.  
BE it Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That whereas in the late Ordinance of Parliament, made the 16. of Novemb. Anno Dom. 1646. it is appointed that the Purchasers of any Bishops Lands shall pay the latter moiety of Purchase money within six moneths after the sealing of the Assurance; And whereas divers Purchasers have before the sealing of the Assurance obtained the possession of the said Purchased Lands, Tenements, or Hereditaments, in all such cases the said six moneths where in the latter moiety of the Purchase money ought to be payed, shall be reckoned from the time of the Contract, and not from the sealing of the Assurance; and that in lieu thereof the Purchaser shall have and enjoy all the mean profits which he hath had, or received in the mean time; And that the Treasurers for Bishops Lands shall allow, and rebate to any Purchaser, who hath any money due by the said Ordinance, the interest which shall be due unto him, together with the principal, the same to be defaulked at the times of payment of his Purchase money; and that all Assignees of any moneys due by the said Ordinance, may defalk the same upon Purchasers in like manner as the lenders themselves might do. And the Contractors, Trustees, Treasurers, and all others employed in the sale of Bishops Lands, are hereby required, and enjoined to perfect and seal the respective Conveyances or Assurances with all possible expedition.  
Jo. Brown clear. Parliament.   

Die Lunae 23 August, 1647.  
An Ordinance for the relief of CHESTER.  
WHereas the City of Chester is grievously infected, and visited with the Plague of Pestilence in every Parish and part thereof, very few Families being clear, by reason whereof almost all the Persons of ability have left the said City, and there are remaining( for the most part) only the poor that have no means of subsistence, being altogether deprived of Trading, which if they be not presently relieved in an extraordinary way, are like to perish for want, and to endanger the infecting the adjacent Counties. And whereas the County of Chester is exceedingly impoverished by the late War, whereby they are disabled for affording them any considerable relief; It is therefore Ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the respective Ministers of every Parish, and congregational Church within the Cities of London and Westminster, the Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality, and within the Counties of Chester, Kent, Sussex, Surry, southampton, Middlesex, Essex, Hertford, Cambridge, suffolk, and norfolk, do upon the next Lords day after receipt of this present Ordinance, or the Copy thereof, publish the distressed condition of the poor Inhabitants of the said City of Chester, and earnestly move their people to contribute to so charitable a work, and that the sums so collected be paid by the Collectors thereof unto William Drink-water, and Robert Wilding, Citizens of London, their Deputy, or Deputies. And the said William Drink-water, and Robert Wilding are hereby required forthwith to sand such moneys as they shall receive unto the Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffes of the said City of Chester. or any two of them, to be by them distributed to the poor inhabitants of the said City; and the said William Drink-water, and Robert Wilding shall take Acquittances for such sums of money as they shall upon this Collection pay to the said Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffes, or any two of them under their hands; which Acquittances shall be a sufficient discharge to them for the same. And it is further Ordained, That the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffes, or any two of them shall certify unto the Committee of accounts the total sum which shall be received by them by virtue of this present Ordinance.  
Joh. Brown, clear. Parliament.   
FINIS.