WHereas the Counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, and other counties and places have lately raised divers great Forces both of Horse and Foot, to withstand the incursion of the Enemy, and to preserve them­selves from plundering, and their Countries from ruine and destructi­on, which Forces should they be con­tinued abroad any long time would not only be a prejudice to those Coun­tries in respect of their Harvest, but would be too great a charge for them to beare. And for as much as it is necessary that some course be taken for the keeping of the Enemy from plundering and spoyling, and securing the Countries from the danger of A­larms, [Page 4] which otherwise will enforce them to continuall rising, disturbe them in their Harvest, and other neces­sary imployment, and make their charge insupportable; To the end therefore the Trained Bands now upon these late Alarms raised, may re­turne home, and their Country secu­red from such further trouble, Be it Ordained by the Lords and Com­mons in this present Parliament As­sembled, that the severall Counties, Cities, and places hereafter mentio­ned, shall immediatly after the receipt of this Ordinance, raise such forces of Horse and Foot well and sufficiently armed, as are hereafter particularly set downe, to be ready to march the twentieth day of this present Iuly, one thousand six hundred forty foure; That is to say:

The county of Essex, one thousand Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The county of Suffolke, one thou­sand Foot, one hundred Horse, and [Page 5] one hundred Dragoones.

The County of Norfolke, and City of Norwich, one thousand Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dra­goones.

The County of Hertford, five hun­dred Foot, fifty Horse, and fifty Dra­goones.

The Counties of Huntington and Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, eight hundred Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The County of Bedford, five hun­dred Foot, fifty Horse, and fifty Dra­goones.

The County of Kent, and the City and County of the City of Canterbury, and the Cinque Port, one thousand Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The City of London, and County of Middlesex, two hundred Horse.

The Counties of Oxon, Berks, and Buckingham, one thousand Foot, two hundred Horse, and two hundred Dragoones.

The county of Northampton, three hundred Foot, two hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The county of Warwick, the City and County of the City of Coventry, three hundred Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The county of Glocester, the City and County of the City of Glocester, five hundred Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The county of Wilts, five hundred Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

The counties of Sussex and Surrey, one thousand Foot, one hundred Horse, and one hundred Dragoones.

And the county of Hampshire, and the Town and county of Southampton, six hundred Foot, one hundred Horse, and fifty Dragoones, which said For­ces so levied are to be imployed about Oxon, or such other places as by both Houses of Parliament, or the Com­mittee of both Kingdomes shall be thought necessary for the purposes a­foresaid, [Page 7] and to continue onely for the space of two Moneths, from the time that they shall come to the place of ge­nerall Rendezvouz.

And it is further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that the severall and respective Committees of Parliament, of the severall coun­ties, cities, and places aforesaid, or any three of them, are hereby authori­sed and required, to cause this Ordi­nance to be put in speedy execution. And for the more speedy execution of this Ordinance, and that the Com­mittees of Parliament (unto whose care and fidelity the same is especially entrusted, & recommended to be forth­with dispatched) may be armed with power sufficient for the effecting the same, Be it likewise Ordained by the authority aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawfull for them, or any three of them respectively, by such reason a­ble waies and meanes as they shall find most convenient, to raise and levie such monies out of the severall coun­ties, [Page 8] cities and places aforesaid, as shall enable them to raise and arme the said Forces of Horse, Foot, and Dragoones, and pay them during the time they shall be imployed; And if any person or persons shall neglect to pay any summe of monie whereat he shall be so rated or assessed, that then it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Committees, or any three of them re­spectively, to appoint a distresse of the goods of such persons to be taken and sold for satisfaction of the same, re­storing unto the owner the overplus after all necessarie charges deducted; & further power and authority is hereby given to the said respective Commit­tees, or any three of them respective­ly, to use all good waies and meanes for the effecting of this service, as they in their wisedomes shall think conve­nient; And if any person shall shew himselfe opposite or refractory unto this service, so as the same by meanes thereof shall be delayed, disturbed, or hindered; it shall and may be lawfull [Page 9] to the said severall Committees, or a­ny three of them respectively, to im­pose a reasonable Fine upon such per­son for his contempt therein, so as the same exceed not the summe of ten pounds for any one offence; and to le­vie the same by sequestration of his Estate, or imprisonment of his body. And because it is not expected that the Trained Band-men should in this time of Harvest be imployed in this service without their own consents, or an absolute necessity, and that proba­bly it may be difficult to find so many volunteers as will be sufficient to make up the full numbers in this Or­dinance expressed;

It is hereby further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the said respective Committees or a­ny three of them, are hereby authori­sed in their respective counties, cities and places, to Imprest fit and able men for this service, and to imprison such persons as shall refuse to give [Page 10] obedience, untill they conform there­unto.

And it is lastly Ordained by the Au­thority aforesaid, that the said respe­ctive Committees or any three of them, in their respective counties, ci­ties and places, are hereby authori­sed to reduce the said Foot forces re­spectively into companies and Regi­ments, and the Horse and Dragoons into Troops, and nominate and place over them Colonels, Captains, and other Officers, except the Majors of the said Regiments, whose severall and respective companies are to be commanded by the respective Lieu­tenants thereof, to the place of Ren­dezvous. Provided that no Regiment of Foot shall consist of lesse then One thousand Foot, besides Officers, and no Troop of Horse or Dragoons of lesse then One hundred, besides Offi­cers; and where any county is hereby to raise a lesse number of men then will make up an entire Regiment, the [Page 11] severall and respective Committees of such counties and places, are to meet together with what convenien­cie they shall think most fit, and to joyn their Forces into Regiments as aforesaid.

And the Committee of both King­doms are hereby authorised to nomi­nate a Major of every Regiment of Foot, and to form the Horse and Dra­goons into Regiments, and nominate the Field-Officers, the said Majors and Field-Officers to be approved by both Houses of Parliament.

Provided alwayes, That this Or­dinance shall not extend to the Pres­sing of any Clergy-man, Scholler, or Student in any the Vniversities, Inues of Court or Chancery, or Houses of Law, or any the Trained Bands in any county, city or place, or of any person rated in the last Subsi­dies granted by the Parliament, or the son of any person rated at Fine pounds Goods, or three pound Lands [Page 12] in the Subsidy Books; or of any per­son of the rank or degree of an Es­quire or upwards, or the son of any such person, or the son of the widow of any such person; or to the Pressing of any person under the age of Eighteen or above the age of Fifty; or of the Members or Officers of ei­ther House of Parliament; or of the Meniall servants of the Members or Officers of either of the said Houses, or any the Assistants of the Lords House, or any of their Meniall ser­vants; or any the Inhabitants of the I [...]les of Wight or Anglesey, or Cinque Ports, or of any Mariner, Seaman or Fisherman.