WHereas this Court hath already provided for the well Ordering and s [...]ling the Militia of this Common-wealth, Major General & Majors power to see that all the Armes of the Country be rea­dily fixt. as in the Law tit. Mili­tary, yet, forasmuch as many Complaints are presented to this Court, that the said Orders are not so attended as is to be desired, considering the present Juncture of affaires between our English Nation and forreign Enemies, who are now engaged in a bloody warre, which calls for a prudential en­dea [...]ur of our own safety, against any forreign Invasion or suddain Surprizal; This Court doth therefore Order, and Enact, that the said Military Laws be by all persons therein mentioned, forthwith attended in all respects, and for the better effecting the same, Penalty for de­fects of Inferi­our Officers. the Major General is required forthwith by warrant under his hand to the Majors of the several Regiments, require them to make diligent inquiry into the state of the several Companies under their charge, and to be certified under the hands of the Commission Officers, or Chief Of­ficers where no Commission Officers are, of each Company, of all defects of Armes, Amunition, or otherwise in every respect, and the said Majors respectively are required▪ to give speedy advice to the Major General what posture their said Regiments are in, and wherein the said Majors cannot of themselves forth with make redress of any defects in the said Companies, the said Majors with the advice of the Major General have hereby power to use all lawfull means to effect the same. And all inferiour Officers are hereby re­quired to yield ready obedience to all such warrants sent to them by the said [Page 2] Majors respectively, or Major General, upon the penalty of five pounds for every defect to be levied by distress by such person as the said Major General and Majors of the Regiments shall depute, All the fines to [...] Powder for the Company [...] the [...]. which said fines shall be for a stock of Powder for the said Company where the defects arise from time to time.

And whereas several Towns in this Jurisdiction, are not under the Command of any Serjeant Major, as Dover, Portsmouth, &c, as also the Towns of the County of Hampshire; The several Towns that are [...] Ma­jors of Regi­ments to be [...] & [...] by the Major General. It is Ordered that the Major General take care for regulating of the Military affaires of such Towns, till they are brought under a Major as in other Counties and all Military Officers of such places are re­quired Obedience to the Orders of the Major General from time to time, upon the penalty above mentioned, for every defect.

Order to prevent Drunkenness in Indians. WHereas the sin of Drunkenness amongst the Indians doth much increase, notwithstanding the Laws provided against that cr [...]ng sin; This Court doth therefore Order that any person or persons that shall see, Their strong Li­quors &c to be seized by any person. know or finde, any Indian with any strong Liquors, Wine, or strong Drink, that such Indians have any way gotten without [...] as the Law [...] shall have power to seize the same, On refusal to confess &c. to be committed to Prison. and to deliver the said strong drink to the Constables of the Town or Place where such Indians are found, with their persons to be conveyed be­fore some Magistrate, or Commissioner, who have power to deal in such cases, and such Indians as are found drunk, being apprehended, and will not confess how; Their accusation against person to [...] on oath, &c. or where they had the said Wine, Liquors or strong Drink, shall be secured or imprisoned, until they make a just acknowledgement where they had their Drink aforesaid, or committed to the house of Correction, and there labour to discharge the charge of their provision.

And if any such Indian do accuse any person for selling or delivering strong drink unto them, If Drunk to pay ten shillings or be whipt with ten stripes, &c. such Indian accusation shall be accounted valid, against any such persons accused, except such persons shall clear themselves by taking their Oath to the contrary, any Law, or Custome to the contrary notwith­standing.

And it is also further Ordered that whatsoever Indian shall hereafter be taken Drunk, shall pay the sum of ten shillings or else be whipt, by laying on ten stripes, according to the discretion of the Judge, whether Magistrate or Com­missioner who shall have cognizance of the case: and in all Towns where no Magistrate or Commissioners are, such cases shall be judged by the select men or major part of them.

WHereas the Law tit. Military Sect. 7. Requires every Pikeman to be com­pleatly furnished (amongst other weapons with a sufficient Corslet) This Court considering that Corslets are wanting to many Souldiers in several Companies and that supplies therein are not easily to be attained; Pikemen to pro­vide Buffe Coats or Quilted coats in stead. It is therefore now Or­dered, and by the Authority of this Court Enacted, that every Pikeman within this Jurisdiction, shall be compleatly furnished, either with a sufficient Corslet, Buffe Coat, or Quilted Coat, such as shall be allowed by the Chief Officer, under whose command they from time to time shall serve, upon the penalty in the recited Law already expressed, any Law, Custome or Usage to the con­trary notwithstanding.

[Page 3] AS [...] of the Law tit. Strayes, This Court finding that [...], Addition to the Law of Strayes. Cattle and Horses [...] on some persons [...] remote Towns and [...], To be cryed [...] the Town on which they have the Brand mark. the whole benefit [...]; This Court doth Order for the time to come, that all Strayes shall be first cryed in that Town of which they have the Brand-mark, and that all such Strayes and other lost Goods conteined in the said Law, To be entred with the Recor­der of the Coun­ty. shall be entred with the County Recorder in each County, and by him transferred to the Country Treasurer within one Moneth, and in case the said Goods and Strayes are not owned within one year, as is therein expressed, Halfe to the Countrey & the other halfe to the finder. then the one halfe, or the value of one halfe shall be to the use of the Countrey, and the other halfe to the finder, the charges being first payd out of the whole.

WHereas this Court hath encouraged and authorized some Persons to make Gun-powder and have promised to [...] them thereunto, by such publick and necessary Orders as may conduce to the effecting the same, Order impouring the Select men to make Orders with penalty to propagate salt Peeter. &c. The consideration whereof hath mooved the Court hereby to Order and Enact, that the Select men of every Town (where the Powder makers Authorized, by this Court shall desire it) be Authorized and required hereby, to make and execute such Orders in their respective Towns, as they shalll judge meet (with the advice of skilfull persons for increasing and procuring of Salt Peter, and to impose such penalties as the Select men shall see meet not exceeding ten shillings for one offence, upon all persons that shall neglect or refuse to perform such Order or Orders, for the propagating and increasing of Salt Peeter, in their respective Towns▪ and moreover the said select men are further impowred to choose and appoint an Officer or Officers, and to allow him a convenient stipend annually, for his paines out of the fines, or otherwise to look to the exe­cuting such Orders as they shall make in that behalfe.

And it is further Ordered that such Select men who shall neglect or refuse to make and effectually execute such necessary Orders, as shall conduce to the ends aforesaid, they shall be presented at the Court of that County, and there be fined for their neglect at the discretion of the Court, not exceeding five pounds for one offence, and this Law to be put in execution forthwith after the publication thereof, and this to continue during the Courts pleasure.