WHereas his Majesty , by the advice and instigation of a wicked Councell about his Person , hath raysed Forces against the Parliament , and hath Actually made Warre against his great Councell , and his good Subjects of the Kingdom , which Forces so raysed by his Majesty , for the most part are consisting of Papists , notorious Delinquents , and other Malignant persons , by whom the wel-affected of this kingdome are ruinated in their estates , & divers Outrages committed upon their persons ; And forasmuch as Sir Ralph Hopton and his Adherents , Rebells and Traytors , combining together in pursuance of this most horrid , wicked , and unnaturall designe , hath levyed divers Forces in the County of Corn-Wall , and in a warlike manner already entred into the County of Devon , and Besieged , Robbed , Spoyled , Plundered , and Pillaged , divers Townes and places in the said County , and divers Rapes , Murders , and other misdemeanors , have acted and committed upon divers of his Majesties good Subjects there , and many of them hath utterly destroyed ; And forasmuch as that now Ruine and Destruction is threatned , not only by that Hellish and accursed Crew , but also by the Welch , and other Forces raysed by his Majesty , and in his name , to the County of Somerset , and other the adjacent Counties , the said Counties also being in danger by the Invasion of a forraigne Enemy , For prevention whereof , amongst other the said Counties , the wel-affected and good Subjects in the said County of Somerset , for defence of themselves and the Westerne parts , against all such their Enemies , Rebels and Traytors , having associated themselves , and raysed divers Forces both of Horse and Foot , which must be maintained upon the publique charge , The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament , doe Order , Declare , and Ordaine , that the Receivers for the Subscriptions appoynted for the County of Somerset , upon the Propositions for raysing of Horse , Money , and Plate , for the defence of the King , Kingdom , and Parlament and all Collectors , Subcollectors , and others intrusted , for the levying and receiving of the said Collections , and the said Propositions , in and for the said County of Somerset , shall forthwith pay in all such Summe and Summes of Money as by them or any of them hath beene Collected and received , and not payd into the Treasurers in London according to the said Ordinance , for the Propositions as aforesaid , unto John Ashe Esquire , and Roger Hill of Taunton Gentleman , Treasurers hereby appoynted to receive the said Summes so raysed and levyed as aforesaid , upon the said Ordinance for Subscriptions as aforesaid , to be imployed to the uses and purposes limitted and appoynted b● the said Ordinance , for Subscriptions upon the said Propositions , and to no other use , ●ntent , or purpose , And that the said Monies so Subscribed , raysed , and gathered as aforesaid shall not be issue out by the said Treasurers hereby appoynted , but by Warrant to them made by the Right Honourable the now Earle of Stamford , Sir Iohn Horner , Sir Thomas Wroth , Sir Francis Popham , Alexander Popham , Hugh Rogers , Christopher Walker , William Strode , Richard Cole , Iohn Frances , Iohn Harrington , ●ohn Hippesley , lames Ashe , Iohn Ashe , Iohn Pi●e , Henry Stamford , William Seaborne , Thomas H●ppesley , Henry Henley , Iohn Preston , William Long ▪ or any three or more of them under their hands and Seales , shall limit , appoynt , and declare , And that the Warrant or Warrants of the persons aforesaid , or of any three or more of them in manner as aforesaid , for the issuing out of the said Monies , together with the Acquittance or Acquittances from the Person or Persons which shall be appoynted by the persons aforesaid , or any three or more of them , for the receipt of the said Sum or Summes of Money according to this Ordinance , shal be a sufficient discharge to the Treasurers hereby named , for so much as shall be 〈◇〉 in such Acquittance or Acquittances for the issuing out and payment of the said Summe or Summes of Mony respectively , And that the Treasurers shall not at all pay any Summe or Summes of Money to be by them received upon any other direction , Warrant , or Command whatsoever . And further it is Ordered and Declared , that the said Receivers appoynted by vertue of the said Ordinance for the Propositions , who were thereby required to pay or cause to be payd the said Monies by them received , to the Treasurers in London named in the said Propositions , for so much of the said Monies as the● shall pay to the Treasurers hereby nominated and appoynted for the County of Somerset as aforesaid , having their or either of their respective Acquittance or Acquittances , shall be discharged , any Act or thing heretofore made to the contrary notwithstanding ,

Provided that this Ordinance shall not extend to impeach or diminish any Order or Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament formerly made , for disposing of any of the said Monies , or other Orders made to the Towne of Taunton , or other place in the said County of Somerset , having thereby obtained an Allowance for Fortifications out of their owne respective Subscriptions and Contributious upon the said Propositions .

WHereas Sir Ralph Hopton , and his Adherents , Rebels and Traytors , combining together , hath leavyed war against the Parliament , and hath in a warlike manner already entered into the County of Devon , and besieged , robbed , spoyled , plundered , & pillaged diverse Towns and places , in the said County , and diverse cruel and barbarous murthers , rapes , and other notorious out-rages hath committed and done in the said County , upon diverse of his Maiesties good Subiects , and many of them hath utterly ruin'd and destroyd ; and forasmuch as the like danger and destcuction is threatned to the County of Somerset , by the said Rebels and Traytors , who have a great partie in the said County of Somerset , that are Persons ill-affected : It is therefore Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament , and by the Authority of the same , That Sir Iohn Horner , Sir Francis Popham , Sir Thomas Wroth , Sir George Farwell Knights , Alexander Popham , Hugh Rogers , Christopher Walker , Iohn Harrington , Iohn Hippesly , Iohn Francis , Rich . Cole , William Strode , Iohn Pine , Henry Henley , Iohn Preston , Iames Ashe , Iohn Ash , Henry Stamford , Wil. Seaborne , Tho . Hippesly , and Wil . Long Esquires , or any three or more of them , or any three or more of such honest able and sufficient , as any three or more of the Persons afore mentioned shall by their Warrants under the Hands nominated and appointed Assessors , shall Assesse , Rate , and Charge such Person and Persons , Inhabitants or others , residing and abiding in the said County , as are of ability , and have not contributed to the Propositions , for the raising of Horse , Money , or Plate , for the defence of the King and Parliament , formerly agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament , and other such as have contributed , but not according to their Abilities , to pay such sum or summes of money according to their Estates , as the said Assessors , or any three of them shall thinke fit and reasonable , so as the same exceed not the twentieth part of their Estates ; and if any person so Assessed shall refuse to pay the Money so to be assessed upon him , in such manner , and at such times and places , as by the said Assessors or any three of them shall be required and appointed , it shall be lawful to and for the said Assessors above named , or any three of them , to grant Warrants to any Person or Persons under their hands and Seales to leave all and every such sum or summes so Assessed , by any way of distresse , and sale of the goods of such Person or Persons so assessed , and refusing , restoring the overplus it any shall be , to him or them that shall be so d●strained , and if any Person so distrayned shall make resistance , it shall be lawfull to , and for the said Assessors above named , or any three of them , by their warrant , to require the Parliament Forces in those parts , and all other his Maiesties Officers and good Subiects to be ayding and assisting in the premises , the said summes so Assessed and leavyed to be paid unto Iohn Ashe Esquire , and Roger Hill of Taunton , Gentleman , Treasurers hereby appointed to receive the said sums so to be raised and leavyed as aforesaid , and that the money so raised , shall not be issued out , but by Warrant to the said Treasurers , under the hands of three or more of the said Assessors above named , and such Person or Persons as shal be notoriously refractory and disobedient in the premises , or have not sufficient 〈◇〉 to be taken , it shall be lawfull for the Assessors above named , or any two of them ▪ by their Warrant under their Hands and Seales , to commit him or them to some common Goale , there to remaine untill payment bée made of such summe or summes of Money upon him or them so Assessed , or to send them up to the Parliament , by Ship or otherwise : and for any Act or thing done or to be done , according to the tenure of this Ordinance , they and every of them before named , and all and every other person or persons by them imployed in the Execution of this said Ordinance , shall be saved harmelesse by authority of both Houses of Parliament ,