WHereas the Committee for the Militia of London , have for the better discharge of the great trust in them reposed ( according to severall Ordinances of Parliament inabling them thereunto ) authorized severall Sub-committees , to put in execution within the Cities of London and Westminster , Hamlets of the Tower , and the Borough of Southwark and other the parts adjacent , within the weekly Bills of Mortalitie , the severall Ordinances heretofore made for ordering the Militia of those parts and places ; the speedy and due effecting whereof , will not onely much ease and relieve the Trained and Auxiliatie Bands of the places aforesaid , now much over-burdened with duty , but will also by Gods blessing upon the same apparently , tend to the better safeguard of those places , and preservation of this present Parliament , under God the chiefe Bulwarke and conserver of our Religion , Lawes , and Liberties : And whereas , besides other voluntarie Contributions , a chiefe meane of raysing and forming of the Auxiliarie Regiments already raysed in the places afore-specified , hath beene the voluntarie forbearance of one Meale in the weeke , and rendering the value of the same for the purpose aforesaid , which being begun by wel-affected persons , is conceived may be of speciall use , for raysing more Forces , buying of Armes and Ammunition , and accomplishing the intent of the said Ordinances , if convenient power be added to make that way of Contribution generall , and so as the but then may not rest alone upon the willing partie .

The Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled , taking the premisses into their serious consideration , and being sensible of the good service alreadie performed to the State , by the Forces of the Citie and places aforesaid , and well approving of the continuance of the good endeavours of the said Committee ; and of their Sub-committees , whereto they conceive it requisite to give all fitting assistance and encouragement , and holding it very just and reasonable , that all persons according to their abilities should in a reasonable and proportionable way contribute to the supporting of that charge and burden , which is necessarily to be undergone for the common safetie ; doe for the better speeding and perfecting of the said worke , thinke fit to Order and Ordaine ; And be it Ordained , Declared , and established as followeth : That all and every person and persons , and their Families , residing or Inhabing within the said Cities of London & Westminster , the Hamlets of the Tower , Borough of Southwark and other the Parishes and places within the Lines of Communication and weekly Bills of Mortalitie , shall pay and contribute upon each Tuesday weekely , the value of one ordinarie Meale , to such person and persons as shall be respectively appoynted Collector or Collectors thereof ; in such sort as is after mentioned , the same to be imployed for the ends and purposes before specified , and hereafter mentioned ; And for the better Ordering , Rating , and Raysing the said Monies , It is further Ordered and Ordained , That the Alderman , Aldermans Deputie , and Common-councell-men , of and for each Ward within London , and the Liberties , calling to their assistance two or more of the Sub-committee , usually sitting at Salters-Hall in Bread-street , being Freemen of the Citie of London , and of the same Ward , if there be any such therein , and some other able and wel-affected persons of each Ward , and the greater part of them ; And the said other Sub-commitrees , within their severall Limits and Divisions , or any seven or more of them respectively , shall have full power and authority , to Assesse or Tax , or nominate Assessors , to set a Rate and Tax upon each person and Familie as aforesaid ; To wit , what Rate , Proportion , or summe of Money , each person or him or her selfe , or for themselves and Families respectively ; shall pay and contribute for the value of one Meale in the Weeke , as aforesaid ; And shall appoint convenient places and fit persons within each Parish or Precinct respectively , where , and to whom the said Moneyes shall be respectively payd , by the persons so assessed and to nominate and appoint Collectors , or Receivers , to call for , and attend the receipt of the said moneyes so assessed , who are to pay over the same upon each Thursday weekely , at two of the clock in the afternoone , to the respective Treasurers hereafter mentioned , viz. The Collectors for the said City of London , and the Liberties , to John Langham Alderman , appoynted Treasurer by the Common-Councell of the City of London , who shall and may upon occasion exchange and alter the same Officer , and appoint such other fit Officer as shall to them seeme meeete . The Collectors for the Hamlets of the Tower of London and the Liberties thereof , to M. Abraham Corsiellis , one of the Sub-committee there , which usually meets at Savage-house at Tower-hill ▪ and who is appointed to be their Treasurer ; The Collectors for the said City of Westminster , and Liberties thereof , and other the Liberties , Parishes , and Places within that Division , to M. Edward Carter , one of the Sub-committee for that part , which usually meet and sit at the Savoy in the Strand , and appointed to be their Treasurer ; The Collectors for the Borough of Southwarke , and other the Liberties and Places within the Division , to M. Richard Walker , one of the Sub-committee there , which usually meet at the Vestry-House in Olaves Parish , and who is appointed to be their Treasurer ; And in default of such persons appointed Treasurers aforesaid , Then to such other Treasurers as shal be severally for such purpose appointed to wit , by the Common-Councell of London for the said City , and Liberties , and by the other Sub-committees , or any seven of them , for their Divisions respectively : which said respective Treasurers are hereby authorized to issue out the said Moneyes so gathered and received , as is hereafter mentioned , ( viz ) The Treasurer for the City of London , and the Liberties thereof , for recruiting of the Auxiliary Regiments already raised , raysing and preparing of more Forces , buying of Armes and Ammunition , and for such other uses , as the Common-Councell of the said City of London , or such persons as they from time to time shall appoint for that purpose , being approved of by both Houses of Parliament , Shall thinke fit to direct and appoint ; And the Treasurers for the other parts shall issue their Monies respectively for recruiting their Auxiliary Regiments , raysing and preparing of more Forces , and Executing the Ordinances of the Militia , within their respective Precincts according to such Warrants and Directions as shall be given by the said Sub-Committees for the uses aforesaid , by Order to be made at the respective usuall places of meeting of the said Sub-Committees respectively , of whom seven at least are then and there to be present , and subscribe the same Order . And if any person or persons Assessed , or to be Assessed for the Weekely payment aforesaid , shall after demand thereof made of the person ●o Assessed , or at his or their usuall places of Habitation or Abode faile in payment thereof ; That then it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Collectors , and every of them respectively calling to their Assistance any of the Trained Bands , Voluntiers , Constables , or others ▪ who are hereby enjoyned to assist upon all Occasions , being required , to Levie double the summe or summes so assessed , together with the necessarie Charges which shall be expended in the Collecting thereof , by way of Distresse , upon his or their goods and Chattels , and shall and may fell the same Distresse or Distresses for the Services aforesaid , and the over-plus to be returned to the Owner of the Distresse taken . And if no sufficient Distresses can be found within the said Citie of London , or the Liberties , whereby the Moneyes assessed upon the persons there may be levied ; Then upon Certificate thereof made by the said Sub-Committees for the Citie and Liberties , or any seven of them , being Free-men of the said Citie of London , to the Lord Mayor of the said Citie , hee is forthwith to grant his Warrant for the apprehension of the said person and persons , and for his and their Commitment to safe Custodie , without Bayle or Mainptize , wheresoever hee or they are or shall be found , within Liberties or without , unlesse hee shall see just cause to the contrary . And in like case , if no sufficient Distresses can be found within the other respective Divisions before-mentioned , whereupon the summes assessed upon the persons there may be levied ; Then upon Certificate to be made in that behalfe to the respective Sub-Committees of those Divisions , the said Committee , or any seven of them , by Order to be made at their usuall place of Meeting , shall and may commit such person or persons to safe Custodie , without Bayle or Mainprize , wheresoever hee or they shall be found , whether within the said respective Divisions or without ; the said persons so to be committed , as aforesaid , to continue in Prison untill they have fully satisfied their respective Assessements .

And be it further Ordered and Ordained , That the over or under-rating of any person or persons or their Families , within the said City of London , or any part thereof , shall and may upon complaint thereof be examined and rectified by the Common-Councell of the said City , or any Committee by them for that purpose to be appointed , or the greater part of such Committee ; And if any person or Persons , within any the said other Divisions , be over-rated in the said Assessements , or under-rated , the same shall upon complaint thereof be rectified by the said Sub-Committees of that Division respectively or any seven of them , according to their discretions ; And if any Assessors , Collectors , or Constables , within the said City of London , or the Liberties , shall refuse the said service , or prove negligent or faulty therein ▪ upon Certificate thereof made by the said Sub-Committee of Saliers-Hall , or any seven of them , being Free-men of the said City of London , to the Lord Major of the said City , he is forthwith to grant his Warrant for Commitment of such persons to prison , unlesse he shall see just cause to the contrary . And like power upon such occasion the said other Sub-Committees may exercise within their Limits respectively , or upon such neglect or default as aforesaid , the Common-Councell , of whom they shall appoint for London and the Liberties , and the Sub-Committees or any seven of them within their severall Divisions , may impose a fine upon the offenders ▪ not exceeding the summe of Ten Pounds for every offence , the said Fuie to be levied by Distresse , and sale of the offenders goods , and the Moneyes to be imployed for the service aforesaid ; And it is Ordained , That the said Treasurers repectively shall each of them keepe a Register-Booke of the summes received , and paid out by them , that so they may give a just and perfect Account thereof , unto the said Sub-Committees , to whom they respectively belong , when they shall be by them required which shal be once Monthly at least ; And the said Treasurer for London and the Liberties shall also concerning the Premisses , be accomptable to the Common-Councell for the said City , or such Committee as they shall thereto appoint , when he shall at any time be thereunto required ; And for the better encouragement of the said Collectors and Treasurers : It is Ordained , that five pence in the Pound shal be allowed for every summe of mony , which shal be Collected and paid to the said Treasurers according to this Ordinance , whereof foure pence shall be to the Collectors , and one penny to the Treasurer .

And be it lastly , by the said Lords and Commons further Ordained , That all and every the respective Committees , Assessors , Treasurers and Collectors of the respective Divisions aforesaid , and all that shall assist them in the premisses , shall be by power of Parliament protected and saved harmelesse , both for what , according to the true meaning of the premisses , they have done and shall doe therein for time to come .

Provided , That this Ordinance extend not to such persons as receive Almes , nor shall be of longer continuance then for the space of six Moneths to begin from Tuesday next after the date hereof .

Provided also , That this Ordinance shall not extend to the using of any compulsarie power over any the Members of either House of Parliament , or any Peer , or any Assistant of the House of Peeres , or any Attendant on either House of Parliament , or any Member of the Assembly of Divines ; or to give power to settle any other Rates upon any of them touching the premisses , then what they respectively will tax themselves at , or agree unto : Any thing in this present Ordinance contained to the contrarie notwithstanding .