WHereas the great expence of Gunpowder , occasioned by the present Warre ●●●●in His Majesties Dominions , hath well neer ●●nsumed the old store , and doth exhaust the ●agazines so fast , that without a larger supply , 〈◇〉 Navie , Forts , and the land-Arms , cannot be furnished ; And whereas forraign Salt-Peter is not equall in goodnesse with that of our own country , and the forraign Gunpowder far worse conditioned , and lesse forceable then that which is made in England ; And whereas divers forraign Estates have of late prohibited the exportation of Salt-Peter and Gunpowder , out of their own Dominions and countries ; so that there can be little hope of future expectation of any Peter or Powder , to be brought into this Kingdom as in former times , which will inforce us to make use of our own materials ; It is held most necessary , that ●he digging of Salt-Peter , and making of Gunpowder , should by all fit means be incouraged at this time , when it so much concerns the publique safety : Neverthelesse , to prevent the reviving of those oppres●ions and vexations , exercised upon the people under the colourable Authority of Commissions granted to Salt-Peter men ; which burthen hath been eased since the sitting of this Parliament ; And to the end that there may not be any pretence to interrupt the work , It is Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament , That such persons as shall be nominated and allowed by the Committee of Lords and Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , or any five of them , their Factors , Workmen and Servants , shall have Power and Authority by this present Ordinance , to search and dig for Salt-Peter in all Pigeon-houses , Stables , Cellars , Vaults , empty Warehouses , & other Out houses , Yards and places likely to afford that Earth , at fit seasons , from half an hour after Sun-rising in the morning , till an hour before Sun-setting ; and in Pigeon-houses likely to afford that Earth , at fit seasons , from nine of the clock in the morning , till three of the clock in the afternoon ; The said Salt-Peter men at their own cost and charges levelling the ground , and repairing any damage which shall be done by them , wherein if the said Salt-Peter men do fail to give satisfaction , to the contentment of the Owners , upon complaint made by the parties grieved , unto the Deputy Lieutenants , Justices of Peace , Committees of Parliament , or any one or more of them , and they or any one of them shall have power to compell the said Salt-Peter men , to lay the ground in as good order , as before the breaking up ( working onely excepted ) and likewise to give such reasonable satisfaction for the damage , as he or they in his or their discretion shall think fit , which not being obeyed , the name and offence of such person or persons refusing , shall be returned to the said Committee of Lords and Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , or any five of them ; And forasmuch as the Salt-Peter men for the provision of the State , are to bring in a proportion of Salt-Peter weekly , which they can bee in no wayes able to do , in case they should be desired to dig and work for Salt-Peter , It is therefore Ordered , That in case any person whatsoever shall refuse to suffer Salt-Peter men , allowed by the Committee of Lords and Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , or any five of them , to dig and work for Salt-Peter , according to the Rules and Limitations before mentioned , upon complaint thereof made to the Deputy Lieutenants , Justices of Peace , Committees of Parliament , or any one or more of them , then they or any one of them shall hereby have power to inforce the obedience of the parties so refusing , or to certifie their offence , and names of the offenders , to the Committees of the Lords and Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , to be proceeded against according to their demerits . And it is likewise Ordained , That the said Salt-Peter men for the carriage of the liquor , vessells , and other Utensills from place to place , and delivering of the Salt-Peter where the same shall be made into Gunpowder , It shall be lawfull for the said Salt-Peter men , to demand and take carts by the known Officers , so as the Lading shall not exceed Twenty hundred weight , and the Journey not exceed Ten miles by common estimation for carriage , whereof the Owner shall be paid after the rate of Eight pence the mile ; And the empty vessells are to be recarryed gratis , and the said Salt-Peter men are likewise to be freed from all Taxes and Tolls , demandable for any of their carriages used about their said works ; And in case any person whatsoever shall refuse to suffer the said Salt-Peter men to dig , or to do any other thing in pursuance of this Ordinance , according to the limitations and directions hereby given , then the Salt-Peter men shall return the names of such persons so refusing , to the Committee of Lords & Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , or any five of them , to bee proceeded against according to their demerits . By which means the work of making Powder in this Kingdome ( which else will be let fall in this time of danger ) may be continued and cherished , and the Subjects may have the benefit of Powder at farre easier Rates then now it is sold for ; For which purpose , It is lastly Ordained , that the said committee of Lords and Commons for the safety of the Kingdom , shall by vertue of this Ordinance , have power and Authority to put this Ordinance in execution , and to do and performe all such thing and things as to them shall seem expedient , for the better effecting of this service .

And it is further ordained , that such Salt-Peter men as shall bee allowed as aforesaid , shall take such Out-houses for their Work-houses to set their Vessells and Utensills in , as shall be fit , and may be reasonably spared ; And to have , take , and draw water fit for their said works , they giving satisfaction to the contentment of the Owners thereof ; Or if they shall not agree of such satisfaction , that then they appeal to Deputy Lieutenants , Iustices of Peace , or committees of Parliament , or any one or more of them , who may make such Order therein , as to him or them shall seem fit , which Order shall binde both parties .

This Ordinance of Parliament to continue for two yeers from the five and twentieth day of March . 1644.