WHereas the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better resisting and suppressing the malice of the common enemies of our Religion , Lawes , and Liberties , and for the speedier setling of a blessed Peace , have held it necessary to desire the assistance of our brethren of Scotland in this warre , who by certaine Articles or Propositions sent unto both Houses have declared their willingnesse herein . And for the better enabling them thereunto , have desired the advance of a competent summe of money from us ; and whereas for the procuring thereof , the Houses have made a Committee of the Parliament and City of London , to procure by loane or otherwise the said summes of money , and have passed an Ordinance of Parliament for securing the repayment of those moneys to the persons that should lend the same . And although divers well affected persons both before and sithence the publishing of the Ordinance , have lent and subscribed to lend divers summes of money , yet very many of the most able and wealthiest persons in such places where the said Loane hath been propounded , have refused to lend any competent sums of money for this purpose , notwithstanding the security tendered for the moneys desired to be borrowed of them is such , as cannot in reason bee excepted against . So that it may be justly feared , that the whole summe of money which we have promised to pay unto our brethren of Scotland will not be raised by free and voluntary loanes .

Wherefore we the Lords and Commons , considering the dangerous estate and condition of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland , and the great advantage and assurance that through Gods blessing we may in all humane probability expect from the assistance of our brethren of Scotland ; And holding it just and most reasonable , that those who are to receive equall benefit by their assistance , should likewise equally contribute thereunto .

Doe hereby Order , Ordaine , and Declare , that 66666 li. 13. s . 4. d . part of the sum agreed to bee paid to our brethren of Scotland by the before mentioned Articles or Propositions , shall with all convenient speed be raised by way of Loane upon such able and wealthy persons as have not already , nor shall hereafter voluntarily and proportionably to their estates and abilities lend any sums of money for the purposes aforesaid , and according to the true intent of the said Ordinance of the Lords and Commons published the sixteenth day of this instant October .

The said sum to be raised within the Cities , Towns , Counties , and Places , and according to the proportions hereafter mentioned and expressed , that is to say , Within the Cities of London , Westminster , and places adjacent , within the Bils of Mortalitie , the sum of twenty six thousand six hundred threescore and six pounds thirteene shillings and foure pence . The County of Hertford three thousand pound . The County of Bedford two thousand pound . The residue of the County of Middlesex one thousand pound . The County of Essex five thousand pound . The County of Suffolke five thousand pound . The County of Norfolke , with the City and County of the City of Norwich six thousand pound . The County of Kent , with the City and County of the City of Canterbury six thousand pound . The residue of the County of Surrey one thousand five hundred pound . The County of Sussex foure thousand five hundred pound . The County of Cambridge with the Isle of Ely two thousand pound . The County of Huntington one thousand pound . The County of Northampton two thousand five hundred pound . The County of Rutland five hundred pound .

And it is further Ordered , Ordained , and Declared , That no person within any the Cities , Townes , Counties , or Places aforesaid , shall be forced to lend any of the said summes , unlesse his ability and meanes livelihood in Lands , Leases , Money , and other personall estate , exceed the summe of one thousand pounds of lawfull English money . And for the equall sessi●g and apportioning the said summe of twenty six thousand pounds within the Cities of London and Westminster , and other places adjacent within the Bills of Mortalitie , it is hereby further Ordered , Ordained , and Declared , That whereas the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London appointed for the raising of the said summes of money for our brethren of Scotland , have heretofore within those Precincts appointed the Minister , the Churchwardens , and a certaine number of other persons within each Parish , to call before them the Parishioners , and to receive their voluntary Loanes , whereby , they have the better informed themselves of the willingnesse or backwardnesse , and likewise of the abilities of the severall persons within those Precincts , that the said Ministers , Churchwardens , and Persons , or others as by the said Committee shall be thereunto appointed , shall rate and sesse the said severall Parishes , who are hereby required so to demeane themselves in this service , as that the greatest Loane be set upon the most able and rich men , and who have not either upon this or the like occasions of money heretofore manifested their good affections to the publike .

And that the said Ministers , Churchwardens , and other persons , may the better know what proportions of Money in reference to the whole summe will be fit to be set upon each person within the Parishes ; power is hereby given to the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London , calling unto them all or some of the persons aforesaid , to distribute and proportion so much of the said sum of 26666 li. 13. s . 4. d . upon each particular Parish as shall be reasonable .

And for the sessi●g and setting of the before mentioned sums to be borrowed , in each of the sayd other Cities , great Townes , Counties and places upon each particular person : It is further ordered , ordained and declared , that the sayd Committee of the Parliament and City of London , shall have power to nominate in each County , City , or great Towne , three or more persons of rank and integrity , which persons so named shall have power to nominate and appoint two or more persons within each Hundred , City , or great Towne respectively , which persons so last nominated shall returne unto the other persons to be named by the said Committee , the names of all such persons within the respective Hundreds , Cities and great Townes , whose ability and meanes of livelyhood in Lands , Monies , and other personall Estate , shall exceed the before mentioned summe of one thousand pounds of lawfull English money , and shall not have voluntarily lent any sum of Money to the purpose of this and the before mentioned Ordinance , proportionable to his Estate . And after such returnes the persons to be named by the sayd Committee , by and with the asistance of the said other persons that shall make such returne , shall assesse , and rate the severall Inhabitants within the said Hundreds , Cities and great Townes ▪ who are hereby likewise required so to demeane themselves in this Service , as that the greatest loane be set upon the most able , and richest men , and who have not either upon this , or the like occasions of money heretofore , manifested their good affections to the publique .

And it is hereby further ordered , ordained and declared , that the person appointed and to be appointed within the Cities of London , Westminster and other the places adjacent within the precincts of the bills of mortality , for the setting of the proportions of the sayd loans upon the particular persons there , shall returne the names of the persons within their severall parishes , and the sums so set upon them unto the sayd Committee , within three dayes after the delivery of the said Ordinances unto them respectively , And the persons to be nominated by the said Committee within the Cities , great Townes , Hundreds and other places in the Counties of Kent ; Surry , Middelsex , Essex , and Hartford , shall returne the names of the persons within their severall Cities , great Townes and Hundreds , and the sums set upon them unto the said Committee , within twelve dayes after the delivery of the said Ordinances unto them respectively ; And the persons to be nominated by the said Committee within the other Cities , great Townes , Counties and other places herein mentioned , shall make the like returnes at such times as by the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London shall be directed ;

And the persons hereby appointed to sesse , and set the loanes of money upon the particular persons within the Cities of London and Westminster and parts adjacent , within the precincts of the Bills of mortality , and likewise within the other Cities , great Townes and Counties , are hereby required , immediately after the setting of the said loanes , to send Tickets unto all the persons , upon whom the same shal be set , thereby to give them notice of the sums set upon them ; And of the persons and places , where , and to whom the said sums of money are to be paid ; And in case any person upon whom any sum of money shall be set , shall not within eight dayes after the leaving of the sayd Ticket at the place of his , or her usuall aboade , or other notice , pay the same accordingly ; Then the persons so fayling shall after the said eight dayes , for every day the same shall be unpaid , forfeit , and pay so much money as the Twentith part of the sums so assessed upon him shall amount unto . And it is further ordered , ordained , and declared that the respective persons appointed , and to be appointed to ●et the said sum● in the severall Parishes , within the Cities of Lond●n and W●stminster & partes adjacent within the Bills of Mortality , or any two of them , and the respective persons appointed to set the same within the other Cities , great Townes and Counties , or any two of them respectively , are here by authorized to make and constitute Collectors within the respective Parishes , Cities , great Townes , and Hundreds , in such number as shall be most convenient ; Who shall have power to levy such sums and forfeitures by distresse , and sale of the Goods and Chattells of the persons , that shall not pay the sums set upon them , to the persons , and in the manner in this Ordinance expressed , wheresoever the Goods and Chattells of such persons shall be or remaine within the Realme of England ; And in case of refusall shall in the day-time have power to breake open the houses of such persons , and for their Paines and Travaile in the said Collections shall have 2. 8. in the pound of every sum , for which any distresse shall be made to be payd out of the Goods and Chattells of the party distrayned . And in case of wilfull refusall to pay the sums that shall be so set , or for want of Sufficient distresse , The bodies of such persons shal be committed to prison , there to remaine untill the Sums so set upon them , and the said forfeitures shall be fully payd ; And for the better effecting thereof within the Cities of London and Westminster , and the Parts adjacent within the Bills of mortality , The respective Collecttors shall make returne of the names of such persons unto the said Committee of the Parliament and City of London , who thereupon shall have power to commit such persons to Prison ; And within the other Cities , great Townes and Counties , their respective Collectors shall make returne of the names of such persons unto the respective persons nominated by the said Committee , or any two of them , in their respective Cities , great Towns and Counties , who thereupon shall have like power to commit such persons to prison .