WHereas divers persons , within the Citie of London and parts adjacent , within the lines of Communication , and Parishes mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mortalitie , and Hamlets of the Tower , that are not fit to beare Armes in their owne persons , yet are able and fit to find Armes , and pay others for bearing the same , but doe neglect and refuse the doing thereof .

And whereas divers Papists , and other ill-affected persons , doe lurke and hide themselves in divers houses and places within the limits aforesaid , that hold correspondencie with , or bring intelligence from the Enemy , and others that gather together Armes , Ammunition , and other materialls of War , likely to be imployed to the prejudice of the Parliam nt and City .

And whereas by severall Ordinances of Parliament , power is given to the said Committee for ordering the said Militia within the limits aforesaid , & drawing out Forces for service abroad , & that many things mentioned in the said Ordinances to be put in execution , require the helpe and assistance of more persons in the nature of Sub-Committees ; Thereupon power is given to the said Committee , to make one or more Sub-Committeés within the said limits as they shall thinke fit ; and for the better enabling the said Sub-Committees so made , or to be made , to performe the services therein contained .

The said Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled , doe Ordaine & Declare , and be it ordained and declared , That the said Committee of the Militia of London shall have power , and are hereby Authorized , to impose upon all such persons as have any Stocks going in Trade within the limits aforesaid , and absent themselves , or doe personally inhabite or reside within the said limits , to find such proportion of Armes , and pay such persons as have beene , or shall be appoynted to bear the same as the said Committee shall thinke fit , not exceeding three foot Souldiers for any one person ; and such person or persons as shall disobey the commands and directions of the said Committee , of the Militia herein , the said Committee shall have power to impose such reasonable Fines upon them , or any of them , as they shall thinke fit , not exceeding the summe of forty shillings for any one offence , and for want of payment thereof , to leavie the same by distresse and sale of their goods and chattells , or otherwise to imprison their persons without Baile or maineprise , untill such time as they shall conforme themselves accordingly : But in case such person or persons so offending , doe absent themselves without the said limits , where the authority of the said Committee doth not extend , and not a sufficient value of his or their goods , or chattells , to be found within the said limits , whereon to leavy the said fines by distresse as aforesaid , That then the Committeé . for Examinations upon complaint made by the Committeé of the Militia , or such as they shall appoint , do forthwith grant their warrants for apprehending of such person or persons wheresoever they shall be , and to commit him or them to prison without baile or maineprize , untill he or they doe conforme themselves , or to distraine his or their goods , and bring them to London , and there sell them to pay the said fine or fines : all which fines are to be imployed to such use and purpose , for the safety and defence of this City , as the said Committeé of the Militia shall thinke fit and direct .

And it is further Ordeined that the said Committeé for the Militia shall have power , and is hereby authorised by themselves or such as they shall appoint , to search all houses and places within the limits aforesaid , where the said Committeé shall have cause to suspect that any Papists are , or other persons that com from any of the Kings Quarters , or cannot give a good account of their businesse , or aboad within the limits aforesaid , or that have or shall discover their ill-affection to the Parliament , and likewise to search for Armes , Ammunition , and materials for War in the custody of such Persons , and to sieze and take away the same , and to commit such persons to safe custody , or to expell them out of the limits aforesaid , if they shall see cause : and in case of resistance , the said Committeé are hereby authorised to command any constable or constables to breake open any house or place within the said limits , where such resistance shall be made .

And it is further ordeined , that the said sub-Committees so appointed or to bee appointed by the said Committeé of the Militia , shall have power , and are hereby authorised to cause all or any of the clauses conteined in this or any other of the said Ordinances , to be put in due execution , when & as often as they shall receive directions from the said Committeé for the Militia , and all Constables , Head-boroughs , and other Officers and Souldiers are hereby required to obey and execute such warrants as they from time to time shall receive from the said Committeé for the Militia , or other sub-Committeés for and concerning the execution of the same accordingly : Provided that no Power hereby granted shall be extended against any Peére or Member of either of the Houses of Parliament , or any of the Assistants of the House of Peéres . And aswell the said Committee , as also their sub-Committees , and all other persons acting in the premises , according to the intent of this Ordinance , shall be saved harmelesse by Authority of both Houses of Parliament : Provided that this Ordinance shall continue and be in force for the space of two moneths , to begin from the publishing of this Ordinance and no longer .