WHEREAS We have Received certain Information that the Vsurper and his Adherents in England are making great Preparations to make a fresh Invasion on this Out Kingdom with a numerous Army as well of Danes and other Forraigners as of such of Our own Subjects as they can seduce to take up Arms against vs , and do threaten no less then the Total Extirpation of all Our Faithful Subjects of this Realm , We do therefore finde Our selfe oblidged to make use of the most effectual means We can for Raiseing and Maintaining a sufficient Force to Oppose and repell so unatural and so impious an Attempt and whereas the Experience of all times hath shewed that an Army cannot be Serviceable without good Order and Discipline , which may not the Kept without making Regular and due Payments , the only meanes to keep them from Oppressing and Plundering the people ; And whereas the late Act of Supply has charged the Subsidy thereby granted towards the Support of Our Army altogether on Lands and Tenements , and such Leases only as are set at half value or under , which Subsidy as it cannot be Levyed in some parts of the Kingdom now Infested with the Rebels , nor out of some Lands which are waste , so it is not in it self Sufficient to Defray the Charges of the War ; and since the Vrgency is so great upon this present Occasion , where no less then the safety of the Publique as well as of every man in particular is Concerned as that it cannot admit of any delay ; and therefore the Ordinary method of giveing Supplies in Parliament ( alwayes practised in settled times ) cannot be at present made use of without the loss of too much time ; and since it cannot but seém Reasonable that where all Estates and all Degrees are equally at stake , the Personal Estates should contribute to the Common Defence ; Wherefore after Mature Deliberation had with Our Privy Council upon the present State of Affaires , and upon due Examination of what hath been done in the like Extraordinary exigencies in former times , We have thought fit by the Advice of Our said Privy Council to Order and Declare , and We do hereby Order and Declare that a Contribution of Twenty thousand Pounds per Month for the space of three Months ending the last day of January last past shall be forthwith Applotted , Layd in and Levyed upon the Personal Estates of all sorts within this Kingdom ( Houshold goods , Apparrel , and such Leases as are already Cha●ge● by the said Act of Supply only excepted ) and also upon the benefit of Trade and Traffick wherein each Person is to be made Lyable in Proportion to his Substance and to the Profit or Advantage of his Trade or Traffick , and that all and every the Counties , Cities , and Towns Corporate within this Kingdom shall Bear and Pay so much , and in such and the like share and Proportion of the said Contribution as they and every of them Respectively do Bear and Pay of the aforesaid Subsidy already granted by the said Act of Supply , which said Contribution is to be equally Applotted by Commissioners to be forthwith by vs named in each County , City , and Town Corporate , who shall make Bookes thereof , and proceed therein according to Instructions which We shall forthwith cause to be Published in that behalf to the end that the same may be Levyed and Payed with all speed without which it cannot answer those good and Necessary ends for which it is Intended . And for the better Enabling of all Our Loving Subjects to Pay this Contribution , and for securing them for the future against all free Quarterings and other Oppressions and Injuries that may be offered them by any of Our Army , We have further thought fit by the Advice aforesaid to Declare that We will forthwith Appoint one or more Persons in each County and City within this Kingdom , who shall have Power to Receive all Complaints Concerning any Exactions or Extortions to be Committed by any Officers or Soldiers of Our Army , and out of Our Revenue to make present Payment to the parties aggrieved for the Damage by them Sustained , and to Return such Complaints to Our Secretary of War in Order to have the Value of such Damage deducted for vs out of the Pay of the Parties Offending , and also to have them Proceeded against according to the Articles of War , which have been heretofore or hereafter shall be by vs made in that behalf .