1 THat a Protestation be taken by all men within the two Counties, above the age of Sixteen yeers, and Subscription thereunto, according to the form agreed on, before the Minister of the Parish, or some other person as shall be appoint­ed in each Parish by the Justices of Peace of each County, or two of them. The same being first taken by all the commissioners at this meeting; and all Per­sons refusing be forthwith certified to the Justices of the Peace; and be secured as Enemies to the Peace of the King­dom. And this to be done with all speed, and account given before the twentieth of February.

2 That his Highnesse be moved, that there be two Com­missioners of each County to take the Musters of the Army, and that the Treasurer give an account monethly to the Com­mittees of each County, of his disbursments.

3 That there be strict continuall search for all Souldiers, that have at any time been in Pay since these Wars, in every Parish; and that they be forthwith sent to recruit the Army: and such as shall refuse, that they be sent to the Provost-Marshall-Generall. And that no Souldier depart from his Colours without licence, according to His Majesties Procla­mation and Articles; and Offenders to be proceeded with according to their merits; and that as many more be raised in each County, as may recruit the Companies; and that every Foot Company consist of one Hundred; and every Troop of Horse and Dragooners, of threescore. And if any Foot Company have lesse then fifty, and of Horse and Dra­gooners lesse then thirty; then if such Company be not re­cruited to these last numbers, or more, within a moneth after [Page 2]the Muster, the Officers pay to be detained: and after that, the Company paid and reduced; and the same rule to be held for Proners, as for Foot Companies. And herein his High­nesse directions are to be desired, and that the Committees may be informed of the present number of the Army; and what the present weekly Charge of it cometh to.

4 That there be account taken of the Captains and other Officers, that have had any charge of Arms, how the same have been disposed; and that by warrant from the Commis­sioners, there be a generall search for Arms through both Counties. And that the Constables of each Parish repair to every house within the same, and take view of them; and give in their account to the high-Constables: who are to bring it to the Commissioners. That the weekly payments in both Counties, be raised with all diligence, and Arrears collected and accounted for, untill Plymouth be reduced. And that Committees be appointed in each County respectively, to take the accounts of all Receivers of the weekly payments: which are to be the same that take the Treasurers accounts.

5 That the Commissioners of Devon, as hath been done in Cornwall, proceed against such as have failed to attend the Sheriffe upon warrant for the Posse Comi atûs: and that the Fines may be imployed for the present supply of His Maje­sties Army, with Arms, and Ammunition for a present Ma­gazine of Arms, Ammunition, and Tooles, in each County: wherein His Majesties Pleasure is to be desired.

6 That there be an humble Remonstrance of the estate of both Counties to His Majesty: and of the necessity, that all Moneys coming of Delinquents Estates, Fines, and Composi­tions, may be imployed to the use of the Army and Garri­sons, and payment of the Debts contracted for His Majesties Service, and by His former Proclamations to be secured: and that His Majesties Commissions may authorize that dis­position, and that the Delinquents Estates in both Counties, be seized and disposed of, by the Commissioners of each [Page 3]County, to the same purpose respectively; and to Comman­ders of the Army intermeddle with it, without their Autho­rity.

7 That no Sequestration be made after Composition made and paid, but by Order at the Generall Sessions of the Peace, or other generall meeting of the Commissioners by common Consent there: unlesse for new offences.

8 That the Army be governed according to His Majesties Articles, and that all Persons of what condition soever, be held infamous and Enemies to the publique Peace, that shall raise, or cause any Mutinies, or disobedience thereunto: and suffer all severity, according to His Majesties Articles.

9 That all such Persons as have been or shall be slain in the present War, or die in the service, by whose life any other Person held any Lands or Rents; the party to whom the Right to grant such Land or Rent belongeth unto, shall be bound to grant an Estate for a life, instead of the Person so killed or dying, under the Rents and Covenants as was for­merly held, unto such Person and Persons, as was intitled to hold the same, and at his nomination. And the refusers to lose the double value of the Estate; one halfe to His Majesty, the other to the Party: and to be imprisoned till payment.

10 That if either or both Counties of Somerset and Dorset, will enter into this Union and Association, they shall be re­ceived with all cheerfulnesse.

11 That if any Minister shall refuse, or wilfully neglect the solemn Celebration of the Fast appointed by His Majesty on the second Friday of the Moneth; or shall not read the Ser­vice and Prayers appointed for that Fast; and being called be­fore a Justice of Peace, shall not promise and protest his fu­ture conformity, he be forth with secured, and his Estate se­questred. And the like course to be taken with such Ministers, as absent themselves that day: unlesse upon sicknesse or other cause, allowed by two Commissioners, or Justices of Peace. And the like order to be taken with such as shall not read such [Page 4] Books as shall be appointed to be read by His Majesty. And the Constables and Church-wardens, are to certifie their de­faults to the next Justices.

12 That His Majesty be moved for a Confirmation of the present Union and Articles.

13 That there be provided a Thousand Barrells of Pow­der, and ten Thousand Fire-Arms at the charge of both Counties, whereof Cornwall to be a Fourth, and Devon three parts, according to the proportion of the grand Subsidie.

14 That the Army shall be recruited, and encreased to the number of Eighteen Thousand Horse and Foot: to be raised proportionably in both Counties.

15 That His Highnesse be entreated that a Commission be granted to authorize an impresse of Souldiers, for the present Service.

16 That on the first Wednesday of the next Moneth, and every Moneth following, the Committee now appointed for Cornwall, which are Sir Samuell Cosewarth, Richard Prideaux, Walter Langdon, Nevill Bligh, and Renatus Bellat, Esquires; and of Devon, Arthus Basset Esquire, William Tothill, Iohn Mere, Gilbert Pard, and Thomas Mediford, Esquires, do meet first at Exeter, and continually afterwards where the Cornish Committee appoint to take the monethly Accompts of the Receivers of the Weekly Rates, and Treasurer of the Army, and what else concerns these Articles. And in case of impe­diment, the Commissioners of Oier and Terminer in each County respectively, name other Committees, or supply the place of any one himself.

17 That there be Copies of this Protestation delivered out by the Sheriffe, at the Sessions of each County, to the Constables of each Hundred respectively, and that the said Hundred Constables, do immediatly deliver out severall Copies to all the Petty-Constables, which are by the Mi­nister of every Parish, Church, and Chappell, to be published the next Sunday following after the receipt: and then every [Page 5]man present to take the same, and 2ubscribe his name thereunto, before the said Minister, Constable, or Church-wardens, or two of them: and such of his Parish as shall not be present at the time, to take the same within ten daies following. And the Ministers and Constables are to give in the List or Certificate of their names that take it, and of them that are absent or refuse, to the Constables of the Hundred: who are to deliver the same to the Commissioners, at their next generall meeting after the Twentieth of February next.

Whereas a few Malevolent and Ambitious persons, in the name of two Houses of Parliament, have by Treasonable pra­ctises imbroyled this Kingdom in a Civill Warre, pursued His Majesties Person, murthered His good Subjects: some, barba­rously by the common Hangman, against Law and Justice: others, by Hostile assaults: brought a generall devaslation upon the whole Kingdom; taking away all liberty from the Members of both Houses; by awing, terrifying, and assaulting them with Tumults and Armies; usurping the Royall power, Counterfeit­ing a Great Seale: and to she their horrid intentions against the King, Kingdom, and Government, finding their Acts nor likely to protect them from the punishment due to their merits, have unnaturally invited and brought in the Scots to invade this King­dom: and in these distractions, to make a totall conquest of this Nation. For resistance whereof, and preserving the Common-Peace, the inhabitants of Cornwall and Devon have united them­selves; and for continuance of which Union, this ensuing Pro­testation is to be taken.

In regard of the restlesse endeavours of the Contrivers of the present distractions, who after the unnaturall divisions they have wrought, and move misery by calling in the Scots, to make the desolation of this Nation it recoverable: and it being the duty of all good Subjects and lovers of their country, in such times to unite themselves, that they may the better resist the disturbers of the publique Peace.

We of the Counties of Cornwall and Devon, (by rcason of scituation and allyance of families, neerly concerned in each o­thers condition) for the preservation of the Peace already ob­tained among us and for a further increase and security of it; do associate andunite our selves (according to our duty to God, His Majesty, and our Countrey) for the common defence of these Counties, against all forees that oppose His Majesties Army, or Commissioners, authorized under His Great Seal of England: and against all Towns, Castles, and Forts, that shall resist His Maje­sties said Army or Commissioners.

And we do promise in the presence of Almighty God, that we will not break this union, nor desist from following all just, neces­sary, and Honourable wayes, to the urmost of our power, for per­fecting and securing the said Peace, and the reducing all Places, Persons, Towns, Castles, and Forts, within the said Counties, to His Majesties obedience, and particularly the Town of Plymouth.

And in case either of the said Counties be invaded by Sea or Land, we do bind our selves, to mutuall defence of each other, against all persons raised without His Majesties personall con­sent: and to resist all such power, with all the strength each County can raise for the others defence.