Die Jovis, 6 Januarii. 1647.
Additionall Directions of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, For the Billeting of the Army, when they are upon a March, or setled in their Quarters.
1 THat when soever any Forces shall be by vertue of an Order from the Generall, or from such as he shall appoint, upon a march or removing Quarters, they shall at the Townes or Parishes where they shall be ordered to quarter, be billetted in the usuall way by the Quarter-Master or superiour Officers, according to the directions of the Constables or chiefe civill Officers of the said Townes or Parishes; And the respective Inhabitants where any of the said Souldiers shall be so billetted shall receive them, and for one night, or two nights at the most, shall finde them their ordinary family diet, wherewith the Souldier shall be contented, and pay for the same at the rate of six pence per diem for a Foot Souldier, and twelve pence per diem for a Trooper, and hay onely for his Horse.
2 That for the first fortnight after the Forces shall be drawne into Garrisons, Towns and Cities, (according to the Directions of Parliament) and untill they shall be furnished with pay to enable them to maintaine themselves, they shall in the same manner be quartered, received and provided for, and at the same rates aforesaid, by such Inhabitants upon whom they shall be billetted by the Magistrate of the place, or by their owne Officers, in case the Civill Magistrate shall resuse to do it; the Officers ingaging to the Inhabitants to see the Quarters discharged at the said Rates.
3 That after the said fortnight is expired, or after the Forces shalbe furnished with pay as aforesaid, in any Garrisons, Townes, or Cities, where any Forces shall come by Order, as aforesaid, to be at a setled Quarter, so many of them as cannot be conveniently disposed of to Innes; Ale-houses, Tavernes, or Victualling-houses, shall be billetted at other houses by the chiefe Magistrate of the place, or (if he shall refuse to do it) by the chiefe Officer present with the said Forces; and in case of any abuse or inequality therein, the said Magistrate, or next Justice of Peace, to have power to order and alter the proportions of billetting to the severall Inhabitants, as he shall finde most fit and equall: And the persons where they shall be so billetted, shall receive them accordingly; but shall not after the two first nights from the Souldiers coming thither (for which the Souldier is to pay at the Rates aforesaid) be lyable to finde the Souldier any dyet or Horse-meat (except by agreement betwixt him and the Souldier, and at such Rates as they shall agree upon) but shall only entertaine the Souldier with lodging, stable roome, and the use of their ordinary fire and candlelight. And in case any such Inhabitants be agrieved therewith, and desire to have no Souldiers at all in his house (he or the Magistrate providing such Billet for the Souldier elsewhere within the Towne) or at any Village adjacent (within such distance as the chiefe Officer commanding in the Quarter shall allow of) such Inhabitant shall have his house wholly free.