THE Lords and Commons now as­sembled in Parlia­ment, being cer­ [...]ainely informed [...]hat the Papists and other malignants, and ill-affe­cted persons in the County of York, Northumberland, Westmerland, Cumber­land, Lancashire, Cheshire, County Pa­latine of Duresme, and Towne and County of Newcastle, have entered into association, and have caused, and daily doe cause great Forces both of Horse and Foot to oppose [Page] and distresse the wel-affected Sub­jects, and to ayd and succour the Po­pish and malignant party in those Northerne parts, and in particular those now in the city of York: The said Lords and Commons doe de­clare, That they hold it a thing most fit, necessary and healthfull for the present State of this Kingdome, and doe accordingly order, That all Lord lieutenants, Deputy-lieutenants, Collonels, Captaines, and other Officers, and all other well affected persons, inhabitants in the severall Counties of Yorke, Lincolne, Notingham, Derby, Staf­ford, Chester, Lancaster, Northumber­land, Cumberland, Westmerland, County Palatine of Duresme, and Town and County of Newcastle, doe and shall associate themselves, and mutually [Page] ayd, succour, and assist, one another, by raising forces of horse, and foot, and leading them into places which shal be most convenient and noces­sary, and by all good waies and means whatsoever, to suppresse and subdue the popish and malignant party in the said severall counties, and to preserve the peace of the Kingdome, according to the orders and declarations of Parliament, and that the said inhabitants of the said several counties, and every of them for so doing, shal be saved and kept harmlesse by the power and autho­rity of Parliament.

And the said Lords and Com­mons taking into their serious consideration, the necessity of ap­pointing a commander in chiefe, over the Officers, which are or [Page] shall be raised in the Counties a­ [...]oresaid, or any of them, for the [...]ervice aforesaid, in regard that by the particular Commissions al­ready granted to persons in the said severall Counties, there is not po­wer given, to lead Forces out of their own Counties: It is ordered, that the Lord Generall the Earl of Essex his Excellency, shall be desi­red to grant such commissions to the Lord Fairefax (in his Excellen­cies absence from the said coun­ties) for levying, leading and con­ducting, all such Forces as are or shall be raised in the said severall Counties for the service of the King and Parliament, as his said Excellency to himselfe hath, and likewise power to give the same Orders and instructions, for regu­lating [Page] the Souldiary, which is or shall be under his commands, as his said Excellency hath given to his Army, and to use martiall law, to compell obedience thereunto as occasion shall require, And also power and authority to make and appoint Collonels, Captaines, and other Officers for levying, con­ducting, and leading the Forces, as he shall think fit.