THe Eſtates of Parliament now conveened, in the fifth Seſſion of this firſt Triennial Parliament, Taking to their conſideration the great burden under which the Countrey groneth, through the exorbitant Quarterings of the Forces Horſe and Foot, that have been this long time bygone, and ſtill is, And how unreaſonable it were that the Lieges ſhould both be lyable to the ſaids Quarterings, and alſo in payment of the Monethly Maintenance impoſed upon the Kingdom; Have therefore thought fit to Statute and Ordain, Likeas by thir preſents they Statute and Ordain, That all the Quarterings within this Kingdom yet unpaid preceding the firſt of March laſt in Anno 1645. Be duely ſatisfied and paid out of the firſt and readieſt of the Exciſe, and that upon compt, Conform to the Act of Parliament made thereanent, and out of the reſt of the Taxt and Loan, if any be as yet undiſponed upon: And doth Declare and Ordain, That the Quarterings reſtand awand ſince the firſt of March laſt and preceding the firſt of December, the ſamen being proven, Conform to the probation contained in the Act of the date the twenty tua day of Februar 1645 yeers, as well to Heretor as Tenant ſhall be allowed to the Heretor, he producand the Tenants warrand for that effect, out of that which reſts unpaid of the firſt ſeven Moneths Maintenance, and what is reſtand unaſſigned of the other tua of the nine Moneths, and where it is totally exhauſted to be out of the Exciſe which is not already diſpoſed upon: And Ordains the ſuper-expences of the Generall Commiſſar in his accompts fitted in the Moneth of Januar inſtant; And the Meale furniſhed by certain Noblemen and others ſince the ſaid firſt of March and before the firſt of December, for Maintaining of the Army and Gariſons in Scotland, To be paid out of the Maintenance of the Shires that are not exhauſted with Quarterings: And Ordains five hundred Bolls Meale to be ſent to Argyle, to be out of the firſt end of the byrun Maintenance of Galloway and Kircudbright. And Ordains the remanent of the ſaid ſeven Moneths Maintenance (the allowance of the Quarterings and payment of the particulars foreſaids being firſt made) to be imployed for the relief of ſuch Shires and Burghs as ſhall be farther overburdened with Quarterings nor their Maintenance will pay. And becauſe there be many who through want of Billets atteſted under the Officers hands, may ſuſtain great prejudice and loſſe, unleſſe remeid be provided: It is therefore Enacted and Ordained, That the Officers of ſuch Regiments and Troops as are within the Kingdom, ſhall compeir upon the firſt Tueſday of Februar next, either be themſelves or any for them in their name: And the Officers or any for them, for the Regiments and Troops in England, and which were in Scotland upon the laſt Tueſday of March next to come thereafter, at the head Burgh of each Shire, or the ordinary places of meeting of the Committees of War within the ſamen, Or ſuch place as the Committee of the Shire ſhall appoint; To hear and ſee the accompts of the Quarterings taken up by them, as well for the Officer as Souldier, made and fitted, and probation led therein before the Committee of War of ilk Shire, or any tua of them, with certification, if they, or ſome in their names compeir not at the dayes and places reſpectivè above written, probation ſhal be led againſt them and ilk ane of them: Which probation ſhall be led before the Committees of War in ilk Shire, or any tua of them, who are hereby fully authoriſed for that effect, To deduce the ſaid probation either be Writ or Witneſſes in Communi Forma, which probation being ſo cloſed and made ſhall be ane charge upon ilk ane of the ſaids Regiments, Troops, and Companies pro tanto, and a ſufficient Warrand to the partie to receive payment or allowance, Conform to the eſtabliſhment after the compt fitted, and no other wayes.

And for the more orderly Quartering and relief of thoſe who may be overburdened thereby, It is Statute and Ordained, That where any Quarterings are within any Shire or Burgh, or have been ſince the firſt of March laſt to the firſt of December, upon particular perſons or Paroches, That the remanent Heretors and others of that Shire or Burgh ſhall contribute for relief of thoſe Paroches or Perſons upon whom the Quarterings are, ſua far as the nine Moneths Maintenance will extend, viz. Fra the firſt of March to the laſt of November. And ſicklike thoſe who ſhall be overburdened fra the firſt of December to the firſt of Auguſt following, to have the like relief. And where the Maintenance of the Shire will not relieve the Quarterings therof, that relief be made out of the Maintenance of the remanent Shires.

And for Quarterings in time coming, It is further Statute and Ordained, That whatever Officers of the Army within this Kingdom ſhall not give Billets or Notes for their Quarterings, That it being proven that they Quartered in ſuch and ſuch places, and did not leave Notes or Billets for the ſamen, Conform to the juſt numbers Quartered, both Officers and Souldiers, That then, and in that caſe, no pay ſhall be given to the ſaids Officers and Souldiers ſo failzeing, untill the Notes and Billets be given to the perſons, Paroches, and Shires upon whom they were Quartered, as ſaid is.

And it is likewiſe Enacted and Ordained, That the firſt Tueſday of every Moneth ſhall be appointed at the ordinar places of meeting for making of the Quartering compts within ilk Shire, and leading the probation as ſaid is; And it is Ordained that the Collector of ilk Shire be warned to be preſent, either by himſelf or ſome in his name, at the ſaids times and places reſpectivè.