Billeting Act 1679

XXVII. All other Officers, &c. by this Act ordered to be disbanded, are to be disbanded according to the Rules herein mentioned.

Treasury, on Receipt of Debenture, to grant Warrant for Pay.; Paymaster not to pay until Deduction for Clothes, as herein mentioned.; Officers to produce to Commissioners Acquittances.

And bee it enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That all other the Officers Souldiers and Forces by this Act to be disbanded shall be paid off and disbanded according to the Rules [X1 Orders] Directions and Instructions hereafter following That is to say That the Commissioners for disbanding the Forces or any two or more of them shall order the Paymaster of the Army to make and deliver to them or any two or more of them within two dayes after the Royall Assent to this Act given an Account of what money shall bee then due on the Muster of September last to all or any of the Officers and Souldiers of the severall Regiments Troops and Companies raised since the said Twenty ninth of September One thousand six hundred seaventy seaven and upon the Receipt of the said Account the said Commissioners or any two or more of them shall make out a Certificate or Debenter of the summe or summes of money due upon the said Muster directed to the said Lord Treasurer or Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or any three or more of them [X1 & the ?d Lord Treasurer or Lords Co[m]n?s or any three or more of them] are hereby injoyned upon Receipt of such Certificate or Debenter to grant their Warrant or Order in manner as aforesaid for the Payment thereof to the said Paymaster who shall not pay the same to any of the said Officers untill he shall have made deductions for Cloathes to the First of November last which Officers shall produce to the said Commissioners or any one or more of them Acquittances for the full Discharge of all money due for Quarters from the said First day of September to the said First day of November from the person or persons to whome the same is or shall be due attested by the Constable or Cheife Magistrate of the Place before any money be paid to any such Officer by the said Commissoners for or upon any subsequent Muster.

No Commissioned Officer to have his Accounts made or receive Pay after 1st April 1679;

That noe Commission Officer either of Horse Foote Dragoons or Granadeers now to be disbanded shall have his or their Accounts made up or receive any Pay for longer time then to the First day of Aprill One thousand six hundred seaventy nine exclusive and noe Generall Officer of the Field shall have any Pay as a Generall Officer by vertue of this Act.

Soldiers after 31st May.

That noe Souldier whether Horse, Foote Granadeer or Dragoons under the Degree of a Commission Officer shall have his or their Accounts made up nor receive any Pay for any longer time then to the last day of May next following exclusive.

Regulation as to Pay, &c. of Officers of disbanded Regiments..

That noe Officer whose Regiment Troope or Company is already disbanded shall have his Accounts dated or receive any Pay other then as Captaine of such Troope or Company which are now left undisbanded and heretofore were part of Regiments already disbanded as aforesaid.

Paymaster General and Commissary of Musters to draw up Account of Monies due to disbanded Officers and Soldiers.

That the Pay master Generall and Commissary of the Musters shall forthwith draw up an Account in a Booke or Bookes of all Moneys due to any Officer or Souldier now to be disbanded according to the Musters of them taken from the First of November to the First of Aprill One thousand six hundred seaventy nine and likewise an Account of all Moneys due to the Non Commission Officers and Souldiers from the said First day of Aprill inclusive to the First day of May next following exclusive.

Commissioners at time of disbanding, to call over Officers and Soldiers by the Book.; Only those who appear or account for Absence to be paid.

That the Commissioners appointed by this Act for disbanding the said Forces shall at the time and place of disbanding call over every Officer and Souldier by the said Booke or Bookes soe drawne up by the said Pay-master and Commissary and soe many of the said Officers and Souldiers as shall then and there appeare (and noe other) except such as they shall be fully satisfyed by good proofe are absent by reason of death sicknes or otherwise, shall have what Moneyes by the said Muster Rolls and Bookes thereupon made shall appeare to be to them due, the Quarters for every such Officer and Souldier first deducted and alsoe the money for him or them respectively due for Cloathes.

Troops nearest to London to be first disbanded.

That the Forces whether Horse Foote Dragoons or Granadeers that lye nearest to London shall be first disbanded and according to that Rule for all the rest of the Forces now to be disbanded.

Forces to be disbanded where quartered, &c.; Notice of disbanding.

That all the aforesaid Forces shall be disbanded in the Places where they shall be quartered at the time of their disbanding or within such a distance as the persons to whome money shall be due for their Quarters may reasonably come, of which place and the time of disbanding notice shall be given some reasonable time beforehand at the discretion of the Commissioners appointed to disband the said Forces.

Money due for Quarters to be defalked out of Pay.; Colonel, &c. to ascertain Sums due.

That there shall be defalked out of the Pay of every Officer and Souldier soe much money as shall be made appeare to the Commissioners to be due from every such Officer and Souldier for his or their Quarters at the time of their disbanding And for the more speedy dispatch of this Service every Collonell Captaine or other Officer whose Troope or Company shall be concerned in paying for their Quarters shall doe their utmost endeavour to ascertaine the summes that shall be soe due against the day and time of their disbanding.

Commissioners may authorize Persons to disband Troops.

That in case any Troope or Company shall lye at such a distance as the Commissioners cannot with conveniency disband them in soe short a time as is desired in every such case the Commissioners or any two of them are hereby authorized under their Hands and Seales to direct some able and sufficient persons to disband them according to the Rules and Instructions herein contained.

Notice of disbanding to be given by Commissioners to Officers of Ordnance; Receipt by Ordnance for Arms delivered up.

That notice be given by the Commissioners appointed for disbanding the Forces to the Officers of the Ordnance at what time and place such Forces shall be disbanded to the intent that fitt persons may be appointed by the said Office to receive such Armes and Ammunition as shall be delivered up at the time of their disbanding for which Armes and other things in particular soe delivered up a Receipt shall be then given by the person deputed by the said Office of the Ordnance to receive the same unto the Collonell or other Superiour Commission Officer that shall be soe disbanded which Arms and Ammunition shall be delivered up before the Commissioners or any of them signe any Certificate or Debenter as aforesaid for the paying any of the Forces then to be disbanded.

Clothes, Swords, &c. allowed to disbanded Soldiers; and to Commission Officers.

That at the time and place where any such Forces shall be disbanded every Foote Souldier shall march away with his Cloathes, Sword, Belt and Snapsacke onely and every Horseman below the degree of a Commission Officer with his Horses, Sadles, Bridles Cloathes Swords and Belts onely and all Commission Officers shall march away with such Horses and Armes and other Accoutriments whatsoever as were not received out of his Majestyes Stores and all other Armes shall be then delivered up as is before directed.

Officers or Soldiers refusing to be disbanded, &c. Proceedings.

That if any Officer or Souldier hereby appointed to be disbanded shall refuse to give obedience thereunto or disswade others from disbanding he or they shall forfeite their whole Arreares and be forthwith secured and proceeded against according to Law.

Sheriffs, &c. to be aiding.

That all Sheriffes and all other his Majestyes Officers in every County be aiding and assisting to the Commissioners appointed for disbanding the Forces if thereunto required by the Commissioners or any one or more of them.

Commissioners to give Passes to disbanded Soldiers.

That one or more of the Commissioners for disbanding the Forces doe under his or their Hands and Seales give Certificates or Passes gratis at the time of disbanding to every Private Souldier whether Horse or Foote that shall desire them of his faithfull Service and that he or they may peaceably travell to their severall places of their last abode when he or they entred into this Service, at which place every such Soldier shall be received as an Inhabitant Any Law Statute or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

Commissioners may divide themselves.

That for the more speedy and effectuall paying and disbanding of the said Forces the said Commissioners may divide themselves if they shall thinke fitt and any one or more of the said Commissioners shall and have hereby full power to pay off and disband the said Souldiers according to the Rules and Directions appointed by this Act.

Soldiers that were Apprentices to be received by their Masters, &c. who are to allow the Time; and on Refusal Master to deliver up Indentures..

That such Souldiers as were Apprentices at the time of their being entertained in any Troope or Company shall upon such Certificate be recieved againe into the Service of the Master or Mistresse to whome they were bound as Apprentices and such Master or Mistresse is to allow the time of their being Soldiers upon their Indentures as if they had continued in such their Service and if the time of their Apprentiships be expired they shall be admitted to the Freedome of the respective Corporation City Company or Towne to which their respective Service former Residence or Indenture related and in case such Master or Mistresse doe refuse to admitt such Apprentice they shall deliver up their Indentures and all Bonds and Security in reference thereunto.

Disbanded Soldiers being paid to repair to their Habitations..

That every Officer or Souldier soe disbanded and haveing the money to him or them soe made appeare to be due paid or secured unto him or them or their Order and haveing Certificates delivered them by one or more of the Commissioners as is before directed shall forthwith repaire from the place of their respective disbanding to their owne habitations or places of abode.

Allowances to Commissioners to be paid by Warrant from Treasury..

That the Commissioners that is to say Sir Gilbert Gerard Baronet Colonell Roger Whitley Colonell John Birch and Sir Thomas Player Knight shall have and receive for their Paines and Charges for themselves and servants and all necessaries for this Service Two pence in the pound and noe more out of all such money as shall be issued by vertue of this Act and for the Uses therein expressed which the Lord Treasurer and Under Treasurer or Lords Commissioners of the Treasury or any Three or more of them are hereby authorized and required by their Warrant or Order to cause to be paid to the said Commissioners respectively.

Commissioners to pay to disbanded Soldiers 10s. as a free Gift, over and above Pay.

That for the subsistance of every Foote Souldier or Foote Granadeer under the Degree of a Coo[m]mission Officer and to the end that they may quietly and peaceably goe to their severall places of abode without doeing any prejudice to the Country the Commissioners nominated and appointed by this Act for disbanding the Forces are immediately after such Foote Souldiers shall be by them disbanded to pay to every such Souldier or their Order ten shillings as a free Gift over and above their respective Pay due to them at the time of their disbanding to the ends aforesaid.

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.