ARMY ORDERS.

ARMY ORDERS.

1600

"Laws and Orders of War established for the good conduct of the Service of Ireland," by Lord Mountjoy, K.G., Lord Deputy General.

I charge all officers of the army "to see that Almighty God be duly served, that sermons [and] morning and evening prayer be diligently frequented, and that those that often and wilfully absent themselves be duly punished. Let no man speak impiously and maliciously against the holy and blessed Trinity, .. or against the known articles of the Christian faith, upon pain of death. Let no man speak impiously, or maliciously blaspheme God's holy name, or use unlawful oaths or execrations, or commit any irreligious act to the derogation of God's honour, upon pain of loss of his pay, imprisonment, and such further punishment as a martial court shall think his offence deserves. No man shall use any traitorous word against her Majesty's person or royal authority, upon pain of death."

Pain of death also to any man, English or Irish, who shall have conference with, harbour, or relieve any enemy or rebel; who shall "run to the enemy or rebel that is in action, or depart the army without licence;" or who shall "commit any murther, or kill any person, or draw blood of any, or draw any sword in private quarrel."

"No man shall ravish or force any woman upon pain of death ; and adulteries or fornications shall be punished by imprisonment, banishment from the army, or such other penalty as by the marshal's court shall be thought meet."

Pain of death also to any man stealing treasure, victual, or munition from her Majesty or any person above the value of 12d.; to any man who delivers up any fort or makes any ignominious composition with rebels; to any man throwing away his arms or abandoning his ensign; to any sentinel found sleeping or leaving his post; to any man offering violence to his commander, or speaking words likely to breed a mutiny; to any man outraging any that bring victual to the army; to any man who, pretending to be a soldier, shall remain three days in the army after it is on foot, except he be enrolled ; to any soldier burning any house or lodging, or burning or spoiling any corn, ship, boat, carriage, or any other thing that may serve for the provision of the army ; to any man departing a mile out of the army; to any soldier breaking his order to follow any rout or chase, or to seek any prey or spoil; to any man who, having a passport, shall exceed the time limited for his absence, "except he can prove he was stayed by the hand of God;" to any provider, keeper, or officer of her Majesty's [victuals ?] or munitions, who shall embezzle any part thereof, or give any false account; to any man who wilfully fails to come to the rendezvous assigned by the general; to any soldier answering for another in musters, or taking two pays ; to any soldier departing from his captain, or servant from his master, without licence, "though he serve still in the army;" to any soldier selling or laying to pawn his horse or hackney, or any part of his furniture, arms, or apparel, "for respect or pretence of want whatsoever," and any inhabitant buying or taking the same to pawn to be imprisoned and to forfeit double the value.

No captain or officer to give passports without warrant from the general.

All bands of footmen shall, in passing through the Pale or other countries in obedience, march ten miles a day or there-abouts; and shall commit no waste, spoil, violence, or "extort any victuals or money, or pawn in lieu of victuals, from any good subject, but shall content themselves with .. a supper and breakfast in one place only, upon pain of such sharp punishment as the Lord Deputy or other magistrate .. shall think good to inflict, be it by death, imprisonment, or other corporal punishment."

"But if upon any occasion of march through the country the soldier shall be in want, that then the officer, with the advice, consent, and assistance of the sheriff, sub-sheriff, collectors, or other her Majesty's officers in that barony or the next adjoining, if they be present or may be found, shall seek and provide such diet and lodging for them as shall be fit, at reasonable rates heretofore accustomed, for the which the captain or officer shall give ready money, or for want thereof deliver his ticket."

"If any horseman shall lose his horse or hackney, or footman any part of his armour, by negligence or other lewdness, .. he shall serve in the state and [place ?] of a pioneer, or sustain further punishment."

"Whensoever any prey or spoil shall be taken from the rebel, .. that no officer or soldier do attempt to embezzle or purloin any part thereof, upon pain of death."

No captain or other that shall take any prisoner shall deliver, ransom, or conceal him, but within 24 hours shall make the same known to the chief commander, and deliver the prisoner to the Provost Marshal, upon pain of death.

No person shall receive any soldier into their service not having a sufficient discharge and passport, or conceal any such runaway, or use means to convey them out of the kingdom, upon pain of imprisonment or other punishment.

"No magistrate or officer of any city or corporate town shall presume to imprison or detain the body of any soldier above 24 hours, or to inflict any punishment upon him for any offence, but shall deliver all such to the Provost Marshal to be tried by the speedy course of martial law."

Captains to be diligent in training their companies, & e. They "shall see their companies do orderly quarter as they are appointed, and to entrench or fortify as much of the quarter as they are appointed."

"The goods of such as die in the army, if they make any will by writing or word, shall be disposed according to the will. If they make no will it shall be distributed to the hurt, sick, and poor of the company whereof the soldier was, or shall go to the hospital of the army."

No man to enter or go out of the army but by ordinary ways.

"No man shall give any disgraceful words, or commit any act to the disgrace of any person in these armies or any part thereof, upon pain of imprisonment, public disarming, and banishment from the army, as men for ever disabled to carry arms. And as I forbid all men under my rule to renew any old quarrel or to begin any new, so I do acquit and discharge all men that shall have quarrels offered to them, or challenges made to them, of any disgrace or opinion of any disadvantage."

Every soldier or officer found drunk shall be committed to prison for the first offence, and for the second shall, in addition, if a soldier, forfeit two months' pay, or, if an officer, lose his place. "The third time shall have such far greater punishment as a marshal's court shall set down."

"Every private man and soldier, upon pain of imprisonment, shall keep silence when the army is to take lodging, or when it is marching or imbattling, so as the officers may be heard."

"No soldier serving on foot shall carry any boy, nor no woman shall be suffered to follow the army."

Endorsed: 1600. For my Lord President.

MS 614, p. 216

English

8 Pages.