Order for intrenching and fortifying the City of London
It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That the Lord Mayor and Citizens of the City of London, for the better Securing and Safety of the said City, Suburbs, Parliament, City of Westm. and Borough of Southwarke, shall have Power to trench and stop all such Highways and Bye-ways, leading into the said City, as well within as without the Liberties, as they shall see Cause; and shall also have full Power and Authority, according to their Discretion, to fortify and intrench the Places aforesaid, with such Outworks, and in such Places, as they shall think meet; and, for his and their Furtherance and Assistance, to call in all or any Deputy Lieutenants, Justices of Peace, Bailiffs, Constables, and other Ministers, Officers, and other His Majesty's loving Subjects, to be aiding and assisting, as they will answer the contrary at their Peril: And it is further Ordered, That the Deputy Lieutenants and Justices of Peace for the County of Midd. and Surrey, City of Westm. and Borough of Southwark, or any Three or more of them, within their several and respective Limits, shall have Power to impose upon the Inhabitants within the said Trenches and Fortifications, and without the Liberties of the said City, towards the Charges of fortifying the said Places as aforesaid, upon every House that shall be let for, or may be valued worth, Five Pounds per Year, Six Pence; and for every House of greater Rent, after the Proportion of Two Pence in the Pound that the Tenant of the said House payeth, if he hold it at a Rack Rent; or otherwise, after the Rate that the said House shall be valued to be worth; which Assessment shall forthwith be made and collected, in all the Parishes, Precincts, and Liberties aforesaid, and paid to the Treasurer chosen, or to be chosen, by the Common Council of the City of London, to be disburied as aforesaid; the said Money to be paid by the Tenant or Inhabitant where Houses are inhabited, who is to deduct the same out of his next Rent payable to the Landlord, if it be a Rack Rent; and by the Landlords, where Houses shall stand empty: And it is further Ordered, That whereas the Common Council of London have, in this Time of imminent Danger, passed an Act for the fortifying of the City of London, and other Places above-mentioned, in Pursuance whereof a Committee of Common Council Men and others are appointed, and have already proceeded in the said Fortifications, before the Ordinance could be effected; it is hereby Declared, That their said Pursuance of that Act, and executing the same, is a good Service to the Commonwealth; and the said Parties, and all such Engineers, or others that shall be employed by them, shall be, by Power of Parliament, saved harmless, both for what they have done and shall do herein for Time to come.