Catalogue description LAWS FOR THE TROOPS.

--"At the times appointed by his Lordship for public prayer or other exercise of religion, and due warning given thereof by the drum, no soldier or officer in the troops to be absent whose place or health may spare him, on penalty of losing the first time a half week's entertainment, the second time a whole week's, and so to be increased according to the discretion of the judge.

"No action to be taken in hand without humble prayer for God's assistance, and commending both themselves and the success to him, on pain that whosoever shall openly neglect or refuse, be publicly dishonored and expelled the troops.

"Whosoever shall offer scandal or abuse to the minister of God or his holy word, to be exemplarily punished, and more severely, respecting the quality either of his person or offence. Open swearers and blasphemers to be punished either by mulct or corporal punishment, as the nature of the fault deserves.

"Whosoever shall quarrell another at cards, dice, blaspheme, curse, or give foul language, for the first offence to suffer two days' imprisonment, after to be increased by the discretion of the judge.

"No common women shall be suffered in the troops, but known, shall be whipped forth and banished. If any man be proved to offend with them, being a common soldier, he shall suffer arbitrary punishment by loss of pay and imprisonment, being an officer he shall lose his place.

"Drunkards and riotous persons, for the first to be warned, for the second and third to suffer imprisonment and be fed with bread and water. If not then reclaimed, to be banished.

"Whosoever shall conspire against his Majesty, whom we serve, or his Lordship, Colonel-General, against the army, troops or any part of them, or conceal any such conspiracy, or shall betray any town, fort, or ground in possession of the state, army or troops, or be guilty to the knowledge of any such treachery, and shall not with all possible diligence reveal the same, either to his Lordship or some officer of special trust, being lawfully convicted of such offence, shall suffer death with torments.

"Whosoever shall hold correspondence, practice, or intelligence with the enemy without direction, or acquainting the superior officers, shall suffer as for treason.

"All mutineers and rebellious persons shall suffer death. Whosoever shall run to the enemy, or attempt to do it, shall suffer death.

"Whosoever shall wilfully depart the camp, or abandon place assigned, either of assault or defence without leave of his Lordship or the present superior officer, shall suffer death if it be in time of service, if otherwise, imprisonment arbitrary--except they have hurts or sickness.

"Whosoever shall betray the word to the enemy, or give any other than is delivered by the officer, or shall sleep on his watch, or suffer the enemy to approach without warning, or quit his duty, shall suffer death.

"Whosoever of vanity or weakness shall be cause of betraying any purpose to the enemy, so that the opportunity of doing service be thereby lost, is to suffer arbitrary punishment to the quality of his fault.

"Whosoever shall neglect the obedience due to the command of his superior, or being lawfully corrected, shall lift his hand against his officer, shall suffer death.

"Whosoever by any brawl or fray, challenge, or acceptation of challenge, shall disturb the troops in time of service, shall suffer the loss of life or limb at the discretion of his Lordship.

"Whosoever shall quarrel any person of another nation, or, being quarrelled, shall seek his own redress without repairing first to the other's officer for justice, shall suffer arbitrary punishment to the loss of life or limb, as the danger of his offence may deserve.

"Whosoever shall make any shout, outcry, or, without cause, discharge a piece, either in march, station, or ambush, or give causeless alarm, or take his arms tumultuously, shall suffer for the present, bastinados, after, arbitrary punishment.

"Whosoever by pretended negligence or ignorance killeth his fellow with his piece or other weapon, is to suffer death.

"Whosoever shall quit his place, either in march, stand, or fight, for the desire of spoil or fear of danger, shall suffer death.

"No parties shall go on foraging, nor attempt upon the enemy on private motion, without knowledge and direction of their chief commanders, on pain of death.

"No man shall march with the baggage but the companies appointed, or straggle, or go on pilfering in the march, on pain of imprisonment and the bastinado, if he be taken.

"No captain or other officer shall defraud the soldier or other person of his pay, being committed to his hands on trust, on the penalty of losing his place. No captain or other officer shall prefer or subscribe to a false muster roll, or give in more or other names than he hath presently in his company, on the pain of imprisonment and the loss of his place.

"Whosoever shall give in his name fraudulently, or enroll himself under two captains, or muster in several companies at one time, shall be whipped out of the troops for the first--for the second suffer death.

"Whosoever selleth, pawneth, or playeth away any part of his arms shall be punished with imprisonment as an infamous person, and the receiver shall restore double the value.

"Whosoever fraudulently or thievishly taketh away another's provision, be it victual, clothes, or arms, shall suffer death.

"No man shall rob or spoil any shop or tent, victualler or merchant coming for relief of the troops, but to the uttermost of their power defend them on pain of death.

"No man shall burn any corn, hay, or destroy any provision or building that may be of use to the troops, or trouble or defile any spring or stream of water, or do outrage to the people where he is lodged in their persons or goods on pain of death.

'Whosoever hath victuals delivered him for certain days shall not spoil or spend the same in less time than is appointed on pain of imprisonment.

"No man shall buy or sell any victuals, but in the place appointed, neither before it is rated by the public officer, nor at other rates than he sets, on the penalty to forfeit what is so bought and sold, and suffer imprisonment beside.

"There shall be no slaughter of beasts made, but in the convenient places, and those duly cleansed, on pain of imprisonment, neither shall men for necessity of nature go to any other than the places appointed, on the like penalty."