1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 221-22 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904)
| dc.coverage.spatial | New Hampshire | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-24T17:22:07Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-11-12T15:07:39Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-03-17T03:15:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1687 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Demanded "that no person whatsoever above Sixteene yeares of age remaine unlisted." Equipment was "a well fixed musket" with a barrel at least three feet. The caliber was large: "the bore for a bullett of twelve to the pound." Also necessary were bandoliers and a cartridge box, plus bullets and powder. Officers had the option of allowing their men to have "a good pike and sword" instead of the musket. As for horsemen, "every soldier belonging to the horse" had to bring "a good serviceable horse covered with a good saddle with holsters breastplate and crupper a case of good pistolls and sword and halfe a pound of powder and twenty sizable bulletts . . . And every trooper have at his usuall place of abode a well fixed Carabine with belt and swivel. | |
| dc.description.lawtext | WHEREAS it is absolutely necessary that the inhabitants throughout this Territory and Dominion be well armed and trained up in the art military as well for the honour and service of his most Excellent Majestye as for the preservac'on and Defence thereof from any violence or invasion whatsoever BEE IT THEREFORE ENACTED By the Governour and Councill and it is hereby ENACTED by the authority of the same that no person whatsoever above Sixteene yeares of age remain unlisted by themselves masters mistresses or imployers under the Cap't or other Officers in the respective places of their abode in foote or horse the space of six weekes on penalty of forty shillings and so for every six weekes such persons shall remain unlisted and that every foot souldier be provided with a well fixed musket the barrell not under three foot in length and the bore for a bullet of twelve to the pound a Collar of bandeliers or Cartouch box with twelve charges of powder and bullett at the least and a sword or if the officer so appoint with a good pike and sword and so shall appeare when and where appointed upon penalty of six shill' for his default in not appearing and four shill' for want of each charge of powder or bullett muskett pike sword bandeliers or cartouch box so as the whole penalty for any person at one time Exceed not tenne shill' and that every soldier belonging to the horse shall when and where commanded appeare and be provided with a good serviceable horse covered with a good saddle with holsters breastplate and crupper a case of good pistolls and sword and halfe a pound of powder and twenty sizable bulletts on penalty of tenne shill' for each times absence and six shill' for default of each the particulers above menc'oned so as the whole penalty for one time exceed not fifteene shill' And every trooper have at his usual place of abode a well fixed Carabine with belt and swivel on penalty of tenne shill' which they shall bring into the feild when commanded upon penalty of answering the same att a Court Martiall PROVIDED Nevertheless that if any person who is to provide armes or ammunition cannot purchase them by such meanes as he hath he shall bring to the Clerke of the company so much corne or other merchantable goods as by apprizement of the Clerke and two of the company mutually chosen by them shall be judged of a greater value by a fifth part then such armes and ammunic'on is of and thereupon shall be excused from the penaltyes for want of armes and ammunic'on (but not from appearance) untill he be provided for and furnished which the said Clerke shall doe as soone as may be by sale of such goods and render the overplus (if any) to the party But if any person be not able to provide himselfe armes and ammunic'on through his meere poverty if he be single shall be putt to service by any Justice of the peace to procure him Estate to purchase armes with and his master shall finde him armes dureing his service if otherwise the selectmen Townesmen or Overseers shall provide and furnish him with armes and ammunic'on at the publique charge of the Towne the armes shall be kept by the Clarke of each respective company well fixed and fitt for service under the care and inspecc'on of the chiefe military officer there AND IT IS FURTHER ENACTED By the authority aforesaid that no person so listed as aforesaid shall departe thence without a discharge from the Commander of the company or troop where listed on penalty of forty shill' And that no Commander of any company or troop shall refuse when desired to give a discharge in writeing to any that is removing his abode out of the precincts under the penalty of five pounds AND IT IS FURTHER ENACTED AND ORDAINED By the authority aforesaid that all Cap't's of Companyes of foot or troops of horse shall within six months from and after publicac'on of this act provide for their companyes and troops drumms drummers and Collours Trumpetts Trumpeters & banners att their own charge under penalty of tenne pounds and so for every six months such Commanders shall remain unprovided And that the Collonells of the respective regiments or Other Chiefe Officers shall once every yeare at the least issue out their warrants to their inferiour Officers Commanding them to make diligent search and inquiry in their severall precincts that all be duely listed armed and equipped and to returne to them such defects as shall be found to the end the same may be reformed on penalty of one hundred pounds And that three times in Every yeare (or oftner if command be given by his Majestyes Capt't Generall or Commander in Chiefe for the time being) the severall Companyes and Troops in Each regiment shall meete at the next and most convenient places to be appointed by their respective officers to be then and there by them mustered and exercised AND IT IS FURTHER ENACTED By the authority aforesaid that once every yeare or oftner if thereunto commanded each particuler Capt't or Lieu't where no Capt't is appointed shall give to his field Officer and the field Officer to his Majestyes said Capt't Generall or Commander in Chiefe for the time being fair written rolls of their respective Companyes and regiments And if any field Officer Capt't or other inferiour Officer or souldier shall neglect or contemne performing the Lawfull Commands of their respective Superiour Officers he or they shall be punished by fine Casheering or other punishment according to the discrec'on of A Court martiall PROVIDED alwayes AND IT IS HEREBY ENACTED and DECLARED By the authority aforesaid That the severall fines and forfeitures menc'oned in this act not declared in what manner they shall be recovered and how disposed of that all such as do relate to any person under the degree of a Capt's shall be to the respective Capt's to defraye the charge of their Companyes or troops and to be Levyed before the next exerciseing day by distresse and sale of the Offenders goods by the Cap't's warrant to the Clercke But if the offender be a servant the Owners goods shall be lyable to the distresses and sales as aforesaid so that satisfacc'on may be made And for all other penaltyes menc'oned in this act the same shall be Levyed by distresse and sale of the Offenders goods and Chattells by warrant from the Chiefe field Officers in the respective places or from his Ma'tyes Capt't Generall or Commander in Chiefe for the time being One halfe thereof shall be to our Soveraigne Lord the King his heires and Successors for aud towards the support of his Government here and the other halfe to the informer AND IT IS FURTHER ENACTED By the authority aforesaid that all persons Listed as aforesaid shall readily attend and serve on the watch when appointed under the penalty of three shill' for each default And that it shall and may be Lawfull for any Capt't or other Commic'on Officer under the degree of a Capt't in their Capt's absence to grant warrants of distresse against any person whatsoever that shall absent themselves from their duty on the watch or nightguards they keeping an Exact account of all sume's and forfeitures levyed and received thereby which they are to return to their Superior Officers when required PROVIDED alwayes that no troopers shall be oblieged to watch or ward but under the command of his propper officer and in his propper armes AND IT IS ALSOE FURTHER ENACTED by the authority aforesaid that no person whatsoever presume to fire any small armes after eight of the clock at night unlesse in case of an alarum insurrecc'on or other Lawfull occasion and in either of the said cases four musketts or small armes distinctly fired or where great gunns the firing of one great gunn and two musketts or small armes distinctly and beating of drumm shall be taken for an alarum and every person that shall neglect his duty in takeing and giving forward any alarm by fireing as aforesaid or shall be guilty of fireing any Small armes after eight of the clock at night unlesse as aforesaid shall be fined or otherwise punished at the discretion of a Court martiall not extending to life or limb And in case of such alarm every souldier shall be immediately armed to his Collours or Court of guard upon the penalty of five pounds AND for the better prevention of false alarms That no Capt't Master or Commander of any shipp or vessell rydeing at anchor in any the harbours ports or bayes within this Dominion or any other person fire any gunn after eight of the clock at night under penalty of forty shill' for every gunn so fired to be Levyed by warrant from the chiefe Officer not under the degree of a Capt't (who is hereby impowered to Administer an Oath and give judgement Thereupon) by distresse or sale of the Offenders goods and for want of distresse the said Chiefe officer is hereby impowered to Committ such offender to goale there to remain untill payment of the same And that in case the said chiefe Officer shall not performe his duty therein he shall forfeite tenne pounds to be Levyed by warrant from the Govern'r or Commander in Chiefe for the time being PROVIDED allwayes that this clause shall in no wise concerne or extend to any Capt't or Officer of any of his Majestyes Shipps of warr for their firing at setting of the watch PROVIDED alwayes AND 'TIS HEREBY FURTHER ENACTED and declared by the authority aforesaid that all trumpeters and drummers lately in service or that shall by the severall Capt's be put into that service shall hold and attend the said service dureing the Capt's pleasure upon the salary of forty shill' p annum for a trumpeter and twenty shill' p annum for a drummer finding their trumpett & drumm and twenty shill' for a trumpeter and tenne shill' for a drummer if the Capt't finde them upon penalty of forty shill' PROVIDED allwayes and it is hereby FURTHER ENACTED and declared that all the members of his Majestyes Councill Justices of the peace Sheriffes Coroners and all Officers of Courts Ministers the President fellows Students and officers of Harvard Colledge professed & allowed School-masters Phisicians & Chirurgeons Threasurers Surveyors & Dep't Surveyors Masters of shipps and other vessells above twenty Tunns in actuall imploy constant fishermen and herdsmen the Clerks belonging to the Sec'ryes Office and One Servant of every member of the Councill shall be and are hereby Excepted and excused from trainelng or watching as before in this act is required as alsoe all Officers imployed about his Majestyes revenue PROVIDED allwayes and IT IS FURTHER ENACTED that in case the fines and forfeitures for defaults allowed to the Capt's as aforesaid shall fall short of the Charge of providing Drumms drummers and Collours the account thereof being given to the cheife field Officer and by him allowed the sum'e wanting shall be supplyed and satisfyed by the Select men Townesmen or Overseers out of the money raised or to be raised to defray publique charges in Each respective Towne Councill Chamber in Boston on Saturday the twenty fourth day of march in the fourth yeare of the reigne of our Soveraigne Lord King James the Second over England &c annoqe D'ni 1687. | |
| dc.description.summary | This 1687 militia law required all men over sixteen to enroll in local military companies, maintain specified firearms, ammunition, and equipment, and regularly attend training, musters, watches, and alarms. It established penalties for failing to arm, train, or obey military orders; required officers to maintain rolls, weapons, and equipment; regulated firearms discharge and alarms at night; and provided exemptions for certain officials, professions, and public servants. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/4562 | |
| dc.relation.isreferencedbyGoogle | https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=YSgTAAAAYAAJ | |
| dc.subject | MILITIAS | |
| dc.title | 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 221-22 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904) |