Colony to force them to submit to slavery, and awe the other Colonies to submission, by the example of vengeance inflicted on her; who have, besides the usual calamities and insults that proceed from standing armies, fortified the Town of Boston, driven the peaceable inhabitants from their dwellings, and imbrued their hands in the blood of our countrymen; all which acts and measures have relation to all the British Colonies, in the principles from which they flow, and are evidently intended to force or terrify them into a submission to Parliamentary taxation, or at least into a surrender of their property at the pleasure of the British Parliament, and in such proportions as they shall please to prescribe, with which we must comply, or lie at the mercy of those who cannot know our situation and circumstances, and will be interested to oppress and enslave us; our liberty, our lives and property, will become precarious and dependant on the will of men over whom we can have no check or control; religion, property, personal safety, learning, arts, publick and private virtue, social happiness, and every blessing attendant on liberty, will fall victims to measures advanced and pursued against us, whilst shameless vice, infidelity, irreligion, abject dependence, ignorance, superstition, meanness, scurrility, and the whole train of despotism present themselves to our view in melancholy prospect:

And whereas, although this Assembly wish for no new rights and privileges, and desire only to preserve their ancient Constitution, as it has been understood and practised upon from the beginning; freely yielding to the British Parliament the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of securing the commercial advantages of all the Dominions of our Sovereign to the Mother Country, and the commercial benefits of its several members, excluding every idea of taxation for raising a revenue without our consent, and claiming only a right to regulate our internal police and Government, and are most earnesly desirous of peace, and deprecate the horrours of war; yet, when they see military preparations against them at hand, and the hopes of peace and harmony placed at a greater distance; being fully determined never to make a voluntary sacrifice of their rights, and not knowing how soon Parliamentary and Ministerial vengeance may be directed against them immediately, as it is now against the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, who are suffering in the common cause of British America; trusting in the justice of their cause, and the righteous providence of Almighty God, for the restoration of quiet and peace, or success in their efforts for their defence, have thought it their duty to raise Troops for the defence of this Colony:

And whereas it is necessary that such Troops, both officers and soldiers, should be made acquainted with their duty, and that Articles, Rules, and Regulations should be established to preserve order, good government, and discipline in the Army, agreeable to the mild spirit of our Constitution, and not according to the severities practised in Standing Armies:

Therefore, be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by authority of the same: ARTICLE I. That all officers and soldiers not having just impediment shall diligently frequent divine service and sermon, in the places appointed for assembling the Regiment, Troop, or Company to which they belong; and such as wilfully absent themselves, or being present behave indecently or irreverently, shall, if commissioned officers, be brought before a Regimental Court Martial, there to be publickly and severely reprimanded by the President; if non-commissioned officers or soldiers, every person so offending shall, for his first offence, forfeit One Shilling, to be deducted out of his wages; for his second offence, he shall not only forfeit One Shilling, but be confined not exceeding twenty-four hours, and for every like offence shall suffer and pay in like manner; which money so forfeited shall be applied to the use of the sick soldiers of the Troop or Company to which the offender belongs.

ART. II. That whatever non-commissioned officers and soldiers shall use any unlawful oath or execration, shall incur the penalties expressed in the first Article; and if a commissioned officer be thus guilty of profane cursing or swearing, he shall forfeit and pay for each and every such offence the sum of Four Shillings, lawful money.

ART. III. That any officer or soldier who shall behave himself with contempt or disrespect towards the General or Generals, or Commander-in-Chief, or shall speak words tending to his or their hurt or dishonour, shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, by the judgment of a General Court Martial.

ART. IV. That any officer or soldier who shall begin, excite, cause, or join in any meeting or sedition in the Regiment, Troop, or Company to which he belongs, or in any other Regiment, Troop, or Company of the forces of this Colony, either by land or sea, or in an party, post, detachment, or guard, on any pretence whatsoever, shall suffer such punishment as by a General Court Martial shall be ordered.

ART. V. That any officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, who being present at any meeting or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same, or coming to the knowledge of any mutiny or intended mutiny, does not, without delay, give information thereof to the commanding officers, shall be punished by order of a General Court Martial according to the nature of his offence

ART. VI. That any officer or soldier who shall strike his superiour officer, or draw or offer to draw, or shall lift up any weapon or offer any violence against him, being in the execution of his office, on any pretence whatsoever, or shall disobey any lawful command of his superiour officer, shall suffer such punishment as shall, according to the nature of his offence, be ordered by the sentence of a General Court Martial.

ART. VII. That any non-commissioned officer or soldier who shall desert, or without leave of his commanding officer absent himself from the Troop or Company to which he belongs, or from any detachment of the same, shall, upon being convicted thereof, be punished according to the nature of his offence, at the discretion of a General Court Martial.

ART. VIII. That whatsoever officer or soldier shall be convicted of having advised or persuaded any other officer or soldier to desert, shall suffer such punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a General Court Martial.

ART. IX. That all officers of what condition soever shall have power to part and quell all quarrels, frays and disorders, though the persons concerned should belong to another Regiment, Troop, or Company, and either order officers to be arrested, or non-commissioned officers or soldiers to be confined and imprisoned, till their proper superiour officers shall be acquainted therewith; and whoever shall refuse to obey such officer, though of an inferiour rank, or shall draw his sword upon him, shall be punished at the discretion of a General Court Martial.

ART. X. That no officer or soldier shall use any reproachful or provoking speeches or gestures to another, nor shall any officer or soldier presume to send a challenge to any person to fight a duel; and whoever shall, knowingly and willingly, suffer any person whatsoever to go forth to fight a duel, or shall second, promote, or carry any challenge, shall be deemed a principal therein; and whatsoever officer or soldier shall upbraid another for refusing a challenge shall also be considered as a challenger, and all such offenders in any of these or such like cases, shall be punished at the discretion of a General Court Martial.

ART. XI. That every officer commanding in quarters, or on a march, shall keep good order, and to the utmost of his power redress all such abuses or disorders which may be committed by any officer or soldier under his command; if upon any complaint made to him of officers or soldiers beating or otherwise ill treating any person, or of committing any kind of riot to the disquieting of the inhabitants of this Continent, he the said commander who shall refuse or omit to see justice done on the offender or offenders; and reparation make to the party or parties injured, as far as the offender’s wages shall enable him or them, shall, upon due proof thereof, be punished as ordered by a General Court Martial, in such manner as if he himself had committed the crimes or disorders complained of.

ART XII. That if any officer shall think himself to be wronged by his Colonel, or his Commanding Officer of the Regiment, and shall, upon due application made to him, be refused to be redressed, he may complain to the General or Commander-in-Chief of the forces of this Colony, in order to obtain justice, who is hereby required to examine into said complaint and see that justice be done.

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