View source for Commissions of Array

Issuing of commissions of array was a medieval method of raising troops, originally introduced during the reign of Edward I, by which the King could grant the lords-lieutenant of counties powers to raise military forces in times of emergency. The statute was allowed to lapse at the end of the reign of [[person::Elizabeth I]] but had never been repealed. King [[person::Charles I]] revived commissions of array during the summer of [[date::6/1/1642|1642]] after Parliament passed the militia ordinance. Although the commissions were criticised even by some Royalists as a dubious and antiquated device, the King urgently needed a means of calling the nation to arms without going through Parliament


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