WEE who have for these two yeares past bin by your Ex­cellence conducted through many dangers, and by provi­dence hitherto protected, who have often seen the de­vouring Sword of a raging Enemy drawne forth against us, threatning destruction to us, and now see them van­quished, and our selves see­mingly setled in peace and safety, are yet sensible of ano­ther more dangerous storme hanging over our heads then ever the malice of our open enemies could have contained, or their fury caused to fall upon us; which un­lesse diverted, strike not onely at our liberty, but our lives also; To whom next to our Maker shall we flye for shelter, but to your Excellencie the Patron and Prote­ctor? From what secondary meanes shall we expect our Deliverance, but from that hand that hath so often been ingaged with us, and from that heart that hath as often being tender ever and carefull for our security? Can we suffer, and you not sympathize? Can we be proclaimed enemies, and your Excellencie remaine secure? O deare Sir, let your wonted care for us be further demonstrated, cease not to speak for us, who together with your selfe and in obedience to your Command, have adventu­red all that is deare to us for the Kingdomes safety. [Page 3]Hath any thing been desired by us that hath not beene promised, or then we have just cause to expect; if there hath, then let both it and the Authors thereof perish? but can the Parliament upon mis-information passe us for enemies, and we not therein percieve our enemies designe? Can we be satisfied with a Complement, when our fellow Souldiers suffer at every Assiize for acts meer­ly relating to the Warre? Is it not our lives we seeke? For where shall we be secured, when the meere envie of a malicious person is sufficient to destroy us? Were our enemies in the Field with their Swords in their hands, we should expect no more then a bare command, and a divine protection in our endeavours to free our selves, but 'tis another and a farre worse enemy wee have to deale with, who like Foxes lurke in their Dennes, and cannot be dealt withall, though discovered, being pro­tected by those who are intrusted with the Government of the Kingdome. It is the griefe of our hearts, that we cannot desire our owne security without hazzard to your Excellencie, if but in speaking in our own behalfe, when shall we see Justice dispersed without partiality, or when shall the Weale of the publick be singly sought after and endeavoured? Can this Irish Expedition be any thing else but a Designe to ruine and break this Army in pie­ces: Certainly reason tells us it can be nothing else; otherwise why are not those who have been made in­struments in our Countries deliverance againe thought worthy to be imployed? or why are such who for their miscarriages have been cast out of the Army, thought fit to be intrusted, and those Members of the Army in­gaged and preferred to that Service, when they are for most part such, as had they considered their just deme­rits, might rather have expected an ejection then em­ployment: We are sensible, yea farre more sensible of the bleeding condition of Ireland, crying aloud for a Brotherly assistance, then those forward undertakers in this present Designe manifest themselves to be, and shall [Page 4]willingly contribute the utmost of our abilities towards their reliefe, when we shall see this to be the onely thing sought after and endeavoured; but wee are confident that your Excellencie cannot but perceive this plot is but a meere cloake for some who have lately rasted of Sove­raignty; and being lifted beyond their ordinary Spheare of servants, seek to become Masters, and degenerate in­to Tyrants; wee are earnest therefore with your Ex­cellencie, to use the utmost endeavour, that before any other or future Propositions be sent to us, your expect­ations may be satisfied, which if they are not, wee con­ceive our selves and our friends as bad as destroyed.

And shall your Excellencie, or any other faithfull ser­vant to the State be appointed for the Service of Ire­land, and accept of that imployment, we must of necessi­ty, contrary to our desires, shew our selves averse to that service, untill our desires be granted, the just Rights and Liberties of the Subjects vindicated and maintained.

Then as God and our owne consciences beare us wit­nesse, we shall testifie to the Kingdome the integrity of our hearts to the service of Ireland, and our forward acti­ons in that imployment shall demonstrate the sincerity of our expressions. Once more we are earnest with your Excellency for your assistance, without which we are like to be wholly ruined; and having obtained it, may be en­abled as in duty we are bound to expresse our selves your Excellencies and the Kingdomes most faithfull and obe­dient Servants.

WEE your Souldiers, who have served under your Commands, with all readinesse, to free this our Native Land and Nation from all tyrannie and oppressions whatsoever; and that by vertue and power derived from this present Parliament, given not only to his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, our now present Generall, but likewise under all the late Generals his predecessors, under whom wee, even the whole Soul­dierie, have served both the State and you faithfully and diligently: By which meanes God hath been pleased to Crowne us with Victorie, in dispersing our common Ad­versaries, so that wee hoped to put an end to all Tyrannie and Oppressions, so that Justice and Equitie, according to the Law of this Land, should have been done to the Peo­ple, and that the meanest subject should fully enjoy his right, libertie, and proprieties in all things; which the Par­liament have made knowne to all the world in divers of their Declarations, to which they have so often bound themselves to performe, by their Oathes, Vowes, Cove­nants, [Page 6]and Protestations: Upon this ground of hope, wee have gone through all difficulties and dangers, that wee might purchase to the people of this Land, with our selves, a plentifull Crop and Harvest of Libertie and Peace; but in stead of it, to the great griefe & sadning of our hearts, wee see that Oppression is as great as ever, if not greater, yea, and that upon the cordiall friends to the Parliament and us, and to the just Rights and Liberties of this Nati­on, that they with us are slighted, abused, beaten, and dragged to Jayles, yea, to the utter ruine of their estates, and losse of their lives; yea, the best and most candide intentions and actions of theirs and ours grossely and foulely misconstrued, even to such a height, as deserving no lesse then to be declared as troublers of, and enemies to the State and Kingdome; and such as have and are now the enemies of the Parliament and Kingdome, are coun­tenanced and honoured, to be in places of greatest trust, and are made Judges of them and us, for our lives and estates; yea, and in the great affaires of the Kingdome, sitting in the House of Commons, though still under Se­questration, they are made high Sheriffes, Majors, of se­verall Counties and Townes, Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer, as in Cumberland, and the Countie of Durham, &c. From whence wee believe springs all our miseries, and that so many of our fellow Souldiers, that have been disbanded, have been so rigorously dealt withall, as The high Sherife of Kent, a man that was in the first Re­bellion against the Parliament, and by his means last Assize indicted a Colonel for taking of Horses. Exeter 2 At Northampton [...] Warwick 2 Alisbury [...] And this Assize at Salisbury 9 London cōdemned [...] All these wil be pro­ved, with many more instances. im­prisoned, indicted, and hanged, for things done in time and place of Warre, and necessitie of the Parliaments ser­vice required, in their low condition; and without which, they could not have safely sat in the House of Parliament with their heads on [...] and the reason of all this wee judge is, because our very enemies are made our Judges. Yea, such is our condition, though wee be oppressed, wee may not cry: as it is too apparant, when of late wee did in a humble and petitionarie way seeke to make knowne our grievances to our Generall; such was our offence, as that wee must presently, without being heard, be declared [Page 7] Enemies to the State: though notwithstanding, by these our enemies, even such as have been Cavaliers in Armes, have promoted and framed divers Remonstrances, Peti­tions, and Representations, of dangerous consequence, to the Parliament and Kingdome, and that against their most reall and cordiall friends; yet these have been ac­cepted, and great thanks returned them: which holds forth to us a cleare designe to enslave all the honest party of this Kingdome, and in them wee and you also.

Therefore, brave Commanders, the Lord put a spirit of courage into your hearts, that you may stand fast in your integritie, that you have manifested to us your Souldiers; and wee doe declare to you, that if any of you shall not, he shall be marked with a brand of infamie for ever, as a Traytor to his Countrey, and an Enemie to his Armie. Reade, and consider; was there ever such things done by a Parliament, to proclaime us Enemies to the State, as they have done about the late Petition? The Lords and they could quickly agree to this, though they will be very tedious when any thing is offered that is for the good of the Common-wealth; and to keepe the hire­lings As that of 26 mo­neths, the Horse are behind 13 moneths pay, and now to have but two months pay: judge Heaven, and free people; God judge of this great evill. Wages, and not to give them that which they have so dearely bought with their blouds and lives, even his pay; and not only so, but to leave them to the mer­cilesse malice of their wicked enemies?

Is it not better to dye like men, then to be enslaved, and hanged like Dogs? which must and will be yours and our portion, if not now looked unto even before our disbanding: so you may plainely see by this, their malice is great, yea, against our most honoured Gene­rall; as that in the Lords House they did more then whisper, he was a Delinquent: If they doe so now, and that to him, what will they not doe, not onely to him, but to you, if a course be not taken for our and your securitie, before wee be disbanded, wee leave to you to judge.

We have been quiet and peaceable in obeying all Or­ders and commands, yet now we have a just cause to tell you, if we be not relieved in these out grievances, we [...] shall be forced to that, which we pray God to divert, and keep your and our hearts upright: desiring you to pre­sent these things to the Generall, as our desires.

• 1. That the honour of this Army may be vindicated, in every particular, especially about the late Petition, and re­parations given, and justice done upon the fomenters.
• 2. That an Act of indempnity may be made for all things done in time and place of Warre.
• 3. That the wives and children of those that have beene slaine in the service, and maimed Souldiers, may be provi­ded for.
• 4. Our Arreares under this Generall, to be paid us, our Arrears under other Generalls, and to be audited and stated, and security given for the payment.
• 5. That we that have served the Parliament freely, may not be pressed out of the Kingdome.
• 6. That the Liberty of the Subject may be no longer in­slaved, but that Justice and Judgement may be dealt to the meanest Subject of this Land, according to old Law.

Now unlesse all these our humble requests, be by you for us your Souldiers and your selves stood for to bee granted, it had better we had never been born, or at least we had never beene in Armes, but that wee had by the Sword been cut off from the misery we and you are like to undergoe: So we rest, in hopes of your faithfulnesse: