IT was your desire that I should render you my observations upon that Letter which was written in the name of the Army, Signed by S ^t. Thomas Fairfax, bearing date from Reading the 8 ^th. of July. 1647 I must confess I have very much heretofore justified the proceeding, of the Army, and it was my opinion that they had very cleare intentions for the good of the King and the Kingdome.

But I now feare I was mistaken; for although I yet retaine a very charitable opinion of the Army in generall, yet considering the dilatory and intricate proceedings of those chiefe Officers, who now act and ne­gotiate with the Parliament in what concernes the Kingdome, I doe not conceive them men of such unspotted integrity as I supposed they were. For either they are selfe-seekers, or have selfe-interests in the managing and transacting of affaires; else why do they not deale clearely and plainly to the open understanding of all men who are concerned in the peace and settlement of the Kingdome?

It is evident that there is but one truth, and that is, or ought to be manifest, and needs not put on any veile or disguise to obscure or sha­dow it; but the more open and naked it is, the more naturall and lovely it appeares.

If the Army beleeve that they owe Allegiance and obedience to his Ma­jestie, as their lawfull King, why should they not pay him that, dutie and respect they owe Him as Subjects, and not endeavour to make the world beleeve, as they seem to do in this Letter, that the civility they pay him is matter of Courtesie, and not duty?

The Army pretends to maintaine the Law of the Land, Let them in the first place, if they really intend as they speak, and as they write, restore his Majestie to his Crowne and Dignity, who is the fountaine and life of the Law. Let them not court the two Houses with arguments of conveniency, and offering of humble advises to perswade them to suffer his Majesty to see his Children, which is a thing so agreeable to nature, and so consonant to reason and religion, that they may justifie to all the world the using of violence to compell so just an act, and declaring those unnaturall Rebells and traytors who detain his Majesties Children from waiting on Him.

Why should the Army excuse themselves, as if it were a fault to treat with his Majesty, & to make conditions with him for their own peace and safety, or to obtaine from him an assurance that they shall enjoy that liber­ty of conscience they desire? For I beleeve Judge Jenkins hath instructed [Page 2] them sufficiently, from whom they must receive their pardon. It must be an Act of his Majesties grace and savour that must secure them, no Ordi­dinance of the Houses.

And for my part, I beleeve it to be ill Logique, and worse Law to dis­pose the settling of his Majesties rights in the second place; for if h [...]s Ma­jestie be not first restored, and in a condition of being absolute in himself, that so without constraint, he may freely act what is desired for the good and liberty of the Subject, I beleeve his preceding acts will not be so ob­liging and valid, as otherwaies they would be.

I am sorry to understand in this Letter, that His Majestie is avowed by the Army to be a Prisoner, which is contrary to what they formerly pro­fessed; for their phrase in this Letter is, That his Majestie should find all personall Civilities and respects from us, with all reasonable freedome that might stand with safety, and with the trust and charge lying upon us concerning his person. Now if they pretend but to allow his Majestie all reasonable freedome that might stand with safety, &c. Then I am sure that they deny him absolute freedome: for the word reasonable, doth li­mit and restraine him: and for the rest of the phrase, expressing the trust and charge lying upon them, &c. I doe professe my ignorance, that I do not understand what is meant thereby, or whence they derive that trust; and I beleeve it is the intention of the Army, although it be not so expres­sed by their Pen-man, that what they write in this kind, is written to in­forme the People, and should be easie to be understood by all that read it.

For that wh [...]ch followes, I beleeve it not agreeable to reason, justice, honesty, or conscience, so to behave themselves, towards his Majestie, as not to render unto his Majestie in all things that duty they owe him by the law of God and the Land.

I could wish the Army had dealt clearly, and told us who are the King­domes best friends: for feare of offending of whom, they had reluctancy when they admitted the Duke of Richmond and two Chaplaines to wait on his Majestie. And I wonder the Army, or those who penn'd that let­ter should mention, that they permitted his Majestie to use a continued importunitie to procure leave for two of his Chaplaines to wait on him, it being contrary to the duty of loyall Subjects, and to the Principles of the Independent Party, and repugnant to the Armies profession, when they tooke away the King from Holmby; For they then pretended to de­sire their own liberty of Conscience, and did wonder it should be thought, that what they themselves desired, they should refuse to their King.

The Army professeth in this Letter that they avoid harshnes, and afford kind usage to his Majesty, as the most Christian, honourable, and pruden­tiall [Page 3] way wherewith they thinke it fit to use his Majesty; but they doe not acknowledge that they pay him any respect as in duty they ought, hee being their King, and they his Subjects.

These things I would gladly see reconciled, and be satisfyed in, and if it be the sence of the whole Army, that they doe with reluctancy afford his Majesty liberty of Conscience, I am sorry I was so mistaken in their tenents and professions; for I did beleeve otherwise of them.

And I am of opinion, that as the two Houses have lost the affections of the people, because they have rob'd his Majesty of his ju [...]t Rights, and deprived the Subjects of their Laws and Liberties, so the Army hath got­ten, and doth now retaine the good opinion of all the Kingdome, because they pretend to restore his Majesty to his just Rights, and the Subjects to their Liberties, which are both effected by the restitution of our Laws; and when they faile to perform this, they will be despised as now the two Houses are.

And for the complement which this Letter seems to put upon his Ma­jesties friends, I am perswaded they will content themselves by being made capable to enjoy what the Law affords them, and for this favour I am confident upon the Armies Declaration to restore the King and the Lawes, they will all rise as one man to joyne with them for the accom­plishing of so pious a work; which if the Army having so fair an opportu­nity shall omit, I am confident God will doe his owne work without them; and raise up some other forces for that purpose, with whom un­doubtedly the whole Kingdome will joyne, and they who might have been glorious instruments for the good of the Kingdome, will be buried in the ruine of their country, without any mention but of infamy and dishonour.

I Was sent unto by the King on Friday last, to desire the Parlia­ment to give way to him to see his Children; and that they might for that purpose be sent to Him: If I may be bold humbly to offer my Opinion, I thinke the allowance of such a thing may be with­out the least prejudice to the Kingdom, and yet gain more upon His Ma­jesty then denying it; and if it be in the prayers of every good man, That His heart may be gained, the performance of such civilities to Him is ve­ry sutable to those desires, and will hear well withall men, who (if they [Page 4] can imagine it to be their owne case) cannot but be sorry, if his Maje­sties natural affections to his Children, in so small a thing should not be complyed with; and if any question should be concerning the assurance of their returne, I shall ingage for their return within what time the Par­liament shall limit.

Upon this occasion give me leave, I beseech you, to take notice of some Reports spread abroad, as if my selfe and the Officers of the Army were upon some underhand Contract or Bargain with the King; and from thence occasion is taken to slander our Integrities, and endeavour a mis­understanding betwixt the Parliament and their Army, the fidelity of which to the Parliament and Kingdom, and their affection to it, are the great objects of many mens Envies, because they see nothing so likely to settle Right and Freedom, with Truth and Peace to us and Posterity, and to hinder their Designs against the same, as an Harmony or good accord between the Parliament and Army, which is the joy of good men, and it shall be our study to preserve against all Designs and Designers to the contrary.

To prevent therefore all mis-understandings of that kinde, I thought fit with all clearenesse to declare unto you, That we have done nothing, nor shall doe any thing which we desire to hide from you or the world, or shall not avow to the faces of our greatest Adversaries.

Our Desires concerning a just consideration and settlement of the Kings Rights (His Majesty first giving His concurrence to settle and se­cure the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdome) We have already pub­liquely declared in our Representation and Remonstrance. Since the first of those Papers sent to the Parliament, there have been severall Offi­cers of the Army upon severall occasions sent to his Majesty, the first to present to him a copy of the Representation, and after that some others to tender Him a copy of the Remonstrance; upon both which, the Of­ficers sent were appointed to clear the sence and intention of any thing in either Paper, whereupon His Majesty might make any question. Since then, there have also been some Officers at several times sent to His Ma­jesty about His remove from Hatfield, to disswade (if possibly) from Windsor or any place so near London, to some place of further distance, answerable to what we had desired of the Parliament.

In all which addresses to His Majesty, We care not who knows what hath been said or done; for as we have nothing to bargain for or to ask, either from His Majesty or the Parliament, for advantage to our selves, or any particular party or interest of our own; so in all those Addresses to His Majesty We have utterly disclaimed and disavowed any such [Page 5] thing, or any Overtures or Thoughts tending that way; But the onely intent and effect of those our Addresses hath been, to desire and endea­vour His Majesties free concurrence with the Parliament, for establish­ing and securing the common Rights and Liberties, and setling the peace of the Kingdome; and to assure Him, That (the Publique being so pro­vided for, with such His Majesties concurrence) it is fully agreeable to our Principles, and should be our desires and endeavour, That (with, and in such setling of the Publique) the Rights of His Majesties Royal Family should be also provided for, so as a lasting Peace and Agreement might be setled in this Nation: And that, as We had publiquely decla­red for the same in generall terms, so (if things came to a way of settle­ment) We should not be wanting (in our spheres) to own that gene­ral Desire, in any particulars of natural or civil right to His Majesties Per­son or Family, which might not prejudice or again indanger the Pub­lique: and in the mean time, That His Maiesty should finde all perso­nal civilities and respects from us, with all reasonable freedome that might stand with safety, and with the trust or charge lying upon us con­cerning His Person.

You have here the utmost summe of what hath pass'd from us to His Majesty; and We could wish all men did rightly understand (without misrepresentations) every particular, wherein (as We know nothing not agreeable to Reason, Justice, Honesty or Conscience, so) We thought our selves concerned the rather to say and do, as We have, towards His Majesty since He came within our quarters, because of those common prejudices suggested against us, as if We were utter Enemies to Monar­chy, and all Civil Order or Government.

And for that particular of the Duke of Richmond and the Two Chap­lains lately permitted to attend his Majesty, It was not done without much reluctancy, because therein We doubted We might be misunder­stood by the Kingdoms best friends.

But upon his Majesties continuing importunity for it, as a thing very nearly concerning His present inward and outward contentment; and conceiving those persons such (as we hoped) would not do ill offices to prejudice the Peace of the Kingdom, We did give way to it, and the persons (before they came) had notice of the permission: And as we then thought, so we still do think, That to allow him some such company of persons least dangerous, whom former acquaintance may make him take pleasure in; and the allowance of some such Chaplains of his own, are things both reasonable and just; and the debarring of that liberty in the latter (We doubt) will but make Him more prejudiced against other Ministers

In general, we humbly conceive, that to avoid all harshnesse, and afford all kinde usage to his Majesties Person, in things consisting with the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom, is the most Christian, Honourable and Pru­dent way: And in all things (as the Representation and Remonstrance of the Army doth expresse) We think that tender, equitable and mode­rate dealing, both towards his Majesty, his Royal Family, and his late party (so far as may stand with safety to the Kingdom, and security to our common Rights and Liberties) is the most hopefull course to take away the seeds of War or future Feuds amongst us for posterity, and to procure a lasting Peace and Agreement in this now distracted Nation; To the effecting and setling whereof (with a secure provision first to be made for the common Rights and Liberties of the Kingdom, and a due care to preserve and propagate the Gospel of Truth & Peace amongst us) we shall hope that neither the Parliament nor his Majesty will be want­ing: And if God shall see it good to make us any way instrumental there­unto, or that we may otherwise see the same accomplisht, we shall then think our selves indeed discharged from the publique ingagements we have been called out unto, more clearly and effectually then (before such things were setled) we could have thought our selves to be, and (to de­monstrate our clearnesse from seeking self-advantages in what we did) we shall thenceforth account it our greatest happiness and Honor (if God see it good) to be disingaged and dismist, not onely from our Military charges, but from all other matters of Power or publique imployment whatsoever.

I have in these things spoke, not in my own Name alone, but in the Name (because I finde it to be the clear sense of the generality, or at least of the most considerable part) of the Army, and I am confident you and the Kingdom wil never find it otherwise: I shall leave it to your favorable construction, and commit all to the goodness of God for an happy issue. I remain