[Page] DIVERS PAPERS FROM THE ARMY: VIZ.
1. MARSHALL GENERALL SKIPPONS SPEECH To the Army, May the 15 th.
2. THE ANSWER OF THE ARMY: Wherein they set downe their Grievances.
Whereunto are added other Papers of Concernment.
LONDON; Printed for Hanna Allen, at the Crowne in Popes-head-Alley, 1647.
MARSHALL GENERALL SKIPPONS SPEECH At the Convention of Officers at Walden, May the 15 th.
WEE are here once more according to appointment, met together to desire you to give us a cleare and faithfull account of your communicating the Votes of the House of Commons to your severall Regiments, and those under your Command, and to desire you to informe us how you have laboured to satisfie them in the care the Honorable House tooke in those Votes for the Army, and what sincere industrous and faithfull endeavours you have used to make them sensible thereof, and what distempers you found in your severall Regiments, Troops and Companies, that wee may know how you have in these particulars discharged your duties, as consciencious Christians in the sight of God, and as men faithfully obedient to the Parliament of England.
I am further to desire you upon a motion made againe and againe, upon a mention of my selfe, in relation [Page 2] of Ireland, to desire you to let me know, how you finde your severall Regiments disposed.
The justnesse, the honorablenesse, and necessitie of the service cannot be unknowne to you; I desire you according to the minde of the other Gentlemen that were sent downe with mee, not as Commissioners, but as Parliament men, and members of the Army, that you would in these particulars give us satisfaction, that it may appeare to us, and to the Parliament, and to all the Kingdom [...], that heare of our proceedings, that you have faithfully discharged your duties, as wee desire to doe to the Parliament for the service of the whole Kingdome; I pray that there may be an orderly proceeding in what wee have to doe; I doubt not, but in the end of all, wee shall finde that nothing is aymed at in all things, but what tends to the reall service of the Parliament, and the good of the whole Kingdome.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE PHILIP SKIPPON, FIELD MARSHALL GENERALL, LIEVT. GENERALL CRUMWELL, COMMISSARY GENERALL IRETON, AND COLLONELL FLEETVVOOD.
HAving received at the last Convention by your commands, upon commands and direction to our severall Regiments for the publishing of the Votes of Parliament, for the satisfaction of the Army in point of arreares and indempnity; and faithfully to inquire into the distempers of the Army, and reall grounds of their severall addresses to the Parliament, and the Generall: In which having diligently and accordingly endeavoured to answer your expectations in that you have injoyned us, wee have according to the best of our understandings, and you may please to know, that wee finde both Officers and Souldiers quiet and free from any visible distemper, and yet sensible of divers pressing grievances, which quietly they have made knowne unto us, and in their and our own behalfe present unto you.
FIrst, that whereas it pleases the Honourable Houses of Parliament, upon mis-information falsly suggested unto them, to declare and immediately publish in print to the Kingdome, that the Petition of the Army, being but onely an intention, did tend to put the Army into a distemper and mutiny, to obstruct the reliefe of Ireland, and to put conditions upon the Parliament, and [Page 4] declaring the Petitioners, if they shall proceed therein, no lesse then enemies to the State, and disturbers to the publique Peace; which said heavie charge remaining upon record, as a Mem [...]randum of Infamy upon us to posterity; wee cannot choose but be deeply sensible thereof, and with amazement wonder how so humble and innocent addresse, intended to the Generall, could beget so strange an interpretation. The substance of those things that we intended to sue for therein, being no other then what the Parliament fully promised, and frequently confirmed unto us by their Declaration.
Secondly, That whereas those persons that have attempted to beget and attempt and foment divisions between the Parliament and their Army, by their surrepticious obtaining and misrepresenting our Petitions, and by producing other scandalous Letters from unknowne hands, by them produced; the Authors whereof are concealed, and not brought forth to make a judiciall proofe of those things laid to our charge, which we cannot but look upon as a just cause of griefe, that the suggestors of such untruths seeme to be incouraged, and wee who are innocent remaine unjustified.
Thirdly, That divers Officers of the Army, of publique and knowne integrity, have been (upon what grounds we know not) sent for to the Parliament as delinquents; Some whereof doe at this present attend there, and cannot procure a triall, having nothing considerable laid to their charge, and more particular Ensigne Nichols, formerly a member of this Army, but now ingaged for Ireland; his pockets searched, and his papers taken from him, contrary to the Law of this Kingdome, and discipline of warre; and since by order from the Commissioners (without the Generalls privity, he being then at the head Quarter) that were sent to the Army appointed for the reliefe of Ireland, sent to London, where he is still kept prisoner at great expences, and not admitted to tryall: which president may equally extend to any or all in the Army: both which particulars last mentioned, bearing with them the face of delay and protraction of justice, wee cannot but looke upon as a just cause of trouble unto us.
Fourthly, That whereas wee understand that the Parliament hath voted a sudden disbanding of the Army, not having made sufficient provision for the auditing of our arreares, and stating of our accounts, our own reason, and experience of others, makes [Page 5] us sensible, how difficult, chargeable, and uncertaine the obtaining thereof will be after our disbanding, and therefore justly makes us sensible thereof.
Fiftly, That no provision hath been made for the payment of our dearly earned wages by the expence of our bloud, and often hazard of our lives, saving a vote of six weekes upon disbanding, which is so meane a requitall of our faithfull service, the Kingdome being now setled in peace, that it will inevitably expose us (especially the private Souldiers to great extremities) being hardly sufficient to maintaine many of them in their journies to their owne homes.
Sixtly, that nothing as yet hath been perfected for our future security for things done as Souldiers, in relation to the warre which the exigency thereof hath compelled thereunto, the want whereof we cannot choose but become very sensible of, when wee consider the many, sad examples of bitter and rigorous prosecutions at Law against Souldiers, for Acts done in order to the promotion of your service.
Seventhly, That wee stand in feare (especially the private Souldiers) of being imprest or forced to serve as Souldiers out of the Kingdome, many of them having spent their times freely in the publique service of the Kingdome, forsaking their trades, their onely livelihood, to which many desire to returne againe for their better future livelihood.
Eightly, That whereas divers of us, (especially the private Souldiers) who were apprentices in London, and other parts of the Kingdome, have voluntarily ingaged themselves in the service, being incouraged thereunto by the Parliaments Declaration, shewing that the time that they should so spend in the prosecution thereof, should be so effectuall in order to their freedome, as if they had remained with their severall respective Masters, notwithstanding which, many have refused to give some of us freedomes, who may justly claime it by the Parliaments Declaration for that purpose.
Ninthly, That many Souldiers who have lost their lives, widdowes who have lost their husbands, and children their parents in this service, and thereby reduced to great extremities, even to beggery for want of sufficient provision for their subsistance, are not sufficiently provided, for a future livelihood.
[Page 6] Tenthly, that whereas divers persons have both privately and publickly laboured by aspersions, and false calumnies to make us odious to the Kingdome, thereby seeking to al [...]enate their affections from us, in order to which they have published many scandalous Bookes, such as Mr. Edwards Gangraena, and divers others of that nature, and also very lately a report di [...]u [...]ged abroad, that we have petitioned his Majesty inviting him to come to the head of our Army, and that wee would restore him to his Crowne, Throne, and Dignity: a person of eminency having had the confidence to averre at a very great, and publick convention, that he saw a Copie of a Petition, which was delivered to his Majesty [...], and that the Army was no longer a new Modell, but had foure thousand Cavilleers, that [...] coming from the Fountaine-head, perceived that the King and Cavileeres, had their single and whole dependence upon this Army, and others privately suggesting the same, by dispersing severall Copies of the said pretended Petition, the severall particulars whereof we protest against as most false, and are confident that it proceeded not from any probable ground, which may argue such an intention in us, but singly from the malice of our Enemies.
Eleventhly, that notwithstanding the great care of the Committee and Treasurers of the Army, & the cheerefull readinesse of most Counties for the paying of Assessements, as those where we now quarter doe affirme, neverthelesse the private Souldiers are necessitated, to take free Quarter for the present, which is very irkesome unto us to be so burdensome to our friends.
Having thus according to your Commands, as fully as wee are able, accounted unto you, what was the true genuine sence of the Army, and not their imaginary conceits, but their grievances, that inevitably fall upon us, unlesse the Parliament take course to prevent them: if the time allowed us by you would admit, wee could more fully demonstrate. Wee assume the boldnesse to intreate you to be deeply sensible of, & represent to the Parliament these particulars, in such an humble way, and to right us, [...]f wee shall be misrepresented to the Parliament by any, and so farre as you can cover our weaknesses, that have or may slip from us, and prevent any scandalls, that the malice of any men doe seeke herein to asperse us, when wee shall be inquired into.
Certain Heads of Aggrievances considered of by the Souldiers of Coll: RICHES Regiment, the consideration whereof is the supplantive cause of our Petitioning.
1 THat we who have adventured our estates, liberties, and lives, yea all that was neer and dear unto us, not onely for our own freedom, but for the priviledge of Parliament, and the safety of the Kingdom, should be denyed to step over the very threshold of liberty (to wit) Petitioning; when as our open Enemies were never debarred of this Priviledge.
Secondly, That although the Kingdom hath now for some time been quiet, the Parliament secured, all Quarters free, and somewhat setled; all which hath been procured by the price of our blood. And though great Summes of money hath been brought in by the Compositions of the Common Enemy, the attainment of which, through the blessing of God, was by our Sword, whose Conquests bears the scarlet-dye of our valiant fellow Souldiers blood; yet we sti [...]l remain every day more deep in Arrears then other, no effectuall course being taken for the payment and accounting of them.
Thirdly, The sad Complaints, and miserable sufferings of many of our fel [...]ow Souldiers who now suffer, and the recalling to our serious meditation the miserable imprisonment, and ignominious death of many who were reall and faithfull [Page 8] in this Service; all which they have undergone for acting things which the exigency of Warre constrains them to do, the Consideration whereof makes us sympathize and condoll their sad condition, that we who suffered for the Parliament, should now be made sufferers by the Parliament, for acting things that were attendant to their Service, and which aggravates our sorrow, no means (as we can perceive) is used, for the speedie delivering them of their distresse, nor no provision for ought we hear, to secure either them or us for the future.
Fourthly, That after our disbanding, we have no securitie to free us from the inveterate malice, not of private, but of publick Enemies, who greedily would have sheathed their Swords in our bowels, but are lyable to their pleasures; some of them bearing Office in the Common-wealth, contrary to the Parliaments Declaration and promise: that insomuch that on every occasion, we who have been faithfull and constant in the Service we have been called unto, and shall be imprest forth of the Kingdom, never being suffered to injoy the Priviledge we have purchased with our lives, nor the liberty of a Subject i [...] injoying our Callings: which confidence of ours is not onely imaginary, but will become a true prophesie, unlesse the Parliament be pleased to dispossesse them of their power, that so our Enemies may not be our Judges.
Fifthly, That although the whole Kingdom are Testators, that this Army hath served the Parliament with our diligence and fidelity, that by us could be expressed, or by them expected, yet never had we the least aspersion cast upon us, for the prosecution of any unjust action, nor never had the infamous badge of unfaithfulnesse fixed on our backs for betraying the trust imposed in us, yet the Parliament upon suggestion and mis-information, without due examination, were ready to give thanks to the suggestors and mis-informers, as if they had waited for an advantage against us, to declare us Enemies of the State, and disturbers of the publick peace, the very thought of which we utterly abominate. And though the very [Page 9] suggestors and mis-informers have been proved false in their Informations, yet the Parliament hath not declared against them as Enemies of the State, and fomenters of division between the Parliament and their Army.
Sixthly, That severall faithfull Officers, Members of this Army, upon misrepresentation hath been sent for from the Army as Delinquents, and are yet detained for ought we hear, though no just occasion can be brought in against them; a very ingratefull gratnity for their constant fidelity, and particularly Ensigne Nichols, against all Processe of Law imprisoned, as we are informed, by the Command of some particular Members, who afterward procured a Vote to ratifie and confirm what they had arbitrarily done; and know not how soon it may be our cause.
Seventhly, That such proportions of Money that have been raised upon the Ordinance for Sir Thomas Fairfax Army, hath not been accordingly payed us, which hath caused us to be burthensome to our friends, beholding to our foes, and dishonourable to the Imployment: all which hath been occasioned for want of supplyes of Moneys, to discharge our Quarters; And we fear must yet be further burthensome, unlesse moneys come to avoid the same. Yet for all this want of money, did never obstruct the Service, although our pay was abated, and 6. d. per diem deducted, which the Parliament promised to restore to us again, when it should please God to put a period to our divisions, which now we hope are ended, and expect that promise to be converted to the true performance.
Eightly, Many of our fellow Souldiers that were Apprentice [...] in London, and other parts of the Kingdom, who came voluntarily into this S [...]ice, in [...]ited thereunto by the Parliaments Declaration, which said, That the time they spent in the prosecution of their Service, should be as really performed, as if they had really served their Masters. Which Ordinance hath been, and still is, hindred by divers malignant and ill affected [Page 10] Masters; that insomuch that unlesse the Parli [...]ent be pleased to put in execution this their Declaration, and inflict a punishment upon the violaters of it, they will be dishonoured, and their Ordinance not respected; And we who have fought for liberty, insnared our selves into a greater slavery.
Ninthly, Many of us, if not the major part, have rode States horses in the Service; but at the losse or death of the said Horses, we have re-mounted our selves at our own proper charge: So that we are confident the Parliament will not be so ignoble and unjust to dismount us. So our confidence is as firmly grounded, that the forwardnesse of our Service shall not redound to the backwardnesse of our reward: and also those that have been plundered and imprisoned, the wives and children of those who have been slain in this Service, may no longer eccho forth their lamentations at the Parliament doores, (which aggrievance saddeth our souls) but may have supplyes according to their necessities. And the Parliaments many Protestations taken not onely by themselves, but also imposed upon most of us; so that untill this, together with all the rest of the true intents of the Protestation, be not onely verbally, but really performed, we cannot ingage for any forrain Service: unlesse we shall manifestly shew our selves a perjured generation.
Lastly, We beseech the Honourable House, not to misapprehend any of the afore-mentioned aggrievances, but to be pleased to cloathe the naked truth with their favourable constructions and approbation, that so the infamous and reproachfull title of the disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom may never be fyled on our Account, whose safetie and tranquillitie we preferre before our own, nor the opprobrions brands of the obstructors of the relief of Ireland be sealed on our foreheads, whose sad condition we seriously commiserate; and whose speedie relief we never will obstruct, but earnestly endeavour. But in the interim we humbly desire, That [Page 11] our humble requests may be heard and answered, these our grievances seriously considered, and remedies answerable to the diseases applyed: Untill such time,
The Requests of Coll: Riches Regiment upon the Votes of Parliament.
1. THat whereas the Parliament saith, they have appointed an Ordinance to be brought in very suddenly for our indempnity.
1. We humbly desire, that the Ordinance may be forthwith resolved, and passed by the Honourable House of Parliament, that so more weighty affairs may not be obstructed, and we no longer suspended of our desires.
2. That this Ordinance be so large, that it extend not onely to us for acting things which we were authorized to act by our respective Officers, but also for acts which the exigency of Warre hath constrained us to act without their Command; when as our lives and liberties were exposed to the danger of our mercilesse Enemies.
Secondly, Whereas the Honourable House saith, That an Ordinance is now lying before them to that purpose.
Although we do not question the verity of the House in this particular, yet we humbly desire, that as we have acted things in the publick view of the Kingdom, that hath involved us into this slavery, that so we may have the publick view of the Vindication, that not onely us who have been the actors, but it may be publickly proclaimed to the whole Kingdom, who have been the sufferers.
Thirdly, That the Honourable House hath resolved that a considerable proportion of our Arrears be payed to us at our disbanding.
We most humbly crave leave to ask the Honourable House two things.
1. What they mean by a proportion of Arrears.
2. What they call a considerable proportion, and how much it is.
[Page 13] Lastly, That whereas they say, they will take care for the payment of the remainder of Arrears, at such time as it may stand with the necessity of the Kingdom, and care shall be taken for the auditing of our Accounts, and giving us debentures.
1. We humbly desire, that direction may be given us for the attainment of the remainder of Arrears, without the great expence, trouble, losse of time, that others have undergone in waiting for their Arrears; insomuch that the benefit hath not countervalued their great pains occasioned by their tedious waiting.
2. That we may have good and firm security for the payment of the said moneys that shall remain in Arrears.