DIvers of us at a late meeting, did make a short address by Letter unto your Lordship, and your General Councel, of what was thought fit at that present, until a more general meeting and consideration might be had, of those things, we, both before and then, had in our thoughts to present unto you. And being now convened at a full meeting, deeply sensible, and clear­ly satisfied in our judgments, of the present dangerous posture, and sad condition of the Kingdom, in relation to the Treaty, and other publike affairs; We have agreed, on the behalf of our selves, and the rest of the Officers and Souldiers under our Commands, to express unto you that sence and those humble desires, which God hath been pleased to put into our hearts thereupon, as followeth.

At the beginning of these late differences, the Parliament having acquainted the Kingdom, with the Kings Intentions to draw the Sword of War against them, for the maintaining of His Own Arbi­trary Power, and by their several Declarations, Remonstran [...]s, &c. given clear satisfaction to all the well affected, of the justness of a de­fensive War; and thereby inciting and incouraging all, as they tendred their Native Rights and Freedoms, to rise in Arms for their defence. We were induced out of judgment and conscience, to appear accord­ingly, and have ever since imployed, and used our utmost endeavors, to the great hazard of our lives, estates, and all that was dear unto us, in that just and necessary work.

In prosecution whereof, this poor Kingdom, hath long lain under most heavy burthens, and oppressions, vast sums of money have been raised by the Parliament upon Excise, Sequestrations, Compositions of Delinquents, Assessments, Bishops Lands, King and Queens Revenues, &c. besides the great debts of the Kingdom unsatisfied, many Towns and Countreys much depopulated and destroyed, thousands of our dear friends and fellow-laborers, have lost their lives and perished in this great service, their wives and children been undone, and many of us yet alive, lost much of our dearest blood.

All which, would yet not seem so grievous to us, the common ene­mies, being (by the blessing of God upon the Armies) twice vanquish­ed, brought under, and capital offenders apprehended, if after all this (when no visible power hath appeared, or been left, to oppose or hin­der the Parliament, from setling the Kingdom, in Peace and Freedom; redeeming it from injustice, slavery, unnecessary taxes, oppressions, and executing Justice upon Offenders) we could once have seen a right use made of those opportunities, which God hath several times put into their hands for doing thereof.

But; to the great grief of our souls, we see not any probable means by them used, to bring about this necessary work: On the contrary, it is apparent, that private designes are carried on, by pretended, even Parliament, friends, with common enemies, (depriving the Nation of reaping the fruit of all the eight yeers labors and services) to introduce that very Tyranny and Oppression, which we were by them invited to oppose; and establish by Treaty, and Act of Parliament, a stronger foundation for (and clearer way to) advancing the Kings destructive designe and tyrannical vill, then formerly he had, thereby to subject the whole Kingdom, to a mass of perpetual oppression and injustice; and betray all the well affected in the Kingdom, (especially those who had been most actively engaged against the same) to sudden destructi­on without remedy.

For proof whereof (omitting many particulars) we need but take a revie [...] of the several former Treaties, especially this last, most dan­gerous, Personal Treaty; having all been gained, by the apparent treachery of the said pretended friends, and the cunning policy of the common enemies, upon the loss or weakness of their power in the field; and so pursued upon the plausible pretence of Peace-making, truly intending nothing but slavery and destruction.

To bring about this great unparaleld design, these treacherous design­ers did not only raise several great Armies & Forces in all parts (almost) of the Kingdom (to the great hazard of the ruine thereof,) but also in­vited and procured a numerous and powerful army out of Scotland, that they might the more plausibly, and upon fairer pretences, carry on their destructive designe; suggesting to the Kingdom, that there was no other way for prevention of War, and setling of Peace, then by this Personal Treaty, when they themselves were the causers of the War, and the Kingdoms unsettlement.

To this purpose they endeavored (the Lords especially, who refused to joyn with the Commons in declaring the Scotish Army, invading [Page 5]the Kingdom under the Conduct of Duke Hamilton, to be Enemies) all they could to procure a Cessation of Arms with that (and the Eng­lish Malignant) Army, when they were in the bowels of the Kingdom, and we were ready to engage with them, that they might thereby get to themselves the greater advantage to carry on their work; Which had they effected, and the good providence of God not prevented, would, in all probability, have brought to pass that their intended Compliance with the King, upon his own terms, and their interest on­ly, which now, after the defeate and absolute breaking of those For­ces and Armies, they still labor all they can to bring about, contrary to the earnest desires and frequent Petitions presented to the Parliament from the well-affected in all parts of the Kingdom; and strugling, to the utmost, to put the Kings partee, and all the Malignant disaffected people, into a better condition, after their last Rebellion, then they were at the beginning, and all the well-affected, that have done and suffered so much, into a ready way of ruine.

And notwithstanding your Excellency, and your general Councel, had most clearly represented to the Parliament the dangers and evils of this personal Treaty, your Remonstrance & Desires were neglected and refused, so much as to be taken into consideration; But on the contra­ry, (as we have been informed) the Kings Answers upon the whole Treaty were voted by the Lords to be satisfactory, and by the House of Commons, to be sufficient for a safe Peace to be grounded upon: Which gives us just cause to beleeve, that this Treaty is a clear design to betray the Kingdoms just Cause (which God hath twice pleaded, and judged for them in the sight of all men) into their enemies power again, leaving the unlimited supremacy where it was, as if we had engaged altogether without Cause, and gained nothing by all our losses, hazards and sufferings, but to be thrown, at last, into the cruel hands of our most implacable enemies. And therefore conclude, that all Members of Parliament, or other publique persons, acting such de­signs, are betrayers of their trust, and perverters of the very end and essence of the power committed to them; charging upon them the cause of the Kingdoms present unsetledness, distraction, oppression, and of all our, and their, fears and miseries. So that,

We cannot longer be silent Spectators of the Kingdoms impending ruin, nor upholders of those that seek it, least thereby we should be in­volved in their guilt, and make defection from our first principles, but humbly conceive, that we are still bound in duty and conscience to pro­secute and pursue to the utmost of our powers, with our lives and for­tunes, [Page 6]those principles of Freedom and Justice, that by the Parlia­ments Declarations, Remonstrances, &c. we were at first called forth to act upon, in opposition the Kings unjust unlimited will, for the re­covery and defence of the common Rights and Freedoms of the people, greatly rejoycing to see so generall a sympathy in all your Forces (and the wel-affected) by their several Addresses to you, and cannot but take special notice of Gods great goodness to this poor Nation, in preparing, and providentially disposing a people, in the several corners thereof, to stand up for Truth and Justice, in a time of such woful corruption and apostacy, wherein many men in publike trusts and places (perverting the true end of the power they are entrusted with) study nothing more then the advancing of their own ends and interests.

Neither will the same Ground and Principle, which led us forth at the beginning of the Wars, to oppose Tyranny and Oppression, in the King and his Adherents, now give us leave to sit down quietly, as long as we see the Authority and Power of the Kingdom setting up the same Tyranny and Oppression, (in their own or any other Interest whatsoever,) or the Parliament taking away that due and just Liberty of the Peoples chosing their own Representatives, by making them­selves perpetual, and thereby in a short time, the little finger of this latter, heavyer then the loyns of the former Oppression.

All which having seriously considered, and that all ordinary means, by the Petitions and cries of the well-affected, have been tryed in vain, (when nothing was expected by us and them but sudden destruction,) we received and perused a Copy of your late Remonstrance, presented to the Parliament, wherein we find the grand Case of the Kingdom very faithfully and discerningly stated and laid open, together with a wise and full discovery of the chief Maladies, Distempers, with sutable Prescriptions for its cure and recovery. We could not but express one full approbation of, and free concurrence in the said Remonstrance, what cause we have to bless God, who hath raised in you such a Spirit of discerning Wisdom and Justice, which we hope proceed from Prin­ciples of Common Right, for the publique Good and Interest of the Kingdom; together with our humble Opinions, that the matters therein contained are most necessary to be prosecuted and obtained, as the most visible and probable means for releeving and setling the Na­tion.

And though they may seem (as civil things) not so properly to come from the Army, yet seeing deliverance no other way, and providence calling in a necessary and extraordinary Case, to walk in an extraordina­ry [Page 7]Way: We know that God, by whom you are called, who hath so often, so eminently, so experimentally appeared, both to you and us in our faithful endeavors, and great hazards for the Kingdoms Rights, will as [...]uredly (upon your walking after him in the way of his Provi­dence, and humble waiting on him, in the way of his Judgments, with­out impatiency and distemper of spirit,) make your way plain before you, carry you through, and honor you with being the happy Instru­ments of Redemption and Deliverance to a poor dying Kingdom.

Our great desire therefore is, That the said Remonstrance may be speedily and effectually acted upon, with such Wisdom, Caution, Self-Denial, Care and Consideration, as that both the common, and bosom Enemy may be prevented in their present, or future, obstructing, oppo­sing; Designs, may not have time and advantage to raise new divisions, troubles; and these good conceptions, which God hath thus begotten in you, and (through you) Remonstrated to the Kingdom, (in which all the well-affected, free, ingenious spirits, will most readily close, and free­ly act, with you,) may not become an untimely birth (as heretofore,) but prosecuted to the life, so as the whole Kingdom may reap the fruit of all our labors, and its own sufferings.

Though we shall not take upon us to advise or direct your Councel in the prosecution thereof, yet we take the boldness to offer our sense and thoughts, desiring,

That, as on the one hand, your actings may be full and effectual; so on the other, care may be taken, that they may be, with as much satis­faction as can, to all such tender spirits as do agree with you in the just­ness and goodness of the things proposed, but notwithstanding are not so clear in using of that means, that you may be forced to take for that end.

That the same care may be had for the taking away of all present and future objections of wilful and unnecessary force, and that all impartial men may be satisfied, that your actings proceed not from your Wills or Interest, nor shal extend further, then singly and clearly to the redeeming of the just Liberty of this Nation, and the setling of it in peace and qui­etness.

To all which we we shall humbly and briefly offer;

• That only such things may be insisted on as may put a reasonable and certain period to this present Parliament, and may, for the fu­ture, establish free, successive Parliaments, duly elected according to the Provision in the Remonstrance.
• That there may be a sure provision made for the more equal distri­butions of Elections, through the whole Kingdom.
• [Page 8]That no persons engaged in this War against the Parliament may either elect or be elected to be members of Parliament.
• That some certain Provision may be made, that no persons that may be elected Members of Parliament, contrary to the Provision in the Remonstrance, may be admitted thereto before they are tryed whether duly elected accordingly, and approved by some faithful men, to be carefully chosen, appointed and authorized to judg thereof.
• All which being setled, the Army provided for, so as no free Quarter may be taken, and such other common and ordinary things as concern the administration of common Justice, the present quiet of the Kingdom, and all other things whatsoever, may be left to the power and disposal of the next free and duly elected Parliament, which we conceive may be the most proper instrument in the hand of God for setting the Kingdom.
• These Ends and Principles, so long as you are carried forth to pursue (which we hope you never will forsake) you may be assured of our concurrence and assistance to the utmost of our powers.

THis day, according to former appointment, there was a general Meeting of Officers here, who resolved upon a Declaration to be presented to your Lordship and your general Councel, and appoint­ed Captain Bayns with Captain Bradford to wait on your Excellency therewith, and to give you an account of their proceedings. They have desired me to acquaint your Excellency, that they have appointed a standing Councel of Officers, to meet on Friday every week, to re­ceive, consult, and advise upon such publique affairs as your Excel­lency or your general Councel shall think fit from time to time to com­municate to them, for keeping a right understanding and mutual cor­respondency between the Forces, that there may be a joynt acting in this publique Service.

They also desire those Officers may be admitted to sit with your ge­neral Councel, to the end they may receive the better information, and have account of such publique affairs wherein they may be concerned.

And this is all at the present from