VVE received this inclosed paper the last night, from the hands of a very well affected Citizen, it was delivered him by an Offi­cer of the City Militia who being invited to meet some Citizens at Skin­ners hall upon Wednesday last, with divers others to signe the same, and offering to dispute against the matter of it, to shew how dangerous and illegall it was, was silenc't and told that it was not to be disputed, but to be signed and joyned in, there being diverse Cittizens and others at the same place for that purpose, which when he understood, he tooke this printed Copy away with him,

By the contents of which when you read it you will easily perceive what it tends to, and how desperate and dangerous it is to the hazzard of the whole Kingdom, and to frustrate all those indeavours of the Parl. the army and Kingdome for an happy settlement, and likewise to pre­cipitate all into a new and bloody war, we cannot therefore but acquaint you that we look on this as a businesse set on foot by the malice of some desperate minded men, this being their last Engine for the putting all into confusion, when they could not accomplish their wicked ends by other meanes. To this have all secret listings tended, and we wish that the needlesse and superfluous Listing of Auxilaries and connivance at the continuance of the Reformadoes about the Cities of London, and Westminster, have not had the same aime, and by this wee hope it will appeare that our iealousies and feares of some such desperate designes to be harched in and about the City, (considering the temper of men there) have not bin groundlesse, nor our desires to draw neere the City of Lon­don with the Army to disapoint and breake all such plots, and to free the Parliament from the violence of them have not bin without just cause, and wee desire all indifferent men to judg whether our withdraw­ing from the City in obedience to the Parliaments command was for their and the Kingdomes security or not: we wonder that divers men did calumniate that our marching so neare the City, and put so bad Representations upon it, as that it tended to force the Par­liament, or to plunder the City seeing our doing so, was to breake that blacke designe which now begins to shew it selfe in its colours, [Page]whereas indeed our consciences witnes with us, that our aymes were cleare & [...]nest tending to restore the Parliament into its just liberty, which was much abated in the eyes of all the Kingdome, and no doubt by the Authors and [...]ntrivers of this new Covenant and engagement; some whereof have been so farre from assisting to put the Reformadoes & other dangerous per­sons out of the Lines that now they are called to joyne in this conspiracy: we intreate you to give the Parl. a full Representation of these things, which that you may do; we have sent you the Papers, together with such informations as may give them an opportunity to discover the bottome of this businesse, we were marching from London (when we received this In­formation) in obedience to the Parliament, and to give the City more con­tent, & to stop the mouthes of slanderers; But if such Designes, so distructive to the Parliament, and the worke in hand be suffered to go on, or that the Parliament be interrupted in the freedome of their debates and proceedings as we heare, within these few dayes they were, by those that are invited to partake in this Consideracy: we begg it of the Parliament, as they tender their own safety, the Peace of the Kingdome, and preventing of a second Warre, as they would not have the Kingdome loose the fruite and benefit of all the blood and treasure that hath been spent in this cause, that they would not suffer their freedome and liberty to be indangered by such designes as these, they having an Army which by the Blessing of God, in spight of all that theirs and the Kingdomes enemies can do, will stand and fall with them, and be found faithfull and obedient to them in all things, and as ready to relieve Ireland, when the Peace and rights of this Kingdome are seried: We write not this to desire the Parliament to invite us to march up to them, we care not how great a distance we are from London, if it be the Parlia­ments pleasure, and consists with their security, and the breaking of those combinations which are hatcht in the Bowels of the City, we are hastening our Proposalls which are for the generall settlement, and which (we are confident) will satisfie all that love truth and peace: But we see plainly, we neede more to intend security then have cause to expect to bring things to an happy issue by Treaty while such designes are on foote: We pray you therefore that the Parliament would speedily and throughly inquire in­to, and break these Designes wherein as in all things, else we shall be ready to serve them as they shall judge it needfull, and when they shall command us.

BY a Printed Paper come to our hands this day (a Coppie whereof you receive herewith) we still find, and cleerly and evidently perceive that some evill Spirits within the City of London, maliciously disaffected to the Peace of this Kingdome, do secretly and wickedly endeavour, to bring about that mischiefe upon the Kingdome, which we have so much feared, and by all our severall addresses unto you sought to prevent; which indeede are of that dangerous consequence as we can expect no other issue from, then the unavoydable engaging the Kingdome in a second Warre, if not timely and effectually prevented by your wisdome and diligence. Wee must further observe unto you, that whatoever design is intended in the for­ssad Paper, is contrary to the Authority of Parliament, and indirect oppositi­on to the proceedings of the Army (which the 2. Houses have owned as theirs, and approved of their fidelity by committing the forces of the King­dome of England, Dominion of Wales, and Islands of Garnesey and Iersey, under the Generals care and Command) and therefore cannot be effected, but by force of Armes against the Parliament and their Armies, which in probability may involve the whole Kingdome in blood; but must necessarily begin within your own Bowels, and draw the Seate and misery of Warre upon you and your City.

Also we desire you would consider, whether we have not just cause to suspect that an evill party lurkes within the City ready to distemper it, and the whole Kingdome upon every occasion, and whether it be probable such persons desire a happy Close between the King and the Parliament, (at least such as will be for the Kingdomes good) when they take upon them the boldnesse to make new offers to His Maj. with solemn engagements to make good the same during the time that the Parliament had given us leave to make tender of, and treate with their Commissioners about those things which tend to a generall settlement. And therefore we cannot but desire, that you would take a speedy course timely to suppresse this great evill, and to prevent all of this nature for the future, and by making some of those ex­amples who have been active to carry on this businesse: We have not had time to enquire into particulars, out shall give you onely one instance of a meeting at Skinners-Hall, concerning this businesse, where some persons have been very active, (the names of some of whom we have given to your Com­missioners) and also the names of other Citizens who will testifie their carri­age there.

Lastly, we cannot but desire you to concur [...] with us in our desires to the Parliament, to put the Militia into the hands of those that had it before; without which we can have no assurance that the City will be free from de­signes of this nature, nor can we expect to see a happy Close.