VPon Thursday being the 23. of this instant, we received infor­mation of a great Plot & Con­spiracie, against the Parlia­ment of England, his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, Lieutenant Generall Cromwell, Com­missary [Page] Generall Ireton, and the rest of the Officers and Souldiers, under the power and command of the said Geneaall, which plot, as it was intimated to both houses of, Par­lirment, were acting and contriving by some disaffected Scottish spirits, with a resolution to combine and conspire against the Parlia­ment of England, and to work and use means for a sudden Engagement in another unna­turall and most horrid warre, against the most worthy and renowned Heroes of these times; the manner of this most great and machavi­lian Conspiracy, I shall here briefly recite, for generall satisfaction to all Free-born English men, viz.

Major Generall Starling, a Scottish man, Com­mander in chiefe, under the Lord Inchiqueen, of the Protestant Forces in Ireland, in the Province of Munster, having a designe against the Par­liament of England, for an Engagement, both a­gainst them, and their Army, which for the better effecting thereof, dispatched feverall Letters to divers eminent Commanders in that Kingdome, (but intercepted) viz. the first to Sir Patrick Weimes, a Scotchman, but a most faithfull, and heroick souldier, having an excellent Regiment of [Page] Foot, and in actuall service with collonell Jones against the Rebels in Lemster: the second to Maior Generall Monroe, Major Generall of the Scottish Army in the Province of Ulster: the third to the Kingdome of Scotland, with Letters to Generall Leven, Generall of the Scottish Ar­my, and others.

All which Letters were intercepted, and many things (in them) discovered of very high nature, and concernment towards this Kingdome, the De­signe being to engage all in a warre against the Parliament and Army in England. But now it is hoped their Designes will be frustrated, for col. Jones hath discovered the chiefe Actors therein, and hath taken some of them, and committed them to safe custody.

The Parliament having received information of these under-hand workings, and trecherous dea­lings, Ordered that a Letter be sent to the Lord In­chiqueen, desiring him to send in safe custody the faid Colonel Starling to the Parliame [...] of Eng­land,

WHereas the great neglect of divers persons within the City of London, hath occasioned too many delayes in raising Money for supply of the Army, and other Forces of the Kingdome; His Ex­cellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the General-Coun­cell of the Army, Doth declare, That they take no­tice of the great wants of the Souldiery, both of the Army, and other Forces, and Garrisons; as also of the sufferings of the County, in respect of free quar­ter, which might have been peevented, and a course ta­ken for disbanding superfluous Forces, and sending o­ver of others for the reliefe of Ireland, and the sup­plying of those that are there already, had it not been for neglect or delay of those on whom the Parlia­ment have depended in that particular, and they doe especially take notice of the delayes made by the Ci­ty in advancing of that summe, which the Houses have demanded of them upon the security of the Ar­reares so long since due from the City to the Army; upon which they doe declare, and propound to this effect.

1. That they cannot but consider the notorious rea­dinesse of the Court of Aldermen, to the advancing of far greater sums for the raising of a new warre, and prosecution of the late mischievous practises and de­signes against the Parliament and Army; and that as their predipitate forwardnesse therein, was the oceasi­on of the Armies coming into these parts, so their backwardnesse to the raising or advancing of the mo­ney now required for the service of the Parliament, & [Page] supply of the Army, hath been and is the occasion of the armies continuance heree: and therefore they can­not but offer it it, as what they humbly conceive most just and reasonable.

That for what time their defauls or delayes have oc­casioned, and shall further occasion the Armies stay here­abouts, the charge thereof should some way be laid upon them, and their adherents about the City.

That the Houses would be pleased speedily to consider of the Delinquencie of those that had a hand in the Tu­mult, Desine, and Engagement of a new Warre, and that such Fines may be upon them for the same, as shall bee a­greeable to justice.

Lastly, since it is most evident, that for the speedy bringing in of the money required upon the arrears, there wants not in the said Major, Aldermen, and Common-Councell, either authority to levy it, or a­bility to advance it by way of Loan till it can be levy­ed, and it ir therefore offered,

That in case the Money be not brought in by the time limited, the Parliament would be pleased to give leave to the Generall (with the advice and directions of the Com­mittee for the Army) for the levying of the said Ar­reares

All which they rather desire from grounds of rea­son and evidence from the speeches of many in the City, and designes and hopes of the Parliament and Armies Enemies to raise the Army into distempers, and the Country about them into confusion.

This Declaration was agreed upon at the Head­quarters at Putney, upon Thursday last, there being a [Page] Generall Councell of the Army appointed to be held every Thursday. The Generall Councell met in the Church, the Generall, many Generall Officers, Field-Officers, inferiour Officers, and Agitators met. A great part of the time was spent in consideration, and debate of the Proposals of the Army, and some few things agreed upon to be altered, and explained in them, which no doubt will give much satisfaction to the Kingdome.

After the aforesaid Declaration was finished, it was, by the appointment of his Excellency, and the Councell of Warre, sent to the Right Honourable the Commissioners of Lords and Commons residing with the Army, to be presented from them to both Houses of Parliament, which according, with a Letter from the Generall and Army, to this effect, vix. That they earnestly desired, some speedy course might be taken for their pay, that so they might be inabled to pay their quarters, was presented to both Houses of Parliament upon Satturday last, and after reading thereof, orde­red to be communicated to the Lord Major, Alder­men, and Common-Councell of the City of Lon­don.