WE do by command from the Ge­neral Council of Officers of the Army, now in London, trans­mit the Inclosed to You, being a true Copie of the Representati­on and Petition, which was this day by them Hum­bly Presented to the Parliament, and the Votes of the House Passed thereupon; and are further to signifie their Desires, That the same may be Com­municated to all Commissioned Officers of that [Page 4] Part of the Army under Your Command,: and that the Subscriptions of all may be taken, to the Repre­sentation and Petition, that are free to Sign the same; Which being so Signed, It is desired, You will be pleased to cause them to be close Sealed up, and Returned to Thomas Sandford, Esq Secretary to His Excellency the Lord Fleetwood, who is to give an Account thereof. As we have thus fulfilled the General Councils Pleasure, we are well assured you wil be pleased to Comply with Their Requests, which is all at present from

For the Right Honourable General Monck at Dal­keith, Scotland.

I Received a Letter Directed from Your self and others, of the 5 ^th of this Instant, with the inclosed Papers, In Pursuance of an Or­der of the General Council of Officers, as You are pleased to intimate: I must humbly begg Your Excuse, that I am not able to satisfie Your Commands in that particular. Indeed Our Force is very small, and Our Enemie very great; and I shall be unwilling to set any thing on foot, that may breed Jealousie amongst Us; And finding [Page 6] many Officers decline the Signing all Papers of that Nature, and rather propense to declare their Testi­monie to the Parliaments Authority, and their ab­solute adherence thereunto, I have thought it My Duty to suspend the Execution of Your Desires, least it may make a breach of Affections amongst Us. And I further humbly offer to Your thoughts, That the Petition having been already Presented, and in Part Answered by the Parliament, Our Con­currence therein cannot be any ways advantageous. I shall not interpose Mine own Judgement concern­ing it, but do earnestly desire that Matters of such great waight may not be imposed upon us, who are not present at the Debates, nor Privie to the Coun­cils by which Your Resolutions may be Governed and led to such Actions. I shall not further trou­ble You, but only Represent to Your thoughts the great necessity We have to labour for Unity, in this day of Our fears. I shall not need to tell You, That mis-understandings between the Parliament and Army are the great hopes of Our Adversaries, and there is no other way to gratifie their designs. I bless the Lord for those evidences that I see, of a Peaceable Spirit, in Your Address. I do, and I shall always endeavour, and pray, That God would not break the staff of Our Beauty, or staff of Bands, That he would make all good men (though of different Judgements) one in his Hand, that We may arrive at that blessed Settlement, for which We have expended so much blood and Treasure: And as I have always endeavoured to express My [Page 7] Obedience, in acquiescing in the wisedome of those that God placeth over me, so I shall continue and ever be,