SEVERALL ARTICLES OR The Heads of a Charge delivered in the name of the Army under
the Command of his Excellency Sir THOMAS FA [...]RFAX, to the Commi [...]sioners of Parliament, now with the Army; to be by them sent up to the Parliament.
AGAINST Denzill Hollis Esq. Sir Phillip Stapleton, Sir William Lewis, Sir John Clotworthy,
Sir William Waller, Knights; Major Gen. Massey, Sir John Maynard, Col. Walter Long,
Col. Edward Harley, and M. Anthony Nichols Esq. Members of the House of Commons: joyntly,
or severally, as followeth.
FJrst, that contrary to the trust reposed in them, the persons above named, Members of the House of Commons, have ioyntly or severally, invaded, infringed, or [...]ndeavoured to overthrow the rights and liberties of the Subiects of this Nation; in arbitrary, violent, or oppressive waies (and this in cases where no pretence was, or could be of the excegencies of warre, or other necessaries which might iustifie or excuse the same;) and they have likewise endeavoured by indirect and corrupt practices to delay and obstruct Justice, to the great dammage and preiudice of divers of the poore Commons of England Petitioning for the same.
II. That this Army being untill the middle of March last, in a quiet and orderly condition and posture, free from any colour or appearance of distemper or disorder, or from offence to any; and ready (upon reasonable satisfaction in their necessary dues for service past) either quietly to have dis-banded, or else to have engaged in service of Jreland; the persons above named, have Joyntly, or Severally endeavoured by false informations, misrepresentations, or scandalous suggestions against the Army, to beget misunderstandings, preiudices, or iealousies in the Parliament against their Army; and by deluding, surprizing, or otherwise abusing the Parliament, to engage the authority of Parliament in such proceedings, as to put intollerable and unsufferable iniuries, abuses, and provocations upon the Army; whereby to provoke, and put the Army into distemper; to disobliege, and discourage them from any further ingagement in the Parliaments service: by all which, and other the like practises and proceedings of theirs, the peace of this Kingdome hath been emminently indangered, and the reliefe of Jreland retarded.
III. That whereas the Parliament might otherwise have had out of the Army an entire force (answerable to their proportion designed,) to have gone for Jreland as aforesaid, under their old Officers, and conduct; the persons above named (for advancement of their owne ends, faction, and designes, and to the preiudice of the publique) have ioyntly or severally, under pretence of the service of Jreland, endeavoured by such evill practises, as before, to breake and pull this Army in pieces, to the weakning of the power, and endangering the safety of the Parliament and Kingdome; and have likewise endeavoured, to put the Patliament to the hazzard, delay, and vast expence of raysing a new Forc [...], as for that service.
IIII. That (with the breaking of this Army as aforesaid,) they have in like manner endeavoured, under pretence of Jreland, to raise a new Force (as before) to advance and carry on designes of their own in England, to the preiudice of the Parliament and Publique: And in pursuance of the same, have endeavoured to divert the Forces ingaged as for Jreland, unto such their purposss as aforesaid here in England; and have in like manner endeavoured to have gained a power from the Parliament, to themselves, or some of them, of diverting and misimploying those forces as aforesaid, and to raise new Forces under pretence to guard the Parliament: and (not having obtained that,) have in like manner endeavoured privately to list and ingage officers and Souldiers: or procure them to be listed and engaged, without authority of Parliament; for the raysing of, and embroyling this Kingdome in a new and bloudy VVarre, and to hinder the setling and securing the rights, liberties, and peace of the Kingdome; and for the sheltring, upholding and protecting of themselves, and their accomplices, in their uniust, oppressive, and factious designes and proceedings.
V. That they have ioyntly or severally invited, incouraged, abetted, or countenanced multitudes of Reformadoes, and other Officers and souldiers, tumultuously and violently to gather together at VVestminster, to affright and assault the Members of Parliament, in their passage to and from the House; to offer violence to the House it selfe; and by such violence outrages, and threats, to awe, and enforce the Parliament.
These severall Heads of charge, the Army will by such Solicitors as they shall appoint, (when the House of Commons shall admit thereof) make good in particulars each Head, against some of the persons, and some one Head or more against each of the persons: and shall shortly give in the severall particulars against each person respectively, which shall be made good by proofes: the Army desiring to save and reserve to themselves the liberty of adding any further charge against all or any of the said Persons