WEE received this inclosed paper the last night, from the hand of a very well [...]ffect [...]d Citizen, It was delivered him by an Officer of the Citie 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 mater of it, and to shew how dangerous and illegall it was, was silenced, and told that that it was not to be disputed, but to be signed and joyned in: there being divers Citizens and others at the same place for that purpose, which when he understood he tooke this printed copie 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 Kingdome, and to frustrate all those endeavours of the Parliament, the Army and Kingdome for a happy settlement: And likewise to precipitate all into a new and bloody warre. We cannot therefore but acquaint you that we looke at this as a business set on foot, by the mallice 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 with that th [...]t needless and superfluous listing of Auxiliaries, and co [...]ance at the continuance of the Reformadoes about the Cities of London and Westminster, have not had the same aime, and by this we hope it will appeare that our jealousies and feares of some such desperate designes to be hatched in and about the City (considering the temper of men there) have not been groundless, nor our desires to draw neare the City of London with the Army to disappoint and breake all such plots, and to free the Parliament from the violence of them, have not been with­out just cause: And we 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 near the City, and put so bad representations upon it, [...] that it tended to force the Parliament, or [...] plunder the City, seeing our doing so was to breake that black d [...]gre which now begins to shew it selfe in its colour [...]. Whereas indeed our consciences witnes with [...], that our aime were cleare and honest, 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 contrivers of this new Covenant and [...] whereof have been so farre from assisting to put the Reformadoes, and other dangerous persons out of the lines▪ that now they have called them to joyne in the conspiracy.

We intreat you to give the [...] representation of these things, which that you may doe, we have sent you the papers [...]ogether with such information as may give them an opportunity to discover the bottome of this business. We were marching from [Page 2] London when we received this information in obedience to the Parliament, and to give the City more content and to stop the mouth 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 this few dayes, they were by those that are invited in this confederacy, We beg 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 fruit and benefit of all that blood and treasure that hath been spent in this cause that they do 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 their and the Kingdomes enemies can doe, 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 right of this Kingdome are setled.

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 that City.

We are hastning our proposals which are for the generall settlement, and which we are confident will satisfie all that love truth and peace. But we see plainly, we need more to intend security, then have cause to expect to bring things to a happy issue by treaty, whilst such designes are on foot. We pray you therefore that the Parliament would speedily and throughly inquire into, and breake 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 Copy whereof you receive herewith) we still f [...]nd▪ and clearely perceive that some evill Spirits within the City of London malliciously disaffected to the Peace of the Kingdome; do secretly and wickedly endeavour to bring about that mischiefe upon the Kingdome, which wee have so much feared; and by all our addre [...]s unto you sought to prevent; which indeed are of that dangerous consequence, as we can expect no other issue from, then the unavoidable engaging of the Kingdome in a second Warre; if not timely and effe­ctually prevented by your wisdome and diligence: we must further observe unto you, that whatsoever Designe is intended in the foresaid Paper, it is contrary to the Authori­ty of Parliament and direct opposite to the proceedings of the Army, which the two Houses have owned as theirs, and approved of their Fidellity, by committing the For­ces of the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales, and Islands of Garnsey, and Jersey under the Generals care▪ and command▪ and therefore cannot be effected but by force of Armes against the Parliament and their Armies, which in probabillity may in­volve the whole Kingdome in blood, but must necessarily begin within your own bow­ells, and draw the seat and miserie of warre upon you and your City.

Also we desire you would consider whether we have not just cause to suspect, that an evil 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 his Parliament (at least such as will be for the Kingdomes good) which take upon them the boldness to make new offers to his Majesty, with solemn ingage­ments to make good the same during the time that the Parliament, hath given us leave to make tender of and treat with their Commissioners about those things which tend to a generall [...]ettlement, and therefore we cannot but desire that you would take a speedy course timeously to suppress this great evill, and to prevent all of this nature for the fu­ [...]ure, by making some of those examples, who have been active to carry on this business, we have not had time to inquire into particulars, but shall give you only one instance of a meeting at Skinners Hall concerning this business, 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 your concurrence in our desire to the parliament to put the Militia into the hands of those that had it before, without which we can have no assurance that your City will be free from designes of this nature, nor can we expect to see a happy close.