THE HUMBLE DESIRES AND PROPOSALS Of the private AGITATORS of Colonel Hewsons Regiment to the generall Agitators of the Army, to be presented to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and communicated to both Houses of Parliament.
Wherein is contained these particulars, viz.
- 1. Their desires concerning the Army
- 2. Concerning Prisoners being brought to tryall,
- 3. Concerning justice to be forthwith executed.
- 4. Concerning divers corrupt Members in both Houses of Parliament.
- 5. Concerning the Souldiers of this Kingdome, and their resisting of a forraigne Power.
London Printed by I. G. 1647.
THE HUMBLE DESIRES AND PROPOSALLS Of the private AGITATORS of Colonell Hewsons Regiment, to the Generall Agitators of the Army.
WEE cannot but review those divine manifestations to us, in a first and second modell of this Army. Its not altogether unlike the building of the Temple, the stones were ready hewed, and fitted for their severall stations, so that there was neither Axe, nor Hammer heard in the Temple; even so hath God erected and compacted us together in our various conditions to be a meane for the end, to administer and establish Truth, Peace, and Righteousnesse, in this our Tabernacle. We have not much heard the hammerings and noyse of flesh in our Councels, and resolutions, as to boast in the Arme of flesh; but in a still sure confidence in God, and from the manifest presence of God, have we obtained in all [Page 2] our adventures. The sweet union we had with God doth indeare us together in love, from the power of love. There was such a reprocall contract, that there did not so much of man appeare, as to make distinctions of names or parties, though differing in Judgement; God having seemingly accomplished the ends of our desires in conquerring the Kingdomes and our visible enemies, we were taken up to contemplate in the hopes of enjoying the fruits of our labours in a happy Peace: Then unexpectedly there appeared a Ghostlike enemy of the same spirit as the former, onely in another vizage, then God awaked us dead and dry bones, and gendred us together, and gave in life, light, and strength, to act without any known formes or Custome, but in unknown and untroden paths, save this maxim, viz. salus populi suprema lex. But above all this satisfied, viz the invitation of God in us to this work. Then were we acted out to elect adjutations, in which we have seene God clothed in your flesh, and prefigured in love, union, holines, me [...]k [...]es, and selfe annihilation the more you enjoy God, the more you thus live, and act like him; but on the contrary, if carnall selfe interest shall puff you up, and cause you to act beyond your spheire, and hereby beget divisions, then know that God is risen out of you, and will carry on the w [...]rk in some other dispensation: besides then you have forfeited the trust reposed, for the end of our electing of you was to unite scement, and contract us together, and for an orderly presentment of our grievances to the General, that [Page 3] confusion may be avoided, we speake not this from any feare or doubt you, but by motive in order to a reflection within you that ye may see God all in all, and the creature nothinged. We professe we rejoyce and congratulate with you for that sweet frame of spirit in love union and pulique intrest that is amongst you, and do in the name of the Souldi [...]ry of the R [...]g [...]ment give you manie thanks for your faithfull services and unwearied paines for the good of us, and the Kingdom, and as we have alwayes hitherto been satisfied with (and rested in your just proceeds: so wee shall not degress, but shall remaine in our formall way of presenting our agrievances to you: and shall rest in your known fidellity for the representing of them to the Generall, and as all we have had large testimony of the uprightnes, and faithfulnes of our ever honoured Generall and his Councel, so we humbly desire you to preserve in your duty as aforesaid, and there to acquiess. As also to resolve by the assistance of God to stand firme to your first principles, and submitting to and defending of the legall Au [...]hosity of Parliament, giving due obedience to the derivative power in the Generall, under whom we have had the presence of divine protection. We do as Adjutators for the severall and respective Companies in Col. Hewsons Regiment subscribe our selves.
The humble Desires and Proposalls of the Agitators of Colonell Hewsons Regiment, to be presented to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax.
1. THat the Parliament would speedily take care for pay for his Army.
2. That those Prisoners who have been committed, may be brought to a speedy and just Tryall, and being found to be unjustly imprisonned, maybe released and receive ample reparations.
[Page 5] 3. That justice may be forthwith executed upon all sorts and degrees of men, who were in the bloody designe to engage this Kingdome in a new Warre.
4. That all visible corrupt Members of both Houses in Parliament, may be forthwith expunged, without which we cannot have any happy assurance of safety.
5. That no persons may have places of trust in the Kingdome, but those of knowne fidelity that hereby we may be ready to resist any forraigne attempts.
[Page 6] And it is further humbly desired, (by the aforesaid Agitators) that these Proposalls may be forthwith presented to his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax; and to be communicated to both Houses of Parliament; that so, both his Excellencie and the Parliament, may forthwith proceed to a full period and result of the foregoing particulars, that Justice may the better be executed, upon all sorts and degrees of men, who were active in the late bloody designe to ingage this Kingdom in a desperate and new Watre, and that the Kingdome may, be also put into such a posture, and under faithfull Commanders, both of integrity and trust, that so they may be readie to assist and oppose anie forraigne power, upon anie attempt whatsoever.