HAving taken up Armes in defence of the Authority and Power of King and Parliament under the Command of the Lord Grey of VVarke, and the Earle of Mancheſter, during their ſeverall imployments, with the Forces of the Eaſtern Aſſociation; and at the Modelling of this Army under the preſent Lord Generall, having been appointed by the honourable Houſes of Parliament, Major to the now Regiment of Lievtenant-Generall Cromwell, in each of which imployments have ſerved conſtantly and faithfully, anſwerable to the truſt repoſed in me. And having lately quit the ſaid imployment, and laid down my Commiſſion, I hold my ſelfe tied both in duty and conſcience, to render the true reaſon thereof, which in the generall is briefly this; Becauſe the Principles, Deſignes, and Actions of thoſe Officers, which have a great influence upon the Army, are (as I conceive) very repugnant and deſtructive to the honour and ſafety of Parliament and Kingdome, from whom they derive their Authority. The particulars whereof being a Breviate of my ſad Obſervations, will appeare in the following Narrative.

Firſt, That upon the Orders of Parliament for disbanding this Army, Lievtenant Generall Cromwell and Commiſſary-Generall Ireton were ſent Commiſſioners to Walden, to reduce the Army to their obedience, but more eſpecially, in in Order to the preſent ſupply of Forces for the ſervice of Ireland: But they, contrary to the truſt repoſed in them, very much hindred that ſervice, not onely by diſcountenancing thoſe that were obedient and willing, but alſo by giving incouragement to the unwilling and diſobedient; declaring, that there had lately been much cruelty and injuſtice in the Parliaments proceedings againſt them (meaning the Army) and Commiſſary-Generall Ireton in further purſuance thereof, framed thoſe Papers and Writings then ſent from the Army to the Parliament and Kingdome, ſaying alſo to the Agitators, That is was lawfull and fit for us to deny disbanding, till we had received equall and juſt ſatisfaction for our paſt ſervice; Lievtenant-Generall Cromwell further adding, That we were in a double capacity, as Souldiers, and as Commoners; and having our pay as Souldiers, we have ſomthing els to ſtand upon as Commoners. And when upon the Rendezvouz at Tripple Heath the Commiſſioners of Parliament, according to their Orders, acquainted every Regiment with what the Parliament had already done, and would further do in Order to the deſires of the Army, the Souldiery being before prepared, and notwithſtanding any thing could be ſaid or offered to them by the Commiſſioners, they ſtill cried out for Juſtice, Juſtice.

And for the effecting of their further purpoſes, advice was given by Lievtenant Generall Cromwell, and Commiſſary Generall Ireton, to remove the Kings perſon from Holdenby, or to ſecure him there by other Guards then thoſe appointed by the Commiſſioners of Parliament, which was thought moſt fit to be carryed on by the private Souldiery of the Army, and promoted by the Agitators of each Regiment, whoſe firſt buſineſſe was to ſecure the Garriſon of Oxon, with the Guns and Ammunition there, from thence to march to Holdenby in proſecution of the former advice, which was accordingly acted by Cornet Joyce; who when he had done the buſineſſe, ſent a letter to the General then at Kynton, acquainting his Excellencie that the King was on his March towards Newmarket: The Generall being troubled thereat, told Commiſſary-Generall Ireton that he did not like it, demanding withall who gave thoſe Orders; He replyed, that he gave Orders onely for ſecuring the King there, and not for taking him away from thence; Lieutenant-Generall Cromwell coming then from London, ſaid, that if this had not been done, the King would have been fetcht away by Order of Parliament, or elſe Collonell Graves by the advice of the Commiſſioners would have carryed him to London, throwing themſelves upon the favour of Parliament for that ſervice. The ſame day Cornet Joyce being told that the Generall was diſpleaſed with him for bringing the King from Holdenby, he anſwered, that Lieutenant-Generall Cromwell gave him orders at London to do what he had done, both there and at Oxford.

The perſon of the King being now in the power of the Army, the buſineſſe of Lieutenant Generall Cromwell, was to Court his Majeſty (both by Members of the Army, and ſeverall Gentlemen formerly in the Kings Service) into a good opinion and belief of the proceedings of the Army, as alſo into a diſaffection and diſlike of the proceedings of Parliament, pretending to ſhew that his Majeſties intereſt would far better ſuit with the principles of Independencie then of Presbyterie: and when the King did alledge (as many times he did) that the Power of Parliament was the Power by which we fought, Lieutenant Generall-Cromwell would reply, that we were not only Souldiers, but Commoners; promiſing that the Army would be for the King in the ſettlement of his whole buſineſſe, if the King and his party would ſit ſtill and not declare, nor Act againſt the Army, but give them leave only to mannage the preſent buſineſſe in hand.

That when the King was at Newmarket, the Parliament thought fit to ſend to his Majeſty, humbly deſiring, that in Order to his ſafety, and their addreſſes for a ſpeedy ſettlement, he would be pleaſed to come to Richmond; contrary hereunto reſolution was taken by the aforeſaid Officers of the Army, That if the King could not be diverted by perſwaſion (to which his Majeſty was very oppoſite) that then they would ſtop him by force at Royſton, where his Majeſty was to lodge the firſt night, keeping accordingly continuall Guards upon him, againſt any power that ſhould be ſent by Order of Parliament to take him from us: And to this purpoſe, outguards were alſo kept to preſerve his eſcape from us, with the Commiſſioners of whom we had ſpecially Orders given to be carefull; for that they did dayly ſhew a diſlike to the preſent proceedings of the Army againſt the Parliament, and that the King was moſt converſant, and private in diſcourſe with them; His Majeſty ſaying, that if any man ſhould hinder his going (now his Houſes had deſired him upon his late Meſſage of the 12. of May 1647.) it ſhould be done by force, and by laying hold on his Bridle, which if any were ſo bold to doe, he would endeavour to make it his laſt. But contrary to his Majeſties expectation, the next Morning when the King and the Officers of the Army were putting this to an iſſue, came the Votes of both Houſes to the King, of their compliance with that which the Army formerly deſired: After which his Majeſty did incline to hearken to the deſires of the Army, and not before: Whereupon at Caverſham, the King was continually ſolicited by Meſſengers from Lieutenant-General Cromwell, and Commiſſary-Generall Ireton, proffering any thing his Majeſty ſhould deſire, as Revenues, Chaplaines, Wife, Children, ſervants of his owne; viſitation of Friends, acceſſe of Letters, and (by Commiſſary-Generall Ireton) that his Negative Voice ſhould not be medled withall, and that he had convinced thoſe that reaſoned againſt it at the Generall Councell of the Army: And all this they would doe, that his Majeſty might the better ſee into all our Actions, and know our principles, which lead us to give him all thoſe things out of conſcience; For that we were not a people hating his Majeſties perſon or Monarchicall Government, but that we like it as the beſt, and that by this King, ſaying alſo, that they did hold it a very unreaſonable thing for the Parliament to abridge him of them, often promiſing, that if his Majeſty will ſit ſtill and not Act againſt them, they would in the firſt place reſtore him to all theſe, and upon the ſettlement of our owne Juſt rights and liberties make him the moſt Glorious Prince in Chriſtendome; That to this purpoſe for a ſettlement they were making ſeverall Propoſals to be offered to the Commiſſioners of Parliament then ſent downe to the Army, which ſhould be as bounds for our party as to the Kings buſineſſe, and that his Majeſty ſhould have liberty to get as much of thoſe abated as he could, for that many things therein were propoſed only to give ſatisfaction to others which were our Friends, promiſing the King that at the ſame time the Commiſſioners of Parliament ſhould ſee the Propoſalls, His Majeſty ſhould have a copy of them alſo, pretending to carry a very equall hand between King and Parliament, in Order to the ſettlement of the Kingdome by him, which beſides their owne Judgement and conſcience, they did ſee a neceſſity of it as to the people; Commiſſary Generall Ireton further ſaying; that what was offered in theſe Propoſalls ſhould be ſo juſt and reaſonable, that if there were but ſix men in the Kingdome, that would fight to make them good, he would make the ſeventh againſt any power that ſhould oppoſe them.

The Head-Quarters being removed from Reading to Bedford, His Majeſty to Woborne, the Propoſalls were given to me by Commiſſary-Generall Ireton, to preſent to the King; which His Majeſty having read, told me, he would never treat with Army or Parliament upon thoſe Propoſalls, as he was then minded: But the next day His Majeſty underſtanding that a Force was put upon his Houſes of Parliament by a Tumult, ſent for me againe and ſaid unto me, Go along with Sir John Barkley to the Generall and Lievtenant-Generall, and tell them, that to avoid a new warre, I will now treat with them upon their Propoſalls, or on any thing els in order to a Peace, only let me be ſaved in honour and conſcience: Sir John Barkley falling ſick by the way, I delivered this Meſſage to the Lievtenant-Generall, and Commiſſary-Generall Ireton, who adviſed me not to acquaint the Generall with it, till 10 or 12 Officers of the Army were met together at the Generalls Quarters, and then they would bethink themſelves of ſome perſons to be ſent to the King about it; And accordingly Com. Gen. Ireton Col. Raynsborow, Col. Hamond, and Col. Rich, attended the King at Woborne for three houres together, debating the whole buſineſſe with the King upon the Propoſals; upon which debate, many of the moſt materiall things the King diſliked were afterwards ſtruck out, and many other things much abated by promiſes, whereupon his Majeſty was prety well ſatisfied.

Within a day or two after his Majeſty removed to Stoke, and there calling for me, told me he feared an Engagement between the City and the Army; ſaying, he had not time to write any thing under his hand, but would ſend it to the Generall after me, commanding me to tell Com. Gen. Ireton, with whom he had formerly Treated upon the Propoſals, that he would wholy throw himſelfe upon us, and truſt us for a ſettlement of the Kingdome as we had promiſed; ſaying, if we proved honeſt men, we ſhould (without queſtion) make the Kingdome happy, and ſave much ſheding of blood. This Meſſage from His Majeſty, I delivered to Com. Gen. Ireton at Colebrook, who ſeemed to receive it with joy, ſaying, That we ſhould be the veryeſt Knaves that ever lived, if in every thing we made not good what ever we had promiſed, becauſe the King by his not declaring againſt us, had given us great advantage againſt our Adverſaries.

After our Marching through London with the Army. His Majeſty being at Hampton Court, Leivt. Gen. Cromwell, and Com. Gen. Ireton, ſent the King word ſeverall times, that the reaſon why they made no more haſt in buſineſſe, was becauſe that Party which did then ſit in the Houſe while Pelham was Speaker did much obſtruct the buſineſſe, ſo that they could not carry it on at preſent. The Leivt. Gen. often ſaying, really they ſhould be pulled out by the eares: And to that purpoſe cauſed a Regiment of Horſe to Rendevouze at Hide Park to have put that in execution as he himſelf expreſſed, had it not been carryed by Vote in the Houſe that day as he deſired: The day before, the Parliament Voted once more, the ſending of the Propoſitions of both Kingdoms to the King by the Commiſſioners of each Kingdome at Hampton Court. Com. Gen. Ireton, bad me tell the King, that ſuch a thing was to be done to morrow in the Houſe, but his Majeſty need not bee troubled at it, for that they intended it to no other end, but to make good ſome promiſes of the Parliament, which the Nation of Scotland expected performance of: And that it was not expected or deſired his Majeſty ſhould either Sign them or Treat upon them, for which there ſhould be no advantage taken againſt the King. Upon the delivery of which Meſſage, His Majeſty Replyed, he knew not what Anſwer to give to pleaſe all without a Treaty. Next day after this Vote paſſed, the Leivt. Generall asking me thereupon, if the King did not wonder at theſe Votes; I told him no: For that Com. Gen. Ireton, had ſent ſuch a Meſſage by me the day before the Vote paſſed, to ſignifie the reaſon of it: The Leivt. Generall Replyed, that really it was the truth, and that we (ſpeaking of the Parliament) intended nothing elſe by it, but to ſatisfie the Scots, which otherwiſe, might be troubleſome. And the Leivt. Gen. and Com. Generall enquiring after His Majeſties Anſwer to the Propoſitions, and what it would be, it was ſhewed them both privately in a Garden-houſe in Putney, and in ſome part amended to their own minde. But before this the King doubting what anſwer to give, ſent me to Leiv. Generall Cromwell, as unſatisfied with the proceedings of the Army, fearing they intended not to make good what they had promiſed: and the rather becauſe his Majeſty underſtood that Leiv. Gen. Cromwell, and Com. Gen. Ireton, agreed with the reſt of the Houſe in ſome late Votes that oppoſed the Propoſals of the Army, they ſeverally replyed, that they would not have his Majeſty miſtruſt them, for that ſince the Houſe would goe ſo high, they only concurred with them, that their unreaſonableneſſe might the better appeare to the Kingdom; And the Leiv. Gen. bad mee further aſſure the King, that if the Army remained an Army, his Majeſty ſhould truſt the Propoſals with what was promiſed to be the worſt of his conditions which ſhould be made for him; and then ſtriking his hand on his breſt (in his Chamber at Putney,) bade me tell the King, he might reſt confident and aſſured of it; and many times the ſame Meſſage hath beene ſent to the King from them both, but with this addition from Com. Gen. Ireton, that they would purge and purge, and never leave purging the Houſes, till they had made them of ſuch a temper as ſhould doe his Majeſties buſineſſe. And rather then they would fall ſhort of what was promiſed, he would joyne with French, Spaniard, Cavileir or any that would joyne with him to force them to it. Vpon the delivery of which Meſſage the King made Anſwer, that if they doe, they would doe more then he durſt doe. After this the delay of the ſettlement of the Kingdome was excuſed upon the commotions of Col. Martin, and Col. Rainsborough with their adherents; the Leiv. Gen. ſaying, that ſpeedy courſe muſt bee taken for outing them, the Houſe and Army, becauſe they were now putting the Army into a Mutuny, by having hands in publiſhing ſeverall printed Papers, calling themſelves the Agents of five Regiments, and the agreement of the people, although ſome men had encouragement from Leiv. Gen. Cromwell, for the proſecution of thoſe papers; and he being further preſt to ſhew himſelfe in it, he deſired to be excuſed at the preſent, for that he might ſhew himſelfe hereafter for their better advantage, though in the company of thoſe men which were of different judgements he would often ſay, that theſe people were a giddy-headed party, and that there was no truſt nor truth in them; and to that purpoſe wrote a Letter to Col. Whaley that day the King went from Hampton Court, intimating doubtfully that his Majeſties Perſon was in danger by them, and that hee ſhould keep Outguard to prevent them; which Letter was preſently ſhewed to the King by Col. Whaley.

That about ſix dayes after, when it was fully known by the Parliament and Army that the King was in the Iſle of Wight, Com. Gen. Ireton ſtanding by the fire ſide in his Quarters at Kingſtone, and ſome ſpeaking of an agreement likely to be made between the King and Parliament, now the Perſon of the King was out of the power of the Army: Com. Gen. Ireton replyed, with a diſcontented countenance, that hee hoped it would be ſuch a Peace, as we might with a good conſcience fight againſt them both. Thus they who at the firſt taking the King from Holdenby into the power of the Army, cryed down Presbyterian Government, the proceedings of this preſent Parliament and their perpetuity, and inſtead thereof held forth an earneſt inclination to a moderate Epiſcopacy, with a new election of Members to ſit in Parliament for the ſpeedy ſettlement of the Kingdom, and afterwards when the Eleaven Members had left the Houſe, and marching through London with the Army, the ſeven Lords impeached, the foure Aldermen of London committed to the Tower, and other Citizens committed alſo; then againe they cryed up Presbyterian Government, the perpetuity of this preſent Parliament. Leiv. Gen. Cromwell further pleaſing himſelfe with the great Summs of money, which were in Arrear from each County to the Army; and the Tax of ſixty thouſand l. per Moneth for our maintainance; now ſaith he, we may be for ought I know an Army ſo long as we live; and ſince the ſending forth the Orders of Parliament for the calling their Members together, Leiv. Gen. Cromwell perceiving the Houſes will not anſwer his expectation, he is now again uttering words, perſwading the hearers to a prejudice againſt the proceedings of Parliament, again crying down Presbyterian Government, ſetting up a ſingle Intereſt, which he cals an honeſt Intereſt, and that we have done ill in forſaking of it; to this purpoſe it was lately thought fit, to put the Army upon the chooſing new Agitators, and to draw forth of the Houſe of Parliament 60 or 70 of the Members thereof, much agreeing with his words he ſpake formerly in his Chamber at Kingstone, ſaying, what ſway Stapleton and Hollis had heretofore in the Kingdome, and he knew nothing to the contrary, but that he was as well able to govern the Kingdome as either of them; ſo that in all his diſcourſe nothing more appeareth in his ſeeking after the Government of King, Parliament, City, and Kingdome; for the effecting whereof he thought it neceſſary, and delivereth it as his Iudgement, that a conſiderable Party of the Chiefe Citizens of London, and ſome of every County, be clapt up in Caſtles and Garriſons, for the more quiet and ſubmiſſive carriage of every place to which they belong. Further, ſaying, that from the riſing of the late Tumult in London, there ſhould be an occaſion taken, to hang the Recorder and Aldermen of London then in the Tower; that the City might ſee the more they did ſtirre in oppoſition, the more they ſhould ſuffer, adding that the City muſt firſt be made an example. And ſince that Leivt. Gen Cromwell was ſent down from the Parliament for the reducing of the Army to their obedience, he hath moſt frequently in publick and private, delivered theſe enſuing heads as his Principles, from whence all the foregoing particulars have enſued, being ſully confirmed as I humbly conceive by his practiſe in the tranſaction of his laſt yeares buſineſſe.

Theſe Gentlemen aforeſaid in the Army thus Principled, and as by many other circumſtances may appear, acting accordingly, give too much cauſe to believe that the ſucceſſe which may be obtained by the Army (except timely prevented by the wiſdome of the Parliament) will be made uſe of to the diſtroying of all that Power for which we firſt Engaged, and having (for above theſe twelve Months paſt) ſadly and with much reluctancy obſerved theſe ſeverall paſſages aforeſaid, yet we have ſome hopes that at length, there might be a returning to the obedience of the Parliament; and contrary hereunto, knowing that Reſolutions were taken up, that in caſe the Power of Parliament cannot be gained to countenance their Deſignes, then to proceed without it. I therefore choſe to quit my ſelfe of my Command wherein I have ſerved the Parliament for theſe five years laſt paſt: And put my ſelfe upon the greateſt hazards by diſcovering theſe truthes, rather then by hopes of gain with troubled minde, continue an aſſiſtant or abetter of ſuch as gives affronts to the Parliament and Kingdome by abuſing of their Power and Authority, to carry on their particular Deſigns. Againſt whom (in the midſt of danger, I ſhall ever avow the Truth of this Narrative: And my ſelfe to be a conſtant faithfull and obedient Servant to the Parliament of England