AFter the Lord had wonderfully own'd the Army at the Fight at Worcester, by delivering into their hands and utterly dissipating the publike Enemies of this Common-wealth; God set a strong resolution up­on the hearts of the Officers of the Army, to seek after the effecting of good things in all lawfull wayes; but alwayes being tender of doing any thing against Authority: And many of them made it their work, to be laying hold on all opportu­nities, [Page 4]to perswade and convince the Parliament men of their duty.

And finding them slow in their proceedings, they thought it their duty not to lie still in perswasions, but to try in some more effectual way; whereupon in August last, there was a Petition from them pre­sented to the Parliament; for which they had thanks and some word of encouragement, That they would vigorously go on to effect those good things they desired; and the Parliament then committed over the consideration of them to several Committees, some of themselves, and some others: At which, they seeing the Officers a little satisfied, they began so to clash in their Counsel, that there was little a­greement; they then reigned in their old dull spirit, and thought, a may b [...] supposed, (and no [...] with­out grounds) to indeavour the breaking o [...] the ar­my, knowing them to be the onely Bug-bear in their way.

These things might be instanced in many parti­culars but especially in the last, in offering to reduce the army to so many less in number as came to one and thirty thousand p [...]unds per mensem. The Offi­cers being willing to condiscend what might be, did after Worcester fight, reduce the army to seven hundred in a foot Regiment; and the horse to sixty [Page 5]in a Troop, to save the Nation what might safely be from charge, which was all they conceived they could do with safety.

But the Officers seeing them rather active in ex­posing the nations peace to danger by this; they thought they were bound vigorously to prosecute those good things that was by them, in the behalf of the good people of the nation desired; & the Of­ficers set several dayes apart to seek the Lord, at which time it was set upon their hearts, that there was a duty incumbent upon them; and they appoin­ted a Comittee to confider of some particular things (as doth appear by the Letter sent out by them) yet still held up their Counsels and consultations, what was fit for them to do, making it their daily work, to quicken and incite the best in the House to do them­selves what was desired; or might conduce to the good of the Nation, rather then the Army should have any hand in the businesse.

And the Officers of the army made it their sole desires to have a new Parliament, and lay aside all o­ther considerations, clearly perceiving an impossi­bility for the honest men of the house, to carry on the good things that were so much longed for: then the House seeing that the Officers would not be sa­tisfied without some answer of their desires, set a­bout [Page 4]the Bill for a new Parliament, and went on with that; but (as clearly appear­ed) not so much to answer their desires, as to effect their own ends in the thing, by pas­sing several things in that Act of dangerous consequence

The Officers beholding, That the Bill would not answer the thing desired, and be­ing altogether unwilling (if possible, to pre­vent it) to use any other way then entrea­ties: They used means to procure several meetings with divers of the House, which they effected acc [...]rdingly; and when they met, the Officers freely laid open their hearts and thoughts to them, desiring the like from the Members, which was promi­sed: But after a full and naked discovering of their thoughts and hearts to the Parlia­ment men, their Reply to the Officers was, That they were not free to discourse there; but when they were in the House, they had [Page 5]their Negatives and Affirmatives.

The Officers seeing themselves thus dealt withal, held on their consultations, and came to some considerations what was fit for them to do; and as often as opportu­nity offered, prest the best of the House to do those good things desired, and prevent further mischief, telling them what they fea­red else would follow; yet all would not a­vail, but they went on in their old way.

This being clearly perceived, and that they went on vigorously with the Act, and some that had been averse to it, now pres­sing it, the Officers they thought it either time now to stir, or never; whereupon they made another Application to the best of the Parliament men, who (with much in­treaty) gave some of them a meeting the night before; but for all that, divers of the chief of them were strong the next morn­ing in prosecution to pass the Act, for a [Page 6]new Parliament to be called in November next: And if themselves having passed it, had that day then adjourned, as probably they would have done (had they not been dissolved) and by that means their Design frustrated, the whole Nation would have been in a sad condition, and involved in a Labyrinth of new troubles; which through Gods goodness, by this way of dissolving them, before it passed, is preven­ted.