YOU cannot be ignorant of the many Endeavours, and earnest Desires of many good men in these Nations, to bring us to a Settlement; which it hath pleased God to dis-appoint unto this day, and leave us as a broken and divided People, ready to run into Blood and Confusion: which that we might prevent so great Calamities impending, after our earnest seeking God for his Direction and Assistance, we finde no Expedient so likely, for the satisfaction of the good People, and the quiet and welfare of this Commonwealth, as the re-admission of the Secluded Members, in order to a Legal Dissoluti­on on of this Parliament by their own free Consents; and to issue Writs for a future Full Representative of the whole Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, under such Qualifications as may secure our Cause, to convene on the twentieth of April next at Westminster, for the establishing of this Commonwealth upon the Foundations of Justice and true Freedom. And to take away all just Jealousies from you, we do assure you, that we shall joyn with you in the maintenance of those ends expressed in the enclosed; and do expect your cheerful concurrence with us: and we desire to take God to witness, that we have no Intentions or Pur­poses to return to our old Bondage; but since the Providence of God hath made us free at the Cost of so much Blood, we hope we shall never be found so unfaithful to God and his People, as to lose so glorious a Cause: But we do resolve with the Assistance of God, to adhere to you in the continuing of our dear-pur­chased Liberties, both Spiritual and Civil. The Reason of our Proceedings in this manner, may seem strange: but if you duely consider the Necessities of our Affairs, and the present state of things, you will certainly con­clude nothing so safe to secure Publick Interest, and to engage the Nations peaceably to submit to a Free-State; most of these Members having given us full assurance, that their Session in Parliament shall not be longer than absolute necessity-will require, to the putting the Government into Successive Parliaments; they not being free so to act by the old Writs, as when they shall be called upon a Commonwealth-Account; and it's the Opinion of the truest Friends to a Free State, That it cannot be consistent with the perpetual sitting of these Members, being contrary to the Nature of such a Government.

And as we are confident the present Parliament now sitting, will not Repeal any of the Acts, Ordinances, or Orders of this Parliament, for Sales, or Publick Disposition of Lands; so We shall in our Station observe, and cause to be observed, all other Acts and Ordinances of this Parliament whatsoever; and humbly interpose with the next succeeding Parliament, not onely to pass a farther Act of Confirmation of all such Sales and Dispositions of Lands, here and in Scotland, but also of all the Distributions and Dispositions of Lands and Houses in Ireland, to the Souldiery, Adventurers, or any other Persons, made by or in pursuance of any of the Acts, Ordinances, or Orders of this present Parliament, or any pretended Parliamentary Authority. And We entreat You to send up an Officer, to give to the Lord General Monck an Account of Your Acquiescence with Us herein. And if any dis-affected persons shall hereby take occasion to make disturbance of the Peace of the Commonwealth, either in favour of Charles Stuart, or any other pretended Authority, we desire you to secure them, till the pleasure of the Parliament or Council of State be known in that behalf. You shall spee­dily receive Encouragement and Supplies of Monies: and indeed, it was not the least Motive to induce us to this way of Composure of Affairs, That we might facilitate the raising of Monies for the subsistence of the Army and Navy; which would not otherwise have been done (if at all) but with effusion of blood. We have nothing more at this time, but to assure you that we shall ever remain,