To His Excellency, Thomas Lord Fairfax, Generall of all Forces raised by the Parliament, in the Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales.
The humble Petition of the Officers and Souldiers in Gol. Fleetwoods, Col. Whalies, and Col. Barksteads Regiaments, under your Excellencies Command.

THat through the blessing of God upon the Army, under your Excellencies Conduct, the enemies of this Nations [Page 3] Peace and Freedom, have been twice subdued.

That as we ingaged in Judgment and Conscience against them, to preserve this Nation from slavery, so we hope the Par­liament (by whom we were invited to ingage) would have ex­ecuted Justice, upon the publike and grand Enemies thereof, and immediately have setled a just Government, under which e­very mans freedom, right & propriety might have been preserved

That your Petitioners had some hope of that happy fruit of their labours, hazard and expence of blood, when the Parlia­ment voted no more addresses to the King, and hereupon your Excellency and your Petitioners did testifie their approbation of those Votes, and did ingage to adhere, and stand by them, in the settlment of the Nation without, & against the King, or any other that should partake with him, & your Excellency & your Petitioners received the thanke of both Houses for the same.

That notwithstanding a bloody War hath been since raised by the Prince his Commission, a forraigne Nation invited to (which did) invade us (and as there is ground to beleeve) by the Kings consent, thereby to inflave us, to his exorbitant will and lust,

Yet when through the great mercy and favour of God, all their forces were supprest, instead of having our expectations answered (as to a just settlement) we find.

That the wicked and bloody designes of the Enemies of this kingdome still continue, As of that of Ireland by Ormond, and that at home, threatning the lives of every wel-affected person. And this we humbly conceive they are the more imboldned un­to, because of the prevalency of some in greatest Authority, that will let no Justice be don upon the grand fomentors, contrivers and actors, in the first and late Warre. So that the Innocent blood of many of our dear friends (that hath been spilt) the ra­pines, robberies, burning and spoiling many welaffected towns and persons, of all livelihood, is forgotten, just Government subverted, and such petitions tending to a setling of a just & e­quall Government, (as that of the 12 of Septem. last, from the Cities of London and Westminster) sleighted, the intolerable bur­then of free Quarter still continued, no redresse of publick grie­vances, by reason of which the implacable malice of our twice [Page 4] conquered Enemies, seems to steal credit in the hearts of many) whose weaknes hinders them from discern­ing their evill ends) so that their bloody intentions against the well-affected in this Nation, doth begin to manifest it selfe, both against Parliament men and the Army, as is apparent by that most desperate and in­humain murthering of Col. Rainsborough.

That we conceive, your Excellency and the Army, next under God, are the only Bar, that lyeth in their way, hindring the accomplishing of their ends: so their main design is, how to destroy you and it. And that they endeavour by continuing us on free quarter, yet providing Ordinances, against it, and Instructions to enter into no mans house (except Innes, Ale-houses, & Taverns) against their wills, which was by us joyful­ly excepted, that thereby the Country might be eased of that devouring Creature Free-Quarter, yet when the Army was thus quartered for the ease of the Coun­try, we were content to make hard shift to maintaine our selves out of our pay though it was small, 2 s. per diem for horse, and 8 d. for foot, but that through the subtilty of our Enemies, hath been kept from us, we having not received any pay in six months together. So that we must either starve and lye in the streets, or else still oppresse the Country by Free-Quarter, which renders us odious to the people. And it cannot be o­therwise, seeing the Assessements of 60000 l. per men­sem, if it were all assessed and gathered (besides mony for providing Armes for the Horse and Foot, Recruit Horses, Ammunition for the Army and Garrisons, Clothes, Stockings, Shooes for Foot Souldiers, and other incident Charges) will not amount to the Per­sonall [Page 5] Pay of the Army by 12000 lib. per mensem.

Now we being pressed in our judgements, by our Enemies hellish and Bloudy designes; and their insolent and barba­rous Carriage, and also our hearts burthened with the un­setled condition of this poor Kingdom, are bold to present to your Excellencies consideration these things following.

• 1. That speedy and impartiall Justice may be executed upon all fomenters, contrivers, and actors in the first and late War.
• 2. That Inquisition be made for the bloud of Rainsbo­rough.
• 3. That the supream power may be declared and deter­mined, that the want thereof may not bee the ground of future, (as it hath been of these former) Wars.
• 4. That a period may be set for this present Parliment to end as soon as may be with safety, and provisions made for future Parliaments to meet certain without writ or sumons
• 5. That rules may be set down between the People and their Representatives.
• 6. That Laws may be made in things civill to bind all men, so that men in no case of offence, may be freed from the Law whereunto another is subject.
• 7. That all those common grievances and desires in our Declarations of June 14. and June 23. 1647. and expressed in the London Petition, be speedily granted and redressed.
• 8. That present provision be made for constant pay of the Army.
• 9. That the Arrears due from the 14. of Ianuary, may bee paid off, before we be commanded to pay Quarters, and that there may be no other abatement from Officers or Souldiers for free quarter, then according to the rates set downe in the Ordinance of Parliament, of the 14. day of December last.
• 10. That the Country may be paid for our free quarter, according to the Deduction out of our pay out of their Asses­ments.
• 11. That in as much as the Assesments fall short to pay the Army; That therefore there may be Additionall supplies out of the Estates of the old and new Delinquents, that there bee [Page 6] no more Tax or Charge to the Common-wealth.
• 12. That forthwith an account be called for from all per­sons that have been betrusted with any thing for the State, that the Kingdom may be satisfied therein.
• 13 That the Deanes and Chapters Lands may be given to pay the Souldiers Arrears, seeing the Parliament have given a­way the Delinquents Estates that should have done it.

These things being the proper issue of our serious thoughts, we implore your Excellency through the many blessings, deli­verances, victories and successes, the Lord hath crowned you withall, The dangers you have been preserved from, the mise­ries of this bleeding Nation, the blood of the innocent, the out­cry of the Widdow, and Fatherlesse, the sad omen of future troubles, to consider the necessity of attaining these things, that we may be no longer the scorn and contempt of the Nation, nor object of our Enemies malice, by the want of just peacce and settlement; but with an undaunted courage, to desire the Parliament that these things may be forthwith established, that w [...] may with safety be released, from this troublesome and ha­zardous imploiment, which by reason of the grivous oppression thereof, we professe we are weary of which things we chal­lenge as ours and the Kingdoms due, twice bought with our blood. In the doing which your Excellency shal not fail of their assistance who are ready to wade through a Sea of troubles, to have them established, though they perish in the work.

And your Petitioners shall pray, &c.