THat your Petitioners taking into their se­rious thoughts, the intolerable burthen which the Kingdom lyeth under by reason of free Quar­ter, the many sad complaints which our eares are dayly witnesses off, and [Page 2]the odium which hereby reflects on your Excellency and the Army, somthing we are duly paid, because the Country payes all thats deman­ded of them, and that we are neglec­tive of our duties in not discharging our quarters, as likewise considering the great inconveniences that may ensue; both the Kingdom and the Souldiery being impatient under this unsupportable expression. We could not longer delay to use our endea­vours for redresse.

Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Excellency will be pleased to cast your eye on this annexed petition, and after perusuall thereof, to represent it for us to the Parliament in such man­ner as your Excellency shall judge meet.

THat your petitioners have even from the begining of your sitting stood by you, using their utmost a­bllity for you in the Kingdoms preservati­on, & when they saw you could no longer subsist without Jeapording your lives, they did thereto shew much willingnesse, not making their own termes, but with all their strength did indeavour the pulling down of your and the Kingdoms enemies, which when they had through the good­nesse of God crowning their indeavours) done, they did then expect some satisfacti­on for their services and former losses, and a settlement of the Kingdom in their Birth­rights and priviledges, as the purchase of so much Blood and Treasure, which, while they looked for contrary to their expecta­tion, [Page 4]they found a second Enemy let loose, not only on them, but on you, seeking to involve the Nation in slavery and ruine, & then again did your Petitioners (though formerly much discouraged & neglected) freely adventuring, their lives in your de­fence, refusing no danger nor labour, nor in your low Condition troubled you with clamorous Petitions, or requests though they saw others game by runing that unci­vill course, but wholly betook themselves to the work in hand, which they suddenly through Gods owning of them, brought to an hopefull Issue, forsing those that rose up against you to lye at their feet, though it was not gained without the losse of much blood, and the lives of our dear and faith­full friends, yet to their unspeakable grief, even in this time they found themselves neglected, and not paid, having received but one months pay since the 12. of May last, so that they are constrained to lye upon free quarter, although much mony hath been collected for them, which hath begot­ten in the Kingdom an evill opinion of [Page 5]them, though undescorned, your Petitio­ners therefore for pervention of this insup­portable burthen of free quarter humbly pray,

1. That you will please to assign each Regiment of the Army, the particular County out of which they are immediate­ly to receive their pay, whereby not only the great Fees to Treasurers at Warre, a­mounting to near Ten thousand pounds, per Annum, besides what Committees, Clarkes, and other attendants belonging to them may be cut off, and your Petitioners freed from tedious attending, and great ex­pences, as usually they are exposed to. But the Countrey by the Souldiers receiving of constant pay, eased of this intolerable op­pression of free quarter.

2. That you will under the pay of our Arrears from the 5. of Jan. last, according to your engagements to us out of the mo­ney already paid in for that purpose, that so we may be inabled to cloth our selves, as the season of the year requires, and repair our losses in the late troubles.

3. That some course may be taken for recruiting the Regiment with Horses, ha­ving had none almost of three years, which we leave to your consideration, And pray, &c.