HIs Excellency by the advice of the Generall Councell of the Army, hath sent a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, to communicate the desires of the said Generall Coun­cell to the Parliament, which Letter his Excellency signed the 9th instant: The Heads where of are these:

I. Desiring that six weeks pay may be presently provided for the Army, or a moneths pay at least.

II. That their Arreares may be paid out of the Remin­der of Bishops Lands, Deanes, Deanes and Chapters, two parts of Delinquents estates, yet uncompounded for, and Forrest Land.

III. That if constant pay be provided for the Army, it shall be death to any who shall take free Quarter, or plunder; To which end they desire the 60000 li. per mensum, may be made up 100000 li. a moneth.

The Generall Councell, and the Agitators have concurred to adjourn sitting untill after the Generall Randezvouses, which will bee next week. And then something will bee tendred, which I hope will settle all.

Putney the 10th of Novemb. 1647.

WE cannot but with all thankfulnesse acknow­ledge that our sitting in peace is in a great part due to your Excellency, our sufferings being mo [...] then other Counties, the sense of reliefe cannot but be, [Page 3]as more acceptable, so the more obliging to those that receive it, the consideration hereof requires, in the first place, our hearty acknowledgement, which wee most humbly herewith tender you, in confidence of your wonted goodnesse, crave leave to represent to you some particulars, wherein (we conceive) your Excel­lency is abused, the Parliaments Orders disobeyed, and this City exceedingly wronged.

About nine moneths since the House of Commons commanded the disbanding (among severall other Forces in this County) a Troope of Horse, under the Command of Major Perkins, paying them a moneths pay, and the Committee of the West were to signifie to the Committee of this County, the pleasure of the House herein, which was accordingly done the 4th of January last: And the Committee of this County, knowing it to be a great service to the publique, bor­rowed the money being about 375 li. to pay them off. And the Major received five weekes pay (which was 74 l. more then the Committee here had order to pay them,) and the Order for disbanding, and paid his Troopes with it, and promised to disband, notwith­standing ever since (to the great oppression of this County) this Troope hath contrary to three severall Orders, some moneths since issued, continued toge­ther, exacted free Quarter from the County, and (as we are informed) have levyed divers summes of mo­ney on severall Parishes, and since they were question­ed for it, have produced an Order from your Excel­lency (procured as we conceive, upon a mis-informa­tion) dated the 25 of September last, for the quarter­ing of the said Troope within this County, we be­ing confident, as yet, the state of this businesse hath not been truely represented to your Excellency▪ And [Page 4]f [...]nding this to be presented as a great grievance (by the Grand Jury, at this our Generall Sessions thought it our duty to certifie these truths to you, beseeching you according to the Order of the House of Com­mons, and that of the Committee of the West, they may not keepe in a body, to the terrour of the people, and the absolute disabling us to levy the Grand As­sessements, for the pay of your Excellencies Army. The redresse of these our grievances will oblige us to remaine.

I Have received yours of October 9. wherein you are pleased to beginne with such acknowledge­ments, as I wish may alwaies be directed to God the Authour of your peace and blessings, and not to my self otherwise then as a weak Instrument in his hands, [Page 5]who shall expect or wish no returne from you but that (as I presume you are constant to the publique interest, which God hath so owned, so) that you would bee carefull that these whom yee have like­wise so eminently owned to make them the cheife In­struments of his worke, to your selves and the King­dome, may meete with no unworthy requitals: As to the businesse of Major Perkins his Troppe, I con­fesse I did before understand what you now write concerning the appointed disbanding thereof, and I thanke you for your friendly information.

I shall now leave it to bee accordingly disbanded by you, desiring, onely that (if possible) they may have the encouragement of three weekes pay, and the Certificates for what further Arreares (may be rea­sonable) due unto them, and that you would use the same hand towards what other Troopes of sallery Horse you have belonging to your County to dis­band them likewise (since they can none of them come within the establishment now resolved on by the Parliament) and so doing, I assure you, that I shall not continue to any, any order or countenance from me to keepe longer in a body, to the terrour or trouble of your Country, but doe hereby revoke what Orders they had from me for their quartering in your County. I have one request to adde in be­halfe of the Governour of Excester. Castle with the other Officers and foot belonging thereunto that (they being to be continued, and brought under the esta­blishment of the 180000. now resolved on by the Parliament, so as there will be very shortly order ta­ken for their constant pay) you would for the present take care and effectuall order, that they may be sup­plyed [Page 6]for their present subsistance, with either monies provisions, or convenient Quarters, neerest to their place of duty, which you will shortly have power to discharge, out of the Assesments of the County.