DEclaring that the sensibility each of us had within himselfe, of the condition the Souldier under our perticuler Commands at the present stands in; as also the great worke we have undertaken in this Province, for the establishment of Religion, and reducing the Irish Rebels to obedience, (of both which we know we are to give both God, and this Honourable House an accompt) drew us to a meeting the 23. Iune 1647. where we looked not back to what we were before the Right Honourable the Lord Lisle his Commission for the Lievtenancy of this King­dome was expired, but cast our best eyes on the posture the Army hath been since in, and is at this present day, and by what meanes [Page 2]the Warre might be carryed on here, to the best advantage of the publique. Thereupon we thought it our duties, to represent to this Honourable House in what an existence we were at his Lord­ships departure hence, and what hath accrued unto us since for the supportation of the Army; by examination of the providory, as he informed the Lord President we find with him at the Lord Lievte­nant his departure out of this Kingdome the 17. of Aprill last past, but 1300 l. worth of provision of all sorts, in the Treasurers hand of the 25000 l. the Lord Lievtenant brought over but 6220 l. 14 s. 2. d. of the Excise, Contribution Money, Customes, Custodium money, (and the like) in the said Treasurers hand but 486 l. 13. s. 6. d. of the grosse summe of 1562 l. 4 s. 6 d. by him received, du­ring his Lordships being here for the same, as the Deputy Treasurer hath delivered unto us under his hand; out of all which there was paid towards a weekes allowance due to the Army upon his Lord­ships going away, 1974 l. 9. s. 3. d. so that the whole money then left for the Army was declaro but 4732 l. 8. s. 5. d. Since which time there was sent over for the Armies use, 5000 l. in money, which the severall accesses of Horse, and Foot sent over hither to increase the Army, did so suddenly exhaust, (they coming over bare, and unsupplied) that both the old, and new Souldier hath been so scanted of meanes, that it hath caused a great mortallity in the Souldiers of both sorts, divers of them (even to a considerable number) being meerly famished, besides severall both Horse, and Foot, who to shun hunger (as we suppose) have run away to the Rebels, so that of 10606. Horse, and Foot, besides the trayne (ac­cording to the Commissaries book given in to the Lord President lately) we doe verily beleeve, there are now not above 9000. sick, and whole; our Ga [...]rison Streets present unto us every daysad specta­cles of many weak, sick, and feeble Souldiers, besides what lye sick in their quarters unseen, and in the severall Hospitals, and most of them for want of meanes; since that 5000 l. there came 1560. quar­ters of Pease, 360. quarters of Wheat, 22389. weight of Cheese, all the Wheat, and Pease, except 450. quarters of the Pease (as by the Commissaries certificate under his hand appeares) is spent, whose certificates, as also the severall others formerly herein men­tioned, we have sent by our Agents (for our further justification) [Page 3]there being nothing else to give the Souldier, except now, and then 6. d. a weeke in money, when Excise, Contribution, or the like comes in, And as we have herein represented the sad condition of the private Souldier, so we cannot but declare herein likewise, the pressing necessities of the Officers in Generall, many of them being in a worse condition then the Ordinary. Souldier, not re­ceiving for many monethes together any thing at all, whereby to give them a subsistance, yet notwitstanding the indigency of this our sad condition, we are willing and ever shall be to engage our lives, and fortunes, through the greatest difficulties to the promot­ing of the Protestant cause in hand, as formerly we have been, having during the time we had scarce a competent subsistance it self, applyed our utmost endeavours to the carrying on of the service, wherein the Lord blessed us with much successe, by taking Drum­managh, Cappaquin, and Dungarvan, all very considerable Garri­sons, but now our provisions, (the remainder of the Pease, and Cheese excepted) being exhausted, no money in the Treasury, the Contribution but monethly, the Excise, and other casualties un­certaine, and the Souldier wanting clothes to cover nakednesse, Hose, and Shooes for their Leggs, and Feet, whereby they are not able to march, or lye in the field, and the impossibility of making provision (if we had it) usefull for the Army when it goes abroad, for want of convenient Carriages, together with the weaknesse of the Army, coming home from their last march almost sterved, this Countrey at this time affording little or no provisi­ons, we are too necessitated not to engage the whole Army into the field, or before any Town, untill we shall receive fresh supplyes to enable us, and strengthen the Souldier for some future expedi­tion; and we must keep the Garrisons we have possessed our selves of, with our best endeavours; yet to prejudice the Enemy as much as our disability will suffer us, we have conceived it in our opini­ons (at this debate) most conducible for the advanceing the busi­nesse in hand, untill the Honourable Houses of Parliament shall please to looke more auspiciously on us, (their poore Ministers in this worke) and extend a larger hand unto us, that the Horse shall quarter upon the Fronteirs beyond the black water, and as many of the Foot as conveniently can be releived with such provisions [Page 4]as are left us, so long as they will hold out, shall be sent out or their Garrisons to lye at or neere Mallowe, to the end they may an­noy the Rebels, as oppertunity shall give way. But as we are bold to present our wants, and by the representation of them, to implore for meanes of subsistance, to ripen so good a worke, so we heartily desire that this our humble Remonstrance may not appeare to this Honourable House (to whom we labour to approve our selves) either an expression of our unwillingnesse to goe forward with the work, or a repining at the Honourable Houses dealing with us, but rather (as in truth it is) to endeavour the contrary, viz. an un­doubted willingnesse and earnest alacrity to goe through with it, according to our abilities, and supplies, To which purpose that we may not be thought to aske lesse then the condition we are in raiseth expectation, we shall humbly intreat, that some person, or persons of quality and trust, may be sent hither to audite exactly the accompts of all the profits, rents, customes contribution, and Ex­cise, (or whatsoever else is or may be an advantage to the State) amounteth unto, to the end that those that faithfully desire, and second their desires with endeavours, may not suffer in their re­putation under the severe censure of being carelesse in their actions for the publique, or cold in their performances. These accompts we the rather desire may be taken by some of the Honourable Hou­ses owne appointing, least it should be conceived, or reported, that the moneyes, and provisions already left, and received here, and the emergent profits of this place have beene, are, or may be suffici­ent to carry on the great weight of this Warre: As also because we here cannot as yet give any certaine intimation to this Honourable House, of so uncertaine a Revenew, which is not yet setled, and therefore not in a capacity to discharge the weekly burthen of this Army. All which we, who can act no further then the influence of the Honourable Houses will enable us to move, present for our selves, and the whole Army, who (together with them) acknow­ledge our selves

We (whose names are subscribed) being lately imployed unto the [...]onorable houses of Parliament by the army in Munster, (whereof [...]e are members) to bring over the above mentioned Remonstrance, [...]d intrusted also to sollicite, and negotiate a speedy supply unto [...]hem, in order whereunto we have delivered the same to either house of Parliament, whereof wee expect a comfortable answer, and re­turne, Have thought fit to publish the said remonstrance, for two rea­sons; First, that all good Christians taking notice thereby in what a dangerous, desperate, and sad condition that bleeding Province now stands, may be moved to contribute the more cheerfully in their persons, purses, and prayers, to the extreame necessity thereof, to the preservation from utter ruine of many thousands of afflicted Pro­testants, with the interest of the English Nation there; And second­ly, for that there is come unto our veiw, a Letter lately Printed, supposed to be written by Lieu. Colonell Knight, contayning ma­ny false, scandalous, and [...]alitious invectiv [...] against the person, and Government of the said Lord President, and much derogating from the honor and reputation of the Army in generall, and of some particular officers therein, in whose vindication wee know, and declare, that the materiall obiections therein mentioned ei­ther against the Lord president, or the rest, are false, injurious, and unworthy credit, and that (besides what is there affirmed of the misery, and scarsity of the Souldiers) there is little, or no man­ner of Truth mentioned in the said Letter, which wee believe the said Lieu. Colonell Knight did not write, but that it is counterfeited, and contrived by some disaffected person to the parties concerned therein, of purpose to cast aspertions undeser­vedly upon them, And the reasons moving us so to thinke are, that the said Lieut. Colonell did contribute his endeavours in the composure of the said Remonstrance, which is inconsistent with that Letter, and did subscribe the same, and that a person who holds so eminent a place in that Army, cannot act so much beneath himself, as to be the Author of so many palpable, and malitious untruths, as that Letter insinuates.