THE COPIES OF PAPERS FROM THE ARMIE DELIVERED By the Officers and Souldiers to his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax.
Also, how they have set a Guard upon the King, and their civill usage to the Commissioners, and Captain Titus the Kings M jesties Querrie sent up to the Parliament with a Letter.
London Printed for R. Simpson, 1667.
NEVVES FROM THE ARMY
I Have sent you here inclosed a Copy of the Votes of the Officers at a Councell of War, and the Petition of the common Souldiers, delivered by their Adjutants from [Page] the Regiments to the General, since which, the grand Committee of Souldiers have received some further Propo [...]tions, which when they are perfected, I will advertise you further of.
There were a party of Souldiers sent from hence to Holmby, who had Instructions for setting of a a Guard about Holmby, to secure his Majesties Person; and we have received advertisements of their performing the same with much modesty, and offering nothing but what becomes loyall Subjects to His Majesty, and they carry t [...]emselves very civilly to the Commissioners, who are there by order of both Houses of Parliament with the King, we here that the Commissioners have sent up C [...]ptaine Titus, one of his Majesties Que [...]ries, with Letters to the Parliament, to acquaint them therewith. Colonell Graves some say is gone, but of that you will be better satisfied from Captain Titus, who can acqu [...]int you with the small matter of hurt which was at the fray there, which perhaps some ill affected personr will make a great matter of.
The Sould ers are in great expectation what the Parliament will doe; some things they have to propound, for ought I see, they will wave part t [...]ll they here from the Parliament. This is all at present from
To his Excellency Sir
Thomas Fairfax Knight, Commander in Chiefe of the Parliaments Forces.
The Opinion and humble Advise of the Councell of Warre, convened at
Bury, Saterday
29. May. 1647. In relation to the Votes of Parliament, communicated to us by your Excellency and the desirs of our advice thereof.
1. THat upon the reports come to all quarters of the Army concerning the Votes and proceedings of the House May 21. As also of those on Tuesday, May 25. we find the generallity of the Army (as we are our selves) much unsatisfied in the one, and something amazed and startled at the other. the first Votes (of Friday) comming much short of satisfaction as to the grievances of the Army then reported to the House, and not taking any notice at all of some that were most materiall, & the latter (of Tuesday) importing a resolution suddenly to disband the Army by peace-meale, before equall satisfaction be given [...]o the who [...]e in any of the grievances, or so much as any consideration had of some others most materiall: And also before any effectuall performance of that satisfaction with the Votes of Friday seemed to promise as to some of the grievances, all which we shall be readie (upon a little time given us) to represent to your Excellency, more distinctly and in particular.
2. That the said distraction, and the iealousies occasioned uppon the same proceeding, as we f [...]are, and some effects already appearing doe find, may unhappily produce dangerous disturbanc [...]s and tumultuous actings amongst severall p [...]rts of the Army, as they now lie dispersed and remote from the Head quarters, esp [...]cially amongst those Regiments whose principall Officers, by neglecting or disserting their Soldiers in in their necessary concernments or iust grievances, have disobleiged their Soldiers, and lost their interest with them, in so much a [...] such Officers are in some sort forced to withdraw from their charges, and can scarce with safety come at them, & to prevent the inconveniencies or ill cons [...]quences which such disturbed or tumul [...]uous [...]ctings might produce either to the countrys where the Army quarters or to the kingdom,
VVe humbly advise your Excellency without delay, to draw the Army unto a closer posture of quarters, till upon further satisfaction the Army may be quietly and orderly disbanded.
II.
That upon the same dissatisfaction and jealousie we find an extream earnestnesse, and violent propensity among the Soldiers to a generall Randezvouze and wee verily beleeve, that the first attempt to disband any one Regiment, before equall satisfaction to all, and assurance against those things they have cause to feare, will occasion them all to draw together, and Kandevouze of themselves, as it were upon an Allarm &c.
III.
Since that course of disbanding the Army by piece meale, before the satisfaction intended be performed equally to the whle, seems somthing strange and unusuall.
IIII.
That they would be pleased to resume the things voted on Tuesday last, as also to resume the grievances of the Army, together with the things proposed in the Narrative from the Officers, and to give satisfaction, or at least some resolution to each of them, and that they would not think it fit to put that temtation, those jealousies, and that dishonour upon the Army, as to take it disbanded in scattered pieces, before satisfaction be equally given to the whole.
To his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, Knight, Captaine, Generall of the forces raysed by the Authority of Parliament. The humble Petition of the Souldiers of the Army, presented to his Excellency at a Councel of Warre, held at St. Edmunsburye on Saturday 29 May 1647.
THat we your Petitioners considering the late Orders for disbanding the Army without redresing our grievances, vindicating the Army, or calling to accompt such persons who have been intenders contrivers, and promoters of our destruction which (being b [...] reasonable) we humbly conceive we may justly expect and should not be denyed before our disbanding, considering also the strange unheard of and unusuall way of disbanding us a part one Regiment from another, contrary to the examples of other Armies disbanding in this kingdome: which posture renders [...] [...]ous to the kingdome, to whom for some of our Accompts (though humble and iust) we have already been [...]clared enemies, and to whom (for ought we know) the rest of our doing, may be presented with the same constructions.
We your Petitioners humbly beseech your Excellencie, you would be pleased to appoint a Randezvouze speedily for the Army, and also to use your utmost e [...]eavours that it be not disbanded before our sad and pressing grievances be heard, and fully redressed; which if not done before disbanding, wee humbly conceive we shall be enforced upon many inconveniencies which will (of necessity) arise, when we (though unwilling) shall be necessitated (for avoyding of destruction like to fall on the whole Army, if not prevented) to do such things ourselvess which if your Excellencie (out of your wisdome and prudence), shall prevent, by granting our just desires in a way of Order, we shall abundantly rejoyce in it, and be (with cheerfulnesse) enabled by it, to subscribe our selves,
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Adjutators of the Generals Regiment of Horse.
- Edward Sexby.
- Edward Taylor.
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Lieutenant Generals Regiment.
- VVi [...]liam A [...]len
- Sam: whiting
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Commissary Generals Regiment.
- Tho: Shepheard
- Anth. Nickson,
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Colonell Fleetwoods Regiment.
- Edward Twig,
- Thomas Jones,
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Colonell Whaleyes Regiment.
- Thomas Kendall,
- William Young,
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Colonell Sheffields Regiment,
- Edward Starre,
- Edward Gethings
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Colonell Butlers Regiment
- John Willoughby,
- Tobias Box,
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Colonell Sir Robert Pyes Reg [...]m [...]nt
- Thomas Brown,
- Barth. W [...]llock.
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Colonell Grave [...] his Re [...]ment
- George Steuson,
- Richard Salter.
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Colonell Riches Regiment.
- Nicholas Lockyer,
- John Braman,
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O [...] the [...]enerals Reg [...]ment of Foot.
- Edward Vaughan,
- Joh [...] Newson,
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[...]olone [...]l Wa [...]ers Regiment
- Robert Mason,
- Henry Anderton,
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Colonel [...] Harowes Regim [...]t.
- Nicholas Andrews
- Ralph Prentice,
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Colonell L [...]urnes Regiment.
- Herbert Field
- Thomas Walston,
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Colonel Hewsons Regiment.
- Edward Garn,
- Daniel Hincksman
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Colonell Lambarts Regiment.
- William Baker,