THE DISPLAYING Of the Life-Guards COLOURS.
THe Stir-rups, by which many have mounted into the Saddle of Authority and power, and the stalking horses whereby they have deceived well minded people have been specious pretences of their great desires after the publicke good; their actings only have discovered them to be feigned pretenders, and men pretending publicke good, for their private advantage, which being brought forth, the panges of their travell cease, unlesse to confirme themselves as nailes in sure places.
There hath been of late a design, (pardon the word) to disband part of the Army, and that (if you will believe it) for the Kingdomes good; of which company his Excellencies Life-guard must have the honour to be Frontiers, for reasons best known to their lovers. Wherefore an Order issued out from his Excellency in January last for their marching from their quarters in Hertford-shire unto London, to be disbanded there. The Copy of which Order heer followes.
A Copy of his Excellencies Order for the Life-Guards comming to London to be disbanded.
WHereas the Parliament hath ordained and appointed the forces under your command, being my Life-guard, to be disbanded, and have taken orders that the said Life-guard or forces to be [Page 2]disband [...]it [...]cept such as have been entertained since the sixth of August last (who are to be discharged without money) shall before disbanding have their accounts stated, receive two moneths pay in hand, and Dibenturs for the remainder, and those to be registred, and by severall Ordinances secured; those Arreares by good and vi [...]ble security to be hereafter paid, or that they shall be agreed with all for their whole arreares by a grosse summe in hand; and have authorited Commissioners to see these things done.
These are to require you upon notice from their Commissioners intrusted with that service, you with the said forces under your command do readily comply and give due obedience in all things requisite for the effectuall and speedy dispatch of that service, and the disbanding the said forces under your command, according to the said resolutions and directions of Parliament. The said service being of great concernment to the publicke and the ease of the Country. The Parliament and my selfe expect all due observance heerin: And for so doing this shall be your Warrant, under my hand and seale at Windsor the 28. of January 1647.
In obedience to which Order the Troop marched under the conduct of their Officers to Barnet neare London, and after into the City. Where some of the Gentlemen calling to mind their solemne engagement with the Army, not to disband nor divide, nor to suffer themselves to be disbanded nor divided; and perceiving a necessity of submitting to his Excellency, thought by a Remonstrance so to free themselves from their engagement that they might with safety of conscience suffer themselves to be disbanded. Which Remonstrance was February the 6. presented to his Excellency. The Copy whereof heer insues.
An humble Remonstrance to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, from the Gentlemen of his Excellencies LIFE-GUARD.
WE Gentlemen of your Excellencies Life-guard formerly with your Excellencies concurrance (being moved by the unquestionable dictates of reason, and Parliamentary Declarations, to endeavour this Kingdomes and our owne preservation; against the desperate designes of un-naturall persons, tending to this Kingdomes and our owne destruction) Armies Booke Declar. p. 23.26. have disputed the Commands of Parliament, and entered into a Solemne Engagement, not to disband nor divide, nor to suffer our selves to bee disbanded, nor divided, till full and equall satisfaction be given to ours and others just desire, and security sufficiently provided for us, and others adhereing to us; in regard of actions done in the late Warre, and things Agitated in our late endeavours of procuring and promoting our Countries happinesse: in expectation of which satisfaction, and security, wee have a long time travelled with great desire, and have been hitherto frustrated, to our no small griefe, either through weaknesse, unskilfulnesse, or unfaithfulnesse of our Midwives, or the prevalent practises of our Bloud-thirstie enemies.
And now understanding by your Excellencies Order, the resolution both of the Parliament, and your Excellency to disband us; we are enforced, humbly to Remonstrate to your Excellency, as followeth.
That although we are willing and desirous, for the Countries ease to disband; and in all Lawfull things to be obedient to your Excellencies Command: yet we cannot give our consent to bee disbanded at present, without great dishonour to your Excellency, and our selves, and unfaithfulnesse to the Kingdome, Parliament and Armie.
First, Because by consenting to disband, wee shall make our selves [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]betrayers of our Trust, and destroyers of our faith in our Solemne Engagement, whereby wee Engaged not to disband nor divide, nor to suffer our selves to be disbanded nor divided, till enjoyment of full and equall satisfaction [...]nd security, which as yet is not visible to our [...]ight [...] neither are we informed from that Councell, A.B.D. pag. 26. which wee wi [...] the whole Army Erected, and in whose determination we promited to acquiese, that there is any such satisfaction or security, and therefore cannot with safety of conscience voluntarily disband, nor willingly [...]u [...]er our selves to be disbanded.
Also because by disbanding, wee shall for present discourage the hearts, and weaken the hands of our dear Fellow-Souldiers: and shall (in all probabilitie) make way for their sudden disbanding by parcells, and so render them (as well as our selves) uncapable of acting for their owne and the Kingdomes welfare; From which evill, we desire to keepe our hands cleane; least theirs and the peoples just cries ascend into the eares of the most High against us.
Lastly (to mention no more) our present disbanding will not ease the Country, (unlesse for present) but introduce greater burdens, than they have yet borne (it being the way for present to weaken, and in all probability suddenly to destroy the Army, the Hedge of their safety) which we desire may not, but feare will be the effect of it.
We shall not now speake much of the proposed way, and tearmes of our disbanding, they being not the end of this Remonstrance: although we conceive the way dishonourable, wee being appointed the first to disband, as if your Excellencies Life-guard were most hurtfull, or least usefull in the whole Army: and the tearmes both dishonourable and unreasonable, there being provided at disbanding for those of us, to whom something is promised, A.B.D. p. 67. lesse than those received at disbanding, who deserted the Army; and for others of us, who were invited by publique Declarations, and admitted by speciall Orders from your Excellency to ride amongst us, there is nothing provided at disbanding, because not listed within the Hundred before the Sixth of August; A.B.D. p. 38. notwithstanding promises made to them of full and equall satisfaction with others, and their dangerous adventures, and excessive expences in joyning with us, to procure the same common end, Liberty and Safety.
Now if your Excellency shall proceed in your resolution to disband [Page 5]us, we cannot, we shall not re [...]st; but shall leave this as a witnesse to the whole Kingdome of our willingnesse to appeare faithfull, and that we are not guilty of procuring those miseries, that may light on the Country, as consequences of disbanding.
In conclu [...]ion, may it please your Excellency to honour us so farre, as to take this paper into your Excellencies serious consideration; and to returne an answer, which we humbly expect. Now the God of wisedome in a [...]l things direct your Excellency, that you may still continue a glorious Instrument of much good to this poore Kingdome, which is the prayer of,
After the Generall had received this Remonstrance and taken it into consideration, his Excellency returned this answer to M. John Knowles (who was appointed to present if) That there were two things he observed in it:
First, that the Gentlemen did conceive, that they should by a willing disbanding breake their engagement with the Army.
Secondly, that they thought it dishonourable to be disbanded first. To the first, his Excellency replied (as M. Knowles related) That he conceived that the end of their engagement would not be broken by disbanding, seeing satisfaction and security were provided, and disbanding would be an ease to the Country.
To which he answered to his Excellency, That the Gentlemen did conceive, that by a willing disbanding they should destroy the engagement, full satisfaction and security being not visible to them, and they having received no information thereof from that Councell, which was constituted by the Army to determine what is, and to declare when there is full satisfaction and security; in whose determinations and declarations only they were bound to acquiesse. And further he said, That the end of the Gentlemens remonstrating was, so to free themselves from the engagement, That they might without hurt to their consciences readily disband at the command of his Excellency. Other things he reported, the mentioning whereof may heer well be omitted.
The Gentlemen having by this Remonstrance both freed themselves from their [Page 6]en [...]agement, and received more certain knowledge of his Excellencies resolution to disband them, they began to consider of honest and just tearmes of disbanding, which they represented to the Generall in their proposals, wherein not being was desired by them but what his Exce [...]lency in his Order had promised to them; The truth whereof the Copy heer annex [...]d will manifest and clearly discover.
To his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax Generall.
THe humble proposals of your Excellencies Life-guard. How great our diligence hath been in obedience to your Excellencies commands, our deportment hitherto and hereafter (we hope) hath and shall sufficiently speake. And that we do not tolerate any unruly spirit amongst us, to the disturbing of the Army or Kingdome. Wee shall likewise declare (and though we cannot but judge) that our present disbanding is a detriment to our honour and other things which we may justly plead. Yet we do resolve to obey when we shall receive a command thereunto, not doubting but all those things shall be made good unto us, which were agreed upon by your excellency with your Generall Councell of Warre and the Commissioners of Parliament at Windsor, the denyall of which will be an impediment to our present disbanding, for the removing of which hinderances; We humbly offer these things following to your Excellencies most serious consideration.
That we may have our Accompts as well veterane as new audited and Registred by the Commitee of the Army (or by such as they shall appoint) and visible security given to us according to the Agreement.
That we may be continued in pay and Quarters assigned us, untill our Debenturs are perfected, and such visible security given.
That we (or such of us as shall desire it) may be compounded with and paid off in grosse, and Trustees appointed for that purpose.
These things we humbly conceive are consonant unto the above mentioned Agreement, and of great concernment to our selves and [Page 7]the whole Souldiery, how unspeakable our trouble and prejudice will be to wait for them after we shal be Disbanded. The dreadfull former examples of others, and our present expensive abode in the Citie, compelleth us humbly to present to your Excellencies most sad contemplation, And wee hope it will not resent ill with your Excellency, if wee shall refuse willingly to Disband untill they are performed: After which we shall readily shew our obedience, when we shall receive a Command thereunto from your Excellencie.
These just Proposalls humbly presented to his Excellency, procured for them only a referring (for their satisfaction) to the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Army, to whom t [...]e Gentlemen made their addresse, and received an answer which tended b [...]th to their dish [...]nour and disadvantage. The Committee telling them that they were Disbanded long since, and that they must waite upon their owne charges for their Debenturs.
The Gentlemen considering how dishonourable it was to them to be Disbanded li [...]e a Cashiered and ill deserving Company, not received so much as thankes for their Service, and knowing how chargeable 'tis to wait on Committees, and believing that if they should submit to this hard usage, others of the Souldiery to [...]e Disbanded (who were lesse able to beare it) would meet with as hard (if not harder) dealing at their Disbanding, resolved once more to ma [...]e their addresse to his Excellency, desiring to know of his Excellency what they should do? Who told them that he wondred they did not disperse themselves. They further desi [...]ed to know what they should doe with their Colours? His Excellency told them, they might bring them to him, or dispose of them as they would.
N [...]w the Gentlemen ill resenting their friends carriages towards them, they deserving beetter at their hands, were so provoked that divers of them resolved to seize on the St [...]ndard, which accordingly they did, and marched with honest intentions out of the City unto Knights-bridge, where they stayed till they received an Order from his Excellency to appeare before him and his Councell at White-hal, Febr. 24. where they in obedience to his [...]xcellencies Order, waited to know his Excellencies pleasure with them, and presented to his Excellency and his Councell a Declaration, whereby they Remonstrated their Reason of their action in seizing upon, and securing their Colours. A Copy wherof here followeth.
The Declaration.
WE the Gentlemen of his Excellencies Life-guard being brought to L [...]ndon by an Order under his Excellencies hand and [...]eal for the receiving of these several Particulars, therein mention [...]d before disbanding, That two Moneths Pay be received, Accounts in general audited and registred, visible Security given, those that wil compound for their Arreares in grosse, the Act of Indemnity confirmed, and all these things [...]e [...]s [...]ed before Disbanding.
We there [...]ore the aforesaid Gentlemen, do declare to the Parliament, General, Army, and the whole Kingdom, That we have indeed received two Moneths Pay, and a Promise that the Debentures of this Army should be perfected, and brought within the Security above mentioned; but we desire the World to take notice, that our entertainment untill disbanding, the auditing and securing of our old Accounts, and the exact fulfilling of the general Warrant, are denied; upon which, for the Generals and our own honour, and the clearing of the just right of the whole Souldiery, we have been enforced to secure our Standard in our own hands, with no other intent, sinister end, or desire of standing (which we all in general protest against) but onely that when the Generals honour in fulfilling his Warrant shall be vindicated, our persons and Arreares secured, and the Army shall acquit us from all our former Engagements to and with them; then we say, these things being accomplished, we shall (as men of honour and honesty) in the open field with our Officers heading of us which will speak a Disbanding, not a cashiering, either deliver up our Colours to the General, or otherwise, honourably dispose of them, as becomes Souldiers. Nor can we thinke it consistant with our Honours to dissolve privately, and without punctual order in a City, when we have alwayes [Page 9]stood by our Colours in the field, where we first received them, and shall again leave them.
We also do believe that the whole World will deem we act but the parts of men of honour and honesty, if we shall not willingly suffer the just Rights and honour of our General, our selves, and all the Souldiery to be deteined from us without making it manifest, that we are sensible of so great an injury offered to them and us, and of the prejudice we shall unavoidably intaile upon all that shall disband after us.
These things following are the summe of our desires.
That the summe of our Accounts both old and new be audited and secured, those (that please) compounded with in grosse, (that our Pay go on with the Army, untill the day when by punctual order from the General we shall be in the field disbanded, and at that time each mans Debentur together with his particular Discharge may he delivered to him, that the generals Order which sayes, [These things above mentioned ought to be performed before disbanding] may be cleared, fulfilled, his reputation vindicated, for putting in that word [before disbanded] without which the interest of the whole Souldiery will be injured, theirs and our Expectations frustrated, both they and we inforced to that tedious and expensive attendance upon Committees which the former sad Experience of others hath made us seek with all possible meanes to avoid.
We shall not in the least measure aggravate the actings of that Counsell (hoping that they hereafter may learne to do better) but shall yield a briefe and true Relation of general Passages, to give light to those that desire satisfaction concerning the Life-guards [Page 10]late Transactings. The Gentlemen being convened at White-Hall (the place where the Counsel sate) three of them, to wit, M. Clarke, M. [...]iggs, M. Thirkill, were one by one called into the Counsel, where their Accusations were Interrogatories, and their persons for real or pretended Crimes made Prisoners, two whereof (M. Clarke, M. Thirkill) under-went a close imprisonment. And all the Gentlemen of the Life-guard had till nine a clocke at night the Kings Palace for their Prison, they being denied egresse t [...]ll that time to go about their necessary occasions. The fore-mentione [...] Declaration was sent into the Counsel by the hands of four G [...]lemen intrusted for that purpose. The Counsel would scarce vouchsafe to the L [...]fe-guard so much honour as to reade the presented Paper. The Gentlemen sent in were coursely handled, and c [...]used to test [...]fie under their hands that they came in the name of the Troop; and so were dismissed (as Prisoners upon Perroll) with the whole Troop, and ordered to appear on the morrow by nine of the clocke. Who being come together, sent into the Counsel a Vindication of these Gentlemen who were imployed by the greatest part of the Gentlemen and suspected by the Counsel as Pretended Representatives. The Copy of which Vindication here followes.
We the Gentlemen of his Excellencies Life-guard, whose names are here under-written, did desire and appoint (and do own it as our own act) M. Clarke, Captain Bigg▪ M. Burleigh, M. Lee, M. Bouchir and Maj. Cain, in our Names to deliver unto his Excellency and the Counsel of Warre that our Declaration and those our summary desires which they did accordingly the last night present as afore-mentioned. In witnesse whereof we have hereunto subscribed our hands this five and twentieth of February, Anno Domini 1647.
We further humbly desire this honourable Counsel of Warre to take notice, that in point of takng our Colours into our own custody, or the concealing of them. We do own as [Page 11]an act which we all approve of, consent to, and hold our selves equally to be engaged in the owning of that act as the act of the whole Troop. And expect that their sufferings who are at present confined may not exceed our own.
This is subscribed by the Gentlemen of his Excel. Life-guard.
This Vindication was subscribed by many who had no han [...] in seasing upon and securing the Standard, to which Subscription they were induced for the good of those Gentlemen (Men of desert) who were in great danger for it, if the Councel were in earnest, and acted not meerly from policy, to affright the Gentlemen, and keep in aw the whole Souldiery, that they might not for future dare appeare opposers of their arbitrary Power. The Councel having knowledge to what place the Standard was conveyed, sent (Febr. 25.) a Troop of Horse to the Lambe on Snow-hill, where they found it and conducted it, to the Generals Quarters in Queenes-street, where it remaines. The Souldiers who were imployed in that Service hath professed since their ignorance of that undertaking. After the Colours were if the Generals possession, the Councel or some of them proceeded to the condemnation of M. Clarke, who was sentenced to be shot to death for a Crime (so called) exceeding hainous, in the Coun [...]els aggravating circumstances of it, were naturally united to it. This night after the Councel rose, there was a great distemper in Colonel Riches R [...]giment, when they heard of the Sentence that passed against M. Clarke, who came the same night to White-hall, (whe [...] the Prisoner was) were permitted to send three in to see the condemned Gentleman, and had a promise from the Lieutenant Colonel of tha [...] Garison, that the Prisoner in the morning should be forth-comming, which Souldiers professed that they were moved to that action from this considerat [...]n, th [...]t M. Clarke stood not onely for his own and the Life- [...]uards, but al [...] [...]e Rights of the whole Souldiery: and further they profess [...], that th [...] [...]ld not suffer one hair of his head to perish. The Gentlemen of his Excell Life-guard, after the Sentence of Death given out met together to consu [...] what was to [...]e [...], the end of their Debate was not to act in, nor incourage [...]t [...]ers to any tumultuous [Page 12]wa [...], but to addresse themselves by way of Petition to his Excellency, that the Sent [...]nce m [...]ht be recalled, and the condemned Gentleman with themselves se [...] [...]a [...]m [...] [...]e notw [...]thstandin [...] t [...]eir former actings. According to which [...] te [...]nati [...]n d [...]vers Gentlemen wer [...] [...]pointed to draw up a Petition for the ends af [...]-m [...]ed▪ The Copy of t [...]e Petition drawn up by the Gentlemen intrusted for that purpose here ensues.
To his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, General: The humble Petition of your Excellencies Life-guard,
THat whereas it hath been the late unhappinesse of your Petitioners for to do or seem to countenance the doing of some things which have been ill resented by your Excell. and your honorable Councel of War▪ as courses tending to mutiny or receding from your Excellencies command, the thoughts of which we desire to abhorre, and our denial of the desires of many tending thereunto, we hope, wil speak on our behalf, and that M. Will. Clarke having taken some course for which your Excellency with your honourable Councel of Warre have con [...]eived him worthy of death, and accordingly have adjudged him to die, the innocency of whose intentions we cannot but have high thoughts of, though his behaviour or our own, so farre as capable of a bad construction, we shall not desire to justifie, being rather willing to condemne our selves for the Peace of the Kingdom, than to disturbe it, by justifying of our selves.
We therefore humbly pray, that your Excellency will be pleased to take the dying condition of the said M. William [Page 13]Clarke into your tender consideration, and that you will be pleased not to take an advantage from his fault to take away his life, but graciously to pardon the same, or what ever we or any of us have done so farre as its unjust and so offensive, we humbly desire your Excellency to passe by and sursease any further proceedings, whereby your Excellencies mercy will not onely give a new life to the Gentleman petitioned for, but also make the lives of your Petitioners much more comfortable, and oblige them humbly to pray, &c.
Some at the Councel being privately made acquainted with this Petition, [...]ll resented it, notwithstanding e [...]ch line is with moderation and humility sufficiently adorned; and discouraged them from presenting it, telling them that it would but increase the fire kindled in the breasts of divers in the Councel against them. Ʋpon which was a demurre amongst the Gentlemen in referrence to the Petition; but in the interim a Colonel one of the Cou [...]cel profered his service to the Gentlemen (although their adversary) to frame a Petition for them; which accordingly he did; and it was presented to the General by two Gentlemen without Subscriptions, the Councel would not accept it, unlesse the Gentlemen would subscribe it, which if denied, the Gentleman condemned was threatned with an imm [...]diate Execution of his Sentence. Part of the Troop were brought up and kept in a chamber, where some were (not from the dictates of their reason, but) through the greatnesse of their affection to the condem [...]ed Gentleman, inforced to subscrib [...] that Peti [...]ion, whilest others of them protested against it. This Petition being presented, the subscribing Gentlemen were called into the Councel, and his Excellency pard [...]ned the condemned Gentlemen, re-admitted the Troop into his favour, and promised them satisfaction to their just desires.
Now having ended this true Discovery. Had there nothing here p [...]esented it selfe to the view of the world by way of excuse in their low descention by way of Petition, yet if their former Papers which were afore-mentioned should be compared with that Petition (if ever it should present it selfe unto the view of the world) it would be accounted but illegitimate: for who can thinke that so many Gentlemen of known valour and integrity against their professed Enemies should ever be brought to so low a condescention by their pretended friends? but in some cases a pretended friend may do more mischiefe than an open enemy, Lupus in veste agnina maxime nocet.
Let this be considered which before was omitted, this Gentleman was condemned for being pretendedly guilty under two Articles. First, for Mutiny, in [Page 14]taking the Colours, who was therein but equally concerned with the rest, and so it had been but partiality to condemne one for all, when all were equally concerned in the same act. Actor enim & accessarius a [...]que peccant; itaque candem poenam mercuntur. Second, Was [...]s disobedience to su [...]eriour Officers? And what was that his not answering to Interro [...]atories, which they were pleased to put to him? This offence was obedience to the Law, which hath Nemo seipsum prodet, for its Maxime.
Let no Souldier or Commoner from the event of these mens actings be deterred from endeavouring their Countries freedom, seeing event doth not alwayes teach trut [...], and is alwayes a teacher of fools; Verum est, eventum stultorum esse magistrum.