The Mutineers first Letter to the Generall.

A Proposition hath been made unto us for the service of Ireland with a declaration of your Excellencies plea­sure, that it was lawfull for us, either to consent or deny, for no man was to bee forced. Although many of us were very willing to put our lives in your hands for that service, it is a breach of former ingagements to suffer many of our fellow souldiers who could not go, to be disbanded without a competent pay in hand of their Arrears to carry [Page 6] them home, and inable them to follow their occupations, we perceive such a representation of the business, hath been laid before your Excellency, rendering us so vile in your eyes, that the next newes we heard was of forces marching towards us to subdue us, which hath put us upon an un­usuall yet a necessary way, for our own preservation, least we should be distroyed, before we could be heard to speake to relinquish our officers, and flie for our present security, and now we do earnestly beseech your Excellency patiently to heare us, and to take us under your protection. All that we require is the performance of our Engagement made at Triplo-heath, and we shall promise never to depart from your Excelencies Command in any thing which shall not be contrary to the said Engagement, professing our selves very sorry, that we should have no better Esteem in your Excellencies Iudgment.

Subscribed by the Agents for Comisary Gen. Ireton and Col. Scroops Regiment.

12 May. 1649.

I Have received a Letter from you of the 12 ^th of the instant, among other false suggestions, where­by I beleeve you have been abused, that is a mistake and untrue surmise which you mention as an intend­ment to disband some of the Souldiery [...] the Ar­my, without a competent pay in hand of their Ar­reares, it being never so thought, but otherwise ta­ken care for, and put into as hopefull and setled a way as could be devised. I had rather pretermit, than take notice of your grounding this usuall course you have taken, upon the marching of Forces to­wards you to subdue you, when as some if not all of you, by your disorderly precipitance into such an irregular way, the first and sole occasion of march­ing with Forces. However, since you now desire to be heard and taken under my protection, I have gi­ven way to Col. Scroop to receive you under prote­ction, and am ready to heare you in any thing con­cerning the engagement by you mentioned.

[Page 8]WE have received two letters from your Ex­cellency, the one by the hands of Major White, the other by Collonel Scroope, both which we have received with thankfull acknowledgement of your Lordships clemency towards us, and care o­ver us; the consideration whereof cannnot but pro­duce in us (unlesse we should be very ingratefull) a more than ordinary respect towards your Excellen­cy. And that we may prevent jealouses subject to be begotten by misinformation, we doe confesse that next unto the great disturbance which is likely to be the fruit of these divisions, our second griefe is that we should be forced to procure your Excel­lencies discontent, which doth appeare unto us by the heavy charge layed against us of Rebellion and disobedience; we do assure your Excellency, that we have done no more than our Solemne Engagement did inforce us unto; this is the testimony of our conscience in the presence of God, concerning our Engagement. We do acknowledge our selves your Excellencies souldiers, who have engaged our lives under your conduct through all difficulties, in or­der to the procurement of peace of this Nation, whereof we are a part: But being lately designed by lot to be divided and sent over into Ireland, for the prosecution of that service which we think necessa­ry to be performed, but looking back unto our for­mer Engagement, we find that we cannot in consci­ence to our selves, in duty to God, in respect of this N [...], and our fellow souldiers, undertake that ser­ [...] but by such a decision as may be agreeable to [...] Engagement, made at Triploe heath, [Page 9] Iune 5. 1647. where we did with one consent so­lemnely engage one to another in the presence of God, not to disband nor divide, to suffer our selves to be divided untill satisfaction were given according to a Councell of the Army consisting of two Officers and two souldiers of every Regiment, indifferently chosen, together with the Generall Of­ficers concurring; And being now departed from our obedience to you, because, (according to our apprehensions) you kept not Covenant with us in performing the engagement, we do promise not to harbour any evill thought, nor use any act of hosti­lity against you unlesse necessitated thereunto in our owne defence, (which the Lord prevent.) All that we desire (the searcher of hearts is our witnesse) is that your Excellency would call a Generall Coun­cell, according to solemne engagement, to sit once in 14 daies at the least, according to an Act made in the Generall Councell at Putney. In the judge­ment of this Councell acquiescing, we wil not refuse to give account of our proceedings; and we will e­very man with cheerefulnesse returne to our obedi­ence, and submit to your Excellency and the judge­ment of the Councell, in all matters that concerne us as souldiers. This we beg earnestly of your Ex­cellency to grant in respect of your duty to God, this Nation, and the Army; that we may thereby re­cover our peace, and procure the happinesse of this Nation. Mhis is the desire of our soules; if you de­ny this we must lay at your doore all the misery, bloudshed, and ruine which will follow.

IN our last, we gave you information that the Re­giments were marched to Abingdon, and inten­ded to quarter there this night, but in our marching thither we found them quartered at Wantage and in the Villages adjacent. We have had some confe­rence with them, and communicated your Excel­lencies letter, which is to be communicated to them all to morrow at the Randezvous intended at Stan­ford plain, neere Farringdon, at ten of the clock, where Collonell Harrisons Regiment had engaged to meete with them, as they said; and that there are the agents of 6 Regiments with them, & are tursted for the managing of the affaires of the whole; the chiefe thing they seemed to insist upon, is the procuring a Generall Councell, consisting of two Officers and two private Souldiers of each Regiment, as is agree­able to the Solemne Engagement, by which Coun­cell they said they will be included in matters to which that Solemne engagement referres unto; and say that they were now justly put upon the claime of the same, being commanded to di­vide or disband. There are many honest men a­mong them, and some too furious and impatient in their desires, and expresse much dissatisfaction at the disbanding Collonel Hewsons men with a fort­nights pay, and that there was the like offered to [Page 11] them, if they would not engage for Ireland; some spake dissatisfaction at the proceeding against Mr. Lockyer, and of the strict dealing with the prisoners in the Tower. They think themselves much injured by reports, which they intend to declare for the King; if there be moderate proceeding, the differences may probably be taken up, but certainely there is nothing more probable to prove destructive then furious proceeding, but we shall pray to God to di­rect your Excellency and Councell in this matter of such weighty concernment, and intreat that hosti­lity may be prevented, untill all other just meanes indefectuall; we now heare that they remove quar­ters from Wantage this night, and promise to direct us to their rendezvous in the morning. We have no more at present to informe your Excellency, but that we are your Excellencies humble servants.

We have given them some hint of the Declarati­on that was drawn to be printed, if your Excellency have thoughts of it, for their view, we humbly conceive it might do well to have it against too mor­row.

WE the Officers of Col. [...]goldesbyes Regi­ment being very sensible of the sad disasters which are like to fall upon this Nation, by the di­stractions and divisions which are at this present in the Army and People of the Nation; And when we consider that the differences are amongst those which hav alwayes fought under one Banner, in subduing the common Enemies of the Nation, which Enemies we conceive are againe ready to take the opportunitie (by these our differences) to in­volve this wasted and languishing Nation in a new Warre (if God by his Providence doe not prevent the same) and in regard that we are likewise very sensible of the danger and calamities which threa­ten to fall upon us, and the whole Nation (by reason of the irregular proceedings of those of your Ar­my, who have throwne off discipline and govern­ment (which proceedings we doe dislike) in case those divisions and breaches be not made up) we have humbly addressed our selves to your Excellen­cy, that in your wisedome, and with the advice of your Generall Councell, there may be no good way left unassayed, in endeavouring the making up those wide breaches: And to that end we have here pre­sented to your Excellency such things as we con­ceive may very much tend to accomplish the same, and likewise may conduce in taking away the occa­sion of suspition of such honest men as are perswa­ded that your Excellency nor the Army will not endeavour the settlement of this Commonwealth, according to what your Excellency and the Army [Page 13] have often declared, but especially in the Remon­strance made at Saint Albans: And therefore we shall only set downe these things following, which in our apprehensions are of great concernment in the laying of a foundation to the establishment of a Government of Peace of this Commonwealth, as also to the composing of the differences now in your Excellencies Army; to wit,

First, that so short and limited a time may be fixed, wherein this Parliament shall certainly end, as may stand with justice.

Secondly, that this Commonwealth may be set­led by an Agreement made amongst the faithfull People of this Nation: In which Agreement, we desire that provision may be made for the certain, beginning and ending of all future Representatives, and for the removing of Grievances.

These particulars we humbly conceive have a very necessary attendancy to the settlement both of your Excellencies Army, as also to the well-being of the whole Nation; we have therefore presented the same to your Excellencies serious Considera­tion, further acquainting your Excellency, that our Regiment is at present in a quiet and peaceable condition, and under good discipline, and that we may keep them so, and prevent them from falling into those irregularities that others are run into, & that we may give your Excellency a good account of this Garrison, hath been one of the grounds in offering the premises to your Excellencies Consi­deration: All which we leave to the wisedome of your Excellency, and subscribe our selves,

WHereas through Gods mercy a mutinous Party against the Army, and in Actuall Armes against the Peace of the Nation, whereby they are guilty of Rebellion and Treason, are lately routed, and some of them taken Prisoners, the rest escaped and fled, these are therefore to desire you to cause diligent search to be made after those who have so escaped, whether they be found on Horse­back or on Foot: And also to cause hue and cry to be made after them, and such of them as shall be found, to secure and in safe custody cause to be kept, either in Gaole, or otherwise, as shall be most fit for securing of them, to the end, for the future safety of the Nation, Justice may be done according to Law. Given under my hand and Seale the fifteenth day of May, Anno Dom. 1649.