WHat with my owne innocency, and the violence I hear is against me, I find my selfe much distracted, I will not aske your Counsel, because it may bring prejudice upon you, but I will with all faithfulnesse and truth tell you what my part hath bin, that at least it may be cleared by you, whatsoever be­comes of me.

When there was 50000 li. designed by the Parliament for the English Army, there was as I take it, a sudden demand by the Scots at the same time of 25000 li. of which there was 15000 li. ready, this they pressed with much necessity, as the Parliament, after an order made, did thinke it fit for them to deduct 10000 pound out of the 50000 li. formerly granted, upon which, the souldiers in our host were much scandalized, amongst which I was one, and sit­ting by Wilmot, and Ashburnham, Wilmot stood up and told them, if that of the Scots would procure money, hee doubted not but the Officers of the English Army might easily doe the like, but the first order was reversed, notwithstanding, and 10000 li. given to the Scots, this was the cause of many discourses, of dislike amongst us, and came to this purpose, that they were dis-obliged by the Par­liament, and not by the King, this being said often to one another, we did resolve that Wilmot, Ashburnham; Pollard, Oneale, and my self, [Page 2] to make some expressions of serving the King, in all things he wold command us, that were honourable for him and us, being likewise agreeing unto the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome, that so far we would live and dye with him, this agreed upon with us, not ha­ving any communication with others, that I am coupled now with­all, and further by their joynt consent, I was to tel his Majesty thus much from them, but withall I was to order the matter so, as the King might apprehend this, as a great service done vnto him, at this time, when his affaires were in so ill a condition, and they were most confident, that they would engage the whole Army thus far, but further they would undertake nothing, because they would neither infringe the liberties of the subiects, or destroy the Lawes, to which I and every one consented, and having their sence, I drew the heads up in a pa­per, to the which they all approved, when I read it, and then wee did by an oath promise one an other to be constant and secret in all this, and did all of us take that oath together, then I said, Well Sirs, I must now be informed what your particular desires are, that so I may be the better able to serve you, which they were pleased to doe, and so I did very faithfully serve them therein, as far as I could: this is the truth, and all the truth upon my soule. In particular dis­courses, after that, we did fall upon the petitioning to the King and Parli­ament for monies, there being so great arreares due to us, and so much delayes made in the procuring of them, but that was never done.

1. Concerning the Bishops functions and votes.

2. The not disbanding of the Irish Army, untill the Scots were disban­ded too.

3. The endeavouring to settle his Maiesties Revenue to that proportion it was formerly.

And it was resolved by us all, if the King should require our as­sistance in those things, that as far as we could we might contribute thereunto, without breaking the Lawes of the Kingdome. And in case the King should be denyed those things, being put to them, wee would not fly from him, al these persons did act and concur in this as well as I, this being all imparted to the King by me from them, I perceived he had bin treated with by others, concerning some things of our Army, which not agreed with what was purposed [Page 3] by me, but inclined a way more sharpe, and high, not having limits either of honour or Law, I told the King he might be pleased to consider with himselfe what should be done, which way it was fit for him to hear­ken unto, for us we were resolved not to depart from our grounds, wee should not be displeased, whosoever they were, but the particular of the designes, or the persons we desired not to know, though it was no hard matter to guesse at them. In the end I beleev the danger of the one, the justice of the other made the King tell me he would leave all thoughts of other propositions but ours, as things not practiceable, but desired, notwith­standing that Goring and Iermin, who were acquainted with the other pro­ceedings should be admitted amongst us, I told him I, though the other Gentry would never consent to it, but I would propose it, which I did, and we were all much against it; but the King did presse it so much, as at the last it was consented unto, and Goring and Iermin came to my Chamber, there I was appointed to tell them after they had sworne to secrecy, what we had proposed, which I did, but before I goe into the debate of the way, I must tell you Iermin and Goring were very earnest Suckling should be admitted, which we did all decline, and was desired by all our men to be resolute in it, which I was, and gave many Reasons: whereupon Master Goring made answer, he was enggaed with Suckling, his being imployed in the Army, but for his meeting with us, they were contented to passe it by. Then we tooke up againe the wayes which were proposed, which tooke great debate, and theirs differed from ours in violence and height, which we all protested against, and parted, disagreeing totally, yet remitted it to be spoken of by me and Iermin to the King, which we both did, and the King constant to his former Resolutions told him, these wayes were all vaine and foolish, and would thinke of them no more, I omit one thing of Master Goring, he desired to know how the chiefe Commanders were to be disposed off, for if he had not a condition worthy of him, he would not go along with us, we made answer that no body thought of that, we intended if we were sent downe to goe all in the same capacity we were in, he did not like that by no meanes, and that did worke so with Master Chidley, that there was a Letter sent by some of the Cōmanders to make him Lieutenant Generall, and when he had ordered this matter at London, and Master Chid­ley had his instructions, then did he goe to Portsmouth, pretending to be ab­sent when this was a working, we all desired my Lord of Essex and Holland, that if there were a Generall at Newcastle, they were pleased to give out a report that I should be Generall of the Horse, but I protest neither to the [Page 4] King nor any else, did I ever so much as think of it, my Lord of Holland was made Generall, and so all things were layd aside, and this is the truth and all the truth I knew of these proceedings, and this I will and doe protest unto you upon my faith, and Willmat, Ashburnham, and Oneale, have at seve­rall times confessed and sworne, I never said any thing in the businesse, they did not every one agree unto and would justifie: this Relation I sent you rather to informe you of the truth of the matter, that you may the better know to doe me good, but I should thinke my selfe very unhappy to be made a betrayer of any body: what concerned the Tower or any thing else. I never medled withall, nor never spake with Goring, but that night before them all, and I said nothing but what was consented unto by any party, I, never spake one word with Suckling, Carnarvan, Davenant, or any other crea­ture, me think, if my friends and kindred knew the truth and justice of the matter, it were no hard matter to serve me in some measure.

HAving beene told there was an intention to unite the forces of our Army, and to put it into a posture of being able, if not of purpose of being willing to interpose in the proceedings of Parliaments,

I hearkend to the propositions of solliciting a redresse, for the miseries of the Souldiers being the first step to this, in respect of the present neces­sities of it, not any future consequence of trouble to those, that were to procure our reliefe.

But lest the manner of asking this or the effects of it, being obtained, might be lesse just, then the thing it self which was desired, & I might be in­volved their crime that had, further ends, perhaps then meerly the redresse of our Armies grievances: I thought it not unsafe to take some witnesse of mine integrity along with me, and spoke to a noble Lord the very same day when I assured him there were some Officers of the Army, that were least thought on, that had greatest zeale to the proceedings of this House, & I thought there would be an occasion to let him know more of it: within few dayes after, this Master Iermin and I being admitted into a Consulta­tion, where we were tyed to secrecy by an Oath, in the company of those Gentlemen I have named in my Depositions, where their purpose was de­clared to us in some Propositions, which were to this effect.

1. First putting our Army into a posture to serve the King.

2. Secondly sending a Declaration to the Parliament, containing that no Act of Parliament should be made contrary to any former Act, which was expressed that Epis­copacie would be kept up as it is now.

3. Thirdly, and that the Kings Revenue should be established.

This I thought unlawfull for our undertakings, since I thought they in­tended to interpose the determinations of this House, and it belongs to an Armie, to maintaine, not to contrive Acts of State.

I objected therefore against the propositions, and pressed more the fol­lies and difficulties, then the illegalities of them, not onely because I thought reason a greater Argument with them then Conscience, but be­cause I am so unhappy of the two, 2 be thought a worse Common-wealth's man, then a Souldier, and in that quality could procure most credit to my words, and I endeavoured to shew them that as the Designe would be im­pious, if their most desperate Counsell had beene followed, so it would have beene the weakest that ever was undertaken, if it were admitted.

And whereas I am said to have a part in this violent Counsell; till the day before this meeting, I never heard word of it, & knew not when I came to the Roome, whether theirs were not the same with the other, this they may witnesse for me, and that I declared, that I would have to doe with neither, and that I expressed a contempt in our meeting in that manner, but I relie upon the Testimony of some noble Lords of his Majesties Coun­sell, and others, how I protested against all those violent Counsells, even in the birth of them, and with what pitty I looked towards the person of his Majesty, and the whole Kingdome in this businesse.

I appeale also to them, and to some members of this House, what my carriage was toward these Gentlemen, that were embarked in these un­dertakings, intending rather to prevent a mischiefe, by abandoning their Counsells, then to ruine them, by disclosing them: but mistake me not, for had I knowne of any former plot proceeded in, that would endanger or disturbe the quiet of his Majesty, or the peace of this Kingdome, I should not have beene contented with declaring mine owne innocencie, nor have stayd till the command of this House, or an Oath extorted from me, a dis­covery: but by a hasty open Declaration, have broken the bonds of amity, and friendship, and all former tyes, to preserve the duty of a Subject, and as freely exposed the knowledge of all to the view of the world, as I have beene tender in publishing these purposes, even to my nearest friends, which had weight enough to crush nothing but the undertakers of it, and certainely if they had stayd where I left them, there was no conclusion at all. It appeares there were two severall intentions digested by others, be­fore they were Communicated to me; And I knew not whether my hark­ning to them were a fault, but I am sure it was no misfortune.