FEw Men in this Nation but have known, and few honest men but have lamented the strange proceedings of those lately in Autho­rity here, who by casting out of the Army several eminent and faithful Officers without so much as hearing them; and filling up their rooms for the most part with factious spirits, Principled against Magistracy and Ministry; gave us but too much cause to believe, so ill a way led to a worse end. But not being able so much as to imagine, these courses were taken to bring about that horrid Design which since we have had but too much reason to believe these Injustices were some foundations of; We esteem it our duty with patience to submit, because the Parliament was sitting, to whose Authority and Justice these proceedings, as we were assur­ed, were to be presented. But soon after we understood of those sinful and unparallel'd Actings of a Factious part of the Army in England, who not only contrary to the Laws of God and Man, but even contrary to their own renewed and voluntary Engagements, by force inter­rupted the sitting of the Parliament; and adding iniquity to iniquity, Declared some of their Laws to be null and void to all intents and purposes, a presumption and crime which never any but themselves durst be guilty of, and in which, as much as in them lay, they cut up, as it were by the very roots, all those precious Rights, which with so much Bloud and Treasure had been so long and through mercy so success­fully contended for; whereby we too soon and too evidently sound, That the Parliaments Name and Authority was but made use of, to eject such who they knew would be obedient thereunto: By which course having freed the Army of such, they freed all others from the fear of the Parliament by dissolving it, as much as in them lay, who had they still sate, they knew would punish their injustice, though they could not prevent it. How guilty herein those lately in Authority in this Nation, and others, have been, to omit the enumerating of many o­ther particulars, may appear by their having been so far from declaring against, and opposing those ruinous Actings, that they on the con­trary not only secretly, but openly promoted and encouraged such who against an express Act of Parliament in that behalf, did own the L. General Fleetwood for Commander in chief of the Armies in these three Nations, and advanced, as much as in them lay, the Electi­ons and sending unto London, of two out of each Regiment, to subvert the Authority of Parliament, and introduce a new Government, which in Name only should be Civil, but in Fact and Power should be intirely Military: Nor yet contented with all this (for guilt neither ever is, nor ever thinks it self secure) Orders were actually issued for securing and disarming all that were dissatisfied with such Proceedings: where­by not only a slavery was entailed upon us, but even we were designedly deprived of all visible means of ever casting it off. Being therefore invited by the highest Call of Duty and Necessity, we resolved with the hazard of our lives and estates, to restore the Authority of the Par­liament; and to recover those Rights which are of too much value to be tamely lost. The justice and necessity of this undertaking was so deeply imprinted on the hearts of many Officers and Souldiers of this Army, that (through the mercy of God) without bloud, we may say, The snare is broken, and we are escaped: Men must say, It is wonderful in our eyes; and Christians will say, It is the Lords doing: It seeming to be a day of Gods power, the people are so willing.

The next care and duty after the recovery of this Army for the Parliament, was, to put it into such Hands, as we had good cause to be­lieve, by past and present Actings, would preserve it for their service; for the accomplishing whereof, We have been necessitated, to lay a­side many Officers, and placed others, qualified as abovesaid, in their room, till the Parliaments pleasure were known. In the laying aside any Officers, this Rule hath been observed, an assurance that he had subscribed to the Lord Fleetwood's being Commander in Chief of the three Armies; contrary to an express Act of Parliament in that behalf; or had assisted at, or promoted the Election of Two out of each Regiment, to be sent to London, for the introduction of a new Government, and consequently, the destruction of the Parliaments Authori­ty: and though none have ben put by, that were not within one of these Qualifications, yet all that came under them have not been displa­ced; a difference being put between those that made the stream, and such who through inadvertancie did swim down in it, and since by their activeness for the Parliament, have given good proof of their Repentance for the fault. Those that were guilty within the above-spe­cified Rules, were too many to admit them to a Regular Tryal by the Rules of War, before the Army was first put into faithful Hands; since to have made those Judges of guilt, which were participants in it, might have rather proved a sure means to have the innocent condemned, then the nocent; and to eject any, without prescribing a known way for their vindication, if they thought themselves injur'd, were not on­ly to act an Injustice in it self, but even that Injustice which was so lately practiced here, and which we our selves (with so much cause) have declared against. To accord therefore this evil, It is hereby declared, That a Court Martial is establish'd at Dublin, the Head-Quarters, for the Hearing and Determining the Cases of all Field-Officers and Captains, which shall think themselves injur'd by being laid aside: And for the same end, Orders are issuing out for Court-Martials to be held in each County, for the inferior Officers and private Souldiers; unto which respective places, such as are conscious of their not having acted against the Parliament, our onely General, may apply themselves for Redress, where they shall be judged according to the usual Rules and Discipline of War. Provided that by or before the 24 day of March. next after the publication hereof, they give in their Names, and signifie their desires to be tryed accordingly; and no Officer who is put into the Room of him that is to be tried, shall sit as Judge upon that Officer whose command he at present enjoys. Those to be heard at Dublin, are to give in their desire thereof to Dr. Ralph King, appointed Judge-Advocate; Those to be heard in the Countrey, are to give in their Desire to the Chief Officer respectively in each County.