A LETTER FROM HIS Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, [...]o the Committee for the Army.

HAving had a meeting of divers Officers of the Army, I ap­prehend their generall sad Resent­ment of the many pressures now lying upon the Kingdom, in particular, that of free Quarter, whereby they (and the Souldiers under their Com­mand who have faithfully served their Generation) are even a burden to themselves, because they are so much to the poor Countrey, which is the more grievous to them, because they [Page 2]have generally paid their Taxes, and yet the Army not enabled to pay their Quarters, or provide themselves ne­cessaries against the injury of the ap­proaching season. J hoped [...]re this we should have received some good fruit of your last being with us, the matters then agreed, being of such publike concernment, & so much requiring ex­pedition. I desire you to improve your utmost endeavour for a quick dispatch in providing effectually for the premi­ses to prevent those ill consequences which otherwaye delay therein may produce. J request you to communicate this to the House: so hoping to hear speedily from you, J remain

To his Excellency, Thomas Lord Fairfax, Generall of all Forses raised by the Parliament, in the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales.
The humble Petition of the Officers and Souldiers in Col. Fleetwoods. Col. Whalies, and Col Bark steads Regi­ments, under your Excellencies Command.

Sheweth,

THat through the blessing of God upon the Army, under your Excellencies Conduct, the enemies of this Nations Peace and Freedom, have been twice sub­dued.

That as we ingaged in Judgment and Conscience a­gainst them, to preserve this Nation from slavery, so we hope the Parliament (by whom we were invited to in­gage) would have executed Justice, upon the publike & grand Enemies thereof, and immediately have setled a just Government, under which every mans freedom, right, and property might have been preserved.

That your Petitioners had some hope of that happy fruit of their labours, hazard, & expence of bloud, when the Parliament voted no more addresses to the King, and hereupon your Excellency and your Petitioners did testifie their approbation of those Votes, and did ingage to adhere, and stand by them, in the settlement of the Nation without, and against the King, or any other that should partake with him, and your Excellency, & your Petitioners received the thanks of both Houses for the same.

That notwithstanding a bloudy Warre hath been since raysed by the Prince his Commission, a forraign Nation invited to (which did) invade us (and as there is ground to believe) by the Kings consent, thereby to inslave us, to his exorbitant will and lust.

Yet when through the great mercy and favour of God, All their Forces were supprest, instead of having our ex­pectations answered (as to a just settlement) we find.

That the wicked and bloudy Designes of the Enemies of this Kingdom still continue, As of that of Ireland by Ormond, & that home, threatning the lives of every wel-affected [Page 4]person. And this we humbly conceive they are the more imboldened unto, because of the prevalency of some in greatest authority, that will let not Justice be executed upon the grand fomentors, contrivers, & actors, in the first and late Warre. So that the innocent bloud of many of our dear friends (that hath bin spilt) the Rapines robberies, burning & spoiling many wel-affected Towns and Persons, of all livelyhood is forgotten, just Govern­ment subverted, and such Petitions tending to a feeling of a just and equall Government, (as that of the 11. of Septemb. last, from the City of London and Westminster) slighted the intolerable burthen of free Quarter still con­tinued, no redres of publike grivances, by reason of which the implacable malice of our twice conquered Enemies, seemes to steal credit in the hearts of many (whose weak­nes hinders them from discerning their evil ends) so that their bloudy intentions against the wel-affected in this Nation, doth begin to manifest it self, both against the Parl. men, and the Army, as is apparent by that most des­perate and inhumain murthering of Col. Rainsborough.

That as we conceive, your Excellency and the Army, next under God, are the only Barre, that lyeth in their way, hindering the accomplishing of their ends: so their main design is, how to destroy you and it. A nd that they endeavour by continuing us on free Quarter, yet provi­ding Ordinances, against it, and instructions to enter into no mans house (except Inns, Ale-houses, & Taverns) against their wills, which was by us joyfully excepted, that thereby the Country might beeased of that devou­ring Creature free quarter, yet when the Army was thus quartered for the ease of the Country, we were content to make hard shift to maintain our selves out of our pay though it was small, as 2 s. per diem for horse, & 8 d. for foot, but that through the subtilty of our Enemies, hath been kept from us, we having not received any pay in 5. months together. So that we must either starve and lye in the streetes, or else still oppresse the Countrey by free Quarter, which renders us odious to the people. And it [Page 5]cannot be otherwise, seeing the Assesments of 60000 l. per mensem, if it were all assessed and gathered (besides money for providing Armes for the Horse and Foot, Re­cruit Horses, Ammunition for the Army and Garrisons, Coles, Stockings, Shooes for Foot Souldiers, and other incident Charges) will not amount to the Personall Pay of the Army by 12000 l. per mensem.

Now we being pressed in our Judgments, by our Ene­mies hellish & bloudy designes, & their insolent & barba­rous Carriage, and also our hearts burthened with the unsetled condition of this poor Kingdom, are bold to pre­sent to your Excellencies consideration th [...]se things following.

1. That speedy & impartiall Justice may be executed upon all the fomentors, contrivors, and actors in the first and late Warre.

2. That inquisition be made for the bloud of Col. Rainsborough.

3. That the supream power may be declared and de­termined, that the want thereof may not be the ground of future, (as it hath been of these former) Warres.

4. That a period be set for this present Parl. to end as soone as may be with safety, and provisions made for fu­ture Parliments to meet certain without writ or sumons.

5. That rules may be set down between the people and their Representatives.

6. That Lawes may be made in things civill to bind all men, so that no man in case of offence, may be freed from that Law whereunto another is subject.

7. That all those common grievances and desires in our Declarations of June 14. and June 23 1647 and ex­pressed in the London Petition, be speedily granted and redressed.

8. That prsenr Provision be made for the Constant pay of the Army.

9. That the arrears due from the 15 of January: may [Page]be paid off, before we be Commanded to pay Quarters, and that there may be noe other abatement from Offi­cers or Souldiers for free Quarter, then according to the rates set downe in the Ordinance of Parliament, of the 24. day December last.

10. That the Country may be paid for our free Quarter, according to the Deduction out of our pay out of their Assesments.

11. That in as much as the Assessments fall short to pay the Army. That therefore there may be Additionall supplyes monethly out of the Estates of the old and new Delinquents, that there be noe more Tax or Charge to the Commonwealth.

12. That forth with an Accompte be called for from all persons that have been betrusted with any thing for the State, that the Kingdom may be satisfied therein.

13. That the Deanes, and Chapters Lands may be given to pay the Souldiers Arreares, seeing the Parl. have given a way the Delinquents Estates that should have done it.

These things being the proper Issue of our serious thoughts, we implore your Excellency through the many blessings, deliverances, Victories and successes, the Lord hath crowned you withall, The dangers you have been preserved from, the miseries of this bleeding Nation, the bloud of the innocent, the Outcry of the Widdow, and Fatherlesse, the sad Omen of future troubles, to consider the necessity of attaining these things, that we may be no longer the scorn & contempt of the Nation, nor the object of our enemies malice, by the want of just peace and settlement; but with an un­daunted courage, to desire the Parl. that these things may be forthwith established, that we may with safety be re­leased, from this troublesome and hazardous imploy­ment, which by reason of the grievous oppression there­of, we professe we are weary of which things we chal­lenge as [...]urs and the Kingdoms due, twice bought with our blood: In the doing of which your Excellency shall not fail of their assistance, who are ready to wade through a Sea of troubles to have them established, though they perish in the work.