THat your Petitioners have faithfully served this Common-wealth for many years in the defence of the Good Old Cause, for which they were raised by your Honours, who during your former Sessions were conscionably careful for their preservation, by allowing them due Pay; but since the time that you were interrupted from your Trusts by Oli­ver late Protector, they have been, and continue still extremely behind hand, and in Arrears, besides the Abridgement and deduction of a part of their daily Pay, by their said Major Generals means, (as they humbly conceive) and hope your Honours will seriously consider, and call in question.

That your Petitioners humbly suppose the Countrey have payed their Taxes before hand, besides the Excise, which their Landlords tell them of, and grumble at, and the Customes, Delinquents Estates, and other advantages, whereby far greater summes might (and no doubt have been raised) then will satisfie their Arrears: All which they doubt not but your Honours will call to just Accompt.

That many of their Families who have constantly adhered to this Parliament, without the least thoughts of any deserting the Good Old Cause, are in a sad and suffering con­dition, insomuch that many times they are destitute of Bread and Drink for their Wives and Children, having sold and pawned what they had to satisfie their hungry Stomachs, and rackihg Landlords, and yet all too little; Besides others that have no Families, are enforced to diet at the Cookes shops, and the Victualers, upon the Officers engagement, for them at 6 d. per diem, where they must either be content to take what the Victualer pleaseth, or fast, having no other remedy: whereas, if they had their Pay, they might buy their Commodities at the best and cheapest rates; but by this means the Sutlers are enriched, and the Army ruined.

May it therefore please this honorable House of Parliament, seeing it hath pleased the Lord to own his Cause once more, and to open the door of hope after so much backsliding, to take their sad Condition into your serious Consideration, well weighting their patience in waiting for their Arrears; and to take care for the payment of all that is due to them; and for their pay for the future, so long as your Honors shall have occasion for them▪ and those ancient Officers, that have never declined from their first principles, may be continued in their Commands, and others, who (being true and faithful all alone) have been displaced by the late Protector, restored to their Trusts in their own Regiments, and no new Commanders, by sinister ends and favour of friends placed over them, but such whose Fidelity and Carriage they have been acquainted with, and have served under in the greatest of hazards; and that none of the Officers, who deserted this present Cause, and were excepted against by the Army, may be suffered to have any Command over them.

Besides there are divers of us (Old Soldiers) who have been imprisoned meerly for their constant adherence to this honourable Court of Parliament, our undoubted Masters.

And your Petitioners shall pray, &c.