YEE worthy Citizens, and our very good Friends: we hope ye have not altogether forgotten, that those many priviledges, by which ye are grown so popu­lous and rich, are conferred on you by the love and cour­tesie of England: not onely for your own, but for the generall good of the Common-wealth; which being ma­ny and great, the whole Nation may justly expect a return of love and just respect from you, answerable thereunto:

Now the greatest good ye can doe unto the Nation, is to be watchfull over those that are trusted, with the Liberties and Rights of the people, and to give true and speedy in­telligence, in cases of neglect or treachery: this is your proper work, which you might effect with ease, being sea­ted so near the Parliament: and (by occasion of commerce) holding daily corespondence with al parts of the kingdom

But surely ye have not been carefull over us in this par­ticular: our too late and wofull experience telling us, that for want of true and timely intelligence herein, the whole Land on a sudden hath been over whelmed with misery and distraction: and is now no sooner recovered, but is ready to fall into the like or worse againe, if some very speedy and very discreet course be not taken both by you and us to prevent the same.

We have though somewhat too late for want of true in­formation) seriously considered the present differences be­tween the Parliament and the Army: and truely we must of necessity professe that we have not found our Rights and Liberties much bettered by these almost seven years sitting of this Parliament, and doe really finde and feele our grie­vances as great and as many, nay, greater and more in num­ber then ever: and by reason of a bloody and consuming warre (to what purpose, as yet we see not) much lesse able to beare then heretofore.

And the greatest ease and deliverance we have found we cannot (but under God) attribute to the worthy Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax, and to those worthy Members of Parliament, that first voted them to be an Ar­my, and we could not but stand amazed to observe how in the midst of all our hopes (of being restored to all just Liberties and releeved in our yet pressing grievances,) This most worthy well disposed Army, must in all haste be vo­ted to disband: indeed we were amazed till we found (the reason) that those Members that Voted them down, were not those that voted them up: but those that Voted against their raising (now made strong by increase of the like evill Members) and when we discovered this, we ceased to won­der thereat: or at any other unworthy dealing or affronts put since upon the Army: and as little did we wonder when we heard that the Army refused to disband; the truth is, we rejoyced exceedingly to heare it, as seeing no other way or meanes of being preserved from the most miserable bon­dage that could be imagined: we saw apparently they did not Vote them down to save you or our charge of maintai­ning them; but with intention to raise another sort of men that would assist them to inforce us and you to their Arbi­trary wills and perpetuate them in a Parliamentary power, [Page 3] which they well knew this Army would not doe:

The which wee are strengthened to beleeve, because we perceive them now ready to entertaine any without regard of merit or condition: as having occasion only for sword­men, to guard them from justice.

And though we have no cause to joy in the fruits of your New-Committee of Militia, no more then in the Committee of safety (falsely so called) both which we un­derstand, agreed in desperate Votes, tending to reingage us all in a most bloody and wretched Warre: yet do we joy exceedingly (as in the numerous minor Vote of Parliament so) in the generall Vote and wisdome of the Common Councell so strongly opposing the same: and likewise in the generall backwardnesse of the Trained Bands and Auxiliaries to appeare in Armes: with the slownesse of the Citizens to shut up their Shops; by all which we are en­couraged, to hope, that yee meane plainly, will persist, and constantly adheare to the Army in their addresses for justice against the seducers of Parliament and infringers of the rights and liberties of the Common-wealth.

A sad and unusuall case it is wee confesse to oppose the Major Vote of Parliament, but that it is just, for a people without Authority, to reforme those that are in Authority, when they highly and manifestly break their trust, is evi­dent and justified even by this Parliament (when at best) in procuring an approbation of our Brethren of Scotland in their first raising of Armes and comming into this Na­tion; before this Parliament, having no Authority nor any thing to justifie them therein but necessity, & to free them­selves, their Wives, and Children from the lawlesse Arbi­trary oppressive and tyrannical proceedings of those times, and who must now condemne themselves this Parliament, and all that adhered to them in this or that Nation, if they [Page 4] shall now condemne or oppose the Army or their adhe­rents. The Armies standing to see the rights and liberties of the People cleared and secured before they disband, being the end for which they were raised is most evidently just and necessary: but what can be said in defence of so great an Arbitrary alteration of Government, As the long con­tinuall sitting of this Parliament contrary to Law, Equity, or safety: and it will be good they pluck this Beame out of their owne eye, and patiently beare the Mote (if it be a mote) in their Brothers eye, but however they shall beare it, it will become us to mind the things that belong to our owne peace and the generall freedome of the Common-wealth, rather then stickle for unknowne priviledges and punctilloes of Parliament, that no man knowes what they are, or whereunto they tend, except to make themselves great, and the people slaves: and if Parliaments look for protection and obedience, let Parliaments be just, and per­forme their trust, and minde the freedome and wel-being of the people: let us seriously weigh and consider the Ar­mies Declaration, and it will clearly be discerned, that therein they hold forth more particulars expressely, and vi­sibly tending to the peace and wel-being of all men, then any thing published or proposed since this Parliament. And that their intentions and desires are agreeable to their De­claration, deserveth to be credited by all those who have observed with what integrity they have performed all their promises and ingagements to their vanquished Enemies.

Obedience is not due to the names, but to the essence of Authority, neither Fathers, nor Masters, nor Kings, nor Parliaments are to be obeyed, if they command things un­naturall; and if they proceed to doe things tending to the ruine and bondage of those that trust them, they ought to be resisted as lawfully as a man may resist a thiefe, or a murtherer, and who assist not in such cases, doe in a sort partake with the murtherer.

Government and order are indeed most pretious things, without which mankind would hold no comfortable socie­ty, and are to be preserved by all possible meanes, and to be born withall in their failings, so long as charity may true­ly call their defects failings, but when they grow wilfull and hate to be informed, when they evidently indevour to destroy their preservers: and to enslave those that trust them with their lives and Liberties, when they grow deafe to the cryes of VViddows, and fatherlesse, despise Peti­tioners, and burne Petitions by the hand of the common Hang-man, then certainly it is a sin not to reforme, and a most just thing wholly to withdraw the trust.

But since all things that are lawfull are not alwaies expe­dient, therefore the Army intendernesse to us and you have proposed only a reforming or purging of the Parliament of such Members as they are able to prove have bent their indeavours to destroy the fruits of this the most hopefull Parliament that ever was.

Now as Parliaments are acknowledged to bee the most just and benificiall wayes of government in the world, so the corruption of Parliaments is the most dangerous: as tending to most irrevocable slavery, and then by necessary consequence who ever are found to bee guilty of the breach of Parliamentary trust of invading and infringing the Rights and liberties of the people, by arbitrarie violent and oppossive wayes: of delaying and obstructing justice, without doubt they are the greatest of Traytors, there being no greater or more capitall offence, that can possibly bee named in any state, or against any people.

And therfore the charge which the Army hath brought a­gainst those eleven corrupt Members of the House of Com­mons mentioned therin is no slight or triviall thing as to our wonder and hearts griefe wee heare is to commonly ap­prehended, in and about the City, it makes us feare that arbitrary power and breach of trust is a thing that to many [Page 6] amongst your selves are guiltie of, that it is through cor­ruption and long custome, growne in fashion in London, indeed it is a spreading and infectious disease, no County, Towne, or City is free from it: and no marvell when Par­liament men doe leade the dance.

But we beseech you to looke once more upon this charg against these Parliament-men, examine the severall heads thereof: and judge what case you would deeme your selves in, if yee were the men, for shame let us not so excee­dingly betray our selves to the will of men, as to judge rightly of arbitrary violent and oppressive wayes, in those wee choose and trust to preserve our rights and liberties: because in so doing wee doe in effect begge to bee made slaves, when as breach of Parliamentary trust should be made more dreadfull than any crime whatsoever, and be more odious in our esteeme then murther.

No, rather let amends bee speedily made for this weake­nesse and let all indeavours be used, to have these men se­cured in safe custody, indeede it is wonderfull that the rest of the House have not done it in all this time, but suf­fer them to sit there to corrupt the House, the City, & king­dome: no man can think they will be wanting to preserve themselves, though by the ruine of all; it cannot be thought so faithfull and discreet a people as the Army have proved themselves would ever have accused them, but they have good proofe of their accusations, and truely since it hath beene usual (and cannot be otherwise safe) for accused mem­bers of that house to be secured untill time of tryall there appeareth no reason but a great deale of partiallity in that so much respect is not herein shewed to the credit of this Ar­my, as at al other times hath bin to far inferior infomations.

And however men may talke their pleasure at randome, this charge will be found no more easie to be blown away with a puffe, or vapouring speeches, then Straffords was: but when the House it selfe so far sleights, as not to secure the [Page 7] persons, no marvaile the people sleight too; but this sleighting of reckonings makes heavy reckonings at the last; did the House heare what construction is made of this their sleighting by the people, they would turne over a new leafe, they have seen and acknowledged many of their errours of late, and it will be well if they see this before it be to late, and wish they had done it in time for how much mischiefe these men (at liberty) and their ac­complices may doe, cannot easily be immagined, and that they will doe all they can no man will doubt, and therefore whatever mischiefe insues the whole House will be intituled thereunto, and willbe judged to protect them out of selfe-guiltinesse with them.

Redeeme the time wee earnestly pray you: and suppresse all endeavours and intentions of opposing this worthy Army, by whose valour and true worth you injoy, under God, all that you possesse, never look to prosper if you ingage against them, nor to be happy if you joyn not cordially with them, far be it from you to carry two faces under one hood, pretend not peace and prepare for war, vote not against listing, and list under hand, pretences are but deceits and will in the end be discovered to your shame and then none will trust you▪ whom have the Army wronged or de­luded that any should now distrust them: they have neither been cruell nor perfidious: therefore trust them freely and fully, and so you lay obligations of love and brotherly respect upon them, which is the greatest bond in the world to men knowing God: and honouring him as they doe, banish all feare and resolve to second their endeavours for justice, and so both your, and our, and their happinesse may be great and lasting and bee convey­ed to future ages, who will blesse God in their generation for so great wisdom in their progenitors in a time of so exceeding great necessity.