DEar Brethren, Fellow Englishmen, and Christians, to you in especiall we desire to Remonstrate what the Lord of Hosts hath witnessed to some of us in our greatest straits, fiery trials, and Fields of Blood, of his great design in this last Age of the World to Establish his Son over the Kingdoms of Men, and confounding all Actions, Councels, and Contri­vances of his Enemies, rooting up all their Laws, Customs, Constitutions, and Personal Interests appearing in opposition to his Laws and Statutes.

It is easie to be discern'd by those that have made but the least observation of the wonderful out-goings of the Lord in the midst of us, how he hath carried on this design gradually, in making the Long Sitting Parliament the first valiant Witnes­sers against the particular Interest of Man in these Nations, in taking away the Negative Voyce of King and Lords, and restoring to the People their indubi­table Rights to the Militia, and choice of Magistrates, &c. as also in extirpa­ting the Bishops and all that Hierarchy, as the sworn implacable Enemies of Christ Jesus, therein giving Liberty to the small beginnings of his Kingdom, and patience, appearing amongst a despised Generation of Men, branded by the enemies of the aforesaid Kingdom with various Nick-names, with whom the Lord was mighty in overcoming the Armies of the Aliens, and bringing into contempt the Mighty and Honourable.

And afterwards when by the workings of Sathan; Hollis, and Stapletons faction were stirred up to hinder the free progress of Righteousness, Truth; and Peace in that Parliament which had begun the forementioned great work of the Lord, then was his power wonderful in stirring up the private Souldiers of the Army to adhere to those righteous things that the great Jehovah had put into the Parliaments hearts to promise, and for which they were at first called forth to hazard their lives, and all that was near and dear unto them; and to the end they might not miss of their before promised, dearly bought, and so much desired fruit of all their labours, hardships, and hazards, together with the loss of their Blood, Limbs, and Estates, God was pleased to appear mightily in engaging the Souldiery as one man against that gangrene faction of the fore­mentioned [Page 4] Hollis and Stapleton, putting it into the Officers hearts as well as Souldiers at New Market, and Triplow Heaths, to cry for Justice, yea speedy Justice without any delay or protraction of time; and as a witness of the Lord in their Con­sciences to engage their seeking after impartial Justice, he was pleased to im­barque both Officers and Souldiers in a righteous Engagement voluntarily with hands lifted up to the most High, That they would neither disband nor divide, nor suffer themselves to be disbanded or divided, until they as private men or other the free born people of England should not remain subject to the like injury, oppression, or abuse as had been attempted.

In the prosecution of what they so righteously engaged to, God was with them in rooting out the forementioned faction of deceitful builders, and after­wards in making the remaining part of the Parliament instrumentall in taking away those great pillars of slavery, and open enemies of the Lords Kingdom, (viz.) Kingship and House of Lords.

In the faithful prosecution of which righteous Engagement, the Parliament and Army might have expected the smilings of Jehovah, but when the House again divided into other factions, declining the forementioned righteous Cause, and the grand Officers of the Army in a sinful compliance apostatized and betrayed the same by corrupting the Souldiers Agents with Commissions, and afterwards shutting them quite out of Councel, thereby destroying at once the whole Pri­viledge of the Souldiers as Englishmen, that they who before were English Souldiers, were by the Apostacy of their Officers made no better then Indian Slaves; yea, shot to death, or hang'd at pleasure, for but some small overtures of appearing for the fulfilling their Righteous Engagement; witness Arnold Marston, Lockyer Thomson, and others, whose blood cries loud in the ears of the Lord for Justice.

The Army after this their unrighteous bloody dealing being brought into very great straits in Scotland, and being conscious to themselves that nothing would procure their safety and deliverance but a zealous declaring for and pressing after Righteousness; as a Manifestation or Pledge of their reality therein; (when the Scots declared for the setting up their young King and his particular Interest over this Nation, which the Lord by so many signal Appea­rances against both his Father and him had wonderfully freed us from) did not onely declare for the Advancement of the Kingdom and Interest of Jesus Christ as he is King of Saints, but as King of Nations also, in opposition to the late King and his Monarchy, as one of the ten Horns of the Beast, Rev. 17.12, 13, 14, 15. as by their Declaration at Mustebrough, August 1. 1650. doth ap­pear; and after their many appeals to the Lord or their sincerity therein, he was pleased at the Fight at Dunbar, and other places, not onely to deliver them out of their straits, but to make them victorious over their enemies, as is more [Page 5]fully acknowledged in a Speech made by the late Generall Cromwell in his own, and the names of the Officers of the Army after the Battel at Worcester, and Dissolution of the Old Parliament, to the Members of the Little Parliament succeeding, before their sitting.

After which the forementioned Old Parliament being dissolved, as short of spirit for the further Work of the Lord to be carried on in these Nations, and the Little Parliament called to carry on the same, the aforesaid General Cromwel, that grand Apostate from the righteous beginnings, or makings way for the ad­vancement of the Scepter of King Jesus over the Kingdoms of Men, to advance his own Interest, sided with a corrupt Party in that Little Parliament, and reject­ed and cast out the faithful Party among them, who were bringing forth those good things which the true Friends of the Cause, together with our selves are labouring and crying for at this very day; and therein (as much as in him lay) supprest the growth of Righteousness; and contrary to former Declarati­ons, Engagements, and solemn Appeals, set up himself upon the Mount of the Congregation of the Lord, and reestablished the former Beastly Power and Laws, &c. Together with whom, his grand Officers also committing Fornication, to uphold themselves more strongly in this their treacherous Design; they advan­ced their Agents into places of profit both Civil and Military; and the private Souldiery by a sinful compliance through fear of the thunderbolt of their Ja­nazary Law Martial, stood by them in all their unrighteous actions against the Lord that had fought their Battels, and had so far been their Deliverer from both Spiritual and Temporal Bondage; and when the forementioned grand Apostates thought they had established themselves in their Councels against the Lord, he (in answer to the Faith, Prayers, and Appeals of his faithfull wit­ness bearing Remnant) one time after another visited them in his wrath, and vex­ed them in his sore displeasure: and as they delighted in the Fabrick of Babylon, denying Christ to Reign over them, so he gave them their fill of it by bringing confusion after confusion upon them, and turning their own contrivances a­gainst themselves, making them the instruments of destroying the whole of what they had builded; and afterwards to reestablish the Old Parliament that before they had broken to pieces as corrupt, short of Spirit, and unfit for the work of the Lord, and the Instruments of accomplishing their own ruine, by making those who (for the greatest part, in obeying their Summons, and receiving places of Profit under them in the time of the Protectorship) so lately were their ser­vants, now to become their Masters, and so acknowledged by them; yea, and to put that Sword they had so made use of for the accomplishing of their own unrighteous ends, and forcing all Parties & Interests that stood in their way even into their late acknowledged Masters hands, whom they (again returning from Righteous Principles) had most unrighteously abused, by disturbing them in the [Page 6]exercise of that which they acknowledged to be a just and legal Authority; And like as covetousness and ambition were the loadstones that drew them to the betraying the righteous Cause of God and his people, so God made covetous­ness and ambition their confusion; and for their breaking faith with, and reject­ing his people by declining conjunction with them in counsel, God took coun­sel from them, causing them to pull down one day what they had set up the other; and now by his good and wonderful hand of providence hath brought them into a condition of justly expecting justice from those, that they neglect­ed to do justice unto.

Now by the forementioned grand Apostacy, the private Souldiery were and are robbed of the price of their blood, labours, and hazards, and the good peo­ple of these Nations of their expectations of inheriting Justice, and Righte­ousness, the ultimate end of their vast and voluntary expence of Treasure, the appearance of a noble English Spirit in the Army supprest and strangled by the wicked ambition of insulting Officers, whose mouths though stopt by the voice of God in the Souldiers Agents at that time, confessing what they proposed to be good, verifying that common Maxime, that vox Populi, is vox Dei, yet in their [ambitious] judgements not then seasonable, because themselves were not the pro­posers of it.

Likewise by the aforesaid Apostacy, Treachery, and Ambition, many millions of our Countreys treasure is expended, and thousands of our dear Countrey­men robbed of their lives; many Children fatherless, and Wives widows, our Nation confounded, scorned, and had in derision as a monster, which before had a glory upon it, and was feared by all the Nations round about us; our Trade destroyed by unjust Quarrels, Projects, and Monopolyes, and thousands of our dear Countreymen forced to break up house-keeping for lack of bread; yea to beg their bread in the streets, that formerly have been liberal to others that were in want: yea, to establish themselves in their aforesaid ambition, ma­ny of our valiant English spirits were ensnared, and conveighed away into re­mote parts, where they were treacherously murthered, as at Hispaniola, &c. and as for those that would not be ingaged from their native Countrey, and dance after the Pipes of Ambition and Treachery, how have they been snared and fet­tered by the late insulting Protectors wicked Regiment of Trappans, who were disperst into all parts of the Nation, that no man could speak reason, though for Life, Limb, Liberty, or Estate, if against their late insultations, but it was presently made Treason; by means whereof our dear native Countreymen, (whose Champions have been noted to be the noblest of all Nations) were al­most left desolate, naked, and bare, without any worthy or noble Patriot to appear in the gap against the late unparalell'd insulting usurpations; and those that did witness against them were for the most part cast into Prisons and bani­shed; [Page 7]By means whereof, our publick Lands are divided for gain of ambition, our Countrey wasted by continuance of unheard of oppressive English Taxes, and little or no account given thereof; Our Souldiers without their pay, and many of them ready to perish through the want thereof, though paid by the people for their use; Our maimed Souldiers, their Widows, and Orphans many of them already starved to death through want of their poor allowance; Many of our dear Countreymen also starved by cruel oppression, and imprisonment, and some poysoned in prison to prevent their witnessing against Treason, Inju­stice, and Oppression, &c. Oppression and oppressors countenanced, viz Lords of Mannors, National Clergy, Lawyers, Sheriffs, Jaylors, &c. Our poor robbed of their ancient lawful Gifts, and Donations, by Masters of Hospitals, and corrupt disposers: For all which, with many other evils and oppressions remaining in these Nations to this very day, the Lord hath a controversie with us, our whole head being sick, and our whole heart heavy, our present seeming Governours no other then a root, or stump of rottenness, and putrefaction. By means of which the reins of all good Government is broken, injustice, oppression, and vio­lence practised; and to fill up the measure of the forementioned grand Apo­stacy and iniquity, peaceable people (as in Olivers dayes) are again abused in their worshipping of God, their Meetings broken up, and lives indangered, that so the Nation might the easier be brought to couch and fall down under the burthen, that a few self-seeking, self-interested men, guided by unlimited will and pleasure shall impose upon them. Wherefore we have just cause to say, In vain is salvation looked for from the Hills, but with the Lord, the fatherless and oppressed findes mercy.

Now Dear fellow Brethren and Souldiers who have in any measure tasted of the loving kindness of the Lord, our desire is, that we may all consider wherein we have erred by a sinful compliance, and been instrumental under Apostates in be­traying the righteous Cause of our Lord, King, and Lawgiver, and to be through­ly humbled for the same, and manifest our real repentance by returning to make good our righteous Engagements and Declarations, that so the former glo­rious presence and salvation of the Lord may again appear in the midst of us, which we may be confident of, if we endeavour to redeem the time we have lost in our late declentions, by a through joyning heart and hand together, to promote and carry on the work of the Lord, for there is mercy with him that he may be feared; who also will recompence us with the blessed fruits of justice and righteousness as the reward of all our labours and hardships we undergo for the advancement of his Cause and People.

We have trusted to man these divers years, first to one sort, and then to an­other, and all have been to us but as broken reeds to this very day: It hath been with us in fleeing to man for refuge, as if we fled from a Lion and a Bear met us, and [Page 8]fleeing from a Bear, and leaning our hands on a wall, a Serpent bites us, but God never yet failed us: Let us therefore now be encouraged to trust on him; let our ex­perience of his former Mercies, and Deliverances in Fields of Blood from nu­merous and potent Adversaries, engage us to such a thorow undaunted Resolu­tion, as not to be frighted or complemented out of that which God hath given us as a fruit of all our former labours and hazards, and the expence of our dear Countreymens Blood and Treasure, but to joyn unanimously with our faithfull Brethren and Fellow Souldiers that have already engaged, and so lately re-en­gaged, Not to disband, or divide, nor suffer our selves to be disbanded, or divided either in part, or in whole, till we as private Men, or other the free born People of England shall not remain subject to the like injury, oppression, or abuse as hath been attempted.

And because our dear Brethren, and Fellow Englishmen as men and Christi­ans should understand what we shall by the assistance of the Lord stand by them for the accomplishment of, we declare as followeth, viz.

First, That we are not Mercenary Souldiers hired to serve the wills or ambitious desires of corrupt men, but for the assistance of the People in these Nations, in their just Rights and Priviledges.

2. That we judge our selves to be a part of the People, and (having as we hope re­pented of, and returned from our Apostacy) have not extinguished or diminished our Rights and Priviledges as Englishmen, by engaging as Souldiers in the late Wars, though our Mercenary Apostatizing Officers have from time to time robbed us of them by corrupting our Agents with Commissions, and their cruel Tyrannical exercise of the Articles of War.

3. That it is our duty to own and stand by any just Authority under Christ pro­ceeding from the choice of the good People, and to assist them from time to time in the further carrying on of his Cause and Interest, and in the questioning and bringing to exemplary Justice any that either have already betrayed, or for the future shall betray their trust, whether in Civil or Military Employments.

And because we may not be misapprehended, nor undergo the censure of any that wish well to Truth, Peace, and Righteousness, We further declare, That when the following Particulars shall be established, we judge our former volun­tary solemn Engagements and Declarations will be so answered, that we may quietly sit down in the condition of private men without any guilt upon our Consciences as betrayers of the Cause of God, and his People, or of undergoing the dismal censure of being a Faithless, Treacherous, Perjured Generation, &c.

First, When a firm Foundation is laid for securing the Liberties of all tender Consciences, who make the Word or Spirit of God their Rule to walk by, though different in judgement, so long as they keep themselves within the bounds [Page 9]of Modesty and holy example of the Scriptures, and this Law made according to the laws of the Medes and Persians unalterable, that no Wolves in Sheeps Clo­thing, nor wilde Bores out of the Forrest, or Lions rouzed from their dens, may for the future have any door, or gap open, to enter in and prey upon, or devour any of the tender Branches of Christs Vineyard.

2. When that intollerable Burthen of Tythes, and forced Maintenance for Ministers is removed, together with that Law by which many tender Conscien­ced men have been and are imprisoned, yea some of them to death, their Estates ruined, and their Families thereby destroyed; and when all men be set at liber­ty to hear and maintain what Minister they please, it being very unreasonable for Ministers to extort milk from that Flock they never feed, neither are willing to be fed by them.

3. When all Idolatry, and every part thereof, set up and practised by any Po­pish Institution at first, and yet remaining unremoved to the Oppression of ten­der Consciences be removed head and tail, branch and root.

4. When the Law is so regulated by the Scriptures, that all the dregs and re­liques of Monarchy and Tyranny is taken away, and nothing thereof left, that may hinder the people of these Nations from injoying their just, true, and per­fect liberties.

5. When all the badges of the aforesaid Monarchy, or Norman slavery, (viz.) the products of the prerogative breath of Princes, with all their innovated pri­viledges conferred on either Persons, or places, is totally removed, and all Lands made Free-hold, and Gaval-kinde as before the conquest, that younger brothers may have inheritance with their elder, and all slavish Tenures removed, and Registers of all Estates, and Debts, &c. in every County, and Tryals of all Causes, by Judges according to the Scriptures; that the people may be no lon­ger cheated, but freed from the cruel extorting Fees of Lawyers, and their te­dious journeys from all parts of the Nation to Westminster may cease, and the Laws few, and so plain that no innovator may have any gap open to establish corrupt Presidents.

6. When the fruits of our English earth is by a Law preserved for the use of our native Countreymen, by the prevention of the transportation of green Hides, Leather, Raw Cloth, Wool, and Fullers Earth, which hath destroyed the Trade of our English Nation to the detriment and ruine of thousands of fa­milies that the forementioned goods transported would have imployed and thereby preserved.

7. When the abuse by the liberty given to Forraigners is taken off our dear Countrevmen, and the aforesaid Forraigners be prohibited with a penalty from being Masters of any Trade whatsoever within these Nations, as our English­men are prohibited in other Nations.

[Page 10]8. When all Prisoners that lye in the Ʋpper-Bench, Fleet, Ludgate, New­gate, and all other Prisons within these Nations that have wherewith to pay their Creditors be constrained to sell their Lands, Goods, and Chattels, and forthwith to pay their Debts, that so the excessive prodigality used by many debtors whilest their Creditors perish for lack of bread may be avoided.

9. When all Lands, as well as moveables be made liable to pay debts, and as subject to judgement, execution, and confiscation.

10. When they that have nothing to pay their debts with, be set at liberty from out of the custody of cruel Jaylors, and not kept in durance to the ruine of their persons, wives, and families; and the cruel Jaylors who deal unrighte­ously with them by extorting unjust Fees, and depriving them of what was an­tiently given by Donators for relief of Prisoners, receive exemplary Justice.

11. When the poor Pensioners, our poor dismembred Brethren, their Wi­dows, and Orphans have their indubitable Rights assured them answerable to their losses, and those that have cheated them of their former poor allowance be brought to exemplary justice, and inquisition made after the blood of those that have perished through the want thereof.

12. When Workhouses are erected in every City, Town, and Countrey for the poor that are able to work, that they may be kept imployed out of a pub­lick stock, that none may eat the bread of idleness, and that those that are im­potent and not able to work be provided for.

13. When there is an established prevention of buying and selling places of Trust, and Offices in these Nations relating to the Civil Government, and ex­cessive advantages thereby; that men capable of any such or such a place, may onely have recompence, not exceeding three or four hundred pound per an­num at most, that so the excessive expence of the Nations Treasure may be avoided, and the publick debts the better satisfied, besides the corruption that hath ensued by some having too much, and others too little.

14. When Provision is made, that the Government of these Nations may not be entrusted in the hands of any one sort of men, (viz. not in the hands of any one such or such way of profession in Religion, lest they exalt their own Sect, and persecute others more righteous then themselves, but that the Go­vernment of these Nations be equally in the hands of all sorts of men, profes­sing the fear of God, though different in judgement and practice of Religion; provided that none have share of Rule over the People of these Nations, that have not given a testimony of their good affection and faithfulness to the Cause of God and his People, and that men of Courage, fearing God, and hating Covetous­ness, according to Exod. 18.21. may have the Rule, that so no one sort or sect of people may tyrannize over another, as we have seen it come to pass whilest the Government hath stood in one man, or one sort of men.

[Page 11]15. When a Rotation is established, because fixed Powers like standing waters are apt to corrupt, and those that make Laws for others may the sooner be in subjection to them themselves, which will make Law-makers study to make good & wholesom Laws, and those that are capable may as well taste of the Rule as of the Subjection; And herein we onely advise the aforesaid good People our dear Countrey-men rather to chuse men for their publique spiritedness and faithful­ness, then for their Honours and great Estates; for great men are not alwayes wise and just, though for the most part oppressours in one kinde or other.

16. When there is a stop put to that innovation of the late Apostatizing Officers of the Army, and others in the choice of Officers for Relation sake, ra­ther then for their Godliness, Faithfulness, and Valour.

17. When Sir George Booth and his Confederates are brought to a just Trial.

18. When all men without exception, who have cheated the People of these Nations, under what title or degree soever they be or have been, either in the Army or elsewhere, be brought to a strict account for the same, that so the Word of the Lord, Jer. 17.11. Job 20.15. may be fulfilled, viz. He that getteth Riches, and not by right, shall vomit them up again, &c.

And lastly, We declare that whatever company of faithful men the Lord of Hosts shall make use of in the owning and performing the aforesaid Particulars, or whatever else shall further appear to be for the establishment of Righteous­ness, Truth, and Peace in these Nations, that we shall in the strength of the Lord stand by and assist them with our lives, and all that is near and dear unto us, a­gainst all Opposers.

And although we appear for these things with our Swords in our hands, and resist the opposers thereof even unto blood, if we be called thereunto; which we hope our dear Brethren and Fellow Souldiers will better understand them­selves, then to fight against their own Liberties and Freedoms: However as to our present appearing for the forementioned Particulars, (our just Priviledges by Birth and Purchase) we are justified by the present Parliaments (so called) own Declaration of 1641. when they were in their primitive glory; Who declared it to be no resisting of Magistracy to side with just principles, and Law of Nature and Nations, [the Law by which we were justified at New Market and Triplow Heaths, &c.] The Souldiers justly holding the hands of that Generall that turns his Cannon against his Army; The Seamen the hands of that Pilot who wilfully runs the Ship upon a Rock (as our Brethren of Scotland argued when they had no vi­sible form of Authority either of King or Parliament to justifie them, &c. The States of the Netherlands, the Portugals, and others proceeding much higher up­on Principles of Right and Freedom, [who were not so naturally free born as we are] and therefore are we so much the more justified, by how much we come short of that height and measure of proceedings, which the People in free King­doms [Page 12]and Nations have formerly practised against Tyranny and Usurpation, and the declining of Magistrates from their Original and Primitive Glory, &c. as the Army also pleaded in Declaration June 14. 1647.

In the accomplishment of the forementioned particulars we question not but that we shall have the assistance of the Lord and of all good men, that de­fire to do unto others, as they would be done unto themselves; and as for them that are otherwise minded we believe their judgement lingereth not, and that many will stumble and fall, and be taken, and snared, who seek the living will of the Lord, among the dead Oracles of Babylon, not going to the Law and Testi­mony of the King of Kings for direction; yet the Lord of hosts will surely be a sanctuary to those that in the simplicity of their hearts, seek after impartial ju­stice and righteousness. And although as to the accomplishment of these things we know not as yet what strange paths we may be led into; yet this we are as­sured of, that our God will be our conductor so long as righteousness is our stan­dard, and his glory will be our rereward; and so far as we know our own hearts, we desire the faithfulness of the people of God to us, and prayers for us may cease when we shall cease in the simplicity and sincerity of our hearts to prose­cute these righteous Ends.