THE COPIES OF PAPERS FROM THE ARMIE DELIVERED By the Officers and Souldiers to his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax.
Alſo, how they have ſet a Guard upon the King, and their civill uſage to the Commiſſioners, and Captain Titus the Kings M jeſties Querrie ſent up to the Parliament with a Letter.
London Printed for R. Simpſon, 1667.
I Have ſent you here incloſed a Copy of the Votes of the Officers at a Councell of War, and the Petition of the common Souldiers, delivered by their Adjutants from the Regiments to the General, ſince which, the grand Committee of Souldiers have received ſome further Propo••tions, which when they are perfected, I will advertiſe you further of.
There were a party of Souldiers ſent from hence to Holmby, who had Inſtructions for ſetting of a a Guard about Holmby, to ſecure his Majeſties Perſon; and we have received advertiſements of their performing the ſame with much modeſty, and offering nothing but what becomes loyall Subjects to His Majeſty, and they carry t•emſelves very civilly to the Commiſſioners, who are there by order of both Houſes of Parliament with the King, we here that the Commiſſioners have ſent up C•ptaine Titus, one of his Majeſties Que•ries, with Letters to the Parliament, to acquaint them therewith. Colonell Graves ſome ſay is gone, but of that you will be better ſatisfied from Captain Titus, who can acqu•int you with the ſmall matter of hurt which was at the fray there, which perhaps ſome ill affected perſonr will make a great matter of.
The Sould ers are in great expectation what the Parliament will doe; ſome things they have to propound, for ought I ſee, they will wave part t•ll they here from the Parliament. This is all at preſent from
1. THat upon the reports come to all quarters of the Army concerning the Votes and proceedings of the Houſe May 21. As alſo of thoſe on Tueſday, May 25. we find the generallity of the Army (as we are our ſelves) much unſatisfied in the one, and ſomething amazed and ſtartled at the other. the firſt Votes (of Friday) comming much ſhort of ſatisfaction as to the grievances of the Army then reported to the Houſe, and not taking any notice at all of ſome that were moſt materiall, & the latter (of Tueſday) importing a reſolution ſuddenly to diſband the Army by peace-meale, before equall ſatisfaction be given•o the who•e in any of the grievances, or ſo much as any conſideration had of ſome others moſt materiall: And alſo before any effectuall performance of that ſatisfaction with the Votes of Friday ſeemed to promiſe as to ſome of the grievances, all which we ſhall be readie (upon a little time given us) to repreſent to your Excellency, more diſtinctly and in particular.
2. That the ſaid diſtraction, and the iealouſies occaſioned uppon the ſame proceeding, as we f•are, and ſome effects already appearing doe find, may unhappily produce dangerous diſturbanc•s and tumultuous actings amongſt ſeverall p•rts of the Army, as they now lie diſperſed and remote from the Head quarters, eſp•cially amongſt thoſe Regiments whoſe principall Officers, by neglecting or diſſerting their Soldiers in in their neceſſary concernments or iuſt grievances, have diſobleiged their Soldiers, and loſt their intereſt with them, in ſo much a•ſuch Officers are in ſome ſort forced to withdraw from their charges, and can ſcarce with ſafety come at them, & to prevent the inconveniencies or ill conſ•quences which ſuch diſturbed or tumul•uous•ctings might produce either to the countrys where the Army quarters or to the kingdom,
VVe humbly adviſe your Excellency without delay, to draw the Army unto a cloſer poſture of quarters, till upon further ſatisfaction the Army may be quietly and orderly disbanded.
That upon the ſame diſſatisfaction and jealouſie we find an extream earneſtneſſe, and violent propenſity among the Soldiers to a generall Randezvouze and wee verily beleeve, that the firſt attempt to diſband any one Regiment, before equall ſatisfaction to all, and aſſurance againſt thoſe things they have cauſe to feare, will occaſion them all to draw together, and Kandevouze of themſelves, as it were upon an Allarm &c.
Since that courſe of disbanding the Army by piece meale, before the ſatisfaction intended be performed equally to the whle, ſeems ſomthing ſtrange and unuſuall.
That they would be pleaſed to reſume the things voted on Tueſday laſt, as alſo to reſume the grievances of the Army, together with the things propoſed in the Narrative from the Officers, and to give ſatiſfaction, or at leaſt ſome reſolution to each of them, and that they would not think it fit to put that temtation, thoſe jealouſies, and that diſhonour upon the Army, as to take it disbanded in ſcattered pieces, before ſatisfaction be equally given to the whole.
THat we your Petitioners conſidering the late Orders for disbanding the Army without redreſing our grievances, vindicating the Army, or calling to accompt ſuch perſons who have been intenders contrivers, and promoters of our deſtruction which (being b••reaſonable) we humbly conceive we may juſtly expect and ſhould not be denyed before our disbanding, conſidering alſo the ſtrange unheard of and unuſuall way of disbanding us a part one Regiment from another, contrary to the examples of other Armies disbanding in this kingdome: which poſture renders〈◊〉…ous to the kingdome, to whom for ſome of our Accompts (though humble and iuſt) we have already been••clared enemies, and to whom (for ought we know) the reſt of our doing, may be preſented with the ſame conſtructions.
We your Petitioners humbly beſeech your Excellencie, you would be pleaſed to appoint a Randezvouze ſpeedily for the Army, and alſo to uſe your utmoſt e•eavours that it be not disbanded before our ſad and preſſing grievances be heard, and fully redreſſed; which if not done before diſbanding, wee humbly conceive we ſhall be enforced upon many inconveniencies which will (of neceſſity) ariſe, when we (though unwilling) ſhall be neceſſitated (for avoyding of deſtruction like to fall on the whole Army, if not prevented) to do ſuch things ourſelvess which if your Excellencie (out of your wiſdome and prudence), ſhall prevent, by granting our juſt deſires in a way of Order, we ſhall abundantly rejoyce in it, and be (with cheerfulneſſe) enabled by it, to ſubſcribe our ſelves,
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80559)
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