A FULL RELATION OF The Proceedings at the Rendezvouz of that Brigade of the Army that was held in Corkbuſh field in Hartford Pariſh on Monday laſt.
AND A LETTER from the Speaker of the Honorable Houſe of Commons to Sir Thomas Fairfax, concerning the ſaid Rendezvouz.
With a PAPER, Entituled, Englands Freedoms, and Soldiers Rights.
ALSO A Petition to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, of divers Officers and Soldiers of the Army under his Command.
Together with a Declaration againſt the Proceedings of the new Agents.
Imprimatur
London, Printed for Laurence Chapman, November 16. 1647.
THis houſe received ſeveral deſires from you, in behalf of the Army under your Command, which they took into preſent conſideration; but by the Kings withdrawing from Hampton Court, were interrupted in that debate. For the moneths pay, they have endeavoured the complying with it, and doubt not, but it may be ſpeedily effected; for the Arrears, they are reſolved to give a full and ſufficient ſecurity; and are very ſenſible of thoſe expreſſions of the Army, wherein they declare their reſolutions (upon a conſtant pay) to make it death to take any thing from any inhabitant of this kingdom; and remembring that the Rendezvouz of the Army beginneth on Monday next, They have commanded me to make known unto you (and deſire you would make it known to the Soldiers) that they will forthwith proceed upon thoſe deſires of the Army, which by reaſon of this accident (for the preſent) they could not finiſh; and make ſuch proviſion for them, both for the preſent for their Arrears, and their future conſtant pay, as may let them cleerly ſee, the care they have of them, and the value they put upon their paſt ſervices; reſting confident of their complyance and ſubmiſſion to the Commands and Directions of Parliament; not having more in command, I remain,
THis day (according to appointment) the Rendezvouz of the firſt Brigade of the Army was held in Corkbuſh field in Hartford Pariſh, between Hartford and Ware; Hartford being the Head quarters Saturday and Sonday, the General went from thence to the Rendezvouz; where according to order there met, of Horſe, The Generals Regiment, Col: Fleetwoods, Col: Riches, and Col: Twiſtletons; of Foot, The Generals, Col: Hamonds, and Col: Prides: And beſides theſe, upon the ſeducements of the new Agents, Col: Harriſons, and Col: Lilburns Regiments: The General expreſſed himſelf very gallantly and faithfully at the Head of every Regiment, to live and dye with them for thoſe particulars which were contained in a Remonſtrance read to every Regiment: And notwithſtanding the endeavors of Major Scot and others; to animate the Soldiers to ſtand to the Paper called The Agreement of the People, they generally by many acclamations declared their Affections and Reſolutions to adhere to the General; and as many as could in the ſhort time they had allowed, ſigned an Agreement drawn up for that purpoſe, concerning their being ready from time to time to obſerve ſuch Orders as they ſhould receive from the General and Councel of the Army, I had ſent you the copy of this Agreement, and His Excellencies5 Remonſtrance, but that I was ſo ſtraitned in time I could not: I ſhou'd have acquainted you before, That upon the Generals coming into the field, Col: Eyres, Major Scot, and others, were obſerved to be inſinuating divers ſeditious Principles into the Soldiers, and incenſing them againſt the General and General Officers: Upon which Order was given for the Commitment of Col: Eyre and others into the Marſhals hands; and Major Scot committed to the cuſtody of Lieutenant Chillenden, and ſent up to the Parliament: Some inferior perſons were likewiſe committed, for diſperſing ſundry ſcandalous and factious Papers, as The Agreement of the People, &c. among the private Soldiers: And finding that thoſe perſons who pretend moſt for the Freedom of People had diſperſed divers of thoſe Papers amongſt Col: Lilburns Regiment of Foot (the moſt mutinous Regiment in the Army) ſtrict Command was given for them to tear them and caſt them away; which was done: and Captain Lieut: Bray (who was the onely Officer above a Lieutenant left among them, the reſt being driven away by the mutinous Soldiers, and one of them wounded) was taken from the Head of that Regiment, and committed to cuſtody; it being alleaged, That he had led on the Soldiers to that Rendezvouz contrary to Orders. And afterwards a Councel of War being called in the field, divers Mutiniers for example ſake were drawn forth, three of them were tryed and condemned to death, and one of them (whoſe turn it fell to by lot) was ſhot to death at the Head of the Regiment, and others are in hold to be tryed. 6The Soldiers of this Regiment crying out, That they were abuſed by their Officers, and being told by the Lieutenant General, That they ſhould have Juſtice againſt them, were very much ſatisfied, ſenſible of their error, and promiſed conformity to the Generals Commands for the future. Col: Rainſbrough and ſome others preſented this encloſed Petition, and The Agreement of the People, to His Excellency at his firſt coming: Col: Harriſons Regiment, who had them in their Hats with this Motto on the outſide in capital Letters, Englands Freedoms, and Soldiers Rights, when they underſtood their error, tore them out of their Hats, and expreſſed their Reſolution to be obedient to His Excellencies commands. Lieut: Col: John Lilburn came this day to Ware; but things not ſucceeding at the Rendezvouz according to expectation, came not further. Sir, As I cannot but rejoyce in this days Unity, in relation to the Peace of the Kingdom; ſo, I hope, That the iſſue will tend to the benefit thereof; and that the General and Officers of the Army will do as much for the real Freedom of the People, as the other do pretend; and how good ſoever their Intentions may be, nothing but confuſion at preſent appears in their Endeavors. In much haſte I reſt,
HAving by our late labors and hazards made it appear to the world at how high a rate we value our juſt Freedom, & having ſo far owned our cauſe, as to deliver the enemies thereof into our hands: We do now hold our ſelves bound in mutual duty to each other, to take the beſt care we can for the future, to avoid both the danger of returning into a ſlaviſh condition, and the chargeable remedy of another War: for as it cannot be imagined that ſo many of our Countrey men would have oppoſed us in this quarrel, if they had underſtood their own good; ſo may we ſafely promiſe to our ſelves, that when our common Rights and Liberties ſhall be cleared, their endeavors will be diſappointed, that ſeek to make themſelves our Maſters: ſince therefore our former oppreſſions, and ſcarce yet ended troubles have been occaſioned, either by want of frequent National meetings in Counſel, or by rendring thoſe meetings ineffectual; We are fully agreed and reſolved, to provide that hereafter our Repreſentatives be neither left to an uncertainty for the time, nor made uſeleſs to the ends for which they are intended: In order whereunto we Declare,
1. That the people of England being at this day very unequally diſtributed, by Counties, Cities, and Burroughs, for the Election of their Deputies in8 Parliament, ought to be more indifferently proportioned, according to the number of the Inhabitants: the circumſtances whereof, for number, place, and maner, are to be ſet down before the end of this preſent Parliament.
2. That to prevent the many inconveniencies, apparently ariſing, from the long continuance of the ſame perſons in authority, this preſent Parliament be diſſolved upon the laſt day of September, which ſhall be in the year of our Lord, 1648.
3. That the People do of courſe chuſe themſelves a Parliament once in two years. viz. upon the firſt Thurſday in every ſecond March, after the maner as ſhall be preſcribed before the end of this Parliament, to begin to ſit upon the firſt Thurſday in April following at Weſtminſter, or ſuch other place as ſhall be appointed from time to time by the preceding Repreſentatives; and to continue till the laſt day of September then next enſuing, and no longer.
4. That the power of this, and all future Repreſentatives of this Nation, is inferior only to theirs who chuſe them, and doth extend without the conſent or concurrence of any other perſon or perſons; to the Enacting, Altering, and repealing of Laws; to the erecting and aboliſhing of Offices and Courts; to the appointing, removing, and calling to account Magiſtrates, and Officers of all degrees; to the making War and Peace, to the treating with forraign States; and generally, to whatſoever is not expreſly, or implyedly reſerved by the Repreſented to themſelves, which are as followeth;
1. THat matters of Religion, and the ways of Gods Worſhip, are not at all intruſted by us to any humane power, becauſe therein we cannot remit or exceed a tittle of what our Conſciences dictate to be the minde of God, without wilful ſin: nevertheleſſe the publike way of inſtructing the Nation (ſo it be not compulſive) is referred to their diſcretion.
2. That the matter of Impreſting and conſtraining any of us to ſerve in the Wars, is againſt our Freedom, and therefore we do not allow it in our Repreſentatives; the rather, becauſe money (the ſinews of War) being always at their diſpoſal, they can never want numbers of men apt enough to engage in any juſt Cauſe.
3. That after the diſſolution of this preſent Parliament, no perſon be at any time queſtioned for any thing ſaid or done, in reference to the late publike differences, otherwiſe then in execution of the Judgements of the preſent Repreſentatives, or Houſe of Commons.
4. That in all Laws, made, or to be made, every perſon may be bound alike; and that no Tenure, Estate, Charter, Degree, Birth, or Place, do confer10 any exemption from the ordinary courſe of legal proceedings, whereunto others are ſubjected.
5. That as the Laws ought to be equal, ſo they muſt be good, and not evidently deſtructive to the ſafety and well-being of the People.
Theſe things we declare to be our Native Rights, and therefore are agreed and reſolved to maintain them with our utmoſt poſſibilities, againſt all oppoſition whatſoever; being compelled thereunto, not onely by the examples of our Anceſtours, whoſe blood was often ſpilt in vain for the recovery of their Freedoms, ſuffering themſelves, through fraudulent Accommodations, to be ſtill deluded of the fruit of their Victories; but alſo by our own woful experience, who having long expected, and dearly earned the eſtabliſhment of theſe certain Rules of Government, are yet made to depend, for the ſettlement of our Peace and Freedom, upon Him that intended our Bondage, and brought a cruel War upon us.
FOraſmuch as our condition with the Armie in May and June laſt occaſioned us to make choice of Agitators for tranſaction of our buſineſſe with, and repreſentation of our grievances to the Generall, and by him to the Parliament, for the keeping of a mutuall correſpondencie and unanimous compliance amongſt us, for the cleering of all miſpriſions and miſapprehenſions that might any way retard the firm eſtabliſhment of a laſting Peace in this unhappy Kingdom, as alſo in order and relation to the providing compleat ſatisfaction for the Souldiery: Notwithſtanding upon ſeverall informations that thoſe formerly imployed by us did more conſult their own advancement then the Publick ſettled, we were induced about the 19 of October laſt to make choice of two new Agitators for a Regiment; not in the leaſt manner intending that they ſhould preſume to uſurp authority over the General, the Councell of Warre, the old Agitators over the Kingdom, or over us, as to appoint12 Conventions at their own pleaſure, and there to compoſe and publiſh in print to the world ſtrange and unheard of Fancies, and frame Ideas of their own brain, and bring them to us to father. But the authority that we derived upon them, was onely to act according to our firſt engaged principles, with the conſent and advice of the Generall, the Councel of War, and the Agitators firſt elected, to cleer thoſe things that ſeemed dubious unto us, to prevent miſinformations, to endeavour to facilitate things that appeared difficult, to make us intelligent Subjects what progreſſe had been made in order to our firſt ingagement and repreſentations to the Parliament, and to improve their beſt aſſiſtance to remove ſuch obſtructions as did any way impede the juſt and legall proceedings of the Army. And whereas they have contrary to the truſt repoſed in them, contrary to the end for which they were ſelected and choſen, and indeed, contrary to good ſubjects, caſt off all allegeance and obedience (as we conceive) to all preſent viſible Authority in the Kingdom, and have betaken themſelves to a new framed Citie of Refuge, have declared that13 they will inſiſt in that way poſitively againſt all oppoſition whatſoever, have endeavoured to incenſe the Nation that the Armie's intentions, Declarations, and Remonſtrances have been but to gull and miſlead the people, and have rejected all terms of correſpondency with thoſe formerly entruſted and employed by us; and all this acted printed, and publiſhed before any antecedaneous notice thereof given, or conſent had from their reſpective Regiments. Therefore we do declare to the ſaid pretended Agitators, and to all the world, that we are ſo far from countenancing their prepoſterous proceedings, as that hereby we teſtifie our utter diſlike to it: And do hereby recall any pretended authority that the ſaid Agitators make claim to from us, and likewiſe do require them to return to their ſeverall and reſpective Troops, and not to perſiſt any farther by vertue of any colourable pretence whatſoever; wee being fully reſolved to adhere to the former Mutuall Agreement of the Army, and not to act in a diſtinct way from the Generall Councel of Warr, and thoſe Agitators formerly entruſted by us, much leſſe in oppoſition14 to them; but to comply with them in all ſuch things as may conduce to the ſpeedy redreſſe of the publick diſtractions of the Kingdom, and the bringing to perfection our juſt deſires contained and ſpecified in the Ingagements and ſeverall Declarations of the Army, and will make choice of ſuch men as ſhall be appointed to communicate their utmoſt endeavours in the aſſiſtance of the Generall and Councell of War, in ſuch a way as may beſt conduce to the Bene eſſe of the Nation.
THat in Judgement and conſcience we engaged in the warr againſt the King under your Excellencyes command, to preſerve and vindicate the freedoms of our native Country, and of the Parliament in order thereunto.
That by the bleſſing of God all thoſe our Enemies are falne or fled before us.
That for the ſame Ends, and for our own Rights, for our ſervice, we were forced to hazzard our ſelves in diſputing the Parliaments commands, and thoſe our Oppoſers have been likewiſe ſubdued.
That the Countyes have petitioned your Excellency to procure the long expected ſettelment of their freedomes.
That we have waited many Monethes for the ſecuring to us, and all the free borne people, their native Rights, and for our Indempnity, and Arreares as Souldiers; and our Hearts bleed to ſee our Country conſume under continued Diſtractions and heavy Oppreſſions.
16That we ſee no hope of Indempnity for us and our Aſſiſtants; nor ſettling the foundations of freedome, but by entring into this Agreement which wee herewith offer to your Excellency deſiring your concurrence therein.
That we have ſeene and felt the ſad Conſequences of being divided and ſcattered before our native freedomes were ſettled, and our Arreares ſecured, and ſuch a way eſtabliſhed for conſtant pay, that we may know where to receive it monthly without faile.
That we are bound in conſcience from the ſenſe of our duty to our native Country, and in mercy to our ſelves, to keepe together with our ſwords in our hands, to maintaine theſe our freedomes, for which the Parliament firſt invited us to take Armes, to ſee our Arreares and pay ſecured, and our deere Country freed from its intollerable Burdens.
May it therefore pleaſe your Excellency to go on in owning and leading us in maintaining of this our Cauſe, to the righteouſneſſe whereof God hath born ſuch cleare witneſſe: And in the proſecution of theſe things wee humbly deſire to live and dye under your Excellencyes conduct.
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