The humble PETITION AND ADDRESSE Of the OFFICERS of the Army, To the PARLIAMENT of the Common-wealth of England, &c.

CAlling to minde the former Decla­rations of Parliament, and the grounds therein inviting us to take up Arms, and thoſe many ſignal Providences, wherein the Lord hath owned you and your Forces both by Sea and Land, in aſſerting that2 Righteous Cauſe, wherein the civil and religi­ous Liberties of the People of theſe Nations were involved, ſo as all open oppoſition was beaten down before you; And likewiſe weigh­ing with our ſelves, how in the ſeveral late changes in Government, that Publique ſpirit which appeared in that work, hath ſince that time been diſcouraged, and another raiſed up, drawing back to the ſame things you had contended a­gainſt, even to the hazzarding the eſſentials of that Cauſe; We did, upon ſerious thoughts of heart, think it our duty once more to appear againſt thoſe backſliding waies; and providence having brought the ſtate of affairs to the condition they were in ſome few days before your ſitting, we found it neceſſary to aſſert amongſt our ſelves, ſome of the fundamentals of our Good old Cauſe, with ſome other things conducing to the preſervation thereof, with a full and fixed reſolution, through the aſſiſtance of God, effe­ctually, even to the hazzard of our lives, to en­deavour the recovery and ſecurity of the ſame. And the ſame good Providence holding forth an opportunity to us, to open unto you a way for the further diſcharge of your remaining truſt in Parliament, we did, by our Declaration of the 6^th of this inſtant May, humbly deſire you would be pleaſed to return to the exerciſe and diſ­charge thereof, as before the 20^th of April 1653.

And having, to our great rejoycing, ſeen your Declaration of the 7^th inſtant, ſhewing, That you are reſolved, through the gracious aſſiſtance of Almight God, to apply your ſelves to the faithful diſcharge of the truſt repoſed in you, and to endeavour the ſettlement of this Common-wealth upon ſuch a foundation, as may aſſert, eſtabliſh and ſecure the Liberties of the people, in reference unto all, both as men and Chriſtians, and that without a ſingle Perſon, King-ſhip, or houſe of Peers, reſolving vigorouſly to endea­vour the carrying on the work of Reformation, ſo much deſired, and ſo often declared for, to the end there may be a godly and faithful Magiſtracy and Miniſtry upheld and maintained in theſe Nations; which ſo fully anſwers what our hearts were drawn forth to deſire, that we could not any longer forbear to expreſs our thankfulneſs, for this door of hope again opened towards the ob­taining a conſummation of thoſe things ſo much breathed after by the good people of this Com­monwealth. And however we finde our ſelves in ſome meaſure prevented by the late Declara­tion and reſolves of this Parliament, yet never­theleſs we have judged it our duty to repreſent what was chiefly and unanimouſly upon our hearts, when we engaged in that which made way for your return, which we humbly, as be­comes us, lay before you.

I. That the Liberty of the perſons, and Property of the Eſtates of all the Free people of theſe Nations be maintained, preſerved, and kept inviolable, accord­ing to Law, under the Government of a Free State and Commonwealth, with­out a ſingle Perſon, King-ſhip, or Houſe of Peers.

II. That there may be ſuch a juſt and due regulation of Law, and Courts of Juſtice and Equity, as that they may be a protection, and not vexatious or oppreſſive to the people of theſe Na­tions.

III. That by an Act of Oblivion, all and every perſon and perſons, who have ſince the Nineteenth of April, 1653,5 mediately or immediately Adviſed, Act­ed or Done, or Commanded or Ap­pointed to be Acted or Done, Or by Commmand or Appointment, have Acted or Done any Matter or Thing whatſoever, in reference to the ſeveral Changes or Alterations in the Govern­ment of theſe Nations, ſince the ſaid Nineteenth of April, 1653, or in order to the publick Service, Peace, or Safe­ty of theſe Nations, be indempnified and ſaved harmleſs to all intents and purpoſes whatſoever.

IV. That all Laws, Ordinances, Orders, De­clarations, and Eſtabliſhments made in the ſeveral changes and alterations of Government that have been in theſe Na­tions ſince the Nineteenth of April a­foreſaid, and not as yet particularly Re­pealed, be deemed good in Law until particularly repealed.

V. That ſuch Debts as have been contra­cted for the publique Service and Af­fairs of this Commonwealth, and for the Charges of the Government, ſince the Twentieth of April, 1653, be care­fully Paid and Satisfied.

VI. That all perſons who profeſs Faith in God the Father, and in Jeſus Chriſt his Eternal Son, the true God, and in the Holy Spirit God co-equal with the Father and the Son, one God bleſſed for ever, and do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures, of the Old and New Teſta­ment to be the revealed or written Word or Will of God, ſhall not be reſtrained from their profeſſion, but have due encouragement, and equal pro­tection in the profeſſion of their Faith, and exerciſe of Religion, whileſt they7 abuſe not this Liberty to the civil inju­ry of others, or diſturbance of others in their way of Worſhip: ſo that this Liberty be not extended to Popery or Prelacy; nor to ſuch as ſhall practiſe or hold forth Licentiouſneſs or Profane­neſs, under the profeſſion of Religion: And that all Laws, Statutes, Ordi­nances and Clauſes in any Laws, Sta­tutes, or Ordinances to the contrary, may be declared null and void.

VII. That a godly, faithfull, and painfull Goſpel-preaching Miniſtry be every where encouraged, countenanced and maintained.

VIII. That the Univerſities and Schools of Learning be ſo countenanced and refor­med, as that they may become the Nur­ſeries of Piety and Learning.

IX. That ſuch perſons as have at any time ſince the Twentieth of May 1642, aid­ed, or aſſiſted, or adhered to the late King Charls Stuart, his Son, or any other perſon or perſons whatſoever of that party, againſt the Parliament or Common-wealth of England, and all other perſons whatſoever, that have made uſe of any Authority or Power, under pretence of Law or otherwiſe, to deprive or abridge any of the good People of theſe Nations of their Chri­ſtian liberty, or have, or ſhall expreſs themſelves in any way Mockers, Scoffers, or Revilers of Godlineſs, or of the Pro­feſsours thereof, or are otherwiſe ſcan­dalous, or looſe in their Converſations, or have not given good ſatisfaction of their affection and faithfulneſs to this Cauſe, may be ſpeedily removed out of all places of Power or Truſty in the Ma­giſtracy9 or other Management of the Publick Affairs of theſe Nations; and that no ſuch perſons may be admitted unto any ſuch Place of Power, or Truſt, for the future.

X. And foraſmuch as no godly or other good intereſt can be preſerved or main­tained, unleſs the perſons, who are cheif­ly entruſted with the mannagement and exerciſe of the Government, be of ſuit­able ſpirits to thoſe intereſts, That thoſe who are or ſhall be intruſted therein be ſuch Perſons as ſhall be found to be moſt eminent for Godlineſs, faith­fulneſs and conſtancie, to the Good Cauſe, and intereſts of theſe Nations.

XI. That to the end the Legiſlative Au­thority of this Commonwealth may not by their long ſitting become bur­thenſome10 or inconvenient, there may be effectual proviſion made for a due ſucceſſion thereof.

XII. And for the better ſatisfaction and more firm union of the Forces of this Commonwealth, in this juncture of af­fairs, for preſerving and maintaining the principles and other matters thereunto ſubſervient, we do unanimouſly ac­knowledge and own the Lord Charles Fleetwood, Lieutenant General of the Ar­my, to be Commander in chief of the Land Forces of this Commonwealth.

XIII. That, in order to the eſtabliſhing and ſecuring the Peace, welfare and freedom of the People of theſe Nations, for the ends before expreſſed, the Legiſlative Power thereof may be in a Repreſenta­tive of the People, Conſiſting of a Houſe11 ſucceſſively choſen by the People, in ſuch way and manner as this Parliament ſhall judge meet; and of a ſelect Senate, Co-ordinate in power, of able and faith­ful Perſons, eminent for godlineſs, and ſuch as continue adhering to this Cauſe.

XIV. That the adminiſtration of the Exe­cutive Power of Government may be in a Council of State, conſiſting of a con­venient number of perſons qualified in all reſpects as aforeſaid.

XV. That all debts contracted by His late Highneſs, or his father, ſince the 15^th of December 1653, may be ſatisfied; and that an honourable Revenue of Ten thou­ſand pounds per Annum, with a conveni­ent houſe, may be ſetled upon him and his heirs for ever; and Ten thouſand pounds per Annum more upon him during12 life; and upon his honourable Mother, Eight thouſand pounds per Annum du­ring her life; To the end a mark of the high eſteem this Nation hath of the good ſervice done by his father, our ever renowned General, may remain to po­ſterity.

Theſe having been the thoughts and deſires of our hearts, unanimouſly agreed upon before your returning to ſi•, and finding the ſpirits of divers of the honeſt faithfull People of this Common-wealth, led forth for the ſame things, and your ſelves, by your late Declaration and Reſolutions in a great meaſure aſſiſting them, we thought it our duty to the Nations, to You, and to the honeſt People, humbly to preſent theſe; and beg the bleſſing and preſence of the Lord with you in the proſecution and bring­ing forth ſuch a Settlement, as may be for the honour of God, the union, joy, and rejoycing of all the peaceable People of this Common-wealth.

And We ſhall pray, &c.