HAving recieved your's, of the 4 of this instant signed by your self and some others, you are pleased to signifie your apprehensions of our undertakings, and your hopes that we have re­ceived from our Bretheren in England, such satisfaction as we may acquiesce in their late actings: I have sent to you by this Gentleman these inclosed Papers, wherein you will be fully informed of our endeavours and pains to keep a right understanding with our friends and Fellow-souldiers, but we sincerely professe to you that we can­not be convinced of any such necessity or sence of du­ty that could engage them in Actions so violent, and un­warrantable, contrary to such late and solemn engage­ments, indeed it makes our hearts mourn in secret to con­sider what the issue of this dangerous and rash change of the Government may be, but we hope we shall be found in the way of duty, and shall walk according to Gods word, in that we have born our testimony according to our consciences, against that which is evil, and we hum­bly desire you to lay to heart the great dishonour that will lye upon the holy name of God, by our inconstancy, and (I wish I could not say) Treachery: are we not an Army [Page 2] that have the highest engagements upon us, never such a professing Generation for God, yet to make no consci­ence of obedience to those that God set's over us, nay such whose authority hath been witnessed too by Almigh­ty God in many successes, and for restoring of which, we were but the other day rejoycing and praising God. And for the asserting whose just authority our Bretheren in En­gland so lately hazarded to blood, and from whom we have all received Commissions and Encouragement, and this to be don without halfe an houres deliberation; we tremble to consider of it, and that a few persons and of them some unknown to us to be intrusted with the pow­er of abolishing Lawes, Raising moneys, chusing gene­rall Officers, creating new Modells of Government, ma­king Peace and War, and this derived from the Officers of a few Regiments quartered in England, and our con­sent to all this authoritatively required, we cannot but witnesse against such proceedings as must needs make us a Scorn to our Enemies, a shame to our friends, and o­dious to all the People of God in the VVorld: is this the good old Cause, the defence of the Parliaments pri­viledges to dissolve them with the greatest Contempt? are Peoples Rights now secured, when their consci­ences, Estates and persons are abandoned to the wills and pleasure of nine or ten persons? are the Churches of Jesus Christ like to be protected when the encourage­ment of the Ministry of the Churches is to be removed; Now we beseech you in the bowells of the Lord Iesus to lay to heart these things, and consider whether our jealousies and fears be not reall, and we desire to deale with plainnesse and singlnesse of heart as in the pre­sence of God with you, that our Brethren in England [Page 3] are very dear to us in the Lord, that it wounds us deeper to consider these actings, then the wounds we have recei­ved from our enemies, for them we could have born. We blesse the Lord that you are so sensible of the hazard and blood that may follow: so we beg of you to remember what blood hath been shed, and who will answer for it, if we be worse then those God cast out before us. We blesse God we need no umbrage for our actions, but testifie be­fore God and man that we will not admit any single per­son whatsoever, nor House of Lords, that we desire suc­cessive Parliaments and Councils of State establisht by authourity of Parliament for the Government of these Nations, and that there may be a Legal foundation and succession. We desire our Brethren in Ireland to joyn with us in our desires to the Army in England, that this Parliament may be restored, and put a period to their sit­ting, and settle such expedients as may be for the securing of these Nations against the common enemy, and we shall take this as a renewed engagement of your Brotherly love and kindnesse to us, and having no further to trouble you, but to let you know that I am

This Messenger after some time, being in this City, car­ried himself very indiscreet­ly, so that I thought fit to con­fine him to his Chamber, which I hope you will not take ill.

THe Lord Generall and Officers there, are resolved to stand to their Declarations and Resolutions for the Parliament; what their Commissioners have done being besides their Instructions in the Third, Fourth and Sixth Articles of their late agreement.