SOme Generall account hath beene given from Burford, of the great mercy of God vouchsafed this Nation in delivering into our hands, most part of the Mu­tiniers that lately revolted from their obedience; a more particular account shall now be given, of the designes in­tendments, and wayes they were invol­ved in, which did so greatly indanger the Destruction of this Nation, and of the sequell and present issue thereof; to the end that all persons, who indeed, and in truth, and not in word onely, beare regard to the welfare of this Land, may themselves receive satisfaction, and have where­with to convince others that may have beene seduced or misled.

The grounds and manner of the proceeding of these men that have so much pretended for the Liberty of the People, have beene as followeth. There was a Paper stiled The agreement of the People, framed by certaine select per­sons, and debated at a Generall Councell of Officers of the Army, to be tendred to the Parliament, and to be by them commended over to the People of the Nation. It being hoped that such an expedient if assented unto, at least by the honest part of the People that had appeared for this com­mon Cause to which God hath so witnessed, It would have tended much to settlement, and the composing of our diffe­rences, at least have fixed honest men to such grounds of certainty as might have kept them firme and intire in oppo­sing the common enemy, and stand united to publique In­terest.

[Page 2] The Generall Counsell of the Army, and the other sorts of men, going then under the name of Levellers (who by their late actings have made good the same, which we then judged but an imputation) had (as now it appeares) diffe­rent ends and aymes, both in the matter and manner of their proceedings; That which was intended by those men was to have somewhat tendered as a Test, and Coercion upon the People, and all sorts of men and authorities in the Land: That which these, to wit, the Counsell of the Army aymed at, was to make an humble representation of such things as were then likely to give satisfaction, and unite, and might be remitted to mens judgements to be owned or dis-owned as men were satisfied in their Consciences, and as it should please God to let men see reason for their so doing, that soe it might not be only called, an Agreement, but through the freedome of it, be one indeed, and receive its stamp of Ap­probation from the Parliament, to whom it was [...]umbly submitted. Hereupon those other men tooke so much dis­satisfaction, that they forthwith printed and spread abroad their Paper, which was different from that of the Army▪ using all possible meanes to make the same to passe, but with how little effect is very well knowne, and finding by the Armies Application to the Parliament, that they were likely according to their duty to stand by and owne them as the supreme Authority of the Nation, They have by all meanes assayed to vilipend and make odious that authority presenting them to the People (in Printed Libels and other­wise) as worse tyrants then any who were before them, (if they did not answer every unseasonable & unreasonable de­sire of theirs, or correct their insolence, & laboured likewise to divide and withdraw the Army from their obedience and to make it hated by the People as the prop of the Parlia­ments supposed Tyranny, decrying it also as acting tyranni­cally, if it did but maintaine a just and necessary discipline, without which it is impossible to keepe any order at all. For if foure or five such unlimitted and ungovern'd spirits can by themselves and their Agents disturbe the Peace of a Na­tion what would an Army do if brought into the same distructive Modell?

[Page 3] What their carriage hath beene towards the Parlia­ment shall not here be mentioned, but onely what they have practised toward the Army, To disaffect men of honesty and conscience in the Army. They have sug­gested that the Parliament is unfaithfull to their Trust, unwilling to settle the Liberties of the Nation, misplace Officers of Power and Trust, and intend to perpetuate themselves, with many other such like clamours, the product onely of a slaunderous spirit; To such as have an eye to their Arreares and pay, they insinuate that the Parliament will not consider their hard travell, & service, nor make a just provision for their satisfaction. And to all they have endeavoured what they can to render the service of Ireland either as unlawfull (wherein they comply with Popish designes) or exceeding difficult and so discourage many, or else to be post-poned to their fancies of Libertie, as if the Liberties of this Na­tion could not or would not be settled without their inspection; and thus by applying themselves to men of severall affections, interests and tempers they have de­ceived and seduced some honest men, and fed the dis­contents and sinfull homours of many.

The course they have taken to divide the Souldiers from their officers (thereby insnaring and precipitating them into unlawfull and sinfull engagements) hath been by exercising the same spirit of falshood, to decry, not onely the Lawes of Warre as tyrannicall, but the admi­nistration therof by the Councell of Warre much more so. Although it be an undenyable truth, that in the con­duct of all the Armies that ever any history did menti­on, there never was so little severity exercised by Mar­shall Councells, or with more tendernesse and regret in what hath been at any time through necessity executed upon offenders.

When they h [...]d laid such a foundation of Lies and Falshood (wherein they have not been inferiour, if not beyong those enemi [...]s we had list to deale with,) and [Page 4] had thereby occasioned so many of Commissary Gene­rall Iretons, and Coll: Scroops Regiments to revolt, and cast off their Officers (an Act not to be paralell'd) and that their businesse began to grow to an head, they sent their Emissaries and Agents into all parts (as we have good intelligence) pretending from one Regiment to another, that each regiment had declared that so by that Artifice they might draw each to declare, and to the end they might not onely confirme discontents in those Regiments they had drawne into that unwarrantable course but heighten a resolution in their minds to stand it out: they reported that the Regiments waiting on the Generall in this service were so dissatisfied that they would not stand by him, nor strike a stroake in this businesse, although the Generall hath a ground of as much confidence of their resolution to venture their lives against a disobedience of this nature, as ever they did a­gainst an enemy, of which they gave a sufficient testi­mony when they came to the Tryall, going on with as much chearfulnesse and alacrity as they were wont to doe upon any other Ingagement. But by this falshood and wile they had drawne in many of them, and made use of it to keep them together: To the forces in Wales, and the West they gave assurances that the forces about London would revolt. To those about London, that those in Wales, and the West would do the same. And to the Forces in the North used they the like Arguments, and nourished also the distemper of the forces in the South. By these lies & boastings, labouring to heighten discon­tents in all places. The knowledge hereof we have also by a full attestation from the mouths of some conscien­tious persons who were deluded with these vile and forged pretences, and out of conscience discovered, and since do exceedingly lament and abominate the same.

When the Lord Generall was come to Aulton in Hampshire, he had intelligence of the joyning of part of [Page 5] the Commissary Generalls, and Colonel Scroops Regi­ments, making tenne Colours, and about 600 Horse, They having disserted all their Commission Officers (except two or three) marched away to Marlborow, with intention to make what speed they could to get a Conjunction with Colonell Harrisons Regiment. The Lord Generall Marched to Andover, and thence sent Major White, Captain Scotten, Captain Peuerell, and Captain Bailey, with a Letter to the Revolters, excite­ing their present returne to their obedience, with offer of pardon upon their so doing, or otherwise, to declare to them, he would endeavour to reduce them by force, and withall giving in charge to the Messengers, to re­quire a present Resolution and conformity thereunto, and letting them also know, that he would send a De­claration immediatly after them, which is since publi­shed in Print, and entituled A Declaration from his Ex­cellency, with the advice of his Councell of Warre, con­cerning the present distempers of part of Commissary Ge­nerall Iretons, and of Colonell Scroopes Regiments to un­deceive the deluded party, and to leave those excuselesse who refuse (upon pardon herein offered) to returne to their former obedience.

The Generall intended to abide at Andover untill he could receive from his said Messengers an answer to his Message and commands sent by them, which he expe­cted and required should be returned next morning. But Major White and the rest letting his Excellency know, that the said Troopers were marching towards Wantage in order to a conjunction with Colonell Har­risons Men, His Excellency Marched the same day being Sunday the thirteenth of May to Theale about foure miles from Reading, and appointed the Rendez­vous of his Horse to be next morning at Inglefield a mile from thence, with purpose to March towards A­bingdon, to prevent if possible the designed conjunction with Colonell Harrisons men: And in the mean time, [Page 6] his Excellency having received a Letter from the Revol­ters, that they would be obedient to Orders from his Excellency, and come under his protection, His Excel­lency dispatcht Coll. Scroop that night (being Saturday the 13) to them to make triall of their obedience, but they in the interim wee marched from Wantage to Blagrave, where they expected to meete Collonell Harrisons men, and abiding there for some time had the Accession of two Colours of Horse of that Regiment. So that they became 12 Colours in all, besides Collon: Eyres, with some other straglers and Citizens. At this Randezvouz Collon: Scroop found them, and here also Major White, and the rest did with faithfulnesse and ho­nesty communicate the Generalls command offers of pardon and his Declaration, but they by the increase of number heightned in their spirits, continued in their contempt and disobedience, slighting Coll: Scroop, and his message, and preferring the reading of their owne Declaration before the Generalls, the Leaders of them and their Agents being unwilling the same should be published to the rest of the Souldiers, or the Lord Ge­nerals Messenger should have full and free discourse with them: or that his Excellencies Declaration should be communicated to any but the Agents.

At this Place a principall person amongst them and of the greauest interest, had two Messages (as he hath since ingenuously, and conscientiously confessed) The one its to be hoped was but a pretence and slander to wit from a Lord (whose name we forbeare to mention) that they should take encouragement, for he should ere long be ready in the head of 2000 Horse to assist them: the other was by a Gentleman who seemed to be a person of quality who animated them to goe on with this assurance from a person living in London, that they should not want money, either for Horses, Armes or other necessaries to carry on their businesse.

In this confidence they marched away to New-bridge,