A Letter to the Lord Fleetvvood, from Sir Arthur Haſlerigg, Col. Morley, and Col. Walton, Commiſſioners of the Army by Act of PARLIAMENT, for the Governing the Armys of England, Scotland, and Ireland. My Lord,

SInce the ſad and wofull day, when your ſelf (that the Parliament ſo much truſted and beleived) brought their own forces and beſieged the Houſe, we have been ſilent: The Act was ſo horrid it could not but amaze, to our beſt underſtandings, we obſerving your ſteps ever ſince, it appeares; That your wayes are not the Nations ſettlement, but that confuſion and the greateſt of miſeries and ſorrows will unavoydably overflow theſe Iſlands; And we are thereby made a ſhame and reproach, not only at home but throughout the Chriſtian World where England is named.

We are told we ſhalI have our Liberties, How can that be? when the Foundation of all our Liberties is in the Parliament, that being the Repreſentative of the people, in whom is the Originall of all juſt Power. And is not the Parliament the Foundation of ſucceſſive Parliaments deſtroyed, ſo farr as you can do it; can you imagine that we and many thouſands that have hazarded our lives, and ſpilt our blood for our Libertyes and Religion, will now yeild up the Cauſe ſo long and ſharply contended for, and that God ſo miraculouſly owned; And ſuffer Parliaments to be impoſed upon, and the people to be compell'd to Governments, not made by their own Repreſentatives in Parliament; Doth not God command that one ſhould do to another as he would be done unto? Is not this a General Command given to all mankind? Wo therefore to Kings and every other perſon that aſſume power over man, and walk not according to that Scripture Rule; can you oppreſs, can you impoſe, can you reſtraine Liberty, can you take away propriety, and above all, can you overthrow your Governours and deſtroy Parliaments, and not break this rule; Is not the Cauſe we contended for, the enjoyment of our Liberties and Religion; We are ſure God would have man to be free and not oppreſſed; we only deſire the maintenance of our Good Old Cauſe which our gracious God ſo ſignally owned, when our potent Enemies at Sea, and at the ſame time thoſe in England, Scotland, and Ireland roſe up to oppoſe; where is the humble ſelf-denying Spirit to be found? We have moſt ſeriouſly conſidered the great truſt repoſed in us by the Parliament, and deſire to find out what is the duty incumbent upon us, And we cannot ſatisfie our ſelves, but that we are juſtly by Parliament, not only to be queſtioned, but cenſured; If we own not the Parliament in this time of ſo great defection, and endeavour not now to our utmoſt the preſervation of it: The great and good God by his providence brought us moſt ſeaſonably to this Towne, where we found Captaine Browne (ſent down by you) endeavouring to withdraw the Officers of this Garriſon from the Parliament, perſwading them to betray and falſifie their truſt, and to Act contrary to their Commiſſions; When a perſon becomes falſe, it follows he would have all others like himſelf, we heare he brought ſeverall Commiſſions of yours, we cannot but trouble you in this particular, do you think it a light matter to murther men? Hath not God given man power over the lives of all other Creatures, and only reſerved the life of man to himſelf, Sacred Writt holds it forth, That he that ſpils mans blood, by men ſhall his blood be ſpilt; From whom comes your power to give Commiſſions to kill men? it is not to be found in Scripture, If it came from man, we wiſh it could be made clear to the world and your own Conſcience, that you have a lawfull Authority; could you gaine all the power and wealth of theſe Nations, it would do you but little good if thouſands murthered by your Commiſſions, riſe up at the day of Judgment againſt you: We have no particular ends of our own that we aime at, we only deſire the reſtoring of the Parliament, and the ſpeedy ſettlement of the Commonwealth; ſo that we may enjoy our Religion, Liberties, and properties; Here lies in this Port many Ships not paid off, which is great expence to the publick; And had not the Parliament been lately interrupted by you, they had not been now to pay; The Marriners are ready to goe to Forraign parts for imployment, having ſpent their Arreares in attendance, and are not able to expect longer. Thus the great debt of the Nation increaſeth. The Spring of the year approaches; Dangerous Enemies from abroad threaten us, there is nothing but Confuſion and general diſcontent at home; If you take not ſome ſpeedy courſe to give ſatisfaction to thoſe that have been, and we hope yet may be your Friends, it will be too late, and deſtruction muſt needs follow; we wiſh if miſery do come, that thoſe who ſtated this our Cauſe deſtroying quarrell, upon perſonall accompts, may only feel it. And that our mercifull God will find out ſome extraordinary waies to preſerve our Liberties and Religion to poſterity: We think fit to acquaint you that we find this Garriſon of Portſmouth very faithfull to the Parliament, and reſolved to performe their dutyes and truſts according to their Commiſſions, we incourage them what we can, and we hope your Lordſhips may do the like; And we ſhall be ready to aſſiſt you in any thing, wherein we are equally intruſted by the Parliament, we hope that infinite Wiſdome and power will yet ſo order our affairs that the Good Old Cauſe ſhall be preſerved; The Declarations of Generall Monck are both ſober and Religious; We own them, and exceedingly rejoyce in his faithfullneſs and conſtancy to the Parliament; He is a Souldier of true honour and worth, and abhorrs falſneſs to his truſt; We and all well affected to the Nations Libertyes have cauſe to bleſs God for him, as the great Aſſertor of our Parliaments Cauſe, and this we hold forth to your ſelf, and all well wiſhers to publick intereſt; We are

Portſmouth, Decemb. 7. 1659. My Lord, Your Lordſhips humble Servants, Arthur Haſlerigg, Herbert Morley; Valentine Walton. For the Lord Fleetwood at Wallingford-Houſe.

The Lord Fleetwoods Letter in Anſwer to the Commiſſioners firſt Letter. Honorable Gentlemen,

IN Anſwer unto yours from Portſmouth, I ſhall exerciſe that Freedome, which I hope the preſent ſtate of our Affairs will give me liberty to do; You are pleaſed to charge me with a Horrible and Amazing Act, in my breach of Truſt, and why you ſhould accuſe me who are ſo guilty your ſelves, I do not know, unleſs by your Accuſation you think your ſelves freed from that confidence and truſt that was put in you, That you would make good your word, which I muſt ſay, ſome of you have ſadly forfeited; engaging ſo ſolemnly as you have done, and yet being in that Hoſtile manner in the place where you now are; I will not take your courſe by excuſing my ſelf, further to aggravate your crime; But in ſhort, Anſwer that for my breach of Truſt, you well know through ſome of your means, That truſt the Parliament was pleaſed to deliver me from, and quit me of that Confidence, which they had been pleaſed to favour me with, which I muſt needs ſay, did deliver me from a great exerciſe of trouble, which otherwiſe I ſhould have been under, had their truſt continued in me; VVho they were, that were Inſtruments to take the Parliaments good opinion from me? you well know, I ſerved them faithfully, and as for what you charge me with, deſtroying Parliamentary Authority; I deſire the Lord may give you hearts to conſider how much you have been inſtrumentall therein, and how ſadly your own Actions did put the Army upon doing ſuch things, which I know were grievous to their thoughts to be neceſſitated unto. The memory of that Parliament, in what God did make uſe of them as inſtruments, I hope I ſhall alwaies own and Honour, and were all our actions weighed in a due Ballance from the firſt time of their laſt Sitting, to their Riſing; I doubt not but I ſhall appear to be a more Innocent perſon, and even more faithfull to them, then by ſome of your actions it will appear you are. I delight not in changes▪ It is neither my Principle nor Intereſt; The Government of Parliaments is that I own and Honour; And though my ſteps you mention may be diſpleaſing to your ſelves, yet I hope the Lord will not leave me ſo without His preſence, but to manifeſt I deſigne nothing of ſelf Intereſt, but the good of theſe poor Nations, and the Intereſts of the people of the Lord, and the Liberties of men (as men might be preſerved) But how eaſily is your Rule, (To do to another, as one would be done to,) broken by your ſelves, and yet directed to be obſerved by others; And therefore as to that of impoſing upon Parliaments, who has more, had a hand in things of that Nature, then ſome of your ſelves; I delight not in words of Provocation; but for Oppreſſion, Impoſing, Reſtraining Liberty, taking away Property, and Advizing and Abetting to the Overthrowing of Government and Authority which you urge; I beſeech you give me leave to uſe the words of Freedom, who hath had a hand in things of that Nature, more you or my ſelf. Indeed I can truly ſay, the thoughts of doing any thing of that ſort, or what may lead thereunto at any time is that which I dare not give way unto, not for fear of diſpleaſing men only, but becauſe I know ſuch actions will be judged and condemned of the Lord; And wherein I have in anything been guilty upon any of thoſe accounts, I deſire to take the ſhame thereof to my ſelf; I would be loath to be found a wilfull Tranſgreſſor therein, the thoughts thereof are with abhorrancy to my ſelf; I have no Intereſt of my own to mind; I had rather be in a Corner, then in the Station where I am, and if my ſilence and Retirement might but ſave this Cauſe, it would be the chearefulleſt work that ever I did engage in, and as by your Letter, it ſeems you judge me the great troubler of our Peace; If I be ſo, My deſires to the Lord are to Convince me thereof, and to make a way for my ſilence, rather then continue me in a Condition to trouble theſe poor Nations; But alas! how little is your actions conſidered by you in order to this thing? What can it tend unto, but only to give a further encouragement to our Common Enemy to endeavour the deſtruction of the whole. I know you are perſons of Intereſt, and I ſpeak it not therefore with reflections upon your own Merrits; But give me leave to tell you that I am confident, in the way you are in, you will be Blaſted, and only give the Advantage to thoſe who would deſtroy both the Parliament and their Friends; ſo far will you be from reſtoring the Parliament that your actions will lead (if the Lord prevent not) to the deſtruction of Parliamentary Power; As to your Authority I will only ſay this: I am confident the Parliament never intended you ſhould make uſe of any of their forces againſt the reſt; And the truth is, I beleive it will be found you are miſtaken in your Commiſsion: for you have only that Power which I had as Lieutenant General, and not as Commanders in cheif. And what Authority I had to Command the Forces was by vertue of my Authority as Commander in Chief, and not as Lieutenant General; Beſides I had no Power to Levy Forces, but to Command thoſe which were raiſed, and I am ſure you have no greater power given to you then I had: When yet you extend your Authority to the Levying of new Forces, which I dare confidently ſay you cannot juſtifie by that Commiſſion; As for my Authority of granting of Commiſſions, I have the call of all the Forces in England, except where you are; which I hope I ſhall not ſo mannage, but that either the Power I have may be confirmed by a Supream Authority, or diſpoſed of to a fitter perſon then I am, to which I ſhall readily yeild obedience. Your words are very ſevere, calling me little better then a Murtherer. Its well known I have as little practiſed ſeverity as any Perſon that hath borne Armes: And to be looked upon as a perſon greedy to ſhed blood, I have a Conſcience otherwiſe exerciſed, and wiſh that may not be laid to your charge which you do readily apply to me. As to Marriners which you take notice of, that they ſpend the States money as not being paid off their Arreares; They may thank you that they are not paid, for it is well known there was money aſſigned for them, and would have been with them before this time, had not you interrupted the peace of that Town where you are: And as ſoon as you return to your former Peaceableneſs and Friendſhip the Marriners ſhall certainly be paid. If you have nothing in deſigne but the good of this Cauſe, I hope what we are doing may give you ſatiſfaction, and if you are in the Capacity of Friends, as formerly you have been, your advice would be hearkened unto in any thing, wherein we might be ſatisfied that the good of this Cauſe might be preſerved thereby. As for General Monck, your good Opinion of him▪ I hope he will make good by his ſpeedy Agreement with us; A return of which I expect to have by the next: The Lord perſwade your hearts to reſolutions of peace, and that theſe ſad breaches may be healed is the deſire of

Your Humble Servant, Charles Fleetwood. VVallingford-Houſe, Decemb. 10. 1659.

If we muſt be looked upon as Enemies, I ſhall deſire you will releaſe Cap. Brown, Cap. Peacock, and Cap. Hopgood; I will releaſe Col. Markham, and Col. Atkins, whoſe offence I am ſure was much greater then any you can charge them with, and are perſons much more Conſiderable.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Common-Council of the City of LONDON. My Lord and Gentlemen,

WE conceive it is not unknown to you, the Truſt the Parliament repoſed in us before theit late interruption; We have waited ever ſince, expecting that the force would have been removed from the Parliament Houſe at Weſtminſter, that the Members might have returned to their Duties, but finding confuſions and diſcontents to increaſe, we came to this Town of Portſmouth, which is of great concernment to the City and Publick; The Governour and this Garriſon have declared their faithfulneſs to the Parliament, there are many Ships not paid off, and Marriners ready for want of pay to go into Forreign parts for employment, there muſt ſome ſpeedy courſe be taken for preventing the great miſchiefs which will otherwiſe follow. We cannot but approve of General Monks Declarations, and concurr with him fot the reſtoring of the Parliament, We hope you do the like, and intreat you that no time may be delayed, but all endeavours may be uſed that the Parliament doors may be forthwith opened, and the Speaker deſired forthwith, to ſend Letters to the ſeveral Members to perform their Truſt in Parliament. We know no other way under God, to preſerve your City and the Nations from inevitable ruin, and to deliver us out of theſe miſerable and woful confuſions we are now in. We beſeech you move ſpeedily in this, for our Cauſe and the ſafety of the whole lyes bleeding. We entreat to hear a word of your intentions, Our affections as you well know, being very great for the welfare and proſperity of the City and we find ſuch abſolute neceſſity of the Parliaments meeting, though but in Order to the ſettlement of future Parliaments, that if you cannot prevaile that they may ſit quietly at VVeſtminſter, we ſhall write to the Speaker, that he would be pleaſed to meet at Portſmouth, where we doubt not, through the mercy and goodneſs of God, they may ſit with honour and ſafety, and Act freely for the good and preſervation of the your City & Nations. We preſent our humble ſervices to your Lotdſhip, the Aldermen and Common-Council, We are

Portſmouth 7. Decemb. 1659. My Lord and Gentlemen, Your moſt faithful and humbleſt ſervants. Arth. Haſlerig, Herb. Morley, Val. Walton,

For our Honourable friends, the Commiſſioners of the Militia of the City of London, appointed by Act of Parliament. Gentlemen,

YOu know very well, that we have the chief Command of all the Forces in England and Scotland by Act of Parliament, We are now at Portſmouth, a place of great concernment; We hope you believe that we deſire Peace and ſettlement, not a new VVar, we have no perticular deſign, we apprehend there is no other means for the preſervation of our Cauſe, the City and Nations, and deliver us out of the woful Confuſions that we are now in; but the opening the Parliament doors, that the Members may return and perform their truſts; VVe deſire you to act your parts in purſuance of the truſt repoſed in you by the Parliament▪ for removing the force from the Parliament; we ſhall aſſiſt you to the utmoſt of our power, and remain Gent.

Portſmouth, Decemb. 7. 1659. Your affectionate Friends and Servants, Arth. Haſlerig, Herb Morley, Val. VValton.

The ſame Letter was ſent to the Militias at VVeſtminſter and Southwark.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Fleetwood at VVallingford houſe. My Lord.

WE ſhall not trouble you with any tedious reply to your Letter, but this we muſt affirm That neither joyntly nor ſeperately did we or any of us, either to your ſelf or any other perſon, paſſe our Engagements, to do otherwiſe then we have done; And if you had given any of us a perticular Charge, we ſhould readily have vindicated our ſelves: Neither did we endeavour to remove the Parliaments good opinion from you, though we well perceived your coldneſs in their ſervice, elſe the Paper ſent from the Northern Brigade, had never produced the ſad conſequences that ſince have enſued; And if it was againſt your Conſcience, to act as one of the ſeven Commiſsionets appointed by Act of Parliament to govern the Army, we marvel with what ſatisfaction you can now act by the Call of private men, without any publick Authority; and yet pretend you deſire retyrement: Whether you have not been inſtrumental to deſtroy the Parliamentary Authority, and how farr we have been inſtrumentall to any ſuch ends, we leave it to the Lord and all indifferent men to judge; Neither ſhall we diſpute the neceſſity that induced the Officers to interrupt the the Parliament, for if you and they ſay it was neceſſary no man muſt dare to ſay otherwiſe; It is an eaſie matter to pretend to good things for the Nation, Oliver did the like, but the ſequell manifeſted h • s own advancement to be at the bottom; And it is well known when you remove us from our Foundations you may carry us whether you pleaſe: We all deny to have been inſtrumentall in any breaches made upon the Parliament; but if we had we ſhould not be aſhamed to aſk God and the world forgiveneſs, and reſolve by our future deportments to repair ſuch breaches. Concerning oppreſſion, impoſing, reſtraining Liberty, taking away property, Governments and Authority, we ſhall only ſay, That whoſoever takes away our Parliaments, takes the ready courſe to let them all in like a floud upon us; neither do we think the Council of Officers competent per ſons to Judg of Government, and to break Parliaments, and put new fancies of their own inſtead thereof as they pleaſe; How far your actings againſt the Parliament or outs in perſuance of the PARLIAMENTS Commands have given encouragement to the Common enemy, we leave to your own conſideration: or, becauſe the Parliament will not Act what ſome Officers of the Army pleaſe, they muſt be inte •• upted. And if any prove faithful to diſcharge the Truſt repoſed in them, they are the only troublers of the Nation, and give advantage to the Common enemy▪ We are not ambitious of Commands, having more given us by the Parliament then we deſired; but conceive we have more Authority to gran • Commiſſions, in Order to the Parliaments reſtitution, then you can have from the Call of any private perſons to continue their interruption. You ſay, The Marriners had been paid if we had not been here; We ſuppoſe ſome of them are gone to London for their pay, and if money were ſent to diſcharge the reſt, we ſhould be far from hindering their payment, or diverting the money. You pretend good intentions to the Nations ſettlement, We are ſure our hearts thirſt after it, and that we are not guilty of any Hoſtility in this place. In the interim, we reſolve by Gods bleſsing, to defend the ſame for the Parliament; If what you are doing might ſatiſfie all the Parliaments party, and ſecure Parliamentary Authority, the Rights, Liberties, Properties of the people and Religion: which is the Good Old Cauſe, ſo much owned by God, and valued by all goodmen; we ſhould really rejoyce and bleſs God for it, and readily return to our former friendſhip, it being the deſire of our hearts, that all miſunde ſtandings may be removed, the Parliament reſtored, old friends reconciled, & the Commonwealth ſettled upon righteous & laſting Foundations; And if you are as peaceably minded as we, you may make it appear by directing the withdrawing of the Forces you ſent toward this place, that ſo esfuſion of blood may be prevented; If otherwiſe we cannot believe you in • end Peace. We are

Portſmouth, Decemb. 14. 1659. My Lord, Your Lordſhips Servants, Arth. Haſlerig, Hetb. Morley, Val. Walton.

For the Honourable Sir Arthur Haſlerig, Col. Walton and Col. Morley at Portſmouth. Honourable Gentlemen,

I Have received yours, and finding that our perſonal reflections doth but provoak each other, and therefore I ſhall rather deſire to commit my caſe unto the Lord, then to argue it with man, not doubring but that he will plead my innocency, for me, and convince me wherein I may be found guilty, being deſirous to bow before him in any thing wherein I may be found faulty, and take the ſhame unto my ſelf, rather than be a reproach unto his name by any action of mine, the Lord grant that this may be more and more yours and my frame, whatſoever our conteſts are; yet I am ſure of this, by reaſon thereof, the Common enemy is like to have the advantage, and which of us may have the Conqueſt? We ſhall none of us be but looſers; I wiſh ir be not found, that whilſt you diſpute the form you deſtroy the end, and though I may with others ſo much juſtifie our ſelves, yet that old friends that have but one intereſt ſhould engage as enemies, is that which we have cauſe to take up as a lamentation, and let us take heed that Saints blood be not layd to our Charge; it is a ſtrange hand of God upon us, that there ſhould not be found a wiſe man amongſt us, who might direct ſome Medium to make up theſe Breaches. Your actions have greatly widened our Breach; I have that comfort that I have no perſonal deſign of my own, but that this Common Cauſe and Intereſt wherein we are all concerned may proſper, is my deſign; and whatſoever you may ſatiſfie your ſelves in the treachery and falſneſs of ſome perſons, who after aſſurances given of their faithfulneſs, have lately forfeited the ſame; Be confident the Lord will not proſper ſuch practiſes. It is very vvell known, I am no enemy to Parliamentary Authority, and vvha • ſoever you may charge me vvith therein; Yet I hopeing actions ſhall manifeſt the contrary. And as for the Forces which are before Portſmouth, if you will engage that the Nations Peace ſhall not be diſturbed by your endeavours to raiſe Forces againſt us, We ſhall eaſily be perſwaded to withdraw ours, and in any thing with a Saving to this Cauſe, ſhall be ready to expreſſe the reſpects which I have had formerly for you; and being in ſome haſte, I have only this to deſire further of you, that would releaſe one M. Jennyns and Mr. Lucas, who though they are ſtrangers to me, yet hearing they are vnder reſtraint upon our account, I deſire their Liberty, And ſhall give the same return of friendſhip, as their occaſion offered to

Your humble ſervant, Charles Fleetwood. VVallingford houſe 17. Dec. 1659.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Fleetwood. My Lord,

HAving received and read your Letter, dated the 17th inſtant, we find the expreſſions to be ſo mild, and to ſavour ſo much of godlineſs, and ſelfdenial, that we cannot but ſpeedily return you this, hoping that if the Lord be pleaſed to give you a heart really to act what you write, the Nations may yet be made happy; We ſhall not labour to convince you of your being faulty, becauſe you appeale unto God, who only is able to make you bow down before him; And for our parts, we have examined our heatts, and we find joy and comfort, believing our ſelves to be in the way that God commands. We begun no conteſt, we waited two Moneths, aud nothing was brought forth but confuſion; We believe the Common enemy may gain great advantage by our diviſions; But who gave the occaſion, we are innocent; and we know for either of us to conquer the other, is no gain to our Cauſe. If you look upon the Parliament but as a Form, and diſputing for that but diſputing for a Form: we differ from you, and take it to be the Foundation upon which our Liberties are upheld, and our Religion under God to be preſerved. That we old friends ſhould engage as enemies; 'tis indeed great cauſe of lamentation; and we are not only ſenſible of it, but thoſe that truly fear God, ſigh and mourne in ſecret, for the great ſhame and reproach, that the Authors the • eby have brought upon the profeſſors of godlineſs. We have been tender of Saints blood, and very careful that poor innocent Souldiers ſhould not be deſtroyed, being ſent by your Commands, to oppoſe the Authority of Parliament; but we have waited their coming in to us, and they have not as yet received any hurt from us. If the great providences of God working contrary to your expectation, and the wonderful confuſions and diſtractions, may work upon you, and ſtir you up to be that wiſe man to make up theſe breaches while you have time, we ſhall have cauſe to bleſſe God for it. VVe hear Vice-Admiral Lawſon declares for the reſtoring thu Parliament, and is in the Thames with the Fleet in Order to it. His Declaration is ſober, General Monck deſires the like; we believe thouſands will joyn with them, Why ſhould we divide upon this point? We have ſeen a Paper for a Parliament to ſit down the 24 of January, we cannot think the people will chooſe upon that Authority, we are ſure no Qualifications can be made without Parliament: ſo that the time will either be loſt, or the Cauſe hazarded by ſuch proceedings; We cannot but grieve to ſee the delay in reſtoring the Parliament; We believe God will again reſtore it, and thoſe that conteſt againſt it, will in Concluſion be found fighters againſt that which God hath owned, and will yet make inſtrumental for his glory, and the Nations good; For our own parts; We are moſt ready and willing to lay down all, or any of our imployments for the publick Peace: neither do we deſire to hurt the perſons or Eſtates of any of thoſe that have formerly been inſtrumental in the Parliaaments, ſervice; We deſire to be, not miſtaken, we write not this as being under any fear of the place wherein we are; for if ten thouſand ſhould come againſt us, our good God being with us, who hath furniſhed us with men and Proviſions ſufficient, we need not too be afraid: Only our ſence of poor England's miſery, and having earneſt bowels after a ſpeedy removall of our wofull diſtractions moves us to preſſe you to take off the Force from the Parliament doors, that the Members may return to the exerciſe of their Truſt, without which we cannot expect Peace or ſettlement; and what you do, do quickly, for we know not what miſchief a day may bring forth, and the ſad conſequences that may follow thereupon, and then you may repent when it will be too late. We are

My Lord, Your Lordſhips humble Servants, Arth. Haſlerig Herb. Morley, Valentine Walton.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Common Counſell of the City of LONDON. My Lords and Gentlemen,

UPon our firſt comming to this Garriſon, we writ to your Lordſhip, the Aldermen and Common Counſell, but fear it never came to your hands; We now underſtand that Vice Admiral Lawſon hath declared for reſtoring the Parliament, and in order to that hath brought the Fleet into the Thames, we hope you will joyne with us, and cauſe the force to be withdrawn from the Parliament doors, that ſo there may be an Authoritie which the Nations will own that may heale the breaches, and remove Confuſions, which otherwiſe may ſuddenlie deſtroy us, we have ſeen a paper that mentions a Parliament the 24th of January next, we conceive that Authority will not be owned, neither can any quallifications be made but by Parliament, ſo that the loſſe of time may prove our ruen the interrupted Parliament is ready and know their work, and muſt lay the Foundation for future Parliaments, what hath cauſed all our miſeries, but the firſt interruption of the Parliament, all things done ſince by other Conventions, being voyde and Null, as you deſire peace and ſettlement, we intreate your beſt aſſiſtance for the ſafety of the City and Nations which are highly concerned in the ſpeedy ſitting down of the Parliament; We are

My Lords and Gentlemen, Your moſt faithfull and Humble Servants. Arthur Haſlerigg. Herbert Morley. Valentine VValton. Portſmouth, Decemb. 20. 1659.

December 22, 1659.

THe Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, in Common Counc • l Aſſembled, read two letters from Portſmouth, dated the 27th. inſtant, ſent by Col. Sir Arther Haſlerig, Col. Herbert Morley, Col. Valeutine VValton, Commiſsioners appointed by Act of Parliament for governing the Army, and ordered that the thanks of that Court ſhould be given to them, and appointed three Commiſsioners, Alde man VVilliam Thomſon, Col. Edward Brumfield, Mr. Richard Foord, to go to Portſmouth to ſignifie ſo much to them, and to confe • with them about the peace and ſafety of the Commonwealth of this City.

Right Honourable,

AT our general meeting this day, your Lordſ hip received of the 7th. inſtant were communicated to ns and taken into our most ſerious conſideration; and thereupon in performance of your deſire and the diſcharge of our own duty in order to the preſervation of the Cauſe of God theſe Nations and this City, VVe, reſolved to uſe our indeavours for compoſing the late unhappy diffetences between the Parliament and Army, and that the Parliamene may ſpedily be restored to the exerciſe of their Truſt, and accordingly appointed a Committee to ſignifie the ſame as our opinion unto the Councel of Officers, which we thought meet to certifie in anſwer to your Honours above-mentioned letter, and that we are

Guildhall, London 22th. December 1659. Your Honours and the Commonmonwealths moſt affectionate and falthfull ſervants. The Committee of the Militia appointed by Act of Parliament for the City of LONDON. Theſe for the Right Honourable, Sir Arther Haſlerig, Barronet, Col. Morley, and Col. VValten at Portſmouth, preſent.

The Committee of Militia for Weſtminſter acted very readily, and raiſed all their Forces for the defence of the Parliament.