VVHereas the product of several years Experience hath manifested to these Nations the various Changes, and Revolutions, both in Church and State, the admiring Turnings and win­dings of many in power: yet the ordinary workings of providence hath so often shown it self in the advancement of this Commonwealth, that upon the reading thereof, we may track them in their progress: Yet seeing it hath pleased God by the hand of his wise and all dispo­sing Providence, to bring the Affairs of this Nation into the state and condition wherein they now are, the Army hold themselves obliged to give an accompt to the people of their proceedings therein: And conceiving it unnecessary to look back, or reflect upon the secret De­signs which were contrived in the former Parliament, We hold it suf­ficient thus to demonstrate: That the Army have declared to walk in the ways of peace and Righteousness, and effectually to establish the Nation upon a true Basis of Government, and the happy Foundation of a Commonwealth; and not onely to keep these Nations from sink­ing into confusion, but to see it happily established upon the just prin­ciples of Liberty and Freedom. And wheras the Parliament was plea­sed to rescent the proceedings of the Army, with a deep sense of dis­affection, being highly incensed by Sir Arthur Haslerig, That they had a dangerous Design against the House; who declared, That there was a project on foot, to introduce a new Government, by setting up a single person, &c. Insomuch, that the House fell into high Debates, expressing great heat and anger against the Lord Lambert, and severall other faithful Officers of his Brigade, voting null their Commissions: And afterwards ordered a Bill to be brought in, and (contrary to he usual Orders of Parl.) thrice read in one and the same day, and passed into an Act, thereby enacting, That all Orders, Ordinances, and Acts made by any single person and his Council, or by both or either of them, or otherwise, or by any Assembly, or Convention pretending to have Authority of Parliament from and after the 19. day of April, 1653. and before the 7. of May 1659. and which have not bin, or shall [Page 4] not be enacted, allowen, or confirmed by this present Parl. be, should be, and were thereby declared, deemed, taken, and adjudged to be of no force or effect, from and after the said 7. of May, 1659. which was altogether contrary to what was humbly desired in the 30 Proposal of the Petition and Address of the 12 of May, 1659. and committed that Proposal to a Committee of their own, to bring in such a Bill or Bills for that purpose, as they thought necessary. And in the same Bill it was likewise contained, That no person or persons should after the 11. of October (being the very day that the said Act was hastily passed) raise moneys without consent of the people in Parliament, thereby in an instant putting a doubt and discomposure upon all mens mindes that are concerned in matters of that nature, so that if any thing should cross such their strange proceedings, the Army might be necessitated to that odious Refuge of Free Quarter, or else be exposed to such pro­vocations, through the want of a fit provision for their subsistence, as might alienate their minds from that care and duty that is incum­bent on them, for the peace and security of the Commonwealth. And not onely so, but the other mischiefs arising from this precipitate Act will prove many and great. For then the most choice and godly Mini­sters of the Nation will be found to be comprised herein, and them­selves and their maintainances altogether avoided, and great numbers of prophane and scandalous Ministers, which have bin ejected for near the space of 6 years past, will then be re-estated; the Adventurers and Soldiers Lands in Ireland left at a loss and in confusion; the Rebels that were transplanted there, be at their liberty to return; the Union made between England and Scotland rendred invalid; all Estates con­ferred on any person or persons by former Governments, though up­on never so valuable and publick considerations, left in a dangerous and uncertain condition, to the unravelling and unknown discompo­sure of several mens estates and interests, the consequences whereof will in short time appear by the sad effects of multiplying Suits, and vexation of innocent persons, if the said Act could be deemed as va­lid. Concerning which we shall add no more but, that had not strange precipitancy and design driven it on, it could hardly be believed, that any Supreme Authority would ever have exposed a people to such in­conveniences.

Things being thus prepared in order to further ends, the next day (being Wednesday) the Parliament hoping they had a great influence [Page 5] upon part of the Army, and conceiving they had by their late Acts sufficiently perplexed those whom they doubted might opposed them, and that the Goverment of these Nations was so sure in their own hands, as in all probability things might come to confusion, except managed by themselves, proceed vigorously to put their designs in pra­ctice. In the morning, the Doors of the Lobby, by their appointment being fast shut and guarded, that none might by any means come near to the House, or understand their proceeding: Occasion is administred from one of the Letters which was signed by several Officers, accord­ing to appointment of the Generall Council, and sent to a Regiment of the Army, and produced by a Member of the House (it being of no other purport then the sending the said Representation and Petition to one of the Regiments of the Army as is before-mentioned) Yet ne­vertheless they fell foul upon the severall Officers who had subscribed it, and took this rise in pursuance of their former intent, to make a plain breach upon the Army; and thereupon Vote out of their Commands (without hearing any one person speak for himself, or examine whether the persons whose names were subscribed, were their hand-writing or not) the Lord Lambert, General Disborow, and seven other Colonels and Field Officers, disposing divers of their Commands to the Officers next under them: And as they did the day before, so now, they hastily passed it into an Act before they rose, for the making void the Lord Fleetwoods Commission, and envesting the Command of the Army in se­ven persons, whereof himself was one, some of whom were the prin­cipall in carrying on this whole design. Whereupon the House ad­journed, and three of the said number immediately repaired to the Spea­kers Chamber: And having provided themselves of six Barrels of Pow­der, and a quantity of Provision, forthwith gave out Orders for Colonel Morley's Regiment to draw thither; as also to divers other Regiments, Troops and Companies, which they thought would be most sure to them; And likewise gave order to Colonel Okey to draw his Regi­ment to the Pallace yard, upon which he marched to Tuttle-fields with four of his Troops; and from thence (having sent one into the Pal­lace-yard he marched with the other three into London for countenan­cing the drawing together the Militia Forces, in order to a conjunction with them, which proved there ineffectual, but had other success in Southwark, where by like directions, Colonel Thomsons Regiment drew together under the Command of their Lieutenant Colonel; and that [Page 6] no endeavours might be wanting, Orders were sent to Col. Hackers Regiment, quartering in and about Leicestershire, and other Troops in other remote places in the Countrey, to march to Westminster with all speed; the tendency whereof, must naturally lead to the engaging the City, Countrey, and Army, in blood.

The Officers of the Army having received notice of these things, and being greatly amused at so strange and sudden a mutation, and that the office of Commander in chief, should be thus minute executed by the hand of my Lord Fleetwood, and the next, by the hands of Sir Ar­thur Hasilrig, Col. Morley, and Col. Walton; and that Orders were so speedily hastned out for the drawing of force together, were in great doubt, that such strange and violent courses, did portend some sad and fatal event: And thereupon, they judged it their duty, for preserva­tion of themselves, their friends, and honest interest in the Nation and Army, to draw together in Arms, and march to the Palace yard at Westminster, (the place they had appointed for their Rendezvous) to understand the reasons and grounds of their so assembling themselves together: And being arrived there, and perceiving that several Com­panies of Col. Morley's Regiment were placed in the Hall, Gatehouse, Clockhouse, and Exchequer Chamber, and thereabouts, in hostile manner, all endeavours were used to inform them of the true state of affairs, and to draw them to such a compliance wi [...]h the rest of their Brethren of the Army, as might avoid the effusion of blood; but finding them, by the perswasion of their leaders, obstinately bent to op­pose, We found our selves necessitated to put the Forces into a posture of defen [...]e; and for the grounds and reasons aforementioned, (as also, that they might no be further encouraged and countenanced in such a dangerous opposition, to the apparent hazard of the publick peace) to put a period and determination to the Parliaments meeting together; and think our selves yet further obliged, for preventing of the mani­fold evils and inconveniences, which must necessarily fall upon the o­ther good people of the Nation, as well as our selves, by reason of the several Orders, Acts pretended Acts, or other Declaration, or any of them, enacted, made, or past on Munday the 10th of this instant Octob. and on Tuesday and Wednesday then next following, to declare them and every of them, null and void, to all intents and purposes. And do hereby declare them and every of them, and every clause and sentence therein, invalid, null and void, to all intents and purposes: And like­w [...]se all Acts, Orde [...]s, and proceedings thereupon had or done, in as [Page 7] full, and ample manner, as if the said Orders, Acts, pretended Act or Declarations, and every of them, had never been. All which, we thought fit to publish and declare, to the end, all persons concerned, may take notice thereof; and no person whatsoever, suffer any further prejudice thereby, hoping that all peaceable, well minded and unpre­judiced persons, will acquiesce in the necessity and justice thereof.

And now we shall conclude, in declaring to the World, that it is upon our hearts, and we earnestly desire, and shall endeavour, that a due liberty may be assured to all the free born people of these Nations, both as Men and Christians: that a full and through Reformation of the Law may be effected, as also that a faithful godly and painful Go­spel preaching Ministery may be encouraged and provided for, by some certain way that may be lesse troublesom to them, and lesse vexatious to the people, then that of Tithes.

And we do further declare, That we have no aim or ends, to set up a Military or Arbitrary Government over this Commonwealth, but have already provided, that the Civil and Executive part of Govern­ment may be lodged in a Committee of safety, and they obliged in a short time, to prepare such a form of Government, as may best suit and comport with a free State and Commonwealth, without a single Person, Kingship, or House of Pears: And that we shall to the utmost of our endeavours, labor to obtain those desirable things so often declared for; and to maintain and preserve the peace of these Nations in our several Stations and Places, and shall hope, that God for his own Glory, and the good of his own People, will give a blessed end of these troubles, by a happy settlement upon the principles formerly declared for; and which have been, and still are so earnestly breathed after, by all those who truly fear his Name,

Who, we doubt not, being truly sensible of the many temptations besetting us on every hand, the great difficulties we labor under, (and know not what farther straits a day may bring forth) will say on our behalfs, who are sufficient for these things? And out of former experi­ences, being taught, that the Lord is a present help in time of trouble, will ery aloud for us before the Throne of Grace, That the Lord him­self may appear, and carry on his own work in our hands. And if it shall please him by his Spirit, to stir up those that fear his Name, to be instant on our behalfs, We shall not fear what evil men can do unto us.

Thus having presented you with the state of the Case betwixt the Parliament and Army, we shall proceed to some particulars touching the Effects thereof, upon the return of divers Members to their respe­ctive Counties; who by their intermingled influence upon the Roy­all Presbyter, as well as Independent, excited the people to no small discomposure of affections against the Souldiery, enumerating the dangerous consequences of a standing army, and their Design to intro­duce a new Government by a single person: Withall Declaring, That the people by their electing Members, to represent them in Parlia­ment, ought not to have their National Knot cut with their own Sword, but to have it employed in the preservation and defence of their just Rights and Liberties, for which end it was raised, formed and erected; and that every Individual Member of the Commonwealth ought to be instrumen­tal in the conservation thereof, so far as it may be lawful, warrantable, & consistent with the Laws of God and Man.

Hereupon Sir Arthur Haslerigg seemed not a little active in pro­moting the Parliaments Interest in the North, and to depress, extin­guish, and alienate the peoples affections from the Army, which they are prone and inclinable to. And for the more feasible and effectuall accomplishing of this Grand Affair, a Letter was sent into Scotland, desiring Gen. Monck forthwith to march into England; whose expe­ctations ('tis said) will be answered, with his own person at the head of an Army, consisting of eight or ten thousand Horse and Foot. So that it is feared, a war may break in of the Scottish side, and like a De­luge sweep all into Confusion. To prevent which, the Lord Lambert (we hear) is designed for those parts, with 7 Regiments of Horse and Foot, who are to march from the City of London, towards York.