THE DEMANDS OF THE ARMY, TO The Lord Major of London, concerning Major Gen. Brown, and the City.
ON Friday Decemb. 7. Col. Dean entred the City of London with a party of Horse and Foot, and seized on the Treasuries in Goldsmiths Hall, and Weavers Hall, for the payment of the Souldiery, during their residence hereabouts; another party also marched to the Sessions house in the Old Bayley, where they demanded the person of Major Gen. Brown; but the Lord Major engaged [Page 2]for his forth comming, and gave a satisfactory answer to the Officers who came to seize his person; from thence they marched to Guidl-hall, and other places in the City, deporting themselves with great civility, and (in obedience to the Command of the Lord Generall) quartered at Pauls, Black-Friers, and other places adjacent.
His Excellency likewise sent a declaratory message to the Lord Major, in order to the proceedings of the Soldiery, a copy whereof followeth.
HAving sent so often to you for the arreares due from the City, and desired sums of money to be advanced by you, far short of the sums due from you, yet I have been delayed and denied, to the hazard of the army, and the prejudice of others in the Suburbs upon whom they are quartered; wherefore I thought fit to send to seize the said Tresuries, and to send some forces into the City to quarter there, untill I may be satisfied the Arrears due unto the Army: and if this seem strange unto you, 'tis no lesse then that our forces have been ordered to do by the Parl. in the severall Counties of the Kingdome where assesments have not bin paid, and there to continue untill they have bin paid: and here give me leave to tell you, the Counties of the kingdom have born free quarter, and that in a great measure, for want of your paying your Arrears equally with them; wherfore, these wayes if they dislike you, yet they are meerly long of your selves, and are of as great regret to me and to the Army as your selves, we wishing not only the good and prosperity of your City, but that things may be so carried towards you, as may give no cause of jealousie: I thought fit to let you know, that if you shall take a speedy course to supply us with 40000. l. forthwith, according to my former [Page 3]Desire, and provide speedily what also is in Arrear, I shall not only cause the monies in the Treasuries to bee not made use of, but leave them to be disposed of as right they might, and also cause my Forces to be withdrawn from being in any sort troublesome or chargable to the City; And let the world judge whether this be not just and equal dealing with you.
WE your Excellencies Servants, not stirred up by any affection to meddle with matters besides the businesse of our respective Imployments, nor any way favouring distempers amongst our selves, or others, but singly and faithfully we come to your Excellency in this petition abundantly pressed thereto from the conscience and sense we have of the neer approach of Ruine to all honest parties of the Kingdom; and your self and the Army amongst the rest, whereof the present transactions with the King, the late transactions of the Scots, and of a prevalent party in the Houses, are palpable and unhappy evidences to all the word, a-moulding such a closure of the present differences, as we apprehend most certainly strengthen all the old corruptions in the former Government and so leave the Kingdom in a more desperate bondage then yet it ever felt. Amongst all which generals we further present your Excellency with these ensuing particulars.
1 By what evidences and proofes, or upon what Reasons and grounds the King stands acquitted of the charge of the Houses against him, in their late Declaration to the Kingdom.
2 What persons especially what members of either Houses have plaid the Traytors, by inviting the Scots to invade this Kingdome, or gave them countenance, or incouragement in that perfidious attempt.
3 That the promoters of the first and second war bee brought to Justice.
4 That the arrears and debts of the Kingdom be secured and satisfied, and that the publike faith be not made a publike fraud to the Kingdom,
The Armies Impeachment.
THat whereas Denzil Hollis Esq; Lionel Copley Esq; Maj. Gen. Massy, and others of your members, were in the year 1647. impeached by your selves for treason or for high crimes and misdemeanours, in relation to the treasonable Engagement of the city of London, &c. and upon cleer proofs against them, were by your censure expelled the House; yet by the prevalency of their Faction the same persons were afterwa [...]ds readmitted to sit in the House, and vote as formerly, without any tryall or satisfaction in the things whereof they were accused: We demand that all those members so impeached may be forthwith secured, to be brought to justice or tryal for their said crims, and that such others of their faction, may be secluded from the House, &c.
That whereas by the confederacy of Major Gen. Browne (now Sheriff of London) with the said impeached members, and others, the Scots were invited and drawn in to invade this Kingdom the last Summer, insomuch as when upon the actuall Invasion the House proceeded to declare them enemies, and those that adhered to them traytors; yet the said confederates and other treacherous members (to the number of ninety and odd, as upon the division of the House appeared) did by their Councels and Votes endeavour to hinder the house from declaring against their confederate invaeers; We desire, that the said M.G. Brown may bee also secured and brought to judgment, and that the rest of the ninety and odd persons dissenting in the said vote, may bee excluded the house, and not trusted further in your Councels.
That whereas in a continued Series of your proceedings for many moneths together, we have seen the prevalence of [Page 5]the same treacherous, corupt, and divided councels, through factions and private interests, and in their late Votes declaring the Kings past concessions to be a ground for the house to proceed upon for the settlement of the peace of the kingdom, notwithstanding the visible insufficiency and defects of them in things essentially concerning the publike interest & liberties of the Kingdome.
That such as by faithfulnesse have retained their trust, being set in a condition to pursue and perform the same, with out such interruptions, diversions and depravations of councels, as formerly, We shall desire and hope you will speedily nnd vigorously proceed, 1 To take order for the execution of Justice, 2 To set a short period to your own power, 3 To provide for a speedy succession of equall Representatives, according to our late Remonstrance, wherein differences in the kingdom may be ended, and we and others may comfortably acquiese; as (for our parts) we hereby ingage, and assure you we shall.
Col. Pride having received Orders from the Generall, to secure a certain number of the Parliament, on Wednesday last marched with his Regiment to Westminster, and took divers of them into custody, viz. Sir William VValler, Major Gen. Massey, Sir Benjamin Rudyard, Col. Hollis, Col. Fines, and about 30 more who are committed to safe custody, and whether they shall have their inlargment upon paroll, or be continued prisoners is uncertain.
His Excellench hath sent a message to the Aldermen of London, riquiring them to provide and make provision for the Souldiery, in order to their accommodation for Bedding, &c. to be equally apportioned upon the severall divisions within their Wards, and upon the severall Housholders that are of ability to furnish the same.
And in case that any shall neglect therein, his Excellency doth declare, that he shall be necessitated to send Souldiers, either to fetch such proportions of Bedding from them that faile, or else to quarter with them; and must take such course against either those Aldermen, and other Officers in the City, who shall neglect to rate and bring in the proportions required from their respective Wards and Divisions, or against those Inhabitants who shall refuse to supply the proportions rated upon them, as shall be fit to use towards such obstinate opposers of that orderly supply, which is so necessary for the ease and quiet of the City, and for the subsistance of the Army.