TWO LETTERS From His Excellency Sr. THOMAS FAIRFAX. One to the Commissioners of the ARMIE, the other to the Right Honorable the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the City, of London. As it was presented, July 29-1647.
HAving resolved upon this inclosed dispatch from the City of LONDON, I thought it my part to give you an account of it, and to give you all assurance that my heart is deeply affected with the late carriages to wards the Parliament. And however others have neglected their duty towards them for their security & defence; yet as God shall inable me, it shall be my great businesse, to improve all that is in my hand for the preserving of them, & in them the interest of this Nation, and what construction [Page 2] soever, some formerly may have put upon the proceedings of this Army: I trust the Lord will by his good hand lead us into such good actions as shall witnesse our end answerable to all our profession, to wit, for the good of the Kingdom, and there into be an effectuall saving to great authority of the Kingdome in the parlia. I rest,
To the Right honorable the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the City of London.
YOu may please to remember the forward compliance of this Army with your desires to remove to this distance, and that upon the assurance you gave them of your concurrence with their declared d [...]si [...]es, for the setling the liberty and peac of this Kingdom, (against which you never yet offered vs one exception or any ground of diss [...]nt) as also of your great tendernes and resolution to secure the, Parliament and their Priviledges, from any violence or attempt, the ch [...]ife reason given us of your late listing of new forces, and wherein we did most acquiesce.
That upon this confidence we had disposed the [Page 3] Army into severall parts of the Kingdom; for the ease of the whole to above 100 miles distance: we had given up ourselves, to the effecting of such proposals as might tend to the comfortable settlement of this poore Kingdome, and we were in a hopefull way for the speedy releif of Ireland.
We cannot then but be deeply sensible of the unparalleld violation acted upon the Parliament, upon Monday last, by a rude multitude from your City, because therein (the guards sent from the City did not onely neglect their dutie for the security of the Parliam. from such violence, and the whole City to yeeld any relief to the houses in that extremity, but I am assured from eye and care witnesses that divers of the Common Councell gave great incouragement to it, which doth not onely gainsay your former professions, but does violence to those many obligations that (by your Charter Protestation and sundry otherwaies) lye upon you to protect the Parliament.
For my p [...]rt I cannot but looke on yourselves (who are in Authority) as accomp [...]able to the Kingdome, for your present interrup [...]ions of that hopefull way of Peace and set [...]lement, things were in, for this N [...]tion and of releiveing Ireland occasined by the late Tresonable, and distructive Engagemen [...]: Especially by the latter Prodigius and horid force done upon the Parliament, tending to Dissolve all Goverment upon which score w [...]e and the whole Kingdome shall have cause to put ev [...]ry th [...]ng of the like nature that m [...]y h [...]ppeen to the [Page 4] Parliament, or to any who are friends to them and this Army except by your Wisdome care, and Industrey the cheif Acters in the premisses, may be Derected secuted and given up to the procuring of justice for the same, and the best Endevonis used to prevent the like for the future And so I rest.