A Remonstrance or Declaration of the ARMY, presented to the House on Munday Novemb. 20. 1649.
By Col. Ewres, and six Lieutenant-Colonels and Captaines of the Army.
1. THat the Cappitall and grand Authour of our troubles the person of the King, by whose Commissions, commands or procurement, and in whose behalfe, and for whose interest onely (of will and power) all our Wars and troubles have been (with all the miseries attending them) may be speedily brought to justice for the Treason, bloud, and mischiefe he is therein guilty of.
2 That a timely and peremptory day may be set for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Yorke, to come in and render themselves, by which time if they doe not, that then they may be immediately declared incapable of any government or trust whatsoever, and to stand exild for ever, as enemies and Traytors, to die without mercy if ever after taken. And if they or either of them render themselves within the said time, that then the Prince for his capital delinquency (being in appearance next to his fathers) and himself and the Duke to be proceeded against in justice, or remitted according as they shall give satisfaction. But however that the Estate & Revenue of the Crown may be sequestred, and all the matter of costly Pomp suspended for a good number of yeeres, while the desolations and spoyles of the poore people may be repaired, for the ease of the peoples contributions.
3 That for further satisfaction to publique justice, capitall punishment and may be speedily executed upon a competent number [Page 4]of his chiefe Instruments also, and such as are really in your hands or reach, so as their exemption from pardon may not be a mockery of Justice in the face God and man.
4 That the rest of the Delinquents (English) in relation to the Wars may upon submission and rendring themselves to justice, have mercy extended to them for their lives, and Fines set upon them moderately, yet with respect to publique dammage) and their persons further censured, and declared incapable of any Office or Trust, of electing or being elected, at least for certaine yeeres, but such as have compounded to be pardoned and freed from any troubles, suits, &c. in relation to the last Wars: But such as wil not come in and compound, their estates to be sold, and their bodies to be ever exil'd as enemies and Traytors, and to die without mercy.
5 That satisfaction of the Arrears of the Souldiery, with other publique debts, and the competent reparation of publique dammages, (especially of the well affected who have adheared to and suffered for the common cause) may be put into some orderly and proportionable way wherein care may be taken for precedency of satisfaction to such whose loanes or losses have appeared to have been great, and livelihoods small, so as they can worst beare the want or delay (not impairing any former securities for just debts.) That the Fines or Compositions of Delinquents may be disposed of and imployed to those uses onely, and also the confiscations and proceeds of their estates.
Now after Justice thus done upon the forementioned particulars we propound further for setling of the Kingdoms,
1 That you would settle some reasonable and certaine period to your own power, by which time that great and supreame trust reposed in you shall be returned into the hands of the people, from and for whom you received it.
2 That (with a short period to this Parliament, in relation to the safety of the Kingdom and publique interest thereof, there may be a sound settlement of the peace and future government thereof, upon grounds of common Right, Freedome, and Safety, to this effect, viz.
1 That from the end of this, there may be a certaine succession of future Parliaments, Annuall or Bienniall, with secure provision for the certainty of their sitting, meeting, and ending.
2 For the equall distribution of Elections thereunto to render the House of Commons as neere as may be an equall representative of the whole people electing.
3 For the certainty of the peoples meeting (according to such distributions) to elect and for their full freedomes in Elections; And that no delinquents shal elect, or be elected (at least for some yeers) nor any other that shall not oppose, or not joyn in agreement to this settlement.
4 For future clearing and assertaning the power of the said Representatives, in order to which, that it be declared, That as to the whole interest of the people of England such Representatives have and shall have the Supream power and trust, as to the making of Lawes, Constitutions, and Offices, for the ordering, preservation, and government of the whole, and as to the altering and repealing or abolishing of the same, the making of War, or peace, and as to the highest and finall judgement in all Civill things, and all to be subject thereunto, and bound thereby. Provided
1 That they may not censure or question any man after the end of this Parliament for any thing said or done in relation to the late Wars.
2 That they may not render up, or give or take away any the foundations of common Right, Liberty, or Safety, contained in this setlement and agreement, but that the power of these be reserved from, and not intrusted to the said Representatives.
3 For liberty of entring dissents in the said Representatives, that in case of corruption or abuse in these things, the people may be in capacity to know who are free thereof, and who guilty.
These matters of generall concernment we propound to be Declared and provided by this Parliament, or by authority of the Commons here, and to be further established by a generall contract or Agreement of the people with their subscriptions thereunto; and none capable of any benefit thereby, but who shall subscribe thereunto; nor any King to be admitted to the Crown, or other person to any Office or place of publique Trust, without expresse accord and subscription to the same.
A Remonstrance of the regiment of the late Col. Rainsborough to his Excellency, for revenge of their Colonells death.
THough the sad sence of the unhappy losse of our highly esteemed Colonell may cause us to beare low in our reputation, and sinke us into a slownesse to such high actings as the vigor of his noble spirit might have inabled us to, yet as Christians and Souldiers endeavouring after right principles of Justice and Freedome, we humbly crave leave to take advantage from this much lamented occasion, to offer to your Excellency these our disturbed thoughts.
That we feare that we are deluded into the hopes of a safe peace, by the expectation of an unsafe Treaty.
That if the utmost purchase of the losse of so much pretious and now declared righteous bloud, be onely a liberty to Treat with our Capitall Enemy, whether with his dissembled consent we shall enjoy these liberties, that the sword of the Lord, and the sword of his people have wrung from his bloudy hands, we are consigned to the most fruitlesse imployment, to be alwayes fighting for that we can never obtaine; Armies can subdue powers but not change minds, much treasure might have been spared, and we long ere this been slaves, if we dared to have trusted sacred protestations, that we are much perplexed with the intricate condition, the late resolution of the Parliament have put us into, at the same time engaged to fight with an enraged enemy; and perswaded to beleeve that all our differences shall be wrapped up in the sweet complyance of a Treaty; And when it was declared to us, that because the King had so often attempted to inslave the Nation, by raising of Armies contrary to many Protestations, he was no more to be trusted, nor no more addresses to made unto him, and when they signified the truth of that their Declaration by the confederate risings of all his active parties in the Kingdome of England and Scotland; we doe much wonder from thence, there should arise any reason to invite them to a new addresse, or fright them to any other [Page 7]applications then to that Army, that under the protection of the Almighty, had rescued them from such dangers, and had unanimously declared to live and dye with them in their former resolutions. Upon all which we ground these our humble desires.
That impartiall Justice might be done upon the eminent undertakers of this second war, especially upon such who formerly acting as friends to the Nations freedome have (by betraying its confidence) had greater opportunity to enslave it, That so the cruell mercies shewed to our implacable enemies, might not indanger the lives of our dearest friends.
That we might he as well satisfied in the reasons, why new applications were made to his Majesty, as we formerly were in their non addresses; that so, if possible we might live and dye with them in those resolutions? And if it be found necessary a Treaty should compound the divisions, why such an one wherein some of both parties are known enemies to the Kingdomes Army.
That it might be knowne to us, why the Country duly paying their taxes, the taxes might not as duly pay the Army, the burden of Free-quarter being look't upon by most as a voluntary oppression not as a necessary griefe of the Souldier.
That by this meanes concurring with the presented desires of many well-affected persons in the City of London, and other Counties, with some of our fellow Souldiers in Armes, we might under your Excellencies conduct, be made serviceable to the Nations welfare, and be honored in being the Kingdomes and your Lordships humble servants, &c.
The humble Petition of the Officers of Colonell Overtons Regiment, now in the Garrison of Berwick.
WHen we consider, how gloriously the right hand of our God hath exalted it selfe in power, to the dashing in peeces the common enemy of this kingdom, and the overthrow of all that [Page 8]have rose up against us, we cannot but confesse there is none so glorious in holines, fearefull in praises, doing wonders as our God, and therefore desire to waite upon him in the way of his judgements, and confesse that according to the greatnesse of his own heart hath he done these things; but least we may manifest our ingratitude for what we have received, in not laying hold on those pretious opportunities (which in a way of justice he hath given in unto us) for the freeing of our poor Nation from oppression and violence; the execution of justice on those that have gone on in iniquity and blood, and obtaining a blessed peace, the just end of our engagements, we cannot but (being conscientiously thereunto moved) offer unto your Excellency these few considerations which we humbly request your Excellency to present on our behalfes) to the honourable houses of Parliament, who wee hope will cleare themselves from the jealousies of men, in being a terror, to evill workers, and a praise to those that doe well.
First, we desire that a diligent inquisition may be had for the innocent blood shed in this late warre, and that all Contrivers, Actors, or Abettors may be brought to exemplary Justice:
That in the destribution of Justice, neither King, Lords, or any such persons be exempted from being proceeded against according to their demerits knowing that many whordomes, and witchcrafts of Jesabell hindred the Peace of Israell, and Princes judging for reward, and the Priest teaching for hire, caused Sion to be plowed up as a field, and Ierusalem to become an heap.
That the severall Petitions of the wel-affected of the Kingdome, viz. London, Leicester, tending to the execution of Justice without partiality securing the rights of the Subjects, and setling the Peace of the Kingdom, may be seriously taken into consideration, and not so sleighted as they have beene.
That while we are necessitated to be active in the present service for the security of the kingdom; we desire that the Parliame [...]t would be pleased to find out some way for our subsistence, that we may not be burdensome by Free-quarter as we have beene.
Lastly, in the prosecution of these our just desires, we shall not account any thing deare, to adventure under your Excellencies command for the honour of Parliament, Peace and liberty of this Kingdome.