WHEREAS Enfield Chase was invested in the Hands of the Trustees, for sale of Kings Lands, by this Parliament; many Officers of the Army became Purchasors thereof: And being at great Charge to Hedge, Ditch, and Quick-set the said Land; Some having Built, Plowed, and Sowed Corn (upon the First of June last) There was a great Riot committed by the rude People of Enfield, and places Adja­cent, who in a tumulteous way did pull down the Hedges, dig down the Ditches, destroyed the Quick-sets, brought in their Cattell in to the Inclosures, and ate off the standing Corn, cut down Gates and Stiles; to the great Loss and Damage of the Purchasors.

This Riot being never suppressed, it hath continued ever since the said First of June, and daily there hath been more or less Hurt done by these Rioters, who did often boast, They had Ten thousand out of Essex, and Ten thousand out of Hartfordshire, that would come to their Assistance; Threatning to Cut, or Burn down the Houses of the Purchasors: Whereupon there was four Files of Foot-Soldiers, with a Serjeant, sent by Order, to Quarter at the Houses, to secure the Houses, as their Quarters.

Upon the Eleventh of this present July, came about Two hundred and fifty People in a Riotous way: Or rather in way of an Insurrection; Being Armed with Pitchforks, long Sythes, Axes, and long Poles: And drawing nigh to the Quarters of the Soldiers, pitching their long Poles in the Ground, with Colours on the Top, and making great Shouts, Declaring for CHARLES STEWART; Hereupon the Serjeant sent two Soldiers in a peaceable way, to ask them, What they intended? These Barbarous Crue beat down these two Soldiers to the Ground, for Dead; One of which recovering himself, ran back to the Serjeant, and Informing him what was done, and that his Fellow-soldier was taken Prisoner: the Serjeant went with about Twelve, or Fourteen more to reason with them, about the Soldier they kept Prisoner: Whereupon this Rude and Barbarous Multitude fell upon the Serjeant, and Soldiers, beat them down for Dead, sorely Wounded them, run the Serjeant through the Thigh with a Pitchfort, and so overcame them.

But it so hapned, that one Soldier in Defence of his own Life, and his Fellows, shot a Country-man dead: Where­upon they dragged these poor Wounded Men to Enfield, beat them about the Face, and used them as barbarously as ever did the Irish Rebells any English Man: And Justice Rich living at Enfield, out of his Favour to these Inhumane Fellows, sent these Soldiers by Mittimus to Newgate, with their Wounds bleeding, without taking any Course at all to Suppress, or Commit any that were in the Insurrection, though the Serjeant, and many of the Soldiers were Mortally Wounded: such Justice we are like to receive from his Hands.

Upon this Countenance received from the said Justice, they upon the same Day did fall upon the Inclosures, set fire on the Hedges, burnt up the Stack-wood, cut down a Barn, demolished Houses, brake, tore, cut, and burnt what ever they could come at of the Purchasors.

And that which we conceive hath much encouraged these Rioters, is; That after they have committed such Outrages, they have the Confidence to come with their Petition to the Parliament, and boast of their great Reception, saying; They have more Friends in the Parliament, then we the Purchasors: and in that we have made our Application to the Parlia­ment and Councel of State, and could obtain no speciall Order to suppress these Insurrections, they take it for Grant, and gave forth in Writing, and read in many Churches the last Sabboth-day, that the Parliament would not Assist us, or con­firm the sale of the said Chase: And so invited the People to this last Insurrection. Wherefore We offer these Queries to be Considered of:

I. Whether the Alarum given by this Insurrection may not Inflame the whole Nation; inasmuch as it hath been suffered so long to continue, untill it come to Blood.

II. Whether it will not much dis-engage the Army and Soldiers, that these Men for Defence of themselves should lye in Newgate, and be Arraigned for their Lives, and the other go free, that before threatned to kill All the Soldiers.

III. Whether it concerns not the Parliament to Impower some Persons by Commission, to go down to Enfield, to enquire into the Matter, with Power to Imprison all they can discover, untill further Course can be taken.

IV. Whether Justice Rich be fit to be in Commission for the Peace, that hath shewed so much Countenance to those in the Insur­rection. And Justice Huxley hath alwaies been very favourable to them, as we can prove.

To conclude, All our Workmen are forced away, our Servants being in fear of their Lives forsake our Houses, which are left to the Mercy of the Flame, all our Corn destroyed. If we cannot have Protection, We are now resolved to yield up All to the Mercy of the Adversary, and shall endeavour to trust God, but shall no more look (in vain) for Help from any sort of Men.