THat the people of this Nation, both by Nature, and as they are Englishmen, are a Free-born Generation; but by con­quest and captivity, under William the sixt Duke of Noman­dies Bastard, they were made slaves, the property of their Lands removed from the Brittish Natives, to the Norman In­vaders; the lands which were vouchsafed to their occupation, translated from their own Free-Simples into strange Tennours, by Knight, Homage, Villain, and other services (to the conqueror and his Norman Earls, Lords, and Knights, which of his Commanders, he made in every County) their free customs abrogated, their Laws subverred, and shut up from the Eng­lish understandings, into the French Tongue, and all Writs, Processes, and Proceedings in Law, entred and issued forth in Latin, and the poor Commons (that were used to have all their suits ended in their several Hundreds once or twice a moneth) were forced then to trudge up to Lon­don from all parts of the Land, to the new made Norman courts; and none suffered in any Office, either in Church or Common-wealth, but those Forraign Invaders. And to infatuate and bewitch the people with an ado­ration and sacred Reverence of this Bastards Person and his Succession, his Clergy (the better to settle his crown) then preacht him up to be Gods Vicegerent, the Lords Anointed, ascribing a certain Deity to his person, that in process of time, the people (through ignorance) fell down and worshipped the Bastard and his Successors, making the place of his usual presence as holy ground, to be reverenced even in his absence; also preaching up the power the Bastard had thus got over the land, to be the power of God, and he that did resist, to resist to his own damnation.

And then, utterly to prevent the English of all recovery and relief by their Parliaments in future, he created Lords by his Patent and Preroga­tive, to sit by succession in Parliament, as Representers of his conquest and tyrannie over us, and not by election of the people, as Representers and Patrons of the Common-wealth.

And to add unto this, to make his usurpation firm and inviolable, he [Page 2] subdued the Law-giving power of the free people of England in their Parliaments, to the Negative voice of Himself and Posterity, and nothing to be had or held, neither Law, Land, or Liberty, but by Grace, by Roy­al Grant, or the like; as if our selves were naturally their born slaves, and nothing our own of Right. And under the yoke of this Norman capti­vity and villanage in every of the Premisses, with the most miserable ef­fects and fruits thereof, we have bin held by that succession, even to this Day.

And this King, to uphold the constitution and settlement of those prin­ciples and forms of Tyrannie, and in them h [...]s Dominion over us, brought a cruel and bloudy war upon the Nation; against whom, with your Ex­cellency, under the Authority of Parliament, we have freely engaged: to the end we might rescue the Legislative powers of our English Parlia­ments, our free customs, and Native Rights, from the bondage of that captivity, and so free our selves and all the people, from the common op­pressions of the Land, by a settlement of a just and equal Government of Right and Freedom. And now it hath pleased God to bless our Engage­ment with an happy conquest over the cap [...]tal enemy of the people, and to subdue him and his party under the power of the Parliament; we have e [...]pected that the Parliament (being fully enabled) should set this Com­mon-wealth at Freedom, remove our Oppressions, and bring the capital Offenders and Destroyers of the People to justice, without respect of Persons. But insteed of this discharge of their Trust, we find that they encrease and multiply our oppressions, countenance our enemies, reject and slight the just Directions and Petitions of the People for common Right and Freedom; Discourage, and somtime Imprison, and otherwise perse­cute the Promoters and Presenters, and burn their Petitions by the hand of the common Hangman: (an Act so abhorred, as never to be forgotten!) and betake themselves to a complyance and Treaty with our conquered enemy, courting his pleasure, and allowing him a Negative Voyce in the pasting of all Acts of Parliament; whereby our Indempnity, our Laws, and Liberties, are all subjected to his concession; his Will advanced above all Law, above the Parliament and People; and himself put out of the reach of Iustice, and made accompt [...]ble to none.

Unto which yoke of Norman captivity (after all the bloud that hath bin spilt against it) we are loth to be subjected again, as we see both we and all the People must needs be, except the Army interpose betwixt the people and their destroyers, and make good their Engagement at New-Market-Heath, with all their Remonstrances, Declarations, and Promises to the people

May it therefore please your Excellency, to take these premisses into your timous and serious thoughts, and before it be too late, to improve that opportunity of strength and power which God hath now put into [Page 3] your hands, for the relief and release of this oppressed long captivated Nation; that both we and all the people may thereby be made safe and free: And in Order thereunto, we humbly crave leave to propose these our subsequent des [...]res, in the behalf of our selves and the Common-wealth.

1. That all Monopolies relating either to Sea or Land yet remaining, be forthwith abolished.

2. That the exaction of Tythes, and all manner of Impropriations, be removed; and that the publike Ministry be otherwise provided for.

3. That Excise upon all In-land commodities be taken off, and that no Taxes or Cesments be levied upon the People, but by the old way of Subsidies.

4. That a sufficient competency out of the Bishops, Deans, and Chap­ters Lands, Kings Revenues, and Delinquents Estates, be ordered and set apart for the discharge of the whole Arrears of the Souldiery, and con­stant payment of the Army, whereby the people may be wholy eased of all free quarter and taxes for the Army, and the Souldiery also satisfied.

5. That all Parliament-members, Committees, Excise-men, Sequestra­tors, &c. be called to an impartial accompt for the monies of the State.

6. That all inclosed Commons, and other ancient donations and rights belonging to the poor (in the several Counties and Parishes of the Land) be restored to their ancient and proper use, for the good of the comunalty.

7. That the ancient Tenures of Lands in the county of Northumber­land, Cumberland, &c. which have bin destroyed by several Earls and Lords of late times, to the undoing of the comunalty in those parts, and utterly dis-inabling them from all good Nurture in Learning or Trades, and forcing them from Generation to Generation, to be hinds, half hinds, quarter hinds, shepherds, and herdsmen, be now enquired into; and if no better, that the ancient right of the old rents (for the good of those coun­ties and common-wealth) be restored again.

8. That all destitute Widdows and poor Orphans, which have lost their husbands and parents, and all Souldiers that have lost their limbs in the service of the Parliament against the King, be comfortably provided for, by way of constant stipend, and education of the children to Trades.

9. That publike work-houses be erected for prevention of beggars, vagabonds, and idle persons.

10. That till the time of more easie provision of payment for the Souldiery, that no monies for the Army be paid to the Parliament, their Committees, or Deputies; but to such Treasurers of the Army as your Excellency shall appoint, and to be collected by the Souldiery.

11. That a trade of Fishing upon the English coasts be setled by the State, for the good of the common-wealth.

12. That the c [...]pital delinquents and incendiaries of the people be [Page 4] brought to speedy justice; and in the first place, that the King (insteed of a Treaty) be brought to a fair tryal, to make answer for all the innocent bloud that hath bin spilt in the land, and for other things whereof he stands charged by the Parliaments own Declaration; which sheweth the reasons of making no farther Address unto him.

13. That the charge of the Army against the eleven impeached mem­bers be made good; and all the members that sare in the Iuncto, when the Parliament fled to the Army for refuge, be expelled the House.

14. That encouragement and protection be given to such as shall pro­secute any lawful charge or impeachment of treason, or other crime against any member in Parliament; and that the members in Parliament, with­out respect of persons, be disrobed of their protection, and left open and lyable to the Law.

15. That Inquisition be made after the bloud of colonel Rainsborough.

16. That all Iudges, and other ministers of the State, be severely in­terdicted from receiving any inditement or charge against any person, for any thing done in relation to the first or second war against the King; and that all such so imprisoned, be discharged; with reparations out of their prosecuters estates; and in case of in ability, the said prosecuters to be answerably imprisoned.

17. That a period be set to this Parliament.

18. That an equal proportion throughout the several counties for the Representatives in Parliament be assigned.

19. That a constant succession of Parliaments be setled, to be called and chosen of course by the people, at a fixed day every yeer, or two yeers, as shall be judged most safe and needful, and the same to end of course.

20. That our Parliaments for the future be secured and cleered from the Negative Voice of any single person or persons whatsoever.

21. That no man henceforth presume to fit in this, or any other Parlia­ment, by patent or prerogative, or that is not elected by the free choise of the people.

22. That all Statutes, Laws, and Acts of Parliament, be made and ru [...] onely in the Name of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament.

23. That no persons whatsoever that are Law-makers, be Law-execu­tioners, but that a cleer distinction be preserved and kept inviolable be­twixt these two principles and pillars of the Common-wealth for ever, that they be not confounded together in the same persons, for fear of mine to the freedom of the people.

24. That all Officers of the Common wealth be made to enjoy their places but at a certain limited time: at the expiration whereof themselves to give an accompt of their Stewardship, and continue no longer in their places, except by a new election.

25. That no Parliament Magistrate, or other person whatsoever have [Page 5] power to make any compulsive Law, or execute any Mulct or punish­ment touching matters of Conscience and Religion: but that all civil people subject to the Laws of the common wealth, though of several opi­nions and practices, (not being destructive to the State) be protected and saved from all violence and injury in good Name, person and estate.

26. That all Warrants and Commitments by vertue of any pretended Priviledge or Prerogative, of during pleasure, not shewing the particular fact or crime, be with the greatest severity intirdicted and declared void, for ever; with provision for future securitie from such Arbitrary violence upon the people. That all such [...] are so imprisoned be with Reparations released; and that Lient. Col. Iohn Lilburn and many others that have long suffered in that nature by the House of Lords, may have ample and full Reparations out of their Lordships Estates.

27. That the cruelties and extortions of Goalers be severely provided against; and that for future no Fees be exacted from prisoners; but that fitting accomodation both for lodging and dyet for them, and a sufficient competency of livelyhood for Goalers at the publick cost be provided.

28. That no man be kept in prison above a month; but in that space to be brought to a tryal by a lawful Iury of his equals; or else to be discharged of course.

29. That no man be impressed to serve in the Wars.

30. That our Laws be few and plain, free from all ambiguous mean­ings, and all in the English Tongue; and to be digested and printed in a Vollume; and one to be provided to be kept in every Church through­out the land; and to be read over at several seasons in open Congregation.

31. That all persons stand alike liable to the Laws of the Land, in all cases, both criminal and civil: and that all protections by any pretended priviledge or prerogative whatsoever, be declared Void.

32. That no more trudging up to Westminster from all parts of the Land, for the tryal of suits of Law be had, but that (as of old) all suits both criminal and civil, be ended in the several Hundreds.

33. That no person whatsoever, that hath Lorn Arms for, or assisted the King, in his Rebellion against the Parliament and people; or that otherwise is found an enemy to this foundation of Iustice and Freedom, be neither chosen, nor have Voice in the choice of any Parliament Mem­bers, or other Officers, or Ministers of State whatsoever.

34. That a solemne Contract upon there and the like Principles of Common Right and Freedom be drawn betwixt the People and their Re­presentors, to be unalterable for ever.

35. That the respective Regiments of the Army (in order to their so­lemne Engagement made at New market Heath) do with all possible ex­pedition chuse two (or more) Deputies or Trustees (persons of known approved fidelitie, for the freedom of the Common wealth,) and each [Page 6] County also to do the like, joyntly to sit, consult and act in the behalf of themselves, the people, and Army; and that the removal of our oppres­sions, and obtainment of our Freedom, according to the premises above­said, be the only work of their Agitation.

36. That the said Deputies or Trustees be limitted in their Session, to the space of two months; at the expiration whereof their Session to ter­minate; except continued by a new Election: and twelve daies before the said Term be expired, a new choice successively and of course, to be made till the accomplishment of the Work; and that the former Depu­ties be made accountable to the succeeding.

37. That this Councel be a free Councel, no Member thereof to be aw­ed or discountenanced in his Vote, by threats and frowns from any supe­rior Officer: and that no person whatsoever therein have a Negative Voice.

38. That till the accomplishment of this Work, in behalf of the Ar­my and People, that no disbanding of any part of the Souldiery be: ex­cept of persons ill affected and dissentors from this Expedition.

For these things we declare, and with our Swords in our hands, as we are Souldiers we challenge them as the price and purchase of our Blood, to live and dy for them against all opposers whatsoever: and as we are English men we do claim them as our own Inheritance and Birth-right: And humbly beg of your Excellency That you will be pleased to give us and the Souldiery encouragement therein, and so to appear before us, for the happy accomplishment of these things: that both we and all the peo­ple, and the Generations that are yet unborn may have just cause to blesse God for your righteous conduct.