Scots Commissioners had not yet given their Assent to the Propositions to be sent to the King, on account of the houses not giving them any satisfaction, in regard of the indignities and afronts they had complained of. The lords, therefore, this day, took their letter of the 17th into consideration; and, after debate, appointed a committee to draw up an Answer to it, according to the sense of that house. Soon after this Answer was read and approved of, and was ordered to be sent down to the commons for their approbation. Nov. 25. The Scots still refusing to give their Assent to the Propositious, a committee of lords and commons were sent to press them to it. This day it was reported to the lords, from that committee, that they had been with the Scots Commissioners, and had received, for Answer, the following Paper: any other way active in promoting so destre tive a design."-The report from the commit tee on what Propositions were now absolutely necessary for present Security, was, That they think the Propositions for the Militia, with those for the King's Declarations, as also that Proposition concerning Titles and Honours, with another about Power to adjourn this Par liament as both houses should agree, may be most necessary to insist upon. These beg approved on by the house, the lords thong fit to have a conference, the next day, with the commons, to acquaint them with them matters, and give them Reasons for so doing Nov. 26. A conference was held between the two houses, at which the lords offered the fo lowing Reasons: "That the King having often desired to be heard, and the compa sioners of Scotland so often pressing for a Pes "We are commanded by the Committee of sonal Treaty, the kingdom also long expecta Estates of the parliament of Scotland, to to be freed of their great pressures and barthes, press an Answer to our former Papers, which by some speedy settlement of the government we have daily expected; and do again, with they desired that the two houses might do tha all earnestness, desire a Personal Treaty with which should discharge their duty, in resped his majesty, it being, in our judgments, a rea- of the safety of both kingdom and parliam dier way to compose all differences, than the and yet not refuse to hear the king in s sending of these Propositions, wherein there things as might be subjected unto debate. Th are such great and essential differences from lords therefore proposed four Propositony what was formerly agreed on by both king-which they then offered, as most immediate doms. And, to the end there may be no retardment on our part, for pursuance of all good means which may procure a happy Peace, we desire that we may have a free conference with a full committee of both houses, where we shall endeavour to give satisfaction of the expediency of our desires: and shall also shew the difference of our judgments from these Propositions, that, according to the Treaty, there may be, with advice and consent of both nations, a speedy agreement in that which is the foundation of settling religion, with the peace and safety of both kingdoms." concerning the safety and security of the ag dom and parliament, which being put Bills, the king might be desired to give royal assent to; and this being done accur ingly, they did next conceive it to be u most satisfactory way, and what was met likely to produce a speedy Settlement of the present Distractions, for the houses to ad of a Personal Treaty upon the rest of the fr positions." Nov. 27. There was no report made the result of this conference, nor are the Propositions yet entered in the Lords Journa but in those of the commons they are, That concerning the Militia: for recalling d King's Oaths and Declarations: concerning the Peers made since the Seal was surreptition The lords did not then give any Answer to this Remonstrance, but appointed a committee to consider of such Propositions to be sent to the king as they conceived to be absolutely ne-ly carried away by the then lord-keeper Lar cessary for their present security. The Lords resolve upon 4 Propositions, for present Security, to be offered to the King; and a Personal Treaty for the rest.] This day the lords sent the following Message to the commons: "That they, having seriously considered the dangers and mischiefs that may be brought upon the kingdom by the endeavours of those Agents that have formerly and still do continue to use their interest for the subverting of the present established government of the kingdom, do desire that the Committee formerly appointed for the examination of that business, may have power to frame a Declaration, setting forth the dangerous consequences that may come to the whole kingdom, if not prevented: and likewise to put them into a way for a present punishment and suppression of such persons, or writing of books, or procuring subscriptions to Petitions, or be ton; and that the houses should have pow to adjourn to what place they shall th fit. Which being put to the question, We ther to agree with the lords in their des concerning these four Propositions? itu carried in the affirmative by 115 against 10 They were afterwards ordered to be put to Bills accordingly. Order for suppressing of Riots.] Dec. 2 A complaint being made to the lords of great Disorder committed last night in de Strand, several soldiers making a stop of coaches, and suffering none to pass unless y would drink the King's Health; an Order made for the Militia of London and Was minster to take care to suppress such r and to apprehend the authors of them; al that the lord mayor, and officers of Wesar ster should suffer no company in any tren or alehouse after 9 o'clock at night. 6 Petitions against Free Quarter.] Dec. 7. eral Petitions were presented to both houses, nplaining grievously of the heavy burden y endured from free Quarter, and other dedations of the soldiers: which, with great es and assessments, made the inhabitants ost ready to sink under them. Both houses them off with fair speeches and promises; owing very well it was not in their power to e them of their burden.* The house of commons had several Peti-ers and members of both houses (that had s presented to them, as the Supreme been driven away) were, without blood, rethority of England,' which they had hitherto stored, and have been ever since secured to couraged; and this day another coming sit and attend their duty in parliament; with h the same direction, stiled, The humble what patience God hath given us to wait for ition of many free-born People,' &c. they the resolutions of those things we have insisted olved to give this Answer thereto, without on or offered, tending to the future Security 7 addition or alteration: "That this house of the parliament, the just Satisfaction of the h declare, That it is the Right of the Sub- Soldiery, and the ease and Settlement of the t to petition and that it is the Right of Kingdom, we need not use many words to set parliament to judge of such Petitions when forth; the expence of above 4 months time in y are presented: That all persons are quiet expectation thereof, with so little satisand to acquiesce in the judgment of the par- faction, does sufficiently speak.-As to what nent, upon Petitions presented; and that fruit we have found in any thing done to any house doth expect the same from the of these ends, we are sorry we can say so lititioners." tle thereof or that we have occasion to say so much of the delay and neglect of observation thereof, as we are now constrained to do: But whatever these neglects or delays have been, or wherever the fault hath been, we are sure the blame thereof hath been laid upon us almost on all hands; and this is the fruit we have found, from the hands of men, of all our patient waiting hitherto.-It is not unknown what reproaches and scandals of this kind have been cast upon us, and what use and advantage have been made of those delays, thereby to work upon the impatience of the soldiers and country, to incense the country against the Army, and both the army and country against us, as if it had been our fault alone that no more was done; and to what an height of scandal and discontent against us the pretence hereof was driven, or what desperate endeavours have been thereupon made to withdraw the soldiers from the officers, (as having betrayed, or failed and negAn Humble REPRESENTATION from his Ex-lected both theirs and the kingdom's interest) cellency sir THO. FAIRFAX and the Council of the Army, concerning their past Endeavours, and now final Desires, for putting the Soldiery into constant Pay; for immediately disburdening the Kingdom of free Quarter; the Prevention of any further Increase of Arrears and in order to the disbanding of Supernumeraries, and other Things concerning the Soldiery.† "Since by the blessing of God, the Speak. A Remonstrance presented from General *"In these passages," says Whitlocke, notice might be taken of the strange workings God, and of the perplexed condition the arliament was then in. The Army, whom ey had raised, paid, and commissioned, now utinying against them; and, with their words in their hands, controuling and oppong their principals and masters. The city, eir old friends, joint actors and constant sistants of the parliament with their lives nd fortunes, becoming full of sedition and verseness towards them; questioning their tegrity, reproaching and seeking to cast them From the original edition, printed for eorge Whittington in Cornhill, and licenced y Gilbert Mabbot. to divide and distemper the Army, and to engage both the soldiery, and many other wellaffected people, under the same notion and pretence, in ways of distraction and confusion: And as we accounted these of most eminent danger both to the parliament, city, and kingdom, we need not spend much time to express; for we believe all that wished well to the public were so deeply sensible thereof as they cannot so suddenly forget it; and others, who had any thing to lose or hazard, though, perhaps so far as they had hopes the Army might that way have destroyed itself, they might have some secret rejoicing at it, and may now be sorry the business is so well over without that offer; yea, so far as they considered the bottomless depth and endless danger of it, they could not but be affected with it, so far as we need not mention it, save to mind men of what danger and mischief God hath therein delivered them from; and whence the greatest advantage to the rise and growth of it was, even from delays and slow proceedings in those things, which the long expectation of the soldiery and kingdom have been set upon; and to observe how apt both the Soldiery and people, through tedious delays in such cases, are to hearken to any part, and try any new way proposed under the notion of more spee dy and effectual, though perhaps so far from bowels and vitals of the kingdom, and of real remedy, as that indeed it endangers the ut-plucking up or endangering all foundations of ter loss of their end, with ruin and destruction order, peace, and government therein; yea, to both.—To prevent the progress of this grow- and of all right and property too; yet the ing danger to all, we have lately exposed our- envy and malignity of some men's spermy selves to the utmost hazard; and being acted against this Army, and against the interest of therein from some clearness in our conscience good men therein, seems to be such as if they that the fault of these delays lay not upon us, had rather have scen it so, than that this Army as was scandalously suggested, and a confidence should again be an united piece; and we clear in God that he would appear to vindicate thatly apprehend the same principles, that sware measure of truth and integrity he had given us heretofore, now again prevailing, as if there in the thing, though with many failings and were no good so serviceable, or evil so farmiscarriages on our parts, we were led forth by dable, which the breaking of this Army, a him, without any artifice whereby to vindicate as much ignominy and confusion as may be, or excuse ourselves, nakedly to cast ourselves would not, in their account, countervail; and and the business upon him; and, to his praise if such an envious and evil spirit be indeol we must speak it, he hath appeared in an an-lodged and working in the hearts of any, t swerable issue, whereof the parliament and desire God in mercy to convince them of t kingdom have had an account; and wherein lest he confound them for it.-For our part, they may see, and we wish they may with us having the Witness of God in our conscikace, take notice and be mindful of, the mercy and that though we are not without weak and goodness of God in our deliverance, which were frail workings of our fleshly hearts in al added to all the rest; and therein the army, our ways; yet, for the main, we have, which, in casting off all bands of order and go- all our engagements from the beginning of the vernment, was like to have been let loose to war, had the work of God and the kingdom a have been a plague and bane both to the king-our eye, and not our own: And that, since the dom and itself, once more reduced under that temper and discipline which may render it, through and under God, a further security and stay to the kingdom; and, in due time, bring it to a quiet disbanding, when just satisfaction, with settlement and safety, shall admit: but, as hath been in part done already, we must again mind the parliament upon what terms this hath been wrought: The General (as we all with and under him) stands engaged to the Army for the lawful prosecution of the soldiers concernments, and some general fundamental things for the kingdom; and, in confidence of the parliament's good acceptance of the service thereby done, and of their real intention, and promised effectual resolution, to give satisfaction in those things, hath, in a manner, undertaken for the parliament therein.-We wish we may see cause to acknowledge their just sense of his excellency's good affection and service in that business, or at least of their own Engagement, or the kingdom's concernments therein; and that we had not cause either to apprehend a strange neglect thereof growing upon many, or rather, in some, the sad symp-so apt unto. Having, we say, the wits 2 toms of an evil eye at the service itself, as if these things within us, when, on the other 564, they did regret the happy composure of those we consider what unworthy requitals we met distractions begun in the Army, or the re-uni- with for all this from the hands of men; bus •* ting of it; or did grudge the good hand of God are loaded with reproaches for it, and seosed towards it and the kingdom therein, that, in of being the only disturbers of the king mercy would not suffer it to run ou in these dis- and the authors of its burdens, as if, for pri tractions to its own ruin and the kingdom's: For ends and designs, we kept up the Army; and though it be most evident that had God given how generally most men, even of the pada up the Army to cast off the reins of government party, for whose preservation, and for p nient and order, and to go on in those distract-vention of whose ruin, we have exposed c ing and confounding ways, which it was endea-selves to all hazards therein, do, either in voured to be drawn into, both it and other disaffection or design to divide and break ur forces of the kingdom were like, e'er this time, Army, withhold or obstruct all supplies m to have been engaged in blood one against satisfaction which might keep it in ort, another; or else united only in some despe-union, or repute: we confess, when we cetrate course of rending and tearing out the sider these things, we are ready to apprehes Army by the oppressive provoking and sad proceedings of men, acted by the aforesaid es vious principles against it) was raised to m resolutions, and driven into such a posture put it past the power of the officers to bring to a quiet disbanding, without further sat tion and security, it hath been our main end in continuing with it, and almost our wide work, to keep it within compass and moder tion; to withhold it from extremities of sorts, and from that mischief to the kingdots or itself, which our withdrawing and taking off car hands from the government of it would inve let it loose unto; and to make use of it, and the providence that brought it to that pass, possible, to some good issue for the just libet", safety, and settlement of the kingdom; u bring the Army to some bottom of reasona satisfaction wherein it might acquiesce, and a last come to a quiet disbanding; and, in tran action of all this, with all tenderness and tience, to preserve, if possible, the authorry and peace of the kingdon, and prevent new bu which several parties and interests bave hers t God doth herein seem most justly to, up- | a matter of wonder to us, or an argument of id our care and solicitousness to preserve great improvidence at best, that since that time eople given up, as we begin to fear, to their the Soldiery, though much lessened in numn destruction, and which seem to chuse it ber, should be no better paid and provided for her than not to have their own factious than before. From the sense of these things, erests or envy fulfilled; rather than to we have made frequent Addresses to the parn their preservation, in the least degree, to liament for a sufficient establishment and se whom God hath appeared willing to provision of Pay for the Army and other for their preservation and deliverance. forces of the kingdom, until they might, with d, rather than we would further increase safety to the kingdom, and just satisfaction odium and scandal of being the only pub- and security to themselves, in point of Arrears, Disturbers and Oppressors, so unworthily Indemnity, &c. be disbanded, or otherwise t upon us, merely for our good-will and employed out of the kingdom. We have long leavours to prevent greater mischiefs, we waited with impatience as aforesaid, for some apt to chuse rather to withdraw from fruit of our addresses, at least in this point; but private station, though with hazard of our what through the difficulty or delay of getting sonal safety, and the loss not only of any things passed in parliament to this purpose, or gined benefit of future employment, but of putting in execution those ordinances that n our Arrears for what service we have have been passed, and the neglect or slowness e; and so leaving all to whatever confusion of country committees, assessors, or collectors, d in his righteous judgment may seem good to do their duty therein: what through the bring upon the nation, to cast ourselves malignity of some, who, in design to break or olly upon him to preserve and provide for us distract the Army as aforesaid for want of the midst thereof; or, if God in mercy Pay, and to disaffect the country thereto by end better things to the kingdom, or bath necessitated free Quarter, do industriously nd ought in us, which we confess he may, retard all supplies of money; and what dering us unworthy to be any longer instru- through the general backwardness of all, nts thereof, we should desire, with meek- especially in the city of London, to part s and rejoicing, to see any other whom he with it, we have yet found little fruit of all ds, or the kingdom judgeth, more worthy our Addresses and Endeavours in this kind; take up our present charge but finding there being not as yet any establishment of t yet any such clear discharge as would, to contribution for Pay of the soldiery, any whit rapprehension, fully quit us before God or near proportionably to the numbers that we in, to leave the Army or kingdom in this yet keep up, or any effectual execution of the esent condition, we shall, in discharge of our powers already given for raising of the Taxes ty to the utmost, add this one essay more to already charged upon the kingdom: so as we ng both into a better, if God in mercy see remain yet as far as ever from that Supply of good; we shall therefore once more beg the Pay to the Army or other forces, whereby rliament timely to consider and provide either the burdens and grievances of free ectually for those things expressed in the Quarter can be taken off, or the necessity of e Remonstrance published at the several the soldiery competently supplied, or their disdezvouses of the Army, upon his excellen- contents in any measure removed, or disorder s continued conjunction, whereby the dis- prevented, or good discipline preserved; and, Etents in the Army were quieted, the which is most sad, in the Garrisons of the tractions composed, and the due order kingdom, and those of most importance, where d discipline of it recovered and submitted the soldiery have not, nor well can have, the : And, amongst these things, since the benefit of Quarter for their subsistance, (as the eatest and most immediate and pressing Army and field-officers have) yet they have il to the soldiery is the Want of Pay; very long been without any supply of Pay d, to the country, the Disorders, Exactions, at all; so as divers poor soldiers in some of Abuses, of the soldiers, with the burden them have actually starved and died for want, d annoyance of free Quarter thereby en- in attendance upon their duties; others forced rced: and which, if once provided for, gives by extremity of want to quit their service: me of consideration for other things: we and the rest ready to starve or quit their garall first apply to that, either to obtain a pre-risons to any that will possess them; and as at Remedy, or at least to acquit and discharge it is most apparent that the present proporrselves, in that point, of the many evils there- tion of Tax, if duly levied, could not competentboth to the soldiery and country.-We have ly supply them, and others too, in an equal ng been sadly sensible, and many ways and distribution thereof, considering the number ten expressed our sense thereof; but we have that are yet in being; so the committees in en most troubled at it, since that necessity many countries where such garrisons are, hich heretofore enforced it, viz. the straitness that have engaged with the Army, do refuse the Quarters the parliament had to raise to levy those small proportions of Money that Honey in, was taken away, and all parts of the have been assigned for the present relief of ngdom have been cleared from any enemy, such garrisons; but are content to see the ad free for the equal levying of money to sup- aforesaid miseries of the Soldiery, and danger y the necessities of the whole: and it seems to the Garrisons, rather than do their parts to give the least remedy to either; divers of since elapsed, and some spent in professed cothen telling the soldiers plainly, as we are sideration of it, the whole care of that basines informed, that if they had declared against the seems to be wrapt up in one bare Vote, VIL Army they should not have wanted; but having That all supernumerary Forces shall be d engaged with it they must expect neither Quar-banded.'-As to which matter of Disbandag ter nor Pay but what they get from the Army.- Supernumeraries, so it be with reasonable sa If we, or this poor Army, have deserved such tisfaction in point of Arrears, we are so fe hatred or despite, especially from pretended from opposing or obstructing it, that, for the friends to the parliament and the kingdom's speedy easing of the kingdom's burdens byr, interest, we would fain be plainly told and we shall readily give all furtherance and s convinced wherein; otherwise we cannot ac- sistance to it; and shall, by-and-by, offer that count it but most unchristian and inhuman encouragement thereunto as will demonstrate dealing, and such as can have no better root the same; and on such terms we shall ourselv than envious faction, void of all regard to pub-most gladly be of those supernumeraries the lic interest; and we would have all such know that, if we had been in the same mind, or would have allowed ourselves, by power, to pursue the ruin of adverse parties, by indirect or unchristian ways, or otherwise to set up a party of our own and suppress all others; or if we had not still, according to our first principles, loved much more the ways of common right and freedom, and the proceedings in all such things by parliament in order thereunto; or if we had not, in the way of ordering our affairs since the Army's Engagement, consulted more the preserving of Peace in the kingdom, and to prevent the rise of any new war, than our own advantage or security, we could (to speak as men, with the power and advantages God hath put into our hands) long ere this time, as yet also we might, have put the Army, and all other forces engaged with it, into such a posture as to have assured themselves of Pay while continued; and probably to have made our opposers in the kingdom, and city too, willing to have followed us with offers of Satisfaction as to the Arrears and other dues that concern the soldiery; or we could have told how to prosecute those advantages we have had to the suppression, if not destruction of adverse parties and interests, so as they should not, probably, have had those foundations or possibilities to grow up again to our further trouble or danger, as now they seem to have; and all this with reason and justice enough too: but that we have studied the preservation and good of all, without ruin or destruction to any, as far as we could; and have, through God, been acted therein in some measure with that mildness and moderation, patience, and love in the name of Christ; and we are yet confident we shall at last lose nothing by it. But to return to our purpose: As to the Inconveniences and Dangers of a new provision for the Soldiers, in point of Pay, the parliament hath had sufficient cautions and warnings, especially in the late distractions; and while the danger thereof continued visible, it was largely professed, if that danger could be removed, and the Army reduced into order and discipline, we should have what provision we could, with reason, desire in that point; and the same, with much more, upon the first hopes of overcoming that danger, was as largely promised: yet now the danger is over, we see little better care of performance than before; but after many days should come first to disbanding; but as to the |