that authority which they foon after acquired

ftrength held by them in England, and return to their own country. No mention is made in these articles concerning the King's perfon; but the commiffioners of both nations understood the intentions of their prin(z) Burnet's cipals, and therefore, on the delivery of the arrears Memoirs of for the payment of the army, the Scottish army withdrew, and left the King in the hands of the English, Folio 1677. who prefently fend him to Holmby (z).'

Hamilton,

p. 312.

All things now feemed favourable to the parliament of England. Every foe was fubdued at home, and the King himself a captive. Now, therefore, was the time for eafing the kingdom from the heavy oppreffions, which, for more than four years, it had groaned under, as well as to establish peace on lafting foundations. As the army had been raised and maintained at a vaft expence, nothing was more natural or reasonable than to think, as foon as might be, of reducing it. Accordingly, February 19, 1646, O. S. the queftion being put in the houfe of commons, whether there fhould be a number of foot kept up at the pay of the kingdom, more than what will be fufficient for the keeping of fuch garrifons as fhall be continued;' it paffed in the (a) Journal, negative by a majority of ten (a). On the 23d of the fame month, the houfe proceeded to the confideration of the bufinefs concerning the garrifons, and on that, and many days afterwards, ordered that no garrison fhould be kept in fome places; that the works of others fhould be flighted, and fome of the most important continued, viz. Plymouth, Exeter-castle, Poole, Weymouth, Portland, Hull, Scarborough-caftie, Liverpoole, Newcastle, and fome others, deemed, as I fuppofe, at that time, of importance.

On the 25th of March following, fome officers of the army petitioned the houfe of lords, and, befides requefting the payment of their arrears, and an act of indemnity, which they undoubtedly had a right to, they defired an opportune and timely anfwer' to their re

quefts,

quired and brought to an height unknown

to

quefts, that the public worship of God may be fpeedily fettled according to the word of God and the examples of ⚫ the best reformed churches. That the subject may have ⚫ the benefit of Magna Charta, and the petition of right, • fo far forth as may comport with the neceffities of the • kingdom. That all committees in the feveral coun• ties may be removed; and that the treasurers and fequeftrators of the faid counties may be called to a Speedy and ftrict account, for the better fatisfaction and ease of the kingdom: Together with many other things relative to themselves as officers, declaring, at the fame time, that fome of them had already engaged themselves for Ireland, and that the rest were ready to contribute their best affistance thereunto. Whereupon the officers, who fubfcribed the petition, were called in, and had for anfwer, That the house gave ⚫ them thanks for their good. affections to them, and their fervices to the kingdom and parliament; and that they, take it well concerning their offer for Ireland: and, as to their arrears, their lordships will do their parts, and will take their petition into confideration.' The fame day a copy of this petition was presented to the house of commons by the fame officers, to whom the houfe fent out four of their members with the following anfwer: That, as to their arrears, the houfe had and would take them into confideration, with others, in fuch manner as they should think fit, as well as their defires of employment. That, as to the rest of the petition, about the management of public affairs, it did not concern any perfons to give inftructions to the houfes therein; yet, in confideration the petitioners were men that had done fervice to the parliament, and, in regard of their profeffions, and that they might have done this merely out of in- (b) Parliaadvertency, they were willing to pass it by (b).' I mentary Hiftory, vol. have given this anfwer on the authority of the Parlia- xv. p. 34°. mentary Hiftory, not being able to find it in the Jour

nals

to the English nation.-Not content with

the

nals of the house of commons. However, certain it is, that house was greatly alarmed at fome petitions which were then fet on foot among the officers of the army: for, on the 27th of March 1647, it was refolved, that a letter be written to Sir Th.mas Fairfax, general, to acquaint him, that this house hath been informed, that a petition is carrying on in the army: that he would take fome course, by the beft means he can, to make a ftop of it; and that a copy of the petition, delivered (c) Journal. into this houfe this day, be fent to the general (c). And, on the 29th of the fame month, a letter, directed to colonel Reffiter, of 28° Martii, at noon, figned H. with a paper inclofed, ftiled, the heads of a petition,' endeavoured to be obtruded, as the fenfe of the army, delivered in to colonel Roffiter, was this day read. Refolved, &c. That thanks be given to colonel Roffiter and colonel Harley, for thefe timely informations. It was, moreover, refolved, That the general fhould be defired to give order, that feveral officers [fuppofed to be concerned in the framing and figning the petition] do attend the house, and that the committee appointed for this affair fhould have power to examine commiffary-general Ireton. And a declaration appointed, prepared and brought in, with regard to the army, was now reported by Mr. Helles, who had always appeared with great zeal against the army party in the house. This declaration does not appear in the Journals, it being expunged June 3, 1647, at the defire or demand. of the army.-The petition, referred to in these votes, contained a request for indemnity before disbanding; that fatisfaction alfo be given them for their arrears ; that they might not be compelled, by prefs or otherwise, to ferve out of the kingdom; that they might have fatisfaction for the loffes they had fuftained by adhering to the parliament, and a prefent fupply of money. These were bold demands, and fufficient to rouse the attention and refentment of parliament, who ordered

the

the conceffions made them by both houses,

they

the following declaration (the fame which was inferted, but is now expunged in the Journals) to be printed and published, and a number of copies thereof fent down in a letter to Sir Thomas Fairfax. The two houses of • parliament having received information of a danger. ous petition, with a reprefentation annexed, tending to put the army into a diftemper and mutiny, to put 'conditions upon the parliament, and obftruct the relief of Ireland, which hath been contrived and pro moted by fome perfons in the army; they do declare their high diflike of that petition, their approbation and esteem of their good fervice who firft difcovered ⚫ it, and of fuch officers and foldiers as have refused to join in it; and that, for fuch as have been abufed, and, by the perfuafions of others, drawn to fubfcribe it, if they fhall, for the future, manifeft their dif like of what they have done, by forbearing to proceed any further therein, it fhall not be looked on as any caufe to take away the remembrance and fenfe the houses have of the good fervices they have formerly done, but they fhall be ftill retained in their good opinion, and fhall be cared for with the reft of the army, in all things neceffary and fitting for the fatiffaction of perfons that have done fo good and faithful service, and as may be expected from a parliament fo careful to perform all things appertaining to honour and justice: and, on the other fide, it is declared, That all those who shall continue in their diftempered condition, and go on in advancing and • promoting that petition, fhali be looked upon, and (d) P lin • proceeded against, as enemies to the ftate, and dif- mentary turbers of the public peace (d).'

Sir Themis Fairfax returned an answer to the letter and declaration, full of duty and refpect: but the foldiers undertook to vindicate their conduct, notwithftanding the lords had voted for the disbanding of fuch as would not engage themfelves in the fervice of Ire

M

land.

Hiftery, vol.
XV. p. 344.

(e) Parliamentary Hiftory, vol.

IV. P. 359.

they had the infolence to take the King out

of

land. This was done in a very bold piece, intitled,
A vindication of the officers of the army under Sir
• Thomas Fairfax ;' in which, after infifting, that they
had not faid or done any thing unreasonable, they tell
the commons, that the fenfe of fuch expreffions [as
were contained in the foregoing declaration] was fo
irksome to them, who had ventured whatever they
efteemed dear to them in this world, for the prefer-
vation of the freedom and privilege of that house,
that they could not but earneftly implore their juftice
• in the vindication of them.' This petition was figned
by a very great number of officers. After the reading
this in the houfe, April 30, 1647, major-general Skip-
pon produced a letter, prefented to him the day before
by fome troopers of feveral regiments in the army, in
behalf of eight regiments of horfe; in which, after
many high and infolent expreffions, they declared, that
they would neither be employed for the fervice of Ire-
land, nor fuffer themfelves to be disbanded, till their
defires were granted, and the rights and liberties of
the fubject fhould be vindicated and maintained (e) *.*
In short, the difputes were carried on with great warmth
between the parliament and the army. But the difpu-
tants were but ill matched. Votes were overpowered by
arms; eloquence was dumb under the power of the
fword. Though the parliament ordered part of the
army to disband, and others to go for Ireland; though
they promifed, flattered and threatened fuch as were
indifpofed to obey; it was all in vain. The army was
as one body, and no impreffion was to be made on it.
Theref re, finding contefting with it was to no purpose,
efpecially after the feizing the King, by Joyce, at Hol-
denby, the houfe of commons, on the 15th of June,

A letter of almoft the very fame words, directed to lieutenant-general Cromwell, was by him delivered to Mr. Speaker. It was informed, the like was delivered to the General, Journal, April 30, 1647.