THE DECLARATION of Colonel Rich's Regiment.  
With the Engagement they have Entered into.  
ALSO Major Braman's Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Lagoe, upon their going into PORTSMOUTH.  
To which is added another Letter sent from Major Braman to a Friend of his in London.  
London, Printed by T. M. for Livewell Chapman, at his shop in Popes-head Alley, 1659.   

The Declaration of Coll. Riche's Regiment.  
Dear beloved Brethren, Friends and fellow-soldiers; Wisdom is justified of her children, and we therefore hope shall not be condemned by you; We cannot but believe concerning you, that the same trouble and perplexity of spirit hath possessed you as ourselves; and the same inquires, after our good old Cause, hath been in you as in us; and we humbly hope, that the God of all our mercies, whose will we desire to follow in all things, will show you as (blessed be his Name) he hath done us, what is our duty in this dark Day. We have, as you, silently sat down and seen a lawful Authority, yea, that very Parliament, that raised and maintained us, after all the eminent and honourable Services done for God and their Generations, kicked out of their Seats with contempt and scorn: At which time we desire to remember to our own shame, that our poor native Country, notwithstanding their fierce intestine wars and trouble, just gone over its head, was so settled and composed, that hardly could be perceived the Tract of that trouble they passed through; our Trade quick and flourishing, and such abundant blessing from above, that the Poor were satisfied with bread in that plenty, that neither we nor our Fathers has seen the people of God countenanced and encouraged, growing up in union in all parts, and the public enemy desponding, At this juncture, we say, when England thus flourished, Ireland reduced, and Scotland Conquered, the Dane, Dutch and French afraid of our Fleets, and begging amity with us; and we a terror to all the Nations round about, and when we were constantly paid before it was due, and our Navy not a penny in Arrears; we Jeserum like waxed fat and kicked against our dear God and those glorious Instruments in his hands; and suffered ourselves, through want of courage (forgetting conscience and our Duty) to be led to the emposing an Arbitrary Power over ourselves and the Freeborn People of England; by which means our Fleets are lost and lessened, our Trade decayed and ruined, our poor Country wasted and empoverished, the Poor starved, the Land unsettled, the Soldiers unpaid, the People of God rend and divided, public enemies encouraged, and we become a derision to them we were a terror too: We say having run ourselves and poor Nation, from such a happy settlement, into such throngs of exegencies and distresses, from which we could no way imaginable extricate ourselves, and save the people thereof from inevitable ruin and distraction. But the calling in that famous Long Parliament, we so wickedly and unworthily had turned out, which accordingly was done; and they no sooner sat again, but the ancient Presence of our blessed God, appeared for them as formerly, and while they were intent upon their Generation-Work of laying foundations, for future Settlement, seeking out ways to satisfy the Army, greatning the Navy, propagating Trade, etc. But that old spirit of Pride, Disobedience and Ambition sought occasion; First, to quarrel, then interrupt their Power again, to the utter exposing of that just and righteous Cause and Interest to an unavoidable ruin and destruction. And as if one former apostasy which we pretended to repent of, had not been sufficient to have attracted the hate and obloquy of God and all good men; They have run us into a Second evil, of a far greater magnitude than the former, and have emproved our easiness and aptness to follow them implicitly, so as that they have brought us point blank against our very Cause and Company, and in the face of the Sun, do Command us to sheathe our Swords in the bowels of the Supreme Authority of this Nation, against which never any yet lift up their hands prospered; and to take away the blood of our dear Brethren old and faithful friends, and as a Cheat, to compass their designs the better, they would engage us to blood against this Parliament, under pretence of calling another. As if any Parliament could take the like care of us, both as Soldiers and Englishmen, as they whose Army we are, for you cannot but take notice, that all Parliaments, that ever yet hath been in the intervales of this, were never friends, but enemies to the Army, this being most obvious to us, and we hope to you, we cannot but acquaint you with our Resolutions, which is, that as the Army in Scotland, the Fleet unanimously, our brethren at London, and Col. Berry's Regiment have Declared against this repeated Apostasy; and for the famous Long Parliament; So we in honour, duty and conscience are bound with Swords in our hands to assert their just, and lawful Power, so often acknowledged by ourselves, against all that shall oppose it, Us, or any that have or do appear therefore. There being no other expedient to expiate our guilt, appease our God, pacify our Conscience, clear our Reputations, to keep true to our Promises and Engagements, to Cement God's People, to satisfy the Souldery, to settle the Nation, and to give us the Fruit of all the Blood spilt, Treasury spent, Prayers put up, Tears poured out, in which we hope, we shall have your cheerful concurrence, and that you will not suffer yourselves to be led any longer against your true Interests both as men and Christians: Such of your Officers as shall join with us in the work, we desire may have double Honour; but such as shall persuade you to persist in their Apostasy, we hope, you will as we shall do, displace as persons perfidious and treacherous to God and their Trusts: Thus have we nakedly and freely unbosomed ourselves, and broken the Ice, we shall now leave all to him, who is able to set your Duty home upon your hearts, and save by few as by many, before whom we have mutablie Engaged ourselves to Live and Dye together; which Resolution the Frowns nor Flatteries of none shall make us to recede from; and in him rest dear Brethren and fellow-soldiers, yours and the Commonwealth's Friends and Servants.  
We have enclosed sent you the Copy of our Engagement, subscribed by all, none dissenting; we also desire you to elect two of each Company to treat with the like number elected out of each Troop, to carry on the work.   

The Engagement.  
WE whose names are hereunto subscribed, do solemnly in the sight of God; whose we are, and who knows our hearts, in our present undertaking, engage that we will Adventure for each other to the last drop of our Bloods in the just defence of the Parliament, against our consents most violently and treacherously interrupted; and for that good and common interest so long contended for; and do once again say that we will neither divide nor suffer ourselves to be divided till the liberties both civil and Christian of all men be full settled and secured, and from this our engagement neither by Art nor arms, will we be withdrawn, till we die. Testified in the presence of him who is able to make us do valiantly, on whom alone we desire to depend, and who we humbly hope will issue our undertake so as glory will redound to him: and such good to present and future generations, as babes unborn may bless us for,  
Portsdown, Decemb. 20. 1659.   

Major Braymans' Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Lago.  
BY Order from the Commissioners, by Authority of Parliament I am to Randesvows my Colonel's Regiment at Portsdown this day, and in obedience thereto, am upon my march; I am also commanded to send to them for farther Orders. I therefore desire all stops may be removed between them and me, that I may know and execute their commands, if you shall refuse, I shall march my Troops and endeavour by other ways to do my duty. I desire no blood may be effused, if there be, conscience and your Commission, will first accuse, and then condemn you: I nor those with me, having nothing upon our hearts but a healing that Breach that's rejoiced at, by none but them that seek your Ruin as well as ours, and an earnest desire that all heats and Animosities between the Parliament and their Army may be forgotten and forgiven, which shall be no more hearty pursued by you than Sirs,  
Havant Decemb. 20. 11. clock, 1659. Your Friend and Servant John Braman  
I desire you would communicate this to our dear Brethren, Fellow Friends and Soldiers with you and expect your speedy answer.  
Superscribed for Leiutenant Colonel Lagoe at Cosiam.   

A letter from Major Brayman to a friend of his in London.  
My dear friend,  
BEcause no reputations' so clear, nor act so honest, but envy will attempt to detract: I thought good to give you the trouble of a right understanding, to the end you may assoil me from Mr. Needham's charge that I foresee will furiously come upon me: My principle you know: Nor did I ever endeavour to abscond it. Equal and universal Liberty, you are my witness I have loved. And never yet thought my little all too much to venture for it: the paucity of its owners is matter of sorrow. But can never make him vary that eyes his duty. What you believed others feared concerning me; that I was guilty of that capital Crime, of being constant and Faithful to my Trust: a sin that ever yet stuck as close to me as my shirt; and therefore our Commander in chief here gave me the benefit of an easy bed, at a convenient distance, till I deemed it necessary to draw somewhat nearer him; which I did yesterday, with my Colonels Troop Merimen and my own; and from Havant sent him the enclosed. But it found him absent: for in the morning an hour or two before, two or three soldiers went from my troops, to the Leaguer with the enclosed Resolution and Engagement, one to each Company, which the Lieutenant Colonel understanding, whether he thought he could not weather the Point, or what other reason he best knows: But as I said, he took an occasion to be absent: After my letter I marched for Portsdown, dismounted Barrington, and secured Ducat, and took their Troops with me, who willingly followed; I spoke one word or two to the troops, desired them to consult with their Conscience, and resolve either to own the true Interest they had fought and bled for; or use their Liberty otherwise. But as with one mouth, they cried all, all, to the enclosed Engagement (which if you judge necessary may be made more public) I then immediately marched: But the Foot before we came at them, had took up their Resolution, they would not fight us, and were marching with their Colours for Portsmouth, where they now are; the Officers have liberty to return if they please: Not one Musket was fired on either side, which truly I judge a signal mercy; and certainly it is instructive, and doth tell us, that our duty is to pursue peace with each other and not war; which was the main improvement I begged of our Commissioners to make of this mercy: For though my blood and hundred else is too imcompetent for that precious Cause of God, and our generation: Yet a composure by us is rather coveted; nor shall any blood be spilt by us, can we conserve our Cause without it: Pretty contradictory and inconsistent are the objections of well minded people; one cries out the Parliament was infringing liberty of Conscience, another places this Objection, that they were too much enlarging it; Christ eat and drank, John did neither, yet a Devil, and as bad were they both, in the esteem of most; and truly prejudice, nor desire of Dominion can scarcely be pleased. I would not willingly judge the generation of the just; though I see they are preyed upon, and lose their own reputation, and bring a reproach on that blessed name they profess, to lift up and exalt poor mortal changeable Creatures: whereas if things not persons were more respected by us; we should look a little more before we leap, and not umbrage unhandsome acts, under a Christian Visor. I speak it not to upbraid, but wish I could convince any of this error: but he that believes makes not haste; God has his season, to work his will in: I wish we may be found waiting upon him in well doing, and I doubt not then, but the issue of this sad affair will bring peace and settlement to these poor distracted Nations, Than which nothing is more coveted by,  
Petersfeild, Decemb. 21. 59 Dear sir, Your Affection and faithful servant, J. Braman.  
FINIS.