A DECLARATION From his Excellence Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX, and the general council of the ARMY, Held at Putney, on Thursday September 16. 1647.  
Concerning the delays in raising moneys for supply of the Army, and other Forces of the kingdom.  
And their humble Offers and Desires in Relation thereto.  
Tendered To the Right Honourable Commissioners of Parliament residing with the Army, and by them to be presented to the Houses.  
With his excellencies Letter to the Commissioners concerning the same.  
Also a Narrative of the soldier's behaviour towards the L. Lauderdale.  
By the Appointment of his excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the general council of the Army. Jo. Rushworth Secretary.  
Printed at London, for George Whittington, at the blue Anchor, in Cornhill, near the royal Exchange, 1647.   

My Lords and Gentlemen,  
THe extreme necessities of the Army, and other Forces in the kingdom, together with the present pressures of the country where it Quarters, for want of Moneys, as well as the delays of them from whom you might e'er this time have justly expected a better Account on this behalf than is as yet heard of, is the occasion which yesterday produced a Resolution upon this enclosed Paper, which I herewith tender to your Lordships, Desiring it may be speedily communicated to both Houses: I remain,  
Your lordship's most humble servant, THO. FAIRFAX. Putney 17 Septembris, 1647.  
For the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons, Commissioners of Parliament residing in the Army.   

A Declaration from his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the general council of the Army held at Putney on Thursday September. 16. 1647.  
THe extreme wants of the soldiery (both of the Army and other Forces and Garrisons that have concurred with us, as also the sufferings of the countries in respect of free Quarter, and the necessities of the kingdom for a speedy supply of money in relation to the disbanding of superfluous forces, the sending over of others for the relief of Jreland, and for the supplying of those forces that are there already, so as to prevent the danger of those distempers lately raised amongst them,) are such as we are and have been very sensible of and exceedingly pressed with the consideration of them.  
Yet the care the Houses have so many ways expressed for providing a present supply of moneys, in relation to all these affairs, have made us hitherto silent as to that point▪ in expectation to have found ere this time an answerable effect thereof in actual supplies. But finding that notwithstanding all their care, yet through the neglect or delay of those on whom the Houses have depended in that particular, there is little or nothing hitherto effected therein, and especially considering the delays made by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common council of the City of London, in the advancing of that sum which the Houses have demanded of them upon the security of the arrears (so long since) due from the City to this Army, and for that tax whereupon all or most other places have long since paid in their proportions.) We are enforced to make this present address to the Houses in relation thereunto.  
First we cannot but consider the notorious readiness of that Court to the advancing of far greater sums for the raising of a new war and prosecution of the late mischievous practices and designs against the Parliament and Army. And that as their precipitate forwardness therein, was the occasion of the armies coming into these parts: so their backwardness to the raising or advancing of the money now required for the service of the Parliament and supply of the Army, hath been and is the occasion of the army's continuance here: And therefore we cannot but offer it as what we humbly conceive most just and reasonable.  
That for what time their default or delays have occasioned and shall further occasion the armies stay hereabouts (so much to the burden and oppression of these parts) the charge thereof should some way be laid upon them and their adherents in and about the City, together with those persons from whom the said arrears are due, and those in whose default it lies that they have hitherto been either not assessed or not collected. And for that purpose that at least in case the sum required be not paid in at the time limited by the Houses. There may be a proportionable penalty imposed by way of daily increase of the sum required for so long time as the payment thereof shall be further delayed. Next for as much as the Lord Mayor Aldermen and common-council, may perhaps conceive themselves not so much obliged (either to execute the authority given them by the Parliament for levying of money upon others, or to advance it themselves by way of loan in behalf of others until it can be leavyed) as they would be to provide what should justly be charged upon themselves: We therefore humbly offer (at least) in case the sum required upon the arrears be not paid in by the time limited.  
II. That the Houses would be pleased speedily t● consider of the delinquency of that Court an● council, in those things that were lately done by them as a Court, and set such Fine upon them for the same as shall be agreeable to justice, which money being chargeable so properly upon themselves we presume they will not have the like excuse not to provide.  
Lastly, since it is most evident that for the speedy bringing in of the money required upon the arrears there wants not in the said Major, aldermen & Common council, either authority to levy it or ability to advance it by way of Loan till it can be levied: nor do the persons from whom the arrears are due want ability to pay them, but the only fault and defect lies in the want of will to the thing, both in the one and in the other, and want of power in the hands of willing men to enforce it, without which we see little hopes that it will in any tolerable time be effected; We therefore offer  
III. That in case the money be not brought in (by the time limited the Parliament would be pleased to give leave and power to the general (with the advice and directions of the Committee for the Army▪ for the levying of the said arrears, together with such penalties and fine as the Houses shall find cause to impose as aforesaid, or (at least) the penalties allowed by the Ordinances for that tax for the Army, and then if the moneys be not speedily brought in for the Parliament to dispose of let us bear the blame.  
And all these things we desire the rather, because we have grounds both of reason and evidence from the speeches of many in the City, to believe that in this long withholding of money, the designs and hopes of the Parliaments and our enemies, are to raise the Army into distempers, and the country about us into a flame, whereby at least to hinder and interrupt all proceedings to the execution of Parliamentary justice, or settlement of the Kingdom, and to expose the Parliament again into tumultuous violence, of all which the danger is very evident and imminent, if not speedily prevented by some such vigorous and effectual remedies as aforesaid.  
Putney Sept. 16. 1647. By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and the council of war: Signed John Rushworth Secretary   

A Narrative of the soldier's demeanour towards the Lord Lauderdale at the Court at Woburne, in luly last, presented to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, under the hand of Colonel Whalley, and by him sent to the Commissioners of Parliament in the Army; with a letter from his Excellency concerning the same.  
TOwards the latter end of July last, when the King lay at Woburne, the Lord Lauderdale came one morning about four or five of the Clock to the Court, lost no time▪ but presently made his repairs to His Majesty with whom he had much private Communication. It was commonly reported and generally believed that he had come post all the night before. But whether so or not, I know not, but this I know, that his early coming, and hasty speaking with His Majesty at that Conjuncture of time, when that unparalleled violence was committed upon the Parliament, and that treasonable engagement for fetching the King to London, and preparations for a new war, were so violently prosecuted in the City, drove the Court into fears, and the soldiers into jealousies, that his Lordship came to endeavour the perfecting at Court that design, which was begun and prosecuted in the City, and that which made them (as I conceive) the more jealous of his intentions, was a common report, that his Lordship was a fomenter of the Cities Tumults, or corresponding with the authors of them. And indeed I find, that the soldiers had long entertained harsh thoughts of the Lord Lauderdale ever since his Relation, concerning His majesty's going from Holmsby, 〈◊〉 in the painted Chamber so much to the prejudice, and disadvantage of the Army; and his undertaking there to engage the whole kingdom of Scotland, as one man against the Army; they were playn● with him at Newmarket, the● minding him of it, and told him he had publicly declared himself their enemy; therefore they could not but think he came to do them, and the kingdom in Offices: And had not myself and o●her Officers interposed, they had then at least persuaded him away from the Court, but at that time the soldiers endured his stay, though with some regret; But his lordship's second appearance at that time and manner as before related, so heightened, (it seems their former jealousies, and exasperated them into such resolution● as that divers of them (whose names I protest I know n●● not so much as one for present) being of several R●●iments came about five or six of the Clock, next morning▪ to his Lordship▪ Chamber door, desired to speak with him upon notice whereof, I hastened to the Earl of Lauderdales' Lodgings, and the Earl of Denby with me: we found the soldiers and the Lord Lauderdaile reasoning very calmly together, his Lordship telling them he was a public person, and they could offer him no affront, but it would reflect upon the kingdom of Scotland, and tend to divide the 2. Nations, the soldiers told him, they found he many times acted as a private person, as when in the painted Chamber he undertook for all Scotland to engage as one man against the Army, (which as they heard) he had no Commission for from the State of Scotland, what they did was in Reference to the Lord Lauderdale, and not to the Scottish Nation; and had his Lordship showed them any Commission, pass, or warrant, testifying his being sent or employed thither as a public person from the States of Scotland, or their Commissioners, I conceive it might have satisfied; The Earl of Denbigh endeavoured with all the Reasons and Arguments he could to persuade them to let the Earl of Lauderdale stay, and not meddle with him, and myself commanded them some to their Guard, and the rest to be gone: But from commanding, (the discontent being very high) I was enforced for the present, to fall to persuading, I confirmed what the Earl of Denby before had said to them, that it might be construed as an injury to the State of Scotland, that it would be an offence to the Parliament of England, and added that it was a contemning of the general's power, when they would not obey commands, and would expose both themselves, and me to danger, but all in vain; for indeed that horrid violence so lately done to the Parliament, and the forced flight of the Members of both Houses (whereby that highest Authority of the kingdom s●emed to be at a st●●d) 〈…〉 both the City and mo●● parts of the kingdom into a monstrous ●●in of conf●sion▪ and of distracted and licentious workings, and weakened (for present) the hands of all men in Authority under the Parliament, so it wanted not its influence of like nature upon the Army and soldiery throughout the Kingdom, so as Officers could not (at that time) have the like command of their soldiers, as formerly, nor as now again, since the Authority of the Parliament hath been vindicated, and both Houses (through God's blessing) restored to their Honour and Freedom: For my own part as affairs then stood) I am confident the Lord Denbigh will witness it for me: I did my utmost endeavours to have gotten the soldiers away, I commanded, I persuaded, but neither commands, nor persuasions wou●d prevail, the soldiers being unanimously resolved his Lordship should not stay at Court, nor speak again with the King for that time: And therefore they would not depart till his Lordship was ready and willing to take coach. When I saw I could not exercise my commanding power for the present in that matter, nor by it, nor by persuasion divert them from their Resolutions: I desired them at least to be civil towards his Lordship which they performed, not giving his Lordship an ill word, nor laying any hands upon him, Mr. Cheasley his lordship's Secretary likewise seconded me, desiring the soldiers to be civil, and to give his Lordship leave to say his Prayers, the soldiers answered with all their hearts, they would join with him; but his Lordship told them he had not the gift of prayer, he would not pray publicly, and presently after went quietly to his Coach, the soldiers attending him.  
Thus have I given a true Relation of the demeanour, and Carriage of that towards the Lord Lauderdale at W●bur●●, for the conformation whereof I refer myself to the Earl of Denby, who was present all the while, and in testimony▪ of the truth hereof, I have hereunto set my hand.  
September 11.1647. EDWARD WHALLEY.  
Vera Copia,  
William Clarke.   
My Lords and Gentlemen. 
IN pursuance of the Commands▪ I received for enquiring into the business of the affront done to the Earl of Lautherdale, I sent Order to Col. Whalley, to make enquiry of it, and to return to me an account thereof. I have hereupon received from him a Narrative under his hand of the occasions, and whole carriage of that business (so far ●s his own knowledge or present Informations concerning it do extend,) which I have sent you hear enclosed, I desire it may be emparted to both Houses, for their present better satisfaction Concerning that business, & if this do not amount to their full Satisfaction therein, but that they think fit to have any Further enquiry or Examination to be had about it, I shall upon further notice of their pleasures therein give Order to colonel Whaley, Accordingly I remain.  
Putney 17. September 1647. Your lordship's humble Servant THOMAS FAIRFAX.  
For the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons Commissioners of parliament residing with the Army.  
FINJS.