THE HUMBLE PETITION Of His Excellency THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX, AND THE General council of Officers OF THE ARMY under His Command: To the honourable, The COMMONS of ENGLAND IN PARLIAMENT, ASSEMBLED.  

Die Sabbathi, 20 Januarii, 1648.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Petition of the General, and the General council of the Officers of the Army under His Command, this day presented to the House, be forthwith printed.  
H: Scobel, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the honourable House of Commons. Jan. 22. 1648.   

To the honourable, The COMMONS of England IN PARLIAMENT assembled: The humble Petition of His Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax, and the General council of Officers of the Army under His command.  
IN our late Remonstrance of the 18th of November last, we propounded (next after the Matters of public Justice) some Foundations for a general Settlement of Peace in the Nation; which we therein desired might be formed and Established in the nature of a general Contract, or Agreement of the People. And since then, the matters so propounded being wholly rejected, or no consideration of them admitted in Parliament (though visibly of highest moment to the public) and all ordinary Remedies being denied, we were necessitated to an extraordinary way of Remedy; whereby, to avoid the Mischiefs then at hand, and set you in a condition (without such obstructions or diversions by corrupt Members) to proceed to matters of public Justice, and general settlement. Now as nothing did in our own hearts more justify our late undertaking towards many Members in this Parliament, than the Necessity thereof, in order to a sound Settlement in the Kingdom, and the integrity of our Intentions to make use of it only to that end: So we hold ourselves obliged to give the People all Assurance possible, That our opposing the corrupt closure endeavoured with the King, was not in Design to hinder Peace or settlement (thereby to render our employments as Soldiers necessary to be continued) and that neither that extraordinary course we have taken, nor any other proceedings of ours, have been intended for the setting up of any particular Party or Interest, by or with which to uphold ourselves in Power and Dominion over the Nation; but that it was and is the desire of our hearts, in all we have done (with the hindering of that imminent evil and destructive Conjunction with the KING) to make way for a Settlement of the Peace and Government of this Kingdom, upon Grounds of FREEDOM and SAFETY. And therefore because our former overtures for that purpose, being only in general terms, and not reduced to a certainty of particulars fit for practice) might possibly be understood but as plausible pretences, not intended really to be put into effect, we have thought it our duty to draw out those generals into an entire frame of particulars, ascertained with such circumstances, as may make it effectively practicable: And for that end, while your time hath been taken up in other matters of high and present importance, we have spent much of ours in preparing and perfecting such a Draught of Agreement, and in all things so circumstantiated, as to render it ripe for your speedier consideration, and the kingdom's acceptance and practice (if approved) and so we do herewith humbly present it to you. Now to prevent misunderstanding of our intentions therein, we have but this to say, That we are far from such a spirit, as positively to impose our private apprehensions upon the judgements of any in the Kingdom (that have not forfeited their Freedom) and much less upon yourselves; neither are we apt in any wise to insist upon circumstantial things, or aught that is not evidently Fundamental to that public Interest for which you and we have declared and engaged: But in this tender of it, we humbly Desire,  

I.  
That whether it shall be fully approved by you, and received by the people (as it now stands) or not, It may yet remain upon Record before you, a perpetual witness of our real intentions and utmost endeavours for a sound and equal Settlement, and as a Testimony whereby all men may be assured, what we are willing and ready to acquiesce in, and their jealousies satisfied, or mouths stopped, who are apt to think or say we have no Bottom.   

II.  
That (with all expedition which the immediate and pressing great affairs will admit) it may receive your most mature Consideration and Resolutions upon it; not that we desire either the whole, or what you should like in it, should be by your authority imposed as a Law upon the Kingdom (for so it would lose the intended nature of an Agreement of the People) but that (so far as it concurs with your own judgements) it may receive your seal of Approbation only.   

III.  
That (according to the method propounded therein) it may be tendered to the people in all parts, to be subscribed by those that are willing (as Petitions and other things of a voluntary nature are) and that mean while the ascertaining of those circumstances which it refers to Commissioners in the several Counties, may be proceeded upon in a way preparatory to the practice of it. And if upon the account of Subscriptions (to be returned by those Commissioners in April next) there appear to be a general or common Reception of it amongst the people, or by the well-affected of them, and such as are not obnoxious for Delinquency, it may then take place and effect, according to the Tenor and Substance of it.   
By the Appointment of His Excellency and the General council of Officers. JOHN RUSHWORTH secr'  
FINIS.