The Humble REMONSTRANCE OF Sir Frederick Hamilton, Knight and colonel. TO THE RIGHT honourable THE COMMITTEE OF BOTH KINGDOMS.  
I Have served King JAMES and King Charles, near this thirty year in their Court, as a Gentleman of their Privy Chamber, without Pension or Monopoly; and for most of that time, I have had a Command in the Old Army in Ireland. King JAMES having in his life time conferred upon me, the Troop of Horse, with the Foot Company, and the Government of Carrickfergus, which were Commanded by the old Lord Chichester.  
Afterwards I levied a Regiment of Foot, and was with Honourable Recommendations, employed by His majesty into Germany, where I served some years under the glorious and victorious Prince, the King of Sweden, returning with His royal Recommendations, and good acceptance of my Services, witnessed with His Princely Tokens, bestowed upon me.  
At my return it hath been heard of, what hard measure I met withal in Ireland, by the power, and greatness, of the late Earl of Strafford; whose design was apparent, the ruin of my Honour and Fortune, if the Lord had not of his great Mercy enabled me with courage, to stand for my innocency, for the defence of both.  
Since this horrid Rebellion, how I have been engaged with a poor handful of men, and what wonderful things God hath done for us, and with us, is not unknown to my greatest Enemies, though they call me a bragger.  
After it pleased God to enable me, to bring off my Wife and Children from the great miseries they suffered, without any comfort or relief, leaving my Castle and Garrison in the best condition I could, procuring the soldiers leave to apply myself hither, with hopes of better preferment for myself, and speedy relief for them.  
Coming to London-Derry where I had some Fortune left me by my wife's Father, Sir John Vaughan, who died governor of the said city. I found that means he left me, and all my Tenants, encroached upon by the Regiments there, who had taken of me and my Tenants, to the value of three thousand pounds; Notwithstanding the several reliefs they received both from England and Scotland; besides the great sums they have got of other men's Lands, and the several great preys hath been got amongst them since this Rebellion.  
Finding myself so used by them, and not able to Command my own Rents and Tenants, having been as active in the Service, as any colonel amongst them, and the means of keeping them so free from the incursion of the Rebels out of Connaught, Did think in Honour and Justice, my own Lands and Tenants undestroyed, should have been laid off for my own quarters and maintenance; but finding neglect, and hard-heartedness amongst them, I was forced to apply myself to my Noble Friends in Scotland, who were pleased to take my hard condition and great charge, into their Honourable and Charitable Care, and Consideration, and to appoint me the Command of a Regiment of Horse there, until they could be the instruments of procuring me from the Honourable Parliament here, some greater power and preferment for the better enabling me to go on with the Service there in Ireland.  
I being in Scotland, news was brought to the Committee of Estates there, of the dangerous discontented condition of their Army in Ireland, near Carrickfergus; and how through want of means, they were necessitated to join themselves in a dangerous Oath, to stick to one another in applying themselves towards the Parliament of England, for performance of what was promised them: Which miserable extremity of theirs, the State of Scotland endeavoured to relieve and suppress, so long as they could; until at length two or three Regiments did forsake that Kingdom, as the rest intended (to the no small hazard of all the three Kingdoms) had not the State of Scotland, out of their judicious care, made use of me, and Sir Mungoe campbel, a colonel of that Army, whom they sent with instructions, to endeavour the appeasing of their discontents, and to persuade the rest of the Regiments, not to abandon that Kingdom, and to leave it into the hands of the Rebels; who at that time were apparently in a readiness to have entered upon the country, so soon as the Scots Army had forsaken it, being confident (as many others were) that no persuasions could alter their resolutions from going: nevertheless, it pleased God, beyond expectation, so to bless our endeavours, and instructions, as we prevailed with them, and our words were taken for a time, to stay, until the State of Scotland were advertised with what we had undertaken for, in their names, should be speedily sent them from Scotland, which accordingly was performed, notwithstanding their own great burdens at that time.  
I was afterwards the immediate instrument, and best help to the Ministers, who were entrusted with the Solemn League and Covenant, to get it taken by the Citizens of London-Derry, the Regiments and country thereabouts; who will confess, that without me, it had not so easily past, if at all, at that time.  
Notwithstanding all these pretences and services, besides the several Recommendations of the Parliament, and Committee of Estates in Scotland, have I waited here near this eight months, in expectation of some course to be taken with me, for the recompense of my past Services, and encouragements to go on, and as yet have met with neither.  
Therefore prayeth leave to inform what danger I apprehend will follow to the public Service, if I shall be thus neglected and discountenanced for my faithful Services. If Sir Charles Coote, a young Gentleman, whose hopeful expectation I will not except against, what the Parliament shall think fin to confer upon him, so as his preferment do not entrench upon the prejudice of the public Service, or upon my Honour and Interest; wherein I conceive both will suffer, if the resolution hold as is reported, to make him Lord Precedent of Connaught.  
And what content it will be to the Rebels, when they shall hear my Services against them, hath been so rewarded, as not only the Counties of Sligoe, and Leitrim; which God hath enabled me to do so great Service in, since this Rebellion, without the help of Sir Charles Coote, who must by this Title enjoy the fruits of my Labour; as also be Commander of my own Castle and Garrison, and such well deserving soldiers in it, as hath served near this six years, without means, but out of my own Fortune hath maintained Officers and soldiers, there being near 6000. pounds in Arrear, due to me; And having lost as great a Fortune in that Kingdom, in Stock, and Rent, as any here hath, What such hard usage may produce, and what dishonour this will be to me, to have another put over my head, with the charge of those two Counties, wherewith I was at the beginning of this Rebellion entrusted, by Warrant and Commission, from the Lords Justices, and council of that Kingdom, to raise, and Command, what numbers of men I thought fit for the Service; and now to be turned out of this trust, after all my long Service, great loss, and sufferings, unquestioned for any misdemeanours, or neglect in that Charge, I humbly submit to your Honours Judicious Wisdoms.  
Tendering to your further considerations, my weak opinion out of my knowledge and experience of the country, and out of my faithful zeal for the advancement of the Service; what I hold fittest for the present to be done concerning Connaught.  
That according as I joined in a Paper with Sir Charles Coote, mentioning the way we intended to prosecute the War there: We may be enabled with equal power to help one another, as we shall stand in need, and that I may be trusted only with those two Counties, with what proportion of the Supplies shall be thought fitting for me to make use of.  
That Sir Charles Coote may Command the rest of the whole Province, consisting of four Counties, which he may the easier deal withal, I taking charge of the other two, which I have so long served for; and it were hard measure, if not injustice, to turn me out of the Province, and out of my own house with disgrace, which must be no otherwise, if he must be Lord Precedent of Connaught; yet rather than I should in any way appear in opposition to the Parliaments pleasure (if it were not to inform them of the conveniences and dangers, which may concern their own services) I should choose to forsake all.  
Consider likewise, that Sir Charles Cootes House, and Being, is so far remote from Sligoe, and those parts in Leitrim, wherein I live, as with no conveniency can he do Service there, without neglecting the country where he lives, being near fifty miles distant.  
If the Parliament be resolved not to give ear or credit to my opinion or advice, let me have my Arrears, and contentment for my house, and interest in that Province, and dispose of me elsewhere, at their pleasure.  
Frederick Hamilton.  
FINIS.