Another DECLARATION: Wherein is Rendered, A further Account of the just Grounds and Reasons of the Dissolving the PARLIAMENT; BY THE LORD GENERAL AND HIS COUNCIL of OFFICERS.  
LONDON, Printed for T. Brewer, and are to be sold at the Royal Exchange in Cornhill. 1653.   

Another DECLARATION WHEREIN Is rendered a further Account of the dissolution of the late Parliament, by the Lord General and his Council of OFFICERS.  
AFter the Lord had wonderfully owned the Army at the Fight at Worcester, by delivering into their hands and utterly dissipating the public Enemies of this Commonwealth; God set a strong resolution upon the hearts of the Officers of the Army, to seek after the effecting of good things in all lawful ways; but always being tender of doing any thing against Authority: And many of them made it their work, to be laying hold on all opportunities, to persuade and convince the Parliament men of their duty.  
And finding them slow in their proceed, they thought it their duty not to lie still in persuasions, but to try in some more effectual way; whereupon in August last, there was a Petition from them presented to the Parliament; for which they had thanks and some word of encouragement, That they would vigorously go on to effect those good things they desired; and the Parliament then committed over the consideration of them to several Committees, some of themselves, and some others: At which, they seeing the Officers a little satisfied, they began so to clash in their Counsel, that there was little agreement; they than reigned in their old dull spirit, and thought, a may b● supposed, (and no● without grounds) to endeavour the breaking o● the army, knowing them to be the only  in their way.  
These things might be instanced in many particulars but especially in the last, in offering to reduce the army to so many less in number as came to one and thirty thousand p●unds per mensem. The Officers being willing to condescend what might be, did after Worcester fight, reduce the army to seven hundred in a foot Regiment; and the horse to sixty in a Troop, to save the Nation what might safely be from charge, which was all they conceived they could do with safety.  
But the Officers seeing them rather active in exposing the nations peace to danger by this; they thought they were bound vigorously to prosecute those good things that was by them, in the behalf of the good people of the nation desired; & the Officers set several days apart to seek the Lord, at which time it was set upon their hearts, that there was a duty incumbent upon them; and they appointed a Committee to consider of some particular things (as doth appear by the Letter sent out by them) yet still held up their Counsels and consultations, what was fit for them to do, making it their daily work, to quicken and incite the best in the House to do themselves what was desired; or might conduce to the good of the Nation, rather than the Army should have any hand in the business.  
And the Officers of the army made it their sole desires to have a new Parliament, and lay aside all other considerations, clearly perceiving an impossibility for the honest men of the house, to carry on the good things that were so much longed for: then the House seeing that the Officers would not be satisfied without some answer of their desires, set about the Bill for a new Parliament, and went on with that; but (as clearly appeared) not so much to answer their desires, as to effect their own ends in the thing, by passing several things in that Act of dangerous consequence  
The Officers beholding, That the Bill would not answer the thing desired, and being altogether unwilling (if possible, to prevent it) to use any other way then entreaties: They used means to procure several meetings with divers of the House, which they effected accordingly; and when they met, the Officers freely laid open their hearts and thoughts to them, desiring the like from the Members, which was promised: But after a full and naked discovering of their thoughts and hearts to the Parliament men, their Reply to the Officers was, That they were not free to discourse there; but when they were in the House, they had their Negatives and Affirmatives.  
The Officers seeing themselves thus dealt withal, held on their consultations, and came to some considerations what was fit for them to do; and as often as opportunity offered, pressed the best of the House to do those good things desired, and prevent further mischief, telling them what they feared else would follow; yet all would not avail, but they went on in their old way.  
This being clearly perceived, and that they went on vigorously with the Act, and some that had been averse to it, now pressing it, the Officers they thought it either time now to stir, or never; whereupon they made another Application to the best of the Parliament men, who (with much entreaty) gave some of them a meeting the night before; but for all that, divers of the chief of them were strong the next morning in prosecution to pass the Act, for a new Parliament to be called in November next: And if themselves having passed it, had that day then adjourned, as probably they would have done (had they not been dissolved) and by that means their Design frustrated, the whole Nation would have been in a sad condition, and involved in a Labyrinth of new troubles; which through God's goodness, by this way of dissolving them, before it passed, is prevented.  
FINIS.