THE APOLOGY OF THE Common Soldiers Of his EXCELLENCY Sir THO. FAIRFAXES ARMY.  
To him their Noble and Renowned GENERAL, and to all the rest of the Commission-Officers.  
About which Apology the said Armies Commissioners were questioned, and imprisoned about two hours, by the House of Commons, the last of April, 1647. for delivering this Apology to their General, and other of their chief Commanmanders in London.  
London, Printed May 3. 1647.   

The Apology.  
Right Noble and Faithful General,  
WE who have for these two years passed been by your Excellence conducted through many dangers, and by providence hitherto protected, who have often seen the devouring Sword of a raging Enemy drawn forth against us, threatening destruction to us, and now see them vanquished, and ourselves seemingly settled in peace and safety, are yet sensible of another more dangerous storm hanging over our heads then ever the malice of our open enemies could have contained, or their fury caused to fall upon us; which unless diverted, strike not only at our liberty, but our lives also; To whom next to our Maker shall we fly for shelter, but to your Excellency the Patron and Protector? From what secondary means shall we expect our Deliverance, but from that hand that hath so often been engaged with us, and from that heart that hath as often being tender ever and careful for our security? Can we suffer, and you not sympathise? Can we be proclaimed enemies, and your Excellency remain secure? O dear Sir, let your wont care for us be further demonstrated, cease not to speak for us, who together with yourself and in obedience to your Command, have adventured all that is dear to us for the Kingdom's safety. Hath any thing been desired by us that hath not been promised, or then we have just cause to expect; if there hath, then let both it and the Authors thereof perish? but can the Parliament upon misinformation pass us for enemies, and we not therein perceive our enemy's design? Can we be satisfied with a Compliment, when our fellow Soldiers suffer at every Assiize for acts merely relating to the War? Is it not our lives we seek? For where shall we be secured, when the mere envy of a malicious person is sufficient to destroy us? Were our enemies in the Field with their Swords in their hands, we should expect no more than a bare command, and a divine protection in our endeavours to free ourselves, but 'tis another and a fare worse enemy we have to deal with, who like Foxes lurk in their Dens, and cannot be dealt withal, though discovered, being protected by those who are entrusted with the Government of the Kingdom. It is the grief of our hearts, that we cannot desire our own security without hazard to your Excellency, if but in speaking in our own behalf, when shall we see Justice dispersed without partiality, or when shall the Weal of the public be singly sought after and endeavoured? Can this Irish Expedition be any thing else but a Design to ruin and break this Army in pieces: Certainly reason tells us it can be nothing else; otherwise why are not those who have been made instruments in our Country's deliverance again thought worthy to be employed? or why are such who for their miscarriages have been cast out of the Army, thought fit to be entrusted, and those Members of the Army engaged and preferred to that Service, when they are for most part such, as had they considered their just demerits, might rather have expected an ejection than employment: We are sensible, yea fare more sensible of the bleeding condition of Ireland, crying aloud for a Brotherly assistance, than those forward undertakers in this present Design manifest themselves to be, and shall willingly contribute the utmost of our abilities towards their relief, when we shall see this to be the only thing sought after and endeavoured; but we are confident that your Excellency cannot but perceive this plot is but a mere cloak for some who have lately tasted of Sovereignty; and being lifted beyond their ordinary Sphere of servants, seek to become Masters, and degenerate into Tyrants; we are earnest therefore with your Excellency, to use the utmost endeavour, that before any other or future Propositions be sent to us, your expectations may be satisfied, which if they are not, we conceive ourselves and our friends as bad as destroyed.  
And shall your Excellency, or any other faithful servant to the State be appointed for the Service of Ireland, and accept of that employment, we must of necessity, contrary to our desires, show ourselves averse to that service, until our desires be granted, the just Rights and Liberties of the Subjects vindicated and maintained.  
Then as God and our own consciences bear us witness, we shall testify to the Kingdom the integrity of our hearts to the service of Ireland, and our forward actions in that employment shall demonstrate the sincerity of our expressions. Once more we are earnest with your Excellency for your assistance, without which we are like to be wholly ruined; and having obtained it, may be enabled as in duty we are bound to express ourselves your Excellencies and the Kingdoms most faithful and obedient Servants.  


Edward Saxby Commissioners for the General's Regiment.  
Tho. Moor Commissioners for the General's Regiment.  
Samuel Whiteing Lieutenant General's Regiment.  
Will. Allin. Lieutenant General's Regiment.  
Anthony Nixon Commissary General's Regiment.  
Tho. Shepherd Commissary General's Regiment.  
William Jones Colonel Fleetwoods' Regiment.  
John Casby Colonel Fleetwoods' Regiment.  
Nich. Lockler Colonel Rich his Regiment.  
Joseph Foster Colonel Rich his Regiment.  
H. Geathing Colonel Sheffields' Regiment.  
Edw. Star Colonel Sheffields' Regiment.  
Tho. Kendole Colonel Whaley his Regiment.  
John Thomas Colonel Whaley his Regiment.  
Elias Box Colonel Butler his Regiment.  
John Willowby Colonel Butler his Regiment.   28. April. 1647.   

A Second Apology of all the private Soldiers in his Excellency's Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army, to their Commission Officers.  
SIRS,  
WE your Soldiers, who have served under your Commands, with all readiness, to free this our Native Land and Nation from all tyranny and oppressions whatsoever; and that by virtue and power derived from this present Parliament, given not only to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, our now present General, but likewise under all the late Generals his predecessors, under whom we, even the whole soldiery, have served both the State and you faithfully and diligently: By which means God hath been pleased to Crown us with Victory, in dispersing our common Adversaries, so that we hoped to put an end to all Tyranny and Oppressions, so that Justice and Equity, according to the Law of this Land, should have been done to the People, and that the meanest subject should fully enjoy his right, liberty, and proprieties in all things; which the Parliament have made known to all the world in divers of their Declarations, to which they have so often bound themselves to perform, by their Oaths, Vows, Covenants, and Protestations: Upon this ground of hope, we have gone through all difficulties and dangers, that we might purchase to the people of this Land, with ourselves, a plentiful Crop and Harvest of Liberty and Peace; but in stead of it, to the great grief & sadning of our hearts, we see that Oppression is as great as ever, if not greater, yea, and that upon the cordial friends to the Parliament and us, and to the just Rights and Liberties of this Nation, that they with us are slighted, abused, beaten, and dragged to Jails, yea, to the utter ruin of their estates, and loss of their lives; yea, the best and most candid intentions and actions of theirs and ours grossly and foully misconstrued, even to such a height, as deserving no less than to be declared as troublers of, and enemies to the State and Kingdom; and such as have and are now the enemies of the Parliament and Kingdom, are countenanced and honoured, to be in places of greatest trust, and are made Judges of them and us, for our lives and estates; yea, and in the great affairs of the Kingdom, sitting in the House of Commons, though still under Sequestration, they are made high Sheriffs, Majors, of several Counties and Towns, Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer, as in Cumberland, and the County of Durham, etc. From whence we believe springs all our miseries, and that so many of our fellow Soldiers, that have been disbanded, have been so rigorously dealt withal, as 
* 
The high Sheriff of Kent, a man that was in the first Rebellion against the Parliament, and by his means last Assize indicted a Colonel for taking of Horses.  

Exeter 2  
At Northampton ●  
Warwick 2  
Alisbury ●  
And this Assize at Salisbury 9  
London condemned ●   
All these will be proved, with many more instances.   imprisoned, indicted, and hanged, for things done in time and place of War, and necessity of the Parliaments service required, in their low condition; and without which, they could not have safely sat in the House of Parliament with their heads on● and the reason of all this we judge is, because our very enemies are made our Judges. Yea, such is our condition, though we be oppressed, we may not cry: as it is too apparent, when of late we did in a humble and petitionary way seek to make known our grievances to our General; such was our offence, as that we must presently, without being heard, be declared Enemies to the State: though notwithstanding, by these our enemies, even such as have been Cavaliers in Arms, have promoted and framed divers Remonstrances, Petitions, and Representations, of dangerous consequence, to the Parliament and Kingdom, and that against their most real and cordial friends; yet these have been accepted, and great thanks returned them: which holds forth to us a clear design to enslave all the honest party of this Kingdom, and in them we and you also.  
Therefore, brave Commanders, the Lord put a spirit of courage into your hearts, that you may stand fast in your integrity, that you have manifested to us your Soldiers; and we do declare to you, that if any of you shall not, he shall be marked with a brand of infamy for ever, as a Traitor to his Country, and an Enemy to his Army. Read, and consider; was there ever such things done by a Parliament, to proclaim us Enemies to the State, as they have done about the late Petition? The Lords and they could quickly agree to this, though they will be very tedious when any thing is offered that is for the good of the Commonwealth; and to keep the hirelings 
* As that of 26 months, the Horse are behind 13 month's pay, and now to have but two months' pay: judge Heaven, and free people; God judge of this great evil.  Wages, and not to give them that which they have so dear bought with their bloods and lives, even his pay; and not only so, but to leave them to the merciless malice of their wicked enemies?  
Is it not better to die like men, then to be enslaved, and hanged like Dogs? which must and will be yours and our portion, if not now looked unto even before our disbanding: so you may plainly see by this, their malice is great, yea, against our most honoured General; as that in the Lord's House they did more than whisper, he was a Delinquent: If they do so now, and that to him, what will they not do, not only to him, but to you, if a course be not taken for our and your security, before we be disbanded, we leave to you to judge.  
We have been quiet and peaceable in obeying all Orders and commands, yet now we have a just cause to tell you, if we be not relieved in these out grievances, we● shall be forced to that, which we pray God to divert, and keep your and our hearts upright: desiring you to present these things to the General, as our desires.  

1. That the honour of this Army may be vindicated, in every particular, especially about the late Petition, and reparations given, and justice done upon the fomenters.  
2. That an Act of indemnity may be made for all things done in time and place of War.  
3. That the wives and children of those that have been slain in the service, and maimed Soldiers, may be provided for.  
4. Our Arrears under this General, to be paid us, our Arrears under other Generals, and to be audited and stated, and security given for the payment.  
5. That we that have served the Parliament freely, may not be pressed out of the Kingdom.  
6. That the Liberty of the Subject may be no longer enslaved, but that Justice and Judgement may be dealt to the meanest Subject of this Land, according to old Law.   
Now unless all these our humble requests, be by you for us your Soldiers and yourselves stood for to be granted, it had better we had never been born, or at least we had never been in Arms, but that we had by the Sword been cut off from the misery we and you are like to undergo: So we rest, in hopes of your faithfulness:  
Your Soldiers.  
FINIS.