HIS MAJESTY'S MESSAGE To the Lord General Fairfax; And His Act and Proclamation concerning the Army, to be published throughout all the respective Counties, Cities, and Market towns, within the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales. Also, a Letter from the Army to the King, and their new Propositions touching his Majesty, and dissolving of the Parliament, and the time prefixed. With a Declaration of the Lord General Fairfax touching the same. AGreed upon by his Excellency, and the Council of the Army, and Signed T. FAIRFAX. Charles I's royal blazon C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENS DIEV ET MONDROIT London Printed for Nathaniel Richardson, 1648. THE DEMANDS OF THE ARMY Presented to His Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, concerning the King's Majesty, and both Houses of Parliament. May it please your Excellency, WHereas we have a long time beheld the sad and bleeding condition of this poor distressed and languishing Kingdom, and our hearts being burdened with the unsettled condition thereof, we therefore thought requisite, to declare the resentment of the Army (under your Excellencies immediate conduct) and to present these ensuing Proposals; to the end, they may be speedily communicated to both Houses of Parliament, viz. 1 That present provision be made for constant pay of the Army. 3 That a period may be set for this present Parliament to end as soon as may be with safety, and provisions made for future Parliaments to meet certain without Writ or Summons. 3 That Rules may be set down between the People and their Representatives. 4 That Laws may be made in things civil to bind all men, so that men in no case of offence may be freed from the Law whereunto another is subject. 5 That all those common grievances and desires expressed in the London Petition, be speedily granted and redressed. 6 That the supreme power may be declared and determined, that the want thereof may not be the ground of future (as it hath been of these former) wars. 6 That speedy and impartial Justice may be executed upon all fomenters, contrivers, and actors in the first and late war. 7 That the heavy burden of free quarter may be taken off. 8 That in as much as the Assessments fall short to pay the Army; that therefore there may be additional supplies out of the Estates of the old and new Delinquents, that there be no more tax or charge to the Commonwealth. 9 That forthwith an account be called for from all persons that have been betrusted with any thing for the State, that the Kingdom may be satisfied therein. 10 That the Deans and Chapters Lands may be given to pay the Soldier's Arrears, seeing the Parliament have given away the Delinquents Estates that should have done it. These things being the sense and resolution of the whole Army, they desire to have the said Proposals communidated to the view both of King and people. And in consideration thereof, his Excellency hath declared their resentment to the Committee of the Army, Desiring that the intolerable burden, and many pressures now lying upon the Kingdom, occasioned by free quarter, may be removed, And his Excellency further declared, that he hoped ere this they should have received some good fruit of their last consultations with the Council of the Army, the matters then agreed on, being of such public concernment, and so much requiring expedition. Further intimating, that he earnestly desireth that the two Houses would be pleased to improve their utmost endeavour for a quick dispatch in providing effectually for the Army, to prevent those ill consequences, which otherwise delay therein may produce. THese Resentments and Declaration from his Excellency, were Ordered to be printed and published, and communicated to both Houses of Parliament assembled at Westminster. Signed T. FAIRFAX. The Army's Message to the KING. May it please your Majesty, MAy it please your Majesty, Whereas, the Officers and Soldiery under the immediate conduct of his Excellency the Lord General FAIRFAX, are possessed with divers fears and jealousies, that they cannot be safe for the future, unless speedy justice be executed upon the capital Offenders of this Nation; and that this present Treaty may not conclude a peace with his Majesty, without care taken to preserve the Liberties and Freedoms of the people of this Nation; the which, being granted and confirmed, we do declare, that none shall be more instrumental for the settling of a safe and well-grounded Peace, than ourselves. And that so soon as your Majesty shall be pleased, to enact and make provisions for us. We shall use our utmost endeavours for the re-inthroning of your Royal person. An Abstract from Sea. ON Sunday Novemb. 12. Letters from the Navy say, That there hath been a late Fight aboard the Prince's Fleet between the English Commanders and the Dutch, the manner thus. Prince Rupert having received Commission from the Prince of Wales, to command in chief aboard His Highness' Fleet, the Mariners began to mutiny, and resisted his power, denying submission to his Orders; whereupon the Prince, and the rest of his Irish and Dutch Commanders, called a Council, and disputing the quarrel, resolved to make he chief Fomenters thereof exemplary; but the Seamen unanimously resolved to live and die together, and upon the Prince's Demands, to have some of the Ringleaders delivered up to answer it before the Prince of Wales, they gave him a volley, killed two of the Irish Commanders, wounded Rupert, and took prisoners Cap. Hamon, and Cap. Fog, and forced the rest of the Royalists ashore; it is thought they will speedily come in upon Indemnity. His Majesty's Declaration. Right Honourable, SInce the return of the Parliaments Commissioners here hath happened very sad accidents, occasioned by a Disputation between the Royalists and he Parliamenteers, the manner thus: On Thursday night last Divers of the Royal party resorted to the George Tavern, where they began their Sovereign's health lustily; and upon a conference touching his Majesty's last Concessions to the Bill of abolition of Archbishops, etc. they resolved to declare to the contrary, and thereupon made great Protestations to avenge their quarrel upon some of the chief Instruments thereof: But beidg diskovered in the height of their Arguments, four Files of Musquetiers were sent to apprehend them, and to bring them before the Governor; but upon their motion to secure them, the Royalists resisted, drew their swords, and discharged their pocket pistols, insomuch that a bloody conflict began to ensue, both parties engaging and disputing the place with great resoluteness and gallantry, for the space of half an hour, till at last Ensign Smith entered the Room where they where, killed two of them, and secured the rest, with the loss of three men; which done, he guarded them to Carisbrook, and upon examination were ordered to be committed to safe custody. And his Majesty being informed of the said Riot and Commotion, declared a great dislike thereof, saying, That He desired justice to be executed upon all such Contemuers and Covenant-breakers. His Majesty (since the Commissioners departure from hence) hath declared a very good liking of the Army, touching their constancy and great fidelity to the trust reposed in them. Dated from Newport in the Isle of Wight, the 13. of Octob. 1648. Novemb. 14. 1648. Letter's from the Isle of Wight say, That his Majesty hath sent a Letter to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, intimating, His earnest desires for peace, requiring his Excellency, and the Council of the Army to be instrumenall therein, promising upon his Royal Word to satisfy all things by them desired, and to enact and make proclamation thereupon, throughout all Cities, Counties, and Market towns, within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales. FINIS.