A Copy of a LETTER SENT From the Agitators of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax's Army, TO All the honest Seamen of England: Hearty and cordially declaring their real intentions to the peace and prosperity of the Kingdom, and the firm settling and establishing of all the just Interests thereof, into the hands and possessions the right Owners of them.  
Dated at S. Alban 21. June 1647.  
Published by the Order and special desire of the said Agitators.  
London: Printed for R. A. 1647.   

A Letter from the Army to all the honest Seamen of England.  
Honoured and dear Friends,  
THe great design of our Enemies being to divide, (and so to destroy) we conceive it the main business of friends to unite, and so to spoil that design: Now the ways that are at this day, taken to divide, are misrepresentations of persons and actions (especially of us and ours) to the Kingdom, which that we may prevent, we shall endeavour to inform you (our noble and faithful friends) of the state of things as followeth: Some five years since we by Land and you by Sea, upon the apprehension of apparent danger to the Kingdom, were invited to put ourselves into a posture of defence, for the preventing and suppressing of that power then rising, which threatened the Kingdom's ruin, for the avoiding of which (at present) and settling an establishment (for the future) of all the freeborn people of England, in the enjoyment of their just Rights and Privileges, (which was one of the ends of our taking up of Arms) we went with cheerfulness to the work, and after many a sore encounter that you and we have had by Sea and Land, at last (by the blessing of God) came to the end of our work, hoping now (after such a long and weary journey) to have taken up our rest, and have set down quietly under our vines, and with the rest of the Kingdom to have enjoyed the fruit of our sore travels, but contrary to our expectation and to the amazement and saddening of our spirits, we find ourselves in as bad or worse condition now, then formerly, being denied and deprived of that undoubted right and privilege which the Subjects of England, in the worst of times, hardly ever were (viz.) petitioning, nay, not only denied of, but declared against as enemies, for making use of those means we were directed to in case of grievances, and so we are now made completely miserable. When we see this, we knew whose hand was in it, namely, that here was the same persons and principles working our ruin as formerly, only in another form, before by power and open hostility, and now by craft, and policy; which caused us to draw up a Vindication of the aforesaid intended Petition, yet notwithstanding our Vindication we still lie under a sentence of condemnation as enemies to the State. Then we drew up a Letter to the General, the Lieutenant-generall, and the major-general, in which was laid open the sad condition how near ruin and destruction we were, and the causes of it, as we apprehended, and this we did to incite them to improve all the interest they had in or with any, for us, to prevent the ensuing destruction, especially since we could not be heard in our Petition, but this Letter was conceived to be of dangerous consequence, and so presented to the House, where (after some debates) the results were to send down Commissioners to the Army, to take a view of the distempers reported to be in it, and to receive their grievances, and present them to the House.  
This a little revived us, hoping we should have them heard and redressed, but suddenly after the receiving of them (without the full redressing of any one of them) we were voted to be disbanded piecemeal, apart, one Regiment from another, so as never any faithful Army was, being marked out for destruction, wanting nothing but disbanding to hasten execution. Hearing of this we drew up a Petition to our General to have a Rendezvouz, at which we might advise what was best to be done (for our own and the Kingdom's safety) in this case, and there entered into a Contract, a copy of which we have here sent you.  

A solemn engagement of the Army, under the Command of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, read, assented unto, and subscribed by all Officers, and Soldiers of the several Regiments, at the general Rendezvouz near Newmarket, on the fift of June, 1647.  
WHereas upon the Petition intended and agreed upon in the Army, in March last, to have been presented to the General, for the obtaining of our due and necessary concernments as Soldiers; the Honourable House of Commons being unseasonably prepossessed with a Copy thereof, and (as by the sequel we suppose) with some strange misrepresentations of the carriage and intentions of the same, was induced to send down an Order for surpressing the Petition, and within two or three days after, upon further misinformation, and scandalous suggestions, of the like or worse nature, and by the indirect practice of some malicious and mischievous persons (as we suppose) surprising or other wise abusing the Parliament. A Declaration was published in the name of both Houses, highly censuring the said Petition, and declaring the Petitioners, if they should proceed thereupon, no less than enemies to the State, and disturbers of the public peace. And whereas at the same time and since, divers eminent Officers of the Army have been brought into question and trouble about the said Petition, whereby both they and the rest of the Officers were disabled, or discouraged for the time, from further acting or appearing therein on the soldier's behalf; And whereas by the aforesaid proceed and the effects thereof, the soldiers of this Army (finding themselves so stopped in their due, and regular way of making known their just greivances, and desires to, and by their Officers) were enforced to an unusual (but in that case necessary) way of correspondence and agreement amongst themselves, to choose out of the several Troops and Companies several men, and those out of their whole number, to choose two or more for each Regiment, to act in the name and behalf of the whole soldiery of the respective Regiments Troops and Companies, in the prosecution of their rights and desires in the said Petition, as also of their just vindication and writing in reference to the aforesaid proceed upon and against the same, who have accordingly acted and done many things, to those ends, all which the soldiers did then approve as their own acts.  
And whereas afterwards (upon the sudden sending down of Field-marshal Skippon, and those other Officers of the Army that were Members of the House of Commons, to quiet distempers in the Army, fresh hopes being conceived of having our desires again admitted to be made known, and considered in a regular way, and without such misrepresentations as formerly, the Officers and Soldiers of the Army (except some few dissenting Officers) did again join in a representation of their common grievances, and the Officers (except as before) did agree upon a narrative Account of the grounds, rise and growth of the discontents in the Army, and their proceed in relation thereunto, with an overture of the best expedients, to remove or satisfy the same; both which were presented to the same Members of the House, and by them reported to the House. And whereas the Parliament having thereupon voted, and ordered some particulars, only towards satisfaction of our grievances, hath since proceeded to certain resolutions of sudden disbanding the Army by pieces; which resolutions being taken, and to be executed, before full or equal satisfaction given to the whole Army in any of the grievances, before effectual performance of that satisfaction in part, which the preceding Votes seemed to promise, as to some of the grievances, and before any consideration at all of some others most material, (as by the result of a general Council of War on Saturday May 29. was in general declared, and is now more fully demonstrated in particular, by a representation thereupon, agreed unto by us: we all cannot but look upon the same resolutions of disbanding us in such manner, as proceeding from the same malicious and mischievous principles and intentions, and from the like indirect practices of the same persons abusing the Parliament, and is as the former proceed against us before mentioned did, and not without carnal and bloody purposes (for some of them have not stuck to declare or intimate) after the body of the Army should be disbanded, or the Soldiers divided from their Officers, then to question, proceed against, and execute their malicious intentions upon all such particular Officers and Soldiers in the Army, as had appeared to act in the Premises in the behalf of the Army: And whereas upon a late Petition to the General from the Agitants, in behalf of the Soldiers (grounded upon the preceding considerations, relating to the same resolutions of disbanding, the same general Council of War to prevent the danger and inconveniences of those disturbing, or tumultuous actings or confluences which the dis-satisfaction and jealousy thereupon also grounded, were like suddenly to have produced in the Army, to advise the General first to contract the Quarters of the Army, and then to draw the same to an orderly Rendezvouz for the satisfaction of all, and that his Excellency would immediately send up to move and desire the Parliament to suspend any present proceeding upon the said resolution of disbanding, to resume the consideration of the grievances, and desire, sent up from the Army, and not to disband it in pieces before just and equal satisfaction given to the whole; And whereas some of the Regiments appointed for disbanding, upon notice thereof withdrawing themselves from the Quarter's adjacent to the appointed Rendezvouz, and drawing towards the Head Quarters; and the contracting their Quarters, according to the said advice of the Council of War.  
We the Officers and Soldiers of several Regiments here after-named, are now met at a general Rendezvouz, and the Regiments appointed as aforesaid to be disbanded, have not appeared, nor can appear; but are resolved not to appear at the several and respective Rendezvouz, appointed as aforesaid for their disbanding; and divers other things have been done by several other parties or members of the Army, necessarily relating to the good and concernment of the whole in those affairs: Now for as much as we know not how far the malice, Injustice, and Tyrannical Principles of our enemies, that have already prevailed so far to abuse the Parliament and the Army (as is afore mentionid) in the past proceed against the Army may further prevail to the danger and prejudice of ourselves, or any Officers, or Soldiers of the Army, or other persons that have appeared to act any thing in behalf of the Army, or how far the same may further prevail to the danger or prejudice of the Kingdom in raising a new war, or otherwise: Therefore for the better prevention of all such dangers, prejudices, or other inconveniences that may ensue; and withal for better satisfaction to the Parliament and Kingdom, concerning our desires of conforming to the authority of the one, and providing the good and quiet of the other, in the present affairs of disbanding, and for a more assured way whereby, that affairs may come to a certain issue, (to which purpose we herein humbly implore the present and continued assistance of God, the Righteous judge of all) we the Officers and Soldiers of the Army subscribing hereunto; do hereby declare, agree, and promise, to and with each other, and to, and with the Parliament and Kingdom as followeth.  
1. That we shall cheerfully and readily disband when thereunto required by the Parliament, or else shall many of us be willing (if desired) to engage in further Services either in England or Ireland, having first such satisfaction to the Army in relation to our grievances and desires heretofore presented, and such security, That we of ourselves, when disbanded, and in the condition of private men, or other the freeborn people of England, to whom the consequence of our case doth equally extend, shall not remain subject to the like oppression, injury, or abuse, as in the premises hath been attempted and put upon us, while an Army by the same men's continuance, in the same credit and power, especially if as our Judges, who have in these past proceed against the Army so fare prevailed to abuse the Parliament and us, and to endanger the Kingdom; and also such security that we ourselves, or any member of this Army or others, who have appeared to act any thing in behalf of the Army, in relation to the premises before recited, shall not after disbanding be any way questioned, prosecuted, troubled, or prejudiced for any thing so acted, or for the entering into, or necessary prosecution of this necessary agreement: (we say) having first such satisfaction and security in these things as shall be agreed unto by a Council to consist of those general Officers of the Army (who have concurred with the Army in the premises) with two Commission Officers and two Soldiers to be chosen for each Regiment, who have concurred and shall concur with us in the premises and in this agreement. And by the major part of such of them who shall meet in Council for that purpose when they shall be thereunto called by the General.  
2. That without such satisfaction and security, as aforesaid, we shall not willingly disband, nor divide, nor suffer ourselves to be disbanded or divided.  
And whereas we find many strange things suggested or suspected to our great prejudice concerning dangerous principles, interests and designs in this Army (as to the overthrow of Magistracy, the suppression or hindering of Presbytery, the establishment of Independent government, or upholding of a general licentiousness in Religion under pretence of Liberty of Conscience, and many such things; we shall very shortly tender to the Parliament a Vindication of the Army from all such scandals to clear our Principles in relation thereunto, and in the mean time we do disavow and disclaim all purposes or designs in our late or present proceed to advance o● insist upon any such interest, neither would we (if we might and could) advance or set up any other particular party or interest in the Kingdom (though imagined never so much our own) but shall much rather (as far as may be within our sphere or power) study to promote such an establishment of common and equal right and freedom to the whole, as all might equally partake of but those that do by denying the same to others, or otherwise render themselves incapable thereof. FINIS  
After this we were commanded to a Rendezvouz by the Parliament and Commissioners sent down with some Votes tending to satisfaction in part, wherein did remain dissatisfaction at present (even to those particular grievances there related) and not security for the future by any thing yet done, especially knowing those were remaining with power in their hands, who could undo all they had done for us, or do as much more against us it disbanded, as may appear in our late Declaration 14. june 1647. To which we refer you. And therefore the Cry of the whole Army and divers Counties also (by their addresses to his Excellency) was not so much for the taking of the present sad effects from us, as for the removal of that Cause which had (at present) and would (for the future) produce the like (if not worse) mischief●s as appeared by the unanimous voice of the whole Army, crying out, Justice, Justice; Justice against those persons who have falsely aspersed us, against those who have abused the trust reposed in them; and Justice upon those from whom we can expect no security, but rather destruction; which main desire (once granted) would beget satisfaction, and then, and not till then, can we lay down Arms with safety: Thus we have presented you with our condition for your information. Now we desire you and all rational men to judge, and the God of Heaven and Earth be Judge (between u● and those persons who have acted against us) whether ever we have deserved such things at their hands, who have not thought any thing too dear to part with or lay down for their sakes, looking upon them as persons entrusted by and acting for the Weal (not the Woe) of this Kingdom, and though we have suffered much from, and been deprived much by our open Enemies, yet did still expect our professed friends would have dealt better with us, and little thought to have had such a portion from them as to be declared Enemies to the State, even while we were an Army having power in our hands, and they having further occasions to use us: To have this done against us, what will be done if all those considerations were removed? Therefore consider what it is we seek, even that which all creatures of the world do (and Man, the chiefest of all creatures, cannot but do;) viz. self-preservation, in avoiding that destruction which is like (if not prevented) to fall on us and the whole Kingdom with us, as it must needs do, if (when lying under many pressures and grievances as we question no but you (as well as we) and thousands others in the Kingdom do) we may not petition for redress, but must be voted Enemies; judge you what this wants of the perfection of slavery, which, we hope, is the real desires of us all to prevent. And we assure you upon the faith of honest Men and Soldiers, that (what ever may be suggested to you by any) we have no other aims, but that Justice might act in all its parts and to all its ends, as elating to all estates and persons in the Kingdom that the yokes of Oppression might be taken off the necks of all and Justice equally distributed to all, and the rights of any (though now detained from them) restored, and settled upon them, that so they might not be taken from them unless they disabled themselves of the enjoyment of them and so doing we trust we shall have the concurrent assistance of (at I all wise not any opposition from any) rational Men who love Justice and hate Tyranny, especially from you (dear friends) who together with us, have been embarked in the same ship, and have passed through man a desperate encounter by Sea as we have by Land, all to free this poor Kingdom from Tyrannical Oppression, (which notwithstanding, you and we feel too much of at this day) who we trust with us, do hate and scorn to be kept any longer under bondage, having purchased our freedom at so dear a race, (though free born) We shall say no more, bu● desire you to take heed of all false suggestions, and vain delusion; and know this is our genuine meaning that is here before you, which [being rightly apprehended by you] we hope will make all the attempts of men, [to divide you from us either by frowns, Favours, or Gra●●ities, which assure yourselves they will not be writing in to accomplish their ends] useless, and all the foods of malice [by them sown] fruitless, unless to bring about to ●●ceive that reward for their work which may be suitable to it, and so in stead of dividing, we hope may prove such an uniting that maybe as a threefold Cord that shall not easily be broken, which if it shall thus unite us, we shall rejoice in it, and shall be enabled by it to go on in the prosecution of so good a work till we see Oppression, and Oppressers from us, and the Kingdom removed, a firm and happy peace settled, a poor Kingdom from ruin and destruction delivered, which we hope is and ever shall be your and our joint desires & endeavours of all opposition, and in so doing assure your selus against we are and will be yours while you are the Kingdoms and ours, resolving to be either happy or miserable together.  
Yours and the Kingdoms Servants. 

Lewes Audley.  
John Clerk.  
John Carter.  
Edm. Rolphe.  
Alex. Brafield.  
Azariah Husbands.   

Gen. Foot Regiment. 

Joh. Nuson.  
Edm. Vaughan.    
Lieutenant Generals Regiment. 

William Allin    
Colonel Hamon's Regiment. 

Nath. Foxgill.  
Will. Bridgeman.    
Colonel waller's Regiment. 

Henry Anderton  
Robert Mason.    
Colonel Lambert's Regiment. 

John Millar.  
Richard Colbrand.    
Colonel lilburn's Regiment. 

Will. Swallow.  
Herbert Feild    
Colonel Thomlinsons' Regiment. 

Barth. Willocke  
Richard Clarke    
Colonel Hewsons' Regiment. 

Edmund Garne  
Daniel Hincksman    
Colonel Reads Regiment. 

Nico. Andrews  
Ralph. R●entis     S. ALBAN, June 21. 1647.   
FINIS.