DIVERS PAPERS FROM THE ARMY: VIZ.  
1. MARSHAL GENERAL SKIPPONS SPEECH To the Army, May the 15th.  
2. THE ANSWER OF THE ARMY: Wherein they set down their Grievances.  
Whereunto are added other Papers of Concernment.   decoration 
LONDON; Printed for Hanna Allen, at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley, 1647.   

MARSHAL GENERAL SKIPPONS SPEECH At the Convention of Officers at Walden, May the 15th.  
Gentlemen and fellow-soldiers;  
WE are here once more according to appointment, met together to desire you to give us a clear and faithful account of your communicating the Votes of the House of Commons to your several Regiments, and those under your Command, and to desire you to inform us how you have laboured to satisfy them in the care the Honourable House took in those Votes for the Army, and what sincere industrous and faithful endeavours you have used to make them sensible thereof, and what distempers you found in your several Regiments, Troops and Companies, that we may know how you have in these particulars discharged your duties, as conscientious Christians in the sight of God, and as men faithfully obedient to the Parliament of England.  
I am further to desire you upon a motion made again and again, upon a mention of myself, in relation of Ireland, to desire you to let me know, how you find your several Regiments disposed.  
The justness, the honourableness, and necessity of the service cannot be unknown to you; I desire you according to the mind of the other Gentlemen that were sent down with me, not as Commissioners, but as Parliament men, and members of the Army, that you would in these particulars give us satisfaction, that it may appear to us, and to the Parliament, and to all the Kingdoms, that hear of our proceed, that you have faithfully discharged your duties, as we desire to do to the Parliament for the service of the whole Kingdom; I pray that there may be an orderly proceeding in what we have to do; I doubt not, but in the end of all, we shall find that nothing is aimed at in all things, but what tends to the real service of the Parliament, and the good of the whole Kingdom.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PHILIP SKIPPON, FIELD MARTIAL GENERAL, LIEVT. GENERAL CRUMWELL, COMMISSARY GENERAL IRETON, AND COLONEL FLEETWOOD.  
HAving received at the last Convention by your commands, upon commands and direction to our several Regiments for the publishing of the Votes of Parliament, for the satisfaction of the Army in point of arrears and indemnity; and faithfully to inquire into the distempers of the Army, and real grounds of their several addresses to the Parliament, and the General: In which having diligently and accordingly endeavoured to answer your expectations in that you have enjoined us, we have according to the best of our understandings, and you may please to know, that we find both Officers and Soldiers quiet and free from any visible distemper, and yet sensible of divers pressing grievances, which quietly they have made known unto us, and in their and our own behalf present unto you.  
FIrst, that whereas it pleases the Honourable Houses of Parliament, upon misinformation falsely suggested unto them, to declare and immediately publish in print to the Kingdom, that the Petition of the Army, being but only an intention, did tend to put the Army into a distemper and mutiny, to obstruct the relief of Ireland, and to put conditions upon the Parliament, and declaring the Petitioners, if they shall proceed therein, no less than enemies to the State, and disturbers to the public Peace; which said heavy charge remaining upon record, as a Memorandum of Infamy upon us to posterity; we cannot choose but be deeply sensible thereof, and with amazement wonder how so humble and innocent address, intended to the General, could beget so strange an interpretation. The substance of those things that we intended to sue for therein, being no other than what the Parliament fully promised, and frequently confirmed unto us by their Declaration.  
Secondly, That whereas those persons that have attempted to beget and attempt and foment divisions between the Parliament and their Army, by their surrepticious obtaining and misrepresenting our Petitions, and by producing other scandalous Letters from unknown hands, by them produced; the Authors whereof are concealed, and not brought forth to make a judicial proof of those things laid to our charge, which we cannot but look upon as a just cause of grief, that the suggestors of such untruths seem to be encouraged, and we who are innocent remain unjustified.  
Thirdly, That divers Officers of the Army, of public and known integrity, have been (upon what grounds we know not) sent for to the Parliament as delinquents; Some whereof do at this present attend there, and cannot procure a trial, having nothing considerable laid to their charge, and more particular Ensign Nichols, formerly a member of this Army, but now engaged for Ireland; his pockets searched, and his papers taken from him, contrary to the Law of this Kingdom, and discipline of war; and since by order from the Commissioners (without the General's privity, he being then at the head Quarter) that were sent to the Army appointed for the relief of Ireland, sent to London, where he is still kept prisoner at great expenses, and not admitted to trial: which precedent may equally extend to any or all in the Army: both which particulars last mentioned, bearing with them the face of delay and protraction of justice, we cannot but look upon as a just cause of trouble unto us.  
Fourthly, That whereas we understand that the Parliament hath voted a sudden disbanding of the Army, not having made sufficient provision for the auditing of our arrears, and stating of our accounts, our own reason, and experience of others, makes us sensible, how difficult, chargeable, and uncertain the obtaining thereof will be after our disbanding, and therefore justly makes us sensible thereof.  
Fiftly, That no provision hath been made for the payment of our dearly earned wages by the expense of our blood, and often hazard of our lives, saving a vote of six weeks upon disbanding, which is so mean a requital of our faithful service, the Kingdom being now settled in peace, that it will inevitably expose us (especially the private Soldiers to great extremities) being hardly sufficient to maintain many of them in their journeys to their own homes.  
Sixtly, that nothing as yet hath been perfected for our future security for things done as Soldiers, in relation to the war which the exigency thereof hath compelled thereunto, the want whereof we cannot choose but become very sensible of, when we consider the many, sad examples of bitter and rigorous prosecutions at Law against Soldiers, for Acts done in order to the promotion of your service.  
Seventhly, That we stand in fear (especially the private Soldiers) of being impressed or forced to serve as Soldiers out of the Kingdom, many of them having spent their times freely in the public service of the Kingdom, forsaking their trades, their only livelihood, to which many desire to return again for their better future livelihood.  
Eightly, That whereas divers of us, (especially the private Soldiers) who were apprentices in London, and other parts of the Kingdom, have voluntarily engaged themselves in the service, being encouraged thereunto by the Parliaments Declaration, showing that the time that they should so spend in the prosecution thereof, should be so effectual in order to their freedom, as if they had remained with their several respective Masters, notwithstanding which, many have refused to give some of us freedoms, who may justly claim it by the Parliaments Declaration for that purpose.  
Ninthly, That many Soldiers who have lost their lives, widows who have lost their husbands, and children their parents in this service, and thereby reduced to great extremities, even to beggary for want of sufficient provision for their subsistence, are not sufficiently provided, for a future livelihood.  
Tenthly, that whereas divers persons have both privately and publicly laboured by aspersions, and false calumnies to make us odious to the Kingdom, thereby seeking to alienate their affections from us, in order to which they have published many scandalous Books, such as Mr. Edward's Gangraena, and divers others of that nature, and also very lately a report divulged abroad, that we have petitioned his Majesty inviting him to come to the head of our Army, and that we would restore him to his Crown, Throne, and Dignity: a person of eminency having had the confidence to aver at a very great, and public convention, that he saw a Copy of a Petition, which was delivered to his Majesty●, and that the Army was no longer a new Model, but had four thousand Cavilleers, that ●● coming from the Fountaine-head, perceived that the King and Cavileeres, had their single and whole dependence upon this Army, and others privately suggesting the same, by dispersing several Copies of the said pretended Petition, the several particulars whereof we protest against as most false, and are confident that it proceeded not from any probable ground, which may argue such an intention in us, but singly from the malice of our Enemies.  
Eleventhly, that notwithstanding the great care of the Committee and Treasurers of the Army, & the cheerful readiness of most Counties for the paying of Assessments, as those where we now quarter do affirm, nevertheless the private Soldiers are necessitated, to take free Quarter for the present, which is very irksome unto us to be so burdensome to our friends.  
Having thus according to your Commands, as fully as we are able, accounted unto you, what was the true genuine sense of the Army, and not their imaginary conceits, but their grievances, that inevitably fall upon us, unless the Parliament take course to prevent them: if the time allowed us by you would admit, we could more fully demonstrate. We assume the boldness to entreat you to be deeply sensible of, & represent to the Parliament these particulars, in such an humble way, and to right us, ●f we shall be misrepresented to the Parliament by any, and so fare as you can cover our weaknesses, that have or may slip from us, and prevent any scandals, that the malice of any men do seek herein to asperse us, when we shall be inquired into.   

Certain Heads of Aggrievances considered of by the Soldiers of Coll: RICHES Regiment, the consideration whereof is the supplantive cause of our Petitioning.  
1 THat we who have adventured our estates, liberties, and lives, yea all that was near and dear unto us, not only for our own freedom, but for the privilege of Parliament, and the safety of the Kingdom, should be denied to step over the very threshold of liberty (to wit) Petitioning; when as our open Enemies were never debarred of this Privilege.  
Secondly, That although the Kingdom hath now for some time been quiet, the Parliament secured, all Quarters free, and somewhat settled; all which hath been procured by the price of our blood. And though great Sums of money hath been brought in by the Compositions of the Common Enemy, the attainment of which, through the blessing of God, was by our Sword, whose Conquests bears the scarlet-dye of our valiant fellow Soldier's blood; yet we sti●l remain every day more deep in Arrears then other, no effectual course being taken for the payment and accounting of them.  
Thirdly, The sad Complaints, and miserable sufferings of many of our fellow Soldiers who now suffer, and the recalling to our serious meditation the miserable imprisonment, and ignominious death of many who were real and faithful in this Service; all which they have undergone for acting things which the exigency of War constrains them to do, the Consideration whereof makes us sympathise and condoll their sad condition, that we who suffered for the Parliament, should now be made sufferers by the Parliament, for acting things that were attendant to their Service, and which aggravates our sorrow, no means (as we can perceive) is used, for the speedy delivering them of their distress, nor no provision for aught we hear, to secure either them or us for the future.  
Fourthly, That after our disbanding, we have no security to free us from the inveterate malice, not of private, but of public Enemies, who greedily would have sheathed their Swords in our bowels, but are liable to their pleasures; some of them bearing Office in the Commonwealth, contrary to the Parliaments Declaration and promise: that insomuch that on every occasion, we who have been faithful and constant in the Service we have been called unto, and shall be impressed forth of the Kingdom, never being suffered to enjoy the Privilege we have purchased with our lives, nor the liberty of a Subject i● enjoying our Callings: which confidence of ours is not only imaginary, but will become a true prophecy, unless the Parliament be pleased to dispossess them of their power, that so our Enemies may not be our Judges.  
Fifthly, That although the whole Kingdom are Testators, that this Army hath served the Parliament with our diligence and fidelity, that by us could be expressed, or by them expected, yet never had we the least aspersion cast upon us, for the prosecution of any unjust action, nor never had the infamous badge of unfaithfulness fixed on our backs for betraying the trust imposed in us, yet the Parliament upon suggestion and misinformation, without due examination, were ready to give thanks to the suggestors and mis-informers, as if they had waited for an advantage against us, to declare us Enemies of the State, and disturbers of the public peace, the very thought of which we utterly abominate. And though the very suggestors and mis-informers have been proved false in their Informations, yet the Parliament hath not declared against them as Enemies of the State, and fomenters of division between the Parliament and their Army.  
Sixthly, That several faithful Officers, Members of this Army, upon misrepresentation hath been sent for from the Army as Delinquents, and are yet detained for aught we hear, though no just occasion can be brought in against them; a very ingrateful gratnity for their constant fidelity, and particularly Ensign Nichols, against all Process of Law imprisoned, as we are informed, by the Command of some particular Members, who afterward procured a Vote to ratify and confirm what they had arbitrarily done; and know not how soon it may be our cause.  
Seventhly, That such proportions of Money that have been raised upon the Ordinance for Sir Thomas Fairfax Army, hath not been accordingly paid us, which hath caused us to be burdensome to our friends, beholding to our foes, and dishonourable to the Employment: all which hath been occasioned for want of supplies of Moneys, to discharge our Quarters; And we fear must yet be further burdensome, unless moneys come to avoid the same. Yet for all this want of money, did never obstruct the Service, although our pay was abated, and 6. d. per diem deducted, which the Parliament promised to restore to us again, when it should please God to put a period to our divisions, which now we hope are ended, and expect that promise to be converted to the true performance.  
Eightly, Many of our fellow Soldiers that were Apprentice● in London, and other parts of the Kingdom, who came voluntarily into this S●●●ice, in●ited thereunto by the Parliaments Declaration, which said, That the time they spent in the prosecution of their Service, should be as really performed, as if they had really served their Masters. Which Ordinance hath been, and still is, hindered by divers malignant and ill affected Masters; that insomuch that unless the Parliament be pleased to put in execution this their Declaration, and inflict a punishment upon the violaters of it, they will be dishonoured, and their Ordinance not respected; And we who have fought for liberty, ensnared ourselves into a greater slavery.  
Ninthly, Many of us, if not the major part, have road States horses in the Service; but at the loss or death of the said Horses, we have remounted ourselves at our own proper charge: So that we are confident the Parliament will not be so ignoble and unjust to dismount us. So our confidence is as firmly grounded, that the forwardness of our Service shall not redound to the backwardness of our reward: and also those that have been plundered and imprisoned, the wives and children of those who have been slain in this Service, may no longer echo forth their lamentations at the Parliament doors, (which aggrievance saddeth our souls) but may have supplies according to their necessities. And the Parliaments many Protestations taken not only by themselves, but also imposed upon most of us; so that until this, together with all the rest of the true intents of the Protestation, be not only verbally, but really performed, we cannot engage for any foreign Service: unless we shall manifestly show ourselves a perjured generation.  
Lastly, We beseech the Honourable House, not to misapprehend any of the  aggrievances, but to be pleased to clothe the naked truth with their favourable constructions and approbation, that so the infamous and reproachful title of the disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom may never be filed on our Account, whose safety and tranquillity we prefer before our own, nor the opprobrions brands of the obstructors of the relief of Ireland be sealed on our foreheads, whose sad condition we seriously commiserate; and whose speedy relief we never will obstruct, but earnestly endeavour. But in the interim we humbly desire, That our humble requests may be heard and answered, these our grievances seriously considered, and remedies answerable to the diseases applied: Until such time,  
we shall remain such as we always were Humble, faithful, and obedient Servants to the Honourable House, serious c●ndolers of Ireland's distress, earnest endeavourers of this Kingdom's peace, and perpetual friends and Servants to our Countries, and true and saithful lovers of our liberty and freedoms.   

The Requests of Coll: Riches Regiment upon the Votes of Parliament.  
1. THat whereas the Parliament saith, they have appointed an Ordinance to be brought in very suddenly for our indemnity.  
1. We humbly desire, that the Ordinance may be forthwith resolved, and passed by the Honourable House of Parliament, that so more weighty affairs may not be obstructed, and we no longer suspended of our desires.  
2. That this Ordinance be so large, that it extend not only to us for acting things which we were authorized to act by our respective Officers, but also for acts which the exigency of War hath constrained us to act without their Command; when as our lives and liberties were exposed to the danger of our merciless Enemies.  
Secondly, Whereas the Honourable House saith, That an Ordinance is now lying before them to that purpose.  
Although we do not question the verity of the House in this particular, yet we humbly desire, that as we have acted things in the public view of the Kingdom, that hath involved us into this slavery, that so we may have the public view of the Vindication, that not only us who have been the actors, but it may be publicly proclaimed to the whole Kingdom, who have been the sufferers.  
Thirdly, That the Honourable House hath resolved that a considerable proportion of our Arrears be paid to us at our disbanding.  
We most humbly crave leave to ask the Honourable House two things.  
1. What they mean by a proportion of Arrears.  
2. What they call a considerable proportion, and how much it is.  
Lastly, That whereas they say, they will take care for the payment of the remainder of Arrears, at such time as it may stand with the necessity of the Kingdom, and care shall be taken for the auditing of our Accounts, and giving us debentures.  
1. We humbly desire, that direction may be given us for the attainment of the remainder of Arrears, without the great expense, trouble, loss of time, that others have undergone in waiting for their Arrears; insomuch that the benefit hath not countervalued their great pains occasioned by their tedious waiting.  
2. That we may have good and firm security for the payment of the said moneys that shall remain in Arrears.   
FINIS.