A DECLARATION From his Excellency, with the Advice of his COUNCIL of WAR: Concerninghe present distempers of part of Commissary General Iretons and of Colonel Scroops Regiments to undeceive the deluded party, and to leave those excuseless who refuse (upon pardon herein offered) to return to their former obedience.  

Signed by the Order and appointment of his Excellency the Lord Fairfax, Lord General and his Council of War.  
Aulton, Hamshire. MAY 12. 1649. Ri. Hatter Secret.   
LONDON, Printed by T. R. & E. M. for R. M. 1649.   

A Declaration from his Excellency the L. Fairfax, with the Advice of his Council of War.  
BEing informed by the Officers of Commissary General Iretons Regiments, of the late unheard of, and not to be paralleled violation of the Government of the Army by divers Soldiers, who without and against their Officers (no just cause or provocation being given for their so doing) have seized four Colours belonging to the said Regiment, and are marched away with them; and since of the like practice in Colonel Scroops Regiment, endeavouring (as I hear) to persuade others unto the like unlawful actings.  
I have though fit to publicsh this Declaration to see if it shall please God, the persons so offending, will be by the reasons therein contained, convinced of the evil of their actions, and return again to their obedience; and to prevent others from the like practice: And if not, that I may thereby be clear from all the misery and evil likely to ensue thereupon, in case there shall be a perfisting in the said disorder, and I be necessitated out of the duty I own to God, and the disharge of my trust to the Parliament and People of this nation to enforce a submission and obedience to the Authority committed to me for the good of the public.  
This heady and unlawful action hath these two evils in it, the one, against God and his sacred name, the other against the liberty and peace of the Commonwealth.  
You are not ignorant what a blessing hath gone along with your endeavours against the enemies of God, & your Country, whilst you stood faithful to the trust reposed in you, engageing yourselves against the Common enemy, to our liberty and peace, and all this by the presence of God with you. But by this unwarrantable act of yours, how do you avowedly declare your disowning of that Providence, trusting rather to the violence of your own spirits, then waiting to see what issue God will give to the great affairs of this Nation. And if you shall persist herein and be the occasions of another war, you will give the enemy advantage to say, their Cause hath been good all along, and that now this division amongst us is a judgement of God upon us for opposing them, and doing such things especially in the execution of Justice, as doth rejoice honest hearts to think of, but the enemy so much study to revenge.  
Secondly, you do also disowne the act of God in denying obedience to those who by his clear Call are set over you, without any provocation on their part, or so much as reason given by you for your so doing; and herein you will be found resisters not of man but of God. No man is able to foresee the manifest hazard likely to befall this poor wasted Nation, by this act of yours, for  
First, You will hereby give opportunity to the Cavaleirish party to shelter themselves an fly to Arms under the protection of this distemper, and  
Secondly, You do manifestly hinder the relief of Ireland, where many persons of honour and honesty are ready to be swallowed up by those bloodthirsty Rebels for maintaining the very same cause with s here: And if it shall happen that they be ruined there, what can be expected but an immediate coming over of those forces into England to revive their old cause and quarrel here.  
And if I be rightly informed, I hear that you make this to be one of your pretences, to this your irregular and ungodly acting, That you are necessitated to go for Ireland, which if you shall refuse, you shall be disbanded dishonourably. Although I know, and you might have known also (if you would have had patience to have been rightly informed) that indeed there is not a word of truth, neither in the one nor in the other; The Parliament nor myself resolving to compel any one to that service, or to punish in the least for refusing the same. The Lot being cast (as it was) put the disposal of men for that employment upon God, who hath thereby decided it; and if you can satisfy your consciences in neglecting so clear a call, let that be between God and you, that being all the enforcement or compulsion that either was or is intended.  
And though you may pretend that things are not settled for the good of this Commonwealth, yet how unwarrantable a thing is it for you upon such deceitful pretences, sithences, the said things might for ought you know in due time be settled; nay, and are now upon a settlement, (if these distempers of yours hinder not) even upon a bare supposition to run into a positive and notorious act of mutiny and disobedience, against all rules of honesty and good conscience, yea & against the known lawful Authority of this Nation, which hath done greater things for the good and welfare of the people, than any of their Predecessors have done in a thousand years before.  
And if you have not quie lost your understandings and consciences, (and are thereby become incapable of satisfaction) what reason have you to quarrel at the Parliaments Proceed, who have improved their time in doing the most necessary things first? which if they had not in their wisdoms preferred in point of time, to those you would have (for there lieth all the ground of murmuring in discontented spirits) the good things you pretend to, and some call for, could never have come in to act at all, no more than they are like now to do, if by this outrageous act of yours the Land be brought into another war; the only design and means the Malignants and other the implacable enemies of the welfare of the Nation have, to keep those good things from us: And therefore I shall desire all men amongst you, who are capable of satisfaction, a little to consider how the Parliament have spent their time since they were free to act for the good of the Nation, and then weigh (whether the things they have done could have given place to those, you, and some other murmuring spirits would have? and whether it be lawful for you to rise in Rebellion upon a bare supposition and pretence, that the things you stand for will not at all be brought to pass? whereas indeed the Parliament hath declared their resolutions therein, and are at this time in a hopeful way to accomplish them, if they be not hindered by this so unwarrantable act of yours.  
The Parliament begun with that great act of Justice, which was by good men so called for, and was indeed so necessary a duty to take off the pollution of innocent blood, wherewith the Land was defiled; wherein what was done, through what difficulties, and how much time was spent, is obvious to all unprejudiced Persons.  
In the next place the removing of the House of Peers, which challenged so great a share in the Legislative power, without whose concurrence every thing that tended to the public good received a stop, and could not pass into a Law, and therefore would be without effect, whereby the Legislative power is brought into the Representatives of the People, with what difficulty this was obtained they best know who had the trouble of it? and what time and labour it cost to effect this, and to make Laws against Kingship, and a House of Peers, that they never return again upon us, (except by this Act of yours) is likewise most evident.  
The next in point of time was the providing to secure trade by putting a fleet to sea, and what they encountered with in this work, the stores of the Navy being emptied and all treasuries exhausted by those in Parliament, who drove on the King's design, on purpose to make it impossible to get out a fleet this Summer, that by this and disbanding the Army they might the better bring on an unworthy and unsafe Peace with the King, and thereby cause our misery the subversions of our Liberties, and Tyranny to fall irresistably upon us; And notwithstanding all these difficulties the Parliament hath to the securing of Trades, and defence of the Nation from foreign invasion, put out the greatest fleet to sea that ever this Nation did, whereby the Trade is revived, which was almost sunk, and the enemy disappointed of their mischievous designs against us.  
In the last place before the things you so much urge could be thought on, it was judged by the Parliament a thing most necessary, to take off freequarter to prepare wherewithal to relieve Ireland, and to provide for Soldier's arrears: in all which they have so fare proceeded, (though with much expense of time and meeting, many sad obstructions by reason all Treasuries were so anticipated) that freequarter is totally taken off, except you now again begin it, (and then I doubt the Country will hardly judge you friends to their Liberties, or at all trust your fair pretences.) The relief of Ireland also is so provided for, as that the Soldiers who is designed thither is equally to be paid with those remaining in England, and both theirs and those here, so taken care for in point of Arrears; as that the only best and most present security and satisfaction in England, viz. the late King's Parks and his Revenues is by the Parliament settled for their satisfaction; And to the endt he Soldiery might neither be delayed nor defrauded in the stating and auditing their Accounts, it is referred to the Field-Officers of each respective Regiment to perform the same; and if this Justice and favour deserve the requital of such actings as these? let the whole Nation judge.  
These things being done, and the other things of settlement comprised in the Agreement (presented with all humility from the Council of the Army,) being begun upon, and now in hand, and that in particular of putting a period to this present Parliament, and settling a future equal Representative, the first in their consideration; what is the cause, and how will it be answered to God or men to have so rash an act as this is, performed by you upon no provocation so much against your duty and trust, and all obligations which may be expected from honest men?  
For you (I say) to cast off this Authority upon so weak and mistaken grounds, how think you? are you able to answer the same?  
Many things more might be urged in aggravation of this offence but because I had rather see you return to your obedience, then delight to put my finger upon the fore; I thought fit to let you know, that if after all this, you all, or any amongst you shall submit and return, I am ready and willing to pass by and pardon: But if you shall persist in your obstinacy, I shall endeavour by force to reduce you, and therein put myself and the business upon God.   
FINIS.