A FURTHER PROPOSAL From His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, AND The Council of war of the ARMY under His COMMAND. Desiring the discharge of all such persons as are imprisoned under pretence of Conventicles, or for private Meetings for Religious Duties. ALSO, A Petition and Remonstaance from the Forces of the Northern Association; declaring the Reasons of their apprehending and securing Colonell-Generall Poyntz. By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and his Council of War. Signed, john Rushwo●th, Secretary London, Printed for George Whittington, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Blue Anchor in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1647. A further Proposal from his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Council of War, of the Army under his Command. WHereas divers persons really affected to the weal and peace of this Kingdom (many whereof have engaged their estates and lives with the Parliament in the late war) are now imprisoned, indicted, and otherwise very grievously vexed (and many others liable to the like trouble) by force or pretence of several Statutes (especially intended) against those who repair not to some Church or Chapel to hear the Book of Common prayer, or against those who are Popish Recusants, and by their not going to Church might be discovered: And against these who should hold any Conventicles of Meetings to plot and conspire some mischief to the State. Now forasmuch as the Parliament hath declared against the Book of Common-prayer, and that the said Act against the Conventicles was not intended against people meeting only for Religious Exercises: we therefore desire, That all persons proceeded against upon the Statutes of 3●. Eliz. 3. jacobi, or upon any other Statutes or Acts whatsoever of the same tenor with the premises may be forthwith discharged from their imprisonments, indictments, or any other molestation whatsoever, by virtue of the fore-mentïoned Statutes, unless such persons shall be proved either Popish Recusants (and that by some other way then by their not coming to Church) or to have in such private Meetings as aforesaid some perjurious design, conspiracy and practice against the State. And for a more effectual course herein we desire, That the Parliament would be pleased to give orders accordingly to all the Judges of Assizes for this next Circuit throughout the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales (as part of their Instructions) to acquit all persons suffering as aforesaid, by virtue, or under pretence of the said Statutes, otherwise then as before excepted, and to give the whole matter so in charge, that all Justices of the Peace, and whom else the same shall concern, may not henceforth a tempt to bring the like trouble upon any other of the well-affectd people of this Kingdom, under the like pretence, as they will answer the contrary at their peril. Redding july 21. 1647. By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and his council of War, Signed, john Rushworth. Secretary To his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, Captain General of all the forces in the Kingdom raised for the defence of the Kingdom. The humble Petition of the Soldiery of the Northern Association. Humbly showeth, THat whereas your Excellency's Petitioners, having lately acted in matters that concern their future well-beinge and safety; and also declared their willing compliance, and connexion with the Army more immediately under your Excellency's command, we being engaged thereunto several ways, account it our duty, aswell to apprehend their and our opposers, for our own security; as to defend ourselves in the same cause. We cannot indeed but with grief relate, that there should be such persons amongst us, that durst appear to act against those principles, which first engaged us to the present service. Therefore for our own preservation, we are enforced to act against all such persons of what quality soever, whose power might prove destructive to the well-being of the Subject, And accordingly thereupon we have apprehended Col. Gen. Poyntz, who alleged authority, for acting against the public good. We considering what dangerous consequent effects did, and might flow from such a corrupt member as he, and others of the same nature, to deprive us of our future happiness (if permitted to remain unremoved) who have made use of him, and his authority, to bring to pass their plots, of machivilionisme. We therefore humbly present to your Excellency (to whom we conceive we ought to repair for redress) as followeth: 1. That your Excellency would be pleased seriously to ponder the sadness of our condition in being destitute of a Commander in chief, of known integrity, and that accordingly your Excellency would be pleased to help us in this our great necessity. 2. That your Excellency would be pleased to further whatsoever may conduce to our future safety, for we conceive our selvas very near to destruction, when the Enemies of our well-being have the command over us, and would willingly make us accessary to our own thraldom. 3. That your Excellency would be pleased to cause this charge to be prosecuted against him by a Council of War of the Army more immediately under your Excellency's command, many Officers here being accessary with him in the same undertaking. 4. These things being performed, we humbly desire your Excellency seriously to consider our former engagements with you in former service, and to take such course for our future supply with pay, as we may not lie languishing, when our Enemies are in prosperity. And your Petitioners shall ever pray, etc. Colonel Poyntz Regiment. John Bradley William Smith Colonel Bethels Regiment. Thomas Cambridge William Tomson Colonel Copeley's Regiment. John Hodgson William Bates Colonel Ponsonbies' Regiment. Thomas Hunter Thomas Wharton Colonel Brights Regiment. john Drake james Mark Colonel overton's Regiment. john Benninton Robert Morrice Col. Collingworths' Regiment. Robert Sharbie Thomas Shalloket The humble Remonstrance of the Soldiers of the Northern Association, to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, Captain General of all the Forces of England, raised by the Authority of Parliament. May it please your Excellency, WHereas, we have lately been put upon actions very public (yet lawful) which we could have wished had been more private, had we not been exposed so to manage the same for necessity sake, and in the carrying on of these affairs of so great importance; Two things have been laid before us, Happiness and Misery, Peace and War, Welfare and Ruin. And unless we should have degenerated from the very principles of nature, and consequently have become inhuman, we must have carried on these affairs as they now appear to have been. As for our parts, we do seriously protest, that the very principles which led us to undertake the service, were for the advancement of the Subjects good (to wit) their just rights and immunities; And in the undertaking of the service we were throughly resolved to live and die in defence of the same. Indeed, we cannot but bless God for that glorious success which hath been freely given to those that undertook the service. To this end, although our hardships have been very great, and occasioned many inconveniences to ourselves, yet our happiness is, that the Lord hath crowned our endeavours with the end of our desires, in some respect; but notwithstanding (to our amazement) the endeavours of some pretended friends were not wanting utterly to deprive us of the fruit of our hard labours and dangerous service; which enterprises striking at the temporal foundations of our well-being, brought us very near even to destruction itself. And sigh it hath pleased God to stir up the Army more immediately under your Excellency's command, to withstand the Contrivers of this stratagem; We could do no less but manifest our affectionate approbation of their actions, and our earnest desires to partake with them in any condition whatsoever, which are expressed in the Declaration, Petition, and Representations which we lately presented to your Excellency: But since our first endeavours to associate ourselves with the Army more immediately under your Excellency's Command (out of the apprehension we had of the equity of their proceed) we found very many unwilling persons both to our and the Kingdom's welfare; which have done as much as in them lies, to obstruct our proceed. And for this their averseness to us, they have pretended the authority of Colonell-Generall Poyntz; which we examining, found to be too true; insomuch as we have received divers Letters, sent to particular Officers, manifesting not only the averseness of his spirit to whatsoever might conduce to the advancement of the public good, but also the violence that he intended to offer to any such persons, as should close or comply with that Army more immediately under your Excellency's Command, in their just undertake: Insomuch that we having formerly had sufficient testimonies of his violent entreating of some, even to the death, without a legal trial, (although it should be granted that their fact were heinous;) we could not expect, but receive hard measure from such a one, whose will was his reason, and his reason not his will, he being in a capacity of acting dangerous things, and not wanting a will thereunto, as your Excellency may please to take notice by the copy of his Letters, our case being such, as that our happiness consists in being under such command as do highly prise our welfare for the future. But lest we should pass by such persons whose perfidiousness hath been a great cause of his acting, we shall humbly remonstrate to your Excellency, that although in our apprehensions the carrying on of the business by him will import no less then that he did endeavour, as much as in him lay, to re-imbroyle us in a second war, and that not against our foes, but against those who were our fellow-servants for the public good, viz. the Army in the South: Yet notwithstanding it is so plainly evident unto us, that there is a sort of men who seemingly lie under a prodigious Lethargy, and would gladly render themselves to the apprehensions of godly men, as if they were unacquainted with the business, and frame that as an excuse for their non-concurrency with us when it is too apparent (for their credit) that they with him have countenanced and kept correspondency with the Members accused by your Excellency; and not only so, but have made use of his power for the accomplishment of their illegal designs: But the just God will not suffer unjust men to go unpunished. Out of the apprehension of these things, we could do no less but foresee the eminent danger that was like to befall both ourselves and the Nation with us, and what a great obstruction there might (by this means) be put to the present hopeful proceed. We therefore considering what dangerous consequent effects were like to follow, if such as these men were suffered to reside amongst us, and that the meanest creature endeavours to use all means (even by nature) to preserve itself; and knowing our late obligement not only to endeavour to protect, but also to act against such persons; we sent a party of Horse upon Wednesday at night, being the seventh of this instant month, to apprehend Colonell-Generall Poyntz, which they accordingly did, and in the managing of the same, were as free from offering any violent and uncivil action, as it was possible for men in that case to be. He being apprehended, was brought to Pontefract, and is now sent to be tried by a Council of War of the Army more immediately under your Excellency's command, which we humbly desire may be accomplished, he having deserved the same for injury done both to Soldiery and Kingdom, as more plainly by the Charge doth appear. And we shall humbly desire your Excellency, that such course may be taken for a Commander in chief, and Officers of integrity to be entrusted with these Northern Forces, as may abhor all corruption in their places of trust, and as do disdain to go so far beneath the spirits of upright men, as to stoop to compliancie with any unjust thing for sinister respects sake. These things being accomplished, we then hope sweetly to sit down under, and fully to be possessed of that peace and future happiness, which is the very price of our blood; and we shall willingly betake ourselves to such employment, as shall conduce to God's glory, and the Kingdom's service. Thus have we humbly remonstrated to your Excellency our present condition: To whom shall we appeal (next to divine Providence) for a redress of our grievances, if not to your Excellency, of whose faithfulness we have had sufficient testimony, and whom we have followed to look death cheerfully in the face (for our Country's freedom) in former services; and we hope shall not now be left destitute of your help; which if we shall obtain, to be added to the rest of former favours, we shall then rejoice, and quietly repose ourselves to all such warrantable undertake as shall befit men who have been so concerned in public Affairs, and (we hope) shall leave our freedom as an inheritance to succeeding ages, and ourselves (in the interim) to be commanded by your Excellency, or whom else you shall think fit, for the service and safety of King, Parliament and Kingdom. Colonel Poyntz's Regiment. john Bradley, William Smith. Colonel Bethells Regiment. Thomas Cambridge, William Tomson. Colonel Brights Regiment. john Drake, Fr. Mark. Colonel overton's Regiment. john Benington, Robert Morris. Colonel Copleys' Regiment. john Hodgson, William Baits. Colonel Ponsonby's Regiment. Thomas Wharton, Thomas Hunter. Col. Collingworth's Regiment. Robert Sharbye, Thomas Shalloket.