A LETTER SENT FROM HIS EXCELLENCY SIR Thomas Fairfax, AND The chief Commanders in the Army.  
TO THE Right Honourable the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common-council of the City of LONDON.  
LONDON, Printed by Richard Cotes, 1647.   

For the Right Honourable the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common-council of the City of LONDON.  
Right Honourable and Worthy Friends,  
HAving by our Letters and other Addresses, presented by our General to the Honourable House of Commons, endeavoured to give satisfaction of the clearness of our just demands; and also in Papers published by us remonstrated the grounds of our proceed in prosecution whereof; all which having been exposed to public view we are confident have come to your hands, and at least received a charitable construction from you; The sum of all which our desires, as Soldiers, are no other than a desire of satisfaction to our demands, as Soldiers, and repatation upon those who have to the utmost improved all opportunities and advantages by false suggestions, misrepresentations, and otherwise for the destruction of this Army, with a perpetual blot of ignominy upon it, which we should not value, if it singly concerned our own particulars, being ready to deny ourselves in this, as we have done in other cases for the Kingdom's good; but under this pretence finding no less involved in it, than the overthrow of the Privileges both of Parliament and People, wherein rather than they shall far in their designs, or we not receive what in the eyes of all good men is just, endeavoureth to engage the Kingdom in a new War, and this singly by those, who when the truth of these things shall be made to appear, will be found the Authors of these evils that are feared, as having no other way to protect themselves from question and punishment, but by putting the Kingdom into blood, under pretences of the Honour of, and their love to the Parliament, as if that were dearer to them then us, or as if they had given greater proof of their faithfulness to it then we: But we perceive that under these veils and pretences, they seek to interest their design in the City of London, as if that City ought to make good their miscarriages, and should prefer a few selfseeking men before the welfare of the Public; and indeed we have found these men so active to accomplish their designs, and to have such apt instruments for their turn in that City, that we have cause to suspect they may engage many therein, upon mistakes, which are easily swallowed in times of such prejudice, against men that have given (we may speak it without vanity) the most public testimony of their good affections to the Public, & to that City in particular.  
For the thing we insist upon as English men, and surely our being Soldiers hath not stripped us of that interest, although our malicious enemies would have it so; we desire a settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom, and of the Liberties of the Subject, according to the Votes, and Declarations of Parliament; which before we took up Arms were by the Parliament used as arguments and inducements to invite us and divers of our dear friends out, some of which have lost their lives in this War; which being by God's blessing finished, we think we have as much right to demand and desire to see a happy settlement, as we have to our money, and the other common interest of Soldiers which we have insisted upon: We find also the ingenuous and honest people, in almost all the parts of the Kingdom where we come, full of the sense of ruin and misery, if the Army should be disbanded, before the Peace of the Kingdom, and those other things before mentioned, have a full and perfect settlement.  
We have said before, and profess it now, we desire no alteration of the civil government.  
We desire not to intermeddle with, or in the least to interrupt the settling of the Presbyterial Government: nor do we seek to open a way to licentious liberty under pretence of obtaining case for tender consciences; we profess as ever in these things, when the State have once made a settlement, we have nothing to say but to submit or suffer, only we could wish that every good Citizen, and every man that walks peaceably in a blameless conversation, and is beneficial to the Commonwealth, may have liberty and encouragement; it being according to the just policy of all States, even to justice itself.  
These in brief are our desires, and the things for which we stand, beyond which we shall not go, & for the obtaining these things we are drawing near your City; professing sincerely from our hearts we intent not evil towards you, declaring with all confidence and assurance that if you appear not against us in these our just desires to assist that wicked party that would embroil us and the Kingdom, nor we nor our Soldiers shall give you the least offence, we come not to do any act to prejudice the being of Parliaments, or to the hurt of this in order to the present settlement of the Kingdom; We seek the good of all, and we shall here wait, or remove to a further distance there to abide, if once we be assured that a speedy settlement of things be in hand, until they be accomplished; which done, we shall be most ready either all of us, or so many of the Army as the Parliament shall think fit, to disband or go for Ireland; And although you may suppose that a rich City may seem an enticing bait to poor hungry Soldiers to venture fare to gain the wealth thereof, yet if not provoked by you, we do profess rather than any such evil should fall out the Soldiers shall make their way through our blood to effect it, and we can say this for most of them, for your better assurance, that they so little value their pay in comparison of higher concernments to a public good, that rather than they will be unrighted in the matter of their honesty and integrity, which hath suffered by the men they aim at, and desire justice upon, or want the settlement of the kingdom's peace, and theirs with their fellow Subjects Liberties, they will lose all; which may be a strong assurance to you, that it's not your wealth they seek, but the things tending in common to your and their welfare that they may attain, you shall do like fellow Subjects and Brethren if that you solicit the Parliament for them, and on their behalf.  
If after all this, you, or a considerable part of you be seduced to take up Arms in opposition to, or hindrance of these our just undertake; We hope by this brotherly premonition, to the sincerity whereof we call God to witness, we have freed ourselves from all that ruin which may befall that great and populous City, having thereby washed our hands thereof, we rest.  
Your affectionate friends to serve you. 

Thomas Fairfax.  
Oliver Cromwell.  
Robert Hamond.  
Thomas Hamond.  
Hardresse Waller.  
Nath. Rich.  
Thomas Pride.  
Francis Ireton.  
Robert Lilborne.  
John Disbrowe.  
Thomas Rainsborow.  
Lambert.  
Harrison.   Royston June 10, 1647.