TO THE GENERAL council OF OFFICERS.  
The Representation of divers Citizens of LONDON, and others Well-affected to the Peace and tranquillity of the commonwealth.  
AS we doubt not but the words of your friends will find acceptance, so our Lives, Liberties, and All that is dear and near to us, being embarked in the same Bottom with yours, we cannot be so insensible, as not to take notice of the storm impending, nor so careless of our own Concernments, as not to lay down our Observations before you.  
When by the interrruption of Government you reduced these Nations unto that condition they are now in, Though you could not be ignorant, that what you did, would be very grateful to the Common Enemy; who always had the Parliament in an odious memory for the great things God hath done by them, and the little hopes they have of ever prevailing against their industry and prudence; yet we cannot in the least suspect, that you could (in that action) have before your eyes the contentment of your malicious and implacable enemies; But rather a cordial and sincere intention of settling those things so long contended for, by a speedier hand than that of the Parliament, (of whose grave, slow, pace you were impatient) expecting thereby to give full satisfaction to all your friends and adherents, to the uniting of them the firmlier to you. Other ends than these, we hope could not enter into the hearts of many of you; And therefore, taking this to be the case, and knowing that Experience is the best Teacher, We desire leave to observe how little the success hath hitherto answered your Ends.  
It is visible to all that have any occasion to converse with your enemies, that they are exceedingly rejoiced at your late transactions, not doubting, but by the division of your friends, to have an opportunity to destroy both you and them.  
And it is also as visible, that your friends are dissatisfied, not being able to go along with you in your present undertakings; And that, not only as they are without any warrantable Call made out to them, but also, as they are against that acknowledged principle of all just Powers, being (under God) originally in the People, and derived from them; Beyond which, we cannot be free to act, or own any thing for Legal or unusurped; Knowing, that what is settled by a party, will always be unstable, and subject to the wills, and alterations of that party; especially, when it hath the Sword, as the restauration of the Parliament, though done with the greatest acknowledgement of duty imaginable, is now made use of by many (though weakly) for the justification of the late interruption.  
We cannot also, but in taking notice that you having already spent near half as much time upon the Government alone, without bringing any thing to maturity, as the Parliament did in that and all other affairs, hope you are (to the vindication of them) convinced of the greatness and difficulty of the work.  
And lastly, we may observe, that if by rooting up foundations you must necessarily give the common enemy a great advantage, you ought to be assured of a party able to oppose him; And that if all your friends united, be a body small enough, for that end, you cannot rationally conceive that less than half will be sufficient to maintain your quarrel, now your Enemies are strengthened with the addition of France and Spain, who without doubt are at this present vigorously at work.  
We might say much more upon this subject, but thinking it needless to persons who will be equally concerned with us in any common Calamity, we shall not trouble you further then upon the whole to desire (which we do with hearts full of sorrow and fear) That since (as we do assert) the restless adversary is not likely to be idle; That he cannot in all probability be opposed but by the union of your Friends; That there can be no union without restoring foundations; That the interruption of Government cannot be continued without weakening your hands to the strengthening those of your Enemies) That as the only way left us for our preservation you would speedily (lest otherwise it be too late) withdraw the force from the Parliament House door, leaving the Members lately interrupted to return to the discharge of their trust in settling the distracted affairs of this Commonwealth, and making provision for future Parliaments; In doing which you willunite the hearts of your Friends, oblige them to a cordial Conjunction with you in the opposition of the common enemy, and cause them once more to rejoice in having the less reason to be afraid of what our adversaries can do unto us.  
This Representation was delivered by divers Citizens of London to the Lord Fleetwood the 6th, of this present December, 1659. to be by him Communicated to the general Council of Officers, as the only expedient to deliver this Nation from (otherwise) inevitable ruin and destruction.   

London Printed by John Clowes, 1659.