A LETTER SENT To the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and the Common Council of the City of London, juno 10. By His Excellency T. Fairfax. O. Crumwell T. Hammond H. Ireton T. Rainsborough H. Waller. N. Rich. R. Hammond R. Lilburn, T. Pride, T. Hewson. L. Disborow. June 14th LONDON Printed for George Whittington at the blue Anchor in Cornhill, near the royal Exchange. Right Honourable and trusty Friends. HAving by our letters and other addresses presented by our noble 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 thereof: All which having been exposed to a public view, (we are confident) have come to your hands, and (at the least) received a chatitable construction from you. The sum of all which desires as Soldiers are no other than a desire of satisfaction to our demands as Soldiers, and reparation upon those who have to the uttermost improved all opportunities, and advantages, by false suggestions and misrepresentations, and otherwise for the destruction of this Army with a perpetual blot of infamy upon it, which we should not value i● 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 then the overthrow of the privileges both of Parliament and people, whom rather than they shall fail in their designs, or we receive what in the eyes of all good men is just, endeavours to engage the Kingdom in a new war, and this singly by those who (when the tru●h of these things shall be made to appear will be found the Authors of those Evils that are feared as having no other way to protect themselves from question and punishmen but by putting the Kingdom into blood (being) under pretences of the honour of, and their love to the Parliament, as i● that were dearer to the a then us; if they had given gre●ter proof of their faithfulness to it, than we, than we perceive, that under these veils and pretences, they seek to internesse their design in the City of London, as if that City ought to make good their miscarriages, and should prefer a few false seeking men, before the welfarre of the public, and ind●ed ●e have found these men so active to accomplish their designs, and to have such apt Instrument for their turn● in that City, that we have cause to suspect they ma●ing●ge many therein, upon mistakes, wh●ch are easily swallowed in times of such prejudice against m●n that have given (we may speak it without va●i●y) the most public Testimony of their good affection to the public, and to that City in particular. For the things we insist upon as Englishmen, (and merely our b●ing Soldiers hath not strip● 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 lib●rties of the subjects, according to the votes and Declarations ●f 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 dem●nd, and desire to see an happy settlement of, as we have to our money, or the other common interests of Soldiers, which we have insisted upon, we find also the most ingenious and honest people in almost in all the parts of the Kingdom, where we come full of the sense of ruin and misery, if the Army should be disbanded b●fore 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, un●er pretence of obtaining ease for tender Consciences, we profess (as ever) in these things (when the State has once made a setlement) 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 of liberties & encouragements, 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; and for the obtaining these things, we are drawing near your City, professing sincerely from our hearts, we intent not evil towards you, and undertaking to you; Declaring with all confidence and assurance, That if you appear not against us in these our just D●sires, to assist that wicked party that would embroil Us, and the kingdom; nor we, nor our Soldiers shall give the least offence. We come not to do any act to prejudice the Being of Parliament, 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 setlement 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 Atmy as the Parliament shall think fit, to disband, or go for Ireland. And although you suppose that rich City may seem an enticing bait to poor hungry Soldiers, to venture far to gain the wealth thereof, yet (if not provoked) we do profess rather than any such evil should fall out, the Soldier 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 the 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 their 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; which that they may obtain, you shall do like fellow-subjects and Brethren, if you solicit the Parliament for them and on their behalf. If after all this, you or a considerable part of you be seduccd to take up Arms in opposition to or hindrance of these our just undertake, we hope by this Brotherly Admonition, 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 hereby washed our hands thereof. Royston June 10. 1647. Your affectionate friends to serve you. T. Fairfax. Oliver Cromwell. Thomas Hammond. Henry Ire●on. Tho: Rainsborow. Hardres Waller. Nath: Rich. Robert Hammond. Robert Lilburn. Thomas Pride. Thomas Hewson. John Disborow. To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Common-council, of the City of London.