The second Part OF ENGLAND'S New-Chaines DISCOVERED:  
Or a sad Representation of the uncertain and dangerous condition of the COMMONWEALTH:  
DIRECTED To the Supreme Authority of England, the Representors of the People in Parliament assembled.  
By several well-affected persons inhabiting the City of London, Westminster, the Borough of Southwark, Hamblets, and places adjacent, presenters and approvers of the late large Petition of the Eleventh of September. 1648.  
And as it is avowed by Lieutenant Colonel John Lilburn, Mr. Richard Overton, and Mr. Tho-Prince, upon peril of their lives; and for which they are now committed to the Tower as Traitors.  
London, Printed in the Year, 1649.   

To the Supreme Authority of ENGLAND, the Representors of the People, in Parliament Assembled.  
THE Sad Representation of the uncertain and dangerous Condition of the Commonwealth: By the Presenters and Approvers of the Large Petition of the 11. of September, 1648.  
IF our hearts were not overcharged with the sense of the present miseries and approaching dangers of the Nation, your small regard to our late serious Apprehensions, would have kept us silent; but the misery, danger, and bondage threatened is so great, imminent, and apparent, that whilst we have breath, and are not violently restrained, we cannot but speak, and even cry aloud, until you hear us, or God be pleased otherways to relieve us.  
Nor should you in reason be withheld from considering what we present you withal, through any strangeness that appeareth there in; For what was more incredible, than that a Parliament trusted by the people to deliver them from all kinds of oppression, and who made so liberal effusion of their blood, and waste, of their estates (upon pretence of doing thereof) should yet so soon as they were in power, oppress with the same kind of oppressions, which yet was true in the times of Hollis and Stapletons' faction, and who, (as the King and Bishops had done before) laboured for an Army to back and perpetuate them therein.  
Nor were our Petitions then presented (wherein we justly complained of those oppressions, and forewarned them of the danger ensuing) the less considerable for their burning them by the hand of the common hangman; Nor the Petitioners the more blame-worthy for being reproached with the names of Atheists, Heretics, and seditious Sectaries (as now with Jesuit, and Levelier) Aspersions being the known marks of corrupt Statesmen, and usually working no other effect, but the discredit of the Aspersers. Yet were there then many who believed their reports of us, and they were as impatient with us, for our taxing them with their wicked and pernicious designs, as others are now for our presuming to detect them, who are so high in present power and repuration: But it is now evident, that it is possible for our Physicians to bring us into a more dangerous condition than they found us.  
And though experience hath made us woefully sensible, that nothing is more dangerous to any people than their bearing with unjust, covertous, or ambitions practices in those they trust; Yet did we forbear to interpose our judgements, or to oppose those men's designs, until they had made a large progress toward our bondage, and endeavoured to grasp the power of the Army into their hands, thereby to enforce their Tyranny upon us; insomuch that it was almost too late to give check to their wicked intentions: so unwilling were we to believe it possible for men who all along pretended liberty and redress of grievances, to degenerate so soon into the grossest Principles and practices of long settled Tyrannies.  
And much more do our Consciences bear us witness of our backwardness to believe any evil intentions in those who not only were most vigorous and successful against the common enemy, but seemed so sensible of the injustice and treachery of that prevalent faction in Parliament, as to engage with the utmost of their might, as if they had really intended to deliver the Nation from that dangerous thraldom, so that we both durst, and did many of as, venture our lives upon their fidelity; Yea so powerful, persuasive, and contentful were their first Engagements, Papers, and Remonstrances, to fraught with selfdenying Doctrines, tender regard to the peace of the Nation, and satisfaction to all interests; as even lulled all peaceable People into a sound sleep of security, casting all their care upon the General Council of the Army, as upon a People they thought could never have the face to decline either those principles, or to neglect the performance of so many engagements, promises, and protestations, made as in the presence of the allseeing God, frequently calling upon him, the searcher of all hearts, to bear witness to their integrity and sincerity therein: Insomuch that we (who always with some wariness observed them) many times denied our own understandings rather than we would draw hasty conclusions from evident testimonies of their defection.  
But when after they had once slighted the Agitators. and discountenanced those Officers and Soldiers, who first engaged against the destructive Votes of Parliament; such as stood firm to their engagements at New-market, and Triploe Heath: when we saw they not only neglected them, but adhered to persons sent from Parliament and City, in those corrupted times, and fell immediately to plead for Negative Voices in the King, and Lords; checking and controlling th●se that opposed: When we understood their General Counsels (which according to their engagements ought to have consisted only of two select Commission Officers, and two private Soldiers, chosen by every Regiment, with such General Officers as assented to the Engagement, and no other) were nevertheless overgrown with Colonels, Lieut. Colonels, Majors, and others, not chosen; and many of them dissenters from the said Engagement; and that some few eminent persons presumed above measure therein, and in effect overawed and controlled those Counsels: and that the contrivance of a Counsel of State, was the great engine which those Counsels laboured to bring about: when we found them not only to Court the King, by kissing his hand, and the like, and that a correspondency was held between him and the General Officers, and Agents sent to and fro continually, whereby they came to so near a close, as that their Proposals were not only received, but corrected and amended by the King, before they were sent to the House, till they became very consistent with his ends and Prerogative: and those Officers so engaged thereby, as to be moved to impatience towards any that spoke a syllable against this their traffic and intercourse with him: upon which likewise, they concluded an Agreement with the opposing Citizens of London, without so muc● as calling the Agitators to advise thereupon. Seeing, Hearing, and Understanding these things, no marvel if we were staggered in our Beleese of their integrity.  
But that a person so deeply charged as the Earl of Manchester, and other grand s●lf-seekers of this House should be entertained with so great respect, and guarded to their places in Parliament, and that notwithstanding the prevailing power of the Army, those who had usurped the Authority of the House, and Voted a new war, were nevertheless permitted to sit and Vote there, and that contrary to the importunate desires of the Agitators, and the Remonstrance of the Army: and then one of the first fruits of this their conjunction was the passing of an Ordinance for Tithes, upon treble damages, which the corrupt Clergy had presented (in the absence of the Speaker) to pelham's Parliament; and the burning of Mr Biddles Book, by the Common Hangman; and imprisoning his person: and that notwithstanding their glorious March through London, the prerogative Prisoners in the Tower, Newgate, and else where, were utterly neglected, and the Council of those friends slighted, who had been instrumental, even to the loss of some, and the hazard of all their lives, to make an easy and unbloudy passage for the Army into Southwark and the City. Upon observation of these and abundant more particulars, which we could enumerate, we concluded, that the Counsels of the Army were not steered as at their first engagement, by the select persons chosen thereunto, nor for the ends in that engagement expressed; but by some other powerful and; overruling influences, that intended other matters than were pretended, a dthat laboured by all possible means to convert the honest endeavours of good men in the Army, and elsewhere, and the happy success God had blessed them withal, to the advantage of their Lusts, Pride, and Domination: And as time came on, it more and more appeared, that they intended merely the establishment of themselves in power and greatness, without: any regard at all to the performance of their promises and engagements, or any respect to the faith and credit of the Army, or to the peace and prosperity of the Common wealth, and that they walked by no rules or principles either of honesty or conscience; but (as mere politicians, were governed altogether by occasion, and as they saw a possibility of making progress to their designs, which course of theirs they ever termed a waiting upon providence, that with colour of Religion they might deceive the more securely.  
Now that this may appear no slander, we entreat that without partiality, their after proceed may be throughly scanned: as first, at Kingston it was proposed by the Agitators, friends of London, Southwark, and the places adjacent, that the Tower, City, and Borough, might be secured by the well-affected Inhabitants, and not by Soldiers, that so trade and traffic might be preserved, which otherwise would be driven away (as it soon after proved) And that it was hoped they intended not to secure any place by Soldiers, when the well-affected Inhabitants were able to secure it. Which advise proceeded as well from ourrespects to the City and neighbour places, as upon fears of what we know to be the practice of other Tyrants (and therefore doubted would be exercised by those) namely, the garisoning great Towns, thereby to keep the people, as well in poverty, as in continual awe and subjection.  
Which advice, though assented unto by the Agitators, was yet rejected by the grand Officers, and a new Regiment raised, to the further charge of the Commonwealth; the Proposers themselves being dismissed with reproaches, and the Agitators thrust out, and not permitted to observe how they were dealt withal.  
At which time also it's very remarkable with how much height of State they observed the King at Hampton Court, visiting him themselves, and permitting thousands of people daily to visit him, to kiss his hand, and to be healed by him, whereby his party in the City, and every where, were exceedingly animated, his Agents being as familiar at the headquarters, as at the Court. Then on a sudden, when the House complied not with their purposes, in all haste it was to be purged, and thereupon they publish a large Remonstrance, Aug. 18. stuffed with public reasons, to show the justness and necessity thereof: but the House again complying, through the sight of their Remonstrance, though no whit changed in respect of its corruption; & they finding, if it were purged, it would not be for their design; they make nothing of their former resolution, but continue it in its corrupt condition, and sit with them themselves.  
Then they fall to work again about the King and send the propositions of Newcastle to him, which they knew, and were agreed he should not sign; in the mean time, they so wrought the King by deep promises, and hopes of restauration, as that 〈◊〉 inclined much to countenance the Army, gave out words in their favour, and in his answer to the House, prefer●d their Proposals, before the Parliaments Propositions; in lieu thereof, the great ones of the Army themselves, endeavoured the revival of a Tre●●y and some of them in the House, were very violent against 〈…〉 no more Address, and expressed it wa● the sen●e of the 〈…〉 further Address should be made, and that except they 〈…〉 Addresses of another nature to the King, they could not promise them the assistance of the Army; and according they take pains to work every man at the headquarters; upon which, petitions were attempted in the Army, in favour of a Treaty, and some conscientious, but weak people, were drawn to second their design, with a Petition for a Personal Treaty, which they had ready at the House door.  
These strange and mysterious proceed occasioned a new face of things in the Army, many of the Officers being much distasted thereat, & whole Regiments choosing new Agents to look after the public, as fearing things were running headlong into a most dangerous condition: The far greater number of the Officers, would not by any means endure to hear of the Army's complaince with the King, and the Agents finding all former engagements, promises, and declarations broken, and utterly neglected, and the Common wealth in danger of utter dissolution, produce an Agreement of the People, upon grounds of Common Right, for uniting of all unprejudiced people therein; the great Officers very much oppose it a while, as having set up another Interest: but seeing the same take with the Army, profess though at present their judgements could not so far close with it as to act for it, yet they would never oppose it. Hereupon the whole frame of the design altars, and the matters in projection with them, were how to disengage themselves, and be rid of the King, and how likewise to discountenance and keep under the discerning party in the Army. In order to the first, they cast about how to get the King into the Isle of Wight, where they might both easier keep others from him, and the more entirely possess him themselves; and that he might with willingness be hurried thither, they work upon his fear; suggesting to him, that there was an intention in some violent persons to murder him, and persuade him to leave that in a letter, as the cause of his remove. To make which the more credible, they wrought L. Col. Hen. Lilburn to asperse his brother John (who then stood in the way of the great men of the Army) with a base & abhorred resolution of being one that intended to murder the King; to the proof whereof they would never suffer the Asperser to be brought (though solicited thereunto by a Petition from divers well-affected persons) but instead thereof, for that perfidious service, they advanced him to the government of Tinmouth Castle, above his brother Robert, where retaining the leven of his Apostasy, which the Gen. Officers had laid in him, he ussered the deserved reward of a perfidious traitor.  
And though the General Officers inclined him to this revolt themselves, as well by their example, as by countenancing him in the beginning hereof; and though for the same he incurred the extreme displeasure of his Father, and Kindred, yet are both his Father and Kindred by the Officers themselves and their Associates aspersed with the fact, as if tainted with guilt and contammination thereof.  
Thus did they kill two birds with one stone, framing a Name for them which of all others is most distasteful to the People, and was therefore most likely to beget a belief of the pretended assassination.  
Where (by the way) we desire it may be observed, that notwithstanding the word Leveller was framed and cast upon all those in the Army (or elsewhere) who are against any kind of Tyranny, whether in King, Parliament, Army, Council of State, etc. And though it was not so much as believed to concern those upon whom they cast it, the inventors having often professed as much, yet have they both themselves and by their Instruments industriously propagated the same, and insinuated both this and other slanders of us into the hearts of all the easy and credulous people they could meet withal.  
But to return, The King thus removed, they judge themselves at good leisure to deal with the Agreers for the People, and so suddenly violent they became in that work, that at the first Randezvous near Ware, they shot a Soldier to death, for pursuing the ends of the Engagement at New-market, and for insisting upon the Agreement for the People: unworthily abused Major Skott, a Member of this House, sent him up a prisoner, and accused him and Col. Rains borough for appearing in behalf of the Agreement, and there withal sent Col. Ayres, Major Cobbet, Capt. Bray, and many others after them prisoners to Windsor, where, as Parties, Judges, and Juries, the Officers did what they would against them, sentencing some to deata, others to disgraceful punishments, restraining and releasing at pleasure, and with as much Arbirrarinesse as ever was in the world, and could not be dissuaded though Mr Saltmarsh and others bore full testimony against the cruelty and injustice thereof. Hereupon at the House they procured at once the imprisonment of five cordial Citizens, for justifying the Agreement of the People, and requiring Justice for the blood of the Soldier that was shot at Ware, disfranchized them, and under the notion of London Agents forbade their meetings. And when now they thought they had moulded and qualified the Army to their own bent, and had gratified their complying Officers, with the cruelty upon the Levellers, (for so they have styled all who have manifested any sense of Common Right) and had found that they could be nothing so great, rich, and potent, upon a close with the King, and that it would be impossible for them to hold either Officer or Soldier firm to them, in case of such composure. Hereupon utterly to frustrate his hopes that way, they prevail with the House to Vote no more Addresses; and so vanished away all their glorious flattery of the King and his Party, and their notorious dissimulation appeared, abusing thereby the Faith of the Army, and making it clear to all discerning men, that such as could so break with one sort of men, will make no Conscience of keeping faith with any.  
Their next work was to newmould the City, and make it theirs, for which purpose they brought some Regiments of Horse and Foot, to White Hall and the Muse, to the extreme discontent of the City, and provoke them further by keeping their Lord Mayor, and some of their Aldermen in the Tower, without admitting them to a Legal Trial, though upon Petitions and earnest Desires: at last they were referred to be tried by the Lords, contrary to the known Law of the Land; but their jurisdiction being disclaimed, after a while they were released without any Trial at all, their end being accomplished, which was the terror of the City, and changing the Magistrates thereof, so as should best serve their designs.  
About this time also they began to exercise their Marshal power over persons not of the Army, and did sentence Mr William Thomson to death at White Hall. And then also they began to new moddel the Army, and for that end, (though the new raised Regiment for the Tower was thought no burden, yet upon pretence of easing the charge of the Common wealth, the Lifeguard must be disbanded, because consisting of discerning men, faithful to their Country and former promises, and many others of like principles were picked out of every Regiment; the design being by weeding the choicest and best resolved men, to make the Army wholly mercenary, slavish, and the Executioners of a few men's lusts and lawless Pleasures.  
All which those good men perceiving and resolving thereupon not to be disbanded, according to the Agreement at New market, till the ends therein expressed were fully gained, they were enforced there unto by Tyrannical sentences of Imprsonment and Death (though the Officers themselves had formerly refused to disband upon command of Parliament upon the same grounds and strength of the same engagement:) By all which 'tis evident, that  to the maxim of Polititions, they judge themselves lose, where other men are bound; and that all Obligations are to them Transitory and Ceremonial, and that indeed every thing is good and just only, as it is conducting to their corrupt and ambitious Interests.  
And thus the most hopeful opportunity that ever England had for recovery of our Freedom, was spent and consumed, in such their uncertain, staggeringmotions, and Arbitrary, irrational Proceed, whereby all parties became extremely exasperated, as people that had been merely mocked and cheated by fair promises and under the most religious pretences etc. Hereby the Army, that but few momenths before, had been the joy and hope of all sorts of Rational People, was made a byword, a hissing, and a reproach to the whole Nation: insomuch that those (in hope of their large good Promises, and protest in their Declarations,) who thought nothing too precious for them, now grudged them bread, and were ready to stone them in all places where they came; Trade fled, Poverty increased, and dicontents abounded, till at length broke out such a flane, as no time had ever seen before; and no doubt, was the proper issue of such horrid delusions, ministering such matter for a general Rising and Revels, as all former Policies could never attain to, and more threatening the ruin of the Nation than all the former forces and Stratagems of the Enemies; and which is rightly to be imputed to the unjust, partial and persidsous deal of these men.  
But when they saw what a strange predicament they had brought themselves into, and which thy would never believe, till it was come upon them (no more than now they will) they had before manifested a greater Obstinacy, than now they did a serious Repentance (which yet as the sequel proves, was but counierfeit) though (as God knoweth) we were overjoyed to believe it real: Acknowledging, with the greatest expressions of sorrow, that they had walked by corrupt Politic Principles; That they had been to blame in Actings against honest men; That the name of Levelier, Jesuit or the like reproaches, should never be more heard amongst them, that if ever the Nation be happy, it must be by a conjunction in the Levellers Principles, calling upon all, to lay by all Discontents, to forget and forgive, and to unite all against the Common enemy, and promising with greatest asseverations, That if God, upon our joint endeavours, should be pleased to deliver us out of this Sea of danger, that they would never divide from just Principles, nor in the least discouncenance honest men as they had done, nor endeavour to set up a party, but cast themselves upon an agreement of the People for the future settlement of the Peace of the Nation: but how and what performance they have made, that we shall entreat, may be impartially observed in the ensuing story; And for a full and timely proof of their Relapse, & Discovery of their dissimilation; No sooner had they (through God's blessing and the assistance of their reconciled friends) finished their work at Colechester, but presently they call to question certain Persons, that had appeared at St. Athanes in behalf of Captain Reynald: choosing rather to forsake the Service, then to be commanded by Captains, that had been violent against them, that had drunk the King's Health upon their knees, and professed they could rather sighed against the Levellers than Cavaliers, and these (according to their old wont) they sentenced to Death, and soon after released them, as finding or supposing this kind of Discipline most effectual, to the breaking and debasing the spirits of the English.  
And because Col. Rainsborough had ever opposed their unjust Proceed, they withdraw him from the Army, by a plausible, but only a Tittular command at sea, where by the straitness of his Commission; he not having thereby the command of the Ships or Officers, he could neither restrain their Revolt, nor preserve himself from being expussed at the Seaman's pleasure out of that employment.  
Then upon his return, the ruling Officers finding him as inflexible to their ends as formerly, they put him upon that dangerous and unhappy Service before Pomfre● (notwithstanding a Commander had been appointed thereunto by the Committee of York) whether he went with much Reluctancy and discontent, as wondering at the Cause of his being Designed thither, and expressing as much to his Friends, his sad soul presaging the misfortune, which after befell him. But that which gives greatest cause of grief and suspect to his friends, is, that his Brother receives no furtherance, but rather, all discouragement that may be in searching after, and prosecuting the causers of that so bloody and inhuman a Butchery.  
In the North, though during the Service and Necessities of the Army, the Levellers (as they are called) were countenanced, and taken into the Boosme, who thereupon (forgetting all former affronts and disrespects) did liberally hazard their lives, without suspicion of fraud and delusion; Yet the Necessity's being over; and the enemies subdued, they renew fresh disgraces, and fall into a greater 〈◊〉, and contempt then ever.  
First, divers-Souldiers for Petitioning in the behalf of Major Reynolds, that he might serve in the room of Major Huntingdon, were therefore rated, and threatened to have their skills cut, and some of them struck for so Petitioning; Major john Cobit, who with the extremest hazard had regained Tinmouth Castle, where his Superior Commander had through the dangers thereof refused, was not withstanding rejected, and a Member of Parliament taken from his duty there, & contrary to the self denying Ordinance, made Governor thereof, Major White, who in all the desperate services in the North, had performed the duty of Lieutinant Colonel and Major both in the General's Regiment, yet because a constant man to his Promises and Principles, was refused the Lieutenant Colonelship, and a man of a more complying Spirit fetched from another Regiment to officiate therein.  
And this was the usage not only to these Gentlemen, but to all others whether Officers, or soldiers in North or South (for their Counsels were one in both) that did retain a sense and Resolution to prosecute those good things intimated in their former Engagements.  
And as before, upon their first great Success against the City, when now again it justly was expected they should have made use of so notable and unexpected Blessings to the benefit & advantage of the Commonwealth, (as their late repentances, promises and Pretences gave men cause to hope) the event proved, they intended another use thereof, for (having now subdued all their enemies, they proceed with greater confidence to their former purposes, of making themselves absolute masters over the Commonwealth, wherein there yet appeared one main obstacle, and that was an unanimous and universal Resolution in all Well-minded People (especially in that numerous PEOPLE that concurred in the PETITION of the Eleventh of September to centre in an Agreement of the People, which if not evaded, it would be impossible for them) to go through with their Work: Hereupon again they cry out for Union, and employ their Agents, to get meetings, and Treaties with those that were most forward for an Agreement and contract with them to centre in an Agreement, and that the matter of the Petition of the Eleventh of September (as was desired) should be the substance of that Agreement: there being no other way then by this yielding in show, to amaze this busy watchful Party, and to keep them quiet, whilst they went on with other pieces of their work.  
For what else hath all the time spent thereabouts produced, but a mere amusing, blinding and deluding all that cordially desired the same, it being (before they left it) so obscured and perplexed in the sense thereof, so short of what was intended, and so corrupted in many particulars, that those most loathed it, that most desired it; In the mean time, whilst they had fixed good men's eyes and thoughts upon that Work, they secretly and swiftly prosecute their other Designs, as principal in their purposes, wherein questionless they had not had the Assistance of good men, but that it was verily believed in show of driving on their own Design; they were really and cordially producing a perfect and complete Agreement of the People, as large both in grounds of semidome, and redress of grievances, as the petition of the Eleventh of September, in the uttermost extent thereof did import.  
Many of which Petitioners were not satisfied but that such an Agreement of the People might then have been obtained without any of those extraordinary sudden and violent Courses lately taken, neither in bringing the Army to the City, breaking the House in pieces, or removing the King by such an extrajuditiall Proceed & Court of Justice, as had no place in the English Government; and did really foresee there would be nothing but abuse in their pretence of an Agreement of the people: and that their own domination, in and by a Counsel of State, was the main thing aimed at, and intended.  
The Removing the King, the taking away the House of Lords the over-awing the House, and reducing it to that pass, that it is become but the Channel, through which is conveyed all the Decrees and Determinations of a private Counsel of some few Officers, the erecting of their Court of justice, and their Counsel of State, The voting of the People the supreme Power, and this House the Supreme Authority: all these Particulars, (though many of them in order to good ends, have been desired by Well-affected People) are yet become (as they have managed them) of sole conducement to their ends, and Intents, either by removing such as stood in the way between them and the power, wealth or command of the Commonwealth; or by actually possessing and investing them in the same.  
And though all this was foreseen by us, yet so persuasive were their insinuations in the ears of many good and well-disposed People, both Soldiers and others, that they have been really carried away with belief of them, and reliance upon them, and have thought they could not better employ their time and abilities, them in affording them all furtherance, and assistance that might be.  
So that their only fears remain upon our Discoveries, to prevent which, they use means, that either we might not have opportunity to lay open their Treacheries, and Hypocrisies, or not be believed if we did it.  
In order to the first, They strictly stop the Press; In order to the second; They blast us with all the Scandals, & false Reports their Wit or Malice could invent against us; and so monstrously wicked have they been in this particular, That they have pried into all our Actions, made use of all our Acquaintances, & friendly Intimacies, and in conclusion, have only produced such Scandals, as have been customarily used by former Statesmen, and such, when scanned and examined, contain both contrariety in themselves, and have not the least ground of Truth, as concerning us.  
By these Arts are they new fastened in their Power, till either by opposition from the enemy, which they may well expect God will raise against them, as the deserved Recompense of their vile Apostasy; or by the weight and Violence of their many Injustices (which in the wicked course they are in) must every day be multiplied, till they be thrown down from their usurped greatness.  
They have already lost the Affections of all People, and are only supported by their present strength; but when once those good men that hold them up, shall perceive how Instrument all they are made, contrary to their intentions, in advancing a few losty and imperious men's designs; and how easy it is for them to convert their abilities & power to better, and more common ends expressed in their former engagements, and which the complaints of the aggrieved people, and their own understandings can furnish them withal, they will then lament that they have so long been out of the way, and set themselves with the utmost courage & resolution to free their distressed Country from the fears and captivity it now groans under. They may talk of freedom, but what freedom indeed is there, so long as they stop the Press, which is indeed, and hath been so accounted in all free Nations, the most essential part thereof, employing an Apostate judas for executioner therein, who hath been twice burnt in the hand, a wretched fellow, that even the Bishops and Star-chamber would have shamed to own. What freedom is there left, when honest & worthy Soldiers are sentenced and enforced to ride the horse with their faces reversed, and their swords broken overtheir heads for but Petitioning and presenting a Letter in justification of their Liberty therein: if this be not a new way of breaking the spirits of the English, which Strafford and Canterbury never dreamt of; we know no difference of things. A taste also of Liberty of Conscience they have given us in the Case of a worthy Member of your House; so as we may well judge what is like to follow, if their Reign continue. And as for Peace, whilst the supreme Officers of the Army are supreme in your House, in the Council of State, and all in all in the general Counsel of the Army, when the murtiall power is indeed supreme to the Civil Authority, what Peace can be expected; we profess we see no counsels tending to it, but hereof mighty and vast sums of money to be taxed upon the People per mensem, as if war were become the only trade, or as if the people were bound to maintain Armies whether they have trade or no; yea, whether they have bread or no.  
And as for the prosperity of the Nation; what one thing hath been done that tendeth to it? Nay, hath apy thing been done since they were in power? but what increaseth the rancour, hatred, and malice, which our late unhappy differences have begotten amongst us, as if they had placed their happiness and security in the total division of the People, nothing being offered by them, that hath any face of reconcitement in it, nothing of cheerfulness or general satisfaction, the mother of trade & plenty, that might take away the private remembrances and destinctions of parties, nothing indeed, but what tendeth to implacable bitterness of spirit, the mother of confusion penury, and beggary.  
Nay what sense of the heavy burden of the people have they manifested of late? hath it not been by their procurement that the Judges their Creatures have a thousand a year allowed to every one of them above the ordinary fees, which were ever esteemed a heavy oppression in themselves? is there any abridgement of the Charge, or length of time in trial of Causes? are they touched with the general burden of Tithes, that cankier of industry & Tillage? or with that of exize, which out of the bowels of labourers & poor people enriches the Usurers, & other Caterpillars of the Commonwealth: or what have they done to free trade from the intolerable burden of Customs, except the setting fresh hungry flies upon the old sores of the people? what one matterial thing did they offer unto you in their late Petition, which you gave them so many thanks for? terming their Desires modest & discreet; when it's evident by the contents, they did it only to stop the mouths of their Soldiers, & to amuse them into a pleasing dream, whilst they go on in their Design of absolute domination, & which should you in the least oppose, you would find their modesty no more towards you, then towards your excluded Members: In the mean time, where is their Charge against those Members? or why find they not who amongst them have conferred offices upon each other & upon their Creatures & relations? or who they were that gave so large Donations of thousands & hundreds per an. whilst the public faith is broken, and Families are ready to starve for emptying themselves to serve the public necessities; or why discountenance not they all those who have betrayed the trust of feoffs for Bishops & Delinquents lands & are purchasers themselves of great Estates for few year's purchases, the due value rightly considered; or why blame they not the L. chief justice, and L. chief Baron for keeping their places, which were conferred on them (and the like on others) by this House, when those members sat there, they have excluded? or why find they not out those perfidious persous that have made no Conscience of breaking the selfdenying Ordinance and persist therein? or is the reason visible why they have nothing to say against those sorts of men namely, because these are their own, and their creatures cases? Oh wretched England; that seethe, and yet suffereth such intolerable Masters. What can be expected from such Officers, who frequently manifest a thirst after the blood of such People, and Soldiers, as are most active for the common freedom, peace & prosperity of the Common wealth, & against whom they have nothing else to object: or what can be expected from such a counsel in the Army, as shall agree that the supreme Authority should be moved to make a Law, That that Counsel of Officers may have power to hang all such Persons (though not of the Army) as they should judge, were disturbers of the Army.  
Certainly these things cannot but manifest unto you their very hearts, their inward purposes and Intentions representing visibly before you and all the World, the most dangerous condition, that ever yet this Nation hath been in: And if there be any Conscience towards God or man to be found amongst you, the whole series & Progress of this our sad Representation is so fully known, and fresh in memory, that it is impossible, but it must work up-upon all amongst you that are not Copartners with them in their Design, or are not engaged (as the Lawyers are) in some corrupt Interest.  
But though this long betrayed and miserable Nation should prove so unhappy as that there should not be one found amongst you, to own these known Truths, which yet ring in every man's ears, throughout the Land; but through fear, or other vile respects, should shut your eyes against the light: it shall be so fare from inducing us to repent of what we have herein (or in our late Apprehensions) expressed, and set before you, that we shall rejoice above measure, that we have witnessed to the Truth; and against all those Delusions and perfidious Stratagems laid by those men to betray and enslave the Commonwealth, to their own Pride Ambition, Lusts, Covetousness, and Domination if not Dukeship, or Kingship; their Creatures discoursing of late, That the Power must be reduced to One: What their meaning is, time (if they be not hindered) will manifest: but the Premises duly weighed, doth evidence, what ere it be, it will be as bad, as bad possibly can be.  
And as we shall not altogether doubt of the appearance of some, in this Honourable House, that will conscionably perform that Supreme Trust which is really and essentially resident in your integrity; what ever may be suggested to the contrary: (it being not others treachery, nor any's violence, that can divest you of that Authority: but if you all should fail therein, as God forbidden yet we shall not doubt, but that what we have here presented, and published, will open the eyes, and raise the hearts of so considerable a number of the Souldiary and People in all places, and make them so sensible of the bondage and danger threatened, as that these men, this Faction of Officers, shall never be able to go through with their wicked intentions.  
It being an infinite shame that they should be suffered to proceed so fare therein, as they have done, there having been no party hitherto so inexcusable for it is possible, if not probablethat the King and his party might at first be induced to offend through error of breeding, long custom, and sway of times, (although that excuse neither him nor them) That Hollis, and that party, might at first be drawn into their violence, against people faithful to the Common wealth through an erroneous zeal against supposed Sectaries, and for uniformity in Presbytery (though that also but little extenuates their offence) but neither the one nor the other can be imagined to have transgressed against so evident light. nor against so many and great obligations of love, and great respects from the people as this party hath done; So that the in entions, and endeavours of these men, to enslave the Commonwealth or their continuing of burdens, without any remorse at the dearness of food, and and utter loss of trade, exceeds in the nature and measure of it, all the wickedness of both the other parties put together.  
And therefore upon due consideration of the premises, and in utter detestation of their most perfidious and treacherous dealing with the Army, Parliament and Commonwealth; we do in behalf of ourselves and all well-minded people, here before this Honourable House, as in the presence of Almighty God, protest against their breaking the saith of the Army with all parties, their dissolving the Council of the Agitators, and usurping a power of giving forth the sense of the Army to the Parliament and people also against the shooting of the Soldier to death at Ware, and their cruelties exercised on other persons, to the debasing of their spirits, and thereby new moulding of the Army to their own designs, then playing fast and lose with the King and his party, till they brought a new and dangerous War upon the Nation.  
We also protest against their dissembled repentances, as in no measure satisfactory for so abominable offences: we also protest against all their late extraordinary Proceed, in bringing the Army upon the City, (to the ruin of trade) there breaking the House in pieces without charging the Members particularly: And then judging and taking away of men's lives in an extraordinary way, as done for no other end, but to make way for their own absolute domination: we also protest against the Election and Establishment of those High-Courts of Justice, as unjust in themselves, and of dangerous Presidence in time to come: as likewise against the Council of State, and putting some of themselves therein contrary to their own Agreement: we also protest against all other the like meetings of those officers, that on Thursday the 22. of February last, voted for so bloody a Law, as to hang whom they should judge, disturbed the Army, (as having no power either by such Counsels, either to give the sense of the Army, or to judge any Person not of the Army, or to do any thing in reference to the Commonwealth, more than what any, so many fifty Soldiers or persons not of the Army have power and may lawfully do: though all the General officers were continually present:) these we protest against, as things unjust abominable and dangerous and declare that our present not seeking for Justice or relief therein, shall be no bar against us for the future, when we shall see cause to seek for Justice and relief therein.  
And for the truth of our Judgements herein: we should with gladness submit unto the determinations of this Honourable House, were not their High hand as yet held over you. And therefore we are enforced to appeal to a new Representive, equally chosen in such like manner, as is expressed in our serious apprehensions lately presented unto you, and do likewise desire that you would encourage the Army in choosing a Representative, consisting of select Persons, chosen by every Regiment of the Army, as at the first at New-market: and shall humbly pray that you will not any more receive the result of a few officers, as the sense of the Army: the officers of an Army having no more power to make Laws for an Army, than the officers of the Common Wealth to make Laws for the People; both of them being constituted only for the Discipline, and Government thereof. We hope you will proceed to further an Agreement of the People; according to our late desires in our serious Apprehensions, and also speedily take in hand and effect those other things therein desired, tending very much to the abrogation of the bondage intended.  
Thus have we once more unburdened our hearts before you, and faithfully discharged our duties to our Country, giving timely warning of the most dangerous thraldom and misery that ever threatened this much wasted Nation, and much we doubt not, will, by wisdom mixed with some honest resolutions, be timely prevented: which we shall exceedingly rejoice to see, that so after so many years of sorrow, the people may at length be comforted, and the Land enjoy her rest; and that all the world may be enforced to confess, That There is a reward for the righteous, and that there is a God that judgeth the earth.  
FINIS.