To His EXCELLENCY, The LORD GENERAL CROMWELL: And all the honest Officers and Soldiers in the Army, for the Common-w*ealth of ENGLAND.  
The Humble Remonstrance of many Thousands in and about the City of London, on the behalf of all the Free-Commoners of England.  
SHOWETHS,  
THat the 22 of March 1648, the Parliament declared, That they were trusted by the people, for the Common good, and to procure the well-being of those whom hey serve; and to remove Oppression and Arbitrary power, and all oppositions to the peace and freedom of this Nation; and that they intent the common Interest of those whom they serve, more than their own particulars: And they than promised the due reformation of the Law, for the taking away of corruption and abuses, delays, vexations, and unnecessary travel and expenses, and whatsoever should be found really burdensome to the people, that evil might be punished, and the good rewarded, and the people be eased in their burdens and Taxes, and the debts of the Common wealth be justly satisfied. But alas, with grieved hearts we have long expected some fruit of their promises, and that multitude of days should utter knowledge: Yet all in vain, insomuch that we can no longer forbear, but show our grievances for they are many and intolerable. My Lord, there was a time, when your Excellency and our unparalleled Army was in a low condition, and in your straits, you affirmed that you called upon God, and he heard you and delivered you in your distress; sure God was pleased with you in that for he gave your enemies into your hands, and settled the soles of your feet in peace gave you large possessions, houses that you built not: was all this that you only might live in peace, ease and rest, and say you have married Wives, have Farms, Parks, Manors, and Kingly houses to see; and forget the vows you then made? surely no. Are the people free? is perfect liberty wrought for them? or are your vows quite forgotten? Is not the safety of the people the supreme Law? Nay, are not you the people's Army, and have they not paid you? Are your promises yet performed? Why are you so remiss in the work of the Lord? why do the people yet complain? Is not justice as necessary now, as when the Parliament began? Our eyes have been upon you, but our hope is in God; and though we be yet clouded, and in the dark, yet deliverance will come, and we shall not be deceived.  
And though the sons of Zerviah have seemed too strong for you; yet if your Excellency now appear, all the honest members, which have not bowed their knees to Baal, will to a man second you, and make good every syllable of that Declaration, and revive the self denying Ordinance, and scorn to sit with a company of mercenary Lawyers, who poison the counsels of the Parliament, and turn justice and judgement to gall and wormwood, merely to enrich themselves by the ruin of the people. Then your Excellency and those honest Members may forthwith pass an Act, to authorise the Justices of peace, to keep a Court in their several Counties, twice a week, in the most convenient place in each County, to hear and determine all matters of debt, titles of lands, and other civil differences, the same day they be brought before them, and put the people to no more charge, but their attendance, according to the practice of the Court of Requests, London, sitting in Guild-Hall, by virtue of an Act of Parliament, made in the third year of King james, and the 25 Chapter.  
Then your Excellency and those honest Members may forthwith pass the annexed Act, to authorise Commissioners of known fidelity, for the speedy examination and redress of all the people's grievances; though the several Committees appointed by Parliament, have done little or nothing therein. And then we shall see an Act to settle an Annual equal Representative, and Indentures drawn between the Representors, and the Representative Counties, that we may no longer trust in man; but have it known to the world, that the people are the Legislative power, and that all that are entrusted by them, must act for them, and be accountable to them: Surely then may there be found men of such pure principles, that will not forget the selfdenying Ordinance, nor be seduced by the Clergy to act in Spirituals, when their Commission is for Temporals. Then shall those faithful persons who hazarded all for the Parliament, and many of them lent more than their whole Estates, and now live in prison, nay, starve for want of it; not to be put to uncover Cathedrals, and ransack the Monuments of the dead; but be honestly paid with thanks and requitals. Then should not the Public Faith be out-pawned, and so little care taken to redeem it, whilst Millions of Treasure hath been conveyed beyond the seas.  
Then should there be a new little Book of only useful Statutes, portable, that those that should keep them may know them; and not a Voluminous Idol, the study of Lawyers their whole life time, to teach the people at great cost, and with the hazard of their lives. Then shall justice be done at the charge of the State, as of old, the poor fear no bribes, and the people's whole inheritance not spent every hundred year, or less, in tedious and useless suits in Law, without account or punishment. Then should not poor Soldier's Debenters be sold for a Twentieth part, and the benefit of the reft redound to their enemies. Nor the honest Soldier pay twice for his quarter, whilst your bloody enemies are forgiven plunder and outrages. Was not this the price of their blood? and woe be to him that erecteth a City by blood, etc. Nor the honest Soldier that would not do all things, laid aside without place or pay, and starve for want thereof; whilst unworthy persons are employed both by sea and land, in very great trust, to the losing the Honour of the Nation, gotten by the blood and treasure of those who are now laid aside. Nor should the honest sufferer for the Parliament be left without all provision, as if they had no bodies promise for it. Nor should there be a five pound Act, a mere deceit, as it is now used, while men of Estates lie in the upper Bench, and other prisons, and cheat the people, and their Lands unsold. Nor the poor distressed Protestants of Ireland, that lost their Estates, and fled hither for their lives, starve here, and no account rendered of the moneys that was collected for them, both in England and elsewhere; and many of their bloody Enemies suffered to be released out of prison.  
Then should the head of no Injustice stand upon any shoulders, since for that the late King lost his. Then should perjuries, forgeries, and briberies, which are grown to a great head amongst us be punished, though the Committee do little or nothing therein. Nor should Death be inflicted for a trifle of five shillings, (a thing called Felony) whilst vast sums are taken from the Commonwealth, without any account, by Committee-men, and others. Then should the poor be provided for, both in Gaols, and without, at least by their own; and poor Seamen invited home, by certainty of pay, and assurance of a competent share of the prize-good, and liberty to adventure five pounds a man, or more, according to their place and quality, in every Merchant's ship, as in Queen Elizabeth's days: this will endear them unto the States; and Lenity doth break more hearts than Sequestration. Then should Timber, the sinews of war by Sea, be planted and preserved; and not sold to the Hollanders. Then should Esquire Elsliott, and Edward Jinks not be stifled in that infamous prison of Newgate; but be enforced to make good their Charges against the several Members, or be punished severely.  
My Lord, many of us were of this army under your own command, we fought for our liberties, our blood, & our estates are in it, and we are witnesses that your Excellency promised it unto us, and so did the Parliament; what can be answered in this case? for when you wanted power, our lives was not dear to us, and now you have power, our lives and liberties ought to be dear to you and them, and not suffer us to starve through oppression; is not this the time? the work is great; the children of Anack are mighty men, and have Cities walled high; yet fear them not; for the good land is before your Excellency; and if you will not enter in before us, but murmur, your Carcases may be slain in the wilderness, or you may be stung with fiery Serpents; and yet deliverance shall come, for the spirits anointing caused the people to destroy the yoke of the late King; and God hath promised, hat the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy, shall tread down them that dwell on high; Esa. 10.27. Esa. 26.5.6. would you have us think that God seethe not injustice in a Commonwealth as well as in a Kingly Government, or that our freedom consisteth in having the name of privilege of Parliament, instead of Kingly Prerogative, or The Keepers of the Liberties of England, instead of Charles by the Grace of God, etc. notwithstanding the same injustice and arbitrary power remaineth, nay and is much increased; for shame up and be doing; we beseech you consider what will become of your posterities too, as well as ours; let no man take your honour from you, nor delude you, and lay your honour in the dust: for we profess to all the world, that whatsoever injustice, whatever we want of perfect freedom, and liberty, what blood is not expiated, what treasure is misspent, all our complaints are before your Excellency, and the army, and must remain with you, and be charged upon you; therefore if you will rise like a mighty Giant refreshed with wine, and scorn a gift that blinds the eyes of the wise, and pervert the righteous in judgement, and go forth in the strength of our God, then shall the work of the Lord prosper in your hands. But if you will not, but say there is a Lion in the way, and forget your vows and promises, and lead us back again into Egypt; and say, the same old Kingly spirit in a new name shall reign; we shall be enforced to cease from your Excellency, and lift up our eyes to the hills, and expect deliverance some other way. O how can we expect to have injustice in superiors punished speedily, and not left to succeeding Parliaments, and men starve the mean while in prison; when every man is left to act arbitrarily, and men accused of Treason, suffered to sit in the house? nay some of us, will with our lives make good, that there be some in the house that are utter enemies to the peace and safety of the Nation. O how shall we be able to discern our friends from our foes in the house, except the faithful Members do declare their protest to the people whom they serve, against all those that act contrary to their trust, oppugning the law of God, the law of the land, and the law of nature; for we humbly conceive this is the ready way to ease them and you of your endless trouble, and secure the Commonwealth from future dangers and miseries; for do we not see with what extreme difficulty, you produce any thing that looketh like justice? and how can we expect that the grievances of the people should be redressed, when an eminent Member of the House and Council of State, professed he would oppose the discovery of the grievances, both in house and Council of State, when there was offered four millions to have it done? as witness the ensuing engagement.  
To the Right Honourable the Council of State.  
Right Honourable,  
WE whose names are under written, out of a desire to discharge a good conscience, and zeal to promote the good and welfare of this our native country, do hereby engage our lives and fortunes; to produce and prosecute such discoveries of notorious treacheries, & concealment of public treasures and lands, as will probably raise, at the least four millions of treasure, for the use of the State; which we conceive may be for the constant pay of the army, and prevent the selling of thsir arrears at under rates, and to ease the grieved and discontented people of this Nation, from all assessments whatsoever, for the space of four years next ensuing; provided, that this honourable Council be pleased forthwith to draw up the form of an Act, to authorise Commissioners for the examination of all manner of grievances whatsoever, and all direct or indirect concealment of public treasure, and present the same to the Parliament for the speedy passing thereof, before any further adjournment or any Act of general pardon be concluded; and likewise that this honourable Council would be pleased to afford from time to time an effectual assistance in the prosecution of the aforesaid discoveries, for the good of the Cmmonwealth, the better to endear the affections of the people to the Parliament, Army, Navy, and this honourable Council, in the initiation of this present government.  
Given under our hands this 4th of September, 1649. 

William Pendred,  
john Bernard,  
jeffery Corbet,  
Devereux Gardioner,  
William Hill,  
William Bernard.  
William Reex,  
Miles Arendale.  
Robert Coalman.  
William Harrison,  
Henry Mallow,    
Can any men be so void of reason, as to persuade us that they can be true to their trust, who act so contrary to the safety of the nation, and refuse such an offer as this? doth it not declare that they are guilty persons? we beseech you Gentlemen consider, that God will not be mocked (Galat. 6.7.) though you and the corrupt members of the house, have very sufficiently mocked this nation for divers years past, feeding us with shals and shals; but truly we never knew good words fill the bellies of the hungry, nor  the backs of the naked. Oh how have we been betrayed both by sea and land! and when men eat the light, it is because their deeds are evil, john 3.19, 20, 21. and hence it is, that so many do oppose a new Representative; how can any rational man think it safe to confide in such unfaithful trusties, who neither discharge their trust reposed in them, nor make conscience of their oaths nor promises, in paying their debts; but let the most faithful friends of the Commonwealth, lie starving in all corners of the Commonwealth? and yet they can take care to provide for our enemies, by an Act of free pardon. O how do these, and a multitude of other actions declare their unfaithfulness! certainly they are not the men whom we chose; if they be we were deceived in them, and will no longer trust in them, but will have all Traitors, Cheaters, Arbitrary actors, and betrayers of their trust, called to a strict account, that so many industrious families may not starve through oppression; the Prophet telleth us, that Christ is just, Zachary 9.9. therefore we will never own any other King but him, he shall be our King and our Lawgiver, and at his feet will we sacrifice our lives, and all that is dear unto us, Esay 33.22. james 4.12. therefore all those that are for Christ and justice, let them declare themselves, that we may know and own them, and then we shall adhere to them even from Dan to Beer-sheba; for we are resolved, that all those that have been faithful in the House, Army, Navy, and Commonwealth, by owning of Christ, and standing for Justice, shall be had in singular honour, and shall shine like stars in the firmament; and those that stand for Antichrist, in the opposing justice, or oppressing the people, shall like clods of dirt, or unsavoury salt, be thrown to the dunghill, and there remain, Matth. 5.13. for we do clearly see that we are sold to the bloody Butchers of Rome, but we are resolved we will not be delivered up to them.  
Therefore we beseech you, before it be too late, to go with us to the House door, and not departed thence, till we have an Act for a Committee, to discover and redress the grievances of the Commonwealth, that so those that have betrayed their trust, and sold us to Antichrist, may reap the fruit of their treachery; for these men, as they stand corrupted, will never let us have a new Representative: How many months, nay, years we think, have they spent in contriving a way for a new Representative, and will not do it? But we doubt not, but a Committee of upright  men, will quickly find out the achan's, and the execrable things; which will so unite us together in love, and raise such a vast Bank of treasure, and perpetual revenue, as will make this Nation a terror to the whole earth; and then our trusties may carry on the work of the Nation with ease and cheerfulness. And we do hearty beseech you, as you tender the safety of your own persons, families, estates, and this whole Commonwealth, that you do forthwith call a General Council, that so we may not be betrayed in our discoveries, nor destroyed for our fidelity to our Country: And then we shall discover a most dangerous design, tending to the destruction both of Army, and Commonwealth; For God hath made the hearts of those men fat, and their ears heavy, that they will not hear the cry of the poor, Esay 6.10. Therefore they shall cry, and not be heard, Prov. 21.13. They are Physicians of no value; they will not cure us, but rather make our wounds deeper and wider: But the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing on his wings, Mal. 4.2. and all Nations, people, or persons, that will not submit to his Government, and let him rule over them, shall be destroyed, Luk. 19.27. Esa. 60.12. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch, Mal. 4.1.  
And now my Lord, and Gentlemen all, we do humbly spread these things before you, conceiving our condition just parallel with Paul's, when the ship was between Sylla and Charybdis; and as we know you in your full condition, swimming in prosperity, cannot be without strong temptations; neither can you conceive, that we can be free from the like, and greater; for you know what oppression will make wise men do, Eccles. 7.7. Therefore if we in our sinking condition shall catch at any thing, hoping to be delivered by it, & if it prove to be our destruction; we do appeal unto God, Angels and Men, whether you shall not answer for all the blood which shall be spilt upon this account, or no? For we dare call the most High God to record, our onsciences also witnessing with us, that we have nothing in our eye, but the preserving of this nation from perpetual slavery, or from sudden destruction by unsatiable, bloody monsters: & so we do commit both you, & these lines into the hands of that God, who is able to give them such a setting on upon your spirits, that both sleep and food shall departed from you, until you by joining with us, have put us into a safe posture.  
FINIS