THE TRUE COPY OF A PETITION Promoted in the ARMY, And already presented to His Excellency The Lord General, BY The Officers and Soldiers of the Regiment under the Command of Commissary General JRETON.  
8ber the 19 th'. London, Printed in the year 1648.   

To his Excellency the Lord Fairfax our ever honoured General;  
The humble Petition of the Officers and Soldiers of the Regiment of Commissary General Ireton;  
SHOWETHS,  
THat although we are as earnestly desirous of a safe and well-grounded Peace, and that a final end were put to all the troubles and miseries of the Commonwealth, as any sort of men whatsoever: Yet considering,  
I. That there is no Justice done against, or trial of the Contrivers or Abettors of the Rebellion in Wales, Kent; that of Holland, Buckingham, and their Accomplices: or of the Confederates with the Apostate Scots: and indeed little Justice by the Parliament done upon any Offenders of that kind. By which we have too much cause to fear, that there may be a party in the Parliament abetting and corresponding with (if not guilty of) the same Designs.  
II. That notwithstanding the King hath betrayed the trust reposed in him, and raised War against this Nation to enslave it, violating his Oaths and trampling under foot our Laws, (than which no Engagement now taken can be more binding:) notwithstanding he is guilty of all the bloodshed in these intestine Wars, as may appear not only by the Declaration of the Parliament of England, and that of Scotland, but even by his own confession in his late agreeing to the Parliaments first Proposition: being also a person who was so far concluded uncapable to govern, that the Parliament voted no Address should be made to him. There is yet a prevalent party of his Creatures, who in Parliament, and elsewhere, act his Design, and endeavour to reinthrone him, and are (as we conceive) the Authors of our present Distractions.  
III. That through the evil Designs and Practices of the foresaid Party, the intolerable burden of Free Quarter is continued upon the people, notwithstanding the unreasonable taxes daily extorted from them, in the name of pay for the Army: By which means we are not only rendered odious to others, but a burden to ourselves, not being able to cloth ourselves, shoe our horses, or free our Arms.  
We therefore cannot think any thing can safely be done in order to a peace, until some speedy and effectual course be taken, which we humbly desire your Excellency will be pleased, to your utmost power, to endeavour,  
1. That there may be a strict scrutiny, for the more full discovery of such persons as were contrivers or encouragers of the Rebellions aforesaid, and that Justice speedily be executed on them according to the late Orders of Parliament.  
2. That impartial and speedy Justice may be done upon all criminal persons, and especially upon such as have or shall endeavour to obstruct the course thereof, or have betrayed their Trust, or been Authors of shedding that innocent blood, which calls to Heaven for Vengeance, that so we may be at peace with God.  
3. That the same fault may have the same punishment in the person of King or Lord, as in the person of the poorest Commoner.  
4. That all such may be proceeded against as Traitors, who act or speak in the King's behalf, till he shall be acquitted of the guilt of shedding innocent blood.  
5. That the Army may speedily have their pay, or a present course be taken against those who unjustly withhold it; and that they may have the Arrears due since January 15. before they be ordered to pay Quarters, and effectual provision made for the payment of former Arrears.  
6. That the intolerable oppression of free Quarter be immediately taken off, and that for the time to come, whilst there is necessity for an Army, there may be Assignations given to each Regiment, Troop and Company, which may be constant, during the Establishments of the Army, that the money may not pass from hand to hand till it is half embezzled, but be paid immediately from the Countries to the Soldiery, that so all free Quarter for ever avoided, it may return from the Soldier to the Countryman again  
And now fearing, lest the inveterate malice of our Adversaries should asperse us with a design to destroy Magistracy and propriety; we cannot but declare, that we shall constantly endeavour to defend them both with our lives and fortunes, and in expectation of your Excellency's favour in the Premises, we shall ever pray, etc.  
The great Necessities and pressing Grievances of the Soldiery have enforced us to make these out Addresses (by way of Petition) to the Lord General, for the redress of them; and knowing that our present undertake will ere long be presented to public view, the Officers in the Regiment, under the command of Commissary General Ireton, by whose appointment this is already presented to his Excellency the Lord General, have (to prevent any prejudice, which otherwise might accrue to our present proceed, by any false or mistaken Copy, surreptitiously gotten and published in their name) desired me to print the same, with the name of an Officer of each Troop subscribed, in the behalf, and at the request of the Officers and Soldiers of the said Regiment, that so the Reader may be the better satisfied.  


Anthony Morgan.  
Samson Tongood.  
james genning's.  
jervice jefferis.  
William Rauce.  
Henry Clare, junior.  
H. C.    
FINIS.