TWO PETITIONS Presented To His Excellency the Lord Fairfax.  
THE ONE By the Officers and Soldiers of the Garrisons of Newcastle, Tinmouth, Hartlepoole, Holy-Jsle: Together with several Officers of BARWICK then present.  
The other by the Officers and Soldiers commanded by Colonel HEWSON.  
The first presented at Windsor, Friday Novemb. 24.  
The second on Saturday Novemb. 25. 1648.  
LONDON, Prnted for John Partridge. 1648.   


TO His Excellency the Lord FAIRFAX; The humble and unanimous Petition and Representation of the Officers and Soldiers of the Garrisons of Newcastle, Tinmouth, Hartlepool, Holy-Isle, together with several Officers of Barwick then present;  
SHOWETHS,  
THat whereas the whole Kingdom hath groaned under the miseries of seven years unnatural bloody War, occasioned by the Kings deserting his Parliament, levying and marching in the head of an Army against them; which (though then principally imputed to the seducement of wicked Councillors,) yet was it adjudged by the Parliament, in their Votes of the 20. of May, 1642. to be a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his people, contrary to his Oath, and tending to the dissolution of this Government. But when we consider what latter times have produced, as that Declaration of the House of Commons, February 11. 1647. and the daily experience we have of him, we cannot but conceive. That although evil Councillors were very instrumental, yet that himself was and is the principal Author, Contriver, Abettor, Manager of all the Bloodshed, Massacres, Devastations, and whatsoever Ruins have befallen, not only this Kingdom, but also that of Ireland: And we are the rather induced to be of this opinion, in regard that no means possible have been left unessayed for the gaining him in; witness the several Treaties formerly had with him; the many Petitions, Propositions, so often tendered to him; and above all the late Treaty of forty days, which being after a total seclusion, for so many months, from all evil Councillors whatsoever, and after those solemn Votes of the Parliament cutting him off from all future hopes of having any thing to do with the Authority of this Kingdom; whereupon followed a Charge of many high Crimes; and being, by a special overruling hand of providence, disposed not to begin till God himself had spoke so loud from heaven unto him, by destroying all his carnal confidences in a most miraculous manner, as that of Kent, the Scots Army, and the rest; so that had not his heart been wholly shut up and obdurate, and himself resolvedly set upon the Destruction of the Kingdom, he could not but readily have yielded to all such things as might have tended to the common good: But we find, that he is still as averse as ever; and though some specious pretences are held forth to delude ignorant souls, yet really advantage is thereby made for the laying of a new design to bring about his former wicked intentions, as appears by the Princes continuing still in Rebellion, and the late transactions of Ormond in Ireland, not disavowed by the King; and withal considering, That all endeavours, for the bringing of other Instruments and Incendiaries to condign punishment, while the grand Delinquent is untouched, are to little purpose, as being not an acceptable Sacrifice to the Justice of God, to offer him aught else, while the Agag is spared; nor answerable, either to the true sense and equity of all former Declarations and Engagements to that purpose, (especially that of the Army, upon the Parliaments Votes of Non-addresses to the King,) or to the proper end and intention of them, which was not the Ruin, but the Preservation of the Kingdom.  
We therefore Your humble Petitioners, in consideration of the Premises, and encouraged thereunto by the long experience we have had of Your faithfulness and readiness to serve Your Country, do beseech Your Excellency, that You will now be pleased to show Yourself, and to use such means as may be effectual; That no further Application be made unto the King, but that, according to former Precedents in this Kingdom upon far less Crimes, he may be speedily called to answer to such Charges, as are, or shall be brought in against him; and so, Justice being done upon him, way will be made, with less difficulty and more success, for the prosecution of other Offenders, the prevention of future Insurrections, and firm settling the Kingdom in Peace and Safety.  
And we shall ever pray, etc. Signed by us the Officers of the said Garrisons with the joint consent of the Soldiers, etc. Presented to his Excellency the Lord Fairfax, Lord General, at Windsor, Friday Novemb. 24. 1648.   

TO The Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax, our noble and faithful General: The Petition of the Officers and Soldiers of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Hewson.  
Humbly Sheweth,  
THat whereas Your Excellency's approved, worth and fidelity have opened the doors and ears to admit and hear any thing, having tendency to the healing of this bruised and diseased Kingdom; we being many ways provoked to make a present address to the Representatives, know no better nor safer hand to convey it by then your own, which is so dear unto us: Therefore being more sadly sensible of the complaints from all parts, but especially these which seem to crack the axletree of all our hopes; viz. 1. A renewed design upon this Army, by forcing us to free quarter, still to make us the contempt and hissing of the people, though we crave your witness that we have not boggled very often, to make brick without straw, and born burden to the cracking of many faithful shoulders, and thereby fill your heart and ours with unspeakable grief, even almost reluctancies, to despair, had not your firm influence prevented our divisions, and thereby the Kingdom's ruin, which would have gratified the Devil, and our enemies, his instruments. 2. As English men we cannot but be sensible of the inconveniences of this late Treaty, whereby it is attempted to null all Contracts, Protestations, Votes, yea to our particular undertaking to bring Delinquents of all sorts to condign punishments, offering thereby more than a conquered; yet implacable enemy, could expect. 3. The exhausting the people's treasure by many ways, Offices and Officers, and no public account given thereof, rooted upon cursed selfseeking in some, maintaining the jealousies of many. 4. The Kingdom left naked without any settled Government, so often cried for; a Parliament rather being a medicine for mal-administrations, & an Instrument to make Laws with, than a proper Government, as all confess. 5. An inequality of punishments, censures, and compositions, as if we had no net made to catch the greater flies. 6. Oppression by Foreign un-englished Laws and Lawyers grown to swarms when the best ordered commonweals have the fewest of that brood, and who have been found by their increase a Pathagnomical Symptom of a crazy State, and Caclectick Commonwealth. 7. The slighting and contemptuous dealing with Petitioners and Petitions, whereby redress hath been sought to the people's Grievances; a practice as dangerous as unusual, in places where the preservation of the whole is in the eye and aim of trusties.  
We do therefore hearty and fully concur with our brethren in the Army, in their several just Petitions presented to your Excellency, calling for Justice, and just things, and the same we do with those in the City and Country, being the rather pressed hereunto, because our late employment hath made some of us eye and ear witnesses of the last transactions with the grand Enemy, and great abettor of Ormond in Ireland, his son in Holland, and any other party that hath but a sword to draw for his destructive designs, we know, and therefore speak.  

Wherefore we most humbly pray, that your Excellency would forthwith communicate these our sighs and restless breathe of our spirits to the Parliament. Viz.  
1. We cannot, we dare not make such a forfeiture of our unparelled mercies, nor betray our dear bought Freedom, as to leave ourselves and the Nation to the Freedom of one man's will most unhappy in the whole course of his reign, and now dashing this Kingdom into pieces again by his easily discerned subtleties.  
2. We desire all the faithful Patriots of the Commons House, may declare and protest against all men, under the same roof with them, that have so plainly betrayed the common safety by pardoning 30. of 37. that were appointed to death, and these 7. of no note, and but one within reach; for sending most of the rest as their Agents into France, and other parts, which they call banishment.  
3. We most earnestly beg, we may be governed and free I from fear of confusion and Anarchy by such a settlement as cannot be expected from 400. men so strangely chosen, and diversely affected: We wish to that purpose, that the Government of Venice, Holland, Switzerland, and other parts, may be examined, that we may not idolise any one Creature, nor never be any more at this charge, since of 25. Princes of this Nation many have been impeached and deposed by the sword of the people in the hands of their trusties.  
4. We expect that we be not voted against if we do not deliver up prisoners in our power upon those easy terms voted: We are not ignorant how it is designed, that this Army must be provoked to do evil things, and by those men who are vexed, we have done so many good.   
Dearest Sir, In the gaining of these, and other righteous things for the poor tattered Nation, we shall follow your Excellency through Rocks and Mountains of difficulty, or lose all in that work; for we having been so often dying, that we would choose once to die indeed, that our dear Native Country may Live.  
Presented to his Excellency at Windsor, Saturday, November 25. 1648.   
FINIS.