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• Council of the Camden Society For the Year 1890-91.
• Preface.
• The Clarke Papers.
• [ Letters From a Correspondent In London to a Friend In the Army. ]
• A Narrative of the Proceedings At Saffron-walden Since the Commissioners of Parliament Came Thither Concerning the Sending of Part of This Army Into Ireland.
• [ News-letter From London. ]
• [ News-letters From Saffron-walden. ]
• [ List of the Strength of the Army In Officers and Men. ]
• The Proceedings of the Army Under the Command of His Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, Commencing May 1st, 1647.
• [ a Circular Letter to the Commanders of the Different Regiments. ]
• Letter Sent to the Collonells Or Cheife Officers of the Respective Regiments.
• [ News-letter From Saffron Walden. ]
• Advertisements For the Managing of the Councells of the Army. D
• Letter From a
• Relation From Walden.
• Letter From London.
• [ a Letter From London. ]
• [ Narrative of the Proceedings of Skippon and the Commissioners At Saffron Walden, May 6, 7, 1647 B ].
• [ Petition Enclosed In the Preceding Narrative ].
• Copie of the Letter From the Officers to the 8 Regiments.
• At the Convention of Officers At the Church In Saffron Walden Satturday May 15: 1647.
• Severall Speeches of Major Generall Skippon and Other Officers At the 2 D Meeting In Walden.
• ( the 4 Officers Advised Together. )
• ( the Letter Read. )
• Lettre From the Troopers In Sir Robert Pies Regiment.
• Heads of Proceedings In Walden Church. Sunday, 16 May, 1647. B (the Votes of Parliament Read.)
• [a Declaration From the Agitation of Eight Regiments of Horse.]
• To General Fairfax.
• Lettre From Sexby C to the Agitators.
• A Letter to the Agitators.
• Letter to the Agitators. B
• Letter From the Agitators to the Severall Regiments.
• [ Letter From the Agitators of Horse to the Horse In the North. ]
• Letter to the Agitators. B
• Letter From the 4 Officers to Mr. Speaker.
• The Heads of a Report to Be Made to the Honourable House of Commons By Lievtennant Generall Cromwell and Collonell Fleetwood In the Name of Themselves and the Best of the Officers In the Army and Members of That House Lately Sent Downe to the Army Whose N
• [ Letter to the Agitators. ] a
• Letter From Collonell White to the Generall a
• Lettre From a [         ] to the Agitators.
• [ Sir Thomas Fairfax to Field Marshal Skippon a .]
• Lettre From Derby House to the Generall.
• [ Letter From the Committee At Derby House to Sir T. Fairfax. ]
• [ to Sir Thomas Fairfax From the Committee At Derby House. ]
• [ Sir Thomas Fairfax to the Committee At Derby House. ]
• [ News-letter From London. a ]
• [ News-letter From London. ]
• [ a Letter From Cornet Joyce. C ]
• [ a Letter From Cornet Joyce. a ]
• [ a Letter From York. ]
• [ Colonel Whalley to Sir Thomas Fairfax. ] a
• [ Letter From Collonell Whalley to Sir Thomas Fairfax. a ]
• [ News-letter From Newmarket. a ]
• [ John Cosens to Alderman Adams. ]
• [ Letter to Skippon From Some One In the Army. ]
• [ Letter From Major Twistleton to His Excellencie. ]
• [ General Fairfax to Major Twistleton. ]
• [ Letter From Sir Thomas Fairfax to Collonell Whalley. ]
• [ Letter Intend [ Ed ] to Severall Counties Concerning the Armies Engagements. ]
• [ News-letter From London. ]
• [ News-letter From London. C ]
• [ News-letter From London June 14.]
• [ News-letter From London. ]
• [ Letter From the Earle of Warwick to the Generall ].
• [ the King to Sir T. Fairfax ].
• Letter to the Gentlemen of Severall Shires.
• Letter to Collonell Whalley [ From Sir Thomas Fairfax. a ]
• Letter to Collonell Whalley From Barkhamsted.
• [ News-letter From London to Sir T. Fairfax. ]
• [ Letter From General Poyntz to His Officers ].
• [ General Poyntz to Col. Lionel Copley. ]
• [ Fairfax to the Agitators of the Regiments of the Northern Association. a ]
• Passages the First Day of the Treaty.
• A Paper Read By Mr. Scawen With These Desires:
• First Paper Delivered By Our Commissioners ( After the Alteration Made to the Exception to the 2 D Offer ).
• [ News-letter From London. ]
• [ News-letter From London. ] a
• [ Letter From the Agitators Into Wales. ]
• [ Sir Thomas Fairfax to the Speaker of the House of Commons. ]
• [ News-letter From York. ]
• [ Letter From the Agitators In Yorkshire to Fairfax. ]
• [ Letter From the Agitators In the Northern Army to Fairfax. ]
• [ Letter From Fairfax to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of York. ]
• [ Articles Against General Poyntz. ]
• Representation of the Agitators Presented At the Generall Councill of Warr July 16, 1647.
• The Propositions Read. B
• [ News-letter From Head-quarters. ]
• [ Order Appointing Certain Officers to Perfect the Proposals of the Army. ]
• [ Order For Appointing a Committee of Officers. ]
• [ Letter From London, July, 26.]
• [ Speaker Lenthall to Sir Thomas Fairfax. ]
• [ News-letter From the Army ]
• [ the Earl of Warwick to Sir T. Fairfax. ]
• [ Major Huntington to Sir T. Fairfax. ]
• The Answer of the Agitators Read. a
• The Paper Called the Agreement Read.
• Att the Committee of Officers Appointed By the Generall Councill.
• [ Desires of the Army. ]
• [ Letter to a Commander In the North of England. ]
• Letter From Col. Robert Hammond.
• Appendix.
• Appendix A.: Colonel Wogan’s Narrative.
• Appendix B.: the Examination of the Three Troopers Who Delivered the Letter of the Soldiers to Major General Skippon, April 30, 1647.
• Appendix C.: A Letter of Col. Richard Grevis to Sir Philip Stapleton.
• Appendix D.: A List of the Agitators Elected In 1647.
• Appendix E.: Proceedings In the Council of the Army Between Nov. 3 and Nov. 8, 1647.
• Report of the Council of the Camden Society, Read At the General Meeting On the 2 Nd May, 1891.

Passages the first day of the Treaty.

Wickham, July 2nd, 1647.

At a Treaty at Wickham then begunne at the Katherine Wheele,

Present,

The Instructions of the Commisssioners and severall votes of the House concerning the army read.

It was moved by the Commissioners of the Parliament That Mr. Marshall and Mr. Nye might be present at the Debate.

A long debate about that and whether the Agitators should be admitted to sitt there or noe.

Inclinable to neither for diverse reasons.

Inclinable only if they desired to be at any particular debate.

Reasons against admitting them.

A dissatisfaction and discontent to the Agitators.

For admitting them.

Query. That it should be proposed that our Commissioners should have two in liew of them.

A Paper read by Mr. Scawen with these Desires:

I. That the meeting shall from time to time, but at such places and at such times as shall be mutually agreed on by both parties.

Moved for the conveniencie of a meeting place at the head Quarters.

Desired the Quarter Master Generall may take notice of itt.

1. That the meeting of the Commissioners shall be from time to time, by the mutuall agreement of the Commissioners or upon the desires of either party respectively, at such place within the Head Quarters. . . . .

Colonel Lambert.

Query whither or noe they can debate upon what the Army shall now desire or according to what they have desired.

Sir Thomas Widdrington.

Iff wee propound some things at one meeting and then have others come at the next it will be a worke of labour.a

Wickham, Katherine Wheele, July 2nd, 1647.

At the Treaty (2nd meeting) in the afternoone.

First Paper delivered by our Commissioners (after the alteration made to the exception to the 2d offer).

Wee desire to treate first upon the first head in the representation of the Army concerning the purging of the Houses, in order to which wee propose:

1. That a speedy and effectuall course may be taken for the purging of the Houses of all such members as, for any delinquency in relation to the late Warre since his Majestie’s setting upp his standard at Nottingham, ought not by Ordinance or Declaration of Parliament to sitt there, by laying some considerable penaltie upon any that being soe guilty shall continue to sitt there.

[News-letter from London.]

Sir,

Your removing further from London makes the cittizens smile; yet your freinds knowe not what to thinke on’t, and some doubts there be that you are held in play with faire words only, till they be fitt to court you with other language. Wee know not what meanes the eager listing of Horse and auxilaries in London, under pretence to keepe the lyne, the Preists railing against you in their Pulpitts to purpose, and Mr. Ward Fast day before the House of Commons worse then Edwards his Gangrena.a “If the wheeles turnes thus,” sayes Ward, “I knowe not whether Jesus Christ or Sir Thomas Fairfax bee the better driver;” gallant doctrine! The House gave him noe thankes for his sermon, nor (which hee better deserved) any cheque that I heare of. Fryday the generall expectation is that you gave in a particular charge against the members. If you strike not that home you will loose much of your creditt, or hardly at all be credited for the future. Sir John Maynard sweares you are all rebelles and traytors, and Mr. Recorder they say will plead with the innocentest and bring his accusers to shame. Collonell Massie’s former gallantry will acquitt him before all the world, and Hollis and Sir Philipp Stapleton are men beyond your reach to deale withall: these and more are the comon discourses in London. I pray mind well the 9 heads to the King printed,b something must speedily be done in vindication or you will suffer much.

London, July 3^d, 1647.

Reading, Generall’s Quarters, July 5^o, 1647.

Ordered by his Excellencye and the Councill of Warre that

with Mr. John Rushworth secretary, and 4 Souldyers Agitators, doe repaire to Colebrooke to meet the Lawyers about the charge and that they or any seaven or more of them (whereof 5 to be Captaines or of superiour quallitie), to agree upon the charge, and to appoint the persons, manner and time for the presenting of it to the House in behalfe of his Excellency and the whole Army.a

Information given by Sir Francis Pile a member of the House to Lieutennant Colonel Bowen.

1. That there are 16000 listed for Souldiers in and about the Citty: 2000 of them being listed by a Lieutennant who was this afternoone inquired after and sent for to the House.

2. That the debate this afternoone was about sending out the Reformadoes into Kent, where it is thought the Scotts doe intend to land, and in case they doe not the Apprentices doe purpose to present a Petition in a tumultuous way to inforce them to it. And further they give out that they will have the King to London whether the Army will or noe, and also [prevent] the expulsion of the Members from the House.

That there are persons of quallitie sent into the country for the raising of forces.

July 6, 1647.

Certaine Informations and particular proofes of the late abuses committed by the present Militia of London.a

That about the beginning of May last Lieutennant Colonel Petit of Snow Hill being sumoned before the Comittee for the militia of the Citty of London, at which time Mr. Alderman Gibbs had the chayre, who declared unto him that the Committee had conferred the office of a Lieutennant Collonell upon him, and further told him that hee was to take notice hee must fight against all mallignants, sects and sectaries and all Godly persons that shall come to oppose the Citty; to which the Lieutennant Collonell replyed, Gentlemen, I thought you had all of you professed Godlynesse, for my part I doe, and therefore shall not engage against any godly man. Whereupon Mr. Alderman Gibbs or some other of the Militia then answered, that their meaning was, that if any out of pretence of Godlynesse should come to oppose them that hee should fight against such, or words to this effect.

Affirmed by Lieutennant

Collonell Pettitt.

About the 21^th of June last Lieutennant Colonell Shambrooke was put out of his command by the Militia of the Citty of London upon these grounds that hee differ’d in judgment from them and that hee was of a particular Congregation; this Sir John Wolleston and Collonell West did affirme was the ground.

William Shambroke.a

About the time aforesaid Lieutennant Curtis of Walbrooke Ward was put out of his command for being an Independent, the Militia sayd they would have none of that judgment in comand.

Affirmed by Captn. Cox.

Mr. Parr.

Mr. Rosier.

In the month of June last, Alderman Adams having the chayre, divers Comanders of the Citty were summoned before the Militia, amongst whome was Major Abell, to whome it was propounded whether or noe they would all stand as one man for the safety of the Parliament and the Citty against all tumults and such as should come against them in a hostile manner, the said Major Abell affirming hee knewe of noe Army that would oppose the Parliament or Citty, notwithstanding hee could engage his life for the safetie of the Citty or the just priviledges of Parliament; this being said hee was dismist his Comand, noe cause being showne except for his difference in judgment.

Affirmed by Edward Abell.

That the Comittee of the Militia for the Citty of London have put forth of the subcomittee for the Militia of Southwark divers persons of approved fidelitie and trust, only for difference in judgment, and have placed in their roomes such as were and still are looked upon as Malignants.

Witnessed by Thomas Cooper and

Mr. Highland.

That the aforesaid Committee did put out of Commission Captaine Thompson, a man of knowne fidelitie adventureing his life at the releife of Gloucester, and have put in his roome one Edward Walles, who being Lieutennant to the said Captaine Thompson laid downe his Commission refusing to goe forth to the releife of Gloucester, and since neither at home or abroad hath done anything for the service of the kingdome. And that the said Walles now being Captaine hath to his Lieutennant one Henry Hardcastle, who said hee would prove that Sir Thomas Fairfax was a Rogue, a Raschall, and base fellowe.

Will Jolly.

Henry Robinson.

Witnes Doctor Trigge.

Pennitent Piggott.

Nathaniell Ible.

Gidion Rogers.

Jo: Levett.

That Captaine Wane, one who lately deserted this Army, being now put into Commission by the Militia in the Regiment of the blew Auxilleries to be a Captaine, did say there would not be soe much ware in their shopps if the Army came to London, and said to Will Pepiatt, Ensigne, that if hee would not fight against the Army hee should be noe officer of his; for, hee said, hee knew more of the Army then any there present.

Witnes Robert Burgis, Lieut.

Jo: Fardin.

That the Comittee of the Militia did put out Colonell George Langham, a man of approved fidelitie in times of greatest difficulty, and put in his place Colonel Thomas Clarke, one that sayd that if the Army should come neere London, if other men were of his mind they should march through their blouds.

Witnes Samuell Blaiklocks. and E. P.

That by the aforesaid Committee one Captaine Maizy was put forth of his command for stopping and breaking open the Scotch Letters in May last, though the thing was approved and hee acquitted by the House of Commons; yet Alderman Bonch said it was a Jesuetticall plott to kepe him in.

Francis Mazy.

That Captaine Wilkes, one whose fidelitie was approved, hee having twice adventured his life in the feild, but because hee was an Independant, Aldermann Bunch sayd itt was a Jesuetticall plott to keepe him in, therefore hee was voted out of his place by the Committee.

Tymothy Wilkes.a

That upon Fryday the 2d of July there was order given forth by the Militia for the listing of all Prentices and others which were not of the trayned Bands, if fitt to beare armes.

John Braine, Constable.

The names of those Members of the Committee of the Tower Hamletts that were putt out by the Comittee of the Militia of the Citty of London, which men were ever approved to be honest, active men for the Parliament and faithfull to the state and Kingdome.

In their places there are put in

all of them disaffected men that never lent penny unto the publique but what they were forced unto.

Witnessed by Justice Hubborn.

Coll. Willouby.

Mr. Waterton.

[News-letter from London.]a

The Members came into the House this day, which some expected. The charge not touched upon, because our freinds expected that some of the members should begin to them. This afternoon the papers sent up from the Army prevented their debate upon the charge, and the House thus farr proceeded, and they have fully declared, that for the Reformadoes, or such as pretend to be such, that they shall be gone out of Town by the 15th of this instant upon penalty of loosing their Arrears, and 3 months imprisonment.

For Members of the House it’s so prepared, that it’s likely to pass to morrow morning the first business, with a sound penalty.

For the discharging the Soldiers assigned for Ireland, it’s referred to Derby House to dispatch it, and those of that Committee withdraw this afternoon on purpose.

The charge to be taken into debate to morrow morning.

The Lords sent down a Letter to the Commons for their concurrence for removing the Chaplains, and to certify the reasons of the obstructions. This is sent to the Commissioners attending the King. Wee do believe that it’s a design to sett us altogether by the ears, which honest men, out of passion are too apt to swallow; and your Letter to that business of the Chaplains &c. being not come to our hand, our freinds (tho’ prepared by us according to the directions in Collonell Fleetwood’s letter) did not think good to speak against it; some freinds that are temperate and most considerable do allow of the thing, but to be done without your Letter to the House.a

Wee can not but think that such is the influence of some persons in the Lords and Commons House, as they will never cease till they have brought you to declare, and so to break you upon one rock or another. Tis a good resolution must carry you through this and other difficultys, and in this our own principles give us a full encouragement.

We received your particulars this day and have consulted with your best freinds; if the Commons upon the full debate fall not upon suspition[?] the officers will move it in the name of the Army to morrow

You must be more speedy in your business, and all men say, that if your dispatch be noe better you will run into infinite hazards.

Your trusty and good freind Lilburne is printing his [letter] against Rich and the Abbott and me, and saith in so many words (to Captaine White of the Tower) that he had rather cutt Sir Harry Vane’s throate than Hollis’s. It was in some bodys power to have quench’d this fire (we speak not as to our own particulars) while it was a spark, which perhaps in time may grow too great to be quenched.

London, Thursday night late [July 8]a

[Letter from the Agitators into Wales.]

Honoured and Noble Friends and fellow Soldiers,

It being a time of contest for the just libertys of this Kingdom and Dominion annexed, with those unjust persons by whom they have been endeavoured to be subverted, wee, conceiving you lying under many of the same pressures as we doe, and so have just cause of complaint, and if so as little hopes of being heard as we have had, whose just petitions have been obstructed and we declared against as enemys to the State, and our fellow subjects have had theirs burnt; all which shews how they and we have been slighted in our most humble addresses, which to us seems to be the highest infringment of our undoubted priviledges that ever was by any acted professing to maintain them; and when our most clear and fundamentall priviledges shall be deneyed us, what may wee or can we expect? And whether all our lesser rights may not and be not at the present, by the arbitrary acting of these men totally cutt off, we leave you to judge. Especially considering the time when this was done; even immediately after the dear redemption of those precious priviledges out of the hand of our former enemys, with the expence of so much blood and treasure; and that in this very juncture of time, when we were expecting to see and reap the fruit of all our weary travails, they by this should in effect tell us, and the Kingdom with us, we should never reap any of them, but that we who had fought to sett our Selves and a Kingdom free should now in the issue be more compleatly slaves than ever, not having so much liberty as to petition in case of greivances. And thus are we dealt with, and while an Army having power in our hands, and they occasion to make further use of us; therefore you need not wonder tho’ you hear of such actings amongst us which at first view may seem strange, yet assure your selves that we are but acted by the very same principall we were at the first, by which we then endeavoured to keep our selves and the kingdom from being ruined by the exorbitant actings of prerogative Power, and shall still oppose the like power in any acting to the like ends; and this is all we aim at and are acting towards at this day, that the unjust oppressions lying upon the subjects of this Kingdom and other parts adjoyning might be removed, and that the just rights of all estates and persons therein might be restored, settled, and maintained, and this we desire and endeavour for every individuall person thereof. Which as soon as we have attained, according to the ends for which we were at first raised, we shall with all readiness and willingness lay down arms, or make use of them elsewhere, as the Parliament shall think fitt; but not till then can we in order to our own and the Kingdom’s safety. And thus have we thought fitt to communicate our condition to you (dear Friends) that so you might rightly inform your selves and others to the end you might still, (as formerly to your honour you have had) a share in pleading and maintaining of the just freedom of the nation at such a time when they were so much in question; and (truly) then to come in to assert and defend them, when others were endeavouring to suppress them. It is that which will sett a badge of honour upon such a people to posterity, that you should have your part in redeeming the kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales from oppression and slavery, and your children yet unborn shall bless God for you; which if not, consider what a blott of infamy will lye on you and us to after ages, if we shall sitt still in such a time as this, when it shall be said by them lying under oppression, ‘Our predecessors had a prize in their hands, and an opportunity offered to have freed us from it and have made us happy, but woe to us, through their neglects they have lett it slip, and left us in misery.’

Friends, our earnest desire is that you would seriously weigh and consider things in the ballance of Judgement according to truth, and to that end take heed of all false representations of our persons or actions by the suggestions of any given in to you, and judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement, and then doubt not but you shall have the assistance of a righteous God, who hath promised to do more for you than all the unrighteous men in the world are able to do against you, and also the concurrent assistance of all just and rational men; and we trust the appearances of God will be such upon us as we shall see those characters of himself engraven upon us, and amongst us, even judgement, truth, and righteousness; and the contrary to these (in his own time) removed, which both by you and us we hope shall be jointly endeavoured. In the doing of which the Lord direct us, in whom we bid you heartily farewell.

Yours to use, acting in behalf of the Army
for the good of the Kingdom.

Cambridge,
12 July, 1647.

To our Honoured Freinds our fellow Soldiers, and others of the well affected in North Wales. These.a

[Sir Thomas Fairfax to the Speaker of the House of Commons.]

Sir,

I am informed from Bristoll, that Colonel Doyley being lately come thither, and having required the command of the Castle and Port there, hath thereby occasion’d some disturbance in that Citty, and distraction amongst the Soldiers, who have manifested their dislike of him, but have expressed their good affection to Colonel Rolph (who was left Deputy Governour of that garison by Major General Skippona ) with expectation of his return unto them impowered with that command; which also the Citty (from their experience of his faithfullness, worth, and sufficiency) do very much desire, as by their petition prepared to the Honse of Commons to that purpose may appear. I thought it necessary to acquaint you herewith for the present appeasing those distractions, and the settling that garison, and that you would please to take some speedy course for the supply of the Soldiers with moneys who are (as I am informed) 30 weeks in arrear. I remain

Your most humble servant,

Tho: Fairfax.

To the Honorable W^m. Lenthall Esq. Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons.

Reading, July 16, 1647.

[News-letter from York.]

Thursday morninga our General was taken out of his quarters by a small party, and carryed to Pontefract, where he is now, [and] hath all accomodations, tho’ at his going out of town to Pontefract he had a wett doublett not a wett coat; this business hath putt for the present things to stand things at adventure. The Committee sat this afternoon, and have agreed to write to the General to move for a Commander in chief for their forces. I understand that General Poynts is to be sent to the Generall and it had been base to send him without his tackling, which came so late to my knowledge that these few lines against him, which I sent there inclosed, were prepared. Your Agitators have putt forth a vindication concerning the takeing of them, which I sent therewith. You may be confident this Army is fixed to your[s] great dispute now about the Tower at York, whether Lt. Col. Fairfax or my Lord Mayor commands there; both have sent to the General about it. Accidentally I mett with this enclosed from Lyonell Coply. You may perceive how good a freind he is. I see an order from Darby House to a Colonel dated the 7th July instant wherein the Colonel is required to draw his Regiment with those that were remaining in Cumberland and Westmoreland together, and ship them for Ireland. Be assured they will be in parte . . . under that pretence against you; all the officers came post from London last night, they are all creatures of the accused, especially to Massy. Your remonstrances still are called for, and many were required to the Army there but . . . . . . . I can gett nothing done for the Generall yet by reason of this business; it is fitting to be ashured there are many enemys against the Army. Sir, It is very much desired that the town of York be putt into some command; it is under a dispute between Lt. Col. Fairfax and the Major. It were well to be speedily resolved on.a

[Letter from the Agitators in Yorkshire to Fairfax.]

May it please your Excellencie,

Whereas we have had sufficient experience, and the Kingdom’s welfare at this day both do certifye, next under God, Your Excellency’s care for the preservation and satisfaction both of soldiers and subjects, which every one will acknowledge who hath not shown himself an enemy to the wellbeing of the Nation—yet there remain some obstinate spirits, unwilling to be partakers of the common good, and to this end are not wanting in their endeavours to deprive others of the freedom of the Nation, because their own irregular judgments censure the same as a homage, and as we conceive it is because their wills are not made so predominant—as to acquaint your Excellency that something to this purpose hath been lately acted in the garrison of Clifford’s Tower at York, the whole condition of the same standing thus: Whereas your Excellency was pleased to appoint Lieutenant Colonel Fairfax as Governor of the aforesaid garrison, a man of known integrity, he upon some just occasions being absent from the same, in the mean time Colonel General Poynts dispossessed his officers and soldiers of the garrison, and introduced such officers and soldiers as he thought fitt to accomplish his own designs; and the said Lt. Col. Fairfax being now returned to his former command, We humbly desire your Excellency that you would be pleased to issue forth the orders to those officers and soldiers, that were since introduced, that they quitt the garrison, and such officers and soldiers may be entrusted with the same as were formerly belonging to the garrison, under the command of Lt. Col. Fairfax. This wee humbly tender to your Excellency as especiall means for the prevention of the future dangers, and without which we humbly conceive the garrison can not be safe. In the mean time we recommend our selves to your Excellencie’s favour, and shall ever remain

Your Excellency’s and the Kingdom’s Servants as acting in the behalf of several Regiments.a

[Letter from the Agitators in the Northern Army to Fairfax.]

May it please Your Excellency,

Whereas we whose names are under subscribed were sent down to inform these forces of the proceedings of your Excellency and the Army more immediately under your command, We humbly tender unto your Excellencies consideration the relation of such things as have lately intervened to us. Your Excellency being pleased to appoint Lt. Col. Fairfax to come into these parts, and according to his commission to take charge of Clifford’s Tower in York, Colonel General Poynts resigned over the command of the Tower to the Lord Mayor, which he accordingly took charge of altho without commission. Now the condition standing so that Colonell Generall Points had been induced to this garrison, the citty only upon a vote which passed the Honorable House that he should be Governor of Clifford’s Tower after this . . . . . . . and that he might the better effect what he desired (while Lt. Col. Fairfax was absent) drew forth those officers and soldiers out of the Tower which did belong to Lt. Col. Fairfax, and entrusted such of his own officers and soldiers with the Tower as might comply with him, but at last Col. General Poynts having layd down his commission desired the Lord Mayor to take charge of the Tower, altho Lieut. Col. Fairfax was there, and had commission for the government of it; but since Colonel Poynts’s departure from York the Lord Mayor hath done as much as in him lies to recover the Government of the Tower into his hands, and to this end hath written to Sir William Allison and Alderman Hoyle, burgesses of the Citty of York, who accordingly [press], as we are credibly informed, the Lord Mayor might be Governor of it, and in the mean time he endeavours to disswade the soldiers from adhering to Lt. Col. Fairfax, giving them money and promising them more to cleave to him; he hath also presumed to countermand Lieut. Col. Fairfax, and the officers here are very reverse unto your Excellencies proceedings, but it is humbly conceived that the reason is because they are and have been so much Sir Phillip Stapleton’s. The soldiers have lately petitioned the Committee for some subsidies, but are deney’d and in great distress for want of pay. We humbly request your Excellency that both they and the garrison may have a place in your Excellencie’s care. Colonel Overton desired to recommend his service to your Excellencie’s command humbly requesting some [speedy] course for the payment of his garrison, and that a Captain and 2 Lieutenants may be accommodated with commands correspondent either in that army or amongst these forces, and he will wait on your Excellency very shortly. We at present request, and crave leave to remain

Your Excellencies humble Subservients

Richard Kingdom { Lt. Generall’s Regiment.

Thomas Diggell—Colonel Harrison’s Regiment.

John Caseby—Colonel Fleetwood’s Regiment.

[Letter from Fairfax to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of York.]

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I take this your acquainting me with the business of Clifford’s Tower as your care to the Citty and the publick, and from the experience I have of your good affections to the Kingdom I shall very willingly meet your desires in letting the command of that place rest in your hands, knowing how faithfully you have expressed your selves in things of publick concernment; and I shall remain assured in confidence of those publick dispositions in you, that you will not suffer that place to be an occasion or encouragement to the begetting of new troubles; and therefore I desire, that you my Lord Mayor will take into your care the secureing of that place, for the peace of this City, and those parts of the Kingdom, till there be a further settlement of affairs. I am glad that I have this occasion from your selves to write to you. I hope you are no strangers to our papers and proceedings with the Parliament, and how the same necessitys that engaged us all at first hath continued us in pursuit of such things as concern the good and peace of this Kingdom, and that we are the same we ever were to the interest of the Parliament and Kingdom; and I question not but such hath been the transactions of things that you are not to be satisfy’d now in the justice of our proceedings. We shall desire the concurrence of our selves and the Kingdom no farther than we continue faithfull to the peace and safety of this Kingdom; and whatsoever is done by us by and relating to the King, who is now amongst us, is but in order to the first engagements, and to the peaceable settling of that publick affair.

To the Lord Mayora and Aldermen of York.

[Articles against General Poyntz.]

The charge against Generall Poynts in reference to what he hath acted against his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and his Army in the South, and against the Northerne Association now under his Excellencie’s command.

1^st. That Colonell Generall Poynts did very much endeavour to render his Excellency’s person and authority contemptible and insufficient for the managing of those affairs which the Honorable Houses have intrusted him withall. Witness the letter written June 27^th to Colonel Copley, wherein he repeats his Excellency’s name double in a very scornful way, and deneys that the soldiers of those parts are under the command of his Excellency.

2^ly. He labours to render the Army more mediated under your Excellency’s command, under the notions of mutineers and necessary arrears, and rebellious Army,a as it appears by his letters written from York to Colonel Copley June 6^th. Another letter written to his officers to be read in the head of each troop, in which he terms some that were sent from the South, with some of our agents, Incendiaries, and that they endeavoured to withdraw these forces from their obedience to the Parliament with other scandalous reproaches to be read in the head of each troop, in reproach and disdain of that Army.

3^ly. That he endeavoured to reimbroyle this Kingdom in a 2^d warr, and to this end laboured to exasperate the spirits of the soldiers in the [north] against that Army as evidently appears; for upon his journey last from London to York, he reported he was come post to draw up his army, to quell the rebellious Army of Sir Thomas Fairfax; and did also endeavour to accomplish his sinister ends to gett into his power places of strength; and caused the Tower of York to be putt in a condition of present resistance meerly against the Army; to this end also he gave special order for the drawing his forces together, putting them in a posture for action against the Southern Army, having no order from the Parliament, as particularly at Selby, Tadcaster, Cawood, and Ferry Bridge, keeping guard for the apprehending of any that should come as he pretended to distemper the Northern Army.

4^ly. He threatned the Agitators from the Army with ours, to hang them if he could meet with them.

5^ly. He endeavoured to justify the 11 accused Members and kept correspondency with them, received divers letters from them, and wrote to them, acting what he did from their principles, and by their advice; for he can not deney, but that Sir Philip Stapylton desired him to keep his army in a posture ready for action till they should have occasion for them, which he did accordingly.

6^ly. His arbitary committing some officers for speaking in the behalf of the Army, and hanging one soldier without a councill of warr.

7^ly. His arming of a reduced company under Captain Peppar, who refused any engagement save against the Army.

8^ly. That he used all means possible to make both the Army and their Officers odious, as appears by his printed papers, which was not only to be read at the head of every troop, but likewise by his order putt upon many posts in marketts, rendring us and the Army unparalleld men, in taking the King by force, and likewise falsely reporting therein, that his Majesty was so farr from complyance with the Army, that he struck both his Excellency, Cromwell, and Whaly. This he printed at York purposely to divide us, and to make us odious to the whole Kingdom.

9^ly. That he threatened to disturb our nests, if we did continue to associate our selves with his Excellencie’s Army, and that he would use the Parliaments power in the apprehending of us.

[a ]The rest of the proceedings of the first day of the treaty are printed in the Lords’ Journals, ix., 313; Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 58, 66; Rushworth, vi., 605.

[a ]Mr. Ward’s sermon was preached on June 30; Rushworth, vi., 596; Commons’ Journals, v., 228. On incendiary sermons see the Earl of Leicester’s Journal, 28 July, 1647, Blencowe, Sydney Papers, p. 26. Gangraena had been before complained of by the Army, Army Declarations, 1647, p. 19.

[b ]See Rushworth, vi., 602; Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 61. Propositions falsely stated to be offered to the King by the Army.

[a ]The charge against the eleven impeached Members is reprinted in the Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 69, which also gives the answer, p. 117.

[a ]Endorsed July 5.

[a ]Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Tower Guards in August, 1647; killed before Colchester in July, 1648; Rushworth, vii., 1179, 1181.

[a ]Governor of Leith and Colonel of a regiment under Monk, 1654-1658; he was also one of the Commissioners appointed by Monk to treat with the English Army in November, 1659. Baker’s Chronicle, ed. 1670, pp. 686, 694.

[a ]Commons’ Journals, v., 237-8.

[a ]Fairfax’s letter of July 8, Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 101; Lords’ Journals, ix.

[a ]Probably written by Scout-Master Leonard Watson. See Lilburne’s Jonah’s Cry out of the Whale’s Belly, 1647, p. 8. In a letter to Cromwell Lilburne says: “Your scoutmaster-general Watson will never uprightly adventure the shaking of his finger either for God, his countrey, or for the Army, further than he may be thereby of the stronger side. As for Dr Stanes, whatever you may think of him, I averre he is a juggling knave . . . . . And as for Nat. Rich, you yourselfe knowe him to be a juggling paltry base fellow: remember what you told him to his face in his own chamber in Fleet Street before me and my wife and two more, at the time Manchester’s treason was upon examination.” Concerning Vane, Lilburne wrote to Cromwell on March 25, 1647, “O Cromwell thou art led by the nose by two unworthy covetous earthworms, Vane and St. John.” Ibid., p. 3.

[a ]Compare the letter from the Agitators to the Masters of Trinity House, June 18, 1647. Cary, Memorials, i., 237; Lords’ Journals, ix., 284. There is also amongst the Clarke Papers a letter of the Agitators dated 6 July, printed as “A Declaration from the Agitators in the name of the whole Army under. His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax (to their fellow-soldiers) of their Representations and Desires,” at the end of a pamphlet entitled “The King’s Majesty’s most Gracious Letter to his son James, Duke of York,” 1647.

There are also some other papers relating to Wales, and threatened disturbances there, in vol. xli. of the Clarke MSS. A paper delivered to Fairfax at St. Albans by Dr. Basset, on the grievances of Glamorganshire; a letter from Colonel Laugharne to Fairfax, June 18, 1647; the grievances of the County of Pembroke, articles against Colonel John Poyer, etc.

[a ]Lieutenant-Colonel William Rolfe, Deputy Governor of Bristol (Skippon’s son-in-law), was given leave to come to London on May 28, 1647. Commons’ Journals, v., 121. The dispute between Doyley and Captain Latimer Sampson, governor in Rolfe’s absence, is narrated in one of Rushworth’s letters. Fairfax Correspondence, iii., 370. Doyley had got a commission from Holles and his party.

[a ]July 8, 1647. See Cary, i., 293, 298, 300.

[a ]This and the following letters relating to the disturbances in the Northern Army are all undated, but evidently written between 9-16 July, It was therefore thought better to put them together.

[a ]Unsigned.

[a ]Thomas Dickenson, Lord Mayor of York, was voted by the House of Commons on 13 July, 1643, to have the custody of Clifford’s Tower. Commons’ Journals, v., 243.

[a ]So in MS. These papers are from very corrupt transcripts.