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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The English Revolution

Resolutions of the General Council of Officers 1 - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 4 [1901]

Edition used:

The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, Secretary to the Council of the Army, 1647-1649, and to General Monck and the Commanders of the Army in Scotland, 1651-1660, ed. C.H. Firth (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901). 4 vols.

Part of: The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, 4 vols.

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Resolutions of the General Council of Officers1

1. That itt bee proposed to the Generall Councill of Officers, as necessarie for the preservacion of the peace of these nations, and [the] good old Cause, that the army bee putt forthwith into a condicion of unity and discipline.

2. That in order therunto itt bee proposed, that such as have indeavoured to devide the army, and engage itt in severall parties in opposicion to the orders of the Commander in Cheif, shall bee discharged from their respective commands.

3. That a Court-Martiall bee appointed for the hearing and adjudging the thinges and matters aforemencioned.

4. That itt bee proposed in order to the supplying of such vacancies as are or shall happen, that they bee supplied by the Lord Fleetwood, being Commander in Cheif, till farther orders, and that none bee admitted to commands butt such as are of godly and honest principles, and alwayes faithfull to the good interest in which wee have bin soe longe engaged, and that such faithfull officers as have bin laid aside without just cause may bee first provided for.

5. That one feild officer of each regiment in and about London with such others as shall bee appointed, may from time to time attend uppon the Commander in Cheif, to advise uppon such matters as shall bee judged necessary uppon this great emergencie.

6. That every officer bee required to bee diligent in endeavouring to prevent all divisions and disturbances within their respective charges. And in case any shall attempt the same, that they doe forthwith give notice therof to the Commander in Chief.

7. That some officers bee appointed to signifie by letters or otherwise to the officers of the armies in England, Scotland, and Ireland the late proceedinges of the forces heere, and to invite them to union and concord amongst themselves, and with their brethren of the army heere, in maintenance of the Good old Cause and interest in which wee have joynctlie engaged.

8. That letters bee prepared to bee sent to the officers of the militia forces in the respective citties and counties of England and Wales.

These particulers were resolved on by a Generall Councill of Officers, April 28, 1659.1

[1 ]Clarke MSS. xxxi. 102.

[1 ]An account of what occurred in the meetings of the officers between the dissolution of April 22 and the Council whose votes are recorded above, is given by Phillips (Baker’s Chronicle, p. 660, ed. 1670). See also Bourne’s letter in Clarke Papers, iii. 213; Thurloe, vii. 666. The Domestic State Papers contain no information of any value on the period between the dissolution of Richard’s Parliament and the restoration of the Long Parliament. Bordeaux’s letters to Mazarin, dated May 5 and May 12 (new style), supply more rumours than facts as to transactions in the army. But he is doubtless right in saying that by the beginning of May the recall of the Long Parliament had been determined upon. From that date it was merely a question whether it should be recalled upon terms or unconditionally (Guizot, Richard Cromwell, i. 379).