miferies to the parlament, and petition for redress; but perfons have beene imprisoned for petitioning, and orders iffued out from parlament to fupprefs petitions: Confidering therefore this deplorable eftate of the commonwealth, and the apparent danger of being imbroyled a gaine each in others blood, unless a speedy fettlement prevent it; and confidering not only, that wee have attempted all regular wayes to procure reliefe for our longe oppreffed country, but also that wee cannot with fafety any longer offer our grievances and defires to parlament in petitions; and likewife confideringe that our flavery under arbitrary power is occafioned by the want of a fettlement of a juft and equal government, which if it were eftablifhed would fpeedily eafe us of all our common burthens; wee cannot bethinke ourfelves of a more probable remedy, than to put ourselves, and invite our countrymen to joine with us, in a pofture of defence, whereby wee may be fecure from danger, and from being prevented of our good intentions by the oppofition of fuch as have defigned our flavery, while wee propound to all our dear countrymen (who are fure to bee concerned in fufferinge as much as if they were in office) fome certaine grounds of common right and freedoine, wherein they and wee might fee reafon to agree amongst ourselves, and thereupon to eftablish a firme and prefent peace.

The particulars wee offer are as followeth.

1. That a period of time be fet, wherein this prefent parlament fhall certainly end.

2. That the people be equally proportioned for the choice of the deputies in all future parlaments; and that they doe of courfe meete upon a certaine day (once at leaft in two years) for that end.

3. That a contract be drawne and fealed betweene the people and their feveral deputies refpectively, upon the day of the elections, wherein the bounds, limits, and extent of their truft fhall be clearly expreffed. As that they bee impowered with fufficient authoritie for executinge, alteringe and repealinge of lawes; for erectinge and abolishinge, judicatories; for appointinge, removing and callinge to account magiftrates, and officers of all degrees; for makeInge warre and peace, and treating with fovereigne ftates. And that their power do not extend to the bindinge of any KK 4

man

man in matters of religion, or in the way of God's worhip; nor to compell the perfon of any innocent man to ferve against his will either by fea or land; nor to the makinge of any law, that fhall be either evidently pernicious to the people, or not equally obligatory unto all perfons without exception.

4. That for the fecurity of all parties, who have acted on any fide in the late public differences fince the year 1640, and for preventinge all contentions amongst them; the people may agree amongst themfelves, that no future parlaments fhall queftion or moleft any perfon for any thinge fayed or done in reference to thefe public diffe

rences.

5. That the great officers of the nation, as well civil as military, be often removed, and others put into their room, either every yeare, or every fecond yeare at fartheft; to the end the perfons employed may discharge themselves with greater care, when they know themfelves lyable to a fpeedy account, and that other men may be encouraged to deferve preferment when they fee the prefent incumbents not affixed to their offices as to freeholds.

6. That all determinating committees (except fuch as are neceffary to be kept up for the managing of forces by fea and land) the chancery, and all other arbitrary courts, be forthwith diffolved; or at least all power taken from them, which they have hitherto exercifed over men's petfons or eftates: and henceforward, as well ordinances as acts of parlament be executed in the antient way of tryals by juries.

7. That the huge volumes of flatute laws and ordinances, with the penalties therein impofed, as well corporal as pecuniary, be well revifed; and fuch only left in force, as fhall be found fit for the commonwealth; efpecially that men's lives be more precious than formerly, and that leffer punishment than death, and more ufeful to the pubfic, be found out for fmaller offences: that all lawes, writs, commiffions, pleadinges and records be in the English tongue; and that proceedinges be reduced to a more certaine charge, and a more expeditious way than formerly: That no fees at all be exacted of the people in courts of juftice; but that the public minifters of ftate be wholly maintained out of the public treafury.

8. That

8. That eftates of all kinds, real and perfonal, be made lyable to debts; but noe imprisonment at all by way of punishment, nor in order to makinge fatisfaction, which poffibly can never be made, but only by way of fecurity in order to a tryal for fome criminal fact, to be determined within fome fhort and certaine fpace of time; and that this power of restraininge mens perfons be very cautiously allowed, to which end the benefit of Habeas Corpus to be in noe case denied by those whom it concerns to grant them.

9. That tythes be wholly taken away, the parishioners from whom they are due paying in lieu thereof to the state where they are not appropriate, and to the owners where they are, moderate and certaine rent-charge out of their lands; the minifters to be maintained, either by the voluntary contribution of fuch as defire to hear them, or elfe by fome fettled penfions out of the public treasury.

10. That as fpeedy and as perfect an account as may be, be given and publifhed for the fatisfaction of the people how those vaft fums of money have been disposed of, that have been difburfed, voluntarily and otherwife, fince the beginning of these troubles...

II. That foe foone as public occafions will poffibly permit, the impofition of excife, and all other taxes upon the people be wholly taken away, and that in the mean time all care and diligence be used in taking away thofe occafions, and in the husbandly managing of the public revenues; and to that end that a ballance be made and declared of all public revenues and expences, and that a course be taken for paying all public debts and damages, fo far as may be, and that the debts upon intereft be difcharged by fale of fuch lands and goods as are eyther properly belonginge or any wayes accrued to the state, and that they be fold to the best advantage.

12. That there be no lefs care taken for the growing wealth of the nation, confiflinge originally in trade, which being our ftrength and glory, ought by mitigating the cuftoms, and by all other good meanes, to be cherifhed & promoted.

13. That (though reftoring peace and commerce he the furelt way of providinge for the poor) yet fome more effectual courfe may be found out than hitherto hath beene

for the settinge those to worke who are able, for bringingé up of children to profitable employments, and for relievinge fuch as are paft their labor, efpecially fuch as becamé fo in the fervice of their country duringe the late warre.

14. That the affairs of Ireland be taken into a more ferious confideration than heretofore, and that a peace able way for reducing that nation may be once endeavoured and in cafe that fucceed not, the war to be profecuted with vigour and unanimity, as by God's bleffinge wee may promise to ourselves a fpeedy end of those troubles, a time ly reliefe to many famishing families there, and better intend the affairs of England.

Now confidering that the fettlement of the nations peace and freedome, hath beene conftantly declared by the parlament to be their only end in engaginge in this laft warre; and confidering the many promifes folemn vowes and oathes made by them to the people, to confirme them ih the belief of their fincere intentions therein, wee should hope to find no oppofition from them in our defires. But however wee cannot but be confident, that the fouldiery of the army (who folemnly engaged at Newmarket in June laft [June 5, 1647] to procure the fame things ih effect for the people, which are here propounded,) will fo remember that folemn engagement as to fhew their ready concurrence with us; and wee hope it will be clear to them, that there is noe other poffible way to provide that fufficient indemnity (the want whereof firft occafione their refusal to difband) than what is here propounded ; neither that there is any probable way to fecure the arrears of the fupernumeraries, (who are difbanded contrary to the folemn engagement) or of those continuing in armes. And at least wee cannot but promife ourselves the affistance of all the commons, who are not blinded by fome felf-intereft, or engaged to continue the present confuming diftractions by virtue of fome affet or employment dependinge thereon.

But however wee intending wrong to noe man, nor any private advantage to ourselves, and the cause for which we appear beinge foe clearly juft, wee repose out confidence in the most high God, to protect us from the malice and rage, both of all felfseekinge ambitious men, who affect lordlineffe and tiranhy, and have defigned the peo

ple's

ple's flavery, and a perpetuation of their own rule, and of all fuch mercenary vaffals as they fhall hire to destroy us, and keepe the yoke of flavery upon the people's necks. And wee doe hereby promife and engage to all our countrymen, that whenfoever the fettlement of the peace and freedome herein propounded fhall be effected (all delayes wherein wee fhall to our utmoft poffibilities prevent) wee fhall gladly and chearfully return to our private habitations, and callings, enjoying only our equal thare of freedome with all others in the nation.

of Hans Wintrop

Copy of a letter from O. Cromwell to (then) major Saunders of Derbyshire, dated June 17, 1648; fuperfcribed In the hande For your felfe and endorfed in major Saunders's hand writing as followeth, The L. generalls order for takeing Mortimer, Sir Trevor Williams, and Mr. Morgan, fheriffe of a Monmouthshire.'

I

SIR,

Send you this enclofed by it felfe, because it's of greater moment. The other you may communicate to Mr. Rumfey as far as you thinke fitt, and I have written. I would not have him or other honeft men bee difcouraged that I thinke itt not fitt at present to enter into contests, itt will be good to yeeild a little for publicke advantage, and truly that is my end, wherein I defire you to satisfie them.

I have fent as my letter mentions, to have you remove out of Brecknokfheire, indeed into that part of Glamorganfheire wch lyeth next Munmouthfbeire, for this end.

Wee have plaine difcoveries that Sir Trevor Williams of Langevie about two miles from Uke in the countye of Munmouth was very deepe in the plott of betrayinge Chepstowe castle, foe that wee are out of doubt of his guiltyneffe thereof.

I does hereby authorize you to feize him, as also the high fheriffe of Munmouth Mr. Morgan, whoe was in the fame plott.

But because Sir Trevor Williams is the more dangerous man by farr, I would have you to feize him first, and the other will eafilye bee had. To the end you may

not