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THE REMONSTRANCE OF THE SOLDIERY To the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common councell of the City of LONDON.
WHile the Loud Cry of our opprest Country, is now every where resounding and reaching up to Heaven, against the intollerable Tyranny of our false and Treach∣erous Masters, who with good words, a Bit and a Knock have drilled us on to the utter Ruine and Dishonour of this once Glorious Kingdome; and being now made sensible that we carry our Armes meerly for the Safe-Guard and upholding of a Desperate Crue, whose demerits suffer not their guilty souls to think of any Expedient or Remedy to cure any Distresses but their own; that therefore we may Ease their Mischievous brain of any further Designes tending to the accomplishment of our poor Countries Slavery, which they can obtain and effect by no hands but Ours; and to ease Our minds and consciences of that accessary guilt, with which we may be justly charged.
VVe do Remonstrate and Declare, That seeing it hath pleased God by his VVisdom and Justice to make Our Old Officers that were the Instruments and Authors of all that Confusion and Ruine which hath overwhelmed these Nations since 1648 a hissing and shame to all the VVorld, and that by a Rod of their own making, Thereby to undeceive and rightly inform Us of Our unlawful continuance in this Our present Military employment; That VVe do from Our very Souls desire a dismission from under the Command, and (we were a going to say) Pay of this arbitrary tyrannical power, and would presently disband Our Selves, and desert Our Colours if it were not folly and madness to expose Our single individual Selves to the fury and rage of Our Masters, who being backt by General Monks neer assistance, would otherwise wreak their utmost revenge upon us.
VVe do therefore unanimously, cordially, and readily tender Our service, Our Lives and For∣tunes to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London, to be directed, employed, and ordered as to his Lordship and his Grave Councel shall seem convenient, being ready with any the utmost hazzards (though we suppose the name of our assistance to his Lordships just en∣deavours after a Free Parliament will doe the work) to redeem our miserable Country, and our former honour and renown.
To that purpose we have secured our Armes, and are resolved never more to submit to the members at Westminster, till it be a free and full House; and if room must be made for the Scotch Army our lovely brethren, it shall be no way inconsistent we think with the liberty of the City to admit and entertain us for guests, seeing it hath pleased God out of mercy to this Nation to make us all of one mind and heart, to the bringing about his intended mercy to it.
VVe have now ecchoed the universall desires of the Nation, and if your Petitions and civill extraordinary addresses to (as we hope that honourable person) Generall Monke do not prevaile, say but the word onely, and give us some Commanders, and you shall see the answer and effect of our Drums and Trumpets.
POSTSCRIPT.
The purport of this Remonstrance was in our intentions long before; but the change of our Officers and the distrusts and divisions cunningly fomented by them among us, retarded the addressing of it to your Lordship; but we hope it is now come in its best time.