The agreement between the commissioners of Parliament, and his excellencie Sr. Thomas Fairfax, and his chief officers, for disbanding all the supernumerarie forces of this kingdom, for taking off of free-quarter, and for drawing all the Army into the severall garrisons of his kingdome. Reported by the said commissioners to the House of Commons, on friday the 17. of Decemb. instant. And printed for the generall satisfaction of the Kingdom. Also a petition from the farmers of the county of Surrey : and his Excellencies answer thereunto, concerning the Landlords bearing equall burthen with the tennant in free-quarter. Imprimatur Gilb: Mabbot.

To his Excellency Sir Tho: Fairfax. The humble Petition of the Farmers in the County of Surrey.

Humbly sheweth,

THat whereas your Petitioners, all rack-rented, have for nigh six years past, born the charge of free-quartering souldiers, without any deduction of Rent of the Landlords part, till now of late; since the Armies advance from London, this charge doubles, and with some of us, trebles our Rent; so decaying our estates, that little subsistence is (for our selves, for our families, and for those many labourers imploy∣ed by us) left us for the present; and for afterwards, likely none ••t all, unlesse your Excellency relieve us. For your Petitioners, though rackt in their rents already, and unable to pay our rents, and to conti∣nue to bear this charge of quartering, without allowance, are still char∣ged as Owners, and the Landlords as yet go free, and most of them re∣fuse absolutely to bear any part of this charge, upon tender of their rents, unlesse they shall be inforced thereunto by Ordinance of Parli∣ament; and many of them have threatned, and some of them have al∣ready commenced suits in Law to recover their full rents; and others of them, h••••e sealed Leases of Ejectment, for the outing of such of their Tenants as desired deduction of rent for this charge, which, as your Petitioners are informed, hath heretofore in many other parts of the Kingdome, been found by their Landlords, and whether their refusall now in this kinde will cause the Tenants absolutely to refuse to Quarter, (as of necessity they must, if not hereby relieved,) which will certainly breed a generall disturbance in the Kingdome; the con∣sequence whereof, we humbly leave to your Excellencies consideration.

The Premises considered,

MAy it please your Excellency (in reference to a Petition of this nature before, presented to your Excellency by the Tenants of Blethingly in the said County, whereupon they were promised relief, if refu∣sed

by the Landlords,) effectually to move the two Houses of Parliament, that some speedy course may be taken, that the severall Landlords may for the times past, and for the future, bear the charge of Quartering, either wholly, (as in other taxes they have Ordered) or in some other proportion, as to your Excellencies wis∣dome shall seem most meet, respecting the stock of the one, and the see simple estate of the other.

And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.