A letter from His Excellency Sir Tho: Fairfax, to the Lord Major, aldermen and Common-Councel of the city of London, from Kingston, Novemb. 19. 1647. To acquaint them with His Excellencies sending Col: Hewson with one thousand foot soldiers to quarter in the city, and the grounds thereof. Nov. 20. 1647. Imprimatur Gilbert Mabbot.

To the right Honorable, The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com∣mon Councel of the City of London:

My Lord and Gentlemen,

WHat tenderness hath been exer∣cised by my self, and this Ar∣my, towards the City; what care to preserve it, from the least damage or prejudice (notwithstanding the just occasi∣ons and great provocations vvhich have thence been given) and with what patience we have waited for the raising of those Ar∣rears which have long since been due, I need not now use many words to express: Your selves, the City and Kingdom do suffici∣ently know it: We have lain here about London so long, as we cannot continue much longer, without intolerable Oppression to these parts, if not the undoing of some, and in all this time (though the occasion both of

our coming and stay hath been from the City) yet, in tenderness to the Trade and Freedom thereof, no part of the Army hath been quartered in it, but the parts adjacent have born the burthen, who gave no such occasion: And if, after so long and obsti∣nate withholding what hath been so long due, in affront to so many Ordinances and Demands of Parliament, and in the face of an Army, (at a time, when so great a part of the City had made themselves so obnoxi∣ous to both) I should now withdraw the Army from the City, before all the Arrears of Taxes thence due be paid; or if those, who (after so many warnings from the Parliament, with penalties imposed upon the Non-payment thereof within the time limited) have so obstinately withheld their Dues so long beyond that time, should now escape with the bare payment of their Arrears at last, I can expect no less, but that the ill Example thereof would, in other parts of the Kingdom, give great discou∣ragements to Friends from paying their shares, and encouragements to Enemies to

withhold theirs as long as they can. Upon these Considerations (with the Advice of my Councel of War) I have desired the Committee of the Army, That the penal∣ties imposed by the Parliament for Non-payment (as well as the Arrears themselves) may be speedily levyed; and that from all those who have not before this time paid in their proportions of assessments, no less then the ful penalty may henceforth be accepted: And for the speedy levying both of Arrears and penalties (according to the Ordinances of Parliament for that purpose) I have (with the same Advice) appointed Colonel Hewson, with a Thousand Foot, to come to mor∣row to Quarter in the City, and within the late Lines of Communication, in such pla∣ces as he findes fittest, until this service be accomplished; and in the prosecution there∣of, of observe the Directions of the Com∣mittee for the Army according to the said Ordinances. If this course should be a matter of wonder or offence to any, I make no doubt but the Necessity of the thing (which I have before represented) will

afford sufficient satisfaction to all that wish well to the Parliament, the Army, City or Kingdom; and that those whose wilfulness (if not Malignity or Design, to break the Army, and incense the Kingdom) have neces∣sitated this, will bear the blame both of the thing it self, and of whatever ill consequence may ensue.

I shall desire the best care of your Lord∣ship, and all that wish well to the Parlia∣ment and Army, or tender the Safety of the City, That in this service (so necessary both for the ends aforesaid, and for the vindica∣tion of the Authority of Parliament) no Impediment or Affront be given to the Officers or Soldiers imployed herein, from whence any further ill consequence might be occasioned; As on the other side I have commanded, and am very consident, That all care will be taken by Col: Hewson, and the Officers imployed under him, for the Soldiers orderly and civil demeanor, both in their Quarters and in the Service; and that not the least wrong shall be done by them to any in the City, nor any damage, save

what the persons refusing to pay their Ar∣rears, or penalties according to the Ordi∣nance of Parliament, shall wilfully bring upon themselves, and the Charge of Quar∣tering the Soldiers till the Service be done; For which purpose I have given order to Col: Hewson, that so soon as he hath (from the Committee of the Army or Collectors) the Lists of what persons are in Arrear, he shall quarter the Soldiers onely upon such, as near as he can, with relation to the con∣veniency of Quartering; and if any disor∣der or injury be done by the Soldiers or Officers, as I doubt not but Col: Hewson will be careful to give redress, so in case of his neglect, I shall be ready, upon com∣plaint, to do it to the utmost my self; who am

Kingston, 19. Nov. 1647.

Your Lordships faithful Friend and Servant, T. FAIRFAX.