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preparatory draughts under the bottome of tarts, &c. Whilst some, more wise and moderate, withdrew from these actings, others were friendly and couragious, declared against this fury; others were crafty, not less maliciouse, laboured to sugar the poison; and whilst others of all sorts ran with the multitude, the debates at length centred in the following petition, vizt:
to his excellency the lord lieutenant and councill.
The humble Petition of the undernamed Persons, on the behalfe of themselves and all such as are concerned in the Satisfaction of the Arreares of the Army,
Humbly sheweth,
That your petitioners, by vertue of severall Acts of Parliament, ought to have their arreares satisfyed out of rebells lands in Ireland, att the severall rates in the said Acts mentioned, as by the said Acts more at large doth appeare.
That your petitioners, in the year 1653, in exspectation and uppon promise of speedy satisfaction of the same, did then voluntarily agree and desire that a retrenchment might bee made of their growing arreare, which was accordingly done.
That, nevertheless, to this day the said arreares remaine yett in part unsatisfyed; and the title to that satisfaction which has been given is not, as your petitioners conceive, sufficiently secured.
Now to the end your petitioners may the better understand their present conditions, and thereuppon to take such course for their releife and security as their councill learned shall advice,
They humbly pray,
That there may bee appointed a committee for the army, to examine and audite the proceedings of the Commissioners for setting out lands to the army, and what lands came into the Commissioners dispose; how and to whom, uppon what account, and by what rule, the same hath been disposed; what and how much lands lyeable to satisfaction of arreares remains yett not sett out or concealed, or as overplus in the adventurers security, or otherwise.
That the said committee prepare an authentique booke, whereby it certainly and plainly may appeare what particular lands have been sett out, to what particular persons, to the end not only his Highness may know how to put the
