THe
Council
of
Officers
of
the
Army
,
upon
consideration
of
the
present
condition
of
affairs
in
this
Commonwealth
,
and
the
great
distractions
now
fomented
by
the
enemies
thereof
;
and
being
satisfied
that
the
most
probable
means
under
God
for
the
appeasing
of
all
discontents
,
quieting
the
peoples
minds
,
and
preserving
of
their
Spiritual
and
Civil
Rights
and
Liberties
,
will
be
,
that
a
Parliament
,
without
a
single
Person
as
chief
Magistrate
,
Kingship
or
House
of
Peers
,
may
speedily
be
called
,
who
,
through
the
gracious
assistance
of
our
God
,
may
proceed
to
such
a
settlement
of
the
Government
of
this
Commonwealth
,
as
may
be
for
the
security
of
the
Cause
wherein
the
good
People
of
these
Nations
have
been
,
and
still
are
engaged
;
And
that
their
intentions
of
setting
up
the
Civil
Authority
,
and
being
subservient
thereunto
may
be
brought
to
effect
,
They
have
held
it
their
Duty
by
all
good
means
within
their
power
to
be
instrumental
in
procuring
the
same
,
and
in
order
thereunto
,
have
made
known
to
the
Committee
of
Safety
their
desires
herein
;
and
that
the
Committee
would
take
speedy
Order
that
the
same
may
be
put
in
execution
for
the
ends
before
mentioned
.
Whereupon
this
Committee
being
ready
to
contribute
their
utmost
endeavours
in
so
good
a
work
,
and
so
much
tending
to
the
satisfaction
of
all
good
men
,
and
to
the
preservation
of
the
Peace
,
Liberties
and
Rights
of
this
Commonwealth
,
Have
thought
fit
,
and
do
hereby
publish
and
declare
,
That
Writs
under
the
Great
Seal
of
England
,
shall
forthwith
be
issued
for
the
summoning
of
a
Parliament
,
as
aforesaid
,
to
be
held
in
the
usual
place
at
Westminster
,
upon
the
four
and
twentieth
day
of
January
next
ensuing
;
And
this
Committee
do
hereby
exhort
and
require
all
persons
of
what
condition
soever
,
that
in
the
mean
time
they
do
not
act
or
promote
any
thing
to
the
disturbance
of
the
publique
Peace
,
but
that
they
do
demean
themselves
peaceably
according
to
the
Law
,
expecting
and
resolving
to
submit
unto
what
the
Parliament
shall
in
their
wisedom
think
fit
to
Order
concerning
the
great
affairs
of
these
distracted
Nations
,
wherein
they
humbly
pray
and
hope
that
the
Lord
will
be
pleased
to
vouchsafe
his
gracious
presence
and
assistance
.
Given
at
Whitehall
this
14.
day
of
December
.
1659.