My Lord,

As we discussed on our ride from London, and as, at your request, I write now, without risk of this paper falling into the hands of the Enemy: the soldiers are grown so outrageous that they plunder every place. Even this morning, five or six gentlemen's houses have been ransacked by them, of which we conceive one great cause to be the malignity of the country people who instigate and direct the soldiers in what places they should exercise this insolency. We should use all means to suppress it, sending out squadrons of horse, who do their duty very well. But the truth is that, unless we are able to execute some exemplary punishment upon the principal malefactors, we have no hope to redress this horrid enormity.

We beseech your Excellency to take this into your present and serious consideration, for if this go on the army will grow as odious to the country as the cavaliers. And, though we take not upon us to advise the Parliament, yet we that are eyewitnesses of that state of the Army do verily believe that without Martial Law (to extend to the soldiers only) it may prove a ruin as likely as a remedy to this Kingdom.

I must also acquaint your Excellency with the importunate desires of the soldiers to have an increase in allowance, which they do not only pretend to as reasonable in regard to the great prices they are forced to pay for all their victual, but they challenge it also as just, upon the grounds of a  promise made to them by the Committee that they should have five shillings every month besides their ordinary pay, which many of the soldiers do confidently affirm, and the truth is we do not see how they can possibly live without some such addition as they desire.

My Lord, we have no more but to desire your Excellency's commands, which we hope would be a means to appease these disorders and would be a great satisfaction to the longing desires of your Excellency's most humble servants.

John Hampden, Colonel, Regt of Greencoats, Southam

To: Captain-General the Earl of Essex, Northampton