THE HUMBLE Acknowledgement AND Congratulation of many thousands young men and Apprentices in and about the City of London, to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax.  
With his Excellencies Answer to the same. Dated at Ringston August 19 1647.  

By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax.  
Signed, John Rushworth. Secretary   
Aug: 20 LONDON, Printed for Laurence Chapman. 1647.   

TO HIS EXCELLENCY Sir Thomas Fairfax Knight, Captain General of all the Forces in ENGLAND and WALES.  
The humble acknowledgement and Congratulation of thousands of young men and Apprentices, in and about the City of London.  
Most worthy General,  
THe extremities of this Nation growing great (the Enemies thereof being strong, and confident of success) and the visible means of our deliverance broken, and almost totally consumed, than it pleased the good hand of heaven to call forth your Excellency, and those worthies with you (your faithful Commanders, Officers, and Soldiers,) to save this poor and distressed Kingdom, and although at first your strength was small, your encouragements few, and your enemies many and powerful, yet with all thankfulness we acknowledge, you were not deterred thereby; but over looking all, (eyeing that Almighty power, by whose providence you were set a part for so great a work) you marched out in his might, and became prosperous; your enemies fell before you, their armies were vanquished, their strong holds surrendered to you, and the joyful day of England's peace, and longed for deliverance not only dawned, but shown forth upon us; these clouds of fears, of ruin, of slavery, and oppression (which had till then beset us) began to scatter, and in our hopes and expectations were vanishing quite away.  
And when, again, our restless enemies (seeing their open force could not prevail) betook themselves to hellish policy, and under the face of friends and actions for common good, had laid surer (as they hoped) the foundations of their own boundless power and greatness, the restauration of their former tyranny, and the final ruin of our Laws and Liberties; and for that purpose had contrived the disbanding (and that with disgrace) of your Excellency's Army, as the only obstacle in the way of their Designs; than it pleased our good God again to appear, and your Excellency, with your faithful Commanders, Officers, and victorious Army, with their industrious Adjutators, became (we gratefully acknowledge) happy instruments in his hand, to discover and oppose those wicked Designs; whereby the dying hopes of this distressed Nation again revived, ere long to see a happy settlement of its peace and freedom.  
And when again, our malicious enemies had scattered their poison in this great City, expecting the venom thereof would diffuse itself, not only here, but from hence (as from the heart) into all the parts of this Kingdom, and had thereby so far prevailed, as to force the Parliament into a compliance with them, to engage many of the Grandees, and some of the young men of this City to prepare and act for a new war, and in opposition of your Excellency, to join themselves in a dangerous Bond and engagement, and (having forcibly gotten the power and Militia of this City into their hands) listed and armed many vile and dissolute persons, Reformadoes and renegado soldiers, and by their hands had begun the tragedy of War and bloodshed in this City, at the Guildhall thereof upon peaceable and unarmed men, and threatened the speedy ruin of the well-affected therein, who would not join with them in their barbarous and destructive practices. Then again we do with all thankfulness acknowledge) that your Excellency with your renowned Army, became a blessing unto this City and Kingdom, and with incredible speed (drawing together from parts greatly remote each from other) came seasonably to the help and deliverance of this City, (then with all its might acting towards its own ruin) and settling the Parliament of England, who by the tumults raised, and encouraged from that City, was dispersed, and forced to quit the Houses, and departed thence, to your Excellency for protection.  
All which your most worthy services for your native country, as we cannot but with all joy and thankfulness acknowledge, so we doubt not, but the memorial of them will be a crown of glory and honour upon your head, and upon the heads of your faithful commanders and soldiers to all posterity.  
And although we could not (as we would manifest our hearts in a visible acting for you in this late time of need, yet let your Excellency be pleased to accept of our refusals to join or comply with any thing bearing a face of opposition to you, (notwithstanding the threats of death for so doing) as an undoubted testimony of our resolution, to live and die with your Excellency and your army, in settling his Majesty's rights, the Parliaments privileges, and the peace and freedom of this Nation, the which we do still retain, and shall further manifest, as God shall give an opportunity, and your Excellency require it at our hands.   

Gentlemen,  
I Have received your congratulation of the late endeavours of this Army, and great successes with which God hath blest us against the open and secret Enemies to the interest of this Kingdom, manifesting with many cordial expressions your good resentment of our late proceed in prosecution of those public ends, for the accomplishment whereof you have not only declined and refused compliance with the Kingdom's Enemy's, but have freely tendered a joint adventure of yourselves with us when occasion shall require: All which I cannot but gladly receive with a thankful acceptance, returning the like acknoweldgement of your good and honest offer, as you did of our endeavours, and do desire that you will continue still in your several places the promotion and pursuance of those public ends , and I doubt not but the same Divine providence that hath been our guide hitherto will still direct us and all honest men going hand in hand with us toward an happy conclusion of our present troubles and distractions, and settling of the King, Parliament, and Kingdom in safe●●, peace, and freedom.  
Kingston, August 19 1647. By the appointment of his Excellenc●● Sir Thomas Fairfax. Signed John Rushworth, Sec.  
For the young men and the Apprentices in and about the City of London, who subscribed a Paper, entitled, The humble Acknowledgement and Congratulation, etc.   
FINIS.