thought fitt to acquaint you of the reason thereof. It’s well knowne
how iniuriously the kingdome of England was lately invaded by the
armye vnder Duke Hamilton, contrary to the covenant, and our leagues
of amity; and against all the engagemᵗˢ of loue, and brotherhood
between the two nations; and notwithstanding the pretence of your
late declaration, publish’d to tak with the people of this kingdome.
The Commons of England In Parliamᵗ assembled, declared the said armie
soe entring as enemyes to the kingdome; and those of England who
should adhere to them, as traytors. And having received commands to
march wᵗʰ a considerable part of their army to oppose soe greate a
violation of faith and iustice, what a witness (God being appealed
too) hath borne vpon the engagemᵗ of the two armyes against the
vnrighteousness of man, not onely yourselves, but this kingdome, yea,
and a greate part of the knowne world, will, I trust, acknowledge
how dangerous a thing it is to wage an vniust warre, much more to
appeale to God, the righteous iudge therein; wee trust hee will
perswade you better by this manifest token of his displeasure, least
his hand be stretched out yet more against you, and your poore people
alsoe, if they wilbe deceiued. That which I am to demand of you,
is the restitution of the garrisone of Berwick and Carlile into my
hands for the vse of the Parliamᵗ and kingdome of England. If you
deny me herein, I must make our appeale to God, and call upon him
for assistance, in what way hee shall direct us; wherein wee are,
and shalbe, soe farr from seeking the harme of the well affected
people of the kingdome of Scotland, that wee profess (as before the
Lord) that what difference an army necessitated in an hostile way
to recover the auncient rights and inheritance of the kingdoms,
(vnder which they serve,) can make, wee shall vse our endeavour to
the vtmost that the trouble may fall vpon the contrivers and authoʳˢ
of this breach; and not vpon the poore innocent people, who have
been led and compelled into this action, as many poore soules, now
prisonʳˢ to vs, confess. We thought our selues bound in duty thus to
expostulate with you; and thus to profess, to th’end wee may beare
our integrity out before the world, and may have comfort in God,
whatever the event bee. Desireing yoʳ answer, I rest
Yoʳ Loᵖᵖˢ humble servant,
O. CROMWELL.
Septembʳ yᵉ 16ᵗʰ, 1648.
* * * * *
Right Honourable,
Wee perceive that there was upon our advance to the borders, the last
Lord’s day, a very disorderly carriage by some horse, who, without
order, did steale over the Tweed, and plundred some places in the
kingdome of Scotland, and since that, some straglers have been alike
faulty to the wrong of the inhabitants, and to our very greate greife
of heart. I have been as diligent as I can to finde out the men that
have done the wrong, and I am still in the discovery thereof, and I
trust it shall appeare to you that there shalbe nothing wanting on my
part that may testifie how much wee abhorre such things; and to the
best of my information, I cannot finde the least guilt of the fact to
lye upon the regiments of this army, but upon some of the northern
horse who have not been under our discipline and goverment, untill
just that wee came into these parts. I have commanded those forces
away back againe into England, and I hope the exemplarity of justice
will testifie for us our greate detestation of the fact; for the
remayneing forces, which are of our old regiments, wee may engage for
them, their officers will keepe them from doinge any such thinges;
and wee are confident that, saving victuall, they shall not take
any thing from the inhabitants, and in that alsoe, they shalbe soe
farre from being their own __________ as that they shall submitt to
have provisions ordered and proportiond by the consent, and with the
direction, of the committees and gentlemen of the country; and not
otherwise. If they please to be assisting to us therein, I thought
fitt, for the preventing of misunderstanding, to give your Lordshipps
this accompt, and rest,
My Lords, Your most humble servant, O. CROMWELL.
Norham, 21ˢᵗ September, _1648_.
For the Right Honourable the Committee
of Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland,
at Edinburgh, These.
* * * * *
1648.—November 20.
4. _The General’s Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and
the Army’s Remonstrance, presented by Colonel Ewert._[421]
Mr SPEAKER,
The General Council of Officers at their late Meeting here, have
unanimously agreed on a Remonstrance to be presented to you, which
is herewith sent by the hands of Col. Ewers and other Officers; and
in regard it concerns matters of highest and present Importance
to your self, to us and the whole Kingdom, I do at the desire of
the Officers, and in the behalf of them and my self, humbly and
earnestly intreat, that it may have a present reading, and the
things propounded may be timely considered; and that no failing
in Circumstance or Expressions may prejudice either the Reason or
Justice of what is tendred, or their intentions, of whose good
Affections and Constancy therein you have had so long experience. I
remain
Your most Humble Servant,
THO. FAIRFAX.
* * * * *
For the Honourable William Lenthall, Esq., Speaker of the House of
Commons.
_Some chief Heads of the Remonstrance, after the Preambulary Part,
which is to shew the Messages of the King and Parliament severally,
also in all Treaties between them, especially in that they are now
in, with Reasons therefore and Objections answered, from whence these
Consequences are drawn._
1. That they conceive the Parliament hath abundant cause to lay aside
any further Proceeding in this Treaty, and to return to their Votes of
Non-addresses, and settle with or against the King, that he may come no
more to Government; and this, first by rejecting those Demands of the
King for himself and Party, especially concerning his Restitution and
coming to London with Freedom; and that they proceed against the King
in way of Justice, for evils done by him, and in order thereto, to have
him kept in safe custody. 2. To lay aside that bargaining Proposition
with Delinquents, which will present the thing done by contract with
the King, and not in a judicial way, and by that Power, that no
Delinquents be partially dealt with, protected nor pardonable by other
Power, only moderated upon submission: and among these Offenders they
offer,
(1.) That the King be brought to Justice, as the capital cause of
all. (2.) That a timely and peremptory day be set for the Prince
of Wales, and Duke of York, to come in and render; if not, they be
declared incapable of Government, or any right in England, and stand
exiled for ever as Traytors; and if they render themselves by the
time, then the Prince to be proceeded against or remitted as he shall
give satisfaction, and the Duke the like, and that the Revenue of the
Crown be sequestred. Also the 10,000_l._ to be added, be disposed to
publick use. (3.) That publick Justice may be done upon some capital
Causers or Actors in the War. (4.) That the rest upon submission may
have mercy for their lives. (5.) That the Soldiers have their Arrears,
publick Debts paid, chiefly to those who voluntarily laid out their
Estates, and ventured their Lives, and this to be done by Fines of
Delinquents, and the Estates of those excluded from Pardon. After
publick Justice thus done, then that a reasonable certain period be
put to this Parliament. There want a hundred good Laws, as many to be
repealed, as many to be explained, must not that be first done? and
at this period it may be agreed that there be a certain succession
of future Parliaments Annual or Biennial, with secure provision.
(1.) For the certainty of meeting. (2.) For equal distribution of
Elections, to render the Commons House an equal Representative. (3.)
For certainty of the Peoples meeting, and that none who have engaged
in the late War, or shall engage against the right of Parliament and
Kingdom, or adhere to the Enemies thereof, be capable of electing
or being elected, during some Years, nor those who shall not join
with but oppose this Settlement. (4.) For clearing the Power of this
Representative, it be declared to have the supream power, as to the
governing and preservation of the whole, as to the People of England,
and to altering, repealing, or abolishing of Laws, the making War or
Peace, the highest or final Judgment in all civil things: and all
Ministers or Officers of State shall be accountable to them, bound and
concluded thereby, provided, 1_st_, They may not censure or question
any man after the end of this Parliament for any thing said or done
in reference to the late War. 2_dly_, They may not render up, give or
take away any Right, Liberty or Safety contained in this Settlement
or Agreement. (5.) That there be Liberty of entring Dissents in the
said Representative: in case of Corruption in these highest Trusts,
the People may know who are free, and who guilty, that so they may
not trust such for the future, but with further Penalty to any for
their future Judgment there. That no King be hereafter admitted, but
upon Election of, and as upon Trust from the People, by such their
Representative, not without first disclaiming and disavowing all
Pretence to a Negative Voice against the determination of the said
Representative or Commons in Parliament, and that to be done in such
Form more clear than heretofore in the Coronation Oath.
These matters of a general Settlement are propounded to be done by
this Parliament, and to be further established by a general Contract
or Agreement of the People with Subscriptions thereunto; also that it
be provided, that none be capable of benefit by this Agreement, who
shall not consent and subscribe thereunto, nor any King be admitted
to the Crown, or other Person to any other Office or Place of publick
Trust, with express accord and subscription to the same. These things
they press as good for this and other Kingdoms, and hope it will not be
taken ill because from an Army, and so Servants, when their Masters are
Servants and Trustees for the Kingdom.
* * * * *
1649.
5. _Note of Proceedings in the Convention of Estates relative to the
Kirk._
_Jan. 16._ Act Repealing Acts of Parliament or Committee, made for the
late Unlawful Engagement, and Ratifying the Protestation and Opposition
against the same, p. 341. Act in favour of the Ministers who were
at Mauchlin Muir, p. 346. Act of Commission anent Universitie of St
Andrew’s, p. 346.
_Jan. 18._ Act containing the return of the Estates of Parliament,
upon the Testimony communicated unto them by the Commissioners of the
General Assembly, and their Concurrence with the same, p. 349.
_Jan. 26._—Act ratifying and containing the tenor of the band for
securing the peace of the kingdom, and in joining the same to be
subscribed, p. 358.
_Jan. 25._ Act in Favours of the University of St Andrew’s, anent the
Rents of the Archbishopric and Priory of St Andrew’s, p. 357.
_Jan. 30._ Act in Favours of the Town of St Andrew’s, for Provision of
a Third Minister, p. 359. Act against Fornication, p. 360.
_Feb. 5._ Proclamation of King Charles II., p. 363.
_Feb. 7._ Act anent Securing of the Covenant, Religion, and Peace of
the Kingdom, p. 364. Act anent the Catechisms, Confession of Faith, and
Ratifying thereof, p. 364.
_Feb. 10._ Act for Information of the Lieges anent the Securing the
Peace of the Kingdom, p. 367.
* * * * *
6. _Account of the Duke of Hamiltons Expedition into England, being
Excerpts from “Memoirs of his own Life and Times, by Sir James
Turner.”_—P. 49.
The Committee of Estates, and consequentlie the visible soveraigne
pouer of Scotland at that time, is divided between the Duke Hammilton
and the Marques of Argile. The last keepd stronglie by the church, and
had it for him; and for feare that did not his turne, he keepd the
armie, at least Leven and David Leslie for him, as knowing, _omnia sunt
gladii pidissequa_. Yet the Hammiltons had gaind much on Middleton, who
had a strong influence on the armie. Hammilton, to beate Argile out
of his strongest fortresse, propons the disbanding the armie as very
useles now, and which was worse, very burthensome, all the enemies of
the state being rangd to their duetie. This was not onlie a plausible
pretext, bot ane unansuerable argument; bot marke the reply of the
other partie. “Never so great danger as now; the Kings person, which
they were bound to defend by the oath of their Covenant (observe, there
was no former ty on them,) being in the hands of the Independents,
who were suorne enemies to his sacred person and to presbiterie,
and carying now all things before them in the English Parliament,
were become very formidable.” So impudentlie could these hipocrites
make use of the safetie of the King, to support their power, by the
usurpation wherof they had brought him to that low condition, and whose
destruction they still designd. To this they adde a ridiculouslie
palpable ly, that the Marques of Huntley was strong and marching
southward, waxd numerous, and to use their oune words, grew great like
a snow ball; that poore Marques, in the meane time, hideing himselfe
in holes and caves, out of which he is about that same time draune
and carried to Edenburgh and cast in the tollbooth, out of which he
never came till he was brought to a scaffold. The matter of the armies
disbanding is referd to the meeting of a great Committee, whose members
are summond by Argile and the kirk to come from the remotest places of
the kingdome, and when they meet, they vote the armie to stand.
* * * * *
Bot before all this was done, E. Lainrick, brother to Duke Hamilton,
is made one of these commissioners, which they called the Committee of
both kingdomes. The Chanclor and he went to London, and from thence,
by the Parliaments permission to the Ile of Wight, where they had
severall conferences with his Majestie. Many concessions they obtaind
from him against Poperie, Arminianisme, Socinianisme, Libertinisme,
Erastianisme, and I know not what els, and many promises they made
to him, and so returned to Scotland. A Parliament is calld, which
either consisted of the Royal or purlie Hammiltonian partie; Argiles
being the least of the three, the election of the members was so
dexterouslie carried. Bot in the Commission of the Kirke, Argile carryd
all before him. And now the scene is changd. The King is in no danger;
the Parliament of England, thogh independent, and Scotland are good
friends; they must not fall out; the union of the tuo kingdomes must be
preserved; the King in his concessions, had not taken away Prelacie,
and therfore all the rest of his grants were hipocriticall; neither
were the Scots bound to defend his person by vertue of the Covenant,
bot in the defence of the true religion, which, according to their
glosse, is presbiteriall government; and therefor no armie must be
raisd for his releasment or restoration, onlie the English Parliament
wold be desird to suffer them to treate with the King, whose person,
according to promise, sould be keepd in honor, freedome and safetie.
Heere yow see ane armie necessare and not necessare, for one and the
same cause. Yow will thinke that strange, bot I will unriddle yow.
Necessare for the Kings defence, and to withstand the power of the
Independents, so long as old Leven and David Leslie commanded it; not
necessare for these or any other causes, if Duke Hamilton and Earle
Calander had the conduct of it. Whether the great soumes of money the
English Commissioners brought with them, had ane influence on the
leading men of the state, the kirk and the armie, Sir James Stewart,
once Provost of Edinburgh yet alive can well enough tell. This rent
betueene the usurped state and the usurped kirk, was the first step
to the mine of the whole designe of the yeare 1648; for in the time
of this furious dis ... our levies were retarded, and time given to
Fairfaxe and Cromwell to destroy all the Kings partie in England. At
length the raising of ane armie is carried in spite of Argile and the
kirk. Duke Hammilton is declard Generall; E. Calander, (who once more
appeard to oune the Kings interest,) Lieutenant Generall of the armie;
Mildletone, Lieutenant Generall of the horse, and Baillie of the foot.
Bot before this was dune, a petition is draune up by Argile and his
friends, (the Chancellor playing fast and loose with both parties,)
which is calld the petition of the armie, which was to secure religion
(for these were the kirks words) and the kingdome of Christ, before any
forces were raised for the Kings releasment. It is signd privatlie by
Leven, Da. Leslie, Major Generall Holburne, Sir Johne Broun, Colonell
Scot, and some others, and then presented publiklie to the rest of us,
thinking we could not, being sojors, refuse to follow our leaders. Bot
they found themselves mistaken; for Major Generall Middletone, and
the honnest part of the officers of the armie told them, that such a
petition, which lookd so like mutinie, could not be presented to the
Parliament without incurring the dishonour which Fairfaxe his armie had
draune upon itselfe, to impose on the Parliament of England. To oppose
this petition, Middletone was pleasd to make use of me; neither was I,
indeed, unwilling to contribute all my endeavors for the destruction
of a paper which, if it had beene red, wold have spoke with so loud a
voyce, that many of the members who were bot indifferent, wold have
spoke Argiles language very plainlie. The busienes was so handled that
it was never presented.
Innumerable allmost were the petitions that came from all places
of the kingdome, against the raising of forces for his Majesties
releasment. Glasgow being a considerable toune, was most refractorie
to this Parliament; for Mr Dick, whom they lookd upon as a patriarch,
Mr Baillie, Mr Gillespie and Mr Durhame, all mightie members of the
kirk of Scotland, had preachd them to a perfite disobedience of all
civill power, except such as was authorisd by the Generall Assemblie
and Commission of the Kirke; and so indeed was the whole west of
Scotland, who cryd up King Christ, and the kingdome of Jesus Christ,
therby meaning the uncontroullable and unlimited dominion of the then
kirk of Scotland, to whom they thought our Saviour had delivered
over his scepter, to governe his militant church as they thought fit.
For this reason, I am sent to Glasgow to reduce it to obedience,
with three troops of horse, and Holburns regiment of foot, which a
litle before that had mutind in the Links of Lieth; (their colonell,
lieutenant colonell, and all their captains, haveing deserted them,)
bot the mutinie was with some difficultie compesed by myselfe, and
that regiment brought by me the length of Cramond, in its march to
Glasgow. In Glasgow were many honnest and loyall men, the prime wherof
wer the Cambells and the Bells; and indeed I had good helpe of Coline
Cambell, James Bell, and Bayliffe James Hamilton. At my comeing there I
found my worke not very difficill; for I shortlie learnd to know, that
the quartering tuo or three troopers, and halfe a dozen musketeers,
was ane argument strong enough, in two or three nights time, to make
the hardest headed Covenanter in the toune to forsake the kirk and
side with the Parliament. I came on the friday, and nixt day sent to
Mr Dick, and desird him and his brethren to say nothing nixt day in
their pullpits that might give me just reason to disturbe the peace of
the church. In the forenoone he spoke us very faire, and gave us no
occasion of offence; but in the afternoone he transgresd all limits of
modestie, and raild malitieouslie against both King and Parliament.
This obligd me to command all my officers and sojors to goe presentlie
out of the church, because I neither could nor would suffer any under
my command to be witnesses of a misdemeanor of that nature. At the
first Dick was timorous, and promisd, if I wold stay, he wold give me
satisfaction; bot I told him I wold trust him no more, since he had
broke his promise made in the forenoone. Seeing I intended no worse but
to remove, he continued his sermon, and nixt day went to Edenburgh to
complaine; bot sent one that same night to make his greeveance to the
Duke, who was comd the day before to his palace of Hammilton. Thither I
went nixt morning. His Grace approvd of all I had done; and there was
reason for it; because I had done nothing bot by his oune order, and
his brother E. Lainricks advice. This was that great and well neere
inexpiable sinne which I committed against the sacred soveraigntie of
the kirk; for which all members were so implacable and irreconcileable
enemies to me afterward.
Finding my Glasgow men groune prettie tame, I tenderd them a short
paper, which whoever signed I promisd sould be presentlie easd of
all quartering. It was nothing bot a submission to all orders of
Parliament, agreeable to the Covenant. This paper was afterward by
some merrie men christend Turners Covenant. It was quickly signd by
all except some inconsiderable persons; and so soone as Duke Hammilton
had causd read my letter in Parliament, and the signd papers sent to
the Clearke Register, I was orderd to march to Renfrew, to reduce that
shire to obedience. I left the Generall of the Artilleries regiment,
which was not very strong, at Glasgow, and marchd with my oune (for the
Parliament had given me that of Holburns, and my Lord Duke had placd me
himselfe at Glasgow, and eleven troops of horse; for still as they were
levied in the east, they were sent west to me. I lay at Paislay myselfe
with my regiment, and quarterd my troopes round about. Bot the people
from severall parishes came so fast to me, offering their obedience to
the Parliament, that I knew not well how to quarter my present men,
much lesse these troops, and Calanders regiment, which were on their
march westward.