A Letter Sent to Thomas Glemham

ALthough we justly presume, that the solemn mutual Covenant entered into by both Kingdoms, hath long since come to your hands, & likewise that you have had notice of the raising of this Army desired by the Parliament of England, for the prosecution of those Ends therein expressed, ( viz. ) The preservation and Reformation of Religion, he true Honor and happiness of the King, And the the public Peace and Liberty of His Dominions. Yet that it may appear both to you and all the world, how unwilling we are to make a forcible use of those Arms, we have been constrained (by the disappointment of all other means of safety) to take up: We the Commissioners and Committees of both Kingdoms, have thought sit beside that Declaration, (a Coppie whereof we herewith send) lately emitted in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland, for the satisfaction of the people concerning the Entrance of this their Army; To take more particular notice of you the Chief Gentlemen and Commanders, hoping likewise that things of so great and considerable consequence, will find with you such an entertainment, as will answer the weight and importance of them.

We will not so much wrong the Cause we have undrtaken, as to go about after so many Demonstrations of the necessity of our present Posture, to dispute it with you, but rather instead of Arguments, we think it reasonable to acquaint you with our well weighed resolutions which are through the assistance of that God in whose cause we are engaged, and whose strength alone we trust in, with our utmost industry and hazard, to endeavor the prevention of that imminent danger, not only of Corruption, but of Ruin, which we see evidently intended to the true Protestant Religion, by the Popish and Prelatical Faction, who • ever wanted Will, but now think they want not strength and opportunity to accomplish it, as also the Rescuing of his Majesty's Person and Honor, so deeply and unhappily entangled in the Councils and Practice of them whose actions speak their ends, to be • ittle better then Popery and Tyrannie, and the redeeming the Peace and Liberty of his Dominions, in which the Irish Rebellion, and the sad and unnatural Divisions in England have made so great a breach.

To the accomplishment of those so just and Honorable Designes we have reason to expect the concurrence of all men, who either owe, or pretend a due love to their Religion, King, and Country, and shall be very sorry to want yours; but if mis-information or any other unhappy grounds shall so far prevail with you, as to reckon us in the number of your enemies, which certainly we are not, if you be friends to those ends mentioned in our Covenant: And instead of that concurrence with us, which we with and hope to deserve we find from you opposition, and Acts of Hostilitie, the Law of nature and your own reason will tell you what you are to expect.

We only add, that though it will not a little trouble us, to see men withstanding not only us but their own good and happiness; yet it doth in good measure satisfy us, that we have not neglected this, or any other means to the best of our power, or understanding, to prevent those inconveniencies and mischiefs that may arise from those Acts of force which we shall be necessitated unto.

Subscribed at Barwick the 20. of January, 1643. by the Warrant, and in the name of the Committee of both Kingdoms.

My Lord, I have this day received yours, together with one to the Gentlemen of the Country, and having communicated with them, We return you this Answer,

THat without the sight of that Letter, we could not have been induced by any flying rumors to believe, that the Scottish Nation or a prevailing Party for the present in that Nation, would have attempted an invasion of England : So contrary to the laws of God, of Nations, of both Kingdoms, and especially to the late Act of Pacification: So opposite to their Allegiance, and Gratitude to his Majesty, to that neighborly love which they pretend, to that discreet care which they should have of their own safety.

We could not otherwise have imagined, that they who by his Majesty's goodness enjoy a settlement of their Church and State, according to their own desires, should needlessly and ingratefully imbroile themselves in a business that concerns them not, forfeit their rights, disoblige His Majesty, and hazard the loss of their present happiness.

No Order of any Committee or Committees whatsoever of Men, or Angels, can give them power to martch into the bowels of another Kingdom, to make offensive War against their natural Sovereign, upon the empty pretence of Evil Counselors, who could never yet be named. And for the English Agents we cannot believe them to be any Commissioners, lawfully authorised, either by the Parliament, or by the two Houses, or yet by the House of Commons, where so many of the Members are expelled by parciall Votes, so many banished by seditious Tumults, so many voluntarily absent themselves out of conscience; where desperation or want of opportunity to depart, or fear of certain plunder, are the chiefest bonds which hold the little remnant together from dissepation; where the venerable name of Parliament is made a stale to countenance the pernicious Counsailers, and Acts of a close Committee.

For Subjects to make Forraigne Confederacies without their Sovereigns assent, to invade the Teritories of their undoubted King, to go about by force to change the Laws and Religion established, is gross Treason without all contradiction: And in this case it argues strongly, who have been the Contrivers and Fomenters of all our troubles. No Covenant whatsoever, or with whomsoever, can justify such proceedings, or oblige a Subject to run such disloyal courses. If any man out of ignorance, or fear, or credulity, have entered into such a Covenant, it binds him not, except it be to repentance, neither is there any such necessity as is pretended of your present Posture, yourselves cannot allege that you are any way provoked by us, neither are we conscious to ourselves of the least intention to molest you.

Those ends which you propose are plausible indeed to them who do not understand them: The blackest designs did never want the same pretences. If by the Protestant Religion, you intend our Articles which are the public Confession of our Church, and our Book of Common Prayer, established by Act of Parliament, you need not trouble yourselves; we are ready to defend them with our blood. If it be otherwise, it is plain to all the world, that it is not the preservation, but the innovation of Religion which you seek, howsoever, by you styled Reformation. And what calling have you to reform us by the sword? We do not remember that ever the like indignity was offered by one Nation to another, by a lesser to a greater. That those men who have heretofore pleaded so vehemently for liberty of conscience, against all Oaths and Subscriptions, should now assume a power to themselves by Arms, to impose a Law upon the consciences of their fellow Subjects; A vanquished Nation would scare endure such terms from their Conquerers: But this we are sure of, that this is the way to make the Protestant Religion odious to all Monarchs, Christian, and Pagan.

Your other two ends, that is, The honor and happiness of the King, and the public peace and liberty of his Dominions, are so manifestly contrary to your practice, that there need no other motives to with-draw you from such a course, as tends so directly to make his Majesty contemptible at home & abroad, and to fill all his Dominions with rapine and blood. In an Army all have not the same intentions, (we have seen the Articles agreed upon, and those vast sums and conditions contained in them, as if our Country-men thought, That England was indeed a Well that could never be dry. And whatsoever the intentions be, we know right well what will be the consequents: If it were otherwise, no intention or consequent whatsoever, can justify an unlawful lawful action. And therefore you do wisely to decli •• all disputation • bout it. It is an easy thing to prete •• the Cause of God, as the Jews did the Temple of 〈◊〉 Lord, but this is far from those evident Demonstratio •• which you often mention, never make.

Consider that there must be an account given to G •• of all the blood which shall be shed in this qu • rrell. T •• way to prevent it, is not by such insinuations, but to •• tire before the sword be unsheathed, or the breach made too wide: You cannot think that we are grow •• such tame creatures, to desert our Religion, our Ki •• our Laws, our Liberties, or Estates, upon the co •• mand of Forreiners, and to suffer ourselves and 〈◊〉 posterity to be made beggars, and slaves without 〈◊〉 position. If any of ours shall join with you in t •• action, we cannot look upon them otherwise, then 〈◊〉 Traitours to their King, Vipers to their native Co •• trey, and such as have been Plotters, or Promoters this design from the beginning. But if mis-infor •• tion or fear hath drawn any of yours ignorantly or •• willingly into this Cause, we desire them to with-dr •• themselves at last, and not to make themselves acce •• ries to that deluge of mischief, which this seco •• voyage is like to bring upon both Kingdoms.