LETTER CLV.

For the Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh.

SIR,

Edinburgh, 12th December, 1650.

It concerns not me to know your obligations to those that trust you. I make no question of the apprehensions you have of your abilities to resist those impressions which shall be made upon you,1 are the natural and equitable rules of all men's judgments and consciences in your condition;-except you had taken an oath beyond a possibility. I leave that to your consideration; and shall not seek to contest with your thoughts: only I think it may become me to let you know, You may have honourable terms for yourself and those with you; and both yourself and soldiers have satisfaction to all your reasonable desires; and those that have other employments, liberty and protection in the exercise of them.

But to deal plainly with you, I will not give liberty to you to consult your Committee of Estates; because I hear, those that are honest amongst them enjoy not satisfaction, and the rest are now discovered to seek another Interest than they have formerly pretended to. And if you desire to be informed of this, you may, by them you dare trust, at a nearer distance than St. Johnston.

Expecting your present answer, I rest,

Sir, your servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

By my cannons and mortars.

The Governor's Reply, No. 2, arrives on the morrow, Friday:

"For his Excellency the Lord General of the English Forces in Scotland.

"Edinburgh Castle, 13th December, 1650. "MY LORD,-It much concerneth me (considering my obligations) to be found faithful in the trust committed to "me. And therefore, in the fear of the living God, and of "His great Name called upon in the accepting of my trust, I "do again press the liberty of acquainting the Estates. The "time is but short; and I do expect it as answerable to your 66 profession of affection to those that fear the Lord. In the "meantime I am willing to hear information of late proceedings from such as he dare trust who is,-my Lord, your "humble servant,

66

Because of your strict and solemn adjuration of me, in the fear and Name of the living God, That I give you time to send to the Committee of Estates, to whom you undertook the keeping of this place under the obligation of an oath, as you affirm, I cannot but hope that it is your conscience, and not policy, carrying you to that desire. The granting of which, if it be prejudicial to our affairs, -I am as much obliged

in conscience not to do it, as you can pretend cause for your conscience' sake to desire it.

2

Now considering 'that' our merciful and wise God binds not His People to actions too cross one to another; but that our bands may be,1 as I am persuaded they are, through our mistakes and darkness,-not only in the question about the surrendering this Castle, but also in all the present differences:-I have much reason to believe that, by a Conference, you may be well satisfied, in point of fact, of your Estates (to whom you say you are obliged) carrying on an Interest destructive and contrary to what they professed when they committed that trust to you,—having made to depart from them many honest men through fear of their own safety, and making way for the reception of professed Malignants, both in their Parliament and Army;-and also that you' may have laid before you such grounds of our ends and aims to the preservation of the interest of honest men in Scotland as well as England, as will (if God vouchsafe to appear in them) give your conscience satisfaction. Which if you refuse, I hope you will not have cause to say that we are either unmindful of the great Name of the Lord which you have mentioned, nor that we are wanting to answer our profession of affection to those that fear the Lord.

I am willing to cease hostility, for some hours, or convenient time to so good an end as information of judgment, and satisfaction of conscience;—although I may not give liberty for the time desired, to send to

' our perplexities are caused.

2 Swinton, Strahan, Hope of Craighall, &c.

the Committee of Estates; or at all stay the prosecution

of my attempt.

Expecting your sudden answer, I rest,

Your servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

The Governor's Reply, No. 3, comes out on Saturday:

"For his Excellency the Lord General of the English Forces in Scotland: These.

"Edinburgh Castle, 14th December, 1650.

"MY LORD,-What I pressed, in my last, proceeded from "conscience and not from policy: and I conceived that the "few days desired could not be of such prejudice to your affairs, as to bar the desired expressions of professed affec"tion towards those that fear the Lord. And I expected that a small delay of our own1 affairs should not have prepon"derated the satisfaction of a desire pressed in so serious and "solemn a manner for satisfying conscience.

"But if you will needs persist in denial, I shall desire to "hear the information of late proceedings from such as I dare trust, and 'as' have had occasion to know the certainty of things. Such I hope you will permit to come alongst at the "first convenience; and during that time all acts of hostility, "and prosecution of attempts, be forborne on both sides. I

LETTER CLVII.

For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These.

SIR,

Edinburgh, 14th December, 1650.

You will give me leave to be sensible of delays out of conscience of duty 'too.'

If you please to name any you would speak with 'who are' now in Town, they shall have liberty to come and speak with you for one hour, if they will; provided you send presently. I expect there be no loss of time. I rest,

Your servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

Governor Dundas applies hereupon for Mr. Alexander Jaffray and the Reverend John Carstairs to be sent to him: two official persons, whom we saw made captive in Dunbar Drove, who have ever since been Prisoners-on-parole with his Excellency; doing now and then an occasional message for him; much meditating on him and his ways. Who very naturally decline to be concerned with so delicate an operation as this now on hand, in the following characteristic Note, enclosed in his Excellency's Reply, No. 4:

LETTER CLVIII.

For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These.

SIR,

Edinburgh, 14th December, 1650.

Having acquainted the Gentlemen with

your desire to speak with them, and they making some

Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 97).