"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, The Lord General's Reply, No. 2: LETTER CXLIII. "W. DUNDAS." For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These. SIR, Edinburgh, 13th December, 1650. 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. 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, 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 1 our perplexities are caused. 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 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 affection towards "those that fear the Lord. And I expected that a small delay "of our own2 affairs should not have preponderated the satis 1 Swinton, Strahan, Hope of Craighall, &c. * Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 97). 26 our own,' one's own. "faction 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 con"venience; and during that time all acts of hostility, and prose"cution of attempts, be forborne on both sides. I am, my Lord, "your humble servant, The Lord General's Reply, No. 3: SIR, LETTER CXLIV. "W. DUNDAS." For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These. 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: Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 97). LETTER CXLV. 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 difficulty of it, 'they' have desired me to send you this enclosed. I rest, Here is this enclosed :' Sir, your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* "For the Right Honourable the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These. "Edinburgh, 14th December, 1650. "RIGHT HONOURABLE, We now hearing that you was "desirous to speak with us for your information of the posture "of affairs, we would be glad, and we think you make no doubt "of it, to be refreshing or useful to you in anything; but the "matter is of so high concernment, especially since it may be 66 you will lean somewhat upon our information in managing that important trust put upon you, that we dare not take upon us "to meddle: ye may therefore do as ye find yourselves clear and "in capacity; and the Lord be with you. We are, Sir, your "honour's humble servants, wellwishers in the Lord, "AL. JAFFRAY. So that, for this Saturday, nothing can be done. On Sunday, we suppose, Mr. Stapylton, in black, teaches in St. Giles's; and other qualified persons, some of them in red with belts, teach in other Kirks; the Scots, much taken with the doctrine, answering in their usual way of groans,' Hum-m-m-rrh!—and on Monday, it is like, the cannons and mortar-pieces begin to * Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 98). teach again, or indicate that they can at once begin. Wherefore, on Wednesday, here is a new Note from Governor Dundas; which we shall call Reply No. 4, from that much-straitened Gentleman : "Edinburgh Castle, 18th December, 1650. "MY LORD, I expected that conscience, which you pre"tended to be your motive that did induce you to summon this "house before you did attempt any thing against it, should also "have moved you to have expected my Answer to your Demand "of the house; which I could not, out of conscience, suddenly give, without mature deliberation; it being a business of such "high importance. You having refused that little time, which I "did demand to the effect I might receive the commands of them "that did intrust me with this place; and" I "yet not daring "to fulfil your desire,-I do demand such a competent time 66 as may be condescended upon betwixt us, within which if no “relief come, I shall surrender this place upon such honourable "conditions as can be agreed upon by capitulation; and during "which time all acts of hostility and prosecution of attempts on "both sides may be forborne. I am, my Lord, your humble 66 servant, The Lord General's Reply, No. 5: "W. DUNDAS." LETTER CXLVI. For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These. SIR, Edinburgh, 18th December, 1650. All that I have to say is shortly this: That if you will send out Commissioners by eleven o'clock this night, thoroughly instructed and authorised to treat and conclude, you may have terms, honourable and safe to you, and 'to' those whose interests are concerned in the things that are with you. I shall give a safe-conduct to such whose names you shall send within the time limited, |