No. 60.

Letter from the Earl of Essex to the City desiring a loan of £100,000 for the maintenance of the Parliamentary army. Dated Northampton, 13 Sept. 1642.

Journal 40, fo. 38.

My lord and gentlemen I receaved so great expressions of affeccõn both to y^e cause, and to myselfe from y^e cittye of London at my departure from you, that I cannot dispaire but to obtayne any suite from you that shalbee an advantage to y^e Comon wealth Upon a true judgment of y^e condicõn of our affaires and of that of y^e enemye, I am confident that wee may bringe this business to a quick and happy conclusion God doth blesse us w^th so good successe dailey & the other parte by their plundring and burninge of townes and houses grow so odious, that they grow weaker wee stronger everywhere. Yet are wee in one great straight, and such a one as if it bee not speedily remedyed, may quash all our hopes, and endanger that peace, and libertie which wee so much strive for. Our treasure w^ch must maintayne y^e army grows neere an ende, and yo^u well know our army consists of such as cannot bee kept one day togeather w^thout pay, what a ruine it would bringe uppon us all if a disbandinge should happen I leave to your judgments. My desire unto yo^u is that yo^u would supply us w^th the speedy loane of one hundred thousand pounds which I am confident would w^th Gods blessinge bringe these unhappy distraccõns to an ende quickly. Vour citty hath hitherto had y^e honor (next to God) to bee the chiefest safetye of the Kingdome and Parlyament. This will render yo^u to all posterity the ffinishers of this great worke. If any thinge of particuler love or respect to mee may bee any argument herein I shall take it for y^e greatest honor that hath befalne mee and will oblige myselfe to acknowledge it by the utmost and most faithfull indeavors of your ffaithfull ffriend Essex. From the rendezvous att Northampton 13^o Sept. 1642.