This people’s patient waiting for the King’s last answer, is very near a final period: and all are afraid that one of these days the House of Commons doors be closed, and some high vote pass that never shall be recalled.
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Again, I tell you, from all I converse with, the covenant is his safety; nothing less will do it; and this will do it, by God’s help abundantly.
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To Mr George Young. December 1, 1646.
The £200,000 was all told on Friday last. All this day our commissioners have been agreeing upon the way of its receiving, and the going of our army. Great haste will be used upon all hands, no stop is expected. We have had sore labour these weeks bygone, to put on many things in the Houses, assembly, and city, much ado to get the great sum; but when once it was on a way, it ran faster than it could be received. It was my dear friend Dr Burgess’s singular invention, that all who contribute to this sum, would have as much of his old debt, with all the annualrents counted to him, and for all make a good pennyworth of the bishops lands; so the bargain being exceeding advantageous, the strife was, who should come in with his money soonest. By this means we got the bishops lands on our back, without any grudge, and in a way that no skill will get them back again.
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The body of this people would gladly embrace the King and peace; but if one month longer he go on to dally, they will reject him for ever; and if he then run to us, to draw a perpetual war upon our backs, he cannot be very wellcome. Our commissioners here, twice every week, write such long, free, and true scrolls, as will absolve them from any guilt, if persons obstinate in madness will needs destroy themselves. I think all here shall either come home with me, or at my back. A base scurvy pamphlet came out against our papers, which by order of parliament this day was publickly burnt; yet the House of Commons answer to us was sent us this day also, little better than that which they burnt.
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For Mr James Robertson of Bedlay. December 8, 1646.
Some few of the most active men of the House of Commons and army are for too general a liberty for all consciences; but the most of both Houses are right and sound, and the body of the city are zealous against all errors and confusions, as the world will see in their new petition yet before this week end. Generally the ministers over all the kingdom are orthodox; and the sectaries except a very few, are but heady, illiterate persons. If peace were settled, and the army down, all here think that the noise of heresies, which now is very loud, would evanish. This night I count us as good us agreed for the sending down of our money, and the return of our army. I think, on Monday, and not sooner, it will go. We receive at Northallerton, £100,000, and the other beyond the Tine, when Newcastle is delivered.
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To my Lord——. [This, I suppose, is to the Earl of Loudon, Chancellor of Scotland.] December 25, 1646.