1648.
2. Instructions by the Committee of Estates sent by their Commissioners to the English Parliament.[419]
You shall repair to London, and deliver our Letter to the Honourable Houses of the Parliament of England.
You shall excuse the long delay in sending to them, and in the mean time let them know, we hold Correspondence with the Commander in Chief of their Forces.
You shall give them a Narrative of our whole Proceedings according to the Declaration of the Kirk, and our own; particularly you shall acquaint them with our Proceedings in opposition to the late unlawful Engagement, and what Industry was used on the other part, for the Election of Malignants to be Members of Parliament, and how unlawfully some were admitted to sit in Parliament; and great numbers of Malignants were brought in from England, to over-awe the honest Party, and how many of the Army were corrupted.
And you shall farther represent particularly the great Sufferings and Oppressions of honest men, and that before they heard any thing of the Defeat of the Forces under Duke Hamilton in England, they had resolved on the manner and time of their Rising in Arms here in this Kingdom, against the Promoters and Abettors of that Engagement, and their Adherents, You shall also shew them the result of the Treaty betwixt us and those Armies about Sterlin, and how useful their Forces have been to us by being at so near a distance.
You shall endeavour to take away all Mis-information or Mis-constructions of any of our former Proceedings, and settle a good Understanding betwixt them and the honest protesting Party in Scotland; and you shall shew them the continued evil Principles, Malice, and Designs of the Malignant Party in this Kingdom, yet to trouble our Peace and interrupt theirs, and as they call it, not to live and outlive the not carrying on so pious and loyal an Engagement: and that some of them are going to Holland with an intention, as we are informed, to bring over Forces if they can: therefore we have caused deliver Berwick to be disposed of for the Good of both Kingdoms, and give the like Warrant for Carlisle; and that it is also surrendered, or presently to surrender for the use foresaid. So we agree during these Troubles, until the Peace of this Kingdom be settled, that the Honourable Houses may keep some Forces upon the Borders, and sufficient Garrisons in them both, upon a two-fold assurance: First, that in case any new Troubles be raised in Scotland by the Malignants, both they and the Forces about Newcastle have Directions from the Parliament to come unto Scotland, to pursue the Common Enemy when they shall be desired by the Committee of Estates, as it is now constituted of the Protesting Party in Scotland: and Secondly, that the Parliament shall remove all Garrisons out of those two Towns, and from our Borders, and put them in the Condition agreed on by the Treaties betwixt both Kingdoms, whensoever the Troubles are at an end, and the Peace of the Kingdoms settled.
You shall shew how desirous and willing we are to harken to any good Overture that may conduce to prevent any such-like Breaches again betwixt the two Nations, and that it may not be in the power of Malignants again either to seduce, or to enforce upon the People the like Sin and Snare; and for mutual Consultation, we think it expedient, both that they should have some honest Noblemen, Commissioners, here to reside at Edinburgh, and that we shall have some at London, that by Commutation of Counsels, our Common Peace may be the better settled and continued.
You shall try if the Treaty betwixt the Kings Majesty and the Two Houses of Parliament be like to take effect, and shall study to preserve the Interest of this Kingdom in the matter of the settling of the Peace of these Kingdoms: and if you shall find there are real Grounds to hope an Agreement betwixt the King and the Two Houses, in respect both Kingdomes are engaged in the same Cause and Covenant, and have been, and still are under the same Dangers, and to the end our Peace may be more durable, you shall endeavour that before any Agreement of Peace be made, we may be first acquainted therewith, that we may send up Commissions in relation to the Treaty with the King, upon the Propositions, and in relation to mutual Advice, for the settling of the Peace of these Kingdomes, and accordingly as you find the Two Houses inclined therein, you shall give us Advertisement.
You shall according as upon the place it shall be found expedient, present the same Desires to the Two Houses of Parliament in name of this Kingdome, touching the Work of Reformation, as shall be presented to them from this Kirk.
You shall assist Mr Blair in this Imployment, and take his advice and assistance in yours, and give us Advertisement weekly how all matters goe.