Being my approach to the borders of the kingdome of Scotland, I thought fitt to acquaint you of the reason thereof. It’s well knowne how iniuriously the kingdome of England was lately invaded by the armye vnder Duke Hamilton, contrary to the covenant, and our leagues of amity; and against all the engagemᵗˢ of loue, and brotherhood between the two nations; and notwithstanding the pretence of your late declaration, publish’d to tak with the people of this kingdome. The Commons of England In Parliamᵗ assembled, declared the said armie soe entring as enemyes to the kingdome; and those of England who should adhere to them, as traytors. And having received commands to march wᵗʰ a considerable part of their army to oppose soe greate a violation of faith and iustice, what a witness (God being appealed too) hath borne vpon the engagemᵗ of the two armyes against the vnrighteousness of man, not onely yourselves, but this kingdome, yea, and a greate part of the knowne world, will, I trust, acknowledge how dangerous a thing it is to wage an vniust warre, much more to appeale to God, the righteous iudge therein; wee trust hee will perswade you better by this manifest token of his displeasure, least his hand be stretched out yet more against you, and your poore people alsoe, if they wilbe deceiued. That which I am to demand of you, is the restitution of the garrisone of Berwick and Carlile into my hands for the vse of the Parliamᵗ and kingdome of England. If you deny me herein, I must make our appeale to God, and call upon him for assistance, in what way hee shall direct us; wherein wee are, and shalbe, soe farr from seeking the harme of the well affected people of the kingdome of Scotland, that wee profess (as before the Lord) that what difference an army necessitated in an hostile way to recover the auncient rights and inheritance of the kingdoms, (vnder which they serve,) can make, wee shall vse our endeavour to the vtmost that the trouble may fall vpon the contrivers and authoʳˢ of this breach; and not vpon the poore innocent people, who have been led and compelled into this action, as many poore soules, now prisonʳˢ to vs, confess. We thought our selues bound in duty thus to expostulate with you; and thus to profess, to th’end wee may beare our integrity out before the world, and may have comfort in God, whatever the event bee. Desireing yoʳ answer, I rest

Yoʳ Loᵖᵖˢ humble servant,
O. Cromwell.

Septembʳ yᵉ 16ᵗʰ, 1648.

Right Honourable,

Wee perceive that there was upon our advance to the borders, the last Lord’s day, a very disorderly carriage by some horse, who, without order, did steale over the Tweed, and plundred some places in the kingdome of Scotland, and since that, some straglers have been alike faulty to the wrong of the inhabitants, and to our very greate greife of heart. I have been as diligent as I can to finde out the men that have done the wrong, and I am still in the discovery thereof, and I trust it shall appeare to you that there shalbe nothing wanting on my part that may testifie how much wee abhorre such things; and to the best of my information, I cannot finde the least guilt of the fact to lye upon the regiments of this army, but upon some of the northern horse who have not been under our discipline and goverment, untill just that wee came into these parts. I have commanded those forces away back againe into England, and I hope the exemplarity of justice will testifie for us our greate detestation of the fact; for the remayneing forces, which are of our old regiments, wee may engage for them, their officers will keepe them from doinge any such thinges; and wee are confident that, saving victuall, they shall not take any thing from the inhabitants, and in that alsoe, they shalbe soe farre from being their own __________ as that they shall submitt to have provisions ordered and proportiond by the consent, and with the direction, of the committees and gentlemen of the country; and not otherwise. If they please to be assisting to us therein, I thought fitt, for the preventing of misunderstanding, to give your Lordshipps this accompt, and rest,

My Lords,
Your most humble servant,
O. Cromwell.

Norham, 21ˢᵗ September, 1648.

For the Right Honourable the Committee of Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland, at Edinburgh, These.