[1643/6/32]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The noblemen, commissioneres of shyres and burrowes assembled in the conventioun of estaits of the kingdome of Scotland, from thair naturall affectione to their brethren in England, thair Christiane sympathie of the memberes of the same bodie and the apprehensioune of the lyk dangeres imminent unto themselffis and threatining thair awin religion and peace, are very deiplie affected with the sense of the distractiounes and distresses of the kirk and kingdome of Ingland, and find within their bowells thair fellow feillings daylie to grow with the increase of the trubles of thair breithrein, as if they wer in the lyk maner and measure afflicted themselffis; and thairfoir, as they are assured of the willingnes of the honorabll houses of parliament in every thing to acquyte themselffis faithfullie to this kingdome, so, being wnwilling to presse them above thair power, they have bein and are so far from giveing place to any misapprehensioun or sinister constructioune, that this kingdome haith with much patience and love wresled with many difficulties and undergone greater burdings then they are weill able to beare throuch the want of the arreares due to the airmie in Ireland, and of the brotherly assistance proceiding from so much affectioune, concerneing which they had resolved befor the comeing of the bearer to direct on[e] from themselffis, with full instructiones, whom they doe now send, hopeing by his speiddie returne to receave tymeous satisfactione in the particulares committed to his trust; and nothing doubting but at the comeing of the committies from the parliament in Scottland, God will by his wise and gratious providence so direct and assist the joynt counsells of both kingdomes in the mater of the declaratioun sent to the lords of privie counsell in November last, that the best way may be fund for delyvering his matie, the parliament and kingdome of Ingland from thair many and greivous sufferings and the kingdome of Scotland from thair dangeres and thraitnings of the lyke, for rooteing out poperie and prelacie and suppressing the cursed factioun of papists, prelattis, malignants and athests, who, throuch the workeing of Satan, are now in a raige, and imagine a vayne thing against the Lord and his annoynted; and for the peaceable satling of the trew religioun and kingdome of Chryst in this illand, to the glory of God, the honor of the king and the peace and libertie of all the people of God, a weicht of happines with which all the sufferrings of this present tyme, although utherwayes wnsupportable, are not worthie to be compaired, and for which the desyres and indevoures of this kirk and kingdome are nothing remitted of that which is conteined in the former true and lairge expressiounes of the severall publict judicatories of this kirk and kingdome, but doe daylie, according to the encrease of difficulties and hinderances, aryse and ascend to a greatter hicht and fervour of zeale, and wait earnestly for the tyme when by all good meanes, with common consent, the particular wayes may be agreid upon for the accomplisching of so greate and goode a worke by the blissing of God Almichtie. It had bein impossible for this kingdome to have setled religioun and peace without ane ecclesiasticall assemblie, which throuch the mercie of God did by the reformatioun of divyne worship and the governement of the kirk lay the fundatioun of all the efter proceidings; and thairfoir we cannot but even from our awin late experience much approve of the calling ane assemblie of some godlie and learned of that kirk for consulting about materes of religioun, which, being once determined, will no doubt estableisch and wnite the distractit and doubtfull mynds and hearts of many in the knowen treuth and cause of God, and be a ground work of happie proceidings and many blissings upon the king and all his maties realmes and dominiones, which without it cannot be obtained. Wherin if by the sending of some godlie and learned from this kirk the so much and so frequentlie desyred wnitie and† religioun and wniformitie of kirk governement according to the word of God salbe at last brought and concludeit, we sall think it the strongest band for wniteing and confirmeing the tuo nationes against all divisioun from within and oppositioun from without; and thairfoir have recommendit the mater to the commissioneres of the generall assemblie, who will indevoure by thair more particular answer to give all possible satisfactione to the honorable houses of parliament.
[1643/6/33]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estaits of the kingdome of Scotland presentlie conveined doe heirby give warrant and commisioun to Mr Robert Meldrum to repair to the city of London, and thair to propone to both housses of the parliament, or such as salbe appoynted by them, such things as are instructed to him from the saids estaits; and to use all possible diligence to procure ane answer thairto, conforme to his instructiones on that behalff.
Commission and instructions to Robert Meldrum
Yow sall repaire to the citie of London and represent to both houses of parliament, or to the commissioneres who did treate with our commissioneres concerneing the supplie of Ireland, that the conventioun of the estaits of this kingdome, haveing tane to thair consideratioune the tender sense and compassioun of both houses of the wantis and extremities of the Scottisch airmie in Ireland, with thair earnest desyre to give satisfactione by a speiddie releiff and supplie according to the articles of the treattie, and with all the impossibilitie for them to performe the samen by reasounes of the greate burdings and miseries lying upon that kingdome, as is at lenth expressit in thair paperes of the 15 and 25 of May sent with the earle of Lindsay, we cannot but with greate greiff of heart aknowledge and regrait these calamities and distresses of that kingdome, and as we wisch from our heartes ane happie and speidie end thairoff, so the pressing necessities of the airmie in Ireland and difficulties occurring thairupoune hes constrained them to represent to both housses such things as they find necessarie by the saids housses to be resolved. Yow sall represent to both housses that the conventioun of the estaits of this kingdome hes long exspected committies from them with instructiones and power according to the foirsaids paperes sent with the earle of Lindsay; and thair exspectatioun being hitherto dissapoynted and the necessities of that airmie still growing, which are impossible for them any longer to support, yow shall thairfoir againe crave thair present resolutioune and declaratioune whither they will continue the service of that armie or declair they will no longer intertein the samen. And if the houses of parliament sall resolve no longer to intertein that airmie, then yow shall desyre that due adverteisment be made thairoff and moneyes be provydeit for payment of thair arrieres and carieing them home according to the articles of the treattie. But if they salbe pleaseit to continow the service of that airmie, then shall yow demand thair resolutioune in these particulares following, which wer formerlie intrusted from the counsell to the earle of Lindsay, and by him offered to those who treated with him, and quheroff some are absolutelie necesser for the subsistance of that airmie and agried upon in the treattie, and others are very necesser and conveinient for the good and better prosecuteing of the service. Wheras the airmie hes not bein monethlie payed according to the agriement, as may appeare by the greate increasse of arreares in the commissar's compts; and seing in that desolate land nothing is to be gotten upon credite and the provisiounes comeing thither enchanges the prices of viveres, so as thair pay, altho duelie payit, would scairch intertein them, and merchants will not hazard thair goods to these places where they will be tane from them by force by reasoune of the necessitie of the souldieres, yow sall thairfoir desyre that [the] armee be satisfied of thair arreares, and thairefter that monethlie payment be dewlie made for incuragement of the officeres and souldieres in thair service according to the treattie. The provisioun of victualls for the Scottisch airmie in garisounes or expeditiounes abroade, and the provydeing of Carictfergus and Oubyne with magazines of victuall in due tyme, according to the treattie, would have bein a greate furtherance to the service: the neglect quheroff hes bein the cheiff cause of the wnparaled miseries which [the] airmie hes susteined. As also the not provydeing of the Newlie, Montioy and Londonderie with provisiounes and magazines hes bein the cause of the losse of many occasiounes of service against the enemie. Yea, the airmie had perisched long agoe if it had not bein furnisched at severall tymes from this [kingdom] in thair necessitie. So as by and attour the sowmes due to the merchants, furnischeres of the victuall, the hazard and charges of convoy lyeth upon this cuntrey, which hes bein verie greate, inregaird that, according to the treattie, shippes have not constantlie waited thair for these endes. Yow sall thairfoir desyre that six monethes provisioun be layed in store in the places foirsaids, and competance allowance granted for the charges this kingdome hes alreadie bein at in the transporting and saiff conveyeing of that victuall, which sould have bein performed by the parliament of Ingland and the hazard caried by them.
Wheras the ten troupes of horse that wer appoynted by the treattie to wait upon the Scottisch airmie hes all this tyme wanted the officeres promised, and the troupes themselffs wants saidles, pistolls and uther furniture requisite,
Yow shall thairfoir desyre that, according to the treattie, these troupes may have the officeres promised sett over them, and that they themselffis be sufficiently furnisched with all sort of equipage. Yow shall desyre that, according to the treattie, sufficient store of poulder, spades, showles, pick axes, handrules and other materialls be sent to Carictfergus, and that a reserve of sporderines be layed up in store, and that payment be made of 2,000 lib. per annum allowed for incident charges since the tuo shippes that wer appoynted to attend for guarding the coast and cleiring the passage betuixt Scotland and Ireland wer not able to doe the service even whills they were there, for in the crew supplie of officeres and amunitione wer convyed be the rebelles. You shall desyre some better course to be takin for guarding the coast from the robberes of the Irisch and Dunkirk friggotts that appeare therupon, according to the letter sent be the conventioune to the speikeres of both housses.
[1643/6/34]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
That all disorderes which come by devyded and independent commands may be evicted, and that his matie and housses of parliament may know at whois hand to crave ane accompt of the warre, yow shall desyre that the generall may have full pouer over all the Britisch in Ulster, als weill formed in regiments whill they are there as the cuntrey people.
Since the furnitour of the cariage of the airmie in Ireland is so necesser and difficult, and that the allowance of ane horse for the cariage of the victuall of each ten men will tak up the wholl thowsand allowed for the bagage and artailliarie, and since ther are no horse to be gotten in Ireland, as was exspected, yow shall desyre that allowance be geven for furnisching fourhundreth horse for the train of artailliarie at 12 d. a day everie horse, and for the pay of these who attend them, on[e] man for everie thrie horse at 8 d. a day. Yow shall desyre that the payment to be made to the airmie may be condiscendit upon ather to be at London or Carictfergus in Inglisch money. And since hitherto what hes bein geven hes bein received thair, yow shall desyre allowance to be granted to the thesaurer of that airmie for his bygane paines. And if it shall be thocht fit heirefter to be delyverit at London, that a fie be granted to the thesaurer in tyme cuming.
Seing the troupes appoynted to joyne with that airmie have no mantainance at all, and so are without ordour and discipline, made up of the inhabitants of the cuntre who seldome come togidder but at musteres and cannot doe service unles they be absolutelie at our generalls command; and diverse of the capitaines of these troupes have desyreit their charge and, as we are crediblie informed, are upon service with the armie at Oxford, yow shall thairfoir desyre that the pay of these troupes may be ingrossed with the pay of the Scottisch airmie, and especially that of Sir Robert Adair, who hes raised and interteined his troup upon his awin charges, wheroff yow sall desyre repayment.
Yow shall lykwayse desyre that the parliament wald appoynt tuo pinnaces or tutches for convyeing diligence betuixt them and this kingdome.
Yow shall show to both housses of parliament that we cannot but with greate thankfulnes [express] how affectionatlie the brotherlie assistance was granted be them for the releiff of our ingadgements the tyme of our lait trubles, and how sorie we are for thair greate necessities hindering them to mak payment of the remainder of that assistance expressit in thair paper of the 3 of Januarie delyvered to the earle of Lindsay. But in regaird the remander of the tua termes payment thairoff, which was payable in anno 1642, is assigned to Sir William Dick for necessarie depursements bestowed be him for the service of the cuntrey, the not payment whairoff will hazard his credite and standing, yow shall thairfoir desyre that which is remaining of that payment to be presentlie payed, togidder with the interest, according to the foirsaid paper. And for the payment of the uther hundreth and ten thowsand pund, if thair distresses (wheroff we are verie sensible) may not admit of the present payment thairoff, we sall show them that we exspect they will pay it with all possible speid in such a way as our awin greate burdings may not increasse upon us by the interest we pay for them, so long as our awin exigence will permit us to superseid the payment theroff.
Yow shall use all diligence to sie Thomas Cuninghame or his factoures payit fullie for the airmes he hes sent to this kingdome, according to the tenor of the agreiment maid by the parliament of Ingland with him on that behalff.
Yow shall use all diligence within ten dayes at most efter your comeing to Londoun (where yow are upon no occasiounes to mak any longer stay) to procure the answers of both housses of parliament according as they will ather continue or declair they will intertein our airmie, and to the remanent particulares foirsaids. And if in place of answer they resolve to send doun committies, yow shall earnestlie desyre that they come with all possible diligence and full power, instructed and warranted to treate and conclude on the particulares foirsaides, and of such uther things as may concerne the good of both kingdomes according to ther awin papers sent with Earl Lindsay.
Yow shall lykwayes mak knowen to them that we have resaveit from Mr Corbet coppies of the instructiones sent from both housses to thair committies at Scotland at his maties late being there. And as we thankfully acknowledge the sense they then had of the apparent disturbance of the peace of this kingdome and thair caire to preserve the same, which befoir this tyme wes never notified to the parliament nor any judicatorie of this kingdome, so have we not bein wanting at this tyme in a reciprocall of the preservatioun of theres, wherof our lait commissioners in thair remonstrances to his matie of the 15 of Januarie 1642 stilo scotico and the lordis of counsell and commissioners of peace by thair several declaratiounes have geven ample testimonies. And of befoir thair commissioners† to Londoun the committies from both housses shall be upon thair way toward Scotland, yow shall demand that both housses would ather give anser to the particulares foirsaids or send ane ample commissioun and power to thair committies to treat and conclude thairupoun, and lykwayse concerneing the remander of the lairge treattie.
[1643/6/35]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Richt honorable,
The amitie betuixt the tuo natiounes, and the care we have to doe everie thing which may confirme the same, as it did move the counsell to represent to both housses the late taking of the earle of Antrim, and the estaits since to send up the said earle and his servantis, thair depositiounes, with the lettre from his associates in that conspiracie, so also the saids estaits have now resolved upon the same ground, that, according to the desyre from both housses expressit in your lettre of the 17 of Junii last, order salbe geven to the lord generall to delyver the persoune of the said earle to such as from the parliament shall have warrand to resave and convoy him to London to abyde his tryell thair; and have desyreit me in thair name to notifie unto your lordes to be represented unto both housses, whois happines is the earnest desyre of yout lords assureit freind and servant. Sic subscribitur, Loudoun, I.P.D. conventionis.
[1643/6/36]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forsameikle as the estaits of this kingdome haveing resaved from the speikeres of both housses of the parliament of Ingland ane letter of the dait the 27 of Junii last, wherin they desyre in name of that parliament that the persoune of the earle of Antrim, who is now apprehendit in Ireland, may be sent to them to resave tryell and judgement according to the law for his accessioun to the Irisch rebellioun; and the estaits of this kingdome being cairfull to doe everie thing which may confirme the amitie betuixt the tuo kingdomes, doe thairfoir give warrand and command to Alexander, earle of Leven, lord generall, to delyver the persoune of the earle of Antrim to such as from the housses of parliament shall have warrand to resave and convoy him to London to resave his tryell thair, wheranent the extract of this act salbe to the lord generall, his excellence, ane sufficient warrand. Sic subscibitur, Loudoun, cancellarius, I.P.D. conventionis
[1643/6/37]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The conventioun of estaits ordaines Johne Jossie to delyver to Mr Robert Meldrum the sowme of ane hundreth pundis sterling, whilk is modified to him for his charges in his imployment to London, and that out of the readiest of the moneyes being in his handis; wheranent thir presentis, with Mr Robert Meldrumes discharge, salbe to the said Johne Jossie sufficient warrand.
[1643/6/38]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Loveing freindis,
We have resaveit your letter from the handis of Capitane Gordoun, Leiutenant Colonell Scott and Captain Moncreiff, who have with all instance and earnestnes represented unto us the hard conditioun and desyres of that airmie. And being truelie sensible of the wants and greate sufferings theroff, and willing to ommit no meanes that may conduce for the good of that service and mantainance of the airmie, have thairfoir resolved that some considerable sowme be advanced by this kingdome towards your present supplie, and are thinking of the readiest way for raiseing thairoff. And inrespect that the commissioners who wer promeist to be sent heir by the parliament of Ingland for that purpose are not yet come, we have sent ane expresse for ane positive answer from them anent the satisfactione of quhat is bygane awand to the airmie, and how a solide course may be tane for the interteinment and payment thairoff in tyme cuming. And as the counsell by thair lettere to the lord generall and act of counsell of the 18 of August last, so also wee doe heirby declaire that if the destractiones of Ingland be such as mak the parliament remisse or faill in the performance of the articles of the treattie, that, according to our poure, wee shall labour to sie the airmie furnisched with victuall and uther necesseres, conforme to the treattie; and have thocht fit this heirby be made knawin unto yow from your loveing friend.