[1643/6/88]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Richt assured freinds,
The estaites have hard at lenth your commissioners and thair desyres wherin they have cairfully dischargeit the trust committed to them, but inregaird of the importance and difficultie of the bussines they could not returne answer therto till now.
By the paper heirwith sent, geven in by the Inglisch commissioneres, yow will fully understand thair mynd concerning the arreares due to the airmie and the dismission of the samen, which they haveing seriouslie considerit at the desyre of thair commissioneres who soucht ther advyse, they find the mater full of difficulties without reall payment to alter the suretie we have alreadie for the reasones more particularly expressit to the bearer.
And tutcheing the dismissing of the airmie, reserveing some garisounes, they are no les trubleit, both in respect of the airmie and other good cuntrey men and Christianes in these pairtes, and how to resolve to keip them up without some assureance of interteinment is no les difficultie. Yet least they sould ather be thocht ingraite or unkynd to yow or discurage yow by ther silence, they doe heirby assure yow that they sall ever be als cairfull of your particular to ther power as of any thing most neirly concerneing this kingdome. But since it is liklie that this kirk and kingdome sall enter in covenant with the kingdome of Ingland (wheroff they have sent yow a double) for the causses and ends therin conteined, we desyre to know your opiniones and resolutiones in these particulares with all speid wherby we may the better determine what course to prosecute on your behalff:
Whither or not the rest of the Scottis and Inglisch in Ulster wilbe content to concurre and joyne with them and yow in this covenant.
Whither or not it wilbe better to bring over the haill bodie of the airmie entire upon the groundes and reasounes expressit to the beareres, or leive ane small bodie thair (the greater pairt being to be transportit into this kingdome) since it is thocht impossible to interteane many at this tyme from thir kingdomes in the calametous conditione they are brocht to by the malignant dispositione of papists, prelattes and thair adherentes.
They desire to know with all diligence what numberes most be provydeit for, becaus they are agreing for some more meill besyde what is about be sea and goeing over land, and for the transport shipping is necessarie but not easilie gottin; thairfoir haist ane answer and assure your selffes thair salbe no want of affectione in them, for if this kingdome resolve upon the grundes of this covenant to goe in airmes to Ingland for setling and secureing religione, his maties honour and procureing peace that no more Christiane bloode be shed, they salbe verie willing to include the interest of that airmie in the deipest concernement of any particulares [that] may tuch this kingdome.
Your commissioneres heire have instantlie urged the payment of the haill bygaine arreares of the airmie and did peremptourly stick that at least thair may be presently delyverit four monethes pay, but the diseases of the kingdome of Ingland and heavie regraittes made be the commissioners of that kingdome haith moved us to accept that threscoir thusand pund sterling may be presently delyvered, that I am commandit by the estaites to signifie unto yow.
Loudon, cancellarius, I.P.D.