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Leaguer befor York, 1st June 1644
A letter from the e[arl] of Lindsay to the estates of Scotland conveened in parliament
For the right honorable the estats of the kingdome of Scotland conveened in parliament at Edinburgh,†
May it please your lords,
Your meitting together at this tyme in parlaiment and the opportunity therby offered us to give yow an account of the present condition, resolutions and just desires of this army hath moved us for that purpose to make this addresse unto yow, being thereunto obliged by the dewty which wee ow both unto your lords and unto them, and so much the rather that the consideration of our condition and the power of graunting our desires doeth properly and originally belong unto your lords.
Wee are now (as wee have beene this moneth past) lying befor and about the city of York. Prince Rupert is come into Lancashire and hes already raised the seige at Latham House there and, by vertew of the commission of array, is labouring to compell all the inhabitants of that county (and it is supposed he intends to do the lyke in Westmerland) that are able to beare armes to ryse and joyne with him. For the preventing wherof and for the encourageing of the inhabitants of these countyes to joyne together in opposition to him (as wee have already sent Sir Johne Meldrum with tuo regiments of foote, on[e] from this and another from the Lord Fairfax, his army, into that countrey, who are now in the toun of Manchester), so ther are also sent from ther armyes tuo thowsand horse and dragouners to joyne with the erle of Manchester's wholl cavalry, who are to ly upon the borders of York and Lankashires. And in the meane tyme the erle [of] Manchester's foote are to joyne with us in this seige of York, wherof wee shall not faill to give yow a trew account according as wee shall have occasion. This being our present condition, wee find that by our keeping of the feilds these full five moneths our regiments are become somewhat weaker then they wer at the beginning, wherunto wee are not to expect any recrues from this. Wee do therfor intreat your lords to think upon some course for recruting of the severall regiments which are already in this army, and to give speedy and effectuall order to the rest formerly designed which are not as yitt come out to march into this kingdome and joyne with us. Whill wee mention this, wee must renew againe unto your lords what wee formerly desired from the committee in the behalfe of the lieutenant generall: that a regiment may be reserved for him to be collonell therof. This is a favor almost never denyed to any of his place and howbeit it had not beene promised [to] him, yett his awne cariage and deservings heir may justly challenge it.
Wee are very confident that it is nowayes neidfull for us to use any arguments with yow for the renewing in favors of this army and the persones employed in it all acts formerly made in the late parliament in favors of that army then employed in this same cause, as namely anent the wards of such as shall die in this service, the dischargeing of all processes in any inferiour courts against any employed heir during thair employment or any other acts of that kind, seing therby, without doubts or feares to suffer prejudices in thair privat estats, the officers of this army will be encouraged constantly to attend thair severall charges.
Haveing said this in the behalfe of the army in generall, wee must particularly recommend unto yow the condition of our generall of artillary, a prime officer therof, in whose favours the late parliament, upon deserving and honorable considerations well knowne to them and us, did recommend to his matie the renewing of a pension [of] 800 lib. ster[ling] formerly payed to him yeirly out of the exchecquher of England (wherwith his affection to this cause made him willingly to part howbeit it wes his wholl fortune), to be in tyme comeing, with the arrearages therof during his lyftyme, payed by the exchecquher of Scotland, and that, for his further surety, out of the custome and impost upon the wines; heirunto his matie, at their earnest desire, without the knowledge or privity of the partie himselfe, wes moved to condiscend. This being so wholly and properly a deid of the parliaments, he had good reasone to expect punctuall payment according to the tenor of his gift; bott all this notwithstanding, immediately after his maties parting the lords of the exchecquher, finding that his matie by granting promiscuously to multituds of persones howsoever affected gifts of pension and by asigneing of localities in them wes lyke to dilapidate his wholl revenew in that kingdome, did absolutly without exception discharge all localityes in any pension, wherby he is lyke to be defrauded of the benefits which the parliament itselfe did intend for him. Heirof wee cannot bot acquaint your lords, assureing our selvs that, upon the same grounds wherupon that gift wes with the expresse locality graunted, yow will in the same maner renew and take such course as no decreit of any inferior judicatorie may alter or infringe it in the least measure. Heirwith wee take our leave and rest.
Your humble servants, Lindesay, I.P.D.
Wee have so often written to the committee for providing of armes, both for serving the kingdome at home and furnishing this army with ammunition, pistolls, muskets, meale and cloaths and shoes, that we conceive it not needfull for us to putt yow in minde therof. Yow shall heirwith ressave a letter from the parliament of England.
From the leagre befor York , first day of June 1644
22 Junii 1644
Produced be my lord chancellor and red in audience of the parliament and remittit to be considderit upoun be the severall bodies.†