[A1641/7/18]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Letter from the parliament of Scotland to their commissioners at London, 30 July 1641†
Right honourable,
The letter from you to the general, showing the desire of the English for disbanding the army and delay of payment of the £80,000, was sent to us by his excellency, to which we have returned these enclosed instructions subscribed by our president at our command, which you are to observe as the rule of your proceedings regarding these points, and are the utmost to which we can stretch ourselves without insufferable prejudice. We have expressed the same briefly, and only touched some considerations which you are to expand in the expression and confirm by further arguments our desire to retain at Newcastle 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses until the payment of the £80,000 is grounded, upon the general necessity that all the army must be paid before their disbanding, and the particular consideration that the same £80,000 being computed with the £120,000 of bygone arrears will answer very near in proportion to the payment of the said 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses and the arrears to the payment of the rest of the army which is to retire in case the English embrace that part of the alternative. The other particulars of your letter to [Alexander Leslie of Balgonie], general, regarding the accounts, damages and losses, we remit to the answer to be sent to you by him, and to the former three letters written to you relating thereto, the one by us, the other by his excellency and the third by those who were appointed for us to meet with the English upon these accounts with the English, for it is impossible to us to set down an express reason against every particular demand. So recommending all particulars to your care, we rest,
Your loving friends, Edinburgh, 30 July 1641.
We have sent you a commission for examination of witnesses against incendiaries, which you must use according to the instructions to be sent you by the procurators.
30 July 1641
Read and approved in parliament and ordered to be subscribed, 30 July 1641.†
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Instructions from the parliament of Scotland to their commissioners at London, 30 July 1641
1. You are to represent to the parliament of England or English commissioners that it is impossible that our army can remove from Newcastle until they be paid of bygones 1. Because of our many solemn promises made upon oath to pay all our debts in the counties before our removing 2. Because our officers and soldiers are due great sums upon their private score, which they must pay themselves, but cannot do unless they receive the same from us 3. The same was a ground to cause the army mutiny 4. The same would cause them ravage in England and so might occasion a national quarrel 5. At their coming into Scotland they might make the country loose, which all might ensue thereupon, with many other inconveniences which may occur in a discontented army.
2. You are to represent that the bygone arrears will be far short of payment of the army, and that the £80,000 will not complete the same, but must both absolutely be paid before our removing.
3. You are to represent that the debts owing by our army in the counties, either for billeting or damages, are properly owing by officers and soldiers, who must fit and make their accounts before their remove. That a particular rest may be agreed and notified to the parliament of England before our removal, that so no ground may be left to after challenge, which may exhaust the brotherly assistance or any part thereof resting after payment of the £80,000.
4. You are to remember that in the articles of cessation the days of the march to Scotland are therein comprehended and, therefore you are to demand that these days may be agreed, which we desire may be eight or ten days at least, and accordingly their pay advanced before our removal.
5. You are likewise to represent that so soon as the bygone arrears and £80,000 is really paid at Newcastle, [Alexander Leslie of Balgonie], general, and the army shall remove within as many days as you can obtain, which at least must be five free days after receipt of the monies, which days will be as few as can be allotted for payment of debts and bringing our army to a rendezvous and providing bread, drink and other necessaries before we lift; and giving order that the like may be in readiness upon the way where we are to quarter.
6. You are also to represent that the counties of Durham and Northumberland and town of Newcastle must provide horses, carts and other necessaries for transporting to the River Tweed and no further canon, ammunition and all baggage of the army, according to their many promises and custom of other countries, and that the same be done in due time and be no hindrance to the army in their march.
7. You are likewise to remember that for preventing destruction of houses or woods which may be occasioned in the retreat of the army for building of huts, that some course may be taken by the English for providing lodging or shelter to the army in their retreat.
8. That we may show our desire to stretch our ability to the utmost for giving the English all reasonable content, therefore if they do still press the impossibility or great difficulty of paying all bygone arrears and £80,000, and that they think the present payment of the arrears and some delay of the £80,000 may give them any case or contentment, in that case you shall make offer that you shall pay all the army with the said arrears and disband them, except 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses, with a proportionable train of canon and artillery, who must stay until the £80,000 come down to complete them also, which we wish may be as few days as is possible. And during the non-payment thereof, these 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses must be paid by the English according to the pay due to our army, both officers and soldiers, and that as well during their stay as in their retreat in manner foresaid.
9. And if the English please for their further ease of their present burdens to remove the garrisons of Berwick and Carlisle presently, we shall cause disband the regiments upon the borders of this country, which will be a benefit to both nations.
30 July 1641
Read and approved in parliament and ordained to be subscribed.†
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Letter from the parliament of Scotland to [Alexander Leslie of Balgonie], general, 30 July 1641†
Our very good lord,
We received your excellency's letter, together with that written by our commissioners to you, and have returned answer to them with instructions, which we have left open that you may read and close the same. And what occurs to your own consideration which is necessary for accommodation of business, your excellency may remember the same in your own letter to the commissioners; and especially if you can adduce any other reasons against their accounts and damages than is expressed in your former letter, either against those demands in the general or any of them in particular, it will be expedient also to deliver the same in your letter and that those accounts be brought to a conclusion with all possible expedition. And seeing we have permitted to the English either that our whole army shall retire upon the payment of the arrears and £80,000, or else 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses to remain until the payment of the £80,000, and the rest to retire upon the receipt of the arrears, we desire that your excellency will have the army in readiness upon their election of any of these alternatives, that accordingly the whole army may be in posture and preparation to march upon payment of both sums, or otherwise in case of stay of 7,000 or 8,000 foot and 1,000 horses that your excellency will consider what regiments are fit to be retained to make up that number and have the remainder of the army whom you think fit to return home to be disbanded in the first place in readiness of all necessary preparation for their march, and with these it will be convenient among the first to licence all the reformeired† officers. We are presently to give order that all officers of the army who are in Scotland and not members of the parliament shall forthwith repair to Newcastle, and all such members of parliament as are necessary officers we shall upon advertisement from your excellency give present order for their address to you. In this number [Master Alexander Gibson of Durie], commissary-general, is one, whom hitherto we have detained to serve in his charge in parliament, but upon your excellency's desire shall send him up to you as soon as we may spare his attendance. So we rest,
Your loving friends, Edinburgh, 30 July 1641.
30 July 1641
Read and approved in parliament and ordained to be subscribed.†