[1643/6/72]¹

Declaration: the English parliament's answer to the convention's instructions

Mr Robert Meldrum reported the parliament's ansuer to his instructions

The quhilk day Mr Robert Meldrum produceit and exhibite befoir the conventioun of estaits ane answer from the housses of the parliament of Ingland to the instructiones committed unto him by the saids estaits, wherof the tenour followes:

Wee, the lords and commons in parliament, haveing considderit of the propositiounes presented to us by Mr Robert Meldrum according to certane instructiounes geven to him by the conventioun of the estaites of the kingdome of Scotland, daittit the 17 of July 1643, doe thairin discerne many experiences of thair brotherly affectioune to this kingdome and natioun and Christiane compassioun of the greate calamiteis and wants which at this tyme lye upon us, for which we return them heartie thanks.

And becaus we find our selffes by these trubles not only disabled to support the necessarie charges of the warre against the rebellioun of the papists in Ireland, to discharge the arreares and growing pay due to the Scottisch airmie there and other expensses incident therunto, but even deprived of sufficient and competent meanes to defend our selffis in the warre raised against us be the papists, prelaticall factioun and uther malignants of this kingdome,

We have takin it into our serious consideratioun how we micht give our breithrein of that nation most speidie and effectuall satisfactione, and doe desyre that honorable assemblie of the estaits of the kingdome of Scotland to tak notice that befoir the arrivall of Mr Meldrum, we had appoyntit John, earle of Rutland, William, lord Grey of Wark, Sir Williame Armine, barronett, Sir Henry Vain, knicht, Thomas Hatcher and Henry Darly, esquires, committies and commissioneres of both housses of parliament to the estaites and kingdome of Scotland, [...] which are alreadie in ther way thither, and have inabled these committie and commissioneres, or any three of them, with ample instructiounes in our name, to treate, agrie and conclude all questiounes, doubts and demands concerneing the remander of the brotherly assistance, the arreares and future pay of that airmie, the continuance or removell of the samen and uther maters mentioned in thair propositiounes received from Mr Meldrum.

As for the uther particulares, we shall earnestly indevour so far as our publict pressing necessities will give us leive to mak speidie payment to Sir Williame Dick of the remander of the brotherly assistance due in June 1642, to Mr Thomas Cuninghame and his factoures the money due for the airmes he haith sent into Scotland, that Alexander Finlone and Archibald Hammiltoun may be payit the money due to them by a contract made with Walter Scott, the commissary for the victuall in Ireland, for which he was ingadged as our servant; and as he may justly thairupon clame the priveledge of parliament, so we acknowledge that we stand bund both in justice and honour to pay that debt. The lyk caire shall wee have of giveing just satisfactione to John Dernie, James Ker and James Sandersoun upon thair severall demands, entreiting our breithrein to beleive that it is to us most unpleaseing that any particular persone of that nation should undergoe any losse, much more ther ruine and undoeing, by reason of our trubles and necessities, which as we shall earnestly by all meanes seik to prevent, soe if that cannot be done, we hope God will in his good tyme give us meanes to recompence.

We have further directed and inabled those comissioners to treate and conclude upon sindrie uther propositiones and requeistes to be presented from us to the states and kingdome of Scotland concerneing the delyverance of this kingdome from the present dangeres and calamities, and secureing the kingdome of Scotland from the lyk, both being the objects of the crueltie and malice of the same enemies; to which desires of oures we doubt not but our breithrein will give such a speidie and satisfactorie resolutioun as may conduce most effectually to the saiftie and peace of both, and to the prosperitie and advancement of the cause quherin God himselff is so cleirly interested for the defence of Chryst's treuth and the profession of it.