SIr, if occasion had offered, I had acquainted you with all our affairs here; but the windes have been contrary these five weeks; I shall now give you the more full account. The Committee of States fearing the slownesse of the Counties in leavying our Forces in this season of the yeer, and per­ceiving that the sitting of the Session, and other ordi­nary [Page 2] Judicatories, did much hinder the setting forward of our Army, did adjourn them upon the 23 of Decem­ber, to the first of February; and sent further Instructi­ons to all the Shires, ordaining the Committees of the severall Shires, Colonells, and all other Officers, to raise as many as they could for the present, and give those free Quarter upon the rest of the County, till they had their full number in readinesse: withall, assu­ring those Counties who should be first in readinesse, That the Counties who were last in sending their Re­giments to the place of Rendevouz, should be liable to the whole expence and charge they should be put to in attending those Shires, who should not come about the time appointed.

Upon the third of January, the Convention of States met together at Edinburgh, where nothing was left undone, which might advance the Army then on foot, in the severall Counties.

Upon the 7 and 10, a Generall Fast was kept tho­rowout the whole Kingdom.

Upon the ninth, the States did take into their con­sideration the expedience of sending some Commissi­oners to both Houses of Parliament; and appointed the Earl of London Lord Chancellor, the Lord Mait­land, the Lord Wariston, and Master Robert Barcley, Commissioners; whereof the Lord Wariston, and Master Robert Barcley are to repair thither with the first oppor­tunity, and my Lord Chancellour the beginning of February.

Upon the 11, some Officers of the Scotish Army in Ireland came to the Convention, to represent their hard condition, and extreme necessities; That the com­mon [Page 3] Souldiers had neither stockins, shooes, nor clothes, but a Mantle of gray Cloth wrapped about them; That in one place 200 of them died by Famine; That these 20 moneths they had no Supply from the Parliament of England: And considering that the Supplies which they had from their native Kingdom were now, for the most part, withdrawn, for advancing these Forces which are leavied for the assistance of the Parliament of England, the States would use some means with the Parliament, for payment of a proportionable part of their Arrears, and setling a sure way for their mainte­nance in time coming; or otherwise, That they might have the Liberty to return to their native Kingdome, rather then to famish; which undoubtedly would ensue, if one of these courses were not speedily followed. All which, the Estates having taken into their serious consideration, thought very agreeable to piety and charity.

Upon the 13, the Committee of States went to Ber­wick: And upon the 18, severall Regiments marched from Dumbar and the adjacent Villages, thorow a Heath ten miles long, to Barwick, being in all 18 Scotish miles, when it was a knee-deep Snow, and blowing and snow­ing so vehemently, that the Guides could with great difficulty know the way, and it was enough for the fol­lowers to discern the leaders; notwithstanding where­of, they were very cheerfull all the way; and, after they had been a little refreshed at night, professed, They were willing to march as far to morrow.

Upon Friday the 19, there marched over from Ber­wick three Regiments of Foot, together with 13 Troops of Horse. And towards night, the Committees of [Page 4] both Kingdoms sent a Trumpeter to Sir Thomas Glen­ham, Colonell Gray, and the rest of the Officers and Gentlemen of Northumberland; the Copie whereof, together with Sir Thomas his dilatory Answer, I have sent you here enclosed.

Upon the 22, the Gentlemen of Northumberland met together at Anwick, where Sir Thomas Glemham pro­pounded to them these three Questions:

1. What should be done with those places of the County which were not yet in the possession of the Scots, and which they were not able to protect.

2. What answer should be given to the Letter of the two Committees.

3. And whether they should fight with the Scots Army.

In the first the were divided. The York-shire Offi­cers think it most expedient that the Countrey should be burned, wasted and destroyed; and the Northumber­land Officers and Gentlemen opposed that resolution, saying, That they had hazarded their lives and for­tunes as well as others, and they would take this for a small recompence of their labours, to have their Coun­trey wasted and spoyled.

To the second likewise they gave different answers, some thinking it fittest to give a fair answer to so fair a Letter; others, That it could not be answered by them, but must be sent to the Earl of Newcastle; and a third sort being of the opinion, That it must be sent to His Majestie, before any answer could be returned.

In the third, they were all unanimous declining by all means to fight; yet with resolution to come off with some credit, and with these sixteen Troupes of Horse, and two Regiments of foot, which they have at Anwick, [Page 5] some eight Drakes, 20. peeces of Ordnance (which they had from a Dutch Flee-Boat, that run a shore neer that place) to defend the Bridge, though they well know the Town may be invaded at any other place.

Upon the 20, there marched other two Regiments from Barwick to Haggerston, Gezick, &c.

Upon the 23, Lievtenant Generall Bayly, marched from Kelso to Woller, and the adjacent Villages, with six Regiments of foot, and a Regiment of Horse; and the same day, there came other two Regiments to the Ge­nerall from Barwick; and the five Regiments which marched formerly came to Belford and Addarston, which was the head Quarter that night: On Wednesday the Generall stayed at Addarston, till the Artillery should come up, which came to Barwick by Sea on Munday at night, the Windes having been contrary for a long time, and that he might the better correspond with the Lievtenant Generall, who was eight Miles distant from him, and nine or ten Miles from Anwick; to whom he sent Orders to meet him at Anwick on Thursday in the forenoon; we are confident, by Gods assistance, our Quar­ters shall be about the Town of Newcastle upon Saturday the 27 of this Instant; which if they will not yeeld up, we have no purpose to stay there, unlesse it be to seize on the Block-Houses upon the River, that the Parliament Ships may come in safely (for there is no fear from the Castle) & meet with those 10 or 11 Ships which now ly there fraughted with the Malignants Goods. There is a Regiment of Foot at Barwick, and other three upon the Border, which are to march over as soon as the other Regiments march forward, for otherwise they can have no Quarters; There are likewise two Regiments [Page 6] of Horse, some of them with the Artillery, some in Bar­wick, and others of them upon the Border, all to march over at Barwick on Thursday and Friday; and from Kelse 2 Regiments of Foot, and a Regiment of Horse. There are in all eighteen thousand Foot, and three thousand Horse, and betwixt four and five hundred Dragoons, besides Baggage-Horse, and the Garrison at Barwicke, already within this Kingdom, and within a dayes march of the Borders. There be likewise two Regiments of Foot, and a Regiment of Horse coming from the North.

This is a true and faithfull Relation of the businesses here, whereof I was an eye-witnesse, for the most part. I am

ALthough wee justly presume that the solemne mutuall Covenant entred into by both King­doms, hath long since come to your hands, and likewise that you have had notice of the raising of the Army desired by the Parliament of England for the prosecution of those ends therein expressed; viz. The preservation and reformation of Religion, the true ho­nour and happinesse of the King, and the publick peace and liberty of his Dominions. Yet that it may appeare both to you and all the world how unwilling we are to make a forcible use of these armes which we have beene constrained by the disappointment of all other meanes of safety to take up, We the Commissioners and Committees of both Kingdoms have thought fit, besides that Declaration (a copy whereof we here­with send) lately emitted in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland, for the satisfaction of the people concer­ning the entrance of this their Army, to take more par­ticular notice of you the chiefe Gentlemen and Com­manders, hopeing likewise that things of so great and considerable consequence will finde with you such entertainment as may answer the weight and impor­tance of them. We will not so much wrong the cause we have undertaken, as to goe about after so many evi­dent Demonstrations of the necessity of our present [Page 8] posture, to dispute it with you, but rather in stead of ar­guments we think it reasonable to acquaint you with our well weighed resolutions, which are, through the assistance of that God in whose cause we are engaged, and whose strength wee trust in, with our utmost in­dustry and hazard to endeavour the prevention of that imminent danger not only of corruption but of ruine, which we see evidently intended to the true Protestant Religion by the Popish and Prelaticall faction, who never wanted will, but now thinks they want not strength and opportunity to accomplish it; as also the rescuing of his Majesties person and honour so deeply and unhappily entangled in the counsels and practises of them, whose actions speak their ends to be little better then Popery and Tyranny, and the re­deeming the peace and liberty of his Majesties do­minions, in which the Irish Rebellion, and the sad and unnaturall divisions in England have made so great a breach; To the accomplishment of these so just and honourable designes, wee have reason to expect the concurrence of all men who either are or pretend a due love to their Religion, King, and Countrey; and shall be very sorry to want yours: but if mis-information or any other unhappy grounds shall so farre prevaile with you as to reckon us in the number of your enemies, (which certainly we are not if you be friends to those ends mentioned in our Covenant) and if in stead of that concurrence with us which we wish and hope to deserve, we finde from you opposition and acts of hosti­lity, the Law of nature and your owne reason will tell you what you are to expect; we only adde that though it will not a little trouble us to see men withstanding [Page 9] not only us but their owne good and happinesse, yet it doth in good measure satisfie us that wee have not neglected this or any other meanes to the best of our power or understanding, to prevent these inconve­niences and mischiefes that may arise from those acts of force which we shall be necessitated unto.

One of these direct to Sir Thomas Glemham, and the rest of the Commanders with him at Alnwick or elsewhere.

I Have received by your Trumpeter a Letter from your Lordship and Sir William Armyne; it is long and of great concernment; and the other di­rected to Colonell Gray, who for the reason before­mentioned, and for that here are none but Officers, he cannot return you an Answer so suddenly by your Trumpeter: But I will send presently to the Gen­tlemen [Page 10] of the County to come hither, and then you shall receive my Answer with the Officers, and theirs by themselves, by a Trumpeter of my own. So I rest