The Governor's Reply, No. 5: 66 Edinburgh Castle, 18th December, 1650. “MY LORD,—I have thought upon these Two Gentlemen whose names are here mentioned; to wit, Major Andrew Abernethy and Captain Robert Henderson; whom I purpose to send out instructed, in order to the carrying on the Capitulation. Therefore expecting a safe-conduct for them with this bearer,-I rest, my Lord, your humble servant, The Lord General's Reply, No. 6: LETTER CVII. "W. DUNDAS." For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle: These. Edinburgh, 18th December, 1650. SIR, I have, here enclosed, sent you a safe-conduct for the coming forth and return of the Gentlemen you desire; and have appointed and authorized Colonel Monk and Lieutenant-Colonel White to meet with your Commissioners, at the house in the safe-conduct mentioned: there to treat and conclude of the Capitulation, on my part. I rest, Sir, your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* Here is his Excellency's Pass or safe-conduct for them: PASS. To all Officers and Soldiers under my Command. You are on sight hereof to suffer Major Andrew Abernethy and Captain Robert Henderson to come forth of Edinburgh Castle, to the house of Mr. Wallace in Edinburgh, and to return back into the said Castle, without any trouble or molestation. Given under my hand, this 18th December, 1650. OLIVER CROMWELL.† By to-morrow morning, in Mr. Wallace's house, Colonel Monk and the other Three have agreed upon handsome terms; of which, * Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 99). † Ibid. except what indicates itself in the following Proclamation, published by beat of drum the same day, we need say nothing. All was handsome, just and honorable, as the case permitted; my Lord General being extremely anxious to gain this place, and conciliate the Godly People of the Nation. By one of the conditions, the Public Registers, now deposited in the Castle, are to be accurately bundled up by authorized persons, and carried to Stirling, or whither the Authorities please; concerning which some question afterwards accidentally rises. PROCLAMATION. To be proclaimed by the Marshal-general, by beat of drum, in Edinburgh and Leith. WHEREAS there is an agreement of articles by treaty concluded betwixt myself and Colonel Walter Dundas, Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh, which doth give free liberty to all Inhabitants adjacent, and all other persons who have any goods in the said Castle, to fetch forth the same from thence: These are therefore to declare, That all such people before mentioned who have any goods in the Castle, as is before expressed, shall have free liberty between this present Thursday the 19th instant, and Tuesday the 24th, To repair to the Castle, and to fetch away their goods, without let or molestation. And I do hereby further declare and require all Officers and Soldiers of this Army, That they take strict care, that no violation be done to any person or persons fetching away their goods, and carrying them to such place or places as to them seemeth fit. And if it shall so fall out that any Soldier shall be found willingly or wilfully to do anything contrary hereunto, he shall suffer death for the same. And if it shall appear that any Officer shall, either through connivance or otherwise, do or suffer to be done' anything contrary to and against the said Proclamation, wherein it might lie in his power to prevent or hinder the same, he the said Officer shall likewise suffer death. Given under my hand the 19th of December, 1650. OLIVER CROMWELL.* It is now Thursday: we gain admittance to the Castle on the Tuesday following, and the Scotch forces march away,—in a somewhat confused manner, I conceive. For Governor Dundas and the other parties implicated are considered little better than traitors, at Stirling in fact they are, openly or secretly, of the Remonstrant or Protester species; and may as well come over to Cromwell ;-which at once or gradually the most of thern do. What became of the Clergy, let us not inquire: Remonstrants or Resolutioners, confused times await them! Of which here and there a glimpse may turn up as we proceed. The Lord General has now done with Scotch Treaties: the Malignants and QuasiMalignants are ranked in one definite body; and he may smite without reluctance. Here is his Letter to the Speaker on this business. After which, we may hope, the rest of his Scotch Letters may be given in a mass: sufficiently legible without commentary of ours. LETTER CVIII. For the Honorable William Lenthall, Speaker of the Parliament of England: These. RIGHT HONORABLE, Edinburgh, 24th December, 1650. It hath pleased God to cause this Castle of Edinburgh to be surrendered into our hands, this day, about eleven o'clock. I thought fit to give you such account thereof as I could, and 'as' the shortness of time would permit. I sent a Summons to the Castle upon the 12th instant; which occasioned several Exchanges and Replies,—which, for their unusualness, I also thought fit humbly to present to you.* Indeed the mercy is very great, and seasonable. I think, I need to say little of the strength of the place; which, if it had not come in as it did, would have cost very much blood to have attained, if at all to be attained; and did tie up your Army to that inconvenience, That little or nothing could have been attempted whilst this was in design; or little fruit had of anything brought into your power by your Army hitherto, without it. I must needs say, not any skill or wisdom of ours, but the good hand of God hath given you this place. I believe all Scotland hath not in it so much brass ordnance as this place. I send you here enclosed a List thereof,† and of the arms and * We have already read them. † Drakes, minions, murderers, monkes, of brass and iron,-not interest ammunition, so well as they could be taken on a sudden. Not having more at present to trouble you with, I take leave, and rest, Sir, Your most humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* ing to us, except it be the great iron murderer called Muckle-Meg,' already in existence, and still held in some confused remembrance in those Northern parts. * Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 99) LETTERS CIX.-CXXII. THE Lord General is now settled at Edinburgh till the season for campaigning return. Tradition still reports him as lodged, as in 1648, in that same spacious and sumptuous Earl of Murrie's House in the Cannigate;' credibly enough; though Tradition does not in this instance produce any written voucher hitherto. The Lord General, as we shall find by and by, falls dangerously sick here; worn down by over-work and the rugged climate. The Scots lie entrenched at Stirling, diligently raising new levies; parliamenting and committee-ing diligently at Perth ;crown their King at Scone Kirk, on the First of January,* in token that they have now all complied' with him. The Lord General is virtually master of all Scotland south of the Forth ;— fortifies, before long, a Garrison as far west as 'Newark,' which we now call Port Glasgow, on the Clyde. How his forces had to occupy themselves, reducing detached Castles; coercing Mosstroopers; and, in detail, bringing the Country to obedience, the old Books at great length say, and the reader here shall fancy in his mind. Take the following two little traits from Whitlocke, and spread them out to the due expansion and reduplication : February 3d, 1650. Letters that Colonel Fenwick summoned Hume Castle to be surrendered to General Cromwell. The Governor answered, "I know not Cromwell; and as for my Castle, it is built on a rock." Whereupon Colonel Fenwick played upon him' a little with the great guns.' But the Gov. ernor still would not yield; nay sent a Letter couched in these singular terms: "I, William of the Wastle, Am now in my Castle; • Minute description of the ceremony, in Somers Tracts, vi., 117. + Milton State-Papers, p. 84. 'Shand garre' is Whitlocke's reading. |