Colonel Bright and Scoutmaster Rowe are persons that often occur, though somewhat undistinguishably, in the Old Pamphlets. Bright, in the end of this month, was sent over, "from Berwick" apparently, to take possession of Carlisle, now ready to surrender to us. "Scoutmaster" is the Chief of the Corps of "Guides," as soldiers now call them. As to Stapylton or Stapleton, we have to remark that, besides Sir Philip Stapleton, the noted Member for Boroughbridge, and one of the Eleven, who is now banished and dead, there is a Bryan Stapleton now Member for Aldborough; he in January last** was Commissioner to Scotland: but this present Stapylton is still another. Apparently, one Robert Stapylton; a favourite Chaplain of Cromwell's; an Army - Preacher, a man of weight and eminence in that character. From his following in the rear of the Colonel and the Scoutmaster, instead of taking precedence in the Lieutenant-General's Letter, as an M. P. would have done, we may infer that this Reverend Robert Stapylton is the Cromwell Messenger, sent to speak a word to the Clergy in particular.

Scoutmaster Rowe, William Rowe, appears with an enlarged sphere of influence, presiding over the Cromwell spyworld in a very diligent, expert and almost respectable manner, some years afterwards, in the Milton State-Papers. His counsel might be useful with Argyle; his experienced eye, at any rate, might take a glance of the Scottish Country, with advantage to an invading General.

Of the Reverend Mr. Stapylton's proceedings on this occasion we have no notice: but he will occur afterwards in these Letters; and two years hence, on Cromwell's second visit to those Northern parts, we find this recorded: "Last Lord's Day," 29th September 1650, "Mr. Stapylton preached in the High Church," of Edinburgh, while we were mining the Castle! "forenoon and afternoon, before his Excellency "with his Officers; where was a great concourse of people; "many Scots expressing much affection at the doctrine, in

"their usual way of "In their usual groans. way of groans, while Mr. Stapylton held forth: consider that! Mr. Robert, "at 10 o'clock at night on the 3d September" next year, writes, "from the other side of Severn," a copious despatch concerning the Battle of Worcester,* **and then disappears from History.

The following Letter, of the same date, was brought by the same Messengers for the Committee of Estates.

LETTER LXXII.

For the Right Honourable the Committee of Estates for the Kingdom of Scotland: These.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

'Near Berwick,'

16th September 1648.

Being upon my approach to the borders of the Kingdom of Scotland, I thought fit to acquaint you of the reason thereof.

It is well known how injuriously the Kingdom of England was lately invaded by the Army under Duke Hamilton; contrary to the Covenant and 'to' our leagues of amity, and against all the engagements of love and brotherhood between the two Nations. And notwithstanding the pretence of your late Declaration, *** published to take with the people of this Kingdom, the Commons of England in Parliament Assembled declared the said Army so entering, Enemies to the Kingdom; and those of England who should adhere to them, Traitors. And having received command to march with a considerable part of their Army, to oppose so great a violation of faith and justice, what a witness God,

*Cromwelliana, p. 92.

** Cromwelliana, p. 113.

*** To be found in Rushworth; read it not!

The grammar requires "I having," but the physiognomy of the sen. tence requires nothing.

*

being appealed to, hath borne, upon the engagement of the two Armies, against the unrighteousness of man, not only yourselves, but this Kingdom, yea and a great part of the known world will, I trust, acknowledge. How dangerous a thing is it to wage an unjust war'; much more, to appeal to God the Righteous Judge therein! We trust He will persuade you better by this manifest token of His displeasure; lest His hand be stretched out yet more against you, and your poor People also, if they will be deceived.

That which I am to demand of you is, The restitution of the Garrisons of Berwick and Carlisle into my hands, for the use of the Parliament and Kingdom of England. If you deny me herein, I must make our appeal to God; and call upon Him for assistance, in what way He shall direct us; wherein we are, and shall be, so far from seeking the harm of the wellaffected people of the Kingdom of Scotland, that we profess as before the Lord, That (what difference an Army, necessitated in a hostile way to recover the ancient rights and inheritance of the Kingdom under which they serve, can make)** we shall use our endeavours to the utmost that the trouble may fall upon the contrivers and authors of this breach, and not upon the poor innocent people, who have been led and compelled into this action, as many poor souls now pri

soners to us confess.

We thought ourselves bound in duty thus to expostulate with you, and thus to profess; to the end we may bear our integrity out before the world, and may

* on Preston Moor.

** Means: "so far as an Army, necessitated to vindicate its country by War, can make a discrimination." The "ancient rights and inheritance are the right to choose our own King or No-King, and so forth.

have comfort in God, whatever the event be. Desiring

your answer,

I rest,

Your Lordships' humble servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.S

The troubles of Scotland are coming thick. The "Engagers," those that "engaged" with Hamilton are to be condemned; then, before long, come "Resolutioners" and "Protesters;" and in the wreck of the Hamilton-Argyle discussions, and general cunctations, all men desiring to say Yes and No instead of Yes or No, - Royalism and Presbyterianism alike are disastrously sinking.

The Lordships here addressed as "Committee of Estates" can make no answer, for they do not now exist as Committee of Estates; Argyle and Company are now assuming that character: the shifting of the dresses, which occasions some complexity in those old Letters, is just going on. From Argyle and Company, however, who see in Cromwell their one sure stay, there are already on the road conciliatory congratulatory messages, by Lairds and Majors, "from Falkirk," where the Whiggamore Raid and Lanark are making their Armistice or Treaty. Whereupon follows, with suitably vague Superscription, for Argyle and Company:

LETTER LXXIII.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Loudon, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Scotland:

To be communicated to the Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Burgesses now in arms,* who dissented in Parliament from the late Engagement against the Kingdom of England.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

Cheswick,** 18th Sept. 1648.

We received yours from Falkirk of the 15th Sep

§ Thurloe, i. 100.

"The Whiggamore Raid," as Turner calls it, now making a Treaty with Lanark, Monro, and the other Assignees of the bankrupt Hamilton concern. Expressly addressed, in the next Letter, as Committee of Estates," they now.

**Cheswick, still a Manorhouse "of the Family of Strangeways," lies three or four miles south of Berwick, on the great road to Newcastle and London.

tember instant. We have had also a sight of your Instructions given to the Laird of Greenhead and Major Strahan; as also other two Papers concerning the Treaty between your Lordships and the Enemy; wherein your care of the interest of the Kingdom of England, for the delivery of the Towns* unjustly taken from them, and 'your' desire to preserve the unity of both Nations, appears. By which also we understand the posture you are in to oppose the Enemies of the welfare and the peace of both Kingdoms; for which we bless God for His goodness to you; and rejoice to see the power of the Kingdom of Scotland in a hopeful way to be invested in the hands of those who, we trust, are taught of God to seek His honour, and the comfort of His people.

And give us leave to say, as before the Lord, who knows the secrets of all hearts, That, as we think one especial end of Providence in permitting the enemies of God and Goodness in both Kingdoms to rise to that height, and exercise such tyranny over His people, was to show the necessity of Unity amongst those of both Nations, so we hope and pray that the late glorious dispensation, in giving so happy success against your and our Enemies in our victories, may be the foundation of Union of the People of God in love and amity. Unto that end we shall, God assisting, to the utmost of our power endeavour to perform what may be behind on our part: and when we shall, through any wilfulness, fail therein, let this profession rise up in judgment against us, as having been made in hypocrisy, a severe avenger of which God hath lately

* Berwick and Carlisle, which by agreement in 1646-7 were not to be garrisoned except by consent of both Kingdoms.