A SOBER LETTER OF GENERAL MONCK'S UNTO THE Commander in Chief, and Officers in Ireland: with another Letter from an Officer of the Army there; wherein the General doth declare his own, and Armies resolution, to adhere to their first Declaration; notwithstanding the agreement of his Commissioners at London, it being contrary to the Instructions given them to Act by.  
Printed at London 1659.   

General Monck's Letter unto the Commander in Chief in Ireland, to be communicated to the Officers there.  
SIR,  
HAving received yours, of the 4 of this instant signed by yourself and some others, you are pleased to signify your apprehensions of our undertake, and your hopes that we have received from our Brothers in England, such satisfaction as we may acquiesce in their late actings: I have sent to you by this Gentleman these enclosed Papers, wherein you will be fully informed of our endeavours and pains to keep a right understanding with our friends and Fellow-soldiers, but we sincerely profess to you that we cannot be convinced of any such necessity or sense of duty that could engage them in Actions so violent, and unwarrantable, contrary to such late and solemn engagements, indeed it makes our hearts mourn in secret to consider what the issue of this dangerous and rash change of the Government may be, but we hope we shall be found in the way of duty, and shall walk according to God's word, in that we have born our testimony according to our consciences, against that which is evil, and we humbly desire you to lay to heart the great dishonour that will lie upon the holy name of God, by our inconstancy, and (I wish I could not say) Treachery: are we not an Army that have the highest engagements upon us, never such a professing Generation for God, yet to make no conscience of obedience to those that God set's over us, nay such whose authority hath been witnessed too by Almighty God in many successes, and for restoring of which, we were but the other day rejoicing and praising God. And for the asserting whose just authority our Brothers in England so lately hazarded to blood, and from whom we have all received Commissions and Encouragement, and this to be done without half an hour's deliberation; we tremble to consider of it, and that a few persons and of them some unknown to us to be entrusted with the power of abolishing Laws, Raising moneys, choosing general Officers, creating new Models of Government, making Peace and War, and this derived from the Officers of a few Regiments quartered in England, and our consent to all this authoritatively required, we cannot but witness against such proceed as must needs make us a Scorn to our Enemies, a shame to our friends, and odious to all the People of God in the World: is this the good old Cause, the defence of the Parliaments privileges to dissolve them with the greatest Contempt? are Peoples Rights now secured, when their consciences, Estates and persons are abandoned to the wills and pleasure of nine or ten persons? are the Churches of Jesus Christ like to be protected when the encouragement of the Ministry of the Churches is to be removed; Now we beseech you in the bowels of the Lord jesus to lay to heart these things, and consider whether our jealousies and fears be not real, and we desire to deal with plainness and singleness of heart as in the presence of God with you, that our Brethren in England are very dear to us in the Lord, that it wounds us deeper to consider these actings, than the wounds we have received from our enemies, for them we could have born. We bless the Lord that you are so sensible of the hazard and blood that may follow: so we beg of you to remember what blood hath been shed, and who will answer for it, if we be worse than those God cast out before us. We bless God we need no umbrage for our actions, but testify before God and man that we will not admit any single person whatsoever, nor House of Lords, that we desire successive Parliaments and Councils of State established by authourity of Parliament for the Government of these Nations, and that there may be a Legal foundation and succession. We desire our Brethren in Ireland to join with us in our desires to the Army in England, that this Parliament may be restored, and put a period to their sitting, and settle such expedients as may be for the securing of these Nations against the common enemy, and we shall take this as a renewed engagement of your Brotherly love and kindness to us, and having no further to trouble you, but to let you know that I am  
Edinburgh, 27 Nou. 1659. Honoured Sir, Your humble Servant GEORGE MONCK,  
This Messenger after some time, being in this City, carried himself very indiscreetly, so that I thought fit to confine him to his Chamber, which I hope you will not take ill.   

A Letter from an Officer of the Parliaments Army in Scotland, to an eminent friend in London.  
Sir,  
THe Lord General and Officers there, are resolved to stand to their Declarations and Resolutions for the Parliament; what their Commissioners have done being besides their Instructions in the Third, Fourth and Sixth Articles of their late agreement.  
Edinburgh 29 Nou. 1659. Your Servant I E  
For Mr. I P.