A LETTER SENT BY COL. COBBET FROM THE General Council of OFFICERS TO GEN. MONK. WITH HIS ANSWER To the said LETTER, Dated at Edinburgh Octob. 27. 1659.  
Together with A LETTER intended to have been sent from the Militia of London, to General MONK, and the Officers under his Command in Scotland.  
London, Printed in the Year, 1659.   


A LETTER from some Officers at Whitehal, to the Commander in Chief of the Forces in Scotland, to be communicated to the Officers of the Army there.  
GENTLEMEN,  
WE hold it a duty incumbent upon us, in order to the preserving the Peace of this Commonwealth, as well as to give you satisfaction in an extraordinary passage of Providence that lately hath befallen us, which nothing but necessity and sense of duty could have prevailed with us to have undertaken.  
Of late, the old spirit of Malignancy in all parts of the Nation appeared as well in the old professed Adversaries, as Neuters and pretended friends, who, having sworn a confederacy and secrecy, and fitted and prepared themselves to have swallowed up the Interest of the good people of this Commonwealth, through the blessing of God were prevented in very many places; only in Cheshire they got an head, as we presume you have long since heard. Against which force, the Lord Lambert was sent with a Brigade, who (with the hazard of all that was dear to them) with cheerfulness undertook that service: And God having, according to his wont kindness, given an issue to that undertaking (even when the enemy concluded of success) The Officers there, weighing their duty in improving that signal mercy, and considering how craftily those that bore to the Adversary goodwill in former times, had by fair speeches, pretences and suggestions, cheated us of our hopes and expectations; and finding the disease more general than was to be supposed to be understood by the Patliament, did agree upon an humble Petition and Proposals to them: with a very sober and Christian Letter, sending the said Petition and Proposals in the said Letter to the Lord Fleetwood, with a desire, that if he thought it fit, it might be communicated to a General Council of Officers for their approbation. His Lordship forthwith communicated the said Letter and Paper to Sir Arthur Hesilrig, with a desire, that himself, Sir Henry Vane, and Major Salwey, would give his Lordship a meeting, to consider what was fit to be done therein, who promised to answer his Lordship's desire: But notwithstanding in stead thereof, the next day the said Sir Arthur acquainted the House, (for what reason we know not) of the said Paper, and that there was a dangerous design among those faithful Servants of the Commonwealth. Upon which rumours were spread abroad of introducing a Government by a single Person (which was directly contrary to the scope and desire of the said Paper) Whereupon the House ordered an Admonition to be given to the Officers of the Army; and reproachful speeches were frequently cast up and down of sending the Lord Lambert to the Tower, and that some of the chief Officers in the said Brigade deserved to be hanged, drawn and quartered. By all which, we clearly perceived, the design was either to divide between the Parliament and the Army, or between the Army and the good People of the Nation, or the Army within its self. Upon which the Officers here met, and agreed upon an humble Representation and Petition, which they delivered to the House, and had their Thanks, with a promise that their Proposals in the said Petitien should be taken into consideration: At which General Council (to the end that nothing might be done by us, but what you might have full knowledge of) directions were given for sending the same, together with the reasons and grounds thereof sent unto you. One of which Letters being sent to Col. Okeys' Regiment, was brought into the House by a member thereof. The House thereupon declared the Lord Fleetwood's Commission void, together with the Commissions of the Lord Lambert, Major Genral Disbrow, and seven more Field Officers. And all this was done without so much as hearing them speak one ward for themselves, or examining whether the names, subscribed to the said Letter, were the hand-writing of the said Officers, and all arising upon the same matter, for which, before they had given Thanks to the Army (an ill requital for their unwearied pains for the service of this Commonwealth) And some who seemed more eager to inflict punishment upon those Officers that subdued the common Enemy, then upon the common Enemy by them subdued, had so contrived it, that the Regiment commanded by Colonel Morley (who, with six others, were appointed to command the Army) was brought on for the Guard of the House, six or seven Barrels of Powder laid in, together with provisions, in order to the effectual prosecution of the said Design.  
So soon as the Officers had the knowledge of these proceed, and finding all once more laid at stake, resolved to trust the Lord with the Issue, and took Arms for the preservation of the good People, and Peace of these Nations, and have put a stop to the sitting of the Parliament for the present, concluding it a betraying of that Cause and Interest, more precious than our lives, and for which we have often jeoparded us all, to suffer this Army, that God hath made the Bulwark of the Peace of the Nation, to be divided and broken, to answer the ends and designs of evil-minded men. And therefore upon the whole, Our humble request to you is, That you would not hastily judge this Action; It being our desire and design to approve our hearts to God, that our end is the Glory of God, the Peace of these Nations, and the settlement thereof in the way of a Commonwealth, without a single Person, or House of Peers. And therefore whatever reports or suggestions the Enemy may raise to the contrary; We desire you would give no place or credit thereunto. But in your several places strive to preserve the Peace, and to suppress any turbulent or discontented Spirit, or contrivance of the Enemy, under what name or appearance soever it shall show itself: In order to which the Officers here, at a General Council, have with an unanimous consent acknowledged and owned the Lord Fleetwood, Commander in Chief of the Army, and declared their resolution to obey no other Orders, but what shall be given or communicated by his Lordship; and to look on those that are contrary minded, as disturbers of the Peace of the Army; and further have under consideration what may be necessary and fit, in Order to the speedy and effectual settlement of the Armies and this Commonwealth. And for your more full and clear Information in these things, We have sent you Copies of our said Representation, and Petition, and Letters, upon which the House passed the said Votes. We shall add no more, but commend you to the Lord, and desire your Prayers that God would now appear in giving wisdom and understanding, that we may know what to do, and find his presence with us in our undertake, that the end of this may be his Glory, the comfort of those that fear the Lord, and the Peace and good settlement of this Commonwealth. For a more particular account of affairs here at present; We refer you to the bearer hereof, Col. Cobbet, to whom we desire you will give credit: We remain,  
Your affectionate Friends and Servants. 

John Disbrow.  
Ja. Berry.  
Jo. Mason  
Ed. Salmon.  
Charles Fleetwood.  
Tho. Kelsey.  
Jo. Duckenfield.  
Jer. Camfeild.    
These for the Right Honourable General Monck, to be by him Communicated to the rest of the Officers of the Army in Scotland.   

An ANSWER of the Commander in Chief and Officers of the Forces in Scotland; To a LETTER from some Officers at Whitehall.  
GENTLEMEN,  
With how great reluctancy we put Pen to Paper against you, our sad hearts, which are still firmly united to you in the same bond of love as ever, can bear us witness; yet, that we may not be wanting in our duty to God, our Country and Posterities in a day of so great trial as is come upon us; we are constrained to bear our Testimony against your late violent proceed upon the Parliament of England; for which proceed we confess ourselves altogether ignorant of a warrantable ground (notwithstanding the account you have given us) either from Scripture, Reason, or Necessity: For, suppose the account you have given us of that Action to be impartial (which yet we think we have some ground to suspect.) We would gladly know what ground there could be of sending about your late Petition and Representation, to create Greatness and Power in Men (a thing of dangerous consequence) after you had received the Parliaments Answer thereunto?  
If you avow the Thanks of the House? We answer, Those had no relation to the matter of the Petition; for that they gave their sense of that before, viz. That it was Dangerous, Chargeable, and Useless to make more General Officers than they had made: Their Thanks were only for your good expressions in the Petition, whereof they could not but have these especially in their consideration, viz. your acknowledging them the Supreme Authority of these Nations, and yourselves their faithful and obedient Servants: Now by appointing a Committee to Recommend that Petition to all Regiments for Subscriptions, after so great a progress made in it by a few, and the Parliaments Negative sense declared of it, What could there be in design, but a stirring up the Army against the Parliament? This we cannot but take notice of, as a considerable circumstance in the management of that affair. To the matter itself of the Petition, we mean only, that of appointing General Officers, we think we have just cause to declare our dislike: And we cannot but wonder, how such as have so lately escaped out of the Tyranny of an absolute Monarch, whereunto by their own too credulous inclinations they unhappily fell, should again carry so many materials for the building up of that they have so lately destroyed: The best of men, we know, are subject to many failings; and how this Army and these poor Nations have already been cheated with specious pretences, the sad Revolutions these five years last passed do sufficiently evidence. No doubt many pious men were made to believe, after the former Interruption of this Parliament, That the Yoke should be taken off the neck of the Oppressed, none but Faithful and Godly men kept in Authority, and sundry other promises of like import; and no sooner was that work done, but all the Godly in the Land were animated in their differences, many faithful ones in the A●my and Navy, and in Civil Judicatories shamefully removed, many precious ones sent to loathsome Gaols, very few, save Court-compliers, countenanced; till our Yoke was become heavier then what our Father's Necks had been accustomed to; and an Officer of the Army as contemptible and odious in the eyes of the Honest Party in England, as a Janisary at Constantinople, and scarcely known o● distinguish: by any other title: There are living Testimonies among yourselves, which, to their sad experience, can put their Seal to these truths; Watness Lord Lambert, Col. Overton, Col. Rich, Col. Okey, Col. Saunders, Col. Alared, Col. Packer and his Officers, Sir Henry Vane, Maj. Gen. Harrison, Mr. Carew, Quartermaster General Courtney, with many others which would be too long to insert. And is Servitade and Oppression already become so desirable a thing, that it must be courted and petitioned for? What can so readily create Servitude, as the contracting the Power of the Nation in so narrow a space as a Single Person, or a few of any one Faction? Will not this be to Rule the rest of the Nation with a Rod of Iron? For, can any thing but Force support such a Government? yea, such a Force as must beggar ourselves and posterities, in a very few years, even to their skins? We beseech you lay these things sincerely upon your hearts, and let not the ancient Foundation of our Liberties (we mean the Authority of Parliaments) be destroyed, or made contemptible: You cannot but acknowledge, that the blessing of God was on us in all our public erterprises, whilst we stood by them, and as great a withdrawing of His presence from us, when we fell from them. We were told by yours of late, that the Malignant Party were grown so high, that such as were instrumental in bringing the King to Justice, and establishing the Government in a Commonwealth, were marked out for destruction, and like to be exposed to the Rage of their Enemies: We beseech you look narrowly into your own hearts, and then tell us by whom they are so exposed at this time, and what other Consequent of it can be, but the heightening of the spirits of the Malignant Party; for the encouragement of which Interest, we think the wit of man could not have devised a more effectual mean, than the Interruption of the Parliament, wherein (by your own confession) you have resisted the Supreme Authority of the Nation, and consequently the Ordinance of God, not to be justified by the highest necessity. We therefore entreat you with all earnestness of spirit, That as you love the Interest of God's People, the Peace and Liberty of these Nations, and the quiet of your Consciences, when you shall be drawing near to the close of your days, That you would speedily invite the Members of Parliament to return to the discharge of their Duties, in that Freedom and Liberty in which the Supreme Authority of these Nations ought to sit: And we do assure you, that touching the Officers of the Army, upon whom their late Votes of Dismission were passed, none shall interpose with greater vigour and zeal for the continuance of them in their Commands, and for an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion, than ourselves: And in all other things that may conduce to the Union of the Army, and of the good People of the Land, and to the establishing the Kingdom of Christ in righteousness and peace amongst us, we will go hand in hand with you. Mean while, our Prayers to God shall be for the guidance of his Spirit both to you and us: To which good Spirit we recommend you, and remain,  
Your affectionate Friends and Servants, Edinburgh, Octob. 27. 1659.  
For the Right Honourable the Lord Fleetwood, To be communicated to the Officers of the Army at Whitehall.   

The Substance of a Letter intended to have been sent from the Militia of London, to General Monk and the Officers under his Command in Scotland.  
GENTLEMEN,  
WE understand, That you are preparing to march with an Army into England, having displaced and imprisoned several Officers of the Army of known Integrity to the Commonwealth, and appointed others in their Commands; And that you are making great and warlike Preparations hereunto; Which as things now stand, we cannot but judge very threatening to the Peace of this Nation. We observe also the general expectations of the old common Enemy growing big hereupon. Notwithstanding, we shall not take upon us to censure the Integrity of your Intentions; but having received Authority from Parliament to Suppress all Insurrections and Invasions, and to preserve the Peace of our Country, and being sensible of the sad effects of such Proceed; We think fit to present unto you our earnest desires, as you tender the Glory of God, the Peace of your Native Country, the just Interest and Liberty of the People, the guilt of 〈◊〉 Blood like to be spilt, and the sad Consequences of another W●●. That you would please to set free the said Officers from their Imprisonments, restoring them to their Commands, and desist your further Acts in that kind. However, we hold our selus bound in Duty and Conscience in our Places and Capacities, to endeavour to the utmost the preservation of the Peace of our Country, as well as of this City, against all persons, that under what specious pretences soever shall disturb or Invade the same.   
FINIS.