A Letter sent by General Monk To Vice Admiral GOODSON to be communicated to the rest of the Officers of the Fleet, in Answer to a Letter with some Proposals lately sent to Him from Them.  
Dear countrymen and Comrades,  
I Am glad that you have not forgotten your old friend, and that by this occasion, I have such advantage to hear of your hearty affections to me, and kind remembrance of me, and that you have such a deep sense of the divisions amongst us, and the miserable consequence thereof; but I am very much saded that you have entertained such mistakes and misapprehensions of of our proceedings. These enclosed Papers will fully certify you, that we have just grounds of dissatisfaction, and that we cannot comply with such violent and unwarrantable undertakings, both against our reason as men, and against our Consciences as Christians, that you and we should take our Commissions and pay from the Parliament and yet to violate their Authority, after such solemn assurances of obedience and faithfulness, contrary to the expressed word of God, and our own late Addresses, I hope I am so well known to some of you, that I am none of those that seek great things to myself, or delight in the shedding the blood of English men, much less of Christian Brethren, but to preserve the name of God from blasphemy and reproach, which our actings (I wish I could not call them) treacherousness and perfidiousness have occasioned; whereby Jesus Christ and his truth have been evil spoken of, which makes our very lives bitter to us, and to assert the integrity and honour of this Army, which is very dear to me, I have been forced with the Parliaments Army under my command, (though with much grief of heart) to bear our Testimony against the late violence of the Army; and the reasons thereof you will find in our printed papers, & our endeavours to persuade them in England to remove that force which they have put upon the Parliament. As to your Proposals, I beseech you seriously to consider and lay to heart these following Answers.  
1. To the first, you are pleased to intimate the joy of the Cavaliers that they see us stand to our Declaration, but I believe, that this violent interruption of the Parliament was the greatest courtesy to gratify that Family and Interest that could be imagined in the World, (and I could wish it were not designed). I should be very sad to strengthen and hands of of the wicked, but let me assure you, this ariseth from the slanders and calumnies which men cast upon us in England, as if we that assert the Authority of those that brought the late King to the Block, are for introducing that Family, which I take God to witness, we in our very thoughts abhor, and shall spend our blood in opposition to any Single person whatsoever.  
2. You are pleased to compare our present differences to that of the Israelites, with the two Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the Tribe of Manasses) and I earnestly pray that there may be the same issue, for if they will restore these persons to their lawful Authority which have been established by many successes, and for the difference of which they so lately hazarded to blood, we shall quietly sit down and wait upon the providences of God in our places and Stations, and to this end we have sent Commissioners into England, men faithful and approved, what you are pleased to instance concerning my satisfaction in the year 1653. When this Parliament was interrupted formerly, I shall answer you to that, it was never in my Conscience to go out of God's way under the pretence of doing God's work, and you know the variety of times doth much vary the nature of affairs, and what might then patiently be submitted unto, we being engaged with a foreign Enemy in a bloody war cannot be drawn into a precedent at this time; after our Repentance and assurance of Loyalty and Constancy; you may be pleased to remember that the consequence of the former Interruptions was the Introduction of a single person, and a manifest breach of all our promises and engagements, so that if God blessed me with success, than I do much more through mercy expect it now, when I put all to hazard for the Glory of God and the good of his people.  
3. I do acknowledge that the Army hath been in the hand of God and instruments of good to these Nations, yet if they shall apostate from the Cause of God and his people in exposing them to Arbitrary Power, and the wills of men, in taking upon them to abolish laws, raise money without consent of the people, destroy ministry and property, and force Parliaments, I cannot but witness against such proceedings as unwarrantable not suited to any rule either from God or man.  
4. I have taken care by Garrisons in this Country, and assurance from the whole body of the Nation, that they will not own the interest of Charles Stewart, and that they will preserve the peace of the Commonwealth in obedience to the Parliament; So that if that part of the Army in England will set up a distinct Interest in the Nation, in deserting that Cause that hath been so precious to us, and cost so much blood and treasure for to establish their own interest and greatness. I do declare in the presence of the Great God I cannot own you, nor join with them; Now having opened my heart to you, and as you know my plainness and sincerity, that I am none of those that dare assert any thing against my Conscience, from that experience ye have had of me, I heartily beg your belief and credit, that I shall keep in the way of duty and endeavour to do the Lord's work in my Generation, and shall not own any corrupt interest whatsoever, and do desire of God his blessing according to my Integrity in this undertaking, having this good Testimony in my own Spirit, that I have nothing but public and Righteous ends upon my heart, and by all these respects and kindnesses that I have received from you, I desire you will join with us in your desires that this Parliament may be restored to the execution of their duties and trust, with freedom and honour; I have no more but my hearty Love and service to you all, desiring God to bless you all, and make you happy instruments for the good of these Nations in your several places which shall be always the Prayer of dear Friends.  
Edinburgh, Novemb. 29. 1659. Your Humble Servant and fellow Soldier, G. M.  
To the Right Honourable Vice Admiral Goodson, to be Communicated to the rest of the Officers of the Fleet, in Answer to the Letter that was sent to me from them.   

London Printed by John Johnson.