A LETTER From the Lord General Cromwell, Concerning the Rendition of the Castle of Edinburgh To his Excellency on ARTICLES. Together with the Passages between His Excellency and the Governor in order hereunto, and the ARTICLES upon which the same were Surrendered, and a List of the Ordnance and Ammunition therein. Die Martis, 31 Decembr. 1650. ORdered by the Parliament, That the Letter sent from the General from Edinburgh, dated the 24. Decem. 1650. Together with the several Papers therein enclosed; together with the Articles for the Rendition of the Castle of Edinburgh; and the List of the Ordnance and Ammunition taken there, be forthwith printed and published. Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti. London, Printed by Edward Husband and John Field, Printers to the Parliament of England, 1650. SIR, IT hath pleased God to cause the Castle of Edinburgh to be surrendered into our hands this day about Eleven a clock: I thought fit to give you such account thereof as I could, and the shortness of time would permit. I sent a Summons to the Castle upon the Twelfth instant, which occasioned several exchanges of Returns 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 say little of the strength of the place, which if it had not come 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 any thing 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 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, Edinburgh, the 24 of Decem. 1650. Sir, Your most humble Servant, O. Cromwell. A Copy of the Summons to the Governor of Edinburgh Castle. SIR, WE being now resolved (by God's assistance) to make use of such means as he hath put into our hands towards the reducing of Edinburgh Castle, I thought fit to send you this Summons. What the grounds of our relation to the Glory of God, and the common Interest of his people, we have often expressed in our Papers tendered to public view; To which though credit hath not been given by men, yet the Lord hath been pleased to bear a gracious and Testimony; and hath not only kept us constant to our Professions, and in our Affections to such as fear the Lord in this Nation, but hath unmasked others of their Pretences, as appears by the present Transactions at St. Johnstons'. Let the Lord dispose your Resolutions as seemeth good to him; my sense of Duty presseth me for the end aforesaid, and to avoid the effusion of more Blood, to Demand the rendering or this place to me upon fit Conditions. To which expecting your Answer this day, I rest, Edinburgh the 12 Decem. 1650. Sir, Your Servant, O. Cromwell. For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. My Lord, I Am entrusted by the Estates of Scotland with this place; and being sworn not to deliver it to any without their Warrant, I have no power to dispose thereof by myself. I do therefore desire the space of Ten days, wherein I may conveniently acquaint the said Estates, and receive their Answer, and for this effect your safe Conduct for the employed in the Message: Upon the receipt of their Answer, you shall have the resolute Answer of Edinburgh Castle, the 12 of Decemb. 1650. My Lord, Your most humble Servant, W. Dundas. SIR, IT concerns not me to know your Obligations to those that trust you: I make no question the Apprehensions you have of your Abilities to resist those Impressions which shall be made upon you, are the natural and equitable Rules of all men's Judgements and Consciences in your condition, except you had taken an Oath beyond a possibility, I leave that to your consideration, and shall not seek to contest with your Thoughts; only I think it may become me to let you know, you may have honourable Terms for yourself, and those with you; and both yourself, and the Soldiers, have satisfaction to all your reasonable Desires; and those that have other Employments, Liberty and Protection in the exercise of them. But to deal plainly with you, I will not give liberty to you to consult your Committee of Estates, because I hear, those that are honest amongst them enjoy not satisfaction, and the rest are now discovered to seek another Interest than they have formerly pretended to: And if you desire to be informed of this, you may by them you dare trust at a nearer distance than Saint johnston's. Expecting your present Answer, I rest Edinburgh, 12 Decembr. 1650. Sir, Your Servant O. C. For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. My Lord, IT much concerneth me to consider my Obligations, to be found faithful in the Trust committed to me; and therefore in the fear of the living God, and of his great Name, called upon in the accepting of my Trust, I do again press the Liberty of acquainting the Estates, the time is but short, and I do expect it as answerable to your profession of Affection to those that fear the Lord; in the mean time I am willing to bear Information of late proceed from such as he dare trust, who is Edinburgh Castle, the 13 Decembr. 1650. My Lord, Your humble Servant W. Dundas. SIR, BEcause of your strict and solemn Admiration of me in the Fear and Name of the Living God, that I give you time to send to the Committee of Estates, to whom you undertook the keeping of this place, under the Obligation of an Oath, as you affirm. I cannot but hope, that it is your Conscience and not Policy, carrying you to that Desire: The granting of which, if it be prejudicial to our Affairs, I am as much obliged in Conscience not to do, as you can pretend cause for your Conscience sake to desire it. Now considering our merciful and wise God binds not his people to Actions so cross one to another, but that our bands may be as I am persuaded they are, through our mistakes and darkness, not only in the Question about the surrendering of this Castle, but also in all the present Differences, I have so much reason to believe that by a Conference you may be so well satisfied in point of Fact of your States (to whom you say you are obliged) carrying on an Interest destructive and contrary to what they professed when they committed that Trust to you, having made to departed from them many honest men through fear of their own Safety, and making way for the Reception of professed Malignants, both in their Parliament and Army; but also may have laid before you such grounds of our Ends and Aims, to the preservation of the Interest of honest men in Scotland as well as England, as will (if God vouchsafe to appear in them) give your Conscience satisfaction. Which if you refuse, I hope you will not have cause to say, That we are unmindful of the great Name of the Lord, which you have mentioned; nor that we are wanting to Answer our Professions of Affection to those that fear the Lord. I am willing to cease Hostility for some hours or convenient time, to so good an end as Information of Judgement and Satisfaction of Conscience, although I may not give Liberty for the time desired, to send to the Committee of Estates, and at all stay the prosecution of my attempt. Expecting your sudden Answer, I rest Edinburgh, the 13 Dec. 1650. Sir, Your Servant O. C. My Lord, WHat I pressed in my last proceeded from Conscience, and not from Policy; and I conceived, That the few days desired, could not be of such prejudice to your Affairs, as to bar the desired expression of professed affection towards those that fear the Lord. And I expected, That a small delay of our own Affairs should not have preponderate the satisfaction of a desire pressed in so serious and solemn a manner for satisfying Conscience. But if you will needs persist in denial, I shall desire to hear the Information of late proceed from such as I dare trust, and have had occasion to know the certainty of things; such I hope you will permit to come alongst at the first conveniency, and during that time all acts of Hostility, and prosecution of Attempts be forborn on both sides, I am, Edinburgh Castle the 14 of Dec. 1650. My Lord, Your humble Servant, W. Dundas. SIR, YOu will give me leave to be sensible of Delays out of Conscience of Duty. If you please to name any you would speak with now in Town, they shall have liberty to come and speak with you for one hour, if they will; provided you send presently. I expect there be no loss of time. I rest, Decemb. 14. 1650. Your Servant, O. C. To the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. SIR, HAving acquainted the Gentlemen with your desire to speak with them, and they making some difficulty of it, have desired me to send you this enclosed. I rest, Decemb. 14. 1650. Your Servant, O. C. Right Honourable, WE now hearing that you was desirous to speak with us, for your information of the posture of Affairs, we would be glad, and we think you make no doubt of it, to be refreshing or useful to you in any thing; but the matter is of so high concernment, especially since it may be you will learn somewhat upon our information, in managing that important Trust put upon you, that we dare not take upon us to meddle. Ye may therefore do as ye find yourselves clear, and in capacity, and the Lord be with you. We are Edinburgh, 14 Dec. 1650. Sir, Your Honour's humble Servants, M. Jaffray. Mr. Jo: Custaires. To the Right Honourable, the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. My Lord, I Expressed that Conscience which you pretended to be your Motive that did induce you to Summon this House, before you did attempt any thing against it, should also have moved you to have expected my Answer to your demand of the House, which I could not out of Conscience suddenly give, without mature Deliberation, it being a business of such high Importance, you having refused that little time which I did demand, to the effect I might receive the Commands of them that did intrust me with this place; and yet not daring to fulfil your desire, I do demand such a competent time as may be condescended upon betwixt us; within which, if no relief come, I shall surrender this place upon such honourable Conditions as can be agreed upon by Capitulation: And during which time, all acts of Hostility, and prosecution of Attempts on both sides may be forborn. I am Edinburgh Castle, the 18 Decembr. 1650. My Lord, Your humble Servant W. Dundas. SIR, ALl that I have to say is shortly this, That if you will send out Commissioners by Eleven a Clock this Night, throughly Instructed and Authorized to Treat and Conclude, you may have Terms honourable and safe to you; and those whose Interests are concerned in the things that are with you, I shall give a safe conduct to such whose names you shall send within the time limited, and order to forbear shooting at their coming forth, and going in: To this I expect your Answer within one hour, and rest Edinburgh 18 Decembr. 1650. Sir, Your Servant O. C. For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. My Lord, I Have thought upon their two Gentlemen, whose names are here mentioned, to wit, Major Andrew Abernathy, and Captain Robert Henderson, whom I purpose to send out instructed, in order to the carrying on of the Capitulation; therefore expects a safe Conduct for them with this Bearer. I rest Edinburgh Castle the 18 Decembr. 1650. My Lord, Your humble Servant W. Dundas. 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 Edinburgh 18 Decembr. 1650. Sir Your Servant O. C. For the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, these. YOu are on sight hereof to suffer Major Andrew Abernathy and Captain Robert Henderson, to come forth of Edinburgh Castle to the House of Master _____ Wallace in Edinburgh, and to return back into the said Castle, without any trouble or molestation. Given under my hand the 18 of December. 1650. To all Officers and Soldiers under my command. YOu are hereby authorized and fully enabled as Commissioners on my behalf, to Treat with and conclude upon such Articles as to you shall seem meet with the Commissioners appointed by Dundas Esquire, now Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh, for the surrender of the same. And what Agreement you shall make herein, I do by these Presents promise to ratify, and make good. Given under my Hand and Seal, this 18 of December. 1650. O. C. To Colonel Monk, and Lieutenant Colonel White. December 19 1650. Articles Treated of, Concluded and Agreed upon by Major Andrew Abernathy and Captain Robert Henderson, on the one part, on the behalf of Walter Dundas Esq Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh; And by Colonel George Monk and Lieutenant Colonel Francis White, on the other part, on the behalf of His Excellency the Lord General Cromwell, For the Rendition of the said Castle, according to the Articles ensuing: I. THat the Castle of Edinburgh, with the Canon, Arms, Ammunition, Magazine, and Furniture of War, Except what shall be excepted in the ensuing Articles, be rendered to his Excellency the Lord General Cromwell, or whom he shall appoint, on Tuesday next, being the Four and twentieth of this present December, by Twelve of the clock, without wilful spoil or embezlement. II. That the public Registers, public Movables, private Evidences and Writs, be transported to Fife or Sterling; and that Wagons and Ships may be provided for the transporting of them. III. That for all the Goods in the Castle belonging to any person whatsoever, an Edict may be proclaimed to the people about Edinburgh, To come own and receive their own; and if any be at a far distance or dead, a place may be provided in the Town of Edinburgh for keeping the same until they be owned; and after owning, may have liberty to carry them where they please. iv That all persons whatsoever, not belonging to the Garrison, as Men, Women and children, may have liberty to go whither they will without trouble, and there have the free execise of their callings and employments, with safety both of themselves and goods. V That the Governor of the said Castle, and all Military Officers, Commanders and Soldiers, of whatsoever condition, none excepted, may departed without any molestation, with their Arms and Baggage, with Drum beating, Colours flying, Matches lighted at both ends, and Ball in their Mouths, as they usually are wont to march, and all their Goods, with a free conduct to Brantisland in Fife; or if any of the aforesaid persons desire to transport themselves or goods any where else for their greater convenience, it may be with freedom granted. VI That all Officers and Soldiers, as well sick as hurt, shall have free liberty to remain in Edinburgh till they recover, and to enjoy the benefit of these Articles VII. That a number of Horses and Wagons, as many as the Governor shall need for his own particular use, as also for the Officers and Soldiers, shall be lent them for the carrying of the foresaid Baggage to the aforesaid places. VIII. That Captain Lieutenant Colonel Lerr, Lieutenant Stratten, Thomas Binney Gunner, and Patrick Summeral Gunner, be sent to his Excellency the Lord General Cromwell this present Thursday by Twelve of the clock, for Hostages for the performance of the forewritten Articles; And that the General shall keep Sentinels about the Castle under the Rock. I do approve, ratify and confirm the Articles above-writ●en, W. DUNDAS. And. Abirnethy. R. Henderson. A List of the Ordnance, etc. in the Castle. Brass Pieces. 5 French Canons, or Canons of 7. 9 Dutch half Canon or 24 dear. 2 Culverings. 2 Demi-Culverings. 2 Minion. 3 3 dear. 2 Falcons. 28 Brass Drakes, called Monkeys. Iron Guns. The great Iron Murderer called Muckle Megg. 4 Iron Ordnance. 10 Iron Drakes called Monkeys. 2 Petards. About 7 or 8000 Arms Between 3 and Fourscore Barrels of Powder. Great store of Canon shot. FINIS.