The Lord Gen. Cromwel's LETTER: WITH A NARRATIVE OF The Proceed of the English Army in SCOTLAND, And a DECLARATION OF THE General Assembly, Touching the Dis-owning their KING And his INTEREST.  
Published by Authority.  
London, Printed by Edward Husband and John Field, Printers to the Parliament of England, Aug. 23. 1650.   

SIR,  
TUesday August 13. the Army advanced from Muscleborough to the West side of Edinburgh, and so in sight of the City for two or three miles together, but had not so much as a salute from the Castle of Edinburgh or Dalketh, where the Enemy had a Garrison, nor opposition from the Enemy, or any party of them made any attempt upon the Rear or otherwise: The Enemy also had another Garrison at Redhal two miles from Edinburgh, which they kept, who fired at our Men; yet there being not above Twenty men in it, it was not held considerable to take it in. The great business being to engage the Enemy in the Field, a convenient and advantageous place was next to be consulted of; and the Army being drawn up upon Pencland Hills, it was held fit to Encamp the Army there, which was accordingly done, and their Tents pitched, many of them in view of Edinburgh City and Castle that night, from whence we received not any Alarm.  
This day the Intelligence from Edinburgh was, That the Scotish Army was now put to a greater strait than ever, to see us come behind them, which hindered their Supplies from Fife; so that their Allowance is a penny Loaf for two men for Twenty four hours, which was held so little, and so unlikely to hold out, that many of their Soldiers ran away from them: yet many of the Horse had new Lances made them, with two Iron Pegs on each side, besides the Pike at the end, that in case the one should break, they might do execution with the other.  
The people on that side Edinburgh were all fled with their Barns, Guides and Geer, being persuaded by their Grandees, That the Army would destroy all by Fire and Sword, they ran away as far as Queen's Ferry: Two Troops of Horse, and about Seven hundred Highlanders, which were coming for their relief, were sent to by a Post to go back to Sterling. When our men fired the Fur-bushes, they told the people they were firing of Houses. Our Ships all this march attended the Army with Provisions, but the Passes were too dangerous for the Army to march near the Sea.  
Wednesday August 14. in the morning betimes there came a Trumpeter from Lieutenant General Sir David Lesley, with the Letter and Declaration enclosed from him, which was read to so many of the Officers as could be got together, and in the presence of the Enemy's Trumpeter; and after some debate, the enclosed Answer was returned thereunto.  
But that things might appear to look more towards an Accommodation, there was a 
* Col. Gibby Car.  great Commander of the Enemies, who sent for the Captain of the Guard that commanded the party of Horse that were nearest the City, and upon security of a free return, a Lieutenant of Major General Lambert's Regiment, who was then on the Guard, went to him, with whom he had much discourse, concerning the grounds of the present Engagement against them; by which he perceived, that many of them were deluded by the Malignants specious Pretences; and that the more honest and godly party did begin to think of taking another course: He declared, That they were not in a capacity to fight us, but to keep in their Trenches, and trust to the protection of the Almighty. This way of Reconcilement being thought the best issue of all the hardships and labours of this Army, to gain a Conquest without blood, or taking away the lives of men. Some more freedom was taken by the Officers, to confer with those of the Enemy they found to be ingenious and Religious; by which they perceived, That their King having refused to Sign a Declaration of his Renouncing and Declaring against the Miscarriage of his Father, and his Repentance of all the Blood that was shed in his Father's time, by his Fathers or his own Means, and to resolve to adhere to the Cause of God, the Kirk and Covenant: They had thoughts of relinquishing him, and to act upon another Account. It is observable, That upon the day when our Army drew off from Edinburgh, at their first coming before it, when their King would have come forth to have charged in person, the Lord General Leven told him, That if he did it, he would lay down his Commission.  
Thursday August 15. This day by reason of the want of Provisions, our Army went back to Muscleborough, where the Ships were ready with provisions of Bread and Cheese, which was taken in. The last night the Enemy made no Sally at all, nor in all this days march, nor made any other attempt, only at the passing of some of our men by Dalketh, they discharged two Drakes. At our marching back by Edinburgh, the Enemy received a great Alarm, and removed their Guns from the further side of Leith to this side: Lieutenant General Lesley sent a party with two great Guns to secure a Pass towards the Queen's Ferry. This day (being the first day of the Parliaments sitting) the Prince should have been Crowned, but in regard of his refusing to Sign the Declaration before mentioned, it was suspended,  
Friday August 16. The Forty five thousand pounds being come for the pay of the Army, both Horse and Foot Mustered that day, provisions were then delivered out for six or seven days, in order to a further march.  
From the Camp in Muscleborough- Fields, Aug. 16. 1650.   

My LORD,  
I Am Commanded by the Committee of Estates of this Kingdom, and Desired by the Commis-missioners of the General Assembly, to send unto your Excellency this enclosed Declaration, as that which containeth the state of the Quarrel; wherein we are resolved, by the Lord's assistance, to fight your Army, when the Lord shall be pleased to call us thereunto. And as you have professed you will not conceal any of our Papers, I do desire, That this Declaration may be made known to all the Officers of your Army; and so I rest,  
Your Excellency's most humble Servant, DAVID LESLEY. Bruchton, 13 Aug. 1650.  
For His Excellency the Lord General Cromwell.   

West-kirk, the 13 day of August, 1650.  
THe Commission of the General Assembly considering, That there may be just ground of stumbling, from the King's Majesties refusing to subscribe and emit the Declaration offered unto him by the Committee of Estates, and Commissioners of the General Assembly, concerning his former carriage, and Resolutions for the future, in reference to the Cause of God, and the Enemies and Friends thereof; Doth therefore Declare, That this Kirk and Kingdom do not own nor espouse any Malignant Party, or Quarrel or Interest, but that they fight merely upon their former Grounds and Principles, and in defence of the Cause of God and of the Kingdom, as they have done these Twelve years past: And therefore as they do disclaim all the sin and guilt of the King and of his House; so they will not own him, nor his Interest, otherwise then with a subordination to God, and so far as he owns and prosecutes the Cause of God, and disclaims his and his Father's opposition to the Work of God, and to the Covenant, and likewise all the enemies thereof: And that they will with convenient speed, take in consideration the Papers lately sent unto them from Oliver Cromwell, and vindicate themselves from all the falsehoods contained therein, especially in those things, wherein the the quarrel betwixt us and that party, is mis-stated, as if we owned the late Kings proceed, and were resolved to prosecute and maintain His present Majesty's Interest, before, and without acknowledgement of the sins of His House and former ways, and satisfaction to God's people in both Kingdoms.  
A. Ker.   

13. August. 1650.  
THe Committee of Estates having seen and considered a Declaration of the Commission of the General Assembly, anent the stating of the quarrel, whereon the Army is to fight, Do approve the same, and hearty concur therein.  
Tho. Henderson.   

SIR,  
I Received yours of the thirteenth instant, with the Paper you mentioned therein enclosed, which I caused to be read in the presence of so many Officers as could well be gotten together, to which your Trumpet can witness; we return you this Answer, by which I hope in the Lord it will appear, That we continue the same we have professed ourselves to the honest people in Scotland, wishing to them as to our own souls, it being no part of our business to hinder any of them from worshipping God in that way they are satisfied in their Consciences by the Word of God they ought (though different from us) but shall therein be ready to perform what obligation lies upon us by the Covenant; but that under the pretence of the Covenant mistaken, and wrested from the most native intent and equity thereof, a King should be taken in by you, to be imposed upon us, and this called The Cause of God and the Kingdom; and this done upon the satisfaction of God's people in both Nations, as is alleged, together with a disowning of Malignants; although he who is the Head of them, in whom all their hope and comfort lies, be received; who at this very instant hath a Popish party fight for, and under him in Ireland; hath P. Rupert (a man who hath had his hand deep in the blood of many innocent men of England) now in the head of our Ships stolen from us upon a Malignant account; hath the French and Irish Ships daily making Depredations upon our Coasts, and strong combinations by the Malignants in England, to raise Armies in our Bowels, by virtue of his Commissions, who having of late issued out very many to that purpose; and how the interest you pretend you have received him upon, and the Malignant interest in the ends and consequences centring in this Man, can be secured, we cannot discern; and how we should believe, that whilst known and notorious Malignants, fight and plotting against us on the one hand, and the declaring for him on the other, should not be an espousing of a Malignant-party quarrel or interest, but be a mere fight upon former Grounds and Principles, and in the defence of the Cause of God, and of the Kingdom, as hath been these twelve years last passed (as you say) For the security and satisfaction of God's people in both Nations, or the opposing of which, should render us enemies to the godly with you, we cannot well understand, especially considering, That all these Malignants take their confidence and encouragement from the late Transactions of your Kirk and State with your King; for as we have already said, so we tell you again, It is but satisfying Security to those that employ us, and are concerned in that we seek, which we conceive will not be by a few formal and feigned Submissions from a person, who could not tell otherwise how to accomplish his Malignants ends; and therefore counselled to this compliance, by them who assisted his Father, and have hitherto acted him in his most evil and desperate Designs, and are now again by them set on foot; against which, how you will be able in the way you are in, to secure us or yourselves, is (forasmuch as concerns ourselves) our duty to look after.  
If the state of your quarrel be thus, upon which, as you say you resolve to fight our Army, you will have opportunity to do that, else what means our abode here? And if our hope be not in the Lord, it will be ill with us. We commit both you and ourselves to him, who knows the Heart, and tries the Reins, with whom are all our ways, who are able to do for us and you, above what we know; which we desire may be in much mercy to his poor people, and to the glory of his own great Name: and having performed your desire in making your Papers so public, as is before expressed, I desire you to do the like, by letting the State, Kirk and Army have the knowledge hereof. To which end, I have sent you enclosed two Copies, and rest your humble servant,  
O. Cromwell. From the Camp at Pentland Hills, 14. August. 1650.  
FINIS.