THE RESOLUTION of both Houses of PARLIAMENT: Concerning The KING'S Majesties last Letter.  
ALSO An ANSWER from His Excellency Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX: TO Papers from the Kingdom of Scotland, Concerning the desires of the Estates of Scotland, about their Commissioners with the King's Majesty.  
WITH The Resolutions of the Soldiers of the Army; and their Reasons therein.  
7ber 22 LONDON, Printed for R. B. Anno Domini. 1647.   

AN ANSWER from His Excellency Sir THO: FAIRFAX, to Papers from the Kingdom of Scotland.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
IN pursuance of the Commands I received for enquiring into the business of the affront done to the Earl of Loutherdale, I sent Order to Colonel Whaley, to make enquiry of it, and to return to me an account thereof, I have hereupon received from him a Narrative under his hand, of the occasions, and whole carriage of that business (so fare as his own knowledge or present Informations concerning it do extend,) which I have sent you here enclosed, I desire it may be imparted to both Houses, for their present better satisfaction concerning that business, and if this do not amount to their full satisfaction therein, but that they think fit to have any further enquiry or Examination to be had about it, I shall upon further notice of their pleasures therein give Order to Colonel Whaley accordingly, I remain.  
Your Lordship's humble Servant THO. FAIRFAX. Putney 17. Sep. 1647.   

Towards the latter end of July last, when the King lay at Woburne, the Lord Louderdale came one morning about four five of the Clock to the Court, lost no time, but presently made a repair to His Majesty with whom he had much private communication. It was commonly reported and generally believed that he had come post all the night before. But whether so or not, I know not, but this I know, that his early coming and hasty speaking with His Majesty at that Conjuncture of time, when that unparalled violence was committed upon the Parliament, and that treasonable engagement for fetching the King to London, and preparations for a new War, were so violently prosecuted in the City, drove the Court into fears, and Soldiers into jealousies, that his Lordship came to endeavour the perfecting at Court that design, which was begun and prosecuted in the City and that which made them (as I conceive the more jealous of his intentions, was a common report, that his Lordship was a fomenter of the City's Tumults, or corresponding with the Authors of them. And indeed I find, that the Soldiers had long entertained harsh thoughts of the Lord louderdale ever since his Relation, concerning His Majesty's going from Holdenby, made in the Painted Chamber so much to the prejudice and disadvantage of the Army; and his undertaking there to engage the whole Kingdom of Scotland, as one man against the Army; they were plain with him at Newmarket, then minding him of it, and told him he had publicly declared himself their enemy; therefore they could not but think he came to do them, and the Kingdom ill Offices.  
And had not myself and other Officers interposed, they had then at least persuaded him away from the Court, but at that time the Soldiers endured his stay, though with some regret; But his Lordship's second appearance at that time and manner as before relared, so kightened, (it seems their former jealousies and exasperated them into such resolutions, as that divers of them whose names I protest I know not, not so much as one for present) being of several Regiaments came about five of the Clock, next morning, to his Lordship's Chamber door, desired to speak with him, upon notice whereof, I hastened to the Earl of Louderdales' Lodgings, and the Earl of Denby with me: We found the Soldiers and the Lord Louderdale reasoning very calmly together, his Lordship telling them he was a public person, and they could offer him no affront, but it would reflect upon the Kingdom of Scotland, and tend to divide the two Nations, the Soldiers told him, they found he many times acted as a private person, as when in the painted Chamber he undertook for all Scotland to engage as one man against the Army, (which as they heard) he had no Commission for from the State of Scotland, what they did was in Reference to the Lord Louderdale and not to the Scotish Nation: and had his Lordship shown any Commission, Pass, or Warrant, testifying his being sent or employed thither as a public person from the States of Scotland, or their Commissioners, I conceive it might have satisfied.  
The Earl of Denbigh endeavoured with all the Reasons and arguments he could to persuade them to let the Earl of Louderdale stay, and not meddle with him, and myself commanded some of them to their Guard, and the rest to be gone.  
But from commanding, (the discontent being very high) I was enforced, for the present to fall to persuading, I confirmed what the Earl of Denbigh before had said to them, that it might be construed as an injury to the State of Scotland, that it would be an offence to the Parliament of Englaad, and added that it was a contemning of the General's power, when they would not obey Commands, and would expose both themselves, and me to danger, but all in vain; for indeed that horrid violence, so lately done to the Parliament, and the forced flight of the Members of both Houses (whereby that highest Authority of the kingdom seemed to be at a stand) as it put both the City and most parts of the Kingdom into a monstrous vein of confusion, and of distracted and licentious workings, and weakened (for present) the hands of all men in Authority under the Parliament, so it wanted not its influence of like nature upon the Army and Soldiery throughout the Kingdom, so as Officers could not (at that time) have the like command of their Soldiers, as formerly, nor as now again, since the Authority of the Parliament hath been vindicated, and both Houses (through God's blessing) restored to their Honour and Freedom:  
For my own part (as affairs then stood) I am confident the Lord Denbigh will witness it for me? I did my utmost endeavours to have gotten the Soldiers away, I commanded, I persuaded, but neither commands nor persuasions would prevail, the Soldiers being unanimously resolved his Lordship should not stay at Court, nor speak again with the King for that time.  
And therefore they would not departed till his Lordship was ready and willing to take Coach.  
When I saw I could not exercise my commanding power for the present in that matter, nor by it, nor by persuasion divert them from their Resolutions: I desired them at least to be civil towards his Lordship, which they performed, not giving his Lordship an ill word, nor laying any hands upon him, Mr. Cheesly his Lordship's Secretary likewise seconded me, desiring the Soldiers to be civil, and to give his Lordship leave to say his Prayers, the Soldiers answered with all their hearts, they would join with him; but his Lordship told them he had not the gift of prayer, he would not pray publicly, and presently after went quietly to his Coach, the Soldiers attending him.  
Thus have I given a true relation of the demeanour, and Carriage of that towards the Lord Loutherdale at Woburne, for the confirmation whereof I refer myself to the Earl of Denbigh, who was present all the while, and in testimony of the truth hereof, I have hereunto set my hand.  
Edward Whaley.   

Die Martis Sep. 21. 1647.  
Resolved upon the question, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled. That the King's Majesties Answer from Hampton-Court presented to both Houses Sep. 14. 1647. Is a denial to the Propositions presented to Him from both Kingdoms.   
FINIS.