A LETTER From The Commissioners OF SCOTLAND, Representing the hard usage of the Earl of LAUDERDAILL by the Soldiers of the ARMY at WOOBURN: AND Desiring his Majesty's speedy coming to LONDON in Safety, Honour, and Freedom.  
LONDON, Printed for Robert Bostock at the King's Head in Paul's Churchyard. MDCXLVII.   

Right Honourable,  
THe Committee of Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland having sent us frequent directions since these late commotions, to give them a true account from time to time of his Majesty's condition: In pursuance thereof, we desired the Earl of Lauderdail to repair to his Majesty at Wooburn, where we expected that he should have been used with that respect which is due to a Commissioner of the Parliament of Scotland; but we are herein extremely disappointed: for on Saturday morning early, before his Lordship was out of his bed, a great many soldiers rushed into his chamber, and coming to his bedside, desired him speedily to be gone without any delay. He represented unto them his employment, that he was there in the capacity of a Commissioner of Scotland to attend his Majesty, that he had resolved to go away that morning and entreated he might have the liberty first to speak with his Majesty: Which they would not grant, but violently insisted, that what they demanded might forthwith be put in execution, and would not hearken to any reason he offered unto them, telling him it was past dispute, it was resolved upon what they did herein would be owned by the Army, and they would maintain it; with other expressions of that kind. We do acknowledge the civility of the Commissioners of both Houses, who acted their parts in dissuading them from so unwarrantable an action, and one of the Commissioners in particular represented unto them the danger thereof, acquainting them that he had been an Ambassador abroad, and did very well understand, that this injury done by them to a Commissoner of the Parliament of Scotland was of a very high nature; entreating, that if they apprehended any thing from Scotland, the breach might not be made upon the Kingdom of England's part; and that they would not give just cause by this action to the kingdom of Scotland to make was against England: but no argument did prevail; so at length the Earl of Lauderdail was forced to departed, having publicly protested before the Commissioners of both Houses, that he was debarred from access to the King of Scotland, and his liberty taken from him, contrary to the Law of Nations, and a particular agreement betwixt the Kingdoms. We have formely represented unto the Honourable Houses, how his Majesty was carried away from Holdenby by a party of Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army (which the soldiers before mentioned did on Saturday last before the Earl of Lauderdail and some of the Commissioners of both Houses, own to be the act of the whole Soldiery of the Army). We did likewise acquaint the Houses how our Letters to Scotland were intercepted by some of that Army. And now to complete these injuries, they offered violence to a Commissioner of the Parliament of Scotland, debarred him from access to his Majesty, deprived him of his liberty, and drove him away; so that there remains no hope that there can be any application made hereafter to his Majesty from the Kingdom of Scotland: Nor can we be able to give that account of his Majesty's condition to that Kingdom, which is expected from us, so long as he is in the power of that Army. Wherefore we do desire that the Houses of Parliament will in their wisdom take such course herein, as reparation may be made to the Kingdom of Scotland of these multiplied injuries, and especially of the last, done against the person of a public Minister of the Kingdom of Scotland in so violent a manner. And to the end there may be a free and unrestrained application to his Majesty from the Parliaments of both Kingdoms: we do earnestly desire the honourable Houses to invite his Majesty to come to London: And to declare that he shall be here in safety, honour and freedom, than which we see no other probable mean for the present to obtain a safe and well grounded Peace: And so we rest  
Worcester-House the 1 of August 1647. Your Lordship's humble Servants, 

Lauderdaill,  
Charles Erskine,  
Hugh Kennedy,  
Ro. Barclay.    
For the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore.  
FINIS.