TWO LETTERS FROM THE PRESBYTERY of CARRICKFERGUS, to the Lord Ards, And his answer to the first of them.  
Right Honourable  
THe present strange alteration of affairs, moves us to write our mind freely to your Lordship: Especially since (as it appears now clearly) you have been the chief author of all these present calamities. We would first put your Lordship in mind of the hazard you were in before the Covenant was renewed, and how ye complied with us then for your own safety, with solemnity and forwardness ye renewed the Covenant, Ye yourself first moved and framed a Declaration in opposition to Malignant courses, & all the present enemies of the Cause of God. In the propositions to be offered to the King, you agreed that these concerning Religion, should be first offered, and if these were not granted, no other should be presented: Your Declaration also bears very large profession both in general that ye would do nothing in reference to Religion without our consent and advice, and that least God should leave you to fall in error, and particularly that ye would acknowledge the King's Demands, when he should give satisfaction in securing Religion before he were admitted to the exercise of his Royal Power, you all along show yourself ready to subscibe all orders against Malignants, and so by ample professions, engaged us the more deeply to give credit to your Declarations, and trust your faithfulness: Yet nevertheless your Lordship hath had secret dealing to bring in Malignants, and had correspondence with them, and all this time hes been dealing subtly in your heart, professing one thing, and intending another; which hes been a most notorious deceit to ensnare the people of God, to advance your most sinistrous ends, Who could have believed that your Lordship would have avowed a Commission from the King, when he yet refuses as much as his Father to secure Religion, but follows wicked counsel, and so avowedly to violate that Article of your Declaration; or that ye would own a wicked association of Irish Papists, and under colour of strengthening, should have betrayed that Garrison of Belfast. We must be faithful in warning your Lordship, (though the Lord knows what heaviness it is to us) that the Lord will reward you if ye repent not for such a betraying of the faithful servants of God, who would have plucked out their eyes for you, and the Lord will visit your family with sudden ruin, and irreparable desolation for that you have been so grand an instrument to destroy the work of God here. We exhort your Lordship in the Name of the living God, to whom ye must give an account, in haste to forsake that infamous and ungodly course you are in, and adhere to your former profession, otherways all the calamities that will ensue, will be laid on your score. The Lord himself and all the faithful will set themselves against you, and we will testify of your unfaithfulness to the world so long as the Lord shall give us strength, we shall yet continue to pray for your Lordship's conversion, and shall expect your answer remaining.  
At Carrickfergus June 29. 1649. Your Lordship's servants in all duty, the Ministry of the Presbytery.   

Reverend Friends,  
I Cannot but with unexpressible grief resent the bitter expressions and ill grounded wrong aspersions you are pleased to cast upon me in your Letter, as if I had secretly brought in Sir Georg Monroe his party into this Country, and so have been the chief Author of all these present distractions, whereof God the searcher of hearts is my witness, I am free (notwithstanding of the jealousies raised upon some expressions in that Letter of Sir George Monroe to Sir Robert Stewart which was intercepted) and that among other many prevalent reasons and motions (too long here to express) inducing at this time to own his Majesty's commission. It was not the betraying, but the securing of these Garrisons from Sir George his party; which in our distracted & disjointed condition for want of authority, and by reason of the Soldiers affection to their former Officers were likely to be rendered to him. The Lord he knows that the preservation of the established Church government your peace, the good and quiet of this poor corner, and the advancement of Religion according to the Covenant, (all which by private undermyners to your own knowledge were in apparent hazard of ruin) are the chief reasons which induces me to this course of making use of that Authority as the only mean to secure us, (being so united under command from the violence of opposers hereunto. I request you therefore, and until my carriage (after that now I am clothed with Authority,) may witness whether my intentions and resolutions be not according to my profession, you would be pleased to have more charitable thoughts of me and rest assured that I am,  
Belfast, June 30: 1649. Your affectionately faithful Friend and Servant, MONTGOMERY.   

Right Honourable,  
WE received yours wherein you with grief resent our bitter expressions, and ill grounded wrong aspersions (as much as to call them false) which you say we cast upon your Lordship. Truly our expressions floweth from the bitterness of grief and sorrow, and not disaffection towards you: You have often known our abundant affections, and endeavour to serve your Lordship in our stations. These which your Lordship calls wrong aspersions, are the words of truth and soberness, intercepted letters from that party, together with Colonel Conawayes discovery of that which is now clear, with many other circumstances of your Lordship's latter carriage, and the eexact correspondance between Colonel Monrors motions and yours does evince the reality of our assertions as well as his own letter, which we believe spoke neither affection nor a conjecture of your Lordship's design being written to such a close friend. It is a sad jest to your Lordship to tell us that it was the securing of these Garrisons from Colonall George Monroe that moved you to put on that commission; whereas by the conjunction of your Lordship's forces and command, he lies before this Garrison to destroy it. It were a good proof of the reality of your purpose: If ye should with your whole power urge him to remove, which if ye were cordial in, were easy to do. Neither know we how to believe that your Lordship's present course is intended for the good of Religion and the Covenant, when ye are not only associate with the enemies of both, but your commission, as we are informed, subjects you to the immediate commands of the marquis of Ormond, whose infamous and irreligious peace made with the Rebels, may easily tell us what establishment to the Covenant, or Presbyterial government we may expect from his Orders and Authority, his own printed speech to the Counsel of Kilkenny, explains to us his real resolutions concerning Religion, to maintain Christian Religion in the large extent, and not under a strict notion of new invented names, and besides the King yet refusing to secure Religion, how shall you establish it, except ye do very far transgress the limits of your commission: which we believe you desire no man to think. In a word your Lordship hath but reassumed the old quarrel which the Engadgers the last year, and before them, James Grahame and the Malignants in England were of old pursuing: Neither we are confident; will it prosper better in your hands nor it did in theirs. The Lord in Justice hath declared his displeasure against that course, and will do so against all them who seeks to advance the King against Christ's throne, and even while he refuses to give Christ his due first. We would therefore yet again as lovers of the standing of Christ's Kingdom and of your Lordship's salvation, as the Messengers of God beseech your Lordship before you run a furthar hazard of the Lords wrath, to leave off that ungodly course, and take better means to effectuate the good of Religion Remember those who honours God he will honour, and these who despise him, shall be lightly esteemed of: Whereas your Lordship desire our charity towards you: Truly as we have ever testified a due respectll to yourself and family, we shall yet continue: but you have involved your Lordship already so far in the guilt of unfaithfulness to the cause of God and your own subscriptions, that we cannot but testify against the course you are in, and denounce judgement upon your person, family, and all your party, till the Lord persuade your heart to return, which shall be our fervent desire, and shall remain,  
At Carrickfergus the 2 of July, 1639. Your Lordship's servants in all dutiful observance the Ministers of the Presbytery.