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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The English Revolution

Major-General Lambert to General Monck - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 4 [1901]

Edition used:

The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, Secretary to the Council of the Army, 1647-1649, and to General Monck and the Commanders of the Army in Scotland, 1651-1660, ed. C.H. Firth (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901). 4 vols.

Part of: The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, 4 vols.

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Major-General Lambert to General Monck

My Lord,

lii. f. 32.I received yours of the 24th instant by Major Cambridge, Captain Loyde, and Captain Wallington, and in answer to what they were appointed to negotiate your Lordshipp referrs mee to the result of the Generall Councill of Officers therein inclosed. Haveing perused the same, I communicated it to some officers heere, together with a coppie of yours to my Lord Fleetwood, whereby I perceive the Treaty agreed upon att London the 15th instant is not rattified; and though charity obligeth mee to hope it is uppon the grounds yow doe affirme, yet I must needs say the practise is not usuall, and the course yow propounde I conceive is soe long and delatory as will give the Common Enimy all the advantage they can expect, for seing yow take the course of desireing safe conduct, which is onely knowne among professed enimyes, I conceive yow will not judge it reasonable that a blanck passe should bee sent yow to issue such names as yow please, soe as besides time of deliberation to bee had uppon your desire, and repaire of your additionall Commissioners to London, yow must stay two returnes from thence, and before a conclusion can reasonably bee expected the Spring will grow neere, which I hope is neither your expectation nor desire; especially when I consider how sensible yow are in a clause of yours to my Lord Fleetwood, that the three Nations are in expectation of the issue of this affaire, and till then all busines must bee at a stand except that of the Publique Enimy. The Lord knowes it, and it cannot bee hidden from yow, wee have not sought a contraversy with yow, nor did wee desire to prejudice any with yow in the least kinde; and for what concernes our proceedings uppon the publique accompt, yow may beleeve that our intentions are just and faithfull towards England as well as yours. Is it your Native Country; soe it is ours. Are yow fathers of familyes, and desire your posterityes may live like free English men; soe are wee. Doe you desire that men as Christians may enjoy their libertyes; soe doe wee. And if this bee all, where is the difference, except yow desire our harme into the bargaine, which, if that would either doe yow or our Native Country any good, it may bee wee shall not sett too greate a rate uppon that. For what concernes my Lord Fleetwood’s order for removeall of these Forces back, I judge it grounded uppon a supposition that a Treaty was agreed uppon, which I see is suspended; but I shall speedily send to know his further pleasure therein. In the meane tyme I shall not doe any thing in a hostile manner to any of the Forces belonging to Scotland, provided yow engage the same to mee for those heere, but shall not hold my selfe obliged to continue in the quarters wee now remayne in. I know not uppon what reasons your Commissioners reported to yow my march for Newcastle, but if I have done any thing contrary to what yow proposed and Collonel Lilburne assented to, I shall acknowledge my fault and willingly beare my blame. Onely give mee leave to say this: that Captain Deane did assure mee that some Companyes of Collonel Pearson’s Regiment marcht (hee being amongst them) to Dunbarr a few dayes after your Commissioners left Edinburgh; and since I have it confirmed by divers officers come forth of Scotland, besides the ordnance of divers other forces which I neede not mention. It’s true I am my selfe come to Newcastle, and my intencions were the same when I spoke with your Commissioners, and soe much I acquainted them with. What you affirme concerneing the stopping of any pacquett from your Commissioners to your selfe, or from yow to them, I dare assure yow uppon my word I never stopt any, directly or indirectly, and have examined amongst the officers under my command if any of them caused any stay thereof, and am assured to the contrary; soe that I hope yow will doe us that right not to affirme that want of the pacquetts’ freedome did obstruct the cleareing of our misunderstanding. I very well like your caution against surmises of that kinde, and shall close with what yow propose, and shall expect the like from yow. For my stay at Newcastle, I confess I know not why that should bee objected against mee, and I hope yow will not take it ill if I dispose my selfe to such places as I judge my duty requires mee to.

For what concernes your officers stopt at Newcastle by my order, I assure yow none were detayned by mee nor any else, but Lieut. Kelly, and I hope hee will have the ingenuity to acquaint yow with the grounds thereof. And if yow suppose Capt. Sutton was stayed contrary to his owne minde, yow will finde that likewise a mistake. I shall assure yow that to the best of my understanding I have not carried things in a way of concreating the breach betwixt the armyes, further then by endeavoureing by a just defence (which God and nature allowes) to ballance those preparations of warr which seemed to threaten us with ruyne, and, as I thought, without just provocation from us, and to defend those faithfull cittizens which in the three last warrs have stood in the gapp betwixt this Nation’s peace and Charles Stewart’s party (some of whome, I feare, have of late received too hard measure from yow), and which I judge is my duty still to doe, according to my talent, against every weapon formed against them; and though I think noe man ought to boaste himselfe when he girdeth on his harnesse, as when hee layeth it aside, yet I hope wee shall in this matter with chearefullnes attend what Providence shall decree therein. I have heere by command from my Superiors sent yow a coppie of a letter which was signed and directed (as by the inclosed yow will perceive), and delivered to the Lord Mayor and Common Councill of the Citty of London as from yow, which, beareing date after the tyme the Treaty was begun at London, is disowned by your Commissioners as haveing noe knowledge thereof, and supposed by them to bee a forgery. I am likewise commanded to desire yow to declare whether it was by your appointment or not. I thought fitt to signifie soe much to yow, and shall waite for your answer thereunto, and in all things to my power shall endeavour to approve my selfe,

My Lord,
Your affectionate Friend and very humble servant,

Lambert.

New Castle,
29th November, 1659.

Postcript.

The Councill of Officers have desired mee to give a safe conduct (if it shalbee desired by yow) for two persons to bee added to your Commissioners at London, which uppon notice accordingly wilbee done, not doubting but you’ll appoint such persons as are of healeing spiritts, impartiall, and unbyassed either by personall prejudice or advantage, wherein wee shall endeavoure on our part to meete you with the like equall minds.