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

General Monck to Dr. John Owen - 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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General Monck to Dr. John Owen

Deare Freind,

xxxii. f. 142b.You will receive by those honourable and reverend Gentlemen who were appointed by the Churches to speake with mee a letter directed to your self, Mr. Greenhill, and Mr. Hooke, which I intreate you to see communicated to the Churches in and about London. I have therein, and in other printed papers, faithfully stated the reall and sinceare intentions of the army heere with mee; and if you have any credit for mee, I beseech yow to beleeve that wee have declared to the world the very resolutions and thoughts of our hearts. I thanke you for your very free and kinde letter of the 19th of this instant. I doe confesse I have received therein very much satisfaction as to the greate cause of my owne feares—I meane the fanaticall and selfe seeking party, which doe threaten much danger to these three Nations, for the prevention of whose dominion I dare assert it in the presence of God I have hazarded all that is deare to mee. And let mee friendly tell yow that itt’s not imadginable the highth theire spiritts weere arrived, from what incurragements I know not; but I doe assure you that one of them, beeing accused before a Court Martiall for maintaineing that our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (I tremble to write it) was a basterd, and this wicked and ath[eistical] expression proved by very sufficient witnes, yet was carried off by his owne party, with many other insolencyes not to bee remembered in this paper. Now, haveing such knowledge of your worth and piety, I earnestly begg of you to bee an instrument with my Lord Fleetwood to bee carefull of the safety of sober and judicious Christians, which can noe otherwaise bee obtained then by bringing the army to obedience to the civill authority. I know the goodnes and credulousnesse of his spiritt is such, that he hath too greate latitude of charity for such as designe his ruine; and, I must speake it boldly, hee hath not a faithfuller friend in the three Nations then my selfe, nor one that shall more truly serve him; but in such darke wayes I cannot follow him. Hee knowes with what zeale and importunity I urged my dismission from the deceased Protector, and very lately from this Parliament; but now, being at the heade of a part of the army, I dare not sitt still and let our lawes and liberties goe to ruine. I take God to witnes I have noe pleasure in these differences, but I cannot yet say that wee have received any assurance of Parliamentary authority by the late pretended agreement, but shalbee willing to have further treaty for satisfaccion. I am ingaged in conscience and honnour to see my Country freed (as much as in mee lies) from that intollerable slavery of a sword Goverment, and I know England cannot, nay, will not indure it; and if this army heere had concurred with them in England, wee had bin all exposed to the fury of the three Nations, which they would some time or other have executed. I see nothing will content some men but the inslaveing of all our consciences to theire pleasure. I had thought soe many changes would have taught us to rest some wheare; but I shall leave it to yow, whome I know to bee of sober principles and of a publicque spiritt, to represent these things to our freinds in England. As to the Cavaliers’ interest, I think I may modestly averre it hath not a greater enimy in the three Nations then my selfe, soe that I shall not trouble my selfe to confute those slanders that fanaticall spiritts would asperse mee withall. I doe assure yow in the presence of God that I shall oppose it to the last dropp of my bloud; but I must plainely tell yow that theire hopes are nurished by our unsettlement. Nothing can gratifie them more then the interruption of this Parliament. Could wee once come to a fixt point in a Commonwealth way, wee shall soone engage the body and bulke of the Nation against them. I am sensible of the same feares with your selfe, that the engageing of the armies in bloud will make a grave to bury our whole cause and interest; but the Lord bee judge who hath necessitated us to this hazard. I should bee as willing to bee serviceable to the interest of good men in these nations as any other, but I cannot act against my conscience and commission; neither can I see any legall foundation for a free state, unles this Parliament sitts downe againe, or some other legally called; neither is that necessity of runing into bloud for the attaineing it soe visible unto me, when most of our friends who were demitted theire commands may bee restored by our interposalls. I should bee very willing to relinquish all publique imployment as soone as I shall see a good security to our lawes and libertyes, spirituall and civill; and none shalbee more ready to imbrace peace upon those termes; but otherwise I must sadly assure yow that I cannot but appeare for my poore country, and must referr my selfe to the righteous God, with this resolution, ‘If I perish, I perish.’ Now, haveing dealt thus plainely with yow, I must reassume my former desire, knowing that interest yow have in the Lord Fleetwood, that yow would let him know what God, the saints, and the world expects at his hands: that hee should restore the Parliament to sitt with safety and freedome, and incurrage men of sober principles in the army; for I must bee free with you, that his enimies doe already publish that hee laid aside his Brother for other then publique ends. I have experienc’t abundance of love and respect from him, and should bee very sorry that soe good a man should bee abused to serve the passion and lust of others. I have noe further but to begg your prayers, and remaine

Your affectionate friend and servant,

G. M.

Edinburgh, 29 November,
1659.

For my Reverend freind

Doctor John Owen,

Deane of Christ Church,
at Westminster,
these.