TWO
LETTERS
FROM
THE
PRESBYTERY
of
CARRICK-FERGUS
,
to
the
Lord
Ards
,
And
his
answer
to
the
first
of
them
.
Right
Honourable
THe
present
strange
alteration
of
affaires
,
moves
us
to
write
our
minde
freely
to
your
Lordship
:
Especially
since
(
as
it
appeares
now
clearly
)
you
have
been
the
chief
author
of
all
these
present
calamities
.
Wee
would
first
put
your
Lordship
in
minde
of
the
hazard
you
were
in
before
the
Covenant
was
renewed
,
and
how
ye
complyed
with
us
then
for
your
owne
safety
,
with
solemnity
and
forwardnesse
ye
renewed
the
Covenant
,
Ye
your selfe
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
offerd
,
and
if
these
were
not
granted
,
no
other
should
bee
presented
:
Your
Declaration
also
beares
very
large
profession
both
in
generall
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
Kings
Demands
,
when
he
should
give
satisfaction
in
securing
Religion
before
he
were
admitted
to
the
exercise
of
his
Royall
Power
,
you
all
along
shew
your selfe
ready
to
subscibe
all
orders
against
Malignants
,
and
so
by
ample
professions
,
engadg'd
us
the
more
deeply
to
give
credite
to
your
Declarations
,
and
trust
your
faithfulnesse
:
Yet
neverthelesse
your
Lordship
hath
had
secret
dealling
to
bring
in
Malignants
,
and
had
correspondence
with
them
,
and
all
this
time
hes
been
dealling
subtilly
in
your
heart
,
professing
one
thing
,
and
intending
another
;
which
hes
been
a
most
notorious
deceit
to
insnare
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
followes
wicked
counsell
,
and
so
avowedly
to
violate
that
Article
of
your
Declaration
;
or
that
ye
would
owne
a
wicked
association
of
Irish
Papists
,
and
under
color
of
strengthning
,
should
have
betrayed
that
Garrison
of
Belfast
.
We
must
be
faithfull
in
warning
your
Lordship
,
(
tho
the
Lord
knowes
what
heavinesse
it
is
to
us
)
that
the
Lord
will
reward
you
if
ye
repent
not
for
such
a
betraying
of
the
faithfull
servants
of
God
,
who
would
have
plucked
out
their
eyes
for
you
,
and
the
Lord
will
visite
your
familie
with
sudden
ruine
,
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
,
otherwayes
all
the
calamities
that
will
ensue
,
will
be
laid
on
your
score
.
The
Lord
himselfe
and
all
the
faithfull
will
set
themselves
against
you
,
and
we
will
testifie
of
your
unfaithfullnesse
to
the
world
so
long
as
the
Lord
shall
give
us
strength
,
we
shall
yet
continue
to
pray
for
your
Lordships
conversion
,
and
shall
expect
your
answer
remaining
.
At
Carrickfergus
June
29.
1649.
Your
Lordships
servants
in
all
duty
,
the
Ministery
of
the
Presbyterie
.
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
partie
into
this
Countrey
,
and
so
have
been
the
chief
Author
of
all
these
present
distractions
,
whereof
God
the
searcher
of
hearts
is
my
witnesse
,
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
heere
to
expresse
)
inducing
at
this
time
to
own
his
Majesties
commission
.
It
was
not
the
betraying
,
but
the
securing
of
these
Garisons
from
Sir
George
his
party
;
which
in
our
distracted
&
disjoynted
condition
for
want
of
authority
,
and
by
reason
of
the
Souldiours
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
quyet
of
this
poor
corner
,
and
the
advancement
of
Religion
according
to
the
Covenant
,
(
all
which
by
privat
undermyners
to
your
own
knowledge
were
in
apparent
hazard
of
ruine
)
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
untill
my
carriage
(
after
that
now
I
am
clothed
with
Authority
,
)
may
witnesse
whether
my
intentions
and
resolutions
be
not
according
to
my
profession
,
you
wold
be
pleased
to
have
more
charitable
thoughts
of
me
and
rest
assured
that
I
am
,
Belfast
,
June
30
:
1649.
Your
affectionatly
faithfull
Friend
and
Servant
,
MONTGOMERY
.
Right
Honourable
,
WEE
receaved
yours
wherein
you
with
griefe
resent
our
bitter
expressions
,
and
ill
grounded
wrong
aspersions
(
as
much
as
to
call
them
false
)
which
you
say
we
cast
upon
your
Lordship
.
Truely
our
expressions
floweth
from
the
bitternesse
of
griefe
and
sorrow
,
and
not
disaffection
towards
you
:
You
have
often
known
our
aboundant
affections
,
and
endeavour
to
serve
your
Lordship
in
our
stations
.
These
which
your
Lordship
cals
wrong
aspersions
,
are
the
words
of
truth
and
sobernesse
,
intercepted
letters
from
that
party
,
together
with
Colonell
Conawayes
discovery
of
that
which
is
now
clear
,
with
many
other
circumstances
of
your
Lordships
latter
carriage
,
and
the
eexact
correspondance
between
Colonel
Monrors
motions
and
yours
dos
evince
the
reality
of
our
assertions
as
well
as
his
own
letter
,
which
we
believe
spake
neither
affection
nor
a
conjecture
of
your
Lordships
designe
being
writen
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
Lordships
forces
and
command
,
hee
lyes
before
this
Garrison
to
destroy
it
.
It
were
a
good
proofe
of
the
reality
of
your
purpose
:
If
yee
should
with
your
whole
power
urge
him
to
remove
,
which
if
yee
were
cordiall
in
,
were
easy
to
do
.
Neither
know
wee
how
to
believe
that
your
Lordships
present
course
is
intended
for
the
good
of
Religion
and
the
Covenant
,
when
yee
are
not
only
associate
with
the
enemies
of
both
,
but
your
commission
,
as
we
are
informed
,
subjects
you
to
the
immediate
commands
of
the
Marquesse
of
Ormond
,
whose
infamous
and
irreligious
peace
made
with
the
Rebels
,
may
easily
tell
us
what
establishment
to
the
Covenant
,
or
Presbyteriall
government
wee
may
expect
from
his
Orders
and
Authority
,
his
own
printed
speach
to
the
Counsell
of
Kilkenny
,
explaines
to
us
his
reall
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
transgresse
the
limits
of
your
commission
:
which
we
beleeve
you
desire
no
man
to
think
.
In
a
word
your
Lordship
hath
but
reassumed
the
old
quarrell
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
Christs
throne
,
and
even
while
hee
refuses
to
give
Christ
his
due
first
.
We
would
therefore
yet
again
as
lovers
of
the
standing
of
Christs
King-dome
and
of
your
Lordships
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
:
Truely
as
wee
have
ever
testified
a
due
respectll
to
your selfe
and
family
,
wee
shall
yet
continue
:
but
you
have
involved
your
Lordship
already
so
far
in
the
guilt
of
unfaithfulnesse
to
the
cause
of
God
and
your
own
subscriptions
,
that
we
cannot
but
testifie
against
the
course
you
are
in
,
and
denounce
judgment
upon
your
person
,
family
,
and
all
your
party
,
til
the
Lord
perswade
your
heart
to
returne
,
which
shall
be
our
fervent
desire
,
and
shall
remaine
,
At
Carrickfergus
the
2
of
July
,
1639.
Your
Lordships
servants
in
all
duetifull
observance
the
Ministers
of
the
Presbyterie
.