SIr , if occasion had offered , I had acquainted you with all our affairs here ; but the windes have been contrary these five weeks ; I shall now give you the more full account . The Committee of States fearing the slownesse of the Counties in leavying our Forces in this season of the yeer , and perceiving that the sitting of the Session , and other ordinary Judicatories , did much hinder the setting forward of our Army , did adjourn them upon the 23 of December , to the first of February ; and sent further Instructions to all the Shires , ordaining the Committees of the severall Shires , Colonells , and all other Officers , to raise as many as they could for the present , and give those free Quarter upon the rest of the County , till they had their full number in readinesse : withall , assuring those Counties who should be first in readinesse , That the Counties who were last in sending their Regiments to the place of Rendevouz , should be liable to the whole expence and charge they should be put to in attending those Shires , who should not come about the time appointed .

Upon the third of January , the Convention of States met together at Edinburgh , where nothing was left undone , which might advance the Army then on foot , in the severall Counties .

Upon the 7 and 10 , a Generall Fast was kept thorowout the whole Kingdom .

Upon the ninth , the States did take into their consideration the expedience of sending some Commissioners to both Houses of Parliament ; and appointed the Earl of London Lord Chancellor , the Lord Maitland , the Lord Wariston , and Master Robert Barcley , Commissioners ; whereof the Lord Wariston , and Master Robert Barcley are to repair thither with the first opportunity , and my Lord Chancellour the beginning of February .

Upon the 11 , some Officers of the Scotish Army in Ireland came to the Convention , to represent their hard condition , and extreme necessities ; That the common Souldiers had neither stockins , shooes , nor clothes , but a Mantle of gray Cloth wrapped about them ; That in one place 200 of them died by Famine ; That these 20 moneths they had no Supply from the Parliament of England : And considering that the Supplies which they had from their native Kingdom were now , for the most part , withdrawn , for advancing these Forces which are leavied for the assistance of the Parliament of England , the States would use some means with the Parliament , for payment of a proportionable part of their Arrears , and setling a sure way for their maintenance in time coming ; or otherwise , That they might have the Liberty to return to their native Kingdome , rather then to famish ; which undoubtedly would ensue , if one of these courses were not speedily followed . All which , the Estates having taken into their serious consideration , thought very agreeable to piety and charity .

Upon the 13 , the Committee of States went to Berwick : And upon the 18 , severall Regiments marched from Dumbar and the adjacent Villages , thorow a Heath ten miles long , to Barwick , being in all 18 Scotish miles , when it was a knee-deep Snow , and blowing and snowing so vehemently , that the Guides could with great difficulty know the way , and it was enough for the followers to discern the leaders ; notwithstanding whereof , they were very cheerfull all the way ; and , after they had been a little refreshed at night , professed , They were willing to march as far to morrow .

Upon Friday the 19 , there marched over from Berwick three Regiments of Foot , together with 13 Troops of Horse . And towards night , the Committees of both Kingdoms sent a Trumpeter to Sir Thomas Glenham , Colonell Gray , and the rest of the Officers and Gentlemen of Northumberland ; the Copie whereof , together with Sir Thomas his dilatory Answer , I have sent you here enclosed .

Upon the 22 , the Gentlemen of Northumberland met together at Anwick , where Sir Thomas Glemham propounded to them these three Questions :

1. What should be done with those places of the County which were not yet in the possession of the Scots , and which they were not able to protect .

2. What answer should be given to the Letter of the two Committees .

3. And whether they should fight with the Scots Army .

In the first the were divided . The York-shire Officers think it most expedient that the Countrey should be burned , wasted and destroyed ; and the Northumberland Officers and Gentlemen opposed that resolution , saying , That they had hazarded their lives and fortunes as well as others , and they would take this for a small recompence of their labours , to have their Countrey wasted and spoyled .

To the second likewise they gave different answers , some thinking it fittest to give a fair answer to so fair a Letter ; others , That it could not be answered by them , but must be sent to the Earl of Newcastle ; and a third sort being of the opinion , That it must be sent to His Majestie , before any answer could be returned .

In the third , they were all unanimous declining by all means to fight ; yet with resolution to come off with some credit , and with these sixteen Troupes of Horse , and two Regiments of foot , which they have at Anwick , some eight Drakes , 20. peeces of Ordnance ( which they had from a Dutch Flee-Boat , that run a shore neer that place ) to defend the Bridge , though they well know the Town may be invaded at any other place .

Upon the 20 , there marched other two Regiments from Barwick to Haggerston , Gezick , &c.

Upon the 23 , Lievtenant Generall Bayly , marched from Kelso to Woller , and the adjacent Villages , with six Regiments of foot , and a Regiment of Horse ; and the same day , there came other two Regiments to the Generall from Barwick ; and the five Regiments which marched formerly came to Belford and Addarston , which was the head Quarter that night : On Wednesday the Generall stayed at Addarston , till the Artillery should come up , which came to Barwick by Sea on Munday at night , the Windes having been contrary for a long time , and that he might the better correspond with the Lievtenant Generall , who was eight Miles distant from him , and nine or ten Miles from Anwick ; to whom he sent Orders to meet him at Anwick on Thursday in the forenoon ; we are confident , by Gods assistance , our Quarters shall be about the Town of Newcastle upon Saturday the 27 of this Instant ; which if they will not yeeld up , we have no purpose to stay there , unlesse it be to seize on the Block-Houses upon the River , that the Parliament Ships may come in safely ( for there is no fear from the Castle ) & meet with those 10 or 11 Ships which now ly there fraughted with the Malignants Goods . There is a Regiment of Foot at Barwick , and other three upon the Border , which are to march over as soon as the other Regiments march forward , for otherwise they can have no Quarters ; There are likewise two Regiments of Horse , some of them with the Artillery , some in Barwick , and others of them upon the Border , all to march over at Barwick on Thursday and Friday ; and from Kelse 2 Regiments of Foot , and a Regiment of Horse . There are in all eighteen thousand Foot , and three thousand Horse , and betwixt four and five hundred Dragoons , besides Baggage-Horse , and the Garrison at Barwicke , already within this Kingdom , and within a dayes march of the Borders . There be likewise two Regiments of Foot , and a Regiment of Horse coming from the North .

This is a true and faithfull Relation of the businesses here , whereof I was an eye-witnesse , for the most part . I am

ALthough wee justly presume that the solemne mutuall Covenant entred into by both Kingdoms , hath long since come to your hands , and likewise that you have had notice of the raising of the Army desired by the Parliament of England for the prosecution of those ends therein expressed ; viz. The preservation and reformation of Religion , the true honour and happinesse of the King , and the publick peace and liberty of his Dominions . Yet that it may appeare both to you and all the world how unwilling we are to make a forcible use of these armes which we have beene constrained by the disappointment of all other meanes of safety to take up , We the Commissioners and Committees of both Kingdoms have thought fit , besides that Declaration ( a copy whereof we herewith send ) lately emitted in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland , for the satisfaction of the people concerning the entrance of this their Army , to take more particular notice of you the chiefe Gentlemen and Commanders , hopeing likewise that things of so great and considerable consequence will finde with you such entertainment as may answer the weight and importance of them . We will not so much wrong the cause we have undertaken , as to goe about after so many evident Demonstrations of the necessity of our present posture , to dispute it with you , but rather in stead of arguments we think it reasonable to acquaint you with our well weighed resolutions , which are , through the assistance of that God in whose cause we are engaged , and whose strength wee trust in , with our utmost industry and hazard to endeavour the prevention of that imminent danger not only of corruption but of ruine , which we see evidently intended to the true Protestant Religion by the Popish and Prelaticall faction , who never wanted will , but now thinks they want not strength and opportunity to accomplish it ; as also the rescuing of his Majesties person and honour so deeply and unhappily entangled in the counsels and practises of them , whose actions speak their ends to be little better then Popery and Tyranny , and the redeeming the peace and liberty of his Majesties dominions , in which the Irish Rebellion , and the sad and unnaturall divisions in England have made so great a breach ; To the accomplishment of these so just and honourable designes , wee have reason to expect the concurrence of all men who either are or pretend a due love to their Religion , King , and Countrey ; and shall be very sorry to want yours : but if mis-information or any other unhappy grounds shall so farre prevaile with you as to reckon us in the number of your enemies , ( which certainly we are not if you be friends to those ends mentioned in our Covenant ) and if in stead of that concurrence with us which we wish and hope to deserve , we finde from you opposition and acts of hostility , the Law of nature and your owne reason will tell you what you are to expect ; we only adde that though it will not a little trouble us to see men withstanding not only us but their owne good and happinesse , yet it doth in good measure satisfie us that wee have not neglected this or any other meanes to the best of our power or understanding , to prevent these inconveniences and mischiefes that may arise from those acts of force which we shall be necessitated unto .