I Am commanded by the reſt of the Commiſſioners of the Parliament of England, to acknowledge your Lordſhips favour and reſpect, in appointing our lodging to be the place where you will receive our Addreſſes to the Honorable Committee of Eſtates; for which I am to return Thanks unto your Lordſhips.

For our buſineſſe I am to acquaint your Lordſhips, that the chiefeſt end why we are ſent hither by both Houſes of the Parliament of England, is, to maintain a good Correſpondence betwixt them, and the Parliament, Conventions, and Committee of Eſtates of this Kingdom, and to continue and preſerve the Union and brotherly Agreement that we hope (by the bleſſing of God) will ever be betwixt both Kingdoms.

My Lords, I conceive that I need not ſay much to inforce this part of our Negotiation, when I conſider by how many wayes God and Nature hath united us. We are two Kingdoms in one Iſland, of one language, under one King, and (which is more then all) profeſſing one Religion: I cannot but look upon theſe as many cords that cannot eaſily be broken. Wherein I am the more abundantly confident, when I conſider what we have added to them of later times, by Treaties, Leagues, and eſpecially by ſolemn Covenants betwixt our ſelves, and betwixt God and us for Ʋnion, which have been ſealed with ſo much Blood, and ſeconded with ſuch ſucceſſe and bleſſing from heaven. And when I further conſider that we have been ſo long united in one common Cauſe, wherein ſo many of both Nations have hazarded their lives, and againſt a common Enemie, by whom ſo many of both Kingdoms have loſt their lives, and others their eſtates; And that (as we have common Enemies, ſo) we have common Friends, and common Intereſts; And (as I hope it will appear at laſt) common Ends. And all theſe are accompanied with great advantages by our Union, not onely in a comfortable converſe and communion, and a profitable Trade and converſe betwixt the people of both Kingdoms; But with ſo great an aſſurance of publick ſafetie in the prayers and Arms of both Kingdoms united, that (if we do not fooliſhly, and make God our Enemie) we need not fear any (nor all) earthly powers that can be raiſed up againſt us.

Beſides all this (my Lords) ſhall I onely ſay England, nay I hope that I may ſay Scotland alſo, hath other ſtrong ingagements to Union. England, I am confident, will not (nay it cannot) forget their ſeaſonable aſſiſtance from this Nation. And Scotland (I doubt not) will remember, that both theſe Houſes of Parliament (at their firſt ſitting) could not be drawn by all the earneſt endeavours of the Malignant and Prelaticall party (who were then exceeding powerfull) to ingage or aſſiſt when it was againſt their Brethren of Scotland, which I do the rather now mention, becauſe that partie in England who would have ingaged us againſt Scotland at the firſt, and ſince, have been in Arms againſt both Kingdoms, are now renewing their manifold former endeavours to divide us; By ſowing jealouſies, and fomenting diſcontents, thereby hoping we ſhould do that for them they could never by all their policie and power do for themſelves. But the more it ſtands with their intereſt to divide us, the more it muſt needs be ours to unite; And the ſtronger ſeige they lay to our Union, the more it ſtands us upon to fortifie it.

My Lords, I wonder at the confidence of our Enemies, that can hope for our Diviſions; do they look upon us as men ſo altogether void of Reaſon, that we ſhould not ſee or conſider, That diſſentions amongſt Brethren muſt neceſſarily very much weaken, and doth uſually prove deſtructive to both; And that if it ſhould fall amongſt us at this time, it were far more probable now when the Popiſh, Prelaticall, and Malignant, are ſo much ſtrengthened by a diſcontented party, (though we ſhould both reſolve the contrary) to bring in Tyrannie and Epiſcopacie (it may be Popery) then be any good means for the eſtabliſhment of the known Truths of God amongſt us, or a right Diſcipline in the Church, or a good and peaceable Government in the Kingdoms, the things ſo much deſired by all good men.

My Lords, Diviſion is the Devils work at all times, and it would be more eſpecially ſo amongſt us at this time when the Aids ſought for in all parts by the bloodie Iriſh Rebels fails them, and they have no other hopes of ſubſiſtance under Heaven left; theſe things conſidered, if yet we ſhould fall into diſſentions amongſt our ſelves, not onely all the Proteſtants in the world would condemn us, but we ſhould ingage the God of all the world againſt us, to whom we have ſworn to preſerve the Union, and then what could we expect but ruins, upon which might be written, Theſe were they that (when there was no other viſible way to effect it) did with the fooliſh woman in the Proverb, pull down their houſe with their own hands.

My Lords, To deal freely with your Lordſhips, I have ſpoken the more upon this point, becauſe we hear (which it may be your Lordſhips do not) that ſome of our great Engliſh Delinquents are at this time come too or neer this City, if their buſineſſe be to blowe coals betwixt us, we hope they will never be able to kindle them to a fire, eſpecially when not onely the Miniſters, and good people of both Kingdoms, and poore bleeding Ireland, and all the Proteſtants in Chriſtendome (whoſe intereſt and welfare is much lapt up in it) do all cry to us to take heed unto, and preſerve our Union. But the great God of Heaven and Earth, to whom we have ſworn it, bids us look to it at our perils, leſt he bring upon the breakers of it Ruin without remedie; And onely thoſe (for the moſt part) that have been, and I fear will ſtill be found to be our Enemies, incite us to diviſion, where it is thus unequally dealt I hope our choiſe will ſoon be made. And for the Parliament of England we do aſſure your Lordſhips, it is their reall reſolution to preſerve the Union, and in order to it to do all juſt and honourable things for the ſatiſfaction of this Nation; Nor can we doubt but the like affection and reſolution will appear in the Parliament and Committee of Eſtates of Scotland. And for my Lord Nottingham, and the reſt of us that are come hither upon this Imployment, we are ſenſible that what we have depends upon the welfare of theſe Kingdoms, which in a great part reſts upon their peace and Union, for the preſervation whereof we are reſolved to contribute our greateſt care and utmoſt endeavour; And to carrie our ſelves with all reſpect to this Kingdom, whereunto all of us have generall, and ſome of us former particular obligations.

My Lords, I have done: the reſt is onely the tender of ſome Papers I am commanded to deliver to your Lordſhips, whereof I ſhall ſpeak little; onely thus much for the firſt that concerns the preſervation of the Union and brotherly Agreement betwixt the Kingdoms: which although it be the ſame (for the moſt part) which we have alreadie ſent to the Honorable Committee of Eſtates, yet we thought fit now to offer it to your Lordſhips, becauſe we knew not how far your Lordſhips would regularly take notice of what we have done, untill it come to you in a way of your own deſigning. For the reſt, one is concerning the payment of the 100000 l. the other, A Propoſition in order to give ſatisfaction unto the Scottiſh Armie in Ireland. For however it hath pleaſed God to exerciſe the Kingdom of England with ſore troubles, that have occaſioned a vaſt expence, which they could neither prevent nor foreſee; Yet both Houſes of the Parliament of England are fully reſolved to ſatisfie all their juſt Ingagements by all the wayes and means that lyes in their power. Which is all I ſhall trouble your Lordſhips at this time.