A LETTER TO The Honoble William Lenthal Esq Speaker to the Honorable House of Commons, From the COMMISSIONERS Imployed by the PARLIAMENT For the Reducing of NEWARK: Together with The SUMMONS of the Commissioners of both Kingdoms to the Governour, for delivering up of the said Town for the use of the KING and PARLIAMENT.
And the Governours ANSWER thereunto.
APpointed by the Honorable William Lenthal Esq; Speaker to the Honorable House of Commons, to be forthwith printed and published.
London: Printed for EDW. HUSBAND, Printer to the Honorable House of Commons. April 6. 1646.
TO The Honorable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the Honorable House of COMMONS.
ON Saturday we met with the Earls of Lothian and Dunfermlyn, the Lord Balcarris, Sir David Hame, Sir Thomas Carre, Sir Tho: Ruthen, Mr. Glandonnon, and Mr. Johnston, Committees of the Parliament of Scotland, and did that day agree upon, and send Summons into Newark; We have here inclosed sent you copies of our Summons and the Answer; and since the merey of the Parliament is neglected, we hope by such other means as God and you have put into our hands, ere long to reduce that place.
The Yorkshire Committee have written unto us, to be disingaged of the promise of repayment what the Counties of Lincoln, Leicester and Nottingham should for the present lay out for the Quarters of their [Page 4]Horse (in regard their Ordinance was expired, and that they sensibly finde by experience, they are like to expect no more moneys considerable, so long as the Scotch Horse continue those heavy burdens upon the County) We therefore (and for that without present payment these Countreys cannot long provide for their Horse) shall be necessitated to send them into Yorkshire, and the Line being now finished, we hope they may be spared without much prejudice to the service. Colonel Poyntz doubts not but suddenly to turn the course of the River Trent, which ran close under Newark, and will in a little time turn the River Smite into a new channel, that their Mills may not be helpful to them, or the water hinder the approaches on the North side Trent. The field-Officers have viewed the most convenient place for Forts to shoot either into the Town or Sconces, which are in preparation, and will speedily be finished: We shall lose no time to make a good end of this service; and we beseech the House, that their promised and often Ordered payments to the three Companies of the Isle of Ely and the other Forces may be duly observed. We have received a Letter from the Committee of the Eastern Association, which declares their great care and pains for payment of their Garrison Souldiers, and we hope the execution of their Orders will not be neglected.
- W: Pierrepont,
- Tho: Hatcher,
- W: Armyne,
- Edw: Ascoughe.
The Summons to Newark.
WE the Committee of both Kingdoms being sent and authorized, to use our best Endeavours for the reducing the Town and Garrison of Newark; do hereby (in the Name of both Houses of the Parliament of England, and for the use of the King and Parliament) demand of you, That you forthwith surrender the same into their hands: It is the pious care of the Parliament, to prevent the effusion of Christian blood, the wasting of the Countrey, and the destruction of Towns. We shall esteem our selves happy in being Instruments to avert those Miseries; and shall therefore grant to you, the Gentlemen with you, and the Town, Honorable and fair Conditions; which if you shall now neglect, and will let nothing but experimental sufferings declare unto you your unavoidable ruine; You are to give an accompt to God, to this present age, and to posterity, for all the blood that shall from henceforth be shed, for the wasting your Native and neighbouring Counties, and destruction of so considerable a place: You may not, nor can any in reason expect (and most assuredly on the faith of honest men, you shall not hereafter obtain from us) such terms as we are now willing to afford you. We sent no Summons until you and all with you might see, we were able by force to attain what we much rather desire by Treaty; the Parliament have 16000 Horse and Foot at present before your Town, Souldiers of Experience, United, and in Health and Courage; This is no way mentioned, as if we trusted in the Arm of Flesh (God the Lord of Hosts [Page 6]hath manifested, that we figh: his Battels) but to shew you the vast expences which will be occasioned by the continuance of this Singe (for which your Estates must answer) and that your holding out may not further tempt the Almighty: And though you should not regard your own ruine, though some others should be of that your opinion, shall yet that wealthy Town be sacked, and others perish with you that see their own misery and would avoide it? A Prudent man, a Souldier cannot live or die in reputation or peace of Spirit, to maintain a place not so long temable, as till is can be relieved, of which you cannot have the least hope: Flatter not your selves, relief is not to be had; Chester was neerer Succours, and considerable Armies for them in the West and in Wales, now scarce seen what remains of either. Was not that strong City of most great importance? were they not very often promised? did not all Assurances to be relieved come to them? They had none: That place is surrendred. Your Wealth, if you rightly consider in what state you are, promoves your certain and sudden destruction: You are prepared in some things for defence, you know (and we know) you are not for some other.
Consider these things seriously, and you cannot but through them, see your ruine to be inevitable, if you do not avoide it, by accepting what is now offered. We will expect your Answer on Munday next by eleven of the Clock in the forenoon at Balderton.
The Governor of Newarks Answer to the Summons, March 31. 1646.
HAving received a Paper subscribed by the Committee of both Kingdoms, directed as to a Committee-Governour, by putting the Gentlemen and Corporation in equal Commission with me (though the joyning us together was with the intention to divide us) I shall in Answer thereof, desire you to reflect upon the Kings Letter of the 23 of March, sent to the two Houses of Parliament (which I received from your own Quarters) where, in a full compliance with all their desires, upon the most Gracious Conditions that ever Prince propounded, He offers to disband His Forces, and to dismantle His Garrisons: To what end then do you demand that of the Steward, whereof the Lord and Master makes a voluntary tender? I conceive it my duty to trace His Commands, not to out-strip them: So that though Honor and Conscience would permit the Delivery, yet Civility would retard it, least His Majesties Act of Grace be frustrated by my over hasty speed. I shall wave the Arguments wherewith you endeavour to evince my consent: I am neither to be struck into Apostacy, by the mention of fair Conditions in a Misty Notion, nor to be frighted into dishonor, by your running Division upon the fate of [Page 8] Chester; For as I do not measure my Allegiance by my Interest to the former, so I do disdain that poverty of Spirit, as by resemblance of Chester, to suffer by example: I can be Loyal without that Copy, and I hope this Garrison shall never be the transcript of their Calamity. You may do well to use your fortune modestly, and think not that God Almighty doth applaud your Cause, by reason of your Victories, or that he hath not a Blessing in store for Ours. Whereas you urge the expence of the Siege, and the pressures of the Countrey in supporting your charge there (since occasioned by your selves) I am not concerned; yet in order to their ease, if you will grant a Passe to some Gentlemen to go to the King and return, I may then know His Majesties pleasure, Whether according to His Letter, He will winde up the businesse in general, or leave me to steer my own course; then I shall know what to determine: otherwise I desire you to take notice, that when I received my Commission for the Government of this place, I annexed my life as a Label to my Trust.