A DECLARATION OF The Lord General, The general Officers and Soldiers OF THE Scotiſh Army at Newcaſtle,Iune 29. 1646.

THe many calamities and heavy preſ­ſures, the ſad affliction lying upon theſe Kingdoms this time paſt, and the great effuſion of Chriſtian blood occaſioned by the continuance of this unnatural War, having ſo deep­ly5 wounded us, And being earneſtly deſirous to give ſome evident teſtimony of our Piety to God, Loyalty to our Soveraign, and Love to theſe King­doms; that the conſtancy of our affection to this Cauſe, our zeal to the Reformation of Religion, and His Majeſties Perſon and Authority in defence thereof; And our firm Reſolutions to purſue the ends expreſs'd in our Solemn League and Cove­nant, may appear to the World: We have thought it neceſſary in this juncture of time, when all means are eſſayed by the Enemies of Truth and Peace to diſparage our proceedings, by rendring ſuſpected our beſt actions and endeavors, to the begetting of miſunderſtanding, and weakning the Union between the two Kingdoms, to Declare and make known, That as we have entred into a Solemn League and Covenant, with our hands lifted up to the moſt High God, with real Intentions to promote the ends thereof, So do we reſolve, God-willing, con­ſtantly to adhere to the whole Heads and Articles of the ſame, And for no earthly tentation, for no fear or hope, to fall away and violate our Sacred Oath.

We do likewiſe profeſſe, That nothing hath been with greater care and faithfulneſſe endeavored by us; then to preſerve the happy Union and Bro­therly correſpondence between the Kingdoms, as a principal mean of happineſſe to both; And ſhall continue in the ſame care to avoid every thing that may tend to the infringement thereof, with a ſpecial6 regard and tenderneſſe to the Intereſts of both King­doms: For the ſtrengthning of which Union, and removing every thing that might obſtruct the ſame, As hitherto we have had no compliance, nor kept correſpondence with known Enemies and Malignants, So will wee never hereafter give countenance or encouragement to any per­ſon diſaffected to the Parliaments of either King­dom.

And that the Integrity of our Intentions, and the uprightneſſe of our Deſires may be the more mani­feſt, We do Declare, That we abhor all publike and private ways, contrary to the Covenant, and deſtructive to the happineſſe of both Kingdoms, We diſclaim all dealing with thoſe that are Inſtru­ments of theſe unhappy Troubles and Impediments of Peace, And with all ſuch perſons who will not uſe all means and endeavors, and contribute their beſt Counſels and Advice for haſting an end to our laſting Miſeries, and procuring a ſure and well-grounded Peace; and in particular we do abomi­nate and deteſt that execrable Rebellion of James Grahame utterly, abjuring all maner of conjunction with him and his Confederates, And with all other known Enemies, or declared Traitors to either Kingdom, notwithſtanding of any inſinuations to to the contrary expreſs'd in ſome Letters, as is ſaid, by His Majeſty to the Earl of Ormond in Ireland; for we have none but ſingle Intentions, and unfained Deſires of Peace, renouncing all communion with whatſoever deſigns and practiſes contrived in the7 dark to the prejudice of Religion, and Tranquility of theſe Kingdoms, the only principles by which we move.

And as we came into this Kingdom at the earneſt deſires of our Brethren, to aſſiſt them in the time of their great Extremity, in the purſuance of the National Covenant, not for any mercinary ends, nor to enrich our ſelves, as is falſely and calumni­ouſly charged upon us by thoſe that wiſh not well unto us nor our cauſe; So ſhall we be moſt willing to depart and return home in Peace, with the ſame cheerfulneſſe and affection that we had when we came in: Nor ſhall the matter of money, or want of juſt Recompence for the Service performed, and hardſhip ſuſtained, be to us an Argument of our ſtay; But leaving the conſideration of theſe things to the wiſdom and diſcretion of both Parliaments, we ſhall ſo far deny our ſelves, as not to ſuffer any private reſpects of our own, to retard the advance­ment of this cauſe, or prejudge the publick work of both Kingdoms.

We cannot conceal, but muſt acknowledge how ſenſible we are, and have alwayes been of the many Complaints preſented to the Parliament of England againſt this Army, and the heavie Calumnies and Aſperſions lying upon us for having committed In­ſolencies, and oppreſſed the people by taking free quarter, offering our ſelves moſt willing and ready, that whoſoever amongſt us have by their Miſdemea­nors, Miſcarriages, or Inordinate way of walking, ſcandalized the Cauſe for which we have taken our8 Lives in our hand, or endeavored to beget a Miſ­underſtanding, or foment Jealouſies between the Kingdoms, we ſhall ſtrive to diſcover all ſuch, and labour to bring them to publick Tryal and condign puniſhment: Not doubting, but as we are zealous to vindicate our Honor and Reputation from all re­proaches, ſo the Parliament will likewiſe be pleaſed to have ſuch favorable conſtruction of our proceed­ings, as not willingly to harbor any Thoughts which may leſſen their reſpects to us, and which are not ſuitable to the conſtant Tenour of our cariage and profeſſion: And we ſhall likewiſe deſire, That the manifold neceſſities, and preſſing wants to which we were many times reduced, may not be forgotten; and that the wayes and means appointed for our ſupply, neither anſwered the expectation of the Ho­norable Houſes of Parliament, nor ſatisfied our ne­ceſſities, ſo that for want of Moneys we could not alwayes diſcharge our quarters; Yet do we moſt freely declare our willingneſſe to allow of whatſo­ever hath been taken up by us, and for that effect we deſire the Accompts of the Army to be adjuſted with the ſeveral and reſpective Counties, that what ever can be juſtly charged upon us, may be diſcoun­ted off any Sums that ſhall be reſting us in Arrear: And if we knew any thing elſe that could ſerve to remove all Jealouſies and Miſunderſtandings, and beget a more full confidence of our uprightneſſe, wee ſhould with the ſame readineſſe apply our ſelves to all the wayes that might conduce there­unto.

9But, becauſe His Majeſties ſu•den and unexpected comming into this Army doth miniſter new occaſi­on to us, to give ſome demonſtration of our conſtan­cy, though wee hope His Majeſtie came with reall In­tentions, to ſatisfie the juſt deſires of His Parlia­ments, and compoſe all thoſe differences. Yet, leſt it ſhould bring in queſtion the Clearneſſe and Inte­gritie of our wayes, whereof our Conſciences doe beare us witneſſe, and our actions ſhall be publike and reall teſtimo•ies; Wee doe proteſt ▪ that His preſence with us, hath not begotten any alteration in our minds in the leaſt meaſure to eſtrange us from the wayes of our Covenant, or alienate our Reſolutions from going on Zealouſly, Conſtantly, and Unani­mouſly, to ſet forward the ends therein expreſt, en­deavouring (ſo farre as lyeth in our power) to im­prove that providence of His comming to•s ▪ to the publike good and happineſſe of both Kingdomes. And as it is our earneſt deſire, that His Majeſty would no more ſuffer Himſelfe to be involved in the Coun­ſels, whereof He h••had ſo ſad experience, to the en­dangering of His Perſon, Poſteritie, and Kingdomes; So doe wee exceedingly wiſh, that He would comply with the Counſels of His Parliaments, to the ſatis­faction of His good people: And we ſhall be carefull that nothing proceed from us, which may give occa­ſion to His Majeſtie to entertaine any ſecret confi­dence, that this Army will give aſſiſt•nce for advance­ing other ends then ſuch as are agree•ble to our Cove­nant, conducing to the good of Religion, the happi­neſſe of the King and His Poſteritie, and ſa••tie of the King•omes.