A LETTER Sent from Col. VVill. Lockhart, Dated at Dunkirk, Decemb. 31. 1659. Superſcribed, For the Right Honourable, William Lenthall, Eſq Speaker of the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England.
Read in Parliament, January 3. 1659.
LONDON, Printed by John Streater, and John Macock, Printers to the Parliament. 1659.
THis day by Private Letters I have received the Joyful, and Acceptable News of the Parliaments Reentering upon the Exerciſe of Their Authority; Which I thought it my Duty to Communicate Immediately to the Officers and Souldiers of Your Garriſon in this Place; and accordingly began with thoſe of my own Regiment, Proceeding afterwards to the reſt, and Endeavouring to4 ſet it upon all their Hearts, how Extraordinary, and almoſt Miraculous the Workings of GOD have been, in bringing to paſs this Your Laſt Return; and how happily Advantageous it is likely to prove to all the Three Nations, and to each Particular Concerned therein. I can give Teſtimonie of the General Acclamations, and all outward Signs that could be rendered of abſolute Satisfaction in every man here; neither do I in the leaſt-wiſe Queſtion the Conſent of their Hearts, with the ſenſible Demonſtrations of their Tongues, and Countenances; eſpecially when I Declared to them the many and ſingular Encouragements they have formerly5 received from the Parliament; and that they cannot expect the like, from any other Authority whatſoever; beſides the Conſideration of their Reſpective Memberſhip, and Incorporation with the Bodies both Civil and Military under Your Command.
We have (GOD be praiſed) during the late Interval, continued Faithful Servants to the Honour and Intereſt of our Country, and are at preſent in ſuch a poſture, as to fear nothing from abroad, being ſo well fortified at home.
I was recalled from the Proſecution of Your Commands at St Jean de Luz, by the ſame Power that Ordered me thither; but6 finding the face of things changed at my Return; and my ſelf at a loſs what to do, I was at laſt adviſed by ſome Perſons, to diſcharge my ſelf to thoſe who took upon them the Mannagement of Affairs at that time, and did accordingly give them the beſt Lights I could, whereby to diſcern the Intereſt of the Common-wealth, in Relation both to France, and Spain; after which I forthwith betook my ſelf to this Place, to Act here according to that Truſt, which You had formerly Repoſed in me: and I hope my preſence hath not been unſerviceable. But if it ſhall be thought Requiſite, That I come over again to render You a more7 full Account of my late Negotiations abroad, I ſhall moſt willingly and cheerfully do it: In the mean time, till Your farther Directions, I ſhall Proceed to uſe all care and dilligence here, both for the orderly diſpoſing of the Garriſon, and the vigorous oppoſing of the Enemy, if occaſion require; hoping, That in a ſhort time I ſhall Receive the Honour of Your commands, which ſhall always find a ready and exact Obedience in me, and all that are under my Charge.
I thought the great Importance of this happy day, would have its effect upon the Spirits of our Enemies round about us, as well as upon our own, though in a different8 manner: And therefore to expreſs our Joy, and to intimate unto them the juſt cauſe of their Sadneſs, I have this night ordered all our Great Guns, both by Sea and Land, to Proclaim our Exaltation, and their diſappointment.
I ſhall daily Pray, That God would crown Your Counſels and Endeavours with Succeſs, anſwerable to the Honeſt and Peaceable Expectation of the Nations under You; and do for my own part give my ſelf up intirely to be diſpoſed by you, as becomes him who is ſo really and without Reſerve,
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A88411)
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