Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/413

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1648]
LETTER LXXV. BERWICK
379

did, upon Thursday 21st September, and two days before, the Tweed being fordable, march over Tweed at Norham into Scotland, with four regiments of horse and some dragoons, and six regiments of foot; and there quartered; my head-quarters being at the Lord Mordington’s House.

Where hearing that the Marquis of Argyle, the Lord Elcho, and some others, were coming to me from the Committee of Estates assembled at Edinburgh,—I went, on Friday 22d September, some part of the way to wait upon his Lordship. Who, when he was come to his quarters, delivered me a Letter, of which the enclosed is a copy,[1] signed by the Lord Chancellor, by warrant of the Committee of Estates. And after some time spent in giving and receiving mutual satisfaction concerning each other’s integrity and clearness,—wherein I must be bold to testify, for that noble Lord the Marquis, the Lord Elcho, and the other Gentlemen with him, that I have found nothing in them “other” than what becomes Christians and men of honour,—the next day it was resolved, that the command of the Committee of Estates to the Governor of Berwick, for rendering the Town, should be sent to him, by the Lord Elcho and Colonel Scot. Which accordingly was done. But he, pretending that he had not received the command of that place from those hands that now demanded it of him, desired liberty to send to the Earl of Lanark; engaging himself then to give his positive answer, and intimating it should be satisfactory.

Whilst these things were in transacting, I ordered Major-General Lambert to march towards Edinburgh, with six regiments of horse and a regiment of dragoons. Who accordingly did so; and quartered in East Lothian, within six miles of Edinburgh; the foot lying in his rear at Copperspath and thereabouts.[2]

Upon Friday 29th September, came an Order from the Earl of Lanark, and divers Lords of his Party, requiring the

  1. Conceivable by us here.
  2. What follows now is published as a fragment in the Newspapers.