Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/400

 inaccessible armed crags, bend westward, keeping well out of the range of Leven’s guns,―to Stirling; meet Argyle and the Whiggamores, make some Treaty or Armistice, and admit them to be the real ‘Committee of Estates,‘ the Hamilton Faction having ended. Here are Three Letters, Two of one date, directly on the back of these occurrences.

1em Sir,―Being come thus near, I thought fit to demand the Town of Berwick to be delivered into my hands, to the use of the Parliament and Kingdom of England, to whom of right it belongeth.

''I need not use any arguments to convince you of the justice hereof. The witness that God hath borne against your Army, in their Invasion of those who desired to sit in peace by you, doth at once manifest His dislike of the injury done to a Nation that meant you no harm, but hath been all along desirous to keep amity and brotherly affection and agreement with you.''

''If you deny me in this, we must make a second appeal to God, putting ourselves upon Him, in endeavouring to obtain our rights, and let Him be judge between us. And if our aim be anything beyond what we profess, He will requite it. If farther trouble ensue upon your denial, we trust He will make our innocency to appear.''

I expect your answer to this summons, this day, and rest, your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.

Ludovic Lesley, the Scotch Governor of Berwick, returns ‘a dilatory answer,‘ not necessary for us to read. Here is a more important message: