The Scottish Mercury
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The Scottish Mercury, 13 October 1643
[Note: No printed date, but the British Library says the MS dated 13 October 1643]
Though it be very dirty travelling for Mercuries in the North and very dangerous for surprisall, yet I am got hither in cleane and whole papers but I carryed it post and in the disguise of a Cavalier.
Wee have begun to informe you of the particulars from Scotland, and their advance, and wee intend to observe them in their proceedings till we bring them into the Kingdome for your assistance; which will be very shortly, for wee come before, but to give you notice, and to awaken you into new hopes and expectations, for wee heare some Officers are so sleepy, that they let their Commissions dropp out of their hands when they should march with his Excellency. The papists and Malignants of this Kingdome have laboured and tried all their strength and stratagems to put a stop and obstruction to the businesse of Scotland, and have laboured by their Agents and Emissaries to poison the nest amongst us, and gave out reports to that purpose, thinking at least if they could not speed in their designe, yet to blast the reputation of the grandest and Principalls amongst us, and therefore there were many reproaches, and bad whisperings of late against Generall Lesley, that Noble and faithfull Commander, who had the blessing and Honour in the last service in the whole carriage and management of the Army then brought in, and let none thinke that the honour which his Majestie conferred upon him in making him Earle, or any other private temptation, can have any power over so bravely a resolved and experienced man, I know there was not long since in Edinburgh surmises and jealousies but all was such as the Enemy had raised and fomented, for what reasonable man can Imagine that such a Generall having such a glorious and solide honour, should forfeit it by such an act;
Marquesse Hamilton was very active a while for the putting on his Majesties worke in Scotland and was at Yorke and there the Queen and his Lordship had much private conference, and he went from thence, (as we were informed) with instructions to agitate for the King; and her Majestie did put some confidence in him, for he is a wise and able politician, and knowes how to play his game on both sides; wee are informed that he sticles nothing so mikle as he did, some of the good Lords have taken him off, but I must needs say this, every one knowes not the aimes of his workings, and the depth of his Counsells, for he can speake faire to his Majestie, and promise, and vow, and yet he can interline a friendly act, and doe a curtesie for his Country too, when the first businesse was in Scotland he imployed as his Majesties Commissioner he was no bad Instrument, but did many favours, and when he would often come out to the gentry and others of the Nobilitie, he would speak mighty words and threates against us, yet would give us strange and worthy Intelligence at the same time, wee hope he is not so ill for us as he is thought by some, I can tell he was a friend to this parliament when time was and gave notice first of the bloody intent in bringing the Cavaleers to the house that memorable day.
There are divers places in Scotland which reteine still some of the awd Corruptions and prelaticall infections as Aberdeen, they are very malignant there, though some of the worst weare put away and fled, wee were extreamly troubled with those inhabitants in our first beginnings, and risings, for the doctors and professors there, did all they could to dispute against us, and argue against our proceedings, but to prevent any further mischiefe of the like nature we have had a speciall regard ever since, and our presbyterie hath kept all quiet, and will in time purge away the remainders of Bishops and their complices.
We were much troubled after our pacification and peace made with England, with our Cavaliers, for wee had many amongst us, but we contrived a course to acquit our selves, and put it in like manner in execution; we shipped away most of our ill-affected Commanders for France, and the service there, and now wee have a cleane Kingdome to what we had, had you in England done the like, and then lookt well to your Seas, and had small Barkes stirring and flying to prevent their returned as well as great and mighty Ships which were not so nimble to pursue and follow, you had had a quieter Kingdome, and lesse danger, but now you see the effect of suffering your bad Commanders to swarme so, and live beside you dormant, till your mischiefes brake out, and then was their harvest, and now you see how they heard and bandy against you.
We have sent for our best Souldiers out of Ireland some 8000, and we shall send as many in their places, of men lesse experienced to make them able and good souldiers for service, and wee likewise are confident that the Irish by this course shall not be able to make over, according to the Designe they have, for wee shall now keepe them play; and if any wonder why we did no more all this time, if they know either reason of Warre or State they will be satisfied, for you saw how your Army was corrupted and wrought upon by the Kings Agents, and how they laboured to betray them, we laboured to keepe our Army intyre and whole, and in a condition to be still terrible; and thus by the integrity of our army, we both have and shall keepe them still in their owne circle; that they shall not dare to passe over too numerous, but still to keepe their Country and their Boggs.
For the comming in of our Forces into England, wee make ready with all speed, but those that know what belongs to the raising of Forces will very well understand that Armies are not prepared on a sudden, nor made fit, we have distributed our livings for men and money, but many are gathered together already, 8 or 9 Regiments were to march towards Barwick<ref>Berwick-upon-Tweed</ref> the last weeke, wee hope by this they are there; but we have no certainty yet, for till such time as they advance neerer, we cannot give you so exact an account.
There came Letters lately from Scotland to the Commissioners here, & to the house, but they are not yet communicated, but I can assure you from one that hath persued them, the newes is very good, and the army is in a good posture, and part of it advancing.
Newcastle is not a place of such difficulty as it is esteemed by some, for it is not so fortifiable, and the Scots of late sent a party of Horse to view it, and the approaches and wayes of accesse, and they returned with information accordingly.
For the carriage of the Ordnance and great Peeces; which many thinke will be very troublesome, because of the season approaching and the wayes, but we shall send some of our greatest by water, and draw our smaller by Land.
From Yorkshire we are informed the Earle of Newcastle is in meditation what to doe, for he had some hopes of obtaining Hull, thinking that his former reputation, and the treacheries of some in the Towne might have done him service; but all these failing, he is now making a remove, and we are told he is drawing backe some few miles from his siege, yet so as he continues the reputation of it still, for he would not have it thought for special reasons, that he would yet cashire his designe of taking it.
Of late Newcastle Army begun to waste and melt fast away, and they called a Counsell of warre to take advice for the remedy, and perceiving that is was occasioned by the report of the Scots Army which they heard was upon their March; they proclaimed it through their whole Army to be death to name the Scots, or any Army from thence, and with such broken and rare designes they labour to keepe their Army together, which is like to fall from together upon every occasion, for his men are most of them forced and violenced, and waite for any opportunity (as that of the Scots) to be gone: there is another feare now in their Army, and it is the great body lately gathered; the Earle of Manchester, Lord Willoughby, Sir Thomas Fairefax; Colonell Cromwell, Colonell Hubbert,<ref>Sir Miles Hobart of Little Plumstead, Norfolk; see this disambiguation of various Sir Miles Hobarts.</ref> and the rest of that gallant crew these Armies hang like a Comet, and bloody constellation over the Popish Army in Yorkshire ready to persue them in the reare upon the first advance of the Scots into England.
At the Court of Oxford there is some difference and emulations about the places which were lately forfeited by the Funeralls of those Gentlemen, Faulkland and the rest.
There is a strong faction at this present in the Court, there are some Lords and Gentlemen whom they call the moderate men, and these have partyed together, and secretly drive on a designe for accommodation; it is not yet much observed, for though they bee some of the Lords which came from Parliament of late (and find the Kings condition weaker than they esteemed) yet these will be much opposed by the grand Royalists (for so they are tearmed) and there are eyes over them, and Agents sent abroad to observe their intercourses.
There are divers Priests and Jesuits now here, some which came before her Majestie, some which came with her, some which came after, and those which were banished the Kingdome of late, as Father Roberts, and Father Joseph, and they are returned in another disguise as I am informed: here are many of the most choyce Agents of the Jesuiticall order, and men of very able parts; these keep intelligence with your City of London, but it is by a new way which was approved on in the Conclave as we heare invented by a Frier, and sent hither by a private Nuncio, and by this new Engine, there is a certaine correspondency kept both in Forraign parts and other places, I had almost forgot, they have sent into Kent to raise them there; but I hope we shall perswade them to lay downe againe.
Reader, I must in the Conclusion let you know how the great Marquesse of Newcastle hath raised his siege from before Hull, and would faine goe towards the North with his broken Army to oppose the Scots, but I heare the Yorkshire Gentlemen have no mind to stir out of their Countrey for divers reasons; First if they leave the Countrey, they know the Lord Fairfax will cease on their estates.
Secondly, they had such ill successe before against the Scots, that they feare the like successe attends them now, but the next weeke I shall give you all the particulars.
This is Licensed and entered according to order.
Source: British Library, E.70[24]
Search tags: Berwick-upon-Tweed (Barwick), Earl of Manchester (Earle of Manchester), Earl of Newcastle (Earle of Newcastle), Leslie (Lesley), Lord Falkland, Marquess of Hamilton (Marquesse Hamilton), Marquess of Newcastle (Marquesse of Newcastle), Sir Miles Hobart of Little Plumstead (Hubbert), Sir Thomas Fairfax (Fairefax)
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