prayers, and of our
endeavours (if it might have been the will of God), to have had a
Christian understanding between those that feare God in this land,
and ourselves, and yet we hope it hath not been carryed on with a
willing failing of our duty to those that trust us, and I am
persuaded the Lord hath looked favourably upon our sincerity herein,
and will still doo so, and upon you also whilst you make the
interest of God's people yours. Those religious people of Scotland,
that fall in this cause, we cannot but pitty and mourne for them,
and we pray that all good men may do so too. Indeed there is at this
time a very great distraction, and mighty workings of God upon the
hearts of divers, both ministers and people, much of it tending to
the justification of your cause. And although some are as bitter and
as bad as ever, making it their businesse to shuffle hypocritically
with their consciences and the covenant, to make it lawfull to joyne
with malignants, which now they do (as well as they might long
before) having taken in the head of them, yet truly others are
startled at it, and some have been constrained by the work of God
upon their consciences, to make sad and solemn accusations of
themselves, and lamentations in the face of their supream authority,
charging themselves as guilty of the blood shed in this warre, by
having a hand in the treaty at Breda, and by bringing the king in
amongst them. This lately did a Lord of the Session, and withdrew,
and lately Mr. James Leviston, a man as highly esteemed as any for
piety and learning, who was a Commissioner for the Kirk at the said
treaty, charged himselfe with the guilt of the blood of this war,
before their assembly, and withdrew from them, and is retired to his
own house. It will be very necessary to encourage victuallers to
come to us, that you take off customes and excise from all things
brought hither for the use of the army. I beg your prayers, and rest
your humble servant, _O. Cromwell_. Edinburgh, 4 Dec. 1660."--Sev.
Proc. in Parl. Dec. 12 to 19, apud Cromwelliana, pp. 94, 95.--_Ed._]

348 [That is, "How much changed from that assembly which was formerly!"
(Quantum mutatus ab illo Hectore, qui, &c. _Virg. AEneid_, lib. ii.
ver. 274.)--_Ed._]

349 ["Ult. July, 1