Memoirs of Lieutenant General Ludlow. The third and last part with a collection of original papers serving to confirm and illustrate many important passages of this and the preceding volumes : to which is added, a table to the whole work.

VIII.

Dear Heart, 22.

NOW is come to pass what I foresaw, the fruitless end (as to a present Peace) of this Treaty; but I am still consident, that I shall find very good effects of it: For besides that my Com∣missioners have offered, to say no more, full mea∣sured Reason, and the Rebels have stuck rigidly to their Demands, which I dare say had been too much tho' they had taken me Prisoner, so that assuredly the breach will light foully upon them. We have likewise at this time discovered, and shall make it evidently appear to the World, That the English Rebels, (whether basely or ignorantly, will be no very great difference) have as much as in them lies, transmitted the command of Ireland from the Crown of England to the Scots, which (besides the refle∣ction it will have upon these Rebels) will clearly saew, that Reformation of the Church is not the chief, much less the only end of the Scotch Rebel∣lion; but it being Presumption, and no Piety, so to trust to a good cause, as not to use all lawful means

means to maintain it, I have thought of one means more to furnish thee with for my assistance, than hi∣therto thou hast had: It is that I give thee Power to promise in my Name (to whom thou thinkest most fit) that I will take away all the Penal Laws against the Ro∣man Catholicks in England as soon as God shall inable me to do it; so as by their means, or in their favours, I may have so powerful assistance as may deserve so great a Favour, and enable me to do it. But if thou ask what I call that Assistance; I answer, that when thou knowest what may be done for it, it will be easily seen, if it deserve to be so esteemed. I need not tell thee what Secrecy this Business requires; yet this I will say, that this is the greatest point of Confidence I can express to thee; for it is no Thanks to me to trust thee in any thing else but in this which is the only thing of difference in Opinion betwixt us; And yet I know thou wilt make as good a Bargain for me, even in this. I trusting thee (tho' it concern Religion) as if thou wert a Protestant, the visible good of my Affairs so much depending on it. I have so fully intrusted this Bearer Pooly, that I will not say more to thee now, but that here∣with I send thee a new Cypher (assuring thee, that none hath or shall have any Copy of it but my self) to the end thou may'st use it, when thou shalt find fit to write any thing which thou wilt judge worthy of thy Pains to put in Cypher, and to be decyphered by none but me; and so likewise from him to thee, who is eternally thine.

To my Wife, the 520. March, 1645.23. by Pooly.

This is a true Copy,

examined 4. by Edmond Prideaux.