Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	good_a	master_n	servant_n	6,134	5	7.3996	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66737	The history of the Kings Majesties affairs in Scotland under the conduct of the most Honourable James Marques of Montrose, Earl of Kincardin, &c. and generall governour of that kingdome. In the years, 1644. 1645. & 1646.; De rebus auspiciis serenissimi, & potentissimi Caroli. English.	Wishart, George, 1599-1671.; Matham, Adriaan, 1599?-1660, engraver.	1647 (1647)	Wing W3120; ESTC R217175	112,902	212

not able to provide so timely powerful a remedy as could be wished at least might cast some blocks rubs in their way untill such time as he had settled his affaires in England that the traitours of either Kingdome might be easily dealt withall by themselves but if they came once to joyne their forces they would be hardly supprest that there were very many in Scotland who would sacrifice themselves and all that they had for their dearest King whose good will would be of no use unto his Majesty after the Covenanters had raised their army but destructive unto themselves that the haughty spirits of the Traitors were to be sneap't in time their strength broken before it grew too big lest the beginnings b●ing neglected repentance should prove the onely opposition that could be made afterward These things and to this effect did Montrose continually presse unto the King but in vaine for he had not onely the strong and deeply rooted confidence his Majesty had of the Hamiltons to struggle with but the devices of a set of desperate Courtiers beside who daily buzzed in the Kings eares Montrose's youth his rashnesse his ambition the envy and hatred he bare unto the Hamiltons and what not on the other side the Hamiltons fidelity their honesty their discretion their power Thus Montrose nothing prevailes the King returnes to his winter quarters at Oxford And al though his Majesty saw very well reports coming thick and threefold of the Scottish army that all was true that Montrose had told him yet the most religious King determined upon no termes to give any occasion of quarrell to the Scots till first they entered England resolving that he for his part would perfectly observe the Articles of Pacification he had made with them which if they should violate he doubted no● but they should highly answer it both to God him While these things were discussed at Oxford the Covenanters in Scotland bring their businesse about according to their desires no one opposing them They raise as big an army as they can which consisted of eighteen thousand Foot and two thousand Horse and at last when they had marched unto the very borders the Hamiltons were not ashamed to give the King notice by letters of the approach of that formidable Army making this their excuse that according to their engagement they had prevented an invasion the summer before but now that winter was come on they were able to keep them out no longer but they would come in immediately with a powerfull Army The King when he saw himselfe thus grosly abused sends for Montrose shewes him the Hamiltons letters and at last when it was even too late askes his advice what was best to be done Montrose tells him that his Majesty might now see that what he had before given him notice of had neither proceeded from ambition nor malice nor any self-ends but from his bounden duty and allegeance that for above a twelve-month hee had been continually pressing both their Majesties to prevent this that he accounted himselfe very unhappy that all that while so faithfull a servant could not be credited by so good a Master that the case seemed now desperate but if the King had a minde he might trust them againe who by pretence of his authority had bound some of his friēds hands that they could not assist him drawn in others who intended nothing lesse under colour of Loyal●y to fight against him given up unto the Rebells now that they had got an army all that they had without striking a stroke The King complaining that he was most abominably betrayed by them with whom he had entrusted his Crowne his Secrets his Life earnestly demanded his advice He repeating againe the lamentablenesse of the condition in which things novv stood neverthelesse offered that if his Majesty so thought good he vvould either lose his life vvhich if he did he would be sure it should seeme rather sold then lost or else vvhich he did not despaire of he vvould reduce his Country men and bring the Rebels there into subjection The King being no little pleased vvith the confidence undauntednesse and gallantry of the man that he might more advisedly contrive his designe desired him to take two or three dayes to consider of and so dismist him Montrose returning at the time appointed shewes his Majesty how desperate an adventure he was vndertaking that al Scotland was under the Covenanters cōmand that they had garrisoned al places of strength that they were plentifully provided both of men and money and armes and ammunition and victuall al● things necessar● for a Warre that the English Rebells were joyned with them in a most strict Covenant to defend one another against all the world But for his owne part he had nothing to set up with neither men nor armes nor pay yet he would not distrust Gods Assistance in a righteous cause and if the King would lay his Commands upon him he would undertake to doe his best The King should be in no worse case the● he was He himself would take what malice envy o● danger should fall upon himselfe so that his Majest● were graciously pleased to condescend to a few reasonable requests And first that the businesse might g● on more successefully it seemed to him very necessary that the King should send some souldiers out of Irelan● into the west of Scotland Next that he should give o●der to the Marquesse of Newcastle who was the General of the Kings forces towards Scotland that he shou●● assist Montrose with a party of horse to enter the sou● of Scotland by which meanes he might convey himse● into the heart of the Kingdome Then that he shoul● deale with the King of Denmarke for some troops o● Germane horse And lastly that his Majesty should tak● some course to procure and transport some armes out of some forraigne countrey into Scotland nothing needed more but humane industry the successe was Gods part and to be referred to his providence The King commending his counsell giving him thankes that he apprehended some life in the businesse encourageth him to fit himselfe cheerfully for so great a worke wished him to leave the care of those things he had requested unto him And truly for the matter of aid out of Ireland the King sends for the Earle of Antrim and acquaints him with Montrose's design This Antrim is of Scottish extraction descended of the noble and ancient Family of the Mac-Donalds a man of great estate and power in Ireland allyed to the prime Nobility of England by matching with the Duchesse of Buckingham He being driven out of his own countrey lived at Oxford and cheerfully undertooke the negotiation with the Irish upon himself and engaged himselfe also voluntarily unto Montrose that he would be in Argyle a part of Scotland bordering upon Ireland with ten thousand mē by the first of Aprill 1644. this passed in December 1643. And as

men of Nobility and Eminency as long as they had an enemy in the Field and the victory was uncertaine And truly they being doubtfull and solicitous what might be the successe of so great warlike preparations they knew were in providing did deferre the execution of the prisoners Montrose upon his journey found the Lord Areskin very sick but his clients whose fidelity and valour hee had had sundry experiences of even in the absence of their Lord all in a readinesse if Aboine did but doe his part for they depended much upon his example and authority And now the Marquesse of Huntley after he had plaid least in sight for a year and some moneths it is hard to say whether awaken'd with the newes of so many victories obtain'd by Montrose and the reducing of the Kingdome or by the deceitfull influence of some bad starre was returned home An unfortunate man unadvised who howsoever hee would seem most affectionate unto the Kings Cause perhaps was so yet he endeavoured by a close and dishonourable envy rather to extenuate Montroses glory then to out-vie it Which seeing it was not for his credit openly to professe even before his own men who were sufficient witnesses of Montrose's admirable virtues lest by that he should discover some symptomes of a heart alienated from the King yet he gave out that for the time to come he would take upon himself the conduct of that War against the Rebells therefore he commanded his Tenants and advised his friends and neighbours scarce without threats to fight under no command but his own And when they replyed What shall wee then answer to the Commands of the Marquesse of Montrose whom the King hath declared Generall Governour of the Kingdome and Generall of the Army He made ansvver That he himself would not be wanting to the Kings service but however it concerned much both his and their honour that the King and all men should knovv vvhat assistance they had given him which could not otherwise be done then by serving in a body by thē selves Moreover he fell to magnifie his own povver and to undervalue Montrose's to extoll unto the skies the noble Acts of his Ancestors men indeed vvorthy of all honour to tell them That the Gordons power had been formidable to their neighbours for many Ages by gone and was so yet That it was most unjust that the atchievements gotten with their bloud and prowesse should be accounted upon another mans meaning Montrose's score but for the future he would take a course that neither the King should be defrauded of the service of the Gordons nor the Gordons of their deserved honour favour and reward All these things the simpler sort tooke to bee spoken upon all the grounds of equity honour in the world but as many as were understanding men and knew better the disposition of the person saw through those expressions a minde too rancorous altogether indispos'd towards Montrose and that his aime was to fetch off as many as he could from him not only to the utter ruine of the King and Kingdome but even to his own destruction which God knowes the sad event made too manifest Nor were there wanting amongst them desperate men and of good fore-sight who condemned this counsell of his as unwise unseasonable and pernicious even to himself For they considered with themselves that he never had any designe that did not miscarry either by bad play or bad luck That businesses were better carried by Montrose and it was ill to make a faction● upon the poore pretence of his carrying away the honour of it For if Huntley joyned his Forces and communicated his counsels unto Montrose he should not be onely able to defend himself but subdue his enemies and gaine unto himself the everlasting honour of being one of the Kings Champions but if he should make a breach in that manner it would prove not onely dishonourable but destructive to him That Montrose it could not be denyed had got many and eminent victories with the assistance of the Huntleys but they had done nothing of note without him Therefore they earnestly desired him constantly to adhere unto the Kings Lieutenant which as it would be both acceptable and advantageous to the King so it would be well taken with good men and honourable to himself Nor did some of them fear to professe openly that they would yeeld their duty and service to Montrose if Huntley should stand out in his humour and they were as good as their words But he refusing the advice of his friends resolved what ever came on 't to run counter too Montrose nor did Montrose ever propose any thing though never so just or honourable or advantageous which he would not crosse or reject And if at any time Montrose condescended to his opinion which he did often of purpose he would presently change his minde seeming to comply with him sometimes before his face but alwayes averse unto him behinde his backe and indeed scarce wel agreeing with his own self For all this Aboine being at that time solicited by many expresses from Montrose and the importunity of his own friends that he might be some way as good as his word met him with a considerable party at Druminore a Castle of the Lord Forbeses He brought with him fifteen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse all chearfull and ready to undergoe any hazard under the command of Montrose And truly assoon as ever they met Aboine freely protested hee would carry those men that hee had whithersoever the Lord Governour should lead him but there were many more behinde which for his scantnesse of time he had not got together which his brother Lewis would bring after him Montrose extolling highly his fidelity and pains turned back again almost the same way he came that taking up the Lord Areskins and the Marre Forces by the way and climbing over Gransbaine hee might fall dovvn into Athole and Angus not doubting vvithin a fortnight to be able to passe over the Forth with a great Army The first dayes journey Aboine and his men marched with a good will but the next night his brother Lewis whom Montrose had placed under the command of the Earl of Crawford conveighed himself homewards with a strong party of Horse making as if he meant to encounter some Troops of the Enemy and carried along with him as many Souldiers as he could get upon pretence of a guard Crawford returning brought word that Lewis was gone home but would be back again next day for so he had made him beleeve though he intended nothing lesse then to come back A youth liable to sensure for more feats then that But when upon the third day they came to Alford it was observed that Aboines men were slow to stand to their colours that they loytered in their march that their ranks were thin and disorder'd and that they ran away by whole Companies almost every night and at last their