King and Parliament and the whole Nation to be beholden for this unto a Neighbour-State or Prince then unto the Kings own Subjects not so good as others in many respects As this Discourse was invented and spewed up and down by Malignants so it was received by the simpler sort not knowing the interest of States lesse wherein the true Honour of Princes States and Nations consisteth Yet they might have considered that it is better to take up things quietly at home then to trouble the Neighbours with our affaires The Scots Commissioners after some Moneths abode at Court seeing they could do no good with the abused King desire him to dismisse them which he did put off from day to day till at last he was written to by the State of Scotland that if he sent not home in safety the Commissioners betwixt such and such a day they would hold it as an open breach of the Peace and that they would provide for businesses accordingly Upon this the Commissioners loden with fair but conditionall promises from the King who yet would not anger them of Love and Care of that his Native Kingdom so that they would be quiet for he could not stop his mouth to say unto them that if they would not stirre he could easily compasse his ends in England take their leave at Court and go home At their arrivall they find a number in the South-West of their Countrey of Papists and other Malignants men of broken for tunes risen to disturbe the Peace of the Kingdom by Order from the King notwithstanding his fair words which commotion was presently quashed through Gods Mercy by the diligence and forwardnesse of the good Gentry and Nobility in those parts who did rise like one man against these Sons of Belial As the Scots Commissioners retired home the Houses of Parliament of England were made acquainted how that their good intentions were frustrated themselves hardly used for a long time but at last with difficulty had gotten home Now the State of Scotland seeing the Common Enemy come to the hight that nothing will satisfie him but totall subversion of Church and State in these Dominions onely they perhaps might be kept for the last although in intention they had been the first jugeth it not enough for their interest in the Common Cause to keep an Army in Ireland but also to be upon their guard at home that they might stop any enterprise the Common Enemy should undertake against them to have any progresse in their Countrey if they did not altogether prevent it and to help their Brethren in England with their Sword since all other means so often tryed were disappointed by the malice of the Enemies And so much the rather were they moved to this that the Enemy was prevailing almost without let for by that time he was Master not onely of the Field but also of all the strong hold in the North except Hull alone with a numbrous and victorious Army of Horse and Foot domineering and spoiling every where likewise the West being almost altogether gone by the losse of Excester the defeat given to the Parliaments Forces at the Vyses and the base surrendring of Bristol Banbury c. the Enemy did think to carry all before him ready to enter into the Associated Counties yea to come to the Gates of London which they had done in all appearance without the let of that Noble and never enough praised exploit of the Earl of Essex of relieving of Glocester almost at the last extremity although valiantly defended by that brave Governour Massey in despite of the proude Enemy and thereafter in beating of him at Newbery While the Parliament was thus low many faint-harted yea Members of the two Houses ran away to the Enemy and others did withdraw studying to their eternall shame to make their Peace more plausibly with the Enemy and not to run over to him at discretion as others had done But when things are thus almost in despaire then it is thought fit time to have recourse to the Scots and to call them for help The Parliament to try if they could do the businesse themselves without troubling the Scots was wisdom for what need you call for aid and trouble your Neighbours when you can do the businesse alone but not to call for help till things be too low it is very dangerous say those who dive more deeply in affaires of this nature But the reason why the Scots were so long a calling in for help was not that the English were not willing to trouble their Brethren the Scots for why should they think of troubling the Scots since their Fathers had been so ready to help Scotland in its distresse then Generous hearts will as freely receive a courtesie as they do one otherwayes they were proud and self-conceited But the true cause say they who know the mysteries of the time first was that the Sectaries prevailing with the Rulers of affaires did so keep them from medling with the Scots whom they knew to be no lesse adversaries to Schismes and Sects then to Popery and Prelacy Next there were some who yet kept still a bit of a Bishop in their Belly although by both Houses declared to be not onely unusefull in Church and State but also enemies to both Howsoever these considerations must be laid aside for a time and in such extremity the Scots must be called to help yea some of those who are said to be the greatest sticklers for Sectaries must at last be employed in their calling in which was long of coming after it was resolved upon by the shifts of the Enemies of Church and State The Scots notwithstanding all that had been signified unto them concerning the favouring of Sectaries by the Parliament and of their retaining somewhat of the old leaven of Prelacy seeing that their help was altogether needfull to save the Church and State of England from ruine heartily received the call being already resolved beforehand upon the Point and undertaketh with a Christian and manly resolution to engage themselves in a seen danger and to undergo the hazard but for Christ and his people no hazard is to be regarded to help their afflicted Brethren Yet with this precaution that the Parliament should sincerly joyn with them in the setling of the Church as they were heartily willing to assist them against the Common Enemy This condition was granted unto the Scots by the Commissioners from the Parliament of England and to this end it was agreed upon at the desire of the Scots that there should be one Covenant and League made betwixt both Kingdoms and sworn to for the setling of the Church according to the Word of God and conform to the best Reformed Churches and by name to the Church of Scotland with the just Liberty of the people and against all opposition whatsoever But because the English Commissioners would not take upon them to draw up and to make the Covenant there in Scotland
very dangerous after so many attempts of evil doing by the Enemy to retire them from England not as yet well setled and to cashiere their Army remitting the event of things to God resolve to return home and dismisse their Army and so make known unto all the World their Candour and Integrity and to take away all jealousies both from the King and from England which they do according to promise not failing in the least circumstance yea not of the day Well the King having gained this point to send home the Scots and to make them lay down their Arms resolveth to follow them into Scotland and to trie once more to draw them to his designe no perswasion being able to stay or to stop his voyage he goeth in haste from London and overtaketh the Scots as their were upon their removall from New-castle for Scotland He vieweth their Army by the way and talketh with the Prime Officers thereof He giveth Order to some of the good Physicians about him to feel the pulse of the Scots softly but they found the Scots pulse did not beat as they could have wished He goeth on in his journey into Scotland whither he is no sooner arrived but he puts another designe afoot premeditated with many more before for it is the custome of the wise Court to have at one and the same time divers undertakings in designe of which it is a very hard matter it one or other do not take effect Yea they have found but too true to our wofull experience that many have taken effect and that not of the lesser ones wherefore the Court will never cease to devise and invent enterprises The Plot then set afoot by the K. in Scotland was to make a considerable Party there for his ends and to make the businesse more facile he resolveth to make sure the Chief men of Scotland who were likely either to stop the designe or not further it But this Plot is also discovered and so it failed The next recourse was to the Irish Papists his good Friends unto whom from Scotland a Commission is dispatched under the Great Seal which Seal was at that instant time in the Kings own custody of that Kingdom to hasten according to former agreement the raising of the Irish in Arms who no sooner receive this new Order but they break out and at the first beginning of their Rebellion declared that they had no ill will against any Scots in Ireland for they were afraid of the Scots going over to the help of their Countrey-men and so they would be stopped to go on with their Work but their spleen was against these English Protestants who were Friends to that wicked Parliament in England so untoward to the good King and so adverse to their Catholike Cause This Declaration of the Irish did not although in favour of their Country-men hinder the Scots to offer their present Service for the repressing of the Rebellion before things grew worse The King fairly refuseth the offer and answering with verball thanks said that he neither could nor would do any thing in the businesse without the advice and assistance of the Parliament now a foot in England whereunto he was to repaire in all haste So he leaveth Scotland saying that every day he stayed there was the losse of a County to him He cometh to London a little before Christmas the Rebellion having begun in Ireland in October But he goe's very seldom to the Parliament and when he goeth thither he sayeth nothing concerning the Irish Rebellion till by importunity he was constrained to it and then what he said was little cold and ambiguous And when the Scots by their Commissioners who had followed him from Scotland hither did offer again a considerable help of ten thousand men things were so carried both in the Counsell and in the Parliament by the corrupt and ignorant Party then that the Scots were delayed from day to day by one shift or other for a long space before that conditions could be agreed upon with them for the sending of their help unto Ireland And it was a longer time after the agreement before things could be furnished unto them for their Voyage By those means the Rebels had ado with lesse opposition and consequently with lesse difficulty carried on their barbarous Work of spoiling burning and massacring innocent people of all rank and condition without regard to sex or age The Scots are no sooner gone to Ireland but they assist their Friends with such affection and successe that after some skirmishes and renconters with the Rebels the North Countrey of Ireland whereunto their help was particularly assigned became pretty well cleared of the Rebels although much wasted and and spoiled by them In this course hath the Scots continued to this day constantly opposing these bloody wretches notwithstanding the change that hath fallen in the South part of that Kingdom by the treachery of those whom the Parliament employed and trusted to Then when the King made a Cessation with these barbarous Cannibals the Scots resolutely declared against it and have manfully opposed it to this day Without which opposition of the Scots it had been received every where in Ireland and the Rebels then having nothing to do at home had come hither in Bands and Troups into this Island Thus did and still doth the Scots pursue their Point notwithstanding all the hardship they have suffered and yet suffer in the Service partly by reason of the great troubles here of the Parliament not being able to supply their Friends as they would and as they need partly by the negligence and unfaithfulnesse of those who have been employed by the Parliament and intrusted to have a care of supplying this need which hath been so great that the Scots Army in Ireland had absolutely starved for cold and hunger if they had not been helped from Scotland in a high measure To return unto England The misled King having left the Parliament accompanied or at least followed by numbers of men of divers degrees Traytors to God and to their Countrey namely by those double Traytors who were Members of the Houses of Parliament for they not onely have been dishonest and unfaithfull to the Church and State whereof they are born Members and Children but they have betray'd the trust wherewith they were trusted in both By the assistance of which he sets his designe on foot to make open War against the Parliament although under a hid notion to destroy it all other Devices and Plots contrived by him and his having failed as we have seen Upon this the Scots in their respect to the King love unto their Brethren in England and above all in their affection to the Cause of the Church of God send Commissioners unto the King and from him to the Parliament as the occasion should serve They found the King at York where he was pulling his Sword out of its sheath with all his might and shaping it in all haste
which God in his Jugements hath suffered him to thrust in the bowels of so many thousands of his people here so unnaturally and barbarously not onely afar off by not stopping it by connivence or by Commission to his Agents and Instruments as in Ireland and Scotland but being present in Person and taking pleasure in doing of it in his own sight and seeing of it done In this place I do affirm that there hath been more Christian Blood shed in these latter yeers under the end of K. James and K. Charles Raigns by their Commissions Approbations connivences and not-forbidding what at home and what abroad all which upon the matter they might have stopped if it had been their pleasure then were in the time of the ten Roman Persecutions God turn the Kings heart towards him first otherwayes he will never turn it toward his people The Scots as we were saying send to him to desire him to leave off the designe of embroiling himself and the people in a Civill War in this Kingdom of England withall to offer him their dutifull Service of Mediation and Intercession for the taking away of all mistakes and smoothing of things in a fair way betwixt him and the Parliament The misled King resolved to go on in evil courses not onely neglects the respective and hearty offer of the Scots but sends them home not suffering them to come unto the Parliament according to their order and desire which was to trye all fair means for the hindering of a War in England and to stop the Massacres in Ireland The King having thus dismissed the Scots goe's to his Work which having overcome some rubs at the first he carrieth on apace for having gathered together considerable Forces at Shrewsbury from thence with his Army he marches towards London notwithstanding the Parliaments-Army lay as it were in his way who met with him at Edge-hill and contrary to his expectation fights with him He after the Battel having recollected the remnant of his men although he had had the worse continues his designe for London and drew very neer unto it but being by strong hand constrained to retire he goeth to Oxford where he hath kept his Court constantly ever since till this day The Scots seeing the commotions increasing in England and considering the chief Instruments of those evils could not in conscience and honesty sit quiet any longer and neither say nor do while the State and Church of their Brethren in England were thus in so great troubles send first a Commissioner from their Church unto the Parliament to desire them that as God in his good Providence had furnished them just occasion to cast out the Prelats from among them not onely as unusefull Members of their Assembly but also as Enemies to all their just proceedings for the good of Church and State so they would be pleased to thrust out these Tyrants and belly-gods from the Church as main Instruments of all the disturbances troubles and miseries which are come and of more in all appearance yet coming if God in his mercy prevent them not The Commissioner after some debate having obtained his demand returneth homeward and taking his way by the Court then about Shrewsbury made known to the King how he had sped in his errand wherewith he had acquainted him before as he was going to the Parliam And he desireth the King to give his consent unto the casting of the Prelats out of the Church as he had done to the putting them out of the Assembly of Parliament To which the King did reply little or nothing but he told the Commissioner that he and they who sent him were hugely mistaken if they did think that the Houses of Parliament doth intend any setled Reformation namely as in Scotland for said he you see how they do not represse the Schismes and Sects of all kinds which abound in and about London yea these evils are countenanced by some under-hand Would to God that the Commissioner had had as just reason then to answer unto the King that he had been misinformed and that an untruth had been told him concerning Sectaries as he hath been mistaken in the intention of both Houses of Parliament for the setleing Religion according to the best way as it expressed in the Nationall Covenant Then after that things by degrees had come to a great hight betwixt King and Parliament much blood being shed not onely in skirmishes and rencounters but also in pitched Battel to wit at Edge hill The Scots not being able to forbear any further to try once more by fair means if it were possible to stop the course of those miseries too far already gone on send word to the King then at Oxford and to the Parliament of their good intentions and demand a passe and safe-conduct from both for Commissioners from them to go unto both and return home as also to go to and fro betwixt them as cause should require Of the Parliament they had easily what they demanded with thanks for their good will But the King not liking their offer was loth to grant a passe yet being put to it he could not fairly deny and so at length after some reluctancy he sends a passe as was desired and safe-conduct to the Scots which being received they send their Commissioners straight to the King unto whom they remonstrate home how that he had by bad Counsell cast himself in a Labyrinth of Evil and the people of his Dominions which doubtlesse would bring both him and them to utter ruine if not timely stopped in Gods Mercy by his Wisdom and good Counsell The Commissioners instead of any positive answer receive nothing but doubs ambiguities delays and shifts whereof nothing could be made but that the misled King was resolved to his own and his peoples ruine After a time the Scots Commissioners told the King that according to their Order and Instructions they intended to go unto the Parliament which they hoped he would think well of and approve But the King notwithstanding the passe and safe-conduct he had granted them to that purpose would not suffer them to go unto the Parliament yea they were not permitted to speak with the Commissioners from the Parliament who were then sent thither to the Court to treat when they were there Such was the adversenesse of the Court to Peace notwithstanding all the Kings Protestations Further the Scots Commissioners were so hardly used by the Court namely by the Prelaticall crew that they could not in safety go openly and freely abroad This is not all At that time the Rulers of the Court send abroad their Agents to tell every where namely in and about London what indignity the Scots did offer first unto the King then unto the Parliament and to the whole English Nation by taking upon them being but Subjects to examine the disterences betwixt the King and Parliament to compose them and to make a Peace it being more honourable both for the
as is fit and convenient for the repressing of his folly lest he think himself wise and so go on in his evil course to the dishonour of God the Father of truth and to the prejudice of both Church and State who are to be directed by the truth Surely if ever at any time the lye and calumny of the fool for so I call the calumniator how cunningly soever he lyeth is to be repressed with a fit answer it is at this time when there lieth so much at the stake in both Kingdoms as Religion and Libertie with whatsoever else is or ought to be dear unto men Now then to answer unto the calumnies of those Malignants to make the simple truth known to all is absolutely necessary at this occasion to the end that not onely the lyer may find his craft to be folly but also his wicked intent to be disappointed which is no lesse then a breach betwixt the two Nations and hath been such from the beginning and consequently the ruine of both now so united and joyned in the common interest of Church and State that they must sink or swim together for if they should once devide as the one doubtlesse will be presently undone so the end of the other will not be far off Wherefore he that doth any evil office to raise or increase jealousie betwixt them under whatsoever pretext is worse then any open Enemy and what he intends to the publike will come upon himself that is ruine with disgrace But me thinks I hear you whom I blame for silence in so necessary a case and so needfull a time say We have not been wanting in this very thing you find fault with For we have constantly and diligently communicated all things of any moment freely and ingeniously in all truth and simplenesse of heart to some chief leading men our particular good friends upon whom we have relyed from our first hither-coming in all things concerning us and our Countrey-men employed in the service to the end that they should convey the truth of businesse as in discretion they thought fit and did see cause for the publike good and for the right of us their friends to the Houses and from thence to the publike To this I answer You have mistaken the right way Sirs for you should have made your addresses to the whole Parliament or at least to the Committee appointed by the Parliament to hear you consult with you in a word to deal or treat with you of all things wherein you and they are jointly concerned and not suffer your selves to be engrossed by some few howsoever they be Prime men and what do you know if by thus suffering your selves to be as it were led by them hath not increased their credit For men may say that they have reason to follow those by whom you of so much reputation of wisdom and resolution are guided c. Further should not you have thought that particular men howsoever they serve the publike have ordinarily particular ends of ambition and avarice which the publike cannot have And although those your friends be free of these distempers yet you are not assured of their constancy unto you for many things fall out betwixt man and man which makes them not onely fall from intimacy of one with another but makes them adverse and opposite one to another oftentimes And although your friends be free of this infirmity Are you wise men to relie upon others for doing the things you should do your selves without a Procure He that trusteth another to do a thing fitting for himself to do must expect to have the thing done if at all done neither so timely nor so well at least not so soon nor so to his mind as is it falleth out often of extraordinary occasions and occurrences there is no certain rule Next I know you will say We have acquainted the Houses of Parliament to the full with the truth of all things by cut severall papers given unto them at divers times upon divers occasions and we have made known unto the Synode what concerneth Church businesses and so we think we have done enough in this But give me leave Sirs under favour herein also you are hugely mistaken you do well to communicate freely and carefully unto the Houses of Parliament all things and to acquaint them with your proceedings wherein they have common interest with you for the publike service of Church and State in these Dominions I hope they do so with you at least they ought to do it for the common good of both otherwayes the work wherein both Kingdoms are so ingaged and you both are employed will go but slowly and limpingly on Yet this is not enough for first the main passages of publike things done and the chief reasons of the doing thereof are to be made known to the whole Church and State since the whole hath the chief interest in things common to all although you are to communicate your counsels deliberations and conclusions of things to be done for fear of miscarriage onely to the Trustees of Church and State as your selves are Yet I say again what is de facto concerning all must be made known to all for the Trustees of the State and Church are not Lords of them as Kings and Popes pretend to be but servants as they avouch themselves set on work by them for the good of both upon trust which if they betray they are double Traitors First they falsifie their truth to the State and Church whereof they are Members and Children and unto whom they owe all under God Next they betray the trust imposed upon them for the good and benefit of both Church and State Yea the Houses of Parliament themselves shew you the way how to carry your selves in this very particular for they not onely for the satisfaction of the whole Kingdom cause publish the things done by those whom they as Trustees have employed to carry on the service of the publike in the Fields but also they publish unto the Kingdom Declarations of their honest intentions and fair proceedings with Votes and Ordinances for the good of Church and State And I am sure the Trustees of your Nation for your Church and State have done so from the beginning in your particular troubles and that not onely to your own Countrey but also to your neighbour which hath done no harme neither to the advancement of your affaires at home nor to your reputation abroad Although the Houses of Parliament rest satisfied in themselves of the honesty of your proceedings Yet this giveth but small satisfaction unto the Kingdom Yea when you send in your papers to the Houses it may happen that divers Members are absent at the time and so remain as ignorant of your affaires as before the in-giving of the papers for the Houses are so taken up with other thoughts and businesses that they cannot acquaint the absents with your own affaires yea some who are
might have undone the Kings Army and consequently invaded England if they had pleased and that with small opposition instead of doing wrong to any English they supplied the wants of those who were come against them with Victuals which then did abound in the Scots Army but was very short in the Kings having the flower of the Kings Army in their power I mean the party that went to Dunslaw they suffered it to return back in safety and used it with all civility notwithstanding these chosen ones had come against promise and without cause to destroy them and to invade the Countrey Thereafter the Peace being made the Scots according to the agreement went quietly home and laid down their Arms as was promised Then the Plot the abused King and his good Counsell had at Berwick to draw the Chief men of Scotland to him for to destroy them and the breach of the Parlement the burning in London of the Articles of agreement made at the borders and many other like things did not move the Scots to recede in any measure from their dutifull respects to the King nor from their love to the English Nation neither the imprisonment of their Commissioners against the Law of Nations and the safe-conduct granted unto them upon publike Faith nor the great Forces prepared against them by Sea and by Land nor the many lyes spred against them through all England nor the Prelatical excommunication so canonically spewed out against them in all the Churches and Chappels of England All these things I say did not make them give the least expression of disrespect to the King nor disaffection to the English Upon this the Scots published a Declaration anew unto the World whereby they made known unto all how hardly they were dealt with all for not onely the things stipulated with them were not kept to them but also more and greater wrongs than formerly were done to them Yea a second expedition of War undertaken to destroy them and to fill up all more lyes of no lesse importance than the conquering of England made and spred abroad of them with other thunderbolts of the Prelaticall censure shot against them Also they make known by this Declaration their Christian resolution and just enterprise with their good intentions in taking Arms again for their own defence and the Cause which they maintain And by it assureth their Brethren of England although they were resolved to come into their Countrey to seek out their Enemies who were there gathering against them and not to suffer these wicked ones to come unto them and so make their own Countrey the Seat of the unhappy War Yet they had not the least thought to do any hurt to any body in England except to their professed Enemies So far were they from having the least thought of making a conquest And that when they had brought their Enemies to reason they would go home in Peace All which was thereafter performed by the Scots to the full For first being entred into England and having rencountred one party of their Enemies and routed it when it was in their power to pursue the Victory they stayed at New-castle till things were agreed upon betwixt the King and them This incoming of the Scots gave occasion and liberty to divers of the Nobles of England of whom some since have betray'd the Cause of God of his people what by open Warfare and what by clandestine undermining to desire of the King a Parliament for the good of the Kingdom The King then durst not refuse their demand by reason of the Scots more then the continuance of it which he granted likewise therafter for the same Cause Then the King finding that the Parliament did not onely crosse but quite spoile his designes be plots with his Army which he had raised against the Scots to come and destroy the said Parliament and to take the spoile of London for their reward But the businesse being discovered faileth besides they durst not undertake howsoever they had promised for fear of the Scots who then were so neer The King continuing in his wonted courses after a little pause tryes the Scots if they will do the deed and offers unto them for recompense not onely the spoile of London but also the foure Counties next adjacent unto their Countrey to be adjoyned hereafter to it with Jewels of great value in pawn for performance if onely they would be engaged into the businesse All these great offers could not make the Scots willing to give their consent in any kinde to this wickednesse For they not onely rejected the Kings offers but also giveth notice of the Plot to the Parliament and to the City of London that they might make their best use of it So you may see how that the Scots under God are the cause of the Assembling of the Parliament of the continuance of it being assembled and of the preservation of it from totall destruction and ruine The King seeing that he was stopped by the Scots first in their own Countrey next in England to carry on his great designe takes the Irish Papists by the hand rather then be alwayes disappointed and they willingly undertake to levie Armes for his Service that is for the Romish Cause the Kings designe being subservient to the Romish Cause although he abused thinks otherwayes and beleeves that Rome serveth to his purpose But to begin the Work they must make sure all the Protestants and if they cannot otherwayes by Murthering and Massacring them for they knew them according to the Principles of Religion and State to be forward either for the Covenanters of Scotland or for the troublesome Parliament of England if not for both But the Irish neither would nor durst enter to any open Action so long as the Scots Army in England was afoot therefore by all means it must be sent home and cashiered and to facilitate the businesse the Court-Parasites Instruments of Iniquity with their Emissaries must raise and spread abroad jealousies of the Scots among the people of the Countrey and City namely in and about the Houses of Parliament who having not before their eyes the reall Honesty and Integrity of the Scots known by so many faithfull and loyall expressions and not keeping in their mind the many good offices done to them by the Scots giveth in sillinesse of mind ear and place to the crafty tales and apprehensions invented by the Agents of the Common Enemy to bring them to confusion and trouble So the Plot taketh by the silly ones and is set forward by the hid Malignan's Yea in a word it is managed with such addresse and successe that the Scots must go home and till they had done it there could be no quiet but increase of jealousies The Scots although they were not acquainted with the hight of mischief that was intended against the Church and State in these Dominions by the Common Enemy nor with the wayes of it yet albeit they thought it
Recusants Sectaries of divers sorts or at the best Prelatiques sticking to the old Service-Book yea some of those who have been in actuall Rebellion against the State under the Earl of New-castle who are of the Committees of these Countreys now having the power in their hands spoile the Countrey and oppresse good men laying the blame of all upon the Scots as hath been of late represented unto the House of Commons by men without exception deputed hither from these Countreys in the name of many good men to acquaint the Houses with the state of businesses there The Malignants of the North Countreys carrie their businesses so that they find Favourers and Agents to excuse them and to further their evil courses Let this what I say here be throughly sifted out it will be found too true to the prejudice of the good Cause God help us and amend us for what can we expect when lyers and other wicked men find this favour and patronage The Winter declining the Scots dispose themselves for the Field-Service so soon as the provisions demanded in a very moderate proportion could be had from hence which went but late to them by reason there was a time spent for obtaining the Ordinance from the Parliament next a time for making ready thirdly a time of sending of things In the interim the Scots although busied in keeping the ill-affected of the Countrey in obedience to the State sends parties now and then upon occasion as the publike Service required for example to Sir William Brerâ—ton and to Scarbor ough c. at last the Rendivous is assigned to the Army the 15 of Aprill to this effect they require the Committee of that Countrey to provide draughts against the day aforesaid but they could not have any in readinesse till the first day of May at what time they marched to Rippon with intention to come straight South-ward according to the direction of the Committee of both Kingdoms if they could have some few dayes provision upon all hazards and draughts But notwithstanding all their care and pains they could obtain nothing but delays and incertainties with promises onely of provision from night to night If the Scots had had their reasonable demands for provisions and draughts they had been neer the Enemy before he had done the evil he did at Leicester and elsewhere While the Scots were at Rippon it was resolved that David Lesley should go into Lancaster-shire with a party and he was to have a thousand York-shire Horses to assist but what performance there was of this God knows for he had not the third of armed men although a thousand was promised By this time the Scots are advertised that the Enemy was with a flying Army to passe through Lancaster-shire to Carlile and from thence into Scotland upon which advice resolution is taken by the consent of the Committee that the Scots should go into Lancaster-shire and stop the Enemies passage Northward After a serious enquiry made the onely way for them to go is by all means through Westmer land From Rippon notwithstanding the roughnesse and difficulties of the Countrey in foure dayes they are upon the borders of Lancaster-shire with their whole Army whither being arrived they have intelligence of the Enemies turning back again South-ward immediately they desire some small provisions for their Souldiers and draughts at the Committee of Westmerland and Cumberland but they found them very slow and unwilling Likewise the Scots being so neer they desired that their Forces before Carlile should be supplyed so far with Victuals as to keep them from starving wherein they were the more earnest that they saw how slackly those who were with their Forces followed the businesse Doubtlesse if they had left then Carlile the Enemy had been supplyed and had kept it to this day which in all appearance was the desire of these Committees After the Scots had ordained things the best they could concerning Carlile they march South-ward in all haste beyond ordinary for some dayes they marched above twenty miles but after they were constrained to stay in some places one two and three dayes for draughts While the Scots were strugling with these difficulties news are sent to the Parliament that the Scots were gone no body knew where and that they spoiled all the Countrey and this was not done by open and declared Enemies but by those whom the Parliament trust in these Countries with the managing of affaires yea by some who formerly did professe hearty Friendship unto the Scots but the wheel of their own interest turning about not onely have they delinquished the Scots but also have declared themselves opposite unto them and this without any cause so far prevaileth private interest with men who seems to be best Then great murmures rise that the Scots would abandon their Brethren at such a necessary time leaveing all the burden of the War unto the Forces of the Parliament in the South Thus were the Scots innocently traduced by Malignants Upon this the Scots Commissioners here take occasion to sent a Gentle-man to the Army to know the truth and veritie of things and within a day or two thereafter seeing the sinistrous reports increaseing sent two of their own number to be satisfied of all things more fully and hasten their coming South In the mean time the Houses of Parliament presse to know what was become of the Scots and why they had gone this unexpected way and why after so many and earnest calls they did not march South-ward the good of the publike Service so requiring Whereupon the Scots Commissioners gave in two papers to the Houses containing a plain and full relation of the naked truth and reason of things desired the ignorance of which had by the shifts of Malignants officiating for the Common Enemy occasioned a great murmure against the Scots up and down These papers gave such satisfaction to all those who heard them read and gave attention to them that nothing was to be replied to the least circumstance mentioned in them yea not by those who had been most enclining to give credit to sinistrous repors Yet these papers were so little divulged that divers of the House of Commons who either had been absent when they were given in or not attentive when they were read did not know of any such thing Next although the papers had given full content to the Houses yet the slanders of Malignants not onely continued but increased daily more and more against the Scots After some few dayes there falleth a Copy of these papers into the hands of one which being shewed by him to some well-affected men and lovers of the Common Cause were thought sit by all means for the publike good to be published As this was adoing some Malignants get notice of it and strive to stop it by dealing with him who had the chief care of the businesse but in vain for he was resolved to go on with his designe so he giveth the
doing Evil then to an Army above two hundred miles distant who notwithstanding their willingnesse and readinesse to march according to their calling Southward could get neither draughts nor absolutely necessary provisions for a march in such a proportion as was thought very reasonable The truth of this may appear what troubles Generall Lesley found at Rippon to get provisions and draughts and how he went to York to that effect but to very small purpose Let things be tryed and no longer thus carried in hugger-mugger to the prejudice of the publike Service We have heard how that and upon what occasion some of those who had been so intimate with the Scots Commissioners leave them neglect them and oppose them in their proceedings so far as they can in a smooth-way above board to say nothing of what is done under-hand So in this place you shall take notice how that on the other side there be divers of those who formerly had cared so little for the Scots that they neither favoured their in-coming nor thereafter had assisted them so willingly in their honest faithful endeavour for the advancement of the publike Service now at last bethinking themselves of their own error and how that without reason they had been jealous of the Scots they begin to go along with them more freely and earnestly in the publike Work then they had done heretofore which the Scots minding mainly the furthering of the Service of the Common Cause take kindly at their hands and welcome the expressions of their good affection to the Service with respective civilitie wishing from their heart that those who are now withdrawn from them would return unto their wonted correspondence in sincere and brotherly unanimity for carrying on the heavy and tedious Work now lying upon them all Upon this there is great murmuring against the Scots that they had quite left off honest and well-affected men and taken semi-Malignants by the hand who not onely had been slack and backward in the pursuance of the publike Service but adverse unto themselves in particular To all this the Scots do declare truely that as when they came hither at first they took no interest in any man more then they judged him in all appearance to interest himself heartily without by-ends in the Common Cause and as yet they do the same resolved to continue so unto the end constant to their first principles and if any men have withdrawn themselves from them not willing to go constantly along with them in this necessary course they are sorry for those of whose constancy they were in a kind assured and they declare to the World that they neither gave nor intend to give any just distaste in their particular to any But if men will snuff because they are not humeured in all things who can help it The Scots did think at their coming in to have nothing a do with children and women who must be humeured but with set and staid rationall men without any by-respects or private Fancies wholly constants to the Cause both of Church and State as we are all sworn by the Solemn Oath of the Nationall Covenant As for those who having cast off their former mistakes now go along with them more earnestly then formerly in the businesses they cannot but welcome them as all those who put to their helping-hand heartily in the least kinde to the great Work of God and of his people howsoever their carriage have been towards their persons for the publike they having no spleen nor grudge at any forget whatsoever hath been amisse towards them praying God to forgive that his Work may be carried on more cheerfully and unanimously and they are likewise disposed and enclined towards those who have left them off to go along with them so freely and so brotherly as at the first they will imbrace them cheerfully in carrying on the businesses of Church State with them This they declare not to captive men by cunning insinuation as factious ones do but to invite all men fairly to go on with the Work of Church and State according to the Covenant as they hope a blessing from Heaven if they be zealous and faithfull without equivocation and may expect judgement if they either faint or be not sincere Of this enough for this time Yet there is one thing I cannot passe and it is this There be hardly any divisions among these of this side of which the blame is not laid upon the Scots as if they had not had their jealousies one of another and grudges one against another by reason of particular interest and private opinion before the Scots did join with them when it is well known that the Scots assistance faithfull in the Counsell and active in the Field is not onely usefull and necessary for the opposing and repressing of the Common Enemy but also for keeping together those who otherwayes in a likelyhood would fall asunder and so the publike Service suffer at which the Enemy aimes Then I adde that the Enemy howsoever low he seems to be at this instant desires to have no better Game then that the Scots would retire and withdraw their helping hand from the Service for he that of nothing made a party so great as to carry all before it till he was repressed by the Scots would raise up his party again But in despite of the devil and all opposition whether clandestin or open the Scots will stand firm and faithfull for the carrying on of the Work of God and of his people After a certain time the States of both Kingdoms resolved to try yet again if they could reclaime and recall upon any reasonable terms the abused and misled Prince from his evil courses of undoing thē people and himself cause draw up certain Propositions by Common Counsell of both Nations which they send by Commissioners of both States to the King in whom they find nothing but shifts and delays So they return without effectuating any thing A while thereafter the infortunate Prince intending to make the simpler sort beleeve that he was defirous at last of a reall agreement sends hither Commissioners of whose honest meaning the people did least doubt but in the end they were found to be cajeolors to draw things towards a Treaty unto which the Scots declared themselves to be inclined the main businesses of Church and State being secured as willing to try all means possible upon all occasion to take up the differences in a fair way to save further effusion of Christian and Brothers blood and further ruine of those Countreys For this the Scots are cried out upon as evil men by inconsiderate persons set on by Malignants notwithstanding the Treaty goe's on but to small purpose the Kings Commissioners feeling the pulse of the Parliaments Commissioners did promise unto themselves upon what ground they know best or at least should know that they could carry all things to their mind if it were not for the rude and
would not side with him in this wicked designe if they were not opposite unto him and for receiving his Irish Rebels to do mischief to both Kingdoms as they pleased if they were not stopped And so since then he hath kept it till within these few dayes and it hath served for a seat and a passage for troubling both Kingdoms The Houses of Parliament on the other side a little latter possesse themselves of Berwick which the King did not regard so much as not so considerable for his purpose and also it was too much in the eyes of men to be seised upon by him at the first beginning When the Scots come into England at this time to help their Brethren who had been so kinde unto them in their troubles and whose Fathers had assisted their Fathers in the Cause of Reformation and Liberty by agreement betwixt the Parliament and them they had Berwick delivered up unto them for facilitating their entrie and advancing the Service they engaged themselves in and if Carlile had been in the power of the Parliament then it had been delivered unto the Scots without any more ado as freely as Berwick was for the very same reason Yea more if it had been required then it had been promised unto the Scots I do not mean of necessity but of meer consideration to the publike Cause Now the Northern Countrey of England through Gods Mercy being pretty well cleared by the help of the Scots of the open professed and declared Common Enemy it is thought fit first to block up and then to besiege Carlile The Scots undertake the businesse and to this purpose sent of their Army thither a party of both Horse and Foot under the command of a Generall Officer and he hath some Forces of the Countrey to assist and help him in the performance of the Service which the Scots did not so hardly presse as to storm the Town for sparing of blood which they are loth to shed if the businesse can be carried on otherwayes witnesse New-castle where they shunned to shed blood and being constrained to it they did shed as little as ever hath been seen upon such an occasion so they resolve to take the Town by want of necessary provisions Those of the Countrey who were joynt with the Scots in the Service were so far from helping them that by the treachery of their Leaders they did what they could not onely to hinder the businesse but also to wrong the Scots in what was in their power for when they were ordered to keep their own quarters strictly and suffer nothing to go unto the Enemy and if he fallied out of the Town to fall upon him they were so far from performing their Order that when it was in their power to hurt the Enemy they shot powder without bullets at him and privately they suffered provision to be carried unto him through their quarters yea by secret combination they agreed with the Enemy that if he would salley out and fall upon the Scots quarters they should yeeld no help unto them although they were joynt with them in the Service Which proceedings of the North Countrey-men by the knavery of their Commanders whereof the chief lately had been in open Rebellion against the Parliament under the Earl of New-castle being made known unto the Scots they had a neerer eye to their actions and oblige them thereafter to play fairer play Those false and deceitfull Leaders seeing themselves disappointed of their former intents by the care of the Scots go another way to work and perceiving by the vigilance of the Scots that the Town receiving no help from without must render it self underhand and not acquainting the Scots enter in a private Treaty with the Enemy and offer him great conditions This being also discovered by the Scots caused them summon the Town and offer to it reasonable conditions which the Enemy did accept although they were not so advantagous for him in all points as those offered by the others The reason why the Enemy did accept the Scots conditions and not the others was first He could not trust to any condition from those who were so wicked that they were not trusty to the party they professed themselves to be of and to their associates Next The Enemy seeing the chief man among those double ones to be but an inferior Officer and one who never had seen greater War then the plundering and spoiling of his own Countrey under the Earl of New castle with whom he had been a Lievtenant-Colonel at the most and now at this time prefered for some ends to be a Colonell Then there was no Committee there who could authorize him to capitulate or make good his capitulation where the Scots were for by agreement betwixt the Scots and the Parliament things of consequence in the War wherein the Scots had a hand were to be ordered by the Committee of both Kingdoms upon the place or with the Scots Army and that not being as there was none then by the Scots Generall his Order and so he ordained according to the first agreement Lievtenant Generall David Lesley to take in the Town upon such conditions as he should think fit for the good of the publike Service and put a Garison in it Those who came out of the Town were conducted unto Worcester who were but six score when they arrived thither the rest being fallen away in their march either upon consideration of the publike or of their own private interest Thus Carlile is put in obedience of the Parliament for the publike Service according to the first agreement And if the Scots had not followed the businesse in all appearance it either had still remained in the hands of open Enemies or at least had fallen in the hands of those Malignants who neither have respect to the credit of the Parliament nor regard to the good of the people for they dishonour the one and waste the other All the while that the Siege was before Carlile there was not onely a neglect but such a malice against the Scots who were at it that they had starved for want if the Scots Army had not sent a good part of the moneys that they had for their marching and taking the Field Thus is the publike served by the Countrey-Committees abusing the Authority they have from the Parliament After all this the Scots are cryed out upon by Malignants yea they write to the Houses against them as Enemies to the publike good to the Parliament and to the people of England notwithstanding that since the very first beginning of those troubles they have carried themselves faithfully honestly and kindly towards England in despite of all Enemies and particularly towards the Parliament who were the cause of assembling it continuing it and preserving it first from the great Plot made against next by actively upholding it when it was very low as it was at their in-coming The reason why the Scots have put a Garison of