Ja. Carmichael W. Elpinston These Instructions being afterwards transmitted to the Lords of the Clergy were returned signed as follows St. Andrews Da. Edin Io. Dumblanen Tho. Gallovid Wal. Brechinen This was seconded by a private Letter to the King signed by Traquair and Roxburgh which follows copied from the Original Most Sacred Soveraign A Letter from Traquair and Roxburgh to the King ALthough the miserable Estate of this poor Kingdom will be sufficiently understood by Your Majesty from this Gentleman Sir John Hamilton's Relation yet we conceive our selves in a special manner bound and obliged to represent what we conceive does so nearly concern Your Majesties Honour and Service and therefore give us leave truly and faithfully to tell Your Majesty that since the last Proclamation the fear of Innovation of Religion is so apprehended by all sorts of Subjects from all corners of this Kingdom that there is nothing to be seen here but a general Combustion and all men strengthening themselves by subscribing of Bonds and by all other means for resisting of that which they seem so much to fear This is come to such a height and daily like to encrease more and more that we see not a probability of Force or Power within this Kingdom to repress this Fury except Your Majesty may be graciously pleased by some Act of Your Own to secure them of that which they seem so much to apprehend by the inbringing of the Books of Common-Prayer and Canons The way which the Subjects have taken and daily go about in the prosecution of their business is inexcusable and no ways agreeable to the duty of good Subjects but Your Majesty is wisely to consider what is the best and safest course for Your Own Honour and Peace of Your Government and since Religion is pretended to be the cause of all if it shall not be a safe course to free them at this time of Fears by which means the wiser sort will be satisfied and so Your Majesty enabled with less pain or trouble to overtake the Insolencies of any who shall be found to have kicked against Authority We are the rather moved at this time to be of this opinion that having found it the opinion not only of those to whom Your Majesty wrote in particular except of the Marquis of Huntley who as yet is not come from the North but of most of the Noblemen and men of respect within this Kingdom we find few or none well-satisfied with this business or to whom we dare advise Your Majesty to trust in the prosecution thereof and if any havâ— or shall inform Your Majesty to the contrary give us leave humbly to intreat Your Majesty to be pleased to call them before Your Self that in our presence You may hear the reasons of both Informations fully debated So praying God to grant Your Majesty many happy days and full contentment in all Your Royal designs we humbly take our leave and rest Your Majesties humble Servants and faithful Subjects Traquair Roxburgh Sterlin March 5. 1638. There was also besides many private Letters recommending this business a publick Letter written by the Council to the Marquis which follows taken from the Original Our very Honourable good Lord WE finding the Subjects Fears and Stirs to encrease since the last Proclamation did appoint by the Lord Chancellour A Letter from the Council to the Marquiâ— and other Lords of the Clergy their Special Advice a solemn Dyet of Council to be kept at Sterlin on the first of March where the Lord Chancellour and other Lords of the Clergie promised to be present to consult upon the growth of the publick Evils and Remedies thereof for His Majesties Honour and Peace of this Country but having met at Sterlin we received a Letter of excuse from the Lord Chancellour and were forced to proceed without him and the other Lords of the Clergy where after we had spent four days in advising upon the said Evils and Remedies of them we resolved in end to direct Sir John Hamilton of Orbiston one of our number with a Letter of Truâ—t from us to His Majesty to whom we have imparted our Opinions and Reasons of the said publick Ills and Remedies of the same to be represented to His Sacred Majesty and because the business is so weighty and important that in our opinion the Peace of the Country was never in so great hazard we have thought fit to recommend the business to your Lordships consideration that after your Lordship has heard the Iustice-Clerk therein your Lordship according to your great interest in His Majesties Honour and Peace of the Kingdom may concur by your best advice and assistance at His Majesties hands to bring these great and fearful Ills to a happy event So committing your Lordship to the Grace of God we rest Your Lordships very good Friends Traquair Roxburgh Winton Perth Wigton Kinghorn Lauderdale Southesk Angus Lorn Down Elphinston Napier J. Hay Tho. Hope J. Carmichael W. Elphinston Sterlin March 5. 1638. The Covenanters also wrote again to the Scotish Lords at Court desiring Liberty to send up one to represent their Grievances for they doubted the Council did not use them well and one of them wrote very peremptorily to the Marquis That they were resolved rather to hazard the whole Business than change a word of their Petitions and that they would quit their Lives if they got not granted to them what they desired The King resolves to send the Marquis Commissioner to Scotland The Justice-Clerk being thus instructed came to London where after he had discharged himself of his Trust His Majesty partly doubting his Council partly hoping the Authority of a Commissioner might qualifie the Peoples fury not a little resolved to chuse one and about this he made no long Deliberation but presently set his thoughts on sending the Marquis to Scotland for that Service and it was the opinion of all that a fitter choice could not have been made both because of his Quality and Kindred as also that he was at this time free of all Jealousies for his course heretofore had been more like a Courtier than a Statesman so that he was untouched with the susâ—icions of what had been hitherto done his Advice having scarce ever been called for so he was fitter to treat with that Party but chiefly his temper was so obliging and insinuative that none alive was more able to gain people to Reaâ—on and to manage their Spirits than he was It is alledged that some moved the imploying my Lord Huntley for this Service but no vestige of such a motion appears and if it was made it could not take with the King who at that time knew not Huntley well and since the King designed to try all could be effectuated by Treaty there was not a person so unfit for it as the Marquis of Huntley for his Family being always odious to that Party and himself all his life suspected of Popery he had been a very
as also that many of the Covenanters were broken in their Estates so that if Justice were patent some of the most troublesom of them might be driven away but chiefly the settling them again in Edinburgh looked like a resolution of going on with a Treaty of which it was fit they should be persuaded till the King were in a good posture for reducing them He tried what assurance he might have of the Lords of the Session being fixed to their Duty Divers of them who were no ill-wishers to the Kings Authority yet durst not own it being threatned by the Covenanters of some he had all reason to hope well yet the greater part of that Court what through fear what through inclination was so biassed that he saw little hope of prevailing with the Colledge of Justice whether Judges or Lawyers to declare the Covenant seditious or treasonable and he was secure of none who sate on the Bench save Sir Robert Spottiswood President Sir Iohn Hay Clerk-Register and Sir Andrew Fletcher of Innerpeffer Halyburton of Fotherance and one or two more the first of these was among the most accomplished of his Nation equally singular for his Ability and Integrity but he was the Archbishop of S. Andrews his Son and so his Decision in that would have been of the less weight On the 16th of Iune the Covenanters came and presented their Petitions to the Marquis craving a present redress of their Grievances The Covenanters press speedy satisfaction otherwise they said they would be put off no longer by delays and they desired he would propose the matter to the Council and give them a speedy Answer He told them that His Majesty did resolve to call both an Assembly and Parliament for the redress of all Grievances but if this was not yet done they had nothing but the Disorders of the Country to blame for it which should be no sooner composed but all their Desires should be fully examined They went away no way satisfied with this Answer but the Marquis found all the Lords of Council inclined to the granting of what they demanded so that he durst call no Council about it lest they should have avowedly sided with the Covenanters of which he advertised His Majesty shewing him that persons of all ranks pressed him to represent to him that the Covenant was not illegal and that if His Majesty would allow of the Explication of the Bond of mutual Defence Many move that an Explanation of the Covenant might be received which they offered that they meant not thereby to derogate any thing from the Kings Authority for whom they were ready to hazard their Lives all might be settled without more trouble either to the King or Country and that otherwise it must needs end in Blood He desired His Majesty would consider well in what forwardness his Preparations were before he hazarded on a Rupture lest if they had the start of him all his faithful Servants in Scotland should be ruined ere he could come to their rescue England wanted not its own Discontents and they in Scotland seemed confident that they had many good Friends there France had not forgot the Isle of Rhea and had certainly a hand in cherishing those Broils in Scotland He also added the Covenanters resolution was upon the first Rupture to march into England and make that the seat of the War Upon all this he craved His Majesties Pleasure which he would punctually obey and ended begging pardon for the fair hopes he had given him in his last protesting that his desire of seeing Royal Authority again settled without a bloody Decision for which he was gladly willing to sacrifice his Life made him too easie sometimes to believe what he so earnestly desired Thus I give the most material Heads of the Marquis his Dispatches to His Majesty for though the Originals of them be in my hands yet they are not inserted both because of their being too long and too particular for publick view as also that the substance of them may be seen in the Kings Answers which for many reasons are set down at their full length But to this I shall adde a surprising thing that I find the Archbishop of S. Andrews was for accepting an Explanation of the Covenant for a draught of it yet remains under his Pen which follows The Archbishop of S. Andrews his draught of an Explanation WE the Noblemen Barons Burgesses Ministers and others that have joyned in a late Bond or Covenant for the maintaining of true Religion and purity of Gods Worship in this Kingdom having understood that Our Sovereign Lord the Kings Majesty is with this our doing highly offended as if we thereby had usurped His Majesties Authority and shaken off all Obedience to His Majesty and to His Laws for clearing our selves of that Imputation do hereby declare and in the presence of God Almighty solemnly protest that it did never so much as enter into our thoughts to derogate any thing from His Majesties Power and Authority Royal or to disobey and rebell against His Majesties Laws and that all our Proceedings hitherto by Petitioning Protesting Covenanting and whatsoever other way was and is onely for the maintaining of true Religion by us professed and with express reservation of our Obedience to His most Sacred Majesty most humbly beseeching His Majesty so to esteem and accept of us that he will be graciously pleased to call a National Assembly and Parliament for removing the Fears we have not without cause as we think conceived of introducing in this Church another form of Worship than what we have been accustomed with as likewise for satisfying our just Grievances and the settling of a constant and solid Order to be kept in all time coming as well in the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government which if we shall by the intercession of Your Grace obtain we faithfully promise according to our bounden duties to continue in His Majesties Obedience and at our utmost powers to procure the same during our Lives and for the same to rest and remain Your Graces obliged Servants c. His Majesties Answer follows Hamilton I Do not wonder though I am very sorry for your last Dispatch to which I shall answer nothing concerning what you have done or mean to doe because I have approved all and still desire you to believe I do so untill I shall contradict it with my own Hand What now I write is first to shew you in what Estate I am and then to have your Advice in some things My Train of Artillery consisting of 40 Peece of Ordnance with the appurtenances all Drakes half and more â—f which are to be drawn with one or two Horses apiece is in good forwardness and I hope will be ready within six weeks for I am sure there wants neither Money nor Materials to doe it with I have taken as good order as I can for the present for securing of Carlisle and Berwick but of this you
the Enacting of what they had designed the former Year and their Acts though of great importance yet meeting no opposition were quickly dispatched all which with a Prologue and Epilogue of two high Declarations were sent in the Packet to the Earl of Lanerick with the following Letter written by a Committee of Lords they had left to sit at Edinburgh Right Honourable IT is not unknown to your Lordship with what difficulties this Kingdom hath wrestled this time past A Letter from the Committee of Parliament to Lanerick in asserting their Religion and Liberties against the dealings of bad Instruments with His Majesty to the contrary The Means which they have used have been no other but such as they humbly petitioned and obtained from His Majesty a Free National Assembly and Parliament The Assembly went on in a fair way and was closed with the liking and full consent of His Majesties Commissioner but the Parliament indicted by His Majesty was prorogated till the Reasons of the Demands of the Estates were rendred to His Majesty which having done by their Commissioners they kept the second of June the day appointed by His Majesty for the sitting of the Parliament An. 1639. And after diligent Inquiry hearing nothing from His Majesty nor His Commissioner neither by their own Commissioners or any other sent from His Majesty which might hinder the Parliament to proceed to the settling of their Religion and Liberties after mature Deliberation and long waiting for some signification of His Majesties Pleasure they have all with one consent resolved upon certain Acts which they have judged to be most necessary and conducible for His Majesties Honour and the Peace of the Kingdom so far endangered by Delays and have committed to us the Trust to shew you so much and withall to send a just Copy of the Acts that by your Lordship His Majesties principal Secretary for Scotland they may be presented to His Majesty The Declaration prefix'd to the particular Acts and the Petition in the end contain so full Expressions of the Warrants of the Proceedings of the Estates and of their humbly continued Desires that no word needs to be added by us We do therefore in their Name according to the Trust committed to us desire your Lordship all other ways of Information being stopt with the presenting of these Acts of Parliament to represent unto His Majesty against all Suspicions Suggestions and Tentations to the contrary the constant Love and Loyalty of this Kingdom unto His Majesties Royal Authority and Person as their Native King and kindly Monarch and that they are seeking nothing but the establishing of their Religion and Liberties under His Majesties Government that they may still be a free Kingdom to doe His Majesty all the Honour and Service that becometh humble Subjects that their Extremity is greater through the Hostility and Violence threatned by Arms and already done to them in their Persons and Goods by Castles within and Ships without the Kingdom than they can longer endure and that as His Majesty loveth His Own Honour and the Well of this His Ancient Kingdom speedy course may be taken for their relief and quieâ—ness and that if this their faithful Remonstrance which as the great Council of the Kingdom they found themselves bound to make at this time for their Exoneration be passed over in silence or answered with delays they must prepare and provide for their own Deliverance and Safety We are very hopeful that your Lordship as a good Patriot and according to the Obligement of your Place will not be deficient in that Duty for your Native Country and send us a speedy Answer as we shall in every Duty be careful at all occasions to shew our selves Your Lordships humble Servants Signed Balmerino Burghly Napier Thomas Hop J. Murray J. Hamilton G. Dundas J. Smith Ed. Eggar Tho. Paterson Ja. Sword Edinburgh 17 June 1640. The Covenanters did also sign a Bond among themselves for adhering to these Acts and prosecuting of those who had been the Incendiaries from the beginning of the these Stirs the Marquis and Traquair being the chief of them The King is highly offended But all this gave great Offence at Court the King looking upon it as a bolder Attempt than any yet made which struck at the root of His Authority and overturned the Fundamental Laws of Scotland and therfore he judged himself bound to repair this Affront with the Sword God had put in his Hands An. 1640. At this time the Marquis got the following Memorial sent him from my Lord Lowdon out of the Tower of London written all with Lowdon's Hand and yet extâ—nt Memorandum for the Lord Lowndon TO speak to the Marquis of Hamilton Lowdon moves for his Enlargment that according to that Interest of Bloud and the Confidence which the Lord Lowdon reposeth in him his Lordship may be pleased to intercede seriously with the King that His Majesty may be Graciously pleased to consider of the Petitions and Informations which have been tendered to His Majesty from the Lord Lowdon and for him from Scotland which do abundantly clear his Innocency concerning that French Letter in respect of the time and occasion of writing that Letter the Letter it self being onely for Mediation and Intercession as is clear by the Instructions yet extant to have been sent with that Letter which are the true Commentary of the Letter The Letter it self was never sent nor used but rejected and no other Letter sent It was written long before the Pacification wherein His Majesty was Graciously pleased to pass all preceding Deeds in Oblivion The Lord Lowdon came hither upon His Majesties Own Warrant which is sufficient for his Indempnity and Return till he be exonered of his Imployment He came from the Parliament with Commission from them to shew His Majesty the Reasons of their Demands trusting confidently in His Majesties Iustice and Goodness and with most Loyal Affection and Ardent Desires to have given His Majesty satisfaction and to have returned with no less Fidelity and Forwardness in carrying and pressing His Majesties Royal and Iust Commands during which time he could expect nothing less than that he would be called in question for a prior Deed all which are most manifest by the Petitions and Informations presented to His Sacred Majesty Therefore I most humbly beseech that His Majesty may be Graciously pleased to consider of the former Petitions and true Informations which being pondered in the Balance of His Majesties Righteous Iudgment I am most confident my Innocency will appear clearly to His Majesty and that I will find such a speedy delivery as may give demonstration to the World of His Majesties Iustice and Goodness and as may not onely from the Conscience of my Duty but likewise from the sense of His Royal Benignity encourage me ever to contribute my best Endeavours for furthering of His Majesties Service And if His Majesty be not fully satisfied with my humble
Petitions and true Informations of my Innocency and Loyalty but doth notwithstanding thereof harbour any opinion of my Disloyalty or casting off my dutiful Obedience and Subjection to His Majesty or offering Subjection to any other King or Potentate in the World I am content to undergo the most exact Trial which is agreeable to the Laws of that Kingdom by which onely I ought to be judged rather than lie under such a heavy Imputation which to me who am conscious of my own Innocency and of my most tender and humble Duty towards His Majesty is more grievous than my Sufferings which can onely prejudice and hurt me and my private Estate but can no ways conduce for advancing of His Majesties Service but rather be a hinderance to the Accommodation of Affairs whereas my Liberty or lawful Trial will serve for the Illustration of His Majesties Iustice to the World and will make His Subjects without fear of danger to tender their humble Suits and Remonstrances at the Throne of His Royal Iustice. An. 1639. Upon this the Marquis pressed the King much for my Lord Lowdon's Enlargement since the Covenanters made great noise with it in all their Complaints The Marquis treats with him by the Kings Order and pretended that they durst send up no more Commissioners and therefore they sent their Acts in the Packet He did also shew His Majesty that he knew by the Lieutenant of the Tower that Lowdon was very fearful wherefore he desired permission from the King to try what this Fear could draw from him and to see if his Enlargement with the hopes of a Noble Reward could engage him to the Kings Service which if obtained might prove of great advantage since the Irritations he had received would make his Advices less suspected in Scotland His Majesty approving this he treated with Lowdon and found him abundantly pliant and so on the 26th of Iune he agreed with him on these Terms which he got under Lowdon's Hand in two Papers yet extant THE Lord Lowdon doth promise to contribute his faithful and uttermost Endeavours for His Majesties Service and furthering of a happy Peace and shall with all possible diligence and care go about the same and shall labour that His Majesties Subjects of Scotland may in all humility petition that His Majesty may be Graciously pleased to authorize a Commissioner with full Power from His Majesty to establish the Religion and Liberty of that His Majesties Native and Ancient Kingdom according to the Articles of Pacification and that by a new Convening or Session of the Parliament without cohesion or dependence on what hath been done by themselves without His Majesties Presence or of a Commissioner to represent His Majesties Royal Person and Power That if there be not an Army already convened in Scotland in a Body he shall endeavour that they shall not convene nor come together during the time of Treaty in hope of Accommodation and if they be already convened in a Body before his return he will labour that they may dissolve and return to their several Shires or dispose so of them that they remain not in one Body as may best evince that they intend not to come into England but may carry themselves in that respective way as may best testifie their Duty to His Majesty and their Desires of Peace That if General Ruthwen shall happen to become their Prisoner they may as a testimony of their desire to shun every thing which may provoke His Majesties displeasure preserve him and that the Lord Lowdon will shew how far he is engaged for his Safety That when Affairs shall be brought to a Treaty in Parliament and that His Majesty shall be Graciously pleased to settle the Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom according to the Articles of Pacification he will endeavour that the Kings Authority shall not be entrenched upon nor diminished that they may give a real demonstration to the World how tender and careful they are that His Majesties Royal Power may be preserved both in Church and State That what is done or imparted to the Lord Lowdon concerning His Majesties Pleasure shall be kept secret and not revealed to any here further than His Majesty shall think expedient That the Lord Lowdon shall as soon as conveniently he can return an account of his Diligence There was given with this another Paper which follows An. 1640 Memorandum of what passed betwixt the Marquis of Hamilton and me 26 Iune 1640. BEcause no great matters can be well effectuated without Trust Fidelity and Secrecy therefore it is fit that we swear Fidelity and Secrecy to others and that I shall faithfully contribute my best Endeavours for performance of what I undertake and that my Lord Marquis doe the like to me Our desires and designs do tend mainly for Preservation of Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom the Kings Honour and of His Royal Authority and for establishing of a happy Peace and preventing of Wars and we are to advise and resolve upon such ways and means as may best conduce for these ends If after using of our utmost Endeavours it be not Gods will that we may be so happy as to obtain such a Peace in haste as may content the King and satisfie his Subjects till differences draw to a greater height and beginning of Wars to resolve what is fit to be done in case of such an Extremity for attaining a wished Peace and to condescend what course we shall take for keeping of Correspondence If my Endeavours and Service which doubtless will put me to a great deal of expence and pains shall prove useful for His Majesties Service and Honour and the Good of the Kingdom which are inseparable the Marquis will intercede really and imploy his best Endeavours with the King to acknowledge and recompence the Lord Lowdon 's Travels and Service in such manner as a Gracious King and Master should doe to a diligent and faithful Servant Upon this Lowdon was enlarged next day Lowdon is enlarged and permitted to go down to Scotland but those who did not know the Secret of this thought the King had weakened himself much by letting go an Hostage of such importance and this gave new Suspicions of the Marquis his Tamperings with the Covenanters His Majesty commanded the Earl of Lanerick to write by the Lord Lowdon the following Answer to the Letter sent up by the Lords of Scotland with the Acts they had lately passed My Lords BY my former of the Date the 23th of June Lanerick 's Answer to the Committee in Scotland His Majesty was pleased to promise by me to let you know within few days His further Pleasure concerning those Proceedings and Desires of the Noblemen and Barons and Burgesses which you sent me to be presented to His Majesty whereupon he hath now commanded me to tell you that the not proroguing of the Parliament in a Legal and Formal way was not for want of clear
Instructions and of full and ample Power from His Majesty He having fully signified His Pleasure to those whom He did entrust with the executing thereof not thinking it fit to imploy other Servants of greater Eminence by reason of the disorders and iniquities of the Times and as forced by the importance of his other great and weighty Affairs He was necessitated to prorogue the Parliament for some few days so did He most really intend to perform at the time prefixed whatsoever He had promised by the Act of Pacification But neither can the neglect of His Servants if any be nor those other Reasons alledged by the foresaid Noblemen Barons and Burgesses in their Declaration for their Sitting satisfie His Majesty for their proceeding in a Parliamentary way since by the Duty and Allegeance of Subjects they are bound to acknowledge in a most special manner His Transcendent Power in Parliaments and if Subjects there do assume the Power of Making Laws and of Rescinding those already made what Act can be done more derogatory to that Regal Power and Authority we are all sworn to maintain Therefore His Majesty conceives they cannot in reason expect He can interpose His Royal Authority to these or any other Acts whatsoever whereto neither He in His own Royal Person nor by His Commissioner did assist Yet such is His Majesties Clemency that when they shall take such an Humble and Dutiful way as may witness that they are as careful and tender of His Majesties Royal Power as they are desirous of His Approbation then shall it be time for them to expect such a Gracious and Iust Answer as may testifie His Majesties Fatherly Compassion of that His Native Kingdom and his Pious and Princely care of performing whatsoever is necessary for establishing their Religion and Laws So thus having imparted unto you all that was enjoyned me by His Majesty I shall say no more from my self but I am Your Lordships humble Servant LANERICK Whitehall 27th of June 1640. My Lord Lowdon found matters at so great a height that he was able to do little more than give intelligence that he delivered the Letter to the Lords at Edinburgh who returned to it the following Answer My Lord The Reply of the Committee WE received your Lordships Letter of the 27th of June from the Lord Lowdon whose relief out of Prison gives us occasion before we answer your Lordships Letter to acknowledge the same as an act of His Majesties Royal Iustice and Goodness although the pretended cause of his Imprisonment was but a malicious Calumny of the Enemies of the Kings Honour and our Peace forged to engage both His Majesties Kingdoms in a National War As we cannot but regrate that any neglect of His Majesties Officers or absence of His Commissioner whose presence we did both desire and expect should hinder the interposing of His Royal Authority to these Acts of Parliament which were found most necessary for establishing Religion and the Peace of this Kingdom and which according to the Acts of Pacification His Majesty was graciously pleased to promise so we have and shall still endeavour to give demonstration of that tender Respect we have of His Majesties Honour and Royal Power And whereas your Lordships Letter doth imply that we should take some other way for the more easie obtaining His Majesties Approbation which also by several reasons hath been most instantly pressed by the Lord Lowdon yet we conceive that Parliamentary way which was taken by the Estates convened by His Majesties Special Warrant to have been most Legal and necessary and no ways derogatory to His Majesties Power in Parliament nor contrary to the Duty of good Subjects who are warranted by the Articles of Pacification under His Majesties Hand to determine all Civil questions ratifie the Conclusions of the Assembly and remove the present Distractions of this Kingdom as is more abundantly demonstrated by their Declaration in Parliament thereabout So that we dare not take any other Course which may entrench upon their Parliamentary Power or Proceedings nor will we being so few in number appointed by them to stay here presume of our selves in a matter of so great moment to return a more full and particular Answer till there be a more frequent Meeting of those appointed by Parliament which will be shortly and then your Lordship shall be acquainted that you may shew His Majesty their Resolutions and humble Desires and we shall remain Your Lordships affectionate Friends and Servants Signed Lindsay Balmerino Burghly Napier J. Murray G. Dundas Ja. Sword J. Forbes Ed. Eggar Edinburgh 7th of July 1640. They went on with their Preparations The Preparations are great in Scotland and caused all to bring in the tenth Peny of their Rents to make this War look like a Sacred one since carried on by the Tithes and ordered their Forces to be drawn together Mean while the King went on at as good a pace as he could and went from London in the end of Iuly to make his Rendezvous at York The Earl of Strafford staid some time behind partly for Sickness partly to see what Money could be borrowed from London and at this time there were great and high Misunderstandings between him and Sir Henry Vane both making their Complaints to the Marquis by their Letters Strafford was also to bring an Army out of Ireland upon the West of Scotland whereupon they in Scotland drew their Forces together in the end of August and resolved to march into England and make that the Seat of the War pretending as by their Declaration then emitted doth appear that their Trade was block't up by English Ships that in England and Ireland Scotishmen were proceeded against for taking the Covenant and the English Council had voted a War with them wherefore they said they were constrained to go into England with their Petitions declaring they came not to invade England but to avert the Invasion of their Country that was designed adding that they should be so far from doing prejudice to any in England that severe Justice should be executed upon those who took any thing in England without payment And about this time Ruthwen being for many months block't up in the Castle of Edinburgh so that Victuals and Ammunition were spent his Water also failed and most of his Souldiers died was forced to Capitulate and render up the Castle of the Covenanters But not to stand too long on matters universally known as soon as they entred England The Scotish Army enters England the King by Proclamation declared them Traytors on the 22th of August yet they went on and when they came to the Ford of Tine at Newburn some miles above Newcastle they found it guarded by a Body of Foot who had raised a Brest-work near the River and lay there to obstruct their passage Yet no sooner did the Scottish Cannon begin to play but they struck with Fear threw down their Arms and run away whereupon the General
passed over with some Troops and they were encountred by three Troops commanded by Wilmot whom after a little Dispute they routed their Officers were taken Prisoners and some were killed And after this the whole Body of the English Army that lay there marched to Newcastle which consisted of 2000 Horse and 9000 Foot the Disorder among them was the greater The English Forces are routed and flie at Newburn because the Lord Conway who Commanded had gone that day from the Camp to Dine at a place about a miles distance called Stella The Scots continued passing till it was late and lay in the Fields all night next day they marched towards New-Castle and were beginning to be in some strait for they had driven as many Cattle out of Scotland with them as served hitherto for their Provision and were resolved to take nothing in England but for payment which would have been a vast charge to them They purposed therefore to summon New-Castle and in case it yielded not to threaten to burn all the Coaleries which lay on the South-side though they designed not the executing of that for fear of making the Rupture beyond remedy But as they were marching doubtful what Course to take they met a Scotchman who had been a prisoner at Durham he told them how that morning by six a Clock all the English Forces had marched throw Durham in great haste whereupon they went forward and found New-Castle open to them and there they took up their Quarters and found great Magazins of Provision which the King had laid in for his Army and by those they maintained their Army a great while This Loss and Affront went very near the Kings Heart who begun to fear this years Success as much as he had done the last After this the Lords of the Covenant wrote the following Letter to the Earl of Lanerick by one Cathcart Noble Lord AS we have ever professed and declared as well by our Words as Actions that the Grounds of our Desires are and ever shall be the redress of Wrongs and reparations of our Losses and that we will never leave off in all humility to Supplicate His Majesty for the same so this hath moved us now being come this length yet again humbly â—o Petition His Majesty to take our Case to Consideration and grant our Desires We are debarred from sending or carrying our Supplications in the ordinary way which makes us have our Address to your Lordship Intreating your Lordship in our Names to present this our Petition herein inclosed to His Majesty and in all humility to beg an Answer thereunto to be sent with the Bearer to us who shall ever endeavour to approve our selves His Majesties Loyal Subjects and most unwilling to shed any Christian Blood far less the English whereof we have given very good prooff by our bygone Carriage to every one who hath with Violence opposed us yea even to those who entred in Blood with us and were taken Prisoners whom we have let go with Meat and Money notwithstanding that all those of ours who did but deboar'd from their Quarters are miserably massacred by these whom we can tearm no otherwise than Cut-throats Our behaviour to these in New-Castle can witness our Intention which is to live at peace with all and rather to suffer then to offend We bought all with our money and they have extortioned us to the triple value the Panick fear made most of them leave the Town and stop their own Trade but we have studied to solve their doubts As all our Actions shall ever tend to that which is Iust and Right so we could wish they were interpreted to a true sense and whatever may be the event of business we hope the blame shall not lie upon Your Lordships affectionate Friends to serve you Signed Rothes Cassilis Dumferline Lindsay Lowdon Napier Tho. Hope W. Richarton J. Swith P. Hepburn D. Hoom Keir Ja. Sword J. Rutherford Leager beside New-Castle 2d September 1640. POSTSCRIPT We intreat Your Lordship to let the Bearer have a Pass for his safe Return to us The Petition inclosed was presented by him to His Majesty which follows To the Kings Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble Petition of the Commissioners of the late Parliament and others of His Majesties Loyal Subjects of the Kingdom of Scotland They Petition the King Humbly Sheweth THat Whereas after our many Sufferings the time past extreme necessity hath constrained us for our Relief and obtaining our Humble and Iust Desires to come into England where according to our Intentions formerly declared we have in all our Iourney lived upon our own Means and Victuals and Goods brought a long with us and neither troubling the Peace of the Kingdom nor harming any of Your Majesties Subjects of whatsoever quality in their Persons or Goods but have carried our selves in a most peaceable manner till we were pressed by strength of Arms to put such Forces out of the way as did without our deserving and as some of them have at the point of death confessed against their own Consciences opposed our peaceable passage at New-burn on Tine and have brought their Blood upon their own Heads against our purposes and desires expressed in our Letters sent unto them at New-Castle for preventing the like or greater Inconveniences And that we may without further opposition come into Your Majesties Presence for obtaining from Your Majesties Iustice and Goodness satisfaction to our just Demands we Your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects do still insist in that submiss way of Petitioning which we have keeped since the beginning and from which no provocation of Your Majesties Enemies and ours no adversity that we have before sustained nor prosperous success can befall us shall be able to divert our minds Most humbly intreating That Your Majesty would in the depth of Your Royal Wisdom consider at last our pressing Grievances provide for the Repairing of our wrongs and losses and with the advice and consent of the Estates of the Kingdom of England convened in Parliament settle a firm and durable Peace against all Invasion by Sea or Land that we may with chearfulness of heart pay unto Your Majesty as our Native King all Duty and Obedience that can be expected from Loyal Subjects and that against the many and great Evils which at this time threaten both Kingdoms whereat all Your Majesties good and loving Subjects tremble to think and which we beseech God Almighty in mercy timeously to avert Your Majesties Throne may be established in the midst of us in Religion and Righteousness and Your Majesties Gracious Answer we humbly desire and earnestly wait for The King having considered their Petition commanded my Lord Lanerick to write the following Answer Dated at His Majesties Court at York the 5th of September 1640. His Majesties Answer HIS Majesty hath seen and considered this Petition and is Graciously pleased to return this Answer by me that he finds it in such general terms
We exspect your best endeavors as a real Testimony of your Affection to Our Service We do likewise think fit that a Double of all such Instructions as have already been given or shall hereafter be given to the Commissioners be sent Vs which will exceedingly conduce to the shunning of unnecessary Mistakings And in case there come any Dispute betwixt Vs and Our Parliament here about the Nomination of Officers and Councellors We hope you will remember upon what Grounds We were induced to yield in this particular to the desires of Our Subjects in Scotland it being Our necessary absence from that Our Native Country and you in private did often promise upon occasion to declare that this Kingdom ought not to urge it as a Precedent for the like to them the Reasons not being the same therefore now you are to think upon the most convenient way to make good that Promise and labour to prevent so great an Inconvenience unto Vs which We expect from you as one of the most acceptable Services can be done unto Vs. CHARLES R. Windsor 26th January 1642. POSTSCRIPT With His Majesties own Hand I have commanded this My Servant Mungo Murray to tell you some things which I think not fit to write therefore desiring you to trust what he will say to you from Me I will now only add that your Affections rightly expressed to Me at this time will do Me an unspeakable Service to the effecting of which I expect much from your particular Affection and Dexterity His Majesty also wrote to the same purpose to the Marquis of Argyle and added the following Postscript with His own Hand I Cannot but thank you for your Letter I received by Kinnoul it being the performance of a Promise you made at my last being in Scotland not doubting but you will perform the rest with the same cheerfulness And I assure you this is a time wherein the kything of your Affection to Me will do Me an unexpressible Service as Mungo Murray will tell you more at large whom I desire you to trust in what he shall tell you from Me. CHARLES R. Windsor 26th January 1642. His Majesty named the Officers of the Army that was to go over to the relief of the Protestants in Ireland choosing them so that they might be most acceptable to Scotland and this he did both to gain the more upon them by his Confidence as also to set those troublesom People out of the way though this turned to the great prejudice of his Affairs in Scotland as shall afterwards appear But for this Advice the Marquis deserved no share of the Blame for the King left him behind at London to see what could be effectuated by Mediation with those of the Peers whom he knew to love him and it appears by the following Note that he continued in His Majesties Confidence Hamilton I Desire you to come hither to morrow not only to end our last Discourse but also upon other business of great Importance and you shall find that I am Your constant Friend CHARLES R. Windsor 1st February 1642. What that business was does not appear to the Writer When the King withdrew further from the Parliament and went Northwards the Marquis was kept at London by a great Sickness of some months continuance The King leaves the Parliament and the Marquis stays at â—ondon being sick the length of it being occasioned by his frequent relapses into Fevers and a lingering Recovery out of them yet his ill-willers at Court represented the story of his Sickness to be but feigned that under that pretext he might desert the King when he needed his Service most But he hearing of this was resolved to be carried sick as he was to the King which the King knowing commanded him to stay till God gave him Strength to come without prejudice to his Health In March the Treaty between the Parliament of England and Scotland was closed The Treaty with Scotland for the relief of Ireland is ended and among other Articles one was cast in That an Vniformity of Religion should be endeavoured betwixt the Kingdoms But the King would do nothing that might seem to stop the Irish business and therefore gave way to it though he smelled the design of it abundantly well Besides the words being conceived in general Terms he would not oppose them since he judged an Uniformity of Religion was to be endeavoured as well as they did but with this odds that he thought the Standard of it should be taken from England As soon as this went home the Scotish Armies went over speedily in the beginning of April And the Scotish Council wrote to His Majesty and the Two Houses that they designed to send the Marquis of Argyle over to Ireland but first to send him and the Earl of Lowdon to London to mediate betwixt the King and the Houses with which His Majesty was pleased But the Houses excused it in a fair way pretending that they judged Argyle's presence necessary in Scotland Many wondred whence this Jealousie of him did flow some thought it was because the King consented to it and therefore they misdoubted him others apprehended that their Jealousie was founded on the Friendship that was betwixt the Marquis and him and that finding the Marquis so inflexibly firm to the Kings Interest and averse from theirs they feared that Argyle's Friendships and his was founded on the same designs New Calumnies on the Marquis At this timâ— some of the Marquis his Enemies represented to His Majesty that he made Offers of the Militia to the Houses with other things highly derogatory to His Majesties Authority and that he pretended a Warrant for those Offers was sent him by Mr. Murray of the Bed-Chamber These were the bad offices some fiery spirits studied to do to all who endeavoured the quenching of that Flame which was like to devour Britain but notice being given of this to the Marquis he wrote Mr. Murray this Answer Worthy Friend IT is no new thing for me to find my self traduced to His Majesty but I should wonder very much of which he clears himself if he give Credit to a Report grounded upon such Improbabilities for if His Majesty would be pleased to call to mind how oft he repeated to me that He would never condescend to the Parliaments Demands concerning the Militia no not for an Hour in the way it was I am sure He will not think that I could engage my self to the Parliament that He would perform that which He never gave me Ground to believe my self And as for His return to London I likewise affirm He never gave me cause to hope let be to engage my self to the Parliament for it I have had the Honour to be intrusted in divers Employments from Him and He knows I never exceeded His Instructions I hope He will not now think me so mad or so great a Knave as to do that which might bring Him any Inconvenience for why
wherein it is represented that your Lordships late Warrant for Printing His Majesties Letter hath occasioned great Grief and heavy Regrate of all who tender the Glory of God His Majesties Honour and procuring Vnity of Religion and Vniformity in Church-Government the continuance of Peace and Vnion betwixt the two Kingdoms and fearing if at this time we should be silent your Lordships should conceive us and the rest of the Kingdom to be involved with them in the like Desires Iudgements and Opinions and lest by our silence our Gracious Soveraign the Kings Majesty should believe us wanting in the Duty and Allegiance which by so many Tyes and Obligations we owe to Him our Native King or that our Brethren of England should apprehend the least Intention â—r Desire in us to infringe or any ways to encroach upon the Brotherly Vnion of the two Kingdoms so happily united under one Head We presume in all Humility to clear our selves and our Intentions to your Lordships and to all the World and therewith to represent our humble Wishes and Desires for Establishing His Majesties Royal Authority and continuing that happy Vnion betwixt the two Kingdoms which can never truely be conceived to be intended to weaken the Head whereby it is knit together and without which it can have no subsistence The happy Vnion of the two Kingdoms under one Head our King doth so much add to His Majesties Greatness and Strength of both Kingdoms that we British Subjects cannot choose but wish that the said Brotherly Vnion be heartily entertained and cherished by all fair and reasonable means to which we conceive no one thing will so much conduce as that the late Articles of the Treaty of Peace and Conclusions taken thereupon about Vnity of Religion may be carefully and timeously prosecuted wherein as our Commissioners then so we now without presuming or usurping to prescribe Rules or Laws of Reformation to our neighbour-Neighbour-kingdom Civil Liberty and Conscience being so tender that it cannot endure to be touched but by such as they are wedded to and have lawful Authority over them notwithstanding seeing the duty of Charity doth oblige all Christians to pray and profess their Desires that all were of the same Religion with themselves and since we all acknowledge that Religion is the base and foundation of Kingdoms and the strongest Bond to knit the Subjects to their Princes in true Loyalty and to knit their Hearts one to another in true Vnity we cannot but heartily wish that this work of Vnion so happily begun may be crowned and strengthened by the Vnity of Church-Government and that your Lordships with us may be pleased to represent it to His Majesty and Both Houses of Parliament as an expression and Testimony of our Affections to the good of our Brethren in England and of our Desires to make firm and stable our Brotherly Vnion by the strong chain and Bulwark of Religion but as we have said no ways intending thereby to pass our bounds in prescribing and setting down Rules and Limits to His Majesty and the Two Houses of Parliament their Wisdom and Authority in the way of prosecution thereof The sense we have of the great Calamities and irreparable Evils which upon occasion of these unhappy Distractions and Mistakes betwixt the Kings Majesty and the Two Houses of England which if not speedily removed cannot but produce the fearful and prodigious effects of a bloody and Civil War obligeth us in the duty of Christians and as feeling members of what may concern our Common Head the Kings Majesty and the Good and Happiness of our Brethren of England humbly to represent to your Lordships That as we will not be wanting with our Prayers and our faithful and best Endeavours to assist in the removing of these unhappy Mistakes and Misunderstandings so we heartily wish and humbly Petition your Lordships that from the deepness of your Wisdom such happy Motions may flow as upon that tender care of our Soveraigns Person and Authority Peace and Truth may be settled in all His Majesties Dominions Although we will not presume nor take upon us to prescribe Laws and Rules to your Lordships yet in all Humility we intreat your permission to represent such Particulars as we conceive and are very confident will conduce much to the removing of all â—hese Mistakes betwixt His Majesty and His Two Houses of Parliament and be a ready mean to facilitate a happy and wished Peace and continue the Brotherly Vnion between the Two Kingdoms And first that in answering the foresaid Petition your Lordships may be pleased to do no Act which may give His Majesty just occasion to repent him of what Trust he so Graciously expressed in his Letter of the Date the fifth of December He reposes in us His Subjects of His Ancient and Native Kingdom for we cannot think that our Brethren in England or any other can believe that the ground of this Mutual Vnion of the two Kingdoms by the several and respective Vnions to our Prince and Head should weaken the strong Bond whereby it is knit and by which we are so firmly tied by so many Ages and unparalelled lineal descents of an hundred and seven Kings Neither can we suppose that any good Protestant or true member of our Church can imagine far less seduce others to believe that by the late Treaty of Peace or Act of Vnion we as Scotish Subjects are in any sort liberated from the Dutiful Obedience which as Scotishmen we owe to our Scotish King or from that due Loyalty which as Scotish Subjects we owe to our Native Soveraign for Maintenance of His Person Greatness and Authority or that thereby we are in any other Condition in these necessary Duties to our Soveraign than we and our Ancestors were and have been these many Ages and Descents before the making of the said Act or before the Swearing and Subscribing of our late Covenant by which we have solemnly sworn and do swear not only our mutual Concurrence and Assistance for the cause of Religion and to the utmost of our power with our Means and Lives to stand to the Defence of our Dread Soveraign His Person and Authority in the preservation of Religion Liberty and Laws of this Church and Kingdom but also in every Cause which may concern His Majesties Honour we shall according to the Laws of this Kingdom and Duty of Subjects concur with our Friends and Followers in quiet manner or in Arms as we shall be required of His Majesty or His Councel or any having His Authority Secondly That if your Lordships think it fitting to make any answer to the Parliament of England their Declaration your Lordships may be pleased not to declare enact or promise any thing which may trouble or molest the Peace of this Kirk and Kingdom which by God's special Grace and His Majesties Favour and Goodness we enjoy and have established unto us according to our Hearts desire by the Laws Ecclesiastical or Civil of
marks of His Majesties Favour and Confidence in the disposal of all Offices and Places at Court that every third time they should be filled with Scotish men together with other particulars not needful to be mentioned But against all this it was objected that those who had the Ascendant in the Councils at Oxford were either Papists or men of Arbitrary Principles and the Clamours that always follow Generals and Armies where there is no certain Pay were carried to Scotland not without great additions against the Kings Forces to possess people with a deep alienation from them It was likewise said that since the King notwithstanding the Declining of his Affairs in England would not grant what was desired there about Episcopacy it might be from thence gathered what he would do if his Arms were successful and therefore all People were possessed with the jealousies of his subverting the whole Settlement with Scotland assoon as he had put the War in England to a happy Conclusion And though it was answered to this that the Kings putting things to hazard rather than sin against his Conscience was the greatest assurance possible that he would faithfully observe what He had granted to this Malicious people said that it would be easie to find distinctions to escape from all Engagements and if the putting down of Episcopacy was simply sinful according to the Kings Conscience then that alone would furnish Him with a very good reason to overturn all since no Men are bound to observe the promises they make when they are sinful upon the Matter And these Reasons did generally prevail with the Covenanters to refuse to joyn with the Kings Party in England therefore they concluded it necessary to Engage with the Two Houses both because the Cause was dear to them it being a pretence for Religion and Liberty It was also said often that they owed their Settlement partly to the backwardness of the Armies the King had raised against them in England and partly to the Council of the Peers who had advised the King to grant a Treaty and afterwards a full Settlement to them And that Paper which was sent down in the Year 1640 as the Engagement of 28 of the Peers of England for their Concurrence with the Scotish Army that year was shown to divers to engage them unto a Grateful return to those to whom it was pretended they were so highly obliged For though the Earl of Rothes and a few more were well satisfied about the Forgery of that Paper yet they thought that a Secret of too great Importance to be generally known therefore it was still kept up from the Body of that Nation And upon these Pretences and Inducements it was that it came to be generally agreed to to enter into a Confederacy with the Two Houses So Fatal did the Breach between the King and his People prove that even when it seemed to be well made up by a full Agreement there was still an after-game of Jealousies and Fears which did again widen it by a new Rupture which to these men seemed at this time unavoidable otherwise they found the ease of a Neutrality to be such that the Men of the greatest Interest in those Councils have often told the Writer they had never engaged again had it not been for those Jealousies with which they were possessed to a high degree There was a Committee of Nine appointed to Treat with the Commissioners the English pressed chiefly a Civil League and the Scots a Religious one but though the English yielded to this yet they were careful to leave a door open for Independency Thus the Treaty with the English Commissioners went on notwithstanding a Letter the King wrote to the Chancellour to be communicated to the Council requiring them not to Treat with them since they came without His Majesties Order but they who had leaped over all other matters could not stand at this And now came to light that which had been a hatching these many Months among the Iunto's which was the Solemn League and Covenant which follows The Solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens and Burgesses The Solemn League and Covenant Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of Scotland England and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of GOD and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the Honour and Happiness of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdom wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to mind the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of GOD against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their Rage Power and Presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and Solemn League and Covenant Wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high GOD do Swear THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of GOD endeavour in our several Places and Callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and Vniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechising that we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to
receive of their Plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms And to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms That the World may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just Power and Greatness We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any faction or parties amongst the People contrary to this League and Covenant That they may be brought to publick Trial and receive condign Punishment as the degree of their Offences shall require or deserve or the Supreme Iudicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denyed in former times to our Progenitors is by the good Providence of GOD granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and settled by both Parliaments We shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Vnion to all posterity and that Iustice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing And shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether â—o make deâ—ection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the Glory of GOD the Good of the Kingdoms and Honour of the King But shall all the days of our lives zealously and constantly continâ—e therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all â—ets and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be fully prevented or removed And which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against GOD and his Son Iesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before GOD and the World our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts to walk worthy of him in our liâ—es which are the causes of other sins and transgreâ—sions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desâ—re and endeavoâ—r for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and in private in all Duties we owe to God and Man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation That the Lord may turn away his wrath and heâ—vy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty GOD the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great Day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for thâ—â— end and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his People and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant To the Glory of GOD the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Iesus Christ and the peace and tranquility of Christâ—an Kingdoms and Commonwealths This was offered to the Assembly on the 17th of August The Censures that generally were passed on it and after it was publickly read Mr. Henderson being then Moderator had a long Speech about it Then it was read the second time and many of the most eminent Ministers and Lay-Elders were desired to deliver their Opinions about it who did all magnifie it highly and though the Kings Commissioner pressed a Delay till at least it were communicated to the King yet the approving it was put to the Vote and carried unanimously and they ordered the Lord Maitland the now Duke of Lauderdale and Mr. Henderson and Mr. Gillespy to carry it up to the Two Houses at Westminster On the same day it was also approved in the Convention Wise Obfervers wondered to see a matter of that Importance carried through upon so little Deliberation or Debate It was thougâ—t strange to see all their Consciences of such a size so exactly to agree as the several Wheels of a Clock which made all apprehend there was some first Mover that directed all those other Motions this by the one Party was imputed to Gods extraordinary Providence but by others to the Power and Policy of the Leaders and the simplicity and fear of the rest One Article of it was thought strange that one Government of the Church was abjured but none sworn to in its place for England this was not the fault of the Scots who designed nothing so much as to see Presbytery established in England But the English Commissioners would not hear of that and by that General words of Reforming according to the Word of God cast in by Sir Henry Vane thought themselves well-secured from the inroads of the Scotish Presbytery and in the very contriving of that Article they studied to out-wit one another for the Scots thought the next words of Reforming according to the Practice of the best Reformed Churches made sure game for the Scotish Model since they counted it indisputable that Scotland could not miss that Character Those of Scotland would have had Episcopacy abjured as simply unlawful but those of England would not condemn that Order which had merited so much Glory in the whole Christian Church therefore the second Article was so conceived that it might import only an Abolition of the present Model of England and it was so declared both in the Assembly of Divines and in the Two Houses of Parliament when they swore it The Scots either perceived not this Change or were
glad to get it carried on at any rate But many judged the oddest part of it all was their Oath to maintain the Priviledges of both Parliaments since that was never defined and was scarce capable of a Definition and the Priviledges of the Parliament of England were far enough from the knowledge and divination of the Scotish People who in this case must believe all that to be Priviledge which they called so The Covenant was carried up by those trusted with it to the Two Houses to be approved by them and being returned to Scotland the Committee of Estates did by their Printed Act of 22th of October ordain it to be Sworn and Subscribed by all the Subjects under the pain of being punished as Enemies to Religion His Majesties Honour and the Peace of these Kingdoms and to have their Goods and Rents confiscated and they not to enjoy any Benefit or Office within the Kingdom and to be cited to the next Parliament as enemies to Religion King and Kingdoms and to receive what further punishment His Majesty and the Parliament should inflict on them At this time His Majesty sent Mr. Mungo Murray to Scotland to assure his Friends of his Confidence in them who brought the following Letters from the King and Queen to the Duke Hamilton Letters from the King and Queen to the Dukâ— I Find there hath been a great Mistaking about that mark of Favour which I thought fit to bestow upon you the particulars I have commanded Mungo Murray to tell you only this I assure you that my Confidence of you is not lessened from what I commanded your Brother to assure you of in my Name for you shall find me Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Cousin AS soon as I had occasion since my Arrival hither to write to you I have resolved to do it both to assure you of all that I said to you when I was at York as also to tell you that I am none of the least sharers in rejoycing at the Honour the King hath put on you This is a mark of the Confidence He hath in you which I am assured you will make the World see was founded on very good reason The Bearer is a Person who will tell you more than I can write to him I refer my self and shall say no more but that I am Your affectionate Cousin HENRIETA MARIA R. Oxford 28th August The Kings Friends had gone to the several places where their Interests lay to see what likelyhood there was of Raising any Force for advancing the Kings Service by extreme ways and to put a better colour on their Gathering of People together they carried with them the following Letter which was Signed by His Majesty and of which Lanerick was ordered to give an attested Copy to all who were well-affected CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and Right well-beloved Cousin and Councellour The Kings Letter to His good Subjects in Scotland We Greet you well Since nothing on Earth can be more dear to Vs than the Preservation of the Affections of Our People and amongst them none more than those of Our Native Kingdom which as the long and uninterrupted Government of Vs and Our Predecessors over them doth give Vs just reason in a more near and special manner to challenge from them so may they justly expect a particular Tenderness from Vs in every thing that may contribute to their Happiness but knowing what industry is used by scattering Seditious Pamphlets and employing private Agents and Instructions to give bad impressions of Vs and Our Proceedings under a Pretence of danger to Religion and Government to corrupt their Fidelities and Affections and to engage them in an unjust Quarrel against Vs their King We cannot therefore but endeavour to remove these Iealousies and secure their fears from all possibility of any hazard to either of these from Vs We have therefore thought fit to require you to call together your Friends Vassals Tenants and such others as have any dependance upon you and in Our Name to shew them Our Willingness to give all the Assurances they can desire or We possibly grant if more can be given than already is of preserving inviolably all those Graces and Favours which We have of late granted to that Our Kingdom and that We do faithfully promise never to go to the contrary of any thing there established either in Ecclesiastical or Civil Government but that We will inviolably keep the same according to the Laws of that Our Kingdom and We do wish God so to bless Our Proceedings and Posterity as We do really make good and perform this Promise We hope this will give so full satisfaction to all that shall hear of this Our solemn Protestation that no such persons as study Division or go about to weaken the Confidence betwixt Vs and Our People and justly deserve the name and punishment of Incendiaries shall be sheltred from the hand of Iustice and all such others as shall endeavour Peace and Vnity and Obedience to Vs and Our Laws may expect that Protection and increase of Favours from Vs which their Fidelity deserves So expecting your Care hereof We bid you heartily farewell From Our Court at Oxford the 21st of April 1643. These Lords appointed at parting to meet again about the end of August The Lords whom theKing employed meet and send Propositions to the King which accordingly they did and when they met divers told they found much coldness among their Friends Many professed a cordialness to the Kings Service but they had neither Armes nor Ammunition nor saw they a place of Security for a Rendezvouz nor of Safety for a Retreat in case of a Misfortune so that divers of the Noblemen said It was not in their power to bring any with them to the fields but their own Domesticks Whereupon it was agreed by them all to send one Neal Servant to Mr. Murray of the Bed-Chamber to the Marquis of Newcastle to desire him to seize on Berwick which was of great Importance and was at time without a Garison that it might be the Place whither they might bring what Forces they could draw together which was indeed the most proper Place for them since the Counties that lay next it were best-affected They likewise desired my Lord Newcastle to send them such Arms and Ammunition as could be spared them out of the Kings Magazins which were then in his hands they also ordered Neal to go forward from him to Oxford to give the King an account of their Desires that they might be presently supplied He was dispatched on the 29th of August but on the 4th of September my Lord Newcastle wrote back to them a short answer referring them to Neal who in a large one both which are extant told them that my Lord Newcastle said he could spare them neither Armes nor Ammunition and as for Berwick he could not seize on it without bringing Ruine on himself and his Posterity unless
time than Mr. Henderson did his They were given by His Majesty to Sir Robert Murray to transcribe the Copies under Sir Robert Murray's hand were by him delivered to Mr. Henderson and Mr. Henderson's hand not being so legible as his he by the Kings Appointment transcribed them for His Majesty and by His Majesties permission kept Mr. Henderson's Papers and the Copies of the Kings as was signified to the Writer by himself a few days before His much-lamented Death All this while they were consulting at Westminster They consult at VVestminster about Propositions to be made to the King about the Propositions to be sent to His Majesty for now the Independent Party begun to prevail and as they were certainly the strongest in the English Army so they had a great Party in the House of Commons Their Design was to perpetuate a Military Power in their own hands and to set up a Toleration of all Sects and so the Propositions at Vxbridge were much altered The Scotish Commissioners The Scotish Commissioners are for making them easie to the King in the Papers they gave in concerning the Propositions first complained That the Settling of Religion was conceived in general Terms and that no particulars about Vniformity of Religion were laid down next they opposed much the Propositions about the Militia desiring that no new ones differing from what had been offered at Uxbridge might be made that so it might appear they were not taking advantages from the Straits His Majesty was in to diminish His Iust Power and Greatness to which they were bound both by Covenant and Treaties and which had been often repeated in all their Declarations adding that they could not consent to any Proposition that should take from their Soveraign the Power of Protecting and Defending His Subjects which necessarily followed were the Militia put into the hands of the Parliament wherefore they pressed that the Militia might not be settled in the hands of the Parliament but of the King and Parliament jointly and so consigned to such Commissioners of both Kingdoms as should be chosen by the King and them together This they backed with a Paper Many Papers past betwixt them and the Two Houses containing the Extracts and Citations of the former Declarations and Papers emitted by Both Houses to the same purpose both about Uniformity of Religion and the Maintaining the Kings Authority even in the matter of the Militia which was a long and smart Paper They also in another Paper appealed to all the Treaties that had been betwixt the Kingdoms since the beginning of that War wherein the Maintenance of the Kings Just Power had still been laid down as a ground on which they were to proceed in order to a Peace But upon this the Independent Party begun to say that the Agreement made with Scotland An. 1643. was no Treaty and that the Parliament was not bound to make good what was agreed to in it And this drew from the Scotish Commissioners another large Paper proving That to be a Treaty wherein they did shew How that the Kingdom of Scotland had engaged both in the Irish and English War upon the invitation the Two Houses sent them by Commiâ—sioners impowered with ample Credentials Signed by the two Speakers which gave them power to Treat and conclude both about the Scotish Army then in Ireland and the Army they invited to come to their Assistance in England upon which an Agreement was treated and concluded betwixt the Committee of Estates in Scotland and the Commissioners from England and Signed by them and so transmitted to the Two Houses who by frequent Letters to Scotland expressed their Ratification of that Agreement and whereas in some of the Articles then Agreed to there was an Alternative concerning the Scotish Army then in Ireland their Stay there or their Transportation upon which the Independents founded their Allegation that matters were not finally concluded they did shew how false that was since that Alternative was emitted in their Agreement then made to the Determination of the Two Houses who thereupon declared by repeated Letters to what branch of it they agreed So they made it appear that no obligation could be brought on any State by any Treaty that was wanting in that But at length the Propositions were all agreed on The Propositions are agreed on and the Scotish Commissioners though they opposed that Article of the Militia yet gave way to it rather than hazard on a Rupture The Propositions being so oft in Print need not be at length set down only the Heads of them follow taken from the Original that was delivered to the King which he gave to the Earl of Lanerick and is among his Papers FIrst The annulling of all Oaths The Heads of them and Declarations against the Parliaments and Kingdoms was desired The next five Propositions were about establishing the Covenant the Abolition of Episcopacy and Liturgy and the Kings taking and authorizing the Covenant The next five were against Popery and Papists The 12th was for the observation of the Lords Day and against Pluralities and Nonresidences and about Vniversities 13 That the Militia should be in the hands of the Parliament for 20 years who should also have a power to raise Money and that after those years the Two Houses might raise what Forces they pleased by their Bills though His Majesty gave not his assent to them and that the Rights of the City of London should be confirmed 14 That all Honours and other Writs passed under the great Seal since it was taken away from Westminster should be annulled 15 That the Treaties betwixt England and Scotland should be ratified 16 Delinquents were to be excepted from the general Oblivion and those were put in several Classes and accordingly several Punishments designed against them 17 The late Cessation granted by the King in Ireland to be annulled and the management of that War to be remitted to the Two Houses The 18 was about the City of London 19 That all Writs passed under the Parliaments Great Seal should be in force In Iuly the Duke came to Newcastle to wait on His Majesty The Duke waits on the King and is well received by him and and when he first kissed the Kings Hand His Majesty and he blushed at once and as the Duke was retiring back with a little Confusion into the croud that was in the Room the King asked if he was afraid to come near him upon which he came to the King and they entred into a large Conversation together wherein His Majesty expressed the sense he had of his long Sufferings in terms so full of affection that he not only brake through all of his Resentments but set a new edge again upon his old Affection and Duty He told him He ever had Iudged him Innocent as to the bulk of things though he confessed there were some particulars he was not so well satisfied with but that his Restrain was extorted from
hazards The Propositions were brought from the Two Houses about the middle of Iuly and a speedy answer was craved to them The Propositions are brought to the King But for an account of His Majesties Thoughts of them I cannot give it better than by setting down a written account of them in a Letter sent to the Earl of Lauderdale at His Majesties Command by Sir Robert Murray THe Duty which I conceive every good Subject owes His Majesties first Thoughts of them to use his utmost Endeavours how weak soever for the furtherance of the happy Peace of these afflicted Kingdoms hath made me take the boldness to talk with the King upon the Propositions to see how far he can be induced to yield to them And although to every particular I cannot promise you an exact account because there are divers things in them which neither He nor I understand yet to the main Points I shall and such as I hope may be a good ground-work for happy Conclusions First then for Religion I find His Majesty really Conscientious and not superstitiously Scrupulous wherefore until He be better satisfied the uttermost He can be brought to is that He will be content that Presbyterial Government be generally established within this Kingdom by Act of Parliament for three years provided that He and all those of His Opinion may freely enjoy their Consciences according to the practices in Queen Elizabeth 's and King James 's Times Now how to do this would be too long for a Letter but as there are Examples so I doubt not to shew you more than one way to do it so willing ears may be brought to such a Motion and I assure you His Majesty is most willing to hearken and seek after information to the end He may be satisfied how with a safe Conscience He may give you full satisfaction herein but this Proviso that His Majesty grants will probably be but temporary For the Militia I can neither see inclinations in His Majesty to relinquish nor can I find Arguments to perswade him to it nevertheless I perceive so great inclinations in Him to strain to the uttermost to give His Subjects all just Satisfaction especially in what concerns the securing of their Fears that He will be content for Ten years the Two Houses should dispose of the Militia by Act of Parliament in the hands of such and so many persons as they shall name as likewise to change them within the said time and appoint others in their Places as they shall think fit but after the expiration of the said Time to return to the Crown as Queen Elizabeth and King James enjoyed it Concerning Delinquents His Majesties Opinion is that a good Act of Oblivion is the best way to bind up a Peace after Intestine Troubles it having been the Wisdom of other Kingdoms most usually and with good success to grant general Pardons with very few or no Exceptions whereby the numerous Discontentments of all sorts of People which are the seeds and fuel to future Disorders might be totally extinguished and His Majesty further conceives that He cannot desert so many gallant Persons of Condition and Fortune who have engaged themselves with Him only out of a sense of Duty without a perpetual and irrecoverable Dishonour As for Offices though His Majesty judges that the Disposal of them is a necessary Flower of the Crown yet He is content for this time to accept of the Nomination of them from the Two Houses to be enjoyed by these persons quam diu se bene gesserint so that after Vacancies they return to be disposed of as before I unwillingly mention Ireland because His Majesties Publick Faith being engaged how dare I speak to Him to violate that which is and must be all our Security but even in this will I pawn my Life He will prove Himself a zealous Protector of Protestants and a constant Maintainer of Sovereign Power My Conclusion is that if upon these grounds a Conference may be had betwixt His Majesty and the Two Houses I will engage any thing that an Honest man can that these Kingdoms will be shortly happy in a firm Peace which if it should fail on our part for our not hearing of our Soveraign it would be an unparalelled Misfortune not without Infamy These were His Majesties private Thoughts but His publick Answer inclined more to a Denial which when it was brought to Westminster was entertained both with Joy and Sorrow The King does not yield to the Propositions according to the inclinations of the several Parties The Independents and those of the Army feared nothing so much as the Kings granting them for in that case they saw there could be no colour for keeping up an Army and in the House of Commons when Thanks were Voted to the Commissioners that had been with the King for their pains one Member whispered another in the ear that they owed more Thanks to the King than any body and in another corner an honest Member saying to another what shall become of us since the King refuseth these Propositions the other answered nay what had become of us if He had granted them The Independent Party upon this moved The Houses go on to high Resolutions but are stopped by the Scotish Commissioners that no more Addresses should be made and that His Majesties Person should be demanded and the Army commanded Northward to see it executed which had been infallibly done had not the Scotish Commissioners given them in some Papers complaining of many Violations of the Treaty and the Arrears due to the Army The King had also desired a Personal Treaty near London and the Scots seconded it but the obtaining it was impossible for all this time the Scotish Commissioners and the English whereof the greatest part were of the Independent Faction were in no good terms As for the Arrears of their Pay the Two Houses talked of offering five hundred thousand pounds Sterling whereof an hundred and fifty thousand should be paid presently that so they might be rid of their Army which they said was no more necessary in England and a Complaint being made against some who spoke and wrote in prejudice of the Scotish Nation an Ordinance was debated for punishing them The Independents Imployed all their Strength against it Cromwell spoke most vehemently that it was to discourage their Friends and to encourage their Enemies but Hollis took him up so sharply for calling base Libellers Friends that he was glad to recant When it went to the Vote it run near an equality for 102 were against it and 132 for it so quickly were the Services of their dear Brethren of Scotland forgotten At this time the King sent my Lords of Argyle The King employes Argyle at London for obtaining a Personal Treaty Lowdon and Dumfermline to London Their Instructions were to deal for a Personal Treaty near London to get some of the Kings faithfullest Servants to be suffered
to give a full and particular Answer to every Branch of them But the more He considers the nature of them together with the high Importance and variety contained therein not without some ambiguity as well in the several Propositions as also in comparing the one with the other so much the more He finds it necessary to desire the help of Explanation Debate and Conference concerning some of them as he touched in His Paper whereby His Vnderstanding may be informed in those things which as yet are not clear to Him His Reason may be more fully convinced and His Conscience so satisfied that without offence to either of them He may make such a particular distinct Answer as may best attain His Desires of satisfying them and though for the present His Majesty at this distance from His Two Houses wants the view of many necessary Papers and other Assistances yet at what disadvantage soever He will apply Himself to give all the satisfaction that is in His power desiring He may not be mis-interpreted in any thing He shall say or omit His Majesties Answer to the first Proposition is That upon His Majesties coming to London He will heartily joyn in all that shall concern the Honour of His two Kingdoms or the Assembly of Estates of Scotland or of the Commissioners or Deputies of either of them and particularly in those things which are desired in that Proposition upon confidence that all of them respectively with the same tenderness will look upon those things which concern His Majesties Honour Concerning all the Propositions touching Religion His Majesty says that He has often and solemnly professed His Opinion concerning Episcopacy to which He refers Himself yet considering the present Distractions about Religion which are so great and of that nature that Perswasion as well as Power must be used to restore that happy Tranquillity which the Church of England hath lately and miserably lost for certainly Violence and Persecution never was nor will be found a right way to settle mens Consciences His Majesty proposes that He will confirm the Presbyterian Government for Three Years being the time set down by the Two Houses that is to say that during the said time the Church be governed by Classical and Congregational Elderships National and Provincial Assemblies with their respective Subordinations with such Forbearance to those who through scruple of Conscience cannot in every thing practise according to the said Rules as may consist with the Rule of the Word of God and the Peace of the Kingdom and that the Office of Ruling-Elders the Power of Elderships to suspend from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ignorant and scandalous Persons be all settled by Act of Parliament for the aforesaid Term as also that the Directory be by the same way authorized for the same time so that His Majesty and His Houshold be not hindred from using that Form of Gods Service which they have formerly done and also that in the mean time and with all convenient speed a Committee be chosen of Both Houses to have a free Consultation and Debate with the Assembly â—f Divines being also willing the said Assembly shall be authorized to sit for the space of the said Three Years twenty more being added of His Majesties Nomination how the Church shall be settled and governed at the end of Three Years or sooner if Differences may be agreed Also it is to be understood that those Committees shall have no Power but of hearing debating and reporting the better to prepare all these Differences for the Determination of His Majesty and the Two Houses To the Seventh and Eighth Propositions His Majesty will consent To the Ninth Proposition His Majesty doubts not but to give good satisfaction when He shall be particularly informed how the said Penalties shall be levyed and disposed To the Tenth His Majesties Answer is That He is and hath been always willing to prevent the Practices of Papists and therefore is content to pass an Act of Parliament for that purpose as also that the Laws against them may be duely executed His Majesty will give His consent to the Act for the strict Observance of the Lords Day for the suppressing of Innovations and those concerning the Preaching of Gods Word and touching Non-residencies and Pluralities And His Majesty will be willing to pass such an Act or Acts as shall be requisite to raise Moneys for the payment and satisfaction of all Publick and past Debts expecting that His also will be therein included As to the Proposition concerning the Militia though His Majesty cannot consent to it in terminis as it is proposed because thereby as He conceives He wholly devests Himself of the Power of the Sword intrusted to Him by God and the Laws of the Land for the Protection and Government of His People and placeth the same in effect for ever in the Two Houses of Parliament thereby at once disinheriting His Posterity of that Right and Prerogative of the Crown which is absolutely necessary to the Kingly Office and so weakening Monarchy in this Kingdom that little more than the Name and Shadow of it will remain yet if it be only Security for the preservation of the Peace of this Kingdom after these unhappy Troubles and the due performance of all the Agreements that now are to be concluded which is desired which His Majesty always understood to be the case and hopes that â—erein He is not mistaken His Majesty will give abundant Satisfaction to which end He will consent by Act of Parliament That the whole Power of the Militia both by Sea and Land be in the Two Houses for the space of Ten Years and afterwards to return to its proper channel again as it was in the time of Queen Elizabeth and King James of blessed Memory And now His Majesty conjures His Two Houses of Parliament as they are English-men Christians and Lovers of Peace by the Duty which they owe to Him their King and by the bowels of Compassion which they have to their Fellow-Subjects that they will accept of these His Majesties Ofâ—ers whereby the joyful News of Peace may be again restored to this languishing Kingdom His Majesty will grant the same to the Kingdom of Scotland if it be desired touching the conservation of the Peace betwixt His two Kingdoms Touching Ireland His Majesty will give full satisfaction as to the managing of War and for Religion as in England Touching the mutual Declaration proposed to be established in both Kingdoms by Act of Parliament and the Qualifications Mollifications and Branches which follow in the Propositions His Majesty truly professes that He does not sufficiently understand divers things contained therein but this He sufficiently knows that a General Act of Oblivion is the best Bond of Peace and that after intestine Troubles the Wisdom of this and other Kingdoms hath usually and happily in all Ages granted general Pardons with none or very few Exceptions whereby the numerous Discontentments of
that particular Freedoms should be esteemed Publick Obligations yet if they think they have so great a catch of it so that Scotland will declare for Me I will stand to the least tittle of these Instructions nothing being omitted according to their plain Grammatical sense As for the Officers of State certainly My Advocate will clear that Mistaking for all the Alteration concerning them is only for the better Conformity of that Paper which he brought from London And for the Great Seal upon the perusal of all My Papers I have not wit enough to find from whence the ground of going less can be taken but for Religion I know not what to say except endeavouring to be civil be termed a going less if so that fault shall be soon helped And indeed I cannot but think it strange that rather than to comply any thing with My Conscience you will I speak not personally to you but to the Kingdom in general submit to the Wills of those who at least can never prove your Friends and that to the visible Prejudice I may say more both of you and Me though I express My endeavouring to content you by shewing you more than a probable way for attaining your Pretensions which you make altogether desperate by rejecting My Offer And truly I am confident not to be single to think your Exceptions strange for first civil Ingenuity uses not to be misliked then I rather expected Thanks for giving of some time to Presbyterial Government than to have the Limitation of it objected against Me especially since that without Me it cannot be established And is it unfit for Me to have what is granted to all Publick Ministers by the Law of Nations Yes I cry you mercy for Kings use to dispense not to be dispensed with And why will ye not have Twenty Divines of My Nomination to speak amongst your grave Assembly Is it that you misdoubt your Cause or that you will not have it disputed neither of these Reasons can I submit to a third I cannot find Lastly as for your Covenant when and not before I shall be satisfied in My Conscience that I may allow it I will but I see no way for that satisfaction unless by such a Conference as I have proposed Now for sad Consequences I know no Antidote so good as a clear Conscience which by the Grace of God I will preserve whatsoever else happen to Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle 14th December 1646. POSTSCRIPT I have so much work now that if you had ten Brethren what I have written is enough for them all A few days after this His Majesty sent His last Message to the Two Houses to be presented to the Scotish Parliament with which he wrote the following Letters to the two Brothers Hamilton I Thank you for the timeous advertisement you and your Brother have sent Me by this Bearer whom I have returned to you with some Queries which I desired a Friend of yours to write more at large to you than I have now time for to which and to this Bearer referring you I rest Your most assured real faithful constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle December 19th 1646. Lanerick SInce I saw by what Sir James Hamilton brought Me from you what Reception My intended Message to London was likely nay sure to have and since My Conscience will not permit Me a further Length I know not what I may do upon a full and free Debate at London I have sent another the Copy whereof is here inclosed which I expresly send you to acquaint the Scotish Parliament with what I have done and to desire their Assistance in it in which knowing that your Fidelity needs no spurs nor your Ability information what to say I will say no more but that I am Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle 19th Decemb. 1646. But as for the inclosed Message it being Printed among His Majesties Messages it is needless to insert it here And now came on the fatal Turn of matters in Scotland which shall be set down from a Letter of my Lord Lanerick's that follows but to whom the Writer knows not the Direction being lost SInce my last our Debates have been of so great Importance that I cannot conceal them Yesterday we spent two Hours in the grand Commitee the whole Parliament being present and indeed to good purpose for it was resolved that present Instructions should be sent to our Commissioners to press His Majesties coming to London with Honour Safety and Freedom and that we should declare our Resolutions to maintain Monarchical Government in His Majesties Person and Posterity and His Iust Title to the Crown of England But I confess this Day is the saddest I ever saw for after Resolutions were taken of sending to His Majesty it is carried that nothing but a Grant to the whole Propositions must be demanded and in case of a Refusal the former Certifications given to His Majesty put in execution of Securing the Kingdom and Settling a Government without Him and lest His Majesty should have hopes of engaging this Kingdom on easier terms or thinking to come to Scotland where though He should lose England He might exercise the Office of a King it is to be Declared that this Kingdom cannot lawfully engage themselves for His Majesties Preservation albeit He should be even Deposed in England He not taking the Covenant satisfying in Religion and giving a satisfactory Answer to the rest of the whole Propositions presented to Him in name of both Kingdoms Besides it is to be Declared that His Majesty will not be admitted to come to Scotland where though He were His Regal Function would be susâ—ended and even His Royal Pâ—rson at least be put under Restraint if not delivered up to the Parliament While we were on these Debates the inclosed Warning was presented to the Parliament by the Commission of the Kirk which though you may think possibly high yet really it is very moderate in regard of these Motions have been in Publick for now all Private Meeting is quit by us in relation to His Majesties Person which certainly will not only not be admitted to come into Scotland but a joynt Course will be taken by both Kingdoms for keeping him in Restraint in England And you may be confident that will certainly be carried in despight of those that will oppose it And to prepare us the better before we come to a Resolution we are to morrow to have a kind of Fast and hear two Sermons in the Morning according to our Custom at St. Andrews before the Executions and the rest of the Day is to be imployed in taking a Final Resolution which without all peradventure will be to send Commissioners to His Majesty to demand the whole Propositions for Religion will not satisfie and to settle both Kingdoms without His Majesties Regal Authority and imprison His Person in England for He will not be admitted to come to
the full as it is demanded neither will it be in the power of any in this Kingdom to prevent Affronts and Danger to Your Majesties Person if You should have any thoughts of coming hither Sir I take God to witness I write this with a sadder heart than I would receive a sentence of Death against my self and shall grieve more at the performance of that than I should at the execution of this upon Your Majesties most humble most faithful most obedient Subject and Servant LANERICK Edinburgh December 22th 1646. His Majesties last Message was presented to the Scotish Parliament His Majesties Message rejected in Scotland on the 23th of December by the Earl of Lanerick and backed by him with the warmest language that he could use but nothing that was new being offered by it a Compliance with it was not to be expected It was also sent to London and at London and first presented to the House of Peers whereat all even those who were best-affected hung their Heads and sent it down to the House of Commons without a word and there it met with the same Entertainment The next Debate was about the Kings Person and the mildest opinion was that He should be kept Prisoner some being for the excluding Him for ever from the Government And for the place of His Restraint some were for His stay at Newcastle but it was carried that He should go to Holmby And this passed without communicating it to the Scotish Commissioners But when He was ordained to be kept in Safety for His Person Henry Martin objected that the King had broken the Peace and why must the Parliament bind for His Safety Some moved to preserve His Person according to the Covenant and it was carried which was thought a great point For now it was esteemed that the Covenant was that which must preserve the King though His Ruine had been formerly imputed to it In the end of the year the Scotish Commissioners parted from London and it being moved in the House of Commons to send some with a Complement to them before they went with the Thanks of the House for their Civilities and good Offices those of the Independent Cabal argued much against that of good Offices done by them and reckoned many bad ones since the King went to Newcastle and it being put to the Vote it was carried by 24 Votes to dash out good Offices and only thank them for their Civilities And so all those Noble Characters they were wont to give of the Scotish Commissioners upon every occasion concluded now in this that they were well-bred Gentlemen Thus ended this present year but none saw an end of miseries like to come An. 1647. Anno 1647. IN the beginning of the next Year Commissioners were sent from the Parliament of Scotland Commissioners are sent to the King from Scotland to represent their late Resolutions to His Majesty On the 12th of Ianuary they presented their first Paper wherein they laid out all they could devise for the pressing a satisfactory Answer to the Propositions expressing with what earnestness all Men were waiting for it and that it would be received with more Ioy than had been ever seen at any Coronation in England But after they had delivered this Message and the 14th day was come wherein the King promised His Answer He told them He must be resolved of two things before He could give His Answer The first was if He was a Free-man or a Prisoner adding That if He were a Prisoner it was the opinion of many Divines that Promises made by a Prisoner did not oblige though He did not assert that to be His own sense the next was whether He might go to Scotland with Honour Freedom and Safety or not They declined long to give an Answer and in that Debate three hours were spent at length being put to it they delivered all their severe Message in the following Paper May it please Your Majesty And deliver the Votes of the Parliament WE are commanded by the Parliament of Scotland to represent to Your Majesty the many Inconveniencies will ensue upon Your Majesties Denial or Delay of Granting the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and not giving a satisfactory Answer to the remanent Propositions and particularly to represent the Prejudice will thereby arise to the true Reformed Protestant Religion abroad and to the Reformation of Religion in these Kingdoms the Danger of Your Majesties Person and to Your Own and Posterities Government If Your Majesty not granting the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and not giving satisfactory Answers to the other Propositions shall relinquish England we are commanded by the Parliament of Scotland to represent to Your Majesty That in that case they find it unlawful for them to assist Your Majesty for Recovery of the Government Your Majesty not granting the Covenant and Propositions as aforesaid We are commanded by the Parliament of Scotland to represent to Your Majesty That they find Your Majesties Coming to Scotland not granting the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and not giving a satisfactory Answer to the remanent Propositions dangerous to the Cause to Your Majesty to Your Native Kingdom and to the Vnion betwixt Scotland and England and that the Kingdom of Scotland will be necessitated to take Course to prevent Your Coming Both Kingdoms will take Course for disposal of Your Majesties Person until such time as Your Majesty grants the Propositions or otherwise agree with Your Majesties Parliaments We are commanded to make known to Your Majesty that until Your Majesty grant the Propositions in manner fore-said or that some Course be resolved by both Kingdoms concerning the disposal of Your Majesties Person Your Majesty cannot be admitted to come or remain in Scotland with Freedom And in case Your Majesty do come we are commanded to represent to Your Majesty That the Kingdom of Scotland will be necessitated to put such Attendants and Guards about Your Majesties Person as may preserve You in Safety and Your Kingdoms in Peace and may prevent all Tumults Insurrections and Gatherings of Malignants We are further warranted to represent to Your Majesty That if You do not grant the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and give a satisfactory Answer about the remanent Propositions the Kingdom of Scotland will be necessitated to continue the Government without Your Majesty as hath been done these years by-past Newcastle 14th January 1647. But the Answer they got shewed The King stands firmly to His Conscience that the King could not be threatned to the Doing of any thing He judged contrary to His Honour or Conscience His Majesties Answer being returned back to Edinburgh on the 16th of Ianuary which was Saturday it was debated in Parliament what should be done with His Majesties Person It is resolved to deliver up the King which the Duke and â—anerick much oppose All inclined to deliver Him up immediately to
the English Parliament at which Proposition the Duke and his Brother expressed their horrour with language so full both of Reason and Affection that nothing but violent and enraged Passion could have resisted it They said Would Scotland now quit a Possession of 1500 Years Date which was their Interest in their Soveraign and do it to those whose Enmity both against Him and them did now visibly appear Was this the effect of all their Protestations of Duty and Affection to His Majesty Was this their keeping of their Covâ—nant wherein they had sworn to defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority Was this a suitable return to the Kings Goodness both in his consenting to all the Desires of that Kingdom An. 1641. and in His late trusting His Person to them what Censures would be past upon this through the whole World what a stain would it be to the whole Reformed Religion and in fine what Danger might be apprehended both to the Kings Person and to Scotland from the Party that was now prevalent in England But notwithstanding all this the Question was put in these words Whether they should leave His Majesty in England to the Two Houses there or not so softly did the prevailing Party present that infamous Business to the Vote of the Parliament The Dukes Vote was suitable to his Discourse and Temper being a Negative uttered with much grave and deep Sorrow but I shall set down Lanerick's in the formal terms wherein he expressed it As God shall have mercy upon my Soul at the Great Day I would chuse rather to have my Head struck off at the Market-cross of Edinburgh than give my consent to this Vote The Earl of Lindsay now Earl Crawford was President and so could not debate but as in the stating the Vote he expressed much honest Zeal so when it was carried in the Affirmative he dissented from it and to him those who had voted in the Negative did adhere But some of their Friends were accidentally absent others on design and some downright deserted them so that though there were divers who dissented yet they were far short of being able to ballance the Vote When all this was done Lanerick with a deep Groan said this was the blackest Saturday that ever Scotland saw alluding to a great Eclipse that was many years before on a Saturday from which it was still called the Black Saturday This being sent to the Commissioners at Newcastle did not at all shake His Majesty he being resolved not to yield to that no not at Holmby which He had refused at Newcastle The King is delivered and sent Prisoner to Holmby In the end of the Month the English Commissioners and Forces came down and the Arrears for the payment of the Army being delivered the Scotish Army withdrew and left the King in the hands of the English who presently sent him to Holmby And this is a free and faithful Relation of that great Transaction only in invidious Passages I have spared the Memories and Families of the unhappy Actors which is variously censured It was presently the matter of Discourse and Censure of Christendom and brought an Infamy on those who acted it which though an Indempnity could pardon yet no Oblivion was able to deface It was thought strange since the King had trusted himself to Scotland that they should have thus deserted Him What grounds Montrevil had for giving the King those Assurances did not appear and certain it is they were very slight ones and were only from single Persons but not from any Iunto or Judicatory But generous minds thought the Kings frank casting Himself into their hands was an Obligation beyond any Engagements they could have given And it was thought strange madness in those of Scotland to do it at that time since they saw the Independents prevailing whose Designs against the Kings Person and Monarchy had been faithfully discovered to them by some of their Commissioners at London and who were as little Friends to the Covenant and Presbytery as the King himself was so that considering their Power such a Strengthening of them brought Religion under a hazard of another nature than could have been apprehended upon their Accepting of the Kings Concessions But the Contradiction that this course had to the Covenant was so plain that none could avoid observing it for to make their King a Prisoner was an odd Comment upon their Defending of His Person and Authority and to do all that because he would not force his Conscience was judged a strange Practice from those who had so lately complained heavily against any appearance of Force upon Tender Consciences These were the Censures that generally passed on that Transaction the Kings stifness was also very much condemned and most men not understanding the strictness of a Tender Conscience thought it was Humour that swayed Him and judged that in the posture Affairs were then in He should have yielded to any thing how unreasonable soever rather than have so exposed Himself His Posterity and His Kingdoms to such visible hazards reckoning that no Form of Government that ever was deserved to be so firmly adhered to All persons looked for dismal effects from these Resolutions few thinking the Friendship betwixt Scotland and England would be lasting and all apprehended some strange Curse would overtake those who were active in this infamous Business Amidst these greater Reflections there were some who suspected the Duke had not acted in that Affair with that Candour and Zeal He expressed and this was chiefly founded on the base Votes of some of his Friends chiefly of one who had served him but was then a Lord. But as the tract of this Account hath cleared the whole Progress of his Negotiation so the visible affliction of his Mind which drew after it a great indisposition in his Body did abundantly refute these Calumnies And indeed that great Mind which did not succumb under the hardest Trials when it imployed its utmost strength was now reduced to the most pinching Straits and almost to desperate Resentments so that he repented his Stay in Scotland since he foresaw nothing but imminent Ruine to King and Country yet His Majesties opinion of his Zeal and Affection to His Service was at this time proof against all Whispers which appears by the following Letter Hamilton I Know it were needless to recommend this Bearer Will. Murray to you but that his Persecution at this instant for My sake is such that in a manner it even extorts these lines from Me to tell you that your hearty and real dealing to procure his waiting upon Me is a good occasion which I am confident you will not let slip to shew your constant zealous Affection to Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle 29th January 1647. Now it was that genuine Melancholy and Horrour dwelt in all the Dukes thoughts The Duke contrives how to turn Scotland to the Kings Service his Brother was too deeply prepossessed
very necessary for him to speak much his Voice was so weak and low that few of the crowd that looked on could hear him nor was he ever so much in love with speaking or with any thing he had to say that he took much delight in it yet since this was his Last he being by the Divine Providence of Almighty God brought justly to that End for his Sins he would speak a little to the Sheriff for his Voice could not reach others He was now to suffer as a Traytor to the Kingdom of England a Country which he had ever loved equally with his own not having intended either any general Prejudice to it or to any particular Person in it his late Actings were the Commands of his own Country which he could not disobey It is true it had pleased God so to dispose of the Army under his Command that it was ruined and he for being cloathed with a Commission to be General stood now ready to dye He would not repeat what he had pleaded for his own Defence God was just nor would he say any thing of his Sentence but that he did willingly submit to Gods Providence acknowledging that on many accounts he deserved Punishment in this Life as well as in the next for he confessed himself a great Sinner yet for his Comfort he knew there was a God in Heaven who was very merciful and that his Redeemer did sit at his right Hand and he was confident that he was mediating for him at that very instant being hopeful through his All sufficient Merits to be pardoned all his Sins and to be received into his Mercy trusting only to the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ. He declared he had never been tainted in the Religion professed and established in the Land in which he had been bred from his Infancy it was not this nor that mode or fancy of Religion that was to be built on but one that was right and sure and came from God Here he observed some taking Notes and upon that said he had not expected that else he had digested what he had said into a better Method but desired that what he had said might not be published to his disadvantage since he had not intended to speak any thing when he came to that place Then he went on and said Many dreadful Aspersions had been cast on him as if his Intentions had not been such as he pretended but he thanked God he was unjustly blamed That for the King he had ever loved him both as he was his King and his Master with whom he had been bred many years and had been his domestick Servant and that there was nothing the Parliament of Scotland declared for the King that was not really intended by himself and as he hazarded his Life for him one way so he now was to lose it another and that his Design of leading in the Army to England was really that which was published in the Declaration in so far as concerned the King he was not then to speak of the rest of the Declaration which had many other particulars in it And for what he said of his Duty to the King there was no reason to suspect him of Flattery or any other end in saying it God having now so disposed of His Majesty but though he could gain nothing by it yet he owed the freeing himself of that Calumny to Truth by which all men shall gain for ever There had been many Discourses founded on a part of the Scotish Declaration which mentioned an Invitation to come to England upon which he had been much laboured for discovering the Inviters but he had and did still remit himself to the Declaration without any other Answer He was ever willing to serve this Nation in any thing was in his Power which was known to many worthy Persons in it and he would still have continued in those Resolutions had those in whose hands the Power was then thought fit to have preserved his Life But since he was to be thence-forth of no more use all he could do was to wish the Kingdom Happiness and Peace and to pray that his Blood might be the last should be shed and though perhaps he had some reluctancy within himself at his Suffering for this Fact yet he freely forgave all men and carried no rancour with him to the Grave but did submit to the Will of him who created Heaven and Earth and himself a poor sinful Creature then speaking before him He conceived it could contribute to no end for him to speak of State-business of the Government of the Kingdom or things of that nature his own Inclinations had been still for Peace he was never an ill Instrument betwixt the King and his People nor had he acted to the prejudice of the Parliament And as he had not meddled much in those Wars so he was never wanting in his Prayers to Almighty God for his King's Happiness and he earnestly prayed God to direct his Majesty that now Reigns that he might do what should tend to his Glory and the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdoms He said he was of the Established Religion which he had professed in his own Country where he was born and bred but for particular opinions he was not rigid he knew many godly men had scruples about divers things wherein he had never concerned himself nor did Difference of opinion which was never more than at that time move him his own was clear He prayed the Lord to forgive him his Sins as he freely forgave even those against whom he had the greatest grounds of Animosity remembring that Prayer Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And to this purpose he spoke if the Writers did him right in what was published in his Name but how true the printed Papers were the Writer is not able to judge for he has three printed Relations of it before him all varying somewhat one from another As he expressed himself thus he discovered a great composure by his Looks and manner of Expression and when he was desired to change the Posture he stood in since the Sun shined full in his Face he answered pleasantly No it would not burn it and he hoped to see a brighter Sun than that very speedily After the Duke had done speaking he called for the Executioner and desired to know how he should fit his Body for the Blow and told him his Servants would give him satisfaction Then he called to his Servants and commanded them to remember him kindly to divers of his Friends in England particularly to his Mother-in-law the Countess of Denbigh to whom he had ever payed a Filial respect and to the old Countess of Devonshire who as the lived to a great Age and to the Honour of her Nation so was on all occasions a constant and true Friend to him He bade tell her she would no more question his Loyalty which she had done
be graciously pleased to hear his faithful Servants inform him of the Truth he shall direct that which is just and right and with the same assurance I dare promise him Obedience The interest your Lordship has in this poor Kingdom but more particularly the Duty you owe to His Majesty and the true respect I know you have ever carried to His Majesties Honour and the good of his Service makes me thus bold to acquaint your Lordship with this business which in good faith is by the folly and misgovernment of some of our Clergie-men come to that height that the like has not been seen in this Kingdom of a long time But I hope your Lordship will take in good part my true meaning and ever construct favourably the actions of Your loving faithful Friend and humble Servant TRAQVAIR Edinburgh Aug. 27. After all inquiry was made it did not at all appear that any above the meaner sort were accessory to that Tumult the sequel whereof in the Afternoon had almost been Tragical not onely to the Bishop of Edinburgh but to the Earl of Roxburgh for having him in his Coach But His Majesty though he was willing to be gentle to the Transgressours yet continued firm to his former Resolutions of having the Liturgy and Book of Canons established In October thereafter a new Tumult fell out in Edinburgh against the Earl of Traquair and some of the Bishops whom the People in their fury went about to have killed upon which by Proclamation the Council and Session and other Courts were removed from Edinburgh Hereupon the Earl of Roxburgh who was then Lord Privy-Seal went to Court to give the King an account of Affairs for all this time divers had petitioned the Council against these Books complaining they were contrary to Religion in the matter of them and the Laws of the Land in the manner of bringing them in but all he could procure was a Pardon for what was past to such as should thenceforth live quietly and that was proclaimed in December but was far from giving satisfaction for by this time the Malecontents were become considerable and had formed themselves into a Body It was also studiously infused in the minds of all through Scotland that the Bishops were introducing Popery that many points of Popery were in these Books and that the whole of them was both superstitious and illegal This took mightily with the Vulgar and the malecontented Ministers began every-where to talk high in their Pulpits against the Bishops they also formed themselves into a Body called the Table where there were Deputies from the Shires and Burroughs and a great many Noblemen and Ministers That which they pretended was the Security of Religion They pretend the Security of Religion and swear the Covenant with the preserving the Fundamental Laws and Liberties of the Land the Honour of the King and the defence of his Authority and for this end it was judged fit and necessary to renew the Covenant made in King Iames his time against Popery and signed by that King with his Council and Family which according to the new draught was made up first of King Iames his Covenant next of a long Narrative of all Acts of Parliament whereby the Reformed Religion was ratified thirdly of an Addition wherein the late Innovations were sworn against till they were judged in a free General Assembly and declared also to be abjured in the old Covenant as formally as if they had been expresly named in it and all ended with a Bond of Defence for adhering to one another in pursuing the ends of the Covenant This was no sooner moved but the advice took as if it had been an Oracle so the Covenant was sworn first at Edinburgh in the moneth of February and then sent every-where through the Country to get the example of those in Edinburgh imitated which was accordingly done not without great appearances of Devotion among all sorts of People they pretending it was nothing but the preservation and purity of Religion they aimed at For the Covenant I judge it needless to insert it here both because of its length and that it is in the large Manifesto of the Affairs of this year published in His Majesties Name and therefore that Book being both common and of great Authority I do not insert Papers at their length that are to be found there and shall onely adde that the Originals and other authentick Justifications of that Declaration are in my hands The Session or Term was held that Winter at Sterlin but the Council sate often at Dalkeith within four miles of Edinburgh which being then so full of People it was not judged fit for the Council to withdraw too far from it Petitions were often offered to the Council encouraged from the Table full of Complaints against the Bishops and the late Innovations but they were as often rejected Upon this the Earl of Traquair went to Court and gave a full account both of the Petitions the Humours and the Strength of the Malecontents and that all was occasioned by the Bishops misgovernment and by the introducing the lately-authorized Books with which scarce a Member of the Council the Bishops onely excepted was well satisfied neither were all these cordially for them for the Archbishop of S. Andrews from the beginning had withstood these designs foreseeing how full of danger the executing of them might prove The Archbishop of Glasgow was worse pleased but the Bishops of Ross Dumblane Brechin and Galloway were the great Advancers of them Traquair represented also that the Body of all Scotland was staggering if not wholly alienated from their Duty to the King and that nothing could recover them out of this distemper but assurances of His Majesties affection to the Protestant Religion and of his aversion from Popery together with the laying aside of these Books at least till better Times At this time also the Covenanting Lords wrote to the Duke of Lenox the Marquis of Hamilton and the Earl of Morton who were then at Court representing their Grievances and desiring they would offer their Petition to His Majesty which was humble enough though full of Complaints against these Books desiring they might be heard to object against them offering under the highest pains to prove they contained things both contrary to Religion and the Laws of the Land But all the Earl of Traquair said was suspected his prejudices against the Bishops being known The opposition he had made the Bishops had rendered him hitherto very Popular in Scotland and there want not grounds to suspect him a secret worker in this opposition to these Books though he seems to have been far from cherishing any further designs All he could procure from the King was a Proclamation re- The King proclaims his firmness to the Protestant re-Re-Religion Giving assurance of His Majesties firmness to the Protestant Religion and that great care was used in drawing the Liturgie so that not onely it was not
contrary to but would prove a ready mean to preserve the true Religion already received and beat down all Superstition Withall the King considering the disorderly Conventions had been to form Petitions against these Books though they deserved a high Censure yet His Majesty willing to impute that rather to a preposterous Zeal than to any Disloyalty therefore dispensed with them to all such as should thence forth retire and return to their Obedience whereupon these Conventions were in all time coming discharged under pain of Treason The Tumults grow This was proclaimed at Sterlin the nineteenth of February but was so far from giving satisfaction that it proved a crisis to greater Confusion for it met with a Protestation as it was proclaimed sent from those of the Tables who notwithstanding continued to sit in that Iunto An Answer also came from the Duke of Lennox and the other Lords at Court directed only to three of the Lords of the Covenant in Scotland the Earls of Rothes Cassils and Montrose wherein they wrote that they had communicated their desires to His Majesty who answered that as hitherto he had received all the Petitions they had offered to the Council so he had considered them and would declare His Royal Intentions about them The Combustions continuing and growing the Council appointed a solemn Meeting to be the first of March at Sterlin for a full examining of things that they might send their joint Advices to Court This was likewise agreed to by the Lord Chancellour who was then at Edinburgh and undertook for himself and the rest of the Clergy that were of the Council to keep that Appointment The first of March came but none of the Clergy kept the day the Lord Bishop of Brechin only excepted an excuse came from the Lord Chancellour but the necessity of Affairs pressed the Lords of the Council to go on they continued four days consulting and debating about things but after the third day Bishop Brechin left them seeing in what Determinations they were likely to close The issue of their Consulting was to send Sir Iohn Hamilton the Justice-Clerk to the King with Instructions which follow as they are taken from the Original yet extant INSTRUCTIONS from His MAJESTIES Council to the Lord Iustice-Clerk whom they have ordained to go to Court for His MAJESTIES service Instructions to the Justice-Clerk concerning the rise and remedies of these Disorders IN the first place you are to receive from the Clerk of the Council all the Acts past since our meeting upon the first of March instant Item You have to represent to his Majesty That the Dyet of Council was appointed to be solemnly kept by the advice of the Lord Chancellour and remnant Lords of the Clergy being at Edinburgh for the time who assured us that they should keep the Dyet precisely but at our meeting at Sterlin we received a Letter of excuse from the Lord Chancellour which forced us to proceed without his Lordships presence or any others of the Lords of the Clergy except the Bishop of Brechin who attended us three days but removed before the closing of our Opinions anent the business Item That immediately after we had resolved to direct you with a Letter of Trust to His Majesty we did send our Letter to the Lord Chancellour acquainting him with our proceedings and desiring him to consider thereof and if he approved the same to sign them and to cause tâ—e remnant Lords of the Clergy nearest unto him and namely the Bishop of Brechin who was an ear and eye Witness to our Consultations to sign the same and by their Letter to His Majesty to signifie their approbation thereof or if his Lordship did find some other way more convenient for His Majesties Honour and the Peace of the Country that his Lordship by his Letter to the Lord Treasurer or Privie-Seal would acquaint them therewith to the effect they might convene the Council for consulting thereabout Item That you shew His Majesty that His Majesties Council all in one voice finds that the causes of the general Combustions in the Country are the Fears apprehended of Innovation of Religion and Discipline of the Kirk established by the Laws of the Kingdom by occasion of the Service-Book Book of Canons and High-Commission and from the Introduction thereof contrary to or without warrant of the Laws of the Kingdom Item You are to represent to His Majesty our humble opinion That seeing as we conceive the Service-Book Book of Canons and High-Commission as it is set down are the occasion of this Combustion and that the Subjects offer themselves upon peril of their Lives and Fortunes to clear that the said Service-Book and others foresaid contain divers Points contrary to the Religion presently professed and Laws of the Kingdom in matter and manner of Introduction That the Lords think it expedient that it be represented to His Majesties gracious Consideration if His Majesty may be pleased to declare as an act of his singular Iustice that he will take trial of His Subjects Grievances and the reasons thereof in His own time and in His own way according to the Laws of this Kingdom and that His Majesty may be pleased gâ—aciously to declare that in the mean time he will not press nor urge His Subjects therewith notwithstanding any Act or Warrant made in the contrary And in case His Majesty shall be graciously pleased to approve of our humble opinions you are thereafter to represent to His Majesties gracious and wise Consideration if it shall not be fitting to consult His Majesties Council or some such of them as He shall be pleased to call to Himself or allow to be sent from the Table both about the time and way of doing of it And if His Majesty as God forbid shall dislike of what we have conceived most conducing to His Majesties Service and Peace of the Kingdom you are to urge by all the arguments you can that His Majesty do not determine upon any other course until some at least of His Council from this be heard to give the reasons of their Opinions and in this case you are likewise to represent to His Majesties Consideration if it shall not be fitting and necessary to call for His Informers together with some of His Council that in His Own presence he may hear the Reasons of both Informations fully debated You shall likewise show His Majesty that His Council having taken to their Consideration what further was to be done for composing and settling of the present Combustion within the Kingdom and dissipating of the Convocations and Gatherings within the same seeing Proclamations are already made and published discharging all such Convocations and unlawful Meetings the Lords after debating find they can do no further than is already done herein until His Majesties pleasure be returned to this our humble Remonstrance Signed Traquair Roxburgh Winton Perth Wigton Kinghorn Lauderdale Southesk Angus Lorn Down Elphinston Napier J. Hay Tho. Hope
shall have more certainty by my next I have sent for Arms to Holland for 14000 Foot and 2000 Horse for my Ships they are ready anâ— I have given Order to send three for the Coast of Ireland immediately under pretence to defend our Fishermen Last of all which is indeed most of all I have consulted with the Treasurer and Chancellour of the Exchequer for Money for this years Expedition which I estimate at two hundred thousand pounds Sterlin which they doubt not but to furnish me more I have done but these are the chief heads Now for your Advice I desire to know whether you think it fit that I should send six thousand Land-men with the Fleet that goes to the Frith or not for since you cannâ—t secure me my Castle of Edinburgh it is a question whether you can secure the landing of those men and if with them you can make your self Master of Leith to fortifie and keep it of this I desire you to send me your Resolution with all speed I leave it to your consideration whether you will not think it fit to see if you can make all the Guns of the Castle of Edinburgh unserviceable for any body since they cannot be useful for me Thus you may see that I intend not to yield to the Demands of those Traitors the Covenanters who I think will declare themselves so by their Actions before I shall doe it by my Proclamation which I shall not be sorry for so that it be without the personal hurt of you or any other of my honest Servants or the taking of any English place This is to shew you that I care not for their affronting or disobeying my Declaration so that it go not to open mischief and that I may have some time to end my Preparations So I rest Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Greenwich 20 June 1638. The Marquis did again send a new Dispatch much of the same strain with the former before he had received this Letter representing the great hazards he apprehended from a Breach and that he feared the King would be faintly followed by the English withall he gave the King a large account of the Explanation was offered to that part of the Covenant by which they were bound to mutual Defence to which His Majesty wrote the following Answer Hamilton I Must needs thank you that you stand so close and constantly to my Grounds and you deserve the more since your fellow-Counsellours do rather dishearten than help you in this business for which I swear I pity you much There be two things in your Letter that require Answer to wit the Answer to their Petition and concerning the Explanation of their damnable Covenant for the first the telling you that I have not changed my mind in this particular is Answer sufficient since it was both foreseen by me and fully debated betwixt us two before your down-going and for the other I will onely say that so long as this Covenant is in force whether it be with or without Explanation I have no more Power in Scotland than as a Duke of Venice which I will rather die than suffer yet I commend the giving ear to the Explanation or any thing else to win Time which now I see is one of your chiefest cares wherefore I need not recommend it to you Another I know is to shew the World clearly that my taking of Arms is to suppress Rebellion and not to impose Novelties but that they are the seekers of them wherefore if upon the publishing of my Declaration a Protestation should follow I should think it would rather doe right than wrong to my Cause and for their calling a Parliament or Assembly without me I shâ—uld not much be sorry for it would the more loudly declare them Traitors and the more justifie my Actions therefore in my mind my Declaration would not be long delayed but this is a bare Opinion and no Command Lastly my resolution is to come my self in person accompanied like myself Sea-forces nor Ireland shall not be forgotten the particulars of which I leave to the Comptrollers relation as I do two particulars to the Archbishop of Canterbury which you forgot to mention in my Letter and so I rest Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Greenwich 25 June 1638. Upon this the Marquis spoke big to them The Marquis threatens the Covenanters and threatened to leave the Imployment and go to Court but to return to Scotland again shortly attending His Majesty in another posture This cooled their Courage a little for they were not then in a posture for a Breach and so they spoke more mildly saying who speak with more submission That they were sorry His Majesty mistook their good and innocent Intentions all they designed being the preservation of Religion and Laws and that if these were secured they would demean themselves in all time coming as good Subjects he said If they would all go home to their Houses he would beg liberty to wait on His Majesty with their Desires and return them an Answer within three weeks or a month But the true reasons that moved him to desire permission to go up were that hereby he gained so much more time as also he would more fully inform the King of the state of Affairs and see in what forwardness the Kings Preparations were but chiefly to try what he could prevail about establishing the Confession of Faith which had passed in Parliament 1567 for he judged if His Majesty did sign and authorize that Confession with a Bond for defending it in subordination to the Kings Authority The Marquiâ— asks leave to go to Court it might give full satisfaction to all that there should be no Innovation in Religion at least the Vulgar who had been poisoned with those Fears might be recovered a considerable party of the Covenanters gained and His Majesties Cause made more favourable to all the World This was not to be moved or managed by Letters therefore he begged permission to wait upon His Majesty which the King granted in the following Letter Hamilton YOurs of the 24th though it be long requires but a short Answer it being onely to have leave to come up and obtains iâ— of His Majesty which is grounded upon so good reason that I cannot but grant it Some Considerations in the mean time I think fit to put to you first to take heed how you engage your self in the way of Mediation to me for though I would not have you refuse to bring up to me any Demand of theirs to gain time yet I would not have you promise to mediate for any thing that is against my Grounds for if you do I must either prejudice my self in the granting or you in denying then I would have you take care that no more Subscriptions be urged upon any especially of Council or Session lastly that you leave such encouragement to these few that have not yet forsaken my Cause that
Our Council by Our Letter to that effect CHARLES R. Oatlands the 9th of Septemb. 1638. With these His Majesty did also sign the following Instructions for his behaviour with the Bishops CHARLES R. Instructions to be communicated to the Bishops YOV shall shew My Lord of St. Andrews that We intend by being content with his demission of the Chancellours Place no injury to him and most willing We are that in the manner of doing it he may receive no prejudice in his reputation though we cannot admit at this time of his nominating a Successor and to make it more plain that We are far from having any thought to affront him by thinking of his demission We will in no ways that you urge him to do it yet you are to intimate that in Our opinion a fair Demission will prove more to the advancement of Our Service and be better for him than if he should retain the Place If you find him willing to demit you shall then try what consideration he doth expect from Vs and if the same be not altogether unreasonable you shall promise it in Our Name If a demission then it is presently to be done If he resolve to hold that Place then you must prâ—sently command his repair to Scotland all excuses set apart You shall communicate to him and the rest of his Brethren that far of Our Intentions that it is probable you may indict a General Assembly Thai We are content absolutely to discharge the Books of Service and Canons and the High Commission You shall shew that the Five Articles of Perth We are pleased be esteemed as indifferent and that though We maintain Episcopacy yet We will be content that their Power be limited according to the Laws And it is Our further Pleasure that if an Assembly be indicted he and the rest of his Brethren be there to defend themselves and their Cause and for that end that he and they repair to Newcastle Morpeth or Berwick there to attend your further advertisement that so immediately they may repair to Scotland not only to answer for themselves at the said Assembly but likewise to consult with you what will be fiâ—test to be done for the advancement of Our Service that evil may be kept off so much as in you and them lieth both from Kirk and Commonwealth C.R. Oatlands the 9th September 1638. As for the Place where the Assembly should be held The Assembly was to sit at Glasgow though in the written Instructions it is referred to my Lord Commissioners choice Edinburgh only excepted yet it seems it hath been concerted betwixt the King and him where it should hold for in a Paper concerning the Assembly presented by the Marquis to the King yet extant where mention is made of the Place of the Assembly the King with His Own hand interlined Glasgow if may be and without doubt that was the fittest place for as the City was large and convenient so the Magistracy there was right set Besides it was next to the place of the Marquis his Interest whereby his power for over-ruling them might have been greatest neither was it fit they should go so far from the scene as Aberdeen which was advised by my Lord St. Andrews since for the Strangers it would have been all to one purpose for thither they would all have flocked and it seemed not so proper they should meet in a Place or Country which was still well set lest the numbers and boldness of those Strangers had either poysoned or frighted them from their Duty But to make the whole matter clear I shall here set down the Covenant and Bond which were now enjoyned by His Majesty WE all and every one of us underwritten protest The National Covenant first signed by King Iames and now received by the Kings Order that after long and due examination of our Consciences in Matters of true and false Religion we are now thorowly resolved in the Truth by the Word and Spirit of God and therefore we believe with our Hearts confess with our Mouthes subscribe with our Hands and constantly affirm before God and the whole World that this only is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man which is now by the Mercy of God revealed to the World by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received believed and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majesty and the Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation as more particularly is expressed in thâ— Confession of our Faith stablished and publickly confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land to the which Confession and form of Religion we willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth and verity grounded only upon his written Word and therefore we abhor and detest all contrary Religion and Doctrine but chiefly all kind of Papistry in general and particular Heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland But in special we detest and refuse the usurped Authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Kirk and Civil Magistrate and Consciences of men all his tyrannous Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian Liberty his erroneous Doctrine against the Sufficiency of the written Word the perfection of the Law the Office of Christ and his blessed Evangel his corrupted Doctrine concerning Original Sin our natural inability and rebellion to Gods Law our Iustification by Faith only our imperfect Sanctification and obedience to the Law the nature number and use of the Holy Sacraments his Five bastard Sacraments with all his Rites Ceremonies and false Doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments without the Word of God his cruel Iudgements against Infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessity of Baptism his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation or real presence of Christs Body in the Elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his Dispensations with Solemn Oaths Perjuries and degrees of Marriage forbidden in the Word his cruelty against the Innocent divorced his devilish Mass his blasphemous Priesthood his profane Sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Imagery Reliques and Crosses dedicating of Kirks Altars Days Vows to Creatures his Purgatory Prayers for the Dead praying or speaking in strange Language with his Processions and blasphemous Litany and multitude of Advocates or Mediators his manifold Orders Auricular Confession his desperate and uncertain Repentance his general and doubtsome Faith his Satisfactions of men for their sins his Iustification by Works Opus operatum Works of Supererrogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations and Stations
not well but God forgive them with misconceits of His Intentions concerning the Religion professed in this Church and Kingdom But to rectifie all such Misconceptions of His Subjects His Majesties desire is that before this Assembly proceed to any thing else His Subjects may receive ample and clear satisfaction in these Points wherein His Majesties gracious Intentions have been misdoubted or glanced at by the malevolent Aspects of such as are afraid that His Majesties good Subjects should see His clear mind through any other Glasses or Spectacles than those they have tempered and fitted for them Those sinistrous Aspersions dispersed by surmizes have been especially two first as if there had been in His Majesty if not some Intention yet at least some inclination to give way if not to Alterations yet to some Innovations in the Religion professed in and established by the Laws of this Church and Kingdom I am confident that no man can harbour or retain any such thought in his breast any more when His Majesty hath commanded that Confession of Faith which you call the Negative to be subscribed by all His Subjects whatsoever and hath been Graciously pleased to put the Execution of this His Royal Command in your own hands The next false and indeed foul and devilish Surmize wherewith His good Subjects have been mis-led is that nothing promised in His Majesties last most Gracious Proclamation though most ungraciously received was ever intended to be performed nay not the Assembly it self but that only Time was to be gained till His Majesty by Arms might oppress this His Own Native Kingdom than which Report Hell it self could not have raised a blacker and falser For that part which concerneth the Report of the Intention of not holding the Assembly this Day and Place as was first promised and proclaimed thanks be to God confuteth that Calumny abundantly for the other of making good what His Majesty did promise in His last Gracious Proclamation His Majesty hath commanded me thus to express His Heart to all His good Subjects He hath seriously considered all the Grievances of His Subjects which have been presented to Him by all and several of their Petitions Remonstrances and Supplications exhibited unto Himself His Commissioner and Lords of His Secret Council and hath graciously granted them all and as He hath already granted as far as could be by Proclamation so he doth now desire that His Subjects may be assured of them by Acts of this General Assembly and afterwards by Acts of Parliament respectivé And therefore he not onely desires but commands that all the Particulars he hath promised be first gone in hand with in this Assembly and enacted and then afterwards what His Subjects shall desire being found reasonable may be next thought upon that so it may be known to God and the whole World and particularly to all His good Subjects how careful His Majesty is to discharge himself of all His Gracious Promises made to them hoping that when you shall see how Royally Graciously and Faithfully His Majesty hath dealt with you and all His Subjects you will likewise correspond in loyal and dutiful Obedience in chearful but calm and peaceable Proceeding in all other business to be treated of in this Assembly and because there shall be no mistake I shall now repeat the Particulars that you may see they are the same which were promised by His Majesties first Proclamation To this I shall adde the Paper of His Majesties Concessions taken from the Original wherein His Majesty had interlined and dashed out some things with his own Pen. CHARLES R. THe Kings Majesty being informed The Kings Oâ—fers to the Assembly that many of His good Subjects have apprehended that by the introduction of the Service-book and Book of Canons the in-bringing of Popery and Superstition hath been intended is Graciously pleased to discharge the said Books and to annul all Acts made for establishing thereof and for His good People their further satisfaction is Graciously pleased to declare by me that no other in that kind shall hereafter be introduced but in a fair and legal way of Assembly allowed by Act of Parliament and the Laws of this Kingdom The Kings Majesty as he conceived for the ease and benefit of the Subjects established the High Commission that thereby Iustice might be administred and the Faults and Errours of such persons as are made liable thereto taken order with and punished with the more convenience and less trouble to the People but finding His Gracious Intentions to be herein mistaken hath been pleased likeas he is Graciously content that the same be discharged with all Acts and Deeds made for the establishing thereof and is pleased to declare by me That that Court or Iudicatory nor no other of that nature shall be brought in hereafter but in that way allowed by the Laws of this Kingdom And the Kings Majesty being informed that the urging of the five Articles of Perth's Assembly hath bred Distraction in the Church and State hath been Graciously pleased to take the same into His consideration and for the quiet and peace of Church and State doth not onely dispense with the practice of the said Articles but also discharges and by these hath discharged all and whatsoever Persons from urging the practice thereof upon either Laick or Ecclesiastick person whatsoever and doth hereby free all His Subjects from all Censure and Pain whether Ecclesiastical or Secular for not urging practising or obeying them or any of them notwithstanding any thing contained in the Acts of Parliament or General Assembly to the contrary And because it is pretended that Oaths have been administred to Ministers at their entry contrary and differing from that which is set down in the Acts of Parliament His Majesty is pleased to declare and ordain that no other Oath shall be required of any Minister at his entry than that which is expresly set down in the Acts of Parliament and this He is content be considered of in the Assembly to be represented to the Estates of Parliament and enacted as they shall find expedient And that it may appear how careful His Majesty is that no Corruption or Innovation shall creep into this Church neither any scandal vice or fault of any person whatsoever censurable or punishable by the Assembly go unpunished it is His Majesties Pleasure likeas by these His Majesty does assure all His good People that hereafter General Assemblies shall be kept as oft as the Affairs of this Kirk shall require and to this purpose because it is probable that some things necessary for the present Estate and Good of this Church may be left unperfected at this present Assembly We do by these indict another Assembly to be holden at And that none of Our Subjects may have cause of Grievance against the Procedure of Prelats Our Pleasure is that all and every one of the present Bishops and their Successours shall be answerable and accordingly from time to
time censurable according to their Merits by the Assembly which His Majesty is likewise pleased be enacted in this present Assembly and thereafter ratified in Parliament And to give all His Majesties good People good assurance that he never intended to admit any Alteration or Change in the true Religion professed within this Kingdom and that they may be truly and fully satisfied of the Reality of His Intentions towards the maintainance of the Truth and Integrity of the same His Majesty hath been pleased to require and command all His good Subjects to subscribe the Confession of Faith subscribed by His dear Father in Anno 1580. and for thaâ— effect hath ordained the Lords of His Privy Council to take some speedy course whereby the same may be done thorough the whole Kingdom which His Majesty requires likewise all those of this present Assembly to sign and all others His Subjects who have not done it already and it is His Majesties Will that this be inserted and registred in the Books of this Assembly as a Testimony to Posterity not onely of the sincerity of His Intentions to the said true Religion but also of His Resolution to maintain and defend the same and His Subjects in the professing thereof C. R. The Marquis consults the Bishops how to proceed The Marquis sent a Gentleman to ask the advice of the Bishops then in the Castle of Glasgow about the particular way of his Procedure in the Assembly from whom he had the following Letter My Lord may it please your Grace THis Worthy Gentleman hath desired my Iudgment concerning three things who write to him first concerning the production of a Letter from His Majesty to the Assembly directed to the Archbishops Bishops and Ministers whether or not this can be produced and any Note made upon it before there be a Moderator condescended upon My humble Opinion is which I humbly submit to your Graces better Iudgment that the Letter be presented given by your Grace to the Clerk and read by him Here it is most like your Grace will be pressed that the Letter is directed to an Assembly that cannot be without a Moderator and yet on purpose to get a Moderator by Election and an Assembly established to which in my Iudgment it may be replied that it may be that the Kings Letter containeth something to that purpose which therefore is to be read and noted by the Clerk as produced onely The second is concerning the Examination of the Commissions and Commissioners My Lord it is certain that both are most illegal and there is more than sufficient ground from this one if there were no more to void this Assembly and make it null But how to begin at this I see not so well for if the Commissions and Commissioners be rejected then how shall the Kings Real and Royal Intentions be manifest to the Subjects which is most necessary that the Factious may not have advantage to possess good and loyal Subjects that His Majesty is onely deluding them for other ends On the other part if your Grace approve the Commissions and Commissioners how far King and Church shall suffer your Grace is wiser to conceive than I am able to express The third is concerning the Declinator when it shall be proposed or presented to your Grace My Lords of Glasgow and Brechin are fully of that mind that at the very first it is to be used before the Assembly be established their Reasons seem very pregnant first because all Declinators are used so next if the Assembly be once established how can it be declined or your Grace admit our Declinator or Protestation My Lord seeing two things are mainly to be look'd to the one that His Majesties Pious Intentions be made known to this present Meeting the other that the Church suffer no prejudice my humble Opinion is that first the Kings Letter as I have said be read and marked Produced next immediately after our Declinator produced and presented to your Grace read in audience of all Instruments taken in the Clerk-Registers hands and it marked by the Clerk Produced Then your Grace may by your own Wisdom conceive a brief Speech excusing your self that you are not so well acquainted with the Formalities and Legalities of Church-meetings yet that seeing in such Distractions and Combustions all things cannot be done in that orderly way is requisite and that your Grace does know how that with a most earnest and Fatherly Care His Majesty endeavours the binding up of this Breach and the restoring of Church and State to Quiet and Peace and that your Grace for that Duty you owe to your Master and Love you have to your Native Country will leave nothing undone that is in your power and incumbent to a faithful Servant and kind Patriot and therefore will adventure to chuse rather to erre in formal Errours than to leave so material and necessary a Work at such an exigent of time and so seeing there is no Archbishop nor Bishop present your Grace by connivence will permit them for how your Grace can allow it I see not to chuse a Moderator and will not fall upon that shelve or rock of Examination of Commissions or Commissioners being confident that if matters go on in a moderate way what shall be agreed upon shall be liked by all even those that are taken to be their Party and what is amiss in Formality and Legality if no errour be in the matter of the Conclusions may most easily and speedily be helped After the Moderator is condescended upon the first thing your Grace would urge is the Registrating the Kings Letter in the Books of the Assembly then the Registrating of our Declinator After this your Grace will be careful that nothing be proposed till what is in His Majesties Declaration be enacted and if this being done they fall upon any extravagancy your Grace then may by advice of the Council declare that seeing they will not hold Moderation your Grace and the Council must examine their Commissions and Commissioners to which before you gave connivence and discuss the relevancy of our Declinator This Course keeped in my poor Iudgement will fully manifest to all His Majesties pious Intentions evidence your Graces sincere affection to Religion and the Kingdom preserve our Right make them unexcusable let the People see how unreasonable and immoderate they are and give to your Grace a fair way and ground to discontinue and discharge the Meeting under pain of Treason This my weak and poor opinion I have made bold to declare to your Grace not out of any confidence in my self but necessitated because of that Obedience I owe your Grace and true affection to the Peace of Church and State which with my self and all my endeavours I humbly prostrate to you and submit to your Graces better Iudgement I humbly beg of your Grace to let me know by this Gentleman what shall be done with our Declinator and let him come and
for them to stand upon those Punctilio's with their Soveraign and for your particular you would never be an Instrument of any dishonourable Act to His Majesty such as would be the engaging him not to correct the Misdemeanours of his Subjects that you had made a like Answer when you was demanded for Pass-ports to those that should come to you which you had rejected as judging it dishonourable for His Majesty to grant or any of his Subjects to ask or capitulate with His Majesty for They pressed to know what His Majesty required of them and what would be the extent of his condescending to their Desires in point of Conscience namely touching Bishops and the Acts of the last General Assembly wherein they said if they might have satisfaction they would cast at His Majesties feet their Bodies and Fortunes to be disposed of at his Pleasure In answer to this your Excellence caused me read His Majesties Proclamation wherein desiring to be cleared of His Majesties Intentions in the particular of the Civil Obedience your Excellence said it was the retiring with their Troops laying down tâ—eir Arms and the Nobilities waiting on him with their Swords onely upon the Frontier the restoring of His Majesties Castles unto such as His Majesty should appoint and the demolishing of their own Fortificaâ—ions unlawfully erected and the like As for the enjoying of Liberty of Religion wherein likewise they did press to know how far His Majesty would condescend to their humble Supplications as likewise in the point of the Acts of the last pretended General Assembly your Excellence answered It would be so far as the Laws of the Kingdom did permit They asked who should judge of these Laws and of their intention and if it might be decided by a General Assembly Your Excellence answered Yes and that either His Majesty would call one or your self as His Majesties High Commissioner They desired to know if His Majesty would stand to the Award of such an Assembly especially in what concerned the Acts of the later Your Excellence answered His Majesty was not bound to it as having his Negative Voice which they not acknowledging your Excellence added that notwithstanding you were confident that whatsoever should be agreed on by such an Assembly called by His Majesties Command and where the Members should be legally chosen His Majesty would not onely consent unto them but have them ratified in Parliament They desired your Excellence would limit them a time wherein to return and treat further with you with full power to conclude all things wherein they desired not to be pressed with scantness of time in regard of the Nobilities being dispersed in several places of the Country Your Excellence answered it should be when themselves would were it tomorrow or a moneth hence for you assured them they would find you so long in these quarters Lastly they desired to know what they might report of what your Excellence had assured them of His Majesties Intentions concerning Religion and the General Assembly Your Excellence answered that as they brought no Commission to treat of all these particulars but kept themselves within the limits of the Contents in their Letters you would doe accordingly in your Answer and that in writing they should receive something to morrow This was that Conference which some were pleased to misrepresent under the odious Characters of Treacherous and Secret Dealing with the Covenanters At this time there were divers Scotish Lords and Officers waiting on the King but being of no use and burdensom to His Majesty Some Lords come from the King to the Marquis he sent them to the Marquis with whom he wrote the following Letter Hamilton I Cannot let these Lords go without a Letter it being more to please them than to inform you there having nothing happened since my last of the 17th that makes me either alter or take new Counsels so that this is onely to recommend them to your care in so far as may comply with my Service which shews you both my good Opinion of them as likewise that I am Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle 21 May 1639. But the Marquis was very ill-satisfied with their coming to him since they were able to doe nothing but help away with his Victuals which were beginning to run low and therefore were to be well-husbanded wherefore he persuaded them that it was fit for them to go to the Places of their Interest and doe what in them lay for getting some to appear for the King and so he got himself rid of them the best way he could Two days after that the Marquis got the following Letter Hamilton THe Trust I have both in the Honesty and Sufficiency of this Bearer shall ease me much at this time therefore I shall onely mention what he shall speak of more fully to you The Lord Aboyne's Proposition I have in my last recommended to you though at that time I thought not that himself would have been the Messenger of it other Lords I have sent to you to see if they can doe me better Service there than here for here I am sure they can doe none I shall conclude with that with which I have neither acquainted this Bearer nor any body else to wit your Proposition of packing up this Business It is true that according to my Proclamation I would rest quiet for this time upon their yielding me Civil Obedience but that must be understood by demanding Pardon for their by-past Disobedience and rendring up what they unjustly possess of mine and others Less than this I will not be contented with no not for the present For all this I do not take my self to be in such a case as to conquer them yet I doubt not but by the Grace of God to force them to Obedience in time what by stopping of their Trade and other courses therefore go on for this is the Resolution of Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. After them the Viscount of Aboyne But on the 29th of May the Lord Aboyne came to him with the following Letter from the King Hamilton HAving been some days since I wrote to you I could nâ—t let my Lord Aboyne go without these Lines though it be rather to confirm than to adde to my two former onely I shall desire you to take heed how you engage me in Money-expence As for what Assistance you can spare him out of the Forces that are with yâ—u I leave you to judge and I shall be glad of it if you find it may doe good The truth is that I find my state of Moneys to be such An. 1638. that I shall be able by the Grace of God to maintain all the Men I have afoot for this Summer but for doing any more I dare not promise therefore if with the Countenance and Assistance of what Force you have you may uphold my Party in the North and the rest of those Noblemen I have sent to you
with you in a safe and good posture and your self to come hither in person to consult what Counsels are fit to be taken as the Affairs now hold And so wishing your Lordship a speedy passage I rest Your Lordships most humble Servant and faithful Friend H. VANE From the Camp at Huntley-field this 4th of Iuly 1639. To this His Majesty added the following Postscript with his own Hand HAving no time to write my Self so much I was forced to use his Pen therefore I shall only say that what is here written I have directed seen and approved C. R. How great the Marquis his surprize and trouble was when he received this cannot be easily expressed The Marquâ—â— goes to the King though it was but what he always looked for and before the King left Whitehall he told him in the Gallery none but Sir Henry Vane being present that few of the English would engage in an Offensive with Scotland However he was too well taught in Obedience to question or delay it after such positive Orders and therefore could neither give a satisfactory answer to the Earl of Airly who at that time wrote to him presâ—â—ng him to come to the North in all haste otherwise the Kings Party there would be presently overrun nor to my Lord Aboyne's Letter who desired fresh Supplies of Men and Moneys though the refusing of both these was after that alledged against him Yet the last being dated the fourth of Iune met him on his way to the King the other could be no sooner at him being of the 26th of May and in the Postscript excuse is made that it was of an old Date for want of a sure Bearer both these are yet extant But most of all it appears how groundless that great and crying Accusation was which as it made up no small part of his Charge to be mentioned in its proper place so was it in the mouths of every person that he betrayed His Majesties Service in the Frith which could not be better cleared than by giving this particular Deduction of every step of it where he finds a Treaty begun About the time that the Marquis arrived at His Majesties Camp the Covenanters sent a Petition by the Earl of Dumfermline to the King desiring a Safe-conduct for such of theâ—r number as they â—hould send to His Majesties Camp with their humble Desires and Offers for a Treaty This was granted and their first Meeting was appointed to be on the â—leventh of Iune at Arundel's Tent. So they â—ent the Earls of Rothes Dumfermline and Lowdon the Sheriff oâ— Tevioâ—dale Mr. Alexander Henderson and Mr. Archbald Iohnstown who first proposed their Desires in general That Religion and Liberties mighâ— be secured upon which they should behave themselves as good Subjects and then the Marquis his affection to his Country made him imploy his whole Interest with the King for procuring a Gracious Answer to them offering that if the King found it suitable to his Honour and fit for his Service he should not be displeased though His Majesty did disown his former Actions and let the load of Obloquy and Censure fall as heavy upon himself as the King pleased But in this His Majesty was positive judging the owning of what he had done the former year to be both for his Honour and Interest However the Marquis did show the King that while the fire-edge was upon the Scotish Spirits it would not prove an easie task to tame them but would be a Work of some years and cosâ— much Money and many Men he therefore desired the King would consider if it were not fit to consent to the abolishing of Episcopacy and giving way to their Covenant till better times and that as the chief Leaders had entred upon that Course being provoked by some Irritaons and Neglects they had met with so it might be fit to regain them by Cajolery and other Favours And to perswade the King to this Course was the easier that both his Reason and his Affection to his Subjects did cooperate with it a great strengthening coming to it by my Lord Canterbury's Opinion who saw a Pacification absolutely necessary for the Kings Service and did advise it So on the thirteenth of Iune His Majesty returned Answer That he supposed Religion and Liberties were abundantly settled by his former Proclamations but if any thing was wanting wherein either Religion or Liberties were concerned none should be more zealous for it than himself The Covenanters insisted That the Assembly of Glasgow might be ratified but His Majesty rejected that adding That he was willing to call a new Assembly and ratifie what should be legally established by it in the following Parliament The Commissioners were willing to yield to this provided His Majesty did not oblige them to renounce the Assembly of Glasgow to which they resolved to adhere His Majesty said He should not press them to that but that Assembly should not be mentioned on either hand They moved next about Lay-elders in the Assembly The King referred himself in that to the Laws of the Land They next moved That Episcopacy should be abolished The King answered He would not prelimit his Vote by declaring what it should be in the ensuing Assembly Finally after all things had been debated divers days not without some heat wherein the Earl of Rothes got new Irritations from some warm expressions of the Kings to him at length on the eighteenth of Iune all was concluded which is within few days concluded First His Majesty signed the following Declaration of which the Original is extant CHARLES R. WE having considered the Papers and humble Petitions presented to Vs His Majestieâ— Declaration by those of Our Subjects of Scotland who were admitted to attend Our Pleasure in the Camp and after a full hearing by Our Self of all that they could say or alledge thereupon having communicated the same to Our Council of both Kingdoms upon mature Deliberation with their unanimous Advice have thought fit to give them this Iust and Gracious Answer That though We cannot condescend to ratifie and approve the Acts of the pretended General Assembly at Glasgow for many grave and weighty Considerations which have happened both before and since much importing the Honour and Security of that true Monarchical Government lineally descended upon Vs from so many of Our Ancestours yet such is Our Gracious Pleasure that notwithstanding the many Disorders committed of late We are pleased not only to confirm and make good whatsoever Our Commissioner hath granted and promised in Our Name but also We are further Graciously pleased to declare and assure that according to the Petitioners humble Desires all matters Ecclesiastical shall be determined by the Assembly of the Kirk and matters Civil by the Parliament and other inferiour Iudicatories established by Law and Assemblies accordingly shall be kept once a year or as shall be agreed upon at the next General Assembly And for settling the general Distractions
you are to warn and assist Ruthwen for the defence of the Castle of Edinburgh and to take in general the like care of all Our Houses and Forts in that Kingdom and likewise to advertise all such who are affected to Our Service that timously they may secure themselves And so We bid you heartily farewell The greatest Point gained in the Assembly was an Explication of the Bond of Defence which was conceived in these Words WE do swear not onely our mutual concurrence and assistance for the cause of Religion and to the uttermost of our power The Explication of the Covenant with our Means and Lives to stand to the Defence of our Dread Soveraign and His Authority in the preservation and defence of the said true Religion Liberties and Laws of this Kirk and Kingdom but also in every cause which may concern His Majesties Honour we shall according to the Laws of this Kingdom and Duties of good Subjects concur with our Friends and Followers in quiet manner or in Arms as we shall be required of His Majesties Council or any having His Authority The Clause about Episcopacy was worded That it was unlawful in this Church Episcopacy abjured in Scotland Upon this the Covenant was presented to the Commissioner and Council on the 30th of August with a desire that it might be signed and it was accordingly done which was received with great Joy witnessed by Bonfires and ringing of Bells and all the Pulpits and Streets were full of Traquair's Praises But His Majesty was no way satisfied with this as appears from the following Letter CHARLES R. Right Trusty c. The King displeased with Traquair YOur Letter of September the 27th to Hamilton We have seen and think fit to return Answer thereunto Our Self and the rather because We find by yours that some Points in the former Letter were not so fully expressed but that you desire more clear Answers First you say that in all your Directions it is condescended that by Act of Assembly Episcopacy should be declared unlawful in this Kirk and that by all the Capitulations of Agreement and Instructions given to you that same is allowed to be ratified in Parliament upon the foresaid terms agreed upon in the Assembly In this Point We must tell you that you are much mistaken for though you have Power for giving way to the Abolition of Episcopacy as contrary to the Constitutions of the Church of Scotland yet you will not find either in your Instructions or any other Direction since sent you that We have consented to declare the same Unlawful We making a great difference therein for many things may be contrary to the Constitutions of a Church which of thâ—mselves are not simply unlawful for whatsoever is absolutely unlawful in one Church cannot be lawful in the other of the same Profession of Religion but there may be many several Constitutions and yet they all lawful Therefore if I do acknowledge or consent That Episcopacy is unlawful in the Church of Scotland though as you have set it down in your consenting to the Act the word Unlawful may seem onely to have a relation to the Constitutions of that Kirk yet the Construction thereof doth run so doubtfully that it may be probably inferred That the same Function is acknowledged by Vs to be unlawful in any other Churches in Our Dominions Therefore as we totally disapprove of your consenting to the word Unlawful as well to the Function as Civil Places and Power of Church-men in the Act of the General Assembly so We absolutely command you not to ratifie the same in these terms in the Parliament but onely as contrary to the Constitutions of that Kirk and to declare that We ratifie this Act meerly for the Peace of the Land though otherwise in Our Own Iudgment We neither hold it convenient nor fitting which you are to declare at the Ratifying of the same And for the rest of your Declaration in the Assembly to be registred in the Books of Council for brevities sake We send you herewith a Copy of the same as likewise that of the Covenant interlined in those places which We disapprove of and conceive to be the contrary to your Instructions and some other Directions As We have formerly written to you We cannot consent to the rescinding any Acts of Parliament made in favour of Episcopacy nor do We conceive that Our refusal to abolish those Acts is contradictory to what We have consented to or to that we was obliged to there is less danger in discovering any future Intentions of Ours or at the best letting them guess at the same than if We should permit the rescinding those Acts of Parliament which Our Father with so much expence of Time and Industry established and which may hereafter be of so great use to Vs. And though it should perhaps cast all loose as you express yet We take God to witness We have permitted them to doe many things in this Assembly for establishing of Peace contrary to Our Own Iudgment And if on this point a Rupture happen We cannot help it the fault is on their own part which one day they may smart for So you have in this Point Our full Resolution We likewise wrote formerly to you that We thought it not fit at this time that the Power of the Lords of the Articles should be defined and that you are to avoid the same and to be sure not to consent thereunto Now your last Letter gives Vs ground to repeat the same again and to declare to you that We remain in Our former Opinion And whereas you say that it is to no purpose to vex Vs with all the indiscreet and mad Propositions that are made since they go about not onely to reform all pretended Abuses of what nature soever but to constitute and define the Power of all Iudicatories from the highest to the lowest and that you are like to agree in few or none of the General Acts If you find that what We have commanded you to doe is likely to cause a Rupture their impertinent Motions give you a fair occasion to make it appear to the World that We have condescended to all matters which can be pretended to concern Conscience and Religion and that now they aim at nothing but the Overthrow of Royal Authority contrary to all their Professions which We can neither with Honour nor Safety suffer And therefore We hope and expect that if a Rupture happen you will make this appear to be the cause thereof and not Religion which you know not onely to be true but must see it will be of great advantage to Vs and therefore must be seriously intended by you We have no Directions of new to give you concerning the Marquis of Huntley Sir Donald Mack-donald or any others to whom Malice is carried for their Zeal for Our Service but again recommend them to your care What hath past betwixt your self and the Earl of Argyle We
more Messages as may be most for His Majesties Honour and Peace of His Kingdoms which if they shall refuse or despise I hope we will not then forget that it is our King that is reduced to this necessity and that we will never look on unconcerned where he is so deeply engaged I hope you will pardon the Trouble I give you in reading this long ill-written Letter for had I not been Commanded to it by a Power which God willing I shall never disobey it had not been hazarded on by Your most humble Servant LANERICK Nottingham the last of August 1642. The Marquis took all the pains imaginable on Argyle and Lowdon to perswade them to a cordial owning of the Kings Service Much pains taken to engage Scotland to the Kings Service as the only way to give Scotland a lasting Interest in the Kings Affection which also would make them famous all the World over And since the Scotish Troubles had involved the King in all His difficulties it was just they should study to extricate him and for the pretence of Religion with which the English were cajoling our Scotish Clergy he said he was to be pardoned if he presumed to know them better than they could assuring them that Religion was only pretended by them He took also a great deal of pains in many others to prepare them against the day in which the Conservatours were to meet to which Lanerick came with the following Letter from His Majesty Right trusty c. The Kings Letter to the Conservatours of the Peace HAving been informed that upon Petition of the Commissioners from Our late General Assembly Our Council thought fit that you should meet for discharging of that Trust imposed on you by Vs and Our Parliament whereby all fair means may be used to prevent such Troubles and Divisions as may interrupt or endanger the common Peace of Our Kingdom And as it ought to be the continual study of all Good and Pious Princes to preserve their People so certainly it is the Duty of all Loyal and Faithful Subjects to maintain the Greatness and Iust Authority of their Princes so that without this reciprocal Endeavour there can be no Happiness for the Prince nor Security for the People We are sure Our late Actions in Scotland will to all posterity be an acceptable witness of Our Care in preserving the Liberty of those Our Subjects and Our Desire to settle perfect Peace in that Our Kingdom And We are also confident that the many good Acts We have past here since the Sitting of this Parliament indeed denying none but such as denyed Vs any Power at all and were never so much as demanded from any of Our Predecessors will bear the like Testimony of Our Affection to the Good and Peace of this Kingdom though the success hath not been alike For though We have used Our best Endeavours to prevent the present Distractions and threatning Dangers yet so prevalent have been the opposers of Vs and the Peace of Our Kingdoms that not so much as a Treaty can be obtained though by Our several Messages We have descended to demand and press it unless upon such Conditions as would either by taking all Power of Government from Vs make Vs as nothing or by forcing Vs to quit the Protection of such as for obeying Vs according to Law and their Oath of Allegiance they would have Traytors and so make Vs do an Act unworthy of a King Yet so desirous We are to save Our Subjects Blood which cannot but be prodigally spent if We be necessitated by force of Arms to decide these unhappy Differences that no sooner any such Treaty shall be offered unto Vs by them which with Honour and Safety We can receive but We shall chearfully embrace it This We have thought fit to acquaint you with that from Our Selves you may know Our love to Peace and We doubt not but your Meeting at this time will produce something which will witness your tender respect to Our Honour and Safety and so much We do confide in your Affections as We shall absolutely leave the ways and means of expressing it to your selves So We bid you heartily farewell From Our Court at Stafford the 18th of September This so far prevailed with them at their first Meeting The Conservatours incline to serve the King that all things went very fairly so that they sent a Return to the Kings Letters without making any Judgement on the Differences betwixt Him and the Parliament They also resolved to Mediate betwixt the King and the Two Houses and for that end designed to send the Marquis to Holland with an Invitation from Scotland to Her Majesty for her Return to mediate a Peace betwixt the King and Parliament and to invite the Queen And the Marquis got a Paper signed by almost all the Lords not only those who were the best-affected but by Lowdon Argâ—le Waristoun Mr. Alexander Henderson and the other Leaders of the Party containing an Invitation for Her Majesty to come to Scotland with assurance of Security for Her Person and the free exercise of Her Religion for Her Self and Family so that no others were admitted to share in it and that they should concur with Her Majesty in mediating a Peace betwixt the King and the Two Houses which if it were rejected by the Two Houses they obliged themselves to engage for the King against them This was carried with great Address and managed so prudently that wise men called it the Master-peece of the Marquis his Life Lanerick carried it to the King to receive His Pleasure about it a Note whereof follows written by Lanerick in general Terms DIvers of the most considerable of the Nobility of Scotland and send Lanâ—rick to the King have by the Earl of Lanerick humbly offered unto His Majesty their sense of the present Differences betwixt Him and His Parliament of England which they conceive will hardly be reconciled so long as Her Majesty is at so great a distance and therefore are perswaded it would conduce much for Settling these Distractions if Her Majesty might be moved to return and mediate in so good a Work for which end the Marquis of Hamilton if His Majesty think fit and conceive it may be acceptable to Her Majesty will be ready to go to Holland humbly to invite Her Majesty hereunto in Name of this whole Kingdom of Scotland who will as dutiful and faithful Subjects humbly joyn their Endeavours and Mediation with Her Majesty that His Majesty may have Honour and Contentment and His People Happiness and Security under His Royal Government But the King was jealous of them The King at first welcomed this Proposition with a great deal of Joy but upon other grounds he thought not fit to listen to it for his Affection to the Queen made him fear the hazard of Her Person so much that this Proposition was not entertained which the Marquis often regrated as a Loss
this Kingdom respectivè and which His Majesty since by so many Declarations and deep Protestations hath Sworn to maintain inviolably Thirdly That your Lordships may be pleased to consider that as nothing will more diminish His Majesties Greatness than that this Kingdom should consume in Civil War so nothing will more conduce to the Suppressing of insolent Papists malignant schismatick and Disloyal Brownists and Separatists the special if not the sole promovers of these unhappy Misunderstandings than that heartily and freely without respect of worldly and secondary Considerations we give to Christ what is Christ's and to Caesar what is Caesar's by means whereof the Truth and Purity of Religion shall be established to the utter Confusion of all these Sectaries true Monarchical Government firmly setled by which likewise Laws and Authority shall retain their ancient vigour and force to the Suppression of all Commotions and tumultuous Conventions the bane and overthrow of all true Religion and Policy Fourthly Although there be nothing farther from our minds than to presume to question or crave of your Lordships an account of your Actions knowing perfectly by the inviolable Laws and Customes of this Kingdome that to be only proper and due to the King and Parliament from whence you have that great Charge and Trust delivered unto you yet we hope your Lordships will give us leave in all Humility to remember your Lordships of your Deliverance June 1642. and are confident that the said Lords the Petitioners neither have nor shall have necessity to trouble themselves nor the Council with Supplications of this kind and that your Lordships in your Wisdom will take some Course for preventing all occasions which may in any sort disturb the Peace of this Kingdom or make Division among the Subjects thereof This Petition was signed by a great many Noblemen and Gentlemen Many sign it but though they took much pains to get Ministers to concur in it yet none of them could be drawn to it This Petition was presented with many hands at it to the Council and it was observed that as it was written by a trusty Friend of the Marquis's so also all his Friends signed it which made the Author suspected and did shew that his Friends adhered hitherto to their Duty and his Example All the Answer the Councellors returned to it was that they should be careful to proceed as they should be answerable All the Ministers condemn it But the Preachers threatned Damnation to all the Authors and Subscribers of it and detestable Neutrality became the Head on which they spent their Eloquence The Commission of the General Assembly passed a severe Censure on the Cross Petition in a Remonstrance they gave in against it which was answered by a Counter-remonstrance Upon these cross tides of Petitions that were offered to the Council the Conservatours of the Peace resolved to send some Commissioners to London Commissioners sent to Treat betwixt the King and the Two Houses to Mediate betwixt the King and the Two Houses and endeavour chiefly the Uniformity of Church-Government for which end the Commission of the Kirk was also to send their Commissioners to second them in it and no resistance could be made to this that was able to obstruct it They also moved that the King should be desired to call a Parliament in Scotland The Marquis and his Friends opposed this vigorously not that he was against a Parliament but judged the Motion unseasonable and thought the Time prefixed at the last Parliament for the next to wit after three years needed not be anticipated It was also put in their Instructions to their Commissioners to press the King to put all Papists from his Person The Marquis and his Friends also opposed this not upon the account of the thing it self but because it seemed to cast a Scandal upon the King as if his Religion were to be suspected But the Church-party was strongest in this Meeting of the Conservatours and so carried every thing in it The Safe-conducts being come they named their Commissioners the Chancellour being the chief of them and though Lanerick in the Kings Name excepted against the Lord Waristoun and produced the Kings Warrant for it yet they named him but were so wise as not to send him They were also so discreet that they appointed the Commissioners to go first to the King Things being thus determined Lanerick took the start of them but they were at Court before him he being detained by a Garrison of the Parliaments for some days In the end of February he came to Oxford Lanerick goes to Court and discovers the inclination of the Church-party where he gave the King an account of the present state of the Scotish Affairs and that it was the Advice of His Majesties truest Friends in Scotland that he should entertain the Commissioners with the best words he could give them but should not by any means suffer them to go to London since there were great grounds to fear they would engage too deep in the Quarrel if they went thither This Advice agreed so with the Kings Inclinations that it could meet no resistance in his thoughts When the Commissioners arrived they delivered their Message but the King repeated what was formerly told them That Scotland and England had different Laws and Interests and therefore it was to give the one Kingdom too great an advantage over the other to suffer them to come and be Vmpires in the present Differences They pressed their Desires as warmly as they could but all was in vain for the King would by no means suffer them to go to London and in particular he told the Earl of Lowdon what grounds He had to believe they designed to raise an Army for the Parliaments Quarrel and that some of his fellow-Commissioners would prove Incendiaries rather than Mediators But Lowdon with great Protestations denied that they designed to raise Arms and said to the King These were but the Misrepresentations with which the Marquis and his Brother abused His Majesty As for the Calling a Parliament the King said he saw no reason for it and therefore would not anticipate the Day that was already prefixed for it But to the Commissioners from the Assembly the King gave the following Answer which I set down in his own Words having it written all with His Majesties own Hand HIs Majesty commends the Zeal of the Petitioners for the advancement of the true Reformed Religion against Heresy Popery Sects Innovations and Profanity and always shall use His best and uttermost endeavours for Advancing the one and the utter Suppressing the rest For the Vnity in Kirk-Government His Majesty knows that the Government now established by the Laws hath so near a relation and intermixture with the Civil State which may be unknown to the Petitioners that till a composed digested Form be presented to him upon a free debate by Both Houses of Parliament whereby the Consent and Approbation of the whole Kingdom
may be had and He and all His Subjects may discern what is to be left or brought in as well as what taken away He knows not how to consent to an Alteration otherwise than to such an Act for tâ—e ease of Tender Consciences in the matter of Ceremonies as His Majesty hath often offered And His Majesty hath formerly expressed Himself and still continues willing that the Debates of Religion may be entred into by a Synod of Learned and Godly Divines to be regularly câ—osen according to the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom to which end His Majesty will be very willing that some Learned Divines of the Kirk of Scotland may be likewise sent to be present and offer their Reasons and Opinions This was the Success of that Negotiation but because the Reader may wonder how Lowdon and the Marquis came to be in such terms I shall set down the occasion of their Breach When Lowdon was to go up the Marquis resolved on a Course that should either stop his Journey or make him so obnoxious to the King that he should not dare to act contrary to his Duty which was this Lowdon had purchased from the King a Right to the Annuities of the Tythes that was confirmed to His Majesty by Act of Parliament whereupon the Marquis caused the following Petition to be drawn by Traquair's Advice To the Kings most Excellent Majesty the Humble Petition of the Noblemen Barons and Gentlemen occasionally met at Edinburgh Humbly Sheweth THat whereas Your Majesty at Your late being in Scotland being humbly moved to disburden and liberate the Subjects of this Kingdom of the Annuity due to Your Majesty out of the Tythes The Petition against the Annuities were pleased in that only Particular to delay to give us our Hearts desire and now out of the sense of the great Burdens that lye on us and in Confidence of the Continuance of Your Majesties Fatherly Care of the Good of Your Subjects we presume humbly to supplicate Your Majesty to be Graciously pleased in this Particular to dispense with Your Own Benefit or at least till Your Majesty be informed of the true state thereof to discharge Execution against us for the said Annuities And for Your Majesties incomparable Goodness and Gracious Favours we shall as in duty bound behave our selves in every thing as becometh Loyal and Faithful Subjects As we have unanimously endeavoured so shall we still continue to return such thankâ—ul Acknowledgment as may give to Your Majesty a real Testimony of our zealous Affections to Your Majesties Sacred Person Honour and Greatness derived upon Your Majesty by so many unparalelled Descents and as Your Majesty may expect and justly challenge from the Allegiance of us Your Majesties most obedient and obliged Subjects 16th February 1643. The last words of this Petition were by the first draught so conceived as would have amounted to a Bond of Mutual Defence and Adherence which the Marquis thought might draw on a Rupture and occasion a pursute as against Plotters therefore since this Paper was to be avowed and publick he judged such Expressions as were smooth and general were fittest for their Design This Petition was signed by him and a great many of the Nobility he also sent it up and down all the places where he or his Friends had Interest to get Subscriptions to it This was generally lookt upon as a well-couched Bond both by such as took it and those who refused it and yet this smoothing of the Expressions of it was represented by the Marquis's Enemies as done in prejudice to the Kings Service These Petitions were sent immediately to the King upon which great Complaints were made as if by these immediate Addresses the Judicatories of Scotland had been neglected but the King justified that part of it in an Answer he wrote to the Council and for the thing it self he resolved to keep Lowdon under the fear of it and therefore delayed to make any Answer In the end of February Her Majesty landed at Burlingtown whither the Earl of Montrose went to represent to Her the hazard of a new Rebellion in Scotland The Queen lands in England and Montrose waits on Her and offers his Service and that the only way to prevent it was to take the start of them before they were ready and with a great deal of forwardness offered his Service in that Design adding that he had great Assurances of a considerable Party who he knew would own the Kings Quarrel but he did not condescend on the particular way of prosecuting it so that the Queen was not satisfied of his being able to effectuate what he undertook Mean-while the Marquis hearing of Her Majesties Landing went to wait on Her to whom She proposed the Earl of Montrose's Offer but he studied by all means to divert Her from listning to it upon the following Grounds The King had settled a Treaty with Scotland The Marquis goeâ— to Her and disâ—wades the precipitating a Rupture with Scotland and till that were violated on their part he knew His Majesty would never consent to a Rupture on his part and the King had so often and so lately in his Letters and Declarations protested he was resolved unalterably to adhere to the late Settlement that if he should now authorize the first Breach it would bring an indelible stain upon his Honour and create a perpetual Difâ—idence in his Subjects of all his Concessions and Assurances He confâ—ssed he had great Fears of Scotland and therefore would undertake for nothing but his own Faithfulness and Diligence yet he hoped to get things kept in Agitation all that Summer so that for that Year there should not be a Scotish Army in England But that was the utmost of his Hopes yet it was much fitter to spin out things as long as could be than to precipitate them by an over-hasty Rupture besides he could not see how any Hopes could be conceived from that design of Force There was never a Castle nor Strength in Scotland in the Kings Power to which they might retire The Vulgar were still at the Ministers devotion and by late and fresh experience they saw them all as one man resolved to die in the Defence of the Covenant and any handful of Gentry could be gathered together would signifie nothing but to expose their own Throats to their Enemies Rage and the Kings Authority to their Hatred and Scorn so there remained no hopes but in the Highland-men which he accounted as good as none Their two chief Heads where the Marquisâ—es of Huntley and Argyle the former was not to be much rested on being unable to do what so brisk an Undertaking required and they knew well what to expect from the other Besides any Companies could be brought down from the High-lands might do well enough for a while but no Order could be expected from them for assoon as they were loaded with Plunder and Spoil they would run away home to their
Breach might follow betwixt him and his Native Kingdom but on the other hand he could not permit them to go both because of the Reasons he had alledged and the Fears he had of their engaging with the Parliament and chiefly that all his Councellours and Officers at Oxford were so far against it that he heard it was whispered amongst them that they would all forsake him if he gave them leave since they held themselves assured that the Design of their going was to bring an Army from Scotland wherefore he intreated Lindsay would serve him in that Particular which he undertook frankly though he added he had small hopes since he had already attempted as much as he could with no Success But as he left His Majesty he made a Visit in his way to his Lodgings where he met the Earl of Crawford who told him plainly That though the King should consent to their going to London thither should they never get for a great many were resolved to lie in their way and cut them all to pieces ere they were many miles from Oxford This he confirmed to him with many Oaths adding that as the King knew nothing of it so it would not be in his power to hinder it and out of kindness to my Lord Lindsay he advised him not to go though the Chancellour went With this Lindsay came to his Lodgings and shewed the Lord Chancellour the hazard not only their Lives would be in but of the irreparable Breach would follow upon it which being considered by them it was resolved they should pass from their Desires and crave the Kings Commands for Scotland since they would not offend him by the importunity of an unacceptable Mediation which they accordingly did to His Majesties great satisfaction And so they took leave the Chancellour with the other Commissioners going for Scotland only Lindsay returned to London Upon this His Majesty sent all the Scotish Lords then at Court to Scotland to serve him there who were the Earls of Morton Roxburgh Kinnoul Annandale Lanerick and Carnwath but before they could be dispatched he sent Mr. Murray to Scotland with an account of his opinion about the Services his Friends might do him there who came by York and brought from the Queen the following Letter to the Marquis in answer to what he had written to Her Majesty which though written in French as all Her private Letters were yet I shall set down translated in English that all may run more smoothly Cousin I Received your Letter with the assurances of the Continuance of your Aâ—fection of which I hold my self secure and make no doubt to see both the effects of it and of that which you promised me at your parting concerning my Lord of Argyle Will. Murray came yesterday from Oxford as for News from hence I refer you to Henry Jermine who will give you an account of them I shall only tell you that the Scotish Lords who were with the King are on their way for Scotland so likewise are the Commissioners that were with the King You will know from Will. Murray the Kings Answers to the Propositions which you made me at York I am very glad to know by Your Letter as likewise by what my Lord Montgomery hath told me the Protestations General Lesly makes concerning the Armies in Ireland and now when all the Kings Servants shall be together you must think of the means for preserving that Army for my part I know not what to say farther about it I am now upon my going to the King and hope to part hence within ten dayes If there be any thing that hath occurred of late I shall be glad to know it and that you will believe how much I am Your affectionate Cousin and Friend HENRIETA MARIA R. About the beginning of May Lowdon and the other Commissioners came down and a day after them came the Earl of Morton who told the Marquis They proceed to final Resolutions in Scotland that in a few days he should see the Earls of Roxburgh Kinnoul and Lanerick with the Kings Instructions but by reason of Kinnoul's Infirmity and Roxburgh's Age they moved slowly On the 21th of May the Iunto of the Church-party moved that there might be a Joynt-meeting of the Council and Conservatours of the Peace and Commissioners for Publick Burdens to consider of the present State of Affairs The Marquis and Morton resisted this all they could but they were over-ruled and so these Judicatories met to them it was proposed that considering the hazard the Nation was in by reason of Armies which were now levying in the North of England there was a necessity of putting the Kingdom in a posture of Defence which could not be done without a Convention of Estates or a Parliament wherefore it was moved that a Convention of Estates should be presently called The Marquis argued much against it shewing that this was to encroach upon the Kings Prerogative in the highest degree and so would be a direct Breach of the Peace with the King and against the Laws of the Land adding Was this all the Acknowledgment they gave the King for his late Gracious Concessions for this struck at the root of his Power In this he was seconded by my Lord Morton but most vigorously by Sir Thomas Hope the Kings Advocate who debated against it so fully from all the Laws and constant Practice of Scotland that no Answer could be alledged and indeed discharged his Duty so faithfully that the Marquis forgave him all former errors for that dayes Service But it was in vain to argue where the Resolution was taken on Interest more than Reason so it was carried that the Lord Chancellour should summon a Convention of Estates against the 22th of Iune A Convention of Estates is called This Resolution being taken they gave Advertisement of it to the King in the following Letter which all who Voted against it refused to sign Most Dread Sovereign THe extreme necessity of the Army sent from this Kingdom by Order from Your Majesty and the Parliament here against the Rebellion in Ireland the want of means for their necessary Supply through the not payment of the Arrears and Maintenance due to them by the Parliament of England the delay of the Payment of the Brotherly Assistance so necessary for the relief of the Common Burdens of this Kingdom by reason of the unhappy Distractions in England and the sense of the danger of Religion of Your Majesties Royal Person and of the Common Peace of Your Kingdoms have moved Your Majesties Privy Council the Commissioners for conserving the Peace and Common Burdens to joyn together in a Common Meeting for acquitting our selves in the Trust committed to us by Your Majesty and the Estates of Parliament and having found after long Debate and mature Deliberation that the Matters before-mentioned are of so Publick Concernment of so deep Importance and so great Weight that they cannot be determined by us in such a
Hearts to yield much more than the Authority of the Kings Commands who having got notice of it from the Earl of Lindsay wrote down to Scotland peremptorily commanding them to desist from any such pursute if it were begun requiring also his Advocate to appear for them in His Majesties Name if they were pursued The Earl of Lanerick wrote to the King what follows May it please Your Majesty I Shall here Humbly presume to let Your Majesty know that before any of Your Scotish Servants who lately parted with Your Majesty at Oxford Lanâ—rick 's account of Affairs to His Majesty could possibly come hither the Chancellour had made his Report to the Council and Conservatours of the Treaty and Mr. Henderson to the Commissioners of the General Assembly of their Employments to Your Majesty where Your Answers to their Desires were found not satisfactory and thereafter Your Majesties Council Commissioners for the Treaty and Common Burdens having joyned together for giving of Security for such Moneys as should be levyed for the Maintenance of Your Majesties Scotish Army in Ireland they thought fit without admitting of any delay until Your Majesties Pleasure were known to call a Convention of the Estates as their several Acts and Proclamations to that effect here inclosed will more particularly shew Your Majesty And for the present Your Majesties Servants who came lately hither having only met with three or four of those whom Your Majesty appointed them to consult with have thought fit to advise with some others of the same Affection and Forwardness to Your Majesties Service before they presume to give Your Majesty any Advice upon the present Occasions being matters of so great Weight and so highly concerning Your Majesties Service but they have taken the readiest and most speedy Course they can think upon for Meeting and Consulting with them and thereafter are immediately to return hither from whence they will with all diligence offer unto Your Majesty their humble Opinion In the mean time I have dispatched Your Majesties Letters to such Noblemen and Burroughs as Your Majesty was pleased to direct me shewing Your Resolution of preserving here what you have been pleased so Graciously to establish in Church and State not having been able to deliver Your Majesties Letter to Your Council who were dissolved before my coming and my Lord Chancellour is gone out of Town without whose Appointment there can be no extraordinary Meeting so that I believe Your Majesties Gracious Declaration to Your Scotish Subjects cannot be published before that time nor till then can I be able to give Your Majesty any further account of Your Affairs here though in the mean time I shall study to serve Your Majesty faithfully according to the Duty of Your Majesties Most humble and most faithful and most obedient Subject and Servant LANERICK Edinburgh 18th May. 1643. In the end of May there was a Meeting of about thirty Noblemen where these two Questions were proposed The Lords consult what to advise His Majesty First if it were fit for the Kings Service that the Convention should be suffered to hold Next if it held whether those who were well-affected to the Kings Service should fit in it There were three or four Days spent in debating upon these Heads some moved that since by the calling of this Convention the other Party had so far encroached upon the King they should presently break with them this Motion came chiefly from other Lords who would not come to that Meeting But it was answered that the King as he would not give Commissions for raising an Army in England till he knew the Parliament had first done it on their side so it was his positive Pleasure that his Party should not make the first Breach which the King judged so much for his Honour that no Consideration could move him to dispense with it yet these who made that Proposition were desired to lay down ways how it could be made effectual since it was Madness and not Courage to hazard the Ruine of the Kings Service and Friends without at least a likelyhood of being able to carry it through with some Success All things being examined it was concluded that the following Message should be sent to His Majesty which was set down in a Paper dated the 5th of Iune but because of the War in England they committed it verbally to a Trusty Bearer lest it had been intercepted A Convention was indicted by the Chancellour and such others of the Council as have signed His Majesties Letter thereabout with the Advice and Concurrence of the Committees for conserving the Treaty and Common Burdens to be kept at Edinburgh the 22th of June whereby it is conceived His Majesty suffers exceedingly in His Regal Authority in the Calling thereof without his Special Warrant A Proclamation for the Indicting thereof is likewise issued forth in His Majesties Name expressing a danger to Religion His Majesties Person and the Peace of this Kingdom from Papists in Arms in England which in that appears to be contrary to His late Declaration sent to Scotland Hereupon divers Noblemen and Gentlemen well-affected to His Majesties Service met at Edinburgh and after three or four days Debate considering the exigency of Time the present posture of Affairs and the disposition and inclination of the People of this Country did not conceive it fitting that His Majesty should absolutely discharge that Meeting which certainly would be kept notwithstanding of any Discharge from Him which would both bring His Authority in greater Contempt and lose more of the Affections of the People whereby the Power of His Majesties Servants would be lessened but rather that His Majesty should so far take notice of the Illegal Calling thereof and His Own Suffering thereby that the same remaining upon Record may be an evidence to Posterity that this Act of theirs can infer no such Precedent for the like in the future but afterwards His Majesty or His Successors may Legally question the same And that His Majesties Servants here may be better enabled and strengthened with the assistance of others of His Majesties faithful Subjects who truly and really intend nothing but the Security of Religion as it is here established and are altogether averse from and against the Raising of Arms or Bringing over the Scotish Army in Ireland whereby His Majesties Affairs or their own Peace may be disturbed they conceive it fit that His Majesty should permit this Convention to Treat and conclude upon such Particulars as may secure their Fears from any danger of Religion at home without interessing themselves in the Government of the Church of England And in respect that the Two Houses of Parliament have not sent Supplies for Entertaining the Scotish Army in Ireland whereby they may have some colour or ground for recalling them it is conceived necessary that this Convention should have a Power from His Majesty to advise and resolve upon all fair and Legal wayes for Entertaining the
that he might make trial of all those large professions of Affection and Duty they had alwayes made This Design was communicated to the Earl of Lauderdale then at London but he as he informed the Writer studied to disswade His Majesty from it assuring him that he knew the Army and the Church-party whiâ—h then prevailed in Scotland would not be firm to him unless he yielded to their Demands about Religion but notwithstanding that upon some slender Assurances got from Mons. de Montrevil Agent from the French King His Majesty went to the Scotish Army the particulars whereof and of the subsequent as well as fore-going Publick Affairs not being the chief business of these Memoires little more is any-where toucht of them than what is necessary for making out the thread of the Dukes Concerns so as it may set them in their true light The Commissioners are sent to him from Scotland Assoon as this was known at Edinburgh the Committee of Estates which was then sitting sent the Earl of Lanerick and some others to wait on His Majesty with great expressions of their Duty and good Intentions protesting how dear the Preservation of His Sacred Person and His Just Power and Greatness should ever be to them wherefore they expected His Majesty would give full satisfaction to the Just Desires of His Subjects and as a preparation to this that He would recall any Commissions He had given against the Kingdom of Scotland But these Commissioners were ordered to do nothing that might raise Jealousies betwixt the Kingdoms and therefore were to Treat joyntly with such Commissioners as should be sent from the Two Houses And as they of Scotland sent their Commissioners with these Instructions yet extant so they emitted a Proclamation forbidding any to go out of the Kingdom without Publick Permission which was done to hinder those of the Kings Party from coming to him What Reception my Lord Lanerick had from His Majesty doth not appear to me but I find he was very quickly as well seated in the King's Affection and Confidence as ever On the 13th of May the Scotish Commissioners presented their first Paper which went not beyond general things containing a Welcome with an offer of their Service according to the Covenant But in their next Paper they pressed the King to send a Message to his Two Houses for a Happy Peace who press the King to settle matters not being satisfied with that Letter he had formerly written to the Speaker of the House of Peers since no grounds were laid down for a Pacification a Treaty being only in general terms desired Of all these Papers that passed the Originals do yet remain Next day the King called both for the chief Officers of the Army The King complains of the ill usage he met with and the Commissioners sent to him out of Scotland and in presence of Mons. de Montrevil did expostulate That whereas He had come to their Army upon the Assurances Mons. de Montrevil had given him that He should be safe in His Person Honour and Conscience the two last were not kept for he was pressed to settle Religion as they desired wherewith his Conscience was not satisfied next His Subjects had not free access to Him but Proclamations were issued out forbidding them to come to Him neither was the Ceremony due to Him as King suffered to be paid Him at His entry to Newcastle and lastly His Servants were not suffered to wait on Him And His Majesty attested Montrevil if those conditions were not made to Him who confidently affirmed it in all their presence and that he had the authentick Assurances in French The Commissioners retired to think of an answer but when they returned they desired His Majesty would put Montrevil to it to declare what those Assurances were and who gave them but this was not done Next they said they would not Treat with the King in his Presence nor admit of the interposition of any Foreign Agents betwixt them and their Native Prince And the Commissioners of the Army resolved that no suspected Person should be suffered to wait on the King with which His Majesty was highly displeased and for some days would not eat in publick but only in his Chamber But because there were many in the Army who would have engaged cordially for the King on any terms to lesâ—en the apprehension of this they got a Petition to be signed by almost all the Considerable Officers of the Army yet extant that His Majesty would settle Religion according to the Covenant and that He would enter into it Himself and authorize it by His Command On the 18th of May His Majesty wrote another Letter to the Two Houses desiring them to send Propositions for Peace and in order to that The King moves for a Treaty He again offered to put the Militia into their hands for 7 years as had been offered at Vxbridge He demanded also a Safe-conduct for sending Orders to stop all further Proceedings in Ireland since He was resolved to leave the management of that War wholly to the Two Houses He shewed His Letter to the Scotish Commissioners but because it contained no Offer about Religion they were not satisfied with it yet it was sent The next thing the Commissioners from Scotland moved was that His Majesty would recall the Commissions He had given out against the Scotish Nation for the clearing whereof somewhat must be resumed that passed in those years which I have run over so hastily In the beginning of the year 1644. the King gave a Commission to the Marquis of Montrose A short Account of Montrose's Affairs to see what could be done in Scotland by Force for diverting the Army that was then entring into England He had great hopes of making a strong Party in Scotland and doubted not but he should be able with the Assistance Antrim undertook to send him out of Ireland to give the Scotish Army work enough at home but his hopes failed him for all were so over-awed by the Power of the Covenanters that none would stir till about the end of the year Some came out of Ireland but far short of the number that was promised and with these and a few of the Scotish Nation he adventured to disturb the Covenanters the particular Narration of whose Enterprizes is not to be here prosecuted This was judged by all a bold and desperate Attempt for as his Force was small so they wanted Arms and every thing necessary Some of the Wisest of the Covenanters advised them not to engage with him in any Action except on terms full of advantage but to follow him up and down whither he went securing the Country from Spoil and Plunder for they judged that his Men being so unprovided as they understood they were would not hold out long in the Hills but be forced either to lay down their Arms or break out in Mutinies among themselves whereby they should have been starved with
him much against his Heart for he had stood out against all the Importunities of his Enemies till the very morning he came to Oxford in which most of the whole Court came about him and said they would all desert him if He yielded not to their Desires The Duke professed he was fully satisfied that His Majesty judged him Innocent and that his Heart was still what it had ever been to His Service but he saw himself in no capacity of being further useful to His Majesty since these Iealousies would be ever hanging over his Head though His Majesty were free of them Things were now brought to great extremities so that the success of any Service might be laid on him seemed not only doubtful but desperate Besides he had no reason to think that cloud of Misfortunes which did hitherto hang over all his Actions was yet broken or dissipated and therefore he had particular reason to apprehend cross Events would yet follow his Attempts but he knew the World would be so unjust as to impute them to his Resentments and count them not casual but designed Miscarriages wherefore he desired permission to go abroad into some corner of the World where he might enjoy a private Retirement But the Kings Answer to this was that he looked on it as a well-couched Resentment adding he did not expect he would now leave him when he needed his Assistance most and this overcame his Resolution for that time therefore he frankly desired His Majesty would lay his Commands on him And the first of them gave occasion to a very unexampled and sublime exercise of his Vertue for at this time the King was in great perplexity about Montrose his Affairs The King orders the Duke to do what he could for rescuing Montrose since to leave him to the fury of his Enemies for having served him faithfully was so contrary to his Honour and Conscience that the King abhorred the thought of it on the other hand he could not preserve him for having recalled his Commission his further Actings were legally Treasonable and there was no way remaining to get him out of their hands since the King had no Ships for his Transportation and the fury against him was so great that they would hear of no Conditions unless he rendered himself to their Discretion wherefore the King proposed it to the Duke to do what in him lay to extricate him out of this Strait for the known enmity that was betwixt the Duke and Montrose would make his Advices in that particular less suspected An ordinary Vertue would have judged it sufficient not to have revenged Injuries and to have dispensed with the remembrance of them but it must be confessed to be a high Instance of Christianity to repay Injuries while the smart and sense of them was yet so fresh with so great Generosity He recommended the care of this to that Noble Gentleman Collonel Lockhart who was in Command under Middleton that led the Forces which were sent against him and had much power over him being his intimate Friend and did then begin to shew those eminent Qualities which made him afterwards be so much esteemed over Europe and his death be so Universally lamented Middleton treated with Montrose and took Lockhart with him to the Interview who told Montrose what Commands were laid on him by the Duke to serve him Montrose seeing his danger was willing to Capitulate with Middleton that they should lay down their Armes and retire to their Houses those only excepted who were attainted by the Acts of their Pretended Parliament who should be suffered to go beyond Sea within a few days after the Agreement This being done the Kirk-Party made great opposition to the Ratification of it in the Committee of Estates nor could it have been carried but by the Interest the Duke and his Brother had there who pressed it with much zeal This hath been often owned by Midleton and was avouched to the Writer by Sir William Lockhart who added That never did the Duke or his Brother lay their Commands on him in more pressing terms than in this particular about Montrose's Preservation The King being freed from this troublesom Intrigue The King is earnestly pressed to yield to the Propositions the next care was what Answer should be given to the Propositions for Peace that were every day expected The Duke prest him most earnestly to yield to them how unreasonable soever they might seem and particularly in the point of Religion for without full satisfaction in that nothing would please the Scotish Nation nor the City of London by whom only His Majesty could now hope to be preserved and they would hear of nothing short of the Abolition of Episcopacy and the Kings Taking the Covenant But were those granted he found a willingness in them to interpose for Moderating the other Propositions particularly those of the Militia and about the Delinquents he therefore intreated His Majesty to consider the Danger He was now in Foreign Aid was not to be looked for and he could not apprehend that Scotland would engage for him if the case varied nothing by His â—oncessions since they could not heretofore be kept in a Neutrality would His Majesty therefore for a Form of Government hazard the loss of his Crowns or if He was so Noble as to despise any Prejudice Himself might feel yet he besought Him to consider His Royal Posterity who by His stiffness would be ruined and to have pity on His Dominions which lay bleeding in that long tract of Civil Wars And though His Majesty had not full clearness in His Conscience about it yet he was sure the matter seemed of small Importance in it self though it became very great by the effects it might produce and he was confident if it were a sin God would never lay it to His charge since His Inducements to it were so strong and unavoidable All this he did not say from his own sense of these Propositions since himself thought His Majesties Concessions were such as might give full satisfaction but that he saw things were in that state that nothing without satisfaction in the point of Religion could bring them to any Settlement This was often repeated to the King both by him and his Brother as well in their Letters as Discourses But His Majesty said His Conscience was dearer to Him than His Crown But the King resolves to adhere firmly to his Conscience and He would willingly run the hazard of all His Crowns below rather than endanger that above that hitherto He had received no satisfaction to His Conscience in these two Great Points at which He stuck and till that were done no Consideration whatsoever would prevail The Quiet of His Kingdoms and the Settlement of His Throne were indeed to be purchased at any rate yet the Peace of His Conscience must be preferred by Him to all things And on these grounds did His Majesty still continue unshaken notwithstanding all
to come and wait on Him And for the Militia the Scots had declared themselves satisfied with the Kings Concessions about it wherefore He desired they would stick to Him according to their Promises As for Religion He desired they would represent to those who were best-affected how dangerous it would be to insist too much on that at this time when the greatest hazard was from the Sectaries and that His Majesties consenting to a temporary Establishment of what they craved did put them in a fair way to their Desires And beside all this it was recommended to them to procure a delay of the Desire for an answer to the Propositions till the 16th of September When these Instructions were given them the King desired their promise first of Secrecy next of Fidelity in discharging what was intrusted to them for the second they undertook it but refused the first except the King also promised Secrecy His Majesty presently apprehended their Design was that the Duke and his Brother might understand nothing of their Imployment and finding it was a thing wherein neither of them was concerned He thought it unfit to disoblige Argyle by that Refusal since he was so able to serve him if he should be Cordial in it and He was secure of the two Brothers that if they mistook His Reservedness it would be easie for Him to clear Himself afterwards Yet this Secret was ill-kept among them for the Earl of Lauderdale had notice of it as he told the Author before they came to London but opposed much the seeking a Delay to a prefixed day since he knew that could not be granted without adding a dreadful Sanction of Deposing the King in case a favourable Answer came not against the day appointed and found it would be easier to procure a Delay by other Methods than by asking it The Duke and his Brother were much troubled with the Kings Reservedness in that Affair but assoon as they understood the ground of it they were satisfied But what success that Negotiation had or how it was managed doth not appear to me from any of the Duke's Papers In the beginning of August the Duke went to Scotland where his greatest Care was to see what could be done to get the Committee of Estates to be satisfied with the Kings Concessions The Duke deals with the Committee of Estates to get them to acquiesce in His Majesties Concessions representing to them how they did at once put England in the possession of the desired Church-Government and set the other out of the way which was a great stop to their full satisfaction He desired they would consider how inhumane and unchristian it was to force the Kings Conscience and how much it favoured of the Violence they had lately condemned in the Bishops It was visible that nothing but Conscience could be imagined to lye in the way of the Kings Accepting the Propositions and were His Majesty like many Princes to swallow down all things and belch them up at their Pleasure there would be less ado made but the Kings sticking at what He could not yield did abundantly secure them of His making good to them all that was promised On the other hand they were to consider that if they should now desert the King and bring their Army out of England it would make them odious through the whole World and the payment of the Arrears of their Army would pass under a far worse Character Besides England was divided and the Party that was most prevalent among them waâ— the Independent with the other Sectaries who would never carry on the Settlement of Religion and by their present carriage at London it appeared what Friendship they had for Scotland wherefore he moved earnestly that their Army should not be brought out of England till a firm Peace should be established according to the first Treaty Anno 1643. but was opposed by the Ministers This did shake many but some of the Leading Church-men were not satisfied with this and represented to their Party that all this was said smoothly to engage them to the Kings Quarrel which they were resolved never to do till the Covenant were taken by Him Neither were they well-satisfied with the Duke for his being instrumental in the Agreement with Montrose and his Party and it was preached to his face that all the Bloud that was lately shed would lye on them and their Posterity who for the pleasing of men had procured such Favour to the Enemies of God and of his Cause and People In the end of August they sent the Duke with the Earls of Crawford and Casilis and some others to deal with His Majesty for a speedy granting of the Propositions The Duke is sent to the King to obtain from him the granting the Propositions and to represent to him all the inconveniences that followed even upon a Delay much more upon a Denial The Duke had no willingness to the Employment misdoubting the Success and knowing his engaging avowedly in such a Message would be misrepresented but there was no avoiding of it for had he declined it he would have been suspected of being an ill Instrument and of Aversion from the thing which would have disabled him much from going on with the Kings Service They came to Newcastle in the beginning of September where they discharged themselves of their Commission to the full But the King answered them in the following Paper yet extant under His Majesties Hand My Lords I Shall begin by answering what you have now said for I assure you I had not thus long delayed My Answer The Kings Answer to their Desires but to weigh fully those Reasons and Arguments which you have laid before Me whereby to use the uttermost of My Endeavours to give you all poâ—sible Satisfaction for you having told Me nothing but what I have heard before the change of Answer could hardly be expected And now I do earnestly desire you to consider what it is that I desire which is To be heard which if a King should refuse to any of His Subjects He would for that be thought a Tyrant For this if I had but slight Reasons it were the less to be regarded but they are such upon which such a Peace as we all desire doth depend for albeit it is possible that if I should grant all you desire a Peace might be slubbered up yet it is impossible that it should be durable unless there should be a right Vnderstanding betwixt Me and My People which cannot be without granting of what I desire Yet I desire to be rightly understood for though many like to Esops Fable will call Ears Hornes yet let men say what they will I am far from giving you a Negative nay I Protest against it My only Desire being to be heard for I am confident that upon Debate I shall so satisfie them in some things as likewise I believe they may satisfie me in many things that we shall come to
a most happy Agreement This I believe is not much neeâ—ful to satisfie your Iudgements for I am not ignorant how really yâ—ur Commissioners at London have endeavâ—ured a satisfactory Answer to My Message as likewise what good Instructions have been sent them â—ut of Scotland so that the force of Power more than the force of Reason hath made you so instant with Me as you have been with which I am so far from finding fault that what you have done I take well knowing it proceeds out of the abundance of your Zeal to My Service therefore as you see I do not mistake you so I am careful not to be mistaken by you Wherefore again I desire you to take notice that I do not give a Denyal My Desire being only to be heard as likewise that you will take things as they are since neither you nor I can have them as we would wherefore let us make the best of every thing and now as you have fully performed your Duty to me so I cannot doubt but you will continue to press those at London to hear Reason And certainly you can little expect fair dealing from those who shall reject so much Reason and of that sort which you have and I hope will offer to them Not to stay you too long upon so unpleasing a Subject I assure you that nothing but the Preservation of that which is dearer to Me than My Life could have hindred Me from giving you full satisfaction for upon My word all the dangers and inconveniences which you have laid before Me do not so much trouble Me as that I should not give full satisfaction to the Desires of My native Country especially being so earnestly pressed upon Me. And yet here again I must tell you for in this case repetitions are not impertinent that I do not give you a Denyal nay I protest against it and remember it is your King that desires to be heard To this Paper I shall adde another given by His Majesty to the Committee then at Newcastle but by the Copy extant written with Lanerick's hand it doth not appear when it was sent them The Paper follows My Lords Another Paper of His Masties to the same purpose 'T Is a very great grief to Me that what I spoke to you Yesterday and offered to you in Writing concerning Religion hath given so little satisfaction yet lest the Reasons I then told you should not be so fully understood I think it necessary at this time to set them down to you in this Paper I then told you that whatsoever was My particular Opinion I did no ways intend to perswade you to do any thing against your Covenant wherefore I desire you to consider whether it be not a great step to your Reformation which I take to be the chief end of your Covenant that Presbyterial Government be Legally settled It is true I desire that My Own Conscience and those that are of the same opinion with me might be preserved which I confess doth not as yet totally take away Episcopal Government but then consider withall that this will take away all the superstitious Sects and Heresies of the Papists and Independents to which you are no less obliged by your Covenant than the taking away of Episcopacy And this that I demand is most likely to be but temporary for if it be so clear as you believe that Episcopacy is unlawful I doubt not but God will so enlighten Mine eyes that I shall soon perceive it and then I promise you to concurr with you fully in matters of Religion But I am sure you cannot imagine that there is any hope of Converting or Silencing the Independent Party which undoubtedly will get a Toleration in Religion from the Parliament of England unless you joyn with Me and in that way I have set down for the re-establishing My Crown or at least that you do not press Me to do this which is yet against My Conscience until I may do it without Sinning which as I am confident none of you will perswade Me to do so I hope you have so much Charity not to put things to such a desperate Issue as to hazard the loss of us all because for the present you cannot have full satisfaction from Me in Point of Religion Not Considering that besides the rest of the Mischiefs which may happen it will infallibly set up the innumerable Sects of the Independents nothing being more against your Covenant than permitting of those Schisms to encrease As for the Message which I think fit at this time to send I have chosen rather to mention the Point of Religion in a general than particular way lest not knowing all these Reasons which I have set down to you which are most unfit for a Message it may give less satisfaction than I desire Nevertheless I do conjure you by that Love and Loyalty you have always professed unto Me that you make use of what I offered Yesterday in Writing with these Reasons which I have now set down to you and those further Hopes I have now given you for the best advantages of My Service With this particular Explanation That whereas I mentioned that the Church-Government should be left to My Conscience and those of My opinion I shall be content to restrict it to some few Diocesses as Oxford Winchester Bristol Bath and Wells and Exceter leaving all the rest of England fully to the Presbyterian Government with the strictest Clauses you shall think upon against Papists and Independents POSTSCRIPT I require you to give a particular and full account hereof to the General Assembly now sitting in Scotland shewing them that I shall punctually make good My last Letter to them and that this is a very great step to the Reformation desired not only by the present putting down all Sects and Independents but likewise presently establishing Presbyterian Government â—oping that they as Ministers of Gods Word will not press upon Me untimeously the matter of Church-Government and Discipline until I may have leisure to be so perswaded that I may comply with what they desire without Breach of Conscience which I am confident they as Church-men cannot press me to do The Duke left nothing unsaid that could be devised The Duke seeing matters desperate resolves to retire out of Britain to prevail with the King for satisfying Scotland in the point of Religion assuring him that he found a great willingness in them to serve him in all other things should he yield to them in that one That for the point of the Militia they would study to bring it to what the King desired and in the point of the Delinquents they would labour to get it brought to that in which the Process of the Incendiaries in Scotland had ended that they should only be secluded from Trust but he assured him he found it impossible to make them abate a tittle of the Demand of Religion Yet His Majesty continued on his former
Scotland This I thought fit to shew you from others you will hear what hath been every mans particular Carriage in the Debates and our future Actions though they prove not useful to His Majesty yet shall witness to the World and Posterity how we detest such Resolutions However I shall boldly say tâ—at some who professed at their parting from His Majesty as much if not more than I did and for ought I know were more trusted have this day shewed themselves to the World in their natural colours for truly I never remember to have seen any thing carried with so much violence and bitterness as tâ—e Resolution of not suffering His Majesty to come to Scotland our Declaring it unlawful to espouse His Interest and the fitness of Restraining His Person in England I dare not advise any thing only this whatsoever His Majesty intends to do I wish it be done quickly and I dare say upon my Honour within few days He will not be master of Himself nor His Resolution anâ— then I doubt his Offers will come too late I shall conclude you never saw the stream so strong in Scotland nor so desperate an Affliction as doth now possess the heart of Your most humble Servant LANERICK And with this long account he wrote to His Majesty what follows SIR I Shall not presume to trouble Your Majesty with the sad relation of our Carriages here these last two days the Particulars will be represented to You by others Only give me leave to beg that what Your Majesty intends to do be quickly done for our Resolutions here will be sudden and sharp Whatsoever other mens Carriage be I am resolved to die rather than concur with them This is the fixed Resolution of Your Majesties most humble most faithful most obedient Subject and Servant LANERICK Edinburgh 17th Decemb. 1646s Now were the two Brothers The Duke and Lanerick oppose things as much as they can but in vain according to the variety of their tempers swallowed up with the excesses of Passion The Duke was all Melancholy and Despair and Lanerick was full of Fury and Rage But say or do what they could all was in vain One rare instance of the Kings temper appeared at this time for after he had got this account which brought him such ill tidings he took no notice of it to those about him but continued in a Game at Chess and was as chearful as before He was at that time thinking of making an escape from Newcastle by Sea but whither he intended to have gone does not appear to the Writer to that Lanerick's Letters do relate when they press his speedy resolving on what he intended The design was thus laid Mr. Murray had provided a Vessel by Tinmouth and Sir Robert Murray was to have conveyed the King thither in a disguise and it proceeded so far that the King put himself in the disguise and went down the back-Stairs with Sir Robert Murray But His Majesty apprehending it was scarce possible to pâ—ss through all the Guards without being discovered and judging it hugely undecent to be catched in such a condition changed His Resolution and went back as Sir Robert informed the Writer This came to be known to some and one suspecting the Duke was in it wrote to him earnestly to concur in no such design and that the Kings getting out of their hands again would ruin all that no man of Honour and Conscience ought to serve the King since he would not serve God according to the Covenant adding that it seemed God had no mercy for the King or His Family since His Heart was still so hardned in the matter of the Covenant so high-flown were men at that time At London things went on with great dispatch for the Retiring of the Scotish Army another hundred thousand pounds sterling was Voted to be paid presently and other two hundred thousand pounds to bâ— raised out of the Sale of Bishops Rents and Delinquents Estates whereupon it was agreed that the Army should return to Scotland upon the delivery of the Mony which was immediately to be sent down to Newcastle In Scotland upon the evening of the next day after the Fast mentioned in the Earl of Lanerick's Letter these infamous Resolutions set down in his Letter were Voted and all that could be said by the two Brothers or any few of their Friends who adhered to them had no other effect but to drive it off a few minutes the Tide made so strong the other way The King at this time was much pressed both by the Queen from France and by Believre the French Ambassadour to consent to their Demands but all was to no purpose and my Lord Lanerick's last Letter prevailed no more than the former Most Sacred Soveraign Lanerick writes again to the King BY Monsieur Montrevil I received Your Majesties of the 14th Instant and do humbly acknowledge Your Gracious Reception of the Freedom I used in my former Letter And now when Your Majesty doth see to what a height the Publick Resolutions here are grown Your Majesty will soon find how just my Fears were that Your intended Answer to the Propositions of Peace if published here would have received no Countenance nor Assistance hence Satisfaction in Religion being still waved without which as then so I have always assured Your Majesty there would be an absolute impossibility of preventing Your receiving eminent Prejudices from this Country I shall not presume to reply to the Answers Your Majesty makes to the Objections were made here for I did not then speak mine own Language against Your Answer to the Propositions I never laboured to perswade Your Majesty to grant them from a sense of their Iustness but only out of an opinion of their fitness in relation to Your present Condition which by what Your Majesty will learn from the Bearer is more threatning now than ever I know the representation of Your Danger in what horrid shape soever it may with Reason lie before You will be as impertinent an Argument as any yet though Your Majesty should neglect it in reference to Your Self pity Your hopeful Children and Posterity pity Your Subjects and suffer us not to ruine our selves which the Confusions we are running into will certainly bring upon us and pity all those who have suffered for You who will be exposed to certain Ruine All possible means have been used in a Parliamentary way which is the only mean left to prevent the extreme Resolutions that are now taken but all is to no purpose our best Friends forsake us upon any Motion which may infer the least Latitude about the Covenant and Religion and therefore as in the presence of God I must discharge my self to Your Majesty and shew you the Resolutions now taken here in relation to the restraining of Your Majesties Person and Governing the Kingdom without You will be infallibly put in execution if Your Majesty does not satisfie in the Covenant and Religion to
so much for the saving of My labour as the inevitable loss of so much precious Time which must have been spent had I written so long a Discourse as that Promise required wherefore I have freely and fully imparted My Mind to Traquair as well concerning your Propositions to Me as the making of some from Me to you Having no more to say but to desire you to give an entire belief a willing ear and a speedy answer to what he shall impart to you I am Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 8th December 1647. Lanerick NOtwithstanding My Ioynt-Letter I think it most fit to write to you alone to assure you that if I have any Iudgment Traquair is right set for My Service wherefore in a most special way I recommend him to you to whom referring you I rest Your most assured real faithful constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook December 8th 1647. The Message trusted to Traquair The Kings Message by Traquair was that as to matters of Religion His Majesty was unmoveable but as for other things wherein the Honour or Interest of Scotland might be concerned he was ready to give them the greatest and fullest Concessions that could be demanded in answer to which the three Commissioners wrote what follows to His Majesty SIR WE have heard Traquair's Relation whom last night we had dispatched to Your Majesty with our sense upon all the Particulars The Scotâ—sh Commissioners their answer to it but this morning he hath conceived his going at this time unfit which forceth us upon this tedious way And the receipt of Your Majesties of the eleventh Instant makes us the more earnestly beg that You would not suffer us longer to walk in the dark but give us under Your Royal Hand an assurance that You will perform what is contained in that Paper concerning Religion and withall insert what You have scraped out of the Paper which we gave Your Majesty at Hampton-Court and we shall oblige our selves to endeavour that Scotland shall engage themselves for Your Restauration and Civil Interests as was expressed in those Papers Without this Assistance we are absolutely unable to serve Your Majesty and although Doctor Goff shewed us Your unwillingness to allow of that Clause concerning the Covenant yet we should but abuse Your Majesty if we gave You the least hopes that Scotland would be engaged at an easier rate therefore we again beseech Your Majesty to haste to us Your clear and positive Answer lest we forfeit our Trust with those that sent us hither and You which to us would be more bitter perish by Delays Our informations concerning the Restraint intended to be put upon Your Majesties Person and some of those with You are still confirmed therefore Your Majesty would speedily resolve to satisfie Scotland and engage their Power for Your Assistance Concerning the Duke of York there is nothing we desire with more earnestness than to serve Your Majesty in what You would have done but being Publick Ministers we cannot be the Actors of it without absolutely disabling us to do Your Majesty any other Service and none else will engage in a matter of this nature upon any desire from us without a positive Command from Your Majesty therefore if You continue in that Resolution we conceive it fit You make choice of some such trusty Person as Your Majesty would employ in acting of it and that You write to him for that effect without taking any notice of us at all in Your Letter to him We pray the Lord to preserve and direct You who are unchangeably Your Majesties most humble most faithful and most loyal Subjects and Servants LOWDON LAVDERDALE LANERICK 13th December 1647. After this His Majesty wrote these Letters to the Scotish Lords The King commands them to come to the Isle of Wight THough no time hath been nor shall be lost for My Going from hence yet contrary to expectation it will be ten days before the Ship can be ready And I confess that this had been too late if the Governour would have permitted Forces in hither wherefore I am most confident that I shall not be surprized for time And therefore I earnestly desire all you three or at least one of you to come hither without delay for the full Conclusion of all things betwixt us for upon second thoughts I judge it less dangerous to go to London than to any Place else except I were totally accorded with you To conclude if you will not counsel Me to go to London without being publickly invited make haste hither as you love His Service who is Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 14th Decemb. 1647. TIme was never more precious to any than it is at present to Me and therefore I am glad to take occasion upon Doctor Goff's long Dispatch which I received yesternight after I had written to you to return you by him such a draught of Articles betwixt us as your Signing it will make your Iourney hither unnecessary and I am to take what Course you will propose in order to My Safety I am confident the necessity of this Accord in divers respects is so well known to you that all Arguments are needless Also I hope that the particulars are so well worded that you will make no difficulty to pass them as they are but if contrary to My expectation you should scruple at any expression then necessarily all or at least one of you must come hither with all expedition So desiring you to believe what Doctor Goff will say to you in My Name I rest Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 15th Decemb. 1647. With this last Doctor Goff brought a full account of His Majesties thoughts but the Scotish Commissioners finding it impossible to adjust matters which were of such importance without waiting on His Majesty resolved to go to the Isle of Wight And that their Going might give less Jealousie they resolved to go after the Commissioners whom the Two Houses were sending with the four Bills that they might Protest against them At this time the Marquis of Huntley being in Arms in Scotland and not able to resist the Forces that came against him was taken Prisoner which His Majesty understanding he expressed his Concern for him in the following Letter he wrote to Lanerick about him Lanerick HEaring that the Marquis of Huntley is taken and knowing the Danger that he is in I both strictly command you as a Master and earnestly desire you as a Friend that you will deal effectually with all those whom you may have any Interest in for the Saving of his Life It were I know lost time to use Arguments to you for this wherefore I judge these lines necessary to add to your Power though not to your Willingness to do this most acceptable Service for Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 17th Decemb. 1647. About this time the Queen wrote to my Lord
Majesties Preservation on these or on easier terms yet it was long debated amongst them what the Consequences might be of engaging in so great a Work not only without Unanimity but with the Opposition of the Church and most of those who had been of greatest Eminence and Power during the late Troubles Wherefore they resolved to give very extraordinary Complyances to their Desires whereby they might either gain their Concurrence or at least mitigate their Opposition and determined to go a greater length than otherwise their Loyalties could allow of But the Church-men by the insinuations of Mr. Gillespie and others were possessed with an opinion of their bad Intentions and that their Resolutions if they were blessed with Success were to overturn all that had been formerly established and so they resolved not to be satisfied with any Security or Proviso they might grant believing that nothing they offered was really meant to be kept and that all they intended was but Cajolery therefore they determined to oppose them with their utmost Zeal and Industry A few dayes after the three Lords returned to Scotland the following Letter came to them from His Majesty UPon Saturday I received yours of the twenty fourth of January A Letter from the King and have written to Lee as you desired Let no reports of any Personal Threatning against Me stagger your Confidence of My Constancy nor hinder Scotland in what shall be best for Kingly Authority lose no time in your great and honest Designs for him who is Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. Monday 7th February 1648. POSTSCRIPT I resolve within these two or three Days to write to you by a trusty Messenger however I hope not to fail by these ways you mention To which they returned the following Answer May it please Your Majesty THis day we received Your Majesties of the 7th Instant Your Letter to Lee we hope may be useful Our Resolution to serve Your Majesty cannot be shaken with which we will go through or perish The Clergy cannot be satisfied with what Your Majesty offers in Religion for the reason expressed in our last of the 15th yet we hope to engage them in the Work We wish Your Majesty could further enable us in that Particular as the only mean to procure Vnanimity In the mean time we will set up our rest on the procuring a speedy Engagement though without that we cannot do it so much to Your Majesties advantage Sir Marmaduke Langdale is come hither and our first care shall be to secure Berwick and Carlisle which ere this we had done if our Forces had not been at too great a distance scattered in their Quarters They have now Orders in private to draw together and we intend to act and speak both at a time POSTSCRIPT We want Arms and Ammunition exceedingly and do earnestly desire the Queen may be pleased to endeavour the supplying us from France and Holland speedily The Lord Chancellour though at first the most forward of them all for an Engagement Lowdon falls off to the Church-party yet was quickly wrought upon to abandon his generous Resolutions and not only turned over to the violent Church-Party but some Months after was made do Penance by a solemn Acknowledgment in the High-Church of Edinburgh for his sinful complyance with these unlawful Courses as they were termed Traquair played his old game a great while with both hands and studied to make a Reconciliation with some Lords of the Church-party if by any means they could have been engaged in the Design and Mr. Murray of the Bed-Chamber who was sent to Scotland from France treated also long with the Heads of the Church-party whom he thought more powerful in the Country and so more able to deliver the King but finding them so backward without positive Concessions about Religion and the Covenant he and the rest of these called the Kings Party were forced to unite with the Duke and his Friends The first thing was to engage all the Officers of the little Army then standing which was carried very successfully and their next care was to fix on one to command Those who united for engaging in the Kings Quarrel designed that David Lesley now Lord Newark should command the Army to be raised and he at first undertook the Service very cordially but some of the Church-men fell upon him very furiously and prevailed so far on others who had a great Ascendant over him that he being of an easie nature struck off and refused the Service Whereupon finding it necessary that a Person of Eminence and Integrity should command the Army They resolve the Duke should be General which he oposed much they resolved on making the Duke General which he opposed to a high degree saying that he was resolved to hazard his Life with the first yet he would decline all Command knowing with what Calumnies he had been aspersed and what Jealousies many had still of him as if his Designs were for himself and to the Kings Prejudice And many yet alive with whom he lived in the greatest Confidence know with what earnestness he pressed them to set their eye on some other Person but there were none to choose fit for the Trust wherefore it was agreed by them all that the Charge must be laid on him to which he submitted with great Aversion The Parliament meets in Scotland In the beginning of March the Parliament sate Their first trouble was from the Remonstrance which the Commission of the Kirk sent them against Association with Malignants and of the danger Religion was in which Paper they intended to have printed but with much difficulty this was stopped There were Commissioners sent down from the Two Houses with whom Mr. Stephen Marshal came for Justifying their Proceedings and keeping a good correspondence with the Scotish Nation and notwithstanding all the Injuries done by them last Year yet some of the Clergy and of the Lords of their Party were in a very good understanding with them But first of all the Carriage of the Scotish Commissioners in England was approved in Parliament next there was a Committee of Eighteen appointed for preparing business and to confer with the Commissioners of the Kirk for giving them satisfaction which was a long and slow Work On the 14th of March the English Commissioners complained that they heard there were Designs among some Malignants to seize Berwick which they desired these in Scotland would oppose whereupon the Parliament referred it to the Committee of Eighteen to see to the Security of the Kingdom in that Affair from which all the Members who were of the Church-Party dissented and against this Vote the Commissioners of the Kirk sent in another Remonstrance because they knew that Committee was so chosen that they would send Orders for the securing of Berwick On the 22th of March the Committee of the General Assembly commonly called the Commission of the Kirk gave in their large Paper consisting
urge more out of my Duty to Him than kindness to our selves The next was of the 24th of April 1648. SInce my last to you I have received yours of the 18th and 22th of the last Moneth We have made an indifferent good progress in our Parliament here for we have stated all the Breaches of Covenant and Treaties we have resolved upon some Demands to be sent to the Houses of Parliament for Religion for His Majesty and for Disbanding of the present Army of Sectaries and we have pressed a Declaration containing the Grounds of our Resolutions In order to all these we likewise Voted the present putting of this Kingdom into a posture of War and this Week we are to nominate and make choice of all the Officers of our Army The Church doth still violently oppose us and threatens us with cross Declarations if not the extremity of Church-Censures Argyle and his Party maintain them in their Obstinacy or rather they do him in his Disloyalty but neither the fear of their Curses nor want of their Prayers can fright us from our Duty so soon as we are ready to act which possibly may be sooner than you imagine The next was of the 28th of April to His Majesty MY last to you was of the 13th of this Moneth by the Conveyance of Doctor Frazer Since that time we have perfected what was then designed for we have made choice of all the Officers of our Forces wherein we have been forced to spend much time and the next Week we intend to model our Army for England which we hope shall be upon the Borders against the 21th of the next Moneth which is the time limited for the Return of our Messenger from London who this day parts from hence with the three Demands to the Houses of Parliament wherof my last made mention and with a positive Command to stay only 15 days for his Answer We intend likewise in the beginning of the next Week to dispatch Sir William Fleming to the Queen and Prince to give them an account of our Proceedings and to know his Highness's Resolution concerning his coming hither and to desire the present sending of Arms and Ammunition to us whereof we are absolutely unprovided so that if the Queen or Prince of Orange to whom we beg Your Majesty would write do not supply us it will infinitely retard the Service We have passed a Declaration which is full of many rude Restrictions both in order to Your Majesty and Your faithful Servants But we are forced to them for the satisfaction of the Nice Consciences of the Clergy and their Proselytes whom we find still so inflexible that nothing can perswade them to a Conjunction with us in the Work on the contrary we meet with all imaginable Opposition from them yet as we have carried the Declaration and all that is yet done against their strongest Endeavours so we hope in despight of them to be Instruments in accomplishing the chief end it drives at which is Your Majesties Rest and Restauration Our next will certainly bring you the Knowledg of some Acting in order to that which we dare not hazard to this Cypher lest there may be more Copies of it than what we have with Your Majesty The slowness of their Motions in Scotland begun to give great Jealousies of their Proceedings every-where Jealousies of the Scotish Proceedings At Paris the Prince was much courted to go to Ireland but he resolved rather to go to Scotland and designed to go first to Holland Yet there were some about him who studied to give him ill Impressions of all that passed in Scotland grounding them on the old Calumnies that had been cast on the Duke and on the slowness of their Procedure at that time in Scotland together with the extraordinary Cajolery they gave the Church-party all which were made use of for alienating his Highness from that Resolution But he resolved to obey the Kings Commands and sent them new Assurances of that by Sir William Fleming and to oblige the Duke the more a Book being dedicated to his Highness containing some passages much to the Dukes dishonour he refused to accept of it and ordered it to be called in While things were thus preparing in Scotland His Majesty in the Isle of Wight was contriving an Escape being resolved if it succeeded to have come to Scotland but the means failed oftener than once which being discovered made his Prison the straiter He was also courted under hand with new Propositions from the Parliament of England but refused to enter into any Treaty without the Concurrence of the Scotish Nation Yet it troubled him much to hear no more of the progress of their Designs on which all his Hopes were then set for in that disorderly time it was not easy to transmit frequent and clear accounts of all that passed At length having understood from Scotland what advance was made in that Affair he was satisfied with the Fidelity of those he had imployed there At London there went various Constructions on the Scotish Actions The Commissioners of the Two Houses that were at Edinburgh wrote up that the Church-party would undoubtedly keep the Duke and his Party in play at least that Year and that the zeal of the Ministers would make the Levies go slowly on they either believing this themselves or at least designing that others should do so At this time there was a great Inclination all over England to shake off the Armies Arbitrary Yoke Great Disorders in England Stirs were rising in every place The Duke with his other Friends in Scotland dealt earnestly with their Correspondents in England to get all kept quiet till they were ready to march that so there might be an universal Rising at once which would have undoubtedly divided the Army that was against them into so many Fractions as might make way for their easier Overthrow This Design was zealously promoted by many who saw the great advantage it might produce but many were too jealous of the Scotish Designs and so did precipitate their own Ruin Others apprehended from their Declarations that the Bondage would be the same only the Masters changed if they prevailed and this made the Kings Party resolve rather to perish than receive any help from the Scots on these terms Their slowness made others despair of their Sincerity and the reports of the Power of the Church-party made all suspect their Strength so the untimely Rising in England was the Ruin of this Years Design for they rose only to be destroyed and to animate the Army with those many Victories they obtained over them And as these Defeats did much discourage the Scotish Army so it forced them to march into England before they were ready and e're they had looked well to the Security of Affairs behind them The first Rising was by Poyer in Wales to whom Langhorn came within a little and Commanded most of the Country At Westminster as they understood the state
raised Regiments of five or six Troops on their own expences And though it is not to be imagined that the publick Expence of so great a Design was not likewise great yet there was a sad want of Money which the Duke and his Brother did all they could to supply as far as their Credit could go and raised above two and twenty thousand pounds sterling for prosecuting of the Engagement and were on all publick occasions so liberal of their own Money as if some Bank had been put into their hands The Curses the Ministers thundred against all who joyned in this Engagement made the Souldiers very heartless being threatned with no less than Damnation This obliged the Lords to use Force in some places for carrying on their Levies and indeed the Ministers counter-acting the State was such that it is hard to judge whether their Boldness or the Parliaments Patience was most to be wondred at The Lords resolved to chastise them to purpose in due time but judged the present time improper for it and to carry on the Levies the better the Parliament adjourned for three weeks So the Lords went to the several places of their Interests leaving a Committee behind them at Edinburgh but before their Adjournment they wrote the following Letter to the Presbyteries The Parliaments Letter to the Presbyteries THe many Scandals that are tâ—rown on our Actions by the favourers of Sectaries and haters of the Person of our King and Monarchical Government invite us to this extraordinary Address to you conjuring you as you will answer the Great God whose Servants you are not to suffer your selves to be possest with unjust and undeserved Prejudices against us and our Proceedings who have since our late Meeting in Parliament preferred no earthly thing to Religion and the promoving all the ends of our Covenant and have constantly used all real Endeavours to have carried on these Duties to the satisfaction of the most tender Consciences and especially by our great Compliance with the many Desires from the Commissioners of the General Assembly we have proceeded to greater discoveries of our Resolutions in the ways and means of managing of this present Service than possibly in prudence we ought to have done having so near and active Enemies to oppose us neither can it with any Truth or Iustice in any sort be alledged that we have in the least measure wronged or violated the least Priviledges and Liberties of the Church or taken upon us the determination or decision of any matters of Faith or Church-discipline though we be unjustly charged with making an Antecedent Iudgment in matters of Religion under pretence whereof great Encroachments are made on our unquestioned Rights for what can be more Civil than to determine what Civil Duties we ought to pay to our King or what Civil Power he ought to be possessed of and if we meet with obstructions and opposition in carrying on these Duties are not we the only Iudges thereof is there any other Authority in this Kingdom but that of King and Parliament and what flows from them that can pretend any Authoritative Power in the choice of the Instruments and Managers of our Publick Resolutions is it a Subject for the Dispute of Church-Iudicatories whether His Majesty have a Negative Voice or not These things certainly cannot be pretended to by any Kirk-man without a great Vsurpation over the Civil Magistrate whereof we are confident the Church of Scotland or any Iudicatory thereof will never be guilty nor fall into the Episcopal disease of meddling in Civil Affairs and if any have already in these Particulars exceeded their bounds we expect the ensuing General Assembly will censure it accordingly and prevent the vilifying and contemning the Authority of Parliament by any of their Ministers either in or out of their Pulpits who shall offer to stir up the Subjects of this Kingdom to disobey or deny to give Civil Obedience to their Laws it being expresly prohibited by the 2 and 5 Acts of King James the sixth his eighth Parliament Anno 1584. That none of His Majesties Subjects under pain of Treason impugne the Authority of Parliament And therefore seeing the Cause is the same for which this Kingdom hath done and suffered so much and that we are resolved to proceed for the Preservation and Defence of Religion before all wordly Interest whatsoever and to carry on sincerely really and constantly the Covenant and all the Ends of it as you will find by our Declaration herewith sent to you we do confidently expect that as the Ministers of this Kingdom have hitherto been most active and exemplary in furthering the former Expeditions so now you will continue in the same Zeal to stir up the People by your Preaching and Prayers and all other ways in your Calling to a chearful Obedience to our Orders and Engageing in the business that you will not give so great advantage to the Enemies of Presbyterial Government and bring so great a Scandal on this Church as to oppose the Authority of Parliament or obstruct their Proceedings in their necessary Duties for the good of Religion Honour and Happiness of the King and his Royal Posterity and the true Peace of His Dominions Signed by Order of Parliament Alex. Gibsone Clerk Regist. Edinburgh May 11 1648. The Parliament having resolved to raise an Army for the Kings Relief The Parliament sends for the Scotish Army in Ireland found it expedient for encreasing the number and strength of their Forces to send to Ireland for a part of their Scotish Army there which as was told An. 1642 had been sent from Scotland thither by Commission from the King under the Great Seal and upon a Treaty and Establishment betwixt the two Nations for suppressing the Irish Rebellion and for perswading them to desert for so Noble an Undertaking their Interest in Ireland which was very considerable for there was above seven hundred and seventy thousand pound sterling of Arrear resting to them upon a stated Accompt fitted by Persons intrusted by the Parliament of England and Commissioners from them preceding the 16th of Iune 1647 besides a year more until Iune 1648 not at all reckoned they sent over three of their number two Knights Sir Iames Macdougal and Sir William Cocheran now Earl of Dundonald and Mr. Crawford Burgess of Linlithgow with Letters and Instructions to that purpose They were kindly received by such of the Officers as had chief Power there but most unwelcome to a contrary Party who had notice how averse the Kirk to which they were addicted had declared themselves from the Designs of that Parliament nevertheless it was quickly agreed to that about twelve hundred Horse and two thousand and one hundred Foot should be provided and regimented and transported to Scotland to be conducted by Sir George Monro in the quality of a Major-General and to be joyned with the Dukes Armie At Westminster they were in great Confusion fearing that the General
and Argyle as also to fix themselves at Sterlin as a secure place and convenient for maintaining their Army and for raising the whole Country on the north of Forth or fighting if occasion should offer At Linlithgow the Earl of Cassilis with about four or five hundred Horse was almost surprized but by the darkness of the night he escaped towards Burroughstownness and the Queens-ferry and so to Edinburgh Lieutenant-General Lesley with his new Army followed upon the others Rear near Linlithgow but was loth to engage having little Confidence in his Men although he was hard pressed to it for preventing the danger Argyle might fall into at Sterlin and Sir George Monro would willingly have turned upon him but that he was earnest once to be at Sterlin where he hoped to fall upon Argyle and his Party and therefore hasted forward At Larbour he was assured that Argyle with about sixty Horse and a thousand Foot all Highlanders was in the Town of Sterlin and fell on Argyle at Sterline keeping a Committee and treating with the Castle wherein was the Kings Garrison commanded by Norman Levingstoun for a Surrender upon that Sir George hasted on with the Cavalry commanding the Foot to follow in order as fast as they could which they did at a good pace A Gentleman coming from Sterlin met Sir George about St. Ninians and told him that the Barras-port was shut and manned and that he must pass through the Park round about the Castle to gain the Bridge and prevent Argyle's Flight and as he came near the Castle the Governour displayed the Kings Colours upon the Walls and caused the Cannon to play upon the Bridge where he perceived some of Argyle's People withdrawing The difficulties Sir George met with in opening the Park-Gate and breaking down some Stone-walls to make a passage for the Horse gave time to the Marquis of Argyle to get himself and his Troopers mounted They pass'd the Bridge in haste a very little before Sir George who with five Horsemen pursued them a good way the Highlanders marching close together to pass after their Lord were assaulted by the first Troop that came up after Sir George they made some sort of confused resistance but were instantly trod down and scattered and forced to call for Quarter about a hundred were killed and drowned attempting to swim the River the rest taken Prisoners being betwixt eight or nine hundred Upon this Orders were dispatched from the Committee of Estates for raising all the sensible men in the Northern Shires to joyn with those at Sterlin and Lanerick went to Perthshire to invite the Nobility to joyn Upon which the Lord Ogilvy and the Lord Drummond came with some Propositions to the Committee of Estates yet all means were essayed to bring the Matter to a Treaty The Earls of Crawford and Glencairn had drawn the Earl of Buckleugh and Mr. Robert Douglas and Mr. Robert Blair two leading Ministers from Edinburgh to a private Conference with them where Crawford and Glencairn moved that the Committee sitting at Edinburgh might come and reside there for perfecting of the Treaty whilst their Forces should continue at Sterlin A Treaty is pursued which was flatly denied them Here the Ministers were very earnest with these Lords that matters might be accomodated The Lords moved That nothing might be done to derogate from the Authority of Parliament and Committee of Estates That the Officers and Souldiers then in Arms by their Authority might be provided for and entertained That at least if there was no further use for their Service the Articles agreed to by the Parliament for these Forces that came from Ireland might be duly kept to them and that some consideration might be given to the rest of the Forces that were to be disbanded That none who had entred into that Engagement might be questioned for it but enjoy still their Offices Honours and Fortunes and other Civil Places That an effectual Course might be agreed on for the Relief of their Friends detained Prisoners in England and finally That the Committee might sit with Freedom in the ordinary Place and by advice of the Church consider of the dangers of Religion of his Majesty and his Posterity and and of the Peace and Safety of his Kingdomes that so by joynt advice such ways might be taken as would best secure Religion preserve his Majesty and his Posterity and quiet the Distempers of the Kingdom The Ministers on the other hand proposed That all Armies whether in the Fields or in the Garrisons of Berwick or Carlisle should be presently disbanded That the securing the Interest of Religion might be referred to the General Assembly or their Commissioners and all Civil Differences to the Determination of a Parliament to be speedily called That in the mean time there should be a Committee of Estates in which none should be admitted that had concurred in the late Engagement but withall they gave them good assurances both for the Prisoners in England and for themselves that no Prejudice should follow on any for their accession to the Engagement and when the Earl of Glencairn said perhaps nothing would be kept of all that should be agreed to Mr. Douglas answered that if but a tittle of the Agreement were broken all the Pulpits in Scotland should declare against it But now Argyle having escaped from these who pursued him was joyned to the Western Forces commonly called Whiggamores and he being irritated with what befell him at Sterlin was for severer Methods They resolved to invite the English Army to their Assistance to which Cromwel was not backward both that he might recover Berwick and Carlisle and destroy all the Kings Friends The Whiggamores did also know well how averse the Committee of Estates were from Engaging into Action and that they intended to make Peace on any terms therefore they grew high in their Propositions and at Sterlin the other Party was much divided for most of the Committee of Estates were for a Treaty and most of the Officers of the Scotish Forces were Capitulating for themselves The chief Arguments proposed to perswade the necessity of this Agreement were the improbability if not impossibility of resistance if Cromwel should joyn the Enemy who had already invited him to Edinburgh by a Message sent him to Berwick by Argyle Elcho and other two Commissioners which they doubted not but he would accept The fear this Conjunction would beget in the Country would hinder their Rising and drive their Army either to a want of Subsistence or to destroy their Friends and turn them Malecontents first and then Enemies but above all some pretended the fitness of preserving the Kings Friends and Favourers to a better opportunity for his Service which they hoped would quickly offer it self It was objected against the Treaty That the Relief of their Prince from such a cruel Captivity was a just cause That they had Law and Authority upon their side and so ought not to be
while you are on Earth and thereafter Crown you with eternal Happiness Time will permit me to say no more so the Lord bless guide and preserve you which is the Prayer of Your most loving Father HAMILTON St. James's 9th March 1649. Let this remember me to my dear Sisters Brothers and other Friends for it is all I write He did also apprehend that they might either be hindred to speak their Consciences freely on the Scaffold or that the noise and disorder there might make him be ill-heard or perhaps occasion disorder from the Souldiers which might provoke Passion or Discomposure and therefore delivered the following Speech before all in the Room which his Brother published from the Original he sent him I Know you that are here to be true and faithful to me I will therefore in your hearing say somewhat in order to my self His Speech before his Death and to my present Condition and give you also this Copy of it which after I am gone may perhaps be thought necessary to be published as the last Testimony of my Loyalty to my King for whom I now die and of my Affection to my Country for the pursuance of whose pious and loyal Commands I am now to suffer That my Religion hath always been and still is Orthodox I am confident no man doubts I shall not therefore need to say much to that particular only that I am of the true Reformed Protestant Religion as it is professed in the Church of Scotland I take God to witness that I have been constantly a loyal and faithful Subject and Servant to his late Majesty in spight of all Malice and Calumny I have had the honour since my Child-hood to attend and be near him till now of late and during all that time I observed in him as eminent Virtues and as little Vice as in any man I ever knew and I dare say he never harboured thought of countenancing Popery in any of his Dominions otherwise than was allowed by the Laws of England and that among all his Subjects there could not be found a better Protestant than himself and surely also he was free from having any intent to exercise any Tyranny or Absolute Power over his Subjects and that he hath been so unfortunate I rather impute the Cause of it to the sins of his People than to his own For my own part I do protest never to have swerved from that true Allegeance which was due to him and that hath constantly been payed to my Comfort I speak it to his Progenitors by my Ancestors for many Ages without spot or dishonour and I hope shall be still by my Successors to his Posterity I do heartily wish well to and pray for his Royal Issue and shall die a true and loyal Subject to his eldest Son Charles the Second the unquestionable King by right of all his Father's Kingdoms I hope though I do not live to see it that God's Justice and Goodness will in his own time establish him on the Throne of his Father which I doubt not some of you will see come to pass and I am confident till then and so long as men deeply plung'd in Guilt and Self-interest usurp Power and Government these Kingdoms will fall short either of Peace or any other permanent Happiness I speak this from my just Affection to the Royal Race and much Compassion to his Majesties Subjects but not from any Malice Anger or desire of Revenge against any for what I have or am to suffer for I forgive all men It is well known what Calumnies and Aspersions have been thrown upon me by men of several Parties and Interests not excepting those who would seem to carry much Affection to his late Majesty as if I had expressed Disservice or Disloyalty unto him the which how malicious and groundless they were I appeal to God who with my own Conscience clearly beareth witness of my Innocency therein and I shall beg Mercy from him to whom I am now to give an account of all my Thoughts and Actions as I have still had a faithful and loyal Heart to my Master It hath been a General Complaint that I perswaded His Majesty to pass the Act of continuing this Parliament I dispute not whether the doing of it at that time might have been reputed good or bad but surely it was not I that did perswade it Neither did I at all deal with His Majesty for his Consent to the Bill of Attainder for taking away the Life of the Earl of Strafford whose great Parts and Affection 't is known I highly valued yet some have been pleased to attribute to me the cause of that Concession but were His Majesty now living I am confident he would publickly clear me in both these as He hath been pleased many times in private formerly to do And truly I am not conscious to my self though I have been for many years a Privy-Councellour to him of ever giving him any Advice that tended to other ends as I conceived than the Good and Peace of His Majesty and His Dominions It hath been rumoured since my last Imprisonment that I should confess my self to be the greatest Instrument under His Majesty by making use of his Scotish Great Seal for authorizing the War in Ireland a Report so false and simple as in my opinion judicious and honest men will not believe it And truly as I am free from having hand therein in any manner of way so I am of nothing more confident than that His Majesty was also absolutely free thereof and that he was not in any case a Causer or Countenancer of those Irish Troubles I have been often examined touching Persons of several qualities within this Kingdom that as is supposed did invite into England the late Army from Scotland or promised Assistance after their coming and of late much Perswasion hath been used with me to that purpose as that upon my Discovery thereof depended the only means of my Preservation I will not say that I had any thing to reveal which would have been satisfactory but this I desire you to attest to the World that I have not accused or said any thing that may reflect on any man of what degree soever within the Kings Dominions and indeed it was so contrary to my Conscience and so derogatory to my Honour that if I had been able yet should I never have prejudiced any in that nature though it had been to save me a hundred Lives Touching that foul and senseless Slander that I betray'd the Army under my Conduct the care and pains I then took to prevent the loss of it and the near approach of my suffering for it will I suppose abundantly contradict this Aspersion I was satisfied with the Justness and Necessity of that Engagement upon the grounds of the Declaration of the Parliament of Scotland fearing then the sad Confusions which have since followed here both in Church and State and particularly the fatal Fall of
impropâ—r person to be imployed for drawing those sinistrous Jealousies out of the Subjects minds But His Majesty confiding as well in the Marquis his Abilities as trusting to his Fidelity was resolved on the Choice and did first communicate it to himself he told His Majesty That Life and Fortune and all he had he would never stick to hazard for his Service but this Imployment was full of danger the success of it was at least dubious and he was very much a stranger to Scotish Men and Affairs and he could not but foresee how it should endanger his losing what next his Salvation he valued most which was His Majesties Favour however he was absolutely at His Majesties disposal My Lord Lorn eldest Son to the Earl of Argyle and after him Earl Traquair and divers of the Nobility came to Court at this time who were also followed by some of the Clergy The Covenanters made likewise a new Address to the Scotish Lords at Court full of Complaints of the harsh usage they had met with from the Council together with their Grievances which Paper with their Letter dated the 28th of April is extant Signed Rothes Cassils and Montrose consisting of Eight Articles ARTICLES for the present Peace of the Kirk and and Kingdom of Scotland IF the Question were about such matters as did come within the compass of our own power we would be ashamed to be importunate and should be very easily satisfied without the smallest trouble to any but considering thaâ— they are the matters of Gods honour of the Kingdom of Christ and the peace of our Souls against the Mystery of Iniquity which we clearly perceive to have been uncessantly working in this Land since the Reformation to the ruine of true Religion in the end it cannot stand with our duty to God to our King to our Selves and Posterity to crave or be content with less than that which the Word of God and our Confession of Faith doth allow and which may against our Fears establish Religion afterwards The discharging of the Service-Book the Book of Canons and of the late High Commission may be a part of the satisfaction of our humble Supplications and just Complaints which therefore we still humbly desire but that can neither be a perfect Cure of our present Evils nor can it be a Preservative in time to come When it is considered what have been the Troubles and Fears of His Majesties most loyal Subjects from the High Commission what is the nature and constitution of that Iudicatory how prejudicial it proves to the lawful Iudicatories of the Kirk and Kingdom how far it endangers the Consciences Liberties Estates and Persons of all the Lieges and how easily and far more contentedly all the Subjects may be keeped in order and obedience to His Majesties just Laws without any terrour of that kind we look that His Majesties Subjects who have been used to obey according to the Laws shall be altogether delivered from the High Commission as from a yoke and burden which they feel and fear to be more heavy than they shall be ever able to bear Remembring by what wayes the Articles of Perth were introduced how strangely and with what opposition they were carried in the Assembly upon what Narrative they were concluded how the Ratification in Parliament was not desired by the Kirk but earnestly supplicated and protested against how they have been introductory of the Service-Book whereof now they are become Members and in their nature make way for Popery whatsoever hath been the intentions of the Vrgers and withall what Troubles and Divisions they have caused these twenty years in this Kirk and Kingdom and what Iealousies between the Kings Majesty and His Subjects without any Spiritual profit or edification at all as we can see no reason why they should be urged by Authority so can we not find but we shall be more unable to digest them than in the beginning when we had not as yet tasted and known how bitter and unwholsome they were The Iudgements of the best Divines of the Reformed Kirks and of the most Pious and Learned of this Kirk since the Reformation concerning the Civil Places and Offices of Kirkmen and concerning the Vote of Ministers in Parliament have been made known in divers general Assemblies which moved the Assemblies of this Kirk when they could not by their modest opposition prevail to limit the Ministers that were to Vote in Parliament by any particular Cautions agreed upon at first and ordained to be inserted in the Act of Parliament and by other Cautions to be made afterward as tâ—e Assembly should find meet and necessary and therefore if we will declare our minds after lamentable experiences of the Evils which were then foreseen feared and foretold we cannot see how Ministers voting in Parliament absolutely without the limitation of these Cautions can be thought fit to Vote in the name of the Kirk We have no Grievance more universal more ordinary and more pressing than that worthy men who have Testimonies of their Learning from Vniversities and are tried by the Presbyteries to be qualified for the Work of the Ministery and for their Life and Gifts earnestly desired by the whole People are notwithstanding rejected because tâ—ey cannot be perswaded to Subscribe and Swear such unlawful Articles and Oaths as have neither warrant of the Acts of the Kirk nor Laws of the Kingdom and others of less worth and ready to Swear for base respects unworthy to be mentioned are obtruded upon the People and admitted to the most eminent Places of the Kirk and Schools of Divinity which causes continual Complaints makes the People run from their own Kirks refuse to receive the Sacrament at the hands of the Ministers set over them against their hearts or to render them that Honour which is due from the People to their Pastors and is a mighty hindrance to the Gospel to the Souls of the People and to the Peace of the whole Kirk and Kingdom all which might be easily helped by giving place to the 114 Act of Parliament 1592. declaring That God hath given to the Spiritual Office-bearers of the Kirk Collation and Deprivation of Ministers and ordaining that all Presentations to Benefices be directed to particular Presbyteries in all time coming with full power to give Collation thereupon they being the lawful Office-bearers of the Kirk to whom God hath giâ—en that right which therefore never was nor can be taken from them and so conferred upon others at that they shall be quite secluded therefrom The lawful and free National Assemblies of this Kirk warranted by Divine Authority ratified by Acts of Parliament keeped in other Reformed Kirks and in this Kirk since the Reformation and acknowledged by King James to be the most necessary means for preservation of Piety and Vnion and for extermination of Heresie and Schism who willed therefore that the Act of Parliament for convening the General Assemblies once in the year should stand
that he might accordingly apply himself to his business but he found things in a greater disorder than he could have imagined He finds the Country in a very ill posture Almost the whole Council did favour the Covenant and the Bishops were hated by all so that there were few or none whom he durst trust the Earls of Traquair Roxburgh and Southesk were the men he found best affected yet even their Limitations vexed him My Lord Lorn who about the end of the year by his Fathers death was Earl of Argyle seemed to go on with the Kings Service but he was suspected both by the King and the Marquis to favour the Covenant In a word those of the Council who were best set were yet overawed by the fury and threats of the other Party The Marquis of Huntley was forward in His Majesties Service but the Marquis was obliged to send him North to keep that Country which was yet peaceable in order Many Lawyers were of the Covenanters side and chiefly the Kings Advocate Sir Tho. Hope which was one of the greatest troubles the Marquis met with for he being a stranger to the Scotish Law in which the other was skilled as much as ever any was was often at a great loss for he durst advise with him in nothing and often the Kings Advocate alledged Law at the Council-Board against what he was pressing Of this he complained frequently to the King and intended to have discharged him the Council but he durst scarce adventure on it lest others should have removed with him He tried what he could doe to get some Lawyers to declare the Covenant to be against Law but that was not to be done Sir Lewis Stewart promised private assistance but said that if he appeared in publick in that matter he was ruined Sir Thomas Nicolson who was the only man fit to be set up against the Kings Advocate though he had never all his life before pretended to a nicety in these matters yet begun now to alledge Scruples of Conscience Next to this the Marquis dealt with the Covenanters who were chiefly the Earls of Rothes Cassils Montrose Lowdon Lothian my Lords of Lindsay Yester Balmerino and Cranston these were the chief Contrivers and Actors though they had many followers and abettors of all Qualities With these he dealt by all means possible but neither could Reason convince them nor Assurance satisfie them nor Promises or Cajolery prevail with them nor Threats overrule them He quickly saw that nothing could be obtained from the Covenanters by way of Treaty and therefore before he left Berwick He puts the King on his guard to look for mischief from the Covenanters he advertised the King to prepare himself for teaching them their Duty by Authority since milder ways were like to prove ineffectual He also found the Country very destitute of Arms and that the Covenanters were beginning to give order for furnishing themselves from several places of which he also advertised the King desiring him to send in all haste Expresses to his Agents in Holland Hamburgh Denmark Sweden and Poland to stop any Arms might be bought up by Scotish men At first when the Marquis came to Dalkeith who fortifie themselves and are insolent he heard that 1500 men were set to guard the Ports of Edinburgh and that they of the Tables had taken the Keys of the City from the Magistrates and had some thoughts of securing the Castle of Edinburgh which had been easily done if attempted there being neither Arms nor Ammunition within it But the wiser of them thought it fitter onely to set Guards about it by which it was rendred useless rather than make so hasty a Rupture and the more violent threatned they would force both Commissioner Council and Session to take the Covenant All this the Marquis heard but he might well regrate it but had no power to curb it for they were resolved to hear of no Proclamation unless with the discharge of the Service-book and Book of Canons the Articles of Perth were also promised to be abrogated Episcopacy promised to be limited and an Assembly and Parliament presently called But his Instructions being so far short of this he durst not adventure on publishing His Majesties Declaration knowing it would meet with a Protestation and as for that part of it which concerned the Covenant my Lords of Traquair and Roxburgh told him he was the ruine of the Country if he did not divide the Declaration and wholly leave out what concerned the Covenant this he said he would yield to and put his Head in the Kings Mercy if they could assure him that thereby matters might be settled The Marquis gives a clear representation of the state of Affairs Of all this he advertised the King and told him he must resolve either to yield to all they demanded or haste down his Fleet quickly with 2000 Land-souldiers in it and send down Arms to the Northern Counties of England advising him also to send Souldiers for Garrisoning of Berwick and Carlisle 1500 for Berwick and 500 for Carlisle and that His Majesty would resolve to follow these Orders in Person with a Royal Army and there was no doubt of Victory if the matter were well managed but he represented withall that His Majesty would consider how far in His Wisdom He would connive at the madness of His own poor People or how far in His Justice He would punish their folly assuring Him their present madness was such that nothing but Force would make them quit their Covenant and that they would all lay down their Lives ere they would give it up But that which he applied himself first to was the dispersing of the Multitudes After he held a Council at Dalkeith where His Commission was onely read and registred he received Addresses from the Town of Edinburgh He goes to Edinburgh humbly inviting him to come to Holyroodhouse which he refused unless the extraordinary Guards about their Ports and the Castle were dismissed But this being done he went thither on the ninth of Iune they were guessed to be about 60000 that met him the greatest number that Nation had seen together of a great while among whom there were about 500 Ministers and four of the most zealous had resolved to entertain him with Speeches but this he shunned not without great difficulty so earnest were they to be disburdened of their Harangues but they came to him in private and with great vehemency not without tears in their eyes represented the danger Religion was in but kept themselves within bounds and mollifies some of the Covenanters And now he came to have access to their ears and this was followed by that which always attended the engaging sweetness of his Converse for he began to gain ground on their affections he shewed them how firm the King was to the Protestant Religion and how ready to hazard Life and Crown in the defence of it that if any error
the Accompts of his Trustees at that time Upon the Kings Pleasure that was signified by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Marquis emitted a Proclamation for the Sessions sitting down on the second of Iuly at Edinburgh The Session sits again at Edinburgh and thither he went that day to intimate to them His Majesties Goodness for them in noâ— putting them to the trouble and expence of removing their Families elsewhere wherefore he recommended His Majesties Service to them and that if any thing came from the Tables they should not fail to pass that Censure on it which was according to Law Next he called for the Covenanters Petitions which he promised to present to His Majesty and return them an Answer betwixt that and the fifth of August with which they were satisfied for that time On the fourth of Iuly he held a Council and presented the Kings Declaration to the Councellours and having before-hand prepared most of them with a great deal of industry he got it signed by them all an Act passed The Kings Proclamation is published and protested against that the Subjects ought to rest satisfied with it It was immediately sent to the Market-cross and proclaimed but notwithstanding all the Grace it contained it met with a Protestation from the Tables But upon the back of this the Marquis met with one of the most troublesome passages of his whole Negotiation There were some Councellours who were not satisfied with the Declaration and those he got to be absent from Council that day but divers of thosâ— who had signed the Act that the Subjects ought to rest satisfied with the Declaration came afterwards to him telling him that he had pressed them to what they had not well considered when they did it but upon second thoughts they found they had wronged their Consciences wherefore they desired he would call a new Council The Council is inconstant that they might retract what they had done This he studied to divert by all means representing how contrary it would be to their Honour and to the Kings Service and Good of the Country and so he shook them off that night but next day those and many more came to him with the same Desires and say or do what he could nothing would prevail with them for they told him plainly if he called not a Council they would find another way to make their Retractation well enough known and that was to subscribe the Covenant The Marquis having spoken with the whole Council apart found that three parts of four would immediately fall off if he gave them not satisfaction and judging that such a visible breach with the Council would ruine the Kings Affairs therefore since the Act was not registred but onely subscribed he thought the Course that had least danger in it was to tear it before them by this means he got that storm calmed All this while that he had been in Scotland he had not forgot the Kings Orders about his Castles The Marquis takes care of the Kings Castles Dumbriton was secured though it run a risque the Constable being at London and the Under-keeper taking the Covenant but he called home Sir William Stewart who was Constable under the Duke of Lennox to wait on his Charge and this delivered him from that hazard As for Edinburgh-Castle which was then in the Earl of Marre's hand it cost him more trouble Divers of the Earl of Marre's friends who had much credit with him being not well inclined and much being trusted to the Constable he durst not in the Kings Name require him to yield it up lest that had hasted on a Rupture and he could not prevail by fairer ways at first but the issue of this shall be told in its due place This being done the Marquis took his Journey He takes Journey and on the way he had the following Letter from His Majesty Hamilton I Hope that this will find you on the way hitherward wherefore remitting all business till I speak with you these Lines are only to hearten you in your Iourney for I think that it will be very much for my Service So desiring you to make as much haste as the weather will permit I rest Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Greenwich the 9th July 1638. POSTSCRIPT Forget not to bring with you the Copies of all the Proclamations and Protestations that have been made When he came to Court he gave the King a full account of all had passed in Scotland and of the strength and fury of the Covenanters and gives the King an account of Affairs together with the inconstancy of many of the Council and how His Majesty had been abused in the hopes he was put in of the readiness of his Preparations in England which I gather from some little Notes he took of things and the Copies of his Letters He next told His Majesty that nothing prevailed so much on the Vulgar in Scotland as the cursed insinuations were given of His Majesties staggering in the Protestant Religion wherefore he proposed that His Majesty might cause renew the Confession of Faith which was established at the Reformation and ratified in Parliament An. 1567 and to that His Majesty did readily consent At length His Majesty having considered for some days of the whole Affair and having fully debated every particular with the Marquis and my Lord of Canterbury in end His Goodness and Paternal Affection for his poor Subjects overcame all that Indignation which their Actions had raised in him wherefore he resolved on enlarging his Instructions which he did as follows CHARLES R. YOV shall try by all means to see if the Council will sign the Confession of Faith established by Act of Parliament and gets new and fuller Instructions with the new Bond joyned thereto but you are not publickly to put it to Voting except you be sure to carry it and thereafter that probably they will stand to it If the Council do sign it though the Covenanters refuse you shall proceed to the indicting of a free General Assembly and though you cannot procure the Council to sign it yet you are to proceed to the indicting thereof if you find that no other Course can quiet business at this time You shall labour by all fair means that the sitting of the Assembly be not before the first of November or longer if you can obtain it for the place We are pleased to leave it to your election for the manner of indicting you must be as cautious as you can and strive to draw it as near as may be to the former Assemblies in my Fathers time You must labour that Bishops may have Votes in Assemblies which if you cannot obtain then you are to protest in their Favours in the most formal manner you can think of As for the Moderator in the Assembly you are to labour that he may be a Bishop which though you cannot obtain yet you must give way to
their Election You are to labour that the Five Articles of Perth be held as indifferent strive that the admissions of Ministers may continue as they are you may condescend that the Oaths of their Admission be no other than is warranted by Act of Parliament You are if you find that it may any wise conduce to Our Service to enact and publish the Order made at Holyroodhouse by Our Council the fifth of July last for discharging the use of the Service-Book Book of Canons and the practice of the High Commission You are to protest against the abolishing of Bishops and to give way to as few restrictions of their power as you can as for the Bishops not being capable of Civil Places you must labour what you can to keep them free You may give way that they shall be accountable to the General Assembly which you shall indict at the rising of this against that time twelve month As for the Bishops Precedence you are not to admit them of the Assembly to meddle therewith it being no point of Religion and totally in the Crown If the Bishop of St. Andrews or any other be accused of any crime you are to give way to it so they may have a free Trial and likewise the same of whatsoever person or Officer of State It is left to your discretion what course Bishops shall take that are for the present out of the Country You are to advise the Bishops to forbear sitting at the Council till better and more favourable times for them Notwithstanding all these Instructions abovementioned or any other accident that may happen still labouring to keep up Our Honour so far as possibly you can you are by no means to permit a present Rupture to happen but to yield any thing though unreasonable rather than now to break C. R. London the 27th July 1638. But with this His Majesty ordered him to see That the Country were again settled before he indicted the Assembly that the Moderators named by Bishops in Presbyteries might be again reponed and according to the Act of the Assembly 1606. they might be held necessary Members of the Assembly that all Ministers turned out since these Stirs began might be again restored and that all Ministers admitted without Bishops might desist from the exercise of their Function That all people might keep their own Churches and that Bishops and Ministers who took not the Covenant might live quietly without disturbance and have their Stipends paid them His Majesty also so gave warrant That if need required he might call a Parliament against April next and with these Instructions the King wrote to the Council the following Letter CHARLES R. RIght trusty and well-beloved Cousin Councellour and Commissioner The Kings Letter to the Council and Right trusty and well-beloved Cousins and Councellours and trusty and well-beloved Councellours We Greet you well The great Distractions which have of late arisen both in Kirk and Commonwealth in that Our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland have much troubled the minds of many good and loyal Subjects there and these Distractions have fallen out among them upon Iealousies and Fears of Innovation in Religion and introducing of Popery and not without some Fears conceived amongst them as if We Our Self were that way inclined Vpon occasion of these Fears they have of late signed a Covenant or Bond for conserving the Religion established and the Laws of the Country but this Bond being not subscribed by Royal leave and Authority as was that in Our dear Fathers time must needs be both null in it self and very prejudicial to the ancient and laudable Government of both Kirk and Common-wealth which though We must declare unto you yet out of Our inborn Love to that Our Native Country and Loyal Subjects there and for the obviating of these causeless Fears and to satisfie your selves and all Our loving People We do hereby under Our hand let you know that We are and have ever been satisfied fully in Our Iudgement and Conscience both for the Reformed Religion and against the Roman and that by Gods Grace and Goodness We purpose both to live and die in the belief and practice of the Religion now established and to preserve it in full strength according to the Laws of that Our Kingdom and to the end that this may appear to Posterity how firm and settled We are in that Our Religion We require you Our Commissioner and Council to see these Letters registred according to course Given at Our Court at Oatlands Iuly 30. 1638. His Majesty signed also the following Declaration CHARLES R. THE great Distractions which of late have risen both in Kirk and Commonwealth in this Our ancient Kingdom and Declaration have so troubled the minds of many of Our good and loyal Subjects there that they have been possessed with Fears as if Popery had been intended to have been introduced and as if We Our Self were that way inclined upon occasion of which Fears a Covenant or Bond of late hath been drawn up intended by the Subscribers as doth appear by their Supplication presented to Our Commissioner the 26th of June last for conserving the Religion and Laws of the Country but it not being done by Royal leave and Authority as was that in Our dear Fathers time must be both null and void of it self and much prejudicial to the ancient and laudable Government of Kirk and Commonwealth Therefore We for obviating those Fears which have been misconceived both against Our Person and Profession for matters of Religion and to satisfie not Our loving Subjects only but all the Christian World that We do and by Gods Grace ever will maintain the true Christian and Reformed Religion established in this Our Kingdom and to let the World see that this shall be done in and with all freedom according to the Laws of Our Country have signed the Confession of Faith established by Act of Parliament An. 1557. with this Bond following in defence of it and Royal Authority Laws and Liberties of the Country and do also require the present Subscription of this Confession and Bond by all Our loving Subjects that it may remain in force to Posterity that they may know how careful We are and have been to preserve the integrity of Religion and the freedom of Our Laws Here the Confession of Faith was inserted which is to be seen in the Acts of Parliament An. 1567. and therefore it being of great length the Reader is referred to the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland Thereafter followed this ensuing Bond. with the Bond to be signed We and every one of us underwritten do protest and swear in the presence of God Almighty that we are truly and fully resolved in our Consciences that this is the Confession of the true Faith of Christ established by the Laws of this Country and that by the Grace of God we will profess and maintain the same all the dayes of our Lives and because the
safety of Religion Kirk and Commonwealth depends much upon the comfortable assistance which all of them daily receive from Royal Iustice and Authority we protest and promise with our Hearts under the Obligation of the same Oath to defend not only this our Religion but the Kings Majesties Sacred Person and Authority as also the Laws and Liberties of this our Country under His Majesties Soveraign Power with our best Counsels Bodies Goods and whole Estates according to the Laws and against all sorts of persons and in all things whatsoever and likewise mutually to defend our selves and one another in this abovementioned Cause under the same obligation But while the Marquis was busie at Court procuring this Gracious Answer to their Demands and while His Majesty was condescending to such extraordinary Favours to them the Covenanters in Scotland were going on The Covenanters are very busie in Scotland posting up and down the Country for more Subscriptions to the Covenant and because the North continued firm to their Duty some Noblemen and Ministers went thither to draw them to their Party and on the 23d of Iuly they came to Aberdeen where there was a company of worthy and learned Doctors and Professors But the Covenanters welcome there was so cold all the Subscriptions they got being but 19 or 20 and they were not admitted to preach in the publick Churches which made them preach in the Court of the Earl Marshal's Lodgings that they went away full of fury and threats against that Place and this gave the rise to that Debate which followed betwixt the Doctors of Aberdeen and those Ministers Debates betwixt the Doctors in Aberdeen and them which the Learned Doctors managed with so great advantage as did not a little confound the whole Party and the Ministers being pinched by them about the lawfulness of combining without warrant of Authority alledged that my Lord Commissioner was satisfied with the Covenant upon the offer of that Explication was mentioned formerly But the falshood of this Calumny was cast back on them with shame by him at his return for as he had never expressed any satisfaction with their Covenant so all the ground they had for that was because according to the Kings Order he had treated about that Explication to gain time He brought along with him to Scotland Dean Balcanqual Doctor Balcanqual comes to Scotland a man of great parts of subtil wit and so eloquent a Preacher that he seldom preached in Scotland without drawing Tears from the Auditors Him the Marquis intended to make use of as his Council in Church-affairs which Trust he discharged faithfully and diligently and received those Informations which were made publick in the large Declaration penned by him The Marquis came to Holyroodhouse on the tenth of August and found things in a much worse posture than he had left them and that the Flames were growing almost past quenching for at a Convention of Burroughs a few days before they had enacted The Covenanters high resolutions That none might be Magistrates or bear Office in any Burrough except he had first taken the Covenant and the Covenanters were resolved that Bishops should have no Vote in the Assembly unless they were chosen by a Presbytery and they were sure that should not be They were resolved to abolish Episcopacy and to declare it unlawful and excommunicate if not all yet most of the Bishops they were resolved to condemn the Articles of Perth and discharge Bishops to Vote in Parliament they were also resolved to ordain all under pain of Excommunication to sign the Covenant and to shew they meant to break out into Hostility they were beginning to levy men in several places But to make sure work of the Assembly they fell on a new device of Lay-elders to be chosen Commissioners who should be men of the greatest power and interest whereby they doubted not to carry all things and because in a Meeting at Edinburgh of Ministers being 120 in number about four parts of five were only for limiting of Episcopacy it was resolved by the Iunto that none of these should be Commissioners The Marquis being surprized with so great a change of the State of Affairs gave account of all these inconveniences to His Majesty and resolved not to proceed to call a General Assembly since he saw what effects it was like to produce till he first went and acquainted His Majesty with these hazards On the 13th of August the Covenanters came to demand his Answer The Marquis makes known His Majesties intentions he told them he had a clear and full Answer to give them but desired to be excused till he first communicated it to the Council which was to sit next day So they were satisfied for that time and on the fourteenth he held a Council where he delivered His Majesties Answer in these Terms My Lords I Thought it fit to acquaint your Lordships before I returned His Majesties Answer to the Noblemen and others petitioning for the same which is so full of Grace and Goodness that we have all cause to bless God and thank His Majesty for it such is his tender care of this poor distracted Kingdom that he will leave nothing undone that can be expected from a Iust Prince to save us from Ruine and since he finds such Distraction in the Church and State that they cannot be well settled without a Parliament and Assembly the state of the Country and business being prepared for it he hath given me Warrant for calling of both that they may be orderly held as formerly they have been according to the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom And further I am to declare to your Lordships that this we are to attribute only to His Goodness for we cannot but acknowledge that our carriage hath been such as justly we might have expected that he would have taken another course with us which he was Royally and really prepared for had not His Mercy prevailed above His just Indignation and by a powerful and forcible way have taught us Obedience which he hath forborn to make use of meerly out of His Grace and Goodness It is our duty to let His Subjects know how great our obligation is to Him which every one of us in particular and all of us in general should strive to make every one sensible of and labour so far as lieth in our power to procure satisfaction to His Majesty and quiet to this distracted Church and State The day following he gave the Covenanters the same Answer with which they were no way satisfied But the Covenanters were not satisfied They asked what he meant by preparing of business he said it was to establish Order and Government again in the Country as it was before those Combustions and upon this he gave them a Note of those particulars His Majesty ordered to be settled and assured them immediately upon their Obedience he should indict an Assembly and Parliament as he was
instructed They continued treating about this till the 20th of August but still declined to execute those particulars that were commanded and threatned to call an Assembly and Parliament themselves wherefore the Marquis craved again the space of twenty days to go and bring an Answer from His Majesty which he did to gain more time and to shew the King into what extremities they were now run and that it was necessary He should immediately break with them or give way to the full Career of their zeal The Marquis goes again to Court and so he took Journey on the 25th to Court But the first night he stopped at Broxmouth to consider with the Earls of Traquair Roxburgh and Southesk what advice to offer His Majesty who agreed on the following Articles taken from the Original penned by Traquair Articles of advice offered to His Majesty SInce the cause and occasion of all the Distractions which of late have happened both in Kirk and Polity seems to proceed from the conceived Fears of Innovation of Religion and Laws and that the Service-Book Book of Canons and the unbounded power of Bishops in the High Commission never yet warranted by Law was that which first gave ground and occasion to the Subjects Fears and seeing the said Books are offered to be proved to be full of Tenets and Doctrines contrary to the Reformed Religion professed and established within this Kingdom and the same introduced against all form and custom practised in this Church it were an Act of Iustice well beseeming so Gracious and Glorious a King absolutely and fully to discharge the same And seeing likewise this High Commission hath given so great offence to so many of Your Majesties good Subjects and as is constantly affirmed is of so vast and illimited a power and contrary to express Laws by which all such Iudicatories not established by Act of Parliament are declared to be of no force it would much conduce to the satisfaction of this People if this Iudicatory were discharged till the same were established by Law The practice of the Five Articles of Perth hath been withstood by the most considerable part of the Subjects of all qualities both Laity and Clergy whereby great Divisions have been in this Church and are like to have an increase if Your Majesty in Your accustomed goodness and care of this poor Kirk and Kingdom shall not be graciously pleased to allow that the pressing of these Articles may be forborn until the same may be considered of in an Assembly and Parliament and although we conceive Episcopaâ—y to be a Church-Government most agreeable with Monarchy yet the illimited power which the Lords of the Clergy of this Kingdom have of late assumed to themselves in admitting and deposing of Ministers and in divers other of their Acts and Proceedings gives us just ground humbly to beg that Your Majesty may be pleased to remit to the Consideration of the Assembly this their unwarranted Power The sense and apprehension of these foresaid Evils hath sâ—irred up the Subjects without warrant of Authority to joyn in a Bond and Covenant to withstand the foresaid Innovations and for maintainance of the true Religion the Kings Majesties Person and of one another in the defence thereof If Your Majesty might be graciously pleased in supplement hereof to allow or warrant such a Confession of Faith with such a Covenant or Bond joyned thereto as that signed by Your Majesties Father and by His Command by the Council and most part of the Kingdom we are very confident the same would be a ready and forcible mean to quiet the present Disorders at least to satisfie most part and if Your Majesty shall condescend to the foresaid Propositions we are hopeful if not confident it shall give so great contenâ— to so considerable a number of Your Majesties good Subjects of all qualities that if any shall stand out or withstand Your Majesties Royal Pleasure after the publication thereof they may be overtaken by Your Majesties Power within this Kingdom without the help or assistance of any Force elsewhere And because it is to be hoped that all that hath past in this business and all the Courses that have been taken herein by the Subjects hath proceeded from the foresaid Fears of Innovations and not out of any Disloyalty or dissatisfaction to Soveraignty and that Your good People may still taste the fruits of Your Grace and Goodness we wish Your Majesty may be graciously pleased upon the Word of a King to pardon what is past and never so much as to take notice of any of the Actions or Proceedings of what person soever who after this shall carry himself as becomes a dutiful Subject and in testification thereof shall give his best assistance for settling the present Disorders And if Your Majesty may be pleased to condescend hereto we conceive all Your Majesties Subjects Petitioners or Covenanters should acquiesce and rest heartily satisfied therewith and if any shall be so foolish or mad as notwithstanding this Your Majesties grace and goodness still to disturb the Peace of Your Majesties Government we in testification of our hearty thankfulness to our Soveraign by these humbly and heartily make offer of our Lives and Fortunes for assisting Your Majesty or Your Commissioner in suppressing all such Insolences or insolent persons Signed Hamilton Traquair Roxburgh Southesk From Broxmouth he went forward to wait on His Majesty and did shew him that unless he enlarged his Instructions he was to treat no further The Marquis advises the King to renew King Iames his Covenant since he saw the Contempt was like to be put on the last Instructions so visibly that he durst not make use of them lest he should thereby have exposed His Majesties Goodness to new Affronts And as he represented this to His Majesty so he told him nothing seemed so likely a Course for removing of Jealousies and settling all things as the Authorising the Covenant that upon King Iames his command was drawn up by Mr. Iohn Craig An. 1580 containing the renunciation of all the Articles of Popery which was the ground of the present Covenant The King reasons against that His Majesty did utterly disrelish the Proposition of signing that Covenant usually called the Negative Confession for he remembred how his Father had resented his doing of that as rash and indeliberate And it seemed strange to him that so many Negatives should be sworn to especially with such aggravations of Epithets as if one might not be firm enough to the Protestant Doctrine unless he not only abjured Popery in bulk but also by retail in so many particulars some whereof might be both uncertain and indifferent And it seemed tyrannical over tender Consciences to require such an Oath from all Persons but more especially from Women and simple People who could not judge well and so were not fit to swear in such nice points therefore the King said he looked upon the Remedy proposed as full
his Holy Water Baptizing of Bells conjuring of Spirits crossing saning anointing conjuring hallowing of Gods good Creatures with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith his worldly Monarchy and wicked Hierarchy his three solemn Vowes with all the shavellings of sundry sorts his erroneous and bloody Decrees made at Trent with all the Subscribers and Approvers of that cruel and bloody Bond conjured against the Kirk of God and finally we detest all his vain Allegories Rites Signs and Traditions brought into the Kirk without or against the Word of God and Doctrine of his true Reformed Kirk to the which we joyn our selves willingly in Doctrine Faith Religion Discipline and use of the Holy Sacraments as lively Members of the same in Christ our Head promising and swearing by the great Name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the dayes of our lives under the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soul in the day of Gods fearful Iudgement and seeing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Roman Antichrist to promise swear subscribe and for a time use the Holy Sacrament in the Kirk deceitfully against their own Consciences minding hereby first under the external Cloak of Religion to corrupt and subverâ— secretly Gods true Religion within the Kirk and afterward where time may serve to become open enemies and persecuters of the same under vain hope of the Popes Dispensation devised against the Word of God to his greater confusion and their double Condemnation in the day of the Lord Jesus We therefore willing to take away all suspicion of hâ—pocrisie and such double-dealing with God and his Kirk protest and call the Searcher of all hearts to witness that our minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession Promise Oath and Subscription so that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are persuaded onely in our Consciences through the knowledge and love of Gods true Religion printed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit as we shall answer to him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed And because we perceive that the quietness and stability of our Religion and Kirk doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the Kings Majesty as upon a comfortable Instrument of Gods Mercy granted to this Country for the maintenance of his Kirk and ministration of Iustice among us we protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath hand-writ and pains that we shall defend his Person and Authority with our Bodies and Lives in the defence of Christ his Evangel Liberties of our Country ministration of Iustice and punishment of Iniquity against all Enemies within this Realm or without as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful Defender to us in the day of our Death and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory eternally Amen WE underscribing and considering the strait link and conjunction betwixt the true and Christian Religion presently profest within this Realm The Bond joyned to it and our Soveraign Lords Estate and Standing having both the self-same Friends and common Enemies and subject to the like event of standing and decay weighing therewithall the imminent danger threatned to the said Religion the Preservation whereof being dearer to us than whatsoever we have dearest to us in this Life and finding in His Majesty a most Honourable and Christian Resolution to manifest Himself to the World that zealous and religious Prince which he hath hitherto professed and to imploy the means and power that God hath put into his hands as well to the withstanding of whatsoever foreign Force shall mean within this Land for alteration of the said Religion or endangering of the present State as to the repressing of the inward Enemies thereto amongst our selves linked with them in the said Antichristian League and Confederacy have therefore in the presence of Almighty God and with His Majesties Authorizing and Allowance faithfully promised and solemnly sworn likeas we hereby faithfully and solemnly swear and promise to take a true effauld and plain part with His Majesty amongst our selves for diverting of the appearing danger threatned â—o the said Religion and His Majesties State and Standing depending thereupon by whatsoever foreign or intestine Plots or Preparations and to that effect faithfully and that upon our Truth and Honours bind and oblige us to others to convene and assemble our selves publickly with our Friends in Arms or in quiet manner at such Times and Places as we shall be required by His Majesties Proclamation or by Writ or Message directed to us from His Majesty or any having Power from him and being convened and assembled to joyn and concur with the whole Forces of our Friends and Followers against whatsoever foreign or intestine Powers or Papists and their Partakers shall arrive or rise within this Island or any part thereof ready to defend or pursue as we shall be authorised or conducted by His Majesty or any others having his Power and Commission to joyn and hold hand to the exeâ—ution of whatsoever Mean or Order shall be thought meet by His Majesty and His Council for suppressing of the Papists promotion of the true Religion and settling of Hâ—s Highness Estate and Obedience in all the Countries and Corners of this Realm to expose the hazard of our Lives Lands and Goods and whatsoever means God hath lent us in the defence of the said true and Christian Religion and his Majesties Person and Estate against whatsoever Iesuits and Seminary or Mass Priests condemned Enemies to God and His Majesty to their utter wreck and exterminion according to the Power granted to us by His Majesties Proclamation and Acts of Parliament to try search and seek out all Excommunicates Practisers and other Papists whatever within our bounds and Shire where we keep residence and delate them to His Highness and His Privy Council and conform us to such Directions as from time to time we shall receive from His Majesty and His Council in their behalfs and so specially so many of us as presently are or hereafter shall be appointed Commissioners in every Shire shall follow pursue and travel by all means possible to take and apprehend all such Papists Apostates and Excommunicates as we shall receive in Writ from His Majesty And we the remanent within that Shire shall concur and assist with the said Commissioners with our whole Friends and Forces to that effect without respect of any person whatsoever and generally to assist in the mean time and defend every one of us another in all and whatsoever Quarrels Actions Debates moved or to be moved against us or any of us upon Action of the present Bond or other Causes depending thereupon and effauldly joyn in defence and pursuit against whatsoever shall
Chirnside Linlithgow Aberdeen and divers more How can these men now elected be thought fit to be Ruling-elders who were never Elders before all or most part of them being chosen since the Indiction of the Assembly some of them but the very day before the Election of their Commissioners which demonstrates plainly that they were chosen onely to serve their Associates turn at this Assembly Since the Institution of Lay-elders by your own Principles is to watch over the Manners of the People in the Parish in which they live how can any man be chosen a Ruling-elder from a Presbytery who is not an inhabitant within any Parish of that Presbytery as hath been done in divers Elections against all Law Sense or Reason By what Law or Practice was it ever heard that young Noblemen or Gentlemen or others should be chosen Rulers of the Church being yet Minors and in all Construction of Law thought unfit to manage their own private Estates unless you will grant that men of meaner Abilities may be thought fit to rule the Church which is the House of God than are fit to rule their own private Houses Families and Fortunes By what Law can any Ruling-elder be sent to a Presbytery to give Vote in any thing especially in chusing Commissioners for the General Assembly who is not chosen for that purpose by the Session of that Parish in which he is a Ruling-elder And who gave power to the Minister of every Parish to bring with him to the Presbytery for that purpose any Ruling Elder of his Parish whom he pleased But it is well known that divers Elders gave Votes in these Presbyteries to the Elections of some Commissioners here who were not chosen by the Sessions of their several Parishes to give Votes in those Presbyteries and therefore such Commissioners as were chosen by such Lay-elders can have no Vote here By what Law or Practice have the several Parishes or Presbyteries chosen Asâ—essors to their Ruling-elders without whose consent some of the Commissioners here present are sworn not to vote to any thing This introducing of Ruling-elders is a burthen so grievous to the Brethren of the Ministry that many of the Presbyteries have protested against it for the time to come some for the present as shall appear by divers Protestations and Supplications ready to be here exhibited For the Ministers chosen Commissioners hither besides that the fittest are passed by and some chosen who were never Commissioners of any Assembly before that so they might not stand for their own Liberty in an Assembly of the nature whereof they are utterly ignorant choice hath been also made of some who are under the Censure of the Church of some who are deprived by the Church of some who have been banished and put out of the University of Glasgow for teaching their Scholars that Monarchies were unlawful some banished out of this Kingdom for their Seditious Sermons and Behaviour and some for the like Offences banished out of another of His Majesties Kingdoms Ireland some lying under the fearful Sentence of Excommunication some having no Ordination nor Imposition of Hands some admitted to the Ministry contrary to the standing Laws of this Church and Kingdom all of them chosen by Lay-elders what a Scandal were it to the Reformed Churches to allow this to be a lawful Assembly consisting of such Members and so unlawfully chosen Of this Assembly divers who are chosen are at the * That is under a Writ of Outlawry Horn and so by the Laws of this Kingdom are uncapable of sitting as Judges in any Judicatory Three Oaths are to be administred to every Member of this Assembly the Oath for the Confession of Faith lately renewed by His Majesties Commandment the Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy and whosoever shall refuse any of these cannot be a Judge in any Judicatory of this Kingdom and therefore resolve presently whether you will take them or not You have cited the Reverend Prelats of this Land to appear before you by a way unheard-of not only in this Kingdom but in the whole Christian World their Citations being read in the Pulpits which is not usual in this Church nay and many of them were read in the Pulpits after they had been delivered into the Bishops own hands How can His Majesty deny unto them being His Subjects the benefit of His Laws in declining all those to be their Judges who by their Covenant do hold the principal thing in question to wit Episcopacy to be abjured as many of you do or any of you to be their Judges who do adhere to your last Protestation wherein you declare that it is an Office not known to this Kingdom although at this present it stand established both by Acts of Parliaments and Acts of General Assemblies Who ever heard of such Judges as have sworn themselves Parties And if it shall be objected that the Orthodox Bishops in the first four and other General Councils could not be denied to be competent Judges of the Hereticks though beforehand they had declared their Judgments against their Heresies it is easily answered that in matters of Heresie no man must be patient since in Fundamental points of Faith a man cannot be indifferent without the hazard of his Salvation and therefore must declare himself to be on Christs side or else he is against him but in matters of Church-government and Policy which by the Judgment of this Church in the 21th Article of our Confession is alterable at the will of the Church it is not necessary for any man who means to be a Judge to declare himself especially against that Government which stands established by Law at the time of his Declaration being not onely not necessary but likewise not lawful for him at that time so to doe now this Declaration all you who adhere to the last Protestation have made even since you meaned to be the Bishops Judges Besides even those Orthodox Fathers never did declare themselves against the Hereticks their Persons or Callings by Oaths and Protestations as you have done for that had been a prejudging in them and this prejudging in you makes you now to be incompetent Judges Upon the whole matter then there are but two things left for me to say first you your selves have so proceeded in the business of this Assembly that it is impossible the fruits so much wished and prayed for can be obtained in it because standing as it does it will make this Church ridiculous to all the Adversaries of our Religion it will grieve and wound all our Neighbour Reformed Churches who hear of it it will make His Majesties Justice to be traduced throughout the whole Christian World if he should suffer His Subjects in that which concerns their Callings their Reputations and their Fortunes to be judged by their sworn Enemies If therefore you will dissolve your selves and amend all these errours in a new Election I will with all convenient speed address my self to
your Grace thanks in his Name which I am very glad to doe and I doe it heartily For the Earl of Argyle I can say no more than I have already though now I know him more perfectly than I did Your Resolution was to put him from the Council-Table if he refused the Kings Coâ—enant he hath now deserved it more but whether it be a fit time as yet to proceed so far I dare not determine here This I am sure of if he do now publickly adhere to the Covenant and the Assembly nay be the professed Head of the Covenant as the Dean calls him yet he will have much ado to look right upon that who ever looked asquint upon the Kings business Concerning your coming up to Court I am glad I find His Majesty in that Opinion which I cannot chuse but be of that is to leave it to your self and your own Iudgment upon the place whether it be fitter for you to come or stay for the truth is my Lord in my poor Iudgment the King must needs leave this to your self or discern himself for if he bids you come you will not stay and if he would have you stay you will not come but whether it be fittest to come or stay cannot be prudently judged here therefore my Lord doe that which shall be best approved there for His Majesties Service And as much as I desire to see you I will be bold to adde this that I hope you will not stir to come thence till you have so settled the Country or at least the Kings Party there as that you may be sure they may be safe till further course for Security may be taken for I do not know how much it may dishearten them if your Grace come away from them too soon In tender care of His Majesties both Safety and Honour I have done and do daily call upon him for his Preparations He protests he makes all the haste he can and I believe him but the jealousies of giving the Covenanters umbrage too soon have made Preparations here so late I doe all I can here with trouble and sorrow enough Here is News that three Ships-full more of Arms are come to Leith from Poland whence have they money to buy all this If this be true the King of Poland hath watched a shrewd opportunity to quit the King for the late neglect of his Ambassadour And that which troubles me not a little is that the Kings Party there I doubt is not half so well provided of Arms as the Covenanters are For the Money you mention I wish with all my heart you had received it for at the rising of the Assembly most miserable will be the Condition of them who have faithfully served God and the King I have now again put it to the King and he sees enough but cannot well tell how to â—elp it yet this he said If he could possibly scrape so much together it should be had I pray be pleased to thank the Dean for his great pains though it cost me the sitting up some part of the night to read it His Letter beside that Discourse contains but two things The necessity of a present shew of Force against the rising of the Assembly before men be urged to new Confederacies and Subscriptions to all things determined in this Assembly The other that some care may be had for the poor Ministers who will be put to the greatest sufferings and all for God and the King And to these two I have said as much as I can and shall daily labour with the King to doe all that may be done for them I pray God bless your Lordship but I am infinitely sorry so much Grace and Goodness of the Kings should be no better received To Gods blessed Protection I leave you and all your Endeavours and shall ever shew my self Your Graces most faithful Friend and humble Servant W. CANT Whitehall Decemb. 7. 1638. The Assembly go on at a great rate The Assembly all this while were not idle but went on at a great rate now that there was none to curb them They condemned all the Assemblies had been for forty years before as prelimited and not Free they declared Episcopacy unlawful and contrary to the Laws of their Church the same was the fate of the Service-book Book of Canons High-Commission and the Articles of Perth They appointed the Covenant to be taken by all under pain of Excommunication with their new Gloss against Episcopacy and the Ceremonies and then they proceeded to the Processes of Bishops notwithstanding their Declinator which was sure not to be sustained by them for they being both Judges and Parties would not fail to carry the matter as they desired The Marquis at his coming to Edinburgh on the 17th of December emitted a large Proclamation The Marquis puts forâ—h a Proclamation against them containing the Reasons of his dissolving the Assembly and declared those who continued to sit in that pretended Assembly Traitors He added His Majesties Pious Intentions to preserve the Religion established discharging all his Subjects to acknowledge or obey the Acts of that pretended Assembly with an assured promise of Protection to all such as continued in their Obedience to His Majesties Service This he sent every where to be proclaimed through Scotland and wrote to all he heard of that were affectionate to His Majesties Service encouraging them to continue in their Duty assuring them of the Kings Favour and Goodness But now were all Peoples minds set on flame every one expecting what should be the issue of this disorderly Affair He begun again to talk with the Covenanters according to the Kings Order for a continuance of Treating but they received it with so much neglect that he was scarce able to bear it and sinding they did encourage themselves with the Kings Clemency he resolved to prostitute the Offers of it no more He found the Castle of Edinburgh in some better posture at his return thither than he had left it when he went to the West forty good men were stolen into it with some Musquets and Cases of Pistols and abundance of Ammunition and Provision for five weeks This was carried with great cunning for the Castle had been watched all the while but when the Covenanters understood what was carâ—ied in they were enraged and beset the Castle so closely with their Guards that it was as good as besieged The Assembly of Glasgow after they had deposed all the Bishops The Assembly end their business and write to the King and excommunicated eight of them wherein it was easie to proceed against Absents at length they closed with a Letter to the King to be found in the Printed Acts of that Assembly and in it they justified their Procedure complained of the Usage they met with from His Commissioner and prayed His Majesty to look upon them as good and dutiful Subjects and be satisfied with what they had done The Marquis his
Interest which he could offer unto His Majesty and he would be sure of all his Men there such naked Rogues as they were is his own phrase Besides there were store of Cows in that Island for the provision of the Fleet which he appointed should not be spared Thus was the Design laid down for curbing the Scotish Insolences and layes down methodâ— for the effectuating of his design yet His Majesty firmly resolved that when-ever they returned to their Obedience he should not be inexorable The first thing for prosecuting this Design was the looking for Officers and Money for the former England was pretty scant yet the best were sought out On the second of February the King named the Earl of Arundel to be General the Earl of Essex to be Lieutenant-General of the Foot and the Earl of Holland to command the Horse Letters were also sent through the Counties for levying of Men and Advertisements given to the Nobility to meet the King at York against the first of April Antrim undertook bravely and Strafford said he should doe what was possible with all expedition The Fleet was appointed presently to be rigged out and Orders issued out for levying five thousand Souldiers under the Command of the three gallant Colonels Morton Byron and Harecoat who should go with the Fleet without knowing whither they went A Commission for the Lieutenantry of the North of Scotland was sent to the Marquis of Huntley but he was ordered to keep it up as long as was possible and carefully to observe two things One was not to be the first Aggressor except he were highly provoked or His Majesties Authority signally affronted the other was that he should keep off with long Weapons till His Majesty were on the Borders lest if he should begin sooner the Covenanters might overwhelm him with their whole Force and either ruine him or force him to lay down his Arms. As for the Marquis his Employment he told His Majesty that though he was so far from declining his Service at such a time that he should be infinitely troubled if he were not imployed yet he desired the King might choose a fitter person for the Naval Forces since he was altogether unacquainted with Sea-affairs and not fit for such an important Service But His Majesty looking upon this as an effect of his Modesty gave no hearing to it telling him that as for Affairs purely Naval Sir Iohn Pennington the Vice-admiral should go with him and would abundantly supply his defects in that But the getting of Money was the hardest part of all for two hundred thousand pound Sterlin was all the Money the King could make account of The Treasury was much exhausted and an unlucky Accident fell in at that time which put the King to much extraordinary Expence the Queen-Mother of France coming over to England yet the King found Himself able to doe well enough for the Summer following but His Purse could not weather out another year Thus did the King frame and prosecute His Design with the Secret whereof very few were trusted it being communicated to none without reserve save to Canterbury Arundel Sir Henry Vane and by Letters to Strafford but above all to the Marquis But here this Narration must be stopt that we may take a view of Scotland The Covenanters prepare for War and of the Power and Practices of the Covenanters In the beginning of Ianuary there was a full Meeting of them at Edinburgh where they first resolved to send a Gentleman to the King with the Assemblies Letter and a Petition from themselves full of Submission to the King Invectives against the Marquis and Justifications of their Procedure in all things particularly in the late Assembly which they doubted not they should make appear in the ensuing Parliament of the holding whereof they seemed to make no question With this the Earl of Argyle wrote a general Vindication of his own Behaviour and these Letters were sent to Court by Mr. Winram His Majesty received their Petition but resolved to give it such an Answer in due time as their Behaviour deserved but he wrote back to Argyle that he should be willing to receive from his own mouth a Vindication of his late Behaviour though it seemed scarce capable of any The Covenanters their next and indeed chief care was to fortifie themselves against what they knew in reason they might quickly expect Orders were therefore given through all the Shires of Scotland that a Committee of War should sit in every Shire Souldiers be listed and trained and a Commissioner sent from every County to lie at Edinburgh for receiving and transmitting of Orders Great care was also taken to provide the Country with Arms and Ammunition Merchants were sent every where to buy up all were to be had and in a short time there were Arms for above thirty thousand men brought to Scotland and particular Orders were given that none should be sold but to such as were well-affected to the Cause Strong and strict Guards were set about the Castle of Edinburgh so that it being but hitherto ill furnished little was to be expected from it wherefore Ruthwen would not shut himself up within it but went to offer his Service to His Majesty where he might be more useful They were also careful to fortifie Leith apprehending hazard from the Kings Fleet and about fifteen hundred of all Sexes yea and all Qualities for encouraging of others wrought about it till the Fortifications were compleated But of all men the Ministers were the busiest the Pulpits did ring with the Ruine of Religion and Liberties and that all might look for Popery and Bondage if they did not now quit themselves like men and are much inflamed by the Ministers Curses were thundred out against those who went not out to help the Angel of the Lord against the mighty so oddly was the Scripture applied and to set off this the better all was carried on with many Fasts and Prayers and they forgot not to pretend much Duty and Affection to the King but the Bishops and his other ill Councellours as they called them got the blame of all and none more than the Marquis By these means it was that the poor and well-meaning People were animated into great extremities of Zeal resolving to hazard all in pursuance of the Cause for they were told that the design was to reduce Scotland to a Province under the Power of the English whose Oppression they must resolve to bear if they stood not now to their own Defence Upon this it was that the Committees for War which were held in the several Shires about the beginning of February found small resistance and no difficulty of levying Men greater numbers being offered than could be either armed or maintained At Edinburgh the Session met with great trouble from the Covenanters The Session is disturbed for the greater number of the Lords of the Session being resolved not to own the Assembly all
for the King to do much without a Parliament in England and Subsidies granted by it but they had reason to think the Parliament would begin with Grievances before they went to Subsidies and if their enquiring into the former proved long and fierce as it would protract the Kings Supply it might also breed Irritations and Heats and end in a Rupture without relieving the King Neither could much be expected from a Loan of Money most of the Cities London especially were not well-affected to the Court and so were like to prove backward and narrow and all might be promised from that was to put off one Summer but the Scotish Storm was like to lie longer Besides he believed that if the Loan of Money went through the Scots would think that a good reason for their entring into England to make the Northern Countries the seat of the War which would prejudice the Kings Service in England All this he foresaw well and therefore was rack't with perplexity only he was not doubtful what to doe himself resolving to follow the Kings Interests on all hazards and in these Consultations this Year ended Anno 1640. An. 1640. They prepare in Scotland for War IN Scotland they begun again to prepare for a new War and the Ministers this year were likewise very busie taxing the King as having violated the late Pacification because way was not given to all their Acts. Besides it was preached in the very Pulpits of Edinburgh that the King had caused burn at London by the hand of the Hangman the Articles of the Treaty at Berwick This was founded on the Censure was put on the Paper spoke of last year which they gave out as the Conditions of Agreement and was burned by Order of the Council of England upon the Declaration made by all the English Lords who were on the Treaty That no other Articles were agreed upon beside the Seven above-mentioned yet this took with the People Next they laid on great Taxes for paying the last years Debts and defraying the Expence this year was like to draw on and for procuring of Money they fell on a new Device to cause the Ministers exhort all to lend liberally for the Service of the Cause which they did with so much Art and Zeal that the Women came and brought in their Jewels Rings and Plate however much Money was not got that way and all was far short of what they needed therefore divers of the most zealous of the Lords chiefly the Earls of Rothes and Cassils did give Bonds for great sums of Money and one Dick a rich Citizen of Edinburgh was got to lend them many thousand pounds Lanerick made Secretary of State In February the Earl of Sterlin the Secretary died for whose Place the King made choice of the Marquis his Brother Lord William whom he created Earl of Lanerick It was indeed the Kings choice for neither had the Marquis moved it nor himself pretended to it The Earl of Lanerick did act so considerable a part in Affairs after this that methinks their History should be as little divided as their Counsels and Affections for the Kings Service were and therefore as Lanerick's Actions come in my way they shall not be passed over in silence Being made Secretary his first care was to inform himself of all that belonged to his Place and Duty in the discharge whereof he resolved neither to spare labour or industry that thereby he might supply the defect of his years which were then but four and twenty But to go on with the Series of the Story the King went on carefully with his Preparations only the Charge of a Fleet was so great that he could not think of it this year but sent out as many Ships as stopt the Scotish Trade And finding how ill he had been served by his Lieutenant-Generals the former year and confiding both in the valour fidelity and conduct of the Earl of Strafford then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland he was called over to be Lieutenant-General in this Expedition and the Marquis was designed Colonel of the Kings Regiment of Guards The state of Affairs in Scotland In Scotland they were gathering Money bringing in more Arms and fortifying suspected Places few resisting them except Huntley in the North and Niddisdale in the South but the later was able to doe little The Marquis had divers Letters from my Lord Lindesay which are yet extant complaining of the Preparations they heard were making against them That Officers for the Army were already named Money was gathering not only Berwick Carlisle were fortified but Edinburgh-Castle and Dumbriton also had new men put in them and English-men were put in the former whereupon they were forced to resolve on hazarding the utmost for the Defence of Religion and Liberties and that all were Contributing very liberally and knew of good Friends both in England and abroad wherefore he assured him if things went to extremities they would not end so well as they did last year And he besought him that he would prove a good instrument betwixt the King and the Country protesting that for his own part nothing next to Religion went so near his Heart as the Kings Service In end he conjured him not to accept of any new Service if it went to an open Breach assuring him he would be ruined if he did telling him that God had provided a relief for them beyond their expectation The Marquis carried all these Letters as he got them to his Majesty and by his command wrote the following Answer My Lord I Received yours of February The Marquis his Letter to the Lord Lindsay wherein you endeavour to let me see the hazard that His Majesty may run if he take not a peaceable Course with his Subjects of Scotland which you say I am reported to be no adviser of as likewise the unavoidable Ruine that will befall me in case of my accepting of any Imployment against them The Arguments that you use are the Resolutions of your own People and the assistance that you will have elsewhere the particular way you forbear to write yet you say that God hath provided it beyond your expectation and as it was beyond your expectation so it is still beyond my belief my Reasons you shall have anon But first I will say somewhat concerning my self Know then Brother for a truth that I heartily pray a Curse may follow him and his Posterity that doth not endeavour and wish that these unhappy Troubles may be composed in a fair and peaceable way God who knoweth the Secrets of all mens thoughts can bear me record with how much care pains and zeal I have endeavoured that and I promise you I shall as faithfully continue in that Course as ever man did in any Resolution which was with reason grounded in his heart how few either believe or know this I care not for I have laid my accompt long since and am resolved on the worst that
that till you express the Particulars of your Desires His Majesty can give no direct Answer therefore His Majesty requires that you set downthe Particulars of your Demands with expedition he having been always willing to hear and redress the Grievances of His People and for the more mature Deliberation of these great Affairs His Majesty hath already given out Summons for the Meeting of the Peers of the Kingdom in the City of York upon the 24th of this Month that so with the advice of the Peers you may receive such Answer to your Petition as shall most tend to His Honour and the Peace and Wellfare of His Dominions And in the mean time if Peace be that you desire as you pretend He expects and by these His Majesty commands that you advance no further with your Army to these parts which is the only means that is left for the present to preserve Peace betwixt the two Nations and to bring these unhappy Differences to a Reconciliation which none is more desirous of than His most Sacred Majesty Signed LANERICK With which he wrote this Cover My Lords ACcording to your Desires I presented unto His Majesty in your names the Petition you sent me whereupon His Majesty hath been Graciously pleased to command me to make this reference which you shall receive herein inclosed joined unto the Petition My Lords by this you may see His Majesty is as he ever was willing to hear and redress the Grievances of His Subjects and I pray God you may take those Courses that may not too much incroach on the Goodness of so Gracious a Soveraign This shall be the earnest Prayer of Your Lordships Servant LANERICK York 5th Sept. 1640. To this they returned the Answer that follows which was sent by Sir Iames Mercer Right Honourable An. 1639. AS nothing in Earth is more desired of us than His Majesties favour so doth nothing delight us more than that His Majesty beginneth again to hearken to our Humble Desires The Covenanters make a second Address wherein we trust nothing shall be found but what may serve for His Majesties Honour and for the Peace of His Dominions The Particulars we would have expressed but that they are contained in the Conclusions of the late Parliament and our Printed Declarations which were sent to your Lordship but in case the Papers be not by your Lordship we now summarily repeat them That His Majesty would be Graciously pleased to command that the last Acts of Parliament may be published in his Highness's Name as our Soveraign Lord with the Estates of Parliament convened by His Majesties Authourity Next That the Castle of Edinburgh and other strengths of the Kingdom of Scotland may according to the first foundation be furnished and used for our Defence and Security Thirdly That our Countrymen in his Majesties Dominions of England and Ireland may be free from Censure for subscribing the Covenant and be no more pressed with Oaths and Subscriptions unwarranted by our Laws and contrary to their National Oath and Covenant approved by His Majesty Fourthly That the Common Incendiaries who have been the Authors of this Combustion in His Majesties Dominions may receive their Iust Censure Fifthly That our Ships and our Goods with all the Damage thereof may be restored Sixthly That the Wrongs Losses and Charges which at this time we have sustained may be repayed Seventhly That the Declarations made against us as Traytors may be recalled and in end by advice and consent of the Estates of England convened in Parliament His Majesty may be pleased to remove the Garisons from the Borders and any Impediment that may stop free Trade and with their advice may condescend to all Particulars which may establish a stable and well-grounded Peace for enjoying of our Religion and Liberties against all fears of molestation and undoing from year to year as our Adversaries shall take the advantage This Royal testimony of His Majesties Iustice and Goodness we would esteem to be doubled upon us were it speedily bestowed and therefore must crave leave to regrate that His Majesties Pleasure concerning the Meeting of the Peers the 24th of this Instant will make the time long ere the Parliament be convened which is conceived to be the only mean of settling both Nations in a firm Peace and which we desire may be seriously represented to His Majesties Royal thoughts the more this time is abridged the more able will we be to obey His Majesties Prohibition of not advancing with our Arms Our Actions and whole comportment since the beginning of these Commotions and especially of late since our coming into England are Real Declarations of our love and desire of Peace nothing but invincible necessity hath brought us from our Country to this Place no other thing shall draw us beyond the limits appointed by His Majesty which we trust His Majesty will consider of and wherein we hope your Lordship will labour to be a profitable Instrument for the Kings Honour the Good of your Country and of Your Lordships humble Servants and affectionate Friends A. Lesly Rothes Cassils Montrose Dumfermline Lindsay Lowdon Napier Tho. Hope W. Rickartoâ—n J. Smith P. Hepbuâ—â— D. Home Keir Ja. Sword Scots-Leager at New-Castle Sept. 8th 1640. An. 1640 On the 24th of September the Peers of England having met the King by their Advice commanded his Secretary to write the following Letter My Lords The King appoints a Treaty ACcording to His Majesties appointment the most part of the Peers of this Kingdom of England met here at York this day where His Majesty did communicate unto them your Desires and Petitions and because you do so earnestly press for a speedy Answer His Majesty with Advice of the Peers hath nominated such a number of them for a Conference with you upon Tuesday at Northallerton whose Names are underwritten But withall if you shall think the time too short and that with conveniency you cannot come so soon thither if betwixt this and Sunday you do acquaint His Majesty therewith he will take Order for the delay thereof for one day or two And that you may without all fear or danger of Detention send such Persons unto the said Conference as you shall think most fit if betwixt this and Sunday you send hither the Names of these you mean to imploy His Majesty will with all possible diligence return a safe conduct under his own Royal Hand for them and their necessary Servants His Majesty hath likewise commanded me to let you know that upon your relieving of such Officers and others of His Subjects as are detained by you he will return all such of yours as are his Prisoners either here or at Berwick and hereafter resolves that fair Quarters should be kept betwixt both Armies Thus having imparted His Majesties Pleasure I continue Your Lordships Servant LANERICK York 24th of September 1640. And now the King was in a great strait what to resolve on Most of all the
to Scotish business yet I judged it a crime to let any of the Reliques of that Princes Pen perish How it came into the Marquis his hand I know not it is an Answer to a Remonstrance sent to the King by the Two Houses at Westminster in the end of this year I Having taken to my serious Consideration the late Remonstrance made to me by Both Houses of Parliament do make this Answer I take in good part your care for the Preservation of the true Religion established in this Kingdom from which I will never depart as also for your tenderness of my own Safety and security of this State and Government It is against my mind that Popery or Superstition should any way increase within this Kingdom and I will restrain the same by causing the Laws be put in due execution I resolve likewise to provide against the dangers of Iesuites and Priests setting forth a Proclamation with all speed commanding them to depart the Kingdom within one month whereof if they fail or shall return then they shall be proceeded withall according to the Laws Concerning Rosettie you must understand that my Wife hath always assured me that to her knowledge he hath no Commission but only to entertain a persâ—nal Correspondence betwixt Her and the Pope of things requisite for the exercise of Her Religion which is warranted to Her by the Articles of Our Marriage which give Her a full Liberty of Conscience yet I have so perswaded Her that since the misunderstanding of this person's Condition gives offence She will within a convenient time remove him Moreover I will take special care to restrain my Subjects from resorting to Mass at Denmark-house St. Jame 's and the Chappels of Ambassadours Lastly concerning John Goodman the Priest you must know the reason why I reprieved him is that as I am informed neither Queen Elizabeth nor my Father did ever avow that any Priests in their times were executed meerly for Religion which to me seems to be this particular case yet seeing that I am pressed by Both Houses to give way to his Execution because I will avoid the inconvenience of giving so great a discontentment to my People as I perceive this Mercy may produce I remit this particular Cause to Both Houses but I desire you to take into your serious Considerations the inconveniences which as I conceive may upon this occasion fall upon my Subjects and other Protestants abroad especially since it may seem to other States to be a Severity with surprize which I having thus represented to you think my Self discharged from all ill consequences that may ensue upon the Execution of this person Anno 1641. THe Marquis notwithstandiâ—g all the malice he knew some of his Country-men bore him did not slacken his endeavours to bring things to a final Settlement An. 1641. and the high language which was now spoken at Westminster furnished him with too strong Reasons for enforcing the necessity of agreeing with the Covenanters The King yields to all the Demands of the Covenanters At length the King weary of contending so much resolved to yield to most of their Demands For the first of publishing their Acts though it was contrary to the practice of Scotland to hold a Session of Parliament unless the King were present by himself or his Commissioner yet it was represented that was but a point of Form for as they Sate by the Kings Summons so they did not pretend their Votes were Laws without the Kings Ratification and their Sitting in this manner though disorderly could not be so derogatory to the Kings Authority as at first view appeared since it was the constant practice of the Two Houses in England to Sit and Vote in the Kings absence The King was willing all these Acts should be of new voted promising his Royal Assent to them but they were stiff and the King yielded For the Reparation of Losses the King remitted them to the Two Houses who considered their Accompts and gave them a large Brotherly Assistance For the disposal of the Castles the election of the Councellours Officers of State and Judges which the Covenanters desired should be done with Advice of Parliament they went very harshly down with the King But they alledged divers old Laws for their Demands which seemed now necessary to he revived since His Majesty was so seldom in Scotland The Kings great apprehension of this was that it would give a Copy to England for making the like Demands to which it was answered that the Kings residence in England made the case to differ vastly the Scotish Lords engaging upon their Honour to declare in case the Two Houses should make the like Demands they were unreasonable in so doing In a Word the King granted all they demanded only he thought it unjust and unreasonable to grant an Indempnity to the other Party and let his Friends be secluded from it wherefore he pressed nothing so earnestly as that the Oblivion might be without exception and the List of those who were summoned upon the pretence of being Incendiaries was so great that he thought to abandon so many of his Faithful Servants to the violence of the Times was so dishonourable that he could not answer for it neither to God nor man The Covenanters to yield somewhat reduced their great number to five persons who were the Earl of Traquair the Bishop of Ross Sir Robert Spotswood Sir Iohn Hay and Doctor Balcanquell but the King thought he could not yield to that Demand were there but one excepted and told them that though he had better Grounds to pursue some of themselves as Incendiaries yet being willing to dispense with these his Resentments he had reason to expect the same Condescendency from them But they pretended their Bond and Oath for prosecuting of them and though it was told them that an ill Oath was worse kept yet they were stiff and the temper found was that their Processes should go on but their Censure should be remitted to the King and that the Scots should be satisfied with his Assurance that he should imploy them no more in Scotish Affairs without consent of Parliament And thus all things were agreed on and His Majesty determined to go in Person to Scotland to settle matters there but at this time the Scotish Commissioners began to Cabal with the Male-contents in the Two Houses and in particular concurred with them in the pursuit of the Earl of Strafford The Friendship betwixt the Marquis and that Gallant man had been great and intire and as his Testimony in those matters about which he was examined was among the Evidences Strafford had in his Defences so his Confidence in the Marquis did appear by the following handsome Letter he wrote to him a few days before his Death May it please your Lordship HItherto I judged it not fit to endanger your Lordship by any Intelligence betwixt us which might have turned much to your prejudice in a time when
all so that no clear Proof being brought the Parliament could come to no other Decision but that the Lords had good reason to withdraw themselves and so they were invited to return to their place in Parliament But he is again in His Majesties favour This was a tedious business and put a great stop to the Settlement betwixt the King and the Nation but further Particularities are thought needless to be set down since this Matter vanished no effect following on it The Marquis quickly recovered his former â—oom in the Kings Affection so that there remained not so much as a vestige of this cross Adventure Things in Scotland took presently a Settlement and those were called Plotters and Banders after examination and a delivering up of their Bond which was burnt by the hand of the Common Hangman were set at Liberty after some time of further Restraint but the Process of the alledged Incendiaries was to go on yet they were to enjoy their Liberty and undergo no other Censure but the loss of Publick Imployment which though yielded at London was long resisted in Scotland they pretending their Oath to bring them to condign Punishment But as the King was going on with the Settlement of one Kingdom The Rebellion breaks out in Ireland he got the saddest News that ever were heard out of Ireland of the desperate Rebellion and Massacre had broken out there whereupon His Majesty recommended to the Parliament of Scotland the Relief of his oppressed Protestant Subjects in Ireland which they undertook very willingly But because of the interest England had in Ireland Commissioners were appointed to Treat with the Parliament of England for Concluding a Peace betwixt the two Nations and Settling of Trade and particularly about the Terms upon which they should engage in the War of Ireland and so about the middle of November the King having granted to the Scotish Nation all they could demand ended the Parliament there and returned to London about the end of that month But before the Marquis left Scotland he by the Kings particular Command entred in a close Friendship with Argyle considering that besides the great Power of that Family his Interest with the Clergy and Covenanters was such that none could be so useful to His Majesties Service as he And this Friendship was to be twisted closer by a Bond of a near Alliance betwixt their Children But from all the Letters that passed betwixt them yet to be seen it is as clear as can be that all the Marquis his design in this Friendship was for the Kings Service and that all that time Argyle expressed a hearty concurrence in it To gratifie the Covenanters the more the King had created him a Marquis Lowdon was also made Chancellor Lesley Earl of Leven and Lindsay put in a fair way to be Treasurer Traquair being turned out The King at his return to London The King returns to London where he finds matters worse found the Edge he had left on some of their spirits was no way blunted but growing into more sharpness When the Marquis was in Scotland a Member of the House of Commons laying out their Grievances among other things inveighed against Monopolies and spoke so plainly that all understood he meant the Marquis as a Person that deserved to be accused as well as either Strafford or Canterbury but others of that same Cabal took him up sharply And now upon the Kings return his Enemies finding their designs against him could not take with the King in whose Favour he was as much as ever they took a strange Course to destroy him which was to set on some Members of the House of Commons to accuse him as the Incendiary betwixt England and Scotland who had engaged England into all that Expence who had also invited the Scots to march into England and had been always the third in Strafford's and Canterburie's Counsels who had advised the Dissolving of the former Parliament and had oppressed the Subjects by the grants of many Monopolies which he had This was smelled out even by some of the same Cabal who perswaded their Friends to desist shewing them That for his Carriage betwixt England and Scotland an Oblivion was passed in the late Treaty which was ratified by the Parliament of England That for other things though his Engagement in the Court had carried him along to some extreme Counsels yet they said it was well enough known how moderate his Inclinations were how great an Instrument he had been in the late Settlement of Scotland and how much he was hated upon that account and that this was a design to destroy him either out of malice or because some feared his moderate Counsels in England as much as they hated them in Scotland This seems to have flowed from the Friendship which divers of the Leaders in the House of Peers had for him whom he had often obliged and as they were not unsensible nor forgetful of his good Offices so they seem to have had a particular kindness for his Person And while he was in Scotland he kept Correspondence with Mandevil Essex and others and chiefly with the Lord Say and Seale but all their Letters shew that his greatest business with them was to prepare them to a better Correspondence with the King But when the Marquis smelled out the design against him he gave the King an account of it and told him that if His Majesty intended to go on in his Affairs in a Kingly way he would wait on his Commands and expose himself to the displeasure of the House of Commons but if His Majesty intended to settle Matters by an absolute Compliance with the Parliament then he conceived it was fit that his Servants should use their endeavours for their own Preservation that so they might be afterwards useful to his Service yet he said he would do nothing for himself but by His Majesties Allowance and Direction being it is like taught more caution by the Jealousies had been taken from his care of vindicating himself in the Parliament of Scotland The King upon this allowed him to use all means for his own Preservation which he so managed that the designed Accusation came to nothing This particâ—lar His Sacred Majesty vouchsafed to tell the Writter adding that he had it from the Queen His Mother Anno 1642. An. 1642. THe Tumults and Disorders about Whitehall and Westminster rose to that height that the King withdrew to Windsor in the beginning of the year The Scotch Commissioners continued Treating about their engaging for Ireland The Sâ—ots Commissioners animate the Houses to press the change of the Laws about Church-Government which the King pressed forward very earnestly but some of the Commissioners begun to tamper with those who were most opposite to the Court in the Two Houses and in stead of Moderating them were instigating them to persist in their Demands about Religion to get Episcopacy brought down and Presbytery set up To
should I be an undertaker to the Parliament for either having neither my Instructions nor Directions from Him to mention to the Parliament or any Member there But these Reports proceed from such who perhaps if the matter were looked into have said what probably they will not make good and so endeavour to make other men bear the Burthen I am not sorry they have joyned you with me in this since it cannot prove your disadvantage the thing being so eminently false I see my Enemies malice will have no end and when they want other grounds Sickness is enough for them to take advantage of but if they had been in the Condition that I have been in these three weeks they would have been more charitable and so I leave them The uncertainty of my Recovery hath made me write thus much to you and truely not without trouble that you may let His Majesty know my Innocency in these particulars and that I still continue in a Condition not able to attend Him which is a great grief to Your faithful Friend and Servant HAMILTON Whitehall 7th April 1642. In the middle of April the King signified to his Council in Scotland his Design of going in Person against the Rebels in Ireland The King thinks of going to Ireland which he purposed both to put more vigour in the Army by his Presence as also to refute those Calumnies were spread upon him as if he inclined to Popery and had been accessory to the late Rebellion with which damnable Calumnies his Enemies were beginning to asperse him But the Scotish Council as well as the Two Houses but that motion is disliked by both Nations interceded earnestly with him against this Design pretending the Hazard his Sacred Person would be in Some judged that they were afraid lest by such a real Argument the Calumnies were cast on His Majesty and scattered among the Vulgar for carrying on their Designs might be refuted and some feared lest His Majesty had he gone to the Army might have gained too much upon their Hearts whereby he might have been in a Condition to have over-awed the Two Houses In May the Scotish Council sent up the Lord Chancellor to offer a Mediation for a better Understanding betwixt the King and the Two Houses but the King was much irritated The Chancellor of Scotland sent to mediate betwixt the King and the Two Houses by the Affront he had lately received before Hull from Hotham He likewise found the Chancellor insisting on Vniformity of Church-Government therefore he ordered his return into Scotland and gave him a full account of all had passed betwixt him and his Two Houses requiring him to give a true representation of it to his Council there In the end of the Month the Marquis had recovered so much Strength as to come and wait on the King at York where he would gladly have prosecuted his former Counsels for advancing a Settlement betwixt the King and his Two Houses but he knew not how to advise the King to grant more than he had already yielded to which as the King said to him was more than had been granted by all the Kings of England since the Conquest adding that though he had gone a great length in Concessions to them they had not obliged him by one favourable Vote so that nothing remained for the Marquis but to lament the Kings Misfortune yet he offered the uttermost of his Services to him and subscribed for the pay of threescore Horse in the Kings Army But he represented to His Majesty the Hazard of Scotland's concurring with the Two Houses which the King might easily apprehend both from the late carriage of their Commissioners and from what he knew of their Temper especially of the Ministers Zeal and Power with the People For his own part he said he was able to do the King small Service any where but having neither Interest friends nor followers in England he would be but a burden to His Majesty there but if he could signifie any thing it was in Scotland where he should use his utmost Endeavours to divert them from assisting the Kings Enemies for to expect Aid from them was not to be thought upon His Majesty judging this most expedient sent him to Scotland without any positive Instructions recommending only to him his Service in General of which he was so confident that he wrote the following Letter after him Hamilton and is sent by the King to Scotland I Have no time to write Particulars and to perswade you to serve me I suppose that I have less need than time therefore in a word this is a Time to shew what you are assuring you that at all times I will shew that I am Your most assured and constant Friend CHARLES R. MEMOIRES OF THE LIFE and ACTIONS OF James Duke of Hamilton c. LIB IV. Of the Duke's and his Brother the Earl of Lanerick's Negotiation in Scotland till their Imprisonment THE Marquis came to Edinburgh in the beginning of Iuly Great Jealousies of the King in Scotland and found very many disgusted with him for his late concurrence in the Council at York as a Peer of England He studied by all means to remove the wicked Insinuations which some in England had sent to Scotland against the King the most hurtful of them was about his favouring of Popery and his Designs of falling upon Scotland by Force as soon as he had mastered the Two Houses These were zealously propagated by the Emissaries from England and all Places sounded with the danger Religion was in so that he found his Negotiation was like to prove again unfortunate The only means by which he had any hopes of engaging Scotland in the Kings Quarrel was to move that an Invitation might be sent from Scotland to the Queen for her return whom the Tumults at London had driven beyond Sea that she might mediate for a Settlement betwixt the King and the Two Houses This he judged might insensibly draw them on to own the Kings Service for if the Queen came upon their Invitation they would be obliged in Honour to protect her and see that she met with no Injuries and to resent such as should be done her and therefore he sent a confident Friend to give His Majesty an account of the Posture things were in according to the following Instructions SHew His Majesty with what a prejudicated Opinion I was received by reason of what I have done at York which I still lie under Shew in what Temper I found this Kingdom occasioned as I conceive by the apprehension they have of His Majesties not observing what He hath already granted if He shall be in a Condition to force them seeâ—â—g it is believed that what He hath given was against His Will Next divers eminent Persons apprehend that if He obtain His ends by Force they will be neglected and Persons obnoxious to this Kingdom cherished Shew that some activâ— mâ—n will not lie
idle in so stirring Times and therefore His Majesty would consider how to make use of them lest otherwise they may be engaged and with them the Kingdom Shew that it will be impossible longer to delay the Meeting of the Commissioners for Conserving of the Peace and what my Part hath been therein and therefore to Consider if it were not fit they were called by His Majesties Warrant Shew that I could not think of a better way to serve Her Majesty for the present than by procuring an Invitation from the whole Kingdom for Her return which Proposition if His Majesty conceive fit for His Service and be acceptable to Her Majesty I doubt not of the effectuating it otherwise it shall here end Shew that though I can be of no great use to His Majesty any where yet I conceive more here than at York for albeit I still say I can undertake for nothing yet I may possibly be able to prevent Evil if I can do no Good Shew the miserable Condition of my Fortune which occasioneth the not sending as yet the Moneys for entertaining the Horse which if the sale of Land can procure shall be quickly remedied In August following there was an Assembly to which the King sent the Earl of Dunfermline Commissioner Dunfermline Commissioner to the General Assembly with full Assurances of His Majesties Resolution to adhere to what was now settled by Law and to encourage all good Motions for advancing of Piety and Learning and it was also recommended to him as his chief Work to keep the Assembly within their own bounds that they might not meddle with England nor interpose in the Differences betwixt the King and the Two Houses But this was not to be done except by Authority backed with Force for there came a Declaration from the Parliament of England which was very welcome to them and had such a Return as they of England desired For the Assembly declared Prelacy to be the great Mountain that lay in the way of the advancement of Religion The Assembly declares against Episcopacy in England which must first be removed before the Church and Work of God could be established and nothing the Kings Commissioner said was able to divert them from this so irresistible was their Zeal They also sent a Petition to the Council desiring them to second their Address to the King for an Uniformity in Church-Government in all his Dominions and likewise desired that by reason of the Commotions were in England the Council would call together the Conservatours of the Peace this was a Court established by the late Parliament to see to the Preservation of the Articles of the late Treaty with England The Council upon this recommended Uniformity in Church-Government by a Letter to the King wherein they desired also Warrant to convene the Conservatours of the Peace the Assembly wrote also to the King to the same purpose The Marquis represented to His Majesty that their Zeal for this Uniformity was so great that no Art could hinder them from Petitioning for it but if they could be preserved from Deeds Many desire Uniformity in Church-Government and that the Conservators of Peace might meet their big words were to be answered with smooth Language But as for the Meeting of the Conservatours of the Peace he laid out the hazard of it to the King for if he refused to convene them it would raise Jealousies in the Peoples minds and there was ground to fear they would meet of their own accord if they were not called which would be an affront to the Kings Authority and might precipitate a Rupture But on the other hand there was no small danger in their Sitting for of that number some were likelier to disturb than conserve the Peace To the Letters from the Assembly and Council the King wrote the following Answer CHARLES R. BY your Letter to Vs of the 19th of this Instant August We find you concur with Our late General Assembly The Kings Letter about Uniformity of Church-Government in their Desire to Vs about Vnity of Religion and Vniformity of Church-Government in all Our three Kingdoms which cannot be more earnestly desired by you than shall be really endeavoured by Vs in such a way as We in Our Conscience conceive to be best for the flourishing Estate of the true Protestant Religion But as for Ioyning with Our Houses of Parliament here in this Work it were improper for Vs at this time to give any Answer for since their Meeting they have never made any Proposition to Vs concerning Vnity of Religion or Vniformity of Church-Government so far are they from desiring any such thing as we are confident the most considerable Persons and those who make fairest Pretences to you of this kind will no sooner embrace a Presbyterial than you an Episcopal And truely it seems notwithstanding whatsoever Profession they have made to the contrary that nothing hath been less in their minds than Settling of the true Religion and Reforming such Abuses in the Church-Government as possibly have crept in contrary to the establish't Law of the Land to which we have been so far from being averse that We have by divers Declarations and Messages pressed them to it though hitherto it hath been to small purpose But when-ever any Proposition shall be made to Vs by them which We shall conceive may any way advance the Vnity of the true Protestant Religion according to the Word of God or establish the Church-Government according to the known Laws of this Kingdom We shall by Our chearful Ioyning with them let the World see that nothing can be more acceptable unto Vs than the furthering and advancing of so good a Work So we bid you Farewell From Nottingham the 26th of August 1642. All in Scotland called for the Conservatours Sitting and said that they must be on their guard The Chancellor calls a Meeting of the Conservators of the Peace when War was like to be on their Borders whereupon the Council ordered the Chancellour to convene them At this time all the Scotish Commissioners returned from London every thing that concerned the Treaty being expeded but the Council thought it necessary to send the Earl of Lindsay and Sir Iohn Smith to lie there for Correspondence of which they gave the King notice With this His Majesty was highly displeased for he said they were either sent to Treat by vertue of the Commission from the Parliament in which case they were not a Quorum or by the Councils Authority if so then he asked who warranted them to do that without his Order yet to take away any ground of Heats or Jealousies he impowered them to go that they might see to the preserving the Articles of the Treaty As for the Conservators of the Peace he gave the Earl of Lowdon Warrant to convene them against the 22th of September and sent Mr. Murray of the Bed-Chamber afterwards Earl of Dysert with Instructions Mr. Murray
sent to Scotland to inform them of all had passed betwixt him and the Two Houses whose account of the state he found things in follows in a Letter to my Lord Lanerick My much honoured Lord who informs about the State of Affairs there WHen I arrived here your Brother was in Argyle but upon knowledge of my coming came himself and brought that Marquis with him to Hamilton whither the Chancellor went likewise and there I attended all three I found them with the same Affections and Desires your Lordship left in them but as they conceive not so able to Act as they were then They apprehend the Parliament of England will be much higher in their Demands than at that time as understanding now both the Kings Power and their own which were then but upon forming and promised a greater Equality The Kings two Messages to the Parliament have likewise so discredited His Majesties Affairs in this Country that they fear many forward enough before will now unwillingly engage in any way which may displease the Parliament yet they are resolved to do their best and I believe say little less in this inclosed Letter signed by all three His Majesty must expect in point of Religion to be prest for Vniformity in Church-Government and if His Majesty may be moved to publish some handsome Declaration satisfactory in that point it would infinitely advance all his Affairs in this Country and from hence have a powerful influence upon that The Parliament hath gained much here by their last Vote and there is a very fine Answer expected to their last Message sent by the Lord Maitland which will extraordinarily confirm the former Correspondence if the King do not something plausible in the same kind timeously and unconstrained the two Kingdoms will shut upon him in despight of what his best Servants can do Here is no Order for publishing His Majesties Declarations and great care taken to the contrary which occasions great prejudication in the common Peoples minds and were very fit to be amended I am looked upon here with great Iealousie yet it lessens because they see I am not busie I am advised by your Brother and the rest for avoiding of suspicion to go up to Court which having dispatched some particular business I have of my own I am resolved to do They have entrusted me with these particular Queries of which they desire His Majesties Resolution if your Lordship find opportunity you may acquaint His Majesty with them They desire likewise your Lordship may be sent down with a Letter to the Commissioners full of Confidence and allowing them all Freedom in their Consultations In respect of this great Meeting your Brother cannot make his Iourney to Holland no Act of that nature being now to be done their Opinion and Authority not consulted but I find them all right set in the thing and truly so respective to the Queens Person it did my Heart good to hear them All the Lords Conservators which are with you will receive Summons but it is not desired they should come down and truly I believe their Presence will do more hurt than good I must intreat your Lordship to acquaint His Majesty with these Particulars to receive his further Commands and convey them to My Lord Your Lordships faithful humble Servant M. MVRRAY Edinburgh 10th Sept. 1642. POSTSCRIPT The King must send to New-Castle Directions concerning his Ships for their Victuals are quite spent my poor opinion is they should be sent to Holland where they may be safer and attend the Queen What the Queries mentioned in this Letter were appears not to the Writer but for the Letters and Declarations the King sent to Scotland they are all of one strain and because the clearest and fullest was sent the next Summer I shall refer all to that which shall be set down in its proper place Only I have here inserted an account of the Kings Affairs with the Two Houses written by Lanerick to one in Scotland whose Name I find not set down but believe it was to Mr. Murray and corrected with His Majesties Pen in some places SIR AS you desired me I moved His Majesty for a Copy of the last Message to the Houses of Parliament which you will herewith receive An account oâ— Affairs in England His Majesty hath not as yet had any Answer from them but we are informed here His Messengers have been far otherwise received than he expected since they were the Carriers of so good a Message for the Earl of South-Hampton a better Poster than the Earl of Dorset came to the House upon Saturday last and as he was going to take his place he was called to to withdraw He said he had a Message to deliver them from His Majesty but received no other Answer than still a Command to withdraw which at last he obeyed then they sent the Black Rod to him requiring him to send the Message to them by him which he refused having Commands to deliver the Message himself to the House But they again pressed it yet he still refused at last they declared that if any Evil did arise from the not delivering of his Message they were free of it whereupon he sent it to them by Mr. Maxwell to which he received no other Answer than their absolute Command immediately to remove from Town The House of Commons were something more favourable to Sir John Culpeper who after some Debate was admitted into the House though not to his Place but as I am informed delivered his Message at the Bar and thereafter was commanded to withdraw It was then taken into Consideration whether or not he should any more be admitted as a Member of that House which was voted in his favours so that it is like their Answer will be returned by him which I hear will only be to let His Majesty know that so long as his Proclamations are out against the Earl of Essex and such others their Adherents of whom they account themselves to be as Traytors and the Standard up for raising of Men to suppress them they account themselves as out of His Majesties Protection and so incapable to Treat By this the World will see whether His Majesty or they be the occasion of this War and of all the Blood which is like to be shed in this unfortunate Kingdom His Majesty hath left no means of Accommodation unessayed for he hath even descended to make the first Offer of a new Treaty so careful is He of His Subjects Lives that for their Safeties He is even prodigal of His Own Honour and certainly he hath not a Subject that hath Honour but will be sensible of the Extremities he is now reduced into I wish our Countrymen may take it so to heart as not to neglect this occasion of witnessing their Affections to His Majesty by making some Overtures for such a Treaty or offer of their Service to Him since His Majesty is absolutely resolved to send no
against Vs and others have been seduced to whom We had formerly denied Imployment as appears by the examination of many Prisoners of whom We have taken Twenty and Thirty at a time of one Troop or Company of that Religion What Our Opinion is of that Religion Our frequent Solemn Protestations before Almighty God who knows Our Heart do manifest to the World And what Our Practice is in Religion is not unknown to Our good Subjects of that Our Native Kingdom And as We have omitted no way Our Conscience and Vnderstanding could suggest to be for the promoting and advancing the Protestant Religion so We have professed Our readiness in a full and peaceable Convention of Parliament to consent to whatsoever shall be proposed by Bill for the better Discovery and speedier Conviction of Recusants for the Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion for the prevention of the Practices of Papists against the State and the due Execution of the Laws and true Levying of Penalties against them so We shall further embrace any just Christian Means to Suppress Popery in all Our Dominions of which Inclination and Resolution of Ours that Our Native Kingdom hath received good evidence For the other malicious and wicked Insinuations that Our Success here upon the Rebellious Armies raised to destroy Vs will have an influence upon Our Kingdom of Scotland and that We will endeavour to get loose from those wholsom Laws which have been enacted by Vs there We can say no more but Our good Subjects of that Kingdom well remember with what Deliberation Our Self being present at all the Debates We consented to these Acts and We do assure Our Subjects there and call God Almighty to witness of the uprightness and resolution of Our Heart in that point that We shall always use Our utmost Endeavours to defend and maintain the Rights and Liberties of that Our Natiâ—e Kingdom according to the Laws established there and shall no longer look for Obedience than We shall govern by the Laws And We hope that Our zeal and carriage only in Defence of the Laws and Government of this Kingdom and the subjecting Our Self to so great hazard and danger will be no argument that when the Work is done We would pass through the same Difficulties to alter and invade the Constitutions of that Our other Kingdom We find disadvantages enough to struggle with in the Defence of the most upright innocent just Cause of Taking up Arms and therefore if We wanted the Conscience we cannot the Discretion to tempt God in an unjust Quarrel The Laws of Our Kingdom shall be always Sacred to Vs We shall refuse no hazard to defend them but sure We shall run none to invade them And therefore We do conjure all Our good Subjects of that Our Native Kingdom by the long happy and uninterrupted Government of Vs and Our Royal Progenitors over them by the Memory of those many large and publick Blessings they enjoyed under Our dear Father by those ample Favours and Benefits they have received from Vs by their Own Solemn National Covenant and their Obligation of Friendship and Brotherhood with the Kingdom of England not to suffer themselves to be misled and corrupted in their Affections and Duty to Vs by the cunning Malice and Industry of those Incendiaries and their Adherents but to resist and look upon them as Persons who would involve them in their Guilt and sacrifice the Honour Fidelity and Allegiance of that Our Native Kingdom to their private Ends and Ambition And We require Our good Subjects tâ—ere to consider that the Persons who have contrived fomented and do still maintain these bloody Distractions and this unnatural Civil War what pretence so ever they make of their Care of the true Reformed Protestant Religion are in truth Brownists and Anabaptists and other Independent Sectaries and though they seem to desire an Vniformity of Church-Government with Our Kingdom of Scotland do no more intend and are so far from allowing the Church-Government by Law established there or indeed any Church-Government whatsoever as they are from consenting to the Episcopal and We cannot but expect a greater sense of Our Sufferings since the obligations We have laid on that Our Native Kingdom are used as arguments against Vs here and Our free consenting to some Acts of Grace and Favour there which were asked of Vs by reason of Our necessary residence from thence have encouraged ill-affected Persons to endeavour by Force to obtain the same here where We usually reside To conclude We cannot think that Our good Subjects there will so far hearken to the Treason and Malice of Our Enemies as to interrupt their own present Peace and Happiness and God so deal with Vs and Our posterity as We shall inviolably observe the Laws and Statutes of that Our Native Kingdom and the Protestations We have so often made for the Defence of the true Reformed Protestant Religion the Laws of the Land and the Iust Priviledges and Freedom of Parliaments With these Publick Orders His Majesty also sent the Marquis a Patent to be a Duke The King sends the Marquis a Patent to be Duke as a recompence of the great Services he was then doing and had formerly done him Scarce were these Lords come to Scotland when one Walden an Agent sent from the Two Houses to Scotland The Lords pursued as Incendiaries upon the pretence of the Treaty about Ireland gave in a Complaint to the Council against them on the account of a Letter that was intercepted signed by them all at Latham the Earl of Darby's House in Lancashire where they were as they came down in which they gave the Queen some Informations and Advices about the State of the Kings Affairs in that County This was charged on them as Incendiarism and Walden desired liberty to pursue them on that Head whereupon they first drew some Defences but because these would have been found more guilty of the alledged fault than the Letter it self they being made up of a Justification of the Kings Armes in England they answered this Complaint by a Petition wherein they declared they had never instigated the King into a Breach with his Two Houses and that there was nothing on earth they desired more earnestly than to see a happy Settlement betwixt them therefore they intreated that no Misrepresentations might be received or listened to against them The Church-party saw this would be a good way to be rid of the Trouble and Opposition they feared from these Lords and â—efore cherished Walden's Motion but they were told that they could not fix any Censure on that Matter without judging of the whole Business for if the Kings Quarrel was just those Lords acted as became faithful Subjects whatever might be in that none in England could challenge them for Serving him in it till themselves had declared against it which was not yet done The force of this Reasoning constrained them against their
said Army still in Ireland and for recovering payment of the Brotherly Assistance providing always that in the doing thereof no Resolution be taken for Levying of Forces or doing any Act whereby this Kingdom or any part thereof may be put in a posture of War or under any pretence to bring over the Scotish Army in Ireland or any part thereof without special Warrant from His Majesty wherewith if such as shall meet at this Convention rest not satisfied His Majesties Servants here are resolved to Protest and adhere to these Grounds and to oppose all other derogatory to His Majesties Authority or prejudicial to His Service The Duke by the same Bearer wrote to Mr. Iermine since Earl of St. Albans what follows which is set down to shew how far he was from abusing their Majesties or any about them with hopes of a good issue of Affairs in Scotland Noble Friend THere is so much said to this Bearer by word and in writing that I shall add but little thereto only this which I have often said The Duke apprehends the Ruine of the Kings Affairs in Scotland Time is precicious and would not be lost while we are quiet how long that will be for my own part I cannot tell so many unhappy Accidents have intervened of late that His Majesties Service is much prejudiced thereby I mean not so much your Misfortune at Wakefield as other Particulars which you will be informed of Howsoever think not that I am discouraged for never was Man more resolute to oppose all that shall endeavour the Dis-service of the King than I am and there are considerable men in this Country of the same mind But I ever feared our want of Power and never more than now Resolution we want not but Means how to put that in execution and therefore I say build no confidence but that you may receive great Prejudice from hence notwithstanding all we can be able to do which will be as much as you can expect from Men of Honour so deeply ingaged as we are Having thus freely expressed my thoughts to you it is eâ—sie to conjecture what Advice I would give you are Iudicious and so I shall conclude in a word Lose no Opportunity that is offered to end your business either by one means or other and esteem of me as Your most obliged Friend and humble Servant HAMILTON Holyrood House June 5th 1643. He wrote also the following Letter to Her Majesty May it please Your Majesty I Had not presumed to have troubled Your Majesty with any thing from me if Your Letter I received from Mr. Murray had not encouraged me to hope for Your Majesties Pardon And advertises the Queen of his fears I shall then humbly beg this may rather be believed an effect of Obedience than Boldness Vpon Tuesday last I delivered to His Majesties Council a Letter from Him to them wherein was inclosed a Declaration to His Scotish Subjects which was unanimously appointed to be Printed and Published but the Letter they have written in Answer to His Majesty a Copy whereof I have presumed to send Your Majesty did receive great opposition and with difficulty was carried Since there hath been no Publick Meeting but it is like there will be one appointed upon Wednesday next where they that came last from His Majesty are to be accused as Incendiaries The great Offers are to be made from tâ—e Two Houses of Parliament are like to work much upon the Affections of this Country being seconded with an alledged hazard to Religion and Government from Papists pretended to be in Armes in England and Ireland a popular though groundless Inducement for taking Arms in this Kingdom to which though many Noblemen and divers of the Gentry have hitherto been averse yet I both doubt tâ—e Continuance of their Resolutions and the Power of these few who must and will oppose it The Authority the other Party receives from the Iudicatories the absolute Power they have of the Magazines and Ammunition the popular Pretences they have of a danger to Religion and Liberty gives them so great advantages that I cannot but apprehend great Disservice to His Majesty from hence if the Differences betwixt Him and His people of England be not quickly decided either by Treaty or Force The Resolutions about the Convention of the States of such well-affected Noblemen and Gentlemen as are accidentally now in Edinburgh Your Majesty will know from the Bearer the Particulars being of that nature as are not without hazard to His Majesties Service to be trusted to Paper by May it please Your Majesty the humblest and faithfullest of all Your Servants HAMILTON To which Her Majesty wroâ—e the following Answer Cousin I Received your Letter The Queen writes to the Duke and have given an Account to the King of what you tell Me. I hope the Kings faithful Servants shall be so much the more firm to His Service that the wickedness of others appears and will by their Care and Diligence prevent the Malice of others We had here a mischance in one of Our Quarters by the negligence of Our People the greatest loss We have had is known yet We are not at all discouraged and hope quickly to have a Revenge Our Army consists without reckoning the Garrisons of seven thousand Foot and 69 Troops of Horse besides My two Regiments so that for all Our mischance We are in no ill Condition I have News from the King that His Army is as strong as Essex's and that Essex dares not advance The King hath sent Prince Maurice to the West with 2000 Horse and a thousand Foot the Gentlemen of the West have promised to raise an Army of 10000 Men in six Weeks so that I can assure you all Our Affairs go well And from France except the Death of the King My Brother I have very good News as likewise from Denmark If the King does not press me to go to Him quickly I hope to see Leeds taken befâ—re I part You will give a share of these News to all Our Friends if any dare own themselves such after the House of Commons hath declared Me Traytor and carried up their Charge against Me to the Lords This I assure you is true but I know not yet what the Lords have done upon it God forgive them for their Rebellion as I assure you I forgive them from my Heart for what they do against Me and shall ever continue as I have promised Your affectionate Cousin and Friend HENRIETTA MARIA R. To this he returned the following Letter May it please Your Majesty I Shall not presume to take up much of Your Majesties Time with reading Particulars they being so well known to this faithful Bearer The Dukes Answer to Her Majesty therefore I shall only in the general crave liberty to say that though the State of Affairs here be far otherwise than I could wish yet I was never so hopeful as at this present that no Forces will
he had a Commission for it under the Great Seal of England it being contrary to the Articles of the late Treaty of the two Kingdoms which was ratified in Parliament At this time the Treaty betwixt the Two Houses in England The Treaty betwixt Scotland and England is concluded and the Convention in Scotland was closed Against the 5th of October a hundred thousand pounds Sterling was to be paid in Scotland and against the Twentieth of that Month an Army of Twenty thousand Horse and Foot was to be on the Borders from Scotland who were to have thirty thousand pounds Sterling a Month for Pay only the hundred thousand pounds Sterling was to serve for the first three Months The General was to be chosen by the Scots the Army was to receive Orders from a Commitee of both Kingdoms no Peace should be treated or concluded without the Scots and the Publick Faith was given by the Convention of Estates in Scotland that their Army should return out of England when a Peace was concluded by both Kingdoms And so the Convention Adjourned till Ianuary having chosen a Committee of Estates to whom they gave full Power in all matters Civil and Military About the middle of September the fairest opportunity of all was lost for the Parliament of England apprehending the hazard of the loss of Berwick sent down some Ships by which Berwick seized on by the Parliament with the Concurrence of the Scots it was presently Garrisoned and the Committee of Estates issued out toward the middle of September Commissions for making of Levies â—hrough the Kingdom so that nothing kept them from Marching but that they heard not of Money from England The Kings Friends were now in the greatest perplexities imaginable they saw his Affairs in a ruining Condition and themselves able to do nothing but regrate it All September passed over ere they had a return from Oxford and since the hope of Berwick was irrecoverably lost nothing remained but Despair The Church-party became daily more resolute and the Kings-party became fainter At length in the beginning of October Mr. Mungo Murray came from Court but brought no present Relief only large hopes of Assistance to follow quickly He also brought Letters from the King both to the Council and the Conservatours of the Peace that to the Conservatours of the Peace follows CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and Right well-beloved Cousins and Councellours Right Trusty and well-beloved Councellours and Trusty and well-beloved The Kings Letters to the Conservatours of the Treaty We greet you well No Industry hitherto could have so far prevailed with Vs as to gain any belief that Our Scotish Subjects would countenance much less assist this bloody Rebellion in England yet We know not how to understand the Levying of Forces both Foot and Horse within Our Native Kingdom and their entring Our Town of Berwick in an hostile manner You are particularly trusted by Vs and Our Parliament and solemnly sworn to be faithful in the discharge of that Trust of seeing the Articles of the late Treaty observed which here is most grosly violated therefore We require you as you will be answerable to God to Vs and Our Parliament to take speedy and present Order for recalling and suppressing those Forces Our most malicious Enemies must bear Vs witness how religiously We have observed these Articles on Our part whereof if We had not been more tender than the advisers of the Breach have been of the Publick Faith it is obvious to any how easily We could have secured that Town from all Rebels We have likewise thought fit to take notice of the private Preparations in that Our Kingdom of Raising an Army by a new Authority to come into Our Kingdom of England under the pretence of securing themselves from a Popish and Prelatical Army falsly alledged to be upon the Borders such Forces as We have there being only for Protecting of Our distressed Subjects from the Incursion of Rebels from their Ships at Berwick and Holy-Island and for no other end Such then as shelter themselves under that Pretext will find from thence but a slender Warrant before God who knows the integrity of Our Heart and how inviolably We intend to preserve all that We have granted to that Kingdom so long as they suffer themselves to be capable of Our Protection and those Favours We do require you not only to oppose and suppress all such unwarrantable Levies but by your Publick Declaration to disabuse those Rebels in England who endeavour to engage you in their Rebellion and expect Assistance from you in all which We look for ready Obedience and expect a present account thereof We bid you heartily farewell Given at Our Court at Oxford the 26th day of September in the 19th Year of Our Reign 1643. The Letter to the Council follows CHARLES R. The Kings Letter to the Council RIght Trusty and Right well-beloved Cousins and Councellours and Trusty and well-beloved Councellours We greet you well Whereas Our desire of preserving Peace within Our Native Kingdom and preventing such Disputes which malicious Instruments might so heighten as to divide Vs and any of Our Scotish Subjects moved Vs by Our Letter of the tenth of June to dispense with the unwarrantable Calling together of the Nobility Commissioners of Shires and Burroughs at Edinburgh the twenty second of June 1643 and so far to give way to the Meeting as to allow them to take into Consideration the best ways of Maintaining Our Scotish Army in Ireland for Suppressing of that bloody Rebellion there since Our Two Houses of Parliament here had failed in the performance of the Treaty concluded upon betwixt the Two Nations for that effect and likewise for such other Particulars as Our said Letter doth more fully contain expecting they would have limited their Resolutions thereunto and paid an equal Gratitude of Duty and Obedience to Vs and Our Iust Commands as We have so lately and so many ways expressed Our Affection to that Our Kingdom in General and so many Members of that Meeting in their own particulars all which notwithstanding they have proceeded to Resolutions as unjustifiable as their Meeting and would engage Our Subjects to an Obedience of their Arbitrary Commands beyond the Power of any of the most Free and Lawful Conventions of the Estates Our Authority and Consent being so absolutely contemned that they have exâ—eeded the Bounds We have prescribed and proceeded to Conclusions of the highest nature without so much as acquainting Vs therewith Such high Indignities to Vs and Our Authority make Vs believe they have forgot they have a King and their Oaths in preserving Vs in Our Iust Power as their King but God will discover and punish such undutiful Thoughts how closely soever they be clouded with pretences of Safety to Religion and Liberty which they know will ever be dearer to Vs than Our Own Preservation Our good Subjects will likewise suffer with Vs by their heavy Taxes upon
presently but four hundred thousand were Voted to them and only one hundred thousand presently and upon this they stood long The Two Houses having on the 24th of September Voted that the Kings Person should be demanded from the Scotish Army their Commissioners at London gave in long Papers against that The Scotish Commissioners at London complain of the Kings ill Usage and the harsh Votes of the Two Houses which were Printed and so need not be here inserted In them they shewed That the King being Soveraign of both Kingdoms was not to be disposed by the Parliament of one Kingdom That this was destructive to the Relation and Interest the Scotish Nation had in Him and contrary to the nature of Soveraignty and to the Covenant and Treaties of both Kingdoms by which it was agreed That His Majesties just Power and Greatness should not be diminished which by such a Demand of His Person was very signally done It was also agreed that all things in order to Peace to which the Disposal of the Kings Person did relate in a signal manner should be done by the Ioynt Councils of both Kingdoms After this in the Month of October begun the Treaty betwixt the Scotish Commissioners and the Committee appointed for that end by the Two Houses of Parliament Many Conferences are betwixt the Two Houses and them which was managed in the Painted Chamber in the presence of all the Members of the Two Houses The Scotish Commissioners who were the Earls of Lowdon and Lauderdale and the Lord Wariston declared in all their Papers and Speeches that they were not to Treat about His Majesties Person nor the Disposing of it but only about the Removal of the Army the Delivery of those Garrisons that their Army had in England and the Payment of Arrears due for their Armies both in England and Ireland and they continued to press that whereas the Two Houses had in all their former Declarations laid the blame of the Breach betwixt the King and them on His Majesties Withdrawing from His Parliament that therefore they would invite His Majesty to come with Honour Freedom and Safety to some of His Houses in or about London in which they still insisted to the last And so far were they from Treating about the Disposing of His Majesties Person that in the end of their Treaty when they had finally agreed on all things it was expresly declared in the first Article of the Treaty that pass'd under the Great Seal that nothing relating to the Kings Person was concluded on by it so that after that was ended the Scotish Parliament might have still preserved the King and brought him with their Army to Scotland But the Houses turned the Propositions to Bills The Houses press a speedy Answer to their Propositions and passed a Vote that new Commissionerâ— should be sent to the King with the concurrence of those of Scotland to press a satisfactory Answer with this Sanction that if it were not granted they should be forced to look to the Security of His Person And the English Army fell upon a most destructive Resolution of adjourning the Parliament neither were they over-awed by any thing so much as the fear of the Scotish Army The great point now debated in the Councils of Scotland was whether a final Settlement with the King should be the Condition of the Armies Retiring or not The Duke with all his Friends pressed this vigorously as that which was agreed on by their Covenant and Treaties But the Church-men still influenced all Counsels and finding the King irreconcileable to their Way were still full of their Jealousies of Him and it was said down-right that they ought not to meddle betwixt the King and the Parliament of England but leave Him and them to their own Counsels so strangely did their Language vary from what it was Anno 1643. At this time the King sent Mr. Murray of the Bed-Chamber to London Mr. Murray is sent by the King to London who carried another Message but it was so displeasing that it served only to put his Neck to a new hazard for the Kings Service and he durst scarce stir out of doors all the while he was there In the beginning of November a new Session of the Triennial Parliament of Scotland did hold The Parliament of Scotland meets but little was done for some Weeks save that there came to them a Remonstrance from the Assembly wherein in the first place Complaints were made of the Committee of Estates for their Agreement with Montrose and his Followers which was represented as a great Crime especially they being excommunicated Next they complained of His Majesties constant adherence to Prelacy and of the danger Religion was in by the Malignants for so was the Kings Party then called who were beginning to set up their Heads again wherefore they recommended to their Care both the Preservation of Religion and of the Treaties with England Upon this the Transaction of the Committee of Estates in the Agreement with Montrose was examined and it was put to the Vote Approve or Exoner them only the former was carried by twenty Votes but all the Pulpits thundered against it wherefore to stop the mouths of the Ministries it was enacted That in any Treaty that should be thereafter with those who were in Arms the Commission of the Kirk should be consulted about the Lawfulness of the Conditions For at this time both the Marquis of Huntley was in Arms in the North and Antrim was also come over to Kintyre in Iuly the former year and continued still there His Majesty sent Mr. Robert Lesley with Orders to my Lord Huntley for laying down of Arms with whom he wrote the following Letters to the two Brothers Hamilton A Trusty Messenger requires but a short Letter and brevity is the more convenient for Me who have much to do and but few helpers wherefore I shall say no more but hear and trust Robin Lesly for he is come from Your most assured real faithful constant Friend CHARLES R. Newcastle Nov. 12th 1646. Lanerick HEaring that Marquis Huntley expects My Commands for his laying down of Arms I have thought fit to send this Trusty Bearer Robin Lesly to him but thought it necessary to address him first to you that you in My Name might acquaint the Parliament with this My Intention which if they approve of he may go on accordingly if not there is no hurt done Yet howsoever I have expressed My Desire for the Peace of the Country but in case they shall permit Robin to obey My Commands then I expect that they give him Power to assure Huntley of the same Conditions that he might have had before All which I command you to represent to My Parliament in My Name leaving the particular expressions to you having only set down the sense Other things I have intrusted little Nobs to tell you too long for a Letter but of no small Consequence by which at
many Persons and Families otherwise exposed to Ruine might not become fuel to new Disorders or the seeds of future Troubles His Majesty desires that His Two Houses of Parliament should seriously descend into these Considerations and tenderly look upon His Condition herein and the perpetual Dishonour that must cleave to Him if He should thus desert so many persons of Condition and Fortune that have engaged themselves with Him only out of a sense of Duty His Majesty is very unwilling to enlarge Himself further upon this Subject but earnestly desires that upon Conference these Particulars may be better understood and reconciled wherein He will condescend to all that in Honour and Iustice He may do concerning the same and then they may likewise particularly consider and conclude of the best Means to discharge the Publick Debts as likewise those of His Majesties and then His Majesty will apply Himself to the Consideration concerning the Seals and any other thing now casually omitted or to which for the present without further Information or Debate His Majesty cannot give any positive Answer As for the Offices which are mentioned in the 17th Article albeit His Majesty judges that the free Disposal of them is a necessary Flower of the Crown yet he is content for the space of these next Ten Years to come to nominate such both for England and Ireland who after shall be approved of by the Two Houses to be enjoyed by these Persons Quam diu se bene gesserint so that after the said Ten Years they shall return to be disposed of as formerly His Majesty will very willingly consent to the Act for the Confirmation of the Priviledges and Customs of the City of London And now that His Majesty hath thus far endeavoured to comply with the Desires of His Two Houses of Parliament He conceives it seasonable for Him to propose some things for Himself which if consented to may be a testimony of their reciprocal Affections to Him First that an Act of Oblivion and General Pardon be passed by Act of Parlâ—ament whereby all the seeds of Discontentments and future Troubles may be quite extirpated Secondly that the Two Houses would settle upon His Majesty such a certain Revenue as may be honourable and sufficient for the support of Him His Wife Children and their Families Lastly that this Agreement may be firm and lasting His Majesty desires to come to Westminster with honourable Freedom and Safety there solemnly to confirm the same where He may both give and receive Pledges of mutual Love Confidence and of Trust with them in all things which shall concern the good and prosperity of His People Newcastle the Decemb. 1646. To this Letter with the Inclosed Message my Lord Lanerick wrote the following Answer Lanerick 's Answer to His Majesty Most Sacred Soveraign IMmediately after the receipt of Your Majesties Commands of the 4th Instant by Sir James Hamilton I imparted under a tye of Secrecy Your intended Message to the Houses of Parliament to such Persons as I knew were most tender of Your Majesties Honour and Happiness but I must humbly beg Your Majesties Pardon if my Freedom offend since I cannot conceal so important a Truth as that I cannot find many here satisfied with it nor dare I promise the least Countenance to it from this Kingdom seeing Your Majesty hath divers times verbally and now again by Your Letter assured me of Your Resolution to adhere to the Grounds contained in this Message I shall not presume to make any Objections against it having when I had the honour to wait upon Your Majesty last represented my sense of that You was pleased to send by Mr. Murray whereof this in divers Particulars comes far short for besides that it is as wanting in that Article concerning Religion Your Majesty offers far less than you did at that time by the private Instructions Your Majesty then gave Him in the Propositions about the Militia Officers of State and the Great Seal yet I find not Your Majesties Condition is much more promising at least to vulgar eyes That Clause concerning the Liberty Your Majesty would allow to Tender Consciences is one of the meanest Particulars that is misliked in Your Majesties Answer to the Proposition concerning Religion Your Majesties Preface to that Article the Limitation of time to Presbyterial Government the addition of Twenty of Your Majesties Nomination to the Assembly of Divines the particular Exception of Your Own Family and what is most of all the total omission of making any mention of the Covenant are the most insisted-on Objections But as I dare not think upon the sad Consequences in relation to Your Majesties Person and Government which will presently follow upon the Return of the Scotish Army and Your Majesties declining to allow the Covenant without which though I presume not to press it all that can be offered will not satisfie here so I will not conceal the great advantages which I conceive the doing of it would bring to Your Majesty and to those You study to preserve for I am confident it might be so managed as this Kingdom would not only declare themselves for Preserving Your Majesties just Rights in Civil Relations but likewise engage themselves for an honourable and speedy Invitation of Her Majesty to return from France Besides an easie passing of all such who during these Troubles have adhered to Your Majesty in England with what else could be expected from faithful and dutiful Subjects But I have by my impertinent Expressions exceeded both my Intention and Duty for which I humbly beg Pardon for Your Majesties most faithful most loyal most obedient Subject and Servant LANERICK Edinburgh 8th Decemb. 1646. Upon this His Majesty wrote what follows Lanerick I Like well of your accustomed Freedom nor shall I alter My stile to you and indeed as I am well satisfied with your Proceedings His Majesty writes more fully on these Heads in order to My Commands sent by Sir James Hamilton so I wonder much that My intended Answer had so ill a Reception among you for aâ—beit I could not expect that you would approve what I know is so much against your Wishes yet I thought that even Common Charity besides believe Me there is also the Interest of the Country which would be considered might make you endeavour to make the best of that yâ—u saw remediless Yet since what I sent you is so much mistaken the rest is the less wonder to Me for it amazes Me to hear that some amongst you who know every tittle that Will. Murray carried say that this is far short in divers Particulars when there is but one which is the Militia for which there is any colour and not that neither but in a much wrested sense And is it not so when private Instructions are the only ground which only permit a further Latitude to be made use of in case of absolute necessity and not otherwise it being a new kind of Incivility
over-â—wed both Parliament and City they began to levy new Forces but assoon as they withdrew from London the Citizens of London came in great numbers to Westminster and petitioned to have their Militia settled again according to their former Votes which being granted the Parliament next day was at liberty and the Secluded Members returned About the end of Iuly the Earl of Lauderdale going to wait on His Majesty who was then at Wooburn was not only hindred access but by the Violence of the Souldiers carried away and say or complain what he would of the Violation of the Treaty with Scotland and the Law of Nations by that Affront put upon a Publick Minister of another Kingdom he could not prevail but was forced to be gone After this the King was Voted to come to London But the Army instead of Obedience came thither again and by the interposition of some treacherous People got the City surrendred to them whereupon they marched through it in Triumph with Lawrels in their Hats and came to Westminster bringing with them the two Speakers and some other Members of their Party who had run away from the Parliament pretending Fear though no appearance of it had been in the Proceedings of the Parliament Fairfax was declared Captain-General of all England Constable of the Tower of London and Commander of all the Garisons and then they fell to the Purging of the House And besides the forcing the eleven Members to flee seven of the Lords were also impeached and all Orders that past in the absence of the Speakers were repealed yet this was not carried but upon a fortnights Debate Divers of the City of London with the Mayor and some Aldermen were likewise charged and imprisoned and all this was upon a general Accusation of their designs to raise a new War Those in Scotland being advertised by their Commissioners of all that passed failed not to make good use of it This is resented in Scotland to stir up the Affection and Duty of all to appear for His Majesty which prevailed generally and even the Ministers begun both from their Pulpits and by their Remonstrances to complain of the Prevailings of the Sectarian Party and of the Force that was put on the Kings Person But the old language of the Covenant and Presbytery was still in their mouths yet all were pretty forward for a real Resentment of the late Disorders in England Only Mr. George Gillespie who was indeed of good parts but bold beyond all measure withstood these Inclinations and represented that the greatest Danger to Religion was to be feared from the King and the Malignant Party He was suspected of correspondence with the Sectaries which some Letters in my hand written in Cypher give good grounds to believe Certain it is that he proved a very ill instrument and marred that great Design by which all former Errors might have been corrected Thus as the Duke and his Friends designs began to appear there was a violent Party no less careful to withstand them Therefore it was not judged fitting the Duke should leave Scotland his Service in it being greater than any he could do in England besides his being a Peer in England made him more obnoxious to their fury than any other Scotchman could be But His Majesties Concessions about Religion pinched them much and the Liberty offered to Tender Consciences did very much disgust the Scotish Clergy for in Scotland a Toleration was little less odious than Episcopacy and nothing but Presbytery would satisfie them In the end of August they sent Mr. Lesley to His Majesty to represent the State of Affairs in Scotland according to the following Instructions The Duke sends a Message to the King YOu shall shew what Endeavours have been used to incense this Kingdom against the Proceedings of the Army under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax witness George Windram 's Relation the Declaration of the General Assembly and the Voice of the daily cryes from the Pulpit You shall represent what Industry was used to precipitate a present Engagement upon the grounds of the Covenant and for Settling Presbyterial Government in England who were the pressers and who were the opposers of it You shall shew what Pains were taken by the moderate Party here to procure the sending of Commissioners to His Majesty and the Parliament thereby to procrastinate and delay all Resolutions till their return or a report from them which will probably consume the rest of this Summer and for this Year prevent a new War except upon eminent advantage You are therefore to represent how necessary it is for preventing Prejudices from hence that a free Passage and all other Encouragements be given to those who are now to be employed if that shall be refused or the Law of Nations in their Persons violated a Breach betwixt the Kingdoms cannot be longer prevented You shall shew that if it had not been for His Majesties Commands to the Moderate Party here a Scotish Army had e're this time been in England which so long as His Majesty is well used they are hopeful to prevent but if His re-establishing be delayed a greater Army than ever Scotland raised will own His Quarrel You shall shew that the Instructions now given to our Commissioners who Treat with the Parliament are only Generals the chief whereof is That His Majesty be again invited to come to London with Honour Freedom and Safety the delay whereof is exceedingly ill taken here and nothing would give so general satisfaction to this Kingdom nor more stop the mouths of Incendiaries than that His Majesty were so at London You shall shew that the Message that was to be sent to His Majesty was only to represent to Him the constant Affection of this Kingdom their longings to see Him re-established in His Throne their Resolutions never to withdraw themselves from under His Government and their Desires to know immediately from Himself in what Condition He is since the Safety of this Kingdom so much depends upon the Safety of His Person You shall shew that the Disorders in the High-lands are now composed and our Army is to be scattered in several quarters through the whole Shires of the Kingdom With these Instructions My Lord Lanerick wrote what follows to His Majesty Sir SInce eminent Advantages for Your Majesties Service could not at this time be procured but at the old rate of satisfaction in Religion and the Covenant our Study hath been to prevent Prejudices and Disservices wherein our endeavours have not proved unsuccessful though â—ven in that we met with extraordinary Opposition The Particulars will be shewed to Your Majesty by the Bearer with the humble sense and advice upon the whole as it now stands in relation to this Kingdom of Your Majesties most humble most faithful most loyal and most obedient Subject and Servant LANERICK Edinburgh 23th August 1647. To which His Majesty answered Lanerick I Very much like and approve of Robin
to depend upon His Settlement on his Throne they fell upon their Treaty with the Parliament But the Army was beginning to take off their Mask and change their Stile for having now seated themselves in the Power they begun to contrive how to execute what they had always designed which was the Ruin of the King and the Subversion of Monarchy And a new Party among them called the Levellers did avowedly own Principles contrary to all Order and Government so that there was great ground to apprehend Danger to the Kings Person My Lords of Lowdon Lauderdale and Lanerick represented to the King that if He would give satisfaction in the point of Religion he was Master of Scotland on what terms as to other things He would demand but without that they feared their Design of serving Him should meet with great Opposition yet they resolved once to rescue Him out of the hands of the Army or to perish in the Attempt and offered to rescue Him from the Army A little after this His Majesty being to hunt at Nonsuch the Earls of Lauderdale and Lanerick came thither on pretence of waiting on His Majesty accompanied with 50 Horse which struck no small terrour in the little Guard that was about the King whereupon these Lords told His Majesty that they were come to rescue Him from His Captivity and they with all these they brought with them were resolved to die at His feet wherefore they intreated Him to make His Escape But the King told them He had engaged His Honour not to leave the Army without giving them Advertisement and till He freed Himself of that He would die rather than break His Faith But the Leading men of the Army were now weary of the Kings being with them and wished to have Him in some secure Place under a good Guard whereupon they made reports be brought to Him that the Levellers were designing against His Life The King therefore called again the Earls of Lauderdale and Lanerick to Him some days before His Escape and told them He had freed Himself of the Engagement He had given not to leave the Army The King advises with Lauderdale and Lanerick what to do He therefore desired their Advice what to do The Earl of Lauderdale said things being driven to such extremities it was not safe to give Advice but would His Majesty suggest any thing he would with all candour deliver his Opinion about it The King first spoke of His Going to Scotland the Earl of Lauderdale said that except He resolved to comply with their Desires about Religion He might expect no better Usage from the Church-party there than He had met with at Newcastle Next the King moved His Going to London the Earl of Lauderdale answered that formerly that had been a safe Course but now the City was so over-awed by the Army that he durst not advise His trusting His Person to them for the Tumults there were already great and would undoubtedly grow upon His coming The King asked if He came was He sure of the Scotish Commissioners that they would stick to Him in Name of the Scotish Nation the Earl of Lauderdale answered that all of them to a man should wait on Him and own His Service at all hazards but without Instructions from Scotland they could do nothing as Commissioners but only in their own Names as His Subjects and they had great reason to fear the Church-party in Scotland would not own Him nor order them to do it Next the King spoke of His going to Berwick whereupon the Earl of Lanerick who till then had stood silent begged of His Majesty that for Gods sake he would follow that Motion for if He left England the Army would pretend He was deserting His Kingdom and so depose Him but Berwick was a strong Place which at that time lay ungarrisoned the Country about it was generally well-affected and so He might easily get a good Garrison to go in with Him and by that means he was near Scotland for the encouragement of those who resolved to serve Him This was also backed by Lauderdale and the King seemed fully resolved on it so they left Him of this the Author had his Information from the Earl of Lauderdale A few days after this His Majesty went to the Isle of Wight The King goes to the Isle of Wight and on the 16th of November sent a Message to the Parliament which is Printed with the rest of the Messages declaring the reason of His Going to that Place and inviting them to a Treaty As for Religion he insisted on His Judgment about Episcopacy as a Government settled by the Apostles but was content it should be limited so that the â—ishops should act nothing in Ecclesiastical matters without their Presbyters whereby they should be no burden to Tender Consciences and that they should be obliged to reside and labour and preach in their Diocesses Besides He continued His Offer for the Settlement of Presbytery for Three Years till things were freely debated and considered adding a Liberty to all Tender Consciences except Popish Recusants As for the Militia He offered to yield it up to the Parliament during His whole Reign and in other Particulars insisted on His former Concessions and some days after that he wrote what follows to my Lord Lanerick Lanerick AS My coming hither will be variously scanned so I believe that My Message to the Two Houses will have divers Interpretations for neither of which I mean to make any Apology and wrâ—tes from thence to Lanerick for honest Actions at last will best interpret themselves only I must observe to you that what I have sent to London the end of it is to procure a Personal Treaty for which if I have striven to please all Interests with all possible equality without wronging My Conscience I hope no reasonable man will blame Me. Nor am I so unreasonable as to imagine that this My Message can totally content My Own Party but for the end of it a Personal Treaty I hope that all the reasonable men on all sides will concur with Me as I expect your Scotish Commissioners should do though I know you must dislike many Passages in it And yet I must tell you that in substance it differs very little from My Message of the 22th of May. This I thought necessary to write to you that you might assure your fellow-Commissioners that change of Place hath not altered My Mind from what it was when you last saw Me. So I rest Your most assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 19th November 1647. POSTSCRIPT This is a safe Messenger wherefore you or any other of My Friends may write to Me by him desiring much to hear from you To this Letter the three Commissioners from Scotland wrote joyntly this Answer May it please Your Majesty The Scotish Commissioners write to the King YOur Message left behind You at Hampton-Court gave great hopes that Your Majesty was
gone to some Place where you might be safe and free from Your Enemies and where Your Majesties Friends might have access to You. But as the Place to which You are gone so Your Majesties Message of the 16th hath infinitely disabled us to serve You for what You offer in matter of Religion comes far short of Your Majesties Message of the 12th of May besides it grants a full Toleration of Heresy and Schism for ever And as for Your Concessions in things Civil more is granted than was expected by some or wished by others and although we know not how effectual Your Majesties Message may prove for a Personal Treaty yet our Endeavours shall be really contributed for that end as we have done in part already If this Message be rejected a Personal Treaty denied the new Propositions pressed by the Two Houses and Your Majesty in no better Security than formerly You would advise us in time what to do and wherein we can be useful to Your Majesty who are resolved to serve You as becomes Your Majesties most humble most faithful most loyal Subjects and Servants LOWDON LAVDERDALE LANERICK 22th Novemb. 1647. Next day His Majesty wrote what follows to my Lord Lanerick Lanerick His Majesties Answer to Lanerick I Wonder to hear if that be true that some of My Friends should say that My Going to Jersey had much more furthered My Personal Treaty than My Coming hithâ—r for wâ—ich as I see no colour of Reason so I had not been here if I had thought that Fancy true or had not been secured of a Personal Treaty of which I neither do nor I hope shall repent for I am daily more and more satisfied with this Governour and find these Islanders very goâ—d peaceable and quiet People This Encouragement I have thought not unfit for you to receive hoping at least it may do good upon others though needless to you from Your most assured real faithful constant Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 23th Nov. 1647. But in the end of November the Two Houses passed the four Bills without the consent of the Scotish Commissioners which was a manifest Breach of Treaty The Two Houses pass the four Bills In them the Covenant was not so much as mentioned for they related wholly to Civil matters as the perpetual Power of the Militia the unlimited Authority of Parliament and in effect the Giving up at once the Kings Authority But the Scotish Commissioners complained and Remonstrated against this with open mouth and gave in a large Remonstrance against the four Bills Declaring The Scotish Commissionerâ— protest against them that contrary to all the former Treaties and Declarations the Propositions made to His Majesty were still altered the Propositions sent to Newcastle to which notwithstanding their dislike of them yet for Peace sake they had yielded were now quite changed They also protested first against the sending of Propositions without a previous Treaty which they earnestly pressed as the likeliest Course for removing all Mistakes and bringing things to a Final Settlement and therefore they insisted on their former Desires for a Personal Treaty in or about London Next they excepted against the Bills both because the Covenant was quite omitted and the Settling of the Uniformity of Religion was turned to a Desire for a vast Toleration The Treaties with Scotland were not desired to be confirmed but only the making of them to be approved which was rather an Indemnity for making them than a Confirmation of them Next they remonstrated that the Kings Legislative Power was quite taken away by an unlimited Power they desired to be put in the Hands of the Two Houses and that their Demand about the Militia did put the King out of a capacity of Protecting His Subjects In fine they complained of the making Propositions without the concurrence of the Scotish Commissioners wherefore they remonstrated against the Bills and resolved to follow the Commissioners whom the Two Houses were to send to Wight and protest against these Bills upon which divers Papers passed betwixt the Two Houses and them The Earls of Lowdon Lauderdale and Lanerick wrote their sense of these Bills to His Majesty thus May it please Your Majesty and write to the King concerning them IT is of no advantage to expostulate about what is past either the carrying Your Majesty into that sad Place or the Prejudice Your Service and we suffer by Your Majesties Message for while You study to satisfie all You satisfie no Interest We shall insist on the grounds we went on at Hampton-Court and shall constantly press a Personal Treaty at London but not as the new Propositions do hold forth which if Your Majesty agrees to You divest Your Self and Your Posterity of the Militia for ever You settle this Army and Entertainment for it over Your Self and Your Majesties People perpetually and by giving leave to Adjournment You and Your Parliament shall be carried about at the Armies Pleasure as their Sub-Committee If Your Majesty will further enable us we shall by our Actions give more real testimonies how intirely we are Your Majesties most humble most faithful and most loyal Subjects and Servants LOWDON LAVDERDALE LANERICK 25th November 1647. With this Lanerick sent to His Majesty the Papers they gave in against the Bills and the other late Votes upon which the King wrote the following Letter Lanerick ALbeit that Letters can ill dispute at this distance yet I cannot but tell you His Majesty is well satisfied with their Papers that many things may be fitly offered to obtain a Treaty that may be altered when one comes to Treat and there is a great difference betwixt what I will insist on and what I will permit for the obtaining of a Peace Likewise it is neceâ—sary in many respects that I should seek to satisfie as far as I can with Conscience and Honour all chief Interests All these things impartially and duly considered I will boldly say My Message will not be found much amiss which recommending to Yâ—ur better consideration I must now desire You to give hearty thanks in My Name to your fellow-Commissioners of which though you take a large share to your self they will not want for their Paper of the 17th of this Month which was sent to the Two Houses for seriously it is as full to My sense as if I had penned it My Self And let me tell you that it will turn to the greatest Honour I say no more that ever befell you wherefore I conjure you by all that is dear to wise or honest men that you adhere close and constantly to it and as the Song sayes I ask no more So I rest Your most assured faithful real Friend CHARLES R. Carisbrook 29th November 1647. To which with another of that Date which His Majesty wrote to the three Lords which is not in the Writers hands they wrote the following Answers Sir They write again to the King IN answer to Your Majesties of
Lanerick Cousin YOu will perceive by this that you cannot make more haste in obliging Me A Letter from the Queen to Lanerick than I shall on My part in witnessing My Acknowledgements of it I ascribe a great deal of the good Inclinations your Commissioners do now express to the good Offices you do of which I intreat the Continuance The testimonies of Friendship which I receive from those of your Family surprize Me less than what I met with from other Hands and I promise My Self to see further effects of it And as I have all the esteem of you that you can expect so you owe Me the Iustice of believing that I shall give evidence of it upon every occasion that shall be offered to Me nor shall I rest satisfied with that but shall diligently search out every opportunity of expressing it Therefore I entreat you to believe that I am Cousin Your very good and very affectionate Friend and Cousin HENRIETA MARIA R. Towards the end of December the Earls of Lowdon Lauderdale and Lanerick The Scotish Commissioners go to His Majesty followed the English Commissioners to the Isle of Wight and after they had protested against the Bills they concluded their Treaty with His Majesty to engage for his Rescue and Re-establishment on his Throne and to bring in an Army into England assoon as it were possible for that effect An Agreement with the King to bring an Army for His Service The King on the other hand engaged to them for all the Assistance they could demand from the Queen or Prince or any other who would obey His Authority and that the Prince should come to Scotland assoon as they found it convenient to invite him and that His Majesty should grant all the Desires of Scotland which with a good Conscience he could grant And the Commissioners having advised and agreed with His Majesty both about the Methods of carrying on their Designs and the ways of keeping Correspondence with him they resolved to return home to Scotland and so they left His Majesty at Wight in the end of the Year But upon the Kings refusing to pass the Bills he was made close Prisoner and a Vote passed in both Houses against all further Addresses to him MEMOIRES OF THE LIFE and ACTIONS OF James Duke of Hamilton c. LIB VI. Of the Dukes Engagement for the Kings Preservation and what followed till His Death Anno 1648. An. 1648. THe former Book has given the Reader a just and full Representation of His Majesties Imprisonment and the Danger his Person was in of the Force put on the Two Houses by the Army and of the breach of former Treaties with the Scotish Nation and now it cannot but be imagined that such Illegal and Unjust Proceedings must have inflamed the Resentments of all good Subjects and more signally of such who had formerly been carried away in the crowd to act against the Kings Interests but now seeing how fatal the Breach between the King and his People was likely to prove to both were much concerned to correct all former Errours and expiate all past Faults by a vigorous appearance for the Kings Rescue out of his Imprisonment In order to this Design the Duke was not idle in Scotland The Dukes endeavours in Scotland but by all the Art and Diligence he was Master of did study to rouse up and work upon the Fidelity and Loyalty of that Nation representing that now an Occasion was in their Hands to witness to the World the sincerity of their Intentions for their King when he was under so base a Restraint and Designs were hatching against his Life Would they now look on and see the King murdered the Parliament of England over-awed the City of London oppressed the whole English Nation enslaved the Treaties with Scotland so unworthily violated the Covenant and Religion so neglected and swarms of Sectaries over-run all Now or never was the time for declaring themselves and if Duty did not move them yet the apprehension of their own Danger might provoke them to look to themselves for did they think to escape the fury of the Sectaries if they were so tame as to suffer them to prevail in England therefore all Laws Divine and Humane did oblige them to look to themselves and to those Enemies of theirs And there was good reason to hope for success since besides the Blessing of God which might be expected upon so just and Noble Enterprizes the People of England were groaning under this Usurpation and would be ready to assist them and they had reason to expect a welcome from the City of London and the better part of the Two Houses These things did prevail much on the most of the Nobility and Gentry Three Parties in Scotland But at this time Three Parties begun to appear in Scotland The one was of those who would hear of no Proposition for the Kings Delivery unless he first gave satisfaction in matters of Religion and this was made up of the Preachers and a few of the Nobility and the Western Counties Others were for a direct Owning of the Kings Quarrel without any restrictions and for taking all Persons who had been in Arms for the Kings Service within it The Earls of Traquair and Calendar were the chief of these and many Noblemen were of it who called themselves the Kings Party but their Power in the Country was not great The Duke was as much for that in his thoughts as any of them but saw it impossible to effectuate the Kings business at that rate and therefore judged it best to go on in so great a Design by degrees The present Strait was that he first looked to which was the Rescue of the Kings Person and he doubted not if they once got a good Army engaged upon that account though all were at first clogged with many severe Restrictions yet it would be easy afterwards to carry things that were not to be then spoken of and this way took with almost the whole Gentry of Scotland The Scotish Commissioners spent much of the month of Ianuary at London The Commissioners return to Scotland establishing a good Correspondence with the Kings Friends in England and they had Letters from St. Germans in France in which the Queen and Prince undertook to make good to them all that had been promised by the King in their Name And in the Commissions the Prince gave to Sir Marmaduke Langdale and others for Levying of Forces in the North of England he commanded them to receive their Orders from the Earls of Lauderdale and Lanerick and follow their Commands Thus having laid down the best Methods they could think of with their Friends in England they set out for Scotland about the end of Ianuary At their coming to Scotland they found a general dissatisfaction with the Kings Message in November about Religion And though all the Duke's Friends were ready to have hazarded their Lives for His
of a long Preamble and Eight Articles THe first was That before they went on to a War and find great opposition from the Ministers the Grounds and Causes of it might be well cleared Secondly that the alledged Breaches of the Covenant and Treaties might be condescended upon and Reparation of them first sought Thirdly that there might be no such Grounds of War as might break the Vnion of the two Kingdoms and disoblige the Presbyterians of England Fourthly that none of the disaffected or Malignant Party might be admitted to Trust but on the contrary that they should be opposed and suppressed Fifthly that the Kings late Concessions might be declared unsatisfactory Sixthly that they should engage not to restore His Majesty to the exercise of His Royal Power till He should by Oath bind Himself and His Successors to consent to Acts of Parliament for confirming the League and Covenant and settling Presbytery the Directory and the Confession of Faith Seventhly that none might be trusted but such as were of known Integrity and good affection to the Cause Eighthly that the Church might have the same Interest in carrying on this Engagement which they had in the Solemn League and Covenant These Demands run in so high a strain that those of the Church-Party judged either they would be rejected and so the Church would pretend somewhat for their breaking with the Parliament or if they were yielded to it would so alienate the Hearts of the King and all His Friends in England from them that they would hate them as much as they did the English Parliament or Army The Committee of Parliament found the Strait they were in and saw what an unhappy practice it had been to give the Church-men so great an interest in Civil Affairs Some were for brisker Courses and for clapping up in Prison all the more turbulent Ministers but the Duke apprehended great trouble from that fearing it should raise stirs among the people which might retard the design of the Kings Delivery upon which all his thoughts were bent The hazard of intercepting Letters made the Intercourse by them so slow that the Lords that corresponded with His Majesty had no Return from him before the beginning of April and then they got that which follows I Was as glad to see the constancy of your Resolutions as I was sorry to understand the great Opposition you find in Your Vndertakings The King writes to his Servants in Scotland But as for any Enlargement concerning Church-affairs I desire you not to expect it from Me for such expectations have been a great cause of this My present Condition which I assure you I am still resolved rather to suffer than to wrong My Conscience or Honour which I must do if I enlarge My Self any thing in those points But I take very well the freedom of your Advice because I see it flows from your Affection being also confident that you will cheerfully and resolutely go on according to your Engagements to Me who am Your most assured real constant Friend CHARLES R. 17th March 1648. And to this the Earls of Lauderdale and Lanerick wrote the following Answers SIR WE have received Your Majesties of the 17th of March Nothing but the cruel slowness of Proceedings here would have made us so long silent and that was occasioned by the great Opposition we have met with from the Ministers and the rigid Persons who strongly pretend Your Majesties not satisfying in matters of Religion and upon these grounds have gained upon many and obstructed any Engagement Yet we and those we have interest in are so sensible of our Duties our Honour and of Your Majesties sad Condition which goes nearer our Hearts than any earthly thing that although an Engagement upon the terms we parted on be impossible yet we shall either procure Scotland's Vndertaking for Your Majesties Person or perish let the hazard or opposition be what it can We can boldly say we have the Major Vote of the Parliament clear and if we were blest with Your Majesties Presence the work were done We dare not presume in this troublesom way to express the particulars of our Difficulties or Resolution but hope shortly to give a more satisfactory account having vowed to live and die Your Majesties most humble most faithful and most loyal Subjects and Servants LAVDERDALE LANERICK 22th March 1648. Lanerick also wrote what follows taken from an imperfect Copy under his hand SIR I Have been long silent and possibly should have been so a little longer had I not received Your Majesties of the 17th of the last Moneth but lest I be involved in other mens Guilt I must first speak and then perish or do my Duty Sir at our first returning to Scotland we met with a general Dissatisfaction with what you offered concerning Religion from the Ministers and their Party though all I have Interest in would have cheerfully hazarded their Lives for Your Majesties Preservation upon these or easier terms but after long Debate upon the Consequences of engaging in so great a Work not only without Vnanimity but with the Opposition of the Church and most of those who have been of greatest Eminence and Power during these late Troubles this moved us to a willingness for a very extraordinary Compliance with their Desires providing we might be assured of an Engagemennt But now when we have gone a greater length than even our Loyalty can allow us we find that nothing is intended by them but either a Conjunction with those that seek your Ruine or at least a dull and stupid Suffering and enduring of those destructive Resolutions to Religion and Government which are now designed by the Enemies of God and Your Majesty After this there was a new Committee of 24 chosen by the Parliament for a Conference with the 12 Commissioners of the Kirk who had many Meetings with them and gave them satisfaction to all their Demands so that all back-doors were shut and they were ashamed that they had asked no more wherefore being driven from all their Pretences they fled to the last starting-hole of Jealousie and said that their Designs were contrary to their Professions This was a tedious Affair and cost many Conferences In end great Offers were made to satisfie the Church-party but nothing did prevail whereupon the Committee drew up a large Declaration of all the Violations of the Covenant and Treaties made by the Two Houses together with an account of their own Intentions suitable to the Propositions made by the Ministers only they stood much upon the sixth Article that seemed most contrary to their Duty to their Sovereign and it took them up many days at length they yielded even to that but for this the Reader is referred to the Declaration printed with the Acts of that Parliament On the 25th of April the great Business was carried The Parliament vote an Engagement for the King of putting the Kingdom into a posture of Defenâ—e but the account of the
Procedure of the Parliament in this matter shall be set down from some of the Earl of Lanerick's Letters which the Writer chooses rather to insert than any Discourse of his own The first was written to a Friend at London but to whom it appears not I Had given you an account of the Condition of Affairs here long ere now Some of Lanerick's Letters had I known how to have addressed my Letters and however this be an uncertain way yet because possibly it may come to your hands first I shall acknowledge the receipt of yours the of the last Moneth which I have in part obeyed and to that end have written to Ireland to those I have interest in and I am confident that our Army there will follow our Advice in order to the Kings Service but our Difficulties here are greater than you can imagine for the same disloyal spirit that hath governed these years past is yet so powerful as to obstruct though I hope they shall not be able to destroy our Designs of serving the King and the same Instruments the Devil hath hitherto made use of are still the rigid Opposers of all dutiful Motions Many amongst us pretend to Loyalty but have such faint Hearts and love their Fortunes so well that they dare not act where there is danger others have both Courage and Affection but their Ambition will not allow them to act if they be not absolute and they have no power of themselves without a Conjunction with some of greater Eminence than themselves Thus while we are tearing our selves in pieces through Factions and Self-interests perit Saguntum our King is forgot and may God forget them that do so But though the Chancellour hath made a foul Defection and these that pretend Affection to the King are not so united as they ought to be yet I despair not but that with Gods assistance in despight of all opposition we will force an Engagement or perish I cannot descend to the Particulars only this I will assure you that all you have interest in are intirely right and resolute Adieu The next of Lanerick's Letters that are in the Writers hands was to His Majesty dated the 13th of April 1648. OVr last was of the fourth of this Moneth to be conveyed to you by Doctor Frazer In it did we shew you in general what extraordinary Opposition we met with here in our Desires to serve You but some of them we are now got over for to morrow it will be resolved that the Kingdom shall be presently put in a Posture and the whole Forces or such parts of them as shall be appointed are to be ordered to be ready to march when they shall be required and while this is doing we have voted the sending of three Demands to the Parliament of England having found all the Articles of the Covenant and divers of the Treaties highly violated The first is concerning Religion wherein we are very high and full knowing it will be refused and we thereby obliged to resent it besides our Design is rather to fix the Denial thereof on them than on Your Majesty The second is that Your Majesty may come to some of Your Houses in or near London with Honour Freedom and Safety where the Parliaments of both Kingdoms may make their Applications to Your Majesty for obtaining a well-grounded Peace The third is that the present Army under the Lord Fairfax be disbanded to the end that all the faithful Members of both Houses may with Safety return to attend their Charges the Parliament may Sit and Vote in Freedom both Kingdomes without their interposition may make their Addresses to Your Majesty and the Settlement of Religion and a common Peace be no longer hindred nor obstructed These Demands are to be sent by a Messenger who is to have a few days limited him for his Return We are forced to move by these steps which certainly will either speedily procure Your Majesties Freedom or an Engagement Our Opposition from the Ministers doth still continue but many formerly of their Party are ashamed of their unwillingness to all Duties and particularly Balmerino who is Lauderdale's Convert By the power of Perswasion our Army in Ireland hath offered their Service to us which may be of excellent use many ways Thus Sir you have the true Condition of Affairs but as we proceed which I confess is in a most horrid dull pace I shall still presume to give You an account of it as a part of our Duty Great Endeavours are used by some that we may again send our Desires concerning Religion to Your Majesty for their zeal will not allow them to hazard their Lives for Your Person who will as they say no sooner be at Liberty than you will destroy all that they have been doing with the hazard and expence of so much Blood and Treasure for Religion But this is as yet waved and forced Concessions such as certainly those must be while Your Majesty is in Prison are alledged can bring but small Security to Religion The next of the 18th of April was to a Friend at London I Had resolved upon eternal Silence since I could not but be wrapped in the guilt of others for their disloyal Delays nor should the receipt of yours of the 10th Instant have invited me to have broke that Resolution had not this days Proceedings in Parliament revived my languishing Hopes I shall not mention any thing of my last Dispatch upon Friday by Fisher but this day we have past in Parliament the great Act of putting this Kingdom into a posture of Defence under pretence whereof we mean to raise our Army the Colonels and Committees of War in several Counties are to be named on Friday next Besides this we have presented to the Parliament a large Declaration to be emitted to the Kingdom containing the Breaches of Covenant and Treaties the Demands which upon them we mean to make to the Houses and our Resolutions in case of a Refusal I confess it is clogged with many Impertinencies to which we are necessitated for satisfying nice Consciences yet it drives at a right end Argyle and the Minsters are still uncapable of Satisfaction and with horrid violence oppose all Loyal Motions and though the Chancellour hath intirely deserted us and not only joyned with them but endeavours by all means imaginable to divide us among our selves yet we are both fixed to our Principles and Friendships so that in despight both of Apostacy and Knavery we carry on the Work I confess it is neither in so quick nor so prudent a way as is fit and that we have already lost our greatest advantages yet we can never move so late but that we will make our selves considerable We hear there are strong endeavours to separate His Majesty from our Interests I confess we deserve no better from him yet possibly he may find it not unfit to own us even though we do not him as we ought This I swear I
of the Scotish Affairs better than the Rabble did so they did more apprehend the Danger of it And first great pains were taken to reconcile the Presbyterian and Independent Parties at least to unite them against the Scots wherefore they Voted that the Government should be by King Lords and Commons yet the Independents opposed this so that it was carried but by 45 Voices They also appointed that the Propositions offered at Newcastle should be the Grounds of settling the Kingdom and they Voted that it should be lawful notwithstanding the Vote of Non-Addresses to make new Applications to His Majesty Their Design in this was visible for they hoped the Scots could not pass from these Propositions and they were assured the King would never consent to them particularly to that of Religion which was so dear to Scotland But Cromwel was not at all pleased with these Votes and as little with the City and if the Stirs over England had not given him other Employment he would have made a Journey to London with his Army for the Purging the House a-new They in Scotland were much straitned with want of Ammunition and Mony therefore they sent Sir William Bellandin to Holland to see what could be had from the Prince of Orange they likewise wise sent Sir William Fleeming to Paris to the Queen and Prince with the following Letters May it please Your Majesty ALL verbal Assurances would justly appear too low and mean testimonies of our Fidelity Letters to the Queen and Prince from the Duke and his Friends since Actions are now the only touch-stones of Loyalty which we hope e're long shall be better than what we can in this Common way speak of our real Affections to His Majesties Service We have presumed from the Encouragements we have received from Your Majesty to hope the Prince his Highness will countenance our Endeavours for his Father's Rescue with his presence amongst us which would certainly give an extraordinary vigour and life to all our Motions For that end we have instructed this worthy Bearer with our humble desires therein to Your Majesty and to his Highness and with such other Particulars as are necessary for enabling us to carry on the Work to whom we beg Your Majesty would be pleased to give Trust and further to believe that nothing was ever more absolutely fixed than are our Resolutions either to perish or eminently to shew our selves Your Majesties most humble most faithful and most obedient Subjects and Servants Hamilton Lauderdale Crawford Lanerick Roxburgh Calender May 1st 1648. May it please Your Highness THe deep sense we have of His Majesties sad Condition invites us to these Actions of Duty and Loyalty to which we are by so many Relations and Tyes bound and obliged and having divers Encouragements from His Majesty and from the Queen to hope for your Highness's Presence amongst us in countenancing our faithful Endeavours for His Majesties Rescue we have presumed humbly to address our selves to your Highness that from your Self we might know your own Inclinations that accordingly such publick Assurances and Invitations may come from hence as your Highness shall think fit to require being confident that before we can receive your Highness's Directions herein we shall be in some condition to evidence our Loyalties otherwise than by Words So until we give a more real testimony thereof we shall only beg to be esteemed of by your Highness as Persons that have vowed themselves to this Service and who are faithfully Your Highness's most humble most faithful and most obedient Servants Hamilton Lauderdale Crawford Lanerick Roxburgh Calender May 1st 1648. Next they modelled the Army which will better appear by the following Letters written to the King SIR YOu now find the effects of what my last of the 28th of April promised we are now engaged and Sir Marmaduke Langdale's successful Attempt upon Berwick and Carlisle will be resolutely seconded by Your Servants here Letters to His Majesty To morrow Sir William Fleeming and Mr. Murray part for France the last acknowledges the baseness of his new Friend Argyle We hope the Prince will now countenance with his Presence our Endeavours for Your Majesties Rescue since the Duke of York is escaped for he will give an extraordinary life and vigour to all our Motions The Kirk hath this day declared against our Declaration and Engagement but all it hath procured is a Vote of thirty thousand Foot and near six thousand Horse which is this day remitted to the Consideration of the several Bodies and I hope will pass the House to morrow 2d May. 1648. SInce my last we are far advanced in our Designs of serving Your Majesty our new Army is modelled which I hope will be more considerable than any Army that ever went out of Scotland the Old General hath laid down his Charge and the Duke of Hamilton is to Command in chief who joys to meet with so happy an occasion to vindicate his Loyalty He will be found active in his Trust and seconded by the most gallant and eminent persons of the Kingdom his Election was carried very unanimously in Parliament Argyle and only six with him dissenting Calender with the same Vnanimity and the same Opposition is chosen Lieutenant-General and David Lesley Lieutenant-General of the Horse but he hath not as yet accepted of his Charge Middleton is appointed Major-General of the Horse who is most eminent for his Loyalty and forward in this Service Our Armie will be on foot about the end of the Moneth and that the Raising of men may the more actively be gone about we have adjourned the Parliament till the first of June We have sent Commissioners with Instructions and Money to invite our Army in Ireland to come and joyn with us in this Service Our Opposition from Argyle and the Ministers is still as great as they can make we are undone for want of Arms and a little Money if we be not supplied from France or Holland this glorious and most hopeful Vndertaking that ever this Nation had may be in hazard to miscarry Sir William Fleeming and Mr. Murray went ten days ago for France and this day we have dispatched Sir William Bellandin to Holland We are much dejected because we have not heard from Your Majesty since the 17th of March which makes us fear You involve us in the Guilt of the by-past deadness and slowness of their Motions here but we take God to witness we are as free thereof as we shall be faithful to the Vows we have made of perishing or of serving Your Majesty in such a loyal and dutiful way as hath been professed by Your Majesties c. 17th May. The Differences that were among the Lords were adjusted The Levies are much retarded by the Ministers and most of the Officers were also well named yet the Levies went on dully though many of the Lords were so cordial that they who had allowance from the Publick but for 80 Horse
had been committed in the way of introducing the late Books His Majesty did more than correct that by His gracious Condescensions that he was resolved as soon as the Country was settled to call both an Assembly and Parliament if they themselves obstructed it not but withall he represented to them the madness of hazarding on a Rupture with the King they knew it would not be uneasie to engage England against them the Kings Navy was in good case and it would be no trouble to the King to destroy their Trade which would quickly impoverish the Country therefore he desired they would follow such courses as might redeem themselves and their Country from Ruine and Infamy This prevailed with divers and all acknowledged there was that strength of reason in his Discourse that it was not easie to resist him long and see him much but there were rough and wild Spirits who could neither be tamed nor tuned right by it yet the Multitudes began to disperse but the Covenant was so dear to them that it was the endangering of all to speak of delivering it up On the 15th of Iune he received the following Answer from His Majesty to the Accounts he had sent him Hamilton THough I answered not yours of the fourth yet I assure you that I have not been idle so that I hope by the next week I shall send you some good assurance of the advancing of our Preparations This say not to make you precipitate any thing for I like of all you have hitherto done and even of that which I find you mind to doe but to shew you that I mean to stick to my Grounds and that I expect not any thing can reduce that People to their Obedience but onely Force I thank you for the clearness of your Advertisements of all which none troubles me so much as that in a manner they have possessed themselves of the Castle of Edinburgh and likewise I hold Sterlin as good as lost As for the dividing of my Declaration I find it most fit in that way you have resolved it to which I shall adde that I am content to forbear the latter part thereof until you hear my Fleet hath set sail for Scotland In the mean time your care must be how to dissolve the Multitude and if it be possible to possess your self of my Castles of Edinburgh and Sterlin which I do not expect And to this end I give you leave to flatter them with what hopes you please so you engage not me against my Grounds and in particular that you consent neither to the calling of Parliament nor General Assembly untill the Covenant be disavowed and given up your chief end being now to win time that they may not commit publick Follies untill I be ready to suppress them and since it is as you well observe my own People which by this means will be for a time ruined so that the loss must be inevitably mine and this if I could eschew were it not with a greater were well But when I consider that not onely now my Crown but my Reputation for ever lies at stake I must rather suffer the first that Time will help than this last which is irreparable This I have written to no other end than to shew you I will rather die than yield to those impertinent and damnable Demands as you rightly call them for it is all one as to yield to be no King in a very short time So wishing you better success than I can expect I rest Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Greenwich 11 June 1638. POSTSCRIPT As the Affairs are now I do not expect that you should declare the Adherers to the Covenant Traitors until as I have already said you have heard from me that my Fleet hath set Sail for Scotland though your six weeks should be elapsed In a word gain time by all the honest means you can without forsaking your Grounds But he had taken his Resolution about this set down in the Postscript before he got the Kings Answer He delays to publish the Proclamation to avoid an affront for he wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury that he was resolved on it finding the hazard on the one side was a present Rupture which would have been the ruine of the Kings Affairs and of all his Friends whereas the hazard of not doing it was onely the cutting off his Head for transgressing his Instructions which he was willing not onely to endanger but lose for the Kings Service But till the Multitudes were wholly dispersed he duâ—st not hazard on the the publishing of the Proclamation lest Authority might have met with an affront in it This was now doing apace Commissioners onely staying in name of the rest but all the Ministers hearing that the Covenant must be given up or no Treaty made their Pulpits ring with it and the Marquis was to purpose inveighed against some not sparing to say that the faggots in Hell were prepared for his reward but all declared they would never quit their Covenant but with their Lives A Protestation was also resolved on whenever the Declaration should be published which made it be delayed a little longer and it was told him by the Kings Advocate that a Protestation might be legally made and that it had been done so in the year 1621. But for all this things begun to promise some likelyhood ofSettlement which made him write to the King not to proceed in his warlike Preparations till things were more desperate to which he received the following Answer Hamilton THe dealing with Multitudes makes diversity of Advertisement no way strange and certainly the alteration from worse to less ill cannot be displeasing wherefore you may be confident I cannot but approve your Proceedings hitherto for certainly you have gained a very considerable point in making the heady Multitude begin to disperse without having engaged me in any unfitting thing I shall take your advice in staying the publick Preparations for Force but in a silent way by your leave I will not leave to prepare that I may be reaâ—y upon the least advertisement Now I hope there may be a possibility of securing my Castles but I confess it must be done closely and cunningly One of the chief things you are to labour now is to get a considerable number of Sessioners and Advocates to give their opiniâ—n that the Covenant is at least against Law if not treasonable Thus you have my Approbation in several shapes tâ—erefore you need not doubt but that I am Your assured constant Friend CHARLES R. Theobalds 13 Jun. 1638. At this time the Session sate not He advises the King to bring back the Session to Edinburgh for the Town and Country about Sterlin threatned them so that they could not return thither wherefore the Marquis desired a Warrant from the King to bring the Session back to Edinburgh both because it was not fit they should be too far from himself and the Council