A SPEECH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The Earl of LOUDEN, Lord Chancellor of SCOTLAND:  
To a Grand Committee of both Houses of Parliament, upon the 12 of September, 1645.  
Published by Authority.  
Printed at London by E. P. for Hugh Perrey, and are to be sold at his Shop in the Strand. 1645.   

A SPEECH OF THE Right Honourable the Earl of LOUDEN, Lord Chancellor of SCOTLAND.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
THe occasion of this meeting is to represent to the Honourable Houses of the Parliament of this Kingdom, the condition of the affairs of Scotland, which at this time is very sad, in respect that those bloody Rebels who came from Ireland (whom this Kingdom by the large Treaty are obliged to repress) and their treacherous Confederates and Malignants, who have conspired against the Covenant and League betwixt the two Kingdoms; have so much prevailed in Mischief, especially in that unhappy late rancounter with our Forces at Kilsyth, where the Rebels being upon their march Southward, and (according to our best intelligence) to join with the King, whom they did expect in Scotland, or to break through our borders into England, and to come with their Army into this Kingdom, and our Army being then very weak by reason of their former losses and conflicts, wherein most part of our Forces were cut off, did raise some Country Forces, and brought them along with them, and (out of their zeal, to the good and safety of both Kingdoms) did pursue them with more forwardness and haste then good speed or success; for the Enemy having placed themselves in a ground of advantage, betwixt sleep Mountains on the one hand, and Woods and Bogs on the other, possessing the best ground, wherein a latent place they were all drawn up in battle; our Forces advanced up to them, and the ground being very straight, & the Enemy lurking in a place where they were not perceived till our Forces were close at them, and none of ours being drawn up, nor put in order but only the Regiment that marched in the Van, the Enemy did fall upon them with their whole Horse & Foot, and after fight with that first Regiment (who did fight very valiantly till oppressed with the multitude of the Enemies whole Forces) they were most part cut off, and the rest broken: the few Horse we had retreated disorderly, breaking through their own Foot, and all being in disorder the Enemy prevailed, and routed our Forces with great execution, giving quarter to no●e.  
After this sad blow, we having no other Army, not reserve of Forces on the Fields, some Towns near the Enemy, wherein there be many Malignants ready to welcome them, and others out of fear were glad to capitulate with the Enemy, and submit themselves to their mercy, upon such conditions as they could obtain.  
The deportment of the Enemy since, is by all craft and cruelty to strengthen and recruit their Army, wherein they leave no means unessayed that policy or violence can effect; they offer Peace and protection, Immunity from all Excise, Assessments, raised for the entertainment of our Armies in Scotland, England, and Ireland, and the ratifying of the former Covenant of Scotland, to all that shall join with them or lie Neutral; and (as they term it) return to their loyalty and obedience to the King, and shall renounce the mutual League and Covenant with England; and such as will not, are threatened with Fire and Sword, which in divers places they put to execution most cruelly: And Montrosse, as the King's lieutenant-general, Issues forth Commissions to Popish and Malignant Lords, and other, to Array the Country for the King.  
Papists & divers Malignants, who before were with them in their hearts, but durst not appear, are now avowdly joined with them; others out of fear to preserve themselves, their wives & children from destruction of the Sword & Fire, are fled, & some take protections from them: the Enemy is roaring and triumphing in the heart of the Kingdom, and is now possessed of the Houses, Lands, and Estates of many Noblemen, Gentlemen, and others of the best affected in the Kingdom, to whom nothing is left but Families without maintenance, honour without means to support it, & who are under all the grievous Calamities of War, and under the mercy of a most cruel and bloody Enemy, not having (when I came from that Kingdom) any Army in the Fields to oppose them. And in the mean time the Angel of God is striking our Cities, especially Edenbrough, the chief City of that Kingdom, with the Plague of Pestilence so fearfully, as there is no living there, nor any Commerce, Trade, nor exchange of Money, which increases our difficulties to maintain a War, & a Parliament is indicted by Montrosse, to establish all these iniquities by a Law.  
In this our extremity, we were forced to have our recourse to our Armies in England and Ireland, to crave their aid; and for that end I am sent hither to the Honourable Houses of Parliament, to represent to them and this Honourable Meeting the necessity of calling our Army, for the relief and safety of their Native Country, and that the party who was nearest them, under the conduct of Lieutenant General David Lesly, might with all possible speed march into Scotland, to whom the Committee did earnestly write for that effect: this was the readiest remedy which did fall within the compass of their present consideration; they desire, and are confident, to find the Honourable Houses approbation thereof, there being no hope of assistance from our Army in Ireland.  
Their next desire to the Honourable Houses is, that the Wars in Scotland against these bloody Rebels, may be carried on by the joint Counsels and assistance of both Kingdoms, against the common enemies of both Nations, and the Cause wherein we are so deeply engaged, the War and our Enemies being still the same, and the place of our War only changed; and if the King or his forces break into Scotland that proportionable forces from the Parliament may closely follow them.  
No man hath conscience or honesty, but he will remember the solemn League and Covenant, the Treaty, and the Declarations of both Kingdoms, which are the strongest bonds betwixt God and man, and betwixt man and man, and Nation and Nation, before the world: no man hath true zeal to Religion, that will shrink for such adversity and opposition, as hath been ordinary in the like work, and hath been obvious to us since our first undertaking, but hath been always overcome by the assistance of God: no man hath prudence, will hope for a powerful and prosperous War, or any firm or true peace, but in the conjunction of both Kingdoms.  
How great then would the sin and shame be, if either Nation, against so manifold Obligations whereby we stand obliged before God and the world, should desert other in this Cause?  
How great advantage would it be to our common Enemy, who has still followed that Machiavilian Maxim, Divide & impera, to get us divided, and the greatest favour either Nation could expect in the end is, but to be the last that shall be devoured?  
As in the time of your greatest distress and lowest ebb, when Scotland enjoyed peace and quietness, they did from their sympathy of your sufferings forsake their own peace for your aid, apprehending also your mine and servitude might be a forerunner of theirs; so if this Kingdom shall withdraw, or be wanting in their assistance to us, in the day of our distress, brought upon us for embarking with them, and we perish in it; will it not usher in and hasten upon you that same ruin, intended from the beginning by our common enemy? And if the godly and honest party in that Kingdom perish for want of assistance, you may certainly expect as great an Army from the●●● for your destruction, as came formerly for your preservation; which God forbidden.  
But from our Brethren of England, and the Honourable Houses of Parliament, who are the true Pilots, set at the Helm in so great a storm, we expect better and greater things, that their whole authority, power and means will in this exigent be aiding to us: And it is the firm resolution of that Kingdom, by God's grace, never to forsake this, but against all opposition, with courage and constancy to live and die with you in this Cause; and although all the world should forsake us, so long as there is one drop of blood in our veins, we resolve never to relinquish this Work, but to put our confidence in the justness of the Cause, and in the invincible power of God, whose Cause it is, till it please him by a prosperous War, or happy Peace (which we still desire may by all good means be sought after) to put an end to our troubles, trusting he will strengthen us and send deliverance to his people: But if either Nation draw back their hand, or deal treacherously in it, their judgement and doom will be harder than I desire to pronounce.  
FINIS.