THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
/ /
MEMORIALS
AND
LETTERS
RELATING TO THE
HISTORY OF BRITAIN
IN THE
REIGN
O F
CHARLEJ THE FIRST.
t^\ I V-v.
S.v iJ : (&>
PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINALS/'
GLASGOW:
PRISTED BY ROBEK.T AND ANDREW FOULU-
PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY,
M.DCC.LXVI.
DA
T O
ROBERT DUNDAS
O F
A R N I S T O N, ESQUIRE,
LORD PRESIDENT
O F
THE COURT OF SESSION,
IN MEMORY
OF HIS FRIENDSHIP AND PATRONAGE,
THE EDITOR
INSCRIBES THIS COLLECTION.
1316964
PREFACE.
TI7HEN I firft publifhed a colleo
* * tion of " Memorials and Let-
" ters relating to the reign of James I."
I did not imagine that it would have
proved exceedingly offeniive to any
reader.
The collection, however, has given
very great offence; I am charged, in
general, with having inhumanly ex-
pofed the follies of pail times ; and, in
particular, with having placed King
James and his courtiers in an unfa-
vourable point of view: it is added,
that I have indire&ly, and by lilent
companion, endeavoured to make my
fellow- fubjects feniible of certain fup-
pofed advantages arifing from the Re*
volution.
With refpecl: to the laft part of the
charge, I have only this Ihort defence
vi PREFACE,
to offer, that an attempt to conciliate
men to the government under which
they live, by a genuine reprefentation
of the government under which their
forefathers lived, is an attempt jufti-
fiable at leaft, if not praife- worthy.
If King James and his courtiers
have been placed in an unfavourable
point of view, the fault is not mine :
when I prefumed to publim what
they wrote, I did not fupprefs any let-
ters which might have done honour
to their underflanding or their mo-
rals ; my readers, therefore, inftead
of cenfuring me, ought to lament the
fcantineft of my materials.
If I have expofed the follies of pail
times, I have done no more, as a com-
piler, than what the hiilorian does
who prefers truth to adulation.
That it is inhumane to expofe the
follies of former ages is a dangerous
PREFACE. vii
principle. Does humanity require us
to draw a veil over the deformities of
paft times, or to perfuade ourfelves,
that, in thofe days, all kings were fa-
thers of their people, all lawgivers
judicious, and all ftatefmen wife and
upright? it follows of neceflary con-
fequence, that hiftory, if ftudied at
all, ought to be ftudied in Genealo-
gies and Peerages, in Epiftles dedica-
tory and funeral Panegyrics : although
thofe benevolent performances nei-
ther improve the underftanding nor
enlarge the mind, they do not con-
tain any thing that can mock huma-
nity; and may I be permitted to add,
they feldom contain any thing dif-
guftful to the pride of family, or to
the prejudices of education.
In the hope that the intelligent rea-
der will accept of this apology, I now
prefent to the public a volume, con-
a. 4
viii PREFACE.
taining " Memorials and Letters relat-
" ing to the reign of Charles I." They
are chiefly tranfcribed from the ma-
nufcripts amaffed with indefatigable
, induftry by the late Mr. Robert \Vo-
drow*. Some volumes of that large
collection now belong to the Church
of Scotland, others, to the Faculty of
Advocates at Edinburgh, the reft are
in the polTeflion of Mr. Patrick \Vo-
drow, minifter at Torbolton ; from
all thofe volumes I have been permit-
ted to tranfcribe vyhatever fuited my
purpofe.
Lord Conway's *' Relation of the
" Paflages in the Northern Expediti-
" on" is printed from the copy pre-
ferved in the Britifh Miifeum: con-
cerning this Relation I need only fay,
* Author of the Hiftory of the Church cf
Scotland from the Reftoration to the Revolution,
in two volumes folio.
PREFACE. ix
that Earl Hardwicke was of opinion
that it well deferred to be made pu-
blic.
A few of the letters contained in
this volume were communicated to
me by fome of my friends. Had not
my plan been mifunderftood, it is
probable that more perfons, pollened
of original letters, would have contri-
buted their ailiftance to a work which
has the truth of hi/lory for its aim.
They who cenfured the firft vor
lume may perhaps ihew more indul-
gence to the fecond. They will there
perceive the Covenant fet in a ludi-
crous point of view, and its abettors
reprefented as " brutifh bedlamites,
" knaves and traitors ;" they will not
be difpleafed at reading the charac-
ter of the covenanted party, as drawn
by its enemies, whatever offence the
x PREFACE.
chara&er of King James and his cour-
tiers may have given, when drawn
by their own pens.
DAV. DALRYMPLE,
CONTENTS.
CHARLES I.
T O
THE LORDS OF SESSION IN SCOTLAND.
Requires the whole College of Juftice to receive the com-
munion twice a year in the chapel royal; will not
fufFer them to be leaders of his other fubjefts to con-
temn the orders of the church, page i .
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T Q
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
Can promife nothing as to his preferment in the church j
the King has a good opinion of him and his fervice,
and will, no doubt, take him and his eftate into his con-
fideration ; expects that he will continue in his courfe,
and give intelligence who they be that conform, and who
not. p. 3.
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
The King difpleafed with him for oniitting prayer in the
chapel royal according to the Englifh Liturgy, and for
his behaviour in fome differences about the fufferings of
Chrift ; therefore the King has pafied him by, and pre-
ferred another to the fee of Edinburgh ; the Arch-
bimop advifes him to apply himfelf better to the King's
fervice, and the well-ordering of the church, left he
fhould be again pafled by at the next remove ; if he
be not careful of his own carriage, his friends can do
nothing for him. p 5.
xii CONTENTS.
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BlSHOP OF DUNBLANE.
The King fatisfied in part, but not altogether, with the
Bifhop's apology; if he continues to do what the King
looks for, he will eafily recover his Majefty's favour,
and find the good of it. p. 8.
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
TO
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
Promifes the King's anfwer with refpeft to thofe who obey-
ed or difobeyed his commands in receiving the comma*
nion at the chapel royal, p. 9.
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
Is glad to hear of his refolutions for the ordering of the
chapel royal, and that he is refolved to wear his white.*,
notwithftanding the malicioufncfs of foolifh men ; the
King is fatisfied with his obedience and care ; and he
may expect, as opportunity ferves, all reafonable things
from his Majefty. p. 1 1.
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
TO
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
Is heartily glad to fee in what a fair way the church bufinefs
is j if the Bifhops continue their good example and
CONTENTS. sin
care, all things will fettle beyond expectation ; - the
King has given the bifhoprick of Aberdeen to Bellenden,
but requires him to refide there ; relies much upon
him for his well-ordering that place, p. 12.
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
Preparations fdr printing the Scottifh Liturgy ; the Arch-
bifhop is very glad that the true meaning of one canon
remains ftill under the curtain ; hopes that it will be
printed and parted with the reft; it will be of great
ufe for the fettling that church. Dr. Wedderburn is
very able to do fervice, if his heart can be kept up ; the
Archbifliop hoped that he had been already confecrated
Bimop of Dunblane ; laments the uncertainties that a-
bide with him ; would not have him ftick. at any thing,
for the King will not leave him long at Dunblane.
Silver veflels and other ornaments to be provided for the
chapel royal. The Marquis of Hamilton will quit the
church- lands of Aberbrothock. The Bifhop is entreat-
ed not to defpond, but to ferve God and the King, and
leave the reft to their protection ; the Archbifhop has,
perhaps, jufter caufe of apprehenfion, were he to give
way to fuch thoughts -, defires to know who they are
who have promifed fair concerning the church, and yet,
in all judicatures, have gone againft it ; no caufe to
fuppofe that the King's countenance will change, or that
he will give credit to any againft the church, till the
church be heard ; nothing to be feared as to Lord
Roxburgh, [who poflefTes extenfive church-lands} for
the King will not ereft any other biihoprick in hafte. p. 1 3 .
siv CONTENT S.
JUXON, BISHOP OF LONDON.
T O
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
The Scottifti canons will, perchance, at firft, make more
noife than all the cannons in Edinburgh-caftle, but when
men's ears have been ufed a while to the found of them,
they will not flartle fo much at it as at firft ; and, per-
chance, find them as ufeful for the prefervation of the
church, as the others for the commonweal, p. 18.
EARL OF STIRLING,
SECRETARY OF STATE,
T O
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
The Scottifli canons prefented to the King ; fome trifling
typographical errors in them ; Young the printer the
greateft of knaves; neither he nor his fenrants to be
trufted in printing the Liturgy, p. 19.
J. D E MARIA
[A feigned name}
T O
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
Cenfures the former conduct of Traquair, and doubts whe-
ther he will be able, as is given out, to fettle the prefent
turmoils to the contentment of all parties, p. 20.
J. D E MARIA
[A feigned namej
TO
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
Ludicrous account of the Covenant, and of the methcxle
CONTENTS. x*
ufed to procure fubfcriptions to it ; this Gordian knot
muft be cut ; infmuates that Hamilton, Traquair, and
Argyle tender more the fafety of their friends and fa-
vourites, than the advancement of the King's projects ;
they are prone to feed private follies and fancies, to the
difgrace and ruin of the prelates, arid to the overthrow
of all the royal defigns of the King and his father;
complains of the King's irrefolution, and of his lenity to-
wards offenders ; fending down good mips would do
more than fending down proclamations ; - wifhes that
Traquair and Argyle were detained from Scotland, or
tranfmitted thither as prifoners ; infinuates that it is
better fome mould die than the whole people perim.
JO. D E MARIA
[A feigned name]
TO
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
Provifion of arms and ammunition made by the Covenaa <
ters ; none on the other fide ; the King's friends
unable to refift the fury of thofe brutim bedlamites ;
propofes that ftores be fent to Newcastle and Carlifle, to
be purchafed occafionally by the King's friends ; all
depends upon the King's refolution ; - it is vain to pro-
vide hunting nags, except the match hold, [i. e. to levy
troops, unlefs the King be refolved for offenfive war;!
recommends a young gentleman of quality, who had
made his country people renounce the Covenant, only by
afluring them that it was againft the King's authority j
- propofes to fetze fame difaffefted perfons. p. 39.
xvi CONTENTS,
MR. DAVID MITCHELL
ONE OF THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH,
T O
DR. JOHN LESLY, BISHOP OF RAPHOE.
The infults and danger to which thofe minifters were expo-
fed who did not fubfcribe the Covenant ; the name of
Bifhop more odious to young and old than the devil's ;
Traquair draws the Bifhop of Galloway out to known
danger, and then makes a (hew of proteflion ; the
Service Book is not a tranfcript of King Edward's Litur-
gy, though it is made fomewhat like to it as to the com-
munion, propter Sacramentarios ; but now Service
Book, Canons, High Commiffion, (hall all be difcharged,
nor will the party reft here; there are 500 coramifli-
oners of the ftates, who relieve one another by courfe, as
Caflor and Pollux went to hell. p. 3 5.
LETTER FROB1 A PERSON UNKNOWN
TO
TWO CONFIDENTS IN SCOTLAND.
Deliberations on the affairs of Scotland delayed till the ar-
rival of the Marquis of Hamilton ; fears that the
Scottifh nobles are not firmly united ; cautions a-
gainfl trufting Lord Rae, who had fubfcribed and fworn
the Covenant, but declares that it is only to do the King
better fervice; the King prepares arms for 20,000
men, but 200 men will not be got, in this caufe, for
the 20,000 arms ; many leading perfons intend to
fettle in Scotland, rather than in America ; will fpcnd
1 00,000 1. there ;- the Scots are warned to provide in
their agreement with the King, that there be free inter -
eourfe between the two kingdoms j by this, fays the
CONTENTS. xvii
letter- writer, " you will get the eftates and perfons of
" the Englifh among you, and they will take none of
" your gofpei away although they communicate with
" you." L Sends two copies of the New Teftament
with abominable-pictures of horrible impiety, that come
forth by public authority. The Lord Lieutenant, it
is faid, hath made overtures of 16,000 men from Ire-
land ; arms are to be fent thither ; the Earl of An-
trim recommended to the King as one having great
power, efpecially among the M'Donells, who now ferve
under Lord Lorn ; he takes with the employment ;
it is fufpecfted that the King means to cajole and divide
the Scots; it is queftioned how the Scots can fecure
themfelves without incurring the charge of rebellion ;
their carriage has been hitherto unexceptionable, to the
amazement of enemies, p. 39.
A PERSON UNKNOWN
TO
W A R I S T O N.
Wifhes that fome courfe may be taken for the terror and
difgrace of the Bifhops, becaufe their public appearance
at Glafgow, whither they were cited, might be preju-
dicial to the caufe. p. 4 6.
CERTAIN REMARKABLE PASSAGES
IN THE LETTERS FROM
MR. WILLIAM WILLIE
T O
DR. BALCAN QJJ H A L.
6000 muikets fent over to the Covenanters, by the inter-
vention of the King of France's Ambaffador to the Statqs
b
xviii CONTENTS.
General ; Bifhops removed out of Parliament, becaufc
the Lords of Articles were chofen by the means of the
Bifhops, who depended upon the King ; -the day of
thankfgiving appointed by the General Aflembly, a day
of trembling as much as of joy. p. 47.
W A R I S T O N
T O
LORD JOHNSTON.
Entreats him to lay afide his intended journey to London ;
insinuates that the Covenanters doubted his fince-
rity ; the King's hopes from divifions in Scotland ;
it is neither God's nor King Charles's honour, to be fer-
ved by halves ; oaths unlawful, as inconfiftent with
the Covenant, required by King Charles ; exhorts
him to do nobly, as the noble Lord of Montrofe has
done, who, according to his covenant, has refufed to
repair to court at the King's command ; rifes to a
drain of rapturous declamation in praife of the Cove-
nant ; the Englifh are no longer formidable ;- they
have nothing to give ; they may love the treafon, but
they will hate the traitor, p. 49.
MR. WILLIAM COLVILL
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
Difapproves of the draught of a letter from the covenanted
Lords to the French King; propofes another, with
credentials in his own favour; fubmits them to
the judgment of the Earl of Lothian and Mr. Robert
Leighton, [afterwards the celebrated Bifhop Leighton.]
P-S7-
CONTENTS. xlx
GENERAL ALEXANDER. LESLIE
AMD
THE EARL OF ROTHES
TO
THE FRENCH KING.
Profefs their loyalty to their own Sovereign; reprefent
the neceffity they were under of taking up arms; on
account of the antient and inviolated alliance between
France and Scotland, they intreat the interceffion of
the French King. p. 60.
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE COVENANTERS
IN SCOTLAND
TO
THEIR MESSENGER TO THE
FRENCH KING.
Reprefent the antient alliance between France and Scotland ;
their own loyalty ; the neceffity of their arming in felf-
defence; entreat the mediation of the French King;
the true {late of the queftion between them and their
Sovereign is, Whether they (hall continue a free church
and kingdom, or be enflaved to the paffions of a foreign
Prelate, the Archbifhop of Canterbury, and be treated
like a conquered province, as Ireland ; whether, in fuch
circumftances, they ought to refift, or lay down their
necks to the fword; and their confciences to the yoke ;
the good fervices performed to the French by the
Scots in former times, in diverting their enemies at home,
and in fending fuccours abroad ; : the guard of the
French King's perfon committed to the fidelity and cou-
rage of the Scots; ^-a maxim of policy to aflirt the
weaker, for keeping the balance more even y that the
b 2
xx CONTENTS.
French King would be pleafed to interpofe with King
Charles in their behalf; and when matters draw to
blood, affift them either by furnifhing money and arms, or
by diverting their invaders ; they offer a continuance
of the antient league againft foreign princes in all civil
quarrels ; their cafe different from that of the Prote-
ftants in France, as they are the whole body of the king-
dom, have their religion and liberties eftablifhed by law,
confirmed by the oath of the King and Eftates ;* and
are authorized by law and by precedents to defend them-
felves ; King Charles's affifting the Catholics may be
a motive to France, in requital, to grant the like. p. 62 .
FROM MR. A. B O R T H W I C K
TO
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
Account of the pacification at Dunfe; difficulties arifing
from the King's calling the General AfTembly at Glafgow,
apretended AJftmbly ; the people more animated than
ever againft Service Book and Prelates; the Englifh will
not trouble them on this account, for they themfelves
rather bear thofe things as a burden, than entertain as a
benefit; the King heareth reafon patiently, and is
ready to yield to it ; but there are perfons about him
who foment in him bad principles of policy and church-
government; the King's larger declaration full of lies;
the name of Covenanters impofed by adverfaries ;
the King will hinder no mcdeft man to fpeak his
mind freely, and is judicious to difcern betwixt flatterers
and honefl men. p. 66.
CONTENTS. xxi
MR. ROBERT BURNET OF CRIMONT
TO
W A R I S T O N.
Inveighs againft the proceedings of the Covenanters ; ju-
ftifies Sydeferf, Bimop of Galloway, as more learned
and more confcientious than any of thofe who were up-
on his excommunication ; the French minifters at Pa-
ris would not believe that the Covenanters durft excom-
municate any for not fubfcribing the Covenant, and hold
the excommunication as ineffectual, being par raifon
d'etat feulement; he adds, " Be not too violent then,
" and do as you would be done to, for you know not
" how the world will turn yet aliquid danduni
*' humanitati, faltem cbaritati Chriftianae" p. 7 2.
JOHN LOCKHART
TO
THE EARL OF TRAQJJAIR.
The King difpleafed at the delay in proroguing the Scottifh
Parliament; this delay and the word unlawful 'in the
acl: abolifhing Bifhops are the things laid to Traquair's
charge ; a repqrt that the caftle of Edinburgh is not
properly fupplied, and that General Ruthven, the Go-
vernor, complains of his not having his demands an-
fwered by Traquair. p. 7 6.
THE LEADERS OF THE SCOTTISH ARMY,
1640,
T O
A PERSON UNKNOWN, IN FRANCE.
Excufe their having detained Colonel Ereflcine and his re-
giment; defire permiflion to employ him, who is in
xxii CONTENTS.
the French King's fervice; requeft that Cardinal Riche-
lieu may be informed that the employment which they
offer to Colonel Erfkine will do no prejudice to the fer-
vice of the French King, but, on the contrary, promote
it ; promife, upon a peace, to affift Colonel Erfkine in
making his levies ; and to fhew that true Scotfmen can
never forget their antient alliances, and the common
intereft which unites them with France, p 79.
THE LORD CON WAY'S RELATION
CONCERNING
THE PASSAGES IN THE LATE
NORTHERN EXPEDITION, 1640.
Vindicates his own conduct; the advices which he gave
were difregarded ; orders fent to him, injudicious, or
impracticable ; his troops undifciplined and difobedi-
ent ; neglecl: in fupplying them with money and arms.
p. 81.
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BAL MERINO.
A paper drawn up by the Scottifh Commiflioners, is publimed
without their authority ; the King called it a feditious
libel, and told them they had thereby loft the benefit of
their fafe-ccnducl, and that he would make them repent
of what they had done ; Wariflon fofpecls that fome
of their own number had publimed this paper, in order
to exafperate the King; the plague of God will light
on that preferment that turns away a man's heart, or
weakens his hands, in the work of God ; acknow-
ledges that it was rafh to fuffcr the printing of this pa-
CONTENTS. xxiii
per ; Traquair threatens to impeach Argyle, Rothes,
and Warifton for treafonable fpeeches ; and if he muft
fall, he will leave nothing undone to make heaven and
earth fall with him. p. 1 07.
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
LORD MAITLAND
TO
LORD BALMERINO [probably.]
The violence of the King's anger about the above-mention-
ed paper is part ; another paper, in apology for it, has
been prefented ; the firft, however, not altogether fruit-
Jefs, for the city has agreed to lend i 60,000 1. to the
Parliament, which they refufed before, p. 1 10,
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
The Scottifti Commiffioners differ in opinion as to the ex-
tent of their powers ; intention of Strafford and
others to attack the Marquis of Hamilton in Parliament,
becaufe they fee themfelves ruined by his (landing more
with the farour of the honeft men of both kingdoms.
p. ill.
CERTAIN PASSAGES IN THE LETTERS
FROM
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
No judgment of other bufinefs can be made till Stratford's
v CONTENTS.
trial is concluded;- it is not known whether the En-
glifh will flay the Scottish army, or fave themfelves by
themfelves; great confufion and danger at London;
after much miftinefs of bufmefs, the Lord, who doth his
own work in his own way, feems to turn the chace ;
for the Peers back the lower houfe in the puffuit of
Stratford ; the committee of the lower houfe has re-
ported the civil places of Bifhops in Parliament, &c. to
be unlawful ; it is hoped this report will be agreed to ;
in order to ftrengthen this, the Scottim commiflioners
are to give in their demands for the removal of Fpifco-
pacy out of all his Majefty's dominions ; an index of
their demands already given in ; that concerning no
war with foreigners, unlefs by mutual counfel, and that
concerning confcrvationes pads, difpleafing to the King;
the lower houfe has declared, 4 or 5 only diflenting,
that Bifhops mould have neither civil places, nor voice
in Parliament ; the Earl of Cork has proved fome
foul points againft Sti afford ; commiffioners come
from Ireland with proteftations againft the Prelates;
the Scottifli Commiflioners gave in their large demand
for unity in religion and government; " all which com-
" ing on the King together, and on a fuddenty, you
" may guefs what a mood they would put him in.'
thefe good news worth folemn praife and prayer from
the kirk of Scotland ; advifes againft fending up the
Laird of Keir, who might ftrengthen Traquair's faclion
and correfpondence with Montrofe ; ths King will
hafte for to poft away 21 , [probably the Scottim army}
to fave Strafford and Epifcopacy, but the Scots Commif-
Coners peremptorily infift for an anfwer to their paper
concerning unity in religion ; fome of them were
CONTENTS. TXV
moved to prefs difbanding the Englifh and Trim armies,
which could not be done without an offer, on their part,
to difband the Scottifh army ; if the lower houfe fees
that the King gains many of the Peers to favour Straf-
ford, they will proceed againft him by bill of teinture ;
the faft in Scotland falls out timeoufly; the accu-
fations againlt incendiaries in Scotland ought to be pre-
pared ; fmce mercenary advocates are not fo ftudious
in public purfuit for the commonwealth, as in private,
proceffes of well paying clients, he therefore advifes that
they be paid largely before hand ; he advifu-s caution,
becaufe Traquair will make no confcience, by large
bribes, to lay lawyers by, and make their fervants re-
veal the mod fecret articles tha't are againft him ;
if Warifton were not one of the chief witnefTes, he
would feek to be his purfuer ; however, if he can get
down to Scotland, he will do his utmoft to help the
lawyers to propone things ; Lord Holland is made
General of the King's army, which is ftrange, while ar-
mies mould difband; the pleaders at London have
fine rencounters of fpeech, but little fyllogii'Hcal folidi-
ty of matter; withes the advocates in Scotland be bet-
ter furnifhed for the trial of the incendiaries ; defires
that money be not fpared to fpur them on ; Oneil
and Wilmot are engaged in plots -^ perhaps, if the
French mould Jand, this ifland may become united ;
whatever God does is beft for himfelf and his people;
bulinefs is going in God's old way p. 114.
W A R I S T .0 N
TO
A D A M H E P B U K. N OF H U M B I E.
War to be expected rather than peace j the lower houfe
xxvi CONTENTS.
parted the bill againft Strafford, about 30 difTepting; ~
the King will not confent to the aft of oblivion, unlefs it
be general ; threatens to charge fome of the Scots as
guilty of treafon, and fend them to be tried by their own
Parliament ; more probable that he will fecure them as
pledges for the Scots army remaining quiet. Warifton
has offered to be yoked in one chain with Traquair, and,
upon their mutual accufations, that the innocent may
go free, and the guilty be punifhed ; he is willing to
fuffer death, rather than that the Parliament of Scotland
fhould be brow-beaten from their purfuit of incendia-
ries; -after fuch recriminations, the incendiaries de-
ferve juftice rather than mercy; he adds, " If any of
" us be accufed here, ye (hall think what to do with
" fome there, feeing we hear it comes from Montrofe."
p. 120.
W A R I S T O N
TO
ADAM HEPBURN OF HUMBIE.
Account of his conference with the King ; the King is
advifed to flick on the aft of oblivion, to fave Traquair
if he grant it, or to enfnare any Englifli whom hfc ap-
prehends to have had intelligence with Scotland, if he
grant it not ; made a fair anfwer in other particulars ;
promifed to get money for the pay of the Scottifh army,
if the Parliament of England did not fpeedily end that
bufinefs ; endeavoured to create jealoufics of the Par-
liament; fwore that he will come to Scotland and
hold a Parliament ; cried and fwore, that, if the Scots
excepted any, he alfo would except fome; the plot
of excepting fome of the Scots, and of caufing the King
CONTENTS. xxvii
to declare his intention of going to Scotland, is fufpefted
to come from fome of the Scots commiffioners them-
felves, at the inftigation of Traquair ; Warifton ex-
prefTes his zeal againft incendiaries, as in the laft let-
ter; he adds, " Look to your army, and be on your
" guard, if they could get an opportunity to rub an ir-
" reparable affront on you, paper-bonds would be foon
" broken." defires that Balmerino may waken his
lawyers againft the incendiaries, to be more diligent and
intent, p. 124.
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
Upon the fame fubjeft with the two former letters. He
has no malice, nor particular end, but only that the ho-
nour of the kingdom be preferred to the King's point of
honour; he adds, " Command us to be (tout; be dili-
" gent with your caufe, prepare your armies the
" lower houfe has given up their bill, grow in ftrength,
" will not rife : they have Stratford's life, are thinking
" on monies for us Lord encourage and direct
" them." p. 129.
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
Repeats what he had formerly faid ; the Scottifh Parlia-
ment fhould lay a neceflity on Sir -Thomas Niculfon to
plead the caufe for the commonwealth againft the incen-
diaries ; defires that enquiry be made, in the moft fe-
cret manner, whether the regalia and the regifters be all
xrviii CONTENTS.
left in the caftle of Edinburgh ; if Traqtiair or the
Clerk Regifter hare taken them away, it were a faft of
clear treafon ; but would have this kept clofe till the
very day of appearance for trial.--- " The Parliament is
" to fall to our demands, and to get us money. God is
" going on in fome hidden way for his fon's crown, it
" will break forth." p. 131.
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
LORD BAL MERINO
T
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
Obferves it, as a flrange myftery of thefe times, that fome,
having no principles of religion, mould fall fairer in the
pr.efent courfe of church-affairs, than others who have
profefled and pradlifed, done and fuffered ;---as the fol-
liciting of preferment is againfl the covenant, fo avarice
is the root of all evil ;---has retained fo much of the li-
turgy as to fay " [from this] good Lord deliver us."
p. 135.
EARL OF ROTHES
TO
W A R I S T O N.
Defires him to keep up his word againfl Traquair, till he
hear from Lord Loudon, who is to receive fome inftruc-
tions from the King, with whom they have had hard
work; mentions a place being offered to him, he fuf-
fered the Marquis of Hamilton and others te move in it,
from their fenfe of the good of the kingdom ; if he de-
fers to accept of it, times and difpoihions are uncertain ;
CONTENTS xxix
thinks he is at liberty to accept of it, but will not, un-
lefs his friends approve ; he adds, " On my honour, I
" have not failed in any jot of my duty, to my know-
" ledge, but this is an age of unjuft'cenfuring." p. 1 36.
GENERAL DAVID LESLIE
TO
MR. THOMAS HENDERSON.
Reafons againft his accepting a command in his own coun-
try ; that it is impoflible for any man fo to carry him-
felf as to pleafe all men ; that he has great ones in
Scotland for his enemies ; that the King, with all reve-
rence, would fee him hanged ; that he could get ho-
nourable preferment abroad ; yet they who have done
fo much for him mall command him in that caufe he has
fworn to. p. 138.
KING CHARLES I.
TO
THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW.
Declares his willingnefs to give all poffible aflurances to pre-
ferve inviolably the graces and favours which he has of
late granted to the kingdom of Scotland ; and faithfully
promifes that he will never rule to the contrary of any
thing there eftablifhed, either in the ecclefiaftical or civil
government; wifh.es God fo to blefs his proceedings and
his pofterity, as he does really make good and perform
this promife ; none whojuftly deferve the name and
punifhment of incendiaries (hall be fcreened from the
hands of juftice. p. 140,
six CONTENTS.
EARL OF LANERICK
TO
THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW
Accompanying the King's letter ;---he will not fo much in-
jure their affections to his Majefty, as to believe that any
man in Glafgow will ever qucftion the truth of his Ma-
jefty's gracious expreffions. p. 142.
APERSON UNKNOWN
TO
W A R I S T O N.
Sir John Hotham taken ; his threatning letter to the
fpeaker of the houfe of commons ;---although providence
balances the fuccefs of the war alternately, yet it is very
remarkable that no plot againft the parliament hath efca-
ped difcovery; Lord Fairfax's defeat at Tadcafter
will advance the treaty with the Scots; if the Englifti
could do their bufinefs by themfelves, they would fave
the Scots a labour, and themfelves much money, and
fome credit;--- the Scots ought, by a powerful mediation,
to reconcile King and Parliament; as the Scots have
cleared themfelves from the charge of their aiming at the
King's authority, they will be very fit mediators to un-
deceive the King, and clear the Parliament ; Sir Wil-
liam Waller as great a terror to the Royalifts as Scan-
derbeg to the Turks; Effex's delays in carrying on
' the war, and his defires for an accommodation with the
King, are csafured',-cun^ando rent reftituere will not
ferve at all times ; many men have attempted bafely to
betray a good caufe, but God will finifh it happily ;---
need of General Officers in Eflex's army ;---Skippon, a
very honeft man, but a low country foldier j the Scots
CONTENTS. xxxi
are exhorted to zeal for the good and peace of the two
kingdoms, chiefly in what concerns religion ; and to be
ready, in their ftations, when the caufe of God requires
their afliftance; Percy and Wilraot, two delinquents,
promoted to the peerage, p. 143.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. WILLIAM SPANG.
Curious narrative of Montrofe's fuccefs, and its caufes';-
the Scots conftant in all duties to the Englim, notwith-
ftanding their ingratitude and provocations; account
of the new-modelled army ; forne fufpeft that it will
conclude a treaty with the King, to the prejudice of the
Presbyterians ; fundry wife men believe that it is not
fo full of fectaries, and are allured of its honefty and o-
bedienceto the Parliament; --if the new-modelled army
mould prove unfuccefsful, the Scottim army, ftrengthen-
ed by Englim officers, now out of employment, may do
their bufinefs. p. 149.
LORD BALMERINO
TO
W A R I S T O N.
Hopes that the uncircumcifed Philutines [Montrofe's arniy]
are hardened to their own ruin, though to the humilia-
tion of the covenanted party ; laments the ftate of the
nation, the felfimnefs of fome, and the over-fecurity of
all ;---propofal for engaging the Dutch to affift the Scots
in Ireland ; Galway and other places, excellent invita-
tions, as cautionary towns, for them; they who are
not forward to entertain this propofal, may be fufpecled;
xixii CONTENTS.
fome fupply muft be had, for the Scottifh Parliament
have no further means of raifing money, p. 154.
ALLAN CAMERON OF LOCHIEL
TO
SIR JAMES GRANT OF FREUCHIE.
Praifes God that he and his friends are innocent of any in-
tention of fpoiling the country of the Grants ; his friends
went to Murray- land, where all men take their prey,
and fpoiled the lands of the Laird of Moynes, not
knowing that he was a Grant ;---a fray enfued, in which
Lochiel had eight of his friends killed, and more, dan-
geroufly wounded; propofes that the matter may be
fettled by the arbitration of their common friends.
p. 156.
ALLAN CAMERON OF LOCHIEL
TO
THE EARL OF SEAPORT H.
On the fame fubjedr. with the preceding letter ; entreats
the friendly interpofition of Lord Seaforthjexcufes his
poor friends, for that they had no choice but to fight or
die. p. 158.
EARL OF LANERICK
TO
MR. R O B F R T B A I L L I E.
Entreats Mr. Baillie to judge favourably of him, until he
have an opportunity of clearing himfelf from calumnies ;
profefles that his afFe&ionate defires have been to
ferve his country according to his covenant, p. 159.
CONTENTS. xxxiU
MR ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
THE EARL OF LANERIGK.
In anfwer to the preceding letter ; pathetically exhorts
him, and all Scotfmen, to lay afide their animofities, and
confult the welfare of their diilrefled country ;---if they
continue at variance, the King will be brought down,
and the power of the nobles abolimed ; this, fays Mr.
Baillie, " is fomewhere in the world much defired, and
" far advanced, though my heart did ever abhor it."
P. 161.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
The prevalent party, the Independants, defire nothing fo
much as the King's refufal of any one of the propofiti-
ons fent to him; it is the defign of many to abolifh
monarchy, and fettle themfelves in a new kind of popu-
lar government; the Prince's going to France furthers
this defign; if the King agree to all the propofitions,
the majority are willing that he mould return with fo
much power and honour, as may, in a little time, bring
him to all his juft and pious defires ; he deceives him-
felf, if he expedls any divifions ; for, unlefs he pafs the
propofitions, all will agree to ruin him, his family,
and adherents j divers, from whom it was lead ex-
peeled, are for putting away the whole royal race.
[24th April, 1646.] Scotland will be ruined unlefs the
King agree to the propofitions ; though he mould fwear
it, no man will believe that he flicks upon Epifcopacy
for any confcience; improper perfons on the commit-
tee, occafioned by the infuperable wilfulnefs of feme, but
c
CONTENTS.
without any defign to irritate the King ;---hepes that
Richmond, Hamilton, and Argyle will do their utter-
moft to perfuade the King to do his duty ;---necefTary
for the intereft of Scotland, that thofe noblemen be re-
ally reconciled to one another ;---he adds, " It has been
" the King's perpetual fault, to grant his people's de-
" fires by bits, and fo late, he ever loft his thanks.
" Mulr. we yet wait an oracle from France." p. i 64.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
The Commons have voted that the Scottifh army fhall be
gone, that, when they go, 50,000!. (hall be paid, and
as much upon delivery of the garrifons ; this is an evi-
dence, among many more, of this people's intentions
towards the Scots ; the faction rejoices at the King's
obftinacy.--- " if the King," fays Mr. Baillie, " would
" do his duty, in fpight of all knaves, all would in a mo-
" ment go right ; but if God have hardened him, fo
" far as I can perceive, this people will ftrive to have
" him in their power, and make an example of him ; I
" abhor to think of it what they fpeak of execution."
[9th May, 1 646.] Every hour of delay gives advan-
tage to the Independants. p. 166.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
To the fame purpofe with the preceding letter ;---the King
muft either yield to reafon, or will fall in tragic miferies,
without comraiferation ; if he ftickle on Bifhops and
CONTENTS. xxxv
delinquents, and fuch foolifti toys, it feems he is mad ;
if he be refolved to flop the mouths of the Scots, and
bind their hands, that they can neither fpeak nor do for
him, let him go on to make himfelf and the Scots mifer-
able;---wi{hes woe to the villains who have bewitched,
poifoned, and infatuated a good Prince, to the ruin of
himfelf and of millions, p. i 68.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
To the fame purpofe with the preceding letter; hears that
France has or will loofe, Very eafily, the fcruple of con^
fcience as to Epifcopacy ; -cenfures the coming of the
French ambafTador to the King at Newcaftle; all men
feek themfelve above any thing, either private or public,
P- i?0.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON
The King's madnefs has confounded them all ;---the weight
that lies on Mr. Henderfon's heart is known ;---this is
feared to be the fountain of his difeafe. p. 172.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. WILLIAM SPANG.
Oxford, the beft builded and booked univerfity- in the
world, but the worft provided of learned and orthodox
men ;---little hope of peace, or of an end of troubles ; if
the King refufe the propofitions, fad votes are feared,
c 2
xxxvi CONTENTS.
" It will be our endeavours," fays Mr. Baillie, " to
" keep the houfes from fudden conclufions ; they take a
" long time to the fmalleft affairs, but, I fear, they be
" too quick in depofing the King, and fetting a day to the
" Prince. Many of the King's greateft friends think
" his obftinacy judicial, as if, in God's juftice, he were
*' deftroying himfelf. I fear he will down with him, and
" all his pofterity, and monarchy alfo, in this ifle."
Mr. Henderfon is dying of heart-break.--- " Our gran-
" dees are like to be ftate-fchifmatics, and the worft
" fide to be the ftrongeft.---A truly pious and really pu-
" blic man is a rare piece upon earth." p. 173.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
It feems that mod of the Englifh are inclined to declare
againfl the King, and that without much regrete; no
remedy but a quick meflage from the King, granting all
the propofitions; the French ambaffador and his let-
ters taken; the Parliament's agents at Paris write of
leagues between the King and princes on the continent ;
---the belief of thefe things, how falfe foever, equivalent
to the truth ; Ormond's pacification with the Irifh
very unreafonable;-- -the placing about the Prince's per-
fon, Hobbes, a profeffed Atheift, as they fpeak, is ill
taken, p. 176.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ROBERT BLAIR.
In the fame ftrain with the letters to Mr. Henderfon ;--if
CONTENTS. xixvii
the King does not, within a very few days, fend a fimple
and abfolute grant of the propofitions, he will quickly
obtain his defire, a matyrdom; a perpetual clofe prifon
will, at leaft, be his portion ; they ought to be declared
infamous who enfnare the King, by taking any honour,
place, or promife from him, in his prefent condition ;
thofe traiterous whifperers are impudent liars, who
would make the King believe that the fectaries are not
his extremely malicious enemies, burning for the day to
caft him, and all his pofterity, out of England, p. 177.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. WILLIAM MURRAY
OF THE BED-CHAMBER.
Sends a memorandum, in teftimony of his love and compaf-
fion towards a perifhing Prince, and three kingdoms,
ready to fall in extreme miferies. p. 180.
MEMORANDUM
TO MR. WILLIAM MURRAY.
Referred to .in the foregoing letter ; after fome friendly
adrice to Mr. Murray, he adds, if he would be thank-
ful to his matter, that he flatter him not to his ruin ;-
all are willing to have the King deftroyed, if he continue
obftinate;---his partial and qualified grants are taken for
tricks to make new divifions and parties ;---it is exceed-
ingly provoking that his refolutions mould depend upon
France ;--his kingdom will not be governed by packets
from beyond fea;---if he defire not to ruin the innocent
Prince, he ought to bring him quickly out of France;
or, if that is not in his power, to put Hobbes, and fuch
xxrviii. CONTENTS.
v/icked men from about the Prince, and place the beft
men in his fervice;---if he join with Ireland, and en-
deavour to embroil Scotland, the remainder of love and
pity towards him, which is yet in the hearts of many,
will be extinguimed; if Mr. Murray has any regard
for poor Scotland, he mufl endeavour to divert its en-
gagement in a new war;---fuch an engagement would
terminate in the utter defolation of Scotland ; Mr Bail-
lie is earneft that thofe truths mould be reprefented to
the King, becaufe, fays he, " I have many good witnef-
" fes of my refpecls to monarchy, and to King Charles's
" perfon, above many, if not all my fellows." p. 181,
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. WILLIAM SPANG.
Falfity of the reports of Mr. Henderfon's recantation OB
death-bed.--- " I have it," fays Mr. Baillie, " under his
" own hand, a little before his death, that he was ut-
" terly difpleafed with the King's ways, and ever the-
" longer the more." p 1 . 184.
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF PANMURE,
TO
W A R I S T O N.
The King greatly prepoflefled againft Warifton ;---he thinks
that they feek his ruin, who prefs the Covenant on him ;
--report of the King's refolving to go with the French
ambaflador; but it is likely he will take any courle
before he fubmit to the Covenant ;----it is fufpefted that
the army will not obey the orders for retiring, until
they fee the King fettled, with honour and fafety. p 2 85.
CONTENTS.
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF PANMURE,
T O
W A R I S T O N.
The King is refolved to fuffer the worfl, rather than fub-
mit to what is defired of him; much difpleafed with
the proceedings of the Scottifli Parliament, and particu-
larly irritated againft Warifton ; difficulties in which
the kingdom of Scotland may chance to be involved, by
being either forced to take the King into Scotland, or to
leave him without conditions ;---this laft, it is thought,
the foldiers will never do; Chancellor Loudon will
not be fo well received by the King as he deferves.
p. 1 88.
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF PANMURE,
TO
W A R I S T O N.
The King much difpleafed with the refoJutions of the Scot-
tifh Parliament ;---for this Jie blames certain perfbns,
who have endeavoured, to their uttermoft, his ruin;
he is refolved for the worft, and will fuffer any thing,
rather than fubmit to the Covenant;- --it is thought that
the Parliament of England will not be fo rigid, in that
point, as the Parliament of Scotland; if the King be
once from the Scots, they will have but an ill game to
play; his affeclions will be alienated from the nation,
and there will be little help from England ; the King is
fully refolved upon going to Holmby ; he thinks that the
Scots have fold him at too cheap a rate, and have abfo-
lutely quitted their intereft in him. " If," fays Lord
Panmure, " our poftcrity find not the fraart thereof, it
** is well." p. 190.
CHARLES I.
T O
THE LORDS OF SESSION IN SCOTLAND.
CHARLES R.
RIGHT TRUSTY AND WELL BELOVED COU-
SIN AND COUNSELLOR, AND TRUSTY AND
WELL BELOVED, WE GREET YOU WELL,
TY7HEREAS we were formerly plcafed to reqxiirc
the Lords of our Privy Council to give or-
der, by public proclamation, or otherways, as they
fliould think fit, that they, and you of our College
of Juftice, and members thereof, fhould commu-
nicate twice * every year in our chapel at Holy-
roodhoufe ; but now being willing, for good con-
fiderations, that the communion be oftner cele-
brated there, and to nominate fuch times as we
have thought fit for the purpofe, it is our plea-
fure, that every firft Sunday of the months of July
and December yearly, that you prepare and ad-
drefs yourfelves, with your advocates, clerks, wri-
ters, and all other members of that judicatory, to
whom you (hall caufe intimate this our pleafure,
to our faid chapel, to participate of that holy fa-
crament, that others, by your example, may learn
and obferve the laudable order in that cafe pre-
fcribed ; wherein fail not, as ye tender our prince-
ly refpect and pleafure, and as ye will anfwer to
the contrary ; for we will not fuffer you, who
2 CHARLES I. TO THE LORDS OF SESSION.
fhould precede others by your good example, to
be leaders of our other fubjefts to contemn and
difobey the orders of the church. So, requiring
you to caufe thefe our letters to be regiftred in
your books of federunt, we bid you farewel.
From our mannor of Greenwich,
1 3th May, 1634.*
* This order is tranfcribed from the books of 'fecterunt,
or the regifter of the Court of Seflion.
It feems that few of the Lords had obeyed the former
order, calculated for eftablifhing the practice of kneeling at
the communion. This peremptory injunction ferved only to
fiievv that the King was urging a meafure difngreeable to the
lawyers in Scotland ; when he faid " we will not fuffer you
" to be leaders of our other fubjetfs to contemn and dif-
" obey the orders of the church," he notified to the people
that the College of Juftice had contemned his orders and
thofe of the church, and pointed out who were the leaders
in difobedience. Nothing could be more injudicious and in-
politic.
[ 3 ]
ARCHBISHOP LAUD*
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE,f
SALUTEM IN CHRISTO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
X7"ou are much beholden to my Lord Stirling ;
and for myfelf, I did you the beft fervice I
could, and am glad your troublefome fuits are at
* The following letters from Archbifhop Laud to the
Bifhops Bellenden and Maxwell, were made part of the
charge by the Scottifh commiiTioners againft the Archbifhop
in December i 640. It does not however appear, that they
were ever produced in fupport of that charge. See Troubles
and Trial of Laud. p. 89 . 91. The letters are now in a
very imperfect condition ; fome parts of them are worn a-
way, others much defaced ; the editor has, from conjecture,
fupplied a few words, and diftinguifhed them by Italics,
It may be proper to obferve, that the letters contain fome
pafTages relating to the falaries of the choiriflers in the King's
chapel ; fuch paflages do not ferve to illuftrate the hiftory of
thofe times ; they are therefore omitted. For a like rea-
fon, the editor has, in the courfe of this collection, omitted
many paflages which relate to private and uninterefting oc-
currences.
f Son of Sir John Bellenden of Auchnoul, Juflice Cletk,
coniecrated Biftiop of Dunblane in 161 5. Keith's Cata-
logue of Seotti/b Si/bops, p. 79.
A a
4 ABP. LAUD TO BISHOP BELLENDEN. '
an end. I hope that which the King hath novr
done will preferve you againft your preffing necef-
fities, throxigh which I pray God fend you a good
pafFage ; but for Weftminfter foes they did very
much wrong you, whoever they "were, that made
thofe relations to you of that great fum ; for my
former letters told the truth to you.
Concerning yoixr preferment, until another place
falls, lean promife nothing; but I afiure_ys, his
Majcfty hath a very good opinion both of yoii and
your fervice ; and therefore I make no doubt but that
he will take you and your eftate into his confidera-
tion. At this time you have given his Majefty good
content, and he experts that you continue in your
courfe ; let him ftill receive a note who they be
that conform, and who not, for I fee his Majefty
is rcfolved to go conftantly on, and therefore you
mult not fail.
Lambeth, January I4th,
C $ 3
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
TO
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE
SALUTEM IN CHRISTO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
T AM right forry for the death of' the Bifhop of
Edinburgh *, the lofs being very great both to
the King and the church. I acquainted his Ma-
jefty how needful it was to fill that place with an
able fucceffor ; and when mention was made of di-
vers men to fucceed, I did, as you deiire, fhew his
Majefty what your defires were, and what neceffi-
ties lay upon you. After much confederation of
the bufinefs, his Majefty refolved to give the bi-
fhoprick of Edinburgh to my Lord of Brechin f ;
and for yourfelf, he commanded me to write ex-
prefly to you, that he did not take it well, that,
contrary to his exprefs commands, you had omit-
ted prayer in his chapel royal according to the En-
* William Forbes, firft Bifhop of Edinburgh, a perfon of
diftinguifhed merit. See preface to the life of Bifhop Bedel
by Bifhop Burnet.
f David Lindfay, confecrated in 1619. Of him Dr. Ar-
thur Johnfton thus fpeaks,
Nee tlbi Presbyteri minuit, Lindfoee, labores t
nee mores mutat honoris apfx.
A 3
6 ARCHBISHOP LAUD TO
glifh Liturgy, with fome other omiflions there,
which pleafe him not ; befides, his Majefty hath
heard that there have been lately fome differences
in Edinburgh about the fufferings of Chrift, &c. *
and that your Lordfhip was fome caufe of them ;
or, at leaft, fuch an occafion as might have bred
much difturbance, if the late Bifhop of Edinburgh
his care and temper had not moderated it ; and
this his Majefty is not well pleafed with neither :
and this hath been the caufe, as I conceive, why
his Majefty hath paffed you over in this remove ;
and you fhall do very well to apply yourfelf better
both to his Majefty's fervice, and the well order-
ing of the church, left you give juftsoccafion to
the King to pafs you by when any other remove
falls. I am very forry that I muft write thus unto
you, but the only way of help lies in yourfelf and
your own carriage ; and therefore, if you will not
be careful of that, I do not fee what any friend can
be able to do for you. Therefore, not doubting
but you will take thefe things into ferious conude-
* The ufe which the Scottim commiflioners made of
this letter is remarkable. They faid that Laud " taxed
" BelJenden for his boldnefs in preaching the found doc-
" trine of the reformed kirks againft Mr. Mitchell, who had
" taught the error of Arminius in the point of the extent
" of the merit of Chrift." To this Laud anfwered," They
" mould do well to mow my letter, and then 1 will anfwer
" to any thing in it. " Troubles and Trial of Laud..
page 90.
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE. 7
ration, for your own good, Heave you to the grace
of God, and reft
Your Lordfhip's
very loving friend and brother,
W. CANT.
Lambeth, May 6th,
1634,
A 4
[ 8 ]
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
SALUTEM IN CHRISTO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
"V/1 Y hafte at this time forces me to write very'
briefly. And thefe are to let you know, that
I writ nothing in my former letter but as the King
was informed, and myfelf by him commanded. I
have now read your Lordfhip's letters to his Ma-
jefty, which hath in fome part fatisfied him, but
not altogether.
And for the firft, his Majefty faith, that though
the gentlemen of the chapel royal did abfent them-
felves for fear of arrefts, having not to pay, and
that that might hinder the fervice in the chapel in
a folemn and formal way of iinging by them ; yet
his Majefty thinks you might have got a chaplain
of your own to have read the Englifh Liturgy,
that fo the work, for the main part of it, might
have gone on ; and for the payment of thefe men,
I think your Lordlhip knows I have done all the
good offices I can, but have it not in my power to
mend all the difficulties of the times.
Concerning the difturbance that was in Edin-
burgh, if any wrong was done your Lordfhip, that
muft lye upon them who mifreprefented you to the
King, whoever they were ; and however the King
took it not ill that you advifed the then Bifhop of
ABP. LAUD TO BISHOP BELLENDEN. 9
Edinburgh, to appeafe the differences, for that was
very worthy and difcreetly done by you. But, as
far as I remember, the charge laid upon you to
the King, was, that in your own fermon, which
you preached about that time, you did rather fide
with one party, than either reprefs or compofe the
difference ; though I muft needs confefs to your
Lordmip, that, by reafon of the multitude of bu-
finefs which lye upon me, I cannot charge my me-
mory with the particulars.
You have done very well to acquaint the Lords
of Council and Seffion, &c. with his Majefty's re-
folution concerning the communion in the chapel
royal ; and I doubt not, if you continue to do that
which his Majefty looks for in the courfe of your
church, and which is moft juft and fit to be done,
but thatjou will eafily recover his Majefty's fa-
vour, and find the good of it. So, in hafte, I leave
you to the grace of God ; and reft
Your Lordfhip's
very loving friend and brother,
W. C A N T,
Lambeth, July ift,
1634.
C 10 3
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE,
T HAVE a fecond time moved his Majefty concern-
* ing them that obeyed or difobeyed his com-
mands in receiving the communion in the chapel
at Holyroodhoufe, and you fhall not fail to re-
ceive his Majefty 's anfwer by my Lord of Rofs ; fo
that I fhall not need to be further troublefomc to
you in that particular.
Croydon, October 4th,
1634.
[ II 1
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
TO
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
SALUTEM IN CHRISTO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
JAM very glad to hear your resolutions for the
ordering of his Majefty's chapel royal, and that
you are refolved to wear your whites, notwith-
ftanding the malicioufnefs of foolifh men. I know
his Majefty will take your obedience and care very
well ; and being fully fatisfied both concerning
your fermon, and all things elfe committed to your
truft, you may, as opportunity ferves, expect from
his Majefty all reafonable things ; and I fhall not
be wanting to give you all the affiftance that I can
upon all occafions ; of which I heartily pray yow
not to doubt.
Lambeth, January I2th.
C 12 ]
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
BELLENDEN, BISHOP OF DUNBLANE.
SAEUTEM IN CHRISTO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
r pHE King has been acquainted with your care of
* the chapel royal, and is very well pleafed with
the conformity which hath been there at the laft
reception of the blefied facrament; and, for my
part, I am heartily glad to fee in what a fair way
the church bufinefs now are in thofe parts. I hope,
if the Bifhops be pleafed to continue their good
example, and their care, all things will fettle be-
yond expectation.
The King hath declared his pleafure concerning
your Bifhopricks now void, and hath given you the
bifhoprick of Aberdeen, as you will learn more at
large by my lord of Rofs ; but, being an univeHI-
ty, and a place of confequence, he will have you
reiide there, and relies much upon you for your
well-ordering that place. I am very glad the King
hath been fo mindful of you, and given you fo
good a teftimony upon this occafion of your re-
move. So I leave you to the grace of God, and
reft Your Lordfhip's
very loving friend and brother,
W. C A N T.
Lambeth, May ipth,
1635-
ARCHBISHOP LAUD
T O
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
SALUTEM IN CHR1STO.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
TV It Y Lord Stirling is not yet come, but I have ac-
** quainted his Majefty in what forwardnefs
your Liturgy there is, and with what approbation
it is like to come forth. And, by the King's com-
mand, I have fent for Young the printer, the bet-
ter to prepare him to make ready a black letter,
and to bethink himfelf to fend to his fervants at
Edinburgh, that fo, againft the Lord Stirling's com-
ing all things might be in the better readinefs,
which is all the fervice I can do till his Lordfhip
come.
I am very glad your Canons are alfo in fo good
a readinefs, and that the true meaning of that one
Canon remains ftill under the curtain. I hope you
will take care that it may be printed and paffed
with the reft. 'Twill be of great ufe for the fettling
of that church.*
* Concerning this the Scots commiflioners thus fpeak ;
" There be fome things more fpecial, worthy to be adverted
" unto, for difcovering his fpirit. Firft, the fourth CANOX
" of Ch. 8. For af much as no reformation in dottrine or
*' difciplin: can be made perfect at once in any church,
i 4 ARCHBISHOP LAUD TO
I thank you for your care of Dr. Wedderburn;*
he is very able to do fervice, and will certainly do
it, if you can keep up his heart. I was in good>
hope he had been confecrated, as well as my Lord
of Brechin, f but I perceive he is not ; what the
reafon is I know not, but 'tis a thoufand pities that
thofe uncertainties abide with him. I pray com-
mend my love to him, and tell him, I would not
" therefore itJJjail and may be lawful for the kirk of Scot-
" land, at any time, to make remonftrances to his Majefty
" or hisfucce/ors, &c. becaufe this Canon holds the door
" open to more innovations ; he writes to the Prelate 1 of
" Rofs, his prime agent in all this work, of his great
" gladnefs, that this Canon did (land behind the curtain ;
" and his great defire, that this Canon might be printed
" fully, as one that was to be mod ufeful."
Laud's anfwer to this charge is remakable. " As for
" that phrafe, faid to be in my letter, that this Canon did
" Jland behind the curtain-, it was thus occafioned. My
" Lord the Bifhop of Rofs writ unto me, from the Arch-
*' bifhop of St. Andrews, that no words might be made of
" this Canon; (what their reafon was, they beft know ; )
" I returned anfwer, belike, in this fort ; that the Canon
" Jlood behind the curtain, and would not be thoroughly
" underftood by every man, yet advifed the printing, in re-
" gard of the neceffary ufe of it." Troubles and 'Trlil of
Laud. p. I oi.
* James Wedderburn, Profeflbr of Divinity in the uni-
verfity of St. Andrews, Biihop of Dunblane in i 636.
. f Walter Whitefurd, Siihop of Brechin in 1634.
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS, 15
have him ftick at any thing, for the King will not
leave him long at Dunblane after he hath once
fettled the chapel right, which I fee will fettle a-
pace, if he keep his footing. My letters are gone
to the Bifhop of Aberdeen, by the King's com-
mand, to defert his proteftation concerning the
chapel, and to leave the rents prefently to Dr. Wed*
dcrburn ; and 'twill not be long ere letters come
from the King to take off the annats from the bi-
fhopricks ; and Dr. Forbes being the late Bifhop's
executor, being a worthy man, may be better con-
fidered fome other way. As for the annats of the
minifters, the King is refolveu not to touch them
at this time.
Concerning that which you mention about fit*
ting of the chapel, both filver veflels and other or-
naments, upon the fale now to be made of fome
fluff of the King's ; I think my Lord of St. An-
drews will very fhortly receive a letter, under the
King's hand, tcr give power for all that you defire ;
and then, if you do not fee the chapel Well fur-
nifhed, the blame for ever be yours.
The Bifhop of Brechin is come, and my Lord of
St. Andrews hath written at large by him, and I
have given my Lord's Grace anfwer to all the par-
ticulars as well as I can. Indeed, my Lord, I hold
nothing certain at court till it be done ; yet I have
that affiance in my Lord Marquis, that I am confi-
dent that he will pafs Arbrothe, full and whol-
ly, precincts and all, and his Majefty is of the fame
opinion with me. Therefore I hope that both my
Lord of St. Andrews fear and yours is caufdefs.
16 ARCHBISHOP LAUD TO
The next paffage in your letter is only an exprcf-
fion of an apprehenfion which you feem to en-
tertain that if they can bring you into difgracc
with the King, they "will find eafier paffage to dam-
nify the church. I pray trouble not yourfelf with
thefe conceits, but ferve God and the King, and
leave the reft to their p'roteftion. It may be fuch
a fear were fitter for me, and perhaps I have jufter
caufe of apprehenfion, would I give way to fuch
thoughts.
In the next paffage you are more confident ;
hold you there, and let no man ftagger you in the
fervice of God and the King. But whereas you
write that fome which have promifed and proteft-
ed fair to me concerning the church, have in all
judicatures, fince your laft return, gone againft the
church, I pray name them ; for I am loth to mif-
take perfons ; and then I mail not fpare to acquaint
the King with what they do ; and, in the mean
time, you have no caufe to doubt, either the change
of the King's countenance, or his giving full cre-
dit to any againft the church, till the church be
heard.
You need not fear any thing in my Lord of Rox-
burgh's bufinefs, for I do not believe the King will
eret any other biihoprick in hafte. God blefs him,
and make him able to better thofe which are al-
ready, and ftand in need of help. I do not hear
of any alteration to the leffer or the more about
the exchequer there ; but fhould there be any, I
have moved his Majefty that nothing be concluded
till my Lord of St. Andrews judgment be known,
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS. 17
according as you delire. As for the inftance you
make in the annuity of tithes, I read that alfo to
the King ; and you cannot but remember that the
King hath faid enough to you. That part
be enough.
My Lord, for the clofe of your letter, all that I
can fay is this, my affiftance you fhall have in all
juft and honourable ways for the church; but the
King is fo gracious of himfelf, that you may be
better able at any time to do your own buflnefs with
him, than I am able to do it for you, being not
able to underftand many difficulties of your bufi-
nefles. Yet, confidering my prefcnce is here, where
yours cannot always be, I lliall be ever ready to
ferve you, as I have been, that is, to the utmoft of
my power. So, wifhing you all health and happi-
nefs, I leave you to the grace of God, and reft
Your Lordfhip's
very loving friend and brother,
W. CANT.
Croydon, Sept. ipth,
VOL II.
[ 18 ]
JUXON, BISHOP OF LONDON,
TO
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
TTPON the receipt of your former letters, I pre-
^ fently repaired to my Lord's Grace of Can-
terbury, and got a difpatch of what you defired to
have contained in your Common Prayer Book. I
hope ere this it hath found the way to Edinburgh,
that your proof ftand not ftill ; for I was enforced
with fignification of the hafte it required to leave
the way of conveyance upon his Grace, becaufe,
my letters coming from Newmarket, where the
court then was, by an unknown hand, I knew not
well how to get it returned.
With your letter of the 6th of this month I re-
ceived your Book of Canons, which, perchance, at
firft will make more noifc than all the cannons in
Edinburgh-caftle ; but when mens ears have been
ufed a while to the found of them, they will not
ftartle fo much at it, as now at the firft ; and,
perchance, find them as ufeful for prefervation of
the church, as the others for the commonweal.
Our prayers here are for the happy proceedings in
that great fervice ; wherewith I reft
Your Lordfhip's aflured friend,
to ferve you,
GUL. LONDON.
London-houfe, 1 7 th February, 1635.
[ '9 3
THE EARL OF STIRLING,
SECRETARY OF STATE,
TO
MAXWELL, BISHOP OF ROSS.
RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, AND
MY VERY GOOD LORD,
T THANK you very heartily for your Book of the
Canons, which I received yefternight. I was
prefent in the morning when my Lord of Canter-
bury delivered the Book to the King, which, as
Toon as his Majefty had read fome part of it, he de-
livered unto me ; and I was glad to hear him ib
well pleafed therewith. I find fome errors in the
printer, by miftaking or renverlmg the letters ; and
therefore have the more care in looking to that in
printing of the Service-Book, for Young the prin-
ter is the greateft knave that ever I dealt with ; and
therefore truft nothing to him nor his fervants
but what of neceffity you muft, &c. *
* The reft of this letter is of no moment. The reader
may be furprized to fee that the only concern of the Secre-
tary of State feems to be about fome fmall typographical
errors committed in printing of the Canons ; but it muft be
remembered that Lord Stirling was himfelf an author, and
that by mentioning thofe errors he (howed that he had revi-
fed the book.
B 2
[ 20 J .
JOHN D E MARIA
[A feigned name]
T o
A PERSON UNKNOWN,
SIGNIOR MIO ILLUSS^o,
A FTER the clofingup of my other, there came
a flying report of my Lord Treasurer's down
coming, which I could not believe, until the next
day, that I received yours, bearing date 4th Fe-
bruary, whereby I found he had got his difpatch ;
and that fame day, being Monday laft, we learned
for certain that he touched at Edinburgh upon
Wednefday the I4th, from whence he went to
Stirling, where he was to declare his Majefty's
commandments at the council-table upon Tuefday
laft, being the 2oth of this inftant ; what they are,
or what effect they will work, we do not know,
nor cannot gueis as yet ; but as for himfelf, it ap-
pears he hath both good friends above and ftrength
of favour ; for, to my knowledge, thofe who know
him beft in this part did fear deadly that he mould
not have come fo fairly off. It is thought the Ju-
fiice-Clerk,* whom he took along with him, hath
not done him the worft offices ; you may imagine
how. It is given out that his Lordfhip hath under-
taken to fettle all thefe turmoils, to the quiet and
contentment of all parties ; but whether he will be
* Hamilton of Orbifton.
J. DE MARIA TO A PERSON UNKNOWN. 2 1
able to perform the fame, to the reparation of his
Majefty's honour, in all points, to the eye of the'
world, dubitat Augujlinus. Indeed it is fuppofed,
that the now moft defolate city of Edinburgh ihall
feel the firft brunt of his Majefty's indignation ;
fourteen of the principal potentates ftaid there all
this while bygone, until his down coming; and
whereas their Provoft attempted, by a political
trick to break that combination betwixt the bo-
dy of the town and them, what vile indignities
they threatened him, withal therefore, I wjll for-
bear to fpecify, becaufe the circumftances are tedi-
ous, and I make no queftion but you have heard
fomething thereof already. Marry, it is moft like
that intended contention of theirs fhall be dafht
and diffipated by him ; for men do think his Lord-
ihip will be better advifed nor Qhan] to give them
another act under his hand, as he did in the be-
ginning of winter laft, to be their warrant to that
effect ; an act, which if it had been duly notified urv-
to, and well fcanned by his Majefty, it is moft like,
with reverence of his great friends be it thought,
that he fhould not have made fo fair a retreat.
The Bifhops were gone to Stirling, and attending
his Majefty's fervice very devoutly, before he came;
but it is thought their late chofen champion is fair
to befh the barrafs * again, and that complot
* Part of a child's fwaddling cloaths fo termed in the
Scottifli language. I do not underftand the reft of the feo-
tence, which is proverbial.
B 3
22 J. DE MARTA TO A PERSON UNKNOWN.
likely to be fmothered in the loode, and worried in
the hofe, as being incompatible with this man's per-
feverant grandeur and profperity. What further
I can learn hereanent, [concerning this 3 I will
make bold to acquaint you withal, as occafion of-
fers, thereby intending only to fatisfy your curiofl-
ty, as one who otherwife means not to intermeddle
with thefe jars, being perfuaded your greateft ambi-
tion, for the prefent, is only to effectuate your own
private affairs ; the happy iffue whereof fhall ever
be among the chiefeft of his vorldly wifhes, who.
{hall ever continue,
Signior mio t
di voftra Signorla Vhumillimofervitorft
JOAN. DEM ARIA.
From whence I writ the former,
2 3 d February, 1638,
C 23 ]
J. D E MARIA
A feigned name]
T o
A PERSON UNKNOWN,
MONSEIGNEUR,
'VT'ouR worthy friend Monfieur UEvefque paft by
here in fuch hafte as I had not leifure to kifs
his hands, and tender my fervice to him by mouth,
much lefs unto you by writing; and verily he had
r a afon, not only coniidering how requifite we ima-
gine his prefence was above with you, but alfo,
that befide the dangers he paft before he arrived
in thefe parts, what plots were inftantly laid here
to interrupt him, which might be cleared by no
fmall probability, if either he, or they, or his ma-
fter (whofe honour it concerns moft) were curious
to put the fame to trial. As for the principal plot-
ter we are now rid of him at laft ; I know not
whether you would have been better pie ale d to
have been rid of him fooner, or that he had lived
longer. At that very time when he paffed by here,
they were at the very heat of the conglutination of
their leagues and bands ; and he would- acquaint
you by tongue with fuch particulars as were im-
parted unto him concerning their demeanour in
this country; for I fuppofe you got not much
written unto you. You may remember I was not,
much deceived in my conjecture concerning the
B 4
24 J. DE MARIA TO
fruits of their convention in March laft ; of two,
principal points which I imagined, to wit, the re-
newing of their petition, and entering in a confe-
deration among themfelves. The firft was con-
cluded upon, and my Lord Napier was the man
deflgned for the prefenting thereof, who finding -
the lame too hot ( as we ttnderftand ) for his fin-
gers, and none elfe willing to undergo that charge,
they changed their copy, and contented themfelves
to prefent their condolances to 'the Triumviri, I
mean thefe three grandees of our nation, who are
thought to have the principal rule of his Majefty's
eares, who, (without offence be it written) are fup-
pofed, by many and good fubjecis, to tender more
the fafety of their friends, followers, and favou-
rites in this kingdom, nor [than] they do their
matter's honour, which is now, in a manner, at
the bar of fame, both at home and abroad) and
are fufpecled to be more prone to feed thefe mens
private follies and fancies, tending, with the dif-
grace and ruin of our Prelates, to the overthrow
of all his father's and his own royal defigns, nor
[than] to fecond the projects of a mafter to whom
they have fo fupereminent an obligation. I pray
God in this we may be deceived, but the fhrewd
rumours of the behaviour of the fecond greateft
make many men very doubtful. As for this gene-
ral bond of ours, now called the Covenant, as I
writ to you in my laft, his Majefty needs not dream
of any other means to undo the fame than what I
writ then, viz. Gordio nodo enfis Akxandrinus. In
A PERSON UNKNOWN. 25
the mean time, this long boggling and irrefolution
( for fo people do take it ) makes many doubtful
whether he be difpofed to break the fame, and re-
fcnt the wrong which is done him thereby in a true
degree or not, which is the caufe that a thoufand
and a thoufand are come in within this month, and
fubfcribed the fame, who, otherways, had undoubt-
edly flood out. If you faw under what terrible ma-r
lediftions they bind themfelves to the performance
of the tenor thereof you would admire, which, if
it had not been a little -bill of fome four fheets of
paper, you fhould have been witnefs to it yourfelf,
for I thought to have fent it up with thefe pre-
fents ; and if you knew what odd, uncouth, info-
lent, and ridiculous courfes they ufe to draw in fil-
ly ignorant fools, fearful fafards, women and boys,
I can hardly fay whether it would afford his Ma-
jefty more occafion of laughter or anger. The
pafTages in this country would take up as much
bounds as the bond above-written ; fo that ex ungue
leonem ; you may judge, this being among the evil
beft, the reft would require a juft hiftorical volume.
You could not have chufed but laugh to have
feen pipers and candle-makers in our town com-
mitted to the town-jail, by our zealous Mr, Mayor ;
and herdmen and hiremcn laid in the flocks, up
and down the country, and all for refufing to put
their hand, to the pen, as a thoufand have done,
who cannot write indeed ; and yet you would have
laughed better, to have feen the wives in Edin-
burgh, ( if, permijju fuperiorum, you might have
been prefent thereat ) fo many of them as could
26 J. DE MARIA TO
not fubfcribe (for fuch as could, have done it or-
d.-rly indeed at a fermon on Sunday was a fort-
night) hold all up their hands when the Covenant
(for f- they ca' : d it) was read, as foldiers d-
they pafi rmiftcr. In the Weft Country they \viil
give no paiTenge" either meat, drink, or lou./.nj,
for his money, until he firft give them afiurance
that he is a member of this unchriitian Covenant,
You will not believe what fums they raife, by way
of contribution, for maintenance of their commif-
floners, clerks, poftilions, and other members of
ftate, and yet they are not at the height of their
levies ; for we think verily their hooking in of wo-
men, boys, aged and impotent perfons, is not only
to fright his Majefty, and all their adverfaries,
with the opinion of an invincible and incredible
multitude ; as alfo, thereby to induce thofe who
yet are fomewhat averfe to join with them, bur like-
wife to cottile and ftent them in their goods, who
otherwife, when matters come to the upihot, are
not able to do great perfonal fervice. This laft
week hath been the bufieft of all others among
them ; and they have told thefe who have flood
out (and that by way of threatning) that perhaps
hereafter, when they would come in upon their
knees, it is a qusftion if they will get quarters ; and
divers of them ftick not to fpeak it out, that they
are as well friendfted in England as the King liim-
felf, albeit we do verily think thefe are but their ac-
cufromed brags : for I am verily perluadcd, except
it be fome private fanatical Puritans, if the braver
fort of the malecontems in his Majcfty's other do-
A PERSON UNKNOWN. 27
minions were rightly informed of their fenfelefs in-
folent fopperies, they would, for very ihame, difdain
to have any correfpondence with fuch giddy-head-
ed gowks.* This Wednefday next, the i8th of
this inftant, is the day appointed for the gathering
of the commiffioners over the whole kingdom, to
meet at Edinburgh, and give in their mufter-rolls,
which are of two forts, to wit, both of thefe who
have fubicribed the Covenant, and thofe who have
not. You may judge whether we of the latter fort
are in a good taking, when an infolent clavering
[tatlingj puppy, whofe wife is a fifter of our fhe-
riff's (whofe deportments, for many refpects, I re-
grete moft of any man's in this countiy) and who
qualifies himfelf as his joint-commiffioner for this
fhire, dared be fo pert as to come down to our
church, and there, feeing how few were like to
concur with them, fay, that he deiired but the
names of thofe who fhould refufe to fubfcribe, with
a note of their worths in means or otherways, and
let them alone to take order with them. Thefe,
and divers other of their arrogant frumps, had
not been fo eafily digefted by the hearers, if they
had been well affured that the King, whom all men
counts moft interefted in the bufinefs, were refo-
lute to take his own part. And I muft tell you, en
pajjknt, that my Lord Balmerino's bufinefs is very
much inftanced even now, and the fmall thanks
which thofe got who were moft forward againft
him, and the light animadverilon of his mifdemea-
* Properly a cuckow, ufed for a filly fellow.
28 J. DEM ARIA TO
nour makes his conforts now more bold, and ma
ny; otherwife well-affefted to the King, more cold.
But to come back to his Majefty's intereft in this
'bufinefs ; I am fure he cannot be infenfible how
much it concerns him to carry this bufinefs a haut
luift, as a brave Prince fhould, when matters come
to fuch an extremity, as a care whereupon depends
not only the keeping of this unhappy kingdom,
but both the other two, who will not fail to berth"
themfelves, when they fee fuch beggarly fnakes
dare put out their horns ; befides ( that which a
generous prince fhould prize moft ) the hazard of
his reputation all Europe over. He needs not think
to carry matters any length by proclamations ; but
if, inftead of thefe three or four which were fent
down in winter and about Shrove-tide laft, he had
fent down as many of his good mips, this matter
had been at an end or now, without ftriking a
ftroke ; but now what remedy, for at the beft
cheap, expedit aliquos mori pro popuh, ant alitcr imi-
verfa gens peribit. He is wife enough to difcern
who they are that have engaged him in thofe tem-
peftuous turmoils ; and there are now able men
enough gone up to him, who can paint all parties
in their true colours. As for our Treafurer, and
the grand M c Allan O More, Prince Major of Ar-
galoufia,* moft good fubjects hope, that if they be
entertained according to their deferts, they will not
fee Scotland for a year next to come, or if they do,
that it mall be to pafs their time in one of his Ma-
* The Earl, afterwards Marquis of Argyle.
A PERSON UNKNOWN. 29
jefly's befl-built houfes ; a courfe which the holy
brotherhood of Edinburgh are very doubtful of
concerning the latter, and therefore prays for his
fafe return at any rate. But becaufe I have pricked
a note too high in this fubjecl: already, here I will
flop ; the end of this fide (which I thought fhould
have remained blank when I began the other) put-
ting me in mind to make an end of this tedious
rabble, for the defects whereof, as being written
raptim, in great hafle, I muft implore your pardon.
And fo, with the remembrance of my beft wifhes
for the good fuccefs of all good intentions which
concerns either you or yours, je vous baife les mains t
en demeurant tousjours de mJmefafon t
Monfeigneur,
votre tres humble,
et tres affeftionne ferviteur,
JEANDE MARIA.
None of the two which were Tent up laft unto
you are as yet come down, whereat we wonder
not a little, efpecially of the Barons flay. I cannot
tell whether we, that have the honour to"be count-
ed your friends, long more to fee you, or hear
from you, or thofe who ought to have the honour
to be accounted his Majefly's good fubjels do
long to know his refolutions anent thefe premifes. -
A VGtre Maifon t ce 1 6me Avril,
1638.
C 30 ]
JO. D E M A R I A
[A feigned name]
T O
A PERSON UNKNOWN.
MONSEIGNEUR,
T RECEIVED your laft of the 2 ift upon Saturday
laft, being the laft day of the laft month, which
gave an unexpected period (or rather truce) unto
our troublefome treaty. We fuppofe this relache
will not be very durable ; and, indeed, moft men
regard it but as a breathing fpace by mutual con-
fent of both fides. What paft fince (and a little
before) my Lord Commifiioner's * down-coming
until that time, if you know not fully, which I can-
not believe but you do, afk at Vox Popu/i, who
hath imparted his mind more freely to a friend in
a corner, nor [than] I thought fitting to do to you,
who, if your pleafure and leifure think it worthy
the perufal, will impart the fame unto you. I know
your friends have acquainted you thoroughly how
matters go in thefe parts, and how we are flan-
dered with a counter-covenant ; and what real pre-
paration our furly and fupercilious adverfaries are
making to diffipate our imaginary conjunction, e-
fpecially our domineering Dictator, who hath made
a magazine, or rather arfenal, of pikes, halberts,
* The Marquis of Hamilton.
J. DE MARIA TO A PERSON UNKNOWN. 31
mufkets, with powder and bullet by the boll f in
his own town, and for his own followers, and all
the great men of the country, fometime our neigh-
bours, but now his aflbciates and part-fellows,
are doing the like ; how unable (I mean for lack
of the like proviflon ) we are to refift the juftly
feared fury of thefe brutifh bedlamites, you may
judge, and to recove^ any thing within the coun-
try it is impofiible, neither without, except wherr
you are for the prefent ; I know your friends have
fignified fo much unto you, with their opinion
which way it were beft to addrefs the fame hither,
which I judge they would advife you to fend weft-
ward to the fea-port next to his Majefty's houfc
whereof you have the charge ; J yet I think the
fhorter and furer cut were eaftward to Newcaftle,
and from thence, over land, to his Majefty's own
caftle of Carliile, where people might be ferved
pour argent comptant ; yet ambo is good Latin j
which yet is to be rejected as a wild and idle pro-
ject, nnlefs his Majefty be fully refolved to vindi-
cate his honour (for the prefent miferably eclipfed)
from the contempt and calumnies of all his Chri-
ftian neighbours, and unchriftian fubjecls. I doubt
not but you will get an inkling of his princely
j- I am not fure as to this word ; it feems liker belly t
which, however is unintelligible.
\ This fea-port is probably Greenock, and his Majejiys
boufg, Dumbarton- caftle; upon that fuppofition, thfs lettef
is addrefled to the Duke of Lennox,
3 2 J. DE MARIA TO
intentions, and accordingly acquaint your poor
friends what they may expect, or how they fhall
behave themfelves. As for the hunting nags you
write of, I am in good hopes to fit myfelf, though
not fo well as need were, but except the match
hold the charge were very unneceiTary ; for which
caufe one and all of us look for a watch- word very
fhortly. In expectation whereof, with the conti-
nuance of my beft wiihes for the welfare of your
perfon, and thofe who are nigheft unto you, and
the happy fuccefs of your affairs, je vous baife let
mains, demeurant au refte,
Monfeigneur,
votre tres humble,
ft tres affeclionne ferviteur,
JO. DE MARIA,
MONSEIGNEUK, v
1 PU T you in mind of another poftfcript in my laft,
how there is a noble and an able young gentleman,
whofe being fhould be in the uppermoft end of this
Ihire, ( his father is he who promifed to putrify
votre chere mcitiS} whofe fidelity and affection to-
wards his Majefty's fervice is, at this time, fo much
the more confpicuous, becaufe there is none of
note in the country where he lives, who have not
bowed their knees to this Covenant of Ba^l, ex-
cept himfelf and his uncle (who, you know, is of
my neareft friends) and none nor they in greater
danger, both of their perfons and eftates, if things
A PERSON UNKNOWN. 3$
fall foul : for the ydurtg man, all his friends (ex-
cept my friend his uncle ) have left him flick-
ing in the briers this laft term, thereby thinking
either to ruin him, or force him to renounce his
allegiance ; and that which incenfed them moft a-
gainft him was, becaufe he fhewed himfelf more
than ordinarily ftout in all occurrents where fuch
matters came in head, as fome of your own fpecial
friends can teftify, how, without being put to it,
he poftponed his nigheft alliance , to fide with
fome that concerns you ; moreover, he made all
his country people renounce the Covenant, in de-
fpight of their minifters and neighbours, who had
induced them to it$ and that by only afTuring them
how it was againft the King's authority, wherein
he opened a way for others to do the like, if they
had been alike loyally difpofed ; his demeanour,
therefore, in that kind, deferves to be fpecially
taken notice of; and whereas meaner perfons are
thanked mediately, one of his quality deferves par-
ticular thanks immediately, and that by a particular
letter from his Majefty, to encourage him to per-
fevere as he hath begun, and to give afFurance that
he fhall find he hath not made a bad exchange
in lofing the affection of his friends for his Maje-
fty 's fervice. I could wifh you could endear him
by the procurement hereof, as alfo to infert him
in your commiffion, and get him graced with what
other public employment one of his parts can be
capable of; for you may pafs your word both for
his fidelity and ability to difcharge what he under-
takes, as I dare do mine for his real affection and
VOL, II. C
$4 J.DE MARIA TO A PERSON UNKNOWN.
requital of thankful offices towards yourfelf, and
for his uncle likewife ; whom once again recom-
mending loyally to your good remembrance, efpe-
cially the nephew, I mod humbly take my leave
From your Houfe and mine*
the 6th of July, 1638.
I could wifh, in cafe matters came to actual con
teftation, that you purchafed a particular to take
our Dictator, and his new planted prophet, by the
iieck, brev i mamt, and that upon the narrative
which I infert in my laft.
C 35 ]
MR. DAVID MITCHELL,
ONE OF THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH,*
TO
DR. JOHN LESLY, BISHOP OF RAI>HOE.f
MY LORD,
T^HIS is the firft occafion I have found to anfwer
your laft kind letters. I can do no more but
humbly thank your Lordlhip for the iinccre pro-
* Depofed by the General Aflembly 1638. According
to Mr. Robert Baillie's MS. journal, it was proved, that he
had long grieved the whole land with the doctrine of Armj-
nianifm in all its heads ; that he had profefled feveral points
of Popery; and had declined the General A/Terribly, which
Was, of itfelf, held a fufEcient caufe for deprivation. In
fpeaking of Mr. Mitchell, the Moderator, Mr. Alexander
Henderfon, obferved, " That there were two forts of Ar-
" minianifm ; one, that troubled the churches in the Low
" Countries, which was nothing elfe but the way of Socini-
" anifm, and Socinianifmus inchoatus eft Arminianifrnus
" confociatus. Another fort of Arminianifm maintained
*' by fome in England and Scotland, which pointeth to Po-
" pery, and is inchoatus Paplfmni" -r- Mr. Mitchell was
confecrated Bifhop of Aberdeen in 1662, and died in
the following year. Keith's Catalogue of Scots Bijhops.
page 79.
f Dr. John Lefly, Bifhop of the Ifles in 1628, tranflated
to the fee of Raphoe in 1 6 3 3 ; he died 1671, aged i oo and
C i
3 6 MR. DAVID MITdHELL TO
fers of yonr undefervcd kindnefs. Truly it is lifcd
enough I fhall be brought to that neceffity to leave
my charge here, and then there is no man to whom
I will be more willing to be beholden. It would
make any man's ears to tingle to hear what a piti-
ful plague this church and kingdom are in.
The greater part of the kingdom have fubfcri-
bed, and the reft are daily fubfcribing, a covenant.
It is the oath of the King's houfe 1580, with
ilrangc additions, a mutual combination for refi-
ilance of all novations in religion, doctrine, and
difcipline, and rites of worfhip that have been
brought in fince that time ; fo as if the leaft of
the fubfcribers be touched, and there be fome of
them not ten years of age, and fome not worth,
two pence, that all fhall concur for their defence,
and for the expulfion of all Papifts and adverfa-
ries (that is all that will not fubfcribe) out of the
church and kingdom, according to the laws, where-
of an hundred are cited in the Charta. This
goes on apace. The true paftors are brought into
Edinburgh, to cry out againft us wolves ; and they,
with our brethren here, Mr. Andrew Ramfay,
Mr. Henry Rollock, and your whilome friend the
Principal,f (crying out that they are neither good
upwards. " His fecond fon was the renowned Charles
" Lefly, who has made his name famous by the many cu-
" rious books with which he has gratified the public after
" the 1688." Keith's Catalogue of Scots BiJJjops. p. 17).
f Mr. John Adamfon, Principal of the College of Edia-
bufgh.
DR, J. LESLY, BISHOP 0? RAPHOE. 37
phriftians nqr good fubjec"ls that do not fubfcribe,
nay, nor in covenant with God) have made us fo
odious, that we dare not go on the ftreets. I have
been dogged by fome gentlemen, and followed with.
many mumbled threatnings behind my back, and
then when in ftairs, fwords drawn, and " if they
" had the Papift villain, oh !"
Yet I thank God, I am living to ferve God, and
fhe King, and the church, and your Lordfhip,
Your Chief * is .chief in this bufinefs. There is no-
thing expected here but civil war. There is no
meeting of council ; the Chancellor may not with
fafety attend it, nor any Bifhop ; the very name is
more odious among old and young than the de-
vil's. Galloway takes fhelter under the Treafyrer's
wings ; he draws him out to known danger, and
then makes a {hew of protection. Rofs keeps
at home ftill, and keeps up the fervice in his ca-
thedral, but I fear he mall not be able long. What
was told your Lordfliip of his difclaiming the Book
was moft falfe ; Dun and he never fpoke together.
Concerning th,e other point of your poftfcript,
that the Book is a tranfcript of King Edward's
Bpqk, that is not true neither. I know my Lord
of Rofs fent a copy of ours to your Lordfliip, and
the other you may have and compare them. They
* Your Chief, Lefly, Earl of Rothes. Chancellor, Spotif-
wood, Archbiftiop of St. Andrews. Galloway, Sydeferf ?
Bifhop of Galloway. Treafurer, Earl of Traquair. Rofs,
Maxwell, Bifhop of Rofs. Dun, q. if Erskine of Dun.
C 3
3 8 MR. MITCHELL TO DR. LESLY.
are fomewhat like in the communion, and great
need there was to return to it propter Sacramento.-
rios ; but now, when all fhall be difcharged, Ser-
vice-book, Canons, and High Commiffion, they
will not reft there, there is fbme other defign in
their hearts.
There are ftill here 500 commiffioners of the
ftates ; they relieve one another by courfe, as Ca-
ftor and Pollux went to hell ; they fit daily and
make new laws ; their proteftations and decrees be-
gin thus, " We Noblemen, Barons and Gentle-
*' men, BurgefTes, Minifters, and Commons ;" they
depofe Moderators of Prefbyteries, and chufe new.
Mr. Matthew Wemyfs * fubfcribed on Friday,
preached for the Covenant on Sunday, and dif-
charged the organ. I have neither more time nor
paper. God fend this church peace , preferve
yours, and fend you better news next. So wilheth,
Your Lordfliip's
humble fervant,
DA. MITCHELL.
Edinburgh, ipth March,
1638.
* Minifter of the Canongate, Edinburgh. Lord Rothes
thus writes to Warifton, " Let rtie know \f-the whole Ca-
" nongate have fubfcribed, with their Mmifler Mr. Mat-
" thew Wernyfs." iSthMarch, 1638. Advocates Library.
[ 39 ]
LETTER FROM A PERSON IN ENGLAND
T o
TWO CONFIDENTS IN SCOTLAND,*
nth July, 1638^
MY WORTHY FRIENDS,
T N o w fend by a certain hand, therefore in a
more familiar way. I have written to you feve-
ral times, and fent my letters to Mr. Tho. Living-
ftone, who, I know, put them in the moft probable
way of fafe conveyance ; yet I fear they have not
come fafejy to your hands, the rather becaufe I re-
ceived no word of anfwer from out of your king-
dom fince my coming hither, but chiefly becaufe
I hear the pofts are waylaid, and all letters taken
from them, and brought to Secretary Cooke, thofe
letters that both go downward, and thofe alfo
which come upward ; therefore I fhall not, nei-
ther do you, fend by that way hereafter ; and
pray tell this much to Mr. Borthwick.
The King communicated not a, word of the
* The Editor can form no conjecture by whom this very
curious letter was written, nor determine with any certain-
ty to whom it was addrefied. The manner of fpelling in the
original is plainly Scottifti, and yet there are feveral ex-
preflions which feem to point at its being written by an En-
glifliman, an inhabitant of Ireland. It is poffible, that, for
greater fecurity, the pen of a Scotfman may have been em-
ployed.
C 4
40 A PERSON IN ENGLAND TO
Scots bufinefs untill the firft day of this month to
any of the Council, the Archbifhop of Canterbury
excepted, with whom he hath advifed hitherunto ;
and when the King imparted it to the Council, it
was but very fuperfkrally, referring them to the
JMarqujs f his return hither, which hath been con-
fidently expected thefe fix or feven days paft. You
Mow the reafons of his ftay,but we fear here fomc
of their nobility do faint in their refolution, and
are not firmly united, which the Marquis makes
ufe pf to work a divifion, if poffibly may be. It is
faid the Earl of Cafjillis, Lord Loudoun, Lord
Lindfay , and feveral others , have avowed the
King's offers by the Marquis to be fo fair, that
they were to be condemned, fhould they refufe to
entertain them ; and that thefe Lords have made a
feparation from the reft, and gotten a grand party
with thcmfelves, it is reported by fo.me of credit,
for what end ( if not true ) I imagine not. You
jnuft be wary of trufting a Lord amongft you, cal-
led the Lord Rae, he who accufed the Marquis of
treafon long fince. I hear it fecretly that although
he have fubfcribed and fworn the Covenant, yet
he hath declared, by letters to the King, he
doth it only to be the better enabled to do the
King fervice, by fuch knowledge of refolution s as
( being one of their felv.es ) he may be more fully
Jnftructed in ; he will be a Judas as far as he can.
There be preparations for 20,000 men, of fwords,
guns, &c. 40 pieces of ordnance, and 40 carria-
f Marguis of Hamilton.
CONFIDENTS IN SCOTLAND. 41
gw. The Earl Marfhal of England is to go in to
the north, there to fecure thofe parts, where Ber-
wick, Carlifle, and Newcaftle are to be fortified ; but
it is thought they will not get 200 men for their
20,000 arms in this caufe. You will not believe
Low heartily the caufe is nigh to fucceed amongft
the nobility, gentry, and commonalty. The nobi-.
lity have fome of them laboured to get a fociety
who might petition the King for removal of fuch
grievances as they labour under, but there cannot
be gotten above two of the nobility that will join
in this bufinefs ; you may guefs who they are ; fo
as they conceive it but folly of themfelves to pujh,
whereas the reft have declared they will not join
in it ; but, however, they are refolved not to abide
here, being indeed under fuch a light as muft fuf-
fer extingviimment if it abide in this fo dampjfh an
air. I hear it the unanimous confent of many
leading perfons, that they hope to find an America
in Scotland ; and all defigns foreign receive a ftop-
page until it be feen wherein yours will determine.
Jf a liberty can be had with you, there will be
hardly found receipt for thofe who will thrufl
themfelves amongft you, fuch who are men of e-
minent rank, and great eftates, and thofe who, I
dare fay, will fpend, a fe*v of them, in the difcharge
of their ordinary affairs, more money yearly nor
is now to be fpared in the kingdom ; I could num-
ber forty or fifty of them that will allot 1 00,000 1.
yearly for their expence ; many there be of the
jike fort I know not of, but fuch as I have fpoken
jvith have often wifhed, that you be fure in th$
4 2 A PERSON IN ENGLAND TO
clofe of your agreement, that you make petition^
that there may be free traffic preferved betwixt
yourfelves and the other fubjects of the King's do-
minions; you to come, drive trade, cohabit with
them, and they to do the like with you, without
any hinderance, as fubjedls of the fame govern-
ment, and members of the fame body ought to do.
You, by this manner, will get their eftates and
perfons amongft you, and they will take none of
your gofpel away although they communicate with
you. Pray confider of this, it is of much concern-
ment both to yourfelves and others here, who can-
not expect, from any appearance of the leaft mo-
tion thitherward, that there is hope of fo much as
any relaxation of the courfe begun, and unhappily
brought forward in thefe parts. That you may
tafte a little of our condition, I have fent you two
of your own. Scots. Bibles, your New Teftament
only, wherein they have placed fuch abominable
pictures, that horrible impiety flares through them;
thefe come forth by public authority ; do you fliovr
them to fuch as you think meet ; I fend to each
of you one of them. Our Deputy hath made large
overtures to the King, fome fay of 16,000 men,
from Ireland ; but I know not how he will be able
to make that good, for that kingdom is not on
fuch quiet terms ; however he hath gotten his pre-
fent condition ojf a favourable difpatch by the ten-
der of his fervice. He was in fome danger before
concerning the Chancellor. There be a proporti-
on of arms fent into Ireland. The Earl of Antrim
was recommended by the Marquis to the King, as
CONFIDENTS IN SCOTLAND. 43
ji man thut might contribute largely to his Prince
in this bufineis ; he is prefented to the King as
having great power in Ireland, and the leading of
a. fii-ong and numeroiu fept of the M c Donells,
which now ferve under the Lord of Lorn. I am
certified ac takes with the employment, and, as a
vizor to cover his intent this way, he very fhortly
carries his Dtitchefs * into Ireland with him, and
refolves to . Now I fuppofe his main.
defign is to make what party he can there, and in
die Highlands of Argyle. "Wife men here do think
that the King is refolved to hold you in all fair
and promifing ways of treaty, until he hath fuffi-
ciently fitted himfelf, by provifions both of arms
and men, and then you may look for no other
language but what comes from the moutli of the
cannon ; be aflured, if the King can bring it to this
pafs, he will, but moft likely he will not be able ;
yet how far rewards, penfions, and the like, may
prevail, either to feparate you amongft yourfelves,
or otherways to hire a foreigner to come upon you
(if his domeftic fubjects will not be drawn to it) it
is hard to fay ; good wifdom, therefore, to be at a
point quickly, whilft God preferves union amongft
you.
Here are either 10 or 12 flat-bottomed boats
to land men withal, that be made ready ; a num-
ber of {hot for ordnance newly caft. But thefe.
* He married the widow of the great Duke of Buck-
ingham.
44 A PERSON IN ENGLAND TO
things are fp publicly ordered, that it is thought
they intend not to make ufe of them farder than
to threaten you, as knowing their own weaknefs ;
but could they do more, I verily judge their wits
are fufficiently towards it.
Divers well-wifhers of yours here are in much,
anxiety of thoughts how you will carry the bun-,
nefs fo as not to bring a fort of blemifh upon the
caufe, fuch as your good friends the Bifhops have
openly fuggefted already ; which is, that you take
occallon only, by this quarrel of confcience, to caft
off the yoke of government, and change the fettled
ibvereignty eftablifhed ; I fay, your friends are
monplufed how you will either avoid a feen mif-
chief by forcing the King fortifying thofe frontier
towns ; if you do nothing to prevent that act, you
fee an engine preparing for your own mifchief,
smd ftand flill, and if you make any opposition,
(admit it be intentionally but for your pwn de-
fence ) that you fecure thofe towns, yet that will
>e deemed an act of hoftility, and little lefs than
rebellion ; for their nrft thoughts will they feem
to confirm, and alledge the next of theirs as a
proof of it. God direct you, that the holy caufe
and profeffion do not fuffer under any carriage of
yours, which hath been hitherto, to the amaze-
rnent pf enemies, carried in a way without all fort
pf exception of the verieft critic, and I hope fhall
fo determine. That it may be fo, I know fome, I
may fay many, J think multitudes, are earneft with
the Lord for your furniture with wifdom, Chri-;
ftiim refolution, and vnity then, by all
CONFIDENTS IN SCOTLAND. 45
ance, you need not fear what man can do unto
you< As more fhall be difcovered, and way made
for the pafTage of it to you, I will not omit to certi-
fy you ; defiring alfo to hear from you ; but diredt
your letters to Mr. Livingfton, and within let your
letter to me have no fuperfcription , only this
mark (n) and he will underftand what to do with
it. I pray fend me fix of your printed letters, which
Ure cried about the ftreets, with as many of the
Covenant, and what other thing is lately come
forth.
A PEP*. SON UNKNOWN
T O
W A R I S T O N.
DEAR CHRISTIAN BROTHER, AND
COURAGEOUS PROTESTANT;
TTPON fome rumour of the Prelate of St. An-
drcws his coming over the water, finding it
altogether inconvenient, that he, or any of that
kind, fhould fhew themfelves peaceably in public,
fome courfe was taken how he might be enter-
tained in fuch places as he fliould come unto. We
are now informed that he will not come, but that
Brechin is in Edinburgh, or thereabout. It is the
advice of your friends there, that, in a private way,
fome courfe may be taken for his terror and dif-
grace, if he offer to fliew himfelf publicly ; think
upon the beft way, by the advice of your friends
there. I fear that their public appearance at Glaf-
gow fhall be prejudicial to our caufe. We are go-
ing on to take order with his chief fupporters here,
Glaidftaines, Scrymgeour, and Haliburton. So,
wifhing you both protection and direction from
your Mafler, I continue your own,
whom yoxi know,
2 6th October, 1638.* G,
* Juft about this time the Bifhops had been cited to
appear before the General Aflembly at Glafgow. Burners
Memoirs of the Dukes of Hamilton, p. 88.
C 47 1
CERTAIN REMARKABLE PASSAGES
IN THE LETTERS FROM
MR. WILLIAM WILLIE*
to
DR. BALCAN QJJ H A L.
nth Dec. [1638.3
T AM certainly informed, by one that knows it
well, that there is one Barnes, a merchant of
Edinburgh, that has bought fome 6000 muikets of
late out of Holland, which fhip was flopped by the
States, till afterwards, that the King of France his
Legate did obtain that it might be fent to a town
in France, for his mafter's fervice, and fo, by this
means, is come home here. It is ftrange if his Ma-
jefty of France, or any Prince, fhould farther the
arming of fubjeets againft their Prince.
2 6th Dec. [1638.] I find, by thofe that
know the grounds of the Nobility's proceedings,
that the prime reafon of the removal of Bifhops is
the power they had in Parliament ; eight of them
being Lords of the Articles, who had the power
to chufe other eight of the Nobility whom they
knew moft addicted to his Majefty, and thefe fix-
* This Willie appears to have been a fort of ecclefiafti-
cal fpy, employed by Balcanquhal, the great confident of
Charles I. in every thing relating to Scotland,
48 MR. WILLIE TO DR. BALCANQUHAt.
teen the reft ; fo that all depended upon themy
and they upon his Majefty.*
Ibid. The next Lord's day is appointed in the
moft part of churches here to be a day of thanks-
giving for the Aflembly ; a terrible day of trial
for many minifters, who are directed to profefs
joy, when there is nothing within but fear and for-
row; To all the preachers I would affign, for
that day, this text, Pfalm ii. " Rejoice with trem-
" bling;" for have of the firft what they will, I
am fure they; and the moft part of the country
that have any underftanding, want not the latter.
* This is very rational and intelligible, and yet it feemd
to have efcaped the obfemtion of forae eminent hiftorians.
C 49 '3
W A R I S T O N
T O
LOPvD JOHNSTON. *
MY NOBLE LORD,
-THUS for the firft part of your Lord-
fhip's letter ; and for the laft, truly I am glad to
have thereby occafion to write my mind freely to
your Lordmip, Avhich, I truft, you will take in,
good part, as from him that wifhcs your Lord-
Ihip's perfon, and houfe, and name well, With-
out any further proteflation ; and truly, I think I
were both unfaithful to this great bufinefs, and to
your Lordfhip, if I did not both advertife you,
both of what I have heard, and alfo mow my owri
judgment anent that voyage your Lordmip writes
of; it was told me of, before your Lordfhip went
out of the town, and I was dellgned to have de-
manded it ; but when your Lordfhip told me of
your voyage home, it prevented both my fufpiciori
and queftion of the other. Your Lordmip re-
members I told your Lordfliip of my Lord Trea-
furer's brags, as well of your Lordfhip as of my
* The firfl: part of this letter relates to private bufinefs.
This is printed from a copy, endorfed thus in Warifton's
hand, " Copy of my letter to my Lord Johniton, id Ja-
" nuary, 1639, before his court voyage, for confhncy ia
" the caufc."
VOL. II. D
50 WARISTONTO
Lord Home, when I faw you after Duns-law :
thereafter, in your own chamber, your Lordfhip
cleared yourfelf to me ; but ever fince, our fre-
quent intelligence of my Lord Home's engagement
to the King, which now he has confirmed by this
his late voyage, your Lordfhip's great correfpon-
dence with my Lord Home breeding a probability
of your running together one way, in that, as in
many other things ; your great drinefs to the reft
of the nobility here ; your rarity of meeting here
with them, but efpecially at their two laft, being in
Edinburgh ; your inftant fhunning either to meet
or meal with thenij after frequent daily invitations
from one nobleman or other : thefe, and fuch like
probabilities, have added fome greater grounds of
appearance of verifimilitude in my Lord Treafu-
rer's brags. Whereas, when we learn from our
friends in England, both in general, that the King's
refufal of our reafonable demands proceeds from
his confidence of divifion among ourfelves at home,
and particularly, from the aflurance of the fouth
as well as of the north borders, whereby he thinks
to draw the middle in a hofe-net ; which, we pre-
fume, the King could not even imagine, without
lie were put in fome hope of that or fome others,
whether with warrant or not ; and alfo, that we
knew therefrom the main thing kept the Treafu-
rer even now on his foot, and in the King's fa-
\-our, was his afluring the King he had wrought
great divifions, and was able to work greater for
effectuating his defigns. Now, my noble Lord,
albeit I believe not the conclufion will neceflari-
LORD JOHNSTON. 51
ly flow from thcfe conjectural premifes bred in
peoples minds, albeit never heard in the mouths,
nor harboured in the breafts, nor hatched in the
brains, of any of your own quality here, for ought
I know ; yet I fhould be moft forry your Lordfhip,
by this your voyage at this time, after next L* you
fhould add any further prefumption and likelihood
thereto, as if there were a tryft [appointment!
kept, to be at Yule now, betwixt the noblemen of
both fouth and north borders, againft the heart of
the kingdom, efpecially feeing none perceives any
great intereft, of any particular importance, con-
cerning your Lordihip's affairs, which may not de-
lay till the religion and liberty of the whole were
fettled ; and feeing all know, that, at this time,
none will get good deed [benefit] of the King, till
he firft promifes furely, abfolutely, and totally to
be his in this quarrel ; truly, neither is it God's
honour, nor, on the other part, King Charles' ho-
nour, to have one to ferve him a demi, as the
Frenchman fays, or by halves and parts ; and fee-
ing we know my Lord Dunfermling and Loudon
[would] have been put to their particular oaths,
if they had not been public commiffioners ; if you,
being put to it, refufe, you offend far more than,
if you had not gone up, and then you are in a
needlefs hazard. If you take this oath, then you
renounce the Covenant with God, you draw down
his vengeance viiibly upon you, your houfe and
your name, good, fame, yourfelf, and your poftc-
* This is unintelligible.
D 2
53 WARISTONTO
rity, with that ftigmatizing blot and blunder of Jt
traitor to your religion, the kirk, the liberty and
freedom of this kingdom ; you will be infamous
in all ftories, and contemned both at home and a-
broad, whereof I am very confident you abhorc
the very thought worfe nor death. Miftake not
my forwarning you of thefe confequences, as if I
believed your Lordfhip would fall in them, for I
proteft, I am not capable, as yet, of fuch an ima-
gination ; but you know my licence and liberty to
be free, in this bufinefs, with all I love and refpe&j
and therefore I would ferioufly, from the earneft
defire of my heart to your welfare and good name,
advife your Lordfhip not to make this voyage, in
this way, after fuch drinefs with the Lords, and
fuch fufpicions amongft the people. But if really
your Lordfhip's particular inforceth you, then ra-
ther do nobly, as my noble Lord of Montrofe ; has
done ; who, having received a letter from the
King himfelf to go up with diligence to his court,
conveened fome of the nobility, fhewed unto them
both his particular affairs, and the King's com-
mand, and that according to his covenant of fol-
lowing the common refolution, and efchewing all
appearances of divifive motion, nobly has refolved
to follow their counfel, and has gone home to his
own houfe, and will not go to court at all. So,
my Lord, I wifh your Lordfhip, upon the public
* This encomium on the zeal and condancy of the
Marquis of Montrofe is moft remarkable.
LORD JOHNSTON. 53
letter which is fent to you, to be here at the pu-
blic meeting upon Mr. William Cuningham's an-
fwer, the i ith of this month, would come here,
and follow the advice of your noble friends, who
fmcerely will tell you, both what is fitted for God's
work, and your Lordfhip's welfare. This is rny
advice ; but if your Lordfhip will go away, truly
I fhall be forry for it ', but I will both expect from
your Lordihip an anfwer hereunto more clear and
fpecial, whereby I may be the more allured myfelf of
your Lordfhip's good intentions, and may be more
enabled to fatisfy the doubts, and anfwer the ob-
jections made by others againft your voyage, likeas
an true hearted Johnfton, and a true friend and fer-
vant to your Lordfliip and to the houfe of John-
fton, and, above all, as a faithful advocate for
God's kirk, and agent for this great work of God
in this land. I do faithfully counfel you, and
really forwarn you, as in the prefence of the great
God, before whom your Lordfhip'and I will both
anfwer, that, as you love your own foul, your
name, your ftate, your country and religion, you
neither by word, oath, or writ, undertake either
to afilft the King in this his courfe againft your
fellow-covenanters, whom, by your folemn oath,
you are obliged to maintain ; or elfe to ly by, and
not to affift them, in the defence of their religion
and liberty, againft foreign and inteftine invafion,
which you are bound before God to do, and en-
tered in ; and [if] you do either by commiflion or
omiffion ( which are alike before God and in the
Covenant) thus prejudice yourfelf, remember *
D 3
J4 VVARISTONTO
true and faithful, albeit a plain and out-fpoken
friend forwarned and fortold your Lordfhip, that
Chrift will be feen to crufh and trample tinder his
foot more vifibly thofe that thus betray him, nor
than] thefe that ay have oppofed him, efpecially
feeing that their defertion gives courage, life, be-
ing, and rejuvation ; and that you will find it fo, in
your own fenfible experience, here and hereafter,
when even this forwarning of you fhall ftand up
in judgment betwixt you and me, as the difcharge
of my duty of a trufty friend, and as the aggrava-
tion of your conviction. My Lord, again let me
fay, be not offended with this my freedom on the
one part, feeing I am really engaged by oft an-
fwering for you, as I will yet continue, till you
break under, and fo break my credit with them ;
fo, on the other, let them not deceive you either
with pretence of reafon ; for I, who am the weak-
eft of the thoufands of Ifrael, offers me, upon my
head, to juftify, in writ or print, all our proceed-
ings in AfTembly and Parliament, from the prin-
ciples of our late, our old acts of Parliament, from
the records of Parliament, from all proceffes of
parliament, in all our hiftorians, from the books
of Council, Affembly, and Seffion, which are all
the beft warrants of our actions in this kingdom,
if either in writ or print they will fet down their
objections. Your Lordfhip knows I am no bragga-
docchio. Be confident of the truth of this, which
I would not promife but out of knowledge ; and
fo fuffer them not to deceive you with any parti-
cular reafon, which your Lordfhip, perhaps, can-
LORD JOHNSTON. sS
not anfwer, bccaufe not fo well verfed in the
grounds of our proceedings ; neither be commoved
with other threats, for, as the Lord lives, he will
through-out this work againft all opponents. And
albeit all the Lords of Fife, Lothian, and the Weft
would concur in defection with thefe in the North
and the South, I make not queftion but the great
God, the patron of this work, will trample them
down, and erect over their bellies the trophies of
his victory. God has faid it, and he will perform
it. Antichrift mall fall, and Chrift rife ; none
fhall hold the one up or the other down. It {hall
be feen, even it fhall be feen in this world, that the
Lord will fight for his people, and rather work
miracles before he defert them, and fuffer his
work to be deftroyed. Neither let us be deceived
with vain brags of Englifh faces ; we faw what
they were before ; they will not really ever be fo
great again ; and albeit they were, took not God
both heart and hand from them ? Neither be de-
luded with their fuggeftions, that this nobleman
will fall away, and that man will turn unto the
King ; that has been ay their policy, to draw the
party himfelf away. In the mean time, let every
one of us be fure of himfelf, and warn and encou-
rage one another, and God, who knit our hearts
and our hands together, will be found to keep the
knot he fattened with his own hand. Neither be
deceived with great hopes there, non habent, nei-
ther is this a time for giving. They may well love
the treafon, they will never love the traitor, but
even in their own hearts they will abhore, unre-<
D 4
56 WARISTON TO LORD JOHNSTON. *
fpedt, contemn, and condemn them ; as, on the
other part, I am perfuaded God will be feen ever
even in this to perform his promife, honorantes me
honorabo, and will build their houfes, who hazard
themfelves and their houfe for the building of his
houfe. Thus, my noble Lord, I fear I have wea-
ried you ; but, I dare fay truly, this my freedom
is the realeft and greateft teftimony of my affecti-
on and refpect to you that I could have fhown,
which I truft God will blefs, and you will fo accept
it. And after ferious confideration hereof, feek
God's direction, and follow it; and write to me
fully your mind, which I will expect, and {hall
ever be
Your Lordfhip's
Immble fervant,
and true, real, plain friend %
Edinburgh, sd January,
1639.
t 57 ]
MR, WILLIAM COLVILL*
TO
LORD BALM ERIN O.
TVTONDAY at night I received two letters, and, at;
the fame time, the fecret articles, from my
Lord of Rothes ; his Lordfhip defired me to perufe.
them, and coniider of them, which I did this mor-
ning, and to treat thereof with your Lordfhip. I
was exceeding loth to cenfure the Jl rain andftile
thereof; it may be your gifts are far beyond mine,
fU'/wztf//and rufted experience ; yet, fearing mif-
con&ructions, I muft tell your Lordfhip, and I hope
my Lord of Lothian will fay all I fay, that the
King of France's letter is not relevant, [proper]
the ftile conftrained and not Laconic -
- there be fome faults both in the order and
French. And attour, [betides] when your commit-
tee gives me no place for articles expreffing, a foot-
man .may do the like. The French themfelves do ;
^ This letter is miferably torn and mutilated ; but the
curioufnefs of the fubjeft moved the editor to complete it
by conjefture as far as he could. See ftijhop Bur net's Me-
moirs of the Dukes of Hamilton, P. i 60, I 61. and Lord
Clarendon, B. ii. P. 129, 130. It is probable that the
draught made by Colvill is that which follows in this col=
leclion.
5 8 MR. WILLIAM COLVILL
ever truft a gentleman with a letter of credence or
truft, which I have drawn up ; if my Lord Lothian
or your Lordfhip like of it, let it.be copied with a
good fair hand. Tour Lordfhip mall be confident that
I fhall neither add nor pair the articles your Lord-
fhip fhall impart to me. For that other letter
for the States of Holland, I find it paffable, yet not
altogether fo fweet * as I could have wiflied ; I
have therefore altered it 3 little, becaufe there were
in it both faults in the French and ftrain of it. So,
remitting them bath to my Lord of Lothian and
Mr. Robert Leighton's f better judgments and bet-
ter experience, I moft humbly advertife your Lord-
fhip touching the articles, ye would confi&er fully
on them, for they need not be fubfcribed by any.
The two letters, with as many hands as can be pro-
cured to them, need fubfcription. So, if I muft
go, let me go with diligence. I defire earneftly to
actuate on this ftage, and on another, if bufinefs.
fall not out aright. What time your Lordfhip
will appoint me to come for the difpatch, I fhall
be ready, as ever, to honour and refpeft your
Lordfhip's commandments. I can frame the ar-
ticles in French in a moment ; your Lordfhip fhall
only be pleafed to add or pare what your Lord-
* This word not certain ; it may be fliort.
\ In all probability the perfon here meant is the cele-
brated Robert Leighton, afterwards Bifhop of Dunblane.
Bifhop Burnet mentions his fkill in the French language.
TO LORD BALMERINO. 59
lliip thinks fit. It is not my part to prefcribe, but
to receive orders willingly and with fidelity ; and
{hall evQrJiudy to approve myfelf,
My good Lord,
Your Lordfhip's moft dutiful,
and mofl obedient fervant,
WILLIAM COLVILL.
Cromy, this 3th of April,
1639.
[ 60 ]
GENERAL ALEXANDER LESLIE
I AND
THE EARL OF ROTHES
T. 39. note *.
FROM A PERSON UNKNOWN. 67
difapprove it ; this they have exprefTed in write
under the name of an Information againjl miftak-
ings, which I am forry fhcmld be fo many, both
againft his Majefty's juftice and, goodnefs, and a-
gainft the faithfulnefs of our commifiioners. For
clearing of both to your mind , I have fent you
the information, with fome pieces of the confe-
rence (as I have inftantly learned) which did pafs
betwixt his Majefty and the commiflioners, before
the nobles and counfellors of England, who reft
wholly fatisfied with us, partly by the fpeeches of
our commiflioners, and partly by the undeniable
reality of our intentions and actions, which hath
made them fo to affect us and our caufe, that we
knew not whether to love them more, Or to ab-
hor our own dilhatured countrymen, who, all this
time paft, have been incendiaries againft us. This
Ihort relation, with the pieces above-mentioned,
may be unto you inftead of a full hiftory of what
is paft.
You may poflibly, by reafon of your greater di-
ftance, expect from me fome advice for what is
afterward ; in place whereof, I will tell you what
I have learned to be the refolution of the Cove-
nanters concerning this enfuing aflembly. You
may believe what I write, from my acquaintance
\vith the wifeft and graveft among them, who con-
ceive me to be a liker both of truth and peace. I
perceive that they are far better pleafed with his
Majefty's fpeeches to our commiflioners, than with
the publifhed declaration, and that our commifli-
oners have much ado to perfuade the people and
E *
68 FROM A PERSON UNKNOWN.
foldiers to take the declaration in good part, which
certainly had been met with a formal proteftation,
if Come lovers of peace had not prevented it, by un-
dertaking to fpeak fome words, after the publim-
ing of the declaration, bearing humble and hearty
thankfgiving to his Majefty, and hopes that his
Majefty, by time, mould be moved to think better
of the late afTembly ; likeas their refolution to ad-
here unto that affembly, and to the faid informa-
tion, to the utmoft. It appears to me, and' rn;my
wifer than I am, that the heat of the people is not
cooled by all their pains and charges for fo long
a time ; and at this hour they are more animated
againft the Service-Book, and againft the Prelates
and their adherents, than at the firft hour and
time fince. If the King's Majefty will land Bifhops
here, he muft either root out all this generation of
people, which will be found a hard tafk, fince now
they be refolved, and fo armed, and are affured
that the Englifh will not trouble them for the
point of religion, or kirk-government by Bifhops,
and which they themfelves rather bear as a burden-
on their backs, than entertain as a benefit ; or elfc
his Majefty muft leave this work to his fon for the
following generation. I may fay the fame of mi-
nifters who are under the cenfures of the kirk, and
have fled out of the country, they can have no
hope of regrcfs to their places. If there be others
of the fame fpirit at home, their ambition may be
now at an end ; or if there be no end of it, but
they muft needs be Bifhops, they may refolve to
hunt their prey in another land, and to breathe i
FROM A PERSON UNKNOWN. 69
Another element than ours. 2. I perceive that his
Majefty hath his teftimony, that he heareth rea-
fon patiently, and is ready to yield unto it, but that
there be fome about his chair, who continually la-
bour to foment fome bad principles of policy and
church-goverment which they have planted in his
mind ; were thofe removed from the King, and
men put in their place who feek not themfelves
(which were to us an univerfal happinefs) his Ma-
jefty might be heartily loved, and highly honoured
by his people, and they might promife to them-
felves good days under his Majefty's government ;
neither is any good man to defpair. If his Majefty
ihall honour the approaching Affembly with his
perfonal prefence, all matters may go right, and
be judged in equity, according to the conftitutions
of this kirk. It is obferved here, that fugitive mi-
nifters give out, that this truce of pacification tends
to their advantage, and that we have parted there-
by from our Affembly and Covenant. This is a
new forgery and craft of theirs, to effay, if, by
this mean, they can work divifion amongft us, and
open a walk for themfelves to enter by ; but they
do but lofe their labour, and their craft is better
known unto the better fort than that they can be
deceived by them. Although the laft Wednefday
of July was appointed by the kirk to be the time
of the holding of the Affembly, yet, fince his
Majefty hath been gracioufly pleafed to indict the,
Affembly againft the 6th of Auguft, it is thought
convenient that the meeting be fufpended till the
day defigned by his Majefty ; concerning which,
E 3
70 FROM A PERSON UNKNOWN.
leaft any thing be done prejudicial to the liberty
of the kirk, I hear that the prefbytery of Edin-
burgh is to advertife, according to the truft comr
mitted to them by the laft afiembly, and the cuftom
of the kirk in former times.
Tho' v, r e hear of many plots, policies, and pro-
mifes, that are to be ufed by our adverfaries for
chufmg of commiflioners, or for corrupting of
fuch as fliall be chofen ; likeas a great manifefto
book is publifhed in print againft all our proceed-^
ings, and efpecially againft the laft afTembly, and
many, copies thereof fpread through the country,
to the great grief of his Majefty's fubjefts, not fo
much as for any evil it can do, for it is known to,
be full of lies, not by two or three, but by more
than two or three hundred witnefies, who were
members or attendants of the Aflembly, but becaufe
the author thereof hath made the King the aiithor
of fo many untruths ; yet we perceive that the Co-
venanters (a name which they are not afliamed of,
although their adverfaries have put it upon them*)
refolve to forbear all writing for chufing of com-v
miffioners, wifhing only that the wileft, graveft,
and honeft men be chofen, efpecially fuch as are
beft acquainted with the proceedings of the laft
AiTembly, and are beft affefted to the reformation
of religion, and true peace of the kirk. If any
man come otherways difpofed, ashefmneth againft
* This is a curious circumftance ; the name of Covenan-
ter was not afTumed, but impofed.
FROM A PERSON UNKNOWN. 71
iiis own foul, fo is he like to lofe the refpedt both
with the kirk, by whom he will be feen foon, and
with the King himfelf, who, as I hear of fuch as
have been nigheft unto his Majefty, will hinder no
modeft man to fpeak his mind freely, and is judi-
cious to difcern betwixt flatterers and honeft men.
I hear all good men fay, that if the miniftry at
this time prove faithful, and fhall not fuflrer them-
felves to be bribed, terrified, or deluded, this will
prove the moft comfortable Aflembly that the
kirk of Scotland hath feen ; and therefore that it
is neceflary, that every man, who fhall have voice
there, labour, by all means, to put his own heart
in order, and guard himfelf againft temptations ;
and that all men, by humiliation and prayer more
than ever before, $.raxr near unto God. What fin
and fhame will it be to the miniftry to be.the ex-
t'mguimers of that light now, which hath endured
fo many blafts, and for the finning whereof the
whole country almoft hath run the hazard of what
is deareft to them in this world. My defire to give
you fatisfaftion hath made me, beyond my own
curiofity, to inform myfelf in particulars, and hath
drawn me to this length, beyond my intention.
You may make no lefs ufe of what you have heard
of me, than if you had been the informer your-
felf, for I neither delight to write uncertainties, nor
to omit duty, that may teftify me to be, in truth,
Your affectionate friend
and fervant.
C 72 3
MR. ROBERT BURNET OF CRIMONT
TO
WARISTON,
RIGHT HONOURABLE AND
LOVING BROTHER,
T RECEIVED yours of the 29th of May. I thank
you for your news ; but, the Lord knows, I am
forry to hear and read of the defolation of that
poor land ; and I am certainly perfuaded fome a-
mong you will render an heavy account for the
fame fome day, who will rather have all the three
kingdoms deftroyed, and every one weltering in
another's blood, before you get not your will,
God forgive your bloody and cruel preachers, who
have not known, nor will not know, the way of
peace. You write to me of two men's being here,
Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Sydeferf, \vuh whom I con-
verfe ; you are Avrong informed, for on,e of them,
the Bifliop of Rofs, he came never here ; he is, as
I am informed, at St. Denis in Walts, the rents
whereof the King haa given him for a time ; for
Mr. Sydeferf, fomedme Bifhop of Galloway, (and
who thinks he has right to it yet, if violence have
not place) he came here five or fix weeks ago, and
by [without] my knowledge, by the addrels of o_-
ther Scotfmen, he took his chamber in the houfe
where I am, and has been fince my being here. I
could have wifhed he had not come here, as long as
I had been here, rather tp have fatisfied other men's
MR. R. BURNET TO WARISTON. 73
fcruples, whom I have no intention to offend, than
my own ; for the Lord is my witnefs, to whom I
muft anfwer at the laft day, I think there was ner
yer a more unjuft fentence of excommunication
than that which was pronounced againfl fome of
thefe Biihops, and particularly againft this man,
ilnce the creation of the world ; and I am per-
fuacled, that thefe who did excommunicate him
did rather excommunicate themfelves from God,
than him ; for I have known him thefe twenty-
nine years, and I have never known any wicked-
nefs or unconfcientious dealing in him ; and 1
know him to be an learneder and more confcienti-
ous man (although I will not purge him of infir-
mities more than others) than any of thofe who
were upon his excommunication. And, alas, Bro-
ther ! what would you be at, that now when you
have beggared him, ar,d chafed him by club-law
out of the country, would you have him reduced
to defpair, and will you exacl: that every Aian, yea
againft his confcience, fliall approve your deeds,
how unjuft foever, yea out of the country ? If I
had been excommunicated by you for not fubfcrib-
ing your laft Covenant, (which, the Lord knows,
would have been that far from grieving my con-
fcience, that it would have been the greateft com-
fort I could have had, that the Lord had done me
that honour, and given me that conftancy, to be
ccVco-tWyiyyof * for his name, rather than 1 fhould
do againft my confcience, for fear of men, or any
* Put out from the congregation.
74 MR. ROBERT BURNET
earthly thing) I would have thought them Turk?
and Pagans that would have refilled to have con-
verfed with me. And, as I wrote to you before,
none of the ministers of Paris would believe me,
that you would or durft excommunicate any for
not fubfcribing that Covenant ; and the minifters
declared to him, that, notwithstanding his ex-
communication, they would admit him to the com-
munion, iince his excommunication was not for
any crime, but par raifon d'etat feulemcnt , but he
Communicates with the Engliih. All Scots and
Englifh here, both of one party and other, refpcdt
him ; and I afTure you he defends the Proteftant
religion ftoutly againft Papifts, and none of our
Scots Papifts dare meddle with him, after they had
once eflayed him. Be not too violent then, and do
as you would be done to, for you know not how
the world will turn yet. I ihall not feek greater
punifhment of my greateft enemies than to live as
miferable a.life as he fays he has lived, and I know
I have lived, fince this bufinefs began; and when,
they have eflayed our life as long as we have done,
I am not afraid but they be a little tamed, and
better conditioned, and not fo cruel hearted. It is
a wanton life to make good fare upon other men's
purfes, and lye in their wives bofom all night, and
then urge other men, that may be as good, and
acceptable to God, as themfelves, to be perfecuted.
illiquid dandum hiimanitati, faltem charitati Chrijlla-
Governor of the caflle of Edin-
burgh.
78 j. LOCKHART TO THE E. OF TRAQUAIR.
to let me know, before your coming in to Lon-
don, where I iliall wait upon you, as
Your humble
and faithful fervant,
J. LOCKHART.
Whitehall, 8th Nov.*
* The year is not added ; but it muft be 1639, becaufe
the writer fpeaks of Traquair as ComrftilHoner to the Par-
liament.
[ 79 3
THE LEADERS OF THE SCOTTISH
ARMY, 1640.
T o
A PERSON UNKNOWN, IN FRANCE.
S I R,
r ~pHE ftate of our affairs has conftrained us to
levy a numerous army for preferring this king-
dom from utter ruin. Hence it was that we could
not permit Colonel Erikine to tranfport his regi-
ment [into France] laft year, and the fame caufe
ftill obliges us to employ the Colonel at home, in
the defence of his country ; although he is exceed-
ingly zealous in the public fervice, yet he will not
accept of any commiffion from us, unlefs with
the confent of his moft Chriftian Majefty, and un-
der the condition of being permitted to repair to
France at whatever time he may be required.
We are well affured of your good-will and af-
fection towards this country, whofe intereft is in-
feparable from that of France. We have lately
heard how much trouble you have taken in recom-
mending our bufinefs to the King your mafter.
We take this opportunity of teftifying our grati-
tude for the friendship which you have already
exprefled, and which we are confident you will
continue to exprefs ; and, at the fame time, we give
you a frefh occaiion of conferring your favours
upon us, by your reprefenting to the King, and to
his Eminence, that the employment which we of-
8o TO A PERSON UNKNOWN.
fer to Colonel Erlkine will do no prejudice to the
fervice of His Majefty, but, on the contrary, wiU
greatly promote it. Peace is the aim of our defires,
and the wilh of our fouls ; as foon as that is con-
cluded, we ihall demonftrate, by our affifting Colo-
nel Erfkine in his levies, and by procuring good re-
cruits for his Majefty's fervice, that true Scotfmen
can never forget their antient alliances, ahd the
common intereft which unites them with France,
And therefore, Sir, we again entreat you to re-
prefent what has been here faid, and the fituation
of Colonel Erikine's affairs, to his Majefty, and to
his Eminence. We hope to obtain thole favours by
your means, and, betides the obligation which you
will thereby confer on the Colonel, you will oblige
us to remain,
S I R,
Your moft humble fervants,
A.LESLIE. ARGYLE. ROTHES. MAR.
BALCARRAS. BALMERINO. SEAFORT
From the Camp at Dunfc,
20th Auguft, 1640.
* Communicated by James Erfkine of Alva, Efq; one of
the Senators of the College of Juftice in Scotland. As this
letter is written in bad French, the editor judged it expedi-
ent to publifh a tranflation of it rather than the original .
THE LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
CONCERNING
THE PASSAGES IN THE LATE
NORTHERN EXPEDITION, 1640.*
r T" l HAT the caufes of the lofles in the North may
be the better known, the Lord Conway thinks
it fit to relate what the defigns were in the firft en-
terprizes, as far as did fall within his cognizance.
An army of 20,000 foot, and 2000 horfe, was
defigned for the borders of Scotland, near Ber-
wick ; and another of 10,000 foot, and 1500
horfe, was to be tranfported out of Ireland, into
the town of Air in Scotland ; alfo 10,000 foot
and 500 horfe were to be fent, into the north of
Scotland, and a fleet of fhips, with fome foldiers,
were to go into the Frith.
Thefe forces were to be ready at a certain day,
by the act of council of war ; for which purpofe
there were divers fums of money levied, and the
* Moft readers of Englifh hiftory content themfelves with
the very imperfe<5t account which Lord Clarendon gives of
Lord Conway's conduct, B. ii. P. 141 145. it is but
juft to hear what this noble commander has urged in his
own vindication; it is preferved among the Harleian MSS.
in the Britifh Mufeum, vol. 1579.
VOL. F
8a LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
monies in certain were counted, what they would
do, and a ft ate accordingly made.
Why all this was not done (but that fome troops
of horfe, and divers regiments of foot, were not
raifed at all, and the reft of the foot fo late, that
there was no time to exercife them) he knows not.
Before the 2000 horfe were levied entirely, the
Lord Conway was fent to Newcaftle, becaufe it wa
doubted that the Scots had a defign upon the
town. For the defence of it, 6000 of the train-
bands of Yorkfhire were appointed to march thi-
ther ; and, to that end, monies were advanced to
every regiment ; and of the regiments did
march as far as Durham ; then order came to fend
them back again. And thus the Lord Conway was
left at Newcaftle only with 500 horfe.
Upon view of the walls, gates, and fituation of
the place, he found the town to be very weak ;
which, immediately after his coming thither, he
reprefented to the court ; and within two or three
days after, he fent to the Deputy-Lieutenants of
Northumberland, and bilhoprick of Durham.
Thofe of Northumberland gave him a meeting
at Morpeth ; where he advifed with them of the
condition and ftrength of the country, and of the
beft means to get intelligence of the Scots prepa-
rations, and to put the country upon the Borders
in the beft pofture of defence ; which they under-
took to do, according to the direction then given ;
and to fend men into Scotland, to efpy and keep
ftricl watch upon the Borders, and to give adver-
tifement, from time to time, what fhould happen.
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 83
Alfo, upon fome difcourfe with the gentlemen of
the country, the Lord Conway propounded to the
Lord General * the fitnefs of fortifying Morpeth,
and two other places, whither foldiers might re-
tire, if they fhould happen to be broken; and by
fome one of which any army that come out of
Scotland muft pafs, they having been heretofore
fortified.
His Lordfhip writ alfo to the Lieutenant Gover-
nor of Berwick, to be careful of uling all means of
enquiry, how the Scots fhould advance in their pre-
parations, and to give timely advertifement there-
of ; who returned affurance of little appearance
yet of any confiderable forces they had, and that
all care fhould be taken to obferve them.
His Lordfhip, by his letter to the Lord Gene-
ral, advifed, that arms fhould be gotten, efpecially
mufkets, and fent down to thofe of Northumber-
land, who were willing to pay for them, if they
might be furnifhed for their money ; alfo, ad-
viflng they might be fold to them without gain, at
eafy rates ; for that the getting from the country
in that kind, will much difcontent them, and dif-
courage them in his Majeily's fervice.
He alfo propounded to the town of Newcaftle,
to furnifh men for their own defence, and that
the King would arm them ; which, at firft, they
denied to hearken to, fearing they fhould be for-
ced to continue them as trained-bands. But, upon
farther examination, and apprehenfion of their
* Earl of Northumberland.
F i
84 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
own danger, promifed to furnifh men only to ufe
mufkets and pikes. And the Lord Conway, by fe-
veral letters to the Lord General, and other great
minifters, did reprefent the fitnefs to have New-
caftle fortified; which, with a moderate charge, he
thought might be made of fufficient ftrcngth, at
leaft to keep out an enemy, until his Majefty's army
might come and relieve it. And there was one hill,
whereon a fort might be made, as well to keep out
an enemy, as to bridle the town, if there ihould be
caufe. And becaufe he found money was wanting,
he propounded a way to raife the charge of it out
of the bufinels of the coals ; which, notwithftand-
ing, was not then thought fit to be done. So that
there being no more forces at Newcaftle but 500
horfe, and it not being thought fit that his Majefty
fhould be at any charge for fortifying the place in
due time, the townfmen being unwilling to do any
thing for their own fafety ; and upon this advcr-
tifement and intelligence that came to the court,
direction was given to the Lord Conway, that if
the Scots ihould come in, (as was believed they
would before his Majefty's forces were drawn toge-
ther) he mould command the mips out of the river
Tyne, leaft they mould be furprized ; and Sir Ja-
cob Aftley, Serjeant Major General of the foot,
that he mould fend up 4 or 5000 men from Selby.
But Sir Jacob Aftley did not think fit to fend
them, for the reafons expreft in a letter, dated the
lothof July, 1640, from him to Lord Conway,
amongft other things, in thefe words following.
" My Lord, I have orders from iny Lord Gc-
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 85
neral to fend 4 or 5000 men to your Lordfhip to
Newcaftle ; but, conlidering there is not fuch a
number yet come, and thofe that arc come have
neither colours nor halberts, and want drums, I
forbear, &c.
" Now, my Lord, I am to receive all the arch-
knaves in this kingdom, and to arm them at Selby.
Before I came to Selby, fome 500 of them were
brought by Lieutenant Colonel Ballard. They beat
up the officers and boors, and break up tne pri-
fons, &c.
" Two days fince Colonel Lawford's regiment
came hither, who had, by the way, fought with
all their officers, and, as they pafled, abufed all the
country." And, by other letters of the I3th and
I 8th of July, he intimated how impoffible it would
be to keep thofe men from mutiny, if they fhould
mifs their feven days pay, that they would difband
and rife againft their officers, and fpoil the country ;
and that part of his regiment raifed in Daintree,
was there totally difbanded, and that the Lieute-
nant Colonel Culpeper was beaftly flain by the De-
vonfhire men; that 300 of the Lord Marquis's re-
giment refufed abfolutely to go to Hull, for fear
of being {hipped ; and that he went wath i oo arm-r
cd men, and took with him the Marfhal General'
and 20 men, to force them away."
Which general diforder, backwardnefs, and dif-
affection to the fervice, gave the Lord Conway ap-
prehenfion, that the Scots would be encouraged
thereby to make an attempt upon us, although it
was againft his judgment that they fhould do fo
F 3
86 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
Upon thefe collections he could make, (of what
he heard out of Scotland) which was only of fmall
numbers of men, that they had muflered and drawn
together, at Leith, Dunfe, and other places near
the Borders ; but when his Lordfhip was adver-
tifed from court, where there was conftant intelli-
gence from every part of Scotland, of their pre-
parations and intentions to come with a powerful
army, being affiared of it by a letter from Mr. Se-
cretary Vane, dated the i3th of Auguft, wherein
is exprefTed as followeth.
" My Lord, I have only to tell you in anfwer
to your laft, and your news there inclofed, that I
gave hisMajeftycom'munication thereof, who com-
pared it with others, and that it is my opinion, that
you will fhortly (if not before this comes to your
hands) hear that the Scots will march into Eng-
land. I wifh I may be deceived ; for, as his Maje-
fty's affairs are conditioned, I am one of thofe that
dcfire not to hear that they fliould come on this
fide Tweed. I heard not of the order of bringing
the army feven days behind in pay, and after that,
fourteen days, until I was advertifed of it out of
the north ; but, as your Lordfhip faith, in cafe of
unavoidable need, it muft be born withal ; and
you (I doubt not) but laying it for a ground, will
perfuade the officers thereto ; though I confefs it
'durus fermo, and therefore I do not wonder at all if
they were fad and melancholy when you declared
the fame unto them. It will be a great fervice unto
the King and ftate, if your Lordfhip, by your con-
duct and wifdom, can fo far prevail with them, as
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 87
to keep them from mutiny, until monies come
down, which his Majefty and my Lards are haften-
ing to you with all poffible diligence ; for it will be
worfe than ever, to have diforders, either of horfe
or foot, fall out. Now, it cannot be long expected
(if at all) but that the Scots will be with you ; and
I heartily pray to God, that they knowing fo
much of our affairs, our disagreements and difor-
ders bring them not in amongft us. The fame God
direct you, and give you good fuccefs, to a6t all
for the bed thefe difficult times." Which adver-
tifemcnt agreeing with that the Lord Conway had
heard by one whom he had fent into Scotland,
who was newly returned ; alfo by relation of Sir
Henry Gibbs, who came from thence, his Lord-
fhip wrote to the General, the ioth of Auguft, as
followeth.
" My Lord, I now am informed by Sir Henry
Gibbs, who having bufinefs with my Lord Had-
dington *, went to the Borders and fent for him.
He came, and told Sir Henry, that, without all
doubt, the ScotiHh army would come into England
within three days ; -he is moft confident of it, and
faith, that there will be 30,000, I fee no help for
this town, but that it will be loft. I have written
divers times that it might be made defeniible ; but
it was not thought fit. Now, it is not poffible to
* Thomas Hamilton, fecond Earl of Haddington, blown
up at Dunglafs ca/lle in Berwick/hire, where he commanded
for the Covenamgrs, 1 640.
88 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
refift, if cannon be brought before it. Howfoever,
I will fee if I can perfuade them in the town to
make fome defence, if it be poflible, to keep it a
day or two.
'' The King commands me to burn the fuburbs.
Burning of them will be of no ufe, the houfes be-
ing all of ftone, fo that the walls will be of as
much annoyance to the town, as if the houfes
were untouched. If I leave any number of men in
the town, their arms will help to arm the Scots,
and they are in great danger to fall into their
power. If I quit the town, and leave no foldiers,
I am fure it will be imputed to me as a moft dif-
honourable thing, when an enemy is mafter of the
field that ought to be quit of him, which cannot
be kept, or in fuch manner, as he fhall receive leaft
benefit by it. I have wrote to Sir Jacob Aftley,
to fend hither the foot, if he think it confiderable
to fend them without money. If they come, it is
to be feared they will run over the country more
than the Scots, who, I verily believe, will do no
harm, but will pay for what they have, if I be not
mifinformed.
" I have wrote to the Vice Prefident, to put the
trained-bands in readinefs, and to know of him
how the country will ftand affefted. From Mr.
Wilmot, I heard yefterday, that Sir Jacob Aftley
had written for, and he had fenr him two troops
of horfe, and Captain Herbert, becaufe he feared
a mutiny will undo all, if it happen. I purpofc
to fend for the three troops out of Weftmoreland.
If innovation be not like to be there, I will imme-
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 89
diately give order that all the (hips go out of the
river, thofe, that cannot, be burnt or funk. They
fay there is a way to fink them that they may be
again recovered. I 'do hold my purpofe of going
with the horfe (and what muiketeers on horfeback
I can get) towards them ; although there will be
little to be done againft fo many with fo few." &c.
And alfo, at the fame time, the Lord Conway
wrote to the Earl of Strafford, and iriclofed a copy
of the aforementioned letter unto the Lord Ge-
neral. Unto which, the Earl of Strafford was
pleafgd to return an anfwer to the Lord Conway,
the 1 5th of Auguft, in thefe words following.
" My Lords, Yours of the lothwere prefently
delivered to me, as I fat at the board ; and I un-
derftand, the other to my Lord General, whereof
you favoured me with a copy, gave much difcourfe
at court, without advantage to your Lordfhip. It
is true, it is obferved to be contrary to all that your
Lordfhip hath formerly wrote, wherein you judge
England to be fecure of the Scots this year ; and
to believe fo mightily an increafe of number above
what you formerly mentioned, in truth, cannot
probably be really fo, upon no more ground than
the bare relation of Gibbs, a known Covenanter
in heart, and too not in his own view, but only in
the credit and report of the Lord Haddington, is
not a little wondered at. But alfo thofe, who wifh
you not well, feverely intepret to your prejudice,
that, upon fo flight an advertifement, and from a
perfon you had fo little caufe abfolutely to truft in
that buiinefs, you ihould fo fuddenly pronounce
90 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
the town of Newcastle loft, and fo early take into
your thoughts the quitting of that place. Betides,
we all believe it to be a northern crack, in regard
we do not hear any thing yet from the Governor
of Berwick, contrary to that he had formerly writ-
ten in that behalf, which, we conceive, he certainly
fhould have done, before this time, if the Scots had
been fuddenly increafed 12,000 men, as Gibbs re-
ports, as it feems, to you. Neverthelefs, I have writ-
ten to the Vice President to have all the trained-
bands in Yorkfhire in readinefs, and will to-morrow
move, that Colonel Goring and another regiment
of foot, with all the horfe, may inftantly be di-
rected to march up unto you ; which, altogether,
with the trained-bands of Durham, Northumber*
land, and the town of Newcaftle itfclf, I fhould
think would be diffident to make good the place, till
the reft of the army march up to their relief. But,
for the love of Chrift, think not fo early of quit-
ting the town, burning the fuburbs, or linking of
(liips. For, believe me, if any fuch thing efcape
you, there are thofe that will prefently mifconftruc
you therein to the King. And, with all my heart,
I wifh you had not wrote that letter ; it being moft
true, that Sir John Conyers * makes no menti-
on of it ; \yhich makes me abfolutely to believe
Gibbs's news either to be out of fully or malice,
miftaken or mifreprefented to your Lordihip."
By which letter it appears , that the Earl of
Straffbrd doth lay blame upon the Lord Conway,
* Governor of Berwick.
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 91
and imputes it as a crime, to believe the coming
of the Scots with fo great an army, becaufe he wa$
formerly of opinion that they would not be ready
for an invafion this year.
The caufe of that opinion was, that he, from
time to time, was aflured from court, that there
would be monies to fupply the King's firft defigns ;
and then he had reafon to judge, that they would be
fo far from attempting us, that they would be hard
put to it to defend themfelves. Befides, the Lord
Conway had no notice given him from the court,
till a few days before, what the Scots noblemen
and gentlemen about the King had informed, who
muft of neceffity have retained knowledge of eve-
ry thing that was done in every part of that king-
dom ; there being many of the beft quality attend-
ing his Majefty, who had in Scotland fathers and
mothers, wives and children, brothers, lifters, allies
and friends, who, as the Lord Conway has heard
fince, gave certain notice of all the preparations ;
and if the faid Earl would not believe them yet, it
could not be any better in him but a wilful unbe-;
lief. And it could not be expected, that the Lord
Conway could have fo good intelligence of their
preparations, which were made in fmall numbers,
and in feveral remote places, till they were drawn
up together, for that he was a ftranger there, and
had no allowance for intelligences, which fhould
have required great fumsj to be well done ; and it
was not to be done but by employing Scotfmen ;
wherein they had a great advantage of us, in not
fuffcring any of our nation to go to them, an4
92 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
their's having free paflage with us. And for Sir
Henry Gibbs, he was a man ever believed to be
an honeft man, and faithful fervant to the King ;
neither had the Lord Conway heard any other of
him^at court, or there in the country, where he
was well known to divers gentlemen his neigh-
bours. And he had been informed of the Lord
Haddington, that he was much of the King's part,
as far as he durft appear. And for the fecond
part, to think Newcaftle would be loft, the Lord
Conway conceiveth to be no fudden or rafh opi-
nion ; for he had divers times before propounded
that the town fhould be fortified, and declared,
that without fortification it was t not tenable ; as
feveral letters, written to him after the fame was
loft, may witnefs. In one of which, from the Lord
Archbifhop of Canterbury, amongft other things,
thefe words were contained.
" It is true, that your letter that you fent, and
the opinion you exprefs, what would become of
Newcaftle, in cafe the Scots came in, was cenfu-
re'd, and not to your advantage ; and fo much
I wrote to my Lord Lieutenant fince his going
northward ; and all that you wrote is found too
true. But that which is thought might have been
done more, is, that the hill on this fide might have
had fome defence put upon it ; and that, as your-
felf writes, more might have been done to hinder
the paflage of Newburn-ford ; but if the foldiers
there, andjnen of experience be of opinion, that,
as things were then conditioned, you could not hin-
der them ; and that tilings which you did at the firft
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 93
advifc, are now doing by the Scots, I think you
mean furely that you cannot be blamed for the one,
but fomebody may be blamed: for the other," &c.
And alfo, in another letter, from Mr. Secretary
Windebanke, dated 23d September, thefe words,
amongft other things, are contained.
" My Lord of Canterbury hath abundantly
cleared any thing that can be objected againft you,
concerning the neglecting or fortifying of New-
caftle, which is evident you did propofe timely e-
nough to have preferved it from furprifal." Nei-
ther could the Lord Conway have had much hope
in forces at Selby, becaufe Sir Jacob Aftley had
divers times advertifed him of the want of money,
the unrulinefs of the foldiers, their want of arms,
and total ignorance to ufe them, which was fuch,
that the Earl of Strafford in the great Council did
openly declare, that he told his Majefty, that up-
on firft fight of the foldiers, it was was not fafe
for his Majefty to hazard any thing with that ar-
my, by reafon of their unfkilfulnefs of their arms.
And therefore the Lord Conway doth think it in-
juftice to require another to do that, which he
that required it, doth not think fit to be done.
And it was impoflible it fhould be otherways, be-
ing levied and brought together fo late in July and
Auguft, when the fervice was to be done, and the
Scots were exerciiing two years together, and ma-
ny of them had been in the field the year before.
Alfo, from the trained-bands of Yorkfhire lefs
good was to be expected, as appears by a letter the
Lord Conway received from the Vice-Prefident of
94 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
York, about the I4th of Auguft, wherein is cx-
prefTed as followeth.
" Yefterday immediately after my return to
York, I received not your letter till Wednefday
morning, I fent forth directions to the Colonels of
the County, or to the Lieutenant-Colonels, where-
of we want at this prefent time ; and my Lord
Lieutenant, having been fo full of other buiinefs
of great importance, hath not as yet fupplied their
places with others ; nor indeed can we find fit
perfons for that employment, who ftand rightly'
affected to his Majefty's fervice ; in which refpeft,
two of the four were lately difcharged from their
commands.
" I doubt extremely they are not now in fo fud-
den a condition as they were laft year, many arms'
being loft in that expedition , and none to be
bought ever fince, for fupply of defence. A great
number likewife of exercifed men, both horfe and
foot, are gone from their mafter's fervice into o-
ther countries, or feveral parts of this county, fo
as we cannot meet with them again, but are for-
ced to take up new men. And though we have,
from time to time, called upon the commanders to
exercife often, yet I find, that by reafon of the
country's great expence, both this year and the
laft, and the damage it hath fuftained by the pre-
fent army, they have fo much forborn their duty.
But, which is worft of all, it is much to be feared,
by thofe murmurs and rcpinings that fall from our
gentry's mouths in every place, upon all occafions,
that they will not ftir with their men further than
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. $j
the neceffity of their own fafety will enforce them,
which they think will be fufficiently preferved, if
they march into the confines of their country.
" I perceive likewife by fome of them which I
doubt will prove gentlemen, that they will expect
advance-money, if they ftir, as was lately allowed
when fix of our regiments fhould have marched
to Newcaftle. I befeech God work better affecti-
ons in us than that I rind ; for I am perfuaded,
that if Hannibal were at our gates, fome had ra-
ther open to them, than keep them out. It grieves
me to give your Lordfhip this account ; I pray
God I may be miftaken therein ; but in obedience
to your commands in this particular, and what
hope may be expected from our forces, and the
gentry of our country, I have truly reprefented to
your Lordfhip my opinion, with my apprehenfi-
ons, and the reafons of them. The country is ve-
ry willing, upon my Lord Lieutenant's laft letter,
to truft the country for 1 4 days ; but I perceive
his Lordfhip will have many bills of fare prefented
to him when the army is gone from us.
" Monies, we yet hear of none, than Soool.
which our High Sheriff lately paid in ; fome of
which is already iffued. I think the Scots had bet-
ter to advance a great way into Northumberland,
than to fend the army, to encounter them, without
pay ; for then, without queftion, they will prove
more ravenous upon the country, than the Scots,
who, for their own ends, and to gain a party, will
give the country all the fair quarter that may be,
9 6 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
which our men neither can nor will do. 'Tis time
to forbear," &c.
Betides all thefe, the Lord Conway had adver-
tifement from court, that the firft counfels for fo
many arms was fo far from being purfued, as now
the Lord Marquis of Hamilton's expedition was
wholly to be laid afide ; that the Lord Strafford's
regiments were not to be raifed, and fome of the
regiments of the north were to be reduced ; and
that inftead of 20,000 men appointed for the Bor-
ders, there mould be only 14 or 15,000; for the
paying of which there was fo little money, that it
was not to be hoped that they mould be held to-
gether without mutiny. So that things {landing
in this ftate, they gave fuch evident proof either
of the weaknefs, or non-purfuance of that firft
counfel, which deligned fo powerful invafion, and
was then forced to a defenfive war, and upon all
poffible difadvantage, that the Lord Conway had
juft caufe to believe, that not only Newcaftle would
be loft, but God knows how much of England
more, if that an invader would attempt it, and
thofe of the country would not defend, and there-
fore did forefee the town mnft be abandoned, quit-
ling that which could not be kept, and leaving it
in fuch manner, as it mould give the leaft help as
might be to the invaders that mould take it, that
with unfoiled force, a good reilftance might be gi-
ven, in a convenient place, or attempt might be
made to caufe them to retire into Scotland ; and
whether that were beftj or go on headlong till we
fall into the ditch, he leaves to the world to judge.
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 97
The burning of the fubiirbs, in cafe of danger,
was an exprefs command from the King ; and
therefore it was the Lord Conway's duty to give a
reafon why he thought it not necefTary to be done ;
and the proportion of finking (hips did proceed
from a command he received in thefe words, a-
mongft others, in a letter of the 23d June, 1640.
" When you hear that the Scots are approach-
ing, your Lordmip muft command all the fhipping
out of the Tyne, left the Scots furprize them."
And becaufe it was not confidered whether the
winds and tides Avould ferve, the Lord Conway did
propound the finking of them, to help the defect
of the command, and to fliew himfelf obedient in
it, in cafe they could not be fent out of the ri-
ver, which was a thing very reafonable and fit to
be done, therefore much miftaken of them that
thought otherwife of it.
This letter, and the order fent for keeping of
the town of Newcaftle, by fortifying of it, when it
was too late, made the Lord Conway lay afide all
other thoughts, but only to endeavour to do that
which was commanded ; therefore he fent for the
Deputy Lieutenants of Northumberland and the
bifhoprick of Durham, who promifed to do all
that was pofiible for his Majefty's fervice, and ac-
cordingly employed their beft endeavours, but the
country would not lend any money to pay the
trained-bands, or the King's army, nor furnifh
any horfes to mount mulketeers, nor would the
train-bands move without pay, being rather defi-
rous to flay at their houfes, to look to the fafety
VOL. II. ' G
98 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
of their goods and friends. So that Lord Conway
having no forces but the horfe to go out with in-
to Northumberland, and having fent men of ex-
perience to view the country, and the river of Cor-
kett, ( there being no place found where it was
poffible for him to give the Scots any ftop ) he
did not think it fit to go out to meet them, fince
he was not able to hinder their paflage ; and that
he muft be forced fo foon as he fhall fee them, to
retire before them, and thinking it not coniider-
able to be afraid, or go and meet them whom he
could not meddle withal. For fmall parties would
ferve to bring intelligence of the motion of their
army, but the letter which he received from the
Earl of Strafford, the I5th of Auguft, declaring
what ill constructions were made of the Lord Con-
way's advertifcment of the loth of Auguft, did
make him doubt that as ill interpretation would
be made of this, which he thought the beft coun-
fel, not to move againft the Scots, until he had
forces, and place fitting. to encoxmter them. And
it is moft likely it would have fallen ox:: fo, for
that he did understand by letters from court,
that they did think, that the Scots might be ftaid
at Alnwick or Morpeth, fome days, two places
they came not at, and which are fuch, as one might
be as well commanded to keep the wind out of the
door with one's hand, as to ftay an army there.
And the country likewife, although they would
not contribute any thing to their own fafety, yet
did murmur that Northumberland was abandon-
ed. Therefore, to avoid the danger which he
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 99
doubted from the court, ( if it were poffible to
keep thofe people of Northumberland from afiift-
jng of the Scots ) he went out four days with
1000 horfe, and being without ability to do any
hurt to the Scots army, was forced to retire be-
fore them to Newcaftle, whither Sir Jacob Aftley
was come, during the Lord Conway's abfence, and
had brought with him the foldiers from Selby,
that were ,armed, leaving 4000 behind him that
wanted arms, which 4000 were after fent to New-
caftle, but were turned back again without arms,
as they came, there being none for them, nor mo-
nies to pay them there.
Sir Jacob Aftley had ufecl all diligence to make
quarters for the foidiers without the town, for fe-
curity of it, as well as the time would poilibly ad-
mit, according to the commandment then fent to
view the river of Tyne, which was found to have
many fords, and the higher up the river, were the
fords the larger and lhallower. And becaufe it
was believed that the enemy would pafs at New-
burne, he had caufed the engineers to caft up fome
works there ; and in obedience from the court, to
ufe all means poffible for the defence of the river;
after one night's ftay at Newcaftle, the Lord Con-
way went to Newburne with all the horfe, and a-
bout 2000 foot. That day he came (being the
2~th of Auguft) the Scots came to the other lide
of the works that were made upon the paffage fo
flight, that the Lord Conway would not have ha-
zarded the troops in any fuch engagement, where
they fhould have been fure to have, been beaten
G 2
ioo LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
And altho' Sir Jacob Aftley came the next day
with 2000 men more, and increafed his ftrength ;
yet the Lord Conway, not to engage the troopers
farther than he might fafely retire, had refol-
ved to make retreat to Newcaftle, if he had not,
at that inftant, received a letter from the Earl of
Strafford, commanding him to fight, which fol-
loweth in thefe words. ^
t{ * My Lord, I purpofing to have been mov-
ing towards you to-morrow, but I am fo fick and
weak, as the King will not fuffer me to ftir hence,
till Saturday, at the fooneft. Your Lordfhip will
permit me to deal plainly with you ; I find all men,
in this place, extremely ill fatisfied with the guid-
ing of the horfe, and publifh it infinitely to your
difadvantage, that having with you 2000 horfe,
and 10,000 foot, you fhould fulTer an enemy to
march fo long a way, without any fkirmiih, nay,
"without once looking on them. And it imports
you moft extremely, by fome noble action, to put
yourfelf from under the weight of ill tongues.
Ypur laft letter certified, as that the enemy is in-
tending to pafs the river at liixcombe f. If fo, I
fhall advife, that you, with all the horfe, and at
leaft 8000 foot, and all the cannon you have,
march opposite unto them, on this fide of the river;
and be fure, whatever follows, to fight with them
upon their paflage. Indeed you look ill about you,
* This letter is printed amongft Lord StrafFord's.
f Qi. Hexham.
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. iai
if you fecure not the river. If there be a bridge
at Hixcombe, it would be broken down. Dear my
Lord, take the advice of the beft men, and do
fome thing worthy of yourfelf. There was fent a
man to vifit the Scots army, who hath been there
amongft them, and he aflures us, upon his life,
that their horfe is not at all conliderable, which
ftill lays it heavilier upon you ; their foot, at moft,
but 20,000. And this, I am confident, you may
rely upon." Which letter, although it be laid to
be an advice, yet the Lord Conway conceives it to
be a command, and as much as was pofiible for a
General to command, and oratory to enforce.
The laft prefcribes how he fhould fight ; the
firft part advifeth him to break his neck upon any
advantage. And howfoever this is faid to be but
an advice, if the Lord Conway had not obferved
it, it would then have proved a command. And
it is moft probable, that the mifcarriage of the
bufinefs would have been laid upon his not fight-
ing with the Scots ; fince, it was endeavoured to
be laid upon his fighting, difavowing that he had
order fo to do, and before that, laying great blame
upon his not fighting with the Scots, coming
through Northumberland, and not underftanding
the country ; maintaining, that the Lord Conway,
with thofe horfe he had, might have gone to the
Scots army, and counted every colour, and cor-
nets, and to have come in at pleafure, without be-
ing touched ; a thing impofiible to be done, un-
kfs he had found them as David did Saul and his
army, when he took away the fpear and pot of
G 3
102 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
water from his head. And for the good intelli-
gence that the Earl of Strafford had of the Scots
forces, the Lord Conway aiTureth, that he recei-
ved as certain information of them, as it was pof-
iible to be gotten, both by foldiers that put them-
ielves in a difguife, and marched in their army a
day or two, and by many gentlemen of the coun-
try that faw their army march ; fo that he had
very good reafon to believe their reports, before
any thing that could be informed to the Earl o
Strafford, by any lingle intelligence to the contra-
ry, who had not fo good means to know, or abi-
lities to judge of the ftrength of the Scots army, as
divers that gave their informations from their own
view ; and taking it for granted, that they were
not more than 20,000 men, and their horfe infe-
rior to ours, it was no wifdom to hazard a day
with them, with 10,000 foot, and 2000 horfe,
and that not only upon the difadvantage we had in
the number, but the rawnefs and untowardnefs of
our men. The Scots having made a battery, and
drawn down their army, our works were provided
with men to defend them, and with others to fe-
cond them. Six troops of horfe were placed ta
charge the Scots where they came over, and fix or
feven more were placed to fecond them. When
the Scots forces were in a readinefs, and their can-
non placed, our works were not proof againft
them, the foldiers were unacquainted with the can-
non, and therefore did not endure many fhot ;
thofe that were to fecond them followed their ex*
ample ,
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 103
The horfe charged the Scots, and drove them
back into the river, but the cannon beating thro',
fome of our troops that were fet to fecond, went
off; when they faw the place forfaken, they fhould
have gone on the left hand, that they might have
gone off with the foot ; but, miftaking their di-
rection, went on the right hand, which carried
them up the hill, where they found fome troops.
Wkilft they confulted what was beft to be done,
the Scots horfe came up in two divifions, and with
them 1000 mufketeers. The firft charge was up-
on the regiment commanded by Mr. Wilmot, who
was there taken prifoner, his men forfaking him,
and falling foul of fome troops of the Lord Con-
way's regiment, difordered them ; the reft, being
charged, did as they faw others do before them.
The caufe of the lofs that day was, the difad-
vantage of the ground, and the flight fortificati-
on, which the ihortnefs of the time would not af-
ford to be better ; neither would it admit us to
make any works upon the hill, where we flood op-
pofite againft the Scots ; and when we came to
fight, the foldiers did not their parts as they ought
to have done, being the moft of them the meanefb
fort of men about London, and unacquainted with
fervice, and forgetting to do that which they had
often been commanded and taught.
After the diforder, the horfe, by Lord Con-
way's commandment, went to Durham, the foot
to Newcaftle, where it was confulted by the Lord
Conway, Sir Jacob Aftley, and all the Colonels,
what was fit to be done. By all their confents, it
G 4
io 4 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION
was agreed, the town fhould be quitted, becaufe it
was not tenable, being altogether unfortified on
the Bifhoprick's fide, and the fortifications on the
other fide Avere very inconfiderable. To ftay there,
would but increafe the lofs ; it would not f ave any-
thing. The gaining of two or three days could
not much ftrengthen the town, there being not
any place that could be made defenfible in that
time, and the lofs of our men would greatly lef-
fen the King's army ; and this was agreeable to
that which was thought fit at court ; for with all
fpeed orders were difpatched, by feveral ways, to
command the bringing of the army from Ncw-
caftle j as it appears by the two enfuing letters
from the Earl of Straffbrd, both dated the 2pth
of Auguft, in thefe Avords following.
" After our hearty commendations to your
Lordfhip, and the reft. This fad accident which
hath befallen us, upon the pafiing of the Scots
over the Tyne, will fetch all our councils round ;
there is no remedy, we muft retire, and, as I think,
to Hull, the horfe to Durham. I fhall gather and
fettle the beft I can, and fo march up to join with
the reft of fuch horfe and foot as are left us. And
how to fetch that part of our foot that are at
Newcaftle, is, God knows, our greateft care and
difficulty. I fend you this by the way of Sunder-
land. I will, before I fleep, fend another to Hix-
combe. In my opinion, your beft way will be to-
fhip yourfelves, if it be poffible you can, and
for Hull ; that were beft ; but if that can-
ot be, then, if the town, be not to be held any
OF THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 105
longer, to make the beft compofition for your-
felves with honour ; but therein I muft wholly fub-
mit to your own better judgment upon the place ;
and fo, in hafte, I commit you to the blefled pro-
tection.
" Poftfcript. Before I had clofed this letter, his
Majefty came to this town, who approves of all
before-Avritten ; only advifeth, that if there be any
poflibility of keeping the town, (then, that fhip-
ping the reft) you leave 2000 men in the town, to
defend it."
" It was very good news here to me, to under-
ftand that the foot were all advanced on this fide of
Durham, nor is there any thing to be done more;
than to lofe no time in your retreat ; for there
is no thought of fighting with an afrighted army,
till they join with the King's forces, which, I truft,
will be near 20,000. I will ufe all poffible dili-
gence to provide as much bread as poflible I can
in this town; and have given order that 8000 1.
ihall meet us at Topliffe, to furnifh the foldiers
with money. Put as much life in your men as you
can, and allure them, within a few days, there will
be 8 0,000 L ori the way from London, which will
give every man his own. Really we fliall wajit no
money. I have taken the like courfe for baking
of bread, and buying, here at Northallerton, as
alib about the country ; and I truft from York
we fhall have good quantities meet us in the way.
I fliall think the time long, till I fee you and Sir
Jacob Aftley, to whom I pray you fhow this let-
ler j and I pray you Jiave fome korfemen behind-
io6 LORD CONWAY'S RELATION &c.
you, that may be as a watch upon the motion of
our enemy, and fhall bring us timely advertife-
ment what they do. And fo I reft."
And although the town of Newcaftle had been
kept fome days, yet would it have been not with
any advantage to the King's fervice, feeing he had
no monies. And, by all guefles, his chiefeft
ftrcngth being in choice men that were at New-
caftle, it would have been much to the King's dif-
fervice to have put thofe men inevitably to have
undergone bafe conditions, when they muft com-
pound with the town, if it had pleafed the invi*.der.
Befides thefe reafons, though there was a good
quantity of powder and lead in the town, yet there
wanted mufkets and bullets, there being no moulds
to make them ; which want cannot be imputed to
a commander, any more, than if he commanded a
certain number of mufketeers, and that when they
came to ufe their mulkets, they woiild not do fer-
vice for want of fcouring-fticks. If there 'had been
moulds, bullets would not have been wanting ; but
bullets would not have ferved to keep a town that
wanted fortification.
Now, upon the whole matter, it may eaflly be
judged, whether thefe two {ingle actions, of the
retreat of Newbiirne, and quitting Newcaftle, were
the caufes of our lofTes, or the defect of ill-ground-
ed defigns, to make a war without monies to go on
with it, and to begin it at fea ; thereby giving the
Scots a pretence to attempt us by land, before we
were able to reilft them.
FINIS.
C 107 3
SIR ARCHIBALD JOHNSTON
OF WARISTON
T O
LORD BALMERINO.
MY NOBLE LORD,
'"PHIS is only to ihow you God's wife difpenfa-
tion of keeping us continually in exercife with
his interlaid good and fad news, and fucceffivc
hopes and fears ; for, on a fudden, a ftorm has a-
rifen here among us, occafioned by fome devilifli
plot of our adverfaries, whereof Traquair is not
thought innocent railing a flander againft
us, as growing remifs againft the two incendiaries
and epifcopacy, that thereby we might be odious
with the people, or, by our clearing ourfelves, be
odious to the King. This flander forced us to give,
in to the Englifh commiffioners a paper clearing
ourfelves, whereof fome having caufed print the
copy, and affix it to all the common places, as the
Scots commiffioners proclamation, the King has
run ftark mad at it, and his council has been ex-
tremely offended at the printing of it in England,
without the King's authority, and, upon our de-
nial of any order for printing, they mind to recal
it by public proclamation. But the King, in his
paffion, faid fome harm expreffions to all our com-
miffioners, as, that no ambaffadors durfl have done
it for their hanging, that we were guilty of fedi-
tion, and that it was an feditious libel, that he
io8 W A R 1 S T O tf T O
would make us repent it, and that thereby we had
tint [loft] our priviledge, meaning our fafe-con-
duc"h This was all in paffion, but they were evil-
favoured words. To tell you the truth, none can
juftify the printing of it, neither knew I of it ; and
albeit the paper, becaufe of its bitternefs, be called
Johnfton's paper, yet it was delivered to the En-
gliih commiffioners or ever I did fo much as fe it ;
fome has been over bufy in it, to make fome of us
odious to the King, becaufe they faw his counte-
nance changing towards us more nor to themferves.
But I truft God fhall blow over this ftorm with the
reft, and turn this plot on the projectors of it. You
cannot but fee a providence of the Lord in mak-
ing fome men, upon difcontent, fo hot-fpirited and
fiery againft epifcopacy. I hope none will be fear-
ed, that Lothian, Loudon, or myfelf, will grow
remifs, for all the favour and place in the world ;
but, it may be, if the King's countenance had turn-
ed fo towards them, as they apprehend it is to-
wards us, they would have been more remifs, and
lefs violent nor [than] we are. The plague of God
will light on that preferment that turns away a
man's heart, or weakens his hands, in the work of
God. But we have been all over-rafh in fuffering
this to be printed, till we had formally given in
our demand for removal of epifcopacy, with the
reafons thereof, that may convince the judgment
of the parliament that exoncravimus plene ct plane
animas nojiras ,-" and God himfelf will be feenjn
this our duty. I got the letter with Maitland's
man. Wonder that Tra^uair got information of
LORD BALMERINO, 109
his he, or his friends for him, pro-
fefleth that he will impeach Argyle, Rothes, and
me, for treafonable fpeeches, and that, if he muft
fall, he fhall leave nothing undone to make hea-
ven and earth fall with him.
S(?me lines illegible. 3
We have fent now to ft ay Argyle till this farm be
blown by. The King will notfujfcr any thing to be
charged in the treaty, but only refers to his own
declaration, which would be ambulatory, and
which we cannot accept, nor do any thing as com-
miflioners, but in and by the treaty with the En-
gliili commiffioners from him and the parliament.
While I was writing this, I hear the
morning has gotten the proclamation put over un-
til Monday, and it may be then, by fome more
fmcoth fair paper, excufing the printing of it, we get
it prevented. I wifh, in your letter, we were again
directed to feek an warrant co the Advocate, who,
as I hear, has gotten a command not to purfue ;
yet even that will help Traquair's guiltinefs. Thus
in haftp, with Arthur Erfkine.
Your Lordfhip's humble fervant,
A.J,
2 yth February, [1641.]
[ no ]
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
LORD MAI T LAND*
T O
LORD BAL MERINO [probably.]
MY NOBLE LORD,
: I THOUGHT I could not but let you
know, that the violence of that anger, I hope, is
paft, which his Majefty was in about that paper
which was given in the 24th February; and I be-
lieve the paper which was given in yefterday to
clear our intentions, will ftop all the violent courfes
was [that were] fpoke of, either* by proclamation,
or otherwife. In the mean time, I believe that pa-
per was not altogether fruitlefs, for the city was
content to lend 160,000 1. to the parliament ve-
rtex-day, which they refufed before. This will, I
hope, do good to our army, when we get our pro-
portion of it,
London, 2d March, 1641.
* Afterwards Duke of Lauderdale. The reader, by
comparing this letter with the foregoing one, may form
fome judgment of the political zeal of that remarkable per-
fonage, who feems, on this occafion, to juftify a meafure
for which even Warifton himfelf could offer no excufe.
[ in ]
W A R I S T O N
TO
LORD BALM ERIN O.
MY NOBLE LORD,
A LBEIT I writ largely yefternight with the mcr-
chant poft, this is to Ihow you that I have
heard fince, that the, parliament will not readily
grant a new month's maintenance, but only for
iifteen days, and fo for horfes other fifteen, and
will defire an index of our demands under this laft
article ; and that Traquair having undertaken to
the King (as we hear, but know not the certainty)
to alter or put off our demands anent concern-
ing] the Council and Seffion (whereof I fent you
before a copy then agreed on) the Sheriff-clerk
and B. Swinton, this day, with great heat, hath
difputed againft our feeking the King's chuiing the
Council and Seffion by advice of our oath, and
alledging, that our firft inftruccions therefor were
taken away by that instruction, fent up with Mait-
land, for feeing honeft men provided to places of
Stats and Seffion, &c. Lord Rothes, Loudon, and
myfelf ftrictly abide by it, and fhew here there
was neither any contrariety, nor albeit there was,
could we but obey the firft, which was fubfcribed
by both quorums, and declared unrepealable by
any one of the quorums ; fo that, changing only
fome few words, we have forced them to keep the
article. By this ye may know who ftands ftricleft
ii2 W ARIS TON TO
for the country, and who is feeking themfclves, as
Mar and ibme others did at the lirft union. I fee
alfo by them, that upon that motion of fome ho?
neft men to be in Seflion and Council, and the o-
thcr of getting fervants about the King and Prince,
that they will take upon them here to nominate
the particular perfons, which, I think, fhould on-
ly be competent to the Committees, yea unto the
States alone, which they may do after ferious re-
folution ; but that, in the mean time, we fhould
get the King's grant of the general, by their ad-
vice. Look what warrant ye would fend to pre-
vent inconvenients that may arife by our over-
much taking on with the Papifts. The Lieute-
nant,* Arundell, and Berkfhire have made fome
faction in the lower houfe, for to propone a pur-
fuit againft the Marquis, f becaufe they fee them-
felves ruined by his ftanding more with the favour
of the honeft men of both kingdoms, but they
"have been diverted from proponing it. There is
nothing in it when all is done, and all that are for
us, or our caufe, in the country here, are fo refo-
lute to crufh it, to affront the flrft motions of it,
that it will tend to his honour, rather than to his
prejudice. Traquair's hand is not thought free
of this ; God will difcover him more aad more ;
" Quos Jupiter vult perdere, eos dementat."
* The great Earl of Strafford, Lord Lieutenant of Ire-
land.
f Probably, the Marquis of Hamilton.
LORD BALMERINO. n 3
I pray God that no mifchief be wrought at home.
Hafte any other queftions ye would fend to us ;
and advife folidly anent the fecuring claufes of the
act of parliament that ratify the treaty ; advife it
with Sir Thomas Nicolfon and Durie, &c. The
Lord be with you.
Your Lordlhip's humble fervant,
A.J.
3d March.
Make ufe of the Lieutenant's charge, which I
fent you with the act of triennial parliament.
VOL. II. H
I "4 ]
CERTAIN PASSAGES IN THE LETTERS
FROM
W A R I S T O N
T O
LORD BALMERINO. *
3 d March.
ryHE Lieutenant's procefs [Lord Strafford's tri-
al] continueth every day, and yet they are but
at the ninth article. I can give no judgment of
other bufinefs till that be ended. There
are fome furmifes among themfelves of plots of
the adverfaries from the Irifh and the Englilh ar-
my againft themfelves. Upon our removal [the
return of the Scottifh army homewards} what
courfe they will take, either to flay and linger us,
or fave themfelves by themfelves, as yet is not
known. They are unhappy men that would now
dcflre to come up, [from Scotland to London,3
they are fafer at home, as manieft think here. We
will keep their faft on Sunday and Tuefday ; I pray
God to make it powerful and fuccefsful for Chrift's
crown, and good of the whole ifle.
* There are extant, in the Advocate's Library, many
letters written by Warifton to Lord Balmerino, during the
fitting of the Englifii Parliament, in 1641. The reader is
here prefented with thofe parts of them which feem mofl cu-
rious and characlcrifUcal.
WARISTON TO L. B ALMERINO. 1 1 y
plh. March. Truly we have had a great
ttiiftinefs and darknefs of bulmefs here this fifteen
days. All men's hearts began to fail them, and
the enemies to rejoice ; but the Lord, who doth
his own work in his own way, feems to turn the
chace ; for yefterday in the over houfe, [houfe of
Lords] when Briftol, Saville, Hertford, and fun-
dry others removed out of the houfe, in anger a-
bout the Lieutenant's bufinefs, Say, Mandevillej
Bedford, EiTex, Brook, and many with them, bide
ftill, and back the lo\ver houfe in that purfuit ;
and this day the committee anent [concerning]
epifcopacy reported to the lower houfe, that rhjy
faw the Bifhops civil places in Parliament, Coun-
cil, &c. to be unlawful, and their fole power o
ordination and jurifdiction, which is intended to
be voiced to-morrow, and is hoped to be carried j
and for ftrengthening this, in the afternoon we
are to give in our demands, with the reafons there-
of, for removal of epifcopacy out of all his M.i-
jefty's dominions ; as this day, on the defire of
both houfes, we have given in already an index of
our demands, tinder our eight articles, wherewith
the King has been ill-pleafed, anent no war with
foreigners, but by mutual counfel, and anent con*
Jervationes pads, which he called our tables *. Th^
ceffation is continued a new month, which I think
fhall be their laft with their will ; and fo, appa*
rently, our Parliament muft be prorogued to the
end of May, or firft of June.
* The Afiemblies held for fubfcnbing the Covenant,
H a
ii6 WARISTONTO
loth March. This day the haill [whole] lovrer
houfe unanimoufly, but with four or five contrary
voices, has declared that Biihops fhould have no
civil places, and then again that they fhould have
no voice in Parliament. The Earl of Cork has
proved fome foul points of new againft the Lieu-
tenant. There are fome commiffioners come from
Ireland with report of arrets or proteflations there
againft the Prelates, and at night we gave in our
large demand for unity in religion and govern-
ment ; all which coming on the King together, and
on a fuddenty, you may guefs what a mood they
would put him in. I wifh his confidence of ftand-
irig out have no ground from fome at home.
Tell thefe good news to the honeft man and good
Mr. Harry * ; truly I think them worth praife and
prayer from the kirk of Scotland folemnly, and
the more, in regard of the unanimity, beyond ma-
ny 's fears.
1 2th March. If from Newcaflleye fend
up any Baron with Argyle and Lindfay, whofe
coming I dare not counfel now till the ftorm be
calmed, it will not be politicly nor fafely done to
fend Laird of Keir here, to ftrengthen Traquair's
faction and correfpondence with Montrofe at
home ; it will feem fitter to fend up Sir Thomas
Hope, on whom you may truft.
2d April. The King and Briftol will ftrive to
hafte for to poft 2 I away to fave StrafFord and
Mr. Harry Rollock, one of the miniflers of Edinburgh,
LORD BALME&INO. n;
epifcopacy, but we peremptorily infift for the Par-
liament's anfwer to our paper anent unity of reli-
gion. There are certainly many plots hatched to
mine this kingdom here. They caufed fome of
them try us to prefs the difbanding of the Englifli
and Irifh army, wherewith mifchief is intended,
which we could not do without offering to diflblve
ours. Strafford's bufinefs is but yet on the fif-
teenth article ; the lower houfe, if they fee that
the King gains many of the upper houfe not to
condemn him, they will make a bill of teinture *,
and condemn him formally in their own houfe,
and fend it up to their houfe, as any other aft of
parliament, to be voiced formally. The town of
London will give no money to the Parliament, till
they do juftice ; they would take heed to the Par-
liament, that nothing be done to the prejudice of
their friends, or in favour of the public incendia-
ries. Your faft falls out in a feafonablc
time, if the Lord be^ pleafed to grant as timeous a
{uccefs. 1 requeft your Lordfhip to caufe
your lawyer's be bufy for ordering of the proceflesf,
both to think on matters of relevancy and on pro-
bation ; if it be not done, there is none in that
* So Warifton fpells attainder ; a plain proof, that,
though he relifhed the thing, he was not acquainted with
the word.
f The accufations intended in the Scottifli Parliament
againft Traquair and the others, commonly termed incendi-
1!
u8 W ARTS TON TO
committee will be fo much blamed, becaufe there
is rune 'ib much trufted with bufinefs of that im-
portance, and becaufe mercenary advocates are not
io diligent and ftudious in public purfuit for the
commonwealth , as in private proceffes of well
paying clients, I requeft your Lordfhip to pay
them before-hand largely, and to remember we
have to do with a man * who will make no con-
fcience, but think it good policy in fuch a ftrait, by
large buddes, [bribes] to lay lawyers by, and caufe
their fervants reveal all the fecreteft articles which
areagainfthim. Fy on them that will not be diligent
in this ! Was not that I muft be one of the primeft
witnefles in many points laid to his charge, and
fo cannot be his purfuer, if I was in their cafe I
would have thought it a notable occafion to ex-
prefs affeflion to their caufe and country ; but how-
foever, if I can win [get] down, I {hall do my ut-
moft to help them to propone things. Earl of Hol-
land is made General of the King's army inftead
of Northumberland ; this is ftrange, when armies
fhould difband. "We are not 'all fo fure here as we
have been, but, as long as there is any hazard, for
no reafon fhall fomc of us come away, with God's
grace.
-J- The advocates here have fine rencoun-
ters of fpeec'h of quick turns of wit, but little fyl-
* Meaning Traquair.
j- 1 his is taken from a letter much torn and defaced,,
whereof the date is not certain; fcveral of the chafm are
lupp lied* by conjcfture.
LORD B A L M E R I N O. 119
logiftical folidity of matter. / wifli our procefs be
better tabled at home, and our advocates better
furnifhed. Let pot money be fpared on them, and
fpur them on ; let them now fludy all points of
the dirputes, feeing they have not much trouble by
ether procciTes. Oneill and Wilmot are gained by
the King's private dealings to be on plots and en-
gagements. If the French come over here, as is
reported up and down, ivbo knows if they fhould
unite this ifle,'and force them to join again/1 the
foe, as the Engliih coming to our border s, ferved
us to think of unity among ourfelves. BleiTed
be God that difpofeth all for his glory, let man
propofe what he will 1 am aflured that what-
foever God does, in fuffering his adverfaries to plot
and confpire, the fame is beft for himfelf and the
czitfe of his people. Remember me to good
Mr. Harry, who, I know, will think, with myfelf,
(who was ay faia to be blyth, , as I did witnefs) that
bufinefs is going in God's old way.
H 4
iao
W A R I S -T O N
T O
ADAM HEPBURN OF HUMBIE.
LOVING BROTHER,
T THINK we have fo oft warned you to be on
your guard , and to expect war rather nor
than] peace, that we need not repeat it, albeit we
fee daily new grounds of confirming us in that
judgment. There is great fufpicion of the French
their coming hither, and a common report pri-
vately, of the Qiieen going to Portfmouth with
400 or 500 horfe. The lower houfe, after many
debates and long delays, has yefternight voiced
their bill of finding Strafford's endeavour to fub-
vcrt the fundamental laws, and introduce an arbi-
trary government, to be high treafon, and carried
it unanimoufly, except 30, or thereabout, of &on-
ti\iry voices ; they are to give it up to the Lords ;
what they will do, God knows ; but we hear it
commonly reported, that the King himfelf is to go
to both houfes to intercede for his life, and to give
them many fair words. The lower houfe has been
fo bufy with this, as our bufinefs has been hitherto
ihifted, but now is to come in. The greateft op-
pofition by the King is made againft the acl of
oblivion *, which he will either havfc univerfal, or
* See Burner's Memoirs of the Dukes of Hamilton,
B.iii. P. 182 184.
WARISTON TO HUMBIE. 121
none at all, or will referve as many amongft us,
as we referve of thofe that are with him. The
Duke of Lenox, in the higher houfe, moved a
large difcourfe on all thefe different members ; it
is eafily known from whence it comes. My Lord
Traquair, as he profeffed once to myfelf, and an-
other time to Mr. Henderfon, that he could chal-
lenge the Earl of Rothes of treafon ; and he hath
faid once to me, and, as my Lord Rothes knows
from others, he faid it alfo to the King, that before
he periihed he would mix heaven, and earth, and
hell together. Some of his friends have told, that
he has challenges of treafon againft fundry of our
number. The King has fpoken both to and Mr.
Pym, and told that he would referve as many as we
did, perhaps would be better, and only referve 3 for
our 4 called incendiaries. It is univerfally furmi-
fed, that my Lord Rothes is one, Argyle is fufpect-
ed to be another, it is not known whether Lou-
don be one, I am thought certainly of the number,
and either Sir Thomas Hope, Robert Meldrum,
or you ; it is thought that Balmerino is not for-
got. However, for Ought we can conjecture, the
accufitions come from home. The King lays that
he will go to the Parliament-houfe, declare their
names, fhew their crimes of treafon, by their let-
ters or papers, and witneiTes at home, (who fome-
times are faid to be noblemen witnefles, who are no
doubt the leaders of your banditti, feeing the ac-
cufation is like to the narrative of the bond againft
fome few perfons.) He fays he will not meddle
with their perfons here, but remit them to their
122 WARISTON
own Parliament. But it is hard to believe, that
any who counfel the King to accufe any of us of
treafon, but will counfel him alfo to lay us fait, as
pledges of the Scots army remaining quiet ; neither
do I fee, if any of us be once accufed of treafon,
how the perfons accufed can go in the treaty, but
fhould come home, and let your committees fend
in their ftead whom they pleafe, er do otherways
as they think fit. Thofe of us who favoured Tra-
quair may fleep found, and fear no danger ; but
God help them that are counted his enemies for
ftickingyo dofe by their inftructions. I have made
an fair offer for myfelf, that I fhall be heartily
content to be yoked in one chain with the Earl of
Traquair, and let him accufe me, and me accufe.
him, and let the judgment go free, and the nocent
fuffer. We have written information for fome
Lords, and fome of the lower houfe, and as I have
faid to them, fo I fay and write to you from the
bottom of my heart, that before the Parliament of
Scotland were thus fruftrated and boafted [threat-
ned] from their purfuit of incendiaries, (whom
now, if ever, they may fee to be incendiaries ) I
will rather be content, for myfelf, this night, to be
laid in the Gate-houfe, and let them do with me
to-morrow what they pleafed. I will fay no more,
but that it is a Jhame that any, let be fo many of
us, fhould yet be pleading for them ; and whereas
I was never for their blood, but only for their con-
feffion ( to fave the King and kingdom's honour )
if we get thefe recriminations, I think they deferve
Cuftice rather thzn mercy. The King mentions on-
T O H U M B I E. 123
ly Tracmair's name, that if -we do infift againft
him, he will make his refervation, but if we pafs
from him, he will referve none. Ye may fee it can
be no great treafon in regard of flk [fuch] a com-
penfation. If any of us be accufed here, ye fhall
think what to do with Ibme there, feeing we hear
it comes from Montrofe ; and, as I fufpeft, it is
upon the fpeeches that paft in the meeting of the
Eftates the firft of June, in the difpute, whether
to prorogue the Parliament, or to fit ftill, not-
withftanding the King and his Commiffioner's ab-
fence *.
* This letter was probably written zoth April, i 64 I .
[ 124 3
W A R I S T O N
TO
ADAM HEPBURN OF HUMBIE.
LOVING BROTHER,
^INCE my writing my laft with this fame bearer,
and doling it yefternight, I had occafion, this
morning, to fpeak with M, and after, by his ad-
vice, with the King, to whom I told my mind free-
ly of the dangers and inconveniences he might
draw himfelf, by difcuffing his actions, and forcing
men, for their defence, to look over old prac-
tiques, not fo expedient for him ; exoneravi animam
meain to him, and that for others, becaufe as for
myfelf, I told him, that I defied all the world that
could lay to my charge any trcafonable intention
againft his perfon and crown, and renewed my of-
fer to go in chains, with any accufer, to Scotland.
His mind feems to be on fome projects here fhort-
ly to break out ; he is certainly put upon this to
flick on the act of oblivion, both for to fave Tra-
quair, if he grant it, or to enfnare any Englifh
whom he apprehends to have had any intelligence
with us, if he grant it not*. Afternoon we met
all with him ; he read to us a fair anfwer anent
* This is a very remarkable circumftance ; it cannot be
fully explained, unlefs one were certain what perfons of the
Englifh nation correfponded with the Scots, and incited and
WARISTON TO HUMBIE. 125
the Council and Seffion, and for the reft told, that
he had given as fair anfwers already as he could,
and fairer nor otherwife he would, but pads causi.
He told, that he himfelf would get as much of
our money, and fecurity for the reft, if the Par-
liament did not prefently end our bufinefs ; that
he had thought on ways how to get it, that they
profefied their bufinefs depended on them, ( and
from words of this kind to make vis jealous of
them.) He told, that if the Parliament of Scot-
land would prorogue themfelves to fome diet again,
which he is confident they will do, he will allured-
ly go home himfelf and fettle the bufinefs ; he has
faid this, and fworn it too unto us, except fome
impediment occur, that he knows not of as yet ;
that he hopes to get his bufinefs ended here. Then
he fell on the act of oblivion. We read the in-
formation, which I fent to you within a letter to
Mr. Alexander Colvill. He raged at it, and called
us Jefuitical. Then he cried and fwore, that if
they excepted any, he would except fome alfo ;
and this he declared over and over again, and pro-
fefled his hope that the Parliament would be of
the fame judgment. We anfwered, in reafon, from
our inability to pafs from what the Parliament had
appointed, and from his granting the fame alrea-
dy in the treaty. I muft tell you my mind of all
encouraged their meafures. He who can explain and illu-
ftrate this particular, from original papers, will greatly ferre
the caufe of truth.
126 WARISTON
this bufinefs ; for ought I can learn from any
hand, both this plot of referving fome of us, and
this plot of caufing the King declare his intention
to go home to Scotland, is only to terrify us to
pafs from Traquair, and is fufpected (I will f,.y no
more, nor accufe any man) to come from fome of
our own number, with Traquair's advice ; and al-
beit it were a reality, that not only proceffes mould
be referved againft us, but alfo \ve were laid fail,
I cannot but muft write it again to you, for the
exoneration of my own confcience ; therefore no
fuch thing ever ye harbour fo bafe a thought as to
be thus threatened and dung [forced] from the
Parliament's purfuit of incendiaries, which, inju-
re, (for thofe that are named by the Parliament,
and efpecially Traquair, protefted againft that in
the laft prorogation) neither we, nor ye there, can
do, or has power in law to do. Some amongtt
us would terrify us with this project of the King's
own prefence, as able in Scotland to revcrfe all
that is done, except the als of the Alfembly, and
to gain fuch a party in Scotland, as to put hondt
men in hazard. God forgive them puts fuch hopes
in the King's head, albeit in reality I do not, nor
others more underftanding doth believe, that the
King has any intention (for all th it is faid) to go
in perfon to Scotland. Let us again be enjoined
to do our duty, and mew your firm refolution,
the rather t> follow forth the incendiaries for thcfe
very motions by the King, and ftops to the treaty,
as to prcferve that bufinefs fafe to the Parliament,
and let them do then what they pleafc, after we have
T O H U M B I E. 127
done our part ; and I will profefs plainly, that be-
fore ever I condefcend to the paffing by of thefe
incendiaries now, till the Parliament determine, I
{hall rather confent to the King's referving a thou-
fand of our number. Hafte up your anfwer to us,
and {how this and my former letter to General,
[Leflie] Caffillis, Lindfay, and Sir John Meldrum.
Be fure this letter meet me not again, only tell
them the news, or read it to them. I am fure I
am in as great hazard, and as much feared and
hated both, by Traquair, as any of our number,
here or there ; but, I thank God, I know not what
it is to be feared in this bufinefs, while I do my
duty. Look to your army, and be on your guard ;
if they could get an opportunity to rub an irrepa-
rable affront on you, paper bonds would be foon
broken ; if they find you circumfpecl:, it is thought
their defigns will be hitherwards. There is
fome motion, as I hear, of the King's defire to ad-
journ the houfes for ten days, on pretext of the fe-
ftival days ; but, as I hear, the loAver houfe will not
adjourn. To-morrow they give up their bill of trea-
fon to the Lords. There is fome of our articles a-
nentthe peace debated in the upper houfe, and like-
ly to be agreed. My Lord Dunfermling has been
twice thrice with the King ; Mr. Air. was a long
time with him. God forgive them that invents fuch
projects or tricks (for I think they {hall be found
empty boafts ) to bring off fo evil an inftrument,
for his reputation, to the dhlionour of the king-
dom ; I will not fay that any of them, or any other
of Traquair's fervants , have projected this to the
128 WARISTON TO HUMBIE.
King ; I dare not fay it, becaufe I know it not ;
but I am fure fundry have faid it, and fome others
fufpedt it ; howfoever, God willing, fome of us
(albeit we fhould be left alone, and be never fo ca-
lumniated) fhall return home with this teftimony
of our own mind, that we have adhered to our in-
ftruftions from them that fent us, and I believe
every one will fay as much for himfelf. God guide
the bufinefs right, keep you ftout in your direc-
tions to us, and circumfpeclive to your inteftine
hypocrites and foreign enemy. After reading this,
for my exoneration to Balmerino, fend it to him,
within your own, that he may thereby waken his
lawyers to be the more diligent and intent. In
hafte.
Your loving brother.
3 i ft April, at night
t 129 3
W A R I S T O tf
TO
LORD BALMERINO.
THE King continues in his profefTed
humour of referving fo many of us from the act
of oblivion, if we infift on the refervation of in-^
cendiaries. If this be brave work, that any of our
number fhould be on thefe tricks, to boaft us
from the Parliament's purfuit, by apprehenfion of
our own danger, it were now an acknowledgment
of our own guiltinefs, and difhonouring of the
caufe, ever to pafs from them on thefe threats ; let
never fo bafe a thought enter in the head of any
of the committees, albeit ye heard it was a reality,
as it is but a boaft put in the King's head by Tra-
quair, who threatned often to recriminate with
challenges of treafon, if we iniifted againft him.
I would rather, for myfelf, who will be "firft in
Traquair's roll no doubt, be laid fail in the Gate-
houfe, and carried to the hill, before ever I wrong"
ed the Parliament, the caufe, and my own inno-
ence fo far, as to force the King's refervation of
me out of the act to be procefled, to yield to the
fcraping out his name ; if the Parliament, aftef
confideration, ended his bufinefs oneway or other,
God is my witnefs I have no malice, nor particu-
lar end, but only that the honour of the kingdom
be preferred to his point of honour. Command
us to be ftout ; be diligent with your caufe j pve-
VOL. II. I
1 3 o WARTSTON TO L. BALMERINO.
pare your armies. Let not this other trick terrify
you, of their caufing the King profefs he would
come to Scotland himfelf for to fettle bufinefs,
which is a trick of theirs alfo to terrify us for
fear of faftions at home to grow by his prefence.
The lower houfe has given up their bill, grow in
daily ftrength*, will not rife; we they ~] have
Strafford's life, are thinking on monies for us.
This in poft-hafte. Lord encourage and direft
them.
Your Lordfhlp's humble fervant.
22d April, [1641.3
* This is not diftinftly written in the original.
C 131 3
W A R I S T O N
T O
LORD BALMERINO.
MY NOBLE LORD,
THE King, yefterday, having anfwered
us anent the Council and Seffion, and profeffing
he would get us money, if the Parliament did not,
told us of his intention to come to Scotland, if
the Parliament would prorogue another month for
him ; and after that urged us to pafs from the ar-
ticle of oblivion, or the refervation therein againft
incendiaries, orelfehe would (as he faid and fwore)
referve as many. He raged when we told our
inability to pafs from any whom the Parliament
had named and caufed cite, efpecially Traquair,
who was protefted againft even as to the proroga-
tions, and remembered him of his former grant of
the fame, in the fourth demand anent incendia-
ries. My Lord, I perceive, from fundry hands,
that both this threatning of refervations of us, and
this mentioning his intention to keep himfelf the
Parliament in Scotland, is a trick of Traquair's, by
the advice of fome of our own, fox' to terrify us,
what with our own danger by that refervation of
perfons, and the danger of the country by factions
at home, which would grow by the King's pre-
fence, to pafs now from the incendiaries ; and
this is but a boaft ; [an empty threatning] and al-
beit it were a reality ( as certainly neither affairs
I 1
132 WARISTON TO
here will permit, neither has the King any inward
intention to go to Scotland) as I writ to Newcaftle
my judgment freely in confcience, I would rather
he referved one hundred. I fend you the copy of
our information to fome Parliament-inert, which
was read alfo to the King, but whereat fome of
our number appear mightily offended ; I hope
they will let you fee reafon for their ftanding to
it ; alfo I as much of this letter and
information as I may be confident that
from the committee at Edinburgh to pafs from in-
cendiaries ; and laid my own feet fafl, and more
nlfo, before ever fo bafe a thought, and fo un-
worthy an aft, fell out in the hands of any of the
committees, as thus to be boafted and dung [for-
cedj from the Parliament's purfuit of the incendi-
aries named by themfelves in their aclr, which is
not a thing within the power of the committee,
let be of ours, and for the which ye might all be
cenfured. I'think that their tricks, flopping the
treaty, demonftrate them fo really to be incendia-
ries, as ye fhould rather renew your ftrift injunc-
tions for fending them home. If the King intend-
ed peace, he would not ftand on this, and from
which it is likelieft that he intends war ; whether
we yielded in that or not, war would we have. I
think I be one maft foon to be purfued by Traquair,
and fo is yourfelf one of thofe whom the King
would referve on Traquair 's information, who
profefied to fundry his having challenges of trea-
fon againft fo many of us ; my Lord Rothes is
certainly one, as Traquair often has vaunted him-
LORD BALMERINO. 135
felf, Argyle is fufpected to be another. Except the
fear of your own hazard from Traquair's boafts
move you to fend us inftructions to pafs from him,
I think neither honour, nor confcience, nor duty,
can move any ; and I believe ye love not to be thus
boafted. Fy on us, that any of us Should be on
their devices, for to fave the honour of an evil in-
ftrument, to the prejudice of the honour -of the
whole kingdom, lying under the blame of treafon
and rebellion., except to be brought to an acknow-
ledgment. Command us to be refolute in this pur-
fuit, againft all boafts and thrcatnings. Be diligent
with your caufe. I think the Parliament fliould,
by way of injunction, lay a neceffity on Sir Tho-
mas Nicolfon to plead that caufe for the common-
wealth. I would requeft you (with the greatcft fe-
crecy that can be) to caufe try if all the honours
and regifters were v left in the caftle, that ever had
been in it, or if any of them be wanting ; if Tra-
quair and the Clerk-Regifter have taken them a-
way, this were a facl: o clear treafon in the judg-
ment of all, and I fufpect they be guilty of bme
duch thing, but it would be kept .clefed, without
jrevealing to any, till the very day of his compear-
ance. I have fome grounds to fufpect this, as I
fhall tell you, if it pleafe God that we meet. It is
thought there is fome prefent plot to break forth
iiere. The Parliament will not rife, fer ought we
can learn, albeit they be commanded. Yefternight
the lower houfe, after final voting formally their
bill of attainder, gave it up to the Lords, with this
declaration, that they would proteft againft them
I 3
r4 WARISTON TO L. BALMERINO.
if they did not give them a fpeedy and fatisfa.ftory
anfwer. The Londoners bill for juftice is given in
after it. The Londoners offered to guard the Par-
liament with 5000 men, if they will, on appre-
heniion of diflblution, come in to the Guild-hall
jvithin the city. There is fome report of the
Queen's fhipping down to Portfmouth with her
plate, and of the King's fudden porting fome day
to his army, to whom there is fome new oath of
abfolution following him fent down. The lower
houfe would not condefcend that the officers
fhould go down. The Parliament is to fall to our
demands, and to get us money. God is going on
in fome hid way for his Son's crown, it will break
forth. I thank God that kept my fpirit fair above
all fears, either national or perfonal. The Lord
direct you to be preparing for a ftorm.
Your Lordfhip's real fervant,
A. J.
2fl April, [1641.]
r 135 3
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
LORD BALMERINO
TO
A PERSON UNKNOWN.*
AMONG other myfteries of thefe times,
one feemeth ftrange, that fome, having no prin-
ciples of religion to lead them, fhould fall fairer
in the prefent courfe of church-affairs, than o-
thers that have both profefTed and praclifed, both
yvf/a vavrav TUV X.O.KUV
fi^ct t I have retained fo much of the Liturgy as to
iy, " Good Lord deliver us."
* I cannot afcertain to whom -this -letter was addrefled,
; nor at what precife period it was written ; neither will I
prefume, upon fimple conjetfure, to determine againft whom
the charge of a loofe life with great feeming zeal, of ambi-
tion, and of avarice is here brought. In juftice to Balmeri-
no, it muft be acknowledged that he feeras to (peak the lan-
guage of fincerity.
I 4
C 136 1
EARL OF ROTHES
TO
W A R I S T O N.
WORTHY FRIEND,
TV/fv Lord London is to take journey homewards
"* upon Monday, who is to receive fome par-
ticular inftructions from his Majefty, and I believe
he will defire you not to do that which may make
his dealings ineffectual; and therefore you may
keep up your worft againft Traquair till you fpeak
with his Lordfhip. We have had hard work with
the King, Loudon will acquaint you with the par-
ticulars. If there be any miftakes of the carriage
of my Lord Loudon, or me, or any of your friends
here, you will inform the truth, according to your
knowledge, which is the defire of
Your affectionate friend,
R O T H E S.
London, 25th June,
1641.
Loudon comes not away till Monday My
bufinefs I have entrufted to you to prepare the
Earl of Argyle and Balmerino ; for if I defer to
accept the place *, times are uncertain and difpofi-
* Of Lord of the Bedchamber to the King, as appears
from Lord Clarendon's hiftory.
EARL OF ROTHES TO WARISTON. 137
dons ; if Argyle and Balmerino be plcafed, then
you may labour to move Lothian and Lindfay ;
fignify how it was the Marquis Hamilton, with
Roxburgh, and William Murray their motion to
me, from the fenfe of the good of the kingdom,
and that I fuffered them to move in it ; it is true it
is nothing within the kingdom, and fo is not liable
to the letter written to us not to accept benefices,
which can only be meant within the kingdom. Yet
I defire never to be in a condition my comerades
ihall not approve, nor to be in a better condition
than they fhall wifh me. I hope in his mercy that
his honour fhall be ever before my eyes above all
things, and fhall make his fervice my chief endea-
vour. Let me hear from you with the firft occa-
fion. Urge your opinion freely to me, and if they
have any exceptions at me, let me know it ; for,
on my honour, I have not deferved evil at their
hands, nor failed in any jot of my duty, to my
knowledge ; but this is an age of unjuft oenfur*
C 138 ]
GENERAL DAVID LESLIE
T O
MR. THOMAS HENDERSON.
- BECAUSE you defire me to be plain with
you in this, and to communicate my mind, I will
be free, that for my own part, I dellre not upon
any terms to have command in my own country,
for many reafons. Firft, it is not poffible to me,
nor any man to carry himfelf fo that he fhall or can
pleafe all men, as is to be feen of thofe that have
gone before me. Secondly, J have great ones to
my enemies in that kingdom. Thirdly, his Maje-
fty, with all reverence, would fee me hanged. And
laft of all, I can live abroad, and get preferment
with honour. Yet for all this, they who have
done fo much for me fhall command me in that
caufe I have fworn to, in fpite of all greatnefs,
malice, or whatfoever, to undergo any thing for
the maintenance of the caufe, not doubting but
God will give a blefiing thereto, beyond the expec-
tation of all its enemies ; and that I fhould fpeak
any more concerning myfelf, in that particular, I
will not, but refer myfelf to God and my friends,
knowing nothing can be done but to his pleafure.
And I would advife the well-affecled party be wife
in what they do concerning the foldiers, in regard
they will be eafy to be tempted, and many tempters;
I mean, that what fhall be kept a-foot, fhall be
takei. out of all the regiments, and that the beft,
GEN. LESLIE TO MR. HENDERSON. 139
and at leaft 2000 horfe; that 500 fhould be put
off a fortnight after, and within a month as many,
and fo forth ; the reft as occafion fhall offer. This
is the opinion of him who defires to hear from
you, and refts,
Your loving friend and fervant,
DAVID LESLIE.
I have written a letter of thanks to Loudon, and
another to my Lord Advocate.
Durham, 1 5th December.
[ i 4 o ]
KING CHARLES I.
TO
THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW.
TRUSTY AND WELL BELOVED, WE GREET
YOU WELL.
Q INCE nothing on earth can be more dear to us
than the prefervation of the affection of our
people, and amongft them none more than thefe
of our native kingdom; which as the long and
uninterrupted government of us and our predecef-
fors over them, doth give us juft reafon in a more
near and fpecial manner to challenge from them ;
fo may they juftly expect a particular kindnefs
from us in every thing which may contribute to
their happinefs ; but knowing what induftry is u-
fed, by fcattering feditious pamphlets, and employ-
ing private agents and inftruments, to give bad im-
preffions of us and our proceedings, and, under
pretence of a danger to religion and government,
to corrupt the fidelity and affections, and to en-
gage them in an unjuft quarrel againft us their
King ; we cannot therefore but endeavour to re-
move thefe jealoufies, and fecure their fears, from
all poffibility of hazard to either of thefe from us.
We have therefore thought fit to require you to
call together your fellow-burgefles, and all fuch
others as have any dependance upon you, and, in.
our name, to fhow them our willingnefs to give all
the aflurances they can defire, or we poffibly grant,
CHAR. I. TO THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW. 141
(if more can be given than already is) in preferv-
ing inviolably all thefe graces and favours which
we have of late granted to that our kingdom ; and
that we do faithfully proinife we will never rule
to the contrary of any thing there eftablifhed, ei-
ther in the ecclefiaftical or civil government ; but
that we will inviolably keep the fame according to
the laws of that our kingdom ; and we do wifh God
fo to blefs our proceedings and pofterity, as we do
really make good and perform this promife. We
liope this will give fo full fatisfaction to all that
fhall hear this our folemn proteftation, that no
fuch perfons as ftudy divifion, or go about to
weaken the confidence betwixt us and our people,
and juftly deferve the name and punifhment of in-
cendiaries, fhall be fcreened from the hands of ju-
ftice, and all fuch others as fhall endeavour peace
and unity, and obedience to us and our laws, may
expect that protection and increafe of favours
from us which their fidelity deferves. So, expect-
ing your care hereof, we bid you heartily farewel.
From our Court at Oxford,
April 2ift, 1643.
[ '4* ]
EARL OF LANERICK:
T O
THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW.
ASSURED FRIENDS,
TTis Majefty was plcafed to command me to con*
** voy unto you this inclofed letter from him,
wherein he fully expreffeth his gracious refolution
of preferving inviolably what he hath eftablifbed
amongft us in church and ftate. I will never fo
much injure your affections to his Majefty's fer-
vice, as to believe you, or any in your town, will
ever queftion the truth of thefe his Majefty's gra-
cious expreffions toward you, but that you will
receive them with fuch thankfulnefs as you may
encourage him to continue and encreafe his favour
toward you, wherein none fhall think themfelves
happier to be an inftrument than
Your fervant
and fellow-burgefs,
LANERICK
Hamilton, 2 4th May,
1643-
E MS 3
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
A PERSON UNKNOWN
TO
WARISTON.*
" Sir John Hotham is expected here eve-
ry day, being fent up by fea ; he hath been ever
known to be a covetous proud man, and his end
is like to be anfwerable. There is good ftore of
money found with him in Hull, they fay 30,000!.
it is evident he was near a fall. After the taking
and efcape of his fon, he wrote a letter to the
Speaker in fuch a high rhodomontado ftile, as
that it was no lefs than threatning ; he began thus,
" Lieutenant General Hotham is feized upon by
" thirty or forty rogues and Anabaptifts ; if by
" your order, I require reparation ; if by order of
" the houfe, I do likewife require fatisfaction from
" their juftice ; if by order from the General, I
" do ftill demand reparation even in the higheft."
It was a great and good providence of God that
* This letter was, in all probability, addrcfled to Wa-
rifton ; it mentions various occurrences in the war, the
pofition of armies, and the like : but the editor has pu-
blimed thofe parts only which tend to fhew the characters
of men, or the fentiments of parties.
1 44 A PERSON UNKNOWN
that hath fecured the place of Hull. Surely
howfoever the event of this quarrel may feem to
be doubtful, by reafoii that providence balances
the fuccefs alternatively ; yet it is very remarkable
that never any plot hatched againft the Parliament
hath efcaped difcovery ; they have all proved ab-
ortive.
I think at laft tlie committees Will be fent to
you. The late news of Lord Fairfax his lofs f
made them advance their pace m the difpatch of
that bufihefs. If they could do the bufinefs by
themfelves, they would fave you a labour, and
themfelves much money, and fome credit. But re-
gard not that ; they cannot be blamed for defir-
ing to have the honour of fettling their own re-
formation ; but if God will have it fo, that you
muft participate in the glory of the work, be not
backward to his call, nor wanting to yourfelves ;
it feems to me that this muft be your part ; by af-
fiftance and help of ftrength to carry on this re-
formation here, and by a powerful mediation to
reconcile King and Parliament, whofe quarrel is
but collateral ; becaufe the Parliament intends re-
formation and defence of religion, and Papifts and
other enemies both of religion and reformation
prevail in abufmg him, to make him believe that
his greatnefs and authority is aimed at. You who
formally of late cleared yourfelves from fuch falfe
afperfions, will be very fit mediators to undeceive
his Majefty, and clear this Parliament. Sir
f At the aftion near Tadcaftcr.
TO WARISTON. 145
William Waller is as great a terror td them [the
royalifls] as Scanderbeg was to the Turks.*-
This day alfo Sir Philip Stapleton and Colonel
Goodwin came from the Effexian army, brought
a letter from the General to the houfe, giving ac-
count of the pafTages in Buckinghamfhire, how he
could not engage the enemy to fight, by reafon
he prevails in horfe, which by their excuriions mo-
left the country infinitely ; that the houfes, if they
tKink fit, might do well to try his Majefty again,
if he v.'ill condefcend to their former propofitions^
.if not, that he would withdraw his perfon, and
appoint a day and a place that thefe two armies
may decide it. This letter gives 110 great fatisfac-
tion, and the rather becaufe this principal army
doth little, and Sir William Waller fo much. To-
morrow the houfes will debate upon the letter:
Unas homo nobis cunRando, &c. will not ferve at all
times. There was never a good caufe more
bafely betrayed, than men, and that not a few,
have offered to do this ; but the more thanks and
glory to God, that maintains it ftill, and will fi-
nifh it happily. I hear even now that Sir James
* This may ferve to illuftrate an obfcrvation made by
Lord Clarendon, B. vii. " They who looked upon the Earl
" of Eflex as a man that would not keep them company to
" the end of their journey, had their eyes upon Sir Willi-
" am Waller, as a man more Jdr their turn, and were de-
" firous to extol him the more, that he might eclipfe the
" other."
VOL. II.. K
146 TO WARISTON,
Ramfay is come tip ; there is much need of him in
EfTex's army, in which there is not an officer of
the field, but himfelf and Sir John Merrick, the
General of the ordnance. The Earl of Peterbo-
rough, Marfhal of the field, is dead, Sir William
Balfour fick ; there hath been no General of the
horfe fince Bedford quit it. I had forgotten the
Serjeant Major General Skippon, a very honeft
man, but a low country foldier. *
Doubtlefs you wonder that the committees fa
long ago defigned are not fent, and I cannot fatisfy
you with the true caufe of fo long ftay ; fare, in
fuch a cafe, they [the Scots] muft know there is no
manner of reafon ut nolentifiat beneficium ; but let
no delays out of neceflity, by reafon of emergent
difturbances, or otherways, abate their zeal to the
public weal and peace of both kingdoms, chiefly
in what concerns religion. Be ready in your ftati-
ons, that when you fee God's caufe requires, you
may put to your hand.
We hear his Majefty hath of late made fome
noblemen, as two of the chief delinquents to the
Parliament, Mr. Percy, Baron of Alnwick, and
Mr. Wilmot, I know not of what title;
lothjuly, 1643.
* The meaning probably is, that Skippon having been
bred in a regular army, was inclined to aft with caution and
flownefs : this did not fuit with the impatience of zealots.
C 147 3
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. WILLIAM SPANG,
MINISTER OF CAMPVEER IN ZEALAND.
-OuR prefent pofture here is this; when
the cunningnefs of Rothes had brought in Mont-
rofe to our party, his more than ordinary and evil
pride made him very hard to be guided ; his firft
voyage to Aberdeen made him {wallow the certain,
hopes of a Generalate over all our armies ; when
that honour was put upon Leflie, he incontinent
began to deal with the King, and when we were
at Dunslaw had given affurance, and was in a fair
way of performance, (had not the honefty and
courage of Marfhal prevented it) to have given over
the whole north to the enemy. When our voyage
to Newcaftlc came in hand, by his damnable bond,
he thought to have fold us to the enemy ; there-
after he was ever on corref pondence for our ruin ;
Allafter Macdonald * was the fmalleft firing in his
bow, and a defign which he leaft trufted in ; but
God refolving to humble us, who were beginning
* Sir Alexander Macdonald of Kolquitto, of the Antrim
family.
K 2
148 MR. ROBERT .BAILLIE
to fwell with our great fuccefs in England, and ori
bafe partialities to be' filled with emulations and
fddtious heart-burnings, he would demean us with
no more honourable rod ; fome 1500 naked Scots '
Irifhes having loppen from ifle to ifle, till at laft
getting away through Badenoch, they broke down
on Strathern. The country forces of Fife and
Strathern were three to 6ne, well armed on Tip-
permoor, had horfe and cannon, but the treache-
ry of Kilpont, and efpecially Sir John Drum-
mond, together with Elcho's rafhnefs, delivered
all that tumultuous people, and their arms, in the
enemy's hands, without flroke : a great many bur-
gefles were killed, 25 houfholders in St. Andrews
only ; many were burften in the flight, and died
without ftroke. At Aberdeen 400 of the Fife
foldiers well near routed the whole enemy, but be-
ing ill feconded by the burgefies of Aberdeen,
they fled alfo ; Marlhal and the gentry of the
country, the Forbefes, and the Frazers, lay by as
well content ; Gordon, by Argyle's great miftake,
having the commandment, whereof, through his
own haughtinefs, and treachery of his followers,
he made no ufe at all, a great many Aberdeens-
men were killed, and the town ill plundered. You
heard what followed that ftrange courting, as I
remember, thrice round about from Spey to A-
thole, wherein Argyle and Lothian's foldiers were
tired out ; the country, harrafled by both, and no
lefs by friends than foes, did nothing for their own
defence.
Whether through, envy and emulation, or ne*
TO MR. WILLIAM SPANG. 149
giigence, or inability, AVgyle's army was not re-
lieved as it fhould, himfelf was much grieved, fo
that he laid down his commiffion, which neither
Lothian nor Callendar, for any requeft, would
take up ; fo Baillie was forced to take it, or it
muft have lain. In the mean time, the .enemy, after
their long ftorm, fcorning to fall down on Glaf-
gow, turned to Argyle, and came thro' it all with-
out oppofition, burnt Inverary, killed and fpoiled
what they pleafed ; the world believed that Argyle
could have been maintained againft the greateft ar-
my, in a country inaeceffible ; but we fee there is
no ftrength nor refuge on earth againft the Lord.
The Marquis did his beft to be revenged ; with an
army fufficient overtook the rogues in Lochaber,
at Inverlochy ; we hoped they might eafily have
been defeat ; but behold the indignation of the
Lord ! Argyle, having a hurt in his arm and face,
gotten by a cafual fall from his horfe fome weeks
before , whereby he was difabled to ufe either
fword or piftol, was compelled by his friends to go
aboard his barge ; his coufin Auchinbreck took the
leading of his army ; no appearance but of cou-
rage and fuccefs ; yet no fooner did the enemy fet
on, but all our people, overtaken with a pannic
fear, without any neceflity, turn back and fly ; Au-
chinbreck, a ftout foldier, but a very vicious man,
and many fpecial gentlemen of Argyle 's friends
were killed. This difafter did extremely amaze
us. I verily think had Montrofe come prefently
from that battle, he ihould have had no oppofiti-
on in all the Highlands, in the Lennox and fhe-
K 3
I 5 o MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
riffdom of Air, Glafgow, Clydefdale, fcarcc till
he had come to Edinburgh. But God, in mercy
to us, put other thought in his heart ; he went in-
continent northward, did what he was pleafed as
far as Murray, got the Gordons, Grants, and ma-
ny of the clans to join, Seaforth alfo came to, his
camp ; his hopes were, and we had reafon to fear
it, that having the half of Scotland in his power,
he, with a great army, would march the high way
fouthward.
Before this time our people did not well awake ;
our Parliament had trifled much time in needlefs
debates ; Sir John Smith and divers burgefies had
debated too much, for their own ends, upon the
excife ; Lindfay, by the burrows, to pleafe the
Treafurer, was made Prelident in Lauderdale's
place, whom the ftone had removed, to our great
lofs and regret ; he was not fo able to difpatch
bufinefs. Emulations and heart-burnings about par-
ticulars hindered much our affairs in a moft dan-
gerous time. The country was exceedingly ex-
hauft with burthens ; and, which was worfe, a
carelefs ftupid lethargy had feized on the people,
fo that we were brought exceedingly low. In this
lamentable condition we took ourfelves to our old
rock ; we turned ourfelves to God ; the AfTembly
fent a printed warning to the country, well pen-
ned by Mr. Gillefpie ; we wrote a free admonition
to the Parliament of their jealoufies and diviiions,
which, though it took not away the root, yet did
it fned many of the branches of the evils complain-
ed of j Baillie was enabled to move, and written
TO MR. WILLIAM SPANG. i S i
to by the Affembly ; Marflial alfo was put in the
beft pofture might be ; the Parliament had ad-
journed that the war might be better followed ;
and in this cafe left I Scotland, with a heart full of
perplexities.
You know how gracioufly the Lord brought
me through the feas ; the ftorm which before had
been fo extraordinary, that many there thought
we had been caft away, when we came from you,
we were exceeding welcome, but found our affairs
in an exceeding ill pofture ; the credit of our na-
tion impaired ; fenfible negledls, and real ground
of complaint, daily offered us, in many occur-
rences, private and public, that would have tempt-
ed greater patiences and wifdoms than was nati-
onal to us ; yet we refolved to go on as we might,
waiting when God would blink upon Scotland ;
for we knew as God helped us there, our affairs
here would mend. It was a matter of exceeding
joy unto us to hear of the difafter that Montrofe
got at Dundee, and of the pofture of our country
at laft, according to our minds, after the flight of
the enemy, the killing of 4 or 500 of the beft of
the Irifhes, the diflipating of moft of the Scots
Highlandmen, the lofs of their ammunition, and
moft of their arms, Baillie, with the one half of the
army, is gone to Athole, to keep them from that
ftarting hold ; Horrie, with the other half, with
Marflial and the north country, is towards Aber-
deen ; Lawers and the Murray-men are to keep>
in another turn ; Argyle, with a regiment of his
own, and 1500 from Ireland, is to the Highlands.
K 4
i$2 MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
So, by God's help, in a little time, we hope to. get
fuch order of thefe our troubles, that Scotland
ihall be in peace, and fend back the foldiers now
it makes ufe of, with fuch increafe, that Leflie,
vrith a better army than he has yet commanded,
' fhall make over Trent, and Monro to Conaught
and Munfler.
The Englifh look on us already much more
chearfully than of late. We pity their rafh and
unadvifed feeblenefs ; and yet, thanks to God, we
have been conftant to do all duties to them, in
the midft of all their ingratitude and provocations.;
xve refolve they will, at laft, by our actions, fee
their obligations to us.
This new-modelled army confifts, for the moft
part, of new unexperienced foldiers ; few of the
officers are thought capable of their places ; many
of them are fectaries, or their confident friends ;
if they do great fervice many will be deceived.
Some have great fears, not only of their defigu
to ftrengthen the party of the fectaries, fo that it
may not fafely be difpleafed, but alfo of compon-
ing with the King, to the prejudice of us and all
our friends here. Yet I hope thefe fears are
groundlefs. Sundry wife men, whom I fpeak with,
believe that the new army is npt fo full of fecta-
ries as is {aid, and, however, are aflured of their
honefly and obedience to the Parliament ; alfo, if
any difafter fhould befal them, which, with our
daily prayers, we heartily deprecate, they hope
that our army, well recruited with forces from
Scotland, and much ftrengthened by a multitude
TO MR. WILLIAM SPANG. 153
of good officers, which partly have left, partly arc
out qf the Englifh army, fhall, by God's hejp, be
enabled to do their bufinefs, and fettle peace here
ere it be long.
London, April 2 5th,
1645.-
C 154 3
LORD BALMERINQ
TO
W A R I S T O N
MY LORD,
T WILL not vex you with the repetition either of
T our hopes or fears, which you will hear fo ful-
ly from others, in confidence that he who deliver-
ed us from the lion and the bear, will alfo rid us
of the uncircumcifed Philiftines, who are, I hope,
obdured to their ruin, though to our humiliation.
Jt hath been no fmall vexation to this poor king-
dom, both in body and mind, and a heavy charge
to thefe few left here. It would break a hundred
hearts to fee the general fecurity of all, both here
and elfewhere, and the particular refpects and fel-
fifhnefs of fome, which if the Lord do not pity,
we may meet with Athanafii nitbecula fooner than
we think. I got but warning this afternoon from
Mr. George Halyburton to have my letters ready
for him before night ; I will only therefore re-
member you of that I told you before your laft
parting hence, for engaging the Hollanders with
ps in Ireland, whereof you have a fair ground
from General Major Monro's letters fent you from
this committee ; the town of Galway, and others,
being in Inchequin's land, would be excellent in-
vitations, as cautionary towns for them : and if
your confident friends be not forward to entertain
this motion, their intentions toward our fatisfac-
L. BALMERINO TO WARISTON. i 5i -
tion may be fufpefted ; and without fome fuch
fupply as that we may give over ; for the borrow-
ing of money is dried, and the excife is like to be
unfortunate firft and laft. Vigilate ct orate, vale
ut velit tuns,
]. BALMERINO.
Edinburgh, pth September,
C 156 3
ALLAN CAMERON OF LOCHIEI,
T O
SIR JAMES GRANT OF FREUCHIE.*
RIGHT LOVING COUSIN,
TV/I Y hearty recommendations being remembered
to your honour; I have received your ho-
nour's letter concerning this misfortunate accident
that never fell out, betwixt our houfes, the like be-
fore, in no man's days ; but, praifed be God, I am
innocent of the fame and my friends, both in refpect
that they gi't [went] not within your honour's
bounds, but [only] to Murray-land, where all men
take their prey ; nor knew not that Moynes was a
Grant, but thought that he was a Murray-man ;
and if they knew him, they would not ftir his
land, more than the reft of your honour's bounds
in Strathfpey. Sir, I have gotten fuch a lofs of
my friends, which I hope your honour fhall con-
fider, for I have eight dead already, and I have
twelve or thirteen under cure, whilk I know not
who fhall die, or who fhall live, of the fame. So,
Sir, whofoever has gotten the greateft lofs, I am
content that the fame be repaired, to [at] the fight
of friends that loveth us both alike -and
there is fuch a trouble here among us that we can-
* This letter and the following one were communicated
by James Grant of Grant, Efq;
LOCHIEL TO FREUCHIE. 157
not look to the fame, for the prefent time, while
[until] I wit who fhall live of my men 'that is un-
der cure. So not further troubling your honour
at this time, for your honour fhall not be offended
at my friends innocence,
S I R,
I reft yours,
ALLAN CAMERON OF LOCHIEL,
Glenlecharrig, 1 8 th October,
1645*
[ 158 ]
ALLAN CAMERON OF LOCHIEL
T O
THE EARL OF SEAFORTH.
RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD,
T HAVE received your Lordfhip's letter concern-
ing the unhappy accident that is fallen betwixt
the Laird of Grant's men and my kinfmen, which
came to our lofs both, unknown to me, becaufe I
was in Argyle in the mean time : for the Laird of
Grant was the only man I love beft in the north,
becaufe I came lately out of his houfe, and it
[there] came no ill betwixt us finfyne [fince] till
this unhappinefs came lately ; therefore I am wil-
lingly to refer it to friends that will wifh our well
both fides, and fpecially your Lordfhip be the prin-
cipal friend there. But my poor friends had no-
thing but the defenders parts, becaufe they were
in force to fight or die. Not to trouble your Lord-
fhip with many words, to farther occailon, com-
mits your Lordfhip to God's protection.
Your Lordfhip's aflured friend,
ALLAN CAMERON LOCHIEL.*
Lochairkeag, the 27 th October,
1645,
Not forgetting my hearty commendation to your
Lordfhip's honourable lady, my aunt.
* It appears that the Camerons made an incurfion into
the borders of the county of Murray, and fpoiled the lands
C 159 3
EARL OF LANERICK
TO
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE.
REVEREND SIR,
f'T'HE occalion of writing with this bearer pro-
" cures you this trouble, elfe I fhould have con-
tinued filent, and, at this time, as formerly, truft-
ed to your credit ; but calumnies grow now fo up-
on me, that I muft beg you would not deny me
the continuance of your favourable opinion, in
defpite of my traducers, how impudent foever they
be, until either I clear myfelf, or God fo blefs my
endeavours, that my actions force them to confefs
themfelves liars. For though none dare nor can
juftify themfelves before God, yet I will profefs
my intentions of affectionate deiires hath ftill been
of Grant of Moynes, that the Grants overpowered and
worfted them. Thefe two letters contain the apology made
by the chief of the Camerons for this depredation. If the
letters were not perfectly well authenticated, it would feem
incredible, that, in the laft age, a gentleman of family could
both avow fuch robberies, and juftify the robbers ; and this
the more efpecially, becaufe at prefent there are no men more
regular and inoffenfive than the inhabitants of that part of
Scotland inhabited by the Camerons. It is pleafing to re-
flecl: on that change of manners which induftry and an im-
partial and fteady exertion of the laws hare introduced.
160 EARL OF LANERICK TO MR. BAILLIE.
to ferve my country in this caufe, according to my
covenant, without pcrfonal end of advantage or
benefit to myfelf, or prejudice to any who have
been juftly ambitious of being inftruments in this
caufe. I know good, wife, and impartial rtien will
not deny me charity, fo I will expect it from you
of no longer than I make it my endeavour both to
be an honeft man, and
Your obliged friend and fervant,
LANERICK.
Lmlithgow, 26th February,
1646.
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
THE EARL OF LANERICK.
MY LORD,
T RECEIVED your Lordfhip's of the 26th of Fe-
bruary from James Hamilton, which, together
with the kind ana confident expreffion therein, I
acknowledge as an new obligation. What your
Lordfhip defires is very reafonable and juft ; you
may be allured to obtain it eafily of me, and of all
others with whom I have power ; for believe it,
now of a long time, at leail three months, fo far
as I remember, I have not heard from any man to
your Lordfhip's prejudice ; by the contrary, the
Bother day I heard a larger and more vehement pa-
negyric to your Lordlhip's commendation, and
bitterer invective to the difgrace of fome others,
than I conceive was needful. If I were befide you,
I would ufe my old pedantic and magifterial free-
dom, but papers, at fo far a diftance, in this po-
fture of affairs, are unfafe invoices of free and ho-
neft thoughts. Only this much muft I fay, for all
the world fees it, that matters are pitifully mifcar-
ried in Scotland. That our fhame and fkaith [da-
mage] was not fo great this 600 years as this lafl
year. We are nothing helped by handing the
caufe of our miferies from one of you to another ;
the poor land bleeds and is deflroyed, I dare not
fay, which fome charge, as much by the differen-
VOL, II. L
162 MR. ROBERT BAILLIE TO
ces of our friends, as by the hand of the enemy,
Yet I am bold to fay too too much, and more than
the beft of you fhall ever be able to anfwer, either
to God, or to the world, or to pofterity. It is
a filly plea that you are all united in the end, fince
your debates about the midds [ means ] make the
end in your hand to be loft. If I had any power
among any of you, I would in all earneftnefs ob-
teft, that if any love to God and religion, if any
tendernefs to your poor broken and difgraced
country, if any fenfe of your own honour and
fafety be yet remaining, you would at laft do what
divers times has been eflayed, promifed, and be-
gun by every one of you, but performed by none ;
I mean that all your quarrels might, for a time at
leaft, be laid aflde, that every one of you would
cede and fubmit to another, and cordially join in
the common defence. Albeit I be no prophet, yet
I think I forefee, that whoever of you, in thefe fad
times, are readied to facrifice all your felf-interefts
to the weal of the public, you fhall obtain, in de-
fpite of all oppofers, in the moft eafy and honour-
able way, all your defires. But if you refolve eve-
ry one of you fo to look to your own defigns, and
go on in your differences, though all fhould pe-
rifh, among many other unhappy events this will
be one, that the people who outlive thefe troubles
will curfe ail your memories, will gladly confent to
that curfe, which fomewhere in the world is much
defired and far advanced ( though my heart did
ever abhor it) that, when kings and princes are
brought down, the power and following of the
THE EARL OF LANERICK. 163
nobles may be abolifhed, as that which they have
feen and felt not at all to ferve for the defence,
but clearly for the dividing and. ruining of a poor
people. Of this enough ; I am very hopeful your
Lordfhip will be as ready as any one to lay afide
whatever may concern yourfelf and your friends,
till your poor dying country may once be recover-
'ed, that in the life and health thereof you may
find yourfelf and them, otherwife, you know well,
neither you nor they can be fafe. I hope, againft
the General AfTembly, to fee your Lordfhip, when
Jt fhall be able to tell you all my mind of affairs,
both private and public. In the mean time, I re-
main
Your Lordfhip's
affectionate friend and fervant,
R. B.
L 2
[ i6 4 3
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T o
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
You will have it from many hands, and
I cannot but advertife you alfo, that the prevalent
party defires nothing fo much as the King's refu-
fing any one of the propositions : it is the fenfe o
all I meet with, that if the King fhould delay to
grant the propositions, this people will declare a-
gainft him, and reject him for ever from being King.
The Prince his going to France does much imbit-
ter them, and furthers that which is the defign of
many, to abolifh monarchy, and fettle themfelves
in a new kind of popular government. If the King
will prefently pafs all the proportions, I find the
moft very willing that he fhould return, and be re-
ceived with fo much power and honour, as may,
in a little time, bring him to all his juft and pious
defires. He deceives himfelf exceedingly, if he ex-
pel any divifions here in hafte ; all will agree, if
he remain obftinate, to ruin -him and his family,
and all who adhere to them ; while this fear be fe-
cured by appearance, this people will be one. Di-
vers, from whom leaft I expected it, are for the put-
ting away the whole royal race. The natural re-
fpec"l I have to all great families, and the great love
and reverence that I ever carried to the King's
perfon, makes me grieve and fear much at this
time* When I look upon the difpofition of all
MR. BAILLIE TO MR. HENDERSON. 165
incn whom I know, I fee nothing but ruin for
poor Scotland, except the God of heaven help you
there to fave that poor Prince from deftroying
of himfelf and his pofterity, againft whom he has
but too often invocated the name of God ; though
he fhould fwear it, no man will believe it that he
fticks upon epifcopacy for any confcience. It was
certainly refolved, and expected by all, that the
committee fhould have conlifted of the prime
lords, and eight of the chief commons, but the
infuperable wilfulnefs of two of our friends has
fcnt down the fix that are named, in fatisfaction
of their private fimulations, withotit any defign to
harden and irritate the King ; this I know to be
true ; all men are, for the time, in fufpence, but
ready, upon the King's declaration whatever way,
to enter into new thoughts and actions. I think
you fhall fhortly have with you all our three great
men, Richmond, Hamilton, Argyle. I doubt not
but all three will join to perfuade, to their utter-
moft, the King to do his duty. If this fucceed, it
would be your next care, for the well of Scotland,
to make all thefe three more real friends than as
yet I fufpecT: they are. The Lord help you. So I
reft.
It has been the King's perpetual fault to grant
his people's defires by bits, and fo late he ever
loft his thanks. Muft we yet wait an oracle from
France ?
April 2 4th, 1646.
L Q
C 166 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON*
nnHE papers you defired I fent with Daniel up-
* on Saturday ; I have no more to add unto
that than I wrote, but that the commons voted to-
day, that our army fhall be gone, and that when we
go 50,000!. fhall be given us, and other 50 when
the garrifons arc delivered; this is an evidence,
among many more, of this people's intentions to-
wards us. Every circumftance is written daily from
the north to our unfriends. There is much talk
here by all forts of people of the King's obftinacy,
that he is the longer the worfe, and refufes all
reafon, the faction rejoices herein; this difpofiti-
on contributes exceedingly to their wifhed defign;
all friends are very ferry for it, except God help
you, that you have occasion to let us know there
is fhortly a great change, we will not know whi-
ther to turn us ; our perplexity for him and our-
felves at the prefent is very great ; if he would do
his duty, in fpight of all knaves, all would in a
moment go right ; but if God have hardened him,
fo far as I can perceive, this people will ftrive to
have him in their power, and make an example of
him ; I abhor to think of it what they fpeak of
execution* ; every hour of this delay gives advan-
* 'J his is a very remarkable paflage, and deferves the at-
tention of the reader.
MR. BAILLIE TO MR. HENDERSON. 167
tage to thefe men, who make it their work to fteal
votes to engage the nations, and to make him ir-
reconcilable. It has been his conftant unhappinefs
to give nothing in time ; all things have been gi-
ven at laft, but he has ever loft the thanks, and his
gifts have been counted conftrained and extorted.
If Aftmrnhame be keeped we will not be able to
abide this people's clamours. But enough of this.
A blind man fees that if he refolves to be a mad
man any longer, he will be forced to do it within
narrower bounds. The Lord be with you in this
hardeft paiTage of this work. I reft
Your fervant,
R. B.
May pth, 1646.
[ 168 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
SIR,
MANY here long to hear the King's refo-
lution, and more to hear the refolution of our na-
tion. If God help you to make him quickly do
his duty, this people feem ready to welcome him ;
but if he fhall remain obftinate, or delay much
time, it is very like all his people will join againft
him and all who will take his part. This delay of
a declaration from him and us increafes jealoufies
and clamours. The great God help you to foften
that man's heart, left he ruin himfelf, and us with
him. Be affured he muft either yield to reafon,
and altogether change his principles, or elfe he
will fall in tragic miferies, and that without the
commiferation of thofe who hitherto have commi-
ferated his condition. I hope, with the next, at
leaft fhortly, to fend you my thoughts, as you de-
iired, on King James' declaration. The Lord be
with you, and give you council, and a mouth con-
vincing irreiiftible.
Your fervant, R. B.
May 1 6th, 1646.
The city remonftrance had a flop, but it is like
to be for its furtherance ; if that man go now to
ftickle on bifhops and delinquents, and fuch fool-
MR. BAILLIE TO MR. HENDERSON. 169
i(h toys, it feems he is mad ; if he have the leaft
grace 'or wifdom, he may, by God's mercy, pre-
fently end the miferies wherein himfelf and many
more are likely alfo to link. Let me intreat you
for one thing, when you have done your utter-
moft, if it be God's pleafure to deny the fuccefs,
not to vex yourfelf more than is meet ; ft immnn-
dus vult vadere, &c. When we hear of your health
and courage it will refrefh us. Go matters as they
will, if men will not be faved, who can help it ?
And yet you know that I was never among thefe
who had greateft averlion from his perfon, or leaft
fympathy with his afflictions ; if he be refolved to
flop our mouths, and bind our hands, that we can
neither fpeak nor do for him, let him go on fo to
make himfelf and us miferable ; there is a better
life coming ; but woe to thefe villains who have be-
witched, poifoned, and infatuated a good Prince,
for his own and fo many millions ruin ; we are in
a fair way, and daily advance into it, if his obfti7
nacy fpoil not all the play. God's will b.e done.
[ 170 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
T HOPE you got my laft with Daniel Carmichael,
you have here one from Dr. BurgeiTe. It now
comes near the fhock. I am trembling for your *
anfwer to our proportions. I am grieved that
your refolutions fliould depend fo abfolutely upon
France, and that upon a party there who have
been fo evidently foolifh, wicked, and pernicious ;
your debates upon epifcopacy I never took to be
confcientious, but merely politic, and a pretence
to gain time. I hear France has or will lofe that
fcruple of confcience very eafily. Will fuch bafe
hypocrify be blefled ? The French ambaflador is
all compofed of honefty, and has no other errand
but peace, yet I do no ways like this his almoft ab-
rupt running to you at fo unfeafonable a time. The
paffing of the propolition for epifcopacy will not
do your turn now. You have that good property
to do all out of time. Though you pafs the mili-
tia and Ireland, that will not do it neither. We f
would beg of you to ftand upon any one thing ;
let the French perfuade you to do it, and we fhall
blefs them for it is our only fear that you pafs
* That is, King Charles's anfwer.
f That is, the Independents.
MR. BAILLIE TO MR. HENDERSON. 171
all, and fo quickly return and be our matters ; but
flick upon any thing we have fent, we lhall quick-
ly eftablifh ourfelves in a republic, and forfwear
Kings for ever ; for you have been fo exceffively
bloody and falfe, that God and man call for your
execution, efpecially now, when the world fees
your remedilefs obftinacy, and full refolution to
go on in your old falfe and hypocritical way ; bet-
ter once for all be ridd of you, and all who will
take your part. This I find to be the heart of ma-
ny, whofe fenfe I expe&ed fhould have been much
other wife. I marvel to fee the Simplicity of fome,
who think your condefcenfion in fome main things
will do your turn ; I profefs thefe men whom you
\vill find flatter you in fuch counfels, I fufpecl
their defigns are to ruin the poor Prince for their
own ends, Sir, if you have any power, let that
man come off very frankly in all things, and he
lhall have all he ought to defire ; will he do it by
halves and quarters, he is running to utter cle-
ftructton ; who can help it ; yet I muft be one of
the mourners for it. Sir, give over your difputa-
tions, they are but vain ; it is near the fool's fay-
ing, -" They will make Prince Elector of thee." O
the madnefs of blinded men, that no experience
will teach them to fave themfelves and thoufands
from evident mifchief. The Lord help and aflift
you ; do and fay what becomes, be the event what
k will. All men, I fee, feek themfelves above any
thing either public or private.
Your fervant.
July 1 6th, 1646.
[ 172 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER,
"^L^OUR ficknefs has much grieved my heart. It
is a part of my prayers to God to reftore you
to health, and continue your fervice at this time ;
we never had fo much need of you as now. I have
fent you at laft my pamphlet ; it has ftuck on the
prefs thefe feven weeks, through the fottifhnefs of
the printers ; our brethren are all content with it ;
J was altogether, averfe from intermeddling with
it, till you, at your departure, fpoke to me about
it. But what do I fpeak of fuch toys. The King's
madnefs has confounded us all ; we are in a wo-
ful evil taking ; we know not what to do, nor what
to fay ; we know the weight that lies on your
heart ; J fear this be the fountain of your difeafe.
Yet I am fure if you would take courage, and di-
geft what cannot be gotten amended, and, if af-
ter the fhaking of melancholy thoughts, the Lord
may be pleafed to ftrengthen you at this time, you
would much more promote the honour of God,
the welfare of Scotland and England, the comfort
of many thoufands, than you can do by weaken-
ing of your body and mind with fuch thoughts as
are unprofitable. The great God fill, your
heart with ftrength and comfort from his own
face. Thus I reft
Your moft loving brother and fervant, R. B.
London, Auguft 4th, 1646.
t 173 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. WILLIAM SPANG,
COUSIN,
1 WAS at Oxford, the beft builded and
booked univerfity in the world, but the worft pro*
\-ided of learned and orthodox men I know any.
We were lately in fome good hopes of a happy
peace and end of all our troubles, but now we
are very near defperate of that, after all pofiiblc
endeavours by all unanimously, Scots, Englifh,
French. So far as yet we know, the King refu-
fes the proportions . We expecl: on Monday the
Chancellor, with Argyle and the commiffioners ;
after their report to the houfes we fear fad votes ;
it will be our endeavours to keep them from fud-
den conclufions ; they take a long time to the fmal-
left affairs, but I fear they be too quick in depofing
the King, and fetting a day to the Prince ; we are at
a great nonplus, in very great grief and perplexity;
we know not what either to do or fay ; there is be-
fore us a thick cloud of confufion ; many of the
King's greateft friends think his obftinacy judicial,
as if, in God's juftice, he were deftroying himfelf.
I fear he will down with him and all his pofterity,
and monarchy alfo, in this ifle. We have very
fmall hopes of doing any more with him, and ma-
ny thoufands more of his beft fubjects. This is the
great joy of the prevalent party, the thing they
174 MR - BAILLIE TO MR. SPANG.
panted for with all earneftnefs. Our griefs and
fears are great, and, for the time, we are in great
fhipidity and aftonimment. It will be our endea
vour to keep the nations together, albeit we fcarce
fee the poffibility of it. Mr. Henderfon is dying,
moft of heart-break, at Newcaftle. Our grandees
are like to be ftate-fchifmatics, and the worft fide
to be the ftrongeft. A truly pious and really public
man is a rare piece upon earth. Grief and
anxiety make me cut off. The Lord be with you.
So I reft
Your coufin,
R.B
Auguft 7th, 1646,
C 175 ]
PART OF A LETTER
FROM
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
S I R,
*T~'HOUGH I have little purpofe yet I could not
let George go without two or three lines.
Your weaknefs is much regreted by many here ;
to me it is one of our fad prefages of the evil com-
ing ; if it be the Lord's will, it is my hearty prayer
oft-times, you might be lent us yet for a time, up-
on the great appearance of our full compliance
with this people. The mofl feems to applaud our
carriage toward the King, but how long I doubr.
It feems the nioft here are inclined to declare a-
gainft the King, and that without much regrete.
I know no remedy, but a quick meffage from him
to grant all. I wifh our meeting at Edinburgh
might yet fend to him for that effect ; but I fear it
to be too late ; I fear in all things he continues
extremely unhappy* Montreville and his letters
were taken by fea. Bellievre's brother, pofting by
land, after a fore fallj fent his letters by an ex-
pi-efs, with the fpeaker's pafs ; yet the man was
flopped, and his letters taken from him. The Par-
liament's agents write ftill from Paris that the
Duke of Lorrain fhall winter in England, that Ba-
i?6 MR. BAILLIE TO MR. HENDERSON.
varia is upon the leagxie, upon the ^xprefs condi-
tion that the King fhall no mote meddle \tith the
Palatine caufe, that 100,000 crowns are fent into
Scotland, and from France, by the way of Hol-
land. The belief of thefe things, how falfe foever,
is equivalent to the truth. Ormond's pacification
with the Irifh is very unreafonable. The placing
of Hobbes ( a profefTed Atheift, as they fpeak) a-
bout the Prince, as his teacher, is ill taken.
If you fee not to it, I fear great divifions among
our own States, but our great God can help all
thefe things ; his Spirit ftrengthen, comfort, and
encourage you to the end. So I reft in my hearty
love and reverence toward you.
London, Auguft I3th,
1646.
C 177 1
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. ROBERT BLAIR.
REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER,
Yo u muft not weary of your charge, as
not to go about it chearfully, and to do in it all the
good you can in your fhort time. It is well that
Mr. Andrew Ramfay's treatife has done what
Mr. Henderfon and all the reft of you could not
do. But it is a pity that bafe hypocrify, when it is
pellucid, fhouldftillbe entertained. No oaths did
ever perfuade me that epifcopacy was adhered to
on any confcience. I efteemed all your debates on
that fubjeft to be but ridiculous pretexts to gain
time, till your laft refolutions came from your ma-
fters beyond fea ; and now, when it is come, arc
you fo wife as to dream that the abolition of epi-
fcopacy will do any fervice ? Will that plumb
pleafe Scotland fo well as to make them join with
the malignants againft England ? Will your new
officers of ftate, new lords and knights, draw that
nation at your heels ? Have you been fo long in
the mortar, and beaten fo much with the peftlc,
and yet folly is not yet driven from you ? All your
friends here lament at your palpable excecation ;
but all abhor thefe madmen who will deftroy a
more than half-deftroyed Prince, by betraying him
with their flatteries. With much diligence and
VOL. II. M
178 MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
art, and great perplexity, we ftrive every day to
keep. the houfe of commons from falling on the
King's anfwer ; we know not what hour they will
clofe their doors, and declare the King fallen
from his throne ; which, if they mould once do,
we put no doubt but all England would concur ;
and if any fhould mutter againft it, they would
quickly be fupprefTed, Do not expect that ever
any more meflages will come to you from this, if
within a very few days you fend not hither a fimple
and abfolute grant of all the proportions, with-
out any if or and, you will quickly obtain your
delire, a Martyrdom ; a perpetual clofe prifon will,
at leaft, be your portion, and that without the pity
of many. If yet you would do what within a few
days you will beg on your knees 10 be permitted
to do, but in vain, you might fave all. Why is no
courfe taken to declare them infamous for ever
that do enfnare the King, by taking any honour,
place, or promife, from him, in his prefent condi-
tion ? Shall fuch unhappy traitors be enabled, by
any truft in their country, to do mifchief ? Be ob-
ilinate but a little more, and all here will, with-
out any more vexing of themfelves, let you play
the fool while you live. All that favour the
King in England are not worth a button, if he
make any more fcruple in any of your demands.
Thefe falfc traiterous whifperers that would make
the blinded Prince believe that the feftaries are
not his extremely malicious enemies, burning for
the day to caft him and all his poilerity out of
TO MR. ROBERT BLAIR. 179
England, they are impudent liars. I fometimes
weep in fecret for the inexpreffible evils which that
man moft needlefly is haftening on himfelf and his
whole houfe, and many thoufands of his poor fub-
jefts. But, if fo it muft be, the Lord's will be done,
I reft.
Auguft i8tb, 1646.
M 3
C 180 ]
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
T O
MR. WILLIAM MURRAY
OF THE BED-CHAMBER.*
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL,
TT was your pleafurc to give me two kind vifits in
* my chamber ; what then I purpofed to have
faid to you, but was interrupted therein by thef*
who came in upon us, I have taken the boldnefs
to write it to you in this memorandum, as my ob-
fervation, from my converfe with divers citizens
and divines of the beft note among the Englifti.
I doubt not but you have, from many hands,
much more than all this ; yet I thought meet you
fhould have this much from me alfo, in teftimony
of my freedom with you, and of my love and com-
panion towards a perifhing Prince, and three king-
doms ready to fall in extreme miferies. Nothing
doubting of your favourable acceptance, I reft
Your loving friend and agent,
R. B.
* Soon after created Earl of Dyfert.
C 181 3
TO MR. WILLIAM MURRAY.
MEMORANDUM FROM YOUR AGENT.
Firft. HPHAT what was promifed to me, in your
name, be really performed. I neither
have, nor ever mind [intend] to have any ufe of
your fervice for myfelf, yet I fhould be glad to
have that promife performed. God will never be
mocked; you fhall never be a happy inftrument
for any good to yourfelf, or the public, if, after
ib fair warnings, and great fparing, you will again
run in rebellion againft God's clear commands,
and into treafon againft your own foul ; doubtlefs
a worfe evil, if any worfe upon earth may be than
what lately was very near you, cannot but over-
take and fall upon you, if you return to your old
ways. My care and diligence for you, in your
hardeft times, will excufe this liberty.
Secondly. You would be thankful to your ma-
iler for all his favours to you ; flatter him not in
his ruin. All with whom I converfe, how willing
foever to forget bygones if he will take the propo-
iitions, yet, I affure you, fo far as I can obferve,
are alfo willing, without any regrete, to have him
deftroyed if he will go on in his qbftinacy. His
partial and qualified grants are taken for tricks to
make new divifions and parties for the compaffing
of his former defigns , and thefe things will no
longer be born.
Thirdly. Jt is. exceeding provoking that his re-
M 3
182 MEMORANDUM,
folutions ihould, at fuch a time, depend upon
France. Shall nothing within himfelf, or nothing
within this ifle, be able to advife him ? His king-
dom will not be governed by packets from over
fea ; fuch open indignities are at no time fuffer-
able.
Fourthly. If he do not defire to ruin the inno-
cent Prince with himfelf, bring him quickly out
of France ; or, if this now be not in his power,
let Hobbes, and fuch wicked men, be put from a-
bout him, and the beft men there be put into his
fervice.
Fifthly. If he will yet join with Ireland, and en-
deavour divifions in Scotland and here, to embroil
all in a new war, rather than take the propofiti-
ons, then let him know the remainder of love and
pity, which in the heart of many yet remains to-
wards him, is ready to be extinguifhed, and all I
know will be moft willing to have him, and all who
adhere to him, brought to their ruin, without any
more companion.
Sixthly. If you have any love and pity towards
poor Scotland, endeavour to divert its engagement
in a new war ; before fuch a defign can be fet on
foot, the beft of the land, who cannot but oppofe
it, muft be crufhed, and this oppreffion will cry
to heaven for more vengeance ; and when all the
power of that broken and defolate land is brought
out, what will it do but deftroy itfelf, and become
the infamous inftrument of lofing to the King and
his pofterity for ever that which, without their un-
happy intermeddling, he might have been perfuad-
MEMORANDUM. 183
cd to have accepted, without further trouble or
hazard to himfelf or others ? None but fools will
dream of a party, to any purpofe, in this land ; all
with whom I fpeak, put it out of queftion, that, if
a new war fhould arife, the greateft malecontents
here fhall either be quickly fatisfied, or elfe be or-
dered as not to make any oppofition to that par-
ty which is inclined, and on fuch an occafion fhall
be greatly furthered, to exterminate royalty.
Seventhly. I have many good witnefles of my
refpecls to monarchy, and to King Charles's per-
ion, above many, if not all my fellows ; this con-
fcience makes me the more earneft to have fuch
truths reprefented to him without difguife, and
oft ingeminated in his ears with freedom, as may
prevent, if poffible, the evident and imminent ruin
of his perfon and pofterity. Curfed be all thofe
villains who now will be fo mad as to betray, by
their wicked compliances, an ill-advifed and be-
witched Prince.
M
[ 184 3
MR. ROBERT BAILLIE
TO
MR. WILLIAM. SPANG.
THE falfe reports which went abroad o
Mr. Henderlbn * I fee are alfo come to your hand ;
believe me, for I have it under his own hand, a
little before his death, that he was utterly difplea-
fed with the King's ways, and ever the longer the
more ; and whoever fay otherwife, I know they
fpeak falfe ; that man died as he lived, in great nio-
defty, piety, and faith.
Oft. 2d, 1646.
* Thefe reports are well known from the pofitive af-
fertion of Lord Clarendon, B. x. " The old man himfslf
" was fo far convinced and converted, that he had a very
" deep fenfe of the mifchief he had himfelf been the au-
" thor of, or too much contributed to, and lamented it to
" his neareft friends and confidents, and died of grief and
*' heait-broken, within a very fnort time after he departed
" from his Majefty." Lord Clarendon was at that time in
foreign parts, and it is probable was very ill informed as to
the fentiments of the Sccttifh Covenanters, whom he both
hated and defpifed. It is curious to fee how many different
caufes have been afligned for the death of Mr. Henderfon.
Dodtor Barwick fays. Vita Job. Barvjick. " Henderfonus
" autem ipfe brevi pod diem obiit, ex dedecore, quod a re
" male gefta in hoc conflictu armd Scotos fuos in fe con-
[ i8 5 3
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF FANMUHE,
T O
W A R I S T O N
MY LORD,
T HAVE received yours of the 2pth of December.
The informations which have been made againll
you, in your violence againft his Majefty, have
taken fuch impreffion, that no man can be heard
to fpeak to the contrary, for the ground chat you
go upon is fo far contrary to his reiblution, let the
end thereof be never fo much for his good ; they
that prefs him to condefcend to the Covenant, he
thinks that they feek his ruin. What reports have
been made of your fpeeches, both public and pri-
vate, your Lady can inform you ; and of the re-
ports of them, who I think will be there before
this comes to your hands. Your Lady would not
go to kifs his Majefty's hands ; fhe had h,er own
reafons for it, which I coviid n.Qt but fubmit to,
fince it was her pleafure. There was no ftir here
at Newcaftle ; only there hath been a little grum-
bling, by fome, at the orders that came to the Ge.-
" traxerat, ut ferebatur, plane confedbs." Thus, accord-
ing to Lord Clarendon, he died of remorfe, according to
Dr. Barwick, of fhame, according to Mr. Baillie, of vexa-
tion. It is more than probable that all thefe accounts arc
equally groundlefs.
186 EARL OF PANMURE
neral and Governor, fox* taking care that all that
had carried arms againft the Parliament fliould
leave the town and the quarters ; how it hath been
obeyed, I am confident you will hear it from o-
thers. It is faid by fundry that Hudfon * was in this
town, and fpoke with Montreville, but what he car-
ried with him is not known ; only we have heard,
for certain, that he is taken, but not what papers
are found with him, nor what he hath confefied.
We hear nothing of any refolution his Majefty
hath taken to go with the AmbafTador f , but it is
likely he will take any courfe before he conde-
fcend to the Covenant. It is much to be feared
that there will be fome difficulty found in getting
orders obeyed by the foldiers for retiring of the
army, until they fee his Majefty fettled with ho-
nour and fafety; for I fear tfie committee you
have fent from the Parliament to his Majefty, and
to fee the treaties punctually performed, fhall nei-
ther be very gracious to his Majefty, nor power-
ful enough to get the treaties punctually perform-
ed ; for we are likelier to be in a confufion than
ever we were. I have and fhall make the beft ufe
of your letters, for your advantage, I can, but all
is heard with a prejudice. It feems the treaty anent
[concerning] his Majefty's coming to our army
* Probable Jeffrey Hudfon the dwarf, of whom Mr. Wai-
pole has given fo entertaining an account in his Anecdotes
oj Painting.
f The French ambaflador, jufl now mentioned.
TO W ARISTON. 187
will not be fuffered to reft ; and it is not paft the
hopes of fome, but that it may be ground for to
begin a divifion betwixt the two kingdoms ; at the
Chancellor's coming here fomething will appear
thereof. So I remain
Your affectionate friend,
and humble fervant,
P. MAULE.
gd January, 1647.
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF PANMURE,
T O
W A R I S T O N.
MY LORD,
T AM glad that there is any thing fettled for the
Marquis of Argyle's fubfiftance, for his fuffer-
ings have been both long and great. I can add little
to' my former letter concerning yourfelf ; I muft
confefs there have been many afperiions laid up-
on you, and I dare fay, moft of them calumnies ;
but bufinefs going there contrary to his Majefty's
mind, makes him the more willing to believe the
reports, and the lefs willing to hear the contrary ;
yet friends muft ftill, upon occafions, ufe their beft
to inform him right ; and though it work not the
effect that is defired for the prefent, yet it may be,
if it pleafe God to change his mind, he may re-
member that honeft men fpoke truth to him. He
is yet refolved to fuffer the worft, before he con-
defcend to what is defired * ; and I fear, if the
Parliament of England ftand to the votes of the
houfe, and not be content that your commiffioners
fhall join with them, anent [touching] the refo-
lutions concerning his Majefty, that the kingdom
of Scotland \vill be put to more difficulty therein
than they yet think of; for either will they be for-
* As to the covenant. See the laft letter.
PANMURE TO WARISTON. 189
ced to take him irtto Scotland, or elfe to leave him
without conditions, which is thought that the fol-
diers will never do. I pray God to fend fome way
to bring us off thefe extremities. So foon as the
Chancellor comes, I am confident he will know
what may be expected herein. I fear that his wel-
come here fhall not be fo much as he hath defer-
red. [The reft of the letter relates to private
bufinefsj
4th January, 1647.
C 190 ]
PATRICK MAULE, EARL OF PANMURE,
T O
W A R I S T O N,
MY LORD,
XTou RS of the 1 6th came to my hand the ipth ;
but the day before his Majefty had a full in-
formation of all that pafled in Parliament, with
which he was very ill pleafed. 1 find by his
Majefty, that though what is done was paft both
in Committee and Parliament, yet he attributes
the carriage thereof to particular perfons, who
have endeavoured to their uttermoft his ruin, and
he cannot but acknowledge their intentions to his
good that voted to the contrary, though they did
not carry it ; in this particular you have your own
part of the blame, which is unneceflary for me to
write more of it. ButlafTure you he doth not think
that you have difcharged that duty and refpeft to
him, that he both deferved and expected from
you ; and though the Lord Chancellor was not at
the paffing of thefe things, yet he will fuffer in re-
fpect of the actions of his friends. His Majefty is
refolved for the worft, and will fuffer any thing
before he condefcend to the Covenant ; and it is
thought that the Parliament of England will not
be fo rigid in that point as the Parliament of Scot-
land is. If his Majefty be once from us it will be
found that we will have but an ill game to play ;
and I pray God we have not caufe to repent our
PANMURE TO WARISTON. i 9 t
proceedings when it is too late ; for certainly his
Majefty's affeftion will be alienated from the nati-
on, and it will be found that we will have little
* from the kingdom of England. His Ma-
jefty thinks himfelf little obliged to otir nation,
but more difobliged to fome particulars than to
the general, and I am confident he will ftudy to
refent it ; yet I fhall never leave endeavouring to
give him the beft impreffions, both of you and
your friends, that I can think upon, at all occafi-
ons ; if it do no good, I am fure it will do no ill.
I have written fo oft and fo fairly, both to my
Lord of Argyle and you, of this and all other
things, that I can add nothing thereto. [There fol-
lows much about private bujinefsj] His Majefty is fo
well refolved now for his going to Holmby as c-
ver I faw him for any thing. He thinks that the
Scots have fold him at too cheap a rate. If our po-
fterity find not the fmart thereof, it is well. But
he fays that we have abfolutely quitted our intereft
in him. There is fo much to this fenfe fpoken,
both by himfelf and others about him, both of late
and old ftanding, that it would appear that they
are not good countrymen
23d January, 1647.
* A word illegible, probably help or pity.
FINIS.
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