APPENDIX. (continued 2)

And further, for the remedey of quhat is past, and prewenting of more sin and danger to the worke of God in this land, wee humblie offer to your Lops: that besydes the repenting off and humbling yourselues for thesse thinges, your Lops: wold be pleassed, according to the acte of the 7th of Februarij last, judgeing it necessarie securitie for the causse, that the King forsake the counsells and counsellers that haue been opposit therwnto; and according to the acte of parliament explaining the inwitatione wich approues therof onlie in this sensse: he performing satisfactione to the desyres conteind in the 4 demands, and according to the acte ratifiing the trettey, and putting him in the exercisse of his power, with the lyke restriction and conditione, he reuling according to the counsells of this kingdome and kirke. To consider that the King not hauing forsaken the counsells and companey of malignants, bot still cleiueng to the same, notwithstanding of all the endeuors wsed by kirke and staite in the contrarie, and not hauing performed the satisfaction promissed by him in the trettey; and not reulinge according to the counsells of the kingdome; bot forsaking the same to ioyne with malignant counsells and forces wich he was bound to abandon: Withere this be not suche a breache of his conditione to performe the satisfactione promissed, and suche a discouerey that he hath not ioyned cordially in the causse and couenant, as giues good ground not to intrust him with the exercisse of his power, till suche tyme as ther shall be conuincing and cleire euidence of a reall change in him; and that your Lops: should take ane effectuall coursse for preuenting the Kinges coniunctione with the malignant partie for the tyme to come; and for the tryall of the last malignant deseinge of the Kings deserting the publicke counsailles, and of all thesse quho haue had accessione to it, and for disableing the malignants, quho haue by ther lait acteinges discouered deepe hypocrisie and mocking of God, by a profession of repentance, till they be out of capacity to hurte the worke and people of God?

II. Albeit the publicke judicatories of the kirke and stait haue, by ther declarations, sufficiently cleired themselues of that wich is wniustly charged vpon them by the adwersarey, to witt, ane ingagement to the King, and a deseinge laide to inwade England, and force the King vpone that nation by armes. And althoughe wee cannot purge ourselues befor the Lord, that we neuer had aney suche deseinge, wich wee can professe with the more cleirnes, becausse nather the lawfullnes nor necessity therof, nor our calling therwnto, was euer so muche as debaitted in the publicke judicatories; all wiche was declared to be necessarey to aney suche resolutione, and to wich wee purposse still to adhere. Zet wee beseiche your Lops: to consider wither in Gods sight, quho will not be mocket with declarations contrarie to intentions, ther be no iust causse to charge some eminent persons in our counsaills and forces with suche ingagements, and deseinges to inwade England for the enforcing of the King vpone that nation, and for enriching themselues with ther spoyles. And that the Lord is righteous in doing to this nation, as maney in our armies did to England quhen wee wer called to ther assistance, and as was intendit by maney to be done againe by a new inwasione.

Lett it therfor be zet examined how grate a prouocatione it is in aney persone to haue intendit ane inwasione, and forcing of the King vpone ane other natione not subordinat to ws, without a preuious debait and determinatione of the lawfullnes and necessity therof, by the parliament, or Generall Assembley, or ther commissioners; and without a preuious cleireing of our calling to it, and without the preuious remoueing of the Lords contrawersie aganist the King, (quhom iustlie the Lord hes remoued from the gouerniment of that kingdome, quhatsoeuer justice was in mans pairt,) and with ane intendit coniunctione with the malignant partie, so fare contrarey to the publicke declarations and professions of the kingdome, and attestation of God that wee had no suche deseinge.

If it be sin in ws to haue put in the Kings handes the exercisse of power in this nation, befor euidences had of a reall change in him, how much more sinfull must it be to haue deseinged, or to haue endeuored, the putting more power in his hands in England; wee cannot judge otherwayes of suche a deseinge, then to be preferring of mans intrest to Gods, and a betraying of his causse and people wnto the handes of one quho had not layed doune his enmitey aganist bothe.

In the nixt place, the grate and mother sin of this nation wee conceaue to be the backslydinge breache of couenant, and engagements wnto the Lord. It hath beine our maner in our troubles to call one wowes and resolutions aganist thesse sins, wiche haue beine looked vpone as causses of our affliction; wee haue [so] often leied wnto the Lord with our tounges, and flattered him with our lippes, that wee deserue to be no more trusted by him; and as wee purpois not to forgett our aueh breaches of couenant and sins of this sorte, so wee humblie desyre your Lops: to lay it to heart:—

1. How vnansuerable ze haue walked to your soleme ingagement to purge the judicatories and armies, and to fill the places of truste and power with men of knowin good affection to the causse of God, and of a blamles and Christian conuersation. Haue not some amongest you beine the cheiffe obstructors of the worke, by retarding conclusions, by studing to make them ineffectuall, quhen they haue beine takin; by your partiall dealling, differencing men according to ther intrests, countenancing, fauoring, keiping in and helping to places of power and trust, suche malignant and profane persons as might be subseruient to your deseinges; by your reckoning it qualificatione good aneuche, if a man be free of accession to the ingagement, thoughe he wer otherwayes malignant or prophaine; by your sparing of thosse in eminent places and truste in the judicatories and armies, and taking no trayell of the qualifications, according to your vowis, quhill you wer doing some deutie vpone them of lower degree, quherby it hath come to passe, that ther remaine zet spots in your judicatories wich diminishes your crydit and authority, and occasione is giuen to the enimies to blaspheme the causse of God!

For remedeeing quherof, may it pleis your Lops: to take zet are vnpartiall way of remowing from the King, the judicatories, and armies, all suche persons as haue not the qualifications conteind in the 7th desyre of the kirke to the parliament, 1648, and to the 10 and 12 pages [of] our soleme acknouledgement and ingagement, and in the acte of parliament for keeping the judicatories and places of trust free of corruptione. That your Lops: be not found walking still in [the] same way, sinning zet more quhen wrathe is gone in the gude land; lett it be farre from your Lops: to hold fast deceit, and to refusse to returne from that werey sin wich hath beine publickly acknowledged by you and all this kingdome.

2. Albeit nothing can be addit to that wich is spokin of the madnes and sinfullnes of complaying with malignants in the 5 and 6 page of the soleme acknouledgment and ingagement; zet maney of your Lops: haue sliden backe and returnid to the way wiche not longe since ze called sinfull befor God, by receauing malignants into intimat fellowschipe with yourselues, admitting them to your counsailles, and bringing in some of them to the parliament and comittees, and to be aboute the King; so that ther are maney pregnant presumptiones of a desinge in some of your Lops: to sett vpe and imploy the malignant partey againe, at least ther are demonstratiue euidences of a strong inclinatione to entrust them againe in the managinge of the worke of God.

When wee compare togider the assurances that wer giuen to the malignants that wer with the King in Holland; the bringing of thesse home; the studious indeuors that haue beine vssed to keepe some of them in the kingdome and aboute the courte; the admissione of all the malignant partie to resorte to the courte without aney effectuall restraint; the forshewing and grudging at the purgeing of the armey from malignant persons; the obstructing of the purging of the Kinges familey and the lyffe gaurd of horsse; the pleading of some in the judicatories for persons that are secludit from trust by the publicke resolutions; the profession of others in the Committee of Estaits of ther desyre and resolutione to put power in the hands of knowen and eminent malignants in Scotland, and of raissing the malignants in England in armes, vnder the name ef the kirkes partey. The conniwence of some amongest you, as the Kings correspondencies with the enimies of the causse abrod; the leawinge out vpone debait, in the orders for the new lewies, the qualifications of the acte of parliament for the lewies and posture; the endeuors that haue beine wssed to hastin the Kinges coronatione, and for putting him in the full exercisse of his power, notwithstanding that he hes not forsakin his eiuell counsellers and companey of malignants, according to the trettey.

And lastlie, quhen wee ioyne with thesse the assistancis and endeuors of maney in the Committee of Estaits for carrinng one the Kings lait oppositione of a coniunction with the malignant partie, and with the Clans and Heighelanders quho haue beine in rebellion; wee wounder that your Lops: are not ashamed so quickly to haue turned asyde, and forgottin your lait wowes, and the maney bands that are vpone you to abstaine from suche wayes. And wee humblie thinke that your Lops: giue too grate occasion to the enimie that hes inwadit our land to charge you with a malignant deseinge, and setting vpe the old malignant interest.

For remedie quherof, wee humblie proposse, not onlie that all suche backslydinges may be repented of, and all thosse coniunctions with the malignant partie forsakin and abhorred; bot that a speedie and a current way may be takin by your Lops: for discourey and remoweall of all suche persons as shall be found to haue contriued and actiuely promotted the forsaid desainge, from the Comittee of Estaites, the armey, the courte, and all wther places of trust, that the worke of the Lord and the kingdome may not be in hazard throughe ther influence wpon the publicke judicatories or wpone the armey.

3. Wheras the sinns of couetousnes, oppression, and selue-seiking haue beine oftin reproued in your Lops: and are enumerated with the sins of this land, and confessed, and wowes takin one for awoyding thesse sins the tyme to come, the soleme acknouledgement and ingagement; zet wee conceaue, amongest other sins, for the iniquitie of your couetousnes the Lord hath beine wrothe, and hath smittin the land, and for your selue-seeking and studinng your auen intrest and endis; becausse that notwithstanding you and wee haue said to the Lord, and suorne, that denaying ourselues, and our auen thinges, and laying asyde all selue interest and endis, wee shall aboue all thinges seeike the honor of God and wealthe of his people, zet quho knoweth not that some of your Lops: hath made your pouer, places, and imployments, rather a matter of gaine and interist to yourselues, then of seeking the good of the causse, and the wealthe of the people. Wher is the denayell of yourselues, and of your auen thinges, wich was promissed to the Lord? Hath not your litle finger beine heauier then the loynes of the worthey reweler, quho wold not eat the bread of the gouernour, that he might easse the peoples burden? How few are ther amongest your Lops: quho will emptie themselues for the good of the causse?

For remedie quherof, wee beseiche als maney of you as hath greidily gained, and made aduantage of the publicke and of the poore of the land; and by the lewies, Kinges rewenewes, fynnes, borrowed moneyes, and wtherwayes of fingring soumes, haue drawin vnto yourselues and frinds that wich did belonge to the publicke wsse, that you wold cleane your hands of your dishonest gaine, at wiche the Lord will smytte his hands, and wich will be mouthe to consume your housses. Let the extortioner and oppressor, oppress no more; and lett it be leuked vpone as your Lops: deutey, impartially to bring all men to the accompte for the wast soumes that haue beine misapplayed, and knowen oppressors brought to condigne punishment.

4. Notwithstanding wee haue acknouledged our sin, in follouing, for the most pairt, the counsells of fleche and blood, and walking more by the rewells of policey then pietie, hearkening more unto men than vnto God; and albeit that wee haue solemlie engaged ourselues, that forsaiking the counsells of fleche and blood, wee should depend vpone the Lord, walke by the will of his worde, and hearkin to the voyce of his seruants; zet it is too manifest that the Lord is exceidinglie prowoked by the pollitick way quherin maney of you walk still, not only imping your priuat intrests and endis with thosse thinges that concerne the publicke good, bot maney tymes preferring them, and opposing or retarding Gods worke, till you may carry alonges with you your auen interests and deseinges. Wee beseiche your Lops: to lay to heart your publicke way of walking, and as befor the Lord to examine yourselues, wither your waye hath not beine full of carnall wisdom and policie, in the matters of bringing home the King, disposing of places of trust aboute him, and ordering the cheiffe conducte and cheiffe officers in your forcis. Let your auen hearts speake, wither the reuell by wich you haue walked in all thesse, hathe not beine to establishe yourselues, rather than the worke of God, or King and kingdome; and how some of you may haue ane grate and predominant intreest in all thesse, it is euident some of your Lops: haue not cared how few frindes the Lords worke had in thesse places of trust, if so be ze might haue maney frindes to espousse your intrests, and politicke wayes and endis.

5. Wee cannot forgett how some amongest your Lops: quho haue wowed to the Lord, in the day quhen the frinds of the causse wer low, and quhen some of your Lops: also wer brought werey low; that ze should trust and imploy, and cleaue to suche persons in the land as feared God, and wer treulie religious, and should neuer dewyde from thosse; zet for all that, some amongest you haue lookit vpone all ore most of thesse on quhome the pouer of godlines hath appeired, with ane eiuell and jelous eye, and haue not onlie neglected to countenance and encourage suche, bot rather haue randered them and ther actions odious and suspected. For wich thinges the wrath of God is gone oute, and is lyke to continew till your Lops: and wee shall learne to putt a difference betuix the pretious and vile, and to haue the power of godliness in grater estimatione.

Wee wold not haue your Lops: to thinke that wee looke vpone thesse thinges wich wee haue remonstrated to you, as the onlie causes of the sade thinges that are vpone the kingdome, or that wee thinke ourselues not guilty or accessorey to the drawing one and procuring thesse bitter thinges that are wpone ws. The Lord knowes that wee are so far from suche thoughts, that althoughe your Lops: wer innocent of all thesse transgressions, wee ar conuinced that in ws ther is als muche guiltines as makes ws feare it is the worse with the Lords people, that wee are amongest them, and with His worke, that our handes are aboute it; in the sense quherof, as wee haue desyred to humble ourselues, so wee purposse to take new occasions for a free acknouledgement of our sins, and to be humbled for them, and to renew our ingagements to the Lord to be more reall and sincere in persewing all the endes of the Couenant, and dewties therin conteind, accordinng to our vocation.

Nather wold wee haue your Lops: to thinke that in our free dealling with you, wee haue beine led with the spirit of bitternes, or desyre to discouer your nakednes to the world, or to strengthen the hands of the adwersaries. He quho knoweth our hartes, knoweth that wee desyre to carrey ourselues respectiuely and deutifully to the publicke judicatories, and to tender ther authoritie and crydit as our liues; nor is it in our heartes to prowoke your Lops: to wnlawfull courses, bot earnistly to desyre you to awoyde them; nor haue wee the least deseinge to follow the foottstepes of the sectarian partie, and change the fundamentall gouerniment of this kingdome, by king and parliament, or aney lewelling way, as wee heir some wold calumniat falsly our honest intentions. The Lord, befor quhom all thinges are naked, manifestly knowes wee detest and abhorre suche coursses; onlie we hold ourselues bound humblie to hold suche the corruptions of persons in the gouerniment, and desyre to be more tender of the guide of the causse and kingdome, than of aney persone quhatsomeuer; and to chusse rather to displeasse men, then to incurre Gods wrathe, throughe our conniuence at ther corrupte wayes in ther places of power. Zet wee shall freelie tell your Lops: quhence this hath proceided, wee being persuaded, in our consciences, of the vnrighteous dealling of thosse quho haue inwaded and wasted our land, and troden doune the pretious ordinances of Jesus Christe, and shed the blood of his saintes; and the necessity of the lamenting people of God, calleth ws to the wtermost adwenturing aganist the enimey; being also sensible of our auen conditione and disproportionable thoughtes for attempting of aney thing, except wee be mightilie helped, assistit and countenanced by the Lord. Bot aboue all thinges, being affrayed of sin and wrathe, least that should meitt with ws, now quhen wee are resolued, according ta our capacitey, and as God shall giue ws opportunity, in his strenth to wenture our liues aganist the enimey; and not knowing wither some of ws, ore aney of ws, shall see your Lops: in the face, or heireafter haue aney occasione to speike for the discharge of our consciences, wee haue therfor, and for our auen exoneratione thought it necessarey to leaue this testimoney [of] our sincere detestation of thesse sinns, and of our desyre to be found free of them, if the Lord shall suffer aney of ws to perishe in our deutie, and to lay thesse thinges at your dore, as in the presence of the Lord, quho can onlie make you and ws repent and reforme our wayes.

Declaring to your Lops: that wee shall desyre you wnfaniedly to mourne for thesse sins, and that ther are ingagements one your heartes befor God, if he shall lenthen our dayes, and take pleasure in ws, to make ws aney wayes instruments of His worke, and for His peoples good and saftie, that wee shall, to the wttermost of our power, endewor to gett thesse thinges remedied according to our places and callinges.

22 Octobris, 1650.—Producit by Sʳ George Maxwoll, and red in presence of the Comittee of Estaites at Stirlinge.

4 Nov: 1650.—The 4 of Nowember the northerne rebelles layed doune armes, and accepted of the acte of indemnitie, by a trettey with L. Generall Dauid Lesley at Strathbolgie.

The L. Generall being at Aberdeine, in his returne southe, after the northerne armeyes laying doune armes; he wes wisited by Mr Androw Cants, elder and zounger, ministers of Aberdein, quho, amongest maney other discoursses, told the L. Generall that wee could not in conscience asist the King to recouer his croune of England; bot he thoughte one kingdome might serue him werey weill, and one croune was aneuche for aney one man; one kingdome being sufficient for one to reuell and gouerne. A number of suche discoursses wer wented to him, bothe by the father and the sone, to the same purpois. The L. Generall told this to the minister of Newbrughe, Mr Laurence Oliphant, and to the L. of Ferney and Londors, one Monday the 11 of this instant of Nouember.

Cromwells Letter to the Committee of Estaites, 9 Octobris, 1650.

My Lordis,

The grounds and endis of the armeyes entringe Scotland, haue beine heirtofor oftin and cleirlie made knowen wnto you, and hou muche wee haue desyred the same might be accomplished without blood; bot according to quhat returns wee haue receauid, it is euident your hearts had not that loue to ws, as wee can trewly say wee had towards you: and wee are persuaded thosse difficulties in wich you haue inwolued yourselues by espousinge your Kinges intrest, and taking into your bosome that persone, in whom (notwithstanding quhat hath or may be said to the contraire) that wich is really malignancey and all malignants doe center, aganiste quhosse familey the Lord hath so eminently withestood for blood guiltines, nor to be done away with suche superficiall and formall shewes of repentance as are expressed in his laite declaratione; and your strange preiudice aganist ws, as men of hereticall opinions, (wich, throughe the grate goodnes of God to ws, haue beine wniustlie charged vpone ws,) haue occasioned your reiecting of thosse ouertours, wich, with a Christian affection, wer offred to you befor aney blood was spilt, or your people had suffred damnage by ws. The daylie sence wee haue of the calamitie of warre laying vpone the poore people of this nation, and the sade consequences of bloode and famine lykly to come vpone them; the aduantages giuen to malignants, profaine and popeische partey by this warre; and that reality of affection wich wee haue so often professed to you, and concerning the treuthe of wiche wee haue so solemly appealled, doeth againe constraine ws to send wnto you, to lett you know, that if the contending for that persone be not by you preferred to the peace and weillfair of your countrey, the blood of your people, the loue of men of the same faith with you and wich is aboue all, the honor of that God wee serue; then giue the staite of Ingland that satisfaction and securitie for the peaceable and quyet liuing by you, that may in justice be demandid from a nation giuing so iust a ground to aske the same from thosse quho haue, as you, takin ther enimey wnto ther bosome, whilst he was in hostility aganist them; and it will be made good to you, that you may haue a lasting and durable peace with them, and the wishe of a blissing vpone you in all religious and ciuill thinges. If this be refussed by you, wee are persuaded that God, quho hath borne his testimoney, will doe it againe one the behalffe of ws his poore seruants, quho doe appeale to him wither thesse desyres flow from sincerity of heart or not. I rest,

Your Lops: humble Seruant, O. Cromwell.

Lithgow, 9 Octob: 1650.

The backe of this Letter did beare this superscriptione:—For the Rᵗ Honorable the Committee of Estaits of Scotland, at Stirling, or elsquher.

14 Noᵇʳⁱˢ 1650.—A grate meitting this day of the Commissione of the Kirke, at Stirling, They wreat to all the graue ministers of the prouince of Fyffe, Perth, and Angus, to assist them.

19 Nov:—The Comittee of Estaits resolues to haue a conference with some Ministers, for the compossing of that bussines anent the westerne remonstrance.

22 Nov: 1650. Rege presente.—My Lord Chanceler makes a narratione to the Committee of Estaits of the progresse of the Comittee of Conference anent the vesterne remonstrance; of the bolde debaittes and small resolution, more then to haue a publicke fast.

23 Nov: Saterday, 1650.—My L. Argyle, Balcarras, Louthean, and the Kings Aduocat, spoke at large aganist the remonstrance of the west, as the opiner vpe of a breache for tolleratione and subuersione of the gouerniment, bothe ecclesiasticke and ciuill. Varrestone and Hombie spoke muche to leassie the bussines. Hombie for the maner, Warrestone for bothe maner and matter.

The Committee of Estaites ordaines all the members of the comittee presently to giue ther declaratione, one ther honor and treuthe, that they wer nather contriuer, carriers one, ore votters to the westerne remonstrance, wich was done; all disclaming it. Varreston did grant that he did see it, was at the voting of it, bot refussed to giue hes wotte therin. He denayed that he wes accessorey to the contriuing of it at first.

2 sent from the Comittee of Estaits to desyre the Comissione of the Kirke not to depairt the toune this day, bot to meitt afternoone, in respecte of the grate bussines in hand.

It was muche debaitit wither the remonstrance of the west should be anssuered in generall or in particular; it went to wott, and wes carried to be anssuered in generall; only Warestone, Robert Locart, and Johne Jeffra, with Sʳ Rob: Adare, wotted to haue it altogither layed assyde.

The result of all this afternoones dispute aganist the remonstrance endit in this, that some wer sett apairt to draw vpe the heades of the acte condemnatorie of the said diuisiue, scandalous, and tresonable remonstrance.

A paquett of letters intercepted by the scoute master, of the enimies, directed to London, quherof 3 letters wer only read, concerning Straquhan and the presbyterians, &c.

The Committee of Estaits ordaines the saids letters to be communicat to the Commissione of the Kirke, especially shewing the grate plot aganist all the presbyterians in England, and how the same was hatchin in Scotland also.

Monday, 25 Nov: 1650. Acte ordaining the parliament to meitt to morrow the 26 of this instant, at ten houres; and a herauld ordaind to make publication heirof.

The Comittee of Estaits declaration aganist the vesterne remonstrance, presented by the sub-comittee, read, and after much debait, votted and past.

In the debait of the comittees declaratione, muche debait wes anent the words, scandalous, scandalous paper, and scandalous lybell.

Eglinton wold had called treasonable and scandalous paper and lybell, and brunt publickly by the hand of the hangman.

Carried, scandalous, with the word, conceaued, to goe befor.

Ther was that wold haue reffered all to the Com: of the Curdie, Register, Sʳ Ja: Hope, Sʳ Rob: Adare, Harden, Thesaurer depute, Busbie, Rob: Locart, Jo: Denholme, Gen: Comissarey.

Preiudiciall and destructiue to his Majesties gouernment, carried only, preiudiciall; destructiue delait.

It is werey diuisiue and holds out the seeds of diuisione, putt to wotte; carried, it holds out the seeds of diuisione of a dangerous consequence.

Exception votted, ther should be, of penners and contriuers of the said remonstrance, and of all suche that did adhere to it after it wes publicly declared aganist.

Marques of Argyle said, (after he had hard Sʳ James Hope say, that all the Comittee of Estaits wes doeing wes destructive to King and kingdome,) that Sʳ James, in all the carriage of this bussines, from the begining, both in parliament and comittee, wes not only a maine enimey to King and kingdome, bot a maine plotter and contriuer, assister and abaitter of all the mischeiffe that hes befallen the kingdome euer since.

It was muche vrged by the dissasenters from the Comittee of Estaits declaratione, to haue all the acte wotted in cumulo, after eurey branch had beine particularly wotted; wich was altogider refussed.

The Com: of Estaites sent the Marques of Argyle, Kings Aduocat, and James Suord, to the Commissione of the Kirke, with ther declaratione aganist the said remonstrance; and a paper quherin they accused Mr James Guthrie and Mr Patricke Gillespie as contriuers and abbators of all this diuisione in churche, armey, and stait.

The Comittee of Estaits sent the Lyone to the Commission of the Kirke, to impart to them the letters that wer intercepted going to England from Owens, Cromwells Secretary.

The Com: of Estaits sent the Kings Aduocat and James Suord to the Comissione of the Kirke, to desyre them to returne ther sence of the vesterne remonstrance to the parliament, in respecte that the committee was to rysse this night, and the parl: to sitt doune to morrow, to quhom lykwayes the said comittee was to communicat that same paper of ther sence of the said vesterne remonstrance; and desyred them that they wold be pleassed to ioyne with them to that effecte.

Perth, 28 Nouember 1650.—Ante Meridiem.—The Commissione of the Generall Assembley hauing receauid from the honorable Committee of Estaits, a paper declaring ther (Lo:) sence upon a paper giuen in to them, intitulated, (the Humble Remonstrance of the gentlemen, officers and ministers attending the forces in the west,) and desyring withall that the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley wold giue ther sence vpon the said remonstrance; therfor the commission hauing takin vnto ther consideratione the said remonstrance, doeth find and acknouledge therin to be conteined maney sade treuthes, in relation to the sinns charged vpone the King, his family, and the publick judicatories, wich also wee are resolued to hold out and presse vpone them, in a right and orderly way, togider with such other sinns as wee find by impartiall searche, and the helpe of the Lordes spirit vpon our indewors therin, that they may take with them, and be humbled befor the Lord, in the sence therof; wee doe find it our deutie to show, that in respecte ther seimes to be therin intrinsching vpone some conclusions and determinations of the Generall Assembley; and in respecte of inferences and aplications made therin, in relation to the King, his interest, and the exercisses of his power and gouerniment; and in regarrd of the ingagements wich, in the closse therof, they declare to be vpon ther hartes befor God, in relation to euidences for remeding the thinges conteind in it, wee are dissatisfied therwith, and that wee thinke it apte to breid diuision in kirke and kingdome, as wee doe finde alredey in pairte by experience, and that the enimey hathe takin aduantage therat; and becausse of the tender respects and loue we owe, and most cordially carrey to the gentrey, officers and our brethreinge of the ministrie, quho haue concurred in the said remonstrance, as being religious and godlie men, and suche as haue alwayes giuen prouffe of ther integritie, faithfullnes and constancie in the causse of God, and for interteinment of loue, vnity, and coniunction amongest the people of God, in acting according to ther calling and statione, aganist the publicke enimey; the breache of all wiche Sathan at this tyme is eagerly driuing at, and the enimey is greidily desyring and expecting. Wee doe resolue to forbeare a more particular examination of the said remonstrance, expecting that at the nixt dyet of this commissione, thesse worthey gentlemen, officers and brethrein will giue suche a declaration and explanation of ther intentions and meining, as may satisfie both kirke and state without aney furder inquyrie or debait thervpone.

Declaratione by the Kinges Maiestie and Committee of Estaites concerninge the Westerne Remonstrance, 25 Nouember, 1650.

The Kings Maiestie and the Committee of Estaites, hauing takin into consideratione a paper presented to the said comittee at Stirling, vpone the 22 of October last, in name of the gentlemen, commanders, and ministers attending the westerne forces: and lykwayes ane petitione presented to the said committee at Perth, vpone the 19 of Nouember instant, desyring ane satisfactorie anssuer therwnto: Doe heirby declaire, that they haue alwayes beine, and are still willing, that all faults and miscarriages of aney, als weill in ther personall carriage, as in discharge of ther publicke trust, may be discouered, redressed and punished, according to the lawes of the kingdome; and that they find it ther dewtie to shew ther dislyke of maney thinges remonstratted and held fourthe in the said paper: Zet being desyrous to follow the wayes of gentlenes and lenitie, rather then to looke vpone the said paper with that stricke inquyrie, wich otherwayes might haue beine done, they have resolued only, in generall, to declair as followes; that they find the said paper, as it relattes to the parliament and ciuill judicatories, to be scandalous and iniurious to his Maiesties persone, and preiudiciall to his authoritie; and as it relattes to religione and churche judicatories, they are to desyre the Commissione of the Churche to giue ther sence therone; and that in regaird of the effecte that it hath alredey produced, and thosse that are lyke to follow thervpone, if not preuented, it holdes fourthe the seed of diuisions of ane dangerous consequence; and that it is dishonorable to the kingdome, in so far as it tends to ane breache of the treattie with his Maiestie at Breda, approuin in parliament and Generall Assembley; that it also strenthens the handes of the enimey, giuing him occasione to iustifie his vniust invasione, and the bloodshed and oppressione committed by him in this kingdome, and weakines the hands of maney honest men; and lykwayes that the said paper holds furthe in the closse of it, ane bonde of ane heighe and dangerous consequence; and albeit the said paper has been wickedly and subtily contriued by some, zet becausse diuersse honest, faithfull, and religious gentlemen, officers, ministers, and others of approuin fidelity and integrity in the causse, of quhom they doe not harbor the leaste thoughte to ther preiudice, haue beine insnared. Therfor the Kinges Maiestie, and committee forsaid, doe heirby declaire the said persones free frome aney imputatione vpone ther names, ore censure vpone ther persons or estaits; excepting heirfra all suche quho shall adhere to the said remonstrance, be ther persisting in prosecutting of quhat is therin contraire to the lawes of the kingdome. Perth, 25 of Nouember, 1650.

Reed and past be the Kings Maiestie, and Comittee of Estaits.

Sic subscribitur, W. Hendersone, Clk: Dom: Com:

Tuesday, 26 Nouembris. 1 dies parliamenti.—Carolus Rex. &c.—Lord Chanceler made a speache, shewing the present conditione of the kingdome, both concerning religion, King, and kingdome; the quality of the enimey that hath inwadit ws, and thesse his associatts, being a companey of wicked and perfidious, zea trecherous blasphemers; nixt he spoke of the deuties incumbent to the King; and nixt, of the dewties wich are requyred of eache member of the present parliament; and lastly, of the deutie that wes incumbent by the housse to the kingdome of Scotland, ther natiue countrey.

His Maiestie made a prettey shorte speiche, shewing of his grate thankfullnes to God for bringing him to this place, &c.; wich endit, the Lord Chanceler did declare, at the Kings comand, the trew forme and causses of his deperture from Perth, 4 Octobris, and of his Maiesties penetencey and sorrow for the same.

The King and parl: sends to the Comiss: of the Kirke, to desyre them to stay to giue adwysse in thinges concerning the good of religion, the peace and vnity of the kingdome. 2. That they will appoynt some to meitt with some from the parl: anent his Majesties coronation. 3. That ther may be a fast befor the coronatione, to craue the Lordes blissing to the actione. 4. To desyre them to poynt at the selue-seikes, auaratious, greidy and other sinns cryed out vpone in the pulpitts, and remonstrances; as also, they will shew quhat are the crooked wayes, and by quhom wssed in trettey.

The housse ordaines this day or to morrow to haue a conference with the Commissione of the Kirke.

The housse ordaines the Comittey for the Armey to be the Comittee for the Conference, to meitt with the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley.

His Maᵗⁱᵉˢ Speich.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

It hath pleased Him quho reulethe the nations, and in quhosse handes are hearts of Kinges, by a werey singular prouidence, to bring me throughe a grate maney difficulties into this my ancient kingdome, and to this place, quher I may haue your adwysse in the grate matters that concerne the glorey of God, and the establishment of my throne, and that relat to the generall good and comon happines of thesse three couenanted kingdomes ouer wich he hath sett me. And treulie I cannot expresse the height of that ioy quherwith he hath filled my soule from this signall experiment of his kyndnesse, nor how stronge and feruent desyres he hath created in me to euidence my thankefulnesse by standing to rainge for him, and with ane humble and just subordination to him. That wich incresseth my hope and confidence that he will zet continew to deall gratiously with me, is, that he hath moued me to enter in couenant with his people, (a fauor no other King can claime,) and that he is inclyned me to a resolutione, by his assistance, to liue and dye with my people in defence of it. This is my resolutione, I professe it befor God and you, and in testimoney heirof, I desyre to renew it in your presence; and if it pleis God to lenthin my dayes, I houpe my actions shall demonstrat it. Bot I shall leaue the enlargement of this, and quhat farder I could say, to my Lord Chanceler, quhom I haue commandit to speike to you at grater lenthe, and lykwayes to informe you of my sense, not only of the folley, bot the sinfulnesse of my goinge frome this place, and the reasons of it.

Thursday, 28 Nov: 3 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—A message from the Com: of the Kirke anent a conference. Ordered to be at 3 in the afternoone in the session housse.

Ordered to be proponed at the conference, as a thing most fitt for the peace of the kingdome, to haue presently a Generall Assembley called.

Friday, 29 Nov: 4 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—A report made by the L. Chanceler to the housse, from the Conference with the Church, anent 2 soleme fasts; one for the contempt of the gospell, ane other for the sins of the King, his familey, and nobility; and the coronatione to be immediatly therafter.

Acte ordaining his Maiestie to be crounid at Scone, upon Vedinsday, the first of Januarij nixt; and this acte to be proclaimed at the crosse of Perthe, by Lyone K. of Armes.

Saterday, 30 Nov: 5 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—7 or 8 from the Com: of the Kirke presented to the King and parliament a remonstrance and petition, containing some admonitions to the nobility anent ther bypast miscarriages, as also aganist imploing malignants, contrarey the publicke resolutions of churche and stait; as also aganist the acte of indemnitie, and not naming them rebells and punishing them. That all malignants and ill affected persons be remoued from the courte. That the Kings housse may with speed be effectually purged. That coueteousnesse, auarice, pryde, selue-seikeing, compliance with ennimes, be confessed and repented offe.

A petitione from the ministers of Lothean, Hadington, Lithgow, &c., shewing the pitfull condition of thesse places; how that heresies did begin to grow amongest them, and of ther grate necessities; desyring the Comiss: of the Kirke wold in ther names and behalffe petitione the Kings Maiestie and parlia: for some redresse and speedie helpe.

Nixt the said com: show the parl: that the 2 ministers impeached by them of the Com; of Estaits, Mr Ja: Guthrie, minister of Stirling, and Mr Patricke Gillespie, minister of Glasgow, the one by word opinly, and the other by wreat, haue disclamed quhat was alledged aganist them, as far contrarey to ther intentions.

Then was read, being presented by the com: from the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley, ther sense of the westerne remonstrance, wich was read in the housse.

A petitione from the prissoners that are Irish, Scotts, and now prissoners at Newcastell, and wer takin at Dumbar, to the Generall Assembley or ther Comissione, presented by the kirk to the housse, and read.

The housse ordaines the Lord Chanceler to giue thesse from the Com: of the Kirk thankes, and to shew them that they take it werey weill, and with all desyre them to condiscend in particular vpone perssons and faults, wich in ther remonstrance they named maney sade treuthes; and this the Lord Chanceler was comandit to intreat them to goe seriously about the same; and did thank them also for ther good correspondence in so neidfull a tyme, and that the housse (being convened for that effecte) wold looke to thesse deuties God had called them heir for, and the countrey expected at ther hands; and that the King and parl: wold returne them ther anssuer in wreatt to ther papers, hauing appoynted a comittee to consider them, wich particularly should receaue ther particular anssuers in dew and conuenient tyme.

Monday, 2d December. 6 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—Alcheyes bill, wpone the recomendation of the Com: of the Kirke, to be reponed, (in respecte his accessione to the late wnlawfull ingagement) to acte in defence of his countrey aganist the enimey:—Granted, nullo contradicente.

The Com: of Dumbartans bill read, seiking a comissione for putting of some Vitches to execution upon the confessions:—Granted.

Vedinsday, 4 Decembris. 8 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—Vpone the Marques Argyles motione, it is ordred, that ane afternoone be sett apairte for anssuering the remonstrance and petitione of the kirke, giuen in the 4 day of the parl: and for considering the same.

That a letter be wrettin to the Moderator of the G. Assembley, that he wold call a meitting of the Commissione of the Kirke, against Vedinsday cum eight dayes, to meitt at Perth, to giue ther adwysse anent takin in and excluding of persons from defence of ther countrey, approuen; and the housse wretts a letter to the Moderator for that effecte, to be directed from the King and parl: and seigned by the L. President of the parl: as also, that the Moderator wold adwertisse all the ministers of the nearest synods and presbeteries to assist with ther presence; and if they cannot adwertisse them to be tymously present, that the doing of it be no retardment to the commissions meitting at the day desyred.

George, Earle of Linlithgow, is this day admitted to the housse, and his incapability by his accessione to the vnlawfull engagement takin offe; he hauing produced 2 actes in his fauors, one of the Com: of the Kirkes, ane other of the Com: of Estaites.

William, Lord Cranston, vpone his bill and the Com: of the Kirkes recommendation, is lykwayes admitted to the housse, and his incapability takin offe; and he reponed to his former integrity.

Thursday, 5 December, 9 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—Wpone the reiding of the Earle of Lauderdaills bill, the housse, one his humble petitione, repells his acte of banishment.

Mem: This eiuning, candells being lighted in the housse, a grate stock oule muttit one the tope of the croune, wich, with the suord and scepter, lay one a table ouer aganist the throne.

Friday, 6 Decembris, 10 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—A letter from the Moderator of the Generall Assembley, 5 Nouembris, shewing that ther can be no meitting of the Comissione of the Kirke befor ther appointed tyme, viz. 23 of this mounthe.

After the reiding of this letter, the housse ordred that presently a sharpe letter be wrettin to the Moderator, shewing that they wold keepe Thursday, wtherwayes the parl: wold be forced to acte without ther desyred adwysse and concurrence; wtherwayes the world might see that they had failled to concurre with the parl: to succor ther countrey in tyme of hir distresse and gratest neid.

Ordered that particular letters be wrettin to all the neir adioyning ministers to keepe the meitting at Perth one Thursday nixt, for releiffe of the distressed countrey, calling for present helpe at ther handes; wich, if they faill, then they must goe one to doe that wich God, ther countrey, and eurey good man requyres at ther hand.

Tuesday, 10 Decembris, 13 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—Ordred that the seuerall bodies meitt at 3 in the afternoone, to consider of the remonstrance giuen in by the Commissioners of the General Assemb: and also how farre incapacities that disables men may be takin offe, and men admitted to fight for defence of the countrey aganist the comon enimey; and to treat anent the prewious adwysses concerning England, and for this effecte to haue a conference with the Commissioners of the General Assembly at 9 houres to morrow.

Ordaines thesse that are appoynted to conferre wt h the Commissioners of the Generall Ass: to adwertisse them of the tyme and place of ther meitting.

Fryday, 13 Decembris. 14 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—The remonstrance and petition giuen in by the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley to the parliament, with the report from the bodey of the noblemen, and the suplications from Tuedall and Louthean, redde in parliament.

Saterday, the 14 day of December. 15 dies parliamenti.—Rege presente.—The Kings Maiestie and parliament ordaines the Earle of Cassiles, the Lord Clerckingtone, and Johne Jeffray, to acquant the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley, that some coursse may be takin with suche persons as haue ioynned and complayed with the sectaries.

Remitts to the Comittee of Ouertours, with the Kings Maiesties Aduocat, to thinke vpon soume coursse to be takin with thosse quho haue, or shall joyne or complay with the sectaries; with pouer to examine wittness, and to report ther proceidings to the parliament.

Tuesday, 17 of December. Dies 17 parliamenti.—Rege presente.—The Lord Montgomeries bill, and his brother James, ther bills, one the Com: of the General Assemblies recommendatione, declared capable of publicke imployment, and all actes of restraints aganist them repealled.

[30 December.]—It is declared by the King and parliament, that [no] one hes pouer to come out for defence of the countrey, bot suche as are qualified according to the former acte declaratorey; the acte of classes standing still in vigor aganist them, more then in defence of ther countrey, and hauing accesse to his Majesties personne, &c.

Ordred that the Comittee for anssuering the Churches Remonstrance confer with the Comissione of the Generall Assembley, anent his Maiesties othe of coronatione, as also of that of the people.

1650. Excerpts from “A Diary of Public Transactions and other Occurrences, chiefly in Scotland, from January 1650, to June 1667, by John Nicoll.”

[February.]—It hes bene schawin befoir, in the last yeiris relatioun of the commoun effaires and observatiouns of that yeir434 how that James Grahame, sumtyme Erle of Montrois, did give out a lairge prented Declaratioun and paper, quhairwith he chargeth his awin natioun with hatching a rebellioun in this Kingdome, with promoting the lyke in England, and with the sale and murthour of thair awin native King, and robbing his sone of all rycht, and other horride crymes. To the quhilk Declaratioun thair wes are learned exquisite Ansuer maid by the Committee of the Estaites of the Parliament of Scotland, and by the Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie, in vindicatioun of thair proceidinges from the aspersioun of that scandalous pamphlet; quhilk answer, gevin out by the Kirk and Stait, wes solemplie proclamit and publeist at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, by ane Maisser and sound of many trumpettis. At the publisching quhairof ane scaffold was erectit, with ane fyre thairon, set up in a chimnay, quhairat the commoun hangman of Edinburgh and toun officeris did stand in thair ordiner apperrell usit at such a bussines; and thair, efter reiding of this ansuer of the Kirk and Stait fullie and at lenth, and eftir sounding of four trumpettis on the Croce, the hangman threw that the said James Grahame his Declaratioun in the midst of the fyre, set thair on a scaffold upone the eist syde of the Croce, as worthy of no les, being publisched by that excommunicat traitour James Grahame, under the tytell of A Declaratioun of James Marques of Montros, &c. This done 9 Feb., 1650. This answer may be read at lenth in prent, gevin out both by the Committee of Estait and Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie.

The Commissioneris of the Generall Assembly sat heir, in Edinburgh, at this tyme, quhairat Mr Johnne Sterling, minister at Bara, wes chosin minister at Edinburgh, upone the 15th of Februar, anno foirsaid. At that tyme also, Mr Thomas Garven was chosin minister at Edinburgh.

16 Feb. Mr David Dik, by the Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie wes chosin professor of divinitie in the college of Edinburgh, ane learned man, and a great licht in the Church of Scotland.

17 Feb. Ane act of the Commissioun of the Generall Assemblie wes red in all the churches of Edinburgh, dischargeing promiscuous dansing.

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Much faiset and scheitting at this tyme wes daylie detectit by the Lordis of Sessioun; for quhilk thair wes daylie hanging, skurging, nailling of luggis, and binding of pepill to the Trone, and booring of tounges; so that it was ane fatall yeir for fals notaris and witnessis, as daylie experience did witnes. And as for adulterie, fornicatioun, incest, bigamie, and uther uncleanes and filthynes, it did nevir abound moir nor at this tyme....

At this tyme, also, my Lord Lyntoun wes excommunicat and wardit [put in prison] for taking in mariage the Lord Seytounes relict, dochter to the lait Marques of Huntlie, scho being excommunicat for poprie.

Lykewyse, upone Sonday the 24 Februar, the Erle of Kynnoull, Mr James Stewart, [George] Drummond, sone to the Laird of Balloch, and Capitane Hall, wer all excommunicat for incuming to Orknay, and troubling that cuntrey in a hostile maner. Quhairof intimation wes also maid in all the Kirkis of Edinburgh, upone Sonday the tent of Marche, 1650.

Eodem die.—Intimatioun wes lykewyse maid that the Erle of Abircorne wes excommunicat for poprie....

It is to be rememberit that in the monethis of Marche and Apryll, 1646, the Directorie for Godis Service began. In steid of evening and morning prayeris, the ministeris taking to thair consideratioun that the not reiding and exponing of the Scriptures at the old accustumat tyme of prayer, was the occasioun of much drinking at that seasoun quhen these prayeris and chaptures wer usuallie red, thairfoir, and to prevent that sin, it wes concludit, in the begynning of Marche, 1650, that all the dayis of the week a lectorie sould be red and exponit in Edinburgh be everie minister thair per vices; quhilk accordinglie wes put in practize, and so began this holie and hevinlie exercise upone Monday the 18 day of Marche, 1650.

At the same tyme, for eschewing and doun bearing of sin and filthines in Edinburgh, it was actit, that no woman sould vent or rin wyne or aill in the tavernis of Edinburgh, bot allanerlie men servandis and boyes; quhilk Act wes red and publictlie intimat in all the Kirkis of Edinburgh, that all such as haid these commoditeis to sell sould prepare men servandis and boyes for that use agane Whitsounday nixt thaireftir following....

Upone the sevint day of Apryle, 1650, thair wes ane solempne Fast throw the haill kingdome of Scotland, as also with our Commissioneris in Holand sent to the Kinges Majestie. The reasones of the fast wes for the synnes of the land, and that it wald pleis the Lord to grant ane happy succes to the Scottis Commissioneris now at a treatie with his Majestie. This fast wes concludit by the Kirk and Stait to be solemlie keipit the said day both heir within this kingdome of Scotland, as lykwayis by our Scots Conimissioneris now at Breda in Holand, befoir thair going af this kingdome.

Ther wer also eikit to the causis of the Fast, the sin of Witchcraft abundant in the land, the incres of Malignantis and Sectareis, that the King may grant the just desyres of Kirk and Kingdome for stedfastnes to this land, and to these quho hes the charge of the effaires of the land for delyverie of the King from malignant counsells, for strenthening of these that suffer for his cause in England and Yreland, for suppleying the necessiteis of the pure, and much mor to this purpos, and all uther synnes mentionat in the last fast, solemplie keipit throw the haill Kirkis upone the last Sonday of August, 1649.

It war langsum to writt quhat outcryingis wer now aganes that noble erle James lait Erle of Montrois, and prented declarationes gevin out aganes him, and proclamationes, both by Parliament, thair Committees, and by the Assemblie of the Kirk.... Such wer the ordores of Parliament and Committee, and prohibitiones of the Kirkes, that nane durst speik in favouris of that nobleman for feir of censure and punischement.

[Nicol then states the case of a man named Bryson, who, when proclamation to the above effect was made at the Cross of Glasgow, “did cry out, and callit him als honest a nobleman as was in this kingdome,” upon which the magistrates “was forcit to tak and apprehend him, and careyed him to Edinburgh by ane gaird of the tounes officers, presented him to the Committee of Stait than sitting thair, quha, be thair ordour, wes cassin in to the theves hoill, quhairin he lay in great miserie by the space of many weekis.”]

At this tyme, and sindry yeiris befoir, many persones wer trublit for not subscryving the Covenant, and ministeris deposit for the same. Mr Gawin Stewart, minister of Dalmellingtoun not onlie deposit fra his ministrie, bot he debarrit ab agendo in all his actiones and causis civill for recovery of his dettis.

Lykewayis James Macaulay, goldsmith, wes not onlie excommunicat for refuising to subscryve the Covenant, bot lykewayis at his death his corps dischargit to be bureyit in the churchyaird.

[After giving an account of the defeat of Montrose in his last expedition, on the 27th April this year, which it is unnecessary to insert, Nicoll thus proceeds:—]

It may be justlie said that the prayeris of the faithfull availleth much, for during the tyme that this excomunicat traitour remaned in the North, the faithfull servandis of God wer gevand up thair daylie prayeris for his confusioun, quhilk be this former relatioun, is manifest to haif bene hard and grantit; quhilk did moir evidentlie appeir thaireftir at this traitouris taking, for within foure dayis eftir this victorie, this bloodie traitour wes takin and apprehendit. Eftir he haid fled to the hillis, and remayned thair in great miserie and famyne, he come to ane hous and familie quhais Maister was callit MᶜCloyd, luiking for protectioun at his handis, being ane of his auld acquentance, and complyer with him in his former plottis and bloodie courses; bot this manis sone, callit Neill MᶜCloyd, fearing the danger of the lawis gif he sould conceale him, and heiring of the lairge prommesis of money to the reveillaris and apprehendaris of him, he was inducit thairby to seas upone him, and tak him prissoner in his awin hous, and randerit him to the commanderis of this airmey. All quhich being takin be the moist pairt of this kingdome to be a singular mercy, it pleasit the Commissioneris of the Kirk and Generall Assemblie to appoynt a solempne day of thankisgeving throw all this kingdome; quhilk wes obeyit and began heir in Lothiane, and keipit in all the kirkis of Edinburgh and about, upone the fyftene day of May 1650; at quhilk day and tyme, the new Psalme Buikis wer red and ordanit to be sung throw all the kingdome.

[Nicoll then gives an account of the treatment which Montrose received on his arrival as a prisoner at Edinburgh, of his condemnation to death, and of the incidents attending his execution; but his statements being substantially the same with those of Balfour, which are already given, it is unnecessary to repeat them.]

Heir followis, as is reportit, a wicked and ungodlie Declaratioun quhilk James Grahame causit all the ministeris of Orknay and Caithnes to subscryve and assent to, except ane Mr William Smith, ane of the ministeris in Cathnes.

“We, the Ministeris of the Presbytereis under subscryveris, considdering it convenient to us, and these of our calling, to give publict testimonie to the conscientiousnes and justice of his Majesteis service, now presentlie depending, for the gude example of utheris, and removing of quhatsomevir scruple from the myndes of all men, We willinglie frelie, and with candour declair, That we from our soules detest that continued Rebellioun, maliciouslie hatched, and wickedlie prosequute, aganes his late sacred Majestie of glorious memorie, and do from our hartis abhor his delyvering over in bondage and imprissonement, horride and execrable murthour, and all uther dampnable and malicious pretensis, execute aganes him be the wicked rebellious factioun of both kingdomes; the quhich we will not faill heireftir to preache to our pepill, and witnes every day of our calling, as als of our lauchfull acknawlegement, prayer and wisches of the happie establishment of his present Majestie unto all his just richtis; and particularlie, that it may pleis God to gif a blessing to his Excellence James Marques of Montrois, Capitane Generall to his Majestie in the kingdom of Scotland. All quhich we will faithfullie stand to and to the advancing thereof, without haiffing the least thocht or pretext in the contrare. So help us God.”

[Nicoll then details the banishment of the Earl of Callendar, and a number of other noblemen and gentlemen, for being concerned in the Engagement; the execution of General Hurry, John Spottiswood, Hay of Dalgatie, &c.; the arrival of the King; the great rejoicings, &c.]

It is formarlie recordit that, in these preceding yeiris, the prevailling pairteis of Sectareis in Ingland war verrie insolent, quha haid despysed religioun, and laid it in the dust, and haid tollerat many gros errouris, blasphemeis, and strange opiniounes in religioun, and haid mantened, allowed, and ventit the same in England, as the lyke hath not bene hard of in former generatiouns. And the Monarchy and the power of Parliamentis wes the auntient and long continued governament of that Kingdome, yit haif these men usurped above the Parliament, quhois servandis thai war; and, by oppin violence, haif drawn away many, and imprissoned sum of the memberis thairof; and haif not onlie takin away the Hous of Lordis, and destroyed the lait King, but also subverted Monarchy itself, and turned the fundatiounes upsyde doun; and labour to wreith the yok of thair oppressiounes upone thair bodyes and soules, quhairof that Ingadgement now in England is a publict testimonie.

This pairtie, eftir thai haif actit such thinges in England and Yreland, conceaving that thai can not be establisched and eat the fruit of thair awin devyces without contradictioun, als long as the Kirk of Scotland standis in thair way; thairfoir thai threaten us with a warr, drawing thair forces northward, and sending thame in in small pairteis toward the Border, that it may be the les decerned quhat thai do. And gif the Lord sall suffer thame to invaid this land, (as it is to be feared,) that the gangrene of thair errouris may tak hold upone sum ignorant and unstable myndis quho hath not resaved the love of the treuth, so we may luik for desolatioun and destructioun; thairfoir, and for many uther grave and wechtie ressones, the Estaites did levie ane airmy, and put this kingdome in a posture of defence. And the Commissioun of the Generall Assembie upone the 25 day of Junij 1650, did emit ane Seasonable Warning concerning the present dangeris and dewteis unto all the memberis of the Kirk....

At the approaching of this Englische airmy, many pepill heir in the eist pairtes and south wer overtakin with great feares, till the haill regimentis did convene. Mony also in Edinburgh, Leith, Linlithgow, Falkirk, and uther pairtes about, wer put in great perplexitie, quha removed thair best guidis over to the north syde of Forth.

The ministrie also, in thair severall places, wer not deficient to encurage the pepill, prommessing, in Godis name, a victorie over these erronyous and blasphemous pairteis in England, quha, aganes the Covenant and Solempne League, did unjustlie persew this Natioun; and farder, did freelie and franklie outreik ane regiment of hors, for defence of the same, upone thair awin charges and expensses, under the conduct of Colonell Strachane.

Upone the secound Weddinsday of Julij 1650, the Generall Assemblie met at Edinburgh, being the tent day of Julij, and dissolvit not till the 24 day of the same moneth.

22 July 1650, being ane Monday, the Inglische airmy, under the commandement of Generall Oliver Cromwell, croced the watter of Tweid and marched in to our Scottis bordouris to and about Aytoun; quhairof present advertisement wes gevin to our Committee of Stait, and thairupone followit ane strict Proclamatioun that all betuix 60 and 16 sould be in reddines the morne to marche, both horse and fute. The same day, the fute sodgeris lying heir for the tyme did cast ane trinsche fra the fute of the Cannogait to Leith, for halding out of the enymie, that thai sould not pass that way; bot that Edinburgh and Leith sould haif saif correspondence ane with the uther without interruptioun of the enymie.

23 Julij.—The College of Justice outreikit ane fute company of gallant youthes, notwithstanding they haid ane troup of horse on the feildis these twa yeiris bypast.

25 Julij 1650.—The Englische airmy lifted fra Aytoun and Halidounhill, without sound of trumpet or touk of drum, at eftir nune that day, and marched doun toward Cokburnespaith and Dumbar; thaireftir to Hadingtoun, and so to Mussilburgh, Figgetburne, Dudingstoun, Colingtoun, Braidis Craiges-haiffing thair trinches both at Mussilburgh, and alongis to Braid and westwart. And haiffing on sea fyftene sail, they resavit furth thair amunitioun and victuell furth of thair schipis without interruptioun, both at Dumbar, Mussilburgh, Fischerraw, and uther pairtes thairabout, and careyed all alongis with thame to thair airmy with ane convoy of hors and fute.

The Scottis airmy haiffing, efter few dayis, convenit heir upone the Linx of Leith to the number of fourtie thowsand men and above; the half of thame were sent bak, eftir a long space apoynted for purging of the airmy, to the discon[ten]tment of much pepill, and of gentillmen volunteris quha haid frielie cum in to feght for defence of the kingdome. The Scottis airmy being thus in purging daylie, upone the Linx of Leith, it pleasit the Kinges Majestie to cum doun frome Sterling, quhair he than wes, to the Linx of Leith, upone the Monday the 29 of Julij, 1650, quhair he saluted the airmy, being all rankit thair in a plesant posture, to the great joy of the King and contentment of the pepill.

Thaireftir, upone Friday the 2 of August 1650, the King come frome the Leager lying at Leith, to the toun of Edinburgh, ryding with his nobles and leaff-gaird up throw the Cannogait to the Castell of Edinburgh, quhair he wes saluted with a great number of cannoun schot.Thai rfra he come doun on fute throw Edinburgh, quhair he was feasted by the toun of Edinburgh in the Parliament Hous the said day; and thaireftir went doun to Leith, to ane ludgeing belonging to the Lord Balmerinoch, appoyntcd for his resait during his abyding at Leith; and thus haiffing remayned a certane space, veiwing the airmyes on both sydes, he went over the watter to Dumfermling, and to Falkland, and Pearth, for his recreatioun....

The enymie also advanced the lenth of Restalrig, and thair placed thair haill horse in and about the toun of Restalrig, his foote at that place callit Jokis Ludge, and his cannoun at the foote of Salisberrie Hill, within the park dyke; and twelf of his schips advanced to the Raid of Leith, and thrie utheris betuix Edinburgh and Dumbar; and thair, both be sea and land, played with thair cannoun aganes the Scottis Leaguer, lyand in Sant Leornardis Craiges; the Scottis airmy also schuting at thame: bot small skaith on ather syde.

Penult, Julij 1650.—Thair wes ane commandit pairtie sent out from the Scottis Leagure, quha rancountered with ane pairtie of the Englische, both of thame being horsmen, and at Restalrig thai skirmisched about thrie houres. Quhairat the Scottis behaved thame selffis gallantlie at the first, and killed ane major to the enymie with sindrie utheris of thair commoun trouperis; but thair went out sindry gentillmen and volunteiris, and, throw thair ignorance of militarie effaires, maid great confusioun, so that the Scottis were forced to reteir. Quhairupone the enymie tuik thair advantage, and persewed the Scottis hard to the Leagure, and killed and hurt sindrie gentillmen and uther volunteiris, and tuik sum of the Scottis men prissoneris, amongis quhom ane simple sodger, quhois eyes they holkit out of his heid, becaus upone his bak thair wes drawn with quhyte calk thir wordis, I am for King Charles, stryped him naked of his cloathes, and sent him bak to the Scottis Leagure, as wes reported. The enymie, eftir this skirmische, finding the ground not so fit as he desyred for his Leagure, reteirit bak his forces, both horse and fute, to the toun of Mussilburgh.

Upone the morne thaireftir, being Weddinsday the last of Julij, 1650, about brek of day, ane commandit pairtie of Scottis, consisting of 800 men, under the command of Colonell Robert Montgomerie and Colonell Strachane, went out to rancounter the enymie at Mussilburgh, quhair they behaved thame selffis stoutlie and gallantlie, killed many of the enymie, both commanderis, trouperis, and commoun sodgeris, horse and fute, and tuik sindry prissoneris; yit, in end, thai war forcit to quhyte the prissoneris and reteir bak, for the enymie advanced upone thame with fresche horses, and the Scottis, not haiffing a secound help as had the Englische, wer in end compellit to returne to thair Leagure; quhairas gif they haid gottin the help of 500 men, they haid totallie routed the enymie. At this retreit of the Scottis pairtie, sindry Scottis wer killed; bot many mae to the Englische, as wes reportit.

****

Upone the 5 of August, 1650, about midnight, the enymie did lift all thair forces lying in and about Mussilburgh, and marched bak towardis Dumbar, quhair thair schips being than rydand, they resavit from thame fresche viveris and amunitioun in abundance; and immediatlie thaireftir, within twa or thrie dayis, marched bak to Mussilburgh, and fra thence to Dudingstoun, and alongis to Colingtoun and about, quhair they did ly sum certane dayis thaireftir....

Sum of our prissoneris takin by the Englische wer miserablie used, tirred naked, and fettirred in yrone cheynes, as wes reportit.

During the lying of thir twa airmeys in the feildis, all the cornes betuix Berwik, and twa or thrie myles be west Edinburgh, on both sydes, wer destroyed and eaten up. Lykewyse, thair wes such great skairshetie in Edinburgh, that all soirt of viveris, meit and drink, could hardlie be haid for money, and such as wes gottin wes fuisted, and sauld at a double pryce. The haill inhabitantes, lykewyse, of Edinburgh wer forced to contribute and provyde fuid for the airmy, notwithstanding of this skairshitie; and also to furneis fedder beddis, bousteris, coadis, blankettis, scheittis for the airmy, and for the hurt sodgeris to ly upone, with pattis and pannis for making reddie thair meat; and to collect money for providing honest intertenment to the hurt sodgeris that lay in the Hospitall and Paullis Wark.

Upone the 11 day of August, 1650, being ane Saboth day, and a solempne day of fasting and prayer, evin upone that day (according to the Sectarians wonted custome,) the enymie cumed bak fra Braides Crages, quhair he wes than lying, and returned to Mussilburgh, and set doun his Leagure thair till Tysday thaireftir, and then removed from Mussilburgh and returned bak to Braides Craiges, bringing with him great quantateis of victuell, quhilk he haid takin out of the mylnes, killis, and bernis of Mussilburgh, and uther pairtes thairabout.

The 15 of August, 1650, to the quhilk the Parliament of Scotland wes adjorned, fur the Kinges coronatioun, wes of new prorogat and adjorned to the [10] day of September thaireftir, be ressoun of the twa great airmeyis on both sydes, both of thame lying about Edinburgh; and thairfoir the Parliament wes forced to adjorne.

At this tyme, the Commissioneris of the Kirk presentit sum Propositiounes to the King to be subscryvit, quhilk for a tyme was refused; yit in end condiscendit unto, and subscryvit be his Majestie. And, thairfoir, upone his refuisall at the first, the Commissioneris of the Kirk wer pleased to emit this Declaratioun following, quhilk wes sent into the Englische Airmy, with the Approbatioun thairof following, subscryvit be the Committee of Estait. Westkirk, the 13 of August 1650....435

The enymie being now lying neir to the toun of Edinburgh, and the Toun fearing thair invasioun and assalt, they usit all meanis for thair awin defence; and, for this end, erectit scaffoldis within the haill wallis of the toun, set up thair ensignes thairon, extending to xxxij culloris, mannit the wallis with numberis of men, planted ordinance thairon, demolisched the haill houssis in St Marie Wynd, that the enymie sould haif no schelter thair, bot that thai mycht haif frie pas to thair cannoun, quhilk thai haid montit upone the Neddir Bow. The Toun also wes forcit to demolische and tak doun the four prickes bigged on the Neddir Bow, quhilk wes ane verry great ornament thairto, and placed cannoun thairon. The Committee also causit demolische sindrie houssis at the Patterraw Poirt and West Poirt, that the Castell of Edinburgh, and uther pairtes quhair thair cannoun wes stellit, mycht haif sicht of the enymie in cais he sould assalt, and greater fredome to assalt him, be taking doun of the houssis that wer impedimentis to the sicht of the enymie and force of the cannoun.

Upone Settirday, the 24 of August, 1650, our airmy resavit a great disgrace in this manner; to wit, Generall Cromwell and his airmy haifing past throw this kingdome fra Berwik to the place of Colingtoun, without ony oppositioun maid be ony of the gentillmenis houssis by the way quhair they past, untill they come to the hous of Reidhall, within thrie myles be west Edinburgh; in the quhilk hous of Reidhall, the Laird of Reidhall, with thriescoir sodgeris, lay with provisioun, and keipit and defendit the hous aganes the Englisches, and gallit his sodgeris, and pat thame bak severall tymes with the los of sindry sodgeris. The Englische Generall taking this very grevouslie, that such a waik hous sould hald out aganes him and be ane impediment in his way, he and his airmy lying so neir unto it; thairfoir he causit draw his cannoun to the hous, and thair, fra four houris in the morning till ten in the foirnune that day, he causit the cannoun to play on this hous, encampit a great number of his sodgeris about it, with pik and musket, bot all to lytill purpos; for the Laird and the pepill in the hous defendit valiantlie evir till thair powder failled; and eftir it failled they did not give over, evir luiking for help fra owr awin airmy, quha wes then lying at Corstorphyn, within thrie quarteris of ane myle to the hous, of quhais help thai war disapoynted. Generall Cromwell perceaving thair powder to be gone, and that no assistance wes gevin thame, he causit pittardis to be brocht to the hous, quhairwith he blew up the dures, enterit the hous at dures and windois, and eftir slaughter on both sydes, (bot much moir to the Englisches then the Scottis,) tuik all that wer in the hous prissoneris, tirred thame naked, seased on all the money and guidis that wer thairin, quhilk wes much, be ressoun that sindry gentillmen about haid put thair guidis thair for saiftie. So this hous and pepill thairin wer takin in the sicht and face of our airmy, quha thocht it dangerous to hazard thameselffis in such ane expeditioun, the enymie haiffing the advantage of the ground and hillis about him for his defence.

Albeit the Covenant, the Kirk, and Kingdome aucht to be deir and precious in the eyis of all trew Scottismen, yet such wes the dispositioun of sum of thame, that thai wer corruptit with Englische gold, and gaif intelligence of all the proceidingis of our airmy to Generall Cromwell, quhairby much of our intentiounes wer surprised. Sum of thir intelligenceris wer takin and committed to prisoun, and becaus no probatioun could be haid aganes thame, they war liberat upone cautioun. Bot ane of thame being conscious of his awin giltines, strangled himselff in the tolbuith of Edinburgh, being wardit thairin; and thaireftir takin out and publictlie exposit to the view of all the pepill at the Trone of Edinburgh and Mercat Croce of the Cannogait, and thairfra transportit and hung up on the gallous betuix Leith and Edinburgh, quhair he yit hinges, to the terrour of utheris.

27 August, 1650. The twa airmeyis, both Scottis and Englisches, lyand about Corstorphyn, Gogar, and neir to Mortoun and thairabout, began to play with thair cannoun this day, quhilk indured fra thrie houris in the eftirnune till sex at nycht, at the quhilk xij of our airmy wer hurt, ane killed and twa horses. Sindrie men wer killed to the enymie also.

Eftir the enymie haid takin the Laird of Reidhall prissoner, he thaireftir pat him to liberty, commending much his valour and activitie for holding out so stoutlie aganes him that hous of Reidhall.

It wer langsum and tedious to writt all circumstances of these thinges that passed betuix the twa airmeis; for the Englisches removed from Collingtoun, Reidhall, and Niddrie, to Mussilburgh; thaireftir to Hadingtoun and Dumbar, resolving to haif past into England. Bot the Scottis airmy following, inclosit thame at Dumbar, resolving to haif cuttit thame of, as doutles easelie thai mycht haif done; bot our Scottis airmy being devydit and still in purgatioun, removing such as did not pleis the leaderis of this Kingdome for the tyme, the Englisches taking advantage of this divisioun and purging, quhilk lastit mony dayes, and haiffing with thame in thair company many Scottismen quha favored thair courses, and haid resavit thair gold, they prevailled over the Scottis, as heireftir sall be declared: for it is certane thair wes great corruptioun and divisioun and much gold gevin for intelligence to the enymie....

The Englische airmy entered in a parlee with the Scottis airmy both at Corstorphyn and Dumbar, and did offer great and lairge offeris gif we sould suffer him to returne to England without farder molestatioun. Bot our airmy refuisand, he, upone a Monday the secound day of September, anno 1650, pat himself in ordour, and that nicht being a drakie nycht, full of wind and weit, quhairin our Scottis airmy wer cairles and secure, and expecting no assalt be ressoun of the frequent parlees and offeris maid by the Englische, he tymouslie, upone the morne thaireftir, be brek of day, being Tysday the third of September, 1650, invaidit our airmy, all of thame being at rest, and thair horses, and slew of our airmy about—— thowsand men, tuik and apprehendit many thowsand prissoneris, hurt and woundit many thowsands, scatterit all the rest of our airmy, quha for feir fled to Edinburgh and uther pairtes of the countrey.

The Scottis airmy being thus routit and put to flight, the Inglisches war resolvit to content thameselffis with the victorie, and to returne to England. Bot the Generall Cromwell being informed that Edinburgh and Leith wer left desolat, and the inhabitantes thairof fled, and that nather the airmy nor the cuntrie and kingdome war to defend it, the Englische Generall held a counsell of warr at Dumbar, and being thus informed of the hard conditioun of these twa tounes, he with his forces come into Edinburgh and Leith upone the Settirday eftir the feght at Dumbar, being the sevint day of September, planted his garisouns thairintill, and commandit and reullit at his pleasure; these tounes being all of thame weill fortifeyed and provydit to thair handis.

To speik or writt of the opiniounes of many twiching the tinsell of this battell, it wer tedious, for the opiniouns of sum persones wer, that in the Scottis airmy thair wer mony independantis and sectareis, quho haid too much relatioun and correspondence with Generall Cromwell; sum utheris wer in the opinioun that the Englische gold did corrupt many. These wer the opiniounes of many, bot certane it wes that, befoir this airmy wes routtit, thair wes much bussiness maid anent the purging of the Scottis airmy of malignantis be the space of many dayis; evin than quhen the Englische airmy mycht haif bene easelie routtit, and quhen thair souldieris fled in to the Scottis for feir, and quhen honorable conditiounes and lairge offeris wer maid to the Scottis airmy to suffer thame to depairt and to leave the Kingdome; yea, evin the nycht befoir the feght, our Scottis leaderis wer in purging the Scottis airmy, as gif thair had bene no danger. For at this tyme the Scottis airmy thocht that the Englische airmy wer thair prissoneris, be ressoun of the double number of the Scottis above the Englisches, and that the Inglisches wer than in capitulatioun with the Scottis to give thame lairge moneyis and uther conditiounes to suffer thame depairt this Kingdome....

Oh, what can be sufficientlie writtin of these thinges; for thir trubles daylie increst, be ressoun of the divisiounes of this Kingdome quhilk daylie increst: Sum of the commanderis dispysing honest men, quhome thai termed Malignantis; these Malignantis (as they call thame) being willing to ryse for defence of the natioun, bot wer rejected: Utheris, in the west pairtes of this Kingdome, drawing togidder, and takand up a great pairtie of men, be way of associatioun and refuising to joyne in the publict service. And quhen the Scottis airmy mycht haif easelie routtit the Inglisches, and sindry notable occasiounes offered to invaid thame, yit the commanderis of the airmy still delayit, till it pleased God to delyver thame all in the handis of thair enymies.

Thus the Englisches haifing obtenit the victorie, and haifing fortifeyed both Edinburgh and Leith, and placeing garisones thairintill, the Generall and Commanderis of the Englische airmy gaif out this Proclamatioun following:—

“Quhairas it hath pleased God, by his gracious providence and guidnes, to put the citie of Edinburgh and town of Leith under my power, and although I haif put furth several Proclamatiounes since my cumming into this countrie to the lyke effect with this present; yit for farder satisfactioun to all these quhome it may concerne, I do heirby agane publische and declair, that all inhabitantes of the cuntrie, not now being, or continuing in airmes, sall have full and frie leave and libertie, to cum to the airmy, and to the citie and toun afoirsaid, with thair cattell, corne, horses, and uther commoditeis and guidis quhatsoevir; and sall haif thair frie and oppin mercattis for the same, and salbe protected in thair persones and guidis, in thair cuming and returning, as is afoirsaid, from ony injurie or violence of the souldiarie under my command, as also salbe protected in thair respective houssis, and the citizens and inhabitantes of the said citie and toun sall and herby lykewyse haif frie libertie to vend and sell thair waires and commoditeis, and sall be protected from the plunder and violence of the souldieris. And I do heirby requyre all officeris and souldieris of the airmy under my command to tak dew notice heirof, and to yeild obedience heirto as thai will answer to the contrarie at thair outmost perrel. Gevin under my hand at Edinburgh, the sevint day of September 1650.

“O. Cromwell.

“To be proclaimed at Edinburgh and Leith be sound of trumpet and beat of drum.”

Eftir this, the Inglische airmy marched throw Lynlithgow and Falkirk, and went in full body to Sterling, upone Tysday, the 17 of September 1650; quhair thai, not being able to assalt the toun for feir of the Castell, and of moir nor thrie thowsand fute lying within the toun, quhilk wes stronglie fortifeyed and deiply trinsched, they, eftir two dayis lying about the toun, returned bak agane to Lynlithgow, and from thence to Edinburgh, quhair they establisched ordouris, and set doun actis and ordinances at thair plesour....

Quhill these thinges war in doing by the Englische airmy, thair wes lytill cair tane to oppose thame: bot faith and curage failled the Scottis universalie throw the land; divisiounes, haitrent, and malice still increst throw the Kingdome. Collonellis Ker and Strachane withdrew thameselffis fra the Scotis generall, Generall Leslie, and David Leslie his lievtenant; left thair ordouris, refuised to serve under thair command; and not thairwith content, went to the west cuntrie, sik as Glasgow, Paislay, Ranfrew, Irwing, Air, Lanerk, Hammiltoun, quhair thair wes ane Associatioun concludit and drawn up among the Westland schyres, and quhair thai and thair followeris keipit thair randevous, quarterit thair men and hors upone the west pairtes of the land, compellit the gentell men, burgesses and yeemenis to furneis and rander thair horsses for thair service, exacted great soumes of money for thair outreikis; and yit thai did lytill or no service, bot trouping up and down throw the cuntrie a lang space, even fra the feght at Dumbar to the end of November or thairby.

In the meantyme, Generall Oliver Cromwell, cheiff commander of the Inglische airmy, come from Edinburgh to Lynlithgow, Falkirk, and Kilsyth, and thairefter come with his haill airmy to Glasgow, upone Fryday, the xi day of October, 1650; at quhais incuming the maist pairt of the inhabitantes left the toun, and fled to sindry pairtes of the cuntrie for scheltering thameselfis, not so much for feir of the enymie, for thair cariage wes indifferentlie guid, bot becaus thai feared to be brandit with the name of complyeris with sectarianes, as befoir thai wer censured and puneist for remayning in the toun the tyme of James Grahame his incuming, and brocht upone thameselfis the name and style of Malignantes, devysit aganes thame be thair awn nychtboures, quha haitted thame, and socht thair places and offices....

At this tyme, Godis anger wes manifest, and his hett displesour aganes the inhabitantes of this land, for the cornes of the feild war not onlie destroyed by this forrane enymie, and by the Scottis airmyes at home, quha rampit and raged throw the land, eitting and destroying quhairever they went, bot also the Lord from the hevines destroyed much of the rest be stormes and tempestis of weit and wind....

Divisiounes still increst in Kirk and Kingdome, for the Ministrie gave out thair Declaratiounes both aganes the King and the Commissioneris sent to him to Gairsey and Holland.... By thir Declaratiounes of the Ministrie the subjectis of the land wer moved to ceass, and not to lift up airmes and go aganes the commoun enymie, and nane declared capable to persew that enymie bot onlie Colonellis Strachane and Ker, quho wer estemed to be for the Kirk and the Kirkis airmy; albeit it did not prove so succesfull in the end as heireftir it fell out.

The Kingdome being thus in a moist pitifull and deplorabill conditioun and sad estait, nane to ryse aganes the enymie, nor to defend the Kingdome, severall meetingis wer appoynted by the Estait to meet and to consult on the effaires of the land; sum tymes at Sterling, uther tymes at Peerth, quhair dyveris dyettis of Parliament, Committee and Commissioneris for the Kirk met and wer holdin, and for crowning of the King; bot all wes to small purpos, the divisiounes both of Stait and Kirk incresing, to the great advantage of the enymie, quha estemed these inward divisiounes of this land to be worth to him and moir profitable then twenty thowsand men.

I thoght guid to remember heir how that the names of Protestant and Papist wer not now in use, nor hes bene thir sindrie yeiris past, bot supprest: and, in place thairof, rais up the name of Covenanteris, Anti-Covenanteris, Croce-Covenanteris, Puritanes, Babarteres, Roun-heidis, Auld-hornes, New-hornes, Croce-Petitioneris, Brownistes, Separistes, Malignantis, Sectareis, Royalistes, Quakeris, Anabaptistes....

Lykewyse the Commissioun of the Kirk, beiring a great splene aganes all these quha war of the Malignant factioun, (as they did call it), they, be thair Declaratiounes and Commissioneris at Committee and Parliament, maid these forces under the charge and command of David Leslie to ryse aganes these under the charge and command of Lievtenant Major Middletoun, to subdew thame, and croce thair rysing for the King....

So, to end this yeir of God, 1650, this Kingdome wes for the moist pairt spoyled and overrun with the enymie, evin from Berwik to the toun of Air, thair being Inglische garisounes in all quarteris of these boundis; the land murning, languisching and fading, and left desolat, every pairt thairof schut up, and no saif going out nor cuming in, and many treacherous dealeris did deale verie treacherouslie, the Lord hyding his face all this tyme for the synnes of Scotland.

1650. Excerpts from the Chronicle of Fife; being the Diary of John Lamont of Newton.

Jan. 13.—Robert Maitlande, the Laird of Lundie, in Fyfe, meadde his repentance (in his owne seatte) for having hand in the leate engagement against Englande. Mr Ja. Magill, minister of Largo, did receave him, and presentlie, after the covenant being reade, he did sweare the same, and, in the afternone, did subscribe it before the session.—The day before, he did subscribe the peaper emitted by the Gener. Assemb.

1649.—A litell before this, the Earle of Kelly made satisfactione in this manner, in Petten-Weyme, and was receiued by Mr George Hamiltone, m. of Newburne, and afteruarde his owne minister.

1650. Feb.—Ther was sundrie persons in Edenbroughe that had ther eares nayled to the Trone, for bearing false witnes, and one that had his tounge pearced with a hott iyron. About the same tyme, ther was one scourged by the hangman, for having 7 weemen at one tyme with chielde.

Mar. 31.—At the church of Largo ther was read a declaration of the Commiss. of the Gener. Assemb. answering a declaration leatlie published, under the name of James Ghrame, sometyme E. of Montrose. Also, the forsaid day, ther was a publicke fast intimate to be keiped throughe out the whole kingdome, the folowing Lords day. The maine cause of this fast appointed (besides these of former fasts) was, that our commissioners gone to the king (before spoken of) might have a gratious acceptatione, and ther iust desirs granted.

Apr. 27, being Satterday.—James Grahames forces (sometyme E. of Montrose), being in the north parts of this kingdome, werre defeate by L. Ge. Da. Leslie, his folowers.

May 21,—James Grahame (sometyme Earle of Montrosse), was execute at the crosse of Edenbroughe.

A newe translation of the Psalms of David, in metre, first corrected by the Assemblie of Divines, in Englande, bot afteruarde revised by the Gener. Assemb. of this kingdome and their comissioners, was apointed to be practised in all the kirks of the kingdome; the former discharged. This translation is more neare the original Hebrew than the former, as also, the whole psalmes are translated to comon tunes, (wheras, in the former, ther werre many proper tunes); ther be proper tunes also in this translation, bot, with all, ther is adjoyned comon tunes with them. This translation was practised, the 2 of June 1650, at Largo church, in the presbetrie of St Androus, as also through out the rest of that presbetrey, and apointed, with all diligence, to be put in practise through the rest of the presbetreys of the kingdome.

July 7.—Ther was a fast apointed by the Comiss. of the Gener. Assemb. to be keiped through out all the kirkes of the kingdome; the maine causes werre the great securitie of the land, the threatning of the sectarian armie of England to invade this kingdome, the abounding of socerie, and that the Lord wald countenance the folowing Gener. Assemb: etc. This fast was keiped by Mr Ja. Magill, att Largo, the forsaid 7 day of July. This day intimation was made of the excommunication of one Jhone Enster, a shiper in Enster, for his obstinacie in malignancie. As also of one Mr Hollande, ane English man, wha gave him selfe foourth to be a phesitian, he being onlie ane imposter and deceaver, that the people might not have any dealing with him in the meater of physicke.

July 10.—The Generall Assemblie of this kingd. satte att Edenbroughe, where Mr Andro Cant, minister of Aberdeine, was moderator. Att this meiting ther werre severall nobelmen that werre accessorie to the late unlawfull engagement, that werre desirous to be receaved, as the E. of Crafoorde, wha was received in the Abey kirke, and appeared to be verie penitent. The E. of Laderdaile was referred to the comission of the kirke. Duke Hamilton’s petition was rejected; the E. of Marshall (whose lady, a litel before this, depairted out of this life,) the E. of Arroll, and sundrie others. The most pairt of the ministers of Orkenay were deposed, and appointed to be excommunicate, because they had subscribed a peaper of the forsaid Montrosse.436 A number of the ministers of Caithnes werre deposed in likemaner, for conniving at his wayes. L. G. Cromuell, that commanded the English armie, sent a declaratione to this kingdome, declaring the causes why he was comeing downe to invade this kingdome; and another from the pretended parliament of England;—both which werre excellentlie answered, both by church and state, and the Assemb. answers appointed to be read in the severall kirks of this kingdome. The K. Majestie sent a letter to this Assemblie; ther was three ministers appointed to attend his Majestie; as Mr Robert Blaire, m. of St Androus, Mr George Hutcheson, and Mr James Durhame. Ther was a fast appointed (because the forsaide Englishis had invaded this kingdome), to be keiped through the wholle kingdom. This meiting rose the 24 of the said instant. The said Mr Rob. Blaire was desired to come to Glasgowe, (in the roume of D. Strange, who was deposed for some erronius opinions), bot it was refused. A litell before this Assemb. Mr David Dicke, m. of Glasgowe, was transported by the Com. of the Gener. Ass. to Edenbroughe, to be professor ther. He did succeid to D. Sharpe.... Mr Ja. Sharpe was transported from Crayll to Edenbrough, and Mr Jhone Heart from Dyninnowe to Dunkell, both out of St And. presb.—A visitatione for Fyfe to sit in Sept.

Oct.—This moneth the malignant pairtie of this kingd. did ryse in armes in the north; they emited a declaratione. The comission of the Gener. Ass. emitted a warning, deated at Sterling, 24 Oct. 1650, against them, to be read in the several churches. L. G. Da. Lesley was sent north with some horsemen against them.

Oct.—This moneth the westcountrey men joined them selfs in a body (with L. Coll. Ker, Strachan, and some ministers,) and sent in a Remonstrance to the estaits,437 declairing all the escaps of the Kings Maj.; condeming the treatie with him; accusing many of the comitt. of estaits of covetousnes and oppression; speaking against the chife leaders of the armie; and opposing the invasion of England, or enforcing a king upon that kingdome. Ther forces werre scattered at Hamiltone, by a pairtie of the English men, under the conduct of Lambert, on the 1 of Decemb. being Sunday, 1650. Sundry of them were killed, and Coll. Ker, one of ther cheife leaders, wounded and taken.

Nov.—Ther was a meiting, both of state and church, at St Jhonstone, at which tyme they both declaired against that remonstrance of the men of the west contrey (before spoken of), shauing that it was divisive, contrare to the covenant, and acts of the Generall Assemblie; debaring all that adhered to that said remonstrance from sitting and voyceing in the publicke judicatories, ether of state or church. Upon this, sundrie ministers of the north countrey protested against the declaratione of the church, and foure ministers in Fyfe adhered to ther protestation, one in every presbetrey, vizᵗ, Mr Sa. Rutherfoorde, in St Androus presb.; Mr Ja. Wedderburne, in C. presb.; Mr Alex. Moncriefe, in K. p.; and Mr Will. Oliphant, in D. presb.

Mr David Calderwood, a minister in Louthian, depairted out of this life.

Dec. 22.—The fast, apointed by the comission of the kirke to be keiped througe the kingdome before the coronatione, was keiped att Largo the forsaid day, by Mr Ja. Magill; his lecture, Rev. 3, from v. 14 to the end of the chapt. his text Rev. 2, 4, 5. Upon the Thursday folowing, the 26 of this instant, the fast was keiped in likemaner; his lecture 2 Chro. 29. to v. 12; his text 2 Chron. 12. 22. The causes of the first day (not read) was, the great contempt of the gospell, holden forth in its branches. Of the second day (which were read), the sinns of the King, and of his father’s house, where sundry offences of K. James the 6 were acknowledged, and of K. Charles the 1, and of K. Ch. the 2, nowe king. This second day the E. of Laderdaile gave satisfactione (at the k. of Largo), for haveing hand in the late unlawfull engagement against England, where, 1. he acknowledged the sinfulnes and unlaufulnes of that course; 2. his sorowe and remorse for haveing accession therto; 3. his resolutione, for the time to come, to be warre of such courses. After this, Mr Ja. Magill did reid the solemn league and covenant, and he held up his hand and did sweare to the same. So the k. session gave him a peaper, subscribed by the minist. and clerk, testifying that they were weill satisfied with his repentance.

1649-50. Excerpts from The Waters of Sihor, or the Lands Defectione; By James Guthrie.438

[Propositions laid down and contended for by Guthrie, in page 19.]

1. All judicatories and Armyes, and all places of power and trust amongst the Lords covenanted people in Scotland, should consist of, and be filled with, men of known good affectione to the work and people of God, and of a blamles Christian conversatione.

2. All known malignant, and prophane scandalous persons, ought to be excluded from power and trust amongst those, and to be purged out from the Judicatories and Armyes.

3. The making of Associations in counsell and in forces with the Malignant party, or these who walk in known wickednes, and in enmity and oppositione to the work and people of God, is to these unlawfull, and ought to be avoided by them.

4. Malignant and wicked men who have been engaged in such enmity and oppositione, or given to prophanity, and have there upon been debarred from the Covenant or Communion, or secluded or removed from power and trust, ought not to be admitted into these till after tryall they shall be found in their ordinary conversatione to give reall testimony of their dislike of their former evill courses and wayes, and of their sorrow for their accessione to the same, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

[Page 21.]

In the year 1648, when the parliament were on debats of a ingadgment in War against England, the Comissione of the Kirk, (being there homologated by the Supplications of most of all the Presbytries and Synods in Scotland,) as they did desire the parliment “that the grounds and causes of undertaking a war might be cleared to be so just, as that all the weel affected might be satisfied in the lawfulnes and necessity of the Ingagment, with sundry other things to that purpose; so did they also desire, that if the Popish, Prelaticall, and Malignant party should again rise in arms in this natione, that their armyes might be so farr from joyning and associating with them, that, one the contrairy, they should oppose and endeavour to suppress them, as enemies to the Cause and Covenant on the one hand, as weel as Sectaries on the other; and that, for securing of religione, and all other ends of the Covenant, such persons only might be entrusted to be of Comitees and Armyes as hes given constant proof of their integrity and faithfulnes in this cause, and against whom there is no just cause of exceptione or jealousie.”