and the sillinesse of other men Divers of all ranks not excepting the higher amongst men seeing their wayes advantageous side and cog in with them for profit and employment They on the other side receive none in their Society but those of means and gifts poor people and simple are profane in their account They work hugely with rich mens wives widdows and daughters and stirring fellows in any kinde are good for them And to carry on their businesse more smoothly they plead for charity that there may be a charitable interpretation of their carriage and proceeding when God knows they are destitute of all charity first towards the Church in generall whose peace they disturbe in a high measure and towards particular men for they oppresse and afflict every honest man they can reach in hatred to faithfulnesse unto the good of the Church and State if all were well known and considered for those who strive so much for confusion in the Church aime all Anarchie in the State doubtlesse It is true there be divers simple well meaning men that are insnared in the opinion of those men of Church-government but good people who are not of the Cabale nor of the secret faction who I doubt upon fuller information will leave the error and follow the Truth So there be many honest and well meaning people who adhere and follow the Jesuites who are not acquainted with the mysteries of their iniquity Then with a great deal of deceit they cry out igainst the rigidnesse of Presbyteriall-government as aforesaid to make the people beleeve that it will tye them to such a strictnesse and rigidity or austerity that all Christian Liberty will be taken away from them Wherein they do lye most abominably against the practice of all the Reformed Churches where this Government hath place namely in Scotland and France where if there be any thing amisse of this kinde it is towards lenity rather then austerity Yet those fellows give out that they are more holy then other men and of a stricter life and will not admit to their Society any who will not bind himself to the strictnesse they professe externally but their carriage being neer looked to will be found as far distant from what they professe as the Capuchins hypocrisie is from true piety The businesse is no sooner ended concerning the Church-government maugre Independents but there arise other difficulties and rubs in the way to hinder the setling of Government Such obstacles are cast in by the Enemy to stop the building of the Temple First Some will not allow it to be of divine right notwithstanding it is demonstrated to have its ground in the Scripture so clearly that it cannot be denyed and practised by the Apostles and their successors Then There is a great stir concerning the power of the Presbytery to admit and keep off people from the Table of the Lord and to receive men unto the Communion of the Church or to seclude them from it Which power some will have to be onely in the Civill Magistrate Wherein there is a great mistake From the beginning of the World to the giving of the Law both functions of the spirituall Ministery concerning God and Religion and of the civill Ministery concerning the externall Society of men being in one man to wit in the Father and the eldest Son in the Fathers room things were not so clearly distinct But then at the giving of the Law God in his appointed time and in his wise dispensation ordained the functions of his spirituall Ministery of Church and of the civill Ministery of State to be in distinct persons so the power belonging severally to each Ministery was to be exercised distinctly by those who were set aside severally for the severall Ministeries And that the one Minister had power over the things concerning his Ministery as the other over his it is clear by Scripture Thus things did continue from Moses to Christ although now and then not without some alteration or change by reason of the revolutions of affaires in the State of Israel and of Judah In the Christian Church the distinct Ministeries being in distinct persons the power belonging to the severall Ministeries must be in distinct persons according to their Ministeries and although the civill Magistrate or Minister of State is not to exercise the spirituall Ministery nor what belongeth to it yet he is obliged to oversee the Minister of spirituall things to do his duty faithfully and diligently Of those much hath been said and written in former times and of late by men of the clearest judgement and of most understanding in things of this nature Besides the fear of men that the spirituall Scepter and rod of Christ should be prejudiciable to their wordly authority the frequent encroaching of the Ministers of the Church upon the civill Minister to wave what is done elsewhere and hath been in former times here in those Islands not onely of old but in those latter yeers Churches-Ministers ambition avarice having cast us in all those troubles doth furnish just occasion of wearinesse to the civill Magistrate to keep the Ministery power of Church men within the precinct of the Church but it must not be so as to make them like the trencher-Chaplain to say a short grace and no more As the Church Ministers are not to meddle with civill affaires so the civill Ministers ought not to meddle with things meerly spirituall such are the censures of the Church which is commonly called the power of the keyes Further as Prelats with their Emissaries have put Christ out of his Throne in a kinde making themselves Lords and Masters of his Flok and Heritage so on the other side those who take away the due power of the keyes from the Ministers of Christ in his Church doth him a great deal of wrong in his spirituall Kingdom Therefore let us look to it lest when we have pulled down one tyranny Antichristian out of the Church we do not leave it to confusion and Anarchie and so to be inslaved to the phancie and to the humour of weak men But of this let it suffice in this place Moreover as the Scots did constantly in all their own troubles ever from the beginning to this day lay hold upon all the occasions they could meet withall to try if it were possible by fair means to redeem the misled King from his evil wayes and to calm all things with the least noise or stir that could be so it hath been their constant course here both before and since their conjunction in action with the English in this Common Cause to try by fair means if the King could be prevailed with for his own good and that of the people and now at this time after so many advantages obtained of late upon the adverse party they have thought it fit to desire the Parliament to send to the King to try him yet again if at last he will condescend to what is
their Armies compleat to their mind of their own men So the Scots were employed in chief and prime places of command on both sides hence divers men indifferent not as yet engaged by affection to either party conceiving that neither party could have known how to manage or go on with the War without the Scots Commanders wished them many miles beyond Sâ—n To the King went and took Service of him not onely divers who had been Malignants from the first beginning but also some superficiall Covenanters who not diving in businesses did make small scrupule to serve the King in this War it not being against the Letter of their Covenant as they conceived for the King protesting from day to day that he would stand firm to the true Religion and maintain it his intention in taking up Arms being onely to represse some factinus persons who had affronted him and the Parliament not then making it so clear to every one by their expressions that the main quarell the adversary had was the subversion of Religion made some not to discern things so clearly as otherwayes they had done if things had been more plainly set down To the Service of Parliament come divers in good affection being perswaded that the quarrell of England was one and the same with that in Scotland howsoever by the cunning of the adversary disguised and although not then so cleared by the Parliament as was need The Enemy seeing that sundry Scots Officers and Commanders were undertaking Service under the Parliament by his Emissaries up and down doeth what he can to draw them on his side or at least to make them keep off from serving the Parliament In this he did prevaile with some who will have their just reward in due time Then after the War began and some Fieldactions being done the Enemy perceiving how that divers Scots Officers had carried themselves gallantly in the Service of the Parliament returns again to his former courses and deales by his Instruments and Agents here to corrupt and debauche those men of Command upon whom the eyes of many were the Agents of the Enemy go craftily to work to compasse their ends upon those men for first by cunning insinuations they enter in privacy with them Next they make them fair promises with specious words of the Kings good intentions towards the publike good of both Church and State and of the esteem he had of their worth and deserts Then those good Agents for the Enemy under-hand cause give distaste to the Scots Officers by neglecting of them and otherwayes yea by some Boutefeux there were of them quarelled in Westminster-Hall with reproch that they took the Meat out of the English months who could manage and pursue the War as well atleast as they If this quarell had not been timely taken up by the Wisdom of the Parliament it had grown to a great hight according to the designe and desire of the Enemy This crafty dealing of the adversary by his Agents did prevaile so far that some of the Scots Officers not so touched with the interest of the good Cause as they ought to have been nor as they outwardly professed left off the Service of the Parliament for a time upon I know not what foolish excuse and thereafter upon a change fell to the Work again Next there were others so far perswaded as to lay down their Commissions and go to the Enemy and serve him for a while and thereafter leaving him returned hither again The Scots Officers with the Enemy were in high esteem and in good respect among those they did serve till the State of Scotland joyned with the Parliament of England in action for the Common Cause from thence by little and little the Scots with the Enemy became so to be neglected and ill thought of that there were many of them constrained to go away and others have been taken and killed by this side so that for the present there be very few at least of any note with the Enemy On this side likewise the Scots Officers notwithstanding the State of Scotland was now interessed and joyned with the Parliament by degrees came to be littler regarded neglected and divers of them laid aside after that sundry of them had lost their lives fighting valiantly for the Cause others had loosed their blood and others suffered imprisonment at last the Moulders of the new Modell cashier at one dash above two hundred of them brave fellows who constantly had carried themselves with honesty and gallantry without giving them any satisfaction or at least very little for what is justly due unto them and had cost some of them very dear The reason given out against them was That it was to be feared they would not be so earnest and so forward as was required in this new frame Then those cashiered Scots Commanders having danced attendance a long time to small purpose in pursuance of their just demands constant to their grounds although they were thus harshly used they would not abandon the Service of the Common Cause so they resolve to go to the Forces of their Countrey-men and serve with them in the same Cause and sends some of them accompanied with a number of good fellows before towards the Scots Army till the rest were ready Those Scots who went away first towards their Countrey-men being upon their journey they chanced to be at and neer Leicester when the Enemy made his approches to that place The Scots in meer kindnesse and love to those who were engaged with them in the Common Cause without any Commission from the Parliament or from the Scots Generall stay and help their Friends and how manfully their carriage was in the assistance of their Brethren is so known that it will never be forgotten when there is any mention of Leicester-businesse In generall I will say this of them That if they had been seconded the Town of Leicester had not been taken by the Enemy but having expected assistance from those whom they came to help after divers had prodagalized their blood and that some were killed with the losse of their Liberty and of all they had they were constrained to yeeld to force not without being admired by the vainquors for their valour Thereafter those that were taken prisoners finding their opportunity lays hold on it at the first and they carry the businesse so that they not onely gaine their own freedom but make themselves Masters of those in whose hands they were If those things had been done by some other men all the Pamphlets about the City of London should have been full of them In this businesse albeit the Scots did expresse their kindnesse really to their Friends and made known their valour to all Yet here I must tell you they did not shew their prudence for if the Enemy had known them to have no Commission as they had none by Law of Arms he had given them no quarter On the one side the ignorance of the
fitting in reason and conscience for the setling of Church and State as it hath been proposed unto him with a ripe deliberation after a serious debate and laying aside all evil Counsell where with he hath been so long misled come home to the Parliament the great Counsell of the Land This advice of the Scots as it is liked by the wiser and better sort of men who have mainly the publike Service before their eyes so by the hotter kinde of people who breath nothing but violence and extremity it is cryed out upon as prejudiciable unto the Common Cause and will give an advantage to the Enemies since the King is not to be reclaimed by fair means and will never yeeld to reason but upon meer necessity It is but too true I am assured and I must confesse there be but very small hopes of doing any good with the King or gaining any good upon him in that way for besides that nothing hath been gained by all the former Messages sent to him or by Treaties with him the violation of the Peace made twice with the Scots the many Plots both in Scotland and in England to undo all the bloody businesses in Ireland the last intercepted Letters wherein he expresseth his mind and the intelligence we have from all places abroad tells us sufficiently that he will continue still in this persecuting way of Church and State so long as he can hold out The reason of this his perseverance in those courses is clear to any rationall man and it is this There is a great designe now afoot in these Dominions which is to bring all to spirituall and temporall slavery and thraldom more then it was in the blindest times which will be kept up with all might and slight so long as is possible and the abused King who is the chief Agent in this businesse will be kept to it and not suffered to give over the work but go no so long as they who set him about it can furnish him with any encouragement by hopes counsell and intelligence moneys arms or by any other assistances whatsoever to keep life in the businesse Now if you will ask who be those who have set this great designe afoot and have engaged the King in it I will tell you Rome France and Spaine The Pope to have all under him at least as formerly The Spaniard and French first both in respect of the Holy Father as Christian and Catholike Sons then each of the two hath his own private interest besides The Spaniard by the means hopes for a number of good Friends here the work succeeding by reason of the common Catholicity and to have Ireland absolutely at his devotion to side with him upon such occasion as he shall require for it is every where remarked that the Popish of those Dominions have a double dose of Catholicon in their bellies and to be Spanish and as they are addicted to the tyranny of Rome over the inward man also they are affected to the tyranny of Spaine over the outward man so ingrate are they towards God and so unnaturall towards their own Countrey The French hath his particular interest in the work for since he could by no means get the King to side with him in opposing the Austrian and to help his neerest Allies and Confederates against his and their Enemies in spleen and revenge hath put many Irons in the fire to give work at home to undo himself and his people Next The French by the putting the King to work at home and by keeping him to it goe's on with his own work against the Austrian namely in Flanders wherein these Dominions have the most interest to look to by reason of the neernesse and the narrow Seas Then the French hath a further drift who when he hath any leasure from his Wars with the Austrian either by an accommodation or by an absolute Victory he may send hither a party to make the Hola with a vengeance little to the content of either Prince or people yea to seek by a strong hand that which the Norman offered to the then French King and he refused These are the shares and parts that Rome Spaine and France take in our troubles howsoever they give out otherwayes for prove of this to lay aside many things which might be here alleadged First for Rome I pray you put before your eyes the constant and neer commerce the corrupt Court and the wicked Clergie have had with Rome and have to this day with the Letters betwixt the King and the Pope and the sending Agents hence to Rome and from thence hither and a Nuntio into Ireland who is now so far as the neerer coasts of France in his way for Ireland Next for Spaine and its adherents in the Catholike Cause to say nothing of what is past in the kindling of the fire among us by severall underblowings I pray you to consider the Residents now of Castille Portugall of Venice Florence Lorraine c. what their carriage is how enclined to the Court and how adverse to the Parliament As for France The late Factotum of that Court did acknowledge it to be one of his Master-peeces to have kindled the fire in all those Dominions first in Scotland next in Ireland and last a little before his death in England whereabout he had above a dozen of Agents at one time acting their severall parts in this act here with us Those who have succeeded in his place carry on things his way very neer namely in what concerns us as may appear by the sending into Scotland to hinder the Scots joyning with the Parliament and by the continuall supplies which are sent from France to the Enemies in England Scotland and Ireland and the Residents of France their expressions in favour of the Enemies All this is done really albeit not avouched by publike Authority Notwithstanding that both Spanish and French give out they will keep fair with the States of both Kingdoms and indeed the commerce in some kinde is continued but they receive in their Sea-Towns Pyrates with the spoiles they take from both Nations who are now consederate in this Common Cause Then some others who at first although they had not perhaps put their hands to cast us in those troubles yet seeing us enclining thereunto have put them forward and have given help to our miseries Such are some of Holland who against the principles and grounds of their own State have by their late Ambassadour declared themselves to be enslaved to our corrupt Court for their own private interests and for that of him who namely set them awork When I spake of Holland Spaine France yea of Rome it self I do not mean the common people but of those who have chief hand in affaires and in Government for God knows the people of those Countreys are as innocent of any evil office done unto us now as our people were free from doing harm to the Protestants of France and Germany The
A SHORT AND TRUE RELATION OF Some main passages of things wherein the Scots are particularly concerned from the very first beginning of these unhappy Troubles to this day Published by Authority Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his Neighbour execute the Judgement of Truth and Peace in your Gates 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his Neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord LONDON Printed by R. Raworth for R. Bestock at the Kings head in Pauls-Church-yard 1645. To the Faithfull Reader Christian Reader MAy it please thee at this time to receive a free and true Discourse of sundry and main occurrences of businesses here amongst us tendred unto thee by a reall Friend and faithfull Servant of thine in the Lord who makes it a good part of his earnest study to enquire in all seriousnesse after the truth of those things which thus busie us all in these miserable dayes of ours every where what in thoughts what in words what in deeds with the motives occasions reasons and ends thereof and this forsooth not to content his vain curiosity and meerely to feed his empty brains with notions as many read Books and bearken after news but for the good of the Publike unto the Service whereof he freely and cheerfully devotes his pains and labours and so with pleasure he in all freedom of heart imparts unto others of what he jugeth to be true and conducing to the good of Church and State without unjust partiality or base siding with any faction the great disease in these our evil dayes of foolish and weak men And the principall occasion of those our great and long sufferings with the tedious delays and many hinderances of carrying on the publike Work by action in the Field and Counsell at home to the benefit of Church and State This he doeth without regard to the persons of any whosoever having no intent to offend the least by cynicall mordacitie nor mind to curry favour with the greatest by insinuating flattery being by Gods great mercy towards him unworthy worm pretty free from the chief cause of these distempers ordinary to most men For on the one part he knows no man who hath so far wronged him in his own particular as to move him unto anger or wrath against the person of any and he hath ever thought it contrary to good Christianity and dissonant from morall honesty to inveigh scurrilously against mens persons as Pamphleteers do now adayes Wherefore he speaketh of the failings in divers kindes and degrees wherewith he is highly offended and much scandalized of men of all ranks and conditions in both Kingdoms without designation of their persons by name Yea he is so far from naming any man in particular for his errors that he makes mention but of a very few by name and those with eloge and praise wishing from his heart that he had just occasion to name all those to their advantage at whose faults he points at Further he heartily blesseth God who in his Fatherly care towards him hitherto and he hopes will do so to the end being assured that he who giveth the principall will not deny the accessory if he thinks it fit for his own Glory and our good hath provided for him wherewith to sustain his nature without great excesse or much want and hath schooled him both by precept and practice to live and be content of little and so not being so urged by a neer nipping necessity or imaginary poverty as to selt or betray the Truth for a morsell of Bread nor so led away with the exorbitant desire of preferment or profit as to cog in upon any terms by flattery lying and faining with those in whose hands for the present the disturbation of such things is amongst us now adayes He dare be bold to speak home to the Point and tell down-right the truth of things wherein the Church and State are so much concerned not fearing to be crossed in his private interest and put back from his hopes by displeasing the gods Moreover he preferreth the possessing of himself with calm and freedom of spirit having his little viaticum such as it is simple and course to the glistering slavery with toiling and moiling of ambitious and covetous ones to whatsoever hight with lustre and fair shew they attain unto in the eyes of the World and opinion of men knowing that it is dear bought with losse of time and often of credit and conscience and to be nothing but a meer shadow which in a moment vanisheth To the performance of this usefull and necessary Duty he conceiveth himself bound in conscience before God and man for these respects and reasons First Every one of us all in our severall ranks and stations ought so far as in us lyeth advance the Glory of God and hinder whatsoever is contrary to it or against it for he is the Lord our God Then being bound to the hearty Love of our Neighbour we ought with earnestnesse procure his true good and hinder him from receiving evil or committing sin whereby evil may come upon him This is inculcate in the Scripture over and over again Yea we are bidden rebuke our Brother or Neighbour plainly when he sinneth in any kinde otherwise we are said to be haters of him namely we are to hinder him from walking about with lyes among the people and from conspireing with the wicked Read Levit. 19. 16 17. Next The Church whereof we are Children and the Countrey whereof we are Members requireth and expecteth of us all that with our whole power and might we procure in all uprightnesse and singlenesse of heart their true good and stop whatsoever appears to be against the same either word or deed thoughts being onely known to God To this we are not onely bound at once by a generall tye but we iterate and renew it from time to time as we receive benefits by them or from them according to the ordinary practice of us all Thirdly Are we not all obliged by our late Nationall Covenant and sworn to advance the setling of the Church-Reformation according to the Word of God and conforme to the best Reformed Churches and to the setling of a solid Peace to the good of the People by putting forward the Service and opposing the open and declared Enemy with the crafty Malignants of whatsoever kinde secretly undermining us in the pursuance of this our good Cause by cabales factions lyes devises and plots and with whatsoever else the wicked heart of man full of wyles for his own and his Neighbours ruine All those tyes and bonds are shaken off and broken by the most part of us either through negligent lazinesse and remisse slacknesse not minding them and not having before our eyes as we ought the least part of our duty or through base connivence and treacherous compliance to the
wicked courses of the Enemies against the Cause we say we maintain I am sure at least we ought or by open and professed Apostasie we have joyned our hearts and affection with the Common Enemy who so actively by all means opposeth this Cause of God and persecuteth his people for it This is done both in Scotland and England not by a few but by many not by little and small ones but by the Chief and Leaders of the rest not by stopping things of humane infirmity and weaknesse but with study and an high hand Here we shall say a word or two of the carriage of those two Nations in the going on with the Work of the Lord for the setling of the Church and quiet of his People We shall begin at those of Scotland who some few yeers ago were lifted up with praises among men for their faithfull minding and following earnestly this great Work of God all by-ends laid aside for which God blessed them from Heaven and made them be called happy among men for they had their hearts desire in the businesse and their Enemies were subdued by them But now leaving off their former integrity and sincerity to the Cause of God and their Love unto him following the devices and desires of their own corrupt hearts in pride coveteousnesse and factions notwitstanding the earnest and pressing admonitions both in private and publike of the Prophets and Ministers of God they continue in their evil courses preposterously minding themselves and their worldly foolish interest of ambition and avarice more then God and the Cause of his Church and people For this God as it were by an essay to try them if they would laying aside their lewd by wayes mind him and his Service heartily and sincerly sends amongst them an hand-full of contemptible profane and wicked villains whom at first they despise and neglect but going on in their wonted wayes while the holy Name of God is profaned by those Sons of Belial a part of their Land is wasted the poor people spoiled and slain with all other barbarous usage and so these number and power of the Slaves of Iniquity growing they are plotting caballing and devising how to supplant another and increase their severall faction the seed of dissension being sowed amongst them by the Enemy to divide and so more easily compasse his ends upon them which they would not and could not see blinded with their corrupt passion Then God to admonish them anew suffers some of those whom they had employed against the Sons of Rebellion to betray their trust and omit divers good occasions in all appearance to make havock of these villains yea some to run over unto them in the hour of fight and so these Enemies of goodnesse to advance their pernicious designe do what they list Yet all this will not die with those hard-hearted and stubbling men still employing and busying their thoughts how to bear down one another yea some there were amongst them who were not sorry in their hearts of the progresse that those despisable villains made in the Countrey against the Service of the Common Cause conceiving it did help to the setting up of their faction But since the affronts and blows they received at divers times from those contemptible fellows did not move these ingrate Children God sends a Pestilence amongst them which rageth with such fury that hardly the like hath been heard of in that Land to try if at last they would leave their slacknes remissenes in pursuing the Service of the Cause of Gods Church and People their conniving and complying with his Enemies yea their helping those villains with means and advice in opposing the Cause of God and oppressing his People But they remain obdured like Children of disobedience in their perverse wayes So at length God in his wrath delivers them up to the hands of their wicked Enemies making them as far to be scorned and misprised for their not heartly minding him his Service as they had been before esteemed and extolled for their adhering to him and doing his Service faithfully Yea the Chief men of them who had been cried up for Valour and Wisdom are constrained to flie away and have their lives for a prey So God who from the beginning of all those unhappy disturbances till this last time had made Scotland a Mirrour of his Mercy in testimony of its faithfulnesse adhering unto him makes it an example of his Justice for its back sliding from him And thus Judgement begins at the House of God now let England look seriously to it for the same very sins which have been committed in Scotland and for which it now lieth under the heavy rod of a chastising and angry God are now raigning in England namely ambition and avarice with many more which have not been seen in Scotland example heresies errors and Sects of all sorts to the dishonour of God and to the withdrawing of the People from his Truth are connived at and countenanced by those who are in Authority Then there be some of power and credit who are so far from furthering the Reformation of the Church as they and we all are sworn to by the Covenant that they hinder the same not onely by secret undermining and by plots but by a continued open profession against it Next There be great oppressions vexations concussions and injustices done unto the People by divers in Authority the cry of all which is as loud if not louder unto Heaven then the cry of the sins of Scotland It may be that God as he hath not be gun so soon to shew his Mercy unto England as he did unto Scotland will not send his Judgement upon it so speedily yet doubtlesse without a serious Repentance and a true turning unto God Judgement will come and the longer it is a coming the heavier it will be It is not the good Cause of Church and State that will do Englands turn more then the Temple and the Law of old did save Judah from ruine nor the same good Cause hath kept Scotland from punishment the good Cause ill managed by negligence ambition avarice faction self-conceit and other vices of that kinde draweth vengeance upon those who have the managing of it and make the Cause to be in derision Never good Cause hath been worse managed by the ignorance of weak ones and the malice of other wicked At last God will maintain his Cause no thanks to thee without thee for he needs not thy help to do it but since he hath been pleased to make use of thee in the Service of this his Cause he expects faithfulnesse and zeal to it from thee free from worldly and humane interest Otherwayes vengeance is at thy door for God as he will not in his Worship and Cult have linsey-wolsey of mens inventions intermingled with his pure and sacred Ordinance so he will not in managing the Service of his Cause and of his People that men bring in
the mixture or addition of their own interest for God will have our work wholly for himself and if we be faithfull in it he will not forget to give us what we need to have for our selves otherwayes he will not onely cast us off and our work but will curse both it and us Again I say Let England take example at her Neighbour yet I am sure God in his Judgement will remember his Mercy unto Scotland and for his own Name sake will keep his promise unto his faithfull ones whereof he hath a great number of all ranks and conditions in that distressed Countrey and will not suffer this proud insulting Enemy to domineer thus ever his poor people far lesse set up again his abominations and profane his holy Name but God will arise and throw his Enemies to the dust for it is against him they fight and for his sake they thus trouble vex now oppresse his People And although that all men at this great last blow were struken with astonishment yet many take courage to go on with the Service of the Cause of God with their whole heart and strength acknowledging Gods Justice in this his thus chastising them and confessing heartily their sins by which they have so provoked God to anger and are truly sorry not so much for their sufferings they now lie under as for their offending their good God on whom they are resolved to rely and in whom they will constantly trust and to whom they will more neerly adhere then ever let him deal with them as he pleaseth they are the Servants he is the Lord they are the Pot he is the Porter they are the Creatures and he is the Creator whose will is alwayes good not onely it self but for us if we be obedient and faithfull unto him But I will hold thee here no longer So recommending thee to God I go to the Discourse it self A short and true Relation of divers passages of things wherein the Scots are particularly concerned from the first beginning of these troubles to this day IT is not unknown to men of understanding how that many sinistrous reports one after another raised of the Scots for their faithfulnesse constancy to the Cause of Religion and Liberty in these Dominons by Malignants that is by Atheists Libertines Papists Prelatists and Sectaries of all kindes officiating in their severall wayes for the Common Enemy and spred abroad by the contrivers thereof with the help of their instruments Agents and Favourers then received by the simpler sort not knowing the truth of things lesse the drift of the Malignants in these calumnies otherwayes well-meaning people for the truth is no sooner made known unto them but they willingly lay hold on it and being admonished of the pernicious designe of the adversaries they do abhorre and detest both it and them hath done and yet doeth great prejudice according to the intent of the Enemy unto the service now in hand of the Common Cause of Church and State these two inseparable twins which both Kingdoms do now maintain and intend to do unanimously with heart and hand as they stand bound and united to lay aside all other and former tyes by the Nationall Covenant through the great Providence of God in mercy to both so that they prove faithfull and constant to this Cause of his and of his people according to the said Covenant against all opposition whatsoever whether by declared and open war or by clandestine and indirect undermining Wherefore after long forbearance with grief of mind and compassion to see faithfull men and earnest in this Common Cause so maliciously traduced and in them the good Cause so much wronged as likewise so many well-affected men to the said Cause so grosly abused by crafty lyes and impudent untruths I have thought fit for the good and service of the Common Cause to the advancement whereof every one is obliged to contribute according to what he hath as he will answer one day to him whose Cause first and principally it is to undeceive many well-minded men and to right in some measure those faithfull men to the Cause who are so wickedly slandred in giving unto the publike this true and short Discours whereby the truth of divers things will be made more known lyes in a kind repressed and the service of the Common Cause somewhat furthered at least it will not be so far kept back as it hath hitherto been by these undermining courses And the rather do I undertake this task that those in a manner are silent by whom most men do expect the clear truth of things of this kinde not so generally known should be conveyed to all by a particular publication of them in writing to the end that this course of so maliciously lying against trusty men may be stopped and the well meaning men no longer thus abused But these of whom men look for performance of this duty going about the main work they are come hither for in all earnestnesse and singlenesse of heart with care and diligence and not without a great deal of drudging to and from as faithfull and trusty labourers do take but little notice of this wicked practise of their and the cause its Enemies by lyes howsoever industriously devised and cunningly set forth as altogether below them chosing rather that their own good carriage with constant resolution and faithfull endeavours and that of their Country-men engaged with them in the same businesse although in another way in sincerity of heart advancing the publike work now in hand should speak for them both then either a flourishing tongue or a nimble pen Here although I value much the goodnesse of these men to relye rather upon their own their Countrey-mens honesty and integrity in and about the work then upon the setting forth of any Declaration by writing of their own and their friends faithfull proceedings and fair carrying on of things in the publike service Yet in this I cannot esteem their prudency for albeit native beauty ought not to be set forth by painting and patches being compleat in it self yet it must be kept free from spots and and dirt and made seen unto all under a modest and comely dressing by which means it is more pleasing and better liked of every one And although where there is no fault no Apologie ought to be made yet to make the truth openly known when it is desguised for the information of those who take things meerly upon trust and to stop the going on of wicked men with lyes is not only an Act of Wisdom but of Piety yea of Necessity if men will not abandon the interest of a good cause to the malice of the Enemies thereof and as it is said by the wise man Thou art not to answer a fool according to his folly that is in exorbitancy c. lest in so doing thou become like unto him even so by the same wise man thou art ordained to answer a fool
as is fit and convenient for the repressing of his folly lest he think himself wise and so go on in his evil course to the dishonour of God the Father of truth and to the prejudice of both Church and State who are to be directed by the truth Surely if ever at any time the lye and calumny of the fool for so I call the calumniator how cunningly soever he lyeth is to be repressed with a fit answer it is at this time when there lieth so much at the stake in both Kingdoms as Religion and Libertie with whatsoever else is or ought to be dear unto men Now then to answer unto the calumnies of those Malignants to make the simple truth known to all is absolutely necessary at this occasion to the end that not onely the lyer may find his craft to be folly but also his wicked intent to be disappointed which is no lesse then a breach betwixt the two Nations and hath been such from the beginning and consequently the ruine of both now so united and joyned in the common interest of Church and State that they must sink or swim together for if they should once devide as the one doubtlesse will be presently undone so the end of the other will not be far off Wherefore he that doth any evil office to raise or increase jealousie betwixt them under whatsoever pretext is worse then any open Enemy and what he intends to the publike will come upon himself that is ruine with disgrace But me thinks I hear you whom I blame for silence in so necessary a case and so needfull a time say We have not been wanting in this very thing you find fault with For we have constantly and diligently communicated all things of any moment freely and ingeniously in all truth and simplenesse of heart to some chief leading men our particular good friends upon whom we have relyed from our first hither-coming in all things concerning us and our Countrey-men employed in the service to the end that they should convey the truth of businesse as in discretion they thought fit and did see cause for the publike good and for the right of us their friends to the Houses and from thence to the publike To this I answer You have mistaken the right way Sirs for you should have made your addresses to the whole Parliament or at least to the Committee appointed by the Parliament to hear you consult with you in a word to deal or treat with you of all things wherein you and they are jointly concerned and not suffer your selves to be engrossed by some few howsoever they be Prime men and what do you know if by thus suffering your selves to be as it were led by them hath not increased their credit For men may say that they have reason to follow those by whom you of so much reputation of wisdom and resolution are guided c. Further should not you have thought that particular men howsoever they serve the publike have ordinarily particular ends of ambition and avarice which the publike cannot have And although those your friends be free of these distempers yet you are not assured of their constancy unto you for many things fall out betwixt man and man which makes them not onely fall from intimacy of one with another but makes them adverse and opposite one to another oftentimes And although your friends be free of this infirmity Are you wise men to relie upon others for doing the things you should do your selves without a Procure He that trusteth another to do a thing fitting for himself to do must expect to have the thing done if at all done neither so timely nor so well at least not so soon nor so to his mind as is it falleth out often of extraordinary occasions and occurrences there is no certain rule Next I know you will say We have acquainted the Houses of Parliament to the full with the truth of all things by cut severall papers given unto them at divers times upon divers occasions and we have made known unto the Synode what concerneth Church businesses and so we think we have done enough in this But give me leave Sirs under favour herein also you are hugely mistaken you do well to communicate freely and carefully unto the Houses of Parliament all things and to acquaint them with your proceedings wherein they have common interest with you for the publike service of Church and State in these Dominions I hope they do so with you at least they ought to do it for the common good of both otherwayes the work wherein both Kingdoms are so ingaged and you both are employed will go but slowly and limpingly on Yet this is not enough for first the main passages of publike things done and the chief reasons of the doing thereof are to be made known to the whole Church and State since the whole hath the chief interest in things common to all although you are to communicate your counsels deliberations and conclusions of things to be done for fear of miscarriage onely to the Trustees of Church and State as your selves are Yet I say again what is de facto concerning all must be made known to all for the Trustees of the State and Church are not Lords of them as Kings and Popes pretend to be but servants as they avouch themselves set on work by them for the good of both upon trust which if they betray they are double Traitors First they falsifie their truth to the State and Church whereof they are Members and Children and unto whom they owe all under God Next they betray the trust imposed upon them for the good and benefit of both Church and State Yea the Houses of Parliament themselves shew you the way how to carry your selves in this very particular for they not onely for the satisfaction of the whole Kingdom cause publish the things done by those whom they as Trustees have employed to carry on the service of the publike in the Fields but also they publish unto the Kingdom Declarations of their honest intentions and fair proceedings with Votes and Ordinances for the good of Church and State And I am sure the Trustees of your Nation for your Church and State have done so from the beginning in your particular troubles and that not onely to your own Countrey but also to your neighbour which hath done no harme neither to the advancement of your affaires at home nor to your reputation abroad Although the Houses of Parliament rest satisfied in themselves of the honesty of your proceedings Yet this giveth but small satisfaction unto the Kingdom Yea when you send in your papers to the Houses it may happen that divers Members are absent at the time and so remain as ignorant of your affaires as before the in-giving of the papers for the Houses are so taken up with other thoughts and businesses that they cannot acquaint the absents with your own affaires yea some who are
present in the Houses at the reading of your papers are carried of their attention unto you by divers distractions and so receive but small knowledge by them Far lesse can the Houses take leasure to publish your affaires unto the world yea I know not if in rigour they are tyed to do it Although I confesse it would be a good turn for the publike and a brotherly office if they would take the pains to do or cause do it howsoever I am sure the Houses are not so obliged to this duty as your selves are neither although they were can they do it so fully as you not being so particularly acquainted with things In a word in duty you ought to make known unto the publike your own proceedings and these of your Countrey-men employed in the service of the Common Cause that it may be made manifest what good you have done alone either by counsell in the Houses or by action in the Field what you have been assistants in and what you ever have been willing to do and are still minded to do providing you be not stopped and if you have been stopped let it be declared where the fault lieth and not you bear the burden of other mens mistakes and errors Next is it not fit that it be published what you have done for such vast summes of money raised upon the publike for your use as is given out and how much you have received of it that if you have received all you may make known what you have done for all and if you have received more then your due you are in conscience and honour to do the publike the service you are pay'd for beforehand as likewise if you have not received all which is raised for you that it may be known how much of it is wanting and enquiry may be made what is become of the rest and so if you make it appear unto the world that there is much still due unto you of your pay far above what you have received then all honest people being truely informed of things will approve your faithfull and fair carriage acknowledge your love and kindnesse thank God for your help and assistance at such an exigence and be heartily civill unto you till God enable them to recompence you for your faithfull pains according to your just deserts and their earnest desires and so things will redound to your credit and advantage You may know and feel all this what I have been saying unto you to be true according to sense and reason by one seule instance to lay aside all others at this time And it is this of the papers you gave into the Houses about the latter end of May last upon occasion of high murmurings against you in and about the Houses by information of Malignants which gave abundant satisfaction to so many of both Houses as either heard it them read as is well known or read them themselves with attention But others of the Houses who are not acquainted with your papers partly not hearing them although present when perhaps they are delivered in by reason of their other thoughts partly being absent at that time remained still ignorant of your affaires and possessed with calumnies against you Far more the rest of the Kingdom After some dayes one Copy of these your papers having fallen by chance in the hands of a well-wisher to the Cause and no enemy of yours was published under the name of the Scots Manifest without your knowledge which hath done more despite to the Enemies of the Truth than any thing you have done this long time and more right unto you then you looked for yea nor your silence deserved yet not so much as is needfull for you and your friends for it did stop the mouths of the wicked calumniators and inform many well-meaning men and divers Members of the Houses there were who had not heard of such a thing before it was printed to say nothing of the generality of the people every where Yea I am told it went beyond Sea and there stopped the mouths of Malignants and gained those who were indifferent and confirmed your friends But what you will say Must the hid things or Mysteries of State be divulged No I do not mean it nor do I say it For I leave the Mysteries of State to the Mystes thereof Onely my simple meaning and honest desire is that these things which are not and ought to be made known to all be not kept in a mist by a mysterious prudency but communicated to the publike such are the things de facto and of reason wherein all are concerned and these are the things I spake of Besides you must think there be many men not particularly employed in the publike Service who have both hearts and brains to serve the Common Cause but cannot do it while all is thus kept in a cloud as in the Romish Church where the Mystes think all men idiots but themselves and keep from the people the things of God Then you will say to tell plainly and openly The Truth perhaps will not be pleasing to all yea perchance not to some of our fellow-Labourers My advice is not that you say or write any thing in intention to displease the least of men far lesse to displease these your Fellow-Labourers But let Truth be said above all things when the publike requires it for its service and we our selves are bound upon our own credit to do it Be angry who will God keep me from neglect and contempt for lying or suppressing the Truth I fear not anger for any publishing of Truth He that is not bold to publish the Truth for timorousnesse belyeth his own knowledge and I dare say betrayeth the Truth You that are trusted with the carriage of things in Truth and for the Truth are not onely bound to make known the truth of what you do and say to the world as it hath been said but further you are obliged in conscience and the publike expects it of you that you presse home the Truth with vigour resolution in all freedom down-right in all places and at all occasions where you meet for consultation deliberation debate and conclusion of things concerning Church or State in Politike and Ecclesiastike Assemblies and in so doing you will gain the price having all honest men to stand to you and will put such a terrour in Malignants that their malice will be much abated Surely I am perswaded had you been stouter in the Synode these strong heads and factious few ones who hitherto have troubled the setling of Church-affaires and are likely to trouble the State if it be not well looked to and neerly had long ere now been quashed and so if you had not been so meal-mouthed with the sollicisme in reason of the time and place I humbly conceive you had not met with so many rubs in your publike meetings nor had your wholsome counsels found such opposition nor your men of war
been so kept off Field action All which hath not onely done prejudice to the publike Service but hath brought things to great hazard yea almost to the undoing of all But God in his mercy hath turned the balance no thank to your remissenesse wherein God sheweth although men will not do what they ought and can do for his Service upon I cannot tell what consideration he will do the work of men by no men When I think on John Knox and George Buchanan how freely they spoke and writ at all times and upon all occasions when the Church and State were concerned without fear of any man or Assembly whatsoever having nothing before their eyes but the glory of God and the good of his people They were weak and infirm men as we are all but their stout zeal to the publike was admirable and is ever to be remembred by us not onely to their praise but also to spur us up to imitate them in this heroike vertue For me I value the zeal and stoutnesse of these two Champions of the Truth more than all their other vertues howsoever eminent they were But you will say It is now another age and consequently another way of carriage of things is required It is true we live now in another age which is worse than that of these men Wherefore we must then strive with greater zeal and vertue to oppose the wickednesse of this time For although by a prudentiall preventing and declining by clear-seeing men many plots and devises of the wicked may be for a time shunned Yet there is no way to make the wicked leave or weary of resisting and oppressing goodnesse but by a vigorous and stout opposing of them Besides although the Cards be new we play with all yet it is the same very Game that our Fathers had in Scotland and our Neighbours had lately in our dayes in France Where and when nothing did prevaile or do good unto the Cause but resolution and zeal in carrying on the things not onely against the Common Enemy but also against the false Friends and they that walked then any other way betrayed the Cause and purchased unto themselves the title of silly inconsiderable men of whatsoever rank or degree they were To say nothing of the judgement of God that fell upon them and to this day hangs upon them and theirs I shun examples in this case for I love to reprove faults and spare mens persons Moreover since the Malignants every where are so busie running to and fro like so many Bees with great care and heat and so bold to forge and invent lyes by word and writing to abuse the World and so wrong treacherously the publike Service Why should not then faithfull men be diligent and stout in all freedom to make known the truth of things for the confirming of the well-affected and for stopping of the mouth of the wicked and so consequently for the better carrying on of the work now in hand Now being thus friendly and freely admonished by one who wisheth well to the Common Cause you now serve with his whole heart and unto your selves in particular in so far as you are faithfull and earnest zealous and stout in this Cause of God and his people laying aside all humane prudence which is not subservient to zeal and stoutnesse as well as to faithfulnesse and earnestnesse I hope you will take care to minde this slip by giving unto the publike a true and free relation of all things from time to time as the occasion shall require and in your meetings about Church and State to be stout and free for the advancing of the publike Service to the glory of God to the good of his people and to the contentment and satisfaction of well-affected men in despite of malignancy In the interim till you perform this duty give me leave in this place plainly and homely to put unto the view of the World the relation of some things of speciall note hardly well known to many at least taken notice of but by a few concerning the carriage of the Scots ever since the very first beginning of these unhappy troubles to this day the knowledge whereof will do good I am sure to the publike Service and will help to right in some measure men both faithfull and constant in the Work Yea the commemoration of these things although known I am perswaded will give content to all honest and well-meaning men unto whom the publike good is dearer than the interest of any particular man whatsoever with whom they ought to go along no further than the particular man goeth on with the publike of Church and State laying aside all other relation As for other men I value them no more than the open declared enemies who preferre the pleasure of one abused Prince under pretext of obligation they have to him unto the good of Church and State And thus I begin The Common Enemy having designe to bring these Dominions under spirituall and temporall slavery all things disposed for his ends according to his mind thinks fit for his purpose to begin this great work in Scotland promising unto himself to find least opposition there for reasons which hitherto by Gods mercy hath deceived him The Scots being pressed to receive the corrupt Liturgy to say nothing in this place of what was before put upon them fairly decline it by iterate supplications and humble remonstrances unto the King But nothing will do the turn they must receive the Prelats Master-Peece and Romes essay the Nove-Antic-Service-Book either by fair play or foul The Scots on the other side constant to their principles refuse to receive the Book for which they are published by the Prelats and the Court to be refractaries and rude fellows without God or Religion Which gave occasion to the Scots to make known not onely unto their own people at home but to all men abroad namely to their Brethren of England by a publike Declaration their condition how they were wronged the equity of their Cause their lawfull proceedings and their good intentions by this means their friends good will is confirmed unto them and their enemies designe in some measure is broken who did intend by lyes to steal from them the good affection of their friends Next The Scots being constrained to have recourse to the Sword for their just defence all other means tryed failing were back-bitten as mutinous taking Arms for poverty with intention to cast off the just Authority of their Native and lawfull Prince and to invade England for the spoile thereof To these most pernicious calumnies the Scots replyeth by another Declaration particularly addressed unto England whereby they made known the absolute necessity of their taking up Arms with their honest intentions therein All which they made good thereafter in due time by reall performance For so soon as they had occasion to shew their respect to the King they did it with all readinesse and submission and when they
might have undone the Kings Army and consequently invaded England if they had pleased and that with small opposition instead of doing wrong to any English they supplied the wants of those who were come against them with Victuals which then did abound in the Scots Army but was very short in the Kings having the flower of the Kings Army in their power I mean the party that went to Dunslaw they suffered it to return back in safety and used it with all civility notwithstanding these chosen ones had come against promise and without cause to destroy them and to invade the Countrey Thereafter the Peace being made the Scots according to the agreement went quietly home and laid down their Arms as was promised Then the Plot the abused King and his good Counsell had at Berwick to draw the Chief men of Scotland to him for to destroy them and the breach of the Parlement the burning in London of the Articles of agreement made at the borders and many other like things did not move the Scots to recede in any measure from their dutifull respects to the King nor from their love to the English Nation neither the imprisonment of their Commissioners against the Law of Nations and the safe-conduct granted unto them upon publike Faith nor the great Forces prepared against them by Sea and by Land nor the many lyes spred against them through all England nor the Prelatical excommunication so canonically spewed out against them in all the Churches and Chappels of England All these things I say did not make them give the least expression of disrespect to the King nor disaffection to the English Upon this the Scots published a Declaration anew unto the World whereby they made known unto all how hardly they were dealt with all for not onely the things stipulated with them were not kept to them but also more and greater wrongs than formerly were done to them Yea a second expedition of War undertaken to destroy them and to fill up all more lyes of no lesse importance than the conquering of England made and spred abroad of them with other thunderbolts of the Prelaticall censure shot against them Also they make known by this Declaration their Christian resolution and just enterprise with their good intentions in taking Arms again for their own defence and the Cause which they maintain And by it assureth their Brethren of England although they were resolved to come into their Countrey to seek out their Enemies who were there gathering against them and not to suffer these wicked ones to come unto them and so make their own Countrey the Seat of the unhappy War Yet they had not the least thought to do any hurt to any body in England except to their professed Enemies So far were they from having the least thought of making a conquest And that when they had brought their Enemies to reason they would go home in Peace All which was thereafter performed by the Scots to the full For first being entred into England and having rencountred one party of their Enemies and routed it when it was in their power to pursue the Victory they stayed at New-castle till things were agreed upon betwixt the King and them This incoming of the Scots gave occasion and liberty to divers of the Nobles of England of whom some since have betray'd the Cause of God of his people what by open Warfare and what by clandestine undermining to desire of the King a Parliament for the good of the Kingdom The King then durst not refuse their demand by reason of the Scots more then the continuance of it which he granted likewise therafter for the same Cause Then the King finding that the Parliament did not onely crosse but quite spoile his designes be plots with his Army which he had raised against the Scots to come and destroy the said Parliament and to take the spoile of London for their reward But the businesse being discovered faileth besides they durst not undertake howsoever they had promised for fear of the Scots who then were so neer The King continuing in his wonted courses after a little pause tryes the Scots if they will do the deed and offers unto them for recompense not onely the spoile of London but also the foure Counties next adjacent unto their Countrey to be adjoyned hereafter to it with Jewels of great value in pawn for performance if onely they would be engaged into the businesse All these great offers could not make the Scots willing to give their consent in any kinde to this wickednesse For they not onely rejected the Kings offers but also giveth notice of the Plot to the Parliament and to the City of London that they might make their best use of it So you may see how that the Scots under God are the cause of the Assembling of the Parliament of the continuance of it being assembled and of the preservation of it from totall destruction and ruine The King seeing that he was stopped by the Scots first in their own Countrey next in England to carry on his great designe takes the Irish Papists by the hand rather then be alwayes disappointed and they willingly undertake to levie Armes for his Service that is for the Romish Cause the Kings designe being subservient to the Romish Cause although he abused thinks otherwayes and beleeves that Rome serveth to his purpose But to begin the Work they must make sure all the Protestants and if they cannot otherwayes by Murthering and Massacring them for they knew them according to the Principles of Religion and State to be forward either for the Covenanters of Scotland or for the troublesome Parliament of England if not for both But the Irish neither would nor durst enter to any open Action so long as the Scots Army in England was afoot therefore by all means it must be sent home and cashiered and to facilitate the businesse the Court-Parasites Instruments of Iniquity with their Emissaries must raise and spread abroad jealousies of the Scots among the people of the Countrey and City namely in and about the Houses of Parliament who having not before their eyes the reall Honesty and Integrity of the Scots known by so many faithfull and loyall expressions and not keeping in their mind the many good offices done to them by the Scots giveth in sillinesse of mind ear and place to the crafty tales and apprehensions invented by the Agents of the Common Enemy to bring them to confusion and trouble So the Plot taketh by the silly ones and is set forward by the hid Malignan's Yea in a word it is managed with such addresse and successe that the Scots must go home and till they had done it there could be no quiet but increase of jealousies The Scots although they were not acquainted with the hight of mischief that was intended against the Church and State in these Dominions by the Common Enemy nor with the wayes of it yet albeit they thought it
which God in his Jugements hath suffered him to thrust in the bowels of so many thousands of his people here so unnaturally and barbarously not onely afar off by not stopping it by connivence or by Commission to his Agents and Instruments as in Ireland and Scotland but being present in Person and taking pleasure in doing of it in his own sight and seeing of it done In this place I do affirm that there hath been more Christian Blood shed in these latter yeers under the end of K. James and K. Charles Raigns by their Commissions Approbations connivences and not-forbidding what at home and what abroad all which upon the matter they might have stopped if it had been their pleasure then were in the time of the ten Roman Persecutions God turn the Kings heart towards him first otherwayes he will never turn it toward his people The Scots as we were saying send to him to desire him to leave off the designe of embroiling himself and the people in a Civill War in this Kingdom of England withall to offer him their dutifull Service of Mediation and Intercession for the taking away of all mistakes and smoothing of things in a fair way betwixt him and the Parliament The misled King resolved to go on in evil courses not onely neglects the respective and hearty offer of the Scots but sends them home not suffering them to come unto the Parliament according to their order and desire which was to trye all fair means for the hindering of a War in England and to stop the Massacres in Ireland The King having thus dismissed the Scots goe's to his Work which having overcome some rubs at the first he carrieth on apace for having gathered together considerable Forces at Shrewsbury from thence with his Army he marches towards London notwithstanding the Parliaments-Army lay as it were in his way who met with him at Edge-hill and contrary to his expectation fights with him He after the Battel having recollected the remnant of his men although he had had the worse continues his designe for London and drew very neer unto it but being by strong hand constrained to retire he goeth to Oxford where he hath kept his Court constantly ever since till this day The Scots seeing the commotions increasing in England and considering the chief Instruments of those evils could not in conscience and honesty sit quiet any longer and neither say nor do while the State and Church of their Brethren in England were thus in so great troubles send first a Commissioner from their Church unto the Parliament to desire them that as God in his good Providence had furnished them just occasion to cast out the Prelats from among them not onely as unusefull Members of their Assembly but also as Enemies to all their just proceedings for the good of Church and State so they would be pleased to thrust out these Tyrants and belly-gods from the Church as main Instruments of all the disturbances troubles and miseries which are come and of more in all appearance yet coming if God in his mercy prevent them not The Commissioner after some debate having obtained his demand returneth homeward and taking his way by the Court then about Shrewsbury made known to the King how he had sped in his errand wherewith he had acquainted him before as he was going to the Parliam And he desireth the King to give his consent unto the casting of the Prelats out of the Church as he had done to the putting them out of the Assembly of Parliament To which the King did reply little or nothing but he told the Commissioner that he and they who sent him were hugely mistaken if they did think that the Houses of Parliament doth intend any setled Reformation namely as in Scotland for said he you see how they do not represse the Schismes and Sects of all kinds which abound in and about London yea these evils are countenanced by some under-hand Would to God that the Commissioner had had as just reason then to answer unto the King that he had been misinformed and that an untruth had been told him concerning Sectaries as he hath been mistaken in the intention of both Houses of Parliament for the setleing Religion according to the best way as it expressed in the Nationall Covenant Then after that things by degrees had come to a great hight betwixt King and Parliament much blood being shed not onely in skirmishes and rencounters but also in pitched Battel to wit at Edge hill The Scots not being able to forbear any further to try once more by fair means if it were possible to stop the course of those miseries too far already gone on send word to the King then at Oxford and to the Parliament of their good intentions and demand a passe and safe-conduct from both for Commissioners from them to go unto both and return home as also to go to and fro betwixt them as cause should require Of the Parliament they had easily what they demanded with thanks for their good will But the King not liking their offer was loth to grant a passe yet being put to it he could not fairly deny and so at length after some reluctancy he sends a passe as was desired and safe-conduct to the Scots which being received they send their Commissioners straight to the King unto whom they remonstrate home how that he had by bad Counsell cast himself in a Labyrinth of Evil and the people of his Dominions which doubtlesse would bring both him and them to utter ruine if not timely stopped in Gods Mercy by his Wisdom and good Counsell The Commissioners instead of any positive answer receive nothing but doubs ambiguities delays and shifts whereof nothing could be made but that the misled King was resolved to his own and his peoples ruine After a time the Scots Commissioners told the King that according to their Order and Instructions they intended to go unto the Parliament which they hoped he would think well of and approve But the King notwithstanding the passe and safe-conduct he had granted them to that purpose would not suffer them to go unto the Parliament yea they were not permitted to speak with the Commissioners from the Parliament who were then sent thither to the Court to treat when they were there Such was the adversenesse of the Court to Peace notwithstanding all the Kings Protestations Further the Scots Commissioners were so hardly used by the Court namely by the Prelaticall crew that they could not in safety go openly and freely abroad This is not all At that time the Rulers of the Court send abroad their Agents to tell every where namely in and about London what indignity the Scots did offer first unto the King then unto the Parliament and to the whole English Nation by taking upon them being but Subjects to examine the disterences betwixt the King and Parliament to compose them and to make a Peace it being more honourable both for the
Recusants Sectaries of divers sorts or at the best Prelatiques sticking to the old Service-Book yea some of those who have been in actuall Rebellion against the State under the Earl of New-castle who are of the Committees of these Countreys now having the power in their hands spoile the Countrey and oppresse good men laying the blame of all upon the Scots as hath been of late represented unto the House of Commons by men without exception deputed hither from these Countreys in the name of many good men to acquaint the Houses with the state of businesses there The Malignants of the North Countreys carrie their businesses so that they find Favourers and Agents to excuse them and to further their evil courses Let this what I say here be throughly sifted out it will be found too true to the prejudice of the good Cause God help us and amend us for what can we expect when lyers and other wicked men find this favour and patronage The Winter declining the Scots dispose themselves for the Field-Service so soon as the provisions demanded in a very moderate proportion could be had from hence which went but late to them by reason there was a time spent for obtaining the Ordinance from the Parliament next a time for making ready thirdly a time of sending of things In the interim the Scots although busied in keeping the ill-affected of the Countrey in obedience to the State sends parties now and then upon occasion as the publike Service required for example to Sir William Brerâ—ton and to Scarbor ough c. at last the Rendivous is assigned to the Army the 15 of Aprill to this effect they require the Committee of that Countrey to provide draughts against the day aforesaid but they could not have any in readinesse till the first day of May at what time they marched to Rippon with intention to come straight South-ward according to the direction of the Committee of both Kingdoms if they could have some few dayes provision upon all hazards and draughts But notwithstanding all their care and pains they could obtain nothing but delays and incertainties with promises onely of provision from night to night If the Scots had had their reasonable demands for provisions and draughts they had been neer the Enemy before he had done the evil he did at Leicester and elsewhere While the Scots were at Rippon it was resolved that David Lesley should go into Lancaster-shire with a party and he was to have a thousand York-shire Horses to assist but what performance there was of this God knows for he had not the third of armed men although a thousand was promised By this time the Scots are advertised that the Enemy was with a flying Army to passe through Lancaster-shire to Carlile and from thence into Scotland upon which advice resolution is taken by the consent of the Committee that the Scots should go into Lancaster-shire and stop the Enemies passage Northward After a serious enquiry made the onely way for them to go is by all means through Westmer land From Rippon notwithstanding the roughnesse and difficulties of the Countrey in foure dayes they are upon the borders of Lancaster-shire with their whole Army whither being arrived they have intelligence of the Enemies turning back again South-ward immediately they desire some small provisions for their Souldiers and draughts at the Committee of Westmerland and Cumberland but they found them very slow and unwilling Likewise the Scots being so neer they desired that their Forces before Carlile should be supplyed so far with Victuals as to keep them from starving wherein they were the more earnest that they saw how slackly those who were with their Forces followed the businesse Doubtlesse if they had left then Carlile the Enemy had been supplyed and had kept it to this day which in all appearance was the desire of these Committees After the Scots had ordained things the best they could concerning Carlile they march South-ward in all haste beyond ordinary for some dayes they marched above twenty miles but after they were constrained to stay in some places one two and three dayes for draughts While the Scots were strugling with these difficulties news are sent to the Parliament that the Scots were gone no body knew where and that they spoiled all the Countrey and this was not done by open and declared Enemies but by those whom the Parliament trust in these Countries with the managing of affaires yea by some who formerly did professe hearty Friendship unto the Scots but the wheel of their own interest turning about not onely have they delinquished the Scots but also have declared themselves opposite unto them and this without any cause so far prevaileth private interest with men who seems to be best Then great murmures rise that the Scots would abandon their Brethren at such a necessary time leaveing all the burden of the War unto the Forces of the Parliament in the South Thus were the Scots innocently traduced by Malignants Upon this the Scots Commissioners here take occasion to sent a Gentle-man to the Army to know the truth and veritie of things and within a day or two thereafter seeing the sinistrous reports increaseing sent two of their own number to be satisfied of all things more fully and hasten their coming South In the mean time the Houses of Parliament presse to know what was become of the Scots and why they had gone this unexpected way and why after so many and earnest calls they did not march South-ward the good of the publike Service so requiring Whereupon the Scots Commissioners gave in two papers to the Houses containing a plain and full relation of the naked truth and reason of things desired the ignorance of which had by the shifts of Malignants officiating for the Common Enemy occasioned a great murmure against the Scots up and down These papers gave such satisfaction to all those who heard them read and gave attention to them that nothing was to be replied to the least circumstance mentioned in them yea not by those who had been most enclining to give credit to sinistrous repors Yet these papers were so little divulged that divers of the House of Commons who either had been absent when they were given in or not attentive when they were read did not know of any such thing Next although the papers had given full content to the Houses yet the slanders of Malignants not onely continued but increased daily more and more against the Scots After some few dayes there falleth a Copy of these papers into the hands of one which being shewed by him to some well-affected men and lovers of the Common Cause were thought sit by all means for the publike good to be published As this was adoing some Malignants get notice of it and strive to stop it by dealing with him who had the chief care of the businesse but in vain for he was resolved to go on with his designe so he giveth the
papers to the Presse which the Printer intitles The Scots Manifest This being published opened the eyes of many men to see the truth of things which formerly had been kept in a cloud The publishing of this Manifest did much vex the Malignants but they then were more grieved to see it so well received and the truth therein contained so greedily laid hold on by the people whom they hitherto had so grosly abused by their malicious lyes Upon this these lye-inventers bethink themselves of another shift to cozen the World in this same businesse and they go this way to work seeing they could not hinder the printing of the Manifest they resolve to know whether or no the thing had been done by Order from the Commissioners who being enquired if they had caused print the Manifest they answered no and so it was for without their knowledge the thing was done because that those who had a care of the printing of it knew very well that the Commissioners going on in their ordinary course upon I know what prudentiall scrupulosity do make known nothing of that they acquaint the Houses with fearing to offend howsoever needfull to be opened for the publike Service and their own credit but if there be any thing to be said against them although without ground they must hear of it on the deaf-side of their ear and it must be in every bodies mouth Then the forgers and publishers of lyes gave out that the Manifest was a false and supposed thing since the Commissioners did not own it when as they onely did say that they had no hand in the printing of it although they ayouch the thing to be in it self most true Thus in this place I have set down a full relation of the publishing of the Manifest whereof I touched somewhat before upon another occasion to make more known unto the World with what cunning and crafty malice the Malignants of all kindes do oppose the truth upon all occasions and how they study to hide it from those whom it doth concern to the end they may feed them with lyes more easily the truth being kept from them After that the Commissioners had sent as we have said to the Army two severall dispatches the House of Commons think it fit likewise to send some of their number to the Scotish Army to see how things went in the said Army and to hasten it South-ward who met the Army about Rippon and come along with it no Nattingham where those Gentle-men leave the Army and come back to the Houses whom they acquainted with the truth of all things as namely of the good condition of the Army consisting in a fair number of brave Commanders and lusty Souldiers of their ability and readinesse to do Service Which relation as it did content and please honest men so it did gal and vexe the Malignants of all kindes But with what difficulties of want of provisions and of carriage the Army had to struggle with in this march and hath had formerly yea hath to this day for any thing I know except things be mended of late as now I hope they are or at least will be shortly is beyond expression partly through the neglect of some partly through the malice of others and that not of the meaner sort who make their study not onely to furnish no encouragement to these who are come for their help but also give them all the distaste they can to make them weary of the Service yea to make them do things by the Law of necessity to keep themselves from starving which otherwayes they would not and so make them odious to those for whose good they are come into this Countrey If this were done by an open Enemy yea by those who declare themselves to be indifferent it were to be in some kinde digested but it is done by those who would make men beleeve that they are not onely most addicted to the good Cause but also that they are advancers of the Service whereas they make onely the Cause serve for a cloke to their ambition and avarice in their heart caring for nothing howsoever they make a shew otherwayes but to compasse their own ends whereunto a shew of affection to the good Cause doth contribute namely where they have any credit But to leave off complaining of those who are neither faithfull nor honest to the Cause in thus useing the Scots I going on in my Discourse will say a word or two in this place to the clearing of three things whereof the first is concerning the moneys received by the Scots for their pay since their first undertaking either in Ireland or in England unto this day The next is how and what provisions they have had for their going on with the Service either here or in Ireland The third is of the disorders committed by the Scots in their Armies either in England or in Ireland First I assure you in the name of the Scots that their earnest desire is that all these things in particular be exactly tryed by the Law of Arms and in equity judged where the failings are and by whom and how to the end that every one may have his due of praise or of shame of thanks or of blame of recompense or of punishment of remembrance or of oblivion according as the cause shall require and the sooner this be done the better it will for the Service of the publike and the encouragement of honesty and the repressing of wickednesse In the mean time I will tell you in generall that what money is received by the Scots is far short of what they ought to have and that they could wish their Armies in England to say nothing of their Forces in Ireland had as much money for six weeks as the other Forces employed in the Service with them have in two weeks and this without jealousie or envie that others are lookâ—d and cared for yet there is no reason why they should be neglected since they are constantly following the publike Service with activity and faithfulnesse There is a great stir of sending money to them and far greater of raising it for them although they receive but a very small proportion in regard either of what is allowed for them and lesse of what is due unto them and least of all what is said to be levied for them Wherefore I say again they are most desirous of fair reckonings among Friends let the payment come when it may the most pressing necessity being supplied Next For provisions besides the smalnesse of them they come so slowly I must say again that when they are upon their march they are constrained to stay three dayes in one place against their will for one dayes provision and draughts can hardly be had for their march as it hath been in their march so it is in their abode witnesse their being ten dayes before Hereford not seeing bread but one day all the rest liying upon Beanes green Corn and
Fruits In these they are so crossed that it seems to be done expresly for the disenabling them so far as may be to do the publike Service answerable to their own desire and readinesse and to the expectation of the Kingdom As for the disorders said to be done in the Army as it is acknowledged that they are not Angels of Light without feeding being but poor infirme men they cannot but fall and do amisse in many and many a thing so they are not Cameleons to live upon the air but are of such constitutions that they must have more solid food of necessity for their subsistance which now and then they cannot come by so orderly as should be Yet I dare be bold to say that the Scots Army is as well regulated as most Armies are without vanity be it said and that exorbitancy or scandall is no sooner known but it is censured punished according to its degree by Ecclesiasticall and Military Law and that no complaint is made but it is heard and answered according to equity and reason Yea Proclamations are made to incite every one that hath any complaint to repaire unto the Prime-Officers or Counsell of War Yet let the Leaders do what they can some slips will fall out among the Souldiers that are not allowable and indeed the Commanders cannot be altogether so exact as otherways they would be with the Souldiers since the pay is so slow and so little of it at a time and provisions so scarce and so hardly had for when the bellie is thus extreamly pinched it were hard measure to beat the back When the Scots Army came to Nottingham the Generall sent a Letter subscribed by himself and two more unto the Committee of both Kingdoms whereby in few words he tels how that the Scots employed in this Service of the Common Cause have had and have to this day very harsh usage and hard measure in divers fashions even from these who not onely by the Common Interest of both Nations are bound to be then Friends and Brethren but also from these who formerly made a particular shew of Friendship unto them Yet notwithstanding all this he declareth how that with hearty earnestnesse they are in readinesse to go on faithfully and resolutely with the Work But judging that a view of the Letter it self would give satisfaction to many I have thought fit to set down here a true Copy of it furnished unto me by a Friend A Letter of the Scots Generall at Nottingham to the Committees of both Kingdoms My Lords and Gentlemen THe continuance of a firme Union and good correspondance betwixt the Kingdoms is so much in our thoughts and wishes as that without it we can expect no better then the weakning yea the undoing of this Common Cause and the strengthening of the Common Enemies and although there be neither few nor small occasions and discouragements from the misrepresentation of our Actions and misapprehension of our intentions from the cooling if not changing of that affection formerly expressed both towards our selves and towards divers of our Countrey-men who have deserved well for their abilities and faithfulnesse in the publike and from the usage and entertainment of this Army which is neither to that which other Armies in this Kingdom do receive nor according to the Treaty between the Kingdoms nor at all certain such as can avoid the hatred and discontent of the people whose affections and good will we desire to carry along with us yet notwithstanding all these and the like discouragements our Actions have been are and shall be reall testimonies of our constant resolution to pursue actively the ends expressed in the Covenant and to adventure our selves and whatsoever is dearest to us in this Cause and that as we had great reason to march into Westmerland in regard of the Intelligence both then and since confirmed to us so we have been as ready and willing to come South-ward as we were desired by the honourable Houses of Parliament and by your Lordships and we have marched with more speed and lesse interruption then is usuall in such cases yea our march had been more speedy if we had not been stayed in some places for want of draughts and provisions and now we are with the assistance of God Almighty to undertake any Action which may be fittest for the Cause and safety of both Kingdoms But if which God forbid for want of the conjunction and assistance promised or for want of necessary provisions the publike work be retarded or disappointed we shall be blamelesse And therefore we do recommand to your Lordships most serious deliberation that some more effectuall and speedy course may be taken for necessary provisions to this Army that both Officers and Souldiers may have in all orderly and constant way not onely a part of their pay in Victuals but a part in money for their other necessary uses and in case of our conjunction with any other Forces of this Kingdom that then the provisions of this Army be no worse then of those other Forces which things as they are just in themselves so they are the rather desired that this Army be not burthensome nor hatefull to the Counties where we come and that we may not be redacted to the unhappy necessity of not punishments wrongs and disorders strictly which as we have not onely forbidden by the strictest Edicts but have exemplarly and severely punished so shall we ever be ready upon complaint and proof of the fact either to punish the same by death or other condigne punishment according to the quality of the offence We further intreat and expect that this War might be managed according to the Treaty by the Committees of both Kingdoms upon the place and for that end that a Quorum of the Commissioners from the honourable Houses of Parliament may be constantly with this Army and that your Lordships may entertain charitable thoughts of our proceedings confident that according to the knowledge which God hath given us in the matters of our profession we shall improve all opportunities to the best advantage We shall not need to put your Lordships in remembrance how necessary it is that before the Armies of either or of both Kingdoms undertake the besieging of any Town they first endeavour a totall dissipation of all the Forces which the Enemy hath in the Fields and so much the rather because by the blessing of God the dissipation shall be more easie if the Armies of both Kingdoms be continually aiding and assisting each one to other and that each act their part and attend the Enemies motions What we have written to your Lordships we desire it may be made known to both Houses of Parliament and City of London And above all that your Lordships would with all earnestnesse presse the expediting of the Reformation of Religion and uniformity in Church-government together with the speedy prosecuting and ending of this War that we may return home with the comfort
doing Evil then to an Army above two hundred miles distant who notwithstanding their willingnesse and readinesse to march according to their calling Southward could get neither draughts nor absolutely necessary provisions for a march in such a proportion as was thought very reasonable The truth of this may appear what troubles Generall Lesley found at Rippon to get provisions and draughts and how he went to York to that effect but to very small purpose Let things be tryed and no longer thus carried in hugger-mugger to the prejudice of the publike Service We have heard how that and upon what occasion some of those who had been so intimate with the Scots Commissioners leave them neglect them and oppose them in their proceedings so far as they can in a smooth-way above board to say nothing of what is done under-hand So in this place you shall take notice how that on the other side there be divers of those who formerly had cared so little for the Scots that they neither favoured their in-coming nor thereafter had assisted them so willingly in their honest faithful endeavour for the advancement of the publike Service now at last bethinking themselves of their own error and how that without reason they had been jealous of the Scots they begin to go along with them more freely and earnestly in the publike Work then they had done heretofore which the Scots minding mainly the furthering of the Service of the Common Cause take kindly at their hands and welcome the expressions of their good affection to the Service with respective civilitie wishing from their heart that those who are now withdrawn from them would return unto their wonted correspondence in sincere and brotherly unanimity for carrying on the heavy and tedious Work now lying upon them all Upon this there is great murmuring against the Scots that they had quite left off honest and well-affected men and taken semi-Malignants by the hand who not onely had been slack and backward in the pursuance of the publike Service but adverse unto themselves in particular To all this the Scots do declare truely that as when they came hither at first they took no interest in any man more then they judged him in all appearance to interest himself heartily without by-ends in the Common Cause and as yet they do the same resolved to continue so unto the end constant to their first principles and if any men have withdrawn themselves from them not willing to go constantly along with them in this necessary course they are sorry for those of whose constancy they were in a kind assured and they declare to the World that they neither gave nor intend to give any just distaste in their particular to any But if men will snuff because they are not humeured in all things who can help it The Scots did think at their coming in to have nothing a do with children and women who must be humeured but with set and staid rationall men without any by-respects or private Fancies wholly constants to the Cause both of Church and State as we are all sworn by the Solemn Oath of the Nationall Covenant As for those who having cast off their former mistakes now go along with them more earnestly then formerly in the businesses they cannot but welcome them as all those who put to their helping-hand heartily in the least kinde to the great Work of God and of his people howsoever their carriage have been towards their persons for the publike they having no spleen nor grudge at any forget whatsoever hath been amisse towards them praying God to forgive that his Work may be carried on more cheerfully and unanimously and they are likewise disposed and enclined towards those who have left them off to go along with them so freely and so brotherly as at the first they will imbrace them cheerfully in carrying on the businesses of Church State with them This they declare not to captive men by cunning insinuation as factious ones do but to invite all men fairly to go on with the Work of Church and State according to the Covenant as they hope a blessing from Heaven if they be zealous and faithfull without equivocation and may expect judgement if they either faint or be not sincere Of this enough for this time Yet there is one thing I cannot passe and it is this There be hardly any divisions among these of this side of which the blame is not laid upon the Scots as if they had not had their jealousies one of another and grudges one against another by reason of particular interest and private opinion before the Scots did join with them when it is well known that the Scots assistance faithfull in the Counsell and active in the Field is not onely usefull and necessary for the opposing and repressing of the Common Enemy but also for keeping together those who otherwayes in a likelyhood would fall asunder and so the publike Service suffer at which the Enemy aimes Then I adde that the Enemy howsoever low he seems to be at this instant desires to have no better Game then that the Scots would retire and withdraw their helping hand from the Service for he that of nothing made a party so great as to carry all before it till he was repressed by the Scots would raise up his party again But in despite of the devil and all opposition whether clandestin or open the Scots will stand firm and faithfull for the carrying on of the Work of God and of his people After a certain time the States of both Kingdoms resolved to try yet again if they could reclaime and recall upon any reasonable terms the abused and misled Prince from his evil courses of undoing thē people and himself cause draw up certain Propositions by Common Counsell of both Nations which they send by Commissioners of both States to the King in whom they find nothing but shifts and delays So they return without effectuating any thing A while thereafter the infortunate Prince intending to make the simpler sort beleeve that he was defirous at last of a reall agreement sends hither Commissioners of whose honest meaning the people did least doubt but in the end they were found to be cajeolors to draw things towards a Treaty unto which the Scots declared themselves to be inclined the main businesses of Church and State being secured as willing to try all means possible upon all occasion to take up the differences in a fair way to save further effusion of Christian and Brothers blood and further ruine of those Countreys For this the Scots are cried out upon as evil men by inconsiderate persons set on by Malignants notwithstanding the Treaty goe's on but to small purpose the Kings Commissioners feeling the pulse of the Parliaments Commissioners did promise unto themselves upon what ground they know best or at least should know that they could carry all things to their mind if it were not for the rude and
stiffe-necked Scots who were so firm to their principles and resolved rather to follow on the Work with honour and conscience although with hazard and danger then to yeeld to a base agreement to the prejudice of Church and State Upon this the Court-Commissioners cry out against the Scots as the onely hinderers of their ends and the stoppers of their designes first at home in their own Countrey next here both in the Fields and in the Counsell By this you may see if there were no other instance with whom and against whom the Scots have ado what was the carriage of the Scots Commissioners in the Treaty of both Church and States affaires let both parties freely tell if they did find in the least point of honesty faithfulnesse resolution prudence knowledge or respect amissing in them But the Treaty ends without any conclusion for good nothing being intended by the Court in it but to gaine time more more to abuse the people and so make the best advantage of businesses Things having been carried in the Field almost ever since the beginning of these Wars namely the last Summer not so well as they might have been for the advancement of the publike Service by the fault of some of those who were employed in the said Service whether it was want of skill want of care or want of sincerity and uprightnesse in pursuance of the businesse I will not in this place enquire lesse will I resolve but a fault there was and that a great one and much amisse Wherefore the Parliament upon just reason having tryed divers times to amend the errors of the Armies and correct what was wrong in them in a fair and smooth way but all to small purpose takes resolution to reform wholly the Armies and cast them in a new mould Whereof the Scots Commissioners heairng for their interest in the Common Cause think fit for them to remember the Parliament of two things principally upon the point whereof the first was That in the new mould wherein the Armies were to be cast care should be taken to make choice of men of experience and ability so far as was possible to do the better the duties of the Service for although now and then men ignorant of what they undertake may do perchance a thing well yet it stands that it should be so not with reason which must rule all actions The next was that diligent care should be taken for admitting none to employment in the Armies but such as were trusty and faithfull to the Cause now in hand as it is expressed in the Nationall Covenant wherefore it was desired that every one employed in testimony of his honesty and faithfulnesse to the Cause should take the Covenant publikely The Scots took occasion to give these advices to the Parliament upon information given them first that divers new men and of little or no experience were preferred by indirect means and were to be employed in places of command for by ends then that there were divers likewise named for preferment and employment who not onely were suspect to be enclining to Schismes and Sects but also professed Enemies to what is expressed in the Nationall Covenant concerning the Church and consequently to the Common Cause we are all sworn to These advices of the Scots although they were not so much regarded as was needfull yet they did produce this effect that divers men of known worth and experience were named to be kept in the new mould although many were put out and new men unknown for Military vertue put in their places Next after a great debate in the Houses it is ordained that all the Commanders should take the Covenant under pain of cashiering betwixt such and such a day But how this Order is observed I know not I doubt it is not so well as it should be As for the common Souldiers it was not to be pressed upon them which makes men admire not well knowing the reason of things how that the prisoners Souldiers taken of the Enemy should have the Oath tendred unto them in token of their embracing the Parliaments party and cause and these Souldiers of the Parliaments own side are not to be tyed to the Oath of the Nationall Covenant Further all suspected men brought before the Committees namely of examination have the Oath put to them which if they refuse they are censed Malignants yet the Parliaments Souldiers are to be free from the Oath if they please Yea many were astonished to hear that it was debated in the Houses whether those of the Armies should be put to the Oath of the Solemn League or no whereunto the Houses themselves are sworn to and for the maintenance of which we all now stand or at least we ought to stand being sworn to it The reason why some men are backward to take the Oath is that they are adverse to the Government of the Church by Presbytery which the Parliament is now a setling although the businesse do not go on so quickly as by many is wished by reason of so many rubs cast in by severall sorts of men partly through ignorance partly in opposition to the thing for reasons far others then those they hitherto have given out howsoever specious At this occasion it was spoken publikely by one who is a prime man among those who are adverse from the Government above-named of the Church that although in his judgement he did not approve Presbyteriall government in the Church yet he at all times would submit to whatsoever Church-government the Parliament should settle either by passive or active obedience To this is answered Whosoever sayeth that he will obey an Order or Law by passive obedience is already actively in disobedience Further to call obedience passive is as great an absurditie as to call black white for obedience is nothing at all but the act of obeying and to call an act passive is absurd action and passion being more different then black and white for they are Toto genere distant and black and white are under Unum genus not onely Summum of quality but also subaltern of colour Further all vertue consists in action so obedience being a vertue cannot be said to be passive that is in passion Wherefore he who first did invent the expression of passive obedience did not weigh what he said no more then those who since not considering the exact distinction of things have taken it up at the second hand and have made so generall use of it He who thinks that by his passion he giveth obedience unto the Law is mightily mistaken for suffering or passion is laid upon a man for his not obeying and to make him obey Example A man for debt is put in prison the emprisonment which the debtor suffers is not obedience to the Law but one means employed to bring him unto the obedience thereof that is unto the paying of the debt I know Divines speak much of the passive obedience
their own men in Carlile for a time is from the constitution of the present affaires in both Kingdoms for having found such knavery and wicked dealing by the chief men in the Northern Countreys they did not conceive it fit for the publike Service to put the place in the hands of those who already possessed with power by the unfaithfull Commissioners trusted by the Parliament with the ordering of things in those places do nothing but oppose the designe of the Parliament expressed in the Covenant and oppresse the people as is made known unto the Parliament by the Commissioners from those Countreys men of credit and worth who have done and suffered much for the Cause against the Common Enemy sent hither from many good people to complain against those wicked ones Enemies to God and to his people And when it shall be thought fit for the Common good of both Nations now so united it will with all cheerfulnesse be left by the Scots And to this the State of Scotland will willingly ingage it self by all the assurances can be require in reason The Common Enemy since he could not keep out Carlile in open War against the Parliament doth his next best to have it in the Malignants his Friends hands that at least indirectly he may do his work and since he failed of both those he striveth by his Emissaries and Agents to make it an Apple of discord betwixt the two united Nations but this will faile him also how cunningly soever he goe's about this designe for the Wisdom of both States is such that the mistake will be taken away shortly and that the State of England will see clearly the Scots in possessing themselves of Carlile and excluding those wicked ones above-mentioned have not onely done a good peece of Service to the publike and the Common Cause of both Kingdoms but also in particular to the well-affected people in those parts who are under the heavy pressure of those wicked ones and had been far more if they had more power whereunto the possession of Carlile were such an addition that it would make them double Tyrants and Brigants As the Common Enemy not onely by open War by Land but also by false undermining by his Agents and Instruments who partly are absolutely addicted to his wicked designe partly by interest of preferment and benefit although they care but little for his ends in the Field or in the Counsell in the City or in the Countrey do what they can with all care and forecasting to stop the publike Service by many and many wayes this is known too well to be so little regarded Even so by Sea he steereth the same course for not onely by open War he doeth oppose the publike Work now in hand in taking and destroying all that he can but likewise he useth indirect means by the help of his Instruments for the hinderance of the Service of the Common Cause now in hand Hence it is that the Parliaments Ships not so vigorously opposing the Enemy and not giving timely assistance to their Friends interessed in the Cause so many of the Enemy his Ships without resistance go up and down so freely and that there are so many Ships Barks c. both English and Scots taken by the Enemies Further the Coasts of Scotland are not so carefully garded and kept as they were promised to be by agreement which hath given and giveth still a great advantage to the Enemy and hath done a great hurt to the Friends who are employed in the Cause against the Enemy and in them to the Service of the Cause These things have given occasion of complaints to many men bemoaning their own condition and how that the good of the people and the Service of the Common Cause are no more and better looked to yea some in grief of heart after their great sufferings hardly taken notice of by those of whom they expect some redresse say that not onely there is a great neglect but in appearance there is some secret connivence by those who should follow this Service But to another businesse It is known to every one almost how that for many and many dayes and meetings there hath been a great deal ado in the Synod with some few factious and phantasticall head-strong ones men without love to the Peace of the Church of God for the Government of the Church by Parochiall Presbyteries subaltern to Classicall and Classicall subaltern to Synodicall which all being after so many debates with Patience Goodnesse and Charity towards those men demonstrated evidently to be according to the Word of God wherein it is grounded conform to the practice of the Church planted and governed by the Apostles and their successors for above two hundred yeers after Christ and conform likewise to the best Reformed Churches now adayes But at length the thing is concluded upon by the Synod and approved by the Houses of Parliament maugre all opposition made by the disturbers of the Peace of the Church in the Synod and of the sticklers for them anywhere else Yet those restlesse spirits will not be quiet for they give out that they will perform at last the thing they have been so much urged to and for so long a time to wit they will give unto the Publike the Modell of Government they would be at to which they will stand to But those who have a shrewd ghesse at those men and at their wayes assure us that as they will not tell what they absolutely and positively professe nor what they would be at they will never give a set Modell of Government unto the Publike whereunto they mind to stand For whatsoever they do in opposition of the Government above named they cannot agree among themselves unto any one thing for so many heads so many wayes dissonant one from another according to the nature of untruth and errour which is uncertain and not constant to it self Yea there be some who say That those men will not settle upon any thing at all except it be upon continuing in phrenaticall Fancies and those of the most exacter sort amongst them are named Seekers not of God or his Truth and of Peace but of themselves and of novelties at the best which ever hath and will be troublesome to the Peace of the Church Truely as those factious ones by rejecting all dependancy and subalternation of inferior Presbytereis to superior in Church-government have acquired unto themselves the Name of Independents so if you cast your eyes upon the courses of those mens seeking of preferment and benefit they may justly all be called Seekers For there was never a generation among men so nimble and so active about preferment and benefit as those men are The Jesuites are far short of them howsoever cryed up through the world for this for they run up and down with care and cunning to lay hold on power and moneys wherin they have come to good speed by their crafty insinuations
had run to the Enemy others astonished fled away and others sell their lives at the dearest rate they were able to do so with a few he had the better of a great number The Enemy had another rencount a while thereafter by the same way and with the like successe After which his courage and number increased so that the people began to apprehend and fear him Upon this the States send more men to help and think fit to employ an old Officer to command in Chief against those Rebels who seeing this preparation made against them retire to the hills and seeing the Army of the Countrey could not stay altogether in one place but must be divided into divers squadrons the Enemy from the hills upon intelligence given him by Malignants of the Countrey in the Army falls now and then upon Gentlemens houses Villages and Towns which he spoiles and makes a prey of and sometimes falls upon one quarter or other of the States Forces where although he found even honest men that fought most valiantly against him and killed many of his men yet by the treason of some Commanders or others for the most part he hath come off with advantage and now within these few dayes he hath had the greatest with a handfull of men He never to this day could make up at one time three thousand men when the Countreys forces were together neer twice thrice yea four times his number Although God be the Lord of Hosts and it is he that giveth wisdom and resolution for Victories yet since men have a hand in this businesse we cannot but enquire if the men employed in the work have done their part according to their trust and abilities wherewith God hath inabled them I know that it is ordinary with people who rise little higher then to men when there is any good successe obtained by any to adore him and when things go amisse to lay the fault upon man yea perhaps upon the same man whom they had a little before adored Yet here although I cannot say positively there hath been a continued treachery in the carriage of things by divers of the Officers namely by him that did command in Chief there be shrewd presumptions to guesse that there is a great deal of knavery as First The great complaints of the honest and true Commanders who being neerest could see best and judge best of fair play or foul Next The posture of the Countrey when this party entred into the Land Then The correspondence the Enemy hath with some of high note and employment in the Countrey with the favour and connivence of others Further By the open treason of those who have run unto him although employed against the Enemy yea there be who have run unto him in the Field when they should have fought against him More The assurance that the Malignants had of Victory long before it came at home in the Countrey here in England and beyond Sea To this exigence with the now unsuffering barbarous Enemy and of false brethren have honest men brought themselves to and the poor Countrey who had carried on their own businesse with such resolution and wisdom had kept under them the sons of Belial and children of falsehood and lyes that they durst not grumble but submit quietly for their kindnesse to their Neighbours among whom they have dispersed themselves for their Service and for overplus they are payed with ingratitude neglects yea calumnies and affronts for their pains by many of these people for whom they have drawn all this upon them and for whom daily they hazard and lose their lives when they might all this while have sat at home quietly but they hope that the same God who set them first about his Work for all this will inable them in mercy to be stedfast to his Cause for which they now so much suffer will at last free them from trouble and end the businesse to his own glory and the good of his people in despite of all malignancy and opposition whatsoever for when God hath chastised his own for a time he will throw the scourge in the fire and shew them his great power in redeeming them from the hand of the wicked upon whom the tempest of the Lord goe's forth and the whole wind that hangeth over shall light upon their heads yea the fierce wrath of the Lord shall not return untill he have done and performed the intent of his heart upon his Enemies and the Lord will say unto Israel Thou People who hast escaped the Sword hast found Grace in the Wildernesse and I will go before thee to cause thee to rest for I have loved thee with an everlasting Love wherefore with Mercy have I drawn thee and I will make a new Covenant with thee thou hast broken the old which I made with thee when I brought thee out of Egypt and this shall be the new Covenant I will make with thee I will put my Law in thine inward parts and write it in thine heart and thou shalt be my People and I will be thy God Let us therefore wait upon the Lord with patience who will not faile in his promise if we return unto him with true repentance for our sins and with a serious resolution to stick constantly close unto him with our whole heart There hath been of late a great blustering of some secret under-hand dealings with the Common Enemy by some few men without the knowledge of the publike of which I have thought fit to say these few words and to understand the thing more at length we shall call to mind bow that the King this last Winter sends hither his cajeoling Commissioners who according to their Order did cajeole the Scots and the Independents but how far they prevailed then with the Independents by their cajeolerie I cannot tell but I am sure they did not gain of the Scots the least point of any thing yea not of any expression or thought of businesse which could be in any kinde interpreted to have an ill meaning in it against the Churches and States advantage in the three Kingdoms as the Scots have made appear in their constant fair carriage in all businesse of Church State maugre envie namely in the last Treaty where they did shew really what honesty and faithfulnesse they had in their heart as I have said before The Treaty being ended without any agreement the Court after a time sends one hither for although he gives out that he stole away yet he came with the knowledge of the Court and things being tryed really it may happily be found that he came hither by Order expresse with instructions who is a great cajeolor to use the Courts own words that is in plain language a meer cheater who hath vowed to cozen by his lyes This cajeolure as the former two endeavours first to cajeole the Scots but finding he had a cold coale to blow he leaveth off the designe with them
and makes his addresses unto the Independents but how he hath sped with them it is not as yet fully known things not being manifested but some fidling businesses there have been betwixt him and them whether or no by the whole Cabale or by some few of the prime of the faction it is uncertain First That there was some under-hand-dealing by them the intercepted Letters of Digby unto Leg give a shrewd proof of it Next The Papers found since in the cajeolors friends closet under the cajeolors own hand When these things are tryed to the full we hope the light of all will appear which all honest men wish it may be done exactly and speedily And till then mens minds will not be satisfied and they will hardly refrain to speak of these things howsoever it be taken for they conceive not onely by the opennesse of the time they are free from the thraldom of the corrupt Court but also since they have interest in the businesse and have hazarded all what they have or had for the publike Service they may expresse their thoughts freely of occurrences so it be with discretion sparing mens persons till things be cleared And sincerely I think no innocent man can be angry at this if any in conscience finds himself guilty in any kinde that he will do well to suffer it patiently for fear he suffer more if things go exactly on to a triall The light that happily may be found out of this will not be and cannot be by a mathematicall or metaphysicall demonstration yet by so certain proofes as the nature of the thing can suffer or require for businesses of this nature take probable Arguments for demonstration as we are taught by the Doctors of of the Politicks I know some have suffered for their free expression of these things yet I am confident it had been greater wisdom under favour to let go free speeches rather then to examine them too neerly namely when they proceed without malice or scurrility from honest men who in their zeal perhaps now and then may exceed the exact terms of moderation and this I am perswaded hath been the constant practice of wise men grounded upon this if the discourse be groundlesse it fals of it self If there be any ground by stirring and ripping up speeches things will appear openly which otherwayes in a short time would have been buried in oblivion I forbear instances as in all my discourse keeping my self to generalls although I could have furnished divers examples upon every point I have touched for albeit it be said He that speaks in generall of all and to all speak of none and to none yet every one may make use of what is said in generall and apply it unto himself for the good of the publike and of himself which I wish every one that reads this discourse may do in all singlenesse of heart as it is set forth by him in sincerity who hath no other end in it besides the glory of God the good of Church and State and the true advantage of every honest man without any wrong-meaning but an earnest desire that every one who is right and honest in this Cause without by-respects may continue so till the end and that those who have gone a wrong way may return into the true to the glory of God the advancement of his Cause and of his people with their own praise and benefit Before I conclude I will say this in truth There was never a People in any age who by Gods blessing did carry on the work of Reformation with more wisdom and resolution and successe then the Scots did in their own Countrey and no more compassionate of their Neighbours in distresse nor more forward to help them by action and counsell and to carry on the work of Reformation amongst them then the Scots have been and are to this hour So there was never a People so harshly used in divers kindes by some of those for whose good they have been and are so earnest If this coarse usage went no further then their own persons means and reputation they could passe it with silence and not so much as think of it laying it aside in Christian charity and brotherly love although they suffer much in all these by it since they have joyned with their Neighbours to help them But since by the neglecting opposing and in a word ill-dealing with the Scots the Service and work they are about is wronged stopped and delayed which is mainly and namely to help the setting forward the Reformation of the Church of God as it is expressed in the Nationall Covenant they cannot but take it heavily to heart for the Name of Gods sake Surely those factions ones who have used and at this time use thus their Brethren who have ventured yea lost themselves in a manner with all what is dear unto men for their sake and to do them 2 double good that is to help them out of trouble and to settle 3 true and through Reformation amongst them have much to answer not onely for their malice unthankfulnesse and ingratitude to those who have spent themselves for them but also for their stopping and hindering so far as in them lieth the good work of God and by that means give occasion of the continuance of these miseries wherein we are all now involved and almost overwhelmed God forgive these men and turn them truely unto him if it be his will otherwise let them have no power to hinder his good Cause And thus good Reader I have thought fit to give a little touch of divers main passages of these our troublesome businesses leaving a fuller Discourse of things to another time and another place FINIS