namely the Lands of those who were most deeply ingaged with England above all the high Lands of the Marquesse of Argyle which they have totally depopulated and burnt as the Lands of his Friends some other parts they have so depauperate and wasted that in one County they have put many scores of good Families to meer mendicity What did most then grieve good men was to see not onely the good Work of Reformation at a stand and not likely to go on as they looked to it with carnall eyes but also the former abominations set up again and also to see the poor well-meaning people for fear abandoning the Truth and imputing unto the profession thereof the cause of their sufferings as many men do when they suffer for the Gospel Now albeit the losses be great and excessive which the Scots have had by Sea in regard to the extent of their Countrey yet their losses and damages by Land are a hundred times greater and more Further God suffered the wicked Enemy by the miscarriage of the chief Leaders and Directors of businesses to give a great overthrow to the good party of Scotland at which as the good party was much dejected the Enemy in his pride was highly puft up and he thought to carry all things before him mastering all but in a short time it pleased God to abate his pride by a great Victory against him God making use of David Lesley for that Service More As Digby and his associates going to the wicked Enemy in Scotland had first a good blow in his way thither and then was totally defeated at the second time when he thought himself as it was at his joyning with the Enemy in Scotland So doubtlesse under Gods Mercy ere it be long we shall hear that the wicked Enemy there having had already this great blow will have next his fatall and totall destruction Here let it be noted that among the papers taken from the Enemy when he had this great blow given him by David Lesley there were found instructions for the holding of a Parliament wherein all things setled in Church and State since the yeer 1639 were to be changed and altered the Covenant broken with the English Rebels so were they pleased to call all those who stand for the Parliament those who had been active for the Covenant to be furnished and deprived of aâ—l benefit and priviledge of a Patriote or native according to their severall ranks and stations All the sufferings and undergoings of the Scots for their joyning with the Parliam are so far neglected that not onely in their distresse they are not helped nor assisted as generosity had required after so much undergone for Friends at home and abroad making other mens quarrel their own and drawing evil upon themselves for their sake but divers who have received benefit in a high measure by their joyning and incoming have been glad heartily at their sufferings expressing now and then It was well they were beaten and when they were droven to the greatest pinch of necessity what by the prevailing Enemy what by the fault of their Leaders which lies heavily upon some at last having kept off to trouble or disquiet their Friends going constantly on with the Work so far as they were inabled and could do they required some help of Arms and of Money due unto them but what comfort they received more then a solemn Fast and private condolance of some Friends let them tell if they can Yea when they were thus low then they were most neglected and vilipended by some Was it not said by some of your prudentiall men That the Scots would undo both themselves and this Kingdom yet their wisdom and valour blessed with successe in their own affaires were not questioned before they were joyned with England in the businesse and if they had not come in England was undone at least a good part thereof Was is not said That they had buried their honour at Hereford Yet they have shewn since that they had both heart and hand to gain and to maintain honour Was it not told openly That they should be sent home as being troublesome to the Countrey and if they would not go with good will they must be killed by half-dozens Are not their Garisons and Places of retreat so long as they are in the Service of the Publike which they have reduced and brought into obedience with a great deal of pain losse and hazard demanded from them and spoken to be put in the hands of those who are not thought to be faithfull to the Cause we have all fought for to this day If this smell of piety and generosity let God and all the World judge Here I forbear to give answer to this onely I say It is done and let it undergo the censure of understanding and indifferent men without exception onely we shall see how this stands with the Publike Service and with the Treaty to deal so with Brethren and Friends who have put their breast betwixt their Brethren and the stroak of the Enemy and who did stand first in the gap against the Enemies Plot to teach their Brethren to be upon their guard and timely prevent the Enemies assault yea who under God have put their Brethren in posture of defence by occasioning the Assembly of Parliament and in protecting it by their stay here for a time lastly by rescuing it as it were from the jaws of Death and from the brink of perdition Now by neglecting vilifying crossing and opposing to dishearten Brethren who have been and are to this day so usefull unto the Service of the Common Cause cannot be but much prejudiciall to the happy end intended by us all to wit the setling of a true Reformation in Church and State If the Scots went not upon higher principles then those of human interest of phanaticall opinions of self-conceit and the like this usage of such Brethren could not but produce so bad effects as the hinderance of the end intended with the losse of all whatsoever hath been done employed and undergone thereabouts and the destruction of both Nations at last But blessed be God who hath given them wisdom and longanimity not to be so disturbed with the forenamed occasions of miscontent as either to be weary of the Work or to leave it off And to uphold them therein God yeelds the Scots the good will and assistance of divers well-affected men maugre all malice and malignity with the earnest desires and wishes of the people for compassing the first purposed and pursued end which is in few words the Glory of God and the safety of his people Now let us see how this carriage towards the Scots stands with the Treaty and Covenant made with them at their incoming Are not the Brethren of England with their Ships bound by the Treaty to guard the Coasts of Scotland by Sea to save it from forrain invasion and to secure the Scots in their trading by Sea But how
it is expressed first in generall terms in the Declaration at the giving the Commission to the Earl of Essex then more particularly in the Covenant This sheweth the forgetfulnesse of him who in a solemn Assembly was so unmindfull of the Truth as to aver that Religion was not the ground of the quarrell betwixt us and the Common Enemy at the first abusing the simpler ones and making use of the connivence of others yea he was put at work by some to say so at least he was applauded by them as the story runs This quarrell here in England hath cost the Scots a great deal of pains First In the Counsell both of Church and State Then In the Fields with the losse of many a gallant brave man which they think all well spent bestowed since God hath been pleased to make use of their endeavours to put forward in some measure his good Work in both Church and State and to represse the domineering of the Common Enemy who ever since the conjunction of the Scots with the State of England hath been declining if the thing be well considered with judgement although now and then he hath had some lucida intervalla as we have all seen As the Scots think their pains labours expences charges c. well bestowed so they complain not of the manifold reproaches and lyes that have been said and spred against them what by the open Enemy what by the false Friends nor of the hardship their Army hath endured to this day in the Field no more then of the small content of their Commissioners in the Counsell which all they passe and lay aside not as insensible and leprous men who have no feeling for in any other thing they are touchy enough but as being resolved to do all what they can and suffer what they are able for the Cause of God and of his people with grief of mind to see those whom at first they conceived certainly to be right and round in this businesse to have corners and by-wayes wherein they must acknowledge the shortnesse of their own judgement and confesse the infirmity of man But their great grief is at least should be that their Army hath not been timely nor duly furnish'd with conveniencies and necessaries to make it go on with action in the Field yea to see them kept back from doing as if it were plotted of purpose Then that their counsells in Church and State have not onely not prevailed but have been hid yea opposed and so hindered to yeeld their due fruit unto the Cause in hand as they intended Besides all these things in joyning with the Parliament in action and Counsell and coming in when it was below a stand they have not onely exposed themselves and their poor native Countrey to all kinde of perills and inconveniency but have drawn evil upon it More They have gone in the highest degree of contradiction to the King for they have not onely in down-right terms declared themselves opposite to his designe but have quite spoiled it which as he told them he would easily compasse in this Kingdom if they would be quiet and indeed he had brought his businesse to a pretty passe before the Scots came in Then their coming in into England and their going before into Ireland did empty their native Countrey much of men of Counsell and action So for England they left their own Countrey as if it were to be a prey unto the Malignants there who since not being kept under by the good party by reason of its weaknesse shew themselves to be in great number Next The indifferent and neutrals whereof there be but too many everywhere most men looking more to their convenience here upon Earth then to the Glory of God or to his Kingdom who had sided formerly with the good party bearing the sway but since seeing them absent for the most part helping their Friends and weakest at home begin to have other thoughts and fall in with the Malignants All this being perceived by the King who hath his thoughts full of revenge against the Covenanted Scots with England bethinks himself of all means possible to oppresse and destroy that poor Countrey of Scotland and in the first place the Danes are invited to invade it unto whom are promised the Isles of Orkades for their pains their old pretension But as the Danes were preparing to come hither God sends them another work to do at home which was to defend themselves from their invaders to wit the Swedish with whom after a great strugling by Sea and by Land they have been constrained to make their peace almost upon any terms Yet we hear they are now making again themselves ready for War and against us as we are informed to try perhaps if they can make up their losses in some measure in one way or other upon us Again The King seeing the Scots siding with the Parliam of England sets afoot Plot upon Plot in the South part of Scotland but by Gods blessing they all fail being no sooner discovered but repressed and thrown in the dust More By Pyrates and men of War having Commission from the King the Scots Ships with goods and men are taken yea divers men are thrown overboord Their onely quarrell is the conjunction of the Scots with the Parliament of England in the Service of this Common Cause The losses the Scots have suffered by Sea since their sideing with the Parliament do exceed far the monethly allowance agreed upon for their Army although it were well and fully payed which they are far short of for since these eight moneths they have had but one moneths pay to wit about Thirty thousand pounds and these from the City of London Last of all The King bethinks himself since he is pleased to own all the undertakings of the Juncto although he be not alwayes one of the number it taking its authority from the Pope and the Roman-Catholike Princes abroad more then from him although he hath the name of all to send over out of Ireland some of those desperate Villains who at their first rising in Rebellion in Ireland did offer all kindnesse unto the Scots saying that they would not stir against them who take a fit opportunity of the good party of the Scots being absent out of their Countrey for the most part and they enter into Scotland by the Isles and the Hills finding a party of Malignants some whereof and the chief Traitors had been sent from the Court to manage the businesse who not only privatly do favour openly do side with them but make a number of disguised Villains betray the trust they had from the Countrey in places of power and command yea some in the time of action in the Field either slakly acting against the Enemy or flying from before him or running over to him at divers places and times So the Enemy increaseth his party in Scotland spoileth and destroyeth divers places of the Countrey
this Kingdom to such a posture do not proroge the compassing the same end let God and the World judge And then Are not these things flatly against the third article of the Covenant whereby we are all sworn to defend one another in this Common Cause which how do we perform when we deny assistance to our Brethren in distresse and will not allow them to help their own selves yea we rejoyce at our Brethrens sufferings Are we not bound also by the fourth article not onely to stop and remove any thing which may or might give any wayes occasion of mistake and consequently of division betwixt the two Nations Yea we are sworn to discover those who endeavour any such action and so according to Oath I here declare That it is those incendiaries and factious ones who contrary the ends expressed in the Covenant phancy to set up their evil opinions and invent all means they can to hinder the setling of Government in the Church and consequently as appears by all symptoms to bring Anarchie in the State promising to set down a Seraphin-Modell of a Church which they after so long forbearance will not nor cannot agree among themselves to set down onely they are resolved to stop the setling of the Church-government according as aforesaid to the end that all heresie errour licence libertinisme and corruption may creep in the House of God this is their main drift after their own interest Then Is not the dealing of these factious men with the Scots against the fifth article of the Covenant wherein we are all sworn not onely to keep a good correspondency betwixt the two Nations but also to keep a fair Union for ever Here these factious men will say That the Scots deserve to be thus dealt withall for not doing more Service then they have done this Sommer and not following the desire of the Parliament To which is answered First Let it be seen what the Scots have done and if that which they have done be not as much important to the Common Cause as any thing done elsewhere by any Then If they have not done more let it be seen where the fault lieth whether in them that would not do or in others who have stopped them from doing by hindering them to be furnished and provided for further action More Let it be seen whether or no it were not out of good reason and not by chance that they have not instantly followed the course they were desired to do and whether or no it had been better for the Service of the Common Cause to have so far complied with the designes pressed by those who either would not or did not see and foresee what is most advantagious for the Common Cause or whether or no there was a set Plot to undo the Scots Army Then The Scots are accused To lie heavily upon the Countreys where they come and that they have done many things against the Liberty and Right of the Subject of England I answer As for their burdening or wronging the Subject in the least kinde it is not their intention being come in into England for the relief and righting of the Subject from the oppression and injury of the Common Enemy and if any Souldiers or Officers of theirs have exceeded in any kinde upon just tryall of their faults they are to suffer and to be punished for it besides all things taken by wrong are to be restored and reparation is to be made to the full by the judgement of honest and understanding men upon the place to the end that all mistakes may be taken away and the Union kept betwixt the two Nations in spite of faction and malice against upright men Further Let it be known how the Scots are payed and how they offer to repay ten for one for any thing taken by extortion if they could have the half pay that others have employed in the same Service For this the Scots have frequently sollicited If the Committees of York-shire set a work by some secret Enemy had not gone so high and published at every Parish-Church their orders against the Scots as the Prelats did in former times with their bloody thunder-bolts of excommunication and if they had remembred in whose hands the Liberties and Rights were when the Scots came in to help or where their Committees were then sitting and how far their orders had been obeyed then they might have thought whether or no they had ever had a Parliament given to authorize them if it had not been for the Scots and the Parliament being assembled whether or no sitting this day Till these factious men did rise who besturre themselves so much now of late it was said ordinarily for any Reformation obtained either in Church or State and for stopping any evil to the Publike or to any private men Gara mercy good Scot As this is now forgotten by divers private men to their shame and discredit so these factious men would have it to be out of memory by the Publike but they strive in vain for neither Parliament nor People Synod nor Church will ever nor can forget what they owe to the Scots for the good they enjoy at this present and hope to enjoy hereafter in Gods Mercy Then It is reproached to the Scots to their great grief That they pursue too rigidly the setling of the Church which may be done at leasure when other things are ended and must be performed with ripe consideration for fear of mistake And That they presse too much for Peace when it is apparent none can be made but by the overthrow of the malignant party As also That they stand so much for Royaltie when God knows the King deserveth but little at their hands they being the men he hath the greatest splen against and whom he haâ—es most as he declares himself by all his expressions To all this they answer First That they are obliged in the first place to see the House of the Lord setled and then to look to temporall things for this they have not onely Law and reason to begin at God but also example First out of the sacred History where we see that all true Reformers of the State of Israel and Judah did begin at the Reformation of the House of God Then we see the same in the Ecclesiasticall History practised by the Ancients And of late Hath not the same been done in our Neighbour-Countreys yea in our own by our Fathers And is it not full time after so long and so tedious a debate since it is agreed upon how what it should be by the full consent of Divines assembled for that purpose except of some few of a private spirit for self-conceit and by-interest who having nothing to answer unto the demonstration of the Truth and the reasons for it made known unto them yet with obstinacy do oppose the setling of the Church and so way is given if not countenance to all kinde of heresie errour and blasphemy
we are all sworn to but they continue and maintain divers kinde of errours and heresies yea they move to have their pernicious Tenents set up by Authority both at home and abroad Further They study to make a rent betwixt the two Nations against the good of both yea against the Covenant What more Have they not in their wisdom raised up great factions both in the City and Countrey by their cunning devices under pretence of piety and devotion Yea which is worst of all Are they not busie to make the Parliament and the City clash and divide if it were possible if not to inslave the City First By underhand-dealing to stop the City to present unto the Parliament with due respect their just desires for the long expected setling of the Church according to the Covenant Next When at another time that the City did send the second Petition unto the Parliament for the same purpose with the former the Independents made their Favourers snuffe at it and struggle to reject it But the wiser part did accept of it and did promise to give due content namely the Earl of Essex did expresse himself worthily upon the point and told the Company of the House Besides the justnesse of the Cities desire the Parliament must not neglect nor forget the Cities stedfast kindnesse to it namely in its greatest need and to the Cause witnesse among other things Their refusall of assisting the Court against the Scots Their keeping close to the Parliament notwithstanding all the workings of the Court-Parasites and the offers made unto it by the Court Their rescuing the Parliament from violence when with strong hand some Members should have been taken from it Their free and unparallelled plentifull furnishing both men and moneys from the beginning of these unhappy Wars And their constant supplying upon all occasions of both to this present namely in the remarkable needs as at Brainford businesse and at the businesse of Glocester where the Earl of Essex did so bravely relieve that Town so courageously kept by gallant Massey and thereafter did beat the Enemy Many such instances may any judicious man give of the Independents wisdom so much cried up by themselves and by their hyrelings which consists in plotting for their interest of ambition and avarice under the cloke of piety and devotion without regard to the glory of God or to the good of man for if they had any respect to these two they would not drive on such factions against the setling of the Church and consequently of the State Now having seen how the Independents have furthered the Cause with their wisdom let us see what they do with their purses Are they not noted to be the most needy craving and scraping wretches that are Have any of them heartily and willingly given any thing out of their hands too When God knows in lieu of giving any thing of their own that they are deep sharers in the moneys they can lay hold on Are they not the nimblest to hearken after moneys And for this end have they thrust themselves everywhere where any benefit is to be had and where the fingring of money is Have they not received vast sums of moneys and neither have nor will yea perhaps neither can give an account Witnesse some of them who refused to give an account in the usuall way unto the Committee of accounts established by the Parliament And thereafter the same men after their refusall of giving account have obtained by the favour of the factious Fraternity a free discharge without giving any account It is constantly and generally reported That they have sent immense sums of moneys beyond Seas Many stirring Blades and sticklers of their Faction of late had neither credit nor means yea hardly whole clothes who now are great men companions to Lords Yea It is told of some of them that they should say They hoped to see the day wherein they should not see this distinction of men and so to be Independents as well in the State as in the Church Is there any one of their Fraternity that hath not enriched himself since these troubles have begun by the foolery and simplicity of others as Rooks and Charlatans in all professions do And so they have increased their number If one should take in hand to set down in writing all the cunnings devices artifices deceits and crafts known to many with which these men use to catch moneys and give no account of it would make a great Volume They have gotten the fingring of the moneys of State by gathering it and they distribute it for the most part among themselves So they give out That all is theirs which passeth through their hands But let us see their valour It is known they have drawn some men of heart and courage among them But give me leave to say That their own courage doth not so much as yet appear unto the World as other mens valour doth although they have used all the means which they could bethink themselves of to be cried up for valour for Have they not caused their names to be recorded in Pamphlets and read in Churches If the meanest of their Faction had appeared the least in action he was highly named as the most valiant in the Army Yea Is it not a strange thing to see that gallant Sir Thomas Fairfax to be so little mentioned although he be Generall and notwithstanding that he constantly in all actions doth carry himself as bravely as any man can do How gallant his carriage was at the Battel of Naseby it is well known to all yet he was little spoken of and the Independents must have the glory of the day but it is an easie way of these men to raise themselves and to gain esteem and credit with small merits of their own by the help of good Neighbours and Friends In Gods Name let every one have his due without taking any from others But such is the weaknesse of many infirm men who think they cannot be well thought or spoken of to their mind unlesse they keep under and balk other mens just praise where there is occasion enough of praise to every one who doth well in the War as in any other course In all this Discourse I name no person but to his praise yet I tell the errours and faults of a Faction which is as dangerous unto us as that of Barnevelts in the Netherlands But we hope that the same God who broke that Faction there will do the same here as he hath done the Prelats Faction here amongst us and will stop it to go on any further for the dishonour done to his Name and the mischief done to his People by those ambitious coveteous and self-conceited men against all Divine and human Law without shame provided they serve their insatiable and phantasticall desires caring neither for God nor for his People as appear clearly by the whole tenour of their carriage FINIS
slakely this duty hath been performed the great losses and wofull sufferings of that poor Countrey can now tell of which inconveniencies and evils they had been free at least to this present if they had not joyned with their Friends in England I know it will be said When the Enemy had done with England his designe was with all his power to go into Scotland But human reason tells you That it is wisdom to put off an evil if we can for a time for he that hath time hath life as it is commonly said and the mean while God will provide some means or other to return the evil from his people And so human Policy would have taught the Scots to look to themselves and be quiet but their zeal to the Cause of God could not suffer them and for it they have undergone all this hardship who can and will deliver them in his appointed time And if those for whom they undergo this Service do not requite faithfully their kindnesse God will by some means or others not forget but recompense them according to the sincerity of their intentions But if any of the Scots as I doubt not but there be some who had or have some by-ends in this Work God will punish them for it and shew their vanity for mixing their own interest with his Service who requires the whole of man which is so known to the Enemy of God and of his people that he cares not what good a man do providing he can nourish in him any little evil being sure to catch him at last if he do continue in it Then the Brethren of England are bound not onely by reason to make the Scots no worse then they have found them that is then they were before their late conjunction for it stands against the Laws of all human Society and partnership that one party being preserved from totall ruine and reaping a seen benefit by the Society through the hazard and great losses of the other party not to make the party at least in the same condition he was before the Society far more is it against Justice to see the party undone and perish for us above all if we can afford him help or comfort least of all to rejoyce and make our own advantages of his losses who hath lost himself for us If the thing be so among particular Societies of men Why not so betwixt State and State who are nothing else but a Congregation of lesser Societies And if Justice is to be done by the lesser Why is not the greater far more tyed to it For the most part particular men are either punished or cried out upon as cheaters if they cozen or deceive their fellows And shall States escape free not onely from censure but be thought wise and prudent men for their deceits And shall circumvening in publike affaires be not onely not thought evil but esteemed as a vertue Hence cunning deceitfull man is called Politick and deceit is called Policy To such hight of wickednesse are we now come that vice must go under the name of vertue for Policy is the honest just and prudent carriage of publike affaires and not deceit and guile in them If it were onely to give sin a term lessening the shame of the crime it were to be born withall as for example to call stealing robbing and spoiling plundering as now adayes we do But to call vice vertue is intolerable Next We may see if this stands with the Treaty by this sole instance which is here inserted as it is in the first article And in case that notwithstanding the monethly sum of Thirty thousand pounds payed as aforesaid the States of Scotland shall have just cause to demand further satisfaction of their Brethren of England when the Peace of both Kingdoms is setled for their pains hazards and charges they have undergone they shall have due recompense made unto them by the Kingdom of England Now if the Scots for their pains hazards and charges be not payed of their monethly allowance How is the Treaty observed But the necessity of the times may excuse if there be not a full payment when there is willingnesse to perform if there were capacity But to give reproaches and injuries with threatning and to send men home with shame and without satisfaction who have done and undergone so much for thy good and to save thee from perdition is doubtlesse far from gratitude I pray thee What is it and how far is it from recompense Not to allow men to run home and quench the fire in their own house left having devoured the one it should destroy the other which it would do if it were not quenched in time Yea so long as the fire was but burning in one end of the house in respect of the ingagement it was in a manner little regarded but when it came to shake the very foundations of the building and deface it quite then it was full time to look to it And yet it cannot be approved by some because forsooth There was not a formall warning given as in decency was fit yet it was done with such order as could be expected upon such a nick of time But here it may be said What needs all this to speak of the Treaty Hath ever been any Treaty made betwixt two Nations or States but each have made their best advantage of it and ordinarily the Southern Nation hath been too cunning for the Northern as may be seen in all the Treaties betwixt Spaine and France Spaine hath outcunning'd France and so in the Treaties betwixt France and England France hath over-reached England and so of such others for the most part But as the Southern Nation hath over-reached the Northern by slight and cunning so the Northern oftentimes hath surpast by Field-action the other The reason of this is from the constitution of the body in the Northern people vile domineerers whereby they are inclined to do things rather by a strong hand then otherwise In the Southern people melancholy reigneth whereby they are inclined unto devises to compasse things with lesse force and hazard for where there is most wisdom there is least hazard The more North or South that a people be the more or lesse they have the one of the other But since the Treaty betwixt the Parliament of England and the State of Scotland runs upon other principles to wit of Religion this human over-reaching cunning or surprising is not and ought not to have any place but all is to be guided by conscience according to equity before God and as weare sworn to in our Covenant Wherefore now let us see how this agrees with the Covenant whereby we are all solemnly sworn to promote and advance the setling of a through Reformation in the Church according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Neighbour Churches and if these reproaches injuries and hard usage of the Scots who have contribute so much to bring