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
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
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
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
of Religion and Peace setled the fruits of our endeavours much wished and longed for by Nottingham 12 June 1645. Your Lordships most humble Servants LEVEN CALENDAR HAMILTON WE have heard how the Parliament of England sent Commissioners into Scotland to call in the Scots unto its help and to capitulate with them concerning their in-coming We have heard also how that Commissioners were sent from Scotland hither to be at the drawing up of the Covenant betwixt the two Nations who ever since have constantly assisted the Synod in the discussion of Church-affaires more according to agreement betwixt the Nations thereafter there was other Commissioners sent hither to share with the Parliament in the managing of State-businesses of Peace and War wherein now both Kingdoms are jointly ingaged To this effect the Houses of Parliament chuseth a certain number of Lords and Commons to treat of all things concerning Peace and War jointly with the Scots and so together they make up the Committee of both Kingdoms wherein the Scots have a negative voice and nothing is done or at least ought to be done without their knowledge and consent concerning Peace or War directly or indirectly all play under boord and clandestine dealing being forbidden to both equally upon the reason of the common interest of both Those who had been adverse unto the in-coming of the Scots to help the Parl. were much against the setting up of this Committee but at last after some debate the thing is done in spite of opposition So the Committee is set afoot for a certain time of some few Moneths by Ordinance of both Houses The time prefixed for the sitting of the Committee is no sooner expired but those same men with the aid of others whom they had stirred up to that purpose cast in difficulties and will by no means give consent for the continuance of this Committee so for some dayes it is broken up then earnest work there was to get it restablished again but all to small purpose till in the end there is found one Clause in the Ordinance for the setting it up at first which did serve for the restablishing of it maugre those who did oppose it Since that time it hath continued constantly to this day although not without vexation to some namely because the Committee could not sit without the Scots being present Now the Scots called and joined with the English to manage the affaires of the publike Service for the Common Cause of Church and State at first they did think that they were to have nothing or at least little ado but to put forward the publike Service with earnestnesse and vigour against the Common Enemy without any let here by any of their own party and so they resolve with themselves to be very modest and tender with all warinesse in their proceedings with their Brethren of England who had called them hither upon such assurance and were so kinde unto them in their expressions yea so carefull of them that they would have them to lodge neerer for their own convenience and that of their Friends going to visit them and so the Scots remove from the City where they had lodged in former time and are placed in Worcester-house where now they lodge Those who pretend to know more of the Mysteries of the World then other men tell us that the removing of the Scots from the City to Worcester-house was not so much the convenience of the Scots or of their Friends which was intended although so given out as their weaning from their old Friends in the City who formerly had been so usefull and so respective to them by a cunning forcasting of some men to wear them out of acquaintance and intimacie with the City being afraid not to carry on things so easily according to their intent if the Scots were constantly intime and familiar with the City Whatever the end of removing the Scots from the City was it is fallen out so that the Scots being at such a distance have not been able to cherish and nourish their former intimacie and old Friendship with the City as they are bound in gratitude carefully to do and as the publike Service requireth joint with their own advantage Thereafter the Scots finde a harder task then they had promised unto themselves in the beginning for besides the great and main work against the Common Enemy they find some few men here in the party whereunto they are joyned for the Service of the Common Cause of Religion and Liberty in all the three Kingdoms who do not onely shew them but small favour but also as far as can be without open breach crosse and oppose them and in them the publike Service First those who from the beginning did not approve of their in-coming for fear they should eclipse their lustre and diminish their power was cold and adverse to them Next some others of those who had most bestirred themselves and most appeared in the calling in of the Scots to help having done the work of their in-bringing lay down a new ground for the reparing the breach of their own credit which by the miscarriage of things namely in the West as we have said before had been much diminushed and by degrees make up their credit upon the decline of the others whereunto their earnestnesse for the Scots did much serve and the Scots intimacy with them for many gave willingly way unto them when they did see them so intime with the Scots whom they knew to have no by-ends and those men on the other side did endear themselves unto the Scots by sundry good offices for a time which they did unto them in things concerning their Forces in England Ireland employed in the Common Service and by their constant and frequent courting of the Scots they did so take them up that they alone almost were admitted to any privacy then some did laugh in their sleeve to see a few not so considerable before bear such a sway and the Scots led thus by the nose and others did complain saying Why should this be It was expected the Scots Commissioners should have been open and free to all honest men namely to those of worth yea they ought to have been so for the good of the publike Service and for their own credit not captiving themselves as it were to some few ones Further it was said that they should have pressed home businesses more stoutly and more freely then they did as they had done in former times in their own particular affaires when they had not so many professed and powerfull Friends letting nothing passe of that was clearly for the good of the publike By this complying complaisance the Scots Commissioners have given such advantage to those who for a time courted them most for their own ends as it seems for if it had been altogether for the publike the Scots remaining constant to their point and principles although with lesse vigour I confesse then I could
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
Enemy did hinder him to deal with the Scots being in his power according to the rigour of the Law of Arms On the other side their valour and kindnesse did prevaile little for thanks or recompense from those for whose Service they had undergone such hazard When the Framers of the new Modell cashiered the Scots Officers we have been speaking of they named four Generall Officers of the Scots to be kept in the new Army which some did for the good opinion they had of the worth and usefulnesse of those men for the Service Others did it lest the people should enquire why all the Scots at one time should be thus put out of Service whose faithfulnesse and forwardnesse was known being free of the guilt of the late miscarriage of things in the Fields Those few Officers although they were named to be kept in the new Modell they did conceive that they had tacitcly their Quienis est first by cashiering their Countrey-men who were known to be well deserving and faithfull men unto the Covenant which is the Rule of that we fight for and by naming them to inferior employments in this new Modell to what they had come to be prefered to by their own vertue Next by bringing in new men not acquainted with War in equall command with them and under them and some of these professed not to favour the Covenant unto which the Scots were resolved to stick to So they thought sit to take the course of their other Countrey-men and to lay down their Commissions for fear of further inconvenience namely if any mischance should fall out apprehending the blame should be cast upon them and then they could not expect true fellowship not obeying to Orders in the Service of those men who had another-mind then theirs which is expressed in the Covenant The disobedience thereafter of some in the new Modell to the expresse Ordinances of Parliament made this apprehension good Upon this there is a great cry given out against those few Scots who had abandonned the Service at such a time of need but never a word how that two hundred Scots had been put of the Service Here it may be asked Whether those few Scots were more in the wrong to the publike Service by laying down their Commissions serving still the same Cause with those who are constant to their principles with them then those who put off the Service at one time two hundred valiant and well deserving men I could have wished for my part that those few men had laid aside all consideration and apprehension howsoever just and continued in the Modell leaving the event of things to God Now it is said that God hath blessed the honesty and piety of some men extraordinarily in the new Army so that great things are done by it I acknowledge with a thankfull heart to God that he in his Mercy hath done great things of late by that Army but no thank to the honesty and piety of some men for I do not find piety more really in them to speak with modesty then in other men Howsoever their externall profession is let their carriage towards God and Man speak for them and not profession onely for profession oftentimes is a clock of knavery and faction Then howsoever God in his good Providence doth great things by weak and inconsiderable men yet I am certain it is the surest way to employ men of skill and of experience in any work we are going about and surely we cannot look for a good successe of any businesse whatsoever when we neglect to employ those whom God hath fitted with ability for the work if we can have such I know God is above all rule but this is the ordinary course both with God and among men the examples are so clear in all businesses among the Sons of men that it is idle to alleadge any onely I shall say that there is more of this choice of fit men to be remarked in the War then in any other thing among men as it hath been observed of old by judicious men Yet God in War more then in any thing else sheweth his over-ruling power and that he is above the ordinary course of things But to put God to shew here his over-ruling hand in a extraordinary way without need is a kinde of tempting of him for since he hath in his wise Dispensation ordained an ordinary course for doing of businesses to be used by men fitted by him for the work he promised tacitely his blessing thereunto providing alwayes that we rely more upon him then the second causes More in all this successe there was never more seen of God and lesse of men and those men who would make men beleeve that their honesty and piety shines above others have but small share in action for any thing I can yet hear A word more It was not without a mystery that so many gallant Officers of both Nations were cashiered under pretext of want of piety and honesty being free of any guilt of the former miscarriages and yet the ordinary Souldiers kept still in the Service whose piety is known to be lesse as men of little and small breeding and so of lesse knowledge of God and of themselves and consequently not so given to the practice of goodnesse and so abstract from evil having but small light they cannot do so well as others who have better breeding then they and upon mistake they may more easily be brought over to do what is amisse for themselves and for others yea for the publike Service of Church and State and so become a prey to abusers and deceivers Moreover there is a great stir about Carlile now in the hands of the Scots for the Service of the Parliament For the better understanding of things we shall take them at a further rise So long as these two Kingdoms were under two severall Princes Carlile and Berwick were two Garison-Towns upon the Frontiers but so soon as these Kingdoms did come unto one Princes hands those places were ordered to be forsaken and their fortifications rased and to be no more a partition-wall which was done accordingly and so they remained for many yeers till of late that is till the beginning of the first troubles of the Scots with the abused King who caused then repair those places in some kinde and put Garrisons in them Thereafter at the first pacification upon the Frontiers betwixt the King and the Scots those places were to be relinquished as they had been formerly By the Articles of agreement at the second pacification the same was confirmed and that by the Authority of this same Parliament now sitting gathered together continued and preserved by the help and aid of the Scots The King beginning his barbarous War against the Parliament makes Carlile sure which by degrees insensibly he furnisheth with a strong Garison Munition accordingly as a place fit for his purpose for vexing of the Scots upon occasion whom he did foresee