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
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
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
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
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
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