at the taking in of Selby and as some had been against their incoming and thereafter some were employed before York to sow the seed of dissension betwixt the joyned Generals with their Forces and as some likewise were railing at the Scots while they were daily encountring and skirmishing with the Enemy After this another sort of men began to shew themselves unto the world seeing that by the help of the Scots they were made able to appear again who for their miscarriage of things durst not shew themselves and finding in themselves that they began to stand upon their own legs they feel the pulse of the Scots to try if they were plyable to their phantasies and opinions perceiving the Scots constant to their principles and firm unto their Covenant begin to care lesse for those who had raised them from the dust yea they begin to oppose the Scots and to make the relation short the Battel of York is fought and the Town taken In all such actions those new factious men to indear themselves unto the simple people by their Emissaries spred abroad that they did all but God knows they had little share in things After the businesse of York Manchester returns into the associated Counties Fairfax stayes in York-shire and the Scots return towards New-castle where they find a new supply of six thousand men under the command of the Earl of Calendar to represse the Enemy who had been for a while domineering thereabouts in that Countrey while the Scots Army was ingaged at York who having drawn neer make their approaches and lay a formall Siege about the Town which after some moneths pain they take by storm having tryed all means possible to keep things from extremity but it could not be yet their moderation was such after they had taken the said Town that it was admired by their Enemies While the Scots were thus busied about the Siege of New-castle they were ill spoken of by those new factious men who expressed tokens of sadnesse when they heard it was taken Then the Scots clear all the four Northern Counties except Carlile which of late they reduced by composition and so the Winter coming on they kept in their Winter-quarters As the Scots making the quarrell their own did send their Army to fight in the Field to help their Friends and Brethren by action so they send Commissioners both from Church and State to help with their counsell the carrying on of things in Church and State When the Commissioners come hither they promise unto themselves to find nothing ado but to go on with the Work unanimously for the good of Church and State against the Common Enemy But since they have found themselves hugely mistaken for where they thought to have most opposition they have found least and where they did look for none there have they found most First Some factious men in the Synod have stopped the conclusion of things there it is without example that so few men being convinced with Scripture reason antiquity and the example of the best reformed Churches so that they have nothing to reply yet in stuâ—â—urnesse they will not give over to disturb It is found true in those men which is remarked That the more mildly the adversaries of Peace and Truth be dealt withall the worse they are Then in the Counsell of State the Scots have a long time been crossed in a high measure by those who were against their incoming and thereafter still have been opposed by these men and their participants who are advers to the setling of the Church The former did oppose the Scots namely because they were not to approve their wayes in the managing the affaires of State and thereafter perhaps in the Church-government The second Because the Scots cannot give way to their phancies and faction in Church-businesse and consequently in the State but stand constantly to their principles and firm to the Covenant not regarding to either the one or the other with temper and moderation to give offence to no body if it were possible unto them The Spring drawing on the Scots presse to have necessaries for the Field After much delays things go to them in New-castle but in a very small proportion Howsoever they are no sooner ready but they dispose themselves for marching till then they were not idle but they were busied up and down to the setling the Northern Counties and they did send parties to and fro unto their Friends namely unto Sir William Brereton they sent a party of Horse by David Lesley who then made the Kings Forces turn back which at that time did intent to go through Lancashire for Scotland Thereafter as the Scots Army was moving and about to march Southward they have advice given them that the King being then towards Westchester was bound once more for Scotland to stop which the Army went with great difficulties and did so put themselves in his way who made him change his resolution and 〈◊〉 returned Southward again And at that time the Scots supplied their Friends which lay then before Carlile who were there altogether unprovided Thereafter they return Southward and although by agreement they were not to passe Trente yet in compliance to importunities they past and went Westward towards Worcester and cleared the Fields there so of the Enemy that he durst not appear before them Next Against their own Maxime which is to clear the Field and wait upon the Enemies motion that they may alwayes be in readinesse to hinder his courses pursue him to stop the clamours of some raised against them they lay down before Hereford which if they had been supplied with necessaries at first they had doubtlesse taken and when they had the things required for the Service in some measure the great rains hindered them to perform what they earnestly intended and whereunto they were prepared As they were thus ingaged about Hereford the King with all his Horse having made a great circuit goes Northward where by divers promises made unto him he did hope to do great things for his designe The Scots send their whole body of Horse some few excepted by David Lesley who by his diligence and activity gets North before the King and sends him back Southward once more and so breaks that designe At this nick of time cometh the news to David Lesley being then neer Trente upon his return South in pursuance of the Kings party and he is desired to go into Scotland without delay and help his own Countrey in distresse by an overthrow that the Enemy had given there to the Forces of the Countrey He thinks to go onely with a party into Scotland himself and send back the rest to the Army before Hereford but the whole Company hearing of the straigth of their native Countrey would needs go with him Of this he giveth notice to the Committee of both Kingdoms and to the Army before Hereford and so goes into Scotland The Army before Hereford having
designe to end the Work they were there for and seeing the Enemy his marching unto them upon David Lesley his going into Scotland send unto their Friends at London for a help of some Horse to be neer by them as in Glocester-shire in case of need they not having Horse enough to encounter the Enemy and to serve the Army to bring in the provision which they were constrained to do with strong hold in the Enemies Countrey having ever since their march Southward struggled with great difficulties for necessary provisions yea for divers dayes they have been without bread But they could obtain no Horse howsoever some were very willing to grant their just desire Things being thus it is put to a Counsell of War whither they should storm the Town or no some that were most forward gave their voice for the storm others voiced It was fit to save the Army whole considering how the posture of affaires was then at home and since some of their Friends for whom they had undergone so much were backward to assist them in their great extremity they thought it the safest course to raise the Siege and return Northward to help their Countrey and so the plurality of voices carried it and Northward they went As the Scots were upon their march in York-shire news comes to them that David Lesley had given a great overthrow to the Enemy in Scotland yet they went after this they are desired by the Parliament to come back and besiege Newark and not to stay there in the North Countrey for fear of burdening that Countrey so much already wasted as was given out The Parliaments desire is not answered so hastily as was expected which hath given occasion to some to irritate and do what lieth in them to make ill blood and not to stay for an answer nor receive any reasonable one without reall performance of what was required whereunto the Scots are most willing but by reason they have so few Horse with them they conceive it is not safe to venture their Foot when the Enemies Forces are onely in Horse and chiefly because they knew that the Enemy was to send a considerable party into Scotland hoping to make a great faction there by the help of his Friends by the way and so joyn with the Enemy there and the Malignants in the North of England were to rise with the open Enemy And so it proved indeed for the Enemy sends from Newark a great party of Horse commanded by Langdale and Digby They were meet withall by the York-shire Forces commanded by Poyntz and Rossiter who dealt so roughly with them that they were routed divers killed and many taken with a great part of their baggage yet they rally again and go on in their journey to invade Scotland Before they were at the borders they were a thousand strong Generall Lesley having notice of their designe sends a party under the command of Vandruske with expresse order to fight with the Enemy wheresoever he found him Vandruske followeth so actively the Enemy that he thinks to get into Scotland before him and send him back again but he misseth him and the Enemy going another way enters into Scotland where there were divers parties ordered to wait for him and fight with him one from David Leslâ—â— was sent another of the Earl of Balclough the third and the least of all not exceeding three hundred Horse under the command of Sir John Brown who seeing the Enemy in Scotland could not have patience till his Friends joyned with him but by an hardy attempt with his three hundred men fals upon the Enemy who was a thousand strong as we have said before routs him killeth him a hundred of his men upon the place takes two hundred of them with bag and baggage divers were drowned All this did Sir John Brown with the losse of about thirty or fourty men then he pursued the Enemy seeking him up and down and at last upon the third day after the fight he assisted with his Friends meets with the remainder of the routed Enemy then about five hundred strong where he took all with little shedding of blood onely some few who were extraordinarily well horsed did escape among whom were Digby and Langdale with these good Patriotes and good Christians the Earls of Nidsdale Maxwell and Carnewath-Dazâ—l When by treachery at divers encounters the Enemy did prevaile against the Forces of the good party in Scotland some of the superficiall Brethren about Westminster-Hall jearing and gibing could say That the Scots could not and durst not fight in their own Countrey which at this time they find untrue for the Scots have shewn since that they both can and dare fight not onely one to one but one against two contrary to the Proverb Ne Hercules contra duos yea one against three Let the glory be to God who is pleased to own his own Cause and honour despiseable men to be instruments in this his Work to the confusion and shame of the Haughtie The Enemy had so laid down this Plot of invading Scotland that he promised unto himself without fear an issue according to his mind for he thought having once entred in Scotland by the Papists Atheists and Libertins for Sectaries there are none to make up in the lower Countrey a great party and so joyning with the Enemy now afoot in the hills who is gathering what he can and hath already betwixt three and four thousand men although divided amongst themselves as we are informed he did think no lesse then in a very short time to subdue all Scotland and presently thereafter to come into England Those who have read the intercepted Letters can tell much stuffe to this purpose but he that compteth without his host compteth twice The rumour of this designe was so great in Scotland that the good party thought fit to draw a good part of their Horse Southward and to make sure the chief and most commodious passages to hinder the conjunctions of the intestine Enemy and the invaders so David Lesley lay with one party at Glasgo upon Clyde and Middleton with another at Alloway neer Sterlin upon Forth Yea to see this enterprise repressed is the chief reason why the Scots Army in the North of England did not come so soon Southward to Newark as was desired wch just and lawfull delay of the Scots for a time by factious and malicious men although they knew very well the reasons and the cause thereof is published as a deniall and so it hath been beleeved by the simpler sort and laid hold on as argent contant present count it is not enough for the malicious and factious ones not considering that the good party in Scotland hath made the Parliaments quarrell its own in joyning with it in Covenant for the pursuance of the Cause it took Arms from the very first beginning that is for the Truth of Religion all things whatsoever yea Liberty and Priviledge being subservient unto it as
slakely this duty hath been performed the great losses and wofull sufferings of that poor Countrey can now tell of which inconveniencies and evils they had been free at least to this present if they had not joyned with their Friends in England I know it will be said When the Enemy had done with England his designe was with all his power to go into Scotland But human reason tells you That it is wisdom to put off an evil if we can for a time for he that hath time hath life as it is commonly said and the mean while God will provide some means or other to return the evil from his people And so human Policy would have taught the Scots to look to themselves and be quiet but their zeal to the Cause of God could not suffer them and for it they have undergone all this hardship who can and will deliver them in his appointed time And if those for whom they undergo this Service do not requite faithfully their kindnesse God will by some means or others not forget but recompense them according to the sincerity of their intentions But if any of the Scots as I doubt not but there be some who had or have some by-ends in this Work God will punish them for it and shew their vanity for mixing their own interest with his Service who requires the whole of man which is so known to the Enemy of God and of his people that he cares not what good a man do providing he can nourish in him any little evil being sure to catch him at last if he do continue in it Then the Brethren of England are bound not onely by reason to make the Scots no worse then they have found them that is then they were before their late conjunction for it stands against the Laws of all human Society and partnership that one party being preserved from totall ruine and reaping a seen benefit by the Society through the hazard and great losses of the other party not to make the party at least in the same condition he was before the Society far more is it against Justice to see the party undone and perish for us above all if we can afford him help or comfort least of all to rejoyce and make our own advantages of his losses who hath lost himself for us If the thing be so among particular Societies of men Why not so betwixt State and State who are nothing else but a Congregation of lesser Societies And if Justice is to be done by the lesser Why is not the greater far more tyed to it For the most part particular men are either punished or cried out upon as cheaters if they cozen or deceive their fellows And shall States escape free not onely from censure but be thought wise and prudent men for their deceits And shall circumvening in publike affaires be not onely not thought evil but esteemed as a vertue Hence cunning deceitfull man is called Politick and deceit is called Policy To such hight of wickednesse are we now come that vice must go under the name of vertue for Policy is the honest just and prudent carriage of publike affaires and not deceit and guile in them If it were onely to give sin a term lessening the shame of the crime it were to be born withall as for example to call stealing robbing and spoiling plundering as now adayes we do But to call vice vertue is intolerable Next We may see if this stands with the Treaty by this sole instance which is here inserted as it is in the first article And in case that notwithstanding the monethly sum of Thirty thousand pounds payed as aforesaid the States of Scotland shall have just cause to demand further satisfaction of their Brethren of England when the Peace of both Kingdoms is setled for their pains hazards and charges they have undergone they shall have due recompense made unto them by the Kingdom of England Now if the Scots for their pains hazards and charges be not payed of their monethly allowance How is the Treaty observed But the necessity of the times may excuse if there be not a full payment when there is willingnesse to perform if there were capacity But to give reproaches and injuries with threatning and to send men home with shame and without satisfaction who have done and undergone so much for thy good and to save thee from perdition is doubtlesse far from gratitude I pray thee What is it and how far is it from recompense Not to allow men to run home and quench the fire in their own house left having devoured the one it should destroy the other which it would do if it were not quenched in time Yea so long as the fire was but burning in one end of the house in respect of the ingagement it was in a manner little regarded but when it came to shake the very foundations of the building and deface it quite then it was full time to look to it And yet it cannot be approved by some because forsooth There was not a formall warning given as in decency was fit yet it was done with such order as could be expected upon such a nick of time But here it may be said What needs all this to speak of the Treaty Hath ever been any Treaty made betwixt two Nations or States but each have made their best advantage of it and ordinarily the Southern Nation hath been too cunning for the Northern as may be seen in all the Treaties betwixt Spaine and France Spaine hath outcunning'd France and so in the Treaties betwixt France and England France hath over-reached England and so of such others for the most part But as the Southern Nation hath over-reached the Northern by slight and cunning so the Northern oftentimes hath surpast by Field-action the other The reason of this is from the constitution of the body in the Northern people vile domineerers whereby they are inclined to do things rather by a strong hand then otherwise In the Southern people melancholy reigneth whereby they are inclined unto devises to compasse things with lesse force and hazard for where there is most wisdom there is least hazard The more North or South that a people be the more or lesse they have the one of the other But since the Treaty betwixt the Parliament of England and the State of Scotland runs upon other principles to wit of Religion this human over-reaching cunning or surprising is not and ought not to have any place but all is to be guided by conscience according to equity before God and as weare sworn to in our Covenant Wherefore now let us see how this agrees with the Covenant whereby we are all solemnly sworn to promote and advance the setling of a through Reformation in the Church according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Neighbour Churches and if these reproaches injuries and hard usage of the Scots who have contribute so much to bring
this time come to a great hight had been in little consideration and they whose valour and wisdom are so much questioned at this time surely in their own businesse they did shew themselves to have both to the admiration of their Neighbours and their valour and wisdom were never questioned till they were joyned with England and although they have shewn do shew daily both as much as men can do for the carrying on the Work wherein they are ingaged unto the content of all impartiall men although not to the mind of self-conceited phantasticall and by-ended ones who gave out That the Scots will destroy them and themselves Surely I am perswaded had the Scots framed their courses according to the desires altogether of some men they had long ere now both been destroyed and had they not so far complied with the humours of some men the Publike Service had been in a better estate in all probability In this I blame the wisdom of the Scots for otherwise they had not suffered their own Countrey thus to be spoiled in compliance to some when they might have helped it in time As for their means Although in the eyes of the superabondants they be not so considerable yet they were such that they lived well upon them and they could wish with all their hearts to have no more then they had when they joyned with England for the Service of this Common Cause And if they reproach the barrennesse of the soile in Scotland It is the fault of the Climate which lieth so Northerly and not of the people and the soile if it be not so fertile of fruits as hotter grounds yet it abounds in men of valour and wisdom as much as any Countrey whatsoever of its compasse And these despicable ones of old and of late have obtained Victories against great and considerable Enemies by valour Perhaps if the Scots were more enclined to husbandry or improving their ground and other things which nature affords them by the goodnesse of God they would be in a kinde more plentifull of conveniencies for the life of man then they are As to the Garison-Towns which the Scots have rescued from the Enemy for the good of this Church and State with hazard hardship and losse of divers brave men and which are still in the Scots hands for the publike Service it hath ministred one convenient occasion unto those factious ones to make a great deal ado yea to strive to bring things to a breach betwixt the two Kingdoms if it were possible and they have proceeded so far as to cause the Towns and Places to be demanded from the Scots betwixt such and such a day without any consideration unto equity Whether or no it is just that the Scots have some places of retreat so long as they are in the Service of the Common Cause wherein they are obliged by Common Interest and bound by Treaty to continue till the full setling of things in Church and State Next Without consideration if it be or not for the benefit of the Service now in hand that these Garison-Places should be left by the Scots since we have seen by divers passages and occurrences of affaires that it hath proved very usefull for the said Service that those places were in their hands for a time namely in the enterprise of Digby with his associates towards Scotland Then When we cast our eyes upon those who have an aim particularly at the having of those places we shall finde it to be fit for the Service of the Cause which we fight for that those Garison-Towns should remain with those who now have them for a time who are both constant and trusty to their true principles of the Covenant and the others altogether against the good of the said Service Yea It is most prejudiciable to the Cause we have now in hand to put those places in the hands of those who either side with the Common Enemy still in their affections as they have been serving him openly by their actions formerly or of those who underhand with cunning stop the setling of things amongst us as we are sworn to by the Covenant and so frustrate so far as in them lies the intention of it Further Those men who are so little faithfull to the Covenant cannot from their heart mind the good of the State or people more then they do the welfar of the Church As the Scots took Arms for the publike Service they neither pretended nor did intend to hold the places they have taken any longer then the said Service shall require for the setling of the ends of the Common Cause expressed in the Covenant no more then they did formerly witnesse their returning so quietly home and their refusall of those Seigneuries Towns and Counties adjacent from the King to joyn with him against the Parliament and that more then once Me thinks that after all this all rationall and unprejudiciall men should speak clearly for the Scots fair and honest intentions since they are entred into so solemn a League and Covenant for which they have undergone and do to this day undergo so much hardship hazards and losses Men may talk and babble yea devise tricks and fancies for a time but it is honesty and truth that holds out to the end and it stands with Gods Justice to make lyes and double dealings fall to the ground Before I conclude I will adde this short ensuing discourse First There hath been a great busling raised by those factious men who trouble both State and Church about the publishing of some papers given in to the Houses of Parliament by the Scots Commissioners Those men had prevailed so far with some of their Friends in authority as to make an exact scrutinie by whom these papers were first printed and by whose order as for the second impression they had nothing to say which the Commissioners caused to be made upon a nicety for some faults of the Printer committed in the first impression thinking themselves wronged namely because it was not corrected according to their mind and the thing to have been done without their expresse order but since it was done it could not be ret called Next Those factious men moved their Friends in authority to draw up a Declaration against the Scots for those papers with very tart expressions as we are informed but after riper deliberation the fume of anger being setled the thing was left off a time for they did clearly perceive that no Declaration satisfactory to the people could be made against the Scots or their papers since it could not be demonstrated that full satisfaction in reason had been given to the Scots upon their severall papers from time to time given in Now Let the Scots Commissioners confesse that they have failed by their silence in not making known unto the world from time to time the papers of greatest concernment which they have given in to the Houses and what satisfaction they have received upon