the reall condition of that Kingdome and happily prevented the ensuing calamities of all If not impossible it is very improbable that ever the King shall come to a full knowledge of Scotland while he imployes Scotchmen into there native country where there proper and indeed all there interest lyes Which very few men doe and those find it very hard too to divest themselves of their own interests and lay them aside There Allyes there Estates there Friends there one thing or another abates there Zeale to his Majesties service what earnestnes soever they put on for a disguise But this is that which most dwels with me I am so blind I cannot see how it is safe for the King to trust men that are privy to his designs here and have so great relation to Scotland whither or no for fall back fall edge they will provide for their own preservation will not they which hitherto hath been constantly practised conceale something from both that neither the King nor his Subjects of Scotland shall come to a right understanding of each other they themselves shuffling and dealing will know how the Cards goe and will suit their game accordingly This benefit the King will receive by imploying English He shall be certaine to know faithfully what he must trust to and in extremities it is a singular good to know the worst of ills Which way soever his Majesties Counsell shall incline the sending to them will be no Remora to his other resolutions for he may and must prepare for action howsoever If the King resolve as I know not how he better can to make use of his power and force them to the obedience from which they are fain My Lord you understand well who must doe his businesse and beate their Apostacy into duty and performances not they who Traiterously presumed to take the Crown from hiâ— Maâ—esties head and Rebelliously entrencht on his Sacred authority but those who would have set and held it on Not they who to prosecute I know not what private sinister and unhansome ends publikely repented of having served the last Sainted King of Sacred memory in the just preservation of his Royall Person and duest Prerogatives not they who in his Majesties greatest exgencies and necessities not only deserted his imployments but as if that had not been enough entered into a confederacy with his severest and most Barbarous enemies Not they who to show their power in one kingdome weakened and ensebled the strength of two and empoverished the Kings friends to enrich his enemies Not they who led out Freemen in Scotland to render them Prisoners in Englaâ—d and slaves to Forraign Countries I have no Fâ—â—th â—n Covenants nor will I ever more trust the Oaths of perfidious and Perjurd meâ— I will â—epose more confidence in one excommunicated Christian then in a legion of Heathnish Covenanters Till this time I never thought excommunication a blessing When Allegiance is there crime and obedience the cause why they are excluded the Pale of there reformed Church I shall look and hope for salvation without it and a little doubt theirs that are within Let me live and dye with those noble Soules that to save their honors have with those bad bold men lost there Titles They are rich and happy though robd of all it was possible to take from them They are honorable although degraded and have good right to there Coates and Honors what usurping Covenanter soever and unjust pretender swell in the borrowed robes of their untainted Titles My Lord iâ— did not a little please me after their severall mockfasts in Scotland to see the very common people as if they were undeceived entertain the Covenant with scorn and laughter in the very Churches so ridiculous and horrid a thing did it seem to them for any to offer that again which they had broke the first time and intended nothing lesse then to keep the second I pitty there present and sad condition which comming but lately from thence I cannot so soon forget which to repaire I am confident they would now prefer the Kings interest to any whatsoever My Lord Your Lordship knows that I know their severall Factions and their Fractions Kind Heaven multiply their divisions Divide impera was said of old and I could wish upon as good grounds the Heads of those Factions were more heartily together by the Ears that they were at that distance I could from my heart wish their heads from their shoulders Till some of their heads shall be divided from their bodies it will be hard to divide the body of that Kingdom from those Heads I fear Combination and suspect Conspiracies amongst those Covenanters It was much the discourse before I left those parts there had been meetings in the night the aptest season for dark intentions between the greatest seeming adversaries and irreconcileable Let them designe in Hollowest Caverns of the Earth and plot in deapest Hell from whence they borrow there black Counsels whose Actions will not indure the light whose professions differ from their Actions who draw neer to the King with their lips when their hearts are far from him I dread that Monster worse then the Night-mare which these Nocturnae lucubrationes valde pâ—riculosiores will in time if not prevented unseasonably produce when they blush not to fit in Counsell by night that are ashamed to be seen converse in the day when the Sun would blush to discover them together My Lord Were it not strange for me to tell and you to beleeve that yet the Covenant is urged to the King That fatall Covenant which his Glorious Father of ever blessed Memory with honour unexampled and a conscience inviolable rejected and contemned Away with the Covenant that meer stalking Horse trained up to betray and make a prey of poor innoeent and unwary simplicity What vizard must they put on what confident face that offer to the King or expect he should keep what they themselves have most wilfully violated I blush for them that they are no whit out of countenance to present so unsavory a dish to his Princely Pallate of which many having furfetted they disgorged it before and have not themselves tasted in the second course who having been in the unlawfull the dismall engagement are debarred from participating without publik repentance made Well may they give satisfaction to there Kirke and retake that pretious morsell the Covenant it self can give none to the King when he shall consider the ruins of his Kingdoms reflect on the losse of his Crown and meditate on the Barbarous murther of his innocent Father sadly occasioned by their damnable league and cursed Covenant against which he is neither Loyall nor Religious that enters not his protestation My Lord their remains one thing I shal acquaint your Lordsh with which seâ—iâ—usly I grieve to write there are who whisper unprofitable dangerous delays in the Kings care insinuating what a longer time may bring forth I should be
A LETTER SENT From a Gentleman IN THE HAGUE TO A Noble and Loyal EARL IN SCOTLAND My dear Lord I Hold a very great Obligation to your fair opinion that you dare so boldly rely upon my weak uncertain and most unfixt judgment as to make it the basis and foundation whereon you have designed to build such noble resolutions as shall render you to the world in all your actions glorious This were if possible to make me more your Lordships debtor when in your high civilities and undeserved favours you have express'd your self a Tyrant and have already engaged me above my Abilities or hopes to return the least satisfaction Without your commands to which I owe a duty and shall pay a reverence I should forbear to give you the present of my slender observation and inconsiderable knowledge in which you will sooner meet a perplexity then any contentation My ready obedience shall witnesse my respects of which I can give no other account then that they are infinite My Lord The eyes of all Christendom are intent and fixt on our young and most hopefull King he is the sole and Noble object of all mens thoughts and expectations and indeed the most proper object of all Princes whose interests are so inextricably involved in his that what is his cruel and unjust Fate this day by a sudden revolution may be theirs the next Certainly It is not improvidence but necessary prudence to use their utmost endeavours and imploy all their force to secure their own when their Neighbours house is set on fire which they can no way better do then by diligently attempting to extinguish those flames that so neerly and dangerously threaten them If the People that Nobile sterquilinium by an usurped power will take into their hands the publick managing of Kingdoms I know not what Government can be either safe or lasting When Monarchy under which we have flourished and Prospered so many ages and have been happy to the wonder and envy of other Nations is supplanted and destroyed our fundamentall lawes totally subverted when Kings are fotc't to render that account of their Actions before men before their subjects which they owe to God alone and should not pay till the last Audit When they are sentenced and barbarously put to death When the encroaching sword controlls the awfull Scepter and Crowns the glory of the Kings head are with contempt and scorn basely trampled under foot Outrages so horrid that I abhor from my very soul the unworthy memory of them the onely naming of them puts me into distemper and my thoughts into a confusion I grow inraged when I consider how of the best of Kings the best of 〈◊〉 the best of Saints those Apocriphal Devils have made a cursed example without a Precedent Who-ever shall revolve and search all the Registers of Antiquity return to the first Annals and make the strictest inquiry into the Records of History shall never finde that Justice did serve for a hand maid to 〈◊〉 in a Murther so inhumane and so execrable or that her sacred 〈◊〉 and Power was ever so blasphemed that the most damnable impiety â—â—â—ginable should resume the title of Righteous Judgment And that the most just and pious King having acted nothing contrary to Law and being above Law should be made subject to that Law and suffer under a meer formality My Lord It is lost time and no benefit to repeat past and so unpleasing actions it is high time to advise what is expedient and necessary to be done and since there is no remedy no power to recall what is past presently provide against future inconveniences I shall freely communicate to your Lordship my sense and if I understand any thing aright what it is I conceive most fit and just My Lord I understand my self so well as I shall not presume to advise conscious of my own weaknesses Yet I know my self so well again as I can finde no reason why I should despair so as not to dare to inform Information is the life of Counsel Counsel the life of a Prince in the life of a Prince how many are concern'd The King hath now had time enough to consult with his Melancholy his Griefs must now yeeld place to his nobler Anger his Majesty grow austere and put on just indignation I would see those Blacks sad emblems of Sorrow chang'd into revenging Scarlet and the whole earth wearing his purple Livery dyed in the blood of persidious Rebels Yet should the inundation swell to that height which might threaten an universall Deluge it would not suffice to wash away the stains of their black and detestable Murther No sacrifice can expiate and appease the incensed Deity when innocent blood spilt on the ground can by no art be gathered up Revenge Revenge is sweet whose dayly meditation is not Revenge till he can meet an hour and opportunity to breath iâ— on those unparallel'd villains he is a Conspirator he consented and is guilty of the Kings Death and Murther How far short of his duty falls that Subject that tamely spends and wastes his strength in effeminate tears whose Masculine vigour should be exhausted in drops of blood I would choose to avenge yet I cannot choose too but bemoan so dear a losse My Lord I am confirmed in the same opinion in which your last Consultations and your Lordships most answerable reasons did irresistibly engage me I conclude from those really true premises the King must force his way to his Crowne in England through the heart of Scotland it is most just and necessary to reduce first to there due obedience that people that first and most unjustly rebelled The Question and the Difficulty will be objected which way I propose to my self but two either by force or Policie the sowing of the Lyons skin to the Foxes or the joyning of a Mans head to the neck of a horse is not a third distinct but rather a conjunction of both policy and force in one where singly they come short of there expected operation the nimblenesse and dexterity of the one quickens and spirits the powers of the other Policy and reason serve for a bridle to restraine and curbe Force when it grows too refractory and head-strong If Policy prevailes in the purposes of the King policy is a kind of beating the Bush while the Birds fly away and escape for they are too old to be caught with Chaffe and too strong to be held with lymetwigs The King must then send an addresse to the House of Parliament that defiled Cage of all manner of unclean fowles and if he will ever rightly understand the true state of that Kingdome he must imploy men able and faithfull of his owne I remember well what I heard long since the Earle of Dorset tell the late King of ever blessed Memory that had he sent an Englishman into Scotland to negotiate his affaires there when he commanded the then Marquis of Hamilton he had perfectly understood
wondrous sorry to see the old but pregnant Mother of truth delivered of more Monsters and prodigies I feare all will miscary if there appear no likelihood of quick sudden action our big expectation and seeming hopes will conclude in a tympany I feare ill designes and worse intendments when tedious advise and lingring counsell serve for no other end then to retard execution when long deliberations prevent necessary performances and give his Majesties enemies who are not wanting in Scotland opportunity to strengthen and corroborate themselves and oppose him with greater advantages principiis obsta is sound advise when we sensibly find sero medicina paratur The continuation of there practises wants nothing but continuance of time to cement those deadly conspirators of both Kingdoms to strongly that I know not how many ages will suffice to dissolve them They will be so firmly linckt together the King will find it a difficult work and an uncouth labour to unrivit and break them in peeces the Kings flownes when danger and necessity urge will adde to them and take from himself How providently do they begin to secure themselves by either securing the Royall party or forcing those whose loyalty they suspect and of whose disloyalty they have not a perfect assurance to give caution good security nor to disturbe the peace of there Sion We may vainly flatter and fondly deceive our selves with hopes from those Men who have taken off the heads of so many gallant persons for no other cause then that of the Kings and there faithfulnes to his commands and service And which is the most inhumane and savage thing sold there King into the Land of Bondage to be cruelly opprest and basely suffered him to be butchered where a profest Hangman in that then themselves more noble disdaind the base employment And both are rendred to posterity memorable only the Hangman takes place as justly deserving the preheminence and I am confident there would arise a contention about his were some of them to be exalred My Lord I wish it were as safe as necessary for the King to appeare there in his Royall Person and indisputable right Or that there were not a necessity for one of the Royall line Certainly the presence and Majesty of a King hath at least such influence on rebels that if it terrify them not it abates much of their pride and malice many will readily rise in armes to assist him that will not stir a foot to follow though the best of their fellow Subjects Carry what vertue soever a Commission can it is their vice among many others they foolishly distinguish his Person and his power and fondly beleeve to justifie there resistance that they rebell not against the King when they fight against his authority And albeit they cannot deny in the word of a King against whom there is no rising there is Power many of them will oppose that power derived from him that will not dare to affront his person So unwisely doe they argue and dispute his personall and politick capacity a costly distinction But how shall the King be entertained in Scotland by those that so earnestly invited and gave so full and hearty a welcome to his most cruell enemy would they not entreate the second time there coming to keep him company False people in common civilities out done by a Hangman who in that one act the not doing it exprest lesse of the slave and more of loyalty to the King then ever they had done in there counterfet pretences And ignoble shadows of faith and Allegiance This is the reason why many declare there dislike to that Nation and anaversion to the Kings going into Scotland providing meerly for his safety and their owne they are extreamly unwilling he should adventure his Person and imbarke with those that had shipwrackt your Royall Soveraigne he is an unskilfull Mariner or too bold and hardy that hazards the splitting of his vessell against a discover'd Rock or running on ground on shelves and knowne quicksands where he is swallowed up unpittied Really it is a high adventure and his Majesty enterpriseth a dangerous and desperate voyage when he goes to harbour in Scotland But when we discourse of crowns and Scepters and regaining of revolted Kingdomes and when he hath nothing left him but his life which Heaven preserve to make himself and his Subjects happy who will not hazard that which will otherwise be spent under the degree of a Prince heire apparent and undoubted Successor to three potent Kingdomes In the persuit of private affaires let who will stop or desist at pleasure as they find it most conducing to their advantages and the attaining of their proposed ends in the progres to the recovery of an Empire there is no meane between the death of an enemy and the life of a Prince It was the Devils doctrine all that a man hath he will give for his life The gallant man returns him the lye who to save that life will not loose his honour For the King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland to reside in Holland ubi precario regnatur aliena vivitur Quadra is to goe lesse then himself when his high attempts and mighty Actions should proclaime to the whole world from what Royall and most renowned Ancestors he is lineally descended My Noble Lord how should we joy to view him on the head of a Puissant Army confronting the Eenmy in that bold posture Lucan draws Caesar when he courts his metal'd Souldiers Steel'd with courage and resolution Ita per ignavas gentes per inhospita Regna Atque uno ferri motu prosternite Mundum I have as great regards to his Royall Person as who bears the most but I know Non jacet in molli lecto veneranda Corona The Gods sell all things to us Mortals here below at the price of labour and sweat and sure they set Crowns at a higher Rate I would see him make the tributary earth his couch and the auspicious Heavens spreading there embrodered and spangled Cannopy over his sacred Head And when the busy Traitor and too troublesome Enemy will spare him so much leave and leisure as to refresh himself make the grasse his Carpet and the ground his table that was lately both his pillow and bed I would see him cut out a way to his Crown through the bowells of his proud and rebellious Foes Heap up Piles of slaughtered Bodys and make there bleeding necks the steps by which he should ascend into his Royall Throne I would see him run the hazard of a War and trust the propitious heavens with the successe I know what share Fortune challengeth to her self in every Battaile and I would allow that Blind Chance better Christians call it Providence no more then what cannot be denyd Not to trust were to disparage providence not to beleeve it were a peece of Atheisme It were absolute madnes to imagine and beleeve that the justly provoked deity against which the