that our History may appear to be all of a piece and void of Breaks as much as may be Walter therefore had a Son named Alane who as they say follow'd Godfrey of Bullogn into the Holy Land in the Year 1099. Alexander was his Son who begat Walter Stuart he had Issue Alexander whose Son was John the Father of Walter Stuart that marry'd the Daughter of King Robert Bruce and begat on her Robert Stuart call'd in the Scotch Chronology Robert the second King of Scotland but he was the first Stuart that was advanced to the Throne of that Kingdom But before we can fairly come to give you an exact Account hereof it will be necessary to premise a short Scheme of the Contests between the said Baliol and Bruce because somewhat interwoven with the Affair of this Family Upon the disastrous death of Alexander the Third who broke his Neck as he was gallopping his Horse at Kingcorn over the West-clift of the place near the Sea-side and left no Issue but had only a Grand-child by his Daughter in Norway very young and who died soon after Scotland fell under an Interregnum for the space of six Years and nine Months as Buchanan computes it for so long it was between the Death of Alexander and the declaring of John Baliol King of Scotland and in the mean time you may be sure there wanted not Pretensions to the Crown and the case briefly was thus William King of Scotland had a Brother named David Earl of Huntington and great Uncle to this Alexander the III. which David had three Daughters Margaret marry'd to Allan Lord of Gallaway Isabel to Robert Bruce Lord Annadale and Cleveland and Adda to Henry Hastings Earl of Huntington now Allane begat on his Wife Margaret a Daughter named Dornadilla marry'd in process of time to John Baliol after King of Scotland and two other Daughters Bruce by his Wife Isabel had Robert Bruce Earl of Carrick as having married the Inheritrix thereof but as for Huntington he laid no manner of Claim Now the question was whether Baliol in right of the eldest Daughter or Robert Bruce being descended of the second but a Male should have the Crown he being in the same Degree and of the more worthy Sex The Controversie was tossed up and down by the Governors and Nobles of the Kingdom for a long time but at last upon serious deliberation it was agreed to refer the whole matter to the decision of Edward the I. King of England which he was not a little glad of For resolving to fish in these troubled Waters he stirs up eight Competitors more that he might further puzzle the Cause and at length with twenty four Councellors half Scots half English and a great many Lawyers so handled the Business that after a great many cunning delays he secretly tampers with Bruce who was then conceiv'd to have the better Right of the Business that if he would acknowledge to hold the Crown of him he would adjudge it in favour of him But he generously answering That he valued a Crown at a less rate than for the wearing of the same to put his Country under a Foreign Yoke Edward turns about and makes the same motion to Baliol who did not stick to accept of it Baliol having thus gotten a Crown as unhappily kept it for he was no sooner invested with it and done Homage to King Edward according to Agreement but the Aberthenys having slain Mackduff Earl of Fife he not only pardon'd them the Fact but gave them a piece of Land that was in Controversie between them Whereupon Mucduff's Brother being enraged makes a Complaint of him to King Edward who sent for him used him so that he made him rise from his Seat at Parliament and go to the Bar and answer for himself He hereupon was so enraged at this manner of Usage that when King Edward sent to him for Assistance against the French he absolutely refused it and proceeded so far as to renounce his Homage to him This incensed King Edward to the quick and so with an armed Power he hastens to Berwick where he routed the Scots took and kill'd to the number of Seven Thousand of them among them most of the Nobility of Fife and Lowthian and some time after gave them also a great Overthrow at Dunbar which occasion'd the immediate surrender of the Castle of the said place into his Hands After this he marches to Montross where Baliol was brought to resign up both himself and his Crown to King Edward all the Scotch Nobility at the same time doing him Homage The Consequence whereof was that Baliol was sent Prisoner to London and from thence after a Years detention into France But while Edward was possess'd of all Scotland one William Wallace arose who tho' but a private Man bestirred himself in the publick Calamity of his Country and gave the English several notable Foyls This brought King Edward into Scotland again with an Army and falling upon Wallace routs him who was overcome with Emulation and Envy from his Countrymen as well as power from the Enemy upon which he laid by his Command and never acted after but by slight Incursions but the English Army after this being beaten at Roslin Edward comes in again and takes Sterling and makes them all render him Homage Robert Bruce Son to the foresaid Bruce that contested with Baliol for the Crown was in King Edward's Court and him the King had often promised to put in possession of the Crown But Bruce finding at last that all his promises were illusory and nothing but smoak he enters into a Confederacy with John Cummin sirnamed the Red how he might get the Kingdom but being basely betray'd by him to King Edward he had much ado to make his escape and when he was got into Scotland the first thing he did was to stab Cummin at Drumâ—reis and then got himself Crown'd King at Scone Never did any Man come with greater disadvantage to the possession of a Crown or underwent greater Hardships for the sake of it He was beaten over and over by King Edward's Troops forced to flee to the Highlands with one Companion or two and to lurk in the Mountains in great misery as if he had been rather a Beast of prey than a rational Creature And while he was in this miserable State it is storied of him by Fourdon That being in a Morning lying down on his Bed in a little Cottage whither he was glad to retire and make the same his Pallace he espies a Spider striving to climb up into her Web which she had spun to the roof of the House but failing of her purpose the first time she attempts it the second and third time and so on to the sixth and last wherein she accomplishes it and gets in the King who as well as his Companion had all the while view'd the Action said Now let 's get up and hasten to the Lowlands to try our Fortunes
and by But before her arrival in Scotland John Forbes a young Gentleman of a great Family was accused of a Design he had many years before to Assassinate the King It was believed to be a malitious prosecution of the Huntley's but Condemned he was and lost his head and a few Days after came on another Tryal which on the account of the Family of the accused Parties the Novelty of it and the heinousness of the punishment was very Lamentable and Tragical and plainly shews the Kings mind was cruel and implacable Joan Dowglass Sister to the Earl of Angus of whom we have said so much and Wife to John Lyons Lord of Glames also her Son and latter Husband Gilespy Campell John Lyons Kinsman to her former Husband and an old Priest were accused for endeavouring to poyson the King All these tho' they lived continually in the Country far from the Court and their Friends and Servants could not be brought to witness any thing against them yet were put on the rack to extort a Confession from them and so were Condemned and shut up in Edenburg Castle Joan Dowglass was burnt alive with great Commiseration of all the Spectators The Nobleness both of her self and Husband did much affect the beholders Besides she was in the vigour of her youth much celebrated for her rare Beauty and in her very punishment she shewed a manlike Fortitude But that which people were more concerned for was that they thought the enmity against her Brother who was banished did her more prejudice then her own objected Crime Her Husband endeavoured to escape out of the Castle of Edenburg but the Rope being too short to let him down to the foot of the Rock brake almost all the bones of his body with the fall and so ended his Days Their Son a young Man and of greater Innocent simplicity then to have the suspicion of such a wickedness justly charged upon him was for all that shut up a Prisoner in the Castle And the accuser of all these William Lyons by name afterwards perceiving that so eminent a Family was like to be utterly ruined by his false Information Repented when it was too late and confessed his offence to the King Yet so bloody was he an instance I think hardly to be parallelled in all the records of time that it did not prevent the Execution of the Condemned or hinder their Estates from being Confiscate and the aforesaid young Gentleman was not discharged from his Imprisonment and Restored to his Inheritance till after the King's Death which is now upon the Wing But as we have given you the Tragical part of his past life in all the Circumstances of them we shall depeint unto you all the concurrent causes of his Tragical and Untimely Death and to that End we are necessitated to recount some few things to you that in order of time precede and you must note That King Henry VIII having upon the account of his Divorce from Queen Katherine Proclaimed himself head of the Church and utterly disclaimed the Pope's Authority in England he thereby contracted great enmity not only from Rome but also from Spain and the Empire Wherefore to strengthen himself against any Combination that he expected to be made against him he was desirous to entertain a strict amity with his Nephew James V. of Scotland and to that End directs Ambassadors to him inviting him to a Conference at York whither Henry offered to come and meet him Alledging That by such an interview matters might be better concerted for the mutual Interest of both Kingdoms K. James after a serious Deliberation returns Answer he would attend his Unkle at the Time and Place appointed who thereupon made very great preparations to Entertain him with utmost solemnity But the Scotch Clergy apprehensive least their King through his Unkles Perswasions and Example might be wrought upon to shake off the Pope's Authority in Scotland as he had done in his own Dominions Resolve to do the utmost of their endeavours to prevent the intended interview and so mustering up all their Forces by themselves and the Kings minions and flatterers acquaint him with the evil Câ—nseâ—uence of his going to England shew how King James I. had been kept Prisoner in England how ill the French their old Confederates and the Emperor would take it at his hands That King Henry was excommunicate that a dangerous Heresy had overspread not only the greatest part of that Kingdom but had infected even the King himself That many of his own Nobility were favourers of the said Heresy which notwithstanding if he took care timously to suppress it would be of mighty advantage to him and he might very much increase his revenue by their Estates a list of whose names they presented to him which he put in his Pocket thinking it a very profitable proposal and therefore with all expedition to be put in Execution The Lord Grang his Treasurer and who secretly favoured the Reformation was then much in his favour and to him the King shews the foresaid List telling him what great advantage he would make of it whereat the Treasurer smiled and withall desired leave to speak his mind freely upon which the King drew his Sword and merily said to him I le kill thee if thou speak against my profit Then the Treasurer began to set before him at large the various troubles of his Reign while in minority and what an hand the Clergy had in all the disorders that he had not been long a free Prince And that though his Majesty had done very much in thâ— time in setling the Highlands and the Borders yet desired him to consider of what a dangerous consequence it might be if his Nobility should get intelligence that some greedy fetches had been insinuated to him under pretence of Heresie to dispoile them of their Lives and Inheritances And thereby endanger his own Estate at the instance of those whose Estates were in danger and who would hazard him and his to save their own I mean continued the Treasurer the Prelates who are afraid least your Majesty according to the Example of the King 's of England and Denmark and other Princes of the Empire should make the like Reformation among them and therefore they are clearly against your having any familiarity with the King of England or to have your Affairs so settled as to give you leisure to look into and reform the abuses of the Church Then he went on and shewed him how the Revenues of the Crown were wasted and the vast Estates of the Clergy their addictedness to the Pope their sly carriage in insinuating themselves into all secrets of State the wisdom of the Venetians in that particular in excluding the whole Levitical Order from their Senate-house the gross abuses of the Church of Rome the scandalous lives of the Scotch Clergy and last of all urged how dishonourable and dangerous it would be to his Majesty not to keep his word with
aid at hand had set themselves in array at the Bridge of the River Aven which is about a mile from Linlithgow and placed a small Guard upon the Bridge to secure the Pass and drew up the rest of their Forces at the brow of the Hiâ—â— which they knew the Enemy must pass Lennox seeing that this passage over the Bridge was stopped Commanded his Men to pass over a small River a little above by the Nunnery called Manuell and so to beat the Hamiltonians from the Hills before Dowglass's Forces had joyned them The Lennoxians advanced towards the Enemy thorough thick and thin but were much incommoded by the others throwing of Stones down the Hills upon them and when they came to handy strokes the word was given that the Dowglasses were at hand and indeed they from their march ran in hastily into the Fight and soon carried the Day so that Lennox's Men were grievously wounded and put to flight The Victory was used by the Hamiltonians with much cruelty and among the Number of the slain was the Earl of Lennox himself highly lamented by all Persons and more especially by the King himself who now saw no visible hopes of ever retrieving his Liberty and could not choose but see how fatal his presence was to all that attempted it Now the Dowglasses are Lords paramount and carry all before them those that had taken up Arms against their King as they phrased it for fear of a Tryal were forced to compound with them for money or to put themselves into the Clanships of the Hamiltons or themselves and such as refused they utterly ruined yea and the Queen her self thought fit to retire to a place of Secrecy least she should fall into the hands of her Husband whom she hated But fury abating with time and the Dowglasses being severally intent upon other matters and concerns and secure as they thought as to the Kings Departure from them gave him at last an opportunity to gain his Liberty which all the former attempts of his Friends could not effect for him They believed now that his mind was fully Reconciled to them by those Blandishments and Immoderate Pleasures they had indulged him in and besides thought that if he were minded to remove there was no faction strong enough to oppose them neither was there any strong Garrison whither to retire but only to Sterling Castle which was allotted to the Queen for her Habitation And then it was deserted for a time by the Queens Officers when she hid her self for fear of the Dowglasses and when the tumult was a little appeased 't was somewhat Fortified but rather for a shew then any real defence The King having obtained some small relaxation saw that this must be his only refuge and and therefore he deals privately with his Mother to exchange that Castle and the Lands adjoining for other Lands as convenient for her and providing all other requisites as private as he could the Dowglasses not being so intent as formerly in their watch over him he retired by night with a small retinue from Falkland to Sterling whither he soon sent for some of the Nobles to come to him and others hearing the News came of their own accord so that now he seemed sufficiently secured against all force Then he issued out a Proclamation that the Dowglasses should abstain from all the Administration of publick affairs and that none of their Dependants should come within 12 miles of the Court upon pain of Death This Proclamation was quickly seconded with an Assembly of the Nobles at Edenburg where they had such Terms offered them as they would not accept whereupon their Offices were taken from them and themselves Summoned to attend the Parliament at Edenburg But they knowing the danger Endeavoured to seise upon Edenburg and dissolve the Parliament but failed in the attempt So that thâ— Earl of Angus retired to his Castle of Tanâ—allon and the Parliament proceeded in their business and the Earl with his Brothers Relations and intimate Friends were out Lawed They on the other hand being enraged at these proceedings and seeing all hopes of Pardon cut off betook themsâ—lves to open force and Committed all sorts of Outrages upon the Lands of their Enemies and with their Horse advanced many times to the very Gates of Edenburg so that the City was almost besieged by them The King thinking to unroost them all at once raises Forces and lays siege to Tantallon Castle but all that ever he could do could not take it At length the Dowglasses finding the Hamiltons and the rest of their Friends fail them found it necessary to retire for their better safety into England from whence came Ambassadors shortly after about settling a firm Peace between both Kingdoms and with the same labour to procure the Restitution of the Dowglasses King James was mighty desirous to have Tantallon Castle in his Power and at the same time his mind as averse to the Restoration of the Dowglasses and for that reason the matter was convassed too and fro for some Days and no temper of Accommodation could be found out But at length they came to this That Tantallon Castle should be surrendered to K. James a Truce between both Nations for five Years and the other demands in referrence to the Dowglasses he promised to grant under his Signet When the Castle was surrendered according to Composition the King failed of his Royal Word and not one of the Dowglasses were permitted to return which was foul prevarication in him and a stain that will not easily be blotted off his Memory seeing this was a principal matter in the Agreement and the Equivalent for the Castle The Truce about half expired was infringed by a War between both Nations which the French Ambassador endeavoured to compose and about the same time James transacts with the French King and afterward with the Emperor about a Match which was like to endanger his life For the Hamiltons almost confident of the Succession yet looking upon it a long way about to stay either for Fortuitous or Natural dangers to befall him and fearfull in case he married he might have Lawfull Issue of his own studied to hasten his Death by Treachery a fair opportunity was offered them to effect it by his Night-walkings to his Misses having but one or two in Company but however it were they ne'er could put their purpose in Execution The Emperor's offers were rejected and at last he went over himself into France to seek him a Wife and brings over along with him Magdelen Daughter to Francis the French King but she died soon after and had no issue The Death of Magdalen did but whet his desires to get him another Wife and to that End he dispatched Cardinal David Beaton and others into France to treat of a Match between himself and Mary of the House of Guise Widdow to the Duke of Longeville by whom he had two Sons and a Daughter of whom you 'll hear by
before the Army which so distasted all of them and especially the Lord Maxwell that all things were presently in a Confusion and the Army ready to disband The opportunity of an adjoining Hill gave the English a full prospect into their Army and invited them to make advantage thereof and so they fell upon the Scots with a furious charge quickly routed them slew a great number of them and took abundance of prisoners among whom Sinclair their General made one The News of this defeat was no sooner brought to the King who was not far off but he fell into a great rage and fury which terminated in sadness and heavy grief of heart as Robert II. his great Ancestor did upon the taking of his Son James by the English and this brought him to watch and be abstemious disdaining to eat his Victuals And coming to understand that the Country was full of murmurings that the Kingdom should be thus endangered for the Prelates pleasure and knowing withal that such Complaints were Just and True this made him burst out with some threatning and revengeful language against such as had given him such bad advice and so hastned his untimely Death For those evil Councellors had no sooner understood what he said but they considered the danger they might be in if he should survive and fearing the Effects of his displeasure they poisoned him having learnt the Art in Italy called an Italian Posit in the Three and Thirtieth year of his Age and two and Thirtieth of his Reign See Melvill's Memoirs Cardinal Beaton who t is supposed had a great hand in his Death counterfeited his will wherein himself and three more were appointed Governors of the Kingdom He left one only Daughter Mary that Succeeded him in his Kingdom and Misfortunes and was at her Fathers Death but eight Days old He never saw her and 't was said when he was informed of her Birth it did rather aggravate his sorrow then exhilarate his mind as foreseeing Scotland would one way or other fall under the Government of the English Nation The King cut thus off in the flower of his Age the tumults of the former times were rather hushed up then composed so that Wise men foresaw such a tempest impending over Scotland as they had neither ever heard before in the ancient records of time nor had themselves seen the like For what from private animosities and dissension upon the score of Religion and from a War from aboard with a puissant King now enraged with the Scots prevaricating with him there was reasonably to be hoped for little less then an utter desolation However something must be done and the Cardinal according to his Develish subornation takes the Administration into his hands but James Hamilton Earl of Arran being presumptive Heir to the Crown and his friends as well as many others disdaining to be under the bondage of a Mercenary Priest they encouraged him to assume the Regency which the return of the Prisoners taken in the last Battle by the English who were released by the King of England with the hopes and upon promise of procuring their young Queen to be married to Prince Edward and thereby to have the two Crowns United did not a little promote so that the Cardinals forgery being in a little time detected he was casheered and his Kinsman Arran substituted in his room Not long after came Sir Ralph Sadler Ambassador from King Henry into Scotland to treat about the foresaid Match but the Cardinal and his faction raise forty colourable pretences to affront him and elude his Message and to fortify themselves as much as might be sent for Mathew Stuart Earl of Lennox out of France by whose Interest they thought to ballance that of the Hamiltons But soon after his arrival finding the Regent and Cardinal had joined Interests and that himself was eluded in respect to the promise made him of Marrying the Queen Dowager and having the chief management of affairs and withal mis-representing his proceeding to the French King he has recourse to Arms But not finding himself to have Force sufficient to cope with the Regent with the additional Interest of the Queen and Cardinal he makes some sort of Accommodation with them But at last experimenting there was but little sincerity in all their Actions and that himself was opprest and in danger of his life every moment he made some faint resistance and in the end withdrew into England where he was Honourably received by the King who besides his other respects gave him Margaret Dowglass in Marriage who was Sister by the Mother side to James V. last King of Scotland begot by the Earl of Angus upon Margaret Sister to Henry VIII from which Marriage sprâ—ng Henry Stuart Lord Darnley Husband to Mary Queen of Scots and Father to James VI. of Scotland and I. of England of whom more here after The King of England in the mean time being highly affronted with the Scots violating of their faith with him in respect to the Marriage resolves to call them to a severe account for their perfidity and to that End invades their Country with a puissant Army commits great ravages and even Pillaged and Burnt Edenburg it self and then retreated The Scots with the assistance of the French whose Alliance they had preferred before that of the King of England endeavoured to retrieve the loss by the Invasion of the English Bordirs but made little of the matter So â—hat things for a time seemed to hang in â—uspence between both Nations and the Cardinal with his cut-throat Ecclesiasticks had leasure to prosecute those that espouesd the Reformation and because the Civil power would not meddle with the matter they take the whole into their own hands And among others put to Death one George Wiseheart burning him for an Heretick and who when the Governor who stood by exhorted him to be of good cheer and ask Pardon of God for his offences He replied This flame occasions trouble in deed to my body but it hath in no wise broken my spirit but he who now proudly looks down upon me from yonder lofty place pointing to the Cardinal shall e're long be as ignominiously thrown down as now he proudly â—ies at his ease Which strangely came to pass and which because of the Tragicalness of the Story we think will not be impertinent to insert in this place The Cardinal being on a time at St. Andrew's and having appointed a day for the Nobility and especially those whose Estates lay nearest the Sea to Meet and Consult what was fit to be done for the common safety for their Coasts were severely threatned by the great Naval preparations of the English made against them He determined for the more effectual Execution of his Design to take a strict view of all the Sea-Coasts to Fortify all Convenient Places and to put Garrisons into them Among the rest of the Noble Men Sons who came into the Cardinal Norman Lesley Son to the
the frankest Fellow among them all none of them will make thy leap good meaning his former leaping out of the Lord Grang's Ship to save himself but Lidingtown seeing the Regents unconstancy rounds him in the Ear that he had disgraced himself and put his Life in danger by the loss of so good a Friend as the Duke of Norfolk and that he had lost his Reputation for ever The Regent soon repents his Folly and desires to have the Accusation again alledging he had some more to add thereto but was answered That they would keep what they had and were ready to receive any addition he should please to give in The Duke of Norfolk had much ado to keep his Countenance Wood tip'd the wink upon Cecil who smiled upon him again the Regents company were Laughing only Lidingtown had a sorrowful Heart and the Regent himself left the Council with Tears in his Eyes and retired to his Lodgings at Kingstown and continued there for a long time in great displeasure and fear without Money to spend or hopes to get any from the Queen In the mean time the Agreement between the Duke and Regent was told the Queen for Morton caused one John Willock to declare what had past between them to the Earl of Huntingdon who caused the Lord Leicester to acquaint the Queen therewith The Duke finding how all things stood thought to out-brave it and stuck not to tell the Queen her self While he lived he would ne'er Offend her but Serve and Honour her and after her the Queen of Scots as in his Opinion truest Heir and the only means for saving of Civil Wars and much Bloodshed that might fall out which Words were as a Dagger to the Queen's Heart though for the time she dissembled her Displeasure but to further this great Man's Fall though Sir Nicholas Throgmorton seemed to mean honestly he got the Duke and Regent reconciled again and then the Duke declared to him that he was resolved to marry the Queen of Scots his Mistress and that he would never permit her to come into Scotland nor yet that she should ever Rebel against the Queen of England during her time and also that he had a Daughter who would be a fitter Match for King James than any other for many Reasons and so procured the Sum of Two Thousand Pounds from the Queen for the Regent for which himself became security and was forced afterward to pay the same When the Regent had got the Money he was easily induced by some about him to acquaint the Queen with all that had past between the Duke and himself and withall engaged to transmit back unto her all the Letters which the Duke should write to him when he came into Scotland which was done accordingly The Duke was then the greatest Subject in Europe he Ruled the Queen and all those that were familiar with her and was Courted by all Factions both Protestants and Papists both paying him a very great Deference and at that time commanded all the North of England and it was in his Power to have set the Queen of Scots at liberty if he had pleased but when the Queen had had his Letters from Scotland she sent for the Duke to come to Court whereupon he first posted in haste to Secretary Cecil on whose Advice and Friendship he much relied who told him there was no danger he might come and go at his Pleasure no man would or durst offend him and so the Duke only with his own Train came to Court Cecil in the mean time informed the Queen that the necessity of the time obliged her not to omit this occasion but to take the matter stoutly upon her self and forthwith command her Guards to lay hands upon the Duke or else no other durst do it which if she did not at this time she would endanger the safety of her Crown The Queen embraced the Advice and so orders the Duke to be secured when he thought all England was at his Devotion who after a long Imprisonment was Executed ending his Life as Sir James Melvill says devoutly in the Reformed Religion From Carlisle this forlorne Queen was removed to Bolton under the custody of Sir Francis Knowles and from thence to Tutbury under the Care of the Earl of Shrewsbury and in whose custody she remained for the space of Fifteen years but the many Attempts made for her Liberty and other more dangerous suspicions increasing against her caused her to be committed to the keeping of Sir Anias Pawlet and Sir Drue Druery where she sollicited with more greater importunity than ever the Bishop of Rome and the Spaniard by Sir Francis Inglefield to hasten what they had in hand with all speed against the Queen of England whatever became of her and at length holding correspondence with Babington and the rest of the Conspirators against Queen Elisabeth's Life which you may read in Cambden's Elizabeth at large this drew on the fatal Day whereon she was to be called to an account for what she had done and to this end it was agreed to have her Tryed upon the late Statute made against such as should attempt any violence against the Queen's Person c. and 24 Lords and others of inferior Degree were Commissionated by the Queen's Patent for her Tryal who met Octob. 11. 1586. in Fothringham Castle in the County of Northampton where the Queen of Scots was then in custody and next day sent Sir Walter Mildmay and others to her with the Queen's Letter about her Crimes and Tryal which when she had read she complained of her ill usage excused her carriage and seemed to question the Commissioners Authority but they justify their Authority and advise her to appear to her Tryal but she excepted against the new Law and required to have her Protestation admitted which was denied at length she is brought on the 14 th Day to appear to whom Bromley the Chancellor made a Speech how Queen Elizabeth their Sovereign being informed of her Conspiracies against her Life she was now called upon to Answer for the same and to clear her self if she could and make her Innocency appear to the World here she would have urged her Protestation again of being no Subject of England but a Crowned Head but that being again rejected she submitted her self to a Trial and after a long Hearing and several proofs made of her being privy to the Design against the Queen's Life and of her intention to convey her Title and Claim to the Kingdom of England to the Spaniard c. The Court Adjourned till the 25 th of October to the Star-Chamber at Westminster at what time Wacee and Curle her Secretaries did viva voce voluntarily and without hope of Reward avow all and every the Letters and Copâ—es of Letters produced at the Trial to be True and Real upon which Sentence was pronounced against her and Ratified by the Seals and Subscriptions of the Commissioners in these words By their unanimous
severed her Head from her Body leaving only a little Gristle uncut without the least stir or motion of the Body and lifting up her Head said God Save our Queen her Lips moved for about a Quarter of an Hour after and her Head-Cloaths falling off her Head appeared as Grey as if shee had been Seventy years old whereas she was but Forty six Having thus brought this unhappy Queen to her fatal Catastrophe we now return to her Son James VI. who notwithstanding afterward his vain â—oast of his inherent Birth-right when he came to be King of England during her long Captivity in England being above 18 years possest her Throne in Scotland he was Born on the 19 th of June in the year 1566 and about Fourteen Months after Crowned King in his Mother's stead she being forced by the Nobles to resign to him The Kingdom during some part of his Minority was Governed by the Earl of Murray as Regent but he being murthered basely by one Hamilton at Lithgow Matthew Stuart Earl of Lenox the King's Grandfather was advanced into his room during whose Regency two Factions continued as before the one for the young King and the other for the Deposed Queen but by the means of Sir James Melvill and others the Queen was brought upon the point of Agreement with the Regent but the Earl of Morton returning to Court he and Randolph the English Ambassador suspecting the probability of such an apparent agreement which had been kept secret from them they fell a plotting which way to obstruct the same and resolved as the most probale means to have a Parliament convened and therein got all the Queens Lords forefaulted whereby the Regent should utterly ruin the ancient Families of the Hamiltons and this would afford a bait to every one of the King's Lords seeing they should be made sharers of the spoil and every one of them get wealth enough Mr. Randolph for their incouragement gave them assurance from England so as they needed not fear any resistance from their Adversaries and Morton to clench the Nail First represented in Council that the Queen's Lords had an intention to re-establish Popery upon which Allegation he knew he would make them odious to the generality of the People and upon their being Forefaulted that each of them should have a share of the said Lord's Estates which brought the Council readily to consent to a Parliament to be held at Sterling to the same purpose The Queen's Lords to be even with them held another Parliament at Edenburgh at the same time and with the same Design of Forefaulting as the King's Lords in the mean time the Laird of Grainge was highly concerned at those violent proceedings wherefore he sent for the Laird of Fer in haste and Buccleugh to come to him one Evening to Edenburg with a good Guard along with them and tell them according to the projection had already devised that that same Night after they had Supped and fed heir Horses they should ride with them to Sterling so as to be there early in the Morning before any of the Lords who held the Parliament were out of their Beds hoping by the Intelligence he had received assuredly to surprize them before they could be advertised thereof the Project they all readily agreed to but they would not allow Grange to go along with them for fear any disaster should befall him who was the Life of them all and so on they march under the Leading of the Earl of Huntley and some others and were got to Sterling by Four next Morning whereinto they entred by a little passage being conducted by a Townsman one George Bell which entry of theirs was immediately after their Night watches had retired to their Rest they divided their Men into several Partys and appointed such as they thought meetest at every Lord's Lodgings leaving one body under Capt. Hackerston at the Market-Cross to see good Order kept and to prevent any spoil to be committed only they ordered the Stables to be searched and all the Horses in the Town to be carried away which was punctually executed but because Captain Hackerstown did not come in due time with his Company to attend at the Market-Cross according to appointment a Company of unruly Servants broke open the Shops and run up and down to take what spoil they could get in the mean while after they had taken out all the Lords from their Lodgings and were leading of them prisoners down the steep Causey of Sterling on foot intending to take them Horses at the Nether-Gate and to ride to Edenburg with their Captives those within the Castle hearing the noise of the Townsmen crying out because of the plundering of their Houses and considering what a disgrace it would be to them if they did not shew themselves Men upon such an occasion they Sallied out boldly and perceiving the disorder of the Enemy rescued all the Prisoners saving the Regent whom one shot in the Back at the Command as was alleged of the Lord Pachey he died of the Wound some days after The next Regent was the Earl of Mar the Discord still continued His Government held not long for being one day invited to Dinner by the Earl of Morton he returned home and sickned died soon after not without vehement suspicion of having been poisoned at his Banquet Morton came in after him Regent the Division between the Lords not yet made up some Overtures of an Accommodation were made but the Queen's Lords finding the Regent not sincere in all Respects refused the Agreement and were at last Besieged in Edinburgh Castle by an English Army which they surrendred upon Articles that were basely broke and most of them executed The King now growing up began to hate the Regent he being aware of it â—ed those about him to infuse in him a good Opinion of him but in vain and so a Council was appointed at Edenburg wherein it was agreed to Depose him Morton thereupon retires to the House of Lochleven within the Lough for his greater security but while he was there his Head was continually a plodding how he might again become Master of the Court then at Sterling which he accomplished in the dead of one night in this manner When he came to the Gates of the Castle they were opened to him by the two Abbots and a Faction they had drawn in there with them though the Master of Mar and Earl of Argyle made what resistance they could yet Morton prevailed but handled the matter so discreetly and moderately as possible he could that the alteration might not appear to be over sharp or violent but the Lord Aubonie about that same time coming into Scotland from France which Lord was afterward Created Duke of Lennox and was Brothers Son to the late Earl of Lennox He and James Steward of Oghiltrie did in a short time gain the ascendency over the King's Affections who was like a Tennis-Ball tossed from one Favourite to another
all his days they framed an Accusation against Morton and got him committed to Edinburgh Castle from whence in a short time he was brought to his Tryal and Condemned for having an hand in the Lord Darnley the King's Father's Murder that he was privy to the same he did not deny at his Execution and withall confessed that he had a design to send the young King into England for his Safety and so there 's another Governor gone who was the fourth and last and every one whereof died a violent Death and now the King assumes the Government himself and if he was unhappy during the time of the Regency I think it will appear it was no better with him ever after for he himself was as much governed now by his Favourites and Sycophants as the Kingdom had been by a Regent and the first into whose Hands he fell was Aubonie now Created Duke of Lennox and a Papist and the aforesaid James Steward who assumed to himself the Style and Title and then the Earldom of Arran These two led him by the Nose at their Pleasure and carried all things with an high Hand lording it over the rest of the Nobility and aiming at their Estates which made them begin to look about them and concluding after serious Consultation that from two such Counsellors no wholsome Advice could proceed for the Peace of the Country and Establishment of Religion but rather if they were suffered to go on still both the one and the other would be endangered they resolve to remove them The King was at that time designing to go from Athol to Dumfermling to take his usual Divertisement of Hunting where the Lords designed to encounter him with a supplication full of Complaints against the Duke and Earl with pressing Instances for the removing of them and least their supplication should miscarry they backt it with strong Forces which could not be resisted The King had but a very few attendance at Dumfermling for Lennox staid at Dalkeith and Arran at Kinweel and several of the Council were gone to hold the Assizes in divers Shires of the Country Sir James Melvill was at Edenburgh whither a Gentleman one morning came to his Bed-side and told him that he had formerly done him several kindnesses which till then he was never able to recompence but that now he would make him an Instrument of saving the King his Master out of the Hands of those who were upon an enterprise to take and secure him Melvill replied he could hardly believe such a thing but that he feared the Duke of Lennox might be in danger who was gone to Glasgow because of the Hatred that was bore to him by the Nobility The Gentleman subjoyned they will lay hands first on the King's Person and then the Duke and Earl of Arran dare no more be seen their insolency being looked upon as the Cause of almost all the Disorders of the Nation and when he had so said he desired the King might be acquainted with the matter but to have his Name concealed from him for he said that design would be put in execution in ten days time and as Sir James started up to put on his Cloaths he slipt out at the door with a short farewell Sir James upon this Information rides with all the expedition imaginable to Dalkeith where the Duke of Lennox then was and laid the whole matter open before him and advised him withal to lose no time but to Ride to the King to give him notice that he might make timely provision for his own security but the Duke chose rather to dispatch a Gentleman with all possible diligence to the King upon that Occasion and wished Sir James to write to the Earl of Gaury about the same for it seems the Gentleman that gave him the first Information of the Plot had not named Gaury with the rest of the Lords to him either out of forgetfulness or else because he had been but lately won over to the Party by the Land of Drumwhafel who had assured him that Lennox had resolved to kill him whereever he met him and used this as a convincing argument to Embark the Earl in the same Cause but however matters fell out the Lords receded from their first Resolution of presenting their supplication as aforesaid and would not tarry 〈◊〉 the King came to Dumferling but they surprised him at Huntingtown-House which was the Earl of Gaury's its uncertain whether it were not done with a design to imbark the Earl more deeply in their Bond or that fearing least the design was discovered they made the greater haste to execute the same by seising the King there which was afterward called the Road of Ruthven The King is once more a Prisoner and the Lords conduct him to Sterling-Castle where he is kept for a time In the mean while the French King and Queen Elizabeth by their Ambassadors make Instances for his Liberty and Condole his Misfortune but so hen-hearted was he that he ordered their Ambassadors to declare to their respective Princes that he was well satisfied with the Lords that were about him that they were his own Subjects c. and when the Lords called a Council to resolve what course to take he agreed with them to form an Act declaring That what they had done was good service to himself the Kirk and Commonwealth though Mr. Carey who I think was afterward Created Earl of Monmouth whispered him in the Ear and desired him to tell the plain Truth which he engaged to conceal from all others whatsoever and only acquaint the Queen his Mistress therewith he told him his Heart was full fraught with Grief and Displeasure at his Misfortune The Lords having thus effected their purpose as having now rid the Court of the Duke of Lennox who fled into France and the Earl of Arran whom they committed to the Custody of the Earl of Gaury most of them withdrew from the Court to their respective homes whereupon the King retaining a displeasure still in his Heart towards them takes occasion to appoint a Convention to be held at St. Andrews whereunto by Missive Letters he invited some of the Nobility but none of the Lords that had lately left him designing thereby to get loose out of their Hands and to retain about him such Lords as he had written for and notwithstanding some about him endeavoured to divert him from the said Resolution alledging the fresh Jealousie that would be Created in the absent Lords by such a procedure and with all the Power they had to be revenged of the conceived affront he rejected the advice wherefore for the better management of his design it was thought expedient that he should go a few days to St. Andrews before the Convention was to meet that being once there a Proclamation might be issued out to forbid any Nobleman whatsoever to come to the said Convention without express Orders from the King so to do and to this end it was
contrived that the Earl of March should give him an invitation to be at the place two or three days before the time under pretence that the preparations he had made of Wild Meats and other things for his Reception would be spoiled if he came not somewhat sooner than the appointed day a silly excuse but on he goes contrary to the advice of some about him who were sensible of the inconveniencies that might attend it especially since the Lords whom he had summoned could not be there so soon and when he arrived at St. Andrews he took up his Lodgings at an old Inn whose greatest security was the Yard Dykes of little consideration Melvil who saw the vanity of such doings goes to the Provost to see what force he could make for the Kings security in case he were exposed to any danger who answered very few and those not to be relied upon but returning to the King and believing that the Proclamation had been made that no Man should come to the Convention unsent for he found the Abbot of Dumfermling and the Earl of Marshal there the Abbot who was of the contrary Faction yet did by his Wit and Dissembling Practices so manage the King that the Proclamation was not only stopped but Missive Letters sent to the rest of the Nobility to come but under the Restriction that each Nobleman should come attended with no more than two Persons Some of his Adherents who foresaw this would unravel the whole design reminded him of the danger and advised him to retire into the Castle which they could not persuade him to do till after Supper Next day all the Lords as well written as unwritten for came to St. Andrews the latter strongly armed and the others not The Abbot who was with the King in the Castle pretending all manner of Zeal for his Service advised him to let none of the Lords come within the Castle accompanied with any more than twelve Persons which tho' he were now in a place of security if well managed had like to have brought him again into a State of Captivity for the next morning the Castle was full of Men and the contrary Party being well Armed had already possest themselves of the Stair-Head and Galleries resolving a second time to be Masters of the King and all his Followers but the Earl of March his Gentlemen with the Provosts Men and some others got thither with such diligence that the design was rendered Abortive for that time so that next day the King for fear of a further surprise gave them fair Words promising all alike there of his Favour and Protection which for the time seemed to give Contentment to all the parties In the mean while the Earl of Arran got the Favour to be confined in his own House at Kinneall from whence he sends to Congratulate his Majesty's safe deliverance begging leave to come to Court to kiss the King's Hand which for the time was deninied but he still persisting in his Sollicitation by the help of some Friends and promising to make no manner of stay but to withdraw again to his Habitation the King whose Affections were still towards him and Born it seems to be ruled by others tho' he could not chuse but know he was obnoxious to the whole Kingdom and had been a principal Cause of the King 's former confinement grants him leave the Earl had no sooner access no more thought of his Promise but staid not only at Court but in a short time altered all the ways of procedure with a design to draw the management of all publick Affairs to himself as before this was a great mortification to many about the King and Colonel Steward resented it highly saying That if his Majesty suffered that Villain to remain at Court he would yet again undo all but at last they were reconciled and became great Friends and from henceforward the Earl managed the King Council and all other Affairs of the Kingdom as despotically as if he had been Grand Signior or Mayor of the Palace in France the King was easily induced by him to spend most of his time a Hunting and to be content with whatever Relation he gave him of the Publick Affairs and when he had gained this point he bent his whole force for to ruin the Ruthwen Road Lords notwithstanding the Publick Faith given them for their Indemnity Queen Elizabeth about this time sent to King James a sharp Letter concerning his mismanagement of his Affairs and promised to send Sir Francis Walsingham into Scotland by whom she said she intended to deal with him as an Affectionate Sister and one from whom he might see he should receive Honour and Contentment with more safety to himself and Kingdom than by following the pernicious Councils of those crafty dissembling Advisers about him but there was nothing could stop the career of this mighty Favourite Arran who obtains the Government of Sterling-Castle to the rest and banished several Noblemen as the Earls of Mar Angus c. and by his insolent behaviour drove the Noble Earl of Gawry and almost all other honest Men from Court at length Walsingham arrived who after he had been with the King and pursued his Instructions prepared to return home Arran would fain have entred into a familiar Conference with him but Sir Francis disdained to speak with him the other enraged with the conceived affront and finding no other way of Revenge but what must bring great dishonour upon the King a poor tool to suffer it gave Orders that the Captains of Berwick and several worthy Gentlemen who came to convoy Secretary Walsingham should not be suffered to enter into the King's Presence-Chamber and not content herein when the King had ordered a rich Diamond to the value of 700 Crowns to be given to the Secretary instead thereof the Earl puts a scornful Present upon him of a Ring with a Chrystal stone sett therein only a Presumption undoubtedly that Harry 8. would have punisheed with the loss of his Head had the Earl been his Subject but this way of procedure was so far from exciting the King to vindicate his own Honour which was abominably blemish'd hereby that when he was determined to go to Edenburg to call a Convention of the Estates more Honours must be put upon the Earl for to that of the Government of Sterling-Castle already in his Hands was added that of Edenburg Castle the two most important Fortresses in the Kingdom and least a Military Power was not yet sufficient both for his Greatness and Security he gets himself Declared Lord Chancellor and so Head of the Civil Power in the Kingdom and now he Triumphs making the whole Subjects tremble under him and by daily seeking out and inventing new crimes against others to get their Lands and Possessions several of the Nobility he banished but more especially shot directly at the Earl of Gawrey's Life and Estate but the Earl could not be content to Domineer as he
pleased over the King 's Natural Subjects but he must mock and deride with the ignorant multitude the Danish Ambassadors also and use them with all the despight imaginable for it seems they knowing his former meanness in Swedeland made no great Court to him which raised his Fury this was quickly perceived by some about the King whom the Earls Practices and Insolence had disobliged and who failed not to let the King know it and for all the Earls Ascendency made him somewhat to decline in Favour which another accident gave a helping hand to for Sir Francis Russell upon some disorders that fell out upon the Borders happening to be slain of the English side Mr. Woton the English Ambassador who stood in competition with the Earl for the King's Favour took occasion to lay the blame upon him alledging that the Laird of Fernihast who was Warden of the Scots Borders had Married the Earl of Arran's Brothers Daughter and that the said Earl had caused the slaughter to be committed that the Borders might break loose Wotton was seconded by others in this complaint so effectually that the Earl was committed prisoner to the Castle of St. Andrews where having remained for a few days he got by the intercession of the Master of Gray whom he won with fair promises to be his Friend It 's strange he should find any who had disobliged every Body leave to retire to his own House and here the King played a Noble prank but whether he used it as Lex talionis for the sham-Ring Arran had put upon Walsingham as aforesaid and which he durst not otherwise punish I am not certain but it looks like his little tricks which notwithstanding he dignified with the name of Kingcraft for when the Earl was upon his journey homeward he sends to him with all possible diligence for to lend him a great Gold Chain which he knew he had got from Sir James Belfour which weighed 57 Crowns to be given to the Danish Ambassadors which if the Earl had refused to do he would it's likely have lost the King and in delivering of it he lost his Chain Arran being thus retired makes several attempts to recover his former station and the King it was observed retained a Favour for him and would have been content to have Himself and Kingdom still Governed by him he was once again admitted to Court but others had stepped in and the King had not power to remove them so that the Earl after long retirement and discontent was surprized at last by James Douglass at Parkhead and slain by him in revenge of the death of the Earl of Morton his Unkle and but little care taken to punish the same many thinking it indeed strange that he should be permitted so long to live who had carried it so arrogantly and insolently towards all Men in the time of his Ascendency at Court but several other Accidents intervened before the Earls Exit The next Man that had the chief Credit and Management of Affairs was Mr. Wotton the English Ambassador but tho' the King begun now to be Governed by a Favourite and a Forreiner under this Character yet it did not end here as you shall hear by and by when the Scene is transplanted into England Wotton knew as well as any Man alive how to humour him in his pleasures and such familiar access had he at all times to his Person that he attempted to have brought in the banished Lords whose Interest he had espoused not without the direction to be sure of the English Court secretly into his presence in the Parish of Sterling at such a time as they should have so many Friends at Court that he must have remained once more at their Devotion but all things did not so concur as to put this Enterprize in practice so it was laid aside and Mr. Wotton essayed a Second but more desperate attempt which was to Kidnap Jemmy out of the foresaid Park into England see Sir James Melvill but Sir Robert Melvill coming to a timeous Knowledge hereof took measures to prevent it which made the English Ambassador withdraw home without bidding of them once a good night the Lords for all this enter the Borders being assisted by the Lords Hamilton Maxwel Hume and several others and advance to the number of Three thousand Men towards Sterling entring the Town without any opposition where they were no sooner arrived but there appear'd two Factions with the King in the Castle the one favouring the Lords whose part the King took as if he had really desired the Lords should have come thither in this manner to tear his Minions from his Heart and so once more the King is in their Power which they exercised with great moderation only a few were committed for the present to the custody of some Noblemen and so a Parliament was called as the best expedient to heal all their breaches Things continued in some sort of Concord for a little while and the Convicting and Beheading of the Queen his Mother in England seemed to possess all their Minds with amazement at the Fact for the present tho' I do not find he did at all resent it but this was no sooner over but there appears a new Faction at Court headed by the Earl of Huntley whose aim was at the removing of the Master of Gray and Maitland the Chancellor with their Adherents but finding it was not so easily to be effected Huntley Bothwell and others contrived to seize the King's Person and to keep him in their custody but this proving Abortive the noise of the Spanish Invasion which was dreaded in Scotland as well as in England seemed to lay all Animosâ—tâ—es aside for the present but this blowing over the King's Thoughts seemed to be taken all up about Marrying the Sister of the King of Denmark was the Lady proposed and Queen Elizabeth consulted with thereupon who disswaded him therefrom and said she had Interest with the King and Princess of Navarr and that she would imploy the same for effectuating of a Marriage between him and the said Princess but the King was bent upon the former and because he found the Chancellor and some others oppose it he could not or would not be seen openly to controul them but dealt secretly with some of the Deacons of the Craftsmen of Edenburg to form a Mutiny against the Chancellor and some of the Council threat'ning to kill them in case the Marriage with the Daughter of Denmark were hindred or any longer delayed whereupon the Earl of Marshal was sent thither with Power to Treat about the said Marriage but withal in so stinted and limited a degree contrived by the Craft of the Chancellor and his Faction that he was necessitated to send the Lord Dinguall back from thence to desire either liberty to return hence or to have sufficient Power to conclude the Treaty when he came he hapned to find the King at Aberdeen without the Chancellor c so
length makes his escape over the Castle-Wall and retired to Cathness where being strengthned by other Male-contents who were desirous to fish in troubled Waters he attempts to surprize the King and to kill the Chancellor his inveterate Enemy and to that end enters the King's Palace one Night late about Supper time by the passage of an old Stable not without secret intelligence of some about the King's Person assoon as they had got within the close of the Palace they cried Justice Justice a Bothwell a Bothwell and had infallibly been Masters of the whole had it not been that James Douglass who was one of them after he had taken the Keys from the Porters entred into the Pastery Lodge to relieve some of his Servants who were detained there upon suspicion of having an hand in the slaughter of his Father the old Laird of Spot where the Porters made some resistance which occasioned a noise and tumult sooner than the Enterprizers had designed the King Chancellor and others were horribly allarmed at this and knew not what to do Bothwell with Mr. John Colvill and others made directly to the Queen's Chamber door where they supposed the King to be but the Door was valiantly defended by Harry Linsâ—y Of Kilfans Master of the Queens Houshold but the Earl prevailing at last broke open the Doors with Hammers and Colvill brought Fire to burn it the King in the mean time was conveyed to the Tower above the said Chamber the Chancellor who was in his Hall at Supper when he heard the first noise sled unto his Chamber and made the door fast upon him shutting out Sir Robert Melvill who supped along with him and who was forced to retire to another empty House where he continued all the while out of harms way and the Chancellor with his Servants that continually shot out of the Windows made such a resistance as that the Assailants were forced to retire Melvill says that when they first entred into the Palace he was at Supper with the Duke of Lennox who immediately took his Sword in hand and would have rushed upon the Enemy but having no company and finding the place already full of the Enterprizers they were forced to fortify their Doors and Stairs with Tables Forms and Stools and be spectators of all that hurly-burly for the space of an Hour together hearing and beholding by Torch-light out of the Duke's Gallery their reeling and rumbling with Halberts clashing their Culverins and Pistols the blows of their Malls and Hammers and crying continually for Justice now there was a passage between the Chancellor's Chamber and the Duke of Lennox's by a pair of Stairs by which the Chancellor came up and desired admittance in to the Duke the Duke by Sir James Melvill's advice told the Chancellor that for himself he was welcome to enter in but desir'd he would cause his Men to stay at the nether Door and resist as long as they could this the Chancellor took in ill part and so retired again to his own Chamber but in the mean time while all these things were in agitation word was brought to Sir Andrew Melvill Master of the King's Houshold of the enterprize and danger the King and Chancellor was in without speedy relief who procuring all the succor that the time would permit from the Cannon Gate and knowing there was a secret passage through the Abby into the Palace entred with his Men by the same in Armour whereof when the Earl of Bothwell and his followers had notice they stole silently through the Galleries unto that part where they first entred the Palace and chancing in their retreat to meet with John Shaw the King 's Master-Stabler they slew him and his Brother being in a rage that their enterprize had met with such bad success however some of them were taken by Sir Andrew and executed the day following The King almost dead with fear would stay no longer at Dalkeith but in all haste gets to Edinburgh where continual Plots were laid to surprize him and such enmity arose among the Courtiers and more especially among the Duke of Lennox and the Chancellor that it must have a King of other guess courage than King James for to reconcile and compose them the Chancellor one while being forced to retire but brought in again and ruled the roast afresh but it was not long before private Animosities engendring publick Calamities had like to have brought the King into greater danger than any wherewith he had been hitherto menaced for the Earl of Huntley was at variance with the Earl of Murray the Earls of Caâ—â—huâ—st and Sunderland together by the Ears and the Lords Hamilton and Angus at great strife which discord was chiefly occasioned because most of them had obtained Commissions with large Priviledges over other Lands as well as over their own and this at last terminated in an open hostility when the Council was advertised hereof they set a day wherein first the Earls of Murray and Huntley should appear there being a Gentleman of the Name of Gourdon shot by the Earl of Murray out of the House of Farnue both parties came strongly attended and for fear of mischief were ordered to keep their Lodgings lest any tumult should arise the Chancellor who now managed all Affairs advised the King to require Security from both the Earls for their good behaviour for the future to keep them both asunder by detaining the one at Court for a time and sending the other home but Sir James Melvill was for a present Agreement between both Parties and judged the King might easily effect it but the Chancellor taunted so at Sir James for his advice that he was forced to give way and so Huntley according to the Chancellor's project was sent home who now wanting his Competitor so triumphed and took so many advantages over the Earl of Murray's Land as gave him just occasion of complaint but meeting with no redress to his grievance he retired from Court and grew so discontented that he fell in with the designs of the Earl of Bothwell who was still a hatching of mischief Huntley came no sooner to know that his Adversary was an Outlaw with the Earl of Bothwell but he returned again to Court with a design to gain some further advantage over him but the Lord Ochiltrie with the King's consent endeavoured to accommodate Matters between them and make them Friends and so Murray was brought to a place called Dunibirsil as being near at hand for the better effectuating of an agreement Huntley hearing of his arrival applys himself to the King for a Commission to pursue the Earl of Bothwell and all his Adherents with Fire and Sword which the King grants him and being armed with this Power the first thing he does was to Murder the Earl of Murrey his Adversary at the foresaid place which it seems was his own House this horrid Fact was generally regretted and the granting of such a Commission was justly interpreted
to be a breach of Faith in the King and himself to be charged with being Author of the said Murder but none resented it so highly as the Lord Ochiltrie who took such despight that his Friend should be slain during a time of Treaty that he solemnly Declared he took part with the Earl of Bothwell and divers others in revenge of his Quarrel encouraging the said Earl to assassinate the King within his Palace of Falkland having several at Court familiar enough with the King who guided him at pleasure to favour the said Conspiracy but things could not be carried with that Secrecy but that some about him got intelligence of the Design and advised him for his own safety to pass over to Coupar and with all expedition to Assemble the Barons of Fife for his own safety but such as had contrived his Ruin perswaded him to stay alledging that the Earl of Louthian would not come from Louthian till such a day tho he kept to his time and came to Falkland two days sooner according to appointment and this they did with a design to have surprized the King before he could either have entred within the Tower of Falkland or making any tolerable Provision for his own Defence and because they knew Sir James Melvill and his Brother Sir Robert might be some obstruction to the Design they advised the King to send them home to their Houses the very same night that they uuderstood the Earl of Bothwell purposed to be there but before the Brothers departed they advised the King to ride quietly to Bambrigh that from thence he might when he pleased take Boat and go over to Angus where he would have leisure to Assemble Forces out of Perth and Dundee with the adjacent Countrys but this advice was also rejected Sir Roberâ— upon the Road homewards had notice given given him by one of Bothwell's gang that he was already got as far as Fife and would be in Falkland about Supper time who forthwith dispatched his Gentleman whose Name was Robert Aufleck to acquaint his Majesty therewith and to desire him to go into the Tower with all expedition but they called him Fool and laughed him to scorn for his pains and so he left them in great discontent but upon his return he met Bothwell and his followers upon the height of Lammonds it being by this time dark night and so struck in with them as if he had been one of the gang and used great diligence to get first to the King shutting the Court Gate after him upon his entrance he urged the King to get into the Tower with utmost expedition which at length he did and so for this time escaped also for tho Bothwell came well provided of all things for forcing the Palace where he thought to surprize the King and tho' it was alledged some shot Paper only out of the Culverins in the Tower upon Bothwell's Men yet others shot Bullets which together with the fear he was in lest the Country might come caused him to retire and flee none pursuing them The Assassination failing this terminated in open Rebellion Bothwell associating himself with the Popish Lords the more to strengthen his Party who for a time prevailed but at last were necessitated to go beyond Sea and Bothwell several years after died at Naples but no sooner was one fear over but comes on another but of a different nature the King you have heard before plaid the Knight-Errant rather than be without a Wife who was Anne Sister to the King of Denmark a Lady that bears a fair Character in the Annals of Time tho' I find one say of her that she was a Person he heard little of saving that Character which Salust gives Sempronia that she could Saltare elegantius quam necesse est probae See had about two years before bore him a Son Prince Henry to whom the King assigned the Earl of Marr Governor now the Queen 't is not known upon what design nor well by whose agency and Promotion laid a project in the King's absence to surprize the Prince and take him out of the Earl's hands but the King 's suddain arrival from Faulkland to Edenburg and taking the Queen away along with him to Sterlin rendred the Project abortive Hower it were the very projection put King James into no small Bodily fear as appears by the following Letter he writ to the Earl of Marr upon that occasion which is recited by Sanderson in his Life of King James My Lord of Mar BEcause in the security of my Son mine is Conserved and my Concredit of his Charge to you upon Trust of your Honour and Honesty This I Command as singly and solely of my self being in Company of those I like not that upon any Charge or Necessity that possibly come from me you shall not deliver him and in case that God call me at any time see you that neither for the Queen nor for the Estates Pleasure you deliver him out of your hands till he be 18 years of Age and that then he Command you himself James Rex This Court juggle and jealousie was followed by a more dangerous one from the Presbytery who met at Edinburg to treat of their Ecclesiastical Affairs and some other matters that came under their Consideration but the Kings Sentiments and theirs were as remote as East and West which produced such Heats and Factions that the King dissolves the Convention they stand stifly to it and meet for all that several Lords espouse their Cause at last the King truckles and was willing to come to an Accommodation but to shew the Image of Authority first asked Who they were that durst Convene against his Proclamation but his Mouth was quickly stopped by the Lord Linsay's reply saying That they durst do more than so and would not endure Destruction of Religion and by the Nobles crying out Arm others Bring forth Haman and some the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon it made the King and his Council flee from Edenburg to Linlithgo but futy by degrees began to cool and some Concessions of all sides introduced a little Tranquillity in the State and some Remissions of the Kings Fears but the Revolution of about two years ushered in that memorable Conspiracy of the Earl of Gowry which because not foreign from the scope of the present Treatise and by reason of the Barbarity and Tragical circumstances thereof as well as it has been the subject of the discourse of many but hardly a Man to be met with that can give the true state of it I shall endeavour to oblige the Reader with a distinct and impartial Narrative of the same even according to what the Court Party and King's Favourites have related concerning it Sanderson in his Life and Death of King James says the Surname of the Earls of Gowry was Ruthven and a Family of small account till Anno 1568. when the chief of them among other Confederates endeavoured to Imprison Mary
Queen of Scots that his Son William was Created Earl of Gowry in King James's Minority and two years after fell into actual Rebellion at Dundee for which he was Beheaded at Sterlin in 1584. but Sir James Melvill who had as good an opportunity to know this Affair as any man says The Earl of Gowry was related to the King in high Favour and by the villanous Contrivance of a Court Faction cut off for little or no fault and seems to censure his hard Fate and not to excuse the King himself in his proceedings against him The Earl's Eldest Son named John was not long after restored in Blood and had leave to Travel and Sanderson said he had a Manuscript containing that the Earl at Padua caused an Hand and Sword aiming at a Crown to be used for his Device and that the Earl of Argyle acquainted King James that he found a Prophesie at an House in Orleans in France where the Earl of Gowry had had Lodgings that he should with too much love fall into Melancholly have great Power and Rule and Die by the Sword After his return that he carried himself very Haughtily and being too big for Court observance retired to his Family leaving his Brother Alexander who was made Gentleman of the King's Bed-Chamber to play the Courtier and Cloak the Design and thus according to Sanderson's Relation was the Conspiracy formed The Earl sent his Brother Alexander from St. Johnstown where he lived to the King at Faulkland to entice him to come thither with as much Privacy as could be and commands one of his Servants Andrew Henderson by Name to go with his Brother and one Andrew Ruthwen to the Court which they in the morning did being the 5th of August 1600. and as the King was putting his Foot into the Stirrup to go a Hunting Alexander informed him that he had apprehended one lately come from beyond Seas with much Gold about him and several suspicious Letters to some Popish Lords advising his Majesty to receive the Money and the Letters and to examine the Person who was in safe Custody at his Brother the Earl's House but ten miles of and this with as much speed and privacy as could be to which the King assents and that he would go at Noon while his Attendants were at Dinner Alexander hereupon dispatched Henderson to give the Earl notice that the King would be there about Noon and that the Business took so well with him that he had clipt him about the Neck that he had but a slender Retinue as the Duke of Lennox Sir Thomas Erskin and about a Dozen more Well said the Earl Get on your Plate Sleeves for I must take an Highland Robber The King staying at his sport of Hunting somewhat longer than was expected the Earl had half Dined when Andrew Ruthen aforesaid came in haste and acquainted him the King was hard by and presently after came in Alexander and Bloire who withdrew to consult and sent Henderson for the Earls Gauntlet and Steel Bonnet the King quickly followed and was received by the Earl who conducted him into Dinner In the mean time Alexander bids Henderson fetch the Keys of the Chambers from one Rynd and presently after one Crâ—uston calls Henderson to come to the Earl who commanded him to do whatever his Brother Alexander should bid him which was to be locked up in the round Chamber and to stay there silently till his return When the Dinner was near over and the King eating some Fruit and the Lords and other Attendants gone to eat Alexander begs of him to make use of that opportunity and withdraw to dispatch the Business and up he leads him through four or five Rooms locking every Door as he passed behind him until they came to the round Chamber where Henderson stood armed They were no sooner entred but Alexander pulls out Henderson's Dagger held it to the King's Breast and said with a stern Countenance Now Sir you must know I had a Father whose Blood calls for Revenge and you must Die surely if this had been true the very fright must have killed King James but to proceed the King seeing his danger deals gently with his fury excuses himself from the guilt of his Death by his then Infancy advising him not to lay violent hands on the Sacred Person of his Sovereign pleading the Laws of God and Man and his Merits in Restoring his Brother to his Estate and Honours by Breeding his Sister the nearest in the Queen's Affections and by his Reception of himself to be of his Bed-Chamber and withall promising Pardon for all that was past which so wrought upon Alexander for the present that he left the King in Henderson's Custody untill he returned back from his Brother having first taken an Oath of the King not to stir nor cry out and so locks them both in Alexander being gone Henderson in the mean time relented and swore he would not kill him but presently Alexander returns with a String in his Hand and said Sir There is no Remedy By God you must Die and so strives to Bind him Nay says the King I was Born free and will not be Bound and so struggling together Alexander got the King's Head under his Arm and clapped his Hand upon his Mouth which the King bit by the Thumb and dragging him to the Window bad Henderson open it where the King cryed out to the back Court Treason where the Duke of Lennox Earl of Mar and others were in pursuit of him it having been given out that he was gone the back way into the Park As soon as they knew it was the King they ran to the Chamber where he Dined but could find no entrance In the mean time John Ramsey Groom of the Bed-Chamber and Sir Thomas Erskin endeavoured to get up by the Turn-Pike back-stairs being directed thither by a Boy of the House who saw Alexander ascend that way and forcing one Door open found them panting Ramsey immediately draws his Fauchion and run Alexander in the Belly being bid to strike low for the King found him armed with a Coat of Mail and so with the assistance of Sir Thomas Erskin Doctor Herres and one Wilson quickly dispatched him whilst Henderson slipt out of the way but the danger was not yet over for perceiving by the noise of unlocking the Doors that the Earl himself was coming to assault them they advised the King to withdraw into the Lobby but first cast the King's Coat over the Dead Body which was no sooner done but the Earl enters by his double Keys attended with seven of his Servants the foreway and his Case of Rapiers and his usual Arms ready drawn to whom Erskin to divert him from his purpose earnestly said What do you mean my Lord the King is killed and points to his Brothers covered Body bleeding on the Floor at which Gowry stoops dropping the points of his Weapons when suddenly Herres assaulted him with his Sword and being
seconded by Ramsey struck him to the Heart yet not so readily but that the Earl thrust him into the Thigh assisted by Cranston who wounded Erskin and Herres in the Hand and they him through the Body and lived only long enough to be hanged and quartered Then came in the Lords and the rest of the Company and after having surveyed the Earl's Body they found it did not Bleed till a Parchment was taken out of his Bosom with Characters in it and these Letters which put together made Tetragrammaton having been told as the Story went his Blood should not be spilt as long as he had that spell This is the substance of the Conspiracy I will not descant upon the many Absurdities and incoherent Circumstances couched under this Relation but will leave it to the Readers Censure and tell you only that most Authors that have mentioned it seem to turn the Tables to lay the Assassination at the King's door and one I find Sir J. H. saying he Blasphemed God for his pretended Deliverance once a year all his life after but Mr. Wilson is a little more modest who expresses himself hereupon to this purpose This year August 5. being the first of the King's Reign in England had a new Title given to it the King's Delivery in the North must resound here whether the Gowries attempted upon the King's Person or the King upon theirs is variously reported It may be he retained something of his Predecessor and great Parent Henry VII that made Religion give way to Policy oftentimes Cursing and Thundring out the Churches Fulminations against his own Ministers that they might be received with the more intimate Familiarity with his Foreign Enemies for the better discovery of their Designs I will not say the Celebration of this Holy-Day had so much Profaneness for Fame may be a Slanderer but where there is a strength of Policy there is always a power of wordly Wisdom that manages and sways it Now we are to transplant the Scene into the Southern part of the British Isle for our bright Occidental Star Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory having for the space of above forty four years shined in our British Horizon and darted out the Rays of her Renown to the remotest parts of the habitable Globe and now exchanged an Earthly for an Heavenly Diadem King James succeeded her in all her Dominions who being both a Protestant and a Pacifick King diverted the Fears of the English and made some Allay of Grief in their Hearts for the lost of their Nursing Mother and Sovereign Lady who though she were glorious and happy almost in all her Affairs during the course of her long Reign yet she may be truly said to have been much more celebrated after her Death for the Vices of others and Male-Administration of this and the succeeding Reigns erected a more lasting Monument of Renown and contributed a more indelible lustre to her Fame than any of the worthiest Atcheivements of her Life so that it may be as truly said of her as it was of old by Suetonius concerning that brave Roman Germanicus Auxit gloriam desideriumque defunctae insequentium tempâ—rum atrocitas Here for a time we are to expect nothing but Shows Pageants Creations of Honours of which King James was never no niggard and all manner of Jollity but the advancement of some so far disgusted others who thought themselves neglected that it produced him a Conspiracy as the Authors of that Age know not what to make off it was apparent the muddy Waters were stirred but it was with such a mixture that little could be visible in it For Sir Walter Rawleigh the Lords Cobham and Grey were Protestants Markham Baynam and the two Priests were Popish the Charge was that they had endeavoured all in Conjunction to introduce Popery to seize the King and Prince and to set the Crown up-the Head of the Lady Arabella Steward younger Brother to Henry Lord Darnley both Sons to Matthew Earl of Lennox by his Wife Margaret Daughter by the Earl of Angus to Margaret the Mother of James V. and Daughter of Henry VII But this was a sorry foundation to go upon and so the superstructure thus huddled together could not last long wherefore the execution of some and Imprisonment of the rest quickly dissipated this Cloud and all was Serene again and Halcion days But here give me leave to say somewhat as well in Vindication of the Memory of that true Englishman and Noble Gentleman Sir Walter Rawleigh who was Condemned for this Conspiracy and Beheaded many years after when he had been General by the King's Commission and had by that Power over the Lives of many others contrary to the Civil Law which says He that hath Power over the Lives of others ought to be Master of his own as to shew the perversion of Justice in that Reign and the poorness of the King's Spirit to be gull'd at that rate by his Ministers in this as well as other Particulars Sir Walter was Tryed at Winchester and made a brave Defence All the material Evidence brought against him was the Lord Cobham's Accusation which he only desired might appear viva voce and he would yield without any further Defence but that would not be granted for they knew full well Cobham would not or could not accuse him you must know Wade then Lieutenant of the Tower and a great Creature of the Earl of Salisbury's had tampered with Cobham about the aforesaid Accusation of Rawleigh knowing Cobham's weakness but that would not do and therefore he circumvented him one day by getting of him to set his Name in a blank piece of Paper and so filled up the Accusation himself Salisbury Rawleigh's great Enemy being thus armed against him urgâ—d Sir Walter several times to yield upon the producing of his Accusation under Cobham's own Hand Sir Walter answered he knew Cobham's weak Judgment and did not know how far he might be imposed upon but was confident he would not accuse him to his Face and therefore would not put his Life upon that hazard and thus the Trial held till nine at night at last his Fate carried him against his Reason and he yielded upon the producing his Hand which was immediately done and it was in truth his Hand but none of his Act. It happened some years after this that Queen Anne fell into a desperate and 't was believed incureable fit of Sickness and â—hen the Skill of all her Physicions had failed Sir Walter by his long Studies having arrived to an admirable Perfection in Chymistry was sent to who undertook and performed the Cure for which he would receive no other Reward but that her Majesty would procure certain Lords to be sent to Cobham to examine him Whether he had accused Sir Walter Rawleigh of Treason at any time under his Hand The King at the Queen's Request as in Justice he could do no less sent six Lords viz. the Duke of Lennox the Earls of
Salisbury Worcester Suffolk Sir George Carew and Sir Julius Caesar to Interrogate with Cobham upon the said Head Cobham protested he never did nor could accuse Sir Walter but said That Villain Wade after a long Sollicitation so to do but not prevailing got him by a trick to write his Name upon a piece of Paper which he dreaming of no harm did so that if any Charge came under his Hand it must have been forged by Wade by Writing something above his Name without his Consent or Privity The Lords returning to the King made Salisbury their Spokesman who elusively said Sir My Lord Cobham hath made good all that ever he said and so the matter rested Sir Walter being no ways relieved hereby but the King further possest with his guilt but surely the baseness of those Lords and the King's credulity were unpardonable Crimes Soon after this Hodge-podge of a Plot the King and Queen were Crowned in great Pomp at Westminster And the same year a Conference was managed at Hampton-Court between the Prelatical and Puritan Party the latter conceiving great hopes that because of the King's Education in the Scots Discipline he would be of their side but they mistook quite their mark for he was by that time become Heart and Soul Episcopal and to give evident Demonstration of his entire Conversion issues out a Proclamation of which no Prince was ever so prodigal and which at last as naturally happens were as little regarded for Uniformity in Religion according to Law Established then at length comes a Parliament between whom and the King notwithstanding some mutual Caresses for a time arose several Jars and Jealousies but the discovery of the Gun-Powder Treason attributed to the King's Wisdom and Foresight seemed for a time to heal all the Breaches which hellish Contrivance against the King and Kingdom will fall pertinently enough to be noted in this place The Popish Party finding their Petition for a Toleration of Religion rejected grew enraged thereat and now nothing would serve but the Destruction of King Prince and the Representative Body of the whole Nation in Parliament and to that end they hid 36 Barrels of Gun-Powder under the Parliament House the principal Contriver whereof was Robert Catesby a Gentleman of a plentiful Estate who made choice of Thomas Piercy Winter Grant Ambrose Rookwood I am told the Ancestor of the late Ambrose Rookwood executed for Conspiring the Death of our Renowned Sovereign King William Wright Tresham Sir Everard Digby and others who are all bound to Secresie by those Sacraments which are the greatest Ties upon the Soul and St. Garnet the Jesuit was their Confessor Piercy was to hire the Cellars under the Parliament House to lay Wood and Coals in for his Winters Store and Guido Faux a desperate Ruffian who was to give Fire to the Train was appointed to be his Man to bring in Wood and Coals The Gun-Powder bought in Flanders was brought in the Night from Lambeth and covertly laid under the Wood and every thing made ready against the 7th of February whereon the Parliament was to meet but the Parliament being providentially Prorogued to the 5th of November following this dispersed the Conspirators for the present and made them almost at their Wits end but reassuming again their former Courage they resolve to carry on their Villany and to bear up with Patience till the day came They were sure the King and Prince must perish with the blow as for the Duke of York Piercy undertook to dispatch him but the Lady Elizabeth they resolved to save that under her Minority and Innocency they might the better establish their Bloody Principles of Piety and Policy and to that end they appointed a great Hunting Match to be at Dunsemore-Heath in Warwickshire to be nearer the Lord Harrington's House where the Lady Elizabeth then was on the 5th of November aforesaid Thus Solacing themselves in this Bloody Expectation and thinking all Cock-sure one tender-hearted Murderer among the rest writ a Letter to the Lord Monteagle wishing him to have a care of himself and to forbear his Attendance at that Parliament for God and Man had concurred to punish the Wickedness of the time and they should receive a terrible blow and yet not see who hurt them The Lord Monteagle thinking there might be something in the Letter oâ— dangerous Consequence though he understood it not carried the same to the Earl of Salisbury who also could not tell what to make of it but upon the King 's coming to Whitehall from Royston where he had been Hunting of a Hare he shewed him the Letter who being naturally of a fearful Temper and suspicious Mind ordered the Earl of Suffolk and Lord Monteagle to make a search about the Parliament House who entring into the Cellar and observing the Stores as aforesaid enquired of the Wardrobe Keeper Mr. Winyard who was also House-keeper whose they were Winyard replied he had let the Cellar to one Thomas Percy and close in a Corner there stood Faux who being asked who he was said Percy 's Servant The Lords for the present left all things as they found them but departed full of Suspicion the Lord Monteagle assuring himself the forementioned Letter must come from Percy for there were some little intimacy between them and gave the King and Council a Relation of their Proceedings who resolved that night to make a further search and committed it to the management of Sir Thomas Knevet a Gentleman of approved Fidelity and who with a suitable Assistance coming to the Cellar about midnight met Faux at the Door on whom he presently seized and proceeding in his search pulled out the Core of all that Horrid Contrivance whereupon Faux confessed all being only sorry it came not to perfection and saying God would have concealed it and the Devil only discovered it In his Pockets they found a Watch which were not common then and a Tinder-Box Engines to minute out his time to strike the fatal blow The Conspirators finding all detected hastened for all that to the Hunting Match aforesaid furnishing themselves with Horses by breaking open several Stables and taking their choice but the Sherriffs of Warwickshire and Worcestershire pursued them so hard that at last they were forced to earth themselves at Littleton's House at Halbech where Percy and Catesby were slain with a few more and the rest taken Prisoners and afterwards Hanged This happy Deliverance was Celebrated with great Joy and Foreign Princes though Popish would Congratulate the Discovery and the Parliament made an Act for the perpetual Solemnizing of the day of Deliverance with publick Thanksgivings So things continued for a time and the King of Denmark the Queen's Brother coming over to visit the King and his Sister the Summer following added a greater gust to the Recreations and Pastimes of the Court now wallowing in all sensual Pleasures as if the Devil was quite laid and ne'er more Storms to be feared from any Quarter but the
rising in Wales were soon beaten so were the Surry Essex and Kentish Forces without any reinforcements from him as was designed and when he Landed some forces for the relief of Deal-Castle they were vanquished almost as soon as Landed This with the taking of Colchester by Sir Thomas Fairfax sent him back again to his Sister the Princess of Orange to the Hague Here it was that he was first Entertained with the horrible news of his Father's Tragical death and then saluted by the name of King but a forlorn Man and without any Subjects to govern for now the Rump Parliament ruled the Roast in England and had assumed to themselves the Supream power of the Nation by the name and title of the Commonwealth of England but this procedure of theirs did not relish well with the Scotch Covenanters and especially now they found that those Persons in the English Parliament that had been most forward in establishing the Solemn League and Covenant between both Nations were not only laid aside but clapt up into nasty PRISONS Wherefore being willing to lay hold on any Twig the Scots resolve not to put up the supposed injury tamely but to try their Fortune with the Rump by Arms and to that end agree to invite the King over to take Possession of his ancient Kingdom of Scotland but yet tye him so by vertue of the Treaty with him to take their Solemn League and Covenant as a Testimony of his sorrow for his Father's Sins and to banish all those out of his Court who would not take the Covenant or bare Arms for his Father But they could not have found a Plant as Mr. Coke observes more unlikely to produce the Fruit of Repentance or to establish Presbytery than himself however over Shooes over Boots prepare he does to waft himself over for Scotland To be a King in fact he desired above all other things and in June 165O landed at the Spey in the North having scaped a scouring for some of the Rump Ships lay in wait for him as he passed the Sea and narrowly mist him In some time after he was solemnly Crowned at Scone but alass it was no long-liv'd Dignity and he had but little Joy of his Crown for Cromwel had entred Scotland with the English Army and having beaten the Scots in several smaller Rencounters did at last upon the 8 of September utterly overthrow the much more numerous Kirk Army at Dunbar commanded by old General Lesley killing 3000 of them in the Battle and pursuit and taking 9000 Prisoners with all their Baggage and Ammunition with above 200 Colours To augment these Miseries the King who was very squeamish in Religion and could not submit to the rigid discipline of the Kirk runs from Scone towards the High-lands after whom ran Montgomery promising if he would return the Kirk would remit part of the Discipline and so he came to St. John's Town But here was no lasting Tranquillity for him for tho' in this time he raised a very numerous Army yet the Kirkmen being beaten at Dunbar as aforesaid by the English began to rail bitterly against those who had called the King in too hastily before he had given true signs of Repentance and they assumed the Kingly Authority so far as to make such Generals of the Kirk Army as they thought sit But Cromwel in the mean time prevails in his Conquests and tho' Scotland were a cold Climate yet he made it too hot for the King and his Army to hold long there and therefore he slips with them to England by the way of Carlile but was followed close at the heels by Lambert and Harrison and soon after by Cromwel himself with the main Army But he arrived at Worcester City with little opposition and there Cromwel came up with him where they joyned Battle but as all his attempts before in his Fathers Cause had proved succesless he met with no better Fortune now he fought in his own Cause nor indeed hardly ever did in all his Life-time by Arms for here his Army was utterly Routed by Cromwel that very day twelve Month he had beaten the Scots at Dunbar 3550 whereof were killed with Duke Hamilton and General Forbes and 5000 taken Prisoners of which number were the Earls of Rothes Kanworth and Kelly the Lords Sinclaer and Monâ—gomery General of the Ordinance and soon after David Lesley who fought not or but little in the Battle was Routed by Colonel Lilburn and together with Lauderdale the Lords Kenmoure and Middleton taken Prisoners The poor King seeing all now irrecoverably lost about six in the Evening marched out at St Martin's Gate leaving all that was valuable but his Life behind him as a prey to the Enemy and being come to a place called Barbon-Bridge he consults with the few followers he had with him what to do among whom it was resolved he should endeavour to get back into Scotland and one Walker who belonged to the Lord Talbots Troop was made choise of to be his Guide Northward But Walker being at a loss when he came to Kinver-Heath and not knowing which way to go the King consulted with the Lords yet about him whither he might repair with most safety to take a few hours rest in regard he found himself quite worn out and spent whereupon the Earl of Derby advised him to go to Bosoobel where in his Flight from Wiggan to Worcester he met with a trusty Person and where there was great conveniency of Concealment This being agreed to Mr. Gifford who knew the way best was appointed to conduct him thither but he proposing to carry him first to White-Ladies a house about half a mile from Boscobel where he might repose himself a while and then take farther Resolutions this was consented to and thither they immediately repaired and were readily entertained by George Pendrel the youngest of the five Brethren By this time the King found himself extream hungry and very much tired with his long and hasty march and here it was that he rubbed his hands and face with the foot of the Chimney had the locks of his hair disorderly cut off and was stripped of his blew Ribbon buff Câ—at and other Princely Ornaments which to prevent a discovery were buryed under Ground and his Case now was not imparallell to his Great Ancestor Robert Bruce King of Scotland who for fear of Edward I. King of England was forced to sculk in the High-Lands and there to live for a time more like a Brute Beast then a Man much less a Prince as we have noted towards the beginning of this History The Kings fine Shirt was also exchanged for a course Canvass one borrowed of one Martin and a suit of Cloaths answerable to it of Richard Pendrells put on by him and then he assumes the name and imployment of a Woodman and so with Richard with a Bill in his hand he went into the Wood while the other Brothers went out to scout It was not above
an hour after his going into the Wood before a Troop of the Parliaments Horse came to White-Ladies to look after him But being told by the Towns-men that a Party of Horse had been there about three hours before but hasted away they made no stay but went upon the pursuit which being told to the King he would not adventure to come into the house out of the Wood all day where he was miserably wet with the heavy Rain that fell and where about noon Richard's Sister brought him a mess of Milk mixt with Eggs and Sugar in a black earthen Dish and the King guessing it to be Milk and Apples said he loved it very well In the Evening he left the Wood and with the brothers and Francis Yates their Brother-in-law went to Richard Pendrell's House under the name of one William Jones a Wood-Cutter newly come thither for Work where he had Bacon and Eggs for supper When he had refresh'd himself a little he departed that night to Mr. Wolfs at Madeley with Richard only in his Company the rest of the brethren taking their leave of him and Yates supposing he wanted Money offered him thirty Shillings which was all he had of which the King took only Ten. As they Journyed on towards the foresaid place he met with an odd encounter which put them into no small fright at a place called Eveling-Mill for the Miller who as it afterward appear'd was a Royalist had then in his House some Considerable Persons of the Kings Army that had sheltered themselves there in their Flight from Worcester and being allarmed by Richard's suffering a gate to clap through which he passed and boldly demanding who was there Richard fearing he had pursued them quited the way in great hast and waded through a little Brook and the King thereupon doing the like followed him only by the ratling of his leathern Breeches by which means they escaped the Miller who not knowing but they were Enemies was as glad to be rid of them as they were to shun him When they came to Mr. Wolf's House the Family was a bed but upon Richard's knâ—â—â—â—ng the Daughter came to the door and they were admitted in and some Refreshment the King had here but the fear of his Enemies would not let him rest in this House and so he retired to an adjacent Barn as to a place less lyable to the danger of a surprize During his stay there he consulted with Mr. Wolf about his going into Wales but finding upon enquiry the strict guard that was kept every where he was advised to retire to Boscobel house as the most retired place in all those parts which he did the night following But in the mean time his Hands and Face not appearing sufficiently discoloured Wolf bathed them in a decoction of Wallnut leaves as the readiest expedient for that purpose When Richard and he came to Boscobel which was about three next morning the King was left in the Wood while Richard went in to see if there were any Soldiers there and finding none but Collonel Careless who was fled thither from Worcester Fight for shelter he tells him of the Kings arrival who went immediately out to conduct him in where he fed heartily on Coarse Bread and Cheese and a Possit which as a rarity was made by William Pendrell's Wife of thin Milk and small Beer and after Supper his feet being extream dirty and very much gall'd with travelling he was forced to wash them and for want of Shooes to wear whilst his own were dryed they were necessitated to put hot embers into them to dry them a little whilst his feet were a washing After the King had refrest himself he was advised by the Collonel to retire to the Wood again as the safest place where he ascended together with the Collonel into an Oak thence-forward called the Royal-Oak where he stayd most part of the day but in the Evening he returned back into the House and was conducted by William to the same place where the Earl of Derby had formerly been secured which he liked so well that he resolved during his stay there to trust to it only and to go no more into the Oak But one of the Pendrels going on the Saturday following to Shefnall he met with one of the Parliament Colonels who was in search for the King and who coming to understand where Pendrell lived examined him strictly about it laying before him the reward of a Thousand Pounds if he made a Discovery and also the Penalty of Concealing the King which was Death without Mercy all which Pendrell upon his return at Night acquainted the King with whereat he was not a little terrified But the Collonel and Pendrell upon their Assurance of his Safety did a little comfort him and that night the King Supped upon no common dainty which was a dish of Chickens prepared by Dame Joan as he called her Richard's Wife After Supper when a little Bed was put into the Secret place where the King was to lye the Collonel asked him What he would please to have for Dinner next day being Sunday He told him he could wish he had a little Mutton but this they found hard to come by in that it was not advisable for to have any bought in the Market because Pendrell's Neighbours knew he was not used to provide any such Meat for his own eating But the Collonel next Morning early would go to Stanton's Sheep-Coat and having chosen out a good Sheep stuck him with his Dagger and order'd William Pendrell to carry him home where being flead and quarter'd and a Leg brought to the King he called for a Knife and a Trenchard and having cut some of it into Collops called for a Frying-pan and Cooked some of them himself the Collonel in the mean time by making the Fire and turning the Collops in the Pan officiating as Under-Cook But being inform'd by John Pendrell that the Lord VVilmot was at Mr. VVhitegraves at Mosle he sent John thither to let him know he was safe and would be there that Night but when John came he found VVilmot was gone to Bentley however he acquainted Mr. VVhitegrave and Mr. Huddleston that the King was at Boscobell where he had but very ill Accommodation Whereupon they went with him to Bentley and the Lord VVilmot sent John back to acquaint the King with his resolution to meet Him that Night about Twelve or One of the Clock in a little Grove of Trees not far from VVhitegraves to which end the King prepared to set forth But having not yet recover'd his late foot Journey to Madley it was concluded he should Ride upon Humphrey's Mill-horse a sorry Jade and a Saddle with other Accoutrements answerable and was conducted thither by the Five Brothers four whereof were only Scouts while the fifth attended upon His Person When they were come to Penford-Mill his Guides desir'd him to alight and walk the remainder of the way on foot which was about
the Worlds take of him are likely never to wear out Things are now brought to that pass that I cannot rely upon the Enemies word nor they upon mine and I should be still in fear that they would violate their agreements with me supposing I would never keep faith with them any longer than I esteemed it for my conveniency I know it will be a fruitless thing for me to make protestations that what happened last year in reference to the violation of the Capitulation of the Cities in the Palatinate came to pass without my approbation or privity that excuse will be imputed to Folly or Treachery unless I could publickly put to death the Authors of that infidelity which the evil Counsellors about my Father will not permit for fear both the crime and the punishment should fall upon themselves These are generous Sentiments my Lord which if well cultivated may perhaps prove useful to himself and to the confederated Enemies of France at this time and I can think them no other than the remains of such as were infused into him by the good old Duke his Governour who stuck not once to tell his Father upon the account of his Cruelty to his Protestant Subjects That it became not a King to be a Bigot I shall confine my self now and always to a bare transmission of what I shall judge worthy your knowledge leaving the application wholly to your Lordship without I have other commands from you which I do not know how to receive in my ticklish circumstances at present but such when known to me as I shall always obey to the utmost of my power as far as I find them safe and consistent with your Honour and so I remain My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Entirely devoted Serv. Versailles May 30. 1689. N. S. LETTER III. Of the Declaration of War made by France against the Crown of Spain after she had endeavoured in vain to keep the Spaniards neutral My Lord YOur Lordship may perhaps call to mind what I formerly transmitted to you out of our Minutes concerning the efforts made by this Crown to induce the Spaniards to a Neutrality in the War formed by France against the Republick of Holland and her then Confederates And I am now to acquaint you there have been the like and greater efforts made to keep that same Crown from falling into the present Conjunction of the Allies against her though both the attempts have failed of the desired success It s true the Spaniards thought fit to temporize the latter end of the last Year and the beginning of this till they found the Revolution in England accomplished and the Government reduced to a settled form and then they made no bones openly to testify their Aversion to France and her interest as well as good-will to the Confederates at the same time by such Acts as gave evident signs both of the one and the other And your Lordship cannot think how greatly mortified this Court is at the News they have lately received of my Lord Stafford King James his Embassadors being dismist by the King of Spain and that they would no longer own his Character It has occasion'd much discourse here and People daily vend their Sentiments upon it as they are variously affected towards the parties concerned and among other things I cannot forbear mentioning one passage which though perhaps already known to your Lordship yet give me leave to please my self since I have nothing more momentous to transmit with a short relation of it It seems upon the late King James his Accession to the Throne the Spanish Embassador Don Ronquillo took upon himself to advise him not to suffer himself to be guided by Friars and Monks the King for answer told him That the Kings of Spain were wont to do it The Embassador replied again I know it Sir but that is our misfortune Therefore your Majesty ought to take warning by our Example and not to dash your self against that Rock and surely if he had taken up with this Counsel he might have been still in great security upon his Throne and his Embassador in the highest esteem in Spain But to return the foremention'd prevarications in the Court of Spain as they are pleased to denominate them here has at length produc'd a Declaration of War against Spain which has been dispatch'd by a Trumpeter to the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands and the substance whereof is here subjoined That the unfeigned desire his most Christian Majesty had to observe the Truce concluded on in the Year 1684. had caused him to take no notice of the demeanor of the Spanish Ministers in the Courts of all the European Princes where they had made it their whole business to animate the several Princes to take up Arms against France That His Majesty is not ignorant of the share they have had in the Negotiation of the League made at Ausburg That he is also well acquainted with what share the Governour of the Spanish Neatherlands has lately had in the Prince of Orange his Enterprize against the Kingdom of England But that yet not being inclinable to believe that what was transacted by him was done by his Catholick Majesty's Command his most Christian Majesty was in good hopes to have perswaded his Catholick Majesty to have concurred with him for the effectual Restoration of the lawful King of England and the preservation of the Catholick Religion against the Protestant League that was formed or at leastwise to have observed an exact Neutrality To which purpose he had made several proposals that seemed to have been well received so long as the success of the Prince of Orange continued doubtful but that when it came to be once known at Madrid that the King of England had left his Dominions that then nothing was meditated upon but a War against France That his Christian Majesty was moreover further informed that the Spanish Embassador in England paid dayly visits to the Prince of Orange and was very importunate with him to declare War against the Kingdom of France That the Governour of the Spanish Low Countries was raising Men with utmost diligence and had promised the States General to joyn their Forces in the beginning of the Campaign and laboured with the Prince of Orange to send numbers of Men into Flanders Of all which procedures he had informed his Catholick Majesty and offered him a sincere continuation of the Truce provided he would give no succour to his Majesty's Enemies But now finding after all that his Catholick Majesty was resolved to favour the Usurper of England whose Agents had received considerable Summs both at Cadiz and Madrid His Majesty therefore to prevent the Evil intentions of his Catholick Majesty has resolved to declare War against him both by Sea and Land c. Your Lordship cannot but discern by the whole purport of this Declaration where the shoe must Pinch and nothing is more manifest then that the successful enterprizes of
the King of England stick most to the heart of this Court which may at last turn to a mortal Convulsion which none can be more desirous to see than My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and most Obedient Servanâ— Paris June 10. 1689. N. S. LETTER IV. Of Cardinal d' Este his solliciting the Pope for Money for the late King James and his proposing a Croisade for the restoration of him to his Throne again My Lord I Have in my last endeavoured to give your Lordship the Sence and Resolution of this Court concerning the present posture of Affairs and mighty Efforts are made for the support of the late King's Interest who is as you well know now in Ireland both here and at Rome too by the Agency of this Court and least the Differences that have been so long depending between both Courts should any ways obstruct the Cause they have at length laid the foundation of an accommodation and the great motive to press it on is taken from the miserable condition of the late King's Affairs and that his Holiness could not but know that the main of the Catholicks hopes resting in the most Christian King for the redressing of them those very hopes would also vanish if his Holiness still obstinately persisted to refuse an accommodation with him The Cardinal d' Este the late Queen's Unkle is the person pitched upon to manage this Negotiation whose further instructions are to sollicite the Pope for some present supply of Money for his Nephew and not only so but to propose to the Old Father the publishing a Crolsade for the restoration of him to his Kingdoms But finding this did not relish well with the Old Dad his Eminency confin'd himself to a request that his Holiness would exhort the Emperor King of Spain and other Catholick Princes to it and mediate an accommodation between them for the more effectual carrying on the same But this is but Thunder afar off and will never endammage the Brittish Isles I heartily wish you may be as secure from intestine commotions and machinations there is nothing more talked of here and I have some reason to fear some measures have been conserted here for the fermenting of that inquietude which has possest too many amonst you upon this change of Government your Lordship will pardon me since I write with the same freedom and sincerity as formerly and remain My Lord Your Constant and most faithful Servant Paris June 17. 1689. N. S. LETTER V. Of the Queen of Spains Death the formal Story made in France of her being Poisoned and a Marriage feared between his Catholick Majesty and the Infanta of Portugal My Lord NOW things are come to an open Rupture and hostility between the two Crowns of Spain and France some account of which I have already transmitted to your Lordship you cannot conceive how violently they vend their Spite and Malice against the Spanish Court and more especially take occasion to renew publickly the discourse which was at first scarce whispered of the Queen of Spains being poisoned in which they pretend to interest themselves very much as she was a Daughter of France and say that she being secretly admonished in the midst of all the troubles that befell her to take care of her self found out a way to dispatch a Frenchman that was then in Spain to her Father the Duke of Orleans and to desire him to send her some treacle by the most cunning Courtier that was in the Kingdom that thereupon the Duke who had a most tender Love and Affection for the Queen his Daughter being deeply concerned at the News which portended his approaching Misfortune had discovered what had happened to the King who at the same time took care to send away what the Queen desir'd But that by the time that the Courier was arrived at the City of Burgos he met there with another who told him that he was carrying the News of the Queen's Death To which particulars are superadded these circumstances of her Sickness that being suddenly taken with a Vomitting she should say as formerly the deceased Madam her Mother of whose Death I have to the best of my remembrance formerly given your Lordship some account after she had drank the Glass of Succory Water to which she atttributed her Death That she was poisoned That her Vomitting was attended with most violent Convulsions which being reported to the Count de Rebenac â—enquires the French Embassador then at the Spanish Court he went to give the Queen a Visit but that When he came there entrance into her Chamber was denied him under a pretence that it was not the custom in Spain for Men to visit Women neither in Health nor Sickness That thereupon he became very importunate for Entrance urging that he came not to see her as Queen of Spain but as she was a Daughter of France and the King his Masters Niece They further add that this contest continued and was spun out to a long time under pretence of knowing the King's Pleasure and that at length after long attendance the Door was open'd to him but yet at such a time when the Queen was so very ill that she could not speak one word That she dyed within a short while after one Convulsion succeeding another till she gave up the Ghost That besides all these concurring circumstances the designs formed last Year by the Council of Spain to have his Catholick Majesty divorced from her and their applications to the Pope for that purpose under the pretended Allegations that the French before they parted with her had used all Aritifices of the Devil to prevent her having of Children but not being able to lay convincing proofs before him of the matter they had put off that project these things they say gave no small umbrage to some Clandestine practices against her life to say nothing of the project at the same time to get the â—nfanta of Portugal married to him and thereby lay a Ground-plot for the uniting of Portugal once more to Spain c. But my Lord whatever surmizes they have had of such a design then its certain there is nothing they are more apprehensive of at this time than such a Conjunction which must inevitably add one Kingdom more to the number of the Confederates and against them and all Engins are on work to divert the success of it I hope the King of England and his Allies are sensible of this and will take care to countermine the Enemy in time which are the hearty wishes of My Lord Your Lordships to serve and Command whilst Paris July 2d 1689. N. S. LETTER VI Of some secret Designs hatching against the Establisht Government in England My Lord IT is not long since I gave your Lordship a hint of the apprehensions I had of some evil Designs formed against the Established Government and I am so far from lessening the same that I grow more and more jealous of their progress day by
day Not that I am able to Name either Person or Place or positive design to your Lordship but sure I am there is a Snake in the Grass and perhaps it will be found some of those from whom was expected most Service and Fidellity will be found to act a counterpart However it be I can assure you that Barillon late Embassador in England from this Crown though he has been forced to quit the Brittish Isle ignominiously enough yet he hath found out a way to leave two if not three Frenchmen of his Train behind to no good end to be sure and I do not question but you will hear more of them without they be secured in time And though it does plainly appear both by the countenance and minutes of this Court that things do not go so trim and glibly with them in England as in former times when they had no more to do than to consult those infallible Oracles the Dutches of Portsmouth and Goodman Peters yet I do not question but it will appear that their Oracles are not quite silenced there I beg your Lordship to pardon this freedom and to entertain a favourable opinion of the sincere intentions of My Lord Your Honours to Serue and Obey Paris June 25. 1689. N. S. LETTER VII A Summary of the Articles concluded on the French King's part for restoring of the Late King James to his lost Dominions My Lord I Can't forbear taking notice to your Lordship tho' I have done it once and again already of the great difficulties I labour under to procure any true and certain intelligence of matters transacted on our side in reference to the Affairs of England And I can as little forbear endeavouring to communicate whatever such intelligence comes into my Hands to your Honour though it be accompanied with such imminent danger as you cannot but be a little sensible off and which I heartily wish none of my Friends may ever have the black apprehensions of how much more your Lordship whom I ever have and shall Love and Honour Wherefore be pleased to receive hereby the heads of those Articles agreed and concluded on the French King's part for the furthering the late King James in the recovery of his abdicated Throne and they are these following First He doth Solemnly promise and engage to assist and promote the late King his dear Brother in his Pretensions with Men Money and all possible force both by Sea and Land and firmly resolves never to lay down his Arms or be at Peace with his Enemies till such time as his said Brother shall be remounted on the English Throne and be peaceable possessor of the same Secondly That till such time as the foresaid Article should be put in full Execution and thoroughly accomplished he hath obliged himself to support him the late King and all his other dependants in his Kingdom of France or elsewhere with all suitable grandeur and dignity Thirdly That he should with utmost expedition and application assist him with a competent number of Forces by Land and a sufficient Navy by Sea towards the reducing under his Obedience the hostile part of the Kingdom of Ireland and not desist till the same were entirely recovered unto him And after that it were so reduced and subjected by their conjoint Arms the late King should be in possession of it till such time as he shall be in full possession of the English Throne but no longer But how to unravel the later Clause of this Article at present is beyond my skill and so I will leave it Fourthly He hath also over and above the preceding Engagements promised to give him all the assistances necessary from time to time both by Sea and Land for the recovery of England and Scotland unto him when he shall arrive in one or either of the said Kingdoms in Person and in the mean time hath engaged to be aiding and assisting to his party in either of the two Nations as time and occasion should serve My Lord I do question but you would be highly satisfyed to have a view of the Stipulations on the late King's part to his Gallick Majesty and I hope your Lordship has Entertained such an Opinion of me as to think my satisfaction can be no less in being able to gratify your Honours Curiosity upon this head which I shall not fail to endeavour to do and heartily wish an accomplishment of in my next who am My Lord With all due Observance Your Honours most Obedient and Devoted Ser. St. Germ. July 31. 1689. N. S. LETTER VIII Articles stipulated on King James's his part for the giving up Ireland c. to the French upon his recovery of England and Scotland My Lord THat your Lordship has safely received my last I have had some intimations of by my friend from I earnestly wish for the like success to this and your speedy receipt of it seeing it hath so luckily fallen out with me that the purport of it contains what I cannot but flatter my self will redound much to your Honours satisfaction I mean the Articles stipulated on the late King's part to the French King of which I gave an hint in my last though I could not then as much as hope with any tollerable confidence of being so soon able to procure them First then The late King hath agreed in consideration of the French King's assistances as mentioned in my last and as soon as he shall be restored and fully resetled in his Dominions and not before that he may not give any umbrage to the English to quit all manner of claim to the Title or Arms of France and take effectual care to put the same out of the Royal English Escutcheon Secondly That he shall entirely quit and resign up the soveraignty of the narrow Seas to the French and that to that purpose he shall give orders to his Ships of War c. to strike to the French Flags Thirdly That he shall be obliged to assist him the French King with thirty Capital Ships of War and Twenty Thousand Land-men in any War when he shall have occasion for them and this at his own proper cost and charges Fourthly That he shall make or enter into no allyance against France nor to any other without the French King's Privity and Consent but unfeignedly observe a perpetual League both Offensive and Defensive with the Crown of France Fifthly That he shall permit unto the French King at all times and occasions the free use of all his Ports for the retreat of his Ships and be obliged to furnish him then and there with proper Conveniences and able Workmen to repair his endamaged Ships or to build new ones when soever he shall require it Sixthly That he shall admit into his standing forces whose number and strength shall from time to time be limitted and regulated by him in concert with the French King a constant Body of Twenty Thousand French and Ten Thousand Catholick Switzers or more or
less of them in proportion to the Troops of his own Subjects and this after his full re-settlement on the Throne And not only so but shall deliver up Dover Castle Plymouth and Portsmouth to be Garrisoned by French Soldiers as cautionary Towns for the security of performance Seventhly That in regard of the Situation of the Irish Ports and their conveniency for the French Fleets as also in consideration of the agreement of the Irish with the People of France in Religion He shall after his full restoration to the English and Scotch Kingdoms be obliged to give Ireland to the French King in full compensation of all the Moneys he has already expended or shall expend further in his Quarrel and for vindicating of his right to his Dominions But that however because of the Scituation of the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia in the Mediteranean for the English Navigation and Trade into the Levant the sly Monsieur hath obliged himself to conquer those Kingdoms for the late King at his own Expence and with his own Arms and to give them up entirely to him in lieu of his Kingdom of Ireland Eighthly That still towards the furthering a stricter Friendship and Allyance between the two Nations of England and France and for perpetuating a mutual amity and sincere Correspondence If in case by the Violent or Natural Death either of King William or Prince George of Denmark or both of them one or both of the Princesses Royal shall become Widdows and that their Persons can be seized That then they shall be convey'd with all expedition and secrecy into France and be put into the French King's Power and shall there be Married Nolens Volens to such Prince or Princes as he shall appoint or think fit for them Ninthly That the Eldest or Surviving Issue of such Marriage shall succeed to the Crowns of Ireland and Scotland and England only to remain to the pretended Prince of Wales with the American Plantations Thus My Lord I have now given you the Stipulations so much desired by you I 'le leave your Lordship to descant and make such use of them as your known Wisdom and Ability shall direct for the good of the King and Country and shall reserve some further things which I cannot conveniently Write now and which relate to this subject to another opportunity and in the mean time I am and ever shall remain My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Faithful Servant Paris Aug. 19. 1689. N. S. LETTER IX Some Reflections upon King James's League with the French King with an account of some further terms agreed upon between them in relation to the English Protestants in Ireland My Lord THis Court is mighty uppish upon the success of the late King James or I may more truly say their own in Ireland which if totally reduced by their conjoint Arms is to be one day their own as appears by the seventh Article stipulated between the two Kings and of which I gave your Lordship an account in my last And 't is not doubted but the Count d' Avaux hath already taken Livery and seisin of it privately in his Majesty's Name And that it is really so I am not only assured of by the said Articles but the same is more then probable by the great care and exactness that is had at Brest and other Ports of the Ocean to keep an account of all the Cloaths Arms Ammunition and Provisions that are shipped off there for Ireland and which according to some of the accounts stated and transmitted hither somewhat whereof I have had the opportunity to have a slight view of are set down at such extravagant rates as if they designed in a short time not only to ballance the account with him for Ireland but to make him considerably their Debter over and above for the carrying on another Game But they may chance to reckon without their Host in this as well as all the rest I pray God keep King William and his Royal Consort and may she and her Royal Sister be never so unhappy as to fall into the French power as your Lordship sees has been again conserted by the Ninth and last Article If ever it should so happen which God of his Mercy avert and that any such Match or Matches shall come to pass and issue come thereof my Friend hath secretly whispered me That then the pretended Prince of Wales is not like to be long liv'd But I still trust all these towering hopes of our Enemies will evaporate into Smoak and that their designs shall have as little Effect upon the lives and fortunes of our true Princes as their contrivances against the Religion and property of their Subjects shall become abortive and fruitless and whom they have agreed upon to treat in the following manner First That all possessors of Lands in Ireland that are of the Protestant Religion and will not turn Papists shall be bound to sell their Estates at a set price to the French King who shall let them out to the old Irish proprietors at certain Quit-rents and services that shall in a reasonable time reimburse him of the purchase Money Secondly But still to shew their good Nature and Lenity it s agreed that all Protestants that will shall have leave freely to depart with their Effects whither soever they please And lastly That such as will stay shall have liberty of Conscience granted them for the space of Twenty Years till the Country shall be fuller stockt with French Catholicks and other Papists I am well satisfied your Lordship will not think these Machinations a matter of nothing but as a good Patriot which you have shewed your self to be in the most Arbitrary times will stir up your self and honest Countrymen to obviate them seasonably which I as heartily wish as I have little reason to doubt it who am My Lord Your faithful and most Obedient Servant Paris Octo. 27. 1689. N. S. LETTER X. Of King James's Army in Ireland and Duke Schomberg's with Cardinal Bouillon's Motion for a Contribution for the support of the former My Lord THE raising of the Siege of London-derry and the landing of the English Army without interruption in Ireland under Duke Schomherg with other successes and advantages are so far from discouraging this Court in their hopes of a speedy conquest of that Kingdom that they have already in the Cabinet vaunted it to be as good as their own and that perhaps they need not stay for another Campaign to re-establish the late King upon the Throne of England and put themselves in an entire possession of the other Kingdom according to the full extent and meaning of the Stipulated Articles which I have formerly transmitted to your Lordship But because Money here is very hard to come by in such a proportion as to answer those vast Expences they are at to carry on the War upon the Continent which must be got at any rate they have resolved to carry on the Irish
Affairs with two Court-projects which are of that Stamp that for all their boasting makes wise Men have but a poor opinion of the Event For it cannot be thought that any great matters should be done at Rome for the support of the late King though by this Court's contrivance and instigation the Cardinal de Bovillon in a Congregation of Cardinals lately held there propounded they should Tax a voluntary Contribution upon themselves for his supply and that to set a good and laudable example unto others he offered a considerable Summ But by all that I could learn hitherto the motion was not much relished and 't is very likely the Congregation smoak the design that the Cardinal thought that the best way to find the French King his Master Money who undoubtedly cannot but need it and that he that supplies the one King supplies the other And if the first carries so little probability of success with it I am sure your Lordship will say the other has much less and that to make Copper to pass for Silver Coin forbodes a general disatisfaction in the Inhabitants of that Country where that innovation is introduced and cannot be thought to make the soldiery over mertlesome and daring It s almost past belief how much this teagish invention for it will by no means be allowed to be the production of the French refined Policy is ridiculed in every Corner But I shall not presume to detain your Lordship any longer and therefore conclude subscribing my self My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and most devoted Serv. Paris Decm 12. 1689. N. S. LETTER XI Of the Resolutions taken in France to support King James in Ireland and to reinforce his Army with a good body of French Troops c. My Lord AS to what secret and underhand machinations there may be on foot against the Established Government in England or Scotland I cannot perceive this Court have any great share therein otherwise then as the Emissaries of it in Ireland are assistant to the late King to promote and execute his designs and therefore I am in no capacity at present of giving your Lordship any the least intimations of such projections But this is in general your Honour may be fully assured of that there will be no efforts wanting on the part of this Crown both by Sea and Land this Spring to further him in his Pretentions there being all dilligence and expedition used to get both the Convoy and Forces ready which both the one and the other will be found to be more considerable than perhaps you are aware of in England If there be any apprehensions of such a design there my Lord as it becomes his Majesty to take all effectual care for to hinder the further progress of the French Arms in Ireland there is not a whit less care to be used that the contagion do not spread further in Scotland least after all the pretenses these Forces and Squadrons are designed for the lattet and land there when least expected However they seem to demur at present upon the matter and that out of design as 't is whispered to be first fully informed in what forwardness the Prince of Orange as they call him is in his Preparations and how formidable his force is like to be I am heartily sorry my Lord that I cannot penetrate more to the quick to the design of this Court but yet I hope what I have here suggested of the Fruit of my own observation and converse may be of some use to my Country and be a means to propagate your Honours good Opinion of my ready Willingness at all times and to the utmost of my power to serve both it and you who am My Lord Your Lordships very Humble and most devoted Servant Versailles Feb. 5. 1690. N. S. LETTER XII Of Count de Lauzune's going for Ireland and of some secret designs of the French King against some place in the Netherlands My Lord WHat I intimated to your Lordship in my last of the Resolutions of this Court to support the late King's Interest in Ireland doth now daily appear more and more visible by the many men of War that with utmost diligence are fitted up and the Troops that dayly defile towards Brest c. As to the certain number either of the one or the other there can be nothing gathered from common fame and therefore having pryed as narrowly as I could into the Cabinet by the means of I am assured the Landmen will amount at least to the number of Seaven Thousand and the convoy will hardly be less than Forty men of War which according to computation may be ready to sail in a fortnights time But as there is nothing omitted here for keeping up an interest in Ireland and so to divert the King of Englands Army that way there is no less care taken to allarm the Confederates on Flanders side and they talk as if the King had an Eye upon Charleroy or some other of the frontier Towns I could wish Leige were well looked too for however that 't is given out that the Count de Montal has promised the King to make him Master of Charleroy in twelve days time with an Army of Ten Thousand strong provided he can hinder the Confederates from relieving it yet the King's Journey which is whispered will be very sudden and speedy to Campaign gives no small Umbrage to the other which upon the whole is of great concern to the Confederates I am also well assured the Guards of the body have or will shortly have orders to march to the last montioned place near which are a great number of Troops posted which can draw together in a very short time which with my humble duty to your Lordship is all I have at this time to communicate who am My Lord Your Honours to serve and Command whilst Paris Feb. 14. 1690. N. S. LETTER XIII Of the Death of Madam the Dauphiness and an account of the deportment of the French Court thereupon My Lord WHat I writ to your Lordship in my last letter concerning some design upon Leige or Charleroy doth by the sequel now appear to have miscarried and I am desirous to attribute the same to the conduct and watchfulness of the Confederates And though the King after his return to Versailles has publickly declared he will not take the Field this Summer which is interpreted by many to be a tacit Confession of the disappointment of his designs yet your Lordship may be satisfied from me that no diligence is omitted to get ready another Convoy and Reinforcement besides that mentioned in my last which Convoy is not yet returned for Ireland And so intent is this Court upon Business and Diversion that the Death of the Dauphiness hath not discontinued the latter and less necessary of them for above the space of two days which has afforded cause of much discourse and censure already thereupon I shall not trouble your Lordship with a long
Narration of Conjectures and Opinions but content my self to inform you as the observation of a person that 's my Friend who has for many Years been very critical and exact to pry into the Court-Conduct and has not had the least opportunity so to do that the Dauphiness at first had been so well received by the King that some malignant Spirits made it their publick Discourse But that a terward meeting with a colder entertainment when they saw it impossible to engage the Duke of Bavaria her Brother to the interest of the Crown of France the Princess her self became so sensible of the change that she grew sad and melancholy upon it till now at length Death it self has put a final period to her grief as I am forced to do to this letter through a pressing occasion who am My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and most devoted Serv. Paris April 28. 1690. N. S. LETTER XIV An exact Account of the number and strength of the French Fleet in 1690 with some intimations of a Conspiracy formed against the Government at the same time My Lord I Cannot but express my great Sorrow to find that many things that relate to the English Affairs and which should be managed in the Cabinet and only known by the Execution of them are so common in most Mens Mouths on this side There must be false Friends some where and who knows but they are the very Men who would possess the Government that the Enemy is not so formidable as is given out But I cannot believe your Lordship to be among the number of those incredulous ones tho' I am confident you 'l find it an hard task to convince those who should concern themselves of their imminent danger This Court seems long since fully to be satisfyed of the King's intention to go for Ireland and that much of his time and thoughts have been taken up for the work that lies before him there and therefore they are more busy here than ever in projecting methods and carrying on designs to allarm England in his absence I heartily wish your Out-works may be firm and strong they are likely to be attacked by a formidable power from without and I do not question but there are attempts formed within to second the same it being in a manner a common Discourse here And this I can firmly assure your Lordship of that several English Men who were some time ago about the Court and this City are all of a sudden disappeared but have since rendevouz'd at Brest with a full design to Embark on Board the Fleet which whatever Men may flatter themselves in England with is very formidable and very near ready to put out to Sea having its full complement of Mariners with an additional number of Landmen which are not sent there without some considerable design in view I am confident some men in England would laugh me to scorn should I tell them that the French Fleet is composed of Fourscore and two great Men of War Forty Frigats Thirty Fireships and Fifteen Gallies but your Lordship I hope will have a better Opinion of my Sincerity than to think I would any ways impose upon you That this formidable Fleet is designed for the English Coast is not doubted but as to any particular management all that ever I could learn is that an attempt will perhaps be made during the King's being in Ireland to raise a Mutiny and that in the Interim King James is to leave the command of his Army to Lauzun and Tirconnell and to hasten with all speed into England to favour which part of the French Fleet is to block up the River of Thames another part in conjunction with the Gallies are to land the Men on board somewhere in the West and such spare Arms as they have with them which is thought to be a great Number and when this is done they are to set sail for the Irish Coast to hinder King William and his Forces from returning Now my Lord I confess I do not think all these things practicable but there must be something more than ordinary in the Wind and you cannot be too cautious There are various other discourses that pass up and down continually concerning this grand Expedition which I shall not trouble your Lordship with as being meer conjectures and therefore I conclude only with subscribing my self as I am unfeignedly and so shall remain My Lord Your Lordships most Humble Faithful and Obedient Servant Paris June 2d 1690. N. S. LETTER XV. Of the late King James his arrival in France out of Ireland and of an uncertain report raised of King William's Death occasioning much ridiculous Mirth and Bon-fires at Paris c. My Lord THat the Arms of this Country have lately prevailed in two great conflicts the one by Sea and the other by Land is sufficiently known here by the publick rejoycings that have been made for both in all parts of the Kingdom and I cannot sufficiently express to your Lordship the Agony I have been under especially when I heard of the defeat by Sea but the arrival of the late King some days ago at St. Germans hath cheered up my drooping Spirits wonderfully again It s universally agreed here that King william has had the better of him though the defeat is minced very much at Court who thereupon foreseeing that it would be a matter of much enquiry and seem no less than a paradox among the people that he should quit Ireland so soon where his presence must have been absolutely necessary for the heartning of his foiled party they have given a reason for his retirement so ridiculous that let them believe it who will I think I shall not yet and I am sure your Lordship will not and that is that Monsieur Lauzun had in a manner constrained him to withdraw himself into France because his extraordinary courage caused him to expose himself like a common Soldier even to so much danger that it had like to have cost him his life And if the foresaid reason was so very ridiculous I am sure your Lordship will not think the rejoycings made in this City upon the groundless report of a Lacque of the Kings who got out of Ireland a few days after his Master to be less so For upon his Arrival he was pleased to acquaint the Court that Duke Schomberg was not only killed but King William dead also which good News as they call it was of that importance that it was glibly swallowed down and the proof thereof never enquired into and the News happening about Mid-night to come into the City the Commissaries immediately ran up and down the Streets knocking up the People and crying out to them Rise Rise make Bonfires So that in about an hours time all Paris was in a Blaze and nothing to be heard there but Hautboys Drums and Trumpets Not content with this the Rabble made the Effigies of King William and Queen Mary dragged them through
the Dirt and Mire and at last threw them into the Flames The Bells were rung in several Parishes the great Guns roared from the Bastile and in short for compleating the farce nothing was omitted which was usually done upon the most solemn occasions neither was this rejoycing confined to the narrow bounds of one day but lasted several Neither could the publick news from Holland and other parts that expresly imported the contrary make them abate one jot of their vain credulity nay the questioning the truth of it was almost a crime unpardonable And because nothing should be omitted to enforce the belief of it upon all that seemed in the least dubious the Opinions of the learned Physicians who I must tell your Lordship did not want practice upon this occasion were hotly urged for it and who for the most part mercenarily agreed to resolve their patient's Questions in the affirmative viz. That the wound of a Cannon Bullet was mortal from whence it was inferred as a natural consequence that because King William had received such a wound he must of necessity be dead of it Nothing could be more vain and frivolous than to tell them of the number of People that have had their Leggs and their Arms shot off by a Cannon Bullet and yet have lived in a good state of Health for a long time after for to this it was readily answered That all that was alledged upon that head was formerly true enough but that now Chirurgery was quite another thing and from that time forward whoever was but touched with a Cannon Bullet though the skin were but only a little rased was condemned to die Strange is the effect of prejudice my Lord and how easily do Men believe what they would have to be so but I shall not detain your Lordship any longer with so ridiculous a Narration though I question not your kind acceptance of it from My Lord Your Honours devoted and most faithful Servant Paris Aug. 10. 1690. N. S. POSTSCRIPT Just now there is a report spread up and down that the late King is to go forthwith on board the French Fleet and to endeavour to land in England where they are very confident to find a very considerable party that will declare for his interest but whether there be any such design in reallity I cannot yet penetrate into I am My Lord Yours c. LETTER XVI The French Court mightily concerned at the Proceedings of the Duke of Savoy and his declaring for the Confederates yet try one stratagem more to bring him to their side My Lord I Do not find notwithstanding whatever I subjoined in my last to your Lordship of a Descent or some such thing upon England that the same is any more talked of but generally concluded to be at this instant impracticable neither do the affairs of Britain seemingly half so much perplex this Court as those of Savoy at this Juncture I do not doubt but your Lordship may have heard of many attempts made by them to keep the Duke from falling in with the interests of the Confederates and especially that of the King of England but the last and sliest Effort of all is what but few know and an account thereof I know cannot but be pleasing to your Lordship now I have nothing more material to inform you of Monsieur de Croissi as I suppose your Lordship knows very well being the grand Minister of State in this Country for Forreign Affaiâ—s finding by his secret intelligence that the Duke of Savoy had declared for the Confederates hastened to give the King an account of it whereupon two of the Duke's Ministers were somewhat confined but after a little consultation upon the matter the King thought it advisable to give his subtil Minister orders to confer with the said Embassadors once more yet so to order it that it might not look like a formall conference or a thing concerted before hand Croissi ordered his matters so well that he met them one day in the street when he told them that he wondered he never could see them that Madam de Croissi had thought they would have come and drink a dish of Coffee with her to which purpose he would invite them to his House at such an Hour The Ministers to be complaisant and being not accustomed to deny Ladies such Civilities willingly accepted his offers and promised to wait upon the Lady at the hour appointed which they did accordingly and the Venetian Embassador who had the word given him meet there also but made as if it had been by meer accident After they had discoursed of several things too and fro by the bye the Venetian Minister very dexterously turned the discourse into the Battle of Fleuri and the Engagement at Sea against the English and Dutch Fleets and so took occasion to aggravate to the utmost of his Eloquence the advantages which his most Christian Majesty had reaped thereby and to lessen at the same time as much as he could the power of the Confederates From thence passing forward to the affairs of Italy he laboured to shew how difficult a task it was for the Spaniard to resist the Arms of the most Christian King and laid the chief stress of his Arguments upon the pressing desire which both the Pope and the Venetians had to prevent the fire of War from flaming over the Alps and so take hold of all Italy To all which decoying Discourse Monsieur de Croissi said no more but only so much as he adjudged necessary to shew the Venetian Embassador spoke nothing but what was true for fear least the Savoyards would have occasion to discover the concertship between them and that the Venetian said nothing but what the Monsieur put into his Mouth However it seems the Savoyards were not so stupid but that they apprehended quickly a good part of the Truth And therefore being unwilling to engage themselves in long disputes to no purpose they thought it sufficient to answer once for all that the Duke their Master had made choice of his side and that no consideration whatsoever could oblige him to fail in his promises to his imperial Majesty King of Spain and the rest of the Confederates And if the Court are so highly perplext for the ill success they have had upon the Duke and his Ministers the common Vogue is they are not a whit less at Monsieur Tourville's Conduct after his Sea Victory that he has made no more improvement of it but I can say nothing positively upon this head and therefore shall only subscribe my self My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Faithful Servant Paris Sept. 1. 1690. N. S. LETTER XVII Of close designs hatched in France of Monsieur de Tourville and the rumour of his being disgraced for his Conduct and of the reports concerning the Dauphins's marrying again My Lord NEver were frequenter Consults held than at this time here both as to the Sea and Land Affairs and the King's time is
so taken up continually with the one or the other of them that he has of late neglected his ordinary Recreations and Divertisements I am confident there is a grand design formed against England and I have had no obscure intimation of it though I cannot possibly penetrate into any one distinct particular I heartily wish there may be as much precaution used on your side to ward off the blow But while matters are thus secretly agitated in the Cabinet the noise of Monsieur Tourville's disgrace is with great industry bandied about both in City and Country and nothing omitted to let the Confederates also come to the knowledge of it which perhaps may carry as great a Mystery in the Womb of it as the rest Some attribute it to one thing some to another many stick not to say it arises from his holding some sort of Correspondence with the Enemy others that some latent Maligner of his advancement has done him some ill Office at Court I heartily wish for the Confederates sake France had occasion to shift her Admirals often But believe me my Lord these are meer illusions and amusements and the French King knows his interest better than to lay aside at such a juncture as this the most understanding Sea-Officer he has in his Kingdom and you will find he will command a more formidable Fleet next Summer than ever yet he has done It s whispered also as if the Swede had been won to the French Interest and that besides the divertion he will give to the Confederates in Pomerania he will send a squadron of ships to join those of this Crown early in the Year which the Confederates ought to be as sedulous to prevent as they are to watch the motions of the Grand Duke of Tuscany to whom its commonly reported there have been proposals made of a match to be made between the Dauphin and the Princess of Tuscany in hopes by means of that Allyance to oblige him as being the most potent Prince of Italy to declare for the Crown of France or at least to perswade the Duke of Savoy to an accommodation But yet my Lord if my intelligence fail not they have much more reason to fear such a match struck up with the Infanta of Portugal as giving a fair prospect to far greater future advantages then any solid present ones that might reasonably be expected from that other Allyance with the grand Duke more especially since the Dauphine will have in her right not only a particular pretention to the Crown of the King her Father but also a very plausible one to the Kingdom of Spain and so an advantage may be made of both at the same time I wish the Spaniards were as jealous of this match as they are of their Wifes then there may be some hopes of frustrating the same Your Lordship knows how far the knowledge of these things may be useful to the present Constitution and so I refer them entirely to your consideration and management who am My Lord Your most Humble and entirely devoted Serv. Versailles Nov. 7. 1690. N. S. POSTSCRIPT This Letter I have been forced to keep by me for some days for want c. but it gives me the opportunity to acquaint you that there is advice that the Infanta of Portugal is dead which quite puts an end to the Negotiation above mentioned and may ease the Confederates of their cares to obviate it but the malignity of this Court will not suffer some of them and particularly the House of Austria to go untraduced when 't is already given out aloud that the life of that Princess was cut short to secure the Crown to the Successors devoted to the House of Austria I am My Lord Your Humble Servant LETTER XVIII Reports in France of a design formed in Spain to give up the Netherlands to some Forreign Prince c. My Lord THis Court is not a little Allarmed or at least seem to be so at the late advises from Spain of some proposals made there in the Council of State that seeing the defence of the Spanish Netherlands costs much more than the Revenue thereof amounts to that they should be surrendred over to some Prince or other who would undertake their defence doing only homage to the King of Spain It s not unknown to your Lordship how about Eight Years ago they had some thoughts of surrendring them to the Duke of Bavaria and nothing more certain than that this Court broke then the neck of that design But though the Dukes apprehensions at that time of engaging himself by such a procedure in a War with France was the reason the business went no further yet that can be no obstacle now he is actually engaged in the Confederacy against France But how disgustful soever this proposal is to the Ministers here that other motion in the same Council to leave those provinces to their own management with permission to change themselves into a Republick and provide for their own safety as they should think most expedient is much more dreaded by them as foreseeing such a form of Government might according to the example of the Switz Cantons though of different principles in Religion so league themselves with the States General as for ever after to prove a Wall of Brass against all the attempts of this Crown But while these and other matters are slowly deliberated it s well if some part of these Provinces be not filched away by the Arms of France In the mean time I can assure your Lordship there are vast Preparations made and some very grand Enterprize at hand on that side and some considerable Pass may be seiz'd without the Confederates are as forward and vigilant to defend as the French Arms are to Attack which I am sure is not believed at this juncture I am as heartily sorry I cannot be more particular in my information as I am always forward to transmit all that I think any ways worthy to be known and desirous to approve my self My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and most Obedient Serv. Versailles Feb. 7. 1691. N. S. LETTER XIX Of the City of Mons besieged by the Arms of France and the reason why King James was not there My Lord YOur Lordship cannot now but see the Effects of part of what I have writ to you in my last the close consultations and vast Preparations that were made were not for nothing I am not well informed I confess of what Preparations the Confederates have made to obviate the enterprize in hand but I can assure your Lordship they have a very poor opinion of them here and they as little question the speedy reducing of Mons under the Obedience of the Crown of France as they do the safe return of their King laden with Trophies for the taking of it But many People are not a little surprized to see that while the King and all the Princes of the Blood expose themselves to the Hazards and Toils
of War That the late King whom some have so much cried up for a Lover of Military Glory has no Share therein But his Admirers have found out as they think a very plausible Pretence for his Absence Because it is not known in what Quality he would have appeared in the Field But the Truth is my Lord they have no great Opinion of his Valour and Conduct and he has succeeded so very ill in his own Concerns and Undertakings that they are very much afraid his Presence should infuse some malignant Influence into the French King's Designs And whatever Veneration those now in England of his Interest and from thence denominated according to his Name may have for him there is hardly a Day passes here wherein some Satyrical Piece or other does not appear against him far enough from sparing Personal Reflections But this will make the Confederates in general but small Amends for the Loss of Mons However I could not but once take notice of it to your Lordship desiring you to believe how ready I am to the utmost of my Intelligence My Lord To Serve and Obey you whilst Paris April 18. 1691. N. S. LETTER XX. Of the Raising of the Siege of Coni and of the Death of that Grand Minister of State to the French King the Marquis of Louvois and also of Monsieur Barillon's once the French King's Ambassador in England My Lord THE general Affairs of the War are so publick that your Lordship cannot but come to the Knowledge of such Transactions as fall out from Time to Time as soon as any other in the Kingdom and they are such at this Juncture as sufficiently perplex this Court especially so far as they regard Italy and Savoy in particular from whence they have just received the bad News of the raising the Seige of Coni which is yet but whispered amongst them But your Lordship may so far rely upon my Intelligence in this particular as confidently to report it in England of which News I question not your giving hereby the first Intelligence But though this ill Success is so much the more mortifying to this Court in that they fully reckoned upon the Taking of the Place seeing all others that had hitherto been besieged by their Arms on that side have made little or on Resistance and that they own themselves they have lost before it Eighteen Hundred of the best of their Men Yet another Accident has my Lord this very Day happened here which at present seems more surprizing and a greater Subject of Discourse than the other and that is the Death of our Grand Minister of State the Marquess de Louvois Your Lordship knows what Relation I have stood to him in and what Word I sent you once by Major H if there was a Possibility of his seeing you of my then Circumstances upon the same Foot Things being still much the same I shall not further trouble you with a vain Repetition of what I am now well assured the said Major has reported to your Honour but observe That the Marquess having dined with the Princess d'Espenoy and Madam de Soubize he found himself presently after ill in the King's Chamber from whence he retired into his own to be Let Blood but not finding any Ease by Bleeding in one Arm and being extreamly oppressed in his Spirits nothing would content him but he must needs be Let Blood in the other and thereupon died at the same time These my Lord are the naked Circumstances of this Great Man's Departure and you may relie upon it though I do not question but many may be apt to ascribe his Death to some extraordinary and violent Cause since I have even already heard a Whisper of it in a Corner But whatever Reflections the World may make upon the Causes of his Death I foresee there will be no less Animadversions upon the Train of Consequences that may attend it Perhaps many of the Confederates may be apt to believe that the Death of Monsieur de Louvois may produce such an Alteration of Affairs here as may not a little contribute to the Advantage of theirs since much of the happy Success that has hitherto attended the King's Designs will be ascribed to the Address Cunning and Policy of this Minister and that the French Lilies will wither in another's hands I do very well know that such Suggestions carry a great Appearance of Truth in them But if I may freely deliver my Opinion to your Lordship from my own Observation and Experience I cannot but declare my self contrary to the aforesaid Sentiments which if any Ways relyed on will be found to prove but broken Reeds For believe me my Lord the French King has had a greater Share in the publick Transactions of his Kingdom than any of his Ministers for all the Time I have known France And no one understands his own Affairs and Interests as well as himself to say nothing of the Assistance of so many politick Persons and Men of great Abilities he has constantly about his Person and who serve him with more than ordinary Zeal and Affection which will sufficiently compensate for the Loss of one single Minister Your Honour cannot but be sensible why I observe this at the present Juncture such an Aery Advantage as this is like to prove can bring no solid benefit to my Country but a real Detriment will infallibly succeed a Dependance upon it But the Death of Monsieur Barillon which happened a few Hours before the other and who knew England better than any other French-man may I trust conduce more to the Tranquility of the Kingdom within which none more passionately desires to hear of than My Lord Your ever Obliged and Most Faithful Serv. Versailles July 16. 1691. N. S. LETTER XXI Of Monsieur Pompone's being made Minister of State And of some Particulars relating to a Peace said to be offered by France to the Confederates My Lord WHat I observed to your Lordship in my last how vain the Hopes of the Confederates were like to prove of any good Advantage to their Affairs by the Death of Monsieur de Louvois appears here daily more and more by divers Instances that might be given But I shall only confine my self to inform your Honour that the Advancement of Monsieur Pompone to be Prime Minister of State is a clear Demonstration of the Truth I have advanced as 't is of the King 's great Skill and Judgment also Though indeed it must be owned that this new Favourite enters upon his Ministry in a ticklish Juncture of Time yet for my own part I am fully satisfied Things are not so bad with France as the World would believe them to be and the following Proposals of Peace intended to be or as some say already offered to the Confederates would insinuate of which I communicate to your Lordship a Copy as I have received them from a Friend with some difficulty First That the Most Christian King will acknowledge
King William for Lawful and Rightful King of England c. upon Condition he shall allow to the late King James and his Consort a handsom and competent Subsistence during each of their Lives and the Survivor of them Secondly That towards promoting effectually so good a Work he is willing to restore to His Catholick Majesty of Spain the City of Mons and other Places he has taken from him c. Thirdly That the City and Fortress of Philipsburg shall be restored by him to the Bishop of Spire in the Condition it is now in without any Alteration whatsoever Fourthly That he will entirely quit Strasburg and restore it to its ancient Privileges of a Free and Imperial City Fifthly That he will demolish all the Fortresses he has built along the Rhine for several Years past Sixthly and Lastly That the Duke of Savoy shall be restored to all the Territories he has lost since the War and also receive full Satisfaction for all the Losses sustained therein But my Lord whether any such Offers have been or are like shortly to be offered to the Confederates by this Court I am not fully satisfied but of this I am and desire your Honour to be so too that Things are not yet brought to that Extremity with France whatever some Men may be apt to flatter themselves with as for her to be truly real and sincere in such like Offers Neither indeed do I find it believed here at all and they are much more concerned to break off the Negotiation which is on foot between the Emperor and the Grand Seignior than they have present real Intentions to accommodate their own immediate Affairs and be at Peace with their Neighbours But what Progress they have made to keep their Mahometan Friend in their Alliance I will not take upon me to inform your Lordship with any Certainty I only note that they begin to talk of it here already with very great Assurance as a thing at least three quarters done I am afraid I have been both tedious and impertinent too for which I heartily beg your Lordship to pardon me and to construe all as proceeding from the unfeigned Intentions I have to serve you to the farthest Extent of my Power who am and ever shall remain My Lord Your most Humble and Devoted Servant Paris July 27. 1691. N. S. LETTER XXII Of a Couple of Pamphlets spread up and down Paris One Intituled A Letter from a Burgher of Norinburg to a Deputy of the Dyet at Ratisbonne And the other From my Lord an English Privy-Counsellor to the Earl of P with an Intent to foment Divisions amongst us My Lord TO trouble your Lordship with an Account of the many Forgeries daily published here to the intended Dis-service of the Confederates I hold it none of my Business But there has very lately appeared up and down this City a pair of such singular Pamphlets levelled to the forementioned Purpose that since I cannot possibly inclose them herein without manifestly incurring the Hazard of my Life and your Lordship's Reputation yet I hold my self obliged to give you the Import of them The one is intituled A Letter from a Burgher-master of Norinberg to a nameless Deputy of the Dyet of Ratisbonne and contains in Substance That Germany has no Reason to rejoice at the Progress of the Imperial Arms against the Infidels under a Pretence of Fear lest the Emperor's Power should increase to the prejudice of the Liberty of the German Potentates and other Dependants upon the Empire It does insinuate That as soon as he has Peace with the Turk he will have at least an Army of Fourscore Thousand Men all composed of his own Soldiers which he will not fail to quarter by fair or foul Means upon the Territories of the Electors other Princes of the Empire and the Free Cities And then would slily infuse in the Close a Terrour into the Germans of their being reduced to the same deplorable Condition as they were in the Year 1628. when they had none but the City of Stralsburg c. which yet by the help of the Swede withstood the whole Force of the Emperor Ferdinand II. Your Lordship knows the Story full well I need not relate it as you do how to make a solid Judgment of the Invalidity of these Whimwham Pretensions as well as to refute such Cobweb-Arguments The Second is much of the same Stamp only the Text is taken from the Progress of King William's Arms in Ireland From whence they would foolishly infer as in the former That his growing thus formidable foreboded no Good to the Nations round him to France I believe it does not and that not only England Scotland and Ireland but Holland too and even the Catholick Spanish Low-Countries ought to look about them since it was very manifest he had now formed a Design to reign with an Arbitrary and Despotick Power over all those Countries and more particularly the former of them notwithstanding all Pretensions of vindicating their Rights and restoring to them their lost Liberties and his present allowing to the Parliament seemingly a greater Extent of Authority than they enjoyed in former Times 'T is too impertinent to run through all the vain Repetitions used by them upon this Subject I shall therefore content my self to say in a Word there is a great deal more of the Ribaldry behind to the same purpose and that I 'll trouble your Lordship no longer with it Though I confess I could meet at this time with no better Entertainment for you who am yet proud of the Opportunity to caution my Country against any Snares laid for its Liberty from hence and overturning its Settlement by groundless and unseasonable Jealousies as I am always to acknowledge how much I am My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Devoted Servant Paris Octob. 12. 1691. N. S. LETTER XXIII Of the great Preparations made in France for the Carrying on the War against the Confederates in the Year 1692. My Lord 'T IS more the profound Respect I have always had and ever shall retain for your Lordship that makes me thus continue my Correspondence than the Weight of any Informations I am able to transmit from hence where things are managed with as much Application as the Contrivances are secret and mysterious I have in a former Letter hinted to your Honour That whatever Appearances there might be made for to dazzle the Eyes of the Confederates yet that Things were not really brought to that pass in France Which appears confirmed to me now Day by Day by the formidable Preparations that are even already made for the approaching Campaign of which let your Lordship be pleased to take such Particulars as I have been able to learn and whose Effects I wish the Confederates may seasonably obviate Our great Engineer here Mon. Vauban is lately gone by a secret Order to view Dinant Rocroy and other Frontier Places on that side where he has Orders to add as many
yet the Ministers have endeavoured to dissemble it with much Application and would make the drooping People believe it was a thing so inconsiderable as that it is in a manner quite repaired already and that their Fleet is already so reinforced as to be in condition not only to obviate the attempts of the Enemies Navy But after they have taken on board some Necessaries to put out to Sea and provoke them to a second Engagement To which end they have Published a List of Seventy Men of War besides Fâ—igâ—â—s c. that they pretend to have ready which I shall not trouble your Lordship with a Coppy of because I know it to be false And if the French Ministers are thus put to it to support their Master's Credit at this Juncture they are almost past all hopes at St. Germans where the late King and his disappointed Followers are arrived and who have nothing now to sollace themselves with but the happy delivery of his Queen of a Daughter Which second production it s hoped may overcome the obstinacy of Mens minds and make them at last believe the first was Genuine But if there were a cloud of unlucky circumstances that attended the former there is one already known to have accompanied this also viz. that the Delivery was so quick that Madame who was in this City and made all the hast she could to go to the Labour as soon as ever she had notice of it could not yet get thither soon enough The affairs of Flanders and other parts where the War is I forbear to touch on as supposing your Lordship has an exact account of all the Transactions that happen sooner and more truly too than I can inform you from hence where most things to their disadvantage are as cunningly veiled over as the successes are magnifyed wherefore I shall take my leave of you till something momentous does occur and only subscribe my self My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Devoted Servant Paris June 30. 1692. N. S. LETTER XXVII Conjectures of the French designs in the year 1693. against the Allies and of their Incendiaries to burn the Confederate Cities My Lord I am fully satisfyed what a great noise the scarcity of Bread in France makes in England and the other confederated Countries the misery indeed from that and other concurring causes is very great but yet what may seem to some less intelligent than your Lordship very little less than a Paradox is that the face of the Court is as splendid and gay as ever I have known it in the time of France's highest prosperity and nothing is talked of there my Lord but the mighty Armies they have on foot by Land and their great forwardness to enter upon Action as well as their their great power on the other Element I am assured the King will very shortly leave Versailles in order to be at the head of one of his Armies but whether he designs for Germany or the Neatherlands is yet a secret tho' the Vogue is that the intended Journey is for the latter and that provision is making for his Reception at Compeign and Valenciennes which I am told having occasioned a certain Courtier a day or two ago to say that that road leads directly for Flanders and the same discourse coming quickly to the King's Ears he made answer That a Man might go from Valenciennes to Germany Your Lordship may make what judgment you please upon the Expression I le leave it wholly to you and shall at present only further inform you that as I have formerly given you some account of what Fires have been kindled in several Cities of the Empire Hungary c. by the agency of this Court I have more than a suspition that the same practise is again set on foot and that there are very many incendiaries entertained by these Ministers to put the same in Execution in diverse parts of the Confederate Countries And I do desire your Lordship to believe that there is no villany they will boggle at for the compassing of their accursed ends as there is none but what I am very forward to discover to your Honour and proud of an opportunity so to do who am My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Obedient Servant Versailles April 14. 1693. N. S. LETTER XXVIII Of Proposals of Peace made by France to the Emperor and Empire in the year 1693. My Lord THe successes of the French Arms since the commencement of this unhappy War against the Empire of Germany does not hinder this Court as I am well assured to make overtures of Peace on that side particularly the motions whereof the Confederates are narrowly to watch to prevent the fatality of such a disjunction in their present Allyance The Swedes are very busy in promoting the Work and the terms that are offered are to this purpose as I had them communicated to me by a particular hand First That in general the King desires That the Treaties of Westphalia and Nemeghen may remain in full force and vigour Secondly That the Truce concluded at Ratisbonne in August 1684. for 20 Years may be changed into a defensive Treaty of Peace with such alterations as are here after explained as First That in recompence of the City of Strasburg which the most Christian King is in possession of and designs to keep Mont Royal and Trarback shall be rased and restored to the Prince to whom they belong provided that neither of them be re-fortifyed for the future Secondly That all the Works of Fort Louis and Hunninghen that are beyond the Rhine shall in like manner be demolished Thirdly That Phillipsburg with the fortress thereof shall be restored as also Friburg in the same condition they are in at present Fourthly That Heidelburg shall be given up to the Elector Palatine and all the dependances of the Palatinate notwithstanding the claim of his Sister-in-law the Dutchess of Orleans to several Lands and Fiefs therein which losses the King will take upon him to repair And as for Saar Louis Biche and Homburg he is willing take condescend to any equivalent for them of equal Revenue to the Elector Fifthly That as for Re-unions if Commissioners appointed on each side shall not be able to adjust them in a limiâ—â—ed time the French King will refer himself to the arbitration of the Republick of Venice I am further informed my Lord that Cardinal Fourbin has orders to sollicite this point also with the Pope and to acquaint him how willing the King is to compose the affairs of Europe and those of Italy in particular and that himself shall have plenary Power to draw and regulate the conditions provided that in the first place the Restoration of the late King James be absolutely concluded upon with which I shall also conclude this Letter from My Lord Your Humble Servant Paris Aug. 11. 1693. N. S. LETTER XXIX Of Libells in France against the Government c. My Lord I am not to give your
Lordship here the reason of my so long silence since you know it already by a remarkable instance and it is possible you may have by his time heard the issue of our King's mâ—â—ch towards Pont Esperies and the Daupâ—e's diligence to secure that Pass Were you to have seen the Consternation men generally were under in this City upon the first advice of the said March you would have thought all France had been in danger of being lost without retrieval and the letter of thanks which the King hâ—â— dispatched to the Dauphine the rest of the Generals and to every particular Regiment both French and Switz by Name for their Zeal and indefatigable industry for the preservation of their Country lifes and most important places on the Sea Coast is an evident demonstration hereof As the common Murmurs and many Libels that appear abroad every day against the Government are no less a proof of the decline of the French affairs and growing greatness of the Confederates the causes of both which I need not take upon me to commemorate to your Lordship since they are evident to none more than your self My Lord I must keep my Hand in use and write to you as long as I am here and can have any opportunity to testify thereby how much I am My Lord Your Humble and ever Obliged Servant Paris Octo. 2. 1694. N. S. LETTER XXX Of the King James his receiving an account of Queen Mary's death c. My Lord I have had often some Thoughts to inform your Lordship of many unhappy accidents that have befallen me of late in this Country but had I been now at length fully determined to transmit the particulars the general Calamity in the untimely fate of the Excellent Princess Mary Queen of Great Britain c. must have quite supprest it I am so concerned not only for the present loss but for the events to follow that I am not fit for ordinary Conversation It s scarce belief how elevated those in the late King's Interests are upon this turn of things but the truly vertuous tho' Enemies carry the signs of Sorrow in their Countenances This Court and the late King have had very timous information of this our misfortune and I am well assured they have had a long Conference together upon the said subject and that at the same time some Letters have been dispatch'd in order to a Tryal whether any Tares may be sown in England upon this occasion But I hope the prudenâ— Management of Affairs on your side of which the Nations Enemies of late begin to have an high Opinion will choke them in the production Neither of the Courts are yet gone into Mourning neither is there any appearance they will But several private Gentlemen under pretence of the Death of Relations in the Country are in Black For any other particulars I beg your Lordship to Pardon me that I can give no account and to believe that I am My Lord Your Lordships most Humble Servant Paris Jan. 10. 1695. N. S. POSTSCRIPT My Lord I had under my present concern of mind almost forgot to acquaint you that five days ago the Duke of Luxenburg departed this Life at Versailles in the Sixty Fourth Year of his Age while he was sick the King continually sent to see how he did and went often in person to visit and comfort him and when he was dead he publickly declared that a greater loss could not have befallen him I am My Lord Your c. LETTER XXXI Of the Successes of the Confederates in Flanders Italy c. in the year 1695. with some account of the designs of France for the succeeding year and of the Authors design to return to England My Lord THe great success the Confederate Arms have had this Compaign both in Italy and Brabant by the Reduction of Cazal and Namur is more mortifying to this Court than I am able to express tho' a good meen is put upon it and that it is already given out that the King of France being weary of acting defensively as has been done the last Summer will act offensively next Campaign and that the Council have already found out ways for the settling of sufficient Funds towards the maintaining not only of such forces as are already on foot but for a considerable augmentation of them And for Men the raising of them is made practicable by an Edict prohibiting all persons whatsoever to keep any Male Servants above One and Twenty Years of Age so that all Young Men that are above those Years must either starve steal or go to the Wars How far these projects may be put in Execution I know not but I do believe them in the main impracticable Yet I question not but there are some more secret and dangerous Machinations on foot and the more than ordinary consultations between the two Kings I fear forbodes no good to England in particular Some general observations that I have made of things during my aboad in I shall reserve till I see your Lordship which my present circumstances urge me to and which I hope and long to effect before who am in the mean time and always will be My Lord Your Lordships most Humble Servant 〈◊〉 Paris Nov. 3. 1695. N. S. THE Tragical History OF THE STUARTS FROM The First Rise of that Family in the Year 1086. down to the Death of Her Late Majesty Queen MARY of Blessed Memory By D. JONES Gent. LONDON Printed in the Year 1697. THE Tragical History OF THE STUARTS IN the Reign of Duncane King of Scotland who came to the Possession of the Scotish Crown upon the decease of his Uncle Milcolm in the Year 1040. while one Bancho Thane of Lochquaber from whom the Stuarts descended was gathering the King's Revenues within the bounds of his own Jurisdiction and withal somewhat severely punishing such as he found to be notorious Offenders it caused a Mutiny in the Country and so a Conspiracy was formed against Bancho by a parcel of Riotous and Lawless Fellows who first spoil'd his Goods and then assaulted his Person giving him many dangerous Wounds so that he had much ado to escape with his Life But assoon as he found himself a little recover'd and in a condition to travel he determined to repair to the Court in order to require Satisfaction for the Damages he had sustained where after he had made Complaint to the King of the same and of the Indignities that had been offer'd to him he at length prevail'd to have an Herald sent to the Offenders to cite them to make their personal Appearance for to answer to such Matters as should be laid to their Charge But they instead of complying with the Summons entertain'd the Messenger first with all manner of Reproaches and when they had as despitefully used him both in Words and Actions as they could slew him out-right and so entring into a Confederacy with their Friends and Kinsfolks as expecting to be call'd to a
once more we have attempted it in five rencounters already and fail'd but in the sixth we shall prevail and so having gather'd some Force together he advanced towards Sterling where he gave Edward the II. who was then King of England such a Defeat as Scotland never gave the like to our Nation and so continued War with various Fortune with Edward the III. till at last Age and Leprosie brought him to his Grave But some time before his Death he got the Crown settled upon his Son David then a Child and for want of his having Issue upon Robert Stuart his Sister's Son and this by Act of Parliament and the Nobles sware to it accordingly His Son David of between eight and nine Years old inherited that which he had with so much Difficulty and Danger obtain'd and wisdom kept He was in his Minority govern'd by Thomas Randolf Earl of Murrey whose severity in punishing was no less dreaded than his Valour had been honoured but he soon after dying of Poyson and Edward Baliol the Son of John coming with a Fleet and being strengthned with the assistance of the English and some Robbers the Governor the Earl of Mar was put to the Rout so that Baliol makes himself King and David was glad to retire into France Amidst these Parties Edward the III. backing of Baliol Scotland was pitifully torn and the Bruces in a manner extinguished till Robert Stuart afterward King of Scotland with the Men of Argyle and his own Friends and Family began to renew the claim and brought the Matter into a War again which was carry'd on by Andrew Murray the Governor and afterward by himself so that David after nine Years Exile adventured to return where making frequent Incursions he did at length in the fourth year after his Return march into England and in the Bishoprick of Durham was routed and fled to an obscure Bridge shewed by the Inhabitants to this day where he was taken Prisoner by John Copeland and continued so for the space of eleven Years Soon after his Releasment and Return home he calls a Parliament wherein he enacted several Laws for the punishment of such as had fled from him at the Battle of Durham and more particularly levelling at Robert Stuart as being one of them who had been the Cause of that great Overthrow He got that Act passed in his Father's time whereby the Crown was appointed for want of Issue of his Body lawfully begotten to descend to the said Robert Stuart to be repeal'd and John Southerland Son to Jane his youngest Sister made Heir apparent in his stead and the Nobility swore to the observance of the said Law This made the Earl of Southerland so confident of the matter that he gave almost all his Lands away among his Friends and Acquaintance But alas he was wretchedly mistaken for his Son being afterwards one of those sent as Hostages into England for the security of the payment of King David's Ransom he died there of the Plague and Robert Stuart attain'd the King's Favour again and succeeded as Heir to the Crown being the first of the Name of the Stuarts that ever sway'd a Scepter But things did not go on so smoothly with Robert Stuart upon the Death of Southerland his Competitor first and of King David afterward but that he met with another Rub in his way from William Earl of Dowglas who when the Lords were assembled at Lithguo about the Succession came thither with a great Power and urged he ought to be preferr'd before Stuart as being descended from the Baliols and Cummins But finding at length that his own Friends and particularly the Earls of March and Murray his Brethren with the Lord Erskein who all three were in great power as being Governors one of Dunbritton another of Sterling and the third of Edinburg opposed him he thought it most advisable to desist from his Claim And so Robert Stuart was Crown'd at Scone on Lady-day in the Year 1370. being the 47th Year of his Age. But that Dowglas might be a little soothed up under his present Disappointment and kept from disturbing the common Tranquillity the King bestows Euphemia his eldest Daughter in Marriage upon him Whether it were thro' an advanced Age or Sloth we find he did but little since his Accession to the Crown but his Lieutenants and the English were perpetually in action during the course of his Reign which was according to Buchanan nineteen Years and four and twenty Days And tho' it's true we do not find his Death to have been violent or any ways accelerated by Grief of Heart but natural in an old age having lived seventy-four Years yet surely he laid the Foundation for the many Parricides Fratricides and other dreadful Calamities that befel his Posterity in a very great measure by preferring his Illegitimate Children by Elizabeth Moor his Concubine before those he had lawfully begotten on Euphemia Ross his Wife And the Case was briefly thus At the time of his attaining the Crown the foresaid Euphemia Daughter to Hugh Earl of Ross was his lawful Wife by whom he had two Sons Walter afterward created Earl of Atholl and David Earl of Strathern but before he was married he kept one Elizabeth Mure for so the Scotch write the Name as his Concubine and had by her three Sons John Earl of Carrick Robert Earl of Mentâ—ith and Fife and Alexander Earl of Buchan with several Daughters Now Queen Euphemia departed this Life three Years after her Husband became King who forthwith marry'd Elizabeth Mure his old Paramour either to legitimate the Children he had by her which it seems was the manner in those days or else for old acquaintance her Husband Gifford for you must know he had got her matched to cover her shame dying about the same time as the Queen had done This step drew on another and there was no stoping now but the Children formerly begotten on this Woman in Adultery must have the Crown entailed upon them by Parliament in prejudice to the other two who by any thing that appears in History were finer Gentlemen and fitter as they had a juster Claim to govern then either of these I know the Lord Viscount Tarbert in a late Pamphlet has taken upon him to vindicate the Legitimacy of Moor's Children against all the Authority of the Scotch Historians who lived at or near those times and ever since who could not be ignorant of so material a thing as this and to this end he Cites several Records It 's not my business to answer his allegations but I am sure the Records would never have named John that afterwards succeeded Tanquam haeres if he had been true and undoubted Heir And so I leave any one to judge if the Records do not thereby make much more against his Legitimacy than it does for it But right or wrong the Sluts Will must be gratified and so John succeeds his Father in the Scottish Kingdom but not by the
was so put to it that he was forced to flee out of Edenburg to save his own life whereupon he enters into a Confederacy with his Friends for his own security which together with some Depredations made in the Lord Ferres Lands by some of the Earls Tenants without redress from him upon Complaint made thereof enraged the King to an high degree against him But sore disorders still increasing through the Earls not punishing of the offenders at last Ferres makes an inroad by way of reprisal into his Lands was taken and by the Earls command was put to Death tho' the King by an Herault commanded the contrary so that upon serious Deliberation the King finding his power unsufficient for curbing him had no other way left than to send to him in a most Courteous manner to come to him who was then in Sterling Castle The Earl apprehensive of some design upon his Person refused without he had an assurance of safe Conduct under the Kings great Seal which being Granted he came and was received with a great semblance of good Will by the King who toâ—k him into a Room by themselves and there after some other Admonitions expostulated with him about the Confederâ—cy he had entred into with the Earl of Crawford and others and would have urged him to forsake the same Alledging it was no ways Honourable for him but hurtfull and tho' he took it very ill at his hands yet he allowed him the Liberty to disâ—null it tho' himself had full power to command it Dowglass was very obsequious in all things 'till this business of the League came in Question whereunto he did not Answer distinctly but would have put it off 'till he had discoursed with his Confederates thereupon neither could he well see at present what could be in that League which could be offensive to the King that he should insist so much upon his breaking of it whereupon the King who it's likely had already determined to commit the perjur'd Fact tho' his flattering Courtiers would have his displeasure only to arise from the Earls present stubborness said if you will not I will break it and without any more ado struck him with his Dagger in his breast those that stood at the Door hearing the bustle rushed in and dispatched him by many wounds His Brethren and Kindred being at first surprized and then exasperated at the horridness of the Fact and the faithless proceedings of the King towards the Earl flew to their Arms and made no less than a Civil War of it which was waged between the King and them with various Fortunes at last the King prevailed which brought great Destruction and Calamity upon that Noble Family of the Dowglasses And then it was that King James began to Reign as the Historian says their greatness having been hitherto a Check upon him But his Civil broils were scarce ended when he was brought to engage in the fatal controversy which happened in England between the Houses of York and Lancaster He at first sided with King Henry VI against Richard Duke of York but afterward faced about Upon the Duke's promise that Cumberland and other Lands should be restored unto him that had been in the possession of his Ancestors if the Duke prevailed and so assisted the Yorkians having therefore raised an Army as he was entering into England he was for a time diverted cunningly by an English Gentleman who took upon him to be the Pope's Nuncio His Speech Habit and Retinue were perfectly Italian and to make the matter more plausible with the Cloak of Religion he had a Monk along with him and so with the Popes Counterfeit Letters they approached to the King and charged him to proceed on no farther and threatned him if he did to curse him For that the Pope to the end the War might be carried on against the Common Enemy of Christianity with greater vigor having now Composed all differences in Europe was set upon Accommodating this matter in Britain That they indeed were sent before to preadmonish him but that another Legate would quickly follow with an Ample power to Compose the Civils Discords in England and to procure satisfaction for the injuries sustained by the Scots This bait took him and so he Disbanded his Army But alas nothing could divert this Prince's now impending Fate for being soon after advertised of the trick put upon him by the foresaid Counterfeit Nuncio he re-assembles his Army and because he could not directly Joyn with York's Forces He marches to the Siege of Roxborough and having quickly master'd the Town lays close Seige to the Castle which made a brave defence The Duke and his Companions having in the mean time prevailed sent to give King James thanks for his Assistance desire him now things were amicably terminated to return home least the English being incensed they should be forced to march against the Scotch Army The King having received the Message asked those that brought it whether the Duke of York and his Friends said any thing in relation to the promises they had made when he came into their Assistance but finding no satisfaction in that point he proceeds with great Fury to assault the Castle and Batters the Walls with Cannon which began then to be much used as they were much dreaded and being very forward and intent upon his work one of his Guns being over-charged burst and a slice thereof struck the King dead to the ground and hurt no other besides himself a strang fatality that brought him to his end when he had lived twenty nine Years and of them Reigned twenty four Anno. 146â— He left three Sons behind him James that Succeeded him Alexander Duke of Albany and John Earl of Mar who were a plague to one another while alive and not one of them died a natural death as we shall shew in its proper place James III. a Minor of seven Years old as his Father before him came to the Crown and at first fell under the Care and Regency of his Mother as did the whole Kingdom a Woman after the decease of her Husband James II. that lead a Scandalous life keeping one Adam Hepborn who was himself a Married Man for her Gallant but death put an end to her Lewdness and Government together about three Years after Then he came into the hands of the Boyds who Ruled the roast for a long time but at last made a fatal Catastrophe he took to Wife Margaret Daughter to the King of Denmark and Norway Anno. 1469. And about this time began to Exercise the Royal power himself He involved himself at first with the Affairs of the Church and not long after became miserably enslaved with the predictions of Astrologers and Witches to which he was strangely addicted and which brought not only destruction upon his kindred but also at last upon himself which we shall now prosecute as they fell out in order He was on a time it seems informed by some
long e're they seized upon the Kings Evil Councellors that were about him and sent them all away save only John Ramsey a very young man that clung to the King and who intreated for him that he might be spared The rest were lead to Judgment and with the loud cries of the Army calling for Justice upon those miscreants were hanged out of the way and such forwardness was shewed to have them dispatched speedily that when they wanted Ropes upon such a sudden occasion every one was ready to offer his Horses Halter or the Reins of his Bridle for that purpose These Wretches were charged with many private injuries and among the more publick ones was their advising the King to Coin base Copper Money which the Common people by way of reproach called Black-Money and that this was the principal cause of the scarcity that was in the Land the want of Trade and many other Calamities too long to be incerted To the Kings charge was laid the unjust death of the Earl of Mar his Brother his advancing of Cockram a Mason to the said Earldom his practising of Magick and resolvedness to destroy his Relations This done they returned to Edenburg and appointed the King himself to be kept in the Castle of the said City by the E. of Atholl and in the mean time they send to the English Army for a Cessation of Arms for three Months The Duke of Albany was honourably received into his Country again and had the Castle of Dunbar with the Earldoms of March and Mar conferred upon him and was withal Proclaimed the Kings Lieutenant General While things were in this state the English take the Castle of Berwick the Town having been surrendred to them before The Duke of Albany making a faint of relieving the same but did nothing At length the Duke accompanied with the Chancellor Archbishop of St. Andrews and others went to Sterling to pay the Queen and Prince a visit they had not been there long when the Queen entering into a secret Conference with the Duke unknown to the rest about the King's Confinement and urging how noble and generous as well as advantagious an act it would be in him to imploy his power for his releasement he consents to the undertaking and so returning to Edenburg besieged the Castle and took it remov'd the Earl of Athol and so sets the King and all his Servants at liberty for which extraordinary favour the King shewed him great tokens of his affections but they were not long-lived for the remembrance of old offences are of greater force in a degenerous and impotent mind than fresh kindnesses And to foment his jealousies he had always those at his Elbow who never ceased to upbraid the Duke to him of affecting too much popularity and to construe the same as an infallible sign of his intentions to snatch at the Crown when ever a fit opportunity presented The Duke who was not ignorant of those jealousies entertained of him and at last finding there was a design formed against him of no less than taking away his Life and that as appeared by poyson withdraws privily into Dunbar Castle And the King as conscious of his evil doings fearing the displeasure of his Nobles hereupon withdraws also into the Castle of Edenburg where the Earls of Angus Buchan and others forsook him and assisted the Duke But the King being haunted still by his Evil Spirits I mean those vile fellows whom he had again placed about his Person he summoned the Duke and his adherents to appear and answer for such treasonable Crimes as he had to lay to their Charge and withall prepared an Army to Besiege Dunbar which the Duke having notice off he flies into England And afterwards being accompanied with the Earl of Dowglass and others was engaged to invade the Marches of his own Country but meeting with ill success and being checked by the King of England for his ill Conduct he grew sullen thereupon and withdrew secretly into France where not long after according to the usual fate of his Family running at Tilts with Lewis Duke of Orleans he was wounded with the splinter of a Spear and thereof Dyed So that here is two of them gone the fate of the third is now approaching with winged hast For the King having once got a Peace with the English and the Castle of Dunbar into his hands which seemed for some time to put a check upon his exorbitance he returns to his old haunts gives himself over not only to be guided by Favourites and mean Persons as before who were his Leeches to drain his Subjects to satiate his covetous desires but to unlawful pleasure with loose Women Among the men Favourites John Ramsey saved as you have heard before by the Kings importunity from an Halter was chief This Man having been advanced to the dignity of Lord Stuard K of the ing's Houshold and endowed with many large demesns became so elated in mind that not being content with that large fortune nothing would serve but he must have an order that none besides himself and his Companions should go armed in those places where the King resided designing by this devise to fortifie himself and his Faction against the Nobility of the Kingdom whom he found to go frequently armed themselves and accompanied with such as were well provided for their defence But this Edict procured him more hatred than it wrought fear in his Enemies In the mean time the King minded nothing as much as to gratifie his mind with the blood of those who were thought to be the Authors of Rebellion And seeing he could not bring about his purposes he endeavours to surprise them by cunning for feigning to be reconciled to one of them after another he entertained them with that gentleness and in so soothing a manner as came below the Dignity of a Prince to do Others of them who excelled in Riches and Power he accumulated with Rewards and Honours making David Lindsey Earl Crawford Duke of Montross and George Earl of Angus he would have frequently in his Company carrying it so by communicating his secret Counsels unto him as if he were throuhgly reconciled But his Rewards and Blandishments had but little effect upon any of them in respect to any opinion his Sincerity for they who knew his disposition doubted not but all that semblance of Goodness and Favour tended to no other end than either to surprise them one after another or to set them at variance one against another which when he had got the chief of Nobility to Edenburg did more clearly appear for having sent for Dowglass to him into the Castle he shewed him what a brave opportunity he now had to be revenged on them for if he did but secure the Heads of the Factions and punish them the rest would be quiet That if he lett his opportunity that presented it self slip he could never afterward hope for such another Dowglass who well knew that the Kings mind
was as implacable towards him as the rest of them cunningly discusses that rash and evil Counsel arguing with him what a base and flagitious offence all the world would look upon it to be if he should without due Process of Law suddenly hale to execution so many Illustrious Persons to whom he was reconciled as having given his Royal Word for pardoning of what was past and that not long since and now secur'd with the Publick Faith for the fierce and enraged minds of Enemies would not be broken with the ruine of a few and coming once to despair of Pardon they would turn their wrath into fury and the consequence of that would be that they would grow more stobborn and obstinate and less value the King's Authority and their own lives and if your Highness will take my Counsel continued the Earl Iâ—ll put you in a way whereby to salve the King's Honour and Dignity and that revenge may at the same time be prosecuted For I having gathered my Friends and Tenants together will openly and in the day time lay hold of them and then you may try them where you will and punish them as you please and this will be not only more Honourable but also more safe for the King than if they should be killed at unawares in the Night as it were by Thiefs The King believing the Earl spoke what he thought for he knew well enough that he was able to perform what he promised he gave him many thanks for his advise and dismissed him laden with large Promises of Reward The Earl having warned the Peers to take care of their safety and to withdraw from the imminent danger that hung over their Heads does himself also retire to a place of safety The King from hence forwards finding his secret Counsels laid open and not daring to trust any body betook himself to the Castle of Edenburg and from thence being conveyed by Sea to the Countries beyond the Forth which still were obedient to him did in a short time levy a good Army And now the Nobility who before designed nothing but that the King should amend in his male administration finding all accommodation with him desperate and his evil disposition incurable bend all their Counsels to remove him A bad Steward its most certain he had been and now they are resolved to call him to a severe account for the same The great difficulty that stood in their way and which they were deliberating to remove was whom they should appoint to be their Captain who when the King were brought to a compliance might be constituted Vicegerent of the Kingdom It was adjudged highly necessary it should be a person that was pleasing to the Commonallity of an Illustrious Name That the Faction might not be opprest and weakned out of an envy to his Greatness and at last after they had thought of one and another they pitched unanimously upon the King 's own Son the Prince of Scotland who being taken from his Keepers and Governours of his tender years was urged to a speedy compliance for if otherwise they were resolved to transfer the Kingdom into the hands of the King of England who would take care to root out him and his Family for the better security of it Now the King had past over the Forth and pitched his Tents at a place called Blackness and the Sons Army ready prepared to give Battle were not a far off But by the mediation of the Earl of Athol the King's Uncle things were at present brought to an accommodation and Athol himself was delivered as an Hostage to Adam Hepborn Earl of Bothwell in whose custody he remained till the K. death which now was not far off But the agreement as being between such as had an incurable jealousie of one another did not last long In the mean time Couriers and Mediators past continually from one to another at last the Lords gave determinate answer That seeing the King acted nothing sincerely with an intention to perform they adjudged it better to be engaged in a certain War than a delusive and treacherous Peace That the only hopes of agreement was if the King would Abdicate the Throne and have his Son advanced in his room if not it would be to no purpose for them to try and frustrate one another with Conferences The King not to be wanting to himself in this desperate Fortune orders his Embassadors in England and France to communicate this answer to those Kings whom he earnestly sollicites to make use of their Authority or if need were their Forces too in his behalf for the repressing of the insolence of a few Rebels and reduce them to Reason and their Duty and to esteem his Fortune common with their to own and such as might by the Contagion thereof easily creep to other Nations He sent also to Eugenius IIII. Pope of Rome to intreat him out of his Paternal care and love to the Scotish Name and Nation to send a Legate into Scotland to enforce the Rebells according to the Authority of his Holiness's Power and Jurisdiction to lay down their Arms and obey their King The Pope having one Adrian Castlean for his Legate in England a Man of great Learning and Prudence he Writes to him to use his endeavour to compose the Scotch Affairs and bring them to a settlement But this came a day after the fare for the Lords who knew well enough that these proceedings of the King abroad were in agitation and withall that his mind was implacable towards them resolved before he should have an opportunity to augment the number of his Forces to try it out by Arms and though they had the Kings Son with them as well to manifest their Authority to the Common People as to shew that they were not angry with or had no quarrel against their Country but a pernicious King who would have ruined them yet least the minds of the people should be alienated by the cunning or forreign Ambassadors and other accidents that attend procrastination they were busied night and day how to commit all to the hazard of a Battle But the Kings timerousness was an obstacle to their eagerness and hast who because he had ordered considerable Levies to be made for the augmentation of the Troops he had on foot already in the northern parts of the Kingdom did in the mean time keep himself close within the Castle of Edenburg But that he might precipitate his fate he was brought by his Followers whether designedly or ignorantly is uncertain to forsake this wholsome Counsel which he looked upon to be safest for him for they perswaded him that by reason of the frequent tides there which might cause delay and danger to them that were about to meet together it were more adviseable he should go to Sterling Castle the best situated place of any for gathering of Forces together out of all parts of the Kingdom That he would be as safe there as in Edenburg Castle
seeing his Enemies were unprepared of all things necessary for a Siege That his Fleet also which he had prepared to be an help to him at all adventures might be at hand This advice did indeed seem to be sound and real and had been safe enough in all probability in the event had it not been that the Governour of the Castle being corrupted by the opposite Faction excluded him from admittance And now all things conspire to his ruin for the Lords were now at his heels that he could not possibly retire to the Castle of Edenburg again and the Forces raised by the Earls of Huntley Errol Athol and diverse other Noblemen who stuck to him and which they said amounted to the number of Forty Thousand Men being not yet come up he would not stay for them and so with those Forces he had with him hazards a Battle The Battle was at first very fierce and the first Wing of the Nobâ—es Army gave way but the Annandalians and their Neighbours who inhabite the Western parts of Scotland press hard upon the Kings Forces and with their huge Spears much longer than their Adversaries quickly broke the King's main Body who finding now it was in vain to stand it and being injured with the fall of his Horse retires to a Mill that was not far off from the place of Battle with a design as was thought to get aboard his Ships which were not far off where being taken with a few more he was slain It 's not fully agreed who killed him but pursued he was to the foresaid place by Patrick Grey Sterling Keiry and a Priest whose name was Borthick and who it was said being asked by the King for a Confessor roughly replied That though he was no good Priest yet he was a good Leech and with that stab'd him to the Heart And here you see how contemptible the Majesty of a Prince is that is sullied with degenerous actions and there was this further ignominy affixed to his Death That it was enacted in the next Sessions of Parliament that he Justly suffered and strictly forbidden that any who had bore Arms against him or thier descendants should be upbraided therewith Young he was being about 35 years when he died and of them had Reigned near Twenty Eight in the year of our Lord 1488. The Son who had headed this Army is now advanced to the Father's Throne and known by the name of James the IV. being then about Sixteen years of Age. Wood who Commanded the Ships before mentioned was with great difficulty brought to submit and did afterward this King great Service who it seems had some remorse for his contributing so much to his Fathers Death for in token thereof he wore continually an Iron Chain about his middle all the days of his life made frequent visits to Religious places c. all which methinks seems to have been put upon him by some crafty Priest tho Historians are silent in that particular but he had hardly been warm in his Throne when those Nobles that were of his Father's Party sent their Emissaries to all the parts of the Kingdom and exhort one another not to endure the present state of things That so many brave Men should not suffer such publick paricides who had murdred one King and kept the other in servitude so proudly to illude them and to charge them with being guilty of High-Treason who fought for the King's defence and safety but that they should arrogate to themselves who were violators of all Divine and Humane Laws the title of being defenders of the Honour and Dignity of the Commonwealth and preservers of their Country in whose hands the King himself was not free as being enforced first to take up Arms against his Father and King and having wickedly slain him to prosecute his Father's Friends and such ns engaged in his defence by an unjust and Cruel War that was intollerable When many things of this nature had been bandyed about amongst the Common People Alexander Forbes to excite in them a greater hatred towards the present Administration caused the dead King 's bloody Shirt to be hung up on a long Pole and exposed publickly at Aberdeen and other places where there was great concourse of People This being as it were a publick Edict to stir up all Men to revenge so foul a Deed. Nay many of them who had engaged with them actually in the slaughter finding that all things did not go as they would have it now joyned with these Malecontents And as things were transacted in these parts about Aberdeen much to the new King's prejudice Matthew Stewart Earl of Levins a popular and potent Man in his Country summons all such as he had influence over this side the Forth to come to him and having raised a good body of Men finding he could not make his way over Sterling Bridge which was guarded by the Royalists he hastens towards a Ford not far from the River-head at the foot of Mount Grampias with a design to joyn with his Friends in those parts Now when John Drummond had notice hereof by Alexander Mac Alpin his Tenant and who had joyned the Enemy and found plainly that all things were so careless and secure in the Enemies Camp that they dispearsed themselves up and down as every one pleased and had no Centry nor Scouts and destitute of all Military Order and Discipline he immediately with the Courtiers and a few Voluntiers he had with him sets upon them un-a-wares and in a manner all asleep which was in too many of them continued by Death the rest unarm'd run back headlong from whence they came and many were made Prisoners but some known Friends and Acquaintance were let go they were severe only upon such as wrote or spoke very contumeliously of the Government and so this storm blew over and not long after a Parliament was called wherein past a general Act of Indemnity so that now nothing was expected here but Halcyon Days but a Storm quickly arose which terribly shook not only this but the Kingdom of England also by one Perkin Warbeck's pretending himself to be Richard Duke of York and second Son to King Edward IV. and so to have an undoubted Right to the Crown of England He came over from France into Scotland and possest this King so far with a belief of his Right and the Justice of his Cause that he not only gave him the Lady Margaret the Earl of Huntley's Daughter for a Wife but also raised an Army to defend his Cause which took up some Years of his Reign little enough to his or the Kingdoms Commodity and Advantage At last a Truce for some Years was agreed on between him and the King of England and the Consequence of that was first orders for Perkin of whom you may read at large in my Lord Bacon's History of Henry VII to depart the Realm of Scotland then a Marriage between King James and the Lady Margaret
but on he goes towards Edenburg and there takes a review of his Army and hastily marches towards the English Borders takes in several lesser places and Ravages the nighest parts of Northumberland In the mean time the King quite contrary to the premonition aforesaid being ensnared with the Beauty of a Noble Captive she was Hern's Wife of Ford neglected Military Discipline and his Army lying idle and in a Barren Country where Provisions were very scarce a great part of them in dâ—scontent disband and forsake the Service so that there were none but the Nobles with their Kindred and a few Tenants that staid behind For the greater part were of opinion they should not tarry any longer in a Country that was so Poor and withal Plundered but rather to Besiege Berwick which they had left behind them since the taking thereof alone would be much more Honourable and advantagious than all the adjacent Garrisons and that the taking thereof would not be difficult seeing the Town and Castle were unprovided to make any considerable resistance The King who supposed there was nothing too hard for his Arms especially now the English were imployed in the French Wars and being buoy'd up by the flattery of his Courtiers judged he could do that easily in his return but while he lay loitering at Ford came an English Herauld into his Camp requiring him to appoint a day and place where both Armies might give Battle whereupon the King calls a Councell of War wherein the greatest part were of opinion that it was most advisable they should return home least they might with so small a Force hazard the State of the whole Country especially seeing they had already obtained sufficient Renown Glory and Riches and fully satisfied the League of Friendship made with the French neither could there be any appearance of reason that they who were now so much diminished in their number and so weakned with the Fatigues they had undergone should now be exposed to so great a multitude of English daily increasing with Re-inforcements for it was Rumored then that the Lord Thomas Howard was arrived in the English Camp with Six Thousand old Soldiers from before Turwin And for the further inforcing hereof it was moreover added That if the King did depart the English Army must necessarily seperate and could not be drawn together that Year again as being to march from the remotest Parts of the Kingdom But and if the King must needs fight that then it were more advisable he should do it in his own Kingdom keeping the appointment both of the Time and Place always in his own Power But when the French Ambassador and such Mercenary Courtiers as took French Pensions opposed these Arguments the King who was eager for Battle and to hasten his own Ruin was easily perswaded to wait for the Enemy in that Place In the mean time when the English did not advance and engage at the day appointed by the Herault the Scotch Nobility laid hold of the opportunity afresh to go to the King before whom they laid the matter home again Alledging That the reason why they declined Battle was an Artifice of the Enemy only to gain time 'till all their Forces were come together while the Scotch dwindled away more and more and therefore it was high time they should have recourse to the like Pollicy and since the Enemy failed of their word it was no ways disgracefull to the Scots either to return into their own Country without giving them Battle or to Fight within their own Limits of which Councel the first was infallibly the best but if that were not approved off there was abundant reason for to execute the latter for seeing that the River Till was not foardable for some Miles space and could not be past by the Army but by one Bridge there a few might be able to resist a great multitude besides if part of the English Army were past the Bridge the same might easily be broken by Engines conveniently placed for that purpose so as to obstruct the passage of the rest to relieve them who of necessity must be cut to peices But so was the King taken with his own Conceit that you had as good have talked to a dead Man as to him upon this head And therefore he slightingly said That if the English Army were an Hundred Thousand strong he would Fight them With which rash Answer the Nobility were very much displeased Whereupon Archibald Dowglass Earl of Angus a Man that far excelled the rest of the Nobles both in Years and Authority endeavoured in a gentle Oration to alter the King's Resolutions enlarges upon and shews the reasonableness and advantage of the former Counsells given him by the Nobility for he made it appear that the King had been punctual in the League with France and gratified their Request in that he had now turned the English Arms before bent against the French against himself and against his own Country and had so ordered his own Affairs that those great Armies should neither injure France nor endamage Scotland seeing they were not long able to keep the field in those cold Countries and a Barren Soyl Unfurnished of necessaries for the support of Life through the Calamy of the late Wars and which at best produced but little Corn but Winter was drawing near which in those Northern parts was felt betimes And continued the Earl as for the French Ambassadors urging of us to come to a Battle I cannot think that should be looked upon as either new or strange by us that a Foreigner who hath no respect to the publick good of this Kingdom but to the private interest of his own Nation should be so lavish of other Mens blood And besides his Request is unreasonable and impudent for he would have the Scots do that which the French King a Person of the highest Prudence thinks not fit to do for his own Kingdom and Honour neither should the miscarriage of this Army be looked upon by him as a small loss because they were not so numerous for all those are here who excell either in Virtue Authority and Counsell and if these be once lost the surviving Commonalty will become an easy prey to the Conquerors What is it not at present safer and withal more profitable to protract the War For if Lewis thinks that the English can either be exhausted by Expences or wearied with delay what can be better as to the present State of things than for us to enforce the Enemy to divide their Forces that we may keep one part of their Army to watch and look after our motion making a continual shew of our readiness to make Incursions and by putting of them under a constant apprehension thereof ease the burden of the French by our Labour and Vigilancy and I think those men who I fear are more Valiant in Words than in Actions have sufficiently Consulted for their Glory and Renown under which names they would
during the others Life and some time after an interview between both Queens was appointed to be at York but some accidents fell out that prevented it and though the Queen of Scots was afterwards detained in England for so many years together the causes whereof we are now a going to shew you yet they never saw one another all their days and because the Story of David Rizzio has so great a Connection with the Misfortunes of this Queen it will be necessary in this place to give you the Particulars of it This David Rizzio was born at Turin in Savoy his Father an honest poor Man that got a mean livelihood for himself and his Family by Teaching the Elements of Musick and having no other Patrimony to leave his Children he made them all of both Sexes skillful Musicians David was one of the number who being in the Prime of his Youth and having an excellent Voice was by his Skill in Musick raised up to the hopes of a better Fortune he went first to Nice where the Duke of Savoy then kept his Court but meeting with no entertainment there conformable to his hopes and contriving every way how to relieve him in his Penury he light upon one Morretius who by the Dukes Command was then preparing to go for the Kingdom of Scotland whom he followed thither but Morretius being himself a Man of no great Fortune and looking upon his Service as useless and unnecessary David resolved to stay in Scotland and try his Fortune there especially because he understood the Queen delighted in Musick and was not ignorant of the Rudiments thereof her self whereupon to make way into her Presence he first dealt with her Musicians of whom many were French to admit him to be one of their Society which they did and having plaid his part once or twice was liked very well whereupon he was introduced to be one of their Set or Company and he so complied with the Queen's Humour that what by flattering of her and what by undermining of others he grew into high Favour with her and into the extream Hatred of his Fellows neither did he Content himself with this favourable blast of Fortune but he held his equals in Contempt and by sundry Accusations wormed them out of their places and began to Treat about Matters of State and at last was made Secretary and by that means had private Converse with the Queen apart from others The sudden advance of this Man from a low and almost beggerly State to such Power Wealth and Grandeur afforded matter of Discourse to the People his Fortune was far above his Virtue and his Arrogance and Contempt of his Equals and Contention with Superiours did far exceed his Fortune and this Vanity and Madness of the Man was much augmented by the flattery of the Nobility who sought his Friendship Courted him and admired his Judgment walked before his Lodgings observing his Egress and Regress but the Earl of Murray alone the Queen 's base Brother but a Man of Virtue and Sobriety and such as had no Dissimulation in his Heart was so far from fawning on David that he gave him many a soure look which troubled the Queen as much as David himself Now about this time did Matthew Steward Earl of Lennox get leave of the Queen to return to Scotland with his Son Henry Lord Darnley a young Nobleman of an high Lineage and most goodly Personage being Cousin German to the Queen who received him very Courteously and delighting daily in his Society did at last resolve to Marry him David therefore to make his Party good against Murray applies himself with great Adulation to this young Gentleman who was to be the Queen's Husband so that he came to be so familiar with him as to be admitted to his Chamber and Bed side and to secret Conference with him where he perswaded him out of his unwary Credulity and forwardness to compass his desires that he was the chief occasion to make the Queen cast her Eye upon him besides he cast in Seeds of Discord between him and Murray every day as knowing that if he were removed he should pass the remainder of his Life without Affront or Disturbance and there being now much talk abroad not only of the Queen's Marriage with Darnley and his secret Recourse to her but also of the too great familiarity between her and David Rizzio Murray by his down-right dealing with her upon these accounts got nothing but her Hatred and so leaves the Court that he might not be thought the Author of what was acted there but the Queen finding that Murray was highly favoured of the People was so incensed against him that she hastened his long before designed end and the manner to accomplish it was thus Murray was to be sent for to Perth where the Queen was with a few Attendants there Darnley was to Discourse him and in the Conference they all knew he would speak his Mind freely and then a Quarrel would arise upon which David Rizzio was to give the first blow and then the rest were to wound him to Death Murray was made acquainted with this Conspiracy by his Friends at Court yet come what would he resolved to go but as he was on his Journey being again advertised of the design by Patrick Ruuen he turned aside to his Mother's House near Loch-Levin and being troubled with a Lask excused himself and staid there Thither some of his Friends came to visit him whereupon a Report was presently spread about that he staid there to intercept the Queen and Darnley in their return to Edenburgâ— upon this Horsemen were sent out but they discover'd no Men in Arms or sign of any force yet the Queen made such haste and was so fearful in this Journey as if some great danger had been at hand This hopeful Plot was the Preludium to the unhappy Marriage that soon after succeeded to which end a great part of the Nobility were called together at Sterlin that so the Queen might countenance her Will and Pâ—easure with some pretence of publick Consent most of those they sent for were such as they knew would easily give their Assent or else that durst not oppose 〈◊〉 many of those so Congregated assented to the motion provided always â—â—at no alteration should be made in the 〈◊〉 established Religion As for Murray he was not averse from the Marriage for he was the first Adviser that the young man should be called out of England but he foresaw what Tumult it would occasion if it were Celebrated without the Queen of England's Consent besides he promised to procure her Consent that so all things might go on favourably but perceiving there would be no freedom of Debate in that Convention he chose rather to be absent than to declare his Opinion which might prove destructive to himself and no way advantageous to the Commonwealth The Vulgar also were very free in their Debates about the freedom or not freedom of
the present Possessor to part with his Inheritance and she desired his Father-in-Law and Friends to perswade him to it But this matter not meeting with the desired success the Queen took the repulse as a great Affront to her and which was worse David took it very hainously also These things being known abroad the Commonalty began to bewail the sad state of Affairs and expected that things would grow worse if Men eminent for their Families Estates and Credit should be outed of their ancient Patrimony to gratifie the Lust of a beggerly Varlet Yea many of the Elder sort called to mind and told others of the time when Cockburn wickedly slew the Kings Brother and of a Stone-cutter was made Earl of Marr which raised up such a flame of a Civil War that could not be extinguished but by the Death of the King and almost the Destruction of the Kingdom These things were spoken openly but Men did privately mutter much worse yet the King would never be perswaded to believe it unless he saw it with his own Eyes so that one time hearing that David was gone into the Queen's Bed-Chamber he came to a little Door of which he always carried the Key about him and found it Bolted on the inside which it never used to be whereupon he knocked but no body answered and so he was forced to go his ways but conceived great Wrath and Indignation in his Heart that he could not sleep that Night From that time forward he consulted with some of his Servants for he durst trust but a very few many of them having been corrupted by the Queen and put upon him rather as Spies over his Actions than Attendants upon his Person how to rid David out of the way His design they approved of but to find out a probable way to effect it was the difficulty When that Consultation had been managed for some days others of his Servants who were not privy to the Design suspecting the matter and there being evident signs of it went and acquainted the Queen therewith and withall told her that they would bring her to the place where they were and they were as good as their words For to that end they observed and watcht the opportunity when others were shut out and the King had only his Confidents about him and ordered it so that the Queen as if passing through his Chamber to her own surprized him with her Partizans whereupon she inveighed bitterly against him and highly threatned his Domesticks telling them all their Plots were in vain for she knew all their Minds and Actions and would remedy them well enough in due time Things being brought to this desperate pass the King thought fit to acquaint his Father the Earl of Lennox with his sad Condition and after some Conference they both concluded that the only remedy for the present Malady was to reconcile that part of the Nobility which were present and to recal those that were absent But great expedition was required in the thing because the day was near at hand wherein the Queen had resolved to Condemn the Nobles that were absent having appointed a Convention of the States for that purpose against the Wills of the English and French Ambassadors who interceeded in the case for they well knew that the accused had not committed such heinous Offences and besides foresaw the danger that would ensue thereupon About the same time did Queen Elizabeth send her a very obliging and long Letter full of good Advice in reference to the present State of her Kingdom and endeavouring to reduce her from a wrathful to a reconcileable Temper The Queen coming to understand that the Nobility knew that such Letters were come and that they guessed at the Contents of them she counterfeited a civiller respect to them than ordinary and began to read the Letters in the presence of many of them But when she was got about the middle David stood up and bid her Read no more she had read enough she should stop which strange carriage of his seemed to them rather Arrogant than New for they knew how imperiously he had carried it towards her heretofore yea and sometimes how he would reprove her more sharply than ever her own Husband durst do At that time the Cause of the Banished Lords was hotly agitated in the Parliament House some to gratifie the Queen's Humour would have the punishment due to Traytors past upon them others stiffly contended that they had done nothing worthy to be so severely used But David in the mean time went about to all of them one by one to feel their Pulses what every Man's Vote would be concerning the Exiles if he was chosen President by the rest of the Convention And he told them plainly the Queen was resolved to have them Condemned that it was in vain for any of them to struggle against it and besides who ever did should be sure to incuâ— the Queen's Displeasure thereby His aim herein was partly to confound the weaker Minds betwixt hope and fear and partly to exclude the most resolute out of the number of the Judges Select or Lords of the Articles or at least that the major part might be of such a Gizzard as to please the Queen and this audacious procedure and wickedness in so mean a Fellow was feared by some and hated by all Whereupon the King by his Father's Advice sent to James Douglas and Patrick Lindsey his Kinsmen the one by the Father and the other by the Mothers side who advise with Patrick Ruven an able man both for Advice and Execution but he was brought so low with long Sickness that for some months he could not get out of his Bed However they were willing to trust him amongst some few more in a matter of so great a Concernment both by reason of his great Prudence as also because his Children were Cousin-Germans to the King But here the King was told by them what a great Error he had committed before in suffering his Kinsmen and Friends to be driven from Court in favour of such a base Rascal as Rizzio yea that he himself did in effect thrust them out of the Court with his own Hands and so had advanced such a contemptible Mushroom so as that now he himself was abashed and despised of him They had also much other discourse concerning the State of the publick and the King was quickly brought to acknowledge his Fault and to promise to act nothing for the future without the Consent of the Nobility But those wise and experienc'd Counsellors thought it not safe to trust the verbal promises of an uxorious young man as believing that he might be prevailed upon in time by his Wife to deny this Capitulation to their certain Ruin and therefore they thought it adviseable to draw up the Heads of their Agreement in Writing to which he willingly and forwardly subscribed The substance whereof was That Religion should be established as it was provided for
to the utmost for to serve his Majesty and was really rewarded with a Suit worth 1500 Pounds tho' he was cheated of one half by a true Scot that pretended great friendship to him he returned to Sommerset about Three next Morning which was the day he was to come to his Trial and told him he had been with the King found him a most Affectionate Master and full of Grace in his intentions towards him but said for to satisfy Justice the Earl must appear tho' to return again instantly without any further proceedings against him and that thereby he should come to know his Enemies and their Malice tho' they should have no power to hurt him with this device he allaid the Earl's Fury and got him quietly about Eight in the Morning to the Hall yet fearing his former bold Language might revert him again and that finding himself thus brought within the Toye by this trick he might be more enraged to fly into some strange discovery he took care to place two Servants on each side of him every one having a Cloak on their Arms and gave them a positive Command If Sommerset did any way fly out against the King that they should immediately Hoodwink him with the Cloak take him by force from the Bar and carry him away for which he would not only secure them from any danger but they should be sure of a bountiful Reward but the Earl finding himself over-reached recollected a better temper and went on calmly in his Tryal where he held the Court till Seven at night but he that had seen the King's restless motion and concernedness of Mind all that day by his sending to every Boat he saw landing at the Bridge and cursing all that came without tidings would have easily judged all was not right and that there were very good grounds for Sommerset's boldness but at last having word brought him that he was condemned with the particulars of the Trial all was quiet You may judge of the Story as you please but my Author Sir A. W. says he and another Gentleman had it from Sir George Moor's own Mouth in Wanstead Park and 't is very remarkable that tho' the King made the most direful imprecations that could be to Sir Edward Coke at Theobalds upon the discovery of Overbury's Murder he would pardon any thing of them yet he gave both the Earl and Countess as deep in the sudds as any a Lease of their Lives allowed the Earl 4000 l. per Annum and kept correspondence with him by Letters almost every week to his dying day I shall not enter upon any further narration of Overbury's death of the Countess of Essex Divorce and her Marriage with Sommerset how the Discovery was made how the King was made a Pimp as he told Sir Edward Coke to carry on their Bawdry and Murder as being not pertinent to the present Design but acquaint you that the Lady Arabella Steward whose Genealogy we have already given you dying about this time in the Tower sets Mens Tongues and Fears at work that she went the same way she had been Married some years before to Sir William Seymour Son to the Lord Beauchamp and Grandchild to Edward Earl of Hertford and both of them being at some distance allyed to the Crown such a conjunction would not be admitted in the Royal Almanack so dreadful is every Apparition that comes near Princes Titles especially if they light upon jealous and weak Minds Sir William was for the Marriage committed to the Tower and the Lady Arabella confined to her House at Highgate but both of them after some imprisonment concluded to make their escape together beyond Sea appointing to meet at a certain place upon the Thames Sir William leaving his Man in his Bed to act his part with his Keeper got out of the Tower in disguise and came to the place appointed she dress'd like a young Gallant in Man's Cloaths followed him from her House but staying somewhat longer than the limited time it made him suspicious of her interception so that he went away leaving notice if she came that he was gone away before for Dunkirke the poor Lady thus desolate fraught with Fears and lugging in her slight was apprehended and sent in her Husband's room into the Tower where she ended her sorrowful days somewhat too early as was generally believed tho' no clear proof thereof could e'r be made it 's certain the King was very jealous of his Title to the Crown which at times made him very uneasy tho' besides actual possession he had apparently the best of any Title in the World and the free Speeches of his Subjects upon that head did not a little contribute to that uneasiness as was that of Tobie Matthews Bishop of Durham who being at Law with the King about some Priviledges which he claimed in his Bishoprick and having one day stated the case before some of his Friends and they seeming to approve of it Yes says the Bishop I could wish he had but half as good a Title to the Crown But one Hydra's Head is no sooner cut off but up starts another one of the Judges for Wales being about this time holding the general Assizes at Pembrooke there was among other Malefactors brought to the Bar to be Tryed for Murder one whose Name was Plantagenet a Name that for some hundreds of years had swayed the English Scepter from the time of Henry II. down to Henry VII the Judge hearing of the Name deferred the Man's Tryal and sends to acquaint the King with it who upon the news was in no small tiff but dispatcht away Orders immediately to bring the Man up when he was brought into his Presence Cousin said he How do you do the poor Man in a trembling amazement made no ready Answer but at length recollecting his Spirits replyed He knew of no Relation he was to his Majesty nay but said the King If thy Name be Plantagenet thou must be my Cousin and so entring into another Communion with him engaged him for a considerable Reward to change his Name into that of Steward from whom as I have been credibly informed the Family of the Stewards late of the County of H. but now extinct were descended It was now the Fifteenth year of the King's Reign when he goes to visit his Native Country of Scotland accompanied with Buchingham now prime Favourite but upon his return some of the looser Bishops pretending Recreations and Liberty to Servants and the common People of which they craved to themselves too much already procured the King to put out a Book to permit Dancing about Maypoles Churchyards and such debauched exercises upon the Lords Day after Evening Prayer wherein all Ministers were enjoined to read it to their Parishioners and those that refused were brought into the High Commission which was Plague sufficient but this brought him some disquiet and particularly one time the King being to go from London to Theobalds on a Monday
Morning his Carriages must go through the City on the Sabbath-day before with a great deal of clutter and noise in the time of Divine Worship which coming to the Ears of the Lord Mayor he commanded them to be stopped and this carried the Affairs of the Carriages with a great deal of violence into the Court and having represented the business to the King with as much asperity as Men in Authority crossed in their Humors could express the same it put the King into a great Rage Swearing He thought there was no more Kings in England but himself but after he was a little calmed he sent a Warrant to the Lord Mayor commanding him to let them pass which he obeyed with this Answer While it was in my power I did my Duty but that being taken away by a higher Power It 's my Duty to obey which the King upon second Thoughts took so well that he thanked him for it And now the Troubles of his Daughter and Son-in-law by assuming the Crown of Bohemia come on apace which ended not only in the loss of that Crown but even of his own Patrimony the Palatinate and together with the Match with Spain for his Son Prince Charles perplex'd the remainder of his Reign and wrought him continual trouble having spent more Treasure upon Embassies when the former then would have raised and maintained a sufficient Army to recover his Son-in-law's Patrimony owning in his Speech to the Parliament Jan. 20. and the Eighteenth year of his Reign that my Lord Doncaster's Journey upon that account had cost him Three thousand five hundred Pounds but he was very modest and minced the matter being indeed ashamed to tell the whole Summ which amounted to a far greater proportion and may be guessed at by the following Relation When he Landed at Rotterdam his Expences the first Morning before he went to the Hague in the Inn where he lay came to above Two hundred Pounds now this splendid and expensive Living coming to be known by the Inn keeper of the Peacock at Dort c. hoping he would make that place in his way to Germany made great preparations for him of his own head without any other Order but my Lord taking his way by Vtrecht the Inn-keeper followed him complaining heavily how he was baulked in his expectations and what Charge he had been at to provide for his Lordship which at length coming to the Lord's Ear he commanded his Steward to give him Thirty Pounds and never tasted of his Fare and it was credibly assured by some of his Retinue that his very Carriage could cost no less than Threescore Pounds a day for he had abundance of young Nobles and others in his company so that upon a modest computation of the whole expence of his Journey it could amount to no less than Fifty or Threescore thousand Pounds while he was at the Hague some advised old Maurice Prince of Orange our King William's Great Unkle to Feast him Yes Yes said the Prince Bid him come when the Steward had notice hereof how the Prince took no farther notice of the matter he attended the Prince and told him there would be great preparations expected for the Ambassadors Ordinary Meals were Feasts and he had a very numerous and splendid Train of Nobles and Gentry that did accompany him Well said the Prince Prepare me a Dinner such as I used to have and let me see the Bill of Fare when the Steward brought the Bill the Prince liked it very well but the Steward said Sir This is but your ordinary Diet now you should have something exttaordinary because this is an Extraordinary Ambassador the Prince thinking what the Steward said to be something reasonable and finding but one Pig set down in the Bill commanded him to put down another Pig and that was all the additions he would make for knowing the Ambassador to be a Scotch Man and that they generally hate Swines flesh it seems he thought nothing a fitter Entertainment for him than a couple of Pigs but the King 's mincing of these matters his many Carresses Huffs and Protestations would not do with the Parliament for there was such a multiplication of Grievances and infringments of the Peoples Liberty and such a backwardness from the Court for the redress of them that at length they were dissolved in displeasure and this set every Man's Tongue loose upon him that tho' the King loved Hunting above all other exercises and had many good Hunters about him yet all these and the strength of a Proclamation to forbid talking of State Affairs could not refrain them from mouthing it out that Great Brittain was become less than little England that they had lost strength by changing Sexes and that he was no King but a Fidlers Son otherwise he would not have suffered so many disorders at home and so much dishonour abroad and the story of David Riccius saith Wilson written by Buchanan the King 's own Tutor had been like to die in every Englishman's Opinion if it had not had a new impression by these miscarriages These Domestick Troubles together with the many delays and dissatisfactions he received from Spain and Rome about the Spanish Match begot him so much trouble and vexation of Spirit that pressing upon his Natural Temper it wrought some Fits of Melancholy in him which those about him with facetious Mirth would strive to mitigate and having exhausted their store or not making use of such as were more pregnant Buckingham and his Mother instead of Mirth fell upon Prophaneness thinking thereby to please him and perhaps says Wilson they were only mistaken in the unseasonableness of the time being not then suitable to the Humour for they caused Mrs. Aspernham a young Gentlewoman of the Kindred to dress a Pig like a Child and the old Countess like a Midwife brought it into the King in a rich Mantle And then Turpin who had Married one of theâ— Kindred whose Name was renowned for a Bishop in the Romances of the Emperor Charlemaigne was drest like a Bishop in a Sattin Gown Lawn Sleeves and other Pontifical Ornaments who with the Common-Prayer Book began the Words of Baptism one attending with a silver Bason of Water for the Service The King hearing the Ceremony of Baptism read and the squeeking noise of the Brute Animal which he most abhorred turned about to see what Pageant it was and finding Turpin's Face which he very well knew drest like a Bishop and Buckingham whose Face â—he most of all loved stand for God-Father he cried out Away for shame what Blasphemy is this and turning aside with a frown turned all the sport and jollity they expected to a cold damp of Spirit Neither did the Prince's going into Spain any ways mend the matter but made it every way worse and worse for in stead of Consummating he and Buckingham quite broke off the Match which King James had so much set his rest upon but what was worst of all
Country he might apply what he pleas'd to the King at the Court and besides had the Medicine been the best in the World the Act was Daring and no ways Justifiable in him because he wanted the Consent of the King's Physitians thereto and one of Buckingham's great Provocations was thought to be that the King now being weary of his too much Greatness and Power was about to set up Bristol his deadly Enemy against him to pull him down The Application of this Medicine was one of the 13 Articles charged afterward upon the Duke by the Parliament who rarely accuse upon false Rumour or bare Suggestion and surely he will have work to do that takes upon him to excuse the King his Successor in this Matter for Dissolving the Parliament to preserve one that was accus'd by them for Poisoning his Father especially if it be consider'd that the Commons had then Voted him Four Subsidies and Four Fifteenths which they had not time to pass into an Act. What did farther increase Mens suspicions was one Doctor Lamb a Fellow of a most Infamous conversation his frequenting to and being much imploy'd by the Countess and her Son which did at length so incense the People against him that finding him in the Streets of London An. 1628. they set upon him with Stones and Staves and knocked out his Brains as also one Butler an Irishman that pretended to be a Chymist and was very intimate with the foresaid Company I mean the Duke and his Mother and indeed the Story of his Death as was then reported is a very convincing Evidence of some secret Machination betwixt the Duke and him which made the Duke be desirous to be rid of him For Mischief says Mr. Wilson being an ingrosser is unsecured unsatisfied when their Wares are to be vented in many Shops This Man was by the Dukes means recommended upon some plausible pretence to some Jesuites beyond the Seas where he was entertain'd with a great deal of specious Ceremony and Respect in one of their Colleges and at Night being attended by them into his Chamber with much Civility which was hung with Tapestry and had Tapers burning in stretched-out-Armes upon the Wall when they gave him the Good-night they told him they would send one should direct him to his Lodging and they were no sooner out of the Room of Death but the Floor that hung upon great Hinges on one side was let fall by Artificial Engines and the poor Vermine Butler dropt into a Precipice where he was never more heard of To conclude King James was Learned and had fine Notions in Conception but could bring but few of them into Action tho' they tended to his Honour and Safety for this was one of his Apothegms which he made no timely use of Let that Prince that would beware of Conspiracies be rather jealous of such whom his extraordinary Favours have advanc'd then of those whom his Displeasure hath discontented these want Means to execute their Pleasures but they have means at pleasure to execute their desires But a late Learned Author has exprest as much contempt of his Learning as Ben Johnson did of his Poetry saying It was a Scandal to his Crown meaning his Writings against Bellarmine and Perrone about their King-killing and King-deposing Doctrines and it seems Henry 4. of France had not a much better opinion of the same who when he heard some Men Celebrating of him with these Attributes answer'd truly enough That he was a fine King indeed and Wrote little Books King James was Succeeded by His Son Charles in all His Dominions but much more so in all His Misfortunes for this was one of the unhappiest Princes that ever Swayed a Scepter There is little remarkable concerning this Pâ—â—â—ce in his Infancy only he was noted as Lilly says to be very wilful and obstinate by the old Scottish Lady his Nurse and even by his own Mother Queen Ann who being told on a time he was very Sick and like to die said He would not then die but live to be the Ruine of himself and the Three Kingdoms through his too much Wilfulness And it seems the Symptoms of his Fore-Fathers Destiny appear'd in his very Face for his Picture having been presented to the then Duke of Tuscany the first sight and inspection thereof made him sâ—art and say He saw something in it that Presag'd a strange and violent Exit Moreover if what the said Author says be true That Laud at His Coronation at Westminster alter'd the Old Coronation Oath and framed another New one for him in the room of it it was a foul stumble at first dash It rarely happens and I think but very few Instances can be given that one and the same Person proves a Favourite to Two Princes together but it seems nothing could resist the Charmes of the Glorious Buckingham who now Governs the Son more Despotically than ' er he had done the Father and put him upon those very Expeditions that with other concurring Mismanagements made Shipwrack of His Honour at home procured him scorn and contempt abroad and hastned those Calamities which at length resolved in his own sad Catastrophe and Ruine But surely it argu'd a very mean and poor spirit in him to take him into his Bosom and to be govern'd by one that had twice in his Father's time so highly affronted and disdain'd him the first at Royston before many People by bidding of him in plain terms Kiss his A And the second time at Greenwich in the sight of about 400 Persons when lifting up his hand over his head with a Ballon Brasser and saying in most undutiful terms to him By G. it shall not be so you shall not have it The Prince answer'd What my Lord I think you intend to strike me It 's true to have forgotten and never to revenge such Injuries when he had been King had been worthy the Noble Mind of a Prince but it also became him never to have suffer'd him to come near his Court to be upbraided with the sight of so much scorn that had been so publickly offer'd him and some Criticks at Court at that time did not stick to read his future Destiny At King James's Death the Nation was rent into Four Factions viz. the Prerogative Popish Puritan and Country Party which in a short time was reduc'd into two the two former uniting their force against the other two and one should have thought it had been the business of the New King to have composed those first rather then make War abroad But King James his Body was scarce cold when Buckingham put King Charles upon a War with Spain Both of them when in that Kingdom had receiv'd so many Civilities from his Catholick Majesty that they now resolve to Invade his Country with a Powerful Fleet and a Land Army under the Command of my Lord Wimbleton but in their passage they met with a Furious Storm which so scatter'd the Fleet that of
Members of Parliament from one Prison to another that they might not have the benefit of their Habeas Corpus's and the Constables of Hertfordshire from one Messenger to another is himself sifted Prisoner from one place to another without any hope of an Habeus Corpus And as he before by his absolute Will and Pleasure would without any Law seize his Subjects Goods and commit them to Prison as also raise Ship-money in an Arbitrary manner so he cannot now enjoy his own Estate in his own House nor has one Ship to command Soon after this the Parliament and Army began to be jealous of each other and the latter having no face of Authority to recur unto the Presbyterian Members in both Houses being three to one what do they do but send Cornet Joyce with a Party of Horse on the 4 th of June 1647 to take the King out of the Parliaments Commissioners hands and to keep him in the Army which however he might take it was not designed for his advantage tho' they seemed to lament the hard conditions the Members imposed upon him not only in his Liberty but in keeping him from his Children and Friends and now they allow him both professing they would never lay down Arms until they had put the Scepter into his hands and procured better Conditions for his Friends And in order hereunto they seem to joyn the King's Interests with their own and in their Declaration for Redress of Grievances declare for the King and People that the Members prefix a certain time for their Sitting and charge 11 of the leading Members that had been most forward to establish the Covenant with being guilty of High Treason and most of them fled for it The Covenanters could not but see whither these proceedings tended and therefore they had upon the 4 th of May settled the Militia of London in the hands of the Presbyterians but upon a Letter from the General or the 10 th of June to the Parliament that the Militia of London might be put into the hands of Persons better affected to the Army the Commons tamely Submitted to it and repealed the foresaid Ordinance of the 4 th of May. But the City-Men in Common Counsel Petition the Commons against this insisting upon their own Right to dispose of the Militia The Lords upon the Reading of the Petition revoke the Ordinance of the Commons of July 23 and confirm that of the 4 th of May according to the Cities desire and kept back some of the Commons till the Members within had agreed to it and enforced the Speaker to pass a Vote that the King should come to London and so both Houses Adjourned for four days In this Interval the Members who favoured the Army and the Speakers of both Houses went to the Army and there complained of the Violences put upon the Parliament and the Houses after the expiration of the four days Adjournment meet and chose new Speakers and Voted 1. That the King should come to London 2. That the Militia of London should be Authoriz'd to raise Forces for the defence of the City 3. That power be given to the same Militia to choose a General 4. And that the Eleven Members Impeach'd by the Army should take their Seats in the Parliament The Citizens hereupon proceed to raise Forces which tho' Numerous yet being raw and not fit to cope with an old Experienc'd and Victorious Army they were forced to come to Terms and comply with the Army in their demands so that in short the Speakers and Members returned again and recinded all that was done since the 26 th of July and Voted several Lords guilty of High Treason and the Lord Mayor with several other Citizens were committed Prisoners to the Tower upon the same account The King could not but conceive some hopes from these Broyls that might tend to his Advantage and indeed both Parliament and Army seem to Court him now and the Parliament sent propositions of Peace to him at Hampton-Court but Cromwel was as fearful the King should agree with the Parliament as the King was unwilling to agree to them and therefore Cormwel gave the Commissioners instructions that if the King would assent to Propositions lower then those of the Parliament that the Army would settle him again in his Throne hereupon the King returned Answer to the Parliament that he waved now the Propositions put to him or any Treaty upon them flies to the Proposals of the Army and urges a Treaty upon them and such as he shall make professes he will give Satisfaction to settle the Protestant Religion with Liberty to tender Consciences to secure the Laws Liberty and Property and Priviledges of Parliaments and as for those concerning Scotland he would Treat apart with the Scots Commissioners Upon Reading of the King's Answer a day was appointed by either House to consider of it and in the mean time they order'd the same to be communicated to the Scotch Commissioners It was affirmed in those times that Cromwel had made a private Article with the King that if the King closed with the Propositions of the Army Cromwel should be Advanced to a degree higher than any other as Earl of Essex and Vicar-General of England as Thomas Cromwel in Henry 8 time was But it seems he was so uxorious that he would do nothing without communicating it to the Queen and so wrote to her That tho' he assented to the Armies Proposals yet if by assenting to them he could procure a Peace it would be easier then to take of Cromwel than now he was the head that govern'd the Army Cromwel who had his Spies upon every motion of the King intercepts these Letters and resolved never to trust the King again yet doubted that he could not manage his designs if the King were so near the Parliament and City at Hampton-Court Therefore Cromwel sent to the King that he was in no safety at Hampton-Court by reason of the hatred which the Adjutators bore to him and that he would be in more safty in the Isle of Wight and so upon the 11 th of November at night made his escape having Post-horses and a Ship provided for him at South-hampton to that purpose But when he came to the Island he was secured by Collonel Hammond who gave the Parliament notice of it from whence the King sent to the Members for a Personal Treaty of Peace at London which after much debate was agreed to upon four Preliminaries which the King utterly rejected and so incensed the Houses that they Voted that they would make no further applications or addresses to the King That no other presume to make any application to him without leave from both Houses That whoever Transgressed in that kind should be guilty of High Treason That they would receive no more Messages from the King and that none presume to bring any Message from him to either or both Houses of Parliament or any other Person These were hard
lines to this unfortunate King who now had no more to do then patiently to submit to what time produced but how pleasing soever these Votes were to the Army the Scots and diverse parts of the English Nation were not content with them and so they rise in Arms in Essex Kent Suffolk Norfolk Wales and the North and declare for the King and People Part of the Fleet also Revolted to Prince Charles but all these Revolts were quelled by a Victorious Army in a short time But while the Army was busied abroad the Members having gotten possession of the Fleet and the City of London being well affected to them they joyn with the Scotish Commissioners and rescine the Votes of the Non-addresses to the King and appointed a conference with him at Newport in the Isle of Wight to continue for forty days and to that purpose take him out of Prison and allow him the Liberty of the Island and the King upon the matter with reluctancy enough grants the Scots and the Members their own Demands But no endeavours of his Subjects nor the joynt desires of the Scots and Members could protect this unhappy Prince from his approaching Ruine for the Army now every where Victorious over the Scots and Royalists draw together and make a Remonstrance against all Peace with the King that Justice might be done upon Him the Crown-land and Church-land might be sold to Pay their Army and that the present Parliament be Dissolved and another Called But the Members were intent upon the King's Answer to their Propositions and laid aside the Armies Remonstrance which they take as a slighting of them and then seized the King in the Isle of Wight and make Him a Prisoner in Hurst-Castle an unhealthy place and March to London putting Garrisons in Noblemen's Houses and Whitehall and Post themselves about the Pallace-yard But the Members for all this Met upon the First of Decemb. 1648. and Voted the King's Concessions to be a sufficient ground for a Peace and then Adjourn'd for a Week yet when they were to Meet again they found all the Avenues to the House beset with Soldiers who Excluded all that were not of their Faction from entring the House which were not one fourth part and made the residue Prisoners This Juncto called afterward the Rump Parliament having in this manner Purged the House Assume to themselves the Supream Power of Ordering the English Affairs Confirm the Votes of Non-Addresses and raze the Votes of having a Conference with the King and the Declaration that the King's Concessions were a sufficient ground for a Peace out of the Journals of the House and Vote First That all Power resides in the People Secondly That the Power belongs to the Peoples Representatives in the House of Commons Thirdly That the Votes of the Commons have the Force of a Law without the King Fourthly That to take up Arms against the Representatives of the People or the Parliament was High-Treason Fifthly That the King Himself took up Arms against the Parliament and therefore was guilty of all the Blood shed in the Civil War and ought by His own Blood to expiate the fame But the Ordinance for the King's Trial being sent up to the Lords for their Concurrence they Rejected it January the 2 d and Adjourned for 10 days but first sent back that they would give Answer Whereupon the Commons search the Lords Journal-Book and find these Votes 1. To send an Answer 2. That their Lordships do not concur to the Declaration 3. That their Lordships Reject the Ordinance for Tryal of the King But the Commons for all that go on and Vote the Lords Dangerous Order the King to be brought to London under a Guard Read and Ingrossed the Ordinance for his Tryal on the 6 th of January and the Manner was referred to the Commissioners who were to Try Him and to that end to Meet in the Painted Chamber on Munday January the 9 th who Resolved that Proclamation should be made in Westminster-Hall that the Commissioners were to Sit again to Morrow and that all those who had any thing to say against the King should be heard In this manner Mr. Denby who was Sergeant at Arms to the Commissioners Rode into the Hall with his Mace and some other Officers all bare attended with Six Trumpets on Horseback who Sounded in the midst of the Hall the Drums of the Guard in the mean time Beating without in the Pallace-yard at the Old Exchange and in Cheapside The Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of London Petition'd the House of Commons for Justice against the King to Settle the Votes that the Supream Power was in them and the City resolved to stand by them to the utmost and because nothing should obstruct the intended Work Hillary Term was Adjourned for Fourteen days and Proclamation made thereof in the Cities of London and Westminster and other Market-Towns but that this poor Prince might have some glimmering of hope the Scots Parliament begun January 2 d. understanding what was done at London in reference to the King's Tryal Dissent from the said proceedings and Direct some Papers To William Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the House of Commons which the House took as an Affront and Denyal of their Authority and so thought not sit to Read them but yet Voted to send Commissioners into Scotland to preserve a Good Correspondence between both Nations Several Ministers from their Pulpits Declaimed also against the Proceedings against the King's Person some of the Nobility offer'd themselves Pledges in his behalf and January 19 the Scottish Commissioners deliver'd some Papers and a Declaration from the Parliament of Scotland wherein they express a dislike of the present Proceedings and declare That the Kingdom of Scotland had an undoubted Interest in the King's Person who was not deliver'd to the English Commissioners at Newcastle for the Ruine of his Person but for the more speedy Settlement of the Peace of his Kingdoms That they extreamly Dissented and Declared against the Tryal of Him in regard of the Great Miseries that were like to ensue thereupon and desired leave to make their Personal Addresses to Him The like Papers were also Presented to the General but all signify'd nothing for the Commissioners for the Tryal proceeded to make all things in a readiness and to that purpose Order'd that the Sword and Mace tho' they had the King's Arms thereon should be brought into the Court at His Tryal and the King to be brought from St. James's where he was then a Prisoner to Sir Robert Cotton's House at Westminster They erected a Tribunal called The High Court of Justice over which was appointed One hundred and fifty Judges at the upper end of Westminster-Hall the Courts of Chancery and Kings-Bench being ordered into one and these Judges were impower'd to Convent Hear Judge and Execute Charles Stuart King of England All things being now fitted up the King on Saturday the 20 th was brought from St. James
through the Park in a Chair to Whitehall and from thence carried by Water under a Guard to Sir Robert Cotton's House at the back end of Westminster-Hall the Judges in the mean time met in the Painted Chamber attending upon their President Serjeant Bradshaw in his Scarlet Robe who had the Sword born before him by Col. Humphrey the Mace by Serjeant Denby and twenty Men with Partizans for his Guard When they came into the Court the President sat him down in a Crimson Velvet Chair of State fixed in the midst of the Court with a Desk before him and a Cushion of Crimson Velvet thereon and the Seats on each side of him were Benches covered with Scarlet-cloth And after silence made the Great Gate of the Hall was set open for any to enter in after which Col. Thompson was commanded to bring forth the Prisoner who was conducted with twenty Partizans and other Guards and was by the Serjeant with his Mace received to the Bar where was a Red Velvet Chair set for him He looked sternly upon the Court and up to the Galleries then sat him down but presently got up again and looked downward on the Guard and multitude of Spectators not shewing the least regard to the Court all the while then was the Act of Parliament read over for the Trial of Charles Stuart King of England by the Clerk who sat on the right side of the Table covered with a Turky Carpet placed at the feet of the President upon which lay the Sword and Mace and the several Names of the Judges in the Roll were called over and Eighty answered to their Names When that was over then the King's Charge was brought wherein he was accused in the Name of the People of England of Treason Tyranny Murders Rapines c. and more especially for levying War against the Parliament And the President stood up and said Sir You have heard your Charge containing such matters as appears in it and in the close it is pray'd that you answer to your Charge which this Court expects The King replied By what Authority did they bring him to a Trial who was their King against the Publick Faith so lately given him when he commenced a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament Urged them to shew what Lawful Authority they had to call him to an account which if they did he would readily answer otherwise advised them to avert the Judgments that might hang over their heads for such their proceedings against him The President rejoyned that he was called to an account by the People of England by whose Election he was admitted King The King here insists upon his inherent birth-right and that the Kingdom was Hereditary for above a thousand years and that he stood more apparently for the Liberty of the People of England by rejecting an unlawful and arbitrary Authority than the Judges or any other whatsoever did by asserting of it That no Lords appear'd there who to constitute a Parliament should have been present and some King also but that neither the one nor the other nor both the Houses of Parliament nor any other Judicature on Earth had any Authority to call the King of England to account much less some certain Judges chosen by his accusers masked with the Authority of the Lower House and the same proculcated However he wills them again to produce their Authority and he would not be wanting to his Defence for as much as it was the same offence with him to acknowledge a Tyrannical Power as to resist a lawful one But the President made answer That he was not to question the Jurisdiction of the Court that they were satisfied with their Authority as it was upon God's Authority and the Kingdom 's in doing of Justice and that this was their present work To which the King said That it was not his own nor their apprehensions neither that ought to decide it and so the President ordered the Prisoner to be taken into Custody and then the Court adjourned till the Monday following being the 22. of January to the Painted Chamber and from thence to the same place again and the King was carried back in the same manner as before to St. James's The Court accordingly met on Monday in the Painted Chamber and there considering the King's Resolution to deny the Jurisdiction of the Court or of that which did constitute it of which debate they had no proper cognizance nor could they being a derivative power which made them Judges from which there was no Appeal they therefore order that if the King offer to dispute the same again the President should tell him That the Commons of England Assembled in Parliament had constituted that Court whose power might not be permitted to be disputed by him and that if he refused to answer it should be accounted a Contumacy to the Court that if he answered with a Salvo his pretended Prerogative above the Court he should be required to give a Positive answer yea or no that he should not have a Copy of his Charge till he owned the Court and declared his intentions to answer This being concluded on the King is again brought to the Bar in the same manner where the Solicitor Cook moved that the Prisoner might make a positive answer or that the Charge might be taken pro Confesso and so the Court proceed to Justice and the President did briefly repeat the passages of the last day and commanded the King to answer to the Articles of Charge unless he had rather hear the Capital Sentence given against him But the King still persisted to Interrogate concerning their Authority that he had weighty Reasons why he should not acknowledg this new form of Judicature that they had no Law for it and that they could not have an extraordinary Authority Delegated from the People seeing they had not consulted so much as every tenth Man in that matter But the President put him in mind of his doom and told him the Court was abundantly satisfied of their Authority nor were they to hear any Reasons that should detract from their Power And when the King urged to give in his Reasons in Writing it would by no means be admitted and so the President commanded the Prisoner to be taken away The third Days Trial which was Tuesday was in effect the same as the last mentioned in respect to the Court's demands and the King's answer so that the Court adjourned till next Morning at Ten of the Clock but the Examination of Witnesses and other intervening business prevented their then sitting so that it was Saturday Morning January 27. before they assembled and 68. of the Judges answered to their Names As the King was brought into the Court the Soldiers cried for Justice and Execution and the King desired to be heard a few words and so goes on to shew how a sudden Judgment could not be soon recalled c. But the President magnified the Patience the Court had had
to run away with the prey from both of them The People of England were no more satisfied before with their imaginary happiness in the King's Restoration but they were now upon the ill management of Affairs the much Treasure that had been spent to so little purpose and more especially upon our Conjunction with the French to the manifest hazard of the Protestant Religion as well as the Civil Rights of Europe as much uneasie and suspitious of the Court-proceedings And it did not a little incense them that the French made such a Progress in Flanders and got all by Land while we got nothing but Blows at Sea and therefore the House of Commons on the 31. of October 1673. Voted that considering the present State of the Natition they would not take into further Consideration any Aids or Charges upon the Subject except it did appear that the obstinacy of the Dutch did render it necessary nor before the Kingdom should be effectually secured from Popery and Popish Counsels and other Grievances redressed which procedure thunder-struck the King and his Frenchified Council so as that a Peace with the Dutch was quickly huddled up and so he then set up for a Mediator of Peace between the rest and the Treaty spun out to a very great length at Nimeguen and was at last concluded after some years Conferences without King Charles consent by Beverning the Dutch Agent which spared him a labour of entring into an actual War with Franee as the Parliament would have had him and to which he was as unwilling as he had been before forward in his engaging against the Dutch a Protestant State The remainder of his succeeding Reign was as uneasie to himself and to the Nation upon the account first of the Popish Plot the many endeavours to stiffle it the Bill of Exclusion and the Division of the Nation into Whig and Torry hereupon then that called the Presbyterian Plot both Plots they said against his life which if true he was the more unhappy for which last the Noble Lord Russel suffered and the Great Earl of Essex had his Throat Barbarously cut in the Tower of London the King's Prison and King Charles had the unhappiness to be there that day where he had not been hardly in twenty years before And last of all the forfeiture and seizure of Charters which tho carried on with great fury in his Reign that thereby he might have a Parliament of his own choosing as Cromwell had and so do what he pleased yet he did not live to compleat his designs Tho' the Censures upon the manner of his Death are various yet most are agreed says the Author of the Introduction to King Charles II. Character there was some fraud in it some ascribing it to the intreagues of France who as they Undid his Father by a Wife Ruined the Son by a Mistress and therefore alleadge that the French King being weary of feeding him with Pensions and dreading his natural Parts if upon any disgust he should come to unite with his Parliaments against France he thought it his Interest to take him off and make way for a Successor who as he made open profession of his own Religion would be more pliable to his dictates Then as touching the method of effecting it they say that the Dutchess of P. who bewitched him with her Amours and had not only drained the substance of his Body but likewise the substance of his Purse either of which being once accomplished the Love of a St â—t to her Paramour vanishes so that having a mind to change Gallants or seeing no more hopes of former advantages she gave him such Provocatives as made him act beyond his natural Strength and threw him into those Apoplectick Fits which carryed him off There are others who ascribe his Death to the Romish Faction who being angry at his having so often deceived them and impatient till they came to a tryal of skill for establishing their Religion while Lewis XIV was in the height of his Power and Glory did therefore administer the fatal Dose which sent King Charles II. a Packing and brought his Brother to the Throne under whose auspicious Conduct they made no question of restoring the Church of Rome to the full possession of all she had formerly enjoy'd in these three Kingdoms It 's certain there were some accidents fell out some time before the King's Death that raised some Jealousy in the breast of the Romanists who thought by that he would upon the presenting of the first opportunity face about as they found by experience he had more then once done and fall in with the Interest of a Party he now for some years by their instigation had been endeavouring to destroy and root out of the World And what rendred their suspitions of him the more incurable was that a Pamphlet having been spread abroad a little before Christmas 1684. setting forth that the Earl of Essex had not cut his own Throat but had been Murdered by Russians set on by the Papists c. the King upon the hearing of it should say Well I am resolved to examine Essex's Cause once more And that he might meet with no obstruction in the way he ordered the Duke his Brother to prepare to go for Scotland which the other whether smelling the design or that the train to blow the King up was already layd by him absolutely refused to do this occasioned high words between them insomuch that the late M. of H. who was well known to be a great favourite coming on the Sunday before the King Dyed to wait upon him after Evening Service he found him in his Closet alone under great concern of Mind puffing after a more then ordinary rate and looking pensive with his Face towards the ground which the M. observing made him stand still till the King looking up asked hastily How now my Lord How do you do to which the M. answering the better to see his Majesty well and soforth the King returned again to his former posture but at length broke forth into these Words My Lord will you be ingenious with we and answer me one question to which the Marquess replying he would if he could Then said the King I charge you upon your Alleagiance to tell me how I stand affected with the People of England The M. after some pause answered Sir you have been always ranked among the mercifull and Clement Princes and have given evident Testimonies of your being so upon various occasions but I must tell your Majesty that of late your Government has been somewhat uneasy to your People Well said the King one thing I am resolved on I 'll once more throw my self upon the People of England and to that end will go this week into the City and I 'le call a Parliament at the Guild-Hall the M. was somewhat surprized at these words and said Sir If that be your Resolution I pray God to bless it but let me beg of
your Majesty never to let it go out of your own Breast any further tilâ— you put it in Execution Which when the King had promised to do they parted The King that night supped at P. Lodgings where he seemed to be very merry and in the close drunk a Dish of Chocolate prepared by a Wise Lady of which he complained again and again that it tasted hotter than ordinary but he sipped it off and thence went to his Rest Next morning which was Munday he was taken very Ill which no doubt was the effect of the last nights Entertainment however they might call his Distemper and so continued till the Fryday following in extream Misery and Anguish when he dyed most People suspecting he had foul Play And many that saw him during his Illness believing it to be so and particularly says the Author of his Character the most knowing and deserving of his Physitians Doctor Short did not only believe him Poysoned but thought himself so too not long after for having declared his opinion a little too boldly in the case And as the manner and contrivance of this King's Death was the work of Darkness so were his Funeral Obsequies for never any King who dyed possest of a Crown was so obscurely and contemptibly Buryed being hurryed in the dead of the Night to his Grave as if his Corps had been to be arrested for Debt and not so much as the Blew-Coat Boys to attend it King Charles was no sooner gone but James Duke of York his only surviving Brother ascends the English Throne by the style and Title of James II. And made open Profession immediately of the Popish Religion for which some in his Brother's Reign were severely punished for but saying he was such or so inclined and not only so but ordered his Brothers Dying in the Communion of the Church of Rome and before his Death his receiving his Viaticum and other Ceremonies of that Church and attested by Father Huddleston to be printed and also the Papers taken out of the King 's strong Box shewing That however he outwardly appeared otherwise in his Life yet in his Heart he was sincerely a true Roman Catholick He made profession in his Speech to the Council the day of his Brother's Death that he would preserve the Church and State of England as by Law Established and as he would never depart from the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so he would never invade any Man's Property but how ill he conformed himself hereunto is but too manifestly known to all the World For the very first Week he took both the Customs and the Excise granted only for his Brothers Life before they were given him by Parliament And for the Church I think no Man so Audacious as to deny the design of his whole tho' blessed be God short Reign was to overthrow it by the introduction of his own Monkish Religion in the room of it But if he was unhappy first in making such a Promise of adhering to both Church and State as then Established contrary no doubt to the designs he had framed before of Ruining them he was much more so in the methods he took to bring his ends about which Terminated at last in a fatal Abdication yet so as that he remains to this day naturally alive to be a living Monument and confessor of his own egregious folly And the loss of the Button of his Scepter that day he was Crowned which as far as I could hear was never found was I remember then Interpreted by some as a presage of no lasting connection between him and the Nation His petty success against the D. of Monmouth and his Adherents did not a little elate his spirits which gave him an opportunity to keep a standing Army and put such Officers into it as were of his own stamp and so being backt with this Armed Power he proceeds bare-fac'd to dispence with the Laws by granting Liberty of Conscience to all that dissented from the Church of England thinking hereby and by a timely regulating of Corporations to gain such a Parliament as would quite repeal them And that in the mean time he might curb the Church and the Universities he puts his High Commission upon their Backs thinking by it to worry them into a compliance And because my Lord of London would not comply with his Arbitrary Proceedings Jeffery's with this Popish Bull I mean the High Commission roared him into a Suspension And because the Fellows of Magdalen-Colledge would not contrary to their Statutes and Oaths choose a President to the King's mind he first entertained them with a Dish of Billingsgate and then by virtue of the same Commission sent them a Grazing into the Countries to make room for his own Popish Seminaries and Cut-throat Jesuits But among all the actions of this King 's Diminitive reign That of sending the Bishops to the Tower not for refusing to take care to have the Declaration of Indulgence read in their respective Diocesses but for Petitioning of him in a regular and dutiful manner wherein they gave their Reasons why they could not comply with his order together with an Introduction of a Prince of Wales into the World as a new Miracle to the Legend the next day after their Commitment was the rashest most inconsiderate and madest thing he could be guilty of Surely when he did this he wanted some body to pray over the Poets wish for him Dii te damasippe Deaeque Donent Tonsore For it was most apparent by the Universal Joy expressed throughout the Nation at their Acquitment how they resented their Commitment and Trial And if the King did before decline in the affection of the People day by day I may truly say this was a concluding act and lost him England For now all the Eyes of the People are turned from him towards Holland where the Prince of Orange was Arming to come to their relief The King would not at first believe that the vast Preparations in Holland concerned him tho the French King had given him notice of them the 26. of August before but being at length convinced by the States Manifesto of the truth of the matter he undid in one day all that he had been doing since his first coming to the Crown as dissolving his Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs restoring the City of London to all its Ancient Franchises and Charters as fully as before the Quo Waranto and giving order for the resetling the Expelled Fellows of Maudlin Colledge in their places again He made also great Preparations both by Sea and Land for to defend himself but tho he be naturally still alive and he above knows who knows all things what his end may be yet all these Precautions and windings against the grain were so far from preventing that they did now but concur to precipitate his Civil death which we shall now briefly relate unto you The Prince of Orange having on November the Fifth Landed
his Army in Torbay he presently Published his Declaration setting forth the Cause of his coming Upon which some of the Nobility and Gentry joyned him and others made Preparations in the remoter parts to declare for him King James upon the News of the Princes Landing ordered his Army to march Westward with a resolution to follow in Person But before he went he thought it requisite to provide for the safety of his darling Prince of Wales whom the Prince of Orange in his Manifesto spread about the Kingdom some days before declared upon just and visible grounds that both himself and all the Good People of England did vehemently suspect not to be born of the Queen's Body Wherefore several Persons were summoned who were present at the pretended birth to declare the truth upon Oath and to have the same registred in Chancery but the King not daring to trust to the validity of these Affadavits which the Nation had all the reason in the world to suspect he ordered the Yonker to be sent away with a strong Guard to Portsmouth that if things went ill he should be convey'd over into France In the mean time the Prince of Orange prospered in his Army and advanced as far as Exeter and was joyned among multitudes of others that flocked in to him daily out of the adjacent Countries by the Lord Cornbury with Three Regiments along with him which he carried off from the King's Army About this time the Prince received also intelligence that the Lord Delamere had declared for him in Cheshire King James being informed of all these things was horribly dismayed and uncertain whether he should go to the Army or no However at length he took up a resolution of going to Salisbury where he began to bleed violently at the Nose which together with the many ill adventures that befell him there as his being forsaken by his own Daughter the Princess Anne Prince George the Duke of Grafton the Lord Churchill and many others who went over to the Prince then at Sherborn all of them dangerous limbs to be lost by him he returned Novemb. 26. in the Evening to London where for an accumulation of the rest of his Misfortunes he received an Address from the Fleet for a Free Parliament So that thinking London nay all England now too hot to hold him he first sent his Queen and pretended Son into France and quickly after followed himself In order thereunto he put himself Aboard a small Smach Commanded by one Captain Saunders but was forced for shelter to put into Eastwall the Eastern part of the Isle of Sheppy in order to the taking in of Ballast where the Inhabitants of Feversham being abroad to pick up Jesuits and other suspected persons met this Vessel and having seized it found this wretched Prince attended only by Sir Edward Hales and Mr. Labady therein who not being at first known were all of them but coarsly handled by the Mobilâ—ty more particularly the King himself who was rifled of what Gold and Jewels he had about him and had his Clothes rent and torn in the searching of him When the Lords at London had notice of his being at Feversham they sent some Persons to attend him to move him to return but they had in the mean time made their application to the Prince of Orange for to assist them for the Security of the Protestant Religion and sent some of their number with Four Aldermen and Eight Commoners to attend him at Henley The King who was detained at Feversham till the aforesaid Orders came from London did December 15. remove to Rochester and from thence next day being Sunday returned to Whitehall attended once more like a King of England with a Troop of Granadiers and three Troops of the Life-guard But it was only Pageant greatness for a set of Boys only followed him through the City and made some Huzza's but the rest of the People silently looked on And here he found the Popish Religious houses laid as flat to the ground as his own heart was now sunk deep in his body Upon his Arrival at London and finding there no ease he desired the Prince that he might return to Rochester again which being granted readily he took his final farewell of the City and went to the foresaid place where he staid till the 23. of December when about One or Two in the Morning he privately withdrew taking only Mr. Shâ—â—don and Delabady along with him with whom he went to Dover and there Embarkt in a Vessel that lay ready for his Transportation to France So he went out like a snuff in England but still retained some glimmering light in Scotland and Ireland in the last of which he arrived in Person the March following But his light in Scotland did not long burn for the Convention there as well as in England rejected him as the Violator of all their Rights and Dundee falling by the Sword the July following 1689 together with the Surrender of Edenburg Castle and other misfortunes quite extinguished his hopes there But in Ireland he had a name to live as King till about a year after when his Army being totally routed at the Boyn by our brave King William he made as much haste to get over into France as if he had been to go to take possession of a Crown instead of running away from one Various Struggles he made still to recover a Regal Life but he prosecuted his ends by such Villanous Methods and Instruments and more especially by setting his Vile Assassins on Work to Murder the best of Kings and bravest of Men our Lawful and Rightful Sovereign King William III. as are not to be mention'd but with utmost Horror But through the goodness of Heaven they have met with as little success as the Practices have been foul and Clandestine and so we leave him to him that made him and withall wish him a far greater proportion of rest and happy Tranquillity in the future World then he hath found of unrest and disquietude here and a much speedier translation into that state then the hast himself hath made to precipitate his own Abdicated fate The Abdicated Throne was filled up by the Advancement of a Prince and Princess to it that England was n'er blest with the like before one in Religion and one in Interest and Affection with the Nation our King Hero-like Fighting our Battels abroad and pray think it not a small thing for England has not enjoy'd such a Blessing these Hundred and fifty years and it has scarce ever been well with us when our Kings did not go in and out before our People and our Queen as wisely and gently Swaying the Scepter at Home to the Gladning of all our Hearts and in all Her excellent Comportment choosing to Rule in the Love and Affections rather than the Fears of Her People Here we promis'd our selves a lasting Tranquility and many happy days to come under the benign influence of her Reign but Alass alass our hopes quickly vanished our Joys faded our Hearts failed us for fear and sable clouds of Despair overshaddowed our whole Isle by Her unexpected by Her early I say by Her early tho' natural Transition from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Diadem Her gain it was but our loss She tho' young yet ripe for ineffable Joys above And we tho' long inur'd to Tryal unripe for to sustain the loss of Her here below And surely no Prince ever departed this Transitory Life that was so unfeignedly lamented by his Subjects as this incomparable Queen as was apparent by our universal mournful weeds without a demonstration of the blackning sadness of our hearts within The last she was and incomparably the best of the Stuarts that wore a Crown and the Second of that number that went to Her Grave in Peace as Robert II. who was the first of the Stuarts that ever was King was the only other of the Kingly Race that did so I know Mr. Coke says in his Character of King Charles II. That none of His Name hereafter was ever like to have a Stone to cover his Grave as King of England but that I will not say as not pretending to know what is laid up in the Womb of Futurity But if you please after all this Mournful Entertainment I 'll tell you a Story The Lyon on a time called to the Sheep and asked her If his Breath smelt she innocently said Ay which made him bite off her head for a Fool then he called to the Wolf and asked him who reply'd No and his head he bit off for a Flatterer last of all he put the same Question to the Fox but the Fox truly for his part desired to be excused for he had a Cold upon him and could not Smell FINIS Robert Stuart by the Name of Robert II. tho' the first of the Stuarts was crowned King of Scotland Mar. 25. Anno Dom. 1370 Robert III. Alias John Stuart began his Reign An. Dom. 1390. James Stuart I. began his Reign actually Anno 1423. having been a Prisoner in England almost eighteen Years James Stuart II began his Reign March 27. 1437. James Stuart III. began his Reign Anno 1460. James Stuart IV. began his Reign An. 1488. James Stuart V. began his Reign Feb. 14th 1513. James Stuart I. began his Reign over Great-Britain Mar. 24. 1602. †Charles Stuart I. began His Reign over Great Britain March 27 th 1625. Charles Stuart II. assumed the Title of King upon his Father's Death Jan. 30. 1648. Charles Stuart II. Restored to his Dominions An. 166â— James Stuart II. came to the Crown February 6. 1684 5. William of Nassaw III. and Mary Stuart II. began their Reigns Febr. 13. 1688 9.
Man as the Chancellor and without delay raises Forces and Besieges him in Edenburg Castle He perceiving the danger had no other way left but to send to the Earl of Dowglass for his Assistance Dowglass disdains them both and would not be concerned The Chancellor seeing this agrees with the Governor and he was still to keep the Castle and his Chancellorship Not long after died Dowglass and was succeeded by his Son William who kept a greater port and retinue than his Father But things could not hold long in this State for the Chancellor disdaining that the Governor should take the whole Administration upon him leaves him and the King at Sterling where he then was and repairs to Edenburg and there imploys all his Wits how he might recover the King from the Governor and after he had well thought of it he rides one morning with four and twenty Men in his Company to the Park of Sterling where he knew the King was a Hunting and that the Governor was absent at Perth He found the King with a very small retinue and saluted him very dutifully and finding him in some surprize at the Company he exhorted him in a few words as the time would permit to be of good cheer and fear nothing that they were come to deliver him from his Captivity that he might be no longer under the Government of another but take the Administration into his own hands and much to the same purpose All which the King received with a pleasant aspect either because the motion pleased him as desirous to Rule or to dissemble the fear he had of the Chancellor and so went with him to Edenburg The Governor upon his return was horribly surprized at the News but being now unable to remedy the matter by the means of friends he and the Chancellor came to an Accommodation again and the result was that the Governor should still continue in his Office and the King remain in the keeping of the Chancellor as at first So that the freedom before tendred to him and with which he seem'd to be well pleas'd was now but a meer illusion being as much a Captive as ever And if the King was no better for this Agreement It proved fatal to the Earl of Dowglass Both Governor and Chancellor dreading his power now conbine together to ruine him and to that End a Parliament must be called where several Complaints were made against Dowglass and his followers But they two perswade the Parliament to send for the Earl in a friendly manner and not as a delinquent to take his place in that Assembly And by the Governors contrivance Honourable Letters were directed to him in the Name of them all full of soothing expressions intimating his own Person was so far from being in any danger by such his attendance in Parliament that if any of his Friends or Family had chanced to be guilty of any disorders all should be frankly remitted This bait took the young Gentleman and so with his Brother David and an handsom retinue sets forward for Edenburg the Chancellor the better to cloak the Treachery rode out many miles from Edenburg to meet him Caressed and Entertained him splendidly on the way at the Castle of Creichton and to blind him the more there in the most friendly and tender manner in the World began to advise the Earl in what concerned his Duty towards his Prince and the Honour and Glory of his Family and this showed him on to Edenburg tho' things could not be carried on so coverlly between the Governor and Chancellor in the management of this intrigue but that some of the Earls Friends began to smell a Rat and advised him not to go to Edenburg But finding him quite averse to Counsel and void of all suspicion they urged him to send his Brother David back to the End he might not hazard the whole Family under the fortune of one stroke as his Father had before admonished him upon his Death-Bed But all in vain and so to Edenburg Castle they came where the Governor meets him and Carressed him highly and because he should now think his Entertainment every ways suitable to the semblance made of it all along he was set to Dine at the King's Table but latet Angus in herba the Earl before he hâ—d well half Din'd was strangely surprized with the sight of a Bulls Head set before him which in those Days was a certain sign of Death whereat being about to rise from the Table he and his Brother David were immediately seized by Armed men set there for that purpose carried into the Court yard and there forthwith beheaded It was said the King in whose presence this was done and who now was entring into years of Maturity and Discretion lamented his Death bitterly for which the Chancellor severely rebuked him but however it was in this case it 's most certain he afterwards most barbarously murdered one of this Earls Successors with his own hands as you 'l see by and by This Earl of Dowglass was Succeeded in his Estate and Honours by his Unkle James Dowglass Baron of Abercorn who is Succeeded by his Son William who to prevent the division of the Inheritance Married the only Sister of the last William Beheaded who was Stiled the fair Maid of Gallaway This Earl flourishing in Estate and Honours and finding the King take the Administration of the Government upon himself came to Sterling and in a short time grew into high Favour with him insomuch that through his perswasion the Chancellor and Governor were not only discharged from their Offices but put out of the Council and their Friends banished the Court and themselves Summoned to appear before the King and upon default proclaimed Rebels so that now the Tables are quite turn'd Dowglass Rules all and the King suffers minority under him in his Just Age as he really did under the others during his nonage himself and his Kindred and Friends possessing all places of profit and Preferment in the Kingdom But the Earl having I know not what crochet in his brain must needs go into Italy and a Noble retinue he had with him but leaves his Estate during his absence to be managed by his Brother the Earl of Ormond His back was no sooner turned but his Enemies set all their Engines on work to put him out of the Kings Favour and good Esteem and prevailed so far upon him as to put out an unreasonable Summons requiring the Earl to appear within forty Days or else he should be put to the Horn and so his Lands were seized on to the Kings hands The Earl being advertised hereof returns with all speed and was again received into Favour But happening to go into England without leave this incensed the King highly against him yet upon submission was again reconciled But there was nothing could reconcile him and the Chancellor Creichton envy brought them to make attempts upon each other's life and at last the Earl