ST. ANDREWS, _Aug. 14, 1649_.
[470] Rutherford was married a second time on 24th March 1649, about
five months previous to the date of this Letter, to Jean M'Math.
CCCXXVII.--_To the_ EARL OF BALCARRAS.
[ALEXANDER LINDSAY, second Lord Balcarras, and first Earl of
Balcarras, to whom this letter is addressed, was a man of
superior talents, and espoused the cause of the Covenant. He
commanded a troop of horse in the Covenanters' army at the battle
of Alford, 2nd July 1645, when General Baillie was defeated by
Montrose. He was one of the Commissioners despatched by the
Parliament of Scotland, 19th December 1646, to King Charles I.,
with their last proposals, which his Majesty rejected; upon which
the Scottish army surrendered him to the English Parliament, and
retired from England. When, in 1648, troops were raised with the
design of rescuing the King from the English Parliament, and
restoring him to liberty and power, without requiring from him
any concessions to his subjects, which was called "The
Engagement," Balcarras took an active part in this enterprise,
for which Rutherford, by the way, tenders to him a reproof. On
the arrival of Charles II. in Scotland, 1650, he repaired to his
Majesty, by whom he was advanced to the dignity of Earl of
Balcarras. He was High Commissioner to the General Assembly of
the Church of Scotland which met at St. Andrews, 16th July 1651.
In 1652 he settled with his family at St. Andrews, keeping up a
correspondence with his exiled sovereign; and in 1653 again took
arms, and joined in an ineffectual attempt to uphold the Royal
cause against Cromwell. His estate, after this, being
sequestrated, he withdrew to the Continent. His Lordship did not
live to see the Restoration of Charles, having died of
consumption in the prime of life, at Breda, on the 30th of August
1659. His mortal remains were brought over to Scotland, and
interred at Balcarras. (Douglas' "Peerage of Scotland.") This
letter is given from the original, among the Balcarras Papers,
vol. ix., No. 135, Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. _Balcarras
House_ is three miles from Largo. A tower on the crag above it
marks it out from a distance. The old mansion has been nearly
superseded, but you see carved on the walls the old motto,
"Astra, castra, lumen, Numen." In old books it is written
"_Balcarrs_."]
(_REGARDING SOME MISUNDERSTANDING._)
MY VERY HONOURABLE LORD,--I am sorry that your Lordship should be
offended at any sinistrous misinformation concerning your supposed
discountenancing of ministers. For the general I can say nothing,
being utterly ignorant thereof. I hope your Lordship will make the
best use of it may be. For myself, I owe no thanks to any that have
named me as the object of any discountenancing; for, truly, I value
not any of these when, as the conscience of my innocence showeth me
(and, for aught known to me, truly) that I offended no nobleman in the
kingdom, far less my Lord Balcarras, whose public deservings have been
such as I esteem him to have been most instrumental in this work of
God. I hope, my Lord, you will pardon me to make a little exception in
the matter of the late sinful engagement. And therefore, my Lord, I
entreat you to forget that business; for since your Lordship said of
me, in your letter to Mr. David Forret,[471] more than I deserve, I
shall be satisfied with it as an expiation, more than any
discountenancing of me can amount unto by millions of degrees. And
therefore entreat your Lordship to accept of this for anything that
any could say to your Lordship of that business. If I had thought so
much of myself as the discountenancing of me had been a sinful neglect
(whereas I know there is little ground for the contrary), I should
have spoken to your Lordship myself. So trusting your Lordship will
rest satisfied, I am, your Lordship's, at power in the Lord,