and complaning aganist Gods dispensations, and questioning the treuthe
and goodnes of our causse, or quarreling with God, or blaming or
casting of the couenent, becausse of aney thing that hath befallin
them, that wer a grate iniquitie not to be pardoned. Lett ws beare the
indignatione of the Lord patientlie, becausse wee haue sinned against
him, wntill he plead our causse and execut judgment for ws; he will
bring ws fourthe to the light, and we shall behold his righteousnes.
_Causes of a soleme publicke humiliatione upone the defait of the
armey, to be keepit throughout all the congregations of the Kirk of
Scotland._
Albeit soleme publicke humiliations hes beine muche slighted, and gone
about in a formall way by maney in this land, so that it is not one
of the least of our prouocations, that wee haue drawin neire to God
with our mouthes, and keepit our hartes fare from him; for wich the
Lord hath turned the wisdome of the wysse unto foollishnes, and the
strenthe of the strong men unto weaknes; zet seing, it is a deutie that
hath oftin prowin confortable to wswards, God doeth nou call ws in a
speciall way by a singular peice of dispensatione; and knowing that all
quho are acquanted with God in the land will make conscience of it, wee
conceaue it expedient that the quhole land be humbled for the causses
follouing:
First, The continued ignorance and profanitie of the bodie of the land,
and the obstinacey and incorrigiblenes of maney, notwithstanding of all
the caires that God hath takin vpon ws by his word, and by his workes
of mercey and judgement, to teache ws in the knowledge of his name, and
to refraine ws from the eiuell of our wayes.
2. The manifest prouocations of the Kinges housse, wiche wee feare are
not throughlie repented off, nor forsaken by him to this day; togidder
with the crooked and precipitant wayes that wer takin by sundrie of our
statesmen for caring one the trettey with the King.
3. The bringing home with the King a grate maney malignants, and
indeworing to keepe some of them about him, and maney of them in the
kingdome, notwithstanding of publicke resolutions to the contrarey.
4. The not purging of the Kinges familie from malignant and profane
men, and the constituting of the samen of weill affected and godlie
persons; albeit it hathe beine oftin pressed vpone the parliament and
Comittee of Estaits, wndertaking and promissed to be performed by them.
5. The leueing of a most malignant and profaine gaurd of horsse to be
aboute the King, quho hauing beine sent for to be purgit aboute 2 dayes
befor the defaite, wer suffred to be, and feight in our armey.
6. The exceiding grate slaknes of maney, and auersnes and vntowardnes
of some, in the cheiffe judicatories of the kingdome, and in the armey,
in guid motione and publick deuties, especially in thesse thinges that
concerne the purging of judicatories and the armey from malignant and
scandalous persons, and filling all places of powre and trust with
men of knowen integritie and trust, and of a blamles and Christiane
conversatione; togider with grate inclinations to keepe and bring in
malignants to the judicatories and to the armey, as if the land could
not be gydit and defendit without thesse; and grate repyning and
craying out against all that is done to the contrarie, and studding to
make the same ineffectuall.
7. The exceiding grate diffidence of some of the cheiffe leaders of
our armey, and wthers amongest ws, quho thought wee could not be saued
bot by ane numerous armey; who, quhen wee haue gottin maney thousands
togider, wold not hazard to acte aney thing, notwithstanding that God
offred faire opportunities and aduantages, and fitted the spiritts of
the souldiers for ther deutie; for carnall confidence that was in maney
of the armey, to the dispysing of the enimey, and promising victorie to
themselues, without eying of God.
8. The lousnes, insolencie, and oppressione, of maney in the armey,
and the litle or no caire that was takin by maney to preserue the
corne, by wich it hath come to passe that werey much of the food of the
poore people of the land haue beine neidlesly destroyed; and quhill
wee euen remember this, wee wishe that the prophanitie and oppressione
of sundrie of oure officers and souldiers in Ingland, quhen we were
fighting for the assistance of the parliament of that kingdome, may
not be forgottin, becausse it was matter of stumbling in that land,
so it is lyke it is ane of the causses of the sore indignatione now
manifested aganist ws by the handes of thesse men.
9. Our grate wnthankefullnes for former mercies and deliuerances,
and euen for maney tokins of the Lords fauor and goodnes towards our
present armey quhill they wer togider, and the grate impatience of
spirit that was to be seine in maney thesse weekes past, quhilk made
them limitt the Lord, and to compleine and weerie of his delaying of
ane deliuerance.
10. The enuing and eyeing of the Kings intrest, and quarrell by maney,
without subordinatione to religione, and the liberties and saueties of
this kingdomes.
11. The carnall selue seiking and crooked way of sundrie in our
judicatories and armies, quho make ther imployments and places rather
ane matter of intrest and gaine, and preferment to themselues, then of
aduancing religione and righteousnes in the land.
12. The not putting difference betuix thesse that feare God, and thesse
that feare him not, for our seruices, our companie, our imployments,
bot acompting all men alyke, maney times preferring thesse quho haue
nothing of God in them.
13. The exceiding grate negligence that is in grate ones, and maney
others, in performing the deuties in ther families, notwithstanding of
our former soleme acknouledgment of the samen; as also, our neglecte
of the deuties of mutuall edificatione, and grate fruitfullness and
barrennes that is to be seine amongest all sorts of persons; togider
with the follouing of deutie with a grate deall of mixture of carnall
affections and fleschly wisdome, wich griues the Spirit of God, and
takes away muche of the beutie of the Lords image from our judicatories.
As we wold be humbled for thesse thinges, so wold wee also intreat the
Lord that he wold sanctifie this affliction to his people, that they
nather dispysse his chestisings, nor faint quhen they are rebukit of
him; bot that they may beare his indignatione patiently, and cleiue
steadfastly to the treuthe and the couenants, and the causse of God,
without zeilding to the pouer of the enimey, or receauing ther errors,
or complaying ather with them one the one hand, ore malignants one the
other; and that the Lord wold poure out of his Spirit wpon the people,
that ther spiritts may be raissed wnto ther deutie, and that they may
be filled and furnished of God with wisdome and resolutione to acte
aganist ther enimies for the honor of God, ther auen preseruatione; and
that the Lord wold not suffer them to be tempted aboue that wiche they
are able to beare, bot that he wold breake the yoke of ther oppressors
from off ther neckes, and giue them saluatione and deliuerance;
earnestly to intreat the Lord in priuat and in publicke, that he wold
preserue with ws the ordinances of Jesus Christe, the kingdome, the
Kings Maᵗⁱᵉˢ persone, the ministrie, from the pouer of ther enimies,
quho seekes the destruction of all.
* * * * *
Maney of the ministers of the prouince of Fyffe, at the first, refussed
to reid thesse ressons, especially, Mr James Wood, Mr Ja: Bruce, Mr
Dauid Forret, Mr Frederick Carmichell, Mr Jo: Mackgill, zounger, Mr
Henrey Rymere, Mr Jo: Mackgill, elder, with maney more; wich wes lyke
to grow to werey grate schissime; some did not sticke to say, that
5 ore 6 men wer too bolde to giue out ressons to a quhole churche,
without a more frequent meitting of the Comissione of the Generall
Assemblay.
Mr James Wood mainly stumbled at some wordes ill placed and worsse
expressed, in the 2 artickle of the causses of the fast; he said he
wold with his pene (if they did not mend it) make all the world know
the wntreuthe therof. The wordes wer thesse: Togider with the crooked
and precipitant wayes that wer takin by our commissioners for carrinng
one the trettey with the King. Bot the ring leaders at Stirling, (to
quhome Mr James, and some of the deligatts of the prouinciall of Fyffe,
posted in grate haist, both ministers and elders) gaue contentment,
by expressing the former so:—Togider with the crooked wayes and
precipitant, that wer takin by sundrie of our staitsmen, for carinng
one the trettey with the King.
The synod of Fyffe for the most pairt, lykwayes, at this tyme, wold
haue suche as wer classed for the lait ingagement, 1648, and now wer on
ther satisfactione and penance, receauid to the participatione of the
sacraments, and giue satisfactione to the kirke, admitted to publicke
imployments in the comon defence of ther natiue countrey. Bot this was
altogider denayed both by the Comissione of the Generall Assembley and
Comittee of Estaits, convennid at Stirling, the 25 of Sept: 1650.
Stirling, 27 Sept: 1650.—The Comittee of Estaits, considering the
necessarey deutie lying vpone them, in prosecutione of the acte of
parliament, and according to the frequent and serious remonstrances
of the Commissione of the Churche, for purging of the Kings familey
of al profaine, scandalous, malignant, and disaffected persons; and
that it be constituted of such as are pious, and weill affected to the
causse and couenant, quho haue not opposed the same by ther counsells
and actions. And lykwayes considring the grate offence hes beine takin
that the persons after nominatted haue not remoued from courte, nor
depairted out of the kingdome respectiuely; and hauing takin also into
consideratione the report of the sub-comittee, appoynted to think one
the purging of the Kings familey, doth heirby therfor ordaine and
command the French Marques of Villaneuffe; the Earle of Cleueland;
Lord Wentworthe, his sone; Viscount Grandeson; Lord Volmett; Lord
Withringtone; Robert Longe, Secretarey; Sʳ Eduard Walker, Garter; Mr
Progers, Groome of his Maᵗⁱᵉˢ Bed Chamber; Master Lane; Master Marche;
Colonell Darcey; Mr Antoney Jacksone; Maior Jacksone; Colonell Loes;
Master Oder, wnder Secretarey; Lord St Paule; Sʳ Philipe Musgraue; Sʳ
Faithfull Fortskew; Sʳ Timothey Fetherstons; L. Coll: Meutis; Collonell
Carbraithe; to depairt the courte within 24 houres, and to remoue out
of the kingdome within 20 dayes after intimatione; and Doctor Fraser,
and Sʳ George Melueill, to withdraw from the courte within 24 houres.
And to the effecte that the persons forsaid may not pretend ignorance
heirof, the comittee ordanes Sʳ James Balfoure of Kynaird, Knight, his
Maiesties Lyone King of Armes, to make dew and speedie intimatione
heirof; comanding Sʳ Jo: Broune, Colonell, and the officers of footte
of his Majesties lyffe gaurd, to put this present acte into executione;
with certificatione to all and eurey of the afforsaids persons, that if
they falzie to giue obedience heirwnto, the said Sʳ Jo: Broune, Coll:
is to apprehend them in aney place within the shyres wher they shall
be; and the officers of the footte gaurd to seasse vpone them within
the verge of the courte, to be disposed vpone as the comittee shall
thinke fitt; for doing quherof, thesse shall be comand and varrand
sufficient. Extract.
C. W. HENDERSONE.
With this acte for purging the Kings housse, the
Comittee of Estaits wrett me this letter followung,
bearing dait at Stirling, the 26 day of September,
1650.
Much honoured—Wheras wee haue thought it
necessarey that the persons mentioned in the acte
heer inclosed be remoued from courte, and ordaind
to depairt out of the kingdome, wee doe herby authorisse
and requyre you to intimat the same to the
persons concernid, and to see the acte put in executione
by the officers of the armey therby ordanid to doe
it; to quhome you are lykwayes to intimat the ordinance
of the committee, that if need be, they may
doe quhat is enioyned them by the acte. The prosecutione
quherof wee committ to your care and
faithfullnesse, as you will be anssuerable, not doubting
but you will approue yourselue to
Your affectionat frinds,
E. LOUDOUN, Cancellarius.
J. P. D. Com:
Stirling, 26 Octob: 1650.
* * * * *
I receaud this afforsaid letter at my auen housse of Kynaird, aboute
9 a clocke in the morning, one Thursday the 3d of October, and was
at Perth about 12 a clocke the same day; and after I had kissed his
Maiesties hand, I shew him my message. He desyred me to forbeare making
intimatione to 9 of them, wich he marked with a long score in the roll,
wntill he spoke with the Lord Chanceler, to quhome and the comittee,
he had wrettin to spare thesse wntill the sitting doune of the parl:
bot desyred me to goe one with the rest of them. That same night, at 9
at night, the L. came to Perth, and spoke with the King one Fridayes
morning, and brought him a letter from the Comittee of Estaits,
containing ane absolute refussal to suffer aney of thesse persons sent
to me in list, to stay aboute his persone or courte; so I went one, and
made intimatione to all, ather by word or wreat, conforme to the acte
and missiue of the Committee of Estaits directed to me.
Friday, 4 Octob: 1650.—The Kings Maiestie, as if going one hauking,
went auay from St Jhonstoune one horsse backe, about halffe ane houre
past one in the afternoone, accompanied only with thesse folloung
seruants:—
Henrey Symeour, a Groome of his Bed Chamber; Mr Rodes, Mr Androw Cole,
and Mr Tho: Windam, 3 Gentlemen of his Stable; with Mr Cartewright,
a Groom of his Priuey Chamber; without aney change of clothes or
linnings, more then wes one his bodey, in [a] thin ryding sutte of
stuffe. From Perth he red softlie throughe South Inche, and then at a
full carreire, to the backe of Inche Shyra, quher he passed, and in ane
houre and a halffe from Perth, red to Didope, by Dundie; from thence,
the Viscount of Didope conwayed him to Aughter Housse that same night,
and not staying ther, the Earle of Buchan and Vis: Didope conwayed
him to Cortuquhay, the duelling place of the Earle of Airlie, ane
excommunicat papist, quher, after a litle refreshment, that same night
he read with a gaurd of some 60 or 80 Heighlandmen wpe the glen to ane
poure cottage belonging to the Laird of Cloua; in al, from Perthe, the
way he went, some 42 myles befor he rested.
One Fridayes night, 4 Octob: a litle befor day, hauing layed him
to rest his weiried bodey, he was found by L. Collonell Narne, of
Sanfurd, and Colonell Bynton, ane Englishman, sent by Colonell Robert
Montgomerie, (quhom Scottscraige, by the way of Fyffe, hed adwertissed
at Forfar of his Maiesties suddaine deperture to the malignants from
his auen people and court) laying in a nastie roume, one ane old
bolster aboue a matte of segges and rushes, ouerweiried and werey
fearfull.
In a prettey space after Narne, came Robert Montgomerie and
Scottscraige, with Sʳ Alex: Hope and one of his Maiesties haukes; they
did persuad the King to horsse, it being nou almost 7 a clocke, and
they wold wait one him, and liue and dye with him. The King told Rob:
Montgomery that Doctor Frasser had betrayed him, in assuring him that
he should haue beine, that day he cam away one, deliuered vpe to the
English, and all hes seruants hanged. They assurid his Maiestie that
all was most falls, and he bot a traitor; thus discoursing, Didope,
and his few Cloua men that wer then his Maiesties gaurd, wold haue
had the King vpe to the hills, assuring him, that ther, within some 5
or 6 myles, he wold find 2000 horsse and 5000 footte to atteind his
commandiments; bot erre he was awarre, Rob: Montgomeries 2 regiments
of horsse appeirs, some 600 horsse, quherat Buchan, Didope, and ther
begerly gaurd, begane to shecke ther eares, and speake more calmley,
and in a lower strain; so they conducted his Maiestie to Huntley Castle
in the Carsse of Gourey, quher he stayed all Saterdayes night, and from
thence, one Sunday in the afternoone, he came to Perth, the 6 of Octob:
and hard sermon in his auen chamber of presence, the afternoons sermon
in the toune being endit befor he entred the toune.
4 Octobris, 1650.—This same day, about 5 in the eiuning, the L.
Chanceler, seinng the King wes in effect depairted, and had left
them, he called all of the Comittee of Estaits, and such as wer weill
affected, to meitt in the westrey of the churche.... It was resolued
at the meitting to send after the King commissioners, viz: E. of
Dumfermling, E. of Louthean, Secretary of Estait; Sʳ Charles Erskyne,
James Suord, and Mr James Durhame, the Ks: Minister.
Ther wes wrettin a myld and descreit letter, bechinng his Maiestie to
returne from that euiell way he had takin, wich might proue destructiue
to himselue, his posteritie, and kingdome, if he did not speedilie
returne.
The commissioners had 10 artickells of instructions giuen to them, wich
they wer to mannage according as necessity should requyre.
10 Octobris, Thursday.—The comittee saitt in his Maiesties priuey
chamber at Perth.
King present: &c.
_Nota._—This is the first tyme that euer the King satt in the Comittee
of the Estaits of Parliament.
[11 October.]—Letters from L. Generall Lesley to the Lord Chanceler,
read, shewing that the enemy was marched towards Glasgow.
This day the Comissioners of the Generall Ass: represents to the
committee the abusse of commanders, in taking money for men and horsse,
to the grate preiudice of the lewyes; as lykwayes of the abusses wssed
by souldiers vpone the countrey people. This complaint alredey comitted
with that of the not attending commanders.
A sub-committee appoynted to thinke wither or not Cromwells letter
deserues ane anssuer, and it to be communicat to the Commissione of the
Gen: Ass: It is thought fitt to be ansuered, and the sub-comittee to
draw vpe ane anssuer to it.
The Com: of Estaits ordaines the subiecte of the conference with the
kirk to be, That ther may be suche vnity within the kingdome betuix
thosse that lowes the causse, and to thinke vpone the most fitting
means for that effecte.
Comittee ordaines all officers furthewith to repaire to ther charges.
Cassiles, Brodie, and Rob: Locart to comunicat thesse thinges to the
Commission of the Kirke.
Monday, 14 Octobris. The La: of Bogie, wpone the recommendation of the
Commission of the Kirke, is reponid by the Comittee of Estaits to his
former integritie, and putt one the Comittee of Warr of Fyffeshyre.
[15 Oct.]—The Earle of Linlithgow, vpone his petitione, and
recommendatione of the Comissione of [the] Kirk to the Comittee of
Estaits, is admitted to the inioying of aney publicke employment in the
kingdome, he being ane engager aganist England.
[16 Oct.]—The Lord Montgomerey petitions the Com: of Estaits to be
reponid, and produces his recommendatione from the Commissione of the
Kirke, in respecte he had satisfied the kirke, and was penitent for
his accessione to the ingagement aganist England; and that they had
accepted of others. This bill refussed _pro tempore_, and remitted to
the parliament.
_The Northerne Band & Othe of Engagement, sent by Mideltone to L.
Generall Dauid Lesley, 26 of October, 1650._
We wndersubscriuers, being tuoched with a deepe sence of the sade
condition this our natiue kingdome of Scotland is in, by a prewailling
armey of sectaries, quho hauing murthered our lait King, and ouerturned
religione and gouerniment in our nighboure kingdomes of England and
Irland, hath invaded this kingdome, and are in a way (hauing so
considerable a pairt of it wnder footte alredey,) to reduce the quoll
to a prouince, except the Lord by his mercey prewent it, by ioyning
his Maiesties subiects in the band of vnitie, wich is the onlie meine
(in our judgement) to preserue religione, King, and kingdomes. Bot
to the greiffe off our hartes, wee find, in place of vnione, the
breache growing wyder, and that not onlie in churche and staite, bot
lykwayes in the remnant of our armey; our resolutions are firmlie
and faithfully to ioyne ourselves togither, and nather for feare,
threttning, alurment, nor aduantage, to relinquishe so good a cause, or
lay doune armes, without a general consent; and quhat shall be done to
the least of ws all, in prosecutting the said vnione, shall be takin as
done to ws all. And seing the best wndertakings are wnder the mercey
of censure and malice, wee cannot bot apprehend to be subiect to the
lawless inquisitione. Therfor, and for satisfactione to all quho are
satisfiable, wee doe promisse and sweare, that wee shall manteine the
trew religione, as it is established in Scotland; the couenant, leauge
and couenant; the Kings Maiesties persone, prerogatiue, gratnes, and
authoritie; the preuilidges of parliament and freedome of the subiects.
So helpe ws God.
_Sic subscribitur_, HUNTLEY. ATHOLE. SEAFORT. ST CLARE. JO.
MIDELTONE. PAT: GRHAME. Sʳ GEO: MONRO. TH: MACKENZIE. JO: GORDON.
WANDERROSSE. W. HORRIE, &c.
_Midiltons Letter to L. General Lesley, from Forfar, 24 of Octob: 1650._
Rᵗ Honorable,
Being still sensible of maney ciuilities conferrid vpon me by you,
and being most desyrous to continew myselue in your fauor, and shune
aney thing that may tend a breache, I haue sent you inclosed the
ground of our ingagment, quherby you may perceaue we onlie ayme at
vnione. Wee are to goe vpon the samen grounds you professe. Nather
in reasone can it be expected that men at this tyme should looke
vpone bussines vncontented; we are Scotishmen, we desyre to fight
for our countrie; religion, king and kingdome are in hazard; we
desyre to ioyne with others vnder your commande, without changing
the stait of the questione. Others wnder your command are ane other
way; we are hopefull that you will not shed the blood of your
brethreen, nor put ws to that wnhappey necessity as to shed yours in
our auen defence. It may be obiected, that wee did fall on Sʳ Johne
Broune, his regiment, in ane hostill way, wee thanke God that non
in that regiment, nor aney belonging to ws did fall, nather think
that ther was one drope of blood shed; bot it was Sʳ Johne Browns
briske expressions that did occasion it. I beseiche you, by all the
expressions of frindschipe, and by that woue ze owe religione, king,
and kingdome, to indevore vnitie, and not to enter in bloode with
thesse that are redey to perishe for that samen pretious treuth you
fight for; not doubting bot in this you will approue yourselue ane
countreyman and kynd frind to him quho has put one a resolutione to
be your faithfull frind and humble seruant.
Jo: Mideltone.
Forfar, 24 October, 1650.
* * * * *
Quhen Cromwell had sent a letter to the Comittee of Estaits, of the
9 of October, 1650, he sent the duplicat of the same to the westerne
armey and ther comanders, Ker and Straquhaine, quho, after they and
ther comittee had perused it, they resolued to returne no publicke
anssuer therto, since, as they thought, the Comittee of Estaits wold
anssuer it; only they resolued to returne him thesse 6 following
querees for anssuer, as Sʳ George Maxswoll quho presented ther
remonstrance to the Comittee of Estaits at Stirling,—— of October
instant.
1. Quhay is satisfaction demandit? 2. Quhat is the satisfaction
demandit? 3. For quhat is the security demandit? 4. What is the
security ze wold haue? 5. From quhom is the security requyred? 6. To
whom is the security to be giuen?
After the remonstrance of the westerne armey was presented to the
Comittee of Estaits at Stirling, and accepted be them, and marked by
ther clerke, produced by Sʳ Geo: Maxswoll in name of the comanders,
gentrey, ministers and armey, (calling themselues the Westerne Forces,)
therafter within 3 or 4 dayes was [the] thre follouing papers sent
by them to Courte and Comittee of Estaits at Perth, Tuesday, 30 of
October—[viz.]