Chapter LXXX: Appendix (4)

Penult, Julij 1650.—Thair wes ane commandit pairtie sent out from the Scottis Leagure, quha rancountered with ane pairtie of the Englische, both of thame being horsmen, and at Restalrig thai skirmisched about thrie houres. Quhairat the Scottis behaved thame selffis gallantlie at the first, and killed ane major to the enymie with sindrie utheris of thair commoun trouperis; but thair went out sindry gentillmen and volunteiris, and, throw thair ignorance of militarie effaires, maid great confusioun, so that the Scottis were forced to reteir. Quhairupone the enymie tuik thair advantage, and persewed the Scottis hard to the Leagure, and killed and hurt sindrie gentillmen and uther volunteiris, and tuik sum of the Scottis men prissoneris, amongis quhom ane simple sodger, quhois eyes they holkit out of his heid, becaus upone his bak thair wes drawn with quhyte calk thir wordis, I AM FOR KING CHARLES, stryped him naked of his cloathes, and sent him bak to the Scottis Leagure, as wes reported. The enymie, eftir this skirmische, finding the ground not so fit as he desyred for his Leagure, reteirit bak his forces, both horse and fute, to the toun of Mussilburgh.

Upone the morne thaireftir, being Weddinsday the last of Julij, 1650, about brek of day, ane commandit pairtie of Scottis, consisting of 800 men, under the command of Colonell Robert Montgomerie and Colonell Strachane, went out to rancounter the enymie at Mussilburgh, quhair they behaved thame selffis stoutlie and gallantlie, killed many of the enymie, both commanderis, trouperis, and commoun sodgeris, horse and fute, and tuik sindry prissoneris; yit, in end, thai war forcit to quhyte the prissoneris and reteir bak, for the enymie advanced upone thame with fresche horses, and the Scottis, not haiffing a secound help as had the Englische, wer in end compellit to returne to thair Leagure; quhairas gif they haid gottin the help of 500 men, they haid totallie routed the enymie. At this retreit of the Scottis pairtie, sindry Scottis wer killed; bot many mae to the Englische, as wes reportit.

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Upone the 5 of August, 1650, about midnight, the enymie did lift all thair forces lying in and about Mussilburgh, and marched bak towardis Dumbar, quhair thair schips being than rydand, they resavit from thame fresche viveris and amunitioun in abundance; and immediatlie thaireftir, within twa or thrie dayis, marched bak to Mussilburgh, and fra thence to Dudingstoun, and alongis to Colingtoun and about, quhair they did ly sum certane dayis thaireftir....

Sum of our prissoneris takin by the Englische wer miserablie used, tirred naked, and fettirred in yrone cheynes, as wes reportit.

During the lying of thir twa airmeys in the feildis, all the cornes betuix Berwik, and twa or thrie myles be west Edinburgh, on both sydes, wer destroyed and eaten up. Lykewyse, thair wes such great skairshetie in Edinburgh, that all soirt of viveris, meit and drink, could hardlie be haid for money, and such as wes gottin wes fuisted, and sauld at a double pryce. The haill inhabitantes, lykewyse, of Edinburgh wer forced to contribute and provyde fuid for the airmy, notwithstanding of this skairshitie; and also to furneis fedder beddis, bousteris, coadis, blankettis, scheittis for the airmy, and for the hurt sodgeris to ly upone, with pattis and pannis for making reddie thair meat; and to collect money for providing honest intertenment to the hurt sodgeris that lay in the Hospitall and Paullis Wark.

Upone the 11 day of August, 1650, being ane Saboth day, and a solempne day of fasting and prayer, evin upone that day (according to the Sectarians wonted custome,) the enymie cumed bak fra Braides Crages, quhair he wes than lying, and returned to Mussilburgh, and set doun his Leagure thair till Tysday thaireftir, and then removed from Mussilburgh and returned bak to Braides Craiges, bringing with him great quantateis of victuell, quhilk he haid takin out of the mylnes, killis, and bernis of Mussilburgh, and uther pairtes thairabout.

The 15 of August, 1650, to the quhilk the Parliament of Scotland wes adjorned, fur the Kinges coronatioun, wes of new prorogat and adjorned to the [10] day of September thaireftir, be ressoun of the twa great airmeyis on both sydes, both of thame lying about Edinburgh; and thairfoir the Parliament wes forced to adjorne.

At this tyme, the Commissioneris of the Kirk presentit sum Propositiounes to the King to be subscryvit, quhilk for a tyme was refused; yit in end condiscendit unto, and subscryvit be his Majestie. And, thairfoir, upone his refuisall at the first, the Commissioneris of the Kirk wer pleased to emit this Declaratioun following, quhilk wes sent into the Englische Airmy, with the Approbatioun thairof following, subscryvit be the Committee of Estait. Westkirk, the 13 of August 1650....[435]

The enymie being now lying neir to the toun of Edinburgh, and the Toun fearing thair invasioun and assalt, they usit all meanis for thair awin defence; and, for this end, erectit scaffoldis within the haill wallis of the toun, set up thair ensignes thairon, extending to xxxij culloris, mannit the wallis with numberis of men, planted ordinance thairon, demolisched the haill houssis in St Marie Wynd, that the enymie sould haif no schelter thair, bot that thai mycht haif frie pas to thair cannoun, quhilk thai haid montit upone the Neddir Bow. The Toun also wes forcit to demolische and tak doun the four prickes bigged on the Neddir Bow, quhilk wes ane verry great ornament thairto, and placed cannoun thairon. The Committee also causit demolische sindrie houssis at the Patterraw Poirt and West Poirt, that the Castell of Edinburgh, and uther pairtes quhair thair cannoun wes stellit, mycht haif sicht of the enymie in cais he sould assalt, and greater fredome to assalt him, be taking doun of the houssis that wer impedimentis to the sicht of the enymie and force of the cannoun.

Upone Settirday, the 24 of August, 1650, our airmy resavit a great disgrace in this manner; to wit, Generall Cromwell and his airmy haifing past throw this kingdome fra Berwik to the place of Colingtoun, without ony oppositioun maid be ony of the gentillmenis houssis by the way quhair they past, untill they come to the hous of Reidhall, within thrie myles be west Edinburgh; in the quhilk hous of Reidhall, the Laird of Reidhall, with thriescoir sodgeris, lay with provisioun, and keipit and defendit the hous aganes the Englisches, and gallit his sodgeris, and pat thame bak severall tymes with the los of sindry sodgeris. The Englische Generall taking this very grevouslie, that such a waik hous sould hald out aganes him and be ane impediment in his way, he and his airmy lying so neir unto it; thairfoir he causit draw his cannoun to the hous, and thair, fra four houris in the morning till ten in the foirnune that day, he causit the cannoun to play on this hous, encampit a great number of his sodgeris about it, with pik and musket, bot all to lytill purpos; for the Laird and the pepill in the hous defendit valiantlie evir till thair powder failled; and eftir it failled they did not give over, evir luiking for help fra owr awin airmy, quha wes then lying at Corstorphyn, within thrie quarteris of ane myle to the hous, of quhais help thai war disapoynted. Generall Cromwell perceaving thair powder to be gone, and that no assistance wes gevin thame, he causit pittardis to be brocht to the hous, quhairwith he blew up the dures, enterit the hous at dures and windois, and eftir slaughter on both sydes, (bot much moir to the Englisches then the Scottis,) tuik all that wer in the hous prissoneris, tirred thame naked, seased on all the money and guidis that wer thairin, quhilk wes much, be ressoun that sindry gentillmen about haid put thair guidis thair for saiftie. So this hous and pepill thairin wer takin in the sicht and face of our airmy, quha thocht it dangerous to hazard thameselffis in such ane expeditioun, the enymie haiffing the advantage of the ground and hillis about him for his defence.

Albeit the Covenant, the Kirk, and Kingdome aucht to be deir and precious in the eyis of all trew Scottismen, yet such wes the dispositioun of sum of thame, that thai wer corruptit with Englische gold, and gaif intelligence of all the proceidingis of our airmy to Generall Cromwell, quhairby much of our intentiounes wer surprised. Sum of thir intelligenceris wer takin and committed to prisoun, and becaus no probatioun could be haid aganes thame, they war liberat upone cautioun. Bot ane of thame being conscious of his awin giltines, strangled himselff in the tolbuith of Edinburgh, being wardit thairin; and thaireftir takin out and publictlie exposit to the view of all the pepill at the Trone of Edinburgh and Mercat Croce of the Cannogait, and thairfra transportit and hung up on the gallous betuix Leith and Edinburgh, quhair he yit hinges, to the terrour of utheris.

27 August, 1650. The twa airmeyis, both Scottis and Englisches, lyand about Corstorphyn, Gogar, and neir to Mortoun and thairabout, began to play with thair cannoun this day, quhilk indured fra thrie houris in the eftirnune till sex at nycht, at the quhilk xij of our airmy wer hurt, ane killed and twa horses. Sindrie men wer killed to the enymie also.

Eftir the enymie haid takin the Laird of Reidhall prissoner, he thaireftir pat him to liberty, commending much his valour and activitie for holding out so stoutlie aganes him that hous of Reidhall.

It wer langsum and tedious to writt all circumstances of these thinges that passed betuix the twa airmeis; for the Englisches removed from Collingtoun, Reidhall, and Niddrie, to Mussilburgh; thaireftir to Hadingtoun and Dumbar, resolving to haif past into England. Bot the Scottis airmy following, inclosit thame at Dumbar, resolving to haif cuttit thame of, as doutles easelie thai mycht haif done; bot our Scottis airmy being devydit and still in purgatioun, removing such as did not pleis the leaderis of this Kingdome for the tyme, the Englisches taking advantage of this divisioun and purging, quhilk lastit mony dayes, and haiffing with thame in thair company many Scottismen quha favored thair courses, and haid resavit thair gold, they prevailled over the Scottis, as heireftir sall be declared: for it is certane thair wes great corruptioun and divisioun and much gold gevin for intelligence to the enymie....

The Englische airmy entered in a parlee with the Scottis airmy both at Corstorphyn and Dumbar, and did offer great and lairge offeris gif we sould suffer him to returne to England without farder molestatioun. Bot our airmy refuisand, he, upone a Monday the secound day of September, anno 1650, pat himself in ordour, and that nicht being a drakie nycht, full of wind and weit, quhairin our Scottis airmy wer cairles and secure, and expecting no assalt be ressoun of the frequent parlees and offeris maid by the Englische, he tymouslie, upone the morne thaireftir, be brek of day, being Tysday the third of September, 1650, invaidit our airmy, all of thame being at rest, and thair horses, and slew of our airmy about—— thowsand men, tuik and apprehendit many thowsand prissoneris, hurt and woundit many thowsands, scatterit all the rest of our airmy, quha for feir fled to Edinburgh and uther pairtes of the countrey.

The Scottis airmy being thus routit and put to flight, the Inglisches war resolvit to content thameselffis with the victorie, and to returne to England. Bot the Generall Cromwell being informed that Edinburgh and Leith wer left desolat, and the inhabitantes thairof fled, and that nather the airmy nor the cuntrie and kingdome war to defend it, the Englische Generall held a counsell of warr at Dumbar, and being thus informed of the hard conditioun of these twa tounes, he with his forces come into Edinburgh and Leith upone the Settirday eftir the feght at Dumbar, being the sevint day of September, planted his garisouns thairintill, and commandit and reullit at his pleasure; these tounes being all of thame weill fortifeyed and provydit to thair handis.

To speik or writt of the opiniounes of many twiching the tinsell of this battell, it wer tedious, for the opiniouns of sum persones wer, that in the Scottis airmy thair wer mony independantis and sectareis, quho haid too much relatioun and correspondence with Generall Cromwell; sum utheris wer in the opinioun that the Englische gold did corrupt many. These wer the opiniounes of many, bot certane it wes that, befoir this airmy wes routtit, thair wes much bussiness maid anent the purging of the Scottis airmy of malignantis be the space of many dayis; evin than quhen the Englische airmy mycht haif bene easelie routtit, and quhen thair souldieris fled in to the Scottis for feir, and quhen honorable conditiounes and lairge offeris wer maid to the Scottis airmy to suffer thame to depairt and to leave the Kingdome; yea, evin the nycht befoir the feght, our Scottis leaderis wer in purging the Scottis airmy, as gif thair had bene no danger. For at this tyme the Scottis airmy thocht that the Englische airmy wer thair prissoneris, be ressoun of the double number of the Scottis above the Englisches, and that the Inglisches wer than in capitulatioun with the Scottis to give thame lairge moneyis and uther conditiounes to suffer thame depairt this Kingdome....

Oh, what can be sufficientlie writtin of these thinges; for thir trubles daylie increst, be ressoun of the divisiounes of this Kingdome quhilk daylie increst: Sum of the commanderis dispysing honest men, quhome thai termed Malignantis; these Malignantis (as they call thame) being willing to ryse for defence of the natioun, bot wer rejected: Utheris, in the west pairtes of this Kingdome, drawing togidder, and takand up a great pairtie of men, be way of associatioun and refuising to joyne in the publict service. And quhen the Scottis airmy mycht haif easelie routtit the Inglisches, and sindry notable occasiounes offered to invaid thame, yit the commanderis of the airmy still delayit, till it pleased God to delyver thame all in the handis of thair enymies.

Thus the Englisches haifing obtenit the victorie, and haifing fortifeyed both Edinburgh and Leith, and placeing garisones thairintill, the Generall and Commanderis of the Englische airmy gaif out this Proclamatioun following:—

“QUHAIRAS it hath pleased God, by his gracious providence and guidnes, to put the citie of Edinburgh and town of Leith under my power, and although I haif put furth several Proclamatiounes since my cumming into this countrie to the lyke effect with this present; yit for farder satisfactioun to all these quhome it may concerne, I do heirby agane publische and declair, that all inhabitantes of the cuntrie, not now being, or continuing in airmes, sall have full and frie leave and libertie, to cum to the airmy, and to the citie and toun afoirsaid, with thair cattell, corne, horses, and uther commoditeis and guidis quhatsoevir; and sall haif thair frie and oppin mercattis for the same, and salbe protected in thair persones and guidis, in thair cuming and returning, as is afoirsaid, from ony injurie or violence of the souldiarie under my command, as also salbe protected in thair respective houssis, and the citizens and inhabitantes of the said citie and toun sall and herby lykewyse haif frie libertie to vend and sell thair waires and commoditeis, and sall be protected from the plunder and violence of the souldieris. And I do heirby requyre all officeris and souldieris of the airmy under my command to tak dew notice heirof, and to yeild obedience heirto as thai will answer to the contrarie at thair outmost perrel. Gevin under my hand at Edinburgh, the sevint day of September 1650.

“O. Cromwell.

“To be proclaimed at Edinburgh and Leith be sound of trumpet and beat of drum.”

Eftir this, the Inglische airmy marched throw Lynlithgow and Falkirk, and went in full body to Sterling, upone Tysday, the 17 of September 1650; quhair thai, not being able to assalt the toun for feir of the Castell, and of moir nor thrie thowsand fute lying within the toun, quhilk wes stronglie fortifeyed and deiply trinsched, they, eftir two dayis lying about the toun, returned bak agane to Lynlithgow, and from thence to Edinburgh, quhair they establisched ordouris, and set doun actis and ordinances at thair plesour....

Quhill these thinges war in doing by the Englische airmy, thair wes lytill cair tane to oppose thame: bot faith and curage failled the Scottis universalie throw the land; divisiounes, haitrent, and malice still increst throw the Kingdome. Collonellis Ker and Strachane withdrew thameselffis fra the Scotis generall, Generall Leslie, and David Leslie his lievtenant; left thair ordouris, refuised to serve under thair command; and not thairwith content, went to the west cuntrie, sik as Glasgow, Paislay, Ranfrew, Irwing, Air, Lanerk, Hammiltoun, quhair thair wes ane Associatioun concludit and drawn up among the Westland schyres, and quhair thai and thair followeris keipit thair randevous, quarterit thair men and hors upone the west pairtes of the land, compellit the gentell men, burgesses and yeemenis to furneis and rander thair horsses for thair service, exacted great soumes of money for thair outreikis; and yit thai did lytill or no service, bot trouping up and down throw the cuntrie a lang space, even fra the feght at Dumbar to the end of November or thairby.

In the meantyme, Generall Oliver Cromwell, cheiff commander of the Inglische airmy, come from Edinburgh to Lynlithgow, Falkirk, and Kilsyth, and thairefter come with his haill airmy to Glasgow, upone Fryday, the xi day of October, 1650; at quhais incuming the maist pairt of the inhabitantes left the toun, and fled to sindry pairtes of the cuntrie for scheltering thameselfis, not so much for feir of the enymie, for thair cariage wes indifferentlie guid, bot becaus thai feared to be brandit with the name of complyeris with sectarianes, as befoir thai wer censured and puneist for remayning in the toun the tyme of James Grahame his incuming, and brocht upone thameselfis the name and style of Malignantes, devysit aganes thame be thair awn nychtboures, quha haitted thame, and socht thair places and offices....

At this tyme, Godis anger wes manifest, and his hett displesour aganes the inhabitantes of this land, for the cornes of the feild war not onlie destroyed by this forrane enymie, and by the Scottis airmyes at home, quha rampit and raged throw the land, eitting and destroying quhairever they went, bot also the Lord from the hevines destroyed much of the rest be stormes and tempestis of weit and wind....

Divisiounes still increst in Kirk and Kingdome, for the Ministrie gave out thair Declaratiounes both aganes the King and the Commissioneris sent to him to Gairsey and Holland.... By thir Declaratiounes of the Ministrie the subjectis of the land wer moved to ceass, and not to lift up airmes and go aganes the commoun enymie, and nane declared capable to persew that enymie bot onlie Colonellis Strachane and Ker, quho wer estemed to be for the Kirk and the Kirkis airmy; albeit it did not prove so succesfull in the end as heireftir it fell out.

The Kingdome being thus in a moist pitifull and deplorabill conditioun and sad estait, nane to ryse aganes the enymie, nor to defend the Kingdome, severall meetingis wer appoynted by the Estait to meet and to consult on the effaires of the land; sum tymes at Sterling, uther tymes at Peerth, quhair dyveris dyettis of Parliament, Committee and Commissioneris for the Kirk met and wer holdin, and for crowning of the King; bot all wes to small purpos, the divisiounes both of Stait and Kirk incresing, to the great advantage of the enymie, quha estemed these inward divisiounes of this land to be worth to him and moir profitable then twenty thowsand men.

I thoght guid to remember heir how that the names of Protestant and Papist wer not now in use, nor hes bene thir sindrie yeiris past, bot supprest: and, in place thairof, rais up the name of Covenanteris, Anti-Covenanteris, Croce-Covenanteris, Puritanes, Babarteres, Roun-heidis, Auld-hornes, New-hornes, Croce-Petitioneris, Brownistes, Separistes, Malignantis, Sectareis, Royalistes, Quakeris, Anabaptistes....

Lykewyse the Commissioun of the Kirk, beiring a great splene aganes all these quha war of the Malignant factioun, (as they did call it), they, be thair Declaratiounes and Commissioneris at Committee and Parliament, maid these forces under the charge and command of David Leslie to ryse aganes these under the charge and command of Lievtenant Major Middletoun, to subdew thame, and croce thair rysing for the King....

So, to end this yeir of God, 1650, this Kingdome wes for the moist pairt spoyled and overrun with the enymie, evin from Berwik to the toun of Air, thair being Inglische garisounes in all quarteris of these boundis; the land murning, languisching and fading, and left desolat, every pairt thairof schut up, and no saif going out nor cuming in, and many treacherous dealeris did deale verie treacherouslie, the Lord hyding his face all this tyme for the synnes of Scotland.

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1650.

_Excerpts from the Chronicle of Fife; being the Diary of John Lamont of Newton._

Jan. 13.—Robert Maitlande, the Laird of Lundie, in Fyfe, meadde his repentance (in his owne seatte) for having hand in the leate engagement against Englande. Mr Ja. Magill, minister of Largo, did receave him, and presentlie, after the covenant being reade, he did sweare the same, and, in the afternone, did subscribe it before the session.—The day before, he did subscribe the peaper emitted by the Gener. Assemb.

1649.—A litell before this, the Earle of Kelly made satisfactione in this manner, in Petten-Weyme, and was receiued by Mr George Hamiltone, m. of Newburne, and afteruarde his owne minister.

1650. Feb.—Ther was sundrie persons in Edenbroughe that had ther eares nayled to the Trone, for bearing false witnes, and one that had his tounge pearced with a hott iyron. About the same tyme, ther was one scourged by the hangman, for having 7 weemen at one tyme with chielde.

Mar. 31.—At the church of Largo ther was read a declaration of the Commiss. of the Gener. Assemb. answering a declaration leatlie published, under the name of James Ghrame, sometyme E. of Montrose. Also, the forsaid day, ther was a publicke fast intimate to be keiped throughe out the whole kingdome, the folowing Lords day. The maine cause of this fast appointed (besides these of former fasts) was, that our commissioners gone to the king (before spoken of) might have a gratious acceptatione, and ther iust desirs granted.

Apr. 27, being Satterday.—James Grahames forces (sometyme E. of Montrose), being in the north parts of this kingdome, werre defeate by L. Ge. Da. Leslie, his folowers.

May 21,—James Grahame (sometyme Earle of Montrosse), was execute at the crosse of Edenbroughe.

A newe translation of the Psalms of David, in metre, first corrected by the Assemblie of Divines, in Englande, bot afteruarde revised by the Gener. Assemb. of this kingdome and their comissioners, was apointed to be practised in all the kirks of the kingdome; the former discharged. This translation is more neare the original Hebrew than the former, as also, the whole psalmes are translated to comon tunes, (wheras, in the former, ther werre many proper tunes); ther be proper tunes also in this translation, bot, with all, ther is adjoyned comon tunes with them. This translation was practised, the 2 of June 1650, at Largo church, in the presbetrie of St Androus, as also through out the rest of that presbetrey, and apointed, with all diligence, to be put in practise through the rest of the presbetreys of the kingdome.

July 7.—Ther was a fast apointed by the Comiss. of the Gener. Assemb. to be keiped through out all the kirkes of the kingdome; the maine causes werre the great securitie of the land, the threatning of the sectarian armie of England to invade this kingdome, the abounding of socerie, and that the Lord wald countenance the folowing Gener. Assemb: etc. This fast was keiped by Mr Ja. Magill, att Largo, the forsaid 7 day of July. This day intimation was made of the excommunication of one Jhone Enster, a shiper in Enster, for his obstinacie in malignancie. As also of one Mr Hollande, ane English man, wha gave him selfe foourth to be a phesitian, he being onlie ane imposter and deceaver, that the people might not have any dealing with him in the meater of physicke.

July 10.—The Generall Assemblie of this kingd. satte att Edenbroughe, where Mr Andro Cant, minister of Aberdeine, was moderator. Att this meiting ther werre severall nobelmen that werre accessorie to the late unlawfull engagement, that werre desirous to be receaved, as the E. of Crafoorde, wha was received in the Abey kirke, and appeared to be verie penitent. The E. of Laderdaile was referred to the comission of the kirke. Duke Hamilton’s petition was rejected; the E. of Marshall (whose lady, a litel before this, depairted out of this life,) the E. of Arroll, and sundrie others. The most pairt of the ministers of Orkenay were deposed, and appointed to be excommunicate, because they had subscribed a peaper of the forsaid Montrosse.[436] A number of the ministers of Caithnes werre deposed in likemaner, for conniving at his wayes. L. G. Cromuell, that commanded the English armie, sent a declaratione to this kingdome, declaring the causes why he was comeing downe to invade this kingdome; and another from the pretended parliament of England;—both which werre excellentlie answered, both by church and state, and the Assemb. answers appointed to be read in the severall kirks of this kingdome. The K. Majestie sent a letter to this Assemblie; ther was three ministers appointed to attend his Majestie; as Mr Robert Blaire, m. of St Androus, Mr George Hutcheson, and Mr James Durhame. Ther was a fast appointed (because the forsaide Englishis had invaded this kingdome), to be keiped through the wholle kingdom. This meiting rose the 24 of the said instant. The said Mr Rob. Blaire was desired to come to Glasgowe, (in the roume of D. Strange, who was deposed for some erronius opinions), bot it was refused. A litell before this Assemb. Mr David Dicke, m. of Glasgowe, was transported by the Com. of the Gener. Ass. to Edenbroughe, to be professor ther. He did succeid to D. Sharpe.... Mr Ja. Sharpe was transported from Crayll to Edenbrough, and Mr Jhone Heart from Dyninnowe to Dunkell, both out of St And. presb.—A visitatione for Fyfe to sit in Sept.

Oct.—This moneth the malignant pairtie of this kingd. did ryse in armes in the north; they emited a declaratione. The comission of the Gener. Ass. emitted a warning, deated at Sterling, 24 Oct. 1650, against them, to be read in the several churches. L. G. Da. Lesley was sent north with some horsemen against them.

Oct.—This moneth the westcountrey men joined them selfs in a body (with L. Coll. Ker, Strachan, and some ministers,) and sent in a Remonstrance to the estaits,[437] declairing all the escaps of the Kings Maj.; condeming the treatie with him; accusing many of the comitt. of estaits of covetousnes and oppression; speaking against the chife leaders of the armie; and opposing the invasion of England, or enforcing a king upon that kingdome. Ther forces werre scattered at Hamiltone, by a pairtie of the English men, under the conduct of Lambert, on the 1 of Decemb. being Sunday, 1650. Sundry of them were killed, and Coll. Ker, one of ther cheife leaders, wounded and taken.

Nov.—Ther was a meiting, both of state and church, at St Jhonstone, at which tyme they both declaired against that remonstrance of the men of the west contrey (before spoken of), shauing that it was divisive, contrare to the covenant, and acts of the Generall Assemblie; debaring all that adhered to that said remonstrance from sitting and voyceing in the publicke judicatories, ether of state or church. Upon this, sundrie ministers of the north countrey protested against the declaratione of the church, and foure ministers in Fyfe adhered to ther protestation, one in every presbetrey, vizᵗ, Mr Sa. Rutherfoorde, in St Androus presb.; Mr Ja. Wedderburne, in C. presb.; Mr Alex. Moncriefe, in K. p.; and Mr Will. Oliphant, in D. presb.

Mr David Calderwood, a minister in Louthian, depairted out of this life.

Dec. 22.—The fast, apointed by the comission of the kirke to be keiped througe the kingdome before the coronatione, was keiped att Largo the forsaid day, by Mr Ja. Magill; his lecture, Rev. 3, from v. 14 to the end of the chapt. his text Rev. 2, 4, 5. Upon the Thursday folowing, the 26 of this instant, the fast was keiped in likemaner; his lecture 2 Chro. 29. to v. 12; his text 2 Chron. 12. 22. The causes of the first day (not read) was, the great contempt of the gospell, holden forth in its branches. Of the second day (which were read), the sinns of the King, and of his father’s house, where sundry offences of K. James the 6 were acknowledged, and of K. Charles the 1, and of K. Ch. the 2, nowe king. This second day the E. of Laderdaile gave satisfactione (at the k. of Largo), for haveing hand in the late unlawfull engagement against England, where, 1. he acknowledged the sinfulnes and unlaufulnes of that course; 2. his sorowe and remorse for haveing accession therto; 3. his resolutione, for the time to come, to be warre of such courses. After this, Mr Ja. Magill did reid the solemn league and covenant, and he held up his hand and did sweare to the same. So the k. session gave him a peaper, subscribed by the minist. and clerk, testifying that they were weill satisfied with his repentance.

* * * * *

1649-50.

_Excerpts from The Waters of Sihor, or the Lands Defectione; By James Guthrie._[438]

[Propositions laid down and contended for by Guthrie, in page 19.]

1. All judicatories and Armyes, and all places of power and trust amongst the Lords covenanted people in Scotland, should consist of, and be filled with, men of known good affectione to the work and people of God, and of a blamles Christian conversatione.

2. All known malignant, and prophane scandalous persons, ought to be excluded from power and trust amongst those, and to be purged out from the Judicatories and Armyes.

3. The making of Associations in counsell and in forces with the Malignant party, or these who walk in known wickednes, and in enmity and oppositione to the work and people of God, is to these unlawfull, and ought to be avoided by them.

4. Malignant and wicked men who have been engaged in such enmity and oppositione, or given to prophanity, and have there upon been debarred from the Covenant or Communion, or secluded or removed from power and trust, ought not to be admitted into these till after tryall they shall be found in their ordinary conversatione to give reall testimony of their dislike of their former evill courses and wayes, and of their sorrow for their accessione to the same, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

[Page 21.]

In the year 1648, when the parliament were on debats of a ingadgment in War against England, the Comissione of the Kirk, (being there homologated by the Supplications of most of all the Presbytries and Synods in Scotland,) as they did desire the parliment “that the grounds and causes of undertaking a war might be cleared to be so just, as that all the weel affected might be satisfied in the lawfulnes and necessity of the Ingagment, with sundry other things to that purpose; so did they also desire, that if the Popish, Prelaticall, and Malignant party should again rise in arms in this natione, that their armyes might be so farr from joyning and associating with them, that, one the contrairy, they should oppose and endeavour to suppress them, as enemies to the Cause and Covenant on the one hand, as weel as Sectaries on the other; and that, for securing of religione, and all other ends of the Covenant, such persons only might be entrusted to be of Comitees and Armyes as hes given constant proof of their integrity and faithfulnes in this cause, and against whom there is no just cause of exceptione or jealousie.”

And when the parliament, without satisfactione to these desires, did resolve and enact an ingagment in war against the kingdome of England, the Gener: Assembly did condescend upon and issue a Declaratione concerning the sinfulnes of that war as upon many other grounds, so also upon associating with, and employing and entrusting of Malignants in the Army and in Comitees. The Assemblys words be these:—“Suppose the ends of this Engadgment were lawfull, qᶜʰ they are not,” &c.[439]

[After references to the Solemn Confession, &c., and Engagement to
Duties after the defeat of the Engagement, the author proceeds, page
24:—]

At the same time, the Comiss: of the Gen: Assembly did make ane Act for debaring of persons accessory to the late Unlawfull Ingadgment in War against England from renewing the Covenant, receiving the Communione, and from exercise of ecclesiasticke office; and the Parliament meeting a litle thereafter, did make two Acts, one for purging the Armys and Judicatories from corrupt and malignant men who were in trust; another for keeping of them pure for the time to come; and the Gen: Assembly, qᶜʰ sate in Edʳ in the year 1649, did innact that none of these persons who were excluded from the Covenant and Communione should be admitted and received thereto but such as, after exact tryall, did in their ordinary conversatione give reall testimony of their dislike of the courses and wayes of Malignants, and of their sorrow for their accessione to the same, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly. These Acts of Kirk and State, I shall hear set doun, at least so much of them as contributes for the further clearing and proving of our present purpose; to witt, that the propositions formerly mentioned were received, and ouned, and engaged unto by the kirk and kingdome of Scotland, ... “as treuths necessary for preserving and promoving of Religion and Righteousnes.”

[In the 5th chapter, Guthrie goes on to argue, that these several Acts
of the Commission and Estates, _after_ the Engagement was defeated,
were legal and binding on Kirk and Kingdom, because the Confession of
Sins, &c., was made in October, 1648, throughout all congregations and
whole body of the people, _except those who were excluded_; but he
does not shew that either the Commission of Assembly or the Estates,
subsequent to that time, were legal Assemblies, or had any lawful
authority to pass such ordinances.—Page 39.]

The Comissione of the Gen: Assem: meeting at Edʳ about the time of the marching of the English Army to invade this land—to wit, June 25, 1650—did emitt a Warning concerning dangers and deuties, in which are these passages:—“Its far from our meaning that any who are tainted with malignancy and disaffectione to the work of God should be allowed or permitted to associate or joyn themselves together by pairtyes in Armys, much less doe we mean yᵗ we should associate or joyne with them, or that they should be imployed, or made use of, or countenanced, or permitted to be in our armyes. The Lord hath so far cleared his mind, both by his words and works, against these that they are very blind who are not convinced therein; and we have made so solemne publick confession of this sin that relates unto Malignants, and so solemnly ingadged our selves against the same, that they among us who should again hazard upon it should seem to be desperatly perverse. It were not only to give great ground of encouradgment to the Sectaries, before whom Malignants have so often fled and falen, but to discouradge the hearts and weaken the hands of men of integrity and godlines, who could hardly expect a blessing in the fellowship of such; yea, it were from the words of their own former confessione and ingadgment unto deuties, to proclaim a judgment against the land till it were consumed without remedy. We are therefore bold, in the Lords name, to warn the honourable Estates of Parliment, and all whom it concerns in the land, that they may be far from such a thing, and that they may take care, in their respective places and stations, to purge judicatories and comitees of all scandalous and disaffected men, and speedily goe about the removing and purging out from the army all men of a scandalous conversatione, and of a questionable integrity and affectione in the cause of God, and that they imploy none but such as are of a blamles conversatione, and of approven integrity in the Lords work. It shall be a shame for any in this land to be so faithless and unbeleiving, as, because of the scarcenes of men, to make use of others who are not thus qualified. The Lord hath not only spoken it in his word, and verified it in his works in the dayes of old, but hath let us see it with our own eyes, that it is all one wᵗ him to save with few as with many, and that a few whom God will countenance are more worth than many against whom he hath a controversy.”

Again, in the same Warning:—“Albeit we be dilligently to take heed of the danger that threatnes from Sectaries, and faithfully to bestir ourselves in our places and stationes in the use of all lawfull and necessary means for preventing of the same, yet are we not to forget, but also with the same dilligence and care, to take heed of these dangers and snares that threatnes the work and people of God from Malignants. Malignancy, though a very evill weed, yet is not pluckt up, but continous to be one of the reigning sins of this land, the snare wherewith loose hearts, who cannot endure Christs yock, are most readily taken. Hence it is that there be many of that stamp in all yᵉ three kingdoms, who, drawing encouradgment to themselves from the influence they have upon the Kings Counsell, and hardning themselves in their way by the proceedings of Sectaries, doe still follow their former designs, and wait for their day, and would rejoice in the ruine or halting of these who adhere to the Covenant; and experience proves, that many of these who have seemed to repent of and abandon that way, yet doe not realy shake of that sinn that hings so fast on, but, upon new tentations, fall again upon the same wickednes, and prove worse then before, which may be a cautione to us not suddenly to trust them. We make no doubt but Malignants will, by all means, endeavour that there may be roome left for them to undermind the work and people of God, and ingadge the kingdom in a new war, upon terms of their devising, destructive to Religione and yᵉ Covenant.”

The Gen: Assembly it self at Edinburgh, in July thereafter, did, upon the 19 of that moneth, publish a Declaratione, in which they give warning concerning Malignants thus:—“We exhort all these who are in publick trust, in yᵉ Comitee of Estates, or otherwise, not only to take good head of their private walking, that it be suitable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and of their families and followers, that they bee void of offence, but also be straight in the cause and Covenant, and not to seek themselves, nor befriend any who have been enemies to the Lords work, self seeking, and conniving at, and complying with, and pleading for Malignants, having been publick sins that have been often complained of; and we wish to God yʳ were no cause to complain of these things still, notwithstanding of the solemne Confession of them, and ingadging against them. God forbid that any mocke the Lord. He is a severe avenger of all such things; and there is the more reason at this time not to own Malignants, because it is ordinary with men so to be taken with the sense of the dangers qᶜʰ is before them, as not to look back to that which is behind them. There may be inclinations in some to employ these men, and make use of them, that we may be strengthned in this and in our neighbour land; but God hath hitherto cursed all such counsels, and blasted such resolutions; and if we shall again fall into this sin, as our guilt shal be so much the greater by reasone of many promises and ingadgments to the contrair, so may we expect ane heavier judgment from the Lord upon it. Let us keep the Lords way, and, though we be few and weake, the Lord shall be with us, and make us to prosper and prevail. They are not fit for the work of God, and for the glorious dispensations of his more than ordinary works of power and providence in these times, who cannot beleive nor act any thing beyond what sense and reasone can make clear unto them from the begining unto yᵉ end of their undertakings. Former experiences and present straits call upon us that we should act and follow our deutie in such a way as may magnify the Lord, and make it known to others that we may live by Faith.”

About the same time, the Comitee of Estates in their Declaratione, in answer to the English Declaratione concerning their Invasione, speak thus:—“If wee shall keep Malignancy out of our quarel and Malignant instruments out of our counsels and forces, and our selves free from every thing which may provoke the Lord, and doe every deutie qᶜʰ may ingadge him for us, the case of the Ammonites against Jephtah and Israel, the case of Jeroboam against Abijah, the case of Amaziah against Joab, the case of Zenachrib against Hezekia, the case of Moab against Jehosaphat, and the judgment which came upon the invaders, speake terror to our adversaryes yᵗ come against us, and comfort to the necessary defenders.”

Immediatly after the defeat at Dumbar, Causes of Humiliatione and Fast were cendescended upon at Sterline, to be keept through the whole land.[440]

[Page 42.]

A litle thareafter, to wit, Septemb: 12, 1650, the Comissioners of the Gen: Assem: did write to the severall Presbytries in the land; in qᶜʰ letter they doe relate to these causes, and, in speciall, doe recomend to them, “that they would carefully and instantly warne their people agˢᵗ snares, and not to be dismayed, but sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts, that he may be their fear and their dread, soe that they doe not for their safty choose the course of flesh and blood, tending either to compliance with Sectaries, one the one hand, or Malignants, one the other hand, but yᵗ the work of God may be carried on, and his people may follow and adhere unto it in their stations, according to the Covenants and former grounds and principles. We conceive (say they) that these who fear the Lord and make conscience of duety, and desire to be faithfull, will be so far from slacking their hands in their deuty and in a straight way of pursuance thereof for any thing that hath befalen now, that they will rather looke upon themselves as called and obliged to their deuties in a more speciall way of strictnes and watchfulnes than formerly, and that the present difficulties and dangers of the time be not abused for flattering of men in any way that may tend to turning aside to crooked courses.”

With this letter they sent a short Declaratione and Warning, to be read in all the congregationes of the Kirk of Scotl:[441]....

Upon the 24 of Octob: [1650] the Comissione upon occasione of the rising of many of the Malignants in the North, in a tumultous and rebellious way, did emit another Warning, in qᶜʰ, (after the laying open of these mens gross miscarriages, and their breaking of all bonds, promises, and oaths,) they doe give warning against complyance with them in these words:—“It shall be wisdome to these that are in authority to walk with Malignants according to the rule of the word of God and the bond of the Covenant, to take good head of trusting and taking in of such that have been opposit to the work of God, so many experiences teaching the unsoundnes of the most of these from year to year.”

In the moneth of Octob: thereafter, or thereabouts, the King (being then at Pearth) did, by the suggestione of some, write two Letters, one to the Commitee of Estates, another to the Comiss: of the Gen: Assem: both qᶜʰ were then sitting at Stirline, in qᶜʰ he did directly propound it to their consideratione, and ask their judgment concerning yᵉ imploying of these men who were yⁿ excluded from power and trust, and in his letter did propound the consideratione of the lands necessity, and of the advantages that would accress by intrusting of them; yet the Comitee of Estates, (according to my informatione,) and sure I am the Commiss: of the Kirk did return a negative answer to him in this particular, declairing that it would be both dangerous and scandalous to make use of these men.

In the end of Novemb: the Comiss: did give in to the Parliment at Pearth, a Remonstrance concerning the search of their guiltines in the matter of the treaty in the Act of Indemnitie given to the rebels in the north, who had risen in arms after the defeat at Dumbar, in neglecting to purge the Kings family and in their personall carriage. In which Remonst: I find these two passages:—

1. “As we humblie desire your Lo: to be exceedingly watchfull over your hearts, and to bewar of harburing any prejudices or relenting in your affections to the Godly in the land, whom God hes honoured to be instrumentall in his work, so to searche if there hes been at this time among you any purpose or resolutione tending to a sinfull complyance with the enemies of the cause of God; and what upon serious search shall be found of this to ly low before the Lord for it; and withall to guard for the future against all inclinatione of making use of any scandalous, malignant, and disaffected persons for publick trust, or for admiting any to employment in your counsels or armys, except in the way agreed upon by the Publick Resolutiones of Kirk and State.”

The Publick Resolutions here meant were not these against which this dispute runs, for these were not then in being, but the Resolutions contained in the Solemne Ingadgment unto Deuties.

2. “The great foreflowing of that so important a busines, the purging of the Kings family notwithstanding the many addresses we have had to your Lo: thereanent, as we desire it to be looked upon as no small guiltines, so we hope and desire that once for all yow will take some effectuall course for purging the Kings family of all scandalous and disaffected persons, and of constituting it of men of knoun integritie and affectione to the cause of God, as also for debaring all Malignants from accesse to the Kings Maj: and to the Court. We doubt not but your Lo: does consider how bad effects the land hes alredie found of such mens influence upon the King, whereof belike we shall find more, and worse if your Lo: faithfulnes and wisdome doe not prevent it. Let the wicked be removed from the King, and his throne shall be established in righteousnes.”

The same day that this Remonstrance was condescended upon, the Comiss: did also pass ane Act suspending all these Malignants in the north, who had risen in arms, from the Communione, till the nixt Gen: Assem: the just copie whereof follows:—

“Pearth, Novemb: 20, 1650.

“The Comis: of the Gen: Assemb: considering the great sin and offence these men are guilty of, who have had accessione to the late Rebellione in yᵉ North; therefore they doe appoint that all these persons that were actually in armes at the late rebellione, and all such as subscribed the Bond and Declaratione emited by them, to be suspended from the Communione till the nixt Gen: Assemb: to which they are hereby refered for further censure; and for all others that had any accessione, by counsel or otherwise, to that rebellione, or to the Kings withdrawing from his Counsell, refers to Presbytries to try diligently, in their severall bounds, these persons and the degree of their guiltines, and to report the same, with the evidences and proofs thereof, to the nixt meeting of this Commissione.”

“A. KER.”

About the same time the Comiss: were instrumentall to cause yᵉ King and his family, and the whole land, keep a Solemne Publick Humiliatione for the sins of the King and of his fathers house.

[Page 65.]

“The Comissione of the Gen: Assemb: in their Warning at Edʳ, June 25, 1650, when the English army, to their knowledge, were now upon their marche for invading of Scotl: say—

“That these who are tainted with malignancy and disaffectione to the cause of God, should not be allowed or permitted to associate, or joyne themselves together in Armys, much less should we associate or joyne with them, or make use or imploy, or countenance, or permitt them to be in our armies; that we have solemnly ingadged our selves against this, and should be desperatly perverse to hazard upon it; that it were to give great encouradgment to Sectaries, to discouradge the hearts and weaken the hands of men of integrity and godlines, who could hardly expect a blessing in the fellowship of such; that it were from the words of our own former Confessione and ingadgment unto deuties, to proclaim judgment against the land till it were consumed without remedy; that it were a shame for any in this land to be soe faithless and unbeleiving as, becaus of the scarcenes of men, to make use of such.”

The Gen: Assemb: in their Declairatione, July 19, thereafter when the Englishes now were come over the Border, warne against the imploying and intrusting of these men, and tell us “that God hath hitherto cursed all such counsels, and blasted such Resolutions; and that if we shall fall again into this sin, as our guilt shall be much the greater by reasone of many promises and ingadgments to the contrair, so we may expect a heavier judgment from the Lord upon it.”

The Commissione of the Gen: Assemb: that sate at Stirling, after the defeat at Dumbar, did, in the three severall meetings, declair their Judgment to the same purpose. 1. In the causes of publicke humiliatione, which were first condescended upon by the Presbytries and Members of the Comissione, then with the Airmy, and were afterwards approven by the Comissione.

“The not purging of Judicatories and of the Army from malignant and scandalous persons, and not filling all places of power and trust with men of known integrity, and of a blameless and Christian conversatione, together with greater inclinations and endeavours to keep and bring in Malignants to the Judicatories and the Army, as though the land could not be guided nor defended without these,” is acknowledged as one of our sinns, and as one of the causes of our sad stroake.

In their Warning at Stirline, Septemb: 12, 1650, they advertise us that “we would not think that all danger from the malignant pairty is now gone, seeing there are a great many such in the land who yet maintain yʳ former principles, and therefore (say they) we would, with als much watchfullnes and tendernes now as ever, avoid their snares, and beware of complyance and conjunctione with them, and take heed that, under pretence of doing for the cause, they gett not power and strength into their hands for advancing and promoting their old malignant designes, doubtless (say they) our safty is in holding fast our former principles, without declyning to the right hand or to the left.”

A litle thereafter, the King, by his Letter, propounding the questione unto them concerning the employing and intrusting these men, they did resolve it so as they did hold it furth to be “dangerous and scandalous, and contrair to our former principles to imploy and intrust these men.” That was the language that the Kirk of Scotl: spoke before these Resolutions.

[Page 109.]

The Comissione of the Gen: Assem: in August nixt thareafter, that for preventing any misapprehensione that might arise because of the Kings Declaration about the state of the questione, did emitt a short Declaratione concerning the state of the questione, which I shall here set doun, with the Comittee of Estates approbatione thereof and concurrance therein.

West Kirk, the 13 of August, 1650.[442]....

This Declaratione was also intertained with a testimony of cordiall acceptance by the army, and was by publick order sent to the Generall of the Inglish army, as containing the true state of the quarrell upon qᶜʰ this Kingdome then fought.

* * * * *

1650.

_Excerpts from the Historical Discourses, &c., by Sir Edward Walker,
Knight, Garter, Principal King of Arms, Secretary of War to his
Majesty King Charles I., and Clerk of the Council to King Charles
II._[443] [_London_, folio, 1705.]