prepared to be set out by the king for the satisfying ships put on of them. In it there were many hard things. The Great hardking owned the sin of his father in marrying into the king. an idolatrous family: he acknowledged the bloodshed in the late wars lay at his father's door: he expressed a deep sense of his own ill education, and the prejudices he had drunk in against the cause of God, of which he was now very sensible: he confessed all the former parts of his life to have been a 57 course of enmity to the work of God: he repented of his commission to Montrose, and of every thing he had done that gave offence: and with solemn protestations he affirmed, that he was now sincere in his declaration, and that he would adhere to it to the end of his life in Scotland, England, and Ireland. The king was very uneasy when this was brought to him. He said, he could never look his mother in the face if he passed it. But when he was told it was necessary for his affairs, he resolved to swallow the pill without farther chewing it. So it was published, but had no good effect; for neither side believed him sincere in it. It was thought a strange imposition, to make him load his father's memory in such a manner. But, while the king was thus beset with the high and more moderate kirk parties, the old cavaliers sent to him, offering that if he would cast himself into their hands they would meet him near Dundee with a great body. Upon this the king, growing weary of the sad life he led, made his escape in the night, and came to the place appointed but it was a vain undertaking; for he was met by a very inconsiderable body at Clova, the place of rendezvous. Those at St. Johnstoun being troubled at this, sent colonel Montgomery after him, who came up, and pressed him to return very rudely: so the king came back. But this had a very good effect. The government saw now the danger of using him ill, which might provoke him to desperate courses after that, he was used as well as that kingdom, in so ill a state, was capable of. He saw the necessity of courting the marquis of Argile, and therefore made him great offers: at last he talked of marrying his daughter b. Lord Argile was cold and backward: he saw the king's heart lay not to him so he looked on all offers but as so many snares. His son, the lord Lorn, was captain of the guards: and he made his court more dexterously; for he brought all persons that the king had a b When the king came to Scotland, the marquis of Argile made great professions of duty to him, but said he could not serve him as he desired, unless he gave some undeniable proof of a fixed resolution to support the presbyterian party, which he thought would be best done by marrying into some family of quality, that was known to be entirely attached to that interest; which would in great measure take off the prejudice both kingdoms had to him upon his mother's account, who was extremely odious to all good protestants; and thought his own daughter would be the properest match for him, not without some threats, if he did not accept the offer; which the king told colonel Legge, who was the only person about him that he could trust with the secret. The colonel said it was plain the marquis looked upon his majesty to be absolutely in his power, or he durst not have made such a proposal; therefore it would be necessary to gain time, till he could get out of his hands, by telling him, in common decency he could come to no conclusion in an affair of that nature before he had acquainted the queen his mother, who was always known to have a very particular esteem for the marquis and his family, but would never forgive such an omission. But that was an answer far from satisfying the marquis, who suspected colonel Legge had been the adviser, and committed him next day to the castle of Edinburgh, where he continued till the king made his escape from St. Johnstoun, upon which he was released, the marquis finding it necessary to give the king more satisfaction than he had done before that time. D. mind to speak with at all hours to him, and was in I will not pursue the relation of the march to 58 Worcester, nor the total defeat given the king's army on the third of September, the same day in which Dunbar fight had been fought the year before. These things are so well known, as is also the king's escape, that I can add nothing to the common relations that have been over and over made of them. At the same time that Cromwell followed the king into England, he left Monk in Scotland, with an army sufficient to reduce the rest of the kingdom. The town of Dundee made a rash Scotland and ill considered resistance: it was after a few dued by days' siege taken by storm: much blood was shed, and the town was severely plundered: no other place made any resistance. I remember well of three regiments coming to Aberdeen. There was an order and discipline, and a face of gravity and piety among them, that amazed all people. Most of them were independents and anabaptists: they were all gifted men, and preached as they were was sub Monk. A body stood out in lands. moved. But they never disturbed the public assemblies in the churches but once. They came and reproached the preachers for laying things to their charge that were false. I was then present: the debate grew very fierce at last they drew their swords but there was no hurt done: yet Cromwell displaced the governor for not punishing this. When the low countries in Scotland were thus the High- reduced, some of the more zealous of the nobility went to the Highlands in the year 1653. The earl of Glencairn, a grave and sober man, got the tribe of the Macdonalds to declare for the king. To these the lord Lorn came with about a thousand men: but the jealousy of the father made the son be suspected. The marquis of Argile had retired into his country when the king marched into England; and did not submit to Monk till the year fifty-two. Then he received a garrison: but lord Lorn surprised a ship that was sent about with provisions to it, which helped to support their little ill-formed army. Many gentlemen came to them: and almost all the good horses of the kingdom were stolen, and carried up to them. They made a body of about 3000 of these they had about 500 horse. They endured great hardships; for those parts were not fit to entertain men that had been accustomed to live softly. The earl of Glencairn had almost spoiled all: for he took much upon him: and upon some suspicion he ordered lord Lorn to be clapt up, who had notice of it, and prevented it by an escape: otherwise they had fallen to cut one another's throats, instead of marching to the enemy. The earl of Belcarras, a virtuous and knowing man, but somewhat morose in his humour, went also among them. They differed in their counsels: lord Glen-59 cairn was for falling into the low countries: and he began to fancy he should be another Montrose. Belcarras, on the other hand, was for keeping in their fastnesses: they made a shew of a body for the king, which they were to keep up in some reputation as long as they could, till they could see what assistance the king might be able to procure them from beyond sea, of men, money, and arms: whereas if they went out of those fast grounds, they could not hope to stand before such a veteran and well disciplined army as Monk had; and if they met with the least check, their tumultuary body would soon melt away. Murray's Among others, one sir Robert Murray, that had Sir Robert married lord Belcarras's sister, came among them: character. he had served in France, where he had got into such a degree of favour with cardinal Richlieu, that few strangers were ever so much considered by him as he was. He was raised to be a colonel there, and came over for recruits when the king was with the Scotch army at Newcastle. There he grew into high favour with the king; and laid a design for his escape, of which I have given an account in duke Hamilton's memoirs: he was the most universally beloved and esteemed by men of all sides and sorts, of any man I have ever known in my whole life. He was a pious man, and in the midst of armies and courts he spent many hours a day in devotion, [which was in a most elevating strain.] He had gone through the easy parts of mathematics, and knew the history of nature beyond any man I ever yet knew. He had a genius much like Peiriski, as he is described by Gassendi. He was after |