ties my Lord Marquis hath here to wrestle with; the overcoming of the enemy is the least of them; he hath more to do with his own seeming friends; since I came to him, (which was but within these ten days, after much toil and hazard,) I have seen much of it. He was forced to dismiss his Highlanders for a season, who would needs return home to look to their own affairs. When they were gone, Aboyn took a caprice, and had away with him the greatest strength he had of horse; notwithstanding whereof he resolved to follow his work and clear this part of the kingdom (that was only resting) of the rebels that had fled to Berwick, and kept a bustling here. Besides, he was invited hereunto by the Earls of Roxburgh and Home, who, when he was within a dozen of miles of them, have rendered their houses and themselves to David Lesly, and are carried in as prisoners to Berwick. Traquair hath been with him, and promised more nor he hath yet performed. All these were great disheartenings to any other but to him, whom nothing of this kind can amaze. With the small

forces he has presently with him, he is resolved to pursue David Lesly, and not suffer him to grow stronger. If you would perform that which you lately promised, both this kingdom and the north of England might be soon reduced, and considerable assistance sent from hence to his majesty; however, nothing will be wanting on our parts here; these that are together are both loyal and resolute; only a little encouragement from you (as much to let it be seen that they are not neglected, as for any thing else) would crown the work speedily. This is all I have for the present, but that I am your Lordship's most faithful friend, Ro. SPOTISWOOD.

No. VII.

The Last Speech of Sir Robert Spotiswood, intended to have been spoken by him at his Execu tion.

You will expect to hear from me, somewhat of the cause for which I am brought hither at this time to suffer in this kind; which I am bound to do, for clearing the integrity of mine own proceedings, vindicating his majesty's just and pious intentions, and withal to undeceive you that are muzzled in ignorance, and made to believe, that you are tied in conscience, to set forward this unnatural rebellion, masked under the cover and pretext of propagating religion, aud maintaining of public liberty.

You have perceived by the fact which hath gone before, viz. tearing of my arms, &c. that I stand here adjudged to die by this pretended parliament, as a traitor to the states, and enemy to my native country. This is a treason unheard of before in this kingdom; against the states, a thing of a new creation, which, I believe, there be some would have erected in opposition to the just and lawful authority of the king, under which we and our predecessors have been so many hundreds of years governed.

To come to the particulars of my treasonable demeanour, as they esteem it, the main one is, that I did bring down a commission of lieutenancy from his majesty to the Lord Marquis of Montrose, with a proclamation for indicting a parliament by the king's authority, wherein the Lord Marquis was the commissioner. Not to excuse myself upon the necessity laid upon me to obey his majesty's command in a business of that nature, in regard of the charge I had about him; I cannot so far betray mine own conscience, as to keep up from you my judgment of the thing itself; seeing it may both tend to the justifying of the king's part, and your better information, for lack whereof, I know many are entangled in

this rebellion unwittingly; and who knoweth but God, in his merciful providence, hath brought us hither, to be the instruments of freeing you from the manifold delusions that are made use of to ensnare you.

I say, then, it was just and necessary to his majesty to grant such commissions, and, by consequence, an act of duty in me to perform what he was pleased to command me.

It is known well enough what contentment his majesty gave to the kingdom at his last being here, both in the affairs of church and policy; notwithstanding whereof, the world seeth what meeting he hath got from us. When this rebellion first burst out in England, all that he desired of us was only to stand neutral, and not to meddle between him and his subjects there. Of which moderate desire of his little reckoning was made. But, on the contrary, at the request of these rebels, by the power of their faction amongst us, an army was raised and sent into England, to assist them against their own native king.

His majesty being reduced to this extremity, what expedient could he find so fair and easy, as to make use of the help of such of his loyal subjects as he knew had such unparalleled disloyalty in horror and detestation? Amongst whom, that matchless mirror of all true worth and nobility, the Lord Marquis of Montrose, having offered himself, it pleased his majesty to give him a subaltern commission first; which he having executed with such unheard of success, that his memory shall be had in honour for it, in all ages, his majesty, for the better furthering of his own service, and to countenance and encourage him the more in it, gave an absolute one, and independent, thereafter; which is that I delivered into his hands, by his majesty's command. Here withal, his majesty, pitying the miseries of this poor kingdom, occasioned by the rebellious stubbornness of a few factious spirits, thought fit to give a power to the said Lord Marquis to call a parliament in his own name, to try if by that means a remedy might be found against the present evils.

And in all this, I see not what can be justly charged

upon his majesty, or upon me his servant, who have done nothing against any authorized law of the kingdom, but have served him faithfully, unto whom by trust and natural allegiance I owe so much.

Whereas I am declared an enemy to my native country, God be so propitious to me, as my thoughts towards it have been always public, and tending to the good and honour thereof. 1 profess, since I had the honour of that noble marquis's acquaintance, I have been a favourer of his designs, knowing them to be both loyal and honourable. Besides, that I know his affection to his country to be eminent, in this especially, that he did ever shew himself passionate to vindicate the honour of this kingdom, which suffered every where, by the strange combination of this with the rebels of another country and kingdom against their own prince; wherein I concurred in judgment with him, and thought there was no other way to do it, but by setting up a party of true and loyal hearted Scotsmen for his majesty; whereby it might be seen, that it is not a national defection, but only stirred up by a faction there, which, for their own ends, have dishonoured their native kingdom, and disturbed the peace thereof; in enterprising and pursuing of which heroical design, God hath so favoured that noble lord, that he hath righted our country in the opinion of all the world, and discovered where the rottenness lieth.

Thus far I am contented to be counted a traitor in their opinion that have condemned me, being fully assured, that God, the righteous judge of all, who knoweth the uprightness and integrity of my intentions, will impute no fault to me on this kind; since, to my knowledge, I have carried myself according to the direction of his word, and the practice of all good Christians, be fore these miserable times we are fallen into. My exhortation, therefore, (which, coming from me at the point I am at, will, I hope, have some weight,) shail be this unto you, that you will break off your sins by repentance; and, above all, free yourselves of that master sin of rebellion that reigneth in this land, whereunto most part are either forced or drawn unawares; espe

cially at the instigation of those who should have directed them in the way of truth.

It cannot be but a great judgment upon a land, when God's singular mercies towards it are so little valued. He hath not given us a king in his wrath; but one who, for piety, bounty, and all virtues both Christian and moral, may be a patron to all princes. But how little thankful we are to God for so great a blessing, our respect towards him doth manifest. Yet, I fear, there is a greater judgment than this upon it, which occasions all the mischiefs that afflict this poor land, such as was sent upon Achab. God hath put a lying spirit in the mouths of the most part of your prophets, who, instead of the doctrine of salvation, labour to draw their hearts into the condemnation of Corah.

God Almighty look upon this miserable church and kingdom, and relieve you of that intolerable servitude you lie under; which, as I do heartily wish for on your behalf, so let me have the assistance of your prayers, that God would be pleased to pardon all my sins in Jesus Christ, and gather my soul with saints and martyrs that are gone to their rest before. So I bid the world and you farewel.

No. VIII.

Sir Robert Spotiswood's Letter to the Marquis of Montrose, wrote by him the day before his Execution.

MY NOBLE LORD,

You will be pleased to accept this last tribute of my service, this people having condemned me to die for my loyalty to his majesty, and the respect I am known to carry towards your excellence, which, I believe, hath been the greater cause of the two of my undoing. Always, I hope, by the assistance of God's grace, to do more good to the king's cause, and to the advancement of the service your excellence hath in hand, by my death, than perhaps otherwise I could have done, being living;

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