as the King employ'd him for the Prefervation of Epifcopacy, he ferv'd him faithfully; and tho' afterwards he preffed him much for his Confent to the Abolition of that Government in Scotland, it was not from any Prejudice himself had at it, but flowed only from the Affection he had to his Majefty, fince he faw it could not have been preferv'd at that time, without very vifible Hazard both to King and Country: And fo he took the National Covenant at the King's Command, Anno 1641, in the Parliament of Scotland.

He was all his Life a great Honourer of true Piery wherever he faw it, notwithstanding any Mistakes that might have been mingled with it; fo that whatsoever particular Ground of Refentments he had at any who (he judged) fear'd God, the Confideration of that did overcome and stifle it: But his firft Imprisonment in 1643, was the happieft time of his Life to him, for there he had a truer Profpect of Things fet before him, which wrought a Change on him, difcernable by thofe who knew him beft. This made him frequently acknowledge God's great Goodness to him in that Restraint: For then he learnt to defpife the foolifh Pleafures of Sin, and the debafing Vanities of a falfe World, which had formerly poffefs'd too great a Room in his Thoughts. It is true, he chofe to be religious in fecret, and therefore gave no other Vent to it in his Difcourfe than what he judged himself obliged to, which was chiefly to his Children, to whom he always recommended the Fear and Love of God, as that wherein himfelf had found his only Joy and Repofe. The fol lowing Words are a Part of one of his Letters to them, which he wrote a little before his last going to England.

"In all Croffes, even of the highest Nature, "there is no other Remedy but Patience, and ". with Alacrity to fubmit to the Good-will and "Pleasure of our Glorious Creator, and be con"tented therewith; which I advise you to learn "in your tender Age, having enjoyed that Bleffing my felf, and found great Comfort in it "while involved in the Middle of infinite Dan66 gers.

He was a conftant Reader of the Scriptures, and during his Imprisonment they were his only Companions, other Books being for a great while denied him; and he making a Virtue of that Neceffity, became a diligent and ferious Reader of thofe Holy Oracles, and ftudied to take the Measures of his Actions from them, and not from the foolish Dreams and Conjectures of Aftrology's tho' the enquiring after, and taking notice of thefe, be among the injurious Imputations Obloquy faftened upon him. But. fo far was he from any Regard to them, that an Aftrologer coming to him in Germany with a Paper, wherein he said he fhould read a noble Fortune; he, after he had fent him away, threw it into the Fire, without once opening it: And indeed he was fo far from flattering himself with the Hopes of great Succefs in any of his Undertakings, that he rather apprehended himself under fome inaufpicious Star, that crofled all his Attempts, which made him in his latter Years long for fome fecret Retirement out of the Noife of Bufinefs. And in his laft Expedition into England, he was fo far from promifing himfelf great Matters, that the Night before he marched, when he was taking leave of one of his Friends, he faid, he not only knew that fuch Attempts were doubtful, but apprehended that what he was then engaging in, might prove not only dangerous, but deftructive to himself; neverthe

lefs

Jefs he was refolved either to go thro' it fuccefs fully, or to perish in the Attempt, and never furvive it; adding, that the laft was what he look'd for, and therefore he took his Leave as never to meet again. e si

But notwithstanding all the Misfortunes that either lay upon him, or did hang over him, he preferved the greatest Calmness in his Mind that could be imagin'd: Which appear'd in an unclouded Serenity that dwelt always in his Looks, and difcover'd him ever well pleas'd. And tho' the Greatness of his Mind, and the Sweetnefs of his natural Temper might have contributed much to that Tranquillity; yet certainly, it took its Rife from another Source, and flowed chiefly from his Confidence in God, and the Security he had in the Innocency of his own Heart, C

His Accomplishments were great, tho' cultiva ted only by his own Thoughts, and improved by Experience; for he was no great Scholar, neither was he bred abroad: His Judgment was profound, his Forefight great, his Style was smooth and without Affectation, for he spoke with a Native Eloquence. One Advantage he had beyond all he engaged with in debating, that he was never fretted nor exafperated, and fpake at the fame Rate without Clamouring or Eagerness. had feen fo much of the Bafenefs of many Men, that it inclin'd him in the End to Jealoufy, which made him referved to most People; and of this I fund divers complaining in their Letters.

He

For his Affection and Duty to his Prince, it hath appeared fo much in his Hiftory, that little remains to be faid in his Character. It is true, fome -were pleafed to say, that he treated with foreign Princes, for feconding him in his own Pretenfions to the Crown of Scotland: But this Forgery was fo ill-grounded, that he had fignal Proofs to the con

4.

contrary. When he firft engaged in the German Defign, one wrote to him from the Spanish Court in the Name of the Minifters of that Monarch making him great Promifes if he would defift from it: But his Anfwer was, that Duty, Grati tude, and Inclination concurred to tie him infeparably to his Master's Interefts, and that no Con fideration either of Hope or Fear, was able to hake him from his Fidelity to them. Neither did any thing obftruct his being more employ'd and trufted in Germany, than his conftant adhering to the King's Pleasure and Intereft; for had he gl ven himself up to the Will of the Swedish King, he would have been quickly put in another Capa city, and might have had about him one of the beft Armies in Germany; fince all the Scotish Officers, who at that time were many and confiderable, inclin'd to have form'd an Army apart, and ferved under him, had the King of Sweden given way to it..

M

When he was claiming his Eftate and Rights of Chaftleherault in France, Cardinal Richelieu appointed Sir James Hamilton, whom he had fent over to negotiate that Affair, to tell him, that he fhould be not only fettled in that, but have more like wife, if he would enter into a clofe Correfpondence with him, and be a faithful Servant to the French Crown. His Anfwer was, that he ow'd indeed the greatest Duty and Dependance to the King of France, of any Prince next his own King; and therefore would faithfully ferve all his Interefts after the King's. But nothing was to be expected from him that might, upon any Confideration, prejudice his Mafter's Service, neither would he engage in any Correfpondence without his Knowledge and Allowance; adding, that he was confident his Eminence was too faithful a Minifter to that Monarch whom he ferved, to

like him the worfe for his Honesty to his own Mafter. Thefe Inftances will evince how far he was from pretending to any Interefts in his Correfpondence with Foreign Princes, different from the King's, whom he ferved with as much Affection as Duty. And indeed the Love he bore his Perfon, was no less than the Duty he paid to his Authority, for he did not deny but the former made him digeft fome things, which perhaps otherwife he had not borne fo well. This kept him far from vilifying his Majefty's Perfon, or fpeaking unhandfomely of him, as fome accus'd him. It may be fuppos'd, that had he been guilty of that, it would have appear'd more to his Friends than Strangers, fince Prudence would have taught a referve to them, tho' Duty had not enjoin'd it: But those who converfed most with him, faw fo much of his Affection and Efteem for that Prince, that many of them have told the Writer [Dr. Burnet] he was the furtheft from it that could be, fince he ftudied by all Means to infufe that Value in others, for him, which poffefs'd his own Mind. It is true, his Calmnefs made many, who knew not how natural that Temper was to him, fufpect he was not in earnest, because he did not blufter out in Heats of Paffion, upon every Occafion; for as he was not eafily inflam'd, fo he could not well perfonate a Paffion when he was free of it. All his Advices to the King were for fettling Matters without hazarding on a bloody Decifion, knowing well, that no Quarrels are fo mortal, as thofe that follow upon the closest Ties; therefore he was far from acting that infamous Office of Incendiary, which fome faftned on him. And it was his fuggefting and preffing gentler Methods, which engaged fome fiery Spirits into fuch Oppofition to him; and from hence it was, that when he was put to a Review of thofe Advices