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. I 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. Al ways, 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;

Бе

for all the rubs and discouragements I perceive your excellence hath had of late, I trust you will not be disheartened to go on, and crown that work you did so gloriously begin, and had achieved so happily, if you had not been deserted in the nick. In the end God will surely set up again his own anointed, and, as I have been confident from the beginning, make your excellence a prime instrument of it. One thing I must humbly recommend to your excellence, that, as you have done always hithertill, so you will continue, by fair and gentle carriage, to gain the people's affection to their prince, rather than to imitate the barbarous inhumanity of your adversaries, although they give your excellence too great provocations to follow their example.

Now, for my last request, in hope that the poor service I could do hath been acceptable to your excellence, let me be bold to recommend the care of my orphans to you, that when God shall be pleased to settle his majesty in peace, your excellence will be a remembrancer to him in their behalf; as also in behalf of my brother's house, that hath been, and is mightily oppressed for the same respect. Thus being forced to part with your excellence, as I lived, so I die, your Excellency's most humble and faithful servant,

Three Letters from the King, when he was with the Scots Army at Newcastle, to the Marquis of Montrose, containing his Orders to the Marquis for disbanding his Forces, and going to France.

MONTROSE,

I AM in such a condition as is much fitter for relation than writing, wherefore I refer you to this trusty bearer