HISTORY OF CHAPTER XVIII SCOTLAND'S THREE RULERS-CHURCH, CHARLES, AND CROMWELL subscribes 1650. CHARLES arrived at Speymouth on the 23rd June 1650. Before he King Charles was permitted to place a foot on Scottish soil he was required to swear Covenant, and subscribe both Covenants. He wished to subscribe with reserva- 23rd June tions, and struggled hard to be freed from the clause which bound him to give legal sanction to the Presbyterian system in both England and Ireland whenever he ascended the southern throne. His opposi tion gave rise to angry discussions on Sabbath morning before sermon. The Commissioners were inexorable. At length Charles appeared to surrender, and accepted the bitter terms. He vowed to be a Kirk-man. This compliance grieved John Livingstone, the preacher and exhorter that day, and he craved delay because he realised the King's hypocrisy in accepting the Covenants 'without any evidence of any reall change in his heart, and without forsaking former principles, counsells, and company.'1 Livingstone was overruled and Charles was permitted to perjure himself, thus bringing guilt, according to Livingstone, on 'the Church and realm.' 'Our sin was more than his,' confessed Jaffray. In Parliament, then sitting in Edinburgh, two of the Commissioners, 'Brodie and Libertone, made a full relation of all ther negotiation with his Maiestie; they producit the couenant, withe the Churche explanation, subscriued with the Kinge's hand, as also the Concessions subscriued by his Maiestie.' 3 3 1 'Livingstone's Account,' Select Biog., i. 183; Rec. Com. Gen. Assem., ii. 437. 2 Diary, 55. 1st July 1650: Balfour, Annals, iv. 67. For Breda propositions, cf. deed in Clar. State Pap. (June-September 1650), 55, 56, 57 (Bodleian Library). King Charles II. subscribed the Rejoicings on the arrival of Charles II. Progress of Official deputations of clergy and Parliament-men soon arrived to welcome Charles. The people, ignorant of the deceit practised upon them, were excited with joy at the news of the coming of their Prince. Edinburgh, in particular, was riotous with enthusiasm expressed by crackling bonfires, clanging bells, blaring trumpets, yelling dancers, and jovial kail-wives. Contrary to the orders of Parliament, Charles had brought with him a retinue of Malignants, who were compelled to hive off and seek safety abroad. Only a select coterie, including Buckingham, Wentworth, Wilmot, Sir Edward Walker, Chiffinch, was allowed to remain. The following Scots were forbidden to accompany Charles until they had given satisfaction to Church and State: Hamilton, Lauderdale, Seaforth, Callendar, Forth, Dumfries, St. Clair, Napier, Sir Robert Dalziel, Thomas Dalyell of Binns, Lockhart, Charteris of Amisfield, Monro, and Cochrane. This rigour was long remembered and repaid with usury by these political convicts when the tables were turned in 1660. Charles had entered into a tutelage which he little anticipated. His progress to Falkland Palace, of evil memory, by way of Aberdeen, Dunnottar, Kinnaird, St. Andrews, was officially appointed. In Aberdeen he passed under the uplifted arm of Montrose, but there is no record that the heartless opportunist felt any qualms at the gruesome sight. He reached Falkland on 5th July. One of his first acts was personally to instruct the Lyon-King as to a design for new colours for the Life Guards. The motto selected was significant: 'Covenant, Oath and Covenants more than once. First, on 26th March (O.S. 5th April) 1650 at Breda, he subscribed the original terms of the Oath. On 23rd June he subscribed both Covenants and the terms of the Declaration changed to include the words, 'Acts of Parliament, Bills or Ordinances, past or to be past.' The deed was signed 'aboard the Skidam of Amsterdam lying at anchor at the mouth of Spay, Sabboth, 23 Junii 1650,' according to John Livingstone (Rec. Com. Gen. Assem., ii. 368, 370, 382, 392, 403, 438). The Covenants, with the Declaration, as signed by Charles-the deed which is preserved in the Bodleian Library (Clarendon MSS., 40 f. 80)-shows the Oath amended on the margin and signeted by Charles (cf. photographic facsimile in this volume facing page 2), so that I conclude that it was signed after 20th May 1650, and in all likelihood on the 23rd June. It is endorsed by Archibald Johnston, Clerk-Register, and Andrew Ker, Clerk of the Assembly. It was read in Parliament on 1st July 1650 (Act. Parl. Scot., VI. ii. 596), and Johnston was ordered to preserve it. Eleven days later it was also produced in the General Assembly. Cf. Appendix iv. vol. i. 1 Nicoll, 16, 17. Page of the Kirk-Session Record of Kirkinner, Wigtown (1711), giving an Account of the Martyrdom of Margaret Lauchlison-one of the Wigtown Martyrs For Religion, King and Kingdomes.' Charles was fast developing into a polished dissimulator. invades Scot Cromwell had already been recalled from Ireland, where he had Cromwell constituted himself the well-paid minister of God's justice to avenge land, 22nd the massacres of the saints in 1641, and had completely subjugated July. that miserable isle.1 The English Parliament, rightly interpreting all these sinister movements in the north to be a menace, determined to strike the first blow and to invade Scotland.2 General Fairfax had conscientious scruples regarding this unconstitutional procedure, and declined the duty of leading the army. Cromwell, having consulted the Psalms, found the necessary authority to take command in the hope that the Lord would enable this poor worm and weak servant to do His will.' 3 Cromwell crossed the Tweed on 22nd July with a force of 10,500 foot and 5500 horse. A naval squadron supported him along the coast. In ordinary circumstances this was no formidable host for Scotland to oppose with the 20,000 regulars and levies who assembled on the Links of Leith under David Leslie, Cromwell's comrade at, and the hero of, Marston Moor. Cromwell's merciless massacres in Ireland had conferred on him a notoriety as fearful as the plague. It was Leslie's safest plan to avoid the terrible Ironsides. The Scots soon transformed into wastes those districts through which the invaders might pass, thus making local victualling impossible. None capable of bearing a weapon stayed to provoke a fight. The Covenanting Leslie's host, however, wanted the strength and unity of former national armies. Before the campaign began, the purgation of the public services was carried out, on the demand of the Assembly's Commission, and afterwards of the Assembly, by the removal from the army of all men of a scandalous conversatione, and of a questionable integrity and affectione in the cause of God.' This mistaken policy weakened the army of 1 His salary was £45,000: Cal. State Pap. (Charles II.), i. 45. 2 On 31st July 1650 the English Council ordered the demolition of the statues of James and Charles, and the publication of this inscription: 'Exit Tyrannus Regum ultimus anno primo restitutae libertatis Angliae, 1648': ibid., ii. 261. 3 Whitelocke, Memoirs, i. 450-71. * Peterkin, 620. It is said 5000 men were cast out: Cal. State Pap., ii. 324. Covenanted host. |