them, and that gives such a legal authority as must be wanting in the usurpation of a tyrant: so that either this title is right, and then there are no usurpers, or else it is a wrong one, and then there are none else but ufurpers, if you examine the original pretences of the princes of the world. Thirdly, (which, quitting the difpute in general, is a particular justification of his highness) the government of England was totally broken and dissolved, and extinguished by the confua fions of a civil war; so that his highness could not be accused of poffeffing himself violently of the antient building of the commonwealth, but to have prudently and peaceably built up a new one out of the ruins and ashes of the former : and he who, after a deplorable shipwreck, can with extraordinary industry gather together the dispersed and broken planks and pieces of it, and with no less wonderful art and felicity To rejoin them, as to make a new vessel more tight and beautiful than the old one, deserves, no doubt, to have the command of her (even as his highness had) by the desire of the seamen and passengers themselves. And do but consider lastly, (for I omit a multitude of weighty things that might be fpoken upon this noble argument) do but consider seriously and impartially with yourself, what admirable parts of wit and prudence, what indefatigable diligence and invincible courage must' of necessity have concurred in the perfon of that man, who on fo contemptible beginnings, and thro' so many thousand difficulties, was able not only to make himself the greatest and most absolute monarch of this nation, but to add to it the entire conquest of Ireland and Scotland (which the whole force of the world, joined with the Roman virtue, could never attain to) and to crown all this with illuftrious and heroical undertakings, and successes upon all our foreign enemies; do but, I say, consider this, and you will confess, that his prodigious merits were a better title to imperial dignity, than the blood of an hundred royal progenitors; and will rather lament that he lived not to overcome more nations, than envy him the conquest and dominion of these." *

I refer the reader to the author's works for his answer at large to the foregoing propositions, it being too long to be inserted here ; but must inform him beforehand, that if he is not prejudiced by notions of absolute indefeasible right, I am apt to think he will imagine Mr. Cowley might, upon the main, as well have let this enquiry alone ; and that he has stated the points of assumption and translation of empire a little too strongly on the protector's side, unless his own arguments had been better founded, and more conclusive.

To make Cromwell the sole author of all that con.! fufion, and dissolution of government, in which he manifestly bore only a part, and that in the capacity of a servant; but which he fingly restored again at a critical time to his own advantage; and yet to deny him every great endowment, moral and intellectual nay the

very honour of having once said a wise and witty thing; this is more of the same absurdity that was before exploded, and what might well enough make his antagonist “ fall a laughing, as the author himself expresses it, at the fimplicity of his discourse." + As to the rest, there may be much truth in what he advances upon moral and christian principles, and somewhat immoral and unchristian in a few of the Machiavellian maxims above recited : yet the admitting of all this does not derogate from Cromwell's abilities, nor lessen the merit of his making a good use of power, when he might, without controul, have abused it to the vilest purposes.

* Vol. II. p. 594, &c. + Page 617.

APPENDIX.

APPENDI X.

No. I.

A LETTER of the marquis of Montrofs to king

Charles I. delivered during the treaty of Uxbridge, and which was the occasion of breaking off the conferences.

T

May it please your majesty,

He last dispatch I fent your majefty was by my worthy friend, and your majeity's brave

servant, Sir William Rollock, from Kintore, near Aberdeen, dated the 14th of September last ; wherein I acquainted your majefty with the good luccess of your arms in this kingdom, and of the battles the justice of your caufe has won over your obdured rebel subjects. Since Sir William Rollock went, I have traversed all the north of Scotland, up to Argyle's country, who durit not stay my coming, or I Thould have given your majefty a good account of him e'er now. But at last I have met with him yesterday to his cost; of which your gracious majesty be pleased to receive the following particulars.

After I had laid walte the whole county of Argyle, and brought off provisions for my army of what could be found, I received information, that Argyle was got together with a considerable army made up chiefly of his own clan, and vallals, and tenants, with others of

M

the

back;

the rebels that joined him; and that he was at Inverlochy, where he expected the earl of Seaforth, and the Sept (family) of the Fraziers, to come up to him with all the forces they could get together. · Upon this intelligence. I departed out of Argyleshire, and marched thro' Lorn, Glencow, and Aber, till I came to Lock. ness; my design being to fall upon Argyle, before Seaforth, and the Fraziers could join him. My march was thro' inaccessible mountains, where I could have no guides but cowherds, and they scarce acquainted with a place but fix miles from their own habitations. If I had been attacked but with one hundred men in some of these passes, I must have certainly returned

for it would have been impossible to force my way, most of the passes being so itrait, that three men could not marcha-breast. I was willing to let the world see, that Argyle was not the man his highland men believed him to be, and that it was not impossible to beat him in his own highlands. The difficultest march of all, was over the Lochaber mountains, which we at last surmounted, and came upon the back of the enemy when they least suspected us, having cut off fome scouts we met four miles from Inverlochy. Our van came within view of them about five o'clock in the afternoon, and we made a halt till our rear was got up, which could not be done till eight at night. The rebels took the alarm and stood to their arms, as well as we, all night, which was moon-light, and very clear. There were some few skirmishes between the rebels and us all the night, and with no loís on our fide, but one man. By break of day I ordered my men to be ready to fall on upon the first fignal ; and I understood since by the prisoners, the rebels did the same. A little after the sun was up both armies met, and the rebels fought for some time with great bravery ; the prime of the Campbels giving the first onset as men that deserved to fight in a better cause. Our men, having a nobler cause, did wonders, and came immediately to push of pike, and dint of sword, after their first firing. The rebels could not stand it,

"but, after some resistance at first, began to run, whom we pursued for nine miles together, making a great Naughter; which I would have hindered, if possible, that I might fave your majesty's rebel fubje£ts; for well I know your majesty does not delight in their blood, but in their returning to their duty. There were at least fifteen hundred killed in the battle, and the pursuit; among whom were a great many of the most confiderable gentlemen of the name of Campbell, and some of them nearly related to the earl. I have saved and taken prisoners several of them, that have acknowledged to me their fault, and lay all the blame on their chief. Some gentlemen of the low lands, that had behaved themselves bravely in the battle, when they saw all loft, fed into their old castle; and upon their surrender I have treated them honourably, and taken their parole, never to bear arms against your majesty: We have of your majesty's army about two hundred wounded, but I hope few of them dangerously. I can hear but of four killed, and one of them whom I cannot name to your majesty but with grief of mind, Sir Thomas Ogilvy, of whom I wrote to you in my last. He is not yet dead, but they say he cannot poslibly live, and we give him over for dead. Your majesty had never a truer servant, nor there never was a braver honefter gentleman. For the rest of the particulars of this action, I refer myself to the bearer, Mr. Hay, whom your majesty knows already, and therefore I need not recommend him.

Now, sacred Sir, let me humbly intreat your majesty's pardon, if I presume to write you my poor thoughts and opinion about what I heard by a letter I received from my friends in the south last week, as if your majesty was entering into a treaty with your rebel parliament in England. The success of your arms in Scotland does not more rejoice my heart, than that news from England is like to break it. And whatever comes of me, I will speak my mind freely to your majesty ; for it is not mine, but your majesty's interest I Teek. When I had the honour of waiting upon your

majesty

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