BOOK 1660. New miniftry. were expected from the fincere, and univerfal joy which the restoration diffufed. The affectionate loyalty which the people expreffed, was confirmed by the gracious and popular deportment of the king. The faireft hopes were entertained of the prosperity of the new reign; which nothing could have disappointed but the misconduct or rather the crimes of government; the predilection of Charles for a foreign intereft; his fecret attachment to the Romifh faith; and above all his perfeverance in the arbitrary measures which his father had pursued. It was from these and other causes, that the government of Scotland became hoftile and gradually odious to the people, till it degenerated at length into a fanguinary, and cruel defpotifm, for which there was no cure but the expulfion of the Stewarts. The government ftill remained in the hands of the English, while the nobility and principal gentry hurried to court, to prefer their allegiance or advice for the fettlement of the kingdom. The royalists were preceded and led by Glencairn and Middleton; but their diligence was outstript by the earl of Lauderdale, who had accompanied the English commiffioners to the Hague, on his release from the tower. In return for his fervices and fufferings during ten years imprisonment, he obtained the office of fecretary, the more defirable as it required his attendance at court, and of the numerous minifters who rofe and funk during the courfe of the reign, his afcendancy fubfifted the longest over the mind of the king. The earl of Crawford, who had fuffered the fame imprisonment, was re ftored VII. 1660. the garri fons. ftored to the treasury; Rothes was appointed pre- в O O K fident of council, Glencairn chancellor, Middleton commiffioner to the approaching parliament. The authority of the committee of estates was revived, in order to fuperfede the administration of the English judges, and by the advice of Clarendon, a counfel for Scottish affairs was established at Whitehall '. Two important confiderations occurred, in the Removal of fettlement of Scotland, whether to preserve the garrifons introduced by Cromwell, and what form of ecclefiaftical government to prescribe for the church. Clarendon and Monk were averse to the removal of the English garrifons, whofe prefence they confidered as ftill neceffary to restrain a mutinous nation, prone to rebellion, by military force. Lauderdale represented, with that confummate art which denotes his character, that it was not lefs ungenerous than unpolitic to prolong the fervitude which the nation, after the loss of two armies, had incurred from its loyal attachment to the crown; that the measure would be productive of national difguft, and in the event of an infurrection in England, the garrifons left by Monk as the moft difaffected part of a fanatical army, would be joined by the Scots; that the time might come, when, instead of English garrifons in Scotland, his majefty would require Scottish garrifons in England, to reprefs the turbulence of a wealthy people; and that the nation, relieved from a badge Burnet, i. 147. Baillie, ii. 442. Clarendon's Life, ii. 97. VII 1.660.. BOOK of ignominious fubjection, might be rendered the more inftrumental and fubfervient to his defigns. As Glencairn and Middleton were afraid, though defirous, to oppose their removal, or to incur the reproach of an unpopular advice, the citadels and forts were demolished, and when fupplies were procured for their difcharge, the difaffected troops were disbanded or withdrawn 2. Settlement of the church In the fettlement of an ecclefiaftical government, Charles was peculiarly embarraffed by the treaty at Breda. When invited to Scotland on his father's death, he had sworn and subscribed the covenant, and confirmed the prefbyterian church as the conditions of his acceffion, and although the nation was unable to preserve him on the throne, the oaths renewed at his coronation remained unrepealed. If it was difficult to obferve, it was dishonourable to violate the conditions formerly accepted, when there was no choice unless to relinquish the crown; but if the word of a prince is to be reputed facred, no violence, nor ftate neceffity could afford a pretext to dispense with his oaths. However disgusted with the prefbyterians during his refidence in Scotland, the king himself was indifferent to religion; but Clarendon, whofe mind was contracted and foured by religious bigotry, was irreconcilable to the very existence of their church. That upright and able, but not enlightened statesman, had already prepared the most intolerant measures for the revival of the hierarchy, which he urged the 1660. king to restore in Scotland, by a violation of thofe BOOK folemn, engagements which his own confcience. would never have infringed. The earls of Glencairn and Middleton concurred in the fame. defign; and, at a time when the majority of the nation were rigid prefbyterians, did not hesitate to affert, that the people were difgufted with the infolence of the ecclefiaftical courts, and defirous of a change. They returned with inftructions to examine, and prepare the nation for the introduction of prelates; while Sharp, to appeafe the fufpicions, Deferred, of the public refolutioners, whom he had fecretly deferted on the offer of the primacy, procured a letter from Charles that confirmed their affemblies, and promised to preferve the government of the church inviolate, as established by law. As the prefbyterian was then the established religion, the refolutioners were eafily, deceived by a mean equivocation unworthy of a king; or were gratified perhaps by the perfecution of the remonstrants, whom the committee of eftates had imprifoned or dispersed 3, 1661 Parliament. The parliament was opened by Middleton, with Jan. 1 a fplendor to which the nation had been long unaccuftomed. The elections had been fecured by tur the chancellor's management, Obnoxious candidates were imprisoned or fummoned to appear as delinquents; and the nobility vied with the com 3 Woodrow's Hiftory of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, vol. i. p. 7. 13. Crawford's Hiftory, MS. vol. ii. 1. 5. 420. Clarendon's Life, ii. 101. BOOK 1661. Lofs of the public records. mons in their devotion to the crown. The original: covenanters were moftly extinguished. A new generation had arifen under the English government, inured to fervitude, educated in penury, or impoverished by forfeitures; and as an indemnity was ftill ungeneroufly withheld from Scotland, they were either expofed to punishment from their. paft compliances, or infatiate and eager to procure confifcations and fines. A new fpirit appeared in the nation, whose fervid genius is ever in extremes; if fubmiffive, prone to adulation and the utmoft fervility; when attached to civil or religious liberty, fierce, ardent, and enthufiaftic in the purfuit. Not a few were eftranged from the fevere morals which the covenant prefcribed; but the intemperance and exceffes of the royalifts were offenfive to the people, whofe difguft was increased by an unforeseen disaster which the nation incurred. The crown and fceptre had been secreted, during the ufurpation, in the North; but the public records, which Monk had removed to London, were detained by Clarendon till the fummer had elapfed, to discover the original covenant and declarations which the king had fubfcribed. They were fhipped for Scotland after a fruitless search; but the veffel was wrecked in the winter feafon, and the records of the kingdom were irrecoverably loft. A difafter which it is impoffible to estimate is naturally exaggerated, and we deplore the lofs of those historical Baillie, ii. 449. Woodrow, i. 21. the late Revolution in the Church, MS. Kirkton's Hiftory of Advocates' Library. memorials |