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<DATE>2011-02-28</DATE>
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<NAME>Megan Marion</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<STC T="W">N396</STC>
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<VID>161773</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>The manifold PRACTISES And Attempts of the Hamiltons, And particularly of the pre&s;ent Duke of Hamilton Now Generall of the <HI>Scotti&s;h</HI> Army To get the Crown of SCOTLAND.</P>
<P>Di&s;covered in an intercepted LETTER WRITTEN From a Malignant here in <HI>London</HI> to his friend in SCOTLAND.</P>
<P>The Letter is directed thus on the back, <HI>For the much Honoured,</HI> 21. 53. 7. 10. 19. 72. 67. 40.</P>
<P>Printed at LONDON, in the year 1648.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>The Practi&s;es and Attempts of the <HI>Hamiltons,</HI> particularly of Duke <HI>Hamilton</HI> now Generall of the Scot|ti&s;h Army.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THe newes of &s;uppre&s;&s;ing tho&s;e Covenan|ters, which were the fir&s;t movers, and chief Authors of all our troubles the&s;e ten yeers pa&s;t, the taking of <HI>Barwick</HI> and <HI>Carli&s;le,</HI> the forward proceedings of your Parliament, and the readine&s;&s;e of an <HI>Army</HI> to advance into <HI>England</HI> for the Kings &s;ervice, give great encouragement to all our friends here; But the report of Duke <HI>Hamiltons</HI> being made Generall, is like water to our wine, and afflicts us with fears. It is a wonder how the Kings friends have been induced to con&s;ent unto it, or what nece&s;&s;ity could drive them to make u&s;e of &s;o de&s;|perate a remedy, which for my own part I fear, wil prove a means to increa&s;e the di&s;ea&s;e, and (if God prevent not) fatall to the King and his po&s;terity. For now the <HI>Hamil|tons</HI> have not only the pen and the pur&s;e of <HI>Scotland,</HI> (the Dukes brother <HI>Lanerick</HI> being Secretary, and his brother in law, Trea&s;urer) both which have great influence up|on the Subject; But they have the &s;word &s;etled in their hands by authority, and &s;o whom favour will not draw
<PB N="4" REF="3">
power will force to go along with their de&s;ignes, for ob|taining the Crown and Government of that Kingdome, which they have aimed at for one hundreth and twenty years and upward, as may be clearly in&s;tanced in many particulars, &s;ufficiently known to all &s;uch as are acquaint|ed with the State of affairs of <HI>Scotland</HI> in latter times. I &s;hall briefly put you in minde of &s;ome, and leave the re&s;t to your own ob&s;ervation.</P>
<P>After the death of King <HI>Iames</HI> the fourth, <HI>Iohn</HI> Duke of <HI>Albany</HI> being cho&s;en to governe the King in his mino|rity. The Hamiltons made a con&s;piracy to thru&s;t the Duke out of authority, and to take the cu&s;tody of the King, and Governement of the Kingdome into their own hands, the better to accompli&s;h their ends: In pur|&s;uance whereof they took the Ca&s;tle of <HI>Gla&s;gow,</HI> and made an A&s;&s;embly of their faction. But the Duke of <HI>Al|banies</HI> &s;peedy comming with an Army, &s;urpri&s;ed them, di&s;&s;olved that A&s;&s;embly, and made the Earle of <HI>Arran,</HI> chiefe of that de&s;igne, to flee away. But here they re&s;ted not.</P>
<P>For Sir <HI>Iames Hamilton,</HI> ba&s;tard &s;onne to the Earle of <HI>Arran,</HI> con&s;pired the death of the King in his owne hou&s;e at <HI>Holy-rude Hou&s;e;</HI> For which and other crimes after mentioned, divers years after, when the Plot was revealed, he was executed.</P>
<P>When this failed, they u&s;ed their endeavours that the King &s;hould not marry, that &s;o he wanting i&s;&s;ue, <HI>Hamilton</HI> might &s;ucceed to the Crown. They hindred the Kings meeting with his Vncle the King of <HI>England,</HI> who was willing to have married his only daughter to him, and made him King of <HI>England</HI> as well as <HI>Scotland</HI> after his death.</P>
<P>The King going by &s;ea to <HI>France,</HI> Sir <HI>Iames Hamilton</HI>
<PB N="5" REF="3">
went with him to hinder his marriage; and the King being a&s;leep in the &s;hip, Sir <HI>Iames</HI> without any nece&s;&s;i|ty from wind or weather, cau&s;ed the mariners to turne &s;aile from the We&s;t Coa&s;t of <HI>England,</HI> and to land in <HI>Galloway;</HI> which gave the King &s;uch cau&s;e of di&s;content, again&s;t Sir <HI>Iames,</HI> as he began to under&s;tand his unfaith|full dealing, and at la&s;t he was executed for Trea&s;on.</P>
<P>The&s;e practices di&s;covered, made the King more ha|&s;ty to marry, that his &s;ucce&s;&s;ion might put the Hamil|tons out of hope, and him&s;elfe out of danger of their fur|ther plots.</P>
<P>The King dying, and leaving i&s;&s;ue, only one daugh|ter of &s;ix dayes old, The <HI>Hamiltons</HI> thought all their own; For they got the Earle of <HI>Arran</HI> to be named Governour by a private faction: But the E&s;tates &s;oone weary of his Government, di&s;charged him of his of|fice; wherefore his de&s;igne, to marry his &s;onne upon the Queen (whom he keeped rather like a pri&s;oner, then a Prince&s;&s;e) was di&s;appointed, though in the opinion of divers, it was once farre advanced; the Duke of <HI>Lenox</HI> and Earle of <HI>Angus,</HI> his principall oppo&s;er, one of them being by him bani&s;hed, and the other impri&s;oned.</P>
<P>After the Queen and her mother were re&s;cued out of his hands, in hopes to gaine their favour, and &s;o his ends he abjured his religion in Sterling, but without &s;ucce&s;&s;e. When neither he could get the Queen out of the way, nor married as he de&s;ired, he con&s;ented to expo&s;e her to the &s;tormes of the &s;ea, and danger of enemies, and &s;old her to France, for which he was made Duke of <HI>Cha&s;tle|rault.</HI></P>
<P>Having in manner thus &s;old their pretence to the Ti|tle of the Crown, yet the Hamiltons were not quiet, but u&s;ed many meanes, during the Queens being in
<PB N="6" REF="4">
<HI>France,</HI> and after her return to get the Crown. In or|der whereunto they con&s;pired with the Earle of <HI>Bothu|el,</HI> to kill the Earle of <HI>Murray,</HI> and when the Queen married to the hou&s;e of <HI>Lennox,</HI> which to this day, they e&s;teemed alwayes as their great enemy, they con&s;pired with the Earle of <HI>Bothuel</HI> to murther the King, wherein particularly Bi&s;hop <HI>Hamilton</HI> Duke <HI>Hamilton</HI> of <HI>Chastle|rault</HI> brother was very in&s;trumentall. When the King was thus removed, and &s;o the Crown brought a degree nearer to the hou&s;e of <HI>Hamilton,</HI> it &s;eemed to them ve|ry probable (as it was indeed) that <HI>Bothuel</HI> &s;hould de|&s;troy the young King, and not &s;uffer him to live to re|venge his fathers death, and prejudge the children of <HI>Bothuel</HI> with the Queen in the &s;ucce&s;&s;ion to the Crown, and if the King were de&s;troyed, they hoped that the Queen and <HI>Bothuel</HI> would be &s;o hatefull to the people, for the murther of her husband and her &s;onne, that they would have ea&s;ie acce&s;&s;e to the Crown, or other|wi&s;e then that they might kil <HI>Bothuel;</HI> in which ca&s;e they were in hope the Queen &s;hould marry, <HI>John Hamilton</HI> the Dukes &s;onne, whom &s;he entertained, often with merry looks and chearfull countenance. But the King being pre&s;erved and the Queen keeped in <HI>Loch-herm</HI> by command of the Parliament, the Hamiltons took ano|ther cour&s;e, which was to relieve the Queen, and em|ploy all their power, to &s;uppre&s;&s;e the King, and the no|bilitie that adhered to him</P>
<P>I might here make a large di&s;cour&s;e of their ba&s;e mur|thering the Regent the Earle of <HI>Murray,</HI> their joyning in con&s;piracy with the Duke of <HI>Norfolk,</HI> and others in <HI>England</HI> again&s;t Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> their pretending to have the Queen brought out of <HI>England,</HI> when they knew it was impo&s;&s;ible, without the Queen of <HI>Eng|lands</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="4">
favour which they never &s;ought but rejected, to the end they might in the meane time have the better opportunity, to follow out their de&s;ignes again&s;t the King, and hinder him from being &s;etled in the Go|vernment (as now they pretend the re&s;cuing of the King out of the I&s;le of <HI>Wight,</HI> and yet by their actions I am afraid &s;hall render it impo&s;&s;ible,) But I leave the&s;e and other remarkeable pa&s;&s;ages, that I may come near|er our own times to &s;peak of the de&s;ignes of this <HI>Mar|que&s;&s;e,</HI> whom cunning policie and jugling carriage (&s;e|conded with the Craft and Courage of his brother <HI>La|nerick</HI>) &s;eemes to have fitted for &s;uch an enterpri&s;e, and who began very early to in&s;i&s;t in the &s;teps of his pre|dece&s;&s;ors, encouraged perhaps with that old Scotch Prophe&s;ie.</P>
<Q><LG>
<L>When <HI>Kaidyow</HI> &s;hall be King.</L>
<L>Meikle woe&s;hall be bring.</L>
</LG></Q>
<P>His fir&s;t Plot to get power into his hands was under pretext of that levie for <HI>Germanie</HI> about &s;eventeene or eighteene yeeres agoe; whereof that you may have a true narration, <HI>I</HI> &s;hall give you the chief heads of the depo&s;itions of the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> Lord <HI>Ochilcree</HI> and others, as their examinations were taken by the Lord <HI>Coventry</HI> then keeper of this kingdome; trea&s;urer <HI>VVe&s;ton,</HI> the Earles of <HI>Morton</HI> and <HI>Carli&s;le,</HI> by the Kings directi|on.</P>
<P>In <HI>anno</HI> 1630 three or foure con&s;iderable per&s;ons of the name of <HI>Hamilton</HI> of neere relation to the Mar|que&s;&s;e of <HI>Hamilton,</HI> not having &s;erved the King of <HI>Sweden</HI> one yeere, ca&s;hiered them&s;elves from &s;ervice, without any known cau&s;e to &s;uch as were their fellow
<PB N="8" REF="5">
&s;ouldiers; the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> being in <HI>Stockholme</HI> at the &s;ame time, was informed by his Lievtenant Colonel, one <HI>Lind&s;ey,</HI> who lodged in the &s;ame hou&s;e with Sir <HI>James Hamilton</HI> that the rea&s;on was, their chiefe the Marque&s;&s;e of <HI>Hamilton</HI> intended to be a &s;ouldier, and they re&s;olved to take a &s;hare of his fortune what&s;oever it &s;hould be, and that they had a&s;&s;igned their e&s;tates to others before their engagement, that they had offered him the &s;aid <HI>Lind&s;ey</HI> a Regiment whereof he did ac|cept, and that they &s;hortly expected <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> from <HI>England,</HI> who accordingly not many dayes after came to <HI>Sweden.</HI></P>
<P>In company one night, as the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> Colonel <HI>Alexander Hamilton,</HI> Sir <HI>James Hamilton</HI> and <HI>David Ram&s;ey,</HI> were drinking, they did drinke the Marque&s;&s;e of <HI>Hamiltons</HI> health by the name of <HI>James by the grace of God King of Scotland,</HI> and in di&s;cour&s;e <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> complained to him of the great abu&s;es in the Court, and that Popery and Arminiani&s;me exceedingly pre|vailed to which the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> replying, that there was no remedy but patience, nay &s;ayes <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> (with a great oath) to u&s;e your own words my Lord, <HI>VVe mu&s;t help God to amend it.</HI> Further &s;aid, that the <HI>Mar|que&s;&s;e</HI> was a good Prote&s;tant, and before it were long, he would let the world &s;ee his de&s;igne was for the de|fence of his Religion, the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> an&s;wered that it would be &s;mall advantage to us to procure a free pa&s;|&s;age of the Go&s;pel in <HI>Germany,</HI> if we lo&s;t it at home, to which <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> &s;aid, there were many hone&s;t men at home, and that the <HI>Marque&s;&s;e</HI> would make u&s;e of his Army to protect them, and that this was his onely aym. Whereupon the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> offered his &s;ervice in that quarrell: <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> &s;aid it was not needfull to im|part
<PB N="9" REF="5">
any more to him of the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, he mu&s;t keepe his ma&s;ters &s;ecret; but if there was any thing the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> de&s;ired to be done for him in <HI>England,</HI> he could do his Lord&s;hip &s;ervice; Colonell <HI>Hamilton</HI> and Sir <HI>James</HI> being to go for <HI>England,</HI> the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> de&s;ired to have the rever&s;ion of <HI>Orkney,</HI> &s;aying it were for the advantage of the Marque&s;&s;e his ends to have a friend in that place; and on the morrow Colonel <HI>Alexander Hamilton</HI> and <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> having given him great a&s;&s;urance of true friend&s;hip from their ma&s;ter the Mar|que&s;&s;e, if he would continue con&s;tant in re&s;olution, they de&s;ired him to write a generall Letter to the Mar|que&s;&s;e with the two Colonels; which he did, and &s;o they parted.</P>
<P>In the Moneth of <HI>July,</HI> Ma&s;ter <HI>Robert Meldrum</HI> be|ing come from the Marque&s;&s;e in pur&s;uance of that &s;ame de&s;igne, the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> met with him in <HI>Pomerland,</HI> and a&s;ked newes from <HI>England,</HI> to which Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> an&s;wered that matters became wor&s;e and wor&s;e, and the King did give greater way to Papi&s;ts and Armi|nians then before; then he a&s;ked the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> where his Co&s;en <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> was, and what he had done; and the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> told him that he was gone for <HI>Hol|land,</HI> and all things were done according to his mind, and particularly that he had taken care for Armes and Ammunition to be &s;ent to the Marque&s;&s;e from <HI>Sweden;</HI> at which newes Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> did throw his cap to the ground and jumped up, calling aloud, <HI>good newes, good newes, I am a happy man, I am happy and made up for ever, I thanke God my five yeeres paines are not lo&s;t;</HI> my good Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> is this true? To which the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> replying that it was true, and that he had a du|plicat of the contract, and was engaged in the bu&s;ines
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to <HI>David Ram&s;ey,</HI> and the two Colonels and to the Marque&s;&s;e by Writ. Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> &s;aid, O my Lord, that was the worke of God, and not man, to in&s;pire your Lord&s;hip to joyne with us.</P>
<P>Further Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> told to <HI>Lind&s;ay</HI> my Lord <HI>Reays</HI> Lieutenant Colonel, that &s;ix thou&s;and trayned &s;ouldiers with their own Faction in the Countrey would be able to do the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>The day following at Colonel <HI>Le&s;lies</HI> Tent, Ma|&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> told the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> that King <HI>Charles</HI> was created for nothing but for de&s;olation and undoing of kingdomes, Religion and people, and there was no way left, but to take him and immure him within a wall or Dungeon for ever. The Lord <HI>Reay</HI> demanded how that could be got done; Ma&s;ter <HI>Mel|drum</HI> an&s;wered, that the way was ea&s;ie; for after the men were levyed in <HI>Scotland</HI> they might take one moneth to traine them at <HI>Leith</HI> without any &s;u&s;pition, then they might &s;ei&s;e on the Ca&s;tles of <HI>Edinburgh Sterling</HI> and <HI>Dumbartan</HI> and the Town of <HI>Barwick</HI> in one night, and having fortifyed <HI>Leith,</HI> then to enter <HI>England</HI> by open force.</P>
<P>Further, he told that the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> that he was wri|ting a Declaration concerning the Marque&s;&s;e his ju&s;t and cleere title to the Crown, and touching the tyran|nicall u&s;age and &s;ufferings of the Church under King <HI>James</HI> in his la&s;t dayes, and now wor&s;e, groaning un|der his Son.</P>
<P>Within a few dayes there came newes of the birth of the Prince, and the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> a&s;ked M. <HI>Meldrum</HI> whether this would coole the Marques his intentions, to which ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> &s;ighing, &s;aid, not, If the King and Queen of <HI>Bohemia</HI> would give their daughter to the Marque&s;&s;e,
<PB N="11" REF="6">
as they had promi&s;ed; making no que&s;tion or difficul|ty about the Marque&s;&s;e his divorcing from his pre&s;ent wife, which (as <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> had affirmed) was a ve|ry bea&s;t, and the King had forced him to marry her.</P>
<P>Al&s;o Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> being in company drinking with Lieutenant Colonel <HI>Lind&s;ay</HI> and on <HI>Henry Mu&s;|champ</HI> an <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Gentleman, he did di&s;cover &s;o much of that bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, as the morrow after the Lieutenant Co|lonel told the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> he thought Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> the wor&s;t Secretary in the world.</P>
<P>Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> in di&s;cour&s;e one day with the King of <HI>Swedens</HI> Secretary &s;aid, it were greatly for the ad|vantage of the King of <HI>Sweden</HI> who&s;e ambition was without limits, that the Marque&s;&s;e did rai&s;e warre in <HI>Britaine;</HI> for if the King of <HI>sweden</HI> had a de&s;igne on <HI>Den|marke,</HI> the King of <HI>Britain</HI> &s;hould not be able to help his Unckle; Whereunto the Secretary replyed, that they feared not the King of <HI>Britain;</HI> for he that would not help his owne Si&s;ter, would never helpe his Unckle.</P>
<P>The Lord <HI>Reay</HI> a&s;ked Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> what they in|tended to do with the Queene and Prince, he an&s;we|red, that they would &s;hut up the child with his father, and &s;end the Queen to her Mother, to be put into a Mona&s;tery.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Meldrum</HI> further acquainted the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> that the Marque&s;&s;e would take pledges of all in <HI>Scotland</HI> who would not joyne with him, or make them pri&s;oners, and that he the &s;aid Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> was to be Secreta|ry of State.</P>
<P>When the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> came to <HI>Holland</HI> in <HI>March</HI> 1631 he met with <HI>David Ram&s;ey,</HI> who delivered him a Let|ter from the Marque&s;&s;e, of complement and thanks, and
<PB N="12" REF="7">
told him that all went right with the Marque&s;&s;e, that he had gotten from the King ten thou&s;and pounds in <HI>En|gland,</HI> and the Wine cu&s;tomes in <HI>Scotland</HI> for divers yeeres, which he would &s;ell, and that all things pro|ceeded without ob&s;tacle, only the &s;tay was for Armes and Ammunition; afterwards he &s;aid he had ill newes to tell the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> which was, that the Marque&s;&s;e his wife was brought to bed of a child; but for the bu&s;ines of <HI>Orkney,</HI> that the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> might have it cheaper then to pay the duties of it, and that when the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> met with the Marque&s;&s;e, he would infu&s;e that into him which he the &s;aid <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> dur&s;t not.</P>
<P>He &s;aid further, that the King had made a Peace with <HI>Spaine</HI> very prejudiciall to <HI>Holland,</HI> and that the Trea|&s;urer <HI>Cottington</HI> and others had muffled the King to bar the <HI>Hollanders</HI> from the fi&s;hing, which might fall out happily for them.</P>
<P>When the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> came to <HI>England,</HI> the Lord <HI>Hamilton</HI> did give him many thanks, a&s;&s;uring him he would not want him, that he &s;hould have what con|ditions he de&s;ired, and that he had written to the king of <HI>Sweden</HI> with <HI>Elphing&s;tonn</HI> and <HI>Meldrum</HI> that he would detaine him, and if he would hazard with him the &s;aid Marque&s;&s;e in this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, that it &s;hould be a tye for ever upon him and his po&s;terity.</P>
<P>In the beginning of <HI>May</HI> 1631, the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> meet|ing with the Lord <HI>Ochiltry</HI> at the Beare of the Bridge|foot, he &s;aid to the Lord <HI>Ochiltry,</HI> your Lord&s;hip is bet|ter acquainted with the Lawes of the Land then I, who am a &s;ouldier and have lived abroad; I do therefore de|&s;ire to know, what danger it is if a man &s;hould heare a|broad any Plot again&s;t the king and &s;tate, and not re|veale it; The Lord <HI>Ochiltry</HI> an&s;wered that it was the
<PB N="13" REF="7">
lo&s;&s;e of life and e&s;tate; and within eight or ten days after, upon promi&s;e of &s;ecrecy not to divulge it without his advi&s;e and direction, the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> communicated the whole bu&s;ine&s;&s;e to the Lord <HI>Ochiltry.</HI> After revealing of it, they re&s;olved fir&s;t to acquaint the Lord Trea&s;u|rer of <HI>England</HI> therewith, that he might impart it to the king, and accordingly the Lord <HI>Ochiltry</HI> did acquaint the Lord Trea&s;urer with it, and afterward upon the 18 of <HI>May,</HI> the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> delivered in a relation of all the particulars before mentioned, under his hand, which he offered likewi&s;e to &s;eale with his blood.</P>
<P>The Marque&s;&s;e of <HI>Hamilton</HI> being then in <HI>Scotland</HI> upon &s;ecret adverti&s;ement from a friend at Court, came &s;peedily to the king, who at fir&s;t entertained him not with that familiarity he was wont; but by his cun|ning policy, and &s;ubtile in&s;inuations he prevailed over the kings good nature, per&s;wading him to beleeve that all was done out of malice, and that the&s;e were a&s;per&s;i|ons and calumnies invented by the Lord <HI>Ochiltry,</HI> whom he cau&s;ed the King to &s;end to <HI>Scotland</HI> to be there tryed and cen&s;ured, well knowing, that at &s;uch a di&s;tance from the King he could order the matter as he plea&s;ed.</P>
<P>It is to be ob&s;erved that the Lord <HI>Ochiltry,</HI> confer|ring with the Trea&s;urer of <HI>England,</HI> who was de&s;irous to be informed of the Marque&s;&s;e of <HI>Hamiltons</HI> power and &s;trength in <HI>Scotland,</HI> with more forwardne&s;&s;e and affection, then due con&s;ideration, did give in a li&s;t of the names of the friends of the Marque&s;&s;e, whom he ap|prehended would be mo&s;t ready to joyne with the Marque&s;&s;e, and that when the Marque&s;&s;e returned from <HI>Scotland</HI> to Court, he &s;ugge&s;ted to the King that
<PB N="14" REF="8">
there might be pre&s;ent danger to his per&s;on, by &s;uffe|ring the Marque&s;&s;e, who was the prime Agent to come neer him. In the&s;e particulars it is true, that the Lord <HI>Ochiltry</HI> had no warrant from the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> to deliver in a li&s;t of names to the Trea&s;urer, nor to &s;ay to the King, that he was in pre&s;ent danger by the returne of the Marque&s;&s;e from <HI>Scotland;</HI> But all the re&s;t of the particulars the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> did acknowledge, and de|liver in &s;ub&s;cribed with his hand: yet the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> was not at all challenged for any information he had given, nor the Lord <HI>Ochiltry,</HI> for any thing he had &s;aid by warrant from the Lord <HI>Reay,</HI> but &s;uch was the pow|er of the <HI>Marque&s;&s;e,</HI> as the Lord <HI>Ochiltry</HI> was arraigned for delivering in that li&s;t of names, and &s;ugge&s;ting to the king his feares of his Maje&s;ties danger, upon the Marque&s;&s;e his returne; and his friends perceiving, after <HI>Ochiltry</HI> had pleaded for his own innocency, that the matter reli&s;hed otherwi&s;e then was expected, found wayes to put off further Tryal, and to impri&s;on him, fir&s;t in <HI>Edinburgh,</HI> there after in the blackne&s;&s;e that he might be out of the way, and at further di&s;tance from the King, who was then comming to <HI>Scotland;</HI> in which pri&s;on he lyeth &s;till, the matter never yet being put to any legall tryal, nor he declared guilty or not guilty, notwith&s;tanding his frequent petitions for the &s;ame. The Lord <HI>Reay</HI> in the meane time who was the chiefe informer, not at all to this day troubled or accu|&s;ed, which no que&s;tion if the Marque&s;&s;e had not been con&s;cious to his own guiltine&s;&s;e, could not have come to pa&s;&s;e; however it is well known to &s;ome at Court, what power <HI>David Ram&s;ey</HI> had over the Marque&s;&s;e all his life; and that when he was reduced to any &s;trait or want, if the Marque&s;&s;e furni&s;hed him not readily, or ob|tained
<PB N="15" REF="8">
&s;uch &s;uits from the King as he de&s;ired, he would vow and &s;weare to di&s;cover that the Marque&s;&s;e was a Traitor, after which he hath been &s;ecretly brought in|to the Marque&s;&s;e his lodging, his de&s;ires granted, and they reconciled. And it is likewi&s;e well known, that Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> hath a pen&s;ion from the Marque&s;&s;e yearly.</P>
<P>I might here adde the examinations, touching Ma|&s;ter <HI>Meldrum,</HI> and others about this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; but be|cau&s;e I promi&s;ed to be brief, I &s;hall only adde the De|po&s;ition of one Ma&s;ter <HI>l. Borthwick,</HI> which he delive|red to the King &s;igned with his hand, that you may under&s;tand what &s;ort of people the&s;e be; the words which he depo&s;eth <HI>Meldrum</HI> to have &s;aid are the&s;e.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. Domum Regis e&s;&s;e profluvium iniquitatis &amp; foeti|dum lupanar.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Reginam e&s;&s;e omnium mulierum &s;alaci&s;&s;imam.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Flagellum dei inhaerere univer&s;ae familiae &amp; &s;tirpi <HI>Jacobi</HI> Regis.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>The next attempt of the Marque&s;&s;e to get power in|to his hands was in the beginning of the troubles of <HI>Scotland,</HI> upon occa&s;ion whereof he procured to him|&s;elfe to go to that Kingdome, to &s;ettle all differences there; but if we may judge of his intentions by his actions and the i&s;&s;ue, that was not his errand to <HI>Scot|land,</HI> but to increa&s;e the differences; for when after ma|ny juglings between King and &s;ubject, he put all over to the determination of the Nationall Synod at <HI>Gla&s;|gow,</HI> then within &s;even or eight dayes di&s;&s;olved it, and returned to the King, whom he incen&s;ed again&s;t his Subjects of <HI>Scotland,</HI> as he had done them again&s;t their
<PB N="16" REF="9">
King, hoping to fi&s;h in muddy waters. A war follow|ed, and the Marque&s;&s;e purcha&s;ed to him&s;elfe the com|mand of the Navy, that what&s;oever danger the King &s;hould be in, the Marque&s;&s;e him&s;elfe might be in &s;afe|ty, and look on as a &s;pectator. When he came to the fir<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">h of <HI>Scotland,</HI> he acted his part at &s;ea, as he had done in the land; None could di&s;cerne whether he was for the King or the Countrey; he did weare the Kings colours; but was very &s;paring of his men and ammuni|tion, neither indeed was it &s;afe for him to do otherwi&s;e; for the Covenanters &s;ent &s;ome into the &s;hips to him, to let him know that if he did any harme, they would di&s;|cover and make good all the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, of which he was accu&s;ed by the Lord <HI>Reay</HI> and <HI>Ochiltry;</HI> which no que|&s;tion they could very well have done, Ma&s;ter <HI>Meldrum</HI> being then a forward Covenanter.</P>
<P>When a pacification was made betwixt the King and his &s;ubjects of <HI>Scotland,</HI> and the Scots entred this King|dome the year following, the Marque&s;&s;e &s;till kept cor|re&s;pondence with the chiefe Covenanters: and if &s;ome of the Scots Commi&s;&s;ioners had not for Court ends &s;tood his friends, in the beginning of this Parliament, he had &s;uffered, for his abu&s;ing both King and people; for &s;ome Articles were once in preparation by the Hou&s;e of Commons for his coun&s;elling the King to the breach of pacification, for betraying the Kingdome to the Scots, for the multitude of his Monopolies, his ad|vi&s;ing the King to wracke Ma&s;ter <HI>Trew</HI> a member of the Hou&s;e of Commons, after the di&s;&s;olution of the former Parliament, and diver&s;e other things; But that accu&s;ation was laid a&s;ide, upou promi&s;e to per&s;wade the King to pa&s;&s;e an act for a trienniall Parliament, and not to di&s;&s;olve this pre&s;ent Parliament without their own
<PB N="17" REF="9">
con&s;ent, and the like good &s;ervices to be done to the Hou&s;e of Commons.</P>
<P>When the King went to <HI>Scotland, in Anno</HI> 1641. the Marque&s;&s;e to ingratiate him&s;elfe with the Coun|trey, joyned with the Earle of <HI>Argile</HI> and that faction, and upon pretence of a Plot again&s;t him by &s;ome Cour|tiers and &s;ouldiers, went from the Parliament of <HI>Edin|burgh</HI> to the Countrey with <HI>Argile,</HI> at which time the King declared publickly in Parliament, that however now he &s;eemed to comply with them, he was the only man that incen&s;ed him again&s;t that Kingdome; and up|on the other part, it is well knowne that <HI>Hamilt on</HI> even when he was his Maje&s;ties Commi&s;&s;ioner, often &s;aid in private to the chief Covenanters, that nothing would prevaile with the King but force and nece&s;&s;ity.</P>
<P>In the yeare 1643. when the King had very neer &s;ubdued all his oppo&s;ers in <HI>England,</HI> and reduced the whole Kingdome to his obedience, except <HI>London</HI> and three or foure Garri&s;ons, and there was no probable meanes left for tho&s;e few members, who &s;tiled them|&s;elves a Parliament, whereby to pre&s;erve them&s;elves, or to oppo&s;e the King, but the calling in of the Sects, and when it was not po&s;&s;ible, at the lea&s;t very difficult for the Covenanters to afford any con&s;iderable a&s;&s;i&s;t|ance to their Confederates in <HI>England,</HI> if tho&s;e who profe&s;&s;ed them&s;elves to be the Kings friends in <HI>Scot|land,</HI> had faithfully acted their parts, then <HI>Hamilton</HI> thought it time for him to pa&s;&s;e over from the Cove|nanters and pretend for the King, that by having ac|ce&s;&s;e to his Coun&s;els, he might betray them, and di&s;ap|point his de&s;ignes. The Kings friends finding him thus enclined, procured great offers to be made to him from the King as to make him Duke, and give him in
<PB N="18" REF="10">
marriage the Prince Electors &s;i&s;ter, the Kings Neice, which he chearfully embraceth, and promi&s;eth to do great &s;ervices to the King.</P>
<P>No &s;ooner doth he heare that the Queen is landed at <HI>Berlington,</HI> but with all expedition he repairs to her Maje&s;tie, to congratulate her &s;afe returne. The Noble Marque&s;&s;e of <HI>Montro&s;&s;e</HI> had before his comming ac|quainted her Maje&s;tie what dangers were to be feared, from the Covenanters in <HI>Scotland,</HI> and that there was no way to prevent them, but that by authority from his Maje&s;tie, all the Kings friends &s;hould ri&s;e in Armes to oppo&s;e them. But <HI>Hamilton</HI> condemnes this as a ve|ry ra&s;h coun&s;ell, and undertakes by faire meanes to hin|der the rai&s;ing an Army in <HI>Scotland,</HI> if the King would tru&s;t him with the managing of that bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; and to make it the more plau&s;ible, he promi&s;ed to do it with|out any trouble or expence to the King; whereupon a good King ea&s;ily cozened with the faire pretences of one &s;o neer in bloud, and &s;o much obliged unto him, gives him ab&s;olute tru&s;t.</P>
<P>When he returns to <HI>Scotland,</HI> he makes as great pro|fe&s;&s;ions at home, as he had done abroad, &amp; would gladly have &s;eemed to be the mo&s;t zealous man living for the King in<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ere&s;t; yet in al his actions cro&s;&s;ed the advi&s;e and Re&s;olution of the Kings friends. For the King being ad|verti&s;ed, that the Covenanters had indicted a Conventi|on of E&s;tates without his knowledg, wrote a letter to the Duke, and tho&s;e of the councell, to di&s;charge the Con|vention: but he concealing the letter, de&s;ired the Earle of <HI>Callendor,</HI> to &s;peak with the <HI>Earle</HI> of <HI>Broxburgh,</HI> and &s;ome other Noble men be&s;t affected to his Maje&s;ty, and to crave their advice; they all in one voice an&s;wered, that it was their Iudgement the King &s;hould di&s;claime
<PB N="19" REF="10">
the Convention, and declare it illegall; but the Duke &s;ends them word by the Earle of <HI>Callendor,</HI> that it was the Kings minde to approve the Convention with &s;ome limitations; which though it made them to alter their advi&s;e, yet as it was related by the Duke, it was mo&s;t fal&s;e, the King never having had any &s;uch things in his thoughts, untill it was &s;ugge&s;ted to him by <HI>Hamilton,</HI> as the advice of his friends in <HI>Scotland,</HI> and that there were hopes to carry matters in the Convention for the kings advantage, or at lea&s;t to hinder any a&s;&s;i&s;tance to be &s;ent to <HI>England</HI> again&s;t him: thus the king and his faithfull &s;er|vants in <HI>Scotland</HI> were deluded, and by <HI>Hamiltons</HI> policy, induced to countenance the Convention to the great prejudice of the kings affairs; but when they came there, yet the Duke and his brother <HI>Lanerks</HI> carriage in that convention, and after it, was no wayes according to what was promi&s;ed in the conference with the Noble men that were affected to the king, of the truth whereof the Earle of <HI>Callendor</HI> and Mr. <HI>Murrey</HI> can particularly in|forme you, and how he would neither joyne with the kings friends, in a cour&s;e of oppo&s;ition, nor give his ap|probation, that they &s;hould do it them&s;elves, without his per&s;onall appearance in the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, but on the con|trary di&s;couraged tho&s;e, who were willing and ready to take their lives in their hands, and to adventure all that was deare&s;t unto them for his Maje&s;ty.</P>
<P>When he had thus di&s;appointed the kings &s;ervice, then he and his brother <HI>Lanerk</HI> wrote letters to the king to adverti&s;e him, that very &s;peedily an Army was to come into <HI>England,</HI> and according to their promi&s;e, they had hindred them all &s;ummer, but could not hinder them any longer; &s;hortly after the&s;e letters, the two bre|thren began their Journey to Court, where they found
<PB N="20" REF="11">
their Juglings di&s;covered to the King, and a proce&s;&s;e drawne again&s;t the Duke, wherein it was offered to be proved, that he was the occa&s;ion of all the troubles and evils that have befallen the&s;e Kingdomes; in particu|lar, that he enticed the king to begin the War again&s;t <HI>Scotland,</HI> and in an underhand way, &s;tirred up the peo|ple again&s;t the king, by advi&s;ing them not to yield, and bidding them in&s;i&s;t, and they would get their will, for he was a very coward, and that if he got his will, he would prove a greater Tyrant then <HI>N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ro;</HI> that he had mannaged all bu&s;ine&s;&s;es wherewith the king had tru&s;ted him, to his Maje&s;ties di&s;&s;ervice; particularly that he had given way to the pre&s;ent rai&s;ing of an Army in <HI>Scotland</HI> again&s;t the king. There are divers other articles in that charge, &s;ome of them are coincident with what I have already written, though more largely expre&s;&s;ed, and therefore I tru&s;t you will excu&s;e me, that I have not &s;ent you a Copy thereof.</P>
<P>The king upon con&s;ideration of &s;o hainous crimes, and trea&s;onable practices, committed the Duke Pri&s;o|ner to <HI>Pendennis,</HI> and &s;hortly after his brother <HI>Lanerk</HI> e&s;caped away from <HI>Oxford</HI> to <HI>London,</HI> where he was welcomed by the Scots Commi&s;&s;ioners, and di&s;patched away to their Army by &s;ea with letters of Recommen|dation, and from the Army to <HI>Scotland,</HI> where he was in&s;tantly received to their Covenant, and admitted to their Coun&s;els, and likewi&s;e to the Command of for|ces.</P>
<P>The Duke being pri&s;oner, was not able, though wil|ling enough, to practice more again&s;t his Maje&s;ty; yet <HI>Lanerk</HI> was not di&s;couraged from pro&s;ecuting the old de&s;igne; for I do very well remember, that when the king was at <HI>New-ca&s;tle,</HI> he was credibly informed, that
<PB N="21" REF="11">
upon a &s;erious Con&s;ultation among&s;t the Covenanters, what in&s;tructions to &s;end to the Scots Commi&s;&s;ioners at <HI>London,</HI> concerning the king, who (as they &s;aid) had been the Author of &s;o much blood-&s;hed in both king|domes, the Earle of <HI>Lanerick</HI> dropped the&s;e words, <HI>We can never have peace as long as this king, or any of his race re|mains;</HI> and upon another occa&s;ion, <HI>we can have no diffe|rence about Monarchicall Government; all the difference will be who &s;hall be king.</HI> It may be he expects the accompli&s;h|ment of his horo&s;cope, whereof (as him&s;elfe &s;ince rela|ted) he had &s;o great confidence, when he was thought to be in danger, before his e&s;caping from <HI>Oxford,</HI> &s;aying that he was &s;ure he was not neere his death; for it was promi&s;ed of him, that before he dyed, he &s;hould be a greater man, then it was &s;afe for him to mention. When the Duke was relieved from his impri&s;onment, and come to <HI>London,</HI> as I am informed, he had &s;ome expre&s;|&s;ions, which di&s;covered his re&s;enting his impri&s;onment; one expre&s;&s;ion &s;o far as I remember, was to this purpo&s;e, wherefore &s;hould he go to the king, (then at <HI>New-ca&s;tle:</HI>) for how could he ever tru&s;t that man, who when he was in power impri&s;oned him?</P>
<P>When he came to <HI>New-ca&s;tle,</HI> he and <HI>Lanerick</HI> did un|dertake to the king to bring him to <HI>Scotland,</HI> which if they had done, it had been an ea&s;ie matter for the king to have engaged this kingdome and their Army, for re|&s;toring his Maje&s;ty to his ju&s;t rights in <HI>England;</HI> but it &s;tood not with their de&s;ignes&punc; to have his Maje&s;ty per&s;o|nally pre&s;ent in <HI>Scotland;</HI> that would too much eclip&s;e their greatne&s;&s;e, and di&s;appoint their ends, and therefore they kept of the king with faire pretences from coming to <HI>Scotland,</HI> and all other re&s;olutions till a &s;trict Guard was put about him; And within a few dayes he was
<PB N="22" REF="12">
delivered over to the Parliaments Commi&s;&s;ioners. I cannot forget al&s;o to mention, how in the Parliament of <HI>Scotland,</HI> they made a faire &s;how in rea&s;oning for the king; but when it came to the Vote concerning his de|livery, the two brethren were in the negative them|&s;elves, but all their neere&s;t friends and dependers, who&s;e voice they u&s;e to command as much as their owne, were in the affirmative.</P>
<P>It may be remembred likewi&s;e how they kept cor|re&s;pondence with the Sectaries; for little good to his Maje&s;ty (I &s;uppo&s;e) if all the truth were known.</P>
<P>However I perceive, that they have juggled &s;o betwixt the king and his people, as they have got into their hands the Government of one Kingdome, though they dare not take off the maske; you will &s;ee that they will manage both peace and war, &s;o as to keep power in their own hands; they will agree with any party to obtaine their ends, and let them pretend what they will for re&s;toring the king, they will really ob&s;truct it: For let any rationall man judge, whether he that dur&s;t take the boldne&s;&s;e in the dayes of his Maje&s;ties pro&s;pe|rity to a&s;pire to the Crowne, will not in his Maje&s;ties low condition, be ready to take the opportunity to pro&s;ecute the &s;ame de&s;igne. In the late declaration which you &s;ay is drawne by <HI>Lanerk,</HI> I &s;ee they pretend as faire for the Presbyterian Religion as for the king, when in reality, they are no further friends or enemies to any Religion, then may &s;erve for their ends and &s;trengthen their intere&s;t again&s;t the king and his po&s;te|rity, whereof there is no mention in that declaration; and let the Presbyterians think of them what they will, I make no que&s;tion, but if the Duke could be king of <HI>Scotland,</HI> his tender con&s;cience might without the
<PB N="23" REF="12">
help of Divines, be per&s;waded to dige&s;t with a moderate Epi&s;copacie, though we love not to buy it at that rate. How <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> like do they court the people with pre|tences for the good of Religion, king and Kingdomes; as if they intended nothing, but to performe their vows in <HI>Hebron?</HI></P>
<P>I conjure you by the dutie you owe to God, and the love you bear to the king and his po&s;terity, that you care|fully take heed to their &s;erpentine wayes, and give no beleefe even to their &s;acre&s;t profe&s;&s;ions or greate&s;t oaths; for then lea&s;t of all are they to be tru&s;ted, as I could ea&s;i|ly cleare unto you from experience of their former dea|lings. But I will not further weary you, and tho&s;e doubting friends, to whom you are to communicate this letter, for who&s;e cau&s;e I have been much larger, then I intended when I put pen to paper ye&s;ternight. Touching the State of affairs here, and what cour&s;e &s;hall be taken in relation to <HI>Hamilton</HI> and his party, &s;o as the kings affairs may &s;uffer lea&s;t prejudice, I refer you to a letter from 123. and another from 271. And &s;o re&s;t.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Faithfull Servant,</SIGNED>
<DATELINE>London <DATE>May 23. 1648.</DATE></DATELINE>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<HEAD>Po&s;t&s;cript.</HEAD>
<P>I forgot to mention that one of <HI>Hamiltons</HI> predece&s;|&s;ors in king <HI>Iames</HI> the &s;ixth his time, was forfeited by act of Parliament, for his a&s;piring to the Crowne.</P>
</POSTSCRIPT></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
