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Deliberations of the

[B. XI.

in England; which, they said, "had forced the parliament there to break the treaty between the "two kingdoms in their ill usage of the king, who was imprisoned by the army, nor was it in the power of the parliament to set him at liberty : "that they had now, upon the matter, absolutely deposed him, by not suffering him to perform "the office of a king, nor permitting any of his subjects to repair to him; in which the kingdom "of Scotland was concerned, in that being independent upon England, and the parliament of England, they were by them deprived of their king, and could not be admitted to speak with "him, nor his majesty to send to them; which was such a presumption, and violation of the law "of nations, and such a perfidious breach and contempt of the solemn league and covenant, and of the treaty between the two kingdoms, that they were bound by all the obligations human and "divine to be sensible of it, and to redeem their king's liberty, and their own honour, with the hazard of their lives and fortunes and all that was dear to them: and therefore they desired that they might enter upon those counsels, which might soonest get an army together, which should no sooner enter England, but it would find a conjunction from that whole kingdom, except only the army; and that it would then quickly appear that the parliaments of both kingdoms "desired the same thing, and to live happily under the government of the same king."

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This discourse, urged and seconded by many of the principal men, was entertained by the rest with so general a reception, that Argyle found it would

1648.]

parliament in Scotland.

11

be to no purpose directly to contradict or oppose it. He saw the election of the knights and burgesses had succeeded according to their wishes, and that they would concur with whatsoever was proposed; and he found likewise that they had wrought upon the greatest part of their clergy; who believed all they said to them. He did not therefore oppose any thing proposed by them, but only desired, "that they would very well weigh "the manner of their proceeding in an affair of so great concernment, which was like to termi"nate in a bloody war between the two kingdoms; which had hitherto proceeded as brethren, and had both reaped great benefit and advantage " from the conjunction: and he hoped there was "no purpose to shake any of those foundations "which had been laid in the years by-gone, which

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supported that government, and made that king"dom happy; which if dissolved, all the mischief "and tyranny they had formerly felt and undergone, would break in upon them with a torrent that should destroy them." Every body declared, "that there was no purpose to swerve, in the least degree, from what was established for the govern"ment in either kingdom, by their solemn league " and covenant, which they had in perfect veneration, and looked upon it as an obligation upon "them to do all that had been proposed;" upon which Argyle acquiesced as satisfied, not doubting but that, in the prosecution of their counsels, he should find opportunity enough to obstruct the quick progress, and to interrupt the conclusion,

and execution.

The lords who had been in England, and frequented Hampton Court, whilst the king was

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The Scots treat with

[B. XI. there, to make themselves the more gracious, had treated all the king's party with all manner of caresses, and more particularly had much applied themselves to those gentlemen of the north who had most eminently served the king, and who had good fortunes there to support their interest. Of this kind there were two very notable men, sir Marmaduke Langdale, and sir Philip Musgrave; both men of large and plentiful estates, the one in Yorkshire, the other in Cumberland and Westmoreland; who having been in the time of peace eminent in their country in the offices of justices of peace, and deputy lieutenants, had, in the beginning of the war, engaged themselves in commands in the king's army with great reputation of stout, diligent, and active officers; and continued to the end, and had not after applied themselves to make any composition, but expected a new opportunity to appear with their swords in their hands. They were both looked upon by the parliament, and the chief officers of the army, with most jealousy, as men worthy to be apprehended, and who could never be induced to comply with them. The Scottish lords had not been scrupulous to let these two gentlemen know what they intended, and "that they made no question but

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they should engage their whole kingdom and "nation to enter into a present war with England on the king's behalf; and therefore desired them, by the interest and influence they had upon the northern counties, to dispose them to a conjunction with them." And because they knew that they two were too notorious to stay with any security about London, much less in their own country, they invited them into Scotland

1648.] sir M. Langdale and sir P. Musgrave. 13

where they assured them, they should not only "be safe, but very welcome; and should be witnesses of their proceedings, and have parts of "their own to act in, as soon as the season should "be ripe."

These gentlemen, though they had been hitherto unhurt, and, whilst the army made those professions towards the king, had been much courted by the chief officers thereof, and had been quartered with them as friends, knew well, now the mask was off, that if they did not immediately apply themselves to make their compositions, they should be apprehended, and imprisoned. And therefore, being confident that the Scots would engage for the king, they accepted their invitation, and told them, they should quickly find them in Scotland after "their own return." Accordingly, after having secretly spent some time in their own counties, and directed their friends to be in a readiness when they should be called upon, and in the mean time settled a way how to correspond together, they went into Scotland to those who had invited them, and were received by them with civility enough. They owned such a wariness, in respect of the jealousies amongst themselves, and the ill arts of Argyle, that they desired them" for some time to withdraw to some place," (which they recommended to them,)" and there to remain in secret, and under feigned names, until the calling "of the parliament; at which time they might

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come to Edinburgh, and appear in their own "likeness with all freedom." So after having remained in that private manner, where they were well treated for some months, when the parliamen

14

Commissioners from the two houses B. XI.

was assembled at Edinburgh, they returned thither ; and were very well looked upon by all that knew them; which made them behave themselves with the more freedom and confidence in their conversation, the forementioned lords telling them all they meant to do, and what arts they were to use till they could get their army up, towards which they believed they had mastered the greatest difficulties.

Though the Scottish commissioners had withdrawn from London, shortly after they had protested loudly against the proceedings of the parliament, both in imprisoning the king, and in refusing to give them leave to repair to him, or to receive from him any directions or orders concerning the government of that kingdom, and thought it high time to provide for their own security by quitting their station at London, where they received every day affronts, and their persons were exposed to contempt; yet there were no sooner preparations towards a parliament in Scotland, than commissioners were sent from the lords and commons at Westminster to reside at Edinburgh, as if they hoped to over-vote them there too; and it was evident quickly that they were not without a strong or at least an active party there. They were received with the same show of respect, and the same care was taken for their accommodation, as had been when they first came for contriving of the covenant; not only the marquis of Argyle, and his party, very diligently visited them, and performed all offices of respect towards them, but even the Hamiltonian faction, and they who were most solicitous to raise the war, attended them as offi