or nothing of their muscular substance: the cartilage of the nose was gone; but the left eye, in the first moment of exposure, was open and full, though it vanished almost immediately; and the pointed beard, so characteristic of the period of the reign of king Charles, was perfect. The shape of the face was a long oval; many of the teeth remained; and the left ear, in consequence of the interposition of the unctuous matter between it and the cere-cloth, was found entire. The countenance, in short, notwithstanding its disfigurement, bore a strong resemblance to the coins, the busts, and especially to the pictures of Charles the First by Vandyke. Finally, the fourth cervical vertebra was found divided transversely; the corresponding surfaces being smooth, betokening that they had been separated by a very sharp instrument. I quote these particulars from the interesting narrative lately published by sir Henry Halford.

302

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT,

OLIVER CROMWELL, PRESBYTERY THE REMONSTRATORS AND RESOLUTIONERS.

1649.-Charles II. proclaimed at Edinburgh-the king reprimanded.—Commis. sioners sent to Breda.-The duke of Hamilton arraigned-condemned-executed-his speech-anecdote-his history.-Argyle refuses to intercede.— Huntly executed.-Loudon's intrigues-act of classes-negociations with the king -his answer the kirk's rigidity-Dr. Spang's complaint of it.-Omnipotence of the kirk.-Meeting of the commission at St. Andrews.-Dr. Barron deprived. -General Assembly meets-those who served in the Engagement excommuni. cated.-Seasonable warning.-Letter to the king.-Act abolishing patronageremarks on it.-Clergymen deposed.-Committees for deposition.—Metre ver. sion of the psalms adopted.-Immorality.-1650.-Montrose-lands in Orkney.-Presbytery of Orkney deposed.-Montrose lands in Caithness-defeated and taken-his entry into Edinburgh-his condemnation-execution.— Ministers' altar.-Deputation to the king-his communicating offends the deputation-sails from Holland-lands at Spey-signs the covenant-king's suite removed. Assembly meets.-Cromwell's invasion.-Act of the west kirk.— Letter to Cromwell-his answer.-Dunfermline declaration—the king's reluc tance to sign it-unfairly forced.-Purgation of the army.-Violence of the ministers. The king still farther humbled." The causes of the Lord's wrath." -Battle of Dunbar-the effects of it.-Cromwell's correspondence with the ministers.—Meeting of commission—their address to the people.—A fast.—Opposition. The household purged.-The king makes his escape-pursued and brought back to Perth.-Abortive attempts of the loyalists.-Questions put to the commission-their answer.-RESOLUTIONS.-The REMONSTRANCE.-Parliament summon the commission to advise them-the commission's report.Coronation.-Letter from the presbytery of Stirling to the commission.—Ministers of Stirling cited by the chancellor-their protest-the commission's judgment consent to the repeal of the act of classes—act repealed.-Proceedings of the commission.-General Assembly-proceedings of the remonstrators -proposal to cede all England to Cromwell.-King went to Aberdeen.-Crom. well defeats general Holborn, and captures the commission of the kirk.-"The start" for England.-Battle of Worcester.-King's personal conduct.-Con

clusion.

1649.-AS SOON AS it was known at Edinburgh that Cromwell and the military had murdered the king, the parliament or

convention of estates, which was then sitting, resolved to proclaim his son king Charles II.; and on Monday, the 5th February, he was proclaimed at the market-cross of Edinburgh, by the Islay and the Snowdon heralds; Loudon, the lord chancellor, read the proclamation, and he was attended by all the members of the convention. "One act of our lamentable tragedy," says Baillie, "being ended, we are entering again upon the scene 1." This appearance of returning loyalty would be a redeeming trait in the history of the covenanters, had it not been clouded and debased by the conditions which they forced on the king. They probably did not anticipate that their principles would naturally and inevitably produce the "lamentable tragedy," the first act of which had just been ended; but the farther evil resulted from them, of compelling Charles II., then a youth of eighteen, to reside abroad among papists, and so to be exposed to their proselyting zeal, to which both he and his brother, the duke of York, fell victims. When Charles was proclaimed, he was only recognised as king ACCORDING TO THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT; and at the same time it was declared, that, before he be admitted to the exercise of the royal power, he shall give satisfaction to the kingdom in those things that concern the security of religion, the unity between the kingdoms, and the good and peace of the kingdom of Scotland according to the covenant. And the commission of Assembly sent their declaration to him, at Breda, stating that "they took the freedom to reprimand his majesty for adhering to the council of James Graham [the marquis of Montrose] and his accomplices. They advised him to settle the presbyterial government and worship in all his dominions, and upon this condition they promised him their assistance; but that otherwise all the blood shed by his father will be laid to his charge."" It seems a curious system of theology, to make the signing of this ill-omened covenant the means of absolving from bloodguiltiness, and that the refusal to sign it should fix the irrevocable and hereditary stain on the king's head; but this is only one of the "lying wonders" of covenant uniformity.

COMMISSIONERS were sent by Argyle and his faction to treat with the king at Breda, who was pleased to recognise the committee of estates; but this embassage returned without any satisfactory result. Johnston of Warriston moved in the committee which the king had acknowledged, to make no more addresses to his majesty; but this motion was defeated by the dexterity of the marquis of Argyle. Cromwell arraigned the

1 Balfour's Annals, iii. 387.-Baillie's Letters, iii. 66.

duke of Hamilton, by his English title of earl of Cambridge, on the 6th of February, before the regicide Bradshaw, under a charge preferred by John Cook, of having " traitorously invaded this nation in a hostile manner, and levied war to assist the king against the kingdom and people of England, and had committed sundry murders, outrages, rapines, wastes, and spoils, upon the said people; and particularly, about the 20th of August, near Preston, did make war, join battle, and fight against the forces of the parliament, and therein did murder and kill Colonel Thornley and others." Before such a tribunal there was little difficulty in establishing all the charges, and his condemnation followed. He had escaped from Windsor, but was taken in Southwark, and "committed to prison at St. James's;" and the night previous to his execution, he slept in the same apartment with the earl of Norwich, lord Capel, and sir John Owen, who were all likewise condemned to death, and beheaded," by that impious parliament1." The duke was executed on the 9th of March, and "had the good fortune to die for his loyalty; . . . . and the fortitude of his death in a cause which, up to the eleventh hour, he had betrayed, is the solitary redeeming circumstance of his public life 2." As we have expressed strong doubts of the duke's loyalty, and shewn but too convincing proofs of his treachery, it is but justice to his memory to allow him to speak for himself on the scaffold. "I take God to witness," he said, "that I have been constantly a loyal and faithful subject and servant to his late majesty, (in spite of all malice and calumny). I have had the honour since my childhood to attend and be near him, till now of late; and during all that time I observed in him as eminent virtues and as little vice as in any man I ever knew; and I dare to say he never harboured thought of countenancing popery in any of his dominions, otherwise than was allowed by the laws of England; and, among all his subjects, there could not be found a better protestant than himself. And surely, also, he was free from having any intent to exercise any tyranny or absolute power over his subjects; and that he hath been so unfortunate, I rather impute the cause of it to the sins of his people than to his own. For my own part, I do protest never to have swerved from that true allegiance which was due to him, and that hath constantly been paid (. . . .) to his progenitors by my ances

1 Balfour's Annals, iii. 391.—Sir Edward Walker's, Garter principal king of arms," Short Journal of several Actions performed in the kingdom of Scotland, after his Majesty's first arrival there out of Holland, the 24th June, 1650, Stilo veteri, until the end of October following."

2 Napier's Montrose and the Covenante ii. 521.

tors for many ages, without spot or dishonour, and I hope shall be still by my successors to his posterity 1."

It is natural for a man to put the best constructions upon his own public actions; but the duke's conduct bore such evident marks of treachery, that it is impossible to yield even to the ingenuity of bishop Burnet. Dr. Cockburn mentions it as a fact, related to himself by the two clergymen themselves, that they were the two reprepresentatives from the diocese of Moray, to the Glasgow Assembly of 1638; but from the difficulties which they experienced in travelling, they did not gain admission to the Assembly till the duke was making his speech previous to dissolving them. These simpletons followed the duke to his lodgings, and earnestly begged his grace's advice how to act; to which he answered, "Why, sit still, and go on with your matters." Surprised at this advice, they inquired how that could be since he had dissolved the Assembly. He then discovered that he was speaking to the uninitiated, and entertained them with cold complimentary thanks for their attachment to his majesty's service, and then he dismissed them 2.

This treachery is further asserted and confirmed in a pamphlet published in the year 1648, as well as by a speech of his brother Lanerk's, who on one occasion dropped these words: 66 We can never have peace so long as this king or any of his race remains ;" and, upon another occasion," We can have no difference about monarchical government; all the difference will be who shall be king." The crown was the duke of Hamilton's object; and this anonymous author says, "When he returns to Scotland, he makes as great profession as at home, and as he had done abroad, and would gladly have seemed the most zealous man living for the king's interest; yet in all his actions he crossed the advice and resolutions of the king's friends. For the king being advertised that the covenanters had indicted a convention of estates without his knowledge, wrote a letter to the duke and those of the council to discharge the convention; but he, concealing the letter, desired the earl of Callander to speak to the earl of Roxburgh, and some other noblemen best affected to his majesty, and to crave their advice. They all in one voice answered, that it was their judgment the king should disclaim the convention, and declare it illegal. But the duke sends them word by the earl of Callander, that it was the king's mind to approve the convention, with some limitations; which,

1 Burnet's Memoirs of the Dukes of Hamilton, lib. vi. 384-405.

A Specimen of some free and impartial Remarks on Burnet's History, by R. Cockburn, D.D. p. 50.