XVIII. ARCHIBALD FIRST LORD NAPIER TO KING CHARLES I.

MOST SACREAD SOVERAN,-It may seame presumption in me, in the termes I now stand, to wreat to your Majestie, but there being now no other way left me to plead for your Majesties favour, I hope your Majesties goodness will excuse this. I wes in hope that efter a surrender made of the lease of Orknay, your Majestie wold vouchafe me the hearing; and therefore I offered to the Secretary a most absolute one, as your Majestie may sie. But least that way should be left opin to me to recover your Majestie's favour, there is a surrender sent from Scotland to be subscryved be me, the most unjust and unreasonable that can be; for, as be sinister meanes, and most servill practises, my unfrends have robbed me of your Majestie's favour, so by the same they endevoir to stop me from the recovery; and it may be that this is not the least, and that which most hath encensed your Majestie that, tho I never intertayned other thoght then to surrender whenever your Majestie sould be pleased, yet I have some reason to suspect that a commission (if so it may be called) to a clean contrary sens, was caryed to your Majestie as from me, who never yet sent any but that offer of surrender by Sir William Balfour. And truly if any behaviour of myne in this or any thing els hath procured your Majesties displesour I kno it not, nather wes ever my mynd consenting to it, and so may be my error, but it is not my deed. And I call God to witness that there never lodged in my breast so much as a thoght toward your Majestie other then becam a dutieful subject, a fathful and most affectionate servand. Yet (for now I crave leave to complayne to your Majestie) my punishment is such as beares proportion with crymes of the hyest nature; for as to be banished from the presens of God is Hell, so from that of your Majestie, his Lieutenant heir, is so grevous to me, and so insupportable, as had opprest my hairt long ere now, if the consideration of your Majesties justice and my own integrity had not sustayned me, togither with a hope I have that

the strength of your Majesties wisdome will one day disperse those mistes which ar so cuningly raysed betuix your Majesties sight and the truth. For all men kno, except your Majestie, that I suffer for your service (the which in particuler I can relate), and not for any wrong can be alleged done by me to any of those who persecute me; so that in a true construction my sufferings ar your Majestie's also, when be these sam meanes, and the sam men, that I am hurt, your Majestie is also abused. I therfore humbly beseech your Majestie to grant me that which uses not to be denyed to any delinquent whatsoever, which is, a hearing, ather favorable or judiciall, and gratiously to accept an absolute and totall surrender of my lease, and such as, taking away frome me all hope of benefitt, may also take away all hazard of losse; otherways in all probability as fathfull a servant as ever served any King (for in that poynt I dar compare) sal be utterly ruined. Yet in all humility submitting all my desyres to your Majesties gracious plesure, I pray God to grant your Majestie all prosperity, health, and happiness.

Your Majestie's faithfull and

obedient servant,

London, 16 July 1629.

To the King's most

Excellent Majestie.1

NAPER.

XIX. LORD NAPIER'S RELATION OF HIS INTERVIEWS WITH KING
CHARLES I. FROM HIS AUTOGRAPH.

Understanding that my Lord of Mar wes on his journey, and near, I thought it fit to be in some sort armed against the storme he brought

1 This letter seems to have procured an audience for Lord Napier, and the result of

his personal interview with his Majesty will be found in No. XIX.

with him, and told his Majestie how unjustly I was dealt withall in Scotland, that I who wes to pay other men there fees and pensions could get none of my owne, which I said wes very strange, if it were not be his Majesties command or allowance; which his Majestie having disclaimed with ane oath,- Then,' said I, Sir, your Majestie hes beene hardly possest of me a long tyme by sinistrous information, and I am not conscious to my self of so much as a thought other then becomes a faithfull servant.' 'No? (said the King) did not you refuse to surrender your lease of Orknay to one who had commission of me to demand it to my vse?' Truely, Sir, (said I), never man demanded it of me, nather did I know that such was your pleasure, till I hard in Scotland of your Majesties anger for my refusing.' Did not you (said the King) say to him that you would stand out in law against me, which is also vnder your hand?' To which I replyed: Doe me the favour, Sir, to let me know to whom your Majestie gave that commissiou, and confront vs before you, and I doubt not to make him confesse that he hes abused your Majestie with ane vntruth; and if any such thing can be showne vnder my hand, I will not only give the hand but the head also to be stricken off.' Then did I presse with importunity to knowe this fyne commissioner, but his Majestie by no meanes would doe it, saying it wes enough, he wes satisfyed, and did not beleive it. Then did I tell his Majestie what storme wes prepared against me at my Lord of Mar's upcoming, that I desyred no more but indifferent hearing, and protection if my cause were honest: which he gratiously promised, and thereupon gave me a kisse of his hand. Some two or three dayes after my Lord of Mar's arryving at Court, they altogether, and singly when they had opportunity, vexed the King with there calumnies, urging him to send me home to be judged, a poynt which they laboured by all meanes, so that the King for his owne quyet wes (I may say) forced to send Sir Archibald Acheson, the other Secretary, to me (for my Lord Stirling excused himselfe vpon the hate I caried to him) to tell me that there were many informations against me, therefore desyred to

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know whither I would stand to my justification, or submit myselfe to him. I answered, that I wes much bound to his Majestie, and would myselfe give his Majestie my answere, and (I doubted not) satisfaction. Which Sir Archibald having reported, I put myselfe in the King's way the next day when he wes going from dinner; he beckened to me, and I followed him into his Bed-chamber: And being alone with him, Sir, (said I,) I have receaved your pleasure by Sir Archibald Acheson, and humbly thanks your Majestie for giving me a choice to stand to my justification, or submit myselfe to your Majestie; I will not, Sir, absolutely justify myselfe before God, nor before you; your Majestie might have had a Servant of more eminent abilities, but never a faithfuller, nor more diligent, nor better affected. And as for submitting myselfe to your Majestie, if my lyfe or estate were in quæstion, I could lay them both doune at your feet; but this is my honour, dearer to me than they both, which looses by submitting, and cannot be repared by your Majestie, nor any King in the world.' The words at first seeming sharpe and bruske, he mused a litle, then burst out with these: 'Begod, my Lord, you have reason;' and withall he told me some of there informations. Then, Sir, (said I,) there hate against me is for no cause gevin by me, and to most of them I have done reall courtesies, but because I will not comply with them, nor give way to there desyres, to your Majesties prejudice, and your Subjects; and for your Majesties service, and my undertakings in it. But, Sir, I desyre no more but the most rigorous and exactest tryall can be devysed, so it be just, and your Majestie my Judge, and that I be not remitted to Scotland, where my enemies are to be my Judges, and where (if I were as innocent as Jesus Chryst) I should be condemned; for the more exact the tryall be, the more shall my faithfulnes and integrity appeare to your Majestie; and I will not only answere for my owne actions, but if my wyfe, friend, or servant (who by corrupt Officiars usually are set out to be baudes to there bryberie) have done wrong, I am content it be imputed to me. If I had cousened your Majestie and opprest your people, and then made

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some men sharers in the prey, your Majestie had not beene troubled now, nor I thus persecuted, but had beene delivered to your Majestie for a good and faithfull servant.' Then his Majestie promised that he would heare all himselfe, which wes a point I desyred much to gaine, and did serve me afterward to good purpose. Then, Sir, (said I) be pleased to mak these informers set downe there informations in wreat, and set to there hands to it, and within three houres after, I shall either give a punctuall and satisfactory answere, or otherwayes your Majestie may dispose of me at your pleasure.' His Majestie wes pleased with the course, and I tooke my leave. Immediatly thereafter, the Earle of Mar, and the whole troup of my adversaries (who were waiting in the Earles chamber till I should come from the King) expected a surrender of place and all to the King, because of the word satisfaction that I used to Sir Archibald Acheson. As they came downe stairs slowly because of my Lord's lamenes, one said, this is lyke the Lord Napier who is going downe by degrees;' another, as they were going through the Court, told his friend, that asked, that they were all going to give the Lord Napier the last stroake. In this insulting humor they came to the King, who told them that I affirmed all their informations to be calumnies, and that I would stand to my justification, and commanded them to set downe their accusations and informations in wreat vnder there hand, and to deliver the same to me to be answered. This falling out farre besyde their expectation, astonished them a litle, especially the Farle of Mar, whe fell downe vpon his knees with his crutches, and with teares intreated the King to free him of my trouble, and that he could not serve with me, thus stirring pity to cause injustice. To whom the King said, My Lord, I would doe you any favour, but I cannot doe injustice for you.' For the space of eight days after, I wes free of their persute, so long as the King remained in Hampton Court; for the command to set downe the wreat vnder their hands did much amaze them; but every day they had their meetings and consultations how to overthrow me; and being ignorant of the King's promise, to

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