The most perfect manuscript now to be found in his handwriting is entitled, 'A true Relation of the unjust persute against the Lord Napier, written by himselfe.' This private memoir was occasioned by various discreditable court cabals in which the leading Scottish statesmen meanly conspired against Lord Napier's enjoyment of the office of Treasurer-Depute for Scotland, and of the confidence and affection of his Sovereign. In the year 1793 a very limited impression of this curious and graphic chapter of the secret history of the court, was printed at Edinburgh, for Francis seventh Lord Napier; but without any illustration, or attempt to connect it with the history of the times. It affords some very characteristic traits and notices of Charles I., and several of his Scottish councillors, who soon afterwards reappear on the stormy stage of the Troubles,' the advent of which had been omened by their restless and factious cabals. The Editor has only here reprinted a few passages, which serve to connect and explain the various original letters and documents now collected, and which documents are also illustrative of the events which Lord Napier relates. The pious object of his Relation may be given here in his own words : The principall cause that made me to attempt this Relation, wes, thankfullness to Allmighty God, of whose speciall care and protection, in my troubles, I had sufficient proofe; for I esteeme the concealing of a benefit, even amongst men, a high degree of ingratitude: Next, charity to the reader, who may heerby informe himselfe of the state of these tymes, and receave direction how to behave himselfe in the like, and like occasions. And if he shall, by my example, in his troubles have recourse to God, who for causes knowne to him hath sent them, (for affliction ryses not out the dust,) and with humble heart submit himselfe and his effaires to him, not trusting in the arme of flesh, hee shall give him these con quering vertues, wisdome, courage, and patience, to bring them to a better issue then in reason he could expect ; and in the midst of his troubles without, hee shall find the peace and favour of God within, which shall not only droune all sense of his afflictions, but shall fill his mynd with inexpressible joy. But, that I may not assume to myselfe more then is due, I confess ingenuously that this thankfulnes towards God, and charity towards men, wes in my mynd like a spark of fyre among a heape of ashes, which had never gevin light if it had not beene blowne be the earnest intreaties and persuasions of my friends, who,—well knowing the illegall, injust, and violent proceedings against me, my want of powerful friends, the strong combination of most men of place and power, followed by others whose manner is to humour greatnes in every thing, and, lyke dogs, to fly on him that is most distressed,—were in a manner astonished at my delivery; and, admiring the successe it pleased God to grant, could not rest satisfyed without a particular Relation of all these passages: Which, being ane expression of thankfulnes towards God, ought to bee in the manner most acceptable to his divine Majestie, to wit, true, sincere, without passion or partiall affection, and without arrogating any part to my sufficiency; and being for the benefit of the reader, ought to bee in a plaine and easy style, to informe him rather then to delight him.' From the scenes which the following papers disclose, and from the principles, in relation to them, inculcated by him whom the young Montrose regarded quasi indulgentissimum parentem-monitorem consultissimum,' we shall find that he received early impressions never effaced, and which characterised his own conduct as an honest statesman, a loyal subject, and a fearless patriot. ORIGINAL PAPERS CHARACTERISTIC OF SCOTTISH COUNCILS AND COUNCILLORS DURING THE M.DC.XV-M.DC.XXXIII. I. FROM LORD NAPIER'S AUTOGRAPH RELATION. AFTER I had left the Schooles, I addressed my selfe to the service of King James of blessed memory, and wes gratiously receaved by him; and after the death of Queene Elisabeth I followed his Majestie into England, when he went to receave the Crown of that Kingdome. I served him there, as Gentleman of his Privy-chamber, the space of sixteen or seventeen yeares, or thereabout, continually, till his Majestie wes pleased to cast the Earle of Summerset out of his favour, and [1615.] take in his place George Villiers, afterwards Duk of Buckinghame; a powerfull Favorite, and no good friend of myne, because I, with some of our Countrey-men, endeavoured to support Summerset, which in his construction wes ane opposing of his rysing. Therefore I (being before much desyred thereto by my worthy Father) took this occasion to repair to Scotland, and expect the event of things: wherewith I did acquaint the King, and desyred his leave, which he granted; but not before he made his Favorite (against his mynd I think) to give me large promises of friendship, and faire blossomes of protestations and complement which never bore fruit.' Some yeares after, Sir Gideon Murray, Deputy Thesaurer to his Majestie, dyed; and the King, knowing every man's friends in his Bed-chamber, said in the presence of myne, that he had found a meane to employe me; whereof I being advertised came vp to his Majestie, who commanded me to attend his tyme and pleisure heirin. But the Earle of Mar, Thesaurer principall, (who could not well brooke a Colleg,) by means of the Duk of Buckingham got the tryall of the place solely for a yeare. But before that yeare expyred, the effaires of Court, which are never long stable, took another ply, and the same men, who, vpon promises made by the Thesaurer, did befriend him in his bussines, being disapoynted of the hopes hee gave them, were they who joyned with his enemyes to put upon him a Deputy. To the first notion of a Deputy his Majestie gave consent, as being usuall, and from which his Majestie wes diverted the yeare before by the power his Favorite had with him: For it wes his manner to give way to strong opposition, or his favorites intreaties, yet never to give over his purpose, but at another tyme to worke it by the meanes of a contrary faction, to free and discharge himselfe of the others discontentment upon the faction. 1 Somerset was suddenly cast from the pinnacle of King James's favour to the depths of his displeasure in the month of October 1615. About the same time George Villiers was knighted, and appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber, which post Sir Archibald Napier then resigned, and retired to Scotland. His father, Napier of Merchistoun, who had just given to the world his Canon Miri ficus Logarithmorum,' was thus enabled to enjoy the society of his son in Scotland for two years before his own death in 1617. Sir Archibald Napier appears to have entertained a good opinion of Somerset, and to have considered him the victim of faction. See the next article. It was during this retirement to Scotland that Napier married the sister of Montrose. The marriage contract is dated 15th April 1619. The King's consent once being got, every man who had power putt in for his friend, without respect of his sufficiency or ability: But no man could bee proposed against whom his Majestie did not take some exception; which being perceaved by the late Marquis of Hammilton,' a wyse Nobleman, in whom there wes no vertue wanting befitting his place and quality, and judging that the King had made some secret election in his owne mynd, [he] desyred to know who it wes. His Majestie having named me, the Marquis did not only approve his Majesties judgement, but also procured a warrand for my admission, wisely covering thereby the repulse he got for his friend; and, preventing the prevailing of any competitor, not only made it seeme that hee had obtained his desyre, and a poynt of revenge vpon my Lord of Mar, but also made purchase of me for a faithfull friend and servant: For, although from the King's owne mouth (who knew the custome of the Court, and could never endure to be robbed of his thanks) the whole carriage of that bussines wes delivered unto me,-together with a command to me to serve him faithfully, not to be factious, nor to comply with any to his prejudice, or the Countrey's, or to wrong any privat man for favour of another,—not the les I dissembled my knowledge, and professed my obligation to the Marquis, (which indeed wes greater then I could challenge at his hand for any deserving of myne,) whereby I had him my noble friend all the dayes of his lyfe. This act of the King's without my knowledge, without my sute, or any and in my absence, being singular, (for although no living man had the art to know men more perfectly then hee, yet still importunity prevailed with him against his own choyse,) made me enter into serious consideration of the mater, and to set downe to my selfe rules and resolutions of honest proceeding in the dischairge of that place. First, because wee are commanded to serve our Masters faithfully, and for conscience sake; 1 James, second Marquis of Hamilton, father of the favourite. He died at White friends of myne, hall, 2d March 1625, in his thirty-sixth year, and was buried at Hamilton. B |