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Oates and Bedloe had the assurance to attack him to CHAP. his face, and even to accuse him of partiality before LXVII. the council. The whole party, who had formerly much extolled his conduct, now made him the object of their resentment. Wakeman's acquittal was, indeed, a sensible mortification to the furious prosecutors of the plot, and fixed an indelible stain upon the witnesses. But Wakeman, after he recovered his liberty, finding himself exposed to such inverate enmity, and being threatened with farther prosecutions, thought it prudent to retire beyond sea : And his flight was interpreted as a proof of guilt, by those who were still resolved to persist in the belief of the conspiracy.

Scotland.

THE great discontents in England, and the refrac- State of tory disposition of the parliament, drew the attention affairs in of the Scottish covenanters, and gave them a prospect of some time putting an end to those oppressions, under which they had so long laboured. It was suspected to have been the policy of Lauderdale and his associates to push these unhappy men to extremities, and force them into rebellion, with a view of reaping profit from the forfeitures and attainders which would ensue upon it. But the covenanters, aware of this policy, had hitherto forborne all acts of hostility; and that tyrannical minister had failed of his purpose. An incident at last happened, which brought on an insurrection in that country.

THE Covenanters were much enraged against Sharpe, the Primate, whom they considered as an apostate from their principles, and whom they experienced to be an unrelenting persecutor of all those who dissented from the established worship. He had an officer under him, one Carmichael, no less zealous than himself against conventicles, and who by his violent prosecutions had rendered himself extremely obnoxious to the fanatics. A company of these had way-laid him on the road near St. Andrews,

with

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CHAP. with an intention, if not of killing him, at least of LXVII. chastising him so severely as would afterwards render him more cautious in persecuting the non-conformists. 3d May. While looking out for their prey, they were surprised at seeing the Archbishop's coach pass by; and they immediately interpreted this incident as a declaration of the secret purpose of providence against him. But when they observed that almost all his servants, by some accident, were absent, they no longer doubted, but heaven had here delivered their capital enemy into their hands. Without farther deliberation, they fell upon him; dragged him from his coach; tore him from the arms of his daughter, who interposed with cries and tears; and piercing him with redoubled wounds, left him dead on the spot, and immediately dispersed themselves.

THIS atrocious action served the ministry as a pretence for a more violent persecution against the fanatics, on whom, without distinction, they threw the guilt of those furious assassins. It is indeed certain, that the murder of Sharpe had excited an universal joy among the covenanters, and that their blind zeal had often led them, in their books and sermons, to praise and recommend the assassination of their enemies, whom they considered as the enemies of all true piety and godliness. The stories of Jael and Sisera, of Ehud and Eglon, resounded from every pulpit. The officers, quartered in the west, received more strict orders to find out and disperse all conventicles; and for that reason the covenanters, instead of meeting in small bodies, were obliged to celebrate their worship in numerous assemblies, and to bring arms for their security. At Rutherglen, a small borough near Glasgow, they openly set forth a declaration against prelacy; and in the market-place burned several acts of parliament

Wodrow's History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 28.

and

and acts of council, which had established that mode CHAP. of ecclesiastical government, and had prohibited con- LXVII. venticles. For this insult on the supreme authority, they purposely chose the 29th of May, the anniversary of the restoration; and previously extinguished the bonfires which had been kindled for that solemnity.

CAPTAIN Graham, afterwards Viscount Dundee, an active and enterprising officer, attacked a great conventicle upon Loudon-hill, and was repulsed with the loss of thirty men. The covenanters, finding that they were unwarily involved in such deep guilt, were engaged to persevere, and to seek, from their valour and fortune alone, for that indemnity, which the severity of the government left them no hopes of ever being able otherwise to obtain. They pushed on to Glasgow; and though at first repulsed, they afterwards made themselves masters of that city; dispossessed the established clergy; and issued proclamations, in which they declared that they fought against the King's supremacy, against popery and prelacy, and against a popish successor.

1679.

How accidental soever this insurrection might appear, there is reason to suspect that some great men, in combination with the popular leaders in England, had secretly instigated the covenanters to proceed to such extremities, and hoped for the same effects that had forty years before ensued from the disorders in Scotland. The King also, apprehensive of like consequences, immediately dispatched thither Monmouth with a small body of English cavalry. That nobleman joined to these troops the Scottish guards, and some regiments of militia levied from the well affected counties; and with great Battle of celerity marched in quest of the rebels. They had Bothwel taken post near Bothwel-castle, between Hamilton bridge.

d Algernon Sidney's Letters, p. 90.

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CHAP. and Glasgow; where there was no access to them LXVII. but over a bridge, which a small body was able to defend against the King's forces. They shewed judgment in the choice of their post; but discovered neither judgment nor valour in any other step of their conduct. No nobility, and few gentry, had joined them: The clergy were in reality the generals; and the whole army never exceeded 8000 men. Monmouth 22d June. attacked the bridge; and the body of rebels who defended it, maintained their post as long as their ammunition lasted. When they sent for more, they received orders to quit their ground, and to retire backwards. This imprudent measure occasioned an immediate defeat to the covenanters. Monmouth passed the bridge without opposition, and drew up his forces opposite to the enemy. His cannon alone put them to rout. About 700 fell in the pursuit; for properly speaking there was no action. Twelve hundred were taken prisoners; and were treated by Monmouth with a humanity which they had never experienced in their own countrymen. Such of them as would promise to live peaceably were dismissed. About three hundred, who were so obstinate as to refuse this easy condition, were shipped for Barbadoes; but unfortunately perished in the voyage. Two of their clergy were hanged. Monmouth was of a generous disposition; and besides aimed at popularity in Scotland. The King intended to intrust the government of that kingdom in his hands. He had married a Scottish lady, heir of a great family, and allied to all the chief nobility. And Lauderdale, as he was now declining in his parts, and was much decayed in his memory, began to lose with the King that influence which he had maintained during so many years; notwithstanding the efforts of his numerous enemies both in Scotland and England, and notwithstanding the many violent and tyrannical actions of which he had been guilty. Even at present he retained so much influ

ence

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ence as to poison all the good intentions, which the CHAP. King, either of himself, or by Monmouth's suggestion, had formed with regard to Scotland. An act of indemnity was granted: But Lauderdale took care that it should be so worded as rather to afford protection to himself and his associates, than to the unhappy covenanters. And though orders were given to connive thence-forwards at all conventicles, he found means, under a variety of pretences, to elude the execution of them. It must be owned however, to his praise, that he was the chief person, who, by his counsel, occasioned the expeditious march of the forces and the prompt orders given to Monmouth; and thereby disappointed all the expectations of the English malcontents, who, reflecting on the disposition of men's minds in both kingdoms, had entertained great hopes from the progress of the Scottish insurrection.

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