The memoires of the lives and actions of James and William, Dukes of Hamilton and Castleherald, &c. in which an account is given of the rise and progress of the civil wars of Scotland, with other great transactions both in England and Germany, from the year 1625, to the year 1652 : together with many letters, instructions, and other papers, written by King Charles the I : never before published : all drawn out of, or copied from the originals / by Gilbert Burnet ; in seven books.

Answer.

To the fifth Article the Defendant says, he ever studied by all the means that became a good Subject and Countryman to bring the Diffe∣rences betwixt His Majesty and His Subjects to a happy Temper; and he desires the Malice of his Accusers in forming this Article (as all the rest) be considered, wherein base Discourses and Advices are fastned on him without naming the Persons to whom they were given: and in this he cannot but commend his Accusers Prudence, who have named no Per∣son till they have tried upon whom they can so far prevail as to be guilty of the wickedness of owning such Lies. The Defendant can prove the contrary by many, in whose Preservation it is to be supposed he is more concerned than in any they can name, with whom he used his utmost endeavours to perswade them to adhere closely to His Maje∣sties Interests, which prevailed on some, though not on all; nor did he advise any to agree with the Country, till he knew His Majesty was re∣solved to end the Business in a Treaty, in which case it could be no Crime to advise any to make their own Peace; nor did he ever infuse into any Person a jealousie that His Majesty would void the happy Set∣tlement of Scotland: sure he is, he said and did all was in his power to root these jealousies out of the Subjects minds, which he can prove by innumerable Witnesses and Presumptions; and no man durst say he heard any of the Discourses mentioned in the Article from the Defen∣dant, if he were in a capacity to call him to an account for it. Nor did he desire to be free'd of his Commissionon the account that is falsly al∣ledged in this Article, but finding his continuing in that Place gave a Jealousie not only to the Country, but to the Counsellours and Officers of State, as if too great a Trust had been heaped on one Person; and apprehending that the expence and greatness of that Character continu∣ing long in one man, would breed Envy, and much retard his Majesties Service, he desired a fitter Person might be put in that High Trust, and that he might be suffered to continue about His Majesties Person, who he supposes does remember well upon what grounds he desired to be

free'd of that Great, but Invidious Character: thus this Article is also intirely false.

Notes

• The Answer to the fifth Article.
• See p. 146.