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.

Charge.

That since he left His Majesty at York, he hath been still labouring to fru∣strate the good Intentions of His Majesties faithful Subjects of Scotland, and to bring Matters to the Pass they are now at, which may be clearly evinced by the particulars which follow. First, when some Noblemen of that Kingdom well-affected to His Majesties Service, perceiving the Intentions of some there to engage that Nation in Rebellion with the Malignant Party here, made offer of all their best Services and ready endeavours to prevent the same, for themselves, and in the name of all the Kings greatest and best-affected Party there; he, to disappoint those promising and evident Courses, thrust himself into the Business,

and in a very seeming plausible way undertook to keep that Kingdom in Peace and Quiet, and from attempting any thing upon this Nation, or against His Majesties Service now depending here, and (to make it appear the more speci∣ous) without making use of any Force, or putting His Majesty to any Trouble or Charges; and withall solemnly engaged to break off all his Alliance, Ties, and Friendship with the Marquis of Argyle, (who doth make himself so much the Head of that Rebellion against His Majesty) or otherwise perswade him to acknowledg himself, and become, a good Subject, and that betwixt and three Months thereafter at farthest▪ the effect of all which undertaking had this re∣sult, First, that immediately upon his return to Scotland a Convention of t••e Estates was indicted without the King's knowledg or consent, a Precedent whereof can never be shown in any Records; which coming to His Majesties knowledg, He did immediately direct a Letter under His own Hand, willing that Hamilton, and some other of his Complices, who had His Majesties Trust for the time, should declare the said Meeting Illegal, and disapprove it in His Majesties Name. About the time of the Receipt of which Letter the said Ha∣milton, and some of his Cabal, did employ the Earl of Calander from them to speak with a great many Noblemen of the Kings Party, and take their Advices in what was to be done; and they who understood nothing of His Majesties Letter (it being altogether kept up from them) declared all in one voice, their Iudgments were that His Majesty should disclaim the Convention, and declare it Illegal, and that they would all be willing to joyn with Hamilton and his Par∣ty, and take their Lives in their hands to maintain His Majesties Honour and Authority, and free themselves from the Slavery of those rebellious Tyrants. It was answered them again by the said Earl of Calander, (His Majesties Let∣ter being still supprest) That the King would needs approve of the Convention with Limitations; To which it was replied, That they behooved either to be very ignorant or unfaithful who had given His Majesty such Advice, seeing those People would never confine themselves within Limits, or take a part, if it should be left them in their power to extend themselves and over-reach all; and that they would on no terms assent to any such Course, as being intended for no∣thing else but a hollow undermining of His Majesty and all His faithful Sub∣jects. So they parted with little satisfaction on either hand, and some days thereafter the said Earl of Calander was again directed to the same Parties, to perswade them still to the former Overture, but to no effect: yet in end, lest the Service might seem to suffer by so much difference in Opinion, they desired Ca∣lander to shew Hamilton and those of his Party, that since he was only trusted and employed by His Majesty in the Business, their Affection and Tenderness to the Service should make them very unwilling to differ with him in the way; and however in their own Iudgments they did no way approve that the King should so far wrong His Authority, as to allow of any such Illegal Proceedings, which did portend from bad Causes worse Effects; yet since His Majesty would do it, and they needs have it so, they should go along, but with one Caveat, which was, That if the Convention did not observe these Limitations prescribed by His Majesty, in that case, that they should protest, and withdraw presently from the House; and that then all who were for His Majesties Service should immediately joyn themselves together, and take the Field. This being solemn∣ly concluded, and with much attestation, it was resolved, that all who did af∣fect the Kings Service, and had Vote in the Convention, should be present there, upon certain hopes that they should be able to ballance either by Voices all violent Courses, or at least to protest against them, and adhere to His Ma∣jesties Service and Authority in a vigorous way. But all their great Promi∣ses

and fair Assurances were either not intended, or very soon forgotten: for whilst it was the first Act of the Convention, after His Majesties Letter was read, to Voice themselves a Free Assembly as any had ever been kept in that Kingdom, notwithstanding of the Restraints in His Majesties Letter, and that in that case Protests and Declarations, and every thing else in His Ma∣jesties behalf were faithfully assured, they came so short of that, as when Ha∣milton's Voice was asked, and all expected he should have made a Protest, he pronounced so doubtful an Oracle, as Argyle seeming to question of what spirit it came, (though no question it had been oft so concluded among them the more to possess others with panick fears) desired he should explain himself, if that he meant not thereby any Protest; who answered, that he never intended to protest against a National Convention, and that it seemed his words were very much mistaken. To second this, his Brother Lanerick, the King's chief Secretary, rose up, and had a Discourse to qualifie Hamilton's expressions, and free them from all such disloyal blemishes, as a Protest in the Kings behalf: so all who were to have declared themselves for His Majesty, being surprized by so strange and unexpected a way, withdrew, and retired themselves from the Meeting in a general Discontent. And yet their Affections being such to His Majesties Service, as they were unwilling to leave it on these Terms, how∣ever so badly handled, would not let it rest there, but would yet put him a little further to it, making again the offer of all their best Endeavours for His Ma∣jesties Service; desiring that since he was only the Person chiefly imployed by His Majesty, and one who had most interessed himself in the King's Trusts, that they might be directed by him in the matter of His Majesties Business, how to carry themselves, and whether or not it were more fitting for the Service that they should sit in the Convention, or absent themselves, or do whatsoever else. He was so far (notwithstanding of his Imployment and Trust) from giving information, encouragement, or advice, as all that he returned them for their Affection and Faithfulness to His Majesties Service, was, That they might use their own Discretions, and do as themselves should think fit; which did so evidently discover unto them his hollow-hearted Cunning, the Ruin by conse∣quence of His Majesties Affairs, the slight and cold way they themselves were used, and the ticklish condition he had so mired them into, as they seemed con∣strained for the most part to keep the Convention, and countenance all those Il∣legal and Rebellious ways were taken in it. And it is likewise to be remem∣bred, that notwithstanding His Majesties Letter, wherein He declared His ex∣press Pleasure anent the discharge of that Illegal Indiction, that they did not only suppress the same, and keep it up from the knowledg of the King's faith∣ful Party there, but also did procure from His Majesty an allowance to that Illegal Meeting, contrary to His Majesties Pleasure already expressed unto them, and the wishes and desires of all the faithful Party in that Kingdom. It is also to be called to mind, that after all hopes and probabilities of the Kings Service in the Matter of the Convention, were absolutely deserted and given over, that Will. Murray, who was commanded by the King to Agent His Affairs there then, desired a Meeting of those of the Kings Party, who had already kept these two Appointments with Calander before the Convention, who (notwithstanding His Majesties Service had been so grosly and palpably alrea∣dy miscarried, and they themselves so notably abused in it) being willing to study rather the Remedies than regrate the Disease, and redeem the Time ra∣ther than complain of its loss, once for all were content to hear what could be propounded for the recovery of Business; which only proved, that they would undertake, and joyn to re-gain that After-game which a few had spoiled, and

all given over. Notwithstanding whereof they gave it Will. Murray back in his Commission to Hamilton and his Complices, that if they would really and even down put on a Resolution to appear vigorously and to purpose in the Service, they in that case (to shew they should not mingle themselves nor any of their particulars) would be willing to follow, were it Hamilton or any, in what should prove to the advancement of the Service: otherwise, if they thought that too much, that they would be willing to joyn hand in hand, and put their Lives and Fortunes and all together at the stake with them; and if that did not satisfie, but that they esteemed it too rash a Business for men of so much cunning to engage in, that they would but approve them to put it to a ha∣zard, and they would willingly take their adventure, which should they carry they could be very willing that Hamilton and his Party ••hould have the e∣steem of it, did they miscarry or succumb, that he and his might take their own Course of Safety without being concerned in their Misfortunes. This Com∣mission being home and heartily delivered; it was promised by Will. Murray, that Hamilton and his Party should be presently put to it, and an Answer re∣turned; for the more hasty dispatch whereof, they sending along one of their own number to expede the Return, Hamilton and his Complices being several times convened and pressed upon it, did absolutely refuse to meddle in that kind, which was all their Answer: so that the other being willing, notwithstanding of all these hollow-hearted Treacheries, both before, in the time, and after the Convention, either to follow, joyn, or hazard alone in His Majesties Service, would they but approve it, they refused all either to do alone, joyn, or suffer others to do it; after all which there could be nothing resting but an invinci∣ble necessity to know His Majesties own Mind, since they who had his sole and absolute Employ and Trust did so much abuse it to His Disservice.

By all which points, circumstances, and cunning fetches, to bring this Con∣vention to the wished period, it may clearly appear to every undeluded eye, that he is accessory to that bad Plot of raising this Army in Scotland, to disturb the Kings Affairs in this Kingdom, that so all being brought to a Chaos of Con∣fusion, he might the better fish his hopes and ends from amongst so troubled waters.

Notes

• Article 7.