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 he hath endeavoured to set on foot a Title to the Crown of Scotland,* 1.1 having Treated with Forreign Princes touching his Claim thereunto, and de∣sired their Aid and Assistance to his Right, protecting and maintaining such as wrote Treatises in his behalf, and Claim to the Crown.

Besides all which particulars of his treacherous sowing of Sedition 'twixt His Majesty and His Subjects, his undervaluing and reviling his own Sa∣cred Person, his fomenting all the unhappy Differences betwixt King and People, his exciting of each against the other, his pouring of oyl into the fire betwixt them both, his direct Attempts upon the Crown, and intenti∣ons to Vsurp, his late Carriage doth give too evident a Character of his in∣vincible Disloyalty; as particularly his treacherous Carriage, before, in the time, and at the late Convention, his juggling in the business of the Counter∣petition, and that of the late pretended Bond, which are so notorious Truths, and so evidently to be instructed by all His Majesties good Subjects, but more particularly by those with whom by His Majesties special Command he kept a seeming Correspondence. Besides divers other circumstances, whereby it may be clearly demonstrated, that he is of the Party with them that have rai∣sed

this Rebellion in Scotland, namely, that in the Instructions given by that Faction to the Earl of Lowthian in his late French Negotiation, one of the particulars earnestly recommended to him, was to desire of the Crown of France Restitution of the Dutchy of Chastleherault to him, which in all probability they would never have done in his favour, if they had taken him for an Enemy to their designs and purposes.

Last of all it is craved, that in respect of his unexpected Arrival here, there may be liberty to add and amplifie this Charge as occasion shall offer.

One particular omitted above, is not amiss to be here inserted, at what time the business of the Scotish Covenant was at the greatest height, a distressed Gentleman of Scotland, Sir John Ferguson, desired the Loan of some Mo∣ney from Sir John Hamilton of Broomhill, (whose Relation and Interest every way to the Duke are known to every one who knows them both:) who an∣swered him in flat terms, he would neither give nor lend him a penny, except he and his Sons would bind themselves to go home and sign the Covenant, upon which Condition he offered to lend him what he sought.

We do engage from our faithful respects to His Majesties Service, without any consideration or interest else whatsoever, to make good this Charge, some of the weightiest points by several Witnesses, and all the rest by some and strong Probabilities.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Article 8.