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.

* 1.1

To the third Article the Defendant says, he was so far from foment∣ing the Differences betwixt His Majesty and his Subjects of Scotland, that he did all that was in his power to bring Matters (which were quite imbroyled when he went Commissioner thither) to a happy Close; and that he did yield to them all such things as he had power to grant, which he is ready to make appear by comparing his Actings with his Instructions. It seems the Accusers knew well what would have satis∣fied the Country, but understood little what his Instructions were. The Covenanters in all their Petitions to the Defendant expressed that no∣thing would content them without a Free Assembly and Parliament,* 1.2 and the Defendant being neither instructed to do that, nor the other Particulars which by the Article are falsly said to have been in his In∣structions,* 1.3 he, after he had proclaimed all the Favours he was empower∣ed by His Majesty to grant, came to Him to this Kingdom, and recei∣ved new Instructions,* 1.4 according to which he proclaimed all he had War∣rant from His Majesty to grant: nor did he ever deny or conceal any of His Majesties Graces to his People, or provoke them to new De∣sires, but did all was in his power to make them rest satisfied with His Majesties Gracious Concessions. He also stayed with the Assembly of Glasgow as long as his Instructions warranted him, and did all he could to keep them from those Extremities which enforced the Rupture;* 1.5 and in his whole Proceedings he carried along with him not only the As∣sessors His Majesty appointed him to advise with, (the Earl of Argyle only excepted) and the Secret Council, but likewise the Bishops, whose advice he got and followed: all which he is ready to make out by comparing his Instructions and His Majesties Letters to him,* 1.6 and the Letters he got from the Bishops, with his Proceedings at that time, from which the falshood of this Article will plainly appear.

Nor can he be charged with the faults of his Friends or his Follow∣ers. It is known how much the places where his Interest lies, were gain∣ed to those Courses before he was Commissioner, and yet many of his friends did stand out against the Courses others then followed, though they were not able to make head against the more prevailing Party round about them. For the Earls of Glencairn and Lauderdale, they continued in their Duty to the King till the Pacification, nor did they take the Covenant (for ought he knows) till His Majesty allowed it;

for the Earl of Lindsay, he did not joyn in these Courses after the De∣fendant went to Scotland, but engaged in them from the beginning, though much pains was used by the Defendant to divert him from them. And as the Defendant is not answerable for the Actions of his Friends, much less is he accountable for the Thoughts of his Enemies, who may Charge what they please on the suspicions of his secret Solici∣tations, which are their own groundless and malicious Forgeries: there∣fore this whole Article is false, as the former are.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Answer to the third Article.
• * 1.2

  See p. 40. n. 7.
• * 1.3

  See p. 50.51.
• * 1.4

  See p. 64.
• * 1.5

  See p. 107.
• * 1.6

  See p. 96.97.