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THE LIFE OF CHARLES I.
CHARLES I. King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, was the Son of James VI. King of Scots, and Anne his Wife a Daughter of Denmark. By His Father descended to Him all the Rights (together with their blood) of all our Anci∣cient both Saxon and Norman Kings to this Empire. For the Lady Margaret, Sister and sole Heir of Edgar Atheling the last surviving Prince of the English Saxons, being married to Malcolme Conmor King of Scots, conveyed to his Line the Saxon, and Margaret Daughter of Henry VII. married to James IV. did bring the Norman titles and blood. From this Imperial Extract He received not more Honour than He gave to it. For the blood that was derived to Him elaborated through so many Royal Veins, He delivered to Posterity more maturated for Glory and by a constant practice of Goodness more ha∣bituated for Vertue.
He was born at Dunfermeling, one of the principal Towns of Fife in Scotland, on Nov. 19th An. 1600. [An. 1600] in so much weakness, that his Baptism was hastened without the usual Ceremonies wherewith such Royal Infants are admitted into the Church. Providence seeming to consecrate Him to Sufferings from the Womb, and to accu∣stome Him to the exchange of the strictures of Greatness for clouds of Tears.
There was no Observation nor Augury made at His Birth concerning the Sequel of His Life or course of Fortune (which are usually related of such whose lives have different occurrences from those in others of the same state.) Either the fear of His Death made those about Him less observant of any Circumstances which curious minds would have formed into a Prediction, He appearing like a Star that rises so near the Point of his Setting, that it was thought there would be no time for Calculation. Or He being at distance by his Birth from the Succession to the Crown (Prince Henry then having the first hopes) made men less sollicitous to enquire of His future state, on whom, being born to a private Condition, the Fate of the Kingdom did not de∣pend.
But in the third Year of His age, when King James was preparing himself to re∣move to the English Throne, a certain Laird of the Highlands, though of very great age, came to the Court to take his leave of him, whom he found accompanied with all his Children. After his address full of affectionate and sage Advice (to which his gray hairs gave authority) to the King; [An. 1602] his next application was to Duke CHARLES (for in the Second year of his Age he was created Duke of Albany, Marquess of Or∣mond, Earl of Rosse, and Baron of Ardmanock) whose hands he kiss'd with so great an ardency of affection that he seem'd forgetful of a separation. The King, to cor∣rect his supposed mistake, advised him to a more present observance of Prince Henry, as the Heir of his Crown, of whom he had taken little notice. The old Laird an∣swered that he knew well enough what he did, and that It was this Child (who was then in His Nurses arms) who should convey his name and memory to the succeeding ages. This then was conceived dotage; but the event gave it the credit of a Prophecy, and