The Scots scovts discoveries by their London intelligencer, and presented to the Lords of the covenant of Scotland, 1639.

THE FIRST SCOVTS DISCOVERY.

I Came to Dover in a Flemish Botom, where (after a dayes rest) I went to see the Castle, but I was forced to faine my self one of Madam Nurses kindred, & spoke nothing but french, or else I had not been admitted.

This Castle is called the Key of the Land, but its growne rusty for want of exercise, for most of the Ordnance are dismounted, their carriages stan∣ding one halfe in the ground, and the other out; here lay one wheele, and there lay another: In the Easterne out-worke lay one Peece all over-grown with grasse, and hard by that lay another along by the wall on two Logs of Tymber; I wondred to see such a confusion in so eminent a place; but I was told that the last great wind was the cause

thereof; and if the Lieutenant were once able to walke round the wals to see it, all would bee made good and mended; but till then it must stand as it doth: Their Lord is at London to be cured of the Gout, the Deputy Lieutenant was at Downs seeing the Kings ships, and most of the men were at bowles on the greene Beach: I came downe to the Towne, and left the Castle with a Memento to look to it selfe, lest the French doe it for them; this I observed, that if the French had beene as provident as the Dutch, to have seated themselves in Dover, then the most Christian King might have had this Castle at his Command, and so might have beene Master of the narrow Seas, and have had Calice and Dover for two Bul-workes, and Block-houses, and so kept the Dunkirke from domineering on the seas. All the newes I could learne here, was that sixe of the Kings ships lay ready for a Convoy of sixtie Vessels with provision for Dunkirke.

The next day I came to Canterbury, where I went to view the glasse windowes, and see Sir Tho∣mas a Beckets Tombe, to which the people had prayed so often, as they had made two holes in the stones with their knees: the next day being sun∣day I went to heare a Sermon where (they said) the Archbishop of St. Andrewes was to preach, I was in amaze to see him there; but the noyse of the Organs soone put mee out of my dumps. Now (thought I) hee is in his Kingdome, for hee hath danced a long time after this musicke: when service was done; I thought to have heard him tell the

people some newes out of Scotland, but the old Carle spake not one word thereof. The next morning I tooke a Charcoale, and drew on the white wal in the Church Porch these three words, (Archi: Cant: Auli) and so departed out of the town, lest I should have beene apprehended for the Au∣thor of it: All the newes that I could learne in the Towne, was that the Archbishops Grace was too great to dwell amongst them, that hee loved Croyden, better then Christ-Church. That hee had some Engineers to see if they could remove Christ∣church to Croydon by land, or to Lambeth by water, for hee meant it should stoope to him, and not hee to it: But lest it should fall to bee forfeited; for non Residency he hath put the other Archbishop there for his Deputy.

As I came through Kent, I saw much mustering, and preparing of men and Armes to send into Scot∣land: This had almost made a mutinie amongst them; some said it was done purposely to weaken the Country, others said it was an il example for o∣ther ages: And an old 88. Captaine said they might well retaine the name of Kentish Long-tayles, but to be called any more men of Kent, they could not clayme it.

As I came a long, I saw the Kings Store-house at Chatham, and some of the Kings ships which are of such bignesse, as a small ship may be built, ere they can be rigged, and brought to the sea to doe any service. When I came to Gravesend, I saw the great Fleet ryding in the Hope, ready to carry the

Marquesse and his men for Scotland: But there fell out a foule fray betweene the Parson of the Parish, and the Pursers, for demanding double duties, for burying such souldiers as dyed on shipboard. On the way towards London, I saw Stone-church which was burnt downe with thunder last winter: And Erith, Micham, and many other Churches (for all their high Altars) did not scape scot free.

The next Sunday I went to Lambeth to heare a Sermon, and see what forme of worship was used there; when I came, I was in hope to have seen the little good man of Lambeth there, but I saw no such man in all the Kirke; for I could have kend him by his white sleeves from all the men there: but I well wot, there hee was not. I speerd for him, and some said, he was either at White-hall or Somerset house, others said that he was at home choosing of a new Church-warden, because the old one had pre∣sented him for not comming to Kirk these 7. yeares. After preaching was past, I went up the River side to see Guy Faux his Mannor house, the fatallest house, that ever was built; for there was the plot laid, and powder provided for blowing up the Prince and Peers of the Realme, in the Parliament house by the Papists conspiracie. There was the Leather Ordnance invented, there was the white soape and blew starch first made, there was the most part of the projects and Monopolies hatched, which have so much troubled the whole Kingdome. There was a new rare invention, lately set on foot for blowing up of Castles and Forts, but for a conclu∣sion

it was first blowne up it selfe: And now an Engineere hath begged it of the King, and hath new built it, for which hee hath promised to blow up all the Ilands in the Frith in Scotland, that the Kings ships may have sea-roome to besiege Leeth: from thence I came crosse the River, where a Dutchesse like a Dive-dapper was a swimming, but the water was so cold, as it made all her body shiver, and put her in sick a fit of a feaver, as no Physician could cure her, but a German. On the Sunday before Easter I went to St. Margarets anent the Abbey, where the Minister mistooke himselfe, and instead of a Prayer read a Preface, forbidding all people to begge at White-hall, for the King was gone to Yorke Welaway (thought I) now, I have mist a mandy, which I thought to have had, to have carried me againe home into Scotland. Well, I could hardly eate my dinner for griefe thereof: But a country man of mine would needs have me in the after-noone be Goffer to a Girle, where when I came the women fel to quarrel for the name; one would have it Maud∣lin, & another would have it Mary, now out upon't sayes another, we have too too many of that name already; pray let us have old Elizabeth again: by my soule says another, if this were spoken in Scotland, it would be counted reason wh••n I heard that, I stole away, and left them to look another Goffer: upon good Friday as I came through White-hall, a coun∣try man had me in to give me a dish of drink, and to shew me the dancing Barn, & then afterwards carri∣ed me to the Kings Quire to hear a me••s of matins, when I came there the people were al groveling on

the ground as though they had bin picking pearles out of the pavement: Well, downe I was driven on my maribones amongst the rest, and about halfe an houre after they al stood up againe, turning their arses to the East, and their snouts to the West to heare an Anthem, which being done a tall slim Carle in a long Gowne made the people turne their faces to the East, where I spied a curious wrought Crucifix hanging over the high Altar, with two women kneeling to it, to teach the rest of the peo∣ple their duties: Upon Easter day I went thither againe, and then the Crucifix was taken downe, and the Resurrection set up in the same place, the Musicke went so loud, and the old droaning dunces, and young fry of Quiristers made such a noyse as I could not heare, nor understand one word was spo∣ken, and so came away for feare of deaffing: A∣bout a week after my Countrey-man would needs have mee goe thither againe, and then I saw in the same place over the Altar a fine old man riding on a bonny Nagge, hunting a wild Beast, many a long legge, and low courtesie was made to the man on horse-backe: I askt what hee was, and my Coun∣trey-man told me, it was St. George, and they were all praying to him to make haste, for they had need of him in the North, when I saw him so ready on horse-back with his speare in his hand, and his spurs on his heels: Well St. George, thought, I, ride as fast as you can, I will be in Scotland before you, and so I departed, and left him to end his quarrell with the Beast hee had before him: When I was gone

out of the Court, my Countrey-man told mee, I had some reason to be afraid. For St. George having formerly broke his Speare with the Spaniard, and rebated his sword at a foyle with the French; there∣fore hee had now his hands bound by the one, and his tongue by the other: And having taken a truce with them both, hee had vowed to be revenged on St. Andrew, whom hee threatens to turne into a Wind-will, where his Crosse shall serve for the sweapes: Alas, and woes me (quoth I) poore St. Andrew is so weary with carrying his Crosse on his back, and a Bishops Bonnet on his head, as hee will never be able to encounter this man, who be∣ing so bravely mounted, will run over him before he come at him. This made me so afraid, as I went home to supper for feare of fainting; the next morning I got up betimes, and went to the Ex∣change to meet our Intelligencer; when I came the newes was at an end: For their Packets were opened, and their Letters taken away, which made a mighty muttering amongst them, in so much as one of them in a mad humour said that they were quite disgrac't, and thereupon made these verses following.

London's disgrac't, Lincoln's displac't, Yorke now hath the golden bagge, The Clergies guift, the Papists thrift Maintaines the English Flag:

The Clergies curse, Rex minat mors, Ere Bishops be put downe: The gaine is great, though farre unmeet, A Myter for a Crowne.