“At his Maᵗⁱᵉˢ entrey wnto the hous, the Laird of Langtone, with a batton in his hand, went befor the honors as grate wsher, and offred to make ciuill interruptione for mantinence of his right aganist the Earle of Vigtone. The King reteired to the inner roume in a choler, and ther subscriued a varrant to put the La: of Langtone in the castle.
“Then did his Maᵗⁱᵉ enter the hous, and sitts him doune in his chaire, and, after a prayer said by Mr Alexander Hendersone, hes Maᵗⁱᵉ kyndly saluting the housse, spake thus:—
“‘My Lords and Gentlemen,’
“‘Ther hath beine nothing so displeassing to me, as thosse vnluckie differences vich of laite haue hapned betuix me and my subiects; and nothing that I haue more desyred as to see this day, quherin I houpe, not onlie to setle thesse vnhapey mistakinges, bot rightly to know and be knowen of my natiue countrey. I neid not tell you (for I think it is well knouen to most) quhat difficulties I haue passed by and ouercome to be heir at this tyme; zet this I will say, that if loue to my natiue countrey had not beine a cheiffe motiue to this iorney; other respects might easily haue found a shift to doe that by a commissioner, wich I am come to performe myselue. Al this considered, I cannot doubt bot to find such reall testimonies of your affections for the mantinance of that royall pouer wich I doe inioy after a 108 discents, and wiche you haue so often professed to manteine, and to wich your auen nationall othe doeth oblidge you, that I shall not thinke my paines ill bestoued. Nou the end of my coming is shortly this, to perfecte quhatsoeuer I haue promissed, and withall to queit thosse distractions wich haue and may fall out amongest you; and this I mynd not superficially, bot fully and cheirfullv to doe; for I assure you, that I can doe noething vith more cheerfulnesse then to giue my people content and a generall satisfactione. Wherefor, not offring to indeere myselue to you in vords, (wich indeid is not my way,) I desyre, in the first place, to settle that wich concerns the religione and iust liberties of this my natiue countrey, befor I proceid to aney wther acte.’
“The Lord Burlie, president of the parliament, in name of the housse, made a prettey speiche to hes Maᵗⁱᵉ, of thankes for all the former demonstrationes of his goodnes, and expressiones of loue to his Maiesties ancient and natiue kingdome.
“And therafter the Earle of Argyle did second the president, with a short and pithy harraing, comparing this kingdome to a ship tossed in a tempestuous sea, thir zeires by past; and seing his Majesty had, lyke a skillfull pilote, in the tymes of most danger, steired her throughe so maney rockes and shelwes, to saue anchor, he did humbly intreat his Maᵗⁱᵉ that nou he wold not leaue her, (since that for her saftie lie had giuen way to cast out some of the naughtiest baggage to lightin her,) bot be gratiously pleassed to setle her in her secure statione and harbour againe.
“Hes Maᵗⁱᵉ offred to ratifie the 39 actes of this parl: 22 Junij, 1639 40 which the housse humbley intreated hes Maiestie to superseid, till, according to the orders of the housse, they had taken them 24 houres to ther considerations; wich with a declaratione insert in the recordes of parl: of hes Maᵗⁱᵉˢ villingnes to doe that, and the housses earnist and humble supplicatione to his Maᵗⁱᵉ for keiping the orders of the housse; to wich he condescendit.
“The housse did humblie supplicat hes Maᵗⁱᵉ that he wold not comitt Langtone to the castle, and so dismember ther housse. His Maᵗⁱᵉ declared, that he [had] not done it for the respecte of aney subiecte, bot for the affront done to his auen persone, for intruding him in his seruice without acquantlng hes Maᵗⁱᵉ therwith. After much intretey, his Maᵗⁱᵉ wes gratiously pleassed onlie to confyne him till to morrow to his auen chamber. So with a prayer, his Maᵗⁱᵉ returned to his palace of Holyrudhousse to dinner.
“The croune, scepter, and suord, wer lefte in the parl: housse, in custodey of the Lordes Constable and Marishall till the last day of the parl: and ordained by his Maᵗⁱᵉ eurey day to be produced, and by the Lyone K. of Armes layed one the table befor the throne.”
Baillie’s account is not less significant of the King’s feelings on this occasion. “He spoke very graceously. The Preses and then Argyle answered him with cordial harangues of welcome. His Majesty offered presently, without delay, to put his sceptre to the thirty-nine Acts of Parliament enjoined in the treaty. He was intreated, according to the order of the house, to suspend till to-morrow; at which time he pressed again that he might ratify the Acts. He was intreated to delay till the return of the Commissioners, who were present at the treaty: at last he was intreated so to do.” (Vide also Acts, vol. v., p. 362.)