By this time the parliament was set. Never so many noblemen present in any of our parliaments; near fifty Earls and Lords. Among them were found but eight or nine for our way; Argyle, Eglinton, Cassils, Lothian, Arburthnot, Torphichen, Ross, Balmerino, Cupar, Burleigh, and sometimes the Chancellor and Balcarras. All the rest, with more than the half of the Barons, and almost the half of the Burgesses, especially the greater towns, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, St Andrew’s, Linlithgow, ran in a string after Duke Hamilton’s vote. That party, besides the advantage of the number of two at least to one, had likewise the most of the ablest speakers. For us none did speak but Argyle and Wariston, and sometimes Cassils and Balmerino; but they had the Duke, the Treasurer, Lanerk, Lauderdale, Traquair, Glencairn, Cochran, Lee, all able spokesmen; yet the other party had the advantage of reputation, having from the beginning been constant in our cause: also all the assistance the church could make was for them. The first bickering was for our declaration. When, contrary to their minds, we had passed it, they were earnest it might not be published; but we had given orders, as ever had been our custom, to print it, even before we had communicated it to the parliament. They had divers purposes, either by persuasion or violence, to have kept it in; but we let it go out on Monday, and ordained it to be read on Sunday thereafter in all the kirks of Edinburgh, and about. That which hastened it out was our irritation by the Treasurer’s challenge of Argyle on the Monday morning; an unhappy accident, that was ready to have kindled the fire amongst us all, had not God prevented it. Argyle’s enemies had of a long time burdened him, among many slanders, with that of cowardice and cullionry. On the Friday afternoon in parliament, discoursing merrily with the Treasurer, he said, “He heard of a meeting whereat the Treasurer had been the other night.” Speaking a little of this purpose, he apprehended, that the Treasurer had said, not only that the best men of the kingdom had been at that meeting, but also, that himself was a better man than he. Upon this, Argyle goes out of the House in anger, and calls for Major Innes, who sat at both their feet, and heard their discourse, to know if he had heard the Treasurer say, that himself was a better man than Argyle. Innes did not avow the words; but being sent to the Treasurer from Argyle, to try if he had spoken so, he said, He would not account to Argyle what he said; but whatever it was, he would make it good with his sword. Upon this, Argyle desired him to appoint time and place; and on the Sunday, a publick fast-day, the Treasurer sent back word, after both sermons, that on Musselburgh links, at seven o’clock to-morrow morning, he should meet him, and bring a nobleman for a second. Innes, albeit no great friend to Argyle, not only offered himself to Argyle for a second, but told him, he would resent it as a wrong if he were not admitted; so Argyle, with no flesh but Innes, the Treasurer, and Lanerk his second, did meet. Incontinent all were missed, and many ran to all quarters to search for them; and, by God’s providence, before they began their plea, some fell on them, and made them part without a stroke. The council that night, with much ado, got them to a professed coldrife friendship. We had resolved in the commission of the church, to have made both before the congregation acknowledge their fault; so much the more, as Sinclair and David Lesly, Eglinton, and Glencairn, some days before; and some days after, Kenmuir and Cranston, had been on the like engagements; but other matters put that out of our heads.
The publishing of our printed declaration put some of the parliament on many hard thoughts of us; but the result of all was, the calling of six of us to confer with six of their great committee upon a state of a question. For them were, Lauderdale, Lanerk, Humbie, Lee, Archibald Sydserf, and Sir Alexander Wedderburn, with the Chancellor: For us, Mr David Calderwood, Mr D. Dickson, Mr G. Gillespie, Craighall, Libberton, I, with the moderator Mr Robert Douglas. They produced to us a draught of a declaration, penned with a great deal of deliberation, by the counsel of many, but especially by Lanerk’s pen. They had slandered us exceedingly, as opposite to all war with the English sectaries on any terms. To clear that mistake, I wrote, and put in divers hands, Lanerk’s among others, the paper which herewith I send you. Their draught did endeavour to give pretty good satisfaction to most of our doubts; yet after a day’s advisement, we found it so unsatisfactory, that themselves were content we should take it to our consideration to be corrected as we found expedient. Mr Gillespie and my Lord Wariston had drawn an oath of association, which pleased themselves well, but their opposites, extremely ill, and their best friends but so and so, when best corrected. In our draught we took so much of their declaration, and our friends oath of association, as we thought made a state of a question which should be satisfactory to all; and here, to my great joy, were we on the very nick of a cordial agreement: but behold a most unhappy accident, which did put us to, and yet has kept us in a discord almost irreconcileable. There was a great desire in the chief that were for an engagement, to seize on Berwick and Carlisle, both for the extreme great advantage of these places, and also to begin the war, for the encouraging of our friends abroad, and wakening our people at home. This they counted no wrong, nor invasion of England; their quarrel being only against the sectaries and their adherents, for vindicating of our covenant, for the rescue of the King, parliament, and oppressed covenanters. An indiction needed not against this enemy. The towns of England, for our passing and safe retreat in the prosecution of the common cause, ought to be patent. Yet the most of us were averse from this design, and had long kept it off. In a few days we found the parliament, two thirds for one, otherwise affected than we wished. So soon as it was constitute, there was an inclination to make a close committee for the greatest affairs. Six of every state were named. So long as their power was not determined, we were not startled; but so soon as they got an absolute power to do what was fitting for the safety of the kingdom, in relation to Berwick and Carlisle, incontinent all were alarmed. Six of the trustiest members of parliament protested against that vote. The protestation was not admitted; but the protestors thereafter kept themselves together; and albeit the least, yet they kept the reputation of the best part of the parliament. Privately and publickly we gave warning, that the passing of such a vote would break us irrecoverably; but we were believed too late. My Lord Callendar’s party were so furiously earnest to possess Berwick, and to begin action, that they threatened to desert Hamilton and his friends if they delayed the vote any longer; so it passed, notwithstanding our earnest intreaties, and our friends protestation to the contrary. The issue was, we refused to confer any more on the state of a question. The protestors confirmed their union. Many of the shires sent in to supplicate against all engagement, unless the kirk were satisfied in the state of a question. David Lesly, Holburn, with the rest of the officers, declared their resolution, not to move without our satisfaction. After some days contest, we found a great change. The Chancellor that had hitherto been too far for the engagers, offended with their unreasonable proceedings, came almost wholly off them to us his old and best friends. The chief of the Duke’s friends came to intreat us to accept all we could desire, to state the question according to our mind, to be assured to have such in our armies and committees as we liked, to give over the surprise of Berwick, and all acting by the close committee. These things, by the Treasurer and others, were offered to us, with many fair and earnest expressions. As yet we are not satisfied by words, and some of our leaders are likely never to be satisfied, and resolve to trust to nothing that their opposites can do or say, so long as this parliament, which they call unsound, is in being. The danger of this rigidity is like to be fatal to the King, to the whole isle, both churches and states. We mourn for it to God. Though it proceed from two or three men at most, yet it seems remediless. If we be kept from a present civil war, it is God, and not the wisdom of our most wise and best men, which will save us. I am more and more in the mind, that it were for the good of the world, that churchmen did meddle with ecclesiastick affairs only; that were they ever so able otherwise, they are unhappy statesmen; that as Erastianism is hurtful to the church, so an Episcopal papacy is unfortunate for the state. If no man were wiser than I am, we should not make many scruples to settle the throne, and pull down the sectaries. Never more high and dangerous questions in Scots hands. What the conclusion will be, a few days will declare.
While we are sticking in these labyrinths, one of our number, none of the most rigid, falls on the overture to propone the commission of the general assembly’s desires all together immediately to the parliament, wherein, if we got satisfaction, we were to go on as they desired us, to state a question. The motion was approven. This draught of eight articles, after some changes of it to the worse, was passed, and presented, in name of the commission of the church, by Mr Robert Blair, Mr Robert Ramsay, and I. For answer, the eighteen of their first great committee, with the addition of six more, twenty-four in all, the prime members of parliament, were appointed to confer with us on these our desires. The commission, to these seven who had met before with the subcommittee of parliament upon their declaration, added Mr Robert Blair and Mr Andrew Cant. On the Thursday, before noon, they went through the first five of our desires. All the sticking was on the fifth; wherein we pressed to have the malignants who should rise in arms by themselves declared enemies, as well as sectaries. This was contrary to the King’s agreement with some, and their intentions, who, without the help of malignants, made the work impossible. At last we carried the article. In the afternoon we had almost differed on the sixth, the King’s oath to consent to an act of parliament for injoining the solemn league before his restitution to the exercise of the royal power. We pressed him not to take the covenant; but whatever his conscience was, we conceived him bound to consent to the necessary laws of the kingdom. Thus his good-dame Queen Mary assented to the acts of parliament for the Reformed religion. This also did pass for the substance; only a committee was appointed to smooth some expressions about the King’s restitution. We had no power to recede from any word, and so would not be at any committee for changing any expression, but believed the commission of the kirk would not stick at words, if the matter were well secured. On the seventh article, for managing the war by constant hands, there was not much debate. We could here fall on no words which might not be granted, and yet little for our advantage; albeit this was the greatest of all our difficulties. Upon the constitution of the army depended all our human safety, hope, and security of whatever else was granted. It goes now so, that no trust remains to any words or oaths; except therefore force were in the hands of our friends, we resolved not to stir; and yet we could not crave any such particular, but had necessity to have it done one way or other. Some underhand did move to have the Duke General. Callender and his friends were careful to free us of this fear; for generally all but the Duke’s own followers doubted much the sincerity of his intentions, either for religion or the King; albeit I confess, whenever I heard him or his brother speak in earnest, they seemed to me to give ample satisfaction; but as yet they have not the fortune to be believed by many. Ochiltree’s business sticks still in the throats of some. Upon too great probability, Callender, by his own party, which is great, is wished General: but his inflexibility to serve against Montrose, upon the sense of private injuries, whereby indelible marks of disgrace were printed on the face of Scotland, and his very ambiguous proceedings in England at Hereford and elsewhere, make us that we dare not put our lives and religion in his hands. David Lesly and Holburn are more beloved by us. The old General, for all his infirmities, is acceptable; also Middleton, and the general of the artillery, will not be refused. In private we were assured these should be the general officers; but we will not be assured without sight, and our main difficulties will be upon the committees to govern the state and army in the intervals of the sessions of parliament. If herein they permit them whom we count trusty, to have full power, when they can carry what they will in parliament, it will be a great wonder; yet if in this we get not satisfaction, nothing else will satisfy. We expect little debate on the eighth article, to have an oath for all this; but herein we were peremptory, and hope to obtain. It was my wish, that only the parliament and officers of the army should swear, and that the body of the land should be put to no more oaths; but it seems this association must be no less sworn than our two former covenants. While thus far we had proceeded on Thursday, I thought we were as good as agreed; so I resolved to go home to-morrow; for the opening of our provincial synod lay on me as the last moderator; also a new very dangerous infection was broken up in Glasgow, and come to my very gates. Upon these reasons, after eight weeks stay, I got leave from the commission to return; albeit very hardly, for our business was not fully closed, and I had immediate access and trust with sundry of the most leading men, with whom I was esteemed to do no evil service; while others, by their way, did irritate more; also we had resolved to have reason of Mr W. Colvil and his followers for their great and dangerous insolency, not so much in their open contempt, neglecting to read our declaration, as in their sermons and private negotiations, both with noblemen and ministers, to frame a faction for dividing of our church, wherein the peremptory rigidity of some, the too great simplicity of others, and the evil talents of more, gave them the occasion to make too great progress; but having staid till I declared my sense abundantly against these men, and helped to bring them low, and put them in a way either to recant or to be censured, I came away on the Friday morning, and to my own house at night. The college was almost totally dissolved for fear of the plague. We are waiting on the Lord’s pleasure, what he will do with Glasgow, whether yet it may be spared from the plague, whereof I am not desperate; and what shall be the next act of the long tragedy among us.
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June 26, 1648.—Reverend and Dear Cousin,—Since my last, March 28th, I have heard nothing from you, nor long before. Our affairs since have had a great progress, but not an inch to the better. All appearance of any possibility to agree, daily does more and more evanish. A spirit of bitterness, jealousy, and mutual contempt, grows on all hands, and the stronger party is begun to persecute the weaker, and that evil is like much to increase quickly. The course of affairs may draw both beside any intention to do the worst of that which has been objected to either as their design. The sectaries and malignants may shortly divide the whole isle, to the great danger and hurt of the King and the honest Presbyterians in both kingdoms. Our storm is yet but waxing; we can make but small judgement of its end.
When I closed my last to you, as then I wrote, there was some good hope of concord, a pretty good answer was expected to our eight desires; but some unhappy men made all these hopes to flee away. The committee of twenty-four framed their answer, and got it passed in an act of parliament before it came to the commission of the kirk. They to whom the consideration of it was committed, looked so narrowly into every word of it, that they found snares in every other line, and not one of our eight desires satisfied. This much the commission represented in a new paper, added a new desire, to declare against the negative voice of the King, which the commissioners papers in England had so much pressed. This draught of Mr James Guthrie’s, in the absence of Mr G. Gillespie, was as ill taken when it came to the parliament as any other, and so was as good as laid aside, till in the large declaration they gave it an answer. In the mean time they put out the act of posture for setting all the kingdom in a defence against invasion; but in a few days came out the act of levy, which, incontinent, alarmed all. The first narrative was ill taken, a danger from the malignants that had taken Berwick and Carlisle. The world knew there was no danger to us from them, for they had been with us in Edinburgh, and their enterprise upon Berwick and Carlisle was generally believed not to have been undertaken without some of our privities. The act therefore, before publishing, was helped, grounding our levy on the danger from the army of sectaries, which these surprises would draw down on our borders; and in this there is like to be no false prophecy.
Here it was where our differences began first to be irreconcileable. We stood on the managers of the war as much as any one thing. The committees of shires, and crowners for the posture, were indifferent; but when it came to the levy, generally all the crowners of horse and foot were chosen as Duke Hamilton, and Callender liked. Our friends here got very little of their will; but the copestone was put upon our despair, when we found Hamilton and Callender, how much contrare soever one to another, yet at last, after their had been much speech and dealing of either to join with Argyle, and that, through whose fault I know not, had miscarried at last: I say, Hamilton and Callender did join too friendly to our prejudice, and that on these terms, beside others, that the Duke should be General, and the Earl his Lieutenant. Both of them to that time had been opposite to the employment of either; and so long as they had any hope of our compliance, both professed a great deal of willingness to continue the old general officers, without any change, and each offered to mar the employment of the other; but when they could not draw our friends to engage in any terms liking them, then peremptorily they struck hands, and went on without much more notice of us.
With threats and promises they moved old Lesly to lay down his place. For a long time we had hopes the army, which we had kept from dissolving, should have been firm to us; but Middleton spoiled that our hope. All the officers had joined in a supplication to the parliament backing the desires of the kirk. Had this been stood to, the designs of others had soon been broken; but Middleton, who long had shifted subscription, at last was willing to join, with an addition of a short postscript, of the subscribers willingness notwithstanding to obey all the parliament’s directions. This commentary did so enervate the text, that our friends persuaded the officers to lay aside their petition, as that which was profitable for nothing, being clearly emasculate by the postscript. From that day we lost the army. David Lesly, by much dealing of many, was made willing to keep his place; yet afterward he repented, and gave it over; and so did Holburn, and divers more of the most gallant of their officers, when they saw the church’s advice totally neglected.
These things did grieve much the spirits of many, and I believe few more deeply than my own, so that my health by grief for many days was impaired; yet by the importunity of many, I was (before fully recovered) drawn back again to Edinburgh. Then I found that matters totally were desperate. Lauderdale with grief, the Treasurer, with many tears, told me how sore against their hearts they went the way they were in, casting the blame on others, who yet assured me, for their parts, that they found never any truth in the fair general offers was made them, when it came to any particular. However, then the dice was cast, every side were engaged to go on in their own way.
The declaration, long and well studied, and penned most by Lanerk, in very plausible terms, was offered to us. We appointed a committee for it. It was my advice to be short in observing, and to pitch but on the main exceptions. On sundry we agreed, and what sum offered I got out of their own conceptions; yet being obliged to take physic, I was forced to keep my chamber ten days. In this interval Mr Gillespie, without much contradiction, got in his representation whatever either himself or W. or C. had collected, which made it tediously long, and in sundry things needlessly quarrelsome, and to come so late, that the parliament, after ten days waiting for it, at Lauderdale’s canker’d motion, commanded their declaration to go out without any more notice of what we had to say against it.