Your affectionat frinds,
E. Loudoun, Cancellarius.
J. P. D. Com:
Stirling, 26 Octob: 1650.
I receaud this afforsaid letter at my auen housse of Kynaird, aboute 9 a clocke in the morning, one Thursday the 3d of October, and was at Perth about 12 a clocke the same day; and after I had kissed his Maiesties hand, I shew him my message. He desyred me to forbeare making intimatione to 9 of them, wich he marked with a long score in the roll, wntill he spoke with the Lord Chanceler, to quhome and the comittee, he had wrettin to spare thesse wntill the sitting doune of the parl: bot desyred me to goe one with the rest of them. That same night, at 9 at night, the L. came to Perth, and spoke with the King one Fridayes morning, and brought him a letter from the Comittee of Estaits, containing ane absolute refussal to suffer aney of thesse persons sent to me in list, to stay aboute his persone or courte; so I went one, and made intimatione to all, ather by word or wreat, conforme to the acte and missiue of the Committee of Estaits directed to me.
Friday, 4 Octob: 1650.—The Kings Maiestie, as if going one hauking, went auay from St Jhonstoune one horsse backe, about halffe ane houre past one in the afternoone, accompanied only with thesse folloung seruants:—
Henrey Symeour, a Groome of his Bed Chamber; Mr Rodes, Mr Androw Cole, and Mr Tho: Windam, 3 Gentlemen of his Stable; with Mr Cartewright, a Groom of his Priuey Chamber; without aney change of clothes or linnings, more then wes one his bodey, in [a] thin ryding sutte of stuffe. From Perth he red softlie throughe South Inche, and then at a full carreire, to the backe of Inche Shyra, quher he passed, and in ane houre and a halffe from Perth, red to Didope, by Dundie; from thence, the Viscount of Didope conwayed him to Aughter Housse that same night, and not staying ther, the Earle of Buchan and Vis: Didope conwayed him to Cortuquhay, the duelling place of the Earle of Airlie, ane excommunicat papist, quher, after a litle refreshment, that same night he read with a gaurd of some 60 or 80 Heighlandmen wpe the glen to ane poure cottage belonging to the Laird of Cloua; in al, from Perthe, the way he went, some 42 myles befor he rested.
One Fridayes night, 4 Octob: a litle befor day, hauing layed him to rest his weiried bodey, he was found by L. Collonell Narne, of Sanfurd, and Colonell Bynton, ane Englishman, sent by Colonell Robert Montgomerie, (quhom Scottscraige, by the way of Fyffe, hed adwertissed at Forfar of his Maiesties suddaine deperture to the malignants from his auen people and court) laying in a nastie roume, one ane old bolster aboue a matte of segges and rushes, ouerweiried and werey fearfull.
In a prettey space after Narne, came Robert Montgomerie and Scottscraige, with Sʳ Alex: Hope and one of his Maiesties haukes; they did persuad the King to horsse, it being nou almost 7 a clocke, and they wold wait one him, and liue and dye with him. The King told Rob: Montgomery that Doctor Frasser had betrayed him, in assuring him that he should haue beine, that day he cam away one, deliuered vpe to the English, and all hes seruants hanged. They assurid his Maiestie that all was most falls, and he bot a traitor; thus discoursing, Didope, and his few Cloua men that wer then his Maiesties gaurd, wold haue had the King vpe to the hills, assuring him, that ther, within some 5 or 6 myles, he wold find 2000 horsse and 5000 footte to atteind his commandiments; bot erre he was awarre, Rob: Montgomeries 2 regiments of horsse appeirs, some 600 horsse, quherat Buchan, Didope, and ther begerly gaurd, begane to shecke ther eares, and speake more calmley, and in a lower strain; so they conducted his Maiestie to Huntley Castle in the Carsse of Gourey, quher he stayed all Saterdayes night, and from thence, one Sunday in the afternoone, he came to Perth, the 6 of Octob: and hard sermon in his auen chamber of presence, the afternoons sermon in the toune being endit befor he entred the toune.
4 Octobris, 1650.—This same day, about 5 in the eiuning, the L. Chanceler, seinng the King wes in effect depairted, and had left them, he called all of the Comittee of Estaits, and such as wer weill affected, to meitt in the westrey of the churche.... It was resolued at the meitting to send after the King commissioners, viz: E. of Dumfermling, E. of Louthean, Secretary of Estait; Sʳ Charles Erskyne, James Suord, and Mr James Durhame, the Ks: Minister.
Ther wes wrettin a myld and descreit letter, bechinng his Maiestie to returne from that euiell way he had takin, wich might proue destructiue to himselue, his posteritie, and kingdome, if he did not speedilie returne.
The commissioners had 10 artickells of instructions giuen to them, wich they wer to mannage according as necessity should requyre.