I. 1646. these articles the question of the penal laws CHAP. against the Catholics was referred to the king's "gracious favour and further concessions;" by which phrase the supreme council at Kilkenny declared they understood the contents of Glamorgan's peace in favour of the Romish church to be fully confirmed; and alleged, after the king's having taken refuge with the Scots, that they could look to no other concessions. There was also a further point on which the lord lieutenant and the Catholic government differed in the views they entertained of the matter, the Irish intending to preserve their government in the form of a republic, and Ormond regarding it as the just object of the king and himself to reduce them to the condition of subjects". Subsequent events however rendered the peace which had thus been concluded, of no efficiency. 164 BOOK II. 1646. of the Scot CHAPTER II. CHARLES PLACED UNDER A GUARD BY THE CHARLES came to the quarters of the Scottish army, without having complied with the condition which they had insisted on as the preliminary of Perplexity his being received,—an express yielding to the tish leaders. covenant, or, in other words, a consent to the abolition of episcopacy. This was a source of great uneasiness and perplexity to them. It disconcerted all their measures. They could have been content to receive him on the terms they had proposed. They would have resolutely defied the mighty power of the independents in the English army and in the house of commons, if the king had sincerely joined them in their views, or had but appeared to do so. But that they should provoke so formidable adversaries, for the sake of a prince they could not trust, and who avowedly stood aloof from their purposes, was a thing they had never contemplated. The king no sooner arrived among them, than the officers of the Scottish army pressed him with the utmost earnestness, and by every consideration of his own interest and welfare, to enter into their views by taking the covenant a. But they could uot prevail. The most they could obtain from him was, that he would listen to any explanation that could be given him by divines or others, and that, when his conscience was convinced, he would yield to their desires ". CHAP. II. 1646.. They exwith the postulate king. under a This inflexibility on his part effected an imme- He is placed diate change in his situation. All appearance guard. of authority was refused him. He had come among them accompanied with two attendants only. These were not allowed to wait upon him; and Montreville, the French envoy, received many testimonies of jealousy and distaste. A guard was set on the king's person; and he was not ap plied to for direction in any of the proceedings they adopted ". a Rushworth, Vol. VI, p. 268. b Burnet, Memoirs of Hamilton, p. 277. • Clarendon, Vol. III, p. 15, 23. Warwick, p. 293. BOOK II. 1646. Surrender Mean while they were deeply impressed with the apprehension of the possible extremities to which the English parliament and army might of Newark, proceed, when they heard that the king had taken refuge with his Scottish subjects. He was no sooner among them therefore, than they applied to him to give orders for the surrender of Newark, which had long been besieged, and which was reduced to extremity. Charles offered to cause the town to be put into the hands of the Scottish general; but, fearful of giving offence, Leven required that possession should be granted to Poyntz, the commander of the English forces in those parts and this matter was no sooner arNewcastle. ranged, than the Scots broke up their camp, and marched with all expedition for Newcastle, one hundred and fifty miles further north, and only sixty miles from the banks of the Tweed. The king, as well as the Scots, was in alarm for the possible approach of Fairfax, and willingly encouraged their retreat. On the eighth day from his arrival at Newark, he entered the walls of Newcastle. It was in fact moved in the house of commons, upon the first intelligence of Charles's being with the Scottish army, that Fairfax should break up the siege of Oxford, and, omitting every other purpose, should march in hostile array Scots re treat to II. against Leven. But the Scottish commissioners CHAP. in London, by their protestations of fidelity, and their promises of submission to the parliament on this head, found means for the present to turn aside the storm f. 1646. ceedings But, though the directors of affairs in London Hostile prorefrained for the present from proceeding to this against extremity, they did not hesitate, in all ways short them. of warlike contention, to express their discontent and resentment at the cabals which the Scots had entered into with the defeated sovereign. Some controversial papers having passed between the Scottish and the English members of the committee of both kingdoms respecting the propositions to be sent to the king, these papers were by some adherents of the Scottish faction sent to the press; and the house of commons in consequence, about the middle of April, voted that this publication should be burned by the common hangmans. In palliation of this vote they alleged, as the particular matter of offence, certain unauthorised remarks which were prefixed to the papers by the editor. A further act of violence was committed a few weeks after; a packet of letters, dispatched by the Scottish commissioners at London to their commissioners before Newark, being intercepted at the city-gates, and brought Clarendon, Vol. III, p. 23. Journals, April 13, 20. Baillie, Vol. II, p. 202, 203. |