YOur Letter of the 12. of this instant came to my hands, upon the 18. inclosed in my wives of the same date, you taxe my long si­lence, which indeed J can scarce pardon my selfe ia, but to thnt breach of faith you charge me with, I must plead not guilty; I do not forget what promise you drew from me at our parting, I thinke I have stretched it, but it is yet unbroken, you object my carefulnesse in the dis­charg of my debts of this kind to my other friends, your selfe being unremembred, give me leave to say this, J paid you but by d. the satisfaction I shall give you for so long forbearance, is to pay you by ls. and to bring in the grosse summe at once.

The businesse of greatest weight which hath bin agitate in this Parliament, since my comming into these parts, is that of the election of Counsellors, Officers of Estate, and Lords of Session; which by the Treaty, are to be nominated, and chosen by the King, with the advice and approbation of the Parla­ment. The onely man who hath as yet bin chosen, ac­cording to that agreement, is the Lord Lowdon, who was nominated to the Office of Lord Chancellor by the King, and allowed by the Parliament, without the least contradiction. And J beleeve there are o­thers, [Page 2] whom before this time the Kings favour, and the sense the Parliament hath of their good deser­vings, would have preferred to some of the places, now void, if the Divell had not stirred vp some tur­bulent and seditiovs spirits to interrupt their pro­ceedings, that he might disturbe the setled peace, and turne all things here into confusion and bloud-shed. At the first, men onely feared private quarrels, and feudes, (which though they have formerly had la­mentable & sad effects in this Nation) yet had they not that generall malignity in them, which these late troubles doe discover. It appeares now, that the aime was not at particular persons, but at the cause, which must needs have bin sorely shaken, if so great pillars had bin pulled away.

At the first, there appeared onely the Lord Carre, Son to the Earle of Ropborough, and the Earle of Cranford was but his second: but now the Earle of Cranford is a principall, & how many Seconds he hath, is yet undiscovered. It is now the judgment of most men, that the first businesse of the L. Carre, was but an untimely birth of this Plot, which is now come to light: The first was thus. The Earle of Cranford, the Lord Carre, and some others, being at Supper in Master William Murrayes Chamber, there came in Sir Iames Ha­milton, whose company the Lord Carre disliking, because of his Relation to the Marquesse of Hamilton, after some ex­ception taken to him, told him, his chiefe (meaning the L. Marquesse) was a Traytor, and had juggled with the King these 2 or 3 yeares. These words he afterwards backt with a Challenge, which he sent to the Marquesse by the hand of the Earle of Cranford. These passages comming to the notice of the King and Parliament, they were so sensible of the unworthinesse of those carriages, that they ordered the Lord Carre to make this Submission.

[Page 3] ‘I Henry Lord Carre,have already acknowledged my offence to his Majesty, & asked his pardon, which I do now like­wise to this Honourable House of Parliament, and for the scandalous words, con [...]e [...]ning the Marquesse ofHamilton, which were spoken by me. I confesse them to be rash, & ground­lesse, and that I am sorry for the same.’

This Submission it was thought reasonable hee should make at the Parliament Barre, as a Delin­quent in a very high nature. But the noble Marquis was so affected with the sense, which both his Maje­sty, and the Parliament had of the injury done him, and the reparation they had made him, that with a great deale of earnestnesse he pressed, and did pre­vaile, that the Lord Carre might not give that satis­faction in a place of so much ignominy, but might have the favour to stand in the middle of the house, there to obey what they had imposed upon him. After this acknowledgment made by the Lord Carre, it pleased his Majesty and the Parliament to make this Declaration, following.

‘WHereas there hath bin certain scandalous words spoken of the Marquesse of Hamilton, tending to the prejudice of his honour, and fidelity to his Majestie, and his Countrey, which are now acknowledged by Henry Lord Carre, speaker thereof, in presence of his Majesty, and the Estates of Parliament, to have beene rash and groundlesse, [Page 4] For the speaking whereof, hee is heartily sorry, and since his Majesty and the Estates of Parliament, knowes them to be so: Therefore his Majesty and the said Estates declare, the said Marquesse of Hamilton to be free thereof, and esteemes him to be a Loyall Subject to his Majesty, and a faithfull Patriot to his Countrey, and the said Estates remit the further Censure of the said Lord Carre, to the Kings Majesty.’

This businesse thus passed over, the Parliament returned to that which they were formerly upon: which was, the election of Officers of Estate. And for a faire accomodation of all things, they appoin­ted-Committee, consisting of 6 of every Estate: for the Lords, were the Lord Chancellor Lowdon, the Earle of Argile, the Earle of Cassels, the Earle of Glencarne, the Lord Balmerinoth, President of the Parliament, and the Lord Lindsey. And for the Ba­rons and Burgesses, sixe of either Estate, men of knowne wisedome and integrity: whom they intru­sted to make some over-turnes to his Majesty pri­vately, and afterward to impart them to the severall Estates.

In few dayes, their consultations had this issue, that they delivered in a paper to the King; which his Majesty approving, they after that, presented to the severall Estates. The tenour whereof: was,

‘THE Estates of Parliament considering, that albeit Iohn Earle of Traquaire, &c. are cited before them, and accu­sed, as guilty, of divers bainous, and Treasonable Crimes, per­petrated, and commttted by them, against the Common-wealth, contained in their severall Ditties, which they have just reason to prosecute.’

[Page 6]Neverthelesse the said estates of Parliament taking into their consideration his Majesties most gracious goodnesse towards this his native Kingdome, and his fatherly care and wisdome in composing of all past differences, and providing for the future, to the great joy and happinesse of all his Subjects, doe in retribution thereof with an unanimous consent to testifie their high respect and thankfelnesse to his Majesty: And that his Majesty may joyfully returne a contented Prince from a contented people, to the setling of his roy­all affaires in his other Dominions, beleeving that the same will be acceptable to his Majesty, and most conducible to the peace and good of the Kingdome, Declare that they will not insist fur­ther in the processe intended against the said per­sons, nor proceede to any sentence thereupon, but acquit and discharge them freely of the same crime containd in their dittie libelled against them respe­ctive & grants them liberty to repair to their houses, to attend their private affaires, they alwayes beha­ving themselves within the compasse of their pri­vate calling.

The estates considering, that whereas albeit Iames Earle of Montrose, &c. are cited before them, and accused as guilty of divers crimes and misdemeanours committed by them to the just of­fence of the Estates of Parliament, and derogatory to the great trust and confidence had of them; and albeit the Parliament have just reason to persecute their processe, yet neverthelesse, &c. as in the for­mer.

[Page 6]The Estates of Parliament considering, that wher­as there are divers and sundry persons indicted, and accused before this Parliament, as guilty of certain Crimes committed against the State, and to the prejudice of the peace of this Kingdome. Never­thelesse, the said Estates of Parliament considering that by Gods mercy and providence, and by his Majesties great wisedome, and all our tempests are turned into the calme of an happy peace, doe here­by out of their respect to his Majesty, to whom they know the same will be acceptable, declare that they will not insist in any further Tryall of the said crimes, but have acquit and discharged, and hereby acquits and discharges all other persons cited and called to appeare before them, to answer for what­soever crimes or misdemeanours, during the late troubles. And declares the Act of Pacification and Oblivion, and benefit therof to be extended to them such like: as they had not bin cited to appeare be­fore this present Parliament, without prejudice al­wayes of the restitution to private parties, &c con­forme to the said Act of Pacification, contained in the Treaty.

Vpon Munday the 11. of this present, the severall estates took this paper into consideration & there was only this objection, by some made to it, that it seemed to contra­dict the oath they had taken, which did oblige all the members of that Parliament, to bring the in [...]endiaries to an exact tryall. The noble earle of Argile who had taken much paines, to bring their affaires into this hopefull way of accomodation, did now very much labour to re­move this block, which lay in the way to it, and gave this answere.

[Page 7]That that Oath was but conditionall, the intent of it being onely the peace and good of the King­dome, and this way proposed did most conduce to that end, and therefore, that clause might be dispen­sed with. In conclusion he prevailed thus farre, that they resolved some Ministers▪ should be advi­sed with in point of Conscience, whether they might dispense with their Oath in that particular;

When all things were in this faire and hopefull way of accomodation, and the King & Parliament thus neere a full agreement (they being assured that his Maiesty would condescend to them in those par­ticulars they should propound to him; as on their part they had omitted nothing that might be to his Maje­sties satisfaction) there was discovered a designe to be put in execution that very night, against the Marquesse of Hamilton, and the Earles of Argile, & Lanerick, wherupon they left the Court that night, where they were informed the danger would bee, and lodged in the Towne, and the next day retired to Kineele, an house that belonged to the Marquis, about 12. miles from Edenburgh, lest their presence in the towne should occasion any tumult to the offence of the Kings Majesty, and distur­bance of the proceedings of the Parliament. The Parlament being that day made acquainted with the bu­sinesse sent for those 3 that were the first discoverers of it, which were Lieutenant Colonell Hume Lieutenant Colo­nell Hurry, and Captain Will. Stewart, their depositions being presently taken, they were in the afternoone read in full Parliament.

[Page 8]Captaine Wil. Stewart did depose, that the day before being Munday the 11. of Octob. being in a Tavern with his cousen Leiutenant Colonell Stew­art, he desired an oath of secrecy of him, telling him he had something to imparte to him, but hee making answere; that hee never found him unse­cret, his cousen said well, the Marquesse of Hamil­toune, and the Earle of Argile have governed all things at their pleasure this time past, but we have now got a strong party against them, and this night W. Murray shall bring them into the privie Chamber, as to a consultation, my Lord Amont, the Earle of Crauford and some others shall come up the staires out of the garden; and arrest them in the King's name, and carry them to the Kings Ship, the Earle of Crauford adviseth to cut them off, but my Lord Amont would have them tryed by Parliament, the Earle of Lanerike is to bee taken with them, The Towne and Channon-gate are sure to us, and wee have enough to defend the Court, untill such time as the Earle of Roxborougb, Hume, and others bring in their friends, who are all of our party. Leiutenant Colonell Hurry did de­pose that on Munday the eleventh of October, the Earle of Crauford told him, that if he would bring with him foure or five good fellows early in the morning he might make him a fortune,

Lieutenant Colonell Hume did depose that on Thursday the eighth of October, Colonell Cock­rane told him, if he would joyne with him, hee [Page 9] would shew him a way to make himselfe a fortune. And the Munday following at the Earle of Crau­fords house demanded an oath of secrecy of him, promising him to impart something to him, but he answered, if it were any thing against his coun­trey or his covenant he would not sweare, where­upon the Colonell would not impart any thing to him,

Vpon these depositions the Earle of Crauford, Colonell Cockraine and Leiftenant colonell Stew­art were that afternoone committed, and are so to remain untill such time as they be examined, mean while the ports are shut up and guards are appoin­ted for the security of the towne and Parliament, the care of them is committed to the generall Les­ly, and Proclamation hath beene made that all who have not speciall businesse in Parliament, nor are the necessary servants of Parliament men, should presently depart the towne, unlesse they bee li­cenced by the Lord Generall for to stay.

It is not yet resolved whether those that are accused shall bee examined in full Par­liament, or before a Committee, To mor­row the resolution is expected

Cousen, it it is time, J close, lest I weary both my selfe and you, I having beene so long silent, I cannot write lesse, and untill further [Page 10] Discovery be made, I shall not write more, but commit you to him who dwelleth in light, & will in his due time bring to light all the hidden things of darknesse, and remaine