The manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of ... - Electric Scotland

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who was a murtherer from the beginning, who haveing modelld themselves
into a commonwealth (whose idoll is that accursed paper the
Covenant, and whose only rule is to have non at all) have proceeded to
declaire themselves noe longer his Majestie's subjects, to forfeit all of us,
who have the honour to serve him in any considerable station, and will
be sure ere long to doe so, if not prevented by this great and honourable
court.
It is how to ridde our selves of these men and of all who j'nclyne
to ther principles, that we are to offer to his Majestic our advice,
concurrence and utmost assistence. These monsters bring a publick
reproach upon the nation in the eyes of all our nighbours abroad, while
in ther Gazetts we are mentiond as acting the vilest assassinations and
the horridest villanies. They render us unquiet and unsecure at home;
they bring reproach upon our religion and are our great plague.
Lett us for the saike of our alledgiance, for his Majestie's honour, for
our reputation abroad, for the vindication of our religion, and for our oune
peace and tranquilHtie, make haiste to gett our selves cured of it. If this
~wer once effectuat, we might yet hope for quiet, and in order to the making
our quiet more comfortable to us when once we are to come to a
resolution about what relaits to the publick peace, and to the respect
we owe to his Majestie, we may have occasion of considdering what
lawes may be necessary toward the facilitating the weel governning of
selfs and native countrey, both as to the regulating our carrage to
-one towards another, and the secureing our estates from any thing that
may be uneasie from the distribution of justice between man and man,
as to the improveingof our tread and commerce abroad, and incouraging
iudustrie and frugalitie att home ; for in all these things his Majestie's
caire will not faile us, and my Lord Commissioner amongst his many
other advantages is so weell knoun to be a lover of his countrey, that
we need not feare but that he will give his concurrence in what he is
alloued so freely to consent to.
My Lords and Gentlemen, to incourage us to doe all we can towards
the service and the honour of our glorious monarch, leit us considder
him in all his personall advantages, whither in what relaitcs to warr or
peace, wher has the world affoorded such ane other, one whose naturall
induments have been improven by his great experience at home and
abroad, in armies and courts, by the greatest tryalls of the most
differing kynds, those of prosperitie and success, and of adversitie and
opposition, of heasards and tcyles, and of authoritie and command.
Did ever man shew such exact ane honestie in the strictest adhering
to his word, such temperance and sobrietie, so indefatigable a dilligence
in affairs, so undaunted a courage upon all occasions, and so unwearied
a clemencie towards the most obstinat malitious offenders ? Did ever
hero compleat the character so fullie in overcomeing bravely and
shewing gentleness to the vanquist, and I most say the triumphs of his
patience are not his obscurest glories, nor is the foregiveing of those
whose virulent tongues would have tainted his fame (if ther malice
could have reached it) what is least to be admired. What reputation
other princes have laboured for, at the vast expence of blood and thesaur,
and the putting of a constant constraint upon themselves sits so
easie upon him, that what they would have, he forces from the consciences
of his very enemies, by his merite, and it costs him noe more
then to be himself. But this theam is not for me, I doe him wrong
and while it may be at this very moment he is receaving the acclamations
of his good subjects in the chief cittie of our neighbour nation
at the great solemnitie of his coronation there, 1 am detracting from
hira heir by giveing him too low a character.