HISTORY OF ENGLAND

46 CHARLES I1 ALVD CROMWELL IN SCOTLAND. XI. 3.A.D. I 650.had observed tne spirit of the Covenant; for that act had beendone solely for the good of the people, of their religion andtheir liberty.It made a very deep impression upon the Scots that :heydere accused of having in their political conduct sulliedthe purity of their religious motives. The ecclesiasticalcommission first of all declared that Scotland only defendedthe King's cause so far as he made God's cause his own, andrenounced the perverseness of his father in opposing the workof God. The officers of the Scottish army next raised theirvoice; for it specially concerned them, since they were onthe point of risking their lives in opposing with the helpof God a treaty-breaking invasion. Their intention was tofight not for the interests of any person whatever, but solelyfor the principles hitherto established, for the Covenant andthe kingdom. They propose the purging of their regiments,of the court, even of the country, of the malignants andenemies of God, who would draw down upon them God'sanger. Already in the nation and church the anxiety hadspread lest the King's intentions should not be honourable.He was required to give a declaration that he made commoncause with them, plainer and fuller than that which was impliedin his acceptance of the conditions prescribed him. Heshowed reluctance. IIe was told that, if he would not completelyattach himself to the Church, the Church in her turnwould separate herself from him. At one moment it appearedas if in the event of his refusal an agreement to hisdetriment was impending. Cromwell was reported to havesaid that he did not wish to quarrel with the Scots, butthat he desired the surrender of the King. In prospect ofthis danger, and hard pressed on all sides, Charles I1 resolvedto subscribe the declaration which was laid beforehim. In it he condemned not merely his own delay inrendering the satisfaction due to the kingdom and Churchof Scotland, but also with deep sorrow lamented his father'sperverse resistance to the work of God, and the idolatry ofhis mother, which had drawn down upon his family theanger qf "rod, who is a jealous God. All the views of thezealous Churchmen he adopted as his own : he stigmatisedXI. 3, CHARLES I1 ANn CROMWX'LL IN SCOTLAND. 47A.D. 1650.as unprincipled the preferring the interests of the King tothose of the Church. Such a declaration as this undoubtedlytended to maintain the alliance between the throne and thebut what a position was it for the young prince whoaccepted outwardly the extreme views of the Church, whilehe hated them in his heart1. A letter from him written duringthis time is extant in which he asserts his unalterable attachmentto the English Church. It is difficult to know whetherto condemn or to pity him. He felt the necessity whichpressed upon him to be a most galling restraint, from whichhe was ready at any moment to escape, but to which heforced himself to conform.Thus confirmed in their purpose, the Scots formed theirarmy in the strictest accordance with their religious ideas.All who on account of their participation in the former campaignwere objects of suspicion, were discharged ; their numbersare estimated at 4000 men-officers and privates. Noregard was paid to the consideration that probably amongthem were the bitterest enemies of Cromwell. Their serviceswere rejected because their religious creed was not founddecided enough to ensure the assistance of God for a cause ofwhich they were to be champions.They were not ordinary armies, but two politico-religioussects which now encountered each other. Their quarrel wasnot about faith and doctrine, for both were alike zealousProtestants, but about the constitution in Church and Statewhetherthere should be a King or not, whether there shouldbe a ruling Church or not, this was the question in suspensebetween them. Both entertained an equally sure convictionof the immediate interference of the Deity in human affairs :their existence as sects depended on their being anxiousto render themselves as worthy as possible of the divinesupport.Cromwell maintained that the cause of the Scots, throughthe man who lived among them, was bound up with unholyand malipant interests. 'If you resolve to fight our army,' heSaid, 'you will have opportunity to do that, else what means-' Walker gives the different declarations in full.