PAGE 176
ventured to goe on a good length in giving assureance for them,
and said for the first they had ane act of parliament for their
warrant, although it was replyed that not acts of parliament, but
their instructions, were the bounding of their commission, and that
same act of parliament did not fully warrant what they granted.
5thly, In some debates when they were upon granting of [some]
things which were not in their instructions, it was many a time
alleadged that they had private instructions, yet at last when some
desyred ane sight of them, it was confessed they had not any, only
some words had been spoken by some prime men in some private
conference. 6thly, In the king's concessions, which by the parliament's
instructions should have preceeded any invitation, some
materiall things were left out; yet they proceeded to close the
treaty and to invite, and some debated that the want of these
things should not hinder the close, although therafter when the
closed treaty was sent home, the parliament by their second
instructions, which were no other but the renewing of the first,
declared that they did not approve the treaty without these.
7thly, when some urged that the parliament of Scotland would
not find themselves obliedged to stand to the treaty, if things
were agreed to besyde or beyond their instructions, it was replyed
by some of the commissioners, that they had heads and estates to
lose, and that the parliament might call them to ane account for
what they did, but both the parliament and kingdom of Scotland
would be bound to all which they had concluded in their names.
All these things I was unsatisfied with, and in my own blunt way
declared the same as I had occasion to speak, but had not the
abilitie or hardiness to debate or argue any of these things.
There was no great haste made the first three or four weeks of the
treaty; but when it came toward the fourtleth day, it was much
urged by some of the commissioners, that by any means the treaty
should end by agreement before that day were out, and when it
came to the last day, and that the invitation to the king was drawn
up, and [was] to be subscryved, they first enquired the opinion of us
three ministers, because we could not have ane vote among them
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PAGE 177
who were commissioners of the State. When my opinion was
asked, I told that as I conceived, although ane State or their
commissioners should agree with ane king upon tearms disadvantageous
to religion and liberty, a minister might weell
shew1
his minde; but if they went on, it was not ane minister's part to
oppose the same, but submitt himself to the government, although
not rightly constitute, and desyred them to doe according as they
found themselves warranted in their commission and instructions.
I am since convinced, that I ought to have dealt more freely, and
shewed them [that] I thought their proceedings were not according
to their instructions, and that the honest partie in Scotland
woidd not be satisfied with them, and that, so far as I could discern,
there was no appearance of ane blessing from God upon the
treaty; but partly, I saw such ane torrent in carrying on that business,
partly, I somewhat
doubted2
my own judgement, partly, my weakness of nature made me neglect that duty.
After this, Mr James Dalrymple, Secretary to the Commissioners,
was sent home to Scotland with the closed treatie. I
ought to have written home my sense of the whole bussiness, but
partly, we were strictly forbidden by the commissioners to advertise
any thing of the treaty, or write any thing of it; partly, I had
observed3
Mr James Dalrymple a litle too much forward for that
same way of closeing of
the treaty. Although great haste was
made to closing of
the4
treaty, yet, after it was ended, we perceived
no great haste of going to Scotland.
The Saturnday before the king left Breda to come
to5
Scotland, we got notice about three or four a' clock in the afternoon that he
was6
to communicate kneeling to-morrow after. We that were
commissioners from the Church prepared ane paper, and presented
it to him, and both by the paper and by speech, shewed the sin
of so doing, and provocation against God to procure the blasting
of all his designes, and what inconveniency it might bring on his
bussiness and confirmation to all his enemies, and what scandall to
**************
1
"Tell."
2
"Misdoubted."
3
"Found."
4
"To close the."
5
"To goe for."
6
"About."
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