Millions, befides the Addition of his Private 1685. Eftate he had when he was Duke of York, which was almoft Three times more than any His AnnuKing of England ever had, except his Brother, and al Revenue. Henry VIII. The King, in the Clofe of the foremention'd Speech, acquainted the Parliament, That he bad News that Morning from Scotland, that the Earl of Argile was landed in the West Highlands with the Men he had brought along with him from Holland, and threatned to reward his Treafon as it deferv'd. He told them alfo, That there were Two Declarations publish'd, one in the Name of all thofe in Arms there, and the other in his own. He faid in general of both, That he was charg'd in them of Ufurpation and Tyranny; but he only communicated the laft to them, contenting himself to cause the former to be inferted by Picce-meals in the Gazette, with fhort Animadverfions upon it. The Parliament being unwilling to give the King any juft Cause to diftruft their Loyalty, Refolv'd, by an unanimous Vote, to affift His Majelty with their Lives and Fortunes against the Earl of Argile, and all others His Enemies whatsoever, The Bill for fettling his Revenue being prefented to him for the Royal Affent, he made them another memorable Speech, wherein he gave them Thanks, and in the Conclufion, to please the Nation with the Profpect of the Glories of his Reign, he boattingly told them, He could not exprefs bis Concern upon that Occafion more fuitable to his own Thoughts of it, than by affuring them he had a true English Heart, as jealous of the Honour of the Nation as theirs could be; and that be pleas'd himfelf with the Hopes, that by God's Bleffing, and the Parliament's Affiftance, he might carry the Reputation of it higher in the World, than ever it had been in the time of any of his Ancestors. The Defeat of the Earl of Argile, which happen'd The Rifing fome few Days after, feem'd to juftifie the King's and Defeat Speech, and portend ill Succefs to all his Ene- of Argile mies. During the Troubles of Scotland, in the Jand. Year 1681. the Earl had been committed Prifoner 7 to in Scot 1685. to the Caftle of Edinburgh by the Parliament of that Kingdom; and foon after tried and found guilty of High-Treafon, but by Means of his Friends, Judgment was refpited. His Life being in fo imminent a Danger,he endeavour'd to make his Escape, which he effected by this Stratagem. The Countefs of Argile, his Daughter, being come to vifit him in Prifon, he chang'd Cloaths with one of her Footmen, and when the went away, he followed behind her, holding up her Train. However, as he was fill in danger of being known, he purposely dropt the Counters's Train into the Dirt; and the Lady, affecting to be provok'd with Anger by the Silliness of her Footman, the prefently bedaub'd his Face with her draggled Train, which gave the Earl the Opportunity of efcaping undifcover'd. Thereupon the Parliament pafs'd on him Sentence for HighTreafon, ordering the fame to be put in Execution whenever he fhould be taken,and in the mean time declaring all his Eftate forfeited to the King. Scarce did any Body know to what part of the World the Earl was fled, till upon the Death of King Charles II. having concerted Matters with the Duke of Monmouth in Holland, he parted frorn thence in May 1685. and with Three fmall Veffels failed towards Scotland. He firft attempted to make a Defcent on the North of Scotland, but being difappointed by the Vigilance of the Bishop of the Iile of Orkney, who caus'd his Secretary and Chirurgeon to be fecur'd, he landed in the Weft Highlands, at a Place call'd Cample-Town, alias Lockhead, on the 20th of the faid Month, and pitch'd his firft Camp near Dunftafnage, a ruinous Cattle of his own in the Province of Lorn. The King, who was apprehenfive of an Infurrection in Scotland, ev'n before Argile's landing, caus'd a Proclamation to be publifh'd at Edinburgh, 28 April, fetting forth, That forafmuch as thofe traiterous Con1685. fpirators, who defign'd the horrid Murder of his deareft Brother, and the Destruction of his ancient Monarchy, continuing ftill in the fame bellish Project and Fury against him, are now again fetting their Defigns on ork, to raife Commotions in this his ancient King dem, as being the last Strugglings of them, and their 1685. execrable Party; for preventing thereof, the King doesn strictly require and command all and every of the Subjects of this his Realm, that they be in a Readiness, with their best Arms, to concur and affift him against any of the aforefaid Commotions or Infurrections, &c. As likewife be requires all his Lieges, on or near the Sea-Coafts of this Kingdom, fo foon as they bear of any Veffels arriving at any Place from abroad, with Men, Arms or Ammunition, forthwith to convocate and rife in their best Arms, and to beat them off, or feize upon and fecure the Ships and the Men, &c. And for their Security in obeying thefe his Royal Commands, be hereby fully pardons and indemnifies shem for ever, of all Slaughter, Blood, Mutilation, Fire-raifing, Burning of Ships, or fuch warlike Incon veniencies that may follow, in cafe they meet with hostile Oppofition, &c. Malecon tents. E On the other Hand, the Scotch Malecontents emit- The Decla ted Two Declarations, fetting forth the Reafons ration of which oblig'd them to take up Arms against the the Scotch new King. The first was entitled, The Declaration and Apology of the Proteftant People, that is, of the Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeffes and Commons of all forts now in Arms within the Kingdom of Scotland, with the Concurrence of the true and faithful 1 Paftors, and of feveral Gentlemen of the English Nation join'd with them in the fame Caufe, &c. By which they fet forth, the great Advantages the Prote fiant Religion, both at home and abroad, bad by the Succefs against King Charles the First, which they afcribe to the Bleing of God upon the Goodness of their Caufe; They cry up the Loyalty of the ScotchCovenanters, who had admitted his Son to reign upor certain Terms and Conditions, which he having broke, his Government was become Illegal, Arbitrary, Tyrannical, and a continued Apoftacy. In particular, they accufe the Government of putting Men to Death contrary to Law; and defolating the Churches, changing the Ordinances of God, to the Inventions of Mer; connizing at Papifts, and keeping up of landing Forces, the Bane of Civil Government. They declare against the King's Supremacy, and all the Wars against the States 1685. States-General of the United Provinces; the Execu tion of many innocent Men, the Torture of Spence and Carltares, and the Forfeiture of the late Earl of Argile, &c. They declare against James Duke of York his Afcenfion to the Throne, as being excluded from it by the Commons of England. They declare likewife against the prefent Houfe of Commons, as pack'd, and cabalid, and return'd by Fraud and Injustice. For all which Reafons they declare, that they totally throw off all Bonds of Subjection, and do take up Arms against James Duke of York, and all his Accomplices, their most unnatural and wicked Enemies, for thefe Ends. First, The Reftoring and Settling the Proteftant Religion. Secondly, The Suppreffion, and perpetual Exclufion of Popery, and its bitter Root and Spring, Prelacy. Thirdly, The Reftoring of all who have been Sufferers upon the Account of Adherence to their Party, for the pulling down of this prefent Covernment, and setting up another fuitable to their Defigns: And they declare, that they never will enter into any Capitulation or Treaty with the Duke of York, but on the contrary, Profecute the War with all Reality, Conftancy and Vigour, until they shall obtain their Ends; and that they will Affift and Maintain one another, especially their Brethren in England and Ireland, who shall pursue the fame Ends. And Laftly, They promife Indemnity to those who have been formerly their Enemies, upon their fincere Repen tance, Joining with them, and vigorously Affifting them against a Perfecuting Tyrant, and an Apoftate Party, &c. The fecond Declaration regarded only the Earl of Argile, and was as follows. The Earl of A Declaration of Archibald Earl of Argile, Lord Argile's DeclaraKintyre, Cowal, Campbell and Lorn, Heritable Sheriff, and Lieutenant of the Shires of Argile and Turbette, and Heritable Juftice-General of the faid Shires. tion. "I Shall not publifh my Cafe, publifh'd already 66 in Print, in Latin, and in Dutch, and more "largely in English; nor mean I to repeat the printed Declaration emitted by feveral Noblemen, "Gen 06 66 "Gentlemen, and others of both Nations now in 66 66 66 "And that I do freely (and as a Chriftian) forgive all perfonal Injuries against my Perfon and Family, to all that fhall not oppofe, but "join and concur with us in our prefent under taking, for the Ends mention'd in the faid Declaration; and hereby I oblige my felf never to purfue them in Judgment, nor out of Judgment. "And I do further declare, That obtaining the quiet and peaceable Poffeffion of what belong'd to my "Father, and my felf, before our pretended For"feitures, I thall fatisfie all Debts due by my Fa ther, and my felf, as any Heir or Debtor cari be oblig'd. And as my Faithfulness to His late Majefty and His Government has fufficiently appear'd to all unbiafs'd Perfons, void of Malice; fo do with Grief acknowledge my Fault, in too much complying with, and conniving at the "Methods that have been taken to bring us to the "fad Condition we are now in, tho', God knows, CG never concurring in the Defign. "I have now, with God's Strength, fuffer'd patiently my unjuft Sentence and Banishment 3 Years and a half, and have never offer'd to make any Up roar or Defence by Arms to disturb the Peace upon 66 my private Concern; but the King being now dead, and the Duke of York having taken off his "Mask, and abandon'd and invaded our Religion "and Liberties, refolving to enter into the Govern66 ment, and exercifing it contrary to Law, I think it not only just, but my Duty to God and my Country, to ufe my utmost Endeavours to op F * pole 1689. |