Chap. VII. The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. 241 Great int.erceffion.s were ma.de with ~h~ king to c.omply with t~efe p;o- K. ~i:~l.esi. pofals, particularly m the pmnt of rebgwn, for without f~ll fatisfacbon t.~ in that, nothing would pleafe the Jcots nation, nor the cuy ?f L.ondon, Great. inte;– by whom alone his maJ·efty could hope to be preferved ; but If tillS was ceJ!iom.s mk~ e . . h d d h wtth the mg yielded they would mterpofe for the moderatmg ot er ema~ .s ; t e to comply. fcots general, at the head of one hundred oilicers, prefent~d a ~etiti?n upon their knees, befeeching his majefty to give them fatisfacbon m the point of religion, and to take the covenant. Duke Hamilton and the reft of the]cots commiffioners, preffed his majefty in the moft earn eft manner, to make ufe of the prefent opportunity for peace. The lord chancellor for that kingdom fpoke to this eftect: " the differences be- " tween your majefty and your parliament are grown to fuch an height, " that after many bloody battles they have your majdl:y, with all your " garrifons and ftrong holds in their hands, and the whole kingdom at " their difpofal, they are now in a capacity to do what they will in church " and fiate; and fome are fo afraid, and others fo unwilling to fubmit to " your ·majefty's government, that they defire not you, nor any of your " race longer to reign over them; but they are unwilling to proceed to " extremities, till they know your majefiy's ]aft refolutions--Now " Sir, if your majefty lhall refufe to affent to the propofitions, you will " lofe all your friends in the houfes, and in the city, and all England will ''join againft you as one man; they will depofe you and fet up another " government ; they will charge us to deliver your majelly to them, and " remove our armies out of England, and upon your refufal, we lhall be "conllrai ned to fettle religion and peace without you, w hich will ruin '' your majefty and your profperity. We own the propofi tions ar1: higher " in fome things than we approve of, but the only way to eft ablifh "your maje!1:y's throne is to confent to them at prefent, and your majcfiy '' may recover in a time of peace, all that you have loft in this time of " tempe!1: and trouble." This w~s plain-deal!ng : the k ing's befi friends p~ayed his majefiy to But hucfu.:. confider his prefent circumfiances, and not hazard ,his crown for a form fer. o~ church government; or if he had no regard to himfel f, to confider Ham. mem, his royal pofierity; but the king replied, his confcience was dearer to him P· 2 tS, than his cro~vn; that till he had received better fatislatl:ion about the divine ~ight qf epifi:opacy, and the obligation if his coronation oatb, no confideratwns lhould prevail with him; he told the officers of the army, he neither could nor would take the covenant till he had heardjrom the queen. Which Clarend. was only an excu(e to gain time to divide his enemies, for the king had Vol. Ill. P' . then at1ually heard from his queen by monfieur Bel!tevre, thefrench am- 2 9• 3r, 3 2 • b~lTador, who preffed his maje!1:y~ pu rfuant to pofitive inftruClions given ~:r"• p. him for that purpofe, as the a·dvice of the king of France, of the queen, VoL. H. I i and
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