law against the chiefs of Popery, he was willing to behave very differently towards the people. We cannot forbear transcribing once more those noble words of his, which are worthy of being repeated by the Crown of England in the nineteenth century:-"As for the people, what thoughts they have in matters of religion in their own breasts I cannot reach; but shall think it my duty, if they walk honestly and peaceably, not to cause them in the least to suffer for the same. And shall endeavor to walk patiently and in love towards them, to see if at any time it shall please God to give them another or a better mind. And all men under the power of England, within this dominion, are hereby required and enjoined strictly and religiously to do the same."

This is the remedy. "Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth." (Is. ii. 10.) Let the ministers and parliament of England do all that is possible for them to do, and even more, to alleviate the misery of the sister country. God and Europe will demand an account of them. But for what is not in their power they will never be called to a reckoning. So long as her friends look to governmental measures only for a remedy adapted to heal the wounds of this people, Ireland will always be that "certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse." (Mark v. 25, 26.) One means alone can save her, as it saved this woman; and that will be, as soon as she shall have heard of Jesus and touched his garment. Then, after Popery has disappeared from her unhappy soil, she will feel in her body that she is healed of that plague.

Cromwell returned to London in the month of May, and was received by the Parliament and people "as a soldier who had gained more laurels, and done more wonders in nine months, than any age or history could parallel."

*Neale, History of the Puritans, ii. 554. London, 1837.

CHAPTER VII.

SCOTLAND.

Two Kings and two Loyalties-Charles II. in Scotland-Cromwell's Letter to the General Assembly and to the Scotch Commander in Chief-Battle of Dunbar-Dispatch to Parliament-The Edinburgh Preachers in the Castle-Cromwell's Letter-All Christians ought to preach Christ-The Malignants-Cromwell's Illness-Two LettersCromwell concerning his son Richard-Worcester-Prosperity of Scotland-Cromwell's Military Career-Two Symbols.

THE Scots had begun the great movement whose object was at once to resist the tyranny of the Stuarts and the tyranny of Rome, and which was destined to result in incalculable consequences for Europe. But now they retraced their steps, and put themselves in opposition to the Commonwealth of England. They wanted a leader. "With Oliver Cromwell born a Scotchman," says Carlyle; “with a Hero King and a unanimous Hero Nation at his back, it might have been far otherwise. With Oliver born Scotch, one sees not but the whole world might have become Puritan."*

Without shutting our eyes to the truth there may be in this passage, we find the cause of this northern war elsewhere. In spiritual things the Scots acknowledged Jesus Christ as their king; in temporal, they recognized Charles the Second. They had no wish that the latter should usurp the kingdom of the former; but they also had no desire that Cromwell should seize upon the Stuarts' throne. They possessed a double loyalty-one towards the heavenly king, and Letters and Speeches, ii. 169.

another to their earthly sovereign. They had cast off the abuses of the latter, but not the monarchy itself. They accordingly invited the prince, who was then in Holland, to come to Scotland, and take possession of his kingdom. We may believe that this was a great fault and a great misfortune we may regret that loyal men should have carried their fidelity so far as to bring the youthful monarch from the midst of the debaucheries in which he was indulging at Breda, to replace him on the throne of his fathers. This rendered a second revolution necessary: and yet we cannot forbear respecting the Scots even in this their error.

Charles at this time was conniving at Montrose, who was spreading desolation throughout Scotland; and the young king hoped by his means to recover a throne without having to take upon himself any embarrassing engagement. But when the marquis was defeated, he determined to surrender to the Scottish parliament. One circumstance had nearly caused his ruin. Among Montrose's papers was found a commission from the king, giving him authority to levy troops and subdue the country by force of arms. The indignant parliament immediately recalled their commissioners from Holland; but the individual to whom the order was addressed treacherously concealed the document from his colleagues, and by showing it to none but the prince, gave him to understand that he could no longer safely temporize. Charles being thus convinced hurried on board, and set sail for Scotland, attended by a train of unprincipled men. The most serious thinkers in the nation saw that they could expect little else from him than duplicity, treachery, and licentiousness. It has been said that the Scotch compelled Charles to adopt their detested Covenant voluntarily. Most certainly the political leaders cannot be entirely exculpated of this charge; but it was not so with the religious part of the government. When he declared his readiness to sign that deed on board the ship, even before he landed, Livingston, who do bted his sincerity, begged him to wait until he

had reached Scotland, and given satisfactory proofs of his good faith. But it was all to no effect; and when again, at Dunfermline, Charles wished to append his signature to a new declaration, by which he renounced popery and episcopacy, and asserted that he had no other enemies than those of the Covenant, the Rev. Patrick Gillespie said to him: Sire, unless in your soul and conscience you are satisfied, beyond all hesitation, of the righteousness of this declaration, do not subscribe it: no, do not subscribe it, not for the three kingdoms." "Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Gillespie," replied the king, "I am satisfied, I am satisfied; ..... and therefore will subscribe."*

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If Charles Stuart had thought of ascending his native throne only, Cromwell and the English would have remained quiet; but he aimed at the recovery of the three kingdoms, and the Scotch were disposed to aid him. Oliver imme diately saw the magnitude of the danger which threatened the religion, liberty, and morals of England, and did not hesitate.

On the 26th of June, 1650, he was appointed commanderin-chief of all the armies of the Commonwealth, and set out immediately.

Cromwell's feelings, as he marched against Scotland, were different from those which had led him to Ireland. To him the people were brethren-brethren who had gone astray when they invited over the licentious Charles II. That coun try was afterwards to feel, by twenty-eight years of hor rible persecution (from 1660 to 1688), that the Protector was not deceived. Oliver determined to do all in his power to restore Scotland to herself.

It was Cromwell's belief that, if sin had divided men and nations against one another, the aim of Christianity was to bring together all the families of the earth, and establish unity among them. He thought that the Gospel, by sancti

* Hetherington, History of the Church of Scotlard, 117. Edinburgh, 1843.

fying the people, would make them one vast community of brethren. Wherever he saw disciples of Christ, there his heart beat for them. It was therefore a remarkable and a sorrowful spectacle which might then be viewed on the borders of Scotland,-one Christian army advancing against another Christian army! This sight, no doubt, has been too often witnessed in history. But in most cases the troops which march against each other are Christian only in name, while the two forces of Scotland and of England possessed, to speak generally, both the spirit and the reality of Christianity.

This was a misfortune. Cromwell remembered that although a Christian may be sometimes summoned to war, he should at least cast aside all hatred, and ever be inclined towards peace. He sent letters accordingly both to the general assembly and to the commander-in-chief: to the latter of whom he wrote as follows:

"For the Right Honorable David Lesley, Lieutenant-general of the Scots Army: These.

SIR,

"From the Camp at Pentland Hills, 14th August, 1650.

I received yours of the 13th instant, with the paper you mentioned therein, inclosed,-which I caused to be read in the presence of so many officers as could well be gotten together; to which your Trumpet can witness. We return you this answer; by which I hope, in the Lord, it will appear that we continue the same we have professed ourselves to the Honest People in Scotland; wishing to them as to our own souls; it being no part of our business to hinder, any of them from worshipping God in that way they are satisfied in their consciences by the Word of God they ought, though different from us.

"But that under the pretence of the Covenant, mistaken, and wrested from the most native intent and equity thereof,