WIpe away those teares from your eyes (Coun­treymen) which you have shed for the depar­ture of your king, for he is as welcome to his native Scots, as ever was the Sun to the frozen earth.

He was no sooner entred into the confines of his owne Countrey, but his subjects that they might in the best way shew their loves to their King, made the skies to ec­cho with shouts of rejoycing; they made Bonfires, and threw up their blew caps in the aire, to their joy; and as the king was entring into Edenborough, my Lord Speaker spake unto him as followeth.

My most honoured Liege, to salute your highnesse only with a welcome is nothing, for you may perceive your most obedient subjects which are of the vulgar thronging together to performe that du [...]ie, 'tis your presence which hath given to my frozen lips utterance, and as neare as I can, I will neither think, nor speake but what shall be to your highnesse glory, and my owne credite, for it is the greatest credit among us [Page 4]your Leige people to doe nothing but what shall please you.

With that the Commons in Scotland made knowne by their ecchoing shouts, and throwing up their Bonnets, how neare he had unfolded the secrets of their hearts.

Then the noyse being ceased he thus proceeded. I perswade my selfe (my Lord and king) that we are much ill spoken of, because that we are now in armes, I hope your majesty shall find it will prove to the good of you, and us, for we shall and will make such parties knowne, when you shall please to grace us in our Parliament, that shall fully take away all suspicion of our ills, which are supposed to be meant towards you, we have and will prove true subjects to your grace, for it weare a sinne unpardonable to doe otherwise, we having so loving, & mag­nificent a Prince; Pardon my faulting, and unable speeches I beseech you, for it is my ambition to expresse our plaine downe right dealings in a plaine and easie way.

I know you cannot chuse but thinke that we have shewed our selves resolute, because we have presumed so far as to take armes, But I hope you will also suppose, that we are as loyall as the best, God knowes our thoughts, as we hope he will re­ward us accordingly, if bad we desire his just judgement, if good, I entreat your majesty to take notice of it.

After these words, there was a kind of a confused noyse, heard among the Souldiers, but an unlooked for, instant there was such a compleat vally of shot, which did as it weare thunder forth their meaning. Vpon that occasion my Lord speaker continued his speech.

Thus may you see (my most honoured Leige) how your people doe strive by all meanes possible to shew their duties and their loves, their loving duties; They have beene as spa­ring as possible might be to doe any thing that should be pre­judiciall to your majestie or your subjects in England, but what must needs be done. I perswade my selfe that if your majestie should but command the greatest thing of them to ac­complish, they would as willingly strive to performe it, and with as much good will as ever Pylades did any thing for his friend Orestes, nay my expression is below your Majesties worth, they would doe it as willingly to their powers, as the good Christian for his soules health, would doe any thing to [Page 5]please his maket. I beseech your Majestie, that you would be pleased not to harbour an ill conceit of us, or ours, for we shall, and will be true to the Crowne, as long as life endures.

I heard lately from England, that it is credibly reported that we came into the fields with banners displayed only for poverty sake, because we would enrich our selves by the Eng­lish, our owne consciences are cleare, and reason will make it manifest.

If we had came only for wealth, then had we sought to rob, and spoyle, and felloniously to take away what we could from the inhabitants adjoyning, which we never did therefore it is cleare, we never came for any such intent, as to inrich our selves. Another thing is we came only to reveale the names of those which had with might and maine, sought to over­throw three kingdomes at once, and more we will reveale, when it shall please your majesty to set with us in our Parlia­ment, and therefore it was not for Lucre we undertooke this taske. Judge favourably therefore of our intents, which are as cleare as the noone-tide of the Day, let not the clouds of disrespects overshade your serene countenance from us; for your frowne is able to kill us, and your smile able to call us back againe to life. If you had denyed your presence among us at this time, we had wandred in darknesse, like those people which are forsaken by the sunne.

But now my Leige here is one thing more, if you desire that our army shall be disbanded, your word is a command, If not they will endure the cold of winter, and thinke themselves happy to endure for your sake. Now our King began to an­swer to his last demand.

In the first place I give you all thanks for all your kindnesse shewed unto me, and weare these troublesome times over, I should not be backward in recompencing of your good wills, but I hope you will except the will for the deed, and I will for a time remaine, and conclude that a King is your debtor.

For your vigilancie in all things I might particularly thank you for, and shall for ever (whilst it shall please God to de­taine me here in this pilgrimage) rest beholding to you, and a willing debtor. But now as for the maintenance of this ar­my I hold it very unfit, for it is seldome seene but after warre [Page 6]comes famine, which are two of the greatest plagues which can happen to a kingdome.

At these words the Souldiers each man threw away their weapons, and threw their blew Bonnets into the ayre, with great acclamations of joy; with that our King spake unto them as followeth.

I thank you all, for all your love and good will, which I per­ceive in all your actions to flow abundantly from you, I pro­test that this your loving kindnes doth enlighten my heart, for this was alwayes my bosome axiome, that that King was not worthy of a Crowne, who would willingly give his subjects any distaste; me thinkes I see already how the Sun of our hap­pinesse begins to shew his face, thorough the thick clouds of distraction. Let all those things which have hapned be buri­ed in the rotten Sepulcher of oblivion, for my owne part, I cannot harbour any hatred in my heart, my thoughts are cleare.

But now after these words there was a kind of Ceremony to be performed, the manner of which was this.

If any man be accused of high Treason, and flyeth for it, and after be convicted, it is a Law among them that his effigies shall be cut in wood, and brought upon the scaffold with as much disgrace as if the party offending were there in his owne person. Now there was a Lord among them, which was found faulty, and accused of High Treason, for which he fled into France, thinking to escape the disgrace, as well as the death which he had deserved, but he was much de­ceived in the trusty Scots, for though he fled from death, yet they sent his shame after him: on the very same day on which our King came to his palace at Edenborough (Which was fry day night last) was his effigies brought upon the Scaffold, and there they cut off its woodden head.

Thus countrey men, may you see how willing these Scots are to please, and not to offend, you may reade in their works which they are lately gone about what their intentions are, I perswade my selfe, that they are true Christians, true subiects, and what not; let us therefore joyne with them in their good acclamations, with which the skies doe now ring, God save our King God save our King.

After all these things were performed, our King gave them all most hearty thanks, promising them to thinke of all their curtesies hereafter: and then hee was conducted to his Pal­lace, where he was received with great joy, and Gladnesse, and I doubt not but he will have kind entertainment: in the meane time this shall be my voyce.

God Preserve and save the King.