end of July, arrived at Haddington, from whence Major General Lambert, and Colonel Whaley, being sent with a body of horse towards Musselborough, were attacked in the rear; but after an obstinate contest, in which Lambert was wounded and had very nearly been taken prisoner, the Scotch were repulsed with loss. The next day, the English were again attacked by Major General Montgomery, and Colonel Straughan, but the Scotch, not only failed in their object, but were completely routed, and pursued so far, that their camp was in danger of being surprised.

After this success, Cromwell marched onward, and encamping at a short distance from the Scotch army, endeavoured to bring them to an engagement. Being unable to accomplish this design, he ascended the Pentland hills, and took Collington house, and Read hall. In the latter, Lord Hamilton was taken prisoner, and a considerable quantity of ammunition and provisions fell into the hands of the English commander.

The hostile armies having moved for some time at a little distance from each other, on the opposite sides of a bog, only exchanging at intervals a few great shot, without coming to an engagement, Cromwell not being able, though very desirous to draw out the enemy, and being reduced to great straits, by the scarcity of provisions, retired back to the Pentland hills, from thence to Musselborough, and not long after to Dunbar. At this time, it was thought, he was meditating a secret flight to England. But the Scotch pressed with advantage upon his rear, and General Lesley having the command of a high hill, at the foot of which he had stationed his main body, contrived to coop up the English within a narrow neck of land. There was now a universal jubilee in the Scotch camp, and a confident assurance prevailed that they could beat the English at their pleasure. But Cromwell, whose unwearied vigilance prevented any surprize, after gaining a pass at Copperspeth, between Edinburgh and Berwick, of which the Scotch had possessed themselves, not only extricated himself from the difficulty, but taking advantage of the presumptuous confidence and security that prevailed in the Scotch army, made that victory his own, which they had so surely promised to themselves. complete was his success that they never recovered that fatal

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blow, which led the way to the entire conquest of their country.

The memorable battle of Dunbar, by which Cromwell was raised from a situation apparently hopeless to the height of triumph, was fought on Tuesday the third of September. The greater part of the Scotch, were either slain or taken prisoners: the horse fled, and most of the principal officers; and among the rest, General Sir James Lumsdale, Sir William Douglas, Lord Cranstoun, Lord Libberton (who was mortally wounded in the battle,) and Adjutant General Bickerton, were taken, together with all their ammunition, a great quantity of arms, and 200 stand of colours which were hung up in Westminster Hall. Immediately after the victory, some regiments were sent to take possession of Leith, a commodious port for receiving provisions from England, and Cromwell with the main army, entered the capital of Scotland.

The total defeat of the Scotch army at Dunbar, was not so great a source of grief to his Majesty, as the loss of two persons who were very dear to him, which happened about. this time, his sister, the princess Elizabeth, who died at Carisbrook castle, in the isle of Wight, after a lingering indisposition, under which she had laboured since the tragical death of her father; and, his brother-in-law, the prince of Orange, who had assisted his Majesty, on all occasions, to the utmost extent of his power. This prince died about the end of October; and soon after his death, his consort, the princess Mary, was delivered of a son.

His Majesty was the less affected by the late defeat, because he perceived that success would only have increased the imperiousness of the Scotch covenanters, whose severe impositions became so insufferable, that at length, taking horse in his ordinary habit, and accompanied by three, only, of his most trusty attendants, as if he had merely designed a hawking excursion, he departed secretly towards the north of Scotland, where he had been informed that the Marquess of Huntly, the Earls of Athol and Seaforth, Lords Ogleby and Newborough, and Major General Middleton, with the Gordons, and the men of Athol, were ready to appear for him in considerable force. His Majesty, however, would not cast himself upon them till be knew, more certainly, how far they were able to assist him;

and, therefore, went first to Lord Dedup's, on the northern confines of Fife, intending to remain there privately, till he received their answer; and according to its tenor, he had resolved either to repair immediately to them, or again to leave the kingdom.

The sudden and secret departure of the king greatly perplexed the committee of estates at St. Johnston's, their own jealousy giving them reason to apprehend that he was going to Middleton, and the men of Athol. His Majesty's departure was not so secret as to prevent them from discovering, upon enquiry, that he was at the mansion of Lord Dedup. On receiving this information, it was warmly debated among them what course should be taken in reference to his return. Some of the more arrogant of the party were of opinion "That since he had thus deserted them, they ought not to trouble themselves any more about him, but leave him to himself and his own ways;" but the more moderate thought it adviseable "to send to his Majesty, and let him know their resentment on account of his sudden departure, and his adherence to the malignants." This resolution was at length adopted through the influence of several lords and leading men even of the presbytery itself, who, sensible of the evil consequences of divisions, and of the necessity of uniting against the common enemy, began seriously to close in favour of his Majesty, with those of the royal party, who had by degrees crept into power. resolution being formed, that no possible expedient to bring back his Majesty should be omitted, Major General Montgomery was ordered to march, immediately, with a body of horse, to Lord Dedup's, and to endeavour, by earnest supplications, to bring his Majesty with him to St. Johnston's. Montgomery having arrived at the place, first surrounded the house, and then sent to inform his Majesty that he came by order of the committee of estates, to entreat his Majesty to return. On being admitted to the King's presence, he fell at his Majesty's feet, and humbly besought him to forget all that had been done derogatory to his authority, and to be assured that on his return he would meet with greater duty and respect; urging at the same time, the ill consequences of deserting those who had so zealously appeared for him. His Majesty, though he ill digested the memory of those

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restraints and neglects he had so lately endured, and was earnestly solicited by the Gordons, and the men of Athol, to adhere entirely to them, who would undertake to secure him against the Kirk, and all others that should oppose him, was at length overcome by Montgomery's repeated importunities, enforced by the powerful persuasions of others who were as discreet as they were loyal, and returned to St Johnston's to the satisfaction of the moderate of all parties, both covenanters and royalists. By the good understanding of these hitherto opposing factions, affairs proceeded in a much more prosperous career than before, though not without some disturbance from the Ultras on both sides. On the Kirk part, a different faction of covenanters that associated chiefly in the west, and in some parts of the south of Scotland, formed themselves into a distinct sect, and were much dissatisfied with the recent transaction at St. Johnston's. On the royal side, the confederates of the north, were with difficulty pacified. The malcontents of the Kirk set forth a remonstrance to the committee of estates, in which they accused them "of too much haste and precipitation in their treaty with the King, and of entertaining and receiving him among them, before he had given any convincing evidence of a real change, nay when by divers actions (as they alledged) he had manifested the contrary." They also declared, "their utter mislike and disowning of theirs and the king's proceedings," and asserted, "that his profession of the cause was merely counterfeit,” as they said appeared "by his favouring and frequenting the wicked company of Scotch and English malignants; that therefore they absolutely refused to submit to his power and authority." They also declared, “against their intention of invading England for his sake, being a nation not subordinate to them, without consideration of the lawfulness, or the necessity thereof."

The principal persons of this faction, were Colonel Kerr, Colonel Straughan, Lord Warreston, and Sir John Chiesly. They had a committee or synod of their own, called the synod of Glasgow, from which was issued a declaration (to the same effect as the remonstrance) which they sent by four of their commissioners to those of the Kirk at St. Johnston's. But this declaration of the synod at Glasgow, as well as the

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remonstrance of the western association, was very offensive to the leading men, even of the Kirk party, who endeavoured to bring over Kerr and Straughan, to their side. For this purpose, they sent the Earl of Cassilis, Lord Brody, Mr. Robert Douglas, and others to treat with them; but they were inexorable, and peremptorily declared both against the King and the Lords, on the one side, and against sectaries (as they termed the English army) on the other, resolving equally to oppose both.

The committee of estates were not, however, so anxious on this subject, as they were to bring in Huntly, Middleton, and the rest of the royal party in the north, who had refused to submit, though the King's authority was employed, enjoining them to come in within fifteen or twenty days. Having taken Aberdeen, they marched directly towards St. Johnston's, attacked Sir John Browne's regiment, and routed it. On the march, they were presented with an act of indemnity, which they declined, and would not be induced to submission, unless they might be received into places of trust. This proposition not being granted, they marched with two thousand foot, and nine hundred horse, within a mile of the town, and General Lesley being at hand with 1500 horse, an engagement would have ensued, had not his Majesty seasonably interposed and changed into a treaty what might have proved a bloody conflict.

The ministers at Sterling, were so far from consenting to this treaty, that they passed sentence of excommunication upon Middleton, to the great displeasure of the committee at St. Johnston's, who now began to see the necessity of taking in all parties, in order to oppose the common enemy. Argyle, and Douglas, were earnest for this measure, and Cassilis by degrees was brought to comply. The Earl of Lithgow and others, were consequently declared by the Kirk, capable of trust, and the estates having resolved upon a general meeting, to be held at St. Johnston's, consisting of the King, Lords, Barons, Burgesses, and assembly of ministers, to consult for the safety of the Kirk, King, and kingdom, summoned the commissioners of the Kirk at Stirling, to adjourn their sitting thither. In answer to this summons, the commissioners of the Kirk at Stirling, sent an excuse by their messengers, raising many