1655. The king thinks of out of whither? was the question. BOOK from whence he foresaw that he should soon be XIV. driven. But as he had no money to enable him to remove, or to pay the debts he owed there, so he knew not to what place to repair, where he might retreating find a civil reception. Holland was bound not to France; but admit him into their dominions, and by their example had shewed other princes and states, what conditions they must submit to who would be allies to Cromwell. The king of Spain was at the same time contending with France for Cromwell's friendship, and thought he had some advantage with him by the residence his majesty had in France: so there could be no thought of repairing into Flanders, and that he could be admitted to stay there. The protestants, in most places, expressed much more inclination to his rebels than to him. The Roman catholics looked upon him as in so desperate a condition, that he would in a short time be necessitated to throw himself into their arms by changing his religion, without which they generally declared, "they would never give him the least assistance." In this distress, his majesty resumed the considerations he had formerly entered upon, of sending to the diet; which was summoned by the emperor to meet shortly at Ratisbon, to make choice of a king of the Romans. And Germany being then in peace, the emperor made little doubt of finding a concurrence in the choice of the king of Hungary his eldest son to be made king of the Romans, and thereby to be sure to succeed him in the empire. Our king had long designed to send the lord Wilmot on that errand, to try what the emperor, and most] all h they generally] they all princes of Germany, would do, in such a conjunc- BOOK ture, towards the uniting all other princes with XIV. themselves, in undertaking a quarrel they were all 1655. concerned in, to restore a prince so injured and oppressed by so odious a rebellion; and in the mean time, of which there appeared to be more hope, what contribution they would make towards his support; and likewise, upon this occasion, what fit place might be found, in the nearest parts of Germany, for the king to repair to; where he might attend his better destiny. It was most suitable to the occasion, and the necessity of the king's condition, that this affair should be despatched in as private a way as was possible, and with as little expense, it being impossible to send an ambassador in such an equipage, as, at such an illustrious convention of all the princes of the empire, was necessary. Wilmot pressed very much for that character, that he might the more easily accomplish his being made an earl; for which he had obtained the king's promise in a fit season. And he took great pains to persuade the king, "that this was a proper season, and very much for "the advancement of his service: but, that if he "had the title of an earl, which would be looked " upon as a high qualification, he would not assume "the character of ambassador, though he would 66 carry such a commission with him, but make all "his negociations as a private envoy;" of which he promised the king wonderful effects, and pretended to have great assurance of money, and of making levies of men for any expedition. The king, rather to comply with the general expectation, and to do all that was in his power to do, than out of any XIV. The king mot earl of Rochester; him to the diet at BOOK hope of notable advantage from this agitation, was contented to make him earl of Rochester; and gave 1655. him all such commissions and credentials, as were makes Wil- necessary for the employment; and sent him from Paris in the Christmas time, that he might be at and sends Ratisbon at the meeting of the diet, which was to be in the beginning of April following; means having been found to procure so much money as was necessary for that journey, out of the assignment that had been made to the king for his support: of which there was a great arrear due, and which the cardinal caused at this time to be supplied, because he looked upon this sending to Ratisbon as a preparatory for the king's own remove. Ratisbon. The affairs of Scotland Though Scotland was vanquished, and subdued, at this time. to that degree, that there was no place nor person who made the least shew of opposing Cromwell; who, by the administration of Monk, made the yoke very grievous to the whole nation; yet the preachers kept their pulpit licence; and, more for the affront that was offered to presbytery, than the conscience of what was due to majesty, many of them presumed to pray for the king; and generally, though secretly, exasperated the minds of the people against the present government. The Highlanders, by the advantage of their situation, and the hardiness of that people, made frequent incursions in the night into the English quarters; and killed many of their soldiers, but stole more of their horses: and where there was most appearance of peace and subjection, if the soldiers straggled in the night, or went single in the day, they were usually knocked ¡ usually] always on the head; and no inquiry could discover the ma- BOOK lefactors. XIV. 1655. sent a com earl of Glencarne. Many expresses were sent to the king, as well from those who were prisoners in England, as from some lords who were at liberty in Scotland, "that "Middleton might be sent into the Highlands with "his majesty's commission;" and in the mean time the earl of Glencarne, a gallant gentleman, offered, if he were authorized by the king, to draw a body of horse and foot together in the Highlands, and infest the enemy, and be ready to submit to Middleton, as soon as he should arrive there with a supply of arms and ammunition. Accordingly the king The king had sent a commission to the earl of Glencarne; mission to who behaved himself very worthily, and gave Monk the arro some trouble. But he pressing very earnestly, that Middleton might be sent over to compose some animosities and emulations, which were growing up to the breaking off that union, without which nothing could succeed, his majesty, about the time that the earl of Rochester was despatched for Ratisbon, sent likewise Middleton into Scotland, with some few And Midofficers of that nation, and such a poor supply of sent into arms and ammunition, as, by the activity and in- Scotland. dustry of Middleton, could be got upon the credit and contribution of some merchants and officers in Holland of that nation, who were willing to redeem their country from the slavery it was in. With this very slender assistance he transported himself in the winter into the Highlands; where, to welcome him, he found the few, whom he looked to find in arms, more broken with faction amongst themselves than by the enemy; nor was he able to reconcile them. But after Glencarne had delivered his thin unarmed ,dleton is BOOK troops to Middleton, and condescended to fight a XIV. duel with an inferior officer, who provoked him to it 1655. after he was out of his command, whether he was retires to his own house; and troubled to have another command over him, who, upon the matter, had no other men to command but what were raised by him, though he had exceedingly pressed Middleton's being sent over to that purpose, or whether convinced with the impossiGlencarne bility of the attempt, he retired first to his own house, and then made his peace with Monk, that he makes his might live quietly, and retained still his affection peace with and fidelity to the king; which he made manifest afterwards in a more favourable conjuncture: and at the same time he excused himself to the king, for giving over an enterprise which he was not able to prosecute, though Middleton sustained it a full year afterwards. Monk. The truth is, the two persons who were most concerned in that expedition had no degree of hope that it would be attended with any success; the king, and Middleton; who had both seen an army of that people, well provided with all things necessary, not able to do any thing where they fought upon terms more advantageous. And how could those now, drawn together by chance, half armed and undisciplined, be able to contend with victorious troops, which wanted nothing, and would hardly part with what they had got? But his majesty could not refuse to give them leave to attempt what they believed they could go through with; and Middleton, who had promised them to come to them, when he was assured he should be enabled to carry over with him two thousand men, and good store of arms, thought himself obliged to venture his life with |