Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Second volume)

INTRODUCTION
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honour that he should not act against the Government.
Burnet, a witty conversationalist, famed for his good stories,
rose to the occasion; and comparing himself to a popish
pilgrim, addressing an unknown saint, he asked nothing of
the great man, save to be left in peace. Cromwell acceded ;
and even the friendship shown by Burnet for Major-General
Overton (quartered at Aberdeen), upon the latter’s arrest in
December 1654, did not embroil Burnet with the Govern¬
ment.1
Two main interests absorbed his attention. In 1655
there was printed, at Leith,2 the famous Jus Feudale,
left in manuscript by Sir Thomas Craig, his wife’s grand¬
father, with an excellent Latin preface from the pen of
Robert Burnet. He seems to have thought it undesirable
to visit Edinburgh, even in the interest of this important
work ; since he complains pathetically of the difficulties of
correcting proofs, when divided from the press by an interval
of seventy miles and two 4 freta maris.’ He was also, says his
son, 4 much importuned by men of all sides to write the
history of those distempered times,’ his moderation and
candour being generally admitted. Warriston, 4 in whose
hands were all the original papers of the Covenanters’ side,’
joined in the desire, and offered these invaluable materials
4 for his assistance, if he would undertake it; but he was
overgrown with age and infirmities, and so could not set
about so difficult a task.’3
His one absorbing occupation, in fact, was the education
of his youngest son, and he taught him Latin with such
relentless energy, that at the age of ten the luckless child
was ‘master of that tongue and of the Classic authors.’ At
this tender age Gilbert removed to the 4 College of New
Aberdeen,’ where, however, his father still superintended his
1 History, Airy’s ed., vol. i. pp. 143-4.
2 Information kindly communicated by Dr. Law.
3 Lives of the Hamiltons, p. ix.