Series 1 > Letters and papers illustrating the relations between Charles the Second and Scotland in 1650

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CHARLES II. AND SCOTLAND IN 1650
sioners, for they hope that Prince will have a powerfull influence
upon him (as they perswade themselves, they have an interest
in him) for that the Prince1 must expect supplyes from him,
and meanes for his transportation into Scotland, and therefore
will hardly refuse anything to him; so as he will be the media-
tour in this treaty. There is no doubt hee will use all his
endeavours to sweeten things, and to bring downe the Com¬
missioners of Scotland to as easie termes as may be; and ’tis
verily believed they will condescend very farr, especially the
Commissioners of the State.
Those of the Kirk will be a little more untractable, because
they are sent from principles, whose interest is more in danger
then the other; some of the Scottish Commissioners went to
Antwerp, some here say it is onely to see it, others-that it is to
receive five thousand pounds, which they intend to give the
Prince, to engratiate themselves the more with him, and to
raise thereby his hopes to great matters for the future, if he
comes off to them ; the money will be very welcome, if he can
get it, for I am sure ’tis short here. And for the Commis¬
sioners of the Kirk, when the Prince of Orange is come ’tis
sayd he will employ one Doctor Rivet,2 a French man (who is
Cheife of the University here at Breda, and was the Prince of
Orange his tutor) to soften them, and make them more yeeld-
ing according to the Dutch pattern, which is nothing so rigid
as the Scottish. Some of the Ministers went also to Utrecht,
to Voetius, to engage him, but ’tis thought he will also
endeavour to bring them to an abatement, not out of his own
temper, for he is rigid enough, but to please Orange. The
ministers doe stand upon pressing the Covenant, both for Eng¬
land and Ireland as well as Scotland (for this latter I make no
question it will be granted) that thereby they may still have a
party and faction for them in both those Kingdomes. They
presse also, that the private devotions of his house, as well as
the churches, may be after their Directory.
The truth is, things look yet, so as the wisest here know not
yet what judgement to make of the event; ’tis certaine some
good news from Montrosse, that he were in any hopefull pos-
Charles II.
2 Andre Rivet.