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

122 CHARLES II. AND SCOTLAND IN 1650
with six more, was riding on anchor near that shore, being
come thither on purpose for to receive him, and for to waft
him over into Scotland. Those seven Ships had been appointed
to go and meet some East India Ships that are on their way
home, and the time not being come ; yet for to begin their
voyage, the Prince of Orange prevailed with the States to suffer
Prince Charls to make use of them in the mean while for his
passage into Scotland, and not to lose that opportunity ; yet
he so precipitated his journey, as he went aboard when the
wind was contrary, that use might be made of the first favor¬
able gale that should blow : but some letters do intimate that
the true cause of that great haste, and of his going for Scot¬
land before he had received the ratification of the treaty thence,
proceeded from his having got secret intelligence of Montross
his execution, fearing, that if he stayed never so little longer,
the open and publique news of it would come, and that then
he could not go to Scotland in honor. He hath carried all
his people with him, both English and Scotch, except onely
the Lord Gerard, and Mr. Eaton, the Usher of his Chamber ;
which two, as likewise the Lord Hopton and Mr. Eliot (neither
of them then in Holland), had been particularly excepted
against by the Commissioners for having been too vehemently
addicted to Montross ; and he hath been fain likewise to leave
all his Divines behinde him, one Dean King1 and Dr. Goff
being gone along, not in the nature of men of their Profession,
but as Secretaries, King to the Duke of Buckingham, and
Goff to the Lord Wentworth. As for the rest, he hath left
them all in Holland, having given 1000 Francks to every one
of them, wherewithal to subsist till he can do better for them;
and in lieu of them, he hath for his Chaplains two Scotch
Divines, come over with the Commissioners. He hath also
left Duke Hamilton in Holland, his going into Scotland not
having been judged expedient for the present, for fear of
emulations betwixt him and Argyle, which might spoil all in
the beginning; and to have an honorable pretext for his
staying, it is given out, That he is appointed to go Ambassador
to the Queen of Sweden, as the Earl of Newcastle (left behinde
1 The Dean of Tuam. See No. Ixxxvii.