Part 38
This is your Papall marke, that as you runne astray, You eyther would, or needes will have, Christs Flocke to loose their way: Can you avouch this point, and dare you blaze your shame, Thus Painter-like to portray'd so, a figure for a name: Shall Symbolizing I, by Paragraphs defind, In Paradoxicke passages, Equivocate my minde. No tincture shall ingrosse, my Senses so delude, To maculate my Splendant path, with positives intrude: In this Aversion I, I more then Victor live, Let Crittickes sterne aspersions spew, this project I'le Atchieve: My words shall Seale the truth, my heart reserves the stamp, Wherein my Characters of Faith, as zealous shall incampe: That desuetude of Soule, I never did imbrace, Nor shall; nor did, God is my Judge, Such was his Heavenly grace: No secondary meane, shall aggrevate my hope, The auncient Rule of Primacy, shall be my moderne scope: Can such occurrents stand, as ominous in me, When you detract and falsly wrest, the truth in perjury: It is your lineall straine, Collusions to induct, With Misticke Contradictories, your implies you Construct: No inference can prye, nor strange illation proove, In your exorbitanting braines, my period I did moove: This microcosmos mine, such imputation scornes; And turnes this grim demoniat spight, on your Hell-forked hornes. My name you presse to staine, by base abortive leyes, To circumcise my recent fame, with sharpe edg'd Calumnies: And labour to depresse, that Confluence I have From Heaven ascrib'd, confirmed by Grace, the pledge my Spirit doth crave: That strife can not avayle, I so assume the right; Your doubled darkned eies perceive, I triumph in the light: It's not your bloody Priests, nor Tortures can prevaile, I past your Purgatory ones, the rest must you impale. For what by dread or straine, you can not worke nor do, You wrest, you leye, you paint, you faine, and add illusions too: These Latent Forgeries, annexed to your Faith, As pendicles precipitate, inhaunce your Soules to death: With shrew'd Acerbious speech, you Anathematize My will Reciprocall to yours, such guile you Moralize: But this reflexing heart, in a transparent flame, Can by experience conster well, your Churches Sire and Dame: No Tort I introduct, to damnifie your Sexe, Whose empty Sculles (illuding feare) your selves perverstly vexe: I Organize the Truth, you Allegate the Sense, Disbending cominous defects, in your absurd pretence: Your immateriall proofes, I wish you would detect, My Processe craves Sedulity, for what you Gulles Suspect.
After this, their sequell answere being mortified, and I set at liberty by a just favour of the Privy Councell, my formalists durst never attempt any further dispute with me, neither any passing countenance in our rancounters: But what shall I say concerning my grievances, Sed qui Patitur vincit: Since there is no helpe or Redresse to bee had for wrongs past, no, neither (alasse) for any present in either meane, or mighty falls: for when the Starres of great states, decline under the selfe-same constellation of my sorrowes, and made the deplored for spectacles, of the inconstancy of fortune; what shall I then in a privat life, and publicke pilgrimage expect, but the common calamity of this age, and the irrevocable redresse of my miseries sustayned, for this Crowne and Kingdome of England, which shall be presently cleared: yet would to God, I might doe, as Xerxes the Persian King did, that when the Greekes had taken Sardis, the Metropole of Lydia, he commanded one of his servants to stand before him everyday at dinner, and cry aloud, saying; the Grecians have taken Sardis: whereby he was never at quiet, till it was recovered.
[Incompatible griefe without deserved reliefe.] So would I, oppressed I, by mighty powers; (though not a King, yet the faythfull subject of a King) cry dayly from the heart-broken sorrow of my incompatible injuries; O barbarous, and inhumane Malaga! when shall my soule be revenged on thy cruell murther, and when shall mine eyes see thy mercilesse destruction? But tush, what dreame I? now a dayes griefe can find no reliefe, far lesse compassion, and meaner revenge, and so farewell satisfaction, when flattering feare dare challenge obsequiousnesse, to the alteration of any thing.
But afterward when death, Heavens fatall messenger, and enemy to nature, had darted King James of matchlesse memory; who sometimes (besides my soveraigne) in some respects, and for the former cause, was a father to me; then was I forcibly (I say) constrayned to preferre a bill of grievance to the upper house of Parliament Anno 1626. which I dayly followed 17. weekes: Well; my grievances were heard and considered, and thereupon an order graunted me (bearing the Lords reference and pleasure concerning my suite) unto Sir Thomas Coventrey, Lord keeper of Englands great Seale; and through whose office my businesse should have passed: which order was delivered unto him, by Mr. James Maxwell Knight of the blacke Rode, and one of his Majesties Bed-chamber, in behalfe of the Lords of the upper house: The order thus being reserved then with the Lord-keeper for a moneth, hee appointed me to fetch him (because of a Warrant to his [A direction for Certificats by the Lord Keeper.] State office) the Certificats of Sir Walter Aston, Sir Robert Maunsell, and Sir Thomas Button, to cleare my sufferings, and the causes wherefore: which I gladly obeyed, and brought all their three Certificates unto him: yea, and Sir Walter Aston, (besides his hand-writ) spoke seriously face to face with him thereanent.
Meane-while the house breaking up abruptly (because of soveraigne disliking) their order for my suite could take none effect as then, nor yet since, in regard it was no Session Parliament; and so my order and reliefe lyeth suspended till some hapy time.
But now to confound the calumnious and vituperious Papists, the miscreant and miserable Atheists, the peevish and selfe-opiniating Puritanes, the faithles misbeleeving Mungrells of true Religion, and of this trueth: And the very objections have beene sayd sometimes in my face, by irreligious and disdainefull Nullifidians: who have sayd and thought that I could neither be so constant, nor they so cruell: I thinke it not amisse, to set downe verbally one of their Certificats here, being all of one style, and to one purpose; and thus it followeth.
To the Right Honorable, Sir Thomas Coventry Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England, &c.
May it please your Honour: I have taken boldnesse to certifie your good Lordship, of the trueth concerning the grievous sufferings of this heavily injured man, William Lithgow: true it is, that this bearer, being bound for Alexandria in Egypt, having with him Letters of safe Conduct, under the Hand and Seale of his late Majesty King James of blessed memory; ran-countred with us, and our Fleete at Malaga: Whereof I was imployed as Vice-Admirall against the Pyrats of Algier; where he repayring a Boord of us, and frequenting our Company a shoare, was presently (after we had set Sayle) apprehended by Command of the Governour and Magistrates there as a Spie; whom they suspected, had of purpose beene left behind by our Generall, and us of the Counsell of Warre, for the Discovery of that place, and other adjacent parts: Whereupon beeing secretly imprisoned in the Governours Palace; and after serious examination of our intention; hee was without any cause done, or offered by him, most unjustly put to the cruell Racke and tortures; besides all other his unspeakable miseries, which for a long time he sustained thereafter: whereof I was credibly and infallibly informed by M. Richard Wilds, to whom he was first discovered, and by other English Factors of good note then resident there: in my repayring diverse times to the Roade of that towne with my Squadron of shippes, during the time of his long imprisonment, and after his deliverance. And afterward the Governour there beeing better informed of our loyall proceedings in those parts, and to colour their former cruelties, and suspition had of us, hee did wrest the Inquisition upon him, where being condemned to Death, he had doubtlesse undergone (as I was likewise truely informed by the afore-said Merchants) the finall Sentence of their Inquisition: if it had not beene, for the Religious care, and speedy prevention of Sir Walter Aston, then Leiger Ambassadour there: By whose earnest mediation he being delivered, and afterwards sent home by direction of Sir Robert Maunsell Generall: I now commend his grievous and lamentable cause, unto your Lordshippes tender and Religious Consideration. Resting,
Your Lordships to Command, to serve You:
From Fulham this tenth of July. 1626.
Sir Thomas Button.
And now to conclude this Tragicall discourse, the Religious eye, may perceive Gods compassionate love, foure wayes here extended. First, his powerfull providence in my long and admirable preservation in Prison: hunger, Vermine, and Tortures, being my comfortlesse Companions. Secondly, the pittifull kindnesse of his All-seeing [Gods miraculous mercy in my deliverances.] Eye, in the miraculous Wonder of my Discovery, when the perverted policy of subtile Serpents, had sceleratly suggested my concealement. Thirdly, his unspeakable mercy in my unlooked-for deliverance, beeing by hopelesse me, not thought, nor sought; and yet by his munificence was wrought. And lastly, his gracious goodnesse, in the recovery (after some large measure) of my health and use of body againe; all prayse and glory be to his infinite Majesty therefore.
And finally, merit beeing masked, with the darkenesse of ingratitude, and the morning Spring-tide of 1627. come: I set face from Court for Scotland, suiting my discontents, with a pedestriall Progresse, and my feete with the palludiat way; where fixing mine eyes on Edenbrugh, and prosecuting the Tennor of a Regall Commission (which partly beeing some where obeyed, and other-where suspended) it gave mee a large sight of the whole Kingdome, both Continent, and Iles. The particular Description whereof, in all parts, and of all places, besides Ports and Rivers: I must referre to the owne Volume already perfected, Intitulated Lithgowes Surveigh of Scotland: which this Worke may not Containe, nor time suffer to publish till a fitter occasion. Only Commenting a little upon some generalls. I hasten to be at Finis. Traversing the Westerne Iles (whose inhabitants, like to as many Bulwarkes, are abler and apter to preserve and defend, their libertie and Precincts from incursive invasions; then any neede of Forts or Fortified places they have, or can be required there: Such is the [The kindnes I received from the illustrious Lord the Marques of Hammilton.] desperate courage of these awfull Hebridians:) I arrived (I say) at the Ile of Arrane, Anno 1628. where for certayne dayes, in the Castle of Braidwicke, I was kindly intertayned, by the illustrious Lord, James Marquesse of Hammilton, Earle of Arrane and Cambridge, &c.
Whom GOD may strengthen, with the liveliest Heart, And fearelesse Minde, of all, e'vr fac'd that Art For Bohems Queene: Heavens prosper His intent! With Glorious Successe, and a Brave event: That by a King beene Sped, for a Kings Sake, To helpe a King; all Three from Him may take Auspicuous Service, Friendship, Faithfull Love, 'Gainst whom, and his, no time can breach improove. Let then (great God) blest Sparkes of Favour fall On his Designes, and Theirs, our Friends, and All; And Angels Guard Him, let Thy Mighty hand (Partition-like) 'twixt Him, and dangers stand: That Martiall ends, and Victory may Crowne His happy Hopes, his Life, with Love Renowne.
This Ile of Arrane, is thirty miles long, eight in breadth, and distant from the Maine, twenty foure miles; beeing sur-clouded with Goatfield Hill: which with wide-eyes, over-looketh our Westerne Continent, and the Northerne Countrey of Ireland: bringing also to sight in a cleare Summers day, the Ile of Manne, and the higher Coast of Cumberland: A larger prospect no Mountaine in the World can show, poynting out three Kingdomes at one sight: Neither any like Ile or braver Gentry, for good Archers, and hill-hovering Hunters. Having agayne re-shoared the Maine, I coasted Galloway even to the Mould that butteth into the Sea, with a large Promontore, being the South-most part of the Kingdome. And thence footing all that large Countrey to Dumfries, and so to Carlile: I found heere in Galloway in diverse Rode-way Innes, as good Cheare, Hospitality, and Serviceable attendance, as though I had beene ingrafted in Lombardy or Naples.
[The nobility and commodities of Galloway excell in goodnesse.] The Wooll of which Countrey, is nothing inferiour to that in Biscai of Spaine: providing they had skill, to fine, Spin, Weave, and labour it as they should. Nay, the Calabrian silke, had never a better luster, and softer gripe, then I have seene and touched this growing wooll there on Sheepes backes: the Mutton whereof excelleth in sweetnesse. So this Country aboundeth in Bestiall, especially in little Horses, which for mettall and Riding, may rather be tearmed bastard Barbs, then Gallowedian Nagges.
Likewise their Nobility and Gentry are as courteous, and every way generously disposed, as eyther discretion would wish, and honour Command: that (Cunningham being excepted, which may bee called the Accademy of Religion, for a sanctified Clergy, and a godly people) certainly Galloway is become more civill of late, then any Maritine Country, bordering with the Westerne Sea. But now to observe my former Summary condition, the length of the Kingdome lyeth South and North: That is, betweene Dungsby head in Cathnes, and the afore-sayde Mould of Galloway; beeing distant per rectam lineam, which my weary feet troad over from poynt to poynt (the way of Lochreall, Carrick, Kyle, Aire, Glasgow, Stirveling, St. Johns Towne, Stormount, the Blair of Atholl, the Bra of Mar, Badeynoh, Innernes, Rosse, Sutherland, and so to the North Promontore of Cathnes) extending to three hundred twenty miles: which I reckon to be foure hundred and fifty English miles: Confounding hereby the ignorant presumption of blind Cosmographers, who [Scotland is 120. miles longer than England.] in their Mappes make England longer than Scotland; when contrariwise Scotland out strippeth the other in length, a hundred and twenty miles. The breadth whereof I grant is narrower than England; yet extending betweene the extremities of both Coasts in divers parts to threescore, fourscore, and a hundred of our miles: But because of the Sea ingulfing the Land, and cutting it in so many Angles, making great Lakes, Bayes, and dangerous Firths, on both sides of the Kingdome, the true breadth thereof can not justly be conjectured, nor soundly set downe.
Our chiefest fresh water Lakes are these, Lochlomond, contayning twenty foure Iles, and in length as many miles: divers whereof are inriched with Woods, Deere, and other Bestiall: The large and long Lake of Loch-Tay, in Atholl, the Mother and Godmother of Headstrong Tay, the greatest River in the Kingdome: And Lochnes, in the higher parts of Murray, the River whereof (that graceth the pleasant and commodious situation of Innernes) no frost can freize: The propriety of which water will quickly melt and dissolve any hard congealed lumps of frozen Ice, be it on Man or Beast, stone or timber.
The chiefest Rivers are Clyde, Tay, Tweed, Forth, Dee, Spay, Nith, Nesse, and Dingwells flood-ingorging Lake, that confirmeth Porta salutis; being all of them, where they returne their tributs to their father Ocean portable; and as it were resting places for turmoyled seas and ships: And the principall Townes are Edenbrugh, Perth, Glasgow, Dundie, Abirdene, St. Andrewes, Aire, Stirveling, Lithgow, Dumfries, Innernes, Elgin, Minros, Jedbrugh, Hadington, Leith, &c. and for antiquity, old Lanerk, &c.
So the most delicious soiles of the Kingdome are these following: first, the bounds of Clyde, or Cliddisdale, betweene Lanerk and Dunbertan, distanced twenty sixe miles; and thence downeward to Rossay that kisseth the devulgements of the River: the beginning whereof is at Arick stone sixteene miles above Lanerk, whose course contendeth for threescore miles: All which, being the best mixed Countrey for Cornes, Meeds, Pastorage, Woods, Parks, Orchards, Castles, Pallaces, divers kinds of Coale, and earth-fewell, that our included Albion [Cliddisdale is the Paradice of Scotland.] produceth: And may justly be surnamed the Paradice of Scotland: Besides, it is adorned on both borders along, with the greatest Peeres, and Nobility in the Kingdome: The Duke of Lennox, the Marques of Hammilton, the Earle of Angus, the Earle of Argyle, and the Earles of Glencairne, Wigton, and Abircorne.
And for Lord Barons, Semple, Rosse, Blantyre, and Dalliell: The chiefest Gentry whereof are the Knights and Lairds of Luce, Skellmurelie, Blakhall, Greenock, Newwark, Houston, Pook-maxwell, Sir George Elpingston of Blythswood, Minto, Cambusnethen, Calderwood, the two Knights of Lieye, and Castel-hill, Sir James Lokharts elder & yonger, Lamington, Westraw, his Majesties Gentleman Sewer, Blakwood, Cobinton, Stanebyres, and Corhous, &c. All which in each degree, as they illuminat the soyle with grandure, so the soyle reflecteth on them againe with beauty, bounty, and riches.
But least I partiall prove, because my breath First sprung from Lanerk, so my christian faith; Where thence (O natall place) my soule did coyle, Blood, sprit, and sense, flesh, birth, life, love, and soyle; I'le leave Clydes fragrant fields, resplendant banks, Bedeckt with Silvans, stately beauteous ranks Of Pandedalian sparks; which lend the sight Of variable colours, best Natures light; And close these silver shades, that dazeling bloome Mongst thickest Groaves, with many brae-fac'd broome; Strict in the records of eternall fame, For sight, for gaine, for birth, for noble name.
And now the second soyle for pleasure, is the platformd [Carse and Murray two pleasant Soyles.] Carse of Gowry, twelve miles long (Wheat, Rye, Cornes, Fruit yards, being its onely commodity) which I may tearme for its levelld face, to be the Garden of Angus; yea, the Diamond-plot of Tay, or rather the youngest Sister of matchlesse Piemont: The Inhabitants being onely defective in affablenesse, and communicating courtesies of naturall things, whence sprung this Proverbe, The kearlles of the Carse.
The third, and beautifull soyle, is the delectable planure of Murray, thirty miles long, and sixe in breadth: whose comely grounds, inriched with Cornes, Plantings, Pastorage, stately dwellings, overfaced with a generous Octavian Gentrye, and topped with a Noble Earle, its chiefest Patrone; it may be surstyled, a second Lombardy, or pleasant Meaddow of the North.
Neither may I (abandoning eye-pleasing grounds) seclude here that sudaick bottome, reaching thirty miles twixt Perth and Minros; involving the halfe of Angus, within a fruitfull, populous, and nobilitat planure, the heart whereof saluting Glames, kisseth Cowper: So likewise, as thrice divided Louthiane, is a girnell of graine, for forrane Nations; and Fiffe twixt Carraill and Largo, the Ceren trenches of a Royall Camp, the incircling coast a nest of Corporations; and Meandring Forth from tip-toed Snadoun, the prospicuous mirrour for matchlesse Majesty: Even so is melting Tweed, and weeping Tiviot, the Ægyptian Strands, that irriguat the fertile fields, which imbolster both bosomes, sending their bordering breath of dayly necessaries to strengthen the life of Barwick.
[The Nobility and Gentry of Scotland, are the best house-keepers, and generous Gentlemen in the World.] Now as for the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome; certainely, as they are generous, manly, and full of courage; so are they courteous, discreet, learned Schollers, well read in best Histories, delicatly linguishd, the most part of them, being brought up in France or Italy: That for a generall compleat worthinesse, I never found their matches amongst the best people of forrane Nations: being also good house-keepers, affable to strangers, and full of Hospitality.
And in a word the Seas of Scotland, and the Iles abound plentifully in all kind of Fishes, the Rivers are ingorged with Salmond, the high-landish mountaines overcled with Firre-trees, infinite Deere, and all sorts of other Bestiall, the Valleyes full of Pasture, and Wild fowle; the low layd Playnes inriched with beds of grayne; Justice all where administred, Lawes obeyed, malefactors punished, Oppressors curbed, the Clergy religious, the people sincere Professors, and the Country peaceable to all men.
The chiefest commodities whereof, transported beyond sea, are these, Wheat, Cornes, Hides, Skins, Tallow, Yearn, Linnen, Salt, Coale, Herrings, Salmond, Wooll, Keilling, Ling, Turbet and Seaths. And last, and worst, all the Gold of the Kingdome, is daily Transported away with superfluous posting for Court. Whence they never returne any thing, save spend all, End all, then farewell Fortune: So that numbers of our Nobility and Gentry now, become with idle projects, downe-drawers of destruction, upon their owne neckes, their children, and their estates: and posting Postilions by dissolute courses, to [Prodigall and superfluous posting from Scotland to Court.] inrich Strangers, leave themselves deservingly desolate, of Lands, Meanes, and Honesty for ever. Doing even with their former Vertue, long continuance, and memory of their noble Ancestors, as M. Knoxe did with our glorious Churches of Abbocies, and Monasteries (which were the greatest beauty of the Kingdome,) knocking all down to desolation; leaving nought to be seene of admirable Edifices, but like to the Ruines of Troy, Tyrus, and Thebes, lumpes of Wals, and heapes of stones.
So do our ignoble Gallants (though nobly borne) swallow up the honour of their famous Predecessours, with posting foolery, boy-winding Hornes, cormandizing Gluttony, Lust, and vaine Apparrell; making a Transmigration of perpetuity to their present Belly, and Backe. O lashivious ends: which I have condignely sisted, in my last Worke Intitulated Scotlands welcome to King Charles: with all the abuses and grievances of the whole Kingdome besides.