second sum of one hundred
thousand pounds; their army repassed the border-line between the two
kingdoms; and the captive monarch, under a[e] strong guard, but with every
demonstration of respect, was conducted to his new prison at Holmby.[1]

The royalists, ever since the king's visit to Newark, had viewed with
anxiety and terror the cool calculating policy of the Scots. The result
converted their suspicions into certitude: they hesitated not to accuse
them of falsehood and perfidy, and to charge them with having allured the
king to their army by deceitful promises, that, Judas-like, they might
barter him for money with his enemies. Insinuations so injurious

[Footnote 1: Journals, viii. 686, 689, 695, 699, 713. Commons', Jan. 25,
26, 27. Baillie, ii. 253. Rush. vi. 390-398. Whitelock, 233. Thurloe, i.
73, 74.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1647. Jan. 25.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1647. Jan. 21.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1647. Jan. 30.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1647. Feb. 3.]
[Sidenote e: A.D. 1647. Feb. 16.]

to the character of the nation ought not to be lightly admitted. It is,
indeed, true that fanaticism and self-interest had steeled the breasts
of the Covenanters against the more generous impulses of loyalty and
compassion; and that, by the delivery of the king to his enemies, they
violated their previous pledge of personal safety, which, if once given,
though by word only, ought to have been sacredly fulfilled. But there is
no ground for the statement, that they held out promises to delude the
unfortunate prince. It was with reluctance that they consented to receive
him at all; and, when at last he sought an asylum in their army, he came
thither, not allured by invitation from them, but driven by necessity and
despair. 2. If the delivery of the royal person, connected as it was with
the receipt of L200,000, bore the appearance of a sale, it ought to be
remembered, that the accounts between the two nations had been adjusted in
the beginning of September; that for four months afterwards the Scots never
ceased to negotiate in favour of Charles; nor did they resign the care of
his person, till the votes of the English parliament compelled them to make
the choice between compliance or war. It may be, that in forming their
decision their personal interest was not forgotten; but there was another
consideration which had no small weight even with the friends of the
monarch. It was urged that by suffering the king to reside at Holmby, they
would d