of the public mind in England, every eye was turned
towards the proceedings in Scotland. For some time a notion had been
cherished by the Scottish clergy, that the king at Carisbrook had not only
subscribed the covenant, but had solemnly

[Footnote 1: 1 Kings, viii. 8.]

[Footnote 2: Ludlow, i. 206. Whitelock, 317.]

engaged to enforce it throughout his dominions; and the prospect of a
speedy triumph over the Independents induced them to preach a crusade from
the pulpit in favour of the kirk and the throne. But the return of the
commissioners, and the publication of "the agreement" with the king,
bitterly disappointed their hopes. It was found that Charles had indeed
consented to the establishment of Presbyterianism in England, but only as
an experiment for three years, and with the liberty of dissent both for
himself, and for those who might choose to follow his example. Their
invectives were no longer pointed against the Independents; "the agreement"
and its advocates became the objects of their fiercest attacks. Its
provisions were said to be unwarranted by the powers of the commissioners,
and its purpose was pronounced an act of apostasy from the covenant, an
impious attempt to erect the throne of the king in preference to the
throne of Christ. Their vehemence intimidated the Scottish parliament, and
admonished the duke of Hamilton to proceed with caution. That nobleman,
whose imprisonment ended with the surrender of Pendennis, had waited on the
king in Newcastle; a reconciliation followed; and he was now become the
avowed leader of the royalists and moderate Presbyterians. That he might
not irritate the religious prejudices of his countrymen, he sought to mask
his real object, the restoration of the monarch, under the pretence of
suppressing heresy and schism; he professed the deepest veneration for the
covenant, and the most implicit deference to the authority of the kirk;
he listened with apparent respect to the remonstrances of the clerical
commission, and openly solicited its members to aid the parliament with
their wisdom, and to state their desires. But these were mere words
intended to lull suspicion. By dint of numbers (for his party comprised
two-thirds of the convention), he obtained the appointment of a committee
of danger; this was followed by a vote to place the kingdom in a posture
of defence; and the consequence of that vote was the immediate levy of
reinforcements for the army. But his opponents u