afflicted princes and
states, we have found it necessary to send this gentleman Mr. Colvil, to
represent unto your majesty, the candor and ingenuity as well of our
actions and proceedings, as of our inventions, which we desire to be
ingraven and written in the whole world, with a beam of the sun, as well
as to your majesty. We therefore beseech you, Sire, to give faith and
credit to him, and to all that he shall say on our part, touching us and
our affairs. Being much assured, Sire, of an assistance equal to your
wonted clemency heretofore, and so often shewed to the nation, which
will not yield the glory of any other whatsoever, to be eternally, Sire,
your majesty's most humble, most obedient and most affectionate
servants."

This letter, says a historian[114], was advised to and composed by
Montrose, when the king was coming against Scotland with a potent army,
transcribed by lord Loudon, and subscribed by them two and the lords
Rothes, Marr, Montgomery and Forrester, and general Leslie; but the
translation being found faulty by lord Maitland, &c. it was dropped
altogether, which copy wanted both the date, which the worst of its
enemies never pretended it had, and a direction, which the Scots
confidently affirmed it never had; but falling into the king's hand (by
means of Traquair), he intended to make a handle of it, to make lord
Loudon the first sacrifice. This noble lord being examined before the
council, did very honestly acknowledge the hand-writing and subscription
to be his; but said, It was before the late pacification, when his
majesty was marching in hostility against his native country; that in
these circumstances it seemed necessary to have an intercessor to
mitigate his wrath, and they could think of none so well qualified as
the French king, being the nearest relation by affinity to their
sovereign of any other crowned head in the world; but that being but
shortly thought on before the arrival of the English on the border, was
judged too late, and therefore was never either addressed by them, or
sent to the French king.

Notwithstanding this evil was intended against this noble peer, and
being remanded back to prison, was very near being dispatched, and that
not only without the benefit of his peers, but without any legal trial
or conviction. Burnet fairly acknowledges[115], that the king was
advised to proceed capitally against him. But the English
historians[116] go still farther, and plainly say, Th