wisely in all his
public employments, and that he not only deserved to have an act of
approbation, but likewise to be rewarded by the estates, that their
favours and his merit might be known to posterity, &c. They further
considered, that the loss of such an eminent instrument could not be
easily supplied. The English dealt not so freely with any of our
commissioners, as with lord Loudon, nor did ever any of our
commissioners use so much ingenuous freedom with his majesty as he did;
and he behoved once more to return to London, with the treaty
new-revised by the parliament, subscribed by the lord president and
others.

After the return of the commissioners, the king being arrived in
parliament, they began to dignify several of the Scots nobility with
offices of state, and because a lord-treasurer was a-wanting it was
moved that none did deserve that office so well as the earl of Loudon,
who had done so much for his country. But the king, judging more wisely
in this, thought it was more difficult to find a fit person for the
chancery than for the treaty, was obliged to make the earl of Loudon
chancellor, contrary, both to his own inclination (for he never was
ambitious of preferment) and to the solicitation of his friends. But to
make amends for the smallness of his fees, an annual pension of 100
pounds was added to this office.

Accordingly upon the 2d of Oct. 1642, this noble lord did solemnly, in
the face of the parliament, on his bended knees, before the throne,
first swear the oath of allegiance, then that of private counsellor, and
lastly, when the great seal, (which for two years had been kept by the
marquis of Hamilton) was with the mace delivered to him out of his
majesty's hand, he did swear the oath _de fideli administratione
officii_, and was by the lion king at arms, placed in the seat under his
majesty's feet, on the right hand of the lord president of parliament;
from thence he immediately arose, and prostrating himself before the
king, said, "Preferment comes neither from the east nor from the west,
but from God alone. I acknowledge, I have this from your majesty as from
God's vicegerent upon earth, and the fountain of all earthly honour
here, and I will endeavour to answer that expectation your majesty has
of me, and to deserve the goodwill of this honourable house, in
faithfully discharging what you both (without desert of mine) have put
on me." And kissing his majesty's hand, he retired to his seat.