was a great defender of his father's opinions; and his testimony, Mr.
Blair knew well, was of more authority with him than the testimony of
any divine. After a few months stay, Mr. Blair was permitted to visit
his flock and family.

After the sitting of the Scots parliament, Mr. Blair made another visit
to the king at Newcastle, where he urged him with all the arguments he
was master of, to subscribe the covenants, and abolish Episcopacy in
England, and he was confident all his honest Scotsmen would espouse his
quarrel against his enemies in England, &c. To which the king
answered, That he was bound by his great oath to defend Episcopacy,
&c. in that church, and ere he wronged his conscience by violating his
coronation-oath, he would lose his crown. Mr. Blair asked the form of
that oath; he said, It was to maintain it to the utmost of his
power.--Then, said Mr. Blair, you have not only defended it to the
utmost of your power, but so long and so far, that now you have no
power, &c. But by nothing could he prevail upon the king, and left him
with a sorrowful heart, and returned to St. Andrews.

Again in the year 1648, when Cromwel came to Edinburgh, the commission
of the kirk sent Mr. Blair and Messrs. David Dickson and James Guthrie
to deal with him, for an uniformity in England. When they came, he
entertained them with smooth speeches and solemn appeals to God as to
the sincerity of his intentions. Mr. Blair being best acquaint with him,
spoke for all the rest; and among other things, begged an answer to
these three questions: (1.) What was his opinion of monarchical
government? He answered, He was for monarchical government, &c. (2.)
What was his opinion anent toleration? He answered confidently, That he
was altogether against toleration. (3.) What was his opinion concerning
the government of the church? O now, said Cromwel, Mr. Blair, you
article me too severely; you must pardon me, that I give you not a
present answer to this, &c. This he shifted, because he had before, in
conversation with Mr. Blair, confessed he was for independency. When
they came out, Mr. Dickson said, I am glad to hear this man speak no
worse; whereunto Mr. Blair replied, If you knew him as well as I, you
would not believe one word he says, for he is an egregious dissembler
and a great liar.

When the differences fell out betwixt the protestors and resolutioners,
Mr. Blair was at London, and afterward for the most part remained neuter
in that