west
brought near to the head of a design to break the treaty with him,
and agree upon his expences with Cromwell. Upon these motions the
malignants in the north stept in, and by the forenamed persons began
a correspondence for the raising of the north for his present
service, under the conduct of Middleton. So many noblemen were on
this unhappy enterprise. Crawford was given out for its head and
contriver, albeit be professed to me his opposition to it.
Lauderdale knew of it; but he has said so far to me, that I believe
him he opposed it to his power. However, the thing was so foolishly
laid, and the king, by the counsels of those about him, was so
various in giving order for that rising, sometimes commanding and
then countermanding to rise, that all the party was put in a
confusion; yet, by the information of these foresaid fools, the king
being put in fear, that Lorn, going timely to bury a soldier, was
drawing together his regiment to lay hands on him, contrary to his
former resolutions, he took horse with some two or three, as if it
had been to go a hawking, but crossed Tay, and stayed not till he
came to Clowe in Angus. By the way he repented of the journey, and
meeting with Lauderdale at Diddup, and Balcarras coming from Dundee
by accident, was almost persuaded by them to return, yet by Diddup
and Buchan he was kept in Clowe. But when he came to that
miserably-accommodated house, and in place of the great promised
forces, he saw nothing but a small company of Highlanders, he
presently sent for Robert Montgomery, who was near with his
regiment, and without more ado, did willingly return, exceedingly
confounded and dejected for that ill-advised start. When it was
first blazed abroad, it filled all good men with great grief, and to
my own heart it brought one of the most sensible sorrows that in all
nay life I had felt. Yet his quick return of his own accord, and his
readiness to give all satisfaction for that failure, and his kind
receiving by the committee of states, among whom he ever sat after
his return (though never before) turned our grief suddenly into joy,
his absence not lasting above two full days. Yet all men were not so
soon satisfied.

"Sundry of them who had been on the plot, fearing a discovery