ly expressed their confidence, that
her journey to France shall prove a successeful Counsel, and that this
Island, and particularly this Kingdome, shall have a greater power to
grapple with before the next Summer, then any which yet we have encountred
with. The Irish Rebels have offered to the King to fend over a greater
number into both the Kingdomes: The hostile intentions of the King of
Denmark, if God be not pleased still to divert and disable him, do plainly
enough appear from his own Letters, sent not long since to the Estates of
this Kingdome. In the mean time, the hellish crue under the conduct of the
excommunicate and forefaulted _Earle of Montrose_, and of _Alaster
Mac-Donald_, a Papist and an Outlaw, doth exercise such barbarous,
unnaturall, horrid, and unheard of cruelty, as is above expression: And
(if not repressed) what better usage can others not yet touched expect
from them, being now hardened and animated by the successe which God hath
for our humiliation and correction, permitted unto them: and if they shall
now get leave to secure the High-Lands for themselves, they will not onely
from thence infest the rest of this Countrey, but endeavour a diversion of
our Forces in England, from the prosecution of the ends expressed in the
Covenant of the three Kingdoms, toward which ends, as their service hath
already advantageous, so their continuance is most necessary.

The second sort of Enemies, from which our present dangers arise, are
secret Malignants and Dis-covenanters, who may be known by these and the
like Characters: Their slighting or censuring of the publick Resolutions
of this Kirk and State: Their consulting and labouring to raise Jealousies
and Divisions, to retard or hinder the execution of what is ordered by the
publick Judicatories: Their slandering of the Covenant of the three
Kingdomes and expedition into England, as not necessary for the good of
Religion, or safety of this Kingdome, or as tending to the diminution of
the Kings just power and greatnesse: Their confounding of the Kings Honour
and Authority, with the abuse and pretense thereof, and with Commissions,
Warrants, and Letters, procured from the King, by the Enemies of this
Cause and Covenant, as if we could not oppose the latter, without
encroaching upon the former: Their whetting of their tongues, to censure
and slander those whom GOD hath honoured as his chief Instruments in this
Work: Their commending, justifying, or excusing the