Above sixty
thousand people were assembled in a tumultuous manner in Edinburgh and
the neighborhood. Charles possessed no regular forces in either of his
kingdoms. And the discontents in England, though secret, were believed
so violent, that the king, it was thought, would find it very difficult
to employ in such a cause the power of that kingdom. The more,
therefore, the popular leaders in Scotland considered their situation,
the less apprehension did they entertain of royal power, and the
more rigorously did they insist on entire satisfaction. In answer to
Hamilton's demand of renouncing the covenant, they plainly told him that
they would sooner renounce their baptism.[**] And the clergy invited the
commissioner himself to subscribe it, by informing him "with what
peace and comfort it had filled the hearts of all God's people; what
resolutions and beginnings of reformation of manners were sensibly
perceived in all parts of the nation, above any measure they had ever
before found or could have expected; how great glory the Lord had
received thereby; and what confidence they had that God would make
Scotland a blessed kingdom."[***]

Hamilton returned to London; made another fruitless journey, with new
concessions, to Edinburgh; returned again to London; and was immediately
sent back with still more satisfactory concessions. The king was now
willing entirely to abolish the canons, the liturgy, and the high
commission court. He was even resolved to limit extremely the power of
the bishops, and was content if on any terms he could retain that
order in the church of Scotland.[****] And to insure all these gracious
offers, he gave Hamilton authority to summon first an assembly, then
a parliament, where every national grievance might be redressed and
remedied.

* Rush, vol. ii. p. 137, etc.

** King's Decl. p. 87.

*** King's Decl. p. 88. Rush, vol. ii. p. 751.

**** King's Decl. p. 137. Rush, vol. ii. p. 762.

These successive concessions of the king, which yet came still short
of the rising demands of the malecontents, discovered his own weakness,
encouraged their insolence, and gave no satisfaction. The offer,
however, of an assembly and a parliament, in which they expected to be
entirely masters, was willingly embraced by the Covenanters.

Charles, perceiving what advantage his enemies had reaped from their
covenant, resolved to have a covenant on his side; and he ordered one
to be drawn up f