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(f) Lord Bacon's effay on

and diffimu

Scottish clergy, but that they had received

pro

"have that penetration of judgment, as he can difcern "what things are to be laid open, and what to be fe"creted, and what to be fhewed at half lights, and to "whom and when, (which indeed are arts of state, and "arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth them) to him a "habit of diffimulation is an hindrance and a poorness. "But if a man cannot attain to that judgment, then "it is left to him generally to be a diffembler." (ƒ) I will conclude this note with a paffage from honeft Montaigne, which I dare fay every reader of like chafimulation racter will applaud. "As to this virtue of diffimulation. "tion, I mortally hate it; and of all vices find none "that does evidence fo much bafenefs and meanness of "fpirit. 'Tis a cowardly and fervile humour to hide "and disguise a man's felf under a vizor, and not to "dare to fhew himself what he is. By that our fol"lowers are trained up to treachery. Being brought 66 up to speak what is not true, they make no consci"ence of a lye. A generous heart ought not to belye its "own thoughts, but will make itself feen within, all "there is good, or at leaft manly. Ariftotle reputes it "the office of magnanimity, openly and profeffedly to "love and hate, to judge and fpeak with all freedom; " and not to value the approbation or diflike of others "in comparison of truth. Apollonius faid, it was for "flaves to lye, and for free men to speak truth. 'Tis "the chief and fundamental part of virtue, we must "love it for itself.A man muft not always tell "all, for that were folly; but what a man fays, fhould "be what he thinks, otherwife 'tis knavery. I do not "know what advantage men pretend to by eternally "counterfeiting and diffembling, if not, never to be "believed when they speak the truth. This may once "or twice pafs upon men; but to profefs concealing "their thoughts, and to brag, as fome of our princes "have done, that they would burn their fhirts if they ❝ knew their intentions, and that who knows not how to

• diffemble,

provocations by the king's actions, to behave towards him as they did (N).

How

"diffemble, knows not how to rule is to give warning "to all who have any thing to do with them, that all "they fay is nothing but lying and deceit." (g)

(g) Montaigne's ef

fays by Cot

ton, Vol. II.

(N) The clergy had received provocations to behave towards him as they did.] I have given an account of p. 507, 8vo. the undutiful behaviour of the clergy towards James Lond. 1686. from Spotswood: but bishop Burnet tells us," there is "a great defect runs through archbishop Spotswood's "hiftory, where much of the rude oppofition the king "met with, particularly from the affemblies of the “kirk, is set forth; but the true ground of all the "jealoufies they were poffeffed with, is fuppreffed by

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him." (a) These jealoufies were of his being in his (a) Burnet, heart a Papift, founded on facts delivered to them by Vol. I. p. 5• the English ministry, and from his favouring and employing those of that religion. Walfingham, as I have already obferved, "thought fames was either inclined "to turn Papist, or to be of no religion. And when the English court faw that they could not depend on "him, they raised all poffible oppofition to him in Scot"land, infufing ftrong jealoufies into thofe who were "enough inclined to receive them." (b) Dr. Birch(b) Id. ib. fays, "the king of Scots was indeed, at this time [1599] "much fufpected of inclining to popery; and a copy "of a letter, offering obedience to the Pope, figned (c) Birch's "by that king, was brought from Rome by the mafter view of the of Gray, and fhewn to queen Elizabeth; who fent negotiations "Sir William Bowes ambaffador to him, to advertise between the "him not to build on the friendship of Rome." (c) England,

historical

courts of

177. 8vo.

-[This was the letter for which lord Balmerino was France, and condemned, but pardoned, in the year 1609; it being Bruffels, p. faid he furreptitiously got the king's hand thereto, which Lond. 1743. he himself confeffed.] And we find, in 1596, the mi-Spotfwood, nifters complaining to the king of " the favour grant-Burnet, p.6. "ed to the popish Lords; the countenance given to and note

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However, I am far enough from defending their whole behaviour (O). In 1589, James married a daughter of Denmark, (af

ter

"to the lady Huntley, and her invitation to the baptism

of the princefs; the putting her in the hands of the "lady Leving stone, an avowed and obftinate papift; and "the alienation of his majesty's heart from the mini❝fters, as appeared by all his fpeeches public and pri (d) Spotf-vate." (d)-In fhort, the minifters were jealous of wood,p.419. his majefty's intentions; they fufpected his behaviour, and were afraid that he only wanted an opportunity to crush them, and the religion they profeffed. 'Twas the belief of this, that made them break out into fuch indecent expreffions, and undutiful behaviour; and the knowledge of their own power and influence over the people, which infpired them with courage and boldness. And, I think, all impartial perfons must allow, that if ever 'tis excufable to go beyond bounds in any thing, it is in defence of religion and liberty, in oppofition to popery and tyranny. Moft of thefe men remembered the fires which popish zeal had lighted; they had seen the blood spilt by it, and therefore it is not to be wondered at, that they were more than ordinarily moved at every thing which had the leaft tendency to bring them back into fo deplorable a state.

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(0) I am far enough from defending their whole behaviour.] The behaviour of the clergy was very rough, and bordering upon rudeness. They treated majefty with too much familiarity. They proftituted their pulpits to affairs of fate, and rebuked after fuch a manner as tended more to provoke, than to reclaim. In these things they were blame-worthy. But I fhould not do them juftice, were I to omit their zeal for what they thought truth; their labour and diligence in the bufinefs of the miniftry, and their speaking the truth with all boldness. These were virtues for which James's clergy were eminent; and therefore they were held in high

efteem

ter having objected against the dignity of that royal house, merely through ignorance about it:) (P) and the lady being driven by a

tempeft

efteem by the major part of that kingdom, as will all of that profeffion every where be, who imitate them herein, for they are things praifeworthy, and of good report.

(P) He married a daughter of Denmark, after having objected against the dignity of that royal house, through mere ignorance about it.] James, notwithftanding all his boasted learning, was defective in history, the knowledge of which is moft neceffary for princes. He had fo little skill in this, that he knew not the state and condition of so near a country to him as Denmark; nor was he acquainted with the rank the kings of it bare in Christendom. "He was informed, "he faid, that the king of Denmark was defcended "but of merchants, and that few made account of "him or his country, but fuch as fpoke the Dutch

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tongue (a)." 'Tis amazing that any one of James's (a) Melvil, elevated station should be fo grofsly ignorant. Had he P.164. never read of the power of the Danes, their ravages and conquefts both in England and Scotland? was he never informed that marriage had been contracted between his own family and that of Denmark? nor that in the year 1468 Christian I, king of Norway and Denmark, renounced all right and title for himself and his fucceffors to James III. king of Scotland, to the ifles of Orkney, upon a marriage between him and his daughter (b) 'Tis plain he knew none of these things, and (6) Camb therefore was miferably qualified to contract alliances, tannia, by or enter into treaties. However Melvil informed Gibfon, him of these matters, which made him fo exceeding edit. 2. p. glad," that he faid he would not for his head but "that he had fhewn the verity unto him." "Some"time after, as faid is, he called his council together in "his cabinet, and told them how he had been advifing

9

❝ about

den's Bri

1470. Lond

1722.

P. 177.

(d) Spotf wood, p. 540. and

Wilfon's life

of king James, P. 129. Fol.

tempeft into Norway, he, impatient of the detention of his bride, went thither and confummated the marriage. From whence,

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upon

"about his marriage fifteen days, and afked counsel of "God by devout prayer thereon, and that he was now (c) Melvil, refolved to marry in Denmark." (c) The lady whom James took to wife was Ann, fecond daughter of Frederick king of Denmark. Our historians give her the character of a courteous and humane princess, and one in whom there was much good nefs (d). It will not perhaps be unacceptable to the reader if I give the character fhe bore among foreigners, who, oftentimes, fpeak more juftly than fubjects. "She was naturally, fays the duke of "Sully, bold and enterprizing: fhe loved pomp and Lond. 1653. grandeur, tumult and intrigue. She was acquainted "with all the civil factions, not only in Scotland, oc"cafioned by the catholicks, whom the supported, and "had even firft encouraged; but also in England, where "the discontented, whose numbers were not inconfi"derable, were not forry to be supported by a princess "deftined to become their queen.-In public she affect"ed abfolutely to govern her fon (prince Henry) whom "it was faid the thought to infpire with fentiments in "favour of Spain: for none doubted but she was in"clined to declare herself abfolutely on that fide (e). "Afterwards, he tells us, he received letters from "Beaumont, (the French refident) informing him, that "the queen was difpofed to pleasures and amusements, "and feemed wholly engaged in them, and nothing Lond. 1751." elfe. She fo entirely neglected, or forgot the Spanish "politics, as gave reafon to believe the had in reality. 66 only pretended to be attached to them, through the (f) Id. Vol. Vol. ❝ neceffity of eventual conjunctures." (f) Whoever II. p. 179. knows the rank of Sully, as favourite and prime minifter to Henry the Great of France, and ambassador extraordinary to James, will pay great deference to his account; for it cannot but be fuppofed he had the beft informations. And indeed from Winwood's ftate' papers

(e) Memoirs

of the duke of Sully, P. 211, 213. Vol. I.

12m0.

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