If Hamilton was sincere, he had formed a false notion of his own importance.  The Scottish leaders, acting as if they were independent of the sovereign, summoned a convention of estates.  The estates met[a] in defiance of the king’s prohibition; but, to their surprise and mortification, no commissioner had arrived from the English parliament.  National jealousy, the known intolerance of the Scottish kirk, the exorbitant

[Footnote 1:  Clarendon, iv. 624.  Guthrie, 127.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1643.  June 22.]

claims set up by the Scottish leaders in the late invasion, contributed to deter many from accepting their new offers of assistance;[1] and more than two months were suffered to elapse before the commissioners, Vane, Armyn, Hatcher, and Darley, with Marshall, a Presbyterian, and Nye, an Independent divine, were despatched[a] with full powers to Scotland.[2] Both the convention of the estates and the assembly of the kirk had long waited to receive them; their arrival[b] was celebrated as a day of national triumph; and the letters which they delivered from the English parliament were read with shouts of exultation and tears of joy.[3]

In the very outset of the negotiation two important difficulties occurred.  The Scots professed a willingness to take up arms, but sought at the same time to assume the character of mediators and umpires, to dictate the terms of reconciliation, and to place themselves in a condition to extort the consent of the opposite parties.  From these lofty pretensions they were induced to descend by the obstinacy of Vane and the persuasions of Johnston of Wariston, one of their subtlest statesmen; they submitted to act as the allies of the parliament; but required as an indispensable

[Footnote 1:  “The jealousy the English have of our nation, beyond all reason, is not well taken.  If Mr. Meldrum bring no satisfaction to us quickly as to conformity of church government, it will be a great impediment in their affairs here.”—­Baillie, July 26, i. 372.  See also Dalrymple, ii. 144.]

[Footnote 2:  The Scots did not approve of this mission of the Independent ministers.  “Mr. Marshall will be most welcome; but if Mr. Nye, the head of the Independents, be his fellow, we cannot take it well.”—­Baillie, i. 372.  They both preached before the Assembly.  “We heard Mr. Marshall with great contentment.  Mr. Nye did not please.  He touched neither in prayer or preaching the common business.  All his sermon was on the common head of spiritual life, wherein he ran out above all our understandings.”—­Id. 388.]

[Footnote 3:  Baillie, i. 379, 380.  Rushworth, v. 467, 470.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1643.  July 20.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1643.  August 27.]