[Footnote 1:  The Scots had made three offers or promises to the king.  The first and most important was the engagement of the 1st of April.  But the Scottish commissioners with the army shrunk from the responsibility of carrying it into execution; and, as it appears to me, with some reason, for they had not been parties to the contract.  The second was the modified offer agreed upon by both bodies of commissioners at Royston.  But this offer was never accepted by the king, and consequently ceased to be binding upon them.  The third was the verbal promise mentioned above.  If it was made—­and of a promise of safety there can be no doubt, though we have only the testimony of Hudson—­the Scots were certainly bound by it, and must plead guilty to the charge of breach of faith, by subsequently delivering up the fugitive monarch to the English parliament.]

[Footnote 2:  Peck, Desid.  Curios.  I. x.  No. 8.  Ashburnham, ii. 76.  Rushworth, vi. 266, 267, 276.  Clarendon, Hist. iii. 22; Papers, ii. 228.  Turner, Mem. 41.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1646.  May 5.]

agitated by the most contradictory rumours:  the moment the place of the king’s retreat was ascertained, both Presbyterians and Independents united in condemning the perfidy of their northern allies.  Menaces of immediate hostilities were heard.  Poyntz received orders to watch the motions of the Scots with five thousand horse; and it was resolved that Fairfax should follow with the remainder of the army.  But the Scottish leaders, anxious to avoid a rupture, and yet unwilling to surrender the royal prize, broke up their camp before Newark, and retired with precipitation to Newcastle.  Thence by dint of protestations and denials they gradually succeeded in allaying the ferment.[1] Charles contributed his share, by repeating his desire of an accommodation, and requesting the two houses to send to him the propositions of peace; and, as an earnest of his sincerity, he despatched a circular order[a] to his officers to surrender the few fortresses which still maintained his cause.  The war was at an end; Oxford, Worcester, Pendennis, and Ragland opened[b] their gates; and to the praise of the conquerors it must be recorded, that they did not stain their laurels with blood.  The last remnants of the royal army obtained honourable terms from the generosity of Fairfax; easy compositions for the redemption of their estates were held out to the great majority of the

[Footnote 1:  See their messages in the Lords’ Journals, viii. 307, 308, 311, 364; Hearne’s Dunstable, ii. 790-800.  They protest that they were astonished at the king’s coming to their army; that they believed he must mean to give satisfaction, or he would never have come to them; that his presence would never induce them to act in opposition to the solemn league and covenant; that they should leave the settlement of all questions to the parliaments of the two nations; that there had been no treaty between the king and them; and that the assertion in the letter published by Ormond was “a damnable untruth.”]