action in the world is so vile, but the actors can cover
with some specious pretence, so the Scots now passing into England
publish a declaration to justify their assisting the Parliament. To
which I shall only say, in my opinion, it was no justification at all;
for admit the Parliament's quarrel had been never so just, it could
not be just in them to aid them, because 'twas against their own king
too, to whom they had sworn allegiance, or at least had crowned him,
and thereby had recognised his authority. For if maladministration be,
according to Prynne's doctrine, or according to their own Buchanan, a
sufficient reason for subjects to take up arms against their prince,
the breach of his coronation oath being supposed to dissolve the oath
of allegiance, which however I cannot believe; yet this can never be
extended to make it lawful, that because a king of England may,
by maladministration, discharge the subjects of England from their
allegiance, that therefore the subjects of Scotland may take up arms
against the King of Scotland, he having not infringed the compact
of government as to them, and they having nothing to complain of for
themselves. Thus I thought their own arguments were against them, and
Heaven seemed to concur with it; for although they did carry the cause
for the English rebels, yet the most of them left their bones here in
the quarrel.

But what signifies reason to the drum and the trumpet! The Parliament
had the supreme argument with those men, viz., the money; and having
accordingly advanced a good round sum, upon payment of this (for the
Scots would not stir a foot without it) they entered England on
the 15th of January 1643[-4], with an army of 12,000 men, under the
command of old Leslie, now Earl of Leven, an old soldier of great
experience, having been bred to arms from a youth in the service of
the Prince of Orange.

The Scots were no sooner entered England but they were joined by all
the friends to the Parliament party in the north; and first, Colonel
Grey, brother to the Lord Grey, joined them with a regiment of horse,
and several out of Westmoreland and Cumberland, and so they advanced
to Newcastle, which they summon to surrender. The Earl of Newcastle,
who rather saw than was able to prevent this storm, was in Newcastle,
and did his best to defend it; but the Scots, increased by this time
to above 20,000, lay close siege to the place, which was but meanly
fortified, and having repulsed t