t certain
times only, and had often interruptions of days and weeks: but when she
began to renew her ecstasies, warning of the happy event was conveyed
over the whole country; thousands crowded about her house; and every
word which she uttered was received with veneration, as the most
sacred oracles. The covenant was her perpetual theme. The true, genuine
covenant, she said, was ratified in heaven: the king's covenant was an
invention of Satan: when she spoke of Christ, she usually gave him the
name of the Covenanting Jesus. Rollo, a popular preacher, and zealous
Covenanter, was her great favorite, and paid her, on his part, no less
veneration. Being desired by the spectators to pray with her, and
speak to her, he answered, "that he durst not; and that it would be
ill manners in him to speak while his master, Christ, was speaking in
her."[*]

* King's Declaration at large, p. 227. Burnet's Memoirs of
Hamilton.

Charles had agreed to reduce episcopal authority so much, that it
would no longer have been of any service to support the crown; and
this sacrifice of his own interests he was willing to make, in order to
attain public peace and tranquillity. But he could not consent entirely
to abolish an order which he thought as essential to the being of a
Christian church, as his Scottish subjects deemed it incompatible
with that sacred institution. This narrowness of mind, if we would be
impartial, we must either blame or excuse equally on both sides; and
thereby anticipate, by a little reflection, that judgment which time, by
introducing new subjects of controversy, will undoubtedly render quite
familiar to posterity.

So great was Charles's aversion to violent and sanguinary measures, and
so strong his affection to his native kingdom that it is probable the
contest in his breast would be nearly equal between these laudable
passions and his attachment to the hierarchy. The latter affection,
however, prevailed for the time, and made him hasten those military
preparations which he had projected for subduing the refractory spirit
of the Scottish nation. By regular economy, he had not only paid all the
debts contracted during the Spanish and French wars, but had amassed
a sum of two hundred thousand pounds, which he reserved for any sudden
exigency. The queen had great interest with the Catholics, both from the
sympathy of religion, and from the favors and indulgences which she had
been able to procure to them. Sh