From Dundee, October. 19.
THere is now no visible Force here appearing: for, the
Scots seem to have a mind to snugg as well as wee, and
look as if they meant to be very calm this winter, whatever
they intend towards Summer, and so have retired within
the Mountains, as wee within our quarters: where among
other wretched entertainments, it hath been my fortune to
have some Conversation with a Papist, that formerly was a
Retainer to the Family of Huntley, but otherwise of a very
smooth behavior, and a crafty Fellow, straining himself very
much in courtly expressions, in favor of us and our Party;
saying that he looked upon us as persons of a farr more noble
Principle, than those of the rigid Presbyterian opinion, in
regard wee judged it not sit, that any persons or Party should
be molested for their different opinions in matter of Religion;
And therefore hee did not doubt but wee should find the
Roman Catholicks prove themselves better Subjects than our
froward Brethren of the other perswasion, if they might have
but half the same Termes of relaxation and Indulgence from
the present power.
In answer to this, I told him it was true, we did not persecute
any for their divers Perswasions upon Terms of Religion;
And that if the Papists found not so much countenance
as others, it was not becaus they differed from us in Tenets of
Religion, but because they (upon the Accompt of Religion)
held and mainteined such Principles, as were altogether inconsistent
not only with a Free-state, but even with the very
safety and being of humane Society: For, they look upon all
men that are not of the same perswasion with themselves, as
Hereticks, with whom no Faith is to be kept, and concieve
themselves bound (if they have oportunity) to cast off that
Allegiance which is due to their natiue Country, to acknowledge
and serve a forein Papall Supremacy. This he denied,
but then I recurred to the past Practises of the men of that
Profession, both in our own and other Nations, and so waved
any farther diving into the Controversy.
The meeting of our Remonstrant Ministers at Edenburg