1. BEcause it hath been alwaies held very dangerous, both for the In­terest of the Prince, and peace of the people, to restore the children of powerfull Traitors, to their Fathers Ho­nours or Estates; which experience demonstra­ted to be too true in the Gowries.

2. The restoring of this Family is in a special manner most dangerous, by reason of the sci­tuation and vast bounds of the Estate of Argyle in the High-lands, the great Claim, many Vas­sals and Tenants that depend on it; all, or for [Page] the much greater part, ill principled, and inured to Rebellion these last 20 years, who blindly follow their Masters commands, without any regard of their duty to God or the King. So that it is a most fit place to be the Nest and Se­minary of Rebellion, as it proved in the late Argyle's time, to the great prejudice of his Ma­jesties service, & ruine of many loyal Subjects. And this same very reason was brought by the late Argyle, against the Marquess of Antrum, to dispossesse him of the Lordship of Kentyre, which he had purchased with the consent of his late Majesty. For he pretended that it was dangerous to suffer the said Marquess of Antrum to enjoy these Lands, by reason of the great power of the Family of the Macdonalds; and of the bad consequences that usually follow the restoring of persons to an Estate, which they had formerly lost by forfeiture. But it's evident to all men, that this Reason is much more forcible against Argyle himself, and his Posterity.

3. It's directly against the Council and ad­vice of the Modern Solomon K. James his Ma­jesties Grandfather, of blessed memory, who in his Basilicon doron speaks thus to his Son, Basil. dor. Book 2. As for the matter of Forfeitures, which are also done [Page] in Parliaments, My advice is you forfeit none, but for such odious crimes, as may make them unwor­thy ever to be restored again. And in the same Book, speaking of the High-landers and their Oppressions, he subjoyns this good counsel to his Son, Put in Execution the Laws made against the Over-Lords, and Chieffs of their Claims, and it will be no difficulty to daunton them.

4. The restoring of this Family would prove a dangerous President to encourage rebellious and Traiterous spirits, to perpetrate such hor­rid crimes, as the late Argyle did, upon hopes, that whatsoever Treasons they commit, their Families and Posterity may still stand: Where­as upon the contrary, the exemplary punish­ment and eradicating of this Family, (especi­ally at this first happy appearance of his Ma­jesties justice) will be a Scar-crow to all others, and serve as a Beacon, to make them shun the rocks of Rebellion, which they know will un­doubtedly ship wrack not only themselves, but also their posterity. In confirmation whereof it was observed that the late Argyle when he received his sentence, was more moved at that part, which touched the ruine of his Posterity and Family, then for what concerned his own person.

5. The restoring of the Son would be pre­judicial to many of his Majesties loyal Subjects of the best quality, and to divers Orphans and Widows, who have been opprest and almost ruined by the Father; and can expect no other reparation of their losses, but from the forfei­ture of the said estate; unlesse his Majesty would put himself to unnecessary charges, to repair them some other way.

6. The restoring of this Family is not only dangerous and inconvenient for the aforesaid general reasons, but also for the said Archibald his particular faults and Misdemeanors; For besides that Vice runs much in a bloud, as King James hath observed, it's well known that both he and his Brother Neil are of the same Principles with their Father, who died impe­nitent, asserting the Covenant, and sowing the seeds of Sedition and Rebellion, and as it were entailing it upon his Children, as appears by his last Speech: which bad principles were in­still'd in them both with their milk; and to make the elder more compleat, he was sent abroad to be bred at Geneva, with Recommen­dations from his Father to that Kirk, and to the Presbyterians of France, where he kept cor­respondence between his Father and them. [Page] And the younger was lately proved to have been privy and consenting to all his Fathers treacherous complyances with the English in Scotland, and to have been actually in Arms with them.

7. The bad principles and inclinations of the elder appeared when his Majesty retired from St. Johnstons, with intention to go to some of his loyal Subjects in the Northern parts of Scot­land. For immediatly upon that news, he rifled his Majesties Cabinets, and after his Majesties return, he being Captain of the Guard put a Padlock on his Majesties door, keeping him as a Prisoner. Which sufficiently shews that he is his Fathers Son.

8. To evidence further his bad inclinations and aversion from his Majesties service, he ne­ver raised Regiment or Company all the time the King was in Scotland, to joyn with the Roy­al Army: But a little before his Majesty was to march into England, he eagerly urged that some Parties might be drawn out of every Re­giment to make up one for himself, under pre­tence of the Kings Guard. And though he knew that would be undoubtedly denied him, yet he still persisted to presse the same, on purpose to have some pretence of discontent, that so he [Page] might avoid marching into Engl. with his Ma­jesty. Which shal be testified by some who were then privy to his Fathers and his own designs.

9. Though it be pretended for expiation of these misdemeanours, that he appeared there­after in his Majesties service in the High-lands, under the Earls of Glencairne & Middleton his Majesties Generals; yet that doth no waies e­vince his Loyalty, and cannot expiate the least of his faults for divers Reasons.

• 1. Because when he was there, in his usual dis­courses be eagerly asserted the Covenant, and justified the barbarous death of the renowned Marquess of Montross his Majesties General, as he had barbarously and scandalously insul­ted over him, at his Carting and Execution.
• 2. Because even then he combind with the late Lord Balcarras, to divide his Majesties Forces, by endeavouring to renew and set up that fatal and rebellious Covenant.
• 3. Because he endea­voured also another way to destroy those For­ces, by using all possible perswasions with the Viscount of Kenmure, to make him usurp the Generals place, not only without, but against the Kings Order. And fearing this unsuccesse­full treachery would come out, to shun his de­served punishment, he immediatly fled away to [Page] his Fathers bounds; from whence he wrote Letters, to make some chief Gentlemen desert his Majesties General, and so break his Forces. And this is all the great Loyalty that ever he shew­ed, which is so much brag'd of by his friends and in­tercessours.

10. And that he persisted still in the same bad inclinations divers years after, appeared lately; For when General Monck, now Duke of Albe­marle, was upon his last March into England, and had made some transactions with his Ma­jesties loyal Subjects of Scotland, for promoting his Majesties happy Restoration, the said Archi­bald then dwelling in one of the Marquesse of Huntlyes houses, did not only divert all those under his power, but also dealt with divers o­thers, to enter into a Combination with him, and to sign Bonds, to oppose the said Generals Noble and Immortal designs.

11. The restoring of the said Archibald will be also dangerous, for the great store of money that in all probability is left him by his Father, who received great summes from the pretend­ed States of Scotland, for all his treacherous and cruel Expeditions against his Majesties loyal Subjects there; and also from the Parliament of England, & particularly 40 thousand pound [Page] Sterling at the delivering up of the King at Newcastle; besides a good summe he had there­after from Cromwell, and what he made up by the revenues of two Bishopricks these 20 years, by seizing the Marquesse of Huntlyes estate, and a part of the Marquesse of Montrosses: by ex­acting divers of his Majesties few Duties, pay­able to the Exchequer; by oppressing of many Gentlemen his neighbours, and dispossessing them of their Estates. All which cannot a­mount to lesse then a hundred and fifty thou­sand pound Sterling; which summe must re­main entire, or little diminished, since its known he lived sparingly, and these last 20 years he would pay none of his Debts, neither Principals nor Profits. So that his Son having such store of money, is as powerfull as his Fa­ther, to do mischief, if he be restored.

12. Lastly, As the restoring of this Family would be a notable prejudice to many who have been opprest by it, and no small grief to his Majesties loyal Subjects, who justly apprehend the dangers that may thence ensue, to his Majesties prejudice, and disturbance of the Nation, and would strengthen the hands of his Majesties enemies, and weaken his friends; so it is the only hopes and desire of those, who have been enemies to his Majesties Father of blessed memory, or who by this means expect the Resur­rection of the rebellious Covenant, so destructive to Mo­narchy. And therefore that Family in prudence ought not to be restored.