As for the rest of the Council, they are either of no power to serve you in this time, or totally set the covenanters way. For brevity I pass them by, and have sent a list of the whole Counsellors names. If the Justice Clerk[123] were not so near me as he is, I would say more of him than now I will; yet pardon me for saying, an honester soul lives not. The Advocate[124] should be removed, for he is ill disposed. I know none so fit for his place as Sir Lewis Stewart. My Lord Treasurer’s friend he is; Sir Thomas Nicolson being no ways to be trusted in what may concern the affairs of the church. Now, for the Covenanters, I shall only say this in general, they may all be placed in one roll as they now stand. But certainly, Sir, those that have both broached the business, and still hold it aloft, are Rothes, Balmerino, Lindsay, Lothian, Loudoun, Yester, Cranstoun. There are many others as forward in show; amongst whom none more vainly foolish than Montrose. But the above mentioned are the main contrivers. The gentry, boroughs, and ministers have their ringleaders too. It will be too long to set down all their names. Those who I conceive to be most inclined, the Clerk Register (who is a faithful servant to the Crown) if I miscarry, will give you information of them; yet, I fear him, poor man, more than myself. But they are obvious and known to all. This is all that I will say concerning the persons of the men in this kingdom; wishing, Sir, with my heart, those whom I misdoubt, I may be deceived by their future carriage, and that their loyalty may appear, which will blot out of your Majesty’s memory what my duty and fidelity to you has caused me to write thus of them. It is more than probable, that these people have somewhat else in their thoughts than religion. But that must serve for a cloak to rebellion, wherein for a time they may prevail; but, to make them miserable, and bring them again to a dutiful obedience, I am confident your Majesty will not find it a work of long time, nor of great difficulty, as they have foolishly fancied to themselves. The way to effect which, in my opinion, is briefly thus. Their greatest strength consists in the boroughs: and their being is by trade; whereof, a few ships of your Majesty’s, well disposed, will easily bar them. Their chiefest trade is in the eastern Seas and to Holland, with coal and salt, and importing of victual, and other commodities from thence; whereof if they be but one year stopped, an age cannot recover them; yet so blinded they are, that this they will not see. This alone, without farther charge to your Majesty, your frontiers being well guarded, will work your end. This care should be taken, that when particular boroughs can be made sensible of their past errours, and willing to return to their allegiance, they be not only then not barred from trade, but received into your Majesty’s favour and protection.