It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad designe – Part II

Following on from Part I

The text (which is transcribed below) is divided into seven illustrated sets of commentary, each of which mine a number of key themes in attacking the Royalist cause:

• Focusing on Charles as a ‘Scots’ King – II, III, V, VI
• Linking Charles and his supporters to Catholicism – I, II
• Linking Charles with the threat of an Irish invasion – I, VI (particularly 24)
• Emphasising the hopelessness and ridiculousness of the Royalist cause and lack of popular support – IV, V, VI
• Assassinating Charles’ character: vain, effeminate, cowardly – VI
• Mocking the Catholic faith and associating it with superstition and paganism – II, IV

Mocking the pope would also have added to the topical nature of the tract if Nov ember 6th is an accurate published date, as it would have therefore been in circulation around the arch anti-catholic festival of Bonfire night (for more on that visit Fragments which has a number of posts on the gunpowder plot).

Unlike ‘A List of the Scots Kings party Slaine‘,which is focused on one message (King = Death), ‘A Mad Designe’ tries the scattergun approach to decrying Charles. It attempts to tap into a number of different fears and prejudices and has the consequential feel of a rush job. It would be interesting to know how widely it was distributed.

Transcription of the Commentary:

I. CHARLES STUART fits upon the Globe, in a melancholy pofture, between hope and fear, hee fixeth his eyes up-on Brittainy and Ireland, and viewes not only Europe, but the world in a landskip, and hath both Pope, Cardinall and the Fryers Pouch, tyed to his Girdle by imagination.

II. The Bifhop of Clogher, General to the Scots King in Ireland, at Maffe with the Marqueffe of Ormond, and the Lords Incbequeen attending with the Torches at the Alter upon him, and the Lord Taaffe holding up his train.

III. The Scots Army confifting of four parties and Factions. I. Papifts, reprefented by the Cardinall and his troop in the Van, whereof the Marqueff of Huntley is Generall. 2. Pre-laticall Malignants, reprefented by the Bifhop and Callis, and that fry, the Generall of which was the Duke of Buckingham. 3. Presbyterians represented by the two burning Torches, one of the Englifh Fugitives, the other of the Scottifh brethren, that came forour gueds, the two generals of which are Major Generall Maffey, and the Earle of Leven. And 4. Old Cavaliers, reprefented by the fooles head upon a pole I the Rear, whereof the Earle of Derby hath been Generall, and the foole upon an hibby-horfe; wherein the Earle of Cleaveland hath been his Competitor.

IV. The two ridiculous Anticks one with a Fddle, and the other with a Torch, fet forth the ridiculoufnesse of their condition when they marched into England, carried up with high thoughts yet altogether in the darke, having only a fooles bawble to be their light to walke by, mirth of their own whim-fies to keep up their fpirits, and fhea-thed fword to truft in, And a fooles cap was the beft peece they had to make them merry with, as appeared by feverall intercepted Letters from Duke Hamilton, the Earle of Lauderdalel and others.

V. Lamenting poftures of ladies, Papifts, Children, and Scotch wo-men refemble the rout at Worcefter on the third of September 1651. Bemoa-ning the fad conditions of themfelves, and their unhappy caufe, and unfor-tunate Husbands, Fathers, and friends.

VI. The Scots Kings flight from Worcefter reprefented by the Foole on Horfe-back, riding backward, turning his face every way in feares, ufhered by Duke Hambleton and the Lord Wilmot, the particulers of which perambulation was thus.

1 While he called upon Duke Hambleton to ftirre up his men, to keep the Royall Fort at Worcefter, September 3. himfelfe gave the flip to his Lodging, and fetched away the richeft Treafure he could prefently come at.

2 Whilft Major Cobbet was entring on the one fide of his house, he efcaped out at a back doore on the other, and a-bout Feven a clock that night, with a party of Horfe pofted away from Worcefter, flying towards Scotland.

3 The next day, being September 4^th. Charles Stuart the Scots King, with the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Wilmot came to a Country mans houfe in Chefhire that ftood alone, and asked for Victuals ; the man told them he had none fit to entertaine his Majefty, but if they pleafed to light, he would get what the Country would afford ; but feeing themfelves difcovered they were afraid, and yet being very hungry and dry, asked for any thing they had, and fome cold powthered Beefe was brought to them ; the Scots King drunke off a Flaggon of Beere, and with a peece of Bread in one hand, and of Beefe in the other, the others alfo having got each a flice, away they all rid, and that morning marched into the borders of Lancafhire, and all that day after lay clofe in a hollow Tree, turning loofe their Horses at a farre diftance before they came to the place where they refided.

4 On the fourth of September at night, they came like fo many Hermits or Diogenes’s out of their Tubs, and went a Pilgrimage all that night on foot,

5 The nest day, Septemb. 5. they betooke themfelves to hide them in a Wood, and got among Thickets to hide themfelves as well as they could, and got fome Hips and Hawes, and fuch things as they could conveniently get (without venturing too farre) in the Wood, where every noyfe put them into a feare of being furprized.

6 On the fifth of September at night they went on their journey.

7 On the fixth of September, they came early in the mor-ning to a Shepherds Tent, which they furprifed, and called the Shepherd, who when he had opened the doores, they kept him in the houfe, and would not let him goe out, nor his Wife, but difcourfed about the Gentry thereabouts, by meanes whereof they came to know that a Lady, in which they had fome confidence lived neare, whither they hafted with all fpeed, and the Lord Wilmote comming to the doore got admittance to the Lady, and prevailed with her to give them all poffible affiftance; and the Scots King being come to the Lady, and having faluted her, they fate in Counfell to confider how the bfsineffe fhould be ordered, and it was a-greed and accordingly done.

1 That they fhould have their haire cut in the Country fa-shion, like plaine Country Fellowes, which was done accordingly.

2 That they fhould weare plaine Country fafhioned cloathes, which were prefently got for them.

3 That they fhould be reputed Servants to the faid Lady.

4 That in this pretence fhe fhould goe with them to Briftol, or fome other Port, to endeavour the tranfporting them beyond the Seas.

8 On the feventh and eighth dayes of September they lay there, and waited on the lady in feverall offices, and places, and the Scots King himfelf ftood bare before her when he waited on her as well as the rest.

9 On the ninth of September, they took an intended voyage for Briftol, and the Scots King rid before the lady on one Horfe, the Duke of Buckingham before her Gentle-woman upon another Horfe, and the Lord Wilmot as her groom upon an horfe by himfelfe.

10 About the middle of September they got to Briftol, but they heard in their Inne fo great a talke what fearch was made after them, that they prefently tooke Horfe, not daring to ftay there, and away they came for London.

11 About the twentyeth of September they got to London, and went abroad, fometimes in the mornings and at evenings, but generally lay very clofe all day; and the Scots King and Wilmot waited upon the lady at one lodg-ing, and the Duke of Buckingham waited as a Serving-man to the Gentlewoman at another.

12 About the latter end of September, the Scots King with the Lady came to fee his Souldiers in the Tuttle Field at Weftminfter, and the Lady threw them fome monies, but they ftayed not.

13 Another day the Scots king came into Weftiminfter hall, and viewed the States Armes over the places of Jud-catory, and viewed the Scots Colours hanging on both fides the hall, that were taken from his Father, and from him.

14 The lord Wilmot procured a merchant to hire a fhip of forty tuns to tranfport them, which coft them 120.l.

15. About the middle of October having taken leave of, and thanked the lady, with many falutations and promifes, to Graves-end they went, and from thence on, a fhip-board.

16 As foon s my Lord was entred the Barque, and the King as his Servant the Mafter of the Veffell came to my lord, and told him that he knew the king, and told him That in café it fhould be known he could expect no mercy; which faying troubled them : But at length what with mony and promifes, they prevailed, and fo fet faile for Havre de Grace, where they landed ; and from thence to Rouen , where they cloathed themfelves , and writ to Paris.

17 The late Queen of England his Mother receiving an expreffe from him, made prefent fupplication to the King of France for his reception, in which the Queen mother was no little active with her, and fo he was permitted, ad an Expreffe fent to the Duke of Orleans for inftructions there-in.

18  Anfwerwas returned back to appoint him Felle by the way of Rhoane, and fome fupples of money from hi Mother was fent to him ; for his better accommodation in the way.

19. The Scots King being upon his march fent an Expreffe, giving many thanks for the courtefie, and informing his intentions to be at Maguy the 28 (alias 18) October: and hee being advertifed that there fhould bee provifions made for him a Louver, he fent word that he intended the 29 (alias 19 prefent) to goe from Maguy thither. On the faid 28 of October, (which was the Saturday) the Scots King had laine the night then paft within a dayes journey Maguy; from whence came an Expreffe to his Royall Highneffe the Duke of Orleance, as alfo letters from his Mother.

20 The Duke of Orleance fent forth fome Coaches from Paris, to meet him at Maguy, where he lay that night.

21 And the nect day being the Lords Day, the Scots king came to Paris, being met a little from the Townes end by the Duke of Orleance and fome others. His Highneffe the Duke of Orleance conducted the Scots King through part of the City to the Louver, but with no fmall difcontent of the Citizens, who are fome of them rea-dy to mutiny about it, and yet many flocked to fee him, and amongft thofe divers mocked and jeered ; fo that the great refort feemed to be rather in deifion and fcorn, than out of any good will.

His Mother knew fo well the dif-affections of te people, that fhe did not come along at all with him, nor did meet him, until fhe heard that he was come to the Louver, and then prefently fhe repaired to him.

She hath fpent moft part of her time of late about the raifing of a Fabrick at Chaliot, for the making of a Nunnery, from whence fhe now came to vifit her fon.

22 There was then a grave Coun-cell held at the Louver, of the Scots king, the Duke of Orleance, the late Queene of England, and fome others, who after fome complements, required a narrative of the Englifh Af-faires, the relation whereof produ-ced fome laughter, at the ridiculous-neffe of his condition.

23 The Subftance of the Scots Kings Speech

The Scots king told them what hap-pened at the fight at Worecefter, gave fome reproachful words againft the Scots, put fome fcurrilous lan-guage on the Presbyterian party in England, and boafted much of his own valour.

Told them how hee flipt out of Worcefter, and how near he was taking there, firft in the Fort, and after in his Chamber:

How he difguifed himfelfe and went from County to County, and hat fhift he made for victuals and lodging.

And Fometimes fetting a Guard about a little Cottag while hee refted there until the morning, that he went up and down London, in a Gentlewomans habit, where he faith, he never faw handfomer Coaches then they have now; that  he met with feverall perfons that wifhed him no harme, and that at laft he got o the Sea-coaft, and there imbarqued himfelf for this coaft, ina boat that my Lord Wilmot had provided and hired beforehand. He fiad he knew no-thing what was become of the Duke of Buckingham ; and that he had no other company or follower but the faid Wilmot, since he lan-ded. He faid further, that he was never in better health having got no harm at all in the fight.

24 Ormond and Inchequin are fent from Caen, my Lord Taaffe from Hollandm who hath been Treating with Lorraine to undertake the bufineffe of Ireland, which is all agreed on, if the king will confent that Lorraine fhall have th Title of Protector, and the Towne of Lymrick, a cautionary Garrifon for his Souldiers. Upon thefe conditions he hath under-taken to land fix thoufand Horfe and Foot before Chriftmas in Ireland. Taafffe hath already received twenty thoufand Piftols, and about fourteen dayes fince a fmall Veffel was fent to lymrick, to affure them of affistance.

25 Some are of opinion that the King fhall fuddenly make a marriage with Madamoifelle, the Queen having treated much about it of late.

VII. The late Queen of England his Mother, with the Dukes of Orle-ance, Guife, Beaufort, and Thurenne, with divers Priefts, and Nuns, came to vifite him at the Louver in Paris, where after they had conference with, and lamented him, they tooke their leave and returned ; the Lords to the Court, and his Mother with her Fry to Chahot, where fhe is erecting a Nunnery.

FINIS.