of advice and Councell for ordering the affaires of the Kingdome without Our authoritie and in contempt of Us and Our Councell established by Us there and by entring into a Covenant and most wicked Band and combination against all that shall oppose them not excepting Our owne Person directly against the law of God the law of Nations and the municipall lawes of that Our Kingdome So that after this their Protestation they perfected that which they had before begun confusedly and as it were in a ruder draught For then contrarie to Our expresse commandement and authoritie expressed in Our last Proclamations and repeated unto them by Our Councell they did erect a great number of Tables as they called them in Edinburgh Foure principall One of the Nobilitie another of the Gentrie a third of the Burroughes a fourth of Ministers and the Gentrie had manie subordinate Tables according to their severall Shires These severall Tables did consult of what they thought fit to bee propounded at the generall Table which consisteth of severall Commissioners chosen from the other foure Tables and what they of the generall Table resolved on was to be put in practice with a blinde and Jesuiticall obedience A rare and unheard forme of Government in a Kingdome whose Government ever was Monarchicall and which they themselves still say continueth to be so Sure these meetings by wise men have been accounted rather Stables of unruly horses broken loose and pulling downe all they can reach then Tables for the consultations of wise and rationall men Now the first dung which from these Stables was throwne upon the face of Authoritie and Government was that lewd Covenant and seditious Band annexed unto it which We here subjoine because We are confident that by the verie recitall and perusall of it every religious and wise man may run and read that sentence of condemnation which it carrieth in its owne front THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE KIRK OF SCOTLAND SUBSCRIBED By the Kings Majestie and his Houshold in the yeare of God 1580. WITH A Designation of such Acts of Parliament as are expedient for justifying the union after mentioned And Subscribed by the Nobles Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Ministers and Commons in the yeare of God 1638. JOSH. 24.25 So Joshua made a Covenant with the people the same day and gave them an Ordinance and Law in Sichem 2 KING 11.17 And Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people likewise betweene the King and the people ISAIA 44.5 One shall say I am the Lord another shall be called by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord c. The Kings Majesties Charge to all Commissioners and Ministers within this Realme in the yeare of God 1580. SEeing that VVe and Our Houshold have Subscribed and given this publike Confession of Our Faith to the good example of Our subjects VVe command and charge all Commissioners and Ministers to crave the same Confession of their Parochianars and proceed against the refusers according to Our Lawes and Order of the Kirk delivering their names and lawfull processe to the Ministers of Our House with all haste and diligence under the paine of fourtie pound to be taken from their stipend that VVe with the advice of Our Councell may take order with such proud contemners of God and Our Lawes Subscribed with Our Hand at Haly-rud-house 1580. the 2. day of March the 14. yeare of Our Reigne The Confession of Faith of the Kirke of SCOTLAND The confession of Faith subscribed at first by the Kings Majesty and His Houshold in the yeere of God 1580. Thereafter by Persons of all rankes in the yeere 1581. by ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Councell and Acts of the Generall Assembly Subscribed againe by all sorts of Persons in the yeere 1590. by a new Ordinance of Councell at the desire of the Generall Assembly With a generall Band for maintenance of the true Religion and the Kings Person And now subscribed in the yeere 1638. by us Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Ministers and Commons under subscribing Together with our resolution and promises for the causes after specified To maintaine the said true Religion and the Kings Majestie according to the Confession foresaid and Acts of Parliament The Tenor whereof here followeth WEe All and every one of us underwritten Protest That after long and due examination of our owne Consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughly resolved of the Truth by the Word and Spirit of God and therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole World that this only is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man which now is by the mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel And received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternall Truth and onely ground of our Salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith stablished and publikely confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of this Realme both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion wee willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth and Verity grounded onely upon his written Word And therefore Wee abhorre and detest all contrarie Religion and Doctrine But chiefly all kinde of Papistrie in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland but in speciall we detest and refuse the usurped authoritie of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Kirk the civill Magistrate and Consciences of men All his tyrannous lawes made upon indifferent things against our Christian libertie His erroneous Doctrine against the sufficiencie of the written VVord the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangel His corrupted Doctrine concerning originall sinne our naturall inabilitie and rebellion to Gods Law our justification by faith onely our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the Law the nature number and use of the holy Sacraments His five bastard Sacraments with all his Rites Ceremonies and false Doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments without the VVord of God His cruell judgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitie of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation or reall presence of Christs body in the Elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men His dispensations with solemn oaths perjuries and degrees of Marriage forbidden in the VVord his crueltie against the innocent divorced his divellish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood
not as Our friends but as Our foes not Protestants but the most rigid of Papists Jesuites and so being without in this point not bring any scandal upon Us who are within especially considering that though these men have gone about to wound the Reformed Religion through Our sides and by opposing Us whom God hath honoured with this speciall favour for no lesse We accompt it of being the chief Prince whom he hath made choice of for the Protector and Defender of it Though We say these men have done what they can to weaken this our Religion by striking at the authoritie of the principall prop and stay of it upon earth under God yet We by the grace of God are fully resolved to wipe away that aspersion and remove that scandall from Our Profession and Religion by Our constant not onely adherence to it but maintenance and defence of it with the uttermost of that power which God hath put in Our hands notwithstanding all those scandals which these men by their wicked practices and worse positions have laid upon it Secondly We hope that all men will do Us so much right as to beleeve that whatsoever course We shall hereafter take for the Asserting of the Reformed Religion and repressing the insolencies of such of Our subjects as doe oppose it and Us in the just and undoubted right of Our Regalitie while they pretend Religion shall not be thought to be by way of a warre but by way of a Prince the Father of his Country his chastising his unruly children which is never in anger but in love and for their good And if by their stubbornnesse they shall force Us to a severitie unpleasing to Us and unwelcome to them We call Him by whom We reigne to witnesse and heaven and earth and all the world to record that they with their owne hands doe unsheath Our just sword which Wee cannot but use as the Minister of God unlesse We will betray that trust which the King of Kings hath reposed in Us for the maintenance of Religion and Justice amongst all His people whom He hath committed to Our charge And if God will have it so that for their resisting Him and Us His Anointed servant and their Soveraigne He will have some of their bad bloud shed We shall ever make accompt that that bloud is let out of Our owne veines nor shall We draw any drop of it in any other case then a faithfull Physician will and must doe for the preservation of the whole body THat Religion is onely pretended and used by them as a cloak to palliate their intended Rebellion is demonstrative by this That the seeds of this Sedition were sowen by the plotters of their Covenant made under the pretence of Religion long before any of the grievances or pretended innovations in Religion complained of by them were ever heard of amongst them For the truth is that some yeares after Our comming to the Crowne by the advice both of some of Our principall Councellors and Officers of State there as also by the advice of Our learnedest Advocates and Counsellers at law according to the example of many of Our Royall Progenitors of happie memorie Kings and Queens of that Our Kingdome We did make a legall revocation of such things as had beene passed away in prejudice of the Crowne especially by some of Our late Royall Progenitors in their minorities a course warranted by the lawes and many yeares practice of that Our Kingdome With this course some of the principall contrivers of this their present Covenant found themselves much aggrieved and much of their estates brought within the compasse and danger of Our lawes which made them presently begin to grumble and repine and privately as much as they durst and as in them lay to worke underhand in Our subjects mindes a distaste of Our government Which Wee made accompt Wee had quickly rectified by shewing to all Our subjects interessed in that Revocation Our gracious clemencie in waiving all the advantages which Our lawes gave Us in many of their estates So that after We had made it apparent to Our subjects how obnoxious many of them and their estates were unto Us and Our lawes We likewise did make as apparent unto them Our singular grace and goodnesse by remitting not onely the rigour but even the equitie of Our lawes insomuch that none of all Our subjects could then or can now say that they were damnified in their persons or estates by that our Revocation or any thing which ensued upon it Yet for all this the principall present malecontents did then begin to perswade with such as they thought they might be boldest with a disaffection to Our government And not seeing how they could easily obtrude upon them the old and usuall pretence of discontent viz. Religion by a strained and farre-fetched inference they did not sticke to lay the envie of the procuring that harmelesse Revocation by which no man suffered upon the present Prelates who in this were as innocent as the thing it selfe was Onely because they hoped that the very name of Church-men or Religious persons should in the point of faction have that operation with their followers which they conceived the Church or Religion it selfe might have had if they could have seene how to have perswaded them that by this Revocation either of them had beene endangered A second symptome of their discontent appeared not long after this upon this occasion Wee having daily heard the grievous complaints of many of Our subjects of that Kingdome of all sorts especially of the Gentrie and their Farmers who paid their tythes to the Nobilitie or such others whom they in that Kingdome call Lords of the Erection or Laicke Patrons here in England we call Impropriators how that in the leading or gathering of their tythes these Lords and Laicke Patrons did use and practise the uttermost of that severitie which the law alloweth them how they would not gather their tythes when the owners of the corne desired them but when it pleased themselves by which meanes the owners by the unseasonablenesse of the weather were manie times damnified to the losse of their whole stocke or most part of it the law of that Kingdome being in that point so strict as no owner may carrie away his nine parts or any part of them untill the proprietarie of the tythes have set out his tenth part As likewise understanding at the same time the deplorable estate of the Ministers of that Our Kingdome in the point of maintenance how that they received no tythes in their parishes but some poore pittance either by way of a stipendiarie benevolence or else some mean allowance from these Lords of Erections or Laick Patrons unworthie of the Ministers of the Gospel and which exposed them to all manner of contempt and a base dependance upon their Patrons Wee at the instance and humble petition not of a few but of the whole Clergie and with them of the whole payers
forme and the honour of Religion then for any use or necessitie of it all the former Lawes still standing in force and vigour without the need of any new ratification At this time many of Our subjects of greatest qualitie were suitors to Us for new Titles of Honour Gentlemen to bee Lords Lords to bee Earles Impossible it was for Us to satisfie all suitors in that kinde without the prostitution of Honour to a just and open contempt and therefore being put upon a choice and selection We held it fitter in the point both of honour and justice to passe by such as both privately in their secret meetings and openly in the Parliament house had shewed their disrepects to Us and Our just proceedings then those who had carried themselves not only loyally and dutifully but affectionately and heartily to Us and Our service Upon this occasion many of those who were then passed by and are now principall Covenanters seeing others advanced to degrees of honour above themselves begun then presently to mutter but not to mutinie untill We were gone from thence But scarsly were We well returned into England when the discontent of these men resolved it selfe into a plaine sedition For then they had the impudence to give it out that voyces were bought and packed in the late Parliament nay that the voyces were not truely numbred but that some Acts were past without pluralitie of suffrages A calumnie so foule and blacke as that they themselves did know it to be most false For had there beene the least suspicion of truth in it they might have made tryall thereof by surveying their owne papers and the papers of many hundreds present who took notes of the number of voyces which were given either by assenting to or disassenting from the severall Acts read and proposed by which papers if they had found but the weakest ground for this their strong but false report We have no reason to thinke that either their mercie or modestie was such that they would have forborne the calling of the Clerke of Our Register in question for it it being as our Chancellors office to aske the voyces so Our Clerke of Registers office to take them and record them and according to his owne and his Clerkes notes who assist him to pronounce the Act passed or stopt In which it is impossible he should deale but with sinceritie for else the notes taken by most of the Auditors being a present and powerfull conviction of his false dealing must presently transmit him to highest Censure and punishment But knowing that in a publike and judiciall way they must needs faile in their proofe of this calumnie they betook themselves to the secret and seditious way of malecontents For first they used clancularie surmises then they sent about from hand to hand a clandestine infamous Libell and by it they impoysoned the hearts of many of Our good subjects with a suspicion of obliquitie in Our proceedings at the late Parliament This infamous Libell comming to the knowledge of Our Privie Councell there first they of themselves then afterwards having made Us acquainted with it by Our commandement entred into an inquirie both of the authors and abetters of that seditious Libell Who found that the author upon whom it was shifted and fathered was one Hagge then and still fugitive but that the abetters countenancers and dispersers of it were many and some of them of greatest qualitie and now principall Covenanters Wee out of our innate and usuall clemencie were graciously pleased that the feare and example might reach to all but the punishment onely to one of them to passe by many who undoubtedly had beene concluded and involved by Our Lawes in the same sentence if Wee had proceeded against them and to single out one of that ranke who was most obliged to Us and Our Crowne and therefore both for his ingratitude and crime had no reason to expect any thing from Us but the justice of Our lawes This one was the Lord Balmerino his Father was principall Secretary of State for that Our Kingdome to Our Father of happy memory to whom he was beholden both for the honour of his Baronie and for his whole fortune and estate which he got in his service But he was since Our Royall Father his comming to the Crowne of England arraigned for and attainted of high Treason in Scotland found guilty of it by his Peeres and accordingly received sentence to be hanged drawne and quartered his bloud tainted his whole estate forfeited to the Crowne Yet such was the gracious clemencie of Our Royall Father that He onely for a little time continued this condemned and forfeited Lord in prison afterward confined him but to a large circuit and then restored not onely the bloud of himselfe and his children but also their honour and whole estate Now this present Lord Balmerino being so extraordinarily obliged to Our Royall Father and Our Crowne for the life of his father his owne honour and whole fortunes and so being one from whom We the sonne of that Royall and Gracious Father to him and his whole family had no reason to expect perfidiousnesse and ingratitude he could not have the least shew of reason to expect any favour from Us but the favour of a faire and legall tryall which We granted him At that tryall and arraignment he was by his Peeres found guilty of abetting and dispersing that infamous Libell made against Us and accordingly was to receive sentence of death for it which Our chiefe Justice respited onely untill Our pleasure might bee knowne Then indeed they who afterwards proved the contrivers of the late Covenant and their adherents begun to complaine of the hard measure which was offered to this Lord and to lay false and wicked aspersions upon his Peeres who found him guilty but finding that all the proceedings were usuall and legall they could not but have acquit the Judge if hee should have condemned him nor could they have found the least blemish in Our justice if Wee should have given warrant both for his sentence and execution whose life was now legally devolved into Our hands and therefore this convicted Lord betook himselfe onely to Our mercie which We shewed to him in that height as Wee are confident it is hardly to be patterned by any president For notwithstanding the head of this family which was first raised by Our Father and then being falne yet raised by Him againe and now relapsed was once againe brought under Our axe as it had beene before brought under the axe of Our Royall Father We desirous to shew Our selfe the true heire of none of Our blessed Fathers vertues more then of his mercie and clemencie were contented upon his deep protestations of loyaltie for the time to come to grant him under Our great Seale for that Our Kingdome not onely a Pardon of that crime of which he stood convicted but also his full libertie and inlargement Which gracious Pardon of Ours when
that Kingdome was not like to receive any publike or considerable opposition though We did never expect it should misse to meet with that misfortune which attendeth all other Books of this kind and which hath waited upon the English Service-book here viz. to be disliked and defamed by some whose judgements either being weak are not capable of satisfaction or being distempered with the humours of singularitie are resolved never to receive or at least never to seeme to receive any satisfaction And yet even those men too especially they of the first sort men of weaker judgement before and at the time of the publishing of this Book were not cast without the compasse of Our care and clemencie For Wee did with that Book send home certaine instructions and directions to our Bishops of that Kingdome signed with Our owne hand amongst which this was one That notwithstanding We had now established this Book by Our authoritie yet they should proceed with all moderation and dispense with such for the practise of some things contained in the Book as they should finde either not well perswaded of them or willing to be informed concerning them or did hope that time and reason might gaine to a better beleefe of them Nay yet more to foresee what probable opposition this Book might be like to receive Wee caused Our Councell by Proclamation to publish a set day for the reading of it in all Churches which was the Easter day following 1637 All which time though no symptoms of any considerable opposition did appeare yet upon good considerations and for the further trial of mens minds the first reading of it was delayed untill the xxiii of July next ensuing to the end that the Lords of the Session and others who had any Law-businesse might see the successe of it before the rising of the Session which alwayes endeth on the first of August and that so upon their returne to their severall Countries they might report the receiving of this Book at Edinburgh it being ordered that on that Sunday the Book should be read onely in the Churches of Edinburgh and those which were next adjacent And because it should not be read that day neither unexpectedly warning was first printed and then published in all these severall Pulpits the Sunday immediatly before that the next Sunday the new Service-book was to be read After all which premonitions made only to try how the people stood affected no feare of tumult appearing Nay the Service-book which was to be read having beene in publike Sermons commended by many Preachers without any apparent disgust of the Book or disgrace offered to the Preachers persons Nay having beene commended in Sermons by some of their now principall Covenanting Ministers who since have beene the greatest railers against it by none more then one Rollock a Minister of Edinburgh who both in a Sermon preached by him at a Synod held at Edinburgh before the Bishop of that Diocesse and in his Sermon on the Sunday of intimation of the reading of the Service-book the next Sunday did highly magnifie the said Book And so the tendring of this Book being thus prepared and sweetned with these gracious considerations of time expectation of the discovery of mens affections which for any thing appeared to the contrarie were very calme composed who could have imagined that the first reading of it should have been attended with such a barbarous tumult and insurrection as was raised in the Churches and streets of Edinburgh the Sunday following the true relation of which tumult as it was sent up to Us doth here follow On the twentie-third day of July 1637. being Sunday according to the publike warning given the Sunday before the Service Book was begun to bee read in Edinburgh in Saint Gyles Church commonly called the great Church where were present as usually they are many of Our Councell both the Arch-bishops and divers other Bishops the Lords of the Session the Magistrates of Edinburgh and a very great auditorie of all sorts of people Amongst this great multitude there appeared no signe of trouble But no sooner was the Book opened by the Deane of Edinburgh but a number of the meaner sort who used to keep places for the better sort most of them women with clapping of their hands cursings and out-cries raised such a barbarous hubbub in that sacred place that not any one could either heare or be heard The Bishop of Edinburgh who was to preach stept into the Pulpit which is immediatly above the place where the Deane was to read intending to appease the tumult by putting them in minde that the place in which they then were was holy ground and by intreating them to desist from that fearefull and horrible profanation of it But hee was entertained with as much irreverence as the Deane and with more violence in so much that if a stoole aimed to be throwne at him had not by the providence of God beene diverted by the hand of one present the life of that Reverend Bishop in that holy place and in the Pulpit had beene indangered if not lost The Arch-bishop of Saint Andrewes Lord Chancellour and divers others offering to appease the multitude were entertained with such bitter curses and imprecations as they not being able to prevaile with the people the Provost Bailiffs and divers others of the Councell of that Citie were forced to come downe from the Gallery in which they do usually sit and with much adoe in a very great tumult and confusion thrust out of the Church these disorderly people making fast the Church doores After all which the Deane devoutly read Service assisted by Our Councellors Bishops and many other persons of qualitie there present Yet the out cries rapping at the Church doores throwing of stones at the Church windowes by the tumultuous multitude without was so great as the Bailiffes of the Citie were once more put to forsake their places and use their best indeavours for the appeasing the rage and furie of those who were without Service being ended the Bishop preached after which the Congregation was dismissed The Bishop of Edinburgh retiring himselfe to a lodging distant not many paces from the Church was so invironed with a multitude of the meaner sort of people cursing and crouding him that he was neere being trode to death and in all probabilitie had beene so if hee had not recovered the staires of his lodging which he no sooner began to go up but he was so pulled by the sleeve of his gowne by some of that rude rout that hee had like to have tumbled backward downe the staires to the indangering of his life yet with much adoe getting up the staires he found the doore at which he should have entred shut against him and so being put to a stand he had certainely beene oppressed with the preasse and violence of that rabble if the Earle of Weems from his next lodging seeing the Bishops life in danger had not sent his
into England unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie in which they desired him to recommend unto Us their care of and fidelitie to Our service and to undertake for them to Us their zeale and forwardnesse for settling the peaceable practice of the Service Booke Which Letters We here have caused to be inserted that the Reader may see what names of simplicitie and ignorance they bestow upon that multitude which made the first opposition and withall take notice of the names of the Magistrates subscribers to these Letters for some of them which hardly could be expected from reasonable men will be found to be very forward if not leaders in the next succeeding sedition and so of the rest which have followed since The Letters be these Most Reverend Father in God and our verie good Lord WEe regrait from our hearts that tumult which did fall out in our Churches that day of the inbringing of the Service Booke wherein now these of his Majesties Councell who have laboured the tryall thereof will give testimonie of our innocencie Since that time and the rising of his Majesties Councell in this feriall time we have daily concurred with our Ordinarie and our Ministerie for settling of that Service Booke as the right Honourable the Earle of Traquair Lord Treasurer with the Bishops of Galloway and Dunbleane will beare witnesse who have spared neyther paines nor attendance to bring that purpose to a good conclusion And although the povertie of this Citie be great being almost exhausted with publicke and common workes yet we have not beene lacking to offer good meanes above our power to such as should undertake that service and in all things wherein we have beene required we have ever beene ready really to approve our selves obedient and loyall subjects to his Majestie in all his Royall commandements which we have vowed ever to second to our lives end And we being infinitely obliged to your Graces favours we now presumed by these lines to give your Grace that assurance of obedience upon our part in this purpose and in all other purposes wherein we may contribute to the advancement of his Majesties service or can be expected of good subjects VVhereof if his Majestie by your Grace shall be pleased to rest assured whatsoever any other shall suggest we will accept it from you as a great accumulation of favour for all which your Grace shall ever finde us most thankfull Remembrancers and most ready really to expresse our thankfulnesse whenever we shall be made so happy as that your Grace shall have occasion to use our service Thus from our hearts wishing you all happinesse we kisse your Graces hands Edinburgh this 19. of August 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly An. Ainslie Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly THE SECOND LETTER Most Reverend Father in God and our very good Lord WEe did receive your Graces kind letter and from our hearts we do render your Grace most hearty thanks and as wee have hitherto found your speciall favour in this matter concerning the laitly imprinted Service Booke whereanent we did write to your Grace formerly shewing our dutifull and obedient resolution not onely in our selves but in the greatest and best part of our Inhabitants of whom from time to time we had most confident assurance so now we must againe become new suiters at your Graces hands to receive from us a true information of the difference of the present time and of that when we did presume to write the occasions thereof which is that since our last there hath beene such an innumerable confluence of people from all the corners of this kingdome both of Clergie and Laitie and of all degrees by occasion of two Councell dayes and such things suggested to our poore ignorant people that they have razed what we by great and continuall pains had imprinted in their minds and have diverted them altogether from their former resolutions so that now when we were urged by our selfes alone we could not adventure but were forced to supplicate the Lords of Councell to continue us in the state they had done the rest of the kingdome having hitherto forborne either to combine with them or to countenance them in their supplications yet we will not forbeare to doe our Masters service to our power but shall studie to imprint in their minds what hath beene taken away in the interim we will humbly beg your Graces favour and intercession with his Majestie that we may be keeped still in his favour which we doe esteeme our greatest earthly felicitie and that what course shall be taken with the rest of this kingdome in that matter who have presented many supplications and with whom we have in no wayes combined that the same and no other may be taken with us wherein we are confident to prevaile as much as any other within the kingdome and in all things shall endevour nothing more then that we may approve our selves most dutifull and obedient subjects Thus relying upon your Graces favour as our most assured refuge we kisse your Graces hands and rests Edinburgh this 26. of September 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly James Rucheid WEe confesse that these large undertakings of the Magistrates moved Us to remit much of Our intended rigor against the offenders in the first uproare hoping that their acknowledgment of Our clemencie would have produced effects quite contrarie to those which We have found And now We shall desire the Reader to observe that this first tumult was owned by none condemned and cryed down by all the authors of it and actors in it called by all sorts by no better names then Rogues and the base Multitude What will you then think if that within verie few daies you shall see the verie same liberall bestowers of these names entring upon the same Stage repeating and acting over againe the parts of that madd Multitude Onely the Stage you shall see a little better hanged and the Scenes better set out and the Play having a more specious name of Pietie and Religion For soon after these base and unruly people who were so much out in their first act of Rebellion as Actors at the first are not commonly perfect were in the Pulpits even for that their first and foule act so much of late hissed at and decryed afterwards magnified for the most heroicall Sparkes that ever God inspired and raised up in this last age of the world and though they were but Asses yet they were cryed up for having their mouthes opened immediately by God as the mouth of Balaams Asse was to the upbraiding of all the rest of the Land who held their peace when they should have cryed and brayed as they did Their happy mouthes and hands which God was pleased to honour that day with the beginning of their new blessed Reformation and
would not offend the Lord Treasurer got to Our Palace at Haly-rud-house and the Bishop of Galloway to his lodging But the Lord Provost was againe set upon as he was entring his owne house and was so pressed upon by the multitude that they crouded with him into his owne yard railing upon him and throwing stones at his windowes untill some of his servants discharging a Peece which had nothing but powder in it they retired for feare In this tumult none were more forward and inexorable then two who were Bailiffes the yeare before and who had subscribed the two Letters to the Archbishop of Canterburie This mornings storme being a little blowne over Our Councell in the afternoone met at Our Palace at Haly-rud-house and commanded a Proclamation presently to bee made at the Crosse of Edinburgh the tenour whereof here followeth At Haly-rud-house the 18. of Octob. 1637. FOrasmuch as a number of the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell as likewise the Towne Councell of Edinburgh being this day conveened in their severall Judicatories for his Majesties speciall affaires and service they were most rudely interrupted in the course of their proceedings by a tumultuous gathering of the promiscuous and vulgar multitude by whom his Majesties Councell and servants in an open way was shamefully environed VVhich being a matter verie disgracefull to his Majesties Authoritie and lawfull Government and which in the consequence thereof may produce dangerous effects if the like bee not prevented in the time to come Therefore the Lords of secret Councell according to the dutie of their place and charge incumbent unto them Ordaines a Maissar of Councell to passe to the Mercate Crosse of Edinburgh and there by open Proclamation to discharge all publike gatherings and convocations of his Majesties subjects within the Citie of Edinburgh and upon the streets thereof As likewise all private meetings tending to faction and tumult And in his Majesties name and authoritie to command and charge all his Majesties lieges and inhabitants within the said Citie to containe themselves in peace and quietnesse And for that effect to keepe their houses except when their lawfull businesse doth otherwise call them Under all highest paine and charge that by rigour of law can be inflicted upon the contraveeners of the premises in manner above expressed TO this Proclamation so little obedience was yeelded and they of Edinburgh so farre from conceiving that they had any way misdemeaned themselves by that horrible insurrection as that the next Councell day they had the impudence to send their Commissioners publikely to Our Councell Table and there to require that their Ministers and Reader might be restored to them and that they might have assurance for the performance of what was promised to them by their Magistrates at this last Rebellion and before the pacification of it From this Relation joyned to the Narration of the first insurrection in the Churches it is easie to judge whether this their intended glorious Reformation which according to their religious intentions and ardent prayers they say God even to a miracle hath so graciously prospered in their hands be like to proceed from God the first act whereof was begun in the Church with contempt of God and profanation of the house where his honour dwelleth and the violation of those persons who serve at his Altar and the second Act whereof was presented on the streets of the capitall Citie of the Kingdome with the contempt of the highest Authoritie under God viz. Us and Our lawes and offering violence to the persons of Our Councellors and chiefe Officers of State not forbearing the verie houses and places where Our Councell for that Kingdome and Our Magistrates of that Citie doe usually sit and were then sitting which places have alwayes been accounted sacred and have duely challenged all respect and reverence And now it is verie observable by what degrees this Rebellion hath risen as if it had been before-hand well studied and contrived everie rank entring upon the Stage in their due turns in which they served and answered one another The first tumult was begun by the basest sort of that Citie whom the Authors of this second insurrection did then even for that first tumult condemne by the name of Rascalls and scum of the people This second uproare farre more seditious and dangerous then the former was made by the best sort of Citizens excepting onely the Magistrates and some few others yet disavowed and disliked at least in shew by the Nobilitie Gentrie and the Magistrates of the Citie but these last Mutiners were not so cryed downe by them as the former nor did they put such vile names of Rebels and Rascals upon them nor did they shew any signification of their desire to have them questioned or punished for that tumult because now the qualitie of these last mutiners persons gave some good countenance to the designes which they themselves had in hand For these Noblemen Gentrie and Magistrates being themselves to performe the third Act of that Tragedie at the first whereof they had hissed and seemed to dislike the second held it not fit to be too severe in condemning of that which it seemes they meant shortly after to act themselves and in a more dangerous way For first their Protestation against Our Proclamation and then their Covenant against Us and Our Authoritie were next to come upon the Stage which though they were of the same plot and piece with the two other former insurrections yet because they were to be better acted and the Actors men of greater eminencie they hoped their parts should not finde such foule names as the former had found As if the things being the same the names of Protestation or Covenant could alter the nature of insurrection and Rebellion like those of that bloudie League in France who hoped that the verie name of the HOLIE LEAGUE would cause in the world a mistake of their meaning and palliate their most wicked and unnaturall treasons for rooting out their lawfull Soveraigne and the true Religion And now this highest and worst part commeth next to be related After these tumults there were presented to Our Chancellour and Councell two Petitions one a verie weake and childish one in the name of all the men women children and servants of Edinburgh onely against the Service Booke another in the name of the Noblemen Gentrie Ministers Burgesses against the Service Booke and Booke of Canons That to the Lord Chancellour was as followeth My Lord Chancellour UNto your Lordship humbly shewes we men women and children and servants Indwellers within the Burgh of Edinburgh That whereas we being urged with this Book of Service and having considered the same VVe finde many things therein so farre different from that forme of Gods publike worship universally received and professed within this Kingdome And we Burgesses being at our entrie and admission deeply sworne for the maintenance thereof that now makes our hearts to tremble and our weak
would expect his returne and Our answer by that time he would doe both These holy men resolve to expect that time before any election shall be actually made but give order that it shall be made the next day after before it could be knowne in most parts of the kingdome whether he were returned or in any part of the kingdome or by any person of the kingdome what answer he had returned from Us The insinceritie of which proceedings condemned by many Covenanting Ministers at their meeting at Edinburgh for a most desperate equivocation We are confident every man will detest especially in those men who boast themselves to be the onely sincere Professours of these times Besides Our Commissioner found that these men who would not so much as hear him speak of any precedent conference of any thing concerning the Assembly nor of any directions to be agreed upon for the more orderly proceeding in it but cried out against them as unsufferable prelimitations and prejudgings of the liberties of Christ and his Church had in the time of his absence at their Tables agreeed upon certaine directions comprehended in eight Articles which they had dispersed through the whole kingdome and commanded to be observed by the severall Presbyteries thereof in their elections the true copie whereof here followeth A direction for Presbyteries THat every Presbyterie have a copie of the Act made at Dundie the seventh of March 1597. concerning the number of Commissioners the tenour whereof followeth Because there hath beene no order hitherto anent the number of Commissioners to be directed from everie Presbyterie to the Generall Assemblie therefore it is statuted and ordained that in all time comming three of the wisest and gravest of the Brethren shall be directed from everie Presbyterie at the most as Commissioners to everie Assemblie and that none presume to come without Commission And likewise that one bee directed from everie Presbyterie in name of the Barons and one out of everie Burgh except Edinburgh which shall have power to direct two Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie That everie Presbyterie have a copie of the Commission to be given to the Commissioners the tenour thereof followes T.T. the day of The which day after calling upon the name of God We the members of the Presbyterie of having diligently considered the manifold corruptions innovations and disorders disturbing our peace and tending to the overthrow of our Religion and Liberties of the reformed Church within this Realme which hath come to passe especially through the want of the necessarie remedie of Generall Assemblies as well ordinarie as pro re nata injoyed by this Church for many yeares and ratified by Act of Parliament And now expecting shortly by the mercie of God the benefit of a free Generall Assemblie do by these presents nominate and appoint Minister of as also in name of the Burrowes conjunctly and severally our lawfull Commissioners giving and granting unto them our full power Commission and expresse charge to repaire to the said Assemblie at the day and place when and where it shall happen to sit in any safe and commodious place within this Kingdome and there with the rest who shall be authorised with lawfull Commission in our name to propone treat reason vote and conclude according to the word of God and confession of faith approved by sundrie Generall Assemblies and received throughout the whole Kingdome in all Ecclesiasticall matters competent to a free Generall Assemblie and tending to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ and the good of Religion as they will answer to God and his Church thereupon and to report to us their diligence therein In testification of this our Commission and charge we have subscribed these presents with our hands and which they have accepted with the lifting up of their hands That everie Church Session send one of the most qualified Elders unto the Presbyterie the day of chusing Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie That by common consent of the Ministers and those Elders present in the Presbyterie there may bee chosen both the Commissioners for the Ministers and also some well affected and qualified Nobleman or speciall Gentleman being an Elder of some particular Church Session within that Presbyterie in name of the Barons For this is the constitution of the Presbyteries otherwise called Elderships appointed by the Church in the books of discipline Acts of the Generall Assemblie practised for many yeares after the reformation and ratified in the Parliament the twelfth of King James the 6. and never since altered nor rescinded neither can be with reason altered seeing that same is the constitution of the supreme and Generall Assemblies and of the inferiour and Church Sessions as is at more length cleared by some reasons That such as are erroneous in doctrine or scandalous in life be presently processed that they be not chosen Commissioners and if they shall happen to be chosen by the greater part that all the best affected both Ministers and Elders protest and come to the Assemblie to testifie the same To send to everie Presbyterie a copie of the printed reasons for an Assemblie That Moderators by vertue of their office bee not Commissioners to the Assemblie except they be chosen That the Presbyteries in one of the ordinarie meetings appoint to conveene solemnely after the twentieth of September either upon the 21.22.23.24 or 25. for chusing of their Commissioners to the Assemblie and for to send them hither to Edinburgh before the first of October or so soone as they can that with common consent they may receive the Kings last answer and advise upon the next lawfull remedies in their extreme necessities of Church and State That in the Fast to bee observed on the sixteenth day of September the second day preceding their election they may crave Gods direction therein TO these eight Articles they joyned by way of information a verie impertinent long and tedious discourse of Ruling Elders too long and too simple to be here inserted which was added no doubt onely to perswade the Ministers to admit Lay-men to have voyces in their Presbyteries at the election of the Ministers who were to be Commissioners for the Assemblie or in case of their refusall to perswade the Lay-men to put themselves in possession and give their voyces in these elections whether the Ministers would or no as shall appeare afterwards both by that intrusion which these Lay Elders used in many Presbyteries where the Ministers refused to admit them and by some of the Tables more private instructions by which they were ordered so to do Now We desire the Reader to consider whether the conference which Our Commissioner desired for debating of what members the Assemblie was to be constituted and the matters which were principally to be discussed there with so much bitternes exclaimed against by them could in any construction or sense be taken for such a prelimitation of the Assemblie either in the members matter or manner of it as
and estate against whatsoever Jesuites and Seminarie or Masse-priests condemned enemies to God and his Majestie to their utter wracke and exterminion according to the power granted to us by his Majesties proclamation and acts of Parliament To try search and seeke out all excommunicates practisers and others Papists whatsoever within our bounds and shire where we keepe residence and dilate them to his Highnesse and his privie Councell and conforme us to such directions as from time to time we shall receive from his Majestie and his Councell in their behalfes And specially so many of us as presently are or hereafter shall be appointed Commissioners in every shire shall follow pursue and travaile by all meanes possible to take and apprehend all such Papists Apostates and excommunicates as we shall receive in writ from his Majesty And we the remanent within that shire shall concurre and assist with the saids Commissioners with our whole friends and forces to that effect without respect of any person whatsoever And generally to assist in the meane time and defend every one of us another in all and whatsoever quarrels actions debates moved or to be moved against us or any of us upon action of the present Band or other causes depending thereupon And effauldly joine in defence and pursuit against whatsoever shall offer or intend any injury or revenge against any one of them for the premises making his cause and part that is pursued all our parts Notwithstanding whatsoever privie grudge or displeasure standing betwixt any of us which shall be no impediment or hinder to our said effauld joyning in the said common cause but to lye over and be misknown till they be orderly removed and taken away by the order under-specified To the which time we for the better furtherance of the said cause and service have assured and by the tenour hereof every one of us taking the burden upon us for our selves and all that we may let assure each other to be unhurt unharmed or any wayes to be invaded by us or any our foresaids for old feid or new otherwise then by ordinary course of law and justice neither shall we nor any of our foresaids make any provocation or tumult trouble or displeasure to others in any sort as we shall answer to God and upon our Honours and fidelitie to his Majestie And for our further and more heartie union in this service we are content and consent that all whatsoever our feids and variances fallen or that may fall out betwixt us be within fortie dayes after the date hereof amicably referred and submitted to seven or five indifferent friends chosen by his Majestie of our whole number and by their moderation and arbitrement componed and taken away And finally that we shall neither directly nor indirectly separate nor with-draw us from the union and fellowship of the remanent by whatsoever suggestion or private advice or by whatsoever incident regard or stay such resolution as by common deliberation shall be taken in the premises as we shall answer to God upon our consciences and to the world upon our truth and honours under the pain to be esteemed traitours to God and his Majestie and to have lost all honour credit and estimation in time comming In witnesse whereof by his Majesties speciall command allowance and protection promised to us therein We have subscribed these presents with our hands At 1589. We JAMES Marquesse of Hamiltoun Earle of Arran and Cambridge Lord Even and Evendail his Majesties High Commissioner and Lords of his Majesties Privie Councel undersubscribing by vertue and conform to a warrant and command signed by his sacred Majesty of the date of Sept. 9. 1638. and registrate in the bookes of Councell upon the 22. day of the said month Swear and with our hearts and humble and true affections to Gods truth and to his sacred Majesty subscribe the Confession of faith of according to the date and tenour above specified and also renew swear and subscribe the foresaid general Band of the tenor abovewritten for preservation of the true Religion and maintenance of his sacred Majesties authoritie according to the tenor thereof and siclike as amply as the same was conceived in favours of his Majesties umwhile blessed Father of eternall memorie by the said Band. In witnesse wherof we have subscribed these presents with our hands At Holy-rood-house Septemb. 22. 1638. Sic subscribitur HAMILTOUN Traquair Roxburgh Mairsheall Mar Murray Linlithgow Perth Wigtoun Kingorne Tullibardin Hadingtoun Annandaill Lauderdaill Kinnoull Dumfreis Southesk Belheaven Angus Lorn Elphinstoun Naper Dalyell Amont J. Hay S. Thomas Hope S.W. Elphinstoun Ja. Carmichael J. Hamiltoun Blackhall AT the same time was a proclamation made for the indiction of the generall Assembly which was this At Holy-rood-house the 22. day of September 1638. FOrsomuch as it hath pleased the Kings Majestie out of his pious and religious disposition to the true Religion and out of his fatherly care for removing of all feares doubts and scruples which may arise in the mindes of his subjects for preservation of the puritie thereof and upon divers great and weightie considerations importing the glory of God the peace of the Kirke and Common-weale of this kingdome to appoint and give order that a free generall Assembly be indicted kept and holden at the Citie of Glasgow the 21. of November next Therefore the Lords of secret Councell ordaines letters to be direct charging Maissars and Officers of Armes to passe and make publication hereof by open Proclamation at the Market Crosse of Edinburgh and the head Burrowes of this Kingdome and other places needfull And to warne all and sundry Archbishops Bishops Commissioners of Kirkes and others having place and vote in the Assembly to repaire and addresse to the said Citie of Glasgow the said one and twentieth day of November next to come and to attend the said Assembly induring the time thereof and aye and while the same be dissolved and to doe and performe all which to their charges in such cases appertaineth as they will answer to the contrarie at their highest perill IMmediately after that this Proclamation was made for the indiction of the Parliament At Holy-rood-house the 22. day of September 1638. FOrsomuch as it hath pleased his Majestie out of his pious and religious disposition to the true Religion and out of his fatherly care for removing of all feares doubts and scruples which may arise in the mindes of his subjects for preservation of the puritie thereof and upon divers other great and weighty causes importing the glory of God the peace of the Kirk and Common-weale of this Kingdome to appoint and give order that the Soveraigne and High Court of Parliament shall be holden at the Citie of Edinburgh upon the 15. day of May next to come with continuation of dayes Therefore the Lords of secret Councell ordain letters to be direct to Maissars and officers of Arms charging them to passe to the market Crosse of Edinburgh
and hopes for so much as was not as yet granted All these made us confidently to expect from his Majestes Royall and compassioned disposition towards this his native Kingdome that a free Generall Assembly and Parliament should have beene indicted as the ordinary and most proper remedies of our grievances and did constraine us to renew our petition earnestly intreating that his Majesties Commissioner would be pleased to represent unto his Majesty the condition of this Kirk and Kingdome crying in an extreme exigencie for present helpe with the lawfulnesse of the remedies prescribed by his Majesties Lawes required by us and presented to him in some particular Articles which his Grace promised to recommend to his Majestie and to doe his best endeavours for obtaining the same especially the first Article that there might be indicted a full and free Generall Assembly without prelimitation either in the constitution and members thereof in the order and manner of proceeding or in the matters to be treated And if there should be any question or doubt about one of these or such like particulars that the determination thereof might be remitted to the Assembly it selfe as the only proper and competent judge And now after so many supplications complaints articles and informations after our necessary protestation expressing the humble thankfulnesse and continued desires of our hearts after so long expectation and so much dealing having with open eares and attentive minds heard his Majesties Proclamation it is our desire purpose and endevour so to proceed that we may upon the one part still be thankfull to God and the King for the least blinke of his Majesties countenance and the smallest crums of comfort that fall unto us from his Majesties Royall hands beseeching the Lord yet further to enlarge his Majesties heart for our full satisfaction and rejoycing to the honour of God the good of this Kirk and Kingdome and his Majesties never dying fame and glory that his wise government and zeale to the service of God may be a measure and pattern of desires to all generations hereafter when they shall be wishing for a religious and righteous King And on the other part that Christ our Lord the King of Kings through our neglect or luke-warmnesse may want no part of his Soveraignty and Dominion and that in our Religion which is more dear unto us then our lives we deceive not our selves with that which cannot satisfie and make up the breach of this Kirke and Kingdome or remove our feares doubts and suspicions of the innovations of Religion This hath made us to observe and perceive that his Majesties Proclamation doth ascribe all the late distractions of this Kirke and Common-wealth to our conceived feares of the innovation of Religion and Law as the cause and occasion thereof and not to the innovations themselves with which we have beene for a long time and especially of late heavily pressed and grieved as if the cause were rather in apprehension and fancie then in reality and substance That the Service book and booke of Canons are not so far discharged by this Proclamation as they have beene urged by preceding Proclamations for this Proclamation onely dischargeth the practice of them and rescinds the Acts made for establishing their practice but doth not rescind the former Proclamations namely that of the 19. of February at Stirling and that of the fourth of July at Edinburgh which give an high approbation to these Books as fit meanes to maintaine Religion and to beat down all superstition and withall declares his Majesties purpose to bring them into this Kirk in a faire and legall way And thus both our feares that they may be introduced hereafter must still remaine and the libertie of the Generall Assembly by such a Declaration of his Majesties judgement is not a little prejudged in the minds of so many as wisely consider and compare the preceding Proclamations with this which we now heare although others who looking upon one step and not upon the whole progresse run on rashly and neither considering what they are doing nor with whom they are dealing may be easily deceived Qui pauca videt citò judicat a short sight maketh a sudden judgement That it is declared in this Proclamation That his Majesty neither intendeth to innovate any thing in Religion or Lawes or to admit of any change or alteration in the true Religion already established and professed in this Kingdome and withall this is interposed That the articles of Pearth are established by the acts of Parliament and generall Assembly and dispensation of the practice only granted and discharge given that no person be urged with the practice thereof and consequently his Majesties intention for the standing of the Acts of the Assembly and Parliament appointing the Articles of Pearth is manifest which is no small prejudice to the freedome of the Generall Assembly That while the Proclamation ordaineth all his Majesties subjects to be liable to the triall and censure of the judicatories competent and that none of them shall use any unlimited and unwarranted power likewise that no other oath be administred to Ministers at their entrie then that which is contained in the Act of Parliament in both these Articles the Bishops are meaned who are only thereby for the present curbed against their exorbitancie and enormities in exercing their office but the office of Bishops is thereby not only presupposed as unquestionable but also so strongly established that his Majestie declareth for the present his intention to admit no innovation therein which is more evident by the indiction of the Parliament warning all Prelats to be present as having voice and place in Parliament and by the indiction of the Assembly warning all Archbishops and Bishops for so are their divers degrees and offices Ecclesiasticall here designed and supposed to be present as having place and voyce in the Assembly contrary to the caveats acts of the Kirk and our declinator And thus a third and great limitation is put upon the Generall Assembly The Proclamation by reason of these many reall limitations and prejudices of the liberty of the Assembly in the very points which have wrought so much woe and disturbance in this Kirk and Kingdome and wherein the liberty of the Assembly is most usefull and necessary at this time can neither satifie our grievances and complants nor remove our feares and doubts nor cannot without protestation be admitted by us his Majesties subjects who earnestly desire that Truth and Peace may be established and that for the reasons following 1. TO keepe silence in any thing that may serve for the good of the Kirk whether it be in preaching prayer or in proposing and voyceing in a lwfull Assembly of the Kirke is against the word of God Esai 62.6 Yee that are the Lords remembrancers keepe not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth 1. King 18.21 Like the halting of the
they went away unsatisfied The Covenanters finding that Our commanding of the subscription of the confession of faith in many places had given satisfaction and had indeed confuted that lying scandall of Our inclination to Poperie and that many of the Covenanters had remitted much of their former rigour being much taken with Our last gracious Proclamation the Heads and swayers of the foure Tables as if all their designes were come to the last cast cast about once againe and laboured hard to worke Our people into the beliefe of this one point That none of these things promised in Our last gracious Proclamation no not the Assembly it selfe were ever intended to bee performed by Us That Wee onely studied to gaine time untill Wee were ready for their ruine and therefore they gave out that Our Commissioners late comming from Hammilton to Edinburgh was onely to prorogue the Assembly They spent daies and nights in penning a Protestation against it and writing multitudes of copies to be readie in all places of the Kingdome before the Proclamations of the prorogation should arrive They sent for all their partie to flocke to Edinburgh as if now there were greater danger then ever All which was carried with notable hypocrisie for the authors of this report did disperse it not that they did beleeve it to be true but because it was conduceable to their ends to have the people beleeve it But knowing that they who do act long parts must needs sometimes be out and that the time of the Assembly beginning to approach and Our Commissioners provisions and preparations for his journey to Glasgow were farre stronger proofes to Our people of Our holding the Assembly then all which they had surmised to the contrarie they then betooke themselves to their last shift which was a miserable and wicked one and it was this Since they were perswaded that the Assembly indicted by Us would now hold if they could not divert it they resolved to take such courses as they conceived Our Commissioner neither could nor would endure with which they did conceive they should so irritate him that he could not chuse but either discharge or prorogue the Assembly For two things now they feared First that they had committed a great errour in petitioning Us for an Assembly which they conceived was fully in their owne power to indict and therefore did begin to thinke that by that act they had weakned their owne power and claime and supposed that it had been more agreeable to their designes if they had indicted one themselves being the title which they meant to stand to as appeareth by their owne indiction of a new Assembly since the dissolution of this Secondly they were affraid of nothing more then this that Our Commissioners propounding and passing into acts of Assembly all the particulars of Our grace and favour contained in Our last Proclamation would abundantly satisfie the greatest part of their owne partie when they should see the grounds of their feares of innovations in Religion removed which occasioned them to enter into the late Covenant But now if Our Commissioner could be forced any way either to prorogue or discharge this Assembly indicted by Us that then they would presently indict one themselves which they were sure We would not countenance with any Commissioner from Us by which meanes they were both secured from having their partie weakned by Our propounding in Assembly Our gracious offers expressed in Our last Declaration and were certainly perswaded that they should easily induce Our people to beleeve that these things promised in that Declaration were never intended by Us. To compasse therefore their desires of Our Commissioners either proroguing or discharging the Assembly they resolved to increase their disorders to such a height as they hoped hee would never endure them and to multiply so many affronts upon him and in him upon Us and Our authoritie as they imagined should be past all sufferance As first by their letters directed from their Tables at Edinburgh they quarrelled with Our Commissioner that Our Confession and Covenant was commanded to bee subscribed in many parts of the Kingdome by the authoritie of Us and Our Councell with an unbeseeming violence The copie of their Letter to Our Commissioner being then at Hammilton here followeth Please your Grace WEe were glad of the indiction of an Assembly as the meane to bring our complaints to an end And as we promised for our part to doe our endevour that all matters might be carried in a peaceable way and no man troubled in any sort till that time so did we certainly expect that no violence or molestation should have beene used against any of those who had subscribed the late Covenant and yet far contrarie to our expectation are brought hither almost every houre grievous complaints from many of the people in divers parts of the Kingdome That they are by the threatnings and open violence of some States-men Councellours and Barons constrained to subscribe a Confession of Faith and Band some with blind and doubting minds and others against their consciences to the great trouble of their soules and great disturbance of the peace of the Country contrarie to such peaceble preparations as should have preceded a perfit pacification at a Generall Assemblie If we had heard but some complaints of this kind we would have spared both your Graces paines and our owne but complaints being multiplied more and more we could not of duty but make some representation thereof to your Grace that some course may be taken for present suppressing this so irreligious and unjust manner of doing and for preventing the hard consequences that may ensue from people who are thus pressed to subscribe against their minds and from others who are joyned in Covenant with them which as it is humbly petitioned so it is confidently expected by Edinb 3. Oct. 1638. Your Graces humble servants Cassills Lothean Lindsay Lowdoune Balmerino Johnstoun Burgly THe complaint contained in this Letter did afterward prove to bee most unjust and yet it was dispersed through the Kingdome with horrible and most false aggravations viz. That some of Our Councell with charged Pistolls and drawne Daggers held to the breasts of Our subjects had forced them to subscribe Our Covenant To this their Letter Our Commissioner returned an answer though not to their Table because hee would not acknowledge it yet to that Nobleman whose hand was first at it The copie of which answer is this My very good Lord I Have received from your Lordsh and other Noblemen a Letter containing a complaint against the violence offered to divers of his Majesties subjects by States-men Councellours and others and that complaint aggravated by your promising and undertaking for your selfe and all your adherents that no man should be troubled till the Generall Assembly and your just expectation that the same course should have beene held on the other side by us For the former I know not what States-men Noblemen or Barons
which they were sure should never bee done as shall now appeare in these particulars When the Commission from the Presbyterie of Peebles was read there was presently read a Protestation and Petition given in by a meane Minister of that Presbyterie not against the election it selfe for there did not appeare the least shew of exception against it when the Act of the Presbyterie was read but against some violence pretended to be used by Our Lord Treasurer who being an inhabitant within the precincts of that Presbyterie was present at the election The petition was conceived in very boisterous and uncivil terms The Lord Treasurer answered all that was pretended so fully that not any one in the Assembly seemed to bee unsatisfied there being not one election returned which was more punctually made and that even according to their owne publique instructions yet because the Commissioners elected though Covenanters were not the same who had been designed at Edinburgh nor such as another Lord dwelling in that Presbyterie who was a Lay-Elder and Covenanter had a mind to the approbation of that Commission and admission of these Commissioners most shamefully was put off and respited untill that Petition and Protestation might be examined and so it was continued from time to time though it were often called upon Our Commissioner told them That sure there were none present who did not admire at these proceedings and that if the Petitioner failed in his probation which afterward hee did and asked pardon for it hee deserved some exemplarie punishment to bee inflicted upon him who had dared to traduce so great an Officer of State In this particular it was too plain that the poore Minister was onely set on to present this Protestation for the reasons now declared After this there arose a very hot contestation concerning the election of the Lay-Elder for the Presbyterie of Brichen The Earle of Montrose presented one Commission in which the Laird of Dunn was chosen Lay-Elder by the voyce of one Minister and a few Lay-Elders There was another Commission presented by that Presbyterie in which was returned the Lord Carnaegie lawfully chosen by the voyces of all the rest of the Ministers and Lay-Elders yet because the Earle of Montrose did oppose the election of the Lord Carnaegie though his owne brother in law all the Covenanters in the Assembly sided with the Laird of Dunn for whom the Earle of Montrose stood both of them being rigid Covenanters against the other Lord who was a Covenanter likewise but a more moderate one And indeed it was a wonder to see how openly all rules of justice without any feare or shame were laid aside in this particular for though they did not approve the election of the Laird of Dunn who wanted voyces to his election yet they would not admit of the other whose election admitted not the least scruple In the agitation of this business there fell out a memorable passage of which the Covenanters were very much ashamed because it betrayed one of their secret instructions it was this There was written upon the back of that Commission which was tendered by the Lord Montrose a Declaration wherein the lawfulnesse of that Commission and the unlawfulnesse of the other was offered to be cleared in which among other things it was objected against the Lord Carnaegie his election that it was made contrary to the directions of the Tables at Edinburgh which the Clerk perceiving stopped and would read no further Our Commissioner hereupon required the Moderatour to give him a copie or extract of that paper which was last read and of the names of those who had subscribed to it and that subscribed by the hand of the Clerk of the Assembly The Moderatour absolutely refused it Our Commissioner told him that he desired it to help him in Our service that by it he might bee the better informed how to proceed in his objecting against such Commissions as he meant to challenge The Moderatour againe refused to doe it alledging that the challenged Declaration was but accidentally written on the backe of the Commission Our Commissioner replyed That could not be written privately or accidentally which was given in publike to the Assembly and that by a member of it of so great place and quality for a justification of his proceeding in that election and withall protested That though he were not Our Commissioner but the meanest subject of the land he could not in justice be denied the copie of any thing exhibited in a Court of justice But all in vaine for after much cavilling by the Moderatour and other covenanting Lords Our Commissioner desiring the Moderator to put it to voyces whether he could be denied a copie of it even that was refused him likewise they being afraid that the Assembly would not deny so notorious an act of justice upon which Our Commissioner though mildly yet with some expression of distast did thus deliver himselfe Let God Almighty judge if this be a free Assembly in which is denyed to his Majesties Commissioner that which cannot be denyed to the meanest of his subjects and at last hee tooke instruments in the hands of Our Clerke of Register that he was refused the copie of a Declarator given in to the Assembly delivered into the Clerkes hands and publikely read by him in which amongst other things was contained that the election of the Lord Carnaegie Commissioner from Brichen was invalid as being contrarie to the directions of the Tables of the Commissioners at Edinburgh which occasioned the Moderator to say That Our Commissioner needed no copie of it he had so faithfully repeated all that was contained in it Our Commissioner hereupon since he could not obtaine a copie of it desired all present to be witnesses of what the Moderator had spoken that he had acknowledged his faithfull repetition of that part of the Declarator whereof he was refused the copie and thereupon againe tooke instruments In this businesse Sir Lewis Stuart one of Our Assessors to Our Commissioner spake some few words which when the Moderator was about to answer the Lord of Montrose forbid him to answer one who had no place to speake there Afterward there arose a great contestation between the Earle of Southesk one of Our Assessors and the Moderator with so much heat on the Moderators side and some Lords who sided with him that Our Commissioner was put to moderate the Moderator and quench the heat of the Assembly for which many of them gave Our Commissioner thankes and so all businesse was continued till Munday On Munday being the 5. day of their sitting they went on in the rest of the controverted elections refusing to heare the Lord Carnaegie his election discussed but putting it off to a Committee Master Andrew Logie Minister of Red but a Non-covenanter being returned a Commissioner from the Presbyterie of Garrioche was refused to be admitted though they laid not the least exception against his election their pretence was
Assembly the Moderator being the same materially who governed them at Edinburgh though not so formally chosen as now the Clerke of the Assembly being the same who was Clerke to their Covenant and to their Tables at Edinburgh the members of the Assembly being the same who sate at their Tables there and those the most corrupted and distempered of them all who could now expect lesse insolent conclusions from this Assembly then they had found from their Tables And indeed the very same were found For immediately they bragged that now they were a constituted Assembly and resolved to laugh at any who should quarrell with the elections which they had approved and especially at the Bishops Declinator if it should containe any arguments to that purpose The first Cocke who begun to crow upon this dunghill though it were within night no ordinarie time of crowing was Master Andrew Ramsey a Minister of Edinburgh who getting up upon a stoole or fourme made a very great bragge offering by dispute to prove against any man the lawfulnesse of lay Elders by Scripture Antiquitie Fathers Councels the judgement of all the Reformed Churches even of the Church of England who admitted them into the High Commission Our Commissioner seeing him crowd so much in a very little room told him that he runne no great hazzard or danger in his challenge for he was sure the Judges would bee his seconds yet if it pleased him hee would find one should enter into the Lists with him either publiquely or privately upon that quarrell but many of his brethren were not very well pleased with his glorious challenge as making accompt that hee would never bee able to make good the greatest part of it And with this bragge the Assembly dissolved for that night The next day being the 27. of November after the Assembly was met Our Commissioner urged once againe that the Bishops Declinator might bee read which was accordingly done by the Clerke of the Assembly It was entertained with much jeering and laughter and by transmission of a whisper from one eare to another they resolved when it was read out to have received it with a generall hissing but yet by another generall whisper transmitted as the former that course was stopped After it was ended Our Commissioner spake home to them for the necessitie of that Declinator and the unavoidable strength of the reasons contained in the same and in depressing by way of parallel their Libell against the Bishops which hee spared not to call infamous and scurrillous both in the matter of it and the manner of promulging it and hereupon tooke instruments in Our Clerke of Registers hands both for the production and reading of the Declinator Some of the Lords of the Assembly offered to doe the like in the Clerk of the Assemblies hands but Our Commissioner told him it was needlesse since it was not tendered to the Assembly but to himselfe First the Moderatour in a short speech deplored the obstinacie of the Bishops hearts who in all that Declinator had bewrayed no signe of remorse and sorrow for their wicked courses and then the Lords of the Assembly perceiving their errour that they who found themselves to bee Judges had offered to take instruments in the Clerkes hands of the production of any exhibits which was never heard to bee done by the Judge but onely by the actor or plaintiffe prompted some young Noblemen and Gentlemen Covenanters but not members of the Assembly then present to demand instruments of the production of the Bishops Declinator in whose name one Gibson one of the Clerkes of Our Session and so acquainted with Law termes both demanded instruments and thundered out a verball Protestation in such Law termes as was not easie to be understood by most of the auditors The summe of what was understood was this That they would pursue their Libell against the Bishops so long as they had lives and fortunes etiam in foro contentiosissimo and required Doctor Hammilton their Proctor then present to take notice that they cyted him to compeere die in diem till sentence were given Our Commissioner first protested against that Protestation and then discharged the Bishops Proctor from appearance before the Assembly to which he had presented no Declinator but required him to appeare before himselfe to whom it was presented when he should require him The Declinator of the Bishops here insueth The Declinator and Protestation of the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of SCOTLAND and others their adherents within that Kingdome against the pretended Generall Assemblie holden at Glasgow Novemb. 21. 1638. WEE Archbishops Bishops and other Under-subscribers for our selves and in name and behalfe of the Church of Scotland Whereas it hath pleased the Kings Majestie to indict a generall Assemblie of the Church to be kept at Glasgow Novemb. 21. 1638. for composing and setling of the distractions of the same First do acknowledge and professe That a Generall Assemblie lawfully called and orderly conveened is a most necessarie and effectuall meane for removing those evils wherewith the said Church is infested and for setling that order which becommeth the house of God And that wee wish nothing more then a meeting of a peaceable and orderly Assemblie to that effect Secondly we acknowledge and professe as becommeth good Christians and faithfull subjects that his Majestie hath authoritie by his prerogative Royall to call Assemblies as is acknowledged by the Assemblie at Glasgow 1610. and Parliament 1612. and that it is not lawfull to conveene without his Royall consent and approbation except wee will put our selves in danger to bee called in question for sedition Yet neverthelesse in sundrie respects wee cannot but esteeme this meeting at Glasgow most unlawfull and disorderly and their proceedings void and null in Law for the causes and reasons following First before his Majesties Royall warrant to my Lord Commissioner his Grace to indict a lawfull free generall Assemblie the usurped authoritie of the Table as they call it by their missives and instructions did give order and direction for all Presbyteries to elect and chuse their Commissioners for the Assemblie and for seeking of Gods blessing to it to keep a solemne Fast Sept. 16. whereas his Majesties warrant for indicting of that Assemblie was not published till the 22. of that month so that they preventing and not proceeding by warrant of Royall authoritie the pretended Commissioners being chosen before the Presbyteries were authorized to make election cannot bee reputed members of a lawfull Assemblie A lawfull Assemblie must not onely be indicted by lawfull authoritie as we acknowledge this to be but also constituted of such members as are requisite to make up such a body For if according to the indiction none at all do conveene or where the Clergie is called there meet none but Laicks or moe Laicks then of the Clergie with equall power to judge and determine or such of the Laicks and Clergie as are not lawfully authorized or are not capable
of your Soveraignes gracious promises let this paper which I deliver to the Clerke to be read witnesse it to you all which I am sure you cannot chuse but receive with all thankfulnesse and dutifull acknowledgement of his Majesties pietie goodnesse and clemencie unlesse all Religion and goodnesse be quite banished out of this Land Here the Clerke publiquely read the paper which followeth THe Kings Majesty being informed that many of his good subjects have apprehended that by the introducing of the Service Booke and Booke of Canons the in-bringing of Poperie and Superstition hath been intended hath been graciously pleased to discharge like as by these he doth discharge the Service Booke and Booke of Canons and the practice of them or either of them And annulleth and rescindeth all Acts of Councell Proclamations and all other Acts and Deeds whatsoever that have been made and published for establishing them or either of them And declareth the same to be null and to have no force nor effect in time comming The Kings Majestie as he conceived for the ease and benefit of his subjects established the high Commission that thereby justice might be ministred and the faults and errours of such persons as are made liable thereto taken order with and punished with the more conveniencie and lesse trouble to the people But finding his gracious intentions therein to be mistaken hath been pleased to discharge like as by these presents he doth discharge the same and all acts and deeds whatsoever made for establishing thereof And the Kings Majestie being informed that the urging of the five Articles of Perthes Assembly hath bred distraction in the Church and State hath been graciously pleased to take the same to his Royall consideration and for the quiet and peace of this Countrie hath not onely dispensed with the practice of the said Articles but also discharged all and whomsoever persons from urging the practice thereof upon either Laicke or Ecclesiasticall person whatsoever And hath freed all his subjects from all censure and paines whether Ecclesiasticall or Secular for not urging practising or obeying them or any of them notwithstanding of any thing contained in the Acts of Parliament or generall Assembly to the contrary And his Majestie is further contented that the Assembly take the same so far into their consideration as to represent it to the next Parliament there to bee ratified as the Estates shall find fitting And because it hath been pretended that oathes have been administred different from that which is conceived in the Acts of Parliament his Majestie is pleased to declare by Me that no other oath shall be required of any Minister at his entry then that which is set downe in the Act of Parliament And that it may appeare how carefull his Majestie is that no corruption or innovation shall creep into this Church neither yet any scandall vice or fault of any person whatsoever censurable or punishable by the Assembly goe unpunished his Majestie is content to declare by Mee and assure all his good people that generall Assemblies shall be kept so oft as the affaires of this Church shall require And that none of Our good subjects may have cause of grievances against the proceedings of the Prelates his Majestie is content that all and every one of the present Bishops and their Successors shall be answerable and accordingly from time to time censurable according to their merits by the generall Assembly And to give all his Majesties good people full assurance that he never intended to admit any alteration or change in the true Religion professed within this Kingdome and that they may bee truly and fully satisfied of the reality of his intentions and integritie of the same his Majestie hath been pleased to require and command all his good subjects to subscribe the confession of faith and band for maintenance thereof and of his Majesties person and authority formerly signed by Our deare Father in anno 1580. and now likewise requireth all those of this present Assembly to subscribe the same And it is his Majesties will that this be inserted and registred in the Bookes of Assembly as a testimony to posteritie not onely of the sinceritie of his intentions to the said true Religion but also of his resolution to maintaine and defend the same and his subjects in the profession thereof Subscribitur HAMILTOUN AFter the reading whereof Our Commissioner went on and added I have you see subscribed that paper with mine owne hand and to make his Majesties Religion Grace Goodnesse and the Zeale which hee hath to settle the peace of this Church and Kingdome knowne to all succeeding generations I doe require that it bee entred into your ordinarie Bookes of Assembly but with this provision That this my assent to the Act of registring this his Majesties Declaration shall be no approbation of the lawfulness of this Assembly or of any other Act made or to be made in it but that all Protestations made or to be made against this Assembly in all other acts and proceedings thereof shall stand in full force and effect And of the delivery of this paper containing his Majesties gracious offers into the hands of the Clerke of the Assembly and of my requiring it to be registred in the Bookes of the same as also of my Protestation against the lawfulnesse of this Assembly in all other Acts I take publique instruments in the hands of the Clerke of Our Soveraigne Lord his Register and require him to make an act thereof Which being done the Moderatour in a short speech acknowledged Our speciall goodnesse in granting the particulars contained in the paper promising it should be registred in the bookes of assembly and desired to goe on with the businesse of the assembly But Our Commissioner told them hee must goe on with them no more for now the sad part was behind viz. That since they had brought Lay-Elders to give voices in this assembly a thing not practised before or at least dis-used so long that no man present had seen it the Ministers sitting here as Commissioners were chosen by Lay-Elders a thing never heard of before in this Church all the persons having voices here were before the elections designed by the Tables at Edinburgh all others by their expresse directions barred these few Commissioners sent hither but not chosen according to their designation were by their cavills made for that purpose set aside and not admitted to have voices the Bishops cyted hither were to bee judged by the very same persons who had pre-judged and condemned them at their Tables hee attested heaven and earth whether this could bee imagined to be any way a free Assembly and therefore called God to witnesse that they themselves were the cause and the only cause why this Assembly could not have that happy issue which We heartily wished and why the Bishops could receive no censure from them in regard of these their sinister proceedings for how could any man expect justice
from them who had denied it to Us in refusing voices to Our Commissioners assessors which was never denied to Our Royall Father when hee called farre more assessors then Wee did now Much more to this purpose was delivered by Our Commissioner upon all which he commanded and required them not to proceed any further in this Assembly and declared that whatsoever they should say or doe hereafter in it hee in Our name protested against it and that it should never oblige any of Our subjects nor be reputed for an Act of generall Assembly The Moderatour with a speech well penned which hee had in readinesse whensoever the Assembly should bee dissolved seemed much to deplore Our Commissioners resolution for breaking up the Assembly hee attributed very much to Our power in Ecclesiasticall causes and assemblies said many things of Our power quite contrarie to much which they have since printed in their seditious Pamphlets and Protestations and much more then was liked and approved by many of his fellow-Covenanters towards the end of his speech he affirmed That We were Universall Bishop over all Our Kingdomes c. which made Our Commissioner use meanes to have the copie of his speech but it could not be obtained while it was fresh in the auditors memories Many daies after Our Commissioner was gone from Glasgow a copie of it was sent him but all that which concerned Our Ecclesiasticall power especially of Our being Universall Bishop in Our Kingdomes was quite left out by which it was plaine that as it was before conjectured hee had displeased many of the Assembly by giving more Ecclesiasticall power to Us in that speech then they intended Wee should ever have The conclusion of his speech was That as Our Commissioner had served his Master carefully and faithfully in preserving his Priviledges and Prerogatives so they must needs likewise be faithfull and carefull in preserving the Priviledges and Prerogatives of the kingdome of the Sonne of God which was his Church That they should much grieve for his absence whose presence had beene so acceptable and comfortable to them and who had carried himselfe among them with so much wisdome and moderation that they should have a great misse of him with many more words tending to the very high commendation of Our Commissioner After the Moderatour divers of the Lords spake much to vindicate the Covenanters from their prelimitations and sinister dealings in their elections But Our Commissioner presently choaked their confidence with the production of two papers which they little supposed he had ever seene They contained their secret instructions with which the whole Tables were not acquainted for they must then of necessitie some way or other have come to the knowledge of all the covenanters very many of whom by these secret orders were barred from being chosen commissioners to the assembly as well as the Non-covenanters and therefore they fearing to lose or displease such a considerable number of their owne partie did by these private advertisements contrived onely by the chiefe Rulers of the Table but never presented to the Tables themselves take order that none who could fall within the suspition of moderation should bee chosen commissioner for the assembly The one of these papers was directed to one Lay Elder of every Presbyterie some speciall confident of theirs containing these nine Articles ensuing BEcause all projects and purposes will faile if they be not pursued with constant diligence to the end the Devill sleeps not and we heare our adversaries are busie and our miserie will be unexpressible great and we ludibrious if they shall prevaile over us in a free generall Assembly for which we have been pleading so long it were meet that so farre as may be a new warning should be given to stirre up the best affected 2 That every Nobleman be diligent with the Barons and Ministers neerest unto them and that he write unto his best acquaintance who are farre off 3 That some one Minister and Gentleman in every Presbyterie meet oft together to resolve upon the particular Commissioners to be chosen and use all diligence with the rest of the Ministers and Gentlemen that such may be chosen 4 Because nothing will avail so much for our purpose where the most part of the Ministers are disaffected as that the Gentlemen be present to vote in Presbyteries it would be presently tryed whether this be put in execution and if the Minister be slow in urging it the Gentlemen themselves to urge it and put themselves in possession Our adversaries in this cause are seeking their owne ends and will set our friends on worke to deale with us all would be warned to shut their eares and in this case to forget parents brethren and friends and without respect to any person to doe what may most conduce for our good ends Much will be pretended that the Bishops be limited They will be harmlesse in time comming and on the other hand that Ministers having all in their power will prove unruly but it would be seriously considered First That Gods ordinance except that we will mocke him and be wiser in his errands then himselfe should have place Secondly That Ministers will be constrained to keepe themselves within bounds if Gentlemen resort to the Presbyteries Synods and Assemblies Thirdly That this order will both make Gentlemen more religious and more accomplished every way and will make Ministers more diligent in their studies and calling and take better heed to all their wayes which no doubt will through the blessing of God make this a flourishing Church and Kingdome which otherwise of all nations will be most slavish miserable and contemptible to all our neighbours when they shall perceive how by our owne sillinesse and treachery we have lost so faire an occasion of our liberty both christian and civill That they linger not they would be urged againe to send their Commissioners to Edinburgh before the first of October by this we shall know our owne strength the better at our next meeting And the Gentlemen at the least the greatest part of them would be warned to be at Edinburgh the 20. of September and that onely the Gentlemen who are named Commissioners to the Presbyterie for chusing their Commissioners for the Assembly with some to assist them that day stay at home and those to come away immediately after the election That in every Presbyterie there be a particular care taken of the informations against the Prelates for instructing our complaints THe other paper was directed to some Minister of every Presbyterie in whom they put most speciall trust containing these eight Articles ensuing Private Instructions August 27. 1638. THese private Instructions shall be discovered to none but to brethren well affected to the cause Order must be taken that none be chosen ruling Elders but Covenanters and those well affected to the businesse That where the Minister is not well affected the ruling Elder be chosen by the Commissioners of the Shire
declaring himselfe for them protesting that he was alwaies set their way but had delayed to professe it so long as he found his close carriage might be advantagious to their cause but now of late matters had come to such a height that he found it behoved him to adjoin himself openly to their societie except he should prove a Knave this was as We are informed his owne word Then he went on and exhorted them all to unitie wishing all but especially the Ruling-Elders and Ministers to keepe a good correspondence intreated all the Ministers to consider what had brought the Bishops to ruine viz. pride and avarice and therefore willed them to shun these two rockes if they would escape shipwrack The Lord who delivered this speech delivered indeed the true meaning and sense of the Covenanters for it was neither the Bishops bringing in the pretended innovations nor their suspecting them to bee guilty of the odious crimes expressed against them in their Libell which incensed this and the other Covenanting Lords against the Bishops but their feare of their daily rising in dignitie and place which in this speech is called pride in them and their feare that the Bishops might recover out of their hands by law some of the Church lands belonging to their Churches which in this speech is called avarice in the Bishops In the meane time whether it be not pride in these Lords to envie any mans rising in the Church and Common-wealth according to that worth and sufficiencie which his Prince shall find in him and whether it bee not avarice in them not to endure that other men should legally seeke to recover their owne from them shall be left to the judgement of the indifferent Reader But for this revolted Lord who made this speech and professeth in it That if he had now not adjoyned himselfe to them he should have proved a Knave We can give this testimonie of him That at his last being here with Us in England at which time We had good reason to mis-doubt him he gave Us assurance that hee would rest fully satisfied if We would performe those things which Wee have made good by Our last gracious Declaration in which We have granted more then We did at that time promise so that We had little reason to expect his adjoyning himselfe to them who had given Us so great assurance to the contrary besides that assurance which hee gave to Our Commissioner when hee was in Scotland And now if by his owne confession hee carried things closely for the Covenanters advantage being then one of the Lords of Our secret Councell and that in the end hee must openly joyne with them or bee a Knave what hee hath proved himselfe to bee by this close and false carriage let the World judge Our Commissioner after he had by Our commandement dissolved the Assembly hearing that they who remained still at Glasgow under the name of an Assembly went about to put such a sense upon that confession of faith and band annexed which We lately had commanded to bee renewed as agreed best with those corrupt glosses and false interpretations which by their owne Covenant they had put upon it as if Episcopall government had now by Our commandement been abjured and so did begin to magnifie Our Covenant and resolved to declare it to be all one with their owne though they had in their Pulpits called it the depth of Sathan and had assured their followers that it could not bee sworne unto without perjurie and that even after that Act of Councell upon which they did ground their interpretation he having perused Our instructions which required him not to suffer the confession of faith to be sworne in any sense which might not consist with the lawes of that Church and Kingdome then in force thought it convenient to print a Declaration of Our cleare meaning and intention in requiring that oath which so soon as it was published made them quite change their minds and prohibit the subscription to Our Covenant which they had immediately before so much extolled Our Commissioners Declaration We have here caused to be re-printed together with their printed answer to it because We are confident both by Our owne judgement and the judgement of others who have perused them both that the five reasons contained in Our Commissioners Declaration stand yet unshaken for any thing delivered in their answer unto them and that as strongly as the Divines of Aberdenes first Queries Replies and Duplies doe Our Commissioners explanation followes An Explanation of the Oath and Covenant WHereas some have given out that by the Act of Councell which explaineth the Confession of Faith lately commanded to bee sworne by his Majestie to be understood of the Confession of Faith as it was then professed and received when it was made and that in that Confession defence both of the doctrine and discipline then established is sworn at which time Episcopall government being as they say abolished it must needs follow that the same government is by this late oath abjured And understanding that even amongst those who continue together still at Glasgow under the name of a pretended and unlawfull generall Assemblie this objection is held to be of some moment and used by them to the great disturbance of the peace of this Church and Kingdome and to the great disquieting of the mindes of such his Majesties good subjects as have taken the said Oath and yet never meaned nor do meane to abjure Episcopall Government and to perswade others that if they shall take the same Oath thus explained by the said Act of Councell by so doing they must likewise abjure the said government We James Marquesse of Hamiltoun his Majesties High Commissioner wondring that any such scrupulous misconstruction should be made of his Majesties gracious and pious intentions and being desirous to remove all doubts from the mindes of his Majesties good subjects and to keep them from being poysoned by such as by forced and forged inferences would make them beleeve that they had actually by taking that Oath sworne that which neither virtually nor verily they have sworne or ever intended to sweare or was required by Authoritie to be sworne by them either directly or indirectly considering that all Oathes must be taken according to the minde intention and commandement of that Authoritie which exacteth the Oath and that we by speciall commandement from his sacred Majestie commanded the said Oath to be administred wee do hereby freely and ingeniously professe and declare our minde and meaning herein as wee have constantly heretofore done since our comming into this Kingdome about this imployment viz. That by any such words or Act of Councell we never meaned or intended that Episcopall government should bee abjured nor any thing else which was established by Acts of Parliament or Acts of the Church of this Kingdome which are now in force and were so at the time of the taking of the said Oath Nor indeed
therefore taking to our heart that GOD had justly punished us for the breach of that nationall Covenant made with GOD in Anno 1580. We thought fit to reconcile our selves to him again by renewing the same Covenant And so in obedience to his divine Commandement conforme to the practise of the godly in former times and according to the laudable example of our religious Progenitours warranted by acts of Councell we again renewed our confession of Faith of this Kirk and Kingdome as a reall testimony of our fidelitie to GOD in bearing witnesse to the truth of that Religion whereunto we were sworn to adhere in Doctrine and Discipline of our loyaltie to our Soveraigne and mutuall union among our selves in that cause Which Confession with a sensible demonstration of GODS blessing from heaven was solemnly sworn and subscribed by persons of all ranks throughout this Kirk and Kingdome with a necessar explanation and application for excluding the innovations and corruptions introduced in the Religion and government of this Kirk since the yeare 1580. that so our oath to GOD might be cleare for maintenance of the doctrine and discipline then professed and established and according to the meaning of that time The happie effects of this our resolution and doing have been wonderfull And since that time GODS powerfull hand in the conduct of this businesse hath evidently appeared For after some time upon the continuance of our groanes and supplications our gracious Soveraigne was pleased to send into this Kingdome The noble Lord JAMES Marques of Hamiltoun c. with commission to heare and redresse our heavie grievances who after many voyages to his Majestie and long conferences and treating with us needlesse to be related in this place did in end by commandement from his Majestie indict a free generall Assembly to be holden at Glasgow the twentie one of November last and proclaimed a Parliament to be holden at Edinburgh the fifteenth of May next to come for setling a perfect peace in this Kirk and Kingdome And further to give full assurance to the Subjects that his Majestie did never intend to admit any change or alteration in the true religion already established and professed in this Kingdome And that all his good people might be fully and clearly satisfied of the realitie of his royall intentions for the maintenance of the truth and integritie of the said Religion his Majestie did injoyn and command all the Lords of his privie Councell Senatours of the Colledge of Justice and all other Subjects whatsoever to renew and subscribe the confession of Faith formerly subscribed by King JAMES of blessed memory and his houshold in Anno 1580. and thereafter by persons of all ranks in Anno 1581. by ordinance of the Councell and acts of the generall Assembly and againe subscribed by all sorts of persons in Anno 1590. by a new ordinance of Councell at the desire of the generall Assembly with a band for maintenance of the true Religion the Kings person and each of other in that cause as the Proclamation of indiction being dated at Oatlands the 9. of September published at the Mercat crosse of Edinburgh the 22. of the said moneth more fully proporteth Upon the hearing of which Proclamation These who were attending at Edinburgh and expecting a gracious answer of our former desires as out of bounden dutie they did with all thankfulnesse acknowledge his Majesties gracious favour So out of zeale to GOD and Religion they did protest that they who had by the late Covenant and Confession condescended more specially to the innovations and errours of the time could not after so solemne a specification returne to an implicit and more generall confession enjoyned conforme to a mandat apparantly discrepant from the genuine meaning of the confession and wanting both explication and application and did most humbly and earnestly desire the Lords of his Majesties Councell that they would not in regard of the former reasons presse upon the Subjects the subscription of this Covenant but that they might be pleased to forbeare their own subscribing of it in respect of the inconveniences might result upon their subscribing thereof in an ambiguous sense but their Lordships not having subscribed that confession containing our former explanation and being required by his Majesties Commissioner to subscribe the Confession as it was drawne up and presented to them without our explanation with a generall band for maintenance of the Religion in Doctrine and Discipline now presently profest and of his Majesties person least these words now presently repeated in this year 1638. should inferre any approbation of these innovations introduced since the year 1580. whereof many did justly complaine after deliberation for removing of this scruple and prejudice and clearing of their own meaning they caused make an act of Councell that their swearing and subscribing of the confession of Faith was according to the tenour and date the second of March 1580. according as it was then profest within this Kingdome whereupon they rested satisfied being confident that the generall Assembly then indicted would remove any doubt and differ which might arise anent the meaning and interpretation of the confession of Faith and clear what was profest in the year 1580. Yet some having subscribed that Covenant in different senses others forbearing to subscribe the same as some of the Lords of Session till the Assembly should declare the genuine and true meaning of the Confession upon whose interpretation as of the onely competent Judge they might acquiesce and rest satisfied which now after accurate tryall of the acts of generall Assemblies and mature deliberation is fully cleared and explained in this last generall Assembly by GODS mercy and his Majesties gracious favour of indiction holden at Glasgow as the act made thereupon doth proport whereby Episcopall government mongst many other innovations is found upon undeniable evidences of truth and declared to be condemned and abjured in this Kirk in Anno 1580. There is notwithstanding published in name of his Majesties Commissioner a declaration tending to disswade his Majesties Subjects from receiving the explanation of the confession made by this Assembly and affirming that the confession subscribed by the Councell doth no wayes exclude Episcopall government nor any thing else established by laws standing in force the time of the taking of the said oath the ninth of September last notwithstanding the foresaid act of Assembly which as the decree of our mother Kirk ought to be received and reverenced by all her children and act of Councell whereof the words are so cleare as they cannot admit any mentall reservation which is acknowledged by such of the Councellers then present and subscribers whose hearts GOD hath touched to make the sense of their oath to GOD preponder with them above all other worldly respects and fears THis declaration containeth five arguments with a boundle of acts of Parliament quotted and drawne up by some persons whom we know not but seen and approven by the
full assurance of their loyaltie and fidelitie towards Us of which We have alwaies by unanswerable demonstrations been fully perswaded as also upbraid the disloyaltie of many of Our subjects of that Our native Kingdome amongst whom they are loath to trust Us without offering their persons to be Our guard But these two things We doe desire all Our good subjects of that Kingdome firmly to beleeve First We are confident that We shall not much stand in need of English troupes to chastise the Heads of this late Rebellion as being fully perswaded that Our loyall subjects who have all this while adhered unto Us and Our mis-led subjects who upon this Our Declaration wil adhere unto Us but above all the justice of the cause of God and of Us his Anointed shall be strength enough to bring those principall Rebells to undergoe the tryall of Our Lawes Next Wee desire all Our good subjects there to beleeve that We are so farre from intending any invasion of that Our native Kingdome as that according to Our dutie and oath taken at Our Coronation We shall by the grace of God alwaies be ready with Our whole power estate and expense of Our bloud if the case shall so require to defend that Our Kingdome and subjects thereof against all invasions whatsoever For We doe at this time onely intend to reduce the principall Heads of these tumults to the obedience of Us and Our Lawes and in case of their Rebellious obstinacie to bring them to those deserved punishments which in such cases the Lawes of that Our Kingdome have provided nor can this either bee called or accounted an invasion more then the Judges sentencing malefactours to punishment can bee called an invasion of them The second mis-information whereby We find the Heads of this Rebellion goe about to keep Our people from returning to Our obedience is this They make them beleeve that since they have not accepted of Our gracious offers made in Our Declaration at Edinburgh the 22. of September last and made good by Our Commissioner in Our name at the Assembly in Glasgow that now We will certainly performe none of them But these wicked mis-reporters speake both according to their owne deserts as knowing that their rebellious misdemeanours have indeed deserved no such favour at Our hands and likewise according to their owne desires as fearing that if We should make them good then Our people might and must receive satisfaction thereby but they doe not speake according to Our Royall intentions which are to assure Our subjects that as We have before expressed in Our Preface their faults and disloyall courses shall not make Us goe backe from any thing which We have promised in either of those two Our gracious Declarations made at Edinburgh and Glasgow but that We will performe them all for the securing of all Our good subjects from any further feares of these pretended innovations The third mis-information whereby the Heads of this Rebellion goe about to continue Our people in disobedience to Us is this They would make them beleeve that if they shall now yeeld We doe intend to make that Our native Kingdome a Province and to dispoile them of all their lawes and liberties and to give them new lawes as if they were a conquered Kingdome A most divellish and false suggestion for We professe We never harboured any such thought in Our Royall breast but doe intend by the grace of God to continue that Our native Kingdome in the government of Our lawes and confirme unto them all their liberties and when it shall please God to translate Us to leave the same in charge to Our Successour These foule but false aspersions being thus wiped off We are now desirous to remove their grand and maine calumnie whereby they doe at once endeavour both to disparage Our just and to justifie their owne most unjust proceedings They give out that We have no quarrell against them but Religion and when they are asked in what points of Religion We will not yeeld to them they doe not name any one of which they have complained in their Petitions and which in them they called innovations in Religion for they know that in Our gracious Declarations We have given full satisfaction concerning them but they instance in other two particulars First Our not admitting the introducing of lay-Elders into their Presbyteries and that in equall number with the Ministers and that these lay-Elders shall have voices and alwaies the casting voice in the election of the Ministers Commissioners from the Presbyteries to the generall Assembly The second That We will not give way to the abolishing of Episcopall government For the former We professe that We cannot give way to it it being a course unheard of not onely in that Church of Scotland but in any Church in any age for how can We yeeld that Noblemen Gentlemen Commoners shall be made Ecclesiasticall persons which must needs bring in a confusion of these two Ecclesiasticall and secular persons which have alwaies been distinguished Next how can We betray the Ministers of that Kingdome unto perpetuall slaverie for if Episcopall government should bee gone which they intend and the Ministers in their Presbyteries shall be over-swayed by the voices of the lay-Elders what face of Ecclesiasticall government can remaine when it shall be quite pulled out of the hands of Ecclesiasticall persons And therefore We cannot chuse but account it a great ingratitude in those Ministers who oppose Us for whose maintenance as We first stood against the laitie so We are now resolved to stand against them for their libertie For the second which is the abolishing of Episcopall government We professe We cannot yeeld unto it though it were not warranted by Apostolicall institution at the first and since by the perpetuall practice of the Church of Christ in all ages and places as We hold it is warranted by both First because it is established in that Kingdome and hath ever been by Acts of Parliament and is so now and hath been for many yeeres by Acts of the generall Assembly Next because of the course which they have taken to abolish it to wit by an Assembly holding that an Assembly may abolish Acts of Parliament a proposition which must not bee endured in any Monarchie for then the Convocation in England or generall Assembly in Scotland might introduce in either of these Kingdomes Poperie and the Popes authoritie if they had a mind to doe so notwithstanding the Acts of Parliament in both Kingdomes which have ejected them and which Acts of Parliament were posteriour to the Acts of these Ecclesiasticall Assemblies and were confirmations of what was passed before in them Thirdly We cannot destroy Episcopall government without destroying one of the three Estates of Parliament which Wee will not doe but these men in an Ecclesiasticall Assembly without Our consent or consent of Parliament have gone about to destroy the first of the three Estates of Parliament But say that