and in the meane time we should receaue no prejudice as the said act it selfe testifies for us Now whereas wee your supplicants with long patitence and hope grounded upon sundry promises were exspecting an answere unto our fore named humble desires wee understood of some direction from his Majestie to your Lords of his highnes privy counsell touching our complaints and upon the same addmitted the consulting and iudging (b) (b) If the Nobilitie Barons ' Ministers c. had submitted their cause upon the Kings Commaundement to the Bb. their Church had not been so soone purged of Romish Superstition And for our parts unlesse with the Noole Scots we refuse to admitt them for our Iudges we shall never shake them of with their spirituall whoredoms both of our supplication and the Kings answere there to vnto the Arch-Bishops and Bishops our direct par-ties Contrary to our protestation given at Dealkeeth and since renued at Starling and contrary to your Lordships foresaid act (c) (c) It much impeacheth the honour and reputation of Statesmen to comply with Prelates For howsoever they hould up their heads looke bigge upon the matter Blesse themselves yet by good bad they are hated all the Land over and it is a received Maxime among the people that he cannot be honest and be for the Bishopes If a Horse chance to steppe in the track of a Wolfe he is made lame by it These Wolves have the like strange operation for whosoever comes into their way he halts for ever 〈…〉 made at Dealkeeth Least therefore our silence should bee prejudiciall to this soe importunate a cause as concernes Gods Glory and worship our Religion and Salvation the lawes and Liberties of this Kingdome or derogatory to our former supplications and complaints or in briefe not answerable to the trust of our commission wee are forced out of our bounden duty to God our King and natiue Country to take instrument in the no taries and Clarkes hands seeing your Lordships refuse to admit our Declimiter for remouall of these of our parties and to protest in manner following 1. Wee protest that wee may and ought to have a immediate course to present our iust greeviances to our sacred Soverainge and in a legall way and manner to prosecute the same before the ordinarie competent judges Civill or Ecclesiasticall without any offence either offred by us or taken by your Lordships 2. We protest that the Arch-Bishops and Bishops the parties whome wee complaine vpon cannot bee reputed or esteemed lawfull iudges to sit in iudicatory within this Kingdome Civill or Ecclesiasticall upon any of us the said supplicants untill they doe by lawfull tryall iuditiously purge themselves of such crimes as wee have already laid to their Charge offering our selves to prove the same whensoever his Majesty shal be pleased to give vs audience 3. Wee protest that no act (a) (a) Our Land would be happie if it were free from the unjust acts and Censures of Orelates For trulie Israel never sighed more under the Egyptian bondage thē the better sort everywhere cry out complaine of their oppression and crueltie It may be they thinke that our consciences like Sampsons Shouldiers are strong enought to beare all the loads they lay upon us But our State hath learned now of Scot land how to bee eased of their burdē or proclamation whether pasd or here after shall passe in the counsell and by the states of Arch-Bishops and Bishops our par-ties and whome we have declyned to be our Iudges shall in no wise be preiudicall to us that is either to our persons or lawfull meetings proceedings and persuits 4. We protest that neither our selves nor any others (b) (b) It is a sweet Harmony when mē joyn together in good actions Certainly were there such an accord among the Nobilitie Barons Ministers her e in Englād It vvould make these proud Nimrods harts to quake For their hope of standing is in regard of the divisions in the Nobility Ministers c. but my minde gives me God vvill put it into their hearts shortly to shevv thē a Scots trick whose hearts the Lord shall moue to joyne with vs in our supplications against the aforesaid innovations shall incurre any danger either in life lands or any politicall or Ecclesiasticall penaltie For not observing such acts Bookes Cannons Writs judicatories and proclamations introduced without or against the acts of Parliament or statutes of this Kingdome But it shal be lawfull for us and them to use our selves in matters of Religion (c) (c) The Scots Nation is vvorthy of honour above many Nations For that in Religion they have not beene the Servants of men neither follovved their Kings othervvise then their Kings have followed Christ Contrariwise it is the shame blott of our Nation that in matters of Gods worship we are as our Princes are and ready to turne and change as they doe and what doth this argue but that men serve not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies or the externall worship of God and policie of the Church according to the word of God and the laudable constitutions of this Church and Kingdome 5. Seeing all such as have taken these innovations to heart have by a legall submissiue way of supplications sought redresse and beene calme and quiet in hope of reformation We protest therefore that if inconvenience shall happen to fall out which wee pray God to prevent upon the pressing of the said innouations or evils generally and specially mentioned in our former complaints and upon your Lordships refusall to take order for redresse That the same shall not bee imputed unto vs who most humbly desire to have all things redressed by order 6. Wee protest before God the Heavens and the Angles that these our Request proceding from conscience and our due rerespect to his Majesties honour doe tend to no other end but to the preservation of the true reformed religion the Lawes and Liberties of his Majesties most ancient Kingdome and the satisfaction of our humble desires contained in our supplications according to his Majesties goodnesse and justice From whom we do certainly exspect (a) (a) What they exspect appeares by their petitions and complaints viz. the exercise of true Religion the abolishing of all Popish superstitions a Parliament to arraigne the Bb. upon the crime of Innovations And I beleeve that these things his Majestie will grant them The which if he doe then I doubt not but our Nobilitie Barons and Ministers will sue to his Majestie for the like grant that so this way and not in Antichrists way there may be a uniformity betweene the two Kingdoms that his Maj. wil proceed grant remedy to our iust petitions complaints as may be exspected from so gracious a King towards his loyall and dutifull Subjects calling for redresse of so oppressing greevances praying hartily that his Majesty may long prosperously raigne over us AMEN THis protestation beeing
English Leiturgy if she would yeeld to him in some other things Cambden in An. 1560. L. Cooke de jure div Reg. Eccles fol. 34. I am sure would willingly authorise and allow provided that the King would grant him such a Headship as must be granted him by such as say their Episcopall jurisdiction is Iure Divino and derive their calling from the Pope And because this Bishop conceived that all other townes in the Kingdome would follow the example of Edenb hee comes therefore himselfe into the Cathedrall Church of purpose to have the said booke there publiekly read but it fell not out according to his expectation for the people not being for merly tanght that that way and manner of Divine Worship which they had ever vsed from the reformaticn of that Church was not fit nor lawfull neither it structed by the BB that the English Popish service Booke (a) This all Reformed Churches tax us for viz. that the Service-booke is the Masse translated into English and the Papist hit us for it in the teeth saying that we are behoulding to them for mattens and Evening song this is known to our people generally which makes their cause theworse before God in that they offer him such a sacrifice as their conscience tels them is an abomination was agreat deale better nor being vsed to heare mattings and evening song and singing service the Scotsmen I say not beeing used to such geare could not digest it For they beleeved and well they might that there was little difference between this booke worship and the Popes masse booke (b) The Scotsmen say very true as appears by the words of K. Edward the sixt It seemes to you sayth he in his Proclamation to the Rebels of the West that you have a new service novv indeed it is no other but the old the selfe-same vvords in English vvhich are in Latin c If therfore the service of the Church vvas good in Lattin it remaineth good in English for no thing is altered but to speak with knovvledge that vvhich vvas ignorantly before uttered Act and Monum vol. 2 pag. 1497. 1498. Edit 5. saving that the one is in Latine the other in English (c) c Q uaer Whether a Papist saying the Masse in Latin and not understanding how foolish false and blasphemous it is doth not lesse offend then he that speakes it in his owne tongue and so knowes what hotch potch galle mawfry it is And howsoever the people generally were greatly offended with the B. for this his bould attempt yet the women (d) Let our Prelates look to it least when justice is not suffered to passe in an ordinary way God raise not up other means to execute his wrath upon them The Dukes death may be a warning for them Bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their dayes Psa 55 23. Let that Blood-thirsty murderous Butcher Laud thinke of the place not so well able as the men to forbeare open resistance and opposition rose up without any ceremony and droue the B and Deane out of the Church (e) I glad to see them whipt out by the K. Parliam se Psa 69 25. some what like to our Saviours whipping the buyers and sellers out of the Temple The Bishop being vexed that he was thus women beaten and the rest of his brethren being no lesse enrage thereat what doe they now they doe what they can to set more discord between the King and his good subjects and specially they seeke to increase his wrath against the towne of Eden thinking that all other townes in the land would be afliraid to oppose any of the innovations which they sought to bring into that Church if that city suffered some disgrace at his Majesties hands And to accomplish their wicked end this way they procured 1 a recommendation from his Majesly vnto the town-councill to chuse for a Provest or Major he beeing dead that was before in place one Hay who had formerly served under the Townclarke aman well acquainted with all the mercinarie wayes that could bee vsed for working vpon that Community and therefore the fitter man as their Lordships thought to bee chosen for furthering the execution of their deepeplots and designes being Plots and designes so contrary to and against their acts of Parliament Confession of faith and the Publick worship of God in that Church as they durst not discover the same to any one man that was knowne to be honest or religious or free from THAT CORRVPTION you know what I meane which that Hay for these many yeares in the whole course of his life hath beene generally noted for Novi Simonem Simon me 2. They procured a commandement from his Majestie unto the Councill and Session and all civill Courts of instice that they should depart from Eden and sit first at Lythgou afterwards at Starling (a) If there were nothing else to induce our King State to hunt those Vermins away this were sufficient namely their dayly attempts to set strife betweene them Oh that his majestie did see how ungratefull they are this way to him As Screetch-Ovvles whiles they suck the Goats-milke doe marre the Vdder So these never draw any benefit from Prin ces But they wil be fure like unthankfull Owles to abuse thē for it if they can These unreasonable men growing thus worse and worse the better sort at lenght of every condition and quality in the Kingdome began to take the matter as high time it was home to heart (b) We have more cause a great deale considering what visiose and senceable miseries the Land lies under by their meanes Besides there is now a faire apportunity offered to his Majestie to free his three Kingdomes at once from the hurtfulst plagues that they have If some sormer Kings of this Land had secne the way so cleare and the work so easie as now it is they would soone have taken off their corner Caps and set a Tyburn Tipper in the place there of and perceiving that vnlesse there were some speedie course taken to take these little foxes (c) Their Bb may well be called Little Foxes and ours the great Foxes for in respect of villanie mischeife to ours theirs are no-bodies Witnes Laud who is more Fox wise then all the Bb. in Scotland and cast them out head and tayle from the Lords Vineard (d) Some may thinke that such a worke wil be difficult here with us but I am otherwise minded For these creatures are like nettles which being softly handled doe sting but if they are crust the smart not soe these are least hurtfull when they are most crusht there would certainly come and that soon great preiudice to their religion to the honour of their King and to to themselves and their posterity many wayes They here upon perceiving I say as men doe the raine in a black cloud that senceable and visible dangers lay at
published the Prelates hereat were so daunted as their courage began to faile (b) So will the hearts faile of our Bb. if the State deale roundly with them For they may be well compared to the Crocodile who is feirce and terrible to such as feare her run from her But of no courage in standing out against strong oppostion Or rather like the Asse that wrapt himselfe in the Lyons skin and marched a farre of to strike terrour in the hearts of the Beasts but when the Fox drew neere he not only perceived his long ears but likewise discovered him made him a jest to all the Beasts of the forrest them what to doe they know not for they perceive that their Kingdome of Darknes is now falling (c) Mise perceiving that the House wherin they are is about to fall do incontently leave the place These Bb. shewed the wit of a Mouse in running away in time and for my part I cannot blame them much for it neither would be very sory if ours would doe so too considering they know that their cause is so ill as they cannot with comfort stay and suffer for it and out they must Hereupon some of them secretly fled away into England and these poore hearts being full of greefe used sundry episcopall meanes or antidotes to expell the venemous desease which they brought with them from Scotland and among other chose helpes as fitting best their place and calling two or three of them made themselves starke drunke and in one night brake 12 or 14 dozen of venice glasses in drinking healths over and over to the confusion of their enemies Others of them in the mean time imployed themselves in the affaires of their state and craued his Majesties ayd and assistance and to prevaile this way they made greevious complaints against the Scotts and perswaded the King to take up armes against them (a) The Peast Duron perceiving her selfe almost takē avoyds a great deal of dung thinking by the noy somnes thereof to hinder the hunters from following her This filthy shift d ee the Bb. use for when they see that the State hath almost eatch them they seeke to eseape by avoiding their dung that is secrerly reporting to the King many lies and vile slaunders against the hunters of them for seeing faire meanes would not doe it fowl meanes might moreover they would perswade him that it could not stand with his honour (b) I know not any Honour or good Service that ever his Majesty had by them but rather Iosse prejudice for as the ivie claspes the oake only to suck out sap from it for her leaves her ries so these seeke to be in Princes favour only thereby to rayse themselves and for nothing else safety to suffer (c) The finer parts being severed from the grosser there followes clearenes sweetnes purenes c. So when our Land is once purged from the infection of the Prelacie both King and Subjects will doe the better after that Kingdome to bee without Bb. Great joy (d) The like cause of rejoycing the Lord send to England For I am sure they have occasioned sorrow greife to her these many yeares there was in Scotland when they heard the Bitesheepes had left them and the saying every where was The Lord hath don great things for vs. And now they found that true in Prav and that in the Poes Venit post multos vnaserenae dies And because they resolved to keepe peace (e) Our Prelates are like Nahash the Ammonite who would not be at peace with Iabesh Gilead unlesse he might trust out all their right eyes So they cannot abide any man neither will have accord with him but persecute him to the death Who will not sinne against knowedge conscience in yeelding to their filthy baggage trash with holines among them they tooke counsell what was best to bee don for the effecting hereof If was at last by mutially consent agreed vpon to renew their ancient Covenant with God one with another the which band or Covenant being composed it was generally subscribed too by all the better sort in the Kingdome And as I have heard one maine reason wherefore they were so carefull to take such a course as the Prelates should no more come among them was in regard they saw such cruelty and basenese in the English Bb. (f) Such is there basenes that they are spoken of everywhere and in truth sorraigne nations doe admire that so generous a nation as the English can suffer such Dunghill Wormes to exercise the crueltie that they doe over them But I beleeve England will vindicate her Honour shortly this way and like Scotland will drive away these Locusts from her Coast And then it will truely be said of both Kingdomes what is commonly said Great Brittaine the most renovvne and famous I le in the World for said they howsoever hetherto Ours have not don so wickedly as they yet who knowes what they may doe in time therefore it is good to keepe them out whiles they are The Confession followes THis Covenant beeing made and order given for subscription to it throughout the Land the Bb. hereat reged beyond measure And like Athaliah cryed out Treason Treason (a) The Prelates are like him who beeing only guilty of follome Yet in the persuru cries out as mainly as he can stop the theefe stop the theefe not caring who is apprehended so himselfe may escape without daunger So they howl it the Arch traitors to God and the King notwithstaning are so impudent as to chardge others with such crimes as themselves only are guilty of And because they saw it was in vaine for them to use the courses which they had done before viz. of silencing banishing imprisoning fining c. for no man now would be so used by them b We doe much dishonour the Gospell to obey any of the Bb. Articles Canons Censures c. the same beeing against Gods Law and Acts of Parliament Bur rather stand fast as the brave Scots in our Christian Libertie and say to those workers of iniquitie as Christ will say one day to them depart yee cursed of the Lord we know you not they be ganne to make ojbections against the Covenant as thus (c) If the Prelates could not helpe themselves mere by their Pursevants Iayles Pillaries c. then they can by disputation as no man now loves them so then no bodie woald feare them For assoon may a man perswade ihem to hang themselves in their Courts as to reason by the Word of God with any godly man that comes before them All their abilitie lies in this terrible argument Take him away Jaylor 1. They produce an Act of Parliament An. 1585. which prohibited all leagues and bands made by subjects without the Kings consent under paine as beeing holden and punished as movers of Sedition and such is this Covenant and subscription to this
not to be rged or received by any He that drinkes povsen out ofa goulden cup kils himselfe assoon as if he tooke it our of an Iron or Wodden Vessell So Superstition brought into the Church in a plausible and peaceable way is as deadly a poyson vnto the receivers of it as if they were compelled and forced to take it c. And for the High Commission he will rectifie it (c) It is as possible to wash the Black-moore vvhite As by any rectifications to make the high commission a lawfull court If his Majestie doe take the advise of his Council about it I am sure if they be not Bb or Athests or Papists they wil Counsell him to pull it all down for there is not one stone in that building which God allowes with the helpe and advile of the privy Counsell c. And for geuerall Assemblies and Parliament it shal be indicted and called with his conveniency In conclusion he requires and hartely wisheth all is good Subjects not to suffer themselves to be seduced and misled under Religion into disobedience and draw on infinitely to his greefe their owne ruine Which he hath and still shall strive to save them from so long as he sees not Royall authority shaken off The Kings Proclamation beeing published the Noblemen Barrons Gentlemen Burrowes Ministers and Commons made a Protestation against it to this effect 1. That they will constantly adhere according to their vocation and power to their Reformation at first Notwithstanding of any innovations introduced either of old or late 2. That they will adhere to their supplications given in at Assemblies and Parliaments against the Service-booke Booke of Cannons the High Commission c. 3. That they will adhere with their hearts (a) As I rejoyce to see such constancy in the Scotsmen so it greeves me to the heart to think what reeds shaken with the wind our people generally are As Ioab after he had fought many battles bravely stoutly yet died himselse at last in shame digrace Even so many Preachers Professors having a while refused conformitie to the Beast have afterwards basely yeelded to the Bb. and so gone to their graves with shame dishonour to their Oath and subscription of the Confession of Faith 4. That this Proclamation or Act of Councill or any other Act or Proclamation c. shall no wayes be prejudiciall (b) If it be held a base thing among men not to keepe a mans Word Promise it is much worse to breake Covenant with the Lord yet so doe all those who promise to feare God and doe his worke in his owne way and yet doe the commaundements of the Prelates to the Confession of Faith Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdome nor to their supplications Lawfull meetings c. 5. Seeing their Supplications for Reformation are delayed and in effect refused whatsoever trouble or inconvenience fall out in the Land in the meane time for want of those ordinary remedies not to be imputed to them In short they protest that it shal be Lawfulll for them to defend and maintaine that Religion Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdome the Kings authority in defence thereof and every one of them one another in that cause of meantaining the Religion and the Kings fore-said authority according to their power vocation and Covenant with bodies lives meanes c. against all persuits whatsoever or against all externall or internall invasions menaced in this Proclamation 6. They protest that their former Supplications meeting and mutual defences are to be commended as real duties of faithfull subjects (c) Que. Whether England hath not as much Previledge to reject the Service-book Canons High Commission and all other such like Idolitries and to establish maintaine the true worship of God as hath Scotland and not to be stiled great disorders misdeamenours blinde disobedience under pretext of Religion and running headlong into ruine c. In conclusion they exspect that his Majesty will presently indict these ordinary remedies of a free Assemblie and Parliament to their iust supplications which may be exspected from so iust and gracious a King (a) When the men of Isreel were offended with their Brethren for that they had brought the K. his Household over Iordan Iudah answered the K. is neere of Kin to us Wherefore then be yee angry for this matter This may serve as a reason why the Scots are first in bringing the King home from his enemies the Bb. the K. is neere of kin to them Now for the State of England if they have any zeale of God and love to the King they will further this good worke of Iudah so happily begunne for the Kings safety and honour This don Iohn Earle of Caffles c in the name of the Noblemen Master Alexander Gipson younger of Durie in name of the Barrones Master Iohn Ker Minister at Salt Prestoun in name of the Ministers and Master Archbald Iohnston Reader hereof in name of all who adheres to the Confession of Faith Covenant lately renewed within this Kingdome Tooke Instruments in the Hands of three Notars present at the said mercat crosse in Edenburgh beeing invironed with Numbers of the aforesaid Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Borrows Ministers and Commons Before many Hundred witnesses craved the extract thereof And in token of their dutifull respect to his Majesty confidence of the equity of their cause and innocencie of their carriage and hope of his Majesties gratious acceptance They offred in humility with submise reverence a Copy thereof to the Herauld These things being ended the Marquesse leaves Eden and goes back to London now what followed touching those afaires you shall-know in the next part Rev. 18.9 Reward her even as shee rewardeth you and double vnto her double according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double FINIS