IR A REMONSTRANCE CONCERNING THE PRESENT TROUBLES FROM THE MEETING OF THE ESTAEES OF the Kingdome of SCOTLAND Aprill 16. unto the Parliament of ENGLAND Printed in the Year of God 1640. A REMONSTRANCE CONCERNING THE PRESENT TROUBLES FROM THE MEETING OF THE ESTAEES OF the Kingdome of SCOTLAND Aprill 16. unto the Parliament of ENGLAND WHEN we look unto the Records of the ages past to find out the greatest blessings that God hath bestowed on this I LE wherin we live we cannot but acknowledge that next to the Christian Faith the Union of the two Kingdomes under one Head doth by many degrees exceed all other that fall in the reckoning Many practises and policies were set afoot by our Princes of old to hasten this work but all in vain did the plots of men strive to crosse or prevent the councell of God who had reserved for us and our fathers that singular happines to see that Union begun neither by a breach of faith nor by bloud but as the gift of God to fall in our hands by the ordinary gate which the Princes right sets open unto all and the generall and common interest of both Nations did heartily receive and imbrace With what successe this Union hath begun and continued to this day the peace and plenty we have enjoyed all this time can witnesse in part whiles all the rest of Europe almost round about us hath been a Field of blood and desolation What apprehension the enemies of our Religion had at our peaceable conjunction and with what eye of jealousie the neighbour States did look upon us and envie our happines the History of these times can beare record but for the present in regard of what hath passed these many yeares by-gone and what we presently feel and fear we may truly confesse to our own guilt and great dishonour that neither Scotland nor England unto this day hath righty understood or made use of this raâ—â—blessing of heaven for increasing their respect abroad or securing tâ—eir own safety at home neither have the reformed Churches found thaâ—comfort and relief which they did expect from us in the day of tâ—eir distresse but on the contrary we have been made even against ouâ—wills a brâ—kâ—n reed a rocke of offence and a shipwrack unto all that have fought unto us for shelter from the storme and to our selves the one Nation against the other a rod of correction and jealousie in the hands of a few wicked and ungodly men men of sepâ—ration who divide the King from his people and the people â—â—om their King and who raise up brethren agâ—inâ—t brethrenâ— that they in the end might prey and make havock of all Amongst many that have been authors of these evils under which the two Kingdoms have for a long time groaned and belike must either now or never be disburthened none deserve so justly to be challenged in the first place as some amongst you who call themselves Church-men but have left their station to become ignorant and unhappy Statesmen who have made the Church and the Tenets therof an instrument of bondage to the Subject of liberty to themselves and of unjust usurpation to the Prince whom we had reason to feare long agoe by your example and whom we find named as the chief instrument and object of your just feares of the change of Religion and government of Estate in the Kingdome of England in that grave and solemn Remonstrance that was made not many yeares agoe by the house of Commons to the Kings Majesty if that had stopped them any way your pulpits and pamphlets can beare witnesse for them and the rest of their crue since that time yea how constant they are to theâ—e wretched ends their attempts upoâ— us and that deep plot of obâ—ruding the seeds of all Popish superstition and tyranny upon our Kirk in the Bookes of Common Prayer and Canons will be a strong evidence for them how much they have deserved of Rome to make that Kirk which had departed farthest from her to be fiâ—st in the return and exemplar unto others and how much more they may yet deserve of them and all the enemies of those twâ— Kingdomes if they â—ffer for a sacrifice in a bloâ—die Warre the Relâ—gâ—on and Liberties of both the Nations to appease the fury oâ— ther presâ—nâ— disappâ—intment and prevent the shame of their deâ—eâ—ved â—all Certaiâ—ly the posterity will hardly beleeve as we who have â—eeâ— it cannot but wonder how it hath come to passe that the Subjects of Scotland whose Union with Englâ—â—d this day is known to be of gâ—eaâ—â—r foâ—ce â—or her assurance at home and strength abroad then all the alliances praâ—tises policies conquesâ—s your Pâ—inces have made from the begiâ—niâ—g â—hould have so long peâ—itioned their native Prince râ—sidiâ—g amongst you to do them Jâ—stice wherâ—f he is debtor to his peâ—ple and to heare their just complaints against the usâ—rpaâ—ion of a â—ew men who were undermining the pâ—oâ—essâ—â—â—â—ligion and government of the State and to suffer them to live according to their Laws and yet could never be heaâ—d nor answered in the poinâ— of their just desires farre lesse will they guesse what hath been the ground of that merit and trust of one domineering Prâ—lat in the affection of the Prince that it should be more forcible to disswade then all the supplications and intâ—rcâ—ssions of so ancient and faithfull a Nâ—tion who among all the Kingdomes of Europâ— have longest continued and mainâ—aiâ—ed in one Line the honour of the Royall Crown togeâ—her with the preservation of their own Liberties should have power to move Truly for our selves when we call to mind what courage and coâ—stancie God hath given unto â—s since the beginning of these troubles â—o stand for the maintenance of our Religion and Liberties that we have not suffered our selves to be drawn headlong unto the servitâ—de of soulâ—s and bodies from which there had been no hope of Liberty for us or our poâ—â—erity and which in regard of ouâ— conjunction with you under one King had been a violent prejudice and of dangerous conseâ—uence for your Liberties when they come to be questioned in their own time and place and on the other part when we remember what strange and violent wayes were taken by our adversaries to keep from the Englisâ— Nation the knowledge of our affaires and what unjust and false aspersions were laid upon all our acâ—ions and intentiâ—nsâ— to provoke you to be actors of that reâ—â—nge that was determined against us by the insolent advice of suchâ— who now govern his Majesties Councels and â—ettle their own ill acquired gâ—eatnes by the oppression of his obedient Subjects in their Religion and liberties in both Kingdomes we cannot but blâ—sse God who armed uâ— with an invinsible paâ—ience and resolution to esâ—hew for our part◠〈◊〉 the uttermost of our power any Nationall breach For ye may remember when coâ—trary to our expectation his Majesty by all the evil councell of those men
formerly in practise therfore you are made to disagree amongst your selves about the method of the cure and when you begin to incline to an agreement your consultations are broken off and so by these meanes the Common wealth languisheth without hope of relief the Princes mistakes and the Peoples grief and burthens doe equally increase and every breach of a Parliament begets a new grievance and maladie to the people so much the more dangerous and dâ—adly that the Authors of these abuses when you use not your courage and constancie to maintain that power and place which your Predecessors have put in your hands and wherof the posterity will call you to accompt as a right of entaile and their proper inheritance which cannot be weakened in your hands without your eternall infamie and their endlesse losse begin to despise you and take courage to undermine and blow up the foundation of your once well setled Eâ—tate bringing you in contempt with the people for the guard of whose liberties you have so long continued and in hatred with the Prince for whose honour and safety it hath alwayes been that none about him should be more powerfull nor the Laws and nearer him in place and affection then you whose Councells could not be corrupted by ends these are they who bringing you once to mind your owne things and to be carelesse of the Publick have teached the Princes that all the rights and liberties of the Subject and the maintenance of them are doales of grace and gifts of meere favour procâ—eding from the Prince and not the true birth right of the Subjectâ— which they may truly challenge which are to be continued or changed as ther Princes shall think fit who have teached Princes to use that maxime in a free Kingdome to wrong ends Parliaments are in their power to begin continue and break them off as they find the fruit of them good or bad so are they to have their being or not to be at all thus they have done what is in them to make the Royall authority which should be like a Sun beame shining for the comfort and light of others turn to a Comet and blazing star a matter of wonder and admiration for the time and a prognostick of worse things to follow Truly the prerogative of the Prince which hath been keeped in veneration and as a secret untouched amongst the wisest Princes and the best times which is that which the Laws have given him above all private men for the common safety of us all and cannot be used to another end but for our good had not suffered so much in it self and lost of its proper lustre by the oft and common handling therof to the maniâ—eâ—â— prejudice of the Subjects right and the reall weakening of the true Royall power had it not falne in some of your Clergies hand who to the staine of the Kirk and the bane of the Common-wealth have subjected all men and all Laws to the appetite of the Prince of whom they have the absolute rule that so under that goodly visour of his Royall power they may accomplish at last that great designe of the change of the Religion and government of the Estate which they have so long aâ—med at whereof they cannot faile in this happy conjuncture where all things promises them good successe A Prince enraged against his own native people by their procurement who will not be perswaded that they are good Subjests to him because they are avowed enemies to them who have bâ—en the destroyers of their Religion and the tâ—oubles of the peace of the Kirk to whom it is necessary that he forget that he is their naturall Prince while he remembers that he is advanced to be the Monarch of the whole Ile and with whom of necessity he is obliged to continue in this quarrel that under the pretext of their rebellion he may have leisure to arme and make the one Kingdome a scourge to the other while in the end they both become slâ—ves which if they refuse he cannot eschew of force to bring in strangâ—rs and use such other power as God hath put in his hands by the doctrine of these good divines to the establishing of the boundlesse government wherat they ayme so by the joynt helpe of the Papist who are a strong Faction amongst you of late and of others whom they call good Subjects and are the greatest number who while they are going on in any course to helpe themselves cannot think they are accomptable to God or Man for any wrong they are doing to others these also concuring who are of great number and of no small force in any state who are content to wear fetters themselves so they may be of gold and they have the making of them or helpe therunto for others all these meeting together they cannot misse to effectuat their designes and these are they who look at this time to undoe us and hope assuredly to work you to their ends And for this effect as it appeares are ye called together after so many breaches and breaking up of Parliaments in England whereby his Majesty had been deprived of the faithfull councels and free aides of his people heretofore and the pressures and grievances of the Subjects daily more and more increased without hope of reliefe that all men who looked upon the train of affaires and marked whaâ— undue courses had been taken of late that there should be no need of their meeting and how the number and height of offenders is increased for whose safety it is not that Parliaments come in place and request again may justly marvell to see this day and in all likely-hood conjecture that either this Parliament will prove the happiest that ever was in this Isle for the good and peace of the Kingdomes or else which God forbid will become the fatall engine and axletree in our enemies hand for the overthrow of Kirk and State turning our doubts unto despaires and our feares into a certainty of confuâ—ion Wherfore the more need have all good men who love the truth of Religion the honnour of the King the safety of the Kingdomes in so necessary and perillous a time to be instant with God by Fasting and Prayerâ— that as the beginning of your meeting together is the subject of all mens feares and hopes good or bad â—o the close may be in fruit and memoryâ— the joy of the present age and the blessing of posterity whereof there is no small ground of hope at this time For if that spirit of wisdome courage and true zeale for the good of Religion and safety of King and Kingdomes do but begin as in former time to appeare in your Councels who knoweth what recompence God is preparing for your often disappointments in that kind the which we are moved the rather to beleeve and expect that the powerfull hâ—nd of God hath forcibly led them who have been the authors of your evils and actours in the mischief
intended against us against their will to call for your assistance to oppresse us and suâ—ely we think that what Art can invent and malice can doe will not be wanting even amongst some of your number to move the rest to consider aright of all the advantages of the time and reconceal the differences that are amongst themselves and labour to seek the ease of your own burthens when you may have them at an easie rate with small expense and paines to increase ours and many specious pretences will be offeâ—ed to hide the bad intentions of a few and the ill consequences of their privat designes against the publick quiet of the Kingdomes but certainly a thick cloud of prejudices and misrepresentaâ—ions of all our businesses most assuredly be casten before your eâ—es and great must that darknesse be before so wise so advised a judicatorie of all the choice wits in that Kingdome condescend to that resolution which in effect carrieth with it in furthering the overthrow of our Religion and Liberties and in the buriall therof to begin and digge a Tomb for your own to follow and to make the end of this Parliament a mean that there should never be need of any hereafter But we expect Right Honourable better things of you and such as belong properly to the happinesse of this time for the glory of God in the advancement of his truth for the honour of the King in punishing of the wicked for the welfare of the Kingdomes that in our Union they may be crushed who in our division have builded their hopes and made this warre with your Brethren the Trojan horse to bring in all these calamities which a Civill warre will undoubtedâ—y inforce upon this I le and we are certainly perswaded that the singular wisdome and justice of your Honouâ—able Court which can have no other end in all their Counsell but the service of his Majesty and the safety of his Kingdomes which cannot be separated in any consideration whatsoever will judge otherwise of the state of our affairs and affoord us better measure then we have found as yet at the hands of these men who as they have been the Authors of our evil and of that corruption that was creeping in in Kirk and State so have both you and we suffered much more by them and have greater reason to complain of the inconvenience and mischieâ— of the remedie that they have applyed since then of the disease it selfe In vain doe they think to cover their wicked designes with the bare pretext of their zeale and affection to his Majesties greatnes and dignity seeing it tends to the ruine and destruction of his faithfull Subjects whose riches is his treasure whose quiet is his glory whose hearts and affections are his strong garisons that cannot be overcome and whose prâ—sperity is the happines of his Crown and miserable and wretched are the effects of that power which produceth nothing but weaknes to the Prince and calamity to his Subjects and in vain do we expect that God will blesse in our age what he hath cursed in all ages before Let us look unto the Records of former ages and we shall ever find that there is not any thing that doth so much move the wrath of God as to see his worship and Churches profaned and to fall into the hands of these who have sold themselves to the world and are devouted to the Temporall service of the Prince where ever it hath been practised it is a certain demonstration of the alteration and change of an Estate and of their miseries and disgrace who abuse it licentiously their affaires alwayes declining even unto their end We need not put you in mind of the stuâ—â—es and hot contests of your best Princes and of greatest spiriâ—â— with your Archbishops at home to keep down that Papacâ—â— they claymed to themselves amongst you and to suffer them to be Kings beside them which could not be granted but at their discretion they that lookt to the dangers of this time and who they are that be the Authors of this mischief intended may easily perceive that if all the Subjects of the two Kingdomes could be moved to undergoe that burthen the Bishop of Canterbury and his followers would put upon us and could be peswaded in Conscience that we were bound to obey these spirituall Fathers in all their commands we should soon see they would alledge some other ground for their aspiring greatnesse then the zeale of his Majesties service and honour and the Princes that are to follow would find that all their paines was for themselves and to establish their own tyranny over Prince and People Or are there any so ignorant and wilfully blind to think that all that spight and malice they carry to the Covenant of Scotlandâ— is because that it hath weakned the Kings power and made his Majestie appeare so in the sight of his enemies If this were true then would the Pope and the King of Spaine give many millions that the like were in England and Ireland they need not dissemble we know where it pricks them they see the hand of God in it against their unjust usurpation and worldly pomp and they feare that as they have found it a wall of brasse to the Subjects of Scotland against the fury of their malice when they could have no protection neither in their Laws nor in their Prince in whose saving favour they may claim speciall interest so it may prove by example dangerous to them elswhere and at once put an end to all these plots and designes they have to overthrow the reformed Religion And this is the cause they charge it and us with many crimes to plant the hatred of us and that cause in the hearts of others which is already ingraven in theirs but we are assured the equitie justice and wisdome of your Court will be farre from thinking this a sufficient ground of quarrell betwixt the two Nations because we demand to enjoy the benefit of our Laws and the exercise of our Religion if this be a cause that any of your Nation should come to assaile us or any part of the power of that Kingdome should be imployed to that use you would not have taken it in ill part or think we have done you wrong if the like course had been taken by us when there were any contests and dispute betwixt his Majestie and you in your Parliaments for the rights of the Subject But as we have alwayes wished you good successe unto your Paâ—liaments so can we not think that the paines we have taken to maintain our own rights can be grievances unto you or of evill example to weaken your estate or move you to destroy us Princes when they are misled by evill counsell may easily begin warre at theiâ— pleasure but since the Subjects blood must determine the controversie it were necessary that they who have so great a part of the hazard should also know their quarrel And since
preparing should not be for matters of Religion which were all setled in the Assembly as they did alledge but for other civill differences in the Common-wealth and truly in all appearance the matters of the Kirk were setled in that Assembly with the consent of the Commissioner but that wise men began to doubt of the sincerity of the work when they found him by his after declarations and explanations digging â—â— posterne to escape and make way for his after denâ—all of what had been concluded And in these tearms the Parliament did begin and hath continued not to settle the affairs of the Kirk as was promised and was certainly expected by us but to bring in a precedent of servitude which neither we noâ— our Fathers were acquainted with and so it hath been broken off and adjourned by his Majesties own authority without consent of the â—states which is diâ—â—ctly against the â—aws and pracâ—isâ—s of this Kingdome and contrary to the Articles of agrâ—ement And although our predecessours took another course yet we came onely with supplications and prayers and to shew our invincible obedience unto his Majesty sent up our Commissioâ—ers to London who were rejected and never seen nor heard and yet hoping with this unexampled patience to overcome the malice of our adversaries we send up again our Commissioners with propâ—sitions that were so just as that they contained nothing but what was before granted unto us under his Majesties hand and seal nor could receive any denyall from a picus and just Prince as being all comprehended in this And which had been the summe and subject of all our supplications protestations informations declarations from the beginning namely that the Fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome which had been violated and the Religion which was manifestly infringed might in a free Assembly and Parliament be again confirmed and the unworthy authors legally questioned and which had been more expresly set down in the Articles of pacification that as there according to the tenor of the Articles of agreement all matters civill were to be judged by Parliaments and all Ecclesiasticall matters by the assemblies of the Kirk And that as the Assembly promised by his Majesty had been granted and had concluded the differences of the Kirk so his Majesty would not delay or deny the conclusion of the Parliament for ratifying the acts of this Assembly and settling other differences of the Common-wealth aâ— was fully agreed in that Treatie at the Kings Camp yet these propositions and desires being so necessarie and vitall unto this Kingdome could find no accesse unto the eares of the gracious King by reason of the powerfull diversion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Deputie of Ireland who strengthened with the high and mighty Faction of Papists neare his Majesty onely side in all matters ofâ—spirituall and temporall affairs and makes the necessity of their service to his Majesty appear in being the only fit instruments under the pretext of vindicating his Majesties honour to oppresse both the just liberties of his free Subjects and the true reformed Religion in all his Kingdomes In which devilish designe we have great cause to say they are far advanced if the granting of a free Assembly and Parliament to us at this time which hath been the ground of all our just desires from the beginning and the conclusion of the Treatiâ— this last yeare as the onely mean to cure all the evills of Kirk and State and settle the peace and welfare of both Kingdomes Prove in the end as it appeareth this day like the Councel of Trent to the Christian Kirk which was appointed for reforming the abuse therof yet through the ambition and covetousnesse of Kirk-men and the miserable jealousies of the Princes of the time who minded more their private end and interest then the cause of Christ and his Kirk was found in effect the active engine and instrument to establish and settle the tyranny of the Pope and his Clergie wherfore the greater and more lively are our apprehensions of danger at this time that all these câ—ooked and crosse plots interchecking one another in denying a Parliament to us where it was promised upon the honour of a King and for the safety of two such Nations in granting it unto you where it was not expected for the reasons that all wise men cannot but remember and in forcing one upon Ireland where none is desired Giving out Commissions to destroy us before we can apprehend any other or new guiltinesse but that we have been constant suters for the conclusion of the Parliament and the fulfilling of the Articles of the treaty raising our Parliament contrary to the Laws and the expresse Articles of the agreement inforcing Garisons upon us that they might force us to a necessary denyall of such unreasonable demands and to a necessity to provide for our selves that all these we know are done and devised to pick a quarrel and to be the ground of a false and wyre drawn Remonstrance against us and now by the particular instigation of these men we named before a mighty army is preparing and an utter ruine threatned to our Religion and Countrey Lest in regard of these premisses our silence in so necessary a time should argue a neglect of our duty to God and our King the safety and honour of our Conntrey the peace and â—elfare of both the Nations what so nearly trenches to the prejudice and hazard of all these cannot be longer forborne Therfore we professe before the Christian world and to our dear brethren of England especially the representative Body of the Kingdome now happily conveyned in both the Houses of Parliament whom it most concerns that we cannot otherwise judge and esteem but that all these Councels that have been given of late by these intemperat Counsellors who direct the course of all affaires do not onely proceed from such persons as to serve their own ends under colour of advancing his Majesties Prerogative doe weaken Royall power and bring the Kingdomes unto confusion but that they truly are first hammered in Spain and in the Conclave and put into the hand of their cunning Artisans among you who have ever been a viperous brood which with tooth and naile have assayed to rent the bowels of their own mother yea who never sooner learned to obey the Roman Church as their mother but assoon they acknowledged the Catholick King for their Father and their own King for an usurper if they think him to be an Heretickâ— So that we are perswaded that neither the invincible Armado of the eighty eight nor the Gun-powder plot nor any other Royall Navie from thence like unto that which came the other yeare upon your coast the which ye had the more reason to suspect that it came so unlooked for and at so unseasonable a time needs to be attempted any more for the ruine of this I le but onely â—hat they be carefull as we doubt not they are that the
they shall become our immediat tennants and vassals and hold their lands and possâ—ssiâ—ns of us and that for payment of the third part lesse duty then is contained in their present Charters and they prâ—sently pay to their superiour providing they adhere to us and assist not their disloyall superiours but leave them and concurre with us for maintenance of our authority And if the superiour be loyall and the vassals and tennants refuse this our Grace and to adhere to usâ— or to concurre with the said superiour in our serâ—ice we declare it shall be leasume for the said superiour to expell the said vassals and tennants thus rebellious forth of their lands and possessions And what shall accesse to us by the forfeiture of their lands and possesssions we freely dâ—spâ—ne and totally resigne it to the loyall superiour promising to concurre and assist him for effectuating hereof And further we discharge all debtors who are addebted summes of money to any of the said rebels to make payment to them of the summes of money addebted to them or any part thereof assuring our good Subjects that they shall have retribution out of the same moneyes as we shall find them to deserve and so forth as followeth Although before this time we had heard from our Countrey-men abroad that other States Princes and Nations did wonder much that their ears being filled with Informations against us nothing had come from us to make known unto â—hem ouâ— cause or our case and condition yet sâ—ill hoping and patiently waiting for a graâ—iâ—us answer to our many humblâ—supplications we did abstaine But our hopes being extingished by that unexpected Declaration as we took our Swords in our hands at home for our just dâ—fâ—nce so we were thinking to send some Informations and Petitions abroad especially to the Frencâ— King wherein we trâ—st no word hath escaped us that can either procure the indignation of our owne King or will be found contrary to the duty and loyalty of good Subiects And that no lesse could have been said by any Nation in so great extreamity yet this was but an imperfect motion which died in the bud amongst our selves and never did rise to that ripenesse to be seen of others When we were so sore threatned and when execuâ—ion was comming upon us by a terrible armie it must be laid to our charge as a fault inexpiableâ— and our Commisâ—ioners punished for it that we dared so much as to intend to cry to others to interceed for us when our own supplications could not be heard Poore soulsâ— we must be beatâ—n and neither resist nor complainâ— It is therfore our earnest desire that every eye that seeth that innocent Letter may with the same view look upon the Proclamation given out at that â—ime and compare them together And withall we desire to be informed what we shall doe in the like exigence now when Armies are coming against us if it be not lawfull for us both to cry to God and to men to help us and to interceed with our King for us That Letter was written before his Majesties coming to the Camp and was not concealed by our Noblemeâ— but made known to some of prime quality there If there had been a purpose in the hearts of our enemies that the Articles of pacification should have been observed this Letterâ— although it had been sent and all other quarrels of this kind had been by a law of oblivion forbidden to appear It could not have been a ground of calling the subcribers to quarrell them after the pacification but the wicked Sycophant and delatour would have been found in the transgression and made the sacrifice And that there be no more doubt in the minde of any good man we have here upon our faith and honour set down the very words of our instructionsâ—ubâ—cribed at that timeâ— and yet exâ—antâ— which were not given but were to be given to the Carrierâ— and unto the which the Leâ—ter iâ—self doth referre To represent the â—uncientâ— and strait league betwixt the two Kingâ—â—mes of France and Scoâ—land often renewed and 〈◊〉 inviâ—lâ—â—lâ— kept for many hundreth of yeares whereby both Nations have frequently upon the distresse of the one found the benefit of that mutuall amity by ready succour and assistance of the other which hath â—ver been crowned with successe and acknowledged by interchange of Nationall kindnesse as the Chronicles of both Kingdomes and diverse publick actâ— extant in the Records doe testifie To shew that our intentions are no wayes against Monarchiall government but that we are most loyally disposed toward our sacred Soveraigne whose person and authority we will maintain with our lives and fortunes But that all our desires reaches no further then the preservation of our Religion and Liberty of Church and Kingdome established by the Laws and Constituâ—ions therof That the calumnies vented against us by our enemies for their own ends make no impression because they are most manifest untruths maliciously forged to stirre the envy and discontentment of neighbour Princes Estates and Nations against usâ— wheraâ— our whole thoughtâ— words actions and proceedings are most legall and loyall as the bearer can particularly instruct and make cleare at length That seeing we have many times supplicat his Majesty and have not prevailed therfore to intreat the King of France to interceede and meditate with our Soveraigne to lay down his Armies intended and raised against us and to suffer this his ancient and native Kingdome to enjoy her Religion and Liberties in peace and freedome under his Majesties authority albeit we be not diffident of Gods assistance whensoever we shall be necessitate to our own defence which is approven both by the Law of God Nature and Nations Our enemies who catch all pretexts against us may have enough here wherewith to please themselves But when thaâ— grave and great Councell shall consider that the Letter was never sent and nothing from France or at home shall ever be found that can prove the sending of it abroad that it was intended upon the hearing of so harsh a Proclamation and before the pacification wherein it ought to have been buried and that it was accompanied with such Instructions as noâ—e but malice it selfe can censure for no threats from England non preparations in view can cast us upon resolutions of intertaining forraigne confoederations in such sort as may set up a partition wall betwixt the two Kingdomes Therfore we trust they shall finde no more ground of pleasing our enemies and of grieving us in this then in our other proceedings which we earnestly desire to be unpartially examined by them Now against this high and extreame insolencie of our adversaries which swelleth every day to a greater bignesse and exulceration and is to breake out imperiously at their pleasure Although in obedience to the Law of God and nature we be thinking upon our preparations for safety and defence and â—or obtaining our often presented humble and just desires yet nothing but extreame necessity which hath no Law shall enforce us to go beyond the bounds of petition and dâ—fâ—nce and when that extreamities shall come which God in his mercy to both Kingdomes prevent we trust our carriage shall refute the sâ—anders and reproaches of our enemies that we are not seeking our selves and our own ends but with the assistance oâ— all in England who tender their own happinesse and ours to petitiâ—n his Majesty the more powerfully for receiving right information and for submitting both all differences and all those wicked Counsellors who have shaken the foundations of the Kirk State and the Kings Throne unto the judgement and censure of a free Parâ—iament by which we hope the Gospell of Christ shall be inlarged both the Kingdomes freed from danger and our dread Soveraigne made more great and glorious then any of his Predecessors which as it is the end so it is the unâ—eigned Prayers oâ— us all FINIS