can neither see nor heare a good logical argument brought before you We that are above this disturbance at a distance observe his Lordship laying out the doctrine of your Discipline for so I 'll speake for once received by you all then illustrates it by your practice where in if he had roome enough he would muster up so many particulars as with an c. might conclude an inductive universal Though the other way of acconsequential arguing hath been thought tolerable in Mr. Baylie no Doctour as I take it as not long since in his uncharitable mention made of Bishop Aderton his slander against the two reverend Bishops of Downe London Derric The Ministers rigour vindictive pleading hath ever multiplied in Scotland the widowes fatherlesse the deadlie feuds having been ever continued received by them when they saw it tend to their advantage so that the bloud shed by murderers of their making may be trulie aesteem'd the seed of their Church Which duelie considered demonstrable in their storie should deterre any cautelous Christian from their communion who by that partaking in their guilt can exspect from heaven no benefit of his prayers Gods curse in the Prophet concerning them nearer then any ministrie in the world When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not heare Your hands are full of bloud The historie of that time though very partiallie falselie related by the Reviewer were it not can not justifie the insolence in their discipline wherein they do not occurre to the inconvenience praetended the impunitie of murder procur'd then by some importunate powerfull solicitours but despightfullie scratch out the image of God in his Anoynted pull downe his praerogative attribute of mercie which hath a season of priviledge above justice if that passe with Mr. Baylie for any of his workes What I meane I collect from this clause In the feare of God we signifie unto your Honours that whosoever perswades you that ye may pardon where God commandeth death deceives your souls provokes you to offend Gods Majestie Where not onelie the act of impunitie is condemn'd but all power to pardon in any case denied Which God never practis'd himselfe nor exacted in the rigour from his Kings Beside the case hath been know'n when the Presbyters themselves became the powerfull sollicitours to the King drew a pardon for murder from his hand against his heart as they did from K. Ch. 1. for Mr. Thomas Lambe a preaching brother who stab'd a young man of Leith with a ponyard betwixt Leith the Abbey of Haliryd House upon the Lords day in the afternoon in the time of the Assemblie Parliaments sitting To whom the King used this speach Ministers must be pardoned though slaughterâ—…rs 〈◊〉 other men must suffer for a words speaking reflecting upon one Mr. Iohn Stuart who suffer'd for saying that Argile had spoken about deposing the King How they professed their Church to be reformed by the murder of David Rizio the King called â—… weake man because he would not vouch it I have shewed more particularlie in their storie Yet I hope Mr. Baylie who is too rigid when he comes next in the Rebell-Commission will be no sollicitour for any act of oblivion That if the King gives not what satisfaction they finde necessarie due he the other bloud-hounds will articulate their crie into justice justice or lie downe in their armes to execute it themselves even upon His Majestie himselfe for he hath allreadie encircled him within the object of the Discipline may be fairlie collected from hence as from what he told us in his Epistle That you may preach unto Magistrates that according to Scriptures murderers ought to die even Erastus will grant you Yea that in some cases you may rebuke exhort admonish threaten denounce judgements aswell as preach promises according to the examples of the Prophets But he puts you in minde that this they did onelie under impious Kings no Davids no Salâ—…mons no more must you assume this libertie under Iâ—…me's Charle's pious prudent just Kings If you should have an unhappie occasion to exercise it under other you must goe no farther no excommunication which is order'd in your Discipline He calls for your texts he answers your arguments he helpes you to instances of Ioab whose murder could not safelie be punished of Absalom whose for some reason was neglected He demands whether these men went not into the Temple nor communicated in the Sacraments with this impunitie about them I have no way to be rid of you but as Mr. Selden they say was of the whole packe of your clamouring brethren at London who layd Erastus booke open before them bid them answer him Which dismounted their tailes put a gag in their mouthes so that I heare he was never troubled with them afterward E. Huntley's case hath been caried to the mint comes now out with a new stampe of the Assemblie at a losse till their Father behind them scatters his kindnesse among his prodigal sonnes bids them lavish out his inexhaustible stocke of calumnies as they please What the Bishop hath granted you about the guilt of the three Lords I have no commission to retract What you aggravate about E. Huntley's apostacie after seeming repentance frequent relapses doth at the worst but argue his adhaerence in heart to the Romish religion This added to his banding with the King of Spain which you pricke into some blanke papers subscribed with his hand the rest taken out of Dr. Kerre's pocket as he was shiping over upon your excommunicating banning picke out of some other such as litle could be made of at that time when it should have been most advantageous is not enough to justifie that rigour alleadged by the Bishop The truth of what followes shall be left to the ingenuitie of your judicious aequitable comparers by laying your relation to that of more authentike historians whose record is this Bothwell after many murders misdemeanours having broke prison endeavours to get the King Chancellar Maitland into his power to which end he sets fire to both their chambers by violence makes his entrance into the Queenes For this some of his complices were hang'd the Kings proclamation publish'd against him prohibites any man to harbour him The Earle Huntley upon the Chancellars intreatie raiseth some power to surprice him with which he besets Earle Murray's house where Bothwell was entertaind Murray in defense of him slaine For this soon after was E. Huntley imprison'd till having put in caution to appeare at a publike trial he had his libertie given him to goe home Murray's friends had not patience to wait the leisure of the law but worke revenge upon all advantages they could get Bothwell having been this while conceal'd in
great flame in the Burningbush which your zealous friend Iohn Vicars hath kindled You will hardlie perswade any your judicious comparers of this your preface with the many treacherous practices you had used that His Majestie in the greatest necessitie would not have chosen rather to have cast himselfe into the mercilesse yet more mercifull armes of the sea then without the strongest deliberate engagement into the perfidious more fluctuating armie of the Scots Nor yet had all your underhand oathes promises prevaild for the unhappie credulitie of a most pious prudent King if some Better credit in all likelihood had not interposed it selfe which it may be was more deceiv'd then it deceived Therefore your storie about London Lin Holland France is a greater circuit then his Majestie toke in his designed journey to Newarke The promise of satiâ—…faction that caried him thence to New Castle might have long before been his conduct to London if Religion Reason might have been permitted to goe along which him That he gave not what you expected that is to say his Royal soul to the Divel his old oathes might very well hinder him for I pray tell me why a King as well as a Rebell may not feare the oath of God It is not unlikelie that the prime leaders of the English armie were at that time wearie of your companie who fill'd the best of their quarters did least of your service Nor that you were out of heart as wel as reputation by the signal victories to a miracle all most obteined against you by not your companion good Sir James Grahame but the Thrice renowned Marquesse Montrosse whose proceeding had been most successefull happie may they still be for His Majesties affaires If there were such divisions in Scotland what could better compose thém then the personal presence of the King but this was not according to the Kingdomes libertie meant in the third article of the covenant In the preservation of which that is so farre as you thought fit â—…o make consistent with which in the defense of what they call the trâ—…c Religion which you tooke for granted he never intended to complie with you had sworne to defend the Kings Majesties person that is one of the forenam'd expresse arâ—…icles to that purpose The hazard of a warre weighed heavier in the balance of your counsels then the hazard of his Royal person in the hands of his irreconcileable enemies forgeting that the worke of righteousnesse in performance of your promises would have been a more lasting peace the effect of that righteousnesse quietnesse assurance for ever The sectarian Armie which you scarce durst have call'd so at that time had otherworke then to goe into Scotland but that your hollow-hearted professions to the King who was in no very indifferent case to make sure conditions of advantage to himselfe made him order the surrender of his garrisons into their hands So you sav'd His Majestie from the racke to bring him to the scaffold And you with your Brother-Presbyters escap'd the like torture then but if you goe on to stretch your conscience till it cracke we shall see as well the punishment as the guilt of that murder glowing at your heart After two such accidental confessions wherein your Armie demonstrativelie shew'd themselves either false foolishlie credulous or cowards at best you reckon up several conveniences of His Majesties being in one of his houses neare London when it had been ever before pretended to the poor deluded people that he was to be brought to his Parliament in London And this you did upon the fayth of that Parliament which you say kept up a sectarian Armie against you A very good argument to prevaile with you for their credit Vpon such termes as should be satisfactorie to the King particularlie mentioned in the paper deliverd to the King by the Committe of Estates upon the 15 of May 1646. noted in that of Iune 8. to the speaker of the House of Peers subscribed By his affectionate friends humble servants Lauderdail Iohnston Henrie Kennedie your owne potent good Lord c. That if His Majestie should delay to goe about the readiest wayes meanes to satisfie both his Kingdomes they would be necessitated for their owne exoneration to acquaint the Committee of both Kingdomes at London that a course might be taken by joint advicâ—… of both Kingdomes for attempting the just ends expressed in the solemne league Covenant By which His Majestie was to bring satisfaction to them you not as you say to receive termes satisfactorie to himselfe Wherein because he made not what hast was required you exonerated your selfe of all the malice you had unto his person made an end of his dayes which was just the end you aim'd at in the Covenant This being the true case you aske Whether it were any injustice Yes to imprison his person by confining him to an house to weaken his power by robbing him of his garrisons Whether any unkindnesse Yes to give up your native King who you confesse cast himselfe on your protection to them who were so far from affording him any of his palaces neare London that it was death for any man to harbour him in his house What imprudence it was let the best politician of you all speake because ablest to judge Or the worst who by this time can evidence how besotted you were to your utter disrepute destruction What advantage at that time you had to lay the fairest colour upon the foulest fact that ever you committed win the world by an after-game into an high opinion of your trust What to gaine the length of your line in the libertie of Religion or lawes And as for wealth honour you might upon such a merit in all likelihood have had what the vastest ambitious Helluo could aske or three luxuriant Kingdomes could yeild you Whereas now you have ript up your false hearts throw'n your guilt in the face of the sun so that the sound of your rebellion is gone into all lands your treacherie travailes in a poverbâ—… even to the ends of the earth Your Religion hath many times since struggled for life which the mercie or temporizing subtilitie of your sectarian enemie hath preserv'd your lawes have taken their libertie from his sword He deteines at this time the wages of your wickednesse in his house your honour not long since kissed his foot by fower Commissioners humblie waited on him to his doores But you come to a closer question Whether the deliverie of the Kings person were a selling of him to his enemies Ans It may be such for all that you say against it Your Masters are not allwayes wont to pay your arreares upon single service I hinted even now that your miscariages of late have cut you off a good sume that is behind which by Ordinance of
His Lordship brings nnto your doore As fine as here you make your selfe for the triumph out of every wing you plucke you will by by be at a losse for your victorie must then weare your blew cap without a feather For that you may know my meaning His Lordship can afford you no such pretie thing as the antichronisme you lay hold on He sayth not That statute of treason was in being in the yeare 1580. And his Printer you might see had done him so much right as to set a number 4. yeares older directlie against the place where it is mention'd His Lordships words are these Which ridiculous ordinance was maintain'd stiffelie by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the statute That it should be treason to impugne the authoritie of the three Estates The plaine sense whereof is this The succeeding Synods to the yeare 1584. maintain'd it stiffelie And not onelie they but likewise the succeeding Synods afterward notwithstanding the statute then made That c. Yet not to be too literal That there should be three Estates to whom your brethren presented their Assemblie Acts as they did by the King them to be confirmed even before the yeare 1580. yet That to impugne the authoritie of the three estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of any of them should have no statute nor law to make it at least interpretative treason is a peice of politikes that Iapan nor Vtâ—…pia will never owne nor any man that is civiliz'd in submission to government beleeve The businesse of appeales we are to meet with in the chapter following so farre you shall have leave to travaile with the counterfeit credit of that untruth What you make here such a positive consent of Lundie the Kings Commissioner in that Assemblie even now went no farther then a suspense in silence where all you found was That it appear'd not he apposed And how that might be I there gave you my conjecture In the next Assemblie 1581. the Kings Commissioner Caprington was not so hastie to erect in His Majesties name Presbyteries in all the land The businesse was this The King sends him Cuningham with letters to the Assemblie at Glasgow to signifie That the thirds of the Ecclesiastical revenues upon the conference had between his Commissioners those which they had before sent from Dundee were not found to be the safest maintenance for the Ministrie they having been so impair'd in twentie yeares before that nothing of certaintie could appeare That thereupon had been drawn a diagrame of several Presbyteries whereby a division of the greatest parishes was to be made a uniting of the lesse to the end that the Ministers might be with more aequalitie maintained and the people more convenientlie assemble'd That His Maâ—…estie had determined to sent letters to several of his Nobilitie in the Countrey to command their meetings and counsel here about This he did not till the next summer nor was any thing effected diverse yeares after The conventions of the Ministrie were to be moderated by every Bishop in his Dioecesse who was by agreement to praeside in the Presbyteries with in his limits So that the modelling Presbyteries was onelie for setling a convenient revenue upon the Ministers so farre was it from abolishing Episcopacie that the Bishops were to have the managing the affaire It would not have cost you nor your printer much paines to have put in what hapened before the yeare 1584 The opposition against your abuse hereof by the Bishops Montgoinerie Adamson His Majesties discharging by proclamation the Ministers conventions Assemblies under paine to be punished as Rebeils publishing them to be unnatural subjects seditious persons troublesome unquiet spirits members of Satan enemies to the King the Commonwealth of their native Countrey charging them to desist from preaching in such sort as they did viz. against the authoritie in Church causes against the calling of Bishops c. removing imprisoning inditing them c. Which put you upon the desperate attempts of surprizing and restraining His Majestie 's person whereof otherwhere So that the King you see had very good preparatives to purge his Kingdome of such turbulent humours before Captain Stuart put him in minde to make use of that physike Which Captaine Iames was no such wicked Courtier when the saints in behalve of the Discipline set him up to justle with Esme Stuart Lord Aubignie for the nearest approach unto Royal favour This Parliament 1584. was summon'd with as loud a voyce as any other was as open as the sun at Edenburgh could make it Nor was Captain Stuarts crime about it such as to denominate his exile the vengeance of God which was wrought in the eyes of the world by your rebellion Nor his death by Dowglasse's high way murder aveng'd afterward in alike terrible destruction that in Edenburgh high street where sanguis sanguinem tetigit bloud touched bloud though I dare not as you doe judge for reward nor divine such ambiguous cruelties for money being no Priest nor Prophet as you are to the heires of those bloudie soulders in Micah chapt 3. I dare not say that it either was the fingar of God though he imploy not the hand of his power to restraine them Rev. ........... these acts of his Parliament the very next yeare were disclaimed by the King c. Ans. They were not disclaimed the 21 of December the next yeare when James Gibson being question'd for disloyal speaches about them before His Majestie his Councel very impudentlie told the King he was a persecutour for maintaining them and compar'd him to Ieroboam threatned he should be rooted out conclude that race His confidence was in the returne of the banish'd Rebel-Nobles who forced all honest men from the Court possessed themselves of His Majesties person acted all disorder in his name This was the regular restoring of Presbyterie Which to say was never more removed to this day in that sense you must speake it is to abuse the ignorance of some new convert you have got in the Indies who it may be at that distance know not that Bishops had the visible Church government in Scotland for about theirtie yeares together since that time Rev. The Warners digression to the the perpetuitie of Bishops in Scotland c. Ans. The perpetuitie of their order in that Kingdome is no disgression in this place where His Lordship shewes your practical contradiction in pulling downe Episcopacie with one hand yet seting it up though under the name of Superintendencie with the other The sequestring their revenue altering their names pruning off some part of their power he takes to be no root branch ordinance for the deposition of their office or utter extirpation of their order This he asserts to be the greatest injurie your malice could ever hitherto bring about therefore goes not one step
Assemblie spirits that seduc'd them The three reasons the Bishop toucheth upon as the principal may be the test for the many more that went with them So that we shall not need to rake in your dunghills for the jewel that you promise which when we have found will not yeild one graine of faythfullnesse in your Church They that foretold the destruction that followed were not unlikelie the instruments to effect it If the Kings friends should not march till the Assemblie Zedekiahs put on their homes though his person be more righteous we looke his successe should be litle better then Ahabs the Independent Syrians push'd no otherwise then in mockerie and sport while his loyal subjects should be too seriouslie scatered on the hills as sheep that have no shepheard to enfold them If the misbeliefe contempt of whom you call the Lords servants the great danger unto which you make religion be brought were the onelie losses sustain'd in the last armies misfortune let those workers of iniquitie perish that to the ruine of soules endeavour to repaire them What griefe of heart or repentance hath shew'd it selfe in those persons you say contributed to the spoiling but must meane unlesse you condemne your selves such as were forward in promoting that designe whether in a politike hypocrisie or which can hardlie be rationallie afforded then a misguided sinceritie will find it to be poenitenda poenitentia a hard retreat from the guilt shame of that botomlesse penance you praescrib'd them unlesse their judgement be as their sinne the same with his who sold his birth-right as they theirs to their libertie for a morsell of bread a poor inconsiderable temporal subsistence may finde no place of repentance though they seeke it carefullie with teares Should all the Disciplinarian hands be cut off that were not held up to the agreement of bringing by a warlike engagement the Sectarian partie in England to punishment David Lesley would have but a left-handed armie His Majestie might relie upon halfe his securitie aswell for his crowne as his religion They who to gaine their arreares so easilie I must say â—…aitourouslie parted with that Royal person are not to be credited as men so unanimouslie resolv'd with hazard of lives estates upon his rescue Nor can any man whose faith as not resolv'd into aire so readie to engender with the faint breath of every dissembler beleeve that they would with such hazard make a long march to the Isle of Wight who would not with lesse conduct His Majestie a day or two from Holmebie But had you been at that trouble had Victorie strewed roses in your way when you should have with pleasure regain'd the rich purchase you went for I preceive you had been at a losse for a chapman a great uncertaintie where to dispose it untill you had got one For first you talke of bringing the King to one of his houses to perfect the treatit Then of bringing His Majestie to London with honour freedome safetie Next of bringing him to sit in his Parliament with what honour freedome himselfe should desire And all these with in the extent of a few lines which make three degrees of doubt in the Saints even after their debate of that matter universal agreement not to be quaestion'd But let us suppose the last best of the three in your purpose your avant Curriers on horsebacke to hasten it I see you are pleas'd to call them backe with a quaestion to which I pray tell me where the Lords servants or loyal subjects of Christs Kingdome e'r made a like Yet you shall have your answer by by though you shew not the like civilitie to the Bishop who seemes to state his quaestion thus Whether when the Parliament Armie of Scotland had declar'd their resolutions to bring His Majestie to London c. without conditioning for a promise of securitie for establishing at best a controverted religion any legitimate full Church Assemblie ought an illegitimate imperfect Clerical combination or Conventicle could in ordine ad spiritualia declare against the engagement call for the Kings hand seale oath to establisp a cut throat covenant to the ruine of his person posteritie Religion Lawes Libertie Monarchie whatsoever His Majestie was by a solemne oath indispensable peswasion of conscience obliged with the hazard of life Kingdomes to maintaine In answer to yours take this The Parliament armie of Scotland in declaring their resolutions c. did what they ought that according to your own principles for you had the securitie of His Majesties Royal word more then once for establishing your Religion in Scotland according to the treaties that had been perfected between the two Kingdomes If you intended the like courtesie to England your Parliament Armie had it consisted of none but the Saints were in no capacitie to take it being no part of the principals concer'd in the benefit nor deputed by England to capitulate for it Therefore their rescuing His Majesties person out of the Sectaries hands had been the untying of his puting him in a posture to give The bringing him to his Parliament in London where likewise your own Commissioners resided had been the seting him in sight of such as were to aske receive Which is the same kind of Logike you us'd in your answer to both Houses of Parliament upon the new propositions of peace the 4. bills to be sent 1647. Where I finde your opinion judgement to be this That the most aequal fairest just way to obtaine a well-grounded peace is by a personal treatie with the King that his Majestie for that end be invited to come to London with honour freedome safetie For which you offer 6. reasons 1. The sending of your propositions without a treatie hath been often essayed without successe ....... Of those propositions this ever was one To promise securitie for establishing religion And what better successe could now be exspected 2 ........ His Majesties proesence with his Parliament must be the best if not the onelieiremedie to remove our troubles This remedie the Parliament Armie intended to helpe you to 3 ..... Without a treatie or giving reasons for asserting the lawfullnesse expedience of the propositions to be praesented they may be aesteemed impositions This proposition was to be sent without a treatie being neither lawfull nor expedient for the many reasons His Majestie had formerlie render'd I remit the Reader to your paper for the rest a great deale more of selfe contradiction with somewhat worse which one of the new English Lights hath discover'd in his answer But you shake of that like an old serving-man which had done your drudgerie in his youth bestow your liverie on the Parliaments praecedent which providence beleeve me will save you but litle Your argument's this The Parliaments of both Kingdomes in all their former
he any legislative authoritie without it It is the argument of your own Commissioners who use to fetch their Syllogismes from the Assemblie therfore you that made it are best able to solve it Their or your words are these The quaestion is where in his the Kings Royal authoritie and just power doth consist And we affirme and hope it can not be denied That Regal power and authoritie is chieflie in making and enacting lawes and in protecting and defending their subjects which are of the very essence and being of all Kings And the exercise of that power are the chiefe parts and duties of their Royal office and function And the scepter and sword are the badges of that power Yet the new praeface compared with other parts of these new propositions takes away the Kings negative voice and cuts off all Royall power and right in the making of lawes contrarie to the constant practice of this and all other Kingdomes For the legislative power in some Monarchies is penes Principem solum .... in other .... by compact between the Prince and the People .... In the last the power of the King is least but best regulated where neither the King alone without his Parliament nor the Parliament without the King can make lawes .... which likewise is cleare by the expressions of the Kings answers Le Roy le veuâ—… and Le Roy sâ—…avisera So as iâ—… is cleare from the words of assent when Statutes are made and from the words of dissent that the Kings power in the making of lawes is one of the chiefest jewels of the croâ—…ne and an essential part of Soveraignitie .... somet mes the Kings denial had been beter then his assent to the desires of the Houses of Parliament .... If I had transscribed all the Reader had found the argument more full Out of this compared with what you write he may rest assured that in declaring at that time against the Parliaments debate which in truth was vindicating the Kings negative voice you were resolved against Regal Government And whatsoever since you have publish'd in a mocke proclamation had your Covenanting brethren kept their station in England the Crowne and Scepter if not condemn'd to the coyning house had been kept perpetual prisoners in Edenburgh Castle whither with funeral solemnitie you have caried them nor had there been any Royal head or hand kept above ground for their investment while your Rebells could catch them and procure sword or axe to cut them off But to follow you in your tracke If your lawes admitted not absolute reprobation by a negative voice they did praeterition by a privative silence which was all together as damnable to your Parliament bills they being made Acts by His Majesties touch with the top of his Scepter and those irrefragablie null'd which he pass'd by In what followes you shew more ingenuitie then prudence by acknowledging the ground whereupon you built your censure of this debate in Parliament as needlesse and impertinent because of the power it might put in the hand of the King to denie your covenanted propositions But alasse you graspe the wind in your fist and embrace an aâ—…ie cloud within your armes and like some fond Platonike are jealous over that jewel you never had The King of blessed memorie told you when he spake it to your brethren He would never foregoe his reason as man his Royaltie as King Though with Samson he consented to binde his hands and cut off his haire he would not put out his eyeâ—… himselfe to make you sport much lesse cut out his tongue to give you the legislative priviledge of this voice That you at best sit in Parliament as his subjests not superiours were call'd to be his Counsellers not Dictatours summond to recommend our advice not to command his dutie And what pretie puppets thinke you have you made your selves for so many yeares together to the scorne of all nations when you so formallie propounded to His Majestie to grant what you professe he had never any power to denie What comes next is one of the many springes you set to catch cockes but your lucke is bad or you mistaken in your sport I see if you were to make an harmonie of confessions you would be as liberal of other mens faith as of your own What the beliefe is of the warner and his faction about the absolute affirmative voice of any King you had heard more at large if you had fetchd your authoritie from any line in His Ld. booke for that demand Yet to keep up your credit that you may not mount to no purpose I will bring one who in spiritualibus at least shall take off this sublimate from your hands and pay you with more mysterie of reason then you have it may be found in any other of the faction Nulla in re magis â—…iucescit vis summi Imperii quà m quod in ejus siâ—… arbitrio quaenam religio publicè exerceatur idque praecipuum inter Majestatis jura ponunt omnes qui politica scripserunt Docet idem experientia Si enim quaeras cur in Anglia Maria regnante Romana Religio Elizabetha verò Imperante Evangelica viguerit causa proxima reddi non poterit nisi ex arbitrio Reginarum Going on in the Religion of the Spaniard Dane Swede he tells you ad voluntatem dominantinm recurretur Though I shall onelie give you this quaestion in exchange for your language of concluding and impeding If Parliaments have power ad placitum to conclude or impede any thing by their votes what part of making or refusing lawes is to the King If the Bishop had challeng'd you for nominating officers of the armie you are not without some such parrot-praters abroad as can tattle more truth then that out of your Assemblies Nor need you be so nice in a mater so often exemplified in Knox his spiritual brethren who as appeares manifestlie by their leters c. Were the chiefe modellers of all the militia in their time and His Ldp. having shewed you when your pulpit Ardelios incourag'd the seditious to send for though in vaine L. Hamilton by name and Robert Bruce dispatched an Expresse for him to be their head You are here charged onelie with not allowing such as the Parliament had named because not so qualified as you praetended That the State ever sent the officers they had chosen to doc over all the postures of their soules to discipline either their men or affections before you and to have your Consistorian judgement of their several qualifications and abilities is more I confesse then hitherto I have heard of That you put it to the last part of your answer relating to no part of the quaestion was but to shew what you beare in your armes That as plaine as you looke the crosse on the top of the crowne is the proper embleme of your Assemblie whom no civile mater can escape having a birthright
ordinarie as you can name the Parliament that ever trod in it before We in England having no such custome nor indeed any where the true Churches of God as to alter religion and government without the King To your quaestion which ever shelters fraud in universals I particularlie answer and to our purpose 1. That the Houses of Parliament are not to begin with an ordinance for a covenantor â—…ath to change the lawes of the Realme to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgie lawfullie established by the sword which are the Bishops words before the Kings consent be sought to that beginning much lesse when his dissent is foreknow'n of that and all proceedings in that kinde 2. An ordinance of the Lords and Commons without and against the King iâ—… no good warrant to change such lawes during the sitting of the Parliament 3. No law nor lawfull custome of England debarres the King by dissenting to stop that change Untill which three assertions be refuted in law it will be needlesse to debate the qualifications and exceptions which can be none of moment in this case against the Kings consent requisite to turne an ordinance into a law But you take His Majestics concessions to have praevented all can be sayd in the praesent case Behold you that kindled the fire in his breast here compasse yourselves with the sparkes of his consent which charitie would have suffered to exspire with the breath that brought them forth or buried in his ashes which they made Yet can not you walke by the light of thiâ—… fire unto the full accomplishment of your ends His successour being not yet conveighd into any such place as Holmebye or Carisbrooke Castle where you would have him some such fatal haereditarie confinement being the fairest apologie if any when he should subscribe so many of your unconscionable desires and write after his Father in the extremitie of misfortune who as litle intended what himselfe accounted his failings for his copie as he desired his undeserved miseries should be a patrimonie transmitted to him by your hands As to the obtaining of what iâ—… lacking your way is not so faire in which visiblie lies the same Scripture Antiquitie law reason conscience and honour which heretofore hindred your journey to the end of your hopes the obtaining His Majesties plenarie consent Who did not agree to if you meane approve of the rooting out Episcopacie in Scotland That he gave so much way to such wild boares as were in your Presbyterie to doe it he afterward repented and you rewarded him not so well as that his Royal sonne should be encouraged to purchase sorow at so deare a rate 2. He was not willing allthough he yeilded to have them put out of the House of Peeres in England and Ireland out of a generous scorne of your uncharitable susspicion that he would have them there onelie because he was to make use of their votes in State affaires 3 He divested them of civile power hoping to perswade such as your Lay Presbyters by the objections made against them out of the Ecclesiasticall which they more irrationallie usurped 4. He joined Presbyters with them for ordination because he found it before seldome administred without them But he never made them coordinate in nor aequiparticipant of that power He joined them for spiritual jurisaiction as being a fit meanes to avoyd .... partialities incident to one man And tyrannie which becomes no Christians least of all Churchmen And thirdlie to take away from them the burden and Odium of affaires which was a courteous diminution in such times How sacrilegiouslie you rob the Temple of Memorie of the pillar he set up in the period of your Treatie and erect in the place an impious calumnie of his abolishing Episcopacie totallie name and thing will be seen by part of his inscription or ultimate answer to the Rebell Commissioners paper about the Church The words are these .... His Majestie doth againe clearlie professe That he can not with a good conscience consent to the total abolition of the function and power of Bishops nor to the intire and absolute alienation of their lands as is desired because he is yet perswaded in his judgement that the former is of Apostolical institution and that to take away the later is sacriledge ..... And if his two Houses shall not thinke fit to recede from the strictnesse of their demands in these particulars His Majestie can with more comfort cast himselfe upon his Saviours goodnesse to support him and defend him from all afflictions how great soever that may befall him then for any politike consideration which may seemâ—… to be a meanes to restore him deprive himselfe of the inward tranquillitie of a quiet minde And some of his last words were I am firme to primitive Episcopacie not to have it extirpated if I can hinder it He sayd indeed that by his former answer he had totallie suspended Episcopal government for three yeares after the sayd time limited the same in the power of ordination and jurisdiction Which the Commissioners he dealt with so litle thought Tantamont to a perpetual abolition that they sayd it met not with their feares nor could praevent the inconvenienceâ—… which must necessarilie follow upon the returne of Bishops and the power which he reserved to them after that time For that a Bishop so qualified as â—…is Majestie expressed should rise againe then they declared whollie in his choyce unavoydable by Parliament if they agreed not But behold a pretie peice of aequivocation call'd Anti-christian Iesuitisme by these Rabbi Presbyters of old to draw their dull Commissioners out of the mire and as good as inke for ivorie to wash them cleane His Majestie suspended it till he and his Parliament should agree All and every one in both Houses had abjured Episcopacie by solemne oath and Covenant and so in no hazard ever to agree with him Ergo He must either agree with them that is likewise abjure which is abolition or coutinue perpetuallie his suspension which is Tantamont unto it This is very well orderd especiallie if you call to minde somewhat else that was condition'd for viz. That twentie Divines of His Majesties nomination being added unto the Assemblie were to have a free consultation debate whence it might be determin'd by His Majestie and his two Houses how Church government c should be setled after the sayd time or sooner if differences might be agreed A very free debate when all demonstrative reasons should be forespoken to be silenced by an oath And a very conscionable treatie That a faction in both Houses should be without the restitution of the rest that were beter temper'd the men that should continue siting not onelie 3. yeares but 300 if they could live so long because sworne not to yeild a syllable of their owne tearmes Yet because you thinke your selfe so witie in your sophistrie let me aske you What assurance
determined by his Lordship onelie the King call'd supreme Legislatour which he is What commentaries have been made of it to the praejudice of the right and custome of Parliaments shall be spoken to when you tell us which of his brethren and what in their writings it is you meane No right nor custome can be adjusted to them in your case which is vowing to God and sweaâ—…ing one unto another to change the lawes of the Realme c. by the sword without and against the King different from the sense of your Commissioners who would have the Legislative power aswell as the Militia to be the Kings For that power that can not constitute can abrogate no lawes But they will tell you in constituting the King can not be excluded And we inferre that no more he can be in repealing If your minde serve you to engage farther in this dispute you were best answer the learned Grotius 8. chap. De Imper. Sum. Pot. to which I promise you my replie In the next place as if you were moderating a matachin dance from seting the King and Parliament at oddes you turne both their faces and powers against the Praelates whom I doe not finde His Lordship puting in competition with the King about the right of making lawes but aggravating the injurie done them by your partie in the Parliament and appealing to their conjcience with what justice they could covenant against the rights of a third order of the Kingdome without either their satisfaction or consent If the whole Repraesentative of the Kingdome have thus priviledg'd the Bishops one lame part can not deprive them of it Their prioritie and superioritie hath been so ancient that no Lords no Commons would scruple at it but such as likewise at the original supremacie of their King And therefore you may know the bill against their priviledges was five times rejected in the upper House the beter Court of honour of the two and when the sixt time it was caried by a few voyces it was when the most honourable persons were forced to be absent Their share in the Legislative power hath been so great that since any was allotted them your forefathers never heard of a law made in Parliament without them The King may passe what he pleaseth and what he doth so is a law The two Temporal States with his bare name without his power can make none nor yet having it as they account it derived from his Regalitie not his person Ius enim ferendarum legum sive generalium sive specialium summa potestas communicarâ—… alteri potest â—… se abdicarâ—… non potest What one or th' other passe to the injurie of persons fundamentallie concern'd be it law can not be justified in conscience which is all J take to be urged by the Bishop But what would you have sayd if there had been such a law in behalfe of Episcopacie in England as there hath been in spaine That no King could reigne which is more then a Parliament sit and vote without the suffrage of the Bishops Which made Ervigius upon the resignation of Bamba that turn'd Monke call a Councel of them at Toledo to have a confirmation of his crowne And the time hath been in England when a difference fell between Edward and Ethelred about succession to K. Edgar a devolution of it unto the arbitrement of the Bishops The humble protestation of the twelve Bishops rudelie menaced and affronted did not pronounce the lawes acts after their recesse null and of none effect in derogation to the praerogative of the King either solitarie or in conjunction with what persons soever he pleas'd to make his Legislative Councel but in saving to themselves their rights and interests of siting and voting in the House of Peeres the violation of which they conceived to invalidate a Parliament at least without the Kings passing a rescissorie Act and an Act of new constitution Because in law and practice it is usual to any who conceive themselves praejudg'd even in those things where Acts of Parliament passe against them to protest Which if you remember were the words and part of a long plea to another purpose though upon the same advantage of the Bishops right in Scotland used by those your Countreymen that alike intended their ruine but could not colourablie offer at it without the Act anext the constitution of the Parliament Whether the Bishops being a third order of the Kingdome and by that craving their share in the Legislative power be more humble then the Presbyters who take themselves to be absolute without King and two states in making all Ecclesiastike lawes and against King two states in abrogating all civile statuter Ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical maters that are found nâ—…ysome and unprofitable and agree not with the time .... And censuring punishing all persons King and Parliament not excepted I file up with the other references to your â—…quitable comparers let them be the Lords and Commons you here pleade for You may chuse whether you will grant what the Bishop takes as demonstrable That his brethren had harder measure from the thing call'd King and Parliament then the Abboâ—…s and Friars from Henry 8. When he devested them of their estates Your consecuâ—…orie Beleefe hath no article made up out of any of the Bishops words Who though he could not keepe intruders out of his palace and possessions meanes to have no such troublesome inmates in his minde And since you have sequestred him from his gardens keepes out of your reach a Tarasse to exspatiate in his thoughts He commends your eyes that can see so distinctlie such Platonical Idea's as never had existence yet when you draw too neare commands you to your distance with the same answer that Bacchus did Hercules in the Comoedie for all his club Me ton emon oikei noun echcis gar oikâ—…ian The Bishops last reasoning is as sound as those before and in all is there a connexion of those parts which any demonstrative integral can require To your first impeachment by quaestion I answer That article of the Covenant beares the seting up of the Scotish Presbyterian government in England which is for a uniformitie in both Kingdomes if taken with the next that extirpates praelacie viz. Church government by Bishops For when Praelacie is downe I pray what remaines according to your principles but Presbyterie to set up As for Scotish Presbyterie you have often told us 't is the same with that of all Reformed Churches And if alltogether be not according to the Word of God after so many yeares Synods Conferences and Letters what blinde Covenanters you are to sweare a league of life death upon the like or more uncertanitie of future discoverie by a few unskilfull persons whose petiâ—… phantastike lights put together must be made a new imaginarie milkie way surpassing in a fermed singularitie of splendour any among the greater truer luminaries
treaties ever pressed upon the King a number of propositions Ergo The Church may desire the granting of one I should be too courteous in casting up the numerous account of their rebellions aequal to their propositions keep out but a single unitie for you I shall chuse rather to tell you cautioning first for the falshood in the fundamental hypothesis That in cases of treatie the Church of Scotland is subordinate to one therefore hath no adaequate conditioning priviledge with the Parliaments of both Kingdomes especiallie in her peevish state of opposition to both Secondlie This proposition desired is the Trojan horse into which all the rest of your treason 's contrived there being no fraudulent possibilitie Ecclesiâ—…stike nor Politike which your Sinon Assemblie hath not cunninglie lodg'd in the bellie the winding entrailes the maeanders of the Covenant Your clause in the parenthesis when the bolts are off set at libertie tells us your meaning is this Let the Kings person children continue imprison'd His Queen Prince c. banished His revenue sequester'd his life be irrecoverablie endanger'd rather then those of the Scottish Presbyterian partie for the rest you can not excommunicate out of your nation though not in your covenant should run the hazard of their lives estates Which was the true result of your debate agreement That you heard no complaint when many of the thirtie propositions were pressed was because your eares were stopt against the lamentations of everie English Jeremie that wept for the slaine of the daughter of his people being such an Assemblie as the next verse describes you That an out crie as you call it is made when onelie one proposition is stucke upon is because that one streightneth the bands of your wickednesse layes heavier burdens upon the shoulders of innocencie will not let the oppressed goe free And then Gods Prophets are call'd upon to crie aloud not to spare to lift up their voyce like a trumpet c. This one was that the yeilding to which would most of all have violated His Majesties conscience in reference to which he tells you ' t is strange there can be no method of peace but by making warre upon his soul. Yet let the case be disputable your tender excusable at least in respect of the time which you say was not to be before His Majesties rescue but onelie before his bringing to London c. If so why was not His Majestie first rescued delivered out of the hands of the Sectaries then your proposition insisted on The Bishop tells you the reason out of Humble advice Edenb Jun. 10. 1648. viz. lest his libertie might bring your by gone proceedings about the league Covenant into quaestion All honest Christians loyal subjects though heathen are of the same beliefe with his Lordship whatsoever is their opinion in generall expect that you prove the innocence or justice of conditioning in this particular with your confess'd captive King Concerning the absolute soveraignitie of Kings you are otherwhere answer'd if not satisfied may finde more worke made you by the famous Grotius whose booke was manifestlie penned against you your usurping brother-Rebells of England bids defiance to all your Didoclaves Buchanans Brutus's of both nations till replied to But away with your counterfeit inclination to treaties which you ever abhorred like death fearing in that peace there could be no peace for your wicked selves therefore gave publike thankes to God for delaying your torments in the disappointment of that at the Isle of Wight aswell by your plots devices as by the Sectaries armed-force The holinesse of this religious proposition was but the blinde under favour of which you stalked made safer approaches to His Majesties murder by another never hitherto repeald immutablie design'd Nor are there many of your publike papers but forespake the destruction of his Royal Person and Familie unlesse he submitted to the tyrannie of your tearmes and whether that had quitted him as much from your judgement as it assuredlie had from his supremacie and crownes may be guessed by the experiment he made in his first too full fatal concessions which your own Parliament Acts have registred completelie satisfactorie to the demands or desires of all sorts of people in Scotland which too indulgent paternal goodnesse having turn'd into poison you regorg'd in his face by a foreigne invasion and a base mercenarie rebellion till like evening wolves you rent in peices and prey'd upon his person in the darke The proposition I meane is that for which one of your sectarian brethren calls God Angels and Men to judge of your dissembling in pressing a personal treatie when His Majestie formerlie desiring one you told him There having been so much innocent bloud of his good subjects shed in this warre by His Majesties commands and commissions .... you conceive that untill satisfaction and securitie be first given to both his Kingdomes His Majesties coming to London could not be convenient nor by you assented to What satisfaction you meane we know by your Discipline which makes murder unpardonable and then I pray what securitie could be taken but his life If the granting this one proposition you stand upon concerning Religion and the Covenant had draw'n after it as it seemes by your silence the satisfaction for bloud and securitie for your peace We may clearlie conclude your Religion was murder and no resting Canaan for your Covenant but in His Majesties death Which in effect was thus foretold him by that bold Henderson My soul trembleth to thinke and to foresee what may be the event if this opportunitie be neglested He would not use he said the words of Mordecai to Esther because he hoped beter things Whereas if his hopes faild him we may well argue he had us'd them as you doe that survive him in your endeavour that he and his fathers house should be destroy'd But that you take confession to be the Doctrine of Antichrist you mâ—…ght without an ironie put an câ—…ce to your own being criminous to the purpose in declaring against the Parliaments debates which if therfore needlesse and impertinent because you thinke or will have them thought to be so the Great Councel you make but a subordinate Eldership or Classe to the supreme Assemblie of your Kiâ—…ke You are not allwayes so modest as to keep your distance from your English Parliaments affaires We have for many yeares found you like loving beagles upon eithers concernment so closelie coupled in the slip of your Covenant as if when the game should be lost upon eithers default you meant to be truss'd up together for companie If it be proper to have any King in Scotland the proper place of debate about his negative voice is as well a free Parliament there as in England If your lawes admit not of that they admit of no King whose Regalitie consisteth in that nor hath