Moses the Prophet and Servant of God had in all that belonged even to the outward and least parts of the Tabernacle Ark and Sanctuary witnesseth well the inward and most humble zeal born towards God himself The industry used in the framing thereof in every and the least part thereof the curious workmanship thereon bestowed the exceeding charge and expence thereof in provisions the dutifull observance in laying up and preserving the holy Vessels the solemn removing thereof the vigilant attendance thereon and the provident defence of the same which all Ages have in some degree imitated is now so forgotten and cast away by this super-fine Age by those of the Family by Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries as all cost and care bestowed and had of the Church wherein God is to be served and worshipped is accounted a kinde of Popery and as proceeding from an idolatrous disposition insomuch that time would soon bring to pass if it were not â—â—sisted that God would be turn'd out of Churches into Barns and from thence again into Fields and Mountains and under Hedges and the Officers of the Ministery robbed of all dignity and respect be as contemptible as those places all Order Discipline and church-Church-government left to newness of opinion and mens fancies yea and soon after as many kindes of Religions would spring up in Parish Churches within England every contentious and ignorant person pleasing his fancy with the Spirit of God and his imagination with the gift of Revelation insomuch as when the truth which is but one shall appear to the simple multitude no less variable than contrary to it self the faith of man will soon after die away by degrees and all Religion be held in scorn and contempt Which Distraction gave a great Prince of Germany cause of this Answer to them that perswaded him to become Lutheran Si me adjungo vobis tunc condemnor ab alis si me aliis adjungo a vobis condemnor Quid fugiam video sed quid sequar non habeo The time was come the first Anniversary Celebration in England with religious Rites and sacred Ceremonies of the unfortunately fortunate Nones of August noted in Red Letters in the Calendar to represent the bloud of many thousand Martyrs spilt of that day by Dioclesian in Rome but now to be distinguished with golden Letters in ours in memory of two renowned Kings in these Kingdoms the one receiving life the other escaped death on this day the Nativity of King Oswald who united the Crowns of England and Scotland which were severed afterwards for many Ages and who in the end died a Christian Martyr and sealed it with his bloud the other King Iames miraculously preserved from Gowry's Conspiracy Anno 1600. and who now again unites these Crowns and therefore we may change the old spell of the Martyrs Quintum fuge into Quintum cole if not for the Genesis of that one into life yet for this others Exodus out of the Chamber of death And as this King never failed of the day Tuesday weekly to hear a Sermon so neither of the Annual time unto his death kept holy by him and all his good Subjects and the truth of the Conspiracy sufficiently recorded heretofore and shall be hereafter confirmed Anno 1608. Though our Historian died it seems of a contrary faith in that himself being evenly conform to Gowry's loyalty Affectiones facile faciunt opiniones for he passes it over with this Odiism That Gowry assaulted him or he Gowry About this time a Commotion was stirred up by some Commoners against ingrossing their Ground when the King chanced to be invited in his hunting Journey to dine with Sir Thomas I. of Barkshire and turning short at the corner of a Common happened near to a Countrey-man sitting by the heels in the Stocks who cried Hosanna to his Majesty which invited him to ask the reason of his Restraint Sir Thomas said It was for stealing a Goose from the Common The Fellow replied I beseech your Majesty be Judge Who is the greater Thief I for stealing Geese from the Common or his Worship for robbing the Common from the Geese By my Sale Sir said the King to Sir Thomas I se not dine to day on your Dishes till you restore the Common for the poor to feed their Flocks Which was forthwith granted to them and the witty Fellow set free and care soon taken to quiet Commotions The Plague ceasing which hitherto bounded all mens expectations and persons at a distance the people now flock up to London to take view how the King would settle Laws and Constitutions afresh for the people A Parliament was expected the peoples Idol in those days which the King considered according to the power and interest of Lords and Commons therein and which thus grew up into a Body After the period of the Saxons time in England Herald one of the great men got power and put himself absolute the rest of the Satrapas call in Wiâ—â—iam Duke of Normandy an active and fortunate Prince against the French King the Duke leads over hither many the younger Sons of the best Families of Normany Picardy and Flanders and getting this Kingdom by the Sword he shared out his Purchace retaining to himself a Portion in each County and called Demenia Regnt ancient Demeans Crown-lands He assigns to others his Adventurers suitable portions to their qualities retains to himself dependency of their personal Services and were stiled Barones Regis Free-holders As the King to these so they to their followers subdivided part of their shares into Knights fees and their Tenants were called Barones Comitis The Kings gifts extended to whole Counties or Hundreds at the least the Earl being Lord of the one and a Baron of the inferiour Donations to Lords of Townships or Mannors As the Land was thus divided so was Iudicature each severally from the King to the meanest Lords had their Court-Barons yet perhaps Reddebant Iura by twelve of the Iury called Free-holders Court who with the Thame or chief Lords were Iudges The Hundred was next whence Hundredus or Aldermanus Lord of the Hundred wherewith the chief Lord of each Township judged within their Limits The County or Generale placitum was next Ubi Curiae Dominorumâ—probantur defecisse pertinet ad Vice-comitem Provinciarum The last was Generale placitum apud London universalis Synodus the Parliament of England consisting of King and Barons onely who ruled affairs of State controuling all Inferiours So were there certain Officers of transcendent power for executing not bounding the Kings will those were Steward Constable Marshal heretofore fixed in Fee to Families they as Tribunes grew too bold and their power was lessened after the death of that daring Eaâ—l of Leicester slain at Evesham Henry 3. by hard experience of his Father lessened their power by examining their usurpations over Regality being become Tot homines tot Tyranni Then began the favour of
Ministers in prudence to make address to his Majesty and to understand his displeasure and also to offer on their parts terms of satisfaction and so modestly and mannerly to lay open the Grievances and to offer means of redress Somewhat they did not as they were advised or ought to have done The King tells them There could be no agreement till bounds of Marches are designed â—or reconcilement till Iurisdictions are distinguished Their preachings censured Councils of State They convocate General Assemblies without him or his Warrant and conclude as they please without his consent They meddle with all matters in their Synods Presbyteries and Sessions and under colour of scandals usurp that Notion to offend in all Besides he could sum up several sorts of their disorders which would take up time their own guilt should study means to amend otherwise things may become remediless neither to agree nor to last long without But to come to their points what could it be to kindle such fires and fears The Kings favour to the Popish Lords at Falkland and confirmed at Dunferlin His countenance to the Countess of Huntley whatâ— that She is invited to the Princess baptism The Education of the Princess to the Lady Levingston a Papist And to smooth all they condescended to say They were sorry for his Majesties displeasure The last he took up first That their abusive Sermons had given him in particular just cause To the Popish Lords what he granted was by General Convention and consent of Estates as needful for peace to the Realm The Lady Huntley was discreet and deserved more and that she is a Papist they are too blame that never taught her the Truth The Princess is intrusted to the Wisdome and Government of the Lord Levingston not to his Lady he to command she to conform Good God! their History of the Kirk stories many and many such Medlings which I forbear to mention By these and the like may be measured out their malice pride vanity and their cunning to colour all with conscience and zeal of Truth But it becomes dangerous Mr. David Blake Minister of St. Andrews rails in his Sermon against the King Council and Session of Estates and called the Queen of England by name an Atheist of no Religion Bowes the Ambassadour complains and Blake is cited before the Council Melvil meets him and makes it the common cause as a preparative against all to bring down the doctrine of Christ under the censure of the King and Councel And so far was it plotted with the Council of the Church that they desert the day of his Diet or appearing That it would be ill taken to question Ministers upon trifling delations When as the Enemies of Iesus Christ were spared and protected Telling the King who was descended to shew them Huntleys condition That both he and the rest should either satisfy the Church in every point or be pursued with Extremity and so no cause to complain of their oversight of Papists And though the Articles were framed and Printed satisfactory to all Yet they Publish That Papists were favoured the Ministers rebuked for siding against sin And that the Scepter of Christ was sought to be overthrown And if Master Blake should submit his doctrine to the triall of the Council the liberties of Church and spirrituall Government of Gods House be quite subverted And by all means a Declinator is designed to protest against such proceedings And in this fire of zeal in opposition to better Councell They answered that the cause of God concern'd them to withstand all future hazards It was trusted to Blake himself to present in presence of the King I know not whether prudentiall in me to suppresse it for fear of evil President But that it is a record Take it in the Breef That howbeit his innocent conscience maintained him sufficient against the Calumnies of whomsoever and that he was able and ready to defend his doctrine uttered in opening the words or application iâ— matter Yet seeing he was convened before the King and his Council to be judged for his doctrine and that his answering might be suspected a submission and so imputed a prejudice to the Churches liberties and to be taken as an acknowledgment of the Kings jurisdiction in matters spirituall He was constrained to decline that judicature First because the Lord Jesus Christ of whom we had the grace of his calling had given him his word for a rule to his Preaching And that he could not fall in reference of any Civill Law but so farr as he should be tryed to pass his instructions Which tryal belonged only to the Prophets and Pastors the spirits of the Prophets being subject to them alone c. Secondly in regard the liberties of the Church and discipline were confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliament and the Preachers office bearers thereof peaceably possessed therein perticularly in the indicature of the word He ought to be remitted to the Ecclesiastick Senate as the only compitent Iudges For which and other weighty consideracons inconveniences to Religion the State and Nation and to the King himself by the appearance of destraction and Alienation of his mind from the Ministery and the cause of God in their hands He for himself and in Name of the Commissioners of the generall Assembly who had sâ—bscribed this Declinator Besought that the Church of God might receive no diminution but rather manifest care to maintain the same The diet came and he required to make answer Said That albeit he might object against the Citation it being directed Super Inquirendis contrary to form yet he would take himself to the remedy of Law and to be remitted to his own Ordenary Being asked whom he meant He answered the Presbytery where the doctrine was taught The King told him the matters charged were civill and that the Summons had reference to the particular letter of the English Ambassadour He replyed that speeches in the Pulpit must be judged by the Church in prima instantia Being asked whether the King might not judg of facts of Treason as well as the Church did matters of Heresie That whether speeches in the Pulpit though but pretended Treasonable could not be judged by the King till the Church had remitted thereof But he answered That he was not come thither to resolve questions and so offered his Declinator The King not able to amend what was amiss meant to work it otherwise by remitting of further proceedings to Nov. 30. Mean while the Commissioners send copies of all transactions to the several Presbyteries requiring them for Corroboration to confirm the same by their subscriptions To commend their doing as the cause of God in publick fasts and Humilliation for the sins of the Nation by prayer and preaching The meaning thereby was to tell the stories to the people for maintenance of this their ill manners And which the King interpreted a direction to dangerous Mutenie and future
truly intended by God to be given unto them in such sort as his Word and Promises do outwardly sound 4. It is consequent upon the former that the work of Redemption in respect of Christ his Oblation and intention therein is common to all mankind although many by reason of their impediments do not actually receive them Now this resolution of Our Divines accordeth with the Articles and Doctrine of the Church of England but none of the Foreign Divines of that Synod were of the same opinion for they restrain this Redemption of Christ both in application and Gods intentional offer meerly and only to the Elect. The Belgicke Confession is wholly confirmed by the Synod of Dort as appeareth in the Book of the Synod pag. 329. But the 30 31 and 32. Articles of this Confession teach That the Presbyterian Discipline is of Divine institution and that all Ministers have equal Authority and Iurisdiction and consequently condemn Episcopal Government and the Ecclesiastical Policy of Our and all other Churches which imbrace not Calvins Plate-form of Lay-Elders The antient custome of convocating Synods or meeting of Divines for compâ—sing Differences in Religion and Reformation of corrupted Discipline was from the very four Apostles meeting at Ierusalem concerning the Gentiles observing Moses Law and from that example in a Province or City the Primitive Bishops assembled at several times for 200 years then following The peace and unity of the Church in CONSTANTINE gave ease for many Churches to communicate over the whole Empire and was called in his time The Holy Synod and not long after The General and Oecumenical Council though the Empire was divided Eastern and Western and afterwards amongst the Graecians from the Assembly of the five Patriarchs And in those Kingdomes from the Unity of States obedient to the Pope in Ecclesiastical causes which till the fifteenth Century of years so continued quiet unless in that of Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague from the Doctrines of Iohn Wickliff in England In the time of Richard the second King of England who maried Ann the Daughter to Wincelaus King of Boheme And though he had no issue by her yet the conversion of Boheme from Popery may not unfitly be stiled the issue of her Mariage for they that brought her hither carried over Wickliffs Works anno 1382. to John aud Jerome So then England was Grandfather of Reformation Boheme the Father and Germany the Son Their Doctrines were against the Popes Supremacy as Antichrist they condemned Transubstanatition He translated the Bible into English and was burned in Leicestershire the first man that suffered the fire of English Martyrdome at fourty five years of age About the year 1500. appeared the first occasion amongst the Waldenses neer the Alps In some Cantons of Boheme called Picards but both of them then rather despised than feared their disciples were called Sub utraque receiving the Sacraments with the Cup and with the Bread against the Papists But their opinion of long time rather amongst themselves than communicable In 1517. began Martyr Luther an Hermite Fryer in Saxony that Covent being usually imployed to publish the Popes indulgencies he spoke against the excessive abuse of the pardons in ninety five Conclusions at Wittenburgh which Iohn Thesel a Dominican opposed in others at Frankford of Branâ—enburgh by Ecchius also and Prierius And so controversie increasing matter of greater importance they were faln to strengthen their weak Arguments with the Popes authority as being the chiefest in the Church and not able to err Martin proves him inferiour to a General Council which he craves as most needful Whereupon he was cited to Rome the next year but in favour remitted to Examination of the Popes Legat Cardinal Cajetan at Ausburgh in Germany who could not convince him and in such policy backed by some Princes he appealed from the Popes Bull to a General Council The same occasion of indulgence collected at Zurick provoked Zwinglius a Canon to oppose Samson a Franciscan who preached for the pardons These Reformers and their writings were examined and condemned by the Universities 〈◊〉 Lovain and Cullen and the more opposing the more increasing The Pope remitted the dispute unto some Cardinals Prelates Divines and Canonists and their books were condemned and burnt And the Popes Bull resolving it the effect followed first at Lovain and Collen Luther and his Scholars did the like by the Popes Bull and Decretalls at Wittenburgh and justified it by a long Manifest to all the World And this caused a Diet at Worms which examined him and his answer moved the Elector and Others to favour his Doctrine but was condemned as notorious Heretical by Imperial Edict And by example so did the University of Paris Henry the eight King of England born a second Brother and therefore bred a Scholar designed for the Arch-bishops See of Canterbury writ a Book against Luther and had his reward and Title of Defensor fidei though upon consideration of Lust and Policy turned Reformer also The like Dispute and Measure had the Doctrines of Zwinglius and the rest and so these differences increasing did necessitate another Diet at Norembergh where disputes against the Reformers increased complaints against the Courtiers of Rome and were reduced into Centum Gravaniana and at the Diet at Spire as many more The horrid plots between the Princes and the Popes and general distraction of Germany and other parts of Christendome and by the seeds of the Reformed Religion at last to amend all or make it worse the Pope was forced to consent to call a General Council at Trent The Elector of Saxony and five Princes more opposing the Emperours Decrees and fourteen principal Cities adhearing they protesting against it by Manifest were now first called Protestants as from the Reformed Doctrine of Luther and the rest At the Diet of Ausburgh the Protestant Princes fifteen and thirty Cities prefer their confession of faith of Luther called from the place Augustine The Cities also of Zwinglius doctrine presented their Creed differing onely in the Eucharist and at home were opposed by their Neighbour Roman Cities and quarrelled it by War wherein Zwinglius in the head of a Company sacrificed his life for whom Oecolampadius a Minister of Basil of the same Opinion dies for Grief and from these of the Cantons came the name of Gospellers The horrid troubles discords and disputes amongst Christian Princes from the seeds of Reformed Churches controverted by several quarrels and Armies and referred to several Diets Colloquies and Meetings in Germany It was then at last resolved of the holy Ecumenical Council of Trent as the Roman Catholiques call it Opening at Trent in Decemb. 1545. In the time of Pope Paul the third Charles the fift then Emperour Henry the eight King of England and Francis the first of France and ended Anno 1563. Eight Bishops of Rome lived and dyed during that treaty eighteen years Our Countrey-man Campian
establish Religion and abolish Mass but in that particular to be further discussed at Saint Iohnstons And forthwith was Darly created Earl of Ross and withall the Queen called for the Super-Intendents pleasing them with some Court-Holy-water but referred the business of Religion to a publique Dispute for Peace to the Kingdom This was not satisfactory to them but they advise upon six Articles for the next Assembly And then they presented them to the Queen at Saint Iohnstons by Commissioners from the Church National at Edenburgh as they now stile themselves First For abolishing all manner of Popery universally to be suppressed not onely in each Subject but also in the Quâ—ens own Person Secondly Provision of Maintenance for the Ministry and dissposing of Livings Thirdly For Tryal of Sufficiency of Super-Intendents and Ministers Fourthly For all lands of Popish Foundation to be restored for maintenance of the poor and Scholars preferment Fiftly Against all horrid Crimes Ecclesiastick and Temporal be appointed two Iudges Sixthly For ease and support of poor Hâ—â—sbandmen c. The Queen receives these Articles but refers answer till she comes to Edenburgh in eight daies which displeased the Assembly who therefore have private meetings and elect eight persons to see the Brethren well armed and after a longer time of attendance get answer in Writing To the first The Queen is not perswaded to Presbytery and believes no impiety in the Mass and so not to be prest against Her Conscience nor will she forsake hers and having no assured consideration to countervail the same she may not loose thereby her Allies of France the maried Ally of this Realm and other her Confederates That seeing they plead for Freedome of Conscience she lists not to be bound up That for the Establishment thereof in the body of the Realm she refers to the consent of Parliament and in the mean time assures that for Religion on her part none shall be disturbed Secondly She thinks it unreasonable to be defrauded of so great a part of the Crowns Patrimony as to put the Patronage of Benefices out of her own hands and want Support but allows consideration of her own Necessity and the Ministers Support The rest in effect she refers to Parliament By the way from Saint Iohnstâ—n to shew her inclination to the Kirk being to Witness the Christening of the Lord Levinstons child She gave her presence to the Protestant Sermon which she never did before And yet had she notice of some Conspiracy of the Kirk upon which divers were committed at Edenburgh And being minded to mary she prorogues the Parliament till September and summons by Letters such Lords and Gentlemen that were neer with Arms and Forces for fifteen daies to attend her person at Edenburgh the 23. of Iuly and proclamation also for Free-holders in like manner then Ross was made Duke of Roâ—hsay and the same day the Banes and Mariage was concluded Murray both privately and publickly was advised to attend but refusing an Herald is sent and after eight and forty hours he was denounced Rebell and put to the Horn and Arguile also And now begins Parties to stir Athole against Arguile Lindsey against Rothess the Lord Gourdon after three years imprisonment in Dunbar was released and restored to be a Bar in the North to ballance with Murray In the evening the Mariage was proclamed By name Henry and Mary King and Queen of Scotland and solemnized the next Morning 27. Iuly 1565. Not without Divine providence for the more certain conjunction of both Kingdomes in their right of Descension from Margarite the eldest Daughter to Henry 7. of England who had but two children Iames the fifth by Iames the fourth and Margarite Dowglas by Earl Angus her second Husband This Iames the fift had but one Child Mary sole Heir to the Crown Margarite Dowglas brought up with her Uncle Henry 8. maried Stuart Earl of Lennox who was banished into England by them came Henry Lord Darly and Charles father to Arabella So that the whole right of Q. Margarite all other issue of H. 8. failing was united in these The Earl Rothess the Laird Grange and Pilcar with others of Fife were put to the Horn for not appearing and immediately the Drums beat for men of War to take pay for the King and Queen which alteration begat several fears The Lords disperse to Arguile and send Elphinston into England for support who brought ten thousand pound Sterling And in August the Lords meet at Ayre Hamilton Arguile Murray Glencarn Rothess Boyd Uchiltry and Others conclude to be in force the 24. of August which the King prevented by hasty proclamation of their rebellion and commanding all men to appear at Lithgow the same day Upon the ninth of August being Sunday the King comes to the High Kirk at Edenburgh and hears Knox preach who speaks against Government of wicked Princes and for the sins of the people God gives them Boyes and Women Iustly punishing Ahab for not ordering the Harlot Jezabell Immediately Knox was summoned before the Council and silenced for twenty daies and Cragg to supply his place The 25. of August the King and Queen journied to Glasgow and the next day the Lords met at Paisley with a thousand Horse and march to Hamilton keeping the passes in sight of the King and Queen and so to Edenburgh entering the Town notwithstanding the Canon-shot of the Castle and immediately beat their Drum and offered pay for Defence of God as they called it but to Men or Arms came to their Support and that was strange for all the chief Lords were there the Duke Murray Arguile Glencarn Rothess Boyd Uchiltry and other Barons They write expostulatory Letters to the King and Queen without answer who martch with five thousand men Lenox had the Van Morton the Battel and the King and Queen the Rere and come immediately towards Edenburgh In the mean time the Castle makes six shot of Canon and the next day the Lords depart to Hamilton The King Queen pass to Sterlin and command all to return to Glasgow where remaining four daies the Lords being gone to Dunfres they return again to Sterlin their Army increasing both Horse and Foot and so to Fife where the Lords subscribe to defend the King and Queen against the English and Rebells and so come to Saint Andrews where the King summons the Lords by Name to appear within six daies which they refusing are put to the Horn and being come to Edenburgh they proclame The design of the Lords under pretence of Religion to suppress the present Government or to appoint Counsel of their own In October the Super-Intendent of Lothian with the whole Ministery under his Charge meet at Edenburgh present a supplication to their Majesties by their Super-Intendents Spotswood and Lindsay for payment of their Stipends which is promised to be paid The Lords removed to Carlisle the King and Queen march from
some time resented with tears threatning revenge which to avoid they fly to England where Ruthen dies The Noise hereof in the Town caused the Provost to ring the Common Bell or sonner le Tocsen as the French speak assembling 500. and come up to the Court but the King told them all was well The King to strengthen himself after this Action inclined to the Religion and subscribed to a Proclamation that all Bishops Abbats and other Papists should avoid the Town which they did and commands the Provost and those of Lieth and Conogate to be in arms with advice also to other Lords to hasten to him with force And now comes Murray and other banished Lords being sent for as the Covenant against Rizio was subscribed convoyed by Hume with 1000. horse The Earls Cathness Athole Sutherland with all the Bishops being departed the Town In comes the other new faction of Lords and in Council advise the Queen to be satisfied with Rizio's death and take it as good service the Queen dissembling her passion got the remove of all the men in Arms out of the Court and so with some domestiques in the night drew the easy King to fly with her to Dunbar sending for all the Lords to attend in five daies The Religion by these factions ever-more get advantage which otherwise this Parliament now sitting might have lessned being most Papists for a dozen wooden Altars were prepared to be set up in St. Giles Church The Queen now assisted with Bothwell Huntley and others with Proclamation before them march with a thousand back to Edenburgh from whence the united Lords but divided in opinions depart and disperse and Knox we easily believe was not left behind And much troubled were he and his that the King by his Proclamation now excused himself from the Murther of Rizio who offended all men their own words the fact being done for his Honour if he had wisdome to see it and so lost his Credit and Friends by his Inconstancy and trâ—ly it was rumoured and some writ so that Knox had a hand in it Divers Lords were put to the Horn their Lands escheated and many of them executed but Arguile and Murray received into favour and both factions somewhat pieced and reconciled The King and his Father neglected and Bothwell preferred very highly The Ministers Supplicate for their Stipends complaining very humbly not usual of the Officers and Collectors and for redress desire Mandatory Letters for Restitution and to stop it in the Queens Exchequer till farther Order In all she promised very gratious relief The 19. of Iune 1566. the Queen at Edenburgh was delivered of a Son with exceeding joy and great happiness to all the Kingdome and the several assemblies followed assisted by Murray and Arguile wherein Paul Messans formerly excommunicate about his Bastard as aforesaid and now returned out of England was to be received into the Church again Knox invited him home and presuming of his free pardon and forgiveness sent his Apostolique Letters to accompany him to the Assembly and tells them in the words of St. Paul concerning the excommunicate incestuous person It is sufficient that he was rebuked of many c. For this cause I write that I might know your obedience in all things and to whom you forgive I forgive also c. But notwithstanding this Apostolick Command his Repentance is prescribed much like a Penance Presenting himself in Sackcloth bare of Bonnet and bare of Shoon for an hour at the Entry of Saint Giles Church in Edenburgh at seven hours in the Morn till Prayers psalm and Text and then upon the Stool all Sermon and so for three several Church-daies and confesses his Repentance And in this manner also in Iedwart and Dundee which after all performed and received a Repentant He complaining of this rigour and shame without taking leave of any retires back again into England The Bishop of Galloway the Earl of Huntleys Brother being called to Council could not brook his former title of Super-Intendent as he was stiled and thereof formerly well pleased but must be called Bishop of Galloway In August one Harris that had been of the Queens Chapel but lately of the reformed Religion and got into E. Ruthens service having acted in the Murther of Rizio was thereof convict hanged and quartered The King condemned of all and neglected of the Queen wrote to the Pope and to Spain complaining of the Queens ill Government of the Catholiques which she intercepted and resented to his ruin For Bothwel to bring on his Design aimed to be Principal and to effect his Greatness thought good to procure Morton to be called home but not to Court where he might look on and not be seen free from fear and danger and though a Kins-man to the King yet his Power was lessened to nothing Most writers complain of these times and some of them like Noahs blessed Sons overspread with the Mantle of silence the nakedness of these unnatural actions of such as we ought to ow duty and piety unto pittying the Errors of Princes Their excellent endowments of Nature and Morality not to be exampled and yet Shipwrackt in mis-governing I cannot search into all the Causes which drew on these lamentable events Secret Lothings in Wedlock which who knows but the Actors dislike hatred freedom revenge seconded with false shews of Reason and Colour of Law and Justice what will it not do Her Husband had dragged Rizio from her affection and favour to death He was not crowned but made publique by Her Proclamation not acknowledged by Parliament and in law but a Private Man and her Subject and so lyable to judgment But his powerful kindred and Friends prevent that attempt Secret Justice is Justice formalities are for common Causes and the Princes power may dispence with forms in case of necessity or convenience and so he became an object of wicked mens malice And now had Knox procured though heretofore he cunningly refused as fearing prevention or false play when now not overlooked he to his purpose got the Churches of Geneva Bern and Basil with others reformed in Germany and France to send to the Kirk of Scotland the sum of their several Confessions of faith he alleging the dissonant opinions of Scotland which occasioned an Assembly of Knox and his Confidents who having a confused irregulation without any positive Articles concluded as the most cunning way to assent to all without exceptions and so returned answer as if in Spirit to jump in faith and discipline who never could agree amongst themselves in either At this time the Kirks saies so Bothwell was wounded in chace of the Theeves at Liddisdale whom the Queen visited and thereof in grief took sickness in extremity but say they by binding Cords about her shacle bones knees and great Toes a pretty cure for our Mountebanks It seems an od fit of the Mother she revived prayed in English and commends the
with the then congregation And afterwards in the ordering of distribution for Ministers amongst the Burgs he was elected for Aberdeen the place then of the ablest Papists the rather therefore to reclame them from their errors by practice of Piety profound preaching wherein he profited to again of many to the faith in 14 years labour and dyed 60 years of age And now was Andrew Melvil a fiery zelot labouring for the absolute Presbyterial discipline of Geneva iâ—sinuating with Iohn Dury minister of Edenburugh in their Assembly to question the lawfulness of the Episcopall function and the Authority of Chapiters in their election but himself cunningly pretended ignorance but since the question was so started he commended the speakers zeal seconding the purpose with a tedious discourse of the flourishing estate of Geneva Church and the opinion of wise Mr. Calvin and reverend Mr. Beza and came to affirm That None ought to be Officers in the Church whose Titles were not found in the 〈◊〉 And though that of Bishops were in Scripture yet not to be taken in the same sense that commonly was conceived Christ allowing no Superiority amongst Ministers Himself only Lord of his Church and all the Servants in one degree having like power Concluding Then the Corruptions of Bishops were so great that unless removed Religion could not be long preserved Hereupon divers are selected to confer three to three and concluded their opinions to the Assembly 1. That the Name Bishop was common to able Ministers of a flock his chief function to preach to administer Sacraments and exercise Ecclesiastical Discipline with consent of his Elders 2. That some one Minister might oversee and visit such reasonable bounds besides his own flock 3. And he to appoint Preachers with advice of the Provincial Ministers and the consent of the flock 4. And to suspend Ministers from their Office with consent of the Ministers of the bounds It is strange that the Arch-bishop of Glasgow and six other Bishops with Super-intendents and all interessed were not called to the conference though present in the Assembly Nor doth it appear that they spake at all therein so humble to hold their tongues in a case of their own or rather referring it to the Regents Wisdom whose opinion had been ever to uphold Episcopacy The next Assembly altered the question and formed it Whether Bishops as they were then in Scotland had their function warranted by the Word of God But the Major part approved of those in the last Meeting The Regent finding them so to differ sent them word to settle upon somewhat and to abide therein Of which they take advantage and with much ado present a form of Policy to the Regent Acknowledging in their Preface That they did not accompt it compleat but to add or diminish as God shall reveal vnto them But some Troubles in State prevent their further progress The Regent flesht in the fury of rapine having fleeced Commons and Clergy and settled the North and South Borders cared not for the Gentry and grieved the Peers His neerest friends the Earl of Angus and others forewarned him of his Slippery station But Morton settled in the very seat of the Scorneâ— careless of any complaints made good his greatness by grace of Queen Elizabeth whom he conserved with all diligent observance His aim was to ruin Hamiltons house hating them as his Hereditary Enemies scared thereto by an old Wives Rhime which bid him beware of Arrans Race Hamiltons Family whom he banished or suppressed The two last years as it seems slipt away in shew I am sure in silence of any disturbance for ought that Authors can tell to much purpose but it is like the more was in secret hatching For as the Queens Imprisonment grew to her impatient so by Q. Elizabeth it was heightned to some danger As a Wolf by the Ear. To keep her in durance was her own disquiet and to release her dangerous to the State all their study was to counsel what to do with her and with much difficulty it was agreed upon to put her to Death There was one Antonio d' Peres Secretary to Philip of Spain escaped thence out of Prison and over he comes to England as best able here to do his Master most injury He was grown intimate with the Earl of Essex which being known to Caecil Lord Burleigh he advised that Essex might deal with him to fish out somewhat from his Masters streams which was done to the purpose revealing all his designs for the imprisoned Queen and being rewarded here had his Invitation home again with some hope of reconcilement and favor also which fell out not as he desired but as he deserv'd for he was at last hangd for his labor In many of his Letters to Essex which since came to my hands I find much of the mâ—tter but for want of the Key the Cyphers put me to trouble with some consideration What uneven policies there were towards that poor imprisoned Queen Don Iuan of Austria Governour for the King of Spain over the Netherlands proud and ambitious being Neighbourly acquainted with the Troubles of England and Scotland for to him all these discontented Fugitives repaired was made believe that the Duke of Norfolk being gon the Queen of Scots was most fit to be offered to him and easie enough to be effected with the expulsion of Queen Elizabeth and assured hopes of both Kingdomes To which purpose he hastily makes perpetual peace with the Netherlands and labours his time and means to infest England But underhand to amuse Queen Elizabeth the more gives her the occasion to congratulate the Peace by sending the Articles for her perusal intending secretly with all speed to surprize some Pieces and Ports in England and Scotland with help of the Pope who sent to the King of Spain in his behalf and the chief Fugitives of England and Scotland being with him he in an instant had swallowed the Conceit and Mariage of a Queen with two Kingdomes to boot but his wilde ambition the sooner flatted and he fooled into neglect and disdain And now dies that Princely Lady Margaret Dowglas old Countess Dowager of Lenox 63 years of age whom Queen Elizabeth kept in England at her elbow whilst her sonne Darly was maried to the Scots Queen and her husband had power there She was descended from Henry 7. by Margaret his eldest daughter maried to James 4. who had James 5. And being a widow maried to a second husband Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus by whom she had Margaret Dowglas of Harbotel in Northumberland who maried Mathew Earl of Lenox leaves France and comes into England to Henry 8. And here invested with honour and land in Yorkshire From these issued Henry Stuart Lord Darly who maried Queen Mary of whom came King James 6. So then her descent was royall in King Edwards time in much honnor here but after in adverse fortune she lived
from Edenburgh lost the Court the raging Plague swept away twenty thousand persons and that City quite forsaken He is forced now to yield to their Domination this Success imboldens the disloyal Ministers to return home also from all parts insupportable insolent One of them Gibson to the Kings face terms him Ieroboam a Persecutor threatens him That if he went on in the former way he should be the last of his race And before the King and Council he and Watson such another impudently maintain the same and more to their teeth which no Catiline could have done more treasonable Then their Synod being assisted by a number of the Laicks convene the Bishops Saint Andrews was compeered before them upon accusation of Andrew Melvil in malice and private revenge but his pretence was that the Bishop devised and penned former Acts against the Presbytery the Bishop protests against their Judicature and disputes his Innocency from any evil therein and to avoid their censures appeals to the King and Estates and they therefore in fear what to do a young Fellow Andrew Hunter professes to be armed by the Spirit and so usurping the Chair he pronounced Sentence against him Cunningham the Bishops man did the like the next day against Melvil These and other such disorders involves the King and Estates what to do with them when the Secretary of State perceiving their vexations advises the King to leave the Ministery to their own courses That in a short time he should see them so intollerable as the people would chase them out of the Nation True said the King if I werâ— careless to undo the Church and Religion it were the best Counsel but to preserve both I must suppress disorders lest Religion be despised And therefore as these insolencies gave the King occasion wisely to foresee the dangerous events if not nipt in the Bud So ex malis Moribus bonae leges nascuntur for the State publish these Articles That all Preachers should obey the King Not to pretend privilege in their allegiance Not to meddle in State matters Not to revile his Majesty Not to draw the people from obedience And being questioned not to allege inspiration of the Spirit Nor to serve themselves with colour of conscience c. It is strange to observe both before and then and sithence even to these our last daies as were by Wisemen alwaies foretold from the beginning how this Gangreen spread and that we are now wearied as well as the Reader with these relations Let me onely observe further the Scots Acts and Ordinances concerning their Episcopacy and let any Historian tell me when and how they started into such a sincere Reformation as to have no Bishops at all as many would pretend For first reforming from Popery in 1567. That no Bishop nor other Prelate should use any Iurisdiction in time comming by the Bishop of Romes authority but it appears by all subsequent Acts That Arch-Bishops and Bishops were not only allowed in their Kirk but also had Iurisdiction and authority to govern the same That Arch-Bishops and Bishops have the Authority and are ordained to convene and deprive all Ministers inferiour who shall not subscribe the Articles of Religion and recognoscing of the King and his Authority That Arch-Bishops and Bishops have authority to assign Ministers Glebes That they shall nominate and appoint Visitations c. and persons in every Parochin for settling Taxation for upholding Kirks c. That they shall direct charges how the Minister of the Parochin shall proceed to excommunications That they shall try the rent of Hospitals and call for the foundations thereof The Iurisdiction of the Kirk is declared to stand in preaching the Word of Iesus Christ correction of manners and administration of Sacraments And no other Authority allowed but Arch-Bishops and Bishops intended to continue in Authority as is cleer by these Acts following First All persons returning from forein Travails are within twenty daies to pass to the Bishop Super-intendent Commissioner of the Kirk to give a Confession of their faith That none presume to impugn the Dignity and Authority of the three Estates or to seek or procure the innovation or diminution of their power and authority or any of them in time coming under pain of Treason That Bishops are to try and judge Ministers guilty of crimes meriting deprivation That no Ministers exercise any other Office beside their Calling and to be adjudged by their Ordinaries of Bishops All Acts whatever heretofore anent the Kirk of God and Religion now professed are ratified That the three Estates especially considering the persons exercising the offices titles and dignities of Prelates which persons have ever represented one of the Estates c. Therefore declare that the Kirk in Scotland is the true and holy Kirk and that such Ministers as the King shall provide to the Dignity of a Bishop shall have vote in Parliament as any Ecclesiastical Prelate ever had by-gon And null all manner of Acts made in prejudice of Bishops Honours Dignities c. competitent to them or their estate since the reformation of Religion The same revived Ordains Arch-bishops and Bishops to be elected by their Chapters and consecrate by the Order accustomed And yet we must confess they were oftentimes striking at the root and branch of Bishops as others of them did against the Power and Majesty of Princes for Buchanan terms the phraises of Majesty Highness Excellency Solaecismos et Barbarismos aulicos Jeering at the outward State of Princes comparing them to childrens Puppets garishly attired That a good Prince should be defended with innocency Non superbo speculatorum et caetu sericatisque nebulonibus stipatus Another of theirs Davison his Pamphlet printed in those times forced through with base invectives both against the Government of Scotland and England with most dangerous insinuations to Rebellion The Genevian Ministers and their Tenents also were dispersed in England wholly into such Arguments Out of two more pestilent sundry seditious positions may be collected Goodman and another Author stiled True Obedience or rather perfect rebellion It may be true t is no Treason to resist the Soveraign for defence of Religion nor no treasonable assertion That a lawful Prince may be deposed in case of revolt from God and these are the proposition of all Christian Professors but these Men following their own deceiptful wiles and irregular opinions adjudged that to be errour or idolatry which perhaps may not be so and may traduce goodness and virtue by the rule of their own strained conceit and so differ in the manner and matter as reason and conscience differ from fury and frenzy And yet these their Doctrines Whittingham afterwards unworthy Dean of Durham in his preface to Goodmans book saith that they were approved by the best learned meaning Calvin and the rest of the Genevians Gilby Coverdale Whitehead and
others But then let me tell them who were the other worser learned men as he will have them that fled Queen Maries persecution to Franckford Zurick and Basill declining Geneva those were Scory Barlow Cox Beacon Bale Parkhurst Grindall Sands Nowell Wisdom and Iewell and very many more that maintained the Reformation of King Edwards time and therefore Knox said That the English at Geneva were separated from that superstitious company at Franckford Notwithstanding these quarrellers heretofore at the first yet in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths dayes they pretended to agree in Harmonical Confessions though in several disciplines till Cartwright and Travers in his Disciplina Ecclesiastica makes their own tenents so positive as that If every hair of their heads were a life they would lose them all to defend their Discipline Then came in to their Gang Udall and Penry and call that discipline onely pure perfect righteous full of goodness peace and honor ordained for the joy and happiness of all Nations Therein followed them Martin and his two sons and Gilbie and so like very apt scholars in evil they out-went their masters to the Devil for joyning with Copinger Hackett and others they fell into a desperare designe of Treason for which Hacket was hanged At last increasing in very bold wayes and desperate tenents dispersed in Pamphlets Rithmes and Ballads It was thought fit to open their eyes and understandings by some grave and learned declaration for setling their mad brains which was effected by that most reverend and learned Divine Hooker in his Ecclesiast Policie which for a long time during the time of times silenced all their Railings and so satisfied the wiser sort that the Church of God got quiet from such disturbers till of late daies But to return to our History In Iune was compleated the League with England hammered out for defence of both Nations against the Holy League as the Papists would have it the Commissioners meeting at Barwick concluded these Aritcles upon the former reasons 1. To joyn and unite in a more strict League than ever had been before 2. To draw other Princes Reformed into their society 3. To be offensive and defensive against any Contractors with their enemies 4. Not to assist any Invader of either Kingdom 5. That the Scots to assist England against any Invasion with two thousand horse and five thousand foot at the Queens charge from the borders The Queen the like to Scotland but with three thousand horse and six thousand foot 6. If the North of England there the Scots to assist with all their force for thirty dayes the usual time of attending their own King 7. The King not to suffer Scots to be transported into Ireland but by leave of the Queen 8. Not to countenance either Rebels or Revolters 9. That all the controversies of the Borderers be civilly reconciled 10. Neither Princes to enter League with any other without the consent of both 11. All by-gone Treaties of either with other Princes shall stand in full force the cause of Religion excepted 12. These Articles to be confirmed by Oath and Hands and Seals 13. Lastly That the King at twenty five yeers old shall confirm these by the States of Scotland as the Queen will then do by her Parliament of England This was the begining of Q. Eliz. design which she presumed would in time be considerable with other reformed States confederate though in earnest the whole intention of the Papists had reference to the Church of England the absolute orthodox Conserver of the true ancient Apostolick faith though by observation of succeeding times in some relations it appears of late wonderfully indangered But besides that of Religion and strengthening her affairs in policie with other Princes upon that score she had a further aâ—m to confirm amity with the King whom she was assured forthwith mightily to offend and to endanger her safety and honour with all the Christian world For now with leave of the Reader having been led somewhat too long in the Church affairs let us remind the poor Captive Queen Mary upon whom all the former suspitions reflected and so hâ—stened to her ruin for Queen Elizabeth casting about to make things safer than fast resolved upon the way most desperate which if it took not well was yet the onely way by taking Mary out of the way and so give end to Elizabeths jealousies to secure her Person from Treasons to joynt her power now divided and to settle her people from imbroiles and diviâ—â—ons But soft and fair the wily wits of Walsingham and Burleigh must be busied about it For now she is removed from her fifteen yeers custody under the good Earl of Shrewsbury unto Sir Amias Pawlet and Sir Drew Drury on purpose to put her upon extremity of redress against their extream imprisoning And so she endeavors and deals with the Pope and Spain by Englefeild to hasten their designs however which designs indeed is so peeced and patcht together by those that writ of them as if each mans fancy in reference to the publick must needs take effect of Rebellious interpretation And what ere was whispered in that sence was sure to be put upon the poor Queens account by which she smarted for in this Parliament of England the former Association of the Lords was confirmed by both Houses and strict Acts against Catholicks and abetters in Treason which occasioned Philip Howard Earl of Arundel eldest son of the late Duke of Norfolk three yeers since restored in blood to complain of his enemies pursuing him to the death as others had done to his Great Grandfather condemned and never came to tryal his Grandfather beheaded for trifles and his father likewise for concernments of lesser moment Himself thus afflicted endeavoring to retire out of the Kingdom but was taken and sent to the Tower where he found Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland as accessory to Thorgmortons design who Pistolled himself some dayes after but Arundel was onely fined in Star-Chamber The Catholicks desparate to do something were animated thereto by Ballard a Priest who from hence goes into France and there layes his designs with the Old Plotters Pope Guises the Spaniard and Parma to invade England and free Queen Mary and returning home confederates with Babington and six more principal gentlemen to kill Queen Elizabeth All which their plottings were daily discovered to Secretary Walsingham by one Pooley their companion and so confident were they of success that Babington had his own picture and those about him all to the life with this verse circumscribed Hi mihi sunt comites quos ipsa pericula ducunt But this verse too plain they inserted in the place Quorsum haec aliò properantibus The Queen being shewed these faces knew â—one but Barnwell Babington to hasten this design resolves to go over himself And by Pooley's means insinuates with Walsingham and ingages to discover
unbury the dead saies one and raise the coffined corps of Murray and the Sheriff against Lieth Church door their friends refusing them other funeral until revenge were taken of their slaughter and who more earnest in this resentment than the Lord Uchiltry who ignorant of any ill meaning was put upon the errand to perswade Murray to come to reconcilement which by this means was turned to murther and in regret of his Dishonour the rather sought out Bothwell to bare stakes at all hazards with him And in earnest they are But the Church interrupt the story who when the State was mostly in mischief then were they busiest for themselves the Ministery Intermixing pious Articles in their petition to the Parliament but evermore interfeering with Soveraignty The first of their demands being willingly confirmed against Papists Idolatry and crimes of blood with which the Land indeed was then much poluted But for abrogating the former acts of Anno 1584. against discipline of the Church and their liberty and in place thereof a Ratification now of the practice then The Kings wisdom foresaw the inconveniences which the Ministers assume from that term of liberty But Bothwells Business interrupting the Kings quiet a time of advance to their demands the Act was warily passed and as for the Statute of Regal power Supremacy in the King which they mostly aimed to abrogate It was only declared It should be no waies derogatory to the spiritual Office-bearer in the Church concerning heads of Religion Heresie Excommunication Collation or deprivation of Ministers or any such having ground and warrant of Gods word The King removes to Faulkland where Bothwell attempts a fresh Conspiracy being assisted by the Earls of Angus and Arroll the Master of Gray Collonel Stuart and the Lairds of Iohnston and Balmery they had their several Postures the latter met him with four hundred horse Angus kept watch without and Arrol was alwaies with the King Stuart must be the Porter to let the others in Somwhat they attempted which gave suspition sufficient so that Arrol was committed to Edenburgh Castle and the Collonel to Blackness But why these at Court were so hasty without the power of Bothwell fell out upon a false Spie that gave warning ere the Forces were nigh For Bothwell with no more than six score the Rascallity pickt up upon the Borders English and Scotish marching two daies and nights with slender diet and faint watchings arrived at Faulkland at midnight where he found the Court at their Sentries by which he feared the discovery But the day soon opened the midst of Iune and he encamped on the Hill side His Followers fall upon any booty break open the Queens stables and take out the Horses and what other baggage came to hand more regarding present plunder than the hazard of their Chief who thus at loss and the County coming in He was forced to flie but how or whether in martial Order he knew not and therefore by the next Midnight he stole away The King with his company followed by the Ferry mistaking the way hastened his course by Sterlin-bridge where Bothwells men in disorder separate to all parts and were soon seized some in the Moors of Calder and Carnwath the Horses unman'd their Riders falling from their Saddles for want of sleep Others taken napping not able to stand were committed to several Holds and some knockt on the heads by poor Plow-boys and all of them so weak that a few women mastered the most of them and Bothwell got into England And the King by experience and his own clemency found it the best way to proclaim pardon to all that would forsake the grand Traytor and come in knowing that some others might be interessed in that plot and too many of note for him to meddle with For whether in affection to Bothwell or malice to the Master of Glammis the Treasurer his Enemy Alexander Lindsey Lord of Spinie in great favour works secret attempts to reconcile him to the King Collonel Stuart still Prisoner in Blackness in hope of nope of liberty discovers it to the King at Dunfres by Sir Iames Sandilands the keeper of that house who justified before the Council That Spinie had harboured Bothwel at Aberdowre The other denies all and claims the combate which Sandilands not making good Spinie recovers into favour and yet infected with treasonable intents the next year he openly takes part with Bothwell and is denounced Rebel Others also Weymis of Logie of the Kings Bed-chamber was more than suspected and committed to Guard until his Mistress the Queens Dutch Maid in the Kings name after bed time brought the Prisoner to be questioned by the King himself the Keepers waiting without he was let in to the Chamber and out at a Window by a Rope and this being a Love-trick for her to hazard the halter the Ladies liking the conceipt and upon mariage with her Paramour procured the Queens favour and pardon for them both And with these aforesaid and divers others the faction of Bothwel increased with men of all rancks Barons and Burgesses intertaining him openly in several parts of the Country and in Tweedale the most part of those people whether the King was fain to take journey as far as Iedbury to pacifie them and settle their fidelity No sooner returned but new factions at home against the Chancellor and by the greatest Lenox Arguile Morton Glammis and Lord Hume with whom Angus Arrol and but lately released prison adjoin occasioned by the Chancellours refusing the Queens claim to some Lands of his which set the wheel in going and which forced him in wisdome to withdraw from Court into the Country for this year In the North also the Clanhattons conducted by Angus Williamson in pretence of revenge of Earl Murrays death make havock of all that belongs to Huntley with fire and Sword and fell foul upon an aged Man Gordon of Barckley for no crime but his honesty and kindred to Huntley who in revenge commits cruelties upon his Enemies encountring a great party sixty of them were slain and some of his own side And not satisfied with this he summons all the High-landers and with their help devastates all that Country and kills many until a Commission to Angus Lord Lieutenant with power of the Counties forced a cessation on both sides and returning in Triumph was seized as a Traytor and committed to the Castle of Edenburgh upon some Letters intercepted and signed by him Huntley Arrol and others to the King of Spain and sent by George Ker whose confession was That upon the receipt of Letters from Creighton the Iesuit in Spain unto Gordon and Abercrombie for alteration of Religion those return answer of the Scots concurrence and for more secrecy these three Earls undertake for all and blanks signed by them to be filled in Spain and intrusted to the Bearers in October last And he avowed
and outward Gates enforced the King to shew himself to the People who were come to his rescue as in freedom and to command them to depart And Bothwel thus emboldened got Bowes the Ambassadour to side with them and to urge these Articles from the King Pardon of all former Attempts and Treason by him or his Associates with restoration of all which they heretofore possessed and to abandon the Chancellour the Lord Hume the Master of Glammis and others To all the King signed with witnesses of all manner of men Lords and Ministers thereunto The next Day August 20. the King removes to Falkland Lenox Ochiltry and Crichton of Clany waited on him with directions from Bothwel to see that the King kept to his late Articles in which time Bothwel attained an Assise to purge him of his practicing with Witches the original of his mischief but the King in disdain to be thus misused goes to Sterling and under colour of conâ—orming the Highlanders proâ—ures a Convention of other Lords necessarily frequent and effectual Hamilton Mar Morton Glencarn Montross Lindsey and Levingston two Bishops and two Priors and some Burgesses The King enters them with some business of the Borders but in earnest relates to them the Indignities he had endured by Bothwel which they knew and puts it upon their Honours whether he were bound to the late Conditions so extorted from him in terrour and fear of his life lets them see their own insecurity when himself is over-powred and forced by Villanies as a captive King to submit unto Subjects unjust demands in destruction of his loyal Councellours and eminent Officers They concluded Bothwels Fact treasonable and those Articles void freedom in the King to call his Servants and Councellours about him and resolved to publish by Act his Majesties power as a free Prince to chuse his Councellours and Servants about his Person and that the Conditions signed to Bothwel in August last to be null And being now set upon it two Commissions were sent to him to signifie thus much and of the Kings favour for him to supplicate for pardon before November next and then to depart the Realm till the Kings pleasure Bothwel seemed humble but meets with Athol Montross and a number of men at Sterling to whom the King sends to dissolve his Train and retire home for the King was coming thither with the Lord Home and some Forces were sent before to scoure the way who encountring Montross takes him Prisoner and the Court coming to Edenburgh Bothwel is cited and denounced Rebell again These Troubles were raised by the Lords of Religion but see what the Papists do The Catholick Lords had been cited to the last Parliament in Iuly but failed by some defect in the Libell and so were remitted to the King and Councel which was suspected in favour the Synode of Fife therefore excommunicate Angus Huntley Arrol Home and Chisholm and writ to Edenburgh for them to do so there The King displeased with such Proceedings requires M. Bruce there great Pastor to stay Sentence the Persons neither cited nor subject to Fife Synode and if this be your Order says he for one to excommunicate with their direction for others to do so too who can be sure to eschew trouble But Bruce boldly told the King that the Ministers had their own Reasons and were answerable onely to the General Assembly Well says the King your Discipline hath distasted all men and seeing your practices are without good President I will bethink me of some Remedy The Popish Lords complain to the King at Falaw and humbly crave a legal Trial but were commanded to enter their persons at Perth and abide there till the Trial and lest any jealousie should censure the King as conniving the Abbot of Lunders was sent to the English Ambassadour and to Edenburgh Ministery to tell them the truth and it was time so to do For now such News got wings and Commissioners of all the several Churches from all parts convene and finding the Church of God King and Kingdom in eminent peril they prepare Articles of advice That the Trial of the excommunicate Lords be not prevented but their Day prorogued onely for the conveniency of the Professors of the Religion to be their Accusers for their Treasons committed in the mean time to stand committed their Iury to be nominated by their Accusers the whole Professors of the Gospel that they being excommunicate and so cut off from the Body of the Church of God have no benefit of the Law till they be reconciled to the Church and that such onely as profess the Religion may be a Guard to the King against the Enemies of God the Countrey not brooking them and us together The King startled at their Inscription not owning he said such Convention nor them Commissioners assembling without his consent â—ut vouchsafed to receive them as humble Subjects but not otherwise commissioned And of his own gracious intention told them That the said Lords met him at Falaw and humbly craved a legal Trial to which the Ministers had often solicited and which in honor and justice he with his Councel had granted and considering the time and place Perth not so proper he had resolved it at Linlithgow at the meeting of the Estates and with their advice and that neither Iudges nor Iuries should be other than men indifferent and for his own Guard those whom he called thither should be welcom others should not be so They accused the Lord Home of residing at Court The King told them His Day assigned to satisfie the Ministers was not as yet and if you can accuse him in particular for the present let him answer for himself And so sent them away The Assembly unsatisfied advertise all parts to be in Arms at the Day of Trial which the King timely prohibits without his Warrant They answer that in the cause of God their Defence must not be deficient Which the King inhibits by Proclamation Declaring his course taken for their Trial in July last but hindred by Bothwels Rebellions he now convenes the Estates at Linlithgow for that and other necessities of the Kingdom the Lords themselves earnest Suitors to abide the Law and satisfie the Church and therefore commands the Subjects not to make Convocations but if any meeting were already of that nature then to dissolve and return home under pain of punishment But meet they would with such numbers as shortened the Proceedings and in summe Commissioners were chosen by the Estates to consider of the Popish Lords their Offers and Petitions to try their Accusations and Purgations and what they determine should be valid and effectual as in Parliament or Convention The Commissioners were the Chancellour Mar Montross and Rothes sundry Lords and Lairds and divers of the Ministery named to be admitted to the Conference The 12th of November they meet and conclude That the true Religion established the
Rebellion And therefore Proclaims all their particular proceedings with remonstance of their Misdemeanors and to prevent disorder now and confusion to follow by advise of his Councill discharges the commissioners and dissolves their convention illegal in it self and worse unlawfully executed by them Whom he commands by Name to depart home in 24 hours to attend their flocks and duties in their Ministery And no wayes to return to convene either within or without the Burroughs of Edenburgh under the pain of Rebellion But we tire the reader and yet hereby we may discover what they did in such like many more for to the death they will proceed Hereupon they consult that seing they had been convened by the warrant of Christ to take care of hazard to the Church Et ne quid ecclesia detrimenti caperet They should obey God rather than man And notwithstanding any charge to the contrary to continue together and to send to the Octavians those 8 Councellors of State formerly mentioned that seing at the entrance to their places the Church was in quiet and peace and now to be imbroyled the Enemies to truth overpowring and all by their councels and connivance The event of evil must fall upon them the Contrivers or Connivers The President hastily made answer As they began so let them end the Councills advice neither was desired nor given on either part and therefore would not meddle between the King and them but leave it to his Majesty and Nobles This answer taught them fresh advice to remonstrate to the King himself by Messengers of their own and fearing the effects the Kings anger humbly interceed for surcease of Processe against Master Blake Until his Majesty should be pleased to convoke an Assembly for deciding all controversies to the Kings content To which he consented provided they would passe by the Declinator or at least to declare that it was not a Generall but a particular Declinator used in Blakes case only as being a cause of slander and so appertaining to the judgment of the Church This by the wiser was held fit to be received as an end of contention No! Rather to stand to their tacklings Gods cause Against worldly powers Ravelling into former examples of prevailing against Princes Others argued to try Mastery with Majesty may faile of effects as yet the Court stand in some fear of the Church and to keep up their concept let us take the best conditions we can least our weaknesse appear if we have the worst and so the terror of the Church despised or neglected Much will portends little wit and as it is often seen who gripes at all grasp nought but wind and to levy all their wills is to lose all their wits of which God send them more plenty than appears by their proceedings But not prevailing the King proceeds to proclaim their departure and Blakes appearance as afore ordered The next day sunday solemnized the christning of the Princesse Bows Ambassadour gave Her name from his Queen Elizabeth and the Town of Edenburgh by their Majestrates assisted as other witnesses Yet all that day in the Churches were bitter invectives The Commissioners of the Church presented a Petition to the King and Council That seing the decision of intricate questions could work no good and was subtilly urged to ingender discention between his Majesty and the Church he would be pleased to remit the discision to a lawfull Assembly and not to incroch upon the limitts of Christs Kingdom upon any pretence but to bend his actions against the common Enemie of the Church and state the Papists Then they exhort the Noblemen to give his Majesty faithfull Counsel and not to be subject to the guilt of sin by the craft of such as seek the thraldom of the Gospel who intend to exite their honours to be the Executors of their malitious devises With order to those that presented this Petition that if the same was refused to enjoyn them to protest against the preceeding of the Councel The King rejects it as not worthy of Answer commanding to call Blake to his summons First That he affirmed in Pulpit that the Popish Lords were returned with his Majesties knowledg and further assurance wherein he had detected the treachery of his heart Secondly that he called all Kings the Divells barns and that the Divel was in the court and in the Guiders thereof Thirdly That in his prayers for Queen Ann he had used these words we must pray for her in fashion but we have no cause she will never do us good That he called the Queen of England an Atheist That he had discussed a suspention granted by the Lords of Session in Pulpit and called them Miscreants and Bribers That the Nobillity were degenerate godlesse dissemblers and enimies to the Church That the Council were Holliglasses Cormorants and men of no Religion And that he had convocated divers Noblemen and others within Saint Andrews in June 1594. caused them to take arms in troops of Horse and Foot and thereby usurped the power of King and Council After reading of the summons Robert Pont their Minister protested that the processe in hand should not prejudice the Church To which the King answered that he meant not to meddle with matters of doctrine but to censure the treasonable speeches of a Minister which he and his Councel would judg except that by scripture it could be held forth that Ministers were not subject in these cases to judicatures Blake makes answer that the accusations were false calumnies producing testimonies of two which he alleged should be preferred to aâ—y report whatsoever Next he said That to the first six points the Council were not lawfull Iudges of speeches in Pulpit but the Presbytery where the sermon was uttered And so presents a second Declinator But being put to voyces it was sentenced That the crimes and accusations mentioned in the summons were seditious and treasonable and that the King and Council were competent Judges in all matters criminall or civill as well to Ministers as other subjects The Council dissolved the King willing to conserve peace and amity to the Ministers offered terms of reconciliation and to return Blake to his charge and Pastorage Bruce answered That if it concern'd only Master Blake the offer might be accepted but the liberty of Christs Kingdom being wounded by the Proclamation and by usurping spiritual Iurisdiction of greater consequence then Master Blakes life and twenty more and that if those things were not retreated they would oppose during the last aspiration of breath The King the next morning treated with some of theirs Shewing how far he was from impairing spiritual Jurisdiction that he would amplifie and inlarge the same but said he to discourse of State in Pulpits is intollerable I clame to judg in matters of sedition and civil and criminal causes and of speeches that may import such crimes and if the Pulpit should be a place of privilege under
colour of doctrine to stir up sedition no good man will grant If Treason and sedition be crimes punishable much more comitted in the Pulpit where the word of truth only should be taught I am not ignorant what France of late and England formerly have suffered by the violence of such spirits And I may not indure it Hereupon the Church finding the King resolved desire some Declaration to be made to the people in favour of Church Assemblies which they feared was hereby of late somewhat weakned which the King assented unto and it was accordingly published to give finall conclusion to these differences Blake was required only to acknowledg his offence to Queen Ann. And to be pardoned of all This he would not do and was therefore sentenced To have falsely sâ—andered and treasonably calumniated the Kings Majesty his consort the Queen his Neighbour Princesse the Queen of England the Lords of the Council and Session and that till his Majesties further pleasure he should be confined beyond the North water enter ward within six dayes and Ten daies more were taken up to decide these differences and the King condiscends to lesser submissions than before But the Commissioners refuse to agree to any censure of Master Blake as not done by the proper Iudg. And so they ordain a fast and pray and preach complaints of wrong done to the Kingdom of Christ. The King on his part made the grounds of his displeasure known to his people by Declaâ—ation setting forth particulars of the last Transactions Ordaining all Ministers to subscribe their obedience to his Majesty and to set their hands to the bonds presented to them to that effect under pain of sequestring their rents and stipends till they submitted Blake to go to ward and the Commissioners to remove out of Town They increase Aspersions upon the King who willingly would have recalled these sentences and Publications and some Ministers were treated therein till a scandalous Letter was devised and sent by under hand advise that Huntley had private reception by the King over night and caused the charge against the Ministers Balcanqual takes his text out of the Canticles and so to present the troubles of the Church relates the late proceedings which he calls treacherous forms of the Council naming particular officers The President and Controuler and Advocate with reproachfull raylings and concludes to advise the Barons and Nobles to meet in the little Church for assisting the ministry From them came a petition to the King in behalf of his Ministers and presented to him in the uper house of session with complaints uttered by Bruce of all which had passed The King declining the petition and remonstrance asked who they were that durst convene against his proclomation The Lord Lindsey passionatly replied That they durst do more than so and would not indâ—re destruction of Religion Numbers of people thronging into the Room the King removed the people seduced by Lindsey and others some said arm others called out to bring forth Haman others cry'd out the sword of the Lord and Gideon And with much adoe to appease the peoples rage at they knew not what The Lords and Ministers meet propose Articles to the King and whilst they design who shall present them each one refusing The King and Councel remove out of Edenburgh into Linlithgow Ordering a Proclamation to signifie the reasons of this departure the Town being unsafe for his person and Council and unfit for the administration of justice by the late in sufferable Tumults commanding all Lords of session Commissioners c. and their Deputies to remove out of the Town of Edenburgh and be in redinesse to that place they should be after assigned And the Noblemen and Barons to withdraw to their own Houses and not to covene or Assemble under pain of the Kings displeasure The City is amazed with these proceedings not knowing what to do or whom to trust unto The Ministers night and day restlesse to get subscriptions and to covenant to call in certain Noblemen of note Hamelton Backlugh and others Fast and pray and preach what stuffe best befits their projects one amongst many others Iohn Welch takes his theam the Epistle sent to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus rayl'd against the King who he said was possessed of a Divel and one Divel the King put out seven worse are entred in That the Subjects might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hand by example saies he Of a father faln into frenzie might be bound hand and foot by his family from doing mischief Yet this execrable doctrine was received by some nay they preach that the Earl Arrol had come to the Ferry with four hundred horse the day of Tumult but the rising of the people as a providence of God for good scattered his forces in fear of the Town so prepared And being Masters of all they undertake to send Messengers to the Earl Hamelton with letters that the people animated by motion of Gods spirit had taken Arms with the patronage of such Godly well affected Noblemen and Brethren then at Edenburgh for the cause of God Only they wanted a Head an especial Nobleman to countenance their cause And having made chioce of him they invite him to Edenburgh with all convenient speed and thereby to signifie his affection and to accept the honor which the Church of God had offered unto him It was writ and subscribed by Bruce and Balcanquall and sent to Hamelton who receives the Messenger with all shew of kindness and seems to prepare his journey for Edenburgh but by the way better advised he turns to Linlithgow and presents the King with the letter who wondered at the modesty of the man accounted more ambitious than to neglect such a rise to tempt his humour by whom had the letter taken effect it might have caused strang Rebellions when the Church had begun to act their part with so much power a bloody issue alwaies following the pretended zeal for Religion as the most part of Christendom have felt the miserable effects and great Britain most of all The insurrection and letter made work for speedy Counsel to act for the King and the Provost had order for imprisoning the Ministers who got loose and fled to New Castle in England The Town send Commissioners to purge themselves protesting their Innocencâ—e and offer their obedience for repairing the indignity and dishonor done to the King but served not for their purgation for the next day the Tumult was by the Counsel declared Treason and the devisers Actors and Partakers to be Traytors Edenburgh smarted for all the inhabitants in fear of desolation the law-Courts removed to Lith the Session to Perth the Ministers fled the Magistrates dispised and all men without the walls their enemies And again most humbly supplicate the King with the best excuse for themselves The King told them that he would proceed with them
treacheries worrying the Iesuits with no success scattered some tales that King Iames favoured Papists and despised the Queen who had sight of some Letters in truth indited by the villany of his Secretary Elphingston and the Kings hand counterfeit and Seal to the same and seeming to confirm it they had hired a notorious Villain in England one Tomas condemned for Theft and to unburthen his conscience pretends to reveal a secret and accuse the King in some generals but never revealed any yet was the wretch reprieved and though her wisdom knew well the malice and cunning contrivance of these Plots to clear her belief she sends Bows Ambassadour to the King and by Queries she examples her affection to him before any other and expects no retribution but by him the glory of God and not be wanting to himself The King knew no better means to suppress the credit of false rumours than by his own pious practice in Religion by outward frequency in the exercises of Prayer and Preaching duly performing and executing his Justice and Mercy with such wisdom and piety as made his virtues thereby more transparent to the common view and sense of all men He wisely gave way to divers Books publishing his right of Succession to the Crown of England with Arguments and Reasons of the benefit and advantage to the people of both Nations that in pious policie his intentions would be hereafter to force Ireland to Religion and to continue War with Spain He numbers his then princely issue as the defence of State his power and strength to oppose Enemies the good affections to him of Christian Princes and proposes miserable Examples of Usurpers Whilest Bows was about his business at Court he findes an Englishman Ashfield bold enough to bid himself welcom besides his merit for his brave Present some hunting Horses for the Kings Saddle but in his journey it seems over-saucy with the English Warden or rather suspected as a Spy to carry Tales to the King however Bows had direction to teach him the Ambassadours craft and enticing him by his servants to Lieth was in his drink coached away to Barwick The King takes this indignity offered to himself secures the Ambassadors lodgings and se nds to Barwick for release of the Prisoner The Governour excuses that demand not to demit him without the Queens pleasure And so disputes grew high with the Ambassadour as injurious to the honor of both Crownes which he denied and turn'd the fact upon his men without his knowledge but this was Mentiendi facultate and the King not vouchsafing him any more Audience he departed much discontent Sundry disputes were sawcily maintained concerning the Kings Title to the Crown of England Besides the discourses oppugning Amongst many Iohn Colvil Minister published his Recantation in print and stiled the Palionode of John Colvil c. wherein having confuted the contrary reasons he professed That Malitiously in time of exile as you have heard he had penned the Treatise which now out of conscience he recants Some say that he was not Author of that book which he appugned only to get favour of the King he professed the work that had come forth without a name and was then accounted a Pithy and perswasive cunning discourse of that subject At this time was published the K. Basilicon Doron directed to the Prince upon this occasion Sir Iames Semple servant to the K. and Amanuensis therein lent the copie to Andrew Melvil Minister who misliking so much ruth which touched the Ministers copie-hold in their discipline tdispersed several transcriptions amongst the Brethren and thereupon a Libell was framed and cast in before the Synod of Saint Andrews with such exceptions as they pleased to set down It was asked what censure should be inflicted upon him that had given such instructions to the Prince and whether he could be well affected to Religion that had delivered such precepts of Government The Kings Commissioners in the Synod apprehending the Libell to concern his Majesty whom they knew to be the Author of the book inquired for the Presenters And all pretending ignorance the Commissioners shut the doors and purged each one by oath yet was it prooved the next day to be Iohn Dikes Minister who in fear of the Citation before the Council fled and was denounced Rebell And Hereupon rumors were hatched how prejudicial these directions were to the Church But to satisfie the truth the Book came abroad and was carried into England with admiration of all men to read the Kings piety and wisdom Heretofore somewhat doubted by the deceipt of certain discourses which now were sure to be replied unto and evermore somewhat of Consequence for the Kings just title to the Crown of England By which and his continual disputes and reasoning with learned men of all knowledg He in truth soon became royally famed through Christendom and more effectual with her whom he was to succeed Her self grown very studious and retired and because she excelled in languages she translates out of French and Latine Salust and Horace which she writ with her own hand and extant And in this general Assembly of the Church a politick Ordinance was published To have the next year begin at the Calends of Ianuary and from thenceforth for ever For before that time the year was reckoned as in some other Churches from the 25. of March And now disposing votes for the Ministry in Parliament I shall close up the yeer with the pitifull discovery of the State of Bishopricks and how farr this godly Kirk had incroched upon them So that there rested no more but to Nominate perons to the Bishopricks that were voyd Aberdeen and Arguile had their own Incumbents at the time both actuall Preachers Saint Andrews and Glascow were in the hands of the Duke of Lenox Murray was possessed by the Lord Spinie Orkney by the Earl of Orkney Dunkeld Birchen and Dumblane had their own titulars but were not ordinary Preachers Galloway and the Isles so dilapidated as scarce to be remembred that ever they had been Ross and Cathnes some provision were left And so we return to England The Queen much perplexed the Irish Rebellion mightily increasing and that Nation in lamentable condition by Ter-oen or Tyrone and others though but lately broken out and how to quench that fire was her and her whole Councils continual care And therefore they consider of present forces to be sent over extraordinary under command of a Generalis sâ—mo for that expedition And after some debate the Earl of Essex was markt out by the Queen to that purpose though Secretary Caecil hated him to the death His wit made him equal to mate the others greatness and never left untill he brought him to the Block with the weight also of his own wicked desert Give me leave to let in the Reader with some reasons why and how Essex and Caecil whom Authors make Antagonists had several
Renestern Swatrenburgh Wertenburgh Hannaw Oeting Glick and Leonstime All in the Baronies of Lenefergh Schenburgh and Wildenfield All the Churches of at least thirty free Cities Many of whose Territories are as ample as Geneva and yet none of them have received the Presbyterian Discipline Add to these the remainder of the Albigenses and Waldenses in Piedmont in the parts adjoyning or of the Taborites in Bohemia the Lutheran Churches also in Poland Denmark and Swethland And indeed Calvin and Beza both are sufficient Judges to prove they were no Enemies to moderate Episcopacy but onely against Romish Hierarchy See Calvin de necessitate reformandae Ecclesiae and Beza de grad Minister Evangel 18. Sect. 3. Themselves well knowing that Episcopacy then did direct the guidance of grave and wise Over-seers which otherwise would fall into Schisms and after grow into Heresies These Items and many more such were put together to set them forth in some measure untill the Day advanced for the Conference at Hampton-court in Iaruary Whether was summoned by Letters the Arch Bishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London Durham Winton Worcester St Davids Chichester Carlile and Peterborough the Deans of the Chapel Pauls West-Chester Salisbury and Westminster On the other part were these Doctors Reynolds and Sparks Mr Knewstubs and Mr Chaderton Agents for the Millenary Plaintiffs says the Book and these four were the fittest that could be found amongst them all The King sent for the Bishops to come before him in private and entered their Assemblying with a grave and princely Declaration of this his general drift By example of all Christian Princes in commencements of their Reign establishing the Doctrine and policy of the Church Henry 8. did it toward the end of his Reign Edward 6. altered more Queen Mary reversed all and Queen Elizabeth settled it as now it standeth His happiness is to have no cause to alter but to confirm what he findeth and which so affects him that he entered into a gratulation to Almighty God for bringing him into the promised Land where Religion was purely professed and to sit amongst grave learned and reverend men not as before elsewhere a King without State Honour or Order where beardless boys would yet beard him to his face acknowledging now the Government Ecclesiastical to be approved by manifold blessings of God increase of the Gospel and a glorious Peace But as nothing could be so ordered but may have additions and in any State as in the body of man corruptions might insensibly grow either through time or persons of which some complaints have pretended Reformation His purpose therefore was to try the complaints and remove the occasions if scandalous or to cure them if dangerous or if but frivolous to take so much knowledg thereof as to cast a Sop into Cerberus his mouth never to â—ark more to give factious spirits no occasion of boasting and to redress what should appear fitting without any visible alteration And in particular the King signified he called them alone about some points to be satisfied himself concerning the Book of Common Prayer and Service Excommunication in Ecclesiastical Courts Providing of able Ministers for Ireland First in the Book confirming of Baptism as if without it the Sacrament were invalid then were it blasphemous Secondly for the use at first indeed upon occasion that Infants being baptized and answering by their Patrini it was necessary they should be examined at years of discretion and confirmed by the Bishop with a Blessing and Prayer but abhorred it as a Popish Sacrament and courleration of Baptism About Absolution that there being onely two kindes General and Particular all Prayers and Preaching import an Absolution the other is to be applied to special parties after a scandal and repentance are resolved Thirdly Private Baptism if private for peace so did the Primitive Church if for persons none ought but a lawfull Minister and therefore was earnest against Women and Layicks Excommunication To consider the matter whether executed in light causes and too often In the persons why Lay-men Chancellours and Commissioners do it why not the Bishops with the Dean and Chapters or Ministers or Chaplains Ireland This for Ireland was referred to a consultation hereafter Confirmation The Arch Bishop shewed the Antiquity of Confirmation from the Apostles till of late some particular Churches had rejected it he declared the lawfull use thereof and affirmed that the Church of England did not hold Baptism imperfect without it or added any thing to the virtue and strength thereof this he manifested by the Rubricks in the Communion Book before Confirmation The Bishop of London said It did not depend onely upon Antiquity as in Cyprian Ep. 73. and Hierom. adversus Luciferian but was one of the particular points of the Apostles Catechism in express words Heb. 6. 2. and so did Calvin expound that very place which was read and approved That we made it not a Sacrament or Corroboration and yet the King was of opinion it might rather be intituled Examination with a Confirmation Absolution It was cleared from all abuse or superstition the Minister does but pronounce Absolution in general after the Confession that in the Communion Book there was another particular and personal Form of Absolution for the Visitation of the Sick and that the Confessions of Augusta Boheme Saxon which be there cited do retain and allow it and so does Calvin approve such a kinde of Confession and Absolution Private Baptism That the Administration by Women and Layicks was not practised of the Church but inquired of by Bishops in their Visitations and censured and although the words in the Book might seem doubtfull yet the Compilers did not so intend them and yet propounded them ambiguously perhaps that it might thereby pass in Parliament and in case of necessity onely and was so agreeable to the practice of ancient Church as Acts 2. where three thousand were baptized in one day impossible for the Apostles to do themselves or improbable and besides them there were no Bishops or Priests and Tertullian and Saint Ambrose in Ephes. 4. are plain in that point laying open also the impious opinions who think there is no necessity of Baptism not as if without it God could not save the Childe and the case being put as incertain if not baptized but if baptized an evident assurance and so rather to ground upon Christ's promise than by omission upon Gods secret judgments The King replied That the place Acts 2. was an act extraordinary the Church then unsettled and ungrounded now stablished and flourishing that he maintained necessity of Baptism as to the place of Saint John Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua c. was meant of Baptism and that fourteen Moneths ago he did argue in Scotland against his Divines there for ascribing too little to that Sacrament so that said he a pert Minister asked him if it were so necessary that being omitted the
Child should not be saved He answered No. But if you be called though in private to baptize him and refuse I think you shall be damned But he concluded Necessity of Baptism to be necessary by lawfull Ministers and none other and yet utterly disliked Rebaptization though after either Women or Laicks Here the Bishop of Winton affirmed that to deny baptizing by private persons in case of necessity crossed all Antiquity that the Minister is not of the essence of the Sacrament yet is he of the essence of the right and lawfull Ministry thereof the commission of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Go preach and baptize Excommunication The King asked Whether the Name might not be changed and yet the censure retained or whether another coercion equivalent He was answered that it had been heretofore often considered but Queen Elizabeth resolved to be Semper eadem and not to alter what she had settled The King professing That though he lived some time as a Ward under Puritans yet since he was of his Sons age the Prince sitting by he ever disliked their opinions though he lived among them he was not of them Opus primae diei The perfect Conference The Bishops Deans and Doctors and a Scotish Minister Patrick Galloway was admitted and Reynolds Sparks Knewstubs and Chaderton The King told them all the intent of the Conference meet for every King at his entrance to the Crown Not to innovate the established Government which by long experience he found was accompanied with singular blessings five and forty years as that no Church upon the face of the earth flourished more than this of England But first to settle an uniform Order therein Secondly to plant unity for suppressing Papists and other Enemies to Religion Thirdly to amend abuses being natural to bodies Politick and to corrupt man as the shadow to the body which once being entered have motion like a wheel set going and because complaints had been made he thought best to summon the gravest and most learned to hear what could be said and so wished the Oponents to object They four kneeled down and Doctor Reynolds the fore-man after a short Preamble gratulatory signified his Majesties summons by virtue whereof these appeared reducing all matters disliked to these four Heads 1. That the Doctrine of the Church might be preserved pure according to Gods Word 2. That good Pastors might be planted to preach 3. That the Church-government might be sincerely ministred according to Gods Word 4. That the Book of Common Prayer might be fitted to more increase of piety In the first that the Book of Articles of Religion concluded 1562. might be explain'd where obscure and enlarged where defective viz. Acts 16. the words are these After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from grace which seem to be contrary to the Doctrine of Gods Predestination and Election in Article 17. both these words might be explained with this addition yet neither totally nor finally and that the nine Assertions upon a conference heretofore at Lambeth might be inserted into that Book Secondly where it is said in Article 23. that none should preach or administer Sacraments in the Congregation without lawfull calling he said implied a lawfulness for any man out of the Congregation to preach c. though he had no lawfull calling Thirdly in Article 25. touching Confirmation grown partly of the corrupt following the Apostles being opposite to those in the Collect of Confirmation in the Communion Book Upon whom after the example of the Apostles argue saith he a contrariety each to other the first confessing Confirmation to be a depraved imitation of the Apostles the second grounding it on their example Acts 8. 19. as if the Bishop in confirming children did by imposing his hands as the Apostles do in those places give the visible graces of the Holy Ghost c. therefore he desired that both the contradictions might be considered and this ground of contradiction examined The Bishop of London first desired his Majesty That the antient Canon might be remembred Schismatici contra Episcopos non sunt audiendi Secondly that if any of these parties were in the Number of the 1000. Ministers who had once subscribed and yet petitioned against it they might be removed according to a very decree of an antient Counsel That no man should be admitted to speak against what he had subscribed and contrary to a statute to speak against the Liturgie and discipline established alleging what Master Cartwright had confirmed that we ought rather to conform to Orders and Ceremonies to the fashion of the Turks than to the Papists Concerning falling from Grace the said Bishop said that very many Men neglecting holiness of Life presumed of persisting in Grace laying all their Religion on Predistination if I shall be saved I shall be saved a desperate doctrine wherein we should rather reason ascendendo than descendendo Thus I live in Obedience to God In love with my Neighbour I follow my vocation c. I trust God hath elected me and predestinated me to salvation But contrariwise they use this argument God hath perdestinated and chosen me to life and though I sin never so grievously I shall not be damned for whom he once loveth he loveth eternally Whereupon he shewed what was the doctrine of the Church of England briefly That we must receive Gods promises as they are set forth generally in Scripture and do that will of God which is expresly declared in Scripture The King wished that the doctrine of Predestination be tenderly handled lest on the one side Gods Omnipotencie might be questioned by impeaching the doctrine of Predestination or on the other a desperate presumption might be averred by inferring the necessary certainty of standing and persisting in grace To the second it was answered none but a Licensed Minister might preach nor administer the Eucharist or the Lords supper and for private Baptism the King said he had ordered already The third point was observed to be of Curiosity or Malice because the Article there read These five commonly called Sacraments Confirmation Penance Orders c. are not to be accounted Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following the Apostles c. Insinuateth that the making of Confirmation to be a sacrament is a corrupt imitation But the Communion-Book makes it to be according to the Apostles example which being read the King concluded it to be but a Libel Now for the ground thereof it was not so much founded on the places in the Acts but upon Heb. 6. 2. where it is made a part of the Apostles Catechism which was the opinion of the fathers and of Calvin and Fulk the one upon Hebrew 6. 1. the other upon Acts 8. 27. where with Saint Austin he saith We do not mislike that antient Ceremony of imposing of hands for strengthning and confirming such as had been Baptised being nothing else but a
prayer over a Man to be strengthned and confirmed by the holy Ghost or to receive the gifts of the holy Ghost as Saint Ambross saith alluding to Heb. 6. 2 c. Nor saith he is it their opinion Confirmation to be unlawful but rather because they have not the use of this in their own hands every Pastor in his Parish to confirm for then it would be accounted an Apostolical institution And indeed Doctor Reynolds seemed to grant replying that some diocess of a Bishop had 609 Parish-Churches as London it was inconvenient to commit confirmation to him alone as impossible to examine all them It was answered that the Bishop usually appoints his Chaplins or Ministers to examine them and none are otherwise confirmed but by testimony of the Parsons or Curats where they are bred and born and Saint Ierome says that the Execution was indeed restrained to Bishops only ad honorem potius sacerdotii quam ad legis necessitatem Ecclesiae salus in summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non Exors quaedam et ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficerentur schismata quot sacerdotes It was used anciently partly to examine children whether they had been baptized or no for primitively baptism was administered in divers sorts In Nomine patris et filii c. others In Nomine patris Majoris et filii Minoris as the Arrians did some in nomine patris per filium in Spiritu sancto others not in the name of the Trinity but in the name of Christ c. Whereupon Catholick Bishops were constrained to examine them who were baptized in remotis The King concluded as none should confirm so none to preach without the Bishops License Doctor Reynolds complained that the Catechism in the Common-prayer-Book was too brief and Nowells was too long requested one uniform and none other It was thought reasonable the King saying That in Scotland every one well affected or thought to the sonne of a good man set out a Catechism and what was received in one Congregation was never accepted Orthodoxall in another adding this gromical Canon conclusion First that old intricate questions might be avoyded in the fundamental Instructions of the people Secondly not to be such a departure from the Papists in all things as to be therefore in error because we agree in some Then Doctor Reynolds moved for a new Translation of the Bible the old ones of Henry the eighth and Edward the sixth being corrupt Instanced in Galathians 4. 2â— Psal. 101. 28. They were not obedient For not disobedient Psal. 106. 30 c. The King complained thereof and the worst to be Geneva the Marginal notes thereof were partial untrue seditious and trayterous as Exod. 1. 19. the note alloweth disobedience to Kings And 2. Chron. 15. 16. The note taxeth Asa for deposing the Mother and not killing her That errors in matters of faith may be rectified that matters indifferent might rather be interpreted and a gloss added concluding rather a Church with some faults then an Innovation and surely saies he if these be the greatest matters I needed not your complaints Doctor Reynolds complained against publishing some Books unlawfull instance that De jure Magistratus in subditos published of late by Ficlerus a Papist and applyed against Queen Elizabeth for the Pope Bishop of London said That the Author de Iure was a great disciplinarian whereby it appears what advantage these Sects afforded to the Papists who mutatis personis could apply their own arguments against Protestant Princes That for other Books lately admitted viz Disputes between Secular Priests and Iesuites the King told Doctor Reynolds He was a better Colledg-man than a States-man and willed him and His associates to know they were permitted by order of Counsel Table whereby their schisme and his Majesties title handled and the title of Spain confuted and wherein this State was cleered of putting Papists to death not for Religion but Treason And thus much concerning purity of Doctrine The second generall point Pastors to be Resident and Learned The King had ordered the Bishops to be carefull herein but as subita evacuatio was perâ—culosa so subita Mutatio That there were more sufficient divines than Maintenance which must be first provided young ignorant Ministers to be removed if old death must make void for better Jerusalem could not be built in a day It was conceived that Lay-Patrones presented such as liked their humour and faction the Law admitting any mean Clerk and if the Bishop opposed a quare impedit is sent against him Some moved to settle a praying Ministery another while for there are many excellent duties in the Ministers Absolving the Penitent Praying for and Blessing the People Administring the Sacraments but now it is concluded into one onely duty preaching oft time indiscreetly to the prejudice of divine service being usual rather to walk in the Church-yard than be at the service The King said it was most necessary to plant by preaching but in a Church so long established in faith onely the Hypocrite placed all his Religion in the Ear as an easie passage but Prayer expressed the hearts affections and the true devotions of the mind puts us to over-much trouble There ought to concur in prayer an unpartial consideration of our own estates a due examination to whom we pray an humble confession of our sins hearty sorrow and repentance not severed from faith In the mean time that Homilies might be read every Man that can pronounce well cannot perhaps indite well to which the Adversaries confessed They were told of the Pulpits made by them Pasquils a lude custome to traduce Thrird and fourth general heads mingled together Here indeed Doctor Reynolds skipt over the third point into it urging Subscription as an Impeachment to a learned Ministery and desired not to be exacted their reason The books Apocryphal enjoyned in the Common prayer-book to be read were in part erroneous Instanced Ecclus. 48. 10. That Elias was to come before Christ and so Christ not to be come because saith he Ecclus. useth the very words of Elias in Person which Malachi Chap. 4. doth apply to Elias in resemblance which both an Angell Luke 1. 17. and our Saviour Matth. 11. did interpret to be Iohn Baptist. He was answered with Sir Ieromes distinction Canonici sunt ad informandos mores non ad confirmandam fidem The King desired an even Order Not all Canonical books to be read in the Church unless to be interpreted nor any Apocrypha at all where any error but such as were clear with the scriptures else why printed As the Maccabees excellent to make up the story of the Jews persecution but not to teach a man to sacrifice for the dead or to kill himself But the King finding them to insist so hotly against Ecclesiasticus the place being read he shewed who the Author was then
four I shall answer with a truth and no marvel That some years after when the Roles were examined that were deposed they were found to be but nine and fourty in all England when in Scotland they were reckoned above nine thousand so great a stir could so few make here or else they subscribed to keep their Livings and no wonder they were ever loth to lose all and many of them knew how to turn And orderly afterwards the King put forth two Proclamations the one To satisfie his Subjects for Unifomity in Religion according to the established Laws And Doctor Abbot and others sent in Apostolical Embassie into Scotland to settle the Church and spirits of the Clergy there as he had done here that every spirit led onely with piety and not humour might be therein satisfied The other Proclamation against Iesuits expresseth That a greater contagion to our Religion was eminent by sundry persons common Enemies to them both namely numbers of Priests Seminaries Iesuits abounding here of such as were before and since our coming and with greater liberty than they durst have done upon confidence of innovation in Religion and general Pardon at our Coronation do exercise their Professions and saying Mass and endeavouring to seduce the Subjects from their duty to us and to reconcile them to Rome To prevent infection with Superstition pernicious to the soul and corrupt against Alleageance is to debar the People such Instruments of infection and they are Priests of all sorts ordained in forein parts prohibited here by the Authority of the Laws of this Land And therefore against such they shall before the 19th of March next depart out of this Realm and the Kings Dominions and not to return hereafter upon penalty of the Laws in force to be inflicted without any favour The Reasons and excuses for this seeming severity toward that sort of Subjects is enforced from the peril of his Person by late conspiracy of confusion conceived by persons of that sort onely And this may satisfie forein Princes proceeds from providence to prevent perils otherwise inevitable considering their submission to forein Iurisdiction seems to dispence at pleasure with the power of their own Sovereign or strictest bond of loyalty and love between a King and his People And though it is civilly considered personal respects to the now Bishop of Rome in state and condition of a secular Prince yet observing the course and clame of that See no Prince of our Religion and Profession can be assured of continuance unless by assent of other Christian Princes to a general Council free and lawfull to pluck up those Roots of dangers and jealousies arising about Religion as well between Prince and Prince as between them and their Subjects and also to manifest that no State or Potentate either hath or can challenge power to dispose of earthly Kingdoms or Monarchies or to dispence with Subjects obedience to their natural Sovereigns in which charitable action no Prince shall more readily concur his power not onely out of particular disposition to peace with all States but by such union an amity might be settled to resist the common Enemy Febr. 22. Jacobi I. This did something allay them but not the Presbyters who by pens and preaching saies he strook at the very root of Hierarchy so that it was a hard question which of them were the most odious Truly both of them Neither Barrel better Herring for the Papists wrought in private and these that way also besides their pittyfull preaching And at this time died that learned Arch-Bishop Whitgift a good and pious Man whom Banckroft succeeded no great friend to them but to satisfie their violence he is intrusted with their directory a Manuscript compiled as they gave out to startle the next Parliament which they deliver to the Arch-Bishop but he pretending to have loâ—t it when it was called for and they without any Copy devised another so different from the former as being afterwards compared the Parliament concluded that every new motion would alter their Model ad infinitum so unsetled they were then and are to this day as never to be satisfied with any as to our trouble and late experience hath been evident And which this most reverend Whitgift foretold on his death-bed the miserable effects of their violence Et nunc domine said he exaltata est Anima mea quod in eo tempore succubui quando mallem Episcopatus mei deo reddere rationem quam inter homines exercere But indeed Presbyters had so bitten the King and his Kingdom and now at his coming it behoved him to quiet them for as all knew it lay in his power to be Head of the Protestant Professours so upon this new access to these Crowns it was conceived he might alter all ancient Forms upon a new score who having bit on the Bridle so long at home it would concern him now to keep the Reins free having entailed Precepts upon his posterity to that end Instructions as frontlets and chains real and lasting and bequeathed to them as Legacies to after age forewarning his Son in his Basilicon Doron not to wrest the Word of God to self-appetite So now therefore he resolved to frame his own and his peoples affections to follow that true Rule of Scripture which suffered under several Interpretations he therefore commended it to the choice grave and most learned of this Nation and commanded them as they would answer at Gods Tribunal to be carefull therein painfull and just They did so and we have that blessing amongst us as the most perfect Translation in English of all others not without Exceptions in that also from our Adversaries the Papists and Sectarists The Scripture was writ in parts the most ancient Language was Hebrew the most copious the Greek and Latine the finest but as the Hebrews in their time accounted all Languages but their own Lognasim or barbarous so then that others might come to the waters of life we must as Iacob role the stone from the Well that the Sheep may drink of the waters of life we could not reade the Book for it was sealed And indeed whilest the dew lay on Gideon's fleece all the earth was dry but near before the time of ourâ—blessed Reconciliation by our Saviour CHRIST Not of the Jew onely but of the Greek also then God raised up the heart of a Greek Prince by descent and Language Ptolomy Philadelph King of Egypt to procure the Translation of the Old Testament into Greek out of Hebrew which we call the Seventy Interpreters The Greek Tongue made familiar to most Inhabitants in Asia by reason of their Conquests and also understood in many places of Europe and Africa but yet not so acceptable to some no not of the Iews For not long after Christ Aquila Theodosia Symmachus and others translate it again these with the Seventy made up the Hexapla and all together were compiled by Saint
the E. of Salisbury 1. Therein they acknowledg the late Design most inhumane and barbarous attempted by undertaking Spirits more fiery and turbulent than zealous and dispassionate to the general stain of the State of their catholick cause in the eye of corrupt judgments not able to farm away the fault of the Professor from the Profession it self which abhors the fact more than any Puritan does 2. They accuse him the Primus Motor to determine the â—ooting out all memory of their Religion by Banishment Massacre Imprisonment or some such insupportable pressures or else the next Parliament to decree more cruel and horrible Laws against them 3. They threaten that there are some good men for continuing their Religion and for saving of many Souls resolve to prevent it though with assured Ruine and admonish him that five have severally undertaken his Death by Vow upon the blessed Sacrament if he continues his daily plotting against them That not any of them know the other for preventing discovery the first shall attempt by shot and the rest follow and all of them glory in their own sacrifice to prevent the general calamities of Catholicks which by his transcendent Authority with the King is more than expected They tell him that for the easier digestion of the Danger two of the Attempters are so weak they cannot live three moneths the other three so distressed for being onely Catholicks that their grief dulls any apprehension of death 4. As for themselves that admonish they know no other means to prevent it he being the Match to give fire to his Majesty to whom the worst they wish is to be as great a Saint in Heaven as he is a King on Earth And conclude Where once true spiritual resolution is the weak may take sufficient revenge of the mighty A. B. C. D. c. His Answer 1. That the Panegyrical Oration of Pope Sixtus Quintus preferred the Murder of Henry 3. of France before the act of Iudith to Holofernes by which Gods people were delivered onely the Papists make ill interpretations where it fails in execution for otherwise Faelix scelus virtus vocatur and many other Authors maintain deposing Kings And wonders that those who imploy such seditious Spirits have not by definitive Sentence wherein the Pope is supposed not to err explained their assumed power over Princes for security as well of those which acknowledg his Superiority as of others which do not approve his Iurisdiction that Subjects may know their distance of fidelity to either As for the former practice by Excommunication it deprives onely from spiritual graces without so gross an usurpation as to destroy their being in nature The Writ it self De Excommunicato capiendo and others such proceed rather from the goodness of such Christian Kings to work better obedience to the Rules of the Church than from the power of Excommunication All Cenâ—ures of the Church having left life untouched Sive Ethnicus sive Publicanus Many Heathens teaching this Rule Bonos Imperatores Voto expetere oportet quoscunque tolerare He marvels at those dark Writings published upon this Accident against such as shall attempt against Princes by private Authority but leaves it a tacit lawfulness by publick Warrant like their gross Equivocation so extolled at Rome though it sunders all humane conversation Saint Austin refuses the Priscilian Hereticks in their Equivocation Corde creditur says he ad Iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem c. breaking out into expostulation O fontes lacrymarum How shall we hide our selves from the displeased face of Truth 2. That these Calumniations are like Adam's Fig-leafs unable to cover their shame for as he sought a covering Non quia nudus sed quia lapsus so is it their fault not their fear to cast imputations upon Prince and State Sed pereuntibus mille figurae So Nero set Rome on fire and after laid the blame on Christians The pecedent Reigns of the two late Sisters of different Religions more bloud in five or six years of the first than in five and forty of the second Hath this King shewed any print of bloudy steps rather qualified than added severe Laws And appeals to their own consciences judg and witness whether the fury of this Treason inflaming many against Catholicks the nature of sudden peril hardly admits just distinction hath committed any one act of bloud or cruelty under colour of publick safety Nam crudelit as si a vindicta justitia est si a periculo prudentia Nay the King pronounced in open Parliament after Not to condemn the general for particulars as a Prince of peace and mercy deferring execution which Theodosius wishing Se potuisse potius mortuos a morte revocare As for the imaginary Power of the Lords of the Council and himself of the Quorum he takes it as an honour to receive not onely injury but persecution in so noble a society who know that Counsellours for Kings stand for thousands or hundreds as he pleases to place them Their greatness growing from humble endeavours their merit from gracious acceptance and though they borrow his name as the Boutefeu to make him the Mark of their malice yet such as judg the spirit of the Pasquil will hardly imagine but that this Faction follows onely the body of Authority neither head nor members but also the Church and Common-wealth which like Hippocrates Twins have long wept and laughed together His greatness being onely in the eye of envy of those which ground their faith upon weak principles if they imagine his distinction a matter he says of so small consequence can clear them free from contriving higher practices 3. To the Protestation that the five Assassinators having their feet so near the grave their ghostly Father deserves less thanks to send them thither with Hempen Halters and in bloudy Coffins not the marks of Rome Heathen nor Christian for Victories were scorned which were barbarously gotten Mixt is vene no fontibus And the Arms of the Primitive Church were Tears and Prayers But such Recusants as do discover these pernitious spirits will discern the darkness and danger of that Religion lapped up in implicite obedience the Conscience and Treason growing up as close together as the Husk and Corn in one Ear to eat their God upon bargains of bloud Those that are full of grief as is said for being Râ—cusants Plus tristitiae quam poenitentiae more that their Plot failed than that it was intended Counsellours are Sentinels over the life of Kings and States The Laws which punish the Branches of all Treason are derived from Parliaments of two hundred years in force and so are our Laws made not by a few much less by any one 4. As for himself with whom they condition to leave off his Plotting against Recusants The Husband-man over-curious of Windes and Clouds neither sows nor reaps in season So that Servant that becomes awfull of his Sovereigns Enemies for power or envy deserves not favour
thereof established Civility and Iustice and to his lives end he would never leave to do his best endeavours untill he might say of Scotland as one of the Emperours said of Rome Inveni lateritiam relinquo marmoream Indeed the Countrey affords more of Stone than Tile-shard They come to vote Commissioners upon the Articles of Religion whom the King commends they refuse and evermore Officers of State are suspected partial for the King and therefore they admit but of three the Chancellour Treasurer and Clerk of the Rolls They begin with the chiefest Article That what soever should be concluded by the King and the Bishops in matters of external policy should be an Ecclesiastical Law Not that the King was against the advice and assistance of a competent number of the grave and learned Ministers but to be over-ruled said he as in your former General Assemblies I shall never agree The Bishops must rule the Ministers and the King govern both in matters indifferent and not repugnant to Gods Word and so that Ariicle was formed and passeâ— Hereupon the Ministers mutiny that their Discipline should be formed to all the Ceremonies of England and Struthers in his next Sermon condemning all those Rites prayed God to save Scotland from the same sin And thus set on they frame a Protestation to the King in Parliament First against that Article and therein if remedy be not provided they shall be forced to other effects For freedom of their Church and discharge of their Consciences Their Reasons they reduce into Arguments 1. Their Reformation That the purity in Doctrine Sacraments Discipline and Order thereof hath been acknowledged rather as a Patern to be followed by all Reformed Churches of Europe than now to be put to seek it from such as never attained to it 2. That their General Assemblies formerly established to constitute and make Canons will be utterly overthrown That hitherto their Church nearest the divine and Apostolical Institution and so hath lived long without Schism and rent may now by introducing Novelties be miserably overthrown That his Majesties gracious assurance by his Letters this last Winter against all alteration of Religion and so hath been intimated in Pulpits when Rumours were dispersed of intended conformity with England These they pray may be sufficient to warn the King and Parliament not to oppress their poor Church and give grief to millions of men that otherwise would rejoice at his Majesties presence And so they resolve that rather than submit they are prepared to incur censure and to oppose This Protestation they commit to the most mad-headed man amongst them one Hewet but some of the wiser sort fearing the success desire the Arch-bishop of St Andrews to suppress it He meeting Hewet desires to peruse it and blaming the man keeps the Writing the other seizes the Paper and thus striving in the next Room the King hastily comes out and sternly fronts the Fellow who falls down of his knees and craves pardon for the Protestation professing never more to meddle therein However the King wisely suspecting some others of the same Phrensie for the present commanded that Article of the Kings Crown-prerogative not to be read till the policy of a fitter time the rest of them being read and concluded the King takes his leave and loving farewell But the Bishops had warning to summon some principal Ministers and with them to meet him at St. Andrews 10. of Iuly where the King greets them How great my care hath been for the Church saith he since I had authority and power to perform it your consciences cannot but confess I need not tell you I seek no thanks God knows my heart for true worship of him and decent order in the Church whilest I resolved of this Iourney to visit you I gave you warning to insert some Articles into your Acts of the Church those were anniversary commemorations of Christ's blessings to man as his Nativity Passion Resurrection Ascension and Descent of the Spirit another for private use of both Sacraments a third for reverend administration of the Communion and a fourth for catechising and confirming children by Bishops I was answered that they had not been moved in any of the Churches Assembly and so I was silent And lately desiring but my Prerogative to be declared in making Ecclesiastical Laws ye mutined and protested against me But I pass all amongst many other wrongs frequent from you The Errand I have now is to know your Arguments why the same ought not to be granted Reason shall ever guide me and if my Demands are so just and religious too I will not be refused nor resisted And with that browing upon them with a full eye majestical and stern They all fell down on their knees The King went on It is a power innate a princely special Prerogative which Christian Kings have to order and dispose external things in the outward policy of the Church as We with our Bishops advice shall think â—it And Sirs said he for your approving or disproving deeceive not your selves Me ye shall not I will have my Reason not opposed They were all becom new men humbly besought they might confer and so return an uniform Answer which in two hours space produces a Retition for a General Assembly wherein all his Majesties Articles being proponed they might with common consent be received I says the King but what assurance have I of their consenting They protested that they saw no reason to the contrary But if it be otherwise and your reason now be none of theirs then the Articles refused my difficulty the more and when I shall hereafter put my own Authority in use I shall be pulpited a Tyrant Persecutour Ye were wont so to do All crying out That none durst be so mad Yet experience tells me says he that it hath been so therefore unless I be sure I shall not grant your Assembly They craved the Arch-bishop of St Andrews to answer for them but he refused having been formerly deceived At length they procured leave to assemble in November next at St Andrews Simson that subscribed to the Protestation writes to his Brethren those Articles which he calls Tricas Anglicanas the Letter-carrier was Catherwood who for his insolency to the Kings face was committed and after banished and Simson sent to Edenburgh Castle where he lay till December And so the King returns to England by the West parts and at Dunfres had his farewell Sermon by the Bishop of Galloway which made the hearers heavy at their hearts The King gone home the Assembly met but willingly would have delayed their Conclusion of the five Articles till they might inform their Flocks of the equity of them and so they went away which the King considers as an high contempt and breach of their promise and commands the Bishops of St Andrews and of Glascow precisely in their own persons to keep Christmass day next preaching of Texts according to
forth to see it saying Jacta est alea The Die is cast in Gods providence not in Signes to be blasted with such beames which had a ground in Nature but no warrant in Scripture to portend Mishap to States and Princes But that which is most observable to me is this The Scripture which relates remarkable things mentioneth not one Comet Blazing Star nor Ecclipse but that miraculous Star at Christs birth though no doubt many such happened in that space of three thousand five hundred years but takes notice of other natural events less considerable and yet from the other we infer changes of Empires nay Church and Religion The Prophets never foretold of any Meteors as not troubling their writings with what could be foreseen by humane or natural means For though Agabus Acts 11. 18. foretold the Universal Famine twelve years after in the time of Claudius Ceasar yet he speaks not of the Ecclipse that fell then for that might be foreseen of a natural cause and was foretold by Astrologers but not the famine which could not be inferred by Eclipse nor by any Comet to presage evil We grant natural virtues which reside in the Stars besides enlightning for they were created four daies after the light to warm and give vigor and life and such good things And indeed those natural signs are rather marks of Gods favour than anger Stars do submission to Man unhappy to none but such as believe them fatal and unlucky Naturale est magis nova quam magna mirari And that Comet at Christs birth was Nero's death Cometes summe bonus aparuit qui praenuntius fuit mortis magni illius Tyranni pestilentissimi hominis saies Tacitus False Predictions prove true to them that fear them that is our superstition The other extreme is Epicurism which admireth not Gods works at all Continual custome without some change in natural things becomes less regardful God scatters intermixtures to force man to admire The sacred Chronology shews Gods admirable measures in the dispensations of time more worthy than in the speculation of Astrologers Nay even in humane History more wise than such Predictions for certainly a good Historian deserves better than a bad Prophet After the appearance of this Comet the same year died Q. Anne A lingring sickness and fulness of humours brought her to a dropsie and for recovery she for some years before frequented the Bath with continual Physick But the disease come to the height she took leave of this life at Hampton Court Her Corps brought from thence to Somerset House part of her Jointure and at her proper charge lately rebuilt and beautifyed to this lustre it appears now and by her desire called Denmark house from the name of that Kingdom whence she had her Birth And not long after with sumptuous obâ—equies she was intombed at Westminster Abby in the chapel of Hen. 7. ordained for Royal Interments A good Lady she was and Sister to the King of Denmark fetcht from thence by King Iames with great affection to her person and being a Stranger to these Kingdoms with Providence designed for her future fortune she medâ—ed the less in Matters of State A matchless pair drawing evenly in all courses of honour and both blessed with fair issue because never loose from eithers Bed abating that blemish basely abusing her excellent virtue for loving my Lord of Pembroke a crime as false as odious in the Author who yet concludes her character a monument of virtue I may not leave the Reader at random in the affairs of the Kirk of Scotland How they boggled with the King when he was lost there and so left them incorrigible never intending to hazard his honour any more by granting General Assemblies But he come home unsatisfyed then and after with their Synods had sharply reproved them by Letters which they excuse till one Assembly more might make tryal of their allegeance The King gratious to be reconciled adventures to grant them another General Assembly to be held at Perth August 25. But enters upon them with this caution That the affront offered his Royal self in the late meeting at Saint Andrews gave him just reason to resolve never to grant any more General Assemblies concerning the Churches policy what he hastily desired and what they did was to do him injury He is yet over intreated by their Bishops to permit a new Convocation who are now convened for the self same business as before Advising the Bishops not to admit the wonted ignorant and unruly multitude to overpower the more judicious He having placed them overseers of the rest in the chiefest Rooms He dislikes not the advice of the whole and the greater the consent the better his content But matters of this nature the Articles may yet be enjoined without them by his own authority as an innate power by his calling from God Perswade them they may to induce them by discretion in their duty to Him wherein he will not be delayed nor satisfied with their shifts from their simple acceptation of those Articles sent unto them the necessity whereof had better becomed them all to beg of him than he to propone the practice upon them What and how many abuses were offered to him by the Ministers before he came to the Crown of England can hardly be forgot nor likes he much to remember sufficient by their disobedience to have separated his affection from them His patience for Gods cause forgiving and forgetting foul faults endeavouring to force from them better effects of his best purposes He wishes that he be no more provoked nor the truth of God which they profess any longer shadowed under the Cloke of some of their seeming Saintlike holiness shaking hands and joining hearts with such persons as by their tenents against Majestracy uphold Popery In sum he craves God to witness on his part and let the World now at last see their dutyful obedience to their dread Soveraign that so his care of their good may meet with zeal and affections in them inferiour to no subjects of any Sovereign and the glory of God and peace to his Church which is his earnest prayer for them all unto whom he now and evermore commends them James Rex July 1618. We say not how much these might deserve from men holy minded nor what tedious and weak Arguments were reasoned which needed such a defence as was fain to be published in answer to a Pamphlet set out against them But truly shame of their trifling and fear to offend produced these effects from which yet in aftertime they fled That seeing the memory of all by-past superstitious and idolatrous worship of the sacraments by Papists is long since abolished Therefore in reverence of God and due regard of so Divine a Mystery and in remembrance of so mystical an Union they think good That the sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees If any Christian visited
resolve not to proceed to any business in the house but muttering there was though they durst not speak out The King understanding the silent humour of their Action and being yet desirous to have the time better husbanded Christmasse being at hand commands his Secretary Calvert to deliver this message to them in Speech and afterwards in Writing His Majesty remembring that this House was desirous to have a Session between this and Christmass it pleased him thereupon to signifie unto us that we should have contentment herein and that there should be a Session if we our Selves were not in fault taking now notice that we forbear to proceed with any Bills until the return of the Messengers lately sent to his Majesty hath warned me to command the House in his name not to lose time in their proceedings for preparing good Laws in the mean while and in consideration of the neer approach of Christmasse And that his Majestie hopes We will not take upon us to make a Recess in effect though not in shew without his warrant But some captious pates take exceptions as tending to breach of privilege by commanding them to proceed with Bills and so spun out the time and did nothing till the return of their Messengers whom the King receives not with overmuch kindness knowing the effect of their former petitions and observing the Contents of the later and both reflecting on his Person and Government which causeless aspersions and therefore returns them with this answer to all The Kings Answer to their Petition VVE must here begin in the same fashion that We would have done if your first Petition had come to our hands before we had made a stay thereof which is to repeat the first words of the late Queen Elizabeth of famous memory used by her in answer to an insolent Proposition which a Polonian Ambassadour made that is Legatum expitamus Heraldum accipimus For we had great reason to expect that the first message from your house should have been a message of thanksgiving for our continued gratious behaviour towards our people since your last Recess Not only by Our Proclamation of Grace wherein were contained six or seven and thirty Articles all of several points of Grace to the People but also by the labour we took for the satisfaction of both Houses in those three Articles recommended unto us in both their Names by the right Reverend Father in God the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and likewise for the good Government of Ireland we are now in hand with at your Request But not only have we heard no news of all this but contrary great complaints of the danger of Religion within this Kingdom tacitly implying Our ill Government in this point And we leave you to judge whether it be your duties that are the Representative Body of our People so to distaste them with our Government whereas by the â—pntrary it is your duty with all your endeavour to kindle more and more in duty for our gratious Government Now whereas in the very beginning of this your Apology you tax us in fair terms of trusting uncertain Reports and partial informations against your proceedings We wish you to remember that We are an old and experienced King needing no such Lessons being in Our Conscience freest of any King a live from hearing or trusting idle Repotts Which so many of your House that are neerest Us can bear witness unto you if you would give as good ear unto them as unto some Tribunitial Orators amongst you And for proof in this particular We have made your own messengers confer your other Petitions sent by you with the copy thereof which was sent us before between which there is no difference at all but that since the receiving the first Copy you added a Conclusion unto it which could not come to our hands till it was done by you and your messengers sent which was all at one time And if we had had no Copy of it before-hand we must have received your first Petition to our great Dishonour before we had known what it contained which would have inforced us to return unto you a far worse Answer then now we do For then your Messingers had returnd with nothing but that we have judged your Petition unlawful unworthy of an Answer for as to your Conclusion therof it is nothing but Protestatio contraria facto for in the body of your Petition you usurp upon our Prerogative Royal and meddle with things far above your reach and then in the Conclusion you protest the contrary as if a Robber would take a mans purse and then protest he meant not to rob him For first you presume to give us your advice concerning the Match of Our deerest Son with some Protestant we cannot say Princess for we know none of these fit for him and disswade Us from his Match with Spain urging Us to a present War with that King and yet in the Conclusion forsooth you professe you intend not to press upon our most undoubted and Regal Prerogative as if the petitioning of Us in matters that your selves confess you ought not to meddle with were not a meddling with them And wheras you pretend that you were invited to this course by the Speeches of three honourable Lords yet by so much as your selves repeat of the Speeches nothing can be concluded but that we were resolved by War to regain the Palatinate if otherwise we could not attain unto it And ye were invited to advise forthwith upon a Supply for keeping the forces in the Palatinate from disbanding and to foresee the means for the raising and maintaining of the Body of any Army for that War against the Spring Now what inference can be made upon this that presently we must denounce War against the King of Spain break our dearest Sons Match and match him to one of our Religion let the World judge The Difference is no greater than if we would tell a Merchant that we had great need to borrow money from him for raising an Army that thereupon it should follow that we are bound to follow his advice in the Directions of the War and all things depending thereupon But yet not contenting your selves with this excuse of yours which indeed cannot hold water ye come after to a direct contradiction to the Conclusion of your former Petition saying that the Honour and safety of Us and our Posterity and the Patrimony of our children invaded and possessed by their Enemies the welfare of Religion and State of our Kingdome are matters at any time not unfit your deepest consideration in Parliament To this generality we answer with the Logicians That where all things are contained nothing is omitted So as this Plenipotencie of yours invests you upon all power upon Earth lacking nothing but the l'opes to have the Keys also both of Heaven and Purgatory And to this vast generality of yours we can give no other answer for it would trouble all
Estate which we find in the Treaty of Mariage between Spain and England and being well assured how the ministers understand it who treated in the time of Philip the third that is that their meaning then was never to effect it but only by enlarging the Treaties and points of Mariage thereby to make use of the Friendship of the King of Great Brittain as well in matters of Germany as those in Flanders And suspecting that your Majesty is of the same opinion although the Demonstrations do not confirm it and that the Infanta Donna Maria is resolved to put her self into the Descalcas when she shall be pressed thereto I have therefore thought fit to present to your Majesty what my zeal hath afforded me the time most necessary for your Majesty with your Ministers to resolve what is fit The King of Great Brittain finds himself equally ingaged in two businesses to this Marriage moved thereto by conveniencies of your Majesties Friendship in making an Agreement with such Catholiques that he thinks are secretly in his Kingdom and so to be assured of them as likewise the honour in Mariage with one of the House of Austria and the best born Lady in the World The other is the Restitution of the Palatinate in which he is yet more engaged for besides that his Reputation is at stake there is added the love and interests of his Grand-children Sons of his only Daughter which in nature and reason of State are to be preferred what soever conveniencies might follow by dissembling what they suffer I dispute not That that Kings concernments herein are to be Governed with Art and Friendship He hath used both but as precisely not necessary I omit it But as a Maxim I hold these two Engagements to him are inseparable And for us though we make the Marriage we must fail in the other most necessary the restitution of the Palatinate Thus much supposed Having made the Marriage in the form as it is treated your Majesty and England will be ingaged in a War against the Emperour and the Catholick League and so to declare with your Arms. Or declaring for the Emperour and the League as certainly you will you will be forced to a War against England and yet your Sister married to his Son with the which all conveniencies whatsoever that were formerly thought upon will cease If your Majesty shall shew your self Newtral the first will appear very scandalous and with just Reason since in matters of less opposition than of Catholiques against Heretiques the Arms of this Crown hath taken part with the Godly against the convenient party And though at this time the French have taken the part of the Hollanders against us your pitty is such to send your Arms againsâ— the Rebels of that Crown of France leaving all the great considerations of State only because these men are enemies to the faith of the Church It will oblige your Majesty to give good occasion to those of the League to make use of France and other Catholick Princes ill-affected to this Crown as necessary for them so to do and these men against their own Religion will sement and assist the Heretiques for hatred to us and follow the contrary party only to leave your Majesty with that blemish that never hath befaln any of your Predecessours Besides the King of England will remain offended and disobliged seeing neither interests nor helpers do follow the allyance of this Crown is likewise the pretext of particular resentment for having suffered his Daughter and Grandchildren to be ruined in respect hereof For the Emperour though he be well affected and obliged to us in making the Translation at this time as business now stands the Duke of Bavaria being possesed of all the Dominions and though he would dispose all to our conveniencyes it will not be in his power to do it as your Majesty may see by the Memorial the Emperours Ambassadour gave you yesterday who make it certain Since in that List of the Souldiers that every one of the League is to pay Bavaria alone will pay more all than the rest joined together Which shews his power and intention not to accommodate matters but to keep to himself the superiority of all in this broken time the Emperour is now in the Dyet and the Translation is to be made in it I propose then for this Estate to conserve the means for a Conference with your Majesties Ministers for the Difficulty will be to find a Way to make the present Distracted Affairs straight again which with Lingring both the Power and the Time will be lost The Emperour as your Majesty knows by his Ambassadours desires to marry his Daughter with the King of Englands Son and I doubt not but he will be likewise glad to marry his second daughter with the Palatines Son Then I propound that these two Matches be made and set on foot presently giving the King of England full satisfaction in all his propositions for the more strict Union and Correspondence that he may agree to it And so all the conveniencies of allyance with us will be as full in this for it accommodates the matter of the Palatinate and the Succession of his Grand-children with his honour without blood or treasure together with the interest of the Emperour the conveniencies of England and the Palatinate and to reduce the Prince Elector that was an enemy to the obedience of the Church by breeding his Sonnes in the Emperours Court in the Catholique doctrine To conclude the business is great the difficulties greater than perchance have been in any other Case I am obliged thus to represent it to your Majesty and shall further shew what I think fit foe disposing of the things to the great Ministers of State if your Majesty please being helped with the good zeal of Count Gondamore and God his blessing therein so much for his Honour and your Majesties service Madrid Novem. 8. 1622. Olivares A wonder to some why this Bird was not hatcht in our Historians nest for it was fledged with the rest and writ you see but three daies after for Answer and might have been nestled in Mr. Prinns â—abal if either of them had been so honest as to preserve a truth Some reasons besides which animated King Iames to proceed having wasted much time of Tryal by his Ambassadours in Spain and with theirs here Gondamore a Man of subtile wit yet prevailed more with us by the advantage of time and our own distempers than by the virtue of any worth in him who having done here as you have heard was called home the last year and Don Iuan de Mendoza Marquess Inojosa with Don Carlos de Colonna sent hither Extraordinary with whom here passed more narrow overtures in the Match besides what was acted beyond Seas with such effects as are before remembred And being a mixed business of Love and State and yet in them the common good and quiet of Christendom involved standing upon