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A94167 An English translation of the Scottish Declaration against James Graham alias Marquess of Montrosse. Wherein many things are set right between the kingdom of Scotland and Commonwealth of England. With many observable passages, concerning the transactions with the late king, and their now declared king. Sydenham, Cuthbert, 1622-1654. 1650 (1650) Wing S6293; Thomason E597_10; ESTC R203680 21,895 28

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in enjoying the Peace But that fault is not ours The next thing which runs along the whole Paper as the burthen of the Declaration is and which I cannot pass by the great reflections they cast on the Parliament of England and that honest party that joyns with them joyning them with Montrosse together as if they kept mutual correspondency calling them at every turn The Sectarian Party The now prevailing Party Heretiques Schismatiques as if they meant to supple and make up their harsh expressions against Montrosses person with his party by inveighing on the Parliament of England and these which joyn with them excommunicating them out of their affections and love as they have done Montrosse out of the Kirk Expressions exceeding dangerous and too much provoking that when we shall call them Our Dear Brethren especially after an Army came from them into our Nation to destroy using the same expressions Had they but reflected on their condition but the last year when Ham●lton was the prevailing party and what sort of people they were that set them free and made the Committee of Estates the prevailing party with the dissolution of their whole Parliament they might have fitted more handsom and tender expressions at least if they meant to have kept up any brotherly Union and Correspondence between the two Nations Doth the gentle streams of a River between England and Scotland so alter and change the nature of Transactions that the purging of a Parliament in Engl nd over grown with Malignant and Predominant humours should be less lawful then the breaking up of one in Scotland Or is the natural working out of distempers worse then a violent dissolution It hath been the happiness of England for some few years that the Parliament hath been the prevailing party and why it should be now our misery after we have conquered our visible Enemy to see our friends prevail is too great a Paradox to be suddenly expounded Some must be the prevailing party and why not these that are who have hated these complemental Compliances with the Royal Interest and have followed the first Principles of the War to the best advantage for Peace But I was very unwise to tax the Declaration with that as a fault the expressing of which is our mercy As I doubt not but they think of it concerning themselves that it 's a happiness to Scotland that this Committee of Estates is now the prevailing party though it was brought in without any legal or orderly dissolution of Hamiltons Parliament and Committee of Estates and by these Instruments that they can now gratefully call Schismatiques and Sectaries But the ill Conjunction of the Sectarian party and the prevailing party sets forth the mind of the Committee to the full And yet what is meant by the Sectarian party is yet a greater Riddle then all the rest for set aside the secret Placitum of the Committee of Estates it stands without its signification in England without it be a Title imposed to divide between honest and consciencious men that some may raign But it may be they have some secret and multiplyed meaning in this phrase that must be enquired into if they call them the Sectarian party because they have justly divided the Kings Head from his Body and so have made a Schism between Prerogative and Tyranny they shall willingly own the Title with a Crown of Justice and glory in the head of it But it may be they call them Sectaries because they have made a more exact division of the true and right English Interest and that of Scotland and between new and old Malignants in the three Nations Or it may be they derive it from the word Sectari because they have more closely followed the ends and intentions of the Covenant then the literall and ambiguous expressions in it and have prosecuted the greatest enemies of Reformation by Acts of Justice to their graves But if by Sectaries the Committee mean these men that are of divers factions and parties and interest in England as we have cause to bewaile it so we may in part thank some of that Committee for it who have cast so many bones of division among us to set up the Royall and their own interest as the Parliament have publikely declared in their Answer to the Scots Paper of March 13. 1647. p. 1. 2. complaining of the sad divisions among us expresse themselves c. Vnto the advancing of this design of the common enemy the Commissioners of Scotland have for a long time made themselves or have been made by others very instrumentall whilst forgetting the work they came about and the true interest of those from whom they came have made it their work by their practises and purposes to disaffect the people of both Kingdomes unto the proceedings of the Parliament of England and on the other hand to incline and dispose them to the King and his party upon terms apparently destructive to both Kingdoms That it seems it 's no new thing for the Committee to frame words of division in this Nation but I am loath to repent these old Quarrells if there were not new occasions given But if they mean by Sectaries these which are given to blasphemous Opinions contrary to the Gospell though there are but a few in comparison so left of God yet we will joyne with them not only to write against but weep and lie in the dust for any such abominations and we can never bewail enough these things that on the one side formality and meer shaddowes of Religion should be taken up and all holinesse be only outward and externall and on the other side that fancy and delusion should prevaile to cheat men of their souls and cloud the glory of the truths of Christ But it 's a great wrong to joyne in this since the prevailing party with the Sectarian whose hearts I doubt not but bleed as truly inwardly for these things as they have exprest an outward detestation of them in burning some of their books and casting shame on their persons but as none of these Opinions are vented in publike but with publike Declaration against them so these which are vented in private are but by a few inconsiderable and contemptible persons and we blesse God with little successe at present And I doubt not if we can agree in civill Principles with our Brethren we shall soon in Religion in the Doctrine and substantialls of it wherein the life and power lies and if we differ in Discipline it will not be in the things themselves but in extent and latitude of its power that there will be no more dstinction but as of an English and Scottish Government of the Church I have onely surmized these things that the Reader may take notice of the common design in the Declaration which seems to be very strange that in one Paper made against a great Delinquent the Parliament of England who have most opposed the Malignant interest should be
specially aimed at and their transactions inserted in the same Kalender but it 's well they cannot call them Traytors we may possibly e're long see what new names we shall injoy when Charles Stuart and Montrosse shall both joyn together against the honest party of Scotland and when they have got a King who will be his favourites in Scotland I pray that the same names be not justly retorted on themselves by that party which they are faine now to court with expressions of disgrace on their best friends But to the Declaration it self and the maine things Montrosse layes as a charge on them which they strive to free themselves from I shall follow their own method and give them their due in what ever is just and right and excuse them wherein they do not intangle themselves The first thing Montrosse taxes them withall to which they reply is for hatching a Rebellion in their own Kingdome with promoting the like in England because they are both of the same nature or as the end and the means the same Reply wil salve both I need to comment little on this but to improve it on the same grounds and reasons only this is worthy to be observed that what we account our duty and safety they account rebellion unto this day that which the Committee calls their just defence as they do well expresse it in the second page Did we offer to stir untill Religion and Justice the main pillars of Government were shaken and neere to be overturned and shall the standing upon our defence for the preservation of our Religion and Liberties be accounted Rebellion You see how the just and righteous grounds of your proceedings are interpreted and that which you think honesty is still called rebellion though but in the first motions of it much more in the propagated necessary actings of that principle and you now see what ever glosse is put upon your transactions you shall be no more free of Rebellion then England but rather be accounted the first and principall powers in all the rest of the acts though done by us and it 's well you and we have a clear conscience for else we shall not want Records and Remembrancers of our former actings though never so honest and necessitous and if you think it 's only Montrosse's malice you are as much mistaken in politike as he was in legall and just actings he dare speak nothing but what the King his Master first dictates if you compare the Kings Pourtraicture in his last Book and his thoughts of your Nation there with his practises to you you will not find it a delusion And if your new King did not account you Rebells he would soon have complied with you his principles leading him to a union with any party but those that mean to make Religion and Liberty their interest and whereas you call Montrosse Traytor and he calls you Rebells who shall decide the Controversie between you when your King himselfe thinks the same and you in your consciences think him a Traytor And hath not Montrosse more ground as to the world to call you Rebells who will owne not only the same power but the same persons who have acted point-blank against what you call Justice then you to call him Traytor who acts though it may be more violently under that power you account sacred cannot live without that person that he serves as his Soveraigne We have found the misery of dawbing with the King we have changed oftentimes not onely our motions but many times principles to win and gain him but he never charged his but alwayes gained by our retreats and what ever plea we or our Brethren may have for the first ground of our actings it 's otherwise nay quite contrary apprehended by the King and his Party and to those that know what nature is or education they can easily judge how hard it is to change the first idaea and impression of things especially when it is accompanied with glorious Prerogatives and apprehensions of self-advantage and in royall brests it 's commonly seen that injuries and affronts are written as in Marble while respects and kindnesses are thought due and of necessity to be successive and onely valid hic nunc according to an immediate circumstance and present conveniency and if they will abstract that which they call policy and a little while look into the nature of things they shall soon find that there is not a motion of the hearts either of the King of Malignants or the Malignants themselves changed from what their first apprehension onely they are fain thorough providence and design to complement with us and then as our Brethren too grossely do at present with them untill they get as the Scots say to be the prevailing party but I know they are sensible enough of theafter-reckoning notwithstanding they sum up at present And therefore in vindication of themselves and us they honestly and ingeniously state the first grounds of the quarrell both in England and Scotland which is well done and it were to be wisht that it were imprinted on all our hearts in both Nations with a point of a diamond and it had been happy these virgin and untainted principles had been alwaies kept unto in Scotland They tell us p. 3. that when they were living quietly and peaceably a new Service Book was imposed on them to introduce Popery c. and relate the Kings invasions of them for but refusing it against their consciences charge him with breach of trust after Articles given And as to their conjunction with England as their assistance was desired so they saw further cause and reason then formerly p. 3. they notably expresse the pranks of the King and his adherents not staying in Scotland but traversing Ireland in a bloody Rebellion against thousands of Protestants who had the Kings Commission and with whom he afterwards made an Agreement rather then submit to any just condescentions of the Parliament and Protestants of England and Scotland though he had declared them formerly Traytors for their bloody massacres having also entrusted divers Popish Commanders in his Armies contrary to his first Declarations that no Papist should be in armes or about his person Upon these and such like reasons they and we joyned together in Covenant To which we may add his perfidious Treatings with us oftentimes especially at Brainford his hatred of the Covenant his impenitency continued actings in a second warre more dangerous then the former with a thousand more desperate transactions both by himself and Son and all these propagated and continued without any hope of remedy but by losing all the blood and expence of an eight yeares warres with danger and hazzard at the best for the future All these are sufficient grounds for honest men to look to themselves at first and defend themselves in the beginning and much more to provide for themselves at last Onely the misery is in the use and
Kings Commission and in an idem and representation held forth what they mean to do with his person if he prove the Author of the Commission and be found to joyn with Montrosse It s accounted in the Civil Law and I think in the Laws of England That what is done to the picture or publique representation of a person is much more done to the person it self for if they vent their malice to the dead image much more would they to the living person The image and portraiture of Kings are not seen in the lineaments of their faces or bodies drawn by the mixture of colours and the fancy of a painter but in their publique Representations in their Commissions and Grants wherein they appear in their office for else as fair and authentique grave and majestique faces may be drawn better to represent nature then in the best of them But all these things formerly excepted against are but mistakes and politique Evasions by the Committee of Estates Let us now consider waving all personal and particular Engagements and supposing an error in our Proceedings and seriously consider together what may unite us or rather recover the fence of our Union and reciprocal Concernments We are not conscious of ever sinning or transgressing against the Priviledges of Scotland though we are loath to repeat their Actions in England and concerning it if we have offended or done any thing against their real Priviledges we shall humbly acknowledg it with great sence and wherein the Union hath been broken on our side shall endeavor to make it up with satisfaction but if our Brethren think that the King will unite more then the Covenant we are sorry we must not only dissent but differ There is no means left to preserve these two Nations in the eye of Reason but their Union together in common principles waving the particular miscarriages of both Nations And how ever we may imagine and make a fancy of Sectaries equally to be opposed with Malignants we shall find and they with a witness that the one is possible and easily curable by a strict Conjunction with the honest and prevailing party the other engaged against both There is no difference between our Brethren and us of moment but about Kingly Government and the persons which must raign against which we have upon just Reasons protested and it will be hard for them to bear the single burthen of that Monarchy which expects to be maintained by the three Nations And though we dare not dishonor our Cause and Nation to beg a Union and their Correspondence which yet will be both honorable and safe to both Nations and scorn to stoop the grandeur of this Common-wealth so much as to entreat them into the consideration of their own condition as they do mechanically follow their and our Enemy called their King yet we shall be glad to renew any ways of amity and affableness with that Nation and shall account it a high and special favour from Heaven if he give us wisdom to joyn our Interest together in the preservation of the true and right ends of the Covenant which will else be forgotten among us and to settle Religion against these which may be truly called Sectaries and Government contrary to Episcopacy and most proper for Reformation in the setling of an able and powerful Ministry and purging Congregations In a word the countenancing all the ways of godliness which we have an happy opportunity now to effect the principle Obstante removed out of the way upon whose voyce we put the determination of the welfare both of Church and State and if our dissenting Brethren in England and those in Scotland would but lay aside private and special Interests and minde the publique and take advantages of Providences how soon might they have both Kirk and State reformed even unto the utmost period of all desires If there be any defect in setting up Presbyterial Government in taking care for the Ministry I wish it may not prove to lie on the Ministers themselves who out of Principles of Royalty or private Engagements do not only withdraw from but speak against this present Government and the righteous Constitution of it But if our Brethren wil wave the Covenant and make the King the medium of our union we have done our duty Let the Issue be tryed we shal venter on the same Providence maintain the same Cause however the change be in persons and spirits Reformation of Religion in Doctrine and Discipline Civil Liberties a universal Propagation of the Gospel being our end Let them see if K. Charls be the fit Instrument to effect these honest things If the Parlia of England follow not the most adequate and best means to that end viz. of the setting up pure Religion and just Liberties after all the Mercies they have enjoyed from Heaven and if the Kingdom of Scotland joyn not with them on these Grounds waving all other considerations they will both be Anathema Maranatha And if Reason and Religion cannot decide the Controversie between Brethren the Sword will never do it especially when enemies shal mannage it but endanger the ruine of both If our Brethren will not harken to terms of Peace and Love but besides their own danger and hazard will embrace the Enemy of this Common-wealth not only to sojourn but raign among them they must give us leave to secure Religion and Liberty as well as we can and once more leave it to Providence to umpire Only it will be sad that while we are trifling about names and punctilioes of things our common Enemy should grow strong and destroy us I have nothing else to add but to retire my self into my Closet and bewail the Divisions of both Nations about Ceremonies and Shadows while their and our Enemies laugh and design and to lament for our ignorance who think that a Malignant King can be brought in to raign without a Malignant Interest and that we should be all the days of our lives pruning the branches and cutting them off and yet be strengthning and fatning the root of our miseries I end with prayer to the Almighty That both Nations may have a true sence of the Glorious Actings of God these last years and may know the true and proper Interest of Religion and Liberty and both unite once more in common Principles That the good Work of Reformation so blessedly begun notwithstanding the Malignant Parties in the three Nations may receive no obstruction in its perfection by these that profess to intend the growth and glory of it that while we are striving who shall have the Shell Prelacy and Malignancy may not get the Kernel and recover their lost Interests by our private and particular Discontents FINIS