express how much Affection and Loyalty your Lordships did bear to his Royal Person and Government whereof we shall be ready to make a more full relation when it shall please your Lordships to require it Although we have not had as yet such satisfaction as both your Lordships and we did wish yet do we not despair since affairs are left in that condition that further progress may be made thereupon by the express which his Majesty is to send hither or by new applications to his Majesty as your Lordships shall think fitting We have had so many experiences and proofs of the good hand of our God with us unto this day that although our difficulties be many we were of all people most unthankeful if we should now faint or cast away our confidence in doing of our duty we may hope that he will yet assist and go before us and as all possible and lawful means would be still used for gaining from our Soveraign the King a gracious Answer to our Desires so should we not in the mean time become secure but imploy all warrantable means for preserving Religion and the Kingdom in safety June 14. 1649. CASSILS BRODIE GEO. WYNRAME The Commissioners first paper to the Kings Majesty desiring the removal of James Graham from his presence and Court May it please your Majesty THe Estates of Parliament of your Majesties ancient Kingdom of Scotland considering what sad effects the pernicious Counsels of wicked Instruments have produced by raising and fomenting division between your Majesties Royal Father and his faithful Subjects Have commanded us at our first Address to your Majesty humbly to crave that your Majesty would be pleased to remove from having access to your Royal Person and Court all these who have been and continue Excommunicate by the Church of that Kingdom and namely James Graham sometime Earl of Montrose and now we according to the Trust committed to us do humbly and earnestly crave the same at your Majesties hands being very hopeful that a more plentiful blessing from God shall accompany your Majesties Counsels and affairs and that the desires and endeavors of the Parliament shall prove the more effectual to work a good understanding and mutual confidence betwixt your Majesty and your people when so eminent an Author and Actor of mischief shall have no countenance from your Majesty nor influence upon your Royal Counsels who abandoning the Covenant and despising the Oath of God did invade his native Country and with most inhumane and barbarous cruelty did burn and waste divers parts thereof and who spilt so much blood of your Majesties good Subjects taking advantage of that time when the prime Commanders and Forces thereof were imployed elsewhere for which crimes he was excommunicated by the Church and fore-faulted by the Parliament of that Kingdom and still to this day continues in the highest contempt against God under that fearful sentence of Excommunication without the smallest sign of Repentance March 27. 1649. Signed by Warrant and at Command of the Commissioners of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland His Majesties Answer I Desire and expect that you deliver all the Propositions or Desires you are instructed to present to me before I make an Answer to any particular one being resolved to consider of the whole before I declare my Resolution upon any part April 8. 1649. N. Stilo Signed C R. The Commissioners second Paper for removal of James Graham May it please your Majesty WE the Commissioners of the Parliament of your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland having considered your Majesties Answer of the date the 8 of April Stilo no. to our desire for removing James Graham from your Majesties Person and Court must in conscience of our duty with all humility represent unto your Majesty how sorry we are that your Majesty should delay to give satisfaction to that our first so just and necessary Desire It being previous and most conducing to an happy procedure in the other particulars which we are warranted to under to your Majesty We do humbly beseech your Majesty seriously to consider what fears and discontents it would beget in the hearts of your Majesties most affectionate Subjects and how it would blast their hopes of comfort by your Majesties Raign now in the bud if delay or difficulty were made to remove from your Majesty one who justly and deservedly is most hateful unto them and how great disadvantage it would bring to your Majesties affairs that he should have any countenance from or neerness to your Royal Person especially at this time therefore we do most humbly and earnestly renew and insist upon that our first desire assuring your Majesty that we shall in the rest endeavor according to that trust reposed on us to give your Maiesty all satisfaction March 30. 1649. Signed by Warrant and at Command of the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland His Majesties Answer I Do insist upon my former Answer and do desire and expect that you do deliver all the Propositions or Desires you or any of you are enstructed to present to me before I make an Answer to any particular one being resolved to consider of the whole before I declare my Resolution upon any part April 10. n. stil 1649. Signed C R. The Commissioners third Paper containing the Propositions offered to his Majesty in name of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland May it please your Majesty WE are commanded by the Estates of Parliament of your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland humbly to represent to your Majesty that as they were not wanting in giving faithful and timous counsel to your Maiesties Royal Father for preventing the dangers which were then feared and have since to their deep sorrow and unexpressible grief fallen out and as they have with all care and faithfulness contributed their utmost endeavors for preserving their late Soveraign as their Letters Instructions Declarations and their Commissioners Papers can evidence So they do resolve to continue the same loyal affection and faithfulness to your Majesty and accordingly have acknowledged and proclaimed your Majesty King of Great Britain France and Ireland with all readiness unanimity alacrity and solemnity and have protested in favours of your Majesties just Right of Succession in the Royal Government of your Kingdoms of England and Ireland against all Acts done or to be done to the contrary As also have commanded us in their name humbly to offer to your Majesty that they conceive it necessary for establishing the happy Government of that your Majesties ancient Kingdom and for restoring your Majesty to the setled and peaceable possession of your â—ust Right of Government of your other Dominions 1. That your Majesty would be pleased to assure and declare that you will by your solemn Oath under your Hand and Seal allow the National Covenant of Scotland and the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland England and Ireland and that your Majesty will prosecute the ends thereof in your Royall 〈◊〉 2.
your Majesty may be restored to the peaceable possession of the Government of your other Kingdoms Wherefore we do in all humility renew these our former Desires earnestly beseeching that without losing of precious time your Majestie would be pleased to give a direct and satisfactory Answer thereunto April 23. May 3. 1649. Signed by the Commissioners of Parliament His Majesties Answer I Cannot thinke your Paper of the 3. of this month to contain a partain Answer to the Questions of Mine of the thirtieth of the last all your Answer to My Question whether you have any other thing to propone then that you have already proposed being that you are not to propose any other unlesse you be commanded Whereas I expected you would have answered whether you are commanded to make any other proposition or no and that you would have told Me whether you have power to recede from any particular which you have proposed which you answer no other wayes then by saying what you demand is just and reasonable but I cannot but observe that to My Question of the bringing the murtherers of My Father to justice and what assistance you would give to that purpose you make not the least answer nor not so much as mention your sense of that horrid and Vnparaleld Murther and therefore I would be glad to receive your ful answer thereunto May 7. N. S. Signed C.R. May it please your Majestie OUr deep sense of the great dangers which will unavoidably ensue to your Majesties affaires upon delaying to give satisfaction to these desires which we have proposed in name of the Parliament of your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland as the best and most effectuall means for establishing your Majesties happie government of that your ancient Kingdome and for restoring your Majestie to the possession of your just right of government of your other dominions maketh us heavily regrate that so much time hath been spent without any direct Answer from your Majestie but instead thereof of some questions have been proposed to us and that notwithstanding we have once again as we humbly conceive sufficiently answered and cleared the fame both by Word and Writ yet they are renewed and insisted upon by your Majesties paper of the seventh of this instant to which little more can be said to our judgement then what hath been expressed before For to your Majesties first question whither our papers already delivered contain all particulars which we have to purpose we could not answer more directly and clearly then that we are not to propose any other unless we be further commanded by the Parliament And to that whither we had power to recede from any particulars proposed we answered that the desires we proposed are not only just and reasonable but necessary and consequently such as from which we may not recede And to your Majesties last question we gave an Answer very full and comprehensive that your Majesties granting these just and necessary desires would move your good Subjects of Scotland to do for the advancement of your Majesties service and affairs whatsoever could be expected from loyall Subjects to their gracious King and to endeavour to the utmost of their power by all lawfull and necessary means that your Majesty may be restored to the possession of your just right of government of your other Kingdomes Neither did we conceive it necessary to multiply words in repeating our deep sense of that horrid Fact against the life of your Royall Father seeing the whole Parl. of Scotland whereof we had the honour to be Members had so solemnly declared to the world how much they did detest and abominate the very design thereof as the Protestations and Papers of their Commissioners at London can bear witnesse and we were so conscious to our selves of our sincere tender respects and affection towards our late Soveraign that we looked not to have our sense of that fact in the least wise questioned Wherefore we do again with all humility and earnestness renew our former supplication that without further loss of precious time whereof too much is lost already we wish it be not to the prejudice both of your Majesties affaires and of your lamentably distracted and bleeding Kingdoms your Majestie will be pleased to give a direct and satisfactory Answer to these our most just an necessary desires in doing whereof your Majesty will be to these afflicted Kingdoms like the rain coming down upon the mowen grasse and as showers that water the earth Aprill 29. May 9. 1649. Signed by the Commissioners of Parliament May it please your Majesty HAving for a long time waited your Majesties leisure for an Answer to the humble desires of the Parliament of your kingdom of Scotland which we have in their name tendred to your Majesty and having received no Answer or the least satisfaction to any of them in discharge of our duty to your Majesty We cannot but shew that both your affairs and your distracted Kingdoms are exposed to exceeding great prejudice by the losse of so much precious time which in our humble opinion might have been much better improved for the advantage of both And by your Majesties intended removal hence and our necessitie to return we are so straitned with time that we cannot forbear any longer to renew our humble and earnest request for a speedy favourable Answer whereby your Majesty hath a fair occasion if imbraced at once to make both your self and people happie And on the contrary the great danger and irreparable losse will inevitably ensue upon further delaying or refusing to give satisfaction to so just and reasonable desires so obvious to any impartial eie so that if now when by the power and prevalencie of Sectaries and their Army in England that Kingdom brought underfoot and almost lost and when Ireland is in very great distractions your Maj. shall not speedily heartily satisfie the desires of your Maj. Kingdom of Scotland especially for Religion and the Covenant which is the strongest band to tye Subjects to their King It will weaken the hands of all those that love Religion and Monarchicall Government in England and wholly discourage and disenable Scotland to do for your Majesty by that means also your enemies will be incouraged and strengthened to prosecute their wicked designes and your good people in England will be forced to couch under the burden and submit to the yoak dispairing of any means of relief or deliverance We intreat your Majestie to remember that opportunitie once losed cannot be regained the neglect and not taking hold whereof when so frequently offered hath been the chief cause of the troubles of your Royall Family and hath to our unspeakable grief proved sad and fatall at last We are confident that your Majesty rightly pondering and laying these things to heart will in the entry of your Reign so much cherish the hopefull expectation of your Loyall people as that they may at length look for the wished ends of the
and to have the same power authority and Jurisdiction as absolutely and fully as any Parliament formerly hath had within the Kingdom in time by gone As likewise the 17. Act of the same Parliament intituled Act Statutarie appointing Parliaments to be holden once every three years wherein the appointing of the time places is to be the last Act thereof by the authority of the which Act the Parl. 1641 wherin his Maj. was present did meet and by the Act thereof appointed the first Tuesday of January in Anno 1644. to be the day of meeting and conveening of the next Trienuial Parliament His Majestie and the Estate Declaring that the publication of that Act should be a sufficient for conveening of the whole Members of Parliament as if all sooner Solemnities were used By Authority 〈◊〉 which Parliament the several subsequent Sessions of Parliament have conveened and have often by Treaties Letters and Messages solemnly been acknowledged by your Father and yet these are the Parliaments questioned by your Majesty wherein if you should insist it would be no less then to strike at the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom nor could the subjects there be in security of any thing while they possesse Were it not to make the gap wider we should particularly shew that your Majesties answer is so far from containing satisfaction to our Desires that it drives at the subversion of them all and the dissolving of that Solemn Covenant which for the good of Religion the honour and happiness of the King and the peace and safety of his Kingdoms was sworn and subscribed before the most high God by your Majesties good Subjects of both Kingdoms from which they wil not depart nor suffer themselves to be withdrawn by any trouble or difficulty that they can meet with But we do purposely forbear â—…ther to insist upon particulars desiring rather your Majesty to take the business again unto your most serious consideration and that laying aside the occasion of such dangerous debates it may please your Majesty to give the satisfaction desired to the just and necessary Propositions of your Kingdom of Scotland concerning Religion and the Solemn League and Covenant and the determination of matters Civil by the Parliament and matters Ecclesiastical by the Assemblies of the Church of that Kingdom That thereby your Majesty may gain not only the outward obedience but also the inward affection of your good people to your Royal Person Authority and Government which is the only way to unite and strengthen their hearts and hands and so to engage that Nation intirely to perform to your Majesty all the duties of faithfulness and loyalty But if by the instigation and perswasion of pernicious Councel your Majesty thus as we wish it may never enter into your Royal hear shall refuse and reject these reasonable desires wherein there is nothing asked but your Majesties assent to these things the particulars whereof have been by Parliament enacted before your Majesties coming to the Crown and by the people universally received and obeyed as Law as it wil be very grievous to them so it wil constrain them in such an extremity to do what is incombent to them for preserving Religion and the Kingdom from ruine and we are confident that it shall appear to the world with how much humility affection and Loyalty they have carried themselves towards your Majesty since the beginning May 22. June â—… 1649. Signed by the Commissioners of Parliament May it please Your Majesty AT your Majesties desire we did forbear to insist upon that first Paper which we offered to your Majesty and the removing of James Grantham as a person excommunicate by the Church and forefaulted by the Parliament of Scotland and now having received no answer nor satisfaction from Your Majestie therâ—…nt but that be still presumes to intrude himselfe into your Majesties presence and pretending Commission from your Majestie hath given warrant to some Officers to Levie Forces which must be understood to be against the Kingdome of Scotland he having sent some of his compliers thither Therefore it is our humble desire that he may be discharged your Royal presence and Court and that your Majestie would be pleased to let us know whether any such Commis be granted to him or not at this time whilst we are expecting your Maj. answer to the desires of that Kingdom 〈…〉 Signed by the Commissioners of Parliament His Majesties Answer I Am much unsatisfied with your Papers of the first and second of this month in Answer to mine of the 29 of May finding by them thâ—… My real endeavours to give all just satisfaction to my good Subjects of Scotland are undervalued and misinterpreted and observing in them severall inferences opposing the naturall sense and true intent of what I have proposed with most intire intentions for the good of that Church and Kingdome and unseasonably stirring uselesse questions neither properly arising out of any thing contained in any of the former papers nor conducing to the Common Peace But neither these nor any discouragements shall prevstil with me to omit any thing that my tend to the Peace and Happines of all My good Subjects of Scotland To which I shal most affectionately to My utmost power upon all occasions apply My Self according to the duty which I owe to the Almighty God in the exercise of My Royal power for the good of My People in order whereunto I shall with covenient speed send you by the Expresse mentioned in My last Paper the more particular Answer I then promised I shall likewise more fully expresse My Self concerning the new matter contained in these Papers and shall particularize what I now complain of in them In the mean time I expect and require from all My Subjects of Scotland such obedience as is due to Me their King by the Laws of God of nature and of that Kingdom Signed C.R. Act of Approbation of the Commissioners their faithfulnesse and diligence in their Commission AT Edenburgh the fouretenth day of June 1649. The Estates of Parliament now presently convened in the third Session of this second Trienniall Parliament Having received from Iohn Earl of Cassils Alexander Brodie of that ilk Master George Winrame of Libberton and Alexander Jaffray Burges of Aberdeen Their Commissioners sent to the Kings Majestie The Report of all their proceedings with the King And read the papers delivered therewith to this Parliament And being fully satisfied with their Integrity Faithfullnesse and Diligence in contributing their utmost endeavours for prosecuting their instructions And for obtaining satisfaction to the desires of this Kingdome Doe therefore unanimously and heartily acknowledge their Faithfulnesse and Diligence and approve their proceedings And render to them the hearty thanks of this Kingdom for the saâ—…e Sic Subscribiter ARCH IOHNSTOUN Cler. Regist. The Report of the Commissioners of the Church of their Proceedings with his Majesty at the Hague Made in the Generall Assembly Iuly 10. 1649. AS We were
That your Majesty will â—…fie and approve all Acts of Parliaments enjoyning the Solemn League and Covenant and establishing Presbyterial Government the Directory of Worship the Confession of Faith and Catechism in your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland as they are already approven by the General Assembly of the Kirk and by the Parliament of that Kingdom And that your Majesty will give your Royal Assent to Acts of Parliament enjoyning the same in the rest of your Majesties Dominions And that your Majesty will observe the same in your own practise and family and never make opposition thereto or endeavor any change thereof 3. That your Majesty will consent and agree that all matters Civil be determined by the present and subsequent Parliaments of your Kingdom of Scotland and all matters Ecclesiastical by the ensuing General Assemblies of that Church as was formerly condiscended and agreed to by your Majesties Royal Father These desires are so just and necessary for the securing of Religion and the Peace of that Kingdom and for gaining not only the out ward obedience but also the inward affection of all your Majesties good people to your royal Person Authority and Government after so great distractions and troubles that the granting thereof wil so far endear your Majesty to that Nation that they will not onely receive your Majesty with all cheerfulness and most willingly render to you that subjection and dutiful obedience which can be expected from loyal Subjects to their gracious King But likewise will contribute their utmost endeavors by all necessary and lawful means according to the Covenant and the duty of faithful and loyal Subjects that your Majesty may be restored to the peaceable possession of the Government of your other Kingdoms according to your Majesties and doubted right of succession And if your Majesty shall speedly begin to move that way which will be acceptable to God and good men and really offer to settle Religion and Peace as is represented in our desires and upon these grounds shall claim the right of your Royal Government before Democracy or any new model of Government under the name of an Agreement of the people or any other name or device be setled or take root in England it will be more easie to maintain Monarchical Government as 〈…〉 in the hearts of your Majesties loyal Subjects there then 〈…〉 it after a new form of Government hath gotten leave to take root and the people have been habituated thereunto We are very confident 〈◊〉 your Majesties speedy and cordial joyning in the Government with God and your good people will open a door of hope that God will arise and shine upon your Majesties just undertakings and will plead your righteous cause against the enemies thereof His Majesties Answer J Desire to know whether the papers you have already delivered contain all particulars which you or either of you have to propone or desire and whether you have any power to recede from any particular proposed or to be proposed and whether you have any Propositions to make for the advancement of my Service and toward the recovery of my right in England and bringing of the murtherers of my Father to Justice and what assistance you will give to that purpose April 12. â—â— Signed C R. The Commissioners fourth Paper May it please your Majesty VVE have considered your Majesties paper of the 22. of this instant and do humbly conceive that it is sufficiently answered by ours of the twentieth of the same containing the just and necessary desires of the Parliament of your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland as we are ready instantly to make appear April 14. 24. Signed by the Commissioners of Parliament His Majesties Answer I Have again considered your Papers of the 20. of this instant moneth to which you refer in your Papers of the 24. and do not understand that the Questions asked by me in my Paper of the 22. were sufficiently answered by you in the other there being no mention in that Paper of the 20. whether the Papers you have already delivered contain all particulars which you or either of you have to propone or desire nor whether you have any power to recede from any particular proposed or to be proposed by you or whether you are bound to insist on them in the terms they are proposed nor are the offers in that Paper particular enough for the advancement of my Service and towards the recovery of my Right in England nor is there mention of bringing the Murtherers of my Father to Justice or what assistance you will give to that purpose To all which I expect particular Answers or that you will make it appear in writing that the former Paper or any other delivered by you to me contains sufficient Answers thereunto And upon your full Answers to these particulars you shall receive such an one from me upon the whole as shall be agreeable to Conscience Honour and Justice April 30. May 10. 1649. Signed C R. May it please your Majesty BEing unwillling to trouble your Majesty with long and tedious Papers We choosed rather by conference to make it appear that your Majesties Queries contained in the paper of April 22. were sufficiently Answered by ours of the 20. containing the desires of the Parliament of your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland But now seing your Majesty is pleased to insist in the same by another of the 30 desiring that we would make appear in writing that our former paper containeth sufficient Answers thereunto In obedience to your Majesties Desire we do by these humbly crave It may be considered that whereas your Majesty desires to know whether our papers already delivered containe all particulars which we have to propose It is Declared therein that your Majesties granting of the desires contained therein will obtain all that in reason can be required of your people of Scotland or can be expected of Loyal Subjects to their gracious King neither are we to propose any other unlesse we be commanded by the Parliament or Committee of Estates That whereas your Majesty desires to know whether we have power to recede from any particular proposed or if we are bound to insist upon them in the termes they are propsed It is declared therein that these Desires contained in it are just and necessary for the securing of Religion and the peace of that Kingdom so that we shall have no reason to recede from the matter of them though we are not to stand upon termes or words with your Majestie That whereas your Majestie Desires to know what that Kingdome will do for the advancement of your Majesties Service and affaires It is Declared therein that the granting these just and necessary desires will make your good people in Scotland do all that can be desired or expected from Loyall Subjects to their gracious King and contribute their utmost endeavours by all lawfull and necessary meanes according to the Covenant and the duty of loyal faithful Subjects that