The annals of King James and King Charles the First ... containing a faithful history and impartial account of the great affairs of state, and transactions of parliaments in England from the tenth of King James MDCXII to the eighteenth of King Charles MDCXLII : wherein several material passages relating to the late civil wars (omitted in former histories) are made known.

Apud Holy-rood-house, Sept. 22. 1638.

The which day James Marquess of Hamilton, his Majesties Commissioner, produced and exhibited before the Lords of Privy Council, the two Missives under-written, signed by the King's Ma∣jesty, and directed to the said Lords, which being read, heard, and considered by the said Lords, They have ordained, and ordains the same to be inserted and registred in the Books of Secret Council, there∣in to remain ad futuram rei memoriam, whereof the tenour followeth.

CHARLES R.

RIght trusty, &c. being certainly informed that the distractions which have happened of late, (both in Church and Commonwealth) in this Our ancient Kingdom of Scotland, have much troubled the minds of many of Our good and loyal Subjects; and that these di∣straciions have been occasioned upon jealousies and fears of innovation of Religion and Laws, as tending to the introduction of Popery, and not without some suspicion, as if We our self were inclined that way; Ʋpon occasion whereof, many of Our Subjects have of late subscribed a Band or Covenant for preserving the true Religion and Laws already established, and for defending the King's

person, and each others, in defence thereof: But the same not being warranted by Royal Authority (as that which was in Our dear Fathers time) must needs of it self be ineffectual, and much prejudicial to the ancient Form and Custom of Government kept within that Our Kingdom of Scotland: Wherefore We, out of Our inborn love to our said native Country, and for ob∣viating these conceived fears, and satisfying of you, and all Our loving People, have thought good to ordain the Confession of Faith, and Band subjoyned thereto, of the date at Edenburgh, January 28. 1580▪ and signed by Our Royal Father to be renewed: And to that effect have given Order to Our Commissioner, with ad∣vice of Our Council, to set down and settle some solid course, whereby the same may be subscribed by Our Council, Judges, Magistrates of Burroughs, and all other our People of that Kingdom. And for further clearing of Our self, We declare, That as We are and ever have been satisfied in Our Judgment and Consci∣ence for the Reformed Religion now established, and a∣gainst the Roman: So We purpose, by God's Grace, both to live and die in the practice thereof, and to preserve and maintain the same in full strength and in∣tegrity, according to the Laws of that Our ancient Kingdom. What We have thought further fitting to be done at this time, concerning the Particulars con∣tained in our Subjects Petitions; you shall receive Our full pleasure therein from Our Commissioner. And that this Our Declaration concerning Our self, and Our pious in∣tention, for settling the Reformed Religion within that Our Kingdom, may appear to Posterity; Our plea∣sure is, that these presents be registred in the Books of Council.

Oatlands, Sept. 9. 1638.

THis his Majesties Letter being received by the Council with all submissive, joyful, and thank∣ful acknowledgment, the Commissioner made them further acquainted with the Particulars of the King's Grace and Favour, for the appeasing of the Troubles of that Kingdom, who (upon hear∣ing of the same) were filled with excessive joy, as making full account that now malice it self could not find the least pretence of keeping the People from being satisfied, all things which ever yet since the beginning of these Troubles they had desired, being granted unto them. But so soon as some of the Privy Counsellors, who were not only Covenanters in their heart, but the very heart of their Covenant, had made some of the chief covenanting Lords acquainted with the unex∣pected excess of his Majesties Favours towards his People, these Lords, making full accompt that their Reign was upon the point of expiration if the People should understand the King's Grace and Favour, bestirred themselves with might and main to disperse rumours amongst them, That the News brought home by the Lord Commissioner, importing his Majesties Answer, did tend to the utter subversion of their Religion and Liberties; Thatthere was a new Covenant to be set on foot by the King, to destroy theirs, and that if they now did not resist, all they had done was quite un∣done and lost: After which, the principal of them came down, first, to ••he Lord Commissioner, and then to the Council, requesting them, or in∣deed rather requiring them, that they would not subscribe the Confession of Faith, nor require it to be subscribed by others, by any Authority from the King, threatning in a manner, that if they did, they would repent it, and that a present rupture would follow: The Lord Commissioner and Council heard them twice fully, but found not the least ground of reason for the delay of the De∣claration of his Majesties Grace and Favour to∣wards his People, as seeing it proceeded only from an earnestdesire in these Lords to have it concealed from them; and therefore resolved, and imparted unto the Lords Covenanters their resolution, that they would publish it that day, being Saturday. The Lords Covenanters did then seem to abate some∣thing of their requests, or rather demands, and de∣sired the Kings Commissioner and Council to de∣lay the publishing of the Declaration only until the Monday following, before which time, if they could not shew good Reasons for the stopping of it, they would be content with the publication thereof▪ Which motion of theirs wanted not seconding from some of the Privy Council there present, who were indeed the first and chiefest of them: But the Lord Commissioner and Counsellors well and wisely foreseeing that this delay was desired, first, that these Lords Covenanters might have time to pen and prepare a Protestation against this his Majesties gracious Declaration, with the Contents whereof some of the Privy Counsellors (hearty Covenanters) had made them acquainted; which Protestation could not be provided nor penned in the space of so few hours: Secondly, That the Lords Covenanters made no question, but that the next day being Sunday, their Ministers in all the Pulpits of Edenburgh, by their subornation, should so con••ure up the spirits of the People against the King ••gracious Declaration, as they should not be easily and readily laid again: Thirdly, that they might have time to dispatch Messengers and Poasts abroad with Copies of their Protestation, in all Burroughs where the Declaration was to be pub∣lished, before, or as soon as the King's Declarati∣on could be sent to those places: For these impor∣tant considerations, the Lord Commissioner and Council did declare unto these Lords, after full hearing of them, that considering the invalidity of their Reasons to the contrary, his Majesties gracious Declaration should be published that day at the Cross of Edenburgh: And so accordingly the King's Declaration that day was proclaimed as here it followeth.

CHARLES, by the Grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, De∣fender of the Faith. To Our Lovits, Messengers, Our Sheriffs, in that part con∣junctly and severally specially constitute, greeting. For∣somuch as the cause and occasion of all the distractions which have happened of late both in Church & Common∣weal of this Our Kingdom, have proceeded from the conceived fears of innovation of Religion and Laws: To free all Our good Subjects of the least suspicion of any intention in Ʋs to innovate any thing, either in Religi∣on or Laws, and to satisfie not only their desires, but even their doubts, We have discharged, and by these pre∣sents do discharge the Service-Book, Book of Canons, and High Commission, and the practice of them, or any of them: and by these presents annuls and rescinds all acts of Council, Proclamations, and other acts and deeds whatsoever, that have been made or published, for estab∣lishing them, or any of them, and declares the same to be null, and to have no force nor effect in time coming. And being informed, that the urging of the practice of the 5 Articles of Pearth Assembly, hath bred great distraction and division in the Church and State, We have been gra∣ciously pleased to take the same into Our consideration; and for the quiet and peace of Church and State, do not only dispense with the practice of the said Articles, but also discharge, like as by these presents We discharge all and whatsoever persons from ••rging the practice there∣of,

upon either L••ick or Ecclesiasti••al person whatso∣ever. And We do hereby free all Our Subjects from all cens•••••• and pain, whether Ecclesiastical or Secular, for not urging, practising, or obeying the same, not∣withstanding of any thing contained in the Acts of Par∣liament, or general Assembly to the contrary. And because it hath been, to the disgrace of Government, disperst and surmized throughout this Our Kingdom, that some of Our Subjects have exercised such illimi••ed and unw•••••• ••nted power, and have held them∣selves eximed from censure and punishment, to which others Our Subjects are liable, We do by these presents declare, that if any of Our Subjects, whether Eccle∣siastical or Civil, of whatsoever quality, title, or de∣gree, have, or shall at any time presume to do any such act, or assume to themselves any such exemption or power, That they shall, like as by these presents We make and ordains them to ••e liable to the trial and cen∣sure of Parliament, general Assembly, or any other Judi••atories competent, according to the nature and quality of the offence. And for the free entry of Mi∣nisters, that no other Oath be administrate unto them then that which is contained in the Act of Parliament, And to give Our Subjects full assurance, that We ne∣ver intend to admit of any change or alteration in the true Religion already established and professed in this Our Kingdom, And that all Our good people may be fully and clearly satisfied of the reality of Our intenti∣ous towards the maintenance of the truth and integri∣ty of the said Religion, We have thought fit and ex∣pedient to injoin and authorize, like as We by these presents do require and command all the Lords of Our Privy Council, Senatours of the Colledge of Justice, Judges, and Magistrates to Burgh and Land, and all Our other Subjects whatsoever, to subscribe and renew the Confession of Faith, subscribed at first by Our dear Father and His Houshold, in the year of God 1580. Thereafter by persons of all Ranks, in the year 1581. by Ordinance of the Lords of secret Council, and Acts of the general Assembly. Subscribed again by all sorts of persons in the year 1590. by a new Ordi∣nance of Council at the desire of the general Assembly, with their general band of maintenance of the true Religion, and the Kings person. And for that effect We do require the Lords of Council to take such course anent the foresaid Confession and general Band, that it may be subscribed and renewed throughout the whole Kingdom with all possible diligence. And because We will not leave in Our Subjects minds the least scruple or doubt of Our Royal intentions and real resolutions, We have given warrant to Our Commissioner to indict a free general Assembly, to be holden at Glasgow the twenty first day of November, in this present year 1638. And thereafter a Parliament to he holden at Edenburgh the fifteenth day of May, Anno 1639. for settling a perfect peace in the Church and Common-weal of this Kingdom. And because it is likely that the disorders and distractions which have happened of late, have been occasioned through the conceived fears of innovation of Religion and Laws, and not out of any disloyalty or disaffection to Soveraignty, We are graciously pleased absolutely to forget what is past, and freely to forgive all by gones to all such as shall acquiesce to this Our gracious pleasure, and carry themselves peaceably as loyal and dutiful Subjects, and shall ratifit and approve the same in Our next ensuing Parliament. And that this Assembly may have the better success, and more happy conclusion, Our will is, that there be a solemn Past proclaimed and kept by all Our good Sub∣jects of this Kingdom, a fourteen daies before the be∣ginning of the said Assembly: the causes thereof to be a begging a blessing from God upon that Assembly, and a peaceable end to the distractions of this Church and Kingdom, with the a version of God's heavy judgment from both. And Our pleasure is, that this Fast be kept in the most solemn manner as hath been in this Church at any time heretofore upon the most extraordi∣nary occasion.

OƲR WILL is herefore, and We charge you straightly and command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass, and make publication here∣of by open Proclamation at the Market Crosses of the head Burroughs of this Kingdom, where through none pretend ignorance of the same.

Given at Our Court of Oatlands, the ninth day of September, 1638.

Per Regem.

After this Declaration was proclaimed, the Confession of Faith, as it was at the first command∣ed by King James, as also the Band annexed for defence of the Religion now established, and of the King's Person and Authority, with the Sub∣scriptions of the Lord Commissioner and Council to them both, do here follow.