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.

The Protestation of the General As∣sembly of the Kirk of Scotland, made at the Market Cross of Eden∣burgh the 18. of December, 1638.

WE Commissioners from Presbyteries, Burghs, and * 1.1 Universities, now conveened, and yet sitting in a full and free Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, indicted by his Majesty, and gathered together in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Head and Monarch of his own Kirk: And we Noblemen, Barons, Gentle∣men, Ministers, Burgesses and Commons, Subscri∣bers of the Confession of Faith, make it known; That where we his Majesties loyal Subjects of all degrees, considering and taking to heart the many and great Innovations and Corrup∣tions lately by the Prelates and their Adhe∣rents introduced into the Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline of this Kirk, which had been before in

great purity, to our unspeakable comfort, esta∣blished among us, were moved to present many earnest desires and humble supplications to his Sa∣cred Majesty, for granting a free General Assem∣bly, as the only legal and ready mean to try these innovations, to purge out the corruptions, and settle the disorder of the Kirk, for the good of Religion, the honour of the King, and the com∣fort and peace of the Kirk and Kingdom: It plea∣sed his gracious Majesty out of his Royal bounty, to direct unto this Kingdom, the Noble and Po∣tent Lord James Marquess of Hamilton, with Com∣mission to hear and redress the just grievances of the good Subjects; who, by many Petitions and frequent Conferences, being fully informed of the absolute necessity of a free General Assembly, as the only Judicatory which had power to remedy those evils, was pleased to undergo the pains of a a Voyage to England, for presenting the pitiful condition of our Kirk to his Sacred Majesty: And the said Commissioner his Grace returned again in August last, with power to indict an Assembly, but with the condition of such * 1.2 prelimitations, as did both destroy the freedom of an Assembly, and could no ways cure the present Diseases of this Kirk. Which was made so clearly apparent to his † 1.3 Grace, that for satisfying the reasonable desires of the Subjects, groaning under the wea∣riness and prejudices of longsome attendance, he was again pleased to undertake another jour∣ney to his Majesty, and promised to endeavour to obtain a free General Assembly, without a∣ny prelimitation, either of the constitution and members, or matters to be treated, or manner and order of proceeding: So that if any questi∣on should arise concerning these particulars (whereof the power of ruling Elders as a part of the constitution, and the examination of E∣piscopacy as a present question to be moved, was exprest, albeit now the Commissioner hath pretended the samine for the greatest causes of his rising and away going from the Assembly) the samine should be cognosced, judged, and determined by the Assembly, as the only Judge competent: And accordingly by warrant from our Sacred Sovereign returned to this Kingdom, and in September last caused indict a free Ge∣neral Assembly to be holden at Glasgow, the 21. of November last, to the unspeakable joy of all good Subjects and Christian hearts, who thereby did expect the perfect satisfaction of their long expectations, and the final remedy of their pressing grievances. But these hopes were soon blasted; for albeit the Assembly did meet and begin at the appointed day, and for the space of seven days sitting was countenan∣ced with his Graces personal presence, yet his Grace did never allow any freedom to the Assembly, competent to it by the Word of God, acts and practice of this Kirk, and his Majesties indiction, but did labour to restrain the samine during the time of his abode there, by protesting against all the Acts made there∣in, and against the Constitution thereof by such Members, as by all Law, Reason, and Custom of this Kirk, were ever admitted as Members constituents of our free Assemblies, and by denying his approbation to the things proponed and concluded, though most clear, customable, and uncontroverted.

And further, his Grace after the presenting and reading of his own Commission from our Sacred Sovereign, and after his seeing all our Comimssions from Presbyteries, Burgs, and U∣niversities; produced and examined, and the Assembly constitute in all the Members by un∣animous consent, did, to our great grief, with∣out any just cause or occasion offered by us, ‖ 1.4 unexpectedly depart, and discharge any fur∣ther meeting or proceeding in this Assembly, under the pain of Treason; and after seven days sitting, declare all Acts made, or there∣after to be made in this Assembly, to be of no force nor strength; and that for such causes as were either then exprest verbally by his Grace, or contained in a Proclamation made by his Grace at Glas∣gow, † 1.5 without any warrant of an Act of Councel, con∣trary to the Law and Cu∣stom of this Realm: Where∣unto we answered by our Protestation of the 29. of November, or otherwise for such Reasons as his Grace thought meet to alledge, which are since superadded in this late Proclamation, now made at Edenburgh, this 18. of December, where∣in, for our greater surcharge of sorrow, we are heavily and wrongously blamed and taxed of many great Offences.

And first for making Protestation against the * 1.6 Proclamation made at Edenburgh the 22. of September last, whereas our Reasons contained in that our Protestation are so forcible and just, to demonstrate the necessity and lawfulness of our Act, that we judge all good men and Chri∣stians will be satisfied therewith; whereanent we remit our selves to our Protestation printed, and will not for shortness repeat the samine Reasons here.

And where we are reproached and blamed in this new Proclamation for guarding and * 1.7 watching the Castle of Edenburgh, and imped∣ing to import Ammunition, or other necessa∣ries, to any of his Majesties Houses; an Act which is exaggerate to be without an example in the Christian World, seeing we deny that liberty to our Sovereign, which the meanest of us do assume to our selves: For answer hereun∣to, we confidently affirm that we are unjustly challenged of all the said points, except for pre∣veening dangers evidently threatned unto us, by circumspect attendance about the Castle of Edenburgh; which afterward we shall shew to be warrantably done: * 1.8 For we declare that we have never made the least stop or hindrance to the importation of any Ammunition, Victual, or thing whatsoever, into any other of his Majesties Houses or Castles: Nor for carrying all necessary sustentation into the Castle of E∣denburgh, Neither hath any of us fortified, or provided any of our private Houses for war∣like defence; so that all those are heavy and unjust imputations: But we confess and grant, that there being some Provision and Ammuniti∣on quietly imported into this Kingdom, for fur∣nishing the Castle of Edenburgh, and intended secretly to have been put therein, we have carefully preveened the samine by our dili∣gent attendance; and that for such Reasons, grounded upon Equity, the Law of Nature, and municipal Laws and Acts of Parliament of this Kingdom, and the lowable example of our Predecessors: For the truth is, that having pe∣titioned his Majesty for redress of our just grie∣vances,

and a legal trial thereof, before we recei∣ved any answer thereunto, all possible means were used to dissolve that union which was made a∣mongst us for that good cause, and to impede all our meetings from deliberating thereupon, wherein the Town of Edenburgh made a considera∣ble part, not only as an important member of this conjunction, but as a most commodious and ordinary place of our meetings; so that when all other means of perswasion had failed, the means of terrour was not left unassaied: And for that effect a great quantity of ammunition was brought by Sea from Foreign parts, to have been clande∣stinly imported into the Castle of Edenburgh, as no doubt it was intended, seeing the samine was unloaded in the dead time of the night. And we considering that in case the samine had been imported into the Castle, with other provision and store formerly therein, the samine might have been used and imployed for the overthrow of that place, and tended to our great prejudice, by with-drawing them, upon that terrour, and dis∣placing us from our ordinary meetings; upon these reasons and considerations we preveened the sa∣mine by such a loyal way as cannot be offensive to Autho∣rity: * 1.9 For the safety of the publick is the end of all lawful power, and supream Law. And the adversaries of our Reli∣gion having formerly boasted by that provision so to fur∣nish the Castle, that it might beat down the Town of Edenburgh, and bar the supplicants from meet∣ing therein, we had just reason to hinder that fet∣ter of slavery to be put upon the Town; and that the Castle of Edenburgh, which is amongst the first strengths of the Land against Foreign Forces, might be turned as a special engine of constraint against the Subjects, to hinder their lawsul meetings, or to force the Town of Edenburgh to separate from the rest of the supplicants: Which great prejudice the Law of Nature teacheth us to avoid; and yet we have not proceeded therein without the warrant of the Acts of Parliament.

For first, where there is any violent presump∣tion of spoiling of the Coun∣try, it is ordained that the † 1.10 Lieutenant raise the Coun∣try, and pass to such Castles and Fortalices where there is any unruly men, and take soverty of the persons within these houses, that the Country and all the King's lieges be unharmed and unskathed of the saids Houses, and of them who inhabits the samine from time forth: And if any make diffi∣culty to be arrested, and find soverty as Law will, they shall be streined thereto, James 2. Parlia∣ment 2. Act 3. And therefore now seeing there is not only violent presumption, but great me∣nacing, from the Adversaries of the Truth and Country, and their adherents, of the breaking of the Country and harming of the samine; and especially his Majesties lieges within Edenburgh, by the extraordinary provision of munition to the Castle of Edenburgh, and that by the saids Bishops plots from his Majesties prime Officers, who in his Majesties absence should preveene that incon∣venient by the ordinance of that Act: Therefore upon their default the Country it self and the King's Lieges, in whose savours the Act is made, may provide for their own safety, and keep themselves unharmed by that Castle, or any inha∣bitants thereof, and so preveen the importation of Ammunition thereunto, conform to the said Act of Parliament.

† 1.11 Secondly, as the Castle of Edenburgh and certain other Castles and Lands are the King's un∣doubted annexed Property, so it is to be consi∣dered for what cause they were annexed, by whom annexed, upon what condition, and how to be disponed upon. For the only cause exprest in the annexation thereof 41. Act James 2. Parliament 11. is, that the poverty of the Crown is ofttimes the cause of the poverty of the Realm: Which Act makes no mention that the King was annexer of the Castles and Lands to the Crown, but only that by the advice of the full Councel of the Par∣liament it was so statute and ordained, and ap∣points that they may not be disponed upon with∣out advice, deliverance, and decreet of the whole Parliament, for great, seen, and reasonable cau∣ses of the Realm: So that being thus annexed to the Crown by the Realm it self, for avoiding an inconvenient to the Realm, and being annexed with condition not to be disponed upon without the advice and decreet of the whole Parliament, and for great, seen, and reasonable causes of the Realm; justice and equity will require, that these Castles should not be made an instrument of the poverty and desolation of the capital Town of the Realm, and of the harm of the most conside∣rable part of the body of the Realm there con∣veened for supplicating his Majesty and the Coun∣cel, and preparing overtures to the future Par∣liament, for redress of our just grievances. But now by this extraordinary provision to the Castle, being threatned with ruin and extermination, they may stop the misimploying of that benefit granted to the Realm eo animo & ad hunc finem, for the well of the Realm, while the Parliament of the Kingdom give their humble advice to his Majesty thereanent.

Thirdly, by the 9. Act 9. Parl. James 6. it is ac∣knowledged that the Castle of Edenburgh, Dum∣bartane, Stirling, and Blakness, are four chief strengths of the Realm, which ought to be safe∣ly kept to the King's behove, and welfare of the Realm: And for keeping the Castle of Edenburgh, there is assigned, with consent of the Estates, both money and victual, a great part whereof is forth of the thirds of Benefices, which thirds in De∣cember 1561. were decerned and ordained by Queen Mary, with advice of her Councel and o∣thers of the Nobility then present, to be up-ta∣ken and imployed for these two uses: viz. Su∣staining of Ministers, and entertaining and setting forward the common and publick affairs of the Country and Commonwealth of the Realm; which was also enacted, Act 10. Parl. 1. James 6. and thereafter ratified Act 121. Parl. 12. James 6. Whereby it doth appear that as the Castle is the King's undeniable annexed property, so it is also a strength of the Realm, which should be safely kept to his Majesties behove, and well∣fare of the Realm, having for the keeping there∣of rents assigned with consent of the three Estates of the Kingdom forth out of the thirds of Bene∣fices, estimate by the Estates in eum usum, for en∣tertaining and setting forward the publick Af∣fairs * 1.12 of the Country and Commonwealth of the Realm. And consequently the most † loyal part of the Body of the Realm hath main in∣terest to divert the converting of this strength to the weakning or ruin of the Realm or any member thereof, threatned by this unusual provision, and openly denounced by our said e∣nemies.

Fourthly, by the 125. Act 7 Parl. Iames 6. it is acknowledged that the King's Castles and strengths are the keys of the Realm: And the only use of keys is for keeping together in safety and preservation, and not for spartling, dispersing, or perdition. So that the Realm and collective Body thereof can hardly be disallowed for contributing their loyal endeavours to the good keeping of their * 1.13 own keys, when contrary to the right end these keys are used against the Country and Realm, whereof they should be, and are the keys of safety; as by the said Act is de∣clared.

Fifthly, by the same Act, all violent detainers of the Kings Castles from him, or constrainers of the Kings Regents do redeem his own Houses, and all makers of any such bargain, merchandise, or market of the King's Castles, are only ordain∣ed to render and deliver again what they have re∣ceived for reddition of the said Castles, and that the King shall have action for repetition thereof as necessarily g••ven for the time, and wrongously received for unlawful causes. And our proceed∣ings being compared with the subject of that Act of Parliament, cannot deserve so harsh constru∣ctions, where the ‖ 1.14 best part of the Body of the Realm being constrained for indempnity of their persons and goods, do neither take nor detain the Castle, but only with-hold importation, first clandestinly intended, and thereafter openly threatned, of all kind of warlike and invasive furniture, which could be useful to no purpose, but to the harm and annoyance of those who were conveened for the just occasions foresaids, who deserve and expect approbation and † 1.15 thanks from his Majesty in his own due time, for keep∣ing his evil Counsellors, and bad Patriots, from putting hand in his best Subjects.

Sixthly, by the 25. Act 6. Parliament James 2. sundry points of Treason are enumerate: And amongst the rest, one is the assailing, without consent of the Estates, the Castles or places where the King's person shall happen to be: And now the King's person not being in this Castle, but out of the Country, and the * 1.16 best and most loyal part of his Subjects both for number and fi∣delity, imploring his Majesties Authority, for convocating the Estates to take order with these, who, presuming upon his Majesties absence, are bold to give him sinistrous information and coun∣sel, these who do no ways assail the Castle, but barrs these evil Patriots from putting in executi∣on their damnable suggestions by their superche∣ry violence and terrifications from that Castle, before the convention of Estates, cannot in Law and Equity be challenged in their carriage, so necessary to them in the interim, while the E∣states conveen in a Parliament, which now his Majesty hath been graciously pleased to pro∣claim.

Seventhly, it is known by our Chronicles and Records, that the Castle of Edenburgh was given in keeping to the House of Erskin by the King and Estates of Parliament, † 1.17 hac lege expres∣sa & conditione, ut nulli nisi conventui ordinum re∣poscenti traderent.

Eighthly, This Act is not unexampled in the Christian World; but hath many Presidents both in the History of other Kirks and Kingdoms, and of our own, which hath many such example; e∣ven done by the Estates themselves; whose fact doth make our right, and whose authority is ra∣tified conform to the ancient and lowable cu∣stom, in punishing rebellious Subjects, and pre∣serving the faithful, Act 130. Par. 8. James 6.

In the next place we are upbraided for our * 1.18 meetings, which in the Proclamation are called Councel Tables only by that name which by or∣dinary expression is due to Judicatories, to make it believed, that we have arrogate to our selves some unwarrantable power and authority; (which we neither have nor intends to do God willing) whereas the truth is, that in a matter so highly importing all of us, as the preservation of Reli∣gion and purity of God's worship, it was most necessary for us to meet, and that in a sober, mo∣dest, and quiet way; for deliberating with joint advice upon those weighty businesses for the good of the Kirk, his Majesties honour, and peace of the Kingdom: And those * 1.19 meetings did never emit nor send sorth any authoritative command or injunctions, but conclude upon such advices as might be most expedient for advancing that great business, and facilitating the way of supplication to his Majesty, and overtures for the Assembly and Parliament; which was an Act lawful and ap∣proveable in the self, albeit the conclusions there∣of did not carry the force or validity of a binding law or command, which was never aimed at, nor intended: Which meetings they might warran∣tably keep for that end, being for God's glory, and removing the just grievances of the Subjects, no ways prohibited by any of our municipal Laws, which disapproveth such Conventions as are for disturbance of the peace, or usurpation against Authority, whereof neither of the two can be alledged against these meetings: Not the first, because no invasion, violence, offer of wrong by word or deed, to any person, no even to those upon whom they justly complain, ensued upon the same, notwithstanding of their provocations, and their fears falsly represented to his Majesty, and maliciously pretended for their stay out of the Country: Not the second, because their meet∣ings was to consult in manner foresaid upon the ••itting and humble way of supplicating his Maje∣jesty, and for the most convenient Propositions to be represented to his Majesty, the Parliament, and Assembly: All which Acts are most compati∣ble with the loyalty and duty of good Subjects, and do no ways intrench upon Authority, seeing they can never be challenged to have assumed to themselves any judicial determination in any mat∣ter of State, Civil nor Ecclesiastical, but by volun∣tary instructions & opinions every one to another in a common cause of Religion, did resolve what might be most conducible to their lawful and just ends; and yet those conventions want not the warrant of Law and Authority, because they consist of the Nobility, Barons, Burrows, and Ministery, which by the fundamental Laws of the Land, have place of proponing, reasoning, and voting in Par∣liament and Assemblies, Act 113. K. James the 6. Parl. 11. wherein is acknowledged that it is neces∣sary to the King and his Estates to be truly inform∣ed of the needs and causes pertaining to His loving Subjects in all estates, and therefore ratifieth the Act made by King James 1. Anno 1427. giving power to Barons, to propone all and sundry needs, and causes, and to hear, treat, and determine all Causes to be proponed in Parliament; which

necessary and true information cannot be made to his Majesty and Estates, † 1.20 without privy meeting and consultation: And consequently it being granted to them, to inform the King and Estates, and to propone, hear, treat, and fi∣nally determine all needs and causes to be pro∣poned in Parliament, there must be necessarily understood to be a sufficient power granted to them for meeting and advising upon that infor∣mation: Quia aliquo concesso, omnia concessa vidon∣tur, sine quibus concessum expediri nequit. And as to the Ministers they have likeways power grant∣ed to them, not only by the Word of God and Constitutions of the Kirk, but by the King and Laws of this Land, to propone, reason, and vote in Assemblies, and be the famine parity of reason to keep preceeding Meetings, not to de∣terminate or execute, but to consult upon their necessary Propositions: So that these lawful Meet∣ings, for the religious end, suffer wrongously the invidious designation of Councel Tables: Which is only done for procuring misconstructi∣on against them; because at these Meetings and Consultations they sate about a Table, which po∣sture is no ways prejudicial to Authority, the mean∣est of Mechanick Crafts having their own Tables where about they sit, when they consult upon the smallest business importing their Trade. And farder, these same Meetings, consisting of Com∣missioners from each Sherissdom and Body of this Estate, were allowed by his Majesties ‖ 1.21 Councel first, and thereafter by the Commissioner his Grace; in so far as the whole Subjects of this Kingdom out of their resentment of the weight of this cause, having numerously conveened at Eden∣burgh, from all the parts of the Kingdom, that confluence of people was desired to be dissolved, and directed to make choice forth of that great number of some Commissioners from eath Shire, who might meet to represent their just grie∣vances and desires, and attend the answers there∣of.

The third particular Challenge in the Procla∣mation, * 1.22 is for the illegal and unformal course taken in the election of Commissioners to the Assembly, whereof some are alledged to have been under the censure of this Kirk, some un∣der the censure of the Kirk of Ireland, some ba∣nished for teaching against Monarchy, others be∣ing suspended, some admitted to the Ministry contrary to the Laws of this Kingdom, others at the Horn, some confined, and all by Oath bound to the overthrow of Episcopacy: Where∣unto although no answer be requisite, seeing the persons thereby meaned, are not specially con∣descended upon, yet for clearing all mens minds, and shewing the warrantableness of our proceed∣ings, it is of truth that the Assembly, after particular trial which they took upon some such furmises, could not find any censured by the Kirk of Scotland or Ireland, by a lawful man∣ner, in a lawful * 1.23 Judicatory, or for a lawful cause: But on the contrary, the Assembly, after careful searching and examination, found, that any censure inflicted upon any of these persons in Scot∣land was only by a Bishop (who ought to be punished for taking arrogantly on him the name of the Kirk of Scotland) and that without the ad∣vice of any Presbytery, but sitting in his high Commission (which was condemned by the Laws of this Kirk and Kingdom, is discharged by the Kings Proclamation, is one of our just grievances, and a part of the Bishops ditty) and that only for refusing the innovations and cor∣ruptions abjured by the Confession of Faith 1580. For the censure of the Kirk of Ireland; it was not notified to the Assembly by any such Objection, and yet out of their zeal and care to satisfie all these misinformations, whereof they heard some whisperings, they fand after trial, that these cen∣sures inflicted were for the same causes foresaids, and yet could not militate out-with the bounds of that Diocie where they were censured in their own law and practique, and none of them were ever banished for any cause, let be for that odious cause pretended in the Proclamation: Wherein the mention of Horning against some of the Commissioners could not be a lawful exception against them, because Horning can neither take away their Ministerial Function, nor deprive the Presbyteries of their voice by their Commissio∣ners: But in special this Horning against the Commissioners to the Assembly cannot be respect∣ed; because it was done in Edenburgh upon a † 1.24 suddenty (upon what intention, we permit eve∣ry one to consider) after all the Members of the Assembly were gone to Glasgow, and yet Prote∣station was taken against the samine, and suspen∣sion craved upon the real offer of consignation, which, contrary to the Common Law and pra∣ctice of this Kingdom, was unexampledly refu∣sed, and publick instruments taken thereupon: All which Objections are only now remembred to blemish the proceedings of this Assembly, but were never urged nor proponed in the Assembly; but on the contrary, the Commissions of all per∣sons were produced, examined, discussed, and approven in my Lord Commissioners own audi∣ence, without any contrary voice of the Assem∣bly: And yet upon these Challenges much is built against the Assembly, and the samine are aggra∣vate from a preceeding Oath, whereby it is al∣ledged that the Commissioners were bound to o∣verthrow Episcopal Government, which is of the same stamp and metal with the rest: For the truth is, that there was never any Oath given, nor ex∣acted, but that which is contained in the Covenant, whereby all was abjured, only in general, which was contrary to the Confession of Faith 1580. lea∣ving to the trial and determination of the Assem∣bly, whether Episcopacy and some other innova∣tions were repugnant to the said Confession, or not? And at the best, it is a bad inference, that one who hath maintained Orthodox Opinions, and preached against Heresie and Error, may not in the lawful Judicatory voice for condemnation of these Errors. And as for the election of Mode∣rators, admission of Ministers by Presbyteries, and restitution of Elders; the same needeth no answer in this place, being sufficiently cleared by us be∣fore in our answers to the Eleven Articles exhi∣bite unto us by the Commissioner his Grace: Which answers were so satisfactory, that after the receit of the same, his Grace promised to procure a free General Assembly, with power to determine upon all questions anent members, matter, and manner of proceeding. And are further cleared in the Book of Policy, and other Acts already cited in our particular answer to the Declinator of this Assembly, produced by the Bishops. All which is approven by this general Assembly, and all Acts carrying appearance of contrariety there∣to upon undeniable grounds are declared to be null ab initio.

The fourth Act rubbed upon us to our preju∣dice by the Proclamation, is the sending from the Tables of instructions, whereof the heads are summarily exprest, which his Grace indeed did shew to the Assembly, and then the members of the As∣sembly * 1.25 declared, that neither of these Papers were ever sent from the a 1.26 Meetings at Edenburgh to any man in their knowledge; and yet for the first (which possibly might have been some private direction of one Friend to another, without common advice) it doth not contain any thing offensive or partial. For the phrase of losing of our Chri∣stian and Civil Liberty might be warrantably ex∣prest in relation to our former bondage and sla∣very under the Prelates, Tyrannizing in their High Commission, whereby most summarily, at their own pleasure, they deprived, fined, and confined all Persons and Professours, with such an high hand as justly we might affect deliverance from that servitude, which was likely more to interess by the unlimited power usurped in their Canons. So that the desire of this Liberty can∣not be judged an affectation of licentious living without subjection to lawful Authority, which in our solemn Covenant with God we have sworn to maintain. And as for the other Paper, the b 1.27 same is the forgery of our Enemies presented to the Commissio∣ner his Grace, of deliberate purpose to make a pretext for discharge of the Assem∣bly, which we are sorry was so readily embraced, not∣withstanding that when the same was produced by the Commissioner, the same was not only cleared to be no draught sent by publick advice, but the Members of the As∣sembly, and even those whom his Grace most sus∣pected, denied the same, and offered to controul it by production of the true Paper of their instru∣ctions, altogether disagreeing from that other produced by the Commissioner, except in the Two Points following, which had been craftily intermixed with the saids untruths, to give them some countenance of probability. Like as they professed to his Grace upon their c 1.28 Oath, that they had never seen the same before, nor ever read any of the Articles therein contained in any other Paper, except the fourth and the eighth Articles, whereof the fourth was for eschewing (as far as might be) Chapel-men, Chapter∣men, and Ministers Justices of Peace, from being chosen Commissioners to the Assembly: which was so reasonable, that none could be offended thereat, because d 1.29 Chapel-men had approven, and without warrant of this Kirk practised the in∣novations introduced of late; the Chapter-men had practised the book of Ordination, and (con∣trary to the Acts of the Kirk discharging Chap∣ters and their Election of Bishops 1578.) had approven the corruptions of Kirk Government, and Ministers Justices of Peace had likewise ac∣cepted that Civil Office upon them, whereunto they were promoved for the most part as Crea∣tures and Dependers of Bishops. And the eighth, wherein some are desired to study the points which were likely to be agitate in the Assembly, as, de Episcopatu, de senioribus, and among other Points, de potestate supremi Magistratus in Ecclesia∣sticis, praesertim in convocandis conciliis, whereat none can take just exception, because it was the duty of every member of that Assembly to in∣struct and enable themselves for agitating every point, which might occur to be spoken of there by any, or been proponed by the Doctors of Aberdene, who were expected there, and com∣manded to study these points: So that this ought not to be wrested to their prejudice, seeing it was incumbent to the Assembly to know the Pre∣cinct of the Kirks Jurisdiction, especially anent their own Assemblies, and to distinguish it from the Civil Jurisdiction of the supreme Magistrate giving to God what is God's, and to Caesar what is Caesar's, whereby the Soveraign Magistrate hath no prejudice, but great benefit, to know the ex∣tent of his power in matters Ecclesiastical, lest either he should come short of what is due to him, or, for want of true information, incroach upon the liberties of Christ's Kirk: Whereby it is most evident, that no indirect nor partial courses, nor dangerous Propositions, have been used in the pre∣parations and Elections to this Assembly, but such as are most legal, peaceable, ordinary, and war∣rantable.

In the next place the Proclamation charges our * 1.30 innocency for repairing to the Assembly with great Troops and Bands of men boddin in fear of War, and furnished with forbidden Arms, in contempt of a preceding Proclamation: where∣as the truth is, that our going and repairing to Glasgow was in the most peaceable, quiet, and single way which might serve for our security and indemnity against sundry Out-laws, Clangregors, and their Followers, who shortly before the Meet∣ing of the Assembly had done sundry Out-rages, and committed many insolencies upon the King's good Subjects in these Western parts, both to private men, whom by their number they might enforce, and by exacting Moneys at publick Mer∣cats near Glasgow, whereof many were advertised by their private Friends from these places, and to come thither prepared for eviting all affront or hazard which they might incurr by that Rascally multitude: So that being firmly resolved of be∣fore to go thither every one accompanied with his own ordinary private Train, we yet continued in that resolution, and went thither in most so∣ber and quiet way, only with this change, that for preveening that hazard we went not every man alone with his own ordinary servants, but some few together went in company; which is not only ordinary in going out the way, but was most expedient at that time for avoiding the fore∣said hazard and prejudice: which moved us all so

to carry with us some offensive Weapons, where∣with not only these Rebels were provided, but likewaies such who went to Glasgow with his Ma∣jesties Commissioners, who vpon that same neces∣sity were likewaies * 1.31 provided with those prohi∣bited Weapons, and yet their carriage nothing thought to deboird from the duty of good Subjects. Upon these Reasons some of the Supplicants being present in Edenburgh, at the making the said Pro∣clamation the sixteenth of November last, did protest that it might be lawful for them to carry Weapons for their own defence, and preservati∣on against any such lawless Invasion or violence as might threaten them, and that they might incurr no prejudice by carrying such weapons as those who followed Councellors and many others did, promising to carry themselves peaceably and irre∣proveably during the time of the Assembly, which accordingly they have done: and seeing our said carrying of weapons was for defence of our lives, against the Invasion of these barbarous Sorners, we are not censurable therefore by the Act of Par∣liament prohibiting the saids weapons, because we was repairing to, or returning from the Assem∣bly at command of his Majesties Letters and Au∣thority, which is in special words exprest in the Act of Parliament, Act 18. Parliam. 1. James 6. which is thereafter ratified with the same provisi∣ons, Act 87. Parliam. 6. James 6. and thereafter also ratified, Act 248. Parliam. 15. James 6. like as by the 227. Act, Parliam. 14. James 6. all ho∣nest men, and good Subjects Free-holders, are Authorized with a Commission to take and appre∣hend the persons and goods of those Sorners and and Thieves, keep themselves in Prison, and exe∣cute them to the death: And therefore far more to carry weapons for resisting of their savage vio∣lence.

And where the formal and orderly proceeding * 1.32 of this Assembly is challenged in the Proclamati∣on, as peremptory, for refusing voice to the six Assessors assumed to himself by the Commissioner, and for not suffering the Declinator by the Bishops to be read before the Electing of a Moderator, We cannot conceive the same to be a just cause of offence, because albeit according to our bound duty, We defer all humble respect to his gracious Majesties Commissioner, and to the persons and places of the prime Noble-men, and Councellors his Graces Assessors, yet for preservation of the liberty of the Kirk of Jesus Christ, We did in all humility remonstrate that his Majesties Commis∣sioner and Assessors, how many soever (whose place is not to vote, but to assist the Commissio∣ner by their Counsel for his orderly proceeding) could have but only one voice in the Assembly: Since after thirty nine National Assemblies of this reformed Kirk, where neither the King's Ma∣jesty, nor any in His name were present, at the humble and earnest desire of the Assembly, his Majesty graciously vouchsafed His presence, either in his own Royal Person, or by a Commissioner, not for voting or multiplying of voices, but as Princes and Emperours of old, in a Princely man∣ner, to countenance that Meeting, and to pro∣ceed in it for external order: And if we had been honoured with his Majesties personal presence, his Majesty (according to the practice of King James of blessed memory) would only have given his own judgment in voting of matters, and would not have called others who had not been cloathed with Commission from the Kirk, to car∣ry things by plurality of voices, Which is also imported by his Graces Commission produced, wherein he his nominate sole Commissioner. Like as also his Majesties Father never had Assessors voicing in a 1.33 lawful As∣semblies, nor challenged the same to his Commissioners, but only of late daies in these corrupt Assemblies, which for undeniable reasons are de∣clared to have been null ab initio. And as to the refusing of the reading of the Declinator, and Protestation, exhibite by the Prelates, The same was publickly read, and the first Act of the Assembly, immediately after the Election of a Moderator and Constitution of the Members, before the which time there was no Assembly established, to whom the same could have been read, or by whom it could be judged; Like as we desired his Grace to bring in the Pre∣lates themselves, and we should both answer for their safety, and give them a full audi∣ence.

And further, whereas his Grace under his hand, gave in his Majesties Declaration, mentioned in * 1.34 this Proclamation, the same being considered by the Assembly, gave them matter of great joy, to find his Majesties Royal heart so far enlarged to∣wards them, as willingly to untie some of those grievous bands wherewith they had been fettered by the means of some who abused their own places, and trust with his Majesty; But the same was not found satisfactory, nor sufficient for esta∣blishing of a legal security of the points therein mentionate, nor yet for purging the corruptions, and settling the peace of this Kirk, as was pro∣mised, whereof the Commissioner his Grace would not stay to be informed, but did unexpe∣ctedly and suddenly remove, to the great grief of the Assembly, who thereby was necessitate to use the power † 1.35 God had put in their hands, for re∣moving all innovations, and settling the purity, and peace of this Kirk. And seeing in this Pro∣clamation his Majesties Declaration is insert ad lon∣gum, and the Assembly taxed for not being fully satisfied therewith, we are enforced to repeat here the reasons which moved the Assembly not to think the same satisfactory, in hope that they, coming to his Majesties Sacred ears, may procure the continuance of his benigne favour, so accep∣table to this Kirk, by the indiction of this Assem∣bly, and production of the said Declaration, and obtain his Royal approbation to the whole Acts and proceedings of this Assembly, which is hear∣tily wished, and would replenish the hearts of all good Subjects with abundant joy and content∣ment. And

First, Where his Majesty hath discharged the Service-Book, and Book of Canons, and practice of both, and all Acts, Proclamations, and Or∣dinances made for establishing thereof, upon In∣formation that by the introduction of them, the Subjects have apprehended the in-bringing of Po∣pery, and Superstition to have been intended: Neither the discharge nor the ground thereof are satisfactory; Not the first, because as some Acts and Proclamations did serve for their establishing, so others gave them an high approbation, as fit means to maintain Religion and beat down all Su∣perstition: And therefore though those which established them be rescinded, yet those which approved them do remain, and may bring forth other Acts and Proclamations for restoring them or the like hereafter, if these Books receive not a publick censure by the General Assembly as the only judge competent to bar them and the like in

all time coming: Seeing Acts of Council, and Proclamations, are frequent and variable, and yet are no legal valid mean either to introduce or abolish any thing concerning the Doctrine and Discipline of the Kirk, wherein they neither can meddle nor secure the Subjects. Next, seeing by the constitutions of this Kirk a 1.36 the General Assembly hath only power to determine concern∣ing the matters of God's publick Worship; And that the framers of these Books, who called them∣selves the representative Kirk, made them to be practised in sundry places of the Country by their own Authority, and that which they borrowed from b 1.37 the Lords of Secret Council: Therefore it was most necessary that the same should be discharged by the General Assembly (the only true representative Kirk of this Nation) for vindicating her just right from violent Usurpation, and pre∣venting the like in time coming; Not the second, for the Subjects have just grounds of perswasion that the Prelates and their followers (the framers and followers of those Books) intended the in∣bringing of Popery and Superstition by the intro∣ducing thereof, because, 1. Many gross points of Popery and Superstition are not only closely couched under the cover of ensnaring ambiguities (the most insinuating way of Errours and best mask for Superstition) but also expresly contain∣ed in the Books themselves; as was made mani∣fest by sundry Treatises read and considered in the Assembly, and is now so declared by the As∣sembly. 2. The framers and favourers of these Books in their Sermons and Conferences have vented sundry Popish Errors, and approven Popish Superstitions: which fully detecteth, and leaveth no doubt of their intention, in the introducing of Books so full of Popery and Superstition.

Secondly, The discharge of the High Commission by his Majesties Proclam. or Declaration cannot be sufficient; because first, his Majesty declareth that he established the same for the ease and benefit of the Subjects, that Justice might be administrate with the more conveniency and less trouble of the people, And now dischargeth it, because the Subjects have mistaken his gracious intention: So that if the mistaking be removed, that which is conceived of it self to serve for administration of Justice, with ease and benefit to the Subjects, may be established upon pretention of the re∣moval of all such mistakings. Secondly, Though the acts and deeds made fore establishing thereof be rescinded, yet the acts past heretofore by the High Commission are not rescinded: And so the Subjects censured by it, are still esteemed under these censures, as appeareth by the Tenour of the Proclamation, wherein the Assembly is taxed, as consisting of some Members that are under the censures of this Kirk, meaning the Bishops cen∣sure in the High Commission. Thirdly, It being found contrary to the Acts of Parliament, and Acts of General Assembly, and extremely dero∣gatory to them and all other subalterne Judicato∣ries both Civil and Ecclesiastical (which is made clearly manifest by a Treatise presented to the General Assembly,) and it being devised and brought in by the suggestion of Bishops, as a mean whereby they might and have unlawfully Tyran∣nized over all the Subjects, Therefore it is neces∣sary that the Parliament and General Assembly, the highest Civil and Ecclesiastical Judicatories that have been wronged, should by their several sentences utterly abolish it as unlawful and hurtful.

Thirdly, Whereas his Majesty dispenseth with the practice of Pearth Articles, dischargeth all from urging the practice thereof, freeth from censures for not urging or practising them, not∣withstanding of any thing contained in the Acts of Parliament, or General Assembly to the con∣trary, and is content that the Assembly take the same so far to their consideration, as to represent it to the next Parliament, there to be ratified as the Estates shall find fitting: These cannot satisfie; because first, a dispensation with the practice, without a simple discharge, leaveth it still Arbi∣trary to those who will practise, and so continueth the Rent and distractions in this Kirk. Secondly, Although his Majesty had discharged the Pra∣ctice of them by his Proclamation or Declarati∣on, yet the Subjects had not been put in security thereby, except the General Assembly (to whose Trial they belong and were referred by all the Sub∣scribers of the Confession in March) do either repel the Articles of Pearth, or upon good reason declare that Assembly null, since his Majesties Proclamation or Declaration, is not a sufficient warrant to infringe an Act of Assembly or Parlia∣ment made to the contrary. Thirdly, By tying the Assembly to take the same no further unto their consideration than to represent it to the next Parliament, the Assembly is both prelimitate (whereanent refers to the six reasons against pre∣limitation insert in our Protestation, Septemb. 22.) and weakned in power, a 1.38 as if it might not judge and determine in matters meerly Ecclesiasti∣cal without a licence from his Majesty, or a refe∣rence to the Parliament, whereas the General As∣sembly is supreme and independent in matters Ec∣clesiastical, as the Parliament is in Civil; so that when the Acts of Assembly are ratified in Parlia∣ment, the same is for adjoyning the Civil Sanction to the Ecclesiastick constitution for the great ter∣rour of Transgressors.

Fourthly, Anent the Oathes administrate to Mi∣nisters at their entry, it hath not only been pre∣tended, but is certain, and will be made manifest to the Assembly, (which also nowis done) that Oaths have been exacted different from that which is set down in the Acts of Parliament, and in many se∣veral waies according to the pleasure of the Pre∣lates: And where his Majesty declares that no other Oath shall be required of a Minister at his entry, nor that which is set down in the Act of Parlia∣ment, b 1.39 the same is of fearful consequence, because the Act bears an Oath to be given unto the Bishop by Mi∣nisters intrants, and so sup∣poseth the Office of a Bishop to be unchangeable and un∣controverted, whereby the Assembly is prelimited (against the reasons before mentioned) which may find that Office useless and unlawful in this Kirk, and which now they have found upon most infallible reasons.

Fifthly, That his Majesty assureth General As∣semblies shall be kept as oft as the affairs of this Kirk shall require, doth not satisfie, because first, by leaving the time undefinite, it prejudgeth the liberty of the Kirk of holding yearly General Assemblies at least, and oftner pro re nata, rati∣fied by the Act of Parliament 1592. the disuse whereof hath been a main cause of our evils, which should be prevented in time coming, by re∣newing

that ancient necessary Custom and Liber∣ty. Secondly, By the same Act of Parliament it is provided that the King, or his Commissioner being present, shall appoint the time and place of the next Assembly: And in case his Majesty or his Commissioner be not present for the time in the Town where the Assembly is holden, it shall be leasome to the said General Assembly by them∣selves to appoint the time and place of the next Assembly, as they have been in use in times past: But this Declaration not only leaves all indefinite but totally everts that power and liberty compe∣tent to them by Law and Custom. Thirdly, As it doth not determine how oft the ordinary effairs of this Kirk require an Assembly (which the Cu∣stom of this Kirk and act foresaid evidently ma∣nifest to be yearly once at least) so neither doth it determine who shall judge when the necessity of extraordinary effairs require an Assembly pro re nata: whereas undoubtedly the Kirk will be most sensible of her own necessities, and is the most proper Judge of her own effairs: And therefore should have freedom to appoint her own times when she finds her self pressed with present exi∣gences, as his Majesty hath also power when he perceives any necessity requiring the same.

Sixthly, Whereas his Majesty is content that all the present Bishops and their Successors be an∣swerable to, and censurable by the General As∣sembly, it doth not satisfie; because, First, it bears a prelimitation of the Assembly in the mat∣ter of trying that Office, and presupposes the con∣tinuance thereof by Succession as unquestionable. Secondly, They have been formerly made cen∣surable by the General Assembly in the straightest way that the Kirk could enjoyn, or they could as∣sure: And yet these thirty years they have shunned all censure (though all their actions deserved it) by procuring General Assemblies to be proro∣gate, and then suddenly indicted when they had cunningly prepared both persons and purposes to their mind: Like as now they have by their De∣clinator refused to answer, and be censured by this present Assembly indicted by his Majesty, con∣veened in the name of Christ, and perfitly con∣stitute in the members thereof: And therefore it lyeth upon this present Assembly to take some so∣lid course, for securing the Kirk, in all time coming, against the prejudices of their former and frequent breaches contrary to their Oathes given.

Seventhly, Whereas his Majesty requireth this present Assembly to subscribe this Confession of Faith formerly signed by his Royal Father 1580 and late commanded by his Majesty to be subscri∣bed by all his Majesties Subjects: The reasons contained in the Protestation September 22 last (whereto we adhere and repeats the same) do suf∣ficiently evidence that we cannot subscribe the same: to which we add; First, That his Majesties Commissioner hath declared to the Lords of Ses∣sion when their subscriptions was required, that it might subsist with the Innovations intro∣duced since the year of God 1580. which * 1.40 some of the said Lords then did, and all of us do now conceive to repugne to the genuine and true sense of the Confession of Faith as it was first made: Secondly, That his Grace hath protested divers times in this Assembly, that nothing done or to be done therein prejudge the Archbishops and Bishops in their Priviledges, places, power and jurisdiction: whereby he declareth that these may subsist with the Confession of Faith, notwith∣standing they be novations introduced upon this Kirk, contrary to the same, since the year afore∣said, as is now found by the Assembly. Third∣ly, That to the Assembly presently conveened and perfectly constitute in the Members thereof, it pertaineth properly according to the Word of God, Constitutions of this Kirk, and Book of Policy, ratified in divers Assemblies, to deter∣mine what is the true meaning of the Confession of Faith, and to make the same known to all the Members of this Kirk, who thereafter without scruple or danger may subscribe the same. And although the Assembly could not find this Decla∣ration satisfactory for these and the like weighty reasons, yet were they willing the same should be insert in their Books for obedience to his Majesties desire: and thankfully acknowledging his Maje∣sties pious affection to true Religion, and Royal resolution to defend the same and his Subjects in the profession thereof, exprest in▪ the closure of his Royal Declaration, they were confident that when his Majesty shall be fully informed that the novations introduced since the year 1580. are in∣comparable with the Confession of our Faith, he will be pleased graciously to vouchsafe his comfor∣table protection upon those, who (adhering to the true meaning of that Confession now fully cleared by the Assembly) have abjured all the In∣novations introduced, and by their great Oath and subscription have bound themselves to main∣tain the true Religion, and his Majesties Person and Authority in defence of the same. And this true Religion being the Channel which Convoy∣eth both duties to their proper object, the evi∣dence of God's Image in our Dread Soveraign his Depute shall be terrible to all the enemies of his Majesty and of his Loyal Subjects who stand for the Confession of Faith, and the true meaning thereof, and shall raise up the affections of his Re∣ligious Subjects towards his Majesty above all earthly respects.

And where it is subjoined in the Proclamation * 1.41 that nothing was able to give contentment, except we were permitted to overthrow Episcopal Go∣vernment and to abrogate publick Laws standing, and take away one of the three Estates, we are sufficiently cleared thereof by the Acts of the As∣sembly, abrogating, and abolishing Episcopal Government in this Kirk for † 1.42 infallible reasons contained in the said Act, and also by our answer published to the Declaration emitted in the Com∣missioners name (which for brevity we forbear to insert herein) whereby we have sufficiently evinced that our proceedings are not contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom, or destructive of any lawful third Estate, and which part of the Pro∣clamation doth close, with an undeserved imputa∣tion to our Loyalty, bearing that for the like dan∣gerous Acts so derogatory to Royal Authority, and for other Reasons importing true Monarchi∣cal Government, the Commissioner was forced to dissolve the Assembly; but the same is so general∣ly expressed, that it appears evidently to be done of plain purpose to make us hateful, which we hope will not work that end, unless some special Act of disloyalty or malversation could be special∣ly condescended upon (which undoubtedly had not been omitted if it had been possible) other∣waies that dark cloud of general terms cannot ob∣fuscate the pure brightness of our sincere intenti∣ons, unless our true representation of Grievances, and earnest humble pressing legal redress thereof at his Majesties hands, may deserve that aspersion in the eyes of these Councellours, who think them∣selves obliged rather in absolute obedience, than a

dutiful representation to their Soveraign of what is just and warrantable; wherein we appeal to all the World, if either our proceedings, or opinions be any waies derogatory to the true power of Monarchical Government or his Majesties Au∣thority, which we are obliged to defend with our lives and fortunes by our Covenant.

And where in the Proclamation, in that part * 1.43 thereof, anent the Commissioners discharge of the Assembly, is insinuate some expression of his Graces willingness to return the next morning to the Assembly, we declare that we were most sen∣sible of the benefit of his Graces presence, and re∣ceived great contentment by that countenance of Royal Authority in representation, whereof we would never have deprived our selves, if we had had the least signification of any such intenti∣on: but the truth is, that having called our selves to our best remembrances, we heard no word or expression tending that way; but by the contrary * 1.44 we did humbly require his Grace to give in the reasons of his discontentment in writ, and to re∣turn the next day again, at which time we should give in sufficient answers thereto which might wipe away all his Graces objections, and move him to continue his wished presence to that As∣sembly, whereat he had publickly prosessed he could no longer assist: but this being refused, and the Assembly discharged by him, we were neces∣sitate to protest both that day and the day follow∣ing upon the Market-Cross of Glasgow, and to shew, that in conscience of our duty to God and his truth, the King and his Honour, the Kirk and her Liberties, this Kingdom and her peace, this Assembly and her Freedom, to our selves and our safety, to our Posterity, Persons, and Estates, we could not dissolve the Assembly for the reasons following: First, For the reasons already Printed * 1.45 anent the conveening a General Assembly, which are now more strong in this case, seeing the Assembly was already indicted by his Majesties Authority, did conveen and is fully con∣stitute in all the Members thereof, according to the Word of God and Discipline of this Kirk, in presence and audience of his Majesties Commis∣sioner, who hath really acknowledged the same by assisting therein seven daies, and exhibition of his Majesties Royal Declaration to be registrate in the Books of this Assembly, which accordingly was done. Secondly, For the reasons contained in the former Protestations made in name of the Noble-men, Barons, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, whereunto we did then judicially, and do now actually adhere, as also unto the Con∣fession of Faith and Covenant subscribed and sworn by the Body of this Kingdom. Thirdly, Because as we are obliged by the Application and Explication subjoyned necessarily to the Confes∣sion of Faith subscribed by us, so the King's Maje∣sty, and his Commissioner, and Privy Council, have urged many of this Kingdom to subscribe the Confession of Faith made in Anno 1580. and 1590. And so to return to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk as it was then professed; but it is clear by the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk, that it was most unlawful in the self, and prejudicial to these Priviledges, which Christ in his Word hath left to his Kirk to dissolve or break up the Assembly of this Kirk, or to stop and stay their proceedings in constitution of Acts, for the wel∣fare of the Kirk or execution of Discipline against Offenders, and so to make it appear that Religion and Kirk Government should depend absolutely upon the pleasure of the Prince. Fourthly, Because there is no ground of pretence, either by act of Assembly, or Parliament, or any preceding pra∣ctice, whereby the King's Majesty may dissolve the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, far less his Majesties Commissioner, who by his Com∣mission hath power to indict, and keep it secun∣dum legem & praxim, but upon the contrary his Majesties prerogative Royal is declared by act of Parliament to be no waies prejudicial to the Pri∣viledges and Liberties which God hath granted to the Spiritual Office-bearers and meetings of this Kirk, which are most frequently ratified in Parlia∣ments, and especially in the last Parliament hol∣den by his Majesty himself; which Priviledges and Liberties of the Kirk, his Majesty will never diminish or infringe, being bound to maintain the same in integrity by solemn Oath given at his Royal Coronation in this Kingdom. Fifthly, The Assemblies of this Kirk have still enjoyed this freedom of uninterrupted sitting, without or not∣standing any contramand, as is evident by all the Records thereof, and in special by † 1.46 the General Assembly holden in Anno 1582▪ which being charged with Letters of Horning by the King's Majesty his Commissioner, and Councel, to stay their process against M. Robert Mongomery pre∣tended Bishop of Glasgow, or otherwaies to dis∣solve and rise, did notwithstanding shew their li∣berty and freedom by continuing and sitting still, and without any stay going on in that process against the said M. Robert, to the final end thereof, and thereafter by Letter to his Majesty did shew clearly, how far his Majesty had been mis-in∣formed, and upon mis-information prejudged the prerogative of Jesus Christ and the liberties of this Kirk, and did enact and ordain that none should procure any such warrant or charge under the pain of Excommunication. Sixthly, Because now to dissolve after so many Supplications and Complaints, after so many reiterated promises, after our long attendance and expectation, after so many references of Processes from Presbyteries, after the publick Indiction of the Assembly, and the solemn Fast appointed for the same, and after frequent Convention and formal Constitution of the Assembly, in all the Members thereof, and se∣ven daies sitting, were by this Act to offend God, contemn the Subjects Petitions, deceive many of their conceived hopes of redress of the Calami∣ties of the Kirk and Kingdom, multiply the Com∣bustions of this Kirk, and make every man despair hereafter ever to see Religion established, Inno∣vations removed, the Subjects Complaint respe∣cted, or the Offenders punished with consent of Authority, and so by casting the Kirk and Estate loose and desolate, would abandon both to ruin. Seventhly, It was most necessary to continue this Assembly, for preveening the prejudices which might ensue upon the pretence of two Covenants, whereas indeed there is but one: that first sub∣scribed in 1580. and 1590. being a National Co∣venant and Oath to God, which is lately renewed by us, with that necessary explanation which the corruptions introduced since that time contrary to the same, inforced: which is also acknowledged in the Act of Council in September last, declaring the same to be subscribed as it was meaned the time of the first subscription; and therefore, for removing that shame and all prejudices, which may follow upon the shew of two different Cove∣nan••s and Confessions of Faith in one Nation, the Assembly could not dissolve before it had tryed, found, and determined that both these Cove∣nants

are but one and the self same Covenant: The latter renewed by us, agreeing to the true genuine sense and meaning of the first as it was subscribed in Anno 1580.

And further in the said Proclamation, the * 1.47 strain of our Protestation is Taxed, because we have thereby presumed to cite those of his Maje∣sties Council who have procured, subscribed, or ratisied this Proclamation, to be responsal to his Majesty and three Estates of Parliament; where∣as the same cannot be justly quarrelled, because it is grounded upon the Law of the Kingdom, and warranted by the Act of Parliament therein cited, 12. Act Par. 2. James 4. which Act is grounded upon good reason: for it were strange to think that Councellors giving bad Counsel, to the evident prejudice and ruine of the Country, and publick detriment of the good Subjects, should not be countable therefore to his Majesty and his Estates: and it is not without instance in our Laws, that perverse Counsel hath been given in misguiding the King's and common good of this Realm, Act 6. Par. 1. James 4. which is also acknowledged by the reduction of Grants made by Kings to these perverse Councellors, act 3. Par. 4. and act 5. Par. 1. James 4. The perverse∣ness of which misguiding Counsel, hath been as∣furedly the cause why in the next Parliament in the year immediately subsequent, the King's Councel was chosen in Parliament, and sworn in presence of the King and three Estates, and or∣dained to be responsal and accusable to the King and three Estates for their Counsel: Which clear∣eth that both evil Counsel may be given, and that the Councel may be accused before the King and Parliament for malversation in their charge. Like as his Majesty in the Proclamation, makes all persons liable to the Parliament and General As∣sembly, and so giveth way to this previous citati∣on, which may serve for a forewarning and inti∣mation that they may be accused if they be guil∣ty, as we know all are not, and wish that none were.

All which heavy Objections and Imputations * 1.48 are premitted in the Proclamation to the Con∣clusion and Command thereof, which resolveth into two Heads; the first discharging obedience to the acts of Assembly, and liberating all, who shall disobey, from censure, and promising Pro∣tection to the disobeyers, and inhibiting all Pres∣byteries, Sessions of Kirks, Ministers within this Realm in their Sermons, Sessions, and Meetings or any otherwaies, to authorize, approve, or al∣low the Assembly at Glasgow, or do any deed which may countenance the same, under pain to be punished with all rigour. And commanding all who shall hear them, to delate the same, un∣der pain of the like punishments; likewaies strait∣ly charging and commanding all Judges within this Realm, Clerks, and Writers, not to grant or pass a Bill, Summon'd, or Letters, or any other Execution whatsoever, upon any Act, or Deed, proceeding from the said Assembly; and all Keepers of the Signet from Signeting thereof, under all highest pain. And the Second Head, Commanding all Subjects to subscribe and swear the Confession commanded by his Majesty con∣form to the sense and meaning of the Declaration published by the Commissioner, whereunto we need not here make any answer, but remits the same to a special answer, published in Print made to that a 1.49 Declaration. But for the first, the same is so far repugnant to the Word of God, practice of the Primitive Kirk, the Laws Civil and Canonical, the Custom of all Nations, the constitutions of our General Assemblies, acts of Parliament, practice of other Judicatories with∣in this Kingdom, to the Confession of Faith and Discipline of this Kirk, as we cannot believe any such Commandments to proceed from our graci∣ous King, but from the malice and mis∣informati∣on of our Adversaries, the Conscience of whose guiltiness affrighteth them to undergo their de∣served censure, which is b 1.50 clear, first, That the same is contrary to the Law of God, from that place of Scripture, Mat. 18. wherein the Kirk is commanded absolutely to inflict censures, 1 Cor. 5. wherein the Kirk did execute that Command∣ment. And the Kirks of Pergamus and Thyatira, are reproved for not executing Ecclesiastical cen∣sures against those who held the Doctrine of Ba∣laam, or of Jezebel, Rev. 2. So that the power of the Keys in Ecclesiastical censures is so intrinse∣cally and so essentially competent to the Kirk and General Assembly Jure Divino, as obedience to her Decreets and Executions thereof, cannot be suspended, far less taken away and discharged by human Authority, more nor the power of Preach∣ing and Administration of the Sacraments. Se∣condly, It is contrary to the practice of the Apo∣stolick and Primitive Kirks, whose constant pra∣ctice was to execute the Spiritual Functions and censures; and, notwithstanding human prohibi∣tions, to obey God rather than man. Thirdly, It is contrary to the Civil Law, Si contra jus vel utilitatem publicam, vel per mendacium fuerit aliquid postulatum vel impetratum ab Imperatore. Et titulo de diversis rescriptis & pragma∣ticis sanctionibus. Fourthly, The same is contrary to the c 1.51 Canon Law decret. decre∣tal. extravagan. titulo de re∣scriptis. Fifthly, It is con∣trary to the universal Custom in all Nations ordaining their Judicarories to do Justice, notwithstanding their Princes prohibition, as is clear by Convarnvia in Spain, Pappon in France, Suedwyne in Germany, &c. upon the title de rescriptis aut constitutioni∣bus principum. Sixthly, To the constitutions of General Assemblies, because in sundry General As∣semblies upon Complaints made that the King's Majesty and his Council by their Letters offered some stop to the Kirk from going on in her Eccle∣siastical censures, especially by act of the Gene∣ral Assembly conveened in the new Colledge of Sanctandrows, April 20. 1582. it is ordained that none being received to any Ecclesiastical Function, Office, or Bene••ice, seek any way by the Civil Power to exeeme and withdraw themselves from the Jurisdiction of the Kirk, or procure, obtain, or use any Letters, or Charges, either by themselves, or any other in their name, or at their command and instance, to impair, hurt, or stay the said Juris∣diction, Discipline, correction of Manners, or pu∣nishment of their Offences and enormities, or to make any appellation from the General Assembly, to stop the Discipline, and order of the Ecclesi∣astical Policy, and Jurisdiction granted by God's Word to the Office-bearers within the said Kirk, under the pain of Excommunication summarily, without any Process, or Admonition to be pro∣nounced by the judgment of the Eldership, by the Minister, or Ministers which shall be appointed by them, how soon it is known that any of the saids Heads are transgressed; Like as both the King's Majesty and his Council promised that none thereafter should have that cause to com∣plain,

as is manifest by the act of Assembly at Montross in July 1597. And in the Assembly holden at St. Andrews, April 24. 1582. being charged with Letters of Horning not to proceed against Mr. Robert Montgomery; the Assembly did write to his Majesty that this discharge was extra∣ordinary, as a thing that was never heard nor seen since the World began, and was directly against the Word of God, and Laws of the Kingdom. And yet notwithstanding of the said charge the Assembly did proceed and Excommu∣nicate the said Mr. Robert. Further, In the Assem∣bly at Edenburgh, the twenty seventh of June 1582. Sess. 7. amongst the grievances presented by the Kirk to the King, The first is, That his Majesty by device of some Counsellours is moved to take upon Him that Spiritual Power and Au∣thority which properly belongeth to Christ as on∣ly King and Head of his Kirk, the Ministry and Execution whereof is only given to such as bear Office in the Ecclesiastical Government of the same; so that in his Majesties Person some men prease to erect a † 1.52 Popedom, as though his Ma∣jesty could not be full King and Head of this Common∣wealth, unless alswel the Spi∣ritual as Temporal Sword be put in his Majesties hands, unless Christ be reft of his authority, and the two Ju∣risdictions confounded, which God hath divided, which directly tends to the Wrack and Overthrow of all true Religion, &c. And in the Assembly holden at Edenburgh in Octob. 1582. Sess. 15. Summonds are direct by the Gene∣ral Assembly against the King's Advocate, for drawing up the King's Proclamation of that strain. 7. The foresaid command is also contrary to the acts of Parliament: because as the acts of Parliament appoint every matter for its own Judi∣catory, and to all Judicatories their own free∣dom, so much more doth this liberty belong to the National Assembly, being the supreme Judi∣catory Ecclesiastick of this Kirk, and only com∣petent Judge in matters so important, and so near∣ly concerning God's Honour and Worship imme∣diately, the Salvation of the Peoples Souls, the settling of the purity of God's Worship, the purging away the corruptions thereof, and right constitutions of the Kirk, whose liberties and pri∣viledges are confirmed, Parl. 12. King James 6. and Parl. 1. King Charles. Like as by the 12 Par. 114. Act K. James 6. Anno 1592. the Liberty and Discipline of the Kirk, especially in her Presbyteries and Assemblies, are fully and firmly ratified, with Declaration that the Act of the King's Majesties Prerogative Royal over all Estates and Persons, shall no waies be prejudicial to the Priviledges which God hath given to the Spiritual Office-bearers in the Kirk, concerning Heads of Religion, matters of Heresie, Excommunication, Collation, and Deprivation of Ministers, or any such like essential censures, especially grounded and having warrant of the Word of God, with full power even to the Particular Presbyteries to put order to all matters and causes Ecclesiastical within their bounds, according to the Discipline of the Kirk. 8. The Lords of Council and Ses∣sion by Act 92. Parl. 6. King James 6. are ordain∣ed to proceed in all Civil Causes intended or de∣pending before them, or to be intended, and to cause execute th••••r Decrees, notwithstanding any private writing, Charge, or Command from the King's Majesty, or His Council in the contrary, and by the 47 act, 11. Parl. King James 6. all Licences and Supersederees purchas'd from his Majesty, are discharged as contempt done to the Law, as great hurt to the Lieges, and contrary to Justice, and declareth the same to be null of the Law, and not admissible by any Judge, nor effectual to the purchaser any waies, and or∣daineth all Judges within this Realm to proceed and do Justice; siclike, and in the same manner as if the said Supersederees and Licences never had been purchased nor produced. Like as by the 106. Act Parl. King James 6. all Licences granted by his Majesty to hinder the execution of Acts against Papists and other Adversaries of the true Religion are discharged and declared to be of no force. According to which it hath been the or∣dinary custom both in Civil and Ecclesiastical Ju∣dicatories (notwithstanding of privy Warrants or Prohibitions contrary to Law which common∣ly are impetrate from his Majesty upon mis-infor∣mation) to proceed and minister Justice. 9. To discharge obedience to the Acts of the Assembly, stop the execution thereof, protect and desend such as are delinquents and under the Kirks cen∣sure, doth directly repugne to the large Confes∣sion of Faith of this Kirk. Wherein, Cap. 19. the third mark of the true Kirk is assirmed to be upright Ministration of Ecclesiastical Discipline, as God's Word prescribes, for establishing good order and repressing of vice: and so no more can be impeded nor justly taken from the Kirk than any of her other two marks, viz. The right Preaching of the Word and Ministration of the Sacrament: And therefore in the Oath at the King's Coronation, he sweareth to maintain this Consession, and these three marks of the Kirk, and particularly that he shall be careful to root out of his Empire all Hereticks and Enemies to the Worship of God, that shall be Convict by the true Kirk of God of the foresaids Crimes. 10. In the short Confession of Faith sworn, 1580. and 1590. and renewed by the greatest and † 1.53 best part of this Kirk and Kingdom, with an Explica∣tion renewed also at his Majesties Command by his Councel, and are bound to continue in obedi∣ence of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Kirk, and defend the same according to their vocation and power. So that seeing this general Assembly hath proceeded in their Constitution, Acts, and whole proceedings according to the Discipline of this Kirk of Scotland 1580. and 1590. contained in the second Book of Discipline: which in both these years were ordained to be registrate and sworn to by all the Ministers of this Kirk, as the Discipline thereof, and wherein the Civil and Ec∣clesiastical Jurisdiction are so clearly distinguished in the 1. c. l. 2. as the power of the Sword may no waies stop or impede the power of the keys: and in the 7. •• the Eldership and Assemblies hath power to execute Exclesiastical p••nishment upon all Transgressors and proud contemners of the Kirk: and in the 10. c. the Office of the Christi∣an Magistrate is described to assist and maintain the Discipline of the Kirk, and punish those ••i∣villy who will not obey the censures thereof, with∣out confounding alwaies the one Juri••diction with the other: and this order of Ecclesiastical Disci∣pline, condescended upon in General Assemblies, as warranted by Divine Authority to be execute notwithstanding any humane inhibition, is set down before the Psalms in Meeter: and there∣fore we can never expect that his Majesty, who

out of his pious inclination to Justice by a late Proclamation the twenty second of September last, hath declared and ordained that all His Subjects both Ecclesiastical and Civil shall be liable to the trial and censure of General Assembly or any other Judicatory competent, will now stay the execution of the † 1.54 lawful and grave sentences of this National Kirk, so comfortable to us, and so ne∣cessary for maintaining the purity of Religion: which his Majesty in the end of the Articles before mentioned hath promised to defend, and his Subjects in the profession there∣of, which is incompatible with the defence of Ex∣communicate and obstinate persons. But there∣fore we are assured that his gracious Majesty will be pleased to allow that reverence and all ready obedience may be deferred to the whole Acts, Constitutions, and Censures of the said General Assembly, by all his Subjects, who undoubtedly and necessarily are obliged to obedience of all the lawful commands and injunctions of the Mother Kirk, if they would be accounted Members or Sons thereof.

First, By all which a 1.55 cloud of weighty rea∣sons the warrantableness of our just proceedings doth evi∣dently appear, notwithstand∣ing of all the Arguments of challenge adduced against us in the said Proclamation: And therefore for these and many other reasons, We the Members of this Assembly, in our own names, and in the name of the Kirk of Scotland, whom we represent: And we Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Mini∣sters, Burgesses, and Commons, before menti∣oned, do solemnly declare in the presence of the everliving God, and before all men; and protest b 1.56 That our thoughts are not guilty of any thing which is not in∣cumbent to us, as good Chri∣stians towards God, and loy∣al Subjects towards our Sa∣cred Soveraign: And we at∣test God the Searcher of all hearts, that our in∣tentions and whole proceedings in this present Assembly have been and shall continue according to the Word of God, the Laws and Constituti∣ons of this Kirk, the Confession of Faith, our National Oath, and that measure of light, which God the Father of light hath granted unto us, and that in the sincerity of our hearts, without any pre-occupation or passion.

Secondly, That it was and is most lawful and ne∣cessary for us to sit still and continue in keeping this present Assembly indicted by his Majesty, until after conclusion of all matters it be dis∣solved by common consent of all the members thereof, and that for trying judging and censuring all the by-gone evils and the Introductors, and providing a solid course of the continuance of God's truth in this Land with purity and liberty, according to his Word, our Oath and Confes∣sion of Faith, and the lawful constitutions of this Kirk.

Thirdly, That this Assembly is and should be esteemed and obeyed as a most lawful, full and free General Assembly of this Kingdom, And that all Acts, Sentences, Constitutions, Cen∣sures, and Proceedings of this Assembly (where∣of the general and principal Acts are to be pub∣lished,) are in the self, and should be reputed, obeyed, and observed, by all the Subjects of this King, and Members of this Kirk, as the Acts, Sen∣tences, Constitutions, Censures and Proceedings of a full and free General Assembly of this Kirk of Scotland: And to have all ready execution, under the Ecclesiastical pains contained, or to be contained therein, and conform thereto in all points, and such like, that whosoever pre∣sumeth to utter any undutiful Speech against the same, may be duly censured and condignly pu∣nished.

Fourthly, We protest that all and every Mem∣ber of this Reformed Kirk efoldly and faithful∣ly joyn and concurr in their several Callings and Stations, to advance further and assist the exe∣cution and obedience of the whole Acts of this Assembly, by all means which their ability can afford, as they affect the advancement of God's glory and the work of Reformation in this Land.

Fifthly, We protest against all the Challenges and Aspersions laid upon us in the said Proclama∣tion, and that our whole answers are not only true in every point, but likewise sufficiently forci∣ble to deliver us from all unjust imputations, and to justifie the lawfulness and necessity of our whole proceedings and carriage, which hath been so unreasonably blamed. Like as by these presents we summon'd and cite all those of his Majesties Council, or any other, who have procured, con∣sen••ed, subscribed, or ratified this present Pro∣clamation, to be responsible to his Majesty and th•••• Estates of Parliament, for their Counsel given in this matter, so highly importing his Ma∣je••ty, and the whole Realm; conform to the 12 Ac•• Pa••••. 2. King James 4. And protest for remead o•• Law against them and every one of them.

Sixthly, We protest that it is and may be law∣ful un••o us to defend and maintain the Religion, Laws, and Liberties of this Kingdom, the King's authority in defence thereof, and every one of us another in that cause, according to our power, vocation, and Covenant, with our best Counsel, Bodies, Lives, Means, and whole strength, against all persons whomsoever; and against all exter∣nal, and internal invasions, and that in the obe∣dience and observance of the Acts of this Assem∣bly and National Mother Kirk.

Seventhly, That whatsoever inconvenients shall fall out by impeding, molesting, or staying the observance and obedience due to the Acts, ••••dinances, and Conclusions of this Assembly, or execution to follow thereupon, that the same be not imputed unto us, or any of us in our lawful defence and maintenance thereof, who most ar∣dently desired the concurrence of his Majesties Commissioner to this lawful Assembly, and do yet still with humble vehemency beg his Majesties gracious approbation thereunto, but on the con∣trary that the Prelates and their adherents, who have protested, and declined this present Assem∣bly, in conscience of their own guiltiness, not daring abide to any legal tryal, and by their mis∣information did move the Commissioner his Grace to depart and discharge this Assembly, be esteem∣ed, repute and holden (as they truly are) the disturbers of the peace, and overthrowers of the Liberties of the Kirk, and guilty of all the evils which shall follow hereupon, and condignly cen∣sured according to the greatness of their faults and Acts of the Kirk and Realm.

Eighthly, We protest that none hereafter sub∣scribe the Covenant formerly subscribed by the Commissioner his Grace in Councel, as they will eschew the danger of a contradictory Oath, but that all and every one subscribe the Covenant re∣newed in February last; and that with this sense, meaning, and condition, that they subscribe the same conform to the determination and declarati∣on of this Assembly at Glasgow allanerly.

Ninthly, We protest that as we adhere till all former Protestations, and every one of them made in the name of the Noblemen, Barons, Gen∣tlemen, Ministers, and Commons respectivè for the time; So we may have his Majesties Royal ap∣probation to this present Assembly, whole Acts and Constitutions thereof, and all our proceed∣ings and behaviour in this business, which we as∣suredly expect from his Majesties imbred piety, justice, and bounty, notwithstanding the sinistrous, untrue informations, whispered in his Royal ears in the contrary.

Upon all which Premises and Protestation fore∣said (which is the same with the former made by us at Glasgow, the 29. of November last, but so far differing as was necessary for answer to the new additions contained in this Proclamation; and clearing us of the aspersions wherewith we are charged therein, which we might lawfully do, ha∣ving protested for this Liberty in respect of our surprisal) one certain number of all qualities and ranks for themselves, and in name foresaid, asked instruments.

This was done in presence of a great confluence of people upon the Mer∣cate Cross of Edenburgh, the 18. day of Decem∣ber.

Revised, according to the ordinance of the Ge∣neral Assembly, by me Master Archibald Johnston, Clerk thereto.

At Edenburgh, Jan. 8. 1639.

NOt long after his Majesties Proclamation, and their Protestation, the Lord Commis∣sioner (seeing all things tending to a present rup∣ture) begun his journey according to the leave which his Majesty had granted him for his return: After which time, and ever since, they have throughout the whole Kingdom by threatnings made the Acts of their unlawful Assembly to be received, in many places have perswaded the re∣ception of them by Force and Arms, have levied Souldiers, and imposed Taxes upon his Majesties Subjects for payment of them, have required of the Judges or Lords of the Session to approve their Acts, though none of them consented to it, have threatned and menaced them for refusing of it, have raised divers Fortifications in his Majesties Kingdom, have blocked up the Castles and Forts, and now at last forcibly taken the Castle of E∣denburgh, have at home got their Preachers most seditiously and rebelliously to teach the people, that there is a necessity of their carrying Arms a∣gainst the King, under pain of Perjury and Dam∣nation, have scattered abroad, especially here in England, divers infamous Libels justifying their own wicked and rebellious courses, inciting the people here to attempt the like Rebellion, and to deface the Ecclesiastical Government.

When the Contrivers of that wicked Covenant first framed and devised it, and perswaded others who were well perswaded of their Piety, to enter into it, We dare appeal (saith his Majesty in the larger Declaration) even to their own Consci∣ences, whether they did ever make the seduced people acquainted with their intentions of abo∣lishing Episcopal Government, and introducing of Lay-elders, which are the only two things they make the seduced people believe they now stand upon: And We do wonder there should be any man found in the World, who can hold it a sufficient Warrant for Our Subjects to take Arms against Us their lawful Sovereign, because We will not give them leave to abolish some things which stand fully established by Our Laws and Acts of Parliament of that Kingdom, and to introduce other things which are interdicted and prohibited by the same: But much more have We reason to think Our Subjects did then no whit believe that (though We should relieve all their grievances, just or pretended, as now We have done) they should yet be forced to Acts of Rebellion, and carrying of Arms against Us, as now they are. But such hath ever been the con∣stant course of the Heads of all Rebellions, to ingage their Followers by degrees, to conceal from them their main and wicked ends, which being at the first discovered, would be abhorred and detested, until they have gone on so far in following their Leaders, as afterward they are easily perswaded by them, that there is no hope of pardon left, and so nothing but danger, if they shall offer to retreat: The very same course hath been held in this Rebellion for seducing of our Subjects of that Kingdom. The specious pretence used by the contrivers of the Covenant to the People was Religion, but that which was intended by them was a Rebellion, grounded up∣on the Discontents of some few: And the very means whereby they have fomented their Facti∣ous ways, and kept up in Our People a belief that they intended only Religion as they pretend∣ed, have been the very same which have been usually practised by other discontented Muti∣neers. But yet We find, that the principal means used to foment this Rebellion by the Heads of it, have been these three.

First, The Seditious Prayers and Sermons of some Preachers suborned by them for that pur∣pose, who made the people still believe, that all they said was Gospel, and they crying up in their Pulpits that Covenant▪ and most bitterly exclaiming against all Opposers of it with the most vile and reproachful terms they could de∣vise, wrought the people to an incredible good opinion of all that favoured the Covenant, and a bad one of all those who opposed it: So that such things were delivered in their Pulpits, as cannot be related without both shame and horrour. One of them upon Our Commissioners coming home, prayed God to deliver them from all crafty com∣positions. Another refused to pray in the Church for Sir William Nesbett, late Provost of Edenburgh, when he was lying upon his Death-bed, only be∣cause he had not subscribed the Covenant. A∣nother prayed God to scatter them all in Israel; and to divide them in Jacob, who had counselled Us to require the Consession of Faith to be sub∣scribed by Our Authority. Many Ministers would not admit to the Communion those who had not subscribed their Covenant, but in their exhortation before it, barred them in express terms with Adulterers, Slanderers, and Blas∣phemers, &c. Others would not suffer Ch••ldren to be baptized in the Churches of those Ministers who were not of the Covenant, though they

were their own Parish Churches, but carried them sometimes many Miles to be baptized by Cove∣nanting Ministers. One preached, That all the Non-subscribers of the Covenant were Atheists; and so concluded, That all the Lords of Our Councel, and all the Lords of Our Session were such: For none of them had subscribed it. Ano∣ther preached, That as the wrath of God never was diverted from his people, until the seven Sons of Saul were hanged up before the Lord in Gibeon; so the wrath of God would never de∣part from that Kingdom, till the twice seven Prelates (which makes up the number of the Bishops in that Kingdom) were hanged up be∣fore the Lord there; which is extream, foul and barbarous. Another preached, That though there were never so many Acts of Parliament a∣gainst the Covenant, yet it ought to be main∣tained against them all. Another delivered these words in his Sermon: Let us never give over till we have the King in our power, and then He shall see how good Subjects we are. Another in his Sermon delivered this, That the bloodiest and sharpest War was rather to be endured then the least Er∣ror in Doctrine or Discipline. Another in his Sermon wished, That he and all the Bishops in that Kingdom were in a bottomless Boat at Sea together; for he could be well content to lose his life, so they might lose theirs. Thousands more such beastly, barbarous, and profane spee∣ches were delivered by them, not only in their Pulpits, but in their Sermons: For the Reader must know, that in these times of Tumult, where the Churches were not able to contain the great Multitudes, they did usually preach in common and prosane places, in rooms which are yet in building and not finished (intended for Lawyers to pl••ad in, in the Halls of the Taylors, and o∣ther Mechanical Tradesmen of Edenburgh, in some private Houses, in the Hall of the Colledge of Edenburgh, where one Sunday, Roll••ck being to ••••a••h, but finding the Crowds of people to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••at for that place, mounted upon the top of a ••air of Stairs which went up to an upper ground, in an open place which was only cover∣ed by the Heavens, and from thence preached to a great Troop or Multitude, whose breath is the only Air he desireth to live in, being shot quite through the head with popularity. Others preached in the Free-School at Edenburgh, where Boys use to play and be punished. If these speeches, and many as bad or worse then these, and delivered in such places, be sit to perswade the people that their Covenant comes from God, the Reader may easily discern.

The second means which they used for blind∣solding the eyes of the people, were, their ma∣ny fal••e Reports, which ••oth in their Pulpits, and out of their Pulpits, they vented amongst the people, which their Leaders knew in their own Consciences to be most false. They gave it out, that We intended to bring in Popery in all Our Kingdoms, or at least a toleration of it. It was p••••••h••d that the Service Book was fram∣ed at ••om••, and brought over by a Country-man of theirs; when they do know that every Papist by the Popes Bull is prohibited to hear the Ser∣vice-Book read. Others preached that all Eng∣land ••••s of their Opinion and Judgment, and that they had good intelligence from hence, that woman would ••dhere to Us against them. A∣nother▪ ••••••hed that no man would have pro∣tested against the General Assembly but for mo∣ney, and that none had protested but they who had received some, when they did know that many had protested who had received none. It is true indeed, that some poor Ministers being thrust out of their Benefices by them for adhering to Us, were Petitioners to Our Commissioner for relieving the necessities of them and their Fa∣milies; some of those who were most necessita∣ted, he did a little relieve; but some of that number were none of the Protesters, and many who were Protesters were none of that number. It was preached ordinarily in their Pulpits, that neither We, nor Our Commissioner in Our name, did ever intend to hold the General Assembly, or if We did hold it, did never in∣tend to perform any thing which We had pro∣mised in Our gracious Declaration; though they now know that We have performed both. Within these few days, some desired the peo∣ple publickly in their Pulpits to give thanks to God for that overthrow which the Hollanders had given to the Spanish Fleet before Dunkirk; assuring their Auditors that it was no less to be celebrated by them, then their deliverance from the Spanish Invasion in 88. because all that Fleet was prepared at Our charge, for their ruin and subversion: Besides many thousands more such reports and counterfeited Letters scattered by them, of which some no doubt were devised by themselves, whereby they kept Our people in that ignorance in which at the very first they had resolved to involve them. Now what a fearful and terrible thing is it for men in the House of God, and in those places of these Houses of God which they call the Chairs of Truth, to de∣liver such things as either they do not know to be true, or do know to be false? Besides these di∣ctates of the Ministers, the Lay-Elders, since they came to think themselves Ecclesiastical per∣sons (for so now they do, and will not be called Lay, but Ruling-Elders) they have found new inspirations, and delivered Doctrines as like their Divines as may be: One of them We can∣not choose but rehearse. An ancient Knight and a Lay-Elder intruded himself and his Fellows upon a Presbytery for choosing the Ministers Commissioners for the Assembly; and the Mini∣sters of that Presbytery not being able to keep them out, though they earnesty desired it, sell to intreat these Lay-Elders, that if they would needs intrude themselves in their Election, they would have a special care to choose the ablest Ministers, and who were most inclined to mode∣ration and peaceable courses, because the Church at this time stood in great need of such Commis∣sioners: The old Knight in great zeal replied, That whosoever at this time gave his voice to a moderate or peaceable minded Minister, he was a betrayer of Christ and his Cause; because these times required no luke-warm Commission∣ers. Which barbarous and unchristian speech of his being related by way of complaint to the Tables at Edenburgh, was so far from being cen∣sured, as it was approved for a high and heroical Ejaculation.

The third means whereby they have perverted Our people, and continued them in their diso∣bedience to Us and Our Laws, have been their strange and damnable positions, whereby they have impoysoned Our Subjects; some whereof We shall now declare unto you.

First, What subjects do of their own heads is much better than what they do in obedience to Authority; the one savouring of constraint, but the other being voluntary and cheerful obe∣dience.

This proposition is delivered in their Protestation, bearing date the 22. of September, 1638. made against Our gracious Declaration; it is in their fifth reason against the subscription to the Confession of Faith urged by Us.

A second, The Parliaments power doth no more reach to the placing of Officers originally in the Church, then the Church hath power to make States-men in the Commonwealth. This Position is in their Answer to Our Commission∣ers Declaration, concerning Our sense and mean∣ing, in commanding the Confession of Faith to be subscribed: Where they have added the word Originally only to puzzle the Reader. For cer∣tainly their meaning must be, That the Parlia∣ment hath no power for confirming of Officers placed in the Church by the Church it self; for no Act of Parliament in that Kingdom doth make any Officers in the Church originally, but only ratifieth and confirmeth such as were e∣stablished by the Church in her General Assem∣blies.

A third Position is this: The Parliament can make no Law at all concerning the Church, but only ratifie what the Church decreeth: And af∣ter it hath ratified it, yet if the Assembly of the Church shall prohibit it, and repeal that decree of the Church, all the Subjects are discharged from yielding obedience to the Act of Parliament, which either made any such Law, or ratified any such decree of the Church. This Position they deliver in their Answer to the five Reasons in the said Declaration; and would be well weigh∣ed.

A fourth Position is this: The Assembly hath power to discharge all subscription to the Con∣fession of Faith commanded to be subscribed by Us, and as it is interpreted by Us or Our Com∣missioner; so leaving Us no power at all in Eccle∣siastical causes, which all Reformed Churches give their Princes, according to God's Law. This Position is in the same place in their conclusion of their Answers to the five Reasons.

A fifth Position is this: The Assembly with∣out Us is the Church, and the only Judge com∣petent fit to interpret and explain all doubs a∣rising upon the Confession of Faith commanded by Us; which they put in practice, by explicating Our Confession of Faith against Our own mean∣ing, and after We had dissolved the Assembly. This Position is set down in the beginning of their conclusion, after their Answers to the five Reasons.

A sixth Position is this: Though the Law be in∣terpreted, yet if it be interpreted in a sense dis∣liked by most of the Kingdom, the Body of the Kingdom, for whose good the Law was made, may crave the lawful redress of the Grievances sustained by that Law. This Position is in the fifth of their ten Articles propounded before the indiction of the Assembly. A strange Position, that they shall crave redress of a Law, and be∣fore a Parliament which only can redress it; and though they call it a craving to redress it, yet they mean an actual redressing of it: For they (before a Parliament was at this time indicted) have actually done many things against Acts of Parliament, and stand upon their justification that they may lawfully do so.

The seventh Position is this: The Assembly is dependant, either from King or Parliament in matters Ecclesiastical. This Position is in their Protestation against Our Proclamation of the 18th of December 1638. in their third Reason against Our gracious offers delivered into the As∣sembly by Our Commissioner; and is a Positi∣on deliverod not only in the sense, but in the very words of the Jesuits. The other Positions following, generally dispersed throughout their Protestations and Pamphlets, are so obvious to any one who hath read them, as the particu∣lar citation of them may be forborn; such as are these following.

An eighth Position is: That in all matters de∣termined in an Assembly, We are to receive them as the Son of the Church, and have no further interest in them, though they be not matters of Faith but matters of Government, and those concluded by them against Acts of Parliament established by Us and Our three Estates; nay, though they concern Secular business, as making of Salt, and fishing for Salmons on Sundays, changing of Mar∣kets from one day in the week to another, and such like: For in their late pretended Assembly they have determined of many such things, as doth appear by the Index of their Acts. They will not find many Papists who have said so much for the Church of Rome, nor any Jesuits which have said more.

A ninth Position is this: It is lawful for Sub∣jects to make a Covenant and Combination with∣out the King, and to enter into a Band of mu∣tual defence against the King and all persons whatsoever, though by two Acts of Parliament before cited, all such persons as shall be sound either contrivers of, or adherers to any such League, are punishable with death.

A tenth Position is this: That it is lawful for themselves sitting in an Assembly, to indict a new Assembly without Our consent, as they have now indicted a new Assembly to be held in July next; or out of the Assembly when they please, as they professed that now they would have done, if We had not indicted one, though this be directly and expresly against two Acts of Parliament before cited.

An eleventh Position is this: If Subjects be called before Us and Our Councel for any mis∣demeanour, if they who are called do any way conceive that the matter for which they are cal∣led, doth concern the glory of God, or the good of the Church (and a wonder it is if any cause can be found which doth not concern one of these two) then they may appeal from Ʋs and Our Coun∣cel to the next General Assembly and Parliament; and in the mean time, before these Appeals be ei∣ther heard or discussed, they may disobey Ʋs and Our Councel, although by an Act of Par∣liament before cited, it is expresly made Treason: And the Ministers who appealed from Our Royal Father and his Councel, were upon that Act arraigned and found guilty of Treason.

The twelfth Position is this: That when we are intreated to indict a General Assembly, it is not that there is any need of Our indiction, but rather to do Ʋs honour, and to beget some coun∣tenance to their proceedings; alledging that the power of indiction is in Us but cumulativè, not prevativè, which if We shall refuse, then that power is suppletivè in the collective Body of the People, as it is always (say they) in all other cases, if the Prince shall either neglect or refuse to do his duty: Nor are they ashamed to aver, that all Sovereign Authority was originally in the collective Body of the People, by them conferred with their own consent upon the Prince; and therefore if the Prince shall omit to do his du∣ty,

he either falls from his right, or his right is in∣terrupted, until he return to his duty: But that in the mean time the Sovereign Right and Authority doth return to, and remain with the People, from whom it was at the first derived upon the Prince: A pretty matter it were if Princes Crowns and Sovereignties should depend upon such notional and pedantical distinctions, and wonder it is that these men who profess themselves to be the greatest enemies to Popery in all the World, should borrow the very words and terms of this ridiculous distinction from the Jesuits; which distinction, if it had ever been used in those primitive and purest Councels of the Church; all of which were only called by the Emper∣ours, and in which all matters were ordered and disposed by their Presidents and Deputies, it would have made those Emperours out of love with the Councels and Assemblies of the Church: But they were never robbed of that special Pre∣rogative of their Crown until the Bishops of Rome by their tyranny and usurpation, and by anima∣ting and arming their own Subjects against them, dispossessed them of it: And now We and Our Successors being repossessed of it again by the Laws of that Our Kingdom, and the usurpa∣tion of the Pope, in that very particular, be∣ing by many of Our Acts of Parliament exclu∣ded, wonder it is to see these men take upon themselves that usurped and cashiered Papal Au∣thority.

The thirteenth Position is this: If We or Our Commissioner sitting in Assembly shall de∣ny Our voice to any thing, which to Us appear∣eth to be unjust and repugnant to Our Laws, yet if that shall be concluded by most voices of the Assembly, that then We are bound jure di∣vino, to see all these conclusions made in despight of Us, obeyed by all Our Subjects, and by Our Authority to inforce obedience to these Acts; and if Our Counsellers or Judges shall refuse to do the like, then they shall be liable to the Sen∣tence of Excommunication, and so be deprived not only of their places, but of their estates: A Position to which We suppose they will never gain the consent of Princes, or Magistrates put in Authority under them.

A fourteenth Position is this: An Assembly may abrogate Acts of Parliament, and discharge Our Subjects from obedience to them, if they any way reflect upon business of the Church; which we wonder that the Nobility, Gentry, and Bur∣rows can endure: For as it doth derogate prin∣cipally from Our Authority, so doth it propor∣tionably from theirs when they are assembled in Parliament: And indeed it is to be wondered at, how any man that is acquainted with government can indure it; for it destroyeth not only the nature, but the very name of the High Court of Parliament: For how can that be called the High∣est Court of the Kingdom, if a General Assem∣bly may rescind the Acts of it? And that power which may repeal one Act of it may repeal more, nay all Acts of it, when it shall be pleased to ex∣ercise that power, and say it is in order to the glory of God and the good of his Church.

A fifteenth Position is this: The Protestati∣on of Subjects against Laws established, whether it be made coram Judice, or non Judice, before the Judges of the people, or the people them∣selves who are born to be judged, doth void all obedience to these Laws, and dischargeth all the protesters from any obligation to live under them, before ever these Protestations and the validity of them shall come to be discussed before the competent Judges of them; nay, although they be repelled by the Judges before whom they are made: All which (since these troubles begun in that Kingdom) have been usually practised by the Covenanters, who having sometimes made Protestations against Our Laws before Our Councel, sometimes before Our Commissioner, sometimes before the Lords of Our Session who repelled them all, then they made them before the people their own associates in the publick Market-places, and by that means held these Pro∣testations sufficiently admitted, and themselves discharged from obedience to all these Laws a∣gainst which they protested, alledging (perhaps) that they were unjustly and unduly enacted: which course, if it may be allowed in any Common∣wealth, and that Protestations before they be dis∣cussed, may discharge Subjects from obedience to Laws, what Subject will yield obedience to any Law, by which he findeth himself pressed or in∣convenienced, when the remedy of a Protestati∣on, whether admitted or not admitted, is so rea∣dy at hand?

A sixteenth and last Position is this; which indeed is the worst of all: For it is both the Mother and Nurse of all the rest, and is such a shamefull one, that they have not printed it in terminis; but it followeth by an unavoidable consequence upon many of their printed Positi∣ous, as all of them do follow upon, and flow from it: And the practice of it is so current with them, as it appeareth almost in every one of their particular actions; and it is thus: A number of men, being the greater part of the Kingdom, because they are the greater, (and in that sense (say they) the more considerable part) may do any thing which they themselves do conceive to be conducible to the glory of God and the good of the Church, notwith∣standing of any Laws standing in force to the contra∣ry; and that this great part, especially met in a representative Assembly, may, without the Authori∣ty of Ʋs, against the express commandment of Ʋs and Our Councel, and Our Judges declaration of it to be against the Laws of Our Kingdom, choose some few Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers and Burges∣ses, who, under the name of Committees or Commis∣sioners from the General Assembly, to be chosen from Assembly to Assembly, shall sit and determine of things concerning the Church and State, as if there were neither King, Councel, nor Judge in the Land. They complain of a High Commission erected by Ʋs and Our Authority, but whether this be not a higher Commission than that, We leave it to every im∣partial Judgment.

They answer for themselves only this, That they do it as being put in Authority by the Gene∣ral Assembly, which is (say they) a Court inde∣pendent from Us, and therefore may erect what Court it will without Us, and may appoint what Commissioners it will to sit for that Court, so they meddle with nothing but Ecclesiastical busi∣ness: But let the Reader consider how many wicked and insufferable absurdities this their An∣swer carrieth along with it.

First, By what Authority did they do the same things which they now do, before the Assembly was indicted? They could not be then Commissioners from the General Assembly.

Secondly, Who gave the General Assembly pow∣er to erect any such Table of Commissioners? They found themselves aggrieved with the high Commission established by Us, upon this ground,

that there was no such Court established either by Acts of General Assembly or Parliament: And now we desire them to shew any Act of Par∣liament giving the Assembly power to erect any such Table of Commissioners.

Thirdly, In the erection of this Table, they out-do any thing which yet hath been either said or done by the Jesuits in defence of the Churches Authority, and the Authority of her visible Head over Kings and Princes: For they did never yet affirm, that the Ecclesiastical Au∣thority could be exercised but by Ecclesiastical persons: But these men do hold, that Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Burgesses may execute this Au∣thority: But they say, they do not exercise it, as any such Lay-men, but as Ruling-elders, and so in the capacity of Ecclesiastical persons; but can there any Child be found who will not laugh at this, if ever he have heard but the common names, of Church-men and Lay-men? Can these two be confounded? Can the calling of a man by the name of an Elder make him an Ecclesia∣stical person, if by his place and calling he is never to discharge any office of a Church-man? They have declared it to be unlawful for Bi∣shops to have voices in Parliament, Councel, or any secular Judicatory, because these places are incompatible with the places of Ecclesiastical persons: And shall not Lay-persons be as inca∣pable at least to meddle with Divine and Eccle∣siastical businesses? Or if they shall, then let these Ecclesiastical Elders renounce their places in in Parliament and other secular Courts of Justice, and become Ruling-elders only.

Fourthly, They alledge that they meddle only in Ecclesiastical causes; Although it be unlawful for them to do that, yet it were the more tole∣rable, if they did as they say: But they do make good what they say, by telling the World what they mean by things Ecclesiastical, and their meaning they do express in the very terms of the Jesuits; for by Ecclesiastical, they mean, as their practice sheweth, any thing which is in ordine ad Ecclesiastica: Nay more, in ordine ad Spiritualia, whatsoever may be thought condu∣cible to the good of the Church, or to any spiri∣tual good, and yet more vastly to the glory of God; by which latitude of the word Ecclesiasti∣cal, we would know, what they have left with∣out the compass of their cognisance? Just no∣thing: For in this sense they may set the price on victuals, they may censure the actions of all men in what kind soever, because St. Paul biddeth us, Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, do it all to the glory of God. And truly, from this false and Jesuitical interpretation of this word Ecclesiastical, have issued most of all their acts of Sedition and Rebellion: They have pro∣vided Arms for our Subjects, they first blocked up all our Forts and Castles, and since have ta∣ken them, stopped our Officers from carrying victuals or ammunition into them, they have raised Forts, taxed our Subjects, levied Souldiers against us, not only turned us out of the pos∣session of our Castles, but, so far as in them lies, defeated our title to them, by declaring that they are not our Castles but the Kingdoms; they have incroached upon the undoubted bounds and marks of our Sovereignty, by sending Warrants to our Sheriffs for choosing Commissioners for the Shires for the next Parliament; they have discharged our own Printer for printing any thing which concerneth these Troubles, or may make against them, though commanded by us and by our Councel, so that if we have any thing to print there, we must first be a suiter to Johnston their Clerk for his hand to it, else it cannot pass; they have injoyned, or at least suffered, the Preachers of their own side to pray and preach most bitterly against us and our Au∣thority: Those Preachers who continued in their loyalty towards us, they have most un∣justly against our Laws deprived of their Benefi∣ces, and most unmercifully and unchristianlike exposed them to misery and beggery, they have most contemptuously and rebelliously used our Councellors and Judges: When they are asked, why they do these things, and by what Authority they do them?

To the first they answer only, That they do them for the good of the Church, and the glory of God, that Religion may be preserved, the honour of God maintained, and his glory increased: Who would think that there should be men found in the world, who call them∣selves after the name of Christ, and invocate the name of God, and yet dare prosane and a∣buse the names of Religion, God, and his glory, and to intitle those glorious names to such lewd actions of Treason and Rebellion, as can pro∣ceed from none but the Devil?

To the second: By what Authority do they these things, which are expresly against the Acts of Parliament, Acts of Councel, and Acts of General Assemblies? They answer, that these Acts of Assembly were unduly obtained, and that now they have rescinded them. For Acts of Parliament and Acts of Councel, they express great wonder and admiration, that any man should question their Authority over them: For that Question they use to answer with ano∣ther of their own, viz. Whether any man doth hold Christ or us to be supream? And being answer∣ed that Christ is supream, then they conclude, That they being his Councel, must likewise be su∣pream; That the Parliament is but the Councel of the Kingdom, That our Privy Councellors and Judges are but the Councel and Judges of the King; but that they themselves are the immedi∣ate and independent Councellors of, and Judges under Christ, who is the King of all Kings and Kingdoms; and that therefore in all causes which they conceive to concern Christ and his King∣dom, which is his Church, they are supream and independent, above us, our Parliament, our Coun∣cel, our Judges: And that if our Councellors or Judges do not obey their commandments, they will proceed to the Sentence of Excommunication against them, and by the same reason (though as yet they have not said it) they may proceed a∣gainst us with the same Sentence: For we ac∣knowledge Christ to be the Supream King, as much as our Councellors and Judges do acknow∣ledge him to be the Supream Lord and Judge. These furious frensies have not been heard of in the world, since the Anabaptists madness reigned in Germany in Charles the Fifth his time, which was most strongly and vehemently opposed by the Protestant Princes, who adhered to the Augustan Confession; and if Luther and Melancthon, whom God used as the chief In∣struments in reforming the abuses of the Church of Rome, had not shewed themselves in their Sermons; Lectures in the Universities, and publick writings which they published, stout Champions against them, and thereby had drawn all Protestations to detest and persecute them, undoubtedly the Reformation of the Church,

falling out to be about the same time when these Anabaptists raged most in their madness, had laboured and suffered extreamly under the scandal of their frensies, in the opinion of all those who were attending and looking after the issue of that Reformation: And yet these same fooleries and frensies are daily acted by these who call themselves Commissioners of the Ta∣ble, and presented to the Readers of their Pam∣phlets and Protestations, with the Titles of ir∣refragable, undeniable, convincing, unquesti∣onable, Sun-shine truths, and twenty more such false impudent epithets, as one would wonder from whence they fetch the faces that can bear them out in saying so, when the whole Christian World who shall read them, upon the very first view or reading, must discern that there is not the least step or shadow of truth to be found in them. We confess we were amazed at, and aggrieved with their horrible impudence, ex∣pressed in their last Petition sent unto us, in which they did invocate the name of God, cal∣ling him not only as a Witness, but as an ap∣prover of their actions; at their pretended as∣surance of our justification of them all, when they undoubtedly know, that we do abhor and detest them all as rebellious and treasonable; at their shameless asseveration of their confidence that their neighbour Churches will approve all their proceedings, that they are afraid they should be thought to have offended in nothing so much as in lenity, when they have proceeded to the deposition and excommunication of the Bishops and others their opposers, which is the utmost of that power which ever any Church did yet challenge to it self; and many more such audacious untruths, which after we once heard read, we resolved never to answer, and now do answer it only thus, That in the main points of it there is not one true word. To say nothing of the boldness of this Petition, which expecteth our Answers in such terms, as it doth not only seem to require our approbation of their wicked proceedings, but almost to command it. And lastly, it is subscribed only by the hands of the Moderator and Clerk of the Assembly, as if it were an ordinary citation served upon the mean∣est Subject of that our Kingdom. And besides all these, we would know what Ecclesiastical Assembly, just or pretended, did ever use any coercive power, but that which was Ecclesiasti∣cal, viz. suspension, deprivation, degradation, or excommunication. But this pretended As∣sembly hath, besides all these, inforced her Acts with Arms and all manner of violence both a∣gainst the persons and fortunes of such as do not agree unto them, but continue loyal unto Us.

BY this time we hope the Reader is well sa∣tisfied that we have been from time to time well acquainted with, and rightly informed con∣cerning all the particular passages of these Troubles: For since we produce their own original soul and black Acts, and the Counsels which we took, and courses which we held for meeting with them, and hindering them, so far as then on the sudden We could, every man will now hold their ordinary and so often repeated calumny sufficiently consuted, viz. That all the proceedings and proffers on their parts were quite concealed from us, That their Petitions, Remonstrances, and Grievances were kept from us, That we understood no more of the estate of the affairs of that Kingdom, then the malice of their Adversaries and bad Patriots were pleased to impart unto us; That our Commissioner in his several journeys between us and them never made us acquainted with the true state of the business, or with their re∣quests and protestations; That he at his several returns did do that which he thought fittest to be done, and not what we had commanded him, or, that if we did command him, our command∣ments were according to the information which he had given unto us of their counsels and cour∣ses; which information was never true nor right, but only such as he and the Bishops had contri∣ved for mis-informing of Us: All which most wicked calumnies, invented only to keep our people unsatisfied, as they are attended with want of truth, so they are accompanied with a most undeserved ingratitude. For we do pro∣fess, that there was no man since the time of these Troubles, who hath more zealously stood between our wrath and them, then our Com∣missioner, and who hath more constantly labou∣red us to admit any probable construction which might be made of their actions, ever until such time as they came to that height, that they could neither probably nor possibly receive any good construction; and yet even then all his perswasions were to pardon and forgiveness, if they should acknowledge their errours, and with a submissive humility return to our obedi∣ence. And here we must needs justifie all his proceedings with them, as being punctually and exactly ordered and performed according to our instructions and commandments to him, and condemn their ingratitude to him, not doubting but e're long they will heartily wish that they had some such about us, who might solicite us for their peace and pardon so carefully as he did, so long as he had any hope of their a∣mendment.

The same course which they held with him their own Country-man, they held likewise with some of this Kingdom of great place, especially some of the Prelates near us, and intrusted with the greatest business of this Church and King∣dome: For, during the time of all these Trou∣bles, they have likewise slandered them amongst our Subjects of that Kingdom, both for mis∣information of us, and giving us counsel and advice to shun all ways of peace; whereas we must profess that those Prelates, whom (in their last seditious and treasonable information to the good Christians of England) they have tra∣duced for their greatest enemies, and chiefly some of them whom they especially glance at with our Commissioner, have been their great∣est friends; their counsels were always counsels of peace, and their solicitations to us were ve∣hement and earnest for granting unto them those unexpected and undeserved favours, which we were graciously pleased to bestow upon our peo∣ple, published in our Proclamation at Edinburgh the 22. of September 1638. and afterward made good to them in our name by our Commissioner at the Assembly in Glasgow: These Prelates and our Commissioner advising us rather to conde∣scend to these particulars, then to be put to the effusion of any drop of our Subjects blood.

But the misery and misfortune of many of our well meaning Subjects in that Kingdom, hath in all this business been this, that they trusted the mis-informations of their Leaders, even in those things of which their Leaders them∣selves

did not believe so much as one word: Such were their false reports of Our inclination to Po∣pery, of Our intentions never to hold an As∣sembly, although We had indicted it, of Our intention of never performing any thing in that Assembly which We had promised in Our gra∣cious Proclamation of the indiction of it: All which false reports We have since sufficiently confuted by Our commanding the renovation of the subscription of that Confession of Faith which cannot subsist with Popery, by Our indicting a free General Assembly (the freedom whereof they quite destroyed by their proceedings both before it and in it) by Our making good in that Assembly (such as it was) all Our gracious pro∣mises; and therefore We cannot now but hope and expect, that all Our good and loyal Subjects of that our ancient and native Kingdom, will, by their former experience of the falshood of their Seducers and Leaders, learn to give no trust or credit to their posteriour and new mis-informa∣tions, which by their last seditious Pamphlets, printed or written, and by many intercepted Letters We find to be these three especially, but all of them most notoriously false.

First, They go about to perswade Our good Subjects, that We intend an invasion of that Our Kingdom: But they must have a great power over the faith of such as they can make believe that a King would invade his own Kingdom: Invasions made by Princes of other Princes Do∣minions have been usual; but for a Prince to invade his own Kingdom is a prodigious un∣truth. But they tell Our people that We are coming thither attended with English troops: We wonder if they should be afraid of them whom Our people in their Pulpits, and elsewhere, have been made believe were all of their own party, and would take Arms with them in their defence against Us. But the truth is, these English Troops go along to secure this Our Kingdom of England from invasion by them, which they have so frequently threatned; and if for the securing of Our person they should offer themselves to be Our guard wheresoever We go, what do they else but shew themselves to be true and loyal Subjects, and lay an obliga∣tion on Us to continue in our breast that full assurance of their loyalty and fidelity towards Us, of which We have always by unanswerable demonstrations been fully perswaded; as also upbraid the disloyalty of many of Our Subjects of that our native Kingdom, amongst whom they are loth to trust Us without offering their persons to be our Guard?

But these two things we do desire all our good Subjects of that Kingdom firmly to be∣lieve: First, We are confident that we shall not much stand in need of English Troops to cha∣stise the Heads of this late Rebellion, as being fully perswaded that our loyal Subjects, who have all this while adhered unto us; and our mis-led Subjects, who upon this our Declaration will adhere unto us, but above all the Justice of the Cause of God and of Us his Anointed, shall be strength enough to bring those principal Re∣bels to undergo the trial of our Laws. Next, We desire all our good Subjects there, to believe that we are so far from intending any Invasion of that our native Kingdom, as that according to our Duty and Oath taken at our Coronation, we shall by the grace of God always be ready with our whole power, estate, and expence of our blood (if the case shall so require) to defend that our Kingdom and Subjects thereof against all in∣vasions whatsoever. For we do at this time only intend to reduce the principal Heads of these Tumults to the obedience of Us and our Laws, and in case of their Rebellious obstinacy, to bring them to those deserved punishments, which in such cases the Laws of that our Kingdom have provided: Nor can this either be called or ac∣counted an Invasion, more then the Judges senten∣cing Malefactors to punishments, can be called an in∣vasion of them.

The second mis-information whereby we find the Heads of this Rebellion go about to keep our people from returning to our obedience, is this: They make them believe, that since they have not accepted of our gracious offers, made in our Declaration at Edenburgh the 22. of Sep∣tember last, and made good by our Commissio∣ner in our name at the Assembly in Glasgow, that now we will certainly perform none of them: But these wicked mis-reporters speak both ac∣cording to their own deserts (as knowing that their rebellious misdemeanours have indeed de∣served no such favour at our hands) and like∣wise, according to their own desires (as fearing that if we should make them good, then our people might and must receive satisfaction there∣by) but they do not speak according to our Royal intentions, which are to assure our Sub∣jects, that (as we have before expressed in our Preface) their faults and disloyal courses shall not make us go back from any thing which we have promised in either of those two our gra∣cious Declarations made at Edenburgh and Glas∣gow, but that we will perform them all for the securing of all our good Subjects from a∣ny further fears of these pretended innovati∣ons

The third mis-information whereby the Heads of this Rebellion go about to continue our peo∣ple in disobedience to us, is this: They would make them believe, that if they shall now yield, we do intend to make that our native Kingdom a Province, and to dispoile them of all their Laws and Liberties, and to give them new Laws, as if they were a conquered Kingdom: A most devillish and false suggestion; for we profess we never harboured any such thought in our Royal breast, but do intend by the grace of God to continue that our native Kingdom in the government of our Laws, and confirm unto them all their liberties, and when it shall please God to translate us, to leave the same in charge to our Successor.

These foul, but false aspersions, being thus wiped off, we are now desirous to remove their grand and main calumny, whereby they do at once endeavour both to disparage our just, and to justifie their own most unjust proceedings. They give out that we have no quarrel against them but Religion; and when they are asked in what points of Religion we will not yield to them, they do not name any one of which they have complained in their Petitions, and which in them they called innovations in Religion (for they know, that in our gracious Declaration•• we▪ have given full satisfaction concerning them) but they instance in other two particulars: First our not admitting the introducing of Lay-elders in∣to their Presbyteries, and that in equal number with the Ministers, and that these Lay-elders shall have voices, and always the casting voice in the election of the Ministers Commissioners from the Presbyteries to the General Assembly.

The second, That we will not give way to the abolishing of Episcopal Government. For the former, We profess that we cannot give way to it, it being a course unheard of, not only in that Church of Scotland, but in any Church in any age: For how can We yield, that Noble∣men, Gentlemen, Commoners shall be made Ecclesiastical persons, which must needs bring in a confusion of these two Ecclesiastical and Se∣cular persons, which have always been distin∣guished? Next, how can We betray the Mini∣sters of that Kingdom unto perpetual slavery? For if Episcopal Government should be gone (which they intend) and the Ministers in their Presbyteries shall be over-swayed by the voices of the Lay-elders, what face of Ecclesiastical Go∣vernment can remain, when it shall be quite pul∣led out of the hands of Ecclesiastical persons? And therefore We cannot choose but account it a great ingratitude in those Ministers who op∣pose Us, for whose maintenance as We first stood against the Laiety, so We are now resolved to stand against them for their Liberty. For the se∣cond, which is the abolishing of Episcopal Go∣vernment, We profess we cannot yield unto it (though it were not warranted by Apostolical institution at the first, and since by the perpetu∣al practice of the Church of Christ in all ages and places, as We hold it is warranted by both.)

First, Because it is established in that King∣dom, and hath ever been by Acts of Parlia∣ment, and is so now, and hath been for many years by Acts of the General Assembly.

Secondly, Because of the course which they have taken to abolish it, to wit, by an Assembly, holding that an Assembly may abolish Acts of Parliament; a Proposition which must not be en∣dured in any Monarchy: For then the Convoca∣tion in England, or General Assembly in Scotland, might introduce in either of these Kingdoms, Po∣pery, and the Popes authority if they had a mind to do so, notwithstanding the Acts of Parliament in both Kingdoms which have ejected them, and which Acts of Parliament were posteriour to the Acts of these Ecclesiastical Assemblies, and were confirmations of what was passed before in them.

Thirdly, We cannot destroy Episcopal Govern∣ment without destroying one of the three Estates of Parliament, which We will not do: But these men in an Eccclesiastical Assembly, without Our con∣sent, or consent of Parliament, have gone about to destroy the first of the three Estates of Parlia∣ment.

But say that none of these things were so, yet We would be satisfied in this point, Whether Our refusing of the intrusion of Lay-elders, and the extrusion of Episcopal Government, can be to the Conscience of any man a sufficient warrant or ground for his taking Arms against his lawful King and Sovereign? For now their very Leaders, ac∣knowledging that We have given them satisfacti∣on in the rest, make these two the only ground of all their Arms. And We appeal to the Conscien∣ces of most of Our Subjects Covenanters, if, when they entered into that Covenant at the first they did ever imagine that they should be per∣swaded to take Arms against Us, for these two points of Lay-elders and Episcopal Government, if they should receive satisfaction from Us in their other Grievances, and feared innovations, as We have before declared. We are confident that no such matter was then within the compass of their thoughts: We then having fully removed those pretended fears which occasioned their Cove∣nant, We cannot but hope that Our seduced Subjects will return to their former obedience; but for their seducers, We know that some of them, from the very first, were resolved never to receive any satisfaction.

This grand imposture and calumny, with the other three, being removed, We will now de∣clare fully and freely to all Our Subjects of our three Kingdoms, and to all Forreigners besides, the true and only causes which do inforce Us at this time to use force for the repressing of the insolencies of such of Our Subjects in that King∣dom as shall stand out against Us; first protest∣ing that none of the causes before mentioned, suggested by their Leaders, have settled in Us this resolution, but only these causes which now follow.

First, We will never endure that any of Our Subjects, nay that all Our Subjects (if they could possibly be all of one mind) out of Parliament shall ever abolish or destroy any Act of Parliament, e∣specially not Noblemen and others assembled in an Ecclesiastical Assembly: For to hold that any Assembly of Subjects out of Parliament, or in Parliament without Our consent, may abo∣lish any Act of Parliament, destroyeth the very foundation of Government and Justice in all Mo∣narchies; and the doing of it by Ecclesiastical persons in their Councels and Synods, hath been the cause of infinite Calamities and miserable Wars and devastation of Kingdoms in the Chri∣stian World, since the Pope and his Conclave did usurp that unlawful and unlimited pow∣er; which, being in that Our Kingdom in all these late Troubles practised against the express Laws of the same, We are resolved to punish, unless the Offenders betake themselves to Our mercy.

Secondly, We are resolved not to endure that any of Our Subjects, without our consent, and the consent of the Parliament, shall destroy any of the three Estates of Parliament; which they in their late pretended Assembly have gone about to do.

Thirdly, We are resolved not to endure that any General Assembly shall be called but by Our indiction, according to an express Act of Par∣liament in that case provided; or that it shall continue after that We by our Authority have dissolved it; and are resolved to punish them who shall do so, as Our Royal Father punish∣ed those who did the like at Aberdene.

Fourthly, We are resolved to punish those who have imposed Taxes upon Our Subjects, le∣vied Men or Arms, raised any Fortifications in that Our Kingdom without our leave, and first blocked up, and then taken Our Castles and Forts, and by violence dispossessed our Loyal Subjects of their Houses and Castles, detaining them by force; for all these, by the express Laws of that our Kingdom, are acts of Treason and Rebellion.

Fifthly, We are resolved not to endure that the Protestations of Subjects against Ʋs, Our Coun∣cel, Our Judges and Laws, shall discharge the o∣bedience of the Protesters unto these Laws, unless they be admitted before the compe∣tent Judges, and legally discussed before them; the contrary whereof hath been pra∣ctised by the Covenanters all the time of these Tumults.

Sixthly, We are resolved not to endure that Our Subjects shall enter into any Covenant or Band of mutual defence, Without Our leave asked and obtained, it being expresly forbidden by di∣vers Acts of Parliament of that Our Kingdom; for this hath been, and still is, the ground of all this Rebellion.

Seventhly, And principally, We are resolved not to endure that any of Our Subjects, under the name of a Table, or Committees of the Ge∣neral Assembly, or under any other name, title or pretence whatsoever, shall sit without Our consent and Authority, and order business of the Church and Kingdom at their Pleasure; and if they shall be called in question for the same by Us, Our Council, or Judges, shall appeal from Us and them, and refuse to be judged by either, alledging that they will be judged by none but by the general Assembly, which is Christ's own immediate Council, and therefore hath no de∣pendency from, or subordination either to Our Council or Judges, or Our Parliament, which is the Council of Our Kingdom, and so that both Church-men and Lay-men under Ecclesi∣astical names shall exempt themselves from the Authority of Us and Our Laws, and the As∣sembly it self shall hold the Members of it free from being judged in all matters of Assembly by any but by it self; which by the Laws of that Our Kingdom is Treason, as appeareth by the Act cited in the body of this Narration: Now all this hath been practised, and is practised by those which call themselves of the Ta∣ble.

From all which We hope it is evident, that the offences, which We resolve to punish in some of Our Subjects, do not concern Religion: So that the question is not, Whether there shall be a Service-Book, Book of Canons, High Com∣mission; nay, nor whether there shall be no Lay-Elders in Assemblies, or no Episcopal Go∣vernment, (though We are resolved to reject the one, and retain the other:) But the questi∣on indeed is neither more nor less than this, Whe∣ther We and Our Successors shall be any more Kings of that Kingdom: For if these traiterous Positions shall be maintained and made good by force of Arms, then We and Our Successors can be no more Kings there, Our Parliament, Coun∣cil, and Judges have no more authority there; So that unless We will give over to be King, and so betray and desert that charge wherewith God hath intrusted Us, We must use that power which God hath put in Our hands, and by fair, just and legal waies, to Our great grief, force them to obedience.

These are the true reasons which have forced Us to undertake this Journey, and to make use of the Arms and aid of Our loyal Subjects here, for the security of this Kingdom, and safeguard of Our person, as likewise of the Arms and aid of Our Subjects of that Kingdom for the same purposes.

And here first, We call God to witness what an unwelcome Journey this is unto Us, and how unwillingly We do undertake it.

Secondly, We do profess and protest, that as We (like God himself, whose Vicegerent We are) have shewn Our Self all this while slow to anger; so now like him We shall shew Our selves ready to forgive, upon the repentance of such of Our Subjects as have been mis-led, their de∣serting the Heads of their Rebellion, and return∣ing to Our obedience.

Thirdly, That We intend to use no Arms against that Our Kingdom, but only against some Rebells in it, for their apprehension and bringing them to Justice.

Fourthly, That such even of those who shall be apprehended, shall have their fair and legal Tryals according to the Laws of that Our King∣dom, without the denial of the least favour which can be allowed them by the course of Ju∣stice, if they will offer and submit their persons to a legal Tryal.

Fifthly, That all Our Subjects of that King∣dom, who shall now adhere unto Us, shall be protected and defended by Us in their Persons and Fortunes, with the uttermost of Our power: For We profess that We do not hold it a Natio∣nal defection, but a revolt of some Rebels, who have mis-led a great many of the rest, We having a great many Subjects of all ranks in that Our Kingdom, who for their constancy in their Loyalty and Fidelity towards Us, shall just∣ly expect both protection and reward from Us.

Sixthly, That whosoever shall go about to make any of Our Subjects believe that this is a National quarrel between these two ancient Kingdoms, both now being under Our Govern∣ment, shall be punished as a disturber of the peace of both: and therefore We exhort and require all Our Subjects of both Kingdoms, who shall accompany Us in this Journey, to live and converse peaceably and lovingly, whereby as they shall do Us most singular and acceptable service, so they shall notably disappoint the Heads of that Rebellion, who now labour no point so much as this, to make Our Subjects of that Kingdom believe, that this Journey of Ours bringeth along with it a National Inva∣sion; and if Our Subjects of both Nations shall keep that Friendly and Loving correspon∣dence in their attendance upon Us in this Jour∣ney, We do not doubt but it will be a means to tye them in a stronger band of Love for ever hereaf∣ter, when Our Scottish Subjects shall here see the alacrity and forwardness of the English, and the English shall there perceive the alacrity and for∣wardness of the Scottish, both of them meeting in this point and center, viz. the defence of Our Person, and of Our Royal Crown and Dig∣nity.

To Conclude: As We have found the Aid and Assistance of Our loving Subjects here to∣wards this Journey, so We do heartily desire their Prayers all the time of Our absence for a good success unto it, and that if it be possible We may return with peace, and without the effusion of any drop of Our Subjects blood: And We do require all Our good Subjects of that Our Kingdom of Scotland, especially the Ministers who should be the Messengers of Peace, to frame and settle Our Subjects minds to the courses and waies of Peace, and to lead them on in the way of returning to Our obedience, who doth resolve to maintain them in the Reli∣gion now established amongst them, that so We be not forced to draw Our Sword of Justice against any of them, which in case of their ob∣stinacy how unwillingly We shall do, We call the King of Kings to witness: But if nothing else will serve, it must be, and their blood will rest upon their own Heads.

DR. Williams Lord Bishop of Lincoln being in disgrace, and a Prisoner in the Tower of London, having no kindness for the Archbishop of Canterbury, was about this time sollicited by his Friend Mr. Osbaldstone, School-master of Westmin∣ster to assist the Lord Treasurer Weston as one of his I action, against the Lord Archbishop, whom be reproachfully called, The Little Ʋrchin, and meddling Hocus Pocus, and the Lord Treasurer was Nick-named the great Leviathan, betwixt whom (said Mr. Osbaldstone in a Letter to the Lord Bi∣shop) I find for certain, and report it sub sigillo, there is a very great distance, insomuch that your Lordship hath been enquired for more than once, if you were come, and when you will? And the great Man was heard to justifie the words which you were questioned for, namely, That you had as good a right to the Deanery of Westminster, as the King to his Crown. And he was heard to say, That they were no more than he himself would say. The jealousie grows great and sharp between the Leviathan, and the little meddling Hocus Pocus; and if it in∣crease, there is hopes your Lordship will enjoy the Blessing of the King's Grace. Your Lordship will hear, that the Lord's Grace of Canterbury is come to lodge in Court, so is the Lord Treasurer; Your Lordship, I hope, will pick out my meaning.

Westminster-Colledge, Jan. 9. 1633.

And in another Letter.

My dear Lord,

I Cannot be quiet but I must write to your Lordship. The Sport is grown Tragical, any thing would be given for a sound and thorough Charge to push at and confound the little Urchin. The Spaniards and the Hollanders are both approvedly and firmly joined to effect the same, if your Lordship lend your Assistance, which I am bound to implore and require. Let them in the mean time scratch one another to the Bones. I use freedom of heart, it is something of revenge that a brave Soul (as your Lordship is) hath some hopes of support in the midst of a Flood of Destructi∣on.

Westminster-School, Jan. 30. 1633.

These Letters being received by the Bishop of Lincoln, who had wrote privately to his Friend to enquire of that difference, and whether any ad∣vantage might a••••rew to him thereby, It was de∣sired that I should contribute any endeavours to be use∣ful to the Lord Treasurer against the little great Man, and assured me that they were mortal Enemies. But for my part I refuse to meddle with any such thing; yet I pray you learn whether it be so or no, lest some have gul••••d Mr. Osbaldstone in his three last Letters. If the Lord Treasurer would be served by me, he must free me from the Bonds of the Star-Chamber, other∣wise let them fight it out for me.

Mr. Osbaldstone denied he meant by the Little H••cus Pocus his Grace of Canterbury, or by the Great Leviathan the Lord Treasurer Weston, and affixed these appell••••••ons on one Spicer, a mean and obscure person; and that by the Great Levia∣than, he meant the Lord Chief Justice Richardson, betwixt whom and the said Spicer there had been Jarrings, &c. but these things were only evasive. The Bishop denied the receit of any such Letters from Osbaldstone, and said that he was the fittest Interpreter of them, if any such were sent; but the receit of the Letters were proved by the Bi∣shops Servants, &c. And hereupon their Sen∣tence was, That Osbaldstone should be amerced 5000 l. to the King's Majesty, and pay to the Arch∣bishop 5000 l. damages, be deprived of all Spiritual Dignities and Promotions; imprisoned during the King's Pleasure, and make Submission.

That the Bishop of Lincoln be fined in Five thou∣sand pounds to the King, and Three thousand pounds to the Archbishop; to be imprisoned during the King's Pleasure, and to make Submission.

And Osbaldstone was Sentenced to stand in the Pillory in the Deans-Yard, before his own School, and his Ears to be only nailed to the Pillory.

And in regard something was found in his Stu∣dy reflecting upon the Archbishop, Mr. Rushworth, who is ever a faithful Collector of such stuff, he saith (take the Relation from himself;) That it so happened, though the report was that Os∣baldstone was run away, that he was in Court standing in the Croud at the Censure; and when he heard the said Censure of some of the Lords; he guessed the Cause would go against him, and knowing the Rule of the Court, That if the Warden should espy him in Court, he might com∣mand his Tipstaff to apprehend him; as soon as the major part of the Court had past Censure up∣on him, although the Lord Keeper had not then given his sense; therefore he got out of Court, went to his Study at the School, burnt some Pa∣pers, and writ on a Paper, which he left on his Desk, That if the Archbishop inquire after me, tell him, I am gone beyond Canterbury. Whereupon Messengers were sent to the Port-Towns to ap∣prehend him; but he lay hid in a private House in Drury-Lane, till the Parliament met in No∣vember 1640.

The Scotch Rebellion grew more worse and worse, his Majesty puts forth his Proclamation Royal for the Nobility to attend his Person and Standard at York as followeth:

A Copy of the King's Letter to the Nobi∣lity, &c.

Carolus Rex.

Right trusty and wel-beloved Cousins and Coun∣cellors, We greet you well.

THe late Disorders in Our Realm of Scot∣land, begun upon pretence of Religion, but have been raised by Factious Spirits, and fomented by some few ill treacherous affected Persons, whose aim hath been, by troubling the Peace of that Our Kingdom, to work their own particular Ends, and in∣deed to shake off all Monarchical Govern∣ment; although We often assure them, that We resolve to maintain constantly their Re∣ligion established by the Laws of that King∣dom; is now grown to so high and danger∣ous Consequence, that under their finister Pretences, they have so far seduced many of Our People there, that great and considera∣ble Forces are raised and assembled in such sort, as We have reason to take into Our consideration, the Defence and Safety of this Our Kingdom of England: And therefore up∣on due and mature consultation with the

Lords of Our Privy Council, We have re∣solved to repair, in Our Royal Person, to the Northern Parts of this Our Kingdom, there by the help of Almighty God, and the assistance of Our loving Subjects, to make Resistance against any Invasion that may happen. And to the end that this with expe∣dition may be effected as We desire, to the Glow of God, and the Safety of Vs and this Our Kingdom of England, We have di∣rected, that a considerable Army, both of Horse and Foot, shall forthwith be levied out of all the Shires of this Our Kingdom, to attend Vs in this Action; wherein We no∣thing doubt, but that the Affection, Cou∣rage, and fidelity of Our People will ap∣pear. We in the mean time have thought fit to give you notice of this Our Resolution and of the State of these Affairs: And withal hereby do require you to attend Our Royal Person and Standard at Our City of York, the first day of April next en∣suing, with such Equiyage, and such Forces, as your Birth, Honour, and Interest in the Commonalty doth oblige you to, &c. And We do and have reason to expert from you a performance hereof; and these Our Letters shall be as sufficient and effectual a Warrant and Discharge unto you, to put your self and such as shall attend you, into Arms and Or∣der as aforesaid, as if you were authorized thereunto under Our Great Seal of England. And We do hereby require you to certifie un∣der your Hands, within fifteen daies after the receit hereof, what Assistance We shall expect from you herein, and to direct the same to one of Our Principal Secretaries of State.

Given under Our Signet, at Our Palace of Westminster, the 15 day of February, in the 14 Year of Our Reign.

And during that interval of Parliaments, for that his Majesty could have no Parliamentary Aids for the Supplies of his necessities for the carrying on of the War, the Clergy being called upon by his Majesty for their Contribution for his assistance herein, they did in most places cheerfully answer his Majesties expectations herein; whereat the discontented Party amongst us were clamorous enough according to their accustomed manner; but they were sensible enough of the endeavours and attempts that then were on foot to undo both King and Kingdom. And in like manner the Queens Majesty did endeavour as much as in her lay to sollicite and importune the Romanists to Contribute to the charge of the War likewise, which some Parliament-men of the Parliament in 1640. seemed to be much concerned, as if by all Obligations both Sacred and Civil she had not been obliged to promote so honest, so lawful, and so just a Cause and Design as then his Majesty had undertaken. A Copy of her Majesties Let∣ter here under followeth:

Henrietta Maria R.

WE have so good a belief in the Loyalty and Affection of his Majesties Ca∣tholick Subjects, as we doubt not but upon this Occasion, that hath called his Majesty into the Northern Parts, for the Defence of his Honour and Dominions, they will ex∣press themselves so affected, as we have al∣waies represented them to his Majesty: So in this common consent which hath appeared in the Nobility, Judges, Gentry, and others, to forward his Majesties Service by their Persons and States; we have made no difficulty to answer for the same corresponden∣cy in his Catholick Subjects, as Catholicks: Notwithstanding they all have already con∣curred to this his Majesties Service, ac∣cording to the Qualities whereof they are, when others of the same Quality were called upon: For we believe that it became us, who have been so often interessed in the Solicitati∣on of their Benefits, to shew our selves now in the perswasion of their Gratitudes. Therefore having already, by his Majesty and by other means, recommended to them this earnest desire of Ours, to assist and serve his Majesty by some considerable sum of Mo∣ney freely and the arfully presented: We have thought fit (to the end that this our desire may be the more publick, and the more au∣thorized) hereby to give you Commission and Direction, to distribute Copies under your hand of this Testification thereof, unto those that have met in London by our Dire∣ction about this Business, and unto the seve∣ral Collectors of every County. And as we presume the sum they will raise, will not be unworthy our presenting to the King; so shall we be very sensible of it, as a particu∣lar respect to our selves, and will endeavour, in the most efficacious manner as we can, to improve the Merit of it, and to remove any apprehension of Prejudice, that any (who shall employ themselves towards the Success of this Business) may conceive by this, and be assured, That we will secure them from all such objected Inconveniences. And we are very confident, that this our first Re∣commendation will be so complied withal, as may not only afford us particular satisfa∣ction, but also facilitation towards their own Advantages.

Sir Kenelme Digby, and Mr. Walter Montague wrote to the Popish Recusants in each County to the same effect.

IT is sufficiently already known to every one, the ex∣traordinary Graces and Protections we owe the Queens Majesty, to whose favourable Intercession we must ascribe the happy Moderation we live under; so as we doubt not but an occasion of the expression of our Gratitudes will joyfully be embraced by every Body, which the present estate of his Majesties Affairs doth now offer us. We have already, by our former Let∣ters, endeavoured to prepare you to a chearful As∣sistance of his Majesty, in his declared Journey to the Northern Parts, for the securing of his Kingdom, and such other purposes as his Royal Wisdom shall re∣solve of; that so you may really demonstrate your selves as good Subjects as God and Nature requires of you. Now her Majesty hath been graciously pleased to recommend unto us the Expressions of our Duties and Zeal to his Majesties Service, by some considerable Gift from the Catholicks. And to remove all Scru∣ples, (that even well-affected Persons may meet with) she undertakes to secure us, and all that shall employ themselves in this Business, from an inconvenience that may be suspected, by their or our forwardness and Declaration in this kind; it will easily appear to every Body how much it imports us, in our sense of his Ma∣jesties Desires, to press every Body to strain himself,

even to his best Abilities, in this Proposition, since by it we shall certainly preserve her graciousness to us, and give good Characters of our Devotion to the King and State; of whose benignity we have all reason to give Testimonies, and to endeavour to produce Arguments for the prosecution and encrease of it.

Now for the best Expedition of this Business, (which is the chief Circumstance that importeth in it) we have thought fit to recommend it to your nominations of such Persons as shall in your Opinions be agreed, for the ablest and best disposed in every several County, not only to sollicit, but to collect such voluntary Con∣tributions, as every Bodies Conscience and Duty shall proffer. And we shall desire you to give us an account of what acceptation it receives from Friends, which we cannot but expect very successful, and answerable to the forwardness we meet with here about Lon∣don; for which we shall offer up our Prayer to God.

Wal. Montague.

Ke. Digby.

And in regard exceptions had been taken here∣at by Mr. Pyme and others of that way in the Par∣liament 1640. her Majesty did then by the Comptrouller give the House to understand, That her Majesty has been ready to use her best endeavours for the removing of all mis-under∣standing between the King and Kingdom.

That at the request of the Lords, who Peti∣tioned the King for a Parliament, her Majesty at that time writ effectually to the King, and sent a Gentleman expresly to perswade the King to the holding of a Parliament.

That she hath since been most willing to do all good Offices between the King and the People, which is not unknown to divers of the Lords, and so shall ever continue to do, as judg∣ing it the only way of happiness to the King, her Self, and Kingdom.

That all things be justly settled between the King and his People; and all Causes of mis∣understanding taken away and removed.

That her Majesty having taken into conside∣ration, that one being sent to her from the Pope, is distastful to the Kingdom, she is desirous to give satisfaction to the Parliament within con∣venient time, and will remove him out of the Kingdom.

That understanding likewise, that exception hath been taken at the great resort to her Cha∣pel at Denmark-House, she will be careful not to exceed that which is convenient and necessary for the exercise of her Religion.

She further taketh notice, That the Parlia∣ment is not satisfied with the manner of raising Money for the Assistance of the King in his Jour∣ney to the North, in the Year 1639. at her en∣treaty from the Catholicks; she saies, That she was moved thereunto, meerly out of her dear and tender affection to the King, and the Ex∣ample of other his Majesties Subjects, she seeing the like forwardness in others for the Assistance of the King.

If any thing be illegal, she was ignorant of the Law, and was carried therein only out of a great desire to be assisting to the King in so pressing an Occasion; but promiseth to be more cautious hereafter, and not to do any thing but what may stand with the established Laws of the Kingdom.

Her Majesty being desirous to employ her own Power to unite the King and People, de∣sireth the Parliament to look forwards, and pass by such Mistakes and Errors of her Servants as they may be guilty of formerly; and this your▪ respect she promiseth, shall be repayed with all good Offices she can do to the House, which you will find with real Effects as often as there shall be occasion.

And in regard it is not to be doubted but that the Popish Party were then acting their part, and had also their Game to play, for that we find one Mortimer then Superiour of Scotland acting upon that Stage, as likewise one Chambers, said to be Chaplain to Cardinal Richleu, and then sent by him to observe the posture of our Affairs, and to blow the Coals amongst us, that great States-man knowing well it did not only import the good of his Master the French King, but of their Religion also, to keep things in as bad a condition as they could make them, and to exasperate all Parties towards a Rupture, for that the Jesuite, the cun∣ning Angler, ever fisheth best in troubled Waters; nay, some have been so curious and so knowing herein as publickly to avouch that Walo Messelinus the famous Sal••••asius his Book against Episcopal Government was Printed in the King's Printing∣house in Paris, and that thence many thousand Copies thereof were dispersed both into England and Scotland, to inflame the Presbyterian Party, and arm them with Arguments against Episcopal Government; and for that I find Mr. Rushworth expresly avowing the same endeavour of the Pa∣pists, who saith, At this time the Church of Rome had Agents in Scotland as well as in England, one of them who subscribes a Letter, probably was Cardinal Richleu's Chaplain, by name Cham∣bers, or Chamberlain, who was then present in Scotland, blowing the Coles of Fire there kin∣dled; which Letter concerned the Affairs of Scotland, and was to the effect following, dated June 28.

My Reverend Father,

I Have not been at London five daies in all since I came from France, else I had not failed to salute your Reverence, &c. I know not what to say of Mor∣timer the Superiour of Scotland, as knowing not whe∣ther he hath leave to go or not, nor yet their Procurer who resides in this Court. Scotland is in a very ill posture, and in evident danger to sever it self from this Crown.

And in another Letter of the same date, the same Party writes this ensuing Letter.

SIR,

BY all these Proceedings, the King evidently seeth, that they (the Scots) will not submit them∣selves to Reason, by fairness or sweetness, and there∣fore he hath taken a Resolution to tame them by Force, and to this purpose goeth about to raise an Army in Ire∣land, not daring to trust himself with the English, who already are much irritated against him, by reason of the † Monies which he pretends to raise to main∣tain * 6.1 his Fleet, the which they refuse down-right to pay. This counsel of raising an Army, has been sug∣gested unto him by the Bishop of Canterbury, and the President of Ireland, which are they alone that Go∣vern him, for he hath never yet opened his Mouth, or spoken one sole word of it to his Council of State, but seeks very much to keep all close from them. The which highly displeaseth all these Lords; and Men

hold this Counsel of the Army for Ireland, a most pernicious Counsel: But I know not what better he could take, for it is most dangerous to raise it in Eng∣land, where all the World is discontent; and for to raise an Army here, it were to give them the Sword in their hands to defend themselves; for the part of the Puritans is so great, and they have such a correspon∣dence with the Scots, that they begin already to break the Altars which the Bishops had erected, and to ac∣cuse the Bishops of Crimes, and to demand the re-esta∣blishment of many silenced Ministers, with a thou∣sand other Insolences, &c.

June 28.

Your humble and most obliged Servant.

At the same time there was another Letter of the same date writ to one Monsieur Ford, by some Priest or Romish Recusant, to the effect fol∣lowing: All which said Letters were found amongst the Papers of one of his Majesties Privy-Council.

OƲR Scots Business troubles us shrewdly, and grows worse and worse; they will have a Par∣liament, and the King (for the Consequence of it in this Kingdom) will never permit it, and so they have taken a Resolution to levy an Army in Ireland, so to trouble them and subdue them; which is held there by wise Men to be a very desperate Counsel. But the King consults with none but the Arch-Bishop and the Depu∣puty of Ireland; which disgusts all, and makes Men see more weakness in him than was ever imagined: other News we have none. Fitten (the Agent for the Secular Priests at Rome) is here, and was pre∣sented to the King by my Lord Arundel, to whom he had sent from Italy many little Toys, but now he knows he is a Priest. Pray tell my dear Amiable, I thank him heartily for his Note, and have seen his Man Jaques Depuis, who is a good Cutter or Graver in Stone, and continues Catholick, Honest, and known to the Capuchins.

Yours, Will. Heill.

The Scots all this while were not idle, but made secret Conventions herein, with those of the Presbyterian strain, as plainly appeared in the en∣suing Parliament in 1640. when the miseries of the Northern Countries lay under, by reason of the Scots quartering in those Countries, and the danger to England in general thereby were com∣plained of openly in that Parliament, some of the Lower-House saying, there were no dangers or inconveniencies to be feared from that Scotch Army, his Majesty wisely foreseeing and under∣standing these conferreations of the Scotch and English Presbyterians, caused a Proclamation and Declaration to be emitted to inform his loving Subjects of his Kingdom of England of the sedi∣tious practices of some in Scotland, seeming there to over-throw his Royal Power, and here also to raise Sedition and Disturbance under false pre∣tence of Religion.

REciting, That whereas We have endea∣voured now, for a long time together, by all calm and fair waies, to appease the Dis∣orders, and Tumultuous Carriages caused by some evil-affected Persons in Our Realm of Scot∣land, but hitherto all in vain; We have now thought it not only fit, but necessary in general, to inform all our loving Subjects in this our Realm of England, what the Truth is of our Proceedings, what our lenity and gentleness hath been towards them, and what froward and perverse Returns they have made to us, notwith∣standing all their specious Pretences, the better to insinuate themselves and their odious Cause, into the minds of our Loyal Subjects here. These Disorders and Tumults have been thus raised in Scotland, and fomented by Factious Spirits, and those traiterously affected, began upon pretences of Religion, (the common Cloak for all Diso∣bedience) but now it clearly appears, the aim of these Men is not Religion, as they falsly pre∣tend and publish, but it is to shake all Monar∣chical Government, and to vili••••e our Regal Power, justly descended upon us over them: Nay, their Malice reaches so far, both against our Power and Person, as that in a most cuning and subtil way they have endeavoured to poison the Hearts of our good and Loyal Subjects of this our Kingdom, and to seduce them (were it in their power) to the like Rebellious Courses with themselves. Now though we are most confident of our Peoples Affections towards us (of which they have given us a clear testimony, by their ready and chearful assistance in this Cause) and have not the least thought that those turbulent Spirits shall any way prevail with them, yet we cannot but hold it requisite to give them timely notice of their traiterous Intentions, which very many waies appear unto us.

As First, By the multitude of their Printed Pamphlets, or rather indeed infamous Libels, stuffed full of Calumnies against our Regal Au∣thority, and our most just Proceedings, and spreading of them in divers parts of this our Kingdom.

Secondly, By their sending of Letters to pri∣vate Persons, to incite them against us; and sending some of their Fellow-Covenanters to be at private Meetings in London and elsewhere, to pervert our good People from their Duty; and some of these Meetings we know, and some of those Letters (lewd enough) we have seen.

Thirdly, By their publick contemning of all our just Commands, and their mutinous protest∣ing against them, a course not sit to be endured in any well-ordered Kingdom.

Fourthly, By their rejecting of the Covenant commanded by our Authority, because it was commanded by us; whereas no Covenant or Band of that nature, in that Kingdom, hath ever been, or can be legal and warrantable, which hath not been commanded, or at least assented unto by Royal Authority. As for instance, That Covenant in our dear Father's time was condescended unto by him, and so the Subject (at the humble Petition of the General Assem∣bly it self) permitted by him to sign it; We say it again, That our Covenant was rejected by them, because commanded by us; and this is manifest, because for Matters of Religion ours agreed in all things with their own Covenant. By which Covenant of theirs, they have treache∣rously induced many of our People to swear to a Band against us: which Band and Covenant (or rather Conspiracy) of theirs, could not be with God, being against us the Lord's A∣nointed over them. And it was, and is, a Band and Covenant pretended to be with God, that they may with the better countenance do the

Works of the Devil, such as all Treasons and Rebellions are.

And Lastly, By their most Hostile Preparati∣ons in all kinds, as if we were not their King, but their sworn Enemy. For what can their In∣tentions be, being thus prepared, but to Invade this Kingdom, should they nor find us ready, both to resist their Force, and to curb their In∣solences? For many, and some of the chiefest amongst them, are Men, not only of unquiet Spirits, but of broken Fortunes, and would be very glad of any occasion (especially under the colour of Religion) to make them whole upon the Lands and Goods of our Subjects in England, who we presume (besides their Allegiance to us) will look better to them∣selves and their Estates, than to share them with such desperate Hypocrites, who seek to be better and cannot well be worse. We demand again, What Intentions else they can have? For we have already often assured them by our published Proclamations, That we are so ••ar from thinking of any Innovation or Alte∣ration of Religion, that we are resolved to maintain the same constantly, and as it is esta∣blished by Law in that our Kingdom. Nay, so desirous have we been to give content unto them, as that we have in a manner condescend∣ed to all which they Petitioned for: Nay, our Princely Clemency in these produced no better effect, than increasing and daring Insolencies, to our dishonour both at Home and Abroad; Yet we passed by all, till they struck at the very Root of Kingly Government, for they have now assumed to themselves Regal Power. For where∣as the Print is the Kings in all Kingdoms, these seditious men have taken upon them to Print what they please, though we forbid it; and to prohibit what they dislike, though we com∣mand it; and with the greater affront, have forbid and dismist the Printer whom we esta∣blished. Besides, they have taken upon them to convene our Subjects, raise Armies, block up and besiege our Castles, to lay Impositions and Taxes upon our People, threatning such as con∣tinue in Loyalty to us, with Force and Violence. To this we shall add, That they have slighted the Directions and Power of our Council-Ta∣ble in that Kingdom, and have set up Tables of their own, at which some of their Leaders sit under the Name of Committees, from the late pretended General Assembly, or their Depu∣ties; and thus they meet when and where they please, Treat and Conclude what they please, and send their Edicts through all parts of the Kingdom without any consent, nay, without all knowledge of Us, our Commissioner, or Council, and directly contrary to many stand∣ing Laws at this day in force in that Kingdom, and yet pretend Violation of their Laws, as one of the main Causes of their Brain-sick Di∣stempers.

Here therefore we take God and the World to Witness, we hold our Self forced and con∣strained to Arm, not only to reclaim them, and to set our Kingly Authority right again, in that our Antient and Native Kingdom, but also for the Safety of this Kingdom, our Loyal Subjects in it, with their Wives, Children, and Goods, as well as our own, against the Rage and Fury of these Men and their Covenant. And this we think sit to let you further know, that we hope in Time to make the best of them see, that we will endure no such Covenant and Band in our Kingdom to which we shall not consent. So the Question is not now, Whether a Service-Book is to be received or not? Nor whether Episcopal Go••ernment shall be continued, or Presbyterial admitted? But whether we are their King or not? For though in some of their Libels they give us good words, and speak us fair for their own ends, especially in the last Printed at Edenburgh, ••ebruarii quarto 1639; yet some of them refused both the Oath of Al∣legiance and Supremacy, and publickly main∣tain, That they are not obliged to take the same. Now how can we think these Men are Dutif••l and Loyal in their Hearts, that broach such dan∣gerous Opinions? Or religiously minded, that teach such rebellious Doctrine, and so contra∣ry to all, which Protestant Divines teach to∣wards the King and the Civil Magistrate? Nay, they have infected divers of their Country-men which are come into other Parts with the same Venom; for three Scotch-men taken in Wales, are at this day imprisoned, for direct denial of our Supremacy and their Allegiance, saying, They cannot take those Oathes, because they have sworn to the Covenant. But though we have been thus mild towards them, and continued so long, yet we would not have any of them, or any of our other Subjects think, that we can or will permit Episcopal Government, established by many Acts of Parliament in that our Kingdom, to be abolished, seeing it is known to the whole Christian World, that the same is most Christi∣an in it self, and most peaceable for the Civil State, and most consonant to Monarchical Go∣vernment.

And we would have our Subjects of that King∣dom consider, what will become of the third Estate there in Parliament, if Episcopacy should be abrogated?

And further we think fit to declare unto you, and to the Christian World, That by our Inten∣tion of introducing the Service-Book into that Kingdom, we had not the least thought of In∣novation of Religion in this or that, but meer∣ly to have a Conformity with that Worship of God, which is observed within both our other Kingdoms, though ill minded Men have wrest∣ed some things in it to a sinister sence.

We further give you to understand, That there is a large Declaration coming forth, con∣taining all the particular Passages which have oc∣curred in this Business, from the very beginning, attested with their own foul Acts, to disanul and shame their fair, but false words. But be∣cause this cannot so soon be made ready, we hold it most expedient to let this short Declara∣tion fore-run it, that our Loyal Subjects here and elsewhere, may not be infected with their false, wicked, specious, but most seditious In∣formations: For Example sake, in their last Pamphlet (besides divers other false, base, and ••awning Passages) there are these scandalous and most notorious Untruths: As first, they say, That we have committed the Arms we now take, and the Armies we now raise, into the Hands of prof••ssed Papists; which is not more dishonoura∣ble to our Self, and the Noble Persons intrusted by us, than odiously and notoriously false. Again they say, That some of Power in the Hierar∣chy of England, have been the Cause of our taking Arms to invade our Native Kingdom, and of med∣dling with their Religion: whereas it is most cer∣tain, that no one of them have done any thing therein, but by our own Princely Direction and

Command. And for Arms, it is notoriously known to all our Council then present, that their counsels were for Peace, and have been the per∣swaders (as much as in them lay) of the un∣deserved Moderation wherewith we have hither∣to proceeded towards so great Offenders.

And further they say, That they intend no Act of Hostility against England, unless they shall be necessitated in their own Defence. We would fain know, Defence of what? Is it of Disobedience? Defence against whom? Is it not against us their True and Lawful Soveraign? If they will de∣fend against us, it ought to be by Law, and not by Arms; that Defence we shall never deny them, this by Arms we shall never permit them. Now our Laws which they seem so much to va∣lu••, are in a manner opprest by them, in so much that our Judges are so awed, as that they dare hardly proceed according to Law.

With these and the like mutinous Libels, we desire our good Subjects should not be infected, but that all of them might know the present necessity we have to Arm our Self, which is for no other End, save only for the Safety and Secu∣rity of this our Kingdom, the re-establishment of our Authorities in that, and the suppressing of such as have mis-led and abused our Subjects there, and would (if not prevented) do the like here, but is no way to inforce any Innovati∣on of Religion established in that Kingdom, or any waies to infringe the Laws thereof, or any of their Liberties whatsoever, which are ••••cord∣ing to Law.

These are therefore to Will and Command all our Loving Subjects of this our Kingdom, that they receive no more of their seditious Pamph∣lets sent from Scotland, or any other place con∣cerning those Affairs, which can have no other use or influence, than to draw the Hearts of our Loyal People to the like Rebellious Courses; and that such of our Subjects here, as have al∣ready received any of these Rebellious Pamph∣lets, do presently deliver them to the next Justice of Peace, that he may send them to one of our Secretaries, as both they and the Ju∣stices of Peace will answer it at their utmost perils.

And our further Will and Pleasure is, That this our Proclamation and Declaration be read in time of Divine Service in every Church with∣in the Kingdom, that all our People, to the meanest, may see the notorious Carriages of these Men, and likewise the Justice and Mercy of all our Proceedings.

Given at our Court at White-Hall the 27th day of February, in the four and twentieth Year of our Reign, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland.

To the preceding Declaration the Scots answer in their Canting manner, by theirs of the 22 of March, 1638. That though the s••crets of Gods way cannot be sounded, yet considering his Providence in their personal affairs, the Lord is about some great Work on Earth, for the Cup of Affliction propined to other Reformed Kirks is now presented to them, for instead of a gracious Return of their humble Petitions from time to time, the Return is a late D••claration of the seven and twentieth of February last Libelled against them, though the Gates of Hell shall not pre∣vail against their Cause and the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, now in question; which Dec••aration proceeds from the unchristian Prela••es and their party, inserting the image of their Hierarchy into the Kings Portraict, and by their unequal poise over-turn the Boat of all the Passengers, and the Steer-man himself to perish. And in good earnest they rip up their Rea∣sons, first by their long suffering of the Prelates inso∣lency, against their Ministry, purity of Doctrine, their Reformation, the wonderful Work of God's Mercy to that Nation: and so most falsly setting down the aforesaid Passages to their own ends; fearing Popery to be introduced; and because all the particular Mischiefs, Calamities, and Curses recited, shall not fall upon them, to prevent the after-quelling of their childrens return, wherefore hath the Lord done thus and thus against them? Then the men shall say, because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord, therefore have all these Evils come upon them.

And for doing any harm to England, cursed be their breasts if they harbour any such thought. Im∣plore the good opinion of their well affected Brethren in England. And so to conclude their War Defensive, they cite the Law Natural and Civil, that Ad desen∣sionem sufficit quod praecedat offensa, vel justus timor offensae, nec debet quis expectare primum istum; melius enim jura intacta servare, quam post vulneratam causam remedium quaerere; quando praecedunt signa & actus manifestae offen∣sionis, & quando ali••er nosmet tueri non possu∣mus, tum inculpata & necessaria dicitur tutela, ac in dubia; insultus quicquid sacit in incontinen∣ti, praesumitur ad sui defensionem facere. It is enough for defence, that the ••ffer of offence, or just fear of offence go before, as we profess it to be our case at this present, even the defence of God and his Reli∣gion. Edenburgh the 22 of March, 1639.

BOth the English Clergy, as well as the Nobil••∣ty and Gentry, contributed sreely and large∣ly to that War, whereby his Majesty was enabled to raise a gallant Army, and to Equip a compe∣tent ••leet to enter the Fryth os Edenburgh, which they did under the Command of the Lord Mar∣quess of Hamilton, who entertaining his Mother a most rigid Covenanting Lady on Board gave great umbrage of discontent to some that wished well to his Majesties Affairs, as likewise did fre∣quent entertaining correspondence with some of the hottest of the Scottish Lords, then in actual Re∣bellion against his Majesty, nay, the very Scots them∣selves are reported to have said thus much, That the Son of so gude a Mother would not hurt them. More∣over, he was said to have given a very unfaithful ac∣count to the King in his Leaguer at Barwick of the Scotch Army, representing their strength and power to have been much greater than it was, as that the Army was twenty five thousand effe∣ctive under General Lesley, that they had twenty thousand marching as a Supply and Recruit for the other; however by his Letters to his Maje∣sty as well as those he wrote to the Earl of Rothes, and other the Covenanting Scotch Lords 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••hat time, others would have us to have a much better opinion of him.

And thus we have largely given you an account of the Scotch Rebellion, and of the Causes and progress thereof, the Covenanters of Scotland, and some here also of the same Leaven, gave it the name of Episcopale Bellum, The Bishops War; but how falsly, you may gather from what hath been said; for his Majesty was by those undutiful and rebellious courses of there Scots put upon a necessity of that War; For, first of all, they without, nay positively against his Majesties Com∣mand, enter into a Combination or Covenant

being no other than Subjects to Subvert and over∣throw the Government of the Church of Scot∣land by Bishops ever owned and acknowledged by sundry Acts of their Parliaments then in force to be one, and the first of the three Estates of their Kingdom, as they are here undoubtedly with us. Secondly, To reform Religion (so they call'd it) without, nay against the Command of their Prince, who hath the same power (maugre the Scotch Assembly) in the Kingdom of Scot∣land, as they have here in England, Thirdly, They besieged and attaqued his Majesties Castles and Houses, seized his Magazines and Stores of War. And Lastly, Arrayed, Raised and Armed that people against his Command to act according to Ordinances of a General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland actually dissolved by his Majesties Com∣mand, so that it was not so much a War of his Majesty to maintain the Bishops Hierarchy how∣ever established by Law, or the Scottish Liturgy, and Service-Book, though to establish these is his Majesties undoubted right, as to assert, maintain, and justifie his own Kingly Power, derived from his Ancestors, and not from the People; The plain truth (saith one) Religion was the Vizard to their Rebellion, but Covetousness, Sacriledge, and Rapine of the Church Revenues, the things mainly aimed at by the great ones in that Rebelli∣on, who took in the Ministers only as their Instru∣ments to vent their spite and malice against the Bishops, their legal Governours, and Superi∣ours.

Before we conclude this year, we shall make bold to insert a very strange and Prodigious Erup∣tion of a Sulphurous flame out of the bottom of the Sea in the Ferrara Islands in the Atlantique Ocean, in the height of eight and thirty Degrees and an half, North Latitude, there is a site of Water called Feraria, distant two Leagues from the Ile of St. Michael; from the bottom of that Sea, an hundred and fifty Fathoms deep, there arose with an horrible noise a space of Earth, half an Acre, with a vehement force of an impe∣tuous s••re, against which the Sea could not make resistance, disgorging into the Air the height of three Pikes length both Water and Stones, with an hideous clattering noise, the broken pieces thereof being carried into the Neighbour Island, and taken up mouldred into black Ashes, all the circuit of the Water thereabout covered with the same sulphurous matter, appeared like black Cin∣ders, and became of an Aliment continually burning; and by the multitude of stones mixing, it became a new Island, which is increased to a League and an half in length, and sixty Fathoms high, continually burning for ten daies, choaking all the Fish within eight Leagues, which were cast up by the force of the Sea upon the Coasts of the Neighbour Islands, in number sufficient to lade many Ships, and were buried from infecting the Air. The Sea round about boiling up, the smoak and rubbish in the Air darkened the light of the Sun.

There preceded this Fire an Earthquake for eight daies, the Inhabitants of the Neighbour Islands fled into the Fields from the danger, and had not the Wind blown the Fire from the Islands, it might have endangered their Habitations into another Cineration, which happened eight years there before.

The Counties that were appointed to set forth Horse and Foot against the Scots, were

	Foot.	Horse.
KEnt	1200	150
Cornwal	1500	000
Somerset	1200	150
Wilts	700	78
Bedford	200	40
Berks	400	44
Middlesex	750	40
Buckingham	300	40
Oxon	300	40
Cambridge	400	40
Suffolk	1500	50
Dorset	700	50
Devon	2000	60
Essex	1500	125
Glocester	1000	100
Warwick	300	44
Hartford	500	40
Norfolk	1800	200
Northampton	700	150
Southampton	1000	85
Surry	500	65
Sussex	640	80
London	3000	000

WALES.

	Foot.	Horse.
FLint	60	25
Anglesey	100	22
Brecknock	100	17
Cardigan	50	17
Carmarthen	100	17
Caernarven	500	12
Denbigh	250	25
Glamorgan	† 7.1 1000	100
Monmouth	500	56
Pembrook	150	50
Montgomery	100	100
Radnor	50	50
Hereford	150	40
Shropshire	300	35
Worcester	300	35
Merioneth	150	23
Bristol	50	000
	The sum of Foot	23670
	The sum of Horse	2366

A more Exact List hereafter follow∣eth.

Cumberland	125 Pikes.	125 Musq.	50 Drag.
Northumberland	250 Pikes.	250 Musq.	100 Dra.
Westmerland	125 Pikes.	125 Musq.	50 Drag.
Newcastle	250 Pikes.	250 Musq.	350 Dra.
York	6720 Mus.	5521 Pik.	60 Horse.
Duresme	532 Musq.	500 Pikes.
Lancashire	420 Musq.	180 Pikes.	50 Drag.
Northumberland	282 Musq.	125 Pikes.
Cheshire	356 Musq.	244 Pikes.	50 Car.

Stafford	248 Musq.	152 Pikes	30 Horse.
Derby	239 Musq.	161 Pikes	74 Horse.
Lincoln	1080 Musq.	720 Pikes	230 Car.
Leicester	290 Musq.	110 Pikes	38 Horse.
Rutland	60 Musq.	40 Pikes	30 Horse.

Westmerland, Cumberland, Northumberland, and the Town of Newcastle, are not to March into the Field but upon special Direction.

• The Total of all the Foot in the ten Coun∣ties—19483
• The Total of all the Horse—1233

The more Southern Countries were to provide Horses and Car∣riages for the Artillery, Ammuni∣tion, &c.

	Horses.	Carters.
Bedford	50	17
Berks	30	10
Buckingham	50	17
Cambridge	50	17
Derby	60	20
Dorset	20	7
Essex	60	20
Gloucester	50	17
Hertford	50	17
Hereford	30	10
Huntington	50	17
Kent	20	07
Leicester	70	23
Lancaster	50	17
Lincoln	60	20
Middlesex	30	10
Norfolk	60	20
Northampton	70	23
Nottingham	50	17
Oxon	40	13
Rutland	20	07
Salop	40	13
Somerset	20	07
Southampton	50	17
Stafford	50	17
Suffolk	60	20
Warwick	60	20
Worcester	50	17
Wilts	50	17
Total of Horses	1350

The Names of Ships and their Commanders for the Summers Expedition, 1639.

	The Captains.
The Rainbow	Sir John Pennington.
The Vantgard	Capt.	Povey.
The Victory	Capt.	Minns.
The Ʋnicorn	Capt.	Murrey.
The James	Capt.	Figg.
The Leopard	Capt.	Cartwright.
The Antelope	Capt.	Strodling.
The Bonaventure	Capt.	Feilding.
The Dreadnought	Capt.	Kirk.
The Mary-Rose	Capt.	Hall.
The Expedition	Capt.	Shurgsby.
The Providence	Capt.	Flemmin.
The second Whelp	Capt.	Barlow.
The eighth Whelp	Capt.	Fox.
The Roebuck	Capt.	Wolward.
The City Ship	Capt.	Popham.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 there was not, after the King's Commissi∣oners lea∣ving o•• the Assembly, any one Commissi∣oner from any Uni∣versity of that King∣dom, which did not desert it.
• * 1.2

  False.
• † 1.3

  Note false than the other, ••f it were possible.
• ‖ 1.4

  False, and suffi∣ciently be∣fore dis∣proved.
• † 1.5

  It is a wonder that men can be found who dare ••ver such an untruth, when the Proclamation at Glasgow is subscribed by the hands of the Councellors: let the Reader turn back to it and be Judge.
• * 1.6

  Anent our Protestati∣on.
• * 1.7

  Anent our watching the Castle of Eden∣burgh.
• * 1.8

  They confess it within 8 lines after this.
• * 1.9

  True: but the King, and his Majesties Councel, and his Judges, and the rest of his loyal Subjects, are the Publick; Mutineers and Rebels are but a private and schis∣matical part, though never so ma∣ny.
• † 1.10

  But not without or against the Kings Command; his Gene∣ral (much less any Lieutenant of his) cannot do that.
• † 1.11

  All this which fol¦loweth, concern∣ing the guarding of his Ma¦jesties Ca¦stles and Forts, and keeping him out of them, con¦taineth no less than Treason, and is not to be an∣swered with a Pen.
• * 1.12

  * Which the Cove∣nanters are no••.
• * 1.13

  Whether should the King or his Subjects keep the keys of his own King∣dom?
• ‖ 1.14

  But the Covenant∣ers are the worst part.
• † 1.15

  We do not take them to be such fools as to expect thanks from his Majesty for their proceedings; if they do, they are like enough to go without them.
• * 1.16

  The worst and most dis∣loyal part of all his Majesties Subjects.
• † 1.17

  In what History be these words? Is it not Regi as well as Conventui ordinum? Or can there be a Convention of the three Estates called without the King or his Authority?
• * 1.18

  Anent the meeting and al∣ledged Councel Tables.
• * 1.19

  Many letters have been sent down from Com∣missioners of Shires then resi∣dent at Edenburgh to them li∣ving in the Country, requiring them to do such things as they would an∣swer the contrary to the Table.
• † 1.20

  But was ever that previous meeting or conventi∣on of the Estates without the calling and au∣thority of the King?
• ‖ 1.21

  Most false.
• * 1.22

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.23

  Who have made the Cove∣nanters Judges of the law∣fulness ei∣ther of the Judi∣catory or the Cause; especially▪ what ••n intolerable presumption is it in them to judge the Kings Judica∣tories in 〈◊〉〈◊〉?
• † 1.24

  But they know that many Members of that Assembly were de∣nounced the Kings Rebels, and put to the Horne, long be∣fore his Majesties Assembly was thought on.
• * 1.25

  Anent the alledged instruments sent from the Tables.
• a 1.26

  Not from their publick Meetings (for they durst not, for fear it should be known) but from a Cabinet Meeting, consisting of them who led the rest by the nose, and whose names we know, and shall be known to all in due time.
• b 1.27

  If it be forged, it is for∣ged by none but Covenanters, who from many several Shires in the Kingdom did send Copies of the same, written in the same words to the L. Commissioner and others, and yet those Covenan∣ters did not know one of anothers sending.
• c 1.28

  There was no man in the Assembly who of∣fered any such Oath as is here a••••edged. We doubt not but there were many members of the Assembly who might have taken that Oath safely, because they were indeed never a••q••ainted with these Papers; but the Commissioner (if he had been p••t to it by the Assembly) could have named many especially some of the Nobility, Gentry, and Ministers, who could not have taken that Oath without Perjury; and since it is now denied, they shall be named in due time and place.
• d 1.29

  First, This (nor the eighth) was not published in their publick in∣structions (for it would have offended many Covenanters who were both Chapter-men and Chapel men) and therefore they acknowledging it to be one of their instructions, must needs confess it to be amongst their p••ivate ones. But a wonder it is that men should nor beashamed to avow in Print this their false and partial dealing; for this instruction concern∣i••g Chapter-men and Chapel-men was only given to bar some moderate Covenanting Ministers from being chosen Commissioners; for, notwith∣standing this instruction, Mr. Ramsey, who both was one of the Chapter of Edenburgh, and Sub-Dean of our Chapel, and Rollock, who was Prebend of the same Chapter, and one of the King's Chaplains, who duly Preached his turns in the King's Chapel, and some others, fierce and fiery revolted Chapter-men and Chapel-men, were chosen Commissioners, though the reason here expressed was as strong against them as against the rest.
• * 1.30

  Anent th••ir go∣ing to Glasgow with al∣ledged numbers and Wea∣pons.
• * 1.31

  Most false.
• * 1.32

  A••ent their refusal of Assessors, and of the Bishops De∣clinator.
• a 1.33

  It is a bold and impu∣dent Speech to affirm that Our Royal Father kept unlawful As∣semblies, especially when some of them are confirmed by Parlia∣ment.
• * 1.34

  Anent his Majesties Declarati∣on wherein it is not sa∣tisfactory.
• † 1.35

  God ne∣ver put it in their hands, but the Devil, who is the Author of all Sediti∣on and Re∣bellion.
• a 1.36

  But ne∣ver with∣out the Authority of Us and Our Suc∣cessors.
• b 1.37

  The Confession of Faith and Band annexed, upon which their Covenant is grounded, were injoined at the first only by the Authority of King James and his Council, and so these Books were commanded by as good Authori∣ty as those.
• a 1.38

  It may not; and the hold∣ing of the contrary is a false and Jesuitical Position.
• b 1.39

  A fearful Proposition In∣deed it is, to hold Episcopal Go∣vernment to be an uncontroverted Government, which hath con∣tinued in the Church ever since the time of Christ and his Apo∣stles, without the least suspicion of controversie until within these few years.
• * 1.40

  But they do not de∣clare all the truth; for of 20 Lords of the Sessi∣on, only four did it, but the rest who were pre∣sent did the con∣trary.
• * 1.41

  An••nt E∣piscopal Govern∣ment, and the other general reasons.
• † 1.42

  The rea∣sons con∣tained in that Act are infal∣libly false.
• * 1.43

  A••••••t his Graces in∣tention to m••••rn.
• * 1.44

  Most false.
• * 1.45

  A••••nt our sitting still after the commissio∣ners dis∣charge.
• † 1.46

  That As∣sembly is but one in∣stance and a very re∣provable one. The Ministers of the pre∣tended Assembly at Aberden•• did the same, and were most severely punished for it.
• * 1.47

  Anent our citation of Councellors.
• * 1.48

  ••••ent the injunctions and Pro∣clamation, and our an∣swer there∣unto.
• a 1.49

  They should do well to try If they can answer it, and the Queries of Aberdent better; for the common opinion is, that nei∣ther of them yet are an∣swered at all.
• b 1.50

  All these Texts of Scripture are pro∣phaned and abu∣sed; for no such thing can either pos∣sibly or probably be infer∣red from them.
• c 1.51

  It is well that they will cite the Pope his Law whom they call Antichrist; for when any thing is objected against them out of the Canon law, it is usual with them to reject that as Popish and Anti-christian.
• † 1.52

  Nay, but the pretended As∣sembly hath erected a Popedom, and for their Authority go upon the same grounds, and use the very same Arguments, and abuse the very same places of Scripture which the Pope and the learnedest Patrons of the Pope do for rob∣bing of Princes their Authority over all Ecclesiastical persons, and causes in their several Dominions: The words which next follow are meer babling
• † 1.53

  By the greatest, but the worst part of the Kingdom.
• † 1.54

  The sentences of this pre∣••ended Assembly were most un∣lawful, light, and mad Sen∣tences.
• a 1.55

  It seems indeed that these reasons are wrapped up in a cloud, for both they are so dark as they cannot be discerned, and they do portend a storm, but have no weight in them at all.
• b 1.56

  These particular Prote∣stations are the very same for∣merly made by them, and so of∣ten repeated even unto tedious∣ness; and therefore the Reader needeth not to be troubled any more with them.
• * 6.1

  Ship-mo∣ney.
• † 7.1

  If not a mistake.