A short view of the life and reign of King Charles (the second monarch of Great Britain) from his birth to his burial.

1637.

The ground thus laid, it was thought fit the first part of the Tragedy should be plaid in Scotland. The Bishops of that Church, though they liked well enough of the English Liturgy, desired a Liturgy of their own, for fear of acknowledging some dependency of that Church on this; which being composed amongst themselves, and approved by some of the English Prelates, to whom his Maje∣sty referred the perusall of it, was re∣commended to the Scots for the use of that Church, and the twenty third day of July, Anno 1637. appointed for the first exercise and reading of it: on this occasion followed the sedition at Eden∣burgh, encouraged under-hand by the Marquesse of Hamilton, the Earls of Rox∣borow and Traquair, and many other of the Kings false servants, both in Court and Councel.

This sedition afterwards brake out into open Action, the principall Stick∣lers

against the Book of Common-Prayer, and the Kings proceedings in the same, engaging the whole Nation in a solemn Covenant for the Extirpa∣tion of Episcopacy, and whatsoever they were pleased to comprehend under the generall Names of Heresie and Supersti∣tion, in which not onely the five Arti∣cles of Perth, but the whole Common-Prayer-Book was intended by them. And that they might be sure to keep their party together, they bound them∣selves in the said Covenant, to stand to one another in pursuance and defence thereof, against all manner of persons whatsoever, the King himself not be∣ing excepted. And though the King, by the perswasion of Hamilton here, and his untrusty servants there, gave or∣der for the suppressing of that Liturgy, the High Commission, the book of Ca∣nons, and even the Articles of Perth, though confirmed in Parliament, yet nothing could content their pride and insolency, but the utter abolishing of Episcopal government: which since they

found the King resolved not to yield un∣to, they were resolved to do it without him; in their Assembly held at Glasco, abolishing the Episcopal Order, and thundring their Anathema's and excom∣munications, not onely against the Bish∣ops themselves, but all such as adhered unto them. And that they might be be∣fore-hand with him, they intercepted his Revenews, surprised all his Forts and Castles, and finally put themselves into open Armes.