Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 2
SECTION II.
The way how the Lord brought down these Prelats & the History continued.
IT was sad & lamentable to see what a face the Church of Scotland had now: No hedge of Discipline to keep the vineyaird from foxes, & wilde boars, all the Discipline which was, was tyrannie over consciences, & over mens persons, & estates, profanitie was not curbed, but encouraged, Prelats themselves being chief in all those crying abhominations, as will be cleared ere long: yea that poor Church was now posteing fast to Rome. The Prelats & their underlings, beside the points of Arminianisme (which were accounted speciall pieces of their qualification) did avow openly severall points of Popery; so that it was taught publickly in the chief Citie. That the Pope was not Antichrist. And thus all things were growing worse; the worship corrupted & like to be corrupted more, & the mindes of people were filled with feares, that God would depairt, & leave that Church altogether; so thattheir case looked most deplorable, & desperat like. But asoftentimes the Church & people of God have found him, who was the hope ofIsrael, & the Saviour thereof in times of trouble, a ready help in time of need, so did the poor Church of Scotland finde it now by experience, that whē the storme was sorest, it was neerest an end, & that this was as the darke houre before the dawning of the day: for now the Lord awaketh as one after wine, & looketh through the cloud with Compassion on a long tossed, & sorely afflicted Church, which had groaned under oppression of cruell task-masters, till they could do no more, & sheweth that his hand was not shortened, that it could not save, but that he was the hearer of prayer, & that now his appointed time was come, to take vengeance on his adversaries, even the vengeance of his Temple: And as ordinariely the Lords great works appear to carnall reason to be despicable at the beginning; so the Lord began this great change & alteration of affaires in that poor Church, in a way that seemed not to promise much, yet such a way it was as the hand of God was to be seen in it, and seen carrying of it on wonderfully as shall appear.
In obedience to his Maj. last letter, which commanded the reading of the liturgie in all haste, the Bishop of Edenburgh, the first sabbath day thereafter resolved to do it, & when he beginneth, there ariseth a tumult among the people, begun by some women, which encreased so as that the prelate, when he came out of the Church, did hardly escape, & in the rest of the Churches of Edenburgh the reading was stopped: Immediatly after dinner the Secret Counsell did meet, & resolve to search out the authors of this tumult, & commanded the use of the service book, & all to speake reverently of the Bishops; but, notwithstanding of this, the people rage more then ever, against the Prelats, & after the afternoons sermon they set upon the Prelate with stones, & forced him to flee.
About this time, in other pairts of the Kingdome the ministers & honest people, who were urged, & could not give obedience, resolved to follow a more regular way, and to supplicat the Councell, & to give in a note of the errours contained in these books, which accordingly they did: so from severall pairts of the Kingdome, there came Ministers & professours with supplications, sheweing how erro…ons both the liturgy & the other books were, & how dangerous a thing it was, to bring in Innovations in a Church, how the Reformed Churches of Austria were undone by the violent obtiusion of a liturgy; how in the time of Charles the Great, the Church was miserably rent, some adhering to the Ambrosian Li…gy others choosing the Romane of Oregorian Liturgy; how dangerous it was to change the Worship, & bring in a worse; & how the King foure years before, at his Coronation, did solemly swear that he would alter nothing in the Kingdome of Scotland, without the free consent & advice of those having Interest. Unto these Supplications the Councill at first gave a favourable answere, & told that it was not their minde; to presse the publick use of these books, & that they had forbidden the Bishops to presse the use of these books any more, & that they had signified their minde to his Maj, & were expecting a returne. The petitioners likewise sent their supplications to his Maj. with the Duke of Lennox, who was then returning to London, & withall did wreastle with God by prayer & fa…ing that he would incline the Kings heart to hearken unto their just desires, & would frustrate the endeavours of their adversaries. But when the expresse cometh from his Maj. all the answere they get, is, an Edict published Octobr 18. commanding them to go out of the towne of Edenburgh within few hours, under the paine of Rebellion. When the Petitioners see this, the next day, they resolve to act all together joyntly, that his Maj. might know it was not a few Puritanes (as the impure Prelats were pleased to nickname them) but a great mulitude of his Maj. most loyall subjects of all ranks, who were dissatisfied: And they draw up a complaint against the prelats, & desire liberty of the Councell to pursue them legally, as being the onelyonly authors of the Book of Canons, & liturgy, which containe the seeds of Superstition & Idolatry, & as being guilty of many other crimes, & that under the highest perrill: And withall they shew the Councell that they could not leave the towne, untill they saw some course taken for delivering the land from the present & imminent dangers. When the Councell saw that the number of the Petitioners was great, & dayly increasing, fearing the worst, they desired the petitoners would choose some of their number as their Commissioners, to prosecute their business, that the multitude might depairt, & this was yeelded unto. But ere long the Councell is discharged by an Expresse from his Maj. to meddle any more in that matter: Whereupon the Supplicants are necessitated to draw up a Protestation, declaring that if any tumult arose, through their prosecution of the Cause, the Councell onelyonly might be blamed, as refusing justice. When the Counsell heareth of this, they resolve to hear the desire of the Commissioners, & advise the Bishops to withdraw themselves. When the Commissioners compeer, they show their Intention was to prosecute their business against the Prelats, whom they would prove guilty of grievous crimes, under the highest perrill, & therefore desired the prelats might be excluded, it not being fit that parties should be judges, The Councell, because of the forementioned Expresse, might do nothing: OnelyOnly they write to his Maj. who thereafter sendeth for the Earle of Traquair; but he, for fear of the Prelats did misrepresent the Cause of the Supplicants, & returned with a Proclamation from his Maj. which he caused publish at Sterlin (where the Councell was sitting) in Febr. 1638, In which Proclamation the King owned the books which the petitioners did supplicat against, and condemned the meetings of the Supplicants, as conspiracies contrary to the lawes of the Land: Against this the petitioners prepared a Protestation, a copy wherof was affixed at the Crosse of Sterlin, & herein protested against these Books, as full of errours, as Innovations; against their refusing to receive libells against the Prelats; against the High Commission Court obtruded on Scotland contrary to the fundamentall lawes of the land, without any Municipall law: That prelate should not be judges in their own cause: And that all their own meetings were lawfull: And that they could not forbear with a good conscience, unlesse they should wrong the Glory of God, the honour of his Maj. & the liberties of kirk & Kingdome. And because they were commanded to depart forth of the town of Sterlin, they go together towards Edenburg, & there after serious thoughts they finde the maine procureing cause of all these calamities, to be the violation of the Nationall Covenant, & therefore unanimously they resolve to renew that Covenant, & accordingly they draw it up, with some explicatory additions, & confirmations out of the acts of Parliament, & binde themselves [to adhere unto, & defend the true Religion, & (forbear…g the practise of all novations already introduced in the matters of the worship of God, or approbation of the corruptions of the publick government of the Kirke, or civill places & power of Kirkmen, till they be tried & allowed in free Assemblies & in Parliaments) to labour by all meanes lawfull to to recover the purity & liberty of the Gospell, as it was established, & professed before the foresaid Innovations] & promise & swear to contino… in the profession and obedience of the foresaid Religon, …resist all contrarie errours and corruptions, ând that they had no intention to attempt any thing, that might turne to the dishonour of God, or to the diminution of the Kings greatness and authority, and to defend themselves mutually in the same cause, &c. When the Covenant is thus drawn up it was subscribed by all present, & copies thereof were sent to such as were absent, & being read in the Churches was heartily embraced & sworne, & subscribed with tears, & great joy. Great was this day of the Lords power, for much willingness & chearfulness was among the people; so as in a short time few in all the land did refuse, except some Papists, some aspiring Courteours, who had no will to displease the King, some who were addicted unto the English rites & Ceremonies, & some few Ministers who had sworne the oath at their entry which was mentioned Anno 1612. Yea such willingness was among the nobles & others, that they had their own copies of the Covenant, subscribed by others of the Nobles, Barons, & ministry laid up in their Charter chists, where possibly many of them are at this day.
When matters are at this passe, the Prelats do animate his Maj. to a war: and the Covenanters desireing his Maj. might be rightly informed wrote unto the Duke of Lennox, marquis of Hamilton, & the Earle of Morton, to know if his Maj. would accept of a supplication, & sent one unto them to be presented by them, but the king would not look upon it, at length he is moved to send the marquis of Hamilton down toward Scotland, to labour by all means to setle peace; But in the mean time, there is a ship sent from London with Amunition; unto the Castle of Edenburgh which because not usuall, was taken notic of; & the Covenanters, fearing the worst resolved to watch the Castle, that none of it should be taken in. When Hamilton cometh down, the Covenanters petition for a free Generall Assembly, & a lawfull Parliament. He replyeth, that he was not able to grant either, unlesse they would render back their subscribed Covenant, but this they could not do, without open perjury: So that he resolveth to returne, but first July 4 he published a Declaration, against which, contrary to their resolution (for they were made to beleeve it was some other thing then indeed it was) they drew up a Protestation, & hearing that the Councell had approved of the said proclamation, they prepare a supplication, but the Councell did not suffer the Act to be recorded, but did tear it in Pieces, & thereafter Hamilton, & the most part of the Councell declared solemnely that the act of the Councell was no approbation of the same, but a warrant to the Clerk to cause publish it.
When the Marquis of Hamilton was going back to London againe, he promiseth to procure a warrant from his Maj. for a Generall assembly before the 22 of Septr, otherways they should have free liberty to appoint one themselves: And when, according to his promise, he returneth againe, he bringeth a proclamation with him, tacitely condemning all the proceedings of the Covenanters, & marring the freedome of an Assembly; and therefore the Covenanters were constrained to make use of a Protestation against it, Sept 22. On the same day also did the Councell publish his Maj. Indictment of an Assembly to be holden at Glasgow Nov. 21. & of a Parliament to be holden at Edenburgh the 15 of May thereafter Anno 1639. As also a new engine is used for disappointing the Covenanters in their explicatory addition viz. The Councell at the Kings command subscribe the Nationall Covenant, & the bond for his Maj. preservation, & appoint Commissioners to see it done through the Kingdome, but withall there is a clause added viz. [We subscribe the Confession of faith, of, & according to the date & tenour, Anno 1580. & 1590. & as it was then professed within, this Kingdome] supposing (but by a grosse mistake) that at that time Prelacy, & Ceremonies were then professed: But the Prelats, fearing this would not abide the triall desired the Councell to signe a writing, obligeing themselves to defend Episcopacy, S…o shew that Episcopacy is not abjured by the Covenant, b… … de…e was not granted.
At the day appointed the Assembly at Glasgow is opened up, notwithstanding of some indirect meanes used by the Prelats to hinder it. The Prelats being summoned, compeer not, but decline the Judicatory. Within some dayes the Marquis of Hamilton being the Kings Commissioner offers to dissolve the Assembly, & chargeth them to depart, & so removeth himself: but though this was very astonishing, yet they did resolve to hold the Court of Christ, & in so doing … obey God …ather then man: & then did take into consideration the grounds of the Declinature, which may be seen atlength in printed papers, & in Mr Spangs Historia Motu…, &c. Upon the 29 of Nov. his Maj. Commissioner published a Proclamation commanding their dissolution, against which there is a Protestation drawn up, answering what was allaidged in the Proclamation.
The assembly do proceed, &, after some search, finde that all these Meetings of ministers which had brought in these Innovations that had troubled the Church so much, were no lawfull Generall Assemblies, by sundry reasons confirmed by the Registers of the Assembly, by the books of presbiteries, by the Kings Maj. own letters, & by the testimony of diverse old Reverend ministers verifying the same i… the face of the Assembly; and so declared that these meetings at Lithgow 1606 & 1608, at Glasgow 1610, at Aberdeen 1616, at St Andrews 1617, & at Perth 1608. were from the beginning unfree, unlawfull, & null Assemblies. The reasons are more fully to be seen in the printed Records of the Assembly. Likewise they condemne the book of Comm…n prayer, because de…ysed & brought in by the pretended P…ts, without direction from the Church; and press…d on Ministers without warrant from the Church; because … contained a Popish frame, & forme of divine service, many Popish errours, & ceremonies, the seeds of manifold & grosse Superstition & Idolatry, & so repugnant to the Doctrine, Discipline, & order of the Church, to the Confession of faith, constitutions of Generall Assemblies, & acts of Parliament establishing the true Religion. So do they condemne the book of Canons, as devised by prelats (without warrant & direction from the Generall Assembly) to establish… …nicall power in their own persons over the worshipe of God, mens consciences, liberties, & goods, & to overthrow the whole Discipline & governement of the Church by Gene…ll & provinciall Assemblies, by pre…biteries, & Sessions, & … contrary to the Confess… of faith, the established go…nement, the Book of Discipline, & the acts & Constitu…ons of the Church. So they condemne the Book of Consc …tion & Ordination, as being in…ced without wa… civill or Ecclesiastick, establi…hing off…es in God… house without warrant of hi… word, as … to the Discipline, & Constitutions, of the Church, & as impeding the entry of fit & …orthy men to the ministry, & the discharge of their duety …er their entry. They condemne the High Comm… as …cted without the conseur of Church or State, as subverting the ordinary Church Iudicatories, as arbitra…y & not regulated …y lawes civil or Ecclesiastick, as giving to Church men the power of both swords, & to persons meerly civill the power of the Keyes, & so as unlawfull in it self, & prejudiciall to the …ties of Christs Church & Kingdome, & the Kings honour in …taining the established lawes & Iudicato…ies of the Church. …o do they shew & declare that the five Articles or ceremonies …cluded at Perth (of which mention was made before) were …jured by the Nat. Covenant, as may be seen at length in their. 17. Act. As also they declare (act 16.) That Episcopacy …s abjured by the Confession of faith or Nationall Covenant Anno 1580. which shall be more fully cleared afterward. So …ving examined & discussed the severall processes given in a…inst the pretended prelats, They depose & Excommunica… Mrs Spot…swood of St Andrews, Lindsay of Glasgow, …dsay o… …enburgh, Sidserfe, of Galloway, Maxwell of Rosse, & … of Brichen, for breach of the Cautions aggreed on in the Assembly 1600. for receiving Consecration to the office of Episcopacy, pressing the Church with Innovations. Particularly Mr Spotiswood for open & ordinary prophanation of the sabbath, drinking over late in taverns, venting atrocious slanders, interlining & changeing the Acts of the Assembly at Aberdeen, facrilege, Simonie, & conniving at Heterodoxies. Mr Linsday of Glasgow for oppressing of the Consciences of the Ministers in his Dioecy, extorting money from some ministers, withholding stipends from others, oppressing his Vassals, and forceing Probationers to swear some idle & vaine oaths, which he had invented. Mr Lindsay of Edenburgh for admitting none to the ministry but such as would first take upon them the order of Deacons, for bowing at the Altar, useing the Rotchet & other Masse-cloths in time of divine service, consecrating Temples, useing the Rite of Elevation at the Celebration of the Lords Supper, conniving at Heterodoxies, & maintaining the Ubiquity of Christs body. Mr Sideserf of Galloway for open & ordinary prophaneing of the Lords day, exercing tyranny in his Dioecy, conversing with Excommunicated papists, & defending all the Arminlan & many popish opinions. Mr Maxwell for kneeling before the Altar, wearing popish garments, playing at Cards & Dice on the Lords day even when the Sacrament had been given, oppressing his vassalls, keeping friday fasts, & defending all Arminian, & many of the most grosse Popish opinions. Mr Whitefoord for such flagitious crimes, as were notour to all. So do they depose & Excommunicate. Mr Ballantine of Aberdeen, & VVedderburne of Dumblane for the generall crimes, & particularly Mr Ballantine for Simony, for suspending Ministers, because they keeped a fast on the Lords day dedicating a Chappell, freeing Papists suspected of Incest from Church censures, & turning such an Apostate after he had appeared once so zealous for the truth. Mr VVedderburne for concurring with Mr Maxwell in drawing up the book of Canons, swearing, profancing the Lords day, & commending Arminianisme, & many points of Popery. So do they depose Mr Lindsay of Dunkell & Mr Abernethy of Cathnes, Mr Guthry of Murray, Mr Grahame of Orknay, Mr Fairly of Argile, & Mr Campbell of the Isles, as for the generall crimes common to all, so in particular Mr Lindsay for Simony, Mr Abernethy for Simonie, Mr Guthry for being the first who did put on the Surplice in Edenburgh Anno 1633. & professing he would be yet more vile to please the King. Mr Grahame for profancing the Lords day, sacrilege, conniving at adultery. Mr Fairly for oppressing Intrants with new oaths, profancing the Lords day, & defending the Arminian opinions.
Thus are those enemies to Church & State, after they had oppressed, & tyrannized over that poor Church for a long time, wonderfully brought under her feet. So let all thine Enemies perish o Lord.
And now being filled with rage they all (except some few who had acknowledged their wronge) run to Court, & stir up his Maj. to make warr against Scotland, & accordingly warr is concluded both by Sea & Land, free tradeing is taken away, the Scottish nobility at court are made to abjure the Nationall Covenant, & the Assembly at Glasgow. The English Nobility with all their forces are commanded to meet the king at Yorke April 10. 1639.
When the Covenanters see this preparation, they emit … Declaration shewing [that Religion was their onelyonly worke, Conscience their onelyonly Motive, & Reformation their Scope, that they intended no harme to his Maj. nor did they intend to invade England (whatever their malicious enemies did say to the contrary) & that all this was brought about by the means of some proud, perverse, & Popishly affected Prelats.] But this Declaration was suppressed in England, so that they might not know the true State of affairs; and there is a contrary Declaration emitted, stileing the Covenanters seditious rebells, & the like, which was read in all the Churches of England. Withall, the Covenanters learne that the Earle of Huntly is made governour of the north, that they are all declared Rebells in England; that Berwick & Carlile frontier cities were strongly garrisoned, that the Earle of Arundale is made Generall, that the King was to Rendevouz, at York, That Huntly had already four or five thousand in armes, That Aberdeen was fortifying it self to take in the Kings navy, That the Papists in the South were ready to rise with the Marquis of Douglas, & Lord Harris, & that the Deputy of Irland intended to Hand some men in the west: And therefore after fasting & prayer, they resolved (being in a sort the whole body of the Land, the Nobility, Gentry, Burgesses, Commons, & Magistrats of all sorts in City & country) to put themselves in a posture of defence, & to strengthen themselves against Invasion, the best way they could, & to suppresse the enemies within their own bosome: Wherein; the Lord blessed them so▪ as their enemies both in the North & South were compesced, & with all they did emit a Declaration vindicating themselves & their actions from all the aspersions of their enemies, & answering, his Maj. Declaration read in the Churches of England, that they might undeceive those of England.
May 1639. The Kings Navy cometh to Scotland with some thousands of men & much provision. The Covenanters send a supplication to his Maj. but in vaine, for nothing is intended but fire & sword. The King approacheth their borders with an army, & the two armies are near to joyne in battell. But God was pleased to prevent the shedding of bloud, by moving the King to a Pacification, wherein the King promiseth & declareth that all causes Ecclesiasticall should be determined by Church Assemblies, and that there should be a Generall Assembly every year once, and that civill matters should be determined by Parliaments, That there should be an Assembly held at Edenburgh the 12. of August next, and a Parliament thereafter to ratify the Acts of the Assembly Whereupon the Scotish forces are disbanded, the Castles are surrendred, & now the whole land looketh for nothing but peace.
The Assembly is opened up August, 1639. & the Earle of Traquair is present as his Maj. Commissioner, all these things which were before concluded in the assembly of Glasgow, are established, his Maj. Commissioner assenting. The Covenant was approved in all its heads & clauses, & was subscribed both by Traquair his Maj. Commissioner, & by the Privy Councell, & according to a petition of the assembly unto the Secret Councell, there is an act of Councell ordaining all in all time comeing to subscribe the Covenant, according to the Generall assemblies declaration, dated August▪ 30 1639.
Now, according to the Pacification, it was expected that these acts should have had the civill Sanction of the parliament which was to sit down the next day after the assembly was dissolved viz: August: 31. But before any thing was done by the Parliament to this effect, it is commanded to dissolve Decemb. 18. under the paine of treason, & so the Parliament is prorogued unto the 2 of Jun. 1640. The Parliament, for peace, resolve to obey, but because they had never been adjourned nor dissolved formerly without their own consent, & lest this might be a preparative for times to come, they resolved to emitt a Declaration for their exoneration, & caused insert it in the Registers ad futuram rei memoriam. And withall they send some of their number unto his Maj. with grievances, & appoint others to attend his Maj. answer at Edenburgh, & then they dissolve having first published an Infirmation to the Estates of England, concerning the present state of affairs. But these Commissioners, after they had endevoured to give his Maj. satisfaction in all points, according to their Instructions at severall times, from the 20 of Febr. unto the 23 of March. 1640. were detained, & afterward the Lord Loudoun is put into the Toure of London & other three are put under a restrant, contrary to the Law of Nations. A new warr is intended, The Castle of Edenburgh is fortified with a hundreth strangers moe & much Ammunition. The Commissioners of the Parliament seeing this, & hearing of an army leavyed in England under the conduct of the Earle of Northumberland, & how the Deputy of Irland with the Nobles there in Parliament had offered a great summe of money, & what stir the prelats of England were making at Court, & what offers they were making to carry on this new warr, which they so far owned as to call it Ballum Episcopale; they resolve to put the land into a new posture of defence, and emit a Declaration for satisfaction of their friends in England, which was so satisfactory, as that many of the lower House of Parliament then sitting, declared that they saw no cause of a warr against Scotland, & therefore would grant no subsidy. But this parliament is dissolved, Scottish ships are intercepted, their goods taken away, & the Seamen imprisoned, & miserably handled, all Sea-ports closed up with Frigots, the Kings army advanceth both by sea & land, the Castle of Edenburgh oppresseth the town, & killeth many with shote. Now at the time appointed, Jun. 11. the parliament conveeneth, & leavieth an army for a new Expedition in defence of the land, & cleareth the equity of the same in a Declaration shewing. 1 how they were necessitated thereunto, being not able to live without traffique, & justice, & to mantaine an army on the borders. 2. That the warr was onelyonly Defensive, the King being stirred up by their adversaries to breake the Articles of Pacification, to imprison their Commissioners, to call Parliaments in England & Irland for subsidies for the warr, to take their ships, & imprison their sea-men, & to give Commission to the Governour of the Castle of Edenburgh to kill all he could: when they resolved onelyonly to defend themselves, to seek a firme & sure peace, & then to lay down armes after security had for their Religion & liberties. 3. That they were called by the same divine Providence, by which they had been directed hitherto. 4. That they looked upon none as their enemies but a Canterburian Faction made up of Atheists, Papists, Arminians, & Prelats, the seducers of the King. 5. That their end was not to wrong his Maj. nor to enrich themselves; but Gods glory, the firm peace of both nations, the true honour of the King, & that the enemies of both Kingdomes might be punished. So do they emit another paper for the satisfaction of the good people of England clearing their true Intentions: And so do advance with their Army in to England, & take New Castle, & before they would advance toward York, where the maine body of the Kings Army did lye, they supplicat his maj. at length to consider their greevances; & particularly to ratifie the last Parliament, that the Scott in England and Irland might be set at liberty, and not forced to take unlawfull oaths that the Incendiaries might be punished according to justice, the Scottish ships restored, and every thing removed which hindereth free commerce, and tradeing between the two Nations. Many of the English Nobility & the City of London petition for a Parliament, & they and others advise his Maj. to desist from the warr. At length the King is moved to thoughts of peace, & chooseth eight English Earles & eight Lords to meet with such as Scotland should make choise of, to conclude all matters of difference. This Conference did begin at Rippon, & was concluded at Westminster, the substance of which shall be mentioned presently, when it shall be shown how these Acts were all ratified & approved by the King himself, & his Parliament of Scotland Anno 1641.
When the Parliament in Jun. Anno 1640, had conveened at the time appointed at the last Session, all the Acts of the former Assembly 1639. are ratifyed by their 4. Act. They also ratify the Covenant, & the Act of Councell beformentioned thereanent, & do insert the said Covenant with the assemblies explication in their Registers. And rescinde all Acts & Statutes made in favours of the prelats, as Act. 23. Anno 1597. anent their voice in Parliament, Act 2. Anno 1606. anent their restitution, the act 8. Anno 1607. anent the Chapter of St Andrews, act 6. 1609. anent their Commissariates, the 1 Act 1612. ratifying the acts of the pretended assembly at Glasgow 1610. the 1. & 2. Acts Anno 1617. anent the Election of Bishops, & restitution of Chapters, the 1. act 1621. ratifying the Articles of the pretended assembly at Perth 1618. & all others whatsoever made in their favours, & prejudiciall to the spirituall nature, jurisdiction, & Discipline & privileges of the Kirk, or of the Generall, provinciall, presbyteriall assemblies, or kirk Sessions, & after the enacting of many other profitable lawes, they adjourne the Parliament unto the 19. of Novemb. next, & then unto the 14. of January 1641. & then unto the 13. of April following, & then unto the 25. of May, & then unto the 15. of July, at which time the King himself was present: And in this Session of Parliament the Articles of the Treaty are ratifyed, enacted, & ordained to have in all time comeing the fullforce & strength of a true & persect security, & Act of Parliament, & the King for himself & his successours promised in verbo principis never to come in the contrary of that Statute & Sanction or any thing there in contained. By this Treaty these Articles were concluded, 1. That for as much as the Kings Maj. did call & conveen a Parliament to beholden at Edenburgh the 2. of Inn. 1640. wherin certaine acts were made & aggreed upon, which acts hi… Maj. (for the peace & good of his kingdome) is pleased to publish in his own name, with consent of the Estates, & therefore commands that the said acts bearing date the 11. of Iuny 1640, be published with the acts to be made in the next Session of the same Parliament, & that all the said acts have in all time coming the strength of lawes. 2. That the Castle of Edenburgh & other strengths of the kingdome should according to their first foundation, with the advice of the Estates of parliament, be furnished & used for the kingdome. 3. That all Scottish men within England & Irland shall be free from censure for subscribing the Covenant, & shall be no more pressed with oaths & subscriptions unwarranted by their lawes, & contrary to their Nationall oath & Covenant approved by his Maj. 4. That all his Maj. Courts of Justice shall be free & open to all men, & parliaments of the respective kingdoms may try and judge Incendiaries, and that he will employ none in his service without consent of parliament. 5. That their ships and goods and all dammage shall be restored. 6. That the summe of three hundreth thousand pound sterline should be given to them for their losses. 7. That all Declarations, proclamations, acts, books, libells, and pamphlets that have been made & published against the loyalty & dutiefulness of his Maj. subjects of Scotland should be recalled, suppressed, and forbidden in England and Irland, & that their loyalty shall be made known in all the parish Churches of his Maj. Dominions. 8. That the garrisons of Berwick & Carlile be removed. As also there is an act of pacification & oblivion aggreed upon out of which the Scottish prelats are excepted, as also Traquair, Sr Robert Spotiswood, Sr Iohn Hay, & Mr Walter Balcanquell who were cited & pursued as Incendiaries. In which act his Majesty declareth that the ensueing Parliament of Scotland shall have full & free power, as the nature of a free parliament of that kingdom doth import, to ratify & confirme the Treaty.
Thus at length were these officers which Christ had never appointed, cast out of Gods house, (where they had formerly caused so much desolation, & layd the vineyaird of the Lord waste as a wilderness) both by Church & State; The King & all ranks of People consenting thereunto; For which God, who is wonderfull in Counsell & excellent in working ought to be acknowledged, & for ever exalted: Seing he raised up such as were brought low, & brought down these who had set their nests on high, whose wayes had been alwayes grievous, & who said in their hearts, they should never be moved, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it, Now God arose, & lifted up his hand, & did not forget the humble, he did behold mischief & spite to require it, & did breake the arme of the wicked: The memory of which should be still fresh with, & refreshing unto all the people of God, & ground of hope, that he who did then make the names of these Prelats to …ot, & to stinke in the no…rils both of Church & State, can & will againe pursue his controversy against these who now dare be so bold, as to attempt what they have attempted, after that the Lord hath put such notes of disgrace & infamy upon their predecessours.
While the Parliament of England is sitting there are severall complaints given in against the Earle of Strafford Deputy of Irland, & the Archbishop of Canterbury, & both being sound guilty of points of High Treason are condemned to die. Severall Courts of Judicatory are abridged in their power, the High Commission Court is taken away, and the Starchamber Court, & the co…ive power of Prelats, & their Courts. The Prelats are ejected from the House of Peers, Bils are presented to his Maj. for the punishment of the scandalous Clergy, for the abolition of Episcopacy, & the calling of an Assembly. At length there is a civill war begun between the King & the Parliament, occasioned through his Maj. withdrawing from his Houses of Parliament North towards Hull. The warr is continued. In the mean time the Parliament calleth together an Assembly of Divines to consult about matters of Religion, & Church-governement, & so carry on the begun work of Reformation. And Anno 1643. They appoint Iohn Earle of Rutland, Sir William Armin Baronet, & Sir Henry Vane Iunior Knights, Thomas Hatcher, & Henry Darley Esquires, with Mr Stephen Marshall & Mr Philip Nye members of the Assembly of Divines their Commissioners, to repear unto the kingdom & States of Scotland, & to the Generall assembly there, & their Commissioners, to propone & consult with them in all occasions which may furder the so much desired work of Reformation in ecclesiastical matters, & a nearer conjunction betwixt both Churches. Accordingly, these Commissioners came, & presented their propositions, & a Declaration of the Lords and Commons in Parliament unto the Generall assembly Aug. 10. 1643. So is there a letter sent from some brethren of the ministry in the Church of England subscribed by very many hands, showing how low that poor Church was now brought, being ready to be swallowed up by Satan & his Instruments, that the Protestant Religion was in great hazard, & desiring very affectionately their aide & help. August. 15. those Commissioners presente some propositions to the Assembly, which they had a little before, August. 12. presented unto the honorable Convention of Estates, desiring that, because the Popish Prelaticall faction is still pursueing their designe of corrupting & altering the Religion, through the whole Iland, the two Nations might be strictly united for their mutuall defence against the Papists, & Prelaticall Faction, & their adherents in both Kingdoms, & not to lay down armes till those their implacable enemies be disarmed, & subjected to the authority & justice of Parliament in both Kingdoms respectively. And that the two Kingdoms might be brought into a near conjunction into one forme of Church governement, one Directory for worship, one Catechisme, &c. & the foundation laid of the utter extirpation of Popery & Prelacy out of both Kingdoms. The most effectuall & ready means whereunto, is now conceived to be. That both Nations enter into a strict Union & League according to the desire of both Houses of Parliament, & that for prosecuting the Ends of that Union against the Papists, Prelaticall faction, & Malignants now in armes in the kingdom of England, their brethren of Scotland would raise a considerable force of horse & foot for their aide & assistance.
For which Ends there are Committees appointed by the convention of Estates, & the Gen. assembly, to meet with the commissioners of the parliament of England by whom the forme of the League & Covenant is aggreed unto & resolved upon. Which draught Aug. 17. 1643. was approven by the Gen. assembly. [With all their hearts & with the beginnings of the feelings of that joy, which they did finde in so great measure, upon the renovation of the Nationall Covenant of the Kirk & kingdom, as the most powerfull mean, by the blessing of God, for setling & preserving the true Protestant Religion with perfect peace in his Maj. Dominions, and propagating the same to other nations, and for establishing his Maj. throne to all ages & generations, & recommended unto the Right Honorable convention of Estates, that being examined & approved by them, it may be sent with all diligence to the Kingdome of England, that being received & approved there, the same may be with publick humiliation & all Religious & answerable solemnity sworne & subscribed by all true professors of the Reformed Religion, & all his Maj. good subjects in both Kingdoms. Thereafter on the same day it was approvedby the Convention of estates, & then sent unto the kingdome of England where after mature deliberation it was approved by the learned assembly of Divines & by Both Howses of Parliament, & by them in their solemne assemblies after sermon, solemnely sworne & subscribed, & by Ordinance of Parliament sworne & suhscribed in all the parishes of the Kingdome, & a copy thereof appointed to be affixed in every parish Church, & also a faire Copy thereof with all the names of the members of Parliament, who subscribed the same, is ordained to be affixed at the end of the great Hall of Westminster. When thus it was sworne & subscribed in England The Commissioners of the Gen. Assembly, Octob. 11. 1643. ordained the same to be, with publick Humiliation, & all Religious solemnities received, sworne & subscribed by all ministers & professours within the Kirk, & for this effect it is ordained [That the League & Covenant be forthwith printed, & that the printed copies bound with some clean sheets of paper be sent unto the ministry, & that every minister upon the first Lords day after the same shall come to his hands, read & explaine it, & by Exhortation prepare the people to the swearing & subscribing thereof solemnely the Lords day next immediately following] & ordaine [that presbiteries proceed with the censures, of the church against all such as shall refuse or shift to swear & subscribe the same; And the Commissioners thinke it very convenient for good example, & the better encouragement of others that it be solemnely sworne & subscribed by themselves now present before the Congregation in the East kirk upon friday next the 13 of this instant, after sermon & exhortation to be made by Mr Robert Douglas Moderator, & that the Commissioners of the Convention of estates now in towne, & the Commissioners from the Parliament of England, & Divines of that kingdome here present, be earnestly desired to joyne with them in this solemne & Religion action.] Upon the 12 of Octob. the Commissioners of the convention of Estates did also ordaine the same to be sworne & subscribed, under the paine of being punished as enemies to Religion, his Maj. honour, & peace of the kingdoms, & to have, their goods & …ents confiscate, &c. & also ordaine all Sheriffs, Stuarts & others his Maj. magistrates in Brugh & land, & Committies in the severall shires to be assisting to ministers and presbiteries in procuriing reall obedience hereunto. Which deed of the Commission of the Church was ratified, & approved by the Gen. assembly, Jun. 28. 1645. So is the deed of the convention of estates, & their commissioners approved & ratified by act of Parl. July 15. 1644. where the League & Covenant is insert in the Registers.
Thus the kingdoms, of [Scotland & England after other meanes, of Supplication, remonstrance, Protestation, and sufferings, to the end they might preserve themselves and their Religion from utter ruine and destruction, according to the commendable practises of these Kingdomes in former times, and the example of Gods people in other Nations, after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemne League and Covenant, wherein all did subscribe, and with hands lifted up to the most High God did swear, as they should answer at that great day to God the searcher of all hearts. That sincerly, really, and constantly they should endevour in their severall places and callings. 1. To preserve the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, worship, Discipline, and Governement, and to Reforme England and Ireland, according to the word of God, and the example of the best Reformed Churches, and to bring the three kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion, Confession of Faith, forme of Church governement, Directory for worship, and Catechising. 2. To endevour the extirpation of popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresy, Schisme, Prophaness, and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness. 3. To preserve the Rights and privileges of the Parliaments, liberties of the Kingdomes and the Kings Maj. person and authority, in the preservation and defence of the true Religion, and liberties of the Kingdomes, 4. To discover all such as have been or shall be incendiaries, Malignants, or evill Instruments, hindering the Resermation of Religion, dividing the king from his people, and the kingdomes one from another, or making any f…on or parties among the people, contrary to this League and Covenant, that they may be brought to triall and condigne punishment. 5. To endevour that these kingdomes may remaine conjoyned in a firme place & union to all posterity. 6. To assist such as enter into this Covenant, and not to suffer themselves any maner of way to be divided, or to make defection, or to give themselves to a detestable indifferency, and neutrality in this cause, but shall continue …in, against all opposition, and promote the same according to their power against all sets and impedimentes whatsoever.
When these hands did thus enter in Covenant with the great God of heaven & earth, many of soul was converted (which was as the finite of this noble Marriage) when they saw the wonderfull works of the Lords right hand, whereby he openly & …nyably owned that Covenant, & such as entred into …. Then did these Churches flourish, & begin to have a beautifull countenance, & to be admired abroad by strangers, who stood astonished at the report of what they did hear dayly of the Lords owneing & fighting for that Covenant, & seconding the Covenanters in carrying on the Ends of the same. But at length, after the Lord had by many signes & wonders testified his displeasure against, & broken the whole strength & force of the Popish, Prelaticall & Malignant faction, & wrought deliverances in all the three kingdoms, for the people that engadged in Covenant with him; It seemed good in his eyes, who doth all things according to the counsell of his own will, to suffer another enemy to arise, to trouble his Church, & to try his people, viz. the Sectarian party, who grew to such an hieght in the English Army, that they over-ruled the Parliament of England, putting away the House of Peers, they modelled the House of Commons as they thought good, & erected a New Court, which they called an High Court of Iustice, before which they did Impannel the King, & at length did violently take away his life Januar. 30. 1649. against which deed the Commissioners both from the Church & State of Scotland did protest, & were therefore hardly used at London.
When the report of this cometh to the eares of the Parliament of Scotland which was then sitting. They upon the 5. of Febr. 1649. considering that for as much as the kings Maj. who lately reigned was contrary to the dissent & protestation of this kingdome, now removed by a violent death; and that by the Lords blessing there was left a righteous heire & lawfull successour, Charles Prince of Scotland & VVales & now king of Great britane france and Irland, did unanimously and chearfully in recognisance, and acknowledgement of his just right, title, and succession to the Crown, proclaime and declare to all the world that he was king of great britan, &c. their Soveraigne Lord and king at the mercat Crosse of Edenburgh with all usuall Solemnities in like cases ordaining the same to be done in like manner in all the brughs Royall. Immediatly there are Commissioners sent over to his Maj. while at the Hague in Holland, & when these returned without satisfaction, there are againe the next year 1650, Commissioners sent to him; while at Breda. At length he promised to publish & testify by solemne oath his approbation of the Nationall Covenant of Scotland, & of the solemne league & Covenant. And accordingly before he came a shoar in Scotland, being in Shipboard at the mouth of Spey. on the Lords day the 23. of Jun, 1650, in presence of the Commissioners of the kingdome & Church of Scotland, & severall others both Scots & English, after Sermon, the Nationall Covenant, & the solemne league & Covenant being read by the minister that preached, He standing & lifting up his right hand swore the same, in the words following, which had been determined by the Parliament, & by the Commissioners of the Generall assembly of the Church of Scotland, in their Instructions to their Commissioners, & subjoyned to Both the Covenants.
I Charles king of Great Britaine, France & Irland do assure & declare by my solemne oath in the presence of the Almighty God; the searcher of hearts, my allowance & approbation of the Nationall Covenant, & of the solemne league & Covenant above writen, & faithfully oblidge my self to prosecute the Ends thereof in my station & calling, & that I for my self & successours shall consent & aggree to all acts of Parliament enjoyning the Nationall Covenant & solemne league & Covenant, & fully establishing presbiteriall governement, the Directory of Worship, confession of faith, & Catechismes in the kingdome of Scotland, as they are approven by the Generall assembly of this kirke, & Parliamet of this Kingdome. And that I shall give my royall assent to the acts of Parliament enjoyning the same in the rest of my Dominons. And that I shall observe these in my own practise & family, & shall never make opposition to any of these, on endevour any change thereof.
And immediatly subscribed the same. And thereafter August 16. 1650. he emitteth a Declaration from Dumfermeling wherein he expresseth much of his affection to the Covenan… & Covenanters, & dèclareth that he hath not sworne & subscribed these Covenants & entred into the oath of God with his people, upon any sinister intention, & crooked designe for attaining his own ends, but so far as humane weakness will permit, in the truth & sincerity of his heart, & that he is firmely resolved in the Lords strength to adhere there to, & to prosecute the ends thereof, &c. In order to which he doth in the first place professe & declare that he will have no friends, but the friends of the Covenant: And therefore as he doeth now detest & abhorre all popery, Superstition & Idolatry, together with prelacy, & all errours, heresy & schisme, & profaneness, & resolveth not to tolerate, much lesse allow any of these in any part of his Maj. Dominions, but to oppose himself thereto, & to endeavour the extirpation thereof to the outmost of his power: So doth he as a Christian exhort, & as a King require, all such of his subjects who have stood in opposition to the Solemne League & Covenant, & worke of Reformation, upon a pretence of kingly Interest, or any other pretext whatsoever, to lay down their enmity against the cause & people of God, & to cease to prefer the Interest of man to the Interest of God, which hath been one of these things which hath occasioned many troubles, & calamities in these kingdoms, & being insisted in, will be so far from establishing of the Kings Throne, that it will prove an Idole of jealousy, to provoke unto wrath him who is King of Kings, & Lord of Lords—The king shall alwayes esteem them best servants, & most loyall subjects who serve him & seek his greatness in a right line of subordination unto God, giving unto God the things that are Gods, & unto Caesar the things that are Caesars: & resolveth not to love or countenance any, who have so litle conscience & piety, as to follow his Interests with a prejudice to the Gospell, & kingdom of Jesus Christ; which he looks not upon as a duety, but as flattery, & as driving self designes under a pretence of mantaining royall authority & greatness—he resolveth to live & die with his loyall subjects in prosecution of the ends of the Covenant—He doth esteeme the service of those who first engadged in the Covenant, & have since that time faithfully followed the ends thereof, to be duety to God, & loyalty to him.
So Jan. 1. 1651. on the day of his coronation, the Nationall covenant & the Solemne league & covenant being read unto him he swore them in this following oath, which he took in behalf of himself & his successours, kneeling & holding up his right hand (which oath with both covenants he afterward did subscribe) I Charles, King of Great Britane, France, & Irland, do assure & declare by my solemne oath in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of hearts, my allowance & approbation of the Nationall Covenant, & of the Solemne League & Covenant above writ…h; And faithfully obleidge my self to prosecute the ends thereof in my station & calling; And that I for my self & Successours shall consent & aggree to all Acts of Parliament enjoyning the Nationall Covenant, & the Solemne League & Covenant, & fully establishing Presbyteriall Governement, the Directory of worship, Consession of Faith, & Catechismes, in the kingdome of Scotland, as they are approven by the Generall Assemblies of this kirk, & Parliament of this kingdom: And that I shall give my royall assent to Acts and Ordinances of Parliament passed or to be passed enjoyning the same in my other Dominions. And that I shall observe these in mine own practise and family, and shall never make opposition to any of those, or endevour any change thereof.
Thus had the Church of Scotland all the security imaginable from a Prince, that Prelats should never have footing againe within that kingdome, & that the begun worke of Reformation should be still carried on through the other Dominions.
But when Scotland out of conscience to their covenant had sent for the king, the Sectarian party in Iuly 1650 approach their borders with an Army, thereafter overcome them in battell, shedeth much of their bloud, leadeth many both commanders & souldeours away captives, & keepeth them in bondage full ten years. Under which oppression they lay groaning, wishing for a day of delivery.
At length after ten years exile the Lord returned their prince without stroake of sword, and setled him upon his throne, which occasioned great acclamations of joy through the whole land, seing that now the yoke of the oppressour was brocken, and the Lord had restored to them in a wonderfull & unexpected maner their law full judges and governours. Now were people filled with hops of good and desirable dayes both for Church and State. But alace how suddainly are all their hopes turned into fears, and their joy into mourning, how are their faces filled with confusion, because of the sad disappointment which now they did meet with? Their yoke beginneth now to be wreathed more straitly about their necks then ever, their bondage and oppression in conscience groweth, they see with their eyes the glorious worke of Reformation which had been wonderfully carried on by the mighty power of the most High, & cemented with the bloud of his Saints (who spared not their lives in the defence & maintenance of that cause both against malignants & Sectaries) razed to the very foundation, & the carved worke thereof brocken down with axes & hammers at once, and all things growing dayly worse & worse. Some particulars where of (though the calling to minde, & making mention of such sad & doolfull things will occasion fresh sorrow & grief to the people of God) as the purpose in hand will suffer, shall be mentioned in the following Sections.