Declaration Concerning the Late Tumults in Scotland, Floating text 27 – Letter 11
The eighth Parliament current holden at Edinburgh the 22. of May, in the yeere of God 1584. by the right Excellent, right High and Mightie Prince James the Sixt, by the grace of God, King of Scots, and three Estates of this Realme.
An Act confirming the Kings Majesties royall power over all Estates and subjects within this Realme.
FOrasmuch as some persons being lately called before the Kings Majestie and his secret Councell, to answer upon certaine points to have beene inquired of them, concerning some treasonable, seditious, and contumelious speeches uttered by them in Pulpits, Schooles and otherwaies, to the disdaine and reproach of his Highnesse, his Progenitors, and present Councell; contemptuously declined the judgement of his Highnesse and his said Councell in that behalfe, to the evill example of others to doe the like if timely remedy be not provided: Therefore our Soveraign Lord, and his three Estates assembled in this present Parliament, ratifieth and approveth, and perpetually confirmeth, the Royall power and authority over all Estates, aswell spirituall as temporall, within this Realme, in the person of the Kings Majestie our Soveraign Lord, his Heires and Successors: And also, statuteth and ordaineth that his Highnesse, his Heires and Successors, by themselves and their Councells, are and in time to come shall be judges competent to all persons his Highnesse subjects, of what estate, degree, function, or condition soever they be of, Spirituall or Temporall, in all matters wherein they or any of them shall be apprehended, summoned, or charged to answer to such things as shall bee inquired of them by our said Soveraigne Lord and his Councell. And that none of them which shall happen to be apprehended, called or summoned to the effect aforesaid, presume to take in hand to decline the judgement of his Highnesse, his Heires and Successors, or their Councell in the premises, under the paine of treason.
Their sixth Protestation is nothing but a repetition of that which they have said so oft, even unto tediousnesse: In their seventh and last, they bewray an unexempled boldnesse, in avowing their confidence of Our approbation to the integritie of their hearts, and peaceablenesse of their waies and actions all this time past, when in their owne consciences they doe know, that We doe hold and detest their waies and actions, as most unpeaceable and seditious.
And now having taken a short survey of this their Protestation, We doe appeale to any man, who shall compare it with Our Declaration, whether Our gracious Proclamation, against which they protested, did not rather deserve an humble and hearty acknowledgement of Our many graces and favours towards them, with a joyfull and submissive acceptation of them, then first to be traduced to the people before it was made, for a Proclamation tending to the utter ruine and subversion of the Religion and Lawes of that Church and Kingdome; and then afterward to bee encountred in publique with such an impudent, insolent, seditious, and senslesse Protestation: And lastly, after all this, to be railed at in their Pulpits, and Our people made to beleeve, that that part of it which required subscription to their owne confession of faith, but lately sworne and subscribed unto by themselves, was a device of the Devill, and hatched in Hell, as shall appeare by that which followed.
For the next day, being Sunday, all the Pulpits of Edinburgh, nay and many places where there were no Pulpits (for they heard Sermons in many Halls, and other profane and common places) did ring with bitter invectives and declamations against this Our gracious Declaration, especially against that part of it which they conceived would be most satisfactorie to Our people, and prove a speciall Antidote for expelling that poyson which they had made them swallow, concerning Our declining from the Reformed Religion, and inclining to Poperie, viz. the subscription to their own confession of faith now commanded by Us: For, they branded it so with most hideous and horrible names of the very depth and policie of Sathan, that the common people, who were well perswaded of the pietie of their Preachers, could not chuse but imagine that there was some wickednesse in it, which their Preachers could and did dive into though they did not. One Preacher in his Sermon prayed God to scatter them in Israel, and to divide them in Jacob who were the authors of this scattering and divisive counsell. Another Preacher in his Pulpit told his people, that the urging of this subscription, was an Italian and a devillish device, first to make them renounce God, and perjure themselves, and then afterward there was an intention to destroy their bodies; and so that this subscription imported no lesse then the destruction both of their bodies and soules. These and many more such false feares suggested, first from two of the Preachers of Edinburgh, and from them transmitted to their fellows throughout the Kingdome, did worke so strongly with Our good but simple and seduced people, as that they were wrought unto a perswasion, that this subscription to their owne confession of faith, commanded by Us, for removing that false opinion which their Leaders had put into their heads of Our inclination to Poperie, was of a farre deeper reach, and of more dangerous consequence, then if We had been inclined to Poperie indeed; still adding, That if they did subscribe it now by Our authoritie, it could receive no acceptation at Gods hands, God rejecting any service done to him by constraint (it being very familiar with them at these times to terme obedience to authoritie constraint) but when they subscribed it voluntarily, or by the perswasion of their Leaders, then it was acceptable to God; and, if they durst have used such a Popish word, no question they would have added, Meritorious: And thus you see, with what undutifulnesse Our gracious Declaration was entertained.
Yet it was not so received by all: For first, all the Lords of Our Councell (amongst whom were some, who never seemed to be satisfied before) were so fully satisfied, and so much overjoyed with this Our gracious Declaration, that they did condemne and utterly detest this odious Protestation of the Covenanters; whereupon Our Councels Letter of thankes and proffer of service was sent Us, as was before declared.
Next, the greatest part of the Ministers of that Our Kingdome did rest satisfied with it; as shall be made evident if it come to tryall: But this is most certaine, that the Ministers assembled at Edinburgh that morning at the Gray-Friers Church by the name of the fourth Table, or Table of the Ministers ordinarily resident at Edinburgh all this time, for attendance upon the businesse of the Covenant, being sent unto by the other Tables, and desired by them to send some of their number up to the great Committee of all the Tables, to joyne with them in a Protestation which was to be made that afternoone against Our Declaration, which then they expected would be proclaimed; the Ministers returned this answer by their whole voices (not above two or three at the most dissenting) That they would not agree to any Protestation which should be made against Our gracious Declaration, unlesse it should be sent downe unto them, that it might be throughly advised upon; especially considering that they had heard so much of the contents of that Our Declaration, importing the removing of their grievances which occasioned their Covenant, that they could not conceive the necessitie of any Protestation. Which answer being returned to the other Tables, did so trouble them, that they sent a second message to them, intreating them presently to come up to Saint Gyles Church, and to sit there, that so being in a place of a neere distance from their great Committee, they might the more easily consult with them. Thither they came, and stayed a great while, but heard nothing from the Committee, who it seemes were much distracted and puzzled about the penning of their Protestation, and had certaine Ministers with them (especially Rollock) at that consultation, who were not deputed by the Table of Ministers to be present at it; and having stayed in that Church untill neere one of the clocke in the afternoone, dissolved themselves, took their leaves one of another, and resolved not to meet untill the next weeke, many of them going home presently towards their owne countrey Churches, where they were to preach the next day, being Sunday; and at their parting they deputed none to joine with the Committee from the other Tables, either to consult about, or to assist at any Protestation which should be made against this Our gracious Declaration: And all this was averred by divers Ministers then present, before divers of the Lords of Our Councell, and other persons of speciall ranke and qualitie, who likewise would have averred it before the last pretended Generall Assembly, if they durst have done it without running the hazzard of their fortunes, if not their lives: And yet in that afternoone about three of the clocke, Rollock, in the name of the Ministers, did upon a Scaffold joine with the deputies from the three other Tables, in that wicked Protestation, without deputation (as is presumed) from the Table of Ministers, unlesse perhaps he called some few stragling Ministers about the town, of whom it may be he asked the question.
Besides, many thousands of Our subjects Covenanters were fully satisfied with Our Declaration, though they durst not, as many of them have professed, subscribe this confession of faith urged by Us, for feare of being troubled by the major part. And it is knowne, that wheresoever Our Declaration was published, before that the Covenanters from their Tables sent their emissaries to disswade the acknowledgment of it, and copies of their Protestations against it, it was received with all expressions of joy and thankfull acknowledgment; insomuch that when it was proclaimed at the market Crosse at Glasgow, it was assisted with all these expressions, both by the Magistrates and all the inhabitants, by the Principall, the Regents and Professors, by all the Ministers of that Citie, though Covenanters, who out of the great sense of the many obligations and favours, which We had laid upon that whole Kingdome, by this Our gracious Declaration, directed their severall letters of thankes and acknowledgement to Our Commissioner, which are here exhibited.
The Letter of the Provost, Bailiffes, and the Councell of Glasgow.
Most Honourable and our very good Lord,
HAving received a letter directed from your Grace to us with this bearer your Graces Cousin, and having read the same, and heard and weighed his Majesties gracious Proclamation, which was this day proclaimed within this Citie, to the great joy of all the hearers; Wee cannot but praise God, who hath endued his sacred Majestie our dread Soveraigne, with such wisedome, pietie, clemencie, and fatherly care of this Church and Kingdome; and pray God for a long and happie Raigne to his sacred Majestie, and his Highnesse posterity over us and succeeding generations; And shall ever indevour to approve our selves his Majesties most loyall subjects; And wish from our hearts all happinesse to your Grace, and your Graces most noble family, for the wel-wishing to this Citie; and especially for the great paines taken by your Grace in this so weighty an imploiment, hoping & praying to God that the same may obtain the wished for accomplishment, and shall ever remaine,
Glasgow this 24. of Septemb. 1638. Yours Graces most humble and obedient servants,
James Stewart Provost.
John Anderson Bailiffe.
Colme Campbell Bailiffe.
Ninian Anderson Bailiffe.
Gabriel Cuningham.
William Stewart.
Patrick Bell.
Matthew Hammilton.
Colme Campbell.
John Barnes.
Richard Allane.
Walter Stirling.
Gavine Nesbit.
John Anderson.
Robert Horner.
The Letter of the Ministers.
Most honourable and our very good Lord,
HAving received the Letter directed from your Grace, and having heard and considered his Majesties most gracious Proclamation published this day in this Citie, with joyfull acclamations universally of the hearers, as we of the Ministery and University of Glasgow, who were present, with great contentment and joy of heart applauded thereto; and doe praise God who hath inspired our dread Soveraigne with such wisedome, pietie, clemencie, and fatherly care of the Church and Common-wealth of this Kingdome, as is abundantly manifested in the said Proclamation; So we would gladly testifie, by what meanes we can, our thankfulnesse to his Majestie, our Crowne of rejoycing, and the breath of our nostrils; not omitting our bound duty to your Grace, whom God and his Majestie hath appointed so fit and happy an instrument in this great errand, for your singular prudence, rare pietie, and zeale to God, your Prince, and Countrie, and incredible paines in this honourable and weighty employment, which we pray God may still prosper in your hands, untill it be brought to a full and blessed conclusion, being willing for our part to contribute what lyeth in our poore power by our earnest prayers and best endevours.
Glasgow Sept. 24. 1638. Your Graces humble and most observant servants,
M. Ro. Wilkie.
J. Maxwell.
M. Bell younger.
M. Ga. Forsythe.
M. Blair.
John Strang.
John.
Will. Wilkie.
Pa. Maxwell.
NOw, besides these, in many places of the Kingdome whither they sent their Protestation to be read, it was refused by divers, who had subscribed their owne Covenant.
The Assembly being indicted, the Covenanters did now goe about to effect all which they had plotted and designed concerning the election of the Commissioners to it, That all, and none but they, might be chosen whom they had resolved upon, and were of the most rigid ranke, whom they were sure would receive no satisfaction, and keep all others (so farre as in them lay) from accepting of any: Their device was this; They perceived that most of the Ministers throughout the Kingdome would gladly embrace peace, if they might see their consciences satisfied in these feares and doubts, upon which they entred into the late Covenant. The Leaders resolved not to trust any such moderate men, considering that all their scruples were removed by Our last Declaration, and the indiction of a free generall Assembly; and therefore they took order by their secret instructions, that none of them should be chosen, though they were Covenanters: For Ministers non-Covenanters, they took order, that if in any place by pluralitie of voices such a one should bee chosen, then hee should be processed and protested against, (which no man could avoid) and so he should be sure to be set by at the Assembly, and cast from having any voice there. And whereas they might feare, that the rigid Ministers, designed by them for this Assembly, might want a sufficient number of their fellow-Ministers for their elections in their severall Presbyteries, they tooke an order, That not onelyonly for this time, but for all times to come, there should bee no Minister chosen Commissioner from any Presbyterie to any Assembly, but such as the Laitie should make choice of: For they presently gave order from their Tables, That every particular Parish should send to the Presbyterie in their bounds one Lay-man, whom they called a Ruling Elder, who by their appointment should have voice in the Presbytery as wel as the Minister of the Parish; so that when the whole Presbyterie was assembled together, the number of the Lay-men was at the least equall to the number of the Ministers; By which new device, the Laitie gained of the Ministers undoubtedly these foure things: First, That never any Minister should bee chosen Commissioner to the Assembly, but whom they would; for they being equall in number in voices with the Ministers, and sixe of the Ministers being to be put in the List, and to stand in election, out of which sixe three must be chosen, and all these sixe must be removed in the time of the election, and have no voices themselves in it, it is clear, that the number of the Lay voices in these elections must needs exceed the number of the Ministers voices at least by sixe: Or, if in some Presbyteries (as We heare was done in some few) these sixe Ministers before their removing gave voices to whom they pleased, yet (no man being able to give a voice to himselfe) of necessitie the number of the Lay voices must exceed the number of the Ministers by one. Secondly, the Laitie gained this, That in all other Presbyteriall meetings, which are weekly, the Ministers should never have a casting voice, to determine any thing but what they liked; the Lay-men being alwaies at the least equal to them in number. Thirdly, this they gained, That whatsoever should be concluded in a generall Assembly, should ever be concluded likewise in a Parliament, if Our negative voice did not stop it: (and Wee heare that they have not spared to give out, that they will take from Us and Our Successors, that which all Our Predecessours have enjoyed, that is, a negative voice in Parliament, as they have done in Assemblies, for as much as lies in them:) For by their instructions they ordered, That where any Nobleman lived in any Presbyterie, hee should bee chosen lay-Elder there for the Assembly; and all Noblemen are hereditarie members of the Parliament: and where there wanted a Nobleman, they should chuse some speciall Gentleman, who in all probabilitie standeth faire for being chosen one of the Commissioners of the Shire for the Parliament; which made the Covenanters stand so importunately for that point, viz. to have the Assembly held before the Parliament, as making just accompt, that all the lay voices in the Assembly were engaged to give their voices to the same conclusions, when they should sit in Parliament; and so, that the Parliament, for it Acts, should depend upon the generall Assembly, and the generall Assembly (for the Acts passed there) should depend upon them; but neither the one nor the other depend upon Us. Fourthly, the Laitie gained this, That they exempted themselves for ever hereafter from all fears of the power of the Clergie: for they being resolved (so farre as in them lay) to overthrow Episcopall government, and yet fearing by so doing to be brought againe under the tyrannie of Presbyteriall government, of which they had heard their fathers so grievously complaine, they pitched upon this way of equall number of lay-Elders in every Presbyterie, being assured thereby to curb their Ministers, most of whom had their stipends and rents paid by these lay-Patrons; and so now the Laitie made accompt, that if in their elections to this Assembly they could compasse these conclusions and resolutions, they had brought the Church and Churchmen under for ever.
These conclusions, though effected by the Laitie with violence, yet received great resistance by many Ministers in most Presbyteries, and in some by all: For when these Lay Elders came to sit with them, they either refused to admit them, or desired time to deliberate, how they (who being Covenanters, and had complained of Innovations) could admit of such innovations as those which seemed to threaten the ruine of the Libertie of the Church, for these Reasons: First, because, that above these fortie yeares no Lay Elder had sat in their Presbyteries, and therefore it was a great Innovation: Secondly, because at the beginning of the Reformation, when there was a kinde of necessitie to require the assistance of Lay-men for the government of the Church, (Ministers being then so few and scant,) yet it was provided that they should ever be fewer in number then the Ministers, and that therefore this obtruding of themselves in equall number, was not onelyonly an Innovation, but directly against the book of discipline, upon which they did so much ground their proceedings: Thirdly, that it was a thing never …eard nor practised before in that Church, that Lay-men had voices in the chusing of the Ministers Commissioners for the Assemblie, and therefore if they would chuse, they desired them to chuse their own Lay Commissioner, but for the Ministers Commissoners to leave it to themselves, who were better able to discerne of their Ministers abilities since they were weekly conversant with them, then they whom they had never seene in their Presbyterie before.
But all this opposition and arguing was fruitlesse: For the Lay Elders, according to their secret instructions from the Covenanters Tables, which afterward shall be related, would not remove, but put themselves in possession of suffrage, and so these Ministers, and none but they, were chosen in each Presbyterie whom the Tables at Edinburgh had designed: A thing so odious and distastfull to the Ministers, that in some Presbyteries, the Ministers (chosen Commissioners) had but eight Ministers voices, and the voices of two and twentie Lay-men, in others not above two Ministers voices, in some but one; but in all Presbyteries the Ministers Commissioners were elected by the pluralitie of Layvoices. Some of these Ministers, though Covenanters, seeing the libertie of the Church by this meanes utterly lost and betraied, did repaire to the two Covenanting Ministers of Edinburgh, to whom they bemoaned themselves, wondring that they would give way to the utter defacing of the Church by these Laick intrusions; to whom they gave this answer, That they grieved for it as much as themselves, but that the necessitie of the times was such, that they must wink at it, else the Nobilitie, Gentrie, and Burrowes did threaten them with a desertion, upon which a division must follow, which by their Oath and Covenant they were bound by all meanes to prevent. But the aggrieved Ministers were not satisfied with such cold, comfortlesse, and unconscionable answers, but resolved in many Presbyteries to draw up their Protestations against the Lay Elders to the Assemblie; yet they were so threatned by the Laitie, that most of them fell back and durst not adventure upon it, though others both Covenanters & Non-covenanters had the courage to do it, but with what successe shall be declared when We come to speak of the Assemblie it selfe. Yet this We will confidently averre, That when Our Commissioner came last from that Our Kingdome, three parts of foure of all the Covenanting Ministers did detest the elections made by lay Elders, and would have declared the nullitie of all such elections if they durst have done it; and that these Ministers, (unlesse they have changed their minds since) had rather live under Episcopall government, then under the tyrannie of the Laitie and a few Ministers, from whom they have suffered more in a few moneths, then ever they did under all the Bishops in the Kingdome, since Our comming to the Crowne: all which verie many of them have affirmed, both for themselves and others, to Our Commissioner, divers of Our Councell, and others of good credit and qualitie, whom We dare and do trust.
But the elections being now past according as they had plotted them, or in good forwardnesse so to bee where they were not yet past, the Covenanters next care was, how to hinder the subscription of the confession of Faith commanded by Us, they conceiving it their master-piece to stop any thing (though never so well liked by themselves) if it were commanded by Our authoritie; as fearing, that if We had obedience given to Us in any one thing, Our people might recover the taste of government: And hearing that Our Commissioner was to repaire to the Colledge of Justice, there to tender to the Lords of Our Session, who are the supreme Judges of Our Lawes in that Kingdome, the confession of Faith and band annexed, to be sworne by Our authoritie, that very morning they set up Rollock to preach, (though it was not his ordinarie course) where many of Our Judges were present before they went to sit: There hee with many false and foolish impertinences did so labour to perswade them, that the swearing of that confession was unlawfull and plaine perjurie, that hee shewed himselfe a ridiculous and most dishonest man to most that were present, & a weak man to all; and so little he prevailed, that immediately after Sermon, the Judges repairing to their usuall place of sitting, whither Our Commissioner came presently and tendered them the said confession, all of them, except foure who were knowne to be of the false stamp, did sweare to it and subscribe it, the number of the Judges in all being twenty.
And here We desire the Reader to observe, whether these men shall not be accounted a faction, and not a bodie of a Kingdome, when they shall separate themselves from Us; who are their Soveraigne, from the bodie of Our Councell, who have the supreme government of the Kingdome under Us, and from the bodie of Our Judges, who are the Interpreters of Our Lawes, and under Us the supreme Judges of all their estates and fortunes, these two Judicatories, together with Our Judges in criminall causes, being under Us, by the Lawes, constituted the onelyonly Judges of all their actions: For if these Covenanters shall ascribe unto themselves the government, because they are more in number then those who disassent from them, then certainly in all Kingdomes and Republiques, the established government must goe downe; for in them all, they who are ruled and governed are farre more then the Rulers and Governours.
They then seeing that their fierce endeavours were fruitlesse with the Lords of the Session, with all speed dispatched some of their Tables throughout all parts of the Kingdome, to stop the subscription to the confession of faith commanded by Us, with copies of their Protestation to be read in all places, where Our Commissioners should either proclaime Our Declaration, or require subscription to that confession: In many places they prevailed, in many not; Where they prevailed, they used such indirect and violent courses, as they gained an assent from many mens mouths, whose minds were very farre from it. In Glasgow, after that the Lord Lowdan, with divers others, Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Ministers, sent (as they pretended) from the Tables at Edinburgh, had caused to bee read that infamous Libell (of which you shall heare afterwards) against the Archbishop of Glasgow in his owne Cathedrall Church, without the knowledge of the Magistrates of that Citie; the Lord Lowdan desired the Provost of Glasgow to convocate their Towne Councell, that hee might impart some things unto them; which the Provost refused: But that Lord and his Associates, understanding that their ordinarie Church Session sate that afternoone, at which the Magistrates and Ministers were to be present, came suddenly into the place where they did sit, beyond their expectation, where the Lord Lowdan made a speech of great length, concerning the iniquitie and danger of Our Covenant, adjuring them both by perswasions and threatnings, that they would not subscribe the confession of faith required by Us; and therefore his demand was, That he might have the assured promises of the Magistrates and Ministers, that they would not subscribe it, that so he might report their answer to the Tables from whence he was sent: To which the Provost presently answered, That his Lordship knew well that Our Commissioner had required from them a subscription to Our Covenant, that they had humbly intreated of his Grace some short time to returne their answer; and therefore hee wondred that any man should thinke it was fit to answer any who was sent from the Tables, before they had made their answer to Our Commissioner; and so refusing to give any answer to these Emissaries from the Tables, they went away unsatisfied.
The Covenanters, finding that Our commanding of the subscription of the confession of faith; in many places had given satisfaction, and had indeed confuted that lying scandall of Our inclination to Poperie, and that many of the Covenanters had remitted much of their former rigour, being much taken with Our last gracious Proclamation, the Heads and swayers of the foure Tables, (as if all their designes were come to the last cast) cast about once againe, and laboured hard to worke Our people into the beliefe of this one point, That none of these things promised in Our last gracious Proclamation, no not the Assembly it selfe, were ever intended to bee performed by Us; That Wee onelyonly studied to gaine time, untill Wee were ready for their ruine; and therefore they gave out, that Our Commissioners late comming from Hammilton to Edinburgh was onelyonly to prorogue the Assembly. They spent daies and nights in penning a Protestation against it, and writing multitudes of copies to be readie in all places of the Kingdome, before the Proclamations of the prorogation should arrive. They sent for all their partie to flocke to Edinburgh, as if now there were greater danger then ever: All which was carried with notable hypocrisie; for the authors of this report did disperse it, not that they did beleeve it to be true, but because it was conduceable to their ends to have the people beleeve it.
But knowing that they who do act long parts, must needs sometimes be out, and that the time of the Assembly beginning to approach, and Our Commissioners provisions and preparations for his journey to Glasgow, were farre stronger proofes to Our people of Our holding the Assembly, then all which they had surmised to the contrarie, they then betooke themselves to their last shift, which was a miserable and wicked one, and it was this: Since they were perswaded that the Assembly indicted by Us would now hold if they could not divert it, they resolved to take such courses, as they conceived Our Commissioner neither could nor would endure; with which they did conceive they should so irritate him, that he could not chuse but either discharge or prorogue the Assembly. For two things now they feared: First, that they had committed a great errour in petitioning Us for an Assembly, which they conceived was fully in their owne power to indict; and therefore did begin to thinke, that by that act they had weakned their owne power and claime, and supposed, that it had been more agreeable to their designes, if they had indicted one themselves, being the title which they meant to stand to, as appeareth by their owne indiction of a new Assembly, since the dissolution of this. Secondly, they were affraid of nothing more then this, that Our Commissioners propounding and passing into acts of Assembly, all the particulars of Our grace and favour contained in Our last Proclamation, would abundantly satisfie the greatest part of their owne partie, when they should see the grounds of their feares of innovations in Religion removed, which occasioned them to enter into the late Covenant: But now, if Our Commissioner could be forced any way, either to prorogue or discharge this Assembly indicted by Us, that then they would presently indict one themselves, which they were sure We would not countenance with any Commissioner from Us; by which meanes they were both secured from having their partie weakned by Our propounding in Assembly Our gracious offers expressed in Our last Declaration, and were certainly perswaded, that they should easily induce Our people to beleeve, that these things promised in that Declaration were never intended by Us.
To compasse therefore their desires of Our Commissioners either proroguing or discharging the Assembly, they resolved to increase their disorders to such a height, as they hoped hee would never endure them; and to multiply so many affronts upon him, and in him upon Us and Our authoritie, as they imagined should be past all sufferance: As first, by their letters directed from their Tables at Edinburgh, they quarrelled with Our Commissioner, that Our Confession and Covenant was commanded to bee subscribed in many parts of the Kingdome by the authoritie of Us and Our Councell, with an unbeseeming violence: The copie of their Letter to Our Commissioner, being then at Hammilton, here followeth.
Please your Grace,
WEe were glad of the indiction of an Assembly, as the meane to bring our complaints to an end: And as we promised for our part to doe our endevour, that all matters might be carried in a peaceable way, and no man troubled in any sort till that time, so did we certainly expect that no violence or molestation should have beene used against any of those who had subscribed the late Covenant: and yet, far contrarie to our expectation, are brought hither almost every houre grievous complaints from many of the people, in divers parts of the Kingdome, That they are by the threatnings and open violence of some States-men, Councellours, and Barons, constrained to subscribe a Confession of Faith, and Band; some with blind and doubting minds, and others against their consciences, to the great trouble of their soules, and great disturbance of the peace of the Country, contrarie to such peaceble preparations as should have preceded a perfit pacification at a Generall Assemblie. If we had heard but some complaints of this kind, we would have spared both your Graces paines and our owne, but complaints being multiplied more and more, we could not of duty but make some representation thereof to your Grace, that some course may be taken for present suppressing this so irreligious and unjust manner of doing; and for preventing the hard consequences that may ensue from people who are thus pressed to subscribe against their minds, and from others who are joyned in Covenant with them; which, as it is humbly petitioned, so it is confidently expected by
Edinb. 3. Oct. 1638. Your Graces humble servants,
Cassills.
Lothean.
Lindsay.
Lowdoune.
Balmerino.
Johnstoun.
Burgly.
THe complaint contained in this Letter did afterward prove to bee most unjust; and yet it was dispersed through the Kingdome with horrible and most false aggravations, viz. That some of Our Councell with charged Pistolls and drawne Daggers held to the breasts of Our subjects, had forced them to subscribe Our Covenant: To this their Letter Our Commissioner returned an answer, though not to their Table, because hee would not acknowledge it, yet to that Nobleman, whose hand was first at it: The copie of which answer is this.