The Declaration and Apology of the Protestant People, Declaration 1
The Declaration, And APOLOGY of the PROTESTANT PEOPLE That is, Of the Noblemen, Barrons, Gentlemen, Burgeſſes, and Commons of all ſorts, Now in Armes within the Kingdom of Scotland.
PSAL LXVIII. V. 1. 2. Let God ariſe; let his enemies be ſcattered; let them alſo, that hate him, flee before him; as ſmoke is driven away, ſo drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, ſo let the wicked perish at the preſence of God.
Reprinted more exactly then formerly conform to the True Copye.
The Declaration, and Apology of the Proteſtant People; That is of the Noblemen, Barrons, Gentlemen, Burgeſſes, And Commons of all ſorts, now in Armes within the Kingdom of Scotland, with the concurrence of their true and faithful Paſtors, and of ſeveral Gentlemen of the English Nation, joyned with them in the ſame cauſe; For defence and releif of their Lives, Rights, & Liberties, and recovery and reeſtablishment of the true Proteſtant Religion, in behalfe of them ſelves, and all that shall Joyn with, and adhere to them.
They muſt be altogether ſtrangers, or very litle concerned in the Chriſtian world, who (after all that the Nations and Churches about have Seen, of the Lords mighty hand and ſtreatched-out arm in the late wars betuixt King Charles the Firſt. and his People and Parliaments of Scotland, England & Irland. Againſt the then Conſpyreings of Popery and Tyranny, to the ruine of true Religion and Liberty; The wonderful advancement of the Goſpel and Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus within theſe Kingdomes, that therupon enſued: With the general refreshment, joy, and ſecurity of all the Proteſtant Churches abroad, that thence redounded: And the no leſs rooted and firm Loyalty of the ſame people, who notwithſtanding of their long bloody and fatal contendings with the father, Did Yet upon reaſonable fair and juſt treaties, concluded with all the aſſurance, that either Religion honour or gratitude could promiſe, call back and reſtore Charles the 2d. his ſone to his thron and empire) Are not fully convinced and ſatisfied, that conſidering the perpetual contradictings and counteractings of all theſe ſacred and ſolemn engadgments that imediatly and ever ſince have been practiſed; the whole reign of the aforſaid Charles the 2d. (through the ſiniſtrous and ſubtile influences of a wicked and popish party, now manifeſtly diſcovered) was a conſtant & uniform courſe of perjury apoftacy, and violence: Begun with open rebellion againſt God, The reſcinding, not only of particular lawes, but, by an un-paralled moſt un-politick and pernicious device, of whole unexceptionable parliaments, for the ſpace of tuenty ſeven yeares preceeding, notwithſtanding both our Religion and liberties were therein expreſly, legally and well provided for; and the cruel ſhedding of the beſt Proteſtant blood, in the moſt unjuſt execution of the Late Marquis of Argyll, and many other worthies, contrar to all Law and reaſon: Carried on by the ſmiting and caſting out of more faithfull and pious Paſtors, and ſcattering and diſſipating more true flockes and followers of Chriſt, than was done in moſt of the ten primitive perſecutions, and the diludgeing of theſe Lands with all villanous debauchries and abominable licentiousneſs, to the very profligating of conſcience morality and common honeſty from among men: And thence forward accomplished by a moſt un-relenting perſecution, and appreſſion of the generality of Gods people in their conſciences, Perſons & Eſtates, with vexations and rigours almoſt incredible, and that for no other reaſon, but becauſe they could not actively comply with theſe notorious Perfidies. and the manifold profanations and miſcheifs, where with they are attended.
But this hellish myſtery of Antichriſtian iniquity and arbitrary Tyranny, impoſing upon many at home too willing, through their love of eaſe, to be abuſed and deluding the Proteſtant churches abroad (in that woefull and viſible indifferency, that every where reigns) by the vain pretext of the mere notion of our courts empty and ſimulat proteſtant profeſſion, having of a long time under the late King made moſt remarkable advances in the following particulars, and many more that might be enumerated, all too evidently ſeen, and heavily felt, to need any explicite proof or demonſtration;
As 1. not only in the abovementioned open and avowed revolting from God, by breach of Sworn treaties, Covenants, and coronation oaths, and ſlighting and deſpiſcing ſpontaneous promiſes and proclamations, the overturning the very foundations of Parliaments, and ranverſing at one blow our beſt and moſt legal eſtablishments. The ungrate as well as unjuſt putting to death of moſt innocent and faithful men, upon abſurd pretences: convelled by the Laws and cuſtoms of nations, and in the time of Gods greateſt indulgence towards the authors; The deſolating of the Churches, and changing of the ordinances of God, for ſetting up the frivolous and ſuperſtitious inventions of men, the countenancing and encouraging of all vice and profanity, and the violent and griveous perſecuting of all conſcience and conſcientious men.
But nixt and more particularly, in the conniving at Papiſts their meetings and Idolatrous maſſes, while in the mean time all Proteſtant Nonconformiſts are perſecuted with endleſs ſeverities:
The raiſing of ſtanding forces, the very bane of all civil and Lawful Government, and that without any other meaſure, ſave what the indigence of Court Luxury and profuſion did neceſſarly put unto it:
The declaring and appointing all Iudges and Officers, to enjoy their places only during pleaſure, on purpoſe to make them more ſouple and complyant to all their maſters deſignes.
The abuſing of the great truſt of calling and diſſolving Parliaments, the moſt high and neceſſary courts of the Kingdomes, by iniquous Packing, unſeaſonable proroguing, pernicious diſcharging, and inſolent baffling them at pleaſure.
The exalting of the Kings ſupremacy, under the colour of his pretended right and power, about the external Government and Policy of the Church, to an expreſs and abſolut power, of enacting & ſtatuting in all Church meetings and matters, as he in his wiſdom ſhall think fitt; a ready & prepared tool to bring us back not only to Popery but to Paganiſm.
The ſtrange perverſion of the high truſt of the Militia, committed to his Majeſty expreſſy, for the protection of good ſubjects, and the aſſiſtance of all our proteſtant friends abroad, only to the invading and oppreſſing by lawleſs hoſts of the worſt of high landers and low landers, in times of profound peace, the beſt parts of the Kingdom, purpoſly to ruin them, becauſe too Proteſtant, by free quarter and other illegal exactions' and the making warr moſt cauſleſly and obſtinatly againſt the States of the united Neitherlands, our beſt nighbours, and the ſtrongeſt bulwarck of the Proteſtant intereſt:
The forcing of poor people, by the extream rigours of exorbitart finings, impriſonings, beatings ſtigmatizins, ſpoilings, banishments, and other violences, for the ſimple cauſe of Nonconformity, to take armes in their own defence as at Pentland and Bothwel bridge and then demeaning and executing them, what in fields what on ſcaffolds, as the moſt deſperat of traitours, and at the ſame time involving whole countryes upon the moſt ſlender and abſurd pretexts, of inevitable intercommunings and reſet, both in their crimes and punishments:
The ſetting up of the moſt violent and obnoxious of men, to be Miniſters of the Law, and Packing juries, and aſſizes moſt partially, for their worſt ends:
The ſtraining, ſtreaching, and wreaſting of Law, not only in prejudice of every one ſuſpected to be diſſaffected to their evil courſes but the violation of all right, for ſpoiling, and robbing cities and incorporations of their ancient and undoubted priviledges,
The tranſporting of freemen as ſlaves to forreine plantations, for not making faith to anſwer (againſt law) ſuper inquirendis, as alſo for not dilating men upon Oath (according to a moſt impious Law lately made againſt Nonconformiſts) in matters where in the party put to ſwear, judges them to be in their duty, & without exception of his neareſt relations;
The arbitrarie impriſonings and detainings of free ſubjests without either bringing them to trial, or allowing them any hearing.
The torturing of ſeveral perſons, even fyve times more, of conſcientious non conformiſts within theſe tuenty yeares, then of all ſorts of fellons and malefactors in Scotland theſe hundered yeares by paſt, and that without either juſt previous grounds, regarding of Legal methods, or obſerving the meaſures of common humanity.
The eliciting by promiſes of indemnity, and the publick faith interpoſed for that effect voluntary confeſſions of ſome as of Mr. Iames Mitchill &c. and then not only retracting, and diſſowning the promiſe & condition upon Oath, in face of the juſtice court, but further witneſſing the confeſſion to the poor mans condemnation: not with ſtanding the bookes of council containing the aforſaid indemnity were produced and laid open before and at the very time of their ſwearing; Lyke as of Late after moſt cruel and exquiſit tortures practiſed upon Mr. Spens & Mr. Carſtairs, and a full & ample promiſe there after made them with an act upon it, that neither they nor their evidence should ever be made uſe of to their or to any other mens hurt; they never the leſs cauſe produce and do ſuſt…ine Mr. Carſtairs depoſition Againſt Bailzie of Iarviſwood for an adminicle or aid to their lame and defective probation;
The making men offenders yea traitours for words, and theſe true fair and innocent; As the Earl of Argyl, for declaring before the Council after leave given, and with ſubmiſſion and only for exonering his own conſcience that he believed, the Parliament intended no contradiction in the teſt, and therefore was willing to take it in their ſens viz: for ſecuring the Proteſtant Religion, and that he did not thereby mean to bind up him ſelf from endeavouring Lawfully in Church and State, what Religion and Loyaltie might obleidge and allow him to do, for which words nevertheleſs he was tryed and condemned as a traitour, in the loſs of his life, lands, and goods; and ſtands de facto deprived of both Lands and goods, having only ſaved his life in the extremitie by a gracions providential eſcape
The cruel executing to the death of ſeveral hundreds within theſe tuenty yeares, beſids many hundreds more, that have either fallen in the fields, or been made to, perish in their impriſonments, or tranſportations, and that for the alone cauſe or on the occaſion of their conſcientious non conforming. And ſome of them (of which number ſeveral poor women) for their bare opinion about the Kings breach of truſt, never before by them vented, but ſimply declared upon examination, and moſt part of them diſpatched with that barbarous inhumanity as that (after no better example then that of the bloody Duke of Alba) they were by beating of Drumms hindered to ſpeak to the people their laſt and dying words; And ſome of them, contrair to the perpetual cuſtom of Scotland and all the formes uſed in the Chriſtian world. and as if it had been on deſign to deſtroy both their ſouls and bodies, tryed ſentenced and put to death in one Day, yea the time and hour of their Death induſtriouſly concealed from them, that they might be cut of by a more mortal ſurpriſe.
The condemning ſome to death, others to the boring of their tongues, and ſyning many in moſt exorbitant ſummes even to 100000 pound Sterling, for calling the Duke of Yorke a Papiſt, notwithſtanding the notoriety of the matter to all men and his recuſancie ſound and declared by a grand jurie, and expreſſly Suppoſed by an exception in his favours, contained in an Act of parliament, and that now he goes openly to the maſs, and marches in ſolemn proceſſions to the horrour of all good Proteſtant ſubjects:
The looſing and exempting the Kings Sones and brothers, from what themſelves conceaved to be the beſt fence and greateſt ſecuritie for the Proteſtant religion.
The impoſing and preſſing of Oaths without Law manifeſtly contradictorie, and that by terrible menacings, violent beatings, rigorous impriſonings and irreligious ſwearings, no leſs barbarous then what was practiſed by the Spanjards in Chriſtianiſing the wilde Indians;
The eating up of men by free quarters, or otherwiſe falling on them by dounright violence, as dryving with drawen Swords, to conſtrain them to hear, whom in their conſcience they judged unſent and uncalled Curats, to the effaceing of all conſcience and oppen ſcorn of God and that pure and free religion, which he only accepts.
The compelling the heritors of Shires to aſſeſſe them ſelves and the free ſubjects within their bounds, a thing expreſly denyed by Law to the King himſelf, and only reſerved to Parliaments.
The Sorning upon, harraſſing and deſtroying the beſt parts of the Country by four extraordinary circuits upon one and the ſame ſubject of Bothwel bridge, on purpoſe as it were to juſtify his highneſs judgment to his late majeſty. That it would not be well with Scotland untill the South of Forth (the better and more ſubſtantial halfe of that Kingdom) were turned to a hunting field. And to verify the late Chancellor the Earl of Aberdeen his affirmation at the Council board, that there was not a loyal ſubject weſt ward of the Caſtle of Edinburgh.
The induſtrious ſtifling hindering or eluding the detection of all popish plots.
The Shamming of Mock plots upon good Proteſtants:
The ſuborning of witneſſes, hounding out and encouraging of Aſſaſſins to murder and cut the throats of honeſt men.
And generally in the ſtudied and conſtant enſnaring or ruining upon every Shaddow of pretence all eſteemed either fixed to the proteſtant intereſt or well affected to their Countries libertie.
This wicked myſterie, wee Say, and conſpiracy of Popery and Tyrranny inſeparablie twiſted both in experience and reaſon in all their attempts upon theſe great and mighty Nations ſo unanimouſly united and firmly fixed in their contrarie Profeſſion, rights & liberties, having made ſo great a progreſs by the ſteps abovementioned, is now at length evidently diſcloſed and brought to full maturity by the moſt ſuſpicious (though with all moſt ungrate) cutting off of the late King as having indeed very unhappily acted all that part of which the conſpirators did judge him capable. The aſcending of James Duke of York a notorious apoſtat and bigot Papiſt to the throne, notwithſtanding his being thrice excluded by the Commons of England. And that he neither hath given nor can give without an hypocritical and damning cheat repugnant to his Profeſſion and contemptible to all ingenuous men the oath and ſecurity indiſpenſably required of him before, and at his entrie to the government. I 6. P. 1. c. 8. The approaching of two Parliaments, both called by him, one in Scotland, by his own vigilant Providence (in procureing it to be enacted in the laſt Parliament held by him in that Kingdom, That for the future not only all members of Parliament, but alſo all their electors should take that contradictorie and irreligions oath commonly called the Teſt, which no man owning conſcience, or careing for any religion can poſſibly approve) long ſince prepared for all his pleaſure. And the other in England packt, caballed, and returned by all the arts and methods that either fraud or injuſtice could invent, to render it plyable to his intentions, and which no doubt he will cajoll with all the faire promiſes and Large offers of Laws, that can he deſired for ſecuring both the Proteſtant Religion and their liberties; Providing they will but give money, which anſwers all things, and will as aſſuredly fruſtrat; and ranverſe all theſe vain cautions. The perſueing with indefatigable malice even without the bounds of the Kingdoms, and in all forreign parts all honeſt men, eſcaped for their lives and that either by Publick addreſſes or privat violences: ſo that they are neceſſarly reduced to that fatal dilemma, either to do or dy. The entering into & entertaining more cloſs correſpondences then at any time before, with popish Princes and States, Eſpecially the King of France, a moſt notorious enemie both of the true religion and liberty of mankind. And laſtly by all that may be already ſeen in the changes and alterations he hath lately made, and that for here-after may be apprehended, from a falſe and bloody Religion, alwayes breathing forth and practiſing fire and fagot, murders and maſſacres and, a provock'd and inraged mind, Poſſeſſing and reigning in the moſt determined of Princes, unqueſtionably capable and ready to execut all theſe bloody cruelties.
Which things being all of them either palpable perverſions or utterly inconſiſtent with the true and great ends of government, rendering our common Wealth our Common calamitie, and him who pretends to be its protector its moſt hoſtile enemie. and conſequently importing no leſs then a totall diſſolution of all the bonds of Subjection which the rulers have firſt ſo wickedly broke and cut aſſunder; and the liberating and alloweng all diſtreſſed ſubjects, whither thoſe already overwhelmed by, or who may juſtly for hereafter fear to be involved in theſe miſeryes, that undoubted right and power which both God and nature with comon reaſon and the conſtant cuſtom of all Nations have given us, for recovering defending and maintaining our lives and liberties, and above all the ineſtimable bleſſing of our pure Religion, to the effect that the ſame pure Religion with our juſt rights and liberties ſo valiantly aſſerted by our anceſtors may be by us faithfully tranſmitted to our poſterities.
We have been & are obliged and conſtrained by extream neceſſity and for common ſafety (the ſuprem laws) To take up juſt and neceſſary arms in the name & fear of the Great God, and the confidence of his merciemercy and aſſiſtance for our own and our Countries releif from the aforſaid moſt griveous and intolerable Tyrannies and oppreſſions; The defence and reeſtablishment of the true and pure Chriſtian Religion, commonly called Proteſtant, in oppoſition to that Antichriſtian Roman Religion, commonly called Papiſtical, and the recovery and reeſtablishmene of all our juſt rights liberties and priviledges, according as wee Stand indiſpenſably obliged there to, both before God & men; And that againſt the ſaid James Duke of Yorck and all other his accomplices, our moſt unnatural and wicked enemies and oppreſſours.
Deſyring in the firſt place to be deeply humbled each of us before God, for our manifold ſins and provocations, Eſpecially our falſe heartedneſs and unſteedfaſtneſs in, & revoltings from our great and manifold engadgments to him, that alone have brought upon us all theſe ſad miſcheifes, earneſtly and with our whole hearts ſupplicating, that he would ceaſe from his anger, Cauſe his face to Shine upon us. and ſave us for his own names ſake.
And in the nixt place declaring lyke as we hereby expreſly declare, that our ſincere and ſingle ends and deſignes in this our undertakeing, are, Firſt the reſtoring and ſetling of the foreſaid true reformed Proteſtant Religion in its power and puritie, and with ſuch a juſt comprehenſion of pure Chriſtian charitie, as may thorow the good hand of our God upon us be truly ſatisfieing to all that fear him, and love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity; Renouncing and deteſting as well impoſings as errours, in all matters of Conſcience, and truſting that after the many teaching experiences we have had, we shall be for here after preſerved from all unhappy miſſunderſtandings. But rather thorow the Spirit of truth love and peace graciouſly led into all the paths thereof.
2ly. The ſuppreſſion and perpetual excluſion of antichriſtian Popery with all its idolatrous ſuperſtitions and falshoods, as alſo its moſt bitter root and of ſpring prelacy, with its new and wicked head the ſupremacie, and all their abuſes, that ſo not only the Goſpel and work of God may be revived in theſe lands, but alſo all the Churches of Chriſt abroad thereby refreshed and ſtrengthened.
And 3ly The reſtoring of all men to their juſt rights and liberties eſpecally the recompenſing of all ſufferers, whether unto blood or loſs of liberty and goods, the releif of ſuch who are in preſent diſtreſs, the removing of all oppreſſion, and eſtablishing ſuch righteous Laws and methods of Government, as may be moſt for ſecuring of liberty and property with the greateſt eaſe and equalitie;
Which things as wee purpoſe and hope to accomplish only thorough the preſence of our God with us, and his bleſſing upon us, So we are moſt willing and reſolved that they be all ſetled and perfected by a free full juſt and Sonveraign repreſentatife of all the preſent undertakers and ſuch as shall Hereafter ſincerly concurre and take part with us; and that in ſuch formes and wayes as God by his good providence can only moſt happily direct and conduct us unto? declaring and proteſting further, that ſince ſuch have been and are the manifeſt perfidy treachery and falshood of our adverſaries, not only in their treaties and Convenants but alſo in their pardons indemnities and indulgences, as that they leave no ground or tolerable aſſurance of faith and truſt to be given to them, we will never enter into any termes of Capitulation treaties or conditions with them, as to the great ends of this undertaking; but on the contrary proſecut the ſame with all reality conſtancie and vigour without any ſeparation diviſion or backdrawing, untill they be perfectly and finally obtained. Upon which grounds and for which ends abovementioned we not only hereby moſt ſincerely and firmly proteſt and declare as in the preſence of God, conſtantly and perpetually to aſſiſt and maintain one another to the uttermoſt againſt all, deadly. But do more-over freely and heartily reſolve and engadge our ſelves to countenance and concurr with all our perſecuted and oppreſſed bretheren and freinds in England and Irland, who from the Like reaſons and motives shall be induced and ſtirred up to the like undertaking for the ſame or the like Ends.
Wherefore we moſt ſeriouſly and humbly beſeech and obteſt in the bowels of our lord I Chriſt all that love his truth and this our righteous cauſe, nonne excepted, though either formerly litle concerned for, & favourable to us & theſe intereſts, or even ſtill in actual oppoſition againſt us and them (their ſincere repentance being at all times to God moſt acceptable and not to be better witneſſed before men then by a contrarie and vigorous amendement) to come and joyn with us for Gods Glory, and Goſpel, our country, lives rights and liberties and our poſterities, and all our hope, Againſt an apoſtat Papiſt, an uſurping and perſecuting Tyran, by the moſt ſacred article of his Religion, our mortal enemy under the pain of his own Damnation, and by the fundamental and expreſs laws, of the land I. 6. P. 1. c. 9. & P. 20. c. 5. incapable of the meaneſt office within the Kingdom▪ and in effect a declared enemy and rebell I. 6. P. 3. c. 47. And who even by the Act lately made by himſelf for pathing the way to his ſucceſſion Ch. 2. p. 3. c. 2. can have no shaddow of pretence to the benefite thereof. Unleſs he firſt inſtruct him ſelf both to be the Lawfull and the immediat and neareſt heir of the croun, which without ſatiſfieing the old Law. Ia. 6. p. 1. c. 8. at the ſame time ratified Ch. 2. p. 3. c. 1. by ſwearing to embrace and maintain the true reformed Proteſtant Religion, he can never poſſiblie be, as was then diſtinctly underſtood, and declared by the principal framers of that Act. And againſt his adherents and pertakers, a perjured revolted and ſelf condemned generation. Upon whom the Lord, who will not give his glory to another, hath formerly got him ſelf a name and renoun before all the Nations, whom our ſins only have exalted, and whoſe hearts can never endure or their hands be ſtrong when the Lord … who is on our ſide, and hath a perpetual indignation againſt all the wicked in the earth shall ariſe, and deal with them. And this our moſt earneſt call and requeſt we confidently hope shall be the more readily hearkened unto, and heartily and ſeriouſly complyed with, that in the iſſue, thorow the bleſſing of God, it aſſuredly promiſes not only the reſtitution of truth, proſperity and glory to theſe long miſgoverned haraſſed and diſgraced Nationes: but the ſure defence and protection of true Religion and liberty every where (Brittains certain and great intereſt of late moſt shamefully abandoned) and even the depreſſion of Antichriſt and the advancement and exaltation of the Kingdom of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt in all the earth.
Let us therefore be of good courage, and play the men for our people and for the cauſe of our God. And the Lord do that, which Seemeth him good.