that Kingdome was not like to receive any publike or considerable opposition though We did never expect it should misse to meet with that misfortune which attendeth all other Books of this kind and which hath waited upon the English Service-book here viz. to be disliked and defamed by some whose judgements either being weak are not capable of satisfaction or being distempered with the humours of singularitie are resolved never to receive or at least never to seeme to receive any satisfaction And yet even those men too especially they of the first sort men of weaker judgement before and at the time of the publishing of this Book were not cast without the compasse of Our care and clemencie For Wee did with that Book send home certaine instructions and directions to our Bishops of that Kingdome signed with Our owne hand amongst which this was one That notwithstanding We had now established this Book by Our authoritie yet they should proceed with all moderation and dispense with such for the practise of some things contained in the Book as they should finde either not well perswaded of them or willing to be informed concerning them or did hope that time and reason might gaine to a better beleefe of them Nay yet more to foresee what probable opposition this Book might be like to receive Wee caused Our Councell by Proclamation to publish a set day for the reading of it in all Churches which was the Easter day following 1637 All which time though no symptoms of any considerable opposition did appeare yet upon good considerations and for the further trial of mens minds the first reading of it was delayed untill the xxiii of July next ensuing to the end that the Lords of the Session and others who had any Law-businesse might see the successe of it before the rising of the Session which alwayes endeth on the first of August and that so upon their returne to their severall Countries they might report the receiving of this Book at Edinburgh it being ordered that on that Sunday the Book should be read onely in the Churches of Edinburgh and those which were next adjacent And because it should not be read that day neither unexpectedly warning was first printed and then published in all these severall Pulpits the Sunday immediatly before that the next Sunday the new service-Service-book was to be read After all which premonitions made only to try how the people stood affected no feare of tumult appearing Nay the service-Service-book which was to be read having beene in publike Sermons commended by many Preachers without any apparent disgust of the Book or disgrace offered to the Preachers persons Nay having beene commended in Sermons by some of their now principall Covenanting Ministers who since have beene the greatest railers against it by none more then one Rollock a Minister of Edinburgh who both in a Sermon preached by him at a Synod held at Edinburgh before the Bishop of that Diocesse and in his Sermon on the Sunday of intimation of the reading of the Service-book the next Sunday did highly magnifie the said Book And so the tendring of this Book being thus prepared and sweetned with these gracious considerations of time expectation of the discovery of mens affections which for any thing appeared to the contrarie were very calme composed who could have imagined that the first reading of it should have been attended with such a barbarous tumult and insurrection as was raised in the Churches and streets of Edinburgh the Sunday following the true relation of which tumult as it was sent up to Us doth here follow On the twentie-third day of July 1637. being Sunday according to the publike warning given the Sunday before the Service Book was begun to bee read in Edinburgh in Saint Gyles Church commonly called the great Church where were present as usually they are many of Our Councell both the Arch-bishops and divers other Bishops the Lords of the Session the Magistrates of Edinburgh and a very great auditorie of all sorts of people Amongst this great multitude there appeared no signe of trouble But no sooner was the Book opened by the Deane of Edinburgh but a number of the meaner sort who used to keep places for the better sort most of them women with clapping of their hands cursings and out-cries raised such a barbarous hubbub in that sacred place that not any one could either heare or be heard The Bishop of Edinburgh who was to preach stept into the Pulpit which is immediatly above the place where the Deane was to read intending to appease the tumult by putting them in minde that the place in which they then were was holy ground and by intreating them to desist from that fearefull and horrible profanation of it But hee was entertained with as much irreverence as the Deane and with more violence in so much that if a stoole aimed to be throwne at him had not by the providence of God beene diverted by the hand of one present the life of that Reverend Bishop in that holy place and in the Pulpit had beene indangered if not lost The Arch-bishop of Saint Andrewes Lord Chancellour and divers others offering to appease the multitude were entertained with such bitter curses and imprecations as they not being able to prevaile with the people the Provost Bailiffs and divers others of the Councell of that Citie were forced to come downe from the Gallery in which they do usually sit and with much adoe in a very great tumult and confusion thrust out of the Church these disorderly people making fast the Church doores After all which the Deane devoutly read Service assisted by Our Councellors Bishops and many other persons of qualitie there present Yet the out cries rapping at the Church doores throwing of stones at the Church windowes by the tumultuous multitude without was so great as the Bailiffes of the Citie were once more put to forsake their places and use their best indeavours for the appeasing the rage and furie of those who were without Service being ended the Bishop preached after which the Congregation was dismissed The Bishop of Edinburgh retiring himselfe to a lodging distant not many paces from the Church was so invironed with a multitude of the meaner sort of people cursing and crouding him that he was neere being trode to death and in all probabilitie had beene so if hee had not recovered the staires of his lodging which he no sooner began to go up but he was so pulled by the sleeve of his gowne by some of that rude rout that hee had like to have tumbled backward downe the staires to the indangering of his life yet with much adoe getting up the staires he found the doore at which he should have entred shut against him and so being put to a stand he had certainely beene oppressed with the preasse and violence of that rabble if the Earle of Weems from his next lodging seeing the Bishops life in danger had not sent his
servants to rescue him who got the Bishop almost breathlesse into his lodging The same morning the Service Book was read in the next Church to Saint Gyles Church not without noise and tumult yet the furie was not so great as in the other Church In the Gray Friers Church the Elect Bishop of Argyle being Colleague to Master Ramsey who refused to read it begun to read the Book but he was so cursed and exclaimed against and threatned to be pulled downe that after the reading of the Confession and Absolution he was forced to give over In the Colledge Church Rollock one of the Preachers there who the Sunday before at the intimation of the reading of it had so much commended the Book and had undertaken this day to read it though hee had the Book ready to be carried to the Church with him yet very wisely resolved to halt a little untill he might know how it was entertained at Saint Gyles Church that so his conscience might comply with the carriage of the multitude whose rudenesse being reported to him he notwithstanding his commendations of the Book and his faithfull promise to read it thought it the safer course to leave himselfe to the censure of all men for his levitie and breach of promise then offend the multitude whose favour is the onely aire in which he taketh delight to breath and live And thus that morning passed Betweene the two Sermons such of Our Councell as were in the Towne assembled at the Lord Chancellour his lodging where the Lord Provost and Bailiffs of Edinburgh being called undertooke to doe their uttermost endevours for the quiet and peaceable reading of the Service Booke in the afternoon which accordingly they did and so the Service Booke in Saint Gyles and some other Churches that afternoone was read without any such tumult or insurrection as it encountred with in the morning yet the furious multitude who stayed in the streets and little regarded the service of God in the Churches intermitted nothing of their madnesse For the Lord Privie Seale Earle of Roxborough returning home to his lodging and having with him in his Coach the Bishop of Edinburgh was neare suffering the death of the first Martyr St. Stephen his Coach and Coachman for having the Bishop in it being so pelted with stones and hooted at with execrations and pressed upon by the eager and mad multitude that if the Lord Privie Seale his Footmen had not with their swords kept them off they in the Coach had been brought in danger of their lives having after long and continuall bickerings much adoe to recover their lodgings And now We desire all men to consider what blessing and successe from heaven may be expected upon this grand and important reformation of Religion as they call it the begetter and beginner whereof was the horrible profanation of the Lords owne day and that in the Lords owne Houses and Temples and all this attended with the contempt and treading under foot the sacred Authoritie and Lawes of Us the Lords Anointed as also with the violation of the persons of the Lords Priests and Prophets his Bishops and Ministers and all these practised by a base multitude disavowed and disclaimed at that time by all Magistrates and persons put in authoritie and all others of any ranke or qualitie who branded that multitude with the names of the scum and froth of the people and offered themselves to the uttermost of their diligence and assistance for the finding of them out and bringing them to highest and condigne punishment as shall presently appeare by the demeanour of the Magistrates when they were called before Our Councell for that purpose For the next day being the 24. of July 1637. Our Councell assembled and sent forth a Proclamation in detestation of the uproare and tumult the day before and discharged all concourses of people and tumultuous meetings in Edinburgh under paine of death at which time the Magistrates of Edinburgh being then present at Our Councell Table professed their utter abhorring and detesting of the last tumult and apprehended some suspected to be most forward in it and thereupon were commanded and ordered by an Act of Our Councell of the 26. of July to assemble the Councell of the Citie the next morning by eight of the clocke and then and there to resolve what course they thought fittest to be held for the finding out of the movers of and chiefe actors in the late seditious uproare and immediately after to report their diligence and resolutions herein Which report they accordingly made to Our Councell not onely with a detestation of that tumult and promises of their best diligence for finding out the authors and abettors of it but also with large proffers of their best assistance for the quiet and peaceable establishing and reading of the Service Booke in all their Churches But the Ministers of that Citie being loath to undertake the reading of it without some securitie given for the safetie of their persons the Lords of Our Councell by their Act of the 28. of July 1637. ordered the Provost Bailiffes and Councell of Edinburgh to advise amongst themselves concerning some obligatorie Act to be made by them for a reall performance of what they had undertaken and should further undertake for the peaceable exercise of the Service Book which they accorded unto and promised that since the former Readers in their severall Churches had refused to read the Booke if in the meane time the Ministers themselves would read it they would take order for their safetie and when new Readers should be provided they would take order both for their securitie and settled maintenance and allowance In pursuance whereof an obligatorie Act was drawne up by Our Advocate and read before Our Councell to the Magistrates of Edinburgh the sixt of August 1637. to which they humbly consented and on the tenth of the same moneth the said Act of indemnitie being exhibited before Our Councell was allowed by them and accordingly passed and entred in Our Councell booke as an Act of Councell And so now this late tumult in all appearance being settled and not onely fathered upon the scumme and dregges of the people but cryed downe by all men either of place or qualitie and by none more then by the Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh Our Councell not fearing any new outrage proceeded to these two things First to the exemplarie punishing of such of the heads of the late tumult as they should discover And next to the settling of the practice of the Service Booke and appointing a new day for renewing the exercise of it to which the Bishops Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh agreed And this their forwardnesse the Magistrates of that Citie were not onely contented to expresse before Our Councell both by their verball promises and protestations as also their obligatorie Act remaining upon record and registred in Our bookes of Councell but likewise by two particular Letters sent by them
it was delivered to him by Our Councell who sent for him being then prisoner in the Castle of Edinburgh he did before that Table receive on his knees with the highest magnifying of Our mercie with the humblest acknowledgments of those infinite obligations by which he and his family stood for ever engaged in the service of Us and Our Crowne with the deepest protestations of all loyall quiet and peaceable deportment of himselfe ever hereafter and of bending all his endeavours to attend upon all Our Royall courses and commandements so that Our Councell remonstrated unto Us that Wee had bestowed Our mercie and grace upon a man of whom there could not be the least suspicion of his aversenesse from Our service at any time hereafter but of whom they might safely promise all forwardnesse and alacritie in all Our just courses whensoever it should please Us to use him And now this same pardoned Lord Balmerino being one of the chiefe contrivers and most malicious prosecutors of this wicked Covenant made against Us and Our authoritie how he can be able to answere it to God Us and Our Crowne his owne conscience or to the world even in the point of honour and reputation it must be left to the world to judge By this now which hath been said We suppose it is plain that before either the Service Book or Book of Canons so tragically now exclaimed against were thought on the seeds of sedition and discontent were sowne by the contrivers of the late Covenant first upon the occasion of our Revocation next upon occasion of Our Commission of Surrenders and lastly upon the occasion of Our denying Honours to some of them at Our last being in that Kingdome which caused first their traducing of Our proceedings in our last Parliament held there and then produced that infamous Libell And now by this time sedition was growne so ripe and readie to seed that it wanted nothing to thrust it out and make it shoot forth into an open Rebellion but some faire and specious pretence They could not yet compasse the cloake of Religion whereby to siele the eyes and muffle the face of the multitude for by none of all the three former occasions could they so much as pretend that Religion was endangered or impeached But so soon as they got but the least hint of any thing which they thought might admit a misconstruction that way they lost no time but took Occasion by the forelock knowing that either that or nothing would first facilitate and then perfect their designes Now the occasion they tooke of fetching Religion within the reach of their pretences was this Our Father of blessed memorie immediately after his comming into England comparing the decencie and uniformitie of Gods worship here especially in the Liturgie of the Church with that diversitie nay deformitie which was used in Scotland where no set or publike forme of prayer was used but Preachers or Readers and ignorant Schoolmasters prayed in the Church sometimes so ignorantly as it was a shame to all Religion to have the Majestie of God so barbarously spoken unto sometimes so seditiously that their prayers were plaine Libels girding at Soveraigntie and Authoritie or Lyes being stuffed with all the false reports in the Kingdome He did immediately as became a Religious Prince bethinke himselfe seriously how His first reformation in that Kingdome might begin at the publike worship of God which Hee most truely conceived could never be happily effected untill such time as there should be an unitie and uniformitie in the publike Prayers Liturgie and Service of the Church established throughout the whole Kingdome Concerning this His Royall and Religious designe divers consultations for many yeares were had with the Bishops and others of the Clergie of most eminent note in that Kingdome But these deliberations as it happeneth manie times in businesse of so pious and ponderous importance received some opposition and manie intermissions untill the yeare 1616. in a Generall Assemblie which is answerable to the Convocation of the Clergie here in England held at Aberdene in August Our Royall Father by His Letters and the vehement instance of His Commissioners then and there present easily made apparent to that whole Assembly not onely the conveniencie but indeed the necessitie of a publike Liturgie to be settled throughout the whole Land Which moved that Assemblie to passe an Act whereby they authorised some of the present Bishops and divers others to compile and frame a publike forme of Liturgie or Booke of Common Prayer which should first be presented to Our Royall Father and after His approbation should be universally received throughout the Kingdome This Booke in pursuance of that Act of Assembly being by those who were deputed for that purpose framed was by the Lord Archbishop of Saint Andrewes that now liveth sent up to Our Royall Father who not onely carefully and punctually perused everie particular passage of it himselfe but had it also considerately advised with and revised by some of that Kingdome here in England in whose judgement He reposed singular trust and confidence and after all His owne and their observations additions expunctions mutations accommodations He sent it backe to those from whom He had received it to be commended to that whole Church being a Service Booke in substance frame and composure much about one with this verie Service Booke which We of late commended to them and which undoubtedly then had been received in that Church if it had not pleased Almightie God that while these things were in doing and before they could receive their much wished and desired period and consummation to the invaluable losse as of the whole Church of God so particularly of that Church of Scotland to translate Our blessed Father from His temporall Kingdomes to that which is eternall Wee by the grace of God succeeding to Our royall Father were desirous to make it knowne to the world that Wee did not hold it a greater honour to succeed Him in His Crownes then to be His Successour in His Princely vertues and especially in that in which He was most eminent His singular pietie and religious care of the publique service of God which finding here in this Kingdome of England by His singular wisedome and vigilancie setled even to the admiration if not envie of all other Churches We resolved by the grace of God to pursue that His Pious and Princely designe for setling a publike Liturgie in that Our Kingdome of Scotland it having beene so happily atchieved facilitated and almost perfected by Him To which purpose We caused the same Service Booke transmitted by Him to that Church to be remitted and sent backe to Us that after Our perusall and alterations if any should be found either necessarie or convenient it might likewise receive Our Royall authoritie and approbation We having received that Book and after many serious consultations had with divers of Our Bishops and Clergie of that Kingdome then here present with Us and
after Our advices by Our Letters and Instructions to the rest at home and after many humble advertisements and remonstrances made from them to Us of the reasons of some alterations which they did conceive would remove divers difficulties which otherwise they feared this Booke would encounter with We were contented that the Service Booke should come out as now it is printed being fully liked by them and signed with their hands and perused approved and published by Our Royall command and authoritie In the perusall and approbation whereof We tooke speciall care that the small alterations of it in which it differeth from the English Service Booke should be such as We had reason to thinke would best comply with the mindes and dispositions of Our subjects of that Kingdome For We supposing that they might have taken some offence if We should have tendered them the English Service Booke totidem verbis and that some factious spirits would have endevoured to have misconstrued it as a badge of dependance of that Church upon this of England which Wee had put upon them to the prejudice of their Lawes and Liberties We held it fitter that a new Booke should be composed by their own Bishops in substance not differing from this of England that so the Roman party might not upbraid Us with any weightie or materiall differences in Our Liturgies and yet in some few insensible alterations differing from it that it might truely and justly be reputed a Book of that Churches owne composing and established by Our Royall Authority as King of Scotland And thus conceiving Wee had discharged the duetie of a religious King towards God and of a gracious Prince in accommodating this Booke so that Our subjects of that Kingdome should have no cause to have the least suspicion of any intended dependancie of that Church upon this Wee sent home the Book to the Lords of Our Privie Councell After their receipt consideration of it We by their advice and they by Our Authoritie commanded by publike Proclamation that the said Book should be publikely read and received in all the Churches of that Our Kingdome and should begin to be practised upon Easter next 1637. Disobedience to this Our Proclamation Wee had little reason to expect because this Service-book was no new thing unto them For it not differing from the English Service-book in any materiall point and We supposing that the English Liturgie neither was nor could bee displeasing to them did likewise conceive that this Book should be as little disliked by them Now the reasons inducing Us to a beleefe of their not misliking the English Liturgie were these First many of Our subjects of that Kingdome of all sorts daily resorting to Our Court and the Citie of London did much frequent our Chappell many other Churches in or about the Citie and many Churches during their stay here at the severall places of our residence and many other Churches within this Kingdome upon their way both hither and homeward in all which Churches they did behave themselves during the time of divine Service with that reverence as others of Our subjects of this Kingdome did without any dislike of it or quarrelling against it Now these who resorted hither being for quantitie and number very considerable and for qualitie for the most part of the very best gave Us more then a probable assurance that at home they would never accompt that absolutely in it selfe unlawfull and Antichristian as many of them have since professed unto which they had here of their owne accord by their practise yeelded obedience For neither municipall Law nor variation of time or place nor any other circumstance can allow Us to practise that which we hold in it selfe to be simply unlawfull Antichristian and against the Word of God Secondly in Our owne Chappell at Haly-rud-house ever since the yeere of Our Lord 1617. the English Liturgie hath beene read and according to it divine Service sung and said as it is here said and sung in Our Chappels in England not onely without dislike but with frequent Assemblies of Our Councel Nobility Bishops other Clergie of all sorts Judges Gentrie Burgesses women of all ranks The Bishops or some of them never gave Orders which they did frequently but they used the English service-Service-book in some Cathedrall Churches of that kingdom as also in the new Colledge of the University of S. Andrewes for some yeeres of late it was publikely read without any distaste much lesse disturbance for divers yeeres it was used in many families and at Our last being in that Kingdome it was read publikely in all Churches to which Wee resorted in which great numbers of all sorts of people were present All which gave Us good reason to conceive that the commanding of this Book by Our authoritie could not in any true sense be called or accounted an innovation all sorts of people and very many of those of all ranks who now inveigh most bitterly against it having been so accustomed to it and acquainted with it and that without any dislike of it or complaint against it Thirdly Wee confesse that one of the chiefest reasons moving Us to beleeve that that Service-book being in substance all one with this of England could not be held by them to containe any thing tending to Idolatrie Poperie or Superstition as since they have pretended was this We did foresee that all objections bending that way must needs strike at the English Service-book aswell as at that and indeed all of them which they have preached or published against that book do so but We did then and do still take it as granted that no man who hath his wits about him can charge the least suspicion of these things objected upon the English Service-book For since it is well knowne to the whole Christian world that the Composers Framers of the English Service-book were those very famous Bishops others who in Queen Mary her dayes delivered up their living bodies to the fire or escaping the fire indured banishment only because they would not yeeld to Poperie and Superstition How these men now whom in their owne judgement they hold to bee ranked amongst the most glorious Martyrs of the Church for resisting even to bloud Idolatry Popery and Superstiâ—ion can with any conscience or honestie be charged by these men with compiling of a Book stuffed full with Idolatrie Poperie and Superstition it requireth more then an ordinarie understanding to apprehend And besides it will be made good that more of the Bishops and learned Clergie of England both for number and weight have opposed Superstition and Popery then can be found in all the reformed Churches besides who all of them have lived in the practise of the English Liturgie and defended the same which they would never have done if they had supposed it to containe Idolatrie or Superstition These now were the grounds which inclined Us to conceive that the Service-book authorized by Us for
into England unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie in which they desired him to recommend unto Us their care of and fidelitie to Our service and to undertake for them to Us their zeale and forwardnesse for settling the peaceable practice of the Service Booke Which Letters We here have caused to be inserted that the Reader may see what names of simplicitie and ignorance they bestow upon that multitude which made the first opposition and withall take notice of the names of the Magistrates subscribers to these Letters for some of them which hardly could be expected from reasonable men will be found to be very forward if not leaders in the next succeeding sedition and so of the rest which have followed since The Letters be these Most Reverend Father in God and our verie good Lord WEe regrait from our hearts that tumult which did fall out in our Churches that day of the inbringing of the Service Booke wherein now these of his Majesties Councell who have laboured the tryall thereof will give testimonie of our innocencie Since that time and the rising of his Majesties Councell in this feriall time we have daily concurred with our Ordinarie and our Ministerie for settling of that Service Booke as the right Honourable the Earle of Traquair Lord Treasurer with the Bishops of Galloway and Dunbleane will beare witnesse who have spared neyther paines nor attendance to bring that purpose to a good conclusion And although the povertie of this Citie be great being almost exhausted with publicke and common workes yet we have not beene lacking to offer good meanes above our power to such as should undertake that service and in all things wherein we have beene required we have ever beene ready really to approve our selves obedient and loyall subjects to his Majestie in all his Royall commandements which we have vowed ever to second to our lives end And we being infinitely obliged to your Graces favours we now presumed by these lines to give your Grace that assurance of obedience upon our part in this purpose and in all other purposes wherein we may contribute to the advancement of his Majesties service or can be expected of good subjects VVhereof if his Majestie by your Grace shall be pleased to rest assured whatsoever any other shall suggest we will accept it from you as a great accumulation of favour for all which your Grace shall ever finde us most thankfull Remembrancers and most ready really to expresse our thankfulnesse whenever we shall be made so happy as that your Grace shall have occasion to use our service Thus from our hearts wishing you all happinesse we kisse your Graces hands Edinburgh this 19. of August 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly An. Ainslie Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly THE SECOND LETTER Most Reverend Father in God and our very good Lord WEe did receive your Graces kind letter and from our hearts we do render your Grace most hearty thanks and as wee have hitherto found your speciall favour in this matter concerning the laitly imprinted Service Booke whereanent we did write to your Grace formerly shewing our dutifull and obedient resolution not onely in our selves but in the greatest and best part of our Inhabitants of whom from time to time we had most confident assurance so now we must againe become new suiters at your Graces hands to receive from us a true information of the difference of the present time and of that when we did presume to write the occasions thereof which is that since our last there hath beene such an innumerable confluence of people from all the corners of this kingdome both of Clergie and Laitie and of all degrees by occasion of two Councell dayes and such things suggested to our poore ignorant people that they have razed what we by great and continuall pains had imprinted in their minds and have diverted them altogether from their former resolutions so that now when we were urged by our selfes alone we could not adventure but were forced to supplicate the Lords of Councell to continue us in the state they had done the rest of the kingdome having hitherto forborne either to combine with them or to countenance them in their supplications yet we will not forbeare to doe our Masters service to our power but shall studie to imprint in their minds what hath beene taken away in the interim we will humbly beg your Graces favour and intercession with his Majestie that we may be keeped still in his favour which we doe esteeme our greatest earthly felicitie and that what course shall be taken with the rest of this kingdome in that matter who have presented many supplications and with whom we have in no wayes combined that the same and no other may be taken with us wherein we are confident to prevaile as much as any other within the kingdome and in all things shall endevour nothing more then that we may approve our selves most dutifull and obedient subjects Thus relying upon your Graces favour as our most assured refuge we kisse your Graces hands and rests Edinburgh this 26. of September 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly James Rucheid WEe confesse that these large undertakings of the Magistrates moved Us to remit much of Our intended rigor against the offenders in the first uproare hoping that their acknowledgment of Our clemencie would have produced effects quite contrarie to those which We have found And now We shall desire the Reader to observe that this first tumult was owned by none condemned and cryed down by all the authors of it and actors in it called by all sorts by no better names then Rogues and the base Multitude What will you then think if that within verie few daies you shall see the verie same liberall bestowers of these names entring upon the same Stage repeating and acting over againe the parts of that madd Multitude Onely the Stage you shall see a little better hanged and the Scenes better set out and the Play having a more specious name of Pietie and Religion For soon after these base and unruly people who were so much out in their first act of Rebellion as Actors at the first are not commonly perfect were in the Pulpits even for that their first and foule act so much of late hissed at and decryed afterwards magnified for the most heroicall Sparkes that ever God inspired and raised up in this last age of the world and though they were but Asses yet they were cryed up for having their mouthes opened immediately by God as the mouth of Balaams Asse was to the upbraiding of all the rest of the Land who held their peace when they should have cryed and brayed as they did Their happy mouthes and hands which God was pleased to honour that day with the beginning of their new blessed Reformation and
occasioning their celestiall Covenant as they called it were so highly extolled by their Preachers that they assured their Auditors that their memorials should be eternall whom before they had called the scumme of the people and the base Multitude and that all succeeding generations should call them blessed These high flowne speeches and many others of the like extravagant straine both in the Pulpits and out of them immediately after the first tumult and ever since have beene bestowed and that not sparingly upon that multitude which not long before they called base and rascall But no wonder for many of the better sort having succeeded that multitude in the same madnesse they must needs now give them new high and Heroicall titles such as they would have given to themselves now acting their parts for now their owne actions come next upon the Stage to bee viewed and judged All businesses now for a time seemed to be hushed and calmed by reason of the long vacation which in that Kingdome beginneth alwayes on Lammas day and the Harvest which drew all sorts of people from Edinburgh except the Citizens so that little or nothing was done betweene the last of July and first of October save that some Ministers petitioned the Lords of Our Councell for suspending the Letters whereby they were charged to receive the Service Book and that they of Edinburgh begun a little by the instigation of their two silenced Ministers to relent of their former forwardnesse for receiving the said Booke and to repent themselves of their too eager condemning the raisers of the first insurrection and presented to Our Councell on the 26. of September a Petition humbly desiring not to bee pressed with the Service Booke notwithstanding all their former undertakings but to be continued in the same case with all the rest of the Kingdome untill Our pleasure were further knowne which Petition as they alledged they were necessitated to present by the example and encouragement of all ranks from all parts of the Kingdome But so soone as Harvest was done the conflux of all sorts of Our subjects Nobilitie Gentrie Ministers and Burgesses from all parts of that Kingdome came to be so great at Edinburgh and after such a tumultuous maner as that a present Insurrection was justly feared which forced Our Councell assembled then at Edinburgh upon the day before appointed by them viz. the xvij of October 1637. to make three Proclamations The first to give notice that on that day nothing should bee treated of at the Councell Table concerning Church businesse untill the Lords might see the times and meetings of his Majesties subjects more quiet and peaceable and therefore commanded all who were come thither about any such businesse peaceably to repaire to their owne homes within foure and twentie houres under the paines expressed in the said Proclamation A second for removing the Session which is here in England called the Terme from Edinburgh to Lithcow for feare of present danger if this great concourse of people should not some way be diverted and divided especially considering that those of Edinburgh were now apparently perverted and become very evill affected to Our and Our Councels courses of peace and quietnesse A third for bringing in and burning a certaine seditious Booke newly dispersed amongst our subjects there tending to sedition and the disgrace of Our Ecclesiasticall Government here in England The three Proclamations are here inserted Apud Edinburgh 17. Octob. 1637. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the Kings Majestie upon divers good respects and considerations to give warrant and direction to the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell for dissolving the meeting of this Councell day in so farre as concerneth matters of the Church And that everie one that hath come to attend this businesse repaire to their owne dwellings except such persons as shall make knowne to the said Lords of Councell just cause of stay for their particular affaires Therefore the said Lords according to his Majesties speciall warrant and direction sent unto them have dissolved and by the tenour hereof doe dissolve the meeting of this Councell day in so farre as concernes the businesse above written And ordaines a Maissar of Councell to passe to the Mercate Crosse of Edinburgh and to make publication hereof And to command everie one that hath come hither to attend this businesse to repaire home to their owne dwellings within 24. houres after the publication hereof except such persons as shall make knowne to the said Lords just cause of their further particular affaires in manner aforesaid under the paine of Rebellion and putting them off to the Horne with certification to them that if they faile they shall be denounced Rebels and put to the Horn and all their moveable goods escheat to his Majesties use Apud Edinburgh 17. Octob. 1637. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the Kings Majestie upon divers great and good considerations knowne to his Majestie to remove his Councell and Session from the Citie of Edinburgh to the Burgh of Dundie And whereas it is inconvenient at this time to remove it so farre his Majestie is graciously pleased that this next Session shall be holden at the Burgh of Linlithgow and the next after the ordinarie vacants at the Burgh of Dundie And there to remaine during his Majesties pleasure And therefore the said Lords according to his Majesties speciall direction ordaines Maissars or Officers of Armes to passe and make publication hereof to all his Majesties good subjects by open Proclamation at all places needfull whereby they can pretend no ignorance thereof but may prepare themselves to attend at Linlithgow and Dundie accordingly Apud Edinburgh Octob. 17. 1637. FOrasmuch as the Kings Majestie is credibly informed that there is a certaine booke intituled A Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies obtruded upon the Kirke of Scotland and hath beene sent abroad and dispersed in this Kingdome purposely to stirre the hearts and affections of the subjects from their due obedience and allegeance And therefore it hath pleased his Majestie to give order and direction to his Councell that diligent inquirie and search be made for the said booke And for this effect the said Lords ordaines letters to be directed to make intimation and publication to all his Majesties subjects that such of them as have anie of the said bookes bring in the same to the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell betwixt the date of this Proclamation and the day of And the said bookes being brought in that the same be publikely burnt certifying all his Majesties subjects if any of those bookes shall be found or knowne to have beene with any of them after the time aforesaid that they shall incurre the like censure and punishment as the Authour may be found to deserve for any thing contained in that booke ANd whether Wee and Our Councell were not justly necessitated to these Proclamations and whether it were not high time to require obedience to them though none was yeelded let
that barbarous insurrection which was raised the next day sufficiently testifie On the eighteenth of October 1637. the Bishop of Galloway and Sir VVilliam Elfinston Lord chiefe Justice of that Our Kingdome being appointed by the Lords of Our Councell to examine witnesses in a cause depending before them betweene Francis Stuart sonne to the late Earle of Bothwell and divers others the Bishop was peaceably passing along the street towards the Councell-house where the examinations were to be taken But suddenly an inraged multitude surrounded him and followed him with fearfull cursings and exclamations close to the Councell-house doore where hee was againe incountred afresh with a new troupe who watched and lay in wait for his comming thither and whose furie exceeded words for in all probabilitie the Bishop had beene pulled in peeces by them if by divine providence he had not beene defended by the said Francis Stuart who with much adoe got the Bishop within the doores of the Councell-house where Our Lord chiefe Justice staied for him But when hee was there that place of highest Reverence within that Our Kingdome was no Sanctuarie for him for they continued demanding his person and threatning him with death The report hereof and the danger of their Lords life was brought by some of the Bishops servants presently to the Earle of Traquair Our Lord Treasurer and the Earle of Wigton one of the Lords of Our Councell who were then at a lodging not farre from thence They came presently with their followers to the reliefe of the Bishop but verie hardly for the croud of the mutiners could approach the Councell-house where hee was at last when with much adoe they got entrance they found themselves in no better case then the Bishop was for the peoples furie meeting with no proportionable resistance increased the more The Lords thus beset in Our Councell-house sent privately to the Lord Provost Bailiffes and Councell of Edinburgh who were then assembled in their owne Councell-house requiring them to come to their rescue and to take some present order for their safetie They by one Sir Thomas Thompson who indeed was an eye witnesse of the truth of it returned this answer That they were in the same if not a worse case themselves if the Lords without did not presently pacifie the inraged multitude that the whole streets were pestred with disorderly people that their Councell-house was beset without and thronged within with their owne threatning Citizens who had vowed to kill all within their house unlesse they did presently subscribe to a paper presented to them which for feare of their lives they were forced to doe Which paper contained these three particulars First that they should joyne with them in opposition to the Service Book and in petitioning Us for that purpose Secondly that by their authoritie they should presently restore unto their Pulpits and places Master Ramsey and Rollock their two silenced Ministers Thirdly that they should restore unto his place one Henderson a silenced Reader No doubt three most important grounds for such a fearfull sedition No better answer being returned the Lord Treasurer and the Earle of Wigton with their followers resolved to go up to the Towne Councell-house and to use the uttermost of their authoritie or if that found no respect their best perswasions for settling the present sedition When they came thither they found the Magistrates verie much discomposed greatly perplexed as much doubting whether they should ever escape from the place with their lives yet they presently entred into consultation with them about what was fittest to be done in such an exigent and finding now that the publike divulging of that paper which the Magistrates and Councell of the Citie had subscribed and that the open proclamation of it throughout all their turbulent troupes and at the Crosse had a little asswaged their furious rage the Lords begun to advise with the Magistrates what was best to bee done for the safetie of the Bishop of Galloway whom they had left besieged in the Councell-house It was thought fit by all that the Lords should returne to Our Councell-house and containe themselves therein till the Magistrates might try what they could do for calming the commotion in the streets But no sooner had the Lords presented themselves to the streets but they were received with such violence as they were forced to retire untill such time as two of the Bailiffes with their Serjeants and Officers and such others as they got to attend them accompanying the Lords and repeating to the multitude what had beene yeelded to in the paper exhibited to them a little way was made at first But presently when they entred upon the great street the barbarous multitude run most inragedly upon them Their out-cries were horrible and confused but were as much as in such a confusion could be distinguished God defend all those who will defend Gods cause and God confound the Service Book and all the maintainers of it The Lords being in present and imminent danger assured the people that they would represent their grievances to Us for when they perceived that the people refused to obey any commandement which was laid upon them in Our name and that they sleighted their requiring of them to retire unto their owne houses and to behave themselves as quiet and good subjects under paine of Our highest displeasure they were glad then to betake themselves to intreaties and plausible perswasions but all in vaine For the people still increased their furie and that to such a height as that the Lord Treasurer was throwne downe his hat cloak and white staffe pulled from him so that if by the strength of some about him he had not beene presently pulled up againe upon his feet he had undoubtedly been trode to death and in that posture without hat or cloak like a notorious malefactour was he carried by the croud to Our Councell-house doore where the Bishop of Galloway and others of Our Councell were imprisoned in great feare and expecting the Lords returne for their reliefe Not long after the Provost and Bailiffes came thither to them told them they had used their uttermost power and perswasions with the best ablest and of the prime esteeme of all their Citizens for the appeasing of the present tumult and securing their Lordships persons but could finde no concurrence nor obedience Whereupon the Lords resolved to send for some of the Noblemen and Gentrie and others who were now frequently assembled for assisting the petition against the Service Book to try what help they would or could contribute for quieting the inraged people and what assistance they might expect from them in freeing them from the present danger They being sent for came to the Lords and declared unto them how much they were unsatisfied with the present mutinie offered their persons and power for securing them from all violence which the Lords in Our Councell-house accepting of with much adoe being guarded by them whom the people
in a Nationall Assemblie due reverence being kept and confusion avoided But that any Lay-man except hee bee delegate by Soveraigne authoritie shall presume to have a definitive and decisive voice we esteeme it to bee intrusion uppon the Pastorall charge and without warrant May we not therefore intreat my Lord Commissioner his Grace in the words of the Fathers of the fourth generall Councell at Chalcedon Mitte for as superfluos Nor will a pious Prince bee offended with it but with Theodosius the younger will say Illegitimum est eum qui non sit in ordine Sanctissimorum Episcoporum Ecclesiasticus immisceri tractatibus And Pulcheria the Empresse commanded Strategus Ut Clerici Monachi Laici virepellerentur exceptis paucis illis quos Episcopi secum duxerunt Upon this respect was Martinus in that Councell of Chalcedon moved to say Non esse suum sed Episcoporum tantum subscribere If these pretended Commissioners both Lay and Ecclesiasticall were lawfully authorized as it is evident they are not and for none other cause declinable yet the Law doth admit that justly a Judge may be declined who is probably suspect And of all probabilities this is the most pregnant when the Judge before he come to judgement doth give sentence of these things he hath to judge This made our Reformers protestation against the Councel of Trent valide and their not compearing justifiable because Pope Leo 10. had precondemned Luther as appeared by his Bull dated 8. Junii 1520. renewed by Paul 3. dated in Aug. 1535. This was the cause why Athanasius would not give his appearance at some Councels nor Hosius of Corduba nor Maximus Patriarch of Constantinople But so it is the most part if not all of the said Commissioners directed to this meeting have precondemned Episcopall Government and condemned at least suspended obedience to the Acts of the generall Assemblie and Parliament concerning the five Articles of Perth have approven their Covenant as most necessarie to be embraced of all in this Kingdome and not onely have given judgement of these things before hand but by most solemne oaths have bound themselves to defend and stand to the same as doth appeare by their Covenant Petitions Protestations Pamphlets Libels and Sermons and therefore by no Law nor equitie can these pretended Commissioners bee admitted to determine in this meeting concerning these persons and points which before hand they have so unjustly condemned Further with no Law nor reason can it subsist that the same persons shall be both Judges and Parties And wee appeale the consciences of all honest men if all at least the greatest part of the pretended Commissioners have not declared themselves partie to the Archbishops and Bishops of this Church for in that they have declined the Bishops to be their Judges as being their partie as their Declinators Petitions Declarations and Protestations do beare have they not simul semel ipso facto declared themselves to bee partie against Bishops whom they have not onely declined but persecuted by their calumnies and reproaches vented by word and writ in publike and in private by invading their persons opposing and oppressing them by strength of an unlawfull Combination for the subscribing and swearing whereof they have by their owne authoritie indicted and kept Fasts not onely in their owne Churches but where worthie men refused to bee accessorie to these disorderly and impious courses they have by aid of the unruly multitude entred their Churches usurped upon their charges reading and causing to bee read that unlawfull Covenant by threatning and menacing compelling some otherwise unwilling out of just feare to set their hands to it by processing suspending and removing obedient and worthie Ministers from their places by the usurped authoritie of their Table and Presbyteries And whereas by all Law and Justice persons finding themselves wronged in judgement have never beene denied the remedie of declinatorie and appellation neverthelesse not a few of these Presbyteries have proceeded against sundrie worthie Ministers who have declined and appealed from their judgements without respect to this defence by these meanes craftily intending to disable them to bee Commissioners for the Church directly or indirectly causing their stipends to bee kept back from them By which meanes not the least part of the subscribing Ministers have beene gained to their Covenant But it is without example uncharitable and illegall that under the pretext of summons the like whereof was never used nor in the like manner against the most hainous malefactors in the Kingdome they have devised forged vented and published a most infamous and scurrile Libell full of impudent lies and malicious calumnies against the Archbishops and Bishops of this Church and have first given out from their Table the order prescribed in these subsequent Articles which we have insert that the world may bee witnesse of the illegalitie and maliciousnesse of their proceedings I. TO desire the Presbyterie of every Bishop especially where he keeps his residence as also the Presbyterie where his Cathedrall seat is to have a speciall care of this Bill and complaint against the Prelats and particularly against the Bishop of their Diocese II. That some Noblemen if any be within the Presbyterie some Gentlemen and Barons some Ministers and some Commons who are not chosen Commissioners to the Assemblie in their owne Name and in Name of all other Covenanters or Complainers either within the Presbyterie or Diocese or whole Kingdome who are not Commissioners to the Assemblie will adhere and assist in this Complaint that they present this Bill to the Presbyterie III. That they who are Complainers have a particular care to fill up the Blanks left in the Bill in the subsumptions of the particular faults committed by the Bishop of the Diocese against these generall Rules Canons and Acts or if these Blanks will not containe the same that the Complainers draw up in a particular claime all the particular faults and transgressions of the Bishop of that Diocese against these Rules Canons and Acts or any other Law of the Church or Kingdome and present the same to the Presbyterie with this generall complaint And if they cannot get the particulars presently ready notwithstanding they present without any delay because of the scarcenesse of the time this complaint as it stands with the Blanks and in the meane time may gather any other particulars against the Assemblie to which this complaint is to be referred IIII. That the Presbyterie finding the complaint important and the generall Assemblie so approaching referre the same to the generall Assemblie by an Act of this reference insert in the Books of the Presbyterie V. That upon this reference of the complaint to the Assemblie the Presbyterie admonish the complainers apud acta to be present at the said Assemblie for assisting and verifying of the said complaint VI. That the Presbyterie ordaine all their Pastors out of Pulpit on a Sabbath day before noone to cause read publikely this whole
they conceived them to bee the true and authenticall Acts of the generall Assemblies of the Church of Scotland The day before this these Committees had made their report that they had perused them and had found them to bee true and authenticall Records and delivered in writing some reasons of this their opinion which made the impartiall auditors wonder how in two daies men could peruse and make a judgement of such volumes which other men who tooke themselves to be no fooles thought could hardly be done in one yeere but that was all one the Moderatour this day put it to the question and voices Whether they would allow the copies of those Bookes of Assembly which the Committees the day before had reported to bee good and faithfull copies to bee reputed ever hereafter for the authenticall Records and Registers of the Church of Scotland Our Commissioner prayed them to forbeare doing any thing suddenly in a businesse of so great importance that nothing especially if it were doubtfull could bee made a publique Record of any Judicatorie which was to oblige Our subjects unlesse We first by Our Advocate and learned Councell were satisfied of the authenticall authoritie of that Record and therefore wished them to stay untill that course might bee taken and before that time not to put it to voices But all in vaine for presently they of the Assembly without one contrarie voice concluded these Bookes to be authenticall Registers and so to bee held and reputed for ever without knowing what was in them They were foure Bookes and very large and confessed not to be the Originals but copies Our Commissioner then remembring that at Our Palace at Holy-rood-house hee was denied the sight of the Bookes of the Assembly the Covenanters having threatned the former Clerke of the Assembly if hee should let Our Commissioner have the perusall of them begun now to thinke that there might be stuffe enough in them against Our Regall authoritie and perhaps a great deale of it of their own devising which caused Our Commissioner to enter into Our Clerke of Registers hands a solemn Protestation against the validitie of these Records and against any of Our subjects being obliged by them untill such time as they should be perused and allowed by such as We should authorize by Commission for that purpose Next the Moderatour desired the Clerke to reade certaine answers which upon the sudden had been drawne up as he said by certaine Brethren to the reasons contained in the Bishops Declinator which had been read the day before And indeed so soone as they were heard it was easily beleeved that they were drawne up upon a sudden without either feare or wit being very poore and silly stuffed full of cytations out of their own bookes of Discipline which did allow lay-Elders and by these testimonies concluded the exception of the Bishops against Lay-Elders Ministers Commissioners chosen by them for having voice in the Assembly to bee invalid which made some admire by what consequence it could be inferred that because there had been Lay-Elders in particular Church-Sessions nay and perhaps in Presbyteries that therefore these Lay-Elders either had or must now have voices in the generall Assembly or in chusing the Ministers Commissioners to it Yet the Moderatour caused another paper to bee read in defence of Lay-Elders of the very same tedious stuffe with the former And to magnifie those Bookes of Discipline so often cyted in both these papers the Moderatour desired the whole Assembly to heare himself reade a long Latine testimonie given in the Syntagma of the confessions of the Reformed Churches to the puritie of the discipline of the Church of Scotland Our Commissioner called for the Book desired to see what he had read and found it to be a private testimonie of one unknowne inserted by the Printer or setter out of that Syntagma to make it sell the better because it had some new thing in it which made a good many laugh at that so much magnified testimonie Then the Moderator to take away that exception in the Bishops Declinator that the Assembly was a declared partie and therefore could not be their Judge alledged that the Remonstrants had made the same objection against the Synod of Dort but that it was repelled by all the Divines there present and the invaliditie of that exception declared by none better then by the Divines of great Britaine whose judgement against that exception he then out of the publique Acts of that Synod did reade Our Commissioner told the Moderatour that he should have done well to have translated into Scottish that passage which he last read and the former out of the Syntagma that so many of the Lay-Elders who were to judge of the fitnesse of these cytations might understand him and them which the Moderatour passed over with a smile ONE who stood by Our Commissioner and had been present at the Synod of Dort asked leave first of Our Commissioner and then of the Moderatour to speake which being granted him by both hee answered the Moderatours answer to the Bishops objection thus That the Bishops exception against them of the Assembly as pars adversa differed from that of the Remonstrants against the Synod of Dort two waies First in regard of the matter of it For the Synod consisting of Divines the matters controverted being points of Divinitie and by some men thought to bee fundamentall points of faith though they were not so in which Schollers use not to be neutrall it was impossible for the Remonstrants to find Divines to be their Judges if they would except against such Divines as had declared themselves to bee of the one opinion or the other But it was not so with Episcopacie in the judgement of the members of this Assembly for they could not hold the allowing or rejecting of Episcopacie to bee a point of doctrine because points of doctrine are not alterable but the Church of Scotland in her positive confession Article 21. did hold Church policie or government alterable at the will of the Church which opinion whether he did allow or not hee was not then and there to declare but sure in such points which they themselves held alterable and indifferent at the will of the Church being no points of doctrine there was no necessitie of pre-declaring their judgement especially after they meant to bee Judges Nay there was a necessitie of not pre-declaring their judgement against Episcopall government considering it stood now in force by Acts both of Church and Parliament and therefore that the declaration of their judgement against it even since they intended to be Judges of it but before they were actually so did barre them from being Judges of it at all But secondly and that upon which he principally insisted was this That the Bishops case in their exception against this Assembly differed from that of the Remonstrants against the other Synod in the manner of the members of that Synods
them containing prelimitations and such as are repugnant not onely to that which they called the freedome but to that which is indeed the freedome of an Assembly Two of these papers were such as they were content should be communicated to all their associates viz. that larger paper sent abroad to all Presbyteries before or about the time of Our indiction of the Assembly and that lesser paper for their meeting first at Edinburgh then at Glasgow some few daies before the Assembly and for chusing of assessors These two papers Our Commissioner delivered not into the assembly because they did publiquely avow them But their other two papers of secret instructions were directed not from the Table publiquely but under-hand from such as were the prime Leaders of the rest The one of them was delivered or sent onely to one Minister of every Presbyterie whom they trusted most and was onely to be communicated to such as hee might be confident of and was quite concealed from the rest of the Ministers although Covenanters The other paper was directed onely to one lay-Elder of every Presbyterie to be communicated as hee should see cause and to be quite concealed from all others These are the two papers which before you heard were delivered by Our Commissioner into the assembly and they did containe directions which being followed as they were did banish all freedome from this assembly as doth appeare before by the reading of the papers themselves The second Some Presbyteries did chuse their Commissioners before the assembly was indicted and therefore those Commissioners could not lawfully have any voice there The third Neither lay-Elder nor Minister chosen Commissioner by lay-Elders could have voice in the assembly because such elections are not warranted by the lawes of that Church and Kingdome nor by the practice and custome of either for even that little which seemeth to make for their lay-Elders is onely to be found in these bookes which they call the bookes of Discipline which were penned by some private men but never confirmed either by Act of Parliament or Act of generall assembly and therefore are of no authoritie And yet in these elections they did transgresse even the rules of these bookes there being more lay-Elders who gave voices at every one of these elections then there were Ministers contrarie to their bookes of Discipline which require that the lay-Elders should alwaies be fewer But say there were an Ecclesiasticall order or law for these lay-Elders yet the interruption of that order for above fortie yeeres maketh so strong a prescription in that Our Kingdome against it as that without a new reviving of that law by some new order from the generall assembly it ought not againe to have been put in practice For if We should put in practice and take the penalties of many dis-used lawes without new intimation of them it would bee thought by Our subjects hard usage The fourth In many Presbyteries these lay-Elders disagreed wholly in their election from chusing those Ministers whom their owne fellow-Ministers did chuse and carried it from them by number of voices although in all reason the Ministers should best know the abilities and fitnesse of their brethren The fifth These men elected as lay-Elders to have voices in this assembly could not be thought able and fit men since they were never Elders before all or most of them being newly chosen some of them were chosen lay-Elders the very day before the election of the Commissioners to the assembly which sheweth plainly they were chosen onely to serve their associates turne The sixth Since the institution of lay-Elders by their own principles is to watch over the manners of that people in that Parish wherein they live how can any man bee chosen a Ruling-Elder from a Presbyterie who is not an inhabitant within any Parish of the precinct of that Presbyterie And yet divers such especially Noblemen were chosen as lay-Elders Commissioners from Presbyteries within the precincts whereof they never were inhabitants against all sense or reason even upon their owne grounds The seventh They can shew neither law nor practice for chusing assessors to the Ruling-Elders without whose consent they were not to give voice to any thing in the assembly The eight The introducing of lay-Elders is a burthen so grievous to the Ministers as that many Presbyteries did protest and supplicate against them and many Presbyteries though they were in a manner forced to yeeld to it then yet did protest against it for the time to come The ninth In the election of Commissioners to this assembly for the most part the fittest men were passed by and few chosen who ever were Commissioners at any assembly before the reason was they conceived that new men would not stand much for their owne libertie in an assembly of the liberties whereof they were utterly ignorant Besides some were chosen who were under the censures of the Church some who were deprived by the Church some who had been expelled out of the Universitie for reading to their Scholars against Monarchicall government some who had been banished out of that Kingdome for their seditious Sermons and behaviour some who for the like offences had been banished out of Ireland some who were then lying under the sentence of excommunication some who then had no ordination or imposition of hands some who had lately been admitted to the Ministerie contrarie to the standing lawes of that Church and Kingdome and all of them were chosen by lay-Elders Now what a scandall were it to the Reformed Churches to allow this to be an assembly which did consist of such members and so irregularly chosen The tenth Divers members of this Assembly even whilst they sate there were Rebels and at Our Horne and so by the lawes of that Our Kingdome uncapable of sitting as Judges in any Judicatorie The eleventh Three oathes were to bee taken by every member of this Assembly the oath to the confession of faith lately renewed by Our commandement the oath of Allegeance the oath of Supremacie any of which three oathes whosoever shall refuse cannot sit as a Judge in any Court of that Kingdome and yet none of all these three oathes were sworne by any member of this Assembly Besides these nullities of this Assembly what indecencie and rudenesse was to be discerned in it not so much as the face of an Ecclesiasticall meeting to bee seen not a gowne worne by any member of it unlesse it were by one or two Ministers who lived in the Towne the appearance in a manner wholly Laicall amongst the members of it were seven Earles ten Lords fortie Gentlemen one and fiftie Burgesses many of them in coloured clothes and swords by their sides all which did give voices not onely in very high points of controversie which We are sure very many of them did not understand but also in the sentences of excommunication pronounced against the Bishops and others Nay and more all things in the Assembly carried by the
disconsolated Subjects of this nation who though unjustly branded with many calumnies yet never have nor ever shall swerve from our loyalty due to the Lords anoynted But would readily imbrace any occasion to imploy our lives and fortunes for his Majesties service and honour who we heartily pray God may long and happily ring over us There is annexed to this Declaration a quotation of sundry acts of Parliament to prove that Episcopall government was not abolished in the yeare 1580. whereunto albeit there is no necessity of answer seeing the meaning of the Kirk of Scotland in her Confession of Faith is onely to be sought from her self and the registers of her Assemblies and not from the Parliament yet the same shall be specially answered in the order that they are alleadged after these two generals are offered to the Reader his consideration 1. After the reformation of this Kingdome the Kirk was still wrestling against all corruptions and especially against Episcopacie But though they clearly and frequently condemned the same yet the power of the enemies of reformation withstood them long so that her owne policy could not be obtained ratified expresly specifice in Parliament till the yeare of God 1592. which abrogateth all those proceeding acts alledged in the contrare 2. That acts of Parliament can no more make Ecclesiasticall offices nor give Ecclesiasticall priviledges nor the acts of Assembly can establish civill offices of Estate or grant to them civill priviledges each Judicatorie being properly confined within their owne spheres But before the acts of Parliament be particularly marked and cited there be two reasons prefixed the one taken from some acts of Parliament 1567. cap. 2.3.6 and cap. 68. Par. 1579. The other from the oath ministred to the King at his coronation for the act of Parliament 1567. Bearing that no Bishop nor other Prelate in this Realme use any jurisdiction in time comming by the Bishop of Romes authority It is evident hereby that Episcopacy is altogether condemned as all other Prelacie was for before that time they had no jurisdiction but from the Pope and therefore being discharged to execute that they are discharged by the act to execute any at all That this is the true meaning and scope of that act is manifest because the Kirk in the book of common order and in the first book of discipline at that same time acknowledgeth no other ordinary office bearers appointed by Christ in Ecclesia constituta But the Pastor Doctour Elder and Deacon and in her Assemblies at that same time was still censuring these who were called or designed Bishops by reason of their benefices as is instructed by the acts printed before the book of discipline And therefore in the act of Councell 1560. made in the same yeare by these same persons ratifying the first book of discipline they provided only that Bishops Abbots Pryors c. Being protestants brook their revenewes during their life-times they sustaining Ministers in the meane time 2. In the yeare 1566. which precedes that Parliament the Kirk of this Kingdome approved the Confession of Helvetia wherein the parity of Ministers is preferred as Gods ordinance warranded by his word to Episcopacy as an humane consuetude 3. Because at that time the Queene had restored the Archbishop of S. Andrews therefore the Kirk supplicated the Nobility of the Kingdome against that restitution which they condemne as the curing of the head of the beast once wounded within this land Wherein they expresly ground themselves upon the said act of Parliament being before made in the year 1560. as a certaine abrogation of the Arch-bishops authority 4. In the 2. book of discipline chap. 11. the Kirk useth the same act of Parliament as an abrogation of the Papisticall Kirk and Papisticall jurisdiction and thereby of Episcopall jurisdiction and power 5. The Kirk thereafter in the same chapter declareth their uniformity of this meaning by urging the act of Parliament 1567. printed amongst the black acts and renewed in the Parliament holden 1579. which immediately followeth the act here cited declaring that no other Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction shall be used within this Realme but that which is and shall be in the reformed Kirk and floweth therefrom and they urge that none under the abused titles in Papistry of Prelates c. attempt to claime the benefite of any act of Parliament having no commission of the reformed Kirk within this Realme Whereby our Kirk declared all Episcopall jurisdiction to be Papisticall Which is the true meaning of the word his Hirarchie in the short confession For their jurisdiction could flow from none other but from the Pope Seeing it flows not from the Kirk but was abolished and condemned by them as is cleare by the Registers of the Assembly 6. The acts doe abolish all Papisticall jurisdiction And therefore all Episcopall jurisdiction because Episcopall policy and jurisdiction is Papisticall as is acknowledged by many and specially by Doctor Poklingtun Chaplaine to the Bishop of Canterbury who deduceth a continuall lineall succession from Peter through the whole Popes unto the present Arch bishop of Canterbury and by the quotter himselfe who alledgeth albeit falsly that this Kirk retained the Papisticall Policy and government 6. Where it is said in the reason that our Kirk did not innovate any thing in that Policy which they found in the Kirk before the reformation the same is controlled by the book of Common prayer first book of Discipline and acts of the Assemblies And for the 6. act 1567. and the 68. act 1579. The same doth not only not mention Bishops but declareth the true Kirk to consist only of Ministers of the Gospell then living and these who thereafter should rise agreeing with them in doctrine and administration of the Sacraments and the people as the members thereof which directly excludeth Bishops against whom the doctrine and practise of this Kirk continually sounded especially at that time For in the government of this Kirk by weekly meeting of Ministers Elders and reformed townes from the yeare 1560. to the yeare 1576. except the interim of the pretended convention at Leeth 1572. and from the yeare 1575. to the year 1581. The Assemblies for the most part were imployed in abolishing the corruptions of Episcopacy and in establishing the setled Policy which was agreed upon 1578. In the second book of Discipline In the which acts of Assembly and book of Discipline is set down at large the doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland anent that discipline as grounded and well warranded in the word of God and against Episcopall jurisdiction as an unlawfull humane invention So that Episcopacy being contrary to the doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland 1579. The Bishops disagreeing from the Ministers of the Evangel then living in doctrine and in the use and administration of the Sacraments are declared by the said acts to be no members of this Kirk and the same acts cited for them doe sufficiently evince that
use the power God had put in their hands for removing all innovations and setling the purity and peace of this Kirke And seeing in this Proclamation his Majesties declaration is insert ad longum and the Assembly taxed for not being fully satisfied therewith we are enforced to repeat here the reasons which moved the Assembly not to think the same satisfactory in hope that they comming to his Majesties sacred eares may procure the continuance of his benigne favour so acceptable to this Kirke by the indiction of this Assembly and production of the said declaration and obtain his Royall approbation to the whole acts and proceedings of this Assembly which is heartily wished and would replenish the hearts of all good subjects with abundant joy and contentment And first where his Majestie hath discharged the Service Book and Book of Canons and practice of both and all Acts Proclamations and ordinances made for establishing thereof upon information that by the introduction of them the subjects have apprehended the inbringing of Popery superstition to have beene intended Neither the discharge nor the ground thereof are satisfactory Not the first because as some Acts and Proclamations did serve for their establishing so others gave them an high approbation as fit means to maintaine religion and beat down all superstition And therefore though those which established them be rescinded yet those which approved them do remaine and may bring forth other Acts and Proclamations for restoring them or the like hereafter if these books receive not a publick censure by the generall Assembly as the only judge competent to bar them and the like in all time comming Seeing Acts of Councell and Proclamations are frequent and variable and yet are no legall valid meane either to introduce or abolish any thing concerning the doctrine and discipline of the Kirke wherein they neither can meddle nor secure the subjects Next seeing by the constitutions of this Kirke the generall Assembly hath onely power to determine concerning the matters of Gods publick worship And that the framers of these books who called themselves the representative Kirk made them to be practised in sundry places of the countrey by their own authority and that which they borrowed from the Lords of secret Councell Therefore it was most necessarie that the same should be discharged by the generall Assembly the onely true representative Kirk of this nation for vindicating her just right from violent usurpation and preventing the like in time comming Not the second for the subjects have just grounds of perswasion that the Prelats their followers the framers followers of those books intended the inbringing of Popery and superstition by the introducing thereof because 1. Many grosse points of Popery and superstition are not onely closely couched under the cover of ensnaring ambiguities the most insinuating way of errours and best mask to superstition but also expresly contained in the Books themselves as was made manifest by sundry treatises read and considered in the Assembly and is now so declared by the Assembly 2. The framers and favourers of these Books in their sermons and conferences have vented sundry Popish errours and approven Popish superstitions which fully detecteth and leaveth no doubt of their intention in the introducing of Books so full of Popery and superstition Secondly the discharge of the high Commission by his Majesties Proclamation or Declaration cannot be sufficient because first his Majesty declareth that he established the same for the ease and benefit of the Subjects that justice might be administrate with the more conveniencie and lesse trouble of the people And now dischargeth it because the subjects have mistaken his gracious intention So that if the mistaking be removed that which is conceived of it selfe to serve for administration of justice with ease and benefit to the subjects may bee established upon pretention of the removeall of all such mistakings Secondly though the acts and deeds made for establishing thereof bee rescinded yet the acts past heretofore by the high Commission are not rescinded And so the subjects censured by it are still esteemed under these censures as appeareth by the tenour of the Proclamation wherein the Assembly is taxed as consisting of some members that are under the censures of this Kirke meaning the Bishops censure in the high Commission Thirdly it being found contrary to the acts of Parliament and acts of generall Assembly and extremely derogatory to them and all other subalterne iudicatories both civill and Ecclesiasticall which is made clearely manifest by a treatise presented to the generall Assembly and it being devised and brought in by the suggestion of Bishops as a meane whereby they might and have unlawfully tyranized over all the subiects Therefore it is necessary that the Parliament and generall Assembly the highest civill and Ecclesiasticall iudicatories that have been wronged should by their severall sentences utterly abolish it as unlawfull and hurtfull Thirdly whereas his Majesty dispenseth with the practice of Pearth Articles dischargeth all from urging the practice thereof freeth from censures for not urging or practising them notwithstanding of any thing contained in the acts of Parliament or generall Assembly to the contrary and is content that the Assembly take the same so far to their consideration as to represent it to the next Parliament there to be ratified as the Estates shall finde fitting These cannot satisfie because first a dispensation with the practice without a simple discharge leaveth it still arbitrary to those who will practice and so continueth the rent and distractions in this Kirke Secondly although his Maiestie had discharged the practice of them by his Proclamation or Declaration yet the subiects had not been put in security thereby except the generall Assembly to whose tryall they belong and were referred by all the subscribers of the Confession in March doe either repell the articles of Perth or upon good reason declare that Assembly null since his Maiesties Proclamation or Declaration is not a sufficient warrant to infringe an act of Assembly or Parliament made to the contrary Thirdly by tying the Assembly to take the same no further unto their consideration then to represent it to the next Parliament the Assembly is both prelimitate whereanent refers to the six reasons against prelimitation insert in our Protestation September 22. and weakned in power as if it might not judge and determine in matters meerely Ecclesiasticall without a licence from his Majestie or a reference to the Parliament whereas the generall Assembly is supreme and independent in matters Ecclesiasticall as the Parlament is in civill so that when the acts of Assembly are ratified in Parliament the same is for adioyning the civill sanction to the Ecclesiastick constitution for the great terrour of transgressors Fourthly anent the oaths administrate to Ministers at their entry it hath not onely beene pretended but is certaine and will be made manifest to the Assembly which also now is done
that oaths have been exacted different from that which is set downe in the acts of Parliament and in many severall wayes according to the pleasure of the Prelats And where his Majestie declares that no other oath shall be required of a Minister at his entry nor that which is set down in the act of Parliament the same is of fearefull consequence because the act beares an oath to be given unto the Bishop by Ministers intrants and so supposeth the office of a Bishop to be unchangeable and uncontroverted whereby the Assembly is prelimited against the reasons before mentioned which may finde that office uselesse and unlawfull in this Kirk and which now they have found upon most infallible reasons Fifthly that his Maiesty assureth generall Assemblies shall be kept as oft as the affaires of this Kirk shall require doth not satisfie because first by leaving the time undefinite it preiudgeth the liberty of the Kirke of holding yeerly generall Assemblies at least and oftner pro re nata ratified by the act of Parliament 1592. the disuse whereof hath beene a maine cause of our evils which should bee prevented in time comming by renewing that ancient necessarie custome and liberty Secondly by the same act of Parliament it is provided that the King or his Commissioner being present shall appoint the time and place of the next Assembly And in case his Maiesty or his Commissioner be not present for the time in the towne where the Assembly is holden it shall be leasome to the said generall Assemblie by themselves to appoint the time and place of the next Assembly as they have bin in use in times past But this declaration not only leaves all indefinite but totally everts that power and liberty competent to them by law and custome Thirdly As it doth not determine how oft the ordinary effairs of this Kirke require an Assembly which the custome of this Kirke and act foresaid evidently manifest to bee yeerely once at least so neither doth it determine who shall judge when the necessity of extraordinary effairs require an Assembly pro re nata whereas undoubtedly the Kirke will be most sensible of her owne necessities and is the most proper Judge of her owne effaires And therefore should have freedome to appoint her owne times when she finds her selfe pressed with present exigencies as his Maiesty hath also power when hee perceives any necessity requiring the same Sixthly whereas his Maiesty is content that all the present Bishops and their successours be answerable to and censurable by the generall Assembly it doth not satisfie because First it beares a prelimitaon of the Assembly in the matter of trying that Office and presupposes the continuance thereof by succession as unquestionable Secondly They have beene formerly made censurable by the generall Assembly in the straightest way that the Kirke could enjoyn or they could assure And yet these thirty yeeres they have shunned all censure though all their actions deserved it by procuring generall Assemblies to be prorogate and then suddenly indicted when they had cunningly prepared both persons and purposes to their minde Likeas now they have by their Declinator refused to answer and be censured by this present Assembly indicted by his Majestie conveened in the name of Christ and perfitly constitute in the members thereof And therefore it lyeth upon this present Assembly to take some solide course for securing the Kirk in all time comming against the prejudices of their former and frequent breaches contrary to their oathes given Seventhly whereas his Majestie requireth this present Assembly to subscribe this Confession of Faith formerly signed by his Royall Father 1580. and lately commanded by his Majestie to be subscribed by all his Majesties subjects The reasons contained in the Protestation September last 22. whereto we adhere and repeats the same do sufficiently evidence that we cannot subscribe the same to which we adde First that his Maiesties Commissioner hath declared to the Lords of Session when their subscriptions was required that it might subsist with the innovations introduced since the yeere of God 1580. which some of the said Lords then did and all of us doe now conceive to repugne to the genuine and true sense of the Confession of Faith as it was first made Secondly That his Grace hath protested divers times in this Assembly that nothing done or to be done therein prejudge the Archbishops and Bishops in their priviledges places power and jurisdiction whereby the declareth that these may subsist with the Confession of Faith notwithstanding they be novations introduced upon this Kirke contrary to the same since the yeer foresaid as is now found by the Assembly Thirdly That to the Assembly presently conveened and perfectly constitute in the members thereof it pertaineth properly according to the word of God constitutions of this Kirke and booke of Policie ratified in divers Assemblies to determine what is the true meaning of the Confession of Faith and to make the same knowne to all the members of this Kirke who thereafter without scruple or danger may subscribe the same And although the Assembly could not finde this Declaration satisfactory for these and the like weighty reasons yet were they willing the same should be insert in their books for obedience to his Maiesties desire and thankfully acknowledging his Maiesties pious affection to true Religion and Royall resolution to defend the same and his subiects in the profession thereof exprest in the closure of his Royall Declaration they were confident that when his Maiestie shall bee fully informed that the novations introduced since the yeere 1580. are incomparable with the Confession of our Faith he will be pleased graciously to vouchsafe his comfortable protection upon those who adhering to the true meaning of that Confession now fully cleared by the Assembly have abjured all the innovations introduced and by their great oath and subscription have bound themselves to maintaine the true Religion and his Majesties person and authority in defence of the same And thus true Religion being the channell which convoyeth both duties to their proper object the evidence of Gods image in our dread Soveraigne his Depute shall bee terrible to all the enemies of his Majestie and of his loyall subjects who stand for the Confession of Faith and the true meaning thereof and shall raise up the affections of his Religious subjects towards his Majestie above all earthly respects And where it is subjoyned in the Proclamation that nothing was able to give contentment except we were permitted to overthrow Episcopal government and to abrogate publicke Lawes standing and take away one of the three Estates wee are sufficiently cleared thereof by the Acts of the Assembly abrogating and abolishing Episcopall government in this Kirke for infallible reasons contained in the said Act and also by our answer published to the Declaration emitted in the Commissioners name which for brevity we forbeare to insert herein whereby wee have
sharpest warre was rather to be endured then the least errour in doctrine or discipline Another in his Sermon wished That hee and all the Bishops in that Kingdome were in a bottomlesse boat at sea together for he could bee well content to lose his life so they might lose theirs Thousands more such beastly barbarous and profane speeches were delivered by them not onely in their Pulpits but in their Sermons For the Reader must know that in these times of tumult where the Churches were not able to containe the great multitudes they did usually preach in common and profane places in roomes which are yet in building and not finished intended for Lawyers to plead in in the Halls of the Taylors and other mechanicall tradesmen of Edinburgh in some private houses in the Hall of the Colledge of Edinburgh where one Sunday Rollock being to preach but finding the crowds of people to be too great for that place mounted upon the top of a paire of staires which went up to an upper ground in an open place which was onely covered by the heavens and from thence preached to a great troupe or multitude whose breath is the onely aire hee desireth to live in being shot quite through the head with popularitie Others preached in the free-Schoole at Edinburgh where boyes use to play and bee punished If these speeches and many as bad or worse then these and delivered in such places be fit to perswade the people that their Covenant comes from God the Reader may easily discerne The second meanes which they used for blind-folding the eyes of the people were their many false reports which both in their Pulpits and out of their Pulpits they vented amongst the people which their Leaders knew in their owne consciences to be most false They gave it out that We intended to bring in Poperie in all Our Kingdomes or at least a toleration of it It was preached that the Service Book was framed at Rome and brought over by a country-man of theirs when they doe know that every Papist by the Popes Bull is prohibited to heare the Service Booke read Others preached that all England was of their opinion and judgement and that they had good intelligence from hence that no man would adhere to Us against them Another preached that no man would have protested against the generall Assembly but for money and that none had protested but they who had received some when they did know that many had protested who had received none It is true indeed that some poore Ministers being thrust out of their Benefices by them for adhering to Us were petitioners to Our Commissioner for relieving the necessities of them and their families some of those who were most necessitated he did a little relieve but some of that number were none of the protesters and many who were protesters were none of that number It was preached ordinarily in their Pulpits that neither We nor Our Commissioner in Our name did ever intend to hold the generall Assembly or if We did hold it did never intend to performe any thing which We had promised in Our gracious Declaration though they now know that We have performed both Within these few daies some desired the people publiquely in their Pulpits to give thankes to God for that overthrow which the Hollanders had given to the Spanish Fleet before Dunkirke assuring their auditours that it was no lesse to be celebrated by them then their deliverance from the Spanish Invasion in 88. because all that Fleet was prepared at Our charge for their ruine and subversion Besides many thousands more such reports and counterfeited letters scattered by them of which some no doubt were devised by themselves whereby they kept Our people in that ignorance in which at the very first they had resolved to involve them Now what a fearfull and terrible thing is it for men in the house of God and in those places of these houses of God which they call the chaires of truth to deliver such things as either they doe not know to be true or doe know to be false Besides these dictates of the Ministers the lay-Elders since they came to thinke themselves Ecclesiasticall persons for so now they doe and will not be called lay but ruling-Elders they have found new inspirations and delivered doctrines as like their Divines as may be one of them We cannot chuse but rehearse An ancient Knight and a lay-Elder intruded himselfe and his fellowes upon a Presbyterie for chusing the Ministers Commissioners for the Assembly and the Ministers of that Presbyterie not being able to keep them out though they earnestly desired it fell to intreat these lay-Elders that if they would needs intrude themselves in their election they would have a speciall care to chuse the ablest Ministers and who were most inclined to moderation and peaceable courses because the Church at this time stood in great need of such Commissioners The old Knight in great zeale replyed That whosoever at this time gave his voice to a moderate or peaceable minded Minister hee was a betrayer of Christ and his cause because these times required no luke-warme Commissioners which barbarous and unchristian speech of his being related by way of complaint to the Tables at Edinburgh was so far from being censured as it was approved for a high and heroicall ejaculation The third meanes whereby they have perverted Our people and continued them in their disobedience to Us and Our Lawes have been their strange and damnable positions whereby they have impoysoned Our subjects some whereof We shall now declare unto you First What subjects doe of their owne heads is much better then what they doe in obedience to Authoritie the one savouring of constraint but the other being voluntarie and cheerfull obedience This proposition is delivered in their Protestation bearing date the 22. of September 1638. made against Our gracious Declaration it is in their fifth reason against the subscription to the Confession of faith urged by Us. A second The Parliaments power doth no more reach to the placing of Officers originally in the Church then the Church hath power to make States-men in the Common-wealth This position is in their answer to Our Commissioners Declaration concerning Our sense and meaning in commanding the Confession of faith to bee subscribed Where they have added the word Originally onely to puzzle the Reader For certainly their meaning must bee That the Parliament hath no power for confirming of Officers placed in the Church by the Church it selfe for no Act of Parliament in that Kingdome doth make any Officers in the Church originally but onely ratifieth and confirmeth such as were established by the Church in her generall Assemblies A third position is this The Parliament can make no law at all concerning the Church but onely ratifie what the Church decreeth and after it hath ratified it yet if the Assembly of the Church shall prohibit it and repeale that decree of the Church all