Confession although confirmed in former Parliaments When hee found that the Reformation begun in Scotland did stand in his way he left no meanes unessaied to rub disgrace upon us and our cause The peeces printed at Dublin Examen conjurationis Scoticanae the ungirding of the Scottish Armour the Pamphlet bearing the counterfeit name of Lysimachus Nichanor all three so full of calumnies slanders and scurrilities against our Countrey and Reformation that the Jesuits in their greatest spite could not have said more yet not onely the Authors were countenanced and rewarded by him but the bookes must beare his name as the great Patron both of the worke and workman When the Nationall Oath and Covenant warranted by our generall Assemblies was approved by Parliament in the Articles subscribed in the Kings name by his Majesties high Commissioner and by the Lords of privie Counsell and commanded to be sworne by his Majesties subjects of all rankes and particular and plenary information was given unto the Lieutenant by men of such quality as hee ought to have beleeved of the loyalty of our hearts to the King of the lawfulnesse of our proceedings and innocency of our Covenant and whole course that he could have no excuse yet his desperate malice made him to bend his craft and cruelty his fraud and forces against us For first he did craftily call up to Dublin some of our Country-men both of the Nobility and Gentry living in Ireland shewing them that the King would conceive and account them as conspirers with the Scots in their rebellious courses except some remedy were provided and for remedy suggesting his own wicked invention to present unto him and his Councell a petition which he caused to be framed by the Bishop of Raphoe and was seene and corrected by himselfe wherein they petitioned to have an oath given them containing a formall renunciation of the Scottish Covenant and a deep assurance never so much as to protest against any of his Majesties commandements whatsoever No sooner was this Oath thus craftily contriv'd but with all haste it is sent to such places of the Kingdome where our Countrey-men had residence and men women and all other persons above the yeares of sixteen constrained either presently to take the Oath and thereby renounce their Nationall Covenant as seditious and trayterous or with violence and cruelty to be haled to the jayle fined above the value of their estates and to be kept close prisoners and so far as we know some are yet kept in prison both men and women of good quality for not renouncing that Oath which they had taken forty yeares since in obedience to the King who then lived A cruelty ensued which may parallell the persecutions of the most unchristian times For weake women dragged to the Bench to take the Oath died in the place both mother and child hundreds driven to hide themselves till in the darknesse of the night they might escape by Sea to Scotland whither thousands of them did flye being forced to leave Corne cattel Houses and all they possessed to bee a prey to their persecuting enemies the Lieutenants Officers And some indited and declared guilty of High Treason for no other guiltinesse but for subscribing our Nationall Oath which was not onely impiety injustice in it selfe and an utter undoing of his Majesties subjects but was a weakning of the Scots Plantation to the prejudice of that Kingdome and his Majesties service and was a high scandall against the Kings honour and intolerable abuse of his Majesties trust and authority his Majesties Commission which was procured by the Lieutenant bearing no other penalty then a certification of noting the names of the refusers of the Oath But this his restlesse rage and insatiable cruelty against our Religion and Country can not be kept within the bounds of Ireland By his meanes a Parliament is called And although by the sixe subsidies granted in Parliament not long before and by the base meanes which himselfe and his Officers did use as is contained in a late Remonstrance that Land was extreamly impoverished yet by his speeches full of Oathes and Asseverations that we were Traytors and Rebels casting off all Monarchiall government c. he extorted from them foure new Subsidies and indicta causa before wee were heard procured that a Warre was undertaken and forces should be leavied against us as a Rebellious Nation which was also intended to be an example and Precedent to the Parliament of England for granting subsidies and sending a joynt Army for our utter ruine According to his appointment in Parliament the army was gathered and brought downe to the Coast threatning a daily invasion of our Countrey intending to make us a conquered Province and to destroy our Religion Liberties and Lawes and thereby laying upon us a necessity of vast charges to keepe forces on foot on the West Coast to waite upon his comming And as the Warre was denounced and forces leavied before wee were heard So before the denouncing of the Warre our ships and goods on the Irish Coast were taken and the owners cast in Prison and some of them in Irons Frigats were sent forth to scoure our Coasts which did take some and burne others of our Barkes Having thus incited the Kingdome of Ireland and put his forces in order there against us with all haste he commeth to England In his parting at the giving up of the Sword he openly avowed our utter ruine and desolation in these or the like words If I returne to that honourable Sword I shall leave of the Scots neither root nor branch How soone he commeth to Court as before he had done very evill offices against our Commissioners cleering our proceedings before the point So now he useth all meanes to stirre up the King and Parliament against us and to move them to a present warre according to the Precedent and example of his owne making in the Parliament of Ireland And finding that his hopes failed him and his designes succeeded not that way in his nimblenesse he taketh another course that the Parliament of England may be broken up and despising their wisdome and authority not onely with great gladnesse accepteth but useth all means that the conduct of the Army in the expedition against Scotland may be put upon him which accordingly he obtaineth as generall Captaine with power to Invade kill slay and save at his discretion and to make any one or moe Deputies in his stead to doe and execute all the power and authorities committed to him According to the largenesse of his Commission and Letters patents of his devising so were his deportments afterwards for when the Scots according to their Declarations sent before them were comming in a peaceable way farre from any intention to invade any of his Majesties Subjects and still to supplicate his Majesty for a setled peace he gave order to his officers to fight with them on the way that the two Nations once entred in blood whatsoever
THE CHARGE OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSIONERS Against CANTERBURIE and the Lievetenant of IRELAND Together with their Demand concerning the Sixt Article of the Treaty Whereunto is added the Parliaments Resolution about the Proportion of the Scottish charges and the Scottish Commissioners thankfull acceptance thereof The Lord is knowne by the Iudgement which he executeth The wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands London Printed for Nath. Butter 1641 The Charge of the Scottish Commissioners against the Prelate of CANTERBURY NOvations in Religion which are universally acknowledged to bee the main cause of commotions in Kingdomes and States and are knowne to bee the true cause of our present troubles were many and great beside the bookes of Ordination and Homilies 1. Some perticular alterations in matters of Religion pressed upon us without order and against Law contrary to the forme established in our Kirk 2. A new booke of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall 3. A Liturgie or booke of Common-prayer which did also carry with them many dangerous errours in matters of doctrine Of all which we chalenge the Prelate of Canterbury as the prime cause on earth And first that this Prelate wes the author and urger of some particular changes which made great disturbance amongst us wee make manifest 1. By fourteen letters subcribed W. Cant. in the space of two years to one of our pretended Bishops Bannatine wherein hee often enjoyneth him other pretended Bishops to appear in the Chappell in their whites contrary to the custome of our Kirk to his promise made to the pretended Bishop of Edinburgh at the coronatiō that none of them after that time should be pressed to weare these garments thereby moving him against his will to put them on for that time wherein he directeth him to give order for saying the English Service in the Chappel twice a day for his neglect shewing him that hee wes disappointed of the Bishopricke of Edinburgh promising him upon his greater care of these novations advancement to a better Bishoprick taxing him for his boldnesse in preaching the sound doctrine of the reformed Kirkes against Master Mitchell who had taught the errors of Arminius in the point of the extent of the merit of Christ bidding him send up a list of the names of Councellours and Senatours of the Colledge of Iustice who did not communicate in the Chappell in a forme which wes not received in our Kirke commending him when he found him obsequious to these his commands telling him that hee had moved the King the second time for the punishment of such as had not received in the chappell and wherein hee upbraideth him bitterly that in his first Synod at Aberdein hee had onely disputed against our custome of Scotland of fasting sometimes on the Lords day and presumptuously censuring our Kirk that in this we were opposite to Christianity it selfe and that amongst us there were no Canons at all More of this stuffe may be seene in the letters themselves Secondly by two papers of memoirs and instructions from the pretended Bishop of Saint Androis to the pretended Bishop of Rosse comming to this Prelate for ordering the affaires of the Kirk and Kingdome of Scotland as not onely to obtaine warrants to order the Exchequer the Privy Counsell the great Commission of Surrenders the matter of Balmerino's processe as might please our Prelates but warrants also for sitting of the High Commission Court once a week in Edinburgh and to gain from the Noblemen for the benefit of Prelates and their adherents the Abbacies of Kelso Arbroith S. Androis and Lindors and in the smallest matters to receive his comands as for taking downe Galleries and stone-walls in the Kirks of Edinburgh and Saint Androis for no other end but to make way for Altars and adoration towards the East which besides other evills made no small noise and disturbance amongst the people deprived hereby of their ordinary accommodation for publique worship The second Novation which troubled our peace wes a booke of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall obtruded upon our Kirk found by our generall assembly to be devised for establishing a tyrannicall power in the persons of our Prelates over the worship of God over the consciences liberties and goods of the people and for abolishing the whole discipline and governement of our Kirk by generall and provinciall assemblies Presbyteries and Kirk sessions which wes setled by law and in continuall practise since the time of reformation that Canterbury wes Master of this worke is manifest By a booke of Canons sent to him written upon the one side onely with the other side blanke for corrections additions and putting all in better order at his pleasure which accordingly wes done as may appeare by interlinings marginalls and filling up of the blanke page with directions sent to our Prelates and that it wes done by no other then Canterbury is evident by his Magisteriall way of prescribing and by a new copy of these Canons all written with Saint Androis owne hand precisely to a letter according to the former castigations sent backe for procuring the Kings warrant unto it which accordingly wes obtained but with an addition of some other Canons and a paper of some other corrections According to which the booke of Canons thus composed wes published in print the inspection of the bookes instructions and his letters of joy for the successe of the worke and of others letters of the Prelate of London and the Lord Sterling to the same purpose all which we are ready to exhibite will put the matter out of all debate Beside this generall there be some things more speciall worthy to be adverted unto for discovering his spirit 1. The 4. Canon of Cap. 8. for as much as no reformation in Doctrine or Discipline can be made perfect at once in any Church therefore it shall and may be lawfull for the Church of Scotland at any time to make remonstrance to his M. or his successors c. Because this Canon holdeth the doore open to more innovations he writeth to the Prelate of Rosse his privy Agent in all this worke of his great gladnesse that this Canon did stand behind the Curtaine and his great desire that this Canon may be printed fully as one that wes to be most usefull Secondly the title prefixed to these Canons by our Prelates Canons agreed upon to be proponed to the severall Synods of the Kirk of Scotland is thus changed by Canterbury Canons and constitutions Ecclesiasticall c. Ordained to be observed by the Clergy He will not have Canons to come from the authority of Synods but from the power of Prelates or from the Kings prerogative Thirdly the formidable Canon Cap. 1.3 threatning no lesse then excommunication against all such persons whosoever shall open their mouthes against any of these books proceeded not from our Prelates nor is to be found in the copy sent from them but is a thunderbolt forged in Canterburies own sire 4. Our Prelates
in divers places witnesse their dislike of Papists A Minister sal be deposed if if hee bee found negligent to convert Papists Chap. 18. 15. The adoration of the Bread is a superstition to be coÌ„demned Cap. 6. 6. They call the absolute necessity of Baptisme an errour of Popery Chap. 6.2 But in Canterburies edition the name of Papists and Popery is not so much as mentioned 5. Our Prelates have not the boldnesse to trouble us in their Canons with Altars Fonts Chancels reading of a long Leiturgie before Sermon c. But Canterbury is punctuall and peremptory in all these 6. Although the words of the tenth Canon Chap. 3. be faire yet the wicked intentions of Canterbury and Ross may bee seen in the point of justification of a sinner before God by comparing the Canon as it came from our Prelats and as it wes returned from Canterbury and printed our Prelates say thus It is manifest that the superstition of former ages hath turned into a great prophanenesse and that people are growne cold for the most part in doing any good thinking there is no place to good workes because they are excluded from justification Therefore shall all Ministers as their text giveth occasion urge the necessity of good workes as they would be saved and remember that they are via regni the way to the kingdome of heaven though not causa regnandi howbeit they be not the cause of salvation Here Ross giveth his judgement That hee would have this Canon simply commanding good workes to be preached and no mention made what place they have or have not in justification Upon this motion so agreeable to Canterburies mind the Canon is set down as it standeth without the distinction of via regni or causa regnaÌ„â—â— or any word sounding that way urging onely the necessity of good works 7. By comparing Can. 9. chap. 18. as it was sent in writing from our Prelates and as it is printed at Canterburies command may be also manifest that hee went about to establish auricular confession and Popish absolution 8. Our Prelates were not acquainted with Canons for inflicting of arbitrary penalties But in Canterburies book wheresoever there is no penalty expressely set down it is provided that it shall be arbitrary as the Ordinary shal think fittest By these and many other the like it is apparant what tyrannicall power he went about to establish in the hands of our Prelats over the worship the souls and goods of men over-turning from the foundation the whole order of our Kirk what seedes of Popery hee did sow in our Kirk and how large an entry hee did make for the grossest novations afterward which hath beene a maine cause of all their combustion The third and great Novation wes the booke of Common Prayer administration of the Sacraments and other parts of divine Service brought in without warrant from our Kirk to be universally received as the only forme of divine Service under all highest paines both civill and Ecclesiasticall which is found by our nationall assembly beside the Popish frame and formes in divine worship to containe many Popish errors and ceremonies and the seeds of manifold and grosse superstitions and idolatries and to be repugnant to the Doctrine Discipline and order of our reformation to the confession of faith constitutions of generall assemblies and Acts of Parliament establishing the true Religion that this also wes Canterburies worke Wee make manifest By the memoirs and instructions sent unto him from our Prelates wherein they gave a speciall account of the diligence they had used to doe all which herein they were enjoyned by the approbation of the Service Booke sent to them and of all the marginall corrections wherein it varieth from the English booke shewing their desire to have some few things changed in it which notwithstanding wes not granted This we find written by Saint Androis owne hand and subscribed by him and nine other of our Prelates By Canterburies owne letters witnesses of his joy when the book wes ready for the presse of his prayers that God would speed the worke of his hope to see that service set up in Scotland of his diligence to send for the Printer and directing him to prepare a black letter and to send it to his servants at Edinburgh for printing this booke Of his approbation of the proofes sent from the presse Of his feare of delay in bringing the worke speedily to an end for the great good not of that Church but of the Church Of his encouraging Rosse who wes entrusted with the presse to go on in this peece of Service without feare of enemies All which may be seene in the Autographs and by letters sent from the Prelate of London to Rosse wherein as he rejoyceth at the sight of the Scottish Canons which although they should make some noise at the beginning yet they would be more for the good of the Kirk then the Canons of Edinburgh for the good of the Kingdome So concerning the Leiturgy he sheweth that Rosse had sent to him to have an explanation from Canterbury of some passage of the Service Booke and that the presse behoved to stand till the explanation come to Edinburgh which therefore he had in haste obtained from his Grace and sent the dispatch away by Canterburies owne convaiance But the booke it selfe as it standeth interlined margined and patcht up is much more then all that is expressed in his letters and the changes and supplements themselves taken from the Masse book other Romish Ritualls by which he maketh it to vary from the book of England are more pregnant testimonies of his Popish spirit and wicked intentions which he would have put in execution upon us then can bee denied The large declaration professeth that all the variation of our booke from the book of England that ever the King understood wes in such things as the Scottish humour would better comply with then with that which stood in the English service These Popish innovations therefore have beene surreptitiously inserted by him without the Kings knowledge and against his purpose Our Scottish Prelates do petition that something may be abated of the English ceremonies as the crosse in baptisme the ring in marriage and some other things But Canterbury will not only have these kept but a great many more and worse superadded which wes nothing else but the adding of fewell to the fire To expresse and discover all would require a whole booke we sall onely touch some few in the matter of the Communion This booke inverteth the ordour of the Communion in the booke of England as may be seen by the numbers setting downe the orders of this new Communion 1. 5. 2. 6.7.3.4.8.9 10. 15. Of the divers secret reasons of this change we mention one onely In joyning the spirituall praise and thanksgiving which is in the booke of England pertinently after the communion with the prayer of consecration before the communion and that under the
name of Memoriall or Oblation for no other end but that the memoriall and sacrifice of praise mentioned in it may bee understood according to the Popish meaning Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the spirituall sacrifice but of the oblation of the body of the Lord It seemeth to bee no great matter that without warrand of the book of England the Presbyter going from the north end of the Table shall stand during the time of consecration at such a pairt of the table where hee may with the more ease and decencie use both hands yet being tried it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder pairts to the people representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thou shalt see my hinder pairts Hee must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the bread and wine for that may bee done at the North end of the Table and bee better seen of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may by stretching foorth his armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that hee may the more conveniently lift up the bread and wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubrick of the generall Confession a little before are directed to kneel humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes hee is commanded to speake with a lowd voyce and distinctly hee bee not heard by the people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the book in King Ed. time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the book and even in Cassanders own judgement a man of great moderation in matters of this kinde that he calleth them Nunquam satis execrandos Missa gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-book serving to this purpose which are sharply censured by Bucer in King Ed. Leiturgie are not to be found in the book of England are taken in here Almighty God is incalled that of his Almighty goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of bread and wine that they may bee unto us the body and bloud of Christ The change here is made a work of Gods omnipotencie the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards booke That they may be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other pairt the expressions of the booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by faith and of eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ died for thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there bee in this pairt of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objectivè and subjectivè Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the book of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for missasicca or the halfe Messe The private Messe without the people Of communicating in one kind Of the Consumption by the Priest and Consummation of the Sacrifice Of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these Books but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations Wee were constrained to use the remedy of Protestation but for our Protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels Traitors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to possesse our Religion in Peace against these Devices and Novations Canterbury kindleth warre against us In all these it is known that he was although not the sole yet the Principall Agent and Adviser When by the Pacification at Berwick both Kingdomes looked for Peace and Quietnesse he spared not openly in the hearing of many often before the King and privately at the Counsell-table and the privy Iointo to speak of us as Rebels and Traitors and to speake against the Pacification as dishonourable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a Testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called Ungodly Damnable Treasonable by him were Oaths invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Countrey-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall Oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the king and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirkes abroad where himselfe and his Actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable Contempt of Monarchicall Government that any by-gone age had heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our Actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaining our Religion and Liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honourable Court to the great griefe