ordinar way in justice which they may use And if under the name of good subjects be meaned excommunicat persons who by the Laws of this Countrey should bee rebells and caption used against them which hath been desired by the Kirk and Countrey and refused and who also are the authours of all the evils have come upon this Kingdom none can give assurance for their indemnity who stands thus guilty and odious to the whole people To the twelfth it is answered in the answer to the sixt To the thirteenth the reason that the Magistrats of Edinburgh did not go on in the strictest way of justice in that businesse was because the Lord Thesaurer thought that the too strict going on in that matter might hinder his Majesties better service Likeas the Magistrates used all possible diligence to try who were the actours and having examined diverse of them who were alleadged to have been of that number they all denyed and no proof could bee had against them One whereof was the wife at the neather Bow and one Little a Barbour To the fourteenth this is denyed because to our knowledge no such exception hath been at any of these elections To the fifteenth there are none who are alleadged to have railed either in streets or in the Pulpits who shall not bee made answerable and lyable to the law for what they have spoken when they shall bee accused before the judge ordinar To the sixteenth it is denyed The seventeenth Balmerinoch was already cleared that he was not the cause of their stay and those that did stop them did it for the reasons contained in the paper herewith given in To the last as we are most unwilling to fall upon any question which may seeme to import the least contradiction with his Majestie so if it had not been the trust which wee gave to the relation of our Commissioners who did report to us his Majesties gracious expressions related daily to us at Dunce and put in note by many of our number which were a great deal more satisfactorie to us then the written Declaration the same would not have been acceptable which did call the Assembly pretended our humble and loyall proceedings disorders our courses disagreeable to Monarchicall government nor the castle of Edinburgh randred which was onely taken for the safetie of the towne of Edinburgh simply without assurance by writ of their indemnitie except for the trust we reposed in their relation and confidence in his Majesties royall word which we beleeve they did not forget but will bring those who did heare the treatie to a right remembrance thereof which paper was onely written for that cause lest either his Majestie or his Subjects should averre that they spake any thing without warrant After these answers were received by his Majestie and our petition of an Assembly and Parliament granted wee never did fear or imagine that we should be challenged any more of not performing on our part the articles of pacification yet is the accusation now renewed more odiously then before and our answers suppressed as if they never had been made or received which layeth a necessity on us to take a second view of both that our fidelitie in performing what in the integritie of our hearts was promised and our detestation of the wickednesse of falshood and breach of faith as contrarie to the clear and round dealing of our progenitors to the nature of the cause and truth for which we have run the hazard of all that we are and have in the world and to the duetie of faithfull Subjects may be known to all men who will not turn their back upon the Sunne and love not darknesse more then light How far we were from any scandalous protestation tending to his Majesties dishonour or to encourage the Subjects to mutinie with which we are burthened at the publishing of his Majesties will at the Camp before the disbanding of our forces and how unjustly this is laid to our charge will appear by the naked representation of what passed at that time First we witnessed our thankfulnesse for his Majesties justice and goodnesse and next our care to keep our selves from perfidiousnesse against God which cannot be dishonourable to the civil government and whereofour Commissioners made open profession before his Majestie Nothing was done at this time which was not done before at his Majesties Camp and which was not very many times acknowledged after by his Majesties Commissioner in the Assembly But the Paper will best speak truth Information against all mistaking of his Majesties Declaration LEst his Majesties Declaration of the date 18 June containing the answer to our humble desires presented by our Commissioners should bee either mistaken by the well affected or wilfully misconstrued by the malicious whereby his Majesties justice and goodnesse may be concealed or his Majesties good Subjects may appeare to have done or admitted any point contrair to their solemne oath and Covenant The Generall Noblemen Barons Burgesses Ministers and Officers conveened at Dunce before the dissolving of the Armie have thought necessarie to put in writ what was related to them by the Commissioners from his Majestie To wit that as his Majestie declared that he could not acknowledge nor approve the late generall Assembly at Glasgow for which cause it is called in his Majesties Declaration A pretended Assembly So was it not his Majesties minde that any of the petitioners by their acceptance of the said Declaration should be thought to disapprove or part from the same or condemne their owne proceedings as disorders and disobedient courses And therefore as they do intreat all his Majesties good Subjects with most submissive and heartie thanksgiving to acknowledge and confesse his Majesties favour in indicting a free Assembly to be keeped August 6. and a Parliament August 20. for ratifying of what shall be concluded in the Assembly as the proper and most powerfull means to settle this Kirk and Kingdome So would they have all his Majesties Subjects to know that by accepting the said Declaration and articles of pacification joyned therwith they did not in any sort or degree disclaime or disavow the said Assembly but that they still stand oblidged to adhere thereunto and to obey and maintain the same and for preventing all mistaking and misconstruction that so much be made known to all persons and in all places where his Majesties declaration shall be published which as it is his Majesties own minde expressed diverse times to our Commissioners so are we assured that it will serve much for his Majesties honour for the satisfaction of the godly and for the promoving of this blessed pacification for which all of us ought earnestly to pray to God to remember also our late oath and Covenant and to walk worthie of it And to beseech the Lord that by the approaching Assembly and Parliament Religion and righteousnesse may be established in the land 2. The paper containing some of his Majesties expressions in the
secondly desire that his Majestie would be pleased to declare and assure That it is his Royall will that all matters Ecclesiasticall be determined by the Assemblies of the Kirk and matters civill by the Parliament and other inferiour Judicatories established by Law because wee know no other way for preservation of our Religion and Lawes and because matters so different in their nature ought to be treated respectivê in their own proper Judicatories It was also desired that Parliaments might be holden at set times as once in two or three yeares by reason of his Majesties personall absence which hindereth the Subjects in their complaints and grievances to have immediat accesse unto his Majesties presence And where his Majestie requires us to limite our desires to the injoying of our Religion and Liberties according to the Ecclesiasticall and civill Lawes respectivè Wee are heartily content to have the occasion to declare That we never intended further then the enjoying of our Religion and Liberties And that all this time past it was farre from our thoughts and desires to diminish the Royall authoritie of our native King and dread Soveraigne or to make any invasion upon the Kingdome of England which are the calumnies forged and spread against us by the malice of our adversaries and for which wee humbly desire That in his Majesties justice they may have their own censure and punishment Thirdly we desired a blessed pacification and did expresse the most readie and powerfull meanes which we could conceive for bringing the same speedily to passe leaving other meanes serving for that end to his Majesties Royall consideration and great wisedome Before his Majestie gave an answer to our above written desires Three Querees were read out of a paper by his Majesty to our Commissioners Vnto which they gave a present answer by word and at his Majesties instance prepared their answers to be exhibite in writ but they were not called for THE QUEREES 1. WHether we acknowledge the Kings Majestie to have the sole indiction of Assemblies 2. Whether his Majesty hath a negative voyce in Assemblies 3. Whether his Majestie hath the power of raising Assemblies ANSWERS 1. THat it is proper for the Generall Assemblie it selfe to determine questions of this kind and it were usurpation in us which might bring upon us the just censure of the Generall Assemblie to give out a determination 2. The answering of one of those three demands is the answering of all for if the sole indiction belong to his Majestie there needeth no question about the negative voice and dissolving of Assemblies Next if his Majestie hath a negative voice there needeth no question anent the indiction and dissolving and if his Majestie may discharge the Assemblie there needes no question about the other two For our parts we humbly acknowledge that the Kings Majestie hath power to indict the Assemblies of the Kirk and when in his wisedome he thinkes convenient he may use his authoritie in conveening Assemblies of all sorts whether generall or particular Wee acknowledge also that the solemne and publick indiction by way of Proclamation and compulsion belongeth properly to the Magistrate and can neither bee given to the Pope nor to any forraigne power nor can it without usurpation bee claymed by any of his Majesties subjects But wee will never thinke that his Majestie meaneth that in the case of extream or urgent necessitie the Kirk may not by her self conveene continue and give out her own constitutions for the preservation of Religion 1. Because God hath given power to the Kirk to conveene The Sonne of God hath promised his assistance to them being conveened and the Christian Kirk hath in all ages used this as the ordinary and necessary meane for uniforme establishing of Religion and Pietie and for removing of the evills of heresie scandals others of that kind which must be and would bring the Kirk to be no more if by this powerfull remedie they were not cured and prevented 2. According to this divine right the Kirk of Scotland hath keeped her Generall Assemblies with a blessing from Heaven for while our Assemblies continued in strength the doctrine worship and discipline the unitie and peace of the Kirk continued in vigour Pietie and Learning were advanced and profanitie and idlenesse censured 3. The Kirk of Scotland hath declared that all Ecclesiasticall Assemblies have power to conveene lawfully together for treating of things concerning the Kirk and pertaining to their charge and to appoint times and places to that effect 4. The libertie of this Kirk for holding Assemblies is also acknowledged by Parliament and ratified by acts thereof which is manifest by the act of Parliament holden in anno 1592. and that upon the ground of perpetuall reason 5. Because there is no ground either by act of Assembly or Parliament or any preceeding practise whether in the Christian Kirk of old or in our Kirk since the reformation whereby the Kings Majestie may dissolve the Generall assembly or assume unto himselfe a negative voyce but upon the contrary his Majesties prerogative is declared by act of Parliament to be nowayes prejudiciall to the priviledges and Liberties which God hath granted to the spirituall office-bearers of his Kirk which are most frequently ratified in Parliament and especially in the Parliament last holden by his Majestie 6. By this meane the whole frame of Religion and Kirk Jurisdiction shall depend absolutely upon the pleasure of the Prince whereas his Majestie hath declared by publick Proclamation in England that the Jurisdiction of Kirk men in their meetings and courts holden by them doeth not flow from his Majesties authoritie notwithstanding any act of Parliament which hath been made to the contrary but from themselves and their own power and that they hold their courts and meetings is their own name After much agitation and many consultations his Majesties Declaration touching the intended pacification was read to our Commissioners who upon their dislike and exceptions taken both at matter and expressions as contrary to our minds and prejudiciall to our cause did humbly remonstrat that the Declaration as it was conceived could not give satisfaction to us from whom they were sent His Majesty was graciously pleased to command some words to be deleted other words to be changed and many parts thereof were by verball promises and interpretation from his Majesties own mouth mitigated which in our estimation were equall to that which was written some of the Counsellours of England assuring our Commissioners that what was spoken and promised before men of honour and in the face of two Armies was no lesse certain and would no doubt be as really performed as if it had been written in capitall Letters which therefore were diligently observed carefully remembred and punctually related by our Commissioners at their delivering of his Majesties Declaration to us And without which wee nor could nor would have condescended and consented to the articles of the Declaration more then we could or
seen betwixt the declaration which was made by us in the Parliament-house and that which was printed by his Majesties authority we mean not escapes of the Printer but willfull errours of the Author that no man may any more be ignorant how far the King there and the Kingdome here are abused we suppose the Reader to be honest and judicious that we need not insist in exponing the causes why such and such parts of our Declaration are left out and therfore will content our selves to describe the words and clauses which are past over in a smal Character The Declaration of the Estates of Parliament concerning the prorogation of the Parliament c. WE Noblemen Barons and Burgesses Commissioners of shyres and Burrowes conveined in this suprcame Court of Parliament by his Majesties solemne indiction and holden by John Earle of Traquair his Majesties high Commissioner do with all dutifull and loyall respect unto the Kings most Excellent Majesty and with our best affections to the preservation of the Body of this Kingdome which we now represent make known that where contrary to the malignant disposition and the wicked devises and practises of some of our disnatured Countreymen and their complices his Majesties face did not only begin to shine upon us to the calming of all these tempests and troubles which were at fiâ—st raised by their own inventions and innovations of Religion but his Majesty did also with advise of the Counsâ—llours of both Kingdoms declare and assure that it was his Royall will and pleasure for afterward That all matters Ecclesiasticall should be determined by the Assemblies of the Kirk and matters civill by Parliament and other inferiour judicatories established by Law which was and is the summe of our whole desires and therfore was pleased to indict a free Generall Assembly to be conveined at Edinburgh the 12 of August for setling the peace of the Kirk and a Parliament to be holden 26. August for ratifying the constitutions of the Assembly and for setling such other things as may conduce for the peace and good of the Kingdome And because his Majesty could not be present in his own Royall person which was our earnest desire and had been our great delight It pleased his Majesty so far to tender the minds of his well meaning subjects as to promise unto them a Commissioner instructed with full power to bring matters to a finall conclusion both in Assembly and Parliament against all fears offrustration and jealousies of prorogation or delayes And forsameekle as John Earle of Traquair his Majesties Commissioner honoured with a most ample Commission according to his Majesties Royall word having closed the Assembly and having sitten with us in Parliament a very long time for debating and preparing such articles as were to bee presented in face of Parliament doth now take upon him and that without the consent of the Estates and without any offence on their part who have endeavoured in all their proceedings to witnesse their loyaltie to the King and duety to his Grace as representing his Majesties sacred person to prorogate the Parliament upon a private warrant procured by sinister information against his Majesties publick Patent under the Great Seale and that upon pretence of a clause in the Commission under the quarter Seal which was only for fencing continuing of the Courttill the down-sitting of the Parliament and that even by representation of the Estates who now being present themselves cannot be represented by Commissioners but doe directly dis-assent which warrant is now expyred in it self and is not renewed under the quarter Seal whereby hee doth heavily offend all his Majesties good Subjects and indanger the peace of the whole Kingdome for which he must be lyable to his Majesties Royall animadversion and to the censure of the Parliament this being a new and unusuall way withour precedent in this Kingdome contrary to his Majesties honour so farre ingaged for present ratifying of the acts of the Kirk contrary to the Lawes Liberties and perpetuall practice of the Kingdome by which all continuations of Parliament once called conveened and begun to sit have ever been made with expresse consent of the Estates as may bee seen in the reigne of K. Jam. 6. Q. Mary K. Jam. 5. K. Jam. 4. K. Jam. 3. K. Jam. 2. K. Jam. 1. and so forth upward in all the printed and written Records of Parliament contrair to the publick peace both of the Kirk and Kingdome which by reason of the present condition therof and the great confusion like to ensue cannot endure so long delay and which is to the advantage of our malicious adversaries who for their own ends are uncessantly seeking all occasions by dividing betwixt the King and the Kingdome to bring both to utter ruine and desolation THEREFORE Wee the Estates of Parliament out of our zeale to acquite our selves according to our place both to the Kings Majesty whose honour at all times but especially conveined in Parliament we ought to have in high estimation and to the Kingdome which we represent and whose Liberties shall never be prostitute nor vilâ—fied by us are constrained in this extremity to manifâ—st and declare to all men who shall hear of our proceeding that as we have not given the least cause or smallest occasion of this unexpected and unexemplified prorogation So we judge and know the same to bee contrair to the constitution and practises of all preceeding Parliaments contrair to the Liberties of this free and ancient Kingdome and very repugnant to his Majesties Royall intentions promises and gracious expressions in the articles of the late pacification which we trust will be no sooner presented to his Majesties equitable consideration but the adversaries who have informed against us shall be driven from his Majesties presence and receive their deserved recompence of reward And wee doe further declare that any prorogation made by the Commissioners Grace alone without consent of the Parliament by himselfe or any Commissioner in his name or under the quarter Seal or by the Lords of the Councell who have no power at all in matter of the Parliament during the sitting thereof shall be ineffectuall and of no force at all to hinder the lawfull proceedings of the Subjects and the doers thereof to be censurable in Parliament And farther we declare that the Commissioner his nomination of the articles by himself his calling together these articles and commanding them to sit continually and proceed notwithstanding their day lie protestations to the contrair his keeping frequent Sessions of Councell and determining causes in Councell during the time of the Session in Parliament his calling down and calling up of money enduring the Session of the Parliament without consent of the Estates of Parliament notwithstanding that the Parliament had taken the money to their consideration and had purpose to have given their advice for a determination there-anent his frequent prorogating the ryding of the Parliament without consent of the Estates or mentioning
Commissioners subscription is declared to be one and the same with that of 1580. which giveth no warrant to such actions as ours are Where fiâ—st we desire it to be known universally that the Earle of Traquair his Majesties Commissioner did subscribe the Confession of Faith and Covenant with the explanation of the Assembly First in the house of Parliament in presence of the Lords of articles Septemb 6. both as Commissioner with the declaration made in the Assembly to be prefixed to his subscription and as Traquair simplie as other subjects have done Next that he subscribed the Covenant in the new house of Exchecquer as a Counsellour with other prime Lords of Counsell Roxburgh Lawderdaile Southesk and many others and that without any Declaration at all even the Marques of Huntlie shew his desire to subscribe with others but that he would have done it with protestation of his liberty outwith the Kingdome which the Ministers who were present to take the oath and subscription of the Lords could not admit But neither his Lordship nor any other pretended any scruple either in Religion or civill obedience to the King against their subscription so that neither in the Assembly nor in the Parliament-meeting of the articles nor at the Councell Table was there any suspition of treasonable combination against the King from this subscription Secondly if both that of the 1580. and this of 1638. be one then certainly this hath no more then that and that hath no lesse then this Neither is there any other difference of the one from the other but as was expressed in our Protestation Septemb. 22. 1638. such as is of a march stone hid in the ground and uncovered c. for this end and for giving full satisfaction to authority these words Wee have sworne and doe sweare not onely our mutuall concurrence and assistance for the cause of Religion c. but also that wee shall concurre with our friends and familiars in quiet manner or in armes as wee shall be required of his Majesty his Councell or any having his authority in every cause that may concerne his Majesties honour according to the Lawes of this Kingdome and the duetie of good Subjects c. are insert in the Supplication of the Generall Assembly first part of this representation pag. 48. Our third objection is That the demands proponed by us in Parliament are but matters in fieri which is so praegnant that it cannot be answered if it be considered as it was modestly proponed and very truly exponed by our Commissioners in their proceedings pag. 45 46. for many demands may be made to the articles which may be rejected by them and many things may be concluded in articles to be proponed to the Parliament which in face of Parliament being disputed may be judged inconvenient Demands are not definitions nor propositions to be accompted conclusions Things done by men must be in fieri before they be in facto esse every conception cometh not to the rypenesse to be a birth BY that which we have said we believe we are free before and in the Assembly and Parliament of insolencies and the heavy censures of Rebellion and Treason which are so ordinarily and at every other word thundered out that they are become the lesse formidable unto us who desire that all our actions and proceedings in this cause may be seen in their own colours and who are supported with this inward testimony that we fear God and still honour the King although nothing can proceed from us which will please our adversaries except we will follow their rules which are not unlike those of the Jesuits found at Padua when they were expelled the territory of Venice One of them was that men should take heed that they presse or inculcat not too much the Grace of God Another was that men must beleeve the Hierarchicall Church although it tell us that that is black which our ey judgeth to be white Vnto which we may adde the third invented by Ignatius Loyola of blinde obedience which we have no mind to practise because it is repugnant to the essence of the vertue of obedience which proceedeth from knowledge and election We intreat our adversaries to shew us in good earnest and not by way of railing In what sense have we incurred the censure of Rebellion and Treason in the Assembly as is alledged pag. 52. The Assembly was conveened by his Majesties authority countenanced from the beginning to the end by his Majesties high Commissioner all things were done with high respect to the Kings Majestie and with frequent prayers for his happines Nothing was put in deliberation till it was first proponed to his Majesties Commissioner nor any thing determined without his advice consent and approbation all was done in that order and decencie which this Nation out of use of Assemblies through the tiranny of Prelats usurping the jurisdiction of the Kirk could attain unto at the first or second time and all was closed with rejoycing in God and with many praises and prayers for the King under whose Majestie the Commissioner also had his own part And yet in the Assembly we must be guilty of Rebellion and Treason We cannot be mooved to think but the mitre of an usurping Prelat by the authority of a Nationall Councell may be thrown to the ground without the violation or smallest touch of the Crown or Scepter of Imperiall Majesty because we deny both the Tenets of the Romanists One that the temporall power of Princes is directly subordinat and subject unto persons Ecclesiasticall as having all power given them of God Another of such of them as are touched with a little shame that the temporall authority doeth not reside in persons Ecclesiasticall but is given unto them indirectly as necessar for the Spirituall which is but a shift and a difference of words what then should our judgment be of unlawfull and usurping prelats and popâ—lâ—ngs may be easily known by others or if need were made known by our selves if this were not a digression onely this much we intended that to dethrone a prelat and to over-turn prelacie we judge it no Treason against the King And so we come to the answer of the third part of the Declaration touching our faults since the Parliament Not three or foure but Ten transgressions and exorbitancies are here libelled against us The first three are the provyding of men munition and moneyes for our own defence which in us who are the Estates of a free Kingdome is held lawfull by the Law of God and Nature by our acts of Parliament by the practise of other reformed Kirks by the testimony of famous Divines by the assistance contributed by our own Princes to other Kirks and States invaded and distressed and we adde by the judgment of many amongst our selves who in the beginning of our troubles and before the late pacification had about this their own scruples wherein since considering what is done in England for
advancing of Popâ—rie and what is done at home expresly against the articles of the pacification they rest perfectly satisfied If the defence be lawful the hands of men and the aide of moneys are necessary adminicles which all the Subjects do acknowledge and therfore contribute most willingly without the least exception except of some few not against the thing it self but against their stint and proportion which yet is lesse quarrelled in this then it hath been at any time in ordinary Subsidies or taxes It is known to the world that Scotland hath no Treasures whereof to boast but on the contrary if we be blocked up we will be necessitated either to famish or to fight our selves free And although we had the treasures of Craesus or Darius we would not put our trust in them The sentence of Q Curtius which after him is become common in the world crying up moneys above the just value that they are the Sinewes of warre is upon good grounds by wise men and upon better experience recalled and exploded The sinewes of this warre if a warre shall be must be a good cause good consciences and Souldiours stout and fearing GOD who cannot bee found out by gold but will be able to find out gold as some writers about this have spoken well Our fourth Transgression is from our papers and pamphlets and namely against an Information from the Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland to the Kingdome of England Many things have been written on both sides but in very different manner inasmuch as the writings of the prelats and their partisans are full of railings detractions injuries and slanders against this Kingdome and full of sedition to stirre up our King against us much written that our defence is unlawfull nothing against the unlawfulnesse of the invasion But our writings are full of al kinds of reverence to the Kings Majesty and of respect to the English Nation pressing the matter in hand without digression or falling from the purpose upon the persons of men further then the action intended against our adversaries the authors of all these evills did inforce us The for me of answering our Information not by evidencing any untruth or undutifulnesse in it but by Proclamation and by fire and faggot is indeed for the time the most easie the most compendious and the most affrighting way to the poore ignorant multitude But England can tell that the truth cannot be consumed by fire but will rise more pure and clear out of the ashes and flye with multiplyed wings further abroad in the world then before We might also without presumption have expected that an Information coming not from a particular person or society but from a Kingdome would have found with the Councell of England some better entertainment But we trust our Informations will be more precious in the sight of our friends who know through what difficulties they make their journey and what acceptance they find at their arrivall The next three Transgressions are about the Castle of Edinburgh and certain Fortifications Out-rages and violences we have committed against none of that Castle but many have we endured out of a desire and hope of peace and for them have returned courtesies and favours Materials to the Castle were not denyed till by boasting profession was made of that which wee might have known before that it was to be turned against our selves and the Town neither then were they altogether denyed so farre as our own necessary use of materialls would permit Neither was any work raysed against the Castle but a Rampier onely for defence of a Court d' guard till violence was done from the Castle Our desire and hope of peace and our unwillingnesse by the smallest breach to lose the thankes of our former obedience have mooved us to supererogate and to doe more then wee were oblidged but have not suffered us to be deficient It is rather to bee wondered at that wee have done so much to make up a Fortification against our selves and to put weapons in the hands of our enemies then to bee reprooved that we have done no more The eight concerning the Lord of Southesk and no other of quality except Sir Lewes Stewart we remit to the information of their own Letters come to his Majesties knowledge The carriage of Noblemen of Barons and of the Magistrats of the town of Edinburgh upon the harmlesse accident of their surprizall by the multitude doth rather deserve thanks then challenge from themselves or any other as is contained in our Remonstrance pag. 32. their safety in the time and their Liberty granted them since how soon they could be in safety are reall testimonies that no evill was meant against them We would not have it supposed that we do all that we are able to do or what we do for good that it is done for evill The ninth concerning the rendring of the Towne of Edinburgh into the hands of a Committee and therby the incurring the guilt of high Treason we wonder how any should be found so wicked as to invent it and much more if his Majesty or any wise or good man can be moved to believe it They have the honour to be the first Citty of this his Majesties Kingdome and as a principall member do joyn in this common cause of mutuall defence but neither know of any such usurping Committee nor of submission to any power beside that of their Soveraigne Lord and King how ready the Magistrats and whole Body of that Town have been to all good offices for his Majesties honour how far they have strained and spent themselves upon publick works for the honour of the Kingdome how difficult commandements they have obeyed at his Majesties pleasure and how they have omitted nothing which they conceived could be brought within the compasse of the duty of humble and faithfull Subjects These who somtime professed themselves to be their friends but are now become their enemies can bear witnesse We may truly with them and in their name honour them with this testimony that as it is his Majesties glory to have one prime City in this his Kingdome so have they beside all other respects by their affections and deportments deserved to be the first and to have a better place in his Majesties estimation then to be suspect of Rebellion or Treason Declarations of this kind are devised to be divisions betwixt the King and his best Subjects The Tenth Transgression is keeped to the last place Decumanus fluctus as a great wave to over whelme us and our Cause But we have no fear so long as we saile in the ship of a good conscience which by no surge or storme can be wrecked This is that French Letter so much talked of and insisted upon as to open a gate to let in forrain power to rule over England and our selves which by what consequence it can be inferred we would fain know when a people is sore distressed by sea and land is