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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30389	The memoires of the lives and actions of James and William, Dukes of Hamilton and Castleherald, &c. in which an account is given of the rise and progress of the civil wars of Scotland, with other great transactions both in England and Germany, from the year 1625, to the year 1652 : together with many letters, instructions, and other papers, written by King Charles the I : never before published : all drawn out of, or copied from the originals / by Gilbert Burnet ; in seven books.	Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649. Selections. 1677.	1677 (1677)	Wing B5832; ESTC R15331	511,397	467

Chirnside Linlithgow Aberdeen and divers more How can these men now elected be thought fit to be Ruling-elders who were never Elders before all or most part of them being chosen since the Indiction of the Assembly some of them but the very day before the Election of their Commissioners which demonstrates plainly that they were chosen onely to serve their Associates turn at this Assembly Since the Institution of Lay-elders by your own Principles is to watch over the Manners of the People in the Parish in which they live how can any man be chosen a Ruling-elder from a Presbytery who is not an inhabitant within any Parish of that Presbytery as hath been done in divers Elections against all Law Sense or Reason By what Law or Practice was it ever heard that young Noblemen or Gentlemen or others should be chosen Rulers of the Church being yet Minors and in all Construction of Law thought unfit to manage their own private Estates unless you will grant that men of meaner Abilities may be thought fit to rule the Church which is the House of God than are fit to rule their own private Houses Families and Fortunes By what Law can any Ruling-elder be sent to a Presbytery to give Vote in any thing especially in chusing Commissioners for the General Assembly who is not chosen for that purpose by the Session of that Parish in which he is a Ruling-elder And who gave power to the Minister of every Parish to bring with him to the Presbytery for that purpose any Ruling Elder of his Parish whom he pleased But it is well known that divers Elders gave Votes in these Presbyteries to the Elections of some Commissioners here who were not chosen by the Sessions of their several Parishes to give Votes in those Presbyteries and therefore such Commissioners as were chosen by such Lay-elders can have no Vote here By what Law or Practice have the several Parishes or Presbyteries chosen As●essors to their Ruling-elders without whose consent some of the Commissioners here present are sworn not to vote to any thing This introducing of Ruling-elders is a burthen so grievous to the Brethren of the Ministry that many of the Presbyteries have protested against it for the time to come some for the present as shall appear by divers Protestations and Supplications ready to be here exhibited For the Ministers chosen Commissioners hither besides that the fittest are passed by and some chosen who were never Commissioners of any Assembly before that so they might not stand for their own Liberty in an Assembly of the nature whereof they are utterly ignorant choice hath been also made of some who are under the Censure of the Church of some who are deprived by the Church of some who have been banished and put out of the University of Glasgow for teaching their Scholars that Monarchies were unlawful some banished out of this Kingdom for their Seditious Sermons and Behaviour and some for the like Offences banished out of another of His Majesties Kingdoms Ireland some lying under the fearful Sentence of Excommunication some having no Ordination nor Imposition of Hands some admitted to the Ministry contrary to the standing Laws of this Church and Kingdom all of them chosen by Lay-elders what a Scandal were it to the Reformed Churches to allow this to be a lawful Assembly consisting of such Members and so unlawfully chosen Of this Assembly divers who are chosen are at the * That is under a Writ of Outlawry Horn and so by the Laws of this Kingdom are uncapable of sitting as Judges in any Judicatory Three Oaths are to be administred to every Member of this Assembly the Oath for the Confession of Faith lately renewed by His Majesties Commandment the Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy and whosoever shall refuse any of these cannot be a Judge in any Judicatory of this Kingdom and therefore resolve presently whether you will take them or not You have cited the Reverend Prelats of this Land to appear before you by a way unheard-of not only in this Kingdom but in the whole Christian World their Citations being read in the Pulpits which is not usual in this Church nay and many of them were read in the Pulpits after they had been delivered into the Bishops own hands How can His Majesty deny unto them being His Subjects the benefit of His Laws in declining all those to be their Judges who by their Covenant do hold the principal thing in question to wit Episcopacy to be abjured as many of you do or any of you to be their Judges who do adhere to your last Protestation wherein you declare that it is an Office not known to this Kingdom although at this present it stand established both by Acts of Parliaments and Acts of General Assemblies Who ever heard of such Judges as have sworn themselves Parties And if it shall be objected that the Orthodox Bishops in the first four and other General Councils could not be denied to be competent Judges of the Hereticks though beforehand they had declared their Judgments against their Heresies it is easily answered that in matters of Heresie no man must be patient since in Fundamental points of Faith a man cannot be indifferent without the hazard of his Salvation and therefore must declare himself to be on Christs side or else he is against him but in matters of Church-government and Policy which by the Judgment of this Church in the 21th Article of our Confession is alterable at the will of the Church it is not necessary for any man who means to be a Judge to declare himself especially against that Government which stands established by Law at the time of his Declaration being not onely not necessary but likewise not lawful for him at that time so to doe now this Declaration all you who adhere to the last Protestation have made even since you meaned to be the Bishops Judges Besides even those Orthodox Fathers never did declare themselves against the Hereticks their Persons or Callings by Oaths and Protestations as you have done for that had been a prejudging in them and this prejudging in you makes you now to be incompetent Judges Upon the whole matter then there are but two things left for me to say first you your selves have so proceeded in the business of this Assembly that it is impossible the fruits so much wished and prayed for can be obtained in it because standing as it does it will make this Church ridiculous to all the Adversaries of our Religion it will grieve and wound all our Neighbour Reformed Churches who hear of it it will make His Majesties Justice to be traduced throughout the whole Christian World if he should suffer His Subjects in that which concerns their Callings their Reputations and their Fortunes to be judged by their sworn Enemies If therefore you will dissolve your selves and amend all these errours in a new Election I will with all convenient speed address my self to

in force if they were revived and by His Majesties Authority appointed to be keeped at the ordinary times and if one at His Majesties first opportunity and so soon as may be conveniently should be indicted Kirkmen might be tried in their Life Office or Benefice and keeped in order without trouble to His Majesty and without offence to the People the present Evils might be speedily helped to His Majesties great honour and content and to the preservation of the Peace of the Kirk and these courses might be stopped afterwards and on the contrary while Kirkmen escape their due Censure and matters of the Worship of God are imposed without the consent of the free Assemblies of the Kirk they will ever be suspected to be unsound and corrupt as shunning to be tried by the Light to the continual entertaining of heart-burnings amongst the People and to the hindrance of that chearfulness of obedience which is due and from our Hearts we wish may be rendred to the Kings Majesty If according to the Law of Nature and Nations to the Custom of all other Kingdoms and the laudable example of His Majesties worthy Progenitors in the like cases of National Grievances or of Commotions and Fears of a whole body of a Kingdom His Majesty should be graciously pleased to call a Parliament for the timeous hearing and redressing of the just Grievances of the Subjects for removing of their common Fears and for renewing and establishing such Laws as in time coming may prevent the one and the other and may serve to the good of the Kirk and the Kingdom that the Peace of both might be firmly settled and mens minds now so awakened might be easily pacified and all our Tongues and Pens are not able to represent what would be the joyful Acclamations and hearty Wishes of so loyal and loving a People for His Majesties Happiness and how heartily bent all sorts would be found to bestow their Fortunes and Lives in His Majesties Service The more particular Notes of all things expedient for the well of the Kirk and Kingdom for His Majesties honour and satisfaction and for extinguishing of the present Combustion may be given in to be considered in the Assembly and Parliament Those Bishops who stayed in Scotland sent up also one Learmonth to the Archbishop of Saint Andrews then at London with their Complaints and Grievances which are also set down according to the Original ARTICLES of Information to Mr. Andrew Learmonth for my Lord Archbishop of Saint Andrews the Bishop of Ross c. and in their absence for my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace YOu shall show their Lordships How they have changed the Moderator of the Presbytery of Edinburgh The Complaints of the Clergy and are going on in changing all the Moderators in the Kingdom How they have abused Doctor Ogstone the ninth of May in Edinburgh Mr. George Hannay at Torphichen the sixth of May Doctor Lamond at Markinch the ninth of May Mr. Robert Edward at Kirkmichael whom Kilkerrin is forced to entertain at his own House That the Presbytery of Hadingtown have given Imposition of Hands to Mr. John Ker's Son to be his Collegue without the knowledge of the Bishop and likewise the Presbytery of Kircaldy to Mr. John Gillespy's Son to the Church of the Weemes and the Presbytery of Dumfrice to one Mr. John Wier to the Church of Morton within two miles of Drumlanerick and that they of Dumfermline have admitted Mr. Samuel Row a Minister banished from Ireland to be helper to Mr. Henry Mackgill and they of Air Mr. Robert Blair to be helper to Mr. William Annand and that the Town of Dumfrice have made choice of Mr. James Hamilton to be their Minister and the Town of Kirkudbright one Mr. John Macklennan all of them banished from Ireland and Mr. Samuel Rutherford is returned and settled in his Place and they intend to depose Mr. John Trotter Minister at Dirleuton and how they intended to use the Regents That the Council of Edinburgh have made choice of Mr. Alexander Henderson to be helper to Mr. Andrew Ramsay and intend to admit him without advice or consent of the Bishop That the Ministers of Edinburgh who have not subscribed the Covenant are daily reviled and cursed to their Faces and their Stipends are withheld and not payed and that all Ministers who have not subscribed are in the same case and condition with them That they hound out rascally Commons on men who have not subscribed the Covenant as Mr. Samuel Cockburn did one John Shaw at Leith That His Majesty would be pleased by his Letters to discharge the Bishop of Edinburgh to pay any Prebend-fee to those who have subscribed the Covenant as also by His Royal Letters to discharge the Lords of Session to grant any Process against the Bishop for their Fees That His Majesty would be pleased in the Articles of Agreement with the Nobility to see honest men who shall happen in this tumultuous time to be deposed from their Places restored and settled in them and others that are violently thrust in removed and that the wrongs done to them be repaired That if it shall happen His Majesty to take any violent course for repressing these Tumults and Disorders which God forbid that in that case their Lordships would be pleased to supplicate His Majesty that some speedy course may be taken for securing of the persons of these honest men who stand for God and His Majesty Signed Da. Edin Ja. Dumblanen Ja. Lismoren Ja. Hannay Da. Michell Da. Fletcher The King resolves to gain his Subjects by redressing their Grievances All these matters being considered though there were grounds enough to have provoked a less Gracious Prince to have proceeded against the Covenanters by the extreme course of Rigour and Authority and there were some who advised him to it yet such was his innate love to that His Ancient and Native Kingdom that he resolved to leave no mean unessayed before he should proceed to a Rupture with them He also well foresaw that it would not prove so easie a Work as some would have perswaded him the greatest part on the South of Tay being confederate and resolved to stand to their Defence at all hazards neither was England too well fixed in their obedience as the following Wars did sadly prove and so there were small grounds to expect any heartiness from them for such a Work and calls the Bishops to his Closet All this being weighed His Majesty called to His Closet the Archbishops of Canterbury and St. Andrews and the Bishops of Galloway Brechin and Ross the Marquis being there before they came and to all these the King declared the choice he had made and that he intended to send the Marquis to Scotland with the Character of High Commissioner for establishing the Peace of the Country and the good of the Church St. Andrews said he approved the Choice and hoped for good success My Lord of Canterbury

recommendation they were also upon all Affairs nine of them were Privy Counsellours divers of them were of the Exchequer Spottiswood Archbishop of S. Andrews was made Chancellour and Maxwell Bishop of Ross was fair for the Treasury and engaged in a high rivalry with the Earl of Traquair then Treasurer which tended not a little to help forward their Ruine And besides this they began to pretend highly to the Tithes and Impropriations and had gotten one Learmonth a Minister presented Abbot of Lindoris and seemed confident to get that State of Abbots with all the Revenue and Power belonging to it again restored into the hands of Churchmen designing also that according to the first Institution of the Colledge of Justice the half of them should be Churchmen This could not but touch many of the Nobility in the quick who were too large sharers in the Patrimony of the Church not to be very sensible of it They were no less hateful to the Ministry because of their Pride which was cried out upon as unsupportable Their Presbyters dislike them Great complaints were also generally made of Simoniacal pactions with their Servants which was imputed to the Masters as if it had been for their advantage at least by their allowance They also exacted a new Oath of Intrants besides what was in the Act of Parliament for obedience to their Ordinary in which they were obliged to obey the Articles of Perth and submit to the Liturgy and Canons They were also making daily Inroads upon their Jurisdiction of which the Ministers were very sensible and universally their great rigour against any that favoured of Puritanism together with their medling in all Secular Affairs and relinquishing their Dioceses to wait on the Court and Council made them the object of all mens fury The Liturgy is appointed for Scotland But that which heightned all to a Crisis was their advising the King to introduce some Innovations in the Church by his own Authority things had prospered so ill in General Assemblies that they thought of these no more And in the Parliament 1633. that small addition to the Prerogative that the King might appoint what Habits he pleased to the Clergy met vigorous opposition notwithstanding the King seemed much concerned for it those who opposed it being sharply taken up and much neglected by His Majesty which stuck deep in their hearts the Bishops bearing all the blame of it At this time a Liturgy was drawn for Scotland or rather the English reprinted with that Title save that it had some Alterations which rendred it more invidious and less satisfactory and after long consulting about it and another Book of Canons they were at length agreed to that the one should be the form of the Scotsh Worship and the other the Model of their Government which did totally vary from their former Practices and Constitutions and as if all things had conspired to carry on their Ruine the Bishops not satisfied with the general High Commission Court produced Warrants from the King for setting up such Commissions in their several Dioceses in which with other Assessors Ministers and Gentlemen all of their own nomination they might punish offenders That was put in practice onely by the Bishop of Galloway who though he was a pious and learned man yet was fiery and passionate and went so roundly to work that it was cried out upon as a yoke and bondage which the Nation was not able to bear And after all this the King advised by the Bishops commanded the Service-book to be received through Scotland and to be read according to the new book at Edinburgh on Easter-day in the year 1637. yet by the Council it was delayed till the 23th of Iuly A Tumult at reading Divine Service but then it met with a tumult from Women and the meaner sort of people whom though none owned in that Attempt yet there wanted not enough who suspected them to have been set on by others However certain it was that the constant Discourse of the discontented Ministers and Noblemen was that Popery was to be introduced and Liberties like to be destroyed and the Bishops to blame for all By such Insinuations it was that the People were animated unto an unparallelled Fury so that they threw Stools at the Dean of Edinburgh when he begun to read the Service and interrupted it often notwithstanding all the means used by the Lords of Council and Magistrates of Edinburgh to hinder it The Lords of Council as they complained to the King of this Disorder so they spared not to lay the greatest blame of it upon the Bishops which appears from the following Letter written by the Earl of Traquair to the Marquis My Noble Lord AT the meeting of the Council here at Edinburgh the 23th of this instant Traquair 's Letter about the occasion of the Troubles we found so much appearance of Trouble and Stir like to be amongst people of all qualities and degrees upon the urging of this new Service-book that we durst no longer forbear to acquaint His Majesty therewith and humbly to represent both our Fears and our opinions how to prevent the Danger at least our opinions of the way we would wish His Majesty should keep therein or before he determine what course to take for pacifying of the present Stir or establishing of the Service-book hereafter wherein all I will presume to adde to what the Council hath written is to intreat your Lordship to recommend to His Majesty that if he be pleased to call to himself any of the Clergie he would make choice of some of them of the wisest and most calm Dispositions for certainly some of the leading men amongst them are so violent and forward and many times without ground or true judgment that their want of right understanding how to compass business of this nature and weight does often breed us many difficulties and their rash and foolish Expressions and sometimes Attempts both in private and publick have bred such a Fear and Iealousie in the hearts of many that I am confident if His Majesty were rightly informed thereof he would blame them and justly think that from this and the like proceedings arises the ground of many Mistakes amongst us They complain that the former Ages have taken from them many of their Rents have robb'd them of their Power and Iurisdiction and even in the Church it self and Form of Gods Worship have brought in some things that require Reformation but as the deeds of these Times at least the beginnings thereof were full of notour and tumultuary disorder so shall I never think it will prove for the good either of Gods Service or the Kings by the same ways or manner of dealing to press to rectifie what was then done amiss We have a wise and judicious Master who will nor can urge nothing in this poor Kingdom which may not be brought to pass to his contentment and I am most confident if he shall

Duke of Hamilton c. LIB III. Of what passed after the Marquis laid down his Commission till July 1642. AND now I am come to a Period in the series of the Marquis his Publick Actings for this turn after which for some Years he continued at Court under the private Character of a Councellour much in His Majesties Favour The Marquis out of Publick Imployment it cannot be therefore expected that henceforth the Accounts of Scotish Affairs should be enlarged to the former Fulness since it is the Marquis his Story and not Scotland's that is undertaken to be written neither are the Materials so copious as to bear the Writer through all particulars were he so bold as to adventure on them Therefore all that shall be henceforth offered of Publick Affairs shall be onely to give the Reader such a clear prospect of the State of them that when the Marquis shall again appear in business his following Actions may hang together with his former yet the Writer will not so sullenly confine himself to a general Account but when any particulars occur wherein he is authentically informed he will truly represent them My Lord of Traquair waited upon His Majesty to Whitehall Traquair goes to Scotland whither the King came in the beginning of August and on the sixth his Commission was signed and himself dispatched to Scotland On his way he was ordered to deliver the following Letter from His Majesty to my Lord S. Andrews who was then at Newcastle in answer to an Address made by the Bishops to my Lord of Canterbury to get the Assembly prorogued It was penned by the Marquis as appears by the Brovillon of it yet extant and interlined in some places by my Lord of Canterbury CHARLES R. Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellour and Reverend Father in God We greet you well YOur Letter and the rest of the Bishops sent by the Elect of Caithnes to my Lord of Canterbury hath been shown by him to Vs and after serious Consideration of the Contents thereof We have thought fit Our Self to return this Answer to you for Direction according to Our Promise which you are to co●municate to the rest of your Brethren We do in part approve of what you have advised concerning the Prorogating of the Assembly and Parliament and must acknowledge it to be grounded upon Reason enough were Reason only to be thought on in this Business but considering the present state of Our Affairs and what We have promised in the Articles of Pacification We may not as We conceive without great prejudice to Our Self and Service condescend thereunto wherefore We are resolved nay rather necessitated to hold the Assembly and Parliament at the time and place appointed And for that end We have nominated the Earl of Traquair Our Commissioner to whom We have given Instructions not only how to carry himself at the same but a Charge also to have a special care of your Lordships and those of the inferiour Clergy who have suffered for their Duty to God and Obedience to Our Commands And We doe hereby assure you that it shall be still one of Our chiefest Studies how to rectifie and establish the Government of that Church a-right and to repair your losses which We desire you to be most confident of As for your Meeting to treat of the Affairs of the Church We do not see at this time how that can be done for within Our Kingdom of Scotland We cannot promise you any place of Safety and in any other of Our Dominions We cannot hold it convenient all things considered wherefore We conceive that the best way will be for your Lordships to give in by way of Protestation or Remonstrance your Exceptions against this Assembly and Parliament to Our Commissioner which may be sent by any mean man so he be Trusty and deliver it at his entring into the Church but We would not have it to be either read or argued in this Meeting where nothing but Partiality is to be expected but to be represented to Vs by him which We promise to take so in consideration as becometh a Prince sensible of His Own Interest and Honour joined with the equity of your Desires and you may rest secure that though perhaps We may give way for the present to that which will be prejudicial both to the Church and Our Own Government yet We shall not leave thinking in time how to remedy both We must likewise intimate unto you that We are so far from conceiving it expedient for you or any of my Lords of the Clergy to be present at this Meeting as We doe absolutely discharge your going thither and for your Absence this shall be to you and every one of you a sufficient Warrant In the interim your best Course will be to remain in Our Kingdom of England till such time as you receive Our further Order where We shall provide for your Subsistence though not in that measure as We could Wish yet in such a way as you shall not be in want Thus you have Our Pleasure briefly signified unto you which We doubt not but you will take in good part you cannot but know that what We doe in this We are necessitated to So We bid you farewell Whitehall Aug. 6. 1639. This Letter being delivered to the Bishops by the Kings Commissioner they signed the following Declinatour and put it in his hands WHereas His Majesty out of His surpassing Goodness was pleased to indict another National Assembly The Bishops Declinatour of the Assembly for rectifying the present Disorders in the Church and repealing the Acts concluded in the late pretended Assembly at Glasgow against all right and reason charging and commanding us the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of Scotland and others that have place therein to meet at Edinburgh the 12th of August instant in hopes that by a peaceable Treaty and Conference matters should have been brought to a wished Peace and Vnity and that now we perceive all these Hope 's disappointed the Authors of the present Schism and Division proceeding in their wonted courses of Wrong and Violence as hath appeared in their presumptuous Protestation against the said Indiction and in the business they have made throughout the Country for electing Ministers and Laicks of their Faction to make up the said Assembly whereby it is evident that the same or worse effects must needs ensue upon the present Meeting than were seen to follow the former We therefore the Vnder-subscribers for discharge of our Duties to God and to the Church committed to our Government under our Soveraign Lord the Kings Majesty Protest as in our former Declinatour as well for our Selves as in name of the Church of Scotland and so many as shall adhere to this our Protestation That the present pretended Assembly be holden and reputed null in Law as consisting and made up partly of Laical persons that have no Office in the Church of God partly of refractory

marks of His Majesties Favour and Confidence in the disposal of all Offices and Places at Court that every third time they should be filled with Scotish men together with other particulars not needful to be mentioned But against all this it was objected that those who had the Ascendant in the Councils at Oxford were either Papists or men of Arbitrary Principles and the Clamours that always follow Generals and Armies where there is no certain Pay were carried to Scotland not without great additions against the Kings Forces to possess people with a deep alienation from them It was likewise said that since the King notwithstanding the Declining of his Affairs in England would not grant what was desired there about Episcopacy it might be from thence gathered what he would do if his Arms were successful and therefore all People were possessed with the jealousies of his subverting the whole Settlement with Scotland assoon as he had put the War in England to a happy Conclusion And though it was answered to this that the Kings putting things to hazard rather than sin against his Conscience was the greatest assurance possible that he would faithfully observe what He had granted to this Malicious people said that it would be easie to find distinctions to escape from all Engagements and if the putting down of Episcopacy was simply sinful according to the Kings Conscience then that alone would furnish Him with a very good reason to overturn all since no Men are bound to observe the promises they make when they are sinful upon the Matter And these Reasons did generally prevail with the Covenanters to refuse to joyn with the Kings Party in England therefore they concluded it necessary to Engage with the Two Houses both because the Cause was dear to them it being a pretence for Religion and Liberty It was also said often that they owed their Settlement partly to the backwardness of the Armies the King had raised against them in England and partly to the Council of the Peers who had advised the King to grant a Treaty and afterwards a full Settlement to them And that Paper which was sent down in the Year 1640 as the Engagement of 28 of the Peers of England for their Concurrence with the Scotish Army that year was shown to divers to engage them unto a Grateful return to those to whom it was pretended they were so highly obliged For though the Earl of Rothes and a few more were well satisfied about the Forgery of that Paper yet they thought that a Secret of too great Importance to be generally known therefore it was still kept up from the Body of that Nation And upon these Pretences and Inducements it was that it came to be generally agreed to to enter into a Confederacy with the Two Houses So Fatal did the Breach between the King and his People prove that even when it seemed to be well made up by a full Agreement there was still an after-game of Jealousies and Fears which did again widen it by a new Rupture which to these men seemed at this time unavoidable otherwise they found the ease of a Neutrality to be such that the Men of the greatest Interest in those Councils have often told the Writer they had never engaged again had it not been for those Jealousies with which they were possessed to a high degree There was a Committee of Nine appointed to Treat with the Commissioners the English pressed chiefly a Civil League and the Scots a Religious one but though the English yielded to this yet they were careful to leave a door open for Independency Thus the Treaty with the English Commissioners went on notwithstanding a Letter the King wrote to the Chancellour to be communicated to the Council requiring them not to Treat with them since they came without His Majesties Order but they who had leaped over all other matters could not stand at this And now came to light that which had been a hatching these many Months among the Iunto's which was the Solemn League and Covenant which follows The Solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens and Burgesses The Solemn League and Covenant Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of Scotland England and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of GOD and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the Honour and Happiness of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdom wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to mind the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of GOD against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their Rage Power and Presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and Solemn League and Covenant Wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high GOD do Swear THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of GOD endeavour in our several Places and Callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and Vniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechising that we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to

could to the Army but he was first to go to Holland where he intended to stay some few days The Earl of Lauderdale had got Instructions from Scotland to go to the Prince of Orange and the States General to give them an account of their Affairs and to crave their Assistance in Money Arms Ammunition and Shipping to see also what Money could be borrowed upon the Publick Faith of Scotland for the prosecuting the Engagement and to desire from them the three Scotish Regiments that were then in the States Service and to settle a firm Alliance with them and from them he was to go to France with Letters to the Queen and to treat with the Queen Mother of France for the Assistance of that Nation according to the ancient Alliances between the Crowns of France and Scotland All these Instructions being communicated to his Highness he judged the Imployment might be of good use but would not let the Earl of Lauderdale leave him intending to carry him with him to Holland and was very well pleased that Sir Robert Murray was appointed to go to France in case the other went not yet he resolved to carry him along likewise to Holland Upon which the Earl of Lauderdale sent advertisement to Scotland to make ready for his Highness Reception This was done on the 20th of August and as the Prince was making ready the sad news of the Defeat of the Army was brought him so that Design vanished But in Scotland the news of the routing of the Army was received by the opposite Party with all the insultings of Joy they adding infamous opprobries to their Invectives Some observing that the Division of the Duke's Army which was its Ruin was on the 17th day of August the day in which the Covenant was first made which from thence some used to call Saint Covenants day this Conjuncture of Affairs was held a visible Declaration of Gods Displeasure for their breaking the Covenant and their Juggling in it by those who took upon them to expound all Gods Providences The Western Counties were commanded and animated to an Insurrection by the Lord Chancellour and the Earl of Eglinton together with their Ministers who came leading out whole Parishes with such Arms as could be had and when these failed with Staves and Pitch-forks and Sythes When the Resolutions for raising an Army were taken in the Parlialiament divers of the Nobility did dissent from them An Insurrection in Scotland the chief of whom were Lowdon who was then Lord Chancellour and Argyle and now Lowdon upon the notice of the misfortune in England gave out Orders for raising the Western Counties and all others who would zealously own the Covenant against the late Engagement Those that were raised were at first commanded by the Earl of Eglinton and the Marquis of Argyle made all the haste he could to come down with his Highlanders the Earl of Cassilis was slowest with his men for though he had dissented from the Engagement yet he was long unsatisfied with the Tumultariness of the Insurrection but after some times consulting about it he came up to them at Linlithgow This together with the sad account of Affairs from England did not a little disorder the Committee of Estates who as they drew a few Troops that were kept in the Country for their Guard nearer them so were not well resolved what to do They looked on the business as desperate by the ruin of the Army in England Many in the Committee of Estates incline to yield to them and though it was easie to scatter the confused Bodies were coming from the West yet they apprehended that certainly they finding their own weakness would call for the Assistance of the English Army before which they knew they could not stand Most of the Committee were men of good Estates who apprehending certain ruin to their Fortunes were resolved to see to their own Preservation the best way they could Others were much addicted to the Ministers and though they had gone along with the Service notwithstanding the opposition of the Clergy yet now that they knew they were resolved to excommunicate all who were for the Engagement their hearts failed them Many of the Ministers did also represent to them and some of their Friends that their Designs being blasted by God why should they fight any longer against him and assured them that if they would lay down Arms and accommodate matters without Blood all should go well that they would all own the Kings Quarrel according to the Covenant but if on the other hand they persisted in their opposition to the Church the English Army would be called in which would undoubtedly destroy both the Country and them These things prevailed with most of the Committee of Estates But the Earl of Lanerick opposed all these Resolutions judging it base and dishonourable to treat with those Rebels and abandon so good a Cause because of a Misfortune He thought it therefore necessary to recall Sir George Monro with his Forces and secure themselves of Sterlin and St. Iohnstoun and then to raise all the North by which they might gather a new Army and the time of the Year told them that Cromwel durst not stay long in these Parts so that upon his going to London they might make themselves Masters of Scotland and force a new Army into England the next Year Yet in this he was almost alone and many of the Committee of Estates plied him hard especially with one Argument that if more Bloud were shed in Scotland their Enemies would undoubtedly revenge themselves on his Brother and then all the World would say his Ambition to succeed him had made him contribute to his Ruin But on the other hand the Ministers and their Adherents gave great Assurances that they should procure his Brother's Liberty if matters were packt up This being constantly pressed on him he yielded to be passive and let them be doing and so after some days Debate they resolved to prosecute the Engagement no more and to pack up the business if it were possible therefore they sent the Lords of Lee and Humby to the Western Forces who were come in their March the length of Hamilton to see what their Demands were and to propose a Cessation in order to a Treaty they also sent Orders to Sir George Monro to return to Scotland But here I shall stop a little to give account of the motions of his Army in England The account of the Irish Army Musgrave had got intelligence that Cromwel with his Army was upon his March to stop the Duke's progress and had advanced the length of Skipton-Castle in Yorkshire which Advertisement was instantly dispatched to the Duke at Preston and a small Party of about forty Horse was sent under the Command of one Galbreath to examin the truth of these Reports who returned with this Account That having concealed their Party within a Hedge near that Place some of them came to a