consciences will not suffer us to imbrace and practise this urged Service VVe have this long time past winked at some former alterations being put in hope that no further novations should follow But now we being oppressed with our just feares to see our selves deprived of that libertie in serving God which ever hath beene approved by Church and Kingdome In place whereof we are now like to be constrained to imbrace another which hath neither been agitated nor received either by generall Assemblie or Parliament In such extremitie we are most humbly to supplicate your Lordship to consider our present estate and that this businesse is a matter of so great weight and consequence as should not appeare to bee a needlesse noyse of simple women but it is the absolute desire of all our hearts for preservation of true Religion amongst us which is dearer to us then either estate or life And therefore we do humbly crave that as the rest of the Kingdome so we may have a time to advise and that your Lordship may find out some way whereby wee may be delivered from the feare of this and all other innovations of this kinde and have the happinesse to injoy the true Religion as it hath beene by the great mercie of God reformed in this land and authorised by his Majestie who may long and prosperously Reigne over us And your Lordships answer Their Petition to the Councell followes My Lords of Secret Councell UNto your Lordships humbly shews VVe Noblemen Barons Ministers Burgesses and Commons That whereas we were in humble and quiet manner attending a gracious answer of our former supplications against the Service Book imposed upon us and readie to shew the great inconveniences which upon the introduction thereof must ensue we are without any knowne desert farre by our expectation surprised and charged by publike Proclamation to depart out of the town within twentie foure houres thereafter under paine of Rebellion by which peremptorie and unusuall charge our feares of a more severe and strict course of proceeding are augmented and course of our supplication interrupted wherefore we are constrained out of the deep griefe of our hearts humbly to remonstrate that whereas the Arch-bishops and Bishops of this Realme being intrusted by his Majestie with the government of the affaires of the Church of Scotland have drawne up and set forth and caused to be drawne up and set forth and injoyned upon the subjects two Books In the one whereof called the Book of Common prayer not onely are sowne the seeds of divers Superstitions Idolatrie and false doctrine contrarie to the true Religion established within this Realme by divers Acts of Parliament But also the Service Booke of England is abused especially in the matter of Communion by additions subtractions interchanging of words and sentences falsifying of titles and misplacing of Collects to the disadvantage of Reformation as the Romish Masse is in the more substantiall points made up therein as we offer to instruct in time and place convenient quite contrarie unto and for reversing the gracious intention of the blessed Reformers of Religion in England In the other book called Canons and Constitutions for the government of the Church of Scotland they have ordained That whosoever shall affirme that the forme of worship inserted in the Booke of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments whereof heretofore and now we most justly complaine doth containe any thing repugnant to the Scriptures or are corrupt superstitious or unlawfull in the service and worship of God shall be excommunicated and not be restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop of the Province after his repentance and publicke revocation of this his wicked errour Besides one hundred Canons moe many of them tending to the reviving and fostering of abolished superstitions and errours and to the overthrow of our Church Discipline established by Acts of Parliament opening a doore for what further invention of Religion they please to make and stopping the way which Law before did allow unto us for suppressing of errour and superstition And ordaining That where in any of the Canons there is no penalty expresly set down the punishment shall be arbitrary as the Bishop shall think fittest All which Canons were never seen nor allowed in any Generall Assembly but are imposed contrary to order of law appointed in this Realm for establishing Constitutions Ecclesiasticall unto which two books the foresaid Prelates have under trust procured his Majesties Royall hand and Letters Patents for pressing the same upon his loyall subjects and are the Contrivers and Devisers of the same as doth clearly appear by the Frontispice of the Book of Common Prayer and have begun to urge the acceptance of the same not onely by injunctions given in Provinciall Assemblies but also by open Proclamation and charge of Horning whereby we are driven in such straites as we must either by Processe of Excommunication and Horning suffer the ruine of our estates and fortunes or else by breach of our Covenant with God and forsaking the way of true Religion fall under the wrath of God which unto us is more grievous then death VVherefore we being perswaded that these their proceedings are contrary to our gracious Soveraign hispious intention who out of his zeale and Princely care of the preservation of true Religion established in this his ancient Kingdome hath ratified the same in his Highnesse Parliament 1633 And so his Majestie to be highly wronged by the said Prelates who have so farre abused their credit with so good a King as thus to insnare his subjects rend our Church undermine Religion in Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline move discontent between the King and his subjects and discord between subject and subject contrary to severall Acts of Parliament VVe out of bound duty to God our King and native Countrey complain of the foresaid Prelates humbly craving that this matter may be put to tryall and these our parties taken order with according to the lawes of the Realm And that they be not suffered to sit any more as Judges untill the cause be tryed and decided according to Justice And if this shall seeme to bee to you a matter of higher importance then you will condescend unto before his Majesty bee acquainted therewith Then wee humbly supplicate that this our grievance and complaint may be fully represented to his Majestie That from the influence of his Gracious Soveraigntie and Justice these wrongs may bee redressed and wee have the happinesse to injoy the Religion as it hath beene reformed in this Land IN this Petition it is worthy the observing that they complaine of the mangling of the English Service Booke and of the abuses offered unto it and the wronging of the intentions of the blessed Reformers of Religion here in this Kingdome whereas in their Sermons and ordinarie discourse they doe usually inveigh against the Service Booke here for being stuffed with Superstition and Poperie and that the first Reformers
full assurance of their loyaltie and fidelitie towards Us of which We have alwaies by unanswerable demonstrations been fully perswaded as also upbraid the disloyaltie of many of Our subjects of that Our native Kingdome amongst whom they are loath to trust Us without offering their persons to be Our guard But these two things We doe desire all Our good subjects of that Kingdome firmly to beleeve First We are confident that We shall not much stand in need of English troupes to chastise the Heads of this late Rebellion as being fully perswaded that Our loyall subjects who have all this while adhered unto Us and Our mis-led subjects who upon this Our Declaration wil adhere unto Us but above all the justice of the cause of God and of Us his Anointed shall be strength enough to bring those principall Rebells to undergoe the tryall of Our Lawes Next Wee desire all Our good subjects there to beleeve that We are so farre from intending any invasion of that Our native Kingdome as that according to Our dutie and oath taken at Our Coronation We shall by the grace of God alwaies be ready with Our whole power estate and expense of Our bloud if the case shall so require to defend that Our Kingdome and subjects thereof against all invasions whatsoever For We doe at this time onely intend to reduce the principall Heads of these tumults to the obedience of Us and Our Lawes and in case of their Rebellious obstinacie to bring them to those deserved punishments which in such cases the Lawes of that Our Kingdome have provided nor can this either bee called or accounted an invasion more then the Judges sentencing malefactours to punishment can bee called an invasion of them The second mis-information whereby We find the Heads of this Rebellion goe about to keep Our people from returning to Our obedience is this They make them beleeve that since they have not accepted of Our gracious offers made in Our Declaration at Edinburgh the 22. of September last and made good by Our Commissioner in Our name at the Assembly in Glasgow that now We will certainly performe none of them But these wicked mis-reporters speake both according to their owne deserts as knowing that their rebellious misdemeanours have indeed deserved no such favour at Our hands and likewise according to their owne desires as fearing that if We should make them good then Our people might and must receive satisfaction thereby but they doe not speake according to Our Royall intentions which are to assure Our subjects that as We have before expressed in Our Preface their faults and disloyall courses shall not make Us goe backe from any thing which We have promised in either of those two Our gracious Declarations made at Edinburgh and Glasgow but that We will performe them all for the securing of all Our good subjects from any further feares of these pretended innovations The third mis-information whereby the Heads of this Rebellion goe about to continue Our people in disobedience to Us is this They would make them beleeve that if they shall now yeeld We doe intend to make that Our native Kingdome a Province and to dispoile them of all their lawes and liberties and to give them new lawes as if they were a conquered Kingdome A most divellish and false suggestion for We professe We never harboured any such thought in Our Royall breast but doe intend by the grace of God to continue that Our native Kingdome in the government of Our lawes and confirme unto them all their liberties and when it shall please God to translate Us to leave the same in charge to Our Successour These foule but false aspersions being thus wiped off We are now desirous to remove their grand and maine calumnie whereby they doe at once endeavour both to disparage Our just and to justifie their owne most unjust proceedings They give out that We have no quarrell against them but Religion and when they are asked in what points of Religion We will not yeeld to them they doe not name any one of which they have complained in their Petitions and which in them they called innovations in Religion for they know that in Our gracious Declarations We have given full satisfaction concerning them but they instance in other two particulars First Our not admitting the introducing of lay-Elders into their Presbyteries and that in equall number with the Ministers and that these lay-Elders shall have voices and alwaies the casting voice in the election of the Ministers Commissioners from the Presbyteries to the generall Assembly The second That We will not give way to the abolishing of Episcopall government For the former We professe that We cannot give way to it it being a course unheard of not onely in that Church of Scotland but in any Church in any age for how can We yeeld that Noblemen Gentlemen Commoners shall be made Ecclesiasticall persons which must needs bring in a confusion of these two Ecclesiasticall and secular persons which have alwaies been distinguished Next how can We betray the Ministers of that Kingdome unto perpetuall slaverie for if Episcopall government should bee gone which they intend and the Ministers in their Presbyteries shall be over-swayed by the voices of the lay-Elders what face of Ecclesiasticall government can remaine when it shall be quite pulled out of the hands of Ecclesiasticall persons And therefore We cannot chuse but account it a great ingratitude in those Ministers who oppose Us for whose maintenance as We first stood against the laitie so We are now resolved to stand against them for their libertie For the second which is the abolishing of Episcopall government We professe We cannot yeeld unto it though it were not warranted by Apostolicall institution at the first and since by the perpetuall practice of the Church of Christ in all ages and places as We hold it is warranted by both First because it is established in that Kingdome and hath ever been by Acts of Parliament and is so now and hath been for many yeeres by Acts of the generall Assembly Next because of the course which they have taken to abolish it to wit by an Assembly holding that an Assembly may abolish Acts of Parliament a proposition which must not bee endured in any Monarchie for then the Convocation in England or generall Assembly in Scotland might introduce in either of these Kingdomes Poperie and the Popes authoritie if they had a mind to doe so notwithstanding the Acts of Parliament in both Kingdomes which have ejected them and which Acts of Parliament were posteriour to the Acts of these Ecclesiasticall Assemblies and were confirmations of what was passed before in them Thirdly We cannot destroy Episcopall government without destroying one of the three Estates of Parliament which Wee will not doe but these men in an Ecclesiasticall Assembly without Our consent or consent of Parliament have gone about to destroy the first of the three Estates of Parliament But say that
meaning but the renovation of the old oath which can admit no new destructive sense but must be sworn conforme to the genuine originall first meaning 2. That oath was justly refused by us upon that ground of discrepance amongst many others and such like was not received by the Councell till they declared their meaning by act simul semel with their subscription 3. We doe not meddle with the Kirks of England or Ireland but recommends to them the paterne shown in the Mount all our arguments and proceedings being for the Kirk of Scotland where from the time of her more pure reformation then of her sister Kirks Episcopacie hath ever been abolished till the latter times of corruption So that though his Majestie hath hitherto maintained Episcopacie in Scotland because his Majestie wanted the meanes to be informed of the acts of this Kirk yet we know that God hath so richly replenished his Royall breast with such justice and pietie that when his Majestie shall receive perfect information wee are confident that He will never desire any change or alteration in our ancient Kirk government and discipline Especially now when his Majesty hath caused the maintainance thereof to be religiously sworn The fift and last reason is that we can never make it appeare that Episcopall government at the first time of administering the oath was abolished the very words of that confession of Faith immediatly after the beginning of it being these Received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realme as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation Whereupon is inferred that Bishops Abbots and Pryors made up at that time a third Estate of this Realme which gave approbation to the confession of Faith and therefore this third Estate did not abjure Episcopacie And albeit it had bin abolished by acts of Assembly yet it was not so by act of Parliament but in force by many of them standing unrepealed which are annexed to the reasons Which being the acts of a Monarch his three Estates are never repealable by any Ecclesiasticall nationall Synod For answer hereunto 1. It doth appeare and is manifest by the Registers and acts of Assembly that before the subscription of the Confession at the time thereof and thereafter That Abbots Priors and Bishops were so clearly evidently and expresly condemned in this Kirk That the best wits of this age opposers of Episcopacy cannot yet require one sillable to be added for farther assurance and the most able maintainers thereof could not pick any quarrell to the clearnesse of the expression 2. The clause citted in the reason is onely anent the doctrine and not anent the discipline which thereafter is determined and the Hierarchie detested And the Discipline of the Kirk sworn unto 3. Albeit that clause were of discipline yet it maketh nothing for Bishops except by inference that they are comprehended under the name of the third estate which cannot be so understood for collections by way of inference or ex consequenti cannot be adduced against the expresse acts of the time wherein the makers signifie their minds in clear termes apertissime dicendo leaveth no place to presume the contrare especially in this kingdome where these expressions of stylus curiae are carefully observed without change which may be seen in the same case by many Parliaments where it is not our that no Prelate was present or allowed and yet the acts proporting to be made by his Majestie and three Estates are interpreted by the quoter as made by the Prelats with others 4. Episcopacie was abolished not only by acts of Assembly but there is no standing laws for Episcopall government but some against the same as shall be evident in the answer made to the acts of Parliament subjoyned hereto but if there be any Acts of Parliament standing for Episcopacie the Kings Majestie his Commissioner the Councell the Collective-body of the Kingdome hath actually renunced the same by returning to the doctrine and discipline 1580. whereunto Episcopacie is contrare which God-willing may also be inacted at the next Parliament proclaimed to be holden by his Majestie in May 5. The acts of the Assembly and the book of Policie in the 1. and 10. chapter putteth clear merches betwixt civill and Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction making every one independent in matters properly belonging to their owne judicatorie and every one subject to the other in matters properly belonging to that other So that as the Assembly cannot make civill laws nor repeal them nor imped the Parliament from making or repealing civill laws no more can the Parliament make Ecclesiasticall laws originally nor repeal or hinder the lawfull Assemblies to repeal the same For albeit acts of the Assembly are and may be ratified in Parliament that is only that the civill sanction may concur with the Ecclesiasticall constitution But will not stop the Assembly to recall their owne act which being adnulled by them the civill ratification and sanction fals ex consequenti For to maintain that the Kirk may not repeal her own acts ratified once in Parliament is so derogatorie to Christs prerogative and ordinance to the liberty of the Kirk and freedome of the Assembly to the nature end and reason of all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as we have more largely cleared in the Protestation 22 September last that we beleeve few or none will be of that opinion All these Five objections and many more was agitate and discussed in the Assembly before the act anent Episcopacie was made And seeing the generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland indicted by his Majestie now holden at Glasgow which is the only Judge competent and fit interpreter to remove and explaine all doubts arising upon the confession of Faith hath after long religious and mature declaration exponed the same and clearly found that Episcopall government in this Kirk amongst other corruptions is abjured by the confession of Faith as the same was profest within this Kingdome hath discharged all subscription to the Covenant subscribed and interpreted by his Majesties Commissioner hath commanded the Covenant subscribed in Februare with the application to be now subscribed according to her present determination therefore wee trust that the knowledge hereof will be a sufficient warning to all good Christians and Patriots that they subscribe not the one and that they subscribe the other according to the genuine and true meaning thereof declared by the Kirk allennerly and of no contrary incompatible sense as they would eshew the crime and danger of a contradictory oath and we would most humbly and earnestly beg of his Sacred Majestie from the bottome of our hearts that his Majestie would be graciously pleased to command that the same may be so subscribed conforme to the declared explanation of the Kirk which would prove the greatest happinesse and joy that ever befell these
of the boldnesse of this petition which expecteth Our answers in such termes as it doth not onely seeme to require Our approbation of their wicked proceedings but almost to command it and lastly it is subscribed onely by the hands of the Moderatour and Clerke of the Assembly as if it were an ordinarie cytation served upon the meanest subject of that Our Kingdome And besides all these We would know what Ecclesiasticall assembly just or pretended did ever use any coercive power but that which was Ecclesiasticall viz. suspension deprivation degradation or excommunication But this pretended Assembly hath besides all these inforced her acts with armes and all manner of violence both against the persons and fortunes of such as doe not agree unto them but continue loyall to Us. BY this time We hope the Reader is well satisfied that We have been from time to time well acquainted with and rightly informed concerning all the particular passages of these troubles For since We produce their owne originall foule and blacke acts and the counsels which We tooke and courses which We held for meeting with them and hindering them so farre as then on the sudden We could every man will now hold their ordinarie and so often repeated calumnie sufficiently confuted viz. That all the proceedings and proffers on their parts were quite concealed from Us That their petitions remonstrances and grievances were kept from Us That We understood no more of the estate of the affaires of that Kingdome then the malice of their adversaries and bad patriots were pleased to impart unto Us That Our Commissioner in his severall journies between Us and them never made Us acquainted with the true state of the businesse or with their requests and protestations That he at his severall returnes did do that which he thought fittest to be done and not what We had commanded him or that if We did command him Our commandements were according to the information which hee had given unto Us of their counsells and courses which information was never true nor right but onely such as hee and the Bishops had contrived for mis-informing of Us All which most wicked calumnies invented onely to keep Our people unsatisfied as they are attended with want of truth so they are accompanied with a most undeserved ingratitude For We doe professe that there was no man since the time of these troubles who hath more zealously stood between Our wrath and them then Our Commissioner and who hath more constantly laboured Us to admit any probable construction which might be made of their actions ever untill such time as they came to that height that they could neither probably nor possibly receive any good construction and yet even then all his perswasions were to pardon and forgivenesse if they should acknowledge their errours and with a submissive humilitie returne to Our obedience And here We must needs justifie all his proceedings with them as being punctually and exactly ordered and performed according to Our instructions and commandements to him and condemne their ingratitude to him not doubting but ere long they will heartily wish that they had some such about Us who might solicite Us for their peace and pardon so carefully as hee did so long as hee had any hope of their amendment The same course which they held with him their owne countrie-man they held likewise with some of this Kingdome of great place especially some of the Prelates neere Us and intrusted with the greatest businesse of this Church and Kingdome For during the time of all these troubles they have likewise slandered them amongst Our subjects of that Kingdome both for mis-information of Us and giving Us counsell and advice to shunne all waies of peace Whereas We must professe that those Prelates whom in their last seditious and treasonable information to the good Christians of England they have traduced for their greatest enemies chiefly some of them whom they especially glance at with Our Cōmissioner have bin their greatest friends their counsells were alwaies counsells of peace and their solicitations to Us were vehement and earnest for granting unto them those unexpected and undeserved favours which We were graciously pleased to bestow upon Our people published in Our Proclamation at Edinburgh the 22. of September 1638. and afterward made good to them in Our name by Our Commissioner at the Assembly in Glasgow These Prelates and Our Commissioner advising Us rather to condescend to these particulars then to be put to the effusion of any drop of Our subjects bloud But the miserie and misfortune of many of Our well meaning subjects in that Kingdome hath in all this businesse been this That they trusted the mis-informations of their Leaders even in those things of which their Leaders themselves did not beleeve so much as one word Such were their false reports of Our inclination to Poperie of Our intentions never to hold an Assembly although We had indicted it of Our intention of never performing any thing in that Assembly which We had promised in Our gracious Proclamation of the indiction of it All which false reports We have since sufficiently confuted by Our commanding the renovation of the subscription of that Confession of faith which cannot subsist with Poperie by Our indicting a free generall Assembly the freedome whereof they quite destroyed by their proceedings both before it and in it by Our making good in that Assembly such as it was all Our gracious promises and therefore We cannot now but hope and expect that all Our good and loyall subjects of that Our ancient and native Kingdome will by their former experience of the falshood of their Seducers and Leaders learne to give no trust or credit to their posteriour and new mis-informations which by their last seditious Pamphlets printed or written and by many intercepted letters We find to be these three especially but all of them most notoriously false First they goe about to perswade Our good subjects that We intend an invasion of that Our Kingdome But they must have a great power over the faith of such as they can make beleeve that a King would invade his owne Kingdome Invasions made by Princes of other Princes dominions have been usuall but for a Prince to invade his owne Kingdome is a prodigious untruth But they tell Our people that We are coming thither attended with English troupes We wonder if they should bee affraid of them whom Our people in their Pulpits and elsewhere have been made beleeve were all of their owne partie and would take armes with them in their defence against Us. But the truth is these English troupes goe along to secure this Our Kingdome of England from invasion by them which they have so frequently threatned and if for the securing of Our person they should offer themselves to bee Our guard wheresoever We goe what doe they else but shew themselves to be true and loyall subjects and lay an obligation on Us to continue in Our breast that
servants to rescue him who got the Bishop almost breathlesse into his lodging The same morning the Service Book was read in the next Church to Saint Gyles Church not without noise and tumult yet the furie was not so great as in the other Church In the Gray Friers Church the Elect Bishop of Argyle being Colleague to Master Ramsey who refused to read it begun to read the Book but he was so cursed and exclaimed against and threatned to be pulled downe that after the reading of the Confession and Absolution he was forced to give over In the Colledge Church Rollock one of the Preachers there who the Sunday before at the intimation of the reading of it had so much commended the Book and had undertaken this day to read it though hee had the Book ready to be carried to the Church with him yet very wisely resolved to halt a little untill he might know how it was entertained at Saint Gyles Church that so his conscience might comply with the carriage of the multitude whose rudenesse being reported to him he notwithstanding his commendations of the Book and his faithfull promise to read it thought it the safer course to leave himselfe to the censure of all men for his levitie and breach of promise then offend the multitude whose favour is the onely aire in which he taketh delight to breath and live And thus that morning passed Betweene the two Sermons such of Our Councell as were in the Towne assembled at the Lord Chancellour his lodging where the Lord Provost and Bailiffs of Edinburgh being called undertooke to doe their uttermost endevours for the quiet and peaceable reading of the Service Booke in the afternoon which accordingly they did and so the Service Booke in Saint Gyles and some other Churches that afternoone was read without any such tumult or insurrection as it encountred with in the morning yet the furious multitude who stayed in the streets and little regarded the service of God in the Churches intermitted nothing of their madnesse For the Lord Privie Seale Earle of Roxborough returning home to his lodging and having with him in his Coach the Bishop of Edinburgh was neare suffering the death of the first Martyr St. Stephen his Coach and Coachman for having the Bishop in it being so pelted with stones and hooted at with execrations and pressed upon by the eager and mad multitude that if the Lord Privie Seale his Footmen had not with their swords kept them off they in the Coach had been brought in danger of their lives having after long and continuall bickerings much adoe to recover their lodgings And now We desire all men to consider what blessing and successe from heaven may be expected upon this grand and important reformation of Religion as they call it the begetter and beginner whereof was the horrible profanation of the Lords owne day and that in the Lords owne Houses and Temples and all this attended with the contempt and treading under foot the sacred Authoritie and Lawes of Us the Lords Anointed as also with the violation of the persons of the Lords Priests and Prophets his Bishops and Ministers and all these practised by a base multitude disavowed and disclaimed at that time by all Magistrates and persons put in authoritie and all others of any ranke or qualitie who branded that multitude with the names of the scum and froth of the people and offered themselves to the uttermost of their diligence and assistance for the finding of them out and bringing them to highest and condigne punishment as shall presently appeare by the demeanour of the Magistrates when they were called before Our Councell for that purpose For the next day being the 24. of July 1637. Our Councell assembled and sent forth a Proclamation in detestation of the uproare and tumult the day before and discharged all concourses of people and tumultuous meetings in Edinburgh under paine of death at which time the Magistrates of Edinburgh being then present at Our Councell Table professed their utter abhorring and detesting of the last tumult and apprehended some suspected to be most forward in it and thereupon were commanded and ordered by an Act of Our Councell of the 26. of July to assemble the Councell of the Citie the next morning by eight of the clocke and then and there to resolve what course they thought fittest to be held for the finding out of the movers of and chiefe actors in the late seditious uproare and immediately after to report their diligence and resolutions herein Which report they accordingly made to Our Councell not onely with a detestation of that tumult and promises of their best diligence for finding out the authors and abettors of it but also with large proffers of their best assistance for the quiet and peaceable establishing and reading of the Service Booke in all their Churches But the Ministers of that Citie being loath to undertake the reading of it without some securitie given for the safetie of their persons the Lords of Our Councell by their Act of the 28. of July 1637. ordered the Provost Bailiffes and Councell of Edinburgh to advise amongst themselves concerning some obligatorie Act to be made by them for a reall performance of what they had undertaken and should further undertake for the peaceable exercise of the Service Book which they accorded unto and promised that since the former Readers in their severall Churches had refused to read the Booke if in the meane time the Ministers themselves would read it they would take order for their safetie and when new Readers should be provided they would take order both for their securitie and settled maintenance and allowance In pursuance whereof an obligatorie Act was drawne up by Our Advocate and read before Our Councell to the Magistrates of Edinburgh the sixt of August 1637. to which they humbly consented and on the tenth of the same moneth the said Act of indemnitie being exhibited before Our Councell was allowed by them and accordingly passed and entred in Our Councell booke as an Act of Councell And so now this late tumult in all appearance being settled and not onely fathered upon the scumme and dregges of the people but cryed downe by all men either of place or qualitie and by none more then by the Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh Our Councell not fearing any new outrage proceeded to these two things First to the exemplarie punishing of such of the heads of the late tumult as they should discover And next to the settling of the practice of the Service Booke and appointing a new day for renewing the exercise of it to which the Bishops Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh agreed And this their forwardnesse the Magistrates of that Citie were not onely contented to expresse before Our Councell both by their verball promises and protestations as also their obligatorie Act remaining upon record and registred in Our bookes of Councell but likewise by two particular Letters sent by them
into England unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie in which they desired him to recommend unto Us their care of and fidelitie to Our service and to undertake for them to Us their zeale and forwardnesse for settling the peaceable practice of the Service Booke Which Letters We here have caused to be inserted that the Reader may see what names of simplicitie and ignorance they bestow upon that multitude which made the first opposition and withall take notice of the names of the Magistrates subscribers to these Letters for some of them which hardly could be expected from reasonable men will be found to be very forward if not leaders in the next succeeding sedition and so of the rest which have followed since The Letters be these Most Reverend Father in God and our verie good Lord WEe regrait from our hearts that tumult which did fall out in our Churches that day of the inbringing of the Service Booke wherein now these of his Majesties Councell who have laboured the tryall thereof will give testimonie of our innocencie Since that time and the rising of his Majesties Councell in this feriall time we have daily concurred with our Ordinarie and our Ministerie for settling of that Service Booke as the right Honourable the Earle of Traquair Lord Treasurer with the Bishops of Galloway and Dunbleane will beare witnesse who have spared neyther paines nor attendance to bring that purpose to a good conclusion And although the povertie of this Citie be great being almost exhausted with publicke and common workes yet we have not beene lacking to offer good meanes above our power to such as should undertake that service and in all things wherein we have beene required we have ever beene ready really to approve our selves obedient and loyall subjects to his Majestie in all his Royall commandements which we have vowed ever to second to our lives end And we being infinitely obliged to your Graces favours we now presumed by these lines to give your Grace that assurance of obedience upon our part in this purpose and in all other purposes wherein we may contribute to the advancement of his Majesties service or can be expected of good subjects VVhereof if his Majestie by your Grace shall be pleased to rest assured whatsoever any other shall suggest we will accept it from you as a great accumulation of favour for all which your Grace shall ever finde us most thankfull Remembrancers and most ready really to expresse our thankfulnesse whenever we shall be made so happy as that your Grace shall have occasion to use our service Thus from our hearts wishing you all happinesse we kisse your Graces hands Edinburgh this 19. of August 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly An. Ainslie Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly THE SECOND LETTER Most Reverend Father in God and our very good Lord WEe did receive your Graces kind letter and from our hearts we do render your Grace most hearty thanks and as wee have hitherto found your speciall favour in this matter concerning the laitly imprinted Service Booke whereanent we did write to your Grace formerly shewing our dutifull and obedient resolution not onely in our selves but in the greatest and best part of our Inhabitants of whom from time to time we had most confident assurance so now we must againe become new suiters at your Graces hands to receive from us a true information of the difference of the present time and of that when we did presume to write the occasions thereof which is that since our last there hath beene such an innumerable confluence of people from all the corners of this kingdome both of Clergie and Laitie and of all degrees by occasion of two Councell dayes and such things suggested to our poore ignorant people that they have razed what we by great and continuall pains had imprinted in their minds and have diverted them altogether from their former resolutions so that now when we were urged by our selfes alone we could not adventure but were forced to supplicate the Lords of Councell to continue us in the state they had done the rest of the kingdome having hitherto forborne either to combine with them or to countenance them in their supplications yet we will not forbeare to doe our Masters service to our power but shall studie to imprint in their minds what hath beene taken away in the interim we will humbly beg your Graces favour and intercession with his Majestie that we may be keeped still in his favour which we doe esteeme our greatest earthly felicitie and that what course shall be taken with the rest of this kingdome in that matter who have presented many supplications and with whom we have in no wayes combined that the same and no other may be taken with us wherein we are confident to prevaile as much as any other within the kingdome and in all things shall endevour nothing more then that we may approve our selves most dutifull and obedient subjects Thus relying upon your Graces favour as our most assured refuge we kisse your Graces hands and rests Edinburgh this 26. of September 1637. Your Graces most affectionate and humble servants the Bailliffes of Edinburgh J. Cochrane Bailly J. Smith Bailly C. Hammilton Bailly James Rucheid WEe confesse that these large undertakings of the Magistrates moved Us to remit much of Our intended rigor against the offenders in the first uproare hoping that their acknowledgment of Our clemencie would have produced effects quite contrarie to those which We have found And now We shall desire the Reader to observe that this first tumult was owned by none condemned and cryed down by all the authors of it and actors in it called by all sorts by no better names then Rogues and the base Multitude What will you then think if that within verie few daies you shall see the verie same liberall bestowers of these names entring upon the same Stage repeating and acting over againe the parts of that madd Multitude Onely the Stage you shall see a little better hanged and the Scenes better set out and the Play having a more specious name of Pietie and Religion For soon after these base and unruly people who were so much out in their first act of Rebellion as Actors at the first are not commonly perfect were in the Pulpits even for that their first and foule act so much of late hissed at and decryed afterwards magnified for the most heroicall Sparkes that ever God inspired and raised up in this last age of the world and though they were but Asses yet they were cryed up for having their mouthes opened immediately by God as the mouth of Balaams Asse was to the upbraiding of all the rest of the Land who held their peace when they should have cryed and brayed as they did Their happy mouthes and hands which God was pleased to honour that day with the beginning of their new blessed Reformation and