Confession although confirmed in former Parliaments When hee found that the Reformation begun in Scotland did stand in his way he left no meanes unessaied to rub disgrace upon us and our cause The peeces printed at Dublin Examen conjurationis Scoticanae the ungirding of the Scottish Armour the Pamphlet bearing the counterfeit name of Lysimachus Nichanor all three so full of calumnies slanders and scurrilities against our Countrey and Reformation that the Jesuits in their greatest spite could not have said more yet not onely the Authors were countenanced and rewarded by him but the bookes must beare his name as the great Patron both of the worke and workman When the Nationall Oath and Covenant warranted by our generall Assemblies was approved by Parliament in the Articles subscribed in the Kings name by his Majesties high Commissioner and by the Lords of privie Counsell and commanded to be sworne by his Majesties subjects of all rankes and particular and plenary information was given unto the Lieutenant by men of such quality as hee ought to have beleeved of the loyalty of our hearts to the King of the lawfulnesse of our proceedings and innocency of our Covenant and whole course that he could have no excuse yet his desperate malice made him to bend his craft and cruelty his fraud and forces against us For first he did craftily call up to Dublin some of our Country-men both of the Nobility and Gentry living in Ireland shewing them that the King would conceive and account them as conspirers with the Scots in their rebellious courses except some remedy were provided and for remedy suggesting his own wicked invention to present unto him and his Councell a petition which he caused to be framed by the Bishop of Raphoe and was seene and corrected by himselfe wherein they petitioned to have an oath given them containing a formall renunciation of the Scottish Covenant and a deep assurance never so much as to protest against any of his Majesties commandements whatsoever No sooner was this Oath thus craftily contriv'd but with all haste it is sent to such places of the Kingdome where our Countrey-men had residence and men women and all other persons above the yeares of sixteen constrained either presently to take the Oath and thereby renounce their Nationall Covenant as seditious and trayterous or with violence and cruelty to be haled to the jayle fined above the value of their estates and to be kept close prisoners and so far as we know some are yet kept in prison both men and women of good quality for not renouncing that Oath which they had taken forty yeares since in obedience to the King who then lived A cruelty ensued which may parallell the persecutions of the most unchristian times For weake women dragged to the Bench to take the Oath died in the place both mother and child hundreds driven to hide themselves till in the darknesse of the night they might escape by Sea to Scotland whither thousands of them did flye being forced to leave Corne cattel Houses and all they possessed to bee a prey to their persecuting enemies the Lieutenants Officers And some indited and declared guilty of High Treason for no other guiltinesse but for subscribing our Nationall Oath which was not onely impiety injustice in it selfe and an utter undoing of his Majesties subjects but was a weakning of the Scots Plantation to the prejudice of that Kingdome and his Majesties service and was a high scandall against the Kings honour and intolerable abuse of his Majesties trust and authority his Majesties Commission which was procured by the Lieutenant bearing no other penalty then a certification of noting the names of the refusers of the Oath But this his restlesse rage and insatiable cruelty against our Religion and Country can not be kept within the bounds of Ireland By his meanes a Parliament is called And although by the sixe subsidies granted in Parliament not long before and by the base meanes which himselfe and his Officers did use as is contained in a late Remonstrance that Land was extreamly impoverished yet by his speeches full of Oathes and Asseverations that we were Traytors and Rebels casting off all Monarchiall government c. he extorted from them foure new Subsidies and indicta causa before wee were heard procured that a Warre was undertaken and forces should be leavied against us as a Rebellious Nation which was also intended to be an example and Precedent to the Parliament of England for granting subsidies and sending a joynt Army for our utter ruine According to his appointment in Parliament the army was gathered and brought downe to the Coast threatning a daily invasion of our Countrey intending to make us a conquered Province and to destroy our Religion Liberties and Lawes and thereby laying upon us a necessity of vast charges to keepe forces on foot on the West Coast to waite upon his comming And as the Warre was denounced and forces leavied before wee were heard So before the denouncing of the Warre our ships and goods on the Irish Coast were taken and the owners cast in Prison and some of them in Irons Frigats were sent forth to scoure our Coasts which did take some and burne others of our Barkes Having thus incited the Kingdome of Ireland and put his forces in order there against us with all haste he commeth to England In his parting at the giving up of the Sword he openly avowed our utter ruine and desolation in these or the like words If I returne to that honourable Sword I shall leave of the Scots neither root nor branch How soone he commeth to Court as before he had done very evill offices against our Commissioners cleering our proceedings before the point So now he useth all meanes to stirre up the King and Parliament against us and to move them to a present warre according to the Precedent and example of his owne making in the Parliament of Ireland And finding that his hopes failed him and his designes succeeded not that way in his nimblenesse he taketh another course that the Parliament of England may be broken up and despising their wisdome and authority not onely with great gladnesse accepteth but useth all means that the conduct of the Army in the expedition against Scotland may be put upon him which accordingly he obtaineth as generall Captaine with power to Invade kill slay and save at his discretion and to make any one or moe Deputies in his stead to doe and execute all the power and authorities committed to him According to the largenesse of his Commission and Letters patents of his devising so were his deportments afterwards for when the Scots according to their Declarations sent before them were comming in a peaceable way farre from any intention to invade any of his Majesties Subjects and still to supplicate his Majesty for a setled peace he gave order to his officers to fight with them on the way that the two Nations once entred in blood whatsoever
faction it had beene possible And therefore wee may now with the greater reason and confidence presse our Demand That your Lordships the Parliament the Kingdome and the King himselfe may see us repared in our losses at the cost of that faction by whose meanes we have sustained so much dammage And which except they repent will find sorrow recompenced for our griefe Torments for our toyle and an infinite greater losse for the Temporall losses they have brought upon a whole Kingdom which was dwelling by them in Peace All the devices and doings of our common enemies were to beare downe the Truth of Religion and the just liberties of the Subjects in both Kingdomes They were confident to bring this about one of two wayes Either by blocking us up by Sea Land to constraine us to admit their will for a Law both in Kirk and policy and thus to make us a Precedent for the like miserie in England or by their Invasion of our Kingdome to compell us furiously and without order to break into England that the two Nations once entred into a bloody Warre they might fish in our troubled Waters and catch their desired Prey But as wee declared before our comming Wee trusted that God would turne their Wisedome into foolishnesse and bring their devices upon their owne Pates by our Intentions and Resolutions to come into England as among our Brethren in the most peaceable way that could stand with our safety in respect of our common Enemies to present our Petitions for setling our Peace by a Parliament in England wherein the Intentions and Actions both of our Adversaries and ours might be brought to light The Kings Majesty and the Kingdome rightly informed The Authors and Instruments of our divisions and troubles punished All the mischiefes of a Nationall and doubtfull Warre prevented and Religion and Liberty with greater Peace and Amity then ever before established against all the Craft and violence of our enemies This was our Declaration before wee set our foot into England from which our deportments since have not varied And it hath bin the Lords wonderfull doing by the wise Counsels and just proceedings of the Parliament to bring in a great part to passe and to give us lively hopes of a happy Conclusion And therefore wee will never doubt but that the Parliament in their Wisedome and Justice will provide that a proportionable part of the Cost and charges of a worke so great and so comfortable to both Nations bee borne by the Delinquents there that with the better Conscience the good People of England may sit under their owne Vines and Figtrees Refreshing themselves although upon our greater Paines and Hazard yet not altogether upon our cost and charges which we are not able to beare The Kingdome of England doth know and confesse that the Innovation of Religion and Liberties in Scotland were not the principall designe of our common Enemies but that both in the intention of the Workers whose zeale was hottest for setling their devices at home And in the Condition of the Worke making us whom they conceived to be the weaker for opposition to bee nothing else but a leading case for England And that although by the power of GOD which is made perfect in weaknesse they have found amongst us greater resistance then they did feare or either they or our selves could have apprehended Yet as it hath beene the will of God that wee should endure the heate of the day So in the Evening the pretious wages of the vindication of Religion Liberties and Lawes are to be received by both Kingdoms and will enrich wee hope to our unspeakable Joy the present Age and the Posteritie with Blessings that cannot bee vallued and which the good People of England esteeme more then Treasures of Gold and willingly would have purchased with many thousands Wee doe not plead that Conscience and Piety have moved some men to serve GOD upon their owne cost and that Justice and Equity have directed others where the Harvest hath been common to consider the paines of labouring and the charges of the Sowing yet this much may we say that had a forraine Enemy intending to reduce the whole Island into Popery made the first assault upon our weaknesse Wee nothing doubt but the Kingdome of England from their desire to preserve their Religion and Liberties would have found the way to beare with us the expense of our resistance and lawfull defence how much more being Invaded although not by England yet from England by common enemies seeking the same ends wee expect to be helped and relieved Wee will never conceive that it is either the will or the well and honour of England that wee should goe from so blessed a worke after so many grievous sufferings bearing on our backs the insupportable burdens of worldly necessities and distresses return to our countrey empty and exhausted in which the people of all Rankes Sexes and conditions have spent themselves The possessions of every man who devoted himselfe heartily to this cause are burdened not onely with his own Personall and particular expense but with the publike and common charges Of which if there bee no reliefe neither can our Kingdome have peace at home nor any more credit for Gommerce abroad Nor will it bee possible for us either to aide and assist our friends or to resist and oppose the restlesse and working wickednesse of our Enenemies The best sort will lose much of the sweetnesse of the enjoying of their Religion and Liberties and others will run such wayes and undirect courses as their desperate necessities will drive them into Wee shall be but a burthen to our selves a vexation unto others of whose strength we desire to be a considerable part and a fit subject for our Enemies to worke upon for obtaining their now disappointed but never dying desires Wee will not alledge the example of other Kingdomes where the losses of necessarie and just defence had been repaired by the other party Nor will wee remember what helpe wee have made according to our abilities to other reformed Kirks And what the Kingdome of England of old and of late hath done to Germany France and Holland Nor doe we use so many words that England may be burthened and we eased or that this should be a matter of our Covetousnesse and not of their Justice and kindnesse Justice in respect of our Adversaries who are the causes of the great misery and necessity to which wee have been brought kindnesse in the supply of our wants who have beene tender of the welfare of England as of our own that by this equality and mutuall respect both Nations may be supported in such strength and sufficiencie that wee may bee the more serviceable to his Majesty and abound in every good work both towards one another and for the comfort and reliefe of the reformed Kirks beyond the Seas that we may all blesse God and that the blessing of God may be upon us all The
name of Memoriall or Oblation for no other end but that the memoriall and sacrifice of praise mentioned in it may bee understood according to the Popish meaning Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the spirituall sacrifice but of the oblation of the body of the Lord It seemeth to bee no great matter that without warrand of the book of England the Presbyter going from the north end of the Table shall stand during the time of consecration at such a pairt of the table where hee may with the more ease and decencie use both hands yet being tried it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder pairts to the people representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thou shalt see my hinder pairts Hee must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the bread and wine for that may bee done at the North end of the Table and bee better seen of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may by stretching foorth his armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that hee may the more conveniently lift up the bread and wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubrick of the generall Confession a little before are directed to kneel humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes hee is commanded to speake with a lowd voyce and distinctly hee bee not heard by the people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the book in King Ed. time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the book and even in Cassanders own judgement a man of great moderation in matters of this kinde that he calleth them Nunquam satis execrandos Missa gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-book serving to this purpose which are sharply censured by Bucer in King Ed. Leiturgie are not to be found in the book of England are taken in here Almighty God is incalled that of his Almighty goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of bread and wine that they may bee unto us the body and bloud of Christ The change here is made a work of Gods omnipotencie the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards booke That they may be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other pairt the expressions of the booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by faith and of eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ died for thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there bee in this pairt of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objectivè and subjectivè Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the book of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for missasicca or the halfe Messe The private Messe without the people Of communicating in one kind Of the Consumption by the Priest and Consummation of the Sacrifice Of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these Books but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations Wee were constrained to use the remedy of Protestation but for our Protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels Traitors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to possesse our Religion in Peace against these Devices and Novations Canterbury kindleth warre against us In all these it is known that he was although not the sole yet the Principall Agent and Adviser When by the Pacification at Berwick both Kingdomes looked for Peace and Quietnesse he spared not openly in the hearing of many often before the King and privately at the Counsell-table and the privy Iointo to speak of us as Rebels and Traitors and to speake against the Pacification as dishonourable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a Testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called Ungodly Damnable Treasonable by him were Oaths invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Countrey-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall Oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the king and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirkes abroad where himselfe and his Actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable Contempt of Monarchicall Government that any by-gone age had heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our Actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaining our Religion and Liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honourable Court to the great griefe
should be the successe he might escape tryall and censure and his bloody designes might be put in execution against his Majesties subjects of both Kingdomes When the Kings Majesty was againe enclined to hearken to our petitions and to compose our differences in a peaceable way and the Peeres of England conveened at Yorke had as before in their great wisedome and faithfulnesse given unto his Majesties Counsels of peace yet this firebrand still smoaketh and in that honourable Assembly taketh vpon him to breath out threatnings against us as Traytors and enemies to Monarchicall government That we be sent home againe in our blood and he will whip us out of England And as these were his Speeches in the time of the treaty appointed by his Maiesty at Rippon that if it had beene possible it might have beene broken up So when a Cessation of Armes was happily agreed vpon there yet he ceaseth not but still his practises were for warre His under Officers can tell who it was that gave them Commission to draw neere in Armes beyond the Teese in the time of the treaty at Rippon The Governour of Barwicke and Carlile can shew from whom they had their warrants for their acts of Hostility after the Cessation was concluded It may be tryed how it commeth to passe that the Ports of Ireland are yet closed our Countrey-men for the Oath still kept in prison Traffique interrupted and no other face of affaires then if no cessation had been agreed upon We therefore desire that your Lordships will represent to the Parliament that this great Incendiarie upon these and the like offences not against particular persons but against Kingdomes and Nations may be put to a tryall and from their knowne and renowned justice may have his deserved punishment 16 Decemb. 1640. THE SCOTTISH Commissioners Demand concerning their sixt ARTICLE COncerning our Sixt demand although it hath often come to passe that these who have beene joyned by the bonds of Religion and Nature have suffered themselves to be divided about the things of this World And although our Adversaries who no lesse labor the division of the two Kingdomes then we doe all seeke Peace and follow after it as our common Happinesse doe presume that this will be the Partition wall to divide us and to make us lose all our labours taken about the former Demand Wherein by the helpe of God by his Majesties Princely goodnesse and Iustice and your Lordships noble and equall dealing We have so fully accorded to keep us from providing for a firme and weell grounded Peace by the wisdome and justice of the Parliament of England which is our greatest desire expressed in our last Demand We are still Confident that as we shall concerning this Article represent nothing but what is true Iust and Honourable to both Kingdomes So will your Lordships hearken to us and will not suffer your selves by any slanders or suggestions to be drawne out of that straight and safe way wherein yee have walked since the beginning IT is now Wee suppose knowne to all England especially to both the Honourable Houses of Parliament And by the occasion of this Treatie more particularly to your Lordships That our distresses in our Religion and Liberties were of late more pressing then We were able to beare That our Complaints and Supplications for redresse were answered at last with the terrours of an Army That after a Pacification greater Preparations were made for warre whereby many Acts of Hostilitie were done against us both by Sea and Land The Kingdome wanted administration of Iustice and Wee constrained to take Armes for our defence That we were brought to this extreame and intollerable necessity either to maintaine divers Armies upon our borders against Invasion from England or Ireland still to be deprived of the benefit of all the Courts of Iustice and not onely to maintaine so many thousands as were spoiled of their ships and goods but to want all Commerce by Sea to the vndoing of Merchants of Saylors and many others who lived by Fishing and whose callings are vpholden from hand to mouth by Sea trade Any one of which evils is able in a short time to bring the most potent Kingdome to Confusion Ruine and Desolation how much more all the three at one time combined to bring the Kingdome of Scotland to be no more a Kingdome Yet all these behoved Wee either to endure and vnder no other hope then of the perfect slavery of our selves and our posterity in our Soules lives and Meanes Or to resolve to come into England not to make Invasion nor with any purpose to fight except we were forced God is our Iudge our actions are our witnesses and England doth now acknowledge the truth against all suspitions to the contrary and against the impudent lyes of our Enemies But for our reliefe defence preservation which we could find by no other meanes when we had essayed all meanes and had at large expressed our pungent and pressing necessities to the Kingdome and Parliament of England Since therefore the war on our part wch is no other but our comming into England with a guard is defensive and all men doe acknowledge that in common equity the defendant should not be suffered to perish in his just and necessary defence but that the pursuer whether by way of Legall Processe in the time of Peace or by way of violence and unjust invasion in the time of warre ought to beare the charges of the defendant We trust that your Lordships will thinke that it is not against reason for us to demand some reparation of this kind and that the Parliament of England by whose Wisdome and Iustice wee have expected the redresse of our wrongs will take such course as both may in reason give us satisfaction may in the notable demōstration of their Iustice serve most for their owne honour Our earnestnesse in following this our Demand doth not so farre wrong our sight and make us so undiscerning as not to make a difference betweene the Kingdome and Parliament of England which did neither decerne nor set forward a Warre against us And that Prevalent faction of Prelats and Papists who have moved every stone against us and used all sorts of meanes not onely their counsells Subsidies and forces but their Kirk Canons and prayers for our utter Ruine which maketh them obnoxious to our just accusations and guilty of all the losses and wrongs which this time past wee have sustained Yet this wee desire your Lordships to consider That the Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland being assembled did endeavour by their Declarations Informations and Remonstrances and by the proceedings of their Commissioners to make knowne unto the Counsell Kingdome and Parliament of England and to forewarne them of the mischiefe intended against both Kingdomes in their Religion and Liberties by the Prelates and Papists to the end that our Invasion from England might have beene prevented if by the Prevalencie of the