IR A REMONSTRANCE CONCERNING THE PRESENT TROUBLES FROM THE MEETING OF THE ESTAEES OF the Kingdome of SCOTLAND Aprill 16. unto the Parliament of ENGLAND Printed in the Year of God 1640. A REMONSTRANCE CONCERNING THE PRESENT TROUBLES FROM THE MEETING OF THE ESTAEES OF the Kingdome of SCOTLAND Aprill 16. unto the Parliament of ENGLAND WHEN we look unto the Records of the ages past to find out the greatest blessings that God hath bestowed on this I LE wherin we live we cannot but acknowledge that next to the Christian Faith the Union of the two Kingdomes under one Head doth by many degrees exceed all other that fall in the reckoning Many practises and policies were set afoot by our Princes of old to hasten this work but all in vain did the plots of men strive to crosse or prevent the councell of God who had reserved for us and our fathers that singular happines to see that Union begun neither by a breach of faith nor by bloud but as the gift of God to fall in our hands by the ordinary gate which the Princes right sets open unto all and the generall and common interest of both Nations did heartily receive and imbrace With what successe this Union hath begun and continued to this day the peace and plenty we have enjoyed all this time can witnesse in part whiles all the rest of Europe almost round about us hath been a Field of blood and desolation What apprehension the enemies of our Religion had at our peaceable conjunction and with what eye of jealousie the neighbour States did look upon us and envie our happines the History of these times can beare record but for the present in regard of what hath passed these many yeares by-gone and what we presently feel and fear we may truly confesse to our own guilt and great dishonour that neither Scotland nor England unto this day hath righty understood or made use of this raâ—â—blessing of heaven for increasing their respect abroad or securing tâ—eir own safety at home neither have the reformed Churches found thaâ—comfort and relief which they did expect from us in the day of tâ—eir distresse but on the contrary we have been made even against ouâ—wills a brâ—kâ—n reed a rocke of offence and a shipwrack unto all that have fought unto us for shelter from the storme and to our selves the one Nation against the other a rod of correction and jealousie in the hands of a few wicked and ungodly men men of sepâ—ration who divide the King from his people and the people â—â—om their King and who raise up brethren agâ—inâ—t brethrenâ— that they in the end might prey and make havock of all Amongst many that have been authors of these evils under which the two Kingdoms have for a long time groaned and belike must either now or never be disburthened none deserve so justly to be challenged in the first place as some amongst you who call themselves Church-men but have left their station to become ignorant and unhappy Statesmen who have made the Church and the Tenets therof an instrument of bondage to the Subject of liberty to themselves and of unjust usurpation to the Prince whom we had reason to feare long agoe by your example and whom we find named as the chief instrument and object of your just feares of the change of Religion and government of Estate in the Kingdome of England in that grave and solemn Remonstrance that was made not many yeares agoe by the house of Commons to the Kings Majesty if that had stopped them any way your pulpits and pamphlets can beare witnesse for them and the rest of their crue since that time yea how constant they are to theâ—e wretched ends their attempts upoâ— us and that deep plot of obâ—ruding the seeds of all Popish superstition and tyranny upon our Kirk in the Bookes of Common Prayer and Canons will be a strong evidence for them how much they have deserved of Rome to make that Kirk which had departed farthest from her to be fiâ—st in the return and exemplar unto others and how much more they may yet deserve of them and all the enemies of those twâ— Kingdomes if they â—ffer for a sacrifice in a bloâ—die Warre the Relâ—gâ—on and Liberties of both the Nations to appease the fury oâ— ther presâ—nâ— disappâ—intment and prevent the shame of their deâ—eâ—ved â—all Certaiâ—ly the posterity will hardly beleeve as we who have â—eeâ— it cannot but wonder how it hath come to passe that the Subjects of Scotland whose Union with Englâ—â—d this day is known to be of gâ—eaâ—â—r foâ—ce â—or her assurance at home and strength abroad then all the alliances praâ—tises policies conquesâ—s your Pâ—inces have made from the begiâ—niâ—g â—hould have so long peâ—itioned their native Prince râ—sidiâ—g amongst you to do them Jâ—stice wherâ—f he is debtor to his peâ—ple and to heare their just complaints against the usâ—rpaâ—ion of a â—ew men who were undermining the pâ—oâ—essâ—â—â—â—ligion and government of the State and to suffer them to live according to their Laws and yet could never be heaâ—d nor answered in the poinâ— of their just desires farre lesse will they guesse what hath been the ground of that merit and trust of one domineering Prâ—lat in the affection of the Prince that it should be more forcible to disswade then all the supplications and intâ—rcâ—ssions of so ancient and faithfull a Nâ—tion who among all the Kingdomes of Europâ— have longest continued and mainâ—aiâ—ed in one Line the honour of the Royall Crown togeâ—her with the preservation of their own Liberties should have power to move Truly for our selves when we call to mind what courage and coâ—stancie God hath given unto â—s since the beginning of these troubles â—o stand for the maintenance of our Religion and Liberties that we have not suffered our selves to be drawn headlong unto the servitâ—de of soulâ—s and bodies from which there had been no hope of Liberty for us or our poâ—â—erity and which in regard of ouâ— conjunction with you under one King had been a violent prejudice and of dangerous conseâ—uence for your Liberties when they come to be questioned in their own time and place and on the other part when we remember what strange and violent wayes were taken by our adversaries to keep from the Englisâ— Nation the knowledge of our affaires and what unjust and false aspersions were laid upon all our acâ—ions and intentiâ—nsâ— to provoke you to be actors of that reâ—â—nge that was determined against us by the insolent advice of suchâ— who now govern his Majesties Councels and â—ettle their own ill acquired gâ—eatnes by the oppression of his obedient Subjects in their Religion and liberties in both Kingdomes we cannot but blâ—sse God who armed uâ— with an invinsible paâ—ience and resolution to esâ—hew for our part◠〈◊〉 the uttermost of our power any Nationall breach For ye may remember when coâ—trary to our expectation his Majesty by all the evil councell of those men
preparing should not be for matters of Religion which were all setled in the Assembly as they did alledge but for other civill differences in the Common-wealth and truly in all appearance the matters of the Kirk were setled in that Assembly with the consent of the Commissioner but that wise men began to doubt of the sincerity of the work when they found him by his after declarations and explanations digging â—â— posterne to escape and make way for his after denâ—all of what had been concluded And in these tearms the Parliament did begin and hath continued not to settle the affairs of the Kirk as was promised and was certainly expected by us but to bring in a precedent of servitude which neither we noâ— our Fathers were acquainted with and so it hath been broken off and adjourned by his Majesties own authority without consent of the â—states which is diâ—â—ctly against the â—aws and pracâ—isâ—s of this Kingdome and contrary to the Articles of agrâ—ement And although our predecessours took another course yet we came onely with supplications and prayers and to shew our invincible obedience unto his Majesty sent up our Commissioâ—ers to London who were rejected and never seen nor heard and yet hoping with this unexampled patience to overcome the malice of our adversaries we send up again our Commissioners with propâ—sitions that were so just as that they contained nothing but what was before granted unto us under his Majesties hand and seal nor could receive any denyall from a picus and just Prince as being all comprehended in this And which had been the summe and subject of all our supplications protestations informations declarations from the beginning namely that the Fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome which had been violated and the Religion which was manifestly infringed might in a free Assembly and Parliament be again confirmed and the unworthy authors legally questioned and which had been more expresly set down in the Articles of pacification that as there according to the tenor of the Articles of agreement all matters civill were to be judged by Parliaments and all Ecclesiasticall matters by the assemblies of the Kirk And that as the Assembly promised by his Majesty had been granted and had concluded the differences of the Kirk so his Majesty would not delay or deny the conclusion of the Parliament for ratifying the acts of this Assembly and settling other differences of the Common-wealth aâ— was fully agreed in that Treatie at the Kings Camp yet these propositions and desires being so necessarie and vitall unto this Kingdome could find no accesse unto the eares of the gracious King by reason of the powerfull diversion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Deputie of Ireland who strengthened with the high and mighty Faction of Papists neare his Majesty onely side in all matters ofâ—spirituall and temporall affairs and makes the necessity of their service to his Majesty appear in being the only fit instruments under the pretext of vindicating his Majesties honour to oppresse both the just liberties of his free Subjects and the true reformed Religion in all his Kingdomes In which devilish designe we have great cause to say they are far advanced if the granting of a free Assembly and Parliament to us at this time which hath been the ground of all our just desires from the beginning and the conclusion of the Treatiâ— this last yeare as the onely mean to cure all the evills of Kirk and State and settle the peace and welfare of both Kingdomes Prove in the end as it appeareth this day like the Councel of Trent to the Christian Kirk which was appointed for reforming the abuse therof yet through the ambition and covetousnesse of Kirk-men and the miserable jealousies of the Princes of the time who minded more their private end and interest then the cause of Christ and his Kirk was found in effect the active engine and instrument to establish and settle the tyranny of the Pope and his Clergie wherfore the greater and more lively are our apprehensions of danger at this time that all these câ—ooked and crosse plots interchecking one another in denying a Parliament to us where it was promised upon the honour of a King and for the safety of two such Nations in granting it unto you where it was not expected for the reasons that all wise men cannot but remember and in forcing one upon Ireland where none is desired Giving out Commissions to destroy us before we can apprehend any other or new guiltinesse but that we have been constant suters for the conclusion of the Parliament and the fulfilling of the Articles of the treaty raising our Parliament contrary to the Laws and the expresse Articles of the agreement inforcing Garisons upon us that they might force us to a necessary denyall of such unreasonable demands and to a necessity to provide for our selves that all these we know are done and devised to pick a quarrel and to be the ground of a false and wyre drawn Remonstrance against us and now by the particular instigation of these men we named before a mighty army is preparing and an utter ruine threatned to our Religion and Countrey Lest in regard of these premisses our silence in so necessary a time should argue a neglect of our duty to God and our King the safety and honour of our Conntrey the peace and â—elfare of both the Nations what so nearly trenches to the prejudice and hazard of all these cannot be longer forborne Therfore we professe before the Christian world and to our dear brethren of England especially the representative Body of the Kingdome now happily conveyned in both the Houses of Parliament whom it most concerns that we cannot otherwise judge and esteem but that all these Councels that have been given of late by these intemperat Counsellors who direct the course of all affaires do not onely proceed from such persons as to serve their own ends under colour of advancing his Majesties Prerogative doe weaken Royall power and bring the Kingdomes unto confusion but that they truly are first hammered in Spain and in the Conclave and put into the hand of their cunning Artisans among you who have ever been a viperous brood which with tooth and naile have assayed to rent the bowels of their own mother yea who never sooner learned to obey the Roman Church as their mother but assoon they acknowledged the Catholick King for their Father and their own King for an usurper if they think him to be an Heretickâ— So that we are perswaded that neither the invincible Armado of the eighty eight nor the Gun-powder plot nor any other Royall Navie from thence like unto that which came the other yeare upon your coast the which ye had the more reason to suspect that it came so unlooked for and at so unseasonable a time needs to be attempted any more for the ruine of this I le but onely â—hat they be carefull as we doubt not they are that the
intended against us against their will to call for your assistance to oppresse us and suâ—ely we think that what Art can invent and malice can doe will not be wanting even amongst some of your number to move the rest to consider aright of all the advantages of the time and reconceal the differences that are amongst themselves and labour to seek the ease of your own burthens when you may have them at an easie rate with small expense and paines to increase ours and many specious pretences will be offeâ—ed to hide the bad intentions of a few and the ill consequences of their privat designes against the publick quiet of the Kingdomes but certainly a thick cloud of prejudices and misrepresentaâ—ions of all our businesses most assuredly be casten before your eâ—es and great must that darknesse be before so wise so advised a judicatorie of all the choice wits in that Kingdome condescend to that resolution which in effect carrieth with it in furthering the overthrow of our Religion and Liberties and in the buriall therof to begin and digge a Tomb for your own to follow and to make the end of this Parliament a mean that there should never be need of any hereafter But we expect Right Honourable better things of you and such as belong properly to the happinesse of this time for the glory of God in the advancement of his truth for the honour of the King in punishing of the wicked for the welfare of the Kingdomes that in our Union they may be crushed who in our division have builded their hopes and made this warre with your Brethren the Trojan horse to bring in all these calamities which a Civill warre will undoubtedâ—y inforce upon this I le and we are certainly perswaded that the singular wisdome and justice of your Honouâ—able Court which can have no other end in all their Counsell but the service of his Majesty and the safety of his Kingdomes which cannot be separated in any consideration whatsoever will judge otherwise of the state of our affairs and affoord us better measure then we have found as yet at the hands of these men who as they have been the Authors of our evil and of that corruption that was creeping in in Kirk and State so have both you and we suffered much more by them and have greater reason to complain of the inconvenience and mischieâ— of the remedie that they have applyed since then of the disease it selfe In vain doe they think to cover their wicked designes with the bare pretext of their zeale and affection to his Majesties greatnes and dignity seeing it tends to the ruine and destruction of his faithfull Subjects whose riches is his treasure whose quiet is his glory whose hearts and affections are his strong garisons that cannot be overcome and whose prâ—sperity is the happines of his Crown and miserable and wretched are the effects of that power which produceth nothing but weaknes to the Prince and calamity to his Subjects and in vain do we expect that God will blesse in our age what he hath cursed in all ages before Let us look unto the Records of former ages and we shall ever find that there is not any thing that doth so much move the wrath of God as to see his worship and Churches profaned and to fall into the hands of these who have sold themselves to the world and are devouted to the Temporall service of the Prince where ever it hath been practised it is a certain demonstration of the alteration and change of an Estate and of their miseries and disgrace who abuse it licentiously their affaires alwayes declining even unto their end We need not put you in mind of the stuâ—â—es and hot contests of your best Princes and of greatest spiriâ—â— with your Archbishops at home to keep down that Papacâ—â— they claymed to themselves amongst you and to suffer them to be Kings beside them which could not be granted but at their discretion they that lookt to the dangers of this time and who they are that be the Authors of this mischief intended may easily perceive that if all the Subjects of the two Kingdomes could be moved to undergoe that burthen the Bishop of Canterbury and his followers would put upon us and could be peswaded in Conscience that we were bound to obey these spirituall Fathers in all their commands we should soon see they would alledge some other ground for their aspiring greatnesse then the zeale of his Majesties service and honour and the Princes that are to follow would find that all their paines was for themselves and to establish their own tyranny over Prince and People Or are there any so ignorant and wilfully blind to think that all that spight and malice they carry to the Covenant of Scotlandâ— is because that it hath weakned the Kings power and made his Majestie appeare so in the sight of his enemies If this were true then would the Pope and the King of Spaine give many millions that the like were in England and Ireland they need not dissemble we know where it pricks them they see the hand of God in it against their unjust usurpation and worldly pomp and they feare that as they have found it a wall of brasse to the Subjects of Scotland against the fury of their malice when they could have no protection neither in their Laws nor in their Prince in whose saving favour they may claim speciall interest so it may prove by example dangerous to them elswhere and at once put an end to all these plots and designes they have to overthrow the reformed Religion And this is the cause they charge it and us with many crimes to plant the hatred of us and that cause in the hearts of others which is already ingraven in theirs but we are assured the equitie justice and wisdome of your Court will be farre from thinking this a sufficient ground of quarrell betwixt the two Nations because we demand to enjoy the benefit of our Laws and the exercise of our Religion if this be a cause that any of your Nation should come to assaile us or any part of the power of that Kingdome should be imployed to that use you would not have taken it in ill part or think we have done you wrong if the like course had been taken by us when there were any contests and dispute betwixt his Majestie and you in your Parliaments for the rights of the Subject But as we have alwayes wished you good successe unto your Paâ—liaments so can we not think that the paines we have taken to maintain our own rights can be grievances unto you or of evill example to weaken your estate or move you to destroy us Princes when they are misled by evill counsell may easily begin warre at theiâ— pleasure but since the Subjects blood must determine the controversie it were necessary that they who have so great a part of the hazard should also know their quarrel And since