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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77444	An historicall vindication of the government of the Church of Scotland from the manifold base calumnies which the most malignant of the prelats did invent of old, and now lately have been published with great industry in two pamphlets at London. The one intituled Issachars burden, &c. written and published at Oxford by John Maxwell, a Scottish prelate, excommunicate by the Church of Scotland, and declared an unpardonable incendiary by the parliaments of both kingdoms. The other falsly intituled A declaration made by King James in Scotland, concerning church-government and presbyteries; but indeed written by Patrick Adamson, pretended Archbishop of St. Andrews, contrary to his own conscience, as himselfe on his death-bed did confesse and subscribe before many witneses in a write hereunto annexed. By Robert Baylie minister at Glasgow. Published according to order.	Baillie, Robert, 1599-1662.; Adamson, Patrick, 1537-1592. Recantation of Maister Patrik Adamsone, sometime archbishop of Saint-Androwes in Scotlande.; Welch, John, 1568?-1622.	1646 (1646)	Wing B460; Thomason E346_11; ESTC R201008	133,114	153

not in any Congregation of Scotland which I doe know a yearly election of Elders but in populous Cities where the Elders are many and diverse of them unable to attend that charge without the hurt of their estate the most of them being Merchants and Tradesmen who must travell for their livelyhood they have a liberty to be free from that service every two yeere if so they be content to attend upon a call every third yeere the Levites attended the service of the Temple but a few months in the yeare What is right or wrong in this custome of some few of our Congregations we are willing to debate it and as it shall be found just or unjust to keep or change that practise for in such things we love not to be contentious In your three last Sections yee do cast upon the Eldership in hand a rabble of incongruous practises Page 3. No Eldership inflicts any civill punishment although the Magistrate in the Eldership doth so sometimes what you bring of pecuniary mulcts imprisonments banishments jogges cutting of haire and such like it becomes neither you to charge nor us to be charged with any such matters No Church-assembly in Scotland assumes the least degree of power to inflict the smallest civill punishment upon any person the Generall Assembly it selfe bath no power to fine any creature so much as in one groat It is true the Lawes of the Land appoint ●ecuniary mulcts imprisonment joggs pillories and banishment for some odious crimes and the power of putting these Laws in execution is placed by the Parliament in the hands of the in●eriour Magistrates in Burroughs or Shires or of others to whom the Counsel Table gives a speciall Commission for that end ordinarily some of these civill persons are ruling Elders and sit with the Eldership So when the Eldership have cognosced upon the scandall alone of criminall persons and have used their spirituall censures only to bring the party to Repentance some of the Ruling Elders by vertue of their civill office or commission will impose a Mulct or send to Prison or stocks or banish out of the bounds of some little circuit according as the Acts of Parliament or counsell do appoint it But that the Eldership should imploy its Eccclesiastick and Spirituall power for any such end none of us doe defend That either in Scotland or any where else in the world the haire of any person is commanded to be cut by any Church judicatory for disgrace and punishment is as I take it but a foolish fable That any person truely penitent is threatned in Scotland with Church censures for non-payment of Monies is in the former Category of calumnies But suppose that all your alleagations were true Bishops confound miserably the spirituall and civill office yet how congruously does a challenge of this kind come from your mouth do you think that all civill imployments are incompatible with spirituall offices How many Ministers did you get to be Iustices of Peace you your selfe were a judge of Common-pleas your colleague S. Andrewes was Chancellor of the Kingdom you know the Treasurers white staffe was very neer to your hands and for the missing of it what stir you made Many of you were Lords of Councel and all of you Lords both of Parliament and temporall Lordships and Regalities where your Baylies kept Court in your names diverse of your Coat with your good liking have been Secretaries of State Keepers of the Privy Seale Leger Ambassadors with forraign Princes your brethren over Sea in France and Spaine Germany and Italy are Admirals of Royall Navies are Generals of Land forces are Princes of Temporall Estates according to these principles that I thinke you doe approve according to your Cannons in Scotland and your ordinary practise in England Great summes of mony were exacted in your spirituall Courts and pocketed up for private uses how many have been excommunicate there for non-payment of a shilling and refused absolution till their fine was payed with increase what do you speak to us of a pecuniary mulct of a very small and unconsiderable value taken up by the Magistrate and imployed only in pious uses Why doe you speak to us of cutting of Beards when your Prelates doe burne the cheeks how many gracious soules have been starved to death in your Episcopall dungeous how many thousands have you banished out of Bricaine out of Europe for no fault at all but their zeale to the truth of God how many hundred thousand hath your pride and obstinacy in error caused to be slaine within these seven yeares in the next age ignorant men may be pardoned to deny these things but it were great impudence this day to deny them when yet we do sticke in the Pit of these troubles wherein the madnesse of you Prelates hath cast us Your objection about the Baptisme of Bastards is vain We refuse Baptism to no insant where either of the Parents will undertake for Christian education for we refuse not that Sacrament to any of them if either of the Parents profesie Repentance and undertake for the Christian education of their child but the ground of your quarrelling in this Point is that we cannot follow your Popish Doctrine that we refute to professe the actuall regeneration of all baptized Infants and that we dare not put all unbaptized persons in the state of unregeneration and damnation Your next head concerns the Classicall Presbytery Page 4 5. No Prince pleads for any exemption from Ecclesiastick jurisdiction your first Objection against it which a little thereafter and oft elsewhere you do ingeminate is That the King and his family are subject to its Jurisdiction I would gladly know if among the rest of the Prelaticall absurd ties this were one That Christian Princes and Magistrates are fully exempted from all Ecclesiastick jurisdiction sometimes your party would seem to speake so as if every Magistrate at least every Prince were such a God upon earth that none might say to any of them Sir what are you doing though they were running to hell themselves and drawing at their heels all they were able This is so grosse a flattery that all advised Princes abhorre it and confesse themselves to be subject to Ecclesiasticall Discipline as well as others for they know if they should exempt themselves from this part of Christian religion they should presently be in hazard or loosing the benefit of all the rest for Christianity is a body of Articles so straitly joyned that either all must be received or none You your selfe though among the absurdest of all your faction do confesse so much as any Presbyterian in the world did ever thinke of you say that the Crowne and Scepter is subject not only to the directive power of the Church expound the Church as you will for a Congregationall Classicall or Nationall Eldership it is alike for the present Question but also to the authoritative power of the same whereby the

make poor people die Traytors to both ibid. p. 68. fancying to themselves that they fight the Lords battels for Religion Liberties they dream they die Martyrs when they die Traytors to God and his Anoynted ibid. p. 132. They set the simple people upon Rebellion against God and his Anoynted to the destruction of State soul and body temporally and eternally That the defensive war of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes is a most reall Rebellion and Treason that all who have dyed in that quared are certainly damned that the Covenant is a damnable Conspiracy that all Covenanters are Traytors and Rebels both to God and the King that their Covenant puts them upon the principles of Ravtitack and Faux to kill Kings and blow up Parliaments (b) Vide supra a. also ibid. 63. This Covenant maketh every man to be armed with power and the way left to himselfe for ought wee know it may be Raviliacks way or Guido Faux his way ibid p. 7. For as bad as the Iesuite is in my conceiving the Puritan is worse That the Armes of the Irish Rebels were no more unjust then these of the British who opposed them that the Irish Cessation was lawfull and commendable (c) Ibid. Preface to Ormond you were assaulted with two of the worst extreames of opinions enraged both of them with the same degrees of madnesse That the Marquesse of Ormond for piety and prudence has not his match upon earth (d) Ibid. You whose piety is admirable whose wisdom and prudence is above the ordinary and all your equals so experienced in matters of State that it is a wonder to them who know you and incredible to them who have not been eye witnesses That for military vertue he is equall to Scipio Hannibal and Caesar (e) Ibid. Your heroicall Acts are worthy of the greatest Caesar you gained so much as their valiant Hannib●s and Scipios That the Legislative power is in the King alone That his Monarchy makes him above all Lawes and lets him be tyed to none but gives him power to alter and abolish them at his pleasure (f) Sacro Sanct. p. 180. One of the Sectaries principles wherby they intoxicate the Vulgar is that in a Monarchy the Legislative power is communicable to the subject ibid. p. 94. At the admittance of Saul God giveth to the subject Legem parendi Soveraignity is an undivided entity how can you share it among more To diminish any thing of this Pretogative is to destroy Monarchy to dethrone the King and to take his Crowne from him (g) Ibid p. 141. You totally destroy Monarchy and must say down right our gracious Soveragne is no Monarch p. 142. An impotent King is the same with no King For Parliam●n●s to meddle with any part of this power is a sacriledge which God will revenge (h) Ibid. p. 144. The worst bargaine ever subject made was at any rate to purchase a possession of the sacred Rights of Kings till these Kingdomes be purged of sacriledge so highly committed against God by wronging his Anointed and he be restored to his sacred Rights we need look for no effectuall blessings of God When through weaknesse or imprudence a Prince is cheated or enforced to give away to his Parliament any part of his power himselfe or any of his posterity when ever occasion offereth may lawfully take it back notwithstanding of any promise oath or law made to the contrary (i) Ibid p. 142. I doubt not to affirme but if any good Prince or his Royall Ancestors have been or are cheated out of their sacred Right by fraud or force he may at the first opportunity when God in his wise providence offereth occasion resume it You see with what a Statesman we have to doe A favorer of ●rosse Popery ●nd Arminia●isme for his Religion heare a part of it Episcopacy is a necessary and fundamentall truth of Divine Institution and Commandement (k) Issachar p. 1. In the Edition of Oxford Episcopacy is the true necessary and perpetuall Government of the Church institute by Christ wee deceive our selves to expect deliverance from our troubles if wee subordinate fundamentals in Religion necessary truths to our civill good All Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction belongs to the Bishops alone by Divine Right no Presbyter ought to bee a member so much as of a Provinciall Assembly (l) Ibid p. 31. Now is forgotten that of the councel of Chalcedon concilium est Episcoporum and that old barbarous but Christian enough verse Ite foras laici non est vobis locus ici That the Kings consent to the abolition of Episcopacy in Scotland is the true and great cause of all the troubles which since that time hath befallen him and his subjects (m) Ibid p. 2. What peace hath King or Kingdome enjoyed here or in Ireland since Episcopacy by Law in Scotland was damned That Abots Priors and their Religious Houses of Monks and Fryers are lawfull in the Church (n) Ibid. p. 49. Abbots and Priors to Melvils time were nominate and admitted to Abbeys and Priories as Church men but this great Doctor found out another Divinity that for Abbots and Priors there was none such in the Word of God That Patriarcks and Cardina's are Church Dignities highly to be reverenced (o) Ibid p. 43. Cardinall Beton a Priest and Archbishop of so high Dignity That the Pope by Divine Right is as true a Bishop as any other Bishop in the world but by humane Ecclesiastick Right he is greater then any other (p) Sacro Sanct. p. 58. The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right except it bee in extent then the meanest Bishop in his Diocesse what hee may have by positive Ecclesiasticall right it s not pertinent for us now to examine Hierome compareth three of the meanest Bishops with three of the greatest Patriarcks Priviledged at that time by Ecclesiasticall Canons That Presbytery is worie then Popery and Iesuitisme that it were much better for any King to put his Dominions under the yoak of the Pope and Iesuites then of Presbyteries and Synods (q) Issachar Edition Oxford p. 30. The ●ing is in a worse condition under this soveraignty then under the Pope ibid p. 45. The Presbytery it or may be in time a mother of as much rebellion and treason as any Iesuitisme of the highest die if not more certainly Rome although a whore is not so bad nor so abominable That the first Reformation in Scotland France Holland Germany and where ever the supream Magistrate was not the Author and Actor of the worke was unorderly and sin ull an action seditious and treasonable a great cause of all the mischiefes that from that time to this have come upon the Churches (r) Ibid. p. 36. This gave life to that tumultuary Reformation we will never wrong Reformed Religion so much as to count of that as an orderly Reformation We

before any Assemblies were in Scotland should be laid to their charge But what may those absurd asserions of Iohn Knox be he sayes as you alledge that the Nobility of Scotland who are borne Counsellours of the Kingdom and by the Laws have great priviledges may represse the fury and madnesse of a misled Prince I grant this to you must be a great Heresie who makes it one of the Articles of your faith that though Princes were as mad as ever Nero and should openly avow their desires to overturn all the sworn Lawes of their State and to kill without any cause all their Subjects yet for the Nobility or whole States of Parliament to make the smallest opposition or to goe one haires breadth beyond a naked supplication were no lesse then a damnable Rebellion and Treason but beleeve it the subjects of Scotland will not take off your hand such maximes without some Argument for their truth Iohn Knox is alledged to say that the Commonalty may bridle the cruell beasts and resorme Religion but what does it concerne the generall Assembly whatever power the Lords or Commons have by the Law or usurpe against the Law The matter whereof Iohn Knox is speaking is this The body of Scotland in the yeare 1557. were true and zealous Protestants the Masse and Images were to them Idols long before the governour and protector of the Kingdom Duke Hamilton was for the Religion At his first Parliament he did authorize some good beginnings of Reformation the Cardinall and Clergy at this grew mad and found means to translate the government from the Duke to the Queens Mother sister to the Duke of Guize and Cardinall of Lorain in the time both of the Duke and Queen Mothers Regency the cruelty of the Bishops was unsufferable They took divers of the most zealous Preachers and Professors men and women and publikely without any Commission from the Magistrate onely for their zeale to the truth of God did burne them quick as Hereticks After many yeers patience the people at last seeing no end of the Prelates fury did cause write Letters to some of their most wicked persecutors telling them that if they gave not over to murther their Brethren themselves should taste of that Cup of which they forced others to drink All the Reformation which the people at that time practised was to keep themselves pure from most vile Idolatry and in private to heare the Word of God purely preached They made no publike Reformation till first they had openly supplicated the Queen and gotten her allowance and a promise of an Act of Parliament in the yeare 1558. which promise when the Protestant Nobility Gentry and Commons did presse in face of Parliament it was not denyed by the Queen but cunningly put off upon assurance that all their desires at the first conveniency should be granted in the meane time she received their Protestation for a Liberty to live in their reformed Churches separate from Popish Idolaters and promised in due time to give to the Protesters full satisfaction Though you have brought together all the malicious a persions which your predecestors the Popish Prelates and Priests were wont at these very times to heap upon the heads of our blessed Reformers yet shall you never be able to leave any stain upon that happy work though here and elsewhere you spue out your dispight against it The Reformation of Scotland was begun by publique Authority in the first Parliament of Queen Mary the yeare 1542. holden by the Governour the Earle of Arran a Protestant for the time the setting up of it in publique was avowed and protested for in face of Parliament 1558. with the Queen Regents evident allowance and without the opposition of any but in the next Pa●liament 1560. the whole Estates without the contradiction of any but three Popish Lords did set up by Law the whole body of that Religion which since by Gods mercy we have ever peaceably possessed except so farre as wicked Prelates have troubled us It is true The suspension of the Queene Regen●s authority was an act of the State which did nothing I rejudice the Soveraignty that Queen Regent notwithstanding of her good countenance and faire promises was forced by the privy Instructions of her wicked Brethren Guize and the Cardinall of Loraine to oppose Reformation wherein fore against her own minde as at her death shee professed shee went so farre as to bring in many thousands of the French to conquer and subdue the Land They began to the terror of the whole Isle to fortifie Leith and other Maritime places they exercised an evident tyranny both in Church and State and overthrew the Laws and liberties of the Nation which forced the cheise of the Nobility for the casting off of this yoak of stavery from the Church and State and preventing the danger which threatned the whole Isle to enter in a covenant of defence both among themselvs and with the Queen of England but without the least prejudice to the just authority of their Soveraign then Queen of France as it after appeared for when by the blessing of God and the helpe of the English they had ejected the French usurpers they did heartily receive and obey the Queen so soon as she came from France For the justification of all this I could bring formall testimonies out of Spotswood himselfe What you say of the deposition of Queen Regent from her Authority it is false that any Church Assembly did ever meddle with it lesse or more it was the Act of the three Estates how just let any judge She was the first woman as I remember that ever in Britain had the government of the State it belonged not to her by any right the Lawes provided that charge for Duke Hamilton but she and the Prelates couzend him out of his right and long possession she became not only a violent persecuter of all the faithful against the Law and her own promises but also went about evidently by violence and force of Arms to subdue the land to the tyranny of strangers much of this shee did albeit at the direction of her Brethren of Loraine yet without all commission from our Soveraigne her daughter When no supplication nor remonstrance could stop her the Estates of the Land being all denounced Rebels and Traitors by her did passe an Act not for depriving her of her Regency but for the suspending of her Authority till the next Parliament or till shee altered the course of her tyrannous government with an expresse protestation that the authority and power of the King and Queen of France their Soveraignes should remain to them sacred and inviolable This act of the Statewhether right or wrong what does it concerne the generall Assembly of the Church be it so that a Minister or two being called for advice did give their assent to this action which is the furthest our Enemies alledge yet what hath this to doe with our Church government

the worst of all your Mothers children must have leave to poure more of your excrements upon her head From your page 41. to the 46. you would make the world believe that the Church of Scotland does excommunicate good men and tender consciences for a dissent in the smallest points of Religion and does persecute for such differences with all the rigour of temporall afflictions Secondly you affirme that the Assemblies of that Church take upon them to make Traitours whom they will and to cast out of the Court whether the King will or not the greatest and best men with whom they are displeased Thirdly that these Assemblies doe alter the Lawes of the Kingdome at their pleasure Surely if strangers who know not the Constitution and customes of that Church were disposed to believe all you say they could not but by your relations he brought to a very evill opinion of your mother whom you an unnaturall son so vildly slander but it is good that men here are so rationall as not to take upon trust the naked assertions of a malicious enemie The discipline of Scotland is farre from all rigour and Tiranny For the first a complaint of rash Excommunication and persecution therupon is very impertinent from your mouth it is not so long that yet it can be forgotten since you and your Colleagues did allow your Officialls and others to excommunicate good people for trifles yea for no offence at all but their zeale to God and the good of their Country your Cannons in all the three Kingdomes are extant your cruelties are fresh in imprisoning banishing Pilloring stigmatizing the worthiest men for contradicting you in any one of your numerous ceremonies and traditions As for the Church of Scotland that it did ever meddle to trouble any in their goods Liberties or persons it 's very false what civill penalties the Parliament of a Kingdome thinkes meet to inflict upon those who are refractory and unamendable by the censures of a Church the state from whom alone these punishments doe come are answerable and not the Church That Excommunication in Scotland is inflicted upon those who cannot assent to every point of Religion determined in their confession there is nothing more untrue for wee know it well that never any person in Scotland was Excommunicate only for his difference of opinion in a Theologick tenet Excommunication there is a very dreadfull sentence and therefore very rare these last forty yeares so farre as I have either seen or heard there has none at all been Excommunicate in Scotland but some few trafficking Papists and some very few notoriously flagitious persons and five or six of you the Prelates for your obstinate impenitency after your overturning the foundations both of our Church State and one most rigid and pragmatick Brownist who for all that could be done or said would needs make it his worke to perswade all he was able by discourse Letters and spreading of books that in Scotland there was neither a Church nor any Ministery nor any Ordinance In Scotland wee count the spirituall Judgement of Excommunication most heavie but any temporall inconvenience that follows upon it is not very considerable for first there is not any civill hazard at all to any excommunicate man who will suffer himselfe to be brought to any measure of repentance Secondly were they never so impenitent ther is no harme can come to them as I remember a whole yeare after the long processe and finall sentence of Excōmunication Thirdly after a yeares cōtumacy though the Letter of the Act of Parliament be heavy yet I appeale to any who has lived in Scotland among the very few whom they have knowne Excommunicate how many did they ever heare to have been hurt in their goods imprisoned or banished I am sure that Huntly Arrole and Angus and the other popish Lords though for their plotting to undermine the State their persons after Excommunication have been secured yet no penny of their estates went to the Kings Exchequer or to the hands of any of their unfriends but as the ordinary custome is upon the pretext of a small composition what ever the Letter of the Law takes from them it is all put in the hand of such of their friends whom they doe most trust Scotlands guilt may well be too much indulgence but of any excessive rigour towards spirituall oftenders they will bee condemned by none that knowes them P. 42.43.44 A narration of the roads of Ruthven and Stirling Your other imputation that our generall Assembly takes upon it to be judge what is Treason and who are fit to bee Counsellours nothing is more false But here you doe us the favour to prove your Alleageance by a long story to which I have given a full answer in the other Treatise At that time of King James minority Spotswood himselfe being witnesse our State was miserably misguided the Tyrannie of Captaine Iames supported too much by the favour of the Earle of Lennex was very grievous both to Church and State I touch but upon one instance The greatest subject of the Kingdome and at that time neerest to the King in blood was Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran a very gracious and most brave man before his sicknesse without any fault at all so much as alleaged for he was uncapable at that time of any crime being vinted with a distemper that made him keep his house and hindred him from meddling with any affaires of State yet was he spoiled by the fraud and violence of Captaine Iames Stewart of all his Lands and honour This violent oppressour was made Earle of Arran and Chancelour of the Kingdome At that time the designe was cleere and confessed to bring Queen Mary out of her prison in England to set her againe upon her Throne to advance the Catholique League which then was newly made betwixt the Guises King Iames his grand Uncles and the King of Spain● for the destroying Queen Elizabeth and the whole Protestant party For the preventing of these mischiefs the prime Nobility found it absolutely necessary to have the advancers of these counsels removed from the minor King What ever fault was in this action the Assembly is unjustly charged therewith Their advice was never sought thereto only halfe a yeare after it was done his Majesty sent a speciall Command to the Assembly for their approbation thereof for as by divers of his Letters to all the neighbour Princes he did signifie his good liking of that action so in all the great Courts of the Kingdome hee required it to be approved The privy Councell the convention of Estates the generall Assembly by his Majesties expresse Commission did all assent to his will It is true Captaine Iames so soon as he crept in againe into Court did change the young Kings mind but the event of that alteration was a more horrible confusion both of Church and State The Earle of Gowry was beheaded as a litt●e before the Earle

shedding of teares I take it for your meere invention P. 47. The grea● controversie betwixt the King and the Church was about the infinite extent of the Prerogative for Spotswood the fountaine of all your stories who never failes to relate to the full what ever is meete to draw any envy upon the good Ministers who opposed the Episcopall designes makes no mention at all of King Iames teares I grant he reports that advice of the Chancellour and some such reply to it as you speake of but how t●uly I cannot tell onely this is most certaine that what ever difference King Iames had with the Ministers it was alone about the great Idoll of his Prerogative to do as a Monarch in Church and State what he thought convenient with his prerogative in matters of State they did never meddle but his designe to bring Bishops and Ceremonies in the Church as they conceived against law and reason the most honest of the Ministry did ever oppose it to their power albeit in a humble and warrantable way others for their own gain and advancement did yeeld to his desires and assisted him with all their power to advance his Prerogative so high as to do without any resistance all his pleasure both in Church and State But the Lord now has cleered that controversie and has made the righteousnesse of these oppressed men shine as the light and the basenesse of these flatterers appeare in its owne base and vile colours Concerning his Majesties discourses at the Conference of Hampton Court The Presbiterie is a great barre to keep out Democracy and Tyrannie both from Church and State we confesse they cannot be very favourable to any who opposed Episcopacy which these of your Coat long before that time had made him believe was the maine pillar of his Throne and had perswaded him to looke upon all that was disaffected thereunto as enemies to his Crowne But how farre you are here mistaken in fastning upon Presbiteriall government any furtherance of Democracy not reason alone but now also ample experience makes it evident there is not such a barre this day as both friends and foes doe well know against the Sectaries designes to bring in a popular government in the Church as Presbitery And if your rules be right enemies to Democracie in the Church will never be instruments to bring it in to the State If Presbitery could be partiall towards any one civill Government more then another It is 〈◊〉 singular help both to Parliaments Iust Monarchie its similitude and consanguinity with the constitution of a Parliament might make it suspected to be inclinable to the rights of that Court more then a Prince or the multitude could desire but the truth is it medles not to the prejudice of any civill Government which it finds established by Law but what ever that be it supports it to its power and how serviceable it has ever been to Monarchy in Scotland examples both of old and late doe demonstrate Who were the prime instruments of settling King Iames in his infancy upon his Throne who kept him into his Throne against all the assaults of his potent enemies to whom in all his great straits had he ever his recourse during his abode in Scotland to no other but to the Presbiterian Nobles Gentry Ministers if these had been disposed to have changed the government of the state there was oft no considerable impediments upon earth to have opposed them but such a desire never entered into their thoughts And of later times when the Presbitery in Scotland hath attained its highest aimes and is in capacity as you say to make what factions it will when its provocations to a●ger were as great as readily can be againe and the madnes of you Malignant Prelates had laid the Crowne in Scotland very low at such a season did the least disloyalty appeare in any of the Presbiterian side were not they and they only the men which set●ed that throne which you had caused to shake and astened the Crowne upon that head from whence you hands by your extreame unjustice pride and folly had we● nere pulled it away And at this very houre when you and all your friends are able to make no helpe at all to releive not only the King and his house but the Royalty it selfe from that extreame hazard of ruine wherein you alone both have cast them and with all your hearts would stil continue them upon some phantastick hope which yet you have of attaining all your former desires or else to revenge your disappointments though all the world should perish At this time when you have cast the Crown the Throne and Scepter in the dust who is able who now is willing to save the King or to keepe Monarchy on foote I hope albeit your dementation be great yet even you must see and confesse that it is the Presbiterians and these alone by whose hearts and hands this worke must be done which indeed your goodnes and wisdome has made extreamely difficult and well nere unfeasible You fall very needlesly on Mr. Catherwood the Author of that Booke altare darna scenum P. 18. Mr. Catherwoods vindication a man of greater worth then all the Prelates that ever Scotland bred put them all in one Durst ever any or all of you looke that man or his Booke in the face you had long twenty yeares leasure to answer but was ever the courage among you all to assay it I doe not love to speake or when it is spoken by others to defend any thing that may rub upon authority yet when sycophanticall Prelates make it their worke to bring most honest and gracious men in disgrace with Princes for some incomodious phrases which in the heat and current of large discourses have escaped their pens who shall but vindicate their innocency from such flaterers accusations Is it a crime for Master Catherwood to write that in all Kings naturally their is a hatred to Christ what doe you here intend to censure are not all men naturally enemies to God unto this natural Corruption that is Cōmon to all flesh does not great places in the world especially Crowns and Throns adde many provocations from which poverty and meannes gives exemption what would you here reprove speake out plainly your Pelagian tenet deny originall sin make it one of the Royall Prerogatives in vertue of the Crowne to be naturally gracious and an advancer of Christs Kingdome The other word you make your adversary to say albeit you professe you speake per cur is that King Iames was a most insense enemy to the purity of Religion If such tearmes were ever expressed of what thinke you must they be understood what is the subject of that speech and of the whole Booke wherein you say it stands Is it not of the Government of the Church and the English Ceremonies alone to say that King Iames was a great friend to these and agreat

their abolishing of Episcopacy their indicting of solemne Fasts the desert of these crimes we will see when the particulars are opened The Road of Ruthven was a Remonstrance made to his Majesty by a number of the prime and best affected of the Nobility The generall Assemblies approbation of the Road of Ruthven very innocent against the insupportable tyrannies of some few Courtiers to the extream hazard of the Kings person the Church and whole Kingdome His Majesty yet minor was content to follow the Remonstrants advice the men complained of were removed from Court the action of the Noble-men was declared by the King and his Counsell to have been good and acceptable service bbb Collection His Majesty seemed to be well pleased and gave sundry significations of his good liking of that action as of good service done to him by attestations in his Princely word they should never be challenged by Act of Privy Counsell by Act of solemn convention of Estates by publike Proclamations at Market Crosses needfull by desiring the English Ambassadours to testifie to the Queene his owne and his Estates good liking by two legations sent to her Majesty signed by his owne hand and the Counsels by his command to the Ministers in chiefe places to signifie his consent and apprsbation to the people the convention of estates made that same Declaration ccc Vide supra bbb the Kings the Counsels the States approbation of this fact was solemnly proclaimed in the next Market places of the chiefe Burroughs ddd Vide supra bbb at his Majesties desire the Ambassadours of England and France did write so much to their Masters eee Vide supra bbb and it was also promised that the next generall Assembly and Parliament for the Noblemens greater security should give their ample approbations When the generall Assembly came the Noblemen petitioned them for their approbation at the first the Assembly declined to meddle with that matter fff Collection When the Authors of the enterprize sought the approbation of the generall Assembly it was answered that the matter was civill nothing pertaining to them It was replyed that the King and Counsell Estates had approved it and that the King had agreed an Act of approbation should be made in the Assembly whereupon Master James Lauson and Master David Lindsay were directed to his Majesty who after conference with his Majesty and Counsell reported their approbation and the Kings contentment that an Act should passe as was desired but when the Petitioners insisted alleaging it was the Kings pleasure they should take that matter into consideration they sent two of their number to the King to understand his mind his Majesty did not onely fignifie to those Messengers his defire that the Assembly should declare their approbation of that Action at Ruthven ggg Vide fff but also he did send two Commissioners of his owne to require the Assembly in his name to declare so much hhh The Collection The Tutor of Pitcur and Colonell Stuart Commissioners from the King reported that they had speciall command to assent in his name and so the Assembly approved but not till approved before and desired to approve Could the Assemblies obedience to the Kings expresse command be a treason of so high a nature as did merit not onely the persecution of their persons but the abolition of the Court it selfe for ever yet the Prelats and Courtiers rage did intend no lesse for when Captaine James had got againe into the Court whence he had been banished he wrought so upon the minor King that the Noblemen and Gentlemen who had procured his removall at Ruthven were some of them executed as Traitors others forfeit and banished many of the best Ministers were forced to flee for their life not one Pastor durst stay in Edenborough but all fled out of the Kingdome iii Vide supra Such stormes has Satan oft stirred up in Scotland by his instruments yet gracious men there by faith and patience by wisdome and active courage did wrestle through and alwayes in the end prevailed they got the Church the Kingdome the person of the Prince ever at last rescued from the bonds and snares of oppressing Sycophants The memory of our Predecessors sufferings and successes does much encourage us in these evill dayes and permits us not in the greatest tempests to faint but makes us to walk with hope in the midst of despaire for the like glorious issue however this was the sad condition of Scotland for some time till the oppressed Nobility did come to Stirling in a greater number and with a sharper Remonstrance then they had used at Ruthven At their first appearing before the Towne The Road of Stirling the instruments of mischiefe did flee the King and his good people Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and others were presently reconciled though the authors of these frequent misunderstandings did escape by flight the sword of publick Justice yet did the private judgements of God quickly find them out and sweep them off the face of the earth with their ruine peace and prosperity did flow in both upon Church and Kingdome The other great crime imputed to the generall Assembly It could be necrime in the generall Assembly to vote down Episcopacy is That they had voted downe Episcopacy and had professed the unlawfulnesse of prelaticall Jurisdiction both in the Church and State which prior Assemblies had approved of To this I answer that the crime cannot be very great for any Church meeting especially a generall Assembly to declare their judgement in a point of Religion of great and generall concernment and whether this their judgement was erroneous when they condemned the office of Episcopacy affirming it to be unlawfull for a Minister of the Gospell to be a Lord of Parliament and Counsell to be a Chancellour Secretary Treasurer of a Kingdome or any Officer of State or to take upon him alone the power of Ordination and spirituall Jurisdiction which the Word of God never gives to one ordinary Officer but alwayes to a number joined in a Presbytery the whole Isle thanks be to God now does cleerly see That ever the Church of Scotland or any lawfull Assembly thereof did approve of Episcopall jurisdiction What favour the Earle of Morton procured to Episcopacy at the conference at L●eth 1572. was by the generall Assemblies disclaimed it is alleaged without any ground We grant the Earl of Morton in that necessary correspondence which he did always keep with Queen Elizabeth was entangled in a greater familiarity and affection to the English Prelats then was convenient and at their desire did assay in a conference of some Statesmen and Ministers of his speciall acquaintance in the yeer 1572 at Leeth to have set up in Scotland a kind of Episcopacy but that plant was so strange to our climate that it could take no root in our ground for so much offence was taken in the very next