[Historical Works Contents – Original]
As 13, Regni Regis Carolj, et Sal: 1637.
The 13 of Julij, this zeire, 1637, the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaile, by ther acte directed letters of horninge aganist the ministers, for baying and prowiding for eache paroche tuo bookes of comon prayer, with 15 dayes after they be charged, wnder the paine of rebellion and eschetting of ther moueable goodes, &c.
Diuersse of the ministerey being charged be wertew of the acte of counsaill of the 13 of Julij, gaue in ther suplications to the Lordes of counsaill at Edinbrughe, the 25 of Aguste, this same zeire, humblie crauing the letters be suspendit; quherwpone the Lordes did explaine ther former acte of the 13 Julij, as followes:
The Lordes of secret counsaile, wnderstanding that ther hath beine a grate mistaking in the letters and charges giuen out wpone the acte of counsaile made anent the baying of the seruice bookes, declares, that the said acte and letters extends onlie to the baying of the saides bookes, and no furder. Giuen at Edinbrughe, 25 of Aguste, 1637.
The 3 ministers that wer charged with thesse letters, wer Mr Alexander Hendersone, minister of Leuchers; Mr James Bruce, minister at Kingesbarnnes; and Mr George Hamiltone, minister at Newbirne. They for themselues, and in name of the remanent ministers of the kingdome, did suplicat, in all humility, the Lordes to grant to them a suspensione of the said charge, for thesse followinge reassons:-
First, Becausse the said seruice booke is not warranted by the authority of the generall assemblies, wich is the representatiue kirke of this kingdome, and hath euer since the reformatione giuen directione in matters of Gods worschipe, nor be aney acte of parliament (wich in thinges of this kynd) hath euer beine thought necessarey by his Maiesty and estaites.
Secondlie, Becausse the liberties of the trew kirke, and the forme of worschipe and religion receaued at the reformatione, and vniwersally practissed sinsyne, is varrranted by actes of generall assemblies, and diuersse actes of parliament, 1567, and of the lait parliament, 1633.
Thridlie, The kirke of Scotland is ane independent kirke, and her auen pastors should be most able to decerne and directe quhat doe best seime our mesour of reformatione, and quhat may serue most for the good of the people.
Fourtlie, It is not wnknowen to your Lordschipes, quhat disputing, diuisione and trouble, hath beine in this kirke aboute some few of the maney ceremonies contined in this booke, wich being examined, as wee shall be redey at a competent tyme assigned by your Lordschipes to shaw, will be found to depairt far from the worschipe and reformatione of this kirke, and in poyntes most materiall for the kirke of Rome, for hir hierarchie and doctrine, superstitione and idolatrie in worschipe, tyranie in gouerniment and in wickednesse, eurey way als antechristian now, as quhen it cam out of her.
Fyftlie, The people hath beine otherwayes taught by ws, and our prædicessors in our places, euer since the reformatione; and so it lickly they will be found wnwilling to the change quheneuer they be assayed, euen quhen ther pastors are willinge, in respecte quherof the saides letters of horneinge, haill effecte and executione, aught to be simpliciter suspendit in tyme coming.
All that the thre ministers obteined, was, that the Lordes made the former explanatione of the acte of the 13 of Julij, and wrotte to his Maiesty a particular letter, wich I thought wery fittning heir to insert, word by word, for the better wnderstanding of bussines, that the subsequent zeires will produce:-
Most sacred Souerainge,
According to the warrand of your Maties commandiment, wee haue beine most willing and redey to giue all concurrence and assistance to the Lordes of the clergie for the establishing of the seruice booke; and notwithstanding of that barbarous tumulte, occasioned alenerlie (for aney thing wee can learne) as zet, by a nomber of basse and rascally people, wee wer werey hopefull that in a shorte tyme, without aney furder trouble ore importunity to your Maiesty, to haue brought to practisse, by hauing appoynted a meitting of counsaill wpone the 25 of Aguste instant, in this extraordinarey tyme of vacance, expresly to thinke wpone the best expediencies for aduancing that seruice booke, wee fand ourselues far surpryssed by our expectation with the clamor and feares of your Maiesties subiects, from diuersse pairts and corners of the kingdome; and that euen from thesse quho hes hertofor otherwayes liued in obedience and conformitey to your Maiesties lawes, both in ecclesiasticall and ciuill bussines. And this wee fand to be ane matter of so heighe ane consequences, in respecte of the generall grudge and murmur of all sortes of people, for wrging of the practisse of the seruice booke, as the lyke has not beine hard at aney tyme; zet wee dar not delay it, nor conceile it from your Maiesty, not knowing quherwnto the samen may tend, and quhat effecte it may produce. Nather dare wee diue aney furder in the trayell of the causse of the saides feares and remedies therof, vntill it shall pleis your Maiestie, in the deipnes of your judgement and royall wnderstanding, to prescryue the way, after heiring of all particulars, ather by calling some of your Maties counsaile, or Lordes of the clergie, to your Maiesties auen presence; to the effecte that ane coursse may be takin for pacefing the present commotione, and establishing the said seruice booke, ore otherwayes by such meines as your Maiesty, in your auen grate wisdome, shall thinke fitting. And wee haue appoynted the 20 of September for attending your Maiesties pleasur theranent, quhilke wee humbley, as becomes faithfull subiectes, and thosse quhom your Maiesty hes honored with your royall commandiments, will follow and obey; and so, with all our most humble prayers for your Maiesties longe and prosperous rainge, wee humblie kisse your royall handes, from Edinbrughe, 25 of Aguste, 1637.
Traghaire, St Andrewes,
Roxbrughe, Morton,
Perth, Vigtone,
Lauderdaill, Southescke,
Alexander,
Naper,
Da: Edinbrughe,
Tho: Galloway,
Jo: Hay, Ja: Carmichell,
Thomas Hope,
Jo: Hamilton.
After the tumult in Edinbrughe, in St Geilles church in Julay last, at the first reiding of the seruice booke, therby Mr James Hannay, Deane of Edinbrughe, and Mr Dauid Lindesay, Bischope of the said citey, and after the Lordes of the secrett counsaile had wrettin to his Matie the 25 of Agust last, his Maiestie did returne them a peremtorey and bitter ansuer therto from Otlandes the 10 of September, this same zeire, as followes:-
Charles Rx,
Rt trustie and weill beloued, &c. Wee haue considered your letter, and wee find that our former directions haue produced werey shallow effectes; nather doe you heirby propone aney new expedient, bot onlie you desyre some of the clergie and layitie should be send for to deall with ws therin, wiche wee conceaue not to be fitt; and by a neidlesse noysse make it appeire, that ather wee have a werey slacke counsaill, ore bad subiectes, wich wee will neuer beleiue, hauing had so good a prouffe of ther affectione heirtofor; bot rather wills, that a sufficient number of you attend still at Edinbrughe, or neir therabout, during the vaccance tyme, till the seruice booke be settled. And wee are not weill satisfied nather with you nor our citty of Edinbrughe, that after the seruice wes read wpon the Sunday afternoone, it should haue beine intermitted immediatly therafter, and that no delinquents that wer actores and accessories to that insolence and ryotte committed in the tumult that day, wer aney wayes censured, for terrifeinng of others from attempting the lyke; and it doeth lykwayes seime werey strange wnto ws, that the ministers of Edinbrughe hauing offred to begin the reeding of the seruice booke, prowyding they wer secured from iniurey, and releiued by our said cittey of the said charge within a mounthe therafter, that the said offer was not accepted and performed; and it is our pleasure that eurey bischope causse reid the said seruice booke within his auen dyocie, as the Bischopes of Rosse and Dumblaine haue alredy done. As lykwayes you causse warne our burrowes particularlie, that none of them make choysse of aney magistrats, bot suche as they will anssuer for ther conformity. So expectinge that you will extend the vttermost of your endewors, by doing quhat is necessarey, and preuenting aney inconwenient that may occur, that wee may haue a good compte with diligence, wee bid you fairweill from our courte at Ottlandes, 10 Septem: 1637.
The Lordes of priuey counsaill mett precisly at Edinbrughe, the 20 of September, this zeire, quher they fand his Maties anssuer to thers of the 25 of Aguste, togider with a grate maney of the nobilitie, gentriey and comons from all the corners of the kingdome, with petitions aganist the seruice booke; the resulte of this meitting of the priuey counsaill, ze will best understand by ther following acte:-
Apud Edinbrughe, 20 Sept. 1637.
The quhilk day, the Lordes of secrett counsaill hauing hard and considered his Maiesties missiue and directione to them, concerning the seruice booke, the saides Lordes, for satisfaction of his royall pleasure signified therin, nominatts, appoynts and ordaines the Lord Chanceler, Thesaurer, the Earles of Vinton, Vigton, Southescke, the Bischopes of Edinbrughe and Galloway, the Clercke Register, Iustice Generall, Thesaurer Depute, Kinges Aduocat, Iustice Clerck, the Laird of Blackhall, ore aney seuin of them; the Lord Chanceler and Lord Thesaurer alwayes being tuo, not excluding aney of the 10, quho shall be pleassed to be present, to attend ore resorte heir in this vaccance tyme, for performance of quhat his Maiesty, by his said letter, hes committed to our caire; lykwayes the Lordes suspendes to giue anssuer to ther petitione, giuen in this day be noblemen, barons, ministers, burroughes and comons, aganist the seruice booke, wntill his Maiestie, after dew consideratione of the same shall signifie his gratious pleasure theranent, wherwith the saides petitioners shall be tymeously acquainted; and quherof mentione was judicially made to the Earles of Sutherland and Wymes, in name of the rest of the petitioners, and for themselues. And wheras the Duck of Lennox, his Grace, has beine ane eare and eye wittnes to all that was moued or treatted off in counsaile concerning that matter, and quho is presently to repaire to his Maiesties royall courte; the saides Lordes intreattes the Duckes Grace to remonstratt to his Maiestie the trew estait of the bussines, with the maney pressing difficulties occuring therin; and to sollicit his Maties gratious resolution theranent; for wiche ordaines tuo or three of the pryme persones, wich the counsaile shall make choysse offe, with a roll and list of the rest, to be deliuered to the Duckes Grace, to be represented by him to his Maiesty at his fitting conuenience. Extractum, &c. sic subscribitur.
JA: PRYMROSE.
The Lordes of priuey counsaile, lykwayes, from ther meitting at Edinbrughe, the 20 of September, sent his Maiestie a particular letter, bearing ane accompte of all his former commandes anent the seruice booke, electione of conforme magistrats, as also the doubles of sextie and eghte petitions, exhibit to them by multituds of all sortes of people of this kingdome; they lykwayes sent to the Secretarey, the Earle of Strilinge, a particular informatione of all ther procedure in that bussines, to the end his Maiestie should not be præoccupied with falsse informations.
About the 9 of October, this zeire, in place of ane positiue anssuer to ther humble desyres, the Lordes of secrett counsaile resaiues this letter from his Matie.
Charles Rx,
Rt Reuerend Father in God, &c. Wee greett you weeill. Wee haue seine the letter and petitions ze sent ws therwith, wiche wee thinke not fitt to anssuer at this tyme, bot will doe it quhen wee shall thinke fitt; and becausse wee are not resolued for the present quhen to doe it, wee command you to dissolue the meitting of this counsaile day, in so far as it does concerne this bussines; commanding them to repaire to ther auen duellings, wnder paine of horning, excepte suche persons as shall make knowen to you just causse of stay, for ther particular affaires; and it is our furder pleasur, that you take especiall caire, and wsse your best endeuors, to find out and punishe the steires wpe of the lait tumulte at Edinbrughe and Glasgow; and so we bid you hartly fairweell, from our housse of Hampton Courte, 9 of October, 1637.
The counsaile hauing mett, the 17 of October, and read his Maiesties letter directed to them from Hampton Courte, the 9 of October, by ther acte, in obedience to the said letter, dissolued the counsaile day, in so far as it did concerne churche matters, and commandit all attending for suche bussines to repaire home to ther duellinges, within 24 houres, (wnles they made ther stay knowen to be onlie for ther particular affaires) wnder paine of rebellione.
The 18 of this same mounthe of October, the generall suplicatione and accusatione of the bischopes wes drawin vpe and concludit.
Traquair, the Thesaurer, heiring that ther was to be a meitting of grate nombers of all sortes of people from all the quarters of the kingdome, at Edinbrughe, the 15 of Nouember, did conveine the counsaile to meitt at Linlithgow the said day, from wich meitting the Lordes of priuey counsaile did wreat to his Majesty, after ther returne to Holyrudhousse, the 17 of Nouember, with ane other letter to the Earle of Stirling, his Maiesties Secretarey for Scotland, with the particulars that had passed heir, to informe his Maiesty therof; and withall they did humblie intreat his Maiesty to take notice of that letter wrettin to his Secretarey, at his Maties best conwenience.
The Kinges Maiestie, aboute the 15 of Nouember, this zeire, sendes done Roberte, Earle of Roxbrughe, to Scotland, to tray if he could find aney way to composse bussines, by the adwysse of the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaill, with this follouing letter to them.
Charles Rx,
Rt Reuerend Father in God, &c. Quheras ther are maney thinges at this tyme considerable for pur seruice in that kingdome, wich wee cannot expresse at large be wreat wnto you, wee haue takin the occasion of our trustie and weill beloued cousin and counseller, the Earle of Roxbrughe, his repairing thither, that by him wee acquant you with our mynd, als far as wee haue conceaued fitting, vpone that wiche wee haue alredey hard from you. And it is oure pleasure, that in all thinges wich he shall communicat to you from ws, ather by word or wreat, concerning the present estait of that kingdome, you giue trust to him; and wee expecte, that in eurey thing wich you, or aney of you, haue found, ore shall find expedient for the vindicating of our honor, and quieting of the present disorders within that kingdome, ze will all giue that free aduice, and ioynt concurrence, wich wee are confident to receaue from our faithfull counsellers, quherof wee will be werey sensible, as most acceptable seruice done. Wee bid you fairweell, from our courte at Whithall, the 15 of Nouember, 1637.
The tumulte wich was raissed in Edinbrughe, the 18 of October last, this same zeire, in stoning Traquaire, and the Bischopes of Edinbrughe and Galloway, with some others, caussed the King, by hes letters to the counsaile, ordaine ther place of sittinng to be at Linlithgow, from quhence ther issewed tuo proclamations, of the dait the 7 of December, this same zeire.
The first was, his Maiesty hauenng delayed the anssuering of ther petitions, vpone thesse barbarous insolencies that hath beine committed within the citey of Edinbrughe one the 18 of October last, to the grate contempte of his royall authority, by abussing his Maiesties counsellers and officers of estait, &c.; his Maiesty, in a just recentment of that foule indignitey, quherin his Maiesties honor did so muche suffer, hes beine moued to delay the anssuering of his good subiectes petitions, as wald in equitey haue beine expected from so just and religious a Prince. Zet his Maiestie, being wnwilling that his good subiectes be possesed with wnnecessarey and groundlesse feares and doubtes, his Maiesty is pleassed, out of his goodnesse, to declaire, that as he abhores all superstitions of poprey, so he will be euer most cairfull, that nothing be altered within his Maiesties dominions, bot that wich should tend to the aduancement of religion, as it is presently professed within his ancient kingdome of Scotland, and that nothing is ore was intendit to be done therein, aganist the laudable lawes of his natiue kingdome.
The other proclamatione was the remoueall of the consaile and exchequer from Linlithgow to Dalkeith; and the session and counsaill, bothe, from the mounthe of Februarij in the following zeire, to Stirlinge, ther to remaine duringe his Maiesties pleasure; and that from the 19 of December wntil the first of Februarij nixt, the counsaile and exchequer shall sitt tuysse a weeke at Dalkeith, in his Maiesties palace ther, from 10 in the fornoone till 2 a clocke in the afternoone, one Tuesdayes, wich the saides Lordes appoyntes for publicke bussines of stait; and Thursdayes for priuat bussines of parties and complaintes.
The 21 of December, this zeire, at a soleme meitting of the priuey counsaill at Dalkeithe, the Lord Loudoune, in ane eloquent speache, declared opinly the causses of ther desquyetts, griuances, meittinges, fears and jelosies of the most pairt of the subiects of this kingdome, and the fontaine from quhence they arrosse, the abettors, manteiners and fosterers of them; wich for the cleiring of thinges past, and better wnderstanding of thesse to follow, I esteimed it werey expedient, verbatim, to insert the said speiche, so neire as I could take it from the speakers auen mouthe.
After my Lord had, in all humility and submissiones, craued the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaill, ther audience and patience, in respecte diuerse counsellers of the best sorte wer ther present, quho wer not acquanted with the progresse of the bussines; he declared the trew causse of the compirance of so grate a nomber of the nobility, gentrey, ministrie and comons of all sortes ther, thus:
My Lordes, (sayes he,) the subiecte of our complaint and contrawersie is religione, and lawes of the kingdome, wpone wiche dependethe bothe the weillfaire of the churche and comonwealthe, our condition of lyffe, our libertey and fortoune in this transitorey worlde, and the æternall happines in the lyffe to come; our deutie to almightie God, the supreme King of Kinges, with our alledgeance and deutie to our souerainge lord and master, the Kinges Maiestie.
The matter of our regrate and griuance is, the alteratione of religione, in publicke forme of Gods worschipe, the most soleme action of ws all cretures in earth, wich by the innouations complained off, is changed in doctrine, sacramentes and discipline, without and contrair to seuerall actes of parliament, and actes of nationall assemblies.
The innouations introduced, are chiffly the seruice booke, the booke of canons and constitutis, and the heighe commissione; in wich seruice booke are sowin the seedes of diuersse superstitions and heresies, that the Roman messe, in maney and substantiall poyntes, is made wpe therin; quhilke seruice booke and other nouations haue nather warrant of general assembly, nor of acte of parliament, bot contrarey to bothe, are introduced be the bischopes, quho haue caused sett fourthe ane booke of canons, quherin it is ordained, quhosoeuer shall affirme that the seruice booke containes aney thing erronious, shall be excommunicat; wich booke is the wsher and forrunner of the seruice booke printed therafter, quhilk by the bischopes conwayence was ratiffied by acte of parliament, and confirmed longe befor it was seine and printed, the bischopes for the tyme making wpe the counsaile, no nobleman being present ther quho did opposse it; and therafter by publick proclamatione cam fourth, chargeing all his Maties subiects to conforme therto, as the onlie forme of Godes publicke worschipe to be wsed within the kingdome. After this the booke was printed, and as the booke was redey for the presse, letters of horning wer directed to charge the ministers to bay the saides bookes for the wsse of the paroche, in Julij, wich moued them to giue in a bill of suspentione in Aguste follouing. The subiects finding themselues in the lyke danger, wnder one of tuo extremities, one being feared to be declared rebells and excommunicat one the one hand, ore forsaking the way of trew religione, one the other hand, contrarir to the suorne couenant with them, could find out no better meine, be ane legall and submissiue way, then to supplicat the Lordes of secret counsaile. Albeit thir innouations, by all thosse quho takes Gods worshipe to harte, doe wnderstand they wer contryuett to tend to the wtter ouerthrow of the trew religione, and laufull liberty of the subiectes. Zet to eschew the imputatione of factious conuocations and tumultous dealling, and to testifie ther loyalty to the King, they resolued to proceid in the most orderly way of supplicatting, by electinge one or tuo of the most grauest ministers in each presbeterey, and one or tuo descreitt gentlemen of each shyre, to prefer ther complaintes, remonstrances and griuances to the counsaile, by quhosse mediation the matter might be represented to the Kinges Maiestie, from quhosse justice, redresse was humblie craued and expected; and supplications at diuersse dyetts, giuen in name of the nobility, gentlemen, burrowes and ministers, to that effecte, as the petitions themselues, that wich was giuen in the 23 of September, and that wpone the 18 of October, doeth cleirlie proport. At quhilke tyme, by warrant, appeirantly procured by the bischopes from his Maiestie, our supplicationes wer interrupted, and the counsaile at that tyme discharged to medle with churche bussines, and the supplicants to be discharged off the toune within 24 houres, wnder the paine of rebellione, wich feared them to giue in that supplicatione of the 18 of October, containing ane complaint aganist the bischopes, as contriuers, manteiners and vrgers of the booke. And the supplicants taking conweniencey of tyme, of the doune sitting of the sessione againe in Edinbrughe, the 15 of Nouember, commissioners wer chosen to attend his Maiesties anssuer, and doe quhat ells might conduce for furthering of ther lawfull desyres. The Earle of Roxbrughe being therafter sent from courte, did conweine the counsaile at Linlithgow, the 7 of September, quher ther was ane declaratione for the King, by oppin proclamatione at the mercat crosse of Edinbrugh, shouing that the Kinges Maiestie doethe abhore all superstitions of poprie, and wiolatione of the laudable lawes of the kingdome; and the supplicants wer desyred by the Earle of Roxbrughe and Traquair, Thesaurer, not to appeire at Linlithgow, wnder promisse that ther supplicatione should be judicially hard in counsaile the nixt weeke therafter, to the wich the counsaile wes appoynted to sitt at Dalkeithe; wher the commissioners and diuersse wther noblemen of good sorte, did attend the counsell to haue beine hard, bot wer postponit till the 21 of December.
After this relatione, he subsumed wpon the proclamatione, that thinges complined one wer superstitious, full of poprie and superstitione, and wiolatione of the lawes of the kingdome, quherwpon he groundit the supplicants confidence, to assist aganist the eiuells and the manteiners therof, seing his Maiestie, by proclamation, was cleired from authorizing the same.
After the forsaid relatione made by him, he presented a new bill, with a declinatour aganist the bischopes, and the double of the supplicatione presented the 23 of September, and 18 of October; and becausse no bischopes wer in the counsaile that day, some one quho removed himselue befor the complainers cam in, he protested that the bischopes heirafter should not be permitted to sitt as ther iudges, wntill the causse was decydit, becausse they war parties, and albeit they be absent at this tyme, (said he,) zet they may be present at ane other tyme, and, possible both the most pairt of the counsaile and complainers shall be absent. The Chanceler with 6 or seuin other bischopes and coram of the counsaile, may determine vpone our causse and petitions, als weill as they passed ane acte of counsaile, for approuing the seruice booke befor it was ather printed or seine, wich acte, wee persuade ourselues had neuer beine passed, if ather ther had beine a frequent counsaile, or if the bischopes had not beine prædominant ingredientes at that tyme.
After this, he said, our desyres tend to no other end bot the præseruation of trew religion, the saluatione of our soules, and the subiectes lawfull liberties; and quher wee craue the matter to be trayed, and the bischopes and prælats delinquent takin order with according to iustice, wee nather craue ther blood, nore harme to ther persones; bot that the abusses and wronges done by them may be trewlie remonstrat to his Maiesty, that after dew trayell of the wronges, such order may be takin as the eiuells may be remedit; and that the power wich they haue takin may be restrained, that the lyke eiuells may be preuented in tyme to come.
Loudoun thus hauing endit his speach, Traquair, the Thesaurer, preceiding in counsaile, acknouledged the treuthe of the relatione and equity of the petition, and so remoued the parties complainers. It past to interloquitor, and therafter in ane acte.
The Lord Loudons speache to the counsaille hauing had this sequell, and thinges, as ze haue hard, ordred thus, Master James Cuninghame, and Mr Thomas Ramsay, commissioners from the ministrie, spooke seuerally to the Lordes of priuey counsaile, and first Mr James spoke thus:-
My Lordes (sayes he), wee account ourselues happey to appeir befor your Lordschipes, quhom God hes honored with hes owen word, calling you Godes, (to lay beefor your Lordschipes) our deepe griuances and just exceptions aganist the bookes of canons and comon prayer, and other innowations conteined in our former suplications, tending no lesse then to the ouerthrow of religion, doctrine, sacraments and discipline; that your Lordschipes wold take this matter to your wysse consideratione, being a bussines that concerns the grate and euerlasting God, the concience and honor of your places tayes you to this deutey, in thankfullness to honor your Lord, quho hath honored you more then others; the loyaltie ze owe to his Maiesty, our sacred souerainge, anssuerable to that trust you haue from him, seikes that you windicat his name from all wniust aspertions, according as his Matie hes declared by his lait declaration; and by trew and full informatione to make his Maiesty know quherin and by quhom his honor is wronged, and this is the onlie way to your (L’s) honor and happines. Feare God, and he will buld your housse. So muche the more your Lordschipes wold lay this to harte, quhen you remember that wounderfull way of his mercey, by your noble antecesters, the instruments of reformatione, wpone the hazard of ther liues and landes, by quhom God brought his gospell to this land, and from quhom it had beine continowed to your (L’s) and wnto you by the quholl bodey of this kingdome, with a speciall blissing, to the grate admiratione of the quhole world; and quhat shall more become your (L’s) then to transmitt the same in purity to your children, and to the ages to come, without all mixtour off humaine traditions acquyred in the confessione of faith and couenant of the quholl land. The euerliuing and æternall God, quho sitts in your assemblies and iudges among you, his eyes are wpone you one by one, quho will not thinke it æneuche that you be not his enemies, if you shall not shaw your testimoney at this tyme.
Remember, my good Lordes, that Meroz was accursed quhen he cam not out to helpe the Lord aganist the mightie. Our humble requyste is, that your (L’s) walde afterward make petitions for ws to our King, and if (as God forbid) your (L’s) should refusse, conforte and deliuerance shall come to this kirke by other meins, not thought wpone by your (L’s) or ws; and I pray God saue your (L’s) from the sequell, as the wordes goe. Bot wee shall be hopefull, and hartily wishe that your (L’s), in a deeipe and dewyne prowidence, may be appoynted for this tyme. Wee haue to doe with a good and a just King, and wee will rest assurid, from the influence of his bountie and fatherlie respecte to this his ancient and natiue kingdome, especially in a matter of this importance, wich concerns the honor of his Maiesties name, and quho (wee are persuadit) accomptes this honor and happines to kisse the Sone, and serue him with feare and trimbling; and that wee shall receaue a comfortable anssuer, by wich our hartes shall be filled with the praisse of the holy name of our good and gratious God, and wee encouraged more and more to poure out our hartes in hartie and earnist prayers and supplications wnto the Lord, and that his Maiestie may haue maney happey dayes to rainge ouer ws. And for your (L’s), as the blissing of the land, wnder quhosse shadow wee may lead a quyett and peaceable lyffe.
Mr Thomas Ramsay, minister of Drumfries, spoke werey pathetically to this same sence, and in werey eloquent tearmes.
After all thesse speiches, the bill of declinator aganist the bischopes, formerlie presented to the Lordes of secrett counsaile; this conclusion followed at Dalkeithe, the 21 of December, 1637:-
That the Lordes of secrett counsaile, hauing read and considered the tuo suplications and petitions giuen in by the noblemen, barrons, ministers and burgeses, and finding the matter in them conteinned to be of that waight and importance, that they cannot determine therin wntill his Maiestie be acquanted with the same, and his royall pleasur returned theranent. Therfor, the saides Lordes, for anssuer to the tuo suplications and petitions, declared that they present the same to his Maiesties royall consideratione, and that without preiudice of the declinator giuen in by the saides suplicants, quherwpon they shall be hard in tyme and place conuenient; and in the meane tyme shall receaue no præiudice; quherwpone the saides supplicants asked instruments.