[1643/6/90]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Wee have resaved from the hands of Sir Williame Armine, barronet, Sir Harie Vaine junior, knicht, Thomas Hatcher and Henry Darly, esquires, committies and commissioneres of the honorable housses of the parliament of Ingland, thair declaratione laitlie sent unto us, expressing the present bleiding and distressit estaite of that kingdome, and desyreing a more neir and strict union betuixt the tuo nationes for thair mutuall defence against the papistes, the prelaticall faction and thair adherentes, togidder with our present ayde and assistance for the relieff of our breithrein of Ingland, remitting all particulares concerneing the samen to be further communicated to us by thair abovesaid committies and commissioneres. Which particulares have accordingly bein made knowen, both to us and to the generall assemblie of this kirk, by the commissioneres of the tuo housses, who have pursued the same with so greate wisdome, fidelitie and diligence as hath verie much furthered the work and deserves a verie large testimonie on thair behalffe.
Upon serious consideratiounes wherof, we doe declair to these honorable housses that this kirk and kingdome are deiplie affected with the sense of the sad and calametous conditione of thair breithrein of Ingland and are not† readie and willing to contribute thair best and utmost endevoures for the preservatione of religione, which is no other then the soule, the Protestant pairtie, which is the bodie, our owne lyves, who are the memberes, and the honour and happines of the king, who is the heid of these kingdomes. All these being in so extreame and imminent danger to be uterly ruined by the power and policie of the papists, prelaticall factione, malignantes and ther adherentes, the common enemies of both kingdomes now rageing in airmes alsweill in Ingland as in Ireland.
For further confirmatione heiroff, we may truely say that this, our sympathy and willingnes to have the counsell and courses of both kingdomes joyned togidder for the common saiftie of this illand, as it haith bein often lairgely expressit and promised by the severall judicatories of this kirk and kingdome, so it will now most evidently appeare by the resultes of the committies of the assemblie and our committies with the commissioneres of the honorable housses, and by the other declarationes, letteres and actiounes, both of us and the generall assemblie, concerneing the neirer union betuein both kirks and kingdomes for thair mutuall defence against papistes, prelattes and malignantes and the most effectuall meanes for the saveing of the religione, king and kingdomes from the present dangeres, of all which the commissioneres of the tuo housses wilbe the best witnesses, and the paperes themselffes the cleirest evidences and demonstratiounes. And seing the generall assemblie of this kirk doe send into England some of thair number (men of approved faithfulnes and abilities) to be commissioners from them for contributeing ther best indevoures to incurage the heartes and strengthen the hands of that kirk and kingdome in this cause of God against all thair present difficulties and distresses which God in his awin good tyme and way will turne into a comfortable calme, and give issue with the temptatione,
We have thoucht fitt heirby to commend the said commissioners, and any other whom we sall send with them, to be receaved by the parliament of Ingland and assemblie of divynes there with favour and trust, and have geven warrand to them more largelie to expresse the Christiane sense and fellow feilling of this kirk and kingdome with thair breithrein of Ingland, and thair willingnes and readines to concur in all good and possible wayes for the common saiftie of the kingdomes, and to satisfie scruples, prevent misapprehensiounes and remove difficulties that may occur in the way of this greate worke.
And that nothing micht be wanting on our pairt for prosecuteing the common cause and answering the expeditione and desyres of our breithrein of Ingland, both the generall assemblie and convention of estaites being necessitat to adjurne for the good of the bussines (the extreamitie of the dangeres requyreing speidy prevention), they have geven verie full and ample commissioun to thair commissioneres resideing at Edinburgh for to doe everie thing that salbe fund by common advyse necessarie and possible for so good endes, being so thruchlie sensible of the growing evells and miseries that are readie to overcome our sister kirk and kingdome of Ingland, and thruch ther sides to wound us, that we shall not content our selffes only to manifest our affectioune in declaratiounes, but when the opportunitie serves (so far as lyeth in us) shall shew foorth our selffes in every lawfull way sensible to our awin dangeres and the extremities of our breithrein, to whom we are and desyre yet to be more firmelie joyned in so many neire tyes and declaratiounes.