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The estates of this kingdome presentlie conveened, taking into their most serious consideration that all who have place and publict enterest in this kingdome have ever frome the beginning of the unhappie differences and unnaturall warre betuix his matie and the houses of parliament, in all humilitie and tendernes, made offer of their mediation and nationall intercession for removeing theirof in suche a way as might serve most for his maties honour and the good of his people; and that efter disappoyntment of all other meanes we were necessitat to enter into a Solemne League and Covenant for reformation and defence of religion, the honour and happines of the king's matie and his posteritie and the true publict liberties, saiftie and peace of his kingdome, and in pursuance of the covenant have beene constrained, for preservation of our selfes and our religion frome utter ruine and distruction, to raise ane armie against papistis, prelatis, malignantis and their adherentis frome whose mercies the greatest favoris may be expected is that when they have destroyed England and Ireland, we sall be the last they sall destroy; and our armie, by Godis assistance, being now advanced the lenth of [...], and knowing that these, our commoun enemies, the enemies of trueth and peace and of his maties true happines, are readie to pervert our best wayes and will not want impudence to averre that our sending ane armie into England is for invasion of that kingdome or to lift armes aganis our native king, althought our informations, declarations and remonstrances to his matie, to the houses of parliament and to all the world and our whole former deportment [ought] to be more plaine and sure evidences of our meaneing then all that malice can devyse or calumne can expresse aganis us, and that our covenant with our brethren for religion, king and kingdoms is sufficient to vindicat us from anie suche base aspersions, yitt, as a further testimonie of our constant loyaltie and sincere desyre of peace, we judge it necessarie frome the sense of our duetie and frome the relation of the publict trust committed unto us at this tyme to requyre yow, in the name and behalfe of this kingdome, yitt againe to supplicat that his matie may be gratiouslie pleased to listin to the humble and just desyres of his maties subjectis of both kingdoms, to be represented by the convention of the estates of Scotland or their committies and the houses of the parliament in England, that by their advyse all these unhappie divisions and distructions may be removed, the true religion and worship of God established and secured and the publict and great affaires of thir kingdomes so settled as may tend most to his maties honour, the mantenance of his just authoritie, the preservation of the preveledges of parliament, the libertie of the subject and the prosperitie of his maties dominions, as is exprest in our covenant.
The particular desyres which may best conduce to soe good ends, we referre to the power and commission wherewith we have authorized yow, and to the instructions given or to be given be the parliament or estates of this kingdome. And sieing by the treattie betuix the kingdoms it is agreed that nather nation sall enter into anie treattie of peace without the advise and consent of the other, we doe therefore requyre that quhatsoever of this kynd sall be done be yow may be with the knowledge and approbation of the houses of parliament or their committies with yow; and as we nather have nor sall demand anie thing of his matie bot what a just prince oweth by the lawes of God and thir kingdomes to his subjectis comeing before him with their humble desyres and supplications for settleing of trueth and peace, so these being granted and secured, we sall be readie to give reall demonstration that nothing could have brought us to this posture, nor can move us to continow in it, bot trew zeale to our religion, naturall affection to our countrey, loyall and sincere respect to our king and true to our brethren of England, the conscience whereof will uphold our heartis untill it please God to putt ane end to all our troubles.