36 dies parliamenti
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Prayeris said, rollis called.
Wee, the estates of parliament, finding the strong endeavors and attemptis of dissafected persones and enemies of treuth to blast and obstruct our laboures in the performeance of our dewties in order to all our relationes by traduceing and calumniating our proceedingis, are therefore obleidged to undeceave the abused people to vindicat ourselves frome all unjust aspersiones and to cleare and evidence to this kingdome our constancie and firmenes to the caus of God, which wee now find in alse great (if not greater) danger then it ever wes in since the begining of all thir troubles.
Upon the growing devisiones and debaittis betuixt his matie and his two houses of the parliament of England, this kingdome did for the space of neir two yeeres by reiterated petitions and messages offer ther services and endeavors for composeing and removeing these dissensiounes and differences, bot there desyres therin throw the counsellis and practises of thair commoune enemeis were still maid ineffectuall and dissapoynted, until at lenth many thousandis of either syde wer falline by the furie and rage of a crewell and unnaturall sword, and the flourishing kingdome of England turned into a field of blood. And whill they were thus with their owne handis teareing out their owne bowellis and massacring themselves, the houses of parliament, then in a verie low conditioune, invited this kingdome to thair assistance, who, finding thair petitiones and adresses to his matie for a more amicable and naturall decisioun of differences then by the sword rejected, and justlie apprehending to have the dreggis of that bitter cupe which overflowed in England poured out upone ther owne headis iff these councellis and advyces which gave first lyfe and motione to these dissentiounes sould still be prevalent, did ingadge in a Solemn League and Covenant for reformatioune and defence of religion, the honor and happines of the king and peace and saifety of the thrie kingdomes, in persueance quherof this kingdome joyned in armes with ther brethring in England and for diverse yeeres, throw many hazardis and wantis, did prosecute these endis, until by the blissing of God upone thair joynt endeavors thair commoune enemies were subdued and most of thame brought to such condigne punishment as the respective parliamentis thought fitt. Thaireftir our armie returned home upone assureance frome the two houses that the treatties and covenant sould be inviolablie keept, bot be the contrair wee find that ther is not ane article of the Solemn League and Covenant which hes not bene sinfullie and dangerouslie violated befoir God, angellis and men be the prevalent pertie of sectaries and ther adherentis. Nay, the covenant itselff lyke to be destroyed or at leist forgote and layd asyde, for where wee expected that, according to the first article of the treattie betuixt the kingdomes in anno 1643, it sould have bene tane be both kingdomes, and that the not takeris therof are by the joynt declaratioun of both declaired publict enemies to religion and countrey, and are to be punished as professed adversaries and malignantis, wee now find by the prevalent pertie of sectaries and ther adherentis it is not only layd asyde in the new propositiounes laitelie sent to his matie to the Ile of Wight and no executione of publict ordouris for taking it through the countrey, bot also many persones of eminent and publict trustis in the armie and elsequhair have never taken it, nether are urged therunto. Instead of reformatioune and defence of religion, that reformatioun which by the covenant ought to be endeavored is resisted and hindered, heresie and chisme tollerated, under which most horride blasphemies are scheltered and protected, if not openlie professed and allowed. Instead of mantaneing the rightis and priviledges of parliament, the houses have bene highlie dissobeyed and threatned these who by the covenant ought to be brought to condigne tryell and punissment for hindering the reformatioune of religion, divyding the king frome his people or any of the kingdoms frome another, or making any factioune or pertie amongst the people, contrair to the league and covenant, have bene protected and assisted and these persecuted who by the covenant ought to be defended. Instead of a firm peace and union betuixt the kingdomes, a breach hath bene indeavored. And whairas both kingdomes be the Solemn League and Covenant are obleidged to preserve his maties persone and authoritie in the preservatioun and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdomes, that all the world may beare witnes with our consciences of our loyaltie, and that wee have no thoughtis nor intentiounes to diminish his maties just power and greatnes, and the kingdome of Scotland haveing also upone his maties goeing frome Newcastle declaired against all injurie, harme, prejudice or violence to be done to his royall persone, yeit be a sudden surpryseall his matie wes violentlie seased on and caried frome his hous of Holenby against his owne will and the declaired resolutiones of both kingdomes be a pertie of the armie under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, and be that armie thereftir caried about frome place to place at ther pleasor, keipt and invirouned with strong guardis within ther quarteris untill he wes forced for saifety of his lyfe to flie frome Hampton Courte, as he himselff declaired in his message frome thence; and be the power and prevalencie of that armie and ther adherentis he is keept a closs prisoner in the Ile of Wight and voites past declaireing it high treason to mak any further applicatiounes to him or to receave any messages or letters frome him. Yea, even to that extremitie are they alreddie gone against him, that it is declared they will repose no further trust in him. Lykas not only suche as had warrandis for acces to him frome the parliament of this kingdome are debarred therof, notwithstanding the ingadgement of the houses 27 Januar 1647 to the contrarie, bot the erle of Lawderdaill, a publict minister of this kingdome, contrarie to the law of nations, wes violentlie removed frome Wooburne whair his matie then wes and not suffered to have access to him; and tho reparatioune therin wes desyred be the committie of estates, yit none wes given. And when the saidis commissioneris desyred to know whither the voites against all applicatiounes to the king did extend to his maties subjectis of Scotland, to debarre suche as are warranted be the parliament of this kingdome or ther committees frome frie access to or intercourse with his matie, or that he sould be hindered frome and so maid uncapable of any act of government in relatione to the effaires of Scotland, no anser at all wes returned therto untill the commissioneris frome both houses now resideing heir did [in March last]† give to ws a large declaratioun frome them, acclameing the sole power of the disposeing of the persone of the king in England. Wee doe not conceave it fitt at this tyme to insist upone any violatioune maid of the large treattie concerning the remander of the money dew upone the brotherlie assistance, nor of the treattie for the armie in Ireland, for whose service thair wes dew in anno 1643 be ane subscribed accompt 312,000 lib. sterling (tho we can never pairt frome the interest of that armie till they be justlie satisfied for ther long and faithfull services), for as money nether wes the caus nor motive to any of our undertakingis nor resolutiones (what ever hath bene falselie suggested be our enemies), so wee sall not value it so muche as now to mentioune it amongst the causes and groundis of our proceedingis at this tyme.
Be the large treattie betuixt the kingdomes of Scotland and England it is provyded that if any armies be leavied in any of the kingdomes and the neighbour kingdome therby harmed or wronged, that then the estates of the countrey be which it is done sall be obleidged to persew, take and punish the offenderis with all rigour. The kingdome of Scotland hes diverse tymes desyred the performeance of this article, and in particular the parliament of Scotland upone the 16 of Januar 1647, to which the houses in ther letter of the 27 of Januar ingaged themselves to the parliament of Scotland that the English garisones being delyvered up and the Scottis armie marched out of England, they sould take that desyre into speedie consideration. Upone the 16 of Julii 1647 the Scottis commissioneris desyred performeance heirof, bot throw the prevalencie and power of the sectaries no reparatioun, satisfactioune nor anser wes given.
And altho be the 8 article of the treattie 1643 it is agreed that no cessatioune, pacificatioune nor agreement for peace quhatsumever sall be maid be either kingdome or the armies of either kingdome without mutuall advyse and consent of bothe kingdomes, which ingadgement the houses of parliament also repeitted in thair letter of the 17 Januar 1647 to observe that article efter the removeall of our armie out of England, yeit, contrarie therunto, the armie of sectaries and ther adherentis framed proposallis destructive to the endis of the covenant, which were presented to his matie without the advyse or consent of the kingdome of Scotland, and therefter by their power and prevalencie the houses of parliament have layd asyde the propositiones agreed on by both kingdomes and have contrarie to the treattie presented propositiounes and billis to his matie, against which the commissioneris of this kingdome, by order and according to their instructiones, did protest as being destructive to religion, the croune and union of the kingdomes.
These dangeris so eminentlie threatneing religion and government call upone ws as Christians, as subjectis, as Scottismen to a duetie to God, our king and countrey and to our oppressed and heavilie afflicted brethring of England, who are faithfull and constant to the caus of God. Wee have thairfore resolved in the first place to endeavor and essay all brotherlie and amicable meanis of repairing and making up such differences or breaches as may otherwayes necessitat this kingdome to ingadge in a warr, and thairfore wee doe intend to send to the honorable houses of the parliament of England these following necessarie and just desyres for religion, his matie and good and peace of these kingdomes:
1. That ane effectuall course be tane be the houses for enjoyneing the covenant to be taken be all the subjectis of the croune of England, conforme to the first article of the treattie and conforme to the declaratioune of both kingdomes in anno 1643, be which all who wald not take the covenant were declaired to be publict enemies to religion and the countrey, and that they are to be censured and punished as professed adversaries and malignantis; and that reformatioune of and uniformitie in religion be setled according to the covenant, that, as the houses of parliament have agreed to the directory of worship, so they will take a reall course for the practiseing therof be all the subjectis in England and Ireland; that the Confession of Faith transmitted frome the assemblie of divynes at Westminster to the houses be approven, and that presbyteriall government, with the subordinatioune of the lower assemblies to the hier, be setled and fullie established in England and Ireland; and that ane effectuall course be tane for suppressing and extirpateing all heresies and chismes, particularlie socinianisme, arminianisme, arianisme, annabaptisme, antinomianisme, erastianisme, familisme, brouneisme and independencie, and for perfyteing of what is yit further to be done for extirpateing popery and prelacie, and suppressing the practise of the service book, comounelie called the book of English comoune prayer.
2. That, conforme to the former desyres of this kingdome, the kingis matie may come with honor, friedome and saifety to some of his houses in or neir London, that the parliamentis of both kingdomes may mak ther applicatiounes to him for obteining his royall assent to suche desyres as sall be by them presented to him for establishing of religion as is abonexprest and setling a weell grounded peace.
3. And to the end that all the memberis of both houses who have bene faithfull to this caus may frielie and saifely returne and attend ther chairges, the citie of London may enjoy its libertie and priviledges whilkis it had befoir the late encroachmentis of the armie, the parliament may sitt and voyce with friedome and saifety, bothe kingdomes without interruptioune or disturbance may mak ther applicatiounes to his matie and the setling of religion and peace may not longer be hindered and obstructed, that the present armie of sectaries under the command of Thomas, lord Fairfax of Camrone be disbanded and nane imployed bot suche as have or sall take the covenant and are weell affected to religion and government. Excepting frome the said disbanding the garisones necessarie to be keept up be the parliament of England for the saifety of that kingdome, which are desyred to be commanded be such as have or sall take the covenant and are weell affected to religion and government as afoirsaid.
Wee will not doubt bot the honorable houses will seriouslie weigh and considder how necessarie and just these our demandis are, to which wee will expect ane satisfactorie answer. Bot if throw the influence and power of the armie of sectaries that now invirones thame, these our desyres be slighted and rejected, yit wee resolve be Godis assistance in all our proceedingis never to break on our pairt the union betuixt the kingdomes nor to encroache upone the nationall rightis of the subjectis of England or entreinch upone thair just liberties. Muche les it is our intentioune at all to mak ane nationall ingadgement against the parliament and kingdome of England, bot for them, whose friedome, priviledges and happines sall be ever als deare to us as our owne, and if wee sall be necessitat to any undertakinges in a warr, wee doe resolve that as the ingadgmentis of this kingdome have been constantlie hitherto for setling treuth and peace under his maties government, so they sall still be for obtening the same endis. And wee will be cairefull in the manadgeing and carieing on of so pious and dewtiefull a work that wee sall not enter into associatioun and conjunctioune of forces with these who sall refuse to sware and subscryve the Solemn League and Covenant nor use suche meanes or instrumentis as may discourage or dissobleidge the presbyterians in England who continue firme in the Solemn League and Covenant. And that wee will be so farr frome joyneing or associating ourselves with the popish, prelaticall or malignant pertie iff they sall againe ryse in armes, ather to oppose or obstruct all or any ane of the endis of the covenant, that on the contrarie wee will oppose and endeavor to suppress them as enemeis to the caus and covenant on the ane hand, alsweel as sectaries on the uther. And wee further declaire that wee will give trust in our armies and committees to none bot suche as are of knowne integritie, abilities and faithfulnes to this caus and covenant and against whome ther is no just caus of exceptioune. And as wee sall endeavore the rescueing of his matie frome these who violentlie caried him away frome Holenby and be whose power he is still detened closs prisoner, that he may come with honour, friedome and saifety to some of his houses in or neir London where both kingdomes may mak ther applicatiounes to him for setling religion and a weel grounded peace, so wee resolve not to put in his maties handis nor any utheris quhatsumevir any suche power wherby the afoirsaidis endis of the covenant or any ane of thame may be obstructed or opposed, religion or presbyteriall government indangered. Bot, on the contrarie, befoir any agreement or conditione to be maid with his matie, haveing fund his laite concessiones and offeris concerneing religion not satisfactorie, that he give assureance be his solemn oath under his hand and seall that he shall for himself and his successors give his royall assent and agrie to suche act or actis of parliament and billis as sall be presented to him be his parliamentis of both or either kingdomes respective for enjoyneing the league and covenant and fullie establishing presbyteriall government, directory of worship and confession of faith in all his maties dominiones, and that his matie sall never mak oppositioune to any of these nor endeavour any change therof. And further to shew and evidence the candor and realitie of our intentiones, wee are willing to subjoyne to the groundis of our undertakinges ane oath, wherin, both in the frameing therof and utherwayis, wee are willing the churche sall have ther dew interest as formerlie in the lyk caices.
And albeit wee are resolved not to ingadge in any warr befoir the necessitie and laufulnes therof be cleired, so as all who are weell affected may be satisfied therwith and that reparatioun to suche breaches and injuries as are or sall be condiscendit on sall be demanded in suche a just and fitt way as sall be fund most laufull and expedient, yitt wee cannot be answerable to the great trust layed upone us iff, seing so eminent and great dangeris to all that is dearest to ws, we did not mak use of our authoritie and power for the comoune saifety of the kingdome, and thairfore wee have resolved to put the kingdome presentlie in a posture of defence as it wes in anno 1643.
And now as many of the dangeris with the groundis and resolutiones in pursueance of our dewteis are heirby made knowne to this kingdome, so wee are assured that all and everie ane who have any zeall to religion, love to monarchiall government, sense of the sufferinges and imprisonment of ther king, affectioune to ther oppressed brethring in England or desyres to preserve the priviledges† of parliament and libertie of the subject will cheerefullie in suche ane exigent (whill the eyes of all Christiandome ar on ws), rouse up themselves and contribute ther best endeavors as they sall be requyred be ws in persewance of all the endis of the covenant, alsweill for religion as for his maties persone and government and priviledges of parliament; in doeing whairof wee sall witnes to the world that wee have not swerved frome these our first principles conteined in our Nationall Covenant and in our Solemn League and Covenant, quhairby wee did solemnlie sweare befoir God and his angellis to endeavour in our severall places and callinges the reformatioun of and uniformitie in religion and churche government in all his maties dominiones according to the word of God and example of the best reformed churches; and not only to the utmost of our power, with our meanes and lyves to stand to the defence of our dread soveraigne, his persone and authoritie in the preservatioune of the trew religion and liberties of the kingdomes, bot also in everie caus which may concerne his maties honour, to concurr, according to the lawis of this kingdome and dewtie of good subjectis. And also heirby give a singular proofe of the good intentiounes of all that mantaine presbyteriall government, that they are not enemies to monarchie, as they are falselie be ther enemies branded. And in particular this kingdome of Scotland will now mak it evident (as they often declared) that thair quietnes, stabilitie and happines dothe depend upone the saifety of the kingis maties persone and mantenance of his greatnes and royall authoritie, who is Godis vicegerent, sett over ws for mantenance of religion, administratioune of justice, haveing so many bandis and tyes of dewtie and subjectioun to his matie and his government, who is our native king frome a longer series and descent of his royall progenitors then can be parralelled in Europe, that wee resolve closelie and constantlie to adhere therunto, as also to all the endis of the covenant.
[1648/3/84]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, haveing againe taken to thair consideratioun the desyres given in to thame be the commissioneris of the generall assemblie, and having also considdered the paperis given in be the saidis commissioneris upone the 13 and 18 dayes of this moneth, doe conceave that the declaratioun of parliament is a full and satisfactorie answer to the 8 first desyres, as also to the uther twa paperis in swa farr as the samyne are coincident with these desyres. And as to the uther particularis of there two last paperis concerning the way and tyme of sending the propositiones to the king, it is ansrit that the parliament conceavis the same way is now tane as hes bene formerlie, and, inregarde the parliament of England have layd asyde these propositiounes concerning religion and the joynt interest of the kingdome of Scotland, wee are necessitat to mak our first applicatiounes to thame who most first agrie and condiscend therunto befoir his maties assent can be demanded, and that it evidentlie appearis be the declaratioune that we reallie intend to insist for satisfactioune frome his matie in that concernis religion befoir all worldlie thingis, and that swa soone as his matie sall be in suche a conditione of friedome, honour and saifety as his concessiounes may be effectuall.
And as to that prejudice alledgit in the preprative† of taking resolutioune in that whilk concernis religion without advyse and consent of the kirk, it is ansred that as wee have never hithertillis taken any resolutiounes in that which concernis religion without advyse of the kirk, and since what is now declaired be the parliament in order to religion is not upone any new groundis bot in persewance of the same groundis contenit in the covenant, in the actis of the generall assemblie and actis of parliament, and that in our demandis concerning religion the advyse of the commissioneris of the generall assemblie hath bene desyred, so wee sall never doe any thing that may prejudice the just interest and libertie of the kirk of Scotland.
And for ther desyre to be satisfied in the whole mater, it is answered that it is cleare be the declaratiounes whilk conteines the groundis and resolutiounes of the parliament on the whole mater that ther is nothing therin which dothe crosse the demandis concerning religion or is inconsistant with the securitie therof.
And farder it is ordained that the parliament haveing agreed unto the declaratioun, it be communicated to the commissioneris of the generall assemblie befoir it be published. And in materis that concernis religion, that the parliament will be reddie to heare and considder the advyse of the commisioneris of the kirk.