[1643/6/74]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of this kingdom presently convened, having taken into their consideration that by their act dated 5 August, for the reasons and causes at length contained, they have statute and ordained the sum of 1,200,000 merks Scots money, together with the sum of 100,000 merks money aforesaid as allowance for charges of collecting of the same to collectors, clerks and other necessary members and officers to be employed, and for the exemptions mentioned in the said act, to be uplifted and raised by way of loan out of the several sheriffdoms and burghs of this kingdom, in form and manner and at the terms at length mentioned in the aforesaid act of convention; and which sum it is by the aforesaid act appointed to be employed for relief and payment of the great sums and other provision already advanced and undertaken and to be advanced and undertaken for the maintenance and supply of the Scottish army now in Ireland in manner also specified in the said act. Likewise by the same act, the said estates have granted, statute and ordained a tax of £120,000 Scots to be uplifted out of the said several shires and burghs of the kingdom in manner also specified in the said act for maintenance of the horse troops and foot companies ordained and appointed by the said convention of estates, to be presently levied for preventing of any divisions, factions and insurrections which may occasion or arise to the disturbance of the peace of the kingdom, as the aforesaid act of convention in itself more fully purports. And seeing it is necessary that there be a general collector appointed and nominated by the said estates for collecting and receiving of the aforesaid loan and tax respectively, and the said estates having good proof and experience of the trust and fidelity of Sir Adam Hepburn of Humbie, knight, one of the senators of the college of justice, and of his ability for discharging of the said place, therefore the said estates of this kingdom now presently convened have nominated and appointed, and by this commission nominate and appoint, the said Sir Adam Hepburn to be general collector of the aforesaid sum and loan of 1,200,000 merks and 100,000 merks allowed for expenses and exemptions as said is, and in the same manner nominate and appoint the said Sir Adam to be general collector of the aforesaid tax of £120,000 Scots, to be raised and uplifted in manner and for the use above-mentioned; with power to the said Sir Adam, by himself, his deputes, under-receivers, subcollectors and others in his name, to crave, exact, receive, intromit with and uplift the aforesaid sums appointed and ordained to be raised by way of loan and tax respectively out of every shire, burgh, parish and lands within this kingdom, and from the several commissioners and collectors for shires and subcollectors for parishes and from all others liable and indebted in payment of the same or of either of them respectively, according to the tenor of the aforesaid act of convention; and to raise and direct letters and all manner of execution necessary and requisite for collecting and payment thereof in his own name, or in the names of his deputes and subcollectors for shires and parishes respectively, and others to be entrusted with the collecting and gathering in thereof, and to cause put the aforesaid letter to due execution, according to the tenor of the said act of convention; and with power to the said Sir Adam and his deputes, under-receivers, subcollectors and other officers to be constituted and substituted for that effect to give and subscribe acquittances and discharges upon the receipt of the said loan and tax respectively to the persons, payers of the same, which shall be valid and sufficient to the receivers thereof. And generally with power to the said Sir Adam Hepburn, by himself and his deputes and under-receivers, collectors and other officers to be appointed, to do, use and exercise everything necessary and expedient anent the premises in the same manner and as freely in all respects as any other collectors general of any preceding taxation, their deputes, subcollectors, under-receivers and other officers have done at any time formerly. With power also to the said Sir Adam Hepburn to nominate and appoint the said deputes and under-receivers under him, for whom he shall be answerable, for receiving of the said loan and tax respectively from the several commissioners and subcollectors for shires and parishes and other intromitters thereupon and indebted in payment thereof. As also to nominate and appoint subcollectors for the whole shires of the kingdom where the same are not already nominated by the said act of convention for receiving, collecting and bringing in of the same; and in the same manner with power to the said Sir Adam Hepburn to nominate and appoint clerks to the aforesaid loan and tax, and to authorise them with all privileges due and appertaining to the said office or which has been due to the clerks of any preceding taxation formerly. Likewise the said estates give and grant to the said collector general and his deputes, subcollectors and under-receivers, and to the clerks to be appointed by him and their deputes, the fees and allowances partly mentioned in a list and roll of the same set down and appointed by the said estates and registered in the books of the said convention. It is hereby provided and ordained that the said Sir Adam and his deputes shall be accountable to the said estates of this kingdom, or to the committees to be appointed by them and having their power and warrant for that effect, for accounting and reckoning of their intromission with the aforesaid loan and tax respectively, and shall be obliged to disburse, pay and give out the said sums for the uses aforesaid according to the aforesaid act of convention; and as he and his said deputes shall receive warrant and order from the said estates or committees to be appointed by them for that effect, whose orders and warrants relating thereto the said collector general and his deputes are hereby warranted to answer and obey. Likewise the said estates hereby require and command all commissioners and collectors for shires and their clerks and other subcollectors and persons liable in accounting and payment for the aforesaid loan and tax respectively that they and every one of them, according to their several charges and employments, readily set down, perfect and report the stent rolls of the said collection and tax within the several bounds committed to them, and make timely payment thereof; and that they and all others within this kingdom give ready obedience to all letters and executorials to be directed in name and at the instance of the said collector general, his deputes, subcollectors or under-receivers for that effect, according to the aforesaid act of convention; for all which letters and orders to be directed for that effect, the aforesaid act of convention with this commission shall be a sufficient warrant. And this present commission the said estates appoint and ordain to continue and endure until the aforesaid loan and tax respectively and either of them be fully and completely uplifted and paid and the accounts of the same perfected and cleared.
[1643/6/75]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The which day [John Lindsay], earl of Lindsay produced and exhibited before the convention of estates a covenant agreed upon between the committees of the convention of estates and of the general assembly and the commissioners of both the houses of the parliament of England, as the result of their consultations concerning the desires of both houses of the parliament of England for a near and strict union to be entered into by the two kingdoms. Of the which covenant the tenor follows:
We noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgesses, ministers of the Gospel and commons of all sorts of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, by the providence of God living in one island under one king and of one true Protestant reformed religion, having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the honour and happiness of the king's majesty and his posterity and the true public liberty, safety and peace of the kingdoms in which everyone's private condition is included; and calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conspiracies, attempts and practices of the enemies of God against the true religion and professors thereof in all places, especially in this island ever since the reformation of religion, and how much their rage, power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised, whereof the deplorable estate of the church and kingdom of Ireland, the distressed estates of the church and kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the church and kingdom of Scotland are present and public testimonies. We have now at last (after the other means of supplication, remonstrance, protestation and sufferings) for the preservation of ourselves and our religion from utter ruin and destruction, according to the commendable practice of these kingdoms in former times and the examples of God's people in other nations, after mature deliberation, resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and solemn league and covenant, in respect of which we subscribe and with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear:
1. That we shall all and each one of us sincerely, really and constantly though the grace of God endeavour in our several callings and places the preservation of the true Protestant reformed religion in the church of Scotland in doctrine, worship, discipline and government according to the word of God, and the reformation of religion in the church of England, according to the same holy word and the example of the best reformed churches, and as may bring the churches of God in both nations to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, confession of faith, form of church government, directory for worship and catechising, that we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love.
2. That we shall in the same manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy, schism and profaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness in both nations, least we partake in other men's sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one and his name one in both kingdoms.
3. We shall with the same sincerity, reality and constancy in our several vocations endeavour with our estates and lives to preserve the rights and privileges of parliaments and the liberties of the kingdoms respectively, and to preserve and defend the king's majesty, his person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms, that the world may bear witness with our conscience of our loyalties and that we have no thought nor intentions to diminish his majesty's just power and greatness.
4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be incendiaries, malignants or evil instruments to hinder the reformation of religion, or to divide the king from his people, or the one kingdom from the other, that they may be brought to public trial and receive appropriate punishment as the degree of their offence shall require or deserve, or the supreme judicatories of both kingdoms respectively or others having power from them shall judge convenient.
5. That we shall all and each of us according to our place and interest inviolably observe the articles of the late treaty of peace between the two nations, and shall by all good means endeavour that justice be done without partiality in manner aforesaid upon the opposers of it, to the end that this blessed peace may be perpetual to all posterity.
6. That we shall also to the utmost of our ability in this common cause of religion, liberty and peace of the kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this league and covenant in the maintaining and preserving thereof, and shall not suffer ourselves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination, persuasion or terror to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed union and conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary party or to give ourselves into a detestable indifference or neutrality in the cause of God, good of the kingdoms and honour of the king, but shall all the days of our lives zealously and constantly continue in that particular matter against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all hindrances and impediments whatsoever, and what we are not able ourselves to suppress and overcome, we shall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented and removed; all which we shall do as in the sight of God. And because both nations are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his son, Jesus Christ, as is manifest by our present distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof we profess and declare before God and the world our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sins and the sins of both nations, especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel, that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof, that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts, which are the causes of other transgressions so much abounding amongst us; and our true and unfeigned purpose, desire and endeavour for ourselves and all others under our power and charge, both in public and private, in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives, and each one to go before the other in the example of a real reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish both the nations in truth and peace. And this covenant we make in presence of the almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy spirit for this end, and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian churches groaning under or in danger of the yoke of anti-Christian tyranny, to join in the same or similar association and covenant to the glory of God, the enlargement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and tranquillity of Christian states and commonwealth.
The committees of the convention of estates of Scotland and of the general assembly, being appointed to meet with the commissioners of the two houses of the parliament of England upon the papers delivered in by the said commissioners to the convention of estates and to the general assembly upon the [...] of this instant 1643 concerning the desires of both houses for a near and strict union to be entered into by the two kingdoms; and it being declared of the said meetings with what sensible affections the general assembly and convention did receive the desires above-mentioned, and how beneficial it would be for the more firm settlement of the said union that a covenant should be entered into by both nations, and this form thereof being by all the aforesaid persons taken to most serious debate and consideration and agreed to, it was thereupon resolved by them that it should be presented to the general assembly, to the convention of the estates of Scotland and to the two houses of the parliament of England by their respective committees and commissioners, that it might with all speed receive their respective resolutions.
[1643/6/76]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
We noblemen, commissioners of shires and burghs now convened, having received the covenant above-written from their committee as the result of their consultations with a committee of the general assembly and the commissioners from both houses of the parliament of England, and having taken that covenant into their greatest consideration, did, with all their hearts and great expressions of joy and unanimity, approve and embrace the same as the most powerful means by the blessing of God for settling and preserving the true Protestant religion with a perfect peace in all his majesty's dominions and propagating the same to other nations and for establishing his majesty's throne to all ages. And being very confident that their brethren in the kingdom of England will heartily receive and approve the same, therefore, according to the earnest recommendation of that venerable assembly of this kirk now met, think it most necessary for the good ends aforesaid that it be sent into that kingdom with all diligence, that being received and approved by their brethren there, the same may be with all religious solemnities sworn and subscribed by all true professors of the reformed religion and all his majesty's good subjects in both kingdoms.