[1648/3/66]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Prayers said, rolls called.
The estates of parliament, having taken into their serious consideration the dangers this kingdom is in with the duties to be done thereupon in relation to religion, king and kingdoms, with the report of the committee appointed by them for considering thereof, they, after full debate concerning the same and anent the breaches of covenant and treaties between the kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland and reparation to be demanded thereupon, do conceive it not fit to proceed upon any violation made of the large treaty concerning the remainder of the money due upon the brotherly assistance or the treaty for the army in Ireland by the houses of the parliament of England. When they were in freedom the non-performance then was hindered chiefly by the influence and prevalence of the independent party. The estates therefore do not here mention the non-payment of the remainder aforesaid of the brotherly assistance and the neglect of the army in Ireland, for whose service there was due in 1643 £312,000 sterling, conceiving this fitter to be done in a letter apart. Neither do the estates speak of the disavowing of the treaty of 28 November 1643.
But the estates of parliament find by the large treaty between the kingdoms of Scotland and England it is provided that if any armies shall be levied in any of the kingdoms and the neighbouring kingdom thereby harmed or wronged, that then the estates of the country by which it is done shall be obliged to pursue, take and punish the offenders with all rigour.
The kingdom of Scotland has various times desired the performance of this article, and in particular the parliament of Scotland upon 16 January 1647 did desire a competency of maintenance to be given by England for maintenance of the forces which Scotland had for a long time and was still necessitated to keep up for subduing the Irish rebels, subjects to the crown of England, whom by the large treaty England is obliged to suppress.
To which the houses in their letter of 27 January engaged themselves to the parliament of Scotland that the English garrisons, being delivered up and the Scottish army marched out of England, they should take that desire into speedy consideration. Upon 16 July 1647 the Scottish commissioners desired the performance hereof, yet through the prevalence and power of the sectaries no reparation, satisfaction nor answer was given.
Item, the estates find that the breaches of covenant are declared by the general assembly, 20 August 1647, and since by their commissioners. Instead of reformation and defence of religion, that reformation which by the covenant ought to be endeavoured is resisted and hindered. Instead of extirpation of prelacy, heresy and schism, these last two encroaching, yea, offering violence to the rights, privileges and authority of magistracy, are preserved and tolerated. In the proposals of the army, episcopacy was hinted at, and in the new propositions an almost unlimited toleration of heresy and schism is endeavoured to be settled, under which most horrid blasphemies, heresies and schisms are openly professed and allowed instead of maintaining the rights and privileges of parliament and preserving of his majesty's person and authority in the defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms, that the world may bear witness of our loyalty and that we have no intention to diminish his just power and greatness. They have disobeyed and threatened the houses of parliament, yea, marched up against them in a hostile manner. They have imprisoned and banished faithful members and placed a garrison in Whitehall. They violently seized on the person of the king and carried him away against his own will and the declared resolutions of both kingdoms, kept him within their army and under strong guards until he was forced to flee for safety of his life out of Hampton Court, as he himself declared in his message from there, and now by their power and prevalence he is committed close prisoner and votes passed making it high treason to make any further application to him or to receive any letter or messages from him; yea, it is declared they will repose no more trust in him. Those who by the covenant ought to be brought to appropriate trial and punishment (for hindering the reformation of religion, dividing the king from his people or any of the kingdoms from another or making any faction or party among the people, contrary to the league and covenant) have been protected and assisted, and those persecuted who by the covenant ought to be defended. Instead of a firm peace and union between the kingdoms, a breach has been endeavoured, so that there is not one article of the Solemn League and Covenant which has not been sinfully and dangerously violated before God, angels and men by the prevalent party of sectaries and their adherents as follows:
First, the first article of the treaty is broken, for albeit it was ordained that the Solemn League and Covenant should be taken by both kingdoms and that by a joint declaration of both kingdoms it is enjoined to be taken, otherwise it is declared that those who refuse be public enemies to religion and country and that they are to be censured and punished as professed adversaries and malignants, yet notwithstanding by the prevalent party of the sectaries and their adherents it is not only laid aside in the new propositions and no execution nor public orders for taking it throughout the country, but on the contrary many persons of eminent and public trust and in the army and others in the country have never taken nor have been urged to take the same.
The eighth article of the treaty is violated in sending bills and propositions to the king, not only without the consent of Scotland but contrary to the express declaration of the commissioners of Scotland, according to their instructions. And in the 92nd page of the parliament's late declaration they affirm that the eighth article of the treaty is only to be observed during the war, though in express words the houses in their letter of 27 January 1647 have agreed to observe that article after the removal of our army out of England.
That notwithstanding the engagement of the houses of 27 January 1647 that none having warrant from Scotland should be debarred from access to the king except such as are disabled by the propositions of both kingdoms, yet not only various people having warrant from the parliament of this kingdom and their committees have been debarred, and in particular [John Maitland], earl of Lauderdale, a public minister, was contrary to the law of nations debarred and violently removed from Woburn where his majesty then was and not suffered to have access to him, and the reparation therein that was desired by the committee of estates, none was given.
The commissioners of Scotland also gave in a paper to the houses desiring to know whether their votes against all application to the king did extend to his majesty's subjects of Scotland, to debar such as are warranted by the parliament of this kingdom or their committee from free access to or intercourse with the king, or that his majesty should be hindered from and so made incapable of the exercise of any act of government in relation to the affairs of Scotland.
To which the houses did return no answer, but in the month of March last their commissioners gave in to the parliament a large declaration claiming the sole disposing of the person of the king in England.
Upon consideration of these breaches, the estates of parliament do conceive religion, the king, monarchical government and the privileges of parliament to be eminently wronged and endangered, to be ruined, and if that army and their adherents shall still prevail, this kingdom cannot expect security from those who have been the underminers and destroyers of religion, liberty and covenant in England, so that whilst in the neighbouring kingdom the horn of malignancy and sectaries is exalted, the best affected borne down, reformation ebbing, heresy and schism flowing, it can hardly be marvelled at by any person of prudence and discretion if we be full of such fears and apprehensions as used to be in those who dwell near a house set on fire or a family infected, especially being taught by the sad experience of the prelatical times how easily a gangrene on the one half of this island may spread through the whole.
Therefore the said estates of parliament think fit that this reparation be desired of the houses of the parliament of England:
1. That an effectual course be taken by the houses for enjoining the covenant to be taken by all the subjects of the crown of England, according to the first article of the treaty, and according to the declaration of both kingdoms in 1643, by which all who would not take the covenant were declared to be public enemies to religion and the country and that they are to be censured and punished as professed adversaries and malignants, and that reformation of and uniformity in religion be settled according to the covenant, that, as the houses of parliament have agreed to the directory of worship, so they would take a real course for practising thereof by all the subjects of England and Ireland. That the Confession of Faith, transmitted from the assembly of divines at Westminster to the houses, be approved, and that presbyterian government, with a subordination of the lower assemblies to the higher, be settled and fully established in England and Ireland, and that effectual course be taken for suppressing and extirpating all heresies and schisms, particularly Socinianism, Arminianism, Arianism, Anabaptism, Antinomianism, Erastianism, Famalism, Brownism and Independency; and for perfecting of what is yet further to be done, for extirpating of popery and prelacy and suppressing the practice of the service book commonly called the book of English common prayer.
2. That according to the former desires of this kingdom the king's majesty may come with honour, freedom and safety to some of his houses in or near London, that the parliaments of both kingdoms may make applications to him for obtaining his royal assent to such desires as shall be by them presented to him for establishing religion as is above-expressed, and settling a well grounded peace.
3. And to the end that all the members of both houses who have been faithful in this cause may freely and safely return and attend their charges, the parliament may sit and vote with freedom and safety, both kingdoms without interruption or disturbance may make their applications to his majesty and the settling of religion and peace may no longer be hindered and obstructed, it is desired by the said estates of parliament that the present army of sectaries under the command of Thomas [Fairfax], lord Fairfax of Cameron be disbanded and none employed but such as have or shall take the covenant and are well-affected to religion and government, excepting from the said disbanding the garrisons necessary to be kept up by the parliament of England for security of that kingdom, which are desired to be commanded by such as have or shall take the covenant and are well-affected to religion and government as aforesaid.