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For the right honourable the noblemen, barons and burgesses assembled in the parliament of Scotland; or the parliament not sitting, to the committee of estates of the parliament of Scotland; or any other committee or council in whom the power shall be in the intervals of parliament
My lords and gentlemen,
According to the order of the parliament of England of 26 February, we do herewith send to your lords a copy or duplicate of the papers given in to the said parliament by [William Kerr], earl of Lothian, Sir John Chiesley [of Kersewell] and Mr [William] Glendinning [of Gelstoun], your commissioners here, and according to the order of the parliament of the said 26 February 1648, we desire to know whether the parliament and kingdom of Scotland do or will own and justify the said paper that has been presented to the parliament of England in their names.
Signed in the name and by order of the council of state appointed by authority of parliament by your humble servant, B[asil Feilding, earl of] Denbigh, president for the time, Derby House, 27 February 1648. Extracted, G. Frost, secretary.
7 March 1649
Produced by [John Campbell, earl of Loudoun], lord chancellor, and read in audience of the parliament, and remitted to the committee of dispatches, and to report to the parliament.
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Order to send a duplicate of the Scottish commissioners' papers into Scotland, with a message
Monday 26 February 1648
Ordered by the commons assembled in parliament that it be referred to the council of state to take care for sending the message with the duplicate of the paper into Scotland.
Henry Scobell, clerk of parliament
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Monday 26 February 1648
Ordered that a message, with a duplicate of the paper sent by the commissioners of Scotland, be forthwith sent from this parliament to the parliament and kingdom of Scotland, to know whether they do or will own and justify the said paper that has been presented to this parliament in their names.
Henry Scobell, clerk of parliament
7 March 1649
Produced by [John Campbell, earl of Loudoun], lord chancellor, read in audience of the parliament and remitted to the committee of dispatches, who are to report to the parliament.
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Paper given in by the Scottish commissioners at London to the parliament of England, at which that hellish parliament took great offence; see pages 200, 202.†
In the year 1642 and afterwards in the year 1643, when the popish, prelatical and malignant party did grow prevalent in this kingdom, the honourable houses of parliament did communicate several declarations and papers to the kingdom of Scotland, thereby to inform their judgements of the state of the differences here, and to gain their assistance and invite their forces to come into this kingdom. †In which declarations and other papers, they affirm and declare that the army of the houses of parliament was raised for maintenance of the true religion, the king's person, honour and estate, privileges of parliament, rights and liberties of subjects, and for the prevention of the alteration of religion; †that their enemies' design was to corrupt and alter religion throughout the whole island, and that they began with Scotland, knowing well that the same fate attended both kingdoms; that they have only inverted the manner of their proceeding, conceiving it an easier way to destroy them if they may first prevail over the parliament and kingdom of England, that whensoever religion is subverted or changed in the one kingdom, it will be easily accomplished in the other, religion being the bond and foundation of the happiness of both; that what corruptions take root in England will quickly spread their venom and infection to their neighbouring church of Scotland. They declare the true state of the quarrel to be religion, in reformation whereof they are so forward and zealous. As there is nothing expressed in Scotland's former or later declaration which they have not seriously endeavoured to effect, they earnestly entreat the general assembly to further and expedite the assistance desired by both houses from the kingdom of Scotland upon this ground and motive, that thereby they shall do great service to God and great honour may redound to themselves in becoming the instruments of a glorious reformation not only throughout this island, but from there possibly to be spread to other churches oppressed under the anti-Christian bondage and tyranny of the popish and prelatical faction. They commend the piety and faithfulness of the general assembly of the church of Scotland in proposing those things which may contribute to a more close and firm union of the two churches and nations of England and Scotland, in preserving and maintaining the truth and purity of the reformed religion, not only against popery but all superstitious sects and innovators whatsoever; †and declare that the houses of parliament have ever made the reformation of church government and discipline their chief aim, though they have been frequently interrupted and powerfully opposed in the prosecution and accomplishment of it. And however they continue still in the storm and conflict, yet they take the peace, liberty and preservation which God has afforded Scotland as a pledge of the same mercy intended to them in his good time, hoping that God will perfect their designs and endeavours of a full reformation in all things pertaining to religion, and profess their earnest desires for unity of religion in all substantial parts of doctrine, worship and discipline, that both kingdoms might be more strictly united and enjoy the advantages of his majesty's more easy, safe and comfortable government, the people a more free communion in all holy exercises and duties of worship, and that there might be a more constant security of religion against the bloody practices of papists and deceitful errors of secretaries. †They remonstrate that it is far from their purpose or desire to let loose the golden reins of discipline and government in the church, to leave private persons or particular congregations to take up what form of divine service they please, but do hold it requisite that there should be throughout the whole realm a conformity to that order which the law enjoins, according to the word of God. †They protest, in the presence of the all-seeing deity, that the services which they have been desirous to perform to their sovereign lord and king and to this church and state, in providing for the public peace and prosperity of his majesty and all his realms, to have been and still to be the only end of all their counsels and endeavours, wherein they have resolved to continue free and enlarged from all private aims, personal respects or passions whatsoever. They often mention their protestation, taken by every member of both houses, promising in the presence of almighty God to defend his majesty, and disclaim the having any purpose to offer the least violence to his person, which has and ever shall be dear to them. †They declare that they expect the help and assistance of Scotland in defence of the cause, which if the popish party prevail, must needs either involve them in that alteration of religion, which will be made here, or engage them in a war against this kingdom to defend their own religion and liberty. †And they profess before the ever living God the safety of religion, laws and liberties in this and all others of his majesty's dominions to be the chief end of all their counsel and resolutions, without any intention or desire to hurt or injure his majesty either in his person or in his just power; †that they rest assured both God and man will abhor and abominate that monstrous and injurious charge laid upon the representative body of this kingdom, of designing the ruin not only of his majesty's person, but of monarchy itself, and appeal to all the world whether worse words than these can be given them? These declarations and solemn engagements were communicated to the kingdom of Scotland before they did join in the war with the houses of parliament, and also both kingdoms entered into a Solemn League and Covenant for reformation and defence of religion, for uniformity in one confession of faith, form of church government, directory for worship and catechising, for extirpation of popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness, for preservation of the rights and privileges of parliament and liberties of the subject, for the honour and happiness of the king and his posterity, and the peace and safety of these kingdoms.
In the year 1646, after the power and strength of the enemy was broken, the house of commons did upon 17 April publish a †declaration (which they likewise caused set up and affix in every parish church), wherein they vindicate themselves from several misconstructions and misrepresentations of their proceedings: as that they should have any intention or desire to make use of the great success God had given them, contrary to their former professions; or to exceed or swerve from their first aims and principles in undertaking this war; and to recede from the Solemn League and Covenant and treaties between the kingdoms; or to prolong these uncomfortable troubles and bleeding distractions, in order to alter the fundamental constitution and frame of this kingdom and to leave all government in the church loose and unsettled, and themselves to exercise the same arbitrary power over the persons and estates of the subjects, which the present parliament had thought fit to abolish, by taking away the star chamber, high commission and other arbitrary courts, and the exorbitant power of the council table. And further they declare that their true and real intentions are, and their endeavours shall be, to settle religion in the purity thereof according to the covenant and to maintain the ancient and fundamental constitution and government of this kingdom by king, lords and commons.
In November 1647, when a petition was presented to the house of commons styling them the supreme authority of the nation, together with a printed paper annexed, entitled An Agreement of the People for a firm and present peace, upon grounds of common right (which Agreement, as we have found upon perusal of both, is the same for substance with the Agreement lately published), the house of commons did declare that the matters contained in these papers were destructive to the being of parliaments and to the fundamental government of the kingdom and appointed a letter to be written to the general to examine the proceeding of that business in the army, and return an account thereof to the house. And when another petition directed to the supreme authority of England, the commons in parliament assembled, was presented on 23 November, they voted that petition a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of the former petition and paper annexed, styled An Agreement of the People, formerly adjudged to be destructive to the being of parliaments and fundamental government of the kingdom. And another letter was appointed to be sent to the general to take notice of his proceedings in the execution of a mutinous person (who was an abettor of that Agreement) at the rendezvous near Ware, and to give him thanks for it and desire him to prosecute the examination of that business to the bottom, and to bring such guilty persons as he shall think fit to appropriate and exemplary punishment. All which declarations, protestations, oaths, covenants and solemn engagements notwithstanding we find to our great grief, wonder and astonishment that, contrary to the dissent and protestation of the kingdom of Scotland, his majesty is removed out of this life by a violent death, that orders are published in print, entitled 'Acts of parliament prohibiting the proclaiming of the prince of Wales king of these kingdoms', that the commons, which now sit at Westminster (after many members of the house have been imprisoned, secluded by force or necessitated to withdraw because they cannot act as a free parliament) have voted away the kingly office and the house of lords, and claim the authority of a parliament, and, under colour thereof, the power of repealing all oaths of allegiance or obedience whatsoever, even without exception of the Solemn League and Covenant, from which the conscience cannot be absolved by all the powers on earth. We see likewise strong endeavours used and resolutions taken to maintain a licentious liberty and ungodly toleration in matters of religion (as appears by a paper lately published, commonly called An Agreement of the People), against which, upon 26 January last, we did present a testimony of the commissioners of the general assembly of the church of Scotland, approved of by the estates of parliament of that kingdom.
If the honourable houses of parliament of England, who made the declarations and engagements aforesaid, had been permitted to sit and act with freedom, we know there would have been no such proceedings as we have already seen, nor cause to fear such dangerous evils and strong alterations as are now carried on by will and power. We may confidently say they would have been more mindful of their many declarations and the Solemn League and Covenant and more ready to hearken to the advice of their brethren of Scotland. And however no regard has been had by those who now rule to what we have formerly said, and so we have small hopes that any great notice shall be taken of what we shall further say, yet in pursuance of the instructions we have received from the parliament of Scotland we hold it our duty to desire that there be no toleration of idolatry, popery, prelacy, heresy, schism or profaneness, that there may be no change of the fundamental constitution and government of this kingdom by king, lords and commons, that there may be nothing done which may wrong King Charles II in his succession as righteous heir of the crown of these kingdoms, but that by the free counsels of both houses of parliament, reformation of and uniformity in religion may be settled according to the covenant, and particularly that presbyterial government, the Confession of Faith, directory for worship and catechism may be established, that the just right and title of King Charles II to the crown of these kingdoms may be acknowledged, and, upon just satisfaction given to both kingdoms, he may be received and admitted to the exercise of his government. And if notwithstanding all our earnest desires and endeavours to the contrary, the commons now sitting at Westminster shall proceed otherwise in all or any the particulars aforesaid, we do hereby, in the name of the parliament and kingdom of Scotland, dissent from the same, and solemnly protest that they may be free before God and man of all the guiltiness, evils, confusions, miseries and calamites that may follow thereupon to these distracted kingdoms.
[William Kerr, earl of] Lothian; John Chiesley [of Kersewell]; W. Glendinning [of Gelstoun], 24 February 1649/8
Extracted, Henry Scobell, clerk of parliament, Scottish commissioners' papers, dated 24 February 1649
7 March 1649
Produced by [John Campbell, earl of Loudoun], lord chancellor, read in audience of the parliament and remitted to the committee of dispatches, who are to report to the parliament.