[A1649/5/3]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The commissioners' first paper to the king's majesty, desiring the removal of James Graham from his presence and court
May it please your majesty,
The estates of parliament of your majesty's ancient kingdom of Scotland, considering what sad effects the pernicious counsels of wicked instruments have produced by raising and fomenting division between your majesty's royal father and his faithful subjects, have commanded us at our first address to your majesty humbly to crave that your majesty would be pleased to remove from having access to your royal person and court all those who have been and continue excommunicated by the church of that kingdom, and namely James Graham, sometime earl of Montrose. And now we, according to the trust committed to us, do humbly and earnestly crave the same at your majesty's hands, being very hopeful that a more plentiful blessing from God shall accompany your majesty's counsels and affairs, and that the desires and endeavours of the parliament shall prove the more effectual to work a good understanding and mutual confidence between your majesty and your people when so eminent an author and actor of mischief shall have no countenance from your majesty, nor influence upon your royal counsels, who, abandoning the covenant and despising the oath of God, did invade his native country, and with most inhumane and barbarous cruelty did burn and waste various parts thereof, and who spilt so much blood of your majesty's good subjects, taking advantage of that time when the prime commanders and forces thereof were employed elsewhere; for which crimes he was excommunicated by the church and forfeited by the parliament of that kingdom, and still to this day continues in the highest contempt against God, under that fearful sentence of excommunication, without the smallest sign of repentance.
27 March 1649, signed by warrant and at command of the commissioners of the parliament of the kingdom of Scotland