[A1609/1/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The which day the missive letter underwritten, signed by the king's most excellent majesty, being presented to the nobility, council and estates presently convened, containing his highness's nomination and choice of the Earl of Dunfermline, chancellor, and of the Earl of Dunbar, treasurer of this kingdom, to be commissioners for his highness in this present convention, the said estates, with all due reverence, allowed of his majesty's choice in this matter, and gave to the said commissioners their own places accordingly. Follows his majesty's missive letter: Right trusty and well-beloved cousins and councillors and others, our good, loving and obedient subjects of the estates of that our kingdom presently convened, we greet you well. Whereas we have thought fit for authorising of certain conclusions of the late kept general assembly, made for repressing of this great increase and growth of contrary professors, being dangerous subjects in the estate, and for other causes to be imparted to you in this meeting, to appoint this general convention of our estates, we have thereupon made special choice of our right trusty and well-beloved cousins and councillors the Earl of Dunfermline, chancellor, and the Earl of Dunbar, treasurer of that our kingdom, to be our commissioners thereat, to whom we have committed the trust of the proposing of all matters to be moved therein, and also have remitted to their care and diligence to see everything prosecuted and concluded that may serve for advancement of the true religion professed, for the setting forward of our service and for the common welfare and benefit of that whole kingdom; and no way doubting of special regard both of the message and messengers, with all due respect that appertains or is requisite, we bid you farewell from our court at Whitehall, 9 January 1609. To our right trusty and well-beloved cousins and councillors and to our trusty and well-beloved the nobility, clergy and commons of that our kingdom of Scotland, now presently convened.
The nobility, prelates, council and remaining estates presently convened, having heard and considered the king's majesty's most gracious and comfortable letter directed to them wherein his highness has very lively expressed, to the unspeakable joy and comfort of the said estates, his most godly and religious disposition as foster-father of the kirk of God within his majesty's dominions to advance the true, ancient, apostolic faith presently professed within this his majesty's kingdom, and to suppress all contrary professors; and also has expressed his highness's most gracious acceptance, approbation and allowance of the proceedings of the late general assembly kept at Linlithgow in the month of [...] last, the said estates, acknowledging with all due praise and thanks to God his majesty's so fatherly care and tender affection towards the maintenance and upholding of this kirk in all purity, and his highness's most princely, religious and lawful directions given in this matter, have for the further strengthening of the proceedings of the said assembly and the conclusions taken therein for suppressing of papists and papistry declared, statute and ordained as follows: In the first: