[1643/6/32]¹

Declaration: answer to the declaration of the English parliament

Ansuer of the estats to the declaration of the parliament of England

The noblemen, commissioneres of shyres and burrowes assembled in the conventioun of estaits of the kingdome of Scotland, from thair naturall affectione to their brethren in England, thair Christiane sympathie of the memberes of the same bodie and the apprehensioune of the lyk dangeres imminent unto themselffis and threatining thair awin religion and peace, are very deiplie affected with the sense of the distractiounes and distresses of the kirk and kingdome of Ingland, and find within their bowells thair fellow feillings daylie to grow with the increase of the trubles of thair breithrein, as if they wer in the lyk maner and measure afflicted themselffis; and thairfoir, as they are assured of the willingnes of the honorabll houses of parliament in every thing to acquyte themselffis faithfullie to this kingdome, so, being wnwilling to presse them above thair power, they have bein and are so far from giveing place to any misapprehensioun or sinister constructioune, that this kingdome haith with much patience and love wresled with many difficulties and undergone greater burdings then they are weill able to beare throuch the want of the arreares due to the airmie in Ireland, and of the brotherly assistance proceiding from so much affectioune, concerneing which they had resolved befor the comeing of the bearer to direct on[e] from themselffis, with full instructiones, whom they doe now send, hopeing by his speiddie returne to receave tymeous satisfactione in the particulares committed to his trust; and nothing doubting but at the comeing of the committies from the parliament in Scottland, God will by his wise and gratious providence so direct and assist the joynt counsells of both kingdomes in the mater of the declaratioun sent to the lords of privie counsell in November last, that the best way may be fund for delyvering his matie, the parliament and kingdome of Ingland from thair many and greivous sufferings and the kingdome of Scotland from thair dangeres and thraitnings of the lyke, for rooteing out poperie and prelacie and suppressing the cursed factioun of papists, prelattis, malignants and athests, who, throuch the workeing of Satan, are now in a raige, and imagine a vayne thing against the Lord and his annoynted; and for the peaceable satling of the trew religioun and kingdome of Chryst in this illand, to the glory of God, the honor of the king and the peace and libertie of all the people of God, a weicht of happines with which all the sufferrings of this present tyme, although utherwayes wnsupportable, are not worthie to be compaired, and for which the desyres and indevoures of this kirk and kingdome are nothing remitted of that which is conteined in the former true and lairge expressiounes of the severall publict judicatories of this kirk and kingdome, but doe daylie, according to the encrease of difficulties and hinderances, aryse and ascend to a greatter hicht and fervour of zeale, and wait earnestly for the tyme when by all good meanes, with common consent, the particular wayes may be agreid upon for the accomplisching of so greate and goode a worke by the blissing of God Almichtie. It had bein impossible for this kingdome to have setled religioun and peace without ane ecclesiasticall assemblie, which throuch the mercie of God did by the reformatioun of divyne worship and the governement of the kirk lay the fundatioun of all the efter proceidings; and thairfoir we cannot but even from our awin late experience much approve of the calling ane assemblie of some godlie and learned of that kirk for consulting about materes of religioun, which, being once determined, will no doubt estableisch and wnite the distractit and doubtfull mynds and hearts of many in the knowen treuth and cause of God, and be a ground work of happie proceidings and many blissings upon the king and all his maties realmes and dominiones, which without it cannot be obtained. Wherin if by the sending of some godlie and learned from this kirk the so much and so frequentlie desyred wnitie and² religioun and wniformitie of kirk governement according to the word of God salbe at last brought and concludeit, we sall think it the strongest band for wniteing and confirmeing the tuo nationes against all divisioun from within and oppositioun from without; and thairfoir have recommendit the mater to the commissioneres of the generall assemblie, who will indevoure by thair more particular answer to give all possible satisfactione to the honorable houses of parliament.