[1643/6/69]¹

Declaration: from the English commissioners

The quhilk day the earle of Lindsay and utheres commissioneres appoyntit to meit with the Inglisch commissioneres presentit and exhibite tuo paperes delyvered to them by the Inglisch commissioners, wheroff the tenour followes:

The desyrs of the English commissioners²

August 12 1643

Wee, the commissioneres appointed by both housses of the parliament of Ingland, are by our instructiones commanded to put ther brethrein of Scotland in mynd that the popisch and prelaticall factioun which began with them about thir yeares 1638 and 1639, and then intrudeit to mak way of the ruine of the kingdome of Ingland by theres, have not abated any parte of thair malice toward the nation and church of Scotland, nor are at all depairted from thair designe of corrupting and altering religion throuch the wholl illand, thouch they have inverted the maner of thair procedings, conceiving now that they have ane easyer way to destroy them if they may first prevaill over the parliament and kingdome of Ingland.

In which respect it is the desyre of both housses that the tuo nations may be strictly united and joynd togidder for thair mutuall defence against the papists and prelaticall factioun and there adherentes in both kingdomes, and not to lay doun airmes till these, thair implacable enemies, shalbe disarmed and subjected to the authoritie and justice of parliament in both kingdomes respectively; and as ane effectuall meane heirunto, they desyre ther breithrein of Scotland to raise a considerable strenth of horse and foote for their ayde and assistance to be forthwith sent against the papists, prelaticall factioune and otheres, thair adherentes now in airmes in the kingdome of Ingland.

And for the better incouragement of the kingdome of Scotland unto this necessary and so much desyred unione and conjunctioun, we are by both housses authorized to assure thair breithrein that if they shalbe annoyd or indangered by any force or airmy, ather from Ingland or any uther place, the lords and commons of Ingland will assist them with a proportionable force and strenth of horse and foote to what thair breithrein shall now afford them, to be sent into Scotland for the defence of that kingdome from the invasioun of the Irisch rebells or other enemies dureing such tyme as the Scottisch airmie salbe imployed in the defence of the kingdome of Ingland.

And to the end that nothing should be wanting in the parliament and kingdome of Ingland to facilitate this work wherin the true reformed religioun not only in these tuo kingdomes but thruchout all Europe is so heichly concerned, we are further authorized to consider with thair breithrein, the estaits and kingdome of Scotland, of what uther articles or propositiounes are fitt to be addit and concludeit wherby this assistance and unione betuixt the tuo natiounes may be made more beneficiall and effectuall for the securitie of religioun and libertie in both kingdomes.

All which being takin into the serious and Christian consideratioun of the richt honorable the lords and utheres of the conventioun of the estaits of Scotland, wee hoope thair will not neid any arguments or motives to perswade and exceite them to give thair consent and that with all convenient speid to the desyres of both housses of the parliament of Ingland, seing they have now fully declaired as by what thei have done alreadie, so by what they are yet desyreous to doe, that the true estait of this cause and quarrell is religioun, in the reformatioun wherof they are and have bein so forward and zealous as that there is not any thing expressed to them by thair breithrein of Scotland by thair former or letter declaratiounes which they have not seriously takin to heart and earnestly endevoured to effect, notwithstanding the subtill, malicious and industrious oppositiounes; that so the tuo kingdomes micht be broucht into a neir conjunctione into one forme of church governement and directory of worship or catechisme etc., and the fundatioun layed of the utter extirpatioun of poperie and prelacie out of both, the most readie and effectuall meanes wherunto is neir conceaved to be that both natiounes sould enter into a strict unione and league for thair mutuall defence, according to what is alreadie expressed in the desyres of both housses.

And to induce the persuasione of this (if there wer cause), we micht observe that in the many declaratiounes made by the generall assemblie or estaites of Scotland since the begining of these commotiounes in this illand to thair breithrein in Ingland, ther have bein sindrie expressiounes manifesting the greate necessity that both kingdomes, for the securitie of thair religioun and libertie, should joyne in this strict union against the papistes, prelattes and thair adherentes, and in the endevoures of ane uniformitie betuixt the churches of both kingdomes; the apprehensioun and foresicht of which hath causet the popisch and prelaticall factioun in forrane parts, as weill as in these his majesties dominiones, strictly and powerfully to combyne themselffes to the hindrance of this so necessarie work and the universall suppressioun of the Protestant religioune in Europe; a course not much different from that which they tooke in the yeare 1585 when the wisdome and zeale of this natioun to countermyne so wiked a conspiracie, and from the due sense of the mutuall interest of these tuo kingdomes in religioun and libertie, fund a necessitie of entering into a league of this nature, alsweill considering that thairby no lesse saiftie micht be exspected to both natiounes then danger by forbearing the samyn.

And thoch we doubt not in so necessary a good work many difficulties may aryse to disappoynt or at least retard the same till the disease become desperate, yet wee are als confident that the hearty and brotherly affectione of this natioun to the parliament and kingdome of Ingland will easily breake thruch them; and the rather because in the lyk caices of difficulty and danger, as not only at the tyme of the league above mentioned, but not long befoir and lykewyse since when any opportunity hath offered it selff, particularly during the sitting of this present parliament, the kingdome of Ingland haithe bene verie readie and willing to lay to heart the dangeres of the kingdome of Scotland as thair awine, and to deduce no meanes in the reach of thair power for redresse or preventioun of the samen.

August 12 1643³

Wee, the commissioneres appoynted by both houses of the parliament of Ingland, are by our instructiones commanded to represent to thair breithrein of Scotland the greate miseries and calamities broucht upon that church and kingdome of Ingland by the affectioun of papists and prelattes, wherby they are disabled for the present to mak payment of those greate debts owing to this kingdome for the remander of the brotherly assistance and for the arreare of the airmie in Ireland; notwithstanding of which, we are commanded to tak caire for the stateing and satling all debts, accompts and demandis betuixt the tuo natiounes of Ingland and Scotland; and when the samyn shalbe reduced to certainty, we are to treate and compound for the tyme and maner of satisfactione for the said debts. And first tutcheing the remander of the brotherly assistance, inasmuch as the warre upon the subjects and people of Scotland begun and prosecuted in the yeares 1639, 1640 and 1641 was procured by the factioun of papists, prelattes and thair adherentes, which occasioned the comeing in of thair breithrein into that kingdome, and of the ingadgement thairupon made for thair satisfactioun, we are commanded to signifye that both houses of parliament doe thairupon think it most just and reasonable that sufficient lands of papists, prelattes and such uther malignantes as have adhered unto them bee, by the directione and appoyntment of both housses, sit furth, out of which recompence shalbe made for the forbearance of that money untill such tyme as satisfactioun be geven for the discharge of all the said debt, with the interest due upon the samen. And as for the arreares due unto the Scottisch airmie in Ireland, we are to desyre that since it is impossible for the state of Ingland by reasoune of the manifold trubles and burdings which lye upon it to mak present payment, they would therfoir think of some uther way how satisfactione to thair content may be made, ather out of the confiscat lands in Ireland by way of adventure, according to the raites and proportions at which they are to be delyverit to the Inglisch adventureres, or ells by estalment at fower equall payments within two yeares efter peace shalbe setled in Ingland, or in provision of victuall and apperell to be delyvered at reasonable raites within this kingdome or elsqher, or in any uther way within the power of the tuo housses, it being thair earnest desyre to give thair breithrein full contentment therin so far as God shall inable them therunto. In persuance wheroff, we are authorized to treate and conclude for the discharge of both the aforementioned debts and such further payments as sall growe due wntill satisfactione be made in any of the wayes befoir specifit. And incaice thair breithrein shall not approve of any of these wayes, we are then to receave any such further or any other propositiounes concerning the samyne as in thair wisdomes shalbe thocht fittest. We are also to mak knowen to thair brethrein of Scotland that by reasoun of these unexpected trubles in Ingland that natioun is in lykmaner altogidder disinabled to countinue the charge of the airmie in Ireland, least thairfoir it sould become too greate a burthen to this natioun by the dissabilitie of payment from Ingland, wee are to desyre that the said airmie may be dismissed from that service in some short tyme; only such garisoune to be keipit on foote as thair breithrein shall think fitt to retaine for the guard of Carictfergus and Coleraine, according to the treatie in that behalff made.