Rothes.
1638.—July 27.
54. Additional Instructions by the King to Hamilton.[79]
Charles R.
You shall try by all means to see if the Council will sign the Confession of Faith, established by Act of Parliament, with the new Bond joined thereto; but you are not publickly to put it to Voting, except you be sure to carry it, and thereafter that probably they will stand to it.
If the Council do sign it, though the Covenanters refuse, you shall proceed to the indicting of a free General Assembly; and though you cannot procure the Council to sign it, yet you are to proceed to the indicting thereof, if you find that no other Course can quiet business at this time.
You shall labour by all fair means that the sitting of the Assembly be not before the first of November, or longer if you can obtain it; for the place, We are pleased to leave it to your election; for the manner of indicting, you must be as cautious as you can, and strive to draw it as near as may be to the former Assemblies in my Fathers time.
You must labour that Bishops may have Votes in Assemblies, which if you cannot obtain, then you are to protest in their Favours in the most formal manner you can think of.
As for the Moderator in the Assembly, you are to labour that he may be a Bishop, which though you cannot obtain, yet you must give way to their Election.
You are to labour, that the Five Articles of Perth be held as indifferent; strive that the admissions of Ministers may continue as they are; you may condescend, that the Oaths of their Admission be no other than is warranted by Act of Parliament.