You are, if you find that it may in any wise conduce to Our Service, to enact and publish the Order made at Holyroodhouse by Our Council the fifth of July last, for discharging the use of the Service-Book, Book of Canons, and the practice of the High Commission.
You are to protest against the abolishing of Bishops, and to give way to as few restrictions of their power as you can; as for the Bishops not being capable of Civil Places, you must labour what you can to keep them free.
You may give way that they shall be accountable to the General Assembly, which you shall indict at the rising of this against that time twelve month.
As for the Bishops Precedence, you are not to admit them of the Assembly to meddle therewith, it being no point of religion, and totally in the Crown.
If the Bishop of St Andrews, or any other, be accused of any crime, you are to give way to it, so they may have a free Trial; and likewise the same of whatsoever person or Officer of State.
It is left to your discretion what course Bishops shall take, that are for the present out of the Country.
You are to advise the Bishops to forbear sitting at the Council, till better and more favourable times for them.
Notwithstanding all these Instructions above-mentioned, or any other accident that may happen (still labouring to keep up Our Honour so far as possibly you can) you are by no means to permit a present Rupture to happen, but to yield anything though unreasonable, rather than now to break.
C. R.
London the 27ᵗʰ July, 1638.