And therefore he not onely desires, but commands, that all the Particulars he hath promised be first gone in hand with in this Assembly, and enacted, and then afterwards what His Subjects shall desire being found reasonable may be next thought upon, that so it may be known to God and the whole World, and particularly to all His good Subjects, how careful His Majesty is to discharge himself of all his Gracious Promises made to them; hoping that when you shall see how Royally, Graciously, and Faithfully His Majesty hath dealt with you, and all his Subjects, you will likewise correspond in loyal and dutiful Obedience, in chearful but calm and peaceable Proceeding, in all other business to be treated of in this Assembly: and because there shall be no mistake, I shall now repeat the Particulars, that you may see they are the same which were promised by His Majesties first Proclamation.
Charles R.
The Kings Majesty being informed, that many of His good Subjects have apprehended, that by the introduction of the Service-book and Book of Canons, the in-bringing of Popery and Superstition hath been intended, is Graciously pleased to discharge the said Books, and to annul all Acts made for establishing thereof; and for His good People their further satisfaction, is Graciously pleased to declare by me, that no other in that kind shall hereafter be introduced, but in a fair and legal way of Assembly, allowed by Act of Parliament, and the Laws of this Kingdom.
The Kings Majesty, as he conceived for the ease and benefit of the Subjects, established the High Commission, that thereby Justice might be administred, and the Faults and Errours of such persons as are made liable thereto taken order with, and punished with the more convenience, and less trouble to the People: but finding His Gracious Intentions to be herein mistaken, hath been pleased, likeas he is Graciously content, that the same be discharged, with all Acts and Deeds made for the establishing thereof, and is pleased to declare by me, that that Court or Judicatory, nor no other of that nature, shall be brought in hereafter, but in that way allowed by the Laws of this Kingdom.
And the Kings Majesty being informed, that the urging of the five Articles of Perth’s Assembly hath bred Distraction in the Church and State, hath been Graciously pleased to take the same into His consideration, and for the quiet and peace of Church and State, doth not onely dispense with the practice of the said Articles, but also discharges, and by these hath discharged, all and whatsoever Persons from urging the practice thereof, upon either Laick or Ecclesiastic person whatsoever: and doth hereby free all His Subjects from all Censure and Pain, whether Ecclesiastical or Secular, for not urging, practising, or obeying them, or any of them, notwithstanding any thing contained in the Acts of Parliament or General Assembly, to the contrary.
And because it is pretended, that Oaths have been administred to Ministers at their entry, contrary and differing from that which is set down in the Acts of Parliament, His Majesty is pleased to declare and ordaine, that no other Oath shall be required of any Minister at his entry than that which is expressly set down in the Acts of Parliament; and this He is content be considered of in the Assembly, to be represented to the Estates of Parliament, and enacted as they shall find expedient.
And that it may appear how careful His Majesty is that no Corruption or Innovation shall creep into this Church, neither any scandal, vice, or fault of any person whatsoever censurable or punishable by the Assembly, go unpunished, it is his Majesties Pleasure, likeas by these His Majesty does assure all His good People, that hereafter General Assemblies shall be kept as oft as the Affairs of this Kirk shall require: and to this purpose, because it is probable that some things necessary for the present Estate and Good of this Church may be left unperfected at this present Assembly, We do by these indict another Assembly to be holden at __________. And that none of Our Subjects may have cause of Grievance against the Procedure of Prelats, Our Pleasure is, that all and every one of the present Bishops, and their Successours, shall be answerable, and accordingly from time to time censurable according to their Merits by the Assembly, which His Majesty is likewise pleased be enacted in this present Assembly, and thereafter ratified in Parliament.
And to give all His Majesties good People good assurance that he never intended to admit any Alteration or Change in the true Religion professed within this Kingdom, and that they may be truly and fully satisfied of the Reality of His Intentions towards the maintainance of the Truth and Integrity of the same, His Majesty hath been pleased to require and command all His good Subjects to subscribe the Confession of Faith, subscribed by His dear Father in Anno 1580. and for that effect hath ordained the Lords of His Privy Council to take some speedy course whereby the same may be done through the whole Kingdom; which His Majesty requires likewise all those of this present Assembly to sign, and all others His Subjects, who have not done it already: and it is His Majesties Will, that this be inserted and registred in the Books of this Assembly, as a Testimony to Posterity, not onely of the sincerity of His Intentions to the said true Religion, but also of His Resolution to maintain and defend the same and His Subjects in the professing thereof.
C. R.