That all the Elections being ordered according to these, was a clear proof, they were sent by an Authority which all feared to disobey. And after that he told, That for many moneths the Orders of the Table had been obeyed by all; but he would now make a trial what Obedience they would give to the Kings Command: and protested, that one of the chief Reasons that moved him to dissolve this Assembly, was to deliver the Ministers from the Tyranny of Lay-elders, who (if not suppressed) would (as they were now designing the ruine of Episcopal Power) prove not onely Ruling, but Over-ruling-elders.
1638.—November 29.
100. Royal Proclamation anent the Assembly.[128]
Charles by the grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. To Our Lovits _______________________________ Heraulds, Pursevants, Our Sheriffes in that part conjunctly & severally specially constitute, greeting. Forsameikle as out of the royall & fatherly care which We have had of the good & peace of this Our ancient and native Kingdome, having taken to Our serious consideration all such things as might have given contentment to Our good & loyall subjects: And to this end had discharged by Our Proclamation the Service Booke, Booke of Canons, and high Commission, freed and liberate all men from the practising of the five Articles, made all Our subjects both ecclesiasticall & civill liable to the censure of Parliament, generall Assembly, or any other Iudicatorie competent, according to the nature and qualitie of the offence; and for the free entrie of Ministers, that no other oath be administrate unto them then that which is contained in the Act of Parliament: had declared all by-gone disorders absolutely forgotten & forgiven: and for the more full and cleare extirpating all ground & occasion of feares of innovation of Religion, We had commanded the confession of faith, and band for maintenance thereof, and of authoritie in defence of the same, subscribed by Our deare Father, and his household, in anno 1580. to bee renewed and subscribed againe by Our subjects here: Likeas for settling of a perfect peace in the Church and Commonwealth of this Kingdome, We caused indict a free generall Assembly to bee holden at Glasgow the 21. of this instant, and thereafter a Parliament in May 1639. By which clement dealing, We looked assuredly to have reduced Our subjects to their former quiet behaviour & dutifull carriage, whereto they are bound by the Word of God, and Lawes both nationall and municipall, to Us their native and Soveraigne Prince. And albeit the wished effects did not follow, but by the contrary, by Our so gracious procedure they were rather emboldened, not onely to continue in their stubborne and unlawfull waies, but also daily adde to their former procedures acts of neglect, & contempt of authority, as evidently appeared by open opposing of Our just & religious pleasure and command, exprest in Our last Proclamation anent the discharge of the Service Booke, Booke of Canons, high Commission, &c. protesting against the same, and striving by many indirect meanes to withdraw the hearts of Our good people, not onely from a hearty acknowledgement of Our gracious dealing with them, but also from the due obedience to those Our just and religious commands, notwithstanding We had been formerly so oft petitioned by themselves for the same. By their daily and hourely guarding and watching about Our Castle of Edinburgh, suffering nothing to be imported therein, but at their discretion, And openly stopping and impeding any importation of ammunition, or other necessaries whatsoever to any other of Our houses within that Kingdome: Denying to Us their Soveraign Lord that libertie and freedome, which the meanest of them assume to themselves, (an act without precedent or example in the Christian world,) By making of Convocations and Councell Tables of Nobility, Gentry, Burrowes and Ministers within the Citie of Edinburgh, where not regarding the Lawes of the Kingdome, they, without warrant of authoritie, conveene, assemble, and treat upon matters, as well ecclesiasticall as civill, send their injunctions and directions throughout the country to their subordinate Tables, and other under-ministers appointed by them for that effect. And under colour & pretext of religion exercing an unwarranted & unbounded libertie, require obedience to their illegall and unlawfull procedures and directions, to the great & seen prejudice of Authority, and lawfull Monarchicall government. And notwithstanding it was evidently manifest by the illegall & unformall course taken in the election of their Commissioners for the Assembly, whereof some are under the censure of this Church, some under the censure of the Church of Ireland, and some long since banished for open and avowed teaching against Monarchie, others of them suspended, and some admitted to the Ministerie contrary to the forme prescribed by the Lawes of this Kingdome, others of them a long time since denounced Rebels and put to the Horne, who by all law and unviolable custome and practique of this Kingdome, are, and ever have been incapable, either to pursue, or defend before any Iudicatorie, far lesse to be Iudges themselves: some of them confined, and all of them by oath and subscription bound to the overthrow of Episcopacie. And by this and other their under-hand working, and private informations and perswasions, have given just ground of suspicion of their partiality herein, & so made themselves unfit Iudges of what concerneth Episcopacie. And also it was sufficiently cleared by the peremptorie and illegall procedures of the Presbyteries, who at their own hand by order of law, & without due forme of processe, thrust out the Moderatours lawfully established, & placed others, whom they found most inclinable to their turbulent humours; associate to themselves for the choosing of the said Comissioners for the Assembly, a Laick-Elder out of each Paroch, who being in most places equall, if not moe in number then the Ministerie, made choice both of the Ministers, who should be Commissioners from the Presbyteries, as also of a Ruling-Elder; being directed more therein by the warrants from the foresaid pretended Tables, then by their owne judgements, as appeares by the severall private instructions sent from them, farre contrary to the Lawes of the Countrey, and lowable custome of the Church: by which doings it is too manifest, that no calme nor peaceable procedure or course could have been expected from this Assembly, for settling of the present disorders and distractions: Yet We were pleased herein in some sort to blindfold Our own judgement, and overlooke the said disorders, and patiently to attend the meeting of the said Assembly, still hoping that when they were met together, by Our Commissioner his presence, and assistance of such other well disposed subjects who were to be there, and by their owne seeing the reall performance of all that was promised by Our last Proclamation, they should have been induced to returne to their due obedience of subjects: But perceiving that their seditious disposition still increases, by their repairing to the said Assembly with great bands and troupes of men, all boddin in feare of warre, with guns and pistolets, contrary to the lawes of this Kingdome, custome observed in all Assemblies, and in high contempt of Our last Proclamation at Edinburgh the 16. of this instant: As also by their peremptory refusing of Our Assessors, authorized by Vs (although fewer in number then Our dearest Father was in use to have at divers Assemblies) the power of voting in this Assembly, as formerly they have done in other Assemblies; and by their partiall, unjust, and unchristian refusing, and not suffering to be read the reasons and arguments given in by the Bishops, and their adherents, to Our Commissioner, why the Assembly ought not to proceed to the election of a Moderatour without them, neither yet to the admitting of any of the Commissions of the saids Commissioners from Presbyteries, before they were heard object against the same, though earnestly required by our Commissioner in our name. And notwithstanding that our Commissioner under his hand, by warrant from us, gave in a sufficient declaration of all that was contained in our late proclamation and declaration, the same bearing likewise our pleasure of the registration of the same in the books of assembly for the full assurance of the true religion to all our good subjects; And yet not resting satisfied therewith, lest the continuance of their meeting together might produce other the like dangerous acts, derogatory to royall authoritie, we have thought good, for preveening thereof, and for the whole causes and reasons above-mentioned, and divers others importing the true monarchicall government of this estate, to dissolve and breake up the said Assembly. And therefore OVR will is, and we doe discharge and inhibit all and whatsoever pretended Commissioners, and other members of the said pretended assembly, of all further meeting and conveening, treating and concluding any thing belonging to the said assembly, under the pain of treason, declaring all and whatsoever that they shall happen to doe in any pretended meeting thereafter, to be null, of no strength, force nor effect, with all that may follow thereupon: Prohibiting and discharging all our lieges to give obedience thereto, and declaring them, and every one of them, free and exempt from the same, and of all hazzard that may ensue for not obeying thereof. And for this effect we command and charge all the foresaids pretended commissioners, and other members of the said assembly, to depart forth of this city of Glasgow, within the space of xxiiii houres after the publication hereof, and to repair home to their own houses, or that they goe about their own private affaires in a quiet manner. With speciall provision alwayes, that the foresaid declaration, given in under our Commissioners hand, with all therein contained, shall notwithstanding hereof, stand full, firm and sure to all our good subjects in all time coming, for the full assurance to them of the true religion. And our will is, and we command and charge, that incontinent these our letters seen, ye passe, and make publication hereof by open proclamation at the market crosse of Glasgow, and other places needfull, wherethrough none pretend ignorance of the same. Given under our signet at Glasgow the 29. of November, and of our reign the fourteenth year. 1638.
Sic Subscribitur.
HAMILTOUN,
Traquaire, Roxburgh, Murray, Linlithgow, Perth, Kingorne, Tullibardin, Hadingtoun, Galloway, Annandaill, Lauderdaill, Kinnoull, Dumfreis, Southesk, Belhaven, Angus, Dalyell, J. Hay, W. Elphinstoun, Ja. Carmichael, J. Hamiltoun.
1638.—November 28 and 29.
101. The Protestation of the generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland, &c. Made in the high Kirk, and at the Market Crosse of Glasgow, Novemb. 28. and 29. An. 1638.[129]
Wee Commissioners from Presbyteries, Burghes, and Vniversities, now conveened in a full and free Assembly of the Church of Scotland, indicted by his Majestie, and gathered together in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ the only Head, and Monarch of his own Church, And we Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Ministers, Burgesses and Commons, Subscribers of the Confession of Faith, Make it knowne that where We His Majesties loyall Subjects of all degrees, considering and taking to heart the many and great innovations and corruptions lately by the Prelates and their adherents intruded into the doctrine, worship, and discipline of this Church, which had been before in great purity to our unspeakable comfort established amongst us, were moved to present many earnest desires and humble supplications to his sacred Majestie, for granting a free generall Assemblie, as the only legall and ready meane to try these innovations, to purge out the corruptions, and settle the order of the church, for the good of Religion, the honour of the King, and the comfort and peace of the Kirk and Kingdome: It pleased his gracious Majestie, out of his Royall bountie, to direct unto this Kingdome, the Noble and Potent Lord, James Marques of Hammiltoun, with Commission to hear and redresse the just grievances of the good Subjects, who by many petitions, and frequent conferences, being fully informed of the absolute necessity of a free generall Assemblie, as the only Iudicatorie which had power to remedie those evils, was pleased to undergoe the paines of a voyage to England, for presenting the pittifull condition of our Church to his sacred Majestie; And the said Commissioner his Grace returned againe in August last, with power to indict an Assemblie, but with the condition of such limitations, as did both destroy the freedome of an Assembly, and could no wayes cure the present diseases of this Church; which was made so clearly apparent to his Grace, that for satisfying the reasonable desire of the Subiects, groaning under the wearinesse and prejudices of longsome attendance. He was againe pleased to undertake another journey to his Majestie, and promised to indeavour to obtain a free Generall Assemblie, without any prelimitation, either of the constitution and members, or matters to be treated, or manner, and order of proceeding; so that if any question should arise concerning these particulars, the same should be cognosced, judged, and determined by the Assembly, as the onely Iudge competent: And accordingly by warrant from our Sacred Soveraigne, returned to this Kingdome, and in September last, caused indict a free Generall Assemblie to be holden at Glasgow, the 21. of November instant, to the unspeakable ioy of all good Subiects and Christian hearts, who thereby did expect the perfect satisfaction of their long expectations; and the finall remedie of their pressing grievances: But these hopes were soone blasted: for albeit the Assemblie did meet and begin at the appointed day, and hath hitherto continued, still assisted with His Graces personall presence, yet His Grace hath never allowed any freedome to the Assemblie, competent to it by the Word of God, acts and practices of this Church, and his Majesties Indiction, but hath laboured to restraine the same, by protesting against all the acts made therein, and against the constitution thereof by such members, as by all law reason and custome of this Church were ever admitted in our free Assemblies, and by denying his approbation to the things proponed and concluded, though most cleare, customable, and uncontraverted.
And now since his Grace after the presenting and reading of his owne commission from our sacred Soveraigne, and after his seeing all our commissions from Presbyteries and Burghes produced and examined, and the Assembly constitute of all the members by unanimous consent, doth now to our greater griefe, without any just cause or occasion offered by us, unexpectedly depart and discharge any further meeting, or proceeding in this assemblie, under the paine of treason: and after seven dayes sitting, declare all Acts made, or hereafter to be made in this Assemblie, to be of no force nor strength; and that for such causes as are either expressed in his Maiesties former proclamations, (and so are answered in our former protestations) or set downe in the declinatour and protestation presented in name of the Prelats, (which are fully cleared in our answer made thereto) or else were long since proponed by the Commissioner his Grace in his eleven articles or demands sent unto us, before the indiction of the Assembly (and so were satisfied by our answers, which his Grace acknowledged, by promising after the recept thereof to procure a free generall Assembly, with power to determine upon all questions, anent the members, manner, and matters thereof) all which for avoiding tediousnesse we cease to repeat: Or otherwise the said causes alleadged by the Commissioner, were proponed by His Grace, in the Assemblie; such as first, that the Assemblie refused to reade the Declinatour and Protestation exhibited by the Prelats, which neverthelesse was publickly read and considered by the assemblie, immediately after the election of a Moderatour and constitution of the Members, before the which, there was no assemblie established, to whom the same could have been read: Next, that ruling Elders were permitted to have voice in the election of commissioners from Presbyteries, which was knowne to His Grace, before the indiction and meeting of the assembly, and is so agreeable to the acts and practice of this Church, inviolably observed before the late times of corruption, that not one of the assembly doubted thereof, to whom by the indiction and promise of a free assembly, the determination of that question, anent the members constituent propertie belonged.