The Supplication of the Assembly to His Majesties High Commissioner, and the Lords of Secret Councell.[160]
WEE, the Generall Assembly, considering, with all humble and thankfull acknowledgement, the manie recent favors bestowed on us by His Majestie, and that there rested nothing for crowneing his Majesties incomparable goodnes toward us, bot that all the members of this Kirk and Kingdom might be joyned in one and the same Confessions of Faith with God, with the Kings Majestie, and among ourselves: And conceiveing the main lett and impediment to this so good a worke, and so muche wished be all, to have beene the Informations made to his Majestie, of our intentions to shaike off Civill and dutiful obedience dew to Soverainity, and to diminish the Kings greatnes and authoritie, and being most willing and desyrous to remove this and all suche impediments, whiche may hinder and imped so full and perfyte an Union, and for cleiring of our loyaltie, WEE, in our names, and in name of all the rest of the Subjects and Congregations whome wee represent, doe now, in all humilitie, represent to your Grace, His Majesties Commissioner, and to the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privie Counsell, and declare before God and the World, that we never had, nor have anie thought of with-drawing our selves from that humble and dutiful subjection and obedience to His Majestie and to his Government, which, by the descent and under the reign of 107 Kings, is most cheirfullie acknowledgit be us and our predecessors: And that we never had, nor have any intention or desire to attempt anie thing that may tend to the dishonour of God, or the diminution of the Kings greatnes and authoritie; But, on the contrary, acknowledging our quietnes, stabilitie, and happines to depend upon the safetie of the Kings Majesties Person, and maintenance of His greatnes and Royal authority, as Gods Vice-gerent set over us, for maintenance of Religion and ministration of Justice, We have solemnlie sworn and doe swear, not onlie our mutual concurrence and assistance for the caus of Religion, and to the uttermost of our power, with our meanes and lyves, to stand to the defence of our dread Soveraine, his Person and authoritie, in the preservation and defence of the said true Religion, Liberties, and Lawes of this Kirk and Kingdome, bot also in everie thing which may concerne His Majesties honor, sall, according to the Lawes of this Kingdome and dutie of good subjects, concurre with our friends and followers in quiet manner, or in armes, as wee sall be requyred of His Majestie, His Councell, or anie having his Authority. And, therefore, being most desyrous to cleir our selves of all imputation of this kynd, following the laudable example of our predecessors, in anno 1589, doe most humblie supplicat your Grace, His Majesties miasione, and the Lords of His Majesties most honourable privie Counsel, to enjoyne be Act of Counsell, that the Confession and Covenant, which, as a testimonie of our fidelitie to God, and loyaltie to our King, wee have subscrived, be subscrived be all His Majesties Subjects, of what ranke and quality soever.
The Act of the Lords of Councell at Edinburgh. August 30, 1639, containing the Answer of the preceding Supplication.
THE which day, in presence of the Lord Commissioner and the Lords of Privie Councell, compeired personally John Earle of Rothes; James Earle of Montrose; John Lord Lowdoun; Sir George Stirling of Keir, Knight; Sir William Douglas of Cavers, Knight; Sir Henry Wood of Bonytoun, Knight; John Smyth, Burgesse of Edinburgh; Mr Robert Barclay, Provest of Irwing; Mr Alexander Henderson, Minister at Edinburgh; and Mr Archbald Johnstoun, Clerk to the Generall Assembly; and, in the name of the present sitting Generall Assembly, gave in to the Lord Commissioner, and Lords of Privie Councell, the Petition above written; Quhilk being red, heard, and considerit be the said Lord Commissioner and Lords of Privie Counsell, they have ordainit, and ordains the samen to be insert and registrat in the books of Privie Counsell, and, according to the desyre thereof, ordains the said Confession and Covenant to be subscrived in tyme comeing, be all His Majesties Subjects of this Kingdome, of what ranke and qualitie soever.
The Kings Majesties Commissioners Declarations.
The which day His Majesties Commissioner and Lords of Councell, after the receiving of the Supplication of the Generall Assembly, anent the subscribing of the Covenant, having returned to the Assembly, His Majesties Commissioner, in name of the Councell, declared: That he had received the Supplication of the Assembly, desiring that the Covenant might receive the force of an Act of Councell, to be subscribed by all his Majesties Subjects, that they had found the desire so fair and reasonable, that they conceived themselves bound in duety to grant the same, and thereupon have made an Act of Councell to that effect, and that there rested now the Act of Assembly; and that he himself was so fully satisfied, that he came now, as his Majesty’s Commissioner, to consent fully unto it; and that he was most willing that it should be enacted here in this Assembly, to oblige all his Majesties Subjects to subscribe the said Covenant, with the Assemblies explanation. And because there was a third thing desired, His subscription, as the Kings Commissioner, unto the Covenant, which he behooved to do, with a Declaration in writ; and he declared, as a Subject, he should subscribe the Covenant as strictly as any, with the Assemblies Declaration; but as His Majesties Commissioner in his name he behoved to prefix to his subscription the Declaration following, which no Scots Subjects should subscribe or have the benefit of, no, not himself as Earle of Traquair. The tenor whereof follows:—
Seeing this Assembly, according to the laudable forme and custome heretofore kept in the like cases, have, in a humble and dutiful way, supplicate to us His Majesties Commissioner, and the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privie Councell, That the Covenant, with the explanation of this Assembly, might be subscribed: And to that effect that all the subjects of this Kingdome, by act of Councell, be required to doe the same: And that therein, for vindicating themselves from all suspitions of disloyaltie or derogating from the greatnesse and authoritie of our dread Soveraigne, have therewith added a Clause, whereby this Covenant is declared one in substance with that which was subscribed by His Majesties Father of blessed memory, 1580, 1581, 1590, and oftner since renewed. Therefore I, as His Majesties Commissioner, for the full satisfaction of the Subjects, and for settling a perfect Peace in Church and Kingdome, doe, according to my foresaids Declaration and Subscription, subjoyned to the Act of this Assembly, of the date the 17 of this instant, allow and consent that the Covenant be subscribed throughout all this Kingdome. In witnes whereof I have subscribed the premisses.
Likeas his Majesties Commissioner, read and gave in the Declaration following, of his consent to the Act of the Assembly, 17 August, anent the causes of our by gone evils.