Saturday the 7th. When Mr David Dickson, in the question of my transportation, had declared his intention to have as much help from me, in professing in the college, as he gave by his ministry to the town, the moderator, and others then there, not generally liking of mixing these two offices, every one whereof required a whole man, Mr David, lest any rub or mar from this should come to him in his ministry, which very profitably he did discharge, gave in a bill to have the matter cleared. It was gladly condescended, that it should be reason for him to exercise so much of the ministry there as he found himself able without detriment to his profession; the Principal not being foreacquainted with that bill, except somewhat for the preparative, wherewith Mr David was not well pleased. It was moved, that the declarations which the Earl of Traquair had alledged he had made in the assembly, but very falsely, and had obtained to be registered in the books of council, should be torn out and cancelled. This was referred to the parliament; who, after the consideration of the truth of our alledgeance, sufficiently verified by many witnesses, caused rent out of the council-books, according as we required, these full declarations. Two motions came in here, which were like to procure us much fashry; yet both, by God’s help, were brought to a peaceable conclusion.

The parliament sent in to us the Earl of Lothian, one from the Barons, and one from the Burghs, requiring our judgement of the Band; the tenor whereof was read. The reason why they required our declaration in that matter, was, because they said the Earl of Montrose had professed, the other night in his examination before the committee, that however that band was burnt, all the subscribers were yet by oath obliged to the matter of it; also they read a paper in our audience, written by Montrose’s hand, after the burning of the band, full of vain humanities, magnifying to the skies his own courses, and debasing to hell his opposites. Here great wisdom was requisite. It was remitted first to the afternoon, and then to Monday. Sundry of the banded Lords compeared. We feared their stirring. Montrose’s advocate craved to be heard. A supplication to us, written by his hand, was read, desiring our good opinion of him, offering to answer all we could lay to his charge to our full satisfaction. He said, the band was destroyed by the committee of parliament; that the paper was but a private memorandum for himself, never to have gone without his charter-chest, had not my Lord Sinclair been pleased to make it publick: that which was alledged of his words in the committee was not any written part of his deposition; that he had only spoken of a common guiltiness of all the subscribers with him; that he had spoken of their obligation only in relation to his accusation. Balmerino, moderator of that committee, spoke very pathetically for the truth of Montrose’s words. The assembly passed by what concerned Montrose, or any particular person; and, in answer to the parliament’s question, a committee was appointed for that end, drew up their wise answer penned by the moderator, making that band to be unlawful, and not obligatory of any; making those that will not subscribe censurable, and passing in those who subscribe what is bygone, and well buried by the committee of parliament. The banders that were present Kinghorn, Seaforth, Lour, did presently subscribe. Mr Blair and Pollock were sent up to Montrose to acquaint him with what was past. He spoke to them with a great deal of respect to the assembly, seemed to insinuate his willingness to subscribe what the moderator and clerk would require. Some made the motion, which the moderator much applauded, that as some from the parliament had been very happy instruments to take some differences away, which were like to arise in the assembly; so it were meet to offer to the parliament the labours of any they thought meet in the assembly, to help to remove what difference was betwixt the members of parliament. This motion was from zeal to peace, but not upon consideration of present circumstances; that the difference was not betwixt any particular men, but alledged crimes of high treason against the state, which could not be by counsels, being cited, and they standing to their defence. Yet D. Strang and Mr Andrew Cant, who were to carry our answer to the parliament’s question anent the band, were burdened with the foresaid overtures; the impertinency whereof the parliament miskent, and passed without an answer. All this passed on Monday before noon. The other motion, which on Saturday before noon perplexed us, was the moderator’s petition of liberty to transport from Edinburgh. At the beginning we took it but for jest; but it proved earnest. He assured us, his voice was for no church in the town; that continually he was unhealthy there, and not so any where else: that to keep him there was to kill him; and that in the act of his transportation from Leuchars, there was an express clause of liberty for him to transport when the publick commotions were settled, if he found that town disagreeable with his health. The city of Edinburgh was extreme averse; beside the loss of that incomparable man, thought it a dangerous preparative to have any of their ministers transported by assemblies. They offered to buy him an house, with good air and yards; to preach only when he would; to go freely, if his health was not tolerable. They were so much the more averse, because St Andrew’s sued at that time in a bill for his transportation to be principal of their college. He pressed his liberty, shewing his great errand out of England was troublesome. This reason from the assembly—some imputed his earnestness to some malecontentment from some of the wives speeches the last year of him for their well, against their humour in innovating; but he affirmed health was the only ground of his petition, and if it should not fail, notwithstanding of his liberty, he should not remove; and if he did, he would not go to St Andrew’s, but to some quiet landward charge.

After noon there was a long debate for the presbytery of Sky. Glasgow assembly annexed it to the provincial of Argyle. Upon the petition of one, Edinburgh had annexed it to the provincial of Ross. They had kept neither. Argyle pleaded for the renewing the act of Glasgow; Seaforth for the sealing the act of Edinburgh. After long debating of reasons, it was referred by the commissioners of the assembly to the parliament to determine.

Monday the ninth, before noon, besides the things already said, the presbytery of Newcastle, wrote a letter of complaint, that there was a great neglect in many presbyteries to supply the armies with mnisters; it was provided for; The afternoon was our last session. The answers to the King’s letter to the English letters, and to Durie’s letter, were read. The drawing up the directions of the Catechism, of the Confession, of the Form of Government, these were laid on Mr Alexander. His liberty was voiced, and granted, to the no small miscontent of Edinburgh. Hence thanks were given to God for his sensible and most special assistence; 23d psalm sung. Next assembly voiced at St Andrew’s July 27. Commissioners, to the number of thirty or forty, with some sixteen elders. Those of a province might serve by turns; so, after the first meeting, I got leave to go home.

You have here an account of the assembly, so far as my weak memory, without any notes to count of, can furnish. What I shall hear of the parliament, of Montrose’s process, of the King’s proceedings, who came here, to our great joy, on Saturday the 14th, you shall shortly receive. What information I got from London you have here inclosed; the evil illegal writ of Sir Thomas Dishintoun contains a journal of that parliament for some weeks.

Robert Baillie,

Kilwinning, August 20, 1641.

THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
AT ST ANDREW’S, 1642.

It is not necessary to recapitulate such of the proceedings of the immediately preceding Assembly as are introduced in the printed Acts. But a few particulars, not thus recorded, may be slightly adverted to.