By your Letter to Us of the 19ᵗʰ of this Instant August, We find you concur with Our late General Assembly, in their Desire to Us about Unity of Religion, and Uniformity of Church-Government in all Our three Kingdoms; which cannot be more earnestly desired by you, than shall be really endeavoured by Us, in such a way as We in Our Conscience conceive to be best, for the flourishing Estate of the true Protestant Religion. But as for Joyning with Our Houses of Parliament here in this Work, it were improper for Us at this time to give any Answer: for since their Meeting they have never made any Proposition to Us, concerning Unity of Religion, or Uniformity of Church-Government: so far are they from desiring any such thing, as we are confident the most considerable Persons, and those who make fairest Pretences to you of this kind, will no sooner embrace a Presbyterial than you an Episcopal. And truely it seems, (notwithstanding whatsoever Profession they have made to the contrary,) that nothing hath been less in their minds than Settling of the true Religion, and Reforming such Abuses in the Church-Government, as possibly have crept in, contrary to the establish’t Law of the Land: to which we have been so far from being averse, that we have by divers Declarations and Messages pressed them to it, though hitherto it hath been to small purpose. But when-ever any Proposition shall be made to Us by them, which We shall conceive may any way advance the Unity of the true Protestant Religion, according to the Word of God, or establish the Church-Government according to the known Laws of this Kingdom, We shall by Our chearful joyning with them, let the World see, that nothing can be more acceptable unto Us, than the furthering and advancing of so good a Work. So we bid you Farewell.
From Nottingham the 26th of August, 1642.
1642.—September 10.
7. Letter from Mungo Murray (afterwards Earl of Dysart) to the Earl of Lanerick.[309]
My Much Honoured Lord,
When I arrived here, your Brother was in Argyle; but upon knowledge of my coming, came himself, and brought that Marquis with him to Hamilton, whither the Chancellor went likewise, and there I attended all three.
I found them with the same Affections and Desires your Lordship left in them, but as they conceive, not so able to Act as they were then. They apprehend, the Parliament of England will be much higher in their Demands than at that time; as understanding now both the Kings Power, and their own, which were then but upon forming, and promised a greater Equality. The Kings two Messages to the Parliament have likewise so discredited His Majesties Affairs in this Country, that they fear many forward enough before, will now unwillingly engage in any way which may displease the Parliament; yet they are resolved to do their best, and I believe say little less in this inclosed Letter, signed by all three.
His Majesty must expect in point of Religion, to be prest for Uniformity in Church-Government; and if His Majesty may be moved to publish some handsome Declaration satisfactory in that point, it would infinitely advance all his Affairs in this Country, and from hence have a powerful influence upon that.
The Parliament hath gained much here by their last Vote, and there is a very fine Answer expected in their last Message sent by the Lord Maitland, which will extraordinarily confirm the former Correspondence; if the King do not something plausible in the same kind, timeously and unconstrained, the two Kingdoms will shut upon him in despight of what his best Servants can do.
Here is no Order for publishing His Majesties Declarations, and great care taken to the contrary, which occasions great prejudication in the common Peoples minds, and were very fit to be amended.