Miscellaneous Historical Documents.
RELATIVE TO THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS IN SCOTLAND, 1633-1638.
Having now presented to the reader the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assembly 1638, from the most authentic sources, we are now to submit a collection of illustrative historical documents, which will be found to corroborate the narrative given in the Introduction, and to throw much additional light on the period which elapsed from the coronation of King Charles I., in 1633, till the rising of the General Assembly on 20th December 1638.
It appeared to be exceedingly desirable to give a concentrated and connected view of these, in juxtaposition with the Acts of Assembly, of which they were the precursors and accompaniments; and this the more especially as, in so far as we have been able to discover, these are scattered over a variety of rare and expensive books, or unprinted records, which may be regarded as nearly inaccessible to the great bulk of the community. These are of peculiar value as explanatory of the entire chain of events during the period referred to; and they exhibit by much the most authentic record of the proceedings of all the parties concerned in these transactions; thus furnishing a body of information which cannot be found in any single or separate work on the era of which we treat. It may be proper to mention the chief sources whence these documents are derived.
1st, In 1639 a work was compiled by Dr Balcanqual, Dean of Durham, at the desire and under the auspices of King Charles I., as a vindication of the policy which he had pursued with reference to the affairs of Scotland in the previous and preceding years, and being published by Royal authority, may be considered as the King’s own statement of his case in these unhappy differences with his subjects. It is tituled—“A Large Declaration concerning the late tumults in Scotland, from their first originalls; together with a particular deduction of the seditious practices of the prime leaders of the Covenanters; collected out of their owne foule acts and writings, by which it doth plainly appeare, that Religion was onely pretended by these leaders, but nothing lesse intended by them—By the King. London: Printed by Robert Young, his Majesties Printer for Scotland, Anno Domini M.D.C.XXXIX.” From this source many of the following documents are gleaned; and although the statements and argument founded on these documents are coloured so as to serve the party whose cause it advocated, a commendable impartiality is shewn in the publication of the main acts and writs of the adversary.
2dly, The next depository whence we have drawn these documents is a work of Bishop Burnet’s:—“The Memoires of the Lives and Actions of James and William Dukes of Hamilton, &c., in which an account is given of the Rise and Progress of the Civil Wars of Scotland, &c., from the year 1625 to 1652, together with many Letters, Instructions, and other papers, written by King Charles I., never before published; all drawn out of or copied from the originals.” Printed by the Bookseller to the King. (Charles II.) 1677.
3dly, The only other authority to which it is necessary to refer particularly is:—“The Historical Works of Sir James Balfour of Denmylue and Kinnaird, Knight and Baronet, Lord Lyon King at Arms to Charles I. and Charles II., published from the original MS., in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates,” (by M. D. Haig, under Librarian,) in 1824. This, like the others referred to, is a work of high authority, and abounds with much curious and minute information.
Petition to the King from the Clergy of Scotland.
29 May 1633.
Griuances and Petitions concerning the disordered Estaite of the Reformed Kirke within this Realme of Scotland, presented vpon the 29 of Maij, 1633, by me, Master Thomas Hogge, Minister of the Euangell, in my auen name, and in name of others of the ministrie lykwayes greiued, to Sʳ Johne. Hay, Clerck of Register, to be presented by him to such as ought, according to the order appoynted, to consider them, that therafter they may be presented to his Maiesty and Estaites, wich wer to be assembled at this ensewing parliament.
The opportunity of this soleme meitting of your gratious Maiesty, and the honourable Estaits conweined in this heighe courte of parliament, and the concience of our deutey to God and the reformed kirk within this realme of Scotland, quher wee serue by our ministerey, constrains ws to present, in all humility, to your heighnes and estaites presently assembled, thosse our just griuances and resonable petitions follouing: