Charles Rˣ,
Rᵗ Reuerend Father in God, &c. Quheras ther are maney thinges at this tyme considerable for our seruice in that kingdome, wich wee cannot expresse at large be wreat wnto you, wee haue takin the occasion of our trustie and weill beloued cousin and counseller, the Earle of Roxbrughe, his repairing thither, that by him wee acquant you with our mynd, als far as wee haue conceaued fitting, vpone that wiche wee haue alredey hard from you. And it is oure pleasure, that in all thinges wich he shall communicat to you from ws, ather by word or wreat, concerning the present estait of that kingdome, you giue trust to him; and wee expecte, that in eurey thing wich you, or aney of you, haue found, ore shall find expedient for the vindicating of our honor, and quieting of the present disorders within that kingdome, ze will all giue that free aduice, and ioynt concurrence, wich wee are confident to receaue from our faithfull counsellers, quherof wee will be werey sensible, at most acceptable seruice done. Wee bid you fairweell, from our courte at Whithall, the 15 of Nouember, 1637.
1637.—December 7.
23. Proclamation at Linlithgow.[46]
Apud Linlithgow septimo Decemb. 1637.
For as much as the Kings Majestie, having seene the Petition presented to the Lords of his Majesties privie Councell, and by them sent up to his Majestie concerning the Service Book, determined to have taken the same into his Royall consideration, and to have given his gracious answer thereanent with all conveniencie: Like as his Majestie by his letters to his Councell of the date of the ninth of October last, did signifie his gracious resolution to the effect aforesaid. But since that time, his Majestie finding (farre contrarie to his expectation) that such disorderly, tumultuous and barbarous insolencies have beene committed within the Citie of Edinburgh upon the eighteenth of October last, to the great contempt of his Majesties Royall authoritie, by abusing his Majesties Councellors and Officers of State, with others bearing charge and authoritie under his Majestie within the said Citie: His Majestie in a just resentment of that foule indignitie, (wherein his Majesties Honour did so much suffer) hath beene moved to delay the signification of his Majesties gracious intention, in giving to his subjects such satisfactorie answers to their Petitions as in equitie might have been expected from so just and religious a Prince; But yet his Majestie being unwilling that his Loyall and faithfull subjects should be possessed with groundlesse and uncessarie doubts and feares, His Majestie is pleased out of his goodnesse to declare, like as by these presents hee declareth, That as he abhorreth all Superstition of Poperie, so he will be most carefull that nothing be allowed within his Majesties Dominions, but that which shall tend to the advancement of the true Religion, as it is presently professed within his most ancient Kingdome of Scotland: And that nothing is or was intended to be done therein against the laudable lawes of this his Majesties native Kingdome. And ordaineth publication to bee made hereof in forme as aforesaid.
1637.—December 21.
24. Speech of Lord Lowden to the Privy Council.[47]
After my Lord had, in all humility and submissiones, craued the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaill, ther audience and patience, in respecte diuerse counsellors of the best sorte wer ther present, quho wer not acquanted with the progresse of the bussines; he declared the trew causse of the compirance of so grate a nomber of the nobility, gentrey, ministrie, and comons of all sortes ther, thus:—
My Lordes, (sayes he,) the subiecte of our complaint and contrawersie is religione, and lawes of the kingdome, wpone wiche dependethe bothe the weillfaire of the churche and comonwealthe, our condition of lyffe, our libertey and fortoune in this transitorey worlde, and the æternall happines in the lyffe to come; our deutie to Almightie God, the supreme King of Kinges, with our alledgeance and deutie to our soueraigne lord and master, the King’s Maiestie.
The matter of our regrate and griuance is, the alteratione of religione, in publicke forme of Gods worschipe, the most soleme action of ws all cretures in earth, wich by the innouvations complained off, is changed in doctrine, sacramentes and discipline, without and contrair to seuerall actes of parliament, and actes of nationall assemblies.