The innouations introduced, are chiffly the seruice booke, the booke of canons and constitutis, and the heighe commissione; in wich seruice booke are sowin the seedes of diuersse superstitions and heresies, that the Roman messe, in maney and substantiall poyntes, is made wpe therin; quhilke seruice booke and other nouations haue nather warrant of general assembly, nor of acte of parliament, bot contrarey to bothe, are introduced be the bischopes, quho haue caused sett fourthe ane booke of canons, quherin it is ordained, quhosoeuer shall affirme that the seruice booke containes aney thing erronious, shall be excommunicat; wich booke is the wsher and forrunner of the seruice booke printed therafter, quhilk by the bischopes conwayence was ratiffied by acte of parliament, and confirmed longe befor it was seine and printed, the bischopes for the tyme making wpe the counsaile, no nobleman being present ther quho did opposse it; and therafter by publick proclamatione cam fourth, chargeing all his Maᵗⁱᵉˢ subiects to conforme therto, as the onlie forme of Godes publicke worschipe to be wsed within the kingdome. After this the booke was printed, and as the booke was redey for the presse, letters of horning wer directed to charge the minister to bay the saides bookes for the wsse of the paroche, in Julij, wich moued them to giue in a bill of suspentione in Aguste follouing. The subiects finding themselues in the lyke danger, wnder one of tuo extremities, one being feared to be declared rebells and excommunicat one the one hand, ore forsaking the way of trew religione, one the other hand, contrarir to the sourne couenant with them, could find out no better meine, be ane legall and submissiue way, then to supplicat the Lordes of secret counsaile. Albeit thir innouations, by all thosse quho takes Gods worshipe to harte, doe wnderstand they wer contryuett to tend to the wtter ouerthrow of the trew religione, and laufull liberty of the subiectes. Zet to eschew the imputatione of factious conuocations and tumultous dealling, and to testifie ther loyalty to the King, they resolued to proceid in the most orderly way of supplicatting, by electinge one or tuo of the most grauest ministers in each presbyterey, and one or tuo descreitt gentlemen of each shyre, to prefer ther complaintes, remonstrances and griuances to the counsaile, by quhosse mediation the matter might be represented to the Kinges Maiestie, from quhosse justice, redresse was humblie craued and expected; and supplications at diuersse dyetts, giuen in name of the nobility, gentlemen, burrowes, and ministers, to that effecte, as the petitions themselues, that wich was giuen in the 23 of September, and that wpone the 18 of October, doeth cleirlie proport. At quhilke tyme, by warrant, appeirantly procured by the bischopes from his Maiestie, our supplicationes wer interrupted, and the counsaile at that tyme discharged to medle with churche bussines, and the supplicants to be discharged off the toune within 24 houres, wnder the paine of rebellione, wich feared them to giue in that supplicatione of the 18 of October, containing ane complaint aganist the bischopes, as contriuers, manteiners and vrgers of the booke. And the supplicants taking conweniencey of tyme, of the doune sitting of the sessione againe in Edinbrughe, the 15 of Nouember, commissioners wer chosen to attend his Maiesties anssuer, and doe quhat ells might conduce for furthering of ther lawfull desyres. The Earle of Roxbrughe being therafter sent from courte, did conweine the counsaile at Linlithgow, the 7 of September, quher ther was ane declaratione for the King, by oppin proclamatione at the mercat crosse of Edinbrugh, shouing that the Kinges Maiestie doethe abhore all superstitions of poprie, and wiolatione of the laudable lawes of the kingdome; and the supplicants wer desyred by the Earle of Roxbrughe and Traquair, Thesaurer, not to appeire at Linlithgow, wnder promisse that ther supplicatione should be judicially hard in counsaile the nixt weeke therafter, to the wich the counsaile wes appoynted to sitt at Dalkeithe; wher the commissioners and diuersse wther noblemen of good sorte, did attend the counsell to haue beine hard, bot wer postponit till the 21 of December.
After this relatione, he subsumed wpon the proclamatione, that thinges complined one wer superstitious, full of poprie and superstitione, and wiolatione of the lawes of the kingdome, quherwpon he groundit the supplicants confidence, to assist aganist the eiuells and the manteiners therof, seing his Maiestie, by proclamation, was cleired from authorizing the same.
After the forsaid relatione made by him, he presented a new bill, with a declinatour against the bischopes, and the double of the supplicatione presented the 23 of September, and 18 of October; and becausse no bischopes wer in the counsaile that day, some one quho remoued himselue befor the complainers cam in, he protested that the bischopes heirafter should not be permitted to sitt as ther iudges, wntill the causse was decydit, becausse they war parties, and albeit they be absent at this tyme, (said he,) zet they may be present at ane other tyme, and, possible both the most pairt of the counsaile and complainers shall be absent. The Chanceler with 6 or seuin other bischopes and coram of the counsaile, may determine vpone our causse and petitions, als weill as they passed ane acte of counsaile, for approuing the seruice booke befor it was ather printed or seine, which acte, wee persuade ourselues had neuer beine passed, if ather ther had beine a frequent counsaile, or if the bischopes had not beine predominant ingredientes at that tyme.
After this, he said, our desyres tend to no other end bot the præseruation of trew religion, the saluatione of our soules, and the subiectes lawfull liberties; and quher wee craue the matter to be trayed, and the bischopes and prælats delinquent takin order with according to iustice, wee nather craue ther blood, nore harme to ther persones; bot that the abusses and wronges done by them may be trewlie remonstrat to his Maiesty, that after dew trayell of the wronges, such order may be takin as the eiuells may be remedit; and that the power wich they haue takin may be restrained, that the lyke eiuells may be preuented in tyme to come.
Loudoun thus hauing endit his speach, Traquair, the Thesaurer, preceiding in counsaile, acknouledged the treuthe of the relatione and equity of the petition, and so remoued the parties complainers. It past to interloquitor, and thereafter in ane acte.
1637.—December 24.
25. Act of Council.[48]
The Lordes of secrett counsaile, hauing heard and considered the tuo suplications and petitions giuen in by the noblemen, barrons, ministers and burgeses, and finding the matter in them conteinned to be of that waight and importance, that they cannot determine therein wntill his Maiestie be acquanted with the same, and his royall pleasur returned theranent. Therfor, the saides Lordes, for anssuer to the tuo suplications and petitions, declared that they present the same to his Maiesties royall consideratione, and that without prejudice of the declinator giuen in by the saides suplicants, quherwpon they shall be hard in tyme and place conuenient; and in the meane tyme shall receaue no præiudice: quherwpone the saides supplicants asked instruments.[49]