Records of the Kirk of Scotland / containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

One Monday the 5 day of Aguste, Cromwell reteired backe with his armey from Mussilbrughe and Innerescke to Dumbar, after he had sent the day befor, a letter, most ridicolus and blasphemous to the Comission of the Generall Assembley, and a replay to the Committee of Estaits anssuer to his foolishe declaratione, being in effecte nothing bot a rapsodey of bosting and hyperbolicke nonsense.

One Friday, the 9 of this mounth of Agust, ther came from the Committee of the Armey and Kirk to his Maiesty, to Dumfermling, commissioners, viz. the Earle of Lothean, Secretarey; Sʳ Archbald Jhonston, Register; Mr Robert Douglas, Mr James Guthrie, Ministers; and Mr Robert Barclay, Prouest of Irwing, to intreat him that he wold be gratiously pleased to subscriue that declaratione, wich the armey so muche desyred his Maᵗⁱᵉ to emitt for the satisfaction of all honest men; wich wes deliuered by the Marques of Argyle to him some few dayes befor. His Maiestie did receaue ther message gratiously, about 1 a clocke in the afternoone, and delayed giuing them ane anssuer wntill his returninge from hunting in the eiuning this night, wiche he desyred them to expecte; bot they receauid no contentment: the King dennying absolutly to declaire aney thing [that] might rube vpone his father, so they depairted, vpone Saterday, vnsatisfied.

Cromwell, with his armey, raisse one Tuesday the 13 day, from Mussilbrughe, and vent vest with touardes Colintoun; and our armey drew fourth of ther trinches, and marched after them towards Corstorphine.

This Tuesday his Maiestie called a counsell at Dumfermling, the first he held since his coming to Scotland; it [was] held in his Maᵗⁱᵉˢ bed chamber; ther wer present of counsellers ther, Argyle, Lothean, Eglinton, Tuedale, Lorne, Thesaurer-Deput, &c. The results of ther consultatione wer, that his Maiestie should presently wreatt to the Commissione of the Kirke, and shew them that he wold follow ther adwisse, not only in the declaratione, bot in all thinges ells that concernid the peace of the kirke and religion, and couenant; only he intreatted them to be als sparing of his fathers name and memorie as necessarily could be.

One Wedinsday, in the afternoone, the Earle of Weeymes and Mr George Winrhame of Liberton, came to Dumfermling to his Maiestie, with a shorte declaratione of the Comission of the Kirkes, ratified by the Com: of Estaits, shewing, that since, by ther frequent messages and petitions sent to his Maiesty anent his assent to a declaration to be emitted, he had altogider refussed the same; thesse, therfor wer to shew to the world, that wntill he condescendit to passe the forsaid declaratione, they wold nather auen him nor his causse. The ministers hes Maiestie had wrettin for 2 dayes befor, for soluing some scrouples he had in the declaratione they demandit, cam to him one Thursday to Dumfermling, viz. Mr Dauid Dicksone, Mr Patrick Gillespie.... And after much disputatione, some alterations in wordes wer accordit one; it being wrettin ouer in mundo, his Maiestie signed the same, at Dumfermling, one Friday the 16 day of Agust, about 3 in the afternoone, and immediatly therafter tooke horsse for Perthe.

They all, both churche and stait, passed from that declaratione sent by the Earle of Weymes and Liberton; and gaue his Maiestie humble thankes for granting the desyres of the church, staite, and armey.

The Heads of the Declaration subscriued at Dumfermling, 16 Agust, 1650.

Thoughe his Maᵗⁱᵉ, as a deutifull sone, be oblidged to honor the memorie of his royall father, and to haue in estimation the persone of his mother, yet doeth he desyre to be deeply humbled and afflicted in spirit befor God, becausse of his fathers opposition to the worke of God, and to the soleme leauge and couevant, by wich so muche of the blood of the Lordes people hath beine shed in thesse kingdomes; and for the idolatry of his mother, the toleratione quherof in the kings housse, as it was matter of grate humbling to all the protestant churches, so could it not be bot a heighe prouocation aganist him, quho is a jelous God, visiting the sinns of the fathers vpone the children, &c.

2. That he hath not subscriued the couenant vpon aney sinister intentione and crooked deseinge, bot sincerly; and that he will haue no frinds or enimies, bot thesse of the couenant; requiring all to lay doune ther enmity against the causse and people of God.

3. That the trettey with the Irishe be void.