It is werey diuisiue and holds out the seeds of diuisione, putt to wotte; carried, it holds out the seeds of diuisione of a dangerous consequence.
Exception votted, ther should be, of penners and contriuers of the said remonstrance, and of all suche that did adhere to it after it wes publicly declared aganist.
Marques of Argyle said, (after he had hard Sʳ James Hope say, that all the Comittee of Estaits wes doeing wes destructive to King and kingdome,) that Sʳ James, in all the carriage of this bussines, from the begining, both in parliament and comittee, wes not only a maine enimey to King and kingdome, bot a maine plotter and contriuer, assister and abaitter of all the mischeiffe that hes befallen the kingdome euer since.
It was muche vrged by the dissasenters from the Comittee of Estaits declaratione, to haue all the acte wotted in cumulo, after eurey branch had beine particularly wotted; wich was altogider refussed.
The Com: of Estaites sent the Marques of Argyle, Kings Aduocat, and James Suord, to the Commissione of the Kirke, with ther declaratione aganist the said remonstrance; and a paper quherin they accused Mr James Guthrie and Mr Patricke Gillespie as contriuers and abbators of all this diuisione in churche, armey, and stait.
The Comittee of Estaits sent the Lyone to the Commission of the Kirke, to impart to them the letters that wer intercepted going to England from Owens, Cromwells Secretary.
The Com: of Estaits sent the Kings Aduocat and James Suord to the Comissione of the Kirke, to desyre them to returne ther sence of the vesterne remonstrance to the parliament, in respecte that the committee was to rysse this night, and the parl: to sitt doune to morrow, to quhom lykwayes the said comittee was to communicat that same paper of ther sence of the said vesterne remonstrance; and desyred them that they wold be pleassed to ioyne with them to that effecte.
Perth, 28 Nouember 1650.—Ante Meridiem.—The Commissione of the Generall Assembley hauing receauid from the honorable Committee of Estaits, a paper declaring ther (Lo:) sence upon a paper giuen in to them, intitulated, (the Humble Remonstrance of the gentlemen, officers and ministers attending the forces in the west,) and desyring withall that the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley wold giue ther sence vpon the said remonstrance; therfor the commission hauing takin vnto ther consideratione the said remonstrance, doeth find and acknouledge therin to be conteined maney sade treuthes, in relation to the sinns charged vpone the King, his family, and the publick judicatories, wich also wee are resolued to hold out and presse vpone them, in a right and orderly way, togider with such other sinns as wee find by impartiall searche, and the helpe of the Lordes spirit vpon our indewors therin, that they may take with them, and be humbled befor the Lord, in the sence therof; wee doe find it our deutie to show, that in respecte ther seimes to be therin intrinsching vpone some conclusions and determinations of the Generall Assembley; and in respecte of inferences and aplications made therin, in relation to the King, his interest, and the exercisses of his power and gouerniment; and in regarrd of the ingagements wich, in the closse therof, they declare to be vpon ther hartes befor God, in relation to euidences for remeding the thinges conteind in it, wee are dissatisfied therwith, and that wee thinke it apte to breid diuision in kirke and kingdome, as wee doe finde alredey in pairte by experience, and that the enimey hathe takin aduantage therat; and becausse of the tender respects and loue we owe, and most cordially carrey to the gentrey, officers and our brethreinge of the ministrie, quho haue concurred in the said remonstrance, as being religious and godlie men, and suche as haue alwayes giuen prouffe of ther integritie, faithfullnes and constancie in the causse of God, and for interteinment of loue, vnity, and coniunction amongest the people of God, in acting according to ther calling and statione, aganist the publicke enimey; the breache of all wiche Sathan at this tyme is eagerly driuing at, and the enimey is greidily desyring and expecting. Wee doe resolue to forbeare a more particular examination of the said remonstrance, expecting that at the nixt dyet of this commissione, thesse worthey gentlemen, officers and brethrein will giue suche a declaration and explanation of ther intentions and meining, as may satisfie both kirke and state without aney furder inquyrie or debait thervpone.
Declaratione by the Kinges Maiestie and Committee of Estaites concerninge the Westerne Remonstrance, 25 Nouember, 1650.
The Kings Maiestie and the Committee of Estaites, hauing takin into consideratione a paper presented to the said comittee at Stirling, vpone the 22 of October last, in name of the gentlemen, commanders, and ministers attending the westerne forces: and lykwayes ane petitione presented to the said committee at Perth, vpone the 19 of Nouember instant, desyring ane satisfactorie anssuer therwnto: Doe heirby declaire, that they haue alwayes beine, and are still willing, that all faults and miscarriages of aney, als weill in ther personall carriage, as in discharge of ther publicke trust, may be discouered, redressed and punished, according to the lawes of the kingdome; and that they find it ther dewtie to shew ther dislyke of maney thinges remonstratted and held fourthe in the said paper: Zet being desyrous to follow the wayes of gentlenes and lenitie, rather then to looke vpone the said paper with that stricke inquyrie, wich otherwayes might haue beine done, they have resolued only, in generall, to declair as followes; that they find the said paper, as it relattes to the parliament and ciuill judicatories, to be scandalous and iniurious to his Maiesties persone, and preiudiciall to his authoritie; and as it relattes to religione and churche judicatories, they are to desyre the Commissione of the Churche to giue ther sence therone; and that in regaird of the effecte that it hath alredey produced, and thosse that are lyke to follow thervpone, if not preuented, it holdes fourthe the seed of diuisions of ane dangerous consequence; and that it is dishonorable to the kingdome, in so far as it tends to ane breache of the treattie with his Maiestie at Breda, approuin in parliament and Generall Assembley; that it also strenthens the handes of the enimey, giuing him occasione to iustifie his vniust invasione, and the bloodshed and oppressione committed by him in this kingdome, and weakines the hands of maney honest men; and lykwayes that the said paper holds furthe in the closse of it, ane bonde of ane heighe and dangerous consequence; and albeit the said paper has been wickedly and subtily contriued by some, zet becausse diuersse honest, faithfull, and religious gentlemen, officers, ministers, and others of approuin fidelity and integrity in the causse, of quhom they doe not harbor the leaste thoughte to ther preiudice, haue beine insnared. Therfor the Kinges Maiestie, and committee forsaid, doe heirby declaire the said persones free frome aney imputatione vpone ther names, ore censure vpone ther persons or estaits; excepting heirfra all suche quho shall adhere to the said remonstrance, be ther persisting in prosecutting of quhat is therin contraire to the lawes of the kingdome. Perth, 25 of Nouember, 1650.