1643, February.
The ecclesiastical proposals were as follows:—[331]
(1) "That your Majesty will be pleased to give your royal assent unto the Bill for taking away superstitious innovations;
(2) "To the Bill for the utter abolishing and taking away of all archbishops, bishops, their chancellors and commissaries, deans, sub-deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, canons and prebendaries, and all chanters, chancellors, treasurers, sub-treasurers, succentors and sacrists, and all vicars choral and choristers, old vicars, and new vicars of any cathedral or collegiate church, and all other their under officers out of the Church of England;
(3) "To the Bill against scandalous ministers;
(4) "To the Bill against pluralities; and
(5) "To the Bill of consultation to be had with godly, religious, and learned Divines. That your Majesty will be pleased to promise to pass such other good Bills for settling of Church government, as, upon consultation with the Assembly of the said Divines, shall be resolved on by both Houses of Parliament, and by them be presented to your Majesty."
To these five propositions no explicit reply was given by the King; but, in reference to religion generally, he said that, as he would "readily consent (having done so heretofore) to the execution of all laws already made, and to any good Acts to be made for the suppressing of Popery, and for the firm settling of the Protestant religion, now established by law; so he desired that a good Bill might be framed for the better preserving of the Book of Common Prayer from the scorn and violence of Brownists, Anabaptists, and other sectaries, with such clauses for the ease of tender consciences as his Majesty hath formerly offered."
Such an answer virtually negatived what the Parliament proposed. It does not seem that any debate arose on the ecclesiastical points between the King and the Commissioners. Their diplomacy entirely referred to the question of a cessation of arms, which, after all, could not be effected; and the embassage returned to Westminster without accomplishing any part of their object.
The Scotch were not more successful; but in the King's council their petition created much discussion, the main question being, "What answer shall be given to these gentlemen from the North?"