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<DATE>2014-02-19</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<P><HI>ABERDENE,</HI> Printed by Edward Raban, According to the true Copie Imprinted at Edinburgh, by Robert Young, Printer to the King's mo&s;t excel|lent Maje&s;tie.</P>
<P><HI>C&V;M PRIVILEGIO.</HI></P>
<P>ANNO 1638.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="illustration">
<PB REF="2">
<P><FIGURE>
<P><HI>In&s;ignia Vrbis abredonie;</HI></P>
</FIGURE></P>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="proclamation">
<PB REF="2">
<OPENER><SIGNED>_CHARLES, By the Grace of GOD, King of SCOTLAND, ENG|LAND, FRANCE, and IRE|LAND, Defender of the Fayth, To Our Lovits,</SIGNED></OPENER>
<P>Heraulds, Pur&s;evaunts; Our Shyreffs in that part conjunctlie and &s;everallie, &s;pecially con&s;titute, Greeting. For&s;ameikle as out of the Royall and Fatherly Care which We haue had of the Good and Peace of this Our Ancient &amp; Natiue Kingdome; having taken to Our &s;erious Con&s;ideration, all &s;uch things as might haue gi|ven Contentment to Our good and loyall Sub|jects: And to this ende had di&s;charged, by Our
<PB N="2" REF="3">Proclamation, the Service Booke, Booke of Ca|nons, and High Commi&s;&s;ion, Freed and liberate all men from the practi&s;ing of the fiue Articles, Made all Our Subjects, both Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall &amp; Ci|vill, lyable to the Cen&s;ure of Parliament, Gene|rall A&s;&s;emblie, or anie other judicatorie com|petent, according to the nature and qualitie of the Offence: And for the free entire of Mini|&s;ters, That no other Oath bee admini&s;trate vnto them, than that which is contayned in the Act of Parliament: Had declared all by gone Di&s;or|ders, ab&s;olutelie forgotten, and forgiven: And for the more full &amp; cleare extirpating all ground and occa&s;ion of Fears of innovation of Religion, Wee had commanded the Confe&s;&s;ion of Fayth, and Band for Mayntenance thereof, and of au|thoritie in defence of the &s;ame, &s;ub&s;crybed by Our deare Father, and His Hou&s;e-holde, in ANNO 1580, to be renewed, and &s;ub&s;crybed agayne by our Subjects here: Lyke as for &s;etling of a per|fect Peace in the Church and Common-wealth of this Kingdome, We cau&s;ed indict a Free Ge|nerall A&s;&s;emblie, to bee holden at Gla&s;gow, the xxj of this in&s;tant, and thereafter a Parliament in May, 1639. By which clement Dealing, Wee looked a&s;&s;uredlie, to haue reduced Our Subjects, to their former quyet behaviour, &amp; duetifull car|riage, whereto they are bound by the Word of GOD, and Laws both Nationall and Municipall, to Us their Natiue and Soveraygne Prince. And albeit the wi&s;hed Effects did not follow, but by
<PB N="3" REF="3">the contrarie, by Our &s;o Gracious procedure, they were rather emboldened, not onlie to con|tinue in their &s;tubborne and vnlawfull wayes; but al&s;o daylie adde to their former procedures, acts of neglect, and contempt of Authoritie; as evidentlie appeared by open oppo&s;ing of Our ju&s;t and religious Plea&s;ure, and Command, ex|pre&s;t in Our la&s;t Proclamation, anent the di&s;|charge of the Service Booke, Booke of Canons, High Commi&s;&s;ion, &amp;c. prote&s;ting agayn&s;t the &s;ame, and &s;tryving by manie indirect means, to withdraw the hearts of Our good People, not onlie from an heartie acknowledgement of Our gracious dealing with them; but al&s;o from the due obedience to tho&s;e Our ju&s;t and religious Commands, notwith&s;tanding We had bene for|merlie &s;o often petitioned by them&s;elues for the &s;ame: By their daylie and hourlie guarding and watching about Our Ca&s;tle of Edinburgh, &s;uffe|ring nothing to be imported therein, but at their di&s;cretion: And openlie &s;topping, and impeding, anie importation of Ammunition, or other ne|ce&s;&s;aries what&s;oever to anie other of our Hou&s;es, within that Kingdome: Denying to vs their So|veraygne Lord, that Libertie and Freedome, which the meane&s;t of them a&s;&s;ume to them&s;elues, (an Act without Precedent or example in the Chri&s;tian world:) By making of Convocations, and Councell Tables of Nobilitie, Gentrie, Bur|rows, and Mini&s;ters, within the Citie of Edin|burgh: Where, not regarding the Lawes of the
<PB N="4" REF="4">Kingdome, they without warrand of Authoritie conveane, a&s;&s;emble, and treat vpon Matters, as well Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall as Civil, &s;end their injunctions and directions throughout the Countrey, to their &s;ubordinate Tables, and other vnder Mini&s;ters, appoynted by them for that effect. And vnder colour and pretext of Religion, exercing an vn|warranded and vnbounded libertie, require obe|dience to their illegall and vnlawfull procedures and directions, to the great and &s;eene prejudice of Authoritie, and lawfull Monarchicall Govern|ment. And notwith&s;tanding it was evidentlie manife&s;t, by the illegall and vnformall cour&s;e, taken in the election of their Commi&s;&s;ioners for the A&s;&s;emblie, whereof &s;ome are vnder the cen|&s;ure of this Church, &s;ome vnder the cen&s;ure of the Church of Ireland, and &s;ome long &s;ince bani|&s;hed, for open and avowed teaching agayn&s;t Mo|narchie; others of them &s;u&s;pended, and &s;ome ad|mitted to the Mini&s;terie, contrarie to the forme pre&s;crybed by the Laws of this Kingdome; others of them a long time &s;ince denounced Rebels, and put to the Horne, who by all law and vnviolable cu&s;tome and practique of this Kingdome, are, and ever haue beene, incapable, eyther to per&s;ue, or defende before anie judicatorie; farre le&s;&s;e to bee judges them&s;elues: &s;ome of them confined, and all of them by oath and &s;ub&s;cription, bound to the overthrow of Epi&s;copacie. And by this, and other their vnder-hand working, and private informations, and per&s;wa&s;ions, haue given ju&s;t
<PB N="5" REF="4">ground of &s;u&s;picion of their partialitie herein, and &s;o made them&s;elues vnfit judges of what con|cerneth Epi&s;copacie. And als it was &s;ufficient|lie cleared by the peremptorie and illegall proce|dures of the Presbyteries, who at their owne hand by order of Law, and without due forme of Pro|ce&s;&s;e, thru&s;t out the Moderators lawfullie e&s;ta|bli&s;hed, &amp; placed others, whom they found mo&s;t inclinable to their turbulent humours, a&s;&s;ociate to them&s;elues, for the choo&s;ing of the &s;ayd Com|mi&s;&s;ioners for the A&s;&s;emblie, a laicke Elder out of each Paroch, who being in mo&s;t places equall, if not moe in number than the Mini&s;terie, made choyce both of the Mini&s;ters, who &s;hould bee Commi&s;&s;ioners from the Presbyteries, as al&s;o of a ruling Elder, beeing directed more therein by the warrands from the fore-&s;ayde pretended Tables, than by their owne judgementes, as ap|peareth by the &s;everall private in&s;tructions &s;ent from them, farre contrarie to the Lawes of the Countrey, and lowable cu&s;tome of the Church: by which doinges it is too manife&s;t, that no calme nor peaceable procedure or cour&s;e, could haue beene expected from this A&s;&s;emblie, for &s;etling of the pre&s;ent di&s;orders and di&s;tractions. Yet wee were plea&s;ed heerein, in &s;ome &s;ort, to blinde-folde our owne judgement, and over|looke the &s;ayds di&s;orders, and patientlie to at|tende the meeting of the &s;ayde A&s;&s;emblie: &s;till hoping, that when they were met together, by Our Commi&s;&s;ioner his pre&s;ence, and a&s;&s;i&s;tance
<PB N="6" REF="5">of &s;uch other well-di&s;po&s;od &s;ubjects who were to hee there, and by their owne &s;eeing the reall per|formance of all that was promi&s;ed by our la&s;t Proclamation, they &s;hould haue beene induced to returne to their due obedience of Subjectes: But perceaving that their &s;editions di&s;po&s;i|tion &s;till increa&s;eth, by their repairing to the &s;ayde A&s;&s;emblie, with great Bands and Troupes of Men, all boddin in feare of Warre, with Gunnes and Pi&s;tolers, contrarie to the Lawes of this Kingdome, cu&s;tome ob&s;erved in all A&s;&s;em|blies and in high contempt of our la&s;t Proclama|tion at Edinburgh the xvj of this in&s;tant: As al&s;o by their peremptory refu&s;ing of our a&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors au|thorized by vs, (altho fewer in number, than our deare&s;t Father was in v&s;e to haue at divers A&s;&s;em|blies) the power of voting in this a&s;&s;embly, as for|merlie they haue done in other A&s;&s;emblies; &amp; by their partiall, vnju&s;t, and vnchri&s;tian refu&s;ing, and not &s;uffering to bee read, the Rea&s;ons and Argu|ments given in by the Bi&s;hops, and their adhe|rents, to Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, why the A&s;&s;emblie ought not to proceede to the Election of a Mo|derator without them, neyther yet to the admit|ting of anie of the Commi&s;&s;ioners, of the &s;aydes Commi&s;&s;ioners from Presbyteries, before they were heard object agayn&s;t the &s;ame, though ear|ne&s;tlie requyred by Our Commi&s;&s;ioner in Our Name. And notwith&s;tanding that Our Com|mi&s;&s;ioner vnder his hand, by warrand from Us, gaue in a &s;ufficient declaration, of all that was
<PB N="7" REF="5">contayned in Our late Proclamation and Decla|ration, the &s;ame bearing lykewy&s;e Our plea&s;ure, of the Regi&s;tration of the &s;ame in the Bookes of A&s;&s;emblie, for the full a&s;&s;urance of the true Reli|gion to all our good &s;ubjects: And yet not re&s;ting &s;atisfied therewith, le&s;t the continuance of their meeting together, might produce other the lyke dangerous Acts, derogatorie to Royall Authori|tie, Wee haue thought good, for preveening thereof, and for the whole cau&s;es and rea&s;ons a|boue mentioned, and diver&s;e others, importing the true Monarchicall government of this e&s;tate, to di&s;&s;olue and breake vp the &s;ayde A&s;&s;emblie. And therefore</P>
<P>OUR WILL IS, and Wee doe di&s;|charge and inhibite all and what&s;oever pretended Commi&s;&s;ioners, and other members of the &s;ayd pretended A&s;&s;emblie, of all further meeting and conveaning, treating and concluding anie thing belonging to the &s;ayd A&s;|&s;emblie, vnder the payne of Trea&s;on: declaring all and what&s;oever that they &s;hall happen to doe in anie pretended meeting thereafter, to bee null, of no &s;trength, force, nor effect, with all that may follow therevpon: Prohibiting and di&s;charging all our Lieges to giue obedience thereto, and de|claring them, and everie one of them, free and exempt from the &s;ame, and of all hazard that may en&s;ue for not obeying thereof. And for this effect We command and charge, all the fore&s;ayds
<PB N="8" REF="6">pretended Commi&s;&s;ioners, and other members of the &s;ayde A&s;&s;emblie, to depart foorth of this Citie of Gla&s;gow; within the &s;pace of xxiv houres after the publication heereof, and to re|paire home to their own hou&s;es, or that they goe about their owne private affaires in a quyet man|ner. With &s;peciall provi&s;ion alwayes, that the fore&s;ayd Declaration, given in vnder our Com|mi&s;&s;ioners hand, with all therein contained, &s;hall notwith&s;tanding hereof, &s;tand full, firme, and &s;ure, to all Our good Subjects, in all tymes com|ming, for the full a&s;&s;urance to them of the true Religion. And Our Will is, and Wee com|mand, and charge, That incontinent, the&s;e Our Letters &s;eene, yee pa&s;&s;e, and make publication hereof, by open proclamation, at the market cro&s;&s;e of Gla&s;gow, and other places needfull, where-through none pretend ignorance of the &s;ame.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>Given vnder our Signet, at Gla&s;gow, <DATE>the xxix of November, and of Our Reygne the fourteenth yeare, 1638.</DATE></DATELINE> <HI>Sic &s;ub&s;cribitur,</HI>
<SIGNED>HAMMILTOUN, Traquaire, Roxburgh, Murray, Linlithgow, Perth, Kingorne, Tullibardin, Hadington; Galloway, Annandaill, Lauderdaill, Kinnoull, Dumfreis, Southesk, Belheaven, Angus, Dalyell, I. Hay, W. Elphing&s;tone, Ia. Car|michaell, I. Hammiltoun.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="declaration">
<PB REF="6">
<P>_WHere-as &s;ome haue given out, That by the Act of Cou~cel, which explai|neth the Confe&s;&s;ion of Faith latelie commaunded to bee &s;worne by his Maje&s;tie, to be vnder&s;tood of the Confe&s;&s;ion of Fayth, as it was then profe&s;&s;ed and receaved, when it was made; and, that in that Confe&s;&s;ion defence both of the Doctrine &amp; Di&s;cipline then e&s;tabli&s;hed, is &s;worne; at which tyme, Epi&s;copall Government being (as they &s;ay) aboli&s;hed; it mu&s;t needs follow, that the &s;ame Government is by this late Oath abjured.</P>
<P>And vnder&s;tanding that even among&s;t tho&s;e who continue together &s;till at Gla&s;gow, vnder the name of a pretended and vnlawfull Generall A&s;&s;emblie, this objection is helde to bee of &s;ome moment, and v&s;ed by them, to the great di&s;tur|bance of the peace of this Church &amp; Kingdome, &amp; to the great di&s;quyeting of the mynds of &s;uch his Maje&s;ties good &s;ubjectes, as haue taken the &s;aid Oath, &amp; yet never meaned, nor doe meane, to abjure Epi&s;copall Government; And to per&s;wade others, that if they &s;hall take the &s;ame Oath, thus
<PB N="10" REF="7">explayned by the &s;ayd Act of Councell, by &s;o do|ing they mu&s;t likewi&s;e abjure the &s;aid governme~t.</P>
<P>We IAMES Marques of Hamilton, his Maje|&s;ties high Co~mi&s;&s;ioner, wondring that any &s;uch &s;crupulous mi&s;con&s;truction &s;hould bee made of his Maje&s;ties gracious and pious intentions; and beeing de&s;irous to remoue all doubtes from the mynds of his Maje&s;ties good &s;ubjects, &amp; to keepe them from being poy&s;oned by &s;uch as by forced and forged inferences, would make them belieue, that they had actuallie, by taking that Oath, &s;worne that which neyther virtuallie nor verilie they haue &s;worne, or ever intended to &s;weare, or was required by Authoritie to bee &s;worne by them, eyther directlie or indirectlie: Con&s;idering that all Oaths mu&s;t be taken accor|ding to the mynd, intention, and co~mandement of that Authoritie which exacteth the Oath: and, that we, by &s;peciall commandement from his &s;a|cred Maje&s;tie, commanded the &s;ayde Oath to bee admini&s;tred, we doe hereby freely &amp; ingenuou&s;ly profe&s;&s;e and declare our mynd &amp; meaning herein, as we haue con&s;tantlie heretofore done &s;ince our comming into this Kingdome about this imploy|ment: <HI>viz.</HI> That by anie &s;uch wordes, or Act of Councell, we never meaned or intended that Epi|&s;copall Government &s;hould be abjured, nor anie thing el&s;e which was e&s;tabli&s;hed by Acts of Par|liament, or Acts of the Church of this kingdome, which are now in force, and were &s;o at the tyme of the taking of the &s;ayd Oath.</P>
<PB N="11" REF="7">
<P> Nor indeed could we haue any other intention or meaning, being clearlie warranded, &amp; expre&s;&s;|lie commaunded by his Maje&s;ties in&s;tructions, to exact the &s;ayd Oath, and take order, that it &s;hould be &s;worn throughout the Kingdome, in that faire and lawfull &s;en&s;e, and none other.</P>
<P>Neyther in this poynt did wee deliver our own words, or his Maje&s;ties mynd, ambiguou&s;lie, or doubtfullie, &s;o as anie other &s;en&s;e, to our thin|king, could be picked or wrung out of eyther the one or the other: For we doe atte&s;t the Lords of the Councell, whether we did not to manie, or all of them, vpon &s;everall occa&s;ions, in conference with them, ever &s;ince our comming into this Kingdome, con&s;tantlie declare vnto them, that his Maje&s;ties re&s;olution was not to &s;uffer Epi&s;copall Government to be aboli&s;hed: Wee atte&s;t all the Lordes of Se&s;&s;ion, whether before our tendering of that Oath to them, or their Lord&s;hips taking of it, wee did not fullie and freelie declare to them, that his Maje&s;ties mynd, in commanding vs to &s;ee this Oath taken, and our owne mynd in requiring them to take it, was onlie to &s;ettle, and &s;ecure the Religion and Fayth profe&s;&s;ed in this Kingdome; but was not to bee extended to the abjuring of Epi&s;copall Government, or anie other thing now in force, by the Lawes of this Church and State, at the time of admini&s;tring this Oath; which their Lord&s;hips, being the Reverend and Learned Iud|ges of the Laws, knew well could not be abjured: after which per&s;picuous predeclaration of our
<PB N="12" REF="8">mynd, their Lord&s;hips vndoubtedlie in that &s;ame &s;en&s;e, and none other, tooke the &s;ayd Oath.</P>
<P>And now, good Reader, having heard his Maje&s;ties mynd and intention, and in pur&s;uance of them, the mynd of his Maje&s;ties high Commi&s;|&s;ioner concerning this Oath, the rea&s;ons to repell the former objection, &s;eeme to be needle&s;&s;e, (the knowne mynde of the &s;upreme Magi&s;trate, who vrgeth an oath, being to be taken for the vndoub|ted &s;en&s;e of it:) yet fora&s;much as that objection hath of late beene maynlie vrged, for alienating the myndes of manie of his Maje&s;ties good Sub|jects, and well-affected to that Government, from adhering vnto it, bee plea&s;ed to knowe, That the former objection hath neyther &s;howe nor force of rea&s;on in it; and, That by the &s;ayd Oath, and that explanation &s;et downe in the Act of Coun|cell, Epi&s;copall Government neyther was, nor po&s;&s;iblie could bee abjured; and that for manie rea&s;ons, but e&s;peciallie the&s;e fiue, which wee ha|ving &s;eene and approved, haue cau&s;ed to bee here in&s;erted, and leaue them to thyne impartiall con|&s;ideration.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t:
<MILESTONE N="1"> GOD forbid it &s;hould be imagined, that his Maje&s;ty &s;hould command his Subjects to take an Oath, which in it &s;elfe is ab&s;olutelie vnlawful. But for a man to &s;weare agayn&s;t a thing which is e&s;tabli&s;hed by the Lawes of Church and King|dome in which he liveth, (vnle&s;&s;e that thing be re|pugnant to the Law of GOD) is ab&s;olutelie vn|lawfull, vntill &s;uch tyme as that Kingdome and
<PB N="13" REF="8">Church doe fir&s;t repeale tho&s;e Laws: And there|fore, Epi&s;copall Government not being repug|nant to the Law of GOD, nay, being con&s;onant vnto it, as beeing of Apo&s;tolicall In&s;titution, (which &s;hall be demon&s;trated, if anie man plea&s;e to argue it) and &s;tanding fullie e&s;tabli&s;hed, both by Acts of Parliament, and Acts of Generall A&s;|&s;emblie, at the tyme when this Oath was admini|&s;tred; to abjure it before tho&s;e Acts bee repealed, is ab&s;olutelie vnlawfull, and agayn&s;t the Word of GOD: and it is to be hoped, no man will con|ceaue that his Maje&s;tie meaned to commaund a thing ab&s;olutelie vnlawfull. And if it &s;hould be &s;ayd, as it is &s;ayde by &s;ome, (who not being able to avoyde the force of Rea&s;on, doe betake them|&s;elues to pittifull &s;hifts, and eva&s;ions) that tho&s;e Acts of Parliament and A&s;&s;emblie, e&s;tabli&s;hing Epi&s;copall Government, were vnlawfullie and vnduelie obtayned: certaynlie, if they haue anie rea&s;ons for this their bold a&s;&s;ertion, which is of a more dangerous con&s;equence, than that it ought to be endured in any well &s;etled Church or Com|mon-wealth, the&s;e rea&s;ons may bee pre&s;ented lawfullie to the&s;e judicatories, to entreat them to reduce the &s;aydes Acts, if there &s;hall bee &s;trength and vadilitie found in them. But to holde, that vntill &s;uch time as the&s;e judicatories &s;hall repeale the &s;aydes Lawes, they eyther ought to bee, or can po&s;&s;iblie bee abjured, is a wicked po&s;ition, and de&s;tructiue of the verie foundation of ju&s;tice, both in Church and Common-wealth.</P>
<PB N="14" REF="9">
<P> Secondlie,
<MILESTONE N="2"> it can not bee imagined that this Oath &s;hould oblige the now takers of it, farther than it did oblige the takers of it at fir&s;t: for Doctrine and poynts of Fayth it did oblige them then, and &s;o doeth it vs now, perpetuallie, becau&s;e the&s;e poynts in them&s;elues are perpetuall, immu|table, and eternall: But for poynts of Di&s;cipline and Government, and Policie of the Church, that Oath could binde the fir&s;t takers of it no longer than that Di&s;cipline and Government &s;hould &s;tand in force by the Laws of this Church and Kingdome, which our Church in her po&s;i|tiue Confe&s;&s;ion of Fayth, printed among&s;t the Actes of Parliament, Article 20.21. declareth to bee alterable at the will of the Church it &s;elfe, and &s;o repealable by &s;ucceeding Actes, if the Church &s;hall &s;ee cau&s;e. When a King at his Co|ronation taketh an Oath to rule according to the Lawes of this Kingdome, or a Iudge at his admi&s;|&s;ion &s;weareth to giue judgement according to the&s;e Lawes, the meaning of their Oathes can not bee that they &s;hall rule or judge according to them, longer than they continue to be lawes: But if anie of them &s;hall come afterwardes to be law|fullie repealed, both King &amp; Iudge are free from ruling and judging, according to &s;uch of them as are thus lawfully repealed, notwith&s;tanding their originall Oath. Since therefore, if the fir&s;t takers of that Oath were nowe aliue, they could not bee &s;ayde to haue abjured Epi&s;copall Go|vernment, which hath beene &s;ince e&s;tabli&s;hed by
<PB N="15" REF="9">Lawes of this Church and Kingdome, e&s;peciallie co~&s;idering that this Church in her confe&s;&s;ion hol|deth, Church Government to bee alterable at the will of the Church: certaynlie wee repeating but their Oath, can not bee &s;ayde to abjure that Go|vernment now, more than they could bee &s;ayde to doe it, if they were now aliue, and repeating the &s;ame Oath.</P>
<P>Thirdlie: How can it be thought,
<MILESTONE N="3"> that the verie act of his Maje&s;ties co~manding this oath, &s;hould make Epi&s;copall Government to bee abjured by it, more than the <HI>Covenanters</HI> requiring it of their a&s;&s;ociates, in both <HI>Covenants</HI> the wordes and &s;yl|labes of the <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth</HI> being the &s;ame? Now, it is well known, that manie were brought in, to &s;ub&s;cribe their <HI>Covenant,</HI> by the &s;olemne prote&s;tations of the <HI>Contrivers</HI> and <HI>Vrgers</HI> of it, that they might &s;ub&s;cribe it without abjuring of <HI>Epi&s;copacie,</HI> and other &s;uch thinges as were e&s;ta|bli&s;hed by <HI>Lawe,</HI> &s;ince the tyme that this <HI>Oath</HI> was fir&s;t invented and made: and the three Mini|&s;ters, in their fir&s;t <HI>An&s;weres</HI> to the <HI>Aberdene Quaeres,</HI> haue fullie and clearlie expre&s;&s;ed them|&s;elues to that &s;en&s;e; holding the&s;e thinges for the pre&s;ent, not to bee abjured, but onlie referred to the tryall of a <HI>Free Generall A&s;&s;emblie:</HI> and lyke|wy&s;e the <HI>Adherers</HI> to the la&s;t <HI>Protestation,</HI> agayn&s;t his Maje&s;ties <HI>Proclamation,</HI> bearing date the 9 of <HI>September,</HI> in their ninth <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> agayn&s;t the <HI>Sub|&s;cription</HI> vrged by his Maje&s;tie, doe playnlie averre, <HI>That this Oath vrged by his Majestie,
<PB N="16" REF="10">doeth obliedge the takers of it, To mayntayne Pearth Articles; and, To mayntayne Epi&s;copacie.</HI> Why, therefore, &s;ome men &s;wearing the &s;ame wordes and &s;yllabes, &s;hould haue their wordes taken to another &s;en&s;e, and bee thought to abjure <HI>Epi&s;co|pall Governament,</HI> more than others who haue taken the &s;ame <HI>Oath</HI> in the &s;ame wordes, mu&s;t needes pa&s;&s;e the capacitie of an ordinarie vnder|&s;tanding.</P>
<P>It is a receaved Maxime,
<MILESTONE N="4"> and <HI>it can not bee de|nyed, but that Oathes ministred vnto vs, must eyther bee refu&s;ed, or el&s;e taken according to the knowne mynde, profe&s;&s;ed intention, and expre&s;&s;e Command of Authoritie, vrging the &s;ame.</HI> A <HI>Propo&s;ition,</HI> not onlie receaved in all Schools, but po&s;itiuelie &s;et downe by the <HI>Adherers</HI> to the &s;ayde <HI>Protesta|tion, totidem verbis,</HI> in the place aboue cited. But it is notoriou&s;lie knowne, even vnto tho&s;e who &s;ub&s;cribed the <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth,</HI> by his Ma|je&s;ties commandement, that his Maje&s;tie not on|lie in his Kingdomes of <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> is a <HI>Mayntayner</HI> and <HI>Vp-holder</HI> of <HI>Epi&s;copall Govern|ment,</HI> according to the Lawes of the &s;ayde Chur|ches and Kingdomes; but that lykewy&s;e hee is a <HI>Defender,</HI> and intendeth to continue a <HI>Defender</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Government</HI> in his Kingdome of <HI>Scot|land,</HI> both before the tyme, and at the tyme when hee vrged this <HI>Oath;</HI> as is evident by that which is in my Lord Commi&s;&s;ioner his <HI>Preface,</HI> both concerning his Maje&s;ties <HI>In&s;tructions</HI> to his Grace, and his Graces expre&s;&s;ing his Maje&s;ties
<PB N="17" REF="10">mynde, both to the Lordes of <HI>Councell,</HI> and to the Lordes of <HI>Se&s;sion.</HI> And the &s;ame lykewy&s;e is playnlie expre&s;&s;ed and acknowledged by the <HI>Ad|herers</HI> to the &s;ayde <HI>Protestation,</HI> in the place aboue cited; their wordes beeing the&s;e, <HI>And it is most manifest, that his Majesties mynde, intention, and commaundement, is none other, but that the Confe&s;sion bee &s;worne, for the mayntenance of Religion, as it is alreadie or pre&s;entlie profe&s;&s;ed; (the&s;e two beeing co|incident altogether one and the &s;ame, not onelie in our common forme of &s;peaking, but in all his Majesties Proclamations:) and thus as it concludeth, and con|tinueth within the compa&s;&s;e thereof, the fore&s;aydes Novations and Epi&s;copacie, which vnder that name were al&s;o ratified, in the first Parliament holden by his Majestie.</HI></P>
<P>From whence it is playne, that <HI>Epi&s;copacie</HI> not beeing taken away, or &s;u&s;pended by anie of his Maje&s;ties <HI>Declarations,</HI> as tho&s;e other things were which they call <HI>Novations,</HI> it mu&s;t needes, both in deede, and in the judgement of the &s;ayde <HI>Prote|&s;ters,</HI> no wayes bee intended by his Maje&s;tie, to bee abjured by the &s;ayd <HI>Oath.</HI> Nowe, both the <HI>Major,</HI> and that part of the <HI>Minor,</HI> which concer|neth <HI>Epi&s;copall Government</HI> in the Church of <HI>Scot|land,</HI> beeing clearlie acknowledged by the <HI>Prote|&s;ters;</HI> and the other part of the <HI>Minor,</HI> concerning that <HI>Government</HI> in his other two Kingdomes, beeing notoriou&s;lie knowne, not onlie to them, but to all others, who knowe his Maje&s;tie, how it can bee imagined, that his Maje&s;tie, by that <HI>Oath,</HI>
<PB N="18" REF="11">&s;hould command <HI>Epi&s;copacie</HI> to bee abjured; or howe could anie one, to whome his Maje&s;ties mynde, concerning <HI>Epi&s;copall Government,</HI> was knowne, hone&s;tlie or &s;afelie abjure it, let it be left to the whole world to judge; e&s;peciallie con&s;ide|ring that the <HI>Protesters</HI> them&s;elues in that place aboue cited, by a <HI>Dilemma,</HI> which wee leaue to them&s;elues to an&s;were, haue averred, that when that <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Councell</HI> &s;hould come out; yet that it could not be inferred from thence, that anie &s;uch thing was abjured.</P>
<P>Fiftlie and la&s;tlie;
<MILESTONE N="5"> if the <HI>Explanation</HI> in that <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Councell</HI> bee taken in that not onlie rigid, but vnrea&s;onable and &s;en&s;ele&s;&s;e &s;en&s;e which they vrge, yet they can never make it appeare, that <HI>Epi&s;copall Government</HI> at the fir&s;t time of the ad|mini&s;tring of that <HI>Oath</HI> was aboli&s;hed: The ve|rie wordes of that <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth,</HI> immediatly after the beginning of it, beeing the&s;e, <HI>Receaved, believed, defended by manie and &s;undrie notable Kirks and Realmes, but chieflie by the Kirke of Scotland, the Kings Maje&s;tie, and three e&s;tates of this Realme, as GOD'S eternall Trueth, and onlie groundof our Salvation,</HI> &amp;c. By which it is evident, that the <HI>Sub&s;cription</HI> to this <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth,</HI> is to bee vrged in no other &s;en&s;e, than as it was then belie|ved and receaved by the Kings Maje&s;tie, and the three E&s;tates of this realme at that tyme in beeing; and it is well knowne, that at that time Bi|&s;hops, Abbots, and Priors, made vp a third e&s;tate of this Realme, which gaue approbation to this
<PB N="19" REF="11"><HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth:</HI> and therefore it is not to bee conceaved, that this third e&s;tate did then abjure <HI>Epi&s;copacie,</HI> or that <HI>Epi&s;copacie</HI> was at the fir&s;t &s;wearing of that <HI>Confe&s;sion</HI> aboli&s;hed. But &s;ay that at that tyme it was aboli&s;hed by <HI>Acts</HI> of <HI>Generall A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> yet was it not &s;o by anie <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Parlia|ment;</HI> nay, by manie <HI>Acts</HI> of <HI>Parliament</HI> it was in force, becau&s;e none of them was repealed; &s;ome whereof are annexed in the &s;heet immediatlie af|ter the&s;e rea&s;ons, which we pray the Reader care|fullie to peru&s;e and ponder: and at the verie time of the taking of this <HI>Oath</HI> &amp; after, Bi&s;hops, who&s;e names are well knowne, were in beeing. Now it is to bee hoped that in a Monarchie, or anie other well con&s;tituted republicke, that damnable Ie&s;ui|ticall po&s;ition &s;hall never take place, That which is once enacted by a Monarch &amp; his three e&s;tates in <HI>Parliament,</HI> &s;hall ever bee helde repealed or re|pealable by anie Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Nationall Synod.</P>
<P>By all which it is evident, that the <HI>Explanation</HI> of that <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Councell</HI> &s;o groundle&s;lie vrged, can induce no man to imagine, that by the <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth</HI> latelie &s;worne by his Maje&s;ties comman|dement, <HI>Epi&s;copall Government,</HI> which then did, and yet doeth &s;tand e&s;tabli&s;hed, by <HI>Acts</HI> of this Church and Kingdome, eyther was, or po&s;&s;iblie could bee abjured.</P>
<P>And having nowe, good Reader, heard his Maje&s;ties mynde, in his <HI>In&s;tructions</HI> to vs, our mynde in requyring, in his Maje&s;ties name, this <HI>Oath</HI> to bee taken, and the&s;e few <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> of manie
<PB N="20" REF="12">which doe evidentlie evince the in-con&s;equence of that &s;en&s;e, which without anie &s;howe of infe|rence, is put vpon it by tho&s;e, who would goe on, in making men &s;till belieue, that all which they doe or &s;ay, is grounded vpon <HI>Authoritie,</HI> though they them&s;elues doe well knowe the contrarie: wee &s;uppo&s;e, that all they who haue taken this <HI>Oath,</HI> wil re&s;t &s;atisfied, that they haue not abjured <HI>Epi&s;copall Government;</HI> and, that they who &s;hall take it, will take it in none other &s;en&s;e.</P>
<P>Which tymelie <HI>Warning</HI> of ours, wee are the more willing to giue, becau&s;e we are given to vn|der&s;tand, that eve~ they who were wont to call the takers of this <HI>Oath,</HI> (notwith&s;tanding of that <HI>Ex|planation</HI> by <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Councell</HI>) <HI>perjured and damned per&s;ons;</HI> and in their Pulpits, called the vrging of it, <HI>The depth of Satan,</HI> doe nowe meane to take it them&s;elues, &amp; vrge others to take it in that &s;en&s;e which they make men belieue (though wrongful|lie) that <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Councell</HI> maketh advantageous to their endes.</P>
<P>But we do, in his Maje&s;ties name, require, that none pre&s;ume to take the &s;ayd <HI>Oath,</HI> vnle&s;&s;e they be required &s;o to doe, by &s;uch as &s;hall haue lawful authoritie from his Maje&s;ty, to admini&s;ter it vnto them: being confident, that none eyther will, or can, take the &s;ayd <HI>Oath,</HI> or anie other <HI>Oath,</HI> in anie &s;en&s;e, which may not con&s;i&s;t with <HI>Epi&s;copall Go|vernment,</HI> having his Maje&s;ties &s;en&s;e; and &s;o the &s;en&s;e of all lawfull <HI>Authoritie</HI> fullie explayned vnto them.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>HAMMILTOVN.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="history">
<PB N="21" REF="12">
<P>_THat <HI>Epi&s;copall Ju|ri&s;diction</HI> was in force by <HI>Actes</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> and no wayes aboli&s;hed, nor &s;up|pre&s;&s;ed, in the yeare 1580, nor at the tyme of <HI>Reforma|tion</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> within the Realme of <HI>Scotland,</HI> doeth evidentlie appeare by the <HI>Acts</HI> of <HI>Parliament</HI> after mentioned.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t; By the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1567, <HI>Cap.</HI> 2: where|by at the tyme of <HI>Reformation,</HI> the <HI>Pope</HI>'s authori|tie was aboli&s;hed, it is enacted by the &s;ayde <HI>Act, That no Bi&s;hop, nor other Prelate in this Realme, v&s;e anie juri&s;diction in tyme comming, by the Bi&s;hop of Romes authoritie.</HI> And by the third <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Parliament,</HI> whereby it is declared, <HI>That all Acts, not agreeing with GOD'S Word, and contra|rie to the Confe&s;sion of Fayth approved by the E&s;tates in that Parliament, to haue none effect nor &s;trength in tyme to come.</HI> Whereby it is evident, that it was not the <HI>Reformers</HI> intention, to &s;uppre&s;&s;e <HI>Epi&s;co|pacie;</HI> but that Bi&s;hops &s;hould not v&s;e anie <HI>Iuri&s;|diction</HI> by the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome</HI> his authoritie. And
<PB N="22" REF="13">&s;eeing they did allowe <HI>Epi&s;copacie</HI> to continue in the Church, that they did not e&s;teeme the &s;ame contrarie to GOD'S Word, and <HI>Confe&s;sion</HI> fore-&s;ayd: as appeareth more clearlie by the &s;ixth <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ayde <HI>Parliament;</HI> which is ratified in the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1579, <HI>Cap.</HI> 68; whereby it is decla|red, <HI>That the mini&s;ters of the ble&s;&s;ed Evangell of IE|SVS CHRIST, whom GOD of His mercie hath now ray&s;ed vp among&s;t vs, or heereafter &s;hall ray&s;e, agreeing with them that now liue in doctrine or admini&s;tration of the Sacraments, and the people of this Realme that profe&s;&s;e CHRIST, as Hee is now offered in His Evan|gell, and doe communicate with the holie Sacraments, as in the Reformed Churches of this Realme they are publicklie administrated, according to the Confe&s;sion of the Fayth, to bee the onelie true and holie Church of IESVS CHRIST, within this Realme:</HI> without anie exception, by rea&s;on of <HI>Policie</HI> and <HI>Di&s;ci|pline:</HI> declaring onelie &s;uch as eyther gayne-&s;ay the Word of the Evangell, according vnto the heads of the &s;ayd <HI>Confe&s;sion;</HI> or refu&s;e the partici|pation of the holie Sacraments, as they are nowe mini&s;trated, to bee no members of the &s;ayde Church, &s;o long as they keep them&s;elues &s;o divi|ded from the &s;ocietie of CHRIST'S Bodie. Whereby it is manife&s;t, that it was not the &s;ayde <HI>Reformers</HI> mynde, to exclude anie from that &s;o|cietie, by rea&s;on of <HI>Di&s;cipline;</HI> and, that they did not, at that tyme, innovate, or change anie thing in that <HI>Policie</HI> they found in the &s;ayd Church be|fore the <HI>Reformation.</HI></P>
<PB N="23" REF="13">
<P> This is lykewy&s;e evident, by the <HI>Oath</HI> to bee mini&s;tred to the King at his Coronation, by the eyght <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ayde <HI>Parliament,</HI> whereby hee is to &s;weare, <HI>to mayntayne the true Religion of IE|SVS CHRIST, the preaching of His holie Word, and due and right mini&s;tration of the Sacraments, now re|ceaved and preached within this Realme, and &s;hall a|boli&s;h and gayn-&s;tand all fal&s;e Religion contrarie to the &s;ame;</HI> without &s;wearing to anie <HI>Innovation</HI> of Policie, and Di&s;cipline of the Kirke.</P>
<P>Secondlie, it doeth evidentlie appeare by the&s;e &s;ub&s;equent <HI>Acts</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> that by the mu|nicipall lawe of this Realme, Arch-bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, were not onlie allowed in the Church, but al&s;o had juri&s;diction and authoritie, to go|verne the &s;ame.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t; By the 24 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ayde <HI>Parliament:</HI>
<MILESTONE N="1"> whereby <HI>all civill priviledges graunted by our &s;o|veraygne Lord's Predece&s;&s;ours, to the Spirituall e&s;tate of this Realme, are ratified in all poyntes, after the forme and tenour hereof.</HI> And by the 35 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1571; whereby <HI>all and what&s;oever Actes and Statutes made of before, by our &s;overaygne Lord, and his Predece&s;&s;ours, anent the Freedome and Libertie of the true Church of GOD, are ratified, and approved.</HI></P>
<P>By the 46 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1572;
<MILESTONE N="2"> where|by it is declared, That Arch-bi&s;hops &amp; Bi&s;hops, haue the authoritie, &amp; are ordayned, to conveane and depriue, all inferiour per&s;ons, beeing Mini|&s;ters, who &s;hall not &s;ub&s;cribe the <HI>Articles</HI> of <HI>Reli|gion,</HI>
<PB N="24" REF="14">and giue their <HI>Oath,</HI> for acknowledging and recogno&s;cing of our Soveraygne Lord, and his authoritie; and bring a <HI>Testimoniall</HI> in wryting therevpon, within a moneth after their admi&s;|&s;ion.</P>
<P>By the 48 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Parliament;</HI>
<MILESTONE N="3"> where|by it is declared, That Arch-bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops haue authoritie, at their <HI>Vi&s;itations,</HI> to de&s;igne Mi|ni&s;ters Gleybes.</P>
<P>By the 54 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ayde <HI>Parliament;</HI>
<MILESTONE N="4"> where|by Arch-bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, are authorized to nominate, and appoynt, at their <HI>Vi&s;itations,</HI> per|&s;ons in everie Parochin, for making and &s;etting of the <HI>Taxation,</HI> for vpholding and reparing of Churches, and Church-yardes: and, to con|veane, trye, and cen&s;ure, all per&s;ons, that &s;hall be found to haue applyed to their owne v&s;e, the Stones, Timber, or anie thing el&s;e, pertayning to Churches demoli&s;hed.</P>
<P>By the 55 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1573;
<MILESTONE N="5"> where|by Arch-bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops are authorized, to admoni&s;h per&s;ons married, in ca&s;e of de&s;ertion, to adhere: and in ca&s;e of di&s;obedience, <HI>to direct charges, to the Minister of the Parochin, to proceede to the Sentence of Excommunication.</HI></P>
<P>By the 63 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1578;
<MILESTONE N="6"> whereby Bi&s;hops, (and where no Bi&s;hops are provided, the Commi&s;&s;ioners of Dioce&s;&s;es) haue authoritie, to trye the Rents of Ho&s;pitalls, and call for the Foundations thereof.</P>
<P>By the 69 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1579;
<MILESTONE N="7"> where|by
<PB N="25" REF="14">the juri&s;diction of the Church, is declared, <HI>to &s;tand in preaching the Word of IESVS CHRIST, correction of Manners, and administration of the ho|lie Sacramentes:</HI> And yet none other Authoritie nor Office-bearer allowed, and appoynted by <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> than is allowed by the former <HI>Actes;</HI> but Arch-bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, intended to continue in their authoritie: as is cleare by the&s;e <HI>Actes</HI> following.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t: By the 71 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Parliament;</HI>
<MILESTONE N="1"> whereby per&s;ons returning from their Travels, are ordayned, within the &s;pace of twentie dayes after their returne, <HI>to pa&s;&s;e to the Bi&s;hop, Superinten|dent, Commi&s;sioner of the Kirkes</HI> where they arriue and re&s;ide, and there offer to make and giue a con|fe&s;&s;ion of their fayth: or then within fourtie days to remoue them&s;elues foorth of the Realme.</P>
<P>By the 99 <HI>Act</HI> af the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1581,
<MILESTONE N="2"> where|by the fore&s;aydes <HI>Acts</HI> are ratified and approved.</P>
<P>By the 130 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1584,
<MILESTONE N="3"> where|by it is ordayned, that none of his Maje&s;ties Liedges and Subjects pre&s;ume or take vpon hand, to impugne the dignitie and authoritie of the three E&s;tates of this Kingdome, whereby the ho|nour and authoritie of the Kings Maje&s;ties &s;u|preme Court of <HI>Parliament,</HI> pa&s;t all memorie of man, hath beene continued, <HI>or to &s;eeke or procure the innovation or diminution of the power and autho|ritie of the &s;ame three e&s;tates, or anie of them, in tyme comming, vnder the payne of Trea&s;on.</HI></P>
<P>By the 131 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Parliament,</HI>
<MILESTONE N="4"> where|by
<PB N="26" REF="15">all judgements and juri&s;dictions as well in &s;pi|rituall as temporall cau&s;es, in practi&s;e &amp; cu&s;tome, during the&s;e twentie foure yeares by-pa&s;t, not ap|proved by his Highne&s;&s;e and three e&s;tates in <HI>Par|liament,</HI> are di&s;charged: and whereby it is defen|ded, <HI>That none of his Highne&s;&s;e Subjectes of what&s;o|ever qualitie, e&s;tate, or function they bee of, &s;pirituall or temporall, pre&s;ume, or take vpon hand, to convocate, conveane, or a&s;&s;emble them&s;elues together, for holding of Councels, Conventions, or A&s;&s;emblies, to treat, con|&s;ult, or determinate in anie matter of e&s;tate, civill or Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall, (except in the ordinarie judgements) without his Maje&s;ties &s;peciall commandement, or ex|pre&s;&s;e licence had and obtayned to that effect.</HI></P>
<P>By the 132 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;aide <HI>Parliament,</HI>
<MILESTONE N="5"> autho|rizing Bi&s;hops, to try and judge Mini&s;ters guiltie of crymes meriting deprivation.</P>
<P>By the 133 <HI>Act</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Parliament,</HI>
<MILESTONE N="6"> orday|ning Mini&s;ters exercing anie office be&s;ide their Calling, to bee tryed and adjudged culpable by <HI>their Ordinaries.</HI></P>
<P>By the 23 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1587.
<MILESTONE N="7"> where|by all <HI>Acts</HI> made by his Highne&s;&s;e, or his mo&s;t noble Progenitors, anent the Kirke of GOD, and Religion pre&s;entlie profe&s;&s;ed, are ratified.</P>
<P>By the 231 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1597.
<MILESTONE N="8"> bea|ring, <HI>That our Soveraygne Lord, and his Highne&s;&s;e E&s;tates in</HI> Parliament, <HI>having &s;peciall con&s;ideration of the great priviledges and immunities granted by his Highne&s;&s;e Predece&s;&s;ours, to the holie Kirke within this Realme, and to the &s;peciall per&s;ons exercing the
<PB N="27" REF="15">offices, titles, and dignities of the Prelates within the &s;ame; Which per&s;ons haue ever repre&s;ented one of the E&s;tates of this Realme, in all conventions of the &s;aydes E&s;tates: and that the &s;ayds priveledges and freedomes, have beene from tyme to tyme renued and con&s;erved, in the &s;ame integritie wherein they were at anie tyme before. So that his Maje&s;tie acknowledging the &s;ame to bee fallen now vnder his Maje&s;ties mo&s;t favourable protection; therefore his Maje&s;tie, with con&s;ent of the E&s;tates, declareth, that the Kirke within this Realme, wherein the true Religion is profe&s;&s;ed, is the true and holie Church: And that &s;uch Mini&s;ters as his Ma|je&s;tie at anie tyme &s;hall plea&s;e to provide to the Of|fice, Place, Title, and Dignitie of a Bi&s;hop, &amp;c. &s;hall haue vote in</HI> Parliament, <HI>&s;icklyke and als freelie as anie other Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Prelate had at anie tyme by-gone.</HI> And al&s;o declareth, that all Bi&s;hop|rickes vaking, or that &s;hall vake, &s;hall bee onelie di&s;poned to actuall Preachers and mini&s;ters in the Church, or &s;uch as &s;hall take vpon them to exerce the &s;ayde Function.</P>
<P>By the 2 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1606;
<MILESTONE N="9"> where|by <HI>the auncient and fundamentall Policie, con&s;i&s;ting in the mayntenace of the three E&s;tates of</HI> Parliament, <HI>beeing of late greatlie impared, and almo&s;t &s;ubverted, e&s;peciallie by the indirect aboli&s;hing of the e&s;tate of Bi&s;hops, by the Act of Annexation: albeit it was ne|ver meaned by his Maje&s;tie, nor by his E&s;tates, that the &s;ayd E&s;tate of Bi&s;hops, beeing a nece&s;&s;arie E&s;tate of the</HI> Parliament, <HI>&s;hould anie wayes bee &s;uppre&s;&s;ed; yet by di&s;membring and ab&s;tracting from them of their li|vings,
<PB N="28" REF="16">beeing brought in contempt and povertie, the &s;ayde E&s;tate of Bi&s;hops is re&s;tored, and redintegrate to their ancient and accu&s;tomed Honour, Dignities, Pre|rogatiues, Priviledges, Lands, Teyndes, Rents, as the &s;ame was in the reformed Church, mo&s;t amplie and free, at anie tyme before the</HI> Act <HI>of Annexation; re&s;cinding and annulling all</HI> Actes <HI>of</HI> Parliament <HI>made in prejudice of the &s;aides Bi&s;hops, in the pre|mi&s;&s;es, or anie of them, with all that hath followed, or may follow therevpon, to the effect they may peaceablie enjoye the Honours, Dignities, Priviledges, and Prero|gatiues, competent to them, or their e&s;tate, &s;ince the Reformation of Religion.</HI></P>
<P>By the 6 <HI>Act</HI> of the 20 <HI>Parliament;</HI>
<MILESTONE N="10"> declaring, <HI>That Arch-Bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, are redintegrate to their former Authoritie, Dignitie, Prerogatiue, Pri|viledges, and Iuri&s;dictions, lawfullie pertayning and &s;hall bee knowne to pertayne to them,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>By the 1 <HI>Act</HI> of the <HI>Parliament</HI> 1617;
<MILESTONE N="11"> orday|ning Arch-Bi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, to bee elected by their Chapters, and no other wayes, and con|&s;ecrated by the Rites and Order accu&s;tomed.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="proclamation">
<PB N="1" REF="16">
<OPENER><SIGNED>_CHARLES, By the grace of <HI>GOD,</HI> King of SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, FRANCE, and IRELAND, Defender of the <HI>FAYTH,</HI> To Our Lovits,</SIGNED></OPENER>
<P>Herauldes, Pur&s;evantes; Our Shyreffs in that part, conjunctlie, and &s;everallie, &s;peciallie
<PB N="2" REF="17">con&s;titute, Greeting. WHERE-AS, For the removing of the Di&s;orders, which haue happe|ned of late within this Kingdome; And, for &s;et|ling of a perfect Peace in the Church, and Com|mon-wealth there-of, WEE were plea&s;ed, to call and indict <HI>A FREE GENERALL AS|SEMBLIE,</HI> to bee holden at GLASGOW, the xxj day of <HI>November</HI> la&s;t; And for Our Subjects their better content and a&s;&s;urance, that they &s;hould bee freed of &s;uch thinges as by their <HI>Peti|tions</HI> and <HI>Supplications</HI> given in to the Lordes of Our Privie Councell, they &s;eemed to bee grie|ved at, WEE, in &s;ome &s;ort, prevented the <HI>A&s;|&s;emblie,</HI> by di&s;charging, by Our <HI>Proclamation,</HI> the <HI>Service-Booke, Booke</HI> of <HI>Canons,</HI> and <HI>High Commi&s;|&s;ion,</HI> freed and liberate all Our Subjectes, from practi&s;ing of the fiue <HI>Articles,</HI> exeemed all Mi|ni&s;ters at their entrie, from giving anie other <HI>Oath,</HI> than that which is contayned in the <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Parliament;</HI> Made all per&s;ons, both Eccle&s;ia|&s;ticall and Civill, lyable to the Cen&s;ure of <HI>Par|liament, Generall A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> or anie other <HI>Iudicato|rie</HI> competent, according to the nature of their Offence; Had declared all by-gone Di&s;orders ab&s;olutelie forgotten, and forgiven: And la&s;t; For &s;ecuring to all Po&s;teritie, the Trueth, and Libertie of <HI>RELIGION,</HI> did command the <HI>Con|fe&s;sion</HI> of <HI>Fayth,</HI> and Band for mayntenance there|of, and of Authoritie in defence of the fame, &s;ub|&s;crybed by Our deare Father, and his Hou&s;e|holde,
<PB N="3" REF="17">in ANNO 1580, to bee renewed, and &s;ub|&s;crybed agayne by Our Subjectes heere. And, albeit that this Our Gracious and Pious Com|maund, in &s;tead of Obedience and Submi&s;&s;ion, rancountred open and publicke Oppo&s;ition and Prote&s;tation agayn&s;t the &s;ame; And that they continued their daylie and hourlie guarding and watching our Ca&s;tle of <HI>Edinburgh;</HI> &s;uffering no|thing to bee imported there-in, but at their di&s;|cretion: &s;topping and impeding anie importa|tion of Ammunition, or other Nece&s;&s;aries what|&s;o-ever, to anie of Our Hou&s;es within this King|dome: Denying to Us their Soveraygne Lord, that Libertie and Freedome, which the meane&s;t of them a&s;&s;umed to them&s;elues, (an Act without precedent or example in the Chri&s;tian World:) Lyke as they &s;pared not, boldlie and openlie to continue their <HI>Conventions,</HI> and <HI>Councell-Tables,</HI> of Nobilitie, Gentrie, Mini&s;ters, and Burge&s;&s;es, within the Citie of <HI>Edinburgh:</HI> Where, not re|garding the Lawes of the Kingdome, without warrand of Authoritie, they conveaned, a&s;&s;em|bled, and treated vpon Matters as well Eccle&s;ia|&s;ticall as Civill; Sent their Injunctions and Dire|ctions throughout the Countrey, to their &s;ubor|dinate Tables, and other vnder Mini&s;ters ap|poynted by them for that effect: And, vnder co|lour and pretext of Religion, exerci&s;ing an vn|warranded Libertie, requyred obedience to their vnlawfull and illegall Directions, to the &s;eene prejudice of Authoritie, and lawfull Monarchi|call
<PB N="4" REF="18">Government. And not-with-&s;tanding it was evidentlie manife&s;t, by the illegall and vn|formall Cour&s;e taken in the Election of the Commi&s;&s;ioners for the <HI>A&s;&s;emblie;</HI> whereof &s;ome of them were vnder the Cen&s;ure of this Church; &s;ome vnder the Cen&s;ure of the Church of <HI>Ireland,</HI> &s;ome long &s;ince bani&s;hed, for avowed teaching agayn&s;t <HI>Monarchie:</HI> others of them &s;u&s;pended, and &s;ome admitted to the Mini&s;terie, contrarie to the forme pre&s;crybed by the Lawes of this King|dome: others of them Rebells, and at the Horne: &s;ome of them confined, and all of them by <HI>Oath</HI> and <HI>Sub&s;cription,</HI> bound to the overthrowe of <HI>Epi&s;copall Governament.</HI> And by this, and others their Under-hand-working, and private Infor|mations; and Per&s;wa&s;ions, had given ju&s;t ground of Su&s;picion of their Partialitie; and &s;o made them&s;elues vnfit Iudges of what concerneth <HI>Epi&s;copacie:</HI> And als, albeit it was &s;ufficientlie cleared, by the peremptorie and illegall Proce|dures of the Presbyteries, who at their owne hand, and by order of Lawe, and without due forme of Proce&s;&s;e, thru&s;t out Moderators law|fullie e&s;tabli&s;hed, and placed others, whome they found mo&s;te inclynable to their turbulent Hu|moures, a&s;&s;ociate to them&s;elues, for choo&s;ing of the Commi&s;&s;ioners to the <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> a Laicke Elder out of each Parioch; who beeing in mo&s;te places equall, if not moe in number than the Mi|ni&s;terie, made choy&s;e both of the Mini&s;ters who &s;hould bee Commi&s;&s;ioners from the Presbyte|ries,
<PB N="5" REF="18">as al&s;o of a Laicke Elder, (which in tyme will proue to bee a dangerous Con&s;equence, and import an heavie Burden to the Libertie of the Church, and Church-men) beeing more dire|cted therein, by the Warrandes of the fore&s;ayde pretended <HI>Tables,</HI> than by their owne judge|mentes; as appeared by the &s;everall In&s;tructions &s;ent from them, (farre contrarie to the Lawes of this Countrey, and lowable cu&s;tome of this Church) &s;ome whereof were produced, and ex|hibit by Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, and publicklie read: One whereof directed to the Noble-men and Barons of each Presbyterie, doeth among&s;t ma|nie other odde pa&s;&s;ages, require <HI>Diligence;</HI> le&s;t (&s;ay they) by our owne <HI>Silline&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>Trea|cherie,</HI> wee lo&s;e &s;o fayre an occa&s;ion of our <HI>Li|bertie,</HI> both <HI>Christian</HI> and <HI>Civill.</HI> A &s;trange phra&s;e, to proceede from duetifull or loyall-hear|ted Subjectes! The other, to the Moderators of &s;everall Presbyteries, vnder the Title of <HI>Pri|vate In&s;tructions,</HI> Augu&s;t 27, contayning, fir&s;t, That the&s;e <HI>Private In&s;tructions</HI> &s;hall bee di&s;co|vered to none, but to Brethren well-affected to the <HI>Cau&s;e.</HI> 2. Order mu&s;t be taken, that none be cho&s;en Ruling-Elders, but <HI>Covenanters,</HI> and the&s;e well-affected to the <HI>Bu&s;ine&s;&s;e.</HI> 3. That where the Mini&s;ter is not well-affected, the Ru|ling Elder bee cho&s;en by the Commi&s;&s;ioners of the Shyre, and &s;poken vnto particularlie for that effect. 4. That they bee carefull, that no Chap|pell-men, Chapter-men, or a Mini&s;ter, Iu&s;tice
<PB N="6" REF="19">of Peace bee cho&s;en, although <HI>Covenanters,</HI> ex|cept they haue publicklie renounced or declared the vnlawfulne&s;&s;e of their Places. 5. That the Ruling Elders, come from everie Church, in equall number with the Mini&s;ters. And if the Mi|ni&s;ter oppo&s;e, to put them&s;elues in po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, notwith&s;tanding of anie oppo&s;ition. 6. That the Commi&s;&s;ioner of the Shyre, cau&s;e conveane before him the Ruling Elder of everie Church, cho&s;en before the day of the Election, and in|joyne them, vpon their Oath, That they giue voyce to none, but to tho&s;e who are named al|readie at the Meeting of <HI>Edinburgh.</HI> 7. That where there is a Noble-man in the boundes of the Presbyterie, hee bee cho&s;en: and where there is none, there bee cho&s;en a Baron, or one of the be&s;t Qualitie; and he only a <HI>Covenanter.</HI> 8. That the able&s;t man in everie Presbyterie bee provi|ded to di&s;pute, <HI>De potestate &s;upremi Magistra|tus in Eccle&s;iasticis prae&s;ertim inconvocandis Conci|liis,</HI> &amp;c. Whereby it is mo&s;te evident, what Prelimitations, and indirect and partiall Cour&s;es, and dangerous Propo&s;itions, haue bene v&s;ed in the Preparations and Elections to this pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie.</HI> By which vnlawfull doinges, al|tho Wee had &s;ufficient rea&s;on, to haue di&s;char|ged the Meeting of the <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> yet We plea|&s;ed patientlie to attende the &s;ame: Still hoping, that when they were met together, by the pre|&s;ence of Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, and a&s;&s;i&s;tance of &s;ome well-affected Subjectes, who were to bee
<PB N="7" REF="19">there, and by their owne &s;eeing the reall perfor|mance of what was promi&s;ed by Our <HI>Proclama|tion,</HI> they &s;hould haue beene moved to returne to the due obedience of Subjects. But when Wee perceaved, that ther turbulent Di&s;po&s;itions did increa&s;e, as was manife&s;t by their reparing to the &s;ayde pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> with great Troups and Bands of Men, all boden in feare of Warre, with Gunnes and Pi&s;tolls, contrarie to the Laws of this Kingdome, and in high contempt of Our <HI>Proclamation</HI> at <HI>Edinburgh,</HI> the xvj of <HI>November</HI> la&s;t. As al&s;o by their peremptorie refu&s;ing to the A&s;&s;e&s;&s;oures authorized by US, (altho fewer in number than our deare&s;t Father was in v&s;e to haue) the power of Voting in this <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> as formerlie they had done in all others: openlie averring, That Wee nor Our Commi&s;&s;ioner had no farther power there, than the meane&s;t Com|mi&s;&s;ioner of their number: and by their partiall and vnju&s;t refu&s;ing, and not &s;uffering to bee read, the Rea&s;ons and Argumentes given in by the Bi&s;|&s;hops, and their Adherentes, to Our Commi&s;|&s;ioner, why they ought not to proceede to the Election of a Moderator, neyther yet to the trying and admitting of the Commi&s;&s;ioners, be|fore they were heard, tho in Our Name they were earne&s;tly reque&s;ted therevnto by Our Com|mi&s;&s;ioner. And not-with-&s;tanding that Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, by Warrand from Us, gaue in vnder his hand, a &s;ufficient Declaration of all that was contayned in Our late <HI>Proclamation:</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="20">Bearing lykewy&s;e Our Plea&s;ure, of the Regi&s;tra|tion of the &s;ame in the Bookes of <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> for full a&s;&s;urance of the Trueth and Libertie of Reli|gion, to all Our good Subjectes; as doeth clear|lie appeare by the Declaration it &s;elfe, where-of the Tenour followeth: THE KING'S MA|IESTIE beeing informed, That manie of his good Subjectes haue apprehended, that by the introducing of the <HI>Service-Booke,</HI> and <HI>Booke</HI> of <HI>Canons,</HI> the inbringing of <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> hath beene intended, hath beene graciou&s;lie plea&s;ed to di&s;|charge; Lyke as by The&s;e hee doeth di&s;charge the <HI>Service Booke,</HI> and <HI>Booke</HI> of <HI>Canons,</HI> and the practi&s;e of them, and eyther of them; and annul|leth and re&s;cindeth all <HI>Actes</HI> of <HI>Councell, Procla|mations,</HI> and other <HI>Actes</HI> and <HI>Deedes</HI> what&s;oever that haue beene made, or publi&s;hed, for e&s;tabli|&s;hing of them, or eyther of them; and declareth the &s;ame to bee null, and to haue no force, nor effect, in tyme comming. THE KING'S MAIESTIE, as hee conceaved for the ea&s;e and benefite of the Subjects, e&s;tabli&s;hed the <HI>High Commi&s;sion,</HI> that thereby <HI>Iustice</HI> might bee ad|mini&s;trate, and the faultes and erroures of &s;uch per&s;ons as are made lyable therevnto, taken or|der with, and puni&s;hed, with the more conve|niencie, and le&s;&s;e trouble to the people: But fin|ding his gracious intention therein to bee mi&s;|taken, hath beene plea&s;ed to di&s;charge, Lyke as by The&s;e hee doeth di&s;charge the &s;ame, and all <HI>Actes</HI> and <HI>Deedes</HI> what&s;oever made for e&s;tabli|&s;hing
<PB N="9" REF="20">thereof. AND, The King's Maje&s;tie beeing informed, That the vrging of the fiue <HI>Ar|ticles</HI> of <HI>Pearth A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> hath bred Di&s;traction in the <HI>CHVRCH</HI> and <HI>ESTATE,</HI> hath beene graciou&s;lie plea&s;ed, to take the &s;ame to his Royall Con&s;ideration; and, for the Quyet and Peace of his Countrey, hath not onlie di&s;pen&s;ed with the practi&s;e of the &s;aydes <HI>Articles;</HI> But al&s;o di&s;char|ged all and what&s;oever per&s;ons, from vrging the practi&s;e thereof, vpon eyther Laicke or Eccle&s;ia|&s;ticall per&s;on what&s;oever; And hath fred all his Subjectes, from all Cen&s;ures and Paynes, whe|ther Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall or Secular, for not vr|ging, practi&s;ing, or obeying them, or anie of them, notwith&s;tanding of anie thing contay|ned in the <HI>Actes</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> or <HI>Generall A&s;|&s;emblie,</HI> to the contrarie. AND, His Maje|&s;tie is farther contented, That the <HI>A&s;&s;emblie</HI> take the &s;ame &s;o farre to their con&s;ideration, as to repre&s;ent it vnto the next <HI>Parliament;</HI> there to bee ratified, as the E&s;tates &s;hall bee found fit|ting. AND, Becau&s;e it hath beene preten|ded, That <HI>Oathes</HI> haue beene admini&s;trated diffe|rent from that which is &s;et downe in the <HI>Actes</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> his Maje&s;tie is plea&s;ed to declare by mee, That no other <HI>Oath</HI> &s;hall be required of anie Mini&s;ter at his Entrie, than that which is &s;et downe in the <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Parliament.</HI> AND, That it may appeare howe carefull his Maje&s;tie is, that no <HI>Corruption,</HI> or <HI>Innovation,</HI> &s;hall creepe into this Church, neyther yet anie <HI>Scandall, Vyce,</HI> or
<PB N="10" REF="21"><HI>Fault,</HI> of anie per&s;on what&s;oever, cen&s;urable or puni&s;hable by the <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> goe long vnpuni|&s;hed. HIS MAIESTIE is content to declare by mee, and a&s;&s;ure all his good People, That <HI>Ge|nerall A&s;&s;emblies</HI> &s;hall bee kept &s;o oft, and al&s;o oft, as the E&s;&s;ayres of this Church &s;hall requyre. AND, That none of his good Subjectes may haue cau&s;e of <HI>Grievances,</HI> agayn&s;t the Procee|dinges of the Prelates, HIS MAIESTIE is contented, That all and everie one of the pre&s;ent Bi&s;hops, and their Succe&s;&s;oures, &s;hall bee aun|&s;werable, and accordinglie from tyme to tyme, cen&s;urable, according to their merites, by the <HI>Generall A&s;&s;emblie.</HI> AND, To giue all his Maje&s;tie's good People full a&s;&s;urance, that hee never intended to admit anie <HI>Alteration,</HI> or <HI>Change,</HI> in the <HI>True Religion,</HI> profe&s;&s;ed within this Kingdome; AND, That they may bee truelie and fullie &s;atisfied, of the Realitie of His Intentions, and integritie of the &s;ame, His Maje|&s;tie hath beene plea&s;ed, to requyre and com|maund all his good Subjectes, to &s;ub&s;cry be the <HI>Confe&s;sion of Fayth,</HI> and <HI>Band for mayntenance there-of,</HI> and <HI>Of His Majestie's Per&s;on and Authori|tie,</HI> formerlie &s;igned by his deare Father, in <HI>Anno</HI> 1580; And nowe al&s;o requyreth all the&s;e of this pre&s;ent <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> to &s;ub&s;crybe the &s;ame. AND, It is his Maje&s;ties will, That this bee in&s;ert and regi&s;trate in the Books of <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> as a <HI>Testimoniall</HI> to <HI>Posteritie,</HI> not onelie of the &s;inceritie of his Intentions to the &s;ayd <HI>True Re|ligion,</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="21">but al&s;o of His Re&s;olution, to mayntayne and defende the &s;ame, and His Subjectes, in the Profe&s;&s;ion there-of. Which Declaration was by Our &s;peciall Commaund and Direction given in, and &s;ub&s;crybed by Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, vpon Prote&s;tation made by him, That his a&s;&s;enting to the regi&s;trating heere-of, &s;hould bee no Appro|bation of the lawfulne&s;&s;e of this <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> nor of anie of the Actes of Deedes done or to bee done therein. And finding them in lyke &s;ort, no|wayes to be&s;atisfied therewith, and that nothing el&s;e was able to giue them content, except at their owne plea&s;ure they were permitted to over|throwe all <HI>Epi&s;copall Governament</HI> in the Church, and thereby to abrogate Our publicke Lawes &s;tanding in vigour, by the &s;pace of manie yeares by-gone, and to alter the fundamentall Governa|ment of this Kingdome, in taking away one of three E&s;tates, contrarie expre&s;&s;e <HI>Actes</HI> of <HI>Par|liament.</HI> And le&s;t the continuance of their mee|tings, might haue produced other the lyke dange|rous <HI>Actes</HI> &s;o derogatorie to Royall <HI>Authoritie;</HI> Wee were forced for preveaning thereof, and for the cau&s;es and rea&s;ons aboue mentioned, and dy|ver&s;e others importing true Monarchicall <HI>Gover|nament,</HI> to di&s;&s;olue and breake vp the &s;ayde pre|tended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> and to di&s;charge them of all far|ther meeting, treating, or concluding of anie thing therein: And yet in that calme and peace|able way, as Our Commi&s;&s;ioner before his re|moving de&s;ired their pretended Moderator for
<PB N="12" REF="22">that tyme, to haue &s;ayde Prayer, and &s;o conclu|ded that dayes <HI>Se&s;sion;</HI> that &s;o they might haue had tyme to thinke vpon the ju&s;t rea&s;ons of his refu&s;ing, to a&s;&s;i&s;t or bee anie longer pre&s;ent at the &s;ayde pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie;</HI> and of the cau&s;es moving Us to the di&s;&s;olving thereof. And not|with&s;tanding his earne&s;t vrging the &s;ame, and being willing to returne the next Morne to heare their An&s;were, in place of all other &s;atisfaction to his &s;o rea&s;onable and moderate de&s;ires, was refu&s;ed, and met with a <HI>Prote&s;tation,</HI> of an high and extraordinarie &s;trayne: Thereby pre&s;uming to &s;ute and call our Coun&s;ell in que&s;tion, for their duetifull a&s;&s;i&s;tance, and obedience vnto Us, and Our Commi&s;&s;ioner. And finding their di&s;obedience thus to increa&s;&s;e, Wee were con|&s;trayned to di&s;charge them anewe agayne the next daye thereafter, by publicke <HI>Proclamation,</HI> vnder the Payne of Trea&s;on. And albeit that their continuance is &s;uch, as hath not beene heard in former tymes, yet they &s;hall never moue Us, to alter the lea&s;t poynt or <HI>Article</HI> of what Wee haue alreadie declared by <HI>Proclama|tion,</HI> or <HI>Declaration</HI> vnder Our Commi&s;&s;ioner's hand: All which was publicklie read, and by our Commi&s;&s;ioner requyred to bee in&s;ert and re|gi&s;trated in the Bookes of <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> therein to remayne as a <HI>Testimonie</HI> to Po&s;teritie; not on|lie of the &s;inceritie of Our Intentions to the true <HI>Religion;</HI> but al&s;o of Our Re&s;olution, to mayn|tayne and defende the &s;ame, and Our Subjectes,
<PB N="13" REF="22">in the Profe&s;&s;ion thereof. AND perceaving lykewy&s;e, That in contempt of OUR PRO|CLAMATION at <HI>GLASGOW,</HI> the xxix of NOVEMBER la&s;t, they goe &s;till on, to conveane, meete, and to make illegall and vnwarrandable <HI>Actes,</HI> WEE haue conceaved it fitting, to fore|warne all Our good Subjectes, of the Daunger that they may incurre, by beeing in&s;nared by the&s;e their vnlawfull Procedures: And, to this purpo&s;e, doe not onelie liberate and free them, from all obedience to anie of the pretended <HI>Actes</HI> made, or to bee made, at the &s;ayde pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> or Committees direct therefrae: but al&s;o doe free them from all <HI>Payne</HI> and <HI>Cen&s;ure</HI> which the &s;ayde pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie</HI> &s;hall in|flict vpon them, or anie of them: AND, THEREFORE, Doe di&s;charge, and prohibite, all Our Subjectes, That they, nor none of them, acknowledge, or giue obedience, to anie preten|ded <HI>Actes,</HI> or <HI>Con&s;titutions,</HI> made, or to bee made, at the &s;ayde pretended <HI>Meetinges,</HI> vnder all highe&s;t <HI>Paynes.</HI> AND, WEE commaund, charge, and inhibite, all Presbyteries, Se&s;&s;ions of Churches, and Mini&s;ters, within this Realme, That none of them pre&s;ume, nor take vpon hand, privatelie, nor publicklie, in their <HI>Se&s;sions</HI> and <HI>Meetinges,</HI> nor in their <HI>Conferences, Sermones,</HI> nor none other manner of waye, to authorize, approue, ju&s;tifie, or allowe, the &s;ayde vnlawfull <HI>Meeting,</HI> or <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> at <HI>GLASGOW,</HI> nor yet to make anie <HI>Act</HI> therevpon, nor to doe any
<PB N="14" REF="23" MS="y">other thing, private, or publicke, which may &s;eeme to countenance the &s;ayde vnlawfull <HI>A&s;|&s;emblie,</HI> vnder the <HI>Payne</HI> to bee holden, repu|ted, and e&s;teemed, and per&s;ued, as guiltie of that vnlawfull <HI>Meeting,</HI> and to bee puni&s;hed for the &s;ame, with all Rigour. AND SUCH-LYKE, WEE commaund all and &s;undrie Noble-men, Barrons, Gentle-men, Magi&s;trates, and all others Our Liedges, who &s;hall happen to bee pre&s;ent, and heare anie Mini&s;ters, eyther in publicke or private <HI>Conferences</HI> and <HI>Speaches,</HI> or in their <HI>Ser|mones,</HI> to approue, and allowe, the &s;ayde vnlaw|full <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> rayle, or vtter anie &s;peaches agayn&s;t Our Royall Command ementes, or Pro|ceedinges of Us, or our Coun&s;ell, for puni&s;hing or &s;uppere&s;&s;ing &s;uch Enormities; That they make relation, and report thereof, vnto Our Coun&s;ell, and furni&s;h probation; to the effect the &s;ame may bee accordinglie puni&s;hed; as they will aun&s;were to US therevpon: Certifying them, who &s;hall heare, and conceale the &s;ayde &s;peaches, that they &s;hall bee e&s;teemed, as Allowers of the &s;ame, and &s;hall accordinglie bee taken order with, and pu|ni&s;hed therefore, without favour. AND, To this effect, WEE lykewy&s;e &s;traytlie charge, and commaund, all Iudges what&s;oever within this Realme, Clerks, and Wryters, not to graunt or pa&s;&s;e anie Bill, Summonds, or Letters, or anie other Execution what&s;oever, vpon anie <HI>Act</HI> or <HI>Deed</HI> proceeding from the &s;ayde pretended <HI>A&s;|&s;emblie;</HI> AND all Keepers of the <HI>SIGNET,</HI>
<PB N="15" REF="23">from &s;ignetting thereof, &amp; that vnder all highe&s;t <HI>Paynes.</HI> AND, Becau&s;e Wee gaue Order and Commaund, to Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, to make open <HI>Proclamation,</HI> not onlie of Our Sen&s;e, but even of the true meaning of the <HI>Confe&s;sion</HI> of <HI>Fayth,</HI> in ANNO 1580; by which it may clearlie appeare, That as Wee never intended thereby to exclude <HI>EPISCOPACIE;</HI> So by no right con&s;truction can it bee other wayes interpreted; as is more than evident by the Rea&s;ons contay|ned in the &s;ayde <HI>Declaration,</HI> and manie moe, which for brevitie (the thing in it &s;elfe beeing &s;o cleare) are omitted. HEREFORE, WEE doe not onelie prohibite, and di&s;charge, all Our Subjectes, from &s;ub&s;crybing anie <HI>Band,</HI> or giving anie <HI>Writ, Sub&s;cription,</HI> or <HI>Oath,</HI> to or vpon anie <HI>Act</HI> or <HI>Deed,</HI> that proceedeth from the &s;ayde pre|tended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie:</HI> But al&s;o doe requyre them, Not to &s;ub&s;crybe nor &s;weare the &s;ayd <HI>Confe&s;sion,</HI> in no other &s;en&s;e, than which is contayned in the &s;ayd <HI>Declaration,</HI> manife&s;ted and emitted by Our Commi&s;&s;ioner, vnder all highe&s;t <HI>Paynes.</HI> AND, That none of Our good Subjectes, who in their duetie and bound obedience to US, &s;hall refu&s;e to acknowledge the &s;ayd pretended <HI>A&s;&s;emblie,</HI> or anie of the pretended <HI>Actes, Con&s;titutions, Warrandes,</HI> or <HI>Directions,</HI> proceeding therefrae, may haue ju&s;t ground of feare of danger or harme by doing hereof, WEE doe by The&s;e promi&s;e, AND, UPON THE WORD OF A KING, Obliedge Our Selues, By all the Royall
<PB N="16" REF="24" MS="y">Authoritie and Power wherewith GOD hath endewed US, To protect and defend them, and everie one of them, in their Per&s;ons, Fortunes, and Goods, agayn&s;t all and what&s;oever per&s;on or per&s;ons, who &s;hall dare or pre&s;ume, to call in que&s;tion, trouble, or anie wayes mole&s;t them, or anie of them, therefore. AND,</P>
<P>OUR WILL IS, And WEE commaund, and charge, That incontinent, the&s;e Our Letter &s;eene, yee pa&s;&s;e, and make publication heereof, by open Proclamation, at the Mercat Cro&s;&s;e of <HI>EDINBVRGH,</HI> and others places needfull; Where-through none pretend igno|rance of the &s;ame. Given from Our Court, at <HI>WHYTE-HALL,</HI> the viij day of <HI>December,</HI> and of Our Reygne the fourteenth yeare, 1638.</P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
