7. If Acts of Council are not to be made, finding that this
Declaration ought to free us of the fears of Innovations either of
Religion or Laws?
8. If all Councellours are not to be warned to give their attendance
till the business be settled?
_Yes._
9. If upon the publication of this Declaration there be Protestations
made, what course shall be taken?
_The Protesters must be proclaimed Rebels._
10. If no Protestations but Petitions of new be presented, either
demanding further satisfaction, or adhering to their former, what
Answer shall be made, or what course taken?
_Ut supra._
11. If they remain still in a Body at Edinburgh or elsewhere, after
the Declaration, what course shall be taken?
_You must raise what Force you may to treat them as Rebels._
12. If they should petition against the High Commission itself, as
not to be introduced without an Act of Parliament, what Answer shall
be given?
_That they must be content with My Declaration in that point._
13. If against the matter contained therein, it is then desired that
those particulars may be expressed that will not be yielded to?
_The settling thereof according to My Declaration will answer this._
14. If it be pressed that what is now concluded, concerning the High
Commission be ratified in the next Parliament, what Answer shall be
given?
_If I may be sure that a Parliament will doe it, I shall be content._
15. If they Petition for a Convention, what Answer shall be given?
_No Petition must be admitted till the Bond_[62] _be broken; if after,
you may grant it, leaving the time to Me._
16. If they petition for a General Assembly, that it may be once in
the year, what Answer shall be given?
_I will not be tied, but as I shall find cause._
17. If they petition that the Ministers Oath may be no other than
that which the Act of Parliament doth order them to take, what Answer
shall be given?
_I and the Bishops will consider of it._
18. If they petition that the five Articles of Perth may be held as
indifferent, what Answer shall be given?
_I will hear of no Petition against an Act of Parliament._
19. If the Town of Edinburgh may not be dealt with apart to petition
for Your Majesties Favour, and if they desire that the Council,
Exchequer, and Session may be returned them, what Answer shall be
given?
_Upon their full submission, and renouncing of the Bond, they may
have their desires._
20. If the like course may not be taken with some other principal
Burghs?
_As before._
21. If to gain some leading men from the Party, marks of Your
Majesties Favour may not be hoped for?
_To some, I; to some, No._
22. If particular men desire either Acts of Council, or Pardons under
the Great Seal, what shall be done?
_Grant their desires._
23. What Service shall be used in the Chappel Royal?
_The English._
24. If the Lords of Council and Session, shall at that time be
pressed to receive Kneeling?
_This is no time for a Communion, but when there is they must kneel._
25. If thought fit, what shall be done to them that refuse?
_Advise of it._
26. If all Acts of Council, that have injoyned the use of the
Service-Book, Book of Canons, are not to be suspended, and declared
of no force in time coming?
_Yes._
27. How far Your Majesty will warrant me to declare Your Pleasure
to the Lords of the Clergy, concerning their living within their
Diocesses?
_I shall do it My Self, but you may tell any of it._
28. How far I may declare Your willingness to give ear to and receive
the private Complaints of Your Subjects in general, and in particular
against any of the Bishops?
_Refuse none._
29. If those Ministers (who have been by the Multitude displaced) are
not again to be established?
_They must._
30. If in the Abbey-Church the use of the Organs shall be presently
enjoyned?
_Yes._
31. If those Ministers formerly silenced may not for a time be
connived at, and permitted to preach?
_If they preach not Sedition._
32. If your Majesty aim at more for the present, than establishing
the Peace of the Country?
_No more for the present._
33. If more, it is humbly desired, Your Majesty may be pleased to
express it?
_When time shall be fit._
In execution of all which, or what else Your Majesty shall think fit
to command, it is most humbly desired, that I may be so warranted,
that the labouring to put them in execution may not turn to my Ruine,
nor hazard the losing of Your Majesties Favour, dearer to me than
life?
_You shall._
* * * * *
1638.—May 16.
38. _Instructions by the King to Hamilton._[63]
CHARLES R.
I. Before you publish the Declaration which We have signed, you shall
require all the Council to sign it, and if you find that it may conduce
to Our Service, you shall make all the Council swear to give their
best assistance in the execution of the same: but this of putting them
to their Oaths, We leave to your discretion, to doe as you shall find
occasion; but if you shall find it fit to put them to their Oaths,
those that refuse must be dismissed the Council till Our further
Pleasure be known.
II. We give you Power to cause the Council to sir in whatsoever place
you shall find most convenient for Our Service, Edinburgh onely
excepted, and to change the Meeting thereof as often as occasion shall
require.
III. You may labour to prepare any of the refractory persons to
conceive aright of Our Declaration before it be published, so that it
be privately and underhand.
IV. You are to get an Act of Council to pass, to declare, that this
Declaration of Ours ought to free all honest Subjects from the fears
of Innovations of Religion or Laws: but this you are not to propose
publickly except you be sure to carry it.
V. If any Protestation be made against Our Declaration, the Protesters
must be reputed Rebels, and you are to labour to apprehend the chiefest
of them.
VI. If Petitions be presented to demand further satisfaction than that
We have already given by Our Declaration, you are to receive them,
and to give them a bold Negative, both in respect of the Matter and
the Form, as being presented from a Body which you are no ways to
acknowledge.
VII. If it should be objected against the High Commission, that it
ought not to be introduced but by Act of Parliament: your Answer must
be, that We found it left Vs by Our Father, and therefore We meane to
continue it, having first regulated it in such a way that it shall be
no just Grievance to Our Subjects, or against Our Laws: and when there
is a Parliament, We shall be content that it be ratified as We shall
now rectifie it.
VIII. If after the limited time in Our Declaration a Body remain
at Edinburgh, or elsewhere, you must raise what Force you can to
dissipate, and bring them under Our Obedience.
IX. As soon as the Peace of the Country will permit, you are to call
a General Assembly for settling of a constant and decent way for Gods
Worship; We having resolved to call them, or to permit them to be
as often as occasion shall require; We likewise intending to have a
Parliament, to ratifie what shall be condescended on at the Assembly.
X. You may say, the Bishops shall impose no other Oath upon Ministers
at their Admission, but what is warranted by Act of Parliament.
XI. You are to give direction that the same Service be used in Our
Chapel Royal, that was before the enjoyning of the Service-book.
XII. You must admit of no Petition against the 5 Articles of Perth, but
for the present you are not to press the exact execution of them.
XIII. Whenever the Town of Edinburgh shall depart from the Covenant,
and petition for Our Favour, We will that you bring back the Council
and Session to it.
XIV. You shall deny no Pardons nor Acts of Council to any particular
persons that shall desire the same for their security.
XV. Some marks of Favour We may be moved to give to particular persons
that may deserve the same.
XVI. All Acts of Council that enjoyn the use of the new Service-book
are to be suspended, and to be of no force hereafter.
XVII. You shall declare Our pleasure to Our two Archbishops, (as soon
as the Country is anyway settled) that it is Our Pleasure, that every
Bishop shall live within his own Diocess, except upon his own urgent
occasions, or that he be commanded from Us, or the Council, to attend
there for Our Service, which I intend as seldom as may be.
XVIII. You shall refuse Complaints against no man in particular,
whether Officers of State, Councellours, or Bishops, so that it be
against their Persons and not their Places.
XIX. All those Ministers who have been displaced by the seditious
multitude, are to be (so soon as conveniently may be) repossessed
again as they were.
XX. As for silenced Ministers, you may connive at their Preaching, if
you find it may tend to the quieting of the Country.
XXI. For the Organs in the Abby-Church, We leave them to your
discretion when to be used, and to advertise Me of your opinion.
XXII. You are to cause insert 6 weeks in Our Declaration for the
delivery up of the Covenant, and if you find cause, less.
XXIII. You shall declare, that if there be not sufficient Strength
within the Kingdom to force the refractory to Obedience, Power shall
come from England, and that My Self will come in Person with them,
being resolved to hazard My Life rather than to suffer Authority to be
contemned.
XXIV. If you shall find cause, you are to raise a Guard of 200 or more,
to attend Our Council.
XXV. You may treat with the Earl of Marr for the keeping of our Castles
of Edinburgh and Sterlin, and for the present he must be charged with
their safe Custody.
XXVI. You shall take seriously into consideration the Copper-coyn, and
declare Our willingness to remedy the Evils that have risen thereby; or
what else the Subjects may justly complain of.
XXVII. You may declare, that as We never intended to assume the
Nominating the Provost of Our Town of Edinburgh, so We mean not by Our
too frequent Letters to hinder the free Election of their own Officers.
XXVIII. You may likewise declare, (if you find cause) that as We never
did, so by Gods Grace We never will stop the course of Justice by any
private directions of Ours; but will leave Our Lords of Session, and
other Judges, to administer Justice, as they will be answerable to God
and Us.
If you cannot by the means prescribed by Us bring back the refractory
and seditious to due Obedience, We do not onely give you Authority,
but command all hostile Acts whatsoever to be used against them, they
having deserved to be used no other way by Us, but as a Rebellious
People; for the doing whereof We will not onely save you harmless, but
account it as acceptable Service done Us.
Such of these Instructions, as you shall find cause, We give you leave
to divulge and make use of as you find Our Service shall require.
C. R.
At Whitehall the
16th May, 1638.
* * * * *
1638.—May 20.
39. _Commission to Hamilton as Commissioner to Scotland._[64]
Carolus Dei gratiâ Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, & Hiberniæ, Rex,
fideique Defensor: Omnibus probis hominibus suis ad quos præsentes
literæ pervenerint, Salutem. Sciatis nos considerantes magnos in
hoc regno nostro Scotiæ non ita pridem exortos tumultus, ad quos
quidem componendos, multiplices regiæ nostræ voluntatis declarationes
promulgavimus, quæ tamen minorem spe nostrâ effectum hactenus sortitæ
sunt; Et nunc statuentes, ex pio erga dictum antiquum regnum nostrum
affectum, ut omnia gratiosè stabiliantur & instaurentur, quod (per
absentiam nostram) non aliâ ratione commodius effici potest, quâm
fideli aliquo Delegato constituto, cui potestatem credere possumus
tumultus ejusmodi consopiendi, aliaque officia præstandi, quæ in
bonum & commodum dicti antiqui regni nostri eidem Delegato nostro
imperare nobis videbitur: Cumque satis compertum habeamus obsequium,
diligentiam, & fidem prædilecti nostri consanguinei & consiliarii
Jacobi Marchionis Hamiltonii, Comitis Arraniæ & Cantabrigiæ, Domini
Aven & Innerdail, &c. eundemque ad imperata nostra exequenda
sufficientèr instructum esse: Ideircò fecisse & constituisse,
tenoreque præsentium facere & constituere præfatum prædilectum nostrum
consanguineum & consiliarium Jacobum Marchionem de Hamiltoun, &c.
nostrum Commissionarium ad effectum subscriptum: Cum potestate dicto
Jacobo Marchioni de Hamiltoun, &c. dictum regnum nostrum adeundi,
ibidemque præfatos tumultus in dicto regno componendi, aliaque officia
à nobis eidem committenda in dicti regni nostri bonum & commodum ibi
præstandi: Eoque Concilium nostrum quibus locis & temporibus ei visum
fuerit convocandi, ac rationem & ordinem in præmissis exequendis
servandum declarandi & præscribendi: Et quæcunque alia ad commissionis
hujus capita pro commissa ipsi fide exequenda, eandemque ad absolutum
finem perducendam & prosequendam conferre possunt tam in Concilio quâm
extra Concilium nostro nomine efficiendi & præstandi; Idque similiter
& adeò liberè acsi Nos in sacrosancta nostra persona ibidem adessemus.
Et hac præsenti nostrâ commissione durante nostro beneplacito duratura
ac semper & donec eadem per nos expressè inhibeatur. In cujus rei
testimonium præsentibus magnum sigillum nostrum apponi præcepimus.
Apud castrum nostrum de Windsore vigesimo die mensis Maii anno Domini
millesimo sexcentesimo trigesimo octavo, Et anno regni nostri decimo
quarto.
Per signaturam manu S. D. N. Regis suprascriptam.
* * * * *
1638.—June 11.
40. _Letter from the King to Hamilton._[65]
HAMILTON,
Though I answered not yours of the fourth, yet I assure you that I have
not been idle, so that I hope by the next week I shall send you some
good assurance of the advancing of our Preparations. This say not to
make you precipitate any thing, (for I like of all you have hitherto
done, and even of that which I find you mind to doe;) but to shew you
that I mean to stick to my Grounds, and that I expect not any thing can
reduce that People to their Obedience, but onely force. I thank you
for the clearness of your Advertisements, of all which none troubles
me so much, as (that in a manner) they have possessed themselves of
the Castle of Edinburgh; and likewise I hold Sterlin as good as lost.
As for the dividing of my Declaration, I find it most fit (in that way
you have resolved it;) to which I shall adde, that I am content to
forbear the latter part thereof, until you hear my fleet hath set sail
for Scotland. In the mean time your care must be how to dissolve the
Multitude, and (if it be possible) to possess your self of my Castles
of Edinburgh and Sterlin, (which I do not expect.) And to this end
I give you leave to flatter them with what hopes you please, so you
engage not me against my Grounds, (and in particular that you consent
neither to the calling of Parliament nor General Assembly, untill the
Covenant be disavowed and given up;) your chief end being now to win
time, that they may not commit publick Follies untill I be ready to
suppress them: and since it is (as you well observe) my own People,
which by this means will be for a time ruined, so that the loss must
be inevitably mine; and this if I could eschew, (were it not with a
greater) were well. But when I consider, that not onely now my Crown,
but my Reputation for ever, lies at stake, I must rather suffer the
first, that Time will help, than this last, which is irreparable. This
I have written to no other end, than to shew you I will rather die than
yield to those impertinent and damnable Demands, (as you rightly call
them;) for it is all one as to yield to be no King in a very short
time. So wishing you better success than I can expect, I rest
Your assured constant Friend,
CHARLES R.
Greenwich, 11 June, 1638.
POSTSCRIPT.—As the Affairs are now, I do not expect that you should
declare the Adherers to the Covenant Traitors, until (as I have already
said) you have heard from me that my Fleet hath set sail for Scotland,
though your six weeks should be elapsed. In a word, gain time by all
the honest means you can, without forsaking your Grounds.
* * * * *
1638.—June 13.
41. _Letter by the King to Hamilton._[66]
HAMILTON,
The dealing with Multitudes makes diversity of Advertisement no way
strange, and certainly the alteration from worse to less ill cannot be
displeasing; wherefore you may be confident, I cannot but approve your
Proceedings hitherto, for certainly you have gained a very considerable
point, in making the heady Multitude begin to disperse, without having
engaged me in any unfitting thing. I shall take your advice in staying
the publick Preparations for Force; but in a silent way (by your
leave) I will not leave to prepare, that I may be ready upon the least
advertisement. Now I hope there may be a possibility of securing my
Castles, but I confess it must be done closely and cunningly. One of
the chief things you are to labour now, is to get a considerable number
of Sessioners and Advocates, to give their opinion that the Covenant is
at least against Law, if not treasonable. Thus you have my Approbation
in several shapes, therefore you need not doubt but that I am
Your assured constant Friend,
CHARLES R.
Theobalds, 13 Jun. 1638.
* * * * *
1638.—June 13.
42. _Draft of Explanations of Covenant proposed by Spottiswood._[67]
We the Noblemen, Barons, Burgesses, Ministers, and others, that have
joyned in a late Bond or Covenant for the maintaining of true Religion
and purity of Gods Worship in this Kingdom, having understood that
Our Sovereign Lord the Kings Majesty is with this our doing highly
offended, as if we thereby had usurped his Majesties Authority, and
shaken off all Obedience to His Majesty and to His Laws; for clearing
ourselves of that imputation do hereby declare, and in the presence
of God Almighty solemnly protest, that it did never so much as enter
into our thoughts, to derogate any thing from his Majesties Power and
Authority Royal, or to disobey and rebell against His Majesties Laws,
and that all our proceedings hitherto by Petitioning, Protesting,
Covenanting, and whatsoever other way, was and is onely for the
maintaining of true Religion by us professed, and with express
reservation of our Obedience to His most Sacred Majesty; most humbly
beseeching His Majesty so to esteem and accept of us, that he will be
graciously pleased to call a National Assembly and Parliament, for
removing the Fears we have not without cause (as we think) conceived of
introducing in this Church another form of Worship than what we have
been accustomed with, as likewise for satisfying our just Grievances,
and the settling of a constant and solid Order to be kept in all time
coming, as well in the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government; which
if we shall by the intercession of Your Grace obtain, we faithfully
promise, (according to our bounden duties) to continue in His Majesties
Obedience, and at our utmost powers to procure the same during our
Lives, and for the same to rest and remain
Your Graces obliged Servants, &c.
* * * * *
1638.—June 20.
43. _Letter by the King to Hamilton._[68]
HAMILTON,
I do not wonder, though I am very sorry for your last Dispatch, to
which I shall answer nothing concerning what you have done, or mean
to doe, because I have approved all, and still desire you to believe
I do so, untill I shall contradict it with my own Hand. What now I
write is, first to shew you in what Estate I am, and then to have
your Advice in some things. My Train of Artillery consisting of 40
Peece of Ordnance (with the appurtenances) all Drakes, (half and more
of which are to be drawn with one or two Horses apiece) is in good
forwardness, and I hope will be ready within six weeks; for I am sure
there wants neither Money, nor Materials to doe it with. I have taken
as good order as I can for the present, for securing of Carlisle and
Berwick; but of this you shall have more certainty by my next. I have
sent for Arms to Holland, for 14000 Foot and 2000 Horse: for my Ships
they are ready, and I have given Order to send three for the Coast of
Ireland immediately, under pretence to defend our Fishermen. Last of
all, which is indeed most of all, I have consulted with the Treasurer
and Chancellour of the Exchequer, for Money for this years Expedition,
which I estimate at two hundred thousand pounds Sterlin, which they
doubt not but to furnish me; more I have done, but these are the
chief heads. Now for your Advice, I desire to know whether you think
it fit that I should send six thousand Land-men with the Fleet that
goes to the Frith, or not; for since you cannot secure me my Castle
of Edinburgh, it is a question whether you can secure the landing of
those men, and if with them you can make your self Master of Leith, to
fortifie and keep it: of this I desire you to send me your Resolution
with all speed. I leave it to your consideration, whether you will
not think it fit to see if you can make all the Guns of the Castle of
Edinburgh unserviceable for any body, since they cannot be useful for
me. Thus you may see, that I intend not to yield to the Demands of
those Traitors the Covenanters, who I think will declare themselves so
by their Actions, before I shall doe it by my Proclamation; which I
shall not be sorry for, so that it be without the personal hurt of you,
or any other of my honest Servants, or the taking of any English place.
This is to shew you, that I care not for their affronting or disobeying
my Declaration, so that it go not to open mischief, and that I may
have some time to end my Preparations. So I rest
Your assured constant Friend,
CHARLES R.
Greenwich, 20 June, 1638.
* * * * *
1638.—June 23.[69]
44. _To his Maiesties Commissioner, the supplicatione of the noblemen,
barrons, burgesse, ministers and comons, heir attending his Maiesties
gratious anssuer to our former petitions, complaintes and desyres,
humblie shewing,_
That quheras wee, expecting from your Grace, as his Maiesties
Commissioner, ane gratious anssuer to our former suplications,
complaintes and just desyres, haue presentit to your Grace ane
petitione, humblie crauing a free generall assembley and parliament, as
the ordinar remedy of our griuances, the onlie meine to put this kirke
and kingdome to quyetnesse.