payment of by-gones of the annuity of 500l. Sterling. _Ib._
122.—Vote for laying aside the question concerning Mr John Lawes
appeal. _Ib._
123.—Ref. to a Committee to consider of some Overtures concerning
Papists and their children and Excommunicate persons and to report.
_Ib._
124.—Recom. to the Presbyterie of Chirnside, concerning Mordingtons
family. _Ib._
125.—Act concerning Patrick Leslies acknowledgment and promise of
better behaviour, With a Reference to the Commission for publick
affairs if he keep not his promise. _Sess._ 31.
126.—Committee for considering the Petition of the great Session of
Edinburgh for Ministers, and to report. _Ib._
127.—Continuation of the examination of the Directory of Government,
and the CXI Propositions untill the next Assembly. _Sess._ 32.
128.—Recom. to Universities to bring to the next Assembly the grounds
and evidences of their Commissions to Assemblies. _Ib._
129.—Commission for Visitation of Glasgow. _Ib._
130.—Commission for Visitation of Aberdeen. _Ib._
131.—Commission for Visitation of Edinburgh. _Ib._
132.—Letter to the Officers of the Army now in England in Answer to
their Letter and Petition to the Assembly for Ministers. _Ib._
133.—Act reponing Mr William Dowglas. _Ib._
134.—Act reponing Mr John Logie. _Ib._
135.—Recom. certain persons for charity. _Ib._
136.—Act for delaying the Communion. _Ib._
137.—Recom. for repairing of Kirks, and founding of Schools in the
Presbyterie of Sky. _Sess._ 33.
138.—Continuation of Mr Andrew Ramsay untill the morne. _Ib._
139.—Suspension of Mr Andrew Ramsay, untill the next Generall Assembly.
_Sess._ 34.
140.—Ref. Mr William Colvill to a conference, and they to report. _Ib._
141.—Citation of Mr William Colvill _apud acta_ to answer for not
reading the Causes of the late Fast. _Ib._
142.—Ref. Doctor John Baron to a conference. _Ib._
143.—Recom. Mr George Clerk to the Presbyteries within Fife, Angus, and
Merns, and Aberdeen. _Sess._ 35.
144.—Commission for Visitation of the Universitie of St Andrews. _Ib._
145.—Act for visiting Hospitals and Mortifications. _Ib._
146.—Recom. to the Provinciall of Argyle to visit the Presbyterie of
Sky. _Ib._
147.—Advise to the Presbyterie to depose Mr William Edmiston with a
Recommendation to the Justice to proceed against him for Adultery. _Ib._
148.—Recom. to the Presbyterie of Sky to censure Profanation of the
Sabbath. _Ib._
149.—Approbation of the report for planting of the Kirks of Edinburgh.
_Sess._ 36.
150.—Committee for naming a List of six Ministers for Edinburgh. _Ib._
151.—Vote concerning Mr William Colvills answering presently for not
reading the Causes of the Fast. _Ib._
152.—Continuation of Mr William Colvill untill the morn. _Ib._
153.—Continuation of Doctor Baron untill the morn. _Ib._
154.—Continuation of the 20s. payed out of every Kirk for dispatches.
_Ib._
155.—Suspension of Mr William Colvill. _Sess._ 37.
156.—Suspension of Doctor Baron with a Reference to the Visitation
of the Universitie of St Andrews and Commission for publick affairs
respectively. _Ib._
157.—Recom. of the Minister of Cameron to the Commission of Parliament
for planting of Kirks. _Sess._ 38.
158.—Recommendation to Master James Hamiltoun and Master James Guthrie
to draw in Articles the duties of Elders, and a forme of Visitation of
Families, and to prepare a report to the next Assembly. _Ib._
159.—Recom. to Mr David Calderwood to draw a drought of a forme of
visitations of particular Congregations, and to prepare a report to the
next Assembly. _Ib._
160.—Recom. to Mr John Smith and the Clerk, to draw out all the Acts
of Parliament and Assembly, for Kirk Discipline and Penalties for
scandalous Sins, and to report to the next Assembly. _Ib._
161.—List of six Ministers to Edinburgh. _Ib._
162.—Ref. to the Commission for publick affairs to plant four Ministers
out of the said List in the Kirks of Edinburgh. _Ib._
163.—Declaration of the unsatisfactorinesse of the Observations of the
Committee of Estates upon the Assemblies Declaration, with a Reference
to the Commission for publick affairs, to put forth an Answer thereto.
_Sess._ 39.
164.—Appointment of the first dyet of Citations in the matter of
transportations not to be before the last Wednesday of October. _Ib._
165.—The Assemblies Answer to a Quære from the Presbyterie of Elgin,
concerning the transporting from the Hie-lands a Minister to the
Low-lands. _Sess._ 40.
166.—Letter to their Brethren in Ireland. _Ib._
167.—Letter to the Lord Chancellour. _Ib._
168.—Indiction of a Fast on the second Sabbath of September, with the
causes thereof. _Ib._
169.—Recom. concerning Mr Hew Henderson. _Ib._
170.—Recom. for the people in Libberton to repair to the Kirk of
Quodquen. _Ib._
171.—Recom. to the Parliament for dissolution the benefice of Kinkell.
_Ib._
172.—Act for proceeding against Captain Maxwell and John Sumervail and
Coronet Weir. _Ib._
173.—Recom. for planting in Innerness another Minister that hath the
Irish tongue. _Ib._
174.—Recom. for planting a Kirk in Gladsmure and that some Brethren
speak to the E. Hadington that by his pretence to the Patronage he do
not obstruct so good a work. _Ib._
175.—Remit. Mr John Law to the Provinciall of Glasgow. _Ib._
176.—Ref. concerning Mr Iames Aitkin to the visitation of Rosse and
Caithnes, &c. _Ib._
177.—Ref. Mr Donald Rosse Minister at Lochbroom to the said visitation.
_Ib._
178.—Ref. Mr Iohn Duncan to the said Visitation. _Ib._
179.—Recom. to the Presbyterie of Dingwall concerning Mr Murdo
Mackenzie late Minister at Suddie. _Ib._
180.—Act declaring Mr Murdo Mackenzie late Minister at Dingwall,
uncapable for ever of the Ministery, with a Recommendation to the
Presbyterie to proceed against him with Excommunication. _Ib._
181.—Deposition Mr William Cowper Schoolmaster at Chanrie from that
charge. _Ib._
182.—Continuation of the matter concerning Mr John Rosse at Lunfaman,
to the next Assembly. _Sess. Ult._
183.—Act Ordaining the Presbyterie of Elgin to proceed against Master
Thomas Gilzeam and John Gordon. _Ib._
184.—Ref. Master Francis Omey to the Provinciall of Perth. _Ib._
185.—Refusall of Master George Hannaes desire, and his censure for his
miscarriage. _Ib._
186.—Recom. in favours of his wife and children.
187.—Recom. concerning the Kirk of Mordington, to the visitation of
Dunce and Chirnside. _Ib._
188.—Recom. to the Provinces of Aberdeen, Angus and Murray to supply
the vaiking Kirks in Badinoch, Lochaber, &c. respectively in their own
bounds. _Ib._
189.—Ref. of Sir Lachlean Mackean to the Commission for publick
affairs. _Ib._
190.—Ordinance for the Presbyterie of Sky to proceed with
Excommunication against Mr Lachlane Fraser. _Ib._
191.—Ref. Concerning the particulars given in by Master James Moreson
against the Presbyterie of Kirwall to the visitation of Rosse and
Caithnes. _Ib._
192.—Renovation of the Commission of the preceding Assembly in Sess.
26, concerning Witchcraft. _Ib._
193.—Recommendation Master Alexander Mackean to Presbyteries and
Universities for a Bursar, and particularly to the Presbyterie of
Edinburgh. _Ib._
194.—Act concerning the tryall of Master William Home and citing of
Witnesses. _Ib._
195.—Commission to Mr John Pringill and Mr John Strachen to examine
Witnesses in that matter. _Ib._
196.—Recom. to the Commissioners of the Presbyterie of Glasgow for
sending to the Clerk an exact report of the condition of their
Kirks, with their provisions, the extent of Paroches, and number of
Parochiners. _Ib._
197.—Act for intimating the Visitation of Dunce and Chirnside. _Ib._
198.—Recommendation Master William Dowglas to the Committee of Estates.
_Ib._
FINIS.
=Miscellaneous Historical Documents,=
RELATIVE TO THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS IN SCOTLAND—1648.
_Excerpts from Principal Baillie’s Letters._
_To Mr William Spang. [Glasgow,] March 27, 1648._
REVEREND AND DEAR COUSIN,—He is wiser than a man who can inform
what course our affairs here will take. This is the seventh week
that I have been forced to attend in Edinburgh; and yet we see
small appearance of any good conclusion; but as they are I make you
this account of them. After the King found himself disappointed of
all the fair hopes made to him by Cromwell and his party, whether
on their repentance, or their fear from Lilburn, Rainsborough,
and their levelling friends, our commissioners made more serious
applications, and were more acceptable than before. At the Isle of
Wight, his Majesty did live with them very lovingly, and upon great
hopes on all hands. Traquair, Sir John Cheesly, Callendar, and all
that came home before them, gave it out confidently in the general,
that the King had given to our commissioners full satisfaction. This
caused great joy, and a readiness in all to rise in arms quickly
for his deliverance. But when I found all bound up by oath, not to
reveal any of the particular concessions till the commissioners
returned, I feared the satisfaction should not be found so agreeable
as was spoken. The too strict secrecy bred prejudices in the minds
of the wisest. And when we heard the report from the Chancellor
and Lauderdale at their return, our suspicions were turned into
grief: for we found the concessions no ways satisfactory, and the
engagements of some to the King upon them so great, as did much
blemish their reputation with many of their intimate friends. Our
debates for more than a fortnight were to come to the bottom of
these offers, and to find a way how we might be free of them. We
were malecontent with our commissioners: their scurvy usage by the
parliament of England, their compassion of the King’s condition,
Lanerk’s power with Lauderdale, and both their workings on the
Chancellor, made them to accept of less, and promise more to the
King, than we would stand to. They were content we should declare
our dissatisfaction with the King’s offers as we thought fit, both
by the church and the state, on condition we would consent to a levy
against the faction of sectaries. To this we were not unwilling,
providing we might be satisfied in the state of the question, and
might be assured, that the army should be put in such hands as we
might confide in. Both these were promised to us in private; but
when we found no performance, the business is retarded to this day.
Betwixt the Chancellor, Duke Argyle, Treasurer, Lauderdale, Lanerk,
Balmerino, Wariston, Mr Robert Douglas, Mr George Gillespie, Mr David
Calderwood, Mr Robert Blair, Mr David Dickson, Mr Samuel Rutherford,
many meetings have been had, night and day, private and publick; but
as yet our discords increase, and are ready to break out in a fearful
rupture both of church and state. Our meetings were long in private
for a state of a question. We required peremptorily to stand to our
former principles and covenant; “to have religion settled first; and
the King not restored till he had given security, by his oath, to
consent to an act of parliament for injoining the covenant in all
his dominions, and settling religion according to the covenant.”
We stuck many days on that negative expression, “The King not to
be restored till he had sworn the covenant.” This much had both
our parliament and assembly pressed upon him at Newcastle; yet at
last we were content of affirmative expressions: “Religion and the
covenant to be settled, and thereupon the King to be restored.” The
next difficulty in the question was about the malignants. We were
peremptory to have none of them in our army who should not take the
covenant, and to have all of them declared enemies who should rise
in arms by themselves for any end contrary to our cause. Here we
had great struggling. In the writ which we called an agreement and
engagement, the King’s offers therein, too great favour was shown
to malignants. We resolved to beware of them so much the more. The
greatest stop of all was upon the oath. We resolved to have these
things put in a formal oath, to be taken solemnly by all the members
of parliament and officers of our army. They declined an oath by all
means. While we are like to come to no agreement about these things,
the pulpits sounded loud against the dangers of malignants, but more
softly against sectaries. We prepare also a declaration of dangers
and duties, wherein we press to the full our dissatisfaction with the
King’s concessions in matters of religion. This gave great offence
to our commissioners. We had put them to it to give us in writ the
report what passed between them and the King concerning religion;
for his Majesty in his letter to us had said, he had offered to
them what he was confident would give us satisfaction, which they
are necessitated to give us in writ these private concessions, and
be content to have them, and our reasons against them, published to
the world. They were not a little offended; but there was no remedy.
To our sense, they had passed the bounds of their duty, though both
the committee of estates, and parliament itself, had, in a fair
general, without examination, approved all they had done. We thought
it destructive to our cause and covenant, and ourselves absolutely
impeded from all motion for the King till these grounds of motion
were publickly disclaimed. It increased our offence, that so many
noblemen did vex us with debates and votes openly in face of the
commission, after we had changed in private, for the satisfaction
of the Chancellor and Lauderdale, many passages of our writ; also
that they had laboured to their power to make a party among the
ministers to oppose us, Mr Andrew Ramsay, Mr Andrew Fairfoul, Mr
Robert Laurie, Mr Andrew Afflect, and divers others; but especially
Mr William Colvil, who had in private objected against one passage,
inferring the necessity upon conscience to restore the King presently
to the exercise of his full regal power in all his dominions,
notwithstanding of all he had done, without any condition, either
of covenant, religion, or propositions; that we were obliged to do
this duty unto him, and never more to oppose till we found him abuse
this power; and then we might resist, albeit no more but the abuse of
this power. I did think it enough in our subcommittee to bring him
to acknowledge so shameful a tenet, all of us thinking he would not
have the boldness any more in publick to speak to such a purpose;
yet in the face of the commission, in a very jeering insolent way,
being a little provoked by the indiscreet challenge of Mr Rutherford;
he offered to reason for such a conclusion. We had not failed to
have called him to an account for his malapertness, had not the
intervention of other greater affairs diverted us.
By this time the parliament was set. Never so many noblemen present
in any of our parliaments; near fifty Earls and Lords. Among them
were found but eight or nine for our way; Argyle, Eglinton, Cassils,
Lothian, Arburthnot, Torphichen, Ross, Balmerino, Cupar, Burleigh,
and sometimes the Chancellor and Balcarras. All the rest, with more
than the half of the Barons, and almost the half of the Burgesses,
especially the greater towns, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, St
Andrew’s, Linlithgow, ran in a string after Duke Hamilton’s vote.
That party, besides the advantage of the number of two at least to
one, had likewise the most of the ablest speakers. For us none did
speak but Argyle and Wariston, and sometimes Cassils and Balmerino;
but they had the Duke, the Treasurer, Lanerk, Lauderdale, Traquair,
Glencairn, Cochran, Lee, all able spokesmen; yet the other party had
the advantage of reputation, having from the beginning been constant
in our cause: also all the assistance the church could make was for
them. The first bickering was for our declaration. When, contrary
to their minds, we had passed it, they were earnest it might not be
published; but we had given orders, as ever had been our custom,
to print it, even before we had communicated it to the parliament.
They had divers purposes, either by persuasion or violence, to have
kept it in; but we let it go out on Monday, and ordained it to be
read on Sunday thereafter in all the kirks of Edinburgh, and about.
That which hastened it out was our irritation by the Treasurer’s
challenge of Argyle on the Monday morning; an unhappy accident,
that was ready to have kindled the fire amongst us all, had not God
prevented it. Argyle’s enemies had of a long time burdened him, among
many slanders, with that of cowardice and cullionry. On the Friday
afternoon in parliament, discoursing merrily with the Treasurer, he
said, “He heard of a meeting whereat the Treasurer had been the other
night.” Speaking a little of this purpose, he apprehended, that the
Treasurer had said, not only that the best men of the kingdom had
been at that meeting, but also, that himself was a better man than
he. Upon this, Argyle goes out of the House in anger, and calls for
Major Innes, who sat at both their feet, and heard their discourse,
to know if he had heard the Treasurer say, that himself was a better
man than Argyle. Innes did not avow the words; but being sent to the
Treasurer from Argyle, to try if he had spoken so, he said, He would
not account to Argyle what he said; but whatever it was, he would
make it good with his sword. Upon this, Argyle desired him to appoint
time and place; and on the Sunday, a publick fast-day, the Treasurer
sent back word, after both sermons, that on Musselburgh links, at
seven o’clock to-morrow morning, he should meet him, and bring a
nobleman for a second. Innes, albeit no great friend to Argyle,
not only offered himself to Argyle for a second, but told him, he
would resent it as a wrong if he were not admitted; so Argyle,
with no flesh but Innes, the Treasurer, and Lanerk his second, did
meet. Incontinent all were missed, and many ran to all quarters to
search for them; and, by God’s providence, before they began their
plea, some fell on them, and made them part without a stroke. The
council that night, with much ado, got them to a professed coldrife
friendship. We had resolved in the commission of the church, to have
made both before the congregation acknowledge their fault; so much
the more, as Sinclair and David Lesly, Eglinton, and Glencairn, some
days before; and some days after, Kenmuir and Cranston, had been on
the like engagements; but other matters put that out of our heads.
The publishing of our printed declaration put some of the parliament
on many hard thoughts of us; but the result of all was, the calling
of six of us to confer with six of their great committee upon a
state of a question. For them were, Lauderdale, Lanerk, Humbie,
Lee, Archibald Sydserf, and Sir Alexander Wedderburn, with the
Chancellor: For us, Mr David Calderwood, Mr D. Dickson, Mr G.
Gillespie, Craighall, Libberton, I, with the moderator Mr Robert
Douglas. They produced to us a draught of a declaration, penned with
a great deal of deliberation, by the counsel of many, but especially
by Lanerk’s pen. They had slandered us exceedingly, as opposite
to all war with the English sectaries on any terms. To clear that
mistake, I wrote, and put in divers hands, Lanerk’s among others,
the paper which herewith I send you. Their draught did endeavour
to give pretty good satisfaction to most of our doubts; yet after
a day’s advisement, we found it so unsatisfactory, that themselves
were content we should take it to our consideration to be corrected
as we found expedient. Mr Gillespie and my Lord Wariston had drawn
an oath of association, which pleased themselves well, but their
opposites, extremely ill, and their best friends but so and so, when
best corrected. In our draught we took so much of their declaration,
and our friends oath of association, as we thought made a state of a
question which should be satisfactory to all; and here, to my great
joy, were we on the very nick of a cordial agreement: but behold a
most unhappy accident, which did put us to, and yet has kept us in a
discord almost irreconcileable. There was a great desire in the chief
that were for an engagement, to seize on Berwick and Carlisle, both
for the extreme great advantage of these places, and also to begin
the war, for the encouraging of our friends abroad, and wakening
our people at home. This they counted no wrong, nor invasion of
England; their quarrel being only against the sectaries and their
adherents, for vindicating of our covenant, for the rescue of the
King, parliament, and oppressed covenanters. An indiction needed not
against this enemy. The towns of England, for our passing and safe
retreat in the prosecution of the common cause, ought to be patent.
Yet the most of us were averse from this design, and had long kept
it off. In a few days we found the parliament, two thirds for one,
otherwise affected than we wished. So soon as it was constitute,
there was an inclination to make a close committee for the greatest
affairs. Six of every state were named. So long as their power
was not determined, we were not startled; but so soon as they got
an absolute power to do what was fitting for the safety of the
kingdom, in relation to Berwick and Carlisle, incontinent all were
alarmed. Six of the trustiest members of parliament protested against
that vote. The protestation was not admitted; but the protestors
thereafter kept themselves together; and albeit the least, yet they
kept the reputation of the best part of the parliament. Privately
and publickly we gave warning, that the passing of such a vote would
break us irrecoverably; but we were believed too late. My Lord
Callendar’s party were so furiously earnest to possess Berwick,
and to begin action, that they threatened to desert Hamilton and
his friends if they delayed the vote any longer; so it passed,
notwithstanding our earnest intreaties, and our friends protestation
to the contrary. The issue was, we refused to confer any more on
the state of a question. The protestors confirmed their union. Many
of the shires sent in to supplicate against all engagement, unless
the kirk were satisfied in the state of a question. David Lesly,
Holburn, with the rest of the officers, declared their resolution,
not to move without our satisfaction. After some days contest, we
found a great change. The Chancellor that had hitherto been too far
for the engagers, offended with their unreasonable proceedings, came
almost wholly off them to us his old and best friends. The chief of
the Duke’s friends came to intreat us to accept all we could desire,
to state the question according to our mind, to be assured to have
such in our armies and committees as we liked, to give over the
surprise of Berwick, and all acting by the close committee. These
things, by the Treasurer and others, were offered to us, with many
fair and earnest expressions. As yet we are not satisfied by words,
and some of our leaders are likely never to be satisfied, and resolve
to trust to nothing that their opposites can do or say, so long as
this parliament, which they call unsound, is in being. The danger of
this rigidity is like to be fatal to the King, to the whole isle,
both churches and states. We mourn for it to God. Though it proceed
from two or three men at most, yet it seems remediless. If we be
kept from a present civil war, it is God, and not the wisdom of our
most wise and best men, which will save us. I am more and more in
the mind, that it were for the good of the world, that churchmen did
meddle with ecclesiastick affairs only; that were they ever so able
otherwise, they are unhappy statesmen; that as Erastianism is hurtful
to the church, so an Episcopal papacy is unfortunate for the state.
If no man were wiser than I am, we should not make many scruples to
settle the throne, and pull down the sectaries. Never more high and
dangerous questions in Scots hands. What the conclusion will be, a
few days will declare.