therefore speak a word unto you here. Indeed I could hold my peace very
well, if I did not think that holding my Peace would make some Men
think that I did submit to the Guilt, as well as to the Punishment, But
I think it is my Duty to God first, and to my Country, for to clear
my self both as an honest Man, a good King, and a good Christian. I
shall begin first with my Innocency: In truth, I think it not very
needful for me to insist long upon this, for all the World knows I
never did begin the War with the two Houses of Parliament; and I call
God to witness (to whom I must shortly make an account) that I never
did intend to incroach upon their Privileges. They began upon me: It is
the Militia they began upon; they confest that the Militia was mine,
but they thought it fit to have it from me: And to be short, if any
Body will look but to the Dates of the Commissions, their Commissions
and mine, and likewise to the Declarations, will see clearly that they
began these unhappy Troubles, not I. So that as to the guilt of these
enormous Crimes that are laid against me, I hope in God, that God will
clear me of it; I will not, I’m in Charity: God forbid that I should
lay it upon the two Houses of Parliament; there is no necessity of
either, I hope they are free of this guilt: for I believe that ill
Instruments between them and me, has been the chief Cause of all this
Bloodshed; so that by way of speaking, as I find my self clear of this,
I hope (and pray God) that they may too: yet for all this God forbid
that I should be so ill a Christian, as not to say that God’s Judgments
are just upon me; many times he does pay Justice by an unjust Sentence,
that is ordinary: I only say this, that an unjust Sentence (meaning
Strafford) that I suffered to take effect, is punished now by an unjust
Sentence upon me; that is, so far I have said to shew you that I am an
innocent Man. Now for to shew you that I am a good Christian. I hope
there is (pointing to Dr Juxton) a good Man that will bear me witness.
That I have forgiven all the world, and even those in particular that
have been the chief Causers of my death; who they are God knows, I
do not desire to know, I pray God forgive them. But this is not all,
my Charity must go further; I wish that they may repent: for indeed
they have committed a great Sin in that particular; I pray God with
St Stephen, that this be not laid to their Charge; nay not only so,
but that they may take the right way to the peace of the Kingdom, for
Charity commands me not only to forgive particular Men, but my Charity
commands me to endeavour to the last gasp the peace of the Kingdom. So,
Sirs, I do wish with all my Soul, and I do hope there is some here will
carry it further, that they may endeavour the peace of the Kingdom.
Now, Sirs, I must shew you both how you are out of the way, and I will
put you in the way: First you are out of the way; for certainly all
the way you ever have had yet, as I could find by any thing, is in the
way of Conquest. Certainly this is an ill way; for Conquest, Sirs, in
my opinion is never just, except there be a good just Cause, either
for matter of wrong, or just Title; and then if you go beyond it, the
first quarrel that you have to it, that makes it unjust at the end,
that was just at first: But if it be only matter of Conquest, then it
is a great Robbery. As a Pirate said to Alexander the Great, That he
was the great Robber, he was but a petty Robber: and so, Sirs, I do
think the way you are in, is much out of the way. Now, Sirs, for to
put you in the way; believe it, you will never do right, nor God will
never prosper you, until you give him his due, the King his due (that
is my successors) and the People their due, I am as much for them as
any of you: You must give God his due, by regulating rightly his Church
(according to his Scriptures) which is now out of order: for to set
you in a way particularly, now I cannot; but only this. A National
Synod freely called, freely debating among themselves, must settle
this, when that every opinion is freely and clearly heard. For the King
indeed I will not (then turning to a Gentleman that touched the Ax,
he said, Hurt not the Ax that may hurt me.) As for the King, the Laws
of the Land will clearly instruct you for that; therefore because it
concerns my own particular, I will only give you a touch of it. For the
People: And truly I desire their Liberty and Freedom, as much as any
Body whomsoever; but I must tell you, That their Liberty and Freedom
consists in having of Government, those Laws by which their Life and
their Goods may be most their own. It is not for having share in
Government (Sirs) that is nothing pertaining to them. A Subject and a
Soveraign are clean different things; and therefore until they do that,
I mean, That you do put the People in that Liberty as I say, certainly
they will never enjoy themselves. Sirs, it was for this that now I am
come here. If I would have given way to an Arbitrary Way, for to have
all Laws changed according to the Power of the Sword, I needed not to
have come here; and therefore I tell you (and I pray God it be not laid
to your Charge) that I am the Martyr of the People. In troth, Sirs, I
shall not hold you much longer: For I will only say this to you, That
in truth I could have desired some little time longer, because that
I would have put this that I have said in a little more order, and a
little better digested, than I have done; and therefore I hope you will
excuse me. I have delivered my Conscience, I pray God that you take
these Courses that are best for the good of the Kingdom and your own
Salvation.
_Dr Juxton._ Will your Majesty, though it may be very well known your
Majesty’s Affections to Religion; yet it may be expected that you
should say somewhat for the World’s satisfaction in that particular.
_King._ I thank you very heartily, my Lord, for that I had almost
forgotten it. In troth, Sirs, my Conscience in Religion I think is very
well known to the World; and therefore I declare before you all, That I
die a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England,
as I found it left me by my Father; and this honest Man (meaning
the Bishop) I think will witness it. Then turning to the Officers,
said, Sirs, excuse me for this same, I have a good Cause, and I have
a gracious God: I will say no more. Then turning to Col. Hacker, he
said, Take care they do not put me to pain—and Sir, this and it please
you—But then a Gentleman coming near the Ax, the King said, Take heed
of the Ax, pray take heed of the Ax. Then the King speaking to the
Executioner said, I shall say but very short Prayers, and then thrust
out my hands. Then the King called to Dr Juxton for his Nightcap; and
having put it on, he said to the Executioner, Does my hair trouble
you? who desired him to put it all under his Cap, which the King did
accordingly by the help of the Executioner and the Bishop. Then the
King turning to Dr Juxton, said, I have a good Cause, and a gracious
God on my side.
_Dr Juxton._ There is but one Stage more: This Stage is turbulent and
troublesom. It is a short one. But you may consider, it will soon carry
you a very great way; it will carry you from Earth to Heaven, and there
you shall find to your great joy the Prize; you haste to a Crown of
Glory.
_King._ I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where no
disturbance can be.
_Dr Juxton._ You are exchanged from a temporal to an eternal Crown, a
good exchange.
Then the King took off his Cloak and his George, giving his George to
Dr Juxton, saying, _Remember_, (it is thought for the Prince) and some
other small Ceremonies past. After which the King stooping down, laid
his Neck upon the Block; and after a little pause, stretching forth his
hands, the Executioner at one blow severed his Head from his Body. Then
his Body was put in a Coffin, covered with black Velvet, and removed to
his Lodging-Chamber in Whitehall. Being imbalmed and laid in a Coffin
of Lead to be seen for some days, at length upon Wednesday the 17th of
February, it was delivered to four of his servants, Herbert, Mildmay,
Preston, and Joyner, who with some others in mourning Equipage attended
the Herse that night to Windsor, and placed it in the Room which was
formerly the King’s Bedchamber.
Next day it was removed into the Deans Hall, which was hung with black,
and made dark, and Lights were set burning round the Herse. About
three in the afternoon the Duke of Richmond, the Marquess of Hartford,
the Earls of Southampton and Lindsey, and the Bishop of London, came
thither, with two Votes passed that Morning, whereby the ordering of
the King’s Burial was committed to the Duke, provided that the Expences
thereof exceeded not £500. This Order they shewed to Col. Whichcot
the Governor of the Castle, desiring the Interment might be in St
George’s Chappel, and according to the form of the Common Prayer: The
latter Request the Governor denied, saying, That it was improbable the
Parliament would permit the use of what they had so solemnly abolished,
and therein destroy their own Act.
The Lords replied,
That there was a difference betwixt destroying their own Act, and
dispensing with it; and that no Power so binds its own hands, as to
disable it self in some Cases. But all prevailed not.
The Committee to whom the ensuing Proclamation was referred made report
hereof, and the House assented to the same: Here take it at large.
“Whereas Charles Stuart King of England, being for the notorious
Treasons, Tyrannies and Murders committed by him in the late unnatural
and cruel Wars, condemned to death; whereupon after execution of
the same, several Pretences may be made, and Titles set on foot
unto the Kingly Office, to the apparent hazard of the public Peace:
For prevention whereof, Be it enacted and ordained by this present
Parliament, and by Authority of the same, That no Person or Persons
whatsoever do presume to proclaim, declare, publish, or any way promote
Charles Stuart, Son of the said Charles, commonly called the Prince of
Wales, or any other Person, to be King or Chief Magistrate of England,
or of Ireland, or of any the Dominions belonging to them, or either
of them, by colour of Inheritance, Succession, Election, or any other
Claim whatsoever, without the free Consent of the People in Parliament
first had and signified by a particular Act or Ordinance for that
purpose; any Statute, Law, Usage, or Custom to the contrary hereof in
anywise notwithstanding.
“And be it further enacted and ordained, and it is hereby enacted
and ordained, That whosoever shall, contrary to this Act, proclaim,
declare, publish, or any way promote the said Charles Stuart the Son,
or any other Person, to be King, or Chief Magistrate of England, or of
Ireland, or of any the Dominions belonging to them, or to either of
them, without the said consent in Parliament signified as aforesaid,
shall be deemed and adjudged a Traitor to the Commonwealth, and shall
suffer the pains of Death, and such other Punishments as belong to
Crimes of High Treason. And all Officers as well Civil as Military,
and all other well-affected Persons are hereby authorised and required
forthwith to apprehend all such Offenders, and to bring them in safe
Custody to the next Justice of the Peace, that they may be proceeded
against accordingly.”
* * * * *
8. _Excerpts from Balfour’s Annales of Scotland._
9 Martij, 1649.—The parliament past a most strange acte this mounthe,
abolishing the patronages of kirkes, wich pertined to laymen since euer
Christianity was planted in Scotland. Francis, Earle of Balcleuche,
and some others, protested aganist this acte as vrangous, and all
togider derogatorey to the just rights of the nobility and gentrey
of the kingdome of Scotland, and so departed the parl: housse. Bot
current was carried for the presbeteries and churche way, in respecte
Argyle, the Chanceler, and Arch: Johnston, the kirks minon, durst doe
no wtherwayes, lest the leaders of the church should desert them, and
leaue them to stand one ther auen feeitt, wich without the church non
of them could weill doe.
This notable pranke in effecte resembles muche the 14 Grauamen wich
Germaney did exhibit, Reg: Carol: 5, to Pope Adrian, amongest the
abusses of the Roman sea, that the Pope and his Legats vsurped the
right of patronage belonging to layicks, and dispensed them benefices
vaccand to his fauorits and abettors, contrarey to law, right and reall
possession, tyme out past all memorey and prescription; vich wold proue
in tyme the ruine of the Catholick church; bot lykwayes wold sturre vpe
maney enimies aganist the Roman churche, in doing so publicke ane acte
of iniustice, quherin so many persones (layicks) of all degrees were
intressed.
And this acte, to make it the more spetious, they colored it with the
liberty of the people to choysse ther auen ministers; zet the generall
assembley holdin at Edinbrughe, in the mounthes of Julij and Agust,
this same zeire, made a werey sore mint to haue snatcht this shadow
from the people, (notwithstanding ther former pretences,) colationed
the sole pouer one the presbeteries, and oute-foolled the people of
that right they formerly pretended did only and especially belonge to
them, _jure diuino_; as according to the new deuinitey of thesse tymes,
till the acte was past, bothe the leaders and ther creture Jhonston,
pleaded with all the forcible arguments wrested Scripture could
produce, to procure ther auen ends and gratnes, wiche tyme will not
faill heirafter fully to discouer to a wronged posterity.
* * * * *
The parliament, one ther former sentence of forfaultrey against George,
Marques of Huntley, ordained hes head to be choped off from hes bodey,
at the crosse of Edinbrughe, one Thursday, the 22 of Marche, this
zeire; wich wes performed. He wold not be relaxed from the sentence of
excomunicatione, &c. His corpes wer carried to Settone, to be interrid
ther in the comon buriall of that family, from wich himselue had
issewed.
The first exchequer day that was holdin after the ryssing of the
parliament, in the end of Marche this zeire, the Chanceler, Loudon, had
3 gifts past; the signators quherof wer wnder K. Charles the Firsts
hand.
1. His haill lands wich wer hold in ward and releiffe (for most of them
wer so) changed, and holdin blenche, for payment of a read rosse.
2. A gift, _durante vita_, of the shriffschipe of Aire, altho gifts of
this same nature wer declared woyde in this same parl:
3. A gift to him and hes heires of the balzirie of Kyle. It seimes
that thesse 3 signaturs now past, wer a pairt of that recompence for
wiche he betrayed the King to his enimies, and the countrey to its
oppressors; for indeid he played notoriously with bothe handes. And
being president of that parl: 1648, wes the only man, by his longe
oratione, that most wrged and moued that ingagement against England,
for the Kings releiffe, wich he therafter disclaimed, and persecutted
all vthers quhom himselue had persuaded to contenance and enacte thesse
lawes himselue first did brak, enacte, and repealle; quhen as he had
bound himselue, both by word, othe, and wreat, to the Kings Maiesty, at
the Ile of Wight, being then one of the commissioners of the kingdome
of Scotland. At the parl: 1648, he maid a longe oration, most bitter
and invectiue, against the Englishe, calling them a periured natione,
oppressors and murthers of ther King, heretiques, sectaries, enimies
to monarchey, breckers of leauge and couenant. To most of the actes of
this parl: he consented, especially to the leuey, and all of them he
subscriued with his auen hand, (being president therof); bot about the
end of the same, he begane to appeir in his auen colors, quhen as that
parl: and the commissione of the kirke could not aggrie one certaine
poynts, imediatly after Ducke Hamilton was enacted to be generall of
the armey. Bot in this parl: Jarij: 1649, he spoke als muche aganist
that wich formerly he had plotted and contriued, as was sufficient to
lett understanding men know, that now he labored to put him of the way,
quho only could call him to ane accompt for hes periurey and fallsse
packing.
To remember how with aboundance of teares the L. Chanceler made his
repentance in the East Churche of Edinbrughe, declaring so much of
hes former honest dealling to the people, as he weill knew eurey one
vnderstood; and this wes done to pleasse some of the leading ministers,
(quho wer now leading this penitent in triumphe,) and causing him sing
peccaui, to bleare the eyes of the comons; he can veill preuaricat with
men quho takes him to be the L. Chanceler of Scotland, bot with God he
cannot, quho knowes him to be a heighland man bothe in lyffe and maners.
To remember, how in the preceding zeire, 1648, the Marquesse of Argyle
and the E. of Craufurd, vent out to Muskillbroughe Links to fight the
combat The E. of Lanricke wes second to Craufurd, and L. Col. James
Innes of Sandsyde, wes 2d to Argyle; all that wes one them could not
make Argyle to fight, till he saw L. Colonell Haddan, the Chancelers
man, come in to pertey them. Then was he something stoute, and refussed
to subscriue that paper, wich he wold haue formerly done (I belieue
against his will,) bot had beine forced ather to doe it or ells to cast
offe his doublett and boottes, wich he wes wounderous lothe to doe,
in respecte of the coldnesse of the wether. For this grate escape,
Argyle became a werey humble peinitent to the committie of the kirke,
acknouledging this foulishe acte of his to be a scriptuall disertione.
Vpone this imergent, the ensewing generall assembly made ane acte
of the 12 of Agust, 1648, aganist duells, vretters and receauers of
challanges and chartells, that without respecte of persons they shall
be processed with the censures of the kirke, and make ther repentence
befor the pullpit, &c. tuo seuerall Lordes dayes. The first day, the
minister is to shew them ther sin and the gratenes of ther offence;
and the 2d day, they are to make a soleme publicke confessione therof,
and professione of ther vnfained humiliatione and repentance for the
same; and if they refusse to zeild obedience, them to be processed with
excommunicatione.
* * * * *
29 Julij, 1649. To remember how that one Mr Naysmithe, a minister
at this generall assembley, argued much to haue the haill teinds to
the churche, and wes opposed by the Marquesse of Argyle and Earle of
Cassiles, with all the lay elders, as a propositione muche scandalizing
the professione and ther often promisses, zea, (said some,) a thing
not belonging to them. Bot Naysmithe, werey impudently and affrintedly
affirmed, that it must be manteind that the teinds did belong to
the churche, _jure diuino_. Argyle ansuered, wee must manteine the
contrarey, with all our pouer, of that falls opinione of yours.
Cassiles said, the more ze gett, the worsse contented you are; bot in
this ze haue nather diuinity wnder the gospell for the same, nather
ressone or aney poynt of humane law. Then, said Argyle, the churche hes
alredey the 10 of all the rent of the land, zet it seime they are not
content, nather are they the 30 pt. of the inhabitants, I may say not
the 100 pairt: it is not good to awalkin sleiping doges. The moderator,
Mr Rob: Douglas, said that hes brother, Mr Nasmythe, spoke mor rashlie
then he was awarre offe; and he admired he was so impertinent, and
therefore willed him to be quyet; bot Nasmythe replyed, he only spoke
out that wich maney more of that number of hes professione thought:
some lay elders, that wer barrons, sitting by him, desyred him to burey
that, wtherwayes they wold make the suorde decyde that questione, and
lett him and all suche couetous persons see that teindes wer not wnder
the gospell _juris diuini_, bot _juris humani_. So you see how Nasmythe
did sing, the shamefast caroll, in face of the assembley, in name of
hes brethrein.
Julij, 1649.—In the generall assembley, haldin at Edinbrughe, in Julij
this zeire, ther wer werey maney ministers depossed, for manteining the
last expeditione into England to be lawfull, for reliffe of our King,
quhome thesse bloodie blasphemers hes since killed, contrarey to the
Soleme Leauge and Couenant with that perfidious natione; amongest quhom
wer Mr Androw Ramsay and Mr William Collin, ministers of Edinbrughe,
tuo learnid and worthey men; they wer much regraitted by honest men,
and thesse quho treulie loued peace and treuthe. Bot the current of the
tymes went so, that in respecte they wold not dance to the play of the
leaders, Douglas, Dicksone, Cant, Guthrie, and Law, they wer deposed
from the ministeriall office, quhen as one of them, viz. Mr Androw
Ramsay, hed beine ane actuall minister aboue 53 zeires, quherof he had
seruid in Edinbrughe 36 of the same.
L. Generall Mideltone went werey neir at this assembley to be
excommunicat, wer not he compeired and spoke boldly for himselue,
and hardly got 4 monthes to adwysse quhither he wold subscriue that
declaratione emitted by the assembley anent the ingagers or not.
30 Julij, 1649.—Memorandum.—To be resolued of this doubte, viz. that
since all the malignants of the kingdome did auer that James Grhames
succes and prosperous fortune in so maney batells winne be him, did
cleirly demonstrat Gods fauor to him, and the goodnes of hes causse,
(wich by the precisse pairty) was thought the only not to know a
malignant by, in that they manteined and fauored so vnchristian and
Turkishe ane oppinon; as if the goodnes and lawfullnes of the causse
dependit altogider one the successe.
And now, since Julij last, 1649, and the Whigamore road, the face of
gouerniment being changed and put in other hands, and the kirke now
asspyring to so grate a height and triumphe, all ther papers, actes
almost, and declarations bothe of churche and stait, runs with that
same clausse, viz. aganist all wich, not only eminent testimonies of
Gods wrath haue beine giuen, in defaitting of them, &c. meining the
Englishe engagement, bot especiallay the course perseued by the Earle
of Lanrick, George Monro, at Sipling and Pluscardey, and ther adherents
in the northe.
The blasphemers and sectaries, in England, from ther bygaine prosperous
successe in all ther impious and wicked actions aganist Gods treuth,
diuyne and humaine lawes, wich they haue trampled wnder footte, affirme
in al ther declarations, lykwayes, to be the only causse quhay the
Lord fauors them in all ther interprysses aganist the wicked (as the
call all suche quho are not of ther mynd and oppinione) within the 3
kingdomes, naming themselues, and all wthers sectaries and blasphemers
of ther stampe, the godlie and the saintes; quhen, indeid, all ther
actions are not only illegall, bot most irreligious and impious, both
contrarey to lawes of God and men; themselues being tainted with all
the hainous sins and impieties quherwith aney heathin nation hath
beine branded, euen Sodome itselue; if periurey couenant breaking,
hipocrasie, ambition, couetousnes and all sortes of blasphemies, in the
heighest degre, aganist the blessed trinitie, can be them be accompted
sins.
Suche are the now sants that oppresses Gods people in thesse kingdomes,
and all wnder the color and pretext of concience, and clocke of
religione.
1649.
9. _Excerpts from the Chronicle of Fife, being the Diary of John Lamont
of Newton._
Mar. 17.—The comissioners of this kingdome sent to Hollande to treatte
with our forsaide K. majestie, viz. the E. of Cassells, &c. Barron,
a burges, and two ministers, namly, Mr James Wood, m. of St Androus,
and Mr Robert Baillie, minist. of Glasgowe, shipped in att Kirkekaldie
in Jhone Gillespie’s shipe, and loused on Saterday the 17 of the said
instant, at night; they returned to this kingdome the 11 of Jun. 1649,
mutch unsatisfied.
Mar. 9.—Duke Hamilton was beheaded att London by the sectaries ther,
as also the Earle of Hollande, and the Lord Capell, that same day
also. The said Duke Hamilton, upon the scaffolde, confessed, 1. That
his religion was according to the church of Scotland; that he ever had
beine loyall to the leate king, and wished weill to his posteritie;
that none more att all tymes desired the peace and happines of this
and the other kingdomes than himselfe. 2. That his coming in with the
late armie to England was out of no treasonable or ill intent, bot for
the ends contained in the committee of Scotlands declaratione, and
what he did was as a servant to the parliament and kingdome; that, in
that employment, nixt to the settling of religion, the establishing of
the king was his greatest aime. 3. That he wished his blood, in order
to the peace of the kingdome, might be the last that soulde be spilt.
4. That he had beine severall tymes wrought upon to confesse who had
invited the Scots armie to come in, bot this he hath not done att all,
nether then, or any other tyme, though, if he had, its conceived it
woulde probably have saved his life. His corps afterwarde werre brought
downe by sea to Hamiltone, where they werre interred.
Mar.—There was ane act reade in the parliament of Englande for taking
away kingly government for the tyme to come in that kingdome. As also,
ane other act for dissolving the house of peers in parliament. And a 3.
that all priviledge might be taken away from noblemen ther, and ther
persons made as lyable to the law as any commoner of Englande.
Mar. 22.—The Marquesse of Huntlie, in the north, (being condemned by
the forsaid parliament,) was beheaded at the crosse of Edenbroughe. He
died blockishlie, not being relaxed of his excommunicatione; his corps
afterwarde werre caried by sea to the north, to be interred ther.
Mar.—Ther was ane insurrectione in the north parts of this kingdome,
so that the garisone of Endernesse was surprised, and the walls of the
towne throwen downe; and upon this, David Lesley went north with some
troupes of horse and foote, to suppresse them. In May 1649, following,
ther was 800 men taken prisoners, amonge whom was the Lord Rea, and
some other gentlemen of the name of Makkeinzey (wha werre caried to
Edenbroughe), and some killed. Upon this overthrowe, the rest laid
downe ther armes, so that ther lives and fortuns, were grāted to them,
which was done.
This summer ther was very many Witchˢ taken and brunt in severall
parts of this kingd. as in Lothian and in Fyfe, viz. in Enderkething,
Aberdoure, Bruntellande, Doysert, Dumfermling.
July 4.—The Generall Assemb. of this kingdome satte att Edenbrough,
where Mr Robert Douglas, minister of Edenbd. was moderator. At this
Assemb. ther werre severall ministers deposed, as Mr Andro Ramsay and
Mr William Colen, both ministers of Edenbrough, and divers others. Ther
was ane act made declaring the way of receiving the officers that had
ane hand in the engagement against England, 1648: All these that werre
above louetenants werre to come before the commission of the kirke that
satte att Edenbd. and to be receaved by them; and these that werre
beneath loueten. werre referred to the severall presbetries wherein
they lived, to give satisfaction ther. Att the closure of this forsaid
act, ther was a declaration printed, that was apointed to be subscribed
by them all, under the paine of excommunicatione. Ther was a large
declaration printed, appointed to be read in the severall kirks of this
kingdome.
Att this meiting ther werre severall noblemen of this kingdome that
did supplicat to be receaved to the Covenant, as the L. Ogilbie,
Quensberry, Kenmure, etc. During the sitting of this Assemb. the
visitatione of the Universitie of St Androus satt, where D. Barron,
Provest of the Old Colledge, his willingnesse (provyding maintynance
werre granted to him,) to dimitt his place was accepted, and sufficient
maintinance during his life was allowed to him by the Assembley; and
Mr Ro. Nory, professor of Humanitie in St Leonards colledge, wha aymed
to have the precedencie of all the regents there, was declared to be
posterior to them all: Mr Thomas Gleige, also in the Old Colledge,
dimitted his place. Ther was something (in the Assemb.) spoken against
the meason word, which was recommended to the severall presbetries
for tryall therof. This Assemb. satt from the 4 of July to the 6 of
August. Moreover, many of the shyres of the kingdome werre apointed to
be visited, and the severall kirke session bookes to be revised by the
persons concerned.