chamberlain, of the princely robe wherewith he entered the kirk, and is
invested by the said chamberlain, in his royal robes.
Thereafter, the king being brought to the chair on the north side of the
kirk, supported as formerly; the sword was brought by Sir William
Cockburn of Langtown, gentleman usher from the table, and delivered to
lion king of arms; who giveth it to the lord great constable, who
putteth the same in the king's hand, saying, "Sir, receive this kingly
sword, for the defence of the faith of Christ, and protection of His
kirk, and of the true religion, as it is presently professed within this
kingdom, and according to the national covenant and league and covenant,
and for executing equity and justice, and for punishment of all iniquity
and injustice."
This done, the great constable receiveth the sword from the king, and
girdeth the same about his side.
Thereafter, the king sitteth down in his chair, and then the spurs were
put on him by the earl Marshall.
Thereafter, Archibald, Marquiss of Argyle, having taken the crown in his
hands, the minister prayed, to this purpose:
"That the Lord would purge the crown from the sins and transgressions of
them that did reign before him; that it might be a pure crown; that God
would settle the crown upon the king's head: and, since men that set it
on were not able to settle it, that the Lord would put it on, and
preserve it." And then the said Marquiss put the crown on the king's
head.
Which done, the lion king of arms, the great constable standing by him,
causeth an herald to call the whole noblemen, one by one, according to
their ranks, who, coming before the king, kneeling, and with their hand
touching the crown on the king's head, swore these words, "By the
Eternal and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever; I shall
support thee to my uttermost." And when they had done, then all the
nobility held up their hands and "swore to be loyal and true subjects,
and faithful to the crown."
The earl Marshall, with the lion, going to the four corners of the
stage, the lion proclaimeth the obligatory oath of the people; and the
people, holding up their hands all the time, did swear, "By the Eternal
and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, we become your liege
men, and truth and faith shall bear unto you, and live and die with you
against all manner of folks whatsoever, in your service, according to
the National Covenant, and Solemn League and Covenant."
Then did the earls and viscounts put on their crowns, and the lion
likewise put on his. Then did the lord chamberlain loose the sword
wherewith the king was girded, and drew it, and delivered it drawn into
the king's hands; and the king put it into the hands of the great
constable, to carry it naked before him. Then John, earl of Crawford and
Lindsay, took the sceptre, and put it in the king's right hand, saying,
"Sir, receive this sceptre, the sign of royal power of the kingdom, that
you may govern yourself right, and defend all the Christian people
committed by God to your charge, punishing the wicked, and protecting
the just."
Then did the king ascend the stage, attended by the officers of the
crown, and nobility, and was installed in the royal throne by Archibald,
Marquiss of Argyle, saying, "Stand, and hold fast from henceforth the
place whereof you are the lawful and righteous heir, by a long and
lineal succession of your fathers, which is new delivered unto you by
authority of Almighty God."
When the king was set down upon the throne, the minister spoke to him a
word of exhortation as followeth.
"Sir, you are set down upon the throne in a very difficult time, I shall
therefore put you in mind of a scriptural expression of a throne. "It is
said, Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord." Sir, you are a king, and a
king in covenant with the Lord; if you would have the Lord to own you to
be His king, and your throne to be His throne, I desire you may have
some thoughts of this expression.
1. "It is the Lord's throne. Remember you have a King above you, the
King of kings, and Lord of lords, who commandeth thrones. He setteth
kings on thrones, and dethroneth them at His pleasure: therefore take a
word of advice; be thankful to Him who hath brought you through many
wanderings to set you upon this throne. Kiss the Son lest He be angry,
and learn to serve Him with fear who is terrible to the kings of the
earth.
2. "Your throne is the Lord's throne, and your people the Lord's people:
let not your heart be lifted up above your brethren. They are your
brethren, not only flesh of your flesh, but brethren by covenant with
God. Let your government be refreshing unto them as the rain upon the
mown grass.
3. "Your throne is the Lord's throne. Beware of making His throne a
throne of iniquity: there is such a throne, which frameth mischief by a
law; God will not own such a throne, it hath no fellowship with Him.
Sir, there is too much iniquity upon the throne by your predecessors,
who framed mischief by a law, such laws as have been destructive to
religion, and grievous to the Lord's people; you are on the throne, and
have the sceptre, beware of touching mischievous laws therewith: but, as
the throne is the Lord's throne, let the laws be the Lord's laws,
agreeable to His word, such as are terrible to evil-doers, and
comfortable to the godly, and a relief to the poor and oppressed in the
land.
4. "The Lord's throne putteth you in mind whom you should have about the
throne. Wicked counsellors are not for a king upon the Lord's throne;
Solomon knew this, who said, 'Take away the wicked from before the king,
and his throne shall be established in righteousness:' and 'A king upon
the throne scattereth away all evil with his eyes.'
5. "The Lord's throne putteth you in mind, that the judgment on the
throne should be the Lord's. Take the exhortation, 'Hear the word of the
Lord, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne, thou and thy
servants and thy people, execute ye judgment and righteousness, and
deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressors, and do no wrong,
do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless nor the widow, neither
shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then
shall there enter by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the
throne of David. But, if ye will not hear these words, I swear by
myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.' And
'I will prepare destroyers against thee.'
"Sir, destroyers are prepared for the injustice of the throne. I entreat
you to execute righteous judgment, if ye do it not, your house will be a
desolation; but, if ye do that which is right, God shall remove the
destroyers: and you shall be established on your throne; and there shall
yet be dignity in your house, for your servants, and for your people.
"Lastly, If your throne be the throne of the Lord, take a word of
encouragement against throne adversaries. Your enemies are the enemies
of the Lord's throne: make your peace with God in Christ, and the Lord
shall scatter your enemies from the throne; and He shall magnify you yet
in the sight of these nations, and make the misled people submit
themselves willingly to your government.
"Sir, If you use well the Lord's throne on which you are set, then the
two words in the place cited, spoken of Solomon sitting on the throne of
the Lord, 'He prospered and all Israel obeyed him,' shall belong unto
you; your people shall obey you in the Lord, and you shall prosper in
the sight of the nations round about."
Then the lord chancellor went to the four corners of the stage, the lion
king of arms going before him, and proclaimed his majesty's free pardon
to all breakers of penal statutes, and made offer thereof: whereupon the
people cried, "God save the king."
Then the king, supported by the great constable and marshall, and
accompanied with the chancellor, arose from the throne, and went out at
a door prepared for the purpose, to a stage; and sheweth himself to the
people without, who clapped their hands, and cried with a loud voice a
long time, "God save the king."
Then, the king returning, and sitting down upon the throne, delivered
the sceptre to the Earl of Crawford and Lindsay, to be carried before
him: thereafter the lion king of arms rehearsed the royal line of the
kings upward to Fergus the First.
Then the lion called the lords one by one who, kneeling and holding
their hands betwixt the king's hands, did swear these words, "By the
Eternal and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, I do become
your liege man, and truth and faith shall bear unto you, and live and
die with you, against all manner of folks whatsoever in your service,
according to the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant."
And every one of them kissed the king's left cheek.
When these solemnities were ended, the minister, standing before the
king on his throne, pronounced this blessing:
"The Lord bless thee, and save thee; the Lord hear thee in the day of
trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; the Lord send thee
help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion. Amen."
After the blessing was pronounced, the minister went to the pulpit and
had the following exhortation, the king sitting still upon the throne.
Ye have this day a king crowned, and entered into covenant with God and
His people; look, both king and people, that ye keep this covenant; and
beware of the breach of it. That ye may be the more careful to keep it,
I will lay a few things before you.
I remember when the Solemn League and Covenant was entered into by both
nations. The commissioners from England being present in the East kirk
of Edinburgh, a passage was cited out of Nehemiah, which I shall now
again cite. Nehemiah requireth an oath of the nobles and people, to
restore the mortgaged lands, which they promise to do; after the oath
was tendered, he did shake his lap, and said, "So God shake out every
man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this
promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. And all the
congregation said, Amen."
Since that time, many of those who were in the covenant, are shaken out
of it; yea, they have shaken off the covenant, and laid it aside. It is
true, they are prospering this day, and think that they prosper, by
laying aside the covenant; but they will be deceived. That word spoken
then shall not fall to the ground; God shall shake them out of their
possession, and empty them for their perfidious breach of the covenant.
The same I say to king and nobles, and all that are in covenant; if you
break that covenant, being so solemnly sworn, all these who have touched
your crown, and sworn to support it, shall not be able to hold it on;
but God will shake it off, and turn you from the throne: and ye
noblemen, who are assistant to the putting on of the crown, and setting
the king upon the throne, if ye shall either assist, or advise the king
to break the covenant, and overturn the work of God, He shall shake you
out of your possessions, and empty you of all your glory.
Another passage I offer to your serious consideration. After that
Zedekiah had promised to proclaim liberty to all the Lord's people, who
were servants, and entered into a covenant, he and his princes let them
go free, and according to the oath had let them go; afterwards they
caused the servants to return, and brought them into subjection. What
followeth upon this breach? "Ye were now turned, and had done right in
My sight, in proclaiming liberty; but ye turned, and made them servants
again." And therefore, "I will give the men who have transgressed My
covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant, which they
made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the
parts thereof; I will even give them into the hands of their enemies,
into the hand of them that seek their life, even Zedekiah and his
princes."
If the breach of the covenant made for the liberty of servants was so
punished, what shall be the punishment of the breach of a covenant for
religion, and the liberty of the people of God? There is nothing more
terrible to kings and princes than to be given into the hand of enemies
that seek their life: if ye would escape this judgment, let kings and
princes keep their covenant made with God: your enemies who seek your
life, are in the land; if ye break the covenant, it may be feared God
will give you over unto them as a prey: but, if ye keep the covenant, it
may be expected God will keep you out of their hands.
Let not the place ye heard opened, be forgotten, for in it ye have an
example of divine justice against Joash and the princes, for breaking
that covenant. The princes who enticed to that breach, are destroyed:
and it is said, "The army of the Syrians came with a small company of
men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand;" because
they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers: so they executed
judgment against Joash. "His own servants conspired against him and slew
him on his bed."
The conspiracy of servants or subjects against their king is a wicked
course: but God in His righteous judgment suffereth subjects to conspire
and rebel against their princes, because they rebel against God: and He
suffereth subjects to break the covenant made with a king, because he
breaketh the covenant made with God. I may say freely, that a chief
cause of the judgment upon the king's house hath been the grandfather's
breach of covenant with God, and the father's following his steps in
opposing the work of God, and His kirk within these kingdoms; they broke
covenant with God, and men have broken covenant with them: yea, most
cruelly and perfidiously have invaded the royal family and trodden upon
all princely dignity.
Be wise by their example: you are now sitting upon the throne of the
kingdom, and your nobles about you. There is One above you, even Jesus,
the King of Zion; and I as His servant, dare not but be free with you: I
charge you, Sir, in His name, that you keep this covenant in all points;
if you shall break this covenant and come against His cause, I assure
you the controversy is not ended between God and your family: but will
be carried on to the further weakening, if not the overthrow of it: but
if you shall keep this covenant, and befriend the kingdom of Christ, it
may be from this day God shall begin to do you good. Although your
estate be very weak, God is able to raise you, and make you reign,
maugre the opposition of all your enemies: and howsoever it shall please
the Lord to dispose, you shall have peace toward God, through Christ the
Mediator.
As for you who are nobles and peers of the land, your share is great in
this day of coronation; ye have come and touched the crown, and sworn
to support it; ye have handled the sword and the sceptre, and have set
down the king upon his throne.
1. I charge you to keep your covenant with God; and see that ye never be
moved yourselves to come against it in any head, or article thereof; and
that ye give no counsel to the king to come against the doctrine,
worship, government and discipline of the kirk, established in this
land, as ye would eschew the judgment of covenant-breakers. If the king
and ye who are engaged to support the crown, conspire together against
the kingdom of Christ, both ye that do support and he that is supported
will fall together. I press this the more, because it is a rare thing to
see a king and great men for Christ. In the long catalogue of the kings,
which ye have heard recited this day, they will be found few who have
been for Christ.
2. I charge you also, because of your many oaths to the king; that you
keep them inviolable. Be faithful to him, according to your covenant.
The oaths of God are upon you; if, directly or indirectly, ye do
anything against his standing, God, by whom ye have sworn, will be
avenged upon you for the breach of His oath.
And now, I will shut up all with one word more to you. Sir, you are the
only covenanted king with God and His people in the world; many have
obstructed your entry in it: now, seeing the Lord hath brought you in
over all these obstructions, only observe to do what is contained
therein; and it shall prove an happy time for you and your house. And
because you are entered in times of great difficulty, wherein small
strength seemeth to remain with you in the eyes of the world, for
recovering your just power and greatness; therefore take the counsel
which David when he was dying gave to his son Solomon, "Be strong, and
show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God: to walk in
His ways, and keep His commandments; that them mayest prosper in all
that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself."
After this exhortation, the minister closed the whole action with
prayer; and, Psalm xx. being sung, he dismissed the people with the
blessing.
Then did the king's majesty descend from the stage with the crown upon
his head; and, receiving again the sceptre in his hand, returned with
the whole train, in a solemn manner, to his palace, the sword being
carried before him.
THE ACTS RESCISSORY.
FIRST PARLIAMENT OF CHARLES II.
January, 1661.--7.--"_Act concerning the League and Covenant and
discharging the renewing thereof without his Majesties Warrand and
approbation._
"Forasmuch as the power of Armes, and entering into, and making of
Leagues and Bonds, is an undoubted privilege of the Crown, and a proper
part of the Royal Prerogative of the Kings of this Kingdom, and that in
recognisance of His Majesties just Right, the Estates of Parliament of
this His most ancient Kingdom of Scotland, have declared it high Treason
to the Subjects thereof, of whatsoever number, lesse or more, upon any
pretext whatsoever, to rise, or continue in Armes, or to enter into
Leagues and Bonds, with Forraigners, or among themselves, without His
Majesties special Warrand and Approbation, had and obtained thereto, and
have Rescinded and Annulled all Acts of Parliament, Conventions of
Estates, or other Deeds whatsoever, contrary to, or inconsistent with
the same; And whereas during these troubles, there have occurred divers
things, in the making and pursuance of Leagues and Bonds, which may be
occasion of jealousie in and betwixt his Majesties Dominions of
Scotland, England, and Ireland. Therefore and for preventing of all
scruples, mistakes or jealousies that may hereafter arise upon these
grounds, The King's Majesty with advice and consent of His Estates of
Parliament, doth hereby Declare, that there is no Obligation upon this
Kingdom by Covenant, Treaties or otherwise, to endeavour by Armes a
Reformation of Religion in the Kingdom of England, or to meddle with the
publick Government and Administration of that Kingdom. And the King's
Majesty with advice and consent foresaid, doth Declare, That the League
and Covenant, and all Treaties following thereupon, and Acts or Deeds
that do, or may relate thereto, are not obligatory, nor do infer any
obligation upon this Kingdom, or the Subjects thereof, to meddle or
interpose by Armes, or any seditious way, in any thing concerning the
Religion and Government of the Churches of England and Ireland, or in
what may concern the Administration of His Majesties Government there.
And further, His Majesty, with advice and consent of his Estates, doth
hereby Discharge and Inhibite all His Majesties Subjects within this
Kingdom, that none of them may presume upon any pretext of any Authority
whatsoever, to require the renewing or swearing of the said League and
Covenant, or of any other Covenants, or publick Oaths concerning the
Government of the Church or Kingdom, without His Majesties special
Warrand and Approbation; And that none of His Majesties Subjects offer
to renew and swear the same, without His Majesties Warrand, as said is,
as they will be answerable at their highest peril."
SAME PARLIAMENT.--_15.--"Act Rescinding and Annulling the pretended
parliaments in the years 1640, 1641, etc._