THE DECLARATION Of the LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in the Parliament of England, sent to His Majesties Privie Councell of Scotland.
WITH HIS MAJESTIES MESSAGE to His Majesties said Councell there, upon that occasion.
AND HIS MAJESTIES OTHER LETTER to His said Councell of the 29. of December.
THe Lords of His Majesties Privie Councell of Scotland, doe in obedience of His Majesties pleasure exprest in His Royall Letter direct to them of the 29. of December last, Ordaine the Declaration sent from both Houses of the Parliament of England of the 7. of November, with His Majesties Letter to the Councell in answer thereof. And the Letter above-written of the 29. of December, to be forthwith printed. And that these be Warrant to His Majesties Printer for that effect.
EDINBURGH, Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the Kings most excellent Majestie. 1643.
THE DECLARATION Of the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the Parliament of England, to the Subjects of Scotland, &c.
WE the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England, considering with what wisedome and publick affection our Brethren of the Kingdom of Scotland did concurre with the endeavours of this Parliament, and the desires of the whole Kingdome, in procuring and establishing a firme peace and amity between the two Nations; and how lovingly they have since invited us to a nearer and higher degree of union, in matters concerning Religion & Church government, which we have most willingly and affectionately embrac'd, and intend to pursue; Cannot doubt but they will with as much forwardnes and affection concurre with us in setling peace in this Kingdome, and preserving it in their own; that so we may mutually reap the benefit of that amity and alliance, so happily made and strongly confirmed betwixt the two Nations. Wherefore as we did about a year since, in the first appearance of trouble then beginning amongst them, actually declare; That in our sense and apprehension of the Nationall alliance betwixt us, we were thereby bound to apply the authority of Parliament, and power of this kingdome to the preservation and maintenance of their peace. And seeing now that the troubles of this Kingdome are grown to a greater height, and the subtile practice of the Common Enemy of the Religion and Liberty of both Nations, do appeare with [Page] more Evidence, strength and danger then they did at that time, we hold it necessary to declare, that in our judgment the same obligation lyes upon our Brethren by the aforementioned Act, with the power & force of that Kingdome to assist us in repressing those amongst us, who are now in armes, and make Warre not only without consent of Parliament, but even against the Parliament, and for the destruction thereof.
Wherefore we have thought good to make known to our Brethren, that His Majestie hath given Commissions to divers eminent and known Papists, to raise forces, and to compose an Army in the North, and other parts of this Kingdome, which is to joyne with diverse forraine forces intended to be transported from beyond the Seas, for the destruction of this Parliament, and of the Religion and Liberty of the Kingdome: And that the Prelaticall part of the Clergy and their Adherents have likewise incited His Majesty to raise another Army, which in His own Person he doth conduct against the Parliament, and the City of London, plundring and robbing sundry well-affected Townes within their power. And that in prosecution of their malice, they are so presumptuous and predominant of His Majesties resolutions, that they forbeare not those outrages in places, to which His Majesty hath given His Royall word and protection. A great cause and incentive of which malice, proceeds from the designe they have to hinder the Reformation of Ecclesiasticall government in this Kingdom, so much longed for by all the true lovers of the Protestant Religion. And hereupon we further desire our Brethren of the Nation of Scotland, to raise such forces as they shall judge sufficient for the securing the peace of their own borders, against the ill-affected persons there, as likewise to assist us in suppressing the Army of Papists and Forrainers, which, as we expect, will shortly be on foot here, and if they be not timely prevented, may prove as mischievous and destructive to that Kingdome, as to our selves.
[Page] And though we seek nothing from His Majestie that may diminish either His just Authority or Honour, and have by many humble Petitions endeavoured to put an end to this dangerous and unnaturall Warre & combustion in the Kingdome; and to procure His Majesties protection and security for our Religion, Liberty and persons, (according to that great trust which His Majesty is bound to by the Lawes of the Land;) and shall still continue to renew our Petitions in that kind. Yet to our great grief we see the Papisticall, and malignant Counsell so prevalent with His Majestie, and His person so engaged to their power, that we have little hope of any better successe of our Petitions then We formerly had, and are thereby necessitated to stand upon our just defence; and to seek the speedy and powerful assistance of our Brethren of Scotland, according to the Act agreed upon in the Parliaments of both Kingdomes, the Common duty of Christianity, and the particular interest of their own Kingdome.
To which we hope God will give such a blessing, that it may produce the preservation of Religion, the Honour, Safety and peace of His Majestie and all His Subjects; and a more strict conjunction of the Counsells, designes and endeavours of both Nations, for the comfort and relief of the reformed Churches beyond Sea.
- Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
- John Browne. Cler. Parliam.
HIS MAJESTIES Message to the Lords of His Privie Councell of Scotland, upon the aforesaid occasion.
We have lately seen a paper presented to Us by the Earl of Lyndsey, as a Declaration of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament of England of the 7. of Novem. to Our Subjects of Our Kingdome of Scotland; which after many high taxes of Us and Our Government, very earnestly invites, and in a manner challenges assistance, from that Our Native Kingdome, of Men and Armes for making Warre against Us, making a clayme to that assistance, by vertue of the late Act of pacification, to the which (out of Our desire to make a perpetuall union between Our two Kingdomes, for the happinesse of both, and by it the more firmely to establish Our own greatnesse and just power,) We cheerfully consented.
As We are at Our soule afflicted, that it hath been in the power of any factious, ambitious, and malitious persons, so far to possesse the hearts of many of Our Subjects of England, as to raise this miserable distemper and distraction in this Kingdome, against all Our reall actions and endeavours to the contrary, so We are glad, that this rage and fury hath so far transported them, that they apply themselves in so grosse a manner to Our Subjects of Scotland, whose experience of Our Religion, Justice, and love of Our People will not suffer them to beleeve those horrid scandals laid upon Us; and their affection, loyaltie, and jealousie of Our Honour, will disdain to be made instruments to oppresse their native Soveraigne, by assisting an odious Rebellion. We have from time to time acquainted Our Subjects of that Kingdome with the accidents & circumstances which have disquieted this: how (after all the acts [Page] of justice, grace, and favour performed on Our part, which were or could be desired to make a people completely happy) We were driven by the force and violence of rude, and tumultuous assemblies, from Our City of London, and Our two Houses of Parliament; How attempts have been made to impose laws upon Our subjects without Our consent, contrary to the foundation and constitution of this Kingdom; How Our Forts, Goods and Navie were seized & taken from Us by force, and imployed against Us; Our Revenue and ordinary subsistence wrested from Us; How We have been pursued with scandalous and reproachfull language; bold, false, and seditious Pasquils and Libels, publiquely allowed against Us, and been told that Wee might, without want of modesty & duty, be deposed; How after all this (before any Force raised by Us) an Army was raised, and a Generall appointed to lead that Army against Us, with a Commission to kill, slay, and destroy all such who should be faithfull to Us; That when We had bin by these meanes compelled with the assistance of Our good Subjects, to raise an Army for Our necessary defence, We sent divers gracious Messages, earnestly desiring that the calamities of a civill war might be prevented by a Treaty, and so We might know the grounds of this mis-understanding; How We were absolutely refused to be treated with: and how at last the Army (raised, as was pretended, for the defence of Our Person) was brought into the field against Us, gave Us battell, and (though it pleased God to give Us the victory) destroyed many of Our good subjects, with as imminent danger to Our own Person & Our children, as the skil and malice of desperate Rebels could contrive: of all which, & the other indignities which have bin offered Us, We doubt not the duty and affection of Our Scottish Subjects will have so just a resentment, that they will expresse to the world the sense they have of Our sufferings. And our good subjects of Scotland are not, We hope, so great strangers to the affairs of this Kingdome, to beleeve that this mis-fortune and distraction is begot and [Page] brought upon Us by Our two Houses of Parliament: (though in truth no unwarrantable action against the law can be justified even by that authority. They well know how the Members of both houses have bin driven thence, insomuch that of above 500. Members of the House of Commons, there are not now above 80. and of above 100. of the house of Peers, not above 15. or 16. All which are so awed by the multitude of Anabaptists, Brownists, & other persons, desperate and decayed in their Fortunes, in and about the City of London, that in truth their consultations have not the freedome and priviledge which belong to Parliaments. Concerning any Commissions granted by Us to Papists to raise Forces, We must referre Our good Subjects to a Declaration lately set forth by Us upon the occasion of that scandal, which We send together with this: and for Our own true and zealous affection to the Protestant Religion, (the advancement whereof Our soule desires) We can give no other instances, then Our constant practice, on which malice it self can lay no blemish, and those many protestations We have made in the sight of Almighty God, to whom We know We shall be dearly accomptable, if We fail in the observation. For that scandalous imputation of our intention of bringing in forrain forces, as the same is raised without the least colour or shadow of reason, and solemnly disavowed by Us in many of Our Declarations; so there cannot be a clearer argument to Our subjects of Scotland that We have no such thought, then that We have hitherto forborn to require the assistance of that Our native Kingdom, from whose obedience, duty & affection We should confidently expect it, if We thought Our own strength here too weak to preserve Us, and of whose courage and loyalty We shall look to make use, before We shall think of any forrain ayd to succour Us. And We know no reasonable or understanding man can suppose Our good subjects of Scotland are obliged, or enabled by the late Act of Parliament in both Kingdomes, to obey the invitation which is made to them by this pretended [Page] Declaration; when it is so evidently provided for by that Act, That as the Kingdom of England shall not make war against the Kingdome of Scotland, without consent of the Parliament of England, so the Kingdome of Scotland shall not make war against the Kingdome of England, without the consent of the Parliament of Scotland: and when they have alwayes declared themselves so carefull of Our Honour, safety, and just Rights, which now undergo so great violation.
This We have thought fit to say upon occasion of this late Declaration, and do commend it to you the Lords of Our privie Councel of Our Kingdome of Scotland, to be communicated and published to all Our loving Subjects there; and if the grave Counsell and Advice, which you derived hither by your Act of the 22. of April last, had been followed here, in a tender Care of Our Royall person, and of Our Princely Greatnesse and Authority, then would not this face of Confusion have appeared, which now threatens this Kingdome: And therefore We require you to use your utmost Endeavours to informe Our Subjects of that our Kingdom, of the truth of Our Condition, and that you suffer not the scandalls and imputations laid on Us, by the malice and Treason of some men, to make any Impression in the mindes of Our people, to the lessening or corrupting their Affection and Loyalty to Us, but that you assure them the hardnesse We now undergoe, and the Armes We have been compelled to take up, are for the defence of Our person, and safety of Our life, for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion, for the preservation of the Laws, Liberties, and Constitution of this Kingdome, and for the just priviledges of Parliament: and look no longer for the blessing of Heaven, then We endeavour the defence and advancement of all these: and We doubt not a dutifull concurrence in Our Subjects of Scotland, in the care of Our Honour and just Rights will draw down a blessing upon that Nation too.
Given at Our Court at Oxford, the 6. day of December.
Having been informed that (according to Our commands expressed to you by Our Secretarie the Earle of Lanerick) you have given order for printing Our Letter to you of the filth of December, which occasionally We wrote in answer to a Declaration sent you by Our Houses of Parliament of England, being unwilling to be silent, and suffer Our Scottish Subjects to swallow any Information so destructive, and contrary to Our pious Intentions, as if We either intended to invite a Forrainer to, or encourage Poperie in any of Our Kingdomes; both of which have been so far from Our thoughts, that necessitie it self could never force Us to either. For though the eminent abilities, and moderate disposition of some few of that Profession, hath moved Us in this great extremitie to make use of their fidelities, yet We have ever been so far from countenancing their Religion, that it hath and ever shall be Our speciall care to suppresse it, by putting in execution those good and wholesome Lawes already in force against them. And as for any assistance of Forraine Forces, it is a fear so absolutely groundlesse, that We are confident, it is offered for no other end, then (by such subtile insinuations) to infuse an apprehension in the breasts of Our Scottish Subjects, of a danger can be no otherwise expressed, then under such a generall notion, not being able really to make it appear, either in [Page] intention or fact. But We are so clear from either of these, that We conceive nothing can be more for Our advantage, then that the malice of these calumnies may be made known to all Our good Subjects; the authours whereof (We are confident) God will never suffer to escape the hand of Justice. And We hope none will beleeve that hereby We mean Our Houses of Parliament (whom in none of Our Declarations We have ever accused) but onely such factious and seditious members of either Houses, as We have named, and are ready to proceed against legally. Therefore We have thought fit to require you to give order for printing the foresaid Declaration to you of the seventh of November last, and likewise to take the best course of causing publish it, With Our Letters to you in answer thereof, through all the severall Parishes of Our Kingdome of Scotland, whereby Our Subjects there will perceive the subtile wayes which are used to corrupt their fidelities, and allegeance; which otherwise being at so great a distance they cannot possibly be informed of. So expecting your obedience herein, We bid you very heartily farewell.
From Our Court at Oxford the 29. of December, 1642.