THat Whereas they upon the report and sight of great Convocations, suddenly indeavored and unepexctedly brought in to this Great Counsell day, for the most part by those who have been esteemed by the Countrey, and challenged by the Par­liament, as Incendiaries, Plotters and Enemies to the Peace of their Kingdoms; Have occasionally conveened at Edin­brough: and having heard of Letters from His Majesty, and Declarations from the Parliament of England, anent the pre­sent Distractions of that Kingdom, They have reason, from bygone experience and present presumptions, To feare the Intentions and Endevors of those evil affected persons and their Adherents, left by their Convocations and solicitations they take occasion of these differences, to raise Jealousie and Division betwixt their Kingdomes.

And considering the common Interest of all the Subiects of this Kingdome, to preserve the late peace so happily concluded betwixt their Nations, by the Providence of God, His Majesties Goodnesse and Wisedome, and the Mediation of the Parliament of England, and so solemnly established by the late Treaty, Oath of Parliament, publike Faith, and great Seals of their Kingdoms; as in all other points, so especially in those Articles (whereunto, the rest are called but Prefaces) for setling and entertaining a solid Peace betwixt their Nations in time coming, left upon any pretence they should be dashed one against another: Wherein it is declared, The duty of the Estates, yea, of every Subject, to convene and suppresse any evill-affected persons who would raise Arms against the Subjects of the other Kingdome, without Consent of Parliament, as Traytors to the Estate, much more to petition against it. And wherein there is appointed a Com­mission of the Estates, for the conservation of this Peace in the Interim betwixt Parliaments: All which the Petitioners (amongst the rest of the good Subjects of this Kingdome) did hazzard their Lives and Estates to obtain. And did demand in the Treaty, upon their dan­gerous Experience of the Councell of England their medling in the Affairs betwixt His Majesty and this Kingdome, to the engaging of the Nations in Warre, which is so oft condemned by the Estates of this Kingdome, in their Remonstrances, pressing that common Rule of Equity, TO DO AS WE WOULD BE DONE UNTO, which now is, and may be retorted on this Kingdom.

Likewise desiring earnestly, That your Lordships, in these publike Resolutions, of so great Consequence to their Dominions, may carry along with you the Hearts and Consciences of the Body of this Kingdome; And prevent that the Breach grow not wider by false confidences, grounded upon sudden undertakings of any persons: As also their Naturall Affection and Duty to their gracious Sove­raigne, according to their manifold Obligations, and brotherly Affection to the Kingdom of England, forcing them to pray to God, and to desire all men, according to their Stations, to use all lawfull Means, to breed and entertain a good understanding betwixt His Majesty and His Parliament, The surest Foundation of Greatnesse to His Majesty, and Happinesse to their Kingdoms.

Likewise taking to heart the dangerous Consequences to His Majesty, and to His Dominions, if your Lordships answer, by tendering the offer of your Service to His Majesty, against the demands, or upon the differences betwixt His Majesty and the Parliament of England, or any other manner of way import (which God forbid) any engaging of your selves, or of their Nations in War, or any thing that may tend thereunto.

Therefore, In their own Names, and in Name of the rest of the Nobility, Gentry, Burgesses, and Ministers, whose hearts do, and hands would go along with this Petition, for preservation of Peace betwixt their Kingdomes; They do in all humility and earnestnesse, petition your Lordships, in the deep of your Wisedomes, seriously to ponder the Consequences of your answer to His Majesty and the Parliament of England at this time; so that thereby, neither the Confidence betwixt His Maiesty and His good Subiects here, nor amongst themselves, nor betwixt the Kingdomes (these Unions standing ever to his Maiesties Greatnesse, and those Divisions to His preiudice) may be any wayes weakned, or their Peace endangered; Unto that end as your Lordships would leave no lawfull means, according to your Interest, unassayed, for begetting a good understanding betwixt His Majesty and His Parliament, being His Greatest, and most Impartiall Coun­cell, representing the Body, whereof His Maiesty is the Head; and for removing these distractions (the continuance whereof, will ever trouble the Peace of this Kingdome) according to your Lordships last answer; So also, seeing His Majesty requires not that your Lord­ships should (neither can your Lordships) judge of the Laws and Proceedings of another independent Kingdom.

And the Parliament of England offers to give all Satisfaction concerning any Message or Papers sent to your Lordships annent their Proceedings, That your Lordships would be pleased carefully to shun all offers of Reall or Verball engagements, either directly, or by way of Inference, without consent of Parliament, conformed to the Treaty, which either may give any just occasion of offence to their Gracious Soveraign, or of Jealousie to their Brethren of England, or of discourse unto any, as if your Lordships did not observe that for­mer Rule of Equity, pressed by them during their troubles, TO DO UNTO OTHERS. AS THEY WOULD BE DONE UNTO THEMSELVES, But did fall in the same faults which your Lordships, and the rest of the Estates of this Kingdom had condemned in the Councell of England.

And for this effect, they cannot but remember your Lordships, That according to an Article of the Treaty, there was appointed a Com­mission (as independant as any other) of so many of every Estate, representing the whole Kingdome, to prevent all occasion of Division betwixt their Kingdomes, in the Interim betwixt Parliaments. All which they humbly represent unto your Lordships wise considerati­ons, and expects from your Lordships so gracious an answer as may satisfie their present fears, and secure them from those dangers in this Interim betwixt Parliaments, and thereby prevent all necessity of Petitions of this kinde.