THe manifold dangers to Religion, to the Kings Majesty, to our Laws and Liberties, and to the Peace of these kingdoms, are so manifest, that they cannot be hid from any, who will not wilfully shut their eyes against a clear light: and the remedies which we have taken in this extremity, will (we doubt not) be judged by all men of common equity and understanding, to have been most necessary for preserving Religion from ruine, and our selves from slavery and oppression: Yet, to prevent misinforma­tion and misconstructions, we have thought fit to publish a short narration of the Causes of our late undertaking to rise in Arms, of our proceedings by way of Treaty with those that joyned in Arms for the late Engagement against England, and of our reso­lutions for setling Religion, and the Peace of this distracted king­dom, and strengthening the Union betwixt the kingdoms, which are the best foundations of Honor and Happiness to the King; whose Throne we desire may be established in Righteousness.

When we look back upon some proceedings in our neigh­bor Nation, though there we see that the work of Reforma­tion hath been much obstructed, and many things have been done, of which we cannot approve, and wherewith God was highly displeased; yet we finde the Fountain and Spring of all our troubles mainly to arise at home, from the craft and malice of our Natives and Country-men. For, notwithstanding the Right Honorable Houses of the Parliament of England had of­fered by their Commissioners to remove all disterences which had arisen betwixt them and us, and to do what-ever was just and Honorable for the satisfaction of this kingdom: And fur­ther, had declared their readiness to joyn with this kingdom in the Propositions agreed on by both kingdoms, presented to the King at Hampton-Court, for the making such further proceed­ing, thereupon as should be thought fit; for the speedy settlement of the Peace of both kingdoms, and preservation of the Union according to the Covenant and Treaties. And further, to give satisfaction all things which should be judged necessary for the Peace of both kingdoms, not intrenching upon the particu­lar [Page 10]Interest of the Kingdom, and Priviledges of the Parliament of England: yet many of this Nation having entred into a sin­ful Association and wicked combination, did joyn together in Arms under the Command of the Duke of Hamiltoun, for per­suance of an unlawful Engagement, against our neighbor Na­tion of England, contrary to the ends of the Solemn League and Covenant, the manifold admonitions and exhortations of all the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, the Warnings and Declara­tions of the Commission of the General Assembly, 1647. As likewise against the unanimous proceedings of the late General Assembly in this year 1648. against the Judgement and Prote­stations of many Members in Parliament, who have been most constant in the Cause, and to preserve the Union betwixt the Kingdoms; and generally against the mindes and judgements of all the well-affected in the Kingdom: And further, brought over from Ireland some Regiments of the Scots Army to joyn with them in this Engagement, contrary to the Treaty betwixt the Kingdoms of the 7 of July 1642. And having joyned in an unlawful Association with the Malignants of England, did im­ploy some of them to surprize and take the Garisons of Berwick and Carlisle (and yet professed openly before the World, they were ignorant who had done it) contrary to the large Treaty betwixt the Kingdoms, and the Treaty of the 29 of November, 1643. And when by miserable and cruel oppression of the people of God in this Kingdom, they had gathered together a numerous Army, they took possession of the Garisons of Ber­wick and Carlisle, and in a hostile maner entred into our Neighbor Nation, where the Lord of Hosts poured forth his Wrath and Indignation upon them for their lyes and hypocrifie, as was before threatned by many of the faithful servants of God in this Kingdom.

While these men were invading England, the Earl of Lanerick and others engaged in the same Design, stayed at home to op­press this Kingdom; and under a pretence of raising a Guard for the Prince, did begin a new Levy of Forces, whereby they might be able to send supply to their Army in England, if need were; but principally to bear down the godly and wel-affected in this Kingdom, and force upon them unlawful Bands and Oathes, which they devised to be engines and snares to compel [Page 11]men to make Shipwrack of their Consciences, by joyning with all their wicked ways, or in case they refused to take those ac­cursed Oaths, and subscribe their Bands, that then they might not onely be uncapable of all publick Trust, but be esteemed and used as Enemies to Religion, King and Kingdom; and so every way to oppress all honest men in their Persons, Estates and Consciences, as nothing was to be expected from their Go­vernment to these who desired to fear the Lord, and adhere to their first Principles, but slavery and ruine: for they having ad­journed the Parliament till March 1650, had assumed to them­selves an Arbitrary Power, that in the mean time they might rule at their pleasure, and make such alterations in the King­dom as they thought fit. Upon News of the defeat of their Army, they did give out Commissions to prime Incendiaries, and en­couraged such as were eminent and active in the Rebellion, under the conduct of James Graham late Earl of Montross, to rise in Arms; and sent directions to the Forces under the Command of George Monro, which had invaded England, but were not present at the Fight, and other Officers and Soldiers who esca­ped from it, to return to this Kingdom, that so by their conjun­ction with the Forces lately raised, they might have a new Ar­my on foot to prosecute their former Design, and to tyrannize over this Kingdom, as is evident from their Letters of the 28 of August, sent to the Earl of Marshal Viscount of Dudhope, Clerk Register, and George Monro, (ten days after the Defeat of their Army in England) wherein speaking of the Engagement, they declare their resolution to recruit their Regiments, and to ha­zard their Lives and Fortunes, and all that was dearest unto them for carrying on against all opposition whatsoever that pious and loyal Service, and that they and many others of this kingdom did intend not to live and out-live it: By all which, and many other their like proceedings expressed in the Declarations of the General Assembly, and their Commissio­ners, it is sufficiently evident, that Religion hath not onely been endangered, but the whole work of Reformation in these kingdoms for these ten years past hath been very near to be wholly overturned, our Laws and Liberties almost destroyed, Authority weakned, the Person of the King put in hazard, and his Restitution (which they pretended) rendred more dif­ficult, [Page 12]and endeavors used to break the Union and Peace betwixt the kingdoms, and to continue (so far as was in their power) a lasting War betwixt this kingdom and our neighbor Nation with whom we are joyned in Covenant.

This being the true estate of Affairs, We did finde it most necessary for us to joyn in Arms together against these Co­venant breakers, and their Adherents who had invaded Eng­land, and were disturbing the Peace of this Kingdom (and who under a specious pretence of seeking the Kings Honor, Freedom and safety, were seeking their own Honor and base private ends, and have made the Kings condition harder then ever it was before) this course being the onely means which was left us whereby to endeavor the preservation of Religion, our na­tive Countrey, and the Peace and Union betwixt the king­doms, and our own Consciences being ready to condemn us if we should sit still and suffer Religion to be ruined, England to be further provoked (by detaining their Garisons) and this king­dom to be enslaved and brought under the yoke of a perpetual bondage.

When we had put our selves in a posture for our own de­fence near Edenburgh, the Earl of Crawford, the Earl of La­nerick, George Monro, and other Commanders of the Forces joyned with them, having Marched to Inneresk, sent unto us some Articles upon which they desired to Treat, for remo­ving all differences betwixt us; but these Demands being very unreasonable and inconsistent with Religion, the Covenant and Treaties betwixt the kingdoms, We refused to admit them to be the subject of a Treaty; yet were content if they had any other thing to propound which might conduce to the setling of Truth and Peace according to the Covenant, to appoint some from us to Treat with the like number autho­rized by them, at any place equally distant from both Armies. Whereupon they professed a readiness to have all differences ended by a Treaty, that an intestine War might be prevented; but they assigned so short Dyets for us to return our Answers about the necessary circumstances to be agreed on before a Treaty could begin, as the time was elapsed before we could be well convened; and then they took the advantage of marching away, whilest we continued in our Quarters in ex­pectation [Page 13]of a Treaty, by which means they gained the pass at Sterling, and surprized our Forces there, killing some, and taking others Prisoners when they were in security, being ad­vertised that there was a Treaty betwixt us; All this not­withs [...]a [...]ding so desirous were we of the Peace of this almost ruined kingd [...]m as passing over all the provocations given unto us, wereadily entertained all proffers to Treat, and up­on the [...] of September, Commissioners on both sides met at Woodside, together with some Ministers and Elders from the Commission of the Kirk; but after three days debate, that Trea­ty (during which their Army was grievously plundering the Countrey) produced little else but delays, they refusing to accept of any conditions without rewards for their service, Liberty to Transport the Irish Forces in a Body to Ireland, se­curity for their Lives, Estates, Honors, Fortunes and Places, and assurance that none who had been accessory to the late En­gagement should be questioned either by us, or by the kingdom of England for any thing done by them in relation thereun­to, which was impossible for us to grant, without involving our selves in the guilt of the Engagement, and giving occasi­on of quarrel against us to our Neighbor Nation, in whose names we could promise nothing without their advice and con­sent. And here we cannot but remark, that these Lords and o­thers, who in Parliament and otherwise pretended so great a zeal for his Majesties Honor, Freedom and Safety, yet in all their Demands to us in this Treaty, they never made the least desire of any thing for the King, but were ready to close an a­greement with us when ever they could get satisfaction in what concerned their own Honor, Feedom and Interest.

So soon as we understood that the Forces of the Parliament of England were come to the Borders, for pursuit of the com­mon Enemy, and reducing the Garisons of Barwick and Car­lisle, We wrote a Letter from Falkirk to the Commander in Chief of these Forces, and sent two from us with Instructions to acquaint him with the estate of our Affairs, particularly our proceedings in the Treaty, and to assure them that we would contribute our utmost endeavors for the restitution of the Towns of Barwick and Carlisle to the Parliament of England, to whom they do of right belong: In return whereunto we re­ceived [Page 14]from Lieut. General Cromwel a Letter to this purpose, That upon the defeat of the Forces of the Duke of Ha­milton, they had received in command, to prosecute the Victory, until the Enemy were put out of a condition or hope of growing into a new Army, and the Garisons of Ber­wick and Carlisle were reduced; in pursuance of which com­mands, they had resolved to advance into Scotland with their Army, for obtaining their Garisons, and that the common Enemy might be the sooner brought to a submission to rea­sonable conditions; withal ingaging themselves, that so soon as they should know from us, that the Enemy should yield to these things we had proposed to them, and the Garisons of Berwick and Carlisle were delivered, they should forthwith de­part out of this Kingdom: After receipt of this Letter, we sent some of our number with Power and Instructions, to do their utmost endeavor for obtaining the Towns of Berwick and Carlisle to be surrendred to him, for the use of the Hono­rable Houses of the Parliament of England, and to represent our earnest desire and firm resolution, to preserve inviolable the Union betwixt the Kingdoms, according to the Covenant and Treaties; and since they had resolved in obedience to the Com­mands laid upon them, to send Forces into this Kingdom for pursuing the common Enemy, therefore to desire that those which should be sent, might be such as would give no offence or scandal to the Ministery and well-affected in this Kingdom.

Upon the 18. of Septemb. some Propositions were sent unto us from those at Sterling, to which we returned an Answer upon the 20. And after a new meeting at Kirklistoun with Commissio­ners from them, Articles of Agreement were drawn up and sub­scribed by the Commissioners on both sides, which are now pub­lished in print: In all which proceedings, we have studied to set before our eyes the Honor of God, and the good of Religion, the preservation of our Laws and Liberties, and of the Union betwixt the Kingdoms. And to the end it may further appear to this king­dom and to all the World, that no sinister end or wordly design for self-interest, hath stirred us up to this course, we do declare,

First of all, That we have both matter of deep humiliation before God, and thanksgiving to him, when we consider his gracious dispensation towards us, in preserving a remnant from following [Page 15]the evil courses of the time; and that he was pleased so soon after a great defection and backsliding in the Land, to put us into a condition to resist the force and fury of our Enemies, whom neither Christian duty in so clear a Sunshine of the Gospel, nor natural affection to their native Countrey, could restrain from horrid impieties and intolerable oppressions. And we do freely acknowledge, that it had been just with the Lord to suffer us to lie still under that yoke of bondage, which we had wreathed upon our necks with our own hands, by complyance with Malignants and Malignant courses, not trusting the Lord with his own work, and resting on his strength, but following the Rules of carnal policy, whenever we were brought into straights. It is the de­sire of our Souls, that for the future we may amend, and it shall be our constant study, with Gods assistance, to avoid the rocks on which we were ready to split, that we may neither upon the one hand put confi­dence in the arm of flesh, & other worldly advantages, when things are prosperous, nor upon the other, comply with the Enemies of the cause when we are low, but in all estates and conditions to put our trust in God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, who is onely wise to give counsel.

Secondly, That whatsoever Power God hath already, or shall here­after put into our hands, we shall improve it for setling and propaga­ting Religion, and promoting the work of Reformation according to the Covenant, and in particular, to have the Liberties of the Kirk rati­fied, which have been many ways incroached upon and violated, as is particularly instanced in the Declaration of the General Assembly.

Thirdly, To vindicate and establish the liberty and property of the Subjects, who have been most grievously oppressed in their Conscien­ces, Persons and Estates.

Fourthly, That we shall endeavor the Kings Majesties Restitution to the exercise of His Royal Power, as soon as he shall give security for setling Religion in the maner expressed in the Desires of the late Commission of the Kirk, and shall give satisfaction in such other things as shall be found necessary for the Peace and Safety of the kingdoms.

Fifthly, That the late unlawful Engagement against our Neighbor Nation of England, with whom we are joyned in League and Co­venant, may be disclaimed and disavowed by the Supreme Authority of this kingdom, it being most destructive to Religion, and to the Peace and Happiness of these kingdoms.

Sixthly, To strengthen and confirm the Peace and Union between [Page 16]the kingdoms, which the Malignant party hath so much endeavored to break and dissolve.

Seventhly, That we shall endeavor to purge out of all the Judicato­ries in the Land, Malignancy and Prophaneness, and use all other good means that Justice may be equally and impartially administred to all the Subjects in the kingdom; and that a more effectual course may be taken throughout the whole kingdom then heretofore, for punishing and suppressing all Prophaneness, Malignancy and Impiety.

Eighthly, All means having bin used with great industry, to get Ma­lignants chosen to be Commissioners to the last Parliament, & to pre­possess mens mindes when they came to the Parliament, from which as a Fountain have issued all our troubles and distractions. That we will faithfully endeavor to have a free Parliament, consisting of such per­sons as have not bin accessory to, & furtherers of the late Engagem; for w ^ch end we do again hereby require, that in the election of Com­missioners from Burghs and Shires to the Parliament, the rules and di­rections set down in our Acts of 22 Sept. last, and the 4 of this instant month of Octob. may be punctually observed throughout the kingdom.

And we call the searcher of hearts to record, that these are our real and true intentions; and that we do not, nor shall, by the grace of God, pursue any private ends or interests of our own. And we trust, the Lord our God, who knoweth the sincerity of our resolu­tions, who hath also had mercy upon us, and hath begun to do so gra­ciously for us, will assist us herein until his work shall be accomplished.

And now last of all, since it is agreed upon in the Treaty, that all que­stions and differences about Religion be referred to the determinati­on of the General Assembly or their Commissioners, and that all Ci­vil questions and differences be referred to the determination of a Parliament, which is to sit down before the 10 of January next; We do exhort and require all and every one of the Subjects within this kingdom, to live peaceably and quietly, and to wait patiently for the determination aforesaid; but in case any shall not rest satisfied with, or shall resile from the said agreement, and shall continue, or rise in arms, or levy any Forces without warrant from the Committee of Estates as it is now constituted, consisting of persons not accessory to the late Engagement, We do declare, That they shall be esteemed enemies to Religion, the King and Kingdom, and punished as wilful disturbers of the Peace of the kingdom.