'The Humble Supplication or Remonstrance of the Noblemen, Barons, Burgesses, Ministers and Commons of Scotland to the Lords of His Majesty’s Privy Council There (Presented to the King on 26 October 1637, answered on 29 October 1637)'

67v

October 1637. Left margin: Ceremonies./ It is Reported that the Scottes doe much oppose the receavinge of o[u]r Englishe Leturgie, and will not admitte of our Ceremonies into there Churches, nor the eccl[esiast]i[c]all governm[en]t of there Churche by B[ishop]s &c after the English manner./

A Trewe copie of a letter sente from the nobilitie of Scotland & others to the lordes of his ma[jes]ties privie Counsell of Englande

Left margin: Scotlande/ My Lordes of secrett Councell unto yo[u]r Lo[rdshi]pps humble meanes and shewes, wee vndersubscribed, Noble men, Barrons, Burgeses, ministers and Com[m]ons: that wheras wee are in all humility and quiet manner attendinge a gratious answere of o[u]r former supplications ag[ains]t the Service book impressed upon us, and ready to shewe the greate inconveniences w[hi]ch upon the introduction therof must ensue. wee are (w[i]thout any knowne deserte) farr beyonde expectation surprised and charged by publik proclamac[i]on to departe out of the Towne (meaninge Edenborough.) w[i]thin 24 howers thereafter vnder paine of Rebellion: by w[hi]ch p[er]emptorie and vnvsuall charge our feares of a more severe and stricte course of proceedinge in theise matters are augmented, and the course of our supplicac[i]ons interrupted. Wherfore wee are constrayned out of the deepe grefe of our hartes humblie to remonstrate: That whereas the Archb[ishop] and B[ishop]s of this our Realme beinge intrusted by his ma[jes]tie w[i]th the governm[en]t of the affaires of the Churche of Englande haue drawne upp & sett forthe, or caused to bee drawne upp, and sett forthe and to bee enioyned vpon the subiecte Two Bookes, in the one wherof called the booke of com[m]on prayer Left margin: book of com[mon] 1. prayer./ not only are sowne the seedes of superstition Idolatrie and false doctrine, contrary to the Religion established by diverse actes of p[ar]liam[en]t, But also the service booke Left margin: //⫶ ∞ //⫶ ∞ of Englande is so much abused, espetially in the matter of the Com[m]union, by additions, subtractions, interchanginge of wordes and sentences, falsifyinge of titles, misplacinge of Collectes, to the disadvantage of Reformation, as the Romishe Masse is in the mayne and substancyall pointes made upp therin, as wee offer to instance in tyme and place conveniente cleane contrary to and for the reversinge of the gratious intention of the blessed reformers of Left margin: book of Can[n]ons 2. Religion in Englande. In the other booke called Cannons and constitutions for the governm[en]t of the Churche of Scotlande they haue ordayned that whosoever shall affirme that the forme of wor[ship] contayned in the booke of com[m]on prayer and administration of Sacram[en]tes (wherof heretofore and nowe wee must iustly complaine) doth contayne any thinge repugnante to the Scripture or are corrupt superstitions or unlawfull in the service and wor[ship] of God shalbee excom[m]unicated and not reconciledrecovered (reconciled) but by the B[ishop] of the place or Archb[ishop] of the province after his repentance, and publike revocation of this his wicked error. Besides 100. cannons more many of them tendinge to the Revivinge & fosteringe of abolished superstition and errors, to the overthrowe of Churche discipline established by acte of p[ar]liam[en]t openinge a dore, for what further innovation of religion they please to make, in stoppinge the way w[hi]ch lawe before did allowe unto us for suppressinge of error and superstition: And ordayninge that {wherin} any of the Cannons there is not a penaltie expreslie sett downe, the punishm[en]t shalbee arbitrarie as the B[isho]p shall thinck fitte. All w[hi]ch cannons were never seene and allowed in our generall assemblies but are imposed contrary to lawe appointed in this kingdome for the establishinge of matters ecclesiastick./. Unto the w[hi]ch two bookes the foresaide prelates haue procured his ma[jes]ties royall hande and letters Pattentes for pressinge the same vpon his loyall subiectes, and yet are they the contrivers and devisors of the same, as doth clerely appeare by the frontispice of the booke of com[m]on prayer and are begun to urge the same not only by Iniunctions given in provinciall assemblies but also by open proclamac[i]on and charges of horninge whereby wee are driven into such straightes as wee musteyther68r either by processe of Extention Excomunication and horninge suffer the ruyne of our estates and fortunes, or els by breache of covenante w[i]th God and forsakinge the waye of true Religion fall vnder the wrathe of God w[hi]ch vnto us is more grevous then deathe. Wherfore wee being p[er]swaded that theise there proceedinges are contrary to our gratious sov[er]aignes pious intentions, whoe out of his zeale and princely care of the p[re]servation of true Religion established in this Left margin: ({havinge}) fol: his ancyente kingdome hath ratified the same in his highnesse p[ar]liam[en]t 1633 and so his highnesse to bee highly wronged by the saide Prelates whoe haue soe farre abused there credite w[i]th soe good a kinge as thus to ensnare subiectes rente our Churche, vndermyne religion, endoctrine Sacram[en]ts, & discipline move discontente betwixte the kinge and his subiectes, and discorde betweene Subiecte and Subiecte contrary to the severall actes of p[ar]liam[en]t. Wee out of o[u]r Left margin: //⫶ ∞ //⫶ ∞ bounden dutie to God, our kinge and native Country complaine of theise foresaide Prelates, humbly cravinge that this matter may bee putt to tryall and theise our p[ar]ties may bee taken order with, and that they bee not suffred to site any longer as our Iudges vntill our cause bee tryed & decided accordinge to Iustice. And yf this shall seeme to yo[u]r Lo[rdshi]ps a matter of higher importance then you will condiscende vnto before his Left margin: see the reasons adioyned in fol: 133./ ma[jes]tie bee acquaynted therwith, then wee humbly supplicate that this o[u]r greivance and complainte may bee fully represented to his maiestie that from the influence of his ma[jes]ties gratious governm[en]t and Iustice theise wronges may bee redressed, and wee haue the happinesse to enioye the Religion as yt hath bynn reformed in this lande and established by actes and Statutes of this Realme/

This was p[re]sented to the kinge the 26: of October, and answered [th]e 29. of the same monethe 1637./

written out of S[i]r Io Poles copie/

They haue 3 yeres to consider of the acceptance therof in the meane tyme not to bee mo= molested any more in that kynde./