For soe much as vvee out of our princely care of maintaning the true re­ligion all ready professed, and so beating downe all superstition: Having ordained a booke of common prayer to bee compiled for the generall and vniuer­sall vse and edification of our subjects within our an­cient kingdome of Scotland, the same being accor­dingly don. In the framing whereof we tooke great care and paines so that there is nothing past therein but what was seen and approved by vs before the same was divulgated or printed: assuring all our loving subjects that not only our intention is, but even this very booke a rea­dy meanes to maintaine the true religion allready professed, and beat out all superstition, of which wee in our owne time doe not doubt but in a faire course to satisfie the iudgments of our good subjects: But having seen and considered some petitions and declarations given into our counsell against the said Booke and late CANNONS of the booke, find our regall authority much iniured thereby, both in the mat­ter and the carrage, whereby wee certefie these of the Nobility, gen­try, Barrons Ministers and others who have kept & assisted those mee­tings and convocations for contriving and subscribing of the said peti­tions, to bee liable to our high censure, both in their persons and fortunes, they having conveyned themselves without our consent or authority: Yet because wee beleeve that they have done herein on­ly out of a preposterous zeale, and without any disloyalty or disaffecti­to our Soueraingty: Our gratious plea [...]ure (so farr as concernes those meetings for consulting and subscribing of the said petitions or presen­ting of the same to any iudge or iudges within this kingdom) is to dis­pense therewith, and with what may bee the fault or error therein, to all such as vpon signification or declaration of this our pleasure, shall retein themselves as become good and dutifull subjects. To which purpose OVR WILL is henceforth, and we charge you streaghtly and commaund that incontimently these our letters seen, the particu­lers and in our name and authority proclamation thereof bee made to all our leige subiects in all places needefull; that so [...]one pretend igno­rance hereof, and therewithall in our name and authority that ye dis­charge [Page]all such convocations and meetings in time to come, vnder the penalty of treason and also that ye command, charge and inhibit all our leiges and subjects, that none of them on any hand presume to re­sort or repaire to the Burrough of Starling, nor to any other Burrough, where our counsell and Session sits, till first they declare the cause of their comming to our counsell, and declare their warrant to that ef­fect: And further that wee commaund and charge all and sundrie Provosts, Bayleifes, and Magistrates within their bourroughs that they, & every one of them have a speciall care & regard, to see this our royall will and pleasure readyly & dutifully observed in all points, and that noe violence be suffered within your bounds, vnder all the highest pe­nalty, crime or offence that they may cōmit against us in that behalfe: And also that ye cammaund and charge all & sundry Noblemen, Bar­ons & Burgesses who are not actuall indwellers within the Burrough, neither are of number of the privy counsell and Session; and mem­bers thereof, and are already within this Burrough: that they and eve­rie one of them remoue themselves, and depart and passe forth of the said Burrough (and not returne againe without the said warrant) with­in the space of six houres after the publication hereof, vnder the said penaltie of treason: And as concerning any petitions that shall here­after bee given to vs, upon this or any other subject: wee are likewise pleased to declare that we will not shut our eares there from: soe it bee not preiudiciall to our royall authoritie.

WEE the Noble men, Barons and Ministers appoin­ted to attend his maiesties answere unto our humble petitions, and to present our greeuiances, and to doe what else might lawfully conduce to our humble de­sires. Did upon the 13 of September last, present one supplication to your Lordships; and another upon the 18 of October following: as also a new bill relativelie to the former in December after the 19 day.

In all which, we humbly remonstrated, our iust exceptions against the Service booke, and Booke of Cannons, Arch-bishops and Bishops of this kingdome, as the contrivers, meanteaners and urgers thereof; and against their sitting as our Iudges untill the causes betweene them and vs be decided.

And withall we earnestly supplicated to be ridd and delivered from these evils, and from all other innovations of that kind, introducted a­gainst the laudable lawes of this kingdome: as namely that of the high Commssion and other evils particularly and generally mentioned in our supplications and complaints: And that these our parties, delinquent against our religion and lawes might be taken order with, and these pressing greeviances be redressed, according to the laws of this realme, as in our supplications we have more largely expressed, the which we gaue into your Lordships upon the 19 of December aforesaid, against the Arch-bishops and Bishohs our parties, who by consequence there­fore neither could be, nor may be our Iudges.

Whereupon your Lordships declared by your act given at Dealkeeth the said 19 of December, that you would present our petition to his maiesties royall consideration, & that without any prejudice to us the said supplicants, and moreover that we should bee heard, in time and place convenient, & in the mean time we should receaue no preiudice as the said act it selfe testifies for vs.

Now where as we your humble supplicants (with long patience and hope grounded upon sundry promises) were exspecting an answere vnto our fore named humble desires, we understood of some direction from his maiestie, to you the Lords of his highnes privy counsell, touch­ing our complaints: and upon the same admitted the consulting & iudging both, of our supplication, and the kings answere there to, vnto the Arch-bishops and Bishops our direct par-ties: Contrary to our Protestation given in at Dealkeeth, and since renued at Starling: and contrary to your Lordships foresaid act made at Dealkeeth.

Least therefore our silence should bee preiudiciall to this so impor­tunate a cause, as concernes Gods glory and worship, our religion and saluation, the lawes and liberties of this kingdome: or deregatory to our former supplications and complaints: or in breife, not answerable to the trust of our commission: we are forced out of our bounden du­ty to God, our king and native cuntry to take instument in the nota­ries and Clarkes hands (seeing your Lordships refuse to admitt our Declimiter for remoueall these of our parties) & to protest in manner following.

• 1. Wee protest that we may & ought to haue an immediate course to present our iust greeviances to out sacred Soverainge, and in a legall way and manner to prosecute the same, before the ordinarie and competent iudges, civil or Eccleasticall; without any offence either offred by vs, or taken by your Lordships.
• [Page]2. Wee protest that the Arch-bish [...] & Bishops the parties whome we complaine vpon, cannot bee reputed or esteemed lawfull iudges, to sit in indicatory within this kingdome civill or Ecclesiasticall, upon any of vs the said supplicants, untill they doe by lawfull triall iudicious­ly purge themselves of such crimes as we have already laid to their charge: offering our selves to prove the same whensoever his maiestie shalbe pleased to giue us audience.
• 3. Wee protest that no act or proclamation, whether paid or here after shall passe, in the counsell, and by the states of Archb. and Bishops (our parties and whome we haue declyned to be our Iudges) shall in no wise bee preiudiciall to vs, that is, either to our persons, our lawfull meetings, proceedings and persuits.
• 4. Wee protest that neither our selves, nor any others, whose hearts the Lord shall moue to ioyne with vs in our supplications against the aforesaid innovocations, shall incurre any danger, either in life, lands, or any politicall or Ecclesiasticall penaltie: For not observing such acts, Bookes, Canons, Writts, judicatories and proclamations introdu­ced without, or against the acts of parliament, or statutes of this king­dome. But it shalbe lawfull for us and them to vse our selves in mat­ters of religion, or the externall worship of God, and policie of the Church; according to the word of God, and the laudable constitutions of this Church and kingdome.
• 5. Seeing all such as have taken these innovations to heart, have by a legal and submissive way of supplications sought redresse and been calme and quiet in hope of reformation: Wee protest there­for that if inconvenience shall happen to fal out (which we pray God to prevent) vpon the pressing of the said innovations or evils, generally and specially mentioned in our former complaints, and vpon your Lordships refusall, to take order for redresse. That the same shall not be imputed unto us, who most humbly desire to have all things redres­sed by order.
• 6. We protest before God, the Heavens, and the Angels, that these our Requests (proceeding from conscience, and our due respect to his Majesties honour) doe tend to no other end, but to the preservation of the true reformed religion, the Lawes & Liberties of his Majesties most ancient Kingdome, and the satisfaction of our humble desires contained in our supplications, according to his Majesties goodnesse and justice; From whom we doe certainly exspect, that his sacred Ma­jestie will proceed and grant remedy to our just petions and com­plaints: as may be exspected from so gracious a King towards his loyall and dutifull Subjects, calling for redresse of so oppressing gree­vances, praying hartily that his Majestie may long and prosperously raigne over us.

Amen