You need not feare any thing in my Lo. of Roxborough's bufyneffe, for I doe not beleeue ye King will erect any other Bp.rick in haft. God bliffe him, and make him able to better those which are already, and stand in need of helpe. I doe not heare of any alteration to ye leffe or ye more about ye Exchequer there; but should there be any, I haue moued his Matie yt nothing be concluded till my Lo. of St. Andrewes judgment be knowne, according as yow defire. As for ye inftance you make, in ye Annuity of Tithes, I read yt alfoe to ye King; and you cannot but remember yt ye King hath faid enough to you in yt par[ticular: Let this] be enough.

My Lo. for yo clofe of your letter all yt I can fay is this, my affiftance you shall have in all just and honoble wayes for ye Church; but ye Kinge is foe gracious of himfelfe, yt you may be better able att any time to doe your owne bufyneffe wth him then I am to doe it for you, being not able to vnderstand many difficultyes of your bufyneffes. Yet, confidering my prefence is heere, where yours cannot alwayes be, I fhal be euer as ready to ferue you as I haue been, yt is, to yo vttmost of my power. Soe, wishing you all health and hapines, I leave you to ye Grace of God, and reft, Your Lord's very loueinge Freinde and Brother,

Croyden, Sept. 19th, 1635.

To the Rt Reverend Father in God, my very good Lord and
Brother, the Lord Bishop of Roffe, att Edenburrowe, these.

W: CANT.

[Indorfed] 19 September 35, His gladnes for their being at the preffe, especiallie that one Canon vnder the curtaine.

XIII.

DR. JUXON BISHOP OF LONDON, TO MAXWELL BISHOP OF ROSS.

[Orig. Wodrow MSS., Folio Vol. LXVI. No. 21. The Book of "Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical," &c. so often referred to, bears on the title, “ Aberdene, imprinted by Edward Raban, 1636." 4to, pp. 43.]

MY VERIE GOOD Lord,

VPON the receipt of yor former letters, I p[refentlie] repaired to my L: Grace of Canterburie, and gott a dispatch of what you defired to have explained in yo2 Common Praier Booke; and I hope ere this it hath found the waye to Edinburgh, that yo preffe ftand not ftill; for I was enforced, wth fignification of the hast it required, to leave the care of conveiance vpon his Grace; becaufe, my letters coming from Newmarkett, (where the Court then was,) by an vnknowen hand, I knew not well how to gett it returnd.

With you letter of the 6th of this month, I receaved yo1 Book of Canons, which per

chance at firft will make more noise then all the Canons in Edinburgh Castle; but when men's eares have beene vfed awhile to the found of them, they will not startle fo much at it, as now at firft; and, perchance, find them as vfefull for prefervation of the Church, as the others for the Comonweale. Our praiers heer are for yo1 happie proceedings in that great fervice, wherewith I reft,

THE EARL OF STIRLING, TO MAXWELL BISHOP OF ROSS.

[Orig.-Wodrow MSS. Folio Vol. LXVI. No. 22.-Sir William Alexander of Menstrie, Author of the Monarchick Tragedies, was created Earl of Stirling in the year 1633. At this time, he held the office of Secretary of State for Scotland.]

Right reverenD FATHER IN GOD, and my VERIE Goode LORD,

I THANKE YOW verie hartiely for yo" Booke of the Cannons, wch I receaued yesternight. I was prefent in the morneing when my Lord of Canterburry delivered the Booke to the King, wch, as foone as his Matie had reade fome parte of it, he delivered unto mee; and I was glade to heare him fo well pleased therewith. I finde fome erroures in the Printer, by mistakeing or renverfing of letters; and therefore have the more care in lookeing to that in printeing of the Service-Booke, for Yong the printer is the greatest knave that euer I dealt with; and therefore truft nothing to him nor his fervants but what of neceffity you must [leave.]

[Since] the writeing hereof, I receaued a letter from my Lord of [Canter]burry, fignifying his Maties pleasure for two letters that should be [drawen] vp for his hand, concerning the authorizeing of the Booke [of Ca]nnons; wch, God willing, fhall come home with the next packett. I hope my Sonne will take fuch a courfe, with yo' advice, concerning the Pfalmes as fhall be fitt, to whom I referre the fame; and ftill

Yor Lops verie affectionate frend and fervant,

remayne,

Sterfime

I fend yoTM LoP thefe inclofed letters from my Lord of Canterburry, to be delivered by yow according to their severall directiones.

[Whyte]hall, the 17 of Febri. 1636.

To the right reverend Father in God, and my verie goode Lord,

my Lord Bishope of Roffe.

[Indorfed] 17th Februar 1636. His purchafing the King's authorising the Canons.

XV.

ACT OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL AUTHORISING THE SERVICE BOOK, WITH HIS MAJESTYS WARRANT:-OCTOBER 1636.

Forfamekle as the King's Maieftie, euer fince his entrie to the imperiall Crowne of this his ancient Kingdome, efpeciallie fince his late being heir, hes diverfe times recommendit to the Archbishops and Bishops heir, the publishing of a publict Forme of Service in the worship of God, whiche his Maieftie would have vniformelie obferved in this Kingdome; and the fame being now condefcended upon, although his Maieftie doubts not bot all his Maiefties fubjects, both clergie and others, will receave the faid publict Forme of Seruice with fuch reuerence as appertaineth; Yitt his Maieftie thinking it necessair to make his pleasure knowne twiching the authorizing the booke thairof, Thairfore the Lords of his Maiefties Privie Counfell, according to his Maiefties speciall warrand and direction, Ordains letters to be direct, to command and charge all his Maiefties fubjects, both ecclefiafticall and civill, be open proclamation at the Mercat Crofes of the heid Burrowes of this Kingdome and other places needfull, to conforme themfelffs to the faid publict Forme, quhilk is the onlie forme quhilk his Maieftie, (having takin the Counsell of his Clergie,) thinkes fitt to be used in Gods publict worship heir: Commanding heirby all Archbishops and Bishops, and others presbyters and churchemen, to take a speciall care that the faid publict Forme of worship be dewlie obferued and obeyed, and the contraveaners condignlie cenfured and punished; and to have a speciall care

that euerie Parish betuix and Pasche next, procure unto thameselffs twa at the least of the faids Bookes of Commoun Prayer, for the ufe of the Parish.

FOLLOWIS HIS MAJESTIES MISSIVE FOR WARRANT OF THE ACT ABOUWritten.

CHARLES R.

RIGHT Reuerend Father in God, right truftie and weil-belouit Coufins and Counfellors, right trustie and trustie and belouit Counsellors, We greit you weill. Whereas fince our entrie to the Crowne, especiallie fince our late being in that Kingdome, We have diuerse times recommended to the Archbishops and Bishops there, the publishing of a publict Forme of Seruice in the worship of God, whiche We would haue vniformelie obferued therein; And the fame being now condescended vpon, thogh We doubt not bot all our fubjects, both Clergie and others, will receaue the fame with such reuerence as appertaineth; Yitt thinking it neceffarie to make our pleasure knowne, tuicheing the authorizing of the Booke thaireof, We require you to command, by opin proclamation, all our subjects, both ecclefiaftical and civill, to conforme thameselffes in the practise thairof, It being the onlie forme which We, (having takin the Counsell of our Clergie) thinke fitt to be used in Gods publict worship there: As alfua We require you to injoyne all Archbishops and Bishops, and other Prefbyters and churchemen, to take care that the fame be dewlie obeyed, and the contraveeners condignlie cenfured and punished; And to take order that euerie Parish procure to thameselffes, within such a space as you shall thinke fitt to appoint, two at least of the saids Bookes of Common Prayer for the use of the Parish; wherein you will doe us moft acceptable feruice, and for which thefe fhall be your warrant. We bid yow farewell, from our Court at Newmercat, the 18 of October 1636.

XVI.

DISCHAIRGE BE THE PRINTER FOR THE BOOKS TO THE

CHAIPPELL.

[The Original indorfed as above, is preserved in the General Register House.]

WE, Robert Bryfon, Bookfeller, and I, Evan Tyler, Printer, by these prefents grants us to have received from Mr. George Halyburtoun, all & whole the fowme of Ane hundred fourty-four pounds, four fhillings Scots money, being the just price of the Liturgies, which are given in to the Chappell Royall. In witnes whereof we have fubfcrived our names, At Edinburgh this fifteenth of Aprill 1637 years.

ROBERT BRYSONE.

EVAN TYLER.

XVII.

ARCHBISHOP SPOTTISWOOD, TO DR. HALL BISHOP OF NORWICH. [The Original is preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, inserted in a copy of "The Booke of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments: And other parts of Divine Service for the use of the Church of Scotland. Edinburgh : Printed by Robert Young, &c. 1637." Folio. The copy (marked KK. e. 24.) is printed on large paper, but it has been rebound and cut down, and does not, as usual, contain King James's Psalms, dated 1636.]

MY VERY REVEREND AND HONOELL GOOD LORD,

I was defired to prefent zo" Lo. with one of the copies of our Scottishe Liturgie, which is formed fo nigh to the Inglish, as we culd, that it might be knowne how we are nothing differen in substance from that Church. And God I befeeche to keep ws one, and free ws from those that craife divifions. Zo L. will be pleased to accept this litle prefent, as a teftimonie of our Churches love, and fent by him qho truly loveth zo" L. and will still remain,

Zowr L. moft affectionat Brother,

[Indorfed.]—To my very Reverend good Lord and Brother,

my Lord the Bishop of Norwich.

XVIII.

SANCTANDREWS.

LINDESAY BISHOP OF EDINBURGH, TO THE PRESBYTERY OF DALKEITH.

[Orig.-Wodrow MSS., Folio Vol. LXVI. No. 40.]

WELBELOUED BRETHREN,

A GREAT number of the Minifters of this diocefs, thinking the day of the Synode had beine the last Weddinsday of Apryll, did come to this Towne, and finding themselues mistaken, presentlie returned to their owne homs, wt whom I fpake not. These presents therefore are to defyre yow to keipe preceislie the tyme appointed, wch is the laft Weddinsday of Maij, for at that tyme there [are] fundrie things that I haue to impart vnto yow, and in fpeciall concerning the Service Books that are to be receaued in our Church; of the wch books it is thoght expedient, that prefentlie everie Minifter and Congregation buy two vpon the common charges of the parish, one for the vfe of the minifter, and the other for the reader, or him that shall affift the minister in the service. The price of the Booke I think fhal be 4lbs. 16th. yt is 91b. 12sh. the two. The matter is of no great