I

moment, and the imployment verie neceffar and profitable, as experience shall prove. hope y'fore yee will not faill everie one to bring in your moneyes and receaue your books, for it is appointed that the Printer be payed, and the buiks taken off his hand, betuix this and the first of June. In the meane tyme I expect that yee will obferve the commemoration of Chrift's Afcenfion, on Thursday the 18th of May; and on Sonday the 28th thereafter, called Whitfonday, a commemoration of the defcending of the Holy Ghoft, wch haue beine and are folemnely observed throw all the Christian world, to the honor of him who is the God of order, vnity, and peace; to whose grace I leaue you, and shall euer remaine,

INSTRUCTIONS HOW THE SERVICE CAME TO BEE MADE
DELIVERED TO MEE BY THE KING.

[Wodrow MSS., Folio Vol. LXVI. No. 36. The above title is the indorsation of this paper in the hand-writing of Dr. Balcanquall. It evidently was drawn up by the Earl of Stirling, then Secretary of State for Scotland. The original is mutilated in the several places marked with points, or where words have been supplied within brackets.] KING JAMES, of bliffed memorie, who knew moft perfectly the defects of the Church of Scotland, shortly after his coming to the Croun of England, out of his relligious and pious care of God's glorie, and tender affection to that poore Church, in quâ natus et renatus, beganne seriously to think vpon the esta[blishing of a] Liturgie there.

After many though[ts for that purpose, he] obtained that in a Generall Affembly at [Aberdeen in the year 1616,] it was enacted that a Booke of Co[mmon Prayer] should be framed; and, by Act of Affembly, so many were trufted with it to draw it vp, of whom I am fure Mr. Wm. Cowper B. of Galloway was one.

Then a Booke of Common Prayer was formed and delivered to my Lord Archb. of St Andrew's, we after hee had reuifed, it was fent vp to King James, who did take the paines to peruse and confider it, and gave order to the Deane of Winchester to doe the like, the fame was returned to my Lord of St. Andrews, with his Ma. directions what hee would have to be changed, omitted, or added, to make it the more perfect.

Before it could be brought ad vmbilicum, God called that bliffed King to Glory. King Charles fhortly after his entrie to the raigne, air not only to his Father's crowne, but pietie, vrged the fame wt a moft pious care and fatherlie affection. This very Booke

in statu quo King James left it, was fent to his Ma. and prefented to his Ma. by myfelfe, (whether the fame was done or not by the B. of Rofs then, now Archb. of Glasgow, I darre not confidently averre, but I thinke hee it was). His Ma. took great care of it, gave his Royall judgement, and I returned home and fignified his Ma. pleafure to my L. St. Andrew's, and hee to fuch of the Clergy as hee thought fit.

There was during this time much paines taken by his Ma. here, and My L. St. Andrew's, and fome others there, to have it fo framed, as wee needed not to be ashamed of it when it fhould be seen to the Chriftian world, [and] wt that prudent moderation that it might be done in that [way which might occafion] the leaft offence to weak ones there.

In God's mercy

that it was framed fo as the it, and put their hands to it, we I fhew to his Ma.; and thereafter his Ma. gaue His Royall approbation, writte to the Councell for authorifing of it, and to the BB. to be cairfull, in all prudent and conuenient fpeed, to put it in practise, and that it fhould goe to prefs, that this might be the fooner and better done.

To facilitat the receiving of the Booke of Common Prayer, a care was had befides to make it as perfect as cowld be, fo lykwife that howfoeuer it fhould come as neare to this of England as could be, yet that it should be in fome things different, that our Church and Kingdome might not grumble as tho wee were a Church dependent from or fubordinat to them.

His Ma. prudent pietie was fuch, that tenderly caring for the peace of this Church, fome things were keept in our Liturgie which as yet our Church could not be vrged with, and fome things which the weakness of the greater part would except againft: that the turbulent heire might get no aduantage by our Booke to difquiet the Church, and that ours might the more [smoothly] be receaued His Ma. in a gratious moderat vnder his hand, difpenfed wt ye BB. not fuch as were willing

their flocks to doe it.

ned

vpon any but

And yet [His Majefties] care and prudence was more, that when all was concluded, and the Booke ready for the press, to prepare men the better to receue it, gave order to all Archbifchops & BB., till our owne should be printed and fully authorised, to cause read the English Seruice booke in their Cathedralls, to vfe it morning and evening in their owne houses and colledges, as it had been vfed in His Ma. Chappell Royall in the yeir of God 1617. The BB. vpon a remonftrance made to his Ma. that seing their owne was shortly to come forth, defired that all should be continowed till their owne were printed and fully authorised: to which his Ma. gratiously accorded.

In 1636, at fartheft in the beginning of 1637, the Booke was printed, sent to his Ma. presented to the Councill, authorised at His Ma. command, publick proclamation made to all churchmen to beginne the practise at Easter 1637. His Ma. at this tyme, at euery occafion, put the BB. in mynd of their dutie, and not to be negligent.

The Bishop of Edinburgh not being able to beginne at the appointed day, the Bishops meiting in June and July, carefull to obey his Majeftie did think fit, before the Seffion raise, (that so it might be knowen in all the corners and parts of the kingdome,) that the reading and vfe of it fhould beginne in Edinburgh and all the neirest adjacent churches; and knowing that all were not alike affected to so pious a worke, ordaining intimation to be made the Lord's day before the 23 of July, that the Service was to beginne and continow, fearing that fome difaffected would prevaricate in the intimation, caused print the intimation, and intimat it in all the churches of Edinburgh, in the printed order.

What a barb[arous] hub-hub was then, wowld to God it were buried in [oblivion. After] that the Toune of Edinburgh, fearing His Ma: [displeasure,] yea puritans themfelves condemning it

factis

expressly

:

condemning the

either knowledge of it, or hand in it, and promifing obedience was put vpon Rafcallis and Coal-fteillers, but how justly, let fubfequent actions and events declare :) His Majeftie was fo gracious, that he pardoned the Toune, accepted of their excufe: Such was His goodness all this tyme, not one, no not the basest, cenfured.

The 23 of August, a Councell day, appointed to meet folemnly, to know His Ma. pleasure, expected to returne before then; their came to that diet fome few Minifters from Fife, and fome from the Weft, being charged to buy and receue the books, to suspend. Nothing was done then to curbe them, but at Councell table speking that their was a fire in all the parts of the kingdome. Quherevpon, in the nixt Councell day, noble-men and numbers of Ministers did appear wt petitions, and crying out against the Booke as Popish fuperftitions. After which petition and petitions were fent to his Ma. At this tyme, if I mistake not, my L. D. of Lennox, occafionally being at home, did bringe vp their Petition. They encreased in number, and then spoke against Service-book, Canons, Hie Commiffion, &c. Declarations were given in to the Councell; and heir you would admire to fie the tennor of that Act at Dalkeith, which they pretend as their warrand for meiting, which they abused to the establishing of their [Tables. His] Ma. was gratiously pleased to declair, by op[en Proclamation, hee] intended no novation in Relligion, &c.; [but that the conte]mpt of the Proclamation concluded at Lin[lithgow,] commanding them all to repair home, would be look't to. Traquair written for came vp. At Stirling was a gracious proclamation, to affure His Majeftie's fubjects of the fyncerity of Relligion. Heir was made the first protestation against authority, which in terminis meits & oppofes the proclamation. After that, Privie Seale was fent home. Then the Covenant was put on foot, &c. After that, his Lordship's panis did proue fuccefffull: His Lordship can give you information of this. Then the Marquis of Hamilton, &c.

VOL. I.

3 L

XX.

INFORMATION FROM THE EARL OF STIRLING TO

DR. BALCANQUALL.

[Wodrow MSS., Folio, Vol. LXVI. No. 26.-This paper has no date or signature, but it relates to matters which occurred in 1637, and appears to be a continuation of the preceding article.]

THE Councell gave out letters, chargeing euery minifter to receave two Service Bookes for every paroch church; but Mr Alex' Henderfon, and two other minifters with him, in name of the reft, gave in a peticion the next day, that they might have fome reasonable tyme to fee the Booke and confider of it; wherevpon the former charge was fufpended. The Service Booke was begun to be read in the church of Edinburgh vpon a Sonday, when the Lo. Treasurer was forth of towne, and the Councell not prefent, which made a great mutinie in the church, and the fervice was read with difficultie, the church doores all being fhutt; and as foone as the fermon was ended, they threw ftones at the Bishop, and entered in a great tumult. There was a tumultuous multitude that came about the Towne Councell-houfe, the Clerk Regifter being then Provest, vrgeing him to figne what they demanded, till the Lo. Treasurer came and releeved him.

The Towne of Edinburgh being preffed to receave the Service Booke, offered once to do it, fo they might have men to read it to them; and they gave in a peticion that they might not be vrged to vse it till the reft of the Borroughes did consent to the receaving of it, and they would abstaine, in the mean tyme, from joyning in peticion with them. They could have no anfwer, but that they muft either receave it prefently, or joyne with the reft, which they did, though it might then have been prevented.

The Councell, vpon this, was removed from Edinburgh to Linlithgow, and the Lo. Roxbrughe was fent home with a commiffion from his Majeftie, and a proclamation, shewing that no innovation in Religion was intended; but it was fo farr from settling the business, that they proceeded to more high demands then before, and of others then concerning the Service Booke.

Thereafter, the Seffion being removed to Sterline, and the troubles ftill encreafing, a proclamation was made there, expreffing his Majefties gratious intention and fincerity in Religion, and withall, chargeing all men, vnder paine of Treason, to retire themselfs to their owne houfes; but this was encountred with a proteftation, and no obedience given to the charge.

After this, they made a Covenant amongst themfelfs, and a Bond of mutuall aide, for

profecuting their cause in establishing of the Religion in that eftate which they conceaved to be the purity thereof, and confirmed the same by an oath and subscription of all fuch as they could, by any meanes, draw to adhere to them. The Ministers, taking a liberty, even out of the pulpits, to abstract from the authority of Bishops, thereby to incenfe the people against them; and all fuch of the ministerie as would not condifcend to their Covenant, the Presbiteries either deprived, fufpended, or filenced, for any fault they could finde out, (or, they fay,) could be pretended against them.

[Indorfed in Balcanquall's hand.] From my L. Sterlin.

XXI.

EXTRACTS FROM THE REGISTERS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND.

(1.) Apud Edinburgh, 13 Junij 1637.

ACT ANENT SERVICE BOOKES.

FORASMEIKLE, as by act and proclamation, made and published heretofore, It wes commandit and ordained, that everie Presbyterie within this Kingdome fould have had a care that their parochiners fould have beene furnished and provydit, betwixt and Pasche last, with twa of the Bookes appointed to be universallie receaued throughout this Kingdome, for the publict forme of Service in the worship of God, as in the act and proclamation made to this effect at lenth is conteinit: Quhereunto, altho great numbers of the ministrie of beft learning and foundest judgement and gifts, hes given dewtifull obedience, and hes conformed thameselffes to his Maiefties royall will and pleasure in this point, Yitt there is some others of the ministrie who, out of curiofitie and fingularitie, refuise to receaue and embrace the said Booke, and does what in thame lyes to fofter and interteyny distractioun and troubles in the Kirk, to the difturbing of the publict peace thereof, without remeid be provydit; Thairfore, the faids Lords ordains letters to be direct, charging the whole Presbyters and Ministeris within this kingdome, That they and euerie ane of thaime provide and furnishe themselffes, for the use of their Parishes, with twa of the faids Bookes of publict Service, or Commoun prayer, within fyfteine dayes nixt after the charge, vnder the paine of rebellion and putting of thaime to the horne; and if they faillie, to denunce, &c. and to escheit, &c.