the fame. And we ar the rather moved heereto, that the Lord Bishop of Brechin wes ane eare and ey witnes to all our proceedings, and affented and affifted all that wes done heerin; and we thinke it lykewayes verie neceffar, that if your LP approue heirof, yow fall teftifie the fame to his Matie by your awne particular letter; and if your LP thinkes vpon anie better courfe for his Mateis fervice and peace of the countrie, we expect that your Lo will acquaint us therewith, and with the reasons moving yow thereto; and fend your answer in writt to the Lords Tre" and Privie Seale, who will be refident at Edr. that, accordinglie, they may conveene the rest of the Counfell to confult thereupon. And fo with the remembrance of our beft affections, committing your LP to the protection of God, We reft, (Subscribitur ut fupra.)

Frome Stirline, 5 Martij 1638.

The q1 day the Counsellers prefent, promeist that they, nor nane of them fall, fend anie advertisement to Court tuicheing the proceidings of this meiting, till first the JufticeClerk acquaint his Matie with the fame.

XXVII.

Mr. DAVID MITCHELL, ONE OF THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH, TO DR. JOHN LESLEY, BISHOP OF RAPHOE.

[Orig.-Wodrow MSS. Folio, Vol. LXVI. No. 49. In some old transcripts this Letter is marked, by mistake, as having been addressed to (Henry) Lesley Bishop of Down.] MY LORD,

THIS is the first occafion I [have] found to answere your last kinde letters. I can do no more bot humblie thanke your Lo. for the fincere proffers of your undeserved kindnesse. Truelie it is like ynough I will be brought to that neceffitie to leaue my charge here ; and then there is no man to whom I will be more willing to be beholding. It would make any man's eares to tingle to heare what a pitifull plunge this Church and Kingdome is in. The greater part of the Kingdome have subscribed, and the rest are daylie subscribing, a Covenant: It is the Oath of the King's House 1580, with strange additions, a mutual combination for resistance of all novations in religion, doctrine, and difcipline, and rites of worship that have bin brought in fince that tyme; fo as if the least of the subscribers be touched, (and there be fome of them not 10 yeeres of age, and fome not worth 2 pence,) that all shall concurre for their defence, and for the expulfion of all papists and adversaries (that is all that will not subscribe) out of the Church and Kingdome, according to the lawes, whereof a 100 are cited in the Carta. This goes on a pace. The true Pastors are brought in to Edb., to cry out against vs wolues; and they, with our brethren here, M. A. Ram. M. H. Roll. and your whilome friend the Principall, (crying out that they are neither good Chriftians nor good fubjects that do not fubfcribe, nay,

nor in Covenant with God,) have made vs fo odious, that we dare not goe on the streets. I have bin dogged by fome gentlemen, and followed with many mumbled threatnings behinde my back, and then, when I was up ftaires, fwords drawne, and, "If they had the Papist villaine, O"! Yet I thanke God, I am liuing to ferue God and the King, and the Church, and your LoP. Your Chiefe is chiefe in this bufineffe. There is nothing expected here but ciuill warre. There is no meeting of Counsell; the Chanc". may not with safetie attend it, nor any Bishop: the verie name is more odious among old and young than the Devill's. Galloway takes fhelter under the Treasurer's wings; he drawes him out to knowne dangers, and then makes a show of protection. Roffe keepes at home ftill, and keepes vp the Service in his Cathedrall, but I feare shall not be able long. What was told your Lp. of his disclaiming the Booke was most false: Dun and he never spake together. Concerning the other point of your postscript, yt the Booke is a transcript of King Edward's Booke, that is not true neither. I know my Lord of Roffe fent a copie of ours to your Lp., and the other you may have and compare them. They are fomewhat like in the Communion, and great need there was to returne to it propter Sacramentarios. But now, when all shall be discharged, Service Booke, Canons, and High Commiffion, they will not reft there: there is fome other defigne in their heads. There are ftill here 500 Commiffioners of the States; they relieue one another by courfe, ast Caftor and Pollux went to hell. They fit daylie and make new lawes; their protestations, and decrees beginne thus:-" Wee Noblemen, Barrons, Gentlemen, Burgeffis, Ministers and Commons." They depofe Moderators of Prefbyteries, and chufe new. M. Matt. Weemfs fubfcribed on Fryday, preached for the Covenant on Sunday, and difcharged the Organ. I have neither more tyme nor paper. God fend this Church peace, preferue yours, and fend you better newes next. So wifheth

Edb. 19th Marche 1638.

your LPs humble Servant,

To the Right Reuerend Father in God, my verie honorable

good Lord, my Lord Bishop of Raphoe.

DA. MICHELL.

XXVIII.

THE EARL OF LOUDOUN TO JOHNSTONE OF WARRISTON.

[Orig.-Wodrow MSS. Folio, Vol. LXVI. No. 52.]

RIGHT WORTHIE AND LOVEING FREIND,

EFTER I hade closed the wtin conteined, I refaved yors of the 21 of Appryle, and I approve yt cours (which efter Rothes and Lindsay's coming) is refolved vpon, in writting vp to the thrie Noblemen; and feeing of Articles ar to be refyned and fent to them, as I doubt nott bott they wilbe expreft in modeft termes, and vpon warrantable growndis, so it wald be wyflie adverted that our defyrs be nott too fpairing, nor any thing ommit

ted to be fought, which is neceffar for remedie of the evills present and preventione of future: for althoe the demandis be never fo moderat, wee may expect les, bott noe more› then is craved. Bott I knowe thes who ar about the bufines are wyfe and weill affected, and God who hathe direct all their former steps, I hope will gif his gratiou safistance in this paffage alfo. A letter from Lorne of the 11 of Appryle, is come prefentlie to my hand, schowing he came to Court one the Setterday befoir, and was called the nixt day to waitt vpon the King; q' he stayed a full ho1 and a-halfe wt his Matie alone, and (with his Matie permiffione) hade verie frie conference wt the King: That he thought that the King wold have bein willing to take a fair cours, if things hade bein done in a right way, or that wee wold followe honeft mens advyfe. But this pairt was fo generall and ambiguous, that I culd nott knowe his meaning, for he said he wold explain this poynt at meitting. Ther was noe thing determined anent or bufines at the writting of his letter, nor hope yt a Generall Affemblie wilbe granted. Wee ar nott beholding to the Steatifmen's report of or cariadge; and if they offerr to joyne and interpone the King's authoritie to further otheris who offeris ther fervice to the King, they vndertake to effectuate all the King wold have done; fo that ge write of Huntlie and McKaye feemes to be trewe; and if wee geild nott to that whiche shalbe declaired nixt concerneing the King's farder pleafour, (which I fear will nott be fatiffactorie) wee may fhortlie expect the worst; which is all I can find by what is writtin to me: Bott I am confident Lorne shall ftand fast, and nott be moved wt all y' temptationis; fo yt if Rothes knowe of a fuir bearar, or be to fend one vp with the letter to the 3 Noblemen, he will doe weill to writt to him apairt, and wt fridome, or heast back this bearar to me; that efter I knowe what is concludit, I may writt to him as shalbe thought most convenient. So trufting to heir from gow wt expeditione, I reft in heaft,

I have writtin to the Earle of Rothes, accquainting him wt what I learned by Lorne's letter, and defiring to knowe what he will advyse me to writt to him, for till I knowe what is writtin vp to the 3 Noblemen, and of demandis, I can nott resolve what to writt to Lorne. Therfoir heast back this bearar.

To my Right worthie and loveing Freind, Mr. Archibald

Johnstoun of Wearastoun, Advocat, thes.

(William Dunbar ye fchal delyver this to my Lord Balmerino.-A. J.)

XXIX.

LETTER OF SPOTTISWOOD ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS.

[Orig.-Wodrow MSS. Folio, Vol. LXII, No. 6.—This letter has no address or date, but the words," to your Grace," evidently denote the Marquis of Hamilton, as Lord Commiffioner, probably in August 1638.]

MY LORD,

THERE may be reafons very fufficient given for moving his Ma. to the Indicting of a Generall Affembly, as, first,

The distractiounis in the Church, which this is esteemed by many the best and easiest

means to remove.

Nixt, the taking order with the exiled and deprived Minifteris in Ireland, that have taken their refuge hither, and are the comon incendiaries of rebellioun, preaching qhat and where they please.

Thirdly, the calling of thefe Minifteris to an account, that have gone throw the country vfurpand other mens pulpitis, exacted peoples oathes to the Covenant, fo called, and miniftred the communioun to them that are not of their flock; befides the faftings and humiliationis, by them indicted, q'of they had no warrant.

Fourthly, the examinatioun of the Book of Comon Prayer, if there be any thing in it founding to Poperie and fuperftitioun.

Fifthly, to trie the Book of Canonis, if there be any Canon therin qche is not concluded by Generall Affemblies, or in comon practise of the Churche.

And the main and laft reason, is, That it is fuppofed the grant heirof may move these men to diffolve their meetingis, and leave the towne of Ed" free for the ministratioun of juftice. There is no queftioun, at 30 G. motioun, and vpon of humble requests that are Churchmen, his M. will be pleafed gracioufly to grant an Affembly: But as it [is] in his M. fole power to call an Affembly, the time and place must be left to his appointment. As to the maner and way of proceiding, it may be at lyfure confiderit and advyfit ; and, in the mean time, go1 G. wold be pleafit to tak fome course for repreffing these feditioufe fermonis and preachers that are daylie preaching in Ed, one q'of this day made we have defyrit my Lord Register to report to 30" G. Oy'wyfe, as we cannot look for any peace heir, we will tak the neerest way to fecure o'felfis.

Qhat I wold furder fay, I remit to my Lord Regifter, for I love not to trouble gor 30* Grace, nor to feem too busy, but reftis,

XXX.

DR. BALCANQUALL'S PROPOSITIONS TO CHARLES THE FIRST.

[Wodrow MSS. Folio, Vol. LXVI, No. 37. This Paper is indorsed in Balcanquall's hand, "My Propofitions to his Majestie, at Oatlands." He appears to have accompanied the Marquis of Hamilton to England, in August 1638, to represent to the King the State of Affairs in this Country.]

If his Matie fhall think it not fitt to chaftife his fubjectis of Scotland wth a juft warre, or at least not to doe it yett, these thingis must be taken as granted: First, that it is not to be imagined that they will ever renounce the Covenant: Next, that no satisfaction can be given them without abrogating the Five Artickles of Perth, and granting them a free Parliament, and a free Generall Affemblie; and that they call Free, when there shall be no cautions treated of before hand, either for the matters to be treated of, or their maner of treatie.

Now, for a Parliament, the daunger is not fo great, his Matie having a negative voyce, by wch, he then giving them a stoppe, thingis can be no worse then they are now, but rather better; for they can never be better prepared for force then now they are, and his Matie fhall gaine tyme for his defignes: But the inconveniences of a Generall Affemblie are verie great, his Matie theirin having no negative voyce; for,

First, they will vndoubtedlie fuffer no Bishop to be Moderator or Prefident of it; wch is a thing to that order most disgracefull.

Secondlie, They will vndoubtedlie, proceed to the accufation, deprivation, and excommunication of fome of the present, and those the principall Bishopps.

Thirdlie, The mildest thing that can be expected is, that they will fo limite Bishopps for the tyme to come, as that they shalbe onely titular, and keepe their revennewe, but shall have no jurisdiction, and be made lyable to the cenfure of Generall Affemblies as much as any other minifters: These things are certainlie to be expected from the Affemblie; but befides, these things are justly to be feared from it :

First, That they will repeale all Actis of Generall Affemblies whereby Bishopps were erected; wch they may doe, and then they are confident that all Actis of Parliament erectinge Bishopps, being only Actis of Ratification of thefe Actis of Generall Affemblies, are ipso facto voyd, as being meerlie relative to thingis wch they will now make Nonentia; and this poysonous tenet is put in them, and mainteyned by many lawers, though by others, as good lawers, rejected.

Secondlie, They will enact, that any Bishopp who shall euer be of the Privie Councell, Seffion, Exchequer, or any other fecular judicature, fhalbe excommunicated and deprived.