and ought to be declyned; refolving to propon the faid declinator only by two of their number. They were advertifed upon Sonday in the morning, that fome of the Bishops followers had faid, that the proclamation would inhibit any of the Supplicants to appear where the Counfell fatt; that if they should present the declinator, they should be put fast; which made the Supplicants to determine to goe together to Stirling, and to be present in the towne at the proponing thereof; thinking, that being together, they were more able to give the Counsell information and satisfaction, then by fo few, which might be dazaled with difficulties of new propofitions and actions not expected. And few houres after this refolution, fome of the Supplicants, by permiffion of the rest, declared the fame to my Lords Thefaurer and Privie Seall for preventing of mistake; who immediately fent for foure of the Supplicants, wishing them to change their refolution of going to Stirling, and expoftulating with them for the way of carrying their buffinefs, alleadged, If the Supplicants had followed their advyfe in fupplicating apart, and against the Book of Common-Prayer, Canons and high Commiffion only, it had fucceeded better with them; they might have petitioned for the rest of their greevances, after once hearing and proveing fully their first complaints; that, by appearance, the King would never hear them fo long as they complained upon Bishops; and affured, that the Supplicants did now fee their own error in not following their former advyfe. It wes anfwered, That being a publick buffinefs, which concernes the whole kingdome, and the matters of fuch confequence, it could not be carried in fo private a way as your Lordships proposed; the matter being fuch as religion and policy were extremely wronged, the fubjects thereat grieved, behooved to have recourse to their Prince, for commanding redreffe by the ordinar courfe of law, which hath been alwayes cuftomable to fubjects in the lyke cafe; and if the whole Supplicants had been fo truftfull in a matter fo great and univerfall, as if it had been any of their own particulars, their Lordships could bot engaged life, fortouns and honour, for a good fucceffe to follow their advyfe; and though their fupplications being restrained, as your Lordships defyred, might gett audience, yet if, after fupplicating against these other evills which are the root that hath produced fuch fruits, his Majeftie fhould then refufe to hear any further, would it not grieved them to fee the fubjects fuffer by the relying upon unpauned truft, and the whole envy tranfferred from the Bishops upon their own heads?

They asking them, What course the Supplicants would take? were anfuered, They would propone their declinator at Stirling for the reafons forfaids. They faying, It will be refused, were anfuered, The Supplicants would then protest for ane immediat course to his Majestie, upon their denyall of justice, and present their fupplications to his Majefties felf. They doubting his Majeftie will accept the famen, were anfwered, The Supplicants would doe their duty, and committ the event to God Almighty, who is fufficiently able to protect his own caufe, and their juft proceedings.

Thus parting, and returning to the rest of the Supplicants, they appointed foure or five of their number to goe very tymely to Stirling, for preventing the Thefaurer and Privie Seall their accustomed diligence, in omitting no meanes that might conduce to their ends; and alfo the Counfell-day was appointed to be the following Tuefday at ten o'clock. Yet was the Lord Thefaurer and Privie Seall on horfeback be two o'clock, and in Stirling be eight in the morning on Monday the 19th; bot were outridden be fome of the Supplicants, whofe being before them made them expect the coming of the reft, and fo conveened all the Counsellors prefent in the toune to haften out the proclamation before their coming.

The Counsellors then prefent could not make a quorum; yet did they proceed with their proclamation at the mercat croffe by ten o'clock, where the Supplicants made proteftation. The rest of the Supplicants coming after noone, and hearing of the proclamation, went to the Thefaurer, Privie Seall, and other Officers of State, requiring a fight of the proclamation, that they might advyfe with the fame; who denyed any fight thereof till it should be proclaimed in other places; bot by relation, they fmoothing the contents thereof, and differing much from others who heard it read at the croffe, made the Supplicants uncertaine what it contained; who refolveing to leave no lawfull meanes unaffayed, fent one of their number to the Clerk of Counfell, requireing only a fight of the proclamation for their perufall; upon whose refufeall, inftruments were taken. The Counsellors grudged to finde fo many to resort there to Stirling, who had come very frequently from all the nearest adjacent places, and that upon very fmall advertisement. The Thefaurer and Privie Seall fent for fome of the Supplicants; who being asked, What they were minded to doe? They fhewed them they would use a declinator, and, in cafe that were refused, a protestation, as they told them at Edinburgh. They renewing their

often repeated motions of divifion without fucceffe, were earneft, that the Supplicants fhould remove all out of the toune, feeing they were to doe no more in that buffinefs. The Supplicants objected the ratifieing of the procla mation in Counfell, which as yet wanted that warrand; they affured them of the contrare very firmely, as alfo gave affureance that no prejudice should be offered to these who prefented the declinator or proteftation. Whereupon they undertook to deale with the reft of the Supplicants; who being conveened in the Kirk, filled the fame; and with very great difficultie, obtained their confent to remove after dinner toward Edinburgh, upon the relation of the affureance they had gotten the proclamation fhould not be ratified in Counsell; and having appointed fome few of their number to stay, and propone the declinator and protestation forfaid. After dinner, as they were going to Edinburgh, two or three of the Supplicants went to the Thefaurer and Privie Seall, having fome other Counsellors with them, and defyred their stay should not be interpreted to proceed from contempt, for they could not obtaine fight of the proclamation, neither from their Lordships, nor from their clerk; having asked it, and taken inftruments of his refufall, thereby to be informed what it injoyned; and although it had no legall ftrength, yet conceaving it to be a declaration of his Majefties minde, which they had been, and would be alwayes most willing to obtemper, without prejudice of the cause they had in hand, they were refolved to part. When the noblemen were gone, the Counsellors went to Counsell in the Caftle of Stirling at foure a'clock, where two of the Supplicants gave in the declinator; which being refused, contrare to the Act of Counfell at Dalkeith, they protefted, and offered to take inftruments in the notar's hand: and being reproached, that they brought in common notars before the Counfell, they offered to take inftruments in the clerk of Counsell's hands, which he refufed; whereupon they took instruments in their own writers hands. That night the Counsell ratified the proclamation. One who had the informations, and by the forementioned promife was put in security, hearing thereof, caufed delyver fome. of them the nixt morning to fome Counsellors there that moft relished religion, and best know the Service Book; who being informed, fand themselves infnared by their confent, and was heavily grieved.

The proclamation was made at Linlithgow upon Wednesday the 21ft of February, where proteftation was made, as at Stirling, by three or foure of

the Supplicants; and at Edinburgh on Thursday the 22d of February, where a great many noblemen, barrons, minifters, and others, fupplicants, ftanding within and about the Croffe, after the proclamation was read, the protestation was alfo read publickly, and inftruments taken in the hands of notars.

On Fryday the 23d, the number of the noblemen and others being increafed, at their meeting they treaffed [traced] the fuggeftion to fundry of the Supplicants labouring divided Supplications, which was generally diflyked, and ane new dealing with the Counfell by way of fupplication, reftrained to the Service Book, Canons and high Commiffion, which was apprehended by very few. This made all confider the particular condition and former proceedings of these prime statefmen, principall fuggeftors of fuch motions: and although the Thefaurer and Privie Seall, both for the greatnefs of their fortouns and hereditarie conditions, were confiderable with the chiefeft of this land, as deeply interest in the good of this state, which, with their approved understanding, might induce the expectation of all needfull care and faithfull carriage befeeming their place, intereft, and knowledge; and although they feemed extreamly grieved for their prefent evills, and, by frequent information, fully perceaved the root whence they flow, yet the prefervation of their places and credit with his Majeftie, by appearance hath made them forbear to doe or informe fully about these who they thought was fo acceptable to his Majestie; and many of the Bishops being the yoke fellows with them in burden of the state, and others of that minde watching over their wayes, ready to informe against them for any thing that appears not conduceable to their end, and obtaining folicitations from perfones of power in their own favours to the said statesmen, hes made them all this while to labour rather the quenching of the paine, then the cureing of the disease, and to make a diversion from the root of evills by a fair addreffe of thefe Supplicants, for the prefent pruneing of the branches. All their proceedings in this buffinefs being fully confidered, was found to intend this end, fuch complying being fitter for the fervants of a perfon, then of ane state. Some of them, by words and actions, fo much laboured amidst right and wrong, as they will, except they mend it, get the like recompence to them, who indeavour reconciliation betwixt Proteftants and Papists, which is neither thanks nor truft from either, as our own late experience proveth. Bishops had their Commiffaries.

COUSINE,

To Mr. WILLIAM SPANG.

April 5th [1638.]

Thir are in fuch hafte, that they cannot be fatiffactory. I fent yow by William Cuninghame, with one Gibson of Leith, two double pieces and a five merk piece before we be miserable, I wish my debts were paid. Also I fent yow two quarts of Rofa Solis, that once yet ere we die ye may drink my good health. Your letters are more unfrequent to me then ordinary; ye know the caufe. The doubles of the King's proclamation, and the countrey's proteftation, with the newly fubferyved Covenant, I would have fent to yow, according to my promife in my last, had not Mr. William Wilkie affured me that he would have them at yow before this. The great bufinefs among us fince that tyme hes been, to have that Confeffion fubfcryved be all hands; and through all hands almost hes it gone. Of Noblemen at home, who are not counsellors or papists, unto which it was not offered, I think they be within foure or five who hes not subscryved. All the Shyres have fubfcryved, by their Commissioners; and all the Tounes except Aberdeen, St. Andrews, and Craill; yea, the particular gentlemen, burgeffes and minifters have put to their hands; and the parishes throughout the whole countrey, where the Ministers could be perfuaded, on a Sabbath day, all have publickly, with ane uplifted hand, man and woman, fworn it. Mr. William Anan himself hes thus farre proceeded, to all our admiration; our marvell is increased, when he is faid to repent it, and to fay, he was conftrained to doe what he did: the man is fo refolute, and the oathes of this wryte are fo frequent, clear, and deep, that who hes taken them, I think, he cannot readily recall them. I hear for truth, that Mr. William is put in a great dumpe, and, after fome trouble both of minde and body, hes gone to Glasgow and Edinburgh ; to what purpose I cannot yet say. I fufpect the town of Air's motion to him to confent to receave a helper, which they would name, and provide him, without any diminution to his ftipend, hes troubled him more then anything elfe; for they seem peremptor to have a minister conjunct with him, and that, either Mr. Robert Blair or Mr. George Dumbar their old minister, or fuch a man who will bear down Mr. William, and fo kill him when