Abp. Cant.

787.

LAUD, formity in divine worship. And whereas they have spread a report that some persons of power in the hierarchy of England had solicited his majesty to levy an army against the Scots, and disturb them in their religion; he clears all the English bishops of this imputation; that not one of them had taken the least step in these affairs but by his royal direction and command. And as for suggesting the expedient of war, it was notoriously known to all his majesty's council then present, that the English bishops solicited for peace and accommodation, and used all their interest to prevail with his majesty for that undeserved lenity with which the Scots had been hitherto treated.”

Feb. 20,
A.D. 1638-9.

And to prevent his subjects being poisoned with these rebellious libels, he commands those who have any of them to deliver them to the next justice of peace; to be transmitted from the justices to the secretaries' office. And, lastly, it is ordered, that this proclamation should be read in time of divine service, in every church of the kingdom; that all the people may be convinced of the notorious misbehaviour of these men, and see the justice and clemency of his majesty's Bibl. Regia, proceedings.

sect. 24. p. 173.

April, 29,

A. D. 1639. The king marches against the Scots.

Warwick's
Memoirs.

By the archbishop's report of the state of his province this year, it appears things continued much in the same condition as formerly; the Church rather gaining ground upon the Dissenters than otherwise.

In the beginning of the spring, the king marched his army against the Scots. His forces had a very promising appearance, and were much superior to those of the Covenanters. The earl of Arundel was general, the earl of Holland general of the horse, and the earl of Essex lieutenant-general of the foot. These troops were furnished with experienced commanders, and well provided with ammunition and artillery. There were likewise several regiments aboard the fleet, commanded by the marquis of Hamilton. This admiral's business was to cruise upon the coast of Scotland, to block up their havens, to distress them in their trade, and debark his land forces for further service, as occasion required. But it seems he had made an ill choice of his ships for this expedition; the bulk of them being too great to give chace, to come close to the shore, and do execution upon the enemy. However, this misfortune would not have broken the king's measures.

He

was well prepared to have given the Scots battle, and in all CHARLES
probability might have reduced them to an entire obedience.
But the Covenanters, as they had reason, fearing the event of
a contest, petitioned for a treaty. And thus, after the two
armies had encamped within view of each other, and done
little, a pacification was signed at Berwick. By the way,
before the treaty came on, Essex secured the town of Berwick,
and did his part with advantage enough; but Holland and Idem.
Hamilton performed beneath expectation.

an unser

Berwick.

The articles of the pacification, relating to the Church were, And makes "That his majesty should confirm what his commissioner had viceable paalready promised in his name: that a general assembly should cification at be held at Edinburgh on the sixth of August next ensuing, and a parliament on the twentieth of August at the same place. And the Covenanters on their part were to disband their forces, break up the tables, and hold no meetings or consultations, but such as are warranted by act of parliament.” And not to mention the rest of the articles, the king's good nature seems to have made an omission in one point: "for the Scots were not obliged to disclaim the proceedings of the pretended assembly at Glasgow." And yet by the boldness and disorder of that meeting, the government of the Church had been reversed, the people heated to sedition, whereby the king's honour suffered extremely. And over and above, by capitulating with a rebellion in form, he brought the revolters too much upon a level with himself, fleshed them in their insolence, and encouraged them to a new insurrection. And besides the over indulgence of these concessions, his majesty is thought to have relied too much upon the good faith of the Covenanters. Had the king done no more than withdrawn his army to a farther distance from the borders: had he held his hand until he had seen the issue of the next assembly and parliament, he might probably have secured the repose of both kingdoms. But by disbanding his forces before the Scotch had done their part in executing the treaty, he disheartened his loyal subjects in that kingdom; and left them, in a manner, at the mercy of the covenant. To which we may add, the English gentry, who made no small part of his army, were balked in their expectation; shocked with a treaty so dishonourable to the crown, and sensibly disobliged by being thus suddenly dis

LAUD, charged: and that without any thanks returned for their forAbp. Cant. wardness in his majesty's service.

The Scots make a public de

their adhe

nant.

The Scots finding the king had parted with his forces, and disabled himself for revenging an infraction upon the treaty: claration of perceiving the king, I say, in this unguarded condition, “they rence to their resume the old spirit of mutiny, and declare their resolution late assembly and coveof adhering to their late proceedings; and particularly they declare themselves resolved to stand to the covenant, and general assembly at Glasgow: that they are obliged by their former oath and protestations to maintain it as a most lawful, free, and general assembly of that kingdom: and that all acts and censures, and especially the censures of deprivation and excommunication of the pretended archbishops and bishops, are agreeable to the discipline and constitution of the Kirk of Scotland. Further, they protest themselves unalterably resolved to adhere to their solemn covenant with God, as declared in the assembly, in which the office of archbishops and bishops is adjured: that the pretended archbishops and bishops, who usurp the office and title abjured, and contemn the censures of the Church, have been malicious incendiaries, and mis-reported this kingdom to his majesty. And in case they return hither they shall be looked on as excommunicate persons, delivered up to the devil, and treated as heathens and publicans. And, lastly, that all those who entertain and support the excommunicated prelates, shall be prosecuted to excommunication, pursuant to the acts and constitution of the

July 1,
A.D. 1639.

Bibliotheca

Regia, sec. 11. p. 377.

788.

They mis

Kirk."

After this protestation, they published a paper containing the heads of the late pacification; but this account was so represent the partially penned in favour of themselves, and so much to the treaty in king's disadvantage, that it was ordered to be called in, and print. burnt by the hangman. And now, being conscious how deeply his majesty must resent these indignities, they continued their meetings as formerly; maintained their garrison at Leith, the port to Edinburgh; kept their officers in full pay, for the next occasion; and harassed all those of a different sentiment. This misbehaviour being seconded with a riotous assault upon some of the lords of the council and session, the king altered his resolution of going into Scotland to their parliament and assembly; and thus, having constituted the earl of Traquair

Guthrie's
Memoirs.

I.

high commissioner, he returned to London. What the purport CHARLES of the earl's commission was, the reader may see in the records.

See Records, num. 114,

On the 12th of August, the general assembly met at Edin- 115, 116. burgh; the commissioner and the lords of the council being every day present. And here the late proceedings at Glasgow The general were all confirmed: episcopacy was declared unlawful, and Edinburgh assembly at contrary to the Word of God; and the covenant was approved, confirms the proceedings and ordered to be sworn and subscribed by the whole king- at Glasgow. dom; and—which is somewhat extraordinary-the commissioner Traquair lent them the force of his character, and gave his assent to all this.

:

tion to the

bishops.

If we inquire into the reason why the bishops had so many The motives enemies, of all degrees, in Scotland, it may be observed, that to disaffecone prejudice against them was their abetting the Arminian Scottish side in the late controversy in Holland. But this cannot reasonably be interpreted to be any approach towards popery: for the Protestants of the Augustine confession hold the questions the same way. Further the Scotch ministers and people had a very scrupulous regard for the observation of the Lord's-day, insomuch, that the morality of this festival was generally reckoned an article of faith. Now, the bishops, not going along with them to all the lengths of this opinion, lost their esteem. Besides, their declaring themselves so forward for the liturgy and ceremonies of England drew misconstructions upon them for the ignorance of many of the Scotch zealots was such, as to account this form of worship no better than popery. The ministers thought themselves ill used by their bishops, for putting a new oath upon them at their admission to a cure, by virtue of which they were obliged to own the articles of Perth, and conform to the liturgy and canons. They pretended likewise the prelates carried their authority too far, and encroached upon the presbyter's jurisdiction. As for the nobility, they seemed to grudge them their interest with the king; complaining that favours were bestowed on their recommendation; that they were preferred to places of the greatest dignity and trust in the civil government; for Spotswood, archbishop of St. Andrew's, was lord chancellor, and nine For this of the bishops were privy-councillors. But that which galled several prethem most, was an apprehension the bishops might recover cedents. something of the patrimony of the Church, which was seized

there are

LAUD, in the disorders of the Reformation. They had lately gotten Abp. Cant. one Learnmonth, a minister, presented abbot of Lindoris; and seemed not without hope that the rest of the abbacies, with the estates and jurisdiction annexed, might be recovered into the hands of churchmen. They are likewise said to have projected an attempt, that the College of Justice, pursuant to its first institution, should be half ecclesiastics. The nobility and barons, who had enriched themselves with the spoils of the Church, were probably very uneasy at the thoughts of restitution, and that the government should return in some measure Memoirs of to its ancient constitution. Thus people that are wronged are Hamilton, commonly hated by those who gain by the injury; and it is oftentimes an unpardonable provocation to move for equity and justice.

Duke of

p. 29, 30.

Guthrie.

To proceed the next business of the assembly was to furnish the universities with professors of their own complexion. The Anti-covenanters, it seems, finding these places too hot for them, had retired, and left the chairs empty. Now, since the generality of the Scots were not a little governed by the pulpits, the assembly found it necessary to provide a set of proper directors; that, by this precaution, the young divines might be serviceably seasoned, and bred true to the cause. Neither was this reinforcement more than necessary for many of the old ministers began to see through their designs, and desert the covenant. But these young divines were very seasonable recruits: nothing could be more blind and bold, more furious and enterprising, than these

men.

However, the disloyal part of the covenant was somewhat disabled by an explication of the band of defence, passed in these words by the assembly:

"We do swear, not only our mutual concurrence and assistance for the cause of religion, and to the utmost of our power, with our means and lives, to stand to the defence of our dread sovereign and his authority, in the preservation and defence of the said true religion, liberties, and laws of this Kirk and kingdom; but also, in every cause which may concern his majesty's honour, we shall (according to the laws of this kingdom and duty of good subjects) concur with our friends and followers, in quiet manner, or in arms, as we shall be