THE DECLARATION OF THE LORDS AND Commons aſſembled in the Parliament of England, to the Subjects of Scotland.
WITH HIS MAIESTIES Meſsage to the Lords of His Privy Counſell of SCOTLAND, upon that occaſion.
Our expreſſe pleaſure is, That this Our Declaration be Publiſhed in all Churches and Chappels within Our Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales, by the Parſons, Vicars or Curates of the ſame.
Printed, by His MAJESTIES Command, AT OXFORD, By LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniverſity. 1642.
WEE the Lords and Commons aſſembled in the Parliament of England, conſidering with what Wiſdome and publike Affection, our Brethren of the Kingdome of Scotland did coneurre with the endeavours of this Parliament, and the deſires of the whole Kingdom, in procuring and eſtabliſhing a firme peace and amity between the two Nations; and how lovingly they have ſince invited us to a nearer and higher degree of union, in matters concerning Religion and Church government, which we have moſt willingly and affectionatly embrac'd and intend to purſue; Cannot doubt but they will with as much forwardneſſe and affection concurre with us in ſetling peace in this Kingdom, and preſerving it in their own; that ſo we may mutually reap the benefit of that amity and allyance, ſo happily made and ſtrongly confirmed betwixt the two Nations. Wherefore as we did about a yeare ſince, in the firſt appearance of trouble then beginning amongſt them actually declare, That in our ſenſe and apprehenſion of the Nationall allyance betwixt us, we were thereby bound to apply the authority of Parliament, and power of this Kingdom to the preſervation and maintenance of their peace. And ſeeing now that the troubles of this Kingdom are grown to a greater height, and the ſubtile practice of the Common Enemy of the Religion and Liberty of both Nations, doe appeare with more Evidence, strength, and danger then they did at that time, we hold it neceſſary to declare that in our judgement the ſame obligation lyes upon our Brethren by the afore-mentioned Act, with the power and force of that Kingdom to aſsiſt us in repreſsing thoſe amongſt us, who are now in2 armes, and make warre not only without conſent of Parliament, but even againſt the Parliament, and for the deſtruction thereof.
Wherefore we have thought good to make known to our Brethren, that His Majesty hath given Commiſsion, to divers eminent and known Papists, to raiſe forces, and to compoſe an Army in the North, and other parts of this Kingdom, which is to joyne with diverſe forraine forces intended to be tranſported from beyond the Seas, for the deſtruction of this Parliament, and of the Religion and liberty of the Kingdom: And that the Prelaticall part of the Clergy and their adherents have likewiſe incited His Majeſty to raiſe another Army, which in His own Perſon he doth conduct againſt the Parliament, and the Citty of London, Plundring and Robbing ſundry well-affected Townes within their power. And that in proſecution of their malice, they are ſo preſumptious and predominant of His Majeſties reſolutions, that they forbeare not thoſe outrages in places, to wich His Majeſty hath given his Royall word and Protection. A great cauſe and incentive of which malice, proceeds from the deſigne they have to hinder the Reformation of Eccleſiasticall government in this Kingdom, ſo much longed for by all the true lovers of the Proteſtant Religion. And hereupon we further deſire our Brethren of the Nation of Scotland, to raiſe ſuch forces as they ſhall Iudge ſufficient for the ſecuring the peace of their own borders, againſt the ill-affected perſons there, as likewiſe to aſsiſt us in ſuppreſsing the Army of Papiſts and Forreiners, which, as wee expect, will ſhortly be on foot heere, and if they be not timely prevented may prove as miſchievous and diſtructive to that Kingdome, as to our ſelves.
And though we ſeek nothing from His Majeſty that may diminiſh His just Authority or Honour, and have by many humble Petitions endeavoured to put an end to this unnaturall Warre and Combustion in the Kingdom; and to procure3 His Majesties Protection and Security for our Religion, Liberty & Perſons, (according to that great truſt which His Majeſty is bound to by the Lawes of the Land;) & ſhall still cōtinue to renew our Petitions in that kind. Yet to our great griefe wee ſee the Papiſticall, and malignant Counſell, ſo prevalent with His Majeſty, and His Perſon ſo engaged to their power, that wee have little hope of better ſucceſſe of our Petitions then wee formerly had, and are thereby neceſsitated to ſtand upon our just defence; and to ſeeke the ſpeedy and powerfull aſsiſtance of our Brethren of Scotland, according to that Act agreed upon in the Parliaments of both Kingdomes, the common duty of Chriſtianity, and the particular interests of their owne Kingdome.
To which wee hope God will give ſuch a bleſsing, that it may produce the preſervation of Religion, the Honour, Safety and peace of His Majeſty and all His Subjects; and a more ſtrict conjunction of the Counſells, deſignes and endeavours of both Nations, for the comfort and releife of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea.
RIght Truſty and Right Welbeloved Coſens and Counſellours, and Right Truſty and Welbeloved Counſellours, We greet you well. We have lately ſeen a Paper preſented to Us by the Earle of Lynſey, as a Declaration of the Lords and Commons aſſembled in the Parliament of England, of the 7. of November, to Our Subjects of Our Kingdom of Scotland; which, after many high taxes of Us and Our Government, very earneſtly invites, and in a manner challenges Aſſiſtance, from that Our native Kingdom, of Men and Armes for making a Warre againſt Us, makeing a clayme to that Aſſiſtance, by virtue of the late Act of Pacification, to the which (out of Our deſire to make a perpetuall union between Our two Kingdoms, for the happineſſe of both, and by it the more firmely to eſtabliſh Our owne greatneſſe and juſt power,) We cheerfully conſented.
5As We are at Our ſoule afflicted, that it hath been in the Power of any factious, ambitious, and malitious Perſons, ſo farr to poſſeſſe the hearts of many of Our Subjects of England, as to rayſe this miſerable Diſtemper and Diſtraction in this Kingdome, againſt all Our reall Actions and Endeavours to the contrary; ſo We are glad, that this rage and fury hath ſo farr tranſported them, that they apply themſelves in ſo groſſe a manner to Our Subjects of Scotland, whoſe experience of Our Religion, Iuſtice, and Love of Our People will not ſuffer them to beleeve thoſe horrid Scandalls laid upon Us; and their Affection, Loyalty, and Iealouſie of Our Honour, will diſdain to be made Inſtruments to oppreſſe their Native Soveraigne, by aſſiſting an odious Rebellion.
We have from time to time acquainted Our Subjects of that Kingdom with the Accidents and Circumſtances which have diſquieted this: how (after all the acts of Iuſtice, Grace, and Favour performed on Our part, which were, or could be deſired to make a people compleatly happy,) We were driven by the force and violence of rude, and tumultuous Aſſemblies, from Our City of London, and Our two Houſes of Parliamēt. 6How attempts have been made to impoſe Lawes upon Our Subjects without Our Conſent, contrary to the Foundation, and Conſtitution of this Kingdom. How Our Forts, Goods, and Navy were ſeiſed and taken from Us by force, and imployed againſt Us: Our Revenue and ordinary ſubſiſtance wreſted from Us. How We have been purſued with ſcandalous, and reproachfull language; bold, falſe, and ſeditious Paſquills, and Libells publiquely allowed againſt Us; and been told that We might, without want of modeſty and Duty, be Depoſed. Now after all this (before any force rayſed by Us) an Army was rayſed, and a Generall appointed to lead that Army againſt Us, with a Commiſsion to Kill, Slay, and deſtroy all ſuch who ſhould be faithfull to Us. That when We had been by theſe meanes compelled with the aſſiſtance of Our good Subjects, to raiſe an Army for Our neceſſary defence, We ſent diverſe gratious Meſsages, earneſtly deſiring that the Calamities and Miſeries of a Civill Warre might be prevented by a Treaty, and ſo We might know the grounds of this miſunderſtanding. How We were abſolutely refuſed to be treated with: and how at laſt the Army (raiſed, as was pretended, for the defence of Our Perſon) was brought into7 the Field againſt Us, gave Us Battaile, & (though it pleaſed God to give Us the Victory) deſtroyed many of Our good Subjects, with as imminent danger to Our own Perſon and Our Children, as the skill and malice of deſperate Rebells could contrive: of all which and the other Indignities which have been offer'd Us, We doubt not the Duty and Affection of Our Scottiſh Subjects will have ſo juſt a reſentment, that they will expreſſe to the world the ſenſe they have of Our ſufferings. And Our good Subjects of Scotland are not, We hope, ſo great Strangers to the Affaires of this Kingdome, to beleive that this Misfortune and Diſtraction is begot and brought upon Us by Our two Houſes of Parliament: (though in truth no unwarrantable Action againſt the Law can be juſtified even by that Authority.) They well know how the Members of both Houſes have been driven thence, inſomuch that of above five hundred Members of the Houſe of Commons, there are not now there above eighty, and of above one hundred of the Houſe of Peeres, not above fifteen or ſixteen. All which are ſo awed by the multitude of Anabaptiſts, Browniſts, and other Perſons, deſperate and decayed in their Fortunes, in & about the Citty of London, that in truth their8 Conſultations have not the freedome and Priviledge which belong to Parliaments.
Concerning any Commiſſions granted by Us to Papiſts to raiſe Forces, We muſt refer Our good Subjects to a Declaration lately ſet forth by Us upon the occaſion of that Scandall, which We ſend together with this: and for Our own true & zealous Affection to the Proteſtant Religion, (the Advancement whereof Our Soule deſires) We can give no other Inſtances, then Our conſtant practice, on which malice it ſelfe can lay no blemiſh; and thoſe many Proteſtations We have made in the ſight of Almighty God, to whom We know We ſhall be deerly accomptable, if We faile in the obſervation.
For that ſcandalous Imputation of Our Intention of bringing in Forraigne Forces, as the ſame is raiſed without the leaſt colour or ſhadow of reaſon, and ſolemnly diſavowed by Us in many of Our Declarations; ſo there cannot be a cleerer Argument to Our Subjects of Scotland that We have no ſuch thought, then that We have hitherto foreborne to require the Aſsiſtance of that Our native Kingdome, from whoſe Obedience, Duty, and Affection We ſhould confidently expect it, if We thought Our own Strength here too weake9 to preſerve Us, and of whoſe Courage, & Loyalty We ſhall look to make uſe, before We ſhall thinke of any Forraigne Ayde to ſuccour Us. And We know no reaſonable or underſtanding man can ſuppoſe Our good Subjects of Scotland are obliged, or enabled by the late Act of Parliament in both Kingdomes, to obey the Invitation which is made to them by this pretended Declaration; when it is ſo evidently provided for by that Act, That as the Kingdom of England ſhall not make Warr againſt the Kingdom of Scotland, without conſent of the Parliament of England, ſo the Kingdome of Scotland ſhall not make Warr againſt the Kingdome of England, without the Conſent of the Parliament of Scotland: & when they have alwayes declared themſelves ſo carefull of Our Honour, Safety, and juſt Rights, which now undergoe ſo great violation.
This We have thought fit to ſay upon occaſion of this late Declaration, and doe commend it to you the Lords of Our Privy Counſell of Our Kingdome of Scotland, to be communicated and publiſhed to all Our loving Subjects there; and if the grave Counſell and Advice, which you derived hither by your Act of the 22th of Aprill laſt, had been followed here, in a tender Care of Our10 Royall Perſon, and of Our Princely Greatneſſe & Authority, then would not this face of Confuſion have appeared, which now threatens this Kingdome: And therefore We require you to uſe your utmoſt Endeavours to informe Our Subjects of that Our Kingdom, of the truth of Our Condition, and that you luffer not the Scandalls and Imputations laid on Us, by the malice and Treaſon of ſome men, to make any Impreſſion in the minds of Our People, to the leſſening or corrupting their Affection and Loyalty to Us; but that you aſſure them the hardneſſe We now undergoe, and the Armes We have been compelled to take up, are for the defence of Our Perſon, and Safety of Our Life, for the maintenance of the true Proteſtant Religion, for the preſervation of the Lawes, Liberties, and Conſtitution of this Kingdome, and for the juſt Priviledges of Parliament: and We looke no longer for the bleſsing of Heaven, then We endeavour the defence and Advancement of all theſe: and We doubt not a dutifull Concurrence in Our Subjects of Scotland, in the care of Our Honour and juſt Rights, will draw downe a bleſsing upon that Nation too.
Given at Our Court at Oxford,the ſixth day of December. 1642.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A82717)
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