FOR the glory of Jesus Christ and preservation of true religion, for the honour of King Charles and the good of this his native and ancient kingdom,
This underwritten is the just copy of the supplication and complaint presented in our names to the Lords of the Secret Council, October 18, 1637, and because no particular persons complained are named, and all who have “enters” in the grievances contained therein may not attend, but must appoint some few of their number to wait for answer. Therefore, lest the Lords reject the supplication and complaint for the want of the supplicants’ and complainers’ names, we have subscribed this present double to be shown to the Lords if they shall happen to call for the same.
My Lords or Secret Council, Unto your Lordships, humbly means and shows we undersubscribers, Noblemen, Barons, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, that whereas we were in all humility and quiet manner attending a gracious answer of our former supplications against the Service Book imposed upon us, and ready to show the great inconvenience which upon the introduction thereof must ensue, we are without any known desert, for by our expectation surprised, and charged by public proclamation to depart of the town within twenty-four hours thereafter, under pain of rebellion by which peremptory and unusual charge our fears of a more summary and strict course of proceeding in their matters is augmented, and the course of our supplications interrupted, wherefore we are constrained out of the deep grief of our hearts humbly to remonstrate that where the Archbishops and Bishops of this realm being entrusted by His Majesty with the government of the affairs of the Kirk of Scotland, have drawn up and set forth or caused to be drawn up and set forth and enjoined upon the subjects two books, in the one whereof called the Book of Common Prayer, not only are sown the seeds of divers superstitions, idolatry, and false doctrine, contrary to the true religion established in this realm by divers Acts of Parliament, but also the Service Book of England is so absurd (especially in the matter of the communion) by
* See note under Notes and Comments.—Editor.
additions, subtractions, interchanging of words and sentences, falsifying of titles, and misplacing of collects to the disadvantage of reformation, as the Romish Mass is in the main and substantial points made up therein, as we offer to instruct in time and place convenient, close contrary unto, and for reversing of the gracious intention of the blessed Reformers of religion in England. In the other book called “Canons and Constitutions for the Government of the Kirk of Scotland,” they have ordained that whosoever shall affirm that the form of worship contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments whereof heretofore and now we must justly complain, doth contain anything repugnant to the Scriptures, or are corrupt or superstitious or unlawful in the service and worship of God, shall be excommunicated and not be restored but by the Bishop of the place or the Archbishop of the province after his repentance and public revocation of this his wicked error. Beside an hundred canons more, many of them tending to the reviving and fostering of abolished superstitions and error and to the overthrow of our church discipline established by Acts of Parliament, opening a door for what farther innovation of religion they please to make, and stopping the way which law before did allow unto us for suppressing of error and superstitions, and ordaining that wherein any of the canons there is no penalty expressly set down, the punishment shall be arbitrary as the Bishop shall think fittest. All which canons we have never seen nor allowed in any General Assembly, but are imposed contrary to order of law appointed in this realm for establishing of matters ecclesiastic unto which two books the aforesaid Prelates have under trust procured His Majesty’s royal hand and letters patent for pressing the same upon us his loyal subjects and yet are they the contrivers and devisers of the same as doth clearly appear by the frontispiece of the Book of Common Prayer, and are begun to urge the acceptance of the same—not only by injunctions given in Provincial Assemblies, but also by open proclamation and charges of horning, whereby we are driven in such straits as we must, either by process of excommunication and horning suffer the ruin of our states and fortunes or else by breach of our covenant with God, and forsaking the way of true religion, fall under the wrath of God, which unto us is more grievous than death. Wherefore, we, being persuaded that these their proceedings are contrary to our gracious sovereign’s pious intention, who, out of his zeal and princely care of the preservation of
true religion established in this his ancient kingdom, has ratified the same in his Highness’ Parliament, 1633, and so His Majesty to be highly wronged by the said Prelates who have so far abused their credit with so good a King as thus to ensnare his subjects, rend our kirk, undermine religion, in doctrine, sacraments, and discipline, move discontent betwixt the King and his subjects, and discord betwixt subject and subject, contrary to several Acts of Parliament, do, out of bounden duty to God our King and native country, complain of the aforesaid Prelates, humbly craving that this matter may be put to trial, and these our parties taking order with, according to the laws of the realm, and that they be not suffered to sit any more as our judges until this cause be tried and decided according to justice. And if this shall seem to your Lordships a matter of higher importance, then ye will condescend unto before His Majesty be acquainted therewith. Then we humbly supplicate that this our grievance and complaint may be fully represented to His Majesty that from the influence of his gracious government and justice their wrongs may be redressed, and we have the happiness to enjoy the religion as it has been reformed in this land.—“Scottish Historical Review (July).”