House of Lords Journal Volume 10: 3 May 1648

DIE Mercurii, 3 die Maii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Case.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Letter from the Parl. of Scotland.

A Letter from the Parliament of Scotland, dated at Edinburgh, the 26th April, 1648, directed to the Speaker, was read. (Here enter it.)

The Speaker further declared, "That the Messenger that brought this Letter told him, he had Directions from the Parliament of Scotland, to stay in England but Fifteen Days after the Delivery of this Letter."

Ordered, That this Business shall be taken again into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Message to the H.C. with it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page:

To communicate to them the Letter, with the Desires of the Parliament of Scotland; and to let them know, that the Messenger that brought them is directed to stay in England but Fifteen Days.

Letter from the Parliament of Scotland, with the following Desires:

"Right Honnorable,

"The Parliament of Scotland now assembled, being resolved by all faire and just Meanes to indeavor the preserving and intertayning the brotherly Union and good Correspondency betwixt the Kingdomes, to which by soe many Bonds and Tyes they are mutually oblidged; yet being very sensible that the many just and necessary Desires given in by their Commissioners, by Order from this Kingdome, for the Good of Religion, of His Majesty, and for the Interests of Scotland, have not received a satisfactory Answere; and considering the many greate and iminent Dangers, threatning Religion, His Majesty's Person and Authority, yea Monarchicall Government itselfe, and the Peace and Union of these Two Kingdomes of Scotland and England, by the Power and Prevalency of Sectaryes and their Adherents; have thought fitt to make these just and necessary Demaunds to the Honnorable Houses of the Parliament of England, to which the Parliament desires a cleere and sattisfactory Answere; not haveing the least Thought or Intention to incroach upon the Nationall Rights of the Kingdome of England, nor to intrench upon the Priviledges of Parliament: But their Zeale to the Glory of God, their Loyalty to their Kinge, and their Desire of Unity betwixt the Kingdomes, have moved them to make these inclosed Demaunds, whereby Religion may be setled according to the Covenant, His Majesty may enjoy His Freedome and just Rights; and soe, by setlinge a religious and safe Peace, the present Confusions and Distempers may be removed, and all Occasions of Mistakes and Differences betwixt the Two Kingdomes prevented. This is all I have in Comaund from the Parliament; in whose Name this is subscribed, by

Edinburgh, 26th April, 1648.

"Your Lordship's

"Affectionate Freind and humble Servaunt,

"Loudonn, Cancellarius,
"President of the Parliament.

"To the Right Honorable the Speaker of the House of Peeres pro Tempore; to be comunicated to the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England, at Westminster."

For the Covenant to be taken, Herefies suppressed, and the Common Prayer Book, &c.;

"Desires of the Parliament of Scotland, to the Honorable Houses of the Parliament of England.

"First, it is desired, That an effectuall Course (fn. 1) be taken by the Houses, for enjoyning the Covenant to be taken by all the Subjects of the Crowne of England, conforme to the First Article of the Treaty, and conforme to the Declaration of both Kingdomes in A° 1643, by which all who would not take the Covenant were declared to be Publique Enemyes to Religion and the Country, and that they are to be censured and punished as professed Adversaryes and Malignants; and that Reformation and Uniformity in Religion be settled accordinge to the Covenant; that, as the Houses of Parliament have agreed to the Directory of Worshipp, soe they would take a reall Course for practising thereof by all the Subjects of England and Ireland; that the Confession of Faith, transmitted by the Assembly of Divines to the Houses, be approved; and that Presbiterian Government, with a Subordination of the Lower Assemblyes to the Higher, be setled, and fully established, in England and Ireland; and that effectuall Course be taken for suppressing and exterpating all Heresyes and Schismes, particularly Sosinianisme, Arminianisme, Arianisme, Anabaptisme, Antinomianisme, Erastinnisme, Familisme, Brownisme, and Independency; and for perfecting of what is yet further to be done, for exterpating Popery and Prelacy, and suppressinge the Practise of the Service Booke, commonly called The Booke of English Common Prayer.

for a Treaty with the King;

"Secondly, That, conforme to the former Desires of this Kingdome, the King's Majesty may come, with Honnor, Freedome, and Safety, to some of His Houses in or neare London, that the Parliaments of both Kingdomes may make their Applications to Him, for obtayning His Royall Assent to such Desires as shal be by them presented to Him, for establishinge of Religion, as is above exprest, and setlinge a well-grounded Peace.

for the excluded Members to return; and for L. Fairfax's Army to be disbanded.

"Thirdly, That all the Members of both Houses who have bin faithfull in this Cause may freely and safely retourne, and attend their Charges; the Citty of London may enjoy its Liberty and Priviledges which it had before the late Encroachment of the Army; the Parliament may fitt and voyce with Freedome and Safety; both Kingdomes, without Interruption or Disturbance, may make their Applications to His Majesty, and the Setlinge of Religion and Peace may not longer be hindred and obstructed: It is desired, that the present Army of Sectaryes under the Commaund of Thomas Lord Fairefax of Camerone be disbanded, and none imployed but such as have or shall take the Covenant, and are well-affected to Religion and Government; exceptinge from the said Disbanding the Garrisons necessary to be kept upp by the Parliament of England for Security of that Kingdome, which are desired to be commaunded by such as have or shall take the Covenant and are well-affected to Religion and Government, as aforesaid.

"Edinburgh, the 26th Day of Aprill, A° 1648.

"Loudonn, Cancellarius,
"President of the Parliament."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10^a cras.