The Declaration and Apology of the Protestant People

The Declaration, and Apology of the Protestant People; That is of the Noblemen, Barrons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, And Commons of all sorts, now in Arms within the Kingdom of Scotland, with the concurrence of their true and faithful Pastors, and of several Gentlemen of the English Nation, joined with them in the same cause; For defense and relief of their Lives, Rights, & Liberties, and recovery and reestablishment of the true Protestant Religion, in behalf of them selves, and all that shall Join with, and adhere to them.

They must be altogether strangers, or very little concerned in the Christian world, who (after all that the Nations and Churches about have Seen, of the Lord's mighty hand and streatched-out arm in the late wars betwixt King Charles the First. and his People and Parliaments of Scotland, England & Irland. Against the then Conspyreings of Popery and Tyranny, to the ruin of true Religion and Liberty; The wonderful advancement of the Gospel and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus within these Kingdoms, that thereupon ensued: With the general refreshment, joy, and security of all the Protestant Churches abroad, that thence redounded: And the no less rooted and firm Loyalty of the same people, who notwithstanding of their long bloody and fatal contendings with the father, Did Yet upon reasonable fair and just treaties, concluded with all the assurance, that either Religion honor or gratitude could promise, call back and restore Charles the 2d. his sone to his thron and empire) Are not fully convinced and satisfied, that considering the perpetual contradictings and counteractings of all these sacred and solemn engadgments that immediately and ever since have been practiced; the whole reign of the aforsaid Charles the 2d. (through the sinistrous and subtle influences of a wicked and popish party, now manifestly discovered) was a constant & uniform course of perjury apoftacy, and violence: Begun with open rebellion against God, The rescinding, not only of particular laws, but, by an un-paralled most un-politick and pernicious device, of whole unexceptionable parliaments, for the space of tuenty seven years preceeding, notwithstanding both our Religion and liberties were therein expressly, legally and well provided for; and the cruel shedding of the best Protestant blood, in the most unjust execution of the Late Marquis of Argyll, and many other worthies, contrar to all Law and reason: Carried on by the smiting and casting out of more faithful and pious Pastors, and scattering and dissipating more true flocks and followers of Christ, than was done in most of the ten primitive persecutions, and the diludgeing of these Lands with all villanous debauchries and abominable licentiousness, to the very profligating of conscience morality and common honesty from among men: And thence forward accomplished by a most un-relenting persecution, and appression of the generality of God's people in their consciences, Persons & Estates, with vexations and rigours almost incredible, and that for no other reason, but because they could not actively comply with these notorious Perfidies. and the manifold profanations and mischiefs, where with they are attended.

But this hellish mystery of Antichristian iniquity and arbitrary Tyranny, imposing upon many at home too willing, through their love of ease, to be abused and deluding the Protestant churches abroad (in that woeful and visible indifferency, that everywhere reigns) by the vain pretext of the mere notion of our courts empty and simulat protestant profession, having of a long time under the late King made most remarkable advances in the following particulars, and many more that might be enumerated, all too evidently seen, and heavily felt, to need any explicit proof or demonstration;

As 1. not only in the abovementioned open and avowed revolting from God, by breach of Sworn treaties, Covenants, and coronation oaths, and slighting and despiscing spontaneous promises and proclamations, the overturning the very foundations of Parliaments, and ranversing at one blow our best and most legal establishments. The ungrate as well as unjust putting to death of most innocent and faithful men, upon absurd pretences: convelled by the Laws and customs of nations, and in the time of God's greatest indulgence towards the authors; The desolating of the Churches, and changing of the ordinances of God, for setting up the frivolous and superstitious inventions of men, the countenancing and encouraging of all vice and profanity, and the violent and griveous persecuting of all conscience and conscientious men.

But next and more particularly, in the conniving at Papists their meetings and Idolatrous masses, while in the mean time all Protestant Nonconformists are persecuted with endless severities:

The raising of standing forces, the very bane of all civil and Lawful Government, and that without any other measure, save what the indigence of Court Luxury and profusion did necessarily put unto it:

The declaring and appointing all Judges and Officers, to enjoy their places only during pleasure, on purpose to make them more souple and complyant to all their masters designs.

The abusing of the great trust of calling and dissolving Parliaments, the most high and necessary courts of the Kingdoms, by iniquous Packing, unseasonable proroguing, pernicious discharging, and insolent baffling them at pleasure.

The exalting of the Kings supremacy, under the color of his pretended right and power, about the external Government and Policy of the Church, to an express and absolute power, of enacting & statuting in all Church meetings and matters, as he in his wisdom shall think fit; a ready & prepared tool to bring us back not only to Popery but to Paganism.

The strange perversion of the high trust of the Militia, committed to his Majesty expressy, for the protection of good subjects, and the assistance of all our protestant friends abroad, only to the invading and oppressing by lawless hosts of the worst of high landers and low landers, in times of profound peace, the best parts of the Kingdom, purposely to ruin them, because too Protestant, by free quarter and other illegal exactions ' and the making war most causelessly and obstinately against the States of the united Neitherlands, our best nighbours, and the strongest bulwarck of the Protestant interest:

The forcing of poor people, by the extreme rigours of exorbitart finings, imprisonings, beatings stigmatizins, spoilings, banishments, and other violences, for the simple cause of Nonconformity, to take arms in their own defense as at Pentland and Bothwel bridge and then demeaning and executing them, what in fields what on scaffolds, as the most desperate of traitors, and at the same time involving whole countries upon the most slender and absurd pretexts, of inevitable intercommunings and reset, both in their crimes and punishments:

The setting up of the most violent and obnoxious of men, to be Ministers of the Law, and Packing juries, and assizes most partially, for their worst ends:

The straining, streaching, and wreasting of Law, not only in prejudice of everyone suspected to be dissaffected to their evil courses but the violation of all right, for spoiling, and robbing cities and incorporations of their ancient and undoubted privileges,

The transporting of freemen as slaves to foreign plantations, for not making faith to answer (against law) super inquirendis, as also for not dilating men upon Oath (according to a most impious Law lately made against Nonconformists ) in matters where in the party put to swear, judges them to be in their duty, & without exception of his nearest relations;

The arbitrary imprisonings and detainings of free subjests without either bringing them to trial, or allowing them any hearing.

The torturing of several persons, even fyve times more, of conscientious non conformists within these tuenty years, then of all sorts of fellons and malefactors in Scotland these hundred years by past, and that without either just previous grounds, regarding of Legal methods, or observing the measures of common humanity.

The eliciting by promises of indemnity, and the public faith interposed for that effect voluntary confessions of some as of Mr. James Mitchill &c. and then not only retracting, and dissowning the promise & condition upon Oath, in face of the justice court, but further witnessing the confession to the poor man's condemnation: not with standing the books of council containing the aforsaid indemnity were produced and laid open before and at the very time of their swearing; Lyke as of Late after most cruel and exquisite tortures practiced upon Mr. Spens & Mr. Carstairs, and a full & ample promise there after made them with an act upon it, that neither they nor their evidence should ever be made use of to their or to any other men's hurt; they never the less cause produce and do sust • ine Mr. Carstairs deposition Against Bailzie of Iarviswood for an adminicle or aid to their lame and defective probation;

The making men offenders yea traitors for words, and these true fair and innocent; As the Earl of Argyl, for declaring before the Council after leave given, and with submission and only for exonering his own conscience that he believed, the Parliament intended no contradiction in the test, and therefore was willing to take it in their sense viz: for securing the Protestant Religion, and that he did not thereby mean to bind up himself from endeavoring Lawfully in Church and State, what Religion and Loyaltie might obleidge and allow him to do, for which words nevertheless he was tried and condemned as a traitor, in the loss of his life, lands, and goods; and stands de facto deprived of both Lands and goods, having only saved his life in the extremity by a gracions providential escape

The cruel executing to the death of several hundreds within these tuenty years, besides many hundreds more, that have either fallen in the fields, or been made to, perish in their imprisonments, or transportations, and that for the alone cause or on the occasion of their conscientious non conforming. And some of them (of which number several poor women ) for their bare opinion about the Kings breach of trust, never before by them vented, but simply declared upon examination, and most part of them dispatched with that barbarous inhumanity as that (after no better example then that of the bloody Duke of Alba ) they were by beating of Drumms hindered to speak to the people their last and dying words; And some of them, contrair to the perpetual custom of Scotland and all the forms used in the Christian world. and as if it had been on design to destroy both their souls and bodies, tried sentenced and put to death in one Day, yea the time and hour of their Death industriously concealed from them, that they might be cut of by a more mortal surprise.

The condemning some to death, others to the boring of their tongues, and syning many in most exorbitant sums even to 100000 pound Sterling, for calling the Duke of York a Papist, notwithstanding the notoriety of the matter to all men and his recusancie sound and declared by a grand jurie, and expressly Supposed by an exception in his favors, contained in an Act of parliament, and that now he goes openly to the mass, and marches in solemn processions to the horror of all good Protestant subjects:

The loosing and exempting the Kings Sones and brothers, from what themselves conceived to be the best fence and greatest security for the Protestant religion.

The imposing and pressing of Oaths without Law manifestly contradictory, and that by terrible menacings, violent beatings, rigorous imprisonings and irreligious swearings, no less barbarous then what was practiced by the Spanjards in Christianising the wild Indians;

The eating up of men by free quarters, or otherwise falling on them by dounright violence, as dryving with drawn Swords, to constrain them to hear, whom in their conscience they judged unsent and uncalled Curates, to the effaceing of all conscience and oppen scorn of God and that pure and free religion, which he only accepts.

The compelling the heritors of Shires to assesse them selves and the free subjects within their bounds, a thing expressly denied by Law to the King himself, and only reserved to Parliaments.

The Sorning upon, harrassing and destroying the best parts of the Country by four extraordinary circuits upon one and the same subject of Bothwel bridge, on purpose as it were to justify his highness judgment to his late majesty. That it would not be well with Scotland until the South of Forth (the better and more substantial half of that Kingdom) were turned to a hunting field. And to verify the late Chancellor the Earl of Aberdeen his affirmation at the Council board, that there was not a loyal subject west ward of the Castle of Edinburgh.

The industrious stifling hindering or eluding the detection of all popish plots.

The Shamming of Mock plots upon good Protestants:

The suborning of witnesses, hounding out and encouraging of Assassins to murder and cut the throats of honest men.

And generally in the studied and constant ensnaring or ruining upon every Shaddow of pretence all esteemed either fixed to the protestant interest or well affected to their Countries liberty.

This wicked mystery, we Say, and conspiracy of Popery and Tyrranny inseparablie twisted both in experience and reason in all their attempts upon these great and mighty Nations so unanimously united and firmly fixed in their contrary Profession, rights & liberties, having made so great a progress by the steps abovementioned, is now at length evidently disclosed and brought to full maturity by the most suspicious (though with all most ungrate) cutting off of the late King as having indeed very unhappily acted all that part of which the conspirators did judge him capable. The ascending of James Duke of York a notorious apostat and bigot Papist to the throne, notwithstanding his being thrice excluded by the Commons of England. And that he neither hath given nor can give without an hypocritical and damning cheat repugnant to his Profession and contemptible to all ingenuous men the oath and security indispensably required of him before, and at his entry to the government. I 6. P. 1. c. 8. The approaching of two Parliaments, both called by him, one in Scotland, by his own vigilant Providence (in procuring it to be enacted in the last Parliament held by him in that Kingdom, That for the future not only all members of Parliament, but also all their electors should take that contradictory and irreligions oath commonly called the Test, which no man owning conscience, or careing for any religion can possibly approve) long since prepared for all his pleasure. And the other in England packed, caballed, and returned by all the arts and methods that either fraud or injustice could invent, to render it pliable to his intentions, and which no doubt he will cajoll with all the fair promises and Large offers of Laws, that can he desired for securing both the Protestant Religion and their liberties; Providing they will but give money, which answers all things, and will as assuredly frustrate; and ranverse all these vain cautions. The persueing with indefatigable malice even without the bounds of the Kingdoms, and in all foreign parts all honest men, escaped for their lives and that either by Public addresses or private violences: so that they are necessarily reduced to that fatal dilemma, either to do or dy. The entering into & entertaining more close correspondences then at any time before, with popish Princes and States, Especially the King of France, a most notorious enemy both of the true religion and liberty of mankind. And lastly by all that may be already seen in the changes and alterations he hath lately made, and that for here-after may be apprehended, from a false and bloody Religion, always breathing forth and practicing fire and fagot, murders and massacres and, a provock'd and enraged mind, Possessing and reigning in the most determined of Princes, unquestionably capable and ready to execut all these bloody cruelties.

Which things being all of them either palpable perversions or utterly inconsistent with the true and great ends of government, rendering our common Wealth our Common calamity, and him who pretends to be its protector its most hostile enemy. and consequently importing no less then a total dissolution of all the bonds of Subjection which the rulers have first so wickedly broke and cut asunder; and the liberating and alloweng all distressed subjects, whither those already overwhelmed by, or who may justly for hereafter fear to be involved in these miseries, that undoubted right and power which both God and nature with common reason and the constant custom of all Nations have given us, for recovering defending and maintaining our lives and liberties, and above all the inestimable blessing of our pure Religion, to the effect that the same pure Religion with our just rights and liberties so valiantly asserted by our ancestors may be by us faithfully transmitted to our posterities.

We have been & are obliged and constrained by extreme necessity and for common safety (the suprem laws ) To take up just and necessary arms in the name & fear of the Great God, and the confidence of his mercy and assistance for our own and our Countries relief from the aforsaid most griveous and intolerable Tyrannies and oppressions; The defense and reestablishment of the true and pure Christian Religion, commonly called Protestant, in opposition to that Antichristian Roman Religion, commonly called Papistical, and the recovery and reestablishmene of all our just rights liberties and privileges, according as we Stand indispensably obliged there to, both before God & men; And that against the said James Duke of Yorck and all other his accomplices, our most unnatural and wicked enemies and oppressors.

Desyring in the first place to be deeply humbled each of us before God, for our manifold sins and provocations, Especially our false heartedness and unsteedfastness in, & revoltings from our great and manifold engadgments to him, that alone have brought upon us all these sad mischiefs, earnestly and with our whole hearts supplicating, that he would cease from his anger, Cause his face to Shine upon us. and save us for his own names sake.

And in the next place declaring like as we hereby expressly declare, that our sincere and single ends and designs in this our undertakeing, are, First the restoring and settling of the foresaid true reformed Protestant Religion in its power and purity, and with such a just comprehension of pure Christian charity, as may thorough the good hand of our God upon us be truly satisfieing to all that fear him, and love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; Renouncing and detesting as well imposings as errors, in all matters of Conscience, and trusting that after the many teaching experiences we have had, we shall be for here after preserved from all unhappy missunderstandings. But rather thorough the Spirit of truth love and peace graciously led into all the paths thereof.

2ly. The suppression and perpetual exclusion of antichristian Popery with all its idolatrous superstitions and falsehoods, as also its most bitter root and of spring prelacy, with its new and wicked head the supremacy, and all their abuses, that so not only the Gospel and work of God may be revived in these lands, but also all the Churches of Christ abroad thereby refreshed and strengthened.

And 3ly The restoring of all men to their just rights and liberties especally the recompensing of all sufferers, whether unto blood or loss of liberty and goods, the relief of such who are in present distress, the removing of all oppression, and establishing such righteous Laws and methods of Government, as may be most for securing of liberty and property with the greatest ease and equality;

Which things as we purpose and hope to accomplish only thorough the presence of our God with us, and his blessing upon us, So we are most willing and resolved that they be all settled and perfected by a free full just and Sonveraign representatife of all the present undertakers and such as shall Hereafter sincerely concur and take part with us; and that in such forms and ways as God by his good providence can only most happily direct and conduct us unto? declaring and protesting further, that since such have been and are the manifest perfidy treachery and falsehood of our adversaries, not only in their treaties and Convenants but also in their pardons indemnities and indulgences, as that they leave no ground or tolerable assurance of faith and trust to be given to them, we will never enter into any terms of Capitulation treaties or conditions with them, as to the great ends of this undertaking; but on the contrary prosecut the same with all reality constancy and vigor without any separation division or backdrawing, until they be perfectly and finally obtained. Upon which grounds and for which ends abovementioned we not only hereby most sincerely and firmly protest and declare as in the presence of God, constantly and perpetually to assist and maintain one another to the uttermost against all, deadly. But do more-over freely and heartily resolve and engadge ourselves to countenance and concur with all our persecuted and oppressed brethren and friends in England and Irland, who from the Like reasons and motives shall be induced and stirred up to the like undertaking for the same or the like Ends.

Wherefore we most seriously and humbly beseech and obtest in the bowels of our lord I Christ all that love his truth and this our righteous cause, nonne excepted, though either formerly little concerned for, & favorable to us & these interests, or even still in actual opposition against us and them (their sincere repentance being at all times to God most acceptable and not to be better witnessed before men then by a contrary and vigorous amendment) to come and join with us for God's Glory, and Gospel, our country, lives rights and liberties and our posterities, and all our hope, Against an apostat Papist, an usurping and persecuting Tyran, by the most sacred article of his Religion, our mortal enemy under the pain of his own Damnation, and by the fundamental and express laws, of the land I. 6. P. 1. c. 9. & P. 20. c. 5. incapable of the meanest office within the Kingdom▪ and in effect a declared enemy and rebel I. 6. P. 3. c. 47. And who even by the Act lately made by himself for pathing the way to his succession Ch. 2. p. 3. c. 2. can have no shadow of pretence to the benefit thereof. Unless he first instruct himself both to be the Lawfull and the immediate and nearest heir of the croun, which without satisfieing the old Law. Ia. 6. p. 1. c. 8. at the same time ratified Ch. 2. p. 3. c. 1. by swearing to embrace and maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion, he can never possibly be, as was then distinctly understood, and declared by the principal framers of that Act. And against his adherents and partakers, a perjured revolted and self condemned generation. Upon whom the Lord, who will not give his glory to another, hath formerly got himself a name and renoun before all the Nations, whom our sins only have exalted, and whose hearts can never endure or their hands be strong when the Lord 〈…〉 who is on our side, and hath a perpetual indignation against all the wicked in the earth shall arise, and deal with them. And this our most earnest call and request we confidently hope shall be the more readily hearkened unto, and heartily and seriously complied with, that in the issue, thorough the blessing of God, it assuredly promises not only the restitution of truth, prosperity and glory to these long misgoverned harassed and disgraced Nationes: but the sure defense and protection of true Religion and liberty everywhere (Britons certain and great interest of late most shamefully abandoned ) and even the depression of Antichrist and the advancement and exaltation of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in all the earth.

Let us therefore be of good courage, and play the men for our people and for the cause of our God. And the Lord do that, which Seemeth him good.

THE DECLARATION of ARCHIBALD Earl of ARGYLE, Lord Kintyre, Cowall, Campbel and Lorn, Heritable Sheriff and Lieutenant of the Shires of Argile and Tarbett, and Heritable Justice General of the said Shires, and of the West Isles, and others. With his Order to his Vassals and others in the said Shires, and under his Jurisdiction, to Concurr for Defense of their Religion, Lives and Liberties.

I shall not mention my Case, published in Print in Latin and more largely in English, nor mean I to repeat the Printed Declaration emitted by several Noblemen, Gentlemen, and others of both Nations now in Arms, but because the Sufferings of me and my Family are therein mentioned, I have thought it fit for me, to declare for myself; That as I go to Arms with those who have appointed me to Conduct them, for no private, nor personal end, and only for those contained in the said Declaration, which I have concerted with them and approve of, so I do claim no interest, but what I had before the pretended Forfeiture of my Family, and have sufficient right to.

And that I do freely, (and as a Christian ) forgive all Personal Injuries against my Person or Family to all, that shall not oppose, but Join and Concur with us in our pre, sent Undertaking, for the ends mentioned in the said Declaration. And hereby I oblige me never to pursue them in Judgment; nor out of Judgment; And I do further declare, That obtaining the peaceable and quiet Possessio • of what belonged to my Father and myself before our pretended Forfeitures. I shall satisfy all Debts due by my Father and myself, as any Heir or Debitor can be obliged.

And as my Faithfulness to his late Majesty and his Government, hath sufficiently appeared to all unbiassed Persons, void of Malice, so I do with Grief acknowledge my former too much complying with, and connyving at the methods that have been taken to bring us to the sad condition we are now in, though God knows never concurring in the design.

I have now with God's strength suffered patiently my unjust Sentence and Banishment three years and a half, and have never offered to make any Uproar or defense by Ar •• to disturb the Peace upon my private Concern; But the King being now Dead, and the Duke of York having taken off his Mask, and having abandoned and invaded our Religion and Liberties; Resolving to enter into the Government and Exercise it contrary to Law; I think it not only Just, but my Duty to God and my Country, to use my outmost endeavors to oppose and repress his Usurpation and Tyranny.

And there fore being assisted and furnished very nobly by several good Protestants, and invited and accompanied by several of both Nations to lead them, I resolve, as God shall enable me, to use their assistance of all kinds, towards the ends expressed in the said Declaration.

And I do hereby earnestly invite and obteste all honest Protestants, and particularly all my Friends and Blood Relations, to concur with us in the said Declaration; And as I have written several Letters, so having no other way fully to intimate my mind otherwise, I do hereby require all my Vassals anywhere, and all within my several Jurisdictions with their Fencible Men within their Command, to go to Arms, and to join and concur with us according to the said Declaration, as they will be answerable on their peril; And that they obey the particular Orders they shall receive from me from time to time.