A Declaration of the Marquis of Argyle
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A75554.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A DECLARATION OF THE Marquess of Argyle, WITH The rest of the Lord's, and others of the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland, CONCERNING The Kings Majesty, And the Treaty; and their Desires to the Parliament of England. Also their Propositions to Lieutenant-General Cromwell, and the Army in England. With a discovery of the late Design put in practice by some English and Scots against both Kingdoms, and their further Advice thereupon.
Printed at Edinburgh by Evan Tyler, and re-printed at London for R. A. 16. Octob. 1648.
A Declaration of the Marquess of Argyle, with the rest of the Lord's, and others of the Estates of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND.
THe Lord's and others of the Committee of Estates of Scotland, according to the great trust reposed in them, whereof they are to make account to God and His Majesty, the next ensuing Parliament, taking into their deepest and most serious consideration the best ways of preserving the peace of this Kingdom, that all His Majesty's good and dutiful Subjects may enjoy their Religion, Liberties and Laws, which God in a singular and wonderful providence hath vouchsafed them, and of the peace betwixt the two Kingdoms so unanimously and happily established in the late Treaty of Peace, and in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms, have faithfully (by all good means) endeavored to settle His Majesty's Kingdoms, which through the unnatural cruelty of many dis-affected and revolted persons, were from a peaceable condition turned into a Stage-of unexampled and unexpressable miseries to be looked upon as an horrid and dangerous example by this Kingdom; and by their earnest supplications to His Majesty, and their Declarations to the Parliament of England, but especially by their earnest desires for establishing unity of Religion, and uniformity of Kirk-Government, and by the humble offer of their mediation to remove the unhappy differences, and quench the fire of a wasting war begun betwixt His Majesty and his people, wherein His Majesty's Person was exposed to so great danger, and so many thousands of his Subjects have already perished: But finding to their great grief the success no way answerable to their endeavors and expectations, and the trouble of the neighbor Kingdoms, and the dangers of this Kingdom daily rising to a greater height then they by their care, counsel, and diligence, were able to remead or obirate, they resolve for this and other causes which exercise and heavily press the Kingdom at this time, to call a Convention of Estates, as the only means which might by common Counsel, consent, and resolution take the best course for representing yet more sensibly these manifold evils and dangers, and for overcoming by greater wisdom the difficulties which were above their power.
And for acquitting themselves in their trust, and for the safety of the Kingdoms, they do make the same publicly known to all His Majesty's good Subjects, that being fore-warned of their danger, they may be upon their guards, and prepared against Foreign invasion, and Intestine plots and insurrections, and especially that the Noblemen, Commissioners of Shires and Burroughs, perceiving greater and more apparent necessity of the Convention then they could have wished or expected, meet in such celerity, and with such public affection and disposition of heart, as the present condition of affairs doth require and call for at their hands, and as beseemeth the Lovers of their Religion, King and Country, which are in so great danger, from Papists, Atheists, and other degenerated Country-men, who are no less enraged against this Kingdom even since the late Reformation of this Kirk, then were their Predecessors at the first Reformation of Religion, when their negotating was so restless, and their attempts so many and malicious against the work of God in this Land; nor is it without observation, that while His Majesty and the Parliament of England were about a Treaty, they conspire, plot, and practice against the Religion, Rights, and Liberties established, and against the lives of His Majesty's good Subjects, whereby they do really manifest to the world what the Kings Majesty against his Declarations, and his Subjects against their confidence grounded thereupon, may look for from their malice and power, if they shall prevail in the end.
Therefore as we cannot but acknowledge the unspeakable goodness of God for our present deliverance, so shall we not be wanting to make mention of the due honor and worth of those Worthies, that were the instruments thereof, and give unto us their brotherly assistance at this time, when many of this Kingdom out of fear to preserve themselves, their wives and children from destruction of the sword and fire, were fled, the Enemy roaring and triumphing, possessing themselves of the houses, Lands and Estates of many Noblemen, Gentlemen and others of the best affected in both Kingdoms, to whom nothing was left but families without maintenance, honor without means, to support it, and were under all the grievances of war.
Neither can any man of conscience or honesty, but remember the Treaty and Declarations of both Kingdoms, which are the strongest bonds between man and man, and Nation and Nation, before the world: no man hath true zeal to Religion that will shrink for such adversity and opposition as hath been ordinary in the like work, and hath been obvious unto us since our first undertaking; but hath been always over-come by the assistance of God: how great was the advantage the common Enemy thought they had attained, when they followed the old maxim, DIVIDE & IMPERA; and thereby concluded, that the greatest favor either Nation could expect, was to be the last that should be devoured.
As for His Majesty, we earnestly entreat the Lord, that he may be furnished with wisdom and council from above, that he be not involved in new snares, to the endangering of himself and these Kingdoms; but that his heart may incline to such resolutions as will contribute for settling of Religion and Righteousness: And we hope that the Parliament of England, the Assembly of Divines and all such in that Land as unfeignedly fear God, will not be discouraged nor swerve in the day of temptation, but that all of them in their stations, and according to their several places and callings, may be furnished with light and strength for doing of their duty with faithfulness and zeal.
And it is the firm resolution of ourselves, and the rest of the Godly party in this Kingdom, (by God's grace) never to forsake their Brethren of England; but against all opposition with courage and constancy, to live and die with them; and as long as there is one drop in our veins, we resolve never to relinquish this work, but to put our confidence in the justness of the cause, and in the invincible Power of God, trusting he will deliver us and all his people.
Ordered that this Declaration be published at the Market Cross at Edinburgh, and other Burghs of this Kingdom, for the information of all His Majesty's good Subjects within the same.
A. P. Cler.