NEWS FROM SCOTLAND Being two Copies, the one, a proclamation of the king: the other a protestation against it, by the Noble men, Barons: & Ministers of Scotland, both published at Edenburrough the 22 day of Febr: 1638  
CHARLES etc.  
For so much as we out of our princely care of maintaning the true religion all ready professed, and so beating down all superstition: Having ordained a book of common prayer to be compiled for the general and universal use and edification of our subjects within our ancient kingdom of Scotland, the same being accordingly done. In the framing whereof we took great care and pains so that there is nothing passed therein but what was seen and approved by us before the same was divulgated or printed: assuring all our loving subjects that not only our intention is, but even this very book a ready means to maintain the true religion already professed, and beat out all superstition, of which we in our own time do not doubt but in a fair course to satisfy the judgements of our good subjects: But having seen and considered some petitions and declarations given into our counsel against the said Book and late CANNONS of the book, find our regal authority much injured thereby, both in the matter and the carriage, whereby we certify these of the Nobility, gentry, Barons Ministers and others who have kept & assisted those meetings and convocations for contriving and subscribing of the said petitions, to be liable to our high censure, both in their persons and fortunes, they having conveyned themselves without our consent or authority: Yet because we believe that they have done herein only out of a preposterous zeal, and without any disloyalty or disaffectito our Soveraingty: Our gracious pleasure (so far as concerns those meetings for consulting and subscribing of the said petitions or presenting of the same to any judge or judges within this kingdom) is to dispense therewith, and with what may be the fault or error therein, to all such as upon signification or declaration of this our pleasure, shall retain themselves as become good and dutiful subjects. To which purpose OUR WILL is henceforth, and we charge you streaghtly and command that incontimently these our letters seen, the particulars and in our name and authority proclamation thereof be made to all our liege subjects in all places needful; that so ●one pretend ignorance hereof, and therewithal in our name and authority that ye discharge all such convocations and meetings in time to come, under the penalty of treason and also that ye command, charge and inhibit all our lieges and subjects, that none of them on any hand presume to resort or repair to the Burrow of Starling, nor to any other Burrow, where our counsel and Session sits, till first they declare the cause of their coming to our counsel, and declare their warrant to that effect: And further that we command and charge all and sundry Provosts, Bayleifes, and Magistrates within their bourroughs that they, & every one of them have a special care & regard, to see this our royal will and pleasure readily & dutifully observed in all points, and that no violence be suffered within your bounds, under all the highest penalty, crime or offence that they may commit against us in that behalf: And also that ye cammaund and charge all & sundry Noblemen, Barons & Burgesses who are not actual indwellers within the Burrow, neither are of number of the privy counsel and Session; and members thereof, and are already within this Burrow: that they and every one of them remove themselves, and departed and pass forth of the said Burrough (and not return again without the said warrant) within the space of six hours after the publication hereof, under the said penalty of treason: And as concerning any petitions that shall hereafter be given to us, upon this or any other subject: we are likewise pleased to declare that we will not shut our ears there from: so it be not prejudicial to our royal authority.  
Given at starling under our signet the 19 of Febr. 1638 Per actum Dominorum Consilij.   

THE KING'S PROCLAMATION Being Proclaimed, the protestation here following against it, was at the same instance in the open street publicly read.  
WE the Noble men, Barons and Ministers appointed to attend his majesty's answer unto our humble petitions, and to present our greeviances, and to do what else might lawfully conduce to our humble desires. Did upon the 13 of September last, present one supplication to your Lordships; and another upon the 18 of October following: as also a new bill relativelie to the former in December after the 19 day.  
In all which, we humbly remonstrated, our just exceptions against the Service book, and Book of Cannons, Archbishops and Bishops of this kingdom, as the contrivers, meanteaners and urgers thereof; and against their sitting as our judges until the causes between them and us be decided.  
And withal we earnestly supplicated to be rid and delivered from these evils, and from all other innovations of that kind, introducted against the laudable laws of this kingdom: as namely that of the high Commission and other evils particularly and generally mentioned in our supplications and complaints: And that these our parties, delinquent against our religion and laws might be taken order with, and these pressing greeviances be redressed, according to the laws of this realm, as in our supplications we have more largely expressed, the which we gave into your Lordships upon the 19 of December aforesaid, against the Archbishops and Bishohs our parties, who by consequence therefore neither could be, nor may be our judges.  
Whereupon your Lordships declared by your act given at Dealkeeths the said 19 of December, that you would present our petition to his majesty's royal consideration, & that without any prejudice to us the said supplicants, and moreover that we should be heard, in time and place convenient, & in the mean time we should receive no prejudice as the said act itself testifies for us.  
Now where as we your humble supplicants (with long patience and hope grounded upon sundry promises) were expecting an answer unto our fore named humble desires, we understood of some direction from his majesty, to you the Lords of his highness' privy counsel, touching our complaints: and upon the same admitted the consulting & judging both, of our supplication, and the kings answer there to, unto the Archbishops and Bishops our direct parties: Contrary to our Protestation given in at Dealkeeths, and since renewed at Starling: and contrary to your Lordship's foresaid act made at Dealkeeths.  
Lest therefore our silence should be prejudicial to this so importunate a cause, as concerns God's glory and worship, our religion and salvation, the laws and liberties of this kingdom: or deregatory to our former supplications and complaints: or in brief, not answerable to the trust of our commission: we are forced out of our bounden duty to God, our king and native country to take instument in the notaries and Clerks hands (seeing your Lordships refuse to admit our Declimiter for removeall these of our parties) & to protest in manner following.  

1. We protest that we may & aught to have an immediate course to present our just greeviances to out sacred sovereigning, and in a legal way and manner to prosecute the same, before the ordinary and competent judges, civil or Eccleasticall; without any offence either offered by us, or taken by your Lordships.  
2. We protest that the Arch-bishops & Bishops the parties whom we complain upon, cannot be reputed or esteemed lawful judges, to sit in indicatory within this kingdom civil or Ecclesiastical, upon any of us the said supplicants, until they do by lawful trial judiciously purge themselves of such crimes as we have already laid to their charge: offering ourselves to prove the same whensoever his majesty shallbe pleased to give us audience.  
3. We protest that no act or proclamation, whether paid or here after shall pass, in the counsel, and by the states of Archb. and Bishops (our parties and whom we have declined to be our judges) shall in no wise be prejudicial to us, that is, either to our persons, our lawful meetings, proceed and persuits.  
4. We protest that neither ourselves, nor any others, whose hearts the Lord shall move to join with us in our supplications against the aforesaid innovocations, shall incur any danger, either in life, lands, or any political or Ecclesiastical penalty: For not observing such acts, Books, Canons, Writts, judicatories and proclamations introduced without, or against the acts of parliament, or statutes of this kingdom. But it shallbe lawful for us and them to use ourselves in matters of religion, or the external worship of God, and policy of the Church; according to the word of God, and the laudable constitutions of this Church and kingdom.  
5. Seeing all such as have taken these innovations to heart, have by a legal and submissive way of supplications sought redress and been calm and quiet in hope of reformation: We protest  that if inconvenience shall happen to fall out (which we pray God to prevent) upon the pressing of the said innovations or evils, generally and specially mentioned in our former complaints, and upon your Lordship's refusal, to take order for redress. That the same shall not be imputed unto us, who most humbly desire to have all things redressed by order.  
6. We protest before God, the Heavens, and the Angels, that these our Requests (proceeding from conscience, and our due respect to his Majesty's honour) do tend to no other end, but to the preservation of the true reformed religion, the Laws & Liberties of his Majesty's most ancient Kingdom, and the satisfaction of our humble desires contained in our supplications, according to his Majesty's goodness and justice; From whom we do certainly expect, that his sacred Majesty will proceed and grant remedy to our just petions and complaints: as may be expected from so gracious a King towards his loyal and dutiful Subjects, calling for redress of so oppressing greevances, praying heartily that his Majesty may long and prosperously reign over us.   
Amen