THE HUMBLE REMONSTRANCES Of the COMMISSION of the general assembly, To the Kings majesty, and honourable Committee of Estates, of the third, and twenty fifth of January, 1651.  
WITH The Answer from the KINGS MAjESTY & honourable Committee of Estates, thereunto; of the sixth of february, 1651.  
Aberdeen; Printed by James Brown, 1651.   

 blazon or coat of arms 
BON. ACCORD  
Jnsignia Urbis abredonie,    

UNTO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT majesty, AND To the Honourable Committee of ESTATES, The humble REMONSTRANCE of the COMMISSION of the general assembly.  
IN this sad and calamitous time. Wee having called upon the inhabitants of the Land of all ranks, unto unfeigned repentance, unto a serious search and trial of their ways, and turning again unto the LORD; And your Honours, having in prosecution of your duty, according to the faith of the kingdom, and according to the Covenant, and League and Covenant, solemnelie set the Crown vpon the King, and installed him in the Throne of the kingdom, after his public and solemn renewing of the Covenants mentioned, The conscience of our duty to GOD, His Kirk, this kingdom, your majesty, & your Lordships, The desire to be found faithful, according to the trust committed to us by the general assembly, And the care to clear ourselves, as in the sight of GOD, before the present generation, and the posterity that shall come up after us, And before all the reformed kirks in the world, That wee haue been, are, and shall be, in the strength of him by whose grace wee stand, affencted with all tender respects to the preservation Of the Reformed Religion, by GODS blessing established amongst us, Of the liberty of this ancient kingdom, and Of the honour and happiness of his majesty, in the maintenance of the true Religion, and liberties of the kingdom, and possessed with a perfect hatred of errors and Heresias, Of perfidious compliance with the maintainers and abetters thereof, who presently oppress a great part, and endeavour the enslaving of the whole kingdom, And of treacherous disloyalty to lawful authority, Have moved us, to represent unto your Honours, the dangers wherewith wee conceive this kingdom for the present to be pressed, and threatened, and the dueties lying upon you, toward the endeavouring the removal, or preventing those apparent evils.  
I. A prevailing enemy within the bowels of the kingdom, by whom not only the persons, and estates of men, but their consciences and souls are in danger to be seduced and destroyed.  
II. unhappy divisions amongst these that should be united, which is a sad prognostic( if not removed) of destruction.  
III. Untymous scrupulosity of many, in a time of extreme exigency, whereby they with-draw themselves, lie by, and refuse to act their duty, which by these that are unconcerned and unacquainted with their tenderness, will be judged a detestable indifferency, and neutrality, an exposing of the kingdom to the violence of the enemy, and a deserting of the Cause and Covenants.  
IV. The perfidious and treacherous compliance of divers, even of such as had trust in the army, and are now with the enemy.  
V. The desidious neglect of Officers of the army, who having divers thousands, lying in several partes of the kingdom, to the heavy burden and oppression thereof, and grinding the faces of the poor, yet haue not been stirring, and active against the enemy, so much as to disturb their quarters these sixteen weekes by-gone, Though a great part of the Land, hath lain under the feet of the enemy, looking daily for relief.  
VI. The deceatfull covetousness of some Officers, who have disappointed the leavy of Forces, for Defence of the kingdom, taking moneys for men and horses, from the subjects, and yet, not recruiting their companies, according to their receate; by which means they have deceived the Estate, Oppressed the Lieges, mocked the Service, and made up themselves. An intolerable evil, often complained upon, and yet to this day no effectual course taken for redress and remedy.  
VII. The longsome delays, which are apt to breed jealousies into the hearts of the people, that their lurketh some mystery of iniquity, which they dare not believe, To enfeeble the spirits of men, and render them faint, and unhappilie to fit them unto a disposition of giving over hopes, and of sitsing down under the burden, and taking on the yoke of bondage, imposed by the hand of Strangers. In the mean time, they are under insupportable sufferings from the enemy, their persons tyranized over, as bond-slaves, their goods spoyled, their meate plucked from their mouths, their families readle to starve for famine, while their eyes are failing, and like to fall out with looking for relief, and find none.  
These evils are so apparent, that nothing needeth to bee spoken for clearing them, it is enough to haue name them: And as wee hope your tender affection to the Kirk and kingdom, will constrain you to lay them to heart, and command you to improve all your wit, and strength, with all possible speed and diligence, to search for, apply, and prosecute convenient remedies for these diseases, lest in progress of time, they become incurable; So wee are confident, Your Highnesse and Honours will take it in good part, that wee upon the urgent motives above expressed, have laid them before you, and do gravelie exhort you, IN THE NAME OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, before whose tribunal you must stand, to give an account unto Him, who is appoynted to judge both great and small.  
I. That Your majesty, according to the many and strong engagements that lie upon you, by the solemn incalling upon THE NAME OF GOD in the Covenants, between GOD, and You, and the People, And between You and Your People, Would approve yourself faithful, in prosecution of the ends of these Covenants, in all the heads and articles thereof, for the preservation of Religion, Defence of Your People, administration of Iustice, Your own personal reformation, the purgation of Your royal family, as of silver from the dross, And the constituting the same of such as are the faithful in the Land, And further, that Your majesty would keep yourself from familiarity, and inteernesse with these who may prove snares to Your majesty, and give just occasion of offence, to Your godly and Honest People, So shall Your Throne be established in Religion and righteousness; So shall the King rejoice in GOD, And every one that sweareth by him, shall glory, but the mouth of them that speak lies, shall be stopped, So shall Your Subjects lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness, and honesty, under Your government: Which, as it hath been the earnest prayer and expectation of us, and all Your People, So shall wee still resolve to importune the Throne of Grace, that You may reign for Him, by whom You reign, And that above all things, You endeavour the welfare of his kingdom, who is the exalted Prince, to give salvation unto his people, and who will honour these that honour him, and these that despise him, shall bee lightly esteemed.  
II. That laying aside all self interest, as base, and unworthy of men that are in places of public trust, and putting on public spirits, and bowels of compassion, to the bleeding, and bailefull condition of your mother Kirk, and native kingdom, you that have been, and are united under the most solemn ties of Covenants, would cordiallie unite yourself as one man, serve the LORD with one shoulder, and with one hand, help the LORD against the mighty, for avoiding the curse of Meroz. Is it time that there should bee strife between brethren, when the canaanites and Perizzites are in the Land? doth all the affliction of GODS people seem light in your eyes? Is it a small thing that the blood of your mothers children is spilled like water upon the ground? Is the captivity of Joseph quite forgo●… e? Is there no sense of the violence done unto your flesh, in the partes of the Land possessed by the enemy, labouring hardly, under cruel egyptian task-masters, despoiled of their goods, and depryved of their daily bread, and in danger to bee infected with the deadly poison of erroneous doctrine? While you that are brethren stryve together, shall the rest of your brethren starve for want, or enslave themselves for getting bread? Will you suffer your brethren to lie under the hazard of unwholesome food for their souls? Is there no zeal for the LORD, whose Name is blasphemed, His Ordinances trodden under foot, His Covenant contemned? If there be any consolation in CHRIST, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, and bowels, and mercies, fulfil ye our joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, Let nothing be done through strife, or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, look not every one upon his own things, but every man also upon the things of others, Yea, the things of all, the things of GOD, of the KIRK, of the kingdom, and of the KING, now in COVENANT with GOD, and His KIRK, and in COVENANT also with the elects in this kingdom, by their mutual oaths past at his CORONATION.  
III. That though our present dangers arise from these, who at the first professed themselves our friends, and seemed to go along with us, so long as they might carry one their own interest, and dryve their devilish design, which hath broken forth to the view of the world, and broken in upon us with an unjust invasion, And daily bruiseth our very bones, You would still keep a watchful eye over these, who have been from the beginning, and continue still, or are at this time obstinate, and professed enemies, and opposers of the COVENANT, and CAUSE of GOD, that none such be put in trust or power, lest the CAUSE of GOD be thereby endangered, and the bitter ●●●te of malignancy spring up, unto the over topping of the tender Vine, which the LORD hath planted amongst us in this Land: Let not the horns of such grow up unto that longth and strength, as to pusch again and pierce the sides of the People of GOD.  
IV. That as with all tenderness you would compassionate the truly pious under their doubts and scruples, And endeavour, if possibly, their satisfaction, without prejudice to the CAUSE, So ye would carefully take heed, that scruple of conscience be not, by some, pretended unto unwillingness of of acting, for preservation of the endangered Cause, and sinking Kingdom, and taken on as a mask, to cover the design of under-hand advancing the interest of the Sectarian army, as some have already done, who now unmasking themselves, are not ashamed to appear with open face amongst them.  
V. That you would with all wisdom and circumspectnesse, in simplicity of heart, and with minds disengaged from respect of persons, carefully endeavour, that such as are or shall bee preferred to the keeping of Forts, charge in the army, or unto other Places of trust, be men of piety, honesty, and ability for their employment, The rather because some have unskillfullie, some unfaythfullie managed, & others treacherously betrayed their trust.  
VI. That you would declare your zeal, dislyke of, and displeasure against the perfidious, and disnatured country men, who join themselves with the common enemy, who are haters of ZION, and of this Nation, who say, Let us roote out their name from under Heaven; as also against compliars with them, according to the degree, and quality of their offence.  
VII. That some censure may be inflicted upon these Officers, that through base covetousness, and shameless love of money, which is the roote of all evil, have filled their own hands, and not increassed their Forces; And some solid course may be taken, for preventing the like disappoyntment of Levies, and unnecessary oppression of the people, in time coming: And, because there are many oppressions, and insolences, acted by soldiers, You would bee pleased to cause exercise military Discipline, exactly, according to the Articles of war, whereby they may bee restrained from the like practices.  
AND lastly, That You would vigorouslie go about the acting of some what in opposition to the enemy, for making up the loss of so much time, and manifold opportunities, Be of good courage, and play the Men for Your People, and for the Cities of Your GOD, and let the LORD do what seemeth Him good. The just eye of the Righteous judge of the World, who is a swift witness against all that swear falsely by His NAME, beholdeth all Your behaviour, His Eyes run to and fro, to show himself strong for them, whose hearts are perfect towards Him. The eyes of all the Reformed KIRKS are upon you, to observe your actions, whether you quite yourselves like faithful Christians, Good Patriots, and loyal Subjects, towards your professed Religion, your Native kingdom, and your crwoned King, in Covenant with the People of GOD, according to the manifold Obligations of the national Covenant, League and Covenant, and other solemn oaths, whereby you are engaged. think not that you shall escape more then others, for if you shall altogether withhold your hand at this time Then shall there enlargement & delyverance arise from another place, but you & your Families will be ruined. Commit your ways unto the LORD, and go on in the power of His Might, with your lives in your hands, Entering upon duty, attended by danger, with ESTHERS magnanimous resolution, IF WE PERISH, WE PERISH. The GOD of Heaven shall accept of your endeavours, and in Him wee trust, that he shall second them with happy success; Your reward is with Him, and your names shall be precious to the present and succeeding Generation, Because you devoted yourselves for preserving and transmitting inteere, what ever is, and ought to bee in highest esteem with men, that are not void of Religion, reason, and natural affection. The only wise GOD, The King eternal, immortal, Invisible, give unto Your Highnesse, and to Your Honours, Understanding in all things; And let the beauty of the LORD our GOD bee upon you, And establish the work of your hands; yea, the work of your hands may he establish.  
A. Ker.   

St Andrewes, 25 January, 1651.  
To the King his most Excellent majesty, And the Honourable Committee of Estates, The humble Remonstrance of the Commission of the general assembly.  
ALthough the present sad distresses of this KIRK, and kingdom, and the imminent danger of greater calamities threatened daily against the same, by the public enemy, and ready shortly to overwhelm them, if not speedily prevented, require rather that your majesty and Lordships should be wholly and activelie taken up, in setting all lawful and necessary means on foot, for defence and delyverance of the Land, and people of GOD therein, from oppression and bondage, then to be any ways diverted by papers from any; And we would be loathe to trouble you with any thing of this kind, having of late in several Remonstrances, been representing such matters as we found needful, and incumbent to us, to hold forth, for the good of the Kirk & Kingdom: Yet considering the trust that is committed to us, in relation to public effairs, for discharging of which we must answer to GOD & the Kirk; And perceiving sundry things in the present public carriage of business, which we conceive may prove justly offensive to honest people, and very prejudicial to the work; As it is our duty; So we hope it shall never offend you, nor any way retard: But shall further acting for the public good; that we do use our wonted freedom and faithfulness, in representing at this time to your majesty and Lordships some of these things, which especially need tymouslie to be looked to, & remedied.  
And first, That whereas in answer to the Quaeree, propounded by your majesty & the Estates of Parliament, we did give our faithful advice concerning such persons, as might in the present necessity, be lawfully employed in service, for defence of the kingdom, against the public enemy: We do perceive, that in the Act of leavy, some persons are nominat to be Officers in Regiments, who are under the limitations & exceptions expressed in that our answer, & insert in the Act of leavy; As also we are informed that sundry under Officers are chosen by colonels in shires, who having been formerly under censure, have not as yet satisfied the Kirk: We do humbly conceive, that it had been fit, rather to have kept within the bounds of the exceptions, so far as necessity could have permitted, then to have transgressed & gone beyond them: And now we do earnestly beseech your Majesty & Lordships, that this may be looked to, & remedied in time; and that you would, both for yourselves rectify what is amiss of this kind in the Act of leavy, & and also take effectual course, that colonels in shires do not choose under Officers, who have not given satisfaction to the Kirk, and that such as are of this condition, and are already put in command, may be removed. There is not want of Officers in the kingdom, able for charge, against whom there can be no just exception; And we cannot but heavily regrate, that, as we are informed, many such are passed by, and others employed.  
In the next place, We desire in all humility, to represent unto your majesty & Lordships, our sad fears, concerning the apparent slow progress that is in public proceedings, towards acting against the enemy: A great part of the kingdom is lying under miserable bondage, & only not utterly destroyed, & past recovery: The rest threatened with the like calamities by the enemy, who is diligent & active every way, for accomplishing his designs; all things dear to us in the world are lying at the stake, yet it is a wonder, and a matter of very great fear to the people generally, that not only here-to-fore since the sad defare at Dumbar, for so long a time, so little hath been effectually endeavoured for the relief of the Land, and that public courses formerly appointed for gathering Forces together, have been rendered in effectual, by particular mens gross interverting them to their own private gain: But that also since our resolution to the Quaeree you propounded to us, in point of conscience, concerning a new leavy, the orders issued forth by your majesty and the Estates of Parliament for the leavy, have been followed with so slender diligence and execution, that it is like, the enemy may have faire occasion to overrun all, ere there be any considerable power to oppose him. We will not, nor can we say, but much of the Cause hereof is abroad through the country, in the baseness & averseness of people, to put themselves to present trouble, though for the defence of their country, Religion, lives & Liberties; yet we must earnestly and humbly desire, it be carefully looked to, that the retarding of proceedings, do not in part, arise from the fountain of actings itself. We shall be far from blaming any in particular: But we think surely, that were there more activity & forwardness there, there needed not be so much slowness abroad in the country. Therefore wee beseech your majesty and Lordships, by all these bonds of nature, Religion, vows, and Covenants, and Honour, that lie upon you before GOD, and the World, that you would see to the discovery, and removing of all obstructions, which may retard, and for slow proceedings, according to public resolutions: And that you would both activelie bestir your selfs, as also, by that Power and authority which GOD hath put in your hands, cause all others do their duty according to their places and stations, for Defence and delyverie of this bleeding and perishing country and kingdom: That you may not, through slackness, or any other way, bring upon yourselves the guilt of destroying the same, nor that Curse which posterity would have just cause to imprecate upon this Generation, if through our default, they should be made slaves to so wicked usurpers.  
Wee have for the present but this to add in the last place, that as we liked well of the Answer given by your Lordships to our Remonstrance to the Parliament of the date So we are very sorry we do not as yet see performances answerable thereunto, Especially in the matter concerning these, that in the former leavy took up money for men and horses, through the country; As this was a most vile wickedness, and a very betraying of the Cause, and kingdom; So it is a thing most offensive to all people within the Land, that here-to-fore nothing hath been effectually done for calling these men to an account: For how-so-ever a Committee was appoynted for their trial, yet what hath that Committee done? And how cometh it to pass, that they have done nothing? Wee will not determine whence the obstruction of this matter hath flowed; But certainly if your Lordships do not take some effectual course to try and redress that vile abusing of the country; you will bring the guilt of it upon yourselves, incowrage all covetous persons in place, to be still practising in that same way, and cannot but make people unwilling to every public duty, as seeing that themselves are but exhausted, to make up private men, and no course taken for preventing any abuses in this kind. GOD forbid your majesty and LORDSHIPS should connive at, and pass over such wickedness.  
The great necessity of this kingdom, conscience of our duty, and desire to be faithful in our Places to your majesty and LORDSHIPS constrained us to use this humble freedom, which wee trust will bee taken in good part. arise, FOR THIS MATTER BELONGETH UNTO YOU: TAKE courage, AND do IN YOUR STATIONS AND PLACBS.  
A. Ker.   

PERTH, 6. Febr. 1651.  
THe KINGS majesty, and COMMITTEE of ESTATES, do take well, and return hearty thanks to the COMMISSIONERS of the general assembly, for their care, and faithfulness, in giving frequent, and seasonable WARNINGS of these dueties, which ought to bee Performed for the good of Religion, King, & Kingdom: And that they may the better resolve, and provyde remedy, that none bee admitted to have Charge in the army, but such as are capable, according to the advice given by the Commission in their answer to the QUAEREE propounded, by the KING and Parliament, They desire they will condescend particularly upon such Persons, as are not capable of employment, according to that advice, And do further desire you to make known to the Commissioners of the general assembly, that by Act of Parliament, and of this Committee, It is ordained, That none against whom there is exception, shall bee admitted to exerce any Charge in the army, till first they had satisfied the Kirk; And desire to be informed of any the Commissioners of the Kirk do know of that kind, for it is the Resolution of the Committee to admit of none, till they give satisfaction, & when they hear of any, to remove them, till satisfaction be given. And as for punishing of such as have taken money for men, there is a select Committee appoynted, which daily sitteth, & are proceeding with al the care they can, for trying such as are guilty of that fault: And where they can get Probation, resolve to inflict condign punishment upon such as are guilty; But have cause to expostulat that not-with-standing the frequent advertisements given to the Committees of war, there is great slowness, and averseness to bring in either Complaint, or Probation against any. And that there hath not been effectual means, for raising of Forces, & acting against the Enemy, for relief of the kingdom, since the dissipating of the Army at Dunbar, The same hath not proceeded from want of frequent advertisements, and peremptory orders, from the Kings majesty, the Parliament, and Committee of Estates, to the Committees of war, and colonels of the several shires, from time to time, showing them, the imminent dangers, and requiring them to speedy performance of their duty, as will appear, & bee made evident, by the many letters & orders sent to them For that effect; But from the slowness, and averseness of the country. And wee cannot but with regrate desire to make known to the Commissioners of the general assembly, that the difference of Iudgement of some of the ministery, from the public Resolutions of the King, and Parliament, and Commissioners of the general assembly; And their refusing to concur, and hindering their People, to give obedience to their Orders, is not one of the least obstructions to the leavy, and acting against the enemy, Which his majesty, and Committee, do earnestly desire may by the wisdom of the Commissioners of the general assembly bee tymelie remedied; Wherein his majesty, and this Committee, are most willing, and desyreous to contribute their best advice, and assistance; And have appoynted some of their number, to confer with the Commissioners of the general assembly, at their ensuing Meeting at PERTH. EXTRACT.  
M. Tho: Henderson.