King's Proclamation December 1637 Page 2

16 An Impartial Collection of all the memorable Events
1639.

effect aforesaid. But since that time, His Majesty finding (far contrary to
his expectation) that such disorderly, tumultuous and barbarous insolencies
have been committed within the City of Edenburgh upon the eighteenth of
October last, to the great contempt of His Majesties Royal Authority, by
abusing His Majesties Councellors and Officers of State, with others bearing
Charge and Authority under His Majesty within the said City: His Majesty
in a just resentment of that foul indignity, (wherein His Majesties Honour
did so much suffer) hath been moved to delay the signification of His Ma-
jesties gracious intention, in giving to His Subjects such satisfactory Answers
to their Petitions as in equity might have been expected from so Just and Re-
ligious a Prince; But yet His Majesty being unwilling that His Loyal and
Faithful Subjects should be possessed with groundless and unnecessary doubts and
fears, His Majesty is pleased out of His goodness to declare, like as by these
presents He declareth, That as He abhorreth all Superstition of Popery, so
He will be most careful that nothing be allowed within His Majesties Domi-
nions, but that which shall tend to the advancement of the true Religion, as it
is presently professed within His most ancient Kingdom of Scotland: And that
nothing is or was intended to be done therein against the laudable Laws of this
His Majesties native Kingdom. And ordaineth publication to be made hereof
in form as aforesaid.

At this time His Majesty sent the Earl of Roxburgh, Lord Privy Seal,
into Scotland with Instructions to the Council which was removed from
Dalkeith, four miles from Edenburgh: The Session was removed from
Lithgow to Sterlinng, twenty four miles from Edenburgh. The Earl of Tra-
quair, Lord Treasurer returned from England to Sterling, where by His
Majesties Command a Proclamation was made for dispersing the multi-
tudes, and assuring the Subjects of His Majesties sincerity towards the
Religion established. There the Covenanting Nobility and Gentry first
affronted His Majesties Authority and Laws, the Lords Hume and Lindsey,
with many others of all Ranks making a Protestation against the said Pro-
clamation, repeating it at Lithgow, and last at Edenburgh, with insolence,
scoffing and scurrillity, entertaining the reading of His Majesties Procla-
mation; and as if theirs had been of equal Authority, not permitting the
Heralds to depart till they had upon the Market-Cross ended their Pro-
testation.