cing, faining, anointing, conjuring, hallouing of Godis gude creatures, with the fuperftitious opinion joyned therewith: His warldlie monarchic, and wicked hierarchie: His three folemnet vowes, with all his fhavellings of fundrie fortis: His erroneous and bloodie Decreets made at Trente, with all the Subscryvars and approvers of that cruell and bloodie Band conjured againis the Kirk of God. And finallie, We deteft all his vain al→ legor es, ritis, fignes, and traditions brought in the Kirk, without or againis the word of God, and doctrine of this trew reformed Kirk; to the quhilk we joyn our felves willinglie in Do&rine, Faith, Religion-Difcipline, and ufe of the holy facraments, as livelie members of the fame, in Chrift our head: Promifing and fwearing be the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, That we fall contenow in the obedience of the Doctrine and Difcipline of this Kirk * and fall defend the fame according to our vocation and power, all the dayes of our lyves; under the pains conteined in the law, and danger baith of bodie and faul in the day of Godis fearfull Judgment.

And feing that monie ar ftirred up be Sathan, and that Roman Antichrift, to promife, fweare, fubfcryve, and for a tyme ufe the holie facraments in the kirk deceitfullie, againis their awne conscience, minding heirby, firft under the external cloke of Religion, to corrupt and fubvert fecretlie Gcdis trew Religion within the Kirk; and afterward, when tyme may ferve, to become open

ene

The Confeffion which was fubfcribed at Halyrudkoufe the 25 of February 1587-8, by the krg, Lennox, Hunthe, the Charcelour, and about 95 other Perfons, hath here added Agreeing to the word. Sir John Maxwel of Pollock hath the original Parchement.

enemies and perfecuters of the fame, under vain houpe of the Papis difpenfation, devyfed againis the word of God, to his greater confufion, and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Jefus, We theirfoir, willing to take away all fufpicion of hypocrifie, and of fic double dealing with God and his Kirk, proteft, and call the SEARCHER OF ALL HEARTIS for witness, that our mindis and heartis do fullilie agree with this our Confeffion, promeis, aith, and fubfcription fa that we ar not movit with ony warldlie refpect, but ar perfwadit onlie in our confcience, through the knawledge and love of Godis trew Religion prented in our heartis be the Holie Spreit, as we fal anfwer to him in the day when the fecreits of heartis fal be disclosed.

And because we perceave, that the quyetnefs and stabilitie of our Religion andKirk doth depend upon the fafety and good behaviour of the Kingis Majeftie, as upon ane comfortable inftrument, of Godis mercie granted to this countrey, for the meinteining of his Kirk and miniftration of juftice amongs us; We proteft and promeis folemnetlie with our heartis, under the fame aith, hand-wreit, and paines, that we fall defend his perfonne and authoritie with our geare, bodies, and lyves, in the defence of Chriftis Evangell, libertie of our countrey, miniftration of juftice, and punishment of iniquitie, againis all enemies, within this realme or without, as we defire OUR GOD to be a ftrong and mercifull defendar to us in the day of our death, and coming of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST; To whom, with the Father and the holie Spreit, be all honour and glorie eternallie. Amen.

A

A general Band made for Maintenance of the trew and Chriftian Religion, and the Kings Majefties Perfon and Eftate; and withstanding all forreyne or inteftine Preparations and Forces tending to the Trouble thereof: Subfcrivit be His Majefty and diverfe of the Eftatis 1588; and afterwards fubfcrivit, in the Year 1590, together with the Confeffion of Faith, be Perfons of all Ranks and Degrees, be an Act of Council, at the Defire of the General Assembly of the Kirk, March 6.* 1589.

WE

E underfubfcriband, confidering the strait Link and Conjunction betwix the trew and Chriftian Religion, prefentlie profeffit within this Realme, and his Heines oure Sovereyne Lordis Estate and Standing; having baith the felf-fame Friendis and common Enemies, and subject to the

lyke

* 1599.

lyke event of ftranding and decay. And weying thairwithall the imminent danger threatned to the faid religion, as weil be forreyne preparationis for profequutione of that deteftabil confpiracie againis Chrift and his evangell, callit the Holie league; as be the inward and inteftine practizes of the favourers and fuppoftis thairof amangis oure felfis, quha now, inanimate be the reportis of forreyne powers in this Realme, begine maire plainlie to utter their lang concelit evill meaning to the trewth, and confequentlie to the standing of His Majeftie oure Sovereyne Lord, quham they have found and tryit to be ane conftant and inflexibil profeffor of the fame: the prefervation quhairof beand deirer to us than quhatfumever we have deireft to us in this lyfe. And finding in His Majeftie a molt honourabil and Christian refolution, to manifeft him felf to the warld that zelous and religious Prince quhilk he hes * hithertill profeffit, and to imploy the means and power that God hes put into his handis, as weill to the withstanding of quhatfumever forreyne force fall mean within this Island, for alteration of the faid religion, or endangering of the prefent eftate; as to the ordering and repreffing of, the inward enemies thairto amangis oure felfis, linkit with thame in the faid antichriftian league and confederacie. Have thairfore, in the prefence of ALMIGHTIE GOD, and with His Majefties allowance, faithfullie promifit and folemnelie fworn, lykeas heirby we faithfullie and folemnelie fwear and promeis, to tak a trew aefauld and plain pairt with His Majestie

and

* heirtofore

and amangis oure felfis, for diverting of the ap pearand danger threatned to the faid religion, and His Majefties eftate and ftanding depending thairupon, be quhatfumever forreyne or inteftine plotis or preparationis.

And to that effect faithfullie, and upon oure trewths and honours, bind and oblidge us to uthers, to convene and affembil oure felfis publicklie with oure friends in armes, or in quyet manner*, at fik tymes and places as we fall be requirit be His Hienes proclamatione, or be writ or mef fage direct to us from His Majeftie, or ony having power from him: and being convenit and affemblit, to joyne and concurre with the haill forces of oure friendis and favoureris, againis quhatfumever forreyne or inteftine powers of Papiftis or thair partakers, that fall arryve or ryfe within this Island, or ony pairt thairof; readie to defend or purfue, as we fall be authorizit and conduct be His Majeftie, or ony having his power and commmiffion to joyne and hald hand to the exequution of quhatfumever mean or ordour fall be thought meet be His Majestie and Councell, for the fuppreffing of Papiftrie, promotion of trew religion, and fetling His Hienes eftate and obedience in all the quarters and corners of this Realme: to expone and hazard oure lyfis, landis and gudis, and quhatfumever mean that God hes lent us, in the defence of the faid trew and chriftian religion, and of His Majefties perfon and eftate, againis quhafumever fall

* In the Band fübfcribed 1588, by the King and divers of the Efates, it is, to convene and a embil privilie, or with oure friendis in armes or quyet manner, at fic tymes, &c. The original Parchement is in the College-library of Glasgow.