THE Fourth Covenant runs thus:

"AT Edinburgh, the twintie-feventh of Apryll, the year of God ane thoufand fyve hundred threescore years; We, whaes names are underwritten, haif promittit and obliedged our felves faithfully, in the prefence of our God, and be thir prefent promitts, that we altogether in general, and every one of us in fpecial be himself, with our bodies, goods, friends, and all that we may do, fal fet forwart the Reformation of Religion, according to Goddes word; and procure, be all means poffible, that the true preaching of Goddes word may haif free paffage within this realme, with dew adaniniftration of the facraments, and all things depending upon the faid worde. And ficklyke, deiply weighing with our felves the mifbehaviour of the Franche minifters heir, the intolerable oppreffions committed by the Franchmen of weir upon the puir fubjects of this realme, be meyntenance of the Queen dowriare, under collour and pretence of authority; the tyranny of their Captains and leaders, and manifeft danger of conqueift, in whilk this countrie presently ftands, be reafon of diverse fortifications on the fea-coaft, and other novelties of late attemptat be them; promitts, that we fall, als weell every one with others, as altogether, with the Queen of England's armie, presently come in for our deliverance, effectually concurr and joyn together, taking onefold and plain part of the expulfion of the faid frayngars,

ftrayngars, oppreffors of our liberty, furth of this realme, and recovery of our ancient frecdomes and liberties; to the end in tyme coing we may, under the obedience of our King and Queen our foverains, be only reulyt be the laws and cuftomes of the countrie, and by the men of the land: And that never any of us all haiff pryvy intelligence, be writing or meffage, or communication with any of our faid enemys or adverfars in this caufe, bot be the advyce of the reft, at leift fyve of our numbers. Attour, that we fall tender this prefent caufe, as if it were the cause of every one of us in particu lar; and that the cause of every one of us now joyned together being leiful and honeft, fhall be all our caufes in general: and he that is enemy to the caufe forefaid, fall be enemy to us all; in fo far, that whatfomever person will plainly refift thir our godly interpryfis, and will not concurr as ane guid member of this commonweill, we fall fortify the authority of the counfell, to reduce them to their deuty; lykeas.we fall fortify the faid authority of the counfale in all things tending to the furtherance of the faid caufe. And giff any particular debate, quarrell, or contraverfee fall aryse, for whatfomever caufe by gain, prefent or to come, betwixt any of us, (as God forbid ;) in that cafe we fall fubmit ourfelves and our faid questions to the decifion of the counfale, or to arbitrators to be named be them; provyding allwayes that this be not prejudicial to the ordinar juLIII 2

rifdiction

rifdiction of judges, but that men may perfue their actions, by ordour of law, civilly or criminally, before the judges ordinars, gif they please."

THE defign of the Queen and her French Catholics, in the above-mentioned treaty, appears to have been, that the might gain a little time, and procure a new reinforcement from France. With them comes fome threats against the Reformed, from the hulband of the Scotch Queen. But the Congregation was not to be intimidated either by threats or arms. Having received a confiderable acceffion to their power and number, and finding the greater part of the nation in their intereft; finding alfo, that the Queen Regent could not be bound by any tie, They formed a council of the nation, and folemnly deprived her of her Regency. By the affistance of England, and

the

* "In the Democratical genius of the Scottish Conftitu tion, in the importance which diftinguished the people from the earliest of times, there is the strongest vindication of this meafure. Limited by laws, magiftrates not de fpots, even the Monarchs of Scotland themfelves, when they prefumed to invade the rights of the nation, were expofed to the refiftance and correction of the fubject. The indignant people might vindicate their privileges and honours. Upon flight tranfgreffions, they alarm the fears of their Prince; and reprefs, by remonstrance, the intoxication of their grandeur. Upon great occa frons, aud in the hard moments of tyranny, they might

of s

the bleffing of Heaven on their endeavours, though fometimes checked, they triumphed over every oppofition, and eluded the fnares which had been laid for them. That they might be confolidated into one body; and that fuch as had lately joined them might be knit unto them by an indiffoluble tie, they executed the preceding Covenant.

THE Fifth Covenant we have as follows:

"WE quhais names ar underwritten, do promeis, in the prefence of God, and in prefence of his Son, our Lord Jefus Chrift, That we, and every one of us, fall and will manteyne and affift the preaching of the holy evangell, now of his mere mercy offered unto this realme: And alfo will manteyne the minifters of the fam against all perfones, power and authority, that will oppone the felf to the doctrine proponed and by us receaved. And further, with the fame folemnity, we proteft and promife, that every an of us fall affift uthers; yea, and the hole bodie of the Proteftants within this realme, in all lawful and juft actiouns, against all perfones: So that quhofoever fall hurt, moleft or truble ony of our body, fall be reputed enemy to the hole, except that the

yield to the fullness of their refentments and their wrongs; making him a facrifice to justice, and an instruction to pofterity,-conduct him from the throne to the fcaffold." STUART, P. 148.

offendare

offendare will be content to fubmit himself to the judgement of the Kirk, now establisched amongst us. And this we do, as we defyre to be accepted and favoured of the Lord Jefus, and reaccompted worthie of credite and honeftie in the prefence of the godlie. At the burgh of Aire the ford day of September the yeir of God 1562."

The.

A GENERAL peace foón fucceeded. Confeffion of Faith, which is usually denominated the SCOTS CONFESSION, was offered to the Parliament, and established by it. The General Affembly of the Church of Scotland met, for the first time, foon after the Parliament; and that not by virtue of any indiction by the Prince, but by the Church's own intrinfic power. At the third Affembly, which fat down in June 1562, it was found the country was ftill in danger from Popery; as the Queen, who was returned a widow from France, patronized idolatry; and the labourers were few, efpecially in Galloway and Ayrshire, while the harvest was copious: Wherefore they fent Mr Knox and Mr George Hay into thefe diftricts. Their fuccefs was remarkable. A great part of the Barons, Gentlemen, and Burgeffes, &c. affembled at Ayr, and executed the foregoing Covenant.

THE ftruggles of the nation, against Popery, were carried on with various fuccefs, without

any