integrity on the bench, in opposition to the secret influence of Dunbar, in all probability hastened his disgrace.

The parliament, which had been repeatedly prorogued, at last met in the end of June, and the bishops, who had receiv ed a "new light" during the pernicious truce, now fully convinced of the Scriptural authority of Prelacy, rode in great pomp to the opening of the session, the archbishops before the earls, and the rest of the bishops before the lords. At this meeting, the commissary, or consistorial courts, which had been taken from the clergy at the reformation, as iuconsistent with the ministerial office, were restored to the bishops, and all spiritual and ecclesiastical causes which occurred within their dioceses, were ordered to be determined by them or their commissioners. An act also was passed, respecting the dresses of the judges, magistrates, and churchmen, the regulating of which was referred to his majesty, that he might display his royal taste in the cut and colour of the official garments. Patterns accordingly were sent from London not long after, for the apparel of the lords of Session, the justices, and other inferior judges, for advocates, lawyers, and all that lived by that profession, and command was given to every one whom the statutes concerned, to provide themselves in the habits prescribed, under pain of rebellion! But the greatest anxiety appears in providing proper raiment for the dignified clergy, I quote the act. "Considering what slander and contempt have arisen to the ecclesiastical estate of this kingdom, by the occasion of the light and indecent apparel used by some of that profession, and chiefly these having vote in parliament, it is therefore statuted, that every preacher God's word, shall hereafter wear black, grave, and comely apparel, beseeming men of their estate and profession; likewise, that all priors, abbots, and prelates, having vote in parliament, and especially bishops, shall wear grave, and decent apparel, agreeable to their function, and as appertains to men of their rank, dignity, and place." The grave conclusion of the act is exquisitely ludicrous. the wholly estates humbly and thankfully acknowledge, that God of his great goodness, has made the people and subjects of this country so happy as to have a king reign over us, who

"And because

of

is most godly, wise, and religious, hating all erroneous and vain superstition, just in government, and of long experience therein, knowing better than any king living, what appertains, and is convenient for every estate in their behaviour and duty, therefore, it is agreed and assented to by the said estates, that what order so ever his majesty, in his great wisdom shall think meet to prescribe for the apparel of churchmen, the same being sent in writ by his majesty to his clerk of register, shall be a sufficient warrant to him for inserting thereof in the books of parliament, to have the strength and effect of an act."

Soon after the parliament rose, Spotswood was created an extraordinary lord of session, which was the more obnoxious, as his father, the venerable superintendent of Lothian, had procured a declaration from the general assembly, that the ministerial function was incompatible with the discharge of any civil office. But the design of re-introducing ecclesiastics to the court of session, was laid aside on the institution of a new tribunal, which conferred on them a power almost equal to what the Spanish inquisition possessed. The king, in virtue of his prerogative alone, issued a commission under the great seal, to the two archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, authorizing them to hold in their respective cities, courts of high commission, to call before them, at such place as they should think meet, any persons within the bounds of their provinces, and take cognizance of their lives, conversation, and religious opinions, and if found guilty or contumacious, to punish them by fine, imprisonment, or excommunication, which they were empowered to command the preacher of the parish where the offender resided, to pronounce, and in case of his refusal or delay, they were to call him before them, and punish his disobedience by suspension, deprivation, or imprisonment. In these commissions, a number of noblemen and gentlemen were conjoined with the archbishop and bishops, but this was a feeble protection against the illegal institution, as the archbishop with four, made a quorum, and he could at any time summon four devoted to his will, while the nobles, or such as might have opposed his proceedings, were engaged in other avocations; but they could

form no court without the presence of the archbishop. The jurisdiction of these courts was as extensive, as their power was despotic, it reached to every rank, and from their decisions there was no appeal. Schools and colleges were subjected to their visitations.

Possessed of such extensive powers, as lords of the high commission, lords of parliament, council, exchequer, session, and regality, constant moderators of presbyteries, patrons of benefices, and commissioners of the general assembly, their authority in the church became irresistible, and they thought they might now venture to call a meeting of her once formidable high judicatory, and submit the question of episcopacy to their determination. In a common letter sent to the king, requesting him to call an assembly, they promised to be answerable to his majesty for the performance of what they undertook, and assured him the ministers, even the most refractory, would suffer things to proceed, and be quiet, because they could no longer strive. The assembly was, in compliance with their wishes, appointed to be held at Glasgow, in the month of June, 1610; but still, although the most able of their opponents were banished, imprisoned, or confined within their respective parishes, they durst not trust the remainder with a free election. His majesty, in missives sent to the different presbyteries, nominated the persons they should appoint as members, and the archbishops sent circulars along with them, exhorting them to obedience, and "not to provoke the king's majesty to wrath, without any necessary occasion." The earl of Dunbar was sent down as king's commissioner, and with him three English doctors, to consult and arrange the business that was to be brought before the assembly. With these injunctions, the greater part of the presbyteries complied, and an assembly, composed of the bishops, the constant moderators, and the representatives of presbyteries, met at the appointed time.

From a body so composed, no opposition to the measures of the court was either expected or received. The convocation of general assemblies was declared to be a branch of the royal prerogative, and the assembly held at Aberdeen, 1605, pronounced unlawful. The constant moderation of the pro

vincial synods was confirmed to the bishops, and no sentence of excommunication or absolution, could be pronounced without their permission. All presentations were to be directed to the bishop of the diocess, by whom the presentee was to be tried; and in cases of deposition, he was to sit in judg ment, and pronounce sentence on the delinquent. Every minister at his admission, was ordered to swear obedience to his majesty and his ordinary;* the visitation of the clergy within their diocess, was likewise conceded to the bishops. By way of salvo it was added, that in the exercise of discipline, the bishops were to be assisted by the ministers within the bounds, all mention of the hated word presbytery, being carefully avoided, and that they were to be subject in all things, life, conversation, office, and benefice, to the censures of the =general assembly, and if found culpable, they might be de

*The following was the form of the oath, which is in essence an oath of supremacy, and was made explicitly so in the ratification by act of parliament. I, A. B. nominated and admitted to the church of D. utterly testify, and declare in my conscience, that the right excellent, right high, and mighty prince James the sixth, by the grace of God, king of Scots, is the only lawful supreme governor of this realm, as well in things temporal, as in the conservation and purgation of the religion; and that no foreign prince, prelate, state, or potentate has, or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm; and therefore I utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdictions, powers, superiorities, and authorities, and promise, that from this time forth, I shall and will bear faith and true allegiance to his highness, his heirs, and lawful successors, and to my power, shall assist and defend all jurisdictions, privileges, pre-eminences, and authorities, granted and belonging to his highness, his heirs, and lawful successors, or united and annexed to his royal crown. And farther, I acknowledge and confess to have, and hold the said church, and possessions of the same, under God only, of his majesty and crown royal of this realm, and for the said possessions, I do homage presently unto his highness in your presence, and to his majesty, his heirs, shall be lawful and true. So help me God Calderwood, p. 632. He remarks, p. 638, that the words, " to his ordinary," appear an interpolation in the register. In the ratification, the terms, conservation and purgation of religion, were exchanged for, "in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical, as in things temporal."

Subjoined to the oath of submission to the king, a clause promising obedience to the ordinaries was likewise interpolated by the parliament. I, A. B. admitted to the church of D. promise and swear to D. bishop of that diocess, obedience, and to his successor in all lawful things. So help me God.

prived, with his majesty's advice and consent. But, as if convinced of the frailty of their cause, and knowing the aversion of the people to their order, it was forbid to any minister, either in the pulpit, or in public exercise, to argue against, or disobey the acts of this present assembly, under the penalty of deprivation, and particularly, that the question of equality, or inequality in the ministry, should not be discussed in the pulpit under the same forfeiture. The assembly had consented to use the terms, ministers within the bounds, in the full understanding that presbyteries were meant, but the earl of Dunbar announced that he had his majesty's orders to abolish presbytery by proclamation. At this, the members, who had allowed themselves to be cozened out of the most important rights of Presbyterianism, when the intention was openly avowed without circumlocution to take away the lesser, evinced by their universal alarm and grief, that their affections were still placed on that mode of church government, the whole assembly entreated the commissioner to desist from making that proclamation, for some time at least, till his majesty should be informed of the proceedings of that assembly. To this he consented, at the request of some noblemen, who promised to intercede with his majesty, that he should be blameless for the delay, and who had probably been instructed before the meeting, in the part they were to perform. When the assembly broke up, the bishops were loud in their praises of unity, but besides the artifice and falsehood which had been used, it cost his majesty not less than forty thousand merks, as arrears of stipends to the moderators, and as travelling expenses to the others, particularly the north country ministers, to accomplish this desirable end. The powers granted to the bishops at this assembly, were afterward confirmed by act of parliament, but all the restraining clauses were abolished—they were freed from the jurisdiction of the general assembly, and rendered accountable only to the king.

The assembly and the parliament had conferred upon the Scottish bishops, all the honour and power they had to bestow, but to imprint that indefinable, indelible sanctity of character, which is communicated by the imposition of a true bishop's hands, was beyond the reach of humble presbyters; they had