The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The Queens Majesties Answer to the Articles presented to Her Highness, by certain Gentlemen, in the Name of the whole Assembly of the Church. TO the first, Desiring the Mass to be suppressed and abolished, as well in the Head, as in the Members, with punishment against the Contraveners; As also, the Religion professed to be established by Act of Parliament, it was answered, first for her Majesties part, That her Highness is no way yet persuaded in the said Religion, nor yet that any impiety is in the Mass; and therefore believeth, That her loving subjects will not press her to receive any Religion against her conscience, which should be unto her a continual trouble by remorse of conscience, and therewith a perpetual unquietness. And to deal plainly with her Subjects, her Majesty neither will, nor may leave the Religion wherein she hath been nourished and brought up; and believeth the same to be well grounded; Knowing, besides the grudge of conscience that she should receive, upon the change of her own Religion, That she should lose the friendship of the King of France, the married Allia of this Realm, and of other great Princes her Friends and Confederates, who would take the same in evil part, and of whom she may look for their great support in all her necessities; And having no assured consideration that may countervail the same, she will be loth to put in hazard all her friends at an instant, praying all her loving subjects, seeing they have had experience of her goodness, that she hath neither in times past, nor yet intends hereafter, to press the conscience of any, but that they may worship God in such sort, as they are persuaded in their conscience to be best, That they will also not press her conscience. As to the establishing of Religion in the Body of the Realm, they themselves know, as appears by their Articles, That the same cannot be done only by consent of her Majesty, but requires necessarily the consent of the States in Parliament, and therefore so soon as the Parliament holds, those things which the States agree upon amongst themselves, her Majesty shall consent unto the same; and in the mean time shall make sure, That no man be troubled for •sing Religion according to conscience; So that no man shall have cause to doubt, That for Religions sake mens Lives and Heritage shall be in any hazard.

The Queens Majesties Answer to the Articles presented to Her Highnesse, by certain Gentlemen, in the Name of the whole Assemblie of the Church. TO the first, Desiring the Masse to be suppressed and abolished, as well in the Head, as in the Members, with punishment against the Contraveners; As also, the Religion professed to be established by Act of Parliament, it was answered, first for her Majesties part, That her Highnesse is no way yet perswaded in the said Religion, nor yet that any impiety is in the Masse; and therefore believeth, That her loving subjects will not presse her to receive any Religion against her conscience, which should be unto her a continuall trouble by remorse of conscience, and therewith a perpetuall unquietnesse. And to deale plainly with her Subjects, her Majesty neither will, nor may leave the Religion wherein she hath been nourished and brought up; and believeth the same to be well grounded; Knowing, besides the grudge of conscience that she should receive, upon the change of her owne Religion, That she should lose the friendship of the King of France, the married Allia of this Realme, and of other great Princes her Friends and Confederates, who would take the same in evil part, and of whom she may look for their great support in all her necessities; And having no assured consideration that may countervaile the same, she will be loth to put in hazard all her friends at an instant, praying all her loving subjects, seeing they have had experience of her goodnesse, that she hath neither in times past, nor yet intends hereafter, to presse the conscience of any, but that they may worship God in such sort, as they are perswaded in their conscience to be best, That they will also not presse her conscience. As to the establishing of Religion in the Body of the Realme, they themselves know, as appears by their Articles, That the same cannot be done onely by consent of her Majestie, but requires necessarily the consent of the States in Parliament, and therefore so soon as the Parliament holds, those things which the States agree upon amongst themselves, her Majestie shall consent unto the same; and in the mean time shall make sure, That no man be troubled for sing Religion according to conscience; So that no man shall have cause to doubt, That for Religions sake mens Lives and Heritage shall be in any hazard.