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and to bless our desires and proceedings with a happy success, that Religion
and Rightousness may flourish in the Land, to the Glory of God,
the Honour of our King, and peace and confort of us all. In witness
whereof we have subscribed with our hands all the premisssses, etc.

To which in Vindication of Royal Authority, and the Monarchical Government of Scotland, His Majesty propounded these Four Queries.

I. By what Authority they entred into this Covenant, and how they
durst presume to Administer an Oath to His Majesties Subjects?

[Margin note] His Majesties Queries against the Convent

It is certain no Publick Oath can be tendred but by a Magistrate; and
though they Answer they have a Precedent, though not a Law, (viz.) That
King James and His Household subscribed this Confession, Anno 1580.
and all Ranks by Order of Council and Assembly, Anno 1581. and by a
new Order of Council at the desire of the Assembly, with a general Band
for maintenance of the True Religion, and the King's Person, Anno. 1590.
Yet this Confession and Covenant was not Commanded or Subscribed by
His Majesty, as the other was by His Royal Father: and the Judgment
of the General Assembly though then at highest, by their request made it
evident that no Authority could renew that Command but the same which
at first imposed it. On the contrary, when His Majesty by Proclamation
Commanded the renewing that Oath, the Tables refused to swear it them-
selves, and Commanded that none in the Kingdom should take it by any
Authority from His Majesty, thereby devesting His Majesty of His Au-
thority, and setting up their own above His.

II. If they had had a power to impose this Oath, yet what had they for
interpreting it? for no less Authority can interpret a Law than the same
which made it. His Majesty and those Judges deputed by Him are there-
fore the only true Interpreters of this Oath: and the other interpreetation
is not onely illegal but false and ridiculous, contrary to Reason, Religion,
Honesty and Conscience, when they say this Confession ought to be un-
derstood of all their pretended Novations, no less than if they had been
particularly expressed in the said Consession, for how can any person safely
swear, that the Framers of that first Confession intended it against the
five Articles of Pearth, the Service-Book, Canons and High Commission,
things they never heard of while alive, but intended it only against such
Romish Corruptions as then infested the Church. And therefore with
more wit than honesty where they met with no scruples, the Convenanters
suffered

[margin note: The Ingenuity of the Convenanters.]