Dumfries Treaslrers' Accounts. 21»7 



sioners for the town. Mr Cuthbert Cunyng-hame, the town 

 clerk, went to Dalkeith, doubtless to sound the intentions of 

 the Privy Council, who had retired there from the tumults of 

 Edinburgh. Provost Corsane and Mr Thomas Ramsay went 

 to Edinburgh, to be followed by Provost Irving. Shortly 

 after William Fareis and John Copeland were deputed as 

 Commissioners to Edinburgh. There can be no doubt that 

 all this activity was purely on Covenanting^ business. There 

 is also mention of several proclamations relating to the 

 Covenant. 



With the country in this temper, the King was faced 

 with the alternative of enforcing his authority or modi- 

 fying his policy. Charles adopted the latter course. He 

 withdrew the hated Service Book, and the Court of High 

 Commission ; even the Five Articles of Perth were declared 

 inoperative ; but he demanded that the General .Assembly 

 should substitute the Confession of Faith of 1580 for the 

 Covenant. A General Assembly was called for November, 

 1639. But it was too late. It was attended by armed men. 

 Every military precaution and disposition had been taken by 

 the Tables. Stores and ammunition consigned to Edinburgh 

 Castle were held up by them at Leith. .^t the Assembly the 

 whole ecclesiastical edifice, laboriously reared by the 

 Stewarts, was entirely demolished, and Episcopacy abolished 

 in Scotland. Charles at once declared the Acts of the 

 Assembly illegal, and decided to use force. By April, 1639, 

 he was at \'ork with an army. But the Tables were ready for 

 him. They had already raised forces for resistance. Colonel 

 Munroe raised a regiment in the neighbourhood of Dumfries, 

 where it was quartered. In March they seized the Castles of 

 Edinburgh, Dumbarton, Dalkeith, and Dunglas, and were 

 \irtual masters of the kingdom. Twenty-two thousand well- 

 armed men paraded under Leslie on the links of Leith, and 

 then marched on the Tweed. With them went the Pro\ost 

 of Dumfries and Bailie M'Burnie, who had received a com- 

 mission as captain in the Covenanting forces. Charles ad- 

 vanced to Berwick, and the Covenanters took up a strong 

 position on Dunse Hill or Law, their right wing resting on 

 Kelso. From Warriston's Diary we learn some more 



