All which being taken into the serious and Christian consideration of the right honourable the Lords and others of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland, we hope there will not need many arguments to perswade and excite them to give their consent, and that with all convenient speed, to these desires of both houses of the Parliament of England; seeing now they have so fully declared, as by what they have done already, so by what they are yet desirous to do, that the true state of this cause and quarrel is Religion, in the Reformation whereof they are, and have been so forward and zealous, as that there is not any thing expressed unto them by their brethren of Scotland, in their former or latter Declarations, which they have not seriously taken to heart, and seriously endeavoured to effect, (notwithstanding the subtle malicious and industrious oppositions) that so the two Kingdomes might be brought into a near conjunction in one form of Church-government, one directorie of worship, one Catechisme, &c. and the foundation laid of the utter extirpation of Popery and prelacie out of both Kingdomes. The most ready and effectual means whereunto, is now conceived to be, that both Nations enter into a strict Union and league, according to the desires of the two Houses of Parliament. And to induce the perswasion of this (if there were cause) we might observe, that, in the many Declarations made by the General Assembly or States of Scotland, to their Brethren of England, there have been sundry expressions, manifesting the great necessitie that both Kingdomes for the securitie of their Religion and Liberties, should joyn in this strict Union against the Papists, Prelats, and their adherents: As also in the endeavour of a near conjunction between the Churches of both Nations. The apprehension and foresight of which, hath caused the Popish and Prelatical Faction in forreigne parts as well as in his Majesties Dominions, strictly and powerfully to combine themselves to the hinderance of this so necessary Work, and the universal suppression of the true protestant Religion in Europe: A course not much different from that which they took in the year 1585. when the wisedome and zeal of this Nation to counter-myne so wicked a conspiracie, and from the due sense of the mutual interest of these two Kingdomes in Religion and Libertie, found a necessity of entring into a league of this nature, as well considering, that thereby no lesse safetie might be expected to both Nations, then danger by forbearing the same. And though we doubt not but in so necessary and so good a Work, many difficulties may arise to interrupt and retard the same; yet we are as confident, that the heartie and brotherly affection of this Nation to the Parliament and Kingdome of England, will easily break through them; and the rather because in the like cases of difficultie and danger, not only at the time of the league above-mentioned, but before, and likewise since, when any opportunity hath