rliament, prudentlie to wey, and as it becum[757]
just judges, to grant these our maist just and reasonable
Petitionis.--

"First, Seing that the contraversie in religioun, which long hath
continewed betuix the Protestants of Almany, Helvetia, and other
provinces, and the Papisticall Churche, is not yitt decyded by a
lauchfull and Generall Counsall; and seing that our consciences ar
lyikwyes towcheit with the fear of God, as was thares in the
begynnyng of thare contraversie, we most humlie desyre, that all
suche Actes of Parliament, as in the tyme of darknes gave power to
the Churche men to execute thare tyranny aganis us, be reasoun that
we to thame wor delated as Heretiques, may be suspended and
abrogated, till a Generall Counsall lawfullie assembled have
decyded all contraverseis in religioun.

"And least that this mutatioun shuld seame to sett all men at
libertie to lyve as thame list, We Secundarelie requyre, That it be
enacted by this present Parliament, that the Prelattis and thare
Officiaris[758] be removed from place of judgement; onlie granting
unto thame, nocht the less, the place of accusatouris in the
presence of a temporall judge, befoir whom the Churche men
accusatouris salbe bundin to call any by thame accused of heresye,
to whome also thei salbe bundin to deliver ane authentik copy of
all depositionis, accusationis, and process led against the persone
accused; the judge lykewyis delivering the same to the partie
accused, assignyng unto him a competent terme to answer to the
same, after he hath takin sufficient cautioun _de judicio sisti_.

"Thridly, We requyre, that all lawfull defences be granted to the
personis accused; as yf he be able to prove, that the witnesses be
personis unable by law to testifie aganis thame, that then thare
accusationis and depositionis be null according to justice.

"_Item_, That place be granted to the partie accused, to explane
and interprite his awin mynd and meanyng; which confessioun we
requyre be inserted in publict Actes, and be preferred to the
depositionis of any witnesses, seing that nane owght to suffer for
religioun, that is not found obstinat in his damnable opinioun.

"Last, We requyre, that our brethrene be not dampned for
Hereticques, onles, by the manifest word of God, thei be c