We are fallen in
your lap, this ruine must be under your hand; you cannot pretend want of
bread or cloathing, you must be healers: We have chosen you curators to
your little young sister that wants breasts; there is none in earth to
take her out of your hand, for we will not, nor cannot hide it from your
Honours and Wisedome, that we want bread, and must not only, as before,
have a bit for our present need, but also seed to sow the Land.

It is therefore our humble and earnest desire, that you would yet again
look on our former Petition, and your own obligatorie Act, and at least
declare your consent, that a competent number of our own Ministers may be
loosed to settle here, and break bread to the children that lye fainting
at the head of all streets, which although it may be accounted but a
restoring of what we lost, and you have found, yet we shall esteem it as
the most precious gift that earth can affoord. When they are so loosed, if
they finde not all things concurring to clear Gods calling, it will be in
their hand to forbear and you have testified your bountie. But oh for the
Lords sake, do not kill our dying souls, by denying these our necessar
desires. There are about twelve or fourteen waste congregations on this
nearest coast: let us have at least a competent number that may erect
Christs throne of discipline, and may help to bring in others, and then
shall we sing, that the people who were left of the sword, have found
grace in the wildernesse. We have sent these our brethren, Sir _Robert
Adair_ of Kinhilt Knight, and _William Mackenna_ of Bel fast merchant, to
attend an answer from you, who have attained that happinesse to be lenders
and not borrowers, and to present the heartie longing affections of

_Your most obliged and more expecting brethren and servants._

_Subscribed by very many hands._

Sess. 6. August 8, 1643.

_Acts for subscribing the Covenant._

The General Assembly considering the good and pious advice of the
Commissioner of the last Assembly, upon the 22 of September, 1642 _post
meridiem_, recommending to Presbytries, to have Copies of the Covenant to
be subscribed by every Minister at his admission, doth therefore ratifie
and approve the samine. And further ordaines, that the covenant be
reprinted, with this Ordinance prefixed thereto, and that every Synod,
Presbyterie, and Paroch, have one of them bound in _quarto_, with some
blank paper, whereupon every person may be oblig