No  disorder,  however,  attended  it.  On  the  contrary,  a
new  order  immediately  took  place.  Four  tables,  as  they
were  called,  were  formed  in  Edinburgh.  One  consisted
of  nobility,  another  of  gentry,  a  third  of  ministers,  and  a
fourth  of  burgesses.  In  the  hands  of  the  four  tables  the
whole  authority  of  the  kingdom  was  placed ;  and  among
the  first  acts  of  their  government  was  the  production  of

the  COVENANT.
This  covenant  consisted,  first,  of  a  renunciation  of  po-
pery, formerly  signed  by  James  in  his  youth  ;  and  this  was
followed  by  a  bond  of  union,  by  which  the  subscribers
obliged  themselves  to  resist  religious  innovations,  and  to
defend  each  other  against  all  opposition  whatever.     Peo-


CHARLES    I.  287

pie  of  every  rank  and  condition  hastened  to  sign  this  cove-
nant ;  and  so  general  was  the  contagion,  that  it  seized  the
very  ministers  and  counsellors  of  the  king.
Charles  was  now  willing  entirely  to  abolish  the  canons,
the  liturgy,  and  the  high  commission  court ;  and  he  gave
authority  to  summon  first  an  assembly,  then  a  parliament,
where  every  national  grievance  should  be  redressed ;  but
he  wished  on  any  terms  to  retain  episcopacy  in  the  church
of  Scotland.  The  covenanters  saw  that  it  would  be  ne-
cessary to  retain  their  religious  tenets  by  military  force ;
and  the  Dutch  and  French,  who  sought  occasion  for  re-
venge, on  account  of  a  former  misunderstanding,  secretly
fomented  the  commotions  in  Scotland,  and  supplied  the
covenanters  with  money  and  arms.  The  principal  re-
source, however,  of  the  Scottish  malcontents,  was  in  their
own  vigour  and  abilities.  The  earl  of  Argyle  became  the
chief  leader  of  the  party ;  and  Leslie,  a  soldier  of  expe-
rience and  merit,  was  intrusted  with  the  command  of
their  forces.
