from His Majesty of England Upon which a Debate arose about the reading of the Letters at what time the Earl of Lothian mov'd That since they were met at the Desire of his Majesty of England they ought to give his Letter the Precedence which being put to the Vote was carried in the affirmative and the King of England 's Letter was read the Contents of which were as follow The Direction was To the Meeting of the Estates of Scotland My Lords and Gentlemen WE are very sensible of the Kindness and Concern which your Nation has evidenced toward Vs and Our Vndertaking for the preservation of your Religion and Liberty which were in such imminent Danger Neither can we in the least doubt of your Considence in Vs after having seen how far so many of your Nobility and Gentry have own'd our Declaration countenancing and concurring with us in our Endeavours and desiring Vs that We would take upon us the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military and to call a Meeting of the Estates for securing the Protestant Religion and the Ancient Laws and Liberties of that Kingdom which accordingly we have done Now it lies on You to enter upon such Consultations as are most probable to settle You on sure and lasting foundations which We hope you will set about with all convenient speed with regard to the publick Good and to the General Interest and Inclinations of the People that after so much Trouble and great Suffering they may live happily and in Peace and that you may lay aside all Animosities and Factions that may impede so good a Work We were glad to find that so many of the Nobility and Gentry when here in London were so much inclin'd to a Vnion of both Kingdoms and that they did look upon it as one of the best means for procuring the Happiness of both Nations and settling of a lasting Peace among them which would be advantagious to Both they living in the same Island having the same Language and the same common Interest of Religion and Liberty especially at this Juncture when the Enemies of both are so restless endeavouring to make and increase Jealousies and Divisions which they will be ready to improve to their own Advantage and the Ruin of Britain We being of the same Opinion as to the usefulness of this Vnion and having nothing so much before our Eyes as the Glory of God Establishing the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of these Nations are resolv'd to use Our Vtmost Endeavours in advancing every thing that may conduce to the effectuating the same So we hid you Heartily Farwell From our Court at Hampton the seventh day of March 1689. His Majesties Letter being thus read the next debate was whither the late King James 's Letter should be read or no. And here to remove all Heats and disputes the Lord Lothian again stept up and propounded an Expedient to which the House agreed That is to say that before the reading of it they should pass an Act which should be subscribed by all the Members That For as much as there was a Letter from King James the Seventh presented to the Meeting of the Estates That they before the Opening thereof declar'd and Enacted That notwithstanding of any thing that might be contain'd in that Letter for dissolving them or impeding their Procedure yet that they were a Free and Lawful Meeting of the Estates and would continue undissolved until they had settled and secur'd the Protestant Religion the Government Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom This Act was sign'd by the whole Meeting except only six or seven and then the following Letter was opened and read overwritten James Rex My Lords and Gentlemen WHereas we have been inform'd that You the Peers and Representatives of the Shires and Boroughs of that our Ancient Kingdom who are to meet together at our good Town of Edinborough some time in this Instant March by the Usurp't Authority of the Prince of Orange We think fit to let you know That we have at all times rely'd upon the Faithfulness and Affection of You our Ancient People so much that in our greatest Misfortunes heretofore we had recourse to your Assistance and that with good success to our Affairs So now again we require of you to support our Royal Interest expecting from you what becomes Loyal and Faithful Subjects Generous and Honest Men that will neither suffer your selves to be cajol'd nor frighted into any Action misbecoming true-hearted Scotchmen And that to support the Honour of the Nation you will contemn the base Example of Disloyal Men and Eternize your names by a Loyalty sutable to the many Professions you have made to us in doing whereof you will choose the safest part since thereby you will evite the danger you must needs undergo the Infamy and Disgrace you must bring upon your selves in this World and the Condemnation due to the Rebellious in the Next and you will likewise have the Opportunity to secure to your selves and your Posterity the gracious Promises which we have so oft made of securing your Religion Laws Properties and Rights which we are still resolved to perform as soon as it is possible for us to meet you safely in a Parliament of our Ancient Kingdom In the mean time fear not to declare for Us your Lawful Soveraign veraign who will not fail on our part to give you such speedy and powerful Assistance as shall not only enable you to defend your selves from any Foreign Attempt but put you in a Condition to assert our Right against our Enemies who have depressed the same by the blackest of Usurpations the most unjust as well as most unnatural of all Attempts which the Almighty God may for a time permit and let the Wicked prosper yet then must bring Confusion upon such Workers of Iniquity We farther let you know that we will pardon all such as shall return to their Duty before the last day of this Month Inclusive and that we will punish with the Rigor of our Lawes all such as shall stand out in Rebellion against Us or our Authority So not doubting that you will declare for us and suppress whatever may oppose our Interest and that you will send some of your number to us with an Accompt of your diligence and the Posture of our Affairs We bid you Heartily Farewell Given on Board the St. Michael March the First 1689. By His Majesties Command Melfort This Letter being directed to Persons at that time sitting who either lay under the Ignominy of his Attainders or had else severely otherwise suffered either themselves or their nearest Relations the dilacerating stripes of his Tyrannical severity could not so soon forget the anguish of their Sufferings as to be sugar'd up into a Reconciliation by the fair Promises of a Person that had lost the Reputation of being true to his Publick Word Besides that there was so little Majesty in the Style of the Letter
to be dispensed with such Moderation that the Sentence it self might convince the world that there was not wanting in it both Mercy and Favour That it was not the Goodness or Fertility of the Climate nor the Goodness of the Laws that made a Kingdom happy but their passing through those impure Channels whose Ambition Luxury and Pride rendered them fit Tools for Tyrannical Arbitrary Men that was to be prevented So that if their Lordships did but make it their Duty Honour and Interest to imitate their Religious Prudent Valiant and just Prince and Deliverer the Nation would be the most happy in the World Insomuch that for his part if he could be so Fortunate as to add but one Grain to the Scale of Equity he should esteem it his greatest Advantage and himself overpaid for all the pains he could ever he capable of This Speech of the Earl of Lothian as it was received with a deserved applause by the other Lords and Officers so the Subjects of Scotland in General quickly perceived the difference between the Arbitrary proceedings of the late Reign and the legal and easie administration of Justice since the happy Revolution and the late settlement of the justiciary here a particular instance of this may be seen in the permitting the Lady Castle-Haven to enter a Protestation against a Decree even of the Lords of the Session pronounced in a case before their Lordships betwixt the said Countess and the Lord Collington her son in Law wherein she declared her resolution to seek her remedy in the next ensuing Session of Parliament a Liberty which for many years before has been disallowed and found impracticable by the Scottish Subjects But yet notwithstanding the many signal advantages accruing to this Kingdom by the redress of those Grievances under which they had for several years lay there were found several ill affected persons who both by publick and private practices endeavoured to disturb and bring into confusion the present well settled Government About the beginning of February eighty nine five Gentlemen of the Shire of Angus were apprehended and brought away prisoners for committing a Riot that by the circumstances produc'd and prov'd against them of an Insolence not often parallel'd It seems they being at a Countrey Wedding they amongst other Healths began and drank that of the late King not at the same time omitting some scandalous Reflections on the present management of Affairs and not content with their own crimes were resolved to force others of their Company to a commission of the same and accordingly drawing their Swords set them the to refusers breasts threatning immediate death without their compliance their names were Durham of Omaghie Graham of Duntreath with his two brothers and Guthrick of that Title but being carried before the Privy Council after a full hearing the two first were sentenced and adjudged the one to pay one hundred pounds the other five hundred Marks and to be imprisoned till the payment thereof And now his Majesty having in a Letter bearing date the thirteenth of February intimated his kind acceptance of the Lords of his Privy Councils humble invitation that His Majesty would be pleased to be present at the next Session of Parliament which was to be holden the first of March next ensuing he gives them many reiterated assurances of his Gracious designs and resolutions to perfect the delivery of the Protestant Religion in general from the many dangers and encroachments it lay under and in particular of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland but that upon mature consideration that the many urgent and great matters that concerned the common good of the Protestant interest throughout his Kingdoms and elsewhere did indispensably require him to meet his people of England in a Parliament to be held on the twentieth day of March he thought fit to continue the adjournment of the Parliament of that his ancient Kingdom to some longer time and therefore required them to issue out in his Majesties name a Proclamation for the adjournment of the said Parliament of Scotland from the first to the eighteenth of March ensuing betwixt and which time he would endeavour to lay down such measures and give such instructions to his High Commissioner till his Affairs would permit his own presence as he doubted not would give satisfaction to his people graciously expressing to them that he should always prefer their safety to his own quiet and repose Assuring them that he esteemed the governing by Law to be the greatest and furest of his Prerogatives Upon the receipt of His Majesties Gracious Letter the Privy Council forthwith issu'd their Proclamation in His Majesties name to adjourn the Parliament from the first to the eighteenth of March following About this time one Strachan who was suspected to have held and carryed on a correspondence with the late King James was apprehended at Greenock by a party of the Earl of Argyle's Regiment and brought Prisoner to Endinburgh he was examined before a Committee of the Privy Council to whom after a promise of his Life made to him he confessed all that he knew of the matter he owned he was a Roman Catholick and that he had lately come from Dublin with several Letters Commissions and Papers from the late King which with other things he had delivered to one Gourdon a Regent of Philosophy in the Colledge of Glasgow Gourdon thereupon by the application of the Earl of Argyle was forthwith siezed and brought up to Town and upon search there were several Treasonable Papers and Commissions found about him his contrivance to conceal them was by sowing them up in the soles of his shoes the directions were to several suspected persons and an order to apprehend them was immediately issued forth These Papers were thought to make an ample discovery of the late Kings designs on the Kingdom of Scotland and of most of the persons that were to be made instruments for the bringing them about nor were the publick and hostile endeavours of the Rebels less unfortunate or successful than the private intrigues and managements of some disaffected persons in this Kingdom For Sir Thomas Levingston about the latter end of this Moneth being advertised that several Partys of the Rebels designed to Rendevouze about the Castle of Erchless belonging to the Chisholm of Strathglass he presently orders a detachment of seven Companies of Foot of the Lord Strathnavers Regiment two of the Laird of Grants Regiment two Companies out of the Garrisons of Castlehead and Braan with two Troops of Horse all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lumsdane to advance to Strathglass and Erchless with instructions to use Military Execution on all that opposed them and because the Castle of Erchless seem'd to stand convenient for the settling a Garrison which might overawe and restrain the incursions and Robberies of the Highlanders they were order'd to leave a sufficient number for that purpose and to make good the place Upon the first approach of our Forces
the Rebels became shame-fac'd and turn'd their backs flying with all the precipitancy imaginable to the Hills and their other Fastnesses leaving us a considerable booty of all sorts of Provision and Forrage for Man and Horse together with some hundreds of Bolls of Oats intended for the use of the Earl of Dumferling At our departure from hence there were left four Companies of Foot under the command of Major Mackay and now the time for the Sitting of the Parliament drawing on we had several flying discourses that the Honourable the Lord Mellvill Secretary of State was preparing hither from England under no less a Character 't is thought than Lord High Commissioner for the ensuing Sessions of Parliament though for sometimes seem'd to hang in dispute between his Grace Duke Hamilton and his Lordship yet the speedy Arrival of his Lordship put it out of all doubt and upon the opening of his Commission he was forthwith Declared High Commissioner for the ensuing Session and accordingly made his entrance into the Town of Edinburgh with a Magnificence suitable to that Character being attended with the Nobility and Gentry and the Kings Guards to his lodging after which Ceremonies the Council sat where his Lordship intimated His Majesties pleasure to them to issue out a Proclamation for the farther adjournment of the Parliament from the eighteenth to the twenty seventh of March instant which was by proclamation adjourn'd accordingly About this time there were four promoted to the dignity of Earls of this Kingdom viz. The Lord Mellvin created Earl of Rith Lieutenant General Dowgiass was created Earl of Dundee Sir James Dalrimple of Stair Lord President of the Sessions was made Earl of Hare and Major General Mackay was made Earl of The Lord High Commissioner with his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council about this time taking into their serious consideration how much the good and welfare of the Kingdom of Scotland depended on the unanimous and wise Counsels of the ensuing Parliament thought fit about this time to issue out their Orders for a day of Humiliation and a general Fast to be held and observed in the South parts of Scotland by all people both in Meeting Houses and Churches to send up their humble supplications and prayers for his blessing on the proceedings of the ensuing Session which was most Religiously and devoutly observ'd in all places and indeed considering the several distractions about matters of Religion in general and particularly about Church Government that had for many years by grievous fits broken out and rag'd in that Government it could not but provoke the most zealous prayers and wishes of that people for the prosperous agreement and good Resolurions of a Parliament on which they look'd as resolv'd to settle matters as they should be found most agreeable and suitable to the genius and inclination of that Kingdom The Rebels all this time received fresh disappointments every day and their Army still dwindled into small inconsiderable parties several of their Friends of Note forsook them and the promises of recruits and assistance of Arms and Ammunition fail'd them Colonel Buchan had gone for Ireland a good while agone from them and though he had promised them speedily to return with sufficient supplies yet they could hear no news of him several of the Highland Clans refus'd to joyn with them and amongst them Sir Donald mac Donald of Sclate who was a man of great interest among them Several that were making their escapes to Dublin to the late King were taken on the Coast of the North of Ireland amongst which were two Sons of the Provost of Bell of Glasgow one Forrester a Clergy-man and one Dunbar that was Gunner in the Castle of Edinburgh when it was summoned by the Estates in the Names of their Majesties King William and Queen Mary all these persons having been obnoxious to the present Government last year by their Plots and Conspiracies to disturb the peace and raise War in the Kingdom were apprehended and laid in Goal and being guarded up to Town by the Earl of Eglinton's Regiment of Horse were brought before the Privy Council and upon their promises of living peacefully hereafter and making what discoveries they could at present they were by their Lordships clemency bail'd and set at liberty The Countess Dowager of Arrol who had been apprehended and sent Prisoner to Dumbarton Castle upon an accusation of her holding Treasonable correspondence with the late King James and others their present Majesties profess'd Enemies was now also upon her petition removed to Edinburgh Castle The Lord Belcarras was bail'd out also who was one that was taken in the North with the Lord Oliphant and Auchintrat all three Roman Catholicks Thus the Government by all the mild applications and endeavours strove to reduce all parties that seem'd disaffected to the happy change that was wrought in this Kingdom or at least to leave them without excuse or complaint that may or shall afterwards be inflicted on them for their obstinacy and wicked perseverance in any of their aforesaid crimes About the latter end of this month of March and within three or four days of the time appointed by his Majesty for the Sitting of the Parliament His Majesty was pleased to signifie again by His Letter His Royal Will and Pleasure for the farther adjournment of the Parliament to the fifteenth day of April next ensuing The Letter was in substance to this purpose That the earnest desire he had of bringing all the counsels and deliberations of the Parliament to a happy close and as much to the general satisfaction as could be had prevail'd with him upon mature considerations to defer the time of their meeting for a small time until some few businesses before them were so prepar'd and some interests so adjusted and disposed as that the unity of their Counsels thereafter might be an encouragement to all good men and an utter disappointment to those who were Enemies as well to them as himself and who endeavoured nothing more than to satisfie their vain hopes by some seeming probabilities of breeding Divisions amongst them That since the urgency of his other Affairs had deprived him of the satisfaction of being himself amongst them for the present he had till a more favourable opportunity should present recommended to them the E. of Mellvill from whose good qualifications he doubted not of those methods that might remove the causes of their evils with their effects and from whose Wisdom he hoped they would find matters so prepar'd for their consideration as should bring his Subjects to that Concord and Unity in his Service as should make that Meeting be called the Happy and Healing Parliament Upon this Letter of his Majesty the Privy Council immediately issu'd their Proclamation for the adjournment of the Parliament to the time aforesaid In the mean time our Army prosecuted the Rebels with vigour and continual success and Colonel Hill was by His Majesties Commission Constituted Governour of
effecting of them for the encouraging of their Complices and for the discouraging of all good Subjects have published That the Queen hath brought forth a Son though there have appeared both during the Queens pretended Bigness and in the manner in which the Birth was managed so many just and visible grounds of suspition that not only We our selves but all the good Subjects of those Kingdoms do vehemently suspect that the pretended Prince was never born by the Queen And it is notoriously known to all the World that many both doubted of the Queens Bigness and of the Birth of the Child and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfie them or to put an end to their Doubts And since our dearest and most entirely beloved Consort the Princess and likewise We our selves have so great an interest in this matter and such a Right as all the World knows to the Succession of these Kingdoms which those Men have attempted to violate for preventing of all redress of Miseries by the lawful Successors of the Crown Educated by the good Providence of God in the true profession of the Protestant Religion We cannot excuse our selves from espousing the true interest of these Nations in matters of such high consequence and from contributing all that lies in Vs for the defence of the Laws and Liberties thereof the maintaining of the Protestant Religion in them and the securing the People in the enjoyment of their just Rights But that Our Intentions may be so manifest that no person may doubt or pretend to doubt thereof to excuse themselves from concurring with us in this just Design for the Vniversal Good of the Nation We do Declare that the freeing that Kingdom from all hazard of Popery and Arbitrary Power for the future and the delivering it from what at the present doth expose it to both the setling of it by Parliament upon such a solid Basis as to its Religious and Civil concerns as may most effectually redress all the abovementioned Grievances are the true Reasons of our present undertaking as to that Nation And therefore We perswade Our selves that Our Endeavours to give the best Assistance We can for the Relief of so distressed a Kingdom shall not only not be misconstrued but shall also be accompanied with a chearful and universal Concurrence of the whole Nation that even those who have been Instruments for the enslaving of it will now shew their dislike of what they have done by their timous and seasonable diligence for its rescue And that if any shall not give us that Assistance which their Conscience to God and their Respect to their Country oblige them to they shall be justly charged with all the Evils that may be the effects of such a want of their Duty And as We Our selves desire to trust to the Almighty God alone for the Success of Our Arms so we expect all good Men that they will apply themselves most earnestly to him for his blessing upon Our Endeavours that so they may tend to the Glory of his Great Name to the Establishment of the Reformed Churches and to the Peace and Happiness of that Kingdom Given under our Hand and Seal at our Court in the Hague the Tenth of October in the Year of our Lord 1688. William Henry Prince of Orange By His Highnesses special Command C. HVYGENS So soon as this Declaration came to be divulg'd in Scotland the Generality of the Nation soon concurred to joyn against the common Adversaries of their Laws and Religion and to throw themselves into the Protection of the most generous of Princes whom they saw more sollicitous for their welfare and prosperity then mindful of the Hazards into which he engaged his Person to redeem them from the Yoak of their Oppressors His Highness therefore being arriy'd at St. James's the Scotch Nobility and Gentry waited upon him upon the Seventh of January being the day by his Highness appointed for them to attend him So soon as they came his Highness made them a short Speech to let them know That the only reason which induced him to undergo so great an undertaking was that he saw the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms overturn'd and the Protestant Religion in imminent danger and therefore seeing there were in Town so many Noblemen and Gentlemen he had call'd them together that he might have their Advice what was to be done for securing the Protestant Religion and restoring their Laws and Liberties according to his Declaration So soon as his Highness retir'd the Lords and Gentlemen went to the Council Chamber at Whitehall and after they had chosen Duke Hamilton their President they fell into Debate what Advice was fit to be given to his Highness upon those weighty Proposals which he had made them and after some hours Deliberation they agreed upon the Heads of what they intended and appointed the Clerks together with their Assistants to draw up in writing what the Assembly thought expedient to propound to his Highness and to bring it to their next Meeting in the Afternoon The next day being Tuesday the eighth of January the writing was brought into the Assembly of Lords and Gentlemen and after some time spent in considering the fittest way to convene a General Meeting of the Estates of Scotland at length they agreeed and appointed the Advice to be written fair over according to the Amendments But as they were about to depart for that time the Earl of Arran proposed to the rest as his Advice That they should move the Prince of Orange to desire the King to return and call a Free Parliament as being the best way to secure the Protestant Religion and Property and to heal all Breaches which seem'd to dissatisfie the whole Meeting even Duke Hamilton himself though he were Father to the Earl But the Assembly breaking up there was then no farther notice taken of it The next day being Wednesday the ninth of January they met again in the Council Chamber at what time Sir Patrick Hume remembring the Proposal made by the Earl of Arran desir'd to know if there was any person present who would second it But no body appearing to do it he said That what the Earl had propos'd was evidently opposite and injurious to his Highness the Prince of Orange's Undertaking his Declaration and his good Intentions of preserving the Protestant Religion and of restoring their Laws and Liberties therein express'd and further desir'd the Meeting to declare the same to be their Opinion of it The Lord Cardross seconded Sir Patrick Humes's Motion but then it was answered by Duke Hamilton President of the Assembly That their business was to prepare an Advice to be tendred to the Prince and the Advice being then ready to be put to the Vote there was no need that the Assembly should give their Opinion of the Earls Proposal which neither before nor after Sir Patrick's Motion any of the Company had pretended to own or second so that it was
become them under the Present Government This Proclamation occasioned the Deprivation of several Ministers and the loss of their Livings for their contempt of the Commanding Authority And so obstinate they were in their contumacy that being cited before the Committees of the Convention and afterwards before the Privy Council many of them not onely refused to pray for King William and Queen Mary but some acknowledged that they had held correspondence and kept intelligence with Dundee Which dis-affection of the Ministers to their present Majesties was more particularly observed in the Diocess of Murray of which one Dr. Hay was Bishop a notable stickler for the late King James for which he was deprived not only of his Bishoprick but of his Benefice of Elgen In this Diocess there were some so inveterate against the Government of the Estates that when the Proclamation of the Convention came to their hands instead of reading it they were so insolent as to throw it into the fire and yet in the foregoing Reigns none so rigorous none greater persecutors of those that yielded not implicite obedience to their Impositions even to the ruin of the most worthy of their Parishioners And thus among others they served the Laird of Boody a Gentleman that never had been at Conventicle in his Life nor ever absented himself from his Parish Church if in the Country and in health Yet because his Lady who had labored long under a lingring disease which had brought her so low that she could not stir abroad was so unfortunate as not to be able to give her attendance at Divine Service the Gentleman by the Information and practises of the Neighbouring Clergy was fined in 2 Thousand pound sterling almost to the ruine of his Affairs and Family and part of the Fine as it was said bestowed upon the Scotch Colledge in Paris Nor was this dislike of the Proceedings of the Convention confined within the Clergy only there were other Malecontents that were laying the Foundations of new Commotions by holding correspondence with the late King in Ireland from whence they were in hopes of great Assistance These Machinations were in part discovered by the seizing of one Brady and Grenoch near Glasgow in his return from Ireland About him were taken several Letters and other Writings more particularly one Letter from the late King and another from the E. of Melfort to Viscount Dundee and the E. of Belcarris referring to Letters formerly Written by them and sent by one Sir Kennedy The substance of the Letters were That the late King had forty Thousand men in Ireland and that he would speedily be in a condition to send them a formidable Assistance that in the mean time he could spare them five thousand foot a hundred Horse and a hundred Dragoons desiring them withal to send an exact accompt of the Countrey and how the Gentry and people stood affected He also farther required them to summon together as many of the Bishops and Burgesses as they could to hold a Convention in his Name As for Melfort he was very crank in the Letters telling his Friends that he hoped to be merry with them once more in Scotland and to have his losses repaired out of the Estates of Forefaulters and declared that he would destroy all the Members of the Convention but as for the Commonalty he was resolved to make them Gibeonites Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Roman Catholicks the only Israelites indeed Upon reading these Letters the Lord Belcarris Lord Lochore and Lieutenant Collonel Balfore were committed to prison and others put to find good security These fruitless designs and petty strugglings of a gasping Party did but serve to make the Convention more vigilant and to hasten the settlement of the Kingdom So that the Instrument together with the Letters from the Estates to their Majesties and the Instructions to the Commissioners being by this time all ready the E. of Argyle Sir James Montgomery and Sir John Dalrimple the Commissioners were sent away Post with a Tender of the Crown to King William and Queen Mary The Commissioners being arrived at London upon the Eleventh of May met in the Council Chamber at VVhite-hall From whence being attended by most of the Nobility and Gentry then about the City they were conducted by Sir Charles Cottrell Master of the Ceremonies to the Banquetting House where their Majesties with a great Attendance of persons of Quality were prepared to receive them sitting on their Thrones under a Rich Canopy and the Sword being born before them by the Lord of Cardross The Commissioners being entered after the Ceremony of a solemn Obeysance the Earl of Argyle before he presented the Letter from the Meeting of the Estates thus delivered himself May it please your Majesty IT cannot be unknown in how sad and deplorable a Condition the Kingdom of Scotland was not many Months ago The Liberty and Property of the Subject quite destroyed either upon pretence of Law without any Ground or by such Laws as were designed and calculated for inslaving us Our Religion exposed and laid open to be ruined by the Treachery of our Clergy as well as by the complyance of our Rulers And so far had their Popish and Arbitrary designs run us that we were very nigh past hopes of a Recovery when it pleased God to raise up your Majesty to be the Glorious Instrument of Retrieving our Religion Liberty and Property from the very brink of Ruin It is from the Grateful and Dutiful sence and unexpected delivery as well as to the respect due to the blood of their ancient Monarchs that the Estates of Scotland have Commissionated us to make an humble tender to your Majesty and your Royal Consort of that Crown and Kingdom with the firm perswasion and assurance of this rooted in their hearts That the care of Religion Liberty and Property could be no where so well lodged as in the hands of your Majesties their great and Glorious deliverer After the Earl of Argyle had thus expressed himself he presented to the King the Letter following which being delivered back again by His Majesty was read by Mr. Eliot Secretary to the Commissioner purporting THat the settling of the Monarchy and ancient Government of the Kingdom admitting no delay they did upon the Eleventh of April Proclaim His Majesty and His Royal Consort King and Queen of Scotland with so much unanimity that of the whole House there was not one contrary Vote That they had nominated the Earl of Argyle Sir James Montgomery of Skelmorly and Sir John Dalrimple the younger of Stair in their Name to attend Their Majesties with the cheerful offer of the Crown and humbly to present the Petition or Claim of Right of the Subjects of the Kingdom as also to represent some things found grievous to the Nation which they humbly intreated his Majesty to remedy by wholesom Laws in the first Parliament And in Testimony of his Majesties and the Queens Acceptance they
Members that were present took the Oath with uplifted hands and then the President administred it to the Clerks and the next day they all subscribed it It was at the same time mov'd by the Earl of Cassils that all the Clergy should take the same Oath but that was wav'd till it were farther considered what other persons or whither all in the Kingdom should take the same and so that debate being laid aside they all took the other Oath de Fideli Administratione The next day being the eighteenth of June the whole House subscribed the Oath and such of the Members who were absent the day before both swore and subscribed it also Which done they proceeded to Read the Act for redressing the Grievance of the Lords of the Articles which appointed a constant Committee of Eight Persons out of every Estate with the Officers of state to be in place of the Lords of the Articles But this first draught of the Act did no way please the Generality of the Parliament insomuch that upon the 25th of June the draught of the Act was again presented and read with an Amendment that the Members of the Committees should be chosen by the Respective Estates the Noblemen out of the Nobility the Barons from among the Barons and the Burgesses by the Burgess Estate Which being agreed to they came to a new debate Whither the Officers of State should be supernumerary in those Committees and after much arguing the Question being put to the Vote it was carryed in the Negative and a Clause ordered to be added to the Act Declaring That the Officers of State were not to be Members of the Committees unless they should be chosen With which addition the Act was again Read Voted and Approved in the following terms Forasmuch as the Meeting of the Estates of this Kingdom did by their Vote of the Seventh of April last represent among other Grievances that the Committee of Parliament called the Articles was and is a great Grievance to the Nation and that there ought to be no Committees of Parliament but such as are freely chosen by the Estates to prepare motions and overtures that are first tabled in the House Therefore Their Majesties with the Advise and Consent of the Estates in Parliament do Enact and Declare That it is the undoubted Priviledge of the three Estates in Parliament to nominate and appoint Committees of Parliament of what number of Members they please being equal of every Estate and chosen by the respective Estates viz. The Noblemen by the Estate of the Noblemen the Barons by the Estate of the Barons and the Burghers by the Estate of the Buroughs for preparing motions and Overtures that are first made in the House or that the House may treat Vote and Conclude upon matters brought in plain Parliament without remitting them to any Committee if they think fit Or that the House may appoint plurality of Committees for Motions and Overtures that need to be prepared or digested for them Declaring hereby That no Officers of State are to be Members except they be chosen And hereby rescinding the first Act of the third Session of the first Parliament of King Charles the second and all other Lawes and Customs establishing the manner of Election and Power of any Committees of Parliament so far as they are not conformable to this Act. But when this Act was offered to be touched by the Scepter the High Commissioner signified to the House that their Vote not being in the terms of the Instrument which he had received from the King he could not give the Royal Assent thereto until he had acquainted His Majesty For the first Instructions to the High Commissioner were in these words You are to pass an Act for regulating the Articles to consist of twenty four persons besides the Officers of State whereof Eight are to be chosen by the Noblemen out of their Estate Eight by the Barons and Eight by the Burroughs out of their Estates But this Concession was not thought sufficient and it so much the more displeased because it was looked upon as a delay to the satisfying the People in the first and most important Grievance for the redress of which they had so solemnly stipulated with His Majesty It was urged that by the ancient Records of several Parliaments it appeared that the Officers of State were so far from being supernumerary in the Committees of the Articles that they were not so much as Elected into that trust nor had any room allowed them there though it appeared by the same Records that there were Members chosen by and out of the respective Estates sometimes in larger sometimes in lesser numbers to constitute such Estates And although after the year 1567. Some of the Officers of State were now then by reason of their great Abilities thought fit to be chosen among others for Lords of the Articles yet they were not Elected into those Committees by vertue of their Offices much less that they sate there as persons supernumerary to those that were chosen Besides that in the 37 Act in the Eleventh year of James the sixth where provision was made for the number of those that were to constitute this Committee it was only Enacted that the number of the Lords of the Articles should equal in each Estate and that the fewest out of each Estate should be six and the greatest number not above Ten. This was the state of the Court of Articles as being constituted at first for the ease of the Parliament in the dispatch of business till through the Usurpations of the Kings of Scotland especially after their succession to the Crown of England and the removal of their Royal Residence thither and through the officiousness of publick Ministers to the Prince and their Treachery to their Countrey it grew up at length to that exorbitancy that it became not only burthensom but intollerable For by reason of the Parliaments coming at last to commit the inspection into all affairs and preparing all remedies for Greivances into the hands of a few and those unchangeable during a whole Session the late Monarchs of Scotland obtained such an opportunity to incroach upon the Jurisdiction of Parliaments and the Liberties of the People that they soon improved it to the eluding all the good that the Kingdom was to expect from Parliaments and making those that were design'd to be the means of the peoples safety the instruments of their ruin For the accomplishment of which and the more easie rendring the Lords of the Articles Vassals to the Monarchs will and tools for executing his pleasure they first prevailed to have the Officers of State admitted into this Committees as supernumerary without being nominated and elected by the Estates in Parliament as having a right to sit there by vertue of their employments For King James the Sixth being by the Adulation of the English brought over intirely to their interest as well as to their Opinions and having
Innerlochy in Lochaber and until such time that Lochaber were reduced and some Fortifications rais'd for the security of the Garrison in Innerlochy he had the Government of Dunstaffage conferr'd on him he is extreamly well affected to their present Majesties and very exquisitely acquainted with all the methods and ways of the Highlanders as well as the places and it was hoped that in a little time he should be able to give as good account of them as when he was Governour there before and had there a Garrison of about eight hundred men having by his knowledg and industry reduc'd it to a regular compliance with the Laws of the Kingdom His Grace Duke Hamilton was about this time made Lord President of His Majesties Council and first Commissioner of the Great Seal the Council having by the majority of Votes put an end to some former disputes about signing Warrants of Council it being Voted now that the subscription of the President alone should in all Orders and Warrants serve as fully as if they had all Signed it The Countess of Arrol having upon the proffer of the Council Liberty upon her Parol of Honour to be any where within ten Miles of Edinburgh would not agree to it which gave a just occasion to have a guard set upon her 'T is the nature of some people to be peevish and stubborn even when they are best us'd they are uneasie in their natures and discontented for trifles and love to be clashing with Authority we have seen very lately the least dislike even of the known irregularities of the Government sufficient to give one an apprehension of being indicted for High Treason and as the sinfulness of one Reign will not nor ought to be made use of as a President for another to tread the same steps so I must be bold to say that the abuse of Mercy in this ought to be as severely prosecuted against some sorts of people as the abuse of Justice in the other The Highlanders upon the approach of the Summer season according to their usual Customs were now preparing to make incursions upon the borders and forming themselves into a body of four or five hundred made a Descent upon Strathglass and assaulted the Garrison of Erchless which was as I aforementioned kept by about two hundred or less of the Laird of Grants Regiment but by the industry courage and zeal of their old plague Sir Thomas Levinstone who commanded a considerable body of Horse and Foot at Inverness they were forc'd from a strong Hold they were possessed of routed pursued and kill'd and a considerable Booty of Cattel recovered these Rebels or rather Robbers or both seeming even from their only pretending to assert the interest of the late king to partake by way of plague of his ill Fortune Though many people were dissatisfi'd with the several adjournments of the Parliament from time to time from whose Meeting they doubted not of all the satisfaction they had so long gaped after yet now upon the certainty of His Majesties Resolutions to let them sit at the time appointed all their fears and scruples vanished in a moment it being on all hands especially confirm'd that his Grace the Lord Commissioner had full and authentick instructions from His Majesty to redress all Grievances and to settle the Church Government as it should appear most suitable to the Will of God expressed in his Word and to the inclinations and usage of the people And they were much better assured of this when at the opening of the Parliament they had fresh assurances of the same from his Majesties own hand in his Royal Letter dated at Kensington the 18th of April within a week after their Meeting Wherein he assures them That it shall be their own fault if they had not all matters of Church and State settled now upon such sure and lasting Foundations as may render them reciprocally happy in one another during His Reign and in all human probability secure from any the like encroachments they lay under for the future And now the long expected day being come the High Commissioner attended by a splendid Train of Coaches of the Nobility and Gentry and followed by His Majesties Life Guards went from the Palace of Holy Rood House about Eleven of the Clock on the Fifteenth day of April 1690. Where after the usual Ceremonies His Grace deliver'd himself in a most Elegant Speech to this effect That though the pressing Affairs of Ireland requiring His Majesties personal Expedition thither had deprived them of the happiness of his Royal presence as he intended yet such was his regard to the inclinations of the good Subjects of that his Ancient Kingdom that he would no longer delay their Meeting to the end such a settlement might be established to that Nation as might be a real security to its most valuable concerns of True Religion and Just Liberty He put them in mind of the great things His Majesty had done under God for the rescuing them by the eminent danger of his own person and fortunes from Popery and Slavery That as his own Expedition and the necessary Defence they were still to make against the remainder of their implacable Enemies were immensly chargeable so he did not doubt now of their ready concurrence in bearing their just parts in the Expence especially since they were assured that all their contributions would be expended for their own security That as at his first coming his chief aim and design was to relieve them from the oppressions they groaned under so he would be willing to pardon all those that would live peaceably and quietly in their several stations He tells them at last that nothing remains but that they laying aside all animosities and private disputes unanimously fall on to the redressing bad and Enacting good Laws to consider how the eyes of all Christendom are upon them expecting in this juncture especially mighty things from them that now it was fully in their own power to propose the surest remedies could be thought on for their future Peace and Happiness and that his most gracious Majesty was ready and willing to approve them The Earl of Crawford seconded the High Commissioner with a most florid and pious Speech wherein after he had set forth and demonstrated the wonderful works of God in his so signal delivery of them from that deluge of misery that was just breaking in upon them he earnestly presseth them to a sincere reliance on the protection of their Majesties and to evidence a true and hearty zeal for his service but above all he exhorts them to moderation in their disputes and unity in their Counsels that their Enemies may never have reason to ground their hopes on their divisions And lastly he tell them that though they have the misfortune to be at some distance from the person of His Majesty yet that he was assur'd they should ever find the influence and comfortable warmth of his favours and therefore if
December his Holiness was burnt in a true orderly manner by the Students themselves marching with their Swords in their Hands every Classis under their particular Captain and the College Mace carry'd before them by the Under-Porter bare the Haut-boys playing all the while besides the Honour which the Privy Council and City Magistrates did them to be Spectators of their Show But in the attempt of the Multitude the next day upon the Abby which is the Kings House wherein there was at that time a Popish Chappel they had at first but course Entertainment For the Chancellor of Scotland tho he found Edinborough too hot to hold him yet such was his Kindness being himself a Papist for the Popish Relicks which he left behind that he gave particular order to one Captain Wallace to defend the Abby with his Company which the Captain with a true Papistical Zeal readily undertook to do So that when the Boys went thither tho without any other Arms then their Links and Battoons upon their pressing too close upon him the Captain ordred his Men to let fly among 'em so that many were wounded and some died of their Wounds Of which complaint being made to the Council they sent six Heralds to command Wallace and his Men to lay down their Arms and surrender themselves and the Guard of the Place to the Magistrates of the City But the Heralds were answer'd in the same Language with the Boys Thereupon the Council ordred a sufficient number of the Train'd Bands to remove him by force who accordingly fell upon Wallace and constrain'd both him and his Men to betake themselves to flight And then it was that the Boys to revenge the loss of their Mates broke in pell-mell into the Abby and burnt all that they found in the Chappel fir'd the Jesuites College the Popish Printing-House the Abby Church and in a word all that they found in the Papists Houses in the Suburbs and Cannigate sparing nothing but what was purloyn'd away by such as bore them Company with a design to plunder During these Extravagances in Edinborough the Chancellor of Scotland had withdrawn himself to Castle-Drummond but not thinking himself safe there he resolv'd for France and with that resolution with all the secresie imaginable himself in Womans Habit and his Wife in Mans Apparrel upon the 10th of December got on board a Vessel bound from the Frith of Castle-Drummond and was just under Sale with a fair Wind. At what time a certain Person on Horse-back riding by Kirkalden where the Seamen us'd to walk call'd to them and inform'd them That there was a good Prize in the Ship which they saw under Sale meaning the Chancellor of Scotland Thereupon about six and thirty common Sea-men commanded by one Wilson that had been a Buccaneer in Jamaica furnish'd themselves with Muskets and having got a light Boat without any Provision only a little Brandy and without any otder from any Magistrate set sail immediately and coming up with the Ship that Night boarded her and enquir'd for the Chancellor who was at first denied to be in the Ship but after some little search they found Him and his Lady in the disguise already mention'd Upon which they brought the Ship back and carry'd the Prisoners together with one Nicholson a Priest and Regent of the Colledge at Glasgow to the Prison of Kirkaldy from whence the Council order'd the Chancellor to be remov'd to Sterling Castle The face of Affairs being thus alter'd in Scotland as well as in England there was only a Council of the prime Persons of that Kingdom to watch over the safety of the Nation at such a Ticklish Conjuncture Nevertheless they took care that several Personages of the highest rank in the Kingdom of Scotland and most eminent for their Zeal for the Protestant Religion should be in a readiness in England to make their Address to the most Excellent of Princes his Highness the Prince of Orange so soon as he arriv'd in London This was the least Deference that could be expected they should give to a Prince who by a particular Declaration to the People of that Kingdom had signify'd his Resolutions to be no less careful to restore the Laws and Liberties of Scotland and to maintain the Protestant Religion there then he was to pursue the ends of his Declaration to the people of England Nor is the recital of that Declaration to be here omitted as being so full and generally satisfactory to all the good People of Scotland that there was nothing more welcom to their Ears nor any thing next under God wherein they more entirely placed the Assurances of their Deliverance more espcially when they saw it attended with an armed Force under the Conduct of Prudence and Fortitude to make it good The Declaration it self ran thus The Declaration of His Highness William Henry by the Grace of God Prince of Orange c. of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms for preserving of the Protestant Religion and for Restoring the Laws and Liberties of the ancient Kingdom of Scotland IT is both certain and evident to all men that the publick Peace and Happiness of any State or Kingdom cannot be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs established by the Lawful Authority in it are openly Transgressed and Annulled More especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced Vpon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indespensably bound to endeavour to preserve and maintain the Established Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God that is Established amongst them And to take such an effectual care that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civil Rights Which is so much the more necessary because the Greatness and Security both of Kings Royal Families and of all such as are in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depend in a most especial manner upon the exact Observation and Maintenance of these their Laws Libertie and Customs Vpon these grounds it is that We cannot any longer forbear to declare That to Our great Regret We see that those Counsellors who have now the chief Credit with the King have no other Design but to overturn the Religion Laws and Liberties of those Realms and to subject them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect ways but in such an open and undisguised manner that their Designs are now become visible to all that consider them And indeed the lamentable Effects of an Arbitrary Power and of Evil Counsels are so manifest in the deplorable State of the Kingdom of Scotland that both our Reason and Conscience do prompt us to an Abhorrence of them For when We consider the sad Condition of that Nation though
far humbled as from a proud insulting Enemy to become a Suppliant for Peace well foreseeing that if England joyn with those other Princes whom his Insolence Cruelty and Avarice have so justly Arm'd against him his ruine is inevitable Lastly I beseech you consider what persons they are that would instill this poyson into yee Either such as postponing the Common Good of the Nation are wholly acted by Self-Interest considering that in a Government where Justice and Mercy equally flows Vertue and Merit not Villany will be rewarded Or such as being ignorant of the Nature of Government never examin'd what measures the Law of Nature and Nations have set to Mens Obedience Or such as have been Instrumental toward the enslaving their Country and are afraid if they be call'd to an Account that they must be brought to condign Punishment If such cannot succeed in their designs they hope at least to be overlookt in the General Confusion and if Heav'n fail them they summon Hell to their Aid Not that Love to their Prince but Interest drives those Criminals to such Attempts so that 't is no wonder they take so much pains to sow Division among us But no person of Wit and Judgment nor any good Man truly Protestant will suffer himself to be so grosly imposed upon by such Firebrands who would build their future Imaginary Greatness on the Ruine of our Religion Laws and Countrey Being thus settled to their business for the greater security of their Sitting because of the vast concourse of People from all parts of the Kingdom who were generally arm'd it was thought requisite for the prevention of tumult and disorder to Command all persons from the Town that were not Inhabitants or Retainers to the Members of the Convention In the mean time the Lords having acquitted themselves of their Commission the following Paper was sent from the Duke of Gourdon and read the next day in the Meeting wherein he gave them to understand That he was willing to comply with the Commission he received by the Earles of Lothian and Tweddale as to his removal from the Castle of Edinborough though he could not do so as a Papist that being dangerous and he not convicted For that he hoped that his being in Employment without taking the Test contrary to an Act of Parliament was no Conviction of Popery To this he added That he had received not long ago a Letter from the Prince of Orange desiring he would leave the Castle which he promis'd to do but expected some reasonable things to be first granted to himself and Garrison He hop'd he had not merited so ill of his Country as that he might not be trusted with the Castle until a Return came to that Letter which he expected every Hour But if that could not be granted barely on his promise not to molest or harm any Person especially those of that Illustrious Assembly He proffer'd Hostages of Bayl to the value of Twenty Thousand Pound Sterling for his Peaceable Deportment Otherwise he expected before his removal First a General Indemnity for himself and Friends both Protestants and Papists as likewise absolute security for their Lives and Fortunes in time coming and assurance the same should be ratify'd in the next Parliament Secondly Security for all Protestants in the Garrison who design to stay in it to continue in their Employments and for himself and those who should go out with him either Protestants or Papists to go beyond Sea or to remain within the Kingdom as their occasions should lead them Lastly That the Garrison should be paid off all by-gone Arrears and have Liberty to dispose of their Goods within the Castle as they pleas'd The Convention was quick in their Reply and agreed upon certain Resolves which were sent away forthwith to the Duke to this effect That the Meeting of Estates having consider'd the Paper given in and subscrib'd by the Duke of Gourdon in Answer to their Order did declare That it was not the Mind of the Meeting that the Dukes officiating as Governour of the Castle of Edinborough or any other Imployment or his quitting his command at that time should import any acknowledgment or Conviction against him or those under his Command of his or their being Papists That it was likewise resolved That the Covention would not allow of the Dukes keeping the Castle upon Promise Bail or Hostages until he got a Return of the Letter written by him to the Prince of Orange Then it was farther Resolved That the Indempnity offered by the Meeting of the Estates should only extend to those belonging to the Garrison and their Servants either Protestants or Papists that the Persons who were to have the benefit of the said Indempnity should be named expresly if the Duke desir'd it and that the Indempnity to be granted by the Meeting should have a Clause Inserted that it should be ratified in the next Parliament And as to the last Article It was moreover Resolved That those of the Garrison who were pleased to retire with the Duke should have leave either to go out of the Kingdom or stay in it as they should think fit and should have Liberty to dispose of their Goods and have safe Conduct granted them for that Effect if the same were desired before the dissolution of the Meeting of the Estates But that they should not take out with them any Arms Ammunition or Store but what they should make out to belong properly to themselves And lastly That it was agreed by the Convention That the Officers and Soldiers should be paid their Arrears Nevertheless that the Meeting refused to give them Assurance of their being continued in Employment But notwithstanding these Condescentions for the Convention was willing to have bin rid of such a suspitious Neighbour at any Honourable rate the Duke of Gourdon who was not ignorant of their Fears return'd an Answer to these Resolves so full of new and Extravagant Demands that the Convention was fully satisfied that the Duke was only trifling with them as he had done with His Majesty of England to gain time For King William and Queen Mary had bin Proclaim'd at London ever since the Thirteenth of February before So that the Convention perceiving the Dukes design which was to keep off in expectation of some Attempts which would be made in Scotland in behalf of the late King James and of which he was desirous to see the Issue They order'd the Heralds with the usual Solemnities to Summon him to surrender the Castle under the Penalty of Treason and to proclaim him Traytor in case of refusal and to forbid all people to have any Correspondence with him Which was accordingly performed and Orders also given to block up the Castle Soon after a Letter was deliver'd to the Convention by one Crane who went under the Notion of a servant to the late Queen in France But the Lord President acquainted the Members at the same time that there was a Letter also
in the Garison prevailed which hastened the surrender Windram in the hurry was endeavouring to have made his escape but being discovered was brought back to the Castle for which he had no small reason to bless his kind Stars for that if he should have fallen into the hands of the Rabble in all probability they would have torn him to pieces every body looking upon him as the cause that the Castle held out so long and of all the mischiefs that hapned during the Seige It was also reported that the Duke of Gourdon after the surrender of the Castle solemnly declared that during the time of the Siege he never received any Letter from the late King During this Blokade and siege of the Castle many affairs were transacted and brought to perfection in Order to the settlement of the Government Among other things the Convention appointed a Committee to draw up an Answer to the King of Englands Letter which being done and the draught of it being read and approved of by the House it was signed by all the Members that were present except three Bishops the rest of the Bishops having before withdrawn themselves from the Convention And as for some others that were not present the Duke of Queensbury the Marquiss of Athol and the Earl of Tweddale desired that the Letter might be sent to their Lodgings to be signed in regard their indisposition of body would not permit them to come to the House But though the three Bishops refused to approve of the Letter the day before yet the next day they agreed that the Lord Ross should be the bearer of it to present it to the King of England At what time the Question being put whi Sir Patrick Hume of Polwart might be admitted a Member of the House notwithstanding his Attainder the three Bishops left the House so that after they had unanimously Voted that Sir Patrick was duly chosen and ought to sit as a Member of the Convention the House were forced to rise that Night without prayers This refusal of the Bishops to approve of the Letter occasion some of the Members to call to mind a passage when the Bishops in the beginning of the Convention vigorously opposed the Convention's approving of the Address of the Nobility and Gentry at London to His Highness the Prince of Orange upon which one of the Members made this Observation That it was no wonder the Bishops opposed the approving the London Address and refused to sign the Letter to the King of England since the House had been so unkind as not to approve of the Bishops famous Address to the late King James The Paper being therefore agreed upon without their consent the Lord Ross was made choice of to deliver to the King It was called an Answer of the Convention of Scotland to the King of England's Letter in these Words May it please your Majesty AS Religion Liberty and Law are the dearest Interests of Mankind so the deep sence of the great hazzards these were exposed to must produce sutable Returns from this Kingdom to your Majesty whom in all sincerity and gratitude we acknowledge to be under God our great and seasonable Deliverer And we heartily congratulate that as God has honoured your Majesty to be an Eminent instrument for the preservation of his Truth so he hath rewarded your endeavours with success and blessed us with deliverance We do likewise acknowledge your Majesties Goodness and care in accepting the Administration of the Publick Affairs of this Kingdom and calling the Estates and we return our most dutiful Thanks to your Majesties Gracious Letter We intend to take every part of it into our consideration and we hope shortly by the Blessing of God to fall upon such Resolutions as may be acceptable to your Majesty and may secure the Protestant Religion and establish the Government Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom upon solid Foundations most agreeable to the interest and genius of the Nation As to the Proposal of the Vnion we doubt not but your Majesty will so settle that matter that there may be an equal Meeting and readiness in the inclination of England We hope the perfecting that great work so often attempted in vain hath been reserved to your Majesty We have hither and shall avoid and lay aside all Animosities or Prejudice which may disturb or impede the Vnity and Considence of our Counsels that as we design the publick good so it may be done with the General Concourse and Approbation of the Nation In the mean time we humbly intreat the Continuation of your Majesties Care and Protection to us in all our Concerns whereof the Kindness expressed in your Royal Letter gives us full Assurance We do pray the Almighty God who has fitted and raised you up to be a Defence to the Protestant Religion always to protect and preserve your Majesty Subscribed in our Name the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland by our President Hamilton This Answer being thus dispatched away for England the Convention judging it most necessary in the first place to secure the Peace of the Kingdom against all attempts of the dis-affected Party and Favourers of the late Kings Arbitrary designs gave order to Sir John Hall Mr. George Stirling and Mr. William Hamilton or any two of them to see the Oath Administered to such as had any Military office in and about Edinburough and to bring in an Accompt of such Arms as were in the several Garrisons And whereas several persons were seen coming Arm'd from the Borders of England therefore the respective Magistrates and Officers of the Militia in the Bordering Counties were ordered to seize such persons in Arms until they gave a good accompt of their business or if they could give no good accompt of themselves that the Magistrates or Officers who should seize such persons should have their Horses and Arms for their Reward At the same time also they gave their approbation of an Order given by the Earl of Tweddale in January to William Drummond for the delivery of Forty barrels of Powder to Mr. Hamilton Merchant of London-derry for the use of the Protestants in Ireland and ordered farther that the President should have power to dispatch such persons as he should judge necessary either for Ireland or such other places as the Present exigency of affairs required Nor were they less vigilant in giving out their Commands for the securing all suspected Persons and keeping of strong Guards in Sea-port Towns and at all the Bridges Ferries and other Passes throughout the Kingdom With these debates fell in at the same time a long consultation about giving Orders in reference to the Militia which took up some time for the naming of Trusty Officers and appointing places for the Musters within the several Counties and care was taken to provide that the Souldiers at those Musters should continue six dayes together in the exercise of their Arms and after that should be ready to march upon
besought their Majesties in the presence of the persons by them sent to swear and sign the Oath at the same time presented which the Law had appointed to be taken by their Kings and Queens at their Entry to their Government till such time as the Great Affair should allow that kingdom the happiness of their presence in Order to Their Coronation That they were most sensible of His Majesties Kindness and Fatherly care in both his Kingdoms in promoting their Union which they hop'd had been preserv'd to be accomplish'd by him that as both Kingdoms were united in one Head and Soveraign so they might become one Body Politick one Nation to be represented in one Parliament And to testifie their Readiness to comply with the King in that matter they had nominated Commissioners to treat the Terms of one entire and perpetual Union betwixt the two Kingdoms with reservation to them of their Church Government as it should be establish'd at the Time of the Union Which Commissioners waited onely for His Majesties Approbation and Call to meet and treat with the Commissioners to be appointed for England at what time and place His Majesty should appoint And that if any difficulty should arise upon the Treaty they did on their part refer the determination thereof to His Majesty Moreover that they did assure themselves from His Majesties Prudence and Goodness of a happy conclusion to that Important Affair so that the same might be agreed to and ratified by His Majesty in the first Parliament That they did render likewise to His Majesty their most Dutiful thanks for his gracious Letter brought them by the Lord Râ—ss a Person well affected to his Service and for his Princely care in sending down those Troops which might in the mean time help to preserve them and when the season offer'd might be imploy'd toward the Recovery of Ireland from that deplorable Condition and extream danger to which the Protestants were expos'd Farther That as it was the Interest of England to contribute to secure Scotland from the Common danger so they should not be wanting on their parts to give their Assistance for the reducing of Ireland that all Their Majesties Kingdoms might flourish in Peace and Truth under the Auspicious Influence of their Happy Reigns The Letter of which this was the full substance being thus read the Instrument of Government or the Claim of Right together with the Paper of Grievances which the Estates desired might be redressed and which were afterwards added to the Instrument were presented to the King and being deliver'd back by his Majesty were read in Order by the Secretary Which Instrument of Government imported That whereas James the Seventh being a professed Papist did assume the Regal Power and act as a King without ever taking the Oath required by Law whereby every King at his Access to the Government was oblig'd to swear to maintain the Protestant Religion and to Rule the People according to the Laudable Laws and by the Advice of wicked Counsellors did invade the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom of Scotland and alter'd it from a Legal limited Monarchy to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power and in a publick Proclamation asserted an Absolute power to annul and disable all Laws particularly by arraigning the Laws establishing the Protestant Religion and exerted that Power to the subversion of the Protestant Religion and to the Violation of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom By erecting publick Schools and Societies of the Jesuits and not only allowing Mass to be publickly said but also converting Protestant Chappels and Churches to Publick Mass-Houses contrary to the express Law against saying and hearing of Mass By allowing Popish books to be printed and disâ—â—â—sed by a Patent to a Popish Printer designing him Printer to his Majesties Houshold Colledge and Chappel contrary to Law By taking the Children of Protestant Noblemen and Gentlemen sending them abroad to be bred Papists and bestowing Pensions on Priests to pervert Protestants from their Religion by offers of Places and Preferments By disarming Protestants while at the same time he employ'd Papists in Places of greatest Trust both Civil and Military c. and intrusting the Forts and Magazines in their Hands By Imposing Oaths contrary to Law By exacting Money without consent of Parliament or Convention of Estates By Levying and keeping up a standing Army in time of Peace without consent of Parliament and maintaining them upon Free Quarter By employing the Officers of the Army as Judges throughout the Kingdom by whom the Subjects were put to death without Legal Trial Jury or Record By imposing â—â—orbitant Fines to the value of the parties Estates exacting extravagant Bail and disposing Fines and Forfeitures before any Process or Conviction By imprisoning Persons without expressing the Reason and delaying to bring them to Trial. By causing several persons to be prosecuted and their Estates to be forfeited upon stretches of old and forfeited Laws upon weak and frivolous pretences and upon lame and defective Proofs as particularly the late Earl of Argyle to the Scandal of the Justice of the Nation By subverting the Rights of the Royal Burroughs the Third Estate of Parliament imposing upon them not only Magistrates but also the whole Town Council and Clerks contrary to their Liberties and express Charters without any pretence of Sentence Surrender or Consent So that the Commissioners to Parliaments being chosen by the Magistrates and Councils the King might in effect as well nominate that entire Estate of Parliament Besides that many of the Magistrates by him put in were Papists and the Burroughs were forc'd to pay Money for the Letters imposing those Illegal Magistrates upon them By sending Letters to the Chief Courts of Justice not only ordering the Judges to stop sine die but also commanding them how to proceed in cases depending before them contrary to the express Laws and by changing the nature of the Judges Patents ad vitam or Culpam into Commission de bene placito to dispose them to a complyance to Arbitrary Courses and turning them out of their Offices if they refus'd to comply By granting personal Protections for Civil Debts contrary to Law All which were Miscarriages of King James utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws Freedoms and Statutes of the Realm of Scotland Upon which Grounds and Reasons the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland did find and declare That King James the Seventh being a profest Papist did assume the Regal Power c. as at the beginning whereby he had forfeited the Right of the Crown and the Throne was become vacant Therefore in regard his Royal Highness then Prince of Orange since King of England whom it pleas'd God to make the glorious Instrument of delivering these Kingdoms from Popery and Arbitrary Power by advice of several Lords and Gentlemen of the Scotch Nation then at London did call the Estates of this Kingdom to meet upon the Fourteenth of March last in order to
such an Establishment as that their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted The said Estates being at that time assembled accordingly in a full and free Representative of the Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best Means for attaining the Ends aforesaid did in the first place as their Ancestors in the like Cases had usually done for the Vindicating and Asserting their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare That by the Law of Scotland no Papist could be King or Queen of the Realm nor bear any Office whatever therein nor that any Protestant Successor could exercise the Regal power till he or they had sworn the Coronation Oath That all Proclamations asserting an Absolute Power to nul and disable Laws in order to the Erecting Schools and Colledges for Jesuits converting Protestant Churches and Chappels into Mass-Houses and the allowing Mass to be said That the allowing Popish Books to be printed and dispersed was contrary to Law That the taking the Children of Noblemen Gentlemen and others and keeping them abroad to be bred Papists the making Funds and Donations to Popish Schools and Colledges the bestowing Pensions on Priests and the seducing Protestants from their Religion by offers of places and preferments was contrary to Law That the disarming of Protestants and the employing Papists in the greatest places of Trust both Civil and Military c. was contrary to the Law That the imposing an Oath without Authority of Parliament was contrary to Law That the raising of Money without consent of Parliament or Convention was contrary to 〈◊〉 That the imploying Officers of the Army as Judges c. was contrary to Law That the Imposing Extraordinary Fines c. was contrary to Law That the Imprisoning of persons without expressing the Reasons c. was the same That the prosecuting and seizing Mens Estates as forfeited upon stretches of old and obsolete Laws c. was contrary to Law That the nominating and Imposing Magistrates c. upon Borroughs contrary to their express Charters was the same That the sending Letters to the Courts of Justice ordaining the Judges to desist from determining of Causes and ordaining them how to proceed in Causes depending before them c. was contrary to Law That the granting of personal protections c. was the same That the forcing the Subjects to depose against themselves in Capital Causes however the punishment were restricted was contrary to Law That the using Torture without Evidence or in Ordinary Crimes was contrary to Law That the sending of an Army in a Hostile manner into any part of the Kingdom in time of peace and exacting Locality and free Quarter was the same That the charging the Subjects with Law-burroughs at the Kings instance and imposing Bonds without Authority of Parliament and the suspending Advocates for not appearing when Bonds were offer'd was contrary to Law That the putting Garrisons into private Mens Houses in time of Peace without Authority of Parliament was Illegal That the Opinions of the Lords of the Sessions in the two Cases following were Illegal viz. That the concerting the demand of supply for a forefaulted person although not given was Treason 2. That persons refusing to discover their private thoughts in Relation to points of Treason or other mens Actions are guilty of Treason That the fining Husbands for their Wives withdrawing from Church was Illegal That Prelacy and Superiority of any Office in the Church above Presbyters is and has been a great and unsupportable burthen to this Nation and contrary to the Inclinations of the Generality of the people ever since the Reformation they having reform'd Popery by Presbytery and therefore ought to be abolish'd That it is the Right and Priviledge of the Subject to protest for remedy of Law to the King and Parliament against Sentences pronounc'd by the Lords of the Sessions provided the same do not stop Execution of the said Sentences That it is the Right of the Subject to Petition the King and that all Prosecutions and Imprisonments for such petitioning are and were contrary to Law Therefore for the redress of all Greivances and for the amending strengthening and preserving the Laws they claim'd that Parliaments ought to be frequently call'd and allow'd to sit and freedom of Speech and Debate allow'd the Members And then they farther claim'd and insisted upon all and sundry the premises as their undoubted Rights and Liberties and that no Declarations or Proceedings to the prejudice of the people in any of the said premisses ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter in Example but that all Forfeitures Fines Loss of Offices Imprisonments Banishments Prosecutions Persecutions and Rigorous Executions be consider'd and the Parties redress'd To which demand of their Rights and redress of their Grievances they took themselves to be encouraged by the King of England's Declaration for the Kingdom of Scotland in October last as being the only means for obtaining a full Redress and Remedy therein Therefore Forasmuch as they had an intire Confidence that His Majesty of England would perfect the Deliverance so farre advanced by him and would still preserve them the violation of the Rights which they had asserted and from all other Attempts upon their Religion Laws and Liberties The said Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland had resolved That William and Mary King and Queen of England be declared King and Queen of Scotland to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdom to them the said King and Queen during their Lives and the longest Liver of Them and that the sole and full Exercise of the Power be onely in and exercis'd by him the said King in the Names of the said King and Queen during their Lives And after their decease that the said Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdom be to the Heirs of the Body of the said Queen Which failing to the Princess Ann of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body which also failing to the Heirs of the Body of the said William King of England And then withal they pray'd the said King and Queen to accept to same accordingly It was also declar'd by the Instrument that the Oath hereafter mention'd should be taken by all Protestants by whom the Oath of Allegiance or any other Oaths and Declarations might be required by Law instead of it and that the Oath of Allegiance and all other Oaths and Declarations should be abrogated The Oath was but short and conformable to that which was prescrib'd in England I A. B Do sincerely promise and swear That I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary So help me God So soon as the Secretary had done reading the Instrument an Address was also read from the Estates of Scotland Humbly desiring His Majesty That for the farther settling and securing the Protestant Religion the Government Laws and Liberties of that Kingdom and redressing the Grievances represented by them His
Majesty would be pleas'd to turn their Meeting into a Parliament All these Papers being read in their Order His Majesty was pleased to express himself briefly to this effect That at his coming from Holland he had a particular regard to Scotland and had emitted a Declaration for that Kingdom as well as for England which he would make effectual to them That he took it very kindly Scotland had express'd so much Confidence in him and should testifie his sence of it in every thing that might be for its Interest and would be ready to redress all Grievances and prevent the like for the future by good and wholsom Laws The latter part of these words are somewhat alter'd in another Relation of this Important Ceremony though much to the same effect That they should find him Willing to assist them in every thing that concern'd the Weal of that kingdom by making what Laws should be necessary for the security of their Religion Property and Liberty and to ease them of what might be justly grievous to them When the King had made an end of speaking the Coronation Oath was tender'd to their Majesties and distinctly pronounc'd word by word by the Earl of Argyle while their Majesties repeated the Sentences after him holding up their Right Hands all the while according to the Custom of Scotland We William and Mary King and Queen of Scotland faithfully promise and swear by this our Solemn Oath in presence of the Eternal God that during the whole Course of our Life we will serve the same Eternal God to the uttermost of our Power according as he has required in his most Holy Word reveal'd and contain'd in the New and Old Testament and according to the same Word shall maintain the True Religion of Christ Jesus the Preaching of his Holy Word and the due and Right Ministration of the Sacraments now receiv'd and preach'd within the Realm of Scotland and shall abolish and gain-stand all false Religion contrary to the same and shall rule the People committed to our Charge according to the Will and Command of God revealed in his above said Word and according to the Loveable Laws and Constitutions received in this Realm no ways repugnant to the said Word of the Eternal God and shall procure to the Vtmost of our Power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfit peace in all time coming That we shall preserve and keep inviolated the Rights and Rents with all just Priviledges of the Crown of Scotland neither shall we transfer nor alienate the same That we shall forbid and repress in all Estates and degrees Reif Oppression and all kind of Wrong And we shall Command and procure that Justice and Equity in all Judgements be keeped to all persons without exception as the Lord and Father of all Mercies shall be merciful to Vs And we shall be careful to root out all Hereticks and Enemies to the True Worship of God that shall be convicted by the True Kirk of God of the aforesaid Crimes out of our Lands and Empire of Scotland And we faithfully affirm the Things above-written by our Solemn Oath True it is that the Estates of Scotland had authorized their Commissioners to represent to His Majesty in relation to the Clause in the Oath about the rooting out of Hereticks that the said Clause did not import the destroying of Hereticks for that by the Law of Scotland no man was to be prosecuted for his private Opinion but that even obstinate and convicted Hereticks were only to be denounc'd or outlaw'd Which being represented to His Majesty accordingly when he came to that Clause in the Oath the King declar'd That he did not mean by those words That he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners made answer That neither the meaning of the Oath nor the Law of Scotland did import it Whereupon the King replied That he took the Oath in that sence and called for Witnesses of his so doing the Commissioners and others there present After which Their Majesties concluded the Solemnity by signing the Oath which they had taken The Names of the Commissioners which the Estates of Scotland had made Choice of to treat concerning the Union between the two Kingdoms desir'd in the Letter presented to the King by the Commissioners that deliver'd the Instrument of Government and tendred the Crown and Oath to Their Majesties for so far the Estates had already proceeded in order to that great Affair were The Earls of Argyle Crawford Lowthian Annandale and Tweddale The Lords Ross Cardross and Melvin Barons Skelmorley Ormiston Blackbaronny Racebrigg Polwart Grant Rickartown and Blaire For the Burroughs Sir John Hall Sir J. Dalrimple Sir Char. Hacket Mr. Jam. Ogilvie Provost Fletcher Mr. William Hamilton Mr. John Murray and Provost Muire It seems that before the Address was resolv'd upon for desiring His Majesty to turn the Meeting of the Estates into a Parliament there was some debate whither the King should be address'd to that purpose or else to call a new Parliament Many reasons were urg'd on both sides but in regard that they who were for the Address deliver'd prevail'd the Reasons on that side were onely made publick By which it was alledg'd That because that the present Meeting of the Estates being assembled in a way wholly extraordinary for securing the Protestant Religion and re-establishing the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and they having declar'd the Throne Vacant and having also lately conferr'd and settl'd the Crown upon King William and Queen Mary according to the Instrument made for that effect and having likewise agreed upon the Grievances which they expect to be redress'd they ought to be turn'd into a Parliament for the Reasons following First Because the turning of the Meeting into a Parliament was absolutely necessary for attaining the Ends for which it was call'd it being evident that although the Estates had indeed happily laid the Foundations by the settlement they had made yet both the perfecting the Claim of Right and the redressing the Greivances complain'd of did indispensably require a Parliament and by the same Argument of Necessity the turning of the same Meeting into a Parliament in regard the perfecting of that begun work was not to be expected from other hands nor could they in their Circumstances look for it with any probability So that unless the States would incur the Censure of beginning to build but not being able to finish they could not leave the work unaccomplish'd 2. Because their present Circumstances were manifestly such as neither did admit of the delay of calling a new Parliament nor indeed did allow them to hope that new Parliament would perfect the Work begun the imminent threatning of an Invasion from Ireland with the Jealousies and Distractions within the Kingdom being Arguments too palpable to refute the Conceit of calling a new Parliament 3. Because they had the practise of England for a good President
pleased to send him a Commission to represent his Royal Person in the first Session which he acknowledged to be an Honour far above what he deserved especially at such a time when the Importance and Condition of His Majesties Affairs in the Kingdom of Scotland required the Greatest Trust from his Majesties and the greatest Faithfulness and Ability in his Commissioner which were otherwise necessary in so high a Station And that although the short advertisement of his Majesties Pleasure therein might give him some difficulty in discharging the several duties incumbent on a person in that High Character yet such was the Zeal he had for His Majesties Service and the Good of his Country that he resolved to give all ready and chearful Obedience to His Majesties Commands and to omit nothing in his Power that might advance His Honour and Interest or contribute to the Peace and Security of the Nation That he had received His Majesties Instructions for turning the Meeting into a Parliament and then to adjourn the Parliament to the seventeenth of June and after that to consent to the enacting of such Laws as might not onely redress the particular Articles of the Grievances but to any other Acts which they should advise for securing the Religion Peace and Happiness of the Nation The Duke having thus delivered himself the Kings Commission was read together with the Letter from His Majesty declaring His pleasure to turn them into a Parliament Which being done the Commissioner acquainted the Estates with the Kings farther pleasure that the Earl of Crawford should preside in the ensuing Session of his first Parliament Upon which the Earl came from the Lords Bench to the Presidents Seat before the Throne and made a Speech to the Estates and then moved that the Act for turning the Meeting into a Parliament might be forthwith drawn Upon which the Commissioner named the Earl of Lowthian Viscount Torbat the Lord of Ormiston Sir Patrick Hume of Polwart Mr. William Hamilton and David Spence to be of a Committee for drawing up the Act who thereupon presently withdrawing into the Inner House after a little time returned with the Act drawn up accordingly which being read and debated was without delay both voted and approved as follows The King and Queens Majesties with Advice and Consent of the Estates of this Kingdom at present assembled Enact and Declare That the three Estates now met together the Fifth of June 1689. Consisting of the Noblemen Barons and Burgesses are a Lawful and Free Parliament and are hereby declared enacted and adjudged to be such and to all intents and purposes whatsoever notwithstanding the want of any new Writs or Proclamation for calling the same or the want of any other Solemnity And that all Acts and Statutes to be passed therein shall be received acknowledged and obeyed by the Subjects as Acts of Parliament and Laws of this Kingdom And it is hereby declared That it shall be High Treason for any Persons to disown quarrel or impugn the Dignity and Authority of this Parliament upon any pretence whatever This Act being thus passed and at the same time touch'd with the Scepter the President by Command of the High Commissioner adjourned the Parliament to the Seventeenth of June being Twelve dayes Upon the Seventeenth of June the Parliament met at what time the Commissioner having ordered the Honours to be sent for from the Castle Knighted Mr. William Hamilton Advocate and a Member of the Parliament After which the Commissioner acquainted the Parliament That he had Instructions from their Majesties about redressing the Greivance of the Lords of the Articles as formerly constituted and that their Majesties had ordered him to condescend to the passing an Act for chusing Eight out of every Estate Lords Barons and Burgesses which with the Officers of State should prepare Things for the Parliament And that it should be always in the Power of the Parliament even of those things which the Committee should report if they should think sit so to do Thereupon an Act being drawn to that purpose it was presented by the Commissioner to the Earl of Crawford President of the Parliament who before he gave it to the Clerks deliver'd himself to this Effect That in regard they were now in another Station than they were formerly that is to say the Supreme Court of the Kingdom and so happy in a Prince who preferr'd the just Rights and Interests of his people to his own Prerogative and who crav'd nothing of them but what would make them happy That they should lay aside all Animosities and private differencies and make the Publick Good the only motive and end of their Actings which Things as they were always necessary so especially at that Juncture when they had Religion the Government of the Church and the Just Rights of the Subject to Establish and Greivances to Redress That Christianity taught Verity the King crav'd and the present Juncture made it indispensably necessary and Gods blessing always attended it That the King had put it fully into their power to make such Laws as might secure to them their Religion and Properties wherein if they failed it would be their own fault that the Eyes of their Enemies were upon them waiting for their halting and that nothing could encourage or strengthen them more then Animosities and Divisions among themselves The President having thus spoken delivered in the Act to be Read But then it was mov'd by the Lord Ross that before they went about to consider or Vote any Act that they should all Swear and Subscribe the Oath of Allegiance and that an Act should be made to that Intent Which motion being approv'd the Lord Ross gave in the following draught of an Act in pursuance of what he had mov'd That the Estate of Parliament considering that Their Majesties had accepted the tender of the Crown of this Realm made to them and had taken the Oath appointed to be taken by all Kings and Queens of this Kingdom therefore They with the consent of Their Majesties did Declare Recognize and Assert Their Royal Authority and Right thereto And Ordered all the Members and Clerks of Parliament and all other Persons that at present are in or shall happen to be called hereafter to any place of publick Trust Civil and Military to Swear and Subscribe the Oath hereto subjoyned And they hereby discharge and annual all former Acts of Parliament appointing any other Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Declarations Tests or Other publick Oaths whatever to be taken by them henceforward so as they appoint the same to be taken except the Oath de Fideli Administratione To which the Oath subjoyned was this I A. B. Do Solemnly Swear in the Presence of God That I shall bear Faith and True Allegiance to King William and Queen Mary So help me God This Act passed Nemine Contradicente only that the Earl of Kincairden withdrew so that being thus passed and touched with the Scepter all the
the business of supernumerary Officers the draught of an Act was given into the House and read that no persons who were imployed in the late Government and were grievous to the Nation or had shown their dissatisfaction to the happy Change or had been Retarders or Obstructers of the good designs of the late Meeting should be allowed to possess or be admitted to any publick Trust Place or Employment of any kind under their Majesties within that Kingdom But this Act likewise being brought in the 26th of June met with several Remora's occasioned by certain clauses which some thought required explanation Persons who had onely shewn dissatisfaction was thought too comprehensive and severe Those who had been obstructers and Retarders of the Good design of the Estates was deemed too liable to bad construction And there were exceptions taken at the words Grievous to the Nation as being too restrictive without a farther interpretation But at length upon the second of July Explanations being added in the Statutory part to every of the clauses excepted against the Act was brought in and passed in the terms that follow The King and Queens Majesty considering that the Estates of this Kingdom have by their Vote declared their sence and opinion that such have in the former evil Government been grievous to the Nation or have shewn disaffection to the happy Change by the blessing God now brought about or have been Retarders or Obstructors of the good designs of the said Estates in their Meeting are not fit to be employed in the management of the Affairs of this Kingdom do with the Advice and Consent of the Estates in Parliament now Assembled Statute and Ordain that no persons of whatsoever rank or degree who in the said former evil Government have been grievous to the Nation by acting in the incroachments mentioned in the Articles of the Claim of Right which are declared to be contrary to Law or have shown disaffection affection to the happy Change by the Blessing of God now brought about by acting in opposition thereunto since the time that the King and Queen now raigning were Proclaim'd or who has been a Retarder or or Obstructor of the good designs of the said Estates viz. The securing the Protestant Religion the settling the Crown the establishing the Rights of the Leiges and redressing their Grievances by acting contrary to the good designs since the time they became publick by Votes and Acts of the Meeting be allowed to possess or be admitted into any publick trust place or imployment of whatever kind under their Majesties in this Kingdom But whither it were that some persons in power thought themselves too deeply within the reach of the Act or for what other cause is unknown neither would this Statute be admitted to the touch of the Royal Scepter So that instead of a Living Law it only became a dead peice of Writing Which was a surprize to many that were concern'd in the passing it as well as to several others that were zealous for the King and the Kingdoms interest that there should be men found who could spy out any thing in this Statute which deserv'd to be clamoured at or was worthy to be complained of more especially since every line breathed forth that lenity and moderation that it savoured rather of a defect then any excess of Justice and that the utmost thereby designed was only a disabling a few wicked men from ruining the Nation for the future but nothing of punishment for what they had done for that there were none excepted as to Life onely the few that were designed to be debarred from Offices were described and charactered after such a manner that the very employing them would dishonour their Majesties and disgrace the Government Then a draught of an Act was brought in for abolishing of Prelacy and all superiority of any Office in the Church above Presbytery and for the abrogating all former Statutes establishing Prelacy and all others contrary to the Act intended Reserving to their Majesties to settle the Presbyterian Government in the way most agreeable to the peoples inclinations and the Word of God Which being Read the Commissioner desired he might see the Act to consider of it against the next day The next day being the 3d. of July the same Act was Read again together with the Act of Parliament 1662. For the restoring of Prelacy with the second Act of the year 1633. and the fourth Act in the year 1681. Which were rescinded by the Act intended with some amendments in the Narrative part adjusting and fitting it to that Article in the claim of Right to which it related and the following clause was added to the rescinding part In so far Allenarly as those rescinded Acts are inconsistent with the present Act and do establish Prelacy or Superiority of Church Officers above Presbyters In the next place the Clause in the Act reserving to their Majesties and the Estates to settle the Government of the Church was taken into Consideration and it being agreed that the Word Presbyterian should be left out the Commissioner mov'd that in the room of the Words To settle the Government of the Church c. the alteration might be to settle such a Government c. upon which a debate arose upon the importance of those words which was put off till the next day Then the Act was again brought in and Read with the amendments and without the paragraph of the rescinded Acts. And after some debate concerning the Clause objected against the settling and Government of the Church being exprest in the terms following That they with the Advice and Consent of this Parliament will settle by Law that Church Governmenu in this Kingdom which is most agreeable to the Peoples Inclinations the Act was put to the Vote and Approved And then the Act ran thus Whereas the Estates of this Kingdom in their Claim of Right the Eleventh of April last declared that Prelacy and Supremacy in any Office in the Church above Presbytery is and has been a great Grievance to this Nation and contrary to the inclinations of the people since the Reformation they having reform'd from Popery by Presbyters and therefore ought to be rescinded Our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queens Majesties do hereby abolish Prelacy and Superiority in any Office in the Church above Presbyters in this Kingdom and hereby rescind ease and annul the First Act of the Second Session of the First Parliament of King Charles the 2d And the Second Act of the Third Session of the Second Parliament of King Charles the 2d And the Fourth Act of King Charles the 2d and all other Acts Statutes and Constitutions in so far allenarly as they are inconsistent with this Act and do establish Prelacy or the Superiority of Church Officers above Presbyters And the King and Queens Majesties do declare That They with the advice of the Estates of this Parliament will settle by Law that Church-Government
him very uncivilly giving him very opprobrious Language and taxing him with the beggarly appearance of him and his Men whereupon Keil being provok't with a lusty Cane he had in his hand struck Lendal to the ground whereupon some other inferiour Officers made up and laying hold of Kiel they presently made him prisoner and carried him forthwith to the Main-Guard Keil being a man well known and belov'd in the Town had hundreds of the Mobile presently resorting with sticks and staves and threatning to pull down the Guard-house unless they did presently release Keil in the mean time comes up a Magistrate of the town and immediately got Keil releas'd but the Gentlemen Mobs blood being up they would not be satisfied without doing some injury to the Guard which occasioned the Souldiers to stand to their Arms and to threaten extremity to any that would dare to approach all this however would not serve but pressing on with vigorous insolence on them the Centinels were obliged to defend themselves and hapned to kill two of the daring Fellows and wounded others the Magistrates hereupon went up to the Guard and prevailed with them to go in and keep themselves close and in the mean time got two or three Companies of the Earl of Levens Regiment who were quartered in the Cannongate to come up and immediately shutting the City Gates they in a little time clear'd the streets and drove the Sparks into their Houses without further harm though they were obliged to keep Guards in many parts of the City for that Night for fear of a relapse The Captains are both of them confin'd and 't is believed he that gave the first provocation will be severely punished The Earl of Pearth had been long a Prisoner in the Castle of sterling for his high misdemeanours in the last Reign together for his disaffection to the present establishment and but now by the representation of the Earl of Crawford it was mediated that he might have his liberty provided he would procure the coming back and safe return of the young Lord Drummond his Son the Earl of Wigtown and his brother who during the Guardianship of him the said Earl of Pearth and the Earl of Melfort were sent over Seas by their especial order on purpose to be bred up in the Romish superstition and that the Earl of Pearth should give allowable security to do so as also for his peaceable behaviour without plotting or conspiring against the present Government And now at last the long expected Act for settling of the Church Government came to be passed and touch'd with the Scepter Which is at large as followeth An Act Ratifying the Confession of Faith and Settling Presbyterian Church-Government in Scotland In a Parliament at Edinburgh the 7th of June 1690. OUR Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queens Majesties and Three Estates of Parliament Conceiving it to be their bound Duty after the great Deliverance that God hath lately wrought for this Church and Kingdom As first To settle and secure therein the true Protestant Religion according to the truth of Gods Word as it hath of a long time been professed within this Land as also the Government of Christ's Church within this Nation agreeable to the Word of God and most condusive to the advancement of true Piety and Godliness and the Establishing of Peace and Tranquillity within this Realm And that by an Article of the Claim of Right it is Declared That Prelacy and the Superiority of any Office in the Church above Presbyters is and hath been a great and insupportable Grievance and Trouble to this Nation and contrary to the Inclinations of the generality of the People ever since the Reformation they having Reformed from Popery by Presbyters and therefore ought to be abolished Likewise by an Act of the last Sessions of this Parliament Prelacy is Abolished Therefore their Majesties with the Advice and Consent of the said three Estates do hereby Revive Ratifie and perpetually Confirm all Laws Statutes and Acts of Parliament made against Popery and Papists and for the Maintainance and Preservation of the true Reformed protestant Religion and for the true Church of Christ within this Kingdom in so far as they confirm the same or are made in favour thereof Likewise they by these presents Ratify and Establish the Confession of Faith now read in their presence and Voted and Aproved by them as the Publick and a vowed Confession of this Church containing the sum and substance of the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches which confession of Faith is subjoyned to this present Act. As also they do Establish Ratify and Confirm the Presbyterian Church-Government and Discipline That is to say the Government of the Church by Kirk-Sessions Presbyteries Provincial Synods and General Assemblies Ratified and established by the 114 Act Ja. 6. Parl. 12. Anno 1592. Intituled Ratification of the Liberty of the true Kirk c. And thereafter received by the General consent of this Nation to be the only Government of Christs Church within this Kingdom Reviving Renewing and confirming the foresaid Act of Parliament in the whole Heads thereof except that part of it relating to Patronages which is hereafter to be taking into Consideration And Rescining Annulling and making void the Acts of Parliament following Act anent Restitution of Bishops Ja. 6. Par. 18. Cap. 2. Act Ratifying the Acts of the Assembly 1610. Ja. 6. Par. 21. Cap. 1. Act anent the Election of Arch-Bishops and Bishops Ja. 6. Par. 22. Cap. 1. Act Intituled Ratification of the five Articles of the General Assembly at Pearth Jam. 6. Par. 23. Cha. 1 Act Intituled For the Restitution and Re-stablishment of the antient Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops Cha. 2. Par. 1. Sess 2. Act 1st Act anent the Constitution of a National Synod Ch. 2. Par. 1. Sess 3. Act 5. Act against such as refuse to Depone against Delinquents Charles 2. Par. 2. Sess 2. Act Intituled Act Acknowledging and an Asserting the Right of Succession to the Imperial Crown of Scotland Ch. 2. Par. 3. Act. 2. Act Intituled Act anent Religion and the Test Ch. 2. Par. 3. Act. 6. With all other Acts Laws Statues Ordinances and Proclamations and that in so far allenary as the said Acts and others generally and particularly above-mentioned are contrary or prejudicial to inconsistent with or derogatory from the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Government now Established and Allowing and declaring That the Church Government be Established in the hands of and exercised by these Prebyterian Ministers who were Outed since the first of January 1661. for Nonconformity to Prelacy or not complying with the Courses of the Time and are now Restored by the late Act of Parliament and such Ministers and Elders only as they have admitted or received or shall hereafter admit or receive And also that all the said Presbyterian Ministers have and shall have Right to the Maintenance Rights and other Priviledges by Law provided to the
Ministers of Christ's Church within this Kingdom as they are or shall be Legally admitted to particular Churches Likewise in pursuance of the Premisses Their Majesties do hereby appoint the first meeting of the General Assembly of this Church as above Established to be at Edinburgh the third Thursday of October next to come in this instant year 1690. And because many conform Ministers either have deserted or were removed from Preaching in their Churches preceding the thirteenth day of April 1689. And others were Deprived for not giving Obedience to the Act of the Estates made the said 13 of April 1689. Intituled a Proclamation against the owning of the late K. J. and appointing publick Prayers for King William and Queen Mary Therefore Their Majesties with Advice and Consent foresaid do hereby Declare all the Churches either deserted or from which the Conform-Ministers were Removed or Deprived as is said to be vacant and that the Presbyterian Ministers exercising their Ministery within any of these Parishes or where the last Incumbent is dead by the Desire or Consent of the Paroch shall continue their Possession and have Right to the Benefices and Stipends according to their Entry in the year 1689 and in the time coming ay while the Church as now Establish take further Course therewith And to the Effect the Disorders that have hapned in this Church may be Redressed Their Majesties with Advice and Consent foresaid do hereby allow the General Meeting and Representatives of the foresaid Presbyterian Ministers and Elders in whose hands the Exercise of the Church Government is Established either by themselves or by such Ministers and Elders as shall be appointed and Authorised Visitors by them according to the Custom and Practice of Presbyterian Government throughout the whole Kingdom and several parts thereof to try and purge out all insufficient Negligent Scandalous and Erroneous Ministers by due course of Ecclesiastical Process and Censures And likewise for Redressing all other Church-Disorders And farther It is hereby provided that whatsoever Minister being Convened before the said General Meeting and Representatives of the Presbyterian Ministers and Elders or the Visitors to be Appointed by them shall either prove Contumacious in not appearing or be found Guilty and shall be therefore Censured whether by Suspension or Deposition they shall Ipso Facto be Suspended from or Deprived of their Stipends and Benefices And Ordains this Act to be Printed and Published Extracted out of the Records of Parliament by me Th. Burnet Cls. Reg. Thus after so much disorder so much Tyranny and Oppression in a Kingdom the ill successes of Rebellion and the Return of Law and Justice into their ancient Channel one would think should be sufficient to regain the Affections of Men wandring after Chimera's and unite them to a Prince who has laid such Foundations of their Tranquillity But Rebels and Robbers very seldom lissen to these charms let the charmer charm never so wisely Which is the reason that the remains of Rebellion cannot yet be extinguish'd and that their are several Trayterous Conspiracies and Correspondencies found out of such as make it their business to disturb the peace of the Government However in regard those Discoveries are not yet ripe for publick view and that we can say nothing more of the Highlanders but that they Rob and plunder where they can find any advantage it is time here to conclude this accompt of the Revolution in Scotland no less memorable then that in England FINIS Books lately Printed and Sold by Tho. Salusbury at the sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1690. THE History of the late Great Revolution in England with the Causes and Means by which it was accomplish'd Together with the Settlement thereof under their most Serene Majesties King William and Queen Mary by the Lords and Commons assembled in the late Parliament With an exact List of the Members of both Houses then Sitting The Second Edition To which is added the Effigies of their Present Majesties curiously Engraven on a Copper Plate A new Art of Brewing Beer Ale and other sorts of Liquors so as to render them more healthful to the Body and agreeable to Nature and to keep them longer from souring with less trouble and charge then generally practised which will be a means to prevent those torturing Distempers of the Stone Gravel Gout and Dropsie With easie Experiments for making excellent Drinks with Apples Currans Goosberries Cherries Herbs seeds Hay c. and the way to preserve Eggs 5 or 6 Months from being musty or rotten With an Appendix how to make Fruit-trees constantly fruitful Miscellany Poems viz. I. Remarks on the Death of K. C. II. II. On the Success of K. J. II. III. Upon Faith IV. Upon Patience V. Ambitioh VI. To the University of Oxford VIII The Soul to a good a Conscience VII The Soul to a bad Conscience By J. Whitehall The Declaration and Manifesto of the Protestants of the Vallies of Piedmont called the Vaudois to all Christian Princes and States of the Reasons of their taking up Arms against the Duke of Savoy And why they have put themselves under the protection of WILLIAM King of Great Britain and of the Evangelick Cantons of Switzerland An exact Collection of many Wonderful prophesies relating to the Government of England c. Since the first year of the Reign of K. James I. to this present time 1690. All which have been truly fulfilled and accomplished Also many Prophesies yet foretelling what Government is to succeed to make this Kingdom happy With the certain time of the Downfal of Antichrist throughout the World Remarks upon the Dream of the late abdicated Q. of England and upon that of Madam the D. of La Valiere late Mistress to the French King c.