Right it is to Dispose on them and thus our pleasant Scene is turned into Confusion and some who doubted of their Interest to be preferred by their Princes Favour to that Share and Interest in the Government they designed they run about hoping to force Him to take them off for fear of their mischief whose Actings shew they resolve rather to disturb that Peace which is not yet well Confirmed to Embroyle the Nation Shake the Throne Hazard Religion and all to a Revolution than fall short of their pretensions as if they had said Flectere si nequeo superos acheronta movebo and they have endeavoured to Amuse the unwary multitude with the specious Pretexts of Law and Liberty and that their Grievances are so far from being Redressed that there are new Invasions made upon them and so instead of taking their Relief which the King hath offered to all the Grievances represented by the Estates they fall upon new Complaints not formerly pretended to nor thought just or worthy to be insisted on for which some have Addrest to the King with great peremptoriness hindring their Native Countrey from receiving the benefit of the Concessions which His Majesty offers in His Instructions But that I may not seem to impose upon you in this matter I will fairly set down both the Grievances and the Redress offered by His Majesty in the Instructions to His Commissioner with some short Notes that you may better understand the nature of the Grievances and the Fulness of the Relief that is offered by the Instructions and in regard the Instructions contain moe things than the Grievances do such as the turning the States into a Parliament and the like they do not follow the same Method or Answer the number therefore I shall repeat every Article of the Grievances with the particular Instruction relating to it together and then come to your Questions Article First Grievance THe Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland do Represent that the Committee of Parliament called the Articles 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 made in the House This is answered by the second Article of the Instructions Instruction Second 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 of their Estate Eight by the Barons and Eight by the Burrows out of their Estates and in case of the death of any of these Persons that Estate out of which the Person Deceased shall supply the same These are to prepare Matters and Acts for the Parliament but not to exclude the Parliament to take any Matter into their Consideration though it hath been thrown out and Rejected in the Articles and all former acts specially the first Act Parliament first Session third Charles the Second inconsistent herewith are to be Rescinded The Parliament of Scotland doth consist of three Estates who all meet in one House and by the antient Laws and Custom of that Kingdom there was a select number of Persons Chosen out of the Three Estates who with the Officers of State were called Dominiad Articulos because they did prepare Articles or Proposals and Framed Acts which were brought in to be Considered in Parliament And this Committee for Articles hath been as Antient as we find any Records of Parliament in that Kingdom and the Officers of State were always Members The great Weight in the Mannagement of Affairs was committed to this Committee And in Antient times after the Articles were once Constitute the Parliament did Adjourn to a certain day till all things were prepared by the Articles which were to be proposed in Parliament The Policy of that Kingdom had introduced and maintained this Constitution of the Articles upon weighty and solid Reasons as 1 o. To preserve the different Interests of the Three Estates among themselves the several Estates having no Negatives in the Parliament for though one State were intirely opposite the plurality of the whole doth Determine and Decide And the Estates not being equal in number a greater State Combining might overthrow the Interest of another especially since the State of the Nobility being increased at the Kings Pleasure there are at present as many Lords in Scotland as do equal or exceed the number of the Commissioners for Shires and Burrows together As also the number of the Royal Borrows may be increased at the King's Pleasure But the Shires remaining the same the Estate of the Burrows which hath the greatest part of the Property and visible Estate of the Nation they may have the fewest Votes in the Parliament But in the Articles every State hath an equal number whereby in the Projecting and Framing of the Laws each State hath an equal Interest 2o. All the Estates meeting in one House and there being no Negatives in the Parliament of Scotland a suddain Vote would put the Kings of Scotland to this strait and difficulty either to consent to a Law whereof they might be ignorant as to its Design and Framing or else to refuse the Royal Assent and so a Breach or Difference were Stated betwixt the King and People and there could be nothing more expedient for preventing these Inconveniences than the Choosing of a select number for each Estate who with the Officers of State for the King did Prepare Digest and Adjust all Matters which were to be brought in to the Parliament In the Parliament of England there are two Houses and their Forms of Proceeding are slow and Cautious whereby the King may understand whatever is under the Deliberation of the one House before it come to the other and by Conference betwixt the two Houses Matters use to be Adjusted before they come the Kings length for the Royal Assent But in Scotland the Procedure is quick and the Forms of Parliament are Expedit and Summar besides the Temper and Genious of the Nation which is ready not to say Praefervidum Scotorum Ingenium whereby Matters of the greatest Importance may be Stated and Determined at one Sitting in the Parliament of Scotland And therefore as Matters in England do proceed by Bills from the Houses to the King so in Scotland Business did Commence from the Articles in which both the King and People had their shares of Members Of late there hath Excesses and Abuses crept in to the Articles both as to the manner of their Constitution and Power of Prelimiting the Parliament And since the Year 1633. The Bishops did chuse Eight Noblemen and the Noblemen did chuse Eight Bishops these did chuse Eight of the Commissioners for Shires and Eight of the Commissioners for Burrows who with the Officers of State made up the Articles by this method both the small Barons and Burrows were excluded from any Interest in chusing the Articles and they had not
so much as a Vote in chusing these persons who were to Represent their particular Estates in the Articles And it being the King's Prerogative to name all the Bishops in effect the King had the sole Power or Influence to make the whole Articles 2o. Instead of a Preparatory Committee for Ordering all things that were to be brought to Parliament the Articles did assume a Power that what they once rejected could not be brought in to plain Parliament But yet by the express Act of Parliament foresaid the 1. Act Sess 3. Parl. 1. K. Charl. 2. The Articles is Constitute in the manner above-mentioned to be a perpetual Law in all time coming which was justly represented as a Grievance to the King but there is not the least mention of Officers of State though that point was spoken of and under Consideration in the Meeting by this Instruction the King did most Graciously and Fully Redress these Errors and Corruptions of the Articles by allowing every State to choose its own Representatives and Declaring that the Articles shall not have Power to Pre-limit the Parliament but that even these things that have been rejected in the Articles may be brought in in plain Parliament whereby the interest of the Estates are equal and intire and the Parliament can never be imposed upon nor precluded It might have been expected that so Gracious a Concession from the King and His parting with so important a Jewel should have satisfied every man that the King designed no Arbitrary Power and that He verified that Clause of His Letter to the Estates That he would never put His Greatness or the Advantage the Crown had got in the Ballance with the True Interest of the Nation Yet this Concession did not please but some men insisted That there should be no Articles or constant Committee at all having now taken up a prejudice against the Name as well as the Excess of the Thing though the Grievance calls it the Articles and mentions not one word against a constant Committee But now they would make an Inference from the Custom of England though the Constitution of the two Parliaments are totally different And next they did Object against the Officers of State though this was no Incroachment or Corruption but they were Members of the Articles in the most Ancient Constitutions And these last hundred and fifty years the Officers of State are named together in a Column by themselves as distinct supernumerary Persons for the Interest of the Crown and as the Officers of State are not mentioned in the Grievance so the meaning of the Articles cannot be extended to reach them for they being Supernumerary and for the King are not to be chosen nor can represent any State of the Parliament because they are Members of Parliament as Officers of State and are called and ranked though they be but Gentlemen before the Commissioners for Shires and Burrows It cannot but appear a great Extremity that whereas by the present standing Law the King hath the whole Power and Influence in making the Articles that in an instant He shall be reduced to have no Interest at all and whereas every Estate hath an equal share of Members in this Committee for preparing Things to the Parliament the King shall have none for Him and every Body knows what Advantage may be made in the Framing and Wording of an Act where the Matter may be plausible and it were hard that the first Notice or Advertisement the King or His Commissioner might have of a Law designed were to hear it Read and Voted in the House and so be put on a sudden to give His Consent or interpose His Negative after the Parliament has engaged themselves by a Vote this Rock Our Ancestors have alwaies shunned and there never was a Vote in the Parliament of Scotland before this time till the Matter was first subjected to the King's Consideration and that His Commissioner was previously Instructed or knew it to be agreeable to the King's Inclinations And there being a Law standing that all Matters to be determined in Parliament must be first brought into the Articles till that Law be Repealed at least these Votes which were pressed in the Address were both unnecessary and preposterous But the King was so far from taking any occasion of Displeasure that he did Conced a further step by an Additional Instruction Dated at Hampton-Court the Fourth day of July last which the Commissioner Read in Parliament WILLIAM R. Additional Instructions to Our Right Trusty and Right Entirely beloved Cousin and Councellor William Duke of Hamilton Our Commissioner 1. BY the Second Article of your Instructions Dated the Thirty One day of May last you was impower'd to pass an Act for regulating the Committee Called the Articles which were to consist of Twenty Four Persons besides the Officers of State Notwithstanding of which These are to Authorize you to pass an Act for them to consist of thirty three persons besides the Officers of State whereof Eleven to be chosen out of every Estate according to your former Instructions who are to prepare Matters as is therein expressed not excluding the Parliament to take Matters into their Consideration though it hath been rejected in the Committee nor to prevent their moving of any thing and regulating of 〈◊〉 to them and the said eleven out of every Estate to be chosen Monthly or oftner if the Parliament think it fit and all former Acts especially the first Act Char. 2. Sess 3. inconsistent with this are to be Rescinded 2. You are to pass what Acts shall be proposed for setling the Church-Government according to your former Instructions 3. You are to pass an Act Rescinding all Forfeitures past against any of Our Subjects either in Parliament or Criminal Court since the first day of January 1665. which shall be thought fit by the Parliament to be Rescinded Likewise you are to consent to what Our Parliament shall propose for Restitution to be made of Fines or Compositions for Fines or Forfeitures from those who had the Benefit of them and you are to Rescind such Acts as were made in the years 1681 and 1685 as are justly grievous Although the first of the above Instructions is not complyed with yet you are to move the other two and have them past before any Adjournment Given under Our Royal Hand and Signet at Our Court at Hampton-Court the Fourth day of July 1689. And of Our Reign the First Year By His Majesties Command Melvill The King did hereby Consent that the Articles should not be a constant Committee as they are now by Law but that the Estates might change their Representatives as oft as they please so that they could not be packed nor taken off by the Court and that each State instead of Eight might choose Eleven Members whereby the Officers of State could never over-rule or determine them The whole Number of the Officers of State extends only to Eight whereof the Lord
Secretary is ordinarily at Court and in this present Parliament the King had but one Officer of State But Concessions to persons that are not resolved to take satisfaction have never good effects This Overture was rejected and some persons must have all or nothing But all that are indifferent must be convinced that the King had fairly retrenched his Interest in the Parliament having not only consented to the Parliaments Abolishing of the Bishops but he was willing to have taken the Sting out of the Articles and secured the Nation for ever that the Articles could never be packt nor the Parliament imposed upon Article 2. Grievance That the first Act of Parliament 1669 is inconsistent with the Establishment of the Church-Government now desired and ought to be Abrogate This second Article of the Grievance is Answered by the Fourth Instruction thus Instruct 4. YOu are to pass an Act Establishing that Church-Government which is most agreeable to the Inclinations of the People Rescinding the Act of Parliament 1669 and all other Acts inconsistent therewith By the Instruction the King doth entirely Remit to the Parliament to Establish what kind of Church Government was most agreeable to their Inclinations as the Representative of the People without proposing Qualification or Limitation And because the Act of Parliament 1669 doth Recognize and Declare an extraordinary Power in the Kings of Scotland without Consent of Parliament in relation to Ecclesiastical Affairs whereby any Government of the Church Established by Act of Parliament might be changed by the King therefore the King Condescends to Rescind that Law and to pass from the Prerogative of the Crown as it is Established and Asserted by that Act whereof the Tenor follows ACT Asserting His Majesties Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastical November 16. 1669. THe Estates of Parliament having seriously Considered how necessary it is for the good and peace of the Church and State that His Majesties Power and Authority in relation to Matters and Persons Ecclesiastical be more clearly Asserted by an Act of Parliament Have therefore thought fit it be Enacted Asserted and Declared Iakeas His Majesty with Advice and Consent of His Estates of Parliament Doth hereby Enact Assert and Declare that His Majesty hath the Supreme Authority and Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastical within this His Kingdom and that by vertue thereof the ordering and disposal of the External Government and Policy of the Church doth properly belong to His Majesty and His Successors as an Inherent Right to the Crown and that His Majesty and His Successors may Settle Enact and Emit such Constitutions Acts and Orders concerning the Administration of the External Government of the Church and the Persons employed in the same and concerning all Ecclesiastical Meetings and Matters to be Proposed and Determined therein as They in Their Royal Wisdom shall think fit Which Acts Orders and Constitutions being Recorded in the Books of Council and duly Published are to be Observed and Obeyed by all His Majesties Subjects any Law Act or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding Likeas His Majesty with Advice and Consent foresaid doth Rescind and Annul all Laws Acts and Clauses thereof and all Customs and Constitutions Civil or Ecclesiastick which are contrary to or inconsistent with His Majesties Supremacy as it is hereby Asserted and Declares the same Void and Null in all time coming Never did Law give a King such a Power nor ever did a King part with such a Law There was an Act brought in and Voted for Rescinding the Act of Supremacy it was not Touched which cannot be Imputed to the King there being an express Instruction for Rescinding that Act. Article 3. Grievance THat Forefaultures in prejudice of Vassals Creditors and Heirs of Entail are a great Grievance This Article is answered by the Sixth Instruction Instruction 6. YOu are to pass an Act that Forefaultures shall only be extended to what Interest the Rebel had and that innocent Vassals or lawful Creditors for Debts upon Record shall not be prejudged nor such Heirs of Entail whose Rights of Succession are established by publick Infeftment The Laws of Scotland in relation to Treason are very many and therefore Forefaultures there are too frequent the Feudal Laws and Customs takes place in Forefaultures and Treason being the greatest Ingratitude the Rebels Fee returns to the King in that same condition that it was Originally given out without the burden of his Debt or Regard to any Deed done by the Rebel after committing of the Crime or to any Deeds or Alienations made before the Crime which were not consented to or Confirmed by the Superior and rendred Real and Publick by Infeftment and not only Heirs of Entail are cut off from their hope of Succession for the Delinquency of the Fiar but the Rebels innocent Vassals who are not Confirmed by the Confiscation of the Dominium Directum which was in the Rebel the Dominium utile falls in consequence There have been so many sad instances of the severe effects of Forefaultures in Scotland to the Ruine of many Families who had no accession to the Treason that of late this single Concession would have been purchas'd by that Nation at the dearest rate but Courtiers and Ministers who had hopes to make advantage and procure Gifts of Forefaultures they have always resisted the good design of Restricting the prodigious effects of Forefaultures till now that the King hath resolved Never to consider his own Advantage and Greatness in opposition to the Interest and Ease of his Subjects He hath by this Instruction secured lawful Creditors whose Debts are not Collusive but upon Record and innocent Vassals though not Confirmed and likewise Heirs of Entail whose Rights of Succession are not Private and Clandestine and so might be antedated though they were truly made after or in prospect of Rebellion but where the Rights are nottour and publick which must be Recorded in that case even the Rebels Heirs are safe which is one of the most considerable and universal Favours which could be done to that Nation Article 4. Grievance THat the obliging the Leidges to Depone upon Crimes against Delinquents otherwise than when they are adduced in special Process as Witnesses is a great Grievance This Article is answered by the Tenth Instruction Instruction 10. WE are satisfied that an Act should be past for securing the Leidges against Inquiries by way of Inquisition but in respect of the present Juncture of Affairs this matter would be well Considered by the Parliament and therefore when the Terms of this Act shall be Adjusted you are to transmit the same to Vs that We may give you particular Instructions thereanent By the Custom of Scotland any Person might be examined summarily in relation to other persons against whom there was no Process depending and without confronting the Persons And albeit such Expiscations did not amount to a Pâ—…ation except these Depositions had been renewed in presence of the
by what hath been already clearly stated and what I shall further tell you great expectation is a mighty enemy to Contentment if there were less selfishness amongst us there would be more Satisfaction people did expect the return of the Golden Age or the beginning of the Thousand Years from this Revolution and their Impatience is like to hinder them to enjoy what they desire The King can imploy no more Actors than our Stage can hold He hath not put any Stranger nor any Scotch-man that served him abroad in any Scottish Imployment if the Nation could make a larger Fond no doubt he would be willing to entertain more persons for it 's not likely the King intends to put up any Scots-Money in his Pocket at present he hath allowed no multiplication of Offices in one person but by putting the great and lucrative Offices into Commissions there are twice as many persons imployed in this Government as ever can be instanced in former Establishments In the whole Parliament of Scotland for all this Noise there are not twenty persons as I do verily believe who are at bottom ill affected to their Majesties Service and Government but there are very many who have been seduced and have been imposed upon wholly under gross mistakes which have transported them beyond the bounds of Discretion or Duty There are persons amongst us who have their thoughts so much set upon getting into the Government and Lucrative Places of the Kingdom that they are resolved to disquiet the Government and discontent the people before they fail of their pretensions and they turn themselves into all shapes and ply every Wind to Deceive and amuse the people their influence is not so much because they are able and leading Men as that they are restless and implacable Spirits and they have gotten this ascendent over a great part of the Parliament two or three ways 1. The most part of the Parliament have been kept ignorant of the King's Instructions and there was no Artifice wanting to possess every State and Person that the King had refused Satisfaction or Redress to these points of the Grievances which were most material and I know to my experience that the Ministers and also several Members of Parliament who came up here with the loudest Complaints upon a sight of His Majesty's Instructions they were furprised and convinced and the like success may be expected throughout the whole Kingdom and Parliament after a competent time to be informed and peruse the Instructions and that they may return to their former temper and shew that affection they had for his Majesty and the deference and submission to his Management of Affairs 2. These persons who are so insatiable for preferments and places they did very dexterously start and manage an unnecessary Debate Whether or not the King was obliged by their Offer and his Acceptance of the Crown to Redress all Grievances and whatever Conclusions they were pleased to draw from them as their meaning though these be neither obvious nor exprest and albeit it be very true that the Grievances are not obligator upon the King as they are represented further than the King in his wisdom shall find the things complained upon to be truly prejudicial to the Nation and in so far as Father of the Country he is obliged to give his people relief but their Majesties were declared recognised and proclaimed King and Queen of Scotland before the Grievances were framed and so they could be no Condition or Quality of their Right but being humbly represented to the King's Majesty from the Estates to be redressed by him in Parliament his Majesty did not at all engage himself in any particular but declared in general That he would Redress every thing that was truly grievous to the Nation Now while they manage this disingenious and weak Argument Whether the King be obliged to Redress the Grievances they in the mean time have endeavoured to perswade the people that the King hath not at all done it and that he is so far from performance that both he and his Ministers denies there lies any obligation upon him so that in this Revolution the people do only observe a change of Masters but no ease of Burden or Redress of Laws now after the publishing of the Instructions this Imposture is so gross and palpable that it can no longer detain the people in ignorance 3. When the Parliament was willing to proceed according to the Instructions and to have setled their Church-Government these persons brought in always some new Motions which they did pretend to be necessarily previous as first they did pretend the Articles was a preliminary and therefore nothing could be done till that point was adjusted Next they did insinuate that it was to no purpose to settle the Church till first the State was purged and all the ill Men rendered incapable for if ill Men were permitted to come in to the Government they might easily turn the Settlement of the Church round and thereupon there was a great struggle and debate Whether Church-Government should be first settled or the State purged by an Act of Incapacities brought in by the Earl of Mortoun and it was carried The Church Government should be delayed and postponed to the purging the State which may demonstrat that these Men had more the State than the Church under their prospect Thereafter the settling of Church-Government being brought in they started a fresh Hare and managed a Debate with great earnestness that their Commissioners had not done their Duty in the offering of the Crown according to their Commission and Instructions and it was a second time brought to the Vote Whether Church-Government or the Exoneration of the Commissioners should first come in It was carried again to delay Church-Government and several days being spent upon that matter it came to nothing and was found to be pestered on groundless Malice Thereafter the Church-Government was talked of and then it was pretended that so long as the Act of Parliament stood unrepealed anent the Articles nothing could come in legally to the Parliament but from the Articles hereupon the King was pleased to make a further step and he sent down new Instructions which the Commissioner did intimat in plain Parliament bearing his Majesty's Consent that Church-Government might be settled Fines and Foresaultures considered by the Parliament either with Committees or without Committees as the Parliament pleased and in so far as concerns these points the King did pass from his Right and consented that his Officers of State should have no meddling in the matter but remitted these matters intirely to the Parliament and this Concession being publickly intimat from the Throne it was openly asserted by Lawers and others that albeit the King did pass from the Articles as to these points by an express Instruction to his Commissioner yet the Settlement could not be Legal till either the Articles were repealed or a draught brought in to the Articles
had been of so great importance why were they then forgot And if they be of less importance than the Grievance why do they make such a bustle to press in these points of less moment and stop these things which are of far greater consideration which were first Tabled by a representation from the States and granted by the Kings Instructions And its pretty odd to see men who make such a noise about the Authority of the Grievances that the King must satisfie them and yet when they please to bring in any little Overture it must take place and justle out the other 2. As to the Vote of Incapacities it is indeed a Vote incapacitating the King to imploy any person in his service but whom they please for the Terms are so lax and the Nation so universally invovled that there are few men of Business Fortune or parts but they may be reached and most part of the Addresses themselves as far as they are capable they are guilty but when a man turns upon that side the most abominable and monstrous faults are covered whereas trifles are mustered and magnified if a man be on the Kings side And I cannot forget the last Member of the incapacities that all who have obstructed the designs of the House after they came the length of Votes shall be incapable of Publick Trust though the Royal consent neither is nor I believe will perhaps ever be adhibited so they are no Laws but abortive Attempts which never had a precedent and it may be will never have a parallel 3. As to that Article concerning the Session I have already told you how it was thrown out by the Committee of the Estates I dare say to you upon my reputation that there is not one word in our Law giving the Parliament any power in Tryal or Admission of the Lords of Session I shall refer you to two short Acts in Anno 1661 the second and eleventh Acts of the first Session first Parliament K. Ch. 2d Where the King 's Right in this point is as clearly stated as can be exprest These Acts are as follows ACT and Acknowledgment of His Majesties Prerogative in the choise of His Officers of State Counsellors and Judges THE Estates of Parliament considering the great obligations that do ly upon them from the Law of God the Law of Nations the Municipal Laws of the Land and their Oaths of Allegiance to maintain and defend the Sovereign Power and Authority of the Kings Majesty and the sad consequences that do accompany any incroachments upon or diminutions thereof do therefore from their sence of duty declare that it is an inherent priviledge of the Crown and an undoubted part of the Royal Prerogative of the Kings of this Realm to have the sole choice and appointment of the Officers of State and Privy Counsellors and nomination of the Lords of Session as in former times preceeding the year 1637. And that the Kings Sacred Majesty and his Heirs and Successors are for ever by vertue of that Royal Power which they hold from God Almighty over this Kingdom to enjoy and have the full exercise of that Right And therefore the Kings Majesty with Advice and Consent of his Estates of Parliament doth hereby rescind all Acts Statutes or Practices to the contrair Follows the acknowledgment of His Majesties Prerogative FOrasmuch as the Estates of Parliament of this Kingdom by their several Acts of the 11th and 25th of January last have from the sense of their humble duty and in recognizance of His Majesties just Right declared that it is an inherent priviledge of the Crown and an undoubted part of the Royal Prerogative of the Kings of this Kingdom to have the sole choice and appointment of the Officers of State Privy Counsellors and Lords of Session c. I shall only tell you that the Session is sitten down with as great satisfaction as ever it did and several of the most eminent Lawyers have accepted whose Practice was much better than their Sallaries and you must allow me to say since they must know the Law they are great fools if they be not safe And I am sure the greatest Lawers that did oppose this would have been content to have run the hazard of the Parliaments censure if they could but procured the Kings Commission and would have parted with the Club to the Boot when they had got their own Staik And as to that part of the Vote that the President should be chosen by the Lords this did not concern the Parliament since the Lords did not complain And the five last successive Presidents are named by the King in the same manner Besides my Lord Stairs is not made of new President but restored to an Office whereunto He had been formerly Admitted by the Lords conform to the Kings Declaration from which he was unjustly thrust out And withal the Lords did unanimously by a Vote acquiesce in His Majesties nomination and reponing the President and declared if the matter had been intire to themselves they would all and every one of them have chosen him so this dust has been very idly raised 4. I must again take notice of that grief they express for the want of that Church-government they themselves hindered to be established and the design of the Address is to Imprint in the apprehensions of the people that the King is slow or backward in that matter 5. As to the Apology for not giving Cess it is very pleasant they did not refuse it absolutely but till some things were first exped which might give them satisfaction that is to say they would give no Cess or Subsistence for the Kings Troops though they must quit the Countrey if he withdraw them till such time as the King shall renounce the remainder of his Soveraignty And I shall not say that he hath been prodigal of his Prerogative but I am sure he hath been so liberal of it that it might at this time have given contentment for once It is needless in this case to remember either the obligations we owe to our King or the necessity we have of his Protection but I shall offer two things to show the ingratitude and foolishness of refusing this Supply 1. The King hath expended above threescore thousand pounds upon his Troops in Scotland out of his own Pocket for our defence and in sending Arms Ordnance and Ammunition thither and if he should abandon us this Winter the best part of the Nation would be forced to leave the Countrey 2. By a standing Law the Parliament settled Eight Months Cess upon King James during his life time which we payed pleasantly for supporting that Government was it discretion to refuse the King four Months Cess which is but 24000 Pounds Sterling which he was willing to accept instead of demanding the Eight Months during King James's life And supposing that he had redeemed us from that Eight Months Cess as well as many other miseries was it grateful or just to