that the Officers and Souldiers should take the Oaths of Allegiance which in Scotland comprehends that of Supremacy Which being done in the Year 1672. when the Cabal at Court for the advancement of Popery and Arbitrary Power was in its Ascendent and Matters were come to a manifest Crisis was a shrewd Argument that L. was deep in the Plot. Nor was his Administration in Church Affairs less grievous and terrible to the Nation For that after the extream Distress where into the Episcopal Persecutions had brought the Country had mov'd the Compassion of some more moderate Persons to obtain for it the ease of a small Indulgence in 1669. L. in 1670. commands Conformity again prohibiting Praying to God in any Meeting or Preaching without Licence under Forfeitures of Life and Confiscation of Goods And by other Acts enjoyning all the Kings Subjects to keep to their own Churches and to make discoveries upon Oath of what Conventicles they knew and what Words they heard spoken therein under the pains of Banishment and Imprisonment All which the People lookt upon to be a Tyranny beyond that of the Inquisition Nor is it in the last place to be omitted that he had also enlarg'd the Power of the Lords of the Articles to the subversion of the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament So that his Administration was not only Cruel and Tyrannical but he had in a manner over-turn'd the whole Frame of the Scotch Government However after he had thus serv'd and assisted in the Popish and Arbitrary Designs then on Foot both to his own Infamy and greatly to the depopulation of his Country yet because he demurr'd to act on still for the eradication of Protestantism and erecting Popery to be the National Religion he was discharged from his Ministry and Offices and grew despis'd and contemn'd in his Person And then it was that the D. of York retiring into Scotland from the Dangers that threaten'd him in England built upon the Foundations that L. had laid and driving on in the concerns of Popery and Slavery with his wonted Phaetonic Fury thought to have compleated his Work but made way for the following Revolution So soon as the Duke got into Scotland a Parliament was summon'd and great Industry us'd to choose the Commons to cajole some of the Lords and to make D. Hamilton believe and trust the Court for the future And so soon as the Parliament sate the Duke of York entred as his Brothers Commissioner without any regard to the Laws of the Realm or the Qualifications necessary for taking the Oaths However his Brothers Indulgence bore him out and when he was in he obtains the succession of the Crown to be confirmed by an Act and gets a Test pass'd by which all were to swear not to endeavour to alter the Government either in Churh or State and all such as refus'd to take it to lose their Employments This Test was generally dislik'd as not conformable to the Scotch Confession of Faith several of the Scotch Synods rejected it and many of the Laity refused it Among the rest the E. of Argyle declin'd the taking it unless he might make his own Explanation of the sense and meaning in which he took it Which being at first allow'd him by the Duke and his Party yet afterwards when he had deliver'd in his Explantion which was no more then what the Privy Council were forc'd to do for the satisfaction of the People The Duke having a particular Animosity to his Person and resolv'd to remove him out of the way as a Grand Obstacle to his Designs caus'd his Interpretation to be scan'd and sifted to that degree with a particular encouragement to his Advocates to try whether it might not be wrested to Treason that at length a latent piece of High-Treason was found in it upon which he was Indicted Arraign'd and Condemn'd and had been put to death had he not made his escape out of Edinborough Castle Popery then began to triumph bare-fac'd in Scotland to that degree that Mass-Houses were publickly erected both in Edinborough and divers other Towns and Cities of that Realm while the Protestant Non-conformists were every where punished with the utmost severity And such was the Dukes inveterate hatred of those People that in his publick Declarations he stigmatiz'd them as a sort of Caitiffs not fit for Human Converse and scrupl'd not to testifie his Resolutions to eradicate them for refusing to conform to his Will and Pleasure as the Pests of Mankind Affirming withal that it would never be well with Scotland till all the Country on this side the Forth were made a Hunting Field Which Rigorous and indeed Inhuman Proceedings in leaving these poor People at the Mercy of his Souldiers to be not only disturb'd in the Exercise of their Divine Worship but to be Arraign'd and Condemn'd by Military Judges without any Form or Process of Law wholly alienated the Affections of a great part of the Scotch Nation from his Person and Government But the Duke encompass'd with a standing Force and encouraged by his continu'd Success in carrying all things before him thought he could meet with no Obstruction which he could not Conquer and therefore resolv'd to remove what ever Impediments that he found in his way Which run him upon that no less Impolitick then unjust and violent Prosecution of the E. of Argyle for the taking away of whose Life he could find no other pretence but his refusal to take an insnaring Test which the generality of the Clergy and Laity refus'd For if the whole Body of Refusers had had but one Neck he might have cut it off for the same Reason as well as the single Head of the Earl Many others also were prosecuted and condemned at the same rate for Crimes made such for their Destruction rather then that they were really so The citing Sir John Scot of Ancrum and bringing him before the Council upon pretence of Treasonable Words alledg'd against him by an avow'd Enemy and which had certainly done his business considering he was lookt upon as a true Lover of his Country had he not been so fortunate as to have four or five Persons of great Worth and Credit by when the Words were pretended to have been spoken who clear'd and acquitted him The seising and putting to the Torture one Hamilton meerly because he was of the contrary Party and consequently barely suspected who nevertheless after his enduring his Torments with an extraordinary Patience was at length acquitted and declar'd Innocent by the Justice Court The putting under Bail or in Prison almost all the Honest Protestant Worthy Gentlemen or forcing them to abscond or withdraw out of the Kingdom of whom the Lord Melvil was one who never could be induced to act in publick under the Government of the Duke but was forc'd to abandon his Relations and Native Country and flie into Holland where and in Germany he remain'd seven Years The sending away of above sixty Men at
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
a mind to obtrude upon the Church of Scotland the English Ceremonies in order to the more easie effecting it so wrought with the Parliament in the year 1617. part by fair and part by fowl means that he brought them to allow the Officers of state to sit as supernumeraries without being chosen into the Committee And by that means he forc'd those Innovations commonly known by the name of the five Articles of Pearth upon the Church of Scotland having by those Supernumerary Officers not only so moulded the Committee of Articles as to pass and present them but thereby laid the Foundation of their being enacted in the House King Charles the First quite overthrew the antient Method of Elections of that Committee For whereas by ancient Law and Custom the Lords were to Elect the Lords the Barons to chuse Barons and the Burghers the Burghers he in his Parliament 1633. assumed a power to himself with a right of consigning it over to his Commissioner to choose eight Bishops whom he empowred to choose eight Noblemen restraining to the said Eight Noblemen and Bishops the power of choosing eight Barons and as many Burghers which together with the Officers of State as Supernumeraries were to be the sole Lords of the Articles exclusive of all others and in these was vested the sole Right and Liberty of bringing in all Motions and Overtures for redressing of Wrongs and of proposing means and expedients for the relief and benefit of the Subject Neither was it by the practice of the late Raigns lawful for any Members that were not of that packt Cabal to make the least proposal or Motion for the repealing of an ill Law or the enacting of a good one For this Reason therefore it was that the Convention represented to the King this Committee of Articles so great a Grievance to the Nation of Scotland and that they insisted so earnestly for ejecting the Supernumerary Officers of State out of it unless legally and fairly Chosen And some there were who urg'd that the very contending for the Officers of State to sit as Supernumeraries in their Committees without being elected into them by the Estates in Parliament was both an Aspersion upon the Wisdom of the Parliament as if they knew not how to pay the respect reverence due to those Officers till compell'd to it and a Reflection upon their Loyalty as if no person could be tender of His Majesties Interest among the Committees of Parliament unless under the Influence of Honours and Emoluments The Parliament therefore having heard the Commissioners plea for not passing the Act with their Amendments ordered their Reasons for the passing it in that Manner to be put in Writing and the draught of a Letter to be sent to His Majesty together with their Reasons to be prepar'd and brought into the House by the Committee for Redress of Grievances which being done accordingly both the one and the other were read and approved with some little alterations and so dispatch'd away for England His Majesty having received the Letter and weigh'd the Reasons was pleased to give new Orders to his Commissioner So that upon the Ninth of July his Grace gave into the House a Letter to the Parliament with the draught of an Act for regulating the Articles in the terms of his Instructions in reference to that Grievance by which he was impowred to increase the number from Eight to Eleven out of every Estate besides the Supernumerary Officers of State and allowing the Parliament to Elect them every Month or oftner as they thought fit and to consider of any Matter in Parliament tho' rejected in the Articles as deeming that since the Committee was now no more a constant Committee he had secur'd the Parliament from believing they could be packt or taken off by the Court and that the number being increased from twenty four to thirty three he had removed all fears that eight Men could over-rule three and thirty But the Parliament adherred to their first draught and therefore falling into the debate of the last draught given in by the Committee they read their own and that together and stated the differences between both But could come to no resolution that day The next day being the 10th of July the Commissioner hoping to put them off from the further pursuit of this Affair moved that the settling Church Government and the Forfeitures might be taken into Consideration but against that some of the Members presently moved That the Affair of the Committees might be first adjusted upon which a debate arose which continued for some time For by this some jealousies arose in the House as if the Commissioners had not gone according to their Instructions in the delivery of the Instrument of Government to the King Which caused the Earl of Argyle to make a request to the House That in regard he had been a Commissioner to make the Offer of the Crown to their Majesties and had accordingly acquitted himself of his Commission but was then commanded into the Service of Their Majesties against the Rebels and knew not when he should return therefore that the Parliament would declare their Approbation of what he had done in the Execution of his Commission But then it was moved that before any such Approbation a paper might be read containing certain Interrogatories to be put to the Commissioners who were sent with the Tender of the Crown Upon which it was ordered That the Instructions given in to those Commissioners should be interrogated upon the Parliaments Instructions or upon the Interrogatories then given in But before the point could be determined the High Commissioner ordered an Adjournment till the next day In the Interim a great Discovery was made publick of a dangerous Conspiracy disclos'd in a Letter bearing date the Sixth of July and directed to the High Commissioner from one that subscribed his name in Characters purporting That the same Night about Six of the Clock he was inform'd of certain ill inclined Persons who assuredly designed some wicked Enterprize what it was he knew not but that the particular Persons of which he had undoubted Intimation were Winster Scot Dunbar at Leith Innes one Telster one Wrywhart with many others as by a subscribed Paper which some of them carried about them would appear That there was one Colonel Wilson Butler and Dunbar with some other English and Irish Officers lurking in Edinborough in Black frier Wine as also Captain Dowglass Kelheads Brother Lees Pringle and several others of which he was surely informed With which he thought it his duty in Conscience to acquaint his Grace That they intended to put their design in Execution within a day or two at farthest He desired his Grace not to despise his Advertisement assuring him it was no story as if neglected would be too sadly experienced That he was almost engaged himself by which means he came to understand the Truth and left the whole to the Care of his Grace's wise
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
in this Kingdom which is most agreeable to the inclinations of the People This Act was touched with the Scepter the 12th of July There was also another Act which had been made by another Parliament of K. Charles the 2d in the year sixty nine whereby the Parliament did enact assert and declare that the supream Authothority and Supremacy over all persons and in all Ecclesiastical causes within the Kingdom of Scotland by vertue of which the ordering and disposal of the external Government of the Church was properly lodged in the King and His Successors as an inherent Right to the Crown This was lookt upon to be such a Law that never any Law before gave a greater power to a Prince and the ill use of it in the Execution of King Charle's power by the Bishops of Scotland and by King James in claiming by it a power to introduce Popery made it so terrible to the Generality of the Scotch Nation that after the Estates had numbered it among the Chief of their Grievances the Parliament past an Act immediately after that for abolishing Prelacy whereby they declared That the first Act of the second Parliament of King Charles the 2d Intitled An Act asserting His Majesties Supremacy over all persons and in all causes Ecclesiastical was inconsistent with the Establishment of the Church Government then desired Therefore their Majesties with the Advice and Consent of the Estates in Parliament did thereby rescind abrogate and annul the foresaid Act and declared the same in all the Heads Articles and Clauses thereof to be of no force or effect in all time coming But notwithstanding this Act past without any contradiction yet was it never touched with the Scepter Which was the more wondred at in regard his Majesties instructions were express to his Commissioner in these words You are to pass an Act establishing that Church Government which is most agreable to the Inclinations of the people rescinding the Act of Parliament 1669. and all other Acts inconsistent therewith There were two great things more in Agitation during this Session the one was the settling of the Church Government since Presbytery was abolished and the other about admitting the Lords of the Session and Electing the President of the Colledge of Justice As to the first there were two draughts brought into the House and form'd into Acts for the consideration of the whole Parliament the One by the Lord Commissioner himself and the other by the Lord Cardross The first which was presented by the High Commissioner the 22th of July ran in these Words For as much as the King and Queens Majesties and the Estates of Parliament by their Act of the first of July Instant Abolishing Prelacy c. did declare That they would settle that Church Government which is most agreeable to the Inclinations of the People and considering that Church Government by General Provincial and Presbyterial Assemblies with the Sessions of the Kirk as it was established by the first Act of the twelfth Parliament of King James the sixth holden in June 1592 is most agreeable to the Inclination of the people Therefore the King and Queens Majesties with the Advice and Consent of the Estates of Parliament revive and renew the said Act of Parliament in all the Heads Poynts and Articles thereof with this express Declaration That the Necessity of Occasional Assemblies be first represented to His Majesty by humble Supplication And Statute and ordain That it shall be lawful for the Presbyters of this Church to admit Ministers upon presentation from the lawful Patrons or Jure de voluto which shall happen hereafter or into Churches which fall not under Patronages but were Mensal and Patrimonial Churches belonging to the Bishops and ordain all Ministers in this Kingdom to submit and conform to the Church Government established by the foresaid Act and to take the Oath of Allegiance under the pain of being deprived of their Churches and losing their Benefices And it is declared That all Ministers that shall submit and conform to the foresaid Church-Government and take the Oaths of Allegiance without being oblig'd to take any other Oath shall enjoy their Churches and Benefices c. in such manner and as freely as they ought or might have done before by the Act in the Year 1592. and to do all and every thing which before pertain'd to Presbyters and were exercised by Bishops except for Scandal or Insufficiency But in regard there were several Ministers deprived of their Benefices since the Year 1662. for not conforming to Prelacy and others since the Year 1681. for not taking the Test Therefore seeing that now Prelacy is abolished and all Acts relating thereto it is but reasonable that those Ministers should be restored Therefore the King and Queens Majesties with the advice c. Ordain the said Ministers c. to be restored And the King and Queens Majesties and Estates declare That they will take care to provide those Ministers now serving the Cure at the said Churches with other Benefices as occasion shall offer they submiting and confirming c. And it is farther declared that Intrants to the Ministry shall not be obliged to take any other Oaths at their admission then that of Allegiance and the Oath de Fideli And in regard that many Confusions and Scandalous Schisms have happened by Ministers meddling in Matters of State Their Majesties with advice c. do hereby discharge all Ministers of the Gospel to meddle with any State Affairs under pain of being held dis-affected to the Government and to be proceeded against accordly And declare That the Jurisdiction of the Church consists onely in Preaching the Word of Jesus Christ correcting of ill Manners by Ecclesiastical Censures and administration of the Sacraments conformable to the 69th act of James 6. Parliament 6. And to prevent that nothing be treated in the Church Judicatories that concern affairs of State or Civil matters it is declared that their Majesties if they think fit may have always one present in all the Provincial and Presbyterial Assemblies as they have their Commissioner present in General Assemblies to inhibit the proceeding in any such affairs if it should be offered at until their Majesties and Privy Council be first acquainted therewith And for that there are many things to he settled in relation to the Discipline of the Church c. their Majesties declare that they with the advice c. will enact such Rules as shall tend most to the curbing Vice and advancement of true Piety and Religion and the preservation of Peace and Vnity Their Majesties also with the advice c. rescind and annul the 1. Act of the 15. Parl. of King James the 6. for Prelates voting in Parliament and the 2. Act of the 18. Parl. of K. J. 6. for the Restor of Bishops the 8. Act of 19. Parl. of K. J. 6. about the Chapter of St. Andrews The 6. Act of 20. Parl. of K. J. 6. concerning the
Lords of the Session To this effect That by the Laws of the Kingdom when the place of an Ordinary Lord of a Session was vacant it was to be supplyed by the Kings nomination of a fit person for the said Office and presenting him to the rest of the Lords of the Session to be tryed or rejected by them but that then there was a total vacancy by reason of the happy Revolution so that there could be no such Tryal by the Lords in which case when such total vacancies fell out the Lords were either nominated by the King and Parliament joyntly or if they were nominated by the King and the Lords so nominated were admitted by the Parliament Therefore the Act was so drawn that their Majesties would nominate fit persons for the said Office and present them to the Parliament to be tryed approved or rejected by them It was also farther ordained That at all times hereafter when any such total Vacancy should happen that the nomination of the Lords of the Session should be in the King and Queen for the time being or in the Regent during a Minority so they should be presented to the Parliament to be tryed c. It was also farther Enacted that there should be a Ratification by their Majesties of the 93. Act of the 6th Parliament of K. J. the VI. concerning the Admission of the Ordinary Lords of Session and Reformation of abuses therein And the 132 Act of the 12th Parliament of King James the VI. concerning the Jurisdiction Presentation Qualities and age of the Lords of the Session in all the heads clauses and articles of it as also of the clause contained in the 93 Act of the 6th Parliament of King James the VI. Declaring that the President of the Colledge of Justice should be Elected by the whole Senate This Act as it was drawn into form was read again the next day together with the 93 Act of the 6th Parliament and the 132 Act of the 12th Parliament of King James the VI. to which the draught referred And upon debate for a long time the Question being put Whither the Vote of the House in reference to the Act should be stated in the terms of approve or not approve Or of Representing to His Majesties or not It was carryed that the Vote should be put approve or not approve and then the question being put Whither the Act was Approved or not It was carried in the affirmative The Parliament having proceeded thus farr thought fit in pursuance of their Vote and Approbation of their Act to make another Vote that the stop put to the Signet should be continued and that an Order should be drawn up for that purpose till the High Commissioner should represent the whole matter to His Majesty and that he should be pleased to declare his farther pleasure But in the Height of this dispute the Parliament was adjourned upon the second of August to the eight of November next ensuing and when that day approached from the eighth of October to the twentieth of December following and from thence again to the first of March which caused a long Cessation of Parliamentary business Having therefore thus brought the Parliament to the end of their City Consultations it may be time to look into the Field the rather because it was but a very little while before the adjournment of the Parliament that the rebellion of Scotland came to any thing like a Period The main disturbance after the happy Revolution was raised by the Viscount of Dundee who as he began with small beginnings so through the vigilance of the Convention and the Parliament after them he never arrived at any number to render him very formidable only by lurking and roaming up and down in the Fastnesses of the Highlands he took his opportunities more like a Freebooter then an Enemy to commit petty mischiefs that at length brought inglorious ruine upon himself and those that adher'd to him At first he was said to be gone Northward and that a Herald was sent after him to summon him before the Convention but he could not be met with So that because he refused to appear before the Convention and for that he kept an Armed Force about his own House and corresponded with the D. of Gourdon he was upon the 30th of March denounced a Rebel by the Vote of the whole Assembly Upon the Herald and the Trumpeters being sent after him he sent a letter to the President of the Convention to excuse his absence and his not appearing seeming to wonder at it as an extraordinary thing that a Trumpeter and a Herald should be sent to summon a Man to lay down Arms that was living peaceably at his own House That he did not think his person safe among so many Enemies as he had in Edinburgh and who as he was well assured had laid their designs to murder him and therefore he hop'd the Convention would discharge such a groundless pursuit That if they thought his appearance necessary yet it was impossible for him to attend with freedom and safety in regard of the Men of War and Foreign Troops that lay in his way Concluding that if the Convention could not be prevailed with to wave his appearance yet that they would delay it till his Lady was brought to bed and offering in the mean while either to give his Parol or Security not to disturb the peace But notwithstanding this Letter the next news that the Convention heard of him was that he was gone Northward with a part of Fourscore Horse and directed his March toward the Duke of Gourdons Countrey where he was in hopes to find more assistance which caused the Convention to give Orders for a considerable Force to make after him His first act of Hostility was done against the Town of Innerness to the Inhabitants of which place he sent to demand contribution threatning them with Military execution unless they paid it But the neighbouring Gentry gathering together a considerable Force got into the Town and constrained him to betake himself again to the Hills After this he attempted to have surprized the Town of Dundee but he found them so well prepared to receive him that he was forced to draw off After which two unsuccessful attempts in a very dark night he entred St. Johnstons and having taking the two Lairds of Blaire and Pollock two Gentlemen of Quality out of their Beds hastened back to his Fastnesses Several other attempts he made and having encreased his strength by the addition of the Mackdonalds Mackleans and others that came into his party he became above three thousand strong and threatned to fall into the County of Argyle Of all which things the Convention had daily Intelligence and therefore ordered Major General Mackay with a considerable Force to hunt the Rebel out of all his Lurking holes The Earl of Argyle was also sent to secure the Country of Argyle and Colonel Ramsey and others to shut up other Passes
that about three hundred of the Rebels were slain and not above thirty of Cleelands men in all and the next day some parties that were sent to the Assistance of those who had fought so bravely going out to scowre the Country found several dead bodies of the Rebels strew'd about the Country which made it believ'd that the Slaughter of the Rebels was much greater than it was said to be This defeat of the whole Body of the Rebels created a great dislike of Colonel Cannons conduct among the Highlanders and so discouraged the whole Party that this defeat being given toward the latter end of August by the tenth of September the Lords of the Council had work enough to receive the Submissions of the Highland Lairds and Heads of Clanns who came in and took the Benefit of the Act of Indempnity as did also the Earl of Callendar Lord Duffus and Lord Levingston who took the Oath of Allegiance and gave security for their peaceable Behaviour And as for Colonel Cannon himself he lost his Reputation among the Highlanders to that degree that after he had long lain lurking about Innerlochy to no purpose they told him to his Face they would not any longer obey his Orders as being a man that neither understood their Language nor had any Interest or Fortune in their Country and in a few Nights after robbed him of all he had breaking open his Trunks and taking away his Cloaths and his Money not sparing his purse of Gold wherein he had fourscore Louis d'Or and two and twenty Guinies So that after such bad Usage he thought it his best way to retreat into Ireland with all the Secrecy he could not believing his Life secure among such a barbarous and Thieving Generation of People but for all that he did not go All this while the common Course of Justice in the usual Trials at Law had been at a stand partly through the combustions occasioned by the Viscount of Dundee partly through the Parliaments insisting upon their priviledge of approving the persons nominated for Lords of the Sessions by the King and the Right of choosing the President which they alleadged was to be done by the Members of the same Court But the Troubles of the Rebellion being over and the Parliament before their Adjournment having sent to know the Kings Pleasure in so weighty a Concern his Majesty sent a Letter bearing date the First of October to his Privy Council by whom all matters of State were now transacted signifying That whereas the Estates of Parliament had thought fit to stop the opening of the Signet for some time till he should signifie his pleasure concerning the Nomination of the Lords of the Session therefore upon serious consideration of the Matter and the great Inconveniencies that would arise to his Subject by so long a surcease of Justice he had resolved to make up a compleat nomination of the Lords of the Session and to have the Signet opened that Justice might have it's Course To which purpose he required and authorised his Privy Council to issue forth a Proclamation to certifie the People that the Sessions would sit at the Ordinary time being the first of November ensuing declaring withal that the Sessions should then sit and proceed in the Administration of Justice and for the dispatch of Processes renewed in His and the Queens name and that the Signet should be open at the same time for the expediting of all Summons and Writs in common Form By the same Letter the Privy Council were ordered to give notice to the Lords that had been formerly nominated whose Oaths had been taken by the Earl of Crawford by His Majesties special Order to give their Attendance for the passing Bills of Suspension and all other Bills according to the common Form And whereas Sir James Dalrimple President of the Colledge of Justice and Sir John Baird whom the King had restored to his place and Mr. Alexander Scomtown of Marsington had been tryed as to their Qualifications required by the Acts of Parliament and were accordingly admitted the Privy Council was therefore commanded to appoint them or any two of them to examine the Qualifications of the other persons nominated by His Majesty and to admit them if they found them qualified according to the Acts of Parliament In pursuance of this Letter a Proclamation was issued forth and the Lord Newbaith being called in before the Privy Council took the Oath of Allegiance as one of the Lords of the Session and at the same time both he the Lords Armstown Crossrig and Mersington were ordered to attend the passing the Bills of suspension and the Lords Newbaith and Mersington appointed to examine the rest of the Lords which had been nominated by the King So that in a few days before the end of October the number of the Lords of the Session was fully compleated and were The Lord Stairs President or Lord Chief Justice Lord Newbaith L. Mersington L. Holcraig L. Armstown L. Crossrig L. Arbruthel L. Philiplaugh Lord Fountain-Hall L. Phesdo L. Presmennen L. Ranhillor L. Anstrather L. Steenstown L. Revelrig About the Beginning of December ensuing the several Great Officers of State received their Commissions For the great Seal The Duke of Hamilton Earl of Argyle and Earl of Southerland For the Treasury The Earl of Crawford Earl of Cassils Earl of Tweddale Lord Ruthven Mr. of Melvin For the Privy Seal Lord Belhaven Master of Burleigh Sir Thomas Barnet of Leighs Laird of Parkhay The Earl of Lowthian was made Justice General or Supreme Judge of the Criminal Court The Laird of Cesnoch Lord Justice Clark or Assistant to the Justice General and Sir John Dalrimple was made Lord Advocate The Lords Aberuchel Rankillor Fountain-Hall Phesdo and Crossrigg were made Commissioners of the Kings Justiciary Which Court being opened the first time since the Revolution upon the Twenty seventh of January the Earl of Lowthian express'd himself in a Learned Speech to this effect In the first place by way of Excuse He acknowledged That when he considered the Hight Station wherein His Majesty had placed him the greatness and weight of the Affair and his own want of Experience and many other unfitnesses nothing so much assur'd him as to see such persons so eminent for their Abilities their Integrity and skill in the Laws and Constitutions of the Kingdom to be Assessors with him in the same Court That nothing could be of more Consequence toward the Establishment of the Crown the Peace and flourishing of the Nation and calming the Minds of the People than the Assurance of Impartial Justice which he was perswaded would by the choice of their Lordships have the desir'd Effects He desir'd not to make reflections upon past Miscarriages otherwise then as to be a Beacon to keep men from making Shipwrack upon the same Rocks That the Corruptions of Mankind did often compel Justice it self to incline more to severity then were to be wish'd yet that it ought
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.
THE HISTORY OF THE AFFAIRES OF SCOTLAND FROM The Restauration of King Charles the 2d in the year 1660. And of the late great Revolution in that Kingdom WITH A particular account of the Extraordinary Occurrences which hapned thereupon and the Transactions of the CONVENTION and PARLIAMENT to Midsomer 1690. With a full Account of the Settling of the Church Government there Together with the Act at Large for the Establishing of it Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Tho. Salusbury at the sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1690. TO THE Right Honourable JANE Countess of SUTHERLAND Madam IT was the Custom in former Ages when Offerings were made to various Deities that the Adorer made choice of that same Numen to which he thought his Oblation would be most Grateful The same reason encourages this Address to your Ladiship in hopes the Subject of it will be acceptable to a Personage so eminently fam'd for being so highly concerned in the late Miraculous Revolution and your assisting the Deliverance of these Oppressed Nations To you therefore Madam this Compendium appeals as an accomplished judge of Truth where ' ere you find it or in what ever dress 'T is true Madam the Present is but inconsiderable as is the Quality of the Presenter But Persons in your Station look down as well as upward Which if your Ladiship shall vouchsafe to do with an Eye of favour upon this unworthy Offering it is the chief Happiness aspir'd to by Madam Your Ladyships most faithful and most Humble Servant T. S. TO THE READER PRovidence over-rules all Things but never any Act of Providence so strange and so surprizing as the great Revolution that so lately happened in the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland A Revolution not to be parallel'd in History but seasonable to the British Monarchy the Glory whereof was almost brought to Ruine and Destruction Nor was it to be admired that the desire of such a Change should reach so far as Scotland where the causes were the same and the cries of Oppressions were no less loud then in England For it is too evident that all the Laws Priviledges and Rights of the Kingdom of Scotland had under the late Raigns been not onely encroached upon but subverted and Overthrown In regard that by the gradual enlargements of the Prerogative beyond what was allow'd by the Laws of the Constitution and the Statutes of the Realm the Legal and Regular Monarchy of the Nation was swell'd into an Arbitrary and Despotic Power So that all the Franchises and Rights which by Original Contracts and Subsequent Laws were reserved unto the People were either overthrown or precariously enjoy'd No wonder then it was that as well the Scots and the English sought for speedy Redress and to be freed as well from Spiritual Bondage as Temporal Slavery Which at length they obtained by the auspicious Conduct and Generous Advance of his Present Majesty to their Relief A Story certainly that cannot be otherwise then most grateful to Posterity as being accompanied with such Variety of circumstances such unparallel'd Success and the General Advantage of all Europe It was no easie Thing to reduce into Order a Chaos of Government so dismally mangled and confus'd which being so great a Work and brought to so much Perfection in so short a Time as it shews the Extraordinary Zeal and Prudence of the Artificers so did it no less magnifie the Influences that govern'd and directed all their Actions Insomuch that it may be said of the Most Illustrious King WILLIAM what Suetonius says of the Famous and Best of the Roman Emperours Vespasian Rebellione Trium Principum et caede incertum et quari vagum Imperium suscepit firmavitque Gens Nassovia Popery and Idolatry now droop and the Protestant Religion enjoys a general Freedom under a truly Protestant Defender Vnder whose Auspicious Government soon might these two Nations be happy had we not so many Disturbers of Israel amongst us though it was not well known what they repined and grumbled at till this late detection of complicated Conspiracy for the Restoration of Popery and Tyranny In short there has already an accompt been given of our deliverance in England This is a Prospect of the same Deliverance in Scotland the one no less conducible to be known then the Other especially to those who are desirous to observe the Coherences and Concatenations of Providence I will not say it is a structure embellished with the flourishes of Eloquence as being only designed for plainness and exactness wherein I may he bold to say that diligence has been observed as to compile it in the best manner and method that the Truth of Collection could any way claim as due to it And being laid upon so solid a foundation however it fares of it self it may serve to give Light to politer Pens when they shall be at leisure to be more accurate Though there is no question to be made but that many will be as willing to see the naked Rasters of a History as to view the covered Frame though Japanned over never so curiously The History of the Affairs and late Revolution in Scotland from the Year 1660. to this present Year 1690. WHEN Charles II. was restored in the Year 1660. to his ancient Dominions from which he had been for some time kept out by the Civil Wars the Joy was no less cordial and universal in Scotland then in England And it may be said the extraordinary favour of Heaven did so second the Constancy of the Scottish Nation 's Love to a Prince so long wish'd for that their great Persuasions of his singular Endowments without regard to the wary Cautions of scrupulous Prudence were the only measures of their Concessions They established his Prerogative to be absolute and uncontroulable in the choice of all Officers of State Counsellors and Judges and in and over all matters of Peace War Leagues Conventions and Parliaments with a distinct Exclusion of all Exceptions They added to his Revenue above double of what he formerly possessed They declared his ordering and disposal of Trade with Foreign Nations and the laying Restraints and Impositions upon Foreign Imported Commodities to belong to his Majesty and his Successors as an undoubted Prerogative of the Crown And that it might appear that they placed the Security of all their Interests more in the confidence of His Majesties Goodness than on the firmest provision of their best Laws tho' the Parliament in 1641. was held by King Charles I. then present in person and many Acts were there pass'd and subscribed by him for the setling their Religion and Liberties with all the Authority of Judgment that long and well-weigh'd Experience could furnish yet because their Luster seemed to be somewhat eclipsed by the harsh remembrance of some previous Contentions wherein it was their misfortune to have His Majesty differing from them at one blow they annull'd that Parliament and without any other reason
or distinction rescinded all its Proceedings Lastly to testifie their unparallel'd Submission and Resignation to the King's Pleasure and how that according to the usual Flattery of those times all that was dearest to them was to him surrendred although the Nation since its first restoration from Popery had in a manner continually oppos'd Prelacy and after having ejected it with the most rigid Exclusions had for many years enjoyed a Church Constitution and Ministry which at last was highly commendable for the advancing of true Knowledge and Piety and in the worst of Times appeared the fairest Bulwark of Monarchy yet out of compliance to the King's Will the Parliament consented and the People silently acquiesced in the unexpected overthrow of Presbytery and the re-establishment of Prelacy not that the consequences of the Alteration which afterward ensu'd were unforeseen but in short because that to a King so acceptable to them and to whom they had already given all things they could refuse nothing This was the Posture of Affairs in Scotland soon after the Restauration of Charles II. at what time the Earl of M. was the first who was honoured with the King's Commission wherein he bestirred himself with extraordinary vigour but over-hastning as the Cause is given and over-prizing his Work he render'd himself at length obnoxious so that upon the mutual Jealousies between the Duke tho then but Earl of L. whom he caus'd to be sentenc'd uncapable of publick Trust L. got the Advantage and managing it personally at Court by a crafty insinuation of the Earl of M's Disdain of his unworthy Practices which perhaps at that time were thought good Services at Court in a short time prevailed to M's Overthrow and shaping a course less obnoxious to Envy obtain'd his Commission to be given to the Earl of Rothes whom L. accompanied from Court into Scotland in order to concluding the Parliament then sitting In the last Sessions of which Parliament it was that by L's Industry an humble Tender was made of Twenty Thousand Foot and Two Thousand Horse to be in readiness as they should be call'd for by the King to march to any part of his Dominions of England Scotland or Ireland for the suppressing of any Foreign Invasion Intestin Trouble or Insurrection or for any other Service wherein the King's Honour Authority or Greatness might be concern'd which though it were look'd upon as too superfluous in the Expression and too suspitious in the Distinctions yet such was the Style and Humour of those times as easily shrowded it from particular notice But what L. who was the chief Contriver of it intended by it succeeding time sufficiently discover'd For now the Parliament being Dissolv'd the new-erected Bishops finding themselves so numerously guarded and Authoriz'd by the Laws so lately made drave on like Jehu's during the years 64 65 and 66. inforcing Conformity at such a rate that in all probability had not the Earl of Twedale and Sir Robert Murray stept in for the Relief of the oppressed Dissenters the whole Kingdom might have been reduced to great extremities through the Tumults excited and Tragedies acted in those years In the year 1669. L. himself was made the King's Commissioner a Grandeur which he had long aim'd at from the Date of which Commission the Scots are said to calculate the date of all the ensuing mischiefs that caus'd the same Revolution in that Kingdom as in England For having undertaken to make the King's Power Absolute and Arbitrary in Scotland he strain'd the Royal Prerogative to all the Excesses imaginable Coming therefore into Scotland he assum'd to himself a lawless Administration of Affairs which no doubt was readily granted him to exercise upon the large Promises he had made and apprehending more the controul of other Men's Officious medling then distrusting his own Abilities he took particular care and caution to make himself his Majesties Sole Informer as well as his Sole Secretary and by that means not only upon pretence of the King's Prerogative the Affairs of Scotland were dispos'd of in the Court of England without any notice taken of the King's Council in Scotland but strict Observation was also made of all Scottishmen that came to the English Court and to attempt an Addsess or Access to his Majesty otherwise then by L's means was to hazard his perpetual Resentment By these ways he made himself the only significant person of the whole Scottish Nation and in Scotland it self procured to himself that Sovereign Authority as to name the Privy Counsellors to place and remove the Lords of the Session and Exchequer to grant Gifts and Pensions to levy and disband Armies to appoint General Officers and to transact all matters of Importance as he thought good to advise and direct Nor was he less industrious in minding his own Business which was to inrich Himself his Kindred and Favorites and where the Law gave any stop the Kings Prerogative made way In all which as there is a necessity to make use of Force and Violence to which Law must of necessity yield those breaches of the Law were attended with most violent Oppressions of the People Monopolies and Rapes upon their Priviledges and other dreadful Miseries the Concomitants of Tyrannic Rule which occasioning loud Complaints without redress drive the Oppressed to Insurrection and Rebellion many times wish'd for by some Tyrants that they may have an opportunity to destroy Insomuch that the Rebellion which was quell'd at Bothwel-Bridge was deem'd to be a piece of L's Matchiavilianism having by his cruel Oppressions of those People drawn them to seek their own Redress to the end they might be ruin'd by their ill Success which the severity of their Persecution after the Defeat sufficiently justified In short The chiefest and most deserving Glories of L's Administration as they were represented to the King were Ignorant and insufficient Judges for the most part a light and base Coyn imposed upon the Nation Gifts of Wards and Marriages General Gifts of the Pains of Penal Statutes the Accumulation of Great Offices upon single Persons and those of no Merit Gifts of the Reversions of Offices Invasions upon Liberty and Property by the procuring of private Letters unnecessary long and frequent Adjournments of Parliament mismanagement and profusion of the Revenue and the excessive greatness of a State-Minister to the exclusion of all others from free Application to the King by some of which he did the Kings by others his own and his Friends Business tho the People suffered all this while But that which L. most valu'd himself upon was his obtaining a Confirmation of the Kings Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes within the Kingdom of Scotland and by vertue of that Act the ordering of the External Government and Policy of the Church as properly belonging to him and his Successors and the procuring a new Act of Militia ordaining that all Persons that should be therein enroll'd should be particularly reserv'd for that Employment and
always affectionate to the Royal Family and govern'd for many Ages by Laws made by the Authority of their Kings and of the Estates of Parliament and by common Customs is reduced to by endeavours that have been used to change the Constitution of the Monarchy Regulate by Laws into a a Despotick and Arbitrary Power which doth evidently appear not only by the actings of Evil Counsellors in Power but by the deliberate and express publick Declarations bearing that the King is an Absolute Monarch to whom Obedience ought to be given in all things without reserve thereby to make way to introduce what Religion they please without so much as the necessity of the Consent of the Nation by their Estates in Parliament Whilst We consider and ponder these things as We cannot but be touched with a tender Sense of those Miseries so the giving such Remedy to them as may be proper and may answer the expectation of all good Men and true Protestants is the great thing which We propose to our selves in this undertaking the Equity whereof will be justified to the World if what hath been acted at the instigation of those Evil Counsellors be further impartially weighed It is well known that the Laws Priviledges and Rights of the Kingdom have been overturned to the great prejudice of King and People whilst thus all Foundation of Confidence and Trust is removed And it is no less known what have been the arbitrary Procedures of an incroaching Privy Council for although by the Laws enacted by the Authority of King and Parliament it is expresly prohibited that the Popish Religion should be professed or Seminary Priests suffer'd within the Kingdom or that the Children of any Noblemen or Gentlemen should be sent'abroad to be Educated in Popish Colleges yet have these Evil Counsellors order'd or suffered young Noblemen to be taken from their Relations and to be sent abroad to be instructed in Jesuits Colleges and have likewise caused Schools to be erected under the conduct of Popish Priests and that in the Capital City of the Kingdom In an open contempt also of the known Laws of the Kingdom Papists are put into Places of highest Trust both Civil and Military and entrusted with all the Forts and Magazines The Rights and Privileges of the Royal Boroughs the third Estate of Parliament having as many Deputies in it as all the Shires in the Kingdom are taken away and they hindred in the free Election of their Magistrates and Town-Councils to the manifest Violation of their Charters Established by Law and immemorial Possession And all this is done by meer Arbitrary Power without any Citation Trial or Sentence And whereas no Nation whatsoever can subsist without the Administration of good and impartial Justice upon which Mens Lives and Liberties their Honours and Estates depend yet those Evil Counsellors have subjected these to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power having turned out Judges who by Law ought to continue during their Life or their good Behaviour because they would not conform themselves to their Intentions and put others in their Places who they believe would be more compliant and that without any regard to their Abilities by which it evidently appears that those Evil Counsellors design to render themselves the absolute Masters of the Lives Honors and Estates of the Subjects without being restrained by any Rule or Law By the influence of the same Evil Counsellors hath a most exorbitant Power been exercised in imposing Bonds and Oaths upon whole Shires without any Law or Act of Parliament in permitting Free Quarters to the Soldiers although they had a sufficient Establishment for their Pay whereby the Kingdom was doubly burthened without any redress in Imprisoning Gentlemen without any so much as alledged Reason forcing many to accuse and witness against themselves imposing arbitrary Fines frighting and harassing many parts of the Country with Intercommoning and Justice-Aires making some incur the forfeiture of Life and Fortune for the most general and harmless Converse even with their nearest Relations outlawed And thus bringing a Consternation upon a great part of the Kingdom which when Outlawries and Intercommonings went out against multitudes upon the slenderest pretexts was involved so Vniversally in that danger that those Counsellors themselves were so obnoxious as to find it necessary to have Pardons and Indemnities whilst the poor People were left to mercy impowring Officers and Soldiers to act upon the Subjects living in quiet and full peace the greatest Barbarities in destroying them by Hanging Shooting and Drowning them without any form of Law or respect to Age or Sex not giving some of them time to pray to God for mercy and this for no other reason because they would not answer or satisfie them in such Questions as they proposed to them without any Warrant of Law and against the common Interest of Mankind which frees all Men from being obliged to discover their secret thoughts Besides a great many other Violences and Oppressions to which that poor Nation hath been exposed without any hope of having an end put to them or to have relief from them And that the Arbitrary and Illegal Proceedings of those Evil Counsellors might be justified and supported such a Declaration hath been procured by them as strikes at the Root of the Government and overturns the most sacred Rights of it in making all Parliaments unnecessary and taking away all Defences of Religion Liberty and Property by an assumed and asserted Absolute Power to which Obedience is required without reserve which every good Christian is perswaded to be due to God Almighty alone all whose Commandments are always just and good These Evil Counsellors have used their utmost endeavours to abolish the Penal Laws excluding all who are Protestants from publick Trust which give too great a Check to their Designs For the accomplishing of this a Liberty hath been granted to Dissenters but such an one as that the continuance thereof is plainly insinuated to depend upon their hearty concurrence for Abolishing the above-mentioned Penal Laws the only Legal Defence of their Religion although the Dissenters have just cause of Distrust when they call to mind how some hundreds of their Ministers were driven out of their Churches without either Accusation or Citation The filling of many whole places with Ignorant and Scandalous Persons hath been one great occasion of all those Miseries which that Country for a long time hath groaned under And Dissenters have but small ground to rest on any present ease founded upon a Proclamation which may be recalled every hour and which in the first and second Editions of it gave no relief to them especially considering that not many Months before the greatest of the forementioned Severities and Barbarities had been exercised upon them But to crown all there are great and violent presumptions inducing us to believe that those Evil Counsellors in order to the carrying on of their ill Designs and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the
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
the whole Town-Council and Clerks contrary to their Liberties and Express Charters without the pretence either of Sentence Surrender or Consent and the Commissioners in Parliament being chosen by these Magistrates and Councils the King might in effect as well nominate that entire Estate of Parliament and many of the said Magistrates put in by him were avow'd Papists and the Burroughs forc'd to pay Money for Letters imposing these Illegal Magistrates upon them 14. By sending Letters to the Chief Courts of Justice not only ordering the Judges to stop and desist sine dic to determine Causes but also ordering them and Commanding them how to proceed in Causes depending before them contrary to the express Laws and by changing the Nature of the Judges Gifts ad vitam aut culpam and giving them Commissions ad bene placitum to dispose them to compliance with Arbitrary Courses and turning them out of their Offices when they did not comply and particularly those who in Parliament opposed the abrogating the Laws made for security of the Protestant Religion 15. By granting personal Protections of Civil Debts contrary to Law notwithstanding the Representation of the Privy Council to the contrary The said Reasons upon reading were debated one by one which being done the following Declaration as it was prepar'd and voted by the Grand Committee was also read to this effect That the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland did find and declare That King James the Seventh being a Profest Papist did assume the Royal Power and acted as King without ever taking the Oath requir'd by Law And had by the Advice of wicked and evil Counsellors invaded the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom and alter'd it from a Legal Limited Monarchy to an Absolute and Despotick Power and had exercis'd the same to the subversion of the Protestant Religion and the violation of the Laws and Liberties of the Nation inverting all the Ends of Government whereby he had forefaulted the Right of the Crown and the Throne was become Vacant The foregoing reasons and this Declaration being thus read and consider'd were approved by the whole Convention except Twelve of which number seven were Bishops being all that were present Which being done a Vote passed that an Act should be brought in by the Committee for settling the Crown upon William and Mary King and Queen of England and to consider the Terms of the Destination of the Heirs to the Crown as also to prepare an instrument of Government to be offered with the Crown for securing the people from the Grievances of the last Reigns When all the business of the day was over one of the Bishops offered to say Prayers according to Custom Upon which it was moved that King James being then no longer King of Scotland that the Bishop should be admonished not to pray for him at his peril Which the Bishop observing to avoid the incurring a penalty very discreetly said only the Lords Prayer and so the House adjourned The Convention having made this Progress the Grand Committee for settling the Government were ordered to proceed in perfecting the instrument which was set on foot for that purpose containing a Claim of the Peoples Rights and a Representation of such Grievances as were thought proper to be redressed In the mean time a Proclamation issued forth for the Declaring William and Mary King and Queen of England to be King and Queen of Scotland and accordingly upon the Eleventh of April the same day that they were Crowned in England they were Proclaimed at the Market-Cross in Edinborough with all the joy and sincerity that could be exprest The Proclamation ran in this Form WHereas the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland by their Act of the Date of these Presents have Resolved that William and Mary King and Queen of England France and Ireland be and be declared King and Queen of Scotland to hold the Crown of Royal Dignity of the said Kingdom of Scotland 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 Regal power be only in and exercised by the said King in the name of the said King and Queen during their Joynt Lives As also the Estates having Resolved and Enacted an Instrument of Government or Claim of Right to be presented with the offer of the Crown to the said King and Queen they do Statute and Ordain That William and Mary King and Queen of England France and Ireland be accordingly forthwith Proclaimed King and Queen of Scotland at the Market Cross of Edinborough by Lion King at Arms or his Deputy his Bretheren Heralds Macers Pursevants and at the head Burghs of all the Shires Stewarties Baillaries and Regalities within the Kingdom by Messengers at Arms. And because the States did not think it sufficient to Proclaim William and Mary King and Queen of Scotland unless the Authority of James the seventh were quite abolished in that Kingdom they put forth another Proclamation against the owning of the late King J. withall commanding public Prayers to be said for King William and Queen Mary to this effect That the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland having Proclaimed and Declared William and Mary King and Queen of England France and Ireland to be King and Queen of Scotland They have thought it also fit by publick Proclamation to certifie the Subjects̄ that none did presume to own or acknowledge the late King James the seventh for their King nor obey accept or assist any Commissions or Orders that might be emitted by him and that none did presume upon their highest peril by word writing in sermons or in any other manner or way to impugn or disown the Royal Authority of William and Mary King and Queen of Scotland But that all the people should render their dutiful obedience to their Majesties and that none should presume to misconsture the Proceedings of the Estates or to create jealousies or misapprehensions of the Actings of the Government but that all the Ministers of the Gospel within the Kingdom should publicly Pray for King William and Queen Mary as King and Queen of the Realm And the Estates did farther require the Ministers within the city of Edinborough to read the Proclamation publickly from their Pulpits upon the next Sunday being the 14th Instant at the end of their forenoons Sermon And the Ministers on this side of the river Tay to read the same upon the Sunday after that being the 21th instant and those be North Tay upon the 28th of April under the pain of being deprived and losing their Benefices Discharging withall the Proclamation of the Council dated Septemb. 16th 1686. to be read any more in Churches And the Estates did also farther prohibit and discharge any injury to be offered by any person whatsoever to any Minister of the Gospel either in Churches or Meeting Houses who were presently in the Possession and exercise of their ministry there they behaving themselves as
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
and as plain necessity and Reason had hitherto oblig'd the Convention to tread in their Footsteps so those Motives were at present most cogent for their continuance To this it was objected that the thing could not be done by Law seeing the Estates assembled in their own Right from absolute necessity and having already settl'd and surrender'd the Government they were defunct and dissolv'd and the King could no more turn the Meeting into a Parliament than he could at another time constitute a meeting of Men to be a Parliament without a lawful Summons and the Peoples Choice And moreover That Commissioners for Shires and Burroughs have onely their Commissions in the Meeting of the Estates and not in a Parliament And as for the Case of England that they had Presidents but Scotland had none To all which it was answer'd to begin with the last part first That Scotland had Englands practise for a President but that England it self had no President unless that of 1660. the lameest that ever was heard of for that there having been a Meeting call'd without the King and consisting only of a House of Commons when the King returned he added to it the House of Peers and turned it into a House of Peers without any Summons or other Formality And supposing that England might now alledge that for a President yet that Parliament 1660. had no President at all Secondly That it was true that the Estates by the surrender and settlement were defunct at least as to that point Yet what could possibly hinder why the Estates who had made so great a settlement That for to make all the work effectual King William should presently turn the Meeting into a Parliament For that certainly if the Estates had power as no doubt they had to mould and confer the Government as they had done they had power to do this also and indeed that they could not do it without a visible neglect especially seeing that as yet neither the Instrument nor the Commissioners were dispatched Thirdly Though this should be omitted yet the same reason of State and invincible Necessity the principal support of all their late proceedings did with the same force and Evidence require that the Meeting should be turn'd into a Parliament Fourthly That their could be no defect alledged for the Commissions for Shires and Burroughs but what would more strengthen the Argument against what was already done than against what was craved to be done But that in truth the Commissions were full enough beyond all exception Lastly There could be no Treaty about the Vnion without a Commission from King and Parliament So that unless the Treaty were turned into a Parliament the Treaty must for a long time be delay'd and postpon'd By the event it was evident that these Reasons overcame all Obstructions in this Affair for that within a few days after their Majesties had taken the Coronation Oath the King declared his pleasure for turning the Meeting of Estates into a Parliament and having nominated the Duke of Hamilton his Commissioner upon the last day of May sign'd his Commission And in regard that upon Their Majesties Acceptance of the Crown all Commissions Gifts and other Writs supscrib'd by the King were of necessity to be docketed and countersigned by the Secretary of State the King made choice of the Lord Melvil for that Office as being a Person that could never be induced to act in the former Raigns And in regard it was as necessary for him to have an Advocate he named Sir John Dalrimple one of three Commissioners for offer of the Crown to that Employment Moreover because as King of Scotland it was no less requisite for him to have a standing Privy Council His Majesty made choice of the following Persons to act in that High Station Prince G. of Denm D. of Hamilton Marq. of Douglass Marq. of Athol Earl of Drumlanrigg E. of Argyle E. of Crawford E. of Arrol E. of Marshal E. of Sutherland E. of Glencarn E. of Eglington E. of Cassels E. of Lowthian E. of Annandale E. of Tweddale E. of Leven Earl of Dundannald E. of Kintore Lord Yeasters L. Melvil L. Ross L. Cardross L. Carmichel L. Ruthen The Mast of Forbes The Mast of Melvil Sir James Dalrimple of Staire Sir John Dalrimple Sir John Melland Sir Hugh Campbil of Kaddal Skelmorley Polwart Laird of Grant The Privy Council thus chosen made it their first business to take care for the preservation of the Kingdom for the disturbance of which they had Intimation of several Machinations and Conspiracies Insomuch that about the beginning of June the Lord Tarbot's Son was seiz'd the Lord Levar and the Lord Dunmore committed to Custody with some Ladies also of Quality But while the Privy Council were thus prying into the secrets of these dark designs not being able to make any perfect discovery fifteen Men and two Women issued out of the Castle of Edinborough at that time not surrendred the Men having their Muskets Cockt and well charg'd with a brace of Bullets But they were all taken by the Guards that blockt up the Castle except one Woman that escap'd through the Noreloch and brought to the Duke of Hamilton About the Woman there was taken a Pacquet of Letters with many Keys and particularly the Keys of the outer Gate of the Castle and the Key of the Postern Gate Soon after the Woman that made her escape was also taken with a great many more Letters This seasonable discovery was of great Importance For thereby the Council came to understand who they were that were most deeply concern'd in the designs on foot for overturning the Government and the Methods and Instruments they made use of to bring it to pass Among the rest it was found out that many belonging to the Law were concerned and several of the Ministers that refused to pray for the King and the Queen Among the Ladies the Countess Dowager of Arrol was seized and brought up a Prisoner to Edinborough and committed upon this occasion A certain Messenger going in disguise like a Beggar to Viscount Stormont's House with a bag of Meal upon his Shoulders after he had passed several of the Centinels was at last stopped by one who putting his hand into the Bag among the Meal found several Letters and the sum of fifteen pound Sterling in Gold Those Letters discovered the Correspondent and her Orders for the distribution of the Gold among Dundee's Officers So that the Lady and the Gold were sent up to the Council who committed the Countess to prison and ordered the Gold to be employed for the Service of King William In the midst of these Transactions of the Council upon the 5th of June the Duke of Hamilton acquainted the States with his having a Commission sent him from the King to represent His Majesties person in the first Sessions of the Approaching Parliament and in reference to that particular briefly thus delivered himself That His Majesty had been
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
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
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
two hundred Firelocks which he had ordered at a convenient time to advance and fire briskly at that part of the Enemy that stood to secure the other pass on purpose to amuse them as if the whole Army was on that side coming to charge them the project was so well laid and so carefully executed that our Horse and Dragoons were upon them Pellmell before they perceived them so that being possest with a pannick fear they could make little or no resistance but turn'd their backs and fled in all the confusion imaginable However our Horse and Dragoons pursu'd them so effectually that they left above four hundred of them dead upon the spot and had totally destroyed them and put an end to their Rebellion if a thick Fog had not put an end to their pursuit General Buchan and Colonel Cannon their two famous Leaders were so heavily alarm'd that the first was glad to fly without so much as Sword Coat or Hat and the other without more complement took his leave in his Shirt nor had the Earl of Dumferling been better Accommodated but that by some accidental business he had removed and was called away to some other quarter the day before after our Armies return from the pursuit Colonel Levingstone received information that the Highlanders General Buchan had detach'd a small party with several Officers of experience under the Command of a Kinsman of his own and had given them Orders to possess themselves of an old Castle called Lethindey our Commander thought fit to have it reduced and forthwith Leading on his men he presently Beleaguered the same At the first appearance the Garrison seem'd enclined to a vigorous opposition but our Commander perceiving the ground proper presently lodg'd a Mine under the Wall which the Enemy understanding they presently beat a parley and surrender'd themselves at discretion to the Kings mercy 'T is hardly credible that in all this Action we had not one man of all our Army kill'd and not above four or five wounded and that but slightly neither we had about half a score Horses killed and this was all the dammage we sustained in an action so important we got all the Enemies Bag and Baggage their Provision and great part of it was in Claret Meal c. We took also the Standard which was to have been set up for the late King James a great many of the Prisoners were men of note amongst them the chief of them were these Captain Allen Maclean Captain John Maclean Lieutenant John Maclean Capt. Lieut. Cullo Lieut. Halliburton Lieut. Middleton Lieut. Shewell Lieut. Christian Lieut. Drummond Ensign Ray Ensign Dunbarr Ensign Macnaughton Capt. Hutcheons Lieut. Beard Capt. James Buchan Capt. Brown Lieut. Searcher Lieut. Braudy Lieut. Aughmouty Ensign Rose Some of these were taken in the fight others in the Castle of Lethindey they were all sent up by strong Guards to Edinburgh and plac'd in the Tollbooth and the Canigate This Defeat as it is by the best judgments believ'd has totally overthrown all the measures of the Rebels for this ensuing Campaign and indeed considering they were the choicest of their men and that they are in a rank despair of any seasonable supplies from Ireland It was thought this misfortune would put them on a necessity of complying with the Government and of living peaceably hereafter The greatest incouragement they had received of late was from the access of the Earl of Seaforth to them who had lately come from Ireland and made towards the North but neither his Interest on one hand to raise either men or money nor his personal ability on the other was of such significancy as to encourage them to any great perseverance The Highlanders of Scotland are a sort of wretches that have no other consideration of honour friendship obedience or Government then as by any alteration of affairs or revolution in the Government they can improve to themselves an opportunity of Robbing and plundering their bordering Neighbours If ther be any smack of religion amongst them 't is generally the Roman Catholick perswasion on which account any disaffected person that retired among them was something likely to work to an inclination of assisting the late King James however it seems the Earl of Seaforth did not meet with that encouragement and acceptance from them as he expected for after many Harangues and consultations he held with them upon his confident assurance that the late King was preparing nay had already ship'd for their assistance of men money provisions and ammunition together with the Duke of Berwick his son and other brave Officers after he had I say thought to decoy them with all these sweetning words and fine Stories one of the Ring-leaders among the Highlanders that had a little more sense than the rest boldly ask'd the Earl what was become of King William's Army and Fleet in the mean time these preparations were making and sending to them to which the Earl as foolishly as confidently reply'd that King William's Fleet were all block'd up in their Harbours by the French an imposition so gross that the Highlanders ridicul'd and disdain'd the impertinence and resented the abuse The Earl of Seaforth hereupon finding matters go very coldly for King James soon saw his errour and repented his undertaking and being willing to make the best of a bad market made what intercession he could by his friends to be received into the favour of the Government but as yet the Council or Parliament have determined nothing concerning him And now the Parliament were very earnestly applying themselves to the settling of the Church Government They had already passed an Act in a preceding Session of this Parliament for the abolishing of Prelacy and all Superiority of Church Officers above Presbyters this they did in pursuance of the claim of right at their Majesties first accession to the Crown of Scotland they now proceeded to an Act for the restoring those Presbyterians who since the first of January one thousand six hundred and sixty one had been thrust from their Churches the substance of the Act was this That whereas many Ministers of the Presbyterian perswasion since the year aforesaid had been for not conforming to Episcopacy or Prelacy and for not complying with the corruptions of the times either deprived of their Church and the benefits there hence accruing or banished their Native Countrey for the same Therefore their Majesties with advice and consent of the Estates of Parliament assembled ordain and appoint that all those Presbyterian Ministers aforesaid or as many of them as are yet surviving shall forthwith have free access to their several respective Churches that they may presently hereupon in their said Churches exercise their several spiritual functions and Offices in their said Parishes not needing any new call thereto and that they should enjoy and receive the whole for the year one thousand six hundred and eighty nine and shall forthwith enter into their several Churches where they be vacant