THE
SPEECH
OF
HIS
GRACE
THE
Earle
of
Lauderdale
,
His
Majesties
High-Commissioner
For
the
PARLIAMENT
OF
SCOTLAND
.
My
Lords
and
Gentlemen
,
BY
the
Authority
of
the
King
,
and
His
special
Command
you
are
here
assembled
in
His
high
Court
of
Parliament
.
You
have
heard
His
royal
Intentions
under
His
own
hand
,
with
the
chief
Reasons
of
His
calling
you
together
.
You
have
heard
His
most
gracious
Expressions
of
His
kindnesse
to
His
Subjects
in
this
His
ancient
Kingdom
,
and
His
Confidence
of
You
their
Representatives
;
And
I
shall
as
shortly
as
I
can
acquaint
you
with
what
I
have
further
in
command
from
my
Master
to
say
in
His
Name
at
the
opening
of
this
His
Parliament
.
And
first
I
am
to
assure
You
of
His
Majesties
constant
and
unalterable
Zeal
,
for
maintaining
and
defending
the
true
Reformed
Protestant
Religion
in
this
His
Kingdom
,
for
which
he
will
constantly
lay
out
His
whole
Power
and
Authority
,
as
also
for
discouraging
and
punishing
all
Atheism
and
Profanities
,
and
all
that
is
contrary
to
true
Religion
and
Godliness
.
I
am
further
particularly
commanded
to
assure
You
,
That
with
no
less
Zeal
and
Constancie
He
will
maintain
and
defend
the
antient
Government
by
Archbishops
and
Bishops
,
as
now
it
is
happily
settled
,
as
a
sure
fence
for
the
true
Reformed
Protestant
Religion
,
A
Government
most
suteable
to
Monarchy
;
and
well
may
I
call
it
Antient
,
for
whoever
will
look
into
Antiquity
shall
find
Episcopal
Government
hath
continued
in
the
whole
Catholick
Church
both
East
and
West
,
even
from
the
most
Primitive
and
Apostolick
Times
:
I
shal
not
insist
on
the
sad
Calamities
and
Confusions
which
the
violent
and
rebellious
endeavours
to
overturn
this
Government
produced
in
this
Kingdom
;
His
Majesties
gracious
Act
of
Pardon
and
Oblivion
forbids
the
ripping
up
those
sores
which
His
own
Royal
hand
hath
cured
,
and
long
may
they
be
buried
in
Oblivion
:
Yet
sure
I
am
,
the
reflections
on
those
dismal
days
ought
to
raise
no
less
Zeal
in
the
Parliament
,
and
in
all
good
Subjects
for
the
maintaining
of
that
Government
as
now
it
is
happily
settled
:
For
,
in
his
Majesties
Name
and
by
His
special
command
I
do
assure
You
,
He
will
imploy
His
utmost
power
in
the
maintenance
of
that
Government
,
and
will
protect
the
persons
of
my
Lords
the
Archbishops
and
Bishops
,
and
of
the
Loyal
,
Orthodox
and
peaceable
Clergy
in
the
exercise
of
their
functions
:
He
will
not
endure
those
numerous
and
unlawfull
Conventicles
which
tend
to
Sedition
and
Schism
,
which
have
been
too
frequent
in
some
few
Shires
of
this
Kingdome
:
Good
Laws
have
been
made
;
and
in
prosecution
of
those
Laws
,
the
Lords
of
His
Majesties
Privy
Council
have
shown
their
care
for
suppressing
those
seditious
Assemblies
;
Yea
,
and
of
late
His
Majesty
has
graciously
indulged
the
planting
of
some
who
were
esteemed
peaceable
men
,
in
vacant
Churches
(
though
they
came
not
up
to
the
rules
establisht
.
)
It
will
be
expected
that
they
walk
worthy
of
so
great
a
favour
:
But
if
after
this
removal
of
the
very
pretence
of
unlawful
Conventicles
any
factious
people
shal
in
contempt
of
His
Majesties
Laws
yea
,
&
His
indulence
also
,
seditiously
Assemble
themselves
under
pretence
of
Religious
Worship
,
His
Majesty
doth
Require
His
Parliament
,
and
all
in
Authority
under
Him
vigorously
to
suppress
such
Meetings
,
and
to
bring
the
pretended
Preachers
,
and
the
Ring-leaders
of
such
unlawful
Assemblies
,
to
condign
and
exemplary
punishment
.
In
the
next
Place
,
I
am
commanded
to
let
you
know
,
That
I
am
sufficiently
Instructed
to
give
His
Majesties
Royal
Assent
to
such
Laws
as
shall
be
prepared
in
this
Parliament
,
for
the
constant
Peace
and
welfare
of
this
Church
,
and
of
the
Kingdom
in
all
its
Relations
:
But
the
chief
Occasion
of
calling
this
Parliament
,
is
the
prosecution
of
that
great
&
glorious
Design
of
bringing
His
Kingdoms
of
Scotland
and
England
to
a
stricter
&
nearer
Union
.
This
Design
was
begun
by
His
Royal
Grandfather
of
blessed
Memory
,
who
went
so
far
on
towards
this
great
VVork
,
that
in
the
first
year
of
His
Reign
over
Great
Brittain
,
King
James
named
Commissioners
for
this
Kingdom
,
who
by
Act
of
Parliament
were
authorized
to
Treat
and
Consult
with
Commissioners
for
the
Kingdom
of
England
,
concerning
such
an
Union
:
And
in
pursuance
of
their
Treaty
,
Acts
were
made
for
the
Repealing
of
Hostile
Laws
,
and
the
utter
abolition
of
all
memory
of
Hostility
between
the
two
Nations
:
And
in
the
Seventh
year
of
His
Reign
,
it
was
,
by
the
Judges
of
all
the
Courts
of
Westminster-Hall
in
England
,
solemnly
adjudged
,
in
the
Case
of
the
Post-nati
,
that
those
who
after
the
Descent
of
the
Crown
of
England
to
King
James
,
were
born
in
Scotland
were
no
Aliens
in
England
,
and
consequently
were
capable
,
not
only
of
Land
,
but
of
all
other
Immunities
,
as
if
they
had
been
born
in
England
,
so
much
was
done
in
King
James
his
time
.
And
the
occasions
of
His
Majesties
Resolutions
to
prosecute
this
great
Work
,
were
these
Complaints
having
been
made
to
His
Majesty
,
That
since
the
25th
day
of
March
,
in
the
Twelfth
year
of
His
Reign
,
new
duties
were
imposed
in
England
upon
divers
Commodities
of
the
growth
,
production
,
and
manufacture
of
Scotland
,
and
incapacities
laid
upon
the
Subjects
of
Scotland
:
It
pleased
the
King
to
appoint
divers
Meetings
upon
this
Matter
,
though
without
Success
:
whereupon
the
late
Parliament
of
this
Kingdom
imposed
,
in
their
third
Session
Ann.
1663.
great
Duties
upon
the
Commodities
of
the
growth
,
production
,
or
manufacture
of
England
,
which
by
His
Majesties
Command
were
suspended
,
and
have
not
been
exacted
,
though
the
Duties
in
England
still
continue
;
and
upon
His
Majesties
recommendation
to
the
Parliament
of
England
,
an
act
was
lately
made
for
setling
freedom
and
intercourse
of
Trade
between
the
two
Kingdomes
:
Whereupon
Commissioners
were
nominated
and
appointed
by
His
Majesty
for
both
Kingdoms
to
Treat
upon
that
Affair
,
who
had
many
Meetings
,
but
produced
no
effect
,
unlesse
it
were
a
conviction
of
the
Difficultie
,
if
not
impossibility
of
setling
it
in
any
other
way
,
then
by
a
nearer
and
more
compleat
Union
of
the
two
Kingdoms
.
His
Majesty
is
fully
perswaded
that
nothing
can
tend
more
to
the
good
and
security
of
both
Nations
,
than
such
an
Union
.
And
finding
that
in
His
Royal
Grandfathers
time
,
so
great
an
advance
was
made
toward
this
Union
,
and
that
the
continuance
under
the
same
Obedience
for
near
70
years
,
having
begotten
the
same
common
Friends
and
common
Enemies
to
;
both
Nations
,
and
taken
off
a
great
part
of
those
Difficulties
,
which
at
the
first
(
notwithstanding
the
Union
in
Obedience
to
One
Soveraign
)
stood
in
the
way
.
His
Majesty
well
hopes
,
that
what
is
yet
wanting
to
the
perfecting
of
it
,
may
be
now
accomplish'd
,
and
therefore
,
in
His
Majesties
Name
,
I
do
most
heartily
recommend
this
great
work
unto
you
;
and
I
doubt
not
,
but
you
will
speedily
send
such
an
humble
Answer
to
His
Majesties
most
gracious
Letter
as
may
witnesse
how
well
grounded
that
confidence
is
,
which
His
Majesty
hath
expressed
of
you
.
This
day
the
Parliament
of
England
meets
,
and
the
King
will
both
Himself
and
by
His
Lord
Keeper
make
the
like
Proposals
(
as
to
the
Union
)
unto
both
Houses
:
And
I
am
confident
,
that
Loyal
Parliament
,
who
have
all
along
given
such
ample
Testimonies
of
their
Duty
and
Affection
to
His
Majesty
,
will
upon
this
Occasion
make
a
suitable
Return
to
His
Proposals
.
What
is
farther
to
be
proposed
upon
this
Matter
,
shall
be
offered
at
your
next
dayes
Meeting
:
and
the
King
doubts
not
but
that
after
the
meeting
of
Commissioners
for
both
Kingdoms
,
those
things
will
be
tendered
to
your
consideration
,
in
order
to
the
Union
,
as
shal
tend
to
the
Honour
of
His
Majesty
,
and
the
common
good
of
all
His
Subjects
.
These
things
I
was
commanded
,
before
I
came
away
from
His
Majesty
to
acquaint
you
with
,
and
I
have
since
,
upon
another
Occasion
,
received
an
order
in
writing
bearing
date
the
7th
of
this
Moneth
;
by
which
I
am
again
commanded
,
amply
to
declare
His
Majesties
unchangeable
Resolution
to
maintain
Episcopal
Government
in
the
Church
.
So
having
begun
and
ended
with
this
Declaration
,
I
hope
both
the
groundlesse
Jealousies
on
the
one
hand
,
and
the
vain
and
idle
hopes
on
the
other
shall
be
at
an
end
.
FINIS
.
THE
ANSWER
OF
THE
Parliament
of
Scotland
,
TO
His
Majesties
Gracious
LETTER
.
Most
Sacred
SOVERAIGN
,
THe
Goodness
of
God
,
in
Restoring
YOUR
MAjESTY
to
Your
Government
,
and
thereby
this
your
Antient
Kingdome
to
its
former
Liberty
and
peace
,
Hath
been
,
and
wil
ever
,
with
all
Humble
Duty
and
Thankfulness
,
be
Acknowledged
,
as
the
greatest
Blessing
we
are
Capable
of
in
this
World
.
And
,
the
Many
Singular
and
Renewed
Testimonies
this
Kingdom
hath
since
met
with
,
of
Your
Fatherly
Care
,
Kindness
,
and
Zeal
,
to
Promove
its
Welfare
and
Happiness
in
all
its
Concernes
,
have
7s
;
o
engaged
the
Hearts
and
Affections
of
Your
Subjects
,
That
We
can
with
confidence
Assure
Your
Majesty
of
a
Chearfull
Concurrence
from
this
Kingdom
in
Every
Thing
may
Tend
to
Your
Majesties
Honour
,
or
the
Good
of
Your
People
.
We
do
,
with
the
Like
Duty
and
Thankfulness
,
Acknowledge
Your
Majesties
Grace
and
Goodness
,
in
Your
desires
to
render
this
Island
more
happy
then
ever
it
was
in
former
Times
by
Setling
among
Your
good
Subjects
within
the
same
,
such
a
Mutual
Affection
,
as
may
endure
to
all
Posterity
.
And
,
since
the
Bringing
of
Your
Two
Kingdomes
of
Scotland
and
England
to
as
Close
and
strict
an
Union
as
is
possible
,
is
the
Mean
Your
Majesty
Proposes
:
For
Effectuating
thereof
,
We
shall
be
ready
to
Give
Our
Hearty-Concurrence
therein
:
And
in
Order
thereunto
are
willing
that
Commissioners
be
Appointed
for
this
Kingdom
,
to
Treat
with
such
as
shall
be
Employed
for
the
Kingdom
of
England
,
upon
the
Grounds
and
Conditions
of
this
Union
:
Reserving
alwayes
to
the
Parliament
,
Tu
whom
the
Resolution
of
these
Commissioners
are
to
be
Return●d
,
the
Consideration
thereof
,
and
the
Allowing
or
Disallowing
of
the
same
,
as
They
shal
judge
fit
.
And
,
in
Confidence
of
Your
Majesties
most
Excellent
Judgment
,
and
Great
Affection
in
all
things
Relating
to
the
Happinesse
of
Your
People
,
whereof
this
Kingdom
hath
already
had
so
many
Signal
Proofs
;
We
do
Freely
and
Heartily
offer
to
Your
Majesty
the
Nomination
of
the
Persons
to
Treat
for
this
Kingdom
,
with
the
Appointing
of
their
Number
,
Quorum
,
Time
and
Place
of
their
Meeting
:
And
,
upon
signification
of
Your
Majesties
Pleasure
therein
,
We
shall
give
such
Commissions
and
Orders
for
Promoving
of
the
Treaty
,
as
(
Reserving
the
Full
Determination
of
all
to
the
Parliament
,
as
aforesaid
)
shall
Witness
Our
Cheerful
Complyance
with
Your
Majesties
Desires
.
The
Earl
of
Lauderdale
,
whom
Your
Majesty
,
to
the
great
Satisfaction
of
Your
People
,
and
Interest
of
Your
Service
,
has
been
pleased
to
Authorize
as
Your
Commissioner
,
Hath
,
in
Your
Majesties
Name
Renewed
to
Us
the
Assurances
of
Your
Majesties
Care
and
Respect
,
to
the
good
of
this
Your
Antient
Kingdom
:
For
which
We
do
Humbly
Return
to
Your
Majesty
the
Offer
of
Our
Lives
and
Fortunes
,
for
the
advancement
of
Your
Majesties
Honor
and
Greatness
,
and
maintenance
of
Your
Royal
Authority
and
Government
:
And
in
every
thing
shall
be
proposed
by
Him
,
We
shall
not
only
give
Credit
as
to
Your
Commissioner
,
but
also
such
Cheerfull
and
ready
Obedience
,
as
may
Evidence
to
the
World
the
Loyalty
of
Our
Hearts
:
And
in
Testimony
hereof
,
These
Presents
are
by
Warrant
,
and
in
Name
of
Your
Parliament
,
Signed
by
Most
Sacred
SOVERAIGN
,
Your
MAJESTIES
Most
Faithfull
,
Most
Obedient
,
and
Most
Humble
Subject
and
Servant
,
ROTHES
,
CANCELL
.
in
Praesentia
Dominorum
Parliamenti
.
Edinburgh
,
22
Octob.
1669.
FINIS
.