His Majesties Gracious LETTER to His Parliament of SCOTLAND . CHARLES R. My Lords and Gentlemen ,

OUR Inclination to embrace all Opportunities to express Our constant Care of , and affection to Our Ancient Kingdom , hath moved Us to Call You together at this time , to Advise with Us what may truly conduce to the Security and Interest thereof : And as We have ever judged Our Own and the Interests of Our Subjects to be unseparable , and such as would divide them , to be in their Hearts Enemies to Both ; ( Experience having sufficiently evinced , that all Invasions upon , or Diminutions of , the Rights and Prerogatives of Our Crown , prove fatal , and destructive to the Security and Property of Our People , which can only thereby be protected ) so are they then best managed and secured , when provided for by Unanimous Counsels and Joint Resolutions . And as it is one of Our greatest Satisfactions that We have been always careful of that Our Ancient Kingdom , with a Tenderness suitable to Our great Interest in it ; so when We remember the firm and dutiful Constancy which it hath always paid to the Royal Line and Family ; and that now it is your Interest as well as Duty to adhere unto it with Unshaken Loyalty as much as ever ; We cannot doubt of your Ready and Zealous Compliance at this time , with what shall be Proposed as fit for Our Service ; which can never be divided from the Happiness of Our People .

And since some ( corrupted with the Rebellious Principles of the Last Age , or the Blind Zeal of this ) have at first raised Schisms and Separation in the Church , and afterwards frequent Rebellions against Us ; We cannot but expect from your Prudent Consultations , effectual and adequate Remedies for curing these Violent Distempers at present , and preventing them for the future : And that you will not despise or connive at the smallest Appearances of these Wicked and Seditious Principles , which ( bow plausibly soever they may be disguised under the old Pretences and fallacious Masks of Liberty and Religion , which are ever least minded by the most Clamorous Pretenders to them ) yet in the Issue lead to such Monstrous Effects , and Rebellious Extravagances , as necessarily tend to the Dissolution of all Government ●nd Order : And of which you cannot chuse but be deeply sensible .

This being once effectually done , We may reasonably hope that Our Government in Church and State , as by Law presently Established , shall receive its due Reverence and Obedience , and that all Our good Subjects shall be preserved in Peace , T●anquility and Happiness . For promoting these Great Ends , so necessary to the securing the Protestant Religion , Our Authority and Government , and the Common Interest of Our People , by your Joint Advice , who are so much concerned ; and for Enacting of such laws as Experience hath discovered to be wanting for distribution of Justice in several Cases , which have emerged since Our last Parliament , We have called This ; and as an Eminent Expression of Our Favour to You , have named Our most Dear and most Entirely Beloved Brother JAMES Duke of Albany and York , &c. to be Our Commissioner therein , whom We have found so Affectionate to You , and to whom You have testified so much Duty during His long stay amongst You , which have enabled Him so well to understand the Affairs and Interest of that Our Ancient Kingdom . And since His Interest is so unseparable from Ours , We shall not doubt of Your Ready and Chearful Concurrence to render His Endeavours amongst You successful for securing Our Government , and your own Peace and Happiness . By doing whereof you will answer the entire Considence We have in your Prudence and Loyalty ; and so We bid you heartily Farewel .

Given at Our Court at Windsor-Castle , the 12th Day of July , 1681. and of Our Reign the 33th Year . By His Majesties Command . MORRAY .

The Speech of His Royal Highness the Duke , His Majesties High Commissioner , at the Opening of the Parliament at Edenburg , the 28th Day of July , 1681. My Lords and Gentlemen ,

AS I have had the Honour to Serve His Majesty in other Capacities , so I esteem it a great Honour and Happiness , that he hath been pleased to make Choice of Me to serve Him as His Commissioner in this His Ancient Kingdom ; Since it shows to all the World , the Goodness He hath for Me , as well as the Trust and Confidence He hath in Me , and puts Me not only in a Capacity of serving Him as becomes a Dutiful and Loyal Subject , but also gives Me the Opportunity of letting You all see , the real Concern I have for the Good of this Country , and My readiness to serve it , and promote its true Interests .

I do not doubt but that this will be a happy Meeting , and end to the Satisfaction of His Majesty , and all His Loyal Subjects ; which I say with the greater Confidence , having now been so long amongst You , and found so great a Readiness in all of You for the Advancing of His Majesties Service .

You have heard in His Majesties Gracious Letter , the Reasons of his Calling you together at this time , and what He doth , and may , expect from this His Ancient Kingdom ; of whose Loyalty and Affection to His Service , He doth in no manner doubt .

He hath commanded Me to assure You , That He will inviolably Maintain and Protect the Protestant Religion , as now Established by Law in this His Kingdom ; and that He will upon the same Account , Protect and Maintain the Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops , and Bishops , and will take their Persons , and all other their Concerns into His Royal Care and Protection : And doth seriously recommend to You , to fall upon Effectual Courses , for Suppressing those Seditious and Rebellious Coventicles , from whence proceed all Disorder and Confusion , and those Horrid and Extravagant Doctrines , which are a Scandal to Christianity , and a Subversion of all Publick and Private Interests .

I am also to Declare to You in His Majesties Name , that it 〈◇〉 and was always His Intention , that Law should have its due Course , for the Security of His Subjects Properties and Rights ; and that He will always discountenance all Courses contrary to , and inconsistent with the Laws of this Kingdom ; none being so much concerned for their due Observance as Himself .

And now He doth expect You will not be short of the Loyalty of your Ancestors , in vigorously asserting and clearing His Royal Prerogative , and in declaring the Rights of His Crown in its Natural and Legal course of Descent ▪ and that You will take Care to settle and provide such seasonable and necessary Supplies , which the Support and Interest of His Government call for and require .

And now I hope , that as the Councel have already begun to do their parts to promote the Trade of this Kingdom , that You will also do Yours , that at may Flourish .

My Lords and Gentlemen , A● the Inclination I h●d to serve and promote the Interest of 〈◇〉 Kingdom hath been the chief Inducement to His Majesty to ●ive Me thi● Opportunity to convince You of it , 〈…〉 may 〈…〉 do what becomes Me to satisfie You o● 〈…〉 th and I hope you will have that Consideration and Kindness for Me , as to enable Me to perform His Service .

The Parliaments most Loyal and Dutiful Answer to His Majesties Letter . May it please Your Sacred Majesty ,

THe manifold sad Experiences of the fatal Mischiefs and Calamities which attend Rebellions , must needs in due proportion , dispose all Your Majesties Subjects to higher measures of Loyalty , more particularly Us in this Your Ancient Kingdom ; being sensible that as we have a more special interest in Your Majesties Sacred Person and Family , so must we inevitably share the more deeply in all the Inconveniencies which may disturb or subvert Your Royal Government : And therefore as by our Allegiance we own it our Duty to be Obedient and Loyal to Your Majesty , and your Lawful Heirs and Successors , so Your Majesties extraordinary Kindness to such as have continued in their Duty , and Your wonderful Clemency ( by Your repeated Indemnities ) to such as have fallen from it , cannot but kindle in us strong and ardent desires to serve Your Majesty with all the Courage and Alacrity of which we are capable , and to let Your other Kingdoms and all the World see , that we esteem our Lives and Fortunes to be best employed in maintaining of the just Rights and Prerogatives of your Majesties Crown and Monarchy ; the Native Succession whereof cannot be invaded without the utter Subversion of the Fundamental Laws of this your Majesties Ancient Kingdom : And this our Loyalty we esteem our alone Security to avoid those Confusions and that Slavery which distracted and ruined us in the last Age , and seemeth to threaten us so apparently in this .

SIR , Though some Rebellious and deluded People have disturbed your Majesties Government here , yet their Principles are so extravagant , and so few Persons of any Note or Quality are engaged with them , that we may justly hope their Crimes cannot be imputed to this Kingdom , whose Representatives in this your Majesties Parliament will , no less for their Vindication as to what is past , than for their own Security for the time coming , che●●fully provide suitable and sufficient Remedies ; all of us being very sensible that those Distractions and Disorders would in the issue tend to the Dissolution , not only of your Majesties Government in Church and State , as the same is by Law Established , but even of all Humane Society .

It is a great satisfaction to us , to find Your Majesty so concerned for the Protestant Religion , not only in your Gracious Letter to us , but in the whole Conduct of your Royal Government ; and we shall with all Christian Care and Duty , endeavour to confirm it , so as it may become a solid and pious Support to your Royal Family and Monarchy , and a sure Fence in this disturbed and divided Church , against all the Usurpations and Disorders of Popery and Phanatischim ; that so for the future the pretence of its Insecurity may not be made ( as formerly ) an Engine for carrying on disloyal Designs and Practices

We offer our most humble and hearty Thanks to Your most Sacred Majesty for calling us together at this time , to consult joyntly the Interests of your Majesties Government , and of your Subjects in this your Ancient Kingdom , which we trust shall never be divided : And therefore as the Prerogatives and just Rights of the Monarchy , are absolutely necessary for the defence of our Properties and Liberties , so in pursuance of our own Interest , and for further clearing of our Duty and Allegiance by positive Laws , we shall not fail to declare our humble and hearty Acknowledgments of the just Rights and Prerogatives of your Imperial Crown in its Just , Native and Lineal Course of Descent , and to secure the just Rights and Liberties of your Subjects , so as may fully demonstrate our unalterable Resolutions never to depart from our Duty to your Royal Family , and your Lawful Heirs and Successors , to whom we are tied by so many sacred Obligations

We do also with all humble gratitude acknowledg , the Grace and Honour done to this Kingdom , in naming Your Royal Brother to be your Majesties High Commissioner in this present Parliament ; and indeed the beholding a Son of our Ancient Monarchs ( under whom we and our Ancestors have been so long and happily Governed ) in this Character , doth vigorously awaken in us the remembrance of our native Kindness and Obligation , as his just Temper and steady Equality in all our Concerns , cannot but extinguish in us all fears and jealousies of Severity or Partiality , his Interest being inseperable from your Majesties , and he being well acquainted with all our Concerns , and so affectionate to and careful of them , your Majesty may justly expect from a Parliament under the Conduct of such a Commissioner , all that can be judged necessary for the Honour and Support of your Royal Government and Authority , and for securing the just Rights and Liberties of your Subjects ; and that , with all the Loyalty , Readiness , and Sincerity which can be expressed by Us.

Edenburg , the 1st of August . 1681. Signed in Name and by Order of the Parliament , By Your Majesties most Humble , most Faithful , and most Obedient Subject and Servant , ATHOL , J. P. D. Par .