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
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
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
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
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