such Governments and that the happiness of a State consists not in the Greatness and Extent of its Bounds and Empire but in its Internal order and Tranquillity Eleventhly As to the great publick inconveniencies of a Monarchs turning a Tyrant It is observable First That the marks of a Tyrant are so variously and dubiously given by the enemies of Monarchy that it is very hard for the most Ingenious much more for the Vulgar to determine where any Governour deserves this odious Character 2dly If every man would industriously imploy himself in the proper business of his own calling and capacity there would be little time and less occasion for these unprofitable Inquiries into the Councils and Actions of Princes which of necessity must be kept more closs and mysterious then these of private men And yet we see how lyable these are to be often and greatly misrepresented 3dly Tho there is no shadow of true reason to imagine that Monarchs are accomptable to their Subjects for their Administration which is an Errour no less absurd an accomptable Monarch being an inferior Supreme then it is pernicious both in Government and Religion Yet Princes cannot but remember that as Subjects are accountable to their Soveraign and Superior So Monarchs are to theirs the Great GOD and Governour of the World by whom Kings reign and against whom only they sin 4ly We cannot fancy very few Monarchs so void of common sense as not to understand that their Honour and safty does depend on the happiness and prosperity of their Subjects so it is next too impossible that they can design their general hurt and oppression 5ly When some Severities actually happen which are generally lookt upon as excesses of Government they are never so heavy in Nature nor so Universal in their Extent and Duration as the dreadful Calamities of Civil War which is the common cause of the frailtie and mortality of Empires and which is thus always so unluckie as to produce the same and more and greater Evils then are pretended to be feared or suffered from the Lawful Superior and whoever by his fears discontents and grievances will needs disturb the Government or would circumscribe it must asurdly suspect himself to a power which he must acknowledge to be greater otherways he cannot dream how he can set Limits to the former But lastly which is a sufficient answer when it is asked what if a Monatch abuse the Power neglect the dictates or Laws of his Kingdom we ask the enemies of Monarchie what if in their forms of Government the Major part or Respresentatives and Trusties of the People do the same If they say that these can be resisted or judged by the rest then it seems very evident that there can be no Government at all or at least none that can be promised to be of a weeks continuance if these cannot be justly opposed or resisted then it is clear that the difficultie proposed is at least equal in all forms of Government but that it is greater on the Re-publicans side we are able to bring from impartial History many more example of Popular Governments generaly vitiated or in which avaritious irreligious and licentious Men have had the whole swey then can be produced of wicked Monarchs And this one matter of Fact being true is enough to destroy all the empty Objections of the Enemies of Monarchie as to that case of the Alteration of Civil Laws besides that these have no force nor obligation but what they intirely derive from the Soveraign And we are by all the Rules of Discretion and Charity to suppose that when ever there happens any change in any of them it is intended for the better and for the more general convenience of which the Soveraign always is Judge who ever thinks the perpetuity of Laws an advantage to a State or Society most have the less esteem of Popular Government when after examination ye shall find that never was there a greater number of partial and ridiculous constitutions never more frequent abrogations vicissrudes and changes of Laws then in the Roman Athenian and such other Republicks which has given occasion to that remark of some Lawyers That any considerable alteration in the Civil Laws cannot be expected in Monarchies in less then the Revolution of 30 years generally speaking but in the Popular Governments with every Callends of January Twelfthly From what has been said in the general concerning Monarchy it is easie to observe that these Monarchies are most perfect which are Hereditary Being in their Nature of the most equable Stability for seeing every Successor in such a Series has a full right to the intire Soveraignity This Right can never prescribe or be diminished And tho the Wisdom of the most Absolute Monarchies is in all Ages thought to use several Methods and Forms of Consulting their Subjects in the great and weighty Affairs of the Government yet no Concession whatsoever to subjects no custom be it never so long of imploying them or any number of them for private or more solemn Counsels or in administration of Justice can Allienat any part or making any shares of the Supreme Authority the Society may also Reasonably expect the greatest care and sincerest love from Hereditary Princes who considering the Government and Society as their Property and Inheritance will watch over it with the more dilligent and circumspect exactness that they may transmit it in the more secure and flourishing condition to their posterity Thriteenthly And now in the last place what is the fixed and established Government of this ancient Kingdom we cannot explain or assert in words more clear and comprehensive then these In which at several times and different occasions the Subjects of this Realm have solemnly sworn either inviolable fidelity and allegiance and in which the Representatives of the Body of this Nation in their most solemn and lawful Convocations have openly declared to the World the unquestionable Rights of this Monorchical Government in these it is solemnly owned and acknowledged for Subjects give no Prerogative but assert them in several publick Oaths and Declarations that the Kings Majesty is the alone Supreme Governour of this Kingdom and above all Persons in it whatsomever that he is a free Prince of a Soveraign Power having as great Liberties and Prerogatives as any other King Prince or Potentate whatsomever that his Majesty is a Soveraign Monarch Absolute Prince Judge and Governour over all Persons Estates and Causes in this Realm That the Kings sacred Majesty and his Heirs and Successors for ever hold the Royal Power from God Almighty over this Kingdom And that there are great Obligations from the Laws of GOD the Laws of Nations the Municipal Laws of the Land and Oath of Allegiance to maintain and defend the Soveraign Power and Authoritie of the Kings Majesty and that sad consequences do accompany any incroachments upon or diminitions thereof they acknowledge the great happiness that this Kingdom hath for many Ages
enjoyed under the Princely Government of their Royal Kings who by the special blessing of Almighty God have reigned over them in so long and unparalelled a Series of Royal Discents and the Obligations thereby lying on them in Conscience Honour and Gratitude to own and assert the Royal Prerogatives of the Imperial Crown of this Kingdom which the Kings Majesty holds from God Almighty alone and to vindicate the same from all Invasions made upon it that all Government and Jurisdiction within his Majesties Ancient Kingdom does Originally recide in his Sacred Majestys Lawful Heirs Successors and it being impossible to invent any surer way of knowing the Government of any Kingdom who e're impartially considers these with many such other Declarations whereof some have been made when any doubt arose concerning any particular of the Royal Prerogatives and some after a sad experience of the fatal consequences of Sacrilegious Invasions upon them and all to express the publick sense of the Nation concerning the rights of their Sacred Soveraign Who ever take notice that our Kings have ever been the Fountain of Civil Justice making Laws of Universal unquestioned Obligation on all the Subjects sometimes by themselves alone sometime by the Advice and consent of their Barrons sometimes of their Earls sometimes of their Prelats and sometimes of their Representatives of the Generality of their Subjects which have been assembled by their Authority and are in these Laws frequently called their great Council or Parliament And in a Word who ever considers the whole threed of our free and unbaysed History cannot but be convinced how clear and certain it is if it be possible for words clearly to express any thing That this ancient Government is properly Monarchical And that in the Sacred Person of our King is lodged the Supreme Power and Authority with all these inviolable Rights and Prerogatives which belongs to the intire Soveraignity Fourtenthly In Buchannan who has been justly called a reproach as well as any Ornament of our Country we admire the empty loosnes of his reasoning no less then we do the purity of his Latine his frothie Dialogue is an instance how farr Malice Passion and mistaken interest can lead men out of the common Rod of sense and reason his Characters of a King and of a Tyrant are so Chimerical and Imaginarie and with all so nyce and possitive that according to his discriptions there were never King or Tyrant in the World. But in short if his intended paralel of a King and Physician be in many things impertinent if it be inconsistant that his King be sometimes the perfectest thing in the World or otherways to be resisted or expelled and sometimes very imperfect that he may get Laws to govern him just as the Latine and the Rapture takes the Author if he is blindly in Love with the word Laws without considering the thing who shall make them if it do not follow that because some Kings have been Ill men therefore there should be no King Or if the same reason hold in the Popular Government and if there have been at least as many and great corruptions in Popular Governments as in Monarchies which are things any can demonstrate who are not strangers to Reason and History Then all these Rhetorical Florishes which makes up this Authors Book about Government which hath abused some whose considerations go not beyond the surfice of things do conclude nothing but that if he had bestowed a little of that time which he spent in acquiring of Language on the study either of Law or Geometry he might have Learned to pursue this malicious design a little more closly while as now he hath only made it appear that he was capable to write a Play but not either Law or Reason concerning Government SIR These Assertions and Observations are owned by the whole Body of this University since they seem to be founded on clear Methedical and Permanent Reasons If they do not displease your Majesty we shall be carefull to insert them in our most Solemn Records to remain as a perpetual Monument of the unalterable Principles of this Society We do not offer to your Majesty without the special Approbation of the most Reverend Chancellor of this University the great and happy Influence of whose Example and Council on the Loyalty Order of this Place is sutable to the geeatness of his Trust Interest in it We shall rejoyce in our happiness if what we have said can do any service to Dissipate the clouds of Ignorance or Prejudice that are on the minds of any who have not leasure or advantages of long and Laborious Inquiries into the Reasonable Foundation of their Allegience there being nothing dearer to us then the Fidelity and Affection we bear to the most Ancient and Royal Government of this Kingdom and to your Majesties sacred Person who is the breath of our Nostirls and who has been graciously pleased to take the State of your Universities among the first and principal Concerns of Your Government and who we do not doubt will continue to confirm and enlarge with Your Empire the Learned Glory of Your Kingdoms And we dare with the sincerest boldness of our honest Hearts assure Your Majesty that the just and never unfashionable Notions of our Duty with the intire Trust and Confidence we repose in Your Majesty shall ever preserve us from being diverted or frighted from our Love and Obedience and shall excite from Your Majesty and Kingdoms happiness the perpetual Prayers of c. Signed by Arthur Arch-bishop Chancellor Alexander Skeen Vice-chancellor Richard Waddel Arch-deacon James Lorimer D. D. All Regents Charles Kinnard John Menzies Alexander Skeen Patrick Mcgill William Comery James Ross John Monro A LETTER From the Arch-bishops and Bishops to the King 's most Excellent Majesty May it please Your most Sacred Majesty WE prostrate our selves to pay our most Devoute Thanks and Adoration to the Soveraign Majesty of Heaven and Earth for preserving Your Sacred Life and Person so frequently exposed to the greatest hazards and as often delivered and you miraculonsly prospered with Glory and Victory in the Defence of the Rights and Honour of Your Majesties August Brother and of these Kingdoms and that by his Merciful Goodness the Ragings of the Sea and madness of unreasonable Men have been stilled and calmed Your Majesty as the Darling of Heaven peaceably seated on the Thrones of Your Royal Ancestors whose Long Flustrious and Vnparallelled Line is the greatest glory of this Your Ancient Kingdom We pay our most humble gratitude to Your Majesty for the Repeating Assurances of Rour Yoyal Protection to our National Church and Religion as the Laws have Established them Which are very suitable to the Gracious Countenance Encouragement and protection Your Majesty was pleased to afford to our Church and Order whilst we were happy in Your presence amongst us We Magnifie the Divine Mercy in blessing Your Majesty with a SON and us with a PRINCE whom we pray Heaven may bless and preserve to sway Your Royal Seepters after you and that he may Inherit with Your Dominions the Illustrious and Heroick Vertues of his August and most Serene parents We are amazed to hear of the Danger of an Invasion from Holland which excites our prayers for an universal repentance to all Orders of Men that God may yet spare his people preserve your Royal person and prevent the Effusion of Christian Bloods and to give such success to your Majesties Arms that all who Invade your Majesties Just and Vndoubted Rights and Disturb or interrupt the peace of your Realms may be Disappointed and clothed with shame so that on your Royal Head the Crown may still flourish As by the Grace of God we shall preserve in our selves a firm and unshaken Loyalty so we shall be careful and zealous to promote in all your Subjects an Intemerable and stedfast Allegiance to your Majesty as an Essential Part of their Religion and of the Glory of our Holy profession not doubting but that God in his great mercy who hath so often preserved and delivered your Majesty will still preserve and deliver You by giving You the Hearts of your Subjects and the Necks of your Enemies So pray we who in all Humility are May it please your most Sacred Majesty your Majesties most Humble most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects and Servants Edinburgh Nov. 3. 1688. Signed by Arch St And Jo. Glasgow Alexr Edinburgen Jo Galloviden Jo Dunkelden Gec Abredonen Will Moravien Ja Rossen Ja Brichen Ro Dumblanen Arch Sodoren And Orcaden FINIS
THE ADDRES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS TO THE KING By the Rector Vice-Chancellor Heads of the Colledges Deans of Faculties and the rest of the Masters and Professors of the University of St. Andrews whose Names are insert at the end of their Address ALSO A Letter from the Arch-Bishops and Bishops to the Kings most Excellent Majesty London Printed by J R to be sold be A L 1689. The Rector Vice-Chancellour heads of the Colledges Deans of Faculties and the rest of the Masters and Professors of the Vniversity of St. ANDREWS To the KING SIR THE Universities and Seminaries of Learning have so great and peculiar a share in the happy consequence of the publick peace and Tranquillity not only their flourishing and increase and your life and being have such a singular Dependance on the Supream Authority that it cannot be justly either vanity or flattery when they endeavour to make their Gratitude as remarkable as their Advantages and Obligation And we in this place do humbly offer to your Majesty at this time our most dutiful sense and acknowledgments of the security Peace and Quiet we enjoy under the Wisdom and Paternal care of your Gracious and Happy Government It was King James the first of that name that founded this University the first in this Kingdom and gave us these priviledges and immunities which have been continued and enlarged by his Royal Successors And we find by the frequent and signal marks of your Majesties Princely care and concern for us that you inherit with the Crown and Dignity of your Ancestors the affection they bore to this University And as we reflect on this gracious Tract of the Royal Favour to us with the most grateful remembrance so we cannot but also glory that from the just notions of our duty and happiness we have at all occasions and in the face of what ever hazards mantained an immoveable and affectionat Loyalty to the Government and adherance to the Royal Family When by a happy providence this Nation was honored refreshed with your Royal presence we chearfully concurred in the Land and Lively Joy and Acclamations of all Ranks of people in the universal Admiration of your Vertues that were so eminent that your Enemies finding nothing else were forced to make Objections of them and with our most ardent and sincere wishes for your coming to the peaceable possession of the Throne and Empyre to which after your Royal Brother whom we ever remember with due reverence and honour the Laws of GOD of Nature and of these Kingdoms had established your Right And we owe the most profound and thankful Reverence to Heaven which has been so favourable to the wishes of honest hearts that we have a Prince of the Native and Royal Blood to reign over us who has given the most sincere and solid demonstrations of his love to these Kingdoms by encounting the greatest hazards for their Honour and Safety who hath filled the World with the great and immortal Fame of his singular Accomplishments in all the Acts and weighty concerns both of War and Peace who succeeding to that Gentle Innate Goodness which has been very remarkable in his predecessors of this Royal Family and having got while he went himself through the roughest and most hazardous conditions of a Subject a most tender sense and feeling of our infirmities does by the admirable effect of an incomparable Clemency to whatsoever offenders in principles or practices give the greatest assurance of his being utterly averse from the least violence or severity even to the worst of his Enemies until it be extorted from his Royal Justice and Magnanimity by obstinate and insufferable abuses of his Benignity and Goodness so that we cannot fancie what more is requisite to the full and solid happiness of people but our just sense of what we enjoy and our firm relyance on your Majesties faithfulness and generosity to preserve it inviolable And we are sure that your Majesties loving Subjects who in the eye of the World and the midst not only of the noise and clamour of your Enemies but also of your own reasonable expectations peaceably submitted themselves to your just possession of your Crown and Dominion with solemn expressions of the greatest joy and satisfaction will never be guilty of a Levity so absurdly inconsequential to suffer themselves to be diverted from their love and obedience until they have shaken off all Tyes and Principles as well of Honour as of Duty The sad experience of our late Miseries and convulsions has left us sufficient marks and indications what rocks to shune and has so disgraced the Artifice and Delusion of fears and jealousies that till we have lost our Memories with our Judgements it cannot be expected that the most Vulgar credulity can be wrought by that imposture These alone were the noysome Vapours raised by wickedness and ambition and gathered into these clouds which darkned the Wisdom and Glory of these Kingdoms and ended in that fatal and dreadful storm which brought upon us all the heavy dismal calamities of Blood Confusion The pretended Fears of Arbitrary Government made us fight our selves Slaves to Arbitrary violence and oppression jealousies created by malice or blind and sick imaginations of the hazard and change of Religion produced the highest contempt of all that is Sacred banished all the vital and essential Characters of our peaceable and humble and most holy Faith raised the most execrable Villanes on the ruines of One of the best and most Religious Kings and made these Kingdoms the schene of the most attrocious Villanies and most dishonourable monstruous barbarities that Hell could conspire And it is morally impossible Men can ever be sure of any better consequence then disorder and certain ruine from such corrupt and dangerous causes those Visions and Phantastick creatures of Sedition and Distempered Minds Great Sir We hope that this sure and lasting Wisdom which comes from the Observation of former misfortunes that the Sacred tyes of our Religion and Reason with the love of our truest interest will for ever produce the just and peaceable effects in the minds and endeavours of all your loving Subjects and particularly of the Societies of Learning and Education who by their professions and opportunities are the Searchers of Truth and are so closly knit to the publick safety that in the time of intestine commotions they perish or are overcomed with Ignorance and barbarities and who therefore are guilty of an inexcusable neglect and ingratitude if they slight or abuse the Advantages they have of knowing and propagating the reasonable principles of Love and Obedience to your Majesties sacred person and Authority The fundamental Rights of Government and Supremacy are so stronge and plain in Reason and Divine Revelation that they need not the weak and indecent assistance of Flattery to support or magnifie them They are also so Equable and Constant and hold so unexchangeable under all lawful Soveraignes never altering with Times