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
quite out of doors besides that the Vote of the Assembly upon the Advice brought in by their Order would sufficiently decare their Opinion which being seconded by the Earl of Sutherland and the Lord Cardoss Sir Patrick acquiesced in it and so the Assembly unanimously Voted the following Advice To His Highness the Prince of Orange WE the Lords and Gentlemen of the Kingdom of Scotland assembled at your Highness's Desire in this extraordinary Conjuncture do give your Highness our humble and hearty Thanks for your pious and generous Vndertaking for preserving of the Protestant Religion and restoring the Laws and Liberties of these Kingdoms In order to the attaining these ends our humble Advice and Desire is That Your Highness take upon You the Administration of all Affairs both Civil and Military the Disposal of all the Publick Revenues and Fortresses of the Kingdom of Scotland and the doing every thing that is necessary for the Preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom until a general Meeting of the States of the Nation which we humbly desire your Highness to call to be holden at Edinborough the Fourteenth day of March next by your Letters or Proclamation to be published at the Market Cross of Edinborough and other Head Boroughs of the several Shires and Stewarties as sufficient Information to all concern'd and according to the Custom of the Kingdom And that the publication of these your Letters or Proclamation be by the Sheriffs or Steward-Clerks for the Free-holders who have the value of Lands holden according to Law for making Elections and by the Town-Clerks of the several Boroughs for the meeting of the Burgesses of the respective Royal Boroughs to make their Elections at least fifteen days before the meeting of the Estates at Edinborough And the respective Clerks to make Intimation thereof at least ten days before the meeting of the Elections And that the whole Elections and Members of the said meeting at Edinborough qualify'd as above express'd be Protestants without any other exception or limitation whatsoever to deliberate and resolve what is to be done for securing the Protestant Religion and restoring the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom according to Your Highness's Declaration Dated at the Council-Chamber in Whitehall the Tenth day of January 1689. This Advice being subscribed by above Thirty Lords and Fourscore Gentlemen was presented they being all present by Duke Hamilton their President at St. James 's to his Highness the Prince of Orange who return'd them Thanks for the Trust which they had reposed in him but desir'd some time to consider upon so important an Affair Upon the Fourteenth of January His Highness met the same Lords and Gentlemen again at St. James's at what time he thus delivered himself My Lords and Gentlemen IN pursuance of your Avice I will until the Meeting of the States in March next give such Orders concerning the Affairs of Scotland as are necessary for the calling of the said Meeting for preserving of the peace the applying of the publick Revenue to the most pressing Vses and putting the Fortresses into the hands of persons in whom the Nation can have just confidence And I do further assure you that you will always find me ready to concur with you in every thing that may be found necessary for the securing the Protestant Religion and restoring the Laws and Liberties of the Nation At the same time the Eal of Crawfourd made it his Suit to His Highness that himself the Earl of Louthian and others who came to Town since the Advice was presented might have the Liberty to subscribe it also which was done accordingly This Answer of his Highness gave great satisfaction to the Lords and Gentlemen who tendered the Advice so that every thing being prepared in order to the Elections and the several Members being returned according to the Methods prescribed the Convention consisting of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons of the Kingdom of Scotland assembled at Edinborough the Fourteenth day of March all in one House according to the custom of that Realm The Bishop of Edinborough said Prayers in which he prayed to God to have compassion upon King James wherein he did well had he not gon on with his Supplications to restore him however it shewed the Temper of the Man Upon the choosing of their President and Clerks the Bishops and some others were for the Marques of Aihol to have been President but Duke Hamilton carried it by Forty Voices The first thing they took into consideration was the security and safety of their Sitting in regard the City of Edinborough where they sat was then at the mercy of the Canon of the Castle which was in the hands of the D. of Gourdon a Roman Patholick Thereupon they passed an Act That in regard the Duke of Gourdon and some others of the Popish Religion under him entrusted with the keeping of the Castle of Edinborough were not qualified by the Law of this Kingdom they did therefore grant a Warrant to the Earls of Lothian and Tweddale to repair immediately to the Castle of Edinborough and require both Him and others of his Perswasion there in the Name of the States of the Kingdom to remove out of the said Castle within twenty four Hours after the Intimation and to leave the charge thereof to the next Commanding Officer being a Protestant And he and they doing the same the Estates gave assurance that he and they were and should be exonerated and secured as to any thing they have acted in that or any other Station contrary to Law as being Papists While those Lords were doing their duty in pursuance of the Act of the Convention the Meeting of Estates went on and in the first place named a Committee of Elections consisting of Fifteen that is to say five out of each State This gave an occasion to a debate Whither the Lords Spiritual were a distinct Estate or only a part of the same Estate with the Lords Temporal But in regard the House inclined to the Negative the debate was let fall However by the naming of this Committee the people began to make a Judgment of the Meeting for that of Fifteen which were of it at least twelve were shrewdly supposed to be inclined to follow the methods of England besides that the Houses rejecting a Protestation made against the Earl of Argyle 's sitting among them till his fathers Attainder should be reversed was no small confirmation of what the people conjectured But nothing more availed to give the people a true notion of the Noble designs of the Meeting then the following Speech which was spoken by a Member at the opening of the Convention which being so well received as it was was a clear evidence that they were not met to favour the Interest of King James WE are now said the Gentleman called together by His Highness the Prince of Orange to Consult and deliberate what methods will be most proper to secure our Religion Laws
far humbled as from a proud insulting Enemy to become a Suppliant for Peace well foreseeing that if England joyn with those other Princes whom his Insolence Cruelty and Avarice have so justly Arm'd against him his ruine is inevitable Lastly I beseech you consider what persons they are that would instill this poyson into yee Either such as postponing the Common Good of the Nation are wholly acted by Self-Interest considering that in a Government where Justice and Mercy equally flows Vertue and Merit not Villany will be rewarded Or such as being ignorant of the Nature of Government never examin'd what measures the Law of Nature and Nations have set to Mens Obedience Or such as have been Instrumental toward the enslaving their Country and are afraid if they be call'd to an Account that they must be brought to condign Punishment If such cannot succeed in their designs they hope at least to be overlookt in the General Confusion and if Heav'n fail them they summon Hell to their Aid Not that Love to their Prince but Interest drives those Criminals to such Attempts so that 't is no wonder they take so much pains to sow Division among us But no person of Wit and Judgment nor any good Man truly Protestant will suffer himself to be so grosly imposed upon by such Firebrands who would build their future Imaginary Greatness on the Ruine of our Religion Laws and Countrey Being thus settled to their business for the greater security of their Sitting because of the vast concourse of People from all parts of the Kingdom who were generally arm'd it was thought requisite for the prevention of tumult and disorder to Command all persons from the Town that were not Inhabitants or Retainers to the Members of the Convention In the mean time the Lords having acquitted themselves of their Commission the following Paper was sent from the Duke of Gourdon and read the next day in the Meeting wherein he gave them to understand That he was willing to comply with the Commission he received by the Earles of Lothian and Tweddale as to his removal from the Castle of Edinborough though he could not do so as a Papist that being dangerous and he not convicted For that he hoped that his being in Employment without taking the Test contrary to an Act of Parliament was no Conviction of Popery To this he added That he had received not long ago a Letter from the Prince of Orange desiring he would leave the Castle which he promis'd to do but expected some reasonable things to be first granted to himself and Garrison He hop'd he had not merited so ill of his Country as that he might not be trusted with the Castle until a Return came to that Letter which he expected every Hour But if that could not be granted barely on his promise not to molest or harm any Person especially those of that Illustrious Assembly He proffer'd Hostages of Bayl to the value of Twenty Thousand Pound Sterling for his Peaceable Deportment Otherwise he expected before his removal First a General Indemnity for himself and Friends both Protestants and Papists as likewise absolute security for their Lives and Fortunes in time coming and assurance the same should be ratify'd in the next Parliament Secondly Security for all Protestants in the Garrison who design to stay in it to continue in their Employments and for himself and those who should go out with him either Protestants or Papists to go beyond Sea or to remain within the Kingdom as their occasions should lead them Lastly That the Garrison should be paid off all by-gone Arrears and have Liberty to dispose of their Goods within the Castle as they pleas'd The Convention was quick in their Reply and agreed upon certain Resolves which were sent away forthwith to the Duke to this effect That the Meeting of Estates having consider'd the Paper given in and subscrib'd by the Duke of Gourdon in Answer to their Order did declare That it was not the Mind of the Meeting that the Dukes officiating as Governour of the Castle of Edinborough or any other Imployment or his quitting his command at that time should import any acknowledgment or Conviction against him or those under his Command of his or their being Papists That it was likewise resolved That the Covention would not allow of the Dukes keeping the Castle upon Promise Bail or Hostages until he got a Return of the Letter written by him to the Prince of Orange Then it was farther Resolved That the Indempnity offered by the Meeting of the Estates should only extend to those belonging to the Garrison and their Servants either Protestants or Papists that the Persons who were to have the benefit of the said Indempnity should be named expresly if the Duke desir'd it and that the Indempnity to be granted by the Meeting should have a Clause Inserted that it should be ratified in the next Parliament And as to the last Article It was moreover Resolved That those of the Garrison who were pleased to retire with the Duke should have leave either to go out of the Kingdom or stay in it as they should think fit and should have Liberty to dispose of their Goods and have safe Conduct granted them for that Effect if the same were desired before the dissolution of the Meeting of the Estates But that they should not take out with them any Arms Ammunition or Store but what they should make out to belong properly to themselves And lastly That it was agreed by the Convention That the Officers and Soldiers should be paid their Arrears Nevertheless that the Meeting refused to give them Assurance of their being continued in Employment But notwithstanding these Condescentions for the Convention was willing to have bin rid of such a suspitious Neighbour at any Honourable rate the Duke of Gourdon who was not ignorant of their Fears return'd an Answer to these Resolves so full of new and Extravagant Demands that the Convention was fully satisfied that the Duke was only trifling with them as he had done with His Majesty of England to gain time For King William and Queen Mary had bin Proclaim'd at London ever since the Thirteenth of February before So that the Convention perceiving the Dukes design which was to keep off in expectation of some Attempts which would be made in Scotland in behalf of the late King James and of which he was desirous to see the Issue They order'd the Heralds with the usual Solemnities to Summon him to surrender the Castle under the Penalty of Treason and to proclaim him Traytor in case of refusal and to forbid all people to have any Correspondence with him Which was accordingly performed and Orders also given to block up the Castle Soon after a Letter was deliver'd to the Convention by one Crane who went under the Notion of a servant to the late Queen in France But the Lord President acquainted the Members at the same time that there was a Letter also
one time to be sold as Slaves in Virginy for no other Crime but their being apprehended at Conventicles and the ordering a Vessel at another time to be sunk in the Sea to the drowning of above fifty Persons against whom there was no other charge but their Integrity to God and the Protestant Religion were among others sufficient Instances of Arbitrary Tyranny enough to provoke an utter detestation of the Authors of the farther Miseries and Depopulations intended against those that remained It would be too tedious to make a Collection of the Violences and Oppressions of those Times and therefore let the following Epitome suffice to shew the wicked ways by which Popery and Tyranny labour to establish themselves For during those Years which were the severest Years of Arbritrary Power that ever Scotland felt tho Informing were a Trade then more encourag'd then in the Reign of Tyberius yet Multitudes were arraign'd without Informer or Accuser and whosoever appear'd not upon Citation were treated as Criminals Many of all Ranks were seiz'd and detain'd Months and Years without any signification of the cause of their Imprisonment However if the least shadow could be found to prosecute such as mislik'd their Arbitrary Courses the ruling Grandees precipitated their Process not allowing them time or means to vindicate their Innocency Inquisiitors were sent to all the Prisons and Citizens Houses to examine whom they pleas'd upon the most intricate Questions of Church and State-Government and if they refus'd to answer or gave dissatisfactory Answers it was enough for the foundation of an Indictment Others being seiz'd in the Crowd at Executions and some while they were visiting the Imprison'd were condemn'd and executed for refusing to justifie the severities of the grand Movers and disowning their Dagon of Non-resistance Spies were frequently sent to Prisons Cities and Countries who by dissembling their dissatisfaction at the Exorbitances of the Government drew forth Words from the most wary and so became fit Witnesses to take away their Lives The Judges themselves were active to suborn Witnesses against the Lives Estates and Honours of Worthy Peers and Patriots and often made use of Jurors and evidence that could not purge themselves of Prejudice and Partiality Many were indicted try'd condemn'd and executed all in one day and when intercession has been made for some time to prepare for Death the Answer was They should have no time to prepare for Heaven for that Hell was too good for them Some they hang'd early in the Morning to prevent the Peoples observation of their Cruelty and many times Drums were ordered to be beat about the Scaffold lest the Spectators should hear the dying Words of those that suffer'd Some were twice sentenc'd first to have their Ears cut off and then re-examin'd and sentenc'd to death I omit their imposing of Illegal Oaths and packing of Juries But what could be more perfidious then when some People had made a Candid Confession upon security of the publick Faith the Kings Honour and the Act and Oath of the Council that such their Confession should not prejudice them yet afterwards to bring the same Confession and give it in upon Oath against them Lastly Finding that Forms of Law and Tryals were too slow and troublesome to bring about their Popish Designs which required more hast and perceiving likewise that publick Executions tended but the more to confirm and multiply the Lovers of Religion and Liberty rather then to diminish and deter the D. and his Council found out a more compendious way of sending out their Souldiers who were empowr'd to challenge and examine whom they pleas'd and to tender them Oaths which were requir'd by no Law and to punish such by present Death who refus'd to swear or refus'd to answer their insnaring Questions which Bloody Commissions were so faithfully executed that within a few Weeks above fifty Persons were murder'd after this manner without Tryal or Conviction No wonder then seeing that by such Oppressions as these the Ancient Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom were not only invaded but an open attempt made for their utter subversion that a People exasperated by exorbitant Oppression and depriv'd the exercise of their belov'd Religion took those Methods which they thought might prove most successful to deliver them not only from bodily Bondage but the Thraldom of their Consciences Understanding therefore which course the Nobility and Gentry of England steer'd they thought it their best way to lay hold of the Opportunity and follow the same To which purpose as many of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland attended His Highness the Prince of Orange in his Expedition for England so there were others that met him at London in order to make their Addresses to him according to the Pattern of the English And now the People in Scotland perceiving or at least full of hopes that their Deliverance was at hand as in all suddain Revolutions before there can be a settlement of those Disorders occasion'd by the causes of the Revolution the same Accidents fell out in Edinborough as happen'd in London It being the custom of the common Sort in those Interstitiums of Regular Rule to assume to themselves a kind of Carnival Liberty to indulge their two Passions of Joy and Revenge in the General Confusion which is the Rabbles Holiday Thus as in England no sooner had King James's Steers-men forsook the Helm of Government for fear of perishing in the Storm but the Mobile in Edinborough enter'd upon the Stage But the stress of their Fury fell upon the Pope and the Papists which was not a little incens'd by the Students of Edinborough College who mixing themselves with the Rabble to fortifie their Power notwithstanding all the care that was taken to prevent it effected their Design To which purpose an Effigies of the Pope being ready prepar'd was brought to the Market Cross of the City so soon as Day-light was shut in and blown up in the Air above four Stories high which made many believe that riper Heads then those of Boys were concern'd in the Action many People being pleas'd with the counterseit show of what they could wish were done in reality Two days after as if they had be-thought themselves that they had not done legally to burn the Pope before due conviction they went to the Parliament House crying out No Papist No Papist as they passt by the Guard and getting into the House the chief of the Multitude taking their places to retrieve and justifie their mistake they arraign'd his Holiness before his Judges and gave him in charge to a Jury who brought him in Guilty upon which he was sentenc'd to be burnt and so the over-sight being made good they declared for a Free Parliament Nor did these Tumults cease for many days among the Boys who at another time got up to the Market Cross proclaim'd a Free Parliament and offer'd two thousand pounds for Melfords Head And then it was that upo the 25th of
December his Holiness was burnt in a true orderly manner by the Students themselves marching with their Swords in their Hands every Classis under their particular Captain and the College Mace carry'd before them by the Under-Porter bare the Haut-boys playing all the while besides the Honour which the Privy Council and City Magistrates did them to be Spectators of their Show But in the attempt of the Multitude the next day upon the Abby which is the Kings House wherein there was at that time a Popish Chappel they had at first but course Entertainment For the Chancellor of Scotland tho he found Edinborough too hot to hold him yet such was his Kindness being himself a Papist for the Popish Relicks which he left behind that he gave particular order to one Captain Wallace to defend the Abby with his Company which the Captain with a true Papistical Zeal readily undertook to do So that when the Boys went thither tho without any other Arms then their Links and Battoons upon their pressing too close upon him the Captain ordred his Men to let fly among 'em so that many were wounded and some died of their Wounds Of which complaint being made to the Council they sent six Heralds to command Wallace and his Men to lay down their Arms and surrender themselves and the Guard of the Place to the Magistrates of the City But the Heralds were answer'd in the same Language with the Boys Thereupon the Council ordred a sufficient number of the Train'd Bands to remove him by force who accordingly fell upon Wallace and constrain'd both him and his Men to betake themselves to flight And then it was that the Boys to revenge the loss of their Mates broke in pell-mell into the Abby and burnt all that they found in the Chappel fir'd the Jesuites College the Popish Printing-House the Abby Church and in a word all that they found in the Papists Houses in the Suburbs and Cannigate sparing nothing but what was purloyn'd away by such as bore them Company with a design to plunder During these Extravagances in Edinborough the Chancellor of Scotland had withdrawn himself to Castle-Drummond but not thinking himself safe there he resolv'd for France and with that resolution with all the secresie imaginable himself in Womans Habit and his Wife in Mans Apparrel upon the 10th of December got on board a Vessel bound from the Frith of Castle-Drummond and was just under Sale with a fair Wind. At what time a certain Person on Horse-back riding by Kirkalden where the Seamen us'd to walk call'd to them and inform'd them That there was a good Prize in the Ship which they saw under Sale meaning the Chancellor of Scotland Thereupon about six and thirty common Sea-men commanded by one Wilson that had been a Buccaneer in Jamaica furnish'd themselves with Muskets and having got a light Boat without any Provision only a little Brandy and without any otder from any Magistrate set sail immediately and coming up with the Ship that Night boarded her and enquir'd for the Chancellor who was at first denied to be in the Ship but after some little search they found Him and his Lady in the disguise already mention'd Upon which they brought the Ship back and carry'd the Prisoners together with one Nicholson a Priest and Regent of the Colledge at Glasgow to the Prison of Kirkaldy from whence the Council order'd the Chancellor to be remov'd to Sterling Castle The face of Affairs being thus alter'd in Scotland as well as in England there was only a Council of the prime Persons of that Kingdom to watch over the safety of the Nation at such a Ticklish Conjuncture Nevertheless they took care that several Personages of the highest rank in the Kingdom of Scotland and most eminent for their Zeal for the Protestant Religion should be in a readiness in England to make their Address to the most Excellent of Princes his Highness the Prince of Orange so soon as he arriv'd in London This was the least Deference that could be expected they should give to a Prince who by a particular Declaration to the People of that Kingdom had signify'd his Resolutions to be no less careful to restore the Laws and Liberties of Scotland and to maintain the Protestant Religion there then he was to pursue the ends of his Declaration to the people of England Nor is the recital of that Declaration to be here omitted as being so full and generally satisfactory to all the good People of Scotland that there was nothing more welcom to their Ears nor any thing next under God wherein they more entirely placed the Assurances of their Deliverance more espcially when they saw it attended with an armed Force under the Conduct of Prudence and Fortitude to make it good The Declaration it self ran thus The Declaration of His Highness William Henry by the Grace of God Prince of Orange c. of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms for preserving of the Protestant Religion and for Restoring the Laws and Liberties of the ancient Kingdom of Scotland IT is both certain and evident to all men that the publick Peace and Happiness of any State or Kingdom cannot be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs established by the Lawful Authority in it are openly Transgressed and Annulled More especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced Vpon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indespensably bound to endeavour to preserve and maintain the Established Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God that is Established amongst them And to take such an effectual care that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civil Rights Which is so much the more necessary because the Greatness and Security both of Kings Royal Families and of all such as are in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depend in a most especial manner upon the exact Observation and Maintenance of these their Laws Libertie and Customs Vpon these grounds it is that We cannot any longer forbear to declare That to Our great Regret We see that those Counsellors who have now the chief Credit with the King have no other Design but to overturn the Religion Laws and Liberties of those Realms and to subject them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect ways but in such an open and undisguised manner that their Designs are now become visible to all that consider them And indeed the lamentable Effects of an Arbitrary Power and of Evil Counsels are so manifest in the deplorable State of the Kingdom of Scotland that both our Reason and Conscience do prompt us to an Abhorrence of them For when We consider the sad Condition of that Nation though
and Liberties in Order to which the first thing that will fall under our consideration is the settling the Soveraign Power I take it for granted that you are fully convinced that King James the seventh by his many violations of the Fundamental Laws by his endeavouring to establish a Despotic and Arbitrary Power and introduce Popery though he himself had confirmed all the Laws that were enacted in favour of the Protestant Religion has left us at a time when we needed his Protection most The Eyes of all Europe are upon us and it is in our power to make our selves and our Posterity either happy or miserable by making a choice either to call back K. James and hazard once more all that men account dear to his Mercy or to settle the Government on some other under whom we may live peaceable lives without the perpetual Terror of being swallowed up by Popery and Arbitrary Government which all good Men hoped were now banished and yet behold a new off-spring is sprung up which eagerly pleads for both under the mistaken names of Duty and Allegiance 'T is strange that any man can be so far degenerate as to prefer Slavery to Liberty and that they should be so much in Love with chains that when they were fairly shaken off they should run furiously to find them again As if the Ottoman and French Government were so charming in our Countrey that we cannot live without it though we have so lately groaned under the dismal burden of it And it might have been supposed that even they who had been instrumental in the Enslaving their Fellow brethren and were grown fat with sucking the Nations Blood would have taken another method to reconcile themselves then by perswading us to purchase their safety at so vast an expence as the ruine of more than three parts of the Nation If we do but a little reflect upon the motives which those men blinded by self Interest make use of to delude the Nation into a security that wanted but very little of proving fatal to it and compare them with the strong reasons we have to perswade us from being so imposed on they will be found so weak and impertinent that we may judge it next to impossibility to suffer our selves to be twice deceived But if the experience of our former Miseries the very thoughts of renewing which cause all good men to tremble has not made us wiser and be not of Efficacy enough to deter us from venturing another Shipwrack and exposing all again to the disposal of the Roman Catholicks 't is more then probable that God has abandoned us to believe strong Delusions They will eadeavour to perswade us that Kings are exempted from punishment here on Earth and that nothing they do can be quarrelled by their Subjects which indeed might be urged among the Turks who reserve nothing from the power of their Sultans and where 't is death to dispute his Commands though never so Arbitrary and Tyrannical But with what impudence can such siuff be imposed upon us who never admit our Kings to the Government till they swear to Rule us according to Law and no otherwise The Laws are the only security we have for our Lives and properties which if our Soveraigns break Subjects cannot be blam'd for making use of the ordinary means to preserve them and since that cannot be done without withdrawing Obedience from such a Magistrate as goes about to destroy them such an Act cannot be said to punish because we take nothing from him to which he has a just claim but only shun the occasion of making our selves miserable The Speculative Doctrin of Passive Obedience has done too much mischief among us and what has befallen the King may be justly attributed to it for the believing he might do what he pleased without Opposition encouraged him to take those measures which have drawn all these Misfortunes upon him Others are so fond as to believe they may be secure in calling back the King provided they so limit him that it may not be in his power to hurt them But what Restrictions of our contrivance can bind the King For most certainly they can never be voluntarily condescended to and what is constrained and done by force the Law declares to be null and void to the assistance of which the Popes dispencing Power being joyned would quickly blow up those Sampsons Cords and the Royal power would again revive with all its lustre and vigor In the next place the King is of a Religion that in a famous Council has Decreed That there is no Faith to be kept with Hereticks much less with Subjects whom the King looks upon as so many Rebels and will not miss to treat them as such when ever they give him the Opportunity of doing it Then we may lament our Miseries but it will not be in our power to remedy them For a Prince of Orange will not be always ready to rescue us with such vast Expence and so great hazard to his Person Again What Argument has the King given us since he left us that he will be more faithful in observing his Word and Oaths then hitherto he has been Does he not in a Letter lately Printed here expresly say he has Ruled so as to give no occasion of Complaint to his Subjects Is not the same Letter signed by one who sacrificed both his Honour his Conscience to Interest whose pernicious and headstrong Counsells posted him to his Ruine though all that has been done cannot make him sensible of it Is K. James the seventh by breathing the French Air become less a Bigot to Popery It were a Dream to fancy it For so long as the Vatican Thunders out Excommunications against all that use not their utmost endeavours to extirpate Heresie a Roman Catholick must have no Religion at all if they be not terrible to him But say they the Peace of the Nation cannot be otherwise secur'd nor Factions and Divisions be extinguished but by calling in the King But what Factions do you observe but what they themselves foment on purpose to disturb our Harmony All which would immediately dye if the Government were settled on those who best deserv'd For then if these Fops continued still fond of Tyranny and Popery they would be chastized as disturbers of the publick Peace If the King return we must burst out into a flame and England that has already declared will quickly be upon us an Enemy too Potent and too numerous for us although we were united besides that we cut off all hopes of a Vnion with that Nation and deprive our selves of an unspeakable Advantage which would redound to all sorts of people and would be the only means to support an impoverisht and sinking Nation The happy Success the Prince 's Enterprize has met with has made a considerable alteration in the Affairs of Europe For thereby the Great Enemy of the Protestants and even of Christianity it self is so
from His Majesty of England Upon which a Debate arose about the reading of the Letters at what time the Earl of Lothian mov'd That since they were met at the Desire of his Majesty of England they ought to give his Letter the Precedence which being put to the Vote was carried in the affirmative and the King of England 's Letter was read the Contents of which were as follow The Direction was To the Meeting of the Estates of Scotland My Lords and Gentlemen WE are very sensible of the Kindness and Concern which your Nation has evidenced toward Vs and Our Vndertaking for the preservation of your Religion and Liberty which were in such imminent Danger Neither can we in the least doubt of your Considence in Vs after having seen how far so many of your Nobility and Gentry have own'd our Declaration countenancing and concurring with us in our Endeavours and desiring Vs that We would take upon us the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military and to call a Meeting of the Estates for securing the Protestant Religion and the Ancient Laws and Liberties of that Kingdom which accordingly we have done Now it lies on You to enter upon such Consultations as are most probable to settle You on sure and lasting foundations which We hope you will set about with all convenient speed with regard to the publick Good and to the General Interest and Inclinations of the People that after so much Trouble and great Suffering they may live happily and in Peace and that you may lay aside all Animosities and Factions that may impede so good a Work We were glad to find that so many of the Nobility and Gentry when here in London were so much inclin'd to a Vnion of both Kingdoms and that they did look upon it as one of the best means for procuring the Happiness of both Nations and settling of a lasting Peace among them which would be advantagious to Both they living in the same Island having the same Language and the same common Interest of Religion and Liberty especially at this Juncture when the Enemies of both are so restless endeavouring to make and increase Jealousies and Divisions which they will be ready to improve to their own Advantage and the Ruin of Britain We being of the same Opinion as to the usefulness of this Vnion and having nothing so much before our Eyes as the Glory of God Establishing the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of these Nations are resolv'd to use Our Vtmost Endeavours in advancing every thing that may conduce to the effectuating the same So we hid you Heartily Farwell From our Court at Hampton the seventh day of March 1689. His Majesties Letter being thus read the next debate was whither the late King James 's Letter should be read or no. And here to remove all Heats and disputes the Lord Lothian again stept up and propounded an Expedient to which the House agreed That is to say that before the reading of it they should pass an Act which should be subscribed by all the Members That For as much as there was a Letter from King James the Seventh presented to the Meeting of the Estates That they before the Opening thereof declar'd and Enacted That notwithstanding of any thing that might be contain'd in that Letter for dissolving them or impeding their Procedure yet that they were a Free and Lawful Meeting of the Estates and would continue undissolved until they had settled and secur'd the Protestant Religion the Government Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom This Act was sign'd by the whole Meeting except only six or seven and then the following Letter was opened and read overwritten James Rex My Lords and Gentlemen WHereas we have been inform'd that You the Peers and Representatives of the Shires and Boroughs of that our Ancient Kingdom who are to meet together at our good Town of Edinborough some time in this Instant March by the Usurp't Authority of the Prince of Orange We think fit to let you know That we have at all times rely'd upon the Faithfulness and Affection of You our Ancient People so much that in our greatest Misfortunes heretofore we had recourse to your Assistance and that with good success to our Affairs So now again we require of you to support our Royal Interest expecting from you what becomes Loyal and Faithful Subjects Generous and Honest Men that will neither suffer your selves to be cajol'd nor frighted into any Action misbecoming true-hearted Scotchmen And that to support the Honour of the Nation you will contemn the base Example of Disloyal Men and Eternize your names by a Loyalty sutable to the many Professions you have made to us in doing whereof you will choose the safest part since thereby you will evite the danger you must needs undergo the Infamy and Disgrace you must bring upon your selves in this World and the Condemnation due to the Rebellious in the Next and you will likewise have the Opportunity to secure to your selves and your Posterity the gracious Promises which we have so oft made of securing your Religion Laws Properties and Rights which we are still resolved to perform as soon as it is possible for us to meet you safely in a Parliament of our Ancient Kingdom In the mean time fear not to declare for Us your Lawful Soveraign veraign who will not fail on our part to give you such speedy and powerful Assistance as shall not only enable you to defend your selves from any Foreign Attempt but put you in a Condition to assert our Right against our Enemies who have depressed the same by the blackest of Usurpations the most unjust as well as most unnatural of all Attempts which the Almighty God may for a time permit and let the Wicked prosper yet then must bring Confusion upon such Workers of Iniquity We farther let you know that we will pardon all such as shall return to their Duty before the last day of this Month Inclusive and that we will punish with the Rigor of our Lawes all such as shall stand out in Rebellion against Us or our Authority So not doubting that you will declare for us and suppress whatever may oppose our Interest and that you will send some of your number to us with an Accompt of your diligence and the Posture of our Affairs We bid you Heartily Farewell Given on Board the St. Michael March the First 1689. By His Majesties Command Melfort This Letter being directed to Persons at that time sitting who either lay under the Ignominy of his Attainders or had else severely otherwise suffered either themselves or their nearest Relations the dilacerating stripes of his Tyrannical severity could not so soon forget the anguish of their Sufferings as to be sugar'd up into a Reconciliation by the fair Promises of a Person that had lost the Reputation of being true to his Publick Word Besides that there was so little Majesty in the Style of the Letter
altogether precarious and answerable to the Lowness of his Condition only like a plant at the latter end of Autumn putting forth some fruitless Buds of vain Assurances So that as the one altogether slighted it so those that were most inclin'd to favour it were altogether out of Countenance to see the Vanity of such an unseasonable Secretary Rhetorick A Committee therefore was appointed to draw up an Answer to the King of England's Letter but no man so much as mov'd for an Answer to that of King James onely the Man that brought it beg'd a Pass to go to him in Ireland where he landed the Twelfth of March at the Port of Kingsale the Messenger offering Security not to carry to him any Letters or Papers from any Person whatsoever But neither would that be granted on the other side he was first secur'd then enlarged upon Bail till at length not thinking him worth the keeping they dismissed him with a Pass instead of an Answer Nor indeed could King James expect better if he may be thought to hope for better who had no more significant a Messenger to send to a Convention of Estates of a Kingdom than something like a Gentleman Usher to his Queen While the Answer to His Majesties Letter was drawing the Meeting fell upon other Business and ordered a Proclamation to be issue forth for bringing in the Arrears of the Publick Revenue The first draught of this Proclamation did not please purporting That the Money was to be employ'd for raising Forces for securing the Protestant Religion however after some debate it was agreed that the Alteration should be made by leaving out the Words For Raising Forces and so it pass'd This Proclamation was the more requisite to be one of their first Considerations in regard of the great occasion which then they had to secure themselves and beleaguer the Castle which still held out to which purpose they were forc'd to make use of the City Train'd Bands and the Country Militia which could not well be dismiss'd without pay or a Generous Gratuity But then in pursuance of the main Affair which they were upon of Addressing themselves to the King they thought it but requisite as a forerunner of what themselves intended to give their Approbation of the Address and Proceedings of the Nobility and Gentry that had been at London and had there made it their Request to His Highness then Prince of Orange to take upon him the Administration of the Government which was done with that Respect which the Occasion and Quality of the Persons Merited And to shew that they were not in the mean time unmindful of the Distresses of their Neighbors upon reading some Letters from several Noblemen and Gentlemen in Ireland craving Assistance of Arms and Ammunition Four Thousand Muskets Two Thousand Fuzee's and Six Hundred Barrels of Gunpowder were order'd to be bought and sent away At the same time the Meeting was informed that Viscount Dundee had stoln the opportunity of a Conference with the Duke of Gourdon at the Postern Gate of the Castle notwithstanding that the Convention had forbid all correspondence with him under the Penalty of Treason more over that Dundee who now came no more to the Convention was seen near the City with about fifty Horse This somewhat alarumed the Convention so that they immediately ordered him to be summoned but understanding that he was Marched Westward toward Linlithgow which was the Road to Sterling and fearing least he might have some design to surprize that Castle which commands the Pass of Communication between the Northern and Southern parts of Scotland they ordered a Major with fourscore Horse to follow him and the Earl of Marr who was then Governour of Sterling Castle was sent away by their Order to secure that Important Garrison against any Attempt or surprize And well knowing that small sparks many times kindle violent Conflagrations therefore that they might be in a Posture to make opposition where ever the flame brake out they ordered all persons from sixteen to sixty to be in a readiness to take Arms when the Convention should find it requisite for the publick safety Several suspected Officers of the Militia were turned out and others put in their places and Sir Patrick Hume who was excepted out of the late Kings Indempnity ordered to command the Militia Horse of his Countrey And farther that eight hundred Men should be Levyed and Arm'd under the command of the Lord Leven which was no sooner intimated but the Men came in within two hours time Great care was also taken for the Western Countries that lye next to Ireland where as in all other parts orders were directed for dis-arming the Papists and settling the Militia in trusty Hands But notwithstanding all this care and vigilance and the extraordinary Unity of the generality of the Nation the adherers to King James were not without hopes of having another game to play for their lost stakes Which made Dundee still dance about the Countrey like a Winter Exhalation to intice unwary followers which made the Duke of Gourdon farther perhaps encouraged by some bouncing Promises from Ireland to send as he called them his last Proposals and withall a Monitory Letter to the Convention minding them to what Honours and Dignities K. James's Predecessors had advanced most or many of them to and what marks of Royal Favour and Bounty he had conferred upon them and which ought not to be forgot for the Errours and Miscarriages of poor four years Raign so that if they would allow him Liberty to go over into Ireland he would endeavour an Accommodation between King James and the Estates of the Kingdom to have Religion Laws Liberty and Property restored and established But both the Admonition of the Duke and his undertaking were rejected with that scorn that they would not suffer the Monitory to be entred in their Journals to signifie that they had either received or read it His demands were An Act of Indempnity for all Papists and Protestants that serv'd under him in the Castle and for four or five Priests That he might be secured against all Strangers or Cameronians by which he meant the Rabble in and about the Town at his coming out and that he might have a Guard of forty Horses for a safe Convoy The Convention though they slighted his Monitories yet desirous to have the Castle in their own hands made answer to his demands That they would give security to himself and others in their lives and fortunes so far as they had acted as Papists and that the Priests should have Passes to depart the Kingdom upon condition never to return again That he should have the Guard and Convoy he demanded till he were over the water to Brunt-Island And that a like number of Guards should Convoy him from thence homeward which should be disbanded within twenty four hours after his Arrival he giving security to live peaceably and not to disturb the Peace of the Kingdom
in the Garison prevailed which hastened the surrender Windram in the hurry was endeavouring to have made his escape but being discovered was brought back to the Castle for which he had no small reason to bless his kind Stars for that if he should have fallen into the hands of the Rabble in all probability they would have torn him to pieces every body looking upon him as the cause that the Castle held out so long and of all the mischiefs that hapned during the Seige It was also reported that the Duke of Gourdon after the surrender of the Castle solemnly declared that during the time of the Siege he never received any Letter from the late King During this Blokade and siege of the Castle many affairs were transacted and brought to perfection in Order to the settlement of the Government Among other things the Convention appointed a Committee to draw up an Answer to the King of Englands Letter which being done and the draught of it being read and approved of by the House it was signed by all the Members that were present except three Bishops the rest of the Bishops having before withdrawn themselves from the Convention And as for some others that were not present the Duke of Queensbury the Marquiss of Athol and the Earl of Tweddale desired that the Letter might be sent to their Lodgings to be signed in regard their indisposition of body would not permit them to come to the House But though the three Bishops refused to approve of the Letter the day before yet the next day they agreed that the Lord Ross should be the bearer of it to present it to the King of England At what time the Question being put whi Sir Patrick Hume of Polwart might be admitted a Member of the House notwithstanding his Attainder the three Bishops left the House so that after they had unanimously Voted that Sir Patrick was duly chosen and ought to sit as a Member of the Convention the House were forced to rise that Night without prayers This refusal of the Bishops to approve of the Letter occasion some of the Members to call to mind a passage when the Bishops in the beginning of the Convention vigorously opposed the Convention's approving of the Address of the Nobility and Gentry at London to His Highness the Prince of Orange upon which one of the Members made this Observation That it was no wonder the Bishops opposed the approving the London Address and refused to sign the Letter to the King of England since the House had been so unkind as not to approve of the Bishops famous Address to the late King James The Paper being therefore agreed upon without their consent the Lord Ross was made choice of to deliver to the King It was called an Answer of the Convention of Scotland to the King of England's Letter in these Words May it please your Majesty AS Religion Liberty and Law are the dearest Interests of Mankind so the deep sence of the great hazzards these were exposed to must produce sutable Returns from this Kingdom to your Majesty whom in all sincerity and gratitude we acknowledge to be under God our great and seasonable Deliverer And we heartily congratulate that as God has honoured your Majesty to be an Eminent instrument for the preservation of his Truth so he hath rewarded your endeavours with success and blessed us with deliverance We do likewise acknowledge your Majesties Goodness and care in accepting the Administration of the Publick Affairs of this Kingdom and calling the Estates and we return our most dutiful Thanks to your Majesties Gracious Letter We intend to take every part of it into our consideration and we hope shortly by the Blessing of God to fall upon such Resolutions as may be acceptable to your Majesty and may secure the Protestant Religion and establish the Government Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom upon solid Foundations most agreeable to the interest and genius of the Nation As to the Proposal of the Vnion we doubt not but your Majesty will so settle that matter that there may be an equal Meeting and readiness in the inclination of England We hope the perfecting that great work so often attempted in vain hath been reserved to your Majesty We have hither and shall avoid and lay aside all Animosities or Prejudice which may disturb or impede the Vnity and Considence of our Counsels that as we design the publick good so it may be done with the General Concourse and Approbation of the Nation In the mean time we humbly intreat the Continuation of your Majesties Care and Protection to us in all our Concerns whereof the Kindness expressed in your Royal Letter gives us full Assurance We do pray the Almighty God who has fitted and raised you up to be a Defence to the Protestant Religion always to protect and preserve your Majesty Subscribed in our Name the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland by our President Hamilton This Answer being thus dispatched away for England the Convention judging it most necessary in the first place to secure the Peace of the Kingdom against all attempts of the dis-affected Party and Favourers of the late Kings Arbitrary designs gave order to Sir John Hall Mr. George Stirling and Mr. William Hamilton or any two of them to see the Oath Administered to such as had any Military office in and about Edinburough and to bring in an Accompt of such Arms as were in the several Garrisons And whereas several persons were seen coming Arm'd from the Borders of England therefore the respective Magistrates and Officers of the Militia in the Bordering Counties were ordered to seize such persons in Arms until they gave a good accompt of their business or if they could give no good accompt of themselves that the Magistrates or Officers who should seize such persons should have their Horses and Arms for their Reward At the same time also they gave their approbation of an Order given by the Earl of Tweddale in January to William Drummond for the delivery of Forty barrels of Powder to Mr. Hamilton Merchant of London-derry for the use of the Protestants in Ireland and ordered farther that the President should have power to dispatch such persons as he should judge necessary either for Ireland or such other places as the Present exigency of affairs required Nor were they less vigilant in giving out their Commands for the securing all suspected Persons and keeping of strong Guards in Sea-port Towns and at all the Bridges Ferries and other Passes throughout the Kingdom With these debates fell in at the same time a long consultation about giving Orders in reference to the Militia which took up some time for the naming of Trusty Officers and appointing places for the Musters within the several Counties and care was taken to provide that the Souldiers at those Musters should continue six dayes together in the exercise of their Arms and after that should be ready to march upon
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