1685. Mortals. The 8th of May the fame Parliament pafs'd two other Acts, the firft to forbid Preaching, and Reforting to Houfe or Field Conventicles, upon Pain of Death and Confifcation of Goods; the the other making High-Treafon the giving or taking the National Covenant, as explain'd in 1638. or writing in Defence of it. And the better to tie up that Nation to a Defpotick Yoke, they pafs'd another Act on the 24th of the faid Month, ordaining all the Subjects of that Kingdom, whenfoever requir'd, to affert the Royal Prerogatives, and swear to defend, afift and maintain the King and his Succeffors, in the Exercife of their abfolute Power, under the Pain of Banishment, Imprisonment, or fuch other Punishment, not reaching Life.

The King prefuming from thefe Advances that the Scots would easily be fafhion'd to his Pleasure, 'twas amongit 'em that he first attempted to repeal the Penal Laws and Tefts made against Papifts; and therefore having fummon'd the Parliament of that Kingdom to reaffemble on the 29th of April, 1686. he wrote a Letter to them, wherein he recomKing's Let- mended to their Special Care,his innocent Roman Cathoter to the lick Subjects,who had always been affiftant to the Crown Scotch in the worst of Rebellions and Ufurpations, tho' they lay Parliament under Difcouragements hardly to be nam'd; thefe he hear 1886. in tily recommended to them, to the end, that as they had Favour of given good Experience of their true Loyalty and peacethe Papists, able Behaviour, fo, by their Affiftance, they might have

April 29.

the Protection of his Laws, not fuffering them to lye under Obligations, which their Religion could not admit of; by doing of which, they would give a DemonStration of the Duty and Affection they had to him, and do bim moft acceptable Service: And this Love he expected they would shew to their Brethren as they faw him an indulgent Father. To engage the Parliament to comply with His Majefties Defire, the Earl of Morray', who was appointed Lord High-ComThe Earl of miffioner upon this Occafion, made them a Speech, Morray's the Subftance of which was: "That to fhew the great Speech to "Senfe His Majefty retain'd of their Loyalty, Duthe Parlia-"ty and Zeal for his Service, exprefs'd in their ment. "Proceedings of the latt Seffions, His Majefty

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"would give them fresh Opportunity of doing 1686. 66 fuch things as might tend to the univerfal Good "of the Nation, as a generous Return to their Af"fections. That as all the States and Ranks of Men "in that Kingdom had been most eminent in their C6 Loyalty, fo His Majefty was gracioully refolv'd, "they fhould in their feveral Stations fhare of the Effects and Influences of his Royal Care, Ten"dernefs and Protection. That pursuant to this, His Majefty endeavour'd to open a free Intercourfe of Trade with His Kingdom of England, "and by His Envoy at the Court of France, to reCC cover the Priviledges of the Scots Merchants "trading with that Kingdom. That he was in"ftructed to give His Majefties Royal Confent to "fuch Regulations, concerning the Ceffe of the Nation, as they fhould think jutt and equitable; પ as likewife to redrefs the Inconveniencies and "Trouble which Scots Merchants meet with in "the Matter of the Staple with the Netherlands; "and to prevent the Importation of Irish Cattel "Horfes and Victual, by which His Majefty was "inform'd the Kingdom of Scotland fuffer'd great "Prejudice. That His Majefty had empower'd him 66 to grant 'em an open Mint, for the Advantage of "the Traffick of that Kingdom. That as His Majefty "intended to promote the Trade, and encrease the 66 Wealth of that Nation by all poffible and fit 66 Methods, he would not at that time demand any more Supplies or Impofitions of any kind; "notwithstanding of the great and neceffary "Charge for the fuppreffing of the late Re

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bellion. Alfo, That he was inftructed to give His Majefties Affent to all fuch Eaws and Regulations "as might fecure exact Payment to the Country from all his Officers and Soldiers in their Quar። ters; and for eafing the Commons of many Op"preffions alledged to be committed by Commif"fions. That,that which would furprize them much was, that as the King was follicitous to provide "for the Security of that Kingdom, and to encourage and cherish his dutiful and loyal Subjects 66 as his obedient Children, fo as a tender-hearted

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Father, he was willing, and ready, and mercifully to pardon the unexcufable Faults and "Crimes of fuch as had behaved themfelves "undutifully, and even rebelliously against him; "and therefore he had graciously been pleas'd to "inftruct him to pafs his full and ample Indem- | nity, with fome few neceffary and reasonable "Exceptions, for all paft Crimes and Misdemea, "nors whatsoever, which might convince the World "that His Majefty delighted by such sweet and gentle Methods of Mercy, to reduce all to Duty "and Obedience. And now, my Lords and Gentlemen, added be, after fo great and excellent i Defigns for promoting the Honour, the Eafe and "Wealth of this Kingdom, after his Refolution "to pardon fo many Enemies, His Majelty believes that none will wonder, if he defire, by "the Advice and Confent of this his great Council, "to give Eafe and Security to fome of his good Subjects of the Roman Catholick Religion, who "have in all Times been firm to the Monarchy, and ready to facrifice their Lives and For"tunes for the Service and Security of the Crown.

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Affoon as the High Commiflioner had ended his Speech, the King's Creatures were for pathing an Act in Favour of the Papifts, without regarding farther than His Majeflies Defire; but the ret prevail'd to have a Committee appointed to inspec the Statutes provided againft Roman Catholicks. After a full and exact Examination of thofe Laws, the Committee drew up a Bill, whereby Papifis were to be allow'd the Exercife of their Religion in private, without repealing those former Acts, which made them liable to Penalties, in cafe they fhould affemble publickly. This was all that the King defir'd for the prefent, because he hop'd to gain his Ends by degrees. But however, this Bill being prefented to the Parliament for their Approbation, the Houfe divided upon it, and many warm Speeches were made for and againft it; the King being inform'd of thefe Debates, and apprehending the Miscarriage of his Project, dispatch'd an Exprefs to the Earl of Morray, with Orders either to Prorogue

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of Confci

ence in

Prorogue or Diffolve the Parliament; and about 1687. Ten Months after, did that by his fole Power and Authority, which he could not effect with the Feb. 12th, Confent of the Nation. The King in his Letter 1687. to his Privy-Council of Scotland tells 'em, That be was pleas'd fome time before to inform them of his Defigns, in order to the Eafe of his Roman Catholick Subjects, to which he had then a dutiful Anfroer; that now he thought fit to publish his Royal Intentions, and to give an additional Eafe to thofe of tender Confciences, tho' at the fame time he expreffes his highest Indignation against thofe Enemies of Christianity, as well as Government and humane Society, the Field Conventiclers, whom he recommends to them to rout out with all the Severities of his Laws. Pursuant to this Letter, the Privy-Council caus'd the King's Pro- Febr. 18. clamation for Liberty of Confcience to be publifh'd, 1689. Prowhich contain'd in Substance: "That His Majefty being refolv'd to unite the Hearts and "Affections of his Subjects to GOD in Religion, to him in Loyalty, and to their Neighbours Scotland, in Chriftian Love and Charity, he had therefore repealthought fit, by his foveraign Authority, Prero- ing the 66 gative Royal, and abfolute Power, which all his Laws made Subjects are to obey without Referve, to give against the "and grant His Royal Toleration to the feveral Papifts. "Profeffors of the Chriftian Religion after nam'd. "First, He allows and tolerates the Moderate Pref 66 byterians, to meet in their private Houfes only; "but it is his Pleasure that Field-Conventiclers be profecuted according to the utmott Severity of "the Laws. In like manner he tolerates Quakers CG to meet and exercife in their Form, in any Place or Places appointed for their Worship. And, fays His Majesty, confidering the fevere. "and cruel Laws made against Roman Catholicks (therein call'd Papifts) in the Minority of ourRoyal "Grandfather, without his Confent, and contrary to "the Duty of good Subjects, by his Regents, and o"ther Enemies to their Lawful Soveraign,our Royal "Great-Grandmother Queen Mary of bleffed and 6C pious Memory, wherein, under the Pretence of Religion, they cloathed the worst of Treafons,

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1687. Factions and ufurpations, and made thefe Laws, 66 not as against the Enemies of God, but their 36 own; which Laws have ftill been continued of 66 Courfe, without Design of executing them, or any of them, ad terrorem only, on Suppofition that the Papilts relying on an external Power, were incapable of Duty, and true Allegiance to "their natural Soveraigns; we of our certain "Knowledge, and long Experience, knowing that "the Catbolicks, as it is their Principle to be good "Chriftians, fo it is to be dutiful Subjects; and "that they have likewife on all Occafions "fhewn themselves good and faithful Subjects to "us, and our Royal Predeceffors; do therefore with "Advice and Confent of our Privy-Council, by our Soveraign Authority, Prerogative Royal, and Abfolute Power, Sufpend, Stop and Difable all "Laws or Alis of Parliament, Made or Executed against any of our Roman Catholick Subjects, in any 66 time palt, to all Intents and Purposes, making Void all Prohibitions therein mention'd, Pains or "Penalties therein ordain'd to be inflicted; fo "that they fhall in all things be as free in all Re"fpects as any of our Proteftant Subjects whatso66 ever, not only to exercife their Religion, but 66 to enjoy all Offices, Benefices and others, which we thall think it to beltow upon them, in all "time coming. And whereas the Obedience of "our Subjects is due to us by their Allegiance and our Sovereignty, and that no Law, Difference in Religion, or other Impediment whatsoever can exempt the Subjects from their native Obliga"tions to the Crown; and confidering that fome "Oaths are capable of being wrefted by Men of "finiftrous Intentions, a Practice in that Kingdom "fatal to Religion as to Loyalty; we therefore "call, anal, and difcharge all Oaths whatfoever, "by which any of our Subjects are incapacitated "from holding Places or Offices in our faid King

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dom, difcharging the fame to be taken or given "in any time coming, without our fpecial Warrant "and Confent; and we do ftop, difable and difpence with all Laws enjoining the faid Oaths, Tefts, or any of them, &c.

'Tis