دو

houres before his death, his conviction was of a longer date:
The King thought fit to shew them one day to the Archbishop
of Cantorburie in his Closet, no body being by, who seem'd "
much surprised at the Sight of them, and pawsed almost half
a quarter of an houre before he said any thing; at last tould "
the King, He did not think his late. Majesty had understood
controversie so well, but that he thought they might be
answer'd: If so, sayd the King, I pray let it be done
gentleman like and sollidly, and then it may haue the efect
you so much desire of bringing me back to your Church;
to which the Archbishop replyd, It would perhaps be
counted a disrespect in him to contradict the late King,
but his Majesty reassured him in that point, by telling him
the change it might produce in himself (if answer'd efectually).
was of that consequence as to out ballance any other
consideration, and therefore desired he might see a reply
either from him or any other of his perswasion; but thō he,
My Lord Dartemouth, and others, were several times
reminded of this matter and earnestly press'd to it, never any
formal reply was produced during the four years of his "
Majesty's reign in England. It is true there was something of
an answer published by an unknown hand, but the drift of it
was rather to proue that the papers were not the late King's
(which was a libel in reality upon the present) than any reply
to the arguments of it, and it is probable the Arch Bishop
dispair'd of answering it so effectually as to bring back his
Majesty to their Communion, whereas the publishing a reply
would have own'd and publish'd the papers too; and he had
reason to aprehend, that the authority and arguments of their
dying Prince would influence more persons to that Religion,
than his answer would perswade to relinquish it.

وو

After this testimony of candor and open dealing, his Majesty gaue the Arch Bishop an other, how little he was inclin'd to

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III.

1685. KINGJAM.M". Тoм:9. p.203.

The King Crown'd the 23d of April.

and Queen

T.O M.

III.

1685.

A Parliament call'd in Scotland.

The King's letter, dat. 28. March.

innovate in any thing, by receiving the Crown from his hands; for thō he had reason to scruple the communicateing in those prayers, preaching, and Cerimonys, which were perform'd according to the rites of the Church of England, yet his Majesty was so desirous to comply as far as any shew of reason or plausible excuse could warrant him, that he readily yielded to it, so on the 23d of April the King and Queen were crown'd accordingly, with all the splendor and magnificence which is usual on such sollemn occasions, and with full as much publick joy and testimonys of affections as had been ever seen in former times.

Assoon as these formality, Cerimonys, and compliments were over, the King made hast to meet his people by their representatiues in Parliament, he issued out the writts immediately after the Coronation, and thō he had no reason to question the duty full behaviour of his English Subjects, yet to distinguish the confidence he had in the Scotch Nobility and Gentry, who had stuck so close to him in his adversitie, he order'd that Parliament to meet first, acquainting them in his letter, That the experience he ever had of their fidelitie and singular forwardness to concur in all good and wholsom laws. in the Reign of his Brother, occasioned his ordering them to assemble in the begining of his, to give them an oportunity not only of shewing their duty, but of being an example to others in a cheerful complyance to what he requested of them ; that what he had to offer had full as great a tendency to the maintenance of their own priuiledges and properties, as to his safety or augmentation of his power, which if he resolued to maintain in its due luster and prerogatiue, it was principally to enable him the better to protect their Religion and Laws, together with their rights and properties, against all fanatical murtherers and assasines, who had heretofore brought them to such difficulties, that nothing but his Brother's steddy resolution

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and those he was pleas'd to imploy, could haue extricated them out of, and that as those unhumain wretches had left nothing unatempted to disturb the peace, so he hoped they would be wanting in nothing for his and their own security against them; it was once, he sayd, his intention to haue propos'd this to them in person, but it not being practicable at present, he had sent the Duke of Queensbury fully instructed in what he conceiued would conduce to his seruice and their prosperitie; not doubting of their ready and dutyfull complyance therein.

The Duke of Queensbury therefore to second this, assur'd them the King could not giue a liuelyer testimony of his confidence in their Loyal dispositions, than by this early adviseing with them, to the end they might giue the leading to his other dominions, and he giue them a demonstration that he intended to follow the example of his Brother's peacefull reign; that he gaue them assurances of his Princely resolution of protecting the government both in Church and State, that he would defend their rights and properties according to the established Laws of the Kingdom, that they should not be injured by any arbitrary oppression of Soldiers or others, that he would grant his. condescention in the business of excise and militia as far as could be justly expected; and that on the other side his Majesty hop'd they would assert the rights and prerogatiues of the Crown, and establish the revenue as amply upon him, and his Lawful Successors, as it had been enjoyed by his Brother, and that effectual means might be fallen upon, to extirpate the desperate fanatical partie that had brought the Kingdom to the brink of destruction.

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After him the Earle of Perth, then Lord Chancelour (who had already by his extraordinary zeal for the King's Seruice prepared peoples minds to a concurrance with his inclinations, and wrought them to that good temper they appear'd in, at the begining of his Reign) put them in mind of the great

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1685.

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benefit they had receiu'd from his Majestys presence when Duke of York, that he had wrought an union amongst them, which was almost dispaired of before, and therefore desired them to destroy that brood of vilanous men who were continually working to a contrary end, and mentain'd principles autherising the perpetration of things not fit to be named amongst those who had ever heard of government much less of Religion; he enlarged likewise upon his Majesty's excellent qualifications, which ought, he Sayd, to be more particularly admired in a crown'd head, his personal knowlidg, either as to peace or war, and his experience both in Armes and Courts, his exact temperance, honesty, sobriety, dilligence and courage, his haveing been an example of Loyalty to all his Subjects whilst he was one himself, and now an example to all Kings, of loue, clemency, and care towards his people.

The Scots Nobility and Gentry looking upon themselves to haue giuen a King to England in the person of his Majesty, by zealously contribiting to his support when England contended so vehemently to depriue him of his right, were no ways degenerated from their former duty and affection towards him ; the great esteem and value they had contracted for his person, gaue a new vigor and life to their settled loyalty to him as their King; which made the Parliament answer to the full, both in words and actions, the King's expectations of them: first therefore in their adress they tell him, that his gracious and kind remembrance of their former seruices to the late King his Brother of ever glorious memory, should rather rais in them an ardent desire of exceeding what they had formerly done, than to look upon themselues as deserueing that esteem he was pleas'd to express, that the death of that excellent Monarck was lamented by them to all the degrees of grief which was consistant with the joy for the Succession of his Sacred Majesty, who had not only continued but secur'd the happiness, which

III.

1685.

his Brother's wisdom, justice, and clemencie had procured TOM. them; that being the first Parliament that met by his authority, he might be confident they would offer such Laws as might best secure his person, the Royal family and government, and that they would endeavour to rais his honour and dignity to the utmost extent of their power, nor would leaue any thing undon which could be thought proper, either for extirpation of fanatisme, or detecting and punishing the late conspirators.

Accordingly with more than usual concord and expedition, they pass'd a Bill for ratifying and confirming all former Acts in favour of the established Religion, they annex'd the excise of forreign and inland commodities to the Crown of Scotland for ever; and for the better discovering and prosecuting the fanical partie, they ordain'd that all such persons as being cited in cases of treason, field or house conuenticles, or any Church irregularities should refuse to giue testimony, should be punishable as guilty of those crimes respectiuely, in which they refus'd to be witnesses.

The King's earnestness to haue the field conuenticles suppress'd, was not from any spirit of persecution (thō those wretches deserued no quarter) but from an aprehension of new troubles, which for publick quiet as much as his own security he was desirous to prevent, nor did his caution proue unseasonable, but was an argument of his prudent foresight: he knew the Earle of Argile's turbulent disposition and envenom'd malice against him, would prompt him to some violent attempt now at his comeing to the Crown; and that those Seditious spirits would be always ready to join him; accordingly many days did not pass ere it apear'd the King was not mistaken in his conjecture, and had good cause to use those precautions which proued of no small benefit to him afterwards.

The Court therefore had all reason in the world to be satisfyd with the Scotch proceeding, which besides the good efect it

The Parlia
England the

ment meets in

24th

hof May.