HIS MAJESTY'S GRACIOUS LETTER TO THE Convention of Estates IN SCOTLAND, The 13 of JUNE, 1678.  
CHARLES R. 
 My Lords and Gentlemen,  
AS We have, by many former Letters directed to preceding Parliaments and Conventions, so often and so fully expressed Our great Confidence in the Hearty, Loyal and Sincere Affections both of the Representative, and of the much greater part of the Body of that Our Ancient Kingdom; so now We cannot but assure you, That We repose the same Confidence in you of this Convention; Resolving that this Our renewed Assurance We have of you, shall remain on Record to Posterity as well as the former. Those Conventions preceding you, did fully answer Our Expectations, and We have good reason to have the same Confidence of you: And therefore We shall only acquaint you with the Reasons of Our Calling you together.  
The great Kindness We bear to that Our Ancient Kingdom, hath, at all Times, inclined Us to be very watchful over all its Concerns; And considering that all Kings and States do at present carefully Secure Themselves and their People, by providing against all such Foreign Invasions, and Intestine Commotions, as may make them a Prey to their Enemies; It is not fit, That that Our Kingdom should only, of all others, remain without Defence; Especially at a time wherein those dangerous Field-Conventicles (so justly termed in our Laws, The Rendevouzes of Rebellion) d● still grow in their Numbers and Insolences; Against all which, Our present Forces cannot in reason be thought a suitable Security. Therefore, and that we may be the better enabled to raise some more Forces, for securing that Our Kingdom against all Foreign Invasions, and Intestine Commotions, and to the end they may be maintained by such equal and regular Ways as may give least Dissatisfaction to Our People, and to let the World see the Unanimous Affection of Our People to Us: These are the only Reasons of Calling you together at this time. And although We have been always very unwilling to lay Burden upon that Our Kingdom, yet We could not neglect the giving you this opportunity, to witness your Affection to Our Service, especially in so dangerous a Time, and for so important a Cause. And seeing We are resolved to employ what you shall give, only for the Peace and Security of that Our Kingdom, We doubt not but you will cheerfully give such a Supply as may be effectual for the Ends proposed, such as the Kingdom can bear.  
As to the way of raising this Supply, We know the like hath been formerly done, both by way of Taxation, and by way of Valuation of the yearly Land-Rents, and we know Taxation to be the ancient way, yet We understand it will take so much time in Collecting, that it will not answer the present Exigent; Therefore we do earnestly recommend to you, to take the most easy and expedite way of raising Money for this so necessary a Work. We confidently expect that all Ranks and Conditions of Men (excepting only Colleges and Hospitals) will willingly Contribute for the Defence of the Kingdom, and their own Preservation, against Foreign and Domestic Enemies: This is the only Business you are to do in this Convention.  
We have made choice of the Duke of Landerdale to be Our Commissioner for this Convention, who hath so often faithfully served Us in that Station; and not only in this, but in all other Capacities, as well for Our Interest, as for the Advantage of His Native Country; And therefore We do expect you will give entire Credit unto him whom We so much trust. He will more particularly acquaint you of what may concern this Business, for which We have now called you. He will also tell you how confident We are of you, and how ready we shall be, upon all occasions, to do every thing that may be, for the Good of that Our Kingdom, whose Interest shall ever be dear unto Us; And so we cannot but be confident, That after your Dissolution, you will in your several Stations, give real Testimonies of your Zeal to Our Service, to the Maintenance of Our Government both in Church and State, as it is now Established by Law, and to the preserving the Peace of the Kingdom; in which, according to every Man's Actions, he may expect Marks of Our Royal Favour. And so We bid you hearty Farewell.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the 13th day of June, 1678. and of Our Reign the 30th Year.   

THE SPEECH OF HIS GRACE THE Duke of Lauderdale, HIS MAJESTY'S High Commissioner, TO THE Convention of Estates at EDINBURGH, The 4th of JULY, 1678.  
My Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and you Gentlemen the Commissioners of the Shires, and of the Royal Burroughs.  
YOU have heard in His Majesty's Most Gracious Letter, now read to you, the renewed Expressions of His Kindness to, and Confidence in the Hearty, Loyal and Sincere Affection of you the Representers, and of the much greater part of the Body of this His Ancient Kingdom. He hath so fully expressed this to all the Sessions of His Two Parliaments, and to the Two former Conventions; He hath given such real, and such convincing Testimonies of this, in all the Acts of His Government these Eighteen Years, since His Most Glorious and Happy Restauration, which I am sure are so deeply rooted in all your Hearts, that I shall not further insist. His Majesty hath fully and clearly expressed the Reasons of His Calling this Convention, and of His Expectation of such a Supply, as may Enable Him to protect and defend you against Foreign Invasion, or Intestine Rebellion: On this I shall enlarge a little.  
You may remember that Four Years ago, in the last Session of the last Parliament, though the King was actually Engaged in a great War, yet knowing the low Condition of this Kingdom, He asked no Supply, for then there was no appearance of any Insurrection here, though soon after the end of that Parliament, the fanatics broke out very insolently in divers places; I shall not reflect how this came.  
But this Year they have been much more insolent in numerous Field Conventicles, which the Law justly terms, Rendevouzes of Rebellion; And the Countries most infested, declared, That they were not able to suppress them, so there was a necessity to draw Forces together: I shall not repeat what followed upon that Occasion, nor reflect upon any thing that passed since; I will only look forward, how the Kingdom may be secured in this great Conjuncture, by the fairest and most easy ways.  
About the time of the date of the King's Letter, there was an appearance of Peace betwixt our nearest Neighbours, in France, Flanders, and the United Provinces, which now seems to be at least retarded, and all Countries prepare for their Defence; which makes it necessary that this Kingdom should not be the only Country left naked without any Defence: Here is no more than one Regiment of Foot, and one Troop of Guards, of standing Force, and the King's Revenue can bear no more; I need not therefore enlarge on the Necessity of raising more standing Force regularly paid, to prevent Free Quarter, which would be otherwise unavoidable. For if there should be an Invasion, or if those Field Conventicles (the true Rendevouzes of Rebellion) should join in open Rebellion, as they did in the Year 1666, the whole Power of the Kingdom must be drawn together; how burdensome that would be, I leave you to judge; and nothing can prevent such a Rebellion, but some more standing Forces regularly paid, which may not only prevent it now, by God's blessing, but secure us from it for the future.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
The King, like a true Father of His Country, puts you in mind of your danger, and proposes to you the fairest, the easiest, and the most equal Remedy. His Majesty hath these Eighteen Years, in all His Kingdoms, solemnly professed His Abhorrence of Arbitrary Government, His Ruling by the Law, and His inviolable Care to preserve the Liberty and Property of His Subjects: Those Professions have been fully made good, by all the Acts of His Government, since His Happy Return. And I do, in His Majesty's Name, assure you, That He is, and shall be as careful of your Liberties and Properties, as of any thing on Earth that is nearest and dearest to Him; And if any entrusted by Him shall transgress, they may certainly expect to be crushed under His just Displeasure: He will maintain the true Religion, and the ancient Government of this Church, as now Established by Law; He will Execute the Law against Transgressor's; He will Maintain His Judicatures; He will defend His good Subjects in all their just Rights: Who would not then cheerfully, and thoroughly Serve and Obey so Gracious a King? And what He now demands, shall, I hope, appear necessary and easy: It will be some Burden, I confess, but when you consider this great Truth, That no Country in Europe hath born so little Public Burden as this, none at all since the Year 1672. And how what hath been given, hath been wholly employed for those Public Ends for which it was given, As this I do assure you shall most exactly be.  
Consider all the intolerable Burdens you lay under, whilst you groaned under Rebellion; Call to mind the Monthly Maintenances, the Cesses, the Loans, and that unparallelled Oppression of borrowing Money from whom they pleased, without Rules of Reason, but their own Will, which was their Law; This borrowing, was, indeed, forcing Money, which was never Repaid. Call to mind that horrid Tyranny of the Traitorous Usurpers, their most unsufferable Cease of Ten thousand pounds per Mensem, for many Years; And, at last, their Six thousand pounds per Mensem constantly, till His Majesty's Glorious Return.  
You cannot forget their Fining and Forfeiting, their Imprisoning many of the King's best Subjects, and the other Acts of their most unlimited and most inhuman Tyranny, which lasted Two and twenty Years, till God broke their Bonds, and set us free, by the Return of our Lawful and Most Gracious King. Compare then what We suffered for not Obeying the King, and for our Rebellion, and the Effects of that Rebellion, the Sword of merciless Traitors, whom our Divisions only enabled to subdue us, and I hope you will clearly see how happy we are in Loyalty.  
You cannot imagine that the King intends to keep up a constant Force, while you remember that in the Year 1666, the Forces then raised, were by His Majesty readily disbanded when that Exigent was over, though no small Endeavours were used for their continuance.  
The Force the King designs to raise, shall not be formidable, but moderate, such as are of absolute necessity, to which, I hope, you will give a hearty, a ready, and an unanimous Consent: The ways of Imposing it are left to yourselves, not doubting but you will take the expeditest way, as is hinted in the King's Letter; And I persuade myself, by your Unanimity, you will consider your own Reputation, and the Honour and Security of Scotland, in this so necessary Service to the best of Kings.   

THE Dutiful LETTER Sent to His MAJESTY, from the Convention of Estates in SCOTLAND▪ The 11th of JULY, 1678.  
May it please Your Sacred Majesty,  
WHen we reflect upon the great Happiness of living under a King of our own Nation and Religion, whose Predecessors have for many Ages kept us from being Conquered by Strangers, and a Prey to one another; And how that though We have been so Unhappy, as not to have had Your Majesty's Sacred Person amongst us, yet Your Majesty does always, with a most Fatherly Care, provide for our Security and Happiness; so that whilst our Neighbours have been spending their Estates and Blood in cruel Wars, we have enjoyed a most sweet and profitable Peace. We cannot be so far wanting to our Duty, as not to embrace every Occasion of testifying to the World, our humble and thankful Acknowledgement of those Blessings, which we value as much, because they are Marks of Your Majesty's Favour, as for being the Effects of Your Royal Protection.  
And therefore we, Your Majesty's most Faithful and most Loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Representatives of the Shires and Boroughs of this Your Ancient Kingdom, being Assembled in this the fullest Convention that ever has been seen of Your Majesty's Estates, do, in a Dutiful Return to those and the other Marks of Your Majesty's Royal Care and Kindness, assure Your Majesty, That though Factious and Humorous Persons may seduce some in this Nation to departed from their Duty, yet there is generally so much Innate, National, and Unalterable Kindness and Duty, in the Hearts of the Subjects of this Your Majesty's Ancient Kingdom, that these Errors do in most proceed rather from a misrepresentation of Your Majesty's Inclinations, than from any form Resolutions of opposing Your Authority. And that the World may know how much we trust Your Majesty's Judgement, and how entirely we believe the Measures You take, to be the best and safest, We acknowledge it is fit we should Enable Your Majesty to resist all Foreign Invasions, at this Time especially, wherein all Europe has too apparent Reason to be jealous of so Potent and Restless Neighbours. And therefore without prying into Foreign Mysteries, (which are the proper Employment of Princes) we do, with all humble Confidence, repose entirely upon Your Majesty's wise Conduct, being fully resolved to contribute our Lives and Fortunes towards the maintenance of Your Majesty's Honour and Greatness, in which our Peace and Safety are inseparably included.  
We hope Your Majesty will not think it strange, that after so inveterate and raging a Rebellion as that was, which for so many Years wasted all Your Majesty's Dominions, we should nor so fully and so soon return to our former Integrity, as that some of us should not need sometimes Your Majesty's Pardon, and all of us, at all times, Your Majesty's Assistance; But we hope that Time and Reason will, with Your Majesty's Justice, Clemency and Prudence, reduce this Your Ancient Kingdom, in a short time, to its former entire Loyalty: Such as trouble our Peace becoming daily more inconsiderable in their Numbers, as they have for a long time been, and have, in this Representative of Your Majesty's Kingdom, appeared to be as to their Interest. And that these Rebellious and Schismatic Principles may be rooted out by lawful and suitable means, we have offered Your Majesty a Supply, which nothing, save the Sincerity, Unanimity, and the Affection wherewith it was offered, could make any way considerable. And to make the same yet more effectual for attaining so desirable Ends, we assure Your Majesty, That we shall contribute our hearty Endeavours for suppressing those Factious and Schismatic Humours, which if favoured, or indulged, would soon ripen into a new Rebellion, Knowing, that the surest way to lessen our Burdens, is to remove their Cause. And as this Supply is furnished, at this time, with respect only to the present Exigence, so this shall not lessen our forwardness in appearing universally betwixt 60 and 16, (Conform to the Laws of this Your Majesty's Kingdom) with great Alacrity and Cheerfulness, when ever Your Majesty calls for our Assistance.  
We hope that the Duke of Lauderdale will inform Your Majesty, with what Respect we received and used him as Your High Commissioner; Knowing, that not to believe what is represented, in Your Majesty's Name, by your Ministers, is as dangerous, as to oppose Your Person in defence of Your Authority; both of these furnishing equally Pretexts of opposing the Royal Power, when it does not please us. His management of Affairs in this Convention, has justified Your Majesty's Choice of him, and will (we hope) answer Your Expectation.  
Having thus satisfied Your Majesty's just Desires, we hope Your Majesty, who uses always to lessen our greatest Gild, and to heighten the value of our meanest Endeavours, will continue Your Care of our Concerns, Your Goodness having left us nothing else to Grave; That enjoying the pious and free Exercise of the Protestant Religion, as it is presently Established in its Doctrine and Government, and the just Liberties of our Persons and Properties, in the due Administration of the Laws and Customs of our Native Country, we may continue to bless God for a King, who, like God, (from whom alone our Kings derive their Power) never uses his Power, but to do good; and may be with all Cheerfulness ready to hazard what is so preserved to us, in the defence of Your Majesty's Royal Person and Government. And this we have ordered to be Signed by Your Majesty's Chancellor, in Name of  
Your Majesty's most Humble, Most Faithful and Most Obedient Subjects and Servants. Rothes Cancel. I. P. D. Con. Edinburgh, July 11. 1678.