His Majesty's LETTER TO His Parliament in SCOTLAND, Assembled October 19 1669.  
Together with THE SPEECH OF His Grace the Earl of Lauderdaill, HIS Majesty's High-Commissioner;  
AS ALSO, The Answer OF THE PARLIAMENT of SCOTLAND TO His Majesty's Gracious LETTER.  
Published by His Majesty's Command.  
In the SAVOY, Printed by Tho: Newcomb, 1669.   

His Majesty's LETTER TO His Parliament in SCOTLAND, Assembled October 19 1669.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
WE do often reflect, with thankfulness and joy, upon the goodness of Almighty God, for restoring Us to Our Kingdoms, and them to their former Liberty, and Peace: and We acknowledge it a further instance of God's Goodness, that as he hath filled Our heart with kindness towards Our Subjects of that Our Ancient Kingdom, and with a Constant Zeal to promote what We judge conducible to their welfare; so, he hath blest Us with returns from them of Love, Loyalty and ready Compliance with Our Pleasure on all Occasions, most suitable thereunto: of which Our late Parliament hath given signal proofs, as well as Our other good Subjects. And this gives Us Confidence, that the earnest desire We have to render this Island more happy than ever it was in times past, by settling amongst all Our good Subjects within the same, a mutual affection that may endure to all Posterity, shall meet with a free Concurrence from you Our Parliament, whom We have called together chief for this end.  
The bringing of these two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, to as close and strict an Union as is possible, is the means that We propose, for the effectuating thereof: which as it is the highest, and noblest design We can have, for witnessing Our Royal Affection to them both, so the accomplishment of it will raise Our Satisfaction, almost, as high as Our Wishes. For by the Union of the hearts and hands of Our People, not only Our Throne shall be strengthened, and they have Peace and Love settled amongst them for ever, but We shall have the Glory of Accomplishing what Our Royal Grandfather King James, of ever blessed Memory, attempted as the greatest thing he could devise, and wherein He, who was a Competent Judge, placed the Happiness of the Crown and Kingdoms, and wherein he meant to have gloried as the chiefest action of His Life.  
We have fully instructed Our Commissioner with Our intentions as to this Subject, and concerning such other matters as seem to Us to be useful for the Constant peace and welfare of the Church and State in that Our Kingdom. You are to give him full Credit, and He will acquaint Us with all Matters; and what is farther necessary for Us to do, will be speedily performed. So We bid you hearty farewell.   

THE SPEECH OF HIS GRACE THE Earl of Lauderdaill, His Majesty's High-Commissioner For the PARLIAMENT OF SCOTLAND: Delivered in Parliament The Ninteenth day of October, 1669.  
Published by His Majesty's Command.  
In the SAVOY, Printed by Tho: Newcomb, 1669.   

THE SPEECH OF His Grace the Earl of LAUDERDAILL, His Majesty's High-Commissioner for the Parliament of Scotland.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
BY the Authority of the King, and His special Command you are here assembled in His high Court of Parliament. You have heard His royal Intentions under His own hand, with the chief Reasons of His calling you together. You have heard His most gracious Expressions of His kindness to His Subjects in this His ancient Kingdom, and His Confidence of you their Representatives; And I shall as shortly as I can acquaint you with what I have further in command from my Master to say in His name at the opening of this His Parliament. And first I am to assure you of His Majesty's constant and unalterable Zeal, for maintaining and defending the true reformed Protestant Religion in this His Kingdom, for which he will constantly lay out His whole Power and Authority, as also for discouraging and punishing all Atheism and Profanities, and all that is contrary to true Religion and Godliness. I am further particularly commanded to assure you, That with no less Zeal and Constancy He will maintain and defend the ancient Government by Archbishops and Bishops, as now it is happily settled, as a sure fence for the true reformed Protestant Religion, A Government most suitable to Monarchy; and well may I call it Ancient, for whoever will look into Antiquity shall find Episcopal Government hath continued in the whole Catholic Church both East and West, even from the most Primitive and Apostolic Times: I shall not insist on the sad Calamities and Confusions which the violent and rebellious endeavours to overturn this Government produced in this Kingdom; His Majesty's gracious Act of Pardon and Oblivion forbids the ripping up those sores which His own royal hand hath cured, and long may they be buried in Oblivion: Yet sure I am, the reflections on those dismal days ought to raise no less Zeal in the Parliament, and in all good Subjects for the maintaining of that Government as now it is happily settled: For, in His Majesty's name and by His special command I do assure you, He will employ His utmost power in the maintenance of that Government, and will protect the persons of my Lords the Archbishops and Bishops, and of the Loyal, Orthodox and peaceable Clergy in the exercise of their functions: He will not endure those numerous and unlawful Conventicles which tend to Sedition and Schism, which have been too frequent in some few Shires of this Kingdom: Good Laws have been made; and in prosecution of those Laws, the Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council have shown their care for suppressing those seditious Assemblies; Yea, and of late His Majesty has graciously indulged the planting of some who were esteemed peaceable men, in vacant Churches (though they came not up to the rules established.) It will be expected that they walk worthy of so great a favour: But if after this removal of the very pretence of unlawful Conventicles any factious people shall in contempt of His Majesty's Laws; yea, and of His indulgence also, seditiously Assemble themselves under pretence of Religious Worship, His Majesty doth Require His Parliament, and all in Authority under Him, vigorously to suppress such Meetings, and to bring the pretended Preachers, and the Ringleaders of such unlawful Assemblies, to condign and exemplary punishment.  
In the next Place, I am commanded to let you know, That I am sufficiently Instructed to give His Majesty's Royal Assent to such Laws as shall be prepared in this Parliament, for the constant Peace and welfare of this Church, and of the Kingdom in all its Relations: But the chief Occasion of calling this Parliament, is the prosecution of that great and glorious Design of bringing His Kingdoms of Scotland and England to a stricter and nearer Union. This Design was begun by His Royal Grandfather of blessed Memory, who went so far on towards this great Work, that in the first year of His Reign over Great Britain, King James named Commissioners for this Kingdom, who by Act of Parliament were authorized to Treat and Consult with Commissioners for the Kingdom of England, concerning such an Union: And in pursuance of their Treaty, Acts were made for the Repealing of Hostile Laws, and the utter abolition of all memory of Hostility between the two Nations: And in the Seventh year of His Reign, it was, by the Judges of all the Courts of Westminster-Hall in England, solemnly adjudged, in the Case of the Post-nati, that those who after the Descent of the Crown of England to King James, were born in Scotland, were no Aliens in England, and consequently were capable, not only of Land, but of all other Immunities, as if they had been born in England, so much was done in King James his time. And the occasions of His Majesty's Resolutions to prosecute this great Work, were these, Complaints having been made to His Majesty, That since the 25th day of March, in the Twelfth year of His Reign, new duties were imposed in England, upon divers Commodities of the growth, production, and manufacture of Scotland, and incapacities laid upon the Subjects of Scotland: It pleased the King to appoint divers Meetings upon this Matter, though without Success: whereupon the late Parliament of this Kingdom imposed, in their third Session Ann. 1663. great Duties upon the Commodities of the growth, production or manufacture of England, which by His Majesty's Command were suspended, and have not been exacted, though the Duties in England still continue; and upon His Majesty's recommendation to the Parliament of England, an Act was lately made for settling freedom and intercourse of Trade between the two Kingdoms: Whereupon Commissioners were nominated and appointed by His Majesty for both Kingdoms to Treat upon that Affair, who had many Meetings, but produced no effect, unless it were a conviction of the Difficulty, if not impossibility of settling it in any other way, then by a nearer and more complete Union of the two Kingdoms. His Majesty is fully persuaded that nothing can tend more to the good and security of both Nations, than such an Union. And finding that in His Royal Grandfather's time, so great an advance was made towards this Union, and that the continuance under the same Obedience for near 70. years, having begotten the same common Friends and common Enemies to both Nations, and taken off a great part of those Difficulties, which at the first (notwithstanding the Union in Obedience to One Sovereign) stood in the way. His Majesty well hopes, that what is yet wanting to the perfecting of it, may be now accomplished, And therefore, in His Majesty's Name, I do most hearty recommend this great work unto you; and I doubt not, but you will speedily send such an humble Answer to His Majesty's most gracious Letter, as may witness how well grounded that Confidence is, which His Majesty hath expressed of you. This day the Parliament of England meets, and the King will both Himself, and by His Lord Keeper make the like Proposals (as to the Union) unto both Houses: And I am confident, that Loyal Parliament, who have all along given such ample Testimonies of their Duty and Affection to His Majesty, will upon this Occasion make a suitable Return to His Proposals. What is farther to be proposed upon this Matter, shall be offered at your next days Meeting: and the King doubts not but that after the meeting of Commissioners for both Kingdoms, those things will be tendered to your consideration, in order to the Union, as shall tend to the Honour of His Majesty, and the common good of all His Subjects. These things I was commanded, before I came away from His Majesty to acquaint you with, and I have since, upon another Occasion, received an order in writing, bearing date the 7th of this Month; by which I am again commanded, amply to declare His Majesty's unchangeable Resolution to maintain Episcopal Government in the Church. So having begun and ended with this Declaration, I hope both the groundless Jealousies, on the one hand, and the vain and idle hopes on the other shall be at an end.  
FINIS.   

The Answer OF THE PARLIAMENT of SCOTLAND, TO His Majesty's Gracious Letter.  
Most Sacred SOVEREIGN;  
THE Goodness of God, in Restoring YOUR MAJESTY to Your Government, and thereby this your Ancient Kingdom to its former Liberty and Peace; Hath been, and will ever, with all humble Duty and Thankfulness, be Acknowledged, as the Greatest Blessing we are Capable of in this World. And, the Many Singular and Renewed Testimonies this Kingdom hath since Met with, of Your Fatherly Care, Kindness, and Zeal, to Promove its Welfare and Happiness in all its Concerns▪ Have so Engaged the Hearts and Affections of Your Subjects, That We can with Confidence Assure Your Majesty of a Cheerful Concurrence from this Kingdom in Every Thing may Tend to Your Majesty's Honour, or the Good of Your People.  
We do, with the Like Duty and Thankfulness, Acknowledge Your Majesty's Grace and Goodness, in Your Desires to render this Island more happy than ever it was in former Times, by Settling among Your good Subjects within the same, such a Mutual Affection, as may endure to all Posterity. And, since the Bringing of Your Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England to as Close and Strict an Union as is possible, is the Mean Your Majesty Proposes; For Effectuating thereof, We shall be Ready to Give Our Hearty-Concurrence therein: And, in Order thereunto are willing that Commissioners be Appointed for this Kingdom, to Treat with such as shall be Employed for the Kingdom of England, upon the Grounds and Conditions of this Union: Reserving always to the Parliament, To whom the Resolution of these Commissioners are to be Returned, the Consideration thereof, and the Allowing or Disallowing of the same, as They shall judge fit. And, in Confidence of Your Majesty's most Excellent Judgement, and Great Affection in all things Relating to the Happiness of Your People, whereof this Kingdom hath already had so many Signal Proofs; We do Freely and Hearty offer to Your Majesty the Nomination of the Persons to Treat for this Kingdom, with the Appointing of their Number, Quorum, Time and Place of their Meeting; And, upon signification of Your Majesty's Pleasure therein, We shall give such Commissions and Orders for Promoveing of the Treaty, as (Reserving the Full Determination of all to the Parliament, as aforesaid) shall Witness Our Cheerful Compliance with Your Majesty's Desires.  
The Earl of Lauderdail, whom Your Majesty, to the Great Satisfaction of Your People, and Interest of Your Service, has been pleased to Authorise as Your Commissioner, Hath, in Your Majesty's Name Renewed to Us the Assurances of Your Majesty's Care and Respect, to the good of this Your Ancient Kingdom; For which We do Humbly Return to Your Majesty the Offer of Our Lives and Fortunes, for the advancement of your Majesty's Honour and Greatness, and maintenance of Your Royal Authority and Government: And in every thing shall be proposed by him, We shall not only give Credit as to Your Commissioner, but also such Cheerful and ready Obedience, as may Evidence to the World the Loyalty of Our Hearts: And in Testimony hereof, These Presents are by Warrant, and in Name of Your Parliament, Signed by  
Most Sacred SOVEREIGN, YOUR MAJESTY'S Most Faithful, Most Obedient, and Most Humble Subject and Servant, ROTHES, CANCEL. in Praesentia Dominorum Parliamenti. Edinbourgh, 22 Octob. 1669.   
FINIS.