By the KING, A PROCLAMATION.  
JAMES R.  
JAMES the Seventh, by the Grace of GOD, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c: To all and sundry Our good Subjects, whom these Presents do or may Concern, Greeting.  
Since Accession to the Throne of Our Royal Ancestors, Our chiefest Care has been to procure the Security, Peace and Happiness of Our Subjects, by all the ways Our Paternal Care of Our People could suggest to Us, especially by removing the Pressures of Penal Laws in matters of mere Religion, and forbidding all differencing Oaths and Tests, whose unreasonable Weight hung heavy on Us and Our People, Precluding both from Our Native-freedom and Birthright; And this We did by Our Royal Declaration of the date the 1● of February 168●. In which Declaration, We were pleased, for the great and weighty Causes and Considerations therein mentioned, and by virtue of Our Sovereign 〈◊〉. Prerogative Royal, and Absolute Power, so plainly Acknowledged by several Acts of Parliament, and especially by the 2d. Act of Our first Parliament; To Give and Grant Our Royal Toleration to all the Professors of the Christian Religion therein named, and with and under certain Conditions, Restrictions, and Limitations, judged by Us for the Time to be necessary. Requiring and expecting, that all Our good Subject would give their Assistance and Concourse thereunto, on all Occasions, in their respective Capacities; Suspending, Disabling and Stopping all Penal Laws, Acts of Parliament, Customs or Constitutions, made or executed against Dissenters for matters of mere Religion. And further, We did Cass, Annul and Discharge, all Oaths whatsoever, by which any were Disabled from holding Places or Offices, or enjoying their Hereditary Rights and Privileges; Discharging the same to be thence forward given or taken, without Our special Warrant; Stopping, Disabling, and Dispensing as well with all Laws enjoining the said Oaths and Tests, as with the other Penal Laws therein mentioned; and Declaring, that it never was Our Principle, nor would We suffer Violence to be offered to any man's Conscience, or Force to be used against any man, on the account of his Persuasion; And that We would employ indifferently all Our Subjects, of all Persuasions, so as none should meet with any Discouragement on the account of his Religion, but be Advanced and Esteemed by Us, according to their several Capacities and Qualifications, so long as We should find Charity and Unity maintained: And if any Animosities should arise, that then We would show the severest Effects of Our Royal Displeasure against the Beginners or Fomenters thereof, seeing thereby Our Subjects might be deprived of that general Ease and Satisfaction that We did intent to all of them, whose Happiness, Prosperity, Wealth and Safety were so much in Our Royal Care, that We would leave nothing undone that might procure these Blessings for them. We did likewise Declare, that We were resolved to maintain Our Arch-Bishops of the Protestant Religion, with all the inferior Clergy, in the full and free Possession of their Rights and Privileges, as they now enjoy them, and all Our Protestant Subjects, in the free Exercise of their Religion; As likewise, the Possessors of Church or Abbay-Lands, in their Full Right of their Possessions, according to Law, in that Case already provided; Likewise, Granting Our Indemnity, with such Exceptions, as in the forsaid Proclamation is more fully expressed. Thereafter, We thought fit to Explain and Enlarge the same, by Our second Declaration, bearing date at Windsor, the 28 day of June last bypast, of which the Tenor follows.  
JAMES the Seventh, by the Grace of GOD, King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all and sundry Our good Subjects whom these Presents do or may concern, Greeting.  
Whereas by Our Royal Proclamation of the date the 12 day of February 1686/7, We were graciously pleased for the Causes, and on the Terms therein mentioned, to grant our Royal Toleration to the Professors of the Christian Religion therein named, With and under certain Restrictions and Limitations, All which are in the said Proclamation more at length expressed: We now taking into Our Royal Consideration the sinistruous Interpretations, which either have, or may be made of some Restrictions, therein mentioned. Have thought fit by this Our Royal Proclamation, further to Declare, that We will Protect Our Arch-Bishops, and Bishops, and all our Subjects of the Protestant Religion, in the free Extercise of their Protestant Religion, as it is by Law Established, and in the Quiet and Full Enjoyment of all their Possessions, without any Molestation or Disturbance whatsoever, And We do likewise by Our Sovereign Authority, Prerogative-Royal and Absolute Power, Suspend, Stop and Disable, all Penal and Sanguinary Laws, made against any for Nonconformity to the Religion Established by Law, in that Our Ancient Kingdom, or for Exercising their respective Worships, Religions, Rites and Ceremonies; All which Laws are hereby Stopped, Suspended and Disabled so all Intents and Purposes. And to the end that by the Liberty thereby granted, the Peace and Security of Our Government in the Practice thereof, may not be Endangered, We have thought fit, and We do hereby straight Charge and Command all our Loving Subjects, that as We do freely give them leave to Meet and Serve God after their own Way and Manner, be it in private Houses, Chapels, or Places purposely Hired or Built for that use, so that they take care that nothing be Preached or Taught among them which may any ways tend to Alienat the Hearts of Our People from Us, or our Government, and that their Meetings be peaceably, openly and publicly held, and all Persons freely admitted to them and that they do signify and make known to some one or more of the next Privy Counsellors, Sheriffs, Stewards, Bailies, Justices of the Peace, or Magistrates of Burghs-Royal, what Place or Places they set apart for these uses, with the Names of the Preachers.  
And that all our Subjects may enjoy such their Religious Assemblies, with greater Assurance and Protection, We have thought fit, and do hereby Command, that no Disturbance of any kind be made or given unto them, under pain of Our Royal Displeasure, and to be further proceeded against, with the outmost Severity, Provided always, that their Meetings be in Houses, or Places provided for the purpose, and not in the open Fields, for which, now after this Our Royal Grace and Favour shown (which surpasses Hopes, and equals the very Wishes of the most zealously concerned,) there is not the least shadow of Excuse lefts. Which Meetings in Fields; We do hereby strictly Prohibit and Forbidden, against all which We do leave Our Laws an Acts of Parliament in full force and vigour, notwithstanding the Premises; And do further Command, all Our Judges, Magistrates, and Officers of Our Forces, to prosecute such as shall be guilty of the said's Field-Conventicles or Assemblies, with the outmost Rigour, as they would avoid Our Highest Displeasure, for We are confident, none will (after these Liberties and Freedoms We have given to all, without reserve, to serve GOD in their own way) presume to meet in these Assemblies, except such as make a pretence of Religion, to cover their Treasonable Designs, against Our Royal Person, and the Peace of Our Government. And Lastly, To the end all Our good Subjects may have notice of this Our Royal Will and Pleasure, We do hereby Command Our Lion King at Arms, and his Brethren Heralds, Matters, Pursuivants; and Messengers at Arms, to make timeous Proclamation thereof at the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh; And besides the Printing and Publishing of this our Royal Proclamation, It is Our Express Will and Pleasure, that the same be passed under Our Great Seal of that Our Kingdom per saltum, without passing any other Seal or Register. In order whereunto, these shall be to the Directors of Our Chancery and their Deputs, for Writing the same, and to our Chancellor, for causing Our Great Seal aforesaid to be Appended thereunto, a sufficient Warrant.  
Given at Our Court as Windsor the 28 day of June 1687. And of Our the Third Year.  
And in pursuance of Our Royal Intentions therein expressed, We have Dissolved all Our Judicatures of Privy Council, Session, Exchequer, Justiciary, and Magistracy of Our Burghs-Royal, that by their Acceptations of new Commissions on the terms of Our Royal Pleasure as above-expressed, We might Convince the World of the Justice of Our Procedure, as the Universal thanks of Our People has manifested their Joy, for so unexpected, unhoped for Blessings, terminating at once their Persecutions, and freeing Ourselves from the bad Consequences thereof, too manifest, too manifest in bypast Reigns, to be forgotten in this; And yet there are still some Enemies to Us, and to their own Peace, who labour to lessen the Happiness Our People enjoy, by Fears and Jealousies, that it will not be lasting; But We will let them, and all the World know, that Our Care, shall be more indefatigable, to Prevent and Defeat their Malice, than they shall be to Contrive or Act the same. And therefore, We have again thought fit to Declare Our Royal Intentions, to Stand to, and Maintain Our first Declaration, of the date the 12 of February 1687, in so far as it is above repeated, and as it is Explained and Enlarged by Our second of the date the 28 of June, according to the true Meaning and Import of the same. And if any shall be so bold as to refuse their due Concurrence with, or Obedience to Us in these Points, they shall find the weight of Our Royal Displeasure, so as to terrify others from the like Undutifulness to Our Royal Authority, whilst on the other part, such as Dutifully Obey and Act as become them, shall Enjoy the Comfort of Our Royal Protection and Favour. And to the end all Our good Subjects may have notice of this Our Royal Will and Pleasure, We do hereby Command Our Lion King at Arms, and his Brethren Heralds, Macers, Pursuivants, and Messengers at Arms, to make timeous Proclamation thereof at the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh. For all which, This shall be to all Persons respectively, who may be therein any way Concerned, a sufficient Warrant.  
Given under Our Royal Hand and Signet at Our Court at Whitehall the 7th day of May 1688, and of Our Reign the Fourth Year. By His Majesty's Command, MELFORT.   

Edinburgh. May 15, 1688. Present in Council.  

The Earl of Perth Lord High Chancellor.  
The Lord Archbishop of St. Andrews  
The Lord Archbishop of Glasgow  
The Lord Marquis of Athol Privy Seal  
The Earl of Linlithgow  
The Earl of Strathmore  
The Earl of Lauderdale  
The Earl of Fraquair  
The Earl of Belsarras  
The Lord Viscount of Tarbas  
The Master of Balmerino  
The Lord Precedent of Session  
The Lord Advocate  
The Lord Justice Clerk  
The Lord Castehill  
General Major Grahamt of Claverhouse  
The Laird of Niddrie.   
THe above-written Proclamation from His most Sacred Majesty, being Read in His Privy Council of Scotland, was (in pursuance of His Majesty's Royal Commands) Ordered to be Published the Morrow, at the ordinary time, with all due Solemnities. Extracted forth of the Records of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council by me.  
WILL. PATERSON, Cls. Sti. Concilii.  
GOD SAVE THE KING.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by the Higher of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1688.