THE SPEECH Of his Grace, the Duke of LAUDERDALE, His Majesty's HIGH-COMMISSIONER For the Kingdom of SCOTLAND, To the PARLIAMENT there, The Twelfth of November, 1673.  

By His Majesty's Special Command.   
In the SAVOY, Printed by Thomas Newcomb, 1673.   

THE SPEECH Of His GRACE, The DUKE of LAUDERDALE, His Majesty's High COMMISSIONER for His Kingdom of SCOTLAND, at the Opening of the Session of PARLIAMENT, November the 12th 1673.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
THe last time I had the Honour to serve the King in this place, I did by His Majesty's Command acquaint you with the Grounds and Motives of His Engaging in this so unavoidable a War against the State's General of the United Provinces, for securing His Kingdoms against them, who would have made us long ere now have felt, what was then only foreseen, if by God's good Providence, and the King's Wisdom, this War had not been made. I did at that time recommend to you to consider His Honour, His Interest, and your own Security (which are certainly most inseparable) and to lay down such Real and Effectual Ways, that the Forces of this Kingdom might be supplied, to serve His Majesty upon occasion, to be a Terror to His Enemies, and a Security to this His Kingdom. You than did most cheerfully raise such a Sum, as might probably provide against any Foreign Invasion, or Intestine Commotion the Enemy could raise here: For which, His Majesty does again return you His Hearty Thanks. He hath not diverted any of it from the Ends for which it was granted; And so great were His Naval Preparations, together with His Land Forces this last Summer, that He had great reason to have expected a Just and Honourable Peace: But such hath been the insolent stubbornness of His Enemies, that He is disappointed of that hope.  
Therefore He did command me to keep this Session of Parliament at this day, to which was many months ago Adjourned; and as He acquainted you with the Motives of the War, so to let you know how He hath used all means possible for ending it. The Swedes (who are the Mediators) proposed a Treaty: His Majesty accepted it, and offered Dunkirk as the most convenient Place for all that were concerned in the War, to Treat in; But the Enemy refused it, though His Majesty had treated with them at their own Town of Breda during the last War. The Mediators proposed a Cessation of Arms, before any Engagement last Summer; His Majesty agreed to it: But the Enemy insolently refused it also; And the King accepted of the City of Cologn, proposed by the Enemy for the place of Treaty. Thither he sent His Plenipotentiaries with reasonable Proposals, and those He did so moderate, that the Mediators declared; they were not reasonably to be refused: Yet the Enemy have been so very averse to Peace, that they would never declare what would satisfy them, nor so much as Answer any Proposal made by the Mediators for the King or His Allies: Nay, such was their insolence, that they gave in Papers, stuffed with such unhandsome Language, that the Mediators were ashamed, and refused to show them. Therefore the King is forced to continue the War, for His own Honour, the maintenance of His Just Rights, and the Protection of all His Subjects; wherein He doubts not of the hearty concurrence of this and of all His Kingdoms.  
Another main reason of keeping this Session of Parliament, is, to join with you, in taking such effectual course, for curbing and punishing insolent Field-Conventicles, and other Seditious practices, as that the good Laws you have made, may receive due Obedience, and that Peace and Order may be preserved in this Kingdom. The Ways and Means for this good End He leaves to your Wisdom, not doubting of the same Care and Affection to His Service in this, which he hath found all along from you. And whereas the malicious Tongues of the Disaffected may still bespatter His Majesty and His Government with base Slanders, and false Suggestions, I am again particularly commanded to renew to you the fullest Assurance of His Majesty's most constant continuance, in His firm and unalterable Resolutions, to maintain the true Reformed Protestant Religion, and the Government of this Church by Archbishops and Bishops, against Popery and Separation. And I am fully Authorised to all such further Acts, as you shall think convenient, for the quieting the minds of peaceable People; for preventing the increase of Popery or Schism, and by all good means securing the true Reformed Religion, and the Peace of this Church.  
I am likewise fully Impowered to give His Majesty's Royal Assent to such good Laws as you shall offer, for Increasing of Trade, the Improving of Manufactures, or any way promoving the good of this Kingdom: So that I doubt not, by God's Blessing, and your Wisdom, of as happy an End of this, as I have seen in former Sessions of Parliament.  
FINIS.