THE SPEECH Of His GRACE ALEXANDER EARL OF MORRAY, His Majesty's HIGH COMMISSIONER;  
At the Opening of the Second Session of the First Parliament of His Majesty's Ancient Kingdom of Scotland. The 29th of April, 1686.  
Published by Authority.  
Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno DOM. 1686.   

My Lords and Gentlemen,  
THE great Sense which His Sacred Majesty retains of your Loyalty, Duty and Zeal for His Service, and of your signal Affection to His Person and Interest, so kindly expressed in your Proceed of the last Session, hath determined Him to Meet you again so soon in this; To the end, that as you did then by very seasonable Proofs of your dutiful Obedience, even during the raging insolence of an unnatural Rebellion, demonstrat your Loyalty and firm Adherence to the Crown; so His Majesty would not be wanting on His Part, to show His Paternal and Royal Care of you His Ancient and Loving People, by giving you fresh Opportunities, of doing such things as may tend to the universal Good of the Nation, as a generous Return to your Affections.  
As all the States and Ranks of men in this Kingdom have been most eminent in their Loyalty, Love and Deference to His Majesty in their several Degrees and Capacities, both when he Honoured you with His Royal Presence, and since; So His Majesty is Graciously Resolved, that you shall in your several stations, share of the Effects and Influences of His Royal Care, Tenderness and Protection, by Marks of His Royal Favour, which He intends shall be as Comprehensive and General, for the Security and Happiness of you all, as your Duty and Kindness towards Him have been remarkable.  
Pursuant to this, I am to assure you that His Majesty doth endeavour with all imaginable Care to open a free intercourse of Trade with His Kingdom of England, as one of the surest ways to save His Royal Burrows from the Ruin Threatened by the decay of Commerce, and will leave nothing unessayed that may Promote a Work so beneficial to this Kingdom.  
And for your further Encouragement, the King hath fully Instructed His Envoy at the Court of France, to use his utmost Endeavours for having the fifty Solz per Tunn discharged, and for recovering the Possession of the other Privileges of the Scots Merchants Trading with that Kingdom, which have been now a long time suffered to run into Desuetude.  
And His Majesty conceiving that the burgh's of Regality and Barony, enjoy more of that Trade, for which the Burrows Royal bear the sixth part of the Cess of the Nation than does justly fall to their share; Has therefore been Graciously Pleased to Instruct Me to give His Royal Consent to such Regulations therein as you shall think just and equitable.  
And there having been several Complaints made to His Majesty, of the trouble which Merchants of this Kingdom meet with in the matter of the Staple and Trade with the Netherlands, I am fully instructed to Give His Consent to what you shall Advise as Reasonable, for the Redress thereof for the future.  
And whereas His Majesty is Informed of the great Prejudice which this Kingdom suffers by the Importation of Irish , Horses and Victual: I am also fully Instructed, not only to give His Royal Assent to whatever may free you from that Abuse in time-coming: But likewise to inquire into the Connivanee and Malversations of those who in times past have been entrusted to hinder and discover all such illegal Importations, to the end that they may be punished according to Law.  
I am also to acquaint you that the King being Informed, that the want of an open Mint is a sensible prejudice to the Traffic of the Kingdom; I am therefore Impowered to give His Royal Assent to what the Wisdom of this Parliament shall think Just and Reasonable in that Point.  
As His Majesty in His Royal Prudence and Goodness intends to Promote the Trade of this Nation, by all possible and fit Methods, So He hath Commanded Me to tell you, that He is not at this time to Demand any more Supplies or Impositions of any kind, notwithstanding of the great and necessary Charge, which the Suppressing of the late horrid Rebellion has put Him to; Being fully convinced that your Affection and Alacrity have already prompted you to give all that was convenient for you to spare. In Requital of which, He is Resolved to Do all that He can for the Advancement of the Good and Interest, and Increasing the Wealth of this Kingdom; A thing which His Majesty is very sensible has been a long time too much neglected: Conceiving His Royal State, inseparable from the Happiness and Flourishing Prosperity of His People. And the King well knowing how heavy the Cess lies upon the Land-rents, if it were not indispensably necessary, as well for your own safety, as the Support of His Government, would willingly discharge some part thereof: But this being impossible, I am fully Instructed to pass any Law with your Advice and Consent, that may give ease in that Matter, not diminishing the former Quota.  
I am further to Acquaint you, That His Majesty has taken special Care to Instruct me fully for giving his Royal Consent to all such Law, and Regulations, as may secure exact Payment to the Country from all His Officers and Soldiers in their Quarters, both Local and Transient, for the future; and to see exemplary Punishment Inflicted upon all Persons who heretofore have oppressed any of His loving People, by denying or detaining their just Deuce from them.  
And for Easing the Commons of many Oppressions, Alleged to be Committed by Commissars, I am likewise Impowered to pass an Act, with Your Advice and Consent, for Regulating the same.  
That which will Surprise You much, is, That as the King is Solicitous to Provide for the Security of this Kingdom, and to Encourage and Cherish his Dutiful and Loyal Subjects as His Obedient Children, so as a Tender hearted and Compassionate Father is willing and ready to Forgive, and Mercifully to Pardon the unexcusable Faults and Crimes of such as have behaved themselves Undutifully, and even Rebelliously against Him. And therefore to settle and quiet the Minds of His People, and once more to drive away the Fears of the Guilty, by delivering them from their Apprehensions of that Punishment which they have so justly Deserved, He hath Graciously been pleased to Instruct Me, to pass His full and ample Indemnity, with some few necessary and reasonable Exceptions, for all past Crimes and Misdemeanours whatsoever; which may Convince the World that His Majesty delights by sweet and gentle methods of Mercy and Lenity to reduce all to Duty and Obedience, and that nothing but their own Perverseness and Incurable Obstinacy in Evil, can force from Him that just Severity which sometimes becomes necessary for the Safety of His People and Government; though contrary to His Princely and Merciful Temper.  
And now, My Lords and Gentlemen, After so great and excellent Designs for promoting the Honour, the Ease and Wealth of this Kingdom, after His Resolution to pardon so many Enemies, and to free so many of the Guilty from further severe, but just Prosecutions, His Majesty believeth that none will wonder, if He desire by the Advice and Content of this His Great Council, to give Ease and Security to some of His good Subjects of the Roman Catholic Religion, who have in all times been firm to the Monarchy, and ready to Sacrifice their Lives and Fortunes for the Service and Security of the Crown: So that His Majesty, who so perfectly understands the Loyal and Dutiful Temper and Genius of Scotland, rests fully persuaded of Your ready and cheerful Compliance with His Royal Desire and Inclinations, tending so much to Your own Security and His Satisfaction; And that You will send me back to my Great and Royal Master with the good Tidings of the continued and dutiful Loyalty of this His Ancient Kingdom. By which you will show yourselves the best and most affectionate Subjects, to the best, the incomparable and most Heroic Prince in the World.  
FINIS.