A Letter to His Majesty from His Privy Council in SCOTLAND. May it please Your Majesty, THE remembrance of having been under the protection of your Royal Family above 2000 Years, of having been preserved by their Valour, from the slavery to which others were so often reduced, and of having received from their Bounty the Lands we possess, hath been very much refreshed and renewed by having Your Royal Brother among us, in whom we have seen that moderation of Spirit, and equality of Justice that is remarkable in Your Sacred Race, and has raised in us a just abhorrence of these seditious Persons and pernicious Principles, which would led us back into those dreadful Confusions which grew up by degrees from tumultuary Petitions for Reformation and Parliament, to a Rebellion that in the last Age destroyed both, and which must do so still, since all who think that Subjects should direct their King, design nothing in effect but to be Kings themselves; The Convictions of all which did prevail so far with all Degrees of Persons, and with Persons of all persuasions here, that it has been easily observed that our Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes attended their Royal Highnesses with much joy and assiduity, expressing in all their Confluences great respect and satisfaction, that even the most malicious abstained from all manner of rebellious Risings or undutiful Speeches: No breach of the Peace, no Libel, no Pasquil having been ever discovered during his abode here; so that this too short time has been the most peaceable and serene part of our life, and the happiest days we ever saw, except your Majesties miraculous Restauration. And now that Your Majesty has thought fit to have him near Your own Person, we hope that the great success he has had in understanding both Men and Business among us, by his easy access and constant application, will enable him to inform Your Majesty of our Affairs and Interests with which we trust him, much more then we can this or any other Papers that we can sand you. His Countenance has much encouraged the Orthodox Clargy without being grievous to such other Protestants as differ from them: He has quieted our Highland Eruptions, without encouraging any opposition to Law, of which he told us he would be always most exactly careful, as being the common tie as well as security of King and People, and he has both by his Example and Discourse recommended so to us Loyalty to Your Majesty as our only National Interest, and moderation to one another as the only mean to fortify and unite us against the undermining Designs of such as would infallibly make us Slaves, as they did formerly: That we hope these Impressions shall not wear out whilst we live, who have been so happy as to know him at this time, and for which happiness we can make Your Majesty no other return, save to assure You, That with our Hearts, our Lives, and our Fortunes, we will maintain Your Sacred Majesty and Your Royal Successors in the ordinary degrees of Succession according to their unalterable right of Blood, which You and they derive only from God Almighty whom You represent, and to wish that his Royal Highness may meet everywhere that satisfaction and tranquillity he has occasioned, and that kindness and affection which his Merit has raised in Edinburgh, 17 Feb. 1680. May it please Your Majesty, Your most Loyal, most dutiful, and most faithful Subjects and Servants, Sic subscribitur, The Earl of Rothes, Lord Chancellor; the Lord Archbishop of St. Andrews; the marquis of Athol, Lord Privy Seal; the marquis of Dowglas; the Earl of Argyle; the Earl Marischal; the Earl of Murray; the Earl of Linlithgow; the Earl of Wigton; the Earl of Pearth; the Earl of Queensberry; the Earl of Airley; the Earl of Dundonald; the Earl of Caithness; the Lord Bishop of Edinburgh; the Lord President of the Session; the Lord Thesaurer deputy; The Lord Register; the Lord Advocat; the Lord Justice Clerk; the Lord Collingtoun; John Drummond of Lundie; the Lord Justice General; Sir Andrew Ramsay; Sir John Wauchop; Sir George Kinnard; Sir George Gordon. A Letter to his Grace the Duke of Lauderdale. May it please your Grace, WHat is written in the Letter sent to His majesty at this time, is the common Sentiments of all who had the happiness to know his Royal Highness here, and is so deeply fixed upon all our Spirits, that all our public Judicatures, and private Families are at this time expressing more kindness for his Person, and grief for his so sudden leaving us, then can be transmitted by Paper; each of us remember some virtue which the other had omitted, and some kind expression that the other had not formerly heard, and all of us are so just as to bind ourselves by resolutions and promises to serve him with all our hearts in all his just Interests, and are convinced that he will have no disigns that are not such. My Lord, By assuring His Sacred majesty our Excellent Monarch, of our adherance to his Royal Interests and his Royal Brother his just Rights, your Grace will put a new and great obligation upon us. Signed in name, and by warrant of His Majesties Privy Council, by, Your Graces most humble Servant, Rothes Cancel. Edinburgh, 17 Feb. 1680. In presentia Dominorum Secreti Consilii.