Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/680

 exceeding Twelve. To the laft Wee confented ; And meerly upon die acompt of gratifying the defire of fo faithfull and fo Loyail a Parliament. NOW You can belt Judge whether you gave warrand for fuch a a defire as was made in your name, whether Our confent fo obtained , was reprefented as a command from Us, and whether it was made ufe of as the rife and ground of this pernicious way of incapacitating by Billets ; Which as it hath no colour of warrand from Us, ( being farre from Our knowledge , and yetf arther from Our intentions ) So Wee cannot but declare , that Wee efteem it contrary to Our Honour, Freedom, and Gravity of Parliament, to all former practifes, to Common Juftice , and highly derogatory to Our Authority, and Dignity, as tending to the univerfaldiffatisfactionofall Our good Subjects: For it voting by Billets, and punifhing in that way be allowed, no man is feeure of his Honour , his Eftate , his Liberty, nor his Life, Per- fons of greateft merit may be this way deftroyed; And even Our Officers of State and thofe of neareft Relation to Us, may by colour of Our Authority , without Our knowledge, be torn from Us , and expofed to infamy and mine. And becaufe Wee are moft confident, fuch things were, and are as farre from Your meaning and intentions, as they are from Ours , and that Wee have great reafon to fufpect , that Our Name hath been abufed, and many well meaning Perfons have been made to believe , that what was done would be acceptable to Us: Therefore for vindicating of Our Honour and Yours, Wee doe in the firft place , earneftly recommend to you totakefpeedyand exact trial, of the contrivance , and carrying on of this pretended Act of incapa- citating by billets, and report the fame to Us ; That Wee may make known to you Our farther pleafure , And Wee are fo confident of your Juftice, that Wee are certainly perfwaded , you will joine in palling a new Act for refcinding all that relates to Billeting, with the claufes referring to it in the Act of Pardon.and Obli- vion, and in the Act of fines, exprefling in the narrative , fuch grounds and reafons as you fhall findjuft, and necefiary, rafing all memory of it out of Our records, anddiichargingall voting by Billets for the future. There be fome other Aits in which Wee doubt not you will concur with Our opinion,that they have alfo need to be mended : But as to thefe Wee referre you to Our Commiflioner, who will aflure you , that Wee believe your confent to thefe things, with which Wee are no wayes fatisfied , did proceed ( as Wee havefaid ) from your intire deterency to Our Judgment, and the belief of moft among you , that they would be ac- ceptable to Us. So expecting the continuance of that Zeal, and Affection to Our fervice , and the good of that Our Kingdom , of which Wee have had fo many, and large teftimonies, Wee bid you very hearth/ farewell. Given at Our Court a fWhydull, the fourth day of 'June, 1663, andof Our Reign, the 15 th year. By his Majeftie's Command, LAV VERT* ALE. Commiffionfor trying of the Contrivance, and carrying on of the ACT OF BILLETTING. Edinburgh z6. of June. 1663. FOR AS MUCH as it hath pleafed his Sacred Majefiy. by his Letter of the fourth of this inftant,tO fignify Hisjuft efteem of that eminent Piety, Loyalty, Prudence, and affection, to His Royal Per- fon, Crown, and Dignity, which His Parliament of this Kingdom hath by many excellent Ads manifefted to the World : And that His Majefiy hath obferved in the framing of thefe Laws, fuch an obfequious com- pliance, with whatfoever was by his Commiflioner reprefented to have been His Royal intention , or accep- table to him: Which could not but proceed from an unparalell'd affection to His Perfon. and Service, and intire deferency to His Judgment in every point: In fo much as although fome few tilings have been in the laft Seffion of Parliament, carried on, and even paft , and the Royall aflent interponed thereto , without His knowledge, and very farre from his intention : Yet His Majefiy declareth , he cannot attribut the con- curranceofHis Parliament therein to any thing, but to their affection, and deferency aforefaid , though in contrivance and promoting of them, fome finiftrous , and giddie courfes have been taken, whereby the Loyail affections of well meaning Perfons., have been led into abfurdities : Which if not redreffed may prove a pernicious example, and dangerous confequence , as tending to the diflionour of the Parliament, and the fubverfion of all Juftice, and good Government. OF THIS NATURE was that ftrange'Act for inca- pacitating TWELVE, Tranfmitted to His Majefiy fealed, ( and which His Majefty hath fo ordered that it fhall never more come to light ) and the way of voting it by Billets , a way never before practifed under Monarchy, nor ever heard of under any Government , as to punUhments in fuch a nature as this , where the Perfons