The Answer of the Lords of the Council to His Majesties Letter.
May it please Your most Sacred Majesty,
YOur Majesties Commands are exactly Obeyed. Your Royal Procla∣mation is Printed and Published, by which Your Majesty hath gi∣ven a further Evidence of your Favour and Goodness to all Your Sub∣jects. And we are hopeful, that by Your Majesties extraordinary Acts of Mercy to some, who have been too ready on many Occasions to abuse the Clemency of Your Royal Predecessors, they will be at last convinced what they owe to so Gracious a King; And if any shal be still so obstinate as to make any wrong use of Your Majesties Goodness, We do unanimously assure Your Majesty, That we will maintain and assert Your Royal Prerogatives and Authority with the hazard of our Lives and Fortunes; And all of us shall in our several Capacities do our Utmost, that Your Government may be easie to all, whom Your Majesty thinks worthy of Your Protection.
We are very willing that Your Majesties Subjects who are Peaceable and Loyal, may be at Ease and Security, notwithstanding of their Profession and Private Worship, and do conceive that such of them as are or shall be employ∣ed by Your Majesty in Offices of Trust Civil or Military, are sufficiently se∣cured by Your Majesties Authority and Commission for their exercing the same.
We return Your Majesty our most humble Thanks for giving Us Your Roy∣al Word for maintaining the Church and our Religion, as it is now established by Law, and rest satisfied, believing Your Majesties Promise to be the best and greatest Security we can have. We are,
Edinburgh, 24. Feb. 1686/7.
May it please Your Majesty,Your Majesties most Humble, most Faithful, And most Obedient Subjects and Servants, Signed by The Earl of Perth Lord High Chancellor, the Lord Archbishop of St. Andrews, the Lord Archbishop of Glasgow Elect, the Lord Marquess of Athole Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Duke of Gordon, the Lord Marquess of Doug∣lass, the Earl of Linlithgow, the Earl of Dumfermling, the Earl of Strath∣more, the Earl of Lauderdale, the Earl of Southesque, the Earl of Traquair, the Earl of Airlie, the Earl of Belcarras, the Lord Viscount of Tarbat, the Lord Viscount of Strathallan, the Lord Livingstoun, the Lord Kinnaird, Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath Lord President of the Session, Sir Iohn Dal∣rymple younger of Stair Lord Advocat, Sir Iames Foulis of Collingtoun Lord Justice Clerk, Sir Iohn Lockhart of Castlehill one of the Senators of the Colledge of Justice, Lieutenant General Iames Douglas, Sir Andrew Ramsay of Abbotshall, Major General Iohn Grahame of Claverhouse, and Andrew Wanchop of Nidry..
And His Majesties said Privy Council having Ordered, That the said Letter should afterwards be Signed by such of the Counsellors as were not then pre∣sent; It was accordingly Signed at Westminster by the Earl of Morray, and the Earl of Melfort, Principal Secretaries of State for the said Kingdom, the Earl of Arran, the Earl of Drumlanrig, the Earl of Winton, the Earl of Sea∣fort, the Earl of Ancrum, and the Earl of Dumbarton.
