the value of Lands, holden according to Law, for making January. Elections; and by the Town Clerks of the feveral Burroughs, for the Meeting of the whole Burgeffes of the Refpective Royal Buroughs, to make their Elections, at leaft Fifteen days before the Meeting of the Eftates at Edinburgh; and the Refpective Clerks to make intimation thereof at the leaft ten days before the Meetings for Election: And that the whole Electors and Members of the faid Meeting at Edinburgh,qualified as above expreffed, be Proteftants, without any other Exception, or Limitation whatfoever; To deliberate and refolve what is to be done for fecuring the Proteftant Religion, and reftoring the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom, according to Your Highness's Declaration. Dated the 10th day of January, 1689. at the Council Chamber at White-Hall.

1

It was Signed by about Thirty Lords, and Eighty Gentlemen, and was prefented in their prefence at St. James's by the Duke of Hamilton their Prefident. The 14th. His Highnefs met the Scotch Lords and Gentlemen in the fame place again, and fpake to them as followeth,

My Lords and Gentlemen,

purfuance of Your Advice, I will until the Meeting of the Eftates in March next, give fuch Orders concerning the Affairs of Scotland, as are neceffary for the calling of the faid Meeting, for the prefervation of the Peace; the ap plying of the Publick Revenue to the most preffing ufes, and puting the Fortreffes in the hands of Perfons in whom the Nation can have a juft confidence; And I do further affure you, that you will always find me ready to concur with you in every thing that may be found neceffary for fecuring the Proteftant Religion, and restoring the Laws and Liberties of the Nation.

The Earls of Crawford and Louthain being prefent in this laft Meeting, but coming up to London after the former, defired they might Sign the faid Addrefs, and they accordingly did fo.

The 8th. day January, His Highness put out a Declaration

R

against

January.

against quartering Soldiers on private Houfes. And that all. Houfes should be deemed Private Houses, except Victualling Houses, and Houses of Publick Entertainment, or fuch as fell Wine or any: other Liquor by Retail. In all which Houses We do think fit, That all Officers and Souldiers, be Lodged by the Direction and Appointment of the Magistrates, Justices of the Peace, or Confta bles of the place where fuch Forces fhall come, and not otherwise. And we do hereby strictly forbid all Officers and Souldiers upon. any pretence whatsoever, to take up any Quarters for themselves or others, without fuch Direction or Appointment, upon pain of being Cafheired, or fuffering fuck other punishment as the offence shall deferve.

The Prince found the Treafury very empty of Money, the. Cafh in it being faid to be but 40000 . Whereupon he defired the City of London to advance a Sum for His prefent Occafions, and the 10th. of January they agreed to lend 100000 /. but it being raised by Subfcriptions it amounted to above 150000 l

The 16th. of January, the Prince put out a Declaration to affure the Mariners and Seamen of their Pay, and fupprefs the falfe reports had been fpread to the contrary by the Dif contented Party,

The Elections of the Members for the Convention in the mean time went on with the greatest Liberty that could pof fibly be conceived; every man giving his Vote for whom he pleased, without the leaft Solicitation from the Prince or any of his, there had been Writs before this twice for a. Parliament in a few Months, and almost every place had be fore this fixed their Members, fo that the difference was not great between the Men that were, and thofe that would have been chofen, if the King had fuffered the firft or fecond Parliament he called, to have met, and this gives the trueft Idea that can be desired of the temper of the Nation, and what would have been the event if either of thofe Parliaments. had fate.

The two Houfes met the 22d. of January, and the Upper Houfe (there being no Lord Chancellor) chofe the Marquefs of Hallifax for their Speaker, and the Commons chofe Henry Powle Efq; after which a Letter was read in both Houses from His Highness the Prince of Orange on the Occasion, of their Meeting; which was as followeth,

My

I

My Lords,

Have endeavoured to the utmost of my power, to perform what was defired from me in order to the publick peace and fafety; and I do not know that any thing hath been omitted which might tend to the prefervation of them, fince the Adminiftration of Affairs was put into my hands. It now lieth upon you to lay the foundations of a firm fecurity for your Religion, your Laws, and your Liberties.

I do not doubt, but that by fuch a full and free Represen• tative of the Nation, as is now met, the Ends of my Declaration will be attained: And fince it hath pleafed God hitherto to bless my good intentions with fo great fuccefs,I trust in him, that he will compleat his own work, by fending a spirit of Peace and Union to influence your Counfels, that no interruption may be given to an happy and lafting Settlement.

The dangerous condition of the Proteftants in Ireland, requiring a large and fpeedy fuccour, and the prefent state of things abroad, oblige me to tell you, that next to the danger of Unfeafonable Divifions amongst our felves, nothing can be fo fatal as too great delay in your Confultations: The States by whom I have been enabled to rescue this Nation, may fuddenly feel the ill effects of it, both by being too long deprived of the service of their Troops which are now here, and of your early affiftance against a powerful enemy, who hath declared a War against them: And as England is by Treaty already engaged to help them upon fuch Exigencies, fo I am confident that their chearful concurrence to preferve this Kingdom with so much hazard to themselves, will meet with all the Returns of Friendship and affiftance, which may be expected from you as Proteftants and Englishmen, whenever their condition fhall require it.

Given at St. James's the 22d day of January, 1688.

To the Lords Spiritual

and Temporal Allem

bled at Weftminster.

Will. H.P. d'Orange.

The first thing the Houfes took care of was by mutual confent to draw up and prefent the following Addrefs.

R 2

The

Fanuary.

Fanuary.

The Addrefs of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons Affembled at Westminster in this prefent Conventi on to his Highness the Prince of Orange,

Die Martis 220 Januarii, 1688.

WE the Lords Spiritual and, Temporal, and Commons,

aflembled at Westminster being highly fenfible of the Great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary. Power; and that our Prefervation is (next under God) owing to your Highness, do returh our most humble thanks and ac knowledgments to your Highness, as the Glorious Inftrument of fo great a Bleffing."

We do further acknowledg the great care your Highness has been pleafed to take in the Adminiftration of the Publick Affairs of the Kingdom to this time; and we do most humbly defire your Highnefs, that you will take upon you the Adminiftration of Publick Affairs both Civil and Military, and the Difpofal of the Publick Revenue, for the Prefervation of our Religion, Rights, Laws, Liberties and Properties, and of the Peace of the Nation: And that your Highness will take into your particular care the prefent ftate of Ireland, and endeavour by the moft fpeedy and effectual means to prevent the Dangers threatning that Kingdom. All which we make our Requeft to your Highness to undertake and exercife, till further Application fhall be made by us, which fhall be expedited with all convenient fpeed; and we shall alfo ufe our utmost endeavours to give difpatch to the matters recommended to us by your Highness's Letter.

To this Addrefs thus prefented by both Houfes at St. James's the Prince of Orange made this Reply the fame day.

I

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Am glad that what I have done hath pleafed you: And fince you defire me to continue the Adminiftration of Affairs, I am willing to accept it. I must recommend to you the confideration of Affairs abroad, which maketh it fit for you to expedite your bufi ness; not only for making a Settlement at home upon a good foundation, but for the fafety of all Europe...

The

The Houses alfo ordered that Thursday the 31th of Janu- January. ary Inftant, be appointed for a day of Fublick Thanksgiving to Almighty God in the Cities of London and Westminster, and ten miles diftance, for having made his Highnefs the Prince of Orange the Glorious Inftrument of the Great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power, and that Thursday the 14th of February next be appointed for a Publick Thanksgiving throughout the whole Kingdom for the fame.

The 23d of January the Lords paffed this Order,

Ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Affembled at Westminster, That no Papift, or Reputed Papift, do prefume to come into the Lobby, Painted Chamber, Court of Requests, or Westminster-Hall, during the fitting of this Convention. And it is further Ordered, That this Order be: Printed, and Published, and fet upon the Doors of the said: Rooms.

The 28th of Jamiary the Commons paffed this Vote:

Refolved, That King James the II. having endeavoured to fub- vert the Constitution of this Kingdom, by breaking the Original Contract between King and People; and by the Advice of Feluits and other wicked perfons, having violated the Fundamental Laws, and having withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom, have abdicated the Government, and that the Throne is thereby vacant.

Refolved, That this Vote be fent up to the Lords-Houfe to morrow morning for their Concurrence.

This Vote occafioned the Letter I am to Examine.

Hereupon followed feveral Conferences between the Lords and the Commons, none of which being Printed, and the Written Copies difperfed about the Town being of no good. Authority, I must leave them unrelated.

The fixth of February the Lords at laft affented to the Vote above.

The 29th of January this Question was propofed in the Lords-Houfe," Whether a Regency with the Adminiftration of Regal power under the name and ftile of King James the Second, during the Life of the faid King James be the best and fafeft way to preferve the Proteftant Religion, and the Laws of the Kingdom?

Upon

February