to your Majesty, wherein not only they, but the judges, gave it as their opinion, that your Majesty's giving a commission was sufficient to hinder any from being liable to the law, especially considering those penalties were due to yourself. But notwithstanding this address, a proclamation was sent down by the Earl of Melfort, ordering [that] all concerned should take out these remissions in three months, and pay for them seven pounds to himself and twenty shillings to James Stewart, who was to give them out; and such as did not obey, to be pursued according to law, for having employments without taking the test, and to be rendered incapable for ever of your mercy. This was thought hard, even by the loyalest of your subjects, to be paying for remissions for obeying your commands, especially so great a sum as it would have been to the Earl of Melfort, and a very considerable one to Mr Stewart, who, but some months before, had got a remission for plotting and contriving against your government. Upon the first reading of this proclamation, there was nothing said in Council, but next day a great many gave their sentiments very freely against it, and a representation was sent up to your Majesty, both by the Secret Committee and Council, to show the bad consequences might follow, if such an order was proclaimed; nor was there any appeared more against it than the Earl of Perth, your Chancellor, and those you trusted most. Upon this representation your Majesty was pleased to discharge its being further pressed; but it gave such bad impressions of those [who] were the contrivers of it, that nothing could ever take them off, and it was attributed entirely to your own goodness that it was discharged, and not to the advisers, who, to the prejudice of your interest, and dishonour of your servants, would have reaped a profit by it, greater than was ever pretended to by any subject of this nation.

The fears and jealousies both parties had of the Roman Catholics did not a little heighten these discontents; and although neither of the parties were so afraid of them as of each other, because of their small number, yet both equally joined in being highly dissatisfied by seeing them daily advanced to the highest posts in the nation, both in Council, Session, and the army; the Jesuits living in the Abbey and keeping open school,

and money given out of the Treasury to missionaries of several orders, were likewise grievances to both parties. The Presbyterians, though they had their share, and were admitted to employments which they rarely had before but when necessity and force compelled our Kings, yet were they so far from being thankful for this favour, that, both in their conversation and pulpits, they openly declared they thought themselves nothing obliged by any toleration allowed them, it being granted only to ruin Protestants, and introduce the Roman Catholics. This spirit was not a little heightened among them by their friends in England, and their countrymen who had fled into Holland; by them they were put in hopes of having the Government entirely put into their hands, and to have revenge upon their enemies, the two things they had so long wished for an opportunity to accomplish, but could never have obtained if the indulgence granted them had not rallied them together from all parts of the world, but most from Holland, Dantzick, and the West Indies, so that they appeared in far greater numbers than could have been imagined after so long a tract of discouragement; but they not only re-assembled, but many who had never made that profession before joined with them-as all the discontented of the nation have ever done, making Religion the pretext to gain their ends.

All these discontents were but like smothered fire, until the birth of the Prince of Wales,-which broke out after that with violence, insomuch that many of the Episcopal Clergy desisted to pray for him, nor were behind the other party in believing the most scandalous reports, and making insinuations to their people of the danger from Popery and arbitrary power; which made many, that appeared afterwards of a far different temper, extremely overjoyed at the noise of the Prince of Orange's coming over, being so weak as to imagine he would make so dangerous an attempt only to secure their laws, and relieve them from their fears. Nor were these jealousies and apprehensions only amongst the Clergy; forfrom the time you gave orders to the Chancellor, Lord Tarbat, and myself, to inquire at all the Officers of State, the Judges, and the officers of army, their opinion and consent under their hands for taking off the penal statutes and test-most of them, though they consented and

the

signed it, yet had such cruel apprehensions of other things further to be pressed upon them, that it kept them in constant concern and uneasiness. And the turning out of Sir George Mackenzie your Advocate, Lord Tarras, and Edmonstone, upon that account, out of the Session, for not complying with your desire, did not a little heighten this prevailing humour, for they were esteemed of the greatest integrity and learning of that judicatory, and not undeservedly, as appeared afterwards by all their actions.

Excepting these unfortunate jealousies and fears, occasioned by three different parties, industriously spread abroad to lessen each other, and which took like a plague through the nation, all other things in the Government were as easy, and managed with as much justice, as ever was known in any age. Never was a Treasury and Exchequer so favourable in all kind of compositions which your Majesty allowed us to make, nor was there ever, in the Council and Session, more justice and dispatch of affairs shown, nor soldiers better paid, nor with less trouble to the countries where they quartered.

In this condition was this kingdom in September 1688, when your Majesty sent down an express to your Secret Committee of Council, (which consisted of six, Lord Chancellor, Marquis of Atholl, Viscount of Tarbat, Bishop of Glasgow, Sir George Lockhart, and myself,) to let us know you expected an invasion from Holland, which, at first, was thought by the generality of the nation impracticable, and only a pretext to raise money, or to bring the army together for other designs; but this mistake soon vanished when the preparations your Majesty was making in England were known, and [we were] assured likewise from seamen and passengers from Holland, that the like was doing there. Your Majesty's Council appeared unanimous and ready for putting the nation in a posture of defence, and it seemed for a while the noise of war had banished all their jealousies and apprehensions, and from all parts of the nation new offers of duty and service were daily sent to the Council. The whole militia was ordered to be raised and modelled to a fourth part, with forty days' pay to the whole, which would have kept that

number six months in good pay. The Castles were ordered to be well furnished, the gentry to be modelled into troops, and orders were sent to all the Highland Clans to have their men in readiness, which with the standing forces would have made a very considerable army.

Upon the first noise of the invasion, Captain Mackay, nephew to Major-General Mackay, was taken up on suspicion, having, as was informed, laid down his commission in Holland that he might be the better able to serve the Prince of Orange in his own country, which was confirmed by a letter of his own found in his pocket, which he had intended for his uncle; in it he expressed great affection to the Prince of Orange, and desired his uncle to let him know, that, although he had quitted his service, yet he hoped, from the condition he was in, to be more useful to him, and that he only wanted his directions to show his good intentions. He had been examined before, but brought himself off by swearing he meant nothing but a compliment. There was likewise one Doctor Blackader seized, who had been sent by the Scots discontented Presbyterian party in Holland to encourage their friends, and to have an account of the inclination and affection of the people of Scotland to the interest of the Prince of Orange. He swore, as frankly as the Captain, that he had no design in coming home, but to follow his practice of physic; all he owned was a letter he had brought from Mr Murray of Tippermuir to the Earl of Murray, son to the Marquis of Atholl, wherein Mr Murray gave his Lordship an account of his delivering a letter to the Prince of Orange, who had received it very kindly. It was not doubted but the Doctor was more in their secrets, but he was not further pressed to discover them, to satisfy the Marquis of Atholl, who complained highly that any of his family should be brought into suspicion. From the first noise of the invasion, his Lordship had appeared chagrined and discontented :-that none of his influence and character might have any pretext to be so, in a time so critical, the Doctor was dismissed. This and several other things to satisfy him were done, but had no effect; and in a few days thereafter he retired into the country, till the landing of the Prince of Orange was known; himself and friends gave out the gout and sickness was the cause, some the family and personal piques betwixt him

and the Lord Chancellor; and not a few believed the hope of advancing his interest with the Prince of Orange, and by seeming discontented with the present government to secure himself with the next, were his chiefest motives. After he left the Council, every thing went on smoothly, and even the gentry in the Western disaffected counties were contending for employments in the militia troops, but by what appeared after, and as some of themselves gave out, it was with a design to serve the Prince of Orange.

Among these none appeared so forward and zealous as Sir James Montgomery, though, at the same time, he borrowed a considerable sum amongst his party for the Lord Lorn, to carry him to Holland; the reasons given out for advancing the money was to make a present to the Countess of Melfort, nor could they at that time have found out a pretence readier to pass. One Mr Campbell was sent over by the Lord Stair, to invite him over by warrant from the Prince of Orange. This gentleman knew or told little of the great design, though Sir James Montgomery had the vanity to pretend, when their affairs were out of hazard, that he knew all [that] was doing, and that he had messages and correspondence with the Prince of Orange himself; but this was contradicted by all who had been in the secret, which were very few; nor had he then any influence except with some few of the most bigoted fanatics, who had distinguished themselves by separating from the rest of their party, and exclaiming violently against them for accepting of the indemnity, indulgence, or any favour from the Court; nor would they have agreed better amongst themselves, though every thing had succeeded to their wish, than they had done with their brethren, there being scarce six of them of one opinion.

But notwithstanding of all these divisions and different interests, all parties kept within bounds until the calling away of the standing forces, that the government was left to the discretion of their enemies.

When your Majesty granted the indulgence to the Presbyterians, you was made believe by some about you, (though of a very different persuasion from the rest,) that they would be as faithful and serviceable to you as any of your subjects, nor did they altogether want ground to