Act, 28 December 1703, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Twentie fourth day of February One thousand Seven hundred and thrie

A1703/2/22

A1703/2/22¹

Letter

Letter from the Queen to the Councill; Anent Civil Ecclesiasticak and Military affairs

Letter from the Queen to the Councill anent the Civill Ecclesiastick and Millitary, affairs of this kingdome Read and ordered to be Recorded printed and published Wherof the tenor followes
Sic Supra Scribitur Anne Regina
Right Trustie and Right well beloved Cousine and Councillor Right trustie and intirely beloved Cousins and Councillors Right trustie and right well beloved Cousins and Councillors Right trustie and well beloved Councillors; and trustie and well beloved Councillors; Wee Greet yow well. Haveing by our Royall Commission of this date established yow to be our privy Councill in our ancient Kingdome of Scotland; in an intire confidence of your prudence Experience and Loyaltie; And especially of your firmnes to the Reformed protestant Religion; Wee doe in the first place Recommend to your care the Church now Established by Law in its Supperior and inferior Judicaturs Such as Sessiones Presbytries Synods and Generall assemblies As also in the exercise of their holy functions, and in what concernes their persones and benefices Wee are informed that ther are many dissenters within that kingdome; who albeit they differ from the Established Church in oppinion as to Church Government and forme; yet are of the Protestant reformed religion; Some of which are in possession of benefices, and others exercise their worship in meetting houses. It is our Royall pleasure; That they Should be directed to Live Suitably to the reformed Religion which they profess, Submissively to our Lawes; decently and regularly with relation to the Church established by Law; as good Christians and Subjects; and in so doeing that they be protected in the peaceable exercise of their Religion and in their persones and estates according to the Lawes of the kingdome; And Wee Recommend to the Clergy of the Established discipline their Liveing in brotherly Love and Communion With Such dissenters; In the nixt place Wee Recommend to yow the protection of all our Civill Judicatures and the executione of our Law’s for the good of our people And that yow direct our Shirifs and Justices of the peace to a diligent execution of the Lawes in so farr as is committed to them. And in the thrid place the Security and peace of the Kingdom And for this and that yow will take Speciall inspection of the diligences done by our Highland Commissions; Wee Recommend Likewayes to yow to enjoine the observation of these Law’s which tend to the encouragment of trade and Manufactories for the good and profitt of our people; whose prosperity and Safety is our greatest concerne; That our forces within the Kingdome observe² discipline and occasion no grivances to our other Subjects and for this and It is our Royall pleasure And wee have given our Speciall orders to our thesaury for paying them exactly and timeously according to our Establishment Wee doubt not that the funds appointed for their pay, by us, and our parliament (whose authority wee are firmly Resolved to Sustaine) will be duely payed in by all who are Lyable therto; and if any Shall faill therin; to evite the inconveniencies by the Souldiers want of pay. It is our Royall pleasure That yow cause Such executiones to be made by our Lawes; and if their be any undutifull opposition made by whatsomever persone or persones to those our Just Commands; Wee Require of yow to call them before yow in Legall manner and to punish the guilty as accords by Law. Wee expect your information from time to time of what occurrs in our and our peoples concern’s And that they may know these our Royall intention’s and affection to them, yow Shall cause print and publish this our Letter in such manner as is usuall; And So wee bid yow heartily farewell Given at our Court at St James’s, the fourth day of February 1702/3 And of our Reigne the first year, By her Majesties Command Sic Subscribitur Tarbat