His Majesties Most Gracious SPEECH, Together with the Lord Chancellor's, To both Houses of PARLIAMENT, on Wednesday the 30 th of April, 1679.

By His Majesties special Command.

EDINBURGH, Re-Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred MAJESTY, Anno Dom. 1679.

His Majesties Most Gracious SPEECH To both Houses of PARLIAMENT, On Wednesday the 30 th of April.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

THe Season of the Year advancing so fast, I thought it necessary to put you in mind of Three Parti­culars:

  • 1. Prosecution of the Plot.
  • 2. Disbanding the Army.
  • 3. Providing a Fleet for Our common Security.

And to shew you that whilst you are doing [Page 4] your Parts, My thoughts have not been mis-imploy'd, but that it is My constant Care to do every thing that may preserve your Re­ligion, and secure it for the future in all Events; I have Commanded my Lord Chan­cellor to mention several Particulars, which I hope will be an Evidence, that in all things that concerns the Publique Security, I shall not follow your Zeal, but lead it.

THE Lord Chancellor's SPEECH To both Houses of PARLIAMENT.

My Lords, and you the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the House of Commons,

THat Royal Care which His Majesty hath taken for the General Quiet and Satisfaction of all His Subjects, is now more Evident by these New and fresh Instances of it which I have in Com­mand to open to You.

His Majesty hath Consider'd with Himself, That 'tis not Enough that your Religion and Liberty is secure during His own Reign, but He thinks He ows it to his People to do all that in Him Lies, that these Blessings may be transmitted to your Posterity, and so well secur'd to them, that no Succes­sion in after Ages may be able to work the Least Alteration.

And therefore His Majesty, who hath often said in this Place, That he is ready to consent to any Laws of this Kind, so as the same Extend not to alter the Descent of the Crown in the Right Line, nor to Defeat the Succession, hath now Commanded this to be further Explain'd.

And to the End it may never be in the Power of any Papist, if the Crown Descend upon him, to make any Change either in Church or State, I am Commanded to tell you, That His Majesty is willing that Provision may be made, First to Di­stinguish a Popish from a Protestant Successor, Then so to Limit and to Circumscribe the Authority of a Popish Succes­sor in these Cases following, that he may be disabled to do any Harm.

First in Reference to the Church, His Majesty is content that Care be taken that all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Bene­fices and Promotions in the Gift of the Crown, may be Con­ferr'd in such a Manner, that we may be sure the Incumbents shall always be of the most Pious and Learned Protestants; And that no Popish Successor, while he continues so, may have any power to Controll such Presentments.

In Reference to the State and Civil part of the Govern­ment, As it is already Provided that no Papist can Sit in either House of Parliament, So the King is pleased that it be provided too, that there may never want a Parliament when the King shall happen to Die, but that the Parliament then in being may Continue Indissoluble for a Competent Time, Or if there be no Parliament in being, then the Last Parlia­ment which was in being before that time may Re-assemble and Sit a Competent Time without any new Summons or Elections.

And as no Papist can by Law hold any Place of Trust, so the King is content that it may be further Provided that no Lords or others of the Privy-Council, No Judges of the Common-Law, or in Chancery, shall at any time during the Raign of any Popish Successor be put in or displaced but by the Authority of Parliament. And care also be taken that none but sincere Protestants may be Justices of Peace.

In Reference to the Military Part, The King is willing that no Lord Lieutenant, or Deputy Lieutenant, nor no Officer in the Navy during the Raign of any Popish Successor be [Page 7] put in or remov'd but either by Authority of Parliament, or of such Persons as the Parliament shall entrust with such Authority.

'Tis hard to invent another restraint to be put upon a Popish Successor, Considering how much the Revenue of the Succes­sor will depend upon consent of Parliament, and how Impos­sible it is to raise Money without such consent. But yet if any thing else can Occur to the Wisdom of the Parliament, which may further Secure Religion and Liberty against a Popish Successor, without Defeating the Right of Succession it self, His Majesty will most readily consent to it.

Thus Watchful is the King for all your Safeties, and if He could think of any thing else that you do either Want or Wish to make you Happy, He would make it His business to Effect it for you.

God Almighty Long Continue this Blessed Union between the King and his Parliament and People.

FINIS.

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