His Highness the PRINCE of Orange having caused Advertise such of the Scots Lords and Gentlemen, as were in Town, met them in a Room at St. James's, upon Monday the Seventh of January at three of the Clock in the Afternoon, and had this Speech to them.

As soon as His Highness had retired, the Lords and Gentlemen went to the Council Chamber at White-Hall, and having Chosen the Duke of Hamilton their President, they fell a Consulting, what Advice was fit to be given to His Highness in this Conjuncture, and after some hours reasoning, they Agreed upon the Materi­als of it, and appointed the Clerks, with such as were to Assist them, to draw up in Writing, what the Meeting thought expedient, to Advise His Highness, and to bring it in to the Meeting, the next day in the Afternoon.

Tuesday the Eighth Instant, the Writing was presented in the Meeting, and some time being spent in Reasoning about the fittest way of Conveening a Ge­neral Meeting of the Estates of Scotland: At last the Meeting came to Agree in their Opinion, and appointed the Advice to be Writ clean over, according to the Amendments. But as they were about to part, for that Dyet, the Earl of Arran proposed to them, as his Lordships Advice, that they should move the PRINCE of Orange, to desire the KING to return, and Call a Free-Parliament, which would be the best way to Secure the Protestant Religion and Property, and to Heal all Breaches. This Proposal seemed to dissatisfy the whole Meeting, and the Duke of Hamilton their President, Father to the Earl, but they presently parted.

Wednesday the Ninth of January, They met at three of the Clock in the same Room, and Sir Patrick Hume took notice of the Proposal made by the Earl of Arran, and desired to know if there was any there that would second it: But none appearing to do it, he said, That what the Earl had proposed, was evi­dently opposit and inimicous to His Highness the Prince of Orange's Undertak­ing, his Declaration, and the Good Intentions of preserving the Protestant Re­ligion, and of Restoring their Laws and Liberties exprest in it. And furth [...] desired th [...] the Meeting should Decl [...]e this to be their Opinion of it. The Lord Cardross seconded Sir Patricks Motion; It was answered by the Duke of Ha­milton, President of the Meeting, That their business was to prepare an Ad­vice to be offered to the Prince; and the Advice being now ready to go to the Vote, there was no need that the Meeting should give their Sense of the Earls Proposal, which neither before nor after Sir Patricks Motion, any had pretended to owne or second; so that it was fallen, and out of doors; and that the Vote of the Meeting, upon the Advice brought in by their Order, would sufficiently declare their Opinion: Thus being seconded by the Earl of Su­therland, the Lord Cardross, and Sir Patrick did acquiesce; and the Meeting Voted unanimously the Address following. [...]