By the King.
A PROCLAMATION.
JAMES R.
AMES the ſeventh by the grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c. To all and ſundry our good subjects, whom these preſents do or may concern; Greeting: We having taken into our Royal conſideration the many and great inconveniences which have happened to that Our ancient Kingdom of Scotland of late years, through the different perſwaſions in the Chriſtian religion, and the great Heats and Animoſities amongst the ſeveral Profeſſors thereof, to the ruine and decay of Trade, waſting of Lands, extinguishing of Charity, contempt of the Royal Power, and converting of true Religion and the fear of God, into Animoſities, Names, Factions, and ſomtimes into Sacriledge and Treason. And being reſolved as much as in Us lyes, to Unite the Hearts and Affections of our Subjects to God in Religion, to Us in Loyalty and to their Neighbours in Chriſtian Love and Charity, Have therefore thought fit to Grant, and by our Soveraign Authority, Prerogative Royal and abſolute power, which all our Subjects are to obey without Reſerve, Do hereby give and Grant Our Royal Tolleration to the ſeveral Profeſſors of the Chriſtian Religion afternamed, with and under the ſeveral Conditions, Reſtrictions and Limitations after-mentioned. In the firſt place, we allow and Tollerate the moderate Preſbyterians, to Meet in their private Houſes, and there to hear all ſuch Miniſters, as either have or are willing to accept of Our Indulgence Allanerly, and none other, and that there be not any thing ſaid or done contrary to the well and peace of Our Reign, Seditious or Treaſonable, under the higheſt Pains theſe Crimes will Import; nor are they to preſume to build Meeting-Houſes, or to Uſe Out-Houſes or Barns, but only to Exerciſe in their privat Houſes, as ſaid is: In the mean time it is our Royal will and pleaſure that Field-Conventicles and ſuch as Preach or exerciſe at them, or whoſhall any ways Aſſiſt or Connive at them, ſhall be proſecuted according to the utmoſt ſeverity of Our Laws made againſt them, ſeeing from theſe Rendezvouzes of Religion, ſo much Diſorder hath proceeded, and ſo much diſturbance to the Government; and for which after this our Royal Indulgence for tender Conſciences there is no Excuſe left. In like manner, We do hereby Tollerate Quakers, to meet and exerciſe in their Form, in any Place or Places appointed for their Worſhip. And conſidering the ſevere and cruel Laws made againſt Roman-Catholicks (therein called Papiſts) in the Minority of Our Royal Grand-Father of Glorious Memory, without his Conſent, and contrary to the duty of good Subjects, by his Regents and other Enemies to their Lawful Soveraign, our Royal Great Grand-Mother Queen Mary, of Bleſſed and Pious Memory, wherein under the pretence of Religion they Cloathed the worſt of Treaſons, Factions, and Uſurpations, and made theſe Laws, not as againſt the Enemies of God, but their own; which Laws have ſtill been continued of Courſe, without deſign of Executing them, or any of them, ad terrorem only, on Suppoſition that the Papiſts relying on an External Power, were incapable of Duty and true Allegiance to their natural Soveraigns, and Rightful Monarchy: We of Our certain Knowledge, and long Experience, knowing that the Catholicks, as it is their principle to be good Chriſtians, so it is to be dutiful subjects, and that they have likewiſe on all Occaſions ſhown themſelves good and faithful Subjects to Us, and Our Royal Predeceſſors, by hazarding, and many of them actually loſing their Lives and Fortunes in their Defence (though of another Raligion) and the maintenance of their Authority againſt the Violences and Treaſons of the moſt violent Abetrors of theſe Laws, Do therefore with Advice and Conſent of our Privy Council, by our Soveraign Authority, Prerogative Royal, and Abſolute Power aforeſaid, Suſpend, Stop, and Diſable all Laws and Acts of Parliament, Cuſtoms or Conſtitutions made or Executed againſt any of our Roman Catholick Subjects, in any time paſt to all intents and purpoſes, making void all prohibitions therein mentioned, Pains or Penalties therein Ordained to be Inflicted, ſo that they ſhall in all things be as free in all reſpects as any of our Proteſtant Subjects whatſoever, not only to exerciſe their Religion, but to enjoy all Offices, Benefices, and others, which We ſhall think fit to beſtow upon them in all time coming: Nevertheleſs it is Our Will and Pleasure, and We do hereby Command all Catholicks at their highest Pains, only to exerciſe their Religious Worſhip in Houſes or Chapels; and that they preſume not to Preach in the open Fields, or to Invade the Proteſtant Churches by force, under the pains aforeſaid, to be inflicted upon the Offenders reſpectively, nor ſhall they preſume to make publick Proceſſions in the High-Streets of any of Our Royal Burghs, under the Pains above-mentioned: And whereas the Obedience and Service of Our good Subjects is due to Us by their Allegiance, and Our Soveraignty and that no Law, Cuſtom, or Conſtitution, Difference in Religion, or other impediment whatſoever can exempt or diſcharge the Subjects from their Native Obligations and Duty to the Crown, or hinder Us from protecting and employing them, according to their ſeveral Capacities, and Our Royal Pleaſure, nor reſtrain us from confering Heretable Rights, and Priviledges upon them, or Vacuate or Annul theſe Rights Heretable, when they are made or conferred: And likewiſe conſidering that ſome Oaths are capable of being Wreſted by Men of Siniſtruous Intentions, a practice in that Kingdom fatal to Religion, as it was to Loyalty; Do therefore, with Advice and Conſent aforeſaid, Caſs, Annul and Diſcharge all Oaths whatſoever, by which any of Our Subjects are incapacitated or diſabled from holding Places, or Offices in Our ſaid Kingdom, or enjoying their Hereditary Rights and Priviledges, Diſcharging the ſame to be taken or given in any time coming, without Our ſpecial Warrand and Conſent, under the pains due to the Contempt of Our Royal Commands and Authority; and to this effect, we do by Our Royal Authority aforeſaid, Stop, Diſable, and Diſpence with all Laws enjoyning the ſaids Oaths, Teſts, or any of them, particularly the firſt Act of the firſt Seſſion of the firſt Parliament of King Charles the Second; the eleventh Act of the foreſaid Seſſion of the foreſaid Parliament; the ſixth Act of the third Parliament of the ſaid King Charles, the twenty firſt and twenty fifth Acts of that Parliament; and the thirteenth Act of the firſt Seſſion of Our late Parliament, in ſo far allanerly as concerns the taking of Oaths or Teſts therein preſcribed, and all others, as well not mentioned as mentioned, and that in place of them, all Our good Subjects, or ſuch of them as We or Our Privy Council ſhall require ſo to do, ſhall take and Swear the following Oath allanerly, I, A. B. Do acknowledge, Teſtifie and Declare, that JAMES the Seventh by the Grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. is rightful King, and Supream Governour of theſe Realms, and over all perſons therein, and that it is unlawful for Subjects, on any pretence, or for any cauſe whatſoever to riſe in Arms againſt Him, or any Commiſſionated by him; and that I ſhall never ſo riſe in Arms, nor Aſſiſt any who ſhall do ſo; and that I ſhall never reſiſt his Power or Authority, nor ever Oppoſe His Authority, to His Perſon, as I ſhall anſwer to God, but ſhall to the utmoſt of my Pewer, Aſſiſt, Defend, and Maintain Him, his Heirs and Lawful Succeſſours, in the Exerciſe of their abſolute Power and Authority, againſt all Deadly, So help me God. And ſeeing many of Our good Subjects have, before Our Pleasure in theſe matters was made publick, incurred the Guilt appointed by the Acts of Parliament above-mentioned, or others; we by Our Authority and Abſolute Power, and Prerogative Royal above-mentioned of our certain Knowledge, and innate Mercy, Give Our ample and full Indemnity to all thoſe of the Roman-Catholick or Popiſh Religion, for all things by them done contrary to Our Laws or Acts of Parliament, made in any time paſt relating to their Religion, the Worſhip and Exerciſe thereof, or for being Papiſts, Jeſuits, or Traffickers, for hearing or ſaying of Maſs, Concealing of Prieſts or Jeſuits, or breeding their Children Catholicks at home or abroad, or any other thing, Rite or Doctrine, ſaid, performed or maintained by them, or any of them: And likwiſe for holding or taking of Places, Employments, or Offices, controry to any Law or Conſtitution, Advices given to Us or our Council, Actions done, or generally any thing performed or ſaid againſt the known Laws of that Our Ancient Kingdom; Excepting always from this Our Royal Indemnity all Murders Aſſaſſinations Thefts and ſuch like other Crimes, which never uſed to be comprehended in Our general Acts of Indemnity. And We command and require all Our Judges, or others concerned, to explain this in the moſt ample ſenſe and meaning Acts of Indemnity at any time have contained: Declaring this ſhall be as good to every one concereed, as if they had our Royal Pardon and Remiſſion under Our Great Seal of that Kingdom. And likwiſe Indemnifying Our Proteſtant Subjects from all Pains and Penalties due for hearing or Preaching in Houſes, provided there be no Treaſonable Speeches uttered in the ſaid Conventicles by them, in which Caſe the Law is only to take place againſt the Guilty, and none other preſent: Providing alſo that they Reveal to any of our Council the Guilt ſo Committed, As alſo excepting all Fines or effects of Sentences already given; and likwiſe indemnifying fully and freely all Quakers for their Meetings and Worſhips in all time paſt, preceding the publication of theſe Preſents; and we doubt not but Our Proteſtant Subjects will give their Aſſiſtance and Concourſe hereunto on all occaſions, in their reſpective Capacities: In conſideration whereof, and the Eaſe thoſe of Our Religion and others may have hereby, and for the Encouragement of our Proteſtant Bishops, and the Regular Clergy, and ſuch as have hitherto lived Orderly, We think fit to declare, that it never was our Principles, nor will we ever ſuffer Violence to be offered to any Mans Conſcience, nor will we uſe Force or invinſible neceſſity againſt any Man on the account of his Perſwaſion, nor the Proteſtant Religion, but will protect Our Biſhops and other Miniſters in their Functions, Rights, and Properties, and all Our Proteſtant Subjects in the free exerciſe of their Proteſtant Religion in the Churches; and that we will and hereby promiſe on Our Royal Word, to maintain the Poſſeſſors of Church-Lands formerly belonging to Abbeys, or other Churches of the Catholick Religion, in their full and free poſſeſſion and Right, according to our Laws and Acts of Parliament in that behalf in all time coming; and We will employ indifferently all our Subjects, of all Perſwaſions ſo as none ſhall meet with any Diſcouragement on the account of his Religion, but be advanced and eſteemed by Us, acording to their ſeveral Capacities, and Qualifications, ſo long as we find Charity and Unity maintained; and if any Animoſities ſhall Ariſe, as We hope in God there will not, We will ſhow the ſeverest Effects of Our Royal Diſpleaſure againſt the Beginners or Fomenters thereof, Seeing thereby Our Subjects may be deprived of this general Eaſe and Satisfaction, We intend to all of them, whoſe Happine ſs, Proſpirity, Wealth and Safety, is ſo much Our Royal Care, that We will leave nothing undone which may procure theſe Bleſſings for them. And Laſtly to the end all our good Subjects may have notice of this Our Royal Will and Pleaſure, we do hereby command Our Lyon King at Arms and his Brethren Heraulds, Macers, Purſevants and Meſſengers at Arms, to make timeous Proclamation thereof at the Mercat Croſs of Edinburgh; and beſides the Printing and Publiſhing of this Our Royal Proclamation, it is Our expreſs will and Pleaſure that the ſame be paſt under the Great Seal of that Our Kingdom per ſaltum, without paſing any other Seal or Register: In order whereunto this ſhall be to the Directors of Our Chancellary and their Deputes for Writing the ſame, and to Our Chancellor, for cauſing Our Great Seal aforeſaid to be Appended thereunto, a ſufficient Warrand,
Given at our court at White-hall, the Twelfth of February 1686. And of Our Reign the Third Year.
GOD ſave the KING.
Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderſon, Printer to His moſt Sacred Majeſty, Anno Dom. 1687.
This may be Reprinted February the 28th. R. L. S. By George Croom, at the Blue Ball in Thames-ſtreet, near Baynard's-Caſtle. 16867.
This is hardly a Jacobite Proclamation, but it represents the beginning of R. C. Toleration which led up to the Revolution.
