Minuts of the last sederunt read.
Warrand craved by and granted to her majesties' advocat for citeing witnesses in the charge at his instance against the dean of faculty and advocats refuseing to answer and sisted before the parliament.
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Report from the committee of security of the kingdom viz. it is the unanimous opinion of the said committee that a supply be granted to her majestie for seven moneths cess in one year for maintaining of forces, repairing of forts and garrisons, and provideing arms and amunition and maintaining of frigots for guarding the trade and coasts; and likewayes, it is their unanimous opinion that the said cess shall be continued to her majestie for the ends foresaid for ane year and a halfe, makeing up in all ten moneths and a halfs cess payable in the said year and a half, beginning the first terms payment at the terme of Candlemass, one thousand, seven hundred and three years, read.
Thereafter the draught of an act upon the same subject brought in from the said committie, and read the first time.
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A draught of a letter from the parliament to her majestie brought in from the committie, read; and being again read by paragraphs was voted and approven, of which letter the tenor follows.
May it please your majestie,
Your majesties' most gracious letter was received and accepted by us, in this our first meeting after the death of our late glorious soveraign, as a high and most seasonable favor.
The late King William, of ever blessed memory, by his accession to the throne delivered us from imminent ruine and under his royal government we for many years enjoyed such a happy settlement as, in the times of war as well as of peace, gave us the quiet and full possession of our religion, laws and liberties and all that could be dear to us.
But when so great a loss did fill us with sorrow and fears, your majesties' succession, by undoubted right to the crown of your many royal ancestors, under whose scepter this your ancient kingdom hath so long flourished, was the onely comfort whereof we were capable.
Your majesties' firm constancie in the true Protestant religion is the great satisfaction of all its wellwishers, and you have at your entrie to the royal government shewed that care and concerne for the interest and prosperity of your kingdoms, and for the liberty of Europe, as have every where revived with a new vigour whatever dureing the life of the late king was projected for these great ends.
It is our misfortune that we are at this time deprived of your royal presence, but your majestie doth so fully make up this disadvantadge by the benigne influences of your royal favour in giveing us so full assureances of your firm resolution to protect our religion, liberties and laws, particularly the presbiterian government as now established, as gives us onely ground to regret that by this our necessary distance we should be hindered to express in your own presence our most cordial and dutiful acknowledgements.
It pleased the late king to continue us dureing his reigne as the parliament and representatives of his people, and there could be nothing more for our honour, and we hope for your majesties' service and the kingdom's satisfaction, than that you have been pleased to call us together at this time and so graciously to signifie by us your good mind to all your subjects.
We have most heartily and unanimously imbraced this opportunity to recognize your majesties' just right and title, and to congratulat your entrie to the royal government and withall to offer our best endeavours to maintain your majesties' authority to the outmost of our power.
At our first meeting, some of our number, not waiting to hear your majesties' commission or gracious letter read, did, without regaird to your majesties' authority and to the authority and dignity of parliament, withdraw and remove themselves from their attendance and from concurring, as in duty oblidged, to recognize your majesties' right and succession or assisting in what appears so necessary at this time for the defence of the Protestant religion and the preserveing and secureing the peace and safety of the kingdom. But leaveing this to your royal consideration, we shall onely assure your majestie that this their groundless secession shall increase and strengthen our care and zeal for your majesties' service, and what you have been pleased to recommend to us.
The growing power and unbounded ambition of the French king, and his most injurious owning the pretended prince of Wales as king of this and your majesties' other dominions, having engaged your majestie in a just and necessary warr, we should be wanting to ourselves as well as to your majesties' care for our preservation if we did not provide supplies for our own defence and security.
The union of the two kingdoms of Scotland and England hath been long desired by all good men, and the late king, at his first accession to the government, and we, when conveened as a meeting of the estates of the kingdom, did judge it one of the best means for procureing the happiness and settling the peace of these nations, and therefore we are resolved to prosecute your majesties' recommendation and the advancement already made by the parliament of England with such a suteable return as may best contribute to accomplish this great designe to your majesties' satisfaction and glory.
We take it for a singular mark of your royal favour, and a very promiseing encouragement to all our proceedings, that your majestie hath been pleased to appoint James, duke of Queensberry to be your commissioner to represent your royal person in this session of parliament. We have been already witnesses of his great sufficiency, faithfullness and zeal in the discharge of this high trust, and we assure your majestie that next to your royal person he is to us most acceptable.
Being therefore fully convinced that all that your majestie demands or expects from us is our own security and happiness, and that you give us all the encouragements for these ends that we can possibly desire, we doubt not but that all matters shall be so mannaged and concluded in this session of parliament as may be most for the advancement of your majesties' service and the peace and wellfare of the kingdom.
Signed in presence, by warrand and in name of the estates of parliament, may it please your majesty, your majesties' most humble, most obedient and most faithful subject and servant, sic subscribitur, Marchmont, cancellar[ius], I.P.D. parl[iamenti], Edinburgh the 18th of June, 1702.
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Ordered that the several estates of parliament separat and make election of the committee for reviseing the accounts of money laid on by former sessions of this parliament, as was appointed by the last sederunt. Whereupon the estates, haveing separat themselves, returned and reported their several elections as follows, viz: of the state of nobility, the earls of Galloway and Northesk and Lord Boyle; of the state of barons, Sir Robert Sinclair of Stevenson, John Crauford of Kilbirnie and Duncan Forbes of Culloden; and of the commissioners for burghs, Sir James Smollet, Sir John Hamilton and Mr William Johnstoun.
The committees appointed to meet to morrow at ten a clock.
The lord chancellor, by order of her majesties' high commissioner, adjourned the parliament till to morrow at eleven a clock.