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Her majesty's letter to the parliament presented by her majesty's high commissioner and read by the lord clerk register, of which letter the tenor follows.
Signed thus: Anne Regina,
My lords and gentlemen,
It has been our great care and concern ever since our accession to the crown to preserve the peace and promote the true interest and advantage of that our ancient kingdom, and above all to have your present establishment so secured that both you and after ages may reap the benefit thereof. You are now again met in parliament, and no doubt with a full view of all your present circumstances which, we heartily wish, may be seconded with such endeavours on your part as what may best accomplish what we so really design.
In your last meeting, we recommended to you, with the greatest earnestness, the settling of the succession of that our ancient kingdom in the Protestant line, and several things having since happened which shows the great inconveniency of this matters continuing in suspense, we cannot but at present most seriously renew the recommendation of this settlement as being convinced of the growing necessity thereof, both for the preservation of the Protestant religion and the peace and safety of all our dominions, and for defeating the designs and attempts of all our enemies and to prevent any objection to the said settlement that can be suggested from the views or fears of future inconveniences that may happen to that our kingdom from thence, we shall be ready to give the royal assent to such provisions and restrictions as shall be found necessary and reasonable in such a case and, therefore, we must still leave it upon you as most necessary, for all the ends above-mentioned, that you go to the settlement of the succession before all other business.
We are fully satisfied (and doubt not but you are) that great benefit would arise to all our subjects by a union of Scotland and England, and that nothing will contribute more to the composing of differences and extinguishing the heats that are unhappily raised and fomented by the enemies of both nations than the promoting of everything that tends to the procuring the same. Therefore, we earnestly recommend to you to pass an act for a commission to set a treaty on foot between the kingdoms, as our parliament of England has done, for effectuating what is so desirable and for such other matters and things as may be judged proper for our honour and the good and advantage of both kingdoms forever, in which we shall most heartily give our best assistance.
The supplies granted by the parliament for maintaining the forces with the forts, garrisons and frigates are now at an end and these, being still necessary to be maintained, as likewise that the magazines of arms and ammunition to be duly furnished for the peace and security of the kingdom, especially now in time of war, we doubt not but you will provide the supplies needful in such manner as may be most easy and effectual.
We have named [John Campbell], duke of Argyll to be our commissioner to represent our person in this session of parliament as one of whose capacity and zeal for our service and the kingdom's good and advantage, and we are sufficiently assured and no less hopeful that he will be to you acceptable. We have fully empowered him to declare our firm resolutions to maintain the government both in church and state as by law established and, likewise, to consent to such further laws as shall be thought needful for that end.
We have also empowered him to give the royal assent to such good laws as shall be concluded for the advancement of piety and discouragement of immorality, for the better encouraging and improving of trade and manufacture, the further securing of private rights and conveyances, and for promoting the more easy and speedy administration of justice, and generally for what may be found for the good and advantage of the kingdom, in all which and whatever else may contribute to the happiness and satisfaction of our people you shall have our ready and cheerful concurrence.
And so we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our court at Windsor Castle, 18 June 1705, and of our reign the fourth year.
By her majesty's command, signed thus: David Nairn.
The foresaid letter is directed thus: to the noblemen, and to the barons commissioners for shires, and to the commissioners for burghs assembled in parliament in our ancient kingdom of Scotland.