[A1678/6/1]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Upon the [...] day of [...] 1678 was the proclamatione for calling a conventione of estates at the cross of Edinburgh, whereof the tenor followes: Charles, by the grace of God, king of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, defendar of the faith etc., to all and sundrie our good subjects whom these doe or may concerne, greeting. The great kyndnes we bear to that our antient kingdome hath at all times inclined us to be very watchfull over all its concernes. And considering that all kings and states doe at present carefully secure themselves and ther people by providing against all such forraignes invasiones and intestine commotiones as may make them a prey to there enemies, and that it is not fit that† our antient kingdome should only of all others remain without defence, especiallie at a time wherein those execrable field conventicles (so justlie termed in our lawes 'the randevouses of rebellione') doe still grow in ther numbers and insolence, against all which our present forces cannot in reasone be thought a suitable securitie, therefor, and that we may be the better inabled to raise some more forces for securing that our kingdome against all forraigne invasiones and intestine commotiones, and to maintain them in the most equall and regular way, and to let the world see the unanimous affectione of our people to us, we have thought fitt to call a conventione of the estates of that our ancient kingdome to meet at Edinburgh upon the 26 day of June nixttocome. And we doe hereby require and comand all archbishops, dukes, marquises, earles, viscounts, bishops, lords and officers of state of that our kingdome be present and attend that dyet. And also we do require all our sheriffs in the several shires and there deputs, that if there be many new electiones alreadie made, they make tymous intimatione to those commissioners to keep this meeting; but if their be no electiones alreadie made, that then they forthwith call and conveen all the freeholders in the respective shyres, that, according to the lawes and acts of parliament, elections may be made of fitt persones to be commissioners for this conventione; and that our royall burrowes make choise of commissioners accordingly, and that they and all other persones having interest attend this conventione of estates under the paines contained in our lawes made thereanent. And that all our good subjects may have notice of this our royall pleasure and will, we doe hereby command our lyon king at armes to make tymous proclamatione thereof at the mercat crosses of the head burghs in the several shyres of that our kingdome. Given at our court of Whythall the 23 day of May 1678 and of our reigne the thirtie year.
The executione of the above proclamatione at the cross of Edinburgh being upon the [...] day of [...] ther intervenes to the meeting of the conventione but [...] days, though the ordinar time by immemorial custome for calling parliaments and conventions hath been fourtie days.