The manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of ... - Electric Scotland

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be given ;
yet ane eye is to be keept over them and the forces posted
with a respect to that, untill by experience they be found to have forgot
ther mah'gnitie.
As to what is past in the secreit comitty, and as to the litle
differences on some measours propossed, the minuts containe the articles,
and as the letters sent to us carie what they proported and are by us,
so our answers one all occasions carie our opinione and the reasons
thereof, to "^phich wee adhere as particularly, to the bond propossed in
Clesdaill, and since urged, which wee could not concurr in because it
was imiDracticable, ard the forme of thes obligations vere expressly prescrvved
by Act of Parliament. And when the liord Treasurer offered
to cause his districk to take it, if it were judged fit, the secreit comitty
referred any consideratione thereof to the nixt parliament, because of
the gineialitie of the concerne and the tenor of the Act of Parliament
against it, wherby it could not tend to a solid securitie.
The Lord Threasurer would represent to his Majestic that all of us
in the secreit comitty have ever concurred in everie thing and everie
resolutione, without the leist contradictione or opositione, in everie individual
1 thing unanimously.
The Lord Threasurer would represent to his Majestic that his
Majestie would consider, that the secreit comitty can not be considered
by hfm as to be answerable for the events of government, since nothing
coms befor us but when wee are to prepare a proces or examiu informers
; but as wee ought not to steept further then wee are allowed,
so wee ought to be considered as having no influence on the greater
wheels of the goverment, such as the qualities of persons imployed.
These actions and meathods, there interests and concerns thereby
and relations. Xor can wee influence the first grounds when wee are
ccmanded or wee be consulted. For in our duty when wee are ordered
our advyce vere
to run in a road, it were undutifuU to us to stop untill
taken whether that vere the right road. This would be represented so
as not to inferr that wee desire to be consulted in these greater matters.
But that wee be not blamed for the effects when wee are not consulted
in the
Wee humbly desire that his Majestie may consider that afl'airs persons
and actions will have a diff'erent aspect at 300 myles distance
from what they have on the place, and that his Majestie wold not see
things the worse, if things vere represented as weill by those who are
one the place as weill as by those who most but conjectur, or perhaps
take there measures from privat mens informations.
There is a draught of the Indemnitie marked by the King's Advocat,
wherin is to be considered whither to except Argylls rebellione in
the terms in it, or to extend the pardon to this as to the other
rebellione 1679, with the exceptions relative to that rebellione, which
is referred to his Majestie. But at least it is our humble opinione,
that ane Indemnitie in the terms of the Act is necessarie. But as to
the particular persons to be nominatim expressed, wee are not rype to
give advyce as yet in that, and it will be fitt to be delayed till they
be fully informed in the beginning of the sessione.
It is advisable that the livtenancies be recalled if the King thinks fitt.
And since the Indemnitie concluds bygaines that for the future
the counsell be comanded to emitt a proclamatione ordering shireffes
and others to strate and exact observance of the laws against new
transgressours.
The Lord Threasurer would informe himselfe of the state of the
comissipne of treade and where it stopt, and lay it before his Majestie,
that it may be knowne what is to be expected from England in it