Address of the Episcopal Clergy of Aberdeen, December 29, 1715

The following address was presented to King James III and VIII by the Reverend Doctors James and George Gardens, Dr. Burnet, Mr. Dunbreck, Mr. Blair, and Mr. Maitland, at Fetterosse.

Sir.

We Your Majesty's most faithful and dutiful subjects, the Episcopal clergy of the Diocese of Aberdeen, do from our hearts, render thanks to Almighty God for Your Majesty's safe and happy arrival into this your Ancient Kingdom of Scotland, where your royal presence was so much longed for, and so necessary to animate your loyal subjects, our noble and generous patriots, to go on with that invincible courage and resolution which they have hitherto so successfully exerted, for the recovery of the rights of their king and country, and to excite many others of your good subjects to join them, who only wanted this great encouragement.

We hope and pray that God may open the eyes of such of your subjects, as malicious and self-designing men have industriously blinded with prejudices against Your Majesty, as if the recovery of your just rights would ruin our religion, liberties and properties, which by the overturning of these rights have been highly encroached upon; and we are persuaded that Your Majesty's justice and goodness will settle and secure those just privileges, to the conviction of your most malicious enemies.

Almighty God has been pleased to train up Your Majesty from your infancy in the school of the cross, in which the divine grace inspires the ind with true wisdom and virtue, and guards it against those false blandishments by which prosperity corrupts the heart. And as this school has sent forth the most illustrious princes, as Moses, Joseph, and David, so we hope the same infinitely wise and good God designs to make Your Majesty, not only a blessing to your own kingdoms and the true father of them, but also a great instrument of the general peace and good of mankind.

Your princely virtues are such that, in the esteem of the best judges, you are worthy to wear a crown, though you had not been born to it, which makes us confident that it will be Your Majesty's care to make your subjects a happy people, and so to secure them in their religion, liberties, and property, as to leave no just ground of distrust, and to unite us all in true Christianity, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the practice of the primitive Christians.

We adore the goodness of God in preserving Your Majesty amidst the many dangers to which you have been exposed, and notwithstanding the hellish contrivances formed against you for encouraging assassins to murder your sacred person, a practice abhorred by the very heathens. May the same merciful Providence continue still to protect Your Majesty, to prosper your arms, to turn the hearts of all the people towards you, to subdue those who resist your just pretensions, to establish you on the throne of your ancestors, to grant you a long and happy reign, to bless you with a royal progeny, and at last with an immortal crown of glory; and as it has been, still is, and shall be, our care to instil into the minds of the people true principles of loyalty to Your Majesty, so this is the earnest prayer of, may it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most faithful, most dutiful, and most humble subjects and servants.

To this address, King James III and VIII responded, as follows:

I am very sensible of the zeal and loyalty you have expressed for me, and shall be glad to have opportunities of giving you marks of my favour and protection.