I Must then first of all assure you very positively, That their Highnesses have often declared, as they did it more particularly to the Marquiss Abbev [...]lle, His Majesties Envoy Extraordinary to the States, that it is their Opinion, That No Christian ought to be persecuted for his conscience, or be ill used, because he differs from the Publick and Establishe [...] Religion: and therefore they can consent that the Papists in En [...]land, Scotland, and Ireland. [...]e suffered to continue in their Reli­gion, with as much liberty as is allowed them by the States in these [...]rovinces.

And their Highnesses are very ready, in case His Majesty shall think fit to desire it, to declare their willingness to concur in the settling and confirming this Liberty, and as far as it lies in them, they will protect and defend it, and according to the Language of Treaties, They wi [...]l confirm it with their Guaranty, of which you made mention in yours.

And if His Majesty shall think fit further to desire their concurrence in the repealing of the Penal Laws, they are ready to give it; provided alwayes that those Laws remain still in their full vigor, by which the R. Catholicks are shut out of both Houses of Parliament, and out of all Publick Employments, Ec­clesiastical, Civil, and Military.

You writ, That the Roman Catholicks in these Provinces are not shut out from Employments and Places of Trust; but in this you are much mistaken, for our Laws are express, excluding them by name from all share in the Government, and from all Employments either of the Policy or Justice of our Countrey. It is true, I do not know of any express Law, that shuts them out of Military Employ­ments, that had indeed been hard, since in the first formation of our State, they joyned with us in defend­ing our Publick Liberty, and did as eminent service during the Wars; therefore they were not shut out from those Military Employments; for the Publick Safety was no way endangered by this, both because their numbers that served in our Troops were not great, and because the States could easily prevent any in­conveniency that might arise out of that; which could not have been done so easily, if the R Catho­licks had been admitted to a share in the Government, and in the Policy or Justice of our State.

I am very certain of this, of which I could give very good proof, that there is nothing that their Highnesses desire so much, as That His Majesty may Reign happily, and in an intire Confidence with his Subjects; and that his Subjects being perswaded of His Majesties fatherly affection to them, may be ready to make him all the Returns of Duty that are in their power.

Their Highnesses have ever paid a most profound Duty to His Majesty, which they will alwayes conti­nue to do; for they consider themselves bound to it, both by the Laws of God and of Nature.

I do not think it necessary to demonstrate to you how much their Highnesses are devoted to His Maje­sty, of which they have given such real Evidences as are beyond all verbal ones; and they are resolved still to continue in the same Duty and Affection: or rather to increase it, if that is possible.