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tenants to be present at those unlawful assemblies.Thus chicanery was joined to tyranny; and themajesty of the king, instead of being exalted,was in reality prostituted; as if he were obligedto seek the same security, which one neighbourmight require of another.

It was an old law, but seldom executed,that a man, who was accused of any crime,and did not appear, in order to stand his trial,might be inter con,i mimed , that is, he might bepublicly outlawed; and whoever afterwards,either on account of business, relation, naycharity, had the least intercourse with him, wassubjected to the same penalties as could by lawbe inflicted on the criminal himself. Several writsof intercommuning were now issued against thehearers and preachers in conventicles ; and bythis severe and even absurd law, crimes andguilt went on multiplying in a geometrical pro-portion. Where laws themselves are so violent,it is no wonder that an administration should betyrannical.

Lest the cry of an oppressed people shouldreach the throne, the council forbad, under severepenalties, all noblemen or gentlemen of landedproperty to leave the kingdom: A severe edict,especially where the sovereign himself resided ina foreign country. Notwithstanding this act ofcouncil, Caffilis first, afterwards Hamilton andTweddale, went to London, and laid their com-plaints before the king. These violent proceed-ings of Lauderdale -\ye.re opposite to the natural

HAP

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16TS.