that, after fome debate, the duke of Hamilton's refolve was approved. On the 20th of July, the parliament met again, and read the draught of a letter prefented by the marquis of Tweedale, in answer to her majesty's letter to the parliaH 3

Europe, to confirm what I

have faid, and from none more than that of our neighbours, the States of Holland, whofe unity has raised them to the grandeur and riches they are poffeffed of at this day. They wanted not wrong • measures and unfuccefsful attempts; but their unanimous firmness in the vindication of their liberty hath made good

But, waving what is foreign, I fhall confine myself to our own hiftories, and by four examples I fhall make it evidently appear, that our predeceffors, when in good understanding amongst themfelves, were always in a condition to defend their rights and liberties against the English, and that they never did prevail over us, fave when "we were divided and broke by factions.

1705. ment; as alfo a draught of an act for a treaty with England, presented by the earl of Mar; another draught of an act for a treaty with England, prefented by the marquis of Lothian ; a draught of an act concerning the way of chufing officers

rather than to have fuftained
thofe calamities which fol-
lowed on that divifion?

The other time, my lord,
that we groaned under Eng-
lifh bondage, was by Crom-
well, who knew as well how
to divide, as how to fight.
We had called home king
Charles the fecond, as fuc-
ceffor to his father. Crom-
⚫ well enters Scotland with an

of

my lord, faction was come to that height of enthusiasm, that when we came to fight Cromwell at Dunbar, we ⚫ would not fight but as Gideon did the Midianites, although we had no fuch warrant for it. I pray God, my lord, things come not to fuch an height now, especially when we, as they, mind more, who 'fhall do fuch and fuch things, than what things are fitteft to be done; fo that every com• miffioner now muft have the board fwept clean, before he undertakes the queen's bufinefs. I fpeak not this, my lord, out of any resentment I have, by being lately turned out of a poft, I profess I have not the leaft refentment upon ⚫it. Why fhould not the queen employ what fervants the thinks fit? But I speak of had the remains of that gal-it, because I am afraid it lant army, which had procu red us fo good conditions at the treaty of Rippon, and who afterwards had raised the parliamentary power above that of their fovereign.

army, and prevails. What · was the reafon of it? Was his army comparable to ours • in number? He knew very well king Charles the firft, his master, had come upon · us with a far better army, and we lefs prepared, and lefs accustomed to war; and yet, though fword in hand, he was neceffitated to give us a valuable treaty at the Birks. He knew very well, that we

He

knew, that we had the brave
troops that had preferved the

north of Ireland from the

Irish rebels. Whence then

came all thofe hopes of Oliver? It came, my lords, from 6 our divifions: we were united in thofe former times, and broken then. I fhort, we had the Hamiltons, Grahams, and Campbells, each driving os oppofite defigns. Nay,

' proves a feed to faction, it. having proved fo prolific already, as to the two crops in one year, though in this • northern climate.

The two instances, where our unity preferved us from the fatal confequences of war with England, are those of king David and king James the firft, after we had recovered under the conduct of the noble Bruce, who had forced the grand-child, by a moft folemn renunciation, to yield up the claim of homage, unjustly impofed by the father 6 upon us. Two unhappy ac ⚫cidents

of ftate, privy-counsellors, and members of the Exchequer 1705. and Treasury, in cafe of her majesty's decease, without heirs of her body to fucceed, prefented by the earl of Rothes; and fome other draughts of acts relating to trade: all which were ordered to be printed.

H 4

cidents put these two kings in the hands of the English. • Did they let go the opportunities to trump up their claim of homage? No, my lord. What hindered them to pro'ceed further? king David had ⚫ loft a confiderable battle, was there made prisoner himself, many of the nobility killed

On

perfuaded, that the heats and 'animofities amongst us these • several feffions of parliament

have, amongst other things, ⚫ occafioned that threatning ⚫ and unaccountable act of parliament, wherein they characterife our minifters, and criticife our acts; as it hath alfo given birth to thofe con

and taken, England fuccefs-temptible and ignorant pam

ful against France at the fame time, and their king prifoner in England. King James the firft was their prifoner, being forced to fly from the unjuft defigns of his uncle Robert, and as unjustly made prifoner by them. Thefe occafions, my lord, did appear favourable enough for England to make use of; but our firm unanimity put a stop to their defigns. We declared

we

would not obey our kings as long as they were under Englifh power and influence; and fo both our armies in France, and peers in Scotland, refufed their oaths, as long as they were in England, looking upon them not as their king's commands, but the commands of an enemy. And thus we were preserved, and our kings delivered to us ' upon ransom.

My lord, I have observed, that England never let go any opportunity, neither before nor fince the union of the ' two crowns, to bring us un· der their power; and I am

phlets, published of late against the fovereignty and independency of our nation. Will you prevent the confequences of what is defigned against us? Be as united as they in your actings against them. Did whig and tory differ about us? No, my lord: the two houses, though in civil war among themselves, did vie with one another, which of them fhould have the honour to give us the fharpeft and feverest blow.

To conclude, would you quench the fire that appears to be raised against us in England? Would you have a fuccefsful treaty and good limitations? Be unanimous ; and, I hope, the cafe is not as yet fo defperate, but what our predeceffors have found, we may yet find the like.

It may be asked, my lord, how fhall we be unanimous, and who fhall yield? I think providence has made that very eafy with relation to this refolve. For fuppofe fome be for limitations, that are not

• for

1705.

On the 23d of July the duke of Queenfberry arrived at Edinburgh, where he made made a public entry with greater iplendor and magnificence, and was received with greater demonftrations of joy, than the three times he had been commiflioner. The next day he went to parliament, where the draught of a letter, in anfwer to the queen's, was read, intimating the parliament's readiness to establish the fame "fucceffor with England; begging her majefty would grant

them fuch limitations to her fucceffors, as were neceffary "for that purpofe; and affuring her, that, if this was once "done, they would chearfully fet about the work." But a motion being made, that, preferably to that letter, the houfe fhould take into confideration acts relating to trade, the fame was agreed to.

<

6

for a treaty; and others for
a treaty, that are not for li-
mitat ons; and that thofe
who are against a treaty, are
against it because they do not
expect reafonable and good
conditions from England;
and that thofe who are against
limitations, are against them
becaufe they would prove of
no lo. g continuance, and con-
fequently look upon them
only as an amufement to bring
us to the English fucceffion.
There is no reafon, my lord,
in all this, why both parties
fhould not agree in the re-
folve: for, fuppofe all thofe
fuppofitions fhould prove true,
fhall we then be in any worfe
• condition than we are at pre-
⚫ fent? Shall it be faid, we
⚫ will not fo much as refolve to
treat with England; or that
limitations, which are in our
power both to make and to
keep, fhall be looked upon
by us as things impracticable,
and of no duration? No, my
lord, we have a gracious
queen that will affilt us in
both, and who, in her gra-

L

This

cious letter, feems to defire • both.

6

6

I do confider England, with relation to the fucceffion of Britain, as fo many fishes inclofed in a large trong net. They have room to swim, tofs, and tumble; but, as long as the fisherman keeps his hold, they cannot break through. I believe by this time they are sensible, that the fucceffion to the two kingdoms in Britain ought not to have been designed, much lefs fettled, without acquainting one part of Britain with the defigu, and that one part independent upon the other. Therefore if we be united, and keep our hold, and make no unreasonable demand, either of limitations from our queen, or conditions from England, but merely fuch as the neceffity of the nation requires; I hope, by the blefling of God upon our juft endeavours, and the cordial fupport of our excellent fovereign, that we fhall have all cur defires granted, and a

good

This being over, the cavaliers inclined to proceed upon 1705. the limitations, propofing thereby, in the first place, to obftruct the establishment of the fucceffion, in cafe the projected treaty fhould fail; for they knew the court would not grant them the royal affent, and that the fucceffion would then mifcarry. In the next place, to lay all the restraints poffible on the monarch, in cafe the house of Hanover fhould come to the crown. And laftly, to ingratiate themfelves with the people, who thought themselves oppreffed by England, and were extremely fond of every thing, that feemed to free them from it. A motion being made on the 31ft of July, to grant the first reading to an act of commiffion for a treaty with England, the duke of Hamilton, in opposition thereto, moved, that the house would proceed to the enacting the limitations; and, a vote being stated in these terms, Proceed to confider the act for a treaty, or limitations, the latter was carried. In the next federunt, on the 2d of Auguft, feveral acts for that purpose were prefented; the most confiderable of which was, an act for regulating the chufing the officers of state, enacting, "That "from and after her majefty's decease, without heirs of her "body, all officers of ftate, and privy-counsellors, and "lords of feffion, fhould be chofen and appointed by the "parliament; and in cafe of the decease of any of them, "during the vacancy of parliament, the office to be fup"plied by one nominated by the council, who should con"tinue in the fame till next feffion of parliament: and that "all the officers of state and privy-counsellors should be ac❝countable

not for this time only, but

'for ever; which, if they do flight at this time, I dare pretend to prophesy, that the time will come, when they ⚫ will give with lefs ceremony.

good understanding betwixt tegrity and fincere concern the two nations promoted, for the commonwealth of Britain. And in one thing, I think, I have the advantage, that what I have faid tends to the compofing of 'differences, first, among ourfelves, and then betwixt our neighbouring nation and us. Whereas his lordship's fpecch, if I be not as much mistaken as his lordship was at the time he spoke it, tends directly the quite contrary way. Therefore I am for the refolve, and for the beginning with the limitations.'

Thus, my lord, I have frankly told you my mind, and that with all deference and fubmiffion to this honour'able houfe; and though I do not pretend to the thanks of⚫ this parliament, as the lord Haverfham had of the house ⚫ of lords, yet I will not yield to his lordship, as to my in