tute, to have a confiderable force fent to fupport them 1704. from Dunkirk. The duke of Queenfberry being now laid afide, his collegue, the earl of Cromarty, remained fole fecretary of state. The earl of Leven was inftalled governor of Edinburghcaftle in the room of the earl of March, and the earl of Glasgow removed from the place of treafurer-deputy, but his place was not filled. On the 6th of July the parliament being met, the Proceed queen's commiffion, appointing the marquis of Tweedale ings of the to reprefent her royal perfon, was recorded; and, five days parliaafter, the lord-commiffioner prefented to them the follow- ment of ing letter from her majefty: ANNE R. My lords and gentlemen, N Othing has troubled us more, fince our acceffion to the crown of these realms, than the unfettled ftate "of affairs in that our ancient kingdom. "We hoped, that the foundations of differences and "animofities, that, to our great regret, we discovered "among you, did not lie fo deep, but that, by the "methods we have proceeded in, they might have been " removed. But, instead of fuccefs in our endeavours, the rent is' "become wider. Nay, divifions have proceeded to fuch a height, as to prove matter of encouragement to our "enemies beyond fea to employ their emiflaries among you in order to debauch our good fubjects from their "allegiance, and to render that our ancient kingdom a "fcene of blood and diforder, merely, as they speak, to make you ferve as a diverfion. "But we are willing to hope, that none of our fub"jects, but fuch as were obnoxious to the laws for their "crimes, or men of low and defperate fortunes, or that "are otherwife inconfiderable, have given ear to fuch per"nicious contrivances. And we have no reafon to doubt "of the affurances given us by thofe now intrufted with "our authority, that they will ufe their utmoft endeavours "to convince our people of the advantage and neceffity "of the prefent mcafures. For we have always been in"clined to believe, that the late miflakes did not pro"ceed from any want of duty and refpect to us, but A 4 only Scotland. Lockhart, 1704. « only from different opinions as to measures of govern ❝ment. "This being the cafe, we are refolved, for the full "<contentment and fatisfaction of our people, to grant "whatever can, in reason, be demanded for rectifying of abuses, and quieting the minds of all our good fub"jects. In order to this, we have named the marquis of "Tweedale our high-commiffioner, he being a perfon, "of whofe capacity and probity, or qualifications and difpofitions to ferve us and the country, neither we "nor you can have any doubt. And we have fully "impowered him to give you unquestionable proofs of our refolution to maintain the government, both in "church and ftate, as by law established, in that our "kingdom; and to confent to fuch laws, as fhall be "found wanting for the further fecurity of both, and "preventing all encroachments on the fame for the fu ❝ture. .. "Thus having done our part, we are perfuaded, thaf • you will not fail to do yours, but will lay hold on this opportunity to fhew the world the fincerity of the profeffions made to us, and that it was the true love of your country, and the fenfe of your duty to it; " and therefore not the want of duty to us (for we shall "always reckon these two inconfiftent) that was at the bottom of the late misunderstandings. "The main thing, that we recommend to you, and " which we recommend to you with all the carneftnefs "we are capable of, is the fettling of the fucceffion in "the proteftant line, as that which is abfolutely necef fary, for your own peace and happinefs, as well as our quiet and fecurity in all our dominions, and for the re"putation of our affairs abroad; and confequently for the ftrengthening the proteftant intereft every where. "This has been our fixt judgment and resolution "ever fince we came to the crown; and, though hitherto opportunities have not anfwered our intentions, "matters are now come to that pafs, by the undoubted evidence of the defigns of our enemies, that a "longer delay of fettling the fucceffion in the prote ftant line may have very dangerous confequences; and "a difappointment of it would infallibly make that our "king "kingdom the feat of war, and expofe it to devastation, ❝ and ruin. "As to the terms and conditions of government, with "regard to the fucceffor, we have impowered our com"miffioner to give the royal aflent to whatever can, in " reafon, be demanded, and is in our power to grant for "fecuring the fovereignty and liberties of that our ancient "kingdom. "We are now in a war, which makes it neceffary to "provide for the defence of the kingdom; the time of "the funds, that were lately given for maintenance of the "land forces, being expired, and the faid funds exhausted, "provifion ought alfo to be made for fupplying the ma"gazines with arms and ammunition, and repairing the "forts and caftles, and for the charge of the frigates, that "prove fo useful for guarding the coafts. We carneftly recommend to you whatever may con"tribute to the advancement of true piety, and difcourage"ment of vice and immorality; and we doubt not, but 66 you will take care to encourage trade, and improve the "product and manufactories of the nation; in all which, "and every thing elfe, that can be for the good and "happiness of our people, you fhall have our hearty and "ready concurrence. We shall only add, that unanimity " and moderation in all your proceedings will be of great "ufe for bringing to a happy ifiue the important affairs, "that we have laid before you, and will be also most ac"ceptable to us. So we bid you heartily farewel." Given at our court at Windfor-caftle, the 25th day of The queen's letter was feconded by the fpeeches of the high-commiffioner and lord-chancellor, all tending to the fettling the fucceffion, which was the first debate (a). A great party was now wrought on, when they understood that the fettlement of 1641 was to be offered them. For the wifeft patriots in that kingdom had always mag (a) The earl of Cromarty made alfo a ftrange fpeech (which was printed) running into a diftinction among divines, between the revealed and fecret will of God, fhewing, that no fuch distinction could nified be applied to the queen; fhe 1704. 1704. July 13. nified that conftitution, as the best contrived scheme that could be defired: fo they went in, with great zeal, to the accepting of it. But thofe who, in the former feffion, had rejected all the motions of treating with England with fome. fcorn, and had made this their conftant topic, that they muft, in the first place, fecure their own conftitution at home, and then they might truft the reft to time, and to fuch accidents as time might bring forth; now when they faw that every thing that could be defired was offered with relation to their own government, they (being refolved to oppofe any declaration of the fucceffion, what terms foever might be granted to obtain it) turned the argument wholly another way, to fhew the neceflity of a previous treaty with England. They were upon that told, that the queen was ready to grant them every thing that was reafonable, with relation to their own conititution, yet, without the concurrence of the parliament of England, fhe could grant nothing in which England was concerned; for they were for demanding a fhare of the plantation-trade, and that their hips might be comprehended within the act of navigation. Pursuant to the fcheme of a treaty before the fucceffion was fixed, the duke of Hamilton prefented a refolve, “That "this parliament would not proceed to name a fucceffor to "the crown, until the Scots had a previous treaty with “England, in relation to commerce and other concerns.” The courtiers, not expecting the cavaliers would have begun fo early to oppofe the Succesfion, were not a little furprifed and perplexed at this refolve, and all they could do for the prefent was to procure a vote, that it fhould lie on the table till the next meeting four days after. The duke of Hamilton having then moved the refuming of the confideration of his refolve, it occafioned a warm debate, in which Fletcher of Salton, in a particular manner, repre fented the hardships and miferies which the Scots had fuffered fince the union of the two crowns under one fovereign, and the impoffibility of bettering their condition, unless they took care to prevent any defign that tended to continue the fame. Upon this, the earl of Rothes prefented another refolve, "That this parliament would immediately proceed to make fuch limitations and conditions of government, "as might be judged proper for rectifying the conftitution, and to vindicate and fecure the fovereignty and indepen"dency of the nation; and then the parliament would take into confideration the other refolve offered by the duke of "Hamilton for a treaty, previous to the nomination of a "fucceflor "fucceffor to the crown." This occafioned a new debate, wherein the court-party earnestly urged the fettling the fucceffion, before the houfe proceeded to any other bufinefs; and, on the other hand, the cavaliers made very fharp reflections on the proceedings of the parliament of England, with relation to the plot, which had great influence on many members wholly unacquainted with that affair. However, the court-party, thinking they were strong enough to give the earl of Rothes's motion the preference to the duke of Hamilton's refolve, infifted to have the queftion ftated, Which of the two fhould come firft under the confideration of the houfe? Upon which, great heats arofe, and Sir James Falconer of Phefdo fpoke to this purpose, "That he "was very glad to fee fuch an emulation in the house, upon account of the nation's intereft and fecurity: that "he thought both the refolves under their confideration fo "good and neceflary, that it was pity they fhould clash "with one another; he therefore moved, that it be re"folved, that this parliament will not proceed to the no"mination of a fucceffor, until there was a previous treaty "with England, for regulating the commerce and other "affairs with that nation: and, that this parliament will "proceed to make fuch limitations and conditions of go"vernment, as may fecure the religion, liberty, and inde"pendency of this nation, before they proceed to the nomi"nation of a fucceffor to the crown." This joint refolve being put to the vote, it was carried by a majority of fifty-five voices. Of these, about thirty were in immediate dependence on the court, and were determined according to directions given them. However, they went no farther in this vote for a treaty with England; for they could not agree among themselves who fhould be the commiffioners, and thofe, who oppofed the declaring the fucceffion, were concerned for no more, when that affair was laid aide. It was therefore poftponed, as a matter about which they took no farther care. The cavaliers were extremely elated by this victory; and the duke of Athol, lord privy-feal, and one of their leaders,. moved, "That her majefty having been pleafed to fignify "by her commiffioner, that the examination of the plot fhould be laid before the parliament, his grace would be "pleased to write to her majefty, to fend down the perfons, "who were witnefies, and all the papers relating to that "plot, as foon as poffible, that the affair migh the thoroughly "examined: and thofe, who were unjuftly accufed, might 1704. be |