1706. the feffion, the lord-juftice-clerk, and Sir Patrick Johnstoun : and it was agreed, that this committee should meet the next morning, and have power to adjourn themselves.

On the 21st of May, when the treaty was pretty well advanced, the queen went to the meeting, and told the commiffioners, "That she was so much concerned for the union "of the two kingdoms, that he could not fatisfy herself "without coming, before he went out of town, to fee "what progrefs they had made in the treaty, and to recom"mend very earneftly to them the bringing it to a happy "conclufion, with as much difpatch, as the nature of it "would admit; not doubting of the general fatisfaction "which her fubjects of both kingdoms would receive, in

finding them to overcome all difficulties to attain fo great "and public a good." When the had done speaking, the lord-keeper defired to know, if fhe would hear the proposals, made on either fide, and the refolutions taken thereupon, read by the fecretaries; which he allowed of, and then retired.

About a month after, the queen came again to their meeting, and told the commiffioners, "That she was come thither "once more to fee what further progrefs they had made in "the treaty, and to prefs a fpeedy conclufion of it, in regard "her fervants of Scotland could not, without great incon"veniency, be much longer abfent from that kingdom.' Upon this, in the thirty-fifth meeting, on the 28th of June, the English commiffioners propofed, that four commiffioners of each part be appointed to draw up into form the articles of the treaty, upon the points already agreed, or which should afterwards be agreed. To which the Scots commiffioners having confented, the articles were brought to perfection by the 22d of July, when the commiffioners of both kingdoms figned and fealed the inftruments, and ordered, that the reSpective fecretarics of each commiflion fhould fign each other's journals of the proceedings, and afterwards enter in the journals the articles of the treaty of union.

The next day the commiffioners for both kingdoms went from the Cockpit to attend the queen at St. James's, where the lord keeper, in the name of the commiffioners for England, prefented to her majefty one of the figned and fealed inflruments containing the articles of the union, and made the following speech:

May it please your majefty,

E the commiffioners appointed by your majefty, in purfuance of the acts of parliament paffed in your "king

ᄇ

"kingdom of England, to treat concerning an union of the

two kingdoms with the commiffioners of Scotland, do "(according to our duty) humbly beg leave to prefent to "your majefty thefe the effects of our continued and faithful endeavours to that end.

"They are the articles agreed upon between your com"miffioners of both kingdoms, as the terms or conditions "upon which the intended union is to take place, if your "majefty, and the parliaments of both kingdoms, fhall think "fit to approve and confirm the fame.

"In these we have come to an agreement on every point "we judged neceffary to effect a complete and lafting union; and we have endeavoured not to stir into any matter "we had reason to think was not fo.

"And although we have unanimously carried this treaty thus far, purely from a conviction, that we have done "therein to God, your majesty, and our countries good "service; yet we are far from thinking, that what we have ❝ done, will or ought to be of any weight or authority "elsewhere; but do moft intirely fubmit these our labours "to the high wisdom of your majefty and both your parlia "ments, to ftand or fall by the reafon, juftice, and public utility, on which they are founded.

"Your majefty's royal prefence and seasonable admoniti→ "ons to us, at the fittest junctures, were (we most thank"fully acknowledge) a very great encouragement and af* fiftance to us in the difficulties we met with.

"Your majefty's glory is already perfect; and the finish❝ing this work is all that is wanting, to complete as well as fecure the happiness of fo great a people as your fubjects "may now, without any arrogance, pretend to be.

"May your majefty live, not only to give fanction to "this univerfal bleffing to all your people, but also to see, * in a long and profperous reign over us, the many imme"diate, or near good effects of it. But as for that "great and main confequence of it, for which your ma"jesty is making, by a moft gracious and charitable fore

fight, this only effectual provifion; I mean, the conti" nuance of peace and tranquillity in this ifland, upon a "descent of the crown, instead of that bloodshed and de* ftruction which would probably follow upon the fatal « division of it;

"May we be fo happy, as never, in our days, to experi. "ment the fitnefs of these measures your majefty is now

1706.

1706.

"taking for that end; but may late, very late, pofterity only "in that respect reap the advantage of them."

Then the lord chancellor of Scotland, in the name of the commiffioners for that kingdom, prefented alfo to her majefty one of the figned and fealed inftruments of the articles of union, on the part of Scotland, with the following fpeech:

66

May it please your majesty,

THE commiflioners, appointed by your majefty for the ·kingdom of Scotland to treat of an union of your "two kingdoms of Scotland and England, have command"ed me to return your majefty their most humble and "dutiful acknowledgments, for the honour your majesty has conferred on them, in employing them to negotiate this most important affair, which is of the greatest con"fequence to all your majesty's fubjects.

"We have endeavoured to discharge this truft with all fidelity; and are now come humbly to lay before your "majefty the articles and conditions of union, which we "have treated of, and agreed upon, and do fubmit them to "your majesty's royal confideration.

It is a great fatisfaction to us, that what we have concluded in this matter has been done with unanimity. And we must own, that the knowlege we had of your majefty's great concern for uniting your two kingdoms, and the earneftnefs with which your majefty has been moft graciously pleased to recommend it, hath enabled us "to bring this treaty to a happy and fpeedy conclufion, to *the mutual fatisfaction of the commiffioners on both fides; "and we shall efteem it our greatest happiness, if what we have prepared be acceptable to your majefty, and ratified by the parliaments of both kingdoms, without which what we have done can be of no authority.

et

"An union of the two kingdoms has been long wifhed for, it being fo neceflary for establishing the lafting peace, "happiness, and profperity of both nations. And though it has been frequently endeavoured by your majefty's royal predeceffors without the defired fuccefs; yet the glorious fuccefles, with which God has bleffed your majesty's en"deavours for the happiness of your people, make us hope, "that this great work is referved to be accomplished in your majesty's reign."

After which the queen was pleafed to make the following fpeech:

My

ge

I

My lords,

Give

you many thanks for the great pains you have taken in this treaty, and am very well pleafed to find "your endeavours and applications have brought it to fo "good a conclufion. The particulars of it seem so reafonable that I hope they will meet with approbation in the parliaments of both kingdoms. I wish therefore, that my << fervants of Scotland may lofe no time in going down to propose it to my subjects of that kingdom: And I fhall always look upon it as a particular happiness, if this union (which will be fo great a fecurity and advantage to both "kingdoms) can be accomplished in my reign.

The fame day the queen being in council, an order was made, importing," That whofoever fhould be concerned in any feditious difcourfe, or libel, or laying wagers relating "to the union, should be profecuted for fuch their offences, according to the utmoft rigour of the law."

1076.

The lord Sommers had the chief hand in projecting this Articles of fcheme of the union, into which all the commiffioners of the union. the English nation went very eafily. The advantages, that Burnet. were offered to Scotland in the whole frame of it, were fo great and fo vifible, that nothing but the confideration of the fafety, that was to be procured by it to England, could have brought the English to agree to a project, that, in every branch of it, was much more favourable to the Scots nation. The Scots were to bear lefs than the fortieth part of the public taxes. When four fhillings in the pound were levied in England, amounting to two millions, Scotland was only to be taxed at forty eight thousand pounds, which was eight months affefliment of the fix thoufand pounds which they had been accustomed for fome years to pay, and which, they faid, was all that the nation could bear. It is held a maxim, that, in the framing of a government, a proportion ought to be obferved between the fhare in the legislature, and the burden to be borne. Yet in return of the fortieth part of the burden, the Scots were offered near the eleventh part of the legiflature. For the peers of Scotland were to be reprefented by fixteen peers in the house of lords; and the commons, by forty-five members in the house of commons; and these were to be chofen, according to the methods to be fettled in the parliament of Scotland. And fince Scotland. was to pay cuftors and excifes on the fame foot with England, and was to bear a fhare in paying much of the debt, which England had contracted during the war; three hun

Q.3

dred

1706. dred and ninety-eight thousand pounds was to be raised in England, and fent into Scotland, as an equivalent for that; and this was to be applied to the recoining the money, that all might be of one denomination and ftandard; and to the payment of the public debts of Scotland, and repaying to their African company all their loffes with intereft; upon which that company was to be diffolved; and the overplus of the equivalent was to be applied to the encouragement of manufactures. Trade was to be free all over the island, and to the plantations; private rights were to be preferved; and the judicatories and laws of Scotland, were fill to be continued. But all was put, for the future, under the regulation of the parliament of Great-Britain; the two nations now were to be one kingdom, under the fame fucceffion to the crown, and united in one parliament, There was no provifion made in this treaty with relation to religion; for in the acts of parliament in both kingdoms, which impowered the queen to name commiffioners, there was an express limitation, that they should not treat of those matters,

This was the fubftance of the articles of the treaty, which, when they came to be laid before the parliament of Scotland, met with great oppofition, as will hereafter appear (1). It is time now to return to the operations of the war.

(1) As the articles of Union will be often referred to, it will be proper to infert them at large.

I. That the two kingdoms of England and Scotland thall, upon the first day of May, which hall be in the year 1707, and for ever after, be united into one kingdom, by the name of Great-Britain; and that the enfigns armorial of the faid united kingdam be fuch as her majefty fhall appoint; and the proffes of St. George and St. Andrew be conjoined in fuch manner as her majefty fhall think fit, and ufed in all flags, banners, ftandards, and enfigns, both at fea and land.

II. That the fucceffion to the monarchy of the united kingdom of Great Britain, and of

The

the dominions thereunto be longing, after her most facred majefty, and in default of iffue of her majefty, be, remain, and continue to the most excellent princefs Sophia, electress and duchefs dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, be ing proteftants, upon whom the crown of England is fettled, by an act of parliament made in England, in the 12th year of the reign of his late majefty king William III. intitled, An act for the further limitation of the crown, and better fecuring the rights and liberties of the subjects. And that all papifts, and perfons marrying papiks, fhall be excluded from, and for ever incapable to inherit, poffefs, or enjoy the imperial crown of Great-Britain, and the domini