to believe that his not being allowed Access to His Majesty is upon the Account of his carrying an Address from this Company which every Body knows stands in great need of and has a just Right to His Majesties Royal Favour and Protection And which being the General Concern of the whole Nation is confidently expected signified to your Lordship by Order and in name of the Court of Directors by Edinbur the 9th day of January 1700. My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant Pat. Scot. I. P C. D. A Letter from the Company to my Lord Basil Hamilton My Lord WE have your Lordships Letter of the 2d Instant by yesterdays Post in relation to to the Contents of which we send you herewith the Copy of a Letter which we have written by this Nights Post to both the Secretaries of State and likewise the Copy of another Letter which we had this morning from the Lord Chancellour upon the same head As our Company cannot but have a just sense of your Lordships generous condescension to the Council-Generals request in undertaking a troublesome Journey to London this time of the Year to wait upon and Solicite his Majesty about our Company 's Affairs with no other view but frankly to serve the Interest of your Country to the manifest neglect of your own So we cannot but heartily regret that the carrying of the Company 's Commission should be the occasion of putting such a distinguishing Mark upon a Person of your Lordships Quality and merit as to be denied access to His Majesties Person because you did not wait upon His Majesty when you were formerly at London No body can be so blind as not to see through this And whereas we never could hear that your Lordship did ever any thing unworthy of your Quality or inconsistent with the duty of a Loyal and Peaceable Subject So we are still hopefull that by your own prudent management His Majesty may be undeceived of any mis-representation he might have had of you that he will yet condescend to grant your Lordship access to his Royal Person with the Company 's said Address and give you a Gracious Answer to the Contents thereof and to the other particulars mention'd in your instructions An account whereof would be very welcome News in the midst of our misfortunes to the Company in general and particularly to the Court of Directors in whose Name and by whose Order this is from Edinburgh the 9th day of January 1700. My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant Pat. Scot. I. P. C. D His Majesties Letter to His Council of Scotland William R. RIght Trusty and Right well beloved Cousin and Councellor Right Trusty and Entirely beloved Cousin and Councellour Right Trusty and well Beloved Cousins and Councellours Right Trusty and well Beloved Councellours and Trusty and well Beloved Councellours We greet you well WHEREAS The Council-General of the Company of that our Kingdom Trading to Africa and the Indies by their Letter to our Secretaries of the Fourth day of December last did desire That they might give their concurrence to procure a Gracious Return from Us to the Petition which they had sent with Lord Basil Hamilton And the said Lord Basil having communicated to Our Secretaries both the foresaid Petition and His Instructions And they having represented to us what is desired in behalf of the said Company and we having refused the said Lord Basil Hamilton Access to present the the foresaid Petition to Us for the Reasons We did Order our Secretaries to Comunicate to Our Chancellour Yet We being willing to give an Answer to what the said Company does desire You are therefore to call for some of the Council-General and acquaint them that We are resolved in the terms of our Treaties to demand from the King of Spain that Captain _____ Pinkarton and these of his Crew who are detained Prisoners at Carthagena be Released and set at Liberty And you may also acquaint them that our Subjects of that our Kingdom shall be allowed the same Liberty of Trade that others enjoy with the English Plantations And in general you may signifie to them Our Resolution to promote and advance the Trade of the Kingdom And the three Friggots they demand having been given by Parliament for guarding the Trade of the Coasts We are not resolved to dispose of them till we have the Advice of our Parliament And so we bid you heartily Farewel Given at our Court at Kensingtoun the Tenth day of January 1700 and of our Reign the Eleventh Year By his Majesties Command Sic Sub. Seafield Directed thus To Our Right Trusty and Right well Beloved Cousin and Councellor Our Right Trusty and Entirely Beloved Cousin and Councellor Our Right Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Councellours Our Right Trusty and well Beloved Councellours and to our Trusty and well Beloved Councellours Patrick Earl of Marchmont our Chancellor and the rest of the Lords and others of our Privy Council of our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland This is a true Copy taken from the principal and Subscribed by Gilb Eilot Cls. Sti. Con. An other Letter from the Council General of the Company to my Lord Basil Hamilton My Lord YOur Lordships Letters to the Court of Directors having been by them Communicated to us We cannot but acknowledge that as you have at our request frankly undertaken a troublesome Journey and Task to serve the Interest of your Country and our Company So we are fully satisfied that you have acquitted your self with a great deal of Prudence and Discretion in the execution of that Charge for which we render you most hearty Thanks But finding by a Letter of the 10th instant from His Majesty to the Lords of his Privy Council and by a former from the Secretaries of State to the Lord Chancellour Copies of both which are herewith inclosed That his Majesty has determin'd not to to allow your Lordship access to present our Address nor to impart to His Majesty what other things we gave you in charge by your Instructions We are heartily Sorry that your Lordships carrying of our Address should bring you you under any such disagreeable circumstances with His Majesty But the matter being so we cannot think it just to detain your Lordship any longer at London to the neglect of your own affairs at home and do therefore hereby signify that your Lordship may use your own Freedom to take Journey homeward as soon as you think fit and as may sute best with your conveniency This is in Name presence and by order of the Council-General of our Company from Edinburgh the 29th of January 1700. My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant John Home P. Upon the first notice that was given of a National Address or Petition to His Majesty for the fltting of the Parliament the following Proclamation was emitted PROCLAMATION Anent Petitioning WILLIAM By the Grace of GOD King of Great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith To Macers
to whom he had lately given such large Priviledges by so Solemn an Act of Parliament Upon Notice of all which the Company 's Deputees went immediatly to the Senate and gave in a short Memorial in French which being faithfully Translated is as followeth Noble and Venerable Lords WE the Subscribers Deputees and Directors of the Indian and African Company of the Kingdom of Scotland Understanding that the Gentlemen His Majesty of Great Britain's Ministers here have presented a Memorial to your Lordships in which they seem to quarrel the Powers which have been granted to us by His Majesty and the Parliament of Scotland to make Treaties of Commerce with any Foreign Potentate Prince or State not in War with His Majesty the King our Soveraign for Enlarging the Trade and for the better Establishment of our said Company We pray your Lordships That you would be pleased to Communicat the said Memorial to us that we may take Measures accordingly Hamburgh the 9th day of April 1697. Your Lordships most humble and obedient Servants Jo. Erskine Jo. Haldan Will. Paterson The Senate thereupon recommended the Deputees above-nam'd to the Commercii in whose Hands the Memorial lay who gave them a Copy thereof Doubles of which were by the said Deputees dispatched to both the Secretaries of State for Scotland and to the Court of Directors of the Company And in the mean time the Merchants to assert their own Freedom and Priviledges Sign'd for considerable Sums in the Company 's Books But with a Condition to be void if the Company did not procure some Declaration from the King that might render them secure from the Threatnings and other Insinuations contain'd in the said Memorial To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies May it please Your Majesty WHereas By the 32d Act of the 4th Session and by the 8th Act of the 5th Session of Your Majesties current Parliament as well as by Your Majesties Patent under the Great Seal of this Kingdom this Company is Established with such Ample Priviledges as were thought most proper for encouraging both Natives and Forreigners to Joyn in the Carrying on Supporting and Advancement of our Trade The most Considerable of the Nobility Gentry Merchants and whole Body of the Royal Burrows have upon the Inducement and Publick Faith of Your Majesties said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent contributed as Adventurers in raising a far more considerable Joynt-Stock than any was ever before rais'd in this Kingdom for any Publick Undertaking or Project of Trade whatsoever which makes it now of so much the more Universal a Concern to the Nation And for the better Enabling us to Accomplish the Ends of Your Majesties said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent we have in Pursuance thereunto appointed certain Deputees of our own Number to Transact and Negotiat our necessary Affairs beyond Sea And at the same time to Treat with such Forreigners of any Nation in Amity with Your Majesty as might be inclinable to Joyn with us for the Purposes aforesaid In the Prosecution of which Commission to our said Deputees Vested with full Power and Authority according to Law we are not a little surpriz'd to find to the great Hindrance and Obstruction of our Affairs That Your Majesties Envoy to the Courts of Lunenburgh and Resident at Hamburgh have under Pretence of special Warrant from Your Majesty given in a Joint-Subscribed Memorial to the Senate of Hamburgh expresly Invading the Priviledges granted to our Company by your Majesty's said Acts of Parliament and Letsers Patent as by the herewith transmitted Copy may appear By the which Memorial we sustain great and manifest Prejudices fince both the Senate and Inhabitants of the said City of Hamburgh are thereby contrary to the Law of Nations expresly threatned with your Majesty's high Displeasure if they or either of them should countenance or joyn with us in any Treaty of Trade or Commerce whatsoever which deprives us of the Assistance which we had reason to expect from several Inhabitants of that City For Redress whereof we do in all Duty and Humility Apply to your Majesty not only for the Protection and Mantenance of our Priviledges and Freedom of Trade but also for Reparation of Damnages conform to your Majesty's said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent And do further beg leave to Represent to your Majesty That tho by the said Act of Parliament and Letters Patent we conceive our selves legally and sufficiently Authorized to Treat even with any Sovereign Potentate or Estate in Amity with your Majesty for the Support and Advancement of our Trade yet we by our said Deputees have only treated with particular and private Merchants of the said City of Hamburgh without ever making any the least Proposal to the Senate thereof And this we humbly conceiv to be the natural Right and Priviledge of all Merchants whatsoever even tho we had wanted the Sanction of so Solemn Laws And without some speedy Redress be had therein not only this Company but also all other individual Merchants of this Kingdom must from hence forward conclude That all our Rights and Freedom of Trade are and may be further by our Neighbours violently wrested out of our Hands We therefore to prevent the further evil Consequences of the said Memorial to our Company in particular do make our most Humble and Earnest Request to your Majesty that you would be Graciously pleased to grant us such Declaration as in your Royal Wisdom you shall think fit to render the Senate and Inhabitants of the said City of Hamburgh and all others that are or may be concern'd secure from the Threatings and other Suggestions contain'd in the said Memorial as well as to render us secure under your Majesty's Protection in the full prosecution of our Trade and free enjoyment of our lawful Rights Priviledges and Immunities contain'd in your Majesty's Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent above-mentioned Signed at Edinburgh the Twenty Eight Day of June 1697 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council-General by May it please your Majesty Your Majesties most Faithful most Dutiful most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant YESTER P. Memorandum That the Council-General of the Company did at the same time come to a Resolution of Representing the Premisses likewise to His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council but were afterwards prevailed upon to supersede that Resolution at the Secretaries of State 's earnest Desire they being both then here and upon their joint Engagement to procure a speedy Answer from his Majesty The King's Answer to the said Address By the Right Honourable John Earl of Tullibardin c. and Sir James Ogilvy Knight Principal Secretaries of State My Lords and Gentlemen WE are impowered by the King to signify unto you That as soon as His Majesty shall Return to England he will take into Consideration what you have Represented unto him
May it please your Majesty Your Majesty's most Faithful most Dutiful most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant Belhaven I. P. C. G. To which his Majesty was pleased to give the following Answer WILLIAM R. RIght Trusty and Well-beloved We greet you well Your Petition has been presented to us by our Secretaries and we do very much regret the Loss which that our Antient Kingdom and the Company has lately sustained We will upon all Occasions protect and encourage the Trade of the Nation And we will also take care that the Subjects of that our Kingdom shall have the same freedom of Trade and Commerce with our English Plantations as ever they had formerly Our current Parliament is adjourn'd to the 5th day of March next and we will order that the Parliament shall meet when we judge that the Good of the Nation does require it And so we bid you heartily farewell Given at our Court at Kensington the 2d day of November 1699 and of our Reign the 11th Year By his Majesty's Command Seafield To our Right Trusty and well-beloved The Council General of the Company of our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies To the Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellor and remanent Lords of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council The Humble Address of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies May it please your Lordships WE think it needless to trouble your Lordships with a repetition of the many Steps Difficulties and Discouragements that we met with all along both abroad and at home since the beginning of this Undertaking the most considerable of them being already particularly known to your Lordships But maugre all those Difficulties we have with a great deal of Trouble and vast Expenses settled a Plantation in one of the most valuable and impregnable Places in all America situated on the North-side of the Istumus of Darien called by us Caledonia As no Nation in Europe ever begun any such Settlement with so considerable a Strength of Men Ships and other Necessaries as we did So no instance can be given of any Settlement ever heretofore made that had so hopeful an Aspect in so short a time as our Plantation aforesaid But to our and the Nation 's inestimable Loss we have very surprizing Advices of our Peoples having deserted the said Settlement by reason of Proclamations issued forth in all his Majesty's Plantations of America strictly forbidding all his Majesty's Subjects to hold any manner of Correspondence with our said Colony and that no manner of Provisions Arms Ammunition or other necessaries whatsoever should be transported or carried to them either in their own Vessels or any other Ship or Vessel for their use and that under the outmost Pains Penalties and Forfeitures mentioned in the said Proclamations The certain notice whereof could not but have put them in a desperate Condition especially none of our Advices having come to their hands tho we wrote to them at several times by the several ways of Jamaica Barbados Antegoa New-England c. and sent them likewise an illimited Credit for buying of Provisions till our own Ships and Recruits should come up to them We have taken such further measures as seem'd most reasonable to us upon this unexpected Emergency but have too good ground to fear that not only what we have already done but even all that we are able to do must prove ineffectual if the King and his Parliament of this Kingdom do not give some encouraging Marks of their Favour and Protection to our said Company and Colony Wherefore we have in all humble Duty Petition'd his Majesty that he would be graciously pleased to take off the Force of the said Proclamations and allow his said Parliament to meet at the day appointed in November next or as soon as possibly may be to give their Advice and Assistance in such a weighty and general concern Your Lordships may very well know the great Losses both of Men and Treasure that we have already suffered by the unaccountable Proceedings of the Enemies of our Company and Colony Nor can we tell when to expect an end to such Methods against us unless his Majesty and the Great Council of the Nation fall upon proper and effctual Means for supporting so valuable an Undertaking May it the refore please your Lordships to take the whole Premisses into your most serious consideration and do us all the good Offices with his Majesty that in your profound Wisdom you shall think most expedient for supporting our Company and Colony's Interest and give him an account of our present Circumstances and how much the Honour and Interest of the Nation stands concern'd Sign'd at Edinburgh the 20th day of October 1699 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council-General By May it please your Lordships Your Lordships most humble Servant Basil Hamilton J. P. C. G. A Letter from the Company To the Right Honourable The Viscount of Seafield one of the Secretaries of State for the Kingdom of Scotland My Lord THis is by Order of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies to acquaint your Lordship That we have prevail'd upon Lord Basil Hamilton to be at the trouble of going up with an Address to His Majesty from our said Council-General on behalf of Captain Robert Pinkarton and Thirty more who were wrongfully detain'd Prisoners at Carthagena since the beginning of February last and as we are inform'd are most inhumanely treated We are daily importun'd by their Relations who are very considerable for their Relief and it is of great concern to our Company that something material be speedily done therein not only for the sake of the said Prisoners but also that others may thereby see we do not abandon the Interest of such as engage themselves in our Company 's Service Lord Basil Hamilton is fully instructed in all matters relating to the said Address and other Affairs relating to our Company of which he 'll inform your Lordships Wherefore we entreat that your Lordship will be pleas'd to introduce him to His Majesty in presenting of the said Address and to assist him in procuring a gracious return from his Majesty in the considence whereof I remain Edinbr 4th Decr. 1699. My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble Servant Yester I. P. C. G. Memorandum Such another Letter was at the same time written to the Lord Carmichael the other Secretary of State The Company 's Address to His Majesty May it please your Majesty WE your Majesty's most dutiful Subjects the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies having formerly in most humble manner represented to your Majesty how that we have with much Trouble great Expense and after many unexpected Stops and Difficulties settled a Plantation and Colony on the North-side of the Isthmus of Darien on the Continent of America precisely in the Terms of your
Majesty's Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent under the Great Seal of this Kingdom We now in all Duty and Humility beg leave to represent further to your Majesty That whereas in the said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent there is a special Clause by which your Majesty is graciously pleased to promise That if contrary to the Rights and Priviledges therein-mention'd or contrary to the General Treaties of Peace and Commerce between your Majesty and any Potentate Prince or State in Amity with your Majesty the Ships Goods Merchandize Persons or other Effects whatsoever belonging to the said Company should happen to be stopp'd detain'd embezell'd or taken away or in any sort prejudic'd or damnified That your Majesty would interpose your Royal Authority to have Restitution Reparation and Satisfaction made for the dammage done and that upon the publick Charge And whereas likewise by the X and XI Articles of the Treaty concluded between the Crowns of Great-Britain and Spain at Madrid the 8 18 day of July 1670. It is specially stipulated That in case any of the Subjects of either the Confederates with their Shipping be forc'd at any time through stress of Weather pursute of Pyrates or Shipwrack to retreat and enter for shelter and harbour into any of the Rivers Creeks Bays Havens Roads and Ports belonging to the other in America That the Persons so Shipwrack'd or forced a Shoar shall in no sort be detain'd Prisoners but that on the contrary all friendly Assistance and Relief shall be administred to their Distress both for the Sustenance of their Persons and reparation of their Ships and conveniency of their Vovage and that Letters of safe Conduct shall be given them for their free and quiet passage thence Yet notwithstanding thereof a Ship call'd the Dolphin belonging to our Company being sent from our said Colony to some of the Leeward Islands with a Cargo for buying Provisions and the said Ship in a few days time after her going to Sea and plying to windward for the speedier passage stricking unfortunately upon a Rock sprung a Leak and being forced to run a shoar under the very Walls of Carthagena to escape Shipwrack not only the said Ship and Goods were violently seiz'd and dispos'd of as prize but also the Men to the number of thirty and a Boy whose Names are here subjoyned were detain'd and made close Prisoners contrary to the express Terms of the said Treaty Upon notice whereof the Council of the said Colony sent in your Majesty's and said Company 's Name a Messenger with a very civil Letter to the Governor of Carthagena to demand your said Subjects who were wrongfully detain'd Prisoners as aforesaid and likewise Restitution of the said Ship and Goods pursuant to the Treaty above-recited and sent also Copies of the Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent above mention'd in English Latin and Spanish for the Governor's Information but instead of any compliance to those just and reasonable Demands the Messenger was threatned to be put in Chains and not so much as allow'd to see any of the said Prisoners And being lately assur'd that notwithstanding of all endeavours hitherto us'd for their Liberation they are contrary to the Rules of Christianity Humanity and the Law of Nations still detain'd Prisoners under very severe Treatments we think our selves in Duty and Conscience bound to lay their deplorable Case before your Majesty and for that effect have commissioned Lord Basil Hamilton one of our number to present this our humble Address on their behalf to your Majesty and to give your Majesty a further account of our Company 's other Affairs as he is particularly instructed therein not doubting but that your Majesty will in your Royal Wisdom take speedy and effectual Measures for the redress of those Dammages and the freedom of those distressed Prisoners in the number of which there are some young Gentlemen of good Quality and related to the best Families in this Kingdom Signed at Edinburgh the 4th Day of December 1699 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council-General by May it please your Majesty Your Majesty's most Faithful most Dutiful most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant Yester I. P. C. G. The Chancellours Letter to the Directors of the Company Holyrood-house the 9th of January 1700. Right Honourable HIs Majesties Secretaries of State have acquainted me That the King will not allow my Lord Basil Hamilton access to him Because he did not wait on his Majesty when he was formerly in London And that he has never since given any publick Evidence of his Loyalty nor has hitherto owned and acknowledged His Majesties Government But his Majesty will not refuse to hear what my Lord Basil's Instructions are and has declared his willingness to be informed of what the Company desires And if my Lord Basil will give in Writing to His Majesties Secretaries what he had to represent His Majesty will receive Information from their hands of what is demanded and will give his Answer to the Company His Majesty doth not refuse to Receive the Petition tho' he will not allow my Lord Basil to be the Presenter of it This from To the Right Honourable The Court of Directors of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies Right Honourable Your very humble Servant Marchmont Chancellour A Letter from the Directors of the Company to each of the Secretaries for Scotland My Lord THE Council-General of our Company having lately a very frequent Meeting thought fit to send up one of their own Number with an Address to his Majesty and with Instructions concerning the Contents of our Company 's former Petitions they thought that none could be more Capable to Discharge that Trust than Lord Basil Hamilton as being throughly Versed in the course of the Company 's Affairs nor more acceptable to His Majesty as having had no objection made against him when he was appointed several Lords of His Majesties Privy Council Being then present And the Council-General having signified so much to your Lordship by a Letter wherein they entreated that you would be pleased to introduce him to the King and give your Concurrence in procuring a Gracious Return to what he had in Commission and which he was to Communicate to your Lordship We are surpriz'd to find this day by a Letter from the Lord Chancellour that the King will not allow Lord Basil Hamilton to have Access because he did not wait upon his Majesty when he was formerly at London But his Lordship being sent by and having his Instructions from the Council-General We the Court of Directors can say nothing to it other than to entreat your Lordship that you 'd use your Interest with his Majesty to allow Lord Basil Hamilton to have Access to His Royal Person lest the Refusal thereof be not only a great Discouragement to the Company and all its well-wishers under its present Difficulties and repeated Misfortunes but give also ground to the World
Settlement so much as once set a foot upon that Plot of Ground wherein our Colony is now fix'd And tho the same was altogether uninhabited when our People came there the chief Men and Leaders of the Natives of that part of the Coast nearest adjoining to Golden Island East-ward and Westward have not only treated with the Council of our Colony before Landing but have also in pursuance of that Treaty in a most kind and friendly manner admitted our said Colony into such Places of their Neighbourhood as are not yet possessed and taken Commissions from the said Council in a very solemn manner and joined with our People And that in consideration of our Colony's admiting them and their followers to participate of the Liberties and Priviledges granted to our Company by his Majesty of Great Britain OUR SOVERAIGN LORD with Advice and consent of his Parliament of Scotland entreating to be protected accordingly We repeat these Words as being the express Words of the first Commission which the said Council granted As to the French Designs of setling thereabouts it is a Point not to be doubted of For in order thereunto they have already been tampering with several of the Natives some of whom they endeavour'd to have carried into France and we have very good reason to believe that a further Progress had been made in that matter before now were it not the daily Expectations which that Court had of the King of Spains Death which we humbly conceive is a Matter worthy of his Majesty's consideration and of no small concern to the interest of his whole Dominions tho this Nation and our Company may seem to be more immediatly interested at present Your Lordship sees we have in the inclosed Letter to the King made mention of our last Petition and hope your Lordship will take a convenient Opportunity to back the same For as your Lordship knows we have already suffered considerably by encroaching upon our Priviledges so we ought to be very careful as much as in us lies not to admit of any dangerous Precedents And really we must say We were very much surpriz'd the other day when we understood by Letters from the Council of our Colony that Capt. Long Commander of the Rupert Prize who carries his Majesty's Commission for finding out and fishing of Wrecks should under the colour of that Commission wherever he went traduce our Undertaking and Colony to all sorts of People upon that Coast whether Natives or others declaring that our said Colony was no other than a pack of Rogues Vagabounds Robbers and broken Officers without any Commission and that the King would not own them nay further he himself came into our Harbour where he was very courteously and respectfully treated by all our People there in recompence of which he very ingratefully made it his study all the while to seduce our Men and did carry off one of our chief Carpenters which is a very considerable Loss in that part of the World and in the Infancy of our Settlement considering how necessary a Man he was and the Difficulty of supplying his Place so quickly as they may have occasion for him This kind of Usage is really so provocking that we cannot suppose but that the King may be graciously pleased to interpose his Royal Authority for preventing the like Usage in time to come if his Majesty were duely informed thereof So in the confidence of his Majesty's gracious Countenance and Protection and your Lordship 's hearty Endeavours to procure the same this is by Order of the Council-General and in Name Presence and by Warrant of the Court of Directors of our Company Signed by Edinburgh 1st day of April 1699. To the right Honourable the Lord Carmichael Secretary of State My Lord Your Lordship 's most obedient and most humble Servant J. Haldane P. Memorandum There was another Letter to the same purpose written to the Viscount of Seafield with an inclosed Copy of the said Letter to the King A Memorial given in to the King of Great Britain by the Ambassador Extraordinary of Spain against the Scots Settlement at Darien THe Subscriber Ambassador Extraordinary from His Catholick Majesty finds himself obliged by express orders to represent to your Majesty that the King his Master having receivyed Information from different places and last of all from the Governour of Havana of the Insult and attempt of some Scots Ships equipt with Men and other things requisite who design to settle themselves in His Majesty's Soveraign Demains in America and particularly the Province of Darien His Majesty received those Advices with very much discontent and looks upon the same as a token of small friendship as a rupture of the Alliance between the two Crowns which His Majesty hath observed hitherto and always observes very religiously and from which so many Advantages and Profites have resulted both to your Majesty and your Subjects As a consequence of which correspondence His Majesty did not expect such sudden insults and attempts by your Majesty's Subjects and that too in a time of Peace without pretext or any cause in the very heart of his Demains All that the King desires is that this may be represented to your Majesty and that your Majesty may he acquainted that he is very sensible of such Hostilities and unjust procedures against which His Majesty will take such measures as he thinks convenient Given at London the 13 â— day of May 1699. The Three following Memorials were presented to His Majesty in May 1699. by the Lord President of the Session and Lord Advocat on behalf of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies asserting the Legality of their Settlement in Darien 1st MEMORIAL THe Establishment of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies was first prepared by an Act of Parliament 1693. Inviting and Encouraging Persons in General to enter into Societies and Companies for carrying on a Trade to whatsoever Kingdoms Countrie or parts of the World not being in War with His Majesty and thereafter perfected by the Act of Parliament 1695 and a Charter thereon under the Great Seal whereby the said Company was fully Settled with all the Powers Priviledges and Immunities in use to be granted in such cases and particularly with Power to plant Colonies and build Cities Towns and Forts in Asia Africa or America upon Places not Inhabited or upon any other Place by Consent of the Natives and Inhabitants thereof and not possess'd by any European Prince or State The Settling of this Company was so acceptable to the whole Kingdom abounding always with Men and of late Years very desirous to enlarge Trade and Commerce That the Company 's Books being once opened Subscriptions for a vast Sum were compleated long before the Day prefix'd by the Act of Parliament and there were few Persons or Families of any Account within the Kingdom who were not therein particularly concerned But tho' the Subscriptions were soon compleated and
and Government the welfare of this Realm both as to its Religious and Civil Interest and to the full quieting the Minds of all your Majesty's good People This Address was presented to His Majesty at Hampton-Court the 16th day of November 1700. By the Right Honourable the Lord Yester Sir John Pringle of Stitchell and Sir Peter Wedderburn of Gosford Baronets Commissioners appointed for that end And upon presenting thereof the Lord Yester in Name of the rest Address'd the King thus Sir We are come here to present an Address to your Majesty Sign'd by a great Number of your Majesty's Loyal Subjects in Scotland who have no other design in it but your Majesty's true Honour and the welfare of their Native Countrey which we desire your Majesty would be pleased to hear read His Majesty after having heard the Address read was Graciously pleased to give the following Answer Gentlemen I Can not take further notice of this Address seing the Parliament is now met and I have made a Declaration of my Mind for the good of my People wherewith I hope all my faithfull Subjects will be satisfied Here I must beg pardon for having omitted the late Address of the House of Lords in England concerning the Endeavours of the Scots for having settled a Colony at Darien and His Majesty's Answer thereunto both which ought according to order of time to have been placed at Page 105 but rather than rob the Reader of having the benefit thereof it was thought fit to insert them here and they are as followeth The Humble Address of the Lords c. presented to His Majesty the 12th day of February 1700. VVE the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled being according to our duty solicitous for the preservation Encrease of the Trade of this Kingdom on which the Support of your Majesties Greatness and Honour so much depends as well as the Security and Defence of your People have been very apprehensive that the steps lately made towards a Settlement of your Subjects of the Kingdom of Scotland at Darien may tend to the great prejudice of this Nation and possibly to the disturbance of that Peace and good Correspondence with the Crown of Spain which we conceive is very Advantagious to us all We have therefore taken the same into our serious consideration as a matter of the greatest Importance and proper to be laid before your Majesty as the common Father of both Countries And as we are truly sensible of great Losses our Neighbour Kingdom hath sustained both by Men and Treasure in their Expeditions to that place which we very heartily lament so we should not endeavour by any Interposition of Ours to defeat the Hopes they may still entertain of recovering these Losses by their further engaging in that design but that we judge such a Prosecution on their parts must end not only in far greater Disappointments to themselves but at the same time prove very inconvenient to the Trade and quiet of this Kingdom On this occasion we humbly presume to put your Majesty in mind of the Address of both Houses of Parliament presented to your Majesty on the 17th of December 1695. In the close of which Address your Majesty will see the Unanimous Sense of this Kingdom in relation to any Settlement the SCOTS might make in the West-Indies by vertue of an Act of Parliament past about that time in the Kingdom of Scotland which was the occasion of the Address And we humbly represent to your Majesty that having received Information of some Orders your Majesty had sent to the Governours of the Plantations on this Subject the House did on the 18th of January last come this Resolution That your Majesty's pleasure signified to the Governours of the Plantations in Relation to the Scots Settlement at DARIEN was agreeable to the Address of both Houses of Parliament presented to your Majesty on the 17th of December 1695. And on the 18th of this instant February this House came to this further Resolution That the Settlement of the Scots Colony at DARIEN is inconsistent with the good of the Plantation Trade of this Kingdom All which we humbly hope your Majesty will take into your Royal Consideration and we are confident that your Majesty cannot be thought too partial to the Address of this House if your Majesty shall in the first place consider the Advantage and Good of the Trade of this Kingdom by the Preservation and Improvement of which both these Kingdoms and all your other Dominions must on all occasions principally be defended It is remarkable that this Address was carried only by Four or Five Votes and that the House of Commons absolutely refused to concur with it and that about Sixteen Peers entred their Protests against it His Majesties most Gracious Answer to the Address was to this effect Viz. HIS Majesty having received a very dutifull Address from the House of Peers in relation to the Endeavours lately used by some of His Majesties Subjects of the Kingdom of Scotland towards making a Settlement at DARIEN in which they humbly represent to him their Opinion That such a Settlement is inconsistent with the good of the Plantation-Trade of this Kingdom Is pleased to let the House know That he will always have a very great regard to their Opinion And to assure them that he will never be wanting by all proper means to promote the Advantage and Good of the Trade of England At the same time His Majesty is pleased to declare that he cannot but have a great Concern and Tenderness for his Kingdom of Scotland and a desire to advance their Well-fare and Prosperity is very sensibly touched with the loss His Subjects of that Kingdom have sustained by their late unhappy Expeditions in order to a Settlement at DARIEN His Majesty does apprehend that Difficulties may too often arise with respect to the different Interest of Trade between his two Kingdoms unless some way be found out to unite them more nearly and compleatly And therefore His Majesty takes this opportunity of putting the House of Peers in mind of what he recommended to his Parliament soon after his Accession to the Throne That they would consider of an Union between the two Kingdoms His Majesty is of opinion That nothing would more contribute to the security and happiness of both Kingdoms and is inclined to hope that after they have lived near 100 years under the same Head some happy Expediment may be found for making them one people in case a Treaty were set on Foot for that purpose And therefore he does very earnestly recommend this Matter to the Consideration of the House It is likeways remarkable that when the House of Lords fram'd and past a Bill of Union pursuant to His Majesty's said Answer The House of Commons rejected the same from Motives which I shall not presume to mention the same being already very well known to all those who know any thing of that Matter To His