him without his Consent As witnesseth the Civil Law l. 28. ff Com. Divid The Rules are In re pari melior est Conditio prohibentis And In re communi nemo Dominorum jure quicquam facere potest invito altero But here is understood not a private Society but a whole Kingdom who being their own Masters can dispose upon themselves and Properties as they find it convenient for their Interest And that Power is devolved upon their Representatives of Parliament Therefore if any small Number of People or of Members of Parliament oppose so good a Design as the Union of both Nations either the Plurality of Voices ought to determine them according to the Fundamental Law of all Societies or they should be obliged to shift for other Societies of Men. Now supposing that the Parliaments of both Kingdoms are joyn'd in one and that its Members are empowered to make Laws for the Preservation of this New Government Amongst many Laws that could be thought upon these following seems necessary First That the Titles of both Kingdoms be changed into that of Great-Britain 2ly That there be but one Imperial Crown 3ly That there be but one Set of Crown-Officers 4ly That there be but one Great Seal 5ly That as both Nations are one so they may have both the same Priviledges of Trade And that none of them be injured by this Law let all Goods be taxed equally over the whole Island 6ly That there be appointed by the Parliament a parcel of Lawyers of both Nations for compiling a Body of Civil Law out of the Volumes of the Municipal Laws of both Nations and out of the Common Law where they are deficient Which Body of Civil Law shall be ratified by King and Parliament to have the Force of all other Laws of both Nations After which all other Law-Books may be destroyed according to the Example of the Emperor Justinian when the Body of Roman Law was finished And until such time that a Body of Law be compiled each Kingdom may make use of its own Laws without any hinderance to an Union For it s known that till this day Languedock Provence Britaignie and Normandy tho' they are parts of the same Kingdom yet their Laws are not of the same Coin 7ly Being all Church-Government is indifferent as I have endeavoured to prove in the foregoing Essay the King and Parliament may model one that will be the most consonant to their Civil Government To which if any of the Clergy refuse to submit let Swords be put in their hands to determine a Church-Government among themselves for the Laicks of this Island have drawn too much Blood already upon that Subject whilst the Clergy only have been amusing themselves with Disputes If a Church-Government cannot be modelled that will please all Parties of Laicks there needs be no Breach in the Union of Civil Government Because by a Liberty of Conscience in Church-Government Church-Affairs may be regulat without the least Confusion 8ly Let there be appointed by King and Parliament a parcel of Divines and Lawyers for collecting one Body of Canon Law out of the Canons of Councils the Opinions of the Fathers and from the Constitutions of both Churches of both Kingdoms that were made since the Reformation Which Body of Canon-Law shall be ratified by King and Parliament to have Force of all other Ecclesiastical Constitutions 9thly That Civil and Criminal Judicatures be established over the whole Island in places where the Parliament shall find convenient 10thly That there be Registers appointed in different places of the Island for obstructing all false Conveyances of Estates Lastly That the King have but one Privy Council which for the more Dispatch of Bufiness can be divided into several standing Committees Now before I shew the Advantages both Nations will gain by an Union I will make this following Digression of their present States England abounds with Grains Tin Copper Lead Iron Timber and all Creatures which furnishes the Commodities of Cloath Stuffs Hides Butter Cheese c. Scotland being the most Northward part of the Island cannot be expected to make so pleasant a Prospect to the Eye as England Yet it hath Sufficiency of Grains Flax Wool and vast number of Cattel c. It hath likewise innumerable Mines of Lead Iron c. Although the Nobility and Gentry of both Kingdoms are the same in Humor and Conduct of Living yet there is a great Disparity between the Common People both as to Humor and Constitution of Body by reason of their different way of Feeding The English is Self-conceited Lovers of their Belly and daring Whilst the Scots are patient sober in Diet and hath something of a Timorous Civility The Nature of the Civil Governments of both Kingdoms is almost the same each of them having its Parliament to protect its Liberties The Number of Persons that have Suffrage in the English Parliament besides twenty six Bishops are either of Nobility or Commons The Nobility are Dukes 17 Marquesses 3 Earles 72 Viscounts 8 Barons 65 Sum 165 The Commons are Commissioners for fourty Shires 80 For the twelve Counties of Wales 12 For twenty five Cities 54 For the eight Cinque-Ports 16 For the two Universities 04 For an hundred and eghty Burghs 332 And Burgesses for Wales 012 Sum 510 The Number of Persons that have Suffrage in the Scots Parliament are either Nobility or Commons The Nobility are Dukes 4 Marquesses 4 Earles 67 Viscounts 20 Barons 45 Â Sum 140 The Commons are Commissioners for Shires 89 For Cities and for Burrows 65 Â Sum 154 The Nobility of Scotland not bearing a Proportion to the English Nobility conform to its Riches and Extent of Land ought to be no Objection against an Union of Parliaments Because the Nobility of the whole Island becoming Members of the same House will all have the same Interest And in a little time by Extinction of Families Creation of New Ones and by Change of Estates from one place to another will be so shuffled that it will be hard to know Which is Which The number of the People of England is calculat to be 5,500,000 and that of the People of Scotland to be 800,000 England at present is not above half Peopled and of any Countrey it is in the least danger to be overstock't with People by reason of its Situation and goodness of Soil If Scotland were improved by Inclosing c. it could entertain many more People than it can at present and in a short time triple its Land-Rental England with Wales contains 40,000,000 of Acres The fourth part of them are Heath Moors Mountains and Barren Ground Scotland with its Islands contains 24,000,000 Acres Two Thirds of them are Moors Mountains and Barren Land Having now done with this Digression let us next see what Advantages will fall by an Union first to England secondly to Scotland and thirdly to both in Common when United The Advantages that England would reap by an Union are FIrst An Augmentation
Languages Cyphering and a fair hand of Writ which are useful to all Men according to their respective Employments And it 's the great Happiness of every Society that each Member be dexterous in his own business and mind it only Cardinal du Peron was for suppressing in France many of its Universities because they gave too much Occasion and Temptation to all sorts of People to become Smatterers of Learning For tho' the knowledge of Letters is absolutely necessary in a Common-Wealth yet they ought not to be prostitute to every Body without Distinction For if all the Inhabitants of a State were Learned Trade would decay Husbandry would no more be in fashion And in their places would succeed Disobedience much Pride and Presumption When we have so great a love here to the Civil Law that every Gentleman that hath two Sons is sure to design one to be a Lawyer from his very Cradle I wish therefore That means were fall'n on to Erect Professions of it in all our Universities And that Encouragements were given to Learned Civilians to set up amongst us which would keep in the Nation much Money And Students that have no Inclination to Travel may profit here as well as in Holland or France and preserve a third part or half of their Patrimonies they would have spent abroad Nor is there any hazard that such Professions will over-charge the Honourable Faculty of Lawyers with too many Members being that humour of following the Law will grow only as People find that there 's more Business than Advoeats Which at present is not the Misfortune of Scotland The most reasonable way to provide a Fund for the Professors of Law is out of the Bishops Rents so as there are four Universities in this Kingdom there may be a Profession of Civil Law at every one of them Who ought to have a Salary not under 200 lib Sterl per annum to make up their small Number of Scholars and to inable them to make their study their whole business Were it not then more for the Honour and Advantage of this Nation that Bishops cents be so applyed rather than in Pensions and other unlawful ways I refer it to the wisdom of this Nation SECTION II. Of the Commons THe Commons of Scotland beat the greatest Bulk of the Body Politick and it 's according to their Richness and Ease that this Kingdom can either be called Rich Powerful or Happy To consider them therefore particularly I will divide them into Merchants Mechanicks and Husbandmen Merchants for the most part apply themselves to their Business in proportion to the little Trade of this Country but where there 's one makes a Fortune that way there are three turn Bankrupts The Reasons of which are First Ever since we began to Traffick few have applyed themselves to Trade that are Men of Families and Fortunes For if any Gentleman applies himself it s some younger Brother that hath a Stock of 300 or 400 lib. sterl which he Employeth in bringing home Wines and other superfluous Commodities that exhaust the ready Money that 's brought into the Kingdom by its Linnen Wool Lead Fish c. Which Commodities when sold trust must given to the buyer of them and in stead of a ready Return to the Merchant of his stock and profit for buying new Commodities he must confume them both in Expectation by Eating and Drinking It were then advantageous for young Merchants that they would employ most of their Stocks in home-Manufactories and Fisheries and in every Commodity that can make the Export of this Kingdom considerable So that Money being kept at home the return for their Effects will be more frequent For in every trading Nation a Merchant of a small Stock grow's Rich by frequent buying of Goods and receiving a quick return for them when sold either in Credit Goods or ready Money Secondly So soon as a Merchant hath Scrap'd together a piece of Money perhaps to the value of 4000 or 5000 lib. Sterl Instead of employing it for promoting Trade or by projecting any new thing that may be serviceable to his Country and to the augmenting of his Stock nothing will satisfie him but the laying of it out upon a Land Estate for having the Honour to make his Son a Laird that is an Idle Person who can find out as many Methods in spending his Fathers Money as he had of gaining it Lastly Our Gentlemens Sons who are bred Merchants do not live frugally and proportionably to their gain after the example of the Dutch to whom one Pence saved is so much profit So many are the Abuses and Blunders that are committed in the Trade of this Nation by particular Men's prefering their Interests and Humours to the Publick Good That to retrive them from that Vice and to bring the Trade of the Nation to any Proportion with that of our Neighbours there remains but one Expedient That is The erecting a Council of Trade which may be of such a Constitution that by it's means Manufactories and Fisheries may be encouraged our poor employed The Exportation of Wool stoo'd Law-suits decided summarly amongst Merchants Interest of Money lowered and the price of Grains so regular that the Poor be not sensible of their Dearness in bad years nor the Rich of their Cheapness in good ones Therefore it 's inexpressible how much this Nation would be obliged to any person would contrive a good and rational Schem of Constitution for such a Council and to that Parliament that would give it a Beeing But because such a Council cannot be established of a sudden let all the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation in the mean time encourage Manufactories and Trade by their Frugality and Industry according to a Resolve which was lately invented by a parcel of good Country-men Because People are more Zealous in observing any thing to which they personally Promise and of whose Reasonableness they are perswaded Than they are of Sumptuary Laws which either they never hear of or are suffered to forget for fault of due Execution Scotland at present ought to be considered as a Man that hath spent most of his Estate in Triffles and Idleness and that hath no other Means left him but Pinch and good Conduct for the future The second kind of Commons to be considered are the Mechanicks which are Men both capable of Invention and Application therefore no doubt did Trade flourish there would be no necessity of bringing home so many manufactured things as at present And that every Scots-man might be furnished at home with all sort of Houshold Furniture all kind of Arms and with every thing Humane Ease or Fancy requires The third kind of Commons are the Husband-men which in my Opinion are the most miserable of all our Commons and I believe we have learned that Method of oppressing our Pesants from the French amongst many other of their good Customs The reason of this Oppression proceeds from small Farms and high-valued
recollected the Remains of its broken Forces with Care and Industry and managed its Affairs with so much Subtility that if the Reformed do not lay aside all their Trifling Disputes about Church-Government c. It may happen that sometime or other without a Miracle they may lose their Ground which they have maintained so long with Expence of much Blood That the Kingdom may be the better served with Judicious and Learned Ministers it 's necessary that all small Salaries be Augmented to preserve them from the Tentation of Poverty and that there may be Inspectors appointed for all the Universities of this Nation who shall have power to Nominat Students to study Theology And that none be admitted to follow the Ministry but those that are appointed by them And by such a Method this Church will not have the Misfortune to be pestered with Blockheads nor the Civil Government to be deprived of good Men whom Nature hath ordained to be Mechanicks or Husbandmen SECTION IV. Of the Nobility and Gentry THe Nobility and Gentry are the best Blood and Spirits of any body Politick and ought to be respected as the preservers of its Life and Vigor For it s their duty to maintain Piety and Justice to support their Country with their Wealth and Sword to protect the poor from the Insolence of Oppressors and to follow Virtue and Honour as the only Badge capable to distinguish them from the rest of their fellow Subjects The Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom have always had the Reputation of brave Men and good Scholars nor ought it to be otherwise seeing they have all the Education this Country can afford and the most of them have likewise the advantage of Travelling abroad to learn any thing that is capable to improve their Knowledge in Men or Things But now a days for want of Business to apply themselves they either lose the fruits of their Education by Law-suits or by reading a Horace or Juvenal or by smothering them altogether in a Bottle But how great an Obligation lies upon them to apply themselves at present to support their poor Country and to sacrifice to the Publick Good all Misunderstandings occasioned amongst them either by Religion or Ambition appears from these following Considerations First they ought to meddle with Church-Government no further than it affects the Civil Government or tends to give the Supream Power an Opportunity to encroach upon their Liberties Therefore they ought all to protect that Church Government which makes most for their secular Advantages and encourages least the Clergy in Luxurie or Ambition And of such Qualities is the Presbyterian Church-Government here established by Law Secondly The Nobility and Gentry are the Springs and Wheels by which all the Affairs of this Nation move and without their Concurrence no good or bad Law can be made no King can encroach upon the Priviledges of the Subject Nor no Revolution of Government can happen to the Kingdom Therefore they ought to let pass no Law in Parliament which is not for the Interest of their Country nor quit any Priviledge that may give occasion to their Successors to Complain of their Folly or Injustice Nor ought they to endeavour any Revolution of Government which is not with a Demonstration for their Countries benefit Thirdly They have most of all the Treasure of this Kingdom amongst them Therefore it 's their Duty to improve their Estates by all the means that Art or Industry can suggest unto them And to promot Trade by encouraging Manufactories and Fisheries with their Money For suppose a Gentleman hath Five Hundred Pound Sterline free Rent per annum what is it for him to imploy a 1000 l. sterl for a Stock in Trade And so proportionably to their Estates may all Gentlemen imploy Sums of Money Lastly It 's their Motion and Example that influence all other People of a meaner Character So that it may be justly said that all the Advantages or Misfortunes which have befall'n this Kingdom are to be Attribute to the Conduct of its Nobility and Gentry For had they always been of the same honest principles designing nothing but the publick Good how happy had this Nation been long e're now And how much regarded by all Europe SECTION V. Of the King and Parliament AS every Natural Body is capable of certain intervals of Health and Sickness so every Body Politick and each of them requires it's Physitian to remove every thing that 's a let to the Operation of its Nature with this Difference that a Natural Physitian works both for a Livelyhood to himself and for bringing his patient to the best habite of Body his Art is Capable whilest a State Physitian in place of curing the Body politick of which he hath the Inspection and Management forgets to keep to its Fundamental Laws which are the true Rules of Politicks and follows his own Ambition and Fancies Which either destroy it altogether by inward Convulsions or change it's Nature so far that it s hardly to be known for the same Body Every Body Politick hath its different Physitian conform to the Nature of its Constitution An absolute Monarchy hath its King who is so much Master of his Patient that he can breath a Vein when he finds it suits best with his Inclinations A limited Monarchy hath its Parliament for Physitian whose chief business is to preserve a Symmetrie betwixt the Body and Head that neither of them exceed its due bounds The Government of Scotland is a limited Monarchy by the Conduct of whose Parliament both King and Country can be happy But alas how seldom does it happen that the Members of that August Assembly who are Men of different Educations Tempers Understandings Offices Employments have all the same end in their View which ought to be the Common Good and Honour of this Nation In one Kings Reign we find the Parliament encroaching upon his prerogative and in the Reign of another we see it so abject as to sacrifice to him their Priviledges Examples of both are the Reigns of Charles the first and second For what necessity was there to drive so hard after the year 1638 that their poor King became a Victime to his Enemies Or to sink so far into Fondness that King Charles the second had in his power to encroach upon the Liberties of this Nation to that â—â—ght that Oppression it self might have been palliat with the jus Regium The unsteddy proceedings of Parliaments have given occasion to the greatest Wits to condemn every thing of mixt Governments and to lay down rules for bringing them under the absolute power of their Monarchs which hath been practised by most of the Princes of Europe according to the different Circumstances and Humours of their Subjects The Kings of France Lewis 13th and 14th after the Advice of Cardinal Richelieu did ruine first their Nobility and Gentry by wheedling them into posts of the Army where they could squander away their Estates to the end
Nevertheless this Empire had split in pieces in its very Infancy its People being in Ease and Plenty and its Soldiers left to follow the itch of their own Inclinations if there had not been some Men by decay of Nature perhaps incapable of the Vices then in Vogue which had the foresight to joyn Priest-Craft with their Civil Government for Banishing from it as much as possible both Mental and Corporal Vices and for bringing People's Consciences under Subjection that they might the more nicely observe a strictness in Morals Then it was that the Assyrian Monarchy had it's Church-Government as well as in succeeding Ages the Persian Graecian Roman and and all other Heathen Governments had their's which have been composed of Persons of more than vulgar Gapacities capable to continue a probable History of a World to come to make acquaintance with its imaginary Inhabitants and to become Mediators betwixt them and their fellow Citizens whom they always managed both for the Glory of their Gods and for their own private Advantage Then was it the Custom to Sacrifice not only Beasts but Men Women and Children and to impose all the Idolatry imaginable upon the World by their Oracles the Cheat of which hath been often discovered as particularly by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who shewed the Inhabitants of that Town the hollow Statues into which the Priests privately crept to give their Responses Of all the Pagan Church-Governments we know most of that of the Romans Romnlus and his Sucessor Numa Pompilius being made sensible by their own Experience and that of their Neighbours how great a Ligament of Government political Religion was took care to Institute several Orders of Priests to whom all their Subjects might pay Honour and by whom they were to be instructed how to pray what Sacrifices what Vowes what Gifts would be acceptable to the Gods and in a word in all the Ceremonies made use of in Divine-Service The Pontifices of all the Priests seems to have had the greatest share of Church-Government for Cicero in his Oration to them tells them that the Honour and Safety of the Common Wealth the Liberty of the People the Houses and Fortunes of the Citizens and the very Gods themselves were all entrusted to their Care and depended wholly on their Wisdom and Management The Superintendent of the Pontifices was one of the Most honourable Offices in the Common Wealth upon which account all the Emperors for their own Interest and after the Example of Julius Caesar either took the Name of Pontisex Maximus or actually discharged the Office themselves and even the Christian Emperors retained the Title till Gratian refused it The Jews were the only People on Earth that had continued to them the Knowledge of the true GOD who was pleased to reveal his Will from time to time to their Fore-fathers commanding Moses his Servant to give them his Laws and to Model a Church-Government to the Members of which were to be committed the Divine Oracles This was the State of the Jews whilst the wise Governours of all othr Nations such as Solon Lycurgus and Numa Pompilius were sensible of the use of Religion but were not able to become acquainted with the true God for want of Revelation So that their Opinions about His Will and Nature and those of all the Ancient Philosophers have been so many ridiculous Whimsies But no sooner did the Son of GOD appear who was the Original and Model of all Perfection than he was to be a Light to the whole World and a great part of the Jewish Laws was to lose their Authority For he knowing the Will of God his Father better than Moses was pleased to reveal to all Nations that it was no longer the design of God to make a distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile but that he would embrace every Nation that would believe in him and obey his Laws At Thirty years of Age he began to establish his most excellent Religion meeting with all the Opposition imaginable from the Jews as an invader of their Fundamental Laws He was Persecuted and followed all his life with Assaults of Malice and Cruelty His Credit was Slandered his Doctrine slighted and at last he was put to Death with all sort of Torture and Disgrace His only Companions upon Earth was a parcel of poor People whom he called his Disciples and to whom he taught a Doctrine that called men from their Lusts and Pleasures that offered Violence to their Natural Inclinations That required the greatest strictness of Life That revealed Truths above the reach of Natural Comprehension and that obliged Men to take up a Cross to follow the Example of a Crucified Saviour in expectation of an invisible World This Jesus then is of more value to us than e're Moses was to the Jews he being our Law-giver our God and our Saviour who hath given Laws to all those who will believe and acknowledge his Authority Our Saviour when he came into the World as he was God so was he Omniscient knew what Opposition his Doctrine would meet with and with what Misfortunes his Followers would be dogged He came not to a particular People as Moses did to the Jews of whose obedience he was assured but he came to the People of the habitable Earth to teach them the way to Heaven by Repentance and Faith At his first Arrival he found no Church but the Jewish which was to evanish at his Appearance Therefore he laid the Foundation of one himself by Preaching and working Miracles and by triumphing on the Cross over Ignorance and Wickedness which had ruled all the Heathens After his Ascension into Heaven on the day of Pentecost he sent down the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and Disciples who were assembled at Jerusalem enduing them with the Gift of Tongues and of working Miracles Commissionating them to propagat his Church and Kingdom thro' the whole World Which accordingly they did Preaching the Gospel first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles many of them taking particular parts of the World to make known the Joyful News of Salvation Thus St. Andrew Preached the Gospel in Scythia St. Bartholomew in India St. Matthew in Parthia and St. John in the lesser Asia They went from Town to Town and from Village to Village publishing the Blessed News of Immortality and constituting Bishops and Deacons the first Fruits of their Ministry leaving them to govern and to enlarge the particular Churches over which they had placed them Tertullian saith de Praescrip advers Haereti That Clemens was ordained Bishop of Rome by St. Peter and Polycarp Bishop of Smirna by St. John Now Let us enquire whether our Saviour or his Apostles after his Death left any distinct Scheme of Government to be followed by all particular Churches which Scheme if there be any must be found in the Holy Scriptures or in the Writings of the Fathers who succeeded immediatly to the Apostles but if no Scheme of Church Covernment is to
Alteration Lastly The French will oppose any Union betwixt England and Scotland and rather than it should succeed will follow Cardinal Richelieu's Practice in corrupting Leading Men in both Nations to foment Jealousies between them or in hireing some Mercenary English Poet or Historian to represent Scotland with all the Rancour that ill Nature and Ignorance can inspire in them The French for many years have baulked nothing that could raise their Monarchy above the Powers of their Neighbours and nothing hath been more formidable to their Designs than the Joint Force of the Island of Great-Britain when England alone had broke their Measures long e're now and brought them to Reason if it had not had Diversion at Home occasioned so often by French Counsel It 's long since Philip de Comenes said That in his time all the King of England's Ministers and great Persons had Pensions of France and gave their Acquittances upon every Receipt which were to be seen in the Chamber of Paris I shall now end this short Essay having no other Design by it than the Prosperity of Great-Britain and hopes that some Judicious Unbyassed Persons as the Learned Doctor Davenam who hath writ so many good Books for the Service of his Countrey will be at the Pains to handle this Subject in all its Particulars That all Doubts being removed from the People of both Nations there remain nothing to be done but the Action of Uniting And till they be convinced of the absolute Necessity of it my Wish is That England be out-witted in its Politicks by all its Neighbours and cheated by its States-Men into a fond Belief of its own Abilities And that Scotland continue an oppressed Nation by Courtiers and Publicans and never have a State-Council but of Mock-Politicians and Enemies to their Countrey Vis Vnita Fortior AN ESSAY UPON THE PRESENT STATE OF SCOTLAND IT 's observable that there 's a great Variety in Men both as to their Bodies and Souls conform to the different Situation of the Countries they inhabit upon which account it is that they differ so much in their Dispositions to Courage Justice Temperance Wit and Goodness And their Souls are yet more various than their Bodies that there appears sometimes a greater difference betwixt some Men and others than betwixt some Men and Beasts And as there 's a great Variety betwixt Men of different Clim's in respect of their Souls and Bodies so is there a great Disparity amongst Apprehehensions and Understandings of the People of the same Countrey proportionable to their Education which is the Reason that their Thoughts of things are not all of the same Reach and Justness There 's no Society without its Members amongst whom as there is a Sub-Ordination of Understandings so there 's a Sub-Ordination of Power and Command proportionable to the different Stations they hold in that Society whereof they are Members And hence it is That there are in every Kingdom as it is a Society People of all Characters which taken all together make up the Body Politick Being then I 'm to writ this Essay of the present State of Scotland I will give a short View both of its People and of their Affairs in the sollowing Sections SECTION I. Of the Education of Youth AS the strongest Bodies owe their Vigour in a great Measure to the first knitting of their Joynts and the most stately Trees are beholding to the hand that first planted them in an agreeable Soil So do Men owe whatever Esteem they acquire in this World to their Education The Impressions of which are strong grow up with them from their Cradle and accompany them to their very Graves Hence is it That the most wise and understanding Law-givers of different Nations thought it their noblest Work to prescribe Rules for the early Institution of Youth The Number of Schools and Universities in Scotland is enough to impose upon the World that there are used in them all the reasonable Means for instructing of young People in Languages Arts and Sciences But when one comes to examine the Methods and Formalities of Masters in Teaching he will soon be undeceived To look into a Grammar-School one will find an Assembly of Boys of different Capacities smuttering of Latin one who hath spent four Years at School another three and a third more or less yet there shall not be one of fourty who hath made the Proficiency in the Latin that another Boy will do in any Modern Language with half a Years teaching Surely there must be some Reason for this that either proceeds from the Difficulty of that Language or from some other Cause But that the Latin is attainable in a short time we have the Example of many young People and likewise of Accursius the Famous Lawyer who was fourty Years old when he first studied Latin Nevertheless he hath left some Volumes to the World in that Language The Causes therefore of Childrens slow Progress in the Latin to me seem to be First The Formality and Affectedness of Parents putting their Children too young to School before they have the Sense or Patience to apply themselves or without considering whether they design them for Employments that require no Knowledge of Latin Secondly The wrong and pedantick Method Schoolmasters take in teaching their Scholars For how absurd is it that they should teach them Latin in the same Tongue they do not understand and after a very tedious manner charge their Memories with Rules and Precepts which they no sooner learn than they forget Next To examine the way of Teaching in our Colledges we will find that young Students bestow only half a year upon the Greek which is so useful a Language to the Learned and allow three years to learn Errour and Nonsence For in place of Euclid's Elements and a good System of Experimental Philosophy they study large Volumes of Logicks and Metaphyficks which are fit only to subtilize their Brains being the true Cobweb-learning of this World soon wrought and soon forgot Seing that the Education of Youth contributes so much to the making Men capable either to serve themselves or their Country The Commissioners appointed to visit Schools Colledges ought to take special Care both to oblige Masters to practise good Methods in Teaching and to encourage most the learning of Mathematicks and parts of Experimental Philosophy Because it s from them we have our Learned Physitians Mechanicks Sea-men Engineers which are of more value to the Publick than thinking Men that are Learned only in Triffles and who chuse the study of General Physicks and Metaphysicks for Disput's sake It were for the Advantage of this Nation That no Boys be put to learn Latin that are designed by their Parents or Friends to be Merchants Mechanicks or Husband-men For how ridiculous is it that they should consume so many years in learning a Language which is forgot in one year if not practised and neglect the study of their own Language and other Modern
that they might depend upon the Court for a Livelyhood and did so much harrass the whole body of their People with Persecutions and Taxes to make it for ever uncapable to strugle for Liberty The Kings of Sweden and Denmark secured first their Clergy next the Consciences of the Common People and lastly did destroy most of the Ancient Families of their Nobility and Gentry The many Popular Furies which have raged in this Island have no doubt been great Motives to our Kings to approach as near our Priviledges as conveniently they could King James the First of Great-Britain endeavoured to screw his Prerogative as far as the People would suffer him for he thought nothing of Imprisoning Members of the English Parliament or to issue out Proclamations prohibiting his Subjects to talk of State Affairs Tho' in the mean time he was acting against the Interest of his Kingdoms And the late King James seems to have had a great Itch after an absolute Power when his introducing Popery was the principal Step could have been made for that end because of the Multitude of Church-Men and the Decay of Trade which for the most part are unseparable from that Religion But it would appear that the Reason our Kings have so often been baulked of their Designs to teach their Subjects the Practical Rules of Passive Obedience hath been the want of Money and a powerful standing Army Nevertheless they have attacqued us on our blind side which was to divide the People of this Kingdom amongst themselves and then to espouse a Party which was sufficient to plunge any Countrey into the greatest Misery by leaving the Publick Good neglected and nothing to be sought after but Revenge and Interest King William came to this Island when both its Affairs and those of other Princes of Europe did require him then was it that an Occasion offered it self to the Scots for putting their Countrey in a State of Thriving and for curing all the Defects of its Government But Providence so ordered it that they were divided amongst themselves and rendered uncapable to unite in Counsel for promoting the Publick Good They were therefore lyable to be led away whether the greatest Faction pleased which Faction divided in Imagination the Spoil of their Countrey and shared all Places of Publick Trust amongst one another before ever they were determined to offer the Crown to his present Majesty Who is a Prince of an Illustrious Family and merits to be ranked among the greatest Men of his time I hope therefore whatever Historian takes upon him to celebrat and perpetuat to Posterity his Heroick Actions will do him Justice by giving a true and genuine Account to the World both of his Virtues and Vices That the one may serve to set off the other as dark Shadows do the best Pictures SECTION VI. That a mixt Government cannot increase in Wealth and Power but by the Honesty and Wisdom of its Members of Parliament IF one were to play the Philosopher he might for Disput's sake tell us That the Subjects of all Governments are equally happy provided they be not sensible of their present Misery As for Example that a French-Peasant who hath coarse Bread to fill his Belly and Canvas-Cloaths and Wooden-Shoes to protect him from bad Weather is as much obliged to Fortune as an English Farmer who can smoke his Pipe and talk of Liberty and Property at random Yet if we lay aside the Theory and consider the Practice of People we will read in all Histories that every Nation of Europe which at this day hath no Vestiges of its ancient Government has strugled with its Kings for Liberty to the last Breath An Instance of this are the French who ever since the Reign of Lewis the 11th have been attacqued in their Liberties by succeeding Kings and could never be forced to succeumb till the Reign of this present King Who hath taken all Opportunities to execute Cardinal Richelieu's Political Testament by arming his Popish Subjects against those of the Reform'd Religion by accustoming his Peasants to exorbitant Taxes and Poverty and by bringing the greatest of his Subjects to depend upon his Pleasure for a Livelyhood Is there any Man that hath the good luck to be born a Subject to a Limited Monarch who compares the Circumstances of one that liveth under a Tyrant with his own but will bless his Stars and acknowledge himself much happier in his Practice of Liberty than any Slave can can be in its Shadow or Theory All Governments by the Corruption of their Parts are lyable to many Convulsions and even to be changed at last into Tyrannies if the Nature of their Constitutions do not guard against them We therefore in Scotland are obliged to our Fore-Fathers that have left us a Government which is Limited Monarchy and in which the Prerogative of the Prince and the Liberty of the People are so well regulat that there seems nothing wanting that may tend to the Happiness of either but Honesty and Wisdom in the Members of Parliament For Rome was never enslaved by its Princes till the Senat delivered up its Priviledges to Julius Caesar Who was then put in a Condition to curb the Liberties of all the Unthinking People of the Roman Empire with Forms and Names in place of wholesome Laws I may say with Regret that it hath been our Unhappiness ever since the Restauration of King Charles the Second that our Liberties have been exposed by the Unlucky Division of our Parliaments into two Factions Whereof the one was called the Court-Faction and the other that of the Countrey The Court-Faction was a Party of Men who under Protence of Zeal to the Service of their King destroy'd their Countrey by corrupting Members of Parliament by dividing the Spoils of the Publick Treasury amongst themselves and Minions and neglecting every thing that could promote the Trade of this Nation or provide a Livelyhood to its Poor That Faction was composed of Men who had different Motives to comply with Dishonest Practices One out of Simplicity and good Nature hoping that by laying Taxes on his Countrey he did his Majesty good Service Another out of an Inclination he had to be a Knave And a third out of a Desire to gain Pelf thinking it time enough to serve the Publick when once he had served himself The Countrey-Faction was a parcel of Members of Parliament who thought it their Duty to keep the Legislative Power untainted to be Jealous of the Peoples Liberties and Rights and to be careful for the Publick Safety by watching over the Ministers of State that they should not embezle the Publick Money by imploying it to corrupt Members of Parliament or to maintain a standing Army to bully the People out of their Senses These Members that made up that Party have moved according to different Principles for one hath acted out of pure and sincere Love to his Countrey another out of Hatred and Malice to Statesmen and a third out of
Members of Parliament been wheedled into a Complyance with their former Kings to destroy their Constituents Liberties if they had not had the true Representation of the Affairs of the Nation laid down before them by some honest sensible Men Which did serve as a Polestare to steer their Course by and to excite them to Diligence in their Duty Secondly A Habeas Corpus will prevent Poples being punished above the Merit of their Crimes and of this Injustice the Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius were sensible when in their Constitutions l. 5. Cod. de Custod Rerum it is ordained that those who were shut up in Prison be either convicted and punished in due time if Guilty or Absolved if Innocent The Words of the Text are De his quos tenet carcer inclusos id aperta definitione sanximus ut aut convictos velox paena subdueat aut liberandos Custodia diuturna non maceret Thirdly That there be an Act establishing a Council of Trade the Nature of which I have touched a little in the Section of the Commons For Trade is of so great Moment to any Nation which wishes to make a Figure amongst its Neighbours That in a word either it must understand it in all its Mazes or must resolve to follow the Old Patriarchs way of living which is to confine it self only to what Nature requires For which reason it is requisit that there be a Council of Trade whose Business it should be to lay down good and rational Measures for managing it and for Curbing all the little tricks which discourage People to Traffick Fourthly That the Army be reduced to as few as are only necessary for puting the Laws in Execution and for preserving Peace at home Because every wise Nation that hath its freedom and a power to observe the fundamental Laws of its Constitution never keeps more Soldiers in time of Peace than are sufficient to protect the Execution of of Justice I am sorry therefore That we have neither Money to mantain so many brave Men that are in our Troops nor at present any advantageous service to employ them in which might make them useful to this Kingdom Unless we had got a Right to part of of the King of Spains Testament which was lately made by the care of his Neighbours Fifthly That a good Method be fall'n on for regulating our Militia and a Fund provided for mantaining broken Officers who may be useful to Oversee them For it were hard that Gentlemen who some time or other may be capable to serve their Country should be exposed to the Inconveniencies of Poverty Sixthly That all good Laws be made for encouraging Shipping which is and ought to be both the Offensive and Defensive force of this Kingdom Seventhly That there be an Act declaring That no Pensioner shall be capable to Vote in Parliament or any body that hath his immediat Livelihood from His Majesty Because it is to be supposed that all Pensioners will prefer the Humor of their Benefactor to the Interest of their Country Eightly That a new Committee of Parliament be appointed every half year to supply the places of Privy Counsellors to his Majesty And the Advantages of such an Act are evident to every Body that knows the Practices of a Privy Council composed of Courtiers By these and such Acts the Affairs of this Kingdom can be brought to so good a State that not only it may provide for it's own Safety and Treasure but likewise be in a Condition either to separat from England or to unite with it As the Wisdom of this Nation shall find it convenient That there is a Necessity for Scotland either to unite with England or separat from it is evident by the Experience of 97 years In which time this loose and irregular Tye of the Crowns in place of an Union of Hearts Hands and Civil Interest hath only given Occasion to ill disposed Persons in both Kingdoms to foment continual Jealousies and Animosities betwixt them And to the English an Opportunity of crushing every thing that can make for the Interest of Scotland Instances of which are innumerable and some of them are but too fresh in our Memories I have already shewed the Advantages of an Union to both Kingdoms in the preceeding Essay and there is no Person more capable to bring that noble Work to a happy issue than his present Majesty who therefore ought to be Addressed for that end by the Parliaments of both Nations that they may have the Liberty to sit at the same time for adjusting all Matters that relate to that important Affair But if the English continue to neglect and delay to unite with Scotland upon reasonable Terms the Scots only Interest will be to mind their own Business for the future so that whatever War may happen to England let them ly aside preserving Peace both at Home and Abroad and making the best Advantage they can either of their Neighbours Circumstances or their own Knowing that tho' his Britannick Majesty can declare War against any of his Neighbouring Princes by virtue of his Prerogative yet he cannot oblige his Scots Subjects to furnish Money for carrying it on unless they please and find it for their Interest Which is impossible so long as there is no greater Union betwixt England and Scotland than at present For ever since our Kings Accession to the Crown of England the English have always used the Scots as the Ape did the Cat 's Clutch to pull the Chesnut out of the Fire Let us therefore apply our selves to Frugality and Honesty and to every thing that can put this Nation above the Contempt of its Neighbours Let us acknowledge King William for our Monarch so long as he liveth and till the Hour of his Death let us never so much as talk of a Successor to him nor Cabal either for the Prince of Wales or Hannover But may we for once mind our selves having already been too fond of procuring Kings to the English Throne who have only made use of us to serve their own ends At his present Majesties Death if there be no Successor which is already provided by Law and if this Kingdom be not united with England Experience will teach us how to dispose of our Government And no doubt but Scotland is as able to subsist of it self by the Industry and Wisdom of its People as well as many petty Governments in Europe I will now end putting the present Members of Parliament in Mind That seing in all probability his Majesty will not ratifie that Resolve of Parliament concerning Darien without which according to my Opinion there 's none of his Scots Subjects that did contribute for that Expedition but by Law may be pursued as Pirats or their Abettors Or must accept of a Dishonourable Remission I say then in the mean time let the Members accept of all other good Laws his Majesty will be pleased to grant and especially the Act for a Biennial Parliament without which I would not give a Farthing for a thousand good Laws because they will all be broke for want of Execution But never let them give more Taxes during his Majesties Life which are not for advancing some Publick Benefit to the Kingdom And by so doing we will testify to all the World that the Scots are not to blame for being branded with the Ignominious Crime of Piracy Having had all the Right that the Law of Nations could give them for taking Possession of such a Place Being then the Honour and Safety of this Ancient Kingdom the Advantages that may accresce to it for the future and it 's own present Happiness do in a word depend absolutely upon the steddy and honest Conduct of the Members of this Parliament Let therefore every Member who shall prefer his privat Interest to that of the Publick be an Abomination to all Honest Scotsmen Who I hope shall have no more reason to complain to Providence in the Words of Lucan Faelix Roma quidem Civesque habitura superbos Si Libertatis Superis tam Cura placeret Quam Vindicta placet FINIS