be a People that seldom or never mistake their Interest They are sensible how useful the Alliance of Scotland may be to them both in regard of their Liberty to fish in our Seas without controul and of being a Curb upon England in case the old Roman Maxim of delenda est Carthago should come any more to be applied by the English to that Republick as in the Reign of K. Charles II. They are likewise sensible of the Advantage it would be to their trade to be partners with the Scots at Darien and how effectual it may be to disable the Freâ—…ch to pâ—…sue theiâ—… Clâ—…im to Spâ—…in â—…nd by 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 tâ—…e old Title of thâ—…t â—…own upon their own Seven as well as to swallow up thâ—… other tâ—…n Provinces Thâ—…se things together wâ—…â—… lonâ—… conâ—…inu'd Amity and Trade beâ—…xt Scotlâ—…nd and Holland and their Union in Religion and Ecclesiastical Disciplinâ—… are sufficient to evince that thâ—… Dutch would become ouâ—… 〈◊〉 in America with little 〈◊〉 Thâ—…t they â—…re able to asâ—… us in that Case with a 〈◊〉 Force sufficiâ—… is beâ—…ond contradiction and that they would soon be convinc'd it is thâ—… 〈◊〉 to do it to prevent that moâ—…strous Iâ—…crease of the Frenâ—… Mâ—…chy is obvious enough from the part they acted in the lâ—… Wâ—… But admitting thâ—…t none of those 〈◊〉 should preâ—…il with the Dutch aâ—…d that they should likewisâ—… abandon us it is not impoâ—…ble for us to obtain aâ—… Alliance aâ—…d Naval Force 〈◊〉 tâ—…e Northerâ—… Croâ—…ns It 's well enâ—…gh kâ—… tâ—…at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abound â—…ith Meâ—… and Shippiâ—…g and that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… their hearts to mâ—…ke an Exchange of 〈◊〉 for the Gold 〈◊〉 Silver of America which they might eaâ—…ily carry from Toâ—… to Toâ—… 〈◊〉 from Market to Market 〈◊〉 the trouble of a Wâ—…l-barrâ—… as they are now obliged to do â—…ith their â—…per Frâ—… all â—…ich it is evident 〈◊〉 that it is not impâ—…ble â—…or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maintain themselves iâ—… Darien wiâ—…out the Aâ—…ance of England The next thing to be discours'd of is what the 〈◊〉 may probably be if the Eâ—…glish should oppose us in this Settlement We could hâ—…ily wish theâ—…â—…d â—…ever been any ground for this suggestion and that the Opposition we have met with from England had been lesâ—… National â—…han that which we hâ—…d from both their Housâ—…s of Parliament afâ—… the pâ—…ssing an Act for an African Company c. in ouâ—…s aâ—… it 〈◊〉 to be wish d 〈◊〉 so many of the English had not given us such proofs of an alienated mind and 〈◊〉 to our Welfare as they hâ—…ve donâ—… sincâ—… by their Resident at Hamborough and theiâ—… late Proclamations in their West India Plantations and we could have wish'd above all that his Majesty of England had not in the least concuâ—…'d or given his Countenance to that Opposition for as King of Scots it is â—…ain he could not do it he ha h confirm d what we have done by the Touch of his Scepter which no private Order or 〈◊〉 can revoke And we could wish that his English Counsellors who put â—…m upon those things would remember that Strafford and Laud lost their â—…eads â—…or giving K Charles the First that fatal Advice in oppressing and opposing the Scots We diâ—… verily think that the suffering of our Crown to be uniâ—…ed with that of England in the person of K James their first and our Sixth our seasonable coming to the rescue of â—…heir expiâ—…ing Libeâ—…es in the Reign of K. Charles I. our being so instrumental to rescue them from Anarchy and Confusion by the Restoration oâ—… K. Charles II. and above all our Generous and Frank Concurrence with them in the late happy Revoluâ—…ion and Advancement of K. William III. We did verily think that all these things deserv'd a better Treatment and to evince that they did we shall begg leave to â—…nsist a little upon the first and last The English have no cause to think that we were ignorant of the Reason why their Politick Henry VII Chose rather to match his Eldest Daughter with the King of Scots than with the King of France because he foresaw that if the King of Scots should by that means come to the Crown of England he would remove the Seat of his Government thither which would add to the Grandeur and Riches of England Whereas if the King of France did by that means fall Heir to the English Crown he would certaâ—…nly draw the Câ—…t of England to Paris â—…his the Scots were so 〈◊〉 from being ignorant of that many of the Nobility and Genâ—…ry did express their dislâ—…ke of the Union of the Crowns as well knowing that it would reduce our Kingdom into a Subjection and Dependance upon England and drain us of what Substance we had and theresore some of them express'd themselves on that occasion that Scotland was never Conquer'd till then Yet such was our Zeal for the common Wellfare of the Island the Interest of the Protestant Religion and of Europe in general which were then almost in as much danger by Spain as they have been since by France that we quietly and freely parted with our King and suffer'd him to accept the English Crown rather than the Nation should be involv'd in War and Confusion and the Protestant Religion indanger'd by another Successor as it must necessarily have been had the Infanta of Spain whose Title was then promoted by the Popish Interest Succeeded And all the reward we had for this Condescension and Kindness was a contemptuous and disdainful refusal on the part of England of an Union of the Nâ—…tions when proposed tho the same would visibly have tended to the Benefit of the whole Island the general advantage oâ—… Europe and the security and increase of the Protestant Interest And our King was so little thankful on his part that tho he promis'd solemnly in the Great Church of Edinburgh before his departure that he would visit his Antient Kingdom once in three years he never saw it after but once and that not till 14 years after And by the influence of that same Faction in England who are still our Enemies he made Innovations both in Church and State contrary to the Laws of the Land and his own solemn Oath which laid the foundation of all those Disasters that ended in the faâ—…al Exit of his Son and the subversion of the Government of both Nations These were the first Advantages we had by the Union of the Crowns His Son King Charles I had scarce ascended the Throne when we had new Proofs of the Disadvantages we labour'd under by that Union For he by the Advice of some Enemies to our Nation did in an Imperious and Arbitrary manner send for our Crown tho the only Monument almost left us of our Independency and Freedom but was generously answer'd by him that had it in keeping That if he would come and be Crown'd in Scotland he should have all the Honour done him that ever was
to the said Province either by Inheritance Mâ—…rriage Donation Purchase Reversion Surrender or Conquest which being the only Titles by which they or any other People can claim a Right to those or any other Dominions if the Spaniards cannot make out their Right by those of any of those their Claim must of consequence be null and void It is evident that the Spaniards cannot pretend a Tittle to that Countrey by Inheritance Martiâ—… or the Donation of Prince and People and as to Conquest it would be ridiculous to alleadge it since the Dariens are in actual possession of their Liberty and were never subdued nor receiv'd â—…ny Spanish Governor or Garison amongst them Nay they were so far from it that Wafer Dampier and others that have wrote of that Countrey do all agree that they mortally hate the Spaniards were in War with them and that the Spaniards had no Commerce with those Indians nor command over them in all the North side of the Isthmus a little beyond Porto Bello Capt. Sharp in the Journal of his Expedition published in Capâ—… Hacke's Collection of Voyages gives an account that in 1680 he landed at Golden Island with 330 Men and being joyn'd by one of the Darien Princes whom they call'd Emperor and another to whom they gave the Tittle of King Golden Cap with some hundreds of their Men took Sancta Maria attempted Panama and made prize of several Spanish Ships which is the more remarkable because Capt. Sharp was afterwards tryed in England for Robbery and piracy on this very Account but acquitted because of his Commission from those Darien Princes which is a plain Demonstration that the Government of England did then look upon Darein to be no way subject to Spain whateveâ—… some who are Enemies to the SCOTS do now say against the Legality of their Settlement in that Country This same Expedition against the Spaniards by assistance of the Darien Indians is confirm'd by Mr. Dampier in his Introduction to his New Voyage round the World And the â—…p of Chiapa a Prelate of their own in his Relation of the Spanish Voyages anâ—… Cruelties in the West-Indies p 217. owns that the Spaniards had no Title to the Americans as their Subjects by right of Inheritance Purchase oâ—… Conquest We have likewise a large Account and a full Confirmation of the War and perpetual Enmity betwixt the Dariens and the Spaniards in the History of the Buccaneers of America Vol. 2. Part 4. wrote by Basil Ringrose who was one of their Company There he inâ—…orms us that the Indians of Darien and the Spaniards are commonly at War with one another and that the Buccaneers were invited into that Countrey and join'd by the Darien Princes Capt. Andreaâ—… Captain Antonio and the King of Darien who assisted thâ—…m in the taking of Sancta Maria auâ—… their Attempt upon â—…anama and the King whose Daughter the Spaniards had stole away promised to join the Buccaneers with 50000 Men. This is the more remarkable because those very Princes or their Successors are now in League with the Scots and have joyfully receiv'd them into their Countrey So that it is the strangest Imposition that can be put upon any Nation and one of the most audacious affronts that ever was put upon so Great a Prince as K William for the Spaniards to pretend a Right to Darien and accuse him of a Bâ—…each of the Peace because a Colony of his Subjects have settled themselves there when it is so well known to the World that the Crown of Spain has no manner of Title to that Province Then as to any Claim by virtue of Possession the Spaniards have noâ—… the least grâ—…und of Plea All they can alledge on this head is that they were once admitted by the consent of Capt. Diego another of the Darien Princes to work on some Golden Mines within 15 Leagues or thereabouts of the SCOTS Settlement But it is plain that this makes nothing for their purpose That Prince admitted them only as Labourers but not as Proprietors and when they broke the Conâ—…itions on which they were admitted viz to allow the Dariens such and such Shares of the Product they were expell'd again by forcâ—… and ever since that time the Dariens refuse to have any further dealings with the Spaniards who made themselves odious to them by their Treachery and Insolence So that Mr. Wafer tells us pag. 133. they allow a distinguishing Mark of Honour to him who has kill'd â—… Spaniard and pag. 179. that Lacenta one of the chief of the Darien Princes did in his converse with him express his Sense and Resentment of the havock made by the Spaniards in the West of America at their first coming thither It remains then that the Spaniards can lay no other claim to Darien but what they plead from the Pope's general Grant of America its being bounded by their Dominions and the Treaties with England which shall be considered in their Order To urge the Pope's Grant amongst Protestants is ridicolous and amongst Papists themselves but precarious but admâ—…tting it were sufficient to justifie their Title it is easie to prove that the Spaniards have forfâ—…ited all the Right that they can claim by virtue of that Grant The Church oâ—… Rome will not publickly own her power to grant a Right of Conquest but in order to propagate the Faith and not that neither except the Infidel Prince or People be guilty of a breach of Treaty So that the Pope's Grant with these Restrictions is so far from establishing the Title of the Spaniards that it plainly overthâ—…ows it That the Indians were committed to the Spaniards by Pope Alexander the VI. on condition that they should teach them the Christian Religion is proved by Don Bartholomew de las Casas Bishop of Chiâ—…pa iu his Account of the first Voyages and Discoveries made by the Spaniards in America and the Relation of their unparallel a Cruelties p. 165. and there he likewise owns that their acquitting themselves so ill of that Commission they ought to make Restitution of all they have taken from them under this pretâ—…xt And pag. 200 he charges them with breach of the Terms prescrib'd by the Apostolical Brief tho Queen Isabella to whom it was granted earnestly entreated them to keep exactly to it P. 218. he says that the Title of the King of Spain to the Indians is â—…ounded only on the Obligation he hâ—…d taken upoâ—… himselâ—… to instruct them in the true Faith as appears by the Apostolick Bâ—…ief which they wâ—…re so far from performing that instead of converting their Souâ—…s they destroyed their Bodies having in those early dayes viz In the time oâ—… the Emperor Chaâ—…les V. muâ—…dered above 40 Millions of them and â—…ook so little care to 〈◊〉 them in the Christian Religion that they perfectly obstâ—…ucted their Conversion and sold those very Idolâ—… that some of the poor people had 〈◊〉 away with abhorrence to oâ—…her of the Indians ibid p 194. which
a Letter to the Governor of Panama asserting that the King of Darien was true Lord of Panama and all the Countrey thereabouts and that they came to assist him History of Buccaneers Vol. 2. part 4. p. 32. And we have mentioned before that Capt. Sharp who was accused of Piracy for that same Expedition and succeeded Sawkins in his Command was acquitted in England because he had that Prince's Commission Having fully prov'd that the Spaniards have no Title in Darien it remains to be prov'd that the SCOTS have as good and just a Title to their Settlement there as any People in the World can have which may easily be demonstrated thus They were authorized by an Act of Parliament and the Kings Letters Patent to plant Colonies in Asia Africa or America upon Places not inhabited or any other Place by Consent of the Natives not possest by any European Prince or State Being provided with this Authority than which there cannot be a Greater or one more duly and honestly limited they equipp'd their Ships and landed on the North side of the Isthmus of Darien in November 1698. where the Spaniards as has been fully prov'd never had any possession and no other European Prince or State pretends any Claim to it Being arriv'd there they fairly obtained the Consent of the Princes and People of the Country and particularly of Captain Andreas who is the chief Man in that Tract And after a solemn Treaty and Alliance deliberatly made and wrote in Spanish because the said Prince understands that Language they peaceably enter upon their new Colony without either Force or Fraud So that they have religiously kept to the Conditions of the Act and Patent which is a plain demonstration hat they have a just and legal Title to their Settlement and a Right to the Protection of the Government against the Attempts of the Spaniards or any other People whatsoever The next Topick to be insisted upon is the Advantage or Disadvantage that may redound to England from this Settlement We shall begin with the Disadvantage which consists in the supposed Damage it may do to the Trade of England and that it may as is pretended occasion a Rupture between them and Spain To this we may easily reply that being a distinct and independent Nation we are not oblig'd to consult their Interest any further than they consult ours and that we have as much Reason to maintain this Colony because of the Advantage it may bring to our selves as they have to oppose it because of the Disadvantages that they fancy may arise from thence to England But withal we deny that it can be any damage to their Trade which from that part of the World consists chiefly in Sugar and Tobacco neither of which are yet to be found in New Caledonia But that which we look upon to be a compleat Answer to the Objection is this That they may be sharers with Us in the settlement if they please and by consequence Partners in the Profits and Trade and lay it under such Regulations as may prevent its endamaging the Commerce of England And whereas it is further objected That by the great Immunities and freedom granted to the SCOTS Company for so many Years we shall be able to undersell the English Company forestal their Markets and lessen his Majesties Customs we answer that this Objection is in a great measure obvâ—…ated since we do not now pretend to set up an East-India Trade but admitting it were true it will be to the general Advanâ—…age of the English Nation since the Buyers are always more than the Sellers It must certainly be better for the Kingdom in general that every one who has occasion for Muslâ—…n or Indian Silks c. should have so many shillings per Yard or peice in their Pockets than that some two or three Merchants should once in an Age get Money enough to make a Daughter or two a Countess or Dutchess Noâ—… can it be denied but it's better for England that Housekeepers in general should save that Money to buy Provisions for their Families which consumes our own Product than that a dozen of Merchants should be enabled by the extravagant prices of those commodities to keep their Coaches Add to this that the English if they please by joining with the SCOTS may have an equal share of all those Immunities and if there should be for some time a lessening of the King's Customs of which there is at present no manner of prospect it will be sufficiently made up in time to come by a large Addition if that Colony prospers so that the King's Bounty in that respect is but like the bestowing of charge to improve barren or waste Ground which will return with treble Interest to him or his Heirs There 's another Objection made against the SCOTS Company that by their Constitution such Ships as belong to them must break Buâ—…k â—…o 〈◊〉 but in Scotland whâ—…ch will diminish thâ—… number of English Ships and Seâ—…men and make Scotland the only Free Port of all these Commodities â—…o which it 's â—…eplyed That tho ouâ—… own Ships are obliged to break Bulk no where but at home they don't lay same Obligation upon others but allowing them a free Trade to Darien they may caâ—…ry their Goods where they please or upon fair Proposals there 's no doubt but the Parliament of Scotland will give â—…he English all possible Liberty as to that matter Then as to the hazaâ—…d of a Rupture with Spain we reply Thaâ—… the Spaniards are in no condition to break with England when they are not able to maintain themselves against the Insuâ—…ts of the French by Sea and Land and the only way to secure them in thâ—… British Interest is to have a powerful Colony in Darien which lying in the very Centre oâ—… their American Dominions and within reach of their Silver and Gold Mines will be an effectual Cuâ—…b upon them and not only prevent their own Hostâ—…lities but their joining at any time with our Enemies or if they do being Masters of their Money we shall speedily cut â—…e sinews of their War In the â—…ext place we uâ—…ge that it will be very much for the Inâ—…rest and Advantage of England to incourage and support us in â—…his Settlement 1. Because by this means the SCOTS will increase their shipping and come in time to have a Naval Force capable of assisting the English in the common Defence of the â—…sland in maintaining the Soveraignty of the Seas and convoying their Merchant Men in time of Waâ—… the necessity of which is obvious enough since they and the Duâ—…ch both have been scarce able to secure their Tâ—…ade maintain their Dominion in the Seas and defend themselves from the Invasions of the French during the last War Nor can the English always promise to themselves the Amity of the Dutch who are their Rivals in Trade and difâ—…er far enough from them both in Tâ—…mper and Interest there 's noâ—…hing
Proclamations against having any Commerce or Trade with the Scots at Darien Tho they be settled there according to the Terms of his own Patent and an Act of Parliament in Scotland We are not insensible that the present Juncture of Affairs obliges the Kingdom of England to carry fair with Spain and may admit that in part as an Apology for some of that Opposition we have met wiâ—…h from them but the questioning our Act of Parliament at first and their hindering our Subscriptions at Hamburgh afterward before ever they knew what our design was make that excuse of little weight but allowing it all the Force they would have it to bear it may be worth their while to consider whether it be more their Interest to incourage the Spaniards in an unjust Opposition to our American Settlement or to support the Scots in maintaining their Right It is certain that the Spaniards are in no condition to break with England or if they should it 's in the power of the English to reduce them speedily to reason whereas if the Scots should miscarry in their Undertaking by the Discouragements from England before-mentioned which exposes our Ships to be taken and treated a Pirates by any Nation that pleases the infallible consequence of it will be that the Ruin and utter impov'rishment of Scotland which must necessarily follow such a miscarriage will immediatly affect England both in her Trade and Strength The City of London and the Northern Road will soon feel the Effects of it when the Money spent by our Gentry and Merchants continually for Cloaths Provisions and Goods ceases to circulate there England must unavoidably become an easier Prey to any forreign Enemy since it will not be only the loss of a Tribe but of an entire Sister-Nation Or supposing that Scotland should be able to bear up under the loss it will lay the Foundation of an irreconcilable Feud and perhaps issue in a War betwixt the two Nations which did never yet terminate at long run to the advantage of England and is as unlikely to do so now as ever For in such a case they would find us unanimous as one Man against them whereas we are sure that all those who wish well to the Protestant Interest and their present Constitution would never join in any such War against us and therefore those who are Enemies to the Peace of the Nations being aware of this labour to Effect their design by another Method and endeavour as much as they can to dash the Government against one another But they are mistaken in the People of Scotland we are so sensible of our obligations to K. William and know so well what is due to our Deliverer that it surpasses all their Art to create in us the least ill thought of him it is not in the temper of our Nation The World knows that however frequent and successful we have been in reducing our bad Kings to reason yet there never was any People under the Sun more Loyal and affectionate to good Princes than we have been and is when we have been forc'â—… to oppose our Monarchs private Persons have sometimes carried â—…eir Râ—…tments too high yet the publick Justice of the Nation was alwâ—…e govern'd with Temper We could multiply instances to prove this but need go no higher than the three last Kings who tho aâ—… oâ—… them Enemies to our Constitution as appear'd by their Principles and Practices yet it 's very well known what we both did and suffer'd for them and particularly for K Câ—…arles I. tho the Malice of a Faction in our Neighbouring Nation six'd a â—…ous Reproach upon us as if wâ—… had sold â—…im 〈◊〉 which Refâ—…ection we are sufficiently vindicated by the Lord Hollis's Memoirs before-mentioned wherein that excâ—…llent Pâ—…rson makes it Evident that tho our War against that Prince was just yet we had all possible respect for his Person made the 〈◊〉 Conditions â—…e could for his Safeâ—…y and Honour and to avoid greater Mischâ—…fs and the playing of our Enemies Came to the 〈◊〉 of our sâ—…lves and his Majesty we were 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him in England Memoirs p. 68. Then since we carried it so to a Prince that had been no 〈◊〉 kind to us it will be impossible to create a Breach 〈◊〉 â—…s anâ—… a Prince to whom under God we owe all that we 〈◊〉 as Meâ—… and 〈◊〉 But at the same time our Neighbours wâ—…o 〈◊〉 â—…o driâ—…e 〈◊〉 Nâ—…il as far as it will go would do well to 〈◊〉 â—…hat â—…e never bâ—…liev d that Doctrine in Scotland that it is 〈◊〉 to resist a King or 〈◊〉 that has a Commission under him upon any pretence whatsoever we 〈◊〉 that Doctrine in Scythia 〈◊〉 whâ—…ce sâ—…me Aâ—…ors derive our Origin and think it oâ—…ly fit to be â—…nt back to Turkey from whence it came We know very well how to distinguish betwixt a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the abuse of it And our Ancestors rightly understood how to obey the lawful Commands of their Princes when Masters of themselves and how to govern by their Authority and in their Name when â—…ey were not tho they did not think themselves obliged to oâ—…ey their personal Commands when the Fortune oâ—… War or other Accidents had put them into the hands of our Enemies Thus we refused Obedience to K. James I. when detain'd prisonet in England contrary to the Law of Nations and carried over into France to command his Subjects there not to bear Arms against the English Army where he was in person We told him we knew how to Extinguish betwixt the Commands of a King and those of a Captive And that most of the Kings of Scots have been such in Relation to us since the Union we could heartily wish were not too demonstrable To return to the point of what may probably be the Consequences if the English should proceed to any surther degree of of Opposition Or if the Scots should misearry in the Design It 's reasonable to believe that the English will be so wise as to forbear Hostilities tho we are very well satisfied there is a Party in that Nation who bear ours no Good-will but they being such as are either disaffected to the present Constitution or acted by a sordid principle of private Interest it 's to be hop'd they will never be able so far to leaven the sound part of the English Nation as to occasion a Rupture betwixt them and us Yet we must needs say that we look upon their way of treating us to be a very unaccountable thing and that it was no small surprise to us to find that an English Parliament should look on our taking Subscriptions in England in order to admit them Joint-Sharers with our selves in the benefit of the Act to encourage our Trade to be no less than a high Misdemeanour We have reason likewiwe to complain of their constant practice of pressing our Sea-men in time of War as if they were their own Subjects and that they should treat