the Help of Spectacles may plainly perceive that he sticks at nothing to advance his Cause either by wresting or perverting the Truth of the History by reason there can be no Parity in the Example between the several Cases of these dead Kings whom he now brings on the Stage and King William nor is there any Colour of Allusion to introduce them here for Scare-crows For the Truth of the Story runs thus After the Death of Alexander the Third Ten or a Dozen far-fetched Relations of the Royal Family standing Competitors for the Scots Crown it was agreed on by the different Parties to prevent the Effusion of Blood that the Trial of their several Claims should be referr'd to Edward the First of England Edward accepting the Office came to Berwick then a Scots Town where after a long time spent in canvassing the several Titles he found Bruce Baliol and Cummin stand fairest for it To make a long Tale short he now found it in his Power to accomplish that which his Predecessors struggl'd for for some Hundred Years before to wit a Submission of the Scots Crown to that of England He felt Bruce's Pulse but it did not beat to his Mind then he sounded Baliol who had more English Blood in him by half than Scotch who easily condescended to his Terms Edward declares John Baliol King of the Scots and the Scots Nobility having swore Allegiance to him in his Presence proceeded to his Coronation That being over the new Scots King with his Nobility came to King Edward to thank him for his Civility at Newcastle where having been splendidly regaled for some time and the English King being to set out for London John Baliol with his Train of Nobles came in a full Body to kiss his Royal Fist where on a suddain King Baliol claps down on his Knee and swore Fealty to Edward as his Sovereign Lord and to hold the Scots Crown for ever of him and his Successors Kings of England Baliol having ended this Ceremony pointed to his Subjects to follow his Example which being needless to dispute on that Ground no Body stumbl'd at it save a peevish Old Gentleman by Name Douglass who was Caged up for the Remainder of his Life for want of good Manners Baliol and his Nobility march'd home to Scotland as chearfully as Half a Dozen Citizens Wives return to their Husbands after they have been decoy'd into a Ramble and kiss'd by strange Fellows and they being all alike Scabby made no Words on 't for some Years and perhaps had not then if a rash Sentence had not been pass'd by Baliol in his own Court in Prejudice of a certain Thane or Earl who thinking himself injur'd appeal'd to Edward as Sovereign Lord King Edward being willing to show his Grandeur summon'd Baliol up to London and being seated on a Throne in his Court of Judicature his Fellow King had the Honour to set by him till such time as the Tryal came on and then he was oblig'd to step down to the Common-Bar and Plead for himself The Gentleman had got so much Scotch Blood in him by his Three Years Government of that Kingdom that he stomach'd the Disgrace and could not tell how to digest it till he went Home and consulted his Nobility who were all alike tardy with himself It was soon agreed on to bid Edward Defiance declaring That their King and they were only trick'd into their Submission by his foul Artifice Both Nations Arm'd but Edward got the Better on 't for having over-run Scotland and made them once or twice swear heartily anew and having caught John Baliol by the Neck would never afterwards trust him with such an Office but kept him Prisoner at London for many Years till at the Intercession of the Pope and French King his Imprisonment was enlarg'd to France where he died a Quondam King Now whether this Fate of John Baliol has any Relation to what your Author designs since 't is plain that Edward both made and unmade him and not the Scots I refer it back to himself to reconcile As for the other Baliol by Name Edward and Son to this John he finding that Robert Bruce was the Second time dead came from France to England and there having Edward the Third's Leave to raise what Men he could to seat himself on his Father's Old Throne found Voluntiers enough who were the Relations of those who were foil'd at Bannocksburn and with those and a few of King Edward's Ships he lands in the Heart of Scotland and set young David Bruce's Crown on his own Head without asking the Scots Leave and kept it till Dâ—vid with the Assistance of his Father-in-Law the French King took it from him again Neither can I see the Paralel in this with King William's Case for Edward Baliol took the Crown at his own Hand nolens volens whereas King William had it press'd upon his Head by the unanimous Consent of the Scots Nation As for the other Two Examples of James and William the First what they did while it was their Misfortune to be Prisoners in England could not stand in Law neither did I ever hear that after their Freedom and Restauration to their Dignities their Scots Subjects did ever reckon it to them for Sin But as there 's no great Advantage or Credit to be purchased by ripping up such old Sores so I am willing to leave tracing this Gentleman's Evidences and rather take Things on his own Authority than foul Paper about it Mean while I 'll be as impertinent as he is with his Earl of Strafford and some others and acquaint you with something that may be nearer the Case It has been observ'd in Scotland in the Course of several Ages that it hath been ever fatal to Families when they became so powerful as to swell beyond their Proportion Witness that of the Cummins in Robert Bruce's Reign the greatest that ever has been in Scotland Witness that of the Gouries of a latter Date And if I should add that of a latter Family within the Reach of our Memory which might have reasonably been reckon'd in the same Class had it not been for the happy Accident of the Revolution I cannot be far mistaken I say most of these Gentlemen being too great for Subjects lost themselves with Jearus in their Flight Some got red-hot Iron Crowns and others Halters but that which was more Tragical their whole Families and Dependants were hung up like Haddocks to dry in the Sun that they might never afterwards rise in Judgment I heartily wish there may no such Examples happen in our Age and that no suspected Persons sit so close to the Machine of your Colony nor wind up its Spring further than it will go least it should snap and the Ingineers get o'er the Fingers End Being sensible that I have trespass'd in the Epidemical Crime of my Fellow-Scribblers by swelling my Dedication beyond its Proportion and perhaps said more than some Persons care
A DEFENCE OF THE SCOTS ABDICATING DARIEN Including An ANSWER TO THE DEFENCE OF THE Scots SETTLEMENT there Authore BRITANNO sed Dunensi Vitaret caelum Phaeton si viveret quos Optaret stulte Tangere nollet equos Ovid. de Trist Printed in the Year 1700. To the Right Worshipful THE COURT of DIRECTORS OF THE Scots Affrican and Indian Company The DEFENCE of the Scots Abdicating of DARIEN IS Humbly DEDICATED Right Worshipful GENTLEMEN THE immense Priviledges and Immunities wherewith your present Sovereign and indulgent Father WILLIAM the Second hath invested your Company by that Octroy of the Year 1695 argues his good Inclinations towards you so far that whilst he was in the warmest Trenches of Namure and not sure but that Act might be his last Legacy authoriz'd you and your Successors to Plant and maintain Colonies in whatever Part or Parts of Asia Affrica and America you pleas'd provided these Places or Territories were not the Propriety of such European Princes or States as were in Alliance of Amity with His Majesty and freed you for the Space of Twenty One Years from all Duties on the Product of such Plantations c. You were not only impower'd to defend your Colonies and Trade by Force of Arms but likewise had His Majesty's Promise to interpose the Regal Authority to do you Right in case you were disturb'd in such Legal Possession or Trade and that at the publick Charge to be presum'd of the Ancient Kingdom His Majesty having thus granted you so large and glorious a Patent no to be paralell'd by that of any Company or Society in the Vniverse much less by any of his Royal Ancestors your Native or Vnforeign Kings both the present and after Ages will expect that the same should be transmitted by you the present Directors to your Successors without any Stain or Blemish that may incur the Hazard of a Forfeiture And that by your Management your Children may reap the Benefits of it with the same if not with more Advantages This emboldens the Author who was the first Person employ'd in your Service for your Foreign Expedition and the first who left it to lay the following Sheets at your Feet And he takes upon him to put you in Mind that if you had not misapply'd the Money intrusted to your Management the Want whereof is so much felt at Home by the great Number of needy Persons who expected their Dividends before now And if you had listen'd to the wholesome Advice of Mr. Douglass an eminent and experienc'd Man in India who offer'd himself for your Pilot and his Substance for your Security which was more than the Three best Shares in your Capital Stock and had not been bewitch'd to the Golden Dreams of Paterson the Pedlar Tub-preacher and at last Whimsical Projector you might e'er now have been possest of a good Colony in India where no Body could disturb you And not have run on an Airy Project which altho' you should have met with an Opposition from the Spaniard four times your Capital Stock could not have brought to any reasonable Pitch of Answering the End And had you been Masters of so much Management and Temper as to have sav'd that Fifty Thousand Pounds which you squander'd away on those Six Hulks you built at Amsterdam and Hamburgh purely to make a Noise there of your Proceedings whereby you thought to decoy the innocent Dutch Men or at least their Gelt into your Net and had therewith bought a Couple of Second-hand Ships in the River of Thames and dispatch'd them to India with a suitable Cargoe not of Scotch Cloth Slippers Periwigs and Bibles you might have had such Returns e'er now as would have buoy'd you up so far above Water as you needed not proclaim to the smiling World so many publick Ropings of the Shares of your Capital Stock Sed quos Deus or Jupiter perdere vult eos dementat If you were thus perswaded to run headlong on a blind Project at which the Trading Part of the World stand amaz'd the India Companies of England and Holland laugh at in their Sleeve and the rest of Mankind admire that People in their right Senses should be guilty of And if the same should miscarry by your own ill Management to say no worse on 't 't is not fair you should snarle at your Neighbours who have no other hand in your Misfortune than that they would not be accessary to any Act which the World might judge Felonious and wherein they could not join without ingaging themselves in an unreasonable War and in the End to assist you with Weapons to break their own Heads WILLIAM the Second who as you say in an untainted Line is the 112th King that hath wore your Regal Diadem has wrought and fought sufficiently for the Gift your Nation prudently thought their Interest to make him Or admit it should be true that there was no private Interest consulted by those generous Donators yet it is obvious to the World that by being Subjects of the King of Great Britain you are not only shaded from the Insults of all Nations but by the Authority of your British Sovereign you are freed from the daily Feuds and bloody little Wars which before the Vnion for a Tract of Time not less than 1900 Years were continually raging amongst your selves which unnatural Massacres your Native Princes were so unable to suppress that when the contending Clans or Parties were glutted with one anothers Blood and desir'd the Benefit of the Princely Mediation those were pleas'd to accept of the Office of Vmpires in Patching up the Feuds till such time as the young Fry came of Age to fight it out These Barbarities have been quite turn'd out of Doors since the Vnion and they are now either almost or altogether forgot neither are they to be reviv'd unless it be by this so-much-wish'd-for Separation of Three or Four Months Date Your People now enjoy the Blessings of Heaven and Product of the Earth and Ocean without any interruption and whereas formerly they liv'd on the Mountains and under the Shelter of some strong Rocks or Castles they are now come down to the Plains and can sleep sound in Beds without the least Apprehension of Blood and Rapine And to Crown your Felicity you have now a free Enjoyment of the Gospel in the Fulness and Purity thereof which has ever been reckon'd the chief Care and Blessing of all Political Bodies You are at Liberty to say your Prayers either in Form or out of Form which you please without any Dread of Sophistical Impositions by Romish or Malignant Priests And now you praise your Maker in stately Churches whereas formerly these gallant Men your Ancestors were oblig'd to offer on such Altars as Jacob made and to whisper their Prayers or Carrols through the Cliffs of the Mountains or the Chimney of some House whose Wall was some Twelve or Fourteen Foot thick All these Blessings you owe to Heaven and the British
that all the Salvo we could make to dash the Story was by saying that this was the Companies sho'el Anchor if every thing else should fail them but that they had no occasion to make use of that Power at present nor that Mr. Paterson meant so when he spoke it But that which gave us the dead stroke in Holland just as the Companies Books were open'd the East and West India Companies run open mouth'd to the Lords of Amsterdam shewing what was hatching by the Scotch Commissioners in their City to ruine the Trade of the United Provinces The Lords gave them satisfaction in the matter and made no noise of it for we were made to understand in a day or two afterwards that our Subscriptions were dash'd and none to be expected there On this occasion it was resolved in the Commitee that Paterson and the Colonel should forthwith proceed to Hamburgh to see what could be be done there the rest being to remain in Holland for some time to give the less Umbrage to the Hamburgh Project The Hamburghers swallow'd the bait to a wish for the more opposition the English and Dutch offer'd to the project confirm'd them the more that it was their Interest to embrace it The River Elve on which Hamburgh stands is Navigable for flat bottom Barges of 70 or 80 Tuns for some 200. Miles up into the Country of Germany which gives them an opportunity of serving all the North parts of that Empire with Goods more conveniently then the Hollanders can And as they have no East India Goods but what they have at second hand from England and Holland or a few from Denmark by joyning now with the Scotch Company they have a prospect of worming the Hollander out of a good part of the German Trade In Parenthesi I must own that this part of the Project was Reasonable on both the Scotch and Hamburgher side if it had been meant as it was told but the Devil on 't was the Hamburgers knew nothing of Darien but builded altogether on Ships laden with India Goods whereof their City and Port was to be the Receptacle and Mart while Paterson wanted only their Money to raise Forces to over-run Mexico and Peru. The way being thus prepared by these two Fore-runers the body of the Commitee receiv'd advice to repair thither at sight all things being ready for Signing and Sealing And I receiving orders to accompany them set out from Amsterdam after we had spent three Mouths there in vain and arrived at Humburgh on Lady-day 1697. Our Affair was so generally favour'd by the Burghers of this City that at our arrival we printed Placaarts and fix'd them on the Exchange and other publick Places there intimating that the Companies Books were to be open'd in the Commercie Kamber the week following for Subscriptions but they were to take notice the best Jest on 't That by the Constitutions of the Company no Man could sign above 3000 l. sterling for himself as likewise that their Books could not admit above 200000 l. in all These Placaarts were no sooner pasted up on the Posts than Pamphlets were crying up and down the Streets full of ill Nature and a great many sad Truths advising the Hamburghers to enquire further into the Project before they parted with their Money lest they should never see it again These Pamphlets contain'd 3 or 4 Sheets and were printed in French High and Low Dutch under the Title of A Letter from a Friend in Amsterdam to his Friend in Hamburgh But the Hamburghers having such a Confidence in Paterson's Phiz and smooth Tongue and by the forward appearance the Company made with their new Ships of 50 Guns all in a row they believ'd all this stuff to be hatch'd in Samaria from whence no good can be expected But that the Scriptures might be fulfill'd by the Elects meeting with Disappointments and Crosses while they sojourn here or on the other hand that of Honesty's being the best Policy either you please the Companies Book was likewise shut up here without getting a Groat of the Hamburgers Money although that City got near 30000 l of the Company 's The human reason of this Disappointment if I am not mistaken was as follows in the Octroy there was a certain unnecessary Paragraph which occasion'd a great many English and Hollands Speculations viz. That in case the Company should be interrupted in their Trade c. the King had ingag'd to interpose the Regal Authority to do them Right and that at the publick Charge Paterson and the other Agents of the Company to magnifie their Charter did insinuate in all Companies That the King was to assist and defend them with his Ships of War or otherwise if there was occasion and that out of his own Pocket which they did not question to be English Coin when at the same time the words of the Act cannot bear it much less That a Scots Act of Parliament should dispose of English Ships and Money But since the Scotch Company would force this gloss on the Text for their Advantage the English Traders to India made as profitable a use of it the other way for say they Was it not enough that the King of Great Britain should pass an Act in favour of his Scots Subjects to Trade to India and exempt them from Duties for 21 years which is an evitable Prejudice to the English Trade since it 's impossible to hinder them from sending their India Goods by stealth over the Border and underselling our Markets by 25 or 30 per Cent. but that they should be empower'd to take in Forreigners to be Sharers with them in this Trade and not only thereby suck the Blood and Marrow out of England for 21 years but that our English Ships of War for the maintenance of which great Taxes and Imposts are laid on our Trade and Goods should defend this Scotch Company 's Trade and these Foreigners who run away with the whole These weak Proceedings of Paterson and the other Agents with the Sentiments the English had of it made the Government of England send to the Senate of Hamburgh a Caution by Sir Paul Ricaut Resident there to take care how they suffer'd their Burghers to embark with private Men the King's Subjects under the hopes of the English Protection which being to the Prejudice of their own Subjects could not be reasonably expected This was the Substance of the Memorial given in to that Senate who had never hitherto countenanc'd the Committee altho' the Private Burghers were so Resolute to Join Adverse Fortune still attending our Embassie they thought fit to steer homewards and make the best of a bad Market being now fully satisfy'd that there 's no other Body's Money to be Trusted to but their own And having left me with Legate Stevenson to tend the Ships till farther Orders they set out from Hamburgh in April The Report of this Mournful Story being made to the Board in Scotland they found that they