General Monk ' s Undertaking for it cannot be denied that we had the Ballance of Europe in our hands at the time of the last Revolution and that we turned the Scale to the advantage of England in particular and of Europe in general which must be allowed to be as great a Service as that which was so thankfully rewarded by Edward and William the Conquero whence it is evident that those Englishmen who at present oppose our Settlement in America don't inherit the gratitude of their Ancestors when they not only will not allow us to trade in Conjunction with them but withstand our doing any thing that may advance a Trade by our selves If they object that what we did in all those cases was no more thâ—…n our duty and what we ow'd to our own preservation as well as to theirs it is easie to reply that admitting it to be so yet by the Laws of GOD and Men People are encouraged to perform their Duties by Rewards and their Ancestors were so sensible of this that tho they knew we were equally coneern'd to defend the Island against foreign Invaders as well as they yet they thought themselves obliged in Policy as well as Gratitude to reward us which they not only did by that Honorary Premium of allowing us to be Denisons of England as abovementioned but sometimes gave to us and at other times confirm'd to us the three Northern Counties of Northumberland Westmorland and Cumberland to be held in Fee of the Crown of England It is likewise very well known with how much honour the Parliament of England treated us when they courted onr Assistance against K. Charles I. and what large Promises that Prince made us if we would have but stood Neuter which tho we had reason to think many of those that opposed him had no great kindness neither for our Civil nor Ecclesiastical Constitution yet the sence that we had of the common danger that our Religion and Liberties were in at that time made us proof against all those Tentations so that after all Endeavours for a Reconciliation betwixt the King and Parliament of England proved unsuccessful we sent an Army which cast the Ballance on the side of the latter who before that time were reduced low enough by the Kings Army as is very well known to such as are acquainted with the History of those times and is own'd by my Lord Hollis in his Memoirs lately published But to return to the last Revolution Tho we must own that we owe our Deliverance to his present Majesty and were oblig'd in Conscience and Honour to concurr with him Tet who could have blam'd us to have stood upon Terms before we had fallen in with England Especially considering how ungratefully nay villanously we were treated by Cromwel and his Party after we had sav'd them and the Parliament of England from the Scorpions that the Cavaliers had prepar'd to chastise them with as is own'd by the said Lord Hollis Not could we have been any way Calpable if we had stood upon higher and surer Terms with his Majesty Considering how unthankfully we were abus'd and enslav'd by our late Kings for whom we had acted and suffered so much And tho we must own that no less Present than that of ouâ—… Crown was sufficient to testify our Gratitude for what the Prince of Orange had done for us yet we were under no necessity of gratifying him in that manner since our Deliverance was effected before hand and that he himself in his Declaration expres'd it to be no part of his design to come for the Crown so that our Re ward was as frank and generous as his Service Then as to England we were under no manner of obligation to continue the Union with them We might have insisted upon having our King obliged to reside as much amongst us as amongst them that we should be govern'd without any Consideration or respect to their Interest any further than it fell in with our own We might have insisted upon an Act that we should not be oblig'd to attend his Majesty at any time at the Court of England about our Affairs but that he should either attend upon our Administration in person pro re nata as he does now upon the Affairs of Holland or lay down Methods to have his Pleasure signified to us at Home in such cases as it was requir'd which would save a vast deal of Money annually to the Kingdom of Scotland Then as to the Succession we were under no Necessity of settling it in the same manner as they did in England for since they had made a Breach in the Line they could not handsomely have blam'd us to have made an improvement of it and either to have limited the Reversion after his present Majesty's Death or otherwise as we should have thought best for the Security of our Civil and Religious Liberties or we might have settled it upon the Prince of Orange and his Issue by any other Wife there being cause enough then to conceive that he was never like to have any by his late excellent Princess Had we taken any of these Methods it must be own'd that England would have been considerably weakned and lessen'd in the Esteem of the World by it that we should have thereby had an opportunity of making such Forreign Alliances with France as formerly or with any other Nation as would have made England uneasy and perhaps unsafe on occasion and therefore it must be reckon'd highly impolitick as well as ungrateful in our Neighbours to treat us continually at such a rate as if they had a mind to bring us under Subjection since we have so many open Doors to get out at They must not think that we have so far degenerated from the Courage and Honour of our Ancestors as tamely to submit to become their Vassals when for 2000 years we have maintain'd our Freedom and therefore it is not their Interest to oppress us too much If they consult their Histories they will find that we alwayes broke their Yoke at long-run if at any time we were brought under it by force or Fraud The best way to assure themselves of us is to treat us in a Friendly manner Tho we be not so great and powerful as they it is not impossible for us to find such Allies as may enable us to defend our selves now as well as formerly None of these things are suggested with an ill design to raise Annimosity betwixt the Nations or to perswade to a Separation of the Crowns but meerly to shew those of our Neighbours who use us os unkindly that they are bound in Gratitude Duty and Interest to do otherwise and particularly to support us in our American Settlement and not to lay our King under a necessity by their froward Humours in Parliament or otherwise to discourage us in that Undertaking as they have hitherto done and continue still to do in their American Colonies by their
A DEFENCE OF THE SCOTS Settlement at DARIEN WITH An Answer to the Spanish MEMORIAL against it AND ARGUMENTS to prove That it is the Interest of ENGLAND to join with the SCOTS and protect it To which is added A DESCRIPTION of the Countrey and a particular Account of the SCOTS Colony Printed in the Year M. DC XC IX TO THE KING'S Most Excellent Majesty SIR THE Interest you have in the flourishing of Your Antient Kingdom of Scotland whose Crown is transmitted to You by an Hundred and eleven of your Ancestors without ever having been on the Head of a Forraigner emboldens the Author to lay the following Sheets at your Majesties Feet The design of them is to vindicate the Settlement of the Scots in Darien and Your Majesties Justice in protecting them against the Oblique Aspersions which are cast upon it in the Spanish Memorial The Soveraignty of the Crown of Scotland hath alwise been held Sacred by our Ancestors who never were sparing of their Blood to defend it either from the Invasion of Foreigners or the mean Compliance of some few of our Princes that were unworthie to wear it and therefore were either totally excluded from it as the Family of Baliol or oblig'd to reassert its Right when rescu'd out of the Hands of their Enemies as happen'd to our William I. and James I. Providence having now plac'd it on the Head of Your Majesty whose Heroic Courage is known to all the World our Nation should be unjust to Your Character to expect any thing less than that our Crown which You receiv'd free and independent from Your Ancestors should be transmitted by You with greater Advantages than ever to Your Successors Therefore it is Great Sir that a privat Subject of your Antient Kingdom takes the holdness to vindicate the Soveraignty and Dignity of Your Crown as Kings of Scots and to put such as are Enemies to it in mind that when Edward I and II. of England invaded it the Scotish Nation did gallantly defend it advanced Robert Bruce to the Exclusion of Baliol the nearest Heir and acquainted the Princes of Christendom that they did so in defence of their Independency adding that they would expel Robert Bruce if he offered to betray their Liberty and would never subject their Crown to that of England whilst there were 100 Scots men alive This being the fundamental Constitution of our Government and the Condition on which that Prince and his Successors were admitted to Our Crown they can in no wise be look'd upon as Friends to your Majesties Dignitie as King of Scots who call in question what You enact in the Parliament of that Kingdom or that offer to traverse it by contrary Proclamations We are Your Majesties Subjects as well as our Neighbours and have an equal Right to share your Protection which its hop'd they will at last be convinc'd it is their Interest to agree to in relation to our American Settlement Your Majesty's Paternal Affection to the Kingdom of Scorland hath discover'd it self in many Instances nor is it to be desired or expected by our Nation that it should any way interfere with the like Care and Affection which is owing to our Brethren of England but there is no reason that they should enjoy a Freedom of Trade throughout the World and that we should be denied it â—…our Majesty in yoâ—…r Gracious Proposals os an Union gave sufficient Evidence of a Fatherly Concern for both Nations Thereforo as it hath pleased GOD to make You the Glorious Instrument of our Common Deliverance that He would also make you the happy Instrument of our Inseparable Union and after a long Reign here Crown You with Everlasting Glory hereafter is the sincere and ardent Prayer of Your Majesty's Loyal and Affectionate Subject Philo Caledon A DEFENCE of the Settlement of the SCOTS on the Isthmus of DARIEN in America With Arguments to prove That it is the Interest of England to join with them and to protect them in that Colony THE Heads propos'd to be insisted upon in the following Sheers arâ—… The Legality of the SCOTS Establishment The Advantage or Disadvantage that may redound from it to England Whether the Scots without the Assistance of the English may be able to maintain their footing in America and what may probably be the Consequences if the Scots should be oppos'd therein by the English and miscarry in the Undertaking The chief Objections against the Legality of their Establishment ariâ—…e from the Memorial delivered in against it to the King by the Ambassad or Extraordinary of Spain May 3 1699. O S as follows THE Under-Subscriber Ambassador Extraordinary from his Catholick Majestie finds himself oblig'd by express Orders to represent to your Majesty that the King his Master having receiv'd Information from different places and last of all from the Governor of Havana of the Inâ—…ult and Attempt of some Scots Ships equip'd with Men and other things requisit who design to settle themselves in his Majestres Soveraign Demains in America and particularly the Province of Darien His Majesty receiv'd those Advices with very much difcontent and looks upon the same as a Token of small Friendship and as a Rupture of the Alliance betwixt the two Crowns which his Majesty hath observed hitherto and alwayes observes very religiously and from which so many Advantages and profits hath resulted both to your Majesty and youâ—… Subjects as a Consequence of which good Correspondence his Majestie did not expect such sudden Insults and Attempts by your Majesties Subjects and that too in a time of Peace without pretext or any Cause in the very heart oâ—… his Demains All that the King desires is That this may be represented to your Majesty and that your Majesty may be acquainted that he is very sensible of such Hostilities and unjust Procedures against which his Majesty will take such Measures as he thinks convenient Given at London May â—… 1699. It were easie to make proper Remarks upon the Weakness Insolence and ingratitude of this Memorial but it is not worth while all the World knows what the Crown of Spain ows to his Majesty of Great Britain and therefore a more civil Application might reasonably have been expected to a Prince who hath not only saved the Netherlands but prevented his Catholick Majesty from being insulted on his Throne at Madrid But these things we pass over and come to the chief point in the Memorial which is That the Scots have posted themselves in the King of Spain ' s Demains in America contrary to the Allyance betwixt the two Crowns If this be proved to be â—…alse then the cause of the Complaint ceases and his Majesty of Great Britain hath reason to demand Satisfaction for the Affront offered thereby to his Justice and Soveraignty To prove the falshood of the Allegation That the Province of Darien is part of the King of Spains Demains It is positively denied by the SCOTS who challenge the Spaniards to prove their Right
to his Ancestors but if he dâ—…d not think it worth his while they might perhaps be inclin'd to make choâ—…e of another Soveraign or to that effect as recordâ—…d in the Conâ—…uation of Sâ—…r Richard Baker's History Another 〈◊〉 we had by that Union of the Crown was this That that unfortunate Prince being inspir'd with an Aversion to the Constitution of our Country by his Education in the Court of England he made an unnatural War upon us to bring us to a Conformity with England in Church-Matters We shall not here offer to debate which of the Churches was best constâ—…uted or most agreeable to the Scripture-Pattern It suffices for our Argument that we were injur'd in having a Forreign Model offered to be obtruded upon us which was â—…he Consâ—…quence of the Union of the Crowns and of having our King eâ—…ucated in another Nâ—…tion but that was not all another mischievous effect of the Union was this that whatever K. Charles had deserv'd at our hands â—…et out of natural Afâ—…ection Conscience and Honour we were oblig'd to do what we could to prevent his illegal Trial and Death and to defend his Sons Title which threw us into Convulsions at home occasion'd us the loss of several Armies and exposâ—…d our Nation afterwards to Ruine and Devaâ—…tation by our implacable Enemy the Usurper which together with the Ungrateful Retributions made us by the Government after the Restoration were enough to have wearied any Nation under Heavâ—…n but our selves of the Union of the Crowns Yet such was our Zâ—…al for the Protestant Intrest the Welfare of the Islâ—…nd and the Liberty of Europe that tho we had a 〈◊〉 opporâ—…ity of providing otherwise for our 〈◊〉 and the Advancement of ouâ—… Trade and of forming our selves into a Common wealth or or bringing England to our own terms yet we frankly and generously concurr'd with them to settlâ—… our Gâ—…vernment on the same Persons and in the same manner as they did theirs and all the Reward we had from them is that an Union of the Nations tho twice propos'd by his Majesty in Parliament hath been 〈◊〉 rejected our King questioned by Parliament of England â—…or an Act of his Parliament in Scotland which is a manifest Impeachment of our Soveraignty a Compliance with which excluded Baliol and his Heirs for ever from our Crown and to this they have added an opposition to our receiving foreign Subscriptions at Hamburgh and elsewhere refus'd us a Supply of Corn for our Money to relieve us in our Distress and discourag'd our Settlement aâ—… Darien by forbidding their Subjects to Trade with us there If these continued Slights and Injuries be not enough to make us weary of the Union of the Crowns let any Man judge To discover a little of the unreasonableness of this sort of Treatment we dare appeal to the calm thoughts of such of our Neighbours in England as prefer the Interest of the Publick to private Animosities and foolish ill-grounded Piques either as to Church or State whether at the time of the Revolution and before we declar'd our selves they would not have been willing to have assur'd themselves of our Friendship at the rare of uniting with us as one Nation Had we but demurr'd upon forâ—…eiting the late K. James or made but a Proffer of renewing our antient League with France and joining with that Crown to keep that Prince upon rhe Throne of Great-Britain they know we might have made what Terms we pleas'd with the late King Louis XIV on that condition and might have been restor'd to all the Honours and Privileges that our Ancestors enjoy'd in France which were almost equal to those of the Nâ—…tives and yet that gallant Nation thought it no disparagement to them however we be despis'd and uâ—…dervalued now by a certain Party in England Had we but seem'd to have made such Overtures the English must needs have foreseen that the natural Consequences of such a design iâ—… it had taken effect must have been these viz the late King's Adherents in England would certainly have join'd us and our Nation would have afforded them a safe retreat in case of any Disaster till they could have concerted Matters to the best advantage the late King would not have yielded himself such an easy Conquest nor disbanded his Army in such a manner as he did Ireland had certainly never revolted since every one knows that the Revolution was begun and in a great measure perfected there by the Scots of the North so that England must have become the Theatre of War been lyable to an Invasion â—…rom France on all occasions would only have strengthned her Fetters by struggling with them and expos'd all the Patriots of her Religion and Liberty to Butchery and Destruction These must certainly have been the Consequences os our adhering to the late King and the English would have thought they had had a very good Bargain if they could have bought us off in that Case with uniting both the Kingdoms into one and granting us a joint Trade to their own Plantations whereas now they will not allow us to settle a Forreign Colony of our own and treat us as Forreigners in theirs To shew that this is not a mere Conjecture that has no other ground but a Vision of the Brain they may be pleased to consider the honourable Privileges granted US by their Ancestors and some of the greatest Princes that ever swayed their Scepter viz King Edward and William the Conqueror who by the Consent of the States in Parliament assembled enacted That the Scots should be accounted Denizâ—…ns of England and enjoy the same privileges with themselves because of their frequent Intermarriages with the English and that they did ever stand stoutly as one Man with them for the common Utility of the Crown and Kingdom against the Danes and Norwegians fought it most valiantly and unanimously against the common Enemy and bore the burden of most fierce Wars in the Kingdom This they will sind in a Book call'd Archaionomia translated from the Saxon by William Lambard and printed at London by Joâ—…n Day in 1568. It must be granted that the Reasons of such a grateful Retribution are redoubled now Intermarriages betwixt the two Nations are more frequent than ever the Union of the Kingdoms under one Crown for almost 100 years the generous Concurrence of the Scots in the last Revolution their loss of so many gallant Officers and brave Soldiers in the common Cause during the late War and the preservation of Ireland which hath been twice owing to ouâ—… Countreymen might reasonably entitle us to the same Priviledges now that our Ancestors were formerly allow'd by K. Edward and William the Conqueror We need not insist on another sort of Obligatiâ—…n that we have put upon England twice within this 60 years viz the delivering them from their Oppressions in the time of K. Charles I. the Anarchy of the Rump and several Models of Armies and Juntos by encouraging
out â—…or other Allies by their Opposition and Neglect We shall conclude this matter with one or two more Arguments to prove That it is thâ—… Interest of England to join with us in this Affair by which also it will appear that there is nothing advanc'd in these Shâ—…ets out of any ill Design against the English Nation or to perswade to a disuâ—…iting of the Crowns but on the 〈◊〉 that a stricter Union is absolutely necessâ—…rry â—…hat both Nations may have but one Interest which will render us less lyable to Convulsions and intestine Commotions at home and put us out of danger of being atrack'd by Enemies â—…rom abroad The first Argument is this That by Encouâ—…ging ouâ—… Settlement at Darien English Ships that have occasion to pass by those Coasts will there be certain of a placâ—… of Retreat in case of attack either by Enemy or Tempest without danger of being Confiscated by the Spaniards and having their Men condemn'd to be perpetual Slaves in their Mines 2. Iâ—… we be encouâ—…aged in ouâ—… American Colony it will Contribute much to heighten the Consumption of the English Product since what we have not of our own or wherein we are wanting either as to quality or quantity we shall supplâ—… ouâ—… selves â—…or the use of our Plantation in England which may be of great benefit to the Northern Counties especially whence we may conveniently furnish our selves with B â—…eves â—…or Victualling our Ships ouâ—… own Cattle being for the most part too small for â—…hat use besides many other things that we shall have occasion â—…o export to England for the use of the Plantation and to maintain a Commerce with the Naâ—…ives 3. By joining with us in this Colony and securing a Post on the South-Sea which the Princes of Darien will no doubt very readily agâ—…ee to they may shorten their Voyages to the East-Indies and by that means be able to Outdo all their Rivals in that Trade But if they will be so far wanting to themselves as to suffer those advantages to fall into the hands of others who are Enemies to our Religion and common Country They cannot blame the Scots who have made them such fair Offers And if ouâ—… Nation should miscarry in the Attempt they themselves cannot expect to stand long but must be buried in the common Ruines and fall unpitied 4. If after all the English should continue obstinate in their Opposition to us as their late Proclamations in America and other Passages would seem to imply they have a mind to the World cannot blame the Scots to provide for themselves by such other Alliances as they shall think meet since the English are so unkind and have been constantly growing upon us especially since the Restoration of King Charles II. to which we did so much contribute that without our Concurrence it could never have been effected This will appear to be incontâ—…overtibly true iâ—… we consider that in the time of K. â—…ames I. we were uâ—…der no Restrictions as to matters of Trade more than they except as to the Exportation of Wool and a few other things of English Product and so we continu'd till the Restoration when King Charles II. and the English did very ungratefuâ—…ly lay suâ—…h Precâ—…usions and Restrictions upon us contrary to the Laws relating to the Postnati by the 12th of Car 2. for the incouraging and increasing Shipping and Navigation and the 15 Car 2. for the encouraging of Trade by which we are put in the same Circumstances â—…s to Trasfick with France and Holland and in a worse Câ—…ndition than Ireland that is a Conquest which is so much the more unreasonable since we are always invol'd and ingag'd in the Wars betwixt England and other Countries And those with whom they have most frequent Wars being Holland and France the only two Nations with whom the Scots have almost any Commerce our Trade must of necessity sink during such Waâ—…s whereas England hath still a great Trade to other parts of the World and by this means we are forc'd to be sharers in their Troubles tho they will not allow us to partake of their Profits nor suffer us to take any measures to procure such as we may call our own It is plain from the Instance of Darien and the Proclamations in the English American Colonies against their Subjects Entertaining any Commerce with our Settlement there that by the Union of the Crowns upon the present footing we are in a worse Condition than ever For when any thing happens wherein the Interest of England seems to be contrary to Ours it is certainly carried against us and we are left without Remedy So that in this respect we are in a worse Condition than any Forreigners with relation to England â—…or if a Foreign People discover any thing that may be of advantage to them they are at Liberty to pursue it by themselves or to take in the Assistance of others And if they find themselves aggriev'd by England they have their Respective Governments to make application to for Redress But we are the most unhappy People in the World For if Endlâ—…nd should oppose us we have no King to appeal to but one that is eâ—…ther an Alien and Enemy to us as being King oâ—… a greatâ—…r People who are such or if he be inclinable to protect and do us Justice as King of Scots he is a Prisoner in England and cannot do it If they Question him in the Parliament of England for any thing relating to his Government of Scotland as in the case of our late Act for an East India and African Trade his Interest as King of England obliges him to submit himself as King of Scotland By which means our Crown which we desended so gallantly for so many Ages and which the English could never make subject to theirs by force is now intirely subjected by a false step of our own in suffering our King to take their Crown upon him without making better Terms for our selves So that instead of having a King to fight our Battels we hâ—…ve made a Surrender of our Prince to the Enemy who arm him againâ—…t us and which is worst of all we have satisfied our own Proverb as to our selves That Scots men are wise behind hand For tho we sufficiently smaâ—…ed for it in the four last Reigns yet we had not so much foresight or Care of our selves as to prevent the Consequences of it in this Reign when it was in our power to have done it Then if we make Application to our antient Allies or any other foreign Power for our Assistance when we groan under Oppâ—…ession then we are treated as Rebels Thus our whole Nation was proclaim'd such for but offering to make Application to the King of France as our ancient Friend and Ally when a certain Party in England had arm'd our natural Sovereign K. Charles I. against us And that which is still worse tho our Crown from the time of the Uniâ—…n has