+Source.+--_A Journey to Edenborough in Scotland_, p. 112, by Joseph
Taylor, late of the Inner Temple, Esquire. Edited from the original
manuscript by William Cowan. (Edinburgh: 1903.)
It hapned whilst we were at Edenborough, that the Act for a treaty of
Union, between England and Scotland, was upon debate, and having the
honour to have severall Lords and Members of parliament often dine with
us, they inform'd us of the Grand day when the Act was to be past or
rejected, and by speciall favour of my Lord high Commissioner, we had
leave to stand upon the throne by his right hand: The usuall way to
admit strangers is to give them a battoon; which holding in their hands,
shows that they are forreigners. The Lords and Comons sit together; As
soon as we heard the names call'd over, We observ'd Dukes, Marquesses,
and Earles sat on the Uppermost seats on the right hand, Viscounts and
Barons on the uppermost Seats of the left, The Knights of the Shires
under the Dukes, Marquesses, and Earles, and the Burgesses and Commoners
under the Viscounts and Barons. The Lord Chancellor under the
Commissioner's Throne, The Lord Treasurer on his right hand, and the
Secretary of State on his left, and directly under him the Lord Justice
Clerk, and at the head of a long Table, on which is plac't the Crown,
Scepter, and Sword, the Earle Marshall; The Lord high Commissioner has
his Commission always before him in a velvet purse on his cushion.
When they began to debate, we observ'd that the principall leading men
of the High party, or those which oppos'd the Court, were the Duke of
H----,[14] the Duke of A----,[15] the Lord C----y,[16] and the Lord
B--a--en,[17] and one Fletcher of Salton, who speaks well, but with a
great deal of passion, The Earle of S--f--d,[18] who is Lord C----r,[19]
is a very ingenious man, His cheif perfection, and what is most
requisite for his office in the house, is resuming debates, which he
does with an admirable dexterity, by giving soe happy a turn for the
Interest of the party he espouses, that he generally carryes the point,
without the censure of either party. The Lord high Commissioner says
nothing; The Duke of Ar----e[20] was thought, as we were told not only
too young for so high a Station, but too warm to bear the Reflections of
some of the leading Malcontents, but on the contrary he behav'd himself
in this criticall juncture, with so sedate and even a Temper, that he
justly gain'd an universall reputation, and brought the Sessions to a
happy conclusion. The Lord Chancellor determines upon all debates who
shall speak first, when anything is put to the vote, every member is
call'd by his name, and answers singly, approven, or not approven. The
grand debate this day, being about the Act for a treaty with England,
many learned speeches were made on the occasion. Some were for passing
no Act till England had given them satisfaction for the affront they
pretended was put upon them, by the Act pass'd last Sessions in England,
which not only declar'd them Aliens, but prohibited their goods, and
thereby touch't them in the most sensible part. Fletcher said, that
England could not make them Aliens, since they were naturall born
subjects to the Queen; ... After his debate, others were for making the
English Aliens in Scotland, as a Retaliation for our making them soe in
England: ... But after many other debates, and hard reflections on the
English, it was at last put to the Vote, whether there should be added a
clause to the Act of treaty, which should prohibit any treaty with
England, till England had rescinded the Clause of Aliens, or whether it
should be in a seperate way. Seperate way was carry'd by two Voices, ...
The next great point was, whether the Queen or parliament should have
nomination of Commissioners: ... 'Twas carry'd the Queen should nominate
by 4 Voices. Then a Gentleman propos'd to add a clause, to preserve the
discipline and Worship of the Kirk of Scotland, as at present
establish'd: One propos'd it should be the Religion and Discipline, but
my Lord Chancellor told them, that was all the same thing, and H----[21]
said, 'twas not worth a Vote, and his brother the Earl of R----[22]
ask't whether they might not add the Lord's prayer and Creed, and indeed
by what I could observe, they would add the whole Common Liturgy of the
Church of England, for they seem'd to be quite tir'd of the Kirk
discipline: Now the whole Act being finish'd, the Vote was put whether
it should be carry'd approven, or no, and 'twas carry'd approven, by 34
voices. As soon as this was over, we left the house, and that night
Collonell Ogilby,[23] the Lord Chancellor's brother, the Lord
Hardress,[24] and severall Lords and parliament men, came to our
lodgings, and embrac'd us with all the outward marks of love and
kindness, and seem'd mightily pleas'd at what was done; and told us we
should now be no more English and Scotch, but Brittons. And thus we
merrily spent the night, in drinking to the Success of the treaty and
happy union, and next day, Colonell Ogilby and some Scotch Lords
enquir'd mightily for the 3 English Gentlemen, as they call'd us, having
a mind to give us a chirrupping Cup,[25] but we went to Leith that day,
being willing to avoid them.