CHAPTER VII.

THE UNION OF THE CROWNS.

_James VI.; results of the Union_ (1)--_restoration

of Episcopacy_ (2)--_planting of the Highlands_

(3)--_Articles of Perth_ (4)--_founding of Nova Scotia_

(5)--_the King's death_ (6)--_Charles I._; _resumption

of benefices_ (7)--_King's visit and coronation_

(8)--_Book of Canons_ (9)--_Liturgy tumults_ (10)--_the

Tables_ (11)--_renewal of the Covenant_ (12)--_Hamilton

Commissioner_ (13)--_Glasgow Assembly_ (14)--_war in the

north_ (15)--_pacification of Berwick_ (16)--_Assembly and

Parliament_ (17)--_invasion of England_ (18)--_Treaty of

Ripon_ (19)--_war breaks out_ (20)--_Montrose's campaign_

(21)--_dealings with the king_ (22)--_the Engagement_;

_Whiggamores' raid_ (23)--_Directory_; _confession of

faith_ (24)--_the king's death_ (25)--_Charles II._;

_fate of Hamilton and Huntly_ (26)--_Montrose's rising_

(27)--_arrival of Charles_ (28)--_Cromwell's conquest_

(29)--_the coronation_ (30)--_battle of Worcester_

(31)--_union with England_ (32)--_Glencairn's expedition_

(33)--_the Restoration_ (34)--_episcopacy re-established_

(35)--_fate of Guthrie and Argyle_ (36)--_the Ejection_

(37)--_western rising_ (38)--_the Persecution_ (39)--_the

Indulgence_ (40)--_murder of Sharp_ (41)--_Sanquhar

Declaration_ (42)--_Drumclog_ (43)--_Bothwell Bridge_

(44)--_Test Act_ (45)--_Argyle's opposition_ (46)--_James

VII._; _the Killing Time_ (47)--_Argyle's rising_

(48)--_the Indulgence_ (49)--_deposition of James_

(50)--_William and Mary_; _the Convention_ (51)--_the

Rabbling_ (52)--_Dundee's revolt_ (53)--_battle of

Killiecrankie_ (54)--_attack of Dunkeld_; _Buchan's

attempt_ (55)--_dealings with the chiefs_ (56)--_Massacre

of Glencoe_ (57)--_Darien Scheme_ (58)--_William's death_

(59)--_Education Act_ (60)--_Anne_; _Act of Security_

(61)--_trial and death of Captain Green_ (62)--_the Union_

(63)--_literature and art_ (64)--_summary_ (65).

=1. James VI., 1603-1625. Results of the Union.=--Immediately after

the Union of the Crowns, the _Border laws_ on each side were repealed,

and it was settled that subjects of either country born after the

Union should no longer be looked on as aliens in the other, but should

have the undisputed right of inheriting property in either. A _Lord

High Commissioner_ was appointed to represent the King in Scotland,

and there was some talk of an union of the parliaments, but it was not

carried out.

=2. Restoration of Episcopacy.=--The great desire of the King was

to bring the Church of Scotland into conformity with the Church of

England. To bring this about, he summoned some of the ministers to

England, in the hope that he should be able to persuade them to agree

with him. _Melville_, their leader, spoke out so plainly against

episcopacy before the bishops in the Privy Council that he was sent to

the Tower and finally banished. But the King carried his point, and in

1606 the Estates passed an act for the restoration of the bishops. No

acts of church government were in future to be lawful without their

consent, and though the General Assembly was still to go on, its power

was to be very much lessened. As the old line of Scottish bishops

had died out, John Spottiswood, Andrew Lamb, and Gavin Hamilton were

consecrated by English bishops at London House to the bishoprics of

Glasgow, Brechin, and Galloway. To avoid all dispute about the old

claim of supremacy, neither of the English archbishops was present.

But these bishops had a very hard time of it, for they did not get the

lands of their sees restored to them as had been promised, and many of

them had hard work to get a living at all. In 1610, two _Courts of High

Commission_ were set up. These courts were afterwards united into one,

but, as this court was under the control of the Court of Session, it

could never be so tyrannical as the Court of High Commission in England.

=3. Planting of the Highlands.=--In the early part of his reign James

had tried to do something to improve the state of the _Highlands_. To

this end three new burghs were founded, and the lands of all chiefs

who could not show written titles were declared forfeited. These

lands were given to _Lowland_ colonists, who were however soon glad

to give up any attempt at settling among their lawless neighbours.

The _MacGregors_, whose district lay close on the Lowland border,

had shown themselves the most savage and lawless of all the Highland

clans. _Argyle_ was commissioned to hunt them down, but they beat the

Lowlanders with great slaughter in a battle at _Glen Fruin_ in 1604.

Their chief was afterwards taken and hanged, and the name proscribed,

but that was only breaking the power of one clan, whilst the others

remained as formidable as ever. To prevent such outbreaks in future,

_Argyle_ and _Huntly_ were entrusted with full powers to carry on the

planting of the Highlands. Three conditions were required of those

chiefs who were suffered to stay in possession of their lands. That

they should give sureties for the good order of their clans; promise

to let their land for a fixed rent in money instead of all other

exactions, and agree to send their children to school in the Lowlands.

These changes not only strengthened the Government, but made united

action on the part of the clans more difficult.

=4. Articles of Perth.=--The King only paid one visit to Scotland

after his accession to the throne of England. He then gave great

offence by introducing ceremonial vestments at the service in his own

chapel. These vestments and other ornaments which were customary in

England were hateful to the presbyterians. The passing of the "_Five

Articles_" by a General Assembly held at _Perth_ completed their

dismay, and plainly showed the King's intention to impose upon them the

ceremonies which they so much disliked. By those Articles the private

administration of the sacraments was allowed, all persons were enjoined

to kneel at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, to bring their children

to the Bishops for confirmation, and to observe the five great

festivals of the Christian Church as holidays.

=5. Founding of Nova Scotia.=--The poverty of their country and the

love of adventure had made the Scots from the earliest times ever

ready to seek their fortunes abroad. They had won themselves renown

as soldiers or traders in nearly all the countries of the Old world,

but they had not as yet any colony of their own in the New one.

Hitherto these emigrants, though they were called Scots, had been

chiefly _Saxons_ from the Lowlands, but in the beginning of this reign

bodies of _Celts_ had gone back to the original _Scotia_, and in

_Ulster_, their old home, they won back settlements from the kindred

Celtic race who now looked on them as intruders. But while some of

the wanderers thus went back to the old country, others were founding

a _New Scotland_ beyond the sea. This, the third land to which the

wandering people gave its name, was called by the _Latin_ form of the

name, _Nova Scotia_. It was granted by a Royal Charter to _Sir William

Alexander_, afterwards _Earl of Stirling_, the projector of this scheme

of emigration in 1621. This new settlement was divided into 1,000

parts, and every adventurer who was willing to brave the hardships of

an uncleared country, and resist the encroachments of the neighbouring

settlers, was rewarded with the rank and title of baronet. About the

same time too the Lowlanders were encouraged to go over to the _North

of Ireland_, and to take up the lands from which the Irish chiefs had

been driven. As the soil there was much better than that which they

had left, they gladly agreed to the change, and passed over in great

numbers, more than ten thousand going in two years.

=6. The King's Death.=--On the twenty-seventh of March, 1625, the King

died. He had governed Scotland during his twenty-two years of absence

with a much firmer hand than in the troubled time of his personal

rule. He had then been quite at the mercy of his ministers and of the

nobles. The wealth and power of his larger kingdom made him now able to

deal with the smaller one pretty much as he liked, and the nobles were

too eagerly seeking favour and place at the richer court to be willing

to risk the loss of them by opposing his will. James was quite unlike

all his forefathers. He had good abilities and an unusual amount of

learning, besides a good deal of common sense and shrewdness, which he

sometimes made use of, but his repulsive appearance and manners, and

his want of self-reliance, exposed him to ridicule and contempt. He had

none of the courage, high spirit, graceful tastes and ready wit that

spread a veil over the faults and vices of his ancestors. Yet he alone

escaped the tragic fate that seemed the doom of all the _Stewart_ line,

and was singled out from among them for an almost fairy-like change and

advance of fortune.

=7. Charles I., 1625-1649. Resumption of Benefices.=--_Charles_, who

succeeded James as King of the two kingdoms, had even more exalted

ideas than his father of the power of the prerogative. It fell to the

lot of the Scots to take the lead and set an example to the English

in resisting his arbitrary measures. Before he had been a year on the

throne, it was clear that he meant to carry out his father's plan of

making the _Scotch Church_ as like the _English Church_ as possible.

He issued a proclamation recalling all the church lands which were in

the hands of laymen, whether they had been granted by the crown or not.

The holders protested against this injustice, and at last a compromise

was made by which they agreed to give up part of the lands they held on

condition of having their claim to the rest made good.

=8. King's Visit and Coronation.=--In 1633 Charles came to Scotland,

and was crowned with great pomp in the Abbey church of Holyrood. The

vestments that were worn on this occasion by the clergy gave great

offence to the people. Their discontent was increased by an order from

the King enjoining their own ministers to wear surplices, and the

bishops to wear rochets and sleeves, instead of the Geneva cloak as

heretofore. While Charles was in Scotland, a meeting of the Estates was

held, in which he met with no opposition, owing to a new arrangement

in choosing the _Lords of the Articles_. Formerly this committee had

consisted of eight members from each _Estate_ chosen by their own

peers; but now the bishops were first chosen, they again chose the

barons, and barons and bishops together chose the commons, so that all

those chosen were really the allies of the bishops. A supplication

was drawn up to remonstrate with the King about this interference,

but, instead of taking it in good part, Charles was very angry,

treated their remonstrance as a political offence, and put the lord

_Balmerinoch_, who had revised the supplication which was presented to

him, in prison. He was afterwards pardoned, but this did not make the

King any more popular, as it was thought that he had only liberated

Balmerinoch from fear and not from goodwill. While in Scotland he

founded a new bishopric at _Edinburgh_, which had formerly formed part

of the diocese of _St. Andrews_.

=9. Book of Canons.=--The discontent and distrust of the people which

had been roused by the introduction of vestments, by the increase in

the number of the bishops, and by the appointment of the primate as

chancellor were now brought to a head by the appearance of a _Book of

Canons_, or rules for the government of the Church. This book they

were called on to accept in place of the Book of Discipline, on the

authority of the King alone, unconfirmed by the _Estates_, and not

long after the King attempted to change their form of worship as well.

Through the influence of _Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury_, a Liturgy

was drawn up on the plan of the first book of _Edward the Sixth_. From

this Liturgy the Scotch clergy were commanded by the King to read

prayers in the churches, instead of from the book of _Common Order_

which was still in general use.

=10. Liturgy Tumults.=--The imposition of this book roused the old

national jealousy. The people thought that to have an English service

book forced upon them would be a mark of subjection; and on the day

named by the King for bringing it into use, July 16, 1637, when

the _Dean of Edinburgh_ tried to read the prayers from it in _St.

Giles' Church_, a riot broke out. Stools and books were thrown at the

_Dean_, the _Archbishop_, and the _Bishop of Edinburgh_, who had great

difficulty in escaping out of the hands of the mob. And this tumult was

but a sign of the common feeling throughout the country. The King was

highly incensed and ordered the offenders to be brought to punishment,

and the use of the liturgy to be enforced. Numberless petitions against

it from all ranks of the people poured in on the _Privy Council_, or

were sent up to _London_ to the King, while _Edinburgh_ was thronged

with the petitioners from all parts of the country waiting for the

answer which they hoped would be favourable. No answer was given to

them, but the King issued a proclamation ordering them all to return

to their homes, and threatening to remove the courts from Edinburgh to

_Linlithgow_ if the disturbance continued, as had been done in the late

reign. But this had no effect. The bishops and the other members of the

Council were mobbed, and the supplicants joined in a common petition to

the King, called the _Great Supplication_.

=11. The Tables.=--The Council finding it impossible to treat with a

turbulent mob which increased instead of diminishing, persuaded the

malcontents to choose representatives to act in their names, four from

each class, _nobles_, _lesser barons_, _clergy_, and _burgesses_.

The rest were to return peaceably to their several homes. But this

committee, known as _The_ _Tables_, gave the Council more trouble

than the unruly mob had done, for they made their way into the Council

chamber, insisted on debating there, and demanded that the bishops

should be turned out.

=12. Renewal of the Covenant, 1638.=--Still the King would not give

in, and he met a less submissive protest on the part of his subjects

by another threatening proclamation. On this the _Tables_ renewed the

_Covenant_, with a clause added to it aimed at the bishops. At the last

renewal of the _Covenant_, only notable persons had put their names to

it, but this time it was signed by every one throughout the land, rich

and poor alike. There was the greatest excitement and enthusiasm about

it all over the country, and from this time the popular party became

known as the _Covenanters_.

=13. Hamilton Commissioner.=--A few months later the _Marquess of

Hamilton_ came to _Scotland_ as _Commissioner_ with full power, it was

said, to settle everything. The demands of the _Covenanters_ were that

the _Court of High Commission_, the _Canons_ and the _Liturgy_ should

all be done away, and that a free Assembly and a free Parliament should

be summoned. But Hamilton, acting on the orders given him, kept putting

them off with promises till the King should be ready to put them down

by force, when suddenly the King turned about, promised all they asked,

and agreed that the Assembly should be called, and that the bishops

should be tried by it.

=14. Glasgow Assembly.=--The Assembly met in the Cathedral Church

at _Glasgow_, November 21, 1638. Hamilton opened it as the Royal

_Commissioner_. But after a few days, when the attack on the bishops

began, he withdrew and ordered the members to disperse. They paid no

heed to this order, but went on with the trial of the bishops, who were

all deposed, and eight of them excommunicated. The _Canons_ and the

_Liturgy_ were then rejected, and all acts of the _Assemblies_ held

since 1606 were annulled.

=15. War in the North.=--In the _North_, where _Huntly_ was the _King's

Lieutenant_, the Covenant had not been received, and the Tables

resolved to enforce it with the sword. Scotland was now full of trained

soldiers just come back from _Germany_, where they had learnt to fight

in the _Thirty Years war_, and as plenty of money had been collected

among the Covenanters, an army was easily raised. Their banner bore the

motto, _For Religion, the Covenant, and the Country_, and their leader

was _James Graham, Earl of Montrose_, one of the most zealous among

the champions of the cause. _Aberdeen_, Huntly's capital, dared make

no resistance, for the soldiers occupied the town and the ministers

the pulpits, and Montrose brought Huntly himself back to _Edinburgh_

in his train. But in the first brush of actual war the _King's party_,

the _Cavaliers_, or _Malignants_ as their opponents called them, had

the advantage, for they surprised and scattered the _Covenanters_ of

the _North_ at the little village of _Turriff_, which they had made

their trysting place. In this action, called the _Trot of Turriff_, the

first blood was shed in the great Civil War. The Cavaliers were the

first to draw the sword. Though Huntly had been taken out of the way by

his removal to Edinburgh, his two sons, the _Lord Aboyne_ and _Lewis

Gordon_, supplied his place and called out the Highlanders. _Aberdeen_

changed hands, and again _Montrose_ was sent to subdue the _North_

before the expected struggle with England should begin. At the _Bridge

of Dee_ he defeated the Malignants, and once more entered Aberdeen in

triumph. Just after this entry the news was brought that peace had been

made between the King and the other army of the Covenant on the Border.

June 1639.

=16. Pacification of Berwick.=--While Montrose had been thus busy for

the Covenant in the North, the King had been making ready to put

down his rebellious Scottish subjects with the sword. Early in _May_

a fleet entered the _Forth_ under the command of _Hamilton_. But the

Tables took possession of the strongholds, and seized the ammunition

which had been laid in for the King. They then raised another army of

twenty-two thousand foot and one thousand two hundred horse, and placed

at its head _Alexander Leslie_, a veteran, trained in the _German_ war.

Their army they sent southwards to meet the English host which the King

was bringing to reduce Scotland. The two armies faced each other on

opposite banks of the Tweed. The Scots were skilfully posted on _Dunse

Law_, a hill commanding the _Northern road_. To pass them without

fighting was impossible, and to fight would have been almost certain

defeat. The King seeing this agreed to treat. By a treaty called the

"_Pacification of Berwick_," it was settled that the questions at issue

between the King and the Covenanters should be put to a free Assembly,

that both armies should be disbanded, and that the strongholds should

be restored to the King. June 9, 1639.

=17. Assembly and Parliament.=--The Assembly which met at Edinburgh

repeated and approved all that had been done at _Glasgow_. When the

Estates met for the first time in the New Parliament-house, June 2,

1640, they went still further, for they not only confirmed the Acts

of the Assemblies, but ordered everyone to sign the Covenant under

pain of civil penalties. Now for the first time they acted in open

defiance of the King, to whom hitherto they had professed the greatest

loyalty and submission. Three times had they been adjourned by the

King, who had also refused to see the Commissioners whom they sent

up to London. Now they met in spite of him, and, as in former times

of troubles and difficulties, they appealed to _France_ for help.

When this intrigue with the French was found out, the _Lord Loudon_,

one of their Commissioners, was sent to the _Tower_, and the English

parliament was summoned to vote supplies for putting down the Scots

by force of arms. But by this time the English were beginning to see

that the cause of the Scots was the cause of freedom. There was much

difficulty in raising an army to march against them, and when raised it

was discontented and mutinous.

=18. Invasion of England.=--As for the Scots they mustered stronger

than before, and, on August 20, 1640, they crossed the _Tweed_, and

entered _England_. At _Newburn_ they defeated a body of English, and

crossing the _Tyne_, marched on to _Newcastle_, which yielded to them

without offering resistance. They then took _Durham_, _Tynemouth_, and

_Shields_ without a struggle. Meanwhile news came from Scotland that

the two great strongholds of the East and of the West, _Edinburgh_ and

_Dunbarton_, had again fallen into their hands.

=19. Treaty of Ripon.=--Once more they sent to the King, who was then

at _York_, a supplication in which they declared that all they wanted

was satisfaction to their just demands. The King laid the matter

before a great council of peers which he had called at York. By their

advice it was decided to treat with the Scots. Eight Commissioners

from their army came to _Ripon_, and the treaty which was begun there

was not ended until nearly a year afterwards at _London_. All that

they asked was granted, and they were promised three hundred thousand

pounds to defray the expenses of this war, into which they said they

had been driven. The armies were then disbanded, and peace seemed to

be restored. The King came to Scotland once more, and a meeting of the

Estates was held in which he let the members have their own way in

everything. He also confirmed the right of the Estates to meet once

every three years, and fixed the next meeting for June, 1644.

=20. Breaking out of the War.=--This seeming peace was but the lull

before the storm, and, before one year had passed, the English had

followed the example set them by the Scots in resisting the unlawful

exactions of the King; the _Long Parliament_ had brought his minister

_Strafford_, the chief agent of his despotism, to the scaffold, and had

called on the people to arm in defence of their rights and liberties.

When the great _Civil War_ began in earnest, each side was eager

to secure the help of the fine army which the _Scots_ had at their

command. Religious opinion decided the matter. The Parliament, which

was as much opposed to episcopacy as the Scots were, adopted the solemn

_League_ and _Covenant_, and ordered every one to sign it, and by so

doing induced the Scots to join them. The army was raised again, and

put under the command of the two _Leslies_, _Alexander_, now _Earl of

Leven_, and his nephew _David_, who soon proved the better soldier

of the two. A second time they entered England, January 19, 1644,

and leaving a part of their force to besiege _Newcastle_ marched on

into _Yorkshire_, and joined the troops of the Parliament in time to

share their victory at _Marston Moor_. _Newcastle_ was taken by storm,

October 19.

=21. Montrose's Campaign.=--Meanwhile Montrose, whose zeal for the

Covenant had now changed into zeal for the King, was taking advantage

of the absence of the Covenanting force in England to win back the

North for Charles with an army of Celts alone. It was the first time

that the Highlanders had been turned to account in regular war.

Hitherto they had been thought only capable of preying upon one

another, but now, under a General who knew how to handle them, they

did wonders. The Lowlanders who had hastily mustered to oppose them

were beaten at _Tippermuir_. _Montrose_ then took _Perth_, marched

northward, again defeated the _Covenanters_, took _Aberdeen_ once more,

and held for the King this town which twice before he had held for the

Covenant. He then turned to the West, wasted the country of his great

enemy _Argyle_, pounced down upon and scattered the force gathered

to oppose his own on the shore of Loch Linnhe; kept his army in the

Highlands during the winter, and early in the spring took _Dundee_. He

twice defeated the Covenanters in the country north of the _Forth_,

and once south of it at _Kilsyth_. Thus in a wonderfully short time he

won back nearly the whole country for the King. But the secret of his

success had lain in the rapid marches and sudden attacks that kept his

men busy. When the fighting was over, the Highlanders, as was their

wont, went off in large numbers to take home their spoil. In this way

his army was diminished. _David Leslie_, who had been summoned home

to oppose him, brought some cavalry from the southern army against

his weakened force, and won a complete victory at _Philiphaugh_, near

_Selkirk_, September 12th, 1645. Montrose retreated with the small

remnant that was left to him, but he found it impossible to reassemble

his scattered force. His campaign had lasted little more than a

year, and a few months later the King, who had thrown himself on the

protection of the Scots army at Newark, ordered him to lay down his

arms. Montrose obeyed and left the country.

=22. Dealings with the King.=--While the Scots army was lying before

_Newark_, Charles, whose cause was now nearly hopeless, secretly left

_Oxford_, where he was besieged by the army of the Parliament, and

sought protection in the camp of the Scots. A few days afterwards

_Newark_ surrendered, and they returned with the King to _Newcastle_.

He stayed in their hands eight months. During this time, though they

behaved towards him with respect and courtesy, he was really their

prisoner, and they were busy treating with the Parliament for the

terms of his surrender. If he had turned Presbyterian and signed the

Covenant, no doubt they would have protected him, but after many

arguments with _Henderson_, a noted divine of their party, he still

remained unconvinced. In the end they agreed to leave England on

payment of 400,000 pounds arrears of pay that were due to them. When

they returned to their own country, they left the King to the mercy of

the English Parliament.

=23. The Engagement.=--A few months later, when Charles was a prisoner

at _Carisbrooke_, he made a secret treaty with the moderate party

in _Scotland_, to the effect that, if they would help him to win

back his power, he would confirm the Covenant and would make a trial

of the presbyterian Church in England. On this the _Committee of

Estates_, in whose hands the government was, raised an army and sent

it into _England_, with _Hamilton_, who had been created a Duke,

at its head. They were defeated at _Preston_ by _Oliver Cromwell_,

lieutenant-general of the parliamentary army. The Duke marched on

to _Uttoxeter_. There he and his army laid down their arms, and

yielded themselves prisoners, August 25, 1648. But the extreme party

in Scotland were very wroth against the _Engagers_, as they called

those who had made this "engagement" with the King. They thought that

the taking of the _Covenant_ by the King was a mere pretence, and

that Hamilton's expedition was a sinful helping of the _Malignants_.

A change in the government was the result. Argyle, the head of the

extreme Covenanters, raised his followers, while from the _Western

Lowlands_, which were just waking to zeal for the Covenant, a body of

men, with _Lord Eglinton_ at their head, marched on Edinburgh. This

was called the _Whiggamores' Raid_, from Whig, a word used in the

Westland for urging on horses. This was the origin of the word _Whig_,

which gradually became the nickname of a political party. Argyle and

his party came to terms with Cromwell, and formed a new Committee of

Estates. Cromwell then marched to Edinburgh, and made them give him an

assurance that none of the Engagers should be allowed to take any part

in the government. By the _Act of Classes_ which was then passed, all

profane persons and enemies of the Covenant were likewise shut out from

holding office.

=24. The Directory and Confession of Faith.=--The Scots now hoped to

see their Church and their Covenant adopted over all three kingdoms.

In this hope they were disappointed, for the most of the parliamentary

party were Independents, who had no idea of exchanging the tyranny

of bishops for that of presbyters. An _Assembly of Divines_ met at

_Westminster_, June 12, 1643, to settle religious matters. They adopted

the Covenant, and the Scots in return accepted their directory of

public worship, and the _Confession of Faith_ drawn up by them in place

of their own _Books of Discipline_ and _Common Order_. But though the

Covenant was thus nominally accepted in England, the different English

sects were allowed far more liberty than the strict Covenanters thought

right.

=25. The King's Death.=--On the thirtieth of January, 1649, the King

was beheaded at Whitehall. With the court of justice which professed

to try him, with the sentence which it passed, and with the execution

of that sentence, the Scots had nothing whatever to do. As they had

no idea of the existence of their kingdom without a king, nor of

having any other king than the hereditary one, no sooner was the news

of the King's death known in _Edinburgh_, than _Charles_ his son was

proclaimed _King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland_.

=26. Charles II., 1649-1685. Fate of Hamilton and Huntly.=--_Hamilton_,

who was a prisoner in England, was brought to trial as an English

subject by his English title of _Earl of Cambridge_; he was found

guilty of treason in invading the country, and was beheaded. _Huntly_

met with a like fate in Scotland. He was also charged with treason in

having made war for the King against the Covenanters.

=27. Montrose's Rising.=--Meanwhile in the north _Montrose_ made one

more effort for the king. With a small army of foreigners which he had

gathered on the _Continent_ he landed in _Orkney_, and from thence

passed over to Scotland early in 1650. But his followers were dispersed

by a detachment from the Covenanting army. He himself wandered for a

while in the Highlands, but was at last taken prisoner, brought to

_Edinburgh_, and hanged there without a trial. He was lying under

sentence of death for treason, which had been passed against him five

years before, when he first took up arms for the King.

=28. Arrival of Charles.=--But while the Estates were thus dealing with

the leaders of the Malignants, they were busy on their own account

treating for the return of Charles. They looked on him as their lawful

King, and they were ready to be faithful to him if he would sign the

Covenant and promise to submit to the dictates of the Assembly. These

promises he made, and, before he landed, he signed the Covenant, in

July, 1650, while the courtiers whom he had brought with him were

nearly all sent away as being either Malignants or Engagers.

=29. Cromwell's Conquest.=--No sooner did the news of these doings

reach London than _Cromwell_ was sent northward with a large army to

put a stop to them. The old hatred of _England_ was rekindled by this

invasion, and numbers of recruits flocked round the banner of the

Covenant. The army thus brought together was made up of good soldiers

who made no pretences to piety, and of would-be saints who knew

nothing of fighting. But the saints drove from their ranks all whom

they suspected of lukewarmness in the cause and therefore looked on as

sinners, and thus weeded out their best soldiers. Those who were left

were put under the command of _Leslie_, and the King was not suffered

to go out with the host. They took up a strong position on the hills

south of the _Firth of Forth_, and for some time Cromwell tried in vain

to bring them to a battle, but at last Leslie was persuaded against

his better judgment to go down into the plain and meet the enemy. A

battle was fought near _Dunbar_, September 3, in which the Scots were

thoroughly beaten.

=30. The Coronation.= --Meanwhile Charles was in _Dunfermline_, in

old times the royal city, under care so strict and watchful that it

was very much like imprisonment. The life which he led there was so

distasteful to him that he made his escape, in hopes of joining the

northern chiefs. But their plans were badly laid. He found no one to

meet him as he had expected, and he was pursued and brought back by

his former guardians. According to the ancient custom, _Charles_ was

crowned at _Scone_ by the hands of the _Marquess of Argyle_.

=31. Battle of Worcester.=--While _Cromwell_ was busy in _Scotland_

the Scots army marched into _England_. This time they took the _King_

with them. But Cromwell hastened after them, came up with them at

_Worcester_, and defeated them there, September 3, 1651, exactly a

year after his victory at Dunbar. This was the last battle fought in

the Civil War. The Scots had been the first to take up the sword, and

they were the last to lay it down. Charles, after wandering about

for some time in danger, and in want, escaped to the Continent.

Meanwhile _General Monk_, who had been left in Scotland with an army

of five thousand men, was reducing the country to subjection. The

public records deposited in Stirling Castle were sent to the Tower of

London. The Regalia, the Honours of Scotland as they were called, the

Crown, the Sword, and the Sceptre, had been taken to Dunnottar, one

of the strong fortresses in Scotland, which stood on a ledge of rock

overhanging the sea. The Castle made a gallant resistance, but was at

last obliged to yield, but the Honours were not found in it. They had

been taken secretly from the Castle by _Mrs. Granger_, the wife of the

minister of the parish. She rode through the camp with the Crown on

her lap hidden in a bundle of lint, and the sceptre in her hand in the

guise of a distaff, with the flax she was spinning wound round it. She

and her husband buried the Honours under the floor of the church, and

they kept their secret so well that no one knew what had become of them.

=32. Union with England.=--Cromwell, now _Lord Protector_ of England,

Scotland, and Ireland, set to work to carry out Edward the First's

idea of a legislative union of England and Scotland. This _Union_ was

ratified by the Council, in 1654. It was then settled that Scotland

should be represented by thirty members in the English Parliament.

Free-trade was established between the two countries. Great changes

were also made in the Church Government. The Assembly was closed, and

the power of the Church-courts was done away with. The country was

divided into five districts, and the care of providing ministers to

the different parishes was laid upon a certain number of ministers to

be chosen from these districts. In order to improve the state of the

people, all feudal dues were taken away. A fixed rent in money was

substituted for all the services and restrictions to which the land had

hitherto been liable. The Highlands were kept in order by the founding

of garrisoned Forts.

=33. Glencairn's Expedition.=--Once only was the peace and order thus

well established broken in favour of the Stewarts. A rising was made

in the Highlands by _William Cunningham, Lord Glencairn_, who acted

under a commission from Charles. More than five thousand men gathered

round him. They were dispersed by a detachment of Monk's troops under

_General Morgan_ at _Loch Garry_ before they had come down from the

Highlands.

=34. The Restoration.=--The _Protector_, whose conquest had made

Scotland prosperous, died September 3, 1658. His son _Richard_

succeeded him in office, but he was not strong enough to keep order, as

his father had done. A time of great confusion followed, which ended

in the recall and Restoration of Charles. This was chiefly the work

of General Monk. He was Commander of the Army in Scotland, during the

Protectorate. Some time after Cromwell's death he called together a

Convention of the Representatives of the Counties. Whether they knew

of his intention of restoring Charles or not is not certain. But they

aided him with a large sum of money. In November, 1659, he set out with

the army for London, and in about six months' time Charles returned

in triumph to England. In Scotland, where Charles had been already

crowned, his return was celebrated with great rejoicings by the people,

who hoped that he would uphold the Covenant which he had signed. Before

long, they found out how much they had been mistaken. In the very

first English Parliament, an Act was passed which took from Scotland

the privilege of free-trade with England, which she had enjoyed under

Cromwell. This was the _Navigation Act_, by which the exporting and

importing of merchandise into England, or any of her colonies, was

forbidden to any but English vessels.

=35. Episcopacy Re-established.=--_John Middleton_, a soldier of

fortune, who had been taken prisoner at _Worcester_, and who had

afterwards taken an active part in Glencairn's expedition, was now made

_Earl of Middleton_, and was sent to Scotland as _Commissioner_. When

the Estates met, an Act called the _Act Rescissory_ was passed. By this

Act, all the Acts passed since 1633 were cut out of the Statutes;

nearly all the concessions wrung from Charles the First were recalled.

The causes of dispute between the King and the people were thus

restored to the state in which they had been before the great struggle

began. In this same year Episcopacy was re-established by the Estates,

and the Covenant was publicly burned by the hangman. As there was but

one of the old bishops still alive, three new ones were consecrated

in England. _James Sharp_ was the Primate. He had gone up to London

to plead the cause of the Covenant and of Presbyters; he came back an

Archbishop, and was thenceforward foremost in persecuting the cause he

had deserted.

=36. Fate of Argyle and of Guthrie.=--The government of Scotland was

entrusted to a Privy Council. Its authority was supported by a standing

lifeguard, the troop that former kings had often asked for in vain.

To this Council were entrusted the supreme powers of the Estates

during the intervals between the Sessions. An _Act of Indemnity_ was

promised, but before it was passed several persons suffered death.

Two of those who thus fell were specially distinguished. The one was

_Argyle_, whose great power made him a dangerous rival to the King.

He was treacherously seized in London, whither he had gone to pay his

court to Charles. He was sent down to _Edinburgh_, where he was tried

for treason, found guilty, and beheaded, May 27, 1661. But the victim

who was most regretted and whose fate called forth the most pity was

_James Guthrie_, a noted divine, the leader of the extreme party among

the Covenanters. This party, who were called the _Remonstrants_, had

prepared a _Remonstrance_ to be presented to the King directly after

his return, praying that no form of worship but their own might be

suffered within the realm. This remonstrance was drawn up by Guthrie.

It was never presented, and those who had projected it were put in

prison. Guthrie was now brought to trial on a charge of spreading

abroad sedition and treason against the Government. He refused any

legal defence, and avowed and justified all that he had done. He was

found guilty and beheaded. He was looked on by the Covenanters as a

martyr for his faith, and his last words were treasured up with special

veneration.

=37. The Ejection.=--The promised Act of Indemnity was not passed till

1662, and it was not a free pardon, as had been looked for. Between

seven and eight hundred persons were heavily fined. In this same year

an Act was passed requiring all persons holding any public office

to sign a _Declaration_ that the Covenant was an unlawful oath; and

lastly a law was passed that all ministers presented to livings since

1639 should be turned out, unless they would agree to be collated or

instituted by the new bishops. The ministers who refused to consent

to episcopal collation were required to remove with their families

out of their parishes within a month from the date of the passing of

this Act. The meeting of the Council in which it was passed was called

the _Drunken Parliament_, from the condition of the members present.

Sooner than submit to this, three hundred and fifty ministers resigned.

Most of their parishioners followed them, and the churches were left

empty, while the people flocked to the open-air services of their

former pastors. To prevent this an Act was passed for levying fines on

all persons who did not go to their parish church on the Lord's Day.

Another Act, called the _Mile Act_, was also passed, which forbade the

recusant or refusing ministers to come within twenty miles of their

former parishes, or within three miles of any royal burgh. The _Court

of High Commission_ was revived, and empowered to proceed against all

dissenters from the Episcopal (now the Established) Church, whether

they were Romanists or Presbyterians. But this tyranny drove the

people to revolt, and a third _Religious War_ began. In the first the

people had taken up arms for a question of doctrine; the second arose

from disputes about a form of prayer; this, the third, was caused by

enforcing a form of Church-government specially disliked by the nation.

In the conduct of public prayer no change was made. As there had been

in James's reign a _Presbyterian Church_ with a _Liturgy_, so now there

was an _Episcopal Church_ without one. But, though the cause of dispute

seemed this time of less importance than in the two former wars, the

zeal on the one side and the persecution on the other were greater than

they had been in the former struggles. Then Edinburgh and the Eastern

Lowlands had borne the brunt of the battle; now it was in the West,

where it was latest kindled, that religious zeal flamed fiercest and

lasted longest.

=38. Western Rising.=--In spite of fines and penalties the churches

still remained empty, while the people went long distances to gather

round their "outed" ministers. On the hill-sides, wherever in short

they were least likely to be dispersed by the dragoons, they met to

hear the sermons of their favourite preachers. But so great was the

danger incurred by thus worshipping God according to their consciences

that sentries were stationed on the hill-tops round to give warning

of the approach of danger, and the men stacked their muskets so that

they could seize and use them on a moment's notice. Such meetings

were called _Conventicles_, and to hunt them down bands of soldiers

scoured the country in all directions. In the south-west the troops

were under the command of _Sir James Turner_, and it was his severity

that drove the people to actual revolt. The immediate cause of the

outbreak was the rescue of an old man from the clutches of a group of

soldiers who were ill-using him. In the scuffle one of the soldiers was

wounded. This affair happened at _Dalry_, in _Ayrshire_. A large body

of peasants soon gathered to protect their conventicles. They seized

Turner at _Dumfries_, and, when their numbers had increased to nearly

three thousand, they set out for _Edinburgh_, expecting the people of

the Eastern Counties to show their former spirit by rising to join

them. _General Thomas Dalziel_, who had made himself a reputation by

fighting for the Czar of Russia against Turks and Tartars, was sent to

bar their way. But they avoided and passed him. He had to come back

after them as far as the _Pentland Hills_, where they were so well

posted that the troops could only break and disperse them by repeated

attacks. But the feeling of this district had changed so much that the

peasantry now turned against these wild Whigs of the Westland, and

treated them nearly as badly as the troopers had done.

=39. The Persecution.=--This rising did no real good, for after the

defeat at _Pentland_ in 1666 the tyranny became even more cruel than

before. The trials which followed were infamous, from the shameful and

constant use of torture. The instruments used for this purpose were

the _thumbkin_, a screw applied to the thumb-joint, and the _boot_, a

cylinder in which the leg of the victim was crushed by hammering in

wedges. Both inflicted the most fearful pain without destroying life.

Twenty men were hanged in different places. The fines and forfeitures

inflicted were given as rewards to soldiers and lawyers who might get

them out of the offenders as they best could. At this time certain

bonds called _law-burrows_ were originated. These were bonds by which

all the principal men in a district pledged themselves to prevent those

beneath them in rank from breaking the peace.

=40. The Indulgence.=--But these measures only increased the disorders

they were intended to quiet, and the Government tried a new system

of greater toleration. An _Indulgence_ was issued, by which those of

the outed ministers who could prove that they had lived peaceably and

had not held conventicles since they had been turned out of their

livings, were allowed to go back to their parishes, provided no one

else had been put in their place. Some few took advantage of it; but

the greater number would not, and looked on their indulged brethren as

nearly as bad as the prelatists. But this semblance of yielding was

more than balanced by new exactions. _Intercommuning_--that is, having

anything to do with any persons who had in any way broken any of the

many laws against conventicles--was denounced as a criminal offence.

_Lauderdale_, who succeeded _Middleton_ as Commissioner in 1669,

brought an army of Celts down on the Lowlands, which they pillaged at

pleasure, carrying back rich spoils to their native mountains.

=41. Murder of Sharp.=--_Sharp_, the Primate, who was looked on as the

originator of all the persecutions, was bitterly hated. He was shot

at in Edinburgh while getting into his carriage, but was not hurt.

Some time after he recognized the man who had thus tried to take his

life. _Mitchell_ the assassin was tried, and being bribed by a promise

of pardon, freely confessed that he had fired the shot. Instead of

receiving the promised pardon, Mitchell was sent to prison, tortured,

and finally put to death in 1678. But the very next year Mitchell's

attempt was repeated with better success. As Sharp was driving with his

daughter across _Magus Moor_, near St. Andrews, he fell into the hands

of a party of men who were lying in wait there for one _Carmichael_,

the Sheriff-substitute, a wretch who had made himself specially hated.

When they heard that the Archbishop's coach was coming that way, they

looked on it as a special act of Providence by which the Lord delivered

him into their hands. They fired into the coach, but did not hit him.

He sheltered himself behind his daughter, but they dragged him out, and

hacked him to death on the heath in a very barbarous way, May 3, 1679.

It had long been believed that Sharp was in league with the Devil.

To find proof of this they had no sooner slain him than they began to

search everything he had with him. At last they opened his snuff-box,

when a bee flew out. This they agreed must have been his familiar

spirit. Every effort was made to track the murderers, among whom were

_Hackston of Rathillet_ and _Balfour of Burley_, but they escaped to

the West.

=42. Sanquhar Declaration.=--The straitest sect of the Covenanters

now put forth a protest called the _Sanquhar Declaration_. Their

leaders were _Donald Cargill_ and _Richard Cameron_, after whom they

were called _Cameronians_. Their openly avowed intention was to

free the country from the tyranny under which it was groaning. They

held that _Charles_ had by his perjury forfeited the crown. They

excommunicated both him and his brother _James, Duke of York_, who

was the Commissioner, and surpassed both Middleton and Lauderdale in

cruelty. To kill either the King or his brother, or both of them, the

_Sanquhar_ men declared would be perfectly justifiable. They joined

themselves together by one of the old bonds for mutual defence and

support. _Hackston of Rathillet_, who had been present at the death of

Sharp, was a chief man among them. With him as their leader they sought

a refuge from the troopers who were out after them in _Airds Moss_, in

Ayrshire. There they were attacked, and, though they fought bravely,

were overcome by the soldiers.

=43. Drumclog.=--The hill-country between _Lanark_ and _Ayr_ was

the favourite haunt of the _Covenanters_. Here they held great

conventicles, to which the men came armed. One of the largest of these

meetings was gathered at _Drumclog_, near Loudon Hill, when they were

attacked by a body of dragoons under _John Graham_, of _Claverhouse_.

But Claverhouse was unaccustomed to this irregular way of fighting, and

he was defeated. The Covenanters, wild with joy, thought that they

saw the special hand of Providence in this success. They gathered in

great numbers, and marched on Glasgow. But they did no harm to either

the city or the citizens; they only took down from the gates the heads

and limbs of their friends who had suffered for their faith, and buried

them.

=44. Bothwell Bridge.=--To put down this revolt, Charles sent his

illegitimate son, _James_, Duke of _Buccleuch_ and _Monmouth_, with an

army of fifteen thousand men. The zeal of the Covenanters was great,

but their resources were few, and their leaders unskilful. It was

therefore an easy matter for a well-trained army to defeat them, and

at the _Bridge_ over the _Clyde_ at _Bothwell_ they were beaten with

great slaughter. Twelve hundred fell into the hands of the victors.

Seven of these were put to death, some were released on giving sureties

for their future good conduct, and the rest were shipped off to the

plantations. _Cameron_ fell in this fray. _Hackston_ and _Cargill_ were

taken, and brought to trial at Edinburgh, found guilty, and put to

death afterwards.

=45. Test Act.=--While the Duke of York was Commissioner, an Act was

passed to the effect that all persons taking office, whether under

Government or from the Corporation of Burghs, should take the Test,

an oath for the maintenance of the Protestant Faith as it had been

established in the first Parliament of _James the Sixth_. At the

same time the King was declared supreme in Church and State, and the

hereditary succession was declared to be unchangeable. Now, as it was

well known that James, the King's brother and the heir to the throne,

was a Romanist, it was clear that the Test gave no security to the

Protestant Faith, if James, when King, could make what changes he

pleased in the Church.

=46. Argyle's Opposition.=--_Archibald_, Earl of Argyle, who had been

restored to his father's earldom, was the most powerful chief in

the kingdom. His father had lost his life for his attachment to the

Covenant, but he himself had hitherto upheld the Government, and had

even offered to bring his Highlanders to its support. Now, however, he

showed signs of opposition, for he would only take the Test with the

protest that he did so only in so far as it was consistent with itself

and with the safety of the _Protestant_ Faith. For this reservation he

was accused of _leasing-making_, that is, of making mischief between

the King and his people. This offence had, by a most unjust law passed

in the reign of James the Sixth, been made treason. By this law Argyle

was condemned to death. He escaped and fled to _Holland_, where he

became the centre of a party of his fellow-countrymen who had also left

their country because of their political opinions. After this unjust

attack on Argyle no one could be sure of his liberty, and a scheme

was got up for emigration to _Carolina_. One _Robert Ferguson_ was

connected with this scheme. As this man was concerned in an _English_

plot against the life of the _King_, called the _Rye House Plot_, all

who had any dealings with him were suspected of being art and part

in that too, and were called to account before the Council. Baillie

of Jerviswood, a man much beloved and respected, was tried on an

accusation of conspiracy, was found guilty, and put to death. His death

greatly increased the popular discontent.

=47. James VII. 1685-1688. The Killing Time.=--The death of _Charles_

and the accession of _James_ rather made matters worse than better

for the people. Another defiance from the _Cameronians_, called the

_Apologetical Declaration_, was met by an Act which gave the soldiers

power at once to put to death anyone who would not take the _Abjuration

Oath_; that is, swear that they abhorred and renounced this treasonable

_Declaration_. A time of cruel slaughter followed, in which Claverhouse

was the chief persecutor. Many heartrending tales are told of the

sufferings of the poor creatures whose fanaticism led them to persist

in refusing to take this oath. There is a story told that one _John

Brown_, known as the "Christian Carrier," a man of great repute among

them, was shot dead by Claverhouse himself, almost without warning,

before the eyes of his wife. At another time two women, _Margaret

Maclauchlan_ and _Margaret Wilson_--one old, the other young--were,

it is said, tied to stakes on the _Solway shore_, that they might be

drowned by inches by the flowing tide. These tales and others of a

like sort, bear witness to the brutality of the one side and to the

constancy of the other. Early in James's reign an Act was passed by

which attending a _Conventicle_ became a capital crime.

=48. Argyle's Rising.=--_Monmouth_ was in _Holland_ when his father

died, and many refugees from England and Scotland were there with him.

Among them they got up a scheme for placing him on the throne in place

of his uncle James, who was hated, while Monmouth was very popular. To

carry this out they planned a rising, which was to have taken place

at the same time in both kingdoms. _Argyle_ was to take the lead in

_Scotland_, but he was subject to the interference of a _Committee_

chosen from among the others. The Government was informed of this

intended outbreak, and all the clans that were known to be hostile to

Argyle were roused against him. Early in May he landed in _Kintyre_,

and sent out the fiery cross to summon his clansmen, who mustered to

the number of 1800. But the quarrels and the jealousy of the Committee

placed over him overthrew all his plans. By their advice he marched

into the Lowlands, where the people were little disposed to join him.

The fort where he had stored his arms and ammunition was seized by the

King's men. His men were starving. They deserted in large numbers,

and were at last dispersed by a false alarm as they were marching on

Glasgow. Argyle himself was taken while trying to escape. He was still

lying under the old sentence of death, which had been passed against

him for leasing-making. This sentence was executed without any further

trial, and with a repetition of all the indignities which had been

heaped upon Montrose. After his death the vengeance of the Government

fell on his clansmen. The country round _Inverary_ was wasted, while

great numbers of the clan were transported to the plantations, many of

them having been first cruelly mutilated. At the first alarm of the

invasion a large body of prisoners for religious opinion, of all ages

and both sexes, had been sent to _Dunnottar_, a strong castle on the

coast of Kincardine, where they were so closely crowded together in one

dungeon that many died there. Most of the survivors were also sent to

the plantations.

=49. The Indulgence.=--Up to this time the _Council_ had blindly

followed in the lead of the King. They would now do so no longer, as

they feared that he meant to restore the Roman Catholic Faith. The

_Duke_ of _Queensberry_, the Commissioner, was deprived of his office,

and _James Drummond, Earl_ of _Perth_, a convert to Romanism, was

placed in his stead. James next tried to get a Bill passed by which all

the penalties against the Roman Catholics should be done away, while

those against the Covenanters should remain in force. To this Bill

even the bishops objected, and James saw that there was nothing for it

but to treat all sects alike. He published several Indulgences, but it

was only the last, in 1688, that was full and complete. It extended

toleration to all, even to the Quakers, who had up to this time been as

much despised and persecuted as the Covenanters.

=50. Deposition of James.=--This change of policy on the part of the

King had come too late. His attack on the liberties of the Church in

England had been resisted by seven of her bishops; and before long his

English subjects resolved to bear his tyranny no longer. They invited

his nephew and son-in-law, _William, Prince of Orange_, to come to

their aid. He came, and was by common consent invited to mount the

throne abdicated by James. When the news of William's entry into London

reached Edinburgh, a deputation, headed by _Hamilton_, was sent to him,

to pray him to call a _Convention_ of the Estates, and, till it met, to

take the government of Scotland into his own hands, Jan. 7th, 1689.

=51. William and Mary, 1689-1702. The Convention.=--When the

_Convention_ met there was a large Whig majority. They passed a

resolution that James by his misgovernment had forfeited the throne;

they therefore deposed him, and offered the crown to _William_ and his

wife _Mary_, the daughter of James, on the same terms as had been made

in England. The _Convention_ then turned itself into a _Parliament_,

which went on to the end of the reign. The members went in procession

to the Cross of Edinburgh, where their vote was read. William and Mary

were then proclaimed; and the ministers of parishes were ordered to

pray publicly for the King and Queen, on pain of being turned out of

their livings. To the _Claim of Right_, which was much the same as

the English one, a special clause was added, declaring prelacy to be

an intolerable burthen which had long been hateful to the people, and

which ought to be swept away. Three _Commissioners_ were sent with

the _Instrument of Government_ to London. _Argyle_ administered the

coronation oath; but William, while taking it, declared that he would

not become a persecutor in support of any sect.

=52. The Rabbling.=--The fall of James was followed by the fall of

the Episcopal Church, which had made itself hateful to the greater

number of the people. They took the law into their own hands, and on

_Christmas Day_, 1688, a general attack was made on the curates or

parish priests in the _Western Lowlands_. About two hundred curates

with their families were at once driven out of their houses with every

sort of insult and abuse. William did not approve of these excesses,

but he had no means of putting a stop to them, for there was no

regiment north of the _Tweed_. He put forth a proclamation ordering

all persons to lay down their arms, but it was little heeded. The

rabbling and turning out went on much as before. If the bishops would

have taken the oaths, William would most likely have protected them;

but they remained true to their old master, and shared his fall. For a

time all was disorder. In some parishes the curates went on ministering

as heretofore, while in others the Presbyterian divines held services

in tents, or illegally occupied the pulpits. It was not till June

1690 that the Presbyterian Church was re-established by law. Sixty of

the ministers who had been turned out at the Restoration were still

living, and to them was given authority to visit all the parishes, and

to turn out all those curates whom they thought wanting in abilities,

scandalous in morals, or unsound in faith. Those livings from which the

curates had been rabbled and driven away were declared vacant. This way

of dealing with the Church gave offence both to the Episcopalians and

to the extreme Presbyterians, who did not approve of the interference

of the King in Church matters. Both these parties continued to look on

_William_ and _Mary_ as usurpers.

=53. Dundee's Revolt.=--When the Convention first met, each party,

_Whigs_ and _Jacobites_ alike, had dreaded an outbreak on the part of

the other. In the cellars of the city were hidden large numbers of

_Covenanters_, who had been brought up from the West to overawe the

_Jacobites_, while the _Duke of Gordon_ held the Castle for James, and

he could, if he had so chosen, have turned the guns upon the city. But

the Jacobites, finding themselves in the minority, determined to leave

_Edinburgh_, and to hold a rival _Convention_ at _Stirling_; while it

was agreed that the _Marquess of Athole_ should bring a body of his

Highlanders to protect them. But this plan was so ill concerted that

_Claverhouse_, now _Viscount_ _Dundee_, left hastily before the others

were ready, an alarm was given, and they were all secured. Dundee

withdrew to his own house in the _Highlands_, and stayed there quietly

for some time. But a few months later certain letters written to him

by James fell into the hands of the Government, and an order was sent

out for his arrest. Thus roused to action, he summoned the clans for

_King James_. Many of them joined him, more from hatred of Argyle than

from love for James. _General Mackay_, who had come North with three

regiments, was sent against him; but he was not used to the _Highland_

way of fighting, and wasted some weeks in running about after an enemy

who always kept out of his way. Dundee had no regular troops, but,

as Montrose had done before him, he showed what good soldiers the

Celts can make with a good leader. As both Dundee and Montrose were

Lowlanders, they could not excite the jealousy of the chiefs, and were

all the better fitted for the supreme command of a Celtic army. Each

clan in such an army formed a regiment bound together by a tie of

common brotherhood, and all bound to live or die for the colonel their

chief; and so long as the clans could be kept from quarrelling all went

well. Dundee wrote to James, who was now in Ireland, for help; but he

only sent three hundred miserably-equipped foot, under an officer named

_Canon_. The hopes of the Whigs were placed in _Argyle_ and the western

_Covenanters_, but neither of these did all that was expected of them.

_Argyle_ could not, because his country had been so lately wasted; and

the _Covenanters_ would not, because the more part of them thought it a

sin to fight for a King who had not signed the Covenant. Some of them

however thought otherwise, and of these a regiment was raised, and

placed under the command of the Earl of Angus. This regiment was called

the Cameronians.

=54. Battle of Killiecrankie.=--The war now broke out again. It was

the great aim of each party to win over the adherents of Athole. The

Marquess himself, to keep out of harm's way, had gone to England, and

of those whom he had left to act for him some were for James, others

for the King and Queen. It was of importance to both sides to secure

the castle of _Blair_, which belonged to _Athole_, and near there the

two armies met, at _Killiecrankie_, a pass leading into the Highlands.

Here the Celts won a brilliant and decided victory. The clansmen

charged sword in hand down the pass with such fury that they swept

their foes before them; and Mackay, with a few hundred men, all he

could gather of his scattered army, was forced to flee to Stirling,

July 27, 1689. But this success had been dearly bought by the death of

Dundee. Thus left without a leader, the victors thought more of plunder

than pursuit; nor was there anyone among them fitted to fill Dundee's

place, and to follow up the advantage he had won. Recruits came in,

their numbers increased, but this only made the disorder greater.

=55. Attack on Dunkeld. Buchan's Attempt.=--A month later they attacked

the _Cameronian_ regiment stationed at Dunkeld. They took the town at

the first attack, but the soldiers defended themselves in the church

and in a house belonging to _Athole_ in the town with such spirit,

that the Highlanders were driven back. They blamed the _Irish_ for

the defeat, and the _Irish_ blamed them, and the end of it was that

the clans dispersed, and _Canon_ and his Irish withdrew to _Mull_.

In the spring of the next year the clans gathered again, under an

officer named _Buchan_, who came from James with a commission to act

as his commander-in-chief in Scotland. But they were surprised and

scattered in the strath of the _Spey_, by _Sir William Livingstone_,

who held _Inverness_ for _William_. This action ended the _Civil War_

in _Scotland_, for _Gordon_ had long since given up Edinburgh Castle.

To keep the western clans in order, _Mackay_ built a fort in the west

of _Invernesshire_, which was called _Fort William_, in honour of the

King. The castle on the _Bass_, a rock in the _Firth of Forth_, was the

last place which held out for _James_, but the garrison were at last

obliged to give in, from want of food.

=56. Reduction of the Highlands.=--Still the chiefs did not take the

oaths to William, and were clearly only waiting for the appearance of

a new leader to break out again. To win them over to the Government a

large sum of money was put into the hands of _John Campbell, Earl of

Breadalbane_. He was accused of cheating both the clans and the King by

keeping a part of this sum himself, and he never gave any clear account

of what he had done with it. At the same time a proclamation was put

forth which offered pardon to all the rebels who should take the oaths

to _William and Mary_ before or on December 31, 1691. All who did not

take advantage of this offer were after that day to be dealt with as

enemies and traitors, and warlike preparations were made for carrying

out the threat.

=57. Massacre of Glencoe.=--By the day named the clans had all come

in, except _MacIan_, chief of a tribe of _MacDonalds_, who lived

in _Glencoe_, a wild mountain valley in the northwestern corner of

_Argyleshire_. On the last day, December 31, _MacIan_ and his principal

clansmen went to _Fort William_ to take the oaths, but found that

there was no one there who had authority to administer them. There was

no magistrate nearer than _Inverary_, and, as the ground was deeply

covered with snow, it was some days before MacIan got there. But the

sheriff, in consideration of his goodwill and of the delay that he had

met with, administered the oaths, (January 6,) and sent an account of

the whole affair to the Privy Council at Edinburgh. Unfortunately for

Glencoe, _Breadalbane_ was his bitter personal enemy, and along with

_Sir John Dalrymple_, the _Master of Stair_, he determined on his

destruction. An order for the extirpation of the whole tribe was drawn

up and presented to _William_, who signed it, and it was carried out

with cold-blooded treachery. A party of soldiers, under the command of

_Campbell of Glenlyon_, appeared in the Glen. They gave out that they

came as friends, and as such they were kindly welcomed, and shared the

hospitality of the MacDonalds for a fortnight. Without any warning

they turned on their hosts, and before dawn of a winter's morning slew

nearly all the dwellers in the valley, old and young together, February

13, 1691. They then burnt the houses, and drove off the cattle, so that

nothing was left for the few wretched beings who had escaped death but

to perish miserably of cold and hunger. Whether William knew the whole

state of the case or not when he signed the warrant is not certain, but

he did not punish those who had dared to commit this wholesale murder

in his name. And though four years after, when a stir was made about

it, he did grant a commission to the _Privy Council_ to inquire into

the matter, he did not bring to judgment the _Master of Stair_, who was

very clearly pointed out as the guilty person.

=58. Darien Scheme.=--Just at this time the public attention was taken

up with a scheme for founding a new colony on the _Isthmus of Darien_,

and people's minds were so full of it that nothing else was thought

of. It was got up by _William Paterson_, who is to be remembered as

the originator of the _Bank of England_. He fancied that he had found,

what _Columbus_ and the other navigators of his day had sought in vain,

a short cut to the _Indies_. His plan was to plant a colony on the

isthmus which unites _North_ and _South America_, and to make it the

route by which the merchandise of the East should be brought to Europe,

thereby shortening the long sea-voyage. He drew glowing pictures of

the untold wealth that would thus fall to the lot of those who were

clear-sighted enough to join in the venture. A charter was granted to

the new Company, which gave them a monopoly of the trade with Asia,

Africa, and America for a term of thirty-one years, with leave to

import all goods duty free, except foreign sugar and tobacco. Never had

project been so popular. Every one was anxious to take shares. Half

the capital of Scotland was invested in it, and poor and rich alike,

deceived by _Paterson's_ lying stories of the healthiness and fertility

of the soil and climate, were eager to hasten to the new colony. A

few vessels were bought at _Hamburg_ and _Amsterdam_. In these twelve

hundred emigrants set sail on the 25th July, 1698, and arrived safely

on the shore of the Gulf of _Darien_. They named the settlement which

they founded there _New Caledonia_, and built a town and a fort, to

which they gave the names of _New Edinburgh_ and _St. Andrews_. But,

to set up such a trading market with any hopes of success, they ought

to have had the good will and help of the great trading countries of

Europe. Instead of this, _England_ and _Holland_ were much opposed to

the scheme, as being an interference with their trading rights. The

_East India Company_ looked on the bringing in of Eastern merchandise

to Scotland as an infringement of their privileges. _Spain_ too claimed

the Isthmus as her own, and seized one of the Scottish ships; while

the Governor of the English colonies in North America refused to let

them have supplies. In addition to these difficulties from without,

the climate was wretchedly unhealthy. Disease quickly thinned their

ranks, till at last the miserable remnant whom it spared were glad to

flee from almost certain death. They deserted the new settlement, and

set sail for _New York_. Meanwhile such glowing reports of the success

of the venture had been spread abroad at home, that a second body of

thirteen hundred emigrants, ignorant of the fate of those who had gone

before them, set sail in _August_ of the next year. They found the

colony deserted, and the colonists gone. They themselves fared no

better than the first settlers, and were in a few months driven out

by the Spaniards. The Scottish people were deeply mortified and much

enraged by the failure of this scheme. They blamed William for all the

disasters of the colonists, because he had done nothing to help them,

nor to prevent the interference of Spain. The Charter had been granted

by the Government of Scotland without the King's knowledge when he

was in Holland; and though he could not recall it, it would have been

unjust to his English subjects to show any favour to a scheme which,

had it succeeded, might have proved the ruin of their East Indian

trade. So much bad feeling arose out of this unfortunate affair between

the two nations, that it was plain that if there was not a closer union

between them there would be a breach before long.

=59. William's Death.=--Just as the project of an Union was about to

be considered in the English Parliament, William died, March 8, 1702.

Since the death of Mary, in 1690, he had reigned alone. Both crowns now

passed to Anne, the younger daughter of James VII.

=60. Education Act.=--It was in this reign that the system of national

education which has made the Scotch, as a people, so intelligent and

well-informed, was re-cast. An Act was passed, in 1696, by which every

parish was required to provide a suitable schoolhouse, and to pay a

properly qualified schoolmaster for the instruction of the children of

the parish.

=61. Anne, 1702-1714. Act of Security.=--_James VII._ had died in

France a few months before his nephew, and his son had been proclaimed

there as _James VIII._ This made the Whigs anxious to have an _Act_

passed in _Scotland_ similar to the _English Act of Settlement_. By

this Act the Parliament of England had settled that, if Anne died

without heirs, the crown should pass to the nearest Protestant heir,

_Sophia_, Electress of Hanover, grand-daughter of James the Sixth, or

to her descendants. But the Estates still felt injured and angry about

the late differences with England, and passed an _Act of Security_,

which made express conditions that the same person should not succeed

to the throne of both kingdoms, unless, during Queen Anne's reign,

measures had been taken for securing the honour and independence of the

Scottish nation against English influence. The right of declaring war

against England at any time was to remain with the Scottish Parliament.

=62. Trial and Death of Captain Green.=--Just at this time an event

happened which tended to increase the bad feeling between the two

countries. An English ship, the _Worcester_, was driven by stress

of weather into the _Firth of Forth_. It was seized by the Scots,

because the _East India Company_ had some time before detained a

Scotch ship. From the talk of some of the crew it was suspected that

they had murdered the captain and crew of one of the _Darien_ vessels

which was missing. On this charge _Captain Green_ of the _Worcester_,

his mate and crew, were brought to trial before the High Court of

Admiralty. On the evidence of a black slave they were found guilty and

condemned, and Green, his mate, and one of the crew were hanged. It was

afterwards found out that the crime for which they had suffered had

never been committed. The missing ship had gone ashore on the island of

_Madagascar_, where _Drummond_, the captain, was then living. Whatever

wrongs the Scots had suffered, the English had now, after this unlawful

deed, a very reasonable cause of complaint against them.

=63. The Union.=--It was clear that, if the two kingdoms were to go

on together in peace, it could only be by joining their Parliaments

and their commercial interests into one. Commissioners from both

sides were appointed to consider the best way of effecting this

union. _Godolphin_, the _Treasurer of England_, and the _Duke of

Queensberry_, the _Royal Commissioner in Scotland_, were its chief

promoters. The Commissioners drew up a _Treaty of Union_, which was

approved by the Parliaments of both countries. By the _Articles of

Union_ the succession to both crowns was settled in the Protestant

heirs of _Sophia_; and each country was secured in the possession of

her national Church as then established. Scotland was to send sixteen

Representative Peers, elected from the whole body of Peers, and

forty-five members from the Commons, to the Parliament at Westminster,

henceforth to be called the _Parliament of Great Britain_. It was

further settled that one seal, with the arms of both kingdoms quartered

upon it, should serve for both countries, that both should be subject

to the same _Excise duties_ and _Customs_, and should have the same

privileges of trade. The same coins, weights, and measures were to be

used throughout the island. The law-courts of Scotland, the _Court of

Justiciary_ and the _Court of Session_, were to remain unchanged, only

there was now a right of appeal from the _Court of Session_, which had

hitherto been supreme in all civil cases, to the _House of Lords_.

In addition to the twenty-five Articles of Union, a special Act was

passed for securing the liberty of the _Church of Scotland_ as it then

stood in all time coming, and declaring that the Presbyterian should be

the only Church government in Scotland. The first Parliament of Great

Britain met October 23, 1707.

=64. Results of the Union.=--Twice before this time the Legislature of

the two kingdoms had been thus joined together into one, under _Edward

I._ and under _Cromwell_. But these two unions, each the result of

conquest, had lasted but a little while. This Union was destined to be

more enduring, and to lead to increased prosperity in both kingdoms.

For Scotland it was the beginning of quite a new state of things.

Hitherto the struggle for national life had left her no leisure for

internal development, and at the time of the Union she was without

manufactures, shipping, or commerce. With the end of her independent

nationality a new social life began, and a spirit of industry and

enterprise was awakened, which has since raised her people to their

present eminence in trade, manufactures, and agriculture. The Union

struck the last blow at the power of the Scottish nobles. They were

not placed by any means on the same level with the Peers of the sister

kingdom. It brought to the Commons, who during this period had been

much despised and oppressed, an increase in dignity and independence,

by admitting them to a share in the liberty and privileges which the

Commons of England had won for themselves with the sword. But what

did even more for the prosperity of Scotland was the removal of all

restrictions on her trade, which was now placed on the same footing as

that of the larger kingdom. For half a century after the union of the

crowns she had enjoyed free trade with England and her colonies; but

that was brought to an end by the Navigation Act, passed soon after

the Restoration, which forbade the importing of any foreign goods into

England except in English vessels, and which was, as the Scots justly

complained, the ruin of their rising commerce.

=65. Literature and Art.=--Between the union of the Crowns and the

union of the Parliaments there was but little advance in literature

or art. This was in great part owing to the fact that, just when

all other nations had taken to writing in their own tongues in

place of _Latin_, the Scottish Court migrated to London. There the

_Northumbrian English_, which was the common speech of the _Lowlands_

of Scotland, was despised as a provincial dialect, in which no

educated man would write if he wished his writings to be read. During

this period, the talent that was to be found in the country was

enlisted in the religious struggle, which occupied all men's minds,

and it produced many divines eminent for eloquence and learning. The

literature of the times was, like the fighting, the tyranny, and the

persecutions, chiefly of a religious character. There were many men

of learning and talent, renowned either for their writings or from

their eloquence, to be found among the leaders of the different sects.

Among the _Presbyterians_ the most eminent were _John Welch_, the

son-in-law of _Knox_; _Alexander Henderson_; _Guthrie_, the martyr of

the _Remonstrants_, and _George Gillespie_, who, from his gift for

argument, was called the "_Hammer of the Malignants_." The _Episcopal

Church_ could boast of some scholarly divines, such as _John_ and

_Patrick Forbes_, and _Leighton, Archbishop of Glasgow_. Of poets there

were but few; none who could bear comparison with those of an earlier

time. _Drummond_ of _Hawthornden_ is chief among them, but his genius

is obscured by an imitation of the dialect and style then prevalent

in England. Many of the beautiful ballads and songs of which Scotland

may justly be proud, must have been composed about this time, but the

authors are unknown. Unknown also, or forgotten, are the musicians to

whom Scotland owes the wild, sweet strains to which those songs were

sung, those pathetic melodies which make the national music so peculiar

and characteristic in its exquisite beauty. The oldest collection of

these airs is in a manuscript which seems to date from the sixteenth

century. To _George Jameson_, the earliest Scottish painter of note,

we owe the life-like portraits of the heroes of these times. He was

born at Aberdeen and in 1620 he settled in his native town as a

portrait-painter. But the spirit of the Covenant was opposed to art.

Though it inspired to heroic deeds, there were no songs made about

them. Architecture fared even worse than poetry, for while churches,

the work of former ages, were pulled down, any new ones that were put

up were as ugly and tasteless as it was possible to make them. _Napier

of Merchiston_, a zealous reformer, the writer of an _Explanation of

the Apocalypse_, is known in the world of science as the inventor of

_Logarithms_, a clever and easy way of shortening difficult numerical

calculations.

=66. Summary.=--The union of the crowns of England and Scotland put a

stop to the constant skirmishing on the Border and to the devastating

inroads which had for centuries embittered the two countries against

one another. It might therefore have been expected that Scotland,

during the century which passed between the union of the Crowns and

the union of the Parliaments, would have made great social advances.

This was prevented by the ceaseless party strife which disgraced the

century, and made this period one of the most disastrous and oppressive

to the people in the whole history of the nation. James the Sixth had

found the strict discipline and constant interference of the ministers

so irksome, and the turbulent independence of his nobles so little

to his mind, that he was delighted to escape from both to the richer

kingdom to which his good fortune called him. The severe training

of his childhood had made him hate the Presbyterian polity with all

his heart. As soon as he had the power, he changed the government of

the Church, and introduced various observances which were hateful to

the people. His son Charles went a step further, and by his attempt

to substitute an English for a Scottish Liturgy, drove the people to

revolt. The war thus begun, by an effort to force on the hereditary

kingdom of his race the customs of the larger kingdom which his father

had acquired, ended in his losing both. Scotland enjoyed a short gleam

of prosperity from the conquest of Cromwell till his death. Under the

next Stewart, Charles the Second, the King to whom she had always been

loyal, the government was entrusted to a council, which exercised a

cold-blooded tyranny against which the people had no redress. This

reign of terror only rooted their religious prejudices the more firmly

in their minds. When the tyrant James was deposed, the reaction of

popular feeling fell heavily on the clergy of the Established Church,

who individually were no way accountable for the crimes which had

been committed under the mask of zeal for Episcopacy. Under William

the Presbyterian polity was re-established, and the Episcopal clergy

had in their turn to suffer many hardships from severe laws and the

intolerance of party feeling, though nothing to compare with the bloody

persecution under the form of law which had disgraced the reigns of

Charles and James.