Writings on travel, discovery and history. 7 : The history of the Union of Great Britain [7] 1851967184

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THE PICKERING MASTERS THE WORKS OF DANIEL DEFOE General Editors: W R. Owens and P N. Furbank

WRITINGS ON TRAVEL, DISCOVERY A N D HISTORY BY DANIEL DEFOE Volume 1: A Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, vol. I, ed. John McVeagh Volume 2: A Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, vol. II, ed. John McVeagh Volume 3: A Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, vol. Ill, ed. John McVeagh Volume 4: A General History of Discoveries and Improvements and An Essay upon Literature, ed. E N. Furbank Volume 5: Due Preparations for the Plague and Mere Nature Delineated, ed. Andrew Wear Volume 6: Memoirs of the Church of Scotland, ed. N. H. Keeble Volume 7: The History of the Union of Great Britain, part I, ed. D. W. Hayton Volume 8: The History of the Union of Great Britain, part II, ed. D. W. Hayton

W R I T I N G S ON TRAVEL, DISCOVERY A N D HISTORY BY DANIEL DEFOE

General Editors: W R. Owens and P N Furbank

Volume 7: THE HISTORY OF THE UNION OF GREAT BRITAIN, PARTI Edited by D. W Hayton

LONDON

PICKERING & CHATTO 2002

Published by Pickering & Cbatto (Publishers) Limited 21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WCIA 2TH 2252 Ridge Road, Brookfield, Vermont 05036, USA www.pickeringchatto.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior permission of the publisher. Copyright © Pickering & Chatto (Publishers) Limited 2002 BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA

Defoe, Daniel, 1660 or 1-1731 Writings on Travel, Discovery and History by Daniel Defoe Part 2 editors, W R. Owens, E N. Furbank. — (The Pickering Masters) 1. Defoe, Daniel, 1660 or 1—1731 —Journeys 2. Great Britain — Description and travel 3- Great Britain — History — 18th century I. Title II. Owens, W R. III. Furbank, P N. (Philip Nicholas) 914.1'071 ISBN 1851967184 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

A catalogue record for this title is available from the Library of Congress

2000 1 Maitland 1 Strathnaver. So that the whole Army when brought to a Body, was supposed to Amount together as follows, +

Horse and Dragoons, England Ireland Scotland Foot, England Holland Scotland

1850 1000 650 3500. 7000 5000 2000 14000

In all

17500.

Beside which, the Dutch had prepared a Second Convoy to send Over Twelve Battalions more, if there had been any Occasion. A Train of Artillery was preparing at the Tower of London, and was in a Good Forwardness, so as it might probably have been at the Rendezvous as soon as the Troops could have well been Drawn together. I have been the more Particular in this, because I am Drawing every thing to the Reader's View, that he may judge of some Conjectures I shall make concerning the Probabilities of the Success of this Enterprise, and what might reasonably be supposed to have been the Issue of it, since some People have been so Weak, as to say, It had been Better for us to have let them come on Shore, and that we should immediately have Crusht and Defeated them. It remains now, to Enquire how the People of Scotland behaved themselves in this Critical Juncture, and what Condition they were in there, to have Received the French.

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Preface As to the Condition o/Scotland at that Time; it is to be Confest, the French had all the Encouragement imaginable, to make such an Attempt from the Circumstances of the Place, and the Temper of the People: As to the Circumstances of the Place, 'tis Evident that the Country was intirely Naked, and in a manner Defenceless. The standing Forces were few. The Militia just in the Middle, between Dissolving the Old Model, and Erecting a New, so as they were absolutely Disbanded without Commissions, without Officers, and without any Form. The Fortifications out of Repair. The Magazins Empty. The New Government Unform'd. The People Divided. It must be Confest, Never was Nation in such a Condition to be Invaded; And there is no Doubt, but had the French Landed their Forces, and got their Stores o/Arms and Ammunition on Shore, as they night easily have done, if they had not Overshot their Port, They would with very little Opposition have been Masters of the whole Country. It may be thought by some remote to my Purpose to Demonstrate this; But when I consider, what Differing Notions the People in England have of the Attempt of the French, and of their Success in it; I can not think it an Useless Labour to give you a Brief Essay, at what the Event of that Enterprize might probably have been, that so we may see what we have to be thankful for. / am now to suppose the French Safe on Shore, their Magazine and Train of Artillery Landed, and the Earl o/Leven the General for Her Majesty, Retreating towards Berwick, as he must undoubtedly have done, and as his Orders directed him to do, without which his Retreat being Cut off, he must have been Surrounded and Taken, or have been Cut in Pieces, having no Place of Strength to Retreat to. Had they been thus on Shore, there is no Doubt, but in two Hours they had been Masters of Edinburgh an open City, and without Defence; the Castle indeed might have Held Out some Time, but the City could have made no Resistance. But that which was worse, the Circumstances of the Time was such, and the People were so Divided, that the City must have sent down to Leith to have sought Protection from the French against their own Rabbles, and they must have Desired the French to have Come and Taken them into their Protection, to have Preserved them from Plunder and Confusion.

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Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7 I think whatever the Reasons of this were, which I desire to bury in Silence, the Fact will be readily granted; and indeed all Men owned at that Time, that if the French Landed their Forces, they must be Master of the City o/Edinburgh without any Opposition. It is true that I am now but upon Suggestion and meer Supposition, and I do not Affirm positively; But I leave it to any Man to judge of Probabilities, and whether what I Suggest is Rational or no; When the French were thus Possest of Edinburgh, it is very reasonable to Imagine that the first Thing they would have done, was to Proclaim their King: If the Magistrates of the City would not have Agreed to have Performed the Ceremony, the Tolbooth was near at Hand, and the Citizens being Assembled, could soon have Chosen New Magistrates, who would Chearfully have done it. Their King being Proclaimed, it seems Rational to Suppose, they should next Summon the Inhabitants to take an Oath of Fidelity to him; Such as Refused would have their Estates Confiscated, and perhaps be Imprisoned; and if they got Room to Flee, would have their Houses Plundred. Being thus Masters of the Capital, and the Queens Troops having Fled or Retreated towards Berwick, the Country exposed to their Power; I think I make no Trespass on good Manners or Justice, if I say, The Northern High-landers would have been soon Raised by the Influence of their Superiors, who are for the most part Jacobites. These being in Arms, the Low-Lands are at their Mercy, and they had soon Possest themselves of the whole Country, the Militia being entirely without a Head, and without Order, Unlockt from the former Settlement; and Unfixt in a New. Being thus Possest of the Low-Lands, they soon would have been Master of the whole Country; and indeed there was very Few that Durst show their Faces against them, the Forwardness of One Party, and the Divisions and Disorders of the Other making Way for it, when they had thus Reduc'd the Low-Lands, they had no more to do, than to call a Convention of Estates, as at the Revolution; and finding these Fast to their Interest; The first Laws should be to Rescind the Revolution, Declare the Limited Succession a Visible Rebellion, and an Invasion of the Right of another, and thus a compleat National Turn should have pass'd upon us, and the Revolution should suffer a Re-revolution in a few Weeks, for these things would require but little Time: Neither is it Presumption to Suppose, they should have gotten a Representative returned, that would have come into such Measures, since they having the Absolute Possession of the Country, the Influencing them under such Circumstances, to the Choosing such Persons as they should think fit to put upon them was easie enough, Instances of which have been but too Common in this Island, under a less Tyrannical Power than a French Army. While they were thus Settling their Civil Government, Their Military Affairs could not have failed; the Inclination of the Common People about Edinburgh, and 56

Preface the Influence of the Chiefs and Heads of Clans in the High-Lands, would have soon furnished Men for New Revolutions, The sixteen Regiments which they brought with them, (so it seems they had determined) should have had two hundred Men added to every Regiment, by way of filling up; five Regiments of Dragoons, and fourty Battalions o/Foot was to have been Raised immediately; The Command of these Troops was to be given to Irish Officers, and of such, they brought great Numbers with them; save only that the Colonels and some Captains, were to be Chosen of the Superiors or Chiefs where they were Raised, to Encourage the Raising them. Thus in less than six Weeks, they should have had 30000 Men added to the Troops they brought with them; The Money they would have given the High-Land Gentlemen, would Effectually have brought these Gentlemen to Forsake their Party, and Joyn with them, and then the Design would have gone on beyond Expectation. We are next to Enquire what was to become of the English Preparation all this while? You have heard what Strength they were of when come together; But it could not be possible that they could be all brought together, their Magazines furnished, For the French would have taken Care, they should have Subsisted ill enough in Scotland, Their Train of Artillery have been come up, and they in Condition to have Marched into Scotland in Battalia, as they must have done, under six Weeks or two Months; the Difficulties of the Roads, the Country being at that Time very Deep, and the Carriages Heavy, would have made it very bad, Marching an Army; and the Want o/Forrage would have made it Impracticable to have done it sooner. All this Time the French and Jacobites in Scotland, would have had, to have Strengthned their New Settlement, form'd their Army, Fortified Leith, and other Places, and have prepared for War. I shall readily Grant as any Body can desire, That when the English Army came to be ready, and to enter Scotland, they should Beat these New Invaders out of all; and that they should in Time pay Dear for the Attempt; But it must be granted, this would have these Consequences withal, 1. That it would have Ruin'd Scotland. 2. Brought the Seat of War home to our own Doors. 3. Cause a Diversion of our Forces, and be an Occasion of withdrawing our Troops from Flanders, where the Enemy felt the greatest Weight of the War. And A. Have exceedingly protracted the War : Those Gentlemen that were for having them Land, may Consult these probable Consequences, and they will see whether they have not very good Reason to be sensible of the Happiness of the Disappointment. I can not but take Notice here, of the Temper of the People of Scotland at this Time; none will Doubt, but the Minds of Men were variously agitated as their several Tempers, Interest and Party guided them, Hope on one Side, and Fear on the other Discovered it self in a manner which both Sides would fain have 57

Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7 Concealed; nor was there wanting a Party who openly and avowedly, profest their Desires to have the French Land, and their Resolution to joyn with them, and this in so Open, so Rude, and so Threatning a Manner, as gave just Cause of Terror to the Honest Loyal Party on the other Hand, who saw themselves inevitably Ruin'd, if the French Landed, by their own Rabbles, The other Party having openly Threatned and Mark'd out the Houses of such Families as were most Eminent for their Zeal to the Establish't Government. It was Expected, and indeed Apprehended very much in England, that those of the Presbyterians, who had before Vigorously Appeared against the Union, and profest their Dislike of it upon all Occasions, would have Appeared against the Government, at this Juncture, and either have joy n'd with the Invaders, or have formed a Third Party, and so have made a Division, which had in its Kind been equally Fatal. But in this also they were disappointed, for the People who were most warm against the Union, nay even the Western Men who do not own or join with the Church, yet all as one Man declared against joining with French Invaders, Papists, and a Returning Tyranny, which they easily foresaw must be the Consequence of an Invasion; And therefore laying aside all their Old Animosities, private Grudges, and Cavils at the Union, &c. They unanimously declared their Resolution to stand together, and with their Lives and Estates to defend the Government and their Country against all the Powers of France and the Pretender; And to this End, they began to form Associations, the Burghers of Edinburgh listed Men, and subscribed, for their Maintenance, some 10, some 20, some more, and in other Places they were a preparing to do the like; the Western Men sent them Word they would come and join with them, if there was Occasion; And in the mean time some of the People called Cameronians 2 made their open Protestation against it. This was a very great Encouragement to the Government at that Time, when the Vaunts of the other Party run high, and their Hopes were great; But G O D in his Providence prevented the evil Consequences of this Affair, as you have heard: and the good People who had made great Appearances of Unanimity, found themselves delivered another and an easier Way. It happened very well at this Time, That the Commission of the General Assembly was just set down, and the Ministers seeing the Storm coming, both on the Ecclesiastick, as well as Civil Liberties of the Nation, Religion and Property being visibly struck at together in the Flood of Foreign Destruction, plainly Threatning to swallow up both, appointed a Solemn Fast to be kept over the whole Country. I shall make no Comments on the Subject Matter of this Fast, the Act of the Commission does sufficiently show the Sense of the Ministers, and in what Manner the Invasion was like to relish, among them; and therefore I have Inserted it in this Place, to Record the Temper that appear'd at that Time; and what Hope the 58

Preface Pretender, or his Party had Ground to raise upon the supposed Divisions of the Presbyterians about the Union. An Abstract of the said Act of the General Assembly is as follows, At Edinburgh the Fifth o/March One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eight Years?1 T H E Commission of the General Assembly, being sensible of the great Wickedness, and crying Sins of all Sorts, abounding amongst us in this Church; and being in the just Judgment of G O D , Threatned with an Invasion by an Enemy, that hath Imployed his Power for the Ruine of that Holy Religion which we Profess, and the Enslaving of Europe; and who designs to set a Popish Pretender upon the Throne of these Nations, to the utter Overthrow of the True Reformed Religion, all our Interests Sacred and Civil, and all that G O D hath graciously wrought for us by the late happy Revolution, and hitherto Preserved to us; and being Sensible of what we owe in Gratitude, to our only Rightful and Lawful SOVEREIGN Q U E E N ANNE, do look upon it as our Duty, with a Regard to the Honour of G O D , the Preservation of our Religion, the Quiet of Her Majesties Government, and the Good of our Country, to Humble our selves before the LORD; and to call all Persons in this National Church, to Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, to turn to G O D in CHRIST our only Propitiation, and to Cry Mightily to Him, that for the Blood of his Son, he would forgive our Grievous Sins, give us a Sound and Understanding Heart, remove our Spiritual Plagues, and to Unite us to G O D , and to one another in him, that he would avert the deserved Wrath from these sinful Lands, in Disappointing the Designs of our Bloody and Cruel Enemies, defeat the threatned Invasion, maintain Peace and Truth amongst us, bless the Gospel with Success, by the Effusion of his Spirit, preserve Her Majesties Person, direct Her Councils, prosper Her Arms by Sea and Land, and bring these Wars to so happy an Issue, as may be for the Relief of our Oppressed Brethren abroad, and the Security of the Protestant Churches. And the said Commission hereby Appoints the first Thursday of April next, to be Religiously Observed in all the Congregations of this National Church, as a Day of Solemn Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer for the Causes above-mentioned; and Appoints the Ministers of this Church to make Intimation of the Premisses, publickly from their Pulpits upon the LORD's Day, immediately preceeding the foresaid Day of Humiliation, and to be more particular in specifying the Sins of these Lands, as they shall see Cause. 59

Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7

This Fast was Approv'd of by the Privy Council, and their Civil Sanction given thereto. And the Queen in Her Letter to the General Assembly 1708, 2 8 did shew Her Satisfaction with the Zeal and Affection the Ministers of this Church had shown at that Juncture. The greatest Part of all the Presbyteries of Scotland, and Synods, Addressed the Queen also on the Subject of the Invasion; and the General Assembly declared their Sentiments thereof, 1st. In their Answer to the Queens Letter. 2ly. In their Address to Her Majesty. And 3ly. In their National Thanksgiving inserted in their Printed Acts, pages 6, 8, 10, 12, 13. 2 9 Besides all this, many Parishes drew up Addresses to the Privy Council, shewing their Resolution to venture their Lives and Fortunes in Defence of Her Majesties Person and Government; and Craving Leave to put themselves in a Posture of Defence; and in many Places the Presbyterians did Subscribe for considerable Sums, to be payed when called for, in order to buy Arms, and to maintain Men for the Ends foresaid: Some Burgers in Edinburgh Subscribed to Maintain 50 Men, some 40, some 30, some 20, and some who were Poorer Subscribed for Fewer, and all this was done by the Advice, and with the Allowance of Persons Intrusted in the Government by Her Majesty. But this is not all, the Seasonableness of this Solemn Fast was such, and so Serviceable to the Government, being brought out at the very Juncture of Time, when the Eyes both of Friends and Enemies were upon them, that it must be acknowledged, it shewed not only the Zeal of the Presbyterian Ministers for the Queen, the Government and their Establisht Interest; but it shewed their Wisdom and Prudence in so happily timing an Action of that Determining Consequence, and taking the very Moment of its being most Effectual, as well to Convince the Enemy, that they had nothing to expect that Way, but the whole United Force of the Presbyterians against them, To satisfy the Government and the English Nation, among whom Jealousies of the Contrary had been Industriously spread, that the Presbyterians, one and all would Declare against the Invaders; as also, to Settle and Determin such among themselves, if any such were, who might be otherwise unfix'd in their Resolutions, and doubtful what Course to take. Nor was this all, but the Ministers in Scotland, in their respective Parishes, upon the Occasion of the said Fast, apply ed themselves to the Informing their People, what the real Views, and probable Consequences of this Attempt were, what was Threatned to their Church, to their Establisht Religion, to their Liberties, to their Protestant Succession, and to the Revolution; How, whatever the specious Pretences of Preserving the Establisht Church might be, Popery in Principle, and Tyranny in Practice were certainly Incompatible with the Protestant Establishment o/Scotland, which was Founded in Liberty, Depended upon Law, and could 60

Preface not Subsist, humanely speaking, but upon the supported Basis o/Law and Liberty together; That the Invasion was a Visible Appearance of French and Popish Tyranny, the same that for twenty eight Years, had Influenced the Councils and Governments of Scotland, while they Trampled on the Church of Scotland, Silenc'd their preaching Ministry, Persecuted and barbarously Murthered their Innocent Brethren, and bid Defiance to the Laws of GOT), and the Liberties of Scotland; 30 that these Days would inevitably return upon them, and that all the Miseries they had formerly felt, were Effectually contain'd in the Womb of an Invasion. By this Method the Ministers opened the Eyes of the whole Nation, and the People, Rous'd by this happy Vigour in their Clergy, began to stir every where; Immediately a new Face appear'd upon the Publick Affairs, the General Dejection and Hesitation, which seemed before to make the People look Dark and Unresolved, was quite Removed, and nothing was to be seen among the Presbyterian Party of the People, but Associations, Addresses, Preparations for Fighting, fitting up their Arms, and a Chearful resolved Temper of Fighting the French where-ever they were to be found. Some of the Ministers themselves were so Vigorous in this, that they Caused their whole Parishes to Associate and Bind themselves, One to another, and all together to the Government, to stand as one Man against the Invaders. The Service this did the Government, the Encouragement it gave in England, and the Discouragement it gave to the Jacobite Party at that Juncture, was such, as the last especially will not easily forget; and I thought it very Useful to Transmit the Memory of it thus to Posterity, that they may know how their Ancestors Acted in this Great Affair, and how they ought to Act on the like Occasions. In this Posture the Affairs of this Island stood, when the French baffled by the immediate Hand of GOD's Providence, in missing their Port, were pursued by the English Fleet, and made their Escape by the Goodness of their Sails to Dunkirk, where their Troops were put on Shore, and so the Expedition ended. The ten Battalions which came from Holland to New-Castle were not at all landed, but went immediately back, and were in the Field again Time enough to show themselves in the First of the Campaign. The English Troops march'd back without entring into Scotland; The Prisoners taken on Board the Salisbury were brought to Hull, and treated as Prisoners of War, in Order to be sent over to Holl a n d e r Exchange. The Lord Griffin, with the two Sons of the Earl o/Middletoun, and 15 Irish reform'd Officers were carry'd to London; The three first were committed to the Tower, and the Irish to Newgate, being to be Tryed, as Traitors, against the Q U E E N , whose natural born Subjects they appeared to be. The Lord Griffin having been formerly attainted and outlaw'd, it needed not that he should be brought to any Tryal: but, being carryed up to the QUEEN's 61

Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7 Bench Bar he received Sentence of Death on the Foot of the said Outlawry, without any Tryal; However, the Dauphin of France having wrot a particular Letter in his Behalf, to the Duke of Marlborough to intreat the QUEEN's Mercy to him, and that he (the Dauphin) made it his Request to the Queen, the Lord Griffin being his Servant; The said Lord Griffin was reprived from Time to Time, and is yet living in the Tower,31 at the publishing these Sheets. The Irish Officers also, and the Lord Middletoun's Sons remain yet Prisoners. On the other Hand, Great Heats and Disputes happened about the Gentlemen who were taken up upon Suspition. The Parliament, in the Heat of the Alarm, had passed a Bill suspending the Habeas Corpus Act for a Time, so far as should concern the Persons apprehended on this Account, and empowering the Queen to take up, and keep in Prison, such Persons as there should be Ground to suspect, were guilty of Confederating with, or Encouraging the Invaders. Had the Gentlemen concerned, been apprehended in another Juncture, they would perhaps have had no other Trouble than to have lyen still, and when the Thing had been over, have been released again, as was done at that Time in Ireland. But the Fury of our Divisions on either Hand run so high, that this could not be: Some thought the Persons taken up had more Hand in the Invasion than appeared, and that they ought not too lightly to be let go, lest it might encourage both them and others to make the like Attempt again. And these were very warm for Prosecutions, and for proposing Rewards to encourage Persons to come in to charge the Prisoners: And would have all Manner of Methods tryed to fasten something upon them. Others again Inveighed against the Ministry in Scotland, as having partial and Party-Regards in the picking out such or such Persons to put in Prison, on Pretence of this Suspicion, as might gratifie the private Designs of particular Persons, either as to Private Picks and Personal Revenge, or to prejudice their Interests in Elections? there being a new Parliament then to be chosen. These Contentions, however grounded on either Side, had certainly this Effect, that they gave a great deal of Trouble to the Prisoners, which otherwise might have been avoided; For the Ministry seeing such pointing at probable Guilt on one Hand, and such Complaints of Injustice on the other, found it necessary to make the Proceedings more formal, and to have all the Gentlemen up to London, That they might either be prosecuted, or let out upon Bail: as the Council should direct. Upon their coming up to London, they were all admitted to Bail, except Four who were committed to Prison, and were after sent to Scotland to be Tryed; but these however were acquitted, the Lords of the Justiciary and Her Majesties 62

Preface Advocate differing upon some Forms; particularly, the Lords refusing to admit the Lord Advocate 35 to produce more Witnesses after the first Day o/Tryal. It is not my Business to enter into this Dispute, otherwise I could be more large on this Head: But the Government was so sensible of the Inconveniencies of the old Method of prosecuting upon Treason, from this Nicety, that presently upon this the Parliament resolved to bring in a Bill to make the Laws for Tryals, in Cases of Treason, the same in Scotland as in England. 3 From this Period is also to be dated the Distractions which followed in the Affair of Religion, and of which I think it is very material to speak, because they have made a great Noise in the World, and every one is not rightly apprised of the Thing; particularly many have entertained Prejudices against the good People in Scotland, as if they had been acted by a Spirit of Passion and Persecution, when indeed, upon a full and clear Examination of the Matter of Fact, the contrary will evidently appear; And therefore I could not satisfie my self without doing this Piece of Justice to the Church and People of Scotland, as to give an impartial Relation of the Fact, as it is attested out of the publick Registers, by the proper Officers: and being myself an Eye and Ear-Witness to every part of the Proceeding. About the End of February 170^ , 37 Her Majesty by Her Letter to the Privy Council in Scotland, gave Notice of the intended Invasion, back'd with a French Power, design'd against Scotland; recommending to them the Security of the Kingdom, the Preservation of the Publick Peace, and that they would use all possible Means to that Effect. The Privy Council taking this Affair into their Consideration, it naturally occurd; That to discourage the Enemies of the Government at Home, was among others, one of the best Steps to prevent the mischievous Consequences of an Invasion from Abroad; and in order to this, that it was reasonable to suppress the publick Meetings of those, who under pretence of Divine Worship, admitted such Ministers to officiate, as the Law in that Case had prohibited, having not qualified themselves by taking the Oaths, praying for the QUEEN, &c. by which the Publick Disaffection was upheld and encourag'd. It was then agreed to Nemine Contradicente, in the Privy-Council; and for the Truth of which we refer our Reader to the Minutes of the Council for Proof; That Orders should be Issued out to all inferiour Magistrates, to put this Resolve in Execution; and Orders were accordingly Issued out to the Magistrates of Edinburgh for that Purpose, who thereupon Legally called before them several Ministers or Preachers, who were known to keep Publick Meeting-Houses within their Bounds, Asking them plainly in Terms of Law, If they prayed for Her Majesty N O M I N A T I M , 3 in their Publick Meeting-Houses; and if they had qualify ed themselves by taking the Oath of Allegiance, and subscribing the same with the Assurance, as the Law requir'd^9 63

Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7 Some of them answer'd directly, but others avoiding the Question, requir'd a Legal Tryal, by way of Libel and Proof; which was accordingly Appointed, and whereof the precise Points were, their not taking the Oath of Allegiance, and subscribing the same with the Assurance; their not praying for Her Majesty N O M I N A T I M , as the Law requires; and their not observing Publick Fasts and Thanksgivings; all which were Notour, ° and being Negatives proved themselves. To this Libel the foresaid Preachers made Answers, and also took a Protest, That they were not legally cited, not being call'd either on fifteen Days as the old Law requires, or on ten Days, as the late Act of Parliament against Intruders prescribes. To which it was Answered, That as to the fifteen Days, the known and perpetual Custom within Burgh had over-ruled it to twenty four Hours; and as to the ten Days, they were only appointed in the Tryal of Intruders. But the Preachers call'd, being conveen'd for notour Disaffection by not Praying, and by not taking the Oath of Allegiance, nor keeping Fasts and Thanksgivings, the Citations were good, and the Procedure unquestionable; and yet the Magistrates thought fit to give them a farther Indulgence, and to allow them to give in all their Defences. The Sum of which Defences, as contain'd in a Representation exhibit by the said Preachers, being first the foresaid Dilators x to this, they added, That by the Act of Parliament 1693, 2 Requiring all Ministers and Preachers to take the Oath of Allegiance, It is provided, that the Contraveener shall be Punish'd by Banishment, or otherways as the Privy-Council should think fit, and therefore the Libel was improperly tabled before the Magistrates. It was Answer'd, To the first Dilators, that the former Answers were repeated; And to the second, That the Privy-Council having refer'd the Execution to the Magistrates, there could be no more Debate about their Competency on that Head. But then they went on to Object against the Relevancy. And as to the Act of the Convention, Ordaining all Ministers to Pray for the KING and QUEEN Nominatim, 3 They Answer'd, That that Act did die and expire with King WILLIAM and Queen MARY And as to the Act 1693, Ordaining all Preachers to take the Oath o/Allegiance, and Sign the same with the Assurance; They Answer'd, First, That that Act did only concern Ministers provided to benefices and Stipends; and could not be extended to such Preachers, as enjoy no Benefice under the Government; And Secondly, The Act Recognizing Her Majesty Queen A N N E , enjoyns the Taking of the Oath of Allegiance, &c. to such as are in publick Trust, and Preachers not benefic'd cannot be said to be in any publick Trust; And Thirdly, The Act of Parliament 1693, limited to the Persons of King WILLIAM and Queen MARY is out of Doors with them. To which it was Reply'd, That the Act of Convention, Ordaining all Ministers and Preachers to Pray for the KING and QUEEN Nominatim, is certainly to be understood likeways, of all their Royal Successors, specially since it is so plainly 64

Preface founded upon the Command of the Apostle, 5 and the Duties of all Subjects. Secondly, The Act 1693, expresly relates to all Preachers, whether Benefiic'd or not, and withal defines all Preachers to be Persons in publick Trust; so that the Act recognizing Her Majesty did exactly fall within it, and affords no Relief to the Defenders. And Thirdly, The Act 1693, tho' it mention King WILLIAM and Queen MARY, yet is not limited to them, but being a perpetual Law, extends to all their Royal Successors; Likeas by the said Act recognizing Her Majesty, it is de facto so extended. Which Defences and Replies being Read and Considered by the Magistrates, they repell'dthe Dilators, as also all the other Defences proponedfor the Defenders, and found, that since they had not Pray'd for Her Majesty Queen A N N E , Nominatim, and taken the Oath of Allegiance, &c. they had incur' d the Pains of Law, and therefore Ordain'd them, and every one of them, to desist from keeping of any Meeting-Houses within the City o/Edinburgh, and Liberties thereof, and from Preaching or Exercising any Part of the Ministerial Function within the same in Time coming, under the Pain of Imprisonment, and to find Caution for that Effect betwixt and the 30th Day o/March then instant, and in the mean Time that their Meeting-Houses, be forthwith shut up. But tho' this Sentence was then past, yet nothing follow'd upon it, until that the Privy-Council of Scotland being determin'd by an Act of Parliament, after the 1st of May, these Disaffected People judging, that the Councils Orders were also expir'd with the Council that gave them, did about the 20th of June fall again to their Preaching, and enter'd their Meeting-Houses. And further they resolv'd among themselves, that they would continue to Preach and not Desist; which mov'd the Magistrates to renew the former Prohibition about the said 20th o/June last, which they still Neglecting and Despising, they were again call'd before the Magistrates about the 16th of July, and requir'd to find Caution or Bail to Desist, as being the known legal Execution upon such prohibitory Sentences, or otherways to go to Prison. But they still refusing to obey, the Magistrates thought fit on the 13th to send Five only to Prison, which Five were also at length reliev'd; so indulgent were the Magistrates in this Matter. This whole Trial, and all the Steps thereof, being transmitted to Her Majesty, it pleased Her Majesty by Her Royal Letters under Her Hand and Seal of the 18th of September last, to approve what was done by the Magistrates of Edinburgh in the said Matter, as acceptable Service; and further to judge it necessary for the Safety of Her Royal Person and Government, that all such MeetingHouses in every other Place should be shut up. Thus far the Matter of Fact. It is most true, that in this first Prosecution, there was no other or further Design, than the giving a Check to the Invasion, and to the Insolence of some of the non jurant Party, who at that Time began to be more formidable in Scotland 65

Defoe: Writings on Travel, Discovery and History, Volume 7 than in England; and this is apparent in the Lenity and Forbearance of the Magistrates and Justices of the Peace in Scotland, who as soon as the Invasion was over, and the Danger from abroad seem'd at an End, were very easy with them again, the Ministers who had been Confined were silently let go, and their former Liberty conniv'd at again; so that their Meetings became as frequent as they were before, notwithstanding they still refused to take the Oaths, or Pray for the QUEEN. But here it began to appear, that there were some among those People, who had other Aims in these things, than meerly the Liberty of their Consciences, and the Worshiping GOD; and that something ought to be attempted to make the People Uneasy, and to bring them by Force to Prosecute and Attack them. And to this End, since refusing the Oaths, since refusing to Pray for the QUEEN, nay actually praying for the PRETENDER, would not provoke the Government, ^^Magistrates in Scotland to Persecute; They find out another Expedient, which they are assured will not fail, being what they know the Scots will not bear, what ever it Cost them; and this was Erecting the Common Prayer or English Liturgy in Scotland. 7 The People that made this Attempt, behoved to get some Body to do it; that however Jacobite be might be in Principle, was yet Latitudinarian enough in Conscience, that he could swallow all the Oaths which should be offered to him; Indeed some of the Jacobite Clergy were so honest, that as they would not take the Oaths, so they did not approve of this Attempt, but openly Disavowed it; Nor had the Episcopal People in Scotland ever set up the English Liturgy, altho they had Reign'din Scotland for twenty eight Years together, before the Revolution. 8 But the Design being concerted, they found a Tool; a poor Curate of 15 lib. a Year in Ireland, but born in Scotland, comes over to Edinburgh to mend his Commons; 9 and having taken the Oaths, he falls in with this Party, who finding him a Person of prostituted Morals, a large Stock in the Face, and ready, if well-paid, to do their Work, they promise him Fourscore Pound a Year, and accordingly begin a Subscription for it. Some English Gentlemen had, it seems, promised him some Encouragement towards that Sum to be raised, and this they make a Handle of presently, and Reported that this was set up to Accommodate the English Strangers who could not Conform to the Presbyterian Church. But the English Gentlemen seeing into the Design, and that they were to be made a Property to Embroil the Government, and foment a Division between the Two lately United Nations; They soon abandoned him and his Design; However, he resolved to put his Project in Execution, and accordingly takes a House just at the Cross in Edinburgh, 5 0 /^ it out for a Chapel, and begins to Read the English Service. 66

Preface The People, as every Body knew they would, immediately took Fire at the thing; But not doing him the Honour to Rabble him?1 which seem'd to be what his Party expected; they Complain to the Magistrates; The Person that had let him the House, finding what Use he was putting it to, began with him, and on Pretence of his having made some Spoil in pulling down Partitions, &c. not Authorized by his Contract, Gets him Turn'd out of the House, and so he betakes himself to a Place less publick, but still goes on with his Service-Book Worship; However it gave less Offence here, the other seeming to be a Defiance of the Laws; It happened at this Time, or in a few Days after, that the Commission of the General Assembly 52 was to meet, as soon as they sat down, a Representation or Address is made to them by the Inhabitants of Edinburgh and other Places against this thing; The Paper mentions other Complaints indeed, but this was the Main Thing aim'd at: The Address is as follows. Unto the very Reverend and Honourable, The Commission of the late General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. We the Neighbourhood of the Town of Edinburgh, and Suburbs UnderSubscribers, Do most Humbly Represent, T H A T notwithstanding the many Good Laws and Acts of Parliament, and particularly the Act 6 and 7 Par. 1707, made for the Settlement and Security of this National Church, and against all Incroachments upon her Rights and Privileges, or Innovations in her Doctrine, Worship, Discipline or Government; 5 3 And of Her Majesties repeated Assurances in Her Royal Proclamations, Letters to Her Privy Council, and the General Assemblies of this Church, to Maintain and Defend the same in its present Establishment, against all such unlawful Intrusions, Incroachments, and Innovations, particularly Her Majesties Proclamations against unlawful Intruders into Churches and Manses in Scotland, Dated Sept. 2