OF all Governments Monarchy is the best, and least subject to Inconveniences; but because the Monarch is a man subject to Errors in Judgment, and capable of being by­assed in his Affections, it was therefore necessary, that the Common-Wealth, as it gave him great Power over them, so it should assigne him also the best Helps, for directing both his Will and Judgement.

The first Help was Law, which is the Rule both to King and People.

The second, were certain Councills and Counsellors with whom to consult in matters of most Importance, as we see in the Dyets of Germany, the Courts [Page 4] of Spain, and the Parliament of England, without which no matters of moment can be concluded. The Romans had their Senat, and the Graecians their Ephori.

As We are happy in a Limited Mo­narchical Government, so it has succeed­ed well with our Kings when they have had VVise Counsellours, and have been advised by their Parliaments in things relating to the Publick Good.

The Nature of our Parliament is ex­plained in the 8. Par. K. Ja. 6. Act 2. where it's said; That by the court of Parliament under GOD, the Kingdom hath been upholden; Rebellion, and Traiterous Subjects punished; the Good and Faithfull Preserved, and main­tained, and the Laws and Acts of Parlia­ment (by which all good men are Go­verned) are made and established, &c.

This Act was made whilst our King was yet amongst Our selves, but no sooner did We loose Him, than We dwindled all of a sudden into old Age: [Page 5] and altho' the whole Island has been Christened by the Name of Great Bri­tain, the English only have reaped the Honour and Advantage of this Union.

Henry VII. of England said to one of his Counsellours, that the Marriage between his Daughter, and Our King, would make Scotland an Accession to the Crown of England, some VVay or other: nor could it be otherways, when our Kings, ever since the Uni­on, have lived in England, and that the English being made secret to our near­est Concerns have had the Art to In­fluence Our Counsells for their own Interest.

Kingdoms are United either when they become the same People in Sub­jection: (such is our Union with England) or when they are United in Laws and Interest; so that they be­come the same Common-Wealth: one Head Rules them, and all inferiour Members conspire for the Prosperity of the whole Body.

[Page 6] The last of these Unions is Good for both: Whereas the first is neither lasting, nor can all Parties be justly dealt with by the same Master. We Knovv Portugall soon Revolted from Spain.

If We are Stated, That, as the Poorer Part of this Island, VVe are to Enjoy nothing that the English may think of ill Consequence to them; The Question is, Whether We should prefer their Interest or our own? And surely, a just King who is Father of both coun­tries, must be put to it, by Deliberate Reflections upon the Oaths He has taken to both Kingdoms.

Our Secretaries who have been oblig­ed to attend at Court, were the Per­sons by whom the Advice of the Privy Council concerning the Affairs of this Nation, has been communicated to our Kings, and by whom their Majesties have signified their Will to the Sub­ject; But it may be doubted whether the Advice, followed by those Kings, [Page 7] has been that of England, that of the Secretaries, or that of the Council here

By the great Trust Our Secretaries have, they ought to be Guardians to their Country; that by their Vigilant Care and Probity, Subjects may find experimentally, that they are as much for their Advantage, as they have Power and Dignitie.

No privat Advantage, no Self-Ends should move them to Betray their Charge; No English Dependence should Dare them; but by their Virtue they should raise their Character above the Envy of wicked men.

They should mind what Tacitus says; that tho' the Deliberations of all other men do commonly consist in the Con­siderations of Utility, and Profit, yet the state of a Prince is such that He ought principalie to respect Fame and Reputation.

It should be a great Awe upon them to be Honest; that Favorites of Princes [Page 8] have been so often Sacrificed to an op­pressed People.

Plutarch sayeth that the Counsellors of Dionysius, Phalaris, and Apollodorus, were justlie Tormented by the People; because he who Seduceth a Prince de­serveth no less to be abhor'd of all men, than one that should Poyson a publick Fountain, whereof all men should Drink.

Henry VIII. in the Beginning of his Reign, to satisfie his English Subjects who Importuned Him for Justice against Emson and Dudly for the evill Council they had given to Henry VII. in mat­ters of Exactions and Impositions, de­livered them to be Punished accord­ing to Law.

VVe might be liable to suffer, if we had no other to informe His Majesty, about our Ease and Riches, than Secre­taries and Courtiers, from whom must depend the Character of every one in Publick Trust here.

It's our Parliaments therefore that [Page 9] have taken Notice of our Concerns▪ and it is to this Parliament we have Recourse for our present Affairs; seeing His Majestie is for the present so occu­pied in Managing the Interests of Eng­land and Holland, that He leaves ta­citely to our Honourable Members of Parliament, not only to call missinfor­mers to an Account, but to inform him­self in every thing concerns our Good.

We would have been very happy to have had the Presence of His Ma­jesty in this Session of Parliament, ac­cording to His Royal Promise, which has been allways necessary for us: That He might be informed at one View, what is fit to be done in every Jun­cture of Affairs, that He might know what part of His Kingdom Flourishes, and what part of it Languishes: That He who is above all in Honour and Au­thority, would be likeways Interessed for the Benefit of the Publick, and that He might have Occasion to influence His People to their Duty, by His Piery [Page 10] Justice, Valour, Clemency, and other Princely Qualities.

Noble was that Speech of Henry IV. of France, and worthy of so good a King, when he Assembled the States of his Kingdom at Rouen 1596. which he ends thus. I have not called you to this Place, as my predecessors have done, to oblige you blindly to approve of my Will; I have Summoned you to Receive, to Believe, and to Follow Your Councils: In a Word, to make You my Guardians.

How acceptable would such a dis­course be to this present Parliament, from His Majesty? and what might we hope, but to be watched over; our Good, our Ease, and Wellfare, to be the End of His Undertakings, and the Happiness, Strength, Wealth, and Ho­nour of our Country to be His Joy and Satisfaction.

But it's You, most Honourable Mem­bers, He makes at present Judges of every thing is for the Benefit of this [Page 11] Nation, and in whose hands He De­positates His Royal Care of the Peo­ple.

And surely His Majesty, who has been our Deliverer, will Abominat that Base and Dishonourable Method Publick Ministers had of Corrupting our Members of Parliament, by Pla­ces, Money, or Promises, to Betray the Interest of this Nation.

Every one knows the Plot was first Hatched at Court, of making or abro­gating such and such Laws: some Fa­vourit read the List of our Members of Parliament, and as they found a Name for their purpose, they Marked it with a Capital Letter.

If the Names marked did not exceed the Remainder of the List, so much Money was order'd to increase the Num­ber: and this was recommended to the Management of the Commissioner, and Secretaries, who so soon as they Arriv'd in Scotland, set all Hands to Work for the Imploying it to good purpose.

[Page 12] May all our present Members of Parliament Detest those Ancient Vices, and Remember, rhat our King knows the Reward belongs to Merit; knows the Dutie of a good Patriot, and the Treacherie of one betrays His Country; Let them all then lay to Heart the good of this Kingdom.

A Nobleman, as a Nobleman, is ob­liged to Imploy his Powerful Assi­stance to the Publick, to Maintain it with his Wealth, his Riches, and his Blood▪ He ought to be the Supporter and Pillar of his Country, a Defence to the Poor and oppressed, and a Check to the Violence of wicked Men. These were the Qualities have made the Pre­decessors of some of our Nobility so Famous in Historie, and their Me­morie so dear to Posteritie.

A Gentleman who's a Member of Parliament, is to be Faithfull to his Trust, both out of Principles of Ho­nour and Interest; for if We take a­way Honestie from him, He will dif­fer [Page 13] nothing from the Refuse of Society; or by what other distinguishing Cha­racter can we know him from the Mob? If He betray the Liberties of his Coun­trie, how can He hope to transmit his Estate to his Heirs, or Secure his Friends from Slaverie and Oppression▪

And all Members of Parliament are to remember, that as they are the Re­presentativ [...] of this Nation, so they are the Protectors of its Priviledges; who ought to Examine the Interest of the People, contribute to their Wealth and Security, be Mediators between them and His Majesty, endeavour to Remove ill Counsellours from Him; And they ought to act in every part, as Men of Probity: Being bound to Discharge their Trust, both by Duty and Oath.

Nor let them degenerate from that Boldness becomes every Man stands up for His Country; but be Couragious like Helvidius Priscus when he receav­ed a Message from the Emperour Ve­spasian, not to appear in the Senat, or [Page 14] if He came, not to interpose his Opi­nion in a Debate which was to be moved there; Sent back Word, that his Character of a Senator required his Attendance, nor would he baulk any Thing that became him according to Conscience and Duty. Vespasian, pro­voked with what He thought inso­lence in this Reply, Threatned to put Him to Death. To which second Mes­sage He returned thus: Did I ever tell the Emperour that I was immortal? His Majesty, I suppose, will do His Pleasure and I will do my Duty; it is in his Power to put Me to Death un­justly, but it is in my Power to Die Virtuously.

The preferring the Good of the Com­mon-Wealth to any self-Interest, is the greatest Ornament of the Soul; and when all our Actions are measured in Respect of their Objects, most Noble are these which Aim most at the Pub­lick Good; By which Virtue the Hea­then Heroes became the Peoples Gods; [Page 15] whereas Private Interest has been all­ways the Business of Slaves. Who is it deserves Universal Praise, but those who designe Universal Advantages? those are deservedly called Fathers of their Country; and it should be en­acted a Paricide▪ to wound the Repu­tation of such, whose▪Fame shall be like Medals, grow stil the more Illustri­ous the older they grow.

Epaminondas is admired who was all­ways more busied in raising the Glory of his Country than in heaping Pelf for himself. Decius who threw him­self amongst his Enemies to gain a Victory to his Country shall live to E­ternity. And for the love of their Coun­try it was that Aristides of Athens, being sent Ambassador with Themistocles who was his Enemie, willed him, at their De­parture out of Town, that they might leave all their Emulations.

Altho' the Law of this Kingdom hath attained to a great Perfection by its few and clear Statutes, nevertheless [Page 16] as the Affairs of the World, and our own Circumstances Change, we must have Parliaments to Provide us with new Laws. I doubt not but our Par­liament will take into their Conside­ration▪ our Trade, our Publick Socie­ty's, our standing Armie, and our Publick Treasurie. Upon which sepa­ratly▪ I shall make these following Re­flections.

First, Trade is necessary to any Nati­on that either will have Riches, or their Poor Imployed; and this is a Truth so well known, and all Nati­ons perswaded of it, that the Thoughts of most men are turned that way.

It will be happy for us, that it be Carefully looked after; especially the Affairs of our Company Trading to America, and the Colony they have planted in Darian, in Spite, both of forreign and domestick Enemies; our just Title to which, of late, has been proved by unanswerable Arguments; So that it's the Nations Honour for Our [Page 17] Parliament both to assist our Directors with Money, and Authority to retrive their Losses; and to Frown upon all their Enemies; as being no Friends to this Country.

I'm perswaded no Tax will be more agreeable to the Subject, nor more rea­dilie payed, than for carrying on this Project, that has made the name of our Nation Reign in all Forraigne Courts, after it has been in Oblivion for almost this Century; and which has made us Formidable to the Spaniards, whose Grand-Fathers thought that Scotland was a Province of England.

The Profit that may arise to Us from our Colony, if it prosper, is evi­dent to everie one knows the Riches of the Spanish Plantations; And let us but Suppose, that we are only able to Keep in our Possession, the Port of SAINT ANDREW in CALE­DONIA, it may serve to be a Maga­zin for all our Commodities in the West Indies, and to Manage a private [Page 18] Trade with the Spaniard, to the great Advantage of this Nation.

But let Us have a more Noble End than Gain alone; The Propagation of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION; and if this were the only Motive, We ought to part with our Money freely for the Glory of GOD.

To Oppose our Designs we have but one declared Enemy, the King of Spain; who if He endeavour to drive us from our Possession, Honour obliges Us to Defend our selves.

If the English or Dutch oppress Us, contrary to the Laws of Nations, I don't see what should hinder Us to take Pro­tection wherever it may be found.

It may be some People will object, that our Darian Business will occasion a War with Spain; or, that our Di­rectors have mis-managed.

But in such Objections there's more Humour, than Love for the Country; [Page 19] because by the same Argument we may be Bullied out of any thing the Spani­ard, Dutch, or any other Nation has a Likeing to; and even be Obliged at last, by another Step of Complaisance, to renounce the Title of a free Kingdom.

If our Directors have failed either by Ignorance or Negligence in their De­signs, that should not keep Us from doing our Duty, nor to contribute all that's in our Power, for Recovering the Losses of our Companie; otherways all advantageous Projects may be balk­ed, because ther's allways Knaves Em­barqued in them.

If any Body has the Impudence to amuse us with Fisheries and other use­full Projects, it should be looked on as Banter; For when His Majestie has discountenanced us to gratifie the Eng­lish or rather the Dutch, we don't Know what more he will doe for his Native country.

2 ly. Society is a great Support to Trade, for great Interprises can be better [Page 20] carryed on by the Credit of many, than by one single Family or Person; and it has been the Practice of our Neighbouring Countries to Establish Companies, Trading to different places of the World; and severall Societies at Home to mind their Manufactories, and have protected them with particu-Laws and Immunities.

It's by Honesty and fair Dealing that all Societies flourish; and vvell did the Romans Know that, when they pu­nished the Members of Societies for Frauds and supine Negligence, with In­famy. l. 1. ff. de his qui not. infa. § poen. Inst. de poen. tem. litig.

The Nature of Man is so prone to Wickedness, and so easily led away by Temptation, that if there be not some severe means taken to prevent all ill Practices: Ther's no Society but may be ruined, being exposed to the catch of everie miserable S [...]arper, and specially here where some Merchants know bet­ter how to impose upon people that [Page 21] deal with them, than to preserve that Candor which becomes every honest Trader.

Therefore it's advisable that it should be made Death and Forfeiture to every one who is found Defrauding the Socie­ty of which he is member; and Punish­able for all other delinquences Propor­tionably to their Nature. The one half of the Forfeiture should be added to the stock of the Companie, and the other half given to Him who Accuses the said Member; by such Laws ill men will be keep'd in their duty and ho­nest men will not easily be Imposed on.

3 ly. Every well Governed Nation must be in a Posture to Defend her self, and upon good ground to assist her Allyes abroad.

Had we therefore either fear to be attaked by our Enemies; or Allyes to assist; we should have all the reason ima­ginable to keep a standing Armie: and I believe no Subject would repine [Page 22] to be Taxed for It's Subsistence Propor­tionably to his Abilities.

Why should we be affraid for Ene­mies abroad, when England which is the better part of this Island thought it self secure immediatly after the Peace? and Kept no more Force than to Secure the Peace at Home, and prevent all Di­sturbances.

What Allyes have We to assist? un­less We are so officious as to call those of England and Holland our Allyes; like the Highland Countrey-man who call­ed all his Master,s Cousins his own.

At the Treatie of Rysewyck, was ever the name of our Nation mention­ed any more than as one of his Majesties Titles? did ever any bodie endeavour to Recover our old priviledges from France? or what have we Reaped, for all that our Country men shewed either in Valour or Adress, for Obtaining an Honourable Peace?

We are neglected by all the World, when they don't stand in need of us; [Page 23] Contempt is our only Reward for de­claring Warr against France, when we had not a Ship to defend our little Trai [...]e; And our Souldiers are sent home Poor and Mutilated, to eat our Bread, till such time the Dutch or English find service for them.

Is it not time to look to our selves when everie other Nation minds their particular Interest; and either at pre­sent, to declare our selves mercenary Fools, or to act as a wise & Free Nation?

Let our Parliament remember that Mercy is to be used to the Purse of the Subject; Or, how dangerous standing Armies have proved to France, Den­mark Poland, and other Countries; nor do we Know what Influence our Forces might have upon Us at present, were they ill inclined.

Let our Honourable Members con­sider the Poverty of our Country, the Decay of Trade, and the great Trea­sure our Courtiers and Pensioners carry every Year from this to England. So [Page 24] accordingly may they inform their Judgements about the Necessitie of a standing Armie.

Alltho' it's absolutelie necessarie to Disband the most of Our Troops; yet Justice and Interest require, that all the well-deserving Officers should be pro­vided with Pensions, to keep them in this Countrie, that they may be in a Readiness to Serve when the common Defence requires.

Wise Men know that in Time of Necessitie good Officers are ill to be got; and the Confoederats, in the beginning of the last War, found that all the Advantages the French had over them were occasioned by the Pawness of their Officers. And it's also remarkable that the French, who are absolute Masters of War, set a great Value upon expe­rienced and brave Commanders.

In Time of Peace, were We to au­gment our Force, it should be at Sea, because everie Countrie is to be Guard­ed according to its Situation.

[Page 25] Lastly, As Advice is the Head, so Money moves the Springs, & strength­ens the Nerves of every State; by which it Moves, Acts, and is Knit together.

No Orator is so perswasive upon the Wills and Affections of men; nor no Conqueror so Successfull by Force of Arms, as a good Treasure; and such is the Temper of most men, that they serve Money with Zeal, and obey it without Grudging.

It is our Interest according to the custome of all wise Governements, both to Provide good Funds, and to Im­ploy the money arising from them to proper Uses.

There's many ways to raise Money from different Funds: Yet the Ease of the subject is to be had in Considera­tion, and all Impositions so qualified that they may be laid upon persons pro­portionablie to their Estates; for it's not just that all People should be levell­ed, where Fortune hath made a vast dif­ference▪ it's therefore that all Excises [Page 26] upon Meat, Drink, Cloaths, &c ▪are equal for all; every Body being obi­ged to contribute according to their Luxurie.

If considerable Taxes were laid upon Moneyed Men, they would be forced to apply their Money upon Trade, where they might have the greatest Gain.

Poll and Hearth-Money should be a­voided, being too heavie Taxes for the Poor.

Great Duties should be laid upon everie Forraigne Commodity for which the subject has not an absolute necessi­ty, or a way to vent it abroad▪ and and it would be for the advantage of Trade that the Rates of his Majesties Customs were revised, and that no Ex­ported Goods should pay Custom.

No Custom, or Taxes should be Ferm­ed, because we know by Experience that they serve to Enrich particular People, who have the Art of Jugling with these who are Deputed to Examine their Ac­counts▪ [Page 27] and what Favours are given to the said Publicans by his Majestie it would be for the Honour of the Go­vernment, that they were given to the Poor, who are never spared by the In­solent Tax men,

Publick Collectors should be ap­pointed for gathering all customs, and each Collector ought to have a good Salary to make him Honest, and he obliged to find Bail for his Intromissi­ons, so that the Nation might be Ho­nestly served.

To imploy the Money arising from funds, to the advantage of this King­dom, Our Parliament is to take notice; because all Supplyes run in Form of free gifts from the Subjects to his Ma­jestie, for their own behoofe: Now whither these gifts are applyed to the publick good, the members of Parlia­ment that gave them are most capable to Judge; and when ther's a good un­derstandiug between Prince and Peo­ple, I believe the Parliament will do it's [Page 28] Duty, that neither his Majestie be im­posed on, nor the People cheated out of their Money and Liberties by pen­sions.

We have the exemple of this present Parliament in England, to state the present defects of our Treasury; to ex­amen the occasions exhausted it: and then to make the People sensible of the necessity of new Supplies.

A great many good Laws are usefull to be made this Session of Parliament to prevent severall inconveniencies our Constitution is lyable too, and which might secure both the authoritie of fu­ture Parliaments and the liberties of the Subject.

All Officers, or any body that de­pends upon Court, ought to be declar­ed incapable to vote in Parliament, be­cause such Persons are supposed to move according to the Inclination of the King, from whom they receave their bread immediatly; and that they would doe little for the Good of the Subject [Page 29] when it happens that the Interests of Prince and People are not the same.

This should be one of the Prelimi­nary Votes, and no sooner is this Vote stated but all Pensioners become inca­pable to Vote for themselves.

We may Learn by the English Pra­ctice, and our own Parliaments, how Convenient it is that all Ovetrures concerning the affairs of the People be Voted and Receave the Royall Assent before any Supplyes be granted to his Majestie.

But what may we not expect from this Parliament, for the meeting of which, we have so Languished? but that all Grievances will be redressed that the interest of the Subject will be mind­ed; and that every Law will be made that can contribute to the Glory and Safety of this Nation.

Then let Us lay aside all Animosi­ties and confide in each other, Aiming all at the Publick Good; Let everie Member Act as a man of Honour and [Page 30] Conscience: Let our most Noble High Commissioner behave as above the frouns of Fortoune, as one that's Mor­tall, whose Fame must be Transmitted to Posterity; never had any a greater Opportunity of becoming Universal­ly Beloved, or Universally Hated; never had any such an Occasion to shew his Zeal for his Country, or his Love for his Friends: Nor ever did this Nation stand in need of so Ver­tuous a Person▪

Let us all then Concur with good wishes and advice for Pos [...]erity to our selves, and for the Floorishing of this Kingdom.