xviii PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. 



Queen Anne, who had fucceeded to the crown, 

 honoured them with a vifit, in order to quicken 

 their mutual endeavours, but when the Scottilh 

 commiflioners propofed that the rights and privi- 

 leges of their company, trading to Africa and the 

 Indies, fhoulcl be preserved and maintained, fuch a 

 difficulty arofe as could not be furmounted, and no 

 further progrefs was made in this commiflion. 



In 1706, the bufinefs was refumed, and the 

 commilTioners met, on the i6th day of April, in 

 the council chamber at Whitehall. The Scots 

 were ftill inclined to a foederal union, like that of 

 the United Provinces, but the Englifh commifli- 

 oners, or rather the miniftry, were bent upon an 

 incorporation, fo as that no Scottifh parliament 

 fhould ever have power to repeal the articles of the 

 treaty. They declared themfelves fully convinced, 

 that nothing but an entire union would fettle per- 

 fect and lading friendfhip between the two king- 

 doms. The Scots commiflioners made a vigorous 

 refiftance to the article which fubjefted their coun- 

 try to the fame cuiloms, excifes, prohibitions, re- 

 ftriftions, and regulations of commerce, as England; 

 but the earl of Godolphin, uneafy at any demur, 

 arid impatient of delay, perfuaded the queen to 

 pay two vifits in perfon to the board of commif- 

 iioners, where ilie exerted herfelf with unufual 

 eagernefs, for their putting the laft hand to a 

 treaty which Hie represented as eflentially necefTary 

 to the peace, fecurity, and general welfare of both 

 kingdoms. 



Thefe perfuafions, co-operating with the inde- 

 fatigable exertions of the duke of Queenfbeny, 

 at length gained over a majority of the Scots com- 

 , miffioners, and the remainder reluctantly followed, 

 excepting Lockart of Carnwath, who never could be 

 perfuaded either to fign or feal the treaty. 



At length, the. articles were finifhed, arranged, 



and 



