ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 75 



The moment that James left Scotland, that 

 country ceafed, in effect, to be a free, independent 

 kingdom. To the prefence of a prince, the fplen- 

 dour and refinements of a court, the invigorating in- 

 fluence of a patriotic king and parliament, fuc- 

 ceeded a pufillanimous council and fenate, the 

 creatures and humble dependants of adiitanr. court; 

 whofe contentions, jealoufies, and mutual diilruft, 

 ferved to cherifn thofe party feuds and family ani- 

 mofities, which had often thrown a fhade upon the 

 Scottifti annals, during the brighteft periods of na- 

 tional profperity. 



The advantages of this union, on the part of En- 

 gland, were of the moft folid nature : It deprived 

 France of an antient, faithful ally, which England 

 drew over to itfelf, and thus obtained a double ac- 

 quifition of ftrength, while the rival nation fuf- 

 tained thereby a double lofs. It gave the greater 

 3ritifh kingdom the entire command over the lefler 

 one, in all cafes whatever^ and it brought to Lon- 

 don the rents of Scottifli noblemen and gentlemen, 

 who, from inclination or hope of preferment, were 

 led to refide in that capital. 



On the part of Scotland, no commercial benefit 

 was gained ; no treaty of reciprocal advantage was 

 procured, whereby the nation, and efpecially the 

 metropolis, might be enabled to fuftain the fhock 

 which this event occafioned. On the contrary, the 

 commercial privileges which Scotland had long en- 

 joyed in foreign kingdoms, were moftly with- 

 drawn; and reftrictions, hitherto unknown, were 

 now vigoroufly impofed. The trading towns, 

 feeling the effects of thofe regulations, petitioned 

 their abicnt monarch to interpofe in their behalf, 

 but no effectual redrefs could be obtained. 



To complete t.he diflrefTes of that melancholy 

 period, the kingdom was invaded by whole armies 

 of military enthufiafts, who, under the pretence of 

 reforming church and date, repeated the barbarous 



policy 



