48 A 'Defence of the Scots 



hopes the bicternefs of thofe days had been 

 paft : yet ic feems that Party have dill fb far 

 thealcendant amongft our Neighbours, as to 

 procure a publick oppofuion to all our Endea- 

 vours for raifing our Nation by Trade. 



It u'ill upon due examination be found as bad 

 Policy as ic is Chriftianity, to urge, aslbme of 

 our Neighbours do, that it is the Intereft of 

 England to keep the Scots low, becaufe they are 

 an independent and free Nation, and were 

 our antient Enemies ; and therefore may be 

 dangerous Neighbours if they grow rich and 

 potent. Nothing but Rancour and inveterate 

 Malice can fuggelt fuch (bur thoughts as thefe. 

 It were fit that fort of Men fhould be purg'd 

 of their Choler. The Scots to obviate all dan- 

 gers from that Head,have, tho they be much the 

 antienter Nation, condefcended fb far as feveral 

 times to propofe a Union, which the Gentle- 

 men of that Kidney have hitherto prevented ; 

 and therefore we would wifh them to look back 

 into their Hiftories, and upon cafting up their 

 Accounts, make a true Eftimate of whatever 

 they gain'd by a War with Scotland, They 

 will find that their Anceliors, as well as the Ro- 

 mans^ have been fenfible, as Tacitus expreffes it, 

 Quos fibi Viros Caledonia fef of uer it \ and that as 

 it was true what our Hiftorian fays of the un- 

 jufl: and treacherous War made upon us by Ed- 

 ward I. that Scotorum Nomen pene delevit ; it was 

 alfo true what he fays on the other hand, that 

 Anglia^m vehement if conc^ffit : So that thofe Gen- 

 tlemen 



