56 A Defence of the Scots 



done It. Then if we make application to our 

 antient Allies, or any other foreign Power for 

 Afliftance, when we gro-an under Oppreflion, 

 we are treated as Rebels : Thus our whole Na- 

 tion was proclaimed fuch for but offering to 

 make application to the King of Vrmce^ as 

 our antient Friend and Ally, when a certain Par- 

 ty in EnglanJi hadarm'd our natural Soveraign 

 K.Charles I. againft us. And that which is 

 ftill worfe, tho our Crown from the time of 

 the Union has been for the moft part on the 

 Head of an Alien or Enemy, yet it has influ- 

 ence enough to divide us amongft our (elves a- 

 gainft the Intereft of the Nation ; as in the 

 Reign of KXharlesll. thofe that comply'd 

 with the Court of England were brib'd with 

 all the chief places in our Adminiftration, 

 whilft thofe who were true Patriots to their 

 Country (as for Honour fake to inftance only in 

 the late Great Duke of Hamilton^ and our pre- 

 fent Lord High Chancellor) were exposed to 

 all manner of Dangers and Vexations. This 

 we think fufficient to convince our Neighbors 

 that we have no reafon to be fond of having 

 the Union of the Crowns continued, except 

 the Interefl of the Nations be more clofely uni- 

 ted than ever they have hitherto been. And 

 to let them fee that it is their intereft as well as 

 ours it fliould be fb, we fliall only defire them 

 to confider how fatal it may be to them, if by 

 any Emergency we fliould be forc'dto break off 

 the Union of the Crowns, and enter again in- 

 to 



