A. D. 1706. 735 



agreed to the articles, they were finally ratified by a moll folemn adl of 

 the Englifh parliament, [5 yi?iti. c, 8] intitled, an Adt for an union of 

 the two kingdoms of England and Scotland. The articles are 25 in 

 number ; but, as it is foreign to our fubjed, and alfo fuperfluous, to re- 

 cite what is to be found in all our hiftories at large, it will be fufficient 

 for our particular purpofe briefly to note, that by the 4th article it was 

 enacted, that all the fubjecfts of the imited kingdom of Great Britain 

 fhould, from and after the union, have full freedom and intercourfe of 

 trade and navigation to and from any port or place within the laid 

 united kingdom, and the dominions and plantations thereunto belong- 

 ing : and that there fliould be a communication of all other rights, pri- 

 vileges, and advantages, which do, or may, belong to the fubjeds of 

 either kingdom, except where it is otherwife exprefsly agreed in thefe 

 articles. 



By the 15th article it was flipulated, ' that whereas, by the terms of 

 ' this treaty, the fubjedls of Scotland, for preferving an equality of trade 

 ' throughout the united kingdom, will be liable to feveral cuftoms and 

 ' excifes now payable in England, which will be applicable towards 

 * payment of the debts of England contraded before the union, it is 

 ' agreed, that Scotland fhall have an equivalent for what the fubjeds 

 ' thereof fhall be fo charged towards payment of the faid debts of Eng- 

 ' land ;' which equivalent is herein flipulated to be L398,o85 : 10 fler- 

 ling, to be granted by the parliament of England, and to be applied, 

 I fl, for indemnifying private perfons for any lolTes they may fuftain 

 by reducing the coin of Scotland to the flandard and value of the coin 

 of England ; 2dly, for indemnifying the fufferers in the late African, 

 and Indian company of Scotland * ; sdly, for difcharging the public 

 debts of Scotland ; 4thly, for improving the manufadure of the coarfe. 

 wool of Scotland; and, 5thly, for encouraging and promoting the 

 fiflieries, and fuch other manufadures and improvements in Scotland 

 as may be moft conducive to the general good of the united kingdom ; 

 for which ends commiflloners were to be appointed, &c. ; for which end 

 alfo, the laws of England, relating to coin, and weights and meafures, 

 as well as concerning the regulation of trade, cufloms, and excifes, were,, 

 by the three fucceeding articles, to take place in Scotland. This is the 

 fubftance of all the articles that immediately relate to our fubjed. 



But before we treat of the adual commencement of this union, which 

 was not till the fucceeding year, we muft, in order of time, remark, 

 that by an ad of the Englifh parliament, [5 yf««. c. 13] for continuing, 

 the duties upon houfes, to fecure a yearly fund for circulating exche- 

 quer bills, whereby a fum not exceeding L 1,500,000 was intended to 

 be raifed, &c. the bank of England's fund and privileges, which had 



* The Scots were fo generally enraged at the deftruAion of the Darien company, that nothing lefs 

 than a complete reimburfement of their capital, with intereft, could bring them to agree to the union. 

 /I. 



