Head of those, who with him will concur in oppofing a Measure fo unjust and destructive to the Body of the Scots Peerage, and in all Probability attended with Confequences, pernicious and fatal to the Liberties of others.

For this Matter does not fingly affect the Peerage, as it feems to interfere with the general Interest of all Scotfmen. First, As the laying afide the Representation of the Peerage, and in its Room fetting up a certain Number of hereditary Peers, is a manifeft Injuftice to fuch of their Fellow-Subjects, as are thereby without any Crime forfeited of their juft Rights and Privileges, and a bare-faced Infringement and Violation of a fundamental Article of the Union, by which that Representation is ftipulated perpetually to remain. And confequently, in the fecond Place, a Precedent is laid down for fubverting all the other Articles in Favour of Scotland and Scotfmen: For if this fundamental Article can be abrogated, we have no Security for our Church Government, our Civil Rights, our Judicatories, the Privileges and Communication of Trade, the Regulation of the Land-Tax, the Exemption from fome certain Duties and Impofts, and the like, that does not reft upon the fame precarious Footing, and is not expofed to the like Subverfion, if so be, it fhall be judged proper for the Utility of Great-Britain, an Handle fitted for all Blades, and a Pretence to introduce the groffeft Abfurdities, and greatest Abuses, when cherished and supported by an evil Administration.

Nay, who can tell, but after the Demolishing the Representation of the Peers, it may enter into fome Politicians Heads to change likewife the Conftitution of the Scots Commoners, by leffening their Number in the House of Commons; we know how much fome affect to have the Union rendered more and more complete, as they term it, by leffening the Power and Credit of our Judicatories, and abolishing every Thing that derives its Origin from the Scottish Constitution; and it is not a far fetched Thought to dread, that fuch may incline to open a Door, and introduce the Scum of the People into the Privilege of choofing the Reprefentatives of Shires, as is practifed in England. And what a Stroke this would be to that great Bulwark of our Liberties, the refolute unbiaffed Scottish Barons, is too obvious to need any Proof; and yet, if such an Attempt fhould be made, the Stipulations of the Union, referving to the Barons their ancient Rights and Privileges, will be of no Significancy, when this Precedent of the Peers is thrown in their Teeth.

In the next Place, as the Trouble and Expence the Crown is faid to be at in procuring and managing a Majority of the Scots Peers at the Election of the fixteen (which if true, ought, and may be prevented by fevere Laws made for that Effect, without fo manifeft a Subverfion of the Constitution) is one of the chief Reasons for pushing this Measure. May not the fame Motives be thought fufficient to render a Reduction of the feveral Districts of the Scots Boroughs neceffary, and to pitch upon fifteen Boroughs, in which, for the future, fhall be lodged folely and perpetually, the Representation of that State in Parliament? Since thereby, the Trouble and Expence which the Crown may, nay is truly faid to be at, in procuring an Intereft in the feveral

U 2

feveral Boroughs of these feveral Districts, will be prevented. This Cafe is fo near a Kin to that of the Peerage, that the fame Motives affects both, and the fame Powers may overturn both; fo that the Fate of the one, is the Paffing-Bell of the other.

I know there are fome of our Country-men, who are very indifferent about the Profperity of the Peerage; because indeed that State hath loft much of its priftine Honour and Refpect, by fuch Shoals being introduced during this and the laft Century, many of whom had no juft Pretenfions thereto, either from their Birth or perfonal Merit, and because the Peers in general have, under all Adminiftrations, contributed too much to their Country's Felicity. But let fuch confider, that it is hard the Just should suffer with the Unjust, and that there are still fome unblemished Peers, the Reprefentatives of ancient Families and glorious Progenitors, and that the Punishment of a few guilty and obnoxious after fuch an unprecedented Manner, may pave the Way to ruin many that are innocent, and introduce the Means of fubverting all that is dear to a free People.

I might likewife here take notice, that it is very amazing, that the Peers of England, fo jealous of their Liberties, fhould feem fo fond of this Alteration of the Scots Peerage, feeing an Encroachment upon any Branch of the Conftitution, is a Precedent to a total Subversion of the Whole. And as the Scots Peers have, under the prefent Conftitution, as unquestionable a Right to elect their own Representatives, and by them to be reprefented in the Houfe of Lords, as have the English Peers to fit perfonally in that House, the fame Power, and the fame Utility of Great-Britain, which can deprive the Scots Peers of their Right to elect and be reprefented, may likewife deprive fome,. or all the English Peers (as happened in old Noll's Days) of their particular Privileges: As both their Rights are equally founded and fecured, both of them are equally fubjected to the fame Powers, and the fame political Maxims and Measures; and if the Scots Peers fhall be handled after fo barbarous a Manner, old as I am, I may live to fee the State Coblers of this Generation. reduce the English Peers to the fame deplorable Condition; for what has been may be again, efpecially when fupported by fo fignal and fresh a Prece

dent.

I fhould now, my Lord, make a great many Apologies, for prefuming to enlarge fo much on a Subject, in which your Knowledge very far furpaffes any Thing I can pretend to; but as it proceeded from Love and Zeal to my own Country, and that this perhaps may ferve as an Index to point out fome. Heads for your Lordship to enlarge upon and improve, I expect your Pardon, and that you will do me the Juftice to believe. I am, with the most profound Refpect,

Your, &c.

A Lif

Duke of Argyle.

A Lift of the Nobility and Gentry, now fitting in the Scots Parliament, who were for and against the UNION of the Two Kingdoms.

Of the Nobility, Approvers 45.

THE Lord Chancellor.

Marquis of Montrose, P. S. C.

Marquis of Tweedale.

Earls.
Marifchal:
Glencarin.

1706.

Errol.

Buchan.

Wigtoun.

Strathmore.

Marquis of Lothian.

Earls.

Lords.

Eglington.

Roxburgh.

Of the Barons. Approvers 37.
Sir Robert Dickson, of Inverafk.
William Nisbet, of Dirletoun.
Jo. Cockburn, Jun. of Ormiftoun.
Sir John Swintoun, of that Ilk.
Sir Alex. Campbell, of Cefnock.
Sir William Kerr, of Greenhead.
Archib. Douglafs, of Cavers.
William Bennet, of Grubbet.
Mr. John Murray, of Bowhill.
Mr. John Pringle, of Haining.
Will. Moriefon, of Preftoungrange.
George Baiilie, of Jervifwood.
Sir John Jounftoun, of Wefterhall.
William Douglass, of Dornock.
Mr. Will. Steuart, of Caftle-fteuart.
Mr. John Steuart, of Sorbie.
Mr. Fran. Montgomery, of Giffan.
Mr. Will. Dalrymple, of Glenmuir.
Mr. Rob. Steuart, of Tillicultry.
Sir Robert Pollock, of that Iik.
Mr.. Joh. Montgomery, of Wrac.
John Halden, of Glenagies.

Mungo

Alexander Duff. Francis Molifon. Walter Scot. George Smith. Robert Scot.

Robert Kellie.

John Hutchefon.

Mr. William Sutherland.

Archibald Sheils.

Mr. John Lyon.

Mr. Dougal Steuart.

George Brodie.

George Spence.

Sir David Cunninghame.
Mr. William Johnstoun.
Mr. John Caruthers.
George Home.

Mr. James Bethun.

John Bayne.

Robert Frazer.

Approvers 115. No's 83.
Protestors 67.

A Lift of thofe worthy Patriots, who, to prevent the Church of England from being undermined by the Occafional Conformists, did, like truly noble Englishmen, vote, that the Bill to prevent Occafional Conformity might be tack'd to the Land-Tax Bill, to fecure its paffing in the House of Lords; fo that this their Zeal does appear, to all wife Men, as confpicuous for the Intereft, as their Lives are Ornaments to that Church of which they are Members.

1705.

Robert Byerley, Efq;

Knaresborough,

York.

Robert Bertie, Efq;

Henry Bertie, Efq;

Charles Bertie, Efq;

Stamford,

Lincoln.

James Bertie, Efq;

New Woodstock,

Oxon.

Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart.

Sir Charles Blois, Bart.
John Bence, Efq;

Bilfon, Efq;

Sir Jacob Banks,
William Bromley,

Petersfield,
Minehead,

Oxon University,

Orford,

Suffolk.

Ipfwich,

Suffolk.

Southampton.

Somerfet.

Oxon.

Sir