THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND. BOOK I. Accession, and Departure of James from ScotlandState of that Kingdom-Union, and ecclesiastical Conformity attempted-Retrospective View of Presby tery-Revival of Prelacy-State of the Borders; Highlands, and Isles-Discoveries concerning Gowrie's Conspiracy and Balmerino's Treason-Ecclesiastical Affairs-King's Journey to ScotlandArticles of Perth-Death and Character of James. TH 1. HE marriage of James IV. and of Margaret, BOOK eldest daughter of Henry VII. was productive 1503. at first of a temporary alliance, and at the distance Descent, of a century, of a permanent union between Scotland and England. After the first generation, the issue of Henry had terminated in females, and on the death of Elizabeth his grandchild, the blood of the Tudors existed, almost exclusively, in the veins of the Stuarts. James VI. of the Stuarts, and the third in descent from Margaret and. VOL. III. B BOOK James IV, had been placed while an infant on the I. throne of Scotland, which his unhappy mother 1503. 1367. and accession of James 1603. was forced to resign; but he had attained to a mature age, at the period of his succession to the English crown. The design of this History is, to describe the domestic transactions of Scotland, and the relative events with which they were occasionally connected in England, from the union of the two crowns under James VI. to the union of the kingdoms in the reign of queen Anne. It is seldom that the accession of a foreigner is tranquil, and James was peculiarly obnoxious from his birth-place, to the antipathy of a people, among whom his mother had suffered an ignominious death. But his accession was promoted by the expectations of every religious, and by the interests of almost every political party in England. The puritans, who had experienced his friendly intercession with Elizabeth, anticipated a reformation in the church, if not the downfal and destruction of the hierarchy, from a prince whose professed religion was congenial with their own. The established clergy had examined his character with more anxious attention; and discovered, both in his conduct and in his controversial discourses, a strong predilection for the episcopal order. The catholics, then a numerous and powerful party, expected greater indulgence in their religion; and entertained a persuasion, that its doctrines and its votaries were secretly not indifferent to a monarch, Fuller, 224. 2 Calderwood, 246. I. the pretensions of whose family they had first BOOK supported, and whose mother they regarded as a martyr to their cause. But his peaceful and un disturbed accession must be ascribed to the absence of every competitor, by whom his title could be contested, or the affections of the nation be preoccupied or divided. Hereditary right was securely established, by an uninterrupted succession of five reigns. The formidabl. power of the ancient nobility had been crushed by the Tudors; and their aspiring ambition had departed with their power. Elizabeth had acquired an ascendancy, almost absolute, in Scottish affairs, and her statesmen were reduced, by her death, to the singular alternative either of receiving James as their sovereign, or of relinquishing their ascendancy over a country long subservient and devoted to their councils. The danger of a disputed succession was justly apprehended; nor did it escape the sagacious observation of Cecil, that the submission of England to a Scottish monarch would be recompensed by the ultimate acquisition of his kingdom. During the last years of Elizabeth, her courtiers and statesmen were seduced by the intrigues, and devoted secretly to the interest of her successor; and if a few 3 were averse from the Scottish line, or desirous to receive it under certain limitations, their share in the recent destruction of Essex had rendered them unpopular, and therefore weak. 3 Cobham, Raleigh, Fortescue. 1603. BOOK -I. 1603. to the England. From these circumstances, more than from Elizabeth's nomination, the throne was already secured to James: but the privy council, before they throne of ventured to proclaim her successor, affected to consider her last declaration as a bequest of the crown. While they continued to deliberate, Sir March 24. Robert Carey escaped from the palace, and by. means of previous relays of horses, arrived at Edinburgh on the third day. The king had already retired to rest; but the messenger was admitted immediately to the bed-chamber, and saluting James, on his knees, as king of England, announced the glad intelligence of Elizabeth's death. As her sickness and danger were previously known, the intelligence was neither unexpected, nor received with any intemperate expressions of joy. But the king was not as yet assured of his own succession. After an anxious interval of three days, his apprehensions were relieved by the arrival of Sir Charles Percy, and of Somerset, the earl of Worcester's son, dispatched by the privy council to notify the death of Elizabeth, and the proclamation of her successor; and to assure him that all ranks acquiesced in his title, and languished for his presence.4 His accession was immediately proclaimed in Scotland. The people were admonished, that as the English were obedient subjects of the same monarch, all national animosities must henceforth cease: but the predatory habits of the borderers 4 Johnstoni, Hist. p. 360. Spottiswood, Hist. p. 473. Carey, earl of Monmouth's Memoires. 1. revived; and some slight incursions, memorable BOOK as the last that were made into England, were afterwards severely repressed and punished.5 " 1603. ture from Preparations for his departure were also made; His depar and when reminded on Sunday, by an officious Scotland. preacher, in the church of St. Giles, that his accession was exclusively the work of God, he arose, at the conclusion of the sermon, and addressed the people in a long harangue; recapitulated the numerous proofs of his affection in the transactions of his reign; professed that his power was only enlarged in order to promote their welfare, and promised to revisit the country every third year, that his subjects might pour their complaints into his paternal bosom. His expressions respecting the church were obscure and guarded; but when he intimated his approaching departure, the people, presaging the loss of their ancient sovereigns, burst into loud lamentations and tears. The de parture of his queen was delayed some weeks: the administration was committed to the privy council and the officers of state; to the earl of Montrose the chancellor, to Sir George Hume trea surer, to lord Balmerino the secretary; and his children, Henry, Charles, and the princess Elizabeth, were distributed among different noble families. His journey commenced on Tuesday the fifth April 5. of April. On the second day, with a train selected from the principal nobility, he was received by the English garrison into Berwick; the fortifica 5 Spottiswood, p. 476. Stowe's Chron. 819. |