Chapter III

CONDITION OF SCOTLAND DURING THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES.

In 1603, the King of Scotland became also King of England, and
determined to use his new resources in curbing and chastising
the Scotch clergy 115-122

His cruel treatment of them 122-124

In 1610, James, backed by the power of England, forced
episcopacy upon Scotland. Courts of High Commission were also
set up 125-127

Tyrannical conduct of the bishops 127-129

Meanwhile, a reaction was preparing 129-132

In 1637, the reaction declared itself, and, in 1638, the
bishops were overthrown 132-133

The movement being essentially democratic, could not stop
there, but quickly spread from the Church to the State. In
1639, war was made upon Charles I. by the Scotch, who, having
defeated the king, sold him to the English, who executed him 134-136

The Scotch, before they would crown Charles II., compelled him
to humble himself, and to confess his own errors and the
errors of his family 136-137

But, after Charles II. mounted the throne of England, he
became powerful enough to triumph over the Scotch. He availed
himself of that power to oppress Scotland even more
grievously than his two predecessors had done 137-140

Happily, however, the spirit of liberty was strong enough to
baffle his attempts to establish a permanent despotism 140

Still, the crisis was terrible, and the people and their
clergy were exposed to every sort of outrage 141-146

Now, as before, the bishops aided the government in its
efforts to enslave Scotland. Being hated by the people, they
allied themselves with the Crown, and displayed the warmest
affection towards James II., during whose reign cruelties
were perpetrated worse than any previously known 147-150

In 1688, another reaction, in which the Scotch again freed
themselves from their oppressors 151

The only powerful friends of this bad government were the
Highlanders 151

Reasons which induced the Highlanders to rebel in favour of
the Stuarts 151-153

The Highland rebellions of 1715 and 1745 were not the result
of loyalty 153-159

After 1745, the Highlanders sank into complete insignificance,
and the progress of Scotland was uninterrupted 159

Beginning of the trading spirit 160-161

Connexion between the rising of the trading spirit and the
abolition, in 1748, of hereditary jurisdictions 161-162

The abolition of these jurisdictions was a symptom of the
declining power of the Scotch nobles, but not a cause of it 161

One cause of the decline of their power was the union with
England, in 1707 162-167

Another cause was the failure of the Rebellion of 1745 167

The nobles being thus weakened, were, in 1748, easily deprived
of their right of jurisdiction. In this way, they lost the
last emblem of their old authority 169-170

This great democratic and liberating movement was aided by the
growth of the mercantile and manufacturing classes 171-172

And their growth was itself assisted by the Union with England 172

Evidence of the rapid progress of the industrious classes in
the first half of the eighteenth century 173-183

During the same period, a new and splendid literature arose in
Scotland 183-184

But, unfortunately, this literature, notwithstanding its bold
and inquisitive spirit, was unable to diminish national
superstition 184-186

It is the business of the historian to ascertain the causes of
its failure. If he cannot do this, he cannot understand the
history of Scotland 186

The first and most essential quality of an historian, is a
clear perception of the great scientific doctrine of Law. But
whoever seeks to apply this doctrine to the whole course of
history, and to elucidate, by its aid, the march and theory of
affairs, is met by obstacles which no single mind can remove 186-190