Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

_The Early History of the Scottish Union Question_

SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS ON THE FIRST EDITION.

“With considerable literary skill he has compressed into a brief compass a most readable and impartial account of the efforts which from the time of Edward I. went on to weld the two countries into one.”--_Edinburgh Evening News._

“Mr. Omond tells his story brightly and with full knowledge.”--_Manchester Guardian._

“A genuine contribution to British history.”--_Dumfries Courier._

“There is much to interest and inform in this volume.”--_Liverpool Mercury._

“The conciseness of the sketch, instead of detracting from the worth of the work, rather enables the author to give a more vivid description of the course and progress of events.”--_Dundee Advertiser._

“Mr. Omond has laid students of British history under a debt of gratitude to him for his work on the Scottish Union question.”--_Leeds Mercury._

“Mr. Omond is at home in the struggles which led up to the act of Union in 1707.”--_British Weekly._

“His book, modest and unpretentious as it is, is a careful contribution to the study of one of the most important features of the history of the two kingdoms, since 1707 united as Great Britain.”--_Liverpool Daily Post._

“A handy summary of the history of such international relations, written with an orderly method and much clearness and good sense.”--_The Academy._

“A handy, well-written volume.”--_Pall Mall Gazette._

“A very interesting, as well as very instructive book.”--_Literary World._

_The Early History
of the
Scottish Union Question_

_By
G. W. T. Omond_

_Author of
“Fletcher of Saltoun” in the “Famous Scots” Series_

_Bi-Centenary Edition_

_Edinburgh & London
Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier
1906_

_Now Complete in 42 Volumes_

_The Famous Scots Series_

_Post 8vo, Art Canvas, 1s. 6d. net; and with gilt top and uncut
edges, price 2s. net_

THOMAS CARLYLE. By HECTOR C. MACPHERSON.
ALLAN RAMSAY. By OLIPHANT SMEATON.
HUGH MILLER. By W. KEITH LEASK.
JOHN KNOX. By A. TAYLOR INNES.
ROBERT BURNS. By GABRIEL SETOUN.
THE BALLADISTS. By JOHN GEDDIE.
RICHARD CAMERON. By Professor HERKLESS.
SIR JAMES Y. SIMPSON. By EVE BLANTYRE SIMPSON.
THOMAS CHALMERS. By Professor W. GARDEN BLAIKIE.
JAMES BOSWELL. By W. KEITH LEASK.
TOBIAS SMOLLETT. By OLIPHANT SMEATON.
FLETCHER OF SALTOUN. By G. W. T. OMOND.
THE BLACKWOOD GROUP. By Sir GEORGE DOUGLAS.
NORMAN MACLEOD. By JOHN WELLWOOD.
SIR WALTER SCOTT. By Professor SAINTSBURY.
KIRKCALDY OF GRANGE. By LOUIS A. BARBÉ.
ROBERT FERGUSSON. By A. B. GROSART.
JAMES THOMSON. By WILLIAM BAYNE.
MUNGO PARK. By T. BANKS MACLACHLAN.
DAVID HUME. By Professor CALDERWOOD.
WILLIAM DUNBAR. By OLIPHANT SMEATON.
SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. By Professor MURISON.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. By MARGARET MOYES BLACK.
THOMAS REID. By Professor CAMPBELL FRASER.
POLLOK AND AYTOUN. By ROSALINE MASSON.
ADAM SMITH. By HECTOR C. MACPHERSON.
ANDREW MELVILLE. By WILLIAM MORISON.
JAMES FREDERICK FERRIER. By E. S. HALDANE.
KING ROBERT THE BRUCE. By A. F. MURISON.
JAMES HOGG. By Sir GEORGE DOUGLAS.
THOMAS CAMPBELL. By J. CUTHBERT HADDEN.
GEORGE BUCHANAN. By ROBERT WALLACE. Completed by
J. CAMPBELL SMITH.
SIR DAVID WILKIE, AND THE SCOTS SCHOOL OF PAINTERS. By
EDWARD PINNINGTON.
THE ERSKINES, EBENEZER AND RALPH. By A. R. MACEWEN.
THOMAS GUTHRIE. By OLIPHANT SMEATON.
DAVID LIVINGSTONE. By T. BANKS MACLACHLAN.
THE ACADEMIC GREGORIES. By AGNES GRAINGER-STEWART.
JOHNSTON OF WARRISTON. By WILLIAM MORISON.
HENRY DRUMMOND. By JAMES Y. SIMPSON.
PRINCIPAL CAIRNS. By JOHN CAIRNS.
VISCOUNT DUNDEE. By LOUIS A. BARBÉ.
JAMES WATT. By ANDREW CARNEGIE.

_Preface_

The history of the final union of England and Scotland, which took place on the 1st of May 1707, commences with the accession of Queen Anne; and with regard to that event, the best sources of information, apart from original letters, diaries, and other contemporary documents, are Daniel Defoe’s _History of the Union_, published in 1709, Dr. Hill Burton’s _History of Scotland_, Mr. John Bruce’s _Report on the Events and Circumstances which produced the Union_, published, for the use of Government, in 1799, and Dr. James Mackinnon’s _Union of England and Scotland_, published in 1896. In this volume I have endeavoured to describe the _earlier_ attempts to unite the kingdoms. These commence, practically, in the reign of Edward I. of England, and continue, taking sometimes one form and sometimes another, down to the reign of William III.

While giving an account of the various negotiations for union, and of the union which was actually accomplished during the Commonwealth, I have tried to depict the state of feeling between the two countries on various points, and particularly in regard to the Church question, which bulks more largely than any other in the international history of England and Scotland.

It is a story, sometimes of mutual confidence and common aspirations, as at the Reformation and the Revolution, but more frequently of jealousies, recriminations, and misunderstandings, most of which are now happily removed.

My authorities are sufficiently indicated in the footnotes.

G. W. T. O.

_Contents_

CHAP. PAGE

I. INTERNATIONAL POLITICS BEFORE THE UNION OF THE CROWNS 9

II. THE UNION OF THE CROWNS 52

III. THE UNION DURING THE COMMONWEALTH 96

IV. FROM THE RESTORATION TO THE REVOLUTION 122

V. THE REVOLUTION SETTLEMENT 147

_The Early History of the Scottish Union Question_