A LETTER From a MEMBER of the Parliament of Scotland To his Friend at LONDON, Concerning their late ACT, for Establishing a Company of that Kingdom, Tradeing to Africa and the Indies.  
— Ridentem dicere verum,  
Quid vetat? — Horat.  
Contraria Juxta se posita clarius clucescunt.   

SIR,  
THE Account you give me by your last, of the various Shapes into which some Persons at London have transformed our late Act of Parliament, for Establishing a Company Tradeing to Africa and the Indies, and their representing it under so many several Colours, to those of different Capacities and Affections, puts me in mind of the Shepherd, who, ambitious to be thought Weather-wise never failed with an air of Gravity, to publish his pretended Revelations of the ensuing Wether, in various and quite contrary manners to his several Proselytes, thereby securing to himself certain Evidences in all Wethers that could happen, if any should dare to call the Infallibility of his Predictions into question. And really, The exact Idea you give me of the manner in which these Persons seem to busy themselves in other men's Affairs, affords me matter sufficient to renew my Speculation, concerning the precarious Nature of all Mankind, in point of Interest; and by Retrospection into some Transactions of this and the last Age, I am induced to trouble you with the following Narrative of some Observations naturally arising from the same, which to me seem directly to point at the Temper, Inclination, and real Interest of all BRITAIN: But before I launch into so wide an Ocean; I cannot forbear expressing the Satisfaction I have in reflecting, That the whole Representatives of a Nation so little experienced in Trade, as ours, should with so unanimous a Voice (Nemine contradicente) agree to such Measures and Foundation of Trade, as now seem worth the Notice of so great a People as our Neighbouring Nation; and my Satisfaction therein is still the more exalted, by finding in your Account, That the most Sober and Tradeing People of that Kingdom, are so far from conceiving any disgust at, or dislike to it, that they generally express an Inclination to be concerned in it: Excepting (as you observe) a few who (every body knows) are preingaged to a dear Self-monopolising Interest, together with some few others, whose Instructions from a Foreign Court must in all probability oblige them to lay hold of any seeming Opportunity for blowing the Coal of Sedition in this Island, that they may Fish in troubled Waters: And as a little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump, you must always expect to find such Persons very vigilant, by their Emissaries, to amuse the Unthinking Crowd with groundless Apparitions; and by a more industrious Artifice, have their designing Insinuations buzzed into the Ears of some great Ministers, who having the bent of their Thoughts employed about Matters of State and Government, suitable to the great Sphere in which they move, may possibly, through want of Time, consider this Matter no further than by a bare superficial View of such fallacious Positions as may probably, by Prepossession be dogmatically obtruded upon them, to serve private Ends, though masked under the specious Pretences of a National Concern. Wherefore, I hope those worthy Gentlemen at London, who are concerned in this Company, will endeavour to anticipate any evil Effect of these or the like Misrepresentations and groundless Suggestions mentioned in your Letter, by obviating the Fallacy of such noisy Arguments as (you say) are daily with an Air of Magisterial Stiffness dictated at Garraways, and from thence diffused amongst the credulous Multitude; which, whensoever impartially examined and considered, will doubtless appear to have no other Merit at bottom, than a Noose of Sophistry to catch Woodcocks in. For there was never any Constitution of Trade concerted by any free Kingdom, State or Commonwealth in Europe, with greater regard to the Constitutions and Privileges of all other Nations in Amity with His Majesty, than this hath been: yea, should we have had a Committee of English Merchants to Examine and Report our Proceed while we were passing this ACT, they could not possibly have been more nicely tender of Encroaching upon, or Interferring with the English Immunities, either Abroad or at home, than we have been. And in regard that Piracy, Hostility, and all manner of violent Force, is not only inconsistent with, but diametrically opposite to the natural Laws and Institutions of Trade, we have, in the Body of this ACT, precluded the Company from Acting or Settling in the very Indies, without Consent of the Natives. And, in short, we had then the Law of Nations so immediately under our Consideration, that it was thought by the most Precautious of our Assembly, we had left no room for so much as a possibility of Cavilling. But there's none so blind as they who will not see; and by what you writ, I find, had there been any thing in our Act that could not bear the Trial of the strictest Enquiry on the aforesaid Heads, it had certainly been long e'er now ripped up and printed in Capital Letters by those who were at the Trouble and Expense of Reprinting the Act at London in several shapes, and under a new Title of their own framing, of design to adapt it more properly to the Notion of Rivalship and Emulation, which (you say) they so industriously preach in Coffeehouses.  
Obj. O! but (say they,) Tho' there be nothing in the Act that at present may seem to interferr with, yet in the Consequence it may prove pernicious to the Interest of England.  
In Answer to which, give me leave to observe, That as this Act was calculated for a Common and Public Good, so though it be a received and standing Maxim, That No Evil is to be done, that Good may come of it; yet no reasonable Man will urge from thence the Alternative, That we ought to forbear doing an apparent Public Good, because of a remote possibility of an imaginary Evil Consequence.  
And before I step further, pray let us take a short View of what Prospect there may be of this bug bearing Consequence. Why, truly Scotland proposeth an Advantage by Foreign Trade, & leaves it at England's door to accept or refuse, being concerned for one Moiety of all the Profits, Emoluments & Advantages arising from such Trade; & by the buy England's embracing that Offer, seems to me an auspicious Prognostic of future Success Now, should we happen to be frustrate in our Expectation by this Trade, than all the vain Jealousies of Rivalship & Competition fall of course. But if it should (as I hope it may) answer our Wishes, by a plentiful & prosperous Harvest, in return to our Honest and Infant Undertaking, England, sure, would be mightily hurt, to reap One Half of all the Profits thereof; which I pray God may prove the happy Consequence, so much seared by your Monopoly-men.  
Yet all this (you say) cannot please them that are resolved to be implacable, for that there are a certain sort of such good-natured Christians in the World, as would choose rather to lose a certain Benefit and Advantage to themselves, than endure the very thoughts of seeing their Neighbours in any tolerable degree of equal Prosperity. In allusion to which, 'tis no new thing to tell you, That ever since the Reformation of Religion, the Jesuits, in their various shapes, have left no means unessayed, to propagate the several Sects and Schisms which, during the last Age, have, like a general Contagion, overspread this Island, and undoubtedly gave the first rise to all the sad Catastrophe and dismal Consequences of the late bloody Civil Wars. And even so, since the Union of both Kingdoms under one Monarchy, we have too too manifest and pregnant Proof of how far the Matchevilian Maxims of Policy have, by the means of French Pensioners and Emissaries, gained credit enough at the Court of England, to improve the Remnants and Dregs of the ancient Feuds of both Kingdons into an almost avowed Reason of State (though a much mistaken one) That it was the Interest of England, to suppress and keep Scotland poor. Which was indeed chief intended, and contrived with design to leave England in the lurch, and carry on the real Interest of France, where this Maxim had its birth, by regaining Scotland into their ancient League.  
For the Sting and hidden Poison of the Serpent lay in this, That the People of Scotland, from the natural consideration they must needs have of any severe Treatment, or unreasonable and intolerable Exactions imposed upon them by their domineering Neighbours, might in time be tempted, like the Israelites in the Wilderness, to murmur and look back into the Onions, Melons, Garlic, and fleshpots of their old acquaintance.  
Yet by the Influence of this Jesuitical, Barbarous and Hellish Principle, together with the general Corruption of such colleaguing and self-designing Ministers as have (to the grief of these Nations) been at the Helm of Affairs during those latter Reigns, this poor Nation in particular hath been most unmercifully cramped and fettered in its natural Liberties, both as to Religion, Property, Trade, and indeed, all the real Badges of a Free and independent Kingdom, other than in shadow; till the late Providential and Happy Revolution gave us not only a fair opportunity of reassuming all our ancient Freedoms, and natural Liberties, but also of extending the same, in point of Trade, far beyond those Limits which some of our Neighbours seem now unwilling to allow us.  
And I would gladly offer it to the serious Consideration of any Honest, Unbyass'd and Free-thinking Englishman, Whether, upon His present Majesty's Accession to the Crown of England, when Ireland was in a manner quite lopped off, France making mighty Preparations for War, all Europe invelop'd in almost unquenchable Flames; and England itself, not free from Intestine Divisions, and Bosom Enemies, who flattered themselves with the Hopes that Scotland would, from the consideration of its being so long kept at Arm's length, be tempted to act by an Interest separate from that of England? Whether (I say) upon condition of assurance then, that we would follow England's Example, in placing the Crown of this Realm upon the Heads of our present Gracious Sovereign, and His late Royal Comfort (of Blessed Memory) when they feared our Demurring upon it, England would not have willingly fulfilled, and put us in possession of the long promised Union of both Nations; and settled the same upon such an equal and lasting Foundation, as that we might have freedom of Trading into the very Heart of their Plantations?  
For, how little soever the apparent Proportion be, which our Nation may at present seem to bear on the Theatre of Public Action, as being in a manner wholly eclipsed by the refulgent and radiant Beams of England's more resplendent Greatness, I may without Hyperbole justly say, That as Matters than stood, We had the Balance of Europe in our Hands.  
Yet all the Considerations we had in view of our own particular Interest, & the Advantages which we might have made of that Opportunity, soon gave way to the  Zeal and Affection which we had for the restorer of the Protestant Religion, and common Liberties of Britain. For lest that by any Delays in our Proceed, the Measures of England might be protracted, We did, in almost One Breath, Declare the Throne Vacant, ourselves a Free, Independent State. Their Royal Highness' King and Queen of this Realm, and war against all Their Majesty's Enemies; as not in the least doubting, but that such our generous and frank Proceeding, with respect to our Neighbours, at so critical a Juncture of Affairs, might in due time reasonably plead for a grateful Resentment from the King and Parliament of England, by an equally generous Condescension, on their side, to our having the same freedom of Trade, by which, but a little time before, the wisest and most leading Men of that Nation thought it their Interest to have secured our Affection.  
And that this was the sense of the Court of England at that time, needs no further evidence than His Majesty's two successive Speeches to both Houses of His First Parliament; wherein the consideration of an entire Union with Scotland was seriously recommended: In order to which, some Schemes were prepared and consulted by certain Noble Patriots of both Nations.  
But no sooner had we in the interim, solemnly consummated, in manner aforesaid, all that England could have either wished or feared from us on that Occasion; but of a sudden all thoughts of such Union fell to the ground: so that being left to chew our Cud upon that melancholy Proverb, Post est occasio calva, which in our Dialect may be rendered, A True Scotchman is Wise behindhand; our next and only Remedy was, to make the best of a bad Mercat. In order to which, we then Resoved to think of framing such wholesome and advantageous Laws for the Advancement of our poor Trade, as might not only rouse up and animat the depressed and often-disappointed Genius of our fellow-Natives, but also invite and induce Strangers more experienced in Trade, to embark upon the same bottom with us: and to that end, We did, in the Third Session of this current Parliament, Anno 1693. Pass a Preliminary Act, conceived in general Terms, for the Encouragement of Foreign Trade, which you see narrated in the beginning of this last Act: By the gracious and necessary Concessions of which, we have a plain Demonstration, through the Virtue of those Noble and worthy Patriots whom His Majesty's discerning Eye singled out of the Crowd of Pretenders to the Offices of State, That our present King is not only Pater Patriae, but Pater Patriarum; and, like the true Emblem of that Immense Deity whose Anointed he is, diffuseth his Favours with a more unconfined and universal Influence than any of our late Kings of Britain; Their natural Easiness of Temper giving many fatal Opportunities to the Mercenary Ministers of those times, both to impose on their Masters, and prey upon the Liberties of their fellow-Subjects: whereas, our present King doth not only penetrate into what is just, but hath also a Nobleness of Soul, to execute, with an impartial Hand, what to him seemeth to be so. And that the giving his Royal Sanction to this Act, was the effect both of his Justice and Gratitude, is plain from the natural Regard which in Reason we must needs suppose him to have had to our frank and seasonable Services, when in themselves they were most Valuable, and when indeed he stood most in need of them.  
Obj. But (you say) the Outcry is, That these are such unprecedented Concessions and Exemptions as never were, or aught to be granted by a Prince to any Society or Company of Traders in the World: Ergo,  
Ha! Is the Hue and Cry got up then? I am glad of it: For certainly, the Great, the Grave, and Wise Men of the Nation, do never join in that Chorus.  
But to be more serious; 'Tis true, that these Concessions may seem somewhat strange to a People whose Wealth, Capacity, Naval Strength, Foreign Possessions, Plantations, Forts, and Universal Settlements, want no more to carry on what Trade soever they please, than to will and to execute.  
But on the other hand, if they look upon Scotland, and consider it, as in itself it is, deficient to a degree of Extremity, in all the necessary Qualification of Trade above-receited; they must own of course, that nothing less than these Concessions and Exemptions could give this New Company a prospect of so much as a Possibility of ever grappling with such infinite and almost insuperable Difficulties as they (and indeed, all other Beginnings) must necessarily encounter with: so that if such Exemptions had not been granted, we had as good have erected no Company.  
And as to these Concessions being without Precedent, I will not pretend to give an Instance of any that are exactly the same with the Privileges contained in this Act: but if I let you see much greater I hope that may serve the turn. Nor to do that, need I go so far from Home, as to search into the Records of other Nations, such as France, Holland, Denmark, & others who have given illimited Powers, & vast Encouragements to their respective Tradeing Companies; but even in Scotland, when we could not be presumed to have had any great Notions of Trade about Thirty five Years past, upon the Restauration of King Charles II. in his First parliament, and the several Sessions thereof, (before the French King had time to plant his Janissaries in the Court of England there were several Acts passed in favours of Trade and Manufactories, with Privileges and Exemptions far exceeding any in this Act, with respect to the Purposes for which they were granted, Mutatis Mutandis.  
And that I may not seem to speak altogether without Book I shall give you an Instance of one for all; namely, the Act Passed, in the Year 1661. For the Fishings, and Erecting of Companies for Promoting the same; which being too long to be transcribed, I send you, by way of Postscript, a short Abstract of the most considerable Privileges and Exemptions therein contained, as they stand in order in the Act itself; and all these were granted for perpetuity: Whereas all the most important Concessions in this late Act are limited, some to Ten, some to Twenty one Years; in which time (God knows) we must run very fast, to come up with any of all our neighbouring Nations, who have started so long before Us.  
Now let us further compare both the said Acts, and the Purposes for which they were severally intended, and then, with respect to this last, we must think of going we know not whither, undergo the Danger of boisterous Storms, and long Voyages, with which we are not acquainted: tie up our Stomaches to strict, regular, and unaccustomed Diets; prepare against the Effects of quite contrary Climates, and there purchase Plantations, Colonies, Settelments, and build Forts, etc. Yet as to the Time when all this will happen, he must be a wiser Men than I, that can tell.  
But as to the former Act for the Fishing, etc. all Matters thereunto relating were to be transacted in view of our own Doors, and in our own Power. But than you'll ask me, How it came to pass, that this excellent Constitution for our Fishings has had no better Effect? Why truly, I'll tell you, For the very same Reason which may possibly prove the Overthrow of this New Undertaking (which God forbidden) if we have no better luck in getting honester Men at the Head of it: For the Dutch, who have got most of their Wealth by Fishing in other men's Waters, looking upon us then with a zealous Eye, found a way (as it was then believed) to grease a certain Great Man in the Fist; who thereupon embarked himself, and all his Friends; with all his Might, on our Bottom; and who being once at the Head of all, thwarted all, overruled all, and ruin'dall: For the Honest and Well-meaning Men, finding themselves no other than Ciphers, grew wearied, and so gave up the Cudgels.  
By all which, you have a plain Demonstration and Proof, That what may do in one Nation, will not do in another. But I'm resolved to wait with Patience, and hope for the best: Exitus acta probat; the meaning of which is in English, The Proof of the Pudding is in the eating.  
Ob. But then (you say,) the unanswerable and thundering Dilemma, which these Grumblers would seem, and do actually boast, to fasten upon his Majesty, is That either he must retract what he has done, by some public Mark of his Discountenancing this New Company, or otherwise he cannot in reason deny the like Concessions to the several Trading Companies of England, who have so largely contributed towards the Expense of this present War.  
Answer This is truly the most plausible Difficulty of all that's offered, and such a Noose as may readily catch Larks, but will never gravel the judicious part of Mankind more than any of the former, as being all of one piece. The better to obviate which, I shall give you a plain, easy, just and adequat Parallel in the like Case, As for Example: Supposing me Lord of a considerable Manor producing abundance of Corn, Hay, Fruit, and having all the marks of a fertile and well cultivated Soil, which I have Let to Farm for a certain Annual or Yearly Rend; which Rent I have, by Contract of Marriage, appropriated to the Payment of my Wife's Jointure: in the interim, there comes to me an Under taker, with a Proposal, That whereas I am also Proprietor of a certain piece of unprofitable, waste Ground, together with some Acres of Land quite under Water, both which yield me no Rent; he will engage at his own Hazard, Labour and Expense, to cultivate the one, and drain the other, providing I grant him a Lease thereof free of all Rent for Twenty one Years, to which I readily and reasonably assent, as foreseeing the Advantage that must thereby accrue, if not to myself immediately, yet to my Heirs and Successors. Upon the executing of which Lease, should he who Farmed my Principal Manor in manner aforesaid, come and tax me of being an exacting and partial Landlord, if I would not also let him sit Rentfree, as well as his new Neighbour Undertaker, Pray, what Regard do you think I ought to observe to any Demand that were grounded only upon such a Reason? The Application whereof is so easy and natural, that it were calling your Judgement into question, to expatiate any more upon that Head: Yet lest you may say that omne simile est dissimile, and think this to be only an indirect Answer to all the Parts of your Objection, I shall touch them severally.  
And, First, As to any public Mark of His Majesty's Discountenance to this New Company, which would be the doing and undoing of a thing with the same breath, is so tender a Point, that the very Thoughts of it is attacking and wounding His Majesty, at once, in two of his most peculiar Attributes, Wisdom in Council, and Steadfastness of Resolution.  
Then as to what Concessions may be advisable to be given to all or any of the Trading Companies of England, I must suspend my weak Judgement therein, the King, and ensuing Parliament, being the only proper Judges thereof; only thus far I'll venture to judge, That whoever audaciously dare pretend to anticipate the Sense of so Great and August an Assembly, by Dictating in Coffeehouses what his Arrogance thinks, forsooth, they ought to do, may likewise think himself well come off at last, if he escape with only a Reprimand.  
And then as to the last Branch of the Objection, which seems to point at, our not contributing, so largely as they have, towards the Expense of the War; let us consider, whether they think Us equally concerned? and whether We may expect a proportionable share of the Glory and Advantage? If not, than we are but Auxiliaries, and ought not to undergo any narrow scrutiny on that head: For, A given Horse ought not to be examined in the Mouth.  
But supposing (as indeed I think) We are equally concerned in the same Common Cause; it must needs be confessed, That we cannot boast of any great store of Wealth, (for which we may partly thank those Familiar Spirits of France, who by a Legerdemain Trick of Hocus Pocus, have too often assumed the shapes of Court-Cards, in the most considerable Games which have (till of late Years) been played on the English Stage;) yet, in Proportion to what our Strength was, in any tolerable measure, able to bear, we have always signified our good Inclination, by giving such Supplies, from time to time, as have not only raised very considerable Numbers of excellent Troops, but also Maintained the same, till called out of the Nation by His Majesty; & then we successively raised others, to be a constant Nursery for the English Army. This was all we could do; & could we have done more, we stood in need of no Spur to do it: The Widow's Mite in the Gospel was more acceptable to Our Saviour, than all the large Offerings of those who gave only out of the Abundance of their Superfluities: Of them to whom much hath been given, much shall be required. And if His Majesty should question us upon this head, we can justly answer him with a Scripture Phrase, Silver and Gold have we none; but such as we have, we give unto him. True Hearts, and Valiant Hands; Brave Trusty Lads, armed with Natural But who dare encounter Fire and Smoke, and whose Undaunted Resolution and Valour, upon all Occasions of Trial, have to the Diminution of their Number, given at least some small Addition to the Advancing Glory of the English Arms: which if we had not given, an equal Number of equal Troops from any of our most entirely beloved Confederate Princes (if any such they had to spare) would certainly be good Meat, but must needs have cost England very dear Sauce.  
And since I now treat of our Usefulness to England, how little soever they may value it; I shall beg leave to look back again upon the further Motives that induced us to be forward in passing this Act, and take also a further view of the Advantages that may probably arise, not only unto ourselves, but to England in general, by it.  
As to the First of these, we observed, That the Customs, Fashions, and Luxury of other Nations, having bewitched our Travelling Nobility and Gentry, had Introduced a certain kind of Necessity among us, of using & consuming many more & greater quantities of Foreign Commodities than were so much as ever known almost to the honest Simplicity of our plain & wise Forefathers, and more truly than we had superfluous Money to pay for; especially at such exorbitant Rates as are imposed upon us at the third, fourth, fifth, and (possibly) sixth hand, by our own Pedlars, and the exacting Brokers of all other Countries about us. This we see a growing Evil, and such as we could not justly answer for, to our Constituents, who were equally concerned, if we had not taken it into our most serious Consideration, and with all expedition applied the most effectual Remedy we could think of; which, after all our Consultations, and the best Advice we could have, terminated in this Act; as hoping thereby, that at some time or other we may, by degrees, come to have at first Hand, and upon an equal Lay, such Foreign Commodities as are now palm'd upon us.  
By all which, you may plainly see, we had no sinister Design; we meant no harm to any other Kingdom, State, or Company: Evil to them that Evil think: We had no thoughts of drowning our Neighbour's Garden, but of watering our own; and I have no reason to doubt, but that the Simplicity and Honesty of our intention therein, will upon all occasions meet with a suitable Return.  
And as to what further Advantages England may probably reap from this Act; I think, with submission, that of all sorts of Men, the English East-Indian Company hath least reason to murmur at it; and I am glad to hear the Wisest of them do not, nor indeed, any of them (I believe) at their Heart. For, whatsoever Concessions, Exemptions, or Establishment, the Wisdom of the ensuing Parliament may think fit to grant to that Company, they have reason enough, from the consideration of their own Mismanagement, which (I humbly presume) occasioned the late Treatment some of them had at Westminster, to ground the best part of their Hopes for better Treatment there at this time, upon the Emulation which Our Act hath seemingly entitled them to raise in the Hearts of their Friends in Parliament, whom I hearty wish to be many: Salvo Jure cujuslibet. For I am sure, the World is spacious enough to contain both Them, and the Scotch Company, for more Efforts than either one or other, or both of them, are able to put in execution. They may in time, be serviceable each to the other, Manus Manum fricat; and as I hope, the English Company may have reason, before the Determination of the ensuing Session, to Thank the King and Parliament. They will at the same time be pleased to remember, that they own us a Day in Harvest; that is some seasonable piece of Friendship.  
Now, if the ensuing Parliament do (as I believe they will) take the East-India Company into their Care, whether out of a particular Regard to the said Company, or with respect to the Interest of the whole Nation, or out of Emulation, from a mixed Consideration of both; I shall have infinite Satisfaction, to find that we are so far useful to our Neighbours, as to let them see that to be their Interest now, which for some Years past they at least seemed to have overlooked, till we put them in mind of it. And my Hopes are, That if Emulation will once enter within the Doors of that Noble Assembly, they will raise their Thoughts upon the very Wings of Emulation, and take the right Sow by the Lugg; that is, cast their Eyes about them, and point at Objects worthy of such Noble Efforts as They only are able to put in Practice, by curbing the Enemies of Britain, and putting some stop to the Career and overgrown Greatness of its Rivals in Trade: of whose Affection or Friendship England can be no longer secure, than they are sure of Gaining by England: Whereas, We poor Mortals must at all times look upon ourselves as in the State of Matrimony, For better for worse: So if we are not allowed some reasonable measure of Due Benevolence, that Essential Part of Conjugal Duty, the World will certainly look upon Us as the more excusable, if at some time or other we should venture to peep abroad.  
Object. But still these Grumblers (you say) do urge that this New Company will Steal vast Quantities of Goods both by Sea & Land into England, and over-stock the Markets there with Indian Goods, to be Sold at Under-rates, to the apparent loss of the English East-India and African Companies.  
This is truly a very wide supposition; yet supposing it all to be true, (as I believe it cannot) pray wherein is England hurt by it? For over all England there must be a vast many more Buyers than Sellers of any one particular Commodity, and as Of two Evils the least is to be chosen; so, Of two interferring Interests, the most public and universal good of these two is always preferable to the other; then beyond dispute, the Buyers of such particular Commodity (whom I take to be the Body of the Nation) will find it their Interest at all times, to beat down the Market-price, especially of Foreign Goods; otherwise our Forefathers of both Nations, were very much overseen to make so many Laws, which stand yet Unrepealed, against the Forestall of Markets, and the Engrossing of Commodities into few hands. So that if all Restrictions, Limitations, and Prohibitions upon Trade between both Nations were wholly abrogated, the great and natural ends of Trade, would (in my humble opinion) be more universally and much better answered.  
Now, upon summing up the Evidence on both sides, I find we must reckon upon many Enemies beyond Sea: But I hope I may modestly conclude, That after a true Scrutiny is made, this Act will meet with no Enemies within the Isle of Britain, but who may be comprehended in one or other of two sorts, and these two (some say) very near related: The first are, such who may seemingly grumble at this Act, for no other reason, but to make a Scaling-ladder of it, to a Wall which (without it) they were past all hopes of ever getting over. The others are, a certain set of Men, who (like Watermens) row one way, and look another. From both which, I hope, the Legislative Power and Government of both Nations will protect this Orphan.  
To conclude then: As Almighty God, in his Alwise Providence, often revealeth and brings to pass his Great and Excellent Purposes, by ordinary and unexpected Means; who knows, but that the harmonious Unity which (I hope) will appear in the Equal, Just, and Impartial Management and Administration of this New Scotch-English, or English-Scotch Indian Company, may, in good time, be a happy Motive and Inducement to (at least) all the Wise Men of either Nation, to lay aside misplaced Passion, the prejudices of Infancy and Education; Reason justly for their Own and Public Interests sake; obliterate and bury in oblivion the distinguishing Names of Scotch and English; and then voluntarily list themselves under the United Banner of Undivided Britain; to be one in Interest, and Inclination, in Offence and Defence. From the Consequences of which happy Day, we may date the Aera of BRITAIN's being truly GREAT, And pray, what should hinder it? Nature seems to have intended Us for One People, as having concentered us within the same Liquid Walls; we are the Subjects of One King; we speak the same Language, differing only in Dialect, as most Counties do; we we profess the same Religion, differing only in some Forms, which may or may not be; our Laws point at the same End, to distribute Justice, and defend Liberty and Property: All which may be soon reconciled, if the Wisdoms of both Nations should once hearty set about it.  
No man alive can have greater Veneration for the Government and People of England, or be more tender of giving them any the least umbrage of Offence, than myself: But if any particular person will, from the Light within him, apply to his own Breast any Expression herein that may seem harsh, that's his fault, and not mine: In which case, I'd advise him, like a Friend, to lie still and be quiet; expiate for any former Escapes in his Life, by a better Regulation of his Actions in time to come; submit to all Laws and Ordiances of such as are put in Authority over us, and let the Wisdom of the Nation rule the Nation.  
If herein I have not answered your Expectation, yet you have an instance of my hearty and sincere good Wishes to the Interest of Britain, and of my readiness to comply with your Desire, whensoever you are pleased to Command,  
SIR, Your Humble Servant, PHILONAX VERAX. EDINBURGH, Novem. 14, 1695.   

An Abstract of the Privileges contained in An Act (mentioned pag. 7.) for the Fishings, etc.  
Salted, Cordage, Hemp, Cork, Pitch, Tar, Clapboard, Knapple, Skewhoops and Nets, free of all Custom, or other imposition whatsoever. All Herring and White Fish taken and prepared therewith, free of any manner of Taxation or Burden in the Exportation of the same.  
All Strangers concerned therein Naturalised of course, and also free of all Taxation-upon their other Effects, for the space of seven Years next after such their Naturalisation.  
All Beer, Ale, Strong waters and other Provisions for Outreiking of any Vessel for the said Fishings, free of all manner of Impositions whatsoever.  
All Lords, and Proprietors of Land, in all places throughout the Kingdom, where such Fishing is carried on, to protect, maintain, and defend the same, and all Masters if Ships, Fishers, and others whatsoever thereunto belonging, from all harm and trouble; otherwise, to refound and satisfy respectively all Loss and Damage sustained upon their Land.  
All Ships, Boats, and other Vessels, in the exercise of the said Trade of Fishing, and their employment therein, no ways Arrestible by any Creditor: The Fishers, Masters and Servants in the saids Vessels, during the whole time and season of such Fishing, and their employment therein, free from all Actions of Debt, and no ways conucenable before any Judge or Judicature whatsoever, for any Cause or Causes Civil, which might be intended against them: and generally all the said Persons, Masters and Servants, free of all Captions, Arrestments, or other Attachments on their Persons, or against their Materials and Instruments of Fishing, they being actually serving therein allanerly.  
The Stock and Profits thereof free of all Stents and Taxations.   

Printed at London, and reprinted at Edinburgh, by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty, 1696.