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