ghly enraged at it, for as it was evident that the want
of the premiums would effectively stop the exportation of grain, which
would thereby become a mere drug, no body could foresee to what height
this precedent of taxing Scotland separately from England might
afterwards be extended. Tis impossible to express the resentment of the
nation at this measure, all parties seemed reconciled and to unite in
opposing what was so pernicious to the country in general, and at the
same time touched every particular man's copyhold. The King's friends
laid hold upon this occasion, and privately, underhand, fomented the bad
humour, it not being fit, as indeed there was no need of their
distinguishing their zeal at this time. A meeting of the heritors of the
shire of Edinburgh was called, where I presented an address to the House
of Commons, which being heartily approved of, was signed and next day
sent up by an express to London....

These warm addresses and instructions did not a little startle the Scots
members of Parliament, and even the Ministry; and there were likewise
many private letters written to them by their friends, assuring them of
the highest resentment if they did not perform what was desired and
expected of them. Had these members been endued with a public spirit and
resolution, such applications would have been needless; but as they
consisted of a parcel of people of low fortunes that could not subsist
without their board-wages (which at ten guineas a week during each
session was duly paid them) or mere tools and dependents, it was not to
be expected they would act the part which became them for their
country's service, and therefore these representations were judged
necessary to spur them up to their duty and withal show the Ministry
that the people would not behave so tamely as did their mean spirited
mercenary representatives, who, perceiving they would lose all their
interest and scarce dare venture to return home if they did not follow
the instructions given them, made most humble applications to the
Ministry, who on the other hand being apprehensive the resentment might
be carried to some height, and unwilling, as matters stood in Europe, to
embroil themselves, thought it expedient to drop the resolutions above
mentioned, (which they at first preferred, because they judged it would
be no easy matter to levy the malt tax in Scotland) and agreed with the
Scots members to impose threepence per bushel on malt; being