l affairs of commerce and treaties with foreign nations
belong to the king's absolute power. He therefore who has power over the
cause has power over the effect." The importance of such a decision
could hardly be overrated. English commerce was growing fast. English
merchants were fighting their way to the Spice Islands, and establishing
settlements in the dominions of the Mogul. The judgement gave James a
revenue which was certain to grow rapidly, and whose growth would go far
to free the Crown from any need of resorting for supplies to Parliament.

[Sidenote: The Post-Nati.]

But no immediate step was taken to give effect to the judgement; and the
Commons contented themselves with a protest against impositions at the
close of the session of 1606. When they reassembled in the following
year their attention was absorbed by the revival of the questions which
sprang from the new relations of Scotland to England through their
common king. There was now no question of a national union. The
commission to which the whole matter had been referred had reported in
favour of the abolition of hostile laws, the establishment of a general
free trade between the two kingdoms, and the naturalization as
Englishmen of all living Scotchmen who had been born before the king's
accession to the English throne. The judges had already given their
opinion that all born after it were naturalized Englishmen by force of
their allegiance to a sovereign who had become King of England. The
constitutional danger of such a theory was easily seen. Had the marriage
of Philip and Mary produced a son, every Spaniard and every Fleming
would under it have counted as Englishmen, and England would have been
absorbed in the mass of the Spanish monarchy. The opinion of the judges
in fact implied that nationality hung not on the existence of the nation
itself, but on its relation to a king. It was to escape from such a
theory that the Commons asked that the question should be waived, and
offered on that condition to naturalize all Scotchmen whatever by
statute. But James would not assent. To him the assertion of a right
inherent in the Crown was far dearer than a peaceful settlement of the
matter; the bills for free trade were dropped; and on the adjournment of
the Houses a case was brought before the Exchequer Chamber; and the
naturalization of the "Post-nati," as Scots born after the king's
accession were styled, established by a formal judgement.

[Sidenote