Politics & government > Speech of Lord Belhaven, in the Scotch parliament, at the making of the union

Lord Belhaven's Speech. 5
I think I fee the valiant and gallant foldiery,
iij either fent to learn the plantation trade abroad, or
it home petitioning for a fmall fubfiftence, as the
-eward of their honourable exploits, while their
] old corps ate broken, the common foldiers left
■ to beg, and the youngeft Englifh corps kept (land¬
ing-
I think I fee the honejl indujlrious tradesman loa-
\ dcd with new taxes and impofitions, difappointed
.)! pf the equivalents, drinking water in place of ale,
• eating hisfaltlefs pottage, petitioning for encourage-
j ment to manufaftories, and anfwered by counter
n petitions.
In fhort, I think I fee the laborious ploughman,
with his corns fpoiling upon his hands for want of
: lale, curfing the day of his birth, dreading the ex-
1: pence of his burial, and uncertain whether to marry,
r pr do worfe.
( I think I fee the incurable difficulties of the land¬
ed men, fettered under the golden chain of equi-
> ralents, their pretty daughters petitioning for want
• of hufbands, and their fons for want of employ-
• meats.
I I think I fee our mariners delivering up their
• fliips to their Dutch partners, and, what through
prefles and neceffity, earning their bread as under-
• lings in the royal Englifb navy.
But, above all, My Lord, I think I fee our anti¬
hit mother Caledonia, like Cefar, fitting in the
midft of our fenate, ruefullf looking round about
t her, covering herfelf with her royal garment, at-
t lending the fatal blow, aud breathing out her laft,
1 With a Et tu quoque mi jili!
Are not ihefe, My Lord, very affixing thoughts ?
And yet they are but the leaf! part fuggefted to me
5>y thefe _dilhonourable articles. Should not the
; confi-