"To build frigates of 108 or 110 feet long for thirty guns, merely for the accommodation of metal, is like being guided by accessary parts to find principles for the direction of the whole, whereas it should be the subject which governs the attribute. Nothing, in short, is more apt to lead into difficulties than reasoning from random principles, instead of founding them on harmonious rules, which lead to true maxims, and give the first idea of the parts which compose an invention. This ancient manner of reasoning is not easily to be found in the modern contrivers, who seldom or never look out of the track they are in, and even offer premiums to understand a part more of the wrong routine they have ever followed. I am, my good friend, your humble servant,

1792, Sept.

"W. BLAKEY."

XVII. A Fragment of History relative to the Revolution.
MR. URBAN,

I HEREWITH send you a part of a letter from Dr. Rose, bishop of Edinburgh, to bishop Campbell, at London, which is the more curious, as I have never seen it noticed in any collection of papers, or history of the times to which it refers. It accounts for the conduct of the Scots Episcopal Clergy at the Revolution, and for the suppression of the order of bishops in that kingdom. From this letter, likewise, it may fairly be inferred, that, if the Scots bishops had followed the example of their brethren in England, episcopacy would not only have been tolerated but established in Scotland; and that king William would have been much better pleased to have countenanced the bishops there than the Presbyterians, if the bishops would have undertaken to have supported his cause. But from the perusal of the original, the reader will naturally draw his own conclusion.

I am, Sir,

Yours, &c.

Y. D.

Dr. Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh, to Bishop Campbell, at
London.

October 22, 1713

BECAUSE you desire a short history of my own proceedings and conduct when in London, at the late revolution, I shall, for your satisfaction and that of others, set down a short and plain sum of it, which is as follows.

When in October in 1688, the Scots bishops came to know the intended invasion by the prince of Orange, a good many of them being then at Edinburgh, meeting together, concerted and sent up a loyal address to the king. Afterwards, in November, finding that the prince was landed, and foreseeing the dreadful convulsions that were like to ensue, and not knowing what damages might arise thence both to church and state, resolved to send up two of their number to the king, with a renewed tender of their duty; instructing them also to wait on the bishops of England for their advice and assistance, in case that any unlucky thing might possibly happen to occur with respect to our church: this resolution being taken, it was represented by the two archbishops to his majesty's privy council, (in which the lord Perth sat as chancellor) and was agreed to and approved of by them. Whereupon, at the next meeting of the bishops, it was not thought fit, even by the archbishops themselves, that any of them (though they were men of the greatest ability and experience) should go up, as being less acceptable to the English bishops, from their having consented to the taking off the sanguinary laws against the Papists, and so that undertaking was devolved over upon Dr. Bruce, bishop of Orkney, and me; he having suffered for not agreeing to that project, and I not concerned, as not being a bishop at that time; and accordingly a commission was drawn up and signed for us two, December 3d, 1688. The bishop of Orkney promising to come back from that country in eight or ten days time, that we might journey together, occasioned my stay; but when that time was elapsed, I had a letter from him, signifying that he had fallen very ill, and desiring me to go up post, as soon as I could, promising to follow as soon as health would serve; whereupon I took post, and in a few days coming to Northallerton, where hearing of the king's having left Rochester, I stood doubtful with myself, whether to go forward or return; but considering the various and contradictory accounts I had got all along upon the road, and that, in case of the king's retirement, matters would be so much the more dark and

perplexed, I resolved to go on, that I might be able to give just accounts of things to my brethren here, from time to time, and have the advice of English bishops, whom I never doubted to find unalterably firm to their master's interest. And as this was the occasion of my coming to London, so by reason of the continuance of the bishop of Oikney's illness, that difficult task fell to my share alone.

The next day after my arrival at London, I waited on the archbishop of Canterbury,* (to whom I had the honour to be known, some three years before) and after my presenting, and his grace's reading, my commission, his grace said that matters were very dark, and the cloud so thick or gross that they could not see through it; they knew not well what to do for themselves, and far less what advice to give me; that there was to be a meeting of bishops with him that day, and desired me to see him a week thereafter. I next waited on the then bishop of St. Asaph,† (being my acquaintance also) who treated me in such a manner that I could not but see through his inclinations; wherefore I resolved to visit him no more, nor to address myself to any others of that order, till I should have occasion to learn something farther about them: wherefore the week thereafter I repaired again to Lambeth, and told his grace all that had passed between St. Asaph and me, who smiling replied, that St. Asaph was a good man, but an angry man, and withall told me, that matters still continued dark, and that it behoved me to wait the issue of their convention, which he suspected was only that which could give light, and open the scene; but withall desired me to come to him from time to time, and if any thing occurred, he would signify it to me. In that wearisome season, (wearisome to me, because acquainted with few, save those of our own countrymen, and of those I knew not whom to trust) I waited on the bishop of London,‡ and entreated him to speak to the prince, to put a stop to the persecutions of our clergy, but to no purpose. I was also with the then Dr. Burnet, upon the same design, but with no success, who told me he did not meddle in Scots affairs. I was also earnestly desired by the bishop of London, and the then Viscount of Tarbat, and some other Scots peers, to wait upon the prince, and to present him with an address upon that head. I asked whether I or my address would readily meet with acceptance or success, if it did not compliment the prince upon his descent, to deliver us from popery and slavery; they said Dr. Compton. E

Dr. Sa croft. + Dr. Lloyd,

that was absolutely necessary. I told them I was neither instructed by my constituents to do so, neither had I myself clearness to do it, and that on these terms I neither could nor would either visit or address his highness. In that season also, I had the honour to be acquainted, and several times visited the worthy Dr. Turner, bishop of Ely, whose conversation was very useful to me, and every way agreeable. And besides these bishops already mentioned, I had not the honour to be acquainted with any other, and thus the whole time of the convention was passed off, excepting what was spent in necessary duties, and visiting our countrymen, even until the day the dark scene was opened by the surprising vote of abdication; on which I went over to Lambeth. What passed there betwixt his grace and me (being all private) it is both needless and would be very tedious, and perchance not so very proper to write it. In the close, I told his grace that I would make ready to go home, and only wait on his grace once more before I took my journey.

While I was making my visits of leave to my countrymen, I was surprizingly told that some two or three of them, attempting to go home without passes, were the first stage stopt upon the road, and that none were to expect passes without waiting on the prince. Whereupon I repaired again to Lambeth, to have his grace's advice, who considering the necessity of that compliment, agreed to my making it. Upon my applying to the bishop of London to introduce me, his lordship asked me whether I had any thing to say to the king (so was the stile in England then) : I replied I had nothing to say, save that I was going for Scotland, being a member of the convention; for I understood that without waiting on the prince, (that being the most common Scots stile) I could not have a pass, and that without that, I must needs be stopt upon the road, as several of my countrymen had been. His lordship asked me again, saying, seeing the clergy have been, and are so routed and barbarously treated by the Presbyterians, will you not speak to the king to put a stop to that, and in fayour of your own clergy? My reply was, that the prince had been often applied to in that matter by several of the nobility, and addressed also by the sufferers themselves, and yet all to no purpose, wherefore I could have no hopes that my intercessions would be of any avail; but if his lordship thought otherwise, I would not decline to make them. His lordship asked me farther, whether any of our countrymen would go along with me, and spoke particularly of sir George

Mackenzie. I replied, I doubted nothing of that; whereupon his lordship bid me find him out, that both he and I should be at court that day, against three in the afternoon, and that he would surely be there to introduce us; all which (I having found sir George) imparted to him, who liked it very well, and said it was a good occasion, and wished that several of our nobility might be advertised by us to be there also; to which I replied, that I doubted much, whether coming in a body, he (the prince) would give us access; and that our nobility would be much offended at us, if coming to court upon our invitation, access should be denied them, and therefore I thought it best that we alone should meet the bishop at the time appointed, and advise with him what was fit to be done; which was agreed to and upon our meeting with the bishop, sir George made that overture to his lordship, which he closing with very warmly, said he would go into the king, and see if he would appoint a time for the Scots episcopal nobility and gentry to wait upon him in favour of the clergy of Scotland, so sadly persecuted. Whereupon the bishop leaving us in a room of Whitehall, near adjoining to the place where the prince was, stayed above a full half-hour from us, and upon his return told us, the king's answer was, that he would not allow us to come to him in a body, lest that might give jealousy and umbrage to the Presbyterians, neither would he permit them (for the same reason) to come to him in numbers; and that he would not allow above two of either party at a time to speak to him on church mat

ters.

Then the bishop directing his discourse to me, said, My lord, you see that the king, having thrown himself upon the water, must keep himself a swimming with one hand. The Presbyterians have joined him closely, and offer to support him, and therefore he cannot cast them off, unless he could see how otherwise he can be served. And the king bids me tell you, that he knows the state of Scotland much better than he did when he was in Holland; for while there, he was made believe that Scotland, generally all over, was Presbyterians, but now he sees that the great body of the nobility and gentry are for episcopacy, and it is the trading and inferior sort are for presbytery; wherefore he bids me tell you, that, if you will undertake to serve him to the purpose that he is served here in England, he will take you by the hand, support the church and order, and throw off the Presbyterians.

My answer to this was, My Lord, I cannot but thank the