The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

146 UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.
hood, with a reference to the union, and an oath sition, or possessing of tile parliament of causes
appropriate thereunto, which is a point likewise there to be handled; which in England is used to
deserves a consideration. So much for the exter- be done immediately by any member of the parnal points. liament, or by the prolocutor; and in Scotland is
The internal points of separation are as fol- used to be done immediately by the lords of the
loweth. articles, whereof the one form seemeth to have
1. Several parliaments, more liberty, and the other more gravity and ma2. Several councils of state. turity: and therefore the question will be whether
3. Several officers of the crown. of these shall yield to other, or whether there should
4. Several nobilities. not be a mixture of both, by some commissions
5. Several laws. precedent to every parliament in the nature of lord s
6. Several courts of justice, trials, and pro- of the articles, and yet not excluding the liberty
cesses. of propounding in full parliament afterwards?
7. Several receipts and finances. 3. The third, touching the orders of parliament,
8. Several afdmiralties and merchandisings. how they may be compounded, and the best of
9. Several freedoms and liberties, either taken?
10. Several taxes and imposts. 4. The fourth, how those, which by inheritance
As touching the several states ecclesiastical, or otherwise have offices of honour and ceremony
and the several mints and standards, and the in both the parliaments, as the lord steward with
several articles and treaties of intercourse with us, &c., may be satisfied, and duplicity accommoforeign nations, I touched them before. dated?
In these points of the strait and more inward For the councils of estate, while the kingdoms
union, there will intervene one principal difficulty stand divided, it should seem necessary to continue
and impediment, growing from that root, which several councils; but if your majesty should proAristotle in his Politics maketh to be the root of ceed to a strict union, then, howsoever your
all division and dissension in commonwealths, majesty may establish some provincial councils in
and that is equality and inequality. For the Scotland, as there is here of York, and in the
realm of Scotland is now an ancient and noble marches of Wales, yet the question will be, wherealm, substantive of itself. ther itwill not be more convenient for your majesty
But when this island shall be made Britain, to have but one privy council about your person,
then Scotland is no more to be considered as whereof the principal officers of the crown of
Scotland, but as a part of Britain; no more than Scotland to be for dignity sake, howsoever their
England is to be considered as England, but as a abiding and remaining may be as your majesty
part likewise of Britain; and consequently neither shall employ their service? But this point belongof these are to be considered as things entire of eth merely and wholly to your majesty's royal will
thbemselves, but in the proportion that they bear to and pleasure.
the whole, And therefore let us imagine, ", Nam For the officers of the crown, the consideration
id mente possumus, quod actu non possumus,"9 thereof will fall into these questions.
that Britain had never been divided, but had ever First, in regard of the latitude of your kingdom
been one kingdom; then that part of soil or terri- and the distance of place, whether it will not be
tory, which is comprehended under the name of matter of necessity to continue the several officers,
Scotland, is in quantity, as I have heard it es- because of the impossibility for the service to be
teemed, how truly I know not, not past a third performed by one!
part of Britain; and that part of soil or territory The second, admitting the duplicity of officers
which is comprehended under the name of Eng. should be continued, yet whether there should not
land, is two parts of Britain, leaving to speak of be a difference, that one should be the principal
any difference of wealth or population, and speak- officer, and the other to be but special and
ing only of quantity. So, then, if, for example, subaltern? As, for example, one to be chancellor
Scotland should bring to parliament as much no- of Britain, and the other to be chancellor with
bility as England, then a third part should coun- some special addition, as here of the duchy, &c.
tervail two parts; "n nam si inTqualibus tequalia The third, if no such specialty or inferiority be
addas, omnia erunt inaequalia." And this, I pro- thought fit, then whether both officers should not
test before God and your majesty, I do speak not have the title and the name of the whole isiand
as a man born in England, but as a man born in and precincts! as the Lord Chancellor of England
Britain. And therefore to descend to particulars: to be Lord Chancellor of Britain, and the Lord
For the parliaments, the consideration of that Chancellor of Scotland to be Lord Chancellor of
point will fall into four questions. Britain, but with several provisoes that they shall
1. The first, what proportion shall be kept not intromit themselves but within their several
between the votes of England and the votes of precincts.
Scpotland. For the nobilities, the consideration thereof will
2. The secord, touching the manner of propo- fall into these questions: