s not dissolved at William's death, nor did it
meet at the time when, legally, it ought to have met. Anne, in a
message, expressed hopes that it would assent to Union, and promised to
concur in any reasonable scheme for compensating the losers by the Darien
scheme. When Parliament met, Queensberry, being Commissioner, soon found
it necessary (June 30, 1702) to adjourn. New officers of State were then
appointed, and there was a futile meeting between English and Scottish
Commissioners chosen by the Queen to consider the Union.

Then came a General Election (1703), which gave birth to the last
Scottish Parliament. The Commissioner, Queensberry, and the other
officers of State, "the Court party," were of course for Union; among
them was prominent that wavering Earl of Mar who was so active in
promoting the Union, and later precipitated the Jacobite rising of 1715.
There were in Parliament the party of Courtiers, friends of England and
Union; the party of Cavaliers, that is Jacobites; and the Country party,
led by the Duke of Hamilton, who was in touch with the Jacobites, but was
quite untrustworthy, and much suspected of desiring the Crown of Scotland
for himself.

Queensberry cozened the Cavaliers--by promises of tolerating their
Episcopalian religion--into voting a Bill recognising Anne, and then
broke his promise. The Bill for tolerating worship as practised by the
Episcopalians was dropped; for the Commissioner of the General Assembly
of the Kirk declared that such toleration was "the establishment of
iniquity by law."

Queensberry's one aim was to get Supply voted, for war with France had
begun. But the Country and the Cavalier parties refused Supply till an
Act of Security for religion, liberty, law, and trade should be passed.
The majority decided that, on the death of Anne, the Estates should name
as king of Scotland a Protestant representative of the House of Stewart,
who should not be the successor to the English crown, save under
conditions guaranteeing Scotland as a sovereign state, with frequent
Parliaments, and security for Scottish navigation, colonies, trade, and
religion (the Act of Security).

It was also decided that landholders and the burghs should drill and arm
their tenants and dependants--if Protestant. Queensberry refused to pass
this Act of Security; Supply, on the other side, was denied, and after a
stormy scene Queensberry prorogued Parliament (September 16, 1703).

In the excitement