The Preface
TO THE
PARLIAMENT.
RIGHT HONOURABLE,
IN the midſt of all the Difficulties, and diſtracting Debates that too much harraſs and fatigue you about National Settlements, and Affairs of the niceſt, and moſt weighty Signification, permit an Humble Stranger, to interrupt you a little with ſome thing diverting.
Thoſe that have repreſented the Deſign of it, before it came to your View, as a Party affair, will find themſelves ſo miſtaken, that, I doubt not, they will acknowledge they have done ſome other Gentlemen wrong beſides the Author.
He has endeavoured to pay a Debt of Juſtice here to the Scots Nation: If he has not diſcharg'd it fully, he beggs you will pleaſe to accept of this in part, as Wit come sin, you ſhall find him Honeſt and willing to pay the Remainder.
RIGHT HONOURABLE,
I have Nothing to do here with the prefſent Diſputes; I am ſorry to ſee ſo much differing about uniting, and more, to ſee ſo much uniting about differing; but 'tis nothing to me, and leſs, if that can be, to my Poem: All I have ſaid of Scotland and Scots Men, will, I hope, be true to the Worlds End, whether there be an Union or no.
The Temper of your People, the Bravery of your Soldiers, the Antiquity of your Families, and the Characters of your Perſons are the ſame, and will be the ſame to all Ages, let the preſent Affair go which way it will.
If any thing in this Book has a Reſpect to uniting at all, 'tis but in General, as Peace and Union between two Siſter Nations mulſt be deſireable to all that wiſh well to both; but here is not one Word of Terms nor Times, 'tis none of my Buſineſs.
And this I do on purpoſe, that if poſſible, this Book might oblige all ſides, and none of the Gentlemen for whoſe Honour and Country it is wrote, ſhould meet with any thing to ſhock their Reading, on account of the preſent Party Strife in this place.
