Within a week of victory at Worcester the commonwealth was considering the process of annexation for Scotland. The resolution was modest enough to talk about the land under their power, since half of Scotland still remained unconquered. In Edinburgh on 7 February 1651/2 John Nicholl observed work to expunge the signs of monarchial government, ‘and hang up the croun upon the gallowis’. The com-monwealth's occupation imposed an incorporative, accessory union. However, the influence of General George Monck leaves questions as to whether the developments that were seen after 1654 flowed from the changed constitutional position or the efforts of one man.

Annexation

In October 1651 the rump parliament drew up a declaration on the incorporation of Scotland. Their initial impulse toward unilateral annexation softened somewhat; English republicans viewed Scotland as burdened by over-mighty magnates and an overly rigid kirk, but the godly Scot could be freed from the oppressions of both. Shires and burghs were to elect representatives to meet the commonwealth's commissioners on 13 February 1652 and consider how to speedily implement incorporation to the ‘best satisfaction’ of the Scottish people. Most meekly assented, but Glasgow boldly sent objections, principally that plurality of religious observance was not in line with the covenant. Soldiers were sent to remind Glaswegians of the nature of the consultation. Several burghs obliquely reminded the English that security of religion by union had always been the Scots’ purpose, there was nothing ‘so greate, so desirable and conducing for the wellbeing and common safety and security of the Island (upon sound and solid ground of Religion)’ as union with England. From this forced assent the Scottish representatives elected twenty-one of their number to go to Westminster and negotiate. It was eventually agreed that Scotland would get thirty seats in the Commons. Even then the bill to pass the union never got through Westminster; instead, an Ordinance of Union was issued on 12 April 1654.

Stirling's submission had suggested that the new nation be called Great Britain, but the whole process remained relentlessly English; new sheriffs had to swear loyalty to England, and in all three Westminster parliaments in which the Scots sat, a large portion of those sitting for Scottish seats were Englishmen.