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I have not heard from you this three months. Let me know if this comes to your hand.

CLVIII. TO THE MARQUIS OF ANNANDALE.

I'm heartily glad to hear of your Lordship's fafe arrivall. Had I known I would have met you on the road, and am forrie that my trading and other bufinefs cannot now allow me to wait on your Lordship to discourse measures for the enfuing Parliament. No doubt your Lordship must know a great dale, which, together with the generous pairt you have acted, and whereof honeft men are well affured to their great fatiffaction-thefe, I say, must certainlie have weight to determine them how to act; and am confident your Lordship will think it reasonable that at least they do not conclude themselves till they meet; fince I fhall not. And am, &c. Mellerstaines, September 9th, 1706.

SIR,

CLIX. FROM THE MARQUIS OF ANNANDALE.

I HAD your's yesterday, and fhall be mightie glad to fee you foe foon as your affaires will allow. What I kno either off men or measures you shall kno withoutt annie referve; and when you kno all, I hope you will be fattiffied with the part I have acted fince I faw you. I have my end, iff what I have done, and shall doe, shall be satisfying to honeft men; and I wishe alwayes to be found with them who are for the true Proteftant interest and the good off there nation. There is no man living I can foe cheerfullie enter into measures with as with yourfelfe, and thofe you have been engaged with, for I have ever thoght bothe our principle and interest ledd us the fame way. I have been heare ever fince I came home, and defigne to continue heare till the Parliament meett, where I shall be glad to see you; and I doe affure you, you fhall ever finde me your true frinde and humble fervant, ANNANDALE.

Craigiehall, 13th off September, [1706].

CLX. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.

It's beft to tell you in the beginning that I make use of the new cypher; next to tell you all my news.

The Marquis of Tweeddale has been here fince Saturday laft till this afternoon, but 242 (Tweeddale) is far from being at a point; so it will be neceffary for us to be at Edinburgh two or three days before the Parliament fit down. The Commiffioner was at Dunbar all last night, but no compliments paffed betwixt him and this houfe. 253 (Belhaven) is like a madman, roaring against 58 (the Union), and telling without ceremony that 221 (Duke Hamilton) fwears he'll rebel. 245 (Montrofe), 246 (Haddington), and 259 (Glasgow) were one afternoon with 243 (Roxburgh), where Drumelzier having dined, invited us all to dine with him the next day. 245 (Montrofe) was plainer than usual; that is, so as to make one guess what he inclines to, but faid nothing that looked like being determined, fave that matters were now come to that pass that things were to be minded, and not perfons. He fpoke too of the uncertainty of 24's (the Court's) being in earnest, which was more than ever past betwixt him and me before. He laughed at 222 (Duke Hamilton) and 228 (Atholl), and said 230 (Mar) and 234 (Loudoun) had communicated nothing to him. In all this you fee 239 (Ormiston), as to whom I fhall fay nothing, fince one must make the best of an ill bargain. Now, as to the grand affair, there is no time to be loft; but it is not poffible for me to leave this place this week, but fhall be at Leith on Monday by twelve o'clock, in order to go to Leflie, where I hope you refolve to be, and I do not think it were amifs you were at Edinburgh a day before, fince you may fee, and not fee, whom you please. However, in cafe your affairs cannot allow you to be at Edinburgh fo foon, let me know by the bearer, and I'll meet you on Saturday or Sunday, anywhere about half way betwixt us, being very uneafy about this affair. Yet rather than set up 240 (Ormiston), by letting him have the credit of bringing in 48 (the New Party), I would rather choose to give him the flip, with his three friends, 245 (Montrose), 246 (Haddington), and 259 (Glasgow), by fending an exprefs to 128 (Wharton). It's true that this looks like a rifque, but I fee no rifque in it, but what is likewise in the other way, except that it is to embark fo far as

not to leave room to retire, which I suppose we'll have no fcruple in, fince it is now or never. Befides, the other way fays as much, tho' not to fo good purpose.

My humble fervice to all at home.

September the 19th, 1706.

Adieu.

CLXI. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

September 21st, [1706.]

I HAVE no addreffes. 225 (Duke Queensberry), till two days before he left this, railed at 15 (the Lord Treasurer); faid he was not for 58 (the Union), &c. but at laft 102 (a fum of money) quieted him. I believe 103 wgpwkqxucpfrqxpc

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(the fum of money) is ten thousand pounds; the thing itself is no fecret. 16 (The Lord Treasurer) told 273 (Johnstone) that 103 (money) was advanced to 89 (the Scottish Minifters) upon 38 (Scotland's) revenue to pay 38 (Scotland's) debts, particularly to 241 (Tweeddale). Your friend asked, Why not 243 (Roxburgh)? He fay'd he knew nothing of it. And why not 273 (Johnftone)? He laugh't, and bid him do for himself. He talked much 98 (for the Union); faid pofitively 21 (the English Parliament) would be for him [it,] and if 39 (the Scottish Parliament) was not, they must try whofe heads were

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hardeft. I hear the Duke of Marlborough has writ a letter to Mr. Johnfton, preffing him earnestly to be for the Union; and he says he would have written to my Lord Roxburgh and others, to the fame purpose, but that little can be fay'd in the compass of a letter. This has pleafed Mr. Johnfton, for the letter is highly civill, and has convinced him that they are now in earnest, confidering the money they have given, and the fending over of Argyle; but I laugh't at him, and put him in mind that now, after many ftops, they have past the grant of the reverfion of his brother's lease, by which he loses, of principle and intereft, above three thousand pound, which my Lord Treasurer knows, and might have faved it to him, without cofting the Queen a farthing. The truth is, if the Union mifgive it will fall heavily fomewhere, for both the English and the Scotch, before they parted, were pretty open in their difcourfe that no Union

was intended; and the letters from Edinburgh, fince their coming home, bear that they have declared themselves fo there. Now tho' this may proceed from their difcontents upon their difapointments in their pretentions, particularly as to 256 (Annandale); however, his difcourfes to the greatest men in this nation has done a great deal of hurt. 31 (The Whig Lords) too, raill against your 68 (Commiffioners of the Union) for having betrayed to 19 (the Lord Treasurer) what paffed between them; they fufpect moft 240 (Ormiston). 20 (The Lord Treasurer) ownes that he never knew fo much of 32 (the Whig Lords) difpofition with respect to himself, as he has done fince 67 (the Treaty). Tell 255 (Annandale) that 17 (the Lord Treasurer) charges in difcourfe 195 (Nairn) with the matter of his letters. Your friend has been 99 (for an Union) all his life; but he ownes, noe 40 lu c nger lp wkg fcth (Scotch Parliament) at first dafh is a leap in the dark; and he should be uneafy were he of 39 (the Scotch Parliament); and 35 (the Tories) here being 99 (for the Union) frightens him. 48 (The New Party) has a hard game to act, and poffibly the lefs they act the better. To be 101 (against an Union) will look like humour and contradicting themfelves; and to be 99 (for an Union), if 38 (Scotland) and 24 (the Court) be 101 (against an Union), will be to leffen themselves to no purpose. Farewell.

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CLXII. FROM THE SAME.

October 5th, [1706].

I HAVE had two from your friend. I writt to you fully two weeks agoe, Upogtxing wkg by the Doctor, and I writt fully yesterday to your friend, by Somerville the

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tailor. Pray make him enquire for it. 275 (Johnstone) defires that his qrlpqp opinion may be kept fecret, to witt, that he is rather for 64 (Limitations) than 65 (an incorporating Union); that is, 64 (Limitations) at prefent, and 65 (Union) in time, and by degrees; for all this will be mifunderftood. He doubts any thing is to be done at present with 32 (the Whig Lords); however, he refolves to try whenever they come to town; and therefore continue to write, and faill not to fend addreffes both for yourself and your friend.

Farewell.

X

CLXIII. FROM THE SAME.

October 7th, [1706].

You and your friend ought to have had three or four of mine with the receit of his of the 22d, and next post, but no answer nor addreffes. I have tryed proper inftruments, but there is no room at present, for 31 (the Whig Lords) are cock-a-hoop. 58 (The Union), they fay, shall do, muft do, and will do; and tho' they feem to yield that much depends on 47 (the New Party), they seem not concerned to be at any pains about them; but 32 (the Whig Lords) changes every week. 24 (The Court) rather believes that 48 (the New Party) and 59 (the Union) are not friends. But, in a word, 32 (the Whig Lords) are in a bargain with 221 (Duke Hamilton), and whatever it be, it seems to be concluded; for 129 (Sunderland) has let out that 224 (Duke Hamilton), with all his faults, muft and shall be a great man: this he fay'd two months agoe, but now repeats it, and affirms they have him, but only hopes they have him for 60 (the Union). 190 (Lord Orkney) ownes there is a negotiation, and suspects a bargain, but pretends not to know parOcuqp ticulars but Mafon or 215, (which ad,) ownes a great fecret, but which he says he must not yet tell; fays, that the Court's cafe is near a cankgrin (cankering?). What he means by that I can scarfly guess. You may guess better both of that and many other things, by the working you'l obferve among you. Fail not to give me your obfervations. It's let out here that Argyle asked now the Guards for Lowthian, and his regiment for his brother, the pay of Major-General, (for he has only the name,) the Castle of Edinburgh, and command of the Forces, 1,000 pound a year quit rents here, that is, £1,500 to fupport the charge of Earle of Greenwich; and is very angry with the answer he got, that nothing of that nature could be done till after the Parliament, upon which he goes down in the manner he does, and many fays it is uncertain what part he'll act. 32 (The Whig Lords) fay, half-a-crown will carry him. The Duke,* they fay, told him in Flanders, that he muft ferve the Queen in her way, or in no way. 272 (Johnstone) defires particularly to know 267 (Baillie's) and others opinion, if upon the observations they can make in 39 (the Scottish Parliament),

The Duke of Marlborough.

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