at prefent, or the former tqnobqfbdf (upon a peace). A letter from Paris, the laft post but one, bore that there was an exprefs from Italy with bad news, for none were told. This last post brings news from the Hague that came to the States from their Refident at Cologn, that there was a letter there from the Postmaster of Salzburg, that the young Count Lemberg, Adjutant-Generall to Staremberg, had paff'd there poft going to the Emperour with the news that they had attacqued Vandofm's (Vendome's) camp before Verue by furprife, (in the night, it seems,) and having killed 8,000 French, had raised the fiege. This looks very probable, if it was poffible. It's believed that lefs or more of it is true; but the Minister of Savoy fays, that he does not know of any troops that his master has, fufficient for fuch an execution. Pray lett me know how the news from this concerning our affairs works amongst you. I think I wrot to you, that instead of the fevere laws now to be made here, I preff'd for favourable laws, to commence at the fetling of the Succeffion. I know this would have been reckoned bribery, as the other will be termed threatening. However, this had been a fair invitation to treat about the Succeffion. The Commons are now up, and upon a divifion, Whether to what the Lords had done they should add the following anfwer of the Scotch four A&ts; That they tended to the fubverfion of the Protestant religion; to the prejudice of the fucceffion of Hanover fetled here; and the distraction of the trade and commerce of this nation? Ther were 209 against the cenfure, and 151 for it. The Whigs and the No-Tackers joined against it; for if it had carried, there would have been an address to the Queen to know who of the English Ministry had advised the Act. This is all I have heard on the fuddain, and which I cannot promise to be exact. XXIII. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH. Farewell. I was very much out of humour [the other] night when I found I had not answer'd what was on the backfide of your letter; and indeed it was by chance I perceived it, juft as I was putting it up in my pocket after all my letters were dispatch'd. What 53 (Marchmont) offers is mightie kind, but I cannot poffibly advise any thing in it as yet, till all be concluded in our affair here, and till 35 (Roxburgh) know certainly whether E (the Lord Treafurer) is for 23 (Union), or 31 (Limitations). I am affraid 23 (a Union) is the defign; fo I wish you may be finding people's pulfes in that matter. For my part, I am intirely for 31 (Limitations), and am hopefull 21 (Scotland) will be able to maintain them, tho 30 (the Act of Peace and War) gives great offence here, and I am fure they will lefs bear what's further neceffary. Befides, should 20 (Conqueft) be attempted by 22 (England) for fear of 26 (Trade), in cafe of our having all neceffary 31 (Limitations), there's no fear but we may have 23 (an Union). But if 25 (the Scottish Parliament) wi[ll] fatiffied with 31 (Limitations), I fee no me it fhould 23 (a Union), for the meaning of Y (the Union) be intir'd; nor [fhould we] have the leaft favour in BB (trade), you may fee, without it. This is my opinion, and I fhall be glad to know yours; as likewife, how you think it may go in 25 (the Scottish Parliament). Pray mind the Bishops' rents; and I beg you would take care of my Lord Nidefdale (Nithfdale) in the Exchequer. London, December the 14th, 1704. Adieu. XXIV. FROM THE SAME. December 19th, 1704. I CAN give you no poffitive anfwer, as yet, as to the capitulation, but shall, in a poft or two. I have not heard of 37 (Queensberry) fince our interview, but I can affure you, 36 (Seafield) is very tight yet. You seem yet to be in doubt about 25 (a Scottish Parliament); but to delay it is impoffible, after what has paffed here. Tho, after all, it's hard to fay whether any Act will be made in relation to us, or not; nor is it very certain that both Houses will agree on a treaty for an Union; fo that you may well endeavour to find what people are inclined too; but there's no venturing on giving them a turn, till matters are at a point here. 35 (Roxburgh) told E (Lord Treasurer), fometime ago, that it would be impoffible to do anything this fummer without 39 (Duke Hamilton). This is all I can fay to you now, till LL (Roxburgh) meet with 5 (Lord Treasurer). In the mean time, should be glad to have your opinion concerning 23 (an Union). I am affraid 50 (Tweeddale) is too poffitive concerning 49 (Montrose). The £100 is for Mr. Redpath, and the £30 was given already by 45 (Lord Register) to another. Adieu. London, December the 19th, 1704. PRAY if you know any thing of the bufinefs of Kilfaunes, let me underftand how it ftands. Since I ended my letter, I am told my Lord Juftice-Clerk is dead. It's a great lofs to us all, particularly to my Lord Chancellour. As for the Lord of the Seffion's place, you know how I was engaged at Windfor; so whoever has a mind for't muft apply to the Queen herself for❜t. As for Juftice-Clerk, I fhall fay nothing, till I hear from you; but I fancy you will all encline to Gleneagies (Gleneagles), which will occafion its being kept vacant fometime. I am likewise told Colonell Macgill is dead; and I don't know but I may pretend to that place for a friend of mine own. XXV. FROM THE SAME. London, December the 21st, 1704. I AM very much fupprised with what you propofe as to 43 (the Lord Advocate); and yet I like it much better than 52 (Ormifton); for I fuppofe TT (the Lord Advocate) has given affurances; how much they are to be trusted, I don't know. 36 (Seafield) is poffitive, by reason of the other's violence; so that if the whole is delayed till after 25 (the Scotch Parliament), it's all can be expected at prefent. Neither having met with C (the Duke of Marlborough), nor E (the Lord Treasurer) yet, I can fay nothing; and 3 (Marlborough) goes out of town to-morrou, for two or three dayes; but in short, till 13 (the Houfe of Lords) and 14 (the Houfe of Commons) have done with 21 (Scotland), in my opinion we must be mute. 50 (Tweeddale), I find, is much alarmed with Whitelaw's death, and 36 (Seafield) is very much satisfyed with what 50 (Tweeddale) fayes to me on that head. 44 (Harley)* having wrote to you concerning 14 (the Houfe of Commons), I need fay no more. * Perhaps a mistake for 45, that is, Johnstone, Lord Register. Adieu, D XXVI. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. London, 21ft December 1704. I HAVE all yours; but I have been in the country two pofts. have fent their bill to the Commons, who are now upon it. It gives a power to the Queen to name Commiffioners to treat about an abfolute Unione, and makes you aliens, and forbids your cattle from the laft day of the next Seffion, in cafe neither the Succeffion nor the Unione be fettled then. Ther is to be a diftin&t bill about the wine-fhips. Your friends did what they could to keep out those menaceing parts of the bill, or to have them put in a diftin&t bill, but in vain, for 5 (Lord Treasurer Godolphin) would not interpose. Mr. How, and others amongst the Commons, faid those menaces would hinder the Unione; and, however, that it would be time enough to make fuch laws if all hopes of a Unione were loft: upon which, the other day, they ordered a bill, fimply about the Unione, to be brought in. My Lord Haversham voted against the bill: he said that the fetling of the Succeffion this laft fummer was hindered by putting that matter upon the foot of a treaty; and now it was to be hindered on by the fame method. He faid a great dale more to the fame purpose; in which I wish he may be mistaken. My Lord Rochester said the Scotch were brave and stubborn, and, therefore, he did not think that to threaten them was the way to perfuade them, which made him have a very bad opinion of the bill; however, he submitted, he faid, to the opinion of others, and voted for it. The Lords have an address before them, to be presented to the Queen, for the ftrengthening the garrifons of Berwick and Carlile, and fortifying them, with Newcastle and Tinmouth, and training the militia, and difarming Papifts, Nonjurors, &c. in the North. 5 (Lord Treasurer Godolphin) was never known to have been fo uneafy, but he has now made up with 6 (the Whigs). 10 (Somers), 11 (Peterborough), &c. are to be in. 36 (Seafield) has not feen 5 (Lord Treasurer) these two weeks, but 52 (Ormiston) has; but 6 (the Whigs) do not yet minde 21 (Scotland) seriously. What 13 (the Houfe of Lords) does, is calculated for the elections to the enfueing Parliament. Tell 43 (the Lord Advocate) that a good correfpondence never faill'd on 45 (the Lord Regifter's) part; that he is very ready to renew it whenever he has fuch a profpect of Scots affairs as to encourage him to have a share in it; otherwise a correspondence will be worth neither of their whiles. Ther is an order figned by the Queen for £130 to be remitted to Campbell, the goldsmith here, as money laid out for her fervice, which may pafs for fecret intelli skcqbug gence, as part of it indeed is, but the greater part is for Ridpath, which must be a fecret, for fuch is the malice of people here, that it would do hurt if known. Campbell knows not for what use it is. Pray tell 50 (Tweeddale) the truth, and gett the matter dispatched; otherwise the perfon concerned must go to jayle, which were hard. 45 (The Lord Register) is to be furety to-morrow for him, for £50. There is an order, too, for fome money to Mr. Alexander Cuningham, who is an honeft man, and does good fervice here; he has an interest both with 10 (Somers) and 44 (Harley), who are now good friends. As to what you intimate, that what paft among us at Windfor, is made known to the perfons concerned, UU (Harley) who knows all from E (the Lord Treasurer), does it on purpose by his emiffaries to imbroile us. 45 (The Lord Register) has had his own words in business, before he went to Scotland, brought about to him now, but only that which he faid of particular men; what's more material is ftill untold. Ormeftoun has been with Seafield recommending Arnefton for Juftice-Clerk, but it feems his other thought is to himself. LL (Roxburgh) is not friendly, I fear, to him whom you and I are for, nor will 36 (Seafield) preferr him to his friend. I have miffed 38 (Argyll); he is gone to the country, but no time is loft, for I believe nothing will be done at prefent. I dread mightily that 6 (the Whigs) will make a schem of their own. I'll deal with MM (Seafield) to get his friends to defift; for it is casus improvisus; otherwise, all that is to be expected of WW (Lord Register), [is] that he'll be paffive, for he will not break his word, and the truth is he does nothing; he has neither feen friend nor foe. He has had a very civill letter from 4 (the Duchefs of Marlborough); but they fhun even appearances at prefent. Secretary Harley told in the Houfe of Commons, and, I think, faid that he was ready to take his oath on it, that he knew no more of Scotch business than of Jappan, and that he avoided even the converfation of thofe of that country. The Commons this day read the Lords' bill, and divided whether it should be read the 2d time on the 7th or 16th of January, and it carried on the 16th, -113 against 102; and then they proceeded on their own bill, which they'll finish before that day; and fo I reckon the Lords' bill will be loft. Farewell. |