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and some of his friends, I believe, must be confulted by 50 (Tweeddale), 51 (Rothes), and 46 (the Treasurer-Depute, Baillie,), in this matter, and be dgbohf made understand why this change is made; and fo 50 (Tweeddale,) when you are all agreed, must first speak of it to 55 (Annandale); but this cannot be spoke of to any body but 50 (Tweeddale), or 51 (Rothes), till A (the Queen's) and E's (the Lord Treasurer's) poffitive opinion be known, which must be known very foon. For my part, the thoughts of being conjun& with 55 (Annandale) puts me out of all patience, as indeed it will light

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dnoktodu

heavier upon 35 (Roxburgh) than upon you all; but till once [the] mind

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znx

of the Court be known, and you in 21 (Scotland) be resolv'd, its time enough to think on that yet.

Pray find out if 49 (Montrofe) would take the Green Ribbon or not; for flqmnzfc

asnugfs

if he is employed I am for 51 (Rothes) and his brother, (whom I defire

ugfl you would make 56),* and 49's (Montrofe's) getting them.

Adieu.

London, January the 9th, 1704-5.

XXXII. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

9th January [1]704-5.

D (The Duke of Marlborough)† is mighty kind to WW (the Lord Regifter), who has been an hour with him, and is to be with E (the Lord Treasurer) too-morrow, and then he will write to 50 (Tweeddale). D (Marlborough) has now hopes of your business, but seems not to be for changes, and thinks A (the Queen) fbould mention her authority, come what will, and not humour this man or that man. He knows nobody, he fays, for 37's (Queensberry's) being employed, but he feems not to have had his thoughts on your affairs yet. France, he says, was refolved on invading * According to the Cypher, 56 and HHH denoted the Earl of Haddington. Rothes and he were brothers, being sons of Charles, fifth Earl of Haddington, by his wife Margaret, Countess of Rothes in her own right.

+ In the Cypher D denotes the Duchess of Marlborough; but in this letter, and those of 13th January, 30th January, and 3d February 1705, it evidently means the Duke. It has not, however, been decyphered in any of these letters except that of 13th January, and there it is rendered "Malbrough."

E

you laft fummer. He hopes to give them work enough this, but the Penfionary writes by the last post that there are great preparations in Flanders, which feem, he fays, to be defigned for Scotland; at least he says they cannot gueffe any other defigne. 4 (Marlborough),* you know, will be gone, and 5 (the Lord Treasurer) does all, who I fear will abandon you to 6 (the Whigs), for his own eafe, or accept of any offers of undertakers that F (the Whigs) will recommend, though, noe doubt, the inclination is for 50 (Tweeddale), &c. I doe not fee any way to prevent this, but going into the project of 38 (Argyll), &c. which will keep out 37 (Queensberry), make 5 (the Lord Treasurer) eafy, and 50 (Tweeddale) and others will not be anfwerable for the event. 52 (Ormifton) has behaved himself here as if he had all Scotland at his command. He has talked of 51 (Rothes) as his, and not 50 (Tweeddale's); nay, he has too his brother (Haddington) and 49 (Montrofe), if you will believe him. 1 (The Queen) is not pleased with him. 37 (Queensberry) fays with 51 (Rothes), and five or fix more. He will doe the bufineffe, whom it seems 52 (Ormifton) has promised to get him. It's plain 52's (Ormifton's) defign is to divide people, and not unite them. I had 54+ or namefake's (Annandale's), whom pray ad, and give him my compliments.

Farewell.

There's a noife here of Tweeddale's refufing again to fee Carstairs. I wifh at least £50 of that money to come to Campbell could be got. Mrs. Livingstoun, the widow, has been often at me to write to you.

XXXIII. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.

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36 (SEAFIELD) met with 3 (Marlborough) and 5 (the Lord Treasurer) to'ther day alone, and I believe let out to them our whole thoughts in the bufinefs; for he faid he had not ftay'd a minuit, but withall told us that he

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xf

tr

believed they would comply with anything we propofed. After all, till

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Parliament be over, nothing, I believe, will be determined.

* Here again the Duchess's cypher is used instead of the Duke's.

+ Here the cypher 54 (Treaty) has been employed by mistake instead of 53 (Annandale),

as is evident from Johnstone calling the person alluded to his "namesake," which Annandale, whose family name was Johnstone, really was.

I had not troubled you with a letter this poft, if one had not told me laft night, that he heard it faid in company he was in, that if 45 (the Lord Regifter) was laid afide, [Roxburgh ?] would take the fame fate; but that he gave no credit to't, knowing very well that 35 (Roxburgh) would have more qko gklrfme nrno boz lbo

regard to his own reputation than to pin himself upon any man. LL (Roxburgh) replyed, he did not know how that came to be faid; but whoever faid it, had said what was very true. In short, there was abundance of difcourfe paffed, and indeed LL (Roxburgh) was very high upon it, for he knew that

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this man was come from one that had a pique at WW (the Lord Register), xgn lkhgu koemtfodf nts

and who might influence our affairs. Perhaps this may come to nothing; but in case it should, it's fit we be all at a point; for unless the Court de

atrkofrr

dnoentocfc

ugf dntsu

figns to have the bufinefs of 21 (Scotland) confounded, we may certainly fupport WW (the Lord Register). Let me have all your minds in this

stqqnsu

matter.

Adieu.

There's one Mr. Foulertoun here, a very honest and substantial merchant, who has defired me earnestly to recommend Mr. Hercules Smith, his brotherin-law, to my Lord Chancellour and you, to be continued ftill collector at Montrofe.

London, January 11th, 1704-5.

XXXIV. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

London, January 13th, 1705.

I HAVE yours, and am much vexed for 38 (Argyll's) bufines, it happened so unseasonably; for what do we pretend, there are but four wayes poffible: lft, by time, which cannot be granted; or, 2d, by NN (Queensberry), whom neither we nor greater folks are for; or, 3d, by OO (Argyll), and fuch whom it seems we will not have neither; or, 4th, by 39 (Hamilton), who will not have us. To become ridiculous, is the worft figure that any fett of men can make. I have not writen to 50 (Tweeddale), because 5 (the Lord Treasurer) has put me off to Munday next. I have had fufpitions, but now I am certain, that PP (Duke Hamilton) is tampering by the means of 44 (Harley) with E (the Lord Treasurer), &c. E (The Lord Treasurer)

gkr cfaur

told his brother the other day, that he had feen a letter of his, which the brother cannot find out, but I have; and I understand fomething that D (the Duke of Marlborough) faid to me; for he told me that 39 (Duke Hamilton) ought not to be humoured. PP (Duke Hamilton) is fo affraid of 23 (a Union) that his prefent thoughts are towards 24 (the Succeffion). So much I am certain of. My author faid he might not tell more, but he muttered that there must be a bargain too. I faid he must have his debts qbzfc payed. My author made no anfwer. I faid this, because I know one here to whom PP (Duke Hamilton) faid in Scotland, that Z (the Succeffion) muft do him that job. He drinks NN's (Queensberry's) health publickly. However, I wish all would gain him, and fetle matters; but if I mistake not, 44 (Harley's) artifice, laft fummer, to put off 24 (the Succeffion) is ftill on foot, and AA (the Scottish Parliament) is to be again amufed with 66 (Trade) for 24 (Succeffion). As to the roup, I was in my own minde for continueing the customs in collection; but you have gone fo far, that I do not fee how you can fhun the roup, without expofing both yourselves and the publick faith. You should rather encourage honeft men to bid high, though with a promife of abatements if the fecret can be kept. I forgott to tell you, that when I spoke to D (Marlborough) of 49 (Montrofe) he feemed very much for imploying him; but E (the Lord Treasurer), it seems, is backward. One or other of you should write to PP (Duke Hamilton) plainly, and make him an offer, telling him plainly, that if he will not accept of it, others will. There could be no knavery in your chariot, confidering the price of it, and fince you faw it before it was covered. The wood, as it often happens, may not have been feafoned enough; none but workmen can judge of that. Pray speak to the Receivers to gett Mr. Inglish his mony. I wish the Lords may find the Dutch fhip no prize, and that the money for the Canary be restored again, for I have had a letter from Holland, that ship will cost you dear. Durie has gott me precepts. Pray let me know when any mony will be gott. I have not yet feen Captain Stuart. Mrs. Livingston has been crying here she is in downright want. The Parliament here is much at a stand what to do in Scots buffines. Many of them now ownes that they are in the wrong way, and I know not if they will go on in it. The buffines of the Eaft India fhip is maliciously conftrued here. It's ftrange that the grounds of your proceedings have never been fent up. My Lord

Tweeddale, they fay, knows not the world, nor buffines; for, fay they, he fhould have admitted Carstairs as the head of the Colledge, but refufed him all privat accefs, as the late King did the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge with an addrefs, but would not fee the Doctor the next day; for he had fome years before turned him out of his family in Holland, for his misbehaviour as Chaplain. I faid the King's quarrell was his own, but my Lord Tweeddale's was duty to his father.

Farewell.

XXXV. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.

unnr

I HAD your's of the 9th laft night, and if it be needfull, fhall lay the bufinefs of the roup before her Majestie; but as for any thing's being a new handle to 6 (the Whigs) against us, its no great matter; for they have done, and will ftill do, all they can against us, whether there be reafon or not, fince its tools they want. I have writ to 50 (Tweeddale) concerning a Commiffioner to the Affemblie. 57 (Belhaven), I know, would be it; but, in fhort, if he is not intirely for us, he may do abundance of harm; and I have reason to think that he defignes, if he cannot bring in 39 (Duke Ha

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milton) and 40 (Atholl), to hinder Old=58 (the Old Party) and New=59 (the New) Party should never joyn, that fo 59 (the New Party) be joyned with 39 (Duke Hamilton) again; therefore would 53 (Marchmont) be it, I do believe he

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wou'd be more acceptable, and do more good among the Clergy than any of us; but if he will not, I don't fee why we should not fet up 51 (Rothes)

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iksi

to be head of the Kirk. After all, I am quite to feek in this matter.

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The first time we meet with 3 (the Duke of Marlborough) and 5 (the Lord Treasurer), we are refolved to propofe [the] Horfe-grenadiers being broke, and Teviot being put upon the establishment, with fome other amendments; as likewife that 47 (Cromarty) be laid afide, and 56 (Haddington)

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hsffo

skaano

get his employment, together with [the] Green Ribbon; and that 49 (Montrofe be declared at the fame time. I wonder 56 (Haddington) would not come to London this winter. I am fure he lofes his time where he is, and may be fit for any thing. I begin to fufpect that. .* has a mind Loudoun

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* Here there appears to have been a cypher of two figures, the first of which is lost: the