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D, E, (the Queen, Marlborough, and the Lord Treasurer), care not for him. We agreed what should be done on Wednesday; what is done you will hear from others. My wife's health obliges me to be here. WW (The Lord (Register) has let it out, that he will not lay down: what they will doe with him, he knows not; but he reckons if Z (Succeffion) be their point, the late 45 (Lord Register) and others will have the reverfion fecured, in cafe that doe; but as to that, they may doe as they please. WW (The Lord Regifter) is mighty glad that BBB (Tweeddale) gets off. It should be told that he refuses to be what he was. If AAA (Montrofe) be neglected, 24 (Succeffion) is not in view. 40 (The Duke of Atholl), &c., know that 14 (the House of Commons) will do nothing for Z (the Succeffion), and they make a tool of 12's (the Bishop of Sarum's) namefake.

Farewell.

We agreed to preffe for delaying orders in 37 and 38's (Queensberry and Argyll's) concerns, in preffing 49 and 53's (Montrofe and Marchmont's) affair, though in this last 36 (Roxburgh) was rather for delay. I have written to the former about Grangemoor and Mackenzie to make them collectors, valeat quantum, &c.

Pray speak to my Lord Tweeddale for Ridpath. I have advanced him £32, and promifed more: I cannot fee him ruined for ferving us.

XLII. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.

Dnortm

I HAD your's of the 30th of January to-day, which I believe to be very right upon that buffinefs of Conful; and indeed I had not time to confider that paper; befides, I knew you would be able to make a better judgement on't than it was poffible for me; but indeed I did not think it was time for us to be trying tricks where there was fo much rifque to run. Shoikm[mfsr]

35 (Roxburgh) fpoke this day to A (the Queen) concerning Rankiller's] bufinefs; but A (the Queen) afkt if it was usuall, and faid they were affraid

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it might be a bad precedent, for if dimiffions were allow'd, they might at last come to dimitt [for] money, and that they were fure fuch things could not be done here. The answer, I own, was very fmart; however 36 (Roxburgh) and 35 (Seafield) fhall try it againe. Lord John Hay is very defirous

to have 3 men a troop allowed him out of the two regements of dragoons for recruits. If it ben't against the law, it fhall be done for him; but I wish my Lord Chancelor would fee if the Generall would take it upon himself, and I fhall get Lord John to write to him likewife. Writing is almoft as bad to me now as taking a bolus, and I believe I shall never get the half of my letters answer'd. As for our bufinefs, there will be nothing I believe done in't till the Parliament rife here, and fince 23 (an Union) is the

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measure, it is to be confider'd whether it is best to bring 39 (Duke Hamilgbfkoh gkl

usf bufs

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ton) into it, at the expense of having him a treater, or not. The difficulties upon both fides are confiderable; for if PP (Duke Hamilton) come into it, and be nominate, its hard to fay what the event may be here, and indeed I do believe that tho Y (an Union) were the beft thing for W (Scot

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land), and tho 22 (England) fhould yield all that's reasonable, yet 39 (Duke hsboufc gfsf Hamilton) may find out fomething to propofe as would never be granted here,

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and fo popular in 21 (Scotland) as might break it for [ever?] Such a

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thing would defeat the bufienefs, make him yet more popular, and it's hard lk hu gbqq gbse

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to fay at whofe inftigation this might happen, [and] be hard to find out. On

the other hand, in open oppofition you know his worth. Yet he that 23

opposes 23 (an Union), must of neceffity goe upon 31 (Limitations), in which hbko nts qnkou

gnqf

cafe I hope wee may gain our point. Let me have your pofitive opinion in this which is to yourself firft; and fince I have wrote to no

body else upon Rankiler's buffinefs, you need not, I believe, speak of it either. Ther's one thing indeed I forgot, and that is, if PP (Duke Hamilton) be not fecured before 25 (the Scottish Parliament), I don't know but in the qonqnrfe beginning of AA (the Scottish Parliament) fomething may be propofed as may confound both 23 (the Union) and 24 (the Succeffion); fo that, in fhort, it comes to this point, whether it's beft to have 23 (the Union) and

24 (Succeffion) loft in 21 (Scotland) or 23 (England) by 39 (Duke Hamilton). After all, if 23 (the Union) be marred by , it breaks the party, and 24 (the Succeffion) perhaps may arife out on't; but if 23 (the Union) be manag'd without 39 (Duke Hamilton) in 22 (England), he may be able,

it is likely, both to stop it, and lay the blame of its being ftopt upon

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our management. So, after all this reafoning, I come to think its best

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that PP (Duke Hamilton) be nominate,

Adieu.

London, 5th February 1704-5.

XLIII. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

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I HAVE yours of the 3d, and one fince from 35 (Roxburgh), wherein he feems fatiffied with 50's (Tweeddale's) condefcending to the project, but is pofitive against 54 (Annandale), knowing that he hath confented to it, and that any thing of it should be told to 54 (Annandale) till he be first in 21 (Scotland). This looks like a defigne not to ferve with him, or I understand it not; for feeing we were for it, why should we conceal from 54 (Annandale) our concurrence in the change? We fhall thereby lofe what we aim'd at,-the coming to a good understanding with FFF (Annandale) in oppofition to 37 (Queensberry), &c.; and all along, fince we came here, infinuations have been made to your namesake* of our willingness to joyne with them upon thefe terms; but by LL (Roxburgh's) method the change will be concluded to be a force upon us, and that our interest is low at Court, and 54 (Annandale) fhall be made believe that others has done his job, and confequently fet up with them in oppofition to us. I own the matter would be fo prudently mannadged as not to disguft any of our own people, and therefor I think they should be brought over to it before 54 (Annandale) be spoke to, and even then it must be as little known as poffible, what our part was in the matter; but, doe our best, it will not be got concealed, and therefor, if poffible, we should bind FFF (Annandale) to us, by letting him know at least wee were not his enemie. I have writ fully of this to 35 (Roxburgh), which I wish you may fee, and I have likewife writ to him about my business with Broomhall, which call for, and afford me your affiftance. This being the Queen's birth-night, I have no time to write to Seafield about it, fo I pray you speak to him, that he may not think I have flighted him. I'll writ to him about it next poft.

February 6th, 1705.

* Johnstone, Marquis of Annandale.

XLIV. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.

February the 10th, 1705.

I WROTE to you laft poft but one concerning my Lord Rankelor's bufiness, but having fufpected that 36 (Seafield) had had a finger in the pye, he and I went together last night to A (the Queen), where he said indeed it would be very acceptable to him, but what I told you before was still infifted on, or at [leaft that] they could not determine it other[wife] soon.

MM (Seafield) has defired me not to do any thing in that business of an account on't to the Treasury, because he being to be in thofe courts again fo foon, defired time to think on't; but, in fhort, he has a mind for fomebody elfe, so I shall fee to prevent him, and have given you this account that you may judge whether it's fitt to write to

or not.

I have writ to 50 (Tweeddale) concerning 38 (Argyll). 36 (Seafield) is my author for what I fay in that matter, and indeed I do believe he has a mind for that himself; but in cafe 38 (Tweeddale) refuse, I am pofitive for 39 (Duke Hamilton), or 49 (Montrofe), which failing, [let me] know your opinion as to 36 (Seafield) or 55 (Annandale). [Ormifto]n is truly master of 21 (Scotland) at prefent, which I need not explain till meeting. Monday or Tuesday we are to meet with 5 (the Lord Treasurer), and then you fhall hear from me again. Pray make my excufe to my Lord Marchmont and Sir John Hume, that I have not writ to them concerning Mr. Pringle's business. Adieu,

XLV. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

London, February the 15th, 1705.

I HAD your last of the 6th with one from 50 (Tweeddale), to whom I'll quickly write. As to Broomhall's concern and yours, I spoke to both Secretaries, and it will be gott done when the season of doing it comes. Thomas Bruce comes no more near me, nor do I know if he'll go to my Lord Roxburgh. 35 (Roxburgh) is mighty nice to have it known that he is either for 38 (Argyll) or 54 (Annandale); but that is only niceness, and

Its believed

should not hinder 46 (the Treafurer-Depute) from acting with 54 (Annandale) in his own, and 45 (the Lord Regifter) his name, as he thinks fitt. I have prevailed on 35 (Roxburgh) already to be more frank with OO (Argyll), as I have been myself, but you'll be furprised to hear that NN (Queenfberry) is mightily against 38 (Argyll), and works upon MM (Seafield) to be the man, which I hear has made an impreffion, which in my opinion will be ten times worse. 38 (Argyll) knows all this, and if he be capable of prudence, can hinder it. LL (Roxburgh) grows very uneafy, and cannot bear long the artifices of MM (Seafield). I have feen a letter from Scotland, bearing that it is ftrange LL's (Roxburgh's) friends fhould defign FFF (Annandale) for his collegue; and yet its plain that this cannot come from FFF (Annandale), for he writes up hither for 50 (Tweeddale's) place to himself. here that 50 (Tweeddale) defires to be rid of the load of bufines. I have seen the Act about Scotland, which is very different from what any of us ever heard it to be. The preamble mentions the neceffity of a nearer and more compleat Union. The powers are; to treat of such an Union, and other matters, clauses, and things, as the Commissioners in their wisdom shall think fitt. So here is an Act calculated to your refolves, and the refolvers muft give themselves the lye, if they do not go into it; but thus no man will be either for the Succeffion, or an abfolute Union, till he has first tried what can be got by a federall Union, in order to the Succeffion; and indeed if any thing can be gott, all the refolvers that were fincere were in the right. The penal claufes take place from the 25th of December next, to continue till the Succeffion be fetled in Scotland, as it is in England. Even coals are forbid ; but armes, ammunition, and horfes, are forbid without a pafs from the 25th inftant. PP's (Duke Hamilton's) friends are fo grofs as to intimate to great men here that he is chambre a louer. But for all that's to be done now, I find its thought fcarcely worth the while to make the purchafe. Farewell.

XLVI. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

17th February 1705.

I WRITE to you but feldome, for that I know 35 (Roxburgh) will communicat mine to 45 (Lord Regifter). Our project having taken vent is