reason to believe that 58 (the Old Party) defign to fet up upon this, to be an evidence of their intereft at Court. As to 46 (the Treasurer-Depute), I'm furder convinced that it's intended, from a meffage he had the other day from the Prefident of the Seffion, affuring him that he would never concur in any thing to his prejudice, which had been unneceffary, had he not known it was to be done, and that he would prevent my fufpecting his having a hand in it. I have not deliver'd your's, for, as matters are like to goe, and that there is no appearance that 58 (the Old Party) will unite with 59 (the New Party), I thought it none of our bufinefs to give good advice to any of them, but rather fuffer them to run their carreer.

Whatever measures the Court may take, I wish Roxburgh may determine nothing about himself till he meet with his friends.

LII. TO THE SAME.

6th March 1705.

xskuf

I HAD finished and sent away my letter before the receipt of your's of the dnlqmfifou lft; and as matters now are, you ought not fo much as write a compliment

dnotfsrbukno

to 54 (Annandale); for he is unaccountable. The other day in converfation dg bohfr with him about the changes talkt of, which were defigned by 58 (the Old

Ifbrtsf

rnmflomz qsnufrufe

Party), and particularlie of 45 (the Lord Register), he folemnly protested that he thought it a wrong measure, and that it should be against his will

bklkoh

if any fuch thing were done; for that he thought it neceffary that all aiming

tokuf

at the fame end fhould unite, and that he was perfuaded nothing could be

afrnkftf

done without it. I was inclined to believe him, for that I thought him

beesbzc

dnlkoh ko

affraid of 39 (Duke Hamilton) coming in fome time or other, which, as he

qsftfou

tok no

faid, nothing could prevent but our union. We are at a loffe by our

Incfruz

Ifugne modefty, for if we would fucceed, we must betake ourselves to their method

rfstf

xkmm

of faying we will not ferve unless we get our (will). It's ftrange how this comes to be fuffered. Had we begun this in time, it might have paft, at leaft we might have got off that way. But how it can doe, now that we

dnorfoufr

have confented to 38 (Argyll), I know not; but fomewhere there must be a

ruboc

stand made, for we ought not to fuffer ourselves to be made tools of; and I

can fee no harm in letting the Court know that if we be ill treated, we cannot take it well, or concur with 58 (the Old Party) in

This is what perhaps the Court defires, but it will fet us at liberty to a&t as we shall find convenient. If 45 (the Lord Regifter) continue, he must come downe.

LIII. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

London, March 6th, 1705.

not.

dntsu (or 60)

I HAVE informed myfelf, and you can have affes at Newcastle; you must have the colt too. I fee your laft to your friend, and I am fenfible all must go wrong, even fuppofing the Court for 59 (the New Party), as I believe they are; for 6 (the Whigs) have them at prefent, but how long I know LL's (Roxburgh's) propofall was, that 58 (the Old Party) should be fatiffied with 38 (Argyll) and 55 (Annandale), and no more. 60 (the Court) undertook to mannage this, but F (the Whigs) have interpofed, and will have all or nothing. MMM (the Court) fee the confequence, and are as uneafy as 59 (the New Party), and incline to make a ftand, and therefore would delay matters till OO (Tweeddale), &c. be in 21 (Scotland), and reprefent from thence; but whether they do this or no, they will be fo pulled, that

ruboc

qtmmfc

bo beufs hblf ko tkfz

they will lett matters go as they will, and keep an after game in view. The defign was to have had 45 (the Lord Regifter) down, but he declining to go loft ugfks lkoc br un dgaofr

neesr

till he knew their mind as to changes, offers were made him to encourage un ptkuu

dgbohfr

him to quitt; but that, he said, he would never do. Both E (the Lord Treasurer) and C (Marlborough) profess great kindness to him, and E (the Lord Treasurer) is to come to him to-day, or to-morrow, and fays he'll deal freely with him; fays that he hopes ftill to prevent changes, which is certainly their minde, but they have mismanaged the matter, and would gladly asfbdg mend it, or at least have breach with the

that they will have

now a thought of keeping WW (the Lord Register)

ugkr rtllfr

in 22 (England) this fummer

rfmiksir

gkr qnru unn

his poft too. Therefore, lett him

barfodf

know how buffines was done in Selkirk's abfence; but it's like this will not hold. However, fend me a draught of the powers you ask, that time may

gnmc

not be loft; for UU (Harley) will hold till 21 (Scotland).* OO (Argyll) ownes to LL (Roxburgh) this day, that WW (the Lord Register) muft out, but fays it's the work of 6 (the Whigs); and he himself, he says, is for 46 (the Treasurer-Depute) being out; and I know that he is for having 35 (Roxburgh) out too. If you find any room for it, I would your dealing roundly with 55 (Annandale). LL (Roxburgh) intends to be plain with 5 (the Lord Treasurer) this day; but I have perswaded him to fay nothing of 35 (Roxburgh's) refolutions, till he fee his friends. 39 (Duke Hamilton) expected to be called up and imployed now, but the answer was, that could not be for this Seffion, but till then he might expect all the favour for him and his family, and what money he neided. You may depend on this, and I'm apt to think that he has not engaged, for he writes now in anger that he has exonered him felf. He'll be for 54 (the Treaty) to commence when

ugf bdu

xgbu Inofz gf ofkcfe

sfqf bmfc

the A&t in 22 (England) is repealed. F (the Whigs) fay openly, that 38 (Argyll) fhall have money, and he talks of it himself as apprehenfive that they will not do it. I know not what MM (Seafield) will do, but I know [6] (the Whigs) complain mightily already of him. The Duke of Queenfberry getts his impropriation, and Argyll [the fame allowances as he had. Tell [Wedder]burn to write to Argyll [as nothing] can be figned now with[out] his confent. I am fory to hear you are ill, and that my Lady Griffell is fo tender. If be laid afide, I would have your coming up with her and your children; the travelling will doe her good. Barbarac ufed to say at Montpelier, that the English in decays gott more good by their journey thither and back again, than they gott by the ayr of the place; nay, I have known fome whom he sent home, as difpairing of them, recover on the way.

you

LIV. FROM THE EARL OF ROXBURGH.+

No more measures are now to be kept, I find, with 59 (the New Party);

"Hold till Scotland," apparently a Scotticism, meaning that Harley would hold to, or support Scotland.

+ In this letter, as in a former one of Roxburgh's, dated 30th January 1704-5, there is a confusion of the cyphers which represent the Old and New Parties; and here, again, the interpretation is given on the authority of Baillie's interlineations on the original.

for tho 58 (the New Party) has fet up 38 (Argyll), yet BB (Argyll)* is doing all he can to get KKK (the New Party) laid afide, and this day did not ftand to fay to 35 (Roxburgh), that fince a Commiffion and Secretary were yeilded to it, a right Treasury was neceffary, and feem to infinuate

hmbrhnx

qgkmkqgbthg

(Glasgow) and (Philiphaugh) be repon'd. In fhort, I am very much fatiffy

ed that whatever is asked will be granted, with no intention of good to 59 (the Old Party), nor out of ill-will to 58 (the New Party), but only in hopes of exafperating KKK (the New Party), and making 58 (the New

knzo

Party) join with 39 (Duke Hamilton).

You fhall hear from me next poft, being to be with E (the Lord Treafurer) betwixt and then; and on Friday or Saturday I defigne to set off with 36 (Seafield). If 45 (the Lord Register) and 46 (the Treasurer-Depute) are laid afide, you may guess what 35 (Roxburgh) will do ; but if it is to be done, I wish it may be done with the worfe manner, and that is when LL's (Roxburgh's) back turned, without asking his opinion. 55 (Annandale) is very high upon't; but I am miftaken if 59 (the Old Party) be not as illufed in a little time as 58 (the New Party), if 39 (Duke Hamilton) be but any thing mannagable.

London, March the 6th, 1705.

Adieu,

LV. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE.

13th March [1]705.

I HAVE your's of the 6th by the ordinary, but not the other you speak of, which it seems is in Roxburgh's packett. I have been with E (the Lord Treasurer), but only in a hurry. He hopes 38 (Argyll) will be wifer when he is downe; owns that he has noe great hopes of the Seffion; is against changes, but if people will have them, it cannot be helped; is much concerned to have LL (Roxburgh) bear with things, for whom he expreffes a great value, but owns that things are done which it is hard to bear with; was fair to WW (the Lord Regifter); would have him a good inftrument of union. His anfwer was, that, as matters went, it was impoffible, and afked E (the Lord Treasurer) what he could write to them, for instance, to XX (the Treasurer-Depute). I can fay nothing, faid he, till we hear from Scotland. He bid WW (the Lord Register) come often to him this fummer.

Argyll-so decyphered by Baillie.

hnf ns

45 (The Lord Register) had fubmitted himself to him that he would goe or

rubz

ftay as he would advyfe him. His anfwer was, that he could not advyfe him

hnf

abshbko

to goe; but, in short, the bargain was, 38 (Argyll) and Annandale* only; but instead of this with 38 (Argyll). OO (Argyll) fays, that he was bid ad

xgbu

bmufsbuk nor gf

ugfz brife

vyfe with fuch and fuch, and what alterations he and they afked should be done. Now 6 (the Whigs) will have LL (Roxburgh), 50 (Tweeddale), and all 59 (the New Party) out. It's plain that our yielding to OO (Argyll) and 54+ (Annandale) handle; but we

ntu

however, tho that be not the inclination of 60 (the Court), but to fave themselves

gbrf bo beufs hblf

and have an after game. I wish you take all one courfe, and enable WW (the Lord Regifter) to reafon the matter with 5 (the Lord Treasurer), as long as that can fignifye any thing. Tell 50 (Tweeddale) that I write not immediately to him, because the cypher is fo neceffary. If Nairn, who acts for Annandale, get the packet, we must return to the old conveyance. I have got your other leter, and fend you the receipt for the wine and the cherrye, which pray employ fomebody to fee bottelled and fhipped. The enclofed is, as you defire, to Annandale. The defigne was to have turned out WW (the Lord Regifter) at Edinburgh; but now it feems to be to fhun changes, at leaft till the Seffion be over; and if in that cafe he were down, dbu rn br ugbu gk dntmc onu sfutso he might be obliged to act so as that he could not return; fo that his cafe is verry difficult; but if they tell him that he and 46 (Treasurer-Depute) are to continue, no doubt he will be with you. Houever, pray let him know if Durye must have any new commiffion in cafe of his

com

miffion can make him vote. WW (the Lord Register) hears that 38 (Argyll) is relenting, but NN (Queenfberry) and 6 (the Whigs) threaten to break with him. Coulter will get, he fays, the gift of Cloburn's place figned. Seafield fhunned the doing of it, and left it to be done by Mr. Wedderburn, who has acted honestly in it, but you know he must obey; if people will be ugf etsugfs ugf afuufs mad, the further the better. Present the paper for the £300, nou, or when the doing of it will be least subject to reasoning prejudiciall to 59 (the New Party). It must be done within fix months. LL (Roxburgh) was for my

*The cypher here is indistinct, but appears to be 54, a mistake for 55 (Annandale). Baillie has written above it "Ann:"-his usual contraction for that name.

+ Not decyphered; but see previous note.

H