A series of letters from Lord President Forbes to the Earl, from September 1745 to May 1746, as to raising a regiment, and on public affairs generally. A bundle of letters of the same period from Major Mackay, Capt. Gun, Lady Janet St. Clair, Sir Robert Gordon, Sir John Gordon of Embo, Lord Cathcart, Mr. Baird, Sir Everard Fawkner, Major Colquhoun, General Huske, Lord Justice Clerk, Mr. Frigge, the Judge Advocate, Dr. Kinnaird, the Duke of Argyll, the Lord Chancellor, Clunie Gordon, Lord Reay, Lord Strathnaver, Lord Kilkerran, Inverchasly, and others. Sir Robert Gordon the historian of the Earldom of Sutherland, became tutor to Earl John, his nephew, in the year 1615. Among the manuscripts at Dunrobin is his Book of Accounts as Tutor for the years 1616, 1617, 1618, 1619, 1620, 1621, and 1622. They are recorded in great detail, and many of the entries afford curious illustrations of the condition of the country, referring to agricultural progress, buildings, dress, hunting, fishings, rents, wages and the like. The following entry preserves evidence of the late occurrence of wolves in Sutherland. Item, alewin poundis gewin this yeir, 1618, for bows, arrowis, golff clubbes and balls, and other necessars "for his lordships exercise." (Next year these are entered at ten pounds.) "Item, thrie scoir ten pundis in Januari this yeir, "1619, for the compters charges in his woyage from "Sutherland to Straithboigie and Frendret, when Lady Elizabeth Gordoune, the Earl of Sutherlands sister, was contracted to the Laird of Frendret, and ane "minut of ane contract past betuix the parties." "Item, 266 lib. 13s. and 4d. for two gounes to Lady "Elizabeth Gordone and other necessaries at hir marriage, be my lady Marquise of Huntlyes adwyse." "Item, four pounds given for serwants wages goeing "to use warnings at the parish churches at Peasche "this year, 1619." "Item, thriescoir sewentein poundis giwin this yeir, "1620, for my lords entertaynment with his pedagogue " and his boy at Dornoghe, for mart, muttone, buttir, cheese, and tallone." 66 66 Item, fourtie four poundis giwen to one William Cumming this yeir for heiling and cureing my lords head, being diseased." "Item, 731. 6s. 8d. the Earl's part off glassing the "churche of Dornoghe and putting his armes in one of "the glasses of the windowes theroff." Of other manuscripts at Dunrobin, the following deserve notice : The original manuscript of Sir Robert Gordon's History of the Earldom of Sutherland. Two contemporary copies of the same work, with the authors original notes, and additions. Rossi Sutherlandiæ Comitum Annales, fol. Memoirs concerning affairs of Scotland from Q. Anne's accession to 1707, with the account of the origine and progress of the designed invasion in March 1708, and some short reflections on the ancient state of Scotland. Besides these there is a Kalendar of Fearn, a Præmonstratensian House in the neighbouring County of Ross, founded by Ferquhard Earl of Ross, about the year 1230. Originally the volume had formed a book of offices, but besides the Kalendar there now remain only two leaves, containing the services for the festivals of St. Stephen, protomartyr, and St. John the Evangelist, and a fragment of the service for the day of the Holy Innocents. The Kalendar contains the Saints common to the Roman Kalendar, with a few of those of the Celtic church, such as St. Columba, St. Monan, St. Patrick, St. Gilbert, St. Donan, St. Congall, St. Moloc, St. Barr, St. Fillan, St. Ninian, St. Duthac, St. Brigid and St. Colman, and would seem to have been written in the latter half of the 15th century. It contains the obits of many benefactors of the Monastery, as well as a record of the deaths of people who had no apparent connection with Fearn. It has also been used for chronicling many events of national and local interest. The entries come down to the seventeenth century, and every part of the pages has been made use of, an older notice being occasionally obscured by a more recent one written over it. Among the obits are the following: Obitus Wilhelmi secundi Comitis de Ros, que obiit apud Delny, XXVIII. die mensis Januarii, anno Domini M.CCC.XXII. Obitus bone memorie Walteri de Lesly Comitis de Ross, qui obiit penultimo die mensis Februarii apud Pert, anno Domini мo. [ccc.] octogesimo primo. Obitus Donaldi, Abbatis nove Farine, xxv. mensis Julii anno Domini Mo.CCC.LXVIII. Obitus bene memorie Reuerendi in Christo patris ac domini, domini Thome McCulloch, Abbatis de Ferne, qui obiit apud ejusdem, decimo septimo mensis Julii, anno Dominice incarnacionis, M.CCC.XVI. Orate, ex caritate, pro anima ejus. Obitus Alexandri Friselle, Prioris de Bewly, qui obiit apud idem, vIII° die mensis Augusti, anno Domini M°.CCC.LXXI. Obitus domini Magni Eugenii, Canonici de Ferne, VIII die mensis Decembris, anno Domini M°.cccc° nonogesimo. Obitus Elizabit Ogilvy domine de Cumnok, 3 Decr. 1528. 8 Decr. 1558. Obiit Magister Laurentius Malysone, vir doctus in arte grammatica. Obitus Magistri Thome Ros, Abatis Ferne, qui obiit in Tayne, 14 die Februarii anno 1595, et sepultus in Ferne. Feb. 13, 1574. Obiit Magister Donaldus Fraser Archidiaconus Rossensis, qui occisus fuit apud Awfurd. The following obits refer to those who were remembered for some special work: Obitus domini Wilhelmi Comitis Rossie qui fabricavit et reparavit ecclesiam Nove Farine, et obiit apud Delny, ix. die mensis Februarii, anno Domini M°.CCC.LXXI. Obitus bene memorie quondam Thome Monylaw, prepositi ecclesie Sancti Duthaci, qui fabricavit opus argenteum capitis Sancti Duthaci, et donavit capellanie fundationis sue, pro celebratione misse Corporis Christi ac diversa alia opera [ ]. Obiit in con versione Sancti Pauli, anno Domini 1490. Obitus Jacobi Reid qui fabricavit fontem in claustro, qui obiit Ferne 5 Nov 1549: pro cujus anima orate. Of the later obituary notices the following are speci mens: The ix. day Merche 1590 departit in the Chanonrie of Ross ane weill condicionit young man, callit Patrik Dunbar, son and appeirand heir to George Dunbar of Awach. The sext day of December 1594, dyed Alexander Gordone, Earle of Sutherland, and was buried at Dornoch. Obitus Magistri Joannis Munro, pastoris ecclesie de Tarbet, 18 Martii 1626. 29 Julii anno 1658. Anna Fraser, Countess of Sutherland, departed at Dunrobin. The following are specimens of the historical entries: The battell of Harlaw on Sanct James Ewin, 1411. Jan 3, 1557. The dortor of Ferne wes brint be negligence of ane boy callit Huchen McCullocht. The 1st Jan 1572. The Castell of Edinbruch seigit be the Inglis men, and haldin be the lard of Graneiss. Dominica ultima Octobris 1574, natus Wilhelmus Ros, apud Pitlary, et est filius Magistri Thome Ros, Abbatis de Ferne, et prepositi de Tane. On the viii. day of this instand, beand Fryday 1583, Capitaine James Ros brodyr sone to the lard of Achlossin, and Patrik Yvat with him, wer slane in Tane, in Andro Rossis chalmer, at viii. horis afoir none, or thairby, be Nicolas Ross and Walter Ross with their complices. The viii. of Februar 1587 Marie Quein of Scotland wes crewalie murderit in England, the xxv. yeir of hir Cumyngeis, and the Laird of Cull . . . . and himselff, and war all anis apurpoissit till haiff passit on the Erll of Huntlie, quhill God pat ane better mynd into thame, and stayit. The 19 of May 1642, the hous of Miltoun was brint negligentle be ane keais nest. The nynt of May 1645, ane feild fochtin att Alderne betuix the Irische, and the Erll of Muntroiss, being generall to thame, and the Erll of Seaford and Sutherland on the uthir. The harischyng of Dyk. Jan. 1643. Heu Ross of Tollie, with tua of his seruandis, died suddenlie in ane chamber in the Castell of Cromartie, and was bureit at Ferne the secund of February the said yeir. The 27 of Appryle 1650 Muntrois withe ane greatt companie of werriours wer discomfitt be [ att Cragconachane in Stratcharron. On a slip of parchment, which forms a fly-leaf to the Kalendar, there is written in a hand of the early part of the sixteenth century : "Quha wyl wt reson' ande rycht 66 Quhat tyme ye lykis in ye shere "Yir ar ye messis folowande At the foot of the page of the Kalendar containing the month of January is written "Giff Sanet Paullis day be fair and cleir And at the foot of the page, on which the month of April occurs, is "Tabula perpetua ad faciendum pascha," and another, "Ad inueniendum quadragesimum. 66 Among other families illustrated by the obits are Munro of Cullnald, Munro of Tarlogie, Dunbar of Durris, Ross of Tolle, McKenzie of Kintaill, Fraser of Lovat, Ross of Plaids, Douglas of Mulderg, Faid of Ballone, Gordon of Ballone, Munro of Fowlis, McCulloch of Kindeace, Dunbar of Mayne, Ross of Balnagown, Ross of Terrel, Ross of Annat, Vaus of Lochslin, Ross of Resolis, Ross of Morinche, Ross of Kindeace, Urquhart of Burdisyardis, Ross of Rarrichie, Ross of Inverharron, Chalmers of Ormond, Dunbar of Benegfeild, and Ross of Auchnaloich. There occur also obits of many ecclesiastics of Ross, Tain, and Fearn, besides burgesses of Tain and other local families of less importance. If the Commissioners should wish to obtain Calendars of the papers and manuscripts here noted, the Duke of Sutherland has expressed his readiness to permit them to be made. JOHN STUART. REPORT ON THE PAPERS OF THE MARQUIS OF HUNTLY AT ABOYNE CASTLE. The family of Aboyne is an offshoot from the main stem of the House of Gordon. In the year 1627 King Charles I. created Lord John Gordon, second son of the first Marquis of Huntly, Viscount Melgum and Lord Aboyne, but his Lordship only enjoyed the title for three years, having been burned to death in the Tower of Crichton of Fren. draught, under circumstances of some mystery, which have been the theme of the contemporary annalist Spalding, and have also been sung in the ballads of the district. On this, George, the eldest son of the Marquis, was created Viscount Aboyne, in 1632, and on his succession to the Marquisate in 1636, the title of Aboyne devolved on his second son James, who died in 1649, while at the Restoration his younger brother Charles was created Earl of Aboyne. On the death of George, fifth and last Duke of Gordon, and eighth Marquis of Huntly, in 1836, the chiefship of the Gordons devolved on George, the fifth Earl of Aboyne, who became Marquis of Huntly, and was the grandfather of the present Peer. The Viscount Melgum, who perished in the Tower of Frendraught, was married to Lady Sophia Hay, fifth daughter of Francis Earl of Errol. This lady was a Roman Catholic, and her spiritual necessities were for a time ministered to by Gilbert Blackhal, a priest of the Scots' mission in France, in the Low Countries, and in Scotland, who in a work which he left in manuscript, entitled "A breiffe narration of the services "done to three noble Ladyes," has recorded "How "I came to be engaged in the service of my Ladye "of Aboyne," and "of the services that I rendred to "my Ladye of Aboyne" in the capacities of priest, chamberlain, and captain of her castle. In this work, which has been printed by the Spalding Club, the author describes his errant life and secret visits to the families who adhered under every trial to the ancient faith, and has furnished many picturesque details which help us to understand the undercurrents of the society in which he moved. The Lord Charles Gordon who was created Earl of Aboyne in 1660, was an author, and some of his poems are preserved in local manuscript collections, which have escaped the notice of the historians of Scottish poetry. His verses have been said not to be without merit, but to be too often polluted by the licentious spirit of the loose age in which he lived. In a volume in the library at Skene House, entitled "A collection of severall satyrs, lampoons, songs, and "other poems," a manuscript of the beginning of last century is one of his pieces, called Earle of Aboyne's Lynes," addressed to a beauty of the day. The same volume contains another of his productions, called "A Satyre on the Duke of Lawderdale," which thus commences : 66 The scepter and croun With the gospell and goun Are now turned all to confusion, The Hector of state Is the rascall we hate And his plots we will treat in derision. The vicissitudes of the civil wars, in which the members of the family took a prominent part on the King's side, may account for the want of the letters and documents of the period which might have been expected at Aboyne. The papers which have been preserved consist of the charters and title-deeds of the lands, which from time to time became vested in the family. Many of these are of the 15th century, and are of great interest for purposes of local history and genealogy. Among the families whose history they serve to illustrate, are the Gordons of Midmar, Gordons of Braichly, Gordons of Coldstone, Crabs of Cults, and Chalmers of Cults. A good many of the charters were granted by Bishops of Aberdeen, over lands in their Barony of Birse, some by Adam Gordon of Aboyne, who by marriage with the heiress of Sutherland became Earl of Sutherland, by Alexander Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, and by Donald Farquharson, a great captain, under Montrose, in the civil wars. There are also old rentals of Mar, which contain points of interest for the agricultural history of the district in the 17th century. JOHN STUART. THE PAPERS AND MANUSCRIPTS OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF CRAWFORD AND BALCARRES AT DUNECHT. The charters and miscellaneous papers in this collection are varied and numerous, the description of them in a catalogue recently constructed extending to about 300 folio pages. For the most part they consist of the titles to estates belonging to the Lindsays, Earls of Crawford, the Lindsays of Edzell, the Lindsays, Earls of Balcarres, and other branches of this ancient house, and both they, and the letters in the collection, have contributed interesting and picturesque details to the "Lives of the Lindsays,' written by the present Earl while Lord Lindsay. It is thus unnecessary to refer in detail to papers which have been described and quoted in a work so well known and popular as that just referred to. One of the charters throws some light on a hereditary royal surgeon at an early period. By it, King Robert I. grants to William of Watterston "filio et "heredi quondam Johannis surgici, dilecto et fideli "nostro" an annual rent of 8 merks sterling, payable out of the rents of the Kings Thanage of Tannadyce, "de quo quidem annuo redditu, dictus quondam Johannes, pater predicti Willielmi, obiit vestitus et sasitus "ut de feodo, per donationem clare memorie domini "Alexandri, Regis Scocic, predecessoris nostri ultimo "defuncti." "Reddendo unum par calcarium deaura"torum apud Forfar in nundinis de Dunde," dated at Cupar in Angus, 26 Dec. 1317. 66 Among our early charters are many notices of hereditary physicians, who enjoyed lands in virtue of their office, and a collection of these would not be without its use. One of these officials is favourably noticed in an entry in Rymer: "Littera ab Alexandro primogenito Regis Scottorum pro Ade Kercudbright, medico quondam Roberti de "Brus, qui contra communem medicorum opinionem ipsum sanitati restituerat." Scone, 3 Julii 1282. 66 Fodera (new edition) I., 611. A manuscript volume at Dunecht, which contains the proceedings under a Royal Commission for the settlement of the borders issued by King James I. in 1605, is of considerable value for the numerous illustrations which it affords of the singular condition of society then prevalent in "the debateable land." The commission was granted in favour of Sir William Selby, Sir Robert Delavale, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Sir William Seaton, and Sir William Hume, Knights; Joseph Pennington, Edward Gray of Morpeth, Patrick Chirnesyde of East Nesbitt, John Charteris of Amisfield, and Gideon Murray of Elibank, Esquires; and was accompanied by instructions from the Privy Council of England. The first meeting of the Commissioners was held at Carlisle on the 9th of April 1605, when certain articles for their guidance were agreed on, and Sir Wilfrid Lawson was elected convener. The volume in question appears to have been the official record kept by Sir Wilfrid, and on the first page is written "liber Wilf. Lawson." It contains 247 closely written folios. At the outset, the commission and relative instructions are engrossed, and every subsequent act of the Commissioners, with their extensive correspondence, is recorded in the most careful manner. One of their first resolutions was to send out of the country a colony of the Grahames, and "the copie of "the names of Grames which are to be sent away," includes 150 of the clan, of whom the Privy Council, on 17th May 1605, write "that his Majesty having spared "their lives which otherwise were forfeited through "their crimes, his clemency farther appeared, in that "he is pleased to dispose of them as may be greatly for "their good, and in such sorte as they shall be in no worse condition than his Majesty's good subjects that were no offenders, being as they are appointed to be sent to serve in the garrisons and cautionary towns of "Flushing and Brill, places where many honest men "desire to be maintained in service." 66 66 66 Some of the names are accompanied by the soubriquets by which they were familiarly known, such as, "Richard "Grame, alias Jocks Ritchie;" "John Grame, alias "All our Kaines;" "Richard Grame, alias Lang Rit"chie;" "Andrew Grame of Sarksyde, alias Little "Andrew;" "Richard Grame, alias Ritchie of Gal"loway." The list included the name of Richard Grame of Netherbie, and it would appear that the Scotch Commissioners had proposed its omission when they first 66 met, but on 17th April 1605, the English Commissioners sent a letter from Carlisle to their Scotch brethren, in which they state, "Since our departure from you this day, we perceive that the leaving out of Richard "Grayme, sounne to Walter Grame of Netherby, is so "evill taken, that we shall be taxed of partiallyty, and "(as yt were compleaned of that wee have not held an "indifferent course in our proceedinge), therefore, we "have thought good heerby to pray your consentis that "his name may be added to the rest as before yt was, being a thing that now as the case standis, wee may "not in reason do without your privityes." 66 In a letter from the Scotch Commissioners, dated at Dumfries on the following day, they concur in the step, but a subsequent effort was made on behalf of Richard of Netherby by the Earl of Montrose, who thus wrote to the Commissioners, from Holyrood House, on 25th June 1605 "Right honourable and assured good frendis, "understanding by reporte of certaine our cozins what "order you have taken with them, and their freindis, "and in especiall that yow have determined to transport thame to Newcastle upon Satterday night, and "there to remaine in ward; we have, therefore, taken "occasion thereby to intreat your honors in favour of "Richard Graime, sone to Walter of Netherby, who is presently in our company; that notwithstanding of your ordinance, you will permitt him to continewe in our company, as you will do us acceptable pleasure. "In so doing we shall be answerable for him, both to "his Majestie, unto the Councell, and to your worships. Hoping this our request shalbe effectuall at your "handis, we bid you farewell. Your good freind to "his power. 66 "MONTROS." The Commissioners declined to accede to the Earl's request, on the ground that Richard's name was in a schedule sent by the Privy Council, of all those who were to be transported; and, accordingly he was sent with the others destined for Flushing on the 6th of July, with a letter of commendation to the governor of that place, setting forth that the bearer was son to Walter of Netherby, the chief of all the Graimes dwelling betwixt Leven and Sark, and that he, " mynding to showe his "forwardness in his Majestie's service, hath desyred us "to give testimony of his birth and place, and that upon his due desert he may receive such favor as to "his dimeritt shall appertyne, which we thinking rea"sonable have thereunto condiscended, as also that for "his better encouragement to go forward to do his "highnes service, we have intreated the conductor of "the rest to place him as auncient of that company." 66 By a letter of the Commissioners to the Privy Council, it appeared that they were at first only able to make up 112 of the 150 Grames, and they announced the steps by which they still hoped to make up the original number, adding that " besydes the Graimes that dwell "betwixt Leven and Sarke, and whiche were also within "the submission, there are of other sirnames whose "lives and conversation have been no better than the "Grames, that the countrey might well spare, and were fitt to serve and be sent away.' 66 They complain in a letter to Lord Salisbury of 7th July 1605, that there is one Hutchin Graime of the Gardis, "and one Johne Graime, alias Jock of the Peartree, "that hath much hindered this service." The first cargo of 50 was sent to Brill, and the second batch of 72 to Flushing. Before three weeks had elapsed, some of the expatriated Grahams began to appear in their former haunts on the border, to the great disgust of the Commissioners. Some of them had procured licenses from their officers, permitting them to come home for two months, and others returned without any license at all, among whom was Richard of Netherby. 66 66 On 23rd October 1605 Sir Wilfrid Lawson writes to the Earl of Cumberland, “as with our last letters we certifyed the names of such of the Graimes as then to our understandinge have returned, with license or "without, so I heare there are still mo coming daily, "which as we then wrote, is greatly to the dislyke of "the better and truer sorte of his Majesties subjects "heare, and it is lyke unles ther be some order schortly "taken as well to stay those not yet come, as to send away or otherwise to take some severe course with "those already come without lycense, that they will all "be schortly at home agane." 66 66 passe, nor be allowed to come over without speciall "lycense from his Majestie, or of us of his Privy Counsell, finding now that the error in graunting "such passportis to those to come over (wherein some are lycensed to stay here two months) hath growen, "by reason it hath been usuall for all governors and "there subordinate officers to graunt leave for such stay to the ordinary souldier for his private busi"nessis, and that it was not knowne to the governor or his deputy that these men thus sent over were destyned to remaine there beyond the seas without returning. Concerning those who are now over with"out any lycense, his Majesty is pleased they be pre 66 66 66 sently proceeded with according to justice, as far "forth as the nature of any their former offences may "beare. In which case when you shall have proceeded "to finall judgement by authority of your Commission, you shall doe well to cause them be saufe kept in prison, untill his Majestie upon your certificate be "made farther acquainted with the matter, and there upon some other direction given you in that behaulf." Their attention was directed to some passports, signed "Phillip Thornington," "who was no captain of any of the companies, and whose signature, therefore, must be presumed to be counterfeited." 66 From a letter to the Privy Council of 14th Nov. 1605, it appears that of the 72 Grahams sent to Flushing, only 14 now remained there, the rest having returned home. A List of "the names of some speciall malefactours upon the border (fol. 63), reveals a sad condition of affairs: "Edward Armestrong, alias Antons Edward of Williabey, for 12 murthers." "John Armestrong, alias Jock Sowluggis, for divers murtheris, especially for ripping a womans belly, taking out her child alive, cutting the woman's throate, and leaving her and her child dead in the road way. This was done by the directione of the said Edward Armestronge, who was also present at the deed doing." "Andrew Armestrong, alias Ingrees Androwe, for murther." "George Bell of Bowbanck, Wm. Bell, alias Will of Carlioll For killing Wm. Urwin, and divers other fellonies." Sonnes of William Urwin of Grehay, that slewe "Richard Urwin, junr., | the Provost of Dumfreis, Francis Urwin, Mathewe for killing of John NewUrwin ton, besydes diverse other fellonies since the King's Proclamation." "Richard Urwin, alias Wattyes Ritchie, for killing the Provost of Dumfreis, and diverse other spoiles and burnings since the King's Proclamation, for some of which he standeth indyted." 66 Andrew Hetherington, alias Andrewe of the Riggfoote, for killing of Clemy Beauchamp, and diverse spoils and burnings since the King's Proclamation." "Robert Armestrong, alias Robe Sandy, for killing of Carmegill, and for being ane outlawe these 9 years.' "Christopher Urwin, alias Gifford Carleton, for taking of Wtherlipp, spoiling and burning, since the King proclaimed, a murtherer and an outlaw." "Richard Urwin, alias Kokies Richee, condemned of murther at Carliell, since the King proclaimed, besydes a famous theefe for many yeares." "Edward Blenkinsopp, condemned of burglary and John Blenkinsopp felony." "Thomas Blenkinsopp, who with the former, Blenkinsoppes were theiffs, spoilers, and burners, of riding, with banners displayed in open day, forrowes since the King proclaimed, for which they stand dyverse tymes indyted at Carliell." At folio 63b is 66 a copie of the Grames Petition to his Majestie," setting forth" that they and others inhabiting within the bounds of Eske and Leven, being the borders of the Realme of England against Scotland, are men brought upp in ignoraunce, and not having had meanes to learne their due obedience to God, and your most excellent Majestie, of late and immediatly after the death of the Queen's most excellent Majestie, your Majesties late deare sister, did disorderly and tumultuously assemble ourselves with all the warlike force and power that they could make, and being so dissorderlie assembled, did invade the inlande parte of the East parte of the county of Cumberland, and spoiled many of your subjects of England with fire, sword, robbing and reaving of their goods, and murthering and taking prisoners the persons of the saime, which our misdemeanour, albeit we cannot excuse by any ignorance, for that by the lawes of God we doe knowe that all rebelling, reaving, and murthers, are altogether forbidden, yet soe it is, that some among us of evil and corrupt judgment did perswade us, that untill your Majestie was a crowned Kinge within the realme of England, that the lawe of the same kingdome did cease and was of no force, and that all actis and offences whatsoever done and committed in the meane tyme, were not by the common justice of this realme, punishable by force, of the which malitious error put into our heads, as deceived men, and believing over redely that grosse untruth, we did most injuriously run upon your Majesties inland subjectis, and did theme many wronges, both by fyer, sword, and takeing there goodes, in such sort as before we have acknowledged." 66 After profession of their sorrow, they beseech his Majesty that he will be pleased 66 now at our most "humble suite to graunt unto us the saving of our "lives which now is in your highnes, by the justice of your lawes to take from us at your highnesse good pleasure, and that your Majestie will be pleased to releagate and banish us (as a tumultuous collony) into some other parte of your kingdome, there to spend "the residue of our miserable and sorrowful dayes in "lamenting and sorrowing for our offences." 66 66 66 This would seem to have preceded the resolution come to of transporting the Grahams to the Low Countries. He The King probably wished to try the experiment of rooting out the barbarous borderers from their native haunts, and exposing them to fresh and more healthy influences and motives among strangers abroad. had a few years before tried a colony of a different description, when he transported a body of gentlemen and industrious lowlanders from the county of Fife, with the view of forming a Settlement in the Lewis, and turning to account the fertility of the island, which had been neglected by the rude and ignorant natives. In this case the Colonists also returned to their own country, but it was on account of the opposition and hatred to which their position in the island exposed them, and because they were unable to maintain their hold in it. The petition of the Grahams is followed by a curious list of the names of those that standis in feade with otheris," and is somewhat ominous for the peace of the country: 13. Item betwene the Trumbles and the lard of Larva. "14. Item betwene the Trumbles and Fosters. The subsequent proceedings of the Commissioners, with full copies of the letters received and written by them, are continued to the end of the volume. Among the letters are several from Henry, Bishop of Carlisle, and Lord William Howard, the "Belted Will" of Border history. The last entries are dated in January 1606. It appears to me that a calendar of this volume would furnish very valuable and authentic materials for underinteresting period of transition to which it relates. standing the state of border society and life, at the JOHN STUART. THE PAPERS OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF MORTON AT DALMAHOY. The charters and papers illustrating the history and descent of the great family of Douglas, represented by the Earl of Morton, are arranged in numerous boxes in the Charter Room at Dalmahoy, and selections from them have been printed for the Bannatyne Club in two volumes entitled "Registrum Honoris de Morton." Besides these there is an extensive collection of letters and papers, relating not only to the family of Morton, but also to the house of Lochleven, one of which, Sir William Douglas, on the failure of the last heir in the entail of the earldom of Morton in 1588, succeeded to the estates and honour of Morton as sixth Earl. These have been arranged in twelve folio volumes, which are likewise placed in the Charter Room. Lord Morton most readily consented to my inspection of all his papers, but the present Report is confined to the latter series, to which I have just referred. I notice them in the order of the volumes. II." Royal Letters, 1478-1730." The earlier of these are formal warrants and precepts. There are a good many letters from King James VI. to the Laird of Lochleven. In one of these, dated 5th August 1582, he applies to him as donator of the ward of the earldom of Buchan, on behalf of Henry Mowbray in the matter of his removing from the lands of Fetterlethir and Lethindie " quhairof he allegis him baith auld "and kyndly possessours and takkismen;" therefore requests that he may be allowed to continue in peaceable occupation during the years of his tack. A few days afterwards (on 8th August 1582) the king sent another letter to the laird, ostensibly more urgent than the first, on behalf of Mowbray, with a characteristic postscript in his majesty's handwriting, “mak me quite of this sillie auld man's cummer." 66 There is a series from King Charles I. to the Earl of Morton in 1627, relative to a levy of 200 men for the king's service in France, and many precepts for payments to be made by the Earl as Royal Treasurer. III.-" Letters, 1556-1597." These are from upwards of 70 different writers, mostly of local standing, and they relate to matters of no public importance. A good many are not, strictly speaking, letters, but receipts and procuratories. IV.-" Original documents, 1476-1570." Among these are several of considerable interest. One is a letter from Wentworth (Earl of Strafford) to Lord Morton, dated Dublin Castle, 12th September, 1635. He excuses himself for his delay in answering the Earl's letter, and adds, "I haue not yet receaued any direction "at all from his Majesty concerning the plantation of Ormond, neither doo I knowe or can conjecture howe "farr his majesty's tytle thereunto will stand good"and therefore am I the less willinge to say much "thereof, untill I have a more certaine grownd for my "warrant in that particuler." 66 In 1466 is a precept by William Edmonston of Duntreath relative to a brief of Mortancestry. There are two letters from King James V. consenting to the marriage of Lord Morton's daughter Beatrix. Two letters from James Stewart (afterwards Earl of Murray) to his mother, the Lady of Lochleven; the one from Aberdeen 9th October 1562, the other without date. Letter from John, Earl of Mar, to his sister, the Lady of Lochleven. Licence by Henry and Mary to William Douglas to keep in his hands the place of Lochleven, and providing that it should be patent at their Majesties' command. Subscribed by both at Edinburgh, November 13th, 1565. Warrant by Henry and Mary to charge James, Earl of Morton, to compear before the Privy Council. March 19th, 1565. 66 Letter from Darnley, dated November 22, 1565, subscribed "Henry R.," to the Laird of Lochleven, stating that he has taken order " through our Realme for restraynte of shotyng with gunnes," and the Laird being sheriff of these parts, he commands him to apprehend all who "vses to shote contrary our order," and particularly "John Schaw, a common shoter, and to "send him with his gun to us wherever we chance to "be." Letter by Queen Mary, dated Alloa, 31st July 1566, to the Laird of Lochleven, announcing her intention in proper person to repair "schortly towards Jedburgh, and thair to do justice to our puir oppressit subiectis, "that our border being anys quietit, we may the mair "esalie put order in the cuntrie;" and because of the necessity of her being well accompanied by her friends "with their househaldis and substantius freindis bodin "in warlike maner," asking him to meet her at Peebles on the 13th of August, and to remain with her for 15 days. 1567. Contemporary copy of a bond betwixt certain noblemen and Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich, Keeper of the Castle of Edinburgh, agreeing to relieve the Queen from Bothwell's "thraldome." On the back of this bond is the copy of a letter from England concerning the murder of Henry Darnley, dated 30th May (no year). [See it printed, Robertson, Appendix No. xx.] Contemporary copy of the Earl of Murray's Testament, April 2, 1567, "he being in readines to depart furth "of the realme." Contemporary copy of Declaration by the Queen on the state of the Realm. Edinburgh, June 4th, 1567. Warrant for committing Mary Queen of Scots to Lochleven. June 16th, 1567. son. Notarial Protest, dated 28th July 1567, by William Douglas of Lochleven, in presence of Queen Mary, touching her demission of the Crown in favour of her It sets forth that he having entered the chamber of the Queen, and stated that he has come to know how in his absence her Majesty had demitted the Crown on the previous day, he now wishes to learn whether the act had been done of her own will and free consent. Thereupon the Queen homologated the act, and declared that she had not been compelled, and Douglas protests that hereafter she should not be held to have been a captive and under restraint at the doing thereof. [The instrument narrates the interview and speeches in Scotch.] Letter from Sir William Kirkcaldy to the Laird of Lochleven, dated Edinburgh Castle, June 1st [1568 ?]. Copies of two letters from the Nobility of Scotland to the Duke of Alva, one in Latin, dated at Largs, July 30th, 1568. 66 Copy of my Lord Argyllis' cypher" [his mode of signing his name] from the Queen, December 16th, Letter from the Earl of Huntly to the Queen. Aberdeen, Jan. 8, 1568. Letter from the Earl of Argyll to the Archbishop of St. Andrews, Jan. 27, 1568. Letter from Lord Herries to the Archbishop. August 13th, 1568. Letter from the Lords of Scotland to Queen Elizabeth. 1569 ? 1570 ? Letter from the Earl of Mar to the Laird of Lochleven from Stirling Castle. January 29, 1569. Bond (not dated) signed by Glencairn, Mar, Ruthven, Ochiltre, and others, for pursuing the murderers of the Earl of Murray. Letter from John Knox to the Laird of Lochleven. [This letter is not in its place-having been sent with another paper to Southampton to be photozincographed.] Letter from John, Earl of Mar, to the Chamberlain of St. Andrews, asking him to deliver the Castle of St. Andrews to the Laird of Lochleven. From Stirling Castle, April 10th, 1570. Letter subscribed by the Earls of Morton, Mar, and Glencairn to the Laird of Lochleven, touching the |