delivering of the Castle of St. Andrews. April 15th, 1570.

Letter of the same date to the Laird of Rankeillor, signed by the said Earls.

Letter from the Earl of Lennox, Regent, to the Laird of Lochleven. October 26th, 1570.

Two lists of people of the name of Hamilton, beginning with the Duke of Chatelherault.

Letter from David Arnot, of that ilk, 1563.

Alexr. Betoun, Chamberlain of Dunfermline, 1536. James Coluille, of Uchiltre, Comptroller, 1538. Robert Coluille, of Cleishe.

Thomas Dury, of that ilk, 1586.

John Erskine, of Dun, 1588.

Dame Eliz. Gordon, Lady of Gycht, 1597.
Laird of Inverleithe.

Sir William Keithe.

Mr. Wm. Lundyne, of that ilk.

Wm. Maitland, of Lethingtoun, 1564.

Walter Ogilvy, of Findlater, 1586.

Sir Wm. Scot, of Balwery.

David Wemyss, of that ilk.

V.-" Original Documents, 1571-1618."

Letter from John, Earl of Mar, Regent, to the Laird of Lochleven, touching an advertisement which he had received of a plot for carrying off the Earl of Northumberland from Lochleven Castle. March 16th,

1571.

The "advertisement" proceeded from the Marshall of Berwick and Randolph, who came to the Earl from St. Johnstone, and made him privy to what they had recently heard from England, and that A practyse was in heid and to be execute about the end of this "month, or beginning of next, for convoying away of 66 the Earl of Northumberland out of Lochleven, either "to the Castel of Edinburgh, or then to Aberdene, and "that thar suld be sumthing also attemptit aganis the King. Howsoever it be, the advertisement is not to "be contempnit, for it is thocht the Lord Seytonis "speciall messaige from Duke Dalua tendis to this "end." 'Keep this to yourself and provide for the

"worst."

27th March 1572. " Jhon, Regent," writes to the Laird of Lochleven that he has spoken with the Marshall and Mr. Randolph "quha lettis us to understand that they "haif instructioun to satisfie you touard my Lord of "Northumberland," and concludes by asking him to come to Leith.

Letter from the Countess of Northumberland to the Earl, her husband. March 21st, 1572. It is signed, "Your L. most humble wife, A. Northumberland.'

Letter subscribed "William Stewart," and dated from Brisellis, Dec. 23rd, 1576, anent "the twa tratours of "Bodwelhauch."

Letter dated at Holyrood House, from James, Earl of Morton, Regent, to the Laird of Lochleven. March 29th, 1577.

Two letters from the Earl of Morton, one dated April 8th, 1577, from Thomptallon to the Laird of Lochleven; the other dated May 12th, 1577,-both about a dispute between the Laird and the Abbot of Arbroath.

Three letters from the Earl of Morton to the Laird of Lochleven, dated 2nd, 3rd, and 4th March 1577.

Extract of Discharge in Parliament to the Earl of Morton of his "regiment" of the kingdom. March 12th, 1577.

Letter from the Earl of Morton to the Lord Chancellor. Dalkeith, March 16th, 1577.

Writ concerning the delivery of the Castle of Edinburgh by James, Earl of Morton, to the Commissioners appointed by the King, signed by the Earl and the Commissioners at Dalkeith, 20th March 1577.

Extract of an Act of Convention at Stirling Castle choosing a Council. March 24th, 1577.

Letter from the King to the Laird of Lochleven desiring him to repair towards the borders. October 15th, 1578.

Letter from King Henry III., of France, addressed, "A Monsieur Lochleuin" recommending "le Seigneur D'Aubigny," at Paris. June 30th, 1579.

66

Letters and papers about the "warding of the Earl of Morton and the Laird of Lochleven. 1580-1. A good many letters from King James VI. to the Earl of Morton. 1589, 1590, 1591, 1592.

Letter, subscribed "Daniel Archdeacon,” to the Earl of Morton, requesting him to be present as his " 'god"father" at a combat betwixt him and Francis Mowbray.

66

He says that he has been made an instrument for revealing the plots and practices which Francys Mowbray had intended against his Prince; and for want of proof to make known his treasons "I am constrained by "force of armes to prove him a traitor to his King and "contrie, and by the power of God to compell him to "confess his faultes [etc.], and forasmuch as the triall of "this matter is to be performed by a combat betwene Francys and me, and the costome in such case is that euerye on of the campions is to choose 2 godfathers, "he being all readie prouided for his parte, I haue thoght good to prouide meself, choosing your Lordship as a nobleman indued with true christianitie, louing your Prince an contrie [etc.]. Wednesday "next being the 5th day of Januarie shall be the day appointed for the combat. From the Castell of Edenbrogh this 27 of December 1602."

66

66

66

66

66

66

VI.-Letters of Sir William Douglas, of Lochleven, who succeeded as sixth Earl of Morton.

To his wife and son.

Five letters of his son James, Commendator of Melros. Three of Thomas Lyon, Master of Glammis. Letters from William, seventh Earl of Morton, to King Charles I., and to the Marquis of Hamilton, 163343.

Eight letters from the Countess of Morton.

Six letters from Anna Villiers, Lady Dalkeith, to the Earl of Morton.

Letter from "Anne Dalkeith" to her uncle, the Duke of Buckingham.

Seven letters from Lord Dalkeith to his father, written from Paris and other places abroad, 1627-41.

Four letters from Christian, Countess of Devonshire, daughter of Edward, first Lord Bruce, of Kinloss, married in 1608 to William Cavendish, afterwards Earl of Devonshire. About 1639.

Letters subscribed "B. Suffolke" (Barbara Villiers, wife of James, third Earl of Suffolk, and sister to the Earl of Morton), to her nephew, Mr. Robin Douglas. Letter from Barbara Villiers to the Earl of Morton, her most honoured grandchild, 1656.

Letters from the Viscount Grandison, Westminster, 1632.

From the Earl of Hollande, Kensington, 1647. The Earl and Countess of Nottingham, the Earl of Pembroke, &c.

Eighteen letters from Robert, eighth Earl of Morton (formerly Lord Dalkeith) to his brother, Sir James Douglas, &c., in 1649.

James, Earl of Annandale, 1626-1642.
Archibald, 7th Earl of Argyll.
Brussels, 1620-1626.

Archibald, 8th Earl of Argyll, created Marquis in

1641. 26 letters, 1627-56.

John, Duke of Argyll, 1715.

Walter, Earl of Buccleuch, 1630-32.

James, Earl of Buchan, 1628.

Michael, Lord Burghly, 1637.
James, Earl of Callander, 1648.

John, Earl of Crawford and Lindsey.
William, Earl of Dalhousie, 1637.
Charles, Earl of Dunfermline.

John, Lord Erskine. 7 letters, 1627--8.
George, Lord Gordon.

James, 3rd Marquis of Hamilton. 16 letters, 1627.
The Marchioness of Hamilton.

(Vol. 2.)—VIII.

James, Earl of Home, 1627.
George, Marquis of Huntly.
William, Lord Keith.

John, 2nd Earl of Kinghorne. 11 letters, 1627-43.
Thomas, Lord Kircudbright, 1642.

William, Earl of Lanark, 1642-48.

arranged in a series of boxes, with reference to an excellent inventory of the whole.

For purposes of local and family history they are of great value, but there are no documents of political importance among them. The collection of letters begin in 1609 (Sect. VII. of the Inventory), but they seem to be mostly on matters of business and domestic details.

If it should be considered suitable for the purposes of the Commission to preserve the accounts of Earl Patrick's life which he has left, especially of his improvements in building, furnishing, and ornamenting his Castle of Glamis, it seems to me that such details would contribute very useful materials for a knowledge of the condition of the country in the 17th century, and I have reason to believe that Lord Strathmore will readily permit the "Record," contracts, and inventories left by Earl Patrick, to be used for this purpose by the Commission.

Vol. I., pp. 1005. Vol. II., pp. 948. Vol. III., pp. 934.

4. Extracta e Cronicis Scotie. Transcript. pp. 299. "The Extracta de Cronicis was given to Henry Synclar, Dean of Glasgow be Wil. Bischop of Dumblane, 1550."

5. Cronicum Walteri de Gysseburne de Gestis Regum. Transcript. pp. 244.

In same vol. (pp, 403) is Traitez entre les Roys de France et les Roys d'Escosse.

6. The Staggering State of Scotish Staitsmen. By Sir John Scot. A contemporary copy.

7. Chronicle of Affairs in England and Scotland, &c., from 1547 to 1665. In a hand of the 17th century. 8. Balfoure's Practiques. A thick folio.

"Ex

9. A Compend of the Scotish Laws. A thick folio. 10. Geneaology of the Earls of Sutherland. libris Roberti Mylne, scribæ." A copy of the 17th century.

11. Registrum Magni Sigilli. 2 vols. folio. Transcript. 12. Catalogue of Scottish Bishops. Transcript.

pp. 213.

13. Chart. Priorat. S. Andree. A transcript. The original chartulary belongs to Lord Dalhousie, but is in Edinburgh at present.

The

14. Chartularium de Dunfermlyn. Transcript. 15. Chartularium Episcopatus Brechinensis. original record, which was printed for the Bannatyne Club in 1856.

16. A volume of Charters, entitled "Melross, Coldstream, Lindors, Sterling." A transcript.

17. Registrum Monasterii de Cambuskenneth. Transcript.

18. Registrum Chart. de Dryburgh et Balmerinach. 1 vol. Transcript.

19. The Chartulary of Pasley. A transcript. 20. Chartul. Abb. de Neubottle. A transcript. 21. "Andreu Winton's Chronicle." A transcript, which does not specify the original from which it was copied.

It begins thus:-"Heir followis ye Prolog, but faill of the Cornikillis callit originall."

"The first chaptour tellis but les, Quhair throw this buke translatit wes." The poem ends on page 835 with the line"Hayme agayne in his cuntre."

After this the chronicles begin, "In ye tyme yat Moyses the prophete," going on to page 18, which ends, "for dredour of Wallace, and durst not abyd in ye feild."

22. Registrum de Aberbrothock. A transcript. 23. Chartularium de Kelcho. A transcript. 24. Chartul. Episcopat Moravien. A transcript. 25. "Miscellanie Collections." 5 vols. Transcripts of Records and Charters from most of the principal charter rooms of Scottish families.

"This third volume of collections (finished in the year 1730) contains some writts of Holyrood House Abbay and of the Priory of North Berwick; and many others of different kinds which I bought or wer given me by different hands. The rest I copied from the originals or from the publick records, and, as marked in the book from whom I hade them, and wher they ar to be found." [Note by Mr. H. Maule.]

26. "

Miscellanie Collections." 1 vol.

27. Registrum Cartarum Prioratus de Binham in Agro Norfolciensi. Transcribed from the original record in Biblioth. Cott. (Claud. D. XIII.)

28. De Antiquitate Gentis Scotorum, Contra Anglorum Calumnias [et] Mendacia. Authore, Magistro Roberto Maule, Officiali seu Commissario S. Andree. Fideliter descript. ex autographo penes Comitem de Panmure, manu propria authoris.

"The author's original MS. is in Edinburgh, as I am told."

29. Observations upon the Rise and Progress of the late Rebellion against King Charles the First, in so far as it was carried on by a malcontent Faction in Scotland under pretext of Reformation. By H. Guthry, Bishop of Dunkeld.

30." Chartularium seu Registrum vetus Ecclesiæ Glasguensis in Scotia." From the original in the Scots College at Paris. The transcript has been partially collated by Mr. Thomas Innes, whose corrections occasionally appear, and by whom the headings or descrip tions of the charters are inserted.

At page 261 is a Writ by William, Bishop of Glasgow, providing that there shall be a perpetual vicar pensionary in the church of Kilbride, March 27, 1417, with this note by Innes: "I found this piece among my papers forgotten, when I gave in to my lord the rest "of the records of Glasgo.'

31. The History of the Picts. By Henry Maule, of Melgum.

32. A volume of Treatises on Naval Law. By Alex. King, I.U.L., et in suprema Edinburgensi curia, Advocati et Amirantis delegati Jurisdictionem in Scotia exercenti.

33. Martines Reliquiæ divi Andree. A transcript.

34. The Genealogies of the Nobility of Scotland, present and extinct, collected from history; and some other records and reports of people. 1674-6.

Most of the transcripts were made for Mr. Henry Maule of Kelly, and the Earl of Panmure his brother, in the early part of last century. There are few of the manuscripts of which the whole or parts have not been printed since that time; but the chartulary of Binham, and many of the charters in the miscellaneous volumes, have not yet been printed.

JOHN STUART.

THE PAPERS OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF AIRLIE AT CORTACHY CASTLE.

The family of Ogilvy is one of great antiquity and importance in the shire of Angus.

The stock from which it sprang was that of the Pictish Mormaers or rulers of the district, who about the time of David I. came to be known as Earls of Angus. In our early annals Gillibride, son of Gilchrist, is styled the second Earl of Angus, and Gilbert his third son may be regarded as the founder of the House of Ogilvy. To him King William the Lion made a grant of a territory in the parish of Glammis, which has long been known as the Glen of Ogilvy, and from which Gilbert took his surname.

From a second son of the house thus founded was descended Sir Walter Ogilvy of Auchterhouse, sheriff of Angus,

Stowt and manfull, bauld and wycht," who fell in repelling an inroad of highland cateran at Glenbrerith near Blairgowrie in 1392.

The descendants of Sir Walter far eclipsed in importance the old house in the Glen of Ogilvy from which

But Sir Walter Ogilvy, of Auchterhouse, was the founder of three families of distinction, in the persons of Sir Alexander Ogilvy, of Auchterhouse, Sir Walter Ogilvy, of Lintrathen, and Sir John Ogilvy, of Inverquharity, his sons.

The line of the first soon terminated in a female, the daughter of a grandson of Sir Alexander Ogilvy. The second Sir Walter became a person of great importance and wealth in the time of James I., during whose reign he was appointed Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, and was employed in embassies and negotiations of national importance. Among many other lands acquired by him were those of Lintrathin and Airly, on the last of which he erected a tower, in virtue of a royal license dated in 1432, permitting him to construct it in form of a castle.

His grandson, Sir James Ogilvy, was created Lord Ogilvy of Airly, in 1491, and in 1639, James, seventh Lord Ogilvy, was created Earl of Airlie.

The numerous papers at Cortachy are arranged under the heads of the baronies to which they relate, readily accessible by means of an inventory, and are very interesting for the illustrations which they afford on points of county history and pedigree.

It is not necessary for the purposes of the Commission that I should speak of them in detail, and I therefore confine my remarks to those documents which relate to points of general history.

Among these is a curious deed relating to one of the bells of our Celtic Saints, which were held in great reverence throughout Scotland, and to that peculiarity in our Celtic polity, both civil and ecclesiastical, of conferring on a line of hereditary keepers of such relics, lands and privileges.

The patron Saint of the parish of Airlie was St. Medan, and in 1447 the hereditary keeper of St. Medan's bell resigned it into the hands of Sir John Ogilvy, on which Sir John conferred on Lady Margaret Ogilvy, his wife, the bell, with its pertinents, for her liferent use; while another writ shows that the Lady was invested by receiving delivery of earth and stone of a toft belonging to the chaplainry of St. Medan, and being shut into the house.

Among the miscellaneous deeds is a series connected with the Abbey of Cupar in Angus, commencing with a charter of privilege by King William the Lion, the founder of the house.

The office of porter of the Monastery, along with a piece of ground, had come to be vested in a family deriving their name from the office, which descended from father to son.

This office with its fruits and privileges was at last conveyed to James, Earl of Airlie in 1608, and the deeds connected with its successive transmissions serve to illustrate the hereditary character of such offices. (No. 1125-No. 1140 of Inventory).

From another document we find that the moothills, which as seats of law and justice, formed a prominent feature in the primitive economy of the Celts in Ireland and Scotland, continued to be used for their original purposes in the end of the 17th century. A disposition of certain lands granted in 1681 by James, Earl of Airlie (No. 451 of Inventory) proceeded on an apprizing "led in a court holden on the Beitchell hill of Cupar "in Angus, being the ordinary court place of the "Regality thereof."

In 1596, James Lord Ogilvy, and Peter, afterwards Sir Peter Young, of Setoun, were sent on an embassy to Denmark, and a manuscript among the papers contains copies of the deeds and letters connected with it.

In the civil struggle of the 17th century, both the first and second Earls of Airlie were devoted adherents of Charles I., and suffered greatly in the royal cause. In 1640 their Castle of Airlie, and Tower of Forther in Glenisla, were demolished by the force under the Earl of Argyll, and at the same time their estates were plundered. This event has been commemorated in a well-known ballad still sung to a plaintive air called "The Burning of the Bonny House of Airlie."

Some of the papers relate to proceedings arising out of this affair. One is a memorandum (No. 1637) by the Earl to his son, who was at Court at the time of the Restoration, requesting him to use means for obtaining reparation for the losses sustained through the down-throwing of the house of Airlie, and plundering the goods therein, also by burning the house of Forther and destroying the plenishing therein, by the late Earl of Argyll and his men.

Another is a warrant by General Monck for examining

certain Highlanders suspected of the theft of goods of Lord Airlie from Glenisla, and choosing some honest and famous men who can speak the Irish language to be interpreters. (Nos. 1632, 1633).

There are old inventories of furniture, clothes, plate, and other articles in the houses of Cortachy, Bonnitoun, and Newtown, in 1665, 1678, &c.

No. 1652 is a letter from Sir William Ogilvy, of Barras, to the Earl of Airlie, in April 1682. During the recent troubles Sir William had held out Dunnotter Castle in which the regalia were deposited, and was thus instrumental in preserving them. In this letter he requests the aid of the Earl in forwarding his suit at Court for a reward of his services, and also begs for one of his Lordship's Clanronald hawks. The next paper (No. 1653) is a copy of a signature by King Charles II. for creating Sir William and his son master of His Majesty's hawks, chief hunstman, and master of the Royal game within Scotland.

No. 1666 is a letter from the Lady of Careston to the Earl of Airlie relative to the quartering of Lord Dundee's troops in Angus, 25th April 168 .*

No. 1688 is a letter from Everard Fawkener to the Earl of Airlie, dated at Aberdeen, 15th March 1745-6 informing his Lordship that the Duke of Cumberland was clearly informed of his unwearied endeavours to support the rebels by secretly corresponding with them, and conveying a warning to him on the part of his Royal Highness.

No. 1624 is a letter to the Earl of Airlie from George Ogilvy, dated Spilberg, 27th August 1649, wherein he requests the descents and arms of various houses to be sent to him, and informs his Lordship that he has been admitted to the title of Earl in Germany, as a cadet of the house of Airlie. It is addressed to Lord Airlie as his chief.

66

66

No. 1150 is a legal document, entitled "Letters of "four forms at the instance of James Archibald, Vicar "of Lintrathin, against the parishioners thereof, dated "27 May 1560," concluding for payment of the vicarage and other dues " except the cors present, and umest clayth," on the ground that "he has been lawfully provided in said vicarage for divers years bygone, " and has caused the common prayers and homilies to "be read weekly to the parishioners, and is content to "abide such reformation as the Lords of Secret Council please to make, and is also adjoined to God's congregation and takes part with the said Lords in setting "forward the common cause to the glory of God and common weal of the realm."

No. 1154 is a Charter granted at Paris on 10th May 1574, by Alexander, Bishop of Brechin, in favour of James, Lord Ogilvy, narrating his absence "thir years past frome our seat of Breichin, we being occupiit in the study of guid lettres." Mr. Andrew Melvin is one of the witnesses.

66

No. 1155 is a Notarial instrument, dated at St. Andrews', 14th Feb. 1576, whereby James, Lord Ogilvy revokes certain tacks of teinds granted by him, on the ground that they had been extorted from him while he was kept in ward by the Regent Morton, and were granted at the command of the said Regent.

There are numerous Commissions to the Ogilvys of Airly as Baillies of the Regality of Arbroath, granted by the Abbots in their favour, the first of which is dated 26th Nov. 1485, No. 1337, as well as similar Commissions by the Abbots of Cupar, the first being dated 4th May 1522.

Several papers illustrate the system of repledging from other jurisdictions to that of the Abbots' Regalities tenants of the Monasteries who had been cited to foreign Courts, No. 1349, 1351. There is a volume containing the proceedings of the Regality Court of Arbroath and another those of the Court of the Regality of Cupar.

The burning of the House of Airlie by the Earl of Argyll may account for the dearth of letters and papers of the period which might otherwise have been expected.

Besides the documents which have been arranged and catalogued there are at Cortachy several large chests filled with masses of documents of very varying dates and character, many of them being modern bundles of tradesmen's receipts, law papers, business letters, and fitted accounts, while occasionally occur mixed up with them letters of the 16th century.

In turning over the contents of two of these chests I selected several letters and orders from Sir T. Dalyell to the Earl of Airlie as to marching and arranging troops, 1680.

* Torn in orig.

An order, dated Leith, 24th Nov. 1652, by the Commissioners of Confiscated Estates, allowing to Lady Helen Ogilvy, wife of Lord Airly, a fifth part of what is received as the rents of his lands.

Copy of a letter from the Earl of Airlie to his son at Court, Jan. 1663, requesting him, among other things, to get a letter from the King to the keeper of the Great Seal to seal the Patent of precedency over the Earl of Findlater," which was stopped at the Great Seal, not

66

withstanding that Charles I. and the present King "had declared under their hands that the precedency over Findlater does of right belong to us."

There is another letter, No. 1641, on the same subject in Dec. 1663. The writ which the Earl was desirous of getting was not issued till June 1665. It forms No. 1302 of the Inventory.

A writ by King James VI., ordering those indebted in payment of the small teinds and vicarage of Mains of Tantallon to pay them to Patrick Home, younger, of Polwart, keeper thereof.

Several letters written in 1633 by Sir Patrick Ruthven, serving under Gustavus Adolphus, addressed to the Lord Ogilvy.

Several licenses from General Monck. One of them, written by himself to Lord Ogilvy and the rest of the gentlemen of the shire of Angus, desires them to raise a watch of 40 men to preserve the country against rebels.

Letter dated 22nd January 1666, sent from Tyningham by Lord Hadington with pigeons.

66

Letter dated Edzell, 16th July 1667, signed "J. Lindesay Edzell," among other things asks for the loan of his Lordship's goshawk.

It seems to me that a brief calendar of the "Miscel"laneous papers, and of those just described, would preserve a good many useful facts for the historical student, and I therefore recommend that such should be made.

JOHN STUART.

THE PAPERS BELONGING TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF STAIR.

The family of Dalrymple is of considerable antiquity in Ayrshire, and one of its members acquired the lands of Stair, by marriage with Agnes Kennedy, the heiress, in the middle of the 15th century.

The family first rose into prominence in the person of James Dalrymple, of Stair, born in 1619, who after beginning life as a soldier, took to the study of law, and became eminent as a Judge, and Institutional Writer, having been created Viscount Stair in 1690, and dying in 1695. His son John, Secretary of State for Scotland, created Earl of Stair in 1703, will be remembered for his connexion with the Massacre of Glencoe, and his great zeal in carrying through the treaty of Union with England, for which he was one of the Commissioners.

His son John, second Earl of Stair, K.T., began his military career at the battle of Steinkirk in 1692, afterwards distinguishing himself in the campaigns of Marlborough. In 1715 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to France, and after the death of Louis XIV. was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to that Court, from which he was recalled in 1720.

In 1742 he was made Field Marshal of the forces, and sent as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the States of Holland. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Army in Flanders, serving under King George II. at the battle of Dettingen in 1743, soon after which he retired from the service.

The papers at Oxenfoord, to which through the kind permission of Lord Stair I received ready access, consist partly of the charters and papers, forming the titles to his many baronies and landed estates, which do not call for special remark. Another series, entitled "The Stair

66

Papers," consists of the despatches, instructions, and correspondence of Field Marshal Lord Stair at various periods between 1709 and 1746, and a separate volume includes letters addressed to Sir Patrick Hamilton, of Preston, and others, 1646-1688.

The Stair Papers have been arranged in 28 volumes folio, and 1 volume 4to.

The latter vol. contains letters from 1715 to 1720. One series, from February to August 1715, is written from London to the Earl of Stair at Paris. They bear no signatures, but are supposed to have been written by Col. Charles Cathcart, and generally relate to regimental matters and political news.

There are various letters from "John Murray" (Earl of Mar) to "Capt. John Brown" (Earl of Stair), from

Vol. II. Volume second contains among others,

Letter from the Queen to the Earl of Stair, asking him to demand of Matthew Prior, the former Ambassador, all instructions and letters since he was sent to France, 1711.

Instructions by the King to the Earl of Stair, "Our "Minister at the Court of our good brother the Most "Christian King," 30th April 1715.

A key to the cyphers, of which a great many are used in this and the succeeding volumes.

The words are represented by Arabic numerals: e.g., Baron is "102," &c.

Copies of letters from the Earl of Stair to various persons during the year (1715), in some of which cypher is partially used.

66

Letters from the Secretaries of State at Whitehall. Copie of the private letter sent to Mr. Stanhope, "dated 8 March 1715." Another on the following day "sent by Phillips, the messenger."

Lettre particulier to Mr. Stanhope, 15th March.

Mr. Stanhope's letters to the Earl are partly in cypher. One dated February 1715 expresses the King's great satisfaction with Lord Stair's mission.

The bulk of the volume is of letters from I. Walpole from the Hague. They are on public affairs, and some of them have the reading of the cypher interlined above the figures.

Vol. III. A. In this volume is an intercepted letter of King James to the Republic of Venice, addressed to Mr. Higgins, dated 18th October 1715.

Intercepted letter of Mr. Higgins conveying the above letter, 19th December 1715.