THE EARL OF MAR to HIS LADY. 1705, July 16. Edinburgh.-To-morow will be a decisive day, I believe, in Parliament, and then we'll be bussie upon what cairies, either Treatie or Succession. We have trifled all this time. There's one Act past against importing Irish or English butter or chise for useing in the country, but alowed for export. This Act will probablie be keept as the rest of our Acts are. Thers another Act brought in by the Duke of Athole discharging the importation and wearing muslens, holands and all kind of forayin linning. We have been twice upon this, but perhaps it will not pass. Laws paper project was spoke of in Parliament, and some words past betwixt Roxbrough and Salton. After the House was up Salton sent a challenge to Roxbrough by Lord Charles Ker. They wer laid in arest by the Commissioner; but nixt morning they stole out and mett in the sandes of Lieth. Jerviswood was Roxbroughs second, and Lord Charles the others. The Commissioner sent the gairds out after them, but before they mett with them it was taken up by Lord Charles means, and Jerviswood joind with him in the proposall; so ther's no more of it. Lord Charles is on the tope of his marriage. If they had fought it had been unluckie to him. The Duke and Dutchess of Queensberrie are on the road, and will be here Saturday or Munday. This is like to be a hote day in Parliament. THE EARL OF MAR to HIS LADY. 1705, August 23. Edinburgh.-Yesterday the Act for a trienniall Parliament was past, and we sit to-morow, when we are to propose the cess. But the Duke of Athole is to bring in the Plot, as we are told, to have a hitt at the Duke of Queensberrie, which, if true, will make it a day of scoolding. I'm affraid there will be some personall reflections which may occation some quarrels. THE EARL OF MAR TO HIS LADY. 1705, August 25. Edinburgh.-The Duke of Athole yesterday brought in the Plote. The 3d sederunt nixt week is appointed for takeing that affair into consideration. The Duke of Athole did this against all his friendes advice, and he will not find people to follow him in his humours in this bussiness. The Cess Act was offred and a first reading creaved to it. There was a great dale of debeat about it, and at last Rothes offred a proposal to this purpose-that the House should agree to give it a first reading, and immediatly therafter to go upon the Treatie and such acts of trade as relaited to it before the Cess Act was read a second time, and also such other acts as was needfull. The Dukes of H. and A. joined in this, but the Court opposed it, for the last clause being so generall. So at last Rothes withdrew the last clause, which angered the two Dukes mightily. Salton offred a clause, much to the same purpose of that which Rothes withdrew, to be added to the proposal, and it was put to the vote, Add or no; and it cairied in the negative by 38 votes. So the Act of Cess got a first reading, and this day we are to be on the Treatie. THE EARL OF MAR to HIS LADY. 1705, August 30. Edinburgh.-On Tuesday the Parliament was taken up the whole day about the Treatie, and at last it was agreed that the Act I presented a good while agoe shou'd have a first reading, but with that proviso that it shou'd not pass at the second reading. Since people came to no capitulation of this mater, I'm affraid tho it pass it will be ineffectuall the way they'll make it. It is probable there will be a clause in it that we shou'd not enter upon the Treatie til the English reshind the Act they made against us last year. If this make them do it I'll be glad of it, but I'm afraid it is not the most probable way, and our commissioners will not go from Scotland certainly until they know whither or not the English will do this. We are to be on the Plote this day. What will be made of it, the Lord knows. The Duke of Athole last night desired to speak with me this morning. I fancie 'tis some proposal he has to make about it. I'm just going to him. THE EARL OF MAR to HIS LADY. 1705, September 7. Edinburgh.-Bussiness here has taken a mighty turn since I wrote last. Contrair to our expectations the Treatie has cairied as we had a mind, the Act I presented not haveing almost a word altred. The Queen has got the nomination of the treaters, and the Duke of Hamilton proposed it first, which has made his pairtie mad at him. The House has ordered that the Treatie shall not comence until the clause in the English Act makeing the Scots aliens be repeald, and t'hereupon hes adrest the Queen. We cannot yet be sure if the English will comply with our desire, tho we hope they will, and if they do, perhaps a London jurnie will be my fait. If I go, you shall too if you have a mind. If all hechts had you and I will live more at London than we expected. I can wryt no plainer; but you must keep even this to yourself, else all wou'd be spoilt. SIR DAVID NAIRN to THE EARL OF MAR. 1705, September 29. Windsor.-By this flying pacquet I send to my Lord Commissioner a commission for your Lordship to be Secretarie of State in place of the Marquis of Annandale, who is removed to his former post of President of the Council. I presume to wish your Lordship all satisfaction in the imployment. I shall contribute all I can to make you soe as long as I am allowed to serve in the station I now doe. THE EARL OF MAR to HIS LADY. 1705, September. Edinburgh.-Wednesday night near 12 o'clock. You'll see by the incloased what vexiation I was in this morning. I mist the Commissioner when I went to the Abie, and I dined at the Duke of Q- -s. When I was there at dinner the flying pacquet came, which brought a comission for the Marquess of Annandales being Precident of the Council and another for my being Secretary in his room. The Comissioner goes on Saturday or Munday at furthest. There's a letter also from the Queen ordring the Comissioner, the Chanceler, the Duke of Queensberrie and the two Secretaries to come to Court, and that all the rest of the Queen's servants stay here until call'd for or alowed to come. The Marquess of Annandale sayes he'll accept of no comission until he see the Queen, so I believe he'll go away one of thirr dayes if he be not better advised. My comission is to be read in Councill to-morrow, else I had left this place before Frayday. 1705, October 4th. Edinburgh.-Commission by John, Earl of Mar, to Mr. James Erskine, advocate, his brother german, to be principal keeper of her Majesty's Signet under the granter. THE EARL OF MAR to THE LORD HIGH TEASURER OF ENGLAND. 1705, October 4. Edinburgh. Since the Queen has been pleased to make me one of her Secretaries I presume to give your Lordship the trouble of this. I must acknowledge that I am sensible of my own insufficiencie for that post, but I hope in some measure to make that up with my faithfullness in serving her Majestie and in being diligent in my post, and in doing what may be most agreeable to her. It is my misfortoun that I have not the honour to be knowen to your Lordship, but I hope now in a little time that will be taken off. I am singularly bound to your Lordship for not being preposest with the bad oppinion of me that I have some reason to think certain people were pleased to give your Lordship of my actings. You shall find me alwise sincear in serving the Queen, and in the manur and measurs her Majestie thinks fit; and your Lordship shall find me also your most faithfull servant. Copy. THE EARL OF SEAFIELD to THE EARL OF MAR. 1705, October 7. Edinburgh.-He had not determined about going to London till on hearing that Annandale was to take journey to-morrow; at the desire of his friends he will also go this week. "I have not seen him, but I hear he is verie angrie, and it is like he may ingadge in a neu pairtie and misrepresent our measurs. If the Queen continou firm in what she has done he will soon submitt, but if he is incouraged, he will rais his pretensions of this." THE DUKE OF QUEENSBERRY to the EARL OF MAR. 1705, October 8th. Edinburgh.-He has learned that his daughter Mary has taken the small pox at Durham, which gives him some concern. "The Marquis of Annandale went this morning from this for London and was yesternight with me sometyme. As he says, he only goes to vindicate himself, and to know off the Queen a reason why he was so summarly transported, and is not to accuse any, if your Lordship take his word for it. The Chancellor and my Lord Loudoun were with me also yesternight." THE EARL OF LOUDOUN to THE EARL OF MAR. 1705, October 25. London.-The Commissioner came here upon Wednesday. He and I kissed the Queen's hand that evening. "Her Majesty had thought fit to delay from time to time to see my Lord Marquis, but had promis'd that he should kiss her hand that evening. He came into the waiting room while my Lord Commissioner and I were waiting to be admitted. Wee had the honour to talk with him about indifferent things. Her Majesty first called the Commissioner, nextt me, and last of all my Lord Marquis." He thinks there is little to be afraid of from his Lordship. To-day the Parliament met, the Tories setting forward Mr. Boombey to be Speaker, and the Whigs and the Court, Mr. Smith. The latter carried it by 43 votes. The Queen is to make her speech at the next meeting, and, it is thought, will take favourable notice of the advances made by Scotland towards a Treatie. JOHN, BISHOP OF GLASGOW, to the EARL OF Mar. 1705, October 30th. Edinburgh.-He sends a memoir for the Queen's perusal with reference to the provision for the bishops. "I am not willing," he says "to mention the manie good services I did to the Crowne and the Churche in the reignes of King Charles 2d, and of the Queen's royall father, but I may tell your Lordship that since her Majesty's happie accession to the throne I have by my example and influence brought manie both of the clergy and laity to their duetie to her Majesty who could never be persuaded to owne King William. I procured a dutifull and loyall address from above ane hundreth of our clergy to her Majesty, and have engaged most off these to keep evrie week a day off fasting and prayer for the health and saftie of her Majesty's person and the prosperity of her government, which they still observe." All the bishops but himself have a yearly allowance from King William and the Queen, and he hopes her Majesty will show him some favour, as his circumstances have been misrepresented, and he has a numerous family of children. JOHN, BISHOP OF GLASGOW, to the EARL OF MAR. 1705 In the account of the bishops' rents which is to be placed before the Queen by the Earl, the bishopric of Orkney has been omitted. He urges him to press her Majesty for their relief. "The Earle Kinkardin is dead, and which is a much sadder death, poor Earle Balcarres is dead also; and his familie must perish unless the Queen proves kynd and gracious to his sone by continuing the pension granted to the late Earle." "The diabolicall effects of that cursed wyne, drunk with Lieutenant General Ramsay, hath also broght death to Earle Balcarras. Oh! Sadd! God be praised your Lordship got so litle of it." Iff it may consist with your Lordship's conduct I wold know how M. Annandale is at Court, and how his effairs stand. Your Lordship is sure that quhat you sall say to me off it sall never be knowne to anie other bodie living. I am sure you trust my word and secrecie. THE EARL OF MAR to HIS BROTHER, MR. JAMES ERSKINE. 1705, November 6th. London. I got a very good reception here notwithstanding of your Edinburgh news. As for my predecessor I'll say little. You'll hear it from others. Only I belive he will not be much the wiser for comeing here. He still holds out as he did and nobody is pressing him hard to accept. He visets none of us, but t'other day he was pleased to take me by the hand on the Mell. The English, I believe, are not yet positivly resolved what to do in our affair as to their act, tho' in a little I hope they'll do as we desire. Ther's little news here. The Tories are very angrie and the Whigs very well pleased. THE EARL OF CROMARTIE to the EARL OF MAR. 1705, November 17th.-He has not been paid his arrears of salary and desires the Earl may speak for him to the Queen. "My Lord, a man without doors can say litle to purpose of the publicke transactions, and I never was, nor will I now beginn to be ane intruder, that being odious to the General Assemblie and against both Claime of Right and Act of Parliament. Yet I may say over ane old prayer of mine-God send a solid union in and of Brittaine; for I am sorly afraid and firmly perswaded that such only will secure Brittaine and deliver old Scotland from its many complaints. If England will give us free trade with them and theirs and take of the Act of Navigation-at least if they extend it to ships of Scots built-in so farr I should be pleased.' He refers to the report that Lord Ross is to be made Earl of Ross, and says "It will be as great a cause of Highland disturbance as ever was affoorded in Scotland and may be of as long duration and for eviting of such odious evils there is ane peremptor Act of Parliament be King James the 3d stating that none but the King's second sonne shall ever be Earle of Rosse; which made King Charles the 2d recall a patent given by him on that cause." JAMES MURRAY, Lord Clerk Register, to the EARL OF MAR. 1705, November 20th. Edinburgh.-The Duke of Queensberry is in great grief for the loss of his child. He thinks the Earl of Glencairn is to get Dumbarton Castle, as his father formerly held |