the 6th article are now I hope over, and at our next sederunt I doubt not but that article will be approven. Pray heavens the 8th article may have the same fate, and then I wou'd think we were passt hazard and within sight of land.

Because of Lord John Hay's buriall the Commissioner was oblidged to adjourn till Munday. I send you inclos'd the paper that was ordered by the House to-day, to be burnt by the hand of the hangman. I'm credibly inform'd that it is write by Mr. Wylie, minister of Hamilton.

The prisoners in the castle have made a full confession, and the party that apprehended them are ordered to apprehend severalls who they informed of. They march to-morrow, and it will be some days before they return. It plainly appears that the rising in arms was a form'd design, and perhaps it will be found out who were the contrivers; but you shall hear more of this when it is ripe. We are now on the right scent and it will be odd if something be not made out, if the people be catcht whom the party is going about. We have reason to believe that people of good condition and of a high rank will be made appear to have had a hand in all this affair.

Nine at night. I could not get the paper to send you thats ordred to be burnt and I had it not my self as I thought, but it is some queries reflecting on those for the Union. Copy.

THE EARL OF MAR to CAPTAIN HOLBURN.

1706, December 13. Edinburgh, Friday morning.—Sir, you have incloased an order for apprehending Steenson, late Treasurer of Stirling, which you are to do once tomorow. As to the maner of doing it, the most convenient and saifest way must be left to yourself, you being on the place so being best judge; but my own thoughts of it are that you cairie your partie down the back way from the castle with as little noice or observation as possibe, when it is dark, and march up the Fryer Wynd to his house or where else you surely know he is, and saise him; then to march up the street with him to the castle, and in case any attempt be made upon you to make your post good by force if there be occation. Because he is an officer of the toun guard, if he shou'd chance to be on the guard tomorrow you wou'd delay apprehending him until the most convenient time on Sunday. You wou'd take some way tho' very secretly and without being noticed to informe yourself where he is before you make the attempt for him. He is to be keept closs prisoner, conform to the order. Collonel Erskine is to wryt to you in what room he is to be put. Use him sivillie, and I believe you will not be long troubled with him, for he'll be brought here. As soon as you have put him in his room give him a copie of my order. I think about thertie men will be a sufficient pairtie, but you wou'd choose the best men and be sure their armes be in good order. If you think a greater pairtie necessare then you may order it as you think fit; but be sure that it be such a pairtie as any force the toun can bring against

As

you of a sudden cannot affront you. Both for secresie and other reasons I can trust the comand of this pairtie to none but your selfe, but when you go out with it order the ensing and the rest of the garison to be in the castle until you return. soon as you have executed your orders let me have an account of it from you by an express. I trust this affair to your cair, and I am, Sir, your humble servant, MAR. Copy.

SIR DAVID NAIRNE to the EARL OF MAR.

1706, December 14. Whitehall.-The letter from the Commission of the General Assembly is of more consequence here than can be well imagined for the calmness and disapproving of the tumults make' people thinke they are become more inclinable to the Union, and that the Act of Security of their church has made them soe.

SIR DAVID NAIRNE to the EARL OF MAR.

1706, December 17. Whitehall.-Wee are in great expectations of hearing some great matters discovered by Finlay and Montgumrie. I fancy if the discoverys are greate they ought to be kept this time very secret. Who ever are guilty know it themselves and may be some awe on them; and if the discoverys are publick there must be a publick resentment, which may retard other business and that seems what wold most gratify some people. Redpeth sends the Duke of Atholls newspapers, and on, Morgan, gave the paper he called the Queens Speech to the Earl of Loudouns porter.

THE EARL OF MAR to SIR DAVID NAIRne.

1706, December 17. Edinburgh, 8 p.m.-Yesterday the 6th artickle of the Treatie was approven with the explanations formerlie made, which the Register told me he was to send you, else I had done it. I hope the Queen, her Ministrie and others concerned will think this point well over, and that ther's nothing in the explanation or additiones inconsistent with the Treatie or what will make deficultie in England. It was not possible to carrie it otherwayes here, and I hope the alterations are of no consequence.

To-day wee were on the 8th artickle in relatione to salt. The committee made their report upou severall branches of it. Tuo of them were approven, which the Register also promist to send you. I hope, too, that neither of them will be thought of prejudice. I told you always that this was the artickle I was most affraid of, every body seeing that if this countrie cam to be subject after the seven years' exemption to the dueties on salt, it would be such a burden to the poor that cou'd hardly be borne. For my oune part I neaver thought Scotland wou'd be lyable to it, for since our claim of further exemptions was

carried to the Parliament of Britain I firmlie beleived that ther wou'd be som way fallen on during the seven years to releive us of it, and the rather because this tax was griveous to England too. But other people have not so much faith, and therfor are frighted at it. I'm affraid wee will not be able to carrie the artickle as it stands, but that ther will be an exemptione for a further term of years insisted on and probablie may carrie. Some people designe to ask a perpetual exemption, but I hardlie beleive this will obtean. Wee are takeing all the paines wee can possiblie about this affair of the salt; but I'm reallie affraid that all wee will be able to bring it to will be an address to her Majestie, or more probablie a stipulatione in the artickle that before the experatione of the seven yeares of exemptione the Parliament of Britain for the ease of all the United Kingdom shall put this upon an other fond. I hope wee will be able to carrie it thus, tho' I'm not sure." Wee sitt again to-morrow, and will be first on that point whether or not all fishes shall be cured with foraigne salt, which I think, will carrie; then upon the drawbacks. The comittee has allowed 20s. Scots per barrel upon the whyt herings more than the duetie on salt, which is of all 10s. sterling per barrel, but subject to the Parliament of Britain. Many think this encouragment to this fishing too small, and so are resolved to ask a higher drawback or premium. It is pritty plausable, so I'm not sure how it will goe; but unless it be very extravagant, I hope ther's no danger in it, and especiallie since the Parliament of Britain can alter it if it be found wrong. But I wou'd be sorie if they were obleidged to doe so. After this wee will com to the further exemption, which is the nice point; you may rest secure that wee will doe all that's possible to keep this right and to approve it as it stands if possible; but tho' they shou'd carrie a further number of years against us I hope that sam wou'd not break the Treatie, for if they did so the Parliament of Britain could still remidie it by laying it upon an other fond. But I hope it shall not come to this.

I told you that ther was a pairtie gone in quest of som people who had been guilty in riseing in armes and stiring up the people to it. They have mist the principal people at Glasgow, and so has a pairtie of the garrisone of Stirling Castle mist one of that toun who wee had informatione against. Those people knowing themselves guiltie have all fledd and absconded. Ther was a servant of the Dutchess of Hamiltons ordered to be brought in. I'm affraid he will be brought and by missing the other people wee will want witneses against him. But more of this afterward, the pairtie not being yet returned.

I believe my Lord Loudoun is to wryt to you to-night concerning my Lord Crommerties appropriation for his 1,500 libs. By his carriadge at this tim he reallie deserves to be incuradged, and I doubt not but the Queen will inclyne to be favourable to him. If my word can doe him any good pray lett it be known that I have wryt in his favours. Copy.

THE EARL OF MAR to SIR DAVID NAIRNE.

1706, December 19. Edinburgh.-I received yours of the 14th this morning. I'm glade the alteratione of the malt tax gives you no uneasiness.

To-day the Parliament was on the drawbacks. I told you formerlie that the comittie had agreed to 20s. Scots over and above the duetie on each barrel of whyt herrings, and that some people thought it too leitle and wou'd ask more, which they did. Some proposed 30s., some 40, and others 24s., and then 25s., who were for accomodating the matter. After a great deall of wrangling the last was agreed to without a vote; so it is of all 6 lib. 5s. sterling on the laste. The comittie reckoned that each barrel of herrings required four bolls salt to cure it, which was what was allowed by the Royall Fisherie Company. I hope this will give no umbradge, for if the trade incrase and so maney drawbacks to be payed the returnes will augment the customes. The fear of haveing the drawbacks higher made us agree to this without a vote. The nixt thing proposed was å drawback or premium on beeff and pork. This, as it is redicolus and rather a loss than an advantage to the nation, wee argued against all wee could and told it wou'd certainly break the Union; but a great maney of our own people went of from us, so wee cou'd not push the vote, but adjourned the debeat, hopeing to gett them better informed against the morrow. The occasione of their leaving us is mostlie oweing to letters from London to people here, particularlie one from Mr. Shipherd, which says, as I'm told, that England wou'd not refuse it. By such as this I'm reallie affraid of its carrieing; but wee are doeing what wee can to prevent it. If it doe carrie all the remedie is that it is subject to be alter'd by the Parliament of Britaine.

I wou'd fain hope that we'll end the 8th artickle to-morrow, but it is not sure that wee will, and I'm still affraid of a longer exemptione being carried then seven years; however, wee are doeing our best to keep it right.

The pairtie is com back and brought the Dutchess of Hamilton's man with them, the Treasurer of Hamilton, and tuo of the meanest mobers from Glasgow; but all the principal men who cou'd have proven anything are escaped. Those who are brought are to be examined to-morrow, but for want of those people I'm affraid there will nothing be made out against them.

Ther's a paragraff in the last flyeing post from Edinburgh prittie odd, which made me send it you that you may inquyr att the author who was his correspondent, which might be of use for us to know.

I have sent you a new pamphlet, which is reallie prittie well done considering the author, who you would hardly guess to be Roben Seatone. Copy.

SIR DAVID NAIRNE to the EARL OF MAR.

1706, December 19. Whitehall.-This has been a kind of holy day. The Duke of Malborrow was entertand by the City and the trophies of the last years campaigns were caryd befor him, which the Queen came to see. I wish I had got some informations ere now of the mighty discoverys the toun talke will have to be made by Finly and Montgumrie, but I know soe litle that I have not had a charecter of the men more then that the first had been a souldeor in Dumbartons regiament.

THE EARL OF MAR to SIR DAVID NAIRNE.

1706, December 21. Edinburgh.-By the inclosed scrole of yesterday's minuts you'l see that wee lost the vote concerning the drawbacks on beeff and pork. The plurality was but one. I'm very sorie for this, for I know people in England who have no lykeing to the Union will indeavour to make this appear to be a verie great unequality, and so will freight others with it. But if it be considered as reallie it is or possible ever to amount to, it can give no such umbradge. There is verie leitle or no stald beeff here, for our ground will not produce what is large enough for that purpoas. No grass beeff is verie fitt for salting, but especiallie ours that is so leitle and for the most part lain. There was never a hundred barle of Scots beeff, save once, transported for seall in one year, as I'm crediblie informed; so as for beeff you see it nather is now the subject of trade from this nor can it ever be so. As for the pork which is salted and exported from this, it is but fyve or six years since ever ther was any such thing; and the most that ever was exported from Aberdine in one year was eight hundred barle; and that is the only place from whence any was ever sent. The first two yeares of this trade the pork was well cured, so sold well; but afterwards they neglected to cure it faithfullie, so it is now in such disrepute abroad that the last that was sent I'm informed still lyes unsold in Holland. For want of trade and shiping at home, pork here was useless unless exported, which made the last sessione of Parliament give a drawback on it, but after the Union when trade and shiping incresses here ther will be occassione for more pork than this countrie affords, so non will be exported for seall. By all which I hope it appears that even as it has caried it is of leitle consequence. Wee argued against it all wee cou'd, but people had gott such an impressione of it that they wou'd not harken to us. They said that for thir several years bypast the Scots cattle sold verie ill in England so that trade cam now to no account; and after the Union if they were not on a foot of being capable to export them salted with profeit, then England wou'd sett the dice upon them and then they wou'd be forced to sell them to them at what price they pleased to give. This and the incuradgment that som mertchants from London gave by privat letters to people here that insisting on it wou'd obtean it, that a great maney of our oun people were ledd of from us, some of whom now repents it.