the same time of what arms, etc., were in the Duke of Gordon's lands and elsewhere among those who were Papists or disaffected to the Government, that the Council might considder what was to be done. This occasioned severals of the Council to complain that notwithstanding the many complaints there has been made of the encrease of Popery and the swarming of priests openly and avowedly in many places of the North and of Galloway and Nithsdale, that yet nothing was effectually done to restrain them. Earl Seaforth was allso instanced, who having been carry'd abroad to be confirmed Popish, and being brought back by the desire of the Government, yet had priests about him and others of that religion, which is not the way to make him turn Protestant. It was allso urged that it was no wonder the Jacobites should take courage to enterprize something, since up and down the wholle country, and even here in Edinburgh, there are a great many of the Episcopal ministers who without the least check keep open and publick meeting-houses, who yet are so far from praying for the Queen as the law requires and good subjects ought to do, that in a manner they pray and preach for the pretended King James the 8th. Upon this the Provost of Edinburgh was asked concerning those Episcopal ministers who keep meeting-houses within the town's jurisdiction, and which are a great many. He told that he had called severals of them before him and asked them whether they prayed for Queen Anne, who answered that they did not pray for her but that they prayed for their soveraign and all the Royall familly in general. Some of them added that their auditors would desert them if they prayed for the Queen by name; and being asked whether they would now and in time coming pray for her as the law requires, but none of them would say that they would pray for her, and some of them said that they behooved to have some time to think on it before they would give ane answer. None of them, except one Mr. Walker, said they were willing to pray for the Queen, and he said he was very willing to do it but that he durst not because he subsisted by the charity of his hearers, who would all desert him if he should so openly declare himself for the Queen. And none of these ministers observed the late fast, except this same Walker, if I remember right. The Council enquiring how it came that such insolence to the Government had not been taken notice of, the Advocat began to blame the Frovost; but he said he had frequently acquainted the Advocat of it, and desired his advice and concurrence. It all ended in this that none should be allowed to preach who did not pray for Queen Anne expressly; and the Advocat was ordained to send the same order to all the sheriefs and magistrates of burghs, etc., in North Brittain. As to the invasion, the noise of it makes some people uneasy, and others pretend to give no credit to it, at least pretend that they don't believe it is intended for any part of Brittain. But perhaps I'll be able to write of this more particularly the next occasion. THE DUKE OF ATHOLE to the EARL OF MAR. 1707-8, March 3. Dunkeld. Having the occasion of my son, William, I take leave to put your Lordship in mind that there is 1,500 lib. due to me as Privy Seale, and that it is now above three yeares agoe, and I hope it will be thought too long a time to lye under such a hardship. It is like to prove a yett longer time before I can have itt out of the equivalent, wherefore I intreate your Lordship will be pleased to lay this before the Queen, who I hope will doe me the justice to order my payment out of some other fond, and she may be reimbursed out of the equivalent. I am perswaded this will not stick at her Majestie, of whose goodnes and justice I have formerly had experience when I had the honour to serve her; and tho' I was turned out, I supose by some of my old friends, I doe not reckon that a great loss, since I have found it a great advantage to live at home. However, I should have been very well satisfied to have known the reasons were made use of to her Majestie for itt, for I am sure I was guilty of no fault to her Majestie. But att Courts I have heard that is not enough; but it was to serve her only that I engadged, and I was much indifferent as to others favour. THE EARL OF MAR to MR. GEORGE ERSKINE. 1707-8, March 12. Whitehall.-I'm affraid before this come to your hand that you have heard of the French landing. E'er long there will be such a force sent against them that they and their associats will not be able to stand before; but I'm affraid our poor country and particular persons suffer. I wrote some dayes ago to my brother to wryt to you to put my papers and cabinets into the charter-house, which I hope you have done. The furnitur of the house is not so pratious that I'm much affraid of it, so take not down one bitt of it, but the looss things in the house of any worth, as linning or so, put into the chartur-house or some other sure place which I think better, except a few which you wou'd keep out in case any of my friends chance to come and ly there. You must alow nobody whatsomever to put their goods into the house, as I have seen done upon such an occation, for thats the way to have it burnt. There are some armes in the closet of the cross vault, which you wou'd cause clean and give them out to the prittiest fellows of the toun who you can trust most, and they wou'd keep some kind of guard on the house to prevent its being pilaged or burnt by any loose partie. I hope my people about Alloa will not think this any hardshipe, for I belive non of them wou'd willingly see me burnt out, and this you may tel them from I wish you cou'd get the cannon which are in the chartur buried, but it must be done privatly. If the enimie come near you, I'm more affraid that my hay occasion their coming to Alloa than anything, so I wish I had not a pyll; but if you shou'd distroie it they wou'd be exasperat if they came to know me. it, and perhaps might do me more mischife than other wayes they would, so I leave it to you to do what you think best as to this. I hope nather friends nor enimies will be so barbarous as to spoil my gardens. THE EARL OF MAR to his brother, LORD GRANGE. 1707-8, March 12. Whitehall.-I wrote yesterday morning to my Lord Leven by a messenger of the French sailing, of which I doubt not but you will hear before you get this. We long to hear from Scotland, and I'm affraid the French are landed there, but by the superiority of our fleet we can hardly think they wou'd attempt to land in the Firth; so if they have landed I hope 'tis in the North, and if it be so I would have you to send a coach and six immediatly to Stirling to bring your mother, sister and nephew to Edinburgh. I have wrote the incloased to your mother which I've left open for your perusing, and then forward it to her by a sure hand, and also that to George Erskine. There will be such a force sent to Scotland e'er long that the French and their adhearers will not be able to withstand, but our poor country will suffer in the meantime, tho' there will be no fear of the main chance. I have wrote fully by this express to the Earle of Leven, so I referr you to what he will tel you. Our greatest concern here is for the money at Edinburgh, but we hope the Councill will take cair of it that it fall not into the enimies hands. THE EARL OF MAR to his brother, LORD GRANGE. 1707-8, March 16. Whitehall.-I hope our greatest danger is now over, so that my mother and Tomie may continow at Stirling in saiftic. We must not yet be too secure for all this, for it is posible for them to escape our fleet, and then they may perhaps (tho' not probablie) land in the North or go north about to Clyd. But if they did so, you will not be now surprized as you would have been had they landed now in the Firth as they designed. LORD GRANGE to MR. GEORGE ERSKINE. 1708, March 16. Edinburgh.--By a letter I had from my brother yesterday, he bids me tell you immediately to secure all his papers and cabinets in the charter-house, but to do it with as little noise as possible. I have some of his papers, viz., rights bought in on the estate of Mar, which I wish were there allso, for they would be more safe in that place than in my custody. The British fleet under Sir George Bing's command attacked the French, who were to invade us, on Saturday last at 4 afternoon off the coast of Angus, and they fought till night. Next morning their canonading was renewed. What has been the event of this engadgment we do not yet know. Sir George Bing came up above Inch Keith yesternight, and brought up a French ship in which are 700 men, a lieutenantgeneral, Earl Midleton's two sons, and Lord Griffon. The rest are all got off scart free, and this morning we hear are lying before Aberdeen; and if so, no doubt they are landed or landing by this time. The enclosed came by ane express this morning from my brother, to which I need add nothing, but if the people of Alloa do not readyly concur to defend both their own houses and my brother's from being insulted, they are strange people. MR. DAVID ERSKINE to the EARL OF MAR. 1708, March 16. Edinburgh.-Admiral Bing lyes still with his fleet in Leith road, though there be fears of a French landing in the North. THE EARL OF MAR to his brother, LORD GRANGE. 1707[-8], March 18. Whitehall.-I had yours of the 11th yesterday, and of the 14th to-day. We long impatiently for further news of the ingadgment and are in great expectations of a victorie, which I hope we shall have by to-morow morning. I hope this storme is over, for which we have reason to bliss God. LORD REAY to the EARL OF MAR. 1708, March 20. Tongue.-My Lord: I'm very much surprised to hear that I'm cited to Edinburgh among these thought dissaffected to her Majestie's Government, since your Lordship and all our statesmen knows how helpfull my friends, relations and followers were in promoting the late happy revolution, having lost themselves and partly ruined my mean fortune by their zeal and forwardness therein. And your Lordships were all wittness that I have been hithertoo a true follower of their footsteps conforme to my power. So that I can't imagine what shou'd make me suspected, save that I was neglected in the late reign, which I can't blame her Majesty for, having neither the honour or happyness to be known by her. But, my Lord, a good action bears its own reward, and as nothing is able ever to make me join in any interest against the present setled Goverment, so I rather ruine myself and family in serving in so just a cause than raise both otherways; and I expect your Lordship, after communicating this to the Earle of Loudon, will both of you do me the justice to assure her Majesty that I'le venture my life and fortune as readily and freely in defending her person and Government, as these who shares most in her royal bounty and favour. The situation of this countrey renders it usefull if their be occasion, being 'twixt tuo that are thought ill-affected, and iff some arms and ammonition were. ordered me, which I have acquainted the Earle of Levin of, I can bring a handsome parcell of pretty fellows without one dissafected man among 'em wherever the service wou'd require, and all my own friends and relations. MR. JOHN STIRLING to the EARL OF MAR. 1707[-8], March 24. Glasgow.-I had the honour of your Lordship's of the 16th instant this evening. I shal not fail to communicat the contents thereof to the Commission when it meets. I am heartily glad that what was so honestly intended as to the Fast had been so acceptable to her Majesty. It will, I hope, have good effects in this countrey, and prove serviceable at this juncture. Great pains are taken here by the ministers to bring people to a right temper and impress 'em with a just sense of their danger upon this invasion, and to dispose 'em to all dutifull affection and loyalty to the Queen. The presbytery here meets weekly and corresponds with all the presbyteries in this province, which is the largest in this Church. This day we had correspondents from the greatest part of 'em, and unanimously agreed to a very dutiful address to her Majesty. It is to be dispatched with this post, and I hope will be followed with moe addresses from other presbyteries. THE EARL OF MAR to his brother, LORd Grange. 1708, March 25. London.-The intelligence we had this morning by the flying pacquet of those ships seen off the north cost, gives us a great dale of uneasiness now after we were in hopes that the affair was over, but we must keep up our hearts the best we can til we hear again. If they do land 'tis probable it will be in the Moray Firth, so we have some comfort that it will be long before they can march south, and the Queen's troups will be in time to meet them more than half-way, so we will not be surprized. Therfore, tho' you hear of their landing, I think you need not be in great heast to send for my son soon; but you upon the place can better judge of the circumstances, so I leave it to you. What Leven wryts of Drummond's going towards the Hi'lands and some other people, makes folks here not doubt of a landing, and think more seriously of the affair than they have done for some dayes past; but I wou'd fain think that those hote headed gentlemen may yet be disappointed. If the French land, I'll be sorie there was not a warrand for apprehending Pan- -, but I hope he will not play the fool. I'm just now in Sir David Nairne's drinking his Holiness Glasgow's foie, who goes to-morrow. We must keep up our heart come what will. MR. DAVID ERSKINE to the EARL OF MAR. 1708, March 25. Edinburgh.-This day we had expresses both from Inverness and Inverlochie with ane account that all is in quiet, and no apearance of the French fleet either on the north or west coasts, so that we are hopefull they are returned from whence they came. Yesterday were put in our Castle Duke of Gordon; Earles of Murray, Seaforth, Traquair; Viscount |