Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

cclxvi WILLIAM, FIRST MARQUIS OF ANNANDALK, 1C72-1721.
with him that on the 0th of October the iioinination was delayed. They
came to Xewmarket on the 14th, accompanied witli Mr. Johnstone, their agent.
After some delays and discussions as to who .should present the address,
Aunandale made the presentation. A letter of the period says the king had
heard all of them, but they had no reason to brag of kind entertainment
and adds, ''tlie whole clubb is now shatcriiig."*
Sir James ]\Iontgomerie, stung with disappointment, first at not receiving
the appointments he expected, and now at losing the king's favour, entered
into that scheme known in history as " Moutgomerie's I'lot." His object
was to eflect a revolution against King "William for the purpose of restoring
King James. Aunandale, who joined in the plot, being young and inexperi-
enced, came to see his error, and made his escape from it by a frank con-
fession, in which he gives the following account of its inception :
"After the first adjournment of the Scots parliment in the year 1689, tlie
Earle of Annandall, Lord Koss, Sir James Montgomery of Scahnorley, cam to
London, contrair to the King's express command, and presented ane Adres to his
Majesty, which v,-ith a lybell, called the vindication of it (wryten be Mr. Robert
Ferguessou, as Sir James told the earle, who furnished him with the materialls),"
gave such ofience to the king, as mad us quickly see vv-e had totalio lost the king's
favour. Thus, the earle continoued at London, without entering into an.ay desyn,
till the beginning of December, about which tym. Sir James Montgomeric, who
is, perhaps, the worst and most restles man .alyvc, cam to the earle, and proposed
to him, that since ther was no hops of doing any thmg with the king, we ought
to apply our sclfs to King James, who was our lawful prince, and who no doubt
wold give us what preferments and imployments we pleased. To this purpose,
severall days we discoursed, and the earle having agreed to tlie proposition, it
' Letter, 15th October 1CS9, from Daviil vimlicated. Glasgow: Priutcd by Andrew
Nairue, The MolvUIes, Earls of Melville, Hepburn. Auno Horn. 16S9." The lan-
vol. i. pp. 211, ^IS. gi'-'igs emjiloyed in this tract is pr.rticularly
—
bitter in abuse of the king's ministers of
2 The libel referred to bore the following stale, and especially Lord Stair and Sir
title : " The late Proceedings and Votes of John Dalrymple, his son. The Address is
the Parliament of Scotland ; contained in .in printed at the end of the p.irnphlet, and is
Address delivered to the King, signed by the said to have been delivered to his Majesty at
plurality of the members thereof, stated and Hamilton Court on loth October 1CS9.
;