Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

ccxcviii Wir,LIAM, FIRST MARQUIS OF ANNAXDALE, 1G72-1721.
berry, who was promoted to be secretary of state. The commission to be keeper
of the privy seal bears that tlic queen, having knowledge of liis lordship's
remarkable loyalty and suflleiont ability, constituted him during her pleasure
lord keeper of the privy seal of Scotland, with rank and precedency next
after the president of the privy council.'
Anuandale intimated both his appointment and pension at the earliest
moment to his marchioness. His letter to her is dated 2d IMay, four days
before the date of his commission. He informed her that his pension and the
perquisites of his ollice made up twelve hundred pounds, and that he hojied
to be continued at the treasury, but with no monetary advantage. This
appointment was highly gratifying to Annandale. In a postscript to the
letter just referred to, he says, " You kno the privie seall is what you have
always liad in veu, and I oune itt is most agreable to me off auie character
att thiss tyme." He, however, expected still furtlier promotion shortly, in
which he was not disappointed, as will be afterwards seen, for he says, in the
same letter to his marchioness, "I am assured thiss is butt ane interim
bussinesse in order to better, for the chancellor shall nott be continued long
after thiss session of parliament." -
The marquis now returned to Scotland to attend parliament. Ik- fore
doing so he made a short visit to his marchioness at Bath, where he was on
the loth of ]\Iay. He was present at Edinburgh on 9th June at the opening
meeting of parliament, where he presented his commission and took his seat
as lord privy se;.l. The Duke of Queensberry was lord high commissioner.
After several sederunts parliament was adjourned on the 30th of Juno, and
did not meet again till next year. When parliament broke up Annandale
returned to England, where he was alternately in London and with the
marchioness at Bath.
' Commission, d.itcd at .St. James's, Gth May 170?, in Aciiancl;ile Cbirler-cbe^t. Acts
of the Parli.imeuta of Scotland, vol. xi. p. C.
S 2d May 1702 ; vol. ii. of this work, j), 213.