The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1710.] MK.MBKK OK TAKMAMEXT FOK KI.Gl.NSII 1 1;];. 301
make a good appearanct'. Tlic writer says, " 1 lia\e consulLecI witli all
your friends aiierit your coruiiig south :
It is resolved your l)est conduct in
generall, and its the opininu of all your friends, that yow come south again
the day pereniptorly, since your absence may l)e niisconsducted, and IJis
Royal Highness (be all ajn)eirance) hes a designe to be acq; ainted with all
the (.hiefs of clannes, ami its thought a solecisnie in any gentleman oi"
(pialiLie to neglect the kissing of liis hands."' Whether the Laird went
to Edinburgh at this time cannot be clearly ascertained, though it is not
unprobable. He certainly travelled south in the followang year, when the
Duke of York was a second time in Scotland, and lie was a member of the
Parliament opened by the Duke on I'Sth July 1G81. On that occasion the
Laird of Freuchie and Thomas Dunbar of Grange appeared as commis-
sioners for the shire of Elgin." Li this important Parliament were
discussed the Acts anent the succession to the Ci-own and " Pieligion and
the Test." The Parliament generally seems to have offered no olyec-
tion to the passing of these Acts, nor to the imposing of the test upon
all classes of men holding offices, either pul>lic or private, although the
form of oath A^'hich bore that the " King's IMajesty is the only supream
Governour of this realme over all persons and in all causes as weill ecclesi-
asticall as civill," had a highly important significance, when inter])reted by
the Act of Succession, Avhicli secured the Crown to a Roman Catholic.
The Laird of Freucliie apparently voted in unison with his fellow
Members of Parliament on all points of the Test Act, save one, in regard to
wdiich the official record, of the date 31st August 1(381, runs thus— " That
pairt of the Act, If the Test should be put to the electors of commissioners
for shires to the Parliament, having been put to the vote by it selfe before
the voteing and passing of the whole Act, and the same being caryed in
the affirmative, the Laird of Saltoun and the Laird of Grant having voted
in the negative, desired their dissent might be marked."^
This incident, in which the Laird of Freuchie was associated with
Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, afterwards so famous as a leader of the
National party m Scotland, has been embellished by the hand of tradition.
' Original Letter, datLfl -JOth .T.uuiary ICSO. at - Acts of the I'.irliampiits of Scothiud, vcl. VI 11.
Castle Grant. !>. 2.32. ^ IbhI. j,. 2i;