The manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of ... - Electric Scotland

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might have done him ill offices to his Royal Highness, he writes, " 1
assure you there is no such thing, and you cannot desire I should
be better satisfyd with you then 1 am ; and am very sensible how well
you serve his Majesty, and how true a friend you are to me."
In a letter dated April 10th, he writes that he had received a letter
from Queensberry's eldest son. Lord Drumlanrig about his desire to
be allowed to go into the army. His Royal Highness seconds his
request, and thinks he may not fare the worse for being an elder
brother. From Windsor, April 2ith, he writes.— '"And now Clauers
will be sone sent back to you. I only keep him here till the Archbishop
and Generall shall be come, and by him I shall answer all your
letters." The General referred to here is General Dalyell of the Binns,
who had gone to Windsor and had told his Royal Highness all his
grievances, who added in his letter just quoted, '^ which needed not his
having made so long a journey. I shall by Clavers know what
they are. He will now be soon dispatched back to you."
In a further letter from the Duke of York, dated London, May 9, he
writes, " The Old General is now agoing back, and I hope better satisfyd
then when he came from Scotland. His having spoken to the King
him-zelf will have helped to have satisfyd him . . . My daughter's
being to be married to the Prince of Denmark will now be no newse to
you ; and I am the better pleased with it, because I find the loyal party
here do like it, and the Whigs are as much troubled at it . . .1 came
yesterday from Windsor, and am to returne back thether to-morrow
from whence I will sone dispatch Clauers to you." In a letter
dated May 13, from Windsor, after his return there, he says, '* This gos
to whom I must refer for severall things I have to say
to you and to informe you how things go here."
to you by Clauers
In another letter from the Duke, dated from the same place, June 22,
he writes, " I am very glad to heare from all hand that Duke Hamilton
beliavs himself so well. I have done both him and Lord Aran right to
his Majesty, and will upon all occations shew them what kindness I
can." In a letter from London, four days later, which he begins with
a vindication of Ciaverhouse from a report circulated about him, he
writes, " I am confident they do him " [Ciaverhouse] " much wrong
who report he should say, I am displeased with you, since I assure you
there is no such thing, and that he is not a man to say things which
are not ; and this justice I must do him, that whilest he was here, no
man was more your friend then he, and did presse all your concerns with
more earnestnesse . . . Lord Russell and Lord Gray are sent tc
the Towre, and that the Duke of Monmouth is not to be found, though
a warrant has been out since noon to take him. We are gott to the
bottom of this damnable conspericy against his Majesty and the Government.
In a few day[s] will be made publike to all the world." In
another letter dated from the same place, July 7th, he writes, " There is
one taken in the West who is beleved to be that great villan Rombold."
The next letter, dated July — , refers to Lord Russell and several of
the other conspirators who were to be tried the following week, and
states that several people were taken and examined every day who, it
adds, acknowledge the rising which was to have been about this time
though they had put it off once before. The letter then proceeds " and
had mised of their dispatching his Majesty and myself." ''We are all
here so full of this damnable conspiracy that one cannot write of any
thing else." In a letter dated July 13, the Duke writes " that the E. of
Essex cut his own throte in the Tower yesterday to prevent the stroke
of justice, tho he had not yett been indited. Lord Russell and three