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

178
morrow. I gave last night his IVIajesty an account, in presence of the
two Scots Secretarys, both of- what you and Major White wrote to me
about Lieut. Gen. Drummonds pretentions as Master of the ordinance ;
and it is his Majestys pleasur that that affaire be regulated there as it
is here, of which you will have an account from one of the Secretarys;
so that I need say no more on that subject ; and have read over both
G Drummonds and Major Whits proposals for the necessary repairs
L :
:
of Edenburgh Castel, of which an estimat must be made by the Master
of the Ordinance and given to you as Lord Ti-esurer, to be sent up
hether for his Majestys order upon it. I am of your mind as to the
Justice Clarks place, and shall when I see a fitt tyme speake to his
Majesty about it; and shall by the next haue knowne his pleasur as to
the gratuitous pentions ; and the refering it to some of you upon the
place, to give him your advice about settling of the mint. As to the
affaire of Crightons remision, I haue not yett read the depositions you
haue sent and so cannot say anything upon it now. The Lieutenants
place in Stirling Castel is giuen to Lord Morrays brother, and was
promist him long before I had your letter. Since the writing of this
I spake with the Secretarys about the affaire of the mint, who have put
me in mynd that in a letter from his Majesty to tliose who had examind
that affaire of the mint, they had directions to propose to his Majesty a
method for the futur regulation of it, so that what you proposed is done
already. I haue just now receved yours of the 28 : Nouembcr with the
state of his Majestys revenu and am sorry to see it has so great a
burthen upon it ; and shall shew it to his Majesty that he may see to
hold his hand from adding any more pentions to those are already. I
am sorry to hear Lord Dulhousie is dead. There were many pretenders
besids him you mentiond, who tho worthy deseruing men, yett his
Majesty thought it necessary for his service to haue some good old
officer in that regiment, and so has given the Lieutenant Colonels place
to Lieutenant Colonel Bohen, who is now in Holland, the Major to the
eldest Cap : Balfore, and the vacant company to Fleming who is Captain
Lieutenant, and leavs it to Lord Mar to name his owne captain lieutenant.
As for the sherifship, 1 will speake to his Majesty that the Chanceler may
haue it. I see you continu still of the same mind for a letter to be
writen by his Majesty in fauor of the Chanceler as you proposed some
tyme since : and tho I confesse I did not thinke it necessary, yett since
you thinke it is so, and that it will be of countenance to him, if you will
send a ruf draft of such a letter I will offer it to his Majesty ; and tho
it is proper to leave a blanke as to the somme, yett pray in your letter
lett me know what it is you would propose it should be. As to Lord
Castelhill, I will move his Majesty he may be of the councell, but do not
lett it be spoken of till the letter go downe. You will haue an account
from one of the Secretarys of his Majestys pleasur concerning Mrs.
Roches affaire. I will also speake to his Majesty about Posse. I must
now tell you that his Majesty has been prest to renew the Duke of
Monmouths order for his being alowed his defalcation out of the sesse,
as the Lords of the Session are, and as he was before you were Tresurer ;
upon which I shewd his Majesty what a greuance it was to all the rest
of Scotland to haue him and the Lords of the Sessions exempted, when
they all pay ;
upon which his Majesty seemd to be satisfyd none of them
should be freed from bearing there equal burthens with their fellow
subjects. However, I would not presse him to come to a positive
resolution till I had aduised with you and the Chanceler about it, to
know whether it be resonable to take it from every body : for besids
that, I thinke it resonable that in such a tax as this is all should pay ;
and I foresee that if they haue it conti*eud to them the Duke of Mon-