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

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the wlioll expence of the troup they ar but equall with others, considering
their want of militia and their disorders ; and if the King will doe
his pairt, I shall undertake for the contry as a Galoua Laird. The ways
I will propose will lessen the expence extreamly ; first, if the Deuk
pleases, I offer myself to take the surintendency of them with out any
pay ; and for the nixt officer who is to be the drudge, he may have six
pounds a day by taking tuo men of evry on of our troups of horse.
wer sixty and ther is on taken of for the artilleri, se there nou] remains
59 which does not well : but if these 2 were taken of, we would be just
the establishment of Holland which is 57, and with the corporalls in
rank as they oght to be maks just 20 in each rank, which is right. For
the cornet, 1 must be excused if I propose to destroy a goverment was
made for the governors cause. I think the pay would be as well
bestoued this way, seing he has no body to gaird but solen geese and
ministers ; the first will not flee away, and the others would be as well
in Blakness or Dumbarton. Nou for the hondred men at sixpence a
day, I would first mak use of the four and tuenty ar in the Bass,
remains 76 which would amount to about seven hondred pounds a year;
and for that your Lordships of the Treasury might fynd a way to cut
of som ydle pension, and I hear my Lord Neuwark is dead, which is four
of it ; and if it could be got no where els, it were better sell that rok,
and the money of it would serve both here and in the West, for I could
undertake the same thing might be don there. I will asseur you there
lias been no mor faisable project, tho I say it myself; for, first, it would
secur this contry, then if those of the West wer frustrat of this retreat,
they would be easilyer found. Then this might in all occasions be a
brave troup of fuseliers or granadiers, when iff euer the King had
occasion ; for I should bread them to either or both, as the Deuk had a
mynd ; and I would desyr lieve to drawe out of the tuo regiments a
hondred of the best musketiers had served abroad, and I should take
horses here amongst the suffering siners ; and T will take the liberty to
say, that what ever way be taken to doe it, we need we need mor horse
and dragoons. If this doe not, I may brake my head to no purpose
for I knou after that- no other way but to doe as others, and gate as
much mony as I can, which I have not thoght on as yet, by puting the
lawes in exeicution. I desyr, if your Lordship lyk it, you may late the
Deuk hear it, as I propose it, and speak the Generall, and the Advocat,
and my Lord President, and the Register about it. I am, ray Lord,
your Lordships most humble and faithfull servant,
J. Grahame.
197. Wishes to make the people secure—Would soon set to work
all who had not left the country should have a test of loyalty &c.
Wigtoun, 5 March 1682.
My Lord, you needs not expect great things from me on heast as to
the seasing any considerable rebelles ; for I never mak so much as the
least search for them, knouing hou much they ar upon their gaird, if
they be not out of the contry ; and by this I desein not to harass the
troupes, till I have made them secur. Old Craichley cam yesterday and
got a saif conduct for his son and an other heritor called Makgie that
has not yet been heard of. Here in the shyr I fynd the lairds all
foUouing the exemple of a le.at great man, and still a considerable heritor
here amongst them, which is, to lieve regularly themselfs, but have their
houses constant hants of rebelles and intercomed persons, and have their
childring baptysed by the saim, and then lay all the bleam on their
wyfes, condeming them and swear ng they can not help what is don in
their absence. But I am resolved this gest shall pass no longer here.
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