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

THE MUNIMENTS OF HIS GEACE THE DUKE
OF BUCCLEUCH AND QUEENSBEEEY, K.G.,
K.T., IN THE CHAETEE-EOOM OF DEUM-
LANEIG CASTLE, IN THE COUNTY OF
DUMFEIES.
FOURTH REPORT.
The three Reports on the Muniments at Drumlanrig ah*eady
presented to the Commissioners on Historical Manuscripts were
dated respectively 24th December 1895, and 10th April and 29th
October 1896. Since the last of these dates, on 13th March
1898, the death of Sir William Eraser, K.C.B., who presented these
Reports, has taken place. At the time of his death Sir William
had made considerable progress in the preparation of a Fourth
Report upon the Muniments at Drumlanrig. He also left what
he had overtaken of the Report in such a state as to render it
possible to complete it upon the plan which he had mapped out
for himself. Shortly before his last illness, feeling himself unequal
to continue the preparation of the Report, as he was then
fully occupied with the completion of his last Family History, he
requested me to undertake for him the finishing of the Report, as
soon as I could find time to do so ; a request which he repeated
during his illness. Subsequent to his death, James Balfour Paul,
Esq., Lyon King of Arms, and James Craik, Esq., W.S., the
trustees of Sir William Fraser, asked me, if upon the necessary
permission being obtained, I would undertake the completion of
the Fourth Drumlanrig Report. Thereafter they communicated
my willingness to do so to the Commissioners, when the Master
of the Rolls, on behalf of the Commissioners, authorised me to
complete the Report upon the Drumlanrig Muniments.
The Report which follows is classified under two sections of
Correspondence. The first of these consists of letters from
Alexander, fourth Earl of Moray, Secretary of State for Scotland,
to William Douglas, Marquis and Duke of Queensberry. These
are holograph of the Earl, and comprise in all 167 letters.
The second section consists of letters by the Hon. John
Drummond of Lundin, successively Treasurer Depute and
Secretary of State for Scotland, afterwards Viscount and Earl of
Melfort, to William Douglas, Marquis and Duke of Queensberry.
These letters, also holograph, are 11-1 in number.
3773 A