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

155
I shal be sure to dispatch all as fast as I can, and if it be
possible get all that we have any reason to suspect home befor
me. I thinke this will be a difi&cult eneugh business, for I
most by no means apear concerned for them, becaus that might
argue fear, which I most not at all shou. LordMaitland's returned
from Neumarket as he uent, so ye see hou punctual the Duke is to
his uord, tho' non of ws was by him, and the confidence and
experience I had of him made me not go, for what he says, I
absulately beleiv, and that u]3on just grounds. I finde nou that
the pretentions begin to appear, for Captain Hume puts in for
some. I beleiv, his chief uill doe so too. But the Earl of
Broadalbin, I uonder most at, who came to me just nou to propose
a pensione for himself to me. I told him, I had never taken
on me in all my lyfe to propose any thing in Thesaurie business,
but by your lordship's orders, and I uold not begin in that, but if
he had minde to propose it to the Duke he might, but in my
opinione the Duke uold not medle in a thing of that nature,
but by your advice.
He sayed he kneu that, and therfor uold first
speak to your lordship himself. He has got pretty fair by this
business, and therfor may the better rest satisfied ; for if others
had got their uills of him, he had bein peiled to the skin. My
brother sends me word that the Chanslour is buying in all the
northe, and Erroll is prevailled on to sell him Eselmount; but
I hav sent him a uatchword not to complement him in the
bargane, for it uill not be north his uhyle. Pray, cans Kintor
send us uord of his transactions ther, for they uold come
seasonably nou at this time, and I have my intelligensers at
uorke to learn the truthe of all. My Lord Kochester has bein out
of toun all this time, or I had uaited on my Lords, your sones, to
him, but nou that he is come to-morrou I shal not feal of it. In
the meantime I shal not be idle, and I hop every post after this
shal bring you some thing from me of mor importance. The
King is to be hear on Saturday.
The Christiane army has had another fling at the Turks, and
the wise King of Spaine is making uar against France. They
say the King has sent Lord Dartmouth to destroy Tangeir and
quite it, which is a wiser actionejn my opinione then the fortifying
of it. So having no mor, and the instructions anent Argyle
not being ready, I can had no mo thing (sic) to this but that
both my wife and myself are your most fathfull servants.
My Lords, your sones, are extreamly uell, and have bein uith all
the great poeple about toun, and most civilely wsed by them. So
soon as Posso comes from 'Neumarket he shal hav my best advice
anent your horses. I hope he shal fitt you, for it is nou the
cheapest time in all the year.
London, 20 October: 1683.
217. Last post brought me tuo of your lordship's of the 9th
and 12th, so that I hav both of them to ansuer. And in the first
place, I am hopefull that ye shal see by the Duke's kindness hou
much he conciders both your person and services, and I uill say
that no art shal be uanting that can promote your interest uith
the greatest safety to you and your interest.