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

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shal go before him, and God willing, hav the hapieness to see
your Grace, and to assure you againe that I am, mor then
I can express, your fathfullest servant. My obligations
increase, and I am sencible of it mor then is imaginable.
The Duke told me that at your desire he had thought iitt
that as the Earl of Midleton had continoued to him the pensione
he had befor so he had continoued mine, which is mor then I
could hav expected ; but all I oue to your Grace, and therfor uill
frankly spend it to serve your Grace in all that is your interest.
Postscript —My Lord Rochester reneus his sute to your Grace
for Mr. McEuan to be Wsher and Hous keiper. Bend me your
ansuer, and I shal use it as I ought.
London, 15 Jan'^ : 1685.
261. Last post brought me the honor of your Grace's of the
8 of Jan'' , for which, amongst many other things, I returne my
most humble thanks : and shal in the first place, assure your
Grace that ther never uas any designe of the King's medling in
Rocheid's mater, nor in his sone in lau's aither, uho is lykuays
turned out from being Clerk of the Canongate. I uold not so
much as take ane informatione of the mater, when I heard hou
the magistrates had bestoued the place, judgeing the man a very
deserving persone ; but I shal say in generall, as I hav ever done,
that things of that nature cannot be so uell concidered hear as
belou, uher ther contingencys uith the Goverment are more
nearly sein and ther effects felt. And for the Summer Sessione,
no doubt, befor any thing be concluded, in it, or any thing els,
3'our lordship uill be fully advised uith ; nor doe I imagine that
it can be any body's interest to mov in it, except it be atounsman
or lauer; and thes I think may doe it uithout the sentatione
of ther mony. For my oun part, I ever dislyked the Act and its
consequenses, being a precedent for tying up the King's prerogativ,
and if that be salved, my concern is at ane end, for the thing
is naither, or ever can be, aither advantage or disadvantage to me
or if it uer, I uill assure your Grace your opinione should suay
mine intirely in it.
As for your Grace's desire concerning Claverhous, the fear
your Grace had of seiming piqueish in it uas most just,
and in my opinione, it was extreamly uell done to delay
that prosecutione till ye kneu the Duke's mynd. The fear
I had of the same interpretatione has made me studie a fitter
oportunity then I hav yet had to make the propositione to the
Duke ; but nixt post, God uilling, I shal ureat most fully of it to
you, and in the mean time shal doe it in the tenderest maner imaginable.
I shall lykuays sho the Duke the state I hav of the Army,
which by consequence uill hit some uher and doe good. I shal
giv your Grace a full accompt of it my self. ...
The resolutions for the Parliament, uith the draught of the
letter to the Parliament, and the Duke's instructions, are much
longed for hear, as lykeuays the quota of the neu suplie, the
peaper concerning Holland, and other things recommended, in
which your Grace's opinione is lykuays most humbly begged.