to believe it, they begin to look simple. I think it would be right to assemble still more men about Brahan than you now have: the expence shall be made good; & it will tend to make Caberfoy respectable, & to discourage folly among your neighbours. It's much if your Lop has read this confused scrawl; but you must excuse it, as it comes from a sincere friend. My duty to my Lady. I am truely yours, &c. No. CCCCLXXXV. My Lord, The Lord President to Lord Lovat. Inverness, Oct. 29, 1745. AS I have now the honour of being charg'd with the public affairs in this part of the kingdom, I can no longer remain a spectator of your lordship's conduct, and see the double game you have play'd for some time past, without betraying the trust reposed in me, and at once risquing my reputation, and the fidelity I owe to his majesty as a good subject. Your lordship's actions now discover evidently your inclinations, and leave us no further in the dark about what side you are to choose in the present unhappy insurrection: you have now so far pull'd off the mask, that we can see the mark you aim at; tho', on former occasions, you have had the skill and address to disguise your intentions in matters of far less importance. And, indeed, methinks a little more of your lordship's wonted artifice would not have been amiss, whatever had been your private sentiments with respect to this unnatural rebellion. You shou'd, my lord, have duly considered and estimated the advantages that would arise to your lordship from its success, and ballanced them with the risques you run if it should happen to miscarry; and above all things you ought to have consulted your own safety, and allow'd that the chief place in your system of politics; which, I persuade myself, would have induc'd your lordship to have play'd the game after quite a different manner, and with a much greater degree of caution and policy. But so far has your lordship been from acting with your ordinary finesse and circumspection on this occasion, that you sent away your son and the best part of your clan to join the Pretender, with as little concern as if no danger had attended such a step: 'I say, sent them away; for we are not to imagine they went of themselves, or would have ventured to take arms without your lordship's concurrence and approbation: this, however, you are pretty sure can't be easily prov'd, which, I believe indeed, may be true. But I can't think it will be a difficult matter to make it appear, that the whole strain of your lordship's conversation in every company where you have appeared, since the Pretender's arrival, has tended to pervert the minds of his majesty's subjects, and seduce them from their allegiance: and give me leave to tell you, my lord, even this falls under the construction of treason, and is no less liable to punishment than open rebellion; as I am afraid your lordship will find, when once this insurrection is crush'd, and the government at leisure to examine into the affair. And I am sorry to tell you, my lord, that I could sooner undertake to plead the cause of any one of those unhappy gentlemen, who are just now actually in arms against his majesty, and I could say more in defence of their conduct, than I could in defence of your lordship's. The Duke of Perth and Lord Ogilvy never qualify'd, nor did they ever receive the smallest favour from the present Government; but, on the contrary, were both stripp'd of their titles and honours, and from men of the first quality reduced to the state of private gentlemen, since the revolution, and may both be supposed to act from a principle of resentment, and only took up arms to recover what they thought themselves unjustly depriv'd of. Lord George Murray never had any place place or pension from the public, and was, no doubt, drawn in by the influence of the Marquis of Tullibardin; perhaps, touch'd with pity and commiseration for his eldest brother, who has spent the best part of his life in exile, and undoubtedly upon an allowance much inferior to his dignity. These, and such like apologies, may be offer'd in defence of most of the leading men in the present rebellion; but what shall I say in favour of you, my lord? You, who have flourish'd under the present happy establishment? You, who, in the beginning of your days, forfeited both your life and fortune, and yet, by the benignity of the Government, was not only indulg'd the liberty of living at home, but even restor❜d to all you could lay claim to: nay, his majesty's goodness went so far as to employ your lordship in his service, and was pleased to honour you with the command of one of the independent companies that were raised some years ago in the Highlands, which you enjoy'd for a very long time: so that both duty and gratitude ought to have influenced your lordship's conduct, at this critical juncture, and disposed you to have acted a part quite different from what you have done. But there are some men whom no duty can bind, nor no favour can oblige; and, I'm afraid, if a timely repentance don't prevent it, your lordship will, not unjustly, be rank'd among that number*. You now see, my lord, how unanimous the people of England are against the Pretender, and what forces they are mustering up to oppose him. The king has ordered home his troops; several noblemen have raised regiments at their own expences; and every county and corporation throughout the kingdom are entering into associations in defence of the present establishment: so that these few unhappy gentlemen who are engaged in this rebellion, will have armies after armies to encounter; and if your lordship entertains any hopes of their success, you'll find your mistake, when 'tis too late to amend it. What I would therefore propose to your lordship, as the only expedient left to rescue you from the hazard of a rigorous prosecution, is, to recall your son and his men immediately. This step, I'm persuaded, would produce several good consequences; for, on the one hand, it would prevent numbers from joining the rebels, who now hang in suspence, and, on the other, occasion a great many of those already engaged to desert and retire to their respective habitations, and, perhaps, may be the means of crushing the rebellion without further bloodshed, which would do your lordship a great deal of honour; and such a remarkable piece of service would be amply rewarded by the Government. If you shall judge it proper, my lord, to follow this *What the Lord President here alludes to, are, doubtless, some particulars in the earlier part of the life of Lord Lovat which are related (certainly by some writer not friendly to this unfortunate Nobleman) in "Memoires de la Vie du Lord Lovat," &c. printed at Amsterdam, 12mo 1747; and of which the following is a brief abstract :-In the year 1692 he had the title of Captain Fraser in Lord Tullibardine's regiment; but resigned, to prosecute his claim to be chief of the Frasers; and in order to it, laid a scheme to get the heiress of Lovat; who in 1694, being about to marry Lord Salton's son, he by his armed clan seized him and his company, and, erecting a gibbet, induced father and son to relinquish the contract. But not being able to come at the young lady, in 1695 he seized lady dowager Lovat, in her house, caused a person to marry them against her consent, and, cutting her stays open with his dirk, his Highland lads tore off her cloaths, put her to bed, and were witnesses to the consummation. Soon after, he was, though absent, tried and condemned for a rape on this lady, and for treason in opposing the laws with an armed force, and out-lawed. But though this latter K. William was prevailed on to pardon, he thought proper to fly to France for the former; where, ingratiating himself with K. James, and turning papist, he got a commis. sion; and in 1702, some money from the French king to raise a party in Scotland. But not having credit to do it, and having had a meeting with a minister of state in London, on his return to France, he was put in the Bastile. There he lay several years, and, to get out, took priest's orders; he acted afterwards as a Jesuit priest at St.Omer's, till about 1715; when coming over, and taking a contrary part, he assisted in seizing Inverness from the rebels, and at last got the title of Lovat, a Highland company, and many great favours conferred on him.-S. J. advice, advice, it will give me a great deal of pleasure; as it will contribute to stop the progress of an unhappy civil war, that threatens us with endless calamities; but if your lordship continues obstinate, and will not order your men to disband and return home, I shall be obliged to take you into custody, be the event what it will: and then your lordship will run the risque of having your family extirpate, as well as other of the Highland chiefs, when the rebellion is once quelled. Now, my lord, I have told your lordship my sentiments pretty freely, and no less out of friendship to your lordship than duty to the public. I might have advanc'd many other arguments, to induce your lordship to follow my advice; but, methinks, what I have already said is sufficient; and so I shall only further add, that I am, My Lord, No. CCCCLXXXVI. Yours, &c.* My dear Laird, The Lord President to the Laird of Mac Leod. 29th Oct 1745. I HAVE both your larger & your lesser Epistle of the 23. The effect of the declaration by Balmanach, on Lovat, I doubt the lad did not tell me as it really was, by some things which I have learnt since; & in his return he stay'd two full days at Castledownie, where were Barisdale, Kinlochmoidart, who came north from the P. as he said, for Lovat & you, &c. Co" Mac Donald, that is, Glengary's second son, & severall oỹ"; & doubtless, he can & will tell you all he knows, tho' he was reserved to me; wherefor to him I must refer you for all intelligence from that quarter, & particularly for the history of Pitcalny's son, my grand nephew, for whom I lately procured a comm" in La Loudon's Reg', but whom they seem to have debauch'd into the Young Gentleman's service, in hopes that, being the male heir of the Balnagowan family, he will be follow'd by theRosses, & so recover the estate; as La Lovat did formerly, by espouseing the cause of the Royal family now reigning. He most certainly knows what they said about this operation, & will doubtless open it to you, from whom I expect to hear of it. In Lovat's correspondence & mine, which began after the attack made upon me, he blames, as I told you in my last, his son's obstinacy; & I have heartily given him a great deal of good advice. I in particular, after he had received your message, wrote him a strong letter, which he took three days to answer. He still says his son is inflexible, but is to make further tryalls to divert him from his madness. He tells me, he has prevail'd upon him to deny assistance of men to Barisdale, to revenge himself of some affronts he met with in Assint, of which Balmanach can give you a more perfect aco'; & he presses me still earnestly to give him further advice; saying, that his son will not move for this week. I have return'd him the best advice I possibly could, still in the supposall that the fault is in his son; but suggesting the consequence to himself, which I really dread, if his son shall be permitted to play the fool. What answer I shall have I know not, neither do I know what he has said to Kinlochmoidart, &c. of which you will be undoubtedly satisfy'd in the way I have already suggested; but it is my own opinion, that he will not be hasty to declare finally either way, which in certain events may be attended with consequences for which I shall be sorry. With respect to our friend Macintosh, I am really under Lord Lovat's answer to this letter will be found in p. 238. great ; great concern; the zeal of some people has caused Downie, Gillis, Mac Bean, Lochie, Macintosh, & some others, not exceeding 200, actually to march, much against the Laird's inclinations. They were yesterday morning still about Donachton, & Rates in Badenoch; how far further they are gone I know not; but their kinsmen at home speak as if they took it very ill that Lovat's people are not yet march'd. The Laird of Grant is very wroth at the invasion which Balmanach will tell you the M' of Lovat, Coll" Mac Donell, Barisdale, &c. made on his people of Urquhart. He gather'd last Saturday 500 men together near Dalrachny's to march, as he intended to revenge himself of that personall injury, which to be sure it is in his power to do on Stratherrick, which prevents the succouring; but he has laid that design aside for some time, haveing been inform'd that the design of pressing his men was dropp'd. What he will do when it is resumed I do not know. Caberfoy has got a body of men from Kintail, Lochcarron, &c. about his house, which keeps some of his neighbours in order, & may be y true reason why the design of marching into Assint was laid aside he gave an escort to your last post, & I intend to be gone from him to this, which seems to be necessary so long as Barisdale hovers near this country. I have ask'd the favour of Seafort, that he will send me over Fairburn for ane hour or two; when he comes, I shall know more than I now do. In my last brewes to you and the knight, which I am confident came safe to your hands, I desired the immediate march of the two comp's for which you carry'd the commissions, and of two more for which I shall issue the commissions; & I press'd that one or other of you should come alongst. I in my conscience think, that measure will determine severall of our neighbours to save themselves; & that the appearance which we may make is the only means left to prevent the harsh measures that may be push'd against our country; & what determines me more than ever to think the presence of one of you here necessary, is, the industry I see stirring amongst the weak politicians of this neighbourhood, to debauch both officers & private men; and the disposition of some of those you trust (if the suspition I have already insinuated be just) to favour the cause which we are engaged to oppose. For those considerations, both officers & private men must be strongly indoctrinated before they leave home; & some one, who has authority over them, must necessarily come alongst with them. What the burden may be of the express which Lovat sent you ten days ago, I cannot tell; but he gives it out he has still some hopes from your answer. If he inform'd you that great quantitys of arms, or large sums of money, came by the ship that landed at Montrose, he has been misled; for I have been assured, the arms did not exceed 1,500, nor the money half as many thousands. Another vessel got in to Stonehive with some arms, but without money; & one from Spain, with arms & money, is by a privateer carry'd into Bristol. There is a supplement directed to yo K'. Farewell. Sir, No. CCCCLXXXVII. The Lord President to M' WTM Baillie. 30 Oct 1745 THIS morning I had your's, together with a letter from Pitcalnie, both dated the 28th. I truely compassionate poor Pitcalnie's case; but if his son shall, after what has been said to him, persist in his course, he will discover that degree of obstinacy & perverseness which will soon cancell that concern for him that has hitherto possess'd my mind, & suffer resentment & just indignation to take its place. I do not wonder that the lye that was propagated and believed here, that a body of men from this county were were to visit you & punish Assint, should give your people the alarm; but now, that all apprehensions from that project is over, my friend Lt haveing, as he assures me, resisted it, I should hope there can be no difficulty of bringing the comp together. For let them have what hankering they think fit after what they may look upon as the heir male of their kindred, if they are not themselves jacobits, which I have been assured they are not, I should think it would be easie to create in them ane aversion to the courses of this young man, & to lead them to oppose rather than forward them; considering especially, that it is impossible that their present master can look with indifference on their conduct at this juncture, or abstain from rewarding & punishing accordingly; & if I guess right in this I hope you will lose no time, but furthwith set about getting the men, that they may be at Iñs as soon as possible; & what encresses my earnestness on this article is, the desire I have to signify the readyness of the Rosses in the first letters I write to London, which will be by the vessell that brought doun the arms; & she will probably sail by the end of this, or beginning of next week. The only trouble you can now meet with to the northward, is from a young man who is said to have lately gone to Coigach, & for whose course I am heartyly grieved. I hope, however, he will not on his own bottom be able to do you much harm; & it is obvious enough, & may be made so to your people, who may entertain any apprehension of invasion from this shire, that the haveing a sufficient force at Inverness, which we are soon likely to have, is the easyest & most naturall way of rendering them secure. Make my compliments to Inverchasly, & show him this; as the hurry in which I am, prevents my writeing to him. Except a very few of the Clanchattan, none have as yet stirr'd from this country, & they had not left Badenoch last Monday. I desire to hear from you again as quickly as is possible, & am, dr Will, yours, &c. My Lord, No. CCCCLXXXVIII. Lord Fortrose to the Lord President. AS Ferburn is the bearer of this, he will inform your Lordship of all I know, which is very little. I wish you wou'd give him his commission (for a certain reason), and tell him you expect his company will be compleat at Inverness this week, and that I promised you to have them both there before that time. In my little sphere I have as great reason as most people to cry out O Tempora, O Mores! Some want resolution, others honour, and some free of both. Nov 2d, 1745. THE Doctor shew'd me your's of the 31" Oct', & this evening your servt brought me your's of this day's date. I write this answer this night, that your serv' may get away so soon as the gates are open in the morning. I begin with assureing you, that I am sensible of your good will towards me, & that the Gover' is very much obliged to you for |