Chapter IV: Part 4

On the Friday I left Edinburgh and went to Traquair and so through Tweeddale to York, where I stop’d to talk to the D[uke] of P[erth] one of the Concert, and acquaint him with my journey and received his commands. The principal part of my transactions was to make myself fully acquainted with the French Resolutions, to give them all encouragement possible, and to write to his Majesty acquainting him that the Gentleman in the Highlands being informed that my L[ord] M[arischal],[118] whom his Majesty had honoured with the Command, was a man of a very high and forbidding manner, and exceedingly positive in his way, they were afraid least such procedure might create differences and heart burnings amongst them; wherefore he prayed his Majesty would send over General Keith,[119] who they understood was of a very mild and humane temper and in whose abilitys they had great confidence. When I came to York his Grace the D[uke] of P[erth] approved highly of my going over and gave me a great many injunctions[120] how to write to the King, which is needless here to put down as they all tended to prevent differences in case matters came to be put in execution. I then went to London, where I only stayed some few days, and sett out of on Munday about 12 o’clock to Dover where I arrived the same night about 9 o’clock, and found a Packet ready to sail. As the wind was then pretty fair, I was in hopes of getting next morning pretty early to Calais, but it changed a little after we was at sea, so were oblidged to make for Boulogne, this made me exceedingly uneasy as I was instructed to go privately to Paris without the knowledge of any of the people who were at Boulogne, and now in all probability we were to land in broad daylight where I must infallibly have been known; but luckily we were becalmed all that day, and did not arrive till about three in the morning. I stayed there till about five, when I got a chaise and set out for Paris, where I came on Friday morning and went to McDonald’s the Banquier,[121] and enquired for Mr. Maxwell, which was the name Drummond then went by. I immediately went to him this same day before dinner, and found him greatly surprised at my Coming, but said it was very lucky as it might be a mean to quicken the French in proceeding; when they saw how forward and anxious the Country was to come to action. Upon my arrival at London I heard of Cardinal Fleury’s death, which was a very unlucky incident; for these two Gentlemen had it left in their power to assert, that had not that happened, every thing would certainly have been performed, and not then in my power to advance anything positively to the contrary. I went with Mr. Drummond in the evening to Lord Semple who I had never seen before: he received me very civily and enquired about the situation of the Country which I told him was very favourable; but as the letter Mr. Drummond had wrote, gave us to understand that the Cardinal had determined to put things in execution sooner than we had any cause to expect, never having had anything encouraging before, and that by that letter, we was told of no particulars, it was judged necessary I should come over to know how things were to be executed: and particularly, what assurances of every kind we might depend upon; so as the Gentlemen of the concert might be able upon my return to sett immediately about preparing the Country for their reception. He then agreed with Mr. Drummond that my coming over was well timed, but that he was afraid it might require some time before the French could be brought into it, as in all probability their schemes would be entirely altered by the Cardinal’s death; that all his views consisted in keeping peace, but that there was a party of younger people about court, who had gained a good deal upon the King, which together with his own natural disposition and heat of youth inclined him to war. At the same time he said it was lucky that he had observed the Cardinal’s Decline, and had persuaded him to impart all the affairs that concerned this Country to Mr. Amalot,[122] by which means they would be but little stop as to the King or Ministery being acquainted with whatever related to us, as Mr. Amalot was continued as Minister of Forreign Affairs. A great deal more of this kind passed, and upon my not being able to tell them minutly what every individual of the Concert had done in the particular District alotted them, Mr. Drummond complained that I had not been fully informed of all their Scheme. I in the meanwhile did not reflect upon the Cause of his making such reflections against Lord T[ra]q[uai]r, who was the person that informed me of their Concert; but it has often occurred to me since, that they laid great stress on all the little pieces of information they gott of the Gentlemen’s procedure in Scotland, and everything they gott took care to make a mighty matter of it to the King: and Mr. Drummond did not fail as he has often told me himself, to write in the strongest terms to his Majesty, of their great success, which he knew must always redound so far to his advantage, as he had taken care to make the King believe he was the person who had sett all in motion, and that it was upon his plan that they acted, and their success mostly owing to following the Scheme he had laid down to them. I then told them it would be necessary as the Cardinal was now dead that I saw Mr. Amalot, and heard what Resolutions they had taken, to be able to inform the King’s friends of what was to be expected. Lord Semple told me that Mr. Amalot was then at Versailes, but would be in town on Sunday when he would talk to him, and inform him of my being sent over, and gett him to fix a time when I might have an audience, he accordingly was with him on the Sunday and, as he told me the same evening, could not see him for ... and when he did tell him, he took it very ill that he had been made wait so long in his Out-chamber; that although his Master was not upon the Throne and so did not keep his Ministers publickly at Court, yet he thought using these he employed in his service in that shape was treating him ill and not like a Prince as he really was. That Mr. Amalot made excuses from his being so little in Paris all week, and consequently hurryed all the while he was there; but fixed no time when to see me, so his Lordship went by himself to Versailes that week, where he stayed a night or two and returned to town. I went out some days after along with him and Mr. Drumond to see Mr. Amalot who was first to talk to with the King and then return me his Majesty’s answer, but was told from day to day, that he could not have an opportunity of talking with the King. So was oblidged to return to Paris without seeing him.

I wrote a pretty long letter to the King acquainting him with the reasons of my coming over and hoping his Majesty would pardon my leaving the Country without his Permission, but not to be too tedious by mentioning all the different conversations I had with his Lordship and Mr. Drummond during my stay which were all to the same purpose, together with the most severe Reflections and Invectives against the Dutches of Buckingham[123] and Lord Marshal with Coll Cecel,[124] Coll Brette[125] and Ch. Smith[126] and all those who were of a contrary party from them, alledging it was entirely owing to their having given in Ridiculous Schemes to the Cardinal demanding vast numbers of men, money, cannon, etc., sufficient to conquer the Country, which made the Old man have a mean opinion of the power of the King’s party and put a stop to his realy putting in execution ... required of him; and at the same time assuring me that these people were most unjust to the Cardinal in alledging that he was not hearty and sincere in the King’s interest, for that he had often professed that he would willingly lose his own life in the cause, that there was nothing he had so much at heart next to the Interest of his own Master, and that he had even cryed[127] with concern in speaking of the misfortunes of the King’s family, and notwithstanding he had a very mean opinion of the other party, yet the Memorials they had given instruct him so much that it cost Lord Semple the utmost[128] pains and trouble to perswade him of the contrary, but they had after some time succeeded so effectually that he was determined to send over a body of troops to England and designed Mr. Mailebois[129] should return to Flanders for that purpose; but that the party at Court which opposed him had influenced the King to make him march his Army into Westphalia which occasioned the Neutrality for Hannover; that this was so opposite to his Schemes, and he was sensible that a general war must ensue, and France thereby brought into great difficulties, that together with the King’s loose way of living, having at that time taken the third sister for his mistress, had certainly broke his heart, for he had been observed from that moment to decline, and dyed soon after.[130]

Having spent some days at Paris in hearing such like storys, I went again to Versailes where we were still put off till the night I left it. When we had an audience of Mr. Amalot I told him that the Gentlemen in the Concert in Scotland,[131] having from time to time received assurances from the late Cardinal of Troops, Arms and Money, had been continualy expecting to hear that a final Resolution was taken but upon being informed of the bad state of health the Cardinal was in,[132] they had done me the honour to send me over instructed to represent the situation of their affairs to the Ministry and to acquaint them they had wrought so effectualy with the Country in general and their Vassals in particular that they could raise near thirty thousand men and were able to make themselves masters of the Country in six weeks or two months. Upon which he interrupted me and said that they were satisfied the Scots were able to do a great deal but that they must have assurances from England, but at the same time he said he did not well understand the possibility of engaging so many people without letting them into the secret. Upon which Lord Semple explained the matter to him, I then mentioned to him the number of men, arms, etc., we expected in Scotland together with the place of their landing and method proposed for their acting he said if things were gone into there would be no difficulty of arms, money, etc., but seemed to be ignorant as to the place of landing or indeed the particulars of the scheme and which confirmed me in this; some things that L[ord] Semple mentioned to him he knew nothing about and he owned he had not read the memorials but promised to do it and gave us to understand that nothing could be undertaken without encouragement from the English and assurances of the troops upon their landing having provisions of victuals and carriages which we took pains to show him that from the frequency of the touns upon the coast and the trade there continually carried on they could not fail of, and then told me he had not gott time to talk seriously and fully with the King, but that his Majesty desired him to assure me he had the King my master’s interest very much at heart and so soon as he could do it safely and with his Honour, he would; and told us to believe it that he could easily loss 10,000 men, but that he would not undertake it rashly as his being foiled in a thing of this kind would not be consistant with the Honour of his Crown and desired we might think very seriously of what we was about and take care not to bring ruin upon ourselves and the Country by a rash attempt,[133] and so we parted and so we came that same night to Paris.

Next day I again wrote to the King a few lines wherein I told him I thought Mr. Amalot had done as much as he could at the present juncture and that I thought the information I had gott was well worth my while of coming over and sure enough it merited the journey, for by this I had it in my power to assure our friends in Scotland there was no determinate Resolution taken; and at the same time the manner in which Mr. Drummond told me he had taken to engage the Highland Gentlemen seemed to me very good and practicable. As I was then but little acquainted with business imagined it might have the same effect upon these in the Low Country and indeed was so much prevented with the good character of L[ord] Semple and Mr. Drummond had amongst those concerned in his Majesty’s affairs in Scotland that it never came into my head to doubt of anything they advanced; in which opinion I partly remained till my L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r’s return to Scotland in Octr. 1743 that same year.[134]

From what Mr. Amelot had told us the next thing to be done was endeavouring to form a Concert in England, by which they might be able to give such encouragement to the French and such assurance of joining upon their landing together with victuals and carriages as might then oblidge the King to declare one way or other. To execute this Mr. Drummond and I sett out from Paris the end of Febuary and gott to London by the way of Dover in four days and a half. The method he proposed was to bring my L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r to London and to work the point by him as he was acquainted with all the principal Torries and desired I would go to York and gett the D[uke] of P[erth] to send express for him and that I would return with a Resolution to stay there for some time to be an assistant to his L[ordship] and him; but this I refused to go into as the reason I had given out for my journey would not suffice to detain me any time, so rather chuse to go to Scotland myself and shew my L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r the necessity there was for his coming up. In the meanwhile I was employed in endeavouring to learn from Coll. Cicel and Mr. Smith the objections the Dutches of Buckingham and her party had to L[ord] Semple, and as I was pretty well acquainted with them both I easily made myself master of all they had to say against him, which I then thought quite frivolous from the favourable notion I had of L[ord] Semple. As to the particular accusations laid against him I shall say nothing of them here as I shall put down the Copy of a letter I had the Honour to write to the King some litle time after my arrival in Scotland wherein I mentioned them all.

I sett out from London[135] the 18th of March, came in by York, where I saw the D[uke] of P[erth] who was much disappointed upon what I told him, stayed 24 hours there and came to Edinburgh the 21st. I immediately inquired for L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r and finding he was in Perthshire with his brother-in-law L[ord] J[ohn] D[rummon]d I sent an Express to him, in the meantime I mett with L[ochie]l and acquainted him of all that had passed and particularly of the Scheme he proposed to raise money whereby to pay his father-in-law’s pension; he was far from being pleased with the French delays and not satisfied with the Cardinal’s sincerity and likewise heartyly vexed there was no money for Sir J[ames] who then stood in great need of it. However the only thing to be done was for L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r to go to London and endeavour to bring in the English which would in a little time satisfie us whether the French really intended us their assistance or not. On the 16th of the month L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r came to toun, to whom I told all that had passed and his Lordship agreed to go to London. Upon conversing with his Lordship[136] I told him that he ought to push Mr. Drummond’s getting that money, for if he did not make his word good in that trifle it would be a means to make folk doubt all the other things he had advanced. His Lordship sett out from his own house on the Sixth of Aprile and I sent the bond Mr. Drummond desired signed by L[ochie]l and I to the D[uke] of Perth who signed it likewise and sent it to L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r[137] at London, which is still in Mr. D[rummon]d’s Custody, but no money raised during my being at London after my return from Paris, Mr. C. Smith delivered me a packet from Rome, but as its contents could not be obeyed till I came home, thought it more proper to insert it here tho’ posterior to the Receit of it.

Copy of a letter from Mr. Edgar of ... mber the 22nd, 1742.

[Sidenote: Edgar to Murray]

SIR,--Upon what Mr. Charles Smith has told me from you on the
subject of the Bishops[138] upon what he says himself and as the
opinion also of other friends the King has thought seriously
on the matter and is pleased to settle it as you proposed, as
you will see by the enclosed paper signed by him under another
name and a letter from me to Bishop Ratrae;[139] yours covering
it both are write in closs Cypher, but as I am unwilling that
the Cyphers we use together should be put into any third hand
whatsoever, I have wrote the enclosed packet by the Cypher Coll.
Urquhart[140] informed me he had recovered from amongst the late
Earl of Dundonald[141] papers before his death. I really look
upon this Cypher to be a safe one and that there is no Copy of
it but what you and I have, it was originally sent to Mr. Robert
Freebairn[142] and he gave to the Earl of Dundonald and I am
perswaded neither the one nor t’other made a Copy of it which
would not be an easie task nor allowed any to be made by any
other body, I remmember Coll. Urquhart after he had recovered
that Cypher asked me if he should send it to me, or what he
should do with it, and in return I desired him to keep it by him
and give to the King’s friends who had a mind to write to his
Majesty and wanted a Cypher to do it by, by which means the new
one I sent him (now used by you and me) would be a Virgin One
unseen and untouched by anybody, I thought it was necessary
to say thus much to you on the Cypher in Question. The Packet
I now send you is open, therefore may if you please look into
it yourself, but as I reckon you wont care to be at the trouble
to decypher it I wish you would seal the packet and deliver it
with ... of the Cypher into Mr. Rattrae’s own hands. I shall
only add on this subject that I know I need not recommend to you
to take care of your own safety in this matter and that as few
as possible and these only of whom you are sure know anything
that we have the least dealing in it, for tho’ our Clergy be
well meaning honest men, yett many of them have not the gift
of Secrecy and holding their tongue, which is a mischief I am
sure you will guard against. I don’t know indeed what to say to
you on certain affairs, I live in good hopes they will still go
well, when anything favourable is certain you will hear of it
much sooner from Bahady and L[ord] Semple than you could from me;
which is the reason I write so seldome to you, I am unwilling to
venture a letter in this critical juncture unless when necessary
as it happens in the present case. I should be glad you informed
me of what you heard or know of Drumelzier’s[143] brother he has
not write to me since he mett with his brother and I have heard
nothing about him since he went home. Drumelzier, I fancy, may
have told him the substance of what you communicated to him of my
letter to you concerning him, which he may have taken very ill
of me and which has made him write no more to anybody in this
place. The family is well and the King charges me with many kind
compliments to you. Longing to have you in my Arms. I am well all
with my heart.--Sir, etc.

It was not long after his Lordship’s departure that I had an occasion to send a letter to Rome when I wrote as below.[144]

Mr. Narsom’s letter to Mr. Edgar dated the Day of 1743.[145]

[Sidenote: Murray to Edgar]

This is the first opportunity I had to write since I left Paris
otherwise you may beleive I would not have failed to lett you
hear from me long e’er now. I received yours of the 22nd of
Novr. from Mr. Smith at London but as Mr. Rattrae has not been
in town not finding any sure hand the two enclosed papers are
still in my Custody, but I am informed he intends soon in this
place, when I shall take care to deliver them with the Cypher; I
am very hopefull his Majesty’s making choise of him will prove
a means of uniting them together as they have for some time ago
addressed him as the eldest of the Colledge to take inspection
of the Diocess during the Vacancy; I return you my most sincere
acknowledgements for your good advice as to my Behaviour with
them which you may depend upon I’ll strickly follow and by what
I wrote you of Mr. Keith’s[146] procedure you will be still more
convinced of the Necessity I am under to act cautiously with
them. I understand my Lady Clanronald lately received a letter
from L[ord] J[ohn] D[rummon]d with the contents of your last
to me which was immediately told Keith so that Mr. Rattrae’s
Election was known before my Arrival here. I am sorry L[ord]
T[ra]q[uai]r should keep such correspondence but there are some
people continue long young and consequently ought to be looked
upon as Children.

Upon my return to London having the fortune to be entirely
trusted by Coll. Cicel and Mr. Smith, I made it my business to
inform myself as particularly as possible of their grounds of
Quarrel with L[ord] Semple, when I found they both agreed in the
following Accusations, 1mo. That he had been employed by means
of the Dutchess of Buccingham and Coll. Cicel to transack some
little affairs and from that time had assumed to himself the
Character of Minister for the King’s friends in England. 2d. That
by his Behaviour to Or[mon]d and L[ord] Marshall he had entirely
disobliged them whose friendship he ought by any means to have
Cultivate. 3tio. He had been grossly deceived by the Cardinal
who had made him believe twenty things he had no intention of
Performing. 4to. He was so credulous in beleiving the Cardinal’s
assertions as to write from time to time in terms only fitt
some weeks before an invasion. 5to. He seemed to ack the part
rather of a French than Brittish minister. 6to. He seemed to
turn his politicks into a kind of Mechanicks and made a trade
of them. 7to. He contradicted himself not only in a different
but even in the same letter, by saying that the Cardinal was
so well satisfied with the offers made him and the information
he had gott that he desired no further and in the same letter
advises Coll. Cicel still to inform him further so that he might
determine the Cardinal more and more to act in his Majesty’s
favours. 8to. He acted imprudently by transmitting to Coll. Cicel
the Commissions sent him by the King to dispose of in so large
a Packet that Mr. Smith could not conceal them in the Ship and
at the same time wrote a long letter with a great many trifles
of what had passed betwixt him and the Cardinal in Closs Cypher
who, he insinuate, he entirely managed and all relating to the
Commissions in plain English. 9to. His coming over was not only
without the knowledge of but disagreeable to the King’s friends
in England, that my L[ord] Barramore[147] and he were vastly
uneasy about it and gave him all the Civil usage and fair Words
they could in Prudence so as to make him leave the place least
he should be taken up. 10to. He is not trusted by the King’s
friends in England. 11to. He was not even trusted by the Cardinal
notwithstanding he pretended he had so much to say with him and
given this instance that he, the Cardinal, sent a proposal to the
King’s friends by Mr. Bussie[148] at London of landing a body
of Swedes[149] in the Country which he seemed greatly surprised
at when told by L[ord] Barrimore and that he should afterwards
have greatly repented telling him, imagining when he went over
he would make a handle of this information to show how he was
trusted by the English. 12to. That Coll. Cicel told him at
parting that provided the Cardinal was explicite he would inform
him of everything that was necessary but as he saw that was not
like to be the case he never had wrote him anything which was
sufficient to show him he was not trusted and that he and L[ord]
Barrimore particularly complained of L[ord] Semple’s intruding
himself into the management of their affairs, and Lastly that he
was quite drunk with his ministerial office and acted so high
and mightily a part as even to intermiddle betwixt the King and
Dutchess of Buckingham. These so far as I can remember are the
sum of their Accusations, which I could have reduced into the
compass of a few lines were it not I thought it my duty to write
in as plain and minute a manner as possible whatever I have
learnt having an Eye to nothing but truth and to give the King
all the information in my power so that if I have acted out of
my sphere I hope you will interceed for my forgiveness. I only
beg leave to say that from the little knowledge I have of L[ord]
Semple I take him to be a man of great honour and possessed of
much greater abilities than any of his Accusors.[150]

I parted with L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r about a fortnight ago when he
sett out for London with a view to bring the English to Concert
matters so as to be able to act this summer. The Gentlemen of
the Concert are highly dissatisfied with their behaviour they
say they have been ready to act for some years past, putt to a
great expense in Cultivating a friendship and intimacy with their
Vassals, keeping a great many otherwise useless fellows in their
Grounds and often obliged to give very advantagious [terms] to
their tennants for fear of disobliging them, whereas on the other
hand they, the English, do nothing but make a noise and complain
of their Oppression.

The situation of things are such at present that had they any
Resolution att all they would almost without stroke of sword
putt an end to the cause but in place of that they draw a cross
one another and run into little political partys so that if
they are not brought to engage heartyly so as to be able to
act this summer we give up all hopes of ever bringing them to
act in Concert with us. Had the King’s friends in a body used
means to favour the Restoration they could not have done it to
better purpose than the present Government. There are now 16,000
men out of the Country, 6 Regiments more partly gone, the rest
going, only about twenty thousand in England[151] nine parts
of ten of which are as raw and undisciplined as those to come
against them, The Duke of Hannover[152] going over and in short
every soul--Whigg and Torry, Republican, etc.,--disobliged and
irritated to the last degree, so that we to be sure are able to
do more of ourselves at this juncture then we could do with the
assistance of 10000 men were these Troops returned.

L[ochie]l with whom I have Occasion often to talk on this subject
gives it as his Opinion that the Highlanders have now for so
long time been in hopes of something being done and now seeing
so fair an Opportunity, will probably unless brought into Action
once this Summer or harvest give up all thought of ever seeing
a Restoration and he is afraid every one will do the best they
can by endeavouring to catch at part of his Country before she
sink entirely and I am really affraid it will be the case with
some of the least steady amongst them. He is thoroughly convinced
that with 20,000 Stand of arms his Majesty or the Prince with a
good General and some Officers att our head, Scotland is well
able to do the whole affair, and indeed it is not only his, but
the opinion of several others I talk to in this place upon that
subject, as in this case none would be exempt from carrying arms
and things are now quite changed from what they were formerly
when a simelar proposal[153] was made. This I could not fail
acquainting you with least L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r’s journey don’t
take effect and this irrecoverable opportunity lost by the
further delay of the English, and indeed any delay may prove of
the worst consequence as the death of either L[ord] L[ova]t or
Sir J[ames] C[ampbell] who are both old men will greatly weaken
if not entirely ruin the Concert as there are few to be found
who can fill their places. L[ochie]l desires me to mention the
great use General Keith would be off. The Highlanders having
got the same notion of him they formerly had of Lord Dundee.
Drumelzier and his Brother have been all this winter at Tangiers
and propose to pass all the Watters where General Keith and Lord
Crawford[154] were tho’ some people imagine D[rumelzier] will
come home upon account of his Lady’s death,[155] they give it out
here that Mr. Hay is very well. I wrote a letter two weeks ago to
L[ord] Marshall a Copy of which with the Motives that induced me
to write you shall have first occasion but the bearer being ready
to sett out putts a stop to my doing of it at present.--I am,
Yours, etc.

The ship not sailing as soon as I was made believe I took the opportunity of writing Mr. Edgar the reason of my writting to L[ord] Marshall I shall here subjoin with a Copy of the Letter I wrote his Lordship.

[Sidenote: Murray to Edgar]

SIR,--When Mr. Smith and I happened to be frequently together at
London he took reason to complain of the letter my L[ord] Semple
had wrote to L[ord] Marshall and particularly of that paragraph
where my L[ord] hints that possibly the Scots folks were offended
with my L[ord] Marshall not taking sufficient notice of them in
proportion to the regard they had shown him he insisted greatly
an invincible attachment his Lordship had for the King....

_The rest of this page not legible._

Upon this I thought I should be greatly to blame if I lost
any opportunity that occurred to better his Majesty’s affairs
by endeavouring to reconceal and unite his friends so that as
I imagine his Lordship authorised Mr. Smith to talk upon a
suspicion that there might be some grounds for what L[ord] Semple
advanced and thereby to reconceal himself to his countrymen I
was resolved as we say to putt a Thorne in his foot as he knows
I am instituted by the King’s friends here and would not advance
anything contrary to their Sentiments. You will be surprised I
should write this to you in so closs a Cypher....

_The rest of this page not legible._

After reflecting upon what you had been so good as to inform me
off I could not fail to write the enclosed as I have all the
reason in the World to believe you my friend, so I take the
liberty to beg that after perusal in case you find it not too
assuming and in a stile sufficiently respectly you will be so
good as take the trouble to deliver it with an appology.... [_Not
legible._]

(_Signed_) J. BROUN.[156]

[Sidenote: Murray to Earl Marischal[157]]

MY LORD,--I heartyly regreted it was not in my power when so near
as London to do myself the honour of waiting upon your Lordship
for Reasons I beg Mr. Smith to give and at the same time assure
your Lordship that without the honour of being known to you
there was none who had a more hearty and sincere Regard for your
Lordship’s property.... [_Not legible._] my Lord, abstracting
from your many private Virtues makes you dear to every true
Scotsman and from what I could easily learn gives your Lordship
great weight with the English. This, my Lord, encourages me to
suggest of what use you may be att this juncture to his Majesty’s
affairs by uniting those people together who to my great concern
I found (so far as I could judge) quite inactive, diffident
of one another and distrustfull of those they employ. Your
Lordship’s being so near them will I hope make the work short
as well as Effectual, and in my poor Judgement were there any
unanimity, any harmony and concord amongst them it would easily
be in our power to shake off the yoke of Bondage and Slavery we
now groan under; this, my Lord, I propose with great submission
to your Lordship’s serious reflection and experience, I shall
only add that as I have no other in any thing I do but to promote
the real Interest of my King and Country so I have all the reason
in the world to believe that healing the wounds and cementing the
differences now subsisting amongst our Neighbours is the greatest
ambition of our countrymen and must render their gratitude to
your Lordship for so great a work unalterable. I begg your
Lordship will pardon my presumption in writing without being
asked and believe I am with the most sincere regard and esteem,
My Lord, etc.[158]

These two preceding letters I gave to my L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r on the 5th of Aprile 1743, the day before his Lordship sett out from his own house to London which he was to show Mr. McGregar who told my Lord that this was not a time to send such letters and besides that the letter to Lord Marshall was not such an one he proposed, by which means they never went. I shall here mention what occurred to me what was the reason for Mr. McGregars stoping them never having any further reason given than the above and not knowing even that till L[ord T]raq[uai]r’s return to Scotland, during the short stay I made att London after my return from Paris in company with Mr. McGregar as I said before I made it my business to learn of Coll. Cicel and Mr. Smith all the Complaints they had against Lord Semple and Mr. McGregar which I generally communicated to him being then fully perswaded of their Honesty and Abilitys. Upon telling him what Mr. Smith had said in relation to Lord Marshall he purposed I should write to his Lordship a Letter in the same Stile Lord Semple had done, purposely to let him know how little he was in favour with his Countrymen and show him how much their liking depended upon his being well with them two, and att the same time to acquaint him that his Countrymen’s regard went no further than so far as he should act entirely conformable to the King’s will, he saying that Lord Marshall pretended to stand entirely upon his own legs from the great Number of Admirers he had in Scotland, and imagined that unless he was the sole manager of the King’s affairs his Majesty’s subjects would not be brought to act for him, in short that he looked upon the King’s interest to depend upon [him] alone. I suppose he thought by my writing in this stile to draw something from Lord Marshall undervalueing of his Countrymen whereby to hurt him with the generality but particularly with those of the Concert who had first employed and still supported him, whereby he might verify to them what he had so long advance against his Lordship, but this was a thing I refused for many reasons; first that it must hurt the King’s affairs to create differences amongst his friends of which their then subsisted too many; secondly it was running myself headlong into a party quarrel, a thing I ever had the worst oppinion off; and thirdly, not to be too tedious in giving many more, it was a thing I had not the smallest tittle to do. But on the contrary I thought it was a fair opportunity of uniting people together and commencing a Correspondence with Lord Marshall whereby if I gain his friendship and confidence I [should] thereby be enabled to inform the King of the pleas of both partys without letting either of them know of it, which is acting a part some people may think odd as it is seemingly playing with both hands, but in my Eyes not only honourable but my duty, when for the King’s interest, I receive from time to time letters from L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r when att London informing me in his way of his success with the English; but as there was nothing material in them and that they were signed by himself I did not care to keep them in case of accidents. Some time in the month of June I received the following letter from Mr. Edgar with two enclosed from the King himself in answer to two I had wrote when at Paris.

Copy Mr. Edgar’s letter, dated March 14th, 1743.

[Sidenote: Edgar to Murray]

SIR,--You will see by the enclosed I send you from our friend
Mr. Edwards (he means the King) that he leaves me nothing to say
in return to your two letters of the 18th and 25th of february.
This Packet is sent open to Lord Semple to forward to you, you
will see it is write in his Cypher, a Copy of which I know Mr.
McGregor left with L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r so I reckon you may easily
gett this read, for suppose you may have that Cypher in your own
Custody. You will be glad to know that the family is well, I
heartyly wish you all health and happiness and longing to have
the pleasure of Embracing you, I am with great Esteem, etc.

Letter from the Chevalier to John Murray.

[Sidenote: The Chevalier de St. George to Murray]

I received a few days ago yours of the 18th of February and am
far from disaproving your comming into France att this Time.[159]
The Settling of a Correspondence betwixt us on this Side of
the Sea and our friends in Scotland may be of consequence in
this juncture I hope you will have concerted some safe method
for this effect with Lord Semple before you leave him and
that once determined you will I think have done very well to
return home where you may be of more use than abroad. I shall
say nothing here of what’s passing in France of which you will
have been informed by Lord Semple, and you may be well assured
that depends upon me to induce the French to assist us as is
reasonable to hope they will if their be a general war. But if
they ever undertake anything in my favour, I shall to be sure
have little warning of it before and by consequence I fear it
will be impossible that General Keith can come in time into
Scotland how much soever both I, and I am perswaded himself also,
desires it because you will easily see that one of his rank
and distinction cannot well quite the Service he is in either
abruptly or upon an uncertainty. I remark all you say to me on
that subject and when the time comes it shall be my care to
dispose all such matters in as much as in me lys for what I may
then think for the real good of my Service and for my friends
Satisfaction also for in such sort of particulars it is scarce
possible to take proper Resolutions before the time of Execution.
I had some time ago a proposal made me in Relation to the Seizing
of Stirling Castle[160] what I then heard and what you now say
on that subject is so general, that I think it is not impossible
but that the two proposals may be found originally one and the
same project; I wish therefore you would enter a little more
into particulars that I may be the better able to determine what
directions to send. As to what is represented about the Vassals
I suppose what you mean is the same with what I have inserted
in a draught of a Declaration for Scotland I have long had by
me, viz., That the Vassals of those who should appear against my
forces on a landing should be freed of their Vassalidge and hold
immediately of the Crown provided such Vassals should declare for
me and join heartyly in my Cause. As this is my intention I allow
my friends to make such prudent use of it as they may think
fitt. Before you gett this you will probably have received what
was wrote to you from hence about the Scotts Episcopal Clergy
so that I need say nothing on that subject here more than that
I hope the steps taken by me will give satisfaction and promote
union in that Body.

It is a great comfort to me to see the Gentlemen of the Concert
so zealous so united and so frank in all that relates to my
service and I desire you will say all that is kind to them in
my name, I remark you have advanced one hundred pounds of your
own money[161] for Sir J[ames] C[ampbe]ll which I take very well
of you but I desire you would not give me any more proofs of
that kind of your goodwill towards me and as for what is past I
look upon it as a personal Debt and shall take care that it be
repayed, I remark what you say about the difficulty their is of
raising money I foresaw that would be no easy matter and think it
should not be insisted upon, I think I have now taken notice of
all that required any answer in what you wrote to me and Edgar
and shall add nothing further here but to assure you of the
continuance of any good opinion of you and that your prudent and
zealous indeavours toward my service shall never be forgott by me.

(_Signed_) J. EDWARDS.[162]

Dated _March 11th, 1743_.

At the same time came the following:--

[Sidenote: The Chevalier to Murray]

Since I wrote to you on 11th I have seen what you wrote to Edgar
of the same date; I remark what you say on extending a Concert
in the Low Country and the Method[163] it has been done in the
Highlands such a measure may be a great advantage to the cause
and therefore I cannot but much approve of it, provided it be
gone about with great prudence and Caution, which I earnestly
recommend to you not only on your own account but mine also, for
we must in this juncture carefully avoid anything that may give
the Government any jealousie or pretence to molest our friends. I
am well pleased to observe what you say of L[ochie]l and if you
have occasion make him a kind Compliment from me and the Prince,
this is all I have to add or present in this paper.

Signed as befor and dated 14th, 1743.

In the first letter I wrote to Mr. Edgar after my return home I told him that the Packet for Bishop Rattrae was still in my Custody being informed that he intended to be soon in town so thought it fitt to delay doing any thing in it till he should come, accordingly whenever I heard of his arrival I went immediately to the Country where the Cypher Mr. Edgar mentioned there was, and brought it to town with me but to my Surprise found it did not answer. Yett I nevertheless resolved to deliver the Packet to him att the same time reading the paragraph in mine concerning it so sent for Mr. Rae[164] one of the Presbyters in Edinburgh and told him I wished to see Mr. Rattrae and desired he would go to him and acquaint him with my intention and make an appointment for me which he agreed to do next mourning. He came to me on the morrow and told me had missed him but would indeavour to find him sometime that day upon which he left me and found him dinning with his daughter Mrs. ---- so delayed it till next morning, but when he went was informed by his daughter Mrs. Clark in whose house he lived that he had been taken ill the night before of an Epidimical Distemper that at that time raged almost all of over Europe of which he died in three or four days illness, by which means that Packet still remains in my Custody, never since having gott any directions about it. From that time I have keept my Resolution of never having any more to do with the Clergy, for when I was asked some few days after by Mr. Rae what I thought they should do in their present situation, I told him I thought they should draw up a full and distinct state of their [affairs] without neglecting the least thing and send it to the King leaving him to determine without any further representations, but shunned writting or taking any Commissions about it, nor do I since know any of their procedure none of them having ever spoke to me on the subject.

About this Time the Duke of P[erth] came from England and as L[ochie]l and [I] had often Schemed together what we ourselves were able to do in the present posture of affairs and seemed to agree in Opinion that should the french disapoint us we were more able to restore the King by our own strength during the absence of the Army than with the Assistance of 10,000 men were our Troops once returned, for which reason did the English fail to give the assurances to the french they required, but we should gett the people at home to take it in hand by themselves. With this View I had already wrote Mr. Edgar on that Strain and now we agreed to sound the Duke of P[erth] on the same Subject which we did and found him abundantly forward. He was then going to the Country and Sir A[lexander] Mc[Donal]d[165] was with his brother-in-law A[irl]y so desired the Duke would try him and some days after had a letter from hime wherein he said that he had spoke to him as was agreed and found him very keen that he said the sooner it was done the better and in place of 700 men which his Uncle carried with him in the year 1715 he would now bring 1200. At the same time when his Grace was talking to us in Edinburgh on this subject he said the people in that part of the Country where he had come from very honest and that the Mayer and Aldermen had spoke to him in the strongest terms, which he then told us, and desired I might acquaint the King of it, so I desired his Grace would putt it in writting and that I should not fail to transmit it to his Majesty; upon which he went to another room and brought me a sheet of paper mostly write which I did not care to transmitt in his own words but abridged it; however shall say no more of it here as I will putt down the letter I wrote the King and another to Mr. Edgar. I must only observe that I read the Duke’s memorial to my L[ord] T[ra]q[uai]r att his own house upon giving him some paper he had putt in my custody att his leaving Scotland, at which time his Lordship and I agreed to put it in the fire as the letter I had wrote and which I att the same time read to my Lord contained the substance of it, this I have frequently repented since, as his Grace’s memory did not seem to serve him exactly to what he had wrote. In answer to his Majesty’s I wrote the following, Dated July 5th, 1743:--

[Sidenote: Murray to the Chevalier]

SIR,--I had the honour of your Majesty’s commands some weeks
ago of the 11th of March. I communicated the paragraph of your
Majesty’s relating to the certainty of General Keith’s coming to
Scotland to the Duke of P[erth] and L[ochie]l who are equally
well satisfied with what your Majesty is pleased to say on that
subject. Your Majesty’s Declaration with regard to the Scotts
Vassals and the Liberty you are most graciously pleased to grant
of insinuating so much to them give L[ochie]l extream pleasure
being convinced it will tend greatly to promote your Majesty’s
interest. The Duke of P[erth] desired me to acquaint your Majesty
that the Mayer and Aldermen of York had freely opened their
minds to him on the Subject of the Restoration and gave him a
Commission humble to Represent their Loyalty and firm attachment
to your Majesty’s cause. They engage that upon hearing of your
Majesty’s aproach with a Sufficient Body to support them they
will raise 10,000 men in that County and have no doubt of an
equal Number from the Countys Adjacent. There are two gentlemen
one of them a present member the other was last parliament but
declined it these have the Sole management of the County and
did they appear would certainly be followed by every one in it.
His Grace had not the good fortune to see them they being at
London but left them his Compliments by some of their friends
who assured him they were ready upon your Majesty’s desire to
enter into any Scheme to promote your Majesty’s interest. His
Grace desired me likewise to inform your Majesty that he is fully
convinced and may almost affirm that upon shewing an order from
your Majesty to treat with them they will sign any declaration
or assurance of whatever Nature shall be thought most for your
Majesty’s interest and to have the Mayer and Aldermen, at least
those of them upon whose Secrecy they can the most depend to
do the like. In the Duke’s Memorandum to me he neglected the
two Gentlemen’s names. As the Election of their Mayer goes
by Rotation it falls next year upon a Whig which his grace
thinks can be of no consequence as none of that Kidney have any
Interest, in the town, but he was told that notwithstanding the
custom, if your Majesty desired it they would indeavour to have
another chosen. I shall incroatch no further upon your Majesty’s
time having wrote to Mr. Edgar but beg leave to subscribe myself
with the greatest Veneration and Duty your Majesty’s, etc.

Letter to Mr. Edgar, dated July 5th, 1743.

[Sidenote: Murray to Edgar]