2nd Duke of Gordon and the part he played at the battle of Sheriffmuir

gladder of yr. helth and prosperity nor wishes the
continwance of it with mor earnestnes than I
doe, which under a government so decerning of
merit cannot faile after so much pains and so
notable service done of the greatest consequence
[the Utrecht Treaty], which is now accomplish d
ha — >ily, to the glory of a good and great queen
and of a Ministry which will bee admired after
ages of having done greater things for Queen,
Church and State than ever was (everything con-
sider'd) or could have been imniajin'd possible
by any but by the wise and noble actors of it,
in which yr. lo[rd&hi]p has a share fitt for so
great a man, and who wishes his soverain and
ountray so well. My deare lord and benefactor,
I oongiratulat with yr. lo[rdshi]rj the finishing of
that great and good worke, and wishe it may
produce such benefit to the Queen and Monarchy
as may make both great and glorius as ever and
greater then any on earth. I am inform'd and
hard with pleasur of yr. lofrdshilp's speedy re-
turn to England. I wish (if for yr. advantage)
yr. stay there and yr. loCrdshilo's dimming this
sutnmar to yr. new pur[cha]sn in Yorkshire
wher in June or July I doe myself e the honor to
wait of [sic] yr. lo[rdshi]r> without any other
errand or going farder, only to have the extream
pleasure of being with yr. lo[rdshi]p, whos person
is and has been so deare to mee, and to whom I
have been so much obliged.
Thowgh I heare duly with extream pleasure of
yr. groing greatness, yet I beteeve mee, my deare
lord, that has no part in my expression of respect
and love for yr. person, but it Is purly the affects
of my real inclination and my being beyond ex-
pression. — My deare lord, yr. lofrdshijp's faith-
full, most loving and most olig'd humble servant,
Huntly.
The next letter to Strafford is dated Gordon
Castle, March 27, 1721, the Marquis having mean-
time succeeded to the Dukedom and gone through
the trials of the Jacobite revolt. It inns (Add.
MSS. 22,221, f. 362): —
My deair Lord, — I was so uirlucke as to mis yow
on the road and in London, which I hartaly re-
grait, since ocasions ar agreable to me when I
can ashur yr. lo(rdshi]p how sencible I stil con-
tinw for al yr. favors wo long and so frequently
shown mee. I had the pleasur to know from Mr
Went[wor]th yow and Lady Straford wer wel
and had now a fine young lord [William, 2nd Earl
of Strafford], of whom I wish [you] much joye
and him much happines for his father's sake,
whom I so much lov and esteem and with so
much reason. Mr Dunbar of Thundertoun,
Shiriv of the Oonnte of Murre, a man of good
estate and great interest, is bearer heareof. Hee
is my particular friend and much admirer of