1st Duke of Gordon

120
I had known this lady [the Duchess] ever since
the revolution. She is full of good sense, of a
character remarkably firm, and well acquainted
with all affairs. It was with her I was to find
the person to whom the Queen of England had
caused a letter to he written to get (me intro-
duced to the Duke of Hamilton. Mr Fleming
T brother of Lord Wigtonl introduced me to the
Dutchess about nine at night. She was immedi-
ately for sending a courier after the Duke to
bring him back; but I dissuaded this step, re-
presenting that a return so sudden might beget
suspicion, prove prejudicial; for the Duke of
Gordon usually travella attended by a train of
near a hundred gentlemen, who are obliged to
wait upon him. I thought it better, therefore, to
send 'him the King's letiter and that of the Queen
■of England by a man of trust. I desir'd the
Duchess of Gordon to direct me to some sure
house for Lodging, because the inns are all so
public. . . She sent for a priest [Carnegy] that
lives with her, who undertook to provide for my
security.
The following mysterious references appear in
her Grace's letters at this period (1707): —
May 20. — To Hooke — The duty and freindship I
owe to those I wish well to obleeges me to at-
tempt on once more a new .proof of my zeale to
there service. Hooke. signing himself "H. John-
ston," replied to her Grace on May 30 — I find
nothing can escape your penetration." (ii., 306).
May 22- June 2. — She wrote a rery long letter
to Hooke, in the course of which she says.- — Our
great talk now is of the defeat in Spaine, and
that our Scots forses are to be sent there, where
they have no mind to go: this insenses them so,
being already ill affected, that a very -little ap-
pearance of a rysing would make them joyne
those gidy-iheaded people of the west, which would
be verv ticklish, for our kingdom at present is a
perfect tinder box, and the least spairke would
make it take a fire not soone to be quenched.
Both these sortes talke very boldly, and that
there are amongst the red coats few otherways in-
clined, and who the rest will make no difficulty
to cutt in bits if it come to that. You see by
this what confusion and dangers wee are in. God
preserve us from all ills. Never was there such
ticklish times.
June 9-20.— To Hoolke—When you favour me
with your commands, direct them for Mrs d* Alan-
son, to be left att Mrs iRoche'e hous att the Two
Blew Spikes in Red Lyon Street, near Lamb's
Conduit, two doors from the Duke of [blank 1 att
London, and she will send it to me. This direction
will serve till I send you another. . . In all
haist[e] send us barrels of sugar, for we shall gett
no trade without them, and endanger the loss of
customers (ii., 433).