Memoir of Marshal Keith

28 EARL MARISCHAL'S CAREER.
I was soon relieved from my inquietude arising from the
uncertainty of my asylum, by the answer from his majesty
to the lord marshal, in whom, as it will readily be believed,
I had found an able advocate. The king not only approved
of what he had done, but desired him, for I must relate
every thing, to give me twelve louis. The good old man,
rather embarrassed by the commission, and not knowing
how to execute it properly, endeavoured to soften the insult
by transforming the money into provisions, and writing to
me that he had received orders to furnish me with wood
and coal to begin my little establishment ; he moreover
added, and perhaps from himself, that his majesty would
willingly build me a little house, such a one as I should
choose to have, provided I would fix upon the ground. I
was extremely sensible of the kindness of the last offer,
which made me forget the weakness of the other."
This place the Earl left to be ambassador at the
court of Spain, a country to which he was extremely
partial. While there, he became acquainted with the
family compact, then in process of formation, between the
two branches of the Bourbons, and is said to have sent
early notice of it to the then Prime Minister, the Earl of
Chatham. Shortly after this, a Bill was brought into the
English Parliament, for the purpose of reversing the
attainder on the Earl ; and, on the 25th of May, 1 759, it
was passed unanimously, so that he could now return to
Scotland and inherit property in Great Britain. He,
therefore, made preparations to leave his embassy in Spain,
having received permission from Frederick to do so, and