Earls of Cromartie > [NSLBLANK]

1714.] CORRESPONDENCE WITH LORD MELVILLE. cxxxi
rather be in a condition to send over some sufficient force to support the British
interest there. — April 25th, 16S9. 1
It appears from a letter, supposed to be by Sir James Stewart, Lord
Advocate, dated 24th May 1689, that there was a prospect of the Duke of
Queensberry and Viscount Tarbat being brought again into the Government.
Some, indeed, thought that Lord Tarbat would either be Lord Chancellor, or
have his own place of Lord Clerk-Kegister. 2
On the other hand, the Duke of Hamilton wrote to Lord Melville, on 1st
June 1689, that the Privy Council, on the information of General Mackay,
had resolved on securing in prison the Lords Tarbat and Lovat ; for on what
General Mackay had reported, they thought they could do no less. 3
In a letter from Lord Tarbat to Lord Melville, supposed to be dated 1st
June 1689, he says that he did wish, and Avould have endeavoured that all
the King's enemies should have submitted to him, and that all the worthy
ecclesiastics in the nation might have owned him and their duty, that so lie
might not be the King of a party, nor want a great part of the hearts and
hands of Scotland. 4
In another letter, marked as of the same date, Lord Tarbat at great length
expresses his good wishes for his Majesty's success, on which he says, he is
convinced depends not only the happiness of Scotland, but, under God, the
true security of our reformed religion. 5
The tactics which were pursued by Lord Tarbat and his friends in
the famous Billeting Act, for excluding their opponents from office, were
threatened to be turned against him and his friends by those now in power.
This is indicated in a letter from the Earl of Crawford to Lord Melville, dated
11th June 1689, in which he says that those aimed at are the Duke of
1 The Leven and Melville Papers, p. 15. 3 The Leven and Melville Papers, p. 33.
2 Ibid. pp. 23, 24. 4 Ibid. p. 35. 5 Ibid. p. 37.