Earls of Cromartie > [NSLBLANK]

304 THE CROM ARTIE CORRESPONDENCE,
245. [The Same to The Same.] 1
[8 December 1705.]
My Lord, — Haveing shakt a litle of my cropp in my last, in this I per-
form what I promised then. By the bargan proposed, I presum the crown
hath the advantage. For one evil in our government now is, that the lord
chancier, beeing the first wheel in the ministry, and by whose absence the
government is oftymes at a stand, and at best most move unequally — their
haveing the convenience of a convenient house, gardens, and parks, and some
rent at the door, in the seat of the government, with excellent healthfull
situation, takes away pretence of goeing to his country, tho perhaps at a
distance, or rather will invite the succeeding chanclers to stay more fixtly at
the helm. It will really [be] of more advantage by its profits and convenience
then 200 (nay, as I think) or 300 more of salary, and more honorable for the
chancier to tak, or the King to give, then more specious and more clamarous
d6natives of fynes, forfalturs, or crown casualties ; and this casuality to the
chanclers will be perenn and durable, whilst the others are transient, and, oft
ending, are as oft renewd, and are more odious and truly less profitable. And
for this rent there will be yearly safed 200/. of futur chanclers salaries ; and
this 200/., which ever takes so much of the readiest in the treasury, will by
this be payed out of the remotest and worst payed rent which the crown
hath ; and some years they are not able to pay the half of their rentall, as the
very last, 1704, they have not as yet payed a thrid part of it. 2
My Lord, hast to overtake the post made me goe wrong, and that also will
not allow me to writ it over, therfor excuse the mischance.
I say that for thes lands, which at worst will pay 12 chalders at 1200/.
1 Original Letter in Mar Charter-chest. leted by the writer, as is referred to in the
2 A short passage after this has been de- next sentence.