Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

1737.] TO SIR JAMES GRANT OF GRANT. 359
myself those enemys that now use their malice against me nieerly for my zeal for the Peer's
person and interest, and for my attachment to your person and family ; for I was the most
beloved man that ever was in the north of Scotland, which is known to hundreds yet alive,
till first I got the Jacobits to be my enemys for my services to the Government in 1715 ; next
I got all the squadrone to be my open and violent enemys for my zeal to the Duke of Argyle
and the Earl of Hay ; and last of all, I got the family of Culodin and all their creatures to
be my most malicious and implacable enemys, that would go to the gates of hell to see me
hang'd, and that only for my appearance for you and my closs union with your family, and
my obeying the Peer's orders. All this is as true as God is in heaven ; and the first quarell
that I had with the President, several yeares ago, was for his speaking insolently of the Peer,
which I often challeng'd him for. And now, whatever way the President hes contriv'd it,
and what informers he hes made use of, and whatever way he hes taken to convoy those lyes
and calumnys to the great men, I am as fully convinc'd as I am that God 's in heaven, that
all the mischief that was done to me above with the great men is certainly the contrivance
of the President, and flows all from him ; and if it was not my situation as a chief at the
head of a prety clan, he would have taken of the mask long ore now, and appear'd openly
and as violently against me as ever the Duke of Eoxborow or the late Justice-Clerk did. . . .
I offer you my most humble duty and my Lady Lovat's and my young ones' ; and I ever am,
with unalterable love and respect, my dear Sir James,
Your most affectionat brother, etc. etc.,
Lovat.
451. To The Same — Calumnies of James Fraser of Castleleathers.
Beaufort, the 9t of Decembre 1737.
My dear Sir James,- — I had the honour of your letter of the 26t Novembre, and it gave
me much trouble and concern in giveing me an account of her Majesty's death, that all good
subjects should lament and regret ; and I am particularly sorry for her Majesty's death, because
it is not only an irreparable loss to the Eoyall family, but I am much affraid that the Queen's
death will hurt the present Administration, which I love as much as any man in Brittain
does, for the two that I think at the head of it, that is, Sir Eobert Walpole and the Earle of
Hay, were allways my great freinds ; the Peer, indeed, hes been my patron, acting for me
like a father or brother, so that I would be more sorry than I can express if any death
would do him any hurt at Court, for he is the minister and statesman on earth that I have the
greatest confidence in. I think what you say of the affair of Inverness is very right and
judicious ; but you will find that your espouseing the quarell of the town, in opposition to a
pityfull litle sett of magistrates, who have actually ruin'd the town, will gain you great
honour, and prove very advantagious to your interest in this countery. So I beg that