Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

376 IV. — LETTERS FROM SIMON LORD LOVAT. [1739.
information was false, and without any grounds, for I have not heard this winter of any
man's being in arms this side of the Grampions, except it was thieves, who travel alwayes in
the night time, and are not seen in the day time except it be by accident. Generall Wade has
sent down very severe orders for disarming everybody on this ill grounded information, and
desires all the officers of the Highland companys to apply to the Lords Lieutenants for a
warrant to search for arms by night, and to apply to Justices of Peace for a warrant to
search by day. But except myself, there is neither Lord Lieutenant nor Justice of Peace
has given any such warrant, and they say that it is against law ; but I have ventur'd to do
it according to the Act of Parliament, to please our Generall ; and I have the good luck this
year, that tho' my company is dispers'd and divided in ten different shires, yet there is not
ten shillings' worth of theft or depredations committed in all my district. Severall persons
are affraid in this country that there is a design to get a severe Act of Parliament to disarm
the Highlands again. We have had too many of them already, which did hurt to our
country very much, for we gave up our arms freely and frankly, and the thieves and robbers
in the West Highlands keep alwayes the best of their arms to this hour ; and if there were
twenty Acts of Parliament they would still do the same, for they would keep their arms in
the hills and woods, and we only would bear the burden and be the slaves of a new Act of
Parliament. I beg, if you think it proper, that you may say a word of this to our patron,
the Earl of Hay, and then let him do in it as he thinks proper, for he will judge of it better
than we can.
I presume to send you inclosed a copy of my letter by this post to Generall Wade, to
let you see the state of our Highlands very plain, and there is nothing in it but reall truth,
for I would not say a ly to him or to any man for my commission.
As Sir Robert Munro has a brother that is a captain of an Highland company as well as
you have, I have presum'd to write to him the same thing that I write to you, and to send
him a copy of my letter to Generall Wade ; for I thought it my duty to acquaint you and
him of such an essential affair that concerns you and him as well as me and our country,
and referr to your own thoughts and judgement what to do in it. I shall be glad to know
your opinion about it after you receive this letter ; and I am, with unalterable love and
respect, my dear Sir James,
Your most affectionate brother, most obedient and most faithfull humble servant,
LOVAT.
463. To The Same— Of the escheat of Major White.
Beawfort, 9th February 1739.
My dear Sir James, — . . . Tho' the officers att Fort Augustus pretend without grounds that
Major White dyd lunatick, yet it is nothing as to the laws and customs of our country if it
hade been so ; for the Laird of Bracco, who murder'd himself, was beliv'd to be for severall