Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

1739.] TO LUDOVICK GRANT, YOUNGER OF GRANT. 377
years before lunatick and mad, and attempted to kill himself severall times, abroad and at
home, before he gave the fatal stroak att Balveny. Yet his escheat fell to the King, and the
late King gave the gift of it to Brigadier Ker, the Duke of Roxburgh's brother. I went in
to the King's closet ane half hour after he got it, and his Majesty was so kind as to tell me
that if I hade ask'd that gift one hour sooner I wou'd have got it, but that he gave it to Mr.
Ker, the Duke of Roxburgh's brother, who was then groom of the bedchamber in waiteing,
and he sold it for several thousand pounds to this Lord Bracco's father. So you see that
pretended lunacy, even tho' beliv'd to be reall, does not save escheats in Scotland.
464. To Ludovick Grant, younger of Grant — Commission to Frank, son of Sir James
Grant — Papers of Dalrachnie.
Beaufort, 6th March 1739.
My dear Laird of Grant, — I can't express my joy and satisfaction to know that you and
worthy Lady Margaret and the dear young ones are in good health. I pray God it may
long be so, and I beg leave to assure you and them of my most affectionate humble duty,
and that of all this family's. I wish with all my soul that the weaning of the young Prince
of Strathspey may prove well. For my own part, it would not be my opinion to take him
from the breast in this cold season, considering that he had a good nurse, and that he is so
very young. However, I hope in God, as he has bore it well since, it will succeed with him.
I have been very much out of order these 18 days past with an intermitting fever that
did declare itself a formal ague within these five or six days. After taking a quantity of
vomits and rhubarb, I am now taking dozes of the bark, by Doctor Cuthbert's advice ; and
your cousin Balhadie, who assures you of his most humble duty, and who has very good
skill in physick, agrees with Doctor Cuthbert in all his sentiments, and they are both positive
that I am in no danger, and that in a little time I 'le be entirely free of it. . . .
The unhappy wretch Major "White's affair turn'd out just what I suspected and believ'd
from the verj r first moment, that is, that it would bring trouble and expense upon me, and
not a farthing profite, and it has so happen'd. You will see by my Lord Hay's letter, and
my answer to it, his lordship's opinion of my behaviour in the whole affair.
Just now the post is come on, and I send you a copy of Brigadier Guest's letter to me,
and of General Wade's letter to him, by which you will see that your brother Frank is to
be an officer in our Highland corps, and I am mighty glad that I have been the lucky
instrument of puting it in your father's head to push that affair. As soon as ever I heard of
Lieutenant Stewart's death I wrote immediatly to your father, and beg'd of him to put in
immediatly for that commission for my dear Frank, and to solicite my Lord Hay and
General Wade about it, which he has done, as you will see by General Wade's letter to
Brigadier Guest.
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