Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Second volume)
(409) Page 384
Download files
Complete book:
Individual page:
Thumbnail gallery: Grid view | List view
384
ERSKINE PAPERS
journal which he kept on this occasion is still extant among
the Erskine family papers, and from it we learn that he set
sail from Montrose on the 3rd of February at midnight—the
very day before the Pretender himself secretly embarked for
France from the same port—and reached St. Germains on the
9th. Sir John remained in France for several months, some¬
times apparently, like many of the Jacobite fugitives, in
considerable straits for means,1 till in July (1716), he was
sent by the Pretender with a letter to Charles xu., King of
Sweden, proposing an alliance between the latter and the
Jacobites. In this letter the Chevalier prays his Majesty to
give him a favourable reception and deliberately to consider
the propositions which he made, in which Sir John’s interest
was so intimately united with his own.
Meanwhile, Sir John Erskine’s friends in Scotland had
projected a plan by which he might be pardoned and restored
to his estates. Several years before, he had discovered what
appeared to be a valuable silver mine on his property at Alva,
from which he had procured a considerable quantity of the
metal.2 On his joining in the Rebellion, one of the persons
whom he had employed in the enterprise, returning to
London, had informed the government of the find, and his
friends had approached them and secured a promise of Sir
John’s pardon, provided he agreed to discover fully the
situation of the mine, which, under a very old Act of
Parliament, dated 1592, reserving a tenth of all the ore
found in Scotland for the Crown, might yield a considerable
revenue to the public treasury. The letter printed at p. 414,
(No. XIII.) refers to this project. It is unsigned and un¬
addressed, but is evidently from some intimate friend of the
family. The next letter (No. XIV. p. 414), from Patrick
Campbell of Monzie, to Dr. Robert Erskine, his brother-in-
law, gives a more detailed account of the efforts made by Sir
John’s friends on his behalf. It refers to the despatch of
1 Historical MSS. Commission \th Report, p. 526. 2 See note, p. 417.
ERSKINE PAPERS
journal which he kept on this occasion is still extant among
the Erskine family papers, and from it we learn that he set
sail from Montrose on the 3rd of February at midnight—the
very day before the Pretender himself secretly embarked for
France from the same port—and reached St. Germains on the
9th. Sir John remained in France for several months, some¬
times apparently, like many of the Jacobite fugitives, in
considerable straits for means,1 till in July (1716), he was
sent by the Pretender with a letter to Charles xu., King of
Sweden, proposing an alliance between the latter and the
Jacobites. In this letter the Chevalier prays his Majesty to
give him a favourable reception and deliberately to consider
the propositions which he made, in which Sir John’s interest
was so intimately united with his own.
Meanwhile, Sir John Erskine’s friends in Scotland had
projected a plan by which he might be pardoned and restored
to his estates. Several years before, he had discovered what
appeared to be a valuable silver mine on his property at Alva,
from which he had procured a considerable quantity of the
metal.2 On his joining in the Rebellion, one of the persons
whom he had employed in the enterprise, returning to
London, had informed the government of the find, and his
friends had approached them and secured a promise of Sir
John’s pardon, provided he agreed to discover fully the
situation of the mine, which, under a very old Act of
Parliament, dated 1592, reserving a tenth of all the ore
found in Scotland for the Crown, might yield a considerable
revenue to the public treasury. The letter printed at p. 414,
(No. XIII.) refers to this project. It is unsigned and un¬
addressed, but is evidently from some intimate friend of the
family. The next letter (No. XIV. p. 414), from Patrick
Campbell of Monzie, to Dr. Robert Erskine, his brother-in-
law, gives a more detailed account of the efforts made by Sir
John’s friends on his behalf. It refers to the despatch of
1 Historical MSS. Commission \th Report, p. 526. 2 See note, p. 417.
Set display mode to:
Universal Viewer | 
Mirador |
Large image | Transcription
Images and transcriptions on this page, including medium image downloads, may be used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence unless otherwise stated. 
| Scottish History Society volumes > Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Second volume) > (409) Page 384 |
|---|
| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/126951896 |
|---|
| Description | Contents: The Scottish king's household and other fragments from a 14th century manuscript / Mary Bateson -- The Scottish nation in the University of Orleans, 1336-1538 / John Kirkpatrick -- Muster-roll of the French garrison at Dunbar, 1553 / Robert S. Rait -- The antiquity of the Christian religion among the Scots, 1594 / Henry D.G. Law -- The apology for William Maitland of Lethington, 1610 / Andrew Lang -- Some letters and correspondence of George Graeme / L.G. Graeme -- A Scottish journie, being an account in verse of a tour from Edinburgh to Glasgow in 1641, by P.J. / C.H. Firth -- Narratives illustrating the Duke of Hamilton's expedition to England in 1648 / C.H. Firth -- Certain papers of Robert Burnet ... Gilbert Burnet ... and Robert Leighton / H.C. Foxcroft -- Letters and documents relating to Robert Erskine, physician to Peter the Great, 1677-1720 / Robert Paul -- The will of Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany, 1789 / Francis Steuart -- Index. |
|---|---|
| Shelfmark | SCS.SHS.44 |
| Additional NLS resources: | |
| Attribution and copyright: |
|
More information
|
|
| Attribution and copyright: |
|
|---|
| Description | Over 180 volumes, published by the Scottish History Society, containing original sources on Scotland's history and people. With a wide range of subjects, the books collectively cover all periods from the 12th to 20th centuries, and reflect changing trends in Scottish history. Sources are accompanied by scholarly interpretation, references and bibliographies. Volumes are usually published annually, and more digitised volumes will be added as they become available. |
|---|