Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

WITH ARCHBISHOP SHARP
269
1671]
Lieut.-Col. Monro1 (who is ane honest man and a good
Protestant) ; he tells me my Lord George will make him very
welcome—that he shall be assured of a croune per diem well
payed, and I doubt not but the protestant Officers will consider
him better both as to his dyet and otherwise. Now I doe
beseech yor Gr. finde out some prettie yong man of a good
Life and well versed in the controversies, and ordaine him for
that service. It wilbe a good beginning for a yong man, it
may fitt him for better, and it is a great charity to provide for
so many poore Scots Protestants. Assoone as you can, write
me hopes of this that I may informe the Lieutenant-Colonell.
—I am, My Lord, Yor Grs most humble servant,
Lauderdaill.
[Addressed] For my Lord Archbp of St. Andrews his Grace.
XVI
LAUDERDALE TO SHARP
Windsor,2 13'* June 1674.
My Lord,—I have not been able to write to yor Grace since
I received your letter, but I hope the Dispatches wch the King
sent downe by my Brother 3 will please you better then any
thing that I could have written; seing you will see that not¬
withstanding of all the lies with wch the Faction4 was inter-
tained in Scotland, His Majtie has made it appear to all the
Kingdome that he will not countenance such who did so openly
1 In 1671 (the year of this letter) the Douglas Regiment was ordered to be made
up of twenty-four companies, and Alexander Monro, Lieutenant-Colonel, was
given instructions about recruiting in Scotland. The regiment being now in
France, where the soldiers might be exposed to the dangers of proselytism,
will explain why Lauderdale desired that the new chaplain should be ‘well
versed in the controversies.’ Dr. Magill, of the Coldstream Guards, who has
investigated the point for me has not found the name of the ‘ prettie yong
man,’ if indeed Sharp was able to comply with Lauderdale’s request, but a
predecessor, David Whitford, appears as chaplain, July 16, 1666 (see the Eng¬
lish Army Lists and Commission Registers, 1661-1714, 1892). In 1675 Lord
George was created Earl of Dumbarton, and in 1678 the regiment, now known
as ‘ Dumbarton’s Regiment,’ was ordered to quit the service of France. The
subsequent history of this distinguished regiment is beyond our scope.
2 Written by a secretary, subscribed by Lauderdale. 3 Hatton.
4 A name applied to the Duke of Hamilton and others opposed to Lauderdale.