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

526
REBELLION PAPERS
[dec. io
Whilst they were with me, Mr. Kettleby (counsel for the
prisoners) brought me compliments from a friend in your neigh¬
bourhood.
By some hints that were given amongst these combatants on
both sides, I guess we shall have a plea against the jurisdiction
of the court, or rather a protestation against the tenour of
their commission, as violating the fundamental articles of the
Treaty of Union. I never yet heard of a court that fail’d in
asserting its own jurisdiction; and ’twould be an extraordinary
sight to have four wise men return hence with a report, that
(having open’d their bag a de secretin at Carlisle), they found
nothing but a pig in the poke.
I am not able to write one word more, if indeed I could tell
what. My fingers are very much numm’d. Let me only
request your communicating the inclos’d list to my Lord of
Canterbury,1 with the humble duty of your lordship’s entirely
affectionate brother,
W. Carliol.
P.S.—I have, since the writing of this, receiv’d your letter.
Whether our Bishop of Bangor will accept of a western trans¬
lation, he can best tell; tho’ (some say) he has lately written
a book in Cornish, no English-man being able to understand it.
December 13th, 1716.
My very good Lord,—I gave your grace a sort of a journal
of the two first day’s work of our Lords of Session at Carlisle;
and I hop’d to have been as full handed every post. But the
giving of copies of the several indictments to the parties con¬
cern’d a week before their respective tryals obliges the judges
to direct the prosecutions to be brought on more slowly than
they were at the beginning. This expedient is also necessary
for the keeping the jurors themselves in daily employment.
So that the King’s sollicitors fee’d these men with bills as our
farmer’s fodder their cattle this hard weather, in small quan¬
tities, that the stock of provisions may last the longer.
Yesterday they brought in ignoramus on a bill against Mr.
Burnet; a kinsman of the late Bishop of Sarum’s, and one
1 William Wake, formerly Bishop of Lincoln.