Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

1693]
FIRST EARL OF SEAFIELD
113
and its thought ther will be a second boutt, ffor the Con-
federats are resolv’d to keep closser as ever. Ther wes
litle don yesterday in Counsell. John Andersone told me
he wold send yow the minuts, so shall not repeat them.
I give yow my most humble service, and shall only trouble
yow with a letter, when I hear any privat accots that are
not in the publict; ffor I am, Right Hono11 Sr, Your
most oblidged and devouted servu, Wm. Black.
Edr., Mh August 1693.
The reference in next letter by the Lord Advocate to the old
Scots navy is interesting. On the 3rd of March 1692 the Duke
of Hamilton received from the King a warrant for the gift of the
office of Lord High Admiral of Scotland,1 hence the Duke’s objec¬
tion to the Lord Chancellor’s proposals. In 1689, in face of the
troubles with Ireland,2 two frigates had been placed on the
western coast by the Scots Parliament; but since the commence¬
ment of the war with France nothing had yet been done on the
east coast to ward off French privateers. Scots seaborne com¬
merce on the North Sea had depended entirely on the protection
of the English navy.
To SR JAMES OGILVIE OF CHURCHILL to the
CARE OF THE BaMPH POST
3d Edr., 7 Aug. 1693.
Sr,—I have tuo of yours. The Lady Achlunckart was
not called. I was passive in the mater at your desire,
but she had freinds that urged it as much as I could,
but there was no place for it. We had three diets of
Councel, but did litle bussiness. All petitions from the
late prisonners were barred by what was told them before¬
hand, that at this season and untill the Kings minde were
knoun, there was nothing to be done. There were also
feu petitions ; but the bussiness took us up was in the
verie entrie a proposal was made by the L. Chancollr for
a ship to defend the cost, but D. Hamilton moving that
its comission must be from the Admirality, and the Chan-
1 See State Papers (Scotland) Warrant Books, vol. xv. p. 118.
2 The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. ix. pp. 17, 24, 25, 43, 44, 53,
58, 67, 79, 85.
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