Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

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FIRST EARL OF SEAFIELD
329
For THE EARL OF FINDLATER
Holyrood house, Tuesday,
the 6th of May i70i.
My Lord,—I got yesterday your Lops, letter of the 26th
Aprile, and am very sensible of your Lops, zeall and con¬
cern for the government. Wee see that others wait all
occasions, and leave no ston unturned. I am sorrie for
Provost Stuarts death, but since by it there is a vacancie,
I doubt not your Lop. by your friends and interest in that
place doe all you can to make the best of it. The Coun-
cellors excepting one or two Lords of Session and the Lord
Provost are all out of town, and I am goeing this day to
the cuntrie, soe it is not like wee can have any Councill till
June. All I can advise is that if ane election happen our
friends may take care to have the law upon their side as
much as they can, and let no pains and diligence be want¬
ing to carrie their business. If it end so as anything be
doubtfull and come to the Privie Councils determination,
it is not to be doubted but they will get right there, which
shall be carefullie looked after by, My Lord, Your Lops,
very obliedged humble servant, Marchmont.
The pine woods 1 of upper Strathspey for many years supplied
much valuable timber, which was floated down the Spey. The
floaters used a round currach or wicker boat covered with leather;
hence their name ‘ currachers ’ in next letter.
For THE EARL OF FINDLATER
My Lord,—The bearer, John Grant, deliverd your Lo.
letter to me this morneing, and since Grant was not vritn
to anent woode libertie, I cam allongs with John to inquere
annent the samen at young Grant,2 to whom his father hath
givn the disposeing of the woods ; and he sayes that he will
have three pounds Scotis mdey for ech tree, and this is
besyds the payt for cutting, leadeing to the vater, and the
currachers pains for transporting them to the bote off
1 The Transactions of the Inverness Scientific Society and Field Club, vol. v.
pp. 186-196.
2 Alexander Grant, afterwards Brigadier-General and laird of Grant.