Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

394
CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES [April
accidental and no wayse designed. I most beg pardon
for this once that I can not attend this diot of Councell,
being following out a course of diot that I may be inabled
to attend when the Parlament sitts. I hope this shall
plead my excuse, and that yer goodnes will find it relevant,
more especially since I am informed ther will be a vere
full Councell Tuesday nixt.—My dear Lord, Yor Lo. most
faithfull and obedient ser1, Belhaven.
Pardon me to tell my opinion, that I think ther should
be no more executions, till God in his providence make this
work of darknes more plain and evident, which I hope God
in his mercy and goodnes to this poor nation will doe and
that vere shortly.
For THE EARL OF SEAFIELD
Newmarket, \Qth Ap. 1705.
My Lord,—The flying pacquet with your Losp. letters
to the Queen and my Lord Treasurer, giving account of
the proceedings of Councill on the ij instant came to my
hand yesterday about eight in the morning at London.
So soon as I could gett reddy, I took post and came hither
with them, and arived in time to see the Queen last night.
Hir Majesty seem’d not pleas’d to find that Green and
the two others that were executed deny’d the crimes for
which they were condemned, and wishes no more of them
may suffer till the truth of that matter be further clear’d.
My Lord Treasurer was supping last night with the Duke
of Devonshire, and did not see the Queen till this morning,
and just now tells me that he is to write hir Maj^8 com¬
mands to your Losp. I wish they may arive in time, for
I understand they are to be plainly signify’d that further
execution be stopt, no body here, I mean amongst the
English, beleeving the certanty of what has been confess’d
against Green and his crew as to the murther of Drummond.
Your Lordships to me mentiones plainly that the nixt
day appointed for execution of these others, that are con¬
demned, is the 19th instant, but that falling upon a Thurs¬
day, which is not an usual day for executions, makes me
fear it is not right marked. If Wedensday was meant, this