B. No. 550.-N.D., but the internal evidence places it with those preceding. Letter, with four addresses on back.] The Laird of Balnagown, the Laird Duffus, Hector Dowglas of Mulderge, and the Provest of Tayne .. Richt Honll., We that were heir of the Committee for this weiks attendance finding it weil attended haif maid chois of you with Hector Dowglas yor. . . Duffus, and the Provest of Tayne for the Erle of Sutherland's divisioune to keip the sessiounes of the nixt weike heir at Invernes. We expect ye will obey tonforme to the trust put on you and the intrest you haif in the cuntrey. Thus lipning to [depending on] your pns. preceislie on Mononday nixt at night we rest. . J. Southerland, Coline Campbell, Al. Brodie of Elgin, J. Grant of Moynes, J. Belladrum, Al. Dunbar of Both, Ja. Sinclair, Robert Home, R. Gray of Skibo. [There are no letters of 1642-3, while Montrose was absent in England and Robert Munro in Ireland; but in 1643 Auchnacloich sends to Balnagown an account of 500 merks for "muskets, pulder, lead, and lint," and £60 for "fyve double muskets by and attour the former, with staves and bandoliers.'

B. No. 551, 1644.-Letter to Balnagown.] Richt hon. our nichtbours have drawin themselffis to ane great heaid both horse and foott and have surprysit unawarse sum of our freindis of Aberden and certaine houses in the countray to mak invasion upon us. . thinking to installe all the North to their pernicious courses and designs . . . intreat

as we are linkit togidder in ane solemne and mutuall covenant. . . . now joyne as one man for the mantinance of our religione, liberties and laws. . . threatened with ruine . . . the comone enemie of our peace prevailing here ye and yor freinds will heardlie be exeemed... To Elgin against Mononday. . . . with thrie scoir guid able foott weill armit with fyftein days' loane and nyne or ten of yor best horse, we shall tak it as ane singular favor . . . advertise all yor freindis and folowers to draw up to a head and be in readines. . we comitt you and yors to the protectione of the Almightie Elgine ye 5 of April 1644. [Signatures] James Grant of Freuquhye, Robert Gordon, Robert Innes of that ilk, Alexr. Sutherland, Brodie of that ilk, Alexr. Brodie of Elgen, J. Grant of Moynes, J. Dunbar of Graingehill, Wa. Ross, Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscarden, Jhon Hay, J. Campbell, James Grant of rayntye. [B. No. 552, 1644.-Letter: Sutherland to Balnagown.] have receavit letters this morning from Murray showing the Marquiss of Argyle is come to Strathboggie, that Huntly hath dispersit his peopell and taken himself to the house of Achindoune and put the prissoners there to libertie . . . Seafort is come home. I am desyrit wt the greatest number. of our committie to go meit Argyll. . intreat you to make you readie.. and to be at Tain on Tuysday morning . . . I have written to Obstell, Inverbreakie, and Hector Douglas

I

[B. No. 553, N.D.-Letter to] My honbl. and loveing couseing the Laird of Balnagown... These are showeing that I am necessitat to change my resolution in going to Murray and to mak my course to the West hylandes, and that in respect of certaine intelligence I have reseaved leatlie showeing that Alexr. Mackdonald is comeing in upon my boundes and my neighboures in the West Iles. Whairfore these are desyring that ye meit me the morrow or howsoon possible ye com at Brahane with these under your command. So to your cair herein rest.. your affectionat couseing Seafort. Channorie this Tuesday. [In July Macdonald landed with 500 Irishmen, intending to join Huntly, and expecting Seaforth also to join, but he did not. He next writes:

B. No. 554, 1644.-Letter to Balnagown.] Ryt honble and loving Cusing I have receavit yors and thankis you hartely for yor kyndnes qch be confident sall be repayit by my best service qn occasion serves. I have receavit ane comand from the estaitis commanding me and nichtbours of this shyre to take the young Laird of Drum and his brother from the Earle of Sutherland qn he cum is the lenth of Tayne and to transport him thence to Arderseir. Since yt my owin occasions hes careit me to ye hiellands To obviat ony pejude could enshew by ye Eirishe incursions, I have given cautioune to Tarbet to supplie my place, qrfoir I intrait you to give directioun to your kinsemen and freinds to go along wt him in that service, qch as it will be ane obeying of the publict command so will it ingaig me to continow. . . cusing and servand Seafort. Brahan Agust 1644.

[B. No. 555, 1644.-Letter to the guidman of Pitcalny, and another copy to Balnagown.]... ye laird younger of Drum, his lady, his broyr and rest of yair accomplices are to be directit south. ye Earle of Suyrland to delyver yame at Taine, and ye barrons and gentrie. . yair to resave yame wt yair full forces. . accompanie to ye ferrie of Althourseire. I am chairgit be ye committie of Estaitis from Abdn. It is possibill. . advertisment from Francis Sinclair sone to ye Earle of Caithnes. . . . acquant yor haill freinds to meit wt you at Taine... Moniaik 6 Augt. T. Straychuir.

[B. No. 556, 1644.-Letter.] Hon. and loveing brother The day appoynted for our randezvous at Aberdin being past

the Estatis will long for ane ansr from us Wherefore these are desyreing you to meit me at Dornock . . Tuesday nixt be nyne o'clocke that we may think upon ane resolut ans to be direct from us to the Estatis. . . . J. Southerland . . Dunrobin.

[B. No. 557, N.D.-] Hond. freinds My Lord Seafort hes desyred his freinds to acquent all honest weill affected nyhboures of ye Irishe landing in Glenelg and ar to cum forward Lochaber and Badonach way and ane pt. of his lo/ bounds and my Lord Lovat, to the number of twa thousand twa hunderth muskateiris, four hundreth pickmen, thrie hundreth of our Scottis launcers that hes gathered to yem, and altho we my lord his friends ar not so obliged or his Lo to yis kyndnes being unsieported openly amongis you and at your Comities be zor nyhbours if we bot gif out yis to hold our men at home when all treuth is knowin and or Cheiffs part in particular ye inventaries may have yair owin weill reward for they wil be found be tyme alwayis according to ye covenant be in redines to assist us or my Lord Lovat or ony of us that happins to be infestit be yem, for yei ar desperat and will go quhair thei may seim to get yeir leist advantage. Alexr. McKenzie of Calcowie yis Saty. ye 17. directit to ye gentrie of Ferindonald and Ross wt. diligence to be sent to Inverbrecky to acquent ye rest. [Here we have the campaign against Montrose, who, though victorious at Tippermuir and Aberdeen, had to take to the hills, and was now barred by the northern lords' forces, including Seaforth's, and then by Argyle's, coming from Glenelg; but in February he swooped down on the latter at Inverlochy, and cut them up. Then the Covenanting General, Baillie, was sent to Badenoch, as in

B. No. 558, 1645.-Letter to Balnagown; small, very neat script.] Worthie Sir,-Being confident of yor good affectioun for promoveing the publict service necessitie of ane present supplie to the forces heir especiallie. we are lying amidest our unfreindis befoir the enemie of ane moir powerfull condition having the most part of the hielanderis daylie repaireing for thair concurrance, wha intend. . to wearie us out not having provisioun beyond the morrow—— ffrom all further pursuite earnest desyre. with all possible expeditioun you now send furth 300 men . . with armes and.. 20 days loane . . . assisting in pursute of the rebells till it sall pleas God put this service to ane happie close. Yor affectionat friend W. Baillie. Dalraddie in Badyenoch 26 Maii 1645.

[B. No. 559, 1646, 11th June.--Sutherland to Balnagown.] Yesterday being . . proclamation of peace at Dornoch seeme to admeire [wonder] at my disbanding so soone my people bein in ye feild qn others wer sitting at home the Mr of Reay did so before me my people at ane head twell dayis before ye maid any motion which mak them exceiding wearie. [By this time the war was decided, and the captive Charles had sent orders to Montrose to disband. Then came questions of taxes to pay the cost: B. No. 560, 1646.-Letter to Balnagown.] Right honbl. and loving Brother,-Yor last. anent ye Comissrs. desyre

proponed to you concerning ye horse levies and ye other publique due resting amongst you.. yat I should intercede at his hands for a continuatione till you might have the estates ansr. needless . . some als of us hade these same

objectiones.

or payment

bot yr was no hearing wtout present Bands be not hard with the estates servant bot stryve to give him all contentment . . . for in yir dayes it is dangerous to dissobey ye estates orders. J. Southerland

.. Dunrobin 17 Junii 1646.

.

[B. No. 561, 1646.-Letter to Balnagown.] Right hon. and loving Cusing,-Having some perticulars to communicat unto you and freinds I intreat to know how soone you may meit, to the ende I may hav at you. I rander you and feinds thanks for yor behavior towards me in my absence. I wes ever disposed to acqueite myself answerable to my interest in yor familie, and be fullie confident yt wherin herafter I can do you or freinds any good office I shall acquete myself as ane thankfull retributor . . . Seaforth. Brahan 19th Junii 1646. [This Seaforth, as already noted, was George, 2nd Earl. Two months before this he had gone over from the Estates' party to Montrose. Now he is anxious to draw away, or at least neutralise, Balnagown, while just two days before we have seen Sutherland sending Balnagown pretty straight advice. The latter afterwards had to suffer exactions.

B. No. 562, 1648.-Letter, addressed] The right worshipfull The Laird of Balnagowne. . I ressaved yor letter concerning Robt. Gray his demanding double peyment of yor maintenance out of yor lands. I have written to him . . letter enclosed that you may read it and close it and send it . . . Anything serviceable to you salbe heartily performed. . Sherburne. Edr. 5 Decr. 1648. [This exaction appears more fully in a petition of the Restoration time:

B. No. 563, N.D.-] To the Right honorable the Lord Commissioner his grace and honbl. Lords of Parliament appointed for Bills. David Ross of Balnagown humbly sheweth That whereas in anno 1647 Robert Gray of Arboll, Commr. of the Northe parts of Scotland, having brought ane troupe of horse and quartered them upon the Laird of Balnagowne his lands of Strahockell and therby forced some of his friends and tennents, and particularly Wm. Ross of Gruinyeard, Johne Ross of Little Tarrell, and Malcolm Ros in Knocken to grant band to him for the sum of sevin hunderth and fourty sevin pound ffor alleadgit bygane cess . . . there was no cess restand. . out of the lands foresaid and committed . . severall outrages. . to the heavy prejudice of the poor tennents and yor petitioner . . . . the said Robert-from malice that he bare to your petitioners father for his loyaltie and affectione to his Majestie efter your petitioner's father's decease in prisone in England, being takine at Worcester whither he went with his Majestie from

Scotland with his regiment-he exacted from some of the forenamed tennents . . frae the reddiest of your petitioner's rent in their hands, in anno 1654 of the foresaid soume . . That tyme albeit they offered to exhibit before him the foresaid discharge [by Balnagown] . . . . Sua that having exacted double payment of the said cess from your petitioner's father first and therefter from himself ... he should refund to your petitioner the foresaid soume.. I humbly beseech yor Grace and Lo/s . . . to summon the said Robert before you. [Next we have a remarkable testimony to the feeling of resentment against Charles I. in Scotland, as well as England, on account of the abortive expedition under Hamilton, and the loss of life at the battle of Preston:

B. No. 564, 1648, 8th December.-Letter: John Ross, lawyer, Edinburgh, to Balnagown, beginning as to taxation of the estate, and then] . . . and for newes . . from Ingland. . the Parliament and the armie intends to proceed in a verie strick way againes the King . . . Prince of Wales and Duke of York are citted to compeir before the Parliament with certificatione they sall be declarit incapable of any government and yat they sall choise ane King to the people to be governed by the people. Our Commissionars are going up

viz. my Lord Louthiane, Sir Johne Christie, and Williame Glendinning. P.S. Receave herein closit all the printit papers yat are heir, viz., a solem acknowledgment of publick sinnes and breaches of the Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant qlk is to be renewit. . . a short declaratione. . General Assemblie.. to the quholl Kirk and Kingdome. . pnt. dangers and dewtie. [The seal-perfect-shows three lions, two above and one below, as in No. 673. Burghs also suffered from these exactions, as in

No. 565, 1648-9.-Paper, headed] The Compt of the Quartering on the brughe of Tayne unorderlie but [without] warrand since.. Decr. 1648, notwithstanding payment of haill publict dewes. . Quarterit on us. Sept. 1648 most violentlie be Hew Ross, barron of Kilravock, then Colonell for ane foot leavie . . ane hundreth and sevin souldiours . . 4 days and 4 nychts. . 8 ordinaris at 3 sh. everie souldiour xxviij lib. 8 sh. Item.. be Sir James Fraser Colonell his commanders at their going into Caithness. . Decr. 1648 . . 44 soldiours. . xiii lib. xv sh. [figures, for brevity, after this]. . Januarii 1649. ane uyr recrew going to

Caithnes. . 50 sol. . . 24 hours £15. Item sex commanderis . 6/ ilk. . £4 at returne 29th Jany. 42 soldiours 24 hours at 3 sh. ilk . . £12 12 sh. . . item 6 commanderis . . . Locards [Lockhart's] trouperis . . 30. . comming from Murray to apprehend Commissar Gray. remaining 24 hours with great menacing of us. . 6/ ilk . . £19. . horse corne £9. . strae and stabill fee £4. Quhilk be the