ritory of an earldom alone, did not, at that time, con vey the jurisdiction in Scotland.

In the year 1468, a charter passed the great seal for conveying the office and jurisdiction of earl to the laird of Buchan *. The creation of an earl in Scotland gave no particular right of sitting in parlia ment. John Stuart sat, before his creation to the earldom, in right of his lands. The Scots, it would seem, had no idea in those days, of a king creating a eitizen and legislator.

The duke regent obtained likewise for his son,, Buchan, the earldom of Rofs, on the resignation of Euphemia, the daughter and heirefs of Alexander Lesly earl of Rofs, by the princefs Isabella Stuart, who› was the daughter of Albany by his first marriage +.

3

Buchan obtained pofsefsion of the earldom of Rofs, and exercised its functions, as well as took the title, as appears from his charters. Donald McDonald, lord of the Isles, descended from Somerled, thane of Argyll, disputed the validity of this transaction in: right of his wife, fought the battle of Hairlaw, anno 1408, in defence of his pretensions, which were afterwards, by compromise with the crown, allowed to his son. The earldom of Rofs was long after forfited, and annexed to the crown; but from the lady Joanna, the second daughter of William the sixth earl, the present lord Salton is descended, and is her heir, not (as it appears) legally affected by the attainder, ac...... cording to our modern doctrine of forfeiture.

Charter in the rolls of Robert duke of Albany.

+ Euphemia was sickly, deformed, and devout, and had been induced to become a nun.

In the year 1408, the earl of Buchan was named one of the hostages to go into England for the ran som of his brother the earl of Fife *; but though a safe conduct was sent for the hostages, the transac tion did not proceed. In the year 1413, he married the lady Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Archibald, the fourth earl of Douglas, by whom he had an only daughter, who became the wife of the lord Seton, ancestor of the earls of Winton †.

In the year 1416, the duke of Albany having renewed the negotiation with England for the ransom of king James 1. who had been now ten years a prísoner, in breach of the law of nations, appointed Buchan, with other great lords, to complete the treaty for his delivery; but they were forced to return to Scotland, after a fhort residence, without being able to bring it to an equitable conclusion.

In the beginning of the year 1419, Buchan was appointed commander in chief of the Scots auxiliaries, for supporting the right of Charles VII. while dauphin of France, to the succefsion to that kingdom, against the machinations of the infamous queen Isabella, and the arms of England. Under the command of the earl of Buchan, were Sir John Stuart of Darnley, Sir Robert Stuart, Archibald, earl of Wigton, son to earl Douglas, Sir Alexander Lindsay, brother to the earl of Crawfurd, and several other captains of distinguished bravery and reputation, with four thousand chosen veterans from the militia of Scotland, who had served under the banners of their respective + Crawfurd, &c.

Rymer's Fadera ad annum 1408.

5 chieftans in the wars with England. These troops were landed at Rochelle, early in the summer of that year; and soon after proceeded to the aid of the dauphin, who had been lately deceived by the pretended reconciliation of the duke of Burgundy at Pouilly Le Fort. A truce soon succeeded by the renewal of hostilities by Henry v.

It would exceed the limits of your journal, fhould I here enter into a detail of the circumstances, not lefs interesting in themselves than characteristic of the times, which happened at the interview between the dauphin and the duke of Burgundy at Pouilly, and the conference at Montereau, where the duke, from an accidental mistake, was cruelly afsafsinated. Nor would many of your readers be deeply interested in the political struggles of that kingdom at a period now so distant. It is only necefsary to say that this afsafsination proved highly detrimental to the interests of the dauphin. It served to unite the prin cipal cities against him, and in favours of Henry v. of England, whose son, in place of the dauphin, was acknowledged to be the presumptive heir to the crown of France, which was the cause of those unfortunate wars that rendered both countries miserable for a long time; and happily terminated at last in the total expulsion of the English from that kingdom, and a total relinquishment, on our own part, of all claims, unless it be to retain the empty title of king of France, which we still, absurdly enough, continue to adopt.

As it was in these struggles that the earl of Buchan distinguished himself, so much of the history only

On his retreat, Buchan being desirous of relinquifhing the siege, when he had just struck terror on the enemy, attacked Salisbury, and, cutting off three or four hundred of his troops, penetrated into the country without the disadvantage of seeming to relinquish the siege of Alençon from motives of prudence. In this conduct Buchan seems to have exhibited the caution and foresight of a political commander, who looked to the general posture of the kingdom, and of the dauphin's affairs, rather than to the fashionable impetuosity of the times; and to have gained credit for his conduct at Verneuiel, which, notwithstanding the French accounts, I believe, was for waving battle and protracting the war, rather than hazarding a general engagement with disadvantage, and my opinion is founded on this affair at Alençon.

The accounts of the victory at Baugè were received by the dauphin at Tours, who, with a view to attach the Scots, whose valour had so signally contributed to gain this advantage, bestowed the sword of constable of France, which had remained unpossessed since the death of the count d' Armagnac, on the brave earl of Buchan*; who was not long after permitted to return to Scotland, with a view to obtain another reinforcement of his brave countrymen to support the cause of France and the dauphin.

To be continued.

L'Histoire de France par Villaret, p. 282. Mizerai, Daniel, &c.

THE IMPROVEMENT OF SHEEP AND WOOL.

To Sir John Sinclair, bart. and the other directors and members

of the society instituted for the improvement of British wool in Scotland.

GENTLEMEN,

Ir must give pleasure to every one who has the prosperity of this country at heart, to see, that, by your means, such a general spirit has been excited in this nation, and the public attention so strongly directed. towards the improvement of wool, one of the earliest and most important staple productions of this island'; and it is the duty of every good man to co-operate with you in rendering these improvements as complete and as lasting as pofsible.

As you have invited every person to suggest whatever appears to them of utility on this momentous subject, I beg leave, in compliance with that invitation, with all pofsible respect, to submit the following hints to your consideration.

The attention of a great part of Europe is now directed towards you, and expectations are raised that ought not to be disappointed. It therefore behoves you to proceed with a cautious circumspection. Many important facts respecting this subject are hitherto unascertained; and as opinions are divided concerning them, I humbly beg leave to submit to your consideration, whether, in order to cut fhort the endlefs arguments that must occur where opinions are offered instead of facts, it might not be proper to