be entrusted be me, and I did think be vertue of that clause to draw somewhat from the Sergeant to that man I should appoynt, which I might easily doe being his pay-Master. And this is the tenour of the backband.

XVII. ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL TO ARCHIBALD FIRST LORD NAPIER.

MY LORD, I am laitlie informed that some of your Lordship's on freinds, forgetting the dewtie of honest men, haue most wrongfullie accused your Lordship to his Majestie, alledging, most impudentlie, that your Lordship had passed in my favour a gift of non-entrie, or some such lyk thing, quherby his royall Majestie was prejudged in a matter of fourtie-eight thousand pounds, or thairby. Quherfore, not trusting to my own memorie (altho matters of that kind could not be easilie forgot), I have causit search the Register and can find no such matter quherin my name is used. And quhillas I was making searche, I fund a gift of non-entrie, grantit laitlie to the Lord of Lowdon, of some lands quherto he pretends a title; and supposing that to be the matter they poynt at, I consulted the Lord of Lowdoun his Advocatis, that I micht informe your Lordship the true estaite of that bussines; and they declair that the Lord of Lowdoun brocht them a chairtour he had laitlie found among his predecessors writts granted to one of his predicessors tuo or thrie hundreth yeir agoe, and they advysed him to inter actioun thairupoun befoir the tyme of prescryving of securities suld run out: And first he behoved to pas a gift of non-entrie before he served and retoured his Ladie as narrest air to hir predicessor,' quho was last

1

Margaret Campbell, grand-daughter and heiress of Hugh, Lord Loudon, married John Campbell, son of Sir James Campbell of Lawers, in 1620. Hence he is styled in this letter Lord Loudon. He was created

Earl of Loudon in 1633, but the patent was stopped at the Chancery in consequence of his violent opposition to the measures of the King. It was confirmed, however, in 1641, when Charles made over Scotland to

infeft in thes lands, wherwayis he wold be lyable for the non-entrie, quhich no doubt wald extend to far more than the lands were worth, although he suld obtaine his actioun. Therfore, according to the ordinarie cours in such caices, the Lord of Lowdoun gave in a signatour of non-entrie of thes lands to the Lords of Exchekker, and the Lords finding that the lands were not in the Lord of Lowdoun his possession, bot posest by ane uther qua was his Majesties tennent thairof, they all accorded to pas the said gift to the Lord of Lowdoun for ane easie compositioun, and so, to testifie that it was not a matter privatlie done, the gift is subscryued be the Lord Chancellour, the Thesaurer, the Precedent of the Counsaill, the Lord Privie Seal, your Lordship, and divers uthers of the Exchekker: And, as I am crediblie informed, it was so publick a thing, that the Lords ressoned anent the same, both pro and contra, before it was granted: And this much farder I have thoucht goode to informe your Lordship of, that it be affirmed to his Majestie that the matter may be of very great consequence to the Lord of Lowdoun, your Lordship on my credit may undertak that the Lord of Lowdoun sall quyt to his Majestie the foirsaid gift of non-entrie, and all uthir richts he hes to thes lands for ane easie compositioun; and your Lordship can secure a bargane with thes quho so lewdlie misinformes his Majestie anent that particular, ye sall do the Lord of Lowdoun a good office. Bot howsoevir, since they have bene so impudent, I cannot sie how your Lordship can come fairlie of, unless that matter be brocht to a publict tryall; and quhen they sall not be able to prove ther alledgeance, ther is no doubt bot his Majestie may be

if

the Covenanting party. Loudon then also became Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and was one of the most conspicuous of the party of Argyle, who ruled that unhappy country. It was Loudon who pronounced sentence of death upon Montrose, and he

did so con amore, from personal motives. 'He accompanied the inhuman sentence,' says Clarendon, with all those insolent reproaches upon his person and his actions which the liberty of that place gave him leave to use.'

graciouslie pleased to put a mark of his Majesties dislyk on such misformers.

My Lord, it may be easilie perceived that ther calumnies ar forged be reasson of that fair and frie offer made be your Lordship' for defraying his Majesties expensis at his cuming to this his kingdom, querin I must not want a blow for taking the boldnes to remember his Majestie of your offer when as uthers had refused the same (as I am crediblie informed.) Bot let them doe thair worst. We have to thank God that we leive under a most just and gracious King, quho will not receive misinformationes of the meanest of his subjects on calling them to a reckoniug, and both can and will esteme of the misinformers as they merit. And as to the chairge his Majestie was graciouslie pleased to grant me for outleting those moneyis suld be levied for defraying his Majesties expensis heir, if his sacred Majestie find not the same expedient for his Majesties service, I sall rest hairtlie weill content with his Majesties most gracious pleasour; and, altho I may not compare with great ones in power, yet ther sal be none more affectionatlie bent to doe his Majesties service then I sall be, quherof I have alreadie given als great proife as those quho hes made themselves better acquentit to his Majestie. So wishing your Lordship a happie and a safe returne, I rest, Your Lordship's evir to serve you,

Edinburgh, the 18 of November, 1628. To the Right Honourabill My Lord Neper.

AR. CAMPBELL.2

1 See No. XIII. The King's progress at the time was defeated by this faction. 2 Archibald Campbell is designed brother

to Sir James Campbell of Lawers, in the back-bond, No. XV.; from which it would seem that he was uncle to Loudon.

XVIII. ARCHIBALD FIRST LORD NAPIER TO KING CHARLES I.

MOST SACREAD SOVERAN,-It may seame presumption in me, in the termes I now stand, to wreat to your Majestie, but there being now no other way left me to plead for your Majesties favour, I hope your Majesties goodness will excuse this. I wes in hope that efter a surrender made of the lease of Orknay, your Majestie wold vouchafe me the hearing; and therefore I offered to the Secretary a most absolute one, as your Majestie may sie. But least that way should be left opin to me to recover your Majestie's favour, there is a surrender sent from Scotland to be subscryved be me, the most unjust and unreasonable that can be; for, as be sinister meanes, and most servill practises, my unfrends have robbed me of your Majestie's favour, so by the same they endevoir to stop me from the recovery; and it may be that this is not the least, and that which most hath encensed your Majestie that, tho I never intertayned other thoght then to surrender whenever your Majestie sould be pleased, yet I have some reason to suspect that a commission (if so it may be called) to a clean contrary sens, was caryed to your Majestie as from me, who never yet sent any but that offer of surrender by Sir William Balfour. And truly if any behaviour of myne in this or any thing els hath procured your Majesties displesour I kno it not, nather wes ever my mynd consenting to it, and so may be my error, but it is not my deed. deed. And I call God to witness that there never lodged in my breast so much as a thoght toward your Majestie other then becam a dutieful subject, a fathful and most affectionate servand. Yet (for now I crave leave to complayne to your Majestie) my punishment is such as beares proportion with crymes of the hyest nature; for as to be banished from the presens of God is Hell, so from that of your Majestie, his Lieutenant heir, is so grevous to me, and so insupportable, as had opprest my hairt long ere now, if the consideration of your Majesties justice and my own integrity had not sustayned me, togither with a hope I have that

the strength of your Majesties wisdome will one day disperse those mistes which ar so cuningly raysed betuix your Majesties sight and the truth. For all men kno, except your Majestie, that I suffer for your service (the which in particuler I can relate), and not for any wrong can be alleged done by me to any of those who persecute me; so that in a true construction my sufferings ar your Majestie's also, when be these sam meanes, and the sam men, that I am hurt, your Majestie is also abused. I therfore humbly beseech your Majestie to grant me that which uses not to be denyed to any delinquent whatsoever, which is, a hearing, ather favorable or judiciall, and gratiously to accept an absolute and totall surrender of my lease, and such as, taking away frome me all hope of benefitt, may also take away all hazard of losse; otherways in all probability as fathfull a servant as ever served any King (for in that poynt I dar compare) sal be utterly ruined. Yet in all humility submitting all my desyres to your Majesties gracious plesure, I pray God to grant your Majestie all prosperity, health, and happiness.

Your Majestie's faithfull and

London, 16 July 1629.

To the King's most

Excellent Majestie.1

obedient servant,

NAPER.

XIX. LORD NAPIER'S RELATION OF HIS INTERVIEWS WITH KING
CHARLES I. FROM HIS AUTOGRAPH.

Understanding that my Lord of Mar wes on his journey, and near, I thought it fit to be in some sort armed against the storme he brought

1 This letter seems to have procured an audience for Lord Napier, and the result of

his personal interview with his Majesty will be found in No. XIX.