d, with pretensions even to a still higher title. My Lord Duke of
Hamilton had, indeed, every merit belonging to a gentleman, and he had had
the time to mature his accomplishments fully, being upwards of fifty years
old when Madam Beatrix selected him for a bridegroom. Duke Hamilton, then
Earl of Arran, had been educated at the famous Scottish University of
Glasgow, and, coming to London, became a great favourite of Charles the
Second, who made him a lord of his bedchamber, and afterwards appointed
him ambassador to the French king, under whom the earl served two
campaigns as his Majesty's aide de camp; and he was absent on this service
when King Charles died.

King James continued my lord's promotion--made him master of the wardrobe,
and colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse; and his lordship adhered
firmly to King James, being of the small company that never quitted that
unfortunate monarch till his departure out of England; and then it was, in
1688, namely, that he made the friendship with Colonel Francis Esmond,
that had always been, more or less, maintained in the two families.

The earl professed a great admiration for King William always, but never
could give him his allegiance; and was engaged in more than one of the
plots in the late great king's reign, which always ended in the plotters'
discomfiture, and generally in their pardon, by the magnanimity of the
king. Lord Arran was twice prisoner in the Tower during this reign,
undauntedly saying, when offered his release, upon parole not to engage
against King William, that he would not give his word, because "he was
sure he could not keep it"; but, nevertheless, he was both times
discharged without any trial; and the king bore this noble enemy so little
malice, that when his mother, the Duchess of Hamilton, of her own right,
resigned her claim on her husband's death, the earl was, by patent signed
at Loo, 1690, created Duke of Hamilton, Marquis of Clydesdale, and Earl of
Arran, with precedency from the original creation. His grace took the
oaths and his seat in the Scottish Parliament in 1700: was famous there
for his patriotism and eloquence, especially in the debates about the
Union Bill, which Duke Hamilton opposed with all his strength, though he
would not go the length of the Scottish gentry, who were for resisting it
by force of arms. 'Twas said he withdrew his opposition all of a sudden,
and in consequence of letters from the king at St. Germains, who ent