"Beaufort, the 26th of Oct., 1797.

"Dear Sir,

"Thir Lords att Inverness, with the rest of my implacable enemies,
does so confound my wife, that she is uneasy till she see them. I am
afraid that they are so madd with this disapointment, that they will
propose something to her that is dangerous, her brother having such
power with her; so that really, till things be perfectly
accommodatt, I do nott desire they should see her, and I know not
how to manage her. So I hope you will send all the advice you can to
your oblidged humble servant,

SIM. FRASER."

"I hope you will excuse me for not going your lenth, since I have
such a hard task at home."

FROM SIMON FRASER TO THE LAIRD OF CULLODEN.

"Nov. 23rd, 1697.

"Sir,

"I pray you receive the inclosed acompt of my business, and see if
your own conscience, in sight of God, doth not convince you that it
is literally true. I hade sent it to you upon Saturday last, but you
were not at home; however, I sent it that day to the Laird of
Calder, who, I hope, will not sitt down on me, but transmitt it to
my best friends; and I beseech you, Sir, for God's sak, that you do
the like. I know the Chancellour is a just man, notwithstanding his
friendship to my Lord Tilliberdine. I forgive you for betraying of
me; but neither you, nor I, nor I hope God himself, will forgive him
that deceived you, and caused you to do it. I am very hopeful in my
dear wife's constancey, if they do not put her to death. Now I ad no
more, but leaves myself to your discretion; and reste, Sir, your
faithful friend and servant,

SIM. FRASER."

Lady Lovat lived to hear her husband deny that he had ever sought her in
marriage, and to see him married to two different wives; and he scrupled
not to represent the unfortunate Lady Lovat as the last possible object
of his regard--as a "widow, old enough to be his mother, dwarfish in her
person, and deformed in her shape."[150] This, as far as related to
disparity of years, was untrue; the Dowager was only four years older
than the Master of Lovat.

Meantime justice had not slumbered; and one morning, a charge "against
Captain Simon Fraser, of Beaufort, and many others, persons mostly of
the clan Fra