an affair which happened amongst us, which obliged us to send a
message to the Duke of Argyll. I hope this came safe to your hand.
His answer was very civil, and our return was in the words
following, viz: 'We are obliged to the Duke of Argyll for his
civility; that, since he has no powers to treat with us, we can say
no more now; but if at any time he shall have them, and let us know
it, we shall give our answer.'

"I hope this affair has been so manadgd that all the spirit of
division amongst us is crusht; and pray take care to informe our
friends at London and Parise about it, that it may not alarme them.
I am affraid of its alarmeing the Regent, and keeping him from doing
anything for the King; for which reason I send an express to Lord
Bolingbroke to-night. I suppose it will be ten or twelve dayes at
least before the Duke of Argyll will have a return, and we may know
much before that time. If they agree to a treaty, it is still in our
own power; and if not, I hope people will stand together for their
own sake.

"You speak in your two last as if you were opresst about our
divisions. All I shall trouble you further in relation to
this,--there are odd people amongst us, and those of whom it should
not have been expected; they had instild their spirit so farr into
many, that there was no steming the tide but by going into it, or
else breaking amongst ourselves, and, like them, make a seperat
peace; but now those wise folk are ashamed of themselves, and are
disclaimed by those who they said comissioned them. I do all I can
to make others forgett this behaveour of those people, and I hope we
shall be as unite as ever. If the King come, I am sure we shall; and
if God is not pleased to bless us with his presence, whatever we do
shall be in consert.

"I beg to hear often from you, and particularly what you can learn
of the motion of the enimie and their designs.

"I send a reinforcement to-night to Bruntisland of a hundred men,
and there was fifty in it before.

"Lord Seaforth went north some time ago, and severall of Lord
Huntly's people; so I hope they togither will be able to keep Lord
Sutherland from doing much mischife, and e'er long to reduce him and
all the King's enimies there. We are not yet in so much apprehention
of them as Mr. H----ll seems to be. I am mighti