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iiiniutnm i i ", , 1 illllf" k iiiiiiiuiMWminn hi N&.a^.^.*i& National Library of Scotland mi ii mi 1 1 111 "B000031767* s, LIVES OF THE LINDSAYS, VOL II. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/livesoflindsaysv200craw : ; C^^^e^^-^ &i\)t& of ti)t atnUsaps A MEMOIR OF THE HOUSES CRAWFORD AND BALCARRES, LORD LINDSAY. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, EXTRACTS FROM THE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF ALEX. SIXTH EARL OF BALCARRES, DURING THE MAROON WAR; TOGETHER WITH PERSONAL NARRATIVES BY HIS BROTHERS, THE HON. ROBERT, COLIN, JAMES, JOHN, AND HUGH LINDSAY. VOL. II. WIGAN PRINTED BY C. S. SIMMS. 1840. '23 ,H.St \ ^ftj..O^ —; CONTENTS. Chap. XII. Sect. I. Colin, earl of Balcarres, goes to court at the age of sixteen —marries Mauritia de Nassau— her sad fate attachment to, and eventual marriage with, Lady Jean Carnegie — is forbid the court in consequence— and resides at Balcarres till the death of his wife six years afterwards. Sect. II. Suf- ferings of the presbyterians : — John, earl of Crawford-Lind- say's retirement and death— attachment of his family to the Scottish Kirk — Anue, duchess of Rothes, his daughter, &c. Lady Sophia and Lady Henrietta Lindsay, sisters of Earl Colin, their character. —The Test — condemnation of Argyle, who escapes out of Edinburgh castle, disguised as Lady Sophia's page—his invasion in concert with the Duke of Monmouth — his capture— and execution. Subsequent fortunes of his widow and her daughters. Sect. III. National discontents — arrival of William, prince of Orange— mission of Earl Colin from the secret council — his interviews with James and William— returns to Scotland with his friend Dundee— their project of calling a parliament at Stirling defeated—Dundee escapes to the High- lands ; Colin arrested and imprisoned— defeat at Killicrankie suppression of the Jacobites—release of Lord Balcarres. Sect. IV. Engages in Skelmorly's plot— quits the kingdom on its discovery—his reception at St. Germain's —presents his me- — VI CONTENTS. moirs to King James — letters of John, earl of Perth, during his exile— is permitted to return to Scotland in 1700 — death of William III. Sect. V. Attends court on the accession — of Queen Anne 'supports the union. His younger son, James (afterwards earl of Balcarres), goes to sea— returning to Scotland, finds his father on the eve of joining the Chevalier—opposes his wishes, but, finding him inflexible, will not desert him—father and son both pardoned, Earl Colin by the interest of the duke of Marl- borough, and James by that of his aunt, Lady Stair.— Last seven years of Earl Colin's life — dies at Balcarres, 1722 . .page 1 Chap. XIII. Sect. I. Alexander, fourth earl of Balcarres —his character —his services—dying letter to his friend, Lord Pre- sident Forbes, 1736. James, fifth earl of Balcarres —corres- pondence with his sister during the war in Germany— death of the latter immediately after his return to Scotland— quits the army after the battle of Fontenoy — his character by his daughter, Lady Anne Barnard— his marriage. Sect. II. John, eighteenth earl of Crawford — his brief but brilliant career serves against the Turks — is wounded at the battle of Krotska voyage up the Danube —his presence of mind on the morning before the battle of Roucoux— death, 1748—and character. Sect. III. Retirement of James, earl of Balcarres —his agricul- tural pursuits—letter to his daughters — writes his memoirs —his death, 1768 98 Chap. XIV. Sect. I. The family circle, seventy years ago —Lady Dalrymple, Sir Adolphus Oughton, Mrs. Cockburn, Mrs. A. Murray Keith, Sophy Johnstone, &c. —Lady Anne Lindsay, by marriage Barnard—origin of " Auld Robin Gray"—Lady Margaret Fordyce — her beauty and talents— Alexander, sixth earl of Balcarres— his military services in America— Colin Lindsay— John, Hyder Ali's prisoner in Seringapatam— James, killed at Cuddalore. Lord Balcarres's speech in favour of the restoration of the forfeited estates—his appointment as gover- nor of Jamaica, and suppression of the Maroon rebellion returns to England, and settles at Haigh in Lancashire, having — CONTENTS. Vll sold his Scottish property to his hrother Robert—generous con- duct of the latter. Sect. II. Latter days of the Countess Dowager of Balcarres — her happiness—her death, set. 93 her character. Sect. III. Lady Anne Barnard—her writings — her correspondence with Sir Walter Scott on the subject of " Auld Robin Gray"—her death. Conclusion 181 APPENDIX. VII. Extracts from the Diary of Lady Henrietta Lindsay, wife of Sir Duncan Campbell, Bart., of Auchinbreck page 271 VIII. Mrs. Murray Keith. Extract from " Probation," by the " Authoress of Selwyn " 284 IX. " Auld Robin Gray," and Continuation, by Lady Anne Barnard 287 X. Versions from the German, by Lady Margaret Fordyce.,297 — LIVES OF THE LINDSAYS, &c. CHAPTER XII. " Balcarres, who liis king as life held dear." Tennant. SECT. I. When Earl Colin had attained the age of sixteen, he went to court, and was presented to King Charles by his cousin the duke of Lauderdale. Colin was extremely handsome ; the king was pleased with his countenance, said he had loved his father, and would be a father to him himself ; and, as an earnest of his favour, gave him the command of a select troop of horse, composed of one hundred loyal gentlemen who had been reduced to po- verty during the recent troubles.* A few days after he had been with the king, Colin * They had half a crown a day. Earl James's Memoirs. LIVES OF THE LINDSAYS. fell dangerously ill at his uncle and guardian Sir Robert Moray's house, when there came hourly a messenger from Mademoiselle Mauritia de Nassau, (then residing with her sister Lady Arlington, wife of the prime minis- ter,) to enquire after his health. These ladies, with their sister Isabella, wife of the gallant earl of Ossory, were daughters of Louis de Nassau, count of Beverwaert and Auverquerque in Holland,* by Elizabeth countess of Horn. The young Mauritia had fallen in love with Colin at his first presentation at court ; on his recovery, Sir Robert sent him to pay his acknowledgments to her, and ere long the day was fixed for their marriage. The prince of Orange, afterwards William the Third, pre- sented his fair kinswoman on this joyful occasion with a pair of magnificent emerald ear-rings, as his wedding- gift. The day arrived, the noble party were assembled in the church, and the bride was at the altar; but, to the dismay of the company, no bridegroom appeared ! The volatile Colin had forgotten the day of his marriage, and was discovered in his night-gown and slippers, quietly eating his breakfast ! —Thus far the tale is told with a smile on the lip, but many a tear was shed at the con- clusion. Colin hurried to the church, but in his haste left the ring in his writing-case ; —a friend in the com- pany gave him one,—the ceremony went on, and, with- out looking at it, he placed it on the finger of his fair young bride : —it was a mourning ring, with the mort- * Natural son of Maurice prince of Orange. — — COLIN EARL OF BALCARRES. 3 head and crossed bones ; —on perceiving it at the close of the ceremony, she fainted away, and the evil omen had made such an impression on her mind that, on re- covering, she declared she should die within the year, and her presentiment was too truly fulfilled. In a packet of old papers, crumbling to decay, I found the following billet, addressed by Lady Balcarres to her husband's mother soon after her nuptials : " Madame : Je ne sais en quels termes vous rendre tres humbles graces de la bonte que vous avez eu de m' ecrire une lettre si obligeante ; je vous assure, Ma- dame, que j' en ai la reconnoissance que je dois, et que Milord Balcarres n'aurait pu epouser une personne qui tacheraplus queje ferai, achercher les occasions de me- riter votre amitie, et a vous temoigner en toute sorte de rencontre avec combien de respect et de soumission je suis, Madame, Votre tres humble et obeissante fille et servante, Maurisce de Balcarres." It is a mere letter of compliment—for the correspond- ents had never, I believe, seen each other ; but, finding it, as I did, buried among marriage-settlements and wills, in whose voluminous pages I found no other trace of her having lived, loved, and died,—it was with feelings of no common interest that I perused the only relic that time b2 — 4 LIVES OF THE LINDSAYS. has spared of one who might have been our ancestress —the young and ill-fated Mauritia. It was in the joy of seeing Colin established, to all ap- pearance, so happily for life, that his mother addressed him an admirable letter of advice, moral, religious, poli- tical, and domestic, a few extracts from which will not, I trust, prove unacceptable to her young descendants. No subject is left untouched, of which a mother would be anxious to impress right ideas on a son. As we love our homes the more because they were those of our an- cestors, " So," she says, " I expect that what I say to you will the more affect you, because 'tis from your mo- ther that loves you, wishes you well, and desires rather to see you a truly honest and virtuous man, fearing God, than possessor of all the riches the world can give.- There are some that have power and riches : much to be pitied are such lovers of pleasures—they come to that, at last, they are troubled to hear any thing that is serious, and which does not flatter them, though their actions merit reproof.

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