-..- p •••• •"';••'' '''.•'*' A 1/3.-4 ^^ £ a , tVuvra f\ #W , £ ^l^t P • THE STAIR ANNALS Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/annalscorrespov200grah SEfi-Sl' EA11 OF E" " '- ". ,'JL OF THE . AN N ALS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE VISCOUNT AND THE FIRST AND SECOND EARLS OF STAIR BY JOHN MURRAY GRAHAM IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. II. Js> * WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXV — CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. SECOND EARL OF STAIR—continued. CHAPTER IX. PAGE Lord Stair's household at Paris—Captain James Gardiner—The Pretender removed across the Alps—Stair and the Jacobites —The Duke of Montrose and Rob Roy—Arrest of Lord Peter- borough in Italy on the pretext of a design to assassinate the Pretender—Despatch of Secretary Addison demanding repar- ation— Disputes between Spain and the Emperor— Diplomatic efforts of Stair to secure the co-operation of the Regent Or- leans against Spain and Alberoni— Letters of Mr Addison to Lord Stair, ....... I CHAPTER X. Expedition fitted out by Cardinal Alberoni, and directed against Sardinia—All the efforts of British diplomacy put in motion at Madrid and Paris—Letters of Secretary Addison, Lord Stan- hope, the ambassador at Vienna, and the Duke of Roxburgh, to Lord Stair—Lady M. W. Montagu— Letters of Secretary Craggs and Sir David Dalrymple on home politics, &c. Government difficulties in regard to the Scottish Forfeited Estates—Letter of Colonel Cathcart to Stair—The Duke of Marlborough— Painting of his portrait by Kneller—What influence exercised in army patronage—Mary Bellenden, . 29 CHAPTER XI. Condition of the Jacobites— Letters of Bolingbroke to Stair—Sir D. Dalrymple on the Jacobites— 111 success of the Treason Commission for trying Scottish absentees—Letter of Mr John Willes, K.C.—Daniel Defoe— Lord Stair taken to task by Mr Craggs — French finances—Mr Law—Lord Stanhope, . 50 — VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. Diplomatic preparations for the Quadruple Alliance— Difficulty of the negotiation—The Prime Minister's journey to Paris and Madrid— Completion of the treaty between England and the Regent—Joint despatch of Stanhope and Stair— 111 success of Lord Stanhope's visit to Spain— Question as to cession of Gibraltar, . -65 CHAPTER XIII. Spanish expedition against Sicily—Admiral Sir George Byng and the British fleet —Naval engagement off Cape Pessaro—Byng's despatches to Stair and Craggs—Seizure of English merchant- ships and effects on the Spanish coasts—Hesitation in France to declare war against Spain—Efforts of Stair to decide the Regent Orleans not so effectual as the discovery of a plot against him contrived by Alberoni — Declaration of war against Spain by England and France— Letters to Lord Stair of Colonel Cathcart, Lord Finch, Earl of Galloway, Duke of Montrose, and Lord Burford, . 76 CHAPTER XIV. Lord Stair's Entry as ambassador— His defence of his expenditure —The Master of Sinclair— Stair too partial to display and punctilio—Letters of Secretary"Craggs to Stair—The Peerage Bill— Lord Cadogan—French Protestants—Parties in parlia- ment—Offer of French seamen—War in Spain—Strike of the keelmen at Newcastle—Rising of the weavers— Calicoes The Abbe" Dubois' favour to British interests, . -97 CHAPTER XV. Cardinal Alberoni foments insurrections in the countries opposed to him—Expedition to Scotland in aid of the Jacobites Stormy weather—Two Spanish frigates, sailing by Ireland, make the coast of Ross-shire— Letters to Lord Stair concern- ing the expedition— Partial rising of the Highlanders—Battle of Glenshiel—The Earl of Peterborough's intrigue with the Queen of Spain's uncle upsets Alberoni—Letters of Secretary Craggs to Lord Stair—Lord Stanhope's visit to Paris— Its twofold object—Letters of Voltaire, Lord Finch, and the Duchess of Marlborough, . .114 —— CONTENTS. Vll CHAPTER XVI. Mr Law and the Regent Orleans—Lord Stair's quarrel with Law —His embassy approaches its close—Letters of Secretary Craggs—Attempt on the part of France and Spain to obtain the cession of Gibraltar— Spain at last accedes to terms of peace—The British Ministry hold by Law and recall Lord Stair—The Mississippi Scheme begins to totter—Last weeks of Stair at Paris, . - 13s CHAPTER XVII. Close of Lord Stair's embassy, and his return to England— Final collapse of the Mississippi Scheme— Character of Stair by the Duke of St Simon—He resides for some time in London Retires to his estate in Scotland—His pursuits— Newliston Castle Kennedy— Letters of his overseers—He deals in black cattle—Letters of Colonel Cathcart—The grounds of Stowe —Court of Queen Caroline, who patronises English manu- factures, . • '57 CHAPTER XVIII. Lord Stair's occasional visits to London—His personal and poli- tical friends—Letter as to Church patronage in Scotland pre- vious to the Secession of 1732—Bailiffs' reports of rural oper- ations—Letters of Lord Binning from Naples—Of Lady Murray of Stanhope—Of Lord Balcarres from Castle Kennedy, 173 CHAPTER XIX. Preparations for a general election—Lord Islay's management in Scotland—Lord Stair deprived of his office of Admiral of Scotland, and afterwards of his regiment— Letters of members of the opposition—Of Lords Halifax and Cathcart—Of the Earl of Chesterfield—Of Erskine of Grange and Lord Stair Bill excluding Scottish judges from parliament—Complaints as to the Government nomination list of the 16 representative Scotch peers—French letter addressed by Stair to Queen Caroline, ....... 194 CHAPTER XX. Result of the general election—Proceedings for bringing before parliament the Government nomination of the Scottish repre- sentative peers—Letters of Earl Chesterfield, Mr Pulteney, — VUl CONTENTS. and the Duchess of Marlborough to Lord Stair—Rump-Steak or Liberty Club— Letters of Lady Murray of Stanhope—Lord Drummore— Erskine of Grange—Lord Stair and the other peers unsuccessful in their complaint against Lord Islay and the government—The Country party despairing— Letter of the Duke of Montrose, ...... 216 CHAPTER XXI. Lord Stair in the country—Letter to Erskine of Grange—Petition to the Crown in behalf of Captain Porteous— Letters of Sir Hew Dalrymple and Lord Marchmont— Stair's views of pub- lic affairs—Note from a lady of fashion, . 237 CHAPTER XXII. Political situation and sentiments of the Opposition—The ever- lasting Minister—Letters of Lords Stair and Marchmont—Of Erskine of Grange, Earl of Chesterfield, Duchess of Marl- borough, and Lord Crighton—The Prince of Wales, . 244 CHAPTER XXIII. The tide of Sir R. Walpole's fortune begins to ebb, and that of Lord Stair and his friends to flow—Letters to Stair from the Earl of Chesterfield, Lord Crighton, Lord Drummore, the Duke of Montrose, and the Earl of Shaftesbury, . 259 CHAPTER XXIV. Decided improvement in the prospects of the Country party Stair's letters to the Duchess of Marlborough and Lord Ches- terfield—Resignation of Sir R. Walpole, and change of minis- try— Stair appointed Commander-in-chief and Field-marshal —War in support of the Pragmatic Sanction—Maria Teresa —Lord Stair sent to the Hague to incite the Dutch to take active measures— Letters of Secretary Lord Carteret to Stair —A British army despatched to the continent, to be under his command, ....... 273 CHAPTER XXV. Object of Britain in taking part in the war—Arrival of Lord Stair with the army in Germany—Position taken up near Frank- fort—The army advance up the Mayn to Aschaffenburg Stair outmanoeuvred by the Due de Noailles—Arrival of George II. at Aschaffenburg—Resolution to retreat to their CONTENTS. IX magazines at Hanau—The march- intercepted by the French at Dettingen—The Due de Grammont leaves his strong position there—Defeat of the French—Conduct of the king and of Lord Stair— Pursuit of the enemy advised by Stair, but dis- allowed—His recommendations slighted— Courtesy of Stair and Noailles—Letters of Colonel Gardiner, Lord Hertford, " and others—Peregrine Pickle's Lady of Quality," . 289 CHAPTER XXVI. Lord Stair resigns his appointment of Commander-in-chief— " The three Johns"—The grounds of complaint on the part of Stair and his friends in England made the subject of discussion in Parliament—Stair appointed to the command of the forces in South Britain—Letters of Lord Drummore, Duke of Rich- mond, Lord Cathcart, and others, .... 302 CHAPTER XXVII. Lord Stair one of the sixteen Scotch representative peers—Jacobite insurrection—Unpreparedness of the Government—Letter of Lord Loudoun, Sir John Cope's adjutant-general—Deficiency in ways and means for putting down the insurrection— It is stamped out by the Duke of Cumberland— Letters of Stair to Duncan Forbes, President of the Session—Death and char- acter of Lord Stair, ...... 317 APPENDIX. (Life of Second Earl of Stair—continued.) CHAP. IX. Letters from Viscount Bolingbroke, Mr George Bubb, Sir . Earl of Peterborough, D. Dalrymple, . 331 X. Letters from Duke of Roxburgh, .... 337 XL Letters, Sir D. Dalrymple, Lambert (a spy), Mr Ser- geant Hanbury, ...... 343 XII. Letters, Lord Stanhope, Col. W. Stanhope, the Abbe" Dubois, Secretary Craggs, Earl Stair, Cardinal Al- beroni, ....... 349 XIII. Letters, Earl of Sunderland, Sir J. Agnew, Countess- Dowager of Stair, Sir G. Heathcote, J. Molesworth, Sir Hew Dalrymple, Sir G. Byng, . 377 XIV., XV. Letters, Duke of Berwick, Count Konigsegge, Countess Longau nay, Mr Craggs, General Wynne, Earls Stanhope and Stair, Cardinal Alberoni, George I. —The Biribi, . 385 VOL. II. b X ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE SECOND VOLUME. XVI. Letters, Mr Craggs, James Maclauchlin (an Irish priest), Duke of Montrose, Earl Stair, . .411 XVII. Letters, Lord Crighton, John Ross (bailiff), . 424 XIX. Letters, Duke of Newcastle, Stewart of Phisgill, Erskine of Grange, Lord Elphinstone, Col. Gardiner, Lord Drummore— Bill for Stranraer Council Dinner, . 427 XX.