Letter: from the council, 22 February 1705, Edinburgh

Act, 12 March 1705, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Twentie Second day of February Jaj vijc and fyve years

A1705/2/281

Letter: from the council

Letter from the Counsell to the Secretary anent Fort William

Letter from the Councill to the Earle of Roxburgh Secretary in waiting anent Fort William, and the burgh of Barronie therto belonging, being read was voted and approven and appoynted to be recorded, and recommended to the Lords Chancellor to Signe and transmitt the Same wherof the tenor followes
My Lord
Fort William at Inverlochie being a fort so necessary, And the Government haveing already expended, and being to expend so great charges upon it, Wee have thought fitt to transmitt this representation to be laid befor her Majestie; Immediatly after the revolusion some of the Highlanders haveing risen in armes and Joyned with Claverhouse, It was resolved that a fort which the English had keept all the tyme of ther usurpation at Innerlochie for the Securitie of the Highlands, Should be restored, For tho after the year Jaj vic Sixtie one, It had been wholly neglected, And was become a piece of waste ground, Yet haveing been a fort formerly, The Government on the occasion forsaid thought fitt to restore it which was done without any contradiction, and King William for its better Support did erect ther a burgh of Barronie, that the Garisone might have the benefite of weekly mercats and fairs, which was the advantage of the proprietor of the ground as weell as of the fort, And thus things continued in quyet for severall yeirs But the Duke of Gordon alleadging that the ground of the fort, and the burgh of Barronie was his property, He raised ane action of removeing against the Garisone and the Inhabitatns of the burgh as possessing his ground and property; When this action was lyke to come to ane issue, ther Majesties Advocat represented the matter to the Lords of Theasaury, who appoynted a conference with the Duke of Gordon, wherin without entering into any debate, either as to the poynt of right or possession, the Duke was told that his ground and lands about wer rather bettered by the fort and by the burgh of Barronie, But because it was fitt the Government Should be Secured as to the right of the fort, And that they would proceed Justly and fairly with him, They wer willing to purchase from him the forsaid ground which was in all but a two merk-land, and payed only Fourscore merks the merk Land, But that they wer resolved to deall Squarely with him, And pay him largely above the Just value for the purchase they proposed, The Duke on the other hand made answer Sometymes he would resigne the ground of the fort, but not the burgh of Barronie, And then that he would not Sell to the Queen, But rather in duty make her a free offer and Surrender, But aggreeing to nothing, And the Garisone in the mean tyme molested, and hindered, as to ther fewall and foggage by the Duks Baillies, who appear to have Litle kindness for the Government, This matter being reported to ws, who thought fitt to order Major Generall Maitland and the Garisone to continue ther possession as they had formerly enjoyed it, And that this wholl matter Should be laid befor her Majestie for preventing misrepresentations, And also for direction how to proceed in it, For it may Justly seem unaccountable that the Duke of Gordon who owes So much to the protection and favour of the Government, Should make difficultie to sell and resigne for a greater pryce then he would expect any wher els a two merk-land in Lochaber the wildest place in Scotland Especially when both fort and burgh are truly beneficiall to all his bounds about, However in the mean tyme her Majesties possession shall be maintained, And if the Duke cane be brought to a better resolution, It is that which wee much desyre; For that Such a necessary fort for the Security of the kingdome, And the quyet of these pairts, And that hath already been so chargeable, And is lyke to be yet more chargeable, And is lyke to be yet more chargeable to the Government, Should be given up and throwen away for any mans humor, Wee are hopefull that the Duke att length will find himselfe to be unreasonable, This by order and in presence of the Lords of her Majesties privie Counsell Is Signed by, My Lord, Yor Lordships most humble Servant, Sic Subscribitur Tweeddale Cancellar I.P.D.

Att Edinburgh the Twentie Second day of February Jaj vijc and fyve years

A1705/2/281

Letter: from the council

Letter from the Counsell to the Secretary anent Fort William

Letter from the Councill to the Earle of Roxburgh Secretary in waiting anent Fort William, and the burgh of Barronie therto belonging, being read was voted and approven and appoynted to be recorded, and recommended to the Lords Chancellor to Signe and transmitt the Same wherof the tenor followes
My Lord
Fort William at Inverlochie being a fort so necessary, And the Government haveing already expended, and being to expend so great charges upon it, Wee have thought fitt to transmitt this representation to be laid befor her Majestie; Immediatly after the revolusion some of the Highlanders haveing risen in armes and Joyned with Claverhouse, It was resolved that a fort which the English had keept all the tyme of ther usurpation at Innerlochie for the Securitie of the Highlands, Should be restored, For tho after the year Jaj vic Sixtie one, It had been wholly neglected, And was become a piece of waste ground, Yet haveing been a fort formerly, The Government on the occasion forsaid thought fitt to restore it which was done without any contradiction, and King William for its better Support did erect ther a burgh of Barronie, that the Garisone might have the benefite of weekly mercats and fairs, which was the advantage of the proprietor of the ground as weell as of the fort, And thus things continued in quyet for severall yeirs But the Duke of Gordon alleadging that the ground of the fort, and the burgh of Barronie was his property, He raised ane action of removeing against the Garisone and the Inhabitatns of the burgh as possessing his ground and property; When this action was lyke to come to ane issue, ther Majesties Advocat represented the matter to the Lords of Theasaury, who appoynted a conference with the Duke of Gordon, wherin without entering into any debate, either as to the poynt of right or possession, the Duke was told that his ground and lands about wer rather bettered by the fort and by the burgh of Barronie, But because it was fitt the Government Should be Secured as to the right of the fort, And that they would proceed Justly and fairly with him, They wer willing to purchase from him the forsaid ground which was in all but a two merk-land, and payed only Fourscore merks the merk Land, But that they wer resolved to deall Squarely with him, And pay him largely above the Just value for the purchase they proposed, The Duke on the other hand made answer Sometymes he would resigne the ground of the fort, but not the burgh of Barronie, And then that he would not Sell to the Queen, But rather in duty make her a free offer and Surrender, But aggreeing to nothing, And the Garisone in the mean tyme molested, and hindered, as to ther fewall and foggage by the Duks Baillies, who appear to have Litle kindness for the Government, This matter being reported to ws, who thought fitt to order Major Generall Maitland and the Garisone to continue ther possession as they had formerly enjoyed it, And that this wholl matter Should be laid befor her Majestie for preventing misrepresentations, And also for direction how to proceed in it, For it may Justly seem unaccountable that the Duke of Gordon who owes So much to the protection and favour of the Government, Should make difficultie to sell and resigne for a greater pryce then he would expect any wher els a two merk-land in Lochaber the wildest place in Scotland Especially when both fort and burgh are truly beneficiall to all his bounds about, However in the mean tyme her Majesties possession shall be maintained, And if the Duke cane be brought to a better resolution, It is that which wee much desyre; For that Such a necessary fort for the Security of the kingdome, And the quyet of these pairts, And that hath already been so chargeable, And is lyke to be yet more chargeable, And is lyke to be yet more chargeable to the Government, Should be given up and throwen away for any mans humor, Wee are hopefull that the Duke att length will find himselfe to be unreasonable, This by order and in presence of the Lords of her Majesties privie Counsell Is Signed by, My Lord, Yor Lordships most humble Servant, Sic Subscribitur Tweeddale Cancellar I.P.D.

1. NRS, PC1/53, 364-5.

1. NRS, PC1/53, 364-5.