Letter: to the council, 2 June 1692, Edinburgh

Act, 29 December 1692, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Second day off Junij Jaj vjc and nyntie tuo years

A1692/6/51

Letter: to the council

Secretary Johnstons Letter to the Councill

A Letter from Mr Johnstoun secretarie of state2 to the Lord High Chancellour and other Lords of there Majestyes privie Councill of the same date with the Queens Letter to be Communicate to the boord wes read and ordered to be recorded whereof the tenor followes My Lords I have from tyme to tyme Given the Lord Chancellour the best accompt of matters here that I could get To be Communicated to your Lordships That yow might the better know what measures to take To which I added such significations of her majestyes pleasure as were made to me And I have here pressed as much as I could the doeing of severall things which seemed necessarie to be done by them for your safety upon sudden Emergents which allowed not tyme for Consulting yow, particularly your want of armes and amunitione wes represented to the ministry here as some of your number who were at pains too in it, can Informe yow now I have represented the same to the Queen by your order But the trueth is the great Consumption that have been made of ammunitione in the late sea Engadgement and the Incredible number of armes and quantityes of amunitione that are now Imbarked In order to a deficient in France (which it seems will be speediely made) putts it in a maner out of there power to spare yow any of aither of them Because the danger of ane Invasion being in all appearance past which only seemed to excuse our asking armes from them I fear it would prove a hard matter to gett any from them tho they hade them to give Some ships have gott befor Dunkirk but not the Number Intended Its thought the King may have fought the French this day For the Elector of Brandenburg’s army wes to Joyne his Majesty on thursday last, The wholl army hade fyred upon the news of the sea victorie, Ships are sent to bring our seven regiments from Flanders hither. The transport ships are Comeing together My Lords Rochester Portland and Sidney are gone to Concert Matters with the Duke of Lympster and Admirall Russell at Portsmouth And I think there is this day ane Embargo Laid on all ships in the river, So that in all appearance France will quickly have other work to doe then to send troops to Scotland I ame, with all respect and duety, My Lords your Lordships Most Humble and obedient Servant Sic subscribitur J Johnstoun

At Edinburgh 2 June 1692

A1692/6/51

Letter: to the council

Secretary Johnston’s Letter to the Council

A letter from Mr [James] Johnston, secretary of state to the lord high chancellor and other lords of their majesties’ privy council of the same date with the queen’s letter to be communicated to the board, was read and ordered to be recorded, whereof the tenor follows: My lords, I have from time to time given the lord chancellor the best account of matters here that I could get to be communicated to your lordships that you might the better know what measures to take, to which I added such significations of her majesty’s pleasure as were made to me; and I have here pressed as much as I could the doing of several things which seemed necessary to be done by them for your safety upon sudden emergencies which allowed not time for consulting yow, particularly your want of arms and ammunition was represented to the ministry here as some of your number who were at pains too in it, and can inform you now I have represented the same to the queen by your order. But the truth is the great consumption that has been made of ammunition in the late sea engagement and the incredible number of arms and quantity of ammunition that are now embarked in order to a deficiency in France (which it seems will be speedily made) puts it in a manner out of their power to spare you any of either of them, because the danger of an invasion being in all appearance past, which only seemed to excuse our asking arms from them, I fear it would prove a hard matter to get any from them, though they had them to give, some ships have got before Dunkirk but not the number intended. It is thought the king may have fought the French this day for the elector of Brandenburg’s army was to join his majesty on Thursday last, the whole army hade fired upon the news of the sea victory and ships are sent to bring our seven regiments from Flanders hither. The transport ships are coming together. My Lords Rochester Portland and Sidney are gone to concert matters with the [Meinhard Schomberg], duke of Leinster and Admiral [Edward] Russell at Portsmouth and I think there is this day an embargo laid on all ships in the river, so that in all appearance France will quickly have other work to do than to send troops to Scotland. I am, with all respect and duty my lords, your lordships’ most humble and obedient servant. Thus subscribed: J Johnston

1. PC1/48, 237.

2. The words ‘of state’ are inserted above the line.

1. PC1/48, 237.